Are Florida’s job gains stalling? New state unemployment assistance claims rise by 4,700

Florida’s breakneck economic gains amid an aggressive reopening may be stalling, as new applications for unemployment assistance climbed for the second time in three weeks, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday. For the week ending April 24, new unemployment claims climbed from 18,838 to 23,600. While that remains well below the highs seen at the outset of the pandemic, it is nearly five-times above pre-pandemic levels. More from the News Service of Florida and the  Miami Herald.

Business Beat - Week of April 30th

Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video newsbrief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.

Nasa’s gigantic SLS rocket arrives in Florida on equally gigantic barge

NASA’s long-delayed Space Launch System (SLS) is finally beginning to take shape. Following a number of impressive engine tests, the various components of the first full spacecraft have all arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, including the newly arrived core stage. That part of the mega-rocked floated up to the spaceport on a 310-foot barge earlier this week. More from Extreme Tech and NASA.

CDC lets cruise lines know that sailing could restart by mid-July

Cruise lines may be getting the green light to return to sailing from U.S. ports by mid-July, according to a letter sent to industry heads by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In a report from USA Today, which obtained a copy of the letter, the CDC states it agrees with the stance that sailing on a cruise ship will never be a zero-risk activity. CDC spokesperson Caitlin Shockey told the newspaper that the letter means cruise lines could begin passenger sailings from U.S. ports by mid-July,. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Florida’s Disney and Publix offer vaccine bonus pay if employees hit the target

Walt Disney World in Orlando has joined Publix and other companies in offering incentives in the form of cash bonuses to employees who get vaccinated for COVID-19. Disney staffers, termed “cast members” by the House of Mouse, who are fully vaccinated by Sept. 30 are eligible for a one-time payment equal to four hours of pay, Disney World spokeswoman Erica Ettori told the Orlando Sentinel. The offer applies to employees who opt for either the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or the two-dose Moderna or Pfizer vaccines. [Source: Miami Herald]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Raymond James sets records with more than $1 trillion in client assets [Tampa Bay Times]
St. Petersburg’s Raymond James Financial posted a strong quarterly earnings report on Wednesday, announcing company records for revenues, income and total client assets — which, for the second straight quarter, were valued at more than $1 trillion. That’s trillion. With a T.

› Brevard restaurants adjust hours, days of operation as staffing shortages worsen [Florida Today]
Almost 15 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants continue to struggle. While diners are back in droves, cooks and servers aren't. "A year ago we were worried we were going to lose our business to COVID," said Billy Graham, who owns Papa Vito's Italian Restaurant in Cape Canaveral with his wife Shiloh. "Now we're worried and stressed about having enough staff to stay open." The problem has worsened in recent weeks, forcing restaurants across the Space Coast to cut hours and days of operation.

› The Fortegra Group Inc. withdraws plans for IPO [Jacksonville Daily Record]
The Fortegra Group Inc. withdrew plans for an initial public offering April 29, the day the Jacksonville-based specialty insurance company was expected to begin trading. Fortegra sent a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission saying “it has determined not to pursue the initial public offering.”

› Zoo Miami claws its way back from covid [Miami Today]
Some of Miami-Dade’s family-friendly animal-related attractions are seeing increasing crowds heading into summer, and staff say this could finally be the year that Zoo Miami hits the million-visitor mark. County-owned Zoo Miami has seen large, though socially distanced, crowds since December and last month over 120,000 guests visited the zoo, topping March 2019 numbers, said Cindy Castelblanco, director of marketing and integrated communications for the Zoo Miami Foundation.

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› Universal theme parks booming with busy Orlando spring break; executive touts VelociCoaster opening [Orlando Sentinel]
Universal theme parks broke even for the second quarter in a row with Comcast’s CEO singling out the Orlando parks for “remarkable attendance” during spring break. “Obviously during a pandemic when you’ve closed, it’s not a good business. It’s going to be choppy getting open again,” said NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell, who runs Universal theme parks within his division. “But it’s hard not to get excited about our parks business. The demand is there. We’re seeing it in Orlando. We have no international travel yet ... and we still are at capacity.”

› FPL Palm Bay solar plant converting sunlight to power with 280,000+ solar panels [Florida Today]
Amid an array of 284,648 solar panels, a white General Electric power inverter buzzed with sunshine-generated electricity inside a large shipping container, deep within Florida Power & Light’s new Palm Bay Solar Energy Center. "This site, this converter right here, is really where Edison meets Tesla," said Bart Gaetjens, FPL external affairs manager, standing in the 485-acre solar farm.

› Industrial project Heritage Parkway Commerce Center planned near Melbourne airport [Biz Journals]
A new warehouse and manufacturing project may rise in the city of West Melbourne as e-commerce and population growth create more demand for this type of construction in Central Florida. Williamsville, New York-based Acquest Development LLC seeks approvals for two 150,000-square-foot warehouses and 15,000 square feet of commercial space near U.S. 192 and St. Johns Heritage Parkway, according to state records. The project is called Heritage Parkway Commerce Center.

› Tijuana Flats launches ‘prototype’ restaurants with high-tech features [Orlando Sentinel]
Tijuana Flats is rolling out “prototype” restaurants with order status boards that tell customers when their food is ready or being prepared. The 125-restaurant chain, founded in Winter Park, has remodeled its restaurant at Aloma and Lakemont avenues in Winter Park to the new design. It also features digital menu boards and a revamped curbside pickup program, according to a news release.