Things To Do In SW Florida

Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic sent condo prices skyrocketing in Florida, the market is now lagging as new building regulations drive up costs and foreign buyers stay away.

After the tragic 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South complex in Surfside, which killed 98 people, the Florida Legislature mandated inspections for condo buildings 30 years old and older. As a result, owners are facing hefty renovation bills, forcing many to put their units up for sale, flooding the market.

Meanwhile, the foreign buyers who long powered that market, primarily from Latin America, are bowing out. In South Florida, the region with the most condos statewide, sales to foreigners fell to the lowest level since at least 2015. With the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, the trend is likely to persist, said Peter Zalewski, an independent condo analyst who writes the Miami Condo Investing Club newsletter.

The result is a market that became saddled this year with 10 months’ worth of supply, the most since 2011. In Q2 2025, the number of available listings statewide (73,225) was nearly 25% higher than a year before. read more

Outsiders now can go inside Orlando’s latest theme park via a televised special titled “Inside the World of Epic Universe.”

The 45-minute program, which originally aired on NBC, is now available through the Peacock streaming service. It’s hosted by actor Joe Manganiello, who gives a guided tour that includes special guests, including Warwick Davis, Bowen Yang and the stars of the live-action version of “How to Train Your Dragon.” Viewers see director Steven Spielberg multiple times.

If you followed the development of the Universal Orlando park, there’s not much new here. But there’s plenty of colorful footage of the attractions serving as reminders in case it’s been a while since your visit. Still, it’s not a blow-by-blow travelogue. Some rides — including Stardust Racers roller coaster — are limited to quick cameos, and the centerpiece Helios Grand Hotel is seen but not heard about. Overall, it’s a positive spin involving Comcast corporate cousins.

The timing might seem odd to Orlandoans since the park debuted three months ago, but far-flung possible Epic visitors are probably more of the target audience. There are scenes from the park’s construction era, staged promotional footage, backstage animatronic scenes (barefoot Dracula alert) and the pre-opening, star-studded celebration. read more

By DAMIAN J. TROISE, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks slipped in early trading on Wall Street Monday, after a big jump last week on hopes for more interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve.

The S&P 500 fell 0.2% and was just below its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 192 points, or 0.4% as of 10:25 a.m. Eastern time, pulling back from the record it set on Friday. The Nasdaq composite was mostly unchanged.

Keurig Dr Pepper sank 7.5% after saying it will buy Peet’s Coffee owner JDE Peet’s in a deal worth about $18 billion.

Treasury yields rose in the bond market following their big drop on Friday amid expectations that the Fed will cut its benchmark interest rate in September.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.29% from 4.25% late Friday. The two-year Treasury yield rose to 3.73% from 3.70% late Friday.

European markets were mixed and Asian markets closed lower overnight.

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Keurig Dr Pepper to buy Peet’s Coffee owner in $18 billion deal read more

NEW YORK (AP) — Less than a decade after their merger, Keurig and Dr Pepper plan to become separate companies again.

Keurig Dr Pepper said Monday it is buying the owner of Peet’s Coffee in an $18 billion (15.7 billion euro) . Then it will break itself in two, with one company selling coffee and the other selling cold beverages like Snapple, Dr Pepper, 7UP and energy drinks.

The agreement unwinds the 2018 merger of Keurig and Dr. Pepper. Shares of Keurig Dr Pepper fell 7% in early trading Monday.

Keurig Dr Pepper CEO Timothy Cofer said the separate coffee and beverage businesses would be more nimble and better able to focus on growth opportunities in their own markets.

“Following the separation, each stand-alone entity will lead its industry with a sharp strategic focus and with operating models that are finely calibrated to their unique categories and markets,” Cofer said Monday during a conference call with investors.

The combination with Peet’s parent JDE Peet’s, which is based in Amsterdam, significantly expands Keurig’s presence beyond North America, where it’s known for its single-serve coffee machines. JDE Peet’s owns the brands L’OR, Jacobs, Douwe Egberts, Kenco, Pilao, OldTown, Super and Moccona. read more

By TOM MURPHY, Associated Press Health Writer

Pricey prescriptions and nagging medical costs are swamping some insurers and employers now. Patients may start paying for it next year.

Health insurance will grow more expensive in many corners of the market in 2026, and coverage may shrink. That could leave patients paying more for doctor visits and dealing with prescription coverage changes.

Price increases could be especially stark in individual coverage marketplaces, where insurers also are predicting the federal government will end some support that helps people buy coverage.

“We’re in a period of uncertainty in every health insurance market right now, which is something we haven’t seen in a very long time,” said Larry Levitt, an executive vice president at the nonprofit KFF, which studies health care.

What’s hitting insurers

In conference calls to discuss recent earnings reports, insurers ticked off a list of rising costs: More people are receiving care. Visits to expensive emergency rooms are rising, as are claims for mental health treatments. read more