Economy

Ranchers, farmers and timber growers are reporting widespread damage from the wind and rain of Hurricane Helene, which raced through rural North Florida last week.Chicken houses had roofs blown off. Acres of sweet corn and carrots were laid horizontal. Irrigation systems have been uprooted. Fences were destroyed by fallen trees. Hay has been left wet and moldy in damaged barns.Incoming Senate President Ben Albritton, a Wauchula Republican and citrus grower, described conditions in fields across North Florida as “worse” than after Hurricane Idalia in August 2023. Idalia took a similar track, crossed many of the same fields and inflicted more than $400 million in damage to the industry.

Like most businesses in pricey Collier County, the library system cannot seem to attract and keep its workforce.

This year looks to be a much better one for the U.S. economy than business economists were forecasting just a few months ago, according to a survey released Monday.The economy looks set to grow 2.2% this year after adjusting for inflation, according to the National Association for Business Economics. That’s up from the 1.3% that economists from universities, businesses and investment firms predicted in the association’s prior survey, which was conducted in November.

NEW YORK — With Christmas right around the corner, you might want to check the list of what stores are open (and closed) twice.From retail to grocery chains, many companies across the U.S. close early on Christmas Eve and shut their doors entirely on Christmas Day — while others opt to cut back hours. But there’s also a handful of businesses that stay open on the holiday.

High costs for housing, food and other necessities are proving to be the Grinch of the holiday season for some in Southwest Florida.Mental health experts are sounding alarms about the rising number of people suffering a great deal of stress because of economic issues.

A flow of recent data from the U.S. government has made one thing strikingly clear: A surge in consumer spending is fueling strong growth, demonstrating a resilience that has confounded economists, Federal Reserve officials and even the sour sentiments that Americans themselves have expressed in opinion polls.

As regional economic recovery continues from COVID19 and Hurricane Ian, I caught up with Charlotte County Economic Development Director Dave Gammon, who recently spoke to a group of Southwest Florida commercial realtors.

China is seeking to regain what it once was until a few hundred years ago, the most powerful economic region in the world, said Daniel Franklin, the executive editor and acting U.S. editor of The Economist magazine.He spoke at the 3rd Annual Hanseatic League of Universities Conference at Florida Gulf Coast University on Tuesday afternoon. His topic: The world in 2050: Big Trends That Will Shape the Future.

Community organizers are worried the two housing bills — HB 1417 and HB 133— will harm renters.

The average price of a gallon of gas was $3.29 a gallon as of Monday, the lowest price since late January.