Boeing is moving its Space and Launch headquarters to Florida’s Space Coast

The Space Coast has been working for years to become a one-stop-shop for space-related operations — not just launches — and Boeing has taken notice. The aerospace company announced Wednesday that it will move its Space and Launch headquarters from Arlington, Virginia, to Titusville by the end of the year, bringing with it Jim Chilton, senior vice president of the division, and the members of his executive leadership team and support staff. See the announcement here and read more from the Orlando Sentinel, CBS Miami and WESH.

Florida Chamber outlines steps to grow economy

Florida’s economy is currently 17th largest in the world. Florida Chamber of Commerce CEO Mark Wilson wants it to be in the top 10. Listen Listening...2:02 The Florida Chamber of Commerce held its annual workforce summit this week. The two-day event focused on how to continue growing Florida’s economy. CEO Mark Wilson says the state must fill vacant jobs to do so. “289,000 jobs in Florida right now can’t find people to fill them," said Wilson. Wilson believes filling those jobs starts with education. More from WFSU and WJCT.

Florida city pays $600,000 ransom to save computer records

A Florida city agreed to pay $600,000 in ransom to hackers who took over its computer system, the latest in thousands of attacks worldwide aimed at extorting money from governments and businesses. The Riviera Beach City Council voted unanimously this week to pay the hackers' demands, believing the Palm Beach suburb had no choice if it wanted to retrieve its records, which the hackers encrypted. The council already voted to spend almost $1 million on new computers and hardware after hackers captured the city's system three weeks ago. More from the AP, CNN, and PC Mag.

Disney World sues Appraiser Rick Singh over tax assessments for Magic Kingdom, Epcot, hotels

It’s inevitable: Every year at Walt Disney World, the cost of admission rises, and every year, Disney fights Orange County over its property taxes. Disney, which has challenged its property tax assessments since 2015, filed a new round of lawsuits in Orange Circuit Court aimed at Property Appraiser Rick Singh. The lawsuits that contest Disney’s 2018 tax bills were filed within five days of Disney raising its annual pass prices, a move that Disney says has nothing to do with the lawsuits. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Florida minimum wage hike doesn’t draw arguments in Supreme Court

The Florida Supreme Court will not hold oral arguments on a proposed constitutional amendment that would increase the state’s minimum wage, after it did not receive any briefs on the issue. The court issued a one-page document Tuesday saying it is “dispensing with oral argument” as it reviews the wording of the proposed amendment. Supreme Court approval of wording is a key step in the process of getting amendments on the ballot. [Source: CBS Miami]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Pensacola outdoor living company Doodlebuggers celebrates 21 years in business [Florida Trend]
Doodlebuggers, The outdoor living company in Pensacola, proudly announces the celebration of 21 years of their services on the Florida Gulf Coast. Initially opening one office in Pensacola, Florida on April 8, 1998, the air duct service company in Pensacola expanded their office last year, opening one in Destin last year on April 21.

› Florida-bound Carnival Mardi Gras cruise ship reaches construction milestone [Orlando Sentinel]
With just more than a year away before its debut, Carnival Cruise Line held the symbolic keel-laying ceremony for Mardi Gras, its new class of ship that’s headed to Port Canaveral. Held at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, the ship moved into the next phase on construction with the the maritime luck-seeking tradition of placing coins on a 750-ton keel block.

› Mosaic will permanently close idle Plant City facility [Lakeland Ledger]
The Mosaic Co. on Tuesday announced it would permanently shut down its mothballed fertilizer manufacturing facility in Plant City, which has been idle since late 2017. Mosaic officials said at the time it was closing the Plant City facility because it was the highest-cost manufacturing plant in Florida. About 430 people worked there at the time.

› Hydroponic farming planned on vacant Miami Beach lots [Miami Today]
Freight Farms Inc. and Energy Cost Solutions Group LLC. have entered negotiations with the City of Miami Beach to possibly establish hydroponic farming in North Beach. Commissioners are to weigh each proposal in the fall and, if one is approved, introduce farming into the city soon. Miami Beach will grow crops indoors using hydroponic farming or vertical farming if either proposal is approved.

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› Jacksonville International Airport sees increase in parking demand [Florida Times-Union]
Dealing with large numbers of summer business and leisure travelers, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority has scrambled to meet the increased demand. Increased traffic into Jacksonville International Airport has hit such a high demand, which is unusual during the off-peak season and typically seen through Thanksgiving to New Year’s holiday season, that parking spaces have been hard to come by.

› Lucky’s Market opens new store in Orlando across from Fashion Square mall [Orlando Sentinel]
Niche grocer Lucky’s Market opened its newest store in Central Florida on Wednesday morning, making it the seventh location in the region. The new 36,000-square-foot store is located at 3230 E. Colonial Drive in the old Sports Authority building across from Orlando Fashion Square mall. Opening day, the store was busy with shoppers and celebrated a “bacon-cutting." About 150 employees were hired to help run the new location.

› The St. Pete Pier is expected to open next spring, but the restaurant at its end will be delayed [Tampa Bay Times]
The city's pier project, which has hit snags over the years — from citizen revolt to surprise encounters with forgotten pilings and seawalls — is facing another hitch. The destination restaurant planned for the pier head building won't be ready in time for the project's now anticipated opening in the early spring of 2020.

› Rubio sounds alarm on U.S. business investing: ‘The stock market is not the economy’ [Miami Herald]
Florida Senator Marco Rubio wants you to stop focusing on the stock market for a moment. Your job — and America’s future — may depend on it. If that sounds unusual for a Republican and steady Trump supporter to say, you may have some new reading to do. Last month, Rubio published “American Investment in the 21st Century,” a 40-page analysis of how U.S. businesses are sacrificing long-term viability for short-term market gains.