Things To Do In SW Florida

TALLAHASSEE — Visit Florida staff members have put together a tourism-marketing plan intended to counter increased competition from other states.

With pandemic restrictions now lifted nationally and eased internationally, and tourism dollars up in Florida’s proposed budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the state tourism agency’s Marketing Council rolled out plans that, in part, would move up the start of winter and “families” advertising campaigns by a couple of months.

“We have moved these up to launch in October and March respectively, which we feel will position us to enter the travel discussion earlier in the decision process and maximize our traveler visitation,” Brett Laiken, Visit Florida’s vice president of marketing, said Tuesday during a conference call.

The marketing efforts will continue to highlight beaches and theme parks, but also regional and outdoor activities.

Laiken said the agency focused on Florida’s pandemic recovery last year, and “this year we really want to celebrate the record numbers in the face of increasing competition.” read more

By CORA LEWIS and ADRIANA MORGA (Associated Press)

NEW YORK (AP) — A three-year pause on student loan payments will end this summer regardless of how the Supreme Court rules on the White House plan to forgive billions of dollars in student loan debt.

If Congress approves a debt ceiling deal negotiated by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden, payments will resume in late August, ending any lingering hope of a further extension of the pause that started during the COVID pandemic. Even if the deal falls through, payments will resume 60 days after the Supreme Court decision.

That ruling is expected sometime before the end of June. No matter what the justices decide, more than 40 million borrowers will have to start paying back their loans by the end of the summer at the latest.

Here’s what to know to get ready to start paying back loans:

HOW SHOULD I PREPARE FOR STUDENT LOANS PAYMENTS TO RESTART?

Betsy Mayotte, President of the Institute of Student Loan Advisors, encourages people not to make any payments until the pause has ended. Instead, she says, put what you would have paid into a savings account. read more

The independent study team assigned by NASA to investigate the ever-changing acronym once simply referred to as UFOs held a public meeting Wednesday to lay out its progress toward its final report expected this summer.

UFO, as in unidentified flying object, is a term that the U.S. military began referring to as UAPs, as in unidentified aerial phenomena, which has since been further relabeled as unidentified anomalous phenomena, meaning it could be some sort of aircraft or something natural.

The study team commissioned by NASA last fall consists of 16 experts, including former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, university physics professors and officials with the Federal Aviation Administration among others. The panelists laid out their approach during the meeting in Washington that was aired on NASA TV with many noting the panel’s purpose isn’t to delve into the unexplained sightings of the past, but instead create a scientific plan on how to assess future sightings.

“Above all … from a scientific perspective, we do not come in with an agenda,” said Daniel Evans, NASA’s assistant deputy associate administrator for science research. “We come in needing a roadmap. Indeed, the primary objective of this incredible team of experts is not to go back and look at grainy footage of UAPs but rather to give us a roadmap to guide us for future analysis.” read more

Consumers aren’t the only ones getting used to the digital tipping screens that are becoming increasingly popular for in-person purchases. Behind the scenes, striking the right balance with preset tipping options is a delicate process for small-business owners. Set them too high and you could upset some customers. Too low, and you could be leaving money on the table.

The right tipping system helps encourage customers to tip generously and provides a smooth experience for people on both sides of the transaction. Small-business owners can use their point-of-sale systems’ customer-facing screens to collect other useful feedback, too.

Here’s how restaurant-industry experts are navigating new gratuity norms and getting the most out of customer-facing tipping screens.

Consider your business model

If you’re not sure where to start with preset tipping options, take your business model into account. “You have to be specific and intentional when you’re choosing what you want those percents to be,” says Sarah White, who runs multiple restaurants in Northern Virginia and is president of the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging and Travel Association’s restaurant component. read more