Things To Do In SW Florida

Walt Disney World is changing how it handles a program that shortens wait times for theme park visitors with autism or similar developmental disabilities.

The adjustment affects the disability access service card, also known as DAS, which has gained popularity in recent years but has been misused.

As of May 20, Disney World visitors may request DAS at guest services outlets after which they will be connected to a cast member via virtual chat to determine their eligibility. Disney is teaming with Inspire Health Alliance, an outside company, for training and carrying out the new policy.

This process could guide visitors to other Disney services at the theme parks aligned for individual needs. Requesting DAS can be done before traveling to Disney World.

Some people with autism or similar disabilities cannot endure waiting in lines for extended periods.

Inappropriate use of DAS forced Disney to clamp down, said Len Testa, who runs Touring Plans, a vacation-planning site. He also studies lines at theme parks. read more

Anna Claire Vollers | (TNS) Stateline.org

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — About a year ago, veterinarian Melissa Ezell started noticing subtle changes at the midsized animal clinic in Huntsville, Alabama, where she works.

She said she and other vets were feeling pressure from management to make a certain amount of money from every appointment. If a pet owner wasn’t going to spend enough, the message from management was to offer more services. She was urged to pack in more patients outside of normal business hours.

“Before, I never felt any pressure to be making a certain amount of money in a day,” Ezell, who started working at the clinic in 2021, told Stateline. “It was just, ‘Fill your schedule, practice good medicine, everything else will come.’”

The clinic is owned by National Veterinary Associates, one of the largest veterinary chains in the nation. In 2020 the company was acquired by JAB Consumer Partners, a global private equity firm based in Luxembourg. By early 2023, Ezell said, she felt a shift in atmosphere at the clinic and a greater focus on increasing profits. read more

Patrick Blennerhassett | (TNS) Las Vegas Review-Journal

LAS VEGAS — Bruce Hiatt is hoping the integration of artificial intelligence will help take his real estate company to the next level, and in turn, could require fewer in-person agents in the process.

Hiatt, a Las Vegas-based broker who is also the owner of Luxury Realty Group, is currently beta testing an AI conversational avatar that speaks with potential homebuyers and learns from those interactions. Hiatt said they are scheduled to launch the technology in 22 U.S. cities and three in Canada as part of the rollout at the start of June. The goal is to have about 24 agents in each city.

The idea behind using AI is to aid in the homebuying search via software that can learn potential homebuyers’ names along with preferences of what they are looking for in a home. Hiatt is partnering with India-based chatbox builder Kore.ai on the technology. The company received $150 million in a new funding round, including an investment from chipmaker Nvidia. read more

A disorganized wallet makes it hard to find the things you need, so it’s a good idea to periodically get rid of crumpled business cards and faded receipts. With those things out of the way, you can look at the rest of your wallet’s contents with a more critical eye.

This spring, while you’re dusting off high shelves and ceiling fans, take a moment to freshen up the items in your wallet, too. It’s a relatively quick task that can save you money. Those old credit cards you no longer use may be charging you annual fees. Perhaps you still pay for a membership to a wholesale club, but haven’t shopped there in a long time. (Plus, if you still have some unused gift cards left over from the holidays, you’re sitting on a gold mine.)

Don’t let that overstuffed wallet intimidate you. Here’s how to pare it down.

Clean up your credit

Credit cards are actually pretty germy, so it doesn’t hurt to literally clean them. After you do that, consider if each card still deserves a coveted spot in your wallet.

Evaluate whether a card is still a good fit

Your needs change over time, and your credit cards should keep up. There are lots of reasons you might want to make a switch: read more