Things To Do In SW Florida

By STAN CHOE, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Nvidia, Palantir and other superstar stocks that had surged in the mania surrounding artificial-intelligence technology are dragging Wall Street lower again on Wednesday.

The S&P 500 fell 0.5% and was heading for a fourth straight loss after setting an all-time high last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 3 points, or less than 0.1%, as of 11:35 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1% lower.

Nvidia, whose chips are powering much of the world’s move into AI, dropped 1.6% and was on track to be the heaviest weight on Wall Street for a second straight day following its 3.5% fall on Tuesday. Palantir Technologies, another AI darling, sank 4.7% to add to its 9.4% loss from the day before.

Trading was shaky, and Nvidia pared a loss from earlier in the morning that got as bad as 3.9%, which helped indexes also mute their losses.

One possible contributor to the swoon was a study from MIT’s Nanda Initiative that warned most corporations are not yet seeing any measurable return from their generative AI investments, according to Ulrike Hoffmann-Burchardi, global head of equities at UBS Global Wealth Management. read more

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE, Associated Press Technology Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — President Donald Trump wants the U.S. government to own a piece of Intel, less than two weeks after demanding the Silicon Valley pioneer dump the CEO that was hired to turn around the slumping chipmaker. If the goal is realized, the investment would deepen the Trump administration’s involvement in the computer industry as the president ramps up the pressure for more U.S. companies to manufacture products domestically instead of relying on overseas suppliers.

What’s happening?

The Trump administration is in talks to secure a 10% stake in Intel in exchange for converting government grants that were pledged to Intel under President Joe Biden. If the deal is completed, the U.S. government would become one of Intel’s largest shareholders and blur the traditional lines separating the public sector and private sector in a country that remains the world’s largest economy.

Why would Trump do this?

In his second term, Trump has been leveraging his power to reprogram the operations of major computer chip companies. The administration is requiring Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices, two companies whose chips are helping to power the craze around artificial intelligence, to pay a 15% commission on their sales of chips in China in exchange for export licenses. read more

Orlando’s theme parks have rolled out a few new things with familiar feels lately. These additions aren’t the kind of things that prompt cross-country trips or land in splashy ad campaigns, but they can enhance outings to the attractions.

Seating sequel

Don’t pull up a chair to watch “Acrobatico!” That could ruin the whole act.

The new performance at Epcot’s France pavilion is a one-person show with feats of balance and strength, hints of mime, and an increasing number of stacked chairs. It’s gentle, engaging humor.

It’s also going to remind Epcotters of “Serveur Amusant,” a similar act that hasn’t been seen at the theme park in about five years. That was a two-person show, including a chef character who used a whistle persistently, and it stacked chairs higher, perhaps perilously so.

There’s a lot of buildup in “Acrobatico!” as the performer sets the scene. She creates a boundary with a tricolored rope, sets the table and interacts with passers-by. Eventually, the stacking of chairs carefully begins with an athletic pose at each stage. Again, there’s authentic French music, heavy on accordion. I did not miss the whistle. read more

The Hometown Heroes program for first-time buyers in Florida returns on Aug. 18 — just in time for a market stabilization that gives buyers more inventory and more room to negotiate.

But that’s where the good news ends because in 2025, the Hometown Heroes Program only has $50 million to distribute to homebuyers. In previous years, up to $150 million was available to alleviate the housing affordability crisis faced by Floridians. So hurry if you plan to apply because the money will quickly run out, real estate professionals say.

The program offers up to $35,000 for the down payment and closing costs for Florida’s frontline or essential workers purchasing their first property to live in. It works as a second interest-free loan that is repaid when the house is sold or the mortgage is refinanced.

Who qualifies for a Hometown Heroes loan in 2025

Now in its fourth year, the Hometown Heroes program once again limits access to funds exclusively for specific industries in Florida, as it did initially when it was created after the pandemic to retain employees in the state who couldn’t afford homes due to high housing prices. read more

Only one Central Florida restaurant shut down the week of Aug. 10-16, according to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Brevard

Thai Thai Restaurant at 2447 N. Wickham Road, Suite 128 in Melbourne shut down on Aug. 13. Inspectors found 12 violations, three of which were high priorities for nonfood-grade bags used in direct contact with food, rodent activity and food held at the wrong temperatures. A second inspection occurred on Aug. 14. Inspectors found seven violations, but none was a high priority. The restaurant requires a follow-up inspection but poses no threat to the general public.

Complaints and warnings

Orange County had the top spot for most warnings and other complaints in Central Florida, with 38.

Volusia had 27, Brevard had seven, Lake had five, Osceola had nine and Seminole had four.