Things To Do In SW Florida

BY MELISSA GOLDIN, Associated Press

After a nationwide suspension of billionaire Elon Musk’s X platform in Brazil, social media users — including former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — are misrepresenting a years-old video of Vice President Kamala Harris to falsely claim that the Democratic presidential nominee has threatened to censor both X and Musk.

Here’s a closer look at the facts.

CLAIM: A video clip portrays Harris as saying that she will shut down X if she wins the 2024 presidential election and that Musk has “lost his privileges.”

THE FACTS: That’s false. Harris was referring to Trump long before Musk bought Twitter and rebranded it as X.

The clip is from 2019 and shows Harris speaking with CNN host Jake Tapper after a Democratic primary debate, discussing whether then-President Donald Trump’s profile should be removed from the platform, called Twitter at the time, and how there needs to be increased accountability for social media companies. read more

San Diego’s Dexcom began sales this week of Stelo, the industry’s first FDA-approved continuous glucose monitor that doesn’t require a prescription. With a two-pack of the biosensor costing just under $100 per month, the local company aims to tap a new market of users and increase access to this technology.

Now, people without health insurance coverage for such devices have the option to buy Stelo directly from Dexcom’s website. The device is geared toward adults 18 years and older with type 2 diabetes who are not taking insulin and who do not have problematic hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. The device can be worn for up to 15 days before needing to be replaced.

A one-off purchase of a single pack with two sensors — which lasts 30 days — costs $99. There’s also a monthly subscription option, which costs $89 for two sensors to be delivered every 30 days. The device is eligible to be purchased using funds from a Flexible Spending Account or a Health Savings Account.

Stelo — which was cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for over-the-counter use in March — is a wearable device that fits in the palm of your hand. It is worn on the back of the user’s upper arm to track blood glucose levels — no finger prick required. Stelo connects to a smartphone application as it constantly measures, records and analyzes the user’s glucose levels and then presents those results in the app every 15 minutes. read more

By Elizabeth Renter | NerdWallet

Home prices may have come down from their 2022 high, but they remained out of reach for the typical would-be first-time buyer in the second quarter, especially in the nation’s most populous areas.

Buying a home in this market can be particularly hard for people who haven’t done it before. First-time buyers traditionally have lower incomes and less established credit than repeat home buyers. Further, they generally make smaller down payments — 8%, on average, according to the most recent Profile of Buyers & Sellers from the National Association of Realtors, compared with 19% for repeat buyers. Buying a first home has arguably never been easy, but it’s gotten extremely difficult under current conditions.

With a down payment of 8%, housing payments on a typically priced home in the second quarter of 2024 would equate to almost half of the median gross monthly income for Americans of first-time buyer age.

Making a larger down payment or choosing a less desirable home could make this initial purchase easier, but not all homebuying hopefuls will find those options possible. read more

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is offering a reduced admission rate for some Central Florida residents for a limited time. The attraction’s Mercury Offer is a $19 one-day admission ($14 for ages 3-11) on specific dates.

Residents of Orange and Osceola counties get this deal Sept. 9-15, then residents of Seminole and Volusia counties get the $19 rate Sept. 16-22.  A one-day admission ticket normally costs $75 ($65 for ages 3-11).

Mercury Offer tickets must be purchased at the attraction’s will call and information areas or at kiosks at the entrance. Proof of residency — a driver’s license or utility bill — is required to land the special rate. A limit of six admissions can be obtained per transaction.

Salute to Brevard, an annual discounted ticket deal for residents of Brevard County, will be available again in October, the attraction said.

The visitor complex, located in Brevard County, features Space Shuttle Atlantis on display, the Shuttle Launch Experience attraction, astronaut training simulators, the Heroes & Legends presentation with the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, Spaceport KSC virtual experiences, Rocket Garden, IMAX theater, “All Systems Are Go” stage show, an assortment of space-flown vessels and relics, a bus tour and more. read more