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WEDNESDAY, AUG. 27, 2008
STATEWIDE:
Voter Turnout Worst in 10 Years
Voter apathy in Florida rivaled historic depths Tuesday. The 2008 primary election drew the lowest statewide voter turnout for a primary in at least a decade. Incomplete returns late Tuesday showed roughly 17% of voters cast a ballot. State officials blamed rainy weather in some parts of the state and the lack of any statewide races on the ballot. In Hillsborough County, only 1 in 10 voted. New paper ballots, with the exception of the usual assortment of glitches, made generally a smooth debut statewide.
[Source: St. Petersburg Times]
ORLANDO:
The Makings of a Medical City
A "medical city" in southeast Orlando will include a cluster of facilities for research, education, treatment and commerce. The site is part of the 7,000-acre Lake Nona development. Here's how things are shaping up ... [Source: Florida Trend]
JACKSONVILLE:
Alenia Set to Build Cecil Aircraft Plant
An $8.6 million package of financial incentives for Jacksonville's first aircraft assembly plant heads to the City Council with a tailwind of support from both Mayor John Peyton and City Council President Ronnie Fussell.
After the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission unanimously gave its approval Tuesday, Peyton and Fussell appeared with officials from Alenia North America about the company's plan to build a $104 million cargo plane plant, to employ 300 people.
Mario Capitelli, an executive with Alenia North America, said if the city and state approve the incentives, the company will build the plant at Cecil Commerce Center on the Westside.
[Source: Florida Times-Union]
More on this topic from Florida Trend:
POMPANO BEACH:
Recycler Gives Food Waste Second Life
One South Florida company is attempting to turn food trash into treasure through a partnership with Publix Super Markets Inc.
How? Organic Recovery of Pompano Beach is converting the grocer's food waste into a liquid plant food for farmland, crops and golf courses.
The company expects to divert about 17,000 tons of food scraps a year from local landfills.
Launched this month, Organic Recovery collects about 166 tons of food scraps weekly from 56 Publix supermarkets in Broward County. By mid-2009, it expects to work with all the Publix stories in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
[Source: Sun-Sentinel]
More on this topic from Florida Trend:
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
›Sinkhole Forces More Evacuations [Daytona Beach News-Journal]
With damage from Tropical Storm Fay expected to top $13 million locally, President Bush declared Volusia County a major disaster area Tuesday and opened the way for financial assistance for flooded homeowners. Also: 10,000-plus insurance claims filed in Fay's wake | Big Bend still coping with high waters
›Developer's New Proposal Would Spare Old Orlando Homes [Orlando Sentinel]
Four of the five old-but-not-quite-historic homes on Lake Eola in downtown Orlando would be spared the wrecking ball by a new office-tower proposal that an Orlando-based developer plans to file today with the city of Orlando.
›Florida Consumer Confidence Rises as Residents Adjust to Economy [UF]
Consumer confidence among Floridians made huge gains in August, rising six points to 67 from its revised July index, suggesting a turning point as state residents come to grips with the bleak economic picture, a new University of Florida study finds.
›Endangered Hawk Vanishing From Everglades [Tampa Tribune]
That's what is happening to the Everglades snail kite.
Though biologists have not yet wrapped up the latest annual count, they have seen enough to know the kite has dropped to its lowest numbers in decades. There may be fewer than 1,000 birds left, not even a third of the population in 2000.
›Census Numbers Show Poverty Growing in Volusia, Flagler [News-Journal]
More people were living in poverty in Volusia and Flagler counties last year, based on U.S. Census Bureau figures released Tuesday, and local experts worry the trend will get worse this year with a sluggish economy and people struggling to find work and pay bills. Also: Poverty drops in South Florida
›HSN Shares Surge After Split From IAC [St. Petersburg Times]
Shares of HSN Inc. closed at $15.96 Tuesday, a $5.96 gain in the first 11 days the St. Petersburg e-commerce company has been trading as a public company again. It's an exception in the TV shopping world.
Related: Darden shares tumble 12.4% on lower earnings forecast
›More Than 1,000 Strip Searched in Broward to Get $1,000 Settlement
Broward Circuit Judge Jeffrey Streitfeld has approved a final settlement giving $1,000 to anyone strip-searched after arrests on minor crimes like trespassing, public drunkenness and loitering between December 1998 and October 2007. Those charged with felonies or violent crime are not eligible.
›Gustav Weakens But Could Become Hurricane Again [AP]
The storm was centered about 80 miles west of Port-au-Prince. The storm had not moved much during the last few hours, the hurricane center said. But it was expected to continue moving toward the west-northwest.
›Broward Hotels' Revenues Drop [Miami Herald]
Smith Travel Research reported occupancy grew four points to 77%in the Keys after the average room rate dropped 6% to $165 a night.
In Broward, the trend lines reversed: Occupancy dropped a point to 63%.
›Bank Profit Plummets 86% in Second Quarter [AP]
U.S. banking industry profits plunged by 86% in the second quarter and the number of troubled banks jumped to the highest level in about five years as slumps in the housing and credit markets continued.
Related: American Bank of Florida launches public share offering
›Sarasota OKs Land Purchase for Possible Sox Stadium [Herald-Tribune]
"We can't get to the Red Sox deal if we don't get this deal," County Commissioner Joe Barbetta said as commissioners debated whether to vote on the purchase before the county had a written appraisal showing the value of the land.
›Rep. Buchanan's Dealerships File Two More Lawsuits [Bradenton Herald]
Two car dealerships owned by U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan have filed more lawsuits against consumer advocate Duane Overholt as well as complaints against a former customer of Sarasota Ford and a former finance manager of Venice Dodge.
›One in Five Floridians Still Uninsured [Sun-Sentinel]
In Florida, more than 3.6 million people are without health insurance. That's an estimated 20.2% of the population.
›Fulbright Scholars Descend on Miami [Miami Herald]
Some of the top young minds in the world are in Miami this week to prepare for their year in the United States under the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship.
›Miami Company Buys Naples Commerce Park for $31 Million [Naples Daily News]
The Adler Group set its sights on Southwest Florida, and when an 11-building industrial portfolio in Naples became available, they were prepared to pay the price.
›Chico's Profits Fall 80% [Fort Myers News-Press]
The Fort Myers-based retailer reported net income of $6.7 million, or 4 cents a share, down from $38.7 million, or 22 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.
›State Testing Air in Homes Near St. Pete Raytheon Plant [Tampa Tribune]
This marks the first time the health department has tested any home in the area for signs of indoor air contamination in connection with contaminated groundwater flowing from under the Raytheon site.
›Florida's ACT, SAT Scores Fall Below U.S. Average [St. Petersburg Times]
More and more colleges are making the SAT and ACT optional for admissions. But in Florida, those tests matter more than ever.
›Florida Democrats Revel in Gained Ground [St. Petersburg Times]
Whether Barack Obama wins the Sunshine State in November or not, the Democratic Party in Florida is no longer on life support. It has gained ground in the Legislature, voter registration trends are going its way, and the massive voter mobilization organization Obama is building in Florida could well have repercussions beyond 2008.
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