Things To Do In SW Florida

By Adina Dragos, Stacker

For many, 2024 has been a year of transformations—driven by shifting job markets, lifestyle changes, and emerging trends in urban development. As these changes unfold, 2025 is poised to be an exciting year for rental activity. But, which urban areas are set to become hotspots for new residents, thriving businesses, and fresh opportunities?

To find out, RentCafe.com took a closer look at its online engagement rates for the most dynamic cities of 2024. Specifically, after analyzing the most popular rental markets each month during the past year, here is a comprehensive view of the last 12 months to get a sense of what’s ahead.

• Minneapolis is renters’ top city to watch in 2025 after attracting considerable rental interest throughout 2024.
• Atlanta claims the silver medal, followed by Overland Park, KS, in third place.
• The Midwest and West are neck and neck when it comes to the top region to keep an eye on in 2025.

After a strong performance in 2024, Minneapolis takes the top position as the city to watch in 2025, solidifying its reputation as a rental activity hotspot. Notably, it secured the #1 spot seven times throughout the past 12 months. Next is Atlanta, the leading location in RentCafe.com’s previous annual rental activity report and a city that continued to capture renters’ attention throughout the year. read more

By WILL WEISSERT and HALELUYA HADERO, Associated Press

President Donald Trump said Monday evening that Microsoft is among the U.S. companies looking to take control of TikTok to help the popular app avert an effective ban that could kick-in in April.

“I would say yes,” Trump told reporters when asked if Microsoft was one of the companies interested in helping to bring about a new ownership of TikTok, a requirement set by Congress to keep the app functioning in the U.S.

Trump added that other companies were also interested in purchasing TikTok, but wouldn’t provide a list.

“I like bidding wars because you make your best deals,” Trump said as he spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One while flying back to Washington from Miami, where Republican House members were holding a conference.

Microsoft declined to comment. Representatives for TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In one of his first acts in office last week, Trump extended the deadline for TikTok to find new ownership that satisfies the government by 75 days, to April 4 from January 19. read more

In an executive order aimed at “unleashing American energy,” President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to immediately freeze the funding for several programs that stand to add more clean energy infrastructure to Florida.

The future of low-cost loans and grants for Floridians adding rooftop solar panels, plus money to build electric vehicle chargers along Florida highways is now uncertain.

The order was part of a blitz Trump signed within hours of his inauguration last week, when he also declared an end to policies that promoted EVs, halted new permits for offshore wind projects and withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement.

His directive instructs federal agencies to “immediately pause the disbursement of funds” appropriated by two laws, the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan infrastructure law, for at least 90 days. During this period, officials must review their procedures for issuing the money to ensure they are consistent with the administration’s energy goals. read more

By MATT OTT, AP Business Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence dipped for the second consecutive month in January, a business research group said Tuesday.

The Conference Board reported that its consumer confidence index retreated this month to 104.1, from 109.5 in December. That is worse than the economist projections for a reading of 105.8.

December’s reading was revised up by 4.8 points but still represented a decline from November.

The consumer confidence index measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months.

Consumers appeared increasingly confident heading into the end of 2024 and spending during the holiday season was resolute. In the face of higher borrowing costs, retail sales rose 0.4% in December and stores generally reported healthy sales during the winter holiday shopping season.

The board said that consumers’ view of current conditions tumbled 9.7 points to a reading of 134.3 in January and views on current labor market conditions fell for the first time since September. read more

Francisco Rivero proudly shows off a large stainless steel pod in the middle of a cavernous concrete room. He unlatches its heavy vault door, swinging it open slowly to reveal an inner chamber just large enough for a person to lie inside.

Rivero is a funeral director at Pacific Interment Service in Emeryville, California, and the futuristic machine is an aquamation system. It uses water to dissolve every part of the human body except for the bones and teeth—a process also called alkaline hydrolysis.

“It just flows the water back and forth over the person, back and forth,” says Rivero in hypnotic tones. “You come in water, you’re leaving in water. It’s like an unbirthing.”

Rivero founded Pacific Interment in 1992, specializing in cremation at a time when the process was not widely used. In December of 2023, he installed his aquamation system, becoming the first to offer the service in the Bay Area and one of only four aquamation providers in California. He is convinced aquamation is the future of the funeral industry, and is on a mission to spread the word about a gentler, environmentally friendly alternative to cremation. read more