Things To Do In SW Florida

The Trump administration recently announced a plan for steep port fees on Chinese-built vessels, which dominate global trade and are frequently in San Diego Bay.

The idea is to limit China’s dominance in the seas by making it more expensive to use their vessels and, in theory, push the nation’s importers into the arms of the comparatively small U.S. shipbuilding industry.

The new Chinese levies, which wouldn’t take effect until mid-October, could cost an importer roughly $150 a car, according to estimates from the Port of San Diego. There is concern from the shipping industry that the levies, on top of tariffs, could significantly impact global trade.

U.S. shipbuilding is practically nonexistent compared to China and others. Critics argue there is no way (at the moment) for the U.S. to catch up and the whole plan will just mean increased costs for consumers. President Donald Trump has argued it is vital for national security that America builds up its shipbuilding industry.

Question: Is the Chinese-built vessel levy proposal a good one? read more

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN, Associated Press

Biotechnology company Regeneron Pharmaceuticals is buying 23andMe for $256 million, two months after the genetic testing company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

In March 23andMe said that it was looking to sell “substantially all of its assets” through a court-approved reorganization plan. Its co-founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki also resigned from the top post, but remained as a board member.

23andMe has faced an uncertain future for some time. Beyond battles to go private, the company struggled to find a profitable business model since going public in 2021. Privacy concerns related to customers’ genetic information have also emerged, notably spanning from a 2023 data breach — along with questions around what new ownership could mean for users’ data.

The proposed transaction with Regeneron includes 23andMe’s personal genome service and total health and research services. It does not include the Lemonaid Health subsidiary, a telehealth services provider which 23andMe plans to wind down. read more

By Prashant Gopal, Bloomberg News

The crucial spring home-sales season in the U.S., barely off the runway, is already sputtering.

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  Average rate on a US 30-year mortgage rises to 6.81%, its highest level since late April

April is normally when transactions kick into overdrive, warmer weather drawing in buyers and sellers alike. But this year, the number of signed contracts was the lowest for the month since the Covid lockdown in 2020, according to seasonally adjusted data from Redfin Corp. Deals were down 3% from last April, already seen as a low mark.

Active listings for April also ballooned to the highest level since 2019, suggesting homes are piling up on the market. And annual median price growth, measured by completed purchases, was just 1.4%, compared with the almost 6% gain recorded in April 2024. read more

By JAMIE STENGLE

DALLAS (AP) — Whether it’s a road trip to a nearby lake or jumping on a plane to explore a big city, Americans are expected to get away in record numbers over the long Memorial Day weekend even as economic and technical worries rattle the U.S. travel industry.

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Over 45 million people — 1.4 million more than last year — will venture at least 50 miles from their homes between Thursday and next Monday, with the vast majority going by car, auto club organization AAA predicts. The holiday’s previous domestic travel record was set 20 years ago. read more

By PAUL WISEMAN, CHRISTOPHER RUGABER and ANNE D’INNOCENZIO, Associated Press Business Writers

WASHINGTON (AP) — For months, American consumers and businesses have been hearing that President Trump’s massive import taxes – tariffs – would drive up prices and hurt the U.S. economy. But the latest economic reports don’t match the doom and gloom: Inflation actually eased last month, and hiring was solid in April.

For now, the disconnect has businesses and consumers struggling to reconcile what they were told to expect, what the numbers say and what they are seeing on the ground. Trump and his supporters are quick to point out that the trade wars of his first term didn’t translate into higher overall inflation across the economy.

So is it time to breathe easy?

Not yet, economists say. Trump’s tariffs are still huge – the highest since the Great Depression of the 1930s. They’re unpredictable: The president frequently announces tariffs only to suspend them days later and to conjure up new ones. And they are still working their way through the system. read more