Featured Stories

University of Florida among those receiving $7 million to empower women farmers The University of Florida is part of a consortium led by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) that has been awarded $7 million from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to increase global food security and support effective rural development....

America’s robust agriculture sector provides affordable food and fiber to the nation and still manages to export about a quarter of the food and fiber it produces, but “big, tough, critical issues” loom in the future, according to Nick Place, dean of University of Florida Extension and director of Florida Cooperative Extension. Addressing Alachua County’s...

2014: End Remarks By WJ Rossi, CFP®, ChFC Since the beginning of the calendar year, many economic trends have taken place. Long-term interest rates came down, but the US dollar strengthened as investors saw the United States as the best place to put their money. Slowdown in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in China and...

In the spirit of the holiday season, many individuals as well as businesses, make charitable gifts this time of year. And if you want to maximize on that gift from a tax perspective and claim a tax deduction for your gifts, you must itemize your deductions. There are several tax rules that you should know...

More Powerful Wireless Charging System Using “Hotspots” This wireless power transmission system provides power to multiple devices within a volume of space, potentially as large as a room. The age of battery-powered electronics has created a huge demand for convenient recharging technologies. For many applications, traditional recharging via wire connections or physical contact can be...

Social media for business promotion and news announcements is gaining momentum. Face it, smart phones are part of the daily wardrobe for a growing number of the population.  Take advantage of it!  But like any good tool, it takes practice and time to master to get the most out of it. Channels: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn,...

Family-owned enterprises are the foundation of America’s small business tradition. And even if your family isn’t involved at the outset, a relative is often an ideal candidate for a role where trust or special expertise is necessary. But is working with family members always a good idea? Business consultant and USA Today “Ask an Expert” columnist Steve Strauss says it’s important to first look at the pros and cons of these situations. “One of the...

A coalition of local leaders and creative advocates has decided to make arts a priority for Alachua County. The 352 Arts Roadmap, a project headed up by the City of Gainesville’s Cultural Affairs Department, is seeking to establish a set of objectives to make the area more culturally rich and artist-friendly. “We have such a...

As an extension of the existing Butler Plaza, the new 350,000 square foot Butler Town Center will occupy a portion of the current 1-million-square-feet and have its own identity and personality, showcasing an open-air architecture and amenities aimed at fostering a greater pedestrian experience. Earlier this year Butler Enterprises announced that Sam’s Club and Super...

A lawsuit that aims to shake the foundations of the state education system is originating from Gainesville. Local nonprofit law firm Southern Legal Counsel is suing the Florida State Board of Education and a list of related officials in a class-action lawsuit on behalf of plaintiffs including parents, grandparents, Citizens for Strong Schools Inc. and...