Things To Do In SW Florida

When the city of Apopka built an outdoor gun range for its police department in 1989, it did so on land in a mostly rural area.

But the city’s population has more than quadrupled since then — with nearly 62,000 residents by 2024 — and residential subdivisions have cropped up around the Cleveland Avenue facility.

As the number of homes increased so have noise complaints about the gun range. And the city’s police chief predicts more will come if another new subdivision, with about 115 homes, gets built nearby, as seems likely to happen.

“I get complaints all the time when we’re out there firing, and we’re just adding to the number of complaints we’re going to be getting with this,” Chief Michael McKinley said last week as the Apopka Development Review Committee briefly discussed the developer’s application for land-use changes and rezoning.

Still, the committee, which includes McKinley, recommended the city annex the property, as requested.

“I just want to make sure that future residents know that there is a law enforcement firearms range to the north of them,” McKinley said. “We are working on moving it, but we’re several years away,” he said. “And it is south of the direction that we shoot and that’s where the noise goes.” read more

By DEE-ANN DURBIN, Associated Press

Denny’s and Waffle House have removed surcharges that the two restaurant chains added to their menus when U.S. egg prices spiked earlier in the year.

Denny’s confirmed Thursday that it eliminated its egg surcharge on May 21. Waffle House said Wednesday on social media that it canceled its surcharge on June 2.

Waffle House instituted a 50-cent per egg surcharge in February at all of its 1,900 U.S. restaurants due to the soaring cost of eggs. Denny’s also put a surcharge in place in February, but it varied by location.

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By MATT OTT, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage fell for the fifth straight week to its lowest level since early April, an encouraging sign for potential buyers who have wrestled with rising home prices.

The long-term rate fell to 6.67% from 6.77% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.95%.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, fell to 5.80% from 5.89% last week. A year ago, it was 6.25%, Freddie Mac said.

High mortgage rates can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers and reduce their purchasing power. That’s helped keep the U.S. housing market in a sales slump that dates back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from the rock-bottom lows they reached during the pandemic.

Last year, sales of previously occupied U.S. homes sank to their lowest level in nearly 30 years. They’ve remained sluggish so far this year, as many prospective homebuyers have been discouraged by elevated mortgage rates and home prices that have continued to climb, albeit more slowly. read more

I’ve never been the type to set an alarm for a sale. But this year, I’m giving myself a $100 budget and a mission: tackle Amazon Prime Day like a parent with a plan.

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Between holiday gifts for my two kids, back-to-school gear, and a few kitchen upgrades I’ve been eyeing, I’m hoping to stretch every dollar and maybe let myself dream a little, too (if that stroller wagon or coffee maker drops into budget-friendly territory).

I already told myself 2025 was my low-buy year. I’m taking steps to make the most of Prime Day while staying true to my budget and my goals.

Step 1: Check prices before the sale begins

“I would consider what I really want and need right now and look at prices ahead of time,” Samantha Gordon, deals editor at Consumer Reports, suggested to me in an email interview. “A lot of ‘discounts’ get a ‘Prime Day’ label even though the price stayed the same.” read more

Chapter 7

Central Florida individuals and businesses that have filed for liquidation under Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code include:

Advanced Asset Consulting LLC, 8586 Warbug Alley, Orlando. Filed: June 11. Assets: $0. Liabilities: $158,052. Major creditors: JPMorgan Chase, New York City, $49,937; JPMorgan Chase, New York City, $40,032; Truist Financial Corp., Charlotte, N.C., $20,528. Creditors meeting: July 22.

Chapter 11

Central Florida individuals and businesses that have filed for reorganization and protection from creditors under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code include:

Contour Spa LLC, 8762 Lake Tibet Court, Orlando. Filed: June 11. Assets: $500,001-$1 million. Liabilities: $1,000,001-$10 million. Major creditors: Not available. Creditors meeting: July 22.

GD Transport LLC, 200 Zell Drive, Orlando. Filed: June 16. Assets: $1,000,001-$10 million. Liabilities: $1,000,001-$10 million. Major creditors: American Express, Wilmington, Del., $62,570; SMFL Sumitomo Mitsui Finance & Leasing Co., New York City, $53,656; Chase Bank, Wilmington, Del., $38,750.  Creditors meeting: July 21. read more