Things To Do In SW Florida

By CORA LEWIS

NEW YORK (AP) — If you live in a part of the world prone to wildfires, floods, blizzards, tornadoes, or earthquakes, there are ways you can make sure you’re financially prepared for disaster, beyond insurance.

By JOSH BOAK, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Like most presidents, Donald Trump faces an economy that seldom bends to political ambitions.

The Republican has promised strong growth, high tariffs, income tax cuts and booming oilfields. But despite the solid job market and low 4.1% unemployment rate, he has to contend with headwinds like inflation, a budget deficit, increased tensions over trade, the fallout from his plans to curtail immigration and a persistent wealth gap.

Each of these issues could help to shape how voters feel about a president they returned to the White House with the specific goal of fixing the economy.

For his part, Trump wants to blame all the challenges before him on his predecessor, Joe Biden, who in turn blamed Trump in 2021 for the problems his own administration had to tackle.

“This begins with confronting the economic chaos caused by the failed policies of the last administration,” Trump told the World Economic Forum on Thursday.

Here are five economic forces that could shape the first year of Trump’s presidency: read more

TALLAHASSEE — Despite retirees continuing to reduce the size of the labor force and a slight bump in the number of Floridians out of work, the state’s unemployment rate held steady in December.

The Florida Department of Commerce on Friday released a report that said the unemployment rate was 3.4 percent in December, unchanged from November. The national unemployment rate in December was 4.1 percent.

The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metropolitan statistical area had the state’s lowest unemployment rate in December at 2.8 percent, followed by the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin and Naples areas at 2.9 percent.

Among others, the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Panama City and Jacksonville areas had 3 percent rates in December.

The highest rate was in the Homosassa Springs area at 4.8 percent. The Sebring area was at 4.5 percent and The Villages area was at 4.4 percent.

Jimmy Heckman, the Department of Commerce’s chief of workforce statistics and economic research, attributed the state’s employment picture to its population growth, which has boosted demand for goods and services. read more

By ALEXA ST. JOHN

DETROIT (AP) — While President Donald Trump took aim at the electric vehicle industry this week, there is still optimism about the industry’s future in Michigan, a state retooling from America’s most recognizable auto hub to its number one destination for electric vehicle investment.

Walt Disney World has announced the closing dates for the MuppetVision 3D attraction and two nearby restaurants as Disney’s Hollywood Studios prepares to introduce a “Monsters, Inc.”-themed land in that area.

The final day for visitors to see MuppetVision in action will be June 7, Disney announced Friday.  The show, which debuted in 1991, features Jim Henson’s Muppets putting on a production and uses several special effects, including a pie to face, water-spraying flower, a musical number that goes wrong featuring Miss Piggy and a patriotic finale that also goes wrong. Animatronics of Statler and Waldorf comment from a side balcony throughout, and a live-action Sweetums makes an appearance.

June 7 will also be the final day for PizzeRizzo, the two-story, mostly Italian, themed restaurant across the plaza from MuppetVision.

Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano will operate through May 10, Disney says.

The Muppets eventually will have a new home at  Hollywood Studios, taking over Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster from Aerosmith, which has been featured on the enclosed ride since it opened in 1999. No timeline for that transition was announced. read more