Lowe points to economic growth in State of the City address – Past and future economic growth were the focus of Mayor Craig Lowe’s State of the City address Wednesday. The mayor said his first term’s biggest success was bringing Mindtree, a India-based software, to Gainesville to create 400 jobs. He hopes the local government can convince Mobiquity, another technology-based firm, to bring its services to Gainesville. Gainesville Sun
Women in combat – Developing plans will allow women in branches of the military to choose combat positions as soon as this year. Women have been serving in positions, such as military police, that require them to help units on the front line. But women haven’t been officially allowed to serve in combat due to a Pentagon policy last modified in 1994. USA Today
US jobless claims drop to five-year low – The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid fell last week to the lowest level in five years. The U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday that weekly unemployment benefit applications dropped 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 330,000, the fewest since January 2008. The number of people continuing to claim benefits is also falling. There were nearly 5.7 million people receiving unemployment aid in the week ended Jan. 5, down from almost 5.9 million in the previous week. Gainesville Sun
UCF to present its appeal of NCAA football postseason ban Thursday – The University of Central Florida will make its final case to the NCAA Thursday, hoping to avoid a football postseason ban during its first season in the Big East. UCF opted only to appeal its football postseason ban, accepting a one-year postseason ban in men’s basketball and self-imposing a number of other sanctions. The school aims to show that the penalty handed down by the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions was excessive based on previous NCAA infraction cases. UCF notes the NCAA stated football infractions occurred from January 2010 to July 2011, but the school argues the football violations were limited to a seven-week period from Dec. 18, 2010, to Feb. 4, 2011. Orlando Sentinel
Hoggetowne Medieval Faire returns – The 27th Annual Hoggetowne Medieval Faire returns this weekend to the Alachua County Fairgrounds. The faire will feature a medieval marketplace, eight performance stages and 160 artisans. Admission is $14 for adults, $7 for children aged 5-17 and free for children under five. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 26 to 27 and Feb. 2 to 3. Half-priced admission will be accepted Feb. 1 from 9:30 a.m to 3 p.m. Gainesville Sun
