In The News

Florida Power & Light Experiments With Solar, Natural Gas Hybrid Power

The New York Times Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Across 500 acres north of West Palm Beach, the FPL Group utility is assembling a life-size Erector Set of 190,000 shimmering mirrors and thousands of steel pylons that stretch as far as the eye can see.

When it is completed by the end of the year, this vast project will be the world's second-largest solar plant.

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Saddlebrook Attracts Tennis Pros, Amateurs From Around The World

The New York Times Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, just north of Tampa, is among the top draws for people looking to combine a tennis-playing vacation with terrific fun and relaxation in the sun.

According to a recent survey by the Taylor Research and Consulting Group for the United States Tennis Association and the Tennis Industry Association, tennis has experienced a recreational upswing across all age groups, especially among blacks and Hispanics.

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Starbucks Tests Trenta Size Coffee In Tampa Bay Region

The St. Petersburg Times Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Starbucks is test marketing a new gigantic cup of iced coffee called the Trenta in the Tampa Bay region.

The 31-ounce cup packs a wallop of caffiene designed to compete for customers with similar super-sized cold drinks offered by other fast food restaurants.

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Seven Florida Companies Make Forbes List Of Most Admired

The St. Petersburg Times Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Tech Data of Clearwater and Publix Super Markets of Lakeland made the short list of seven Florida companies named among the most admired around the globe.

Jabil Circuit of St. Petersburg and Wellcare Health Plans of Tampa were runners-up.

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Tampa Downtown Partnership Focuses On Opportunities For Growth

Tampa Bay Business Journal Tuesday, March 09, 2010

The Tampa Downtown Partnership's 14th Annual Downtown Development Forum, scheduled for March 19 at Tampa Preparatory School, will focus on the economy and opportunities for growth in the new decade.

The keynote speaker is Florida historian Gary Mormino, a professor at the University of South Florida and author of several books about Florida.

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CREW Honors Artists In Downtown Tampa Sculpture Project

Tampa Bay Business Journal Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Commercial Real Estate Women Tampa Bay announced its 2009 artLOUD! Kinetic Sculpture competition winners, whose works are installed in Tampa's downtown.

Artists Mark DeWaele, James Oleson and Ofra Friedman won the grand prize, red ribbon and people's choice awards, respectively, a release said.

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St. Pete Beach: Top Destination For Northerners Tired Of Snow, Cold

The New York Times Tuesday, March 02, 2010

The retro-themed Postcard Inn in St. Pete Beach, along with the hotel's Wildwood BBQ & Burger restaurant, the Don Cesar, the Renaissance Vinoy and the Dal� Museum get top billing as Last-Minute Winter Getaways for New Yorkers looking to warm up after months of unseasonably cold and snowy weather.

The New York Times reports in the Sunday Travel section on destinations worthy of a weekend or week away.

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Rays Shine Attention On Rebuilt Punta Gorda

The St. Petersburg Times Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Punta Gorda, just south of the Rays new spring training facilities in Charlotte County, has made a remarkable turnaround since Hurricane Charley devastated the waterfront community in 2004.

The St. Petersburg Times reports on charming spots to stay, eat and dine, both old and new, and suggests the economic rebound there is well worth the trip about 90 minutes south of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.

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JPMorgan Chase Strategizes Expansion In Florida

The St. Petersburg Times Tuesday, March 02, 2010

JPMorgan Chase, which established a footprint in Florida with the acquisition of Washington Mutual last year, plans to open as many as 30 branches a year in Florida starting in 2011, about 10 of them annually in the Tampa Bay region.

The St. Petersburg Times reports on Chase's market development strategy in an interview with S. Todd Maclin, chief executive of commercial banking.

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"New Florida" Campaign Touts Investment In Universities As Economic Fix

The St. Petersburg Times Tuesday, March 02, 2010

The St. Petersburg Times recently ran an editorial highlighting the "New Florida" campaign, a Florida Council of 100-backed campaign that aims to persuade the state to double its investment in higher education in Florida to $4 billion by 2015.

This, supporters believe, will help offset the economic losses caused by the fall of development and real esate industries.

North Carolina was cited as an example of how this could work. Fifty years ago, the state invested heavily in higher education when it became apparent that agriculture was on the decline in the state. The move resulted in the Research Triangle, which is now one of the biggest innovation centers in the world.

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AirTran Unveils Cheap Flights Betweeen Tampa, Asheville

The St. Petersburg Times Tuesday, March 02, 2010

The St. Petersburg Times reports that starting in May, AirTran will offer super-cheap nonstop flights between Tampa Bay and Asheville, North Carolina.

Costing as low as $49, the flights would provide a cheap and quick connection between the Florida and the North Carolina mountains. The flights are expected to run on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at midday.

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Increased Demand For Temps May Be Early Sign Of Economic Recovery

The Miami Herald Tuesday, March 02, 2010

In an interview with The Miami Herald, Roy G. Krause, CEO of SFN Group (formerly Spherion Corp.), reveals that his company, a staffing agency, is seeing an increased need for temporary laborers.

Some believe that this could signify an upturn in the job market as well as the economy as a whole. Krause told the Herald that the increase in demand has been visible since the start of 2010.

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USF Researcher Examines Evidence Of "Little Ice Age"

USF.edu Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Julie Richey, a USF-St. Petersburg climate change researcher, used samples of deep-sea sediment from the Gulf of Mexico to tell the story of climate, and glean information about fluctuations of temperature at the Gulf's surface.

What she found was evidence of a "Little Ice Age" that occurred more than 350 years ago and caused the Gulf to cool by 2-3 degrees.

Her findings, published in Geophysical Research Letters, point to a much more dramatic impact for climate change in the region than was previously believed.

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Hillsborough Farmer Wins Humanitarian Award

Tampa Bay Business Journal Tuesday, March 02, 2010

The Tampa Bay Business Journal reports that Gary Wishnatzki, president of Wishnatzki Farms near Plant City, has recieved recognition from the National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association for his efforts to raise money to fund education for the children of migrant farmworkers.

Wishnatzki has held tennis tournaments and other fundraisers to further this goal, and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars.

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TIA Ranks In Top 3 Among Mid-Size Airports

tbo.com Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Maybe it's the aquariums, or those vivid tile marine life mosaics. Maybe it's the fact that there's a Starbucks proximal to every gate, or the short time it takes to get through security.

Whatever the case, The Tampa Tribune reports that a JD Power and Associates Survey ranks Tampa International Airport third among mid-size airports. It's behind the Kansas City Airport, which ranked first, and that of Portland, OR.

The North America Airport Satisfaction Study had more than 12,000 participants, who ranked airports on factors like baggage claim to food and retail. In 2008, the last year the study was published, TIA had a ranking of 13th.

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