Wages, population growth in Florida lag

The average annual wage in Florida dipped further below the national mark in 2020, according to an economic overview by the Legislature’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research. A 21-page report, posted Tuesday, said average wages in Florida are typically below the U.S. mark. But the state’s average in 2020 was nearly the lowest it has been compared to the national average in 20 years. According to the report, the situation is linked to jobs that have been growing the fastest in Florida. [Source: News Service of Florida]

Florida citrus exports still frustrated

EU canker protocols, as well as difficulties transporting fruit to Asia are among problems frustrating Florida’s fresh citrus exports. The canker protocols that the EU has imposed for accepting Florida fruit are not based on science, said Dan Richey of Riverfront Packing Company, who is heavily involved in international trade issues on behalf of Florida’s citrus industry. [Source: Fresh Plaza]

COVID-19 vaccination rates in Florida: Which counties are the most and least vaccinated?

With Florida recently setting COVID-19 pandemic records for cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, healthcare leaders across the state have continued to stress the importance of vaccines. The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows their pleas may be making a difference. More than 237,000 Floridians received at least one dose of the vaccine in the week ending Aug. 31. The percent of Florida residents with at least one shot rose two points to 67%, for a total of 13,705,058 people. [Source: Fort Myers News Press]

Catastrophe fund eyed in workers' comp system

Sparked by fears that businesses could get hit with a future calamity similar to the COVID-19 pandemic, a proposal would allow charging Florida businesses an additional $20 million annually as part of a workers’ compensation insurance catastrophe fund. Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier has been asked to sign off on a rule change that could lead to Florida businesses being charged a premium to cover costs of a catastrophe that results in more than $50 million in aggregate workers’ compensation losses across all states. [Source: News Service of Florida]

Where does Florida medical marijuana giant Trulieve go from here?

This should be the best of times for Trulieve. The medical marijuana company sold more than half of all the smokable cannabis distributed to patients in Florida last month. It’s recorded 14 straight profitable quarters. The company pulled down more than $215 million in revenue in the last quarter alone. But this summer, Trulieve also had its first major public relations crisis. In August, J.T. Burnette, the husband of CEO Kim Rivers, was convicted of five of nine federal corruption-related charges in a highly publicized trial. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Tropical fish industry growing thanks to aquaculture lab in Ruskin [WFTS]
There are close to 100 tropical fish farms throughout the state of Florida and half of them are located in Hillsborough and Polk counties. However, raising tropical fish requires a lot more than just a tank full of water. Inside the UF/IFAS Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory, they are researching more than 50 different species of tropical fish, passing that knowledge onto the local Florida farmers.

› Pinellas public schools are struggling to staff classrooms [Tampa Bay Times]
Add substitute teachers to the list of employees the Pinellas County school district is having trouble finding. Faced with 105 teaching openings, a number of teachers out with coronavirus infections or on quarantine, and more absent for other reasons, the district needs people to fill in. And although the district had more than 1,300 substitutes on file as of early August, they’re not all stepping up to work these days.

› Orlando VA opens mobile ICU amid a surge of hospitalizations, deaths [Otlando Sentinel]
The Orlando Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center began treating patients in a mobile intensive care unit on Tuesday after increases in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients, a hospital spokesperson confirmed. “This mobile ICU will allow the Orlando VA to continue to provide necessary care to inpatients during this surge of Veteran hospitalizations,” wrote Heather Frebe in an email. “The Orlando VA began using the mobile ICU for patient care on August 31, 2021 and will continue to operate it as long as the unit is needed.”

› Labor Miami website launches to improve economic outcomes for area residents [Miami Herald]
A new online platform backed by local public, private and nonprofit groups launched Tuesday to help Greater Miami residents find jobs and improve their economic situation. LaborMiami.org, created by The Miami Foundation alongside Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami, the Health Foundation of South Florida, Catalyst Miami, and Florida International University, is designed to increase access to quality jobs and support small businesses in achieving growth opportunities.

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› Naples-based brokerage crushes 2020 sales volume in eight months  [Business Observer]
The latest example of how hot the residential real estate market is comes from Premier Sotheby’s International Realty: through August the firm has already surpassed its 2020 record-breaking total sales volume. The Naples-based brokerage, according to a statement, has surpassed $7.1 billion in sales volume year-to-date. That’s up 130% year-over-year.

› A 7,000 home expansion? Push against development in East Manatee County could mean urban density [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
A dozen residents spoke against development proposals in rural areas out east during a meeting this week that focused on Manatee County's urban boundary line. Discussion over the boundary erupted earlier this year when Lakewood Ranch developer Schroeder-Manatee Ranch proposed a 7,000 home expansion east of the line that would require a special amendment to the comprehensive plan.

› City permits for JAX LNG expansion top $8 million [Jacksonville Daily Record]
The city issued six more permits Aug. 30 for $4.27 million in work toward the JAX LNG expansion in North Jacksonville, boosting the project to $8.27 million in approved projects in just more than a week. The city issued five permits Aug. 20 for $4 million in work toward the JAX LNG expansion at 9225 Dames Point Road. G.A. West & Co. Inc. of Creola, Alabama, is the contractor for all of the 11 permits.

› Florida Design Works purchases Kirkplan Kitchens in consolidation of local remodeling firms [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Sarasota-headquartered Florida Design Works announced the purchase of Kirkplan Kitchens earlier this month, a combination that will see the two firms complement their respective strengths, according to a news release. The transaction amount was not disclosed.