Friday's Afternoon Update
Fla. Unemployment Rate Stays at 12% as State Sheds Jobs
Florida's unemployment rate remained stagnant at 12 percent in December, but the labor pool lost an estimated 17,900 jobs from November, state officials reported this morning. In a positive note, Florida continued a six-month streak of adding jobs compared with a year ago. The number of jobs statewide is up 43,500, or just under 1 percent, compared with December 2009. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell to 9.4 percent in December, down from 9.8 percent. But economists say the drop was largely driven by fewer unemployed actually looking for work, and expect the rate to rise again when they resume their job hunt. [Source: St. Petersburg Times]Vintage Warplanes Fly into South Florida
Three classic World War II planes — a B-24 Liberator, a B-17 Flying Fortress and a P-51 Mustang — will swoop into Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport at 2 p.m. Friday.
The "Wings of Freedom Tour" will be based at Hangar 63, 5360 NW 20th Terrace, on the south side of the airport, through Jan. 24. It will be the 2,500th stop the nonprofit Collings Foundation has made in 22 years of operation.
The planes will also visit Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport from Jan. 24-27, and Boca Raton Airport from Jan. 27-31. The public can view the planes' interiors for a $12 donation, $6 for children younger than 12. War veterans can take the tour for free.
Thirty-minute rides also are available in the bombers for $425 per person, and the P-51 for $2,200. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Get Lab Results Quickly, But Not Here
MUST-KNOW FLORIDIAN
Meet Frank Brogan, Chancellor, State University System. With a detailed top-to-bottom knowledge of the state's entire educational system, he has argued that a big investment in colleges and universities could help "slingshot" the state out of the recession and position it for leadership in education and research. |
With healthcare experts pushing for more patient involvement, Quest Diagnostics, the nation's largest provider of lab services, is allowing patients to get test results sent to them directly -- but not in Florida.
``Disclosure and transparency is here and now,'' said Jon Cohen, Quest's chief medical officer, at a recent University of Miami symposium.
Well, not exactly here. Florida is one of 13 states that forbids diagnostic companies from transmitting results directly to patients.
That makes no sense to Beth Wheeling, a retired South Miami psychologist and cancer patient. ``Why is there this infantilization of the patient? Why do they think we cannot handle this? I hope Florida grows up.''
The Florida Medical Association and the American Medical Association did not respond to requests for comment.
[Source: Miami Herald]
Rising Food Prices Hit Florida Shoppers
Food prices have begun rising, putting new pressure on consumers who were just beginning to feel more comfortable about spending again.
"Things you would see for 10 cents less last Monday are 10 cents more this Monday," said Barbara Powell, 64, of Orlando, shopping at a Publix on South Orange Avenue this week. "People on fixed incomes like I am, it's hard for us. We just have to close our eyes and get it. But it's expensive.''
The federal government is predicting that average food prices will increase up to 3 percent this year, but the cost of some things already has begun moving much higher. Beef was up 6.2 percent in November compared with a year ago. Pork jumped 12.9 percent.
Floods and droughts around the world have cut global grain supplies. Increased demand and higher fuel expenses also have contributed to the surge. "It is coming at a bad time for the economy and our collective psyche," said Bill Bishop, chairman of food-retail consulting company Willard Bishop.
Two major Florida grocers, Winn-Dixie and Publix, say their customers can expect to pay more at checkout as their suppliers charge higher prices.
[Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Space Florida Minotaur Plan Gets First Step
With a $30,000 award from the Air Force, Space Florida will begin working out the details of a plan to launch to orbit small satellites aboard 60-foot Minotaur rockets from Cape Canaveral.
The agency this year plans the demonstration launch of a different rocket, developed by Masten Space Systems of Mojave, Calif., which Space Florida officials hope could prove the possibility of additional launches from Florida in the wake of the space shuttle's retirement and the loss of thousands of jobs.
"We've got a lot of work to do to win the long-term business," said Mark Bontrager, vice president of spaceport operations for Space Florida. "But the logistics plan is a valuable first step to making the Cape a new location for the launch of Minotaur and other solid-propellant rockets."
Earlier this month, the Space Launch Division of the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center/Space Development and Test Wing announced plans to spend up to $48 million to provide Florida-based launch services for the federal government.
[Source: Florida Today]
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