Things To Do In SW Florida

You visit an open house for a stately old Victorian on a quiet street. It has a wraparound front porch and all kinds of vintage charm … but you can’t help but wonder if that sudden cold draft is the result of poor insulation, or a past occupant dropping by. And the lights on that stunning chandelier are flickering in a way that might foretell an expensive visit from an electrician — or an exorcist.

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You want to ask the listing agent if they’ve heard about any paranormal activity on the property. But do they actually have to tell you?

That depends on where you’re house hunting. In most states, the seller doesn’t have to disclose anything. For example, according to Massachusetts state law, whether the home “has been the site of an alleged parapsychological or supernatural phenomenon” is not a material fact that has to be mentioned in a real estate transaction. However, the seller or agent are also not allowed to lie about it. read more

Despite the ongoing government shutdown, NASA did manage to complete a major milestone in its effort to send astronauts back to moon.

Teams completed the stacking of the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System rocket at Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building this week.

The fully stacked rocket is slated to fly as early as Feb. 5 to take four astronauts on a trip around, but not land on, the moon on Orion’s first flight with humans on board.

NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team lifted the Lockheed Martin-built spacecraft, which the astronauts have named “Integrity,” on Oct. 19 with a little more than three months to run through all the remaining required tests ahead of the earliest planned liftoff.

“Integration of SLS and Orion represents a major milestone in our progress on Artemis,” said acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy. “Soon, we will be launching four astronauts around the moon for the first time in over half a century on Artemis II — the latest demonstration of American dominance in space.” read more

In an effort to improve road safety, Mount Dora may make three major downtown thoroughfares into one-way streets.

Alexander Street, Baker Street and Tremain Street are narrow roads located in the heart of Mount Dora where on-street parking competes with two-way traffic.

Mount Dora councilmembers voted 5-2 this week to support a plan that could see one block of Alexander Street and two blocks of Baker Street and Tremain Street realigned into a one-way configuration, according to a report in GrowthSpotter.

Adam Sumner, CRA Administrator in the City of Mount Dora’s Office of Planning and Development said planning staff hired a consultant to look at existing street conditions and the feasibility of angled parking earlier this year.

Sumner said a licensed engineer informed them that changes need to be made on those three downtown streets to “meet safety standards” and said only two options would satisfy the safety criteria.

“We were given notice by a license engineer that we have a concern and we need to address it,” he said. “The only two options to address it are removing the parking and keeping two-way traffic or putting in proper parking and going to one-way. Those are the only options we have.” read more

Rollins College’s vision for an “Innovation Triangle” in downtown Winter Park took a big step forward Friday as ground was broken on the new Rollins Museum of Art and an adjacent leadership institute.

The new structures, at New England and Interlachen avenues, will form part of the “triangle,” with the third “point” being the college’s Alfond Inn, an art-driven boutique hotel.

“It’s quite forward thinking,” said Rollins Museum of Art director Leslie Anderson, “and plays to the strengths of our college.”

Anderson, named the museum’s director in July, envisions a strong connection between the leadership institute, part of the college’s Crummer School of Business, and the museum.

“There are lots of opportunities for collaboration around art and business,” she said. The project “creates this space where the museum can provide data-driven research for the business school.”

For the public, the new museum will offer multiple benefits. At 31,000 square feet, the new building will be three times the size of the current on-campus museum. Its enhanced gallery spaces will be able to accommodate major traveling exhibitions, as well as display more of Rollins’ extensive permanent collection of works. Anderson also envisions more community programming, especially as the complex attracts thought leaders and other speakers to Winter Park. read more

By KEN SWEET

NEW YORK (AP) — For nearly three years, JPMorgan Chase has picking up the legal tab of Charlie Javice and Olivier Amar, the two convicted fraudsters who sold their financial aid startup Frank to the bank.

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But the two have racked up an astronomical, nine-figure legal bill that far exceeds any reasonable amount the two may have needed for their defense, the bank said in a court filing late Friday. Chase shouldn’t have to pay and its agreement as part of the startup purchase to shoulder the costs should end, the bank argued.

According to the filing, Javice’s team of lawyers across five law firms have billed JPMorgan approximately $60.1 million in legal fees and expenses, while Amar’s lawyers have billed the bank roughly $55.2 million in fees. read more