Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersSeptember 12, 2016

College students demonstrated it again in last week’s primary election: they don’t vote, at least not in primary elections. As first reported by Orlando Sentinel columnist Beth Kassab over the weekend, University of Central Florida’s on-campus students gave a dismal turnout, 4.3 percent, the worst in Orange County. Kassab noted even worse turnouts were seen among […]

Phil AmmannSeptember 3, 2016

Duke Energy will continue to supply electricity for the University of Florida. The University of Florida board of trustees voted Thursday to keep Duke Energy as the provider of both electricity and steam to UF’s main campus in Gainesville. The new agreement should be ratified and signed by the end of the year. Since 1992, […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterAugust 29, 2016

The Florida Chamber of Commerce stands by its assertion that a high number of unlikely voters have already cast ballots in Tuesday’s primary. The Tampa Bay Times reported last week that the political team at the Florida Chamber of Commerce had noticed a trend in the number of people rarely voting in primary elections. The […]

Staff ReportsAugust 26, 2016

Consumer sentiment among Floridians plummeted 4.8 points in August to 88.2, according to the latest University of Florida consumer survey. This is the lowest reading in the last year, and all five components that make up the index declined. Perceptions of one’s personal financial situation now compared with a year ago dropped most sharply, down […]

Dominic CalabroAugust 24, 2016

It is Hurricane season in Florida. And Seminole season. And it’s also the season for the Gators and Rattlers and Bulls and many others. After a long hot summer, Floridians are eagerly awaiting the return of college football. Not only is college football great for the fans, but it is also a boon for communities […]

Associated PressAugust 16, 2016

With the state’s iconic citrus industry reeling due to a so-far incurable bacterial disease, some Florida farmers are eyeing a new niche crop that can tap into the country’s burgeoning beer-brewing business: hops. Hops are vining plants that produce pungent flowers or buds that for hundreds of years have been used by brewers as the […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterAugust 11, 2016

Travelers might be worried about Zika, but it isn’t stopping them from traveling to the Sunshine State. The University of Florida’s Tourism Crisis Management Initiative found more than 70 percent of potential visitors are concerned about the mosquito-borne virus. However, the study found about 10 percent of potential visitors have actually changed their travel plans. […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterAugust 4, 2016

The tourism industry may suffer because of algae blooms that have plagued parts of South Florida. A joint study by Black Hills State University and the University of Florida’s Tourism Crisis Management Initiative shows more than half of potential visitors are concerned about the blue-green algae blooms in parts of South Florida. The study found more than 70 percent […]

Associated PressAugust 3, 2016

Worried you might catch the Zika virus? Scammers and bug spray companies are counting on it. Marketers know this is the time to pounce: The Summer Olympics are about to start in Brazil, where the recent Zika epidemic started, and 14 mosquito-borne cases of Zika were identified recently in the Miami area, the first in […]

Associated PressJuly 29, 2016

The Latest on the Zika virus in Florida (all times local): 1 p.m. President Obama‘s spokesman says Florida needs more federal money to limit the spread of the Zika virus. White House deputy press secretary Eric Schultz said Friday’s announcement that South Florida has four mosquito-transmitted cases should be a wake-up call for Congress “to […]

Tag: University of Florida

College students avoid voting booths like the library on a Saturday night

UF votes to keep Duke Energy as campus electricity provider

Florida Chamber stands by assertion that there are a high number of “unlikely voters” in primary

Florida consumer sentiment drops in August, continues downward trend

Dominic Calabro: College football is a touchdown for Florida’s local and state economies

Some Florida farmers eyeing hops as next niche crop

Zika concerns not stopping travelers from visiting Florida

Report: Algae blooms could start choking Florida’s tourism industry

Scammers, bug spray companies capitalizing on Zika fears

White House: Congress should get back to work on Zika