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Jacksonville USL Super League franchise to bring women’s pro soccer to the First Coast

Tiffany Huto

Northeast Florida Monthly Employment Report - March 2023

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) has announced that the unemployment rate for the Jacksonville region increased slightly from 2.5 percent in February 2023 to 2.6 percent in March 2023. Of the 885,920 people counted as part of the area's workforce in March, there were 23,187 unemployed residents in the region – up from 22,425 unemployed residents in February.

CareerSource

Chamber Supports New County Branding Effort

St. Johns County Commissioners recently announced the launch of a new countywide brand developed to showcase and reflect the unique assets of the community. The new brand, created based on extensive community research, highlights the attributes that make St. Johns County unique, including its waterways, natural resources, history, and abundant opportunities for outdoor activities. The brand embodies those assets with its tagline – Florida at First Sight.

Scott Maynard

Legislative Update #3

The Legislature is heading into its final weeks of the 2023 Session which is scheduled to end on May 5. All attention has now turned to finalizing the 2023-2024 budget which must be signed into law no later than June 30. In this update, we explore the major affordable housing initiative signed into law by the Governor last month; the potential for an additional cut in the sales tax on commercial rents; Visit Florida/Enterprise Florida attacks, and finally, the state of play on Florida’s 2023-2024 budget.

Bob Porter

Your Future Worker Strategy Needs to Contain Fewer Workers

The fallout of an entire nation encouraging their children to pursue a 4-year degree means that many industries that keep the country functioning will not have the workers they need. The huge food supply industry, utilities, construction, police and fire, garbage collection, and numerous others simply will not be able to operate in their current capacity. Most importantly, the aging boomers will need healthcare as never before and there simply won’t be enough people to staff that sector.

Ron Hetrick, Sr. Labor Economist, Lightcast

St. Johns County Gets Upgrade to its Xfinity 10G Network

Comcast is accelerating the nation’s largest and fastest multi-gig deployment and announced that its Xfinity 10G Network upgrade has launched to nearly 800 homes and businesses in St. Johns County. St. Johns County is the latest community in Florida to roll out these network enhancements, setting the stage for the introduction of new symmetrical multi-gigabit Internet options that can be delivered across Comcast’s existing networks at less cost.

Comcast Media

Legislative Update - Live Local, Civil Tort, and more

The Legislature has been in Session for less than one month and they are moving through their agenda at record speed. In this update, we explore the major affordable housing initiative signed into law by the Governor last week; a significant civil Tort Reform overhaul; Visit Florida/local Tourism Development attacks, and finally, the state of Florida’s 2023-2024 budget, which interestingly is the only Constitutionally mandated action by the Legislature each year.

Bob Porter

Don’t let your debt manage you: Tips for building credit and keeping your debt under control

You work hard for your money, and you want to enjoy the financial freedom it can bring, not worry over every penny. But, even in the best of times, carrying debt can cause financial stress. When the economy is less stable, that stress can multiply, and if you don’t manage debt effectively, it can have devastating financial consequences. To alleviate anxiety and put yourself in a stronger financial position, you can take proactive steps like talking to your banker or financial advisor or seeking out

Damien Haitsuka

ACT NOW: Protect St. Johns County Tourism Industry

The St. Johns County Chamber has been an ardent defender of both VISIT FLORIDA and the County’s tourism marketing efforts for many years. Consistent and sufficient funding for Visit Florida has been a St. Johns County Chamber priority in recent years. Visit Florida stepped in time and time again to help promote our tourism sector and show tourists the “Welcome Back, We’re Open” signals which provided untold millions of dollars in advertising that many have said saved our tourism sector from ruin. We need

Bob Porter

St. Augustine named Best Small Town in the South by Southern Living

Arguably the crown jewel of Florida’s First Coast, St. Augustine, and superlatives are often mentioned in the same sentence. Already this year, the oldest city in America has been featured on a nationally televised travel show, and its beaches have been named among the best in the United States. And this week, St. Augustine earned a new accolade: The South’s Best Small Town 2023 by Southern Living as part of its annual The South's Best feature.

The Florida Times Union