Industry News Clips

FDA Announces Findings From Investigation of Foodborne E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak in Spinach

FDA is announcing today that all spinach implicated in the current outbreak has traced back to Natural Selection Foods LLC of San Juan Bautista, California.  This determination is based on epidemiological and laboratory evidence obtained by multiple states and coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Natural Selection Foods issued a recall of all implicated products on September 15, 2006.  Four other companies have issued secondary recalls because they received the recalled product from Natural Selections.  See below for a complete list of brand names that are subject of the recalls.  Spinach processed by other manufacturers has not been implicated in the outbreak. 

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01474.html

 

THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

2 deaths a red flag of raw oyster risk

Hospitals in Georgia are on the alert for a rare bacterial disease linked to raw oysters after the deaths of two women in Chatham County within the last two weeks. The oysters tainted with vibrio vulnificus came from separate locations on the Gulf of Mexico — Galveston, Texas, and Apalachicola Bay, Fla., according to Tommy Irvin, Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2006/09/29/0930MESHoysters.html

 

TAMPA BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Miami grilled chicken chain to land again in Pinellas

The fast casual restaurant chain Pollo Tropical will open its first west central Florida location more than 10 years after leaving the area.  Starting Oct. 20, Pollo Tropical will serve its signature fare, marinated, grilled chicken and side dishes at its new restaurant at 3900 Park Boulevard in Pinellas Park at the Shoppes at Park Place shopping plaza.

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2006/09/25/daily54.html

 

ST. PETERSBURG TIMES

No drilling deal despite talks

Leaders in the House and Senate are unable to agree on protection for Florida's coast.

WASHINGTON - Despite heavy pressure from the White House and frenzied negotiations until the final hour, Congress recessed for the fall elections without reaching a deal to protect Florida's west coast from oil and gas drilling while opening more of the nation's coast to energy exploration.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/09/30/Worldandnation/No_drilling_deal_desp.shtml

 

ST. PETERSBURG TIMES

Insurance experts will share ideas

A free public meeting is scheduled for Oct. 12 to discuss the Florida property insurance crisis.

Some of the leading proponents and critics of the Florida insurance industry will take center stage at a public meeting next month in north St. Petersburg to discuss the states property insurance crisis. Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty and Citizens Property Insurance board chairman Bruce Douglas are among the panelists scheduled to take part in the Insurance Crisis: A Town Hall Meeting at 8 p.m., Oct. 12 at the Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/09/29/State/Insurance_experts_wil.shtml

 

ASSOCIATED PRESS TV

Florida Keys Gets Insurance Premium Relief

(CBS4/AP) TALLAHASSEE In the days of ever-increasing insurance rates, one part of Florida is getting some relief, as homeowners in the Florida Keys will see their insurance premiums go down. Today, state regulators gave the 35 percent decrease rate plan final approval.

http://cbs4.com/consumer/local_story_272172019.html

 

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Downtown Orlando gets $1 billion facelift for arenas

ORLANDO, Fla. -- This city's downtown is getting a more than $1 billion facelift with a new arena for the Orlando Magic, a renovated Florida Citrus Bowl and a new performing arts center, officials announced Friday. The projects were made possible by a recently approved penny-on-the-dollar increase in Orange County's hotel bed tax. The Magic arena will run $480 million - with the team on the hook for overruns and some $200 million in costs - while the new performing arts center will cost $389 million.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060929/APN/609292201

 

MIAMI HERALD

State websites keep us up to speed on restaurant inspections

Want to know more about where you're dining tonight?

Look for inspections that have been done at your favorite restaurant by visiting the website of the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation's Restaurant Inspection, https://www.myfloridalicense.com/licensing/wl11_1.jsp?SID. While you're at it, look for enforcement actions taken by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants at http://www.myflorida.com/dbpr/hr/rdars/index.shtml.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/columnists/action_line/15640846.htm

 

FORT MYERS NEWS PRESS

Developer razes hotels along stretch of beach

There's still no agreement on what will replace a strip of Gulf-front hotels on Fort Myers Beach — even with three of the buildings in the process of being razed. Developer David Meyers represents the owners of the Sandman, Days Inn, Howard Johnson's and Ramada near Times Square. Sandman and Howard Johnson's have been demolished and the Days Inn is roped off in preparation for being razed while the Ramada continues to operate.

