Economic series reports on jobs, Port Manatee

The Bradenton Herald's economic report continues today with a look at employment and a grim look at just how slow recovery will be in terms of getting people back to work. A highlight: state economists say Florida's unemployment rate, currently 12 percent, won't fall below 6 percent until 2019 or 2020.

Port Manatee will be a piece to Manatee County's economic recovery. On Thursday, the Bradenton Herald series will take a look at what's in store for Port Manate in the year ahead.

Port officials say 2011 will focus on infrastructure improvements and new marketing initiatives. Those priorities are a part of Port Manatee's bigger plan to capture more cargo that will be routed through the Panama Canal when its expansion is completed in 2014.

Update: Here's a link to the full story.