Things To Do In SW Florida

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke announced Wednesday that it was his medical issue aboard the International Space Station in January that prompted the agency to return the SpaceX Crew-11 mission to Earth early.

“I experienced a medical event that required immediate attention from my incredible crewmates,” Fincke said according to a NASA website update. “Thanks to their quick response and the guidance of our NASA flight surgeons, my status quickly stabilized.”

Both Fincke and fellow NASA astronaut Zena Cardman had been preparing for a spacewalk on the station when those plans were called off.

While Fincke was attended to and stabilized on the station, NASA determined that bringing him home with his crewmates Cardman, JAXA astronaut and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov was the most prudent action.

Crew-11 had been slated to remain on board until late February at least, awaiting the Crew-12 relief mission.

Instead, Crew-11 departed on what became NASA’s first medical evacuation from the space station in history, although its was not considered an emergency. The quartet splashed down in the Pacific off the coast of San Diego on Jan. 15 after 5 and a half months on board. read more

GayDays Inc. will have festivities this year, and they’ll be held at a new host hotel in Kissimmee, organizers have announced.

Earlier this month, the group said its June events had been paused, but an email to supporters and updates to its official website now indicate that they are a go for 2026. And some new events — including a comedy show and a game show — have been added.

Activities now are slated for the Holiday Inn & Suites Orlando SW — Celebration Area on Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway for June 4-8. The entire 440-room resort has been booked by GayDays, and all official events will take place there, organizers say.

“This year is about bringing the energy back together in one place,” GayDays’ Charles Cantrell said in the email.

“We listened to our community and focused on creating a space that truly feels like ours,” Josh Duke said.

Last year, the host hotel was DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando on International Drive.

The 2026 schedule now includes pool parties, foam parties, a piano lounge, comedy show, drag bingo, karaoke, Miss Gay Days Pageant, Mr. Gay Days Leather competition and a vendor expo. read more

When Beth Pinsker’s mother became too ill to manage her own finances, she and her brother stepped in to pay bills and monitor accounts on her behalf.

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As a financial journalist and certified financial planner (CFP), Pinsker figured she was well-prepared for the task. It turned out to be much more complicated than she anticipated.

Her subsequent book, “My Mother’s Money: A Guide to Financial Caregiving,” documents her challenge and shares advice for others. It’s NerdWallet’s winter Book Club pick.

“You hit a certain age in life and you become a caregiver, and nobody prepares you for it,” Pinsker says. Taking over the entire financial existence of another human being is complicated and time-consuming, she adds, and many of us will probably need to do it at some point. read more

Actor Robert Downey Jr. has been named the godparent of the Disney Adventure, the newest and largest ship in the cruise line’s fleet, with capacity for 6,700 passengers. The 208,000-gross-ton vessel, the first in Disney’s Global class, is set for its maiden voyage out of Singapore on March 10.

Downey is best known for his portrayal of Tony Stark and Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the highest-grossing film franchise of all time.

“Our new ship continues Disney Cruise Line’s tradition of bringing great stories to life at sea, and we are honored that Robert Downey Jr., who has guided audiences through unforgettable Marvel stories, is the official godparent for the Disney Adventure,” said Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences and incoming CEO of Walt Disney Co., in a news release.

Downey’s tenure as Tony Stark and Iron Man culminated in “Avengers: Endgame,” which amassed more than $2.79 billion at the global box office. The actor was named an official Disney Legend in 2019 and will now star as Doctor Doom in Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Doomsday,” which lands in theaters this December. read more

By STAN CHOE, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose Wednesday and erased their losses for the week so far, as Nvidia and other technology companies led the way.

The S&P 500 added 0.8% for a second straight gain following Monday’s swoon, when stocks dropped as investors tried to separate potential losers from winners in the artificial-intelligence boom.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 307 points, or 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.3%.

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Nvidia was one of the strongest forces lifting the market and rose 1.4% ahead of its highly anticipated profit report, which was scheduled to arrive shortly after trading ended for the day. Because Nvidia has grown to become the U.S. market’s largest stock by value, it has more influence on the S&P 500 than any other company. read more