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060930/BUSINESS/609300472/1014/BUSINESS

 

FLORIDA KEYS KEYNOTER

Hotels hitting a lull

But it's not all doom, gloom for the industry

Hotels endured a slow August, with occupancy rates hitting their lowest levels since Hurricane Wilma slammed into the region last fall, according to a new report. “It was one of those months where group business just didn't materialize,” said Robert Thrailkill, general manager of the Conrad Miami, a downtown business hotel. “I think we suffered from everyone being tired of hearing about hurricanes.”

http://www.keynoter.com/articles/2006/09/29/key_west_news/news16.txt

 

TREASURE COAST NEWS PAPERS

Hotel occupany rates down from year ago

September is looking weaker than usual at some South Florida hotels, thanks to memories of last year's hurricanes and worries about the current season. While occupancy numbers are preliminary and certain hotels say business is even with last year, others report bookings have sagged. In Palm Beach County, occupancy was 62.9 percent in September, compared with a 76 percent average occupancy level in 2005. Because of poor weather in South Florida and school resuming in many states, September is typically the worst month here for hotel occupancy.

http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/business/article/0,2541,TCP_998_5031372,00.html

 

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Study: Hotel Rooms Have Unseen Guests

Hotel guests leave behind more than just socks and old paperbacks: A new study found viruses on TV remotes, light switches and even hotel pens after cold sufferers checked out. The germ testing was done before the rooms were cleaned, so it likely overstates the risks that most travelers would face. Nevertheless, it shows the potential hazards if a hotel's turnaround amounts to little more than changing the sheets and wiping out the tub.

http://www.ocala.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060929/APA/609291967

 

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Outback sued over treatment of women

PHOENIX -- The Outback Steakhouse restaurant chain was sued Friday by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which accused the company of denying women job opportunities and training needed to reach top management jobs. The federal lawsuit accuses the restaurant chain, owned by Tampa-based OSI Restaurant Partners Inc., of denying women opportunities to be hired or promoted into management positions.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060930/BUSINESS/609300478/1007

 

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Negron's roller-coaster political year may end with unexpected House bid

TALLAHASSEE -- Joe Negron woke up Friday morning ready for another day as a lawyer in the Martin County town of Stuart. By the end of the day, the state representative was gearing up to run for U.S. Congress.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060930/NEWS/609300321/1017/NEWS0501

 

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Poll: GOP has slight lead in races for Cabinet posts

TALLAHASSEE -- The three Republican candidates for Florida's Cabinet offices held slight leads over their Democratic opponents ahead of the Nov. 7 general election, but many voters had not made up their minds, a new poll shows. In the attorney general race, Republican Bill McCollum was favored by 44 percent of the respondents, 35 percent chose Democrat Walter "Skip" Campbell and 21 percent were undecided, according to the survey done by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060930/NEWS/609300388/1017/NEWS0501

 

ASSOCIATED PRESS

In gubernatorial campaign, lobbyists flock to Crist

TALLAHASSEE - A few hours after his Aug. 22 gubernatorial debate in Tampa, Charlie Crist's campaign team unfolded their laptops and settled into empty dining rooms and a crowded bar in the Marriott Westshore for a post-debate analysis of the Republican primary battle with Tom Gallagher. Crist's campaign staff was not alone. Campaign manager George LeMieux and finance chairman Brent Sembler were joined at a table by Brian Ballard, one of the state's most powerful lobbyists. Not far away, Crist campaign advisers mingled with other top lobbyists.

http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060930/LOCAL/209300365/1078/news