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FRIDAY, JULY 18, 2008
STATEWIDE:
MAP: Is Your Favorite Starbucks Closing?
Starbucks has announced the locations of 59 Florida stores that will close. The coffee company has said it plans to shut down 600 stores nationwide by March 2009. The move to close the stores is a turnabout from Starbucks' aggressive expansion plans. The company curtailed those plans as it saw traffic and its profit decline recently as the faltering economy has led some consumers to question their spending on pricey coffee. Here's an interactive Florida map of the closing locations. [See the Map]
PALMETTO:
FDA Lifts Tomato Warning; Fla. Growers Want Restitution
It's OK to eat all kinds of tomatoes again, the U.S. government declared Thursday -- lifting its salmonella warning on the summer favorites amid signs that the record outbreak, while not over, may finally be slowing. Florida tomato growers said the move was long overdue, and that they will seek federal restitution for the millions of dollars they say they lost during the salmonella scare. Florida's tomato industry, which has said from the beginning that its tomatoes could not have caused the outbreak, said it also will ask for financial help in marketing tomatoes to consumers whose confidence in the product could be damaged.
[Source: Palm Beach Post]
TAMPA:
Building a Niche: Smaller Houses
Smaller, more affordable new homes are popping up across the Tampa Bay area. Builders say they hope the smaller models will spur more sales by taking the place of larger homes that were big hits during the housing boom.
Builders are rearranging floor plans, shrinking rooms, even changing the type of grass in the front yard to cut down on construction costs and offer more affordable prices. In some cases they're figuring out how to pack in four bedrooms, a feature in high demand for targeted buyers: young families.
Smaller homes also can be profitable, especially at a time when builders have suffered from the housing bust: The price per square foot is about the same, said Kevin Robles, vice president for the Tampa Division of Atlanta-based McCar Homes.
[Source: Tampa Tribune]
More on this topic from Florida Trend:
SOUTH FLORIDA:
Foreclosure Defense Buys Homeowners Time
As foreclosures continue to mount, borrowers who have run out of options are turning to attorneys to fight back -- and they're living mortgage-free for months in the process.
Although the chances of ultimately keeping a foreclosed home are slim, for $1,500 to $3,000 some lawyers are offering to defend borrowers in court, causing the wheels of justice to turn more slowly.
Duking it out can add months and sometimes years to a foreclosure process that in Florida already takes an average of seven months to complete. Homeowners can use the extra time to save for a move, sell the house or mull other options.
Investors can continue collecting rent from tenants, recouping at least some of their losses. [Source: Miami Herald]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
›EPA Sued Over Standards for Runoff in Florida [AP]
Five environmental groups sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday, claiming the federal government is violating the Clean Water Act by failing to set standards for farm and urban runoff that is polluting Florida's waterways.
›Glades Cities Win Planners' Help to Get Inland Port [Palm Beach Post]
To help make up for the economic loss from the state's purchase of U.S. Sugar Corp. for Everglades restoration, Glades-area leaders urged Palm Beach County's transportation planning board Thursday to help them land a proposed inland port.
›Column: Crist's Euro Trip May Be a Bad Career Move [St. Petersburg Times]
Steve Bousquet: What's the "people's governor" thinking? Is it politically astute to stay in $1,800-a-night hotel suites when your constituents can barely afford gasoline at $4 a gallon to reach a Red Roof Inn?
›State Farm's Rate Request May Hide Motives [St. Petersburg Times]
Odds are remote that State Farm will win approval to raise homeowners insurance rates an average of 47.1% statewide. Florida's largest private insurer asking for such a large increase so it has an excuse to drop far more than the 50,000 policyholders it is currently shedding? Also: Wexler calls for probe of State Farm rate request
›Fla.'s Slump Is Deep, Will Last Longer [AP]
Economists say things won't start to turn around until the end of 2009.
›Florida Builders Open Orlando Trade Show to Public - a First [Orlando Sentinel]
This year's 30th annual gathering is in the Orange County Convention Center.
›Health Warning for Three More Sarasota Area Beaches [Herald-Tribune]
Health officials posted warnings at Bradenton Beach in Manatee County, and for the second time in a month, at Manasota Beach and Brohard Beach in south Sarasota County.
The warnings will not be removed until the bacteria concentration in routine samples declines.
›Seminoles Ask State's Top Court to Reconsider [Miami Herald]
The Seminole Tribe of Florida on Thursday asked the state's high court to reconsider its 7-0 decision to invalidate the gambling compact signed by Gov. Charlie Crist, a ruling that jeopardizes the operation of its blackjack and baccarat games being offered at the tribe's Hard Rock Hotel and Casino near Hollywood.
›Jacksonville May Outsource Tasks for a Lower Cost [Florida Times-Union]
Discussion is in early stages, but the general idea would put a larger chunk of city operations in private sector hands, so long as the switch saves the city at least 15%.
›Trump Tower Builders Dug Deep for Financing [St. Petersburg Times]
Desperate to salvage the $300-million Trump Tower Tampa with last-ditch financing, SimDag, the Tampa developer of the proposed deluxe skyscraper, sought a nine-figure loan from Providence Funding Inc.
›St. Johns River Staff Favors Letting Bottler Tap into Water [Orlando Sentinel]
California-based Niagara Bottling LLC should be given a five-year permit to take Florida fresh water from the ground for resale, according to a staff recommendation submitted to the governing board of the St. Johns River Water Management District. The company, which is assembling a $15 million water-bottling plant near Groveland, wants a 20-year permit. From Trend: Niagara Bottling's Fall
›Merck's Vioxx Settlement Payments Start in August [St. Petersburg Times]
People who suffered heart attacks while taking Vioxx could receive a partial settlement check as early as next month.
›Two South Florida Banks' Shares Rise [Miami Herald]
The stock market rally lifted the prices of two South Florida banks, whose shares have plunged this year on investor fears of growing loan problems.
BankUnited Financial Corp's share price soared more than 135%, up $1.19 in the day's trading to close at $2.07.
BankAtlantic Bancorp saw its stock price rise 25% to close at $1.50, just days after the price hovered below $1 a share.
›Florida a Multimillion-Dollar Gold Mine for Presidential Hopefuls [Sun-Sentinel]
Florida was McCain's top donor state last month, giving his campaign just over $1million. Obama nevertheless out-gained McCain in Florida, collecting $1.26 million.
›Spending Little Now Saves a Lot Later [Orlando Sentinel]
For every dollar invested to keep people fit and healthy in Florida, nearly $7 could be saved within a decade.
A new report Thursday estimates that Florida could save about $1 billion within five years even after investing $173 million annually into programs to prevent disease.
›It's All to Test a Space Toilet [Florida Today]
The company building NASA's new space toilet sent out a memo this week asking employees to donate urine, which will be used to test the toilet of the new Orion space capsule.
›Times Signs Deal to Deliver Competitor [St. Petersburg Times]
Times Publishing Co. said it has contracted with the alternative weekly publication Creative Loafing to deliver its products in the Tampa Bay area. Starting July 30, independent contractors who deliver the St. Petersburg Times and tbt* will also distribute Creative Loafing in the Tampa Bay area.
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