Seminole Tribe to defend gambling deal Monday at House panel hearing

No time for bluffs at gaming hearing

The Seminole Tribe of Florida will defend its gambling deal with the state before a House panel today. Seminole Gaming chief executive James Allen will lay out what the compact means in revenue to the state, economic development and jobs. The House select committee on the deal plans to look into why Gov. Charlie Crist signed the compact, consider ways to change it and decide whether to ratify it.

Conference pushes renewable energy

The Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy will hold a conference called "Effective Renewable Energy Policies" with the Florida Municipal Electric Association. The conference topics include job creation, long-term investment and establishing energy security in Florida. Renewable-energy advocates will be joined by business leaders, utility representatives and government officials on Tuesday in Tallahassee. Speakers will include Gainesville Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan and state Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, D-Sarasota. The conference will be from noon to 7 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel at 101 S Adams St.

Workshop focuses on feed-in tariffs

Gainesville Regional Utilities will host an invitation-only workshop on renewable energy feed-in tariffs on Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon. The meeting will be held at 301 SE Fourth Ave. in Gainesville. The city is the first in the nation to enact feed-in tariffs, which offer a premium price for electricity produced from renewable sources.

Unemployment numbers due out

It's time again on Friday — already — for the U.S. Department of Labor to release it national unemployment numbers. The January report is expected to show a rise from the December rate of 7.2 percent, but economists hope the jump isn't as dramatic as it has been over the past few months.

TECO's Q4 results to beat market bell

TECO Energy, the Tampa parent company of Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas, will announce its fourth-quarter 2008 results on Friday morning before markets open. The company's third-quarter result showed a shrinking customer base due to the stalled Florida housing market. The company will hold a conference call at 9 a.m. A Webcast of the earnings announcement can be accessed at www.tecoenergy.com.