Things To Do In SW Florida

The 85th orbital launch from the Space Coast in 2025 also marked a milestone for SpaceX with the 500th successful landing of a Falcon 9 rocket booster.

The early Thursday morning launch came as the workhorse rocket for Elon Musk’s company lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:27 a.m. carrying 28 more Starlink satellites into space.

The first-stage booster made its third flight with a recovery landing downrange on its droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic.

Falcon 9 completes its 500th landing after lifting off from pad 40 in Florida pic.twitter.com/TYBhMYpuEp

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 16, 2025

It marked SpaceX’s 130th Falcon 9 launch of the year including 80 from its Space Coast launch pads at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral with the other 50 from California. It has also flown its in-development Starship and Super Heavy on five suborbital launch attempts from Texas this year.

The company managed its first successful Falcon 9 landing in 2015, five years after the rocket’s debut. read more

Q: I’m about to sell our condo, and the new buyers want to rent it for the weekend before closing. Have you ever heard of this? Should I say yes, or is this a reason for them to cancel the sale if they don’t like staying there? — Doug

A: While it is not uncommon for buyers to ask for early access to a property before closing, you should approach it with caution.

Sometimes, buyers want to move in a few days early or, as in your case, rent the condo for a weekend before the sale is finalized.

Although this might seem like a simple request, there are significant risks and considerations to keep in mind.

First and foremost, remember that until the closing is finalized, you are still the legal owner of the condo.

If you allow the buyers to stay in the property before the sale is complete, you are essentially becoming their landlord, even if only for a short period.

This can lead to legal issues if something goes wrong. For example, if the buyers damage the property, refuse to leave, or find something they dislike, you could end up in a challenging situation. read more

By Elizabeth Aldrich, NerdWallet

Nearly two-thirds of Americans (64%) believe Medicare benefits will be reduced under the current administration, according to a recent NerdWallet survey. For some, a reduction in benefits could be coming as soon as next year — along with a bigger price tag.

Medicare Part B premiums are estimated to increase by $21.50 to $206.50 next year according to the Medicare Trustees — one of the bigger premium hikes in Medicare history. Medicare Part D prescription drug plans can increase premiums by as much as $50, up from last year’s $35 cap set by the government. And many of the largest private insurers are pulling back on their Medicare offerings or exiting the market entirely due to lack of profitability.

Consumers have one major defense against rising costs, shrinking provider networks and disappearing benefits: Medicare’s fall open enrollment period. Each year from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, you can add, drop or switch Medicare plans.

“This is the most important open enrollment period in Medicare’s 60-year history,” says Melinda Caughill, co-founder of 65 Incorporated, which offers Medicare guidance. “Everybody should be reviewing their plan.” read more

By DEE-ANN DURBIN, Associated Press

The J.M. Smucker Co. is suing Trader Joe’s, alleging the grocery chain’s new frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are too similar to Smucker’s Uncrustables in their design and packaging.

In the lawsuit, which was filed Monday in federal court in Ohio, Smucker said the round, crustless sandwiches Trader Joe’s sells have the same pie-like crimp markings on their edges that Uncrustables do. Smucker said the design violates its trademarks.

Smucker also asserted that the boxes Trader Joe’s PB&J sandwiches come in violate the Orrville, Ohio-based company’s trademarks because they are the same blue color it uses for the lettering on “Uncrustables” packages.

Trader Joe’s boxes also show a sandwich with a bite mark taken out of it, which is similar to the Uncrustables design, Smucker said.

“Smucker does not take issue with others in the marketplace selling prepackaged, frozen, thaw-and-eat crustless sandwiches. But it cannot allow others to use Smucker’s valuable intellectual property to make such sales,” the company said in its lawsuit. read more