Things To Do In SW Florida

By AUDREY McAVOY

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii’s governor signed legislation Tuesday that boosts a tax imposed on hotel room and vacation rental stays in order to raise money to address eroding shorelines, wildfires and other consequences of climate change.

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The signing, which comes nearly two years after a Maui wildfire killed 102 people and wiped out almost all of Lahaina town, marks the nation’s first such levy to help cope with a warming planet.

Officials estimate the tax will generate nearly $100 million annually. The money will be used for projects like replenishing sand on eroding Waikiki beaches, promoting the use of hurricane clips to secure roofs during powerful storms and clearing flammable invasive grasses like those that fueled Lahaina’s wildfire. read more

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Two pigeons sneaked aboard a Delta Air Lines plane, delaying the flight twice.

The airline confirmed that the pigeons got aboard a flight Saturday that was leaving Minneapolis for Madison, Wisconsin.

A passenger who shot video of another man using his jacket to capture one of the birds told news outlets that the plane had to return to the gate twice because of birds flying around the cabin. Tom Caw said the first bird was captured by a ground crew. The second time, a passenger stepped in.

“Pilot said when he radioed the control tower about us coming back due to a pigeon, the guy said that was a first for him. Pilot told him it was the second time for him — the first being half an hour earlier,” Caw said.

Delta said in a statement that the flight was delayed 56 minutes by the avian stowaways.

“Delta appreciates the careful actions of our people and our customers to safely remove two birds from the aircraft prior to departure and we apologize to our customers for the delay in their travel,” the airline said. read more

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve officials agreed earlier this month to hold off on any interest-rate moves while they evaluated the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs on inflation, unemployment, and the broader economy.

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According to minutes from their May 6-7 meeting, released Wednesday, “almost all” of the 19 officials that participate in the Fed’s meetings on policy saw a risk that “inflation could prove to be more persistent than expected.” The policymakers showed greater concerns about higher inflation than rising unemployment, the minutes showed, a key reason they left rates unchanged. read more

By Lauren Schwahn, NerdWallet

It’s a challenging time for small businesses.

A majority of small businesses – 59% — cited financial uncertainty as the biggest challenge they’re facing. Business owners were surveyed as part of the May 2025 Small Business Economic Report from the National Small Business Association.

It’s difficult for businesses to plan around changing tariffs, tax policies and consumer spending shifts, says Elizabeth Gore, co-founder of Hello Alice, a platform that connects small businesses with grants and resources.

“There’s just so much up in the air,” she says.

Amid these pressures, consumers want to do their part. An April 2025 NerdWallet survey found that 84% of Americans say it’s important to them to support small businesses.

But many consumers are concerned about their own financial situations.

So how can you scale back spending while still supporting small businesses?

Build small businesses into your budget

Try earmarking money specifically for small businesses.

As you’re planning monthly expenses, ask yourself what’s most important to you, says Alvin Carlos, a certified financial planner and founder of District Capital Management in Washington, D.C. read more

A low-cost airline is expanding its U.S. footprint to Sanford, where starting this fall it will offer service to the Dominican Republic as the airport’s first new carrier since 2021.

Arajet, based in the Dominican Republic, will on Oct. 26 begin direct flights three times a week between Orlando Sanford International Airport and Punta Cana International Airport. Tickets went on sale Wednesday with fares to Punta Cana starting at $138 per person and $162 back to Sanford.

“People are screaming for lower fares,” said Victor Pacheco Mendes, who founded Arajet in 2022 and is chief executive officer. “And we’re going to deliver. … We saw a huge need for lower fares in the [Central Florida] region — but not a cheap product.”

Located about 45 miles northeast of Walt Disney World, the Sanford airport has long sat in the shadow of the much-larger Orlando International Airport — which has about 40 airlines and handled more than 57 million passengers last year, making it one of the busiest airfields in the country. read more