business

Business Group Says Health Care Expansion Threatens Education Funding

John O'Connor — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 16:16:29 +0000

A business advocacy group is running television ads that say Florida might have to cut education funding if the state expands Medicaid health coverage.

The National Federation of Independent Business has also set up a website — FloridaCanDoBetter.com.

“Washington promises to pay the billions in new costs. But with these endless federal deficits can we really trust them?” The ad states.

End Of The Line: Postcard From Alabama Jack’s

Robert Lyle — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 22:34:35 +0000

If you follow U.S. 1 to the very end of the Florida peninsula, veer onto Card Sound Road, and make your way through the mangrove swamps, you’ll find it. A wooden shanty with a roof but no walls: an open-air bar and restaurant. It’s the very last place on the U.S. mainland. And it’s called Alabama Jack’s.

Episode 4: Second(hand) Chances

Alicia Zuckerman — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:29:27 +0000

Give Good Works, a Wynwood thrift store and charity, gives your old and gently used items a second chance. However, the point is to give people a second chance. Jennifer Rousseau, who works at the store, transformed her life with the help of the shop’s founder Heather Klinker.

“A lot of people would have given up on us girls,” said Rousseau. “Heather didn’t. She kept going. She’s a hero to me. I love her.”

Several Protest David's Cafe On Miami Beach

Arianna Prothero and Melissa Sanchez — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 13:30:00 +0000

David's Café in Miami Beach is a popular campaign stop for politicians. Now, it's become a site for protest.

A group of former workers claims they are owed about $70,000 in unpaid wages from a satellite location that closed in July.

Carlos Perez was among the protestors outside the main restaurant on Collins Avenue in South Beach Tuesday. He claimed its owners offered to pay a fraction of his original wages.

Agriculture Commissioner Says Industry Needs 'Stable, Legal Workforce'

Gina Jordan — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:12:10 +0000

Immigration and agriculture go hand in hand.

That's what community and business leaders in Tallahassee recently heard from Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam.

He said immigration reform is vital to the health of the state’s agriculture industry.

Putnam told the Economic Club of Florida he is concerned the U.S. is losing business to developing countries that have different standards for hiring farm workers.

Taking The Political Pulse On The Smallest of Small Businesses: A Hot Dog Stand

Kenny Malone — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 00:15:07 +0000

Flagler County, where Palm Coast is located, has the highest unemployment rate in Florida. 1 in 8 workers there is without a job.

Our Dispatches from the Swing State project passed through Palm Coast yesterday and stopped at a hotdog stand where they met John Sabia.

Sabia works only for tips at Hot Diggity Dog. He’s helping out the owner who happens to be his son.

Sabia says when Palm Coast was booming, the hotdog stand had a line for hours and US1 was backed up with traffic.

But then, the collapse.

Florida Leads The U.S. In Foreclosures

Marva Hinton — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 21:02:49 +0000

Florida is number one when it comes to foreclosures. This is the first time since 2005 that Florida has held the top spot.

The rankings for September are based on figures released Thursday by RealtyTrac.

Within the state, Broward County has the highest percentage of homes going through the foreclosure process.

Citizens Hikes Rates And Jettisons Thousands Of Policyholders

Gina Jordan — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 17:26:07 +0000

The effort to shrink the number of homes insured by the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance is accelerating into high gear.

The Office of Insurance Regulation approved the company’s rate hike request this week.

At the same time, more than 200,000 Citizens customers are being contacted by private insurance companies that want their business.

Palm Beach County’s Middle Class Still Waiting For Promised “Workforce Housing”

Christine DiMattei — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 01:13:18 +0000

A controversial agreement between Palm Beach County and developers is finally producing reduced-price homes for low- to middle-income families.

It’s just not happening fast enough.

U-Mass Economics Professor Richard Woolf & Democracy At Work

Paul Leary — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 17:00:00 +0000

09/18/12 - Tuesday's Topical Currents discusses the future of 21st Century democracy and capitalism, with University of Massachusetts professor emeritus and author Richard Woolf.

The End of Men: And the Rise of Women

Paul Leary — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:00:00 +0000

09/11/12 - Tuesday's Topical Currents is with journalist Hanna Rosin, and her book,