Things To Do In SW Florida

By TOM KRISHER and WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS (AP Business Writers)

DETROIT (AP) — Owners of new Ford vehicles will be able to tune in to AM radio in their cars, trucks and SUVs after all.

CEO Jim Farley wrote in social media postings Tuesday that the company is reversing a decision to scrub the band after speaking with government policy leaders who are concerned about keeping emergency alerts that often are sounded on AM stations.

“We’ve decided to include it on all 2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles,” Farley wrote on Twitter and LinkedIn. “For any owners of Ford’s EVs without AM broadcast capability, we’ll offer a software update” to restore it, Farley wrote.

The move comes after a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers introduced a bill Wednesday calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require AM in new vehicles at no additional cost.

Sponsors of the “AM for Every Vehicle Act” cited public safety concerns, noting AM’s historic role in transmitting vital information during emergencies, such as natural disasters, especially to rural areas. read more

TALLAHASSEE — Chinese citizens who live in Florida and a real-estate brokerage firm that caters to Chinese-speaking people on Monday filed a federal lawsuit challenging a new state law aimed at restricting the sale of properties to people and businesses linked to the Chinese government.

The law (SB 264) prohibits Chinese citizens from buying farmland or any property within 10 miles of a military installation or “critical infrastructure,” such as a seaport or airport.

The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Florida, said the law “will have the net effect of creating ‘Chinese exclusion zones’ that will cover immense portions of Florida.”

The new law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this month, also bans Chinese individuals who aren’t U.S. citizens or do not have lawful permanent resident status from owning Florida property entirely.

Lawyers for plaintiffs argued that the registration requirement is “burdensome, discriminatory and stigmatizing.”

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit include two Chinese citizens who live and work in Florida who have deposited money on new homes that will be completed after the law goes into effect on July 1. read more

TJ Porter | Bankrate.com (TNS)

Saving money and having an emergency fund can help you handle unplanned expenses and provide peace of mind — especially in uncertain times. But stashing away too much cash might not be the best personal finance strategy, either. It’s possible to have too much money sitting in a savings account that earns little or no interest.

The drawback of too much in savings

A liquid savings account is a safe place to keep some money that’s easily accessible. Insurance from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), which covers up to $250,000 per person, per account type at an FDIC-insured bank, means that your savings are protected by the federal government if your bank fails.

The risk of having too much money sitting in a savings account, assuming you don’t pass the $250,000 insurance threshold, is largely one of opportunity cost. Keeping too much of your spare cash in an account that generates little interest means you’re missing out on the opportunity to grow your money.

According to Bankrate data, the average savings account paid just 0.24 percent annual percentage yield (APY) as of April 26, 2023. However, you don’t have to settle for such a small yield. Right now, the best high-yield savings accounts pay 4 percent APY or higher. read more