Things To Do In SW Florida

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, Associated Press Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fewer Americans sought unemployment benefits last week as employers appear to be holding onto their workers even as the economy has slowed.

Applications for unemployment benefits for the week ending Aug. 23 dropped 5,000 to 229,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

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  Ask a real estate pro: What happens if I can’t afford to pay ‘huge’ condo assessment?

Measures of the job market are being closely watched on Wall Street and by the Federal Reserve as the most recent government data suggests hiring has slowed sharply since this spring. Job gains have averaged just 35,000 a month in the three months ending in July, barely one-quarter what they were a year ago. read more

By MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s top trade negotiator abruptly canceled a trip to Washington aimed at issuing a joint statement on a tariffs deal with the Trump administration, as a top government spokesman urged the U.S. side to speed up implementation of the agreement.

Trade envoy Ryosei Akazawa was scheduled to leave Tokyo for Washington on Thursday for a 10th round of talks, following up on the agreement announced on July 22.

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But Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters some details required further consultations, so the trip was postponed. read more

Q: Our condo board just passed a huge special assessment to fix the roof. I live on a fixed income and cannot afford to pay it. Is there anything I can do? — Ruth Ann

A: Special assessments can be a financial challenge for condominium owners, especially when they come unexpectedly.

These assessments are typically levied when the association’s reserve funds are insufficient to cover necessary repairs, upgrades, or other significant expenses.

While procedures for handling special assessments can vary depending on your condominium’s governing documents and state laws, the general principles are consistent.

All unit owners are required to pay the special assessment. When you purchased your condo, you agreed to follow your association’s rules, which include contributing to shared expenses.

If someone is unable to pay, the consequences can be severe. Associations rely on these funds to maintain the property, and unpaid assessments can lead to delays in critical projects, placing a financial strain on the entire community. read more

Leesburg city commissioners gave initial approval to the Oak Ridge development on Monday, part of one of the largest proposed projects in the city.

Oak Ridge is a planned 596-acre neighborhood, slated for 910 dwelling units, directly across from The Villages’ border along the east side of County Road 48.

The neighborhood is one of three that will be integrated into the Oak Ridge Community Development District, a 752-acre master-planned community by Dix Developments that will merge three subdivisions and generate up to 1,466 new homes once complete.

Developers are seeking to annex the subject property into Leesburg, amend the future land use designation from Lake County Rural to City of Leesburg Estate Residential and change the zoning from Lake County Agriculture to City of Leesburg PUD.

On July 31, the Leesburg Planning Commission recommended denial of the project by a 5-2 vote, citing concerns about water consumption, the disruption of nearby wetlands, density and the lack of childcare or education options. But commissioners decided 4-1 in favor of moving the project forward and transmitting the land use ordinance to state officials for approval. Commissioner Jay Connell was the sole ‘no’ vote, according to a report in GrowthSpotter. read more