New Florida grocery space outpacing the rest of the nation

If it seems like there are more places than ever to buy food, it’s not your imagination: There are more grocery stores in the Sunshine State than ever before, and the retail segment is getting larger. Although the number of grocery openings were down significantly last year nationwide, Florida saw a 6% gain in 2017 for grocery square footage. [Source: Business Observer]

Florida job cuts in March decline 63 percent from year ago

Florida employers cut 1,000 jobs in March, a 63 percent decrease from 2,690 in the same month a year ago, according to the monthly job cut report by Challenger, Gray & Christmas. From January to March, the state’s employers trimmed 4,108 jobs compared with 6,096, down 33 percent, for the same period in 2017. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

'Important stories will go uncovered': Newspaper exec says tariffs will hurt his industry

One Florida newspaper is using its pages to highlight the struggle it's facing in the wake of new tariffs the Trump administration put in place. For them, the product on the frontlines of the trade war is paper - the paper the publication needs to print newspapers. More from KMBZ and ABC News.

Constitution panel bundles 12 amendments for ballot consideration

Barring any last minute turbulence, get ready for a long ballot in November. The Constitution Revision Commission’s Style and Drafting Committee on Thursday OK’d 12 proposed amendments to the state’s governing document. The committee’s work now goes to the full CRC for consideration. It’s slated to meet again starting April 16. More from Florida Politics, the Miami Herald, and the Gainesville Sun.

Survivors of Florida club rampage sue social media giants

Survivors of a Florida nightclub massacre have filed a federal lawsuit against Google, Facebook and Twitter, claiming they helped spread terrorist propaganda. A similar lawsuit filed by the victims' families against the three social media giants was dismissed by a Detroit federal judge last week. [Source: AP]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Behind the scenes at Amazon’s new fulfillment center in Jacksonville [Florida Times-Union]
Before even the first box comes into view, the first sign of the size of the operation at Amazon’s fulfillment center on Jacksonville’s Northside is the droning noise. It’s the sound that accompanies the around-the-clock movement of million of items a week in a set-up where 2,000 people work in the midst of 12 miles of conveyor lines and chutes.

› Florida's largest property insurer writes its first policy in New Hampshire [South Florida Business Journal]
Universal Insurance Holdings Inc. announced on Tuesday that one of its largest subsidiaries wrote its first homeowner's policy in New Hampshire as the company continues to expand outside of Florida.

› How is Gainesville going to use millions in Wild Spaces And Public Places funds? [WUFT]
Alachua County implemented by referendum a surtax in January 2017 that takes a half-cent from every sales tax in the county and puts it toward land conservation and public parks. In a little over a year, the surtax has raised about $22.5 million.

› Tampa International has highest monthly growth in 13 years [Tampa Bay Business Journal]
Tampa International Airport saw 12.5 percent passenger growth in February. “You have to go back before the recession in 2005 to see that kind of growth,” said Chris Minner, TIA’s executive vice president of marketing and communications.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Florida child care franchise operation plans Colorado expansion [Denver Business Journal]
A Florida child care franchise operation said it plans on expanding in Colorado. The Learning Experience of Deerfield Beach, Florida currently operates six locations in Colorado.

› UCF's Hitt plans retirement move to Wisconsin [Orlando Sentinel]
UCF President John Hitt said Thursday he and his wife will be moving to Wisconsin upon his retirement in June, though he will still play a fundraising role at the university as president emeritus.

› Executive search firm StevenDouglas acquires tech staffing company [South Florida Business Journal]
Sunrise-based executive search firm StevenDouglas has acquired Tallience, a full-service technology staffing and consulting business headquartered in Boca Raton.

› Miami’s Pincho Factory aims to bring its skewers, burgers to DC [WTOP]
Miami-based fast-casual restaurant chain Pincho Factory plans to open 10 restaurants in the D.C. market over the next five years, with the first opening by the end of 2018.