Florida orders cut in workers' compensation insurance rates

Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier has signed off on reducing workers’ compensation insurance rates for Florida businesses beginning Jan. 1. Altmaier signed a final order earlier this month, reducing average rates by 7.5% for new and renewed workers’ compensation policies. That is a deeper rate cut than a 5.4% reduction initially recommended this summer by the National Council on Compensation Insurance, which makes rate filings for workers’ compensation insurers. See the announcement and read more from the Orlando Sentinel and Florida Politics.

Amazon expands with new fulfillment center in Auburndale

Amazon announced plans to open a fulfillment center in Auburndale, Florida. When the site opens, Amazon will create more than 500 new, full-time jobs starting at $15 an hour with comprehensive benefits starting on day one. Employees at the more than one million-square-foot fulfillment center will pick, pack and ship large customer items, such as sports equipment, patio furniture, fishing rods, pet food, kayaks, bicycles, and larger household goods. Amazon currently employs more than 13,500 full-time associates throughout the state of Florida. More at Florida Trend.

Florida marijuana: Get paid $3000 a month to smoke and review marijuana

If smoking and reviewing pot sounds like a job you would like to have, get ready. American Marijuana, which coined itself to be one of the “most trusted medical marijuana resources online,” announced they will hire one individual to review various cannabis products from home. More from the Gainesville Sun.

Florida Crystals rice farmer: No two days are the same

Rice is an important food grown all over the world, but in the Everglades Agricultural Area in western Palm Beach County, it’s also valued as a rotation crop with sugar cane and sweet corn. Growing rice restores the soil, removes pests and provides a habitat for many species of native wildlife, especially wading birds. More from the Palm Beach Post.

Pasco okays largest-ever environmental land buy for $22 million

Pasco County is making its largest-ever environmental land purchase, agreeing to spend $22 million for 843 acres within Lennar’s Project Arthur development in central Pasco. The acquisition brings the total land preserved since the environmental program’s inception 14 years ago to 6,973 acres. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Space Florida: Driving Florida's aerospace future

Florida is well on its way to becoming the world’s premier space transportation hub. Space Florida’s focus for the next decade is to build the capacity of all Florida Spaceports, including the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, with new infrastructure, and to empower a new commercial future, one that serves space exploration, national security and space commerce. [Sponsored report]