Things To Do In SW Florida

Grocery bills are straining wallets across the country — and it’s no wonder. Food costs are predicted to rise 3.2% in 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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If you’re concerned, you’re not alone. Tariffs and rising prices were among the concerns referenced in the Conference Board’s latest Consumer Confidence Index report, which aims to measure how U.S. consumers feel about the economy. The index fell 7.9 points in April to 86 — the lowest it’s been since the onset of the pandemic.

Separately, the Conference Board, a nonprofit economic research group, said that the number of consumers expecting a recession in the next 12 months has hit a two-year high. read more

By SALLY HO and MANUEL VALDES

SUQUAMISH, Wash. (AP) — For over two decades, Suquamish tribal member Joshua George has dived into the emerald waters of the Salish Sea looking for an unusually phallic clam that’s coveted thousands of miles away.

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George is a geoduck diver. Pronounced “gooey-duck,” the world’s largest burrowing clam has been harvested in tidelands by George’s Indigenous ancestors in the Pacific Northwest since before Europeans arrived.

In recent years it has also become a delicacy in China, with Washington state sending 90% of its geoducks there, creating a niche yet lucrative American seafood export. read more

Cultural arts

Jennifer Deery was appointed executive director of the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park.

Hospitality

Steven Goldsmith has joined Westgate Resorts as vice president of communications and public relations.

Law

Jennifer Powers has joined Dean Mead, Orlando, as an attorney for the firm’s real estate and financial institution teams.

Real estate

Jon Chapman was appointed area vice president at Bainbridge, Orlando.

Other

Kevin Klauer was appointed president and chief executive officer of Shepherd’s Hope, which provides free, quality healthcare for uninsured children, women and men in Central Florida.

Submit professional appointments, management-level promotions and significant awards for individuals, along with photos as .jpg attachments, to peopleonmove@orlandosentinel.com.

By ALEX VEIGA, AP Business Writer

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. held steady this week, not far from its highest levels this year, but below where it was a year ago.

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The rate stood at 6.76% for the second week in a row, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 7.09%.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, eased. The average rate dropped to 5.89% from 5.92% last week. It’s down from 6.38% a year ago, Freddie Mac said.

Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including global demand for U.S. Treasurys, the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions and bond market investors’ expectations about the economy and inflation. read more

By STAN CHOE, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are rallying Thursday after the United States and United Kingdom announced a deal on trade that would lower some tariffs and restrictions between the two countries, the first of what Wall Street hopes will be enough agreements to keep a recession from hitting the economy.

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The S&P 500 was 1.4% higher in midday trading and on track for an 11th gain in the last 13 days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 566 points, or 1.4%, as of 11:45 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.8% higher. read more