Business briefs
The Florida citrus crop is predicted to top 80 million boxes, according to a news release from Florida Citrus Mutual.
For the third month in a row, the U.S. Department of Agriculture raised its estimate for the current season's Florida orange crop. The now-predicted 81.1 million boxes is a 7 percent increase from the prior estimate.
The predictions for Valencia oranges are credited for the higher estimate. USDA's guess for Valencias increased from 40-million to 45-million boxes. Early- and mid-season varieties have already been harvested and increased slightly to 36.1 million boxes.
The USDA's grapefruit crop estimate for the current season also increased; to 10.85 million.
The release said last season, Florida produced 96.8 million boxes of oranges.
The Florida citrus industry creates a $10.8 billion annual economic impact, employs almost 62,000 people and covers about 500,000 acres, according to the release.
Station 2 Innovation offers summer programs
High school and college students will have the opportunity to learn a slew of business foundation skills in summer programs at Bradenton's Station 2 Innovation.
The fundamentals taught include: starting a business, customer and business model validation, legal considerations, brand development, intellectual property, crowdfunding, working with investors and information on sound financial accounting.
Students also will have the opportunity to meet with mentors for personal coaching on ventures.
The programs will be conducted on Tuesday and Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m. starting June 7 and ending Aug. 4. Students who complete the programs can attend a graduation ceremony on Aug. 5.
Rates for the 17 sessions are $25 per month for high school students and $50 per month for college students. The memberships also include access to a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. coworking space with wi-fi, print and office facilities, meeting space, other entrepreneurs working on similar projects and free coffee.
Station 2 Innovation is in the Historic Firehouse at 912 Seventh Ave. E., Bradenton. For information, visit station2innovation.com/event/whats-happening-station-2-innovation-
summer or call/email Stan Schultes or Sara Hand at 941-877-1599/info@station2innovation.com.
Google's take from Android pegged at $42 billion
Google has earned $42 billion in revenue and $21 billion in profit from more than 3 billion activations of Android-based smartphones, Oracle Corp. told jurors as it pursues its claim for a share of that action. Each of those activations relied on using the database maker's Java programming language without a license, Oracle lawyer Peter A. Bicks said in opening arguments Tuesday at a trial.
Larry Ellison's company is seeking $9.3 billion in damages. Google "took a short cut and it was at Oracle's expense," Bicks told the jury in San Francisco federal court.
"When Google did that they broke a very basic rule -- you do not take somebody's property without permission and use it for your own benefit. That's what this case is about. Google took Oracle's property, and with it Oracle's opportunities. That's the story I want to talk to you about now."
Besides the potential for one of the largest jury verdicts in U.S. history, a win for Oracle could change how software is protected and licensed.
-- Herald wire reports
This story was originally published May 10, 2016 at 11:36 PM with the headline "Business briefs ."