Thursday's Afternoon Update
Florida jobless claims inch up
First-time unemployment claims in Florida last week hit a number not seen since the end of January, but the state continues to have a level of claims similar to before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The U.S. Department of Labor estimated 6,363 claims were filed last week in Florida, up from a revised count of 5,167 during the week ending April 2. Last week’s estimated total was the largest amount since 6,680 claims were recorded during the week ending Jan. 29. More from the News Service of Florida.
DeSantis releases new congressional redistricting map, with key Senate backing
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday kept his promise and proposed a redistricting map that blows up the state’s current congressional districts, creates four additional Republican-leaning seats, and eliminates at least two districts now held by Black Democrats in North and Central Florida. The map would create 20 Republican-performing districts and eight Democrat-leaning districts and is expected to be quickly approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature next week when it meets in a special session called by the governor. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Excitement palpable at Kennedy Space Center as NASA conducts last Artemis I moon rocket test
NASA teams at Kennedy Space Center are targeting this afternoon for the wrap-up of a series of tests and rehearsals for the agency's Space Launch System moon rocket, marking an end to their first time interacting with the massive vehicle on the launch pad. But what might seem like a longer-than-planned test from the public's perspective continues to be a source of excitement for employees and officials, some of whom have waited more than a decade to see the 322-foot rocket at pad 39B. More from Florida Today.
Black Knight jumps on buyout talk
Black Knight Inc.’s stock jumped higher after a Bloomberg News report that the Jacksonville-based mortgage technology company is talking with private equity firms about a possible buyout. But even after the stock rose $8 to $66.27 on Feb. 5, analysts think the company is worth more. The average target price of 10 analysts following the stock is $82.60, according to Yahoo Finance. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
SRQ breaks 1 million passengers in first three months
The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport has done it again. It seems every month there’s a new record being broken in terms of how many passengers pass through SRQ. With Sarasota being a top spring break destination, it’s no surprise that the airport set the new record in March with 442,846 for the most passengers served in a month. More from the Business Observer.
Banking
TD Bank exec expects growth to continue despite challenges
Despite two years of economic uncertainty, temporary branch closings and the threat of rising interest rates, Northeast Florida banks are thriving, says Cindy Stover, commercial market president of North Florida for TD Bank. In the last six months, TD Bank has opened three Florida branches — in Lake Nona (Orlando), Sun City Ruskin (Tampa) and Julington Creek (Jacksonville) — and plans are underway for 30 additional branches in the state over the next five years.
» More from Florida Trend.
Out of the Box
Time and temperature phone numbers resurrected in Tampa, St. Pete and Clearwater
Time and temperature phone lines receive more than a million calls each month from across the U.S. That includes thousands of calls to three recently restored lines in Tampa Bay. With smartphones and their precise atomic clocks and weather apps, why would anyone dial a number for such basic facts? John Lochridge of Memory Lane Communications says the question misses the point.
» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.