Things To Do In SW Florida

Universal Orlando Resort has unveiled the design for a potential specialty license plate in Florida that would feature its signature Universal globe and benefit the nonprofit agency Give Kids the World.

The plate would feature the globe structure, seen in real life near the entrance to Universal Studios theme park, on a blackened, starry background, with “Florida” printed across the top in gold, “Universal Orlando Resort” in white at the bottom and with white letters and numbers.

The plate is now available for presale purchase. Drivers of Florida-registered vehicles can purchase vouchers online or at tax collector and tag agency offices across the state.  The cost for the vouchers is $33, which does not include the regular annual plate fees. Production of the plates would not begin until 3,000 pre-sale vouchers are purchased.

“We are so excited to build on our longstanding, treasured partnership with Give Kids the World in support of its incredible mission in this new and unique way,” said Karen Irwin, president and chief operating officer of Universal Orlando, in a news release. read more

TALLAHASSEE — Visit Florida President and CEO Dana Young, who oversaw tourism-marketing efforts as House leaders pushed for the agency’s closure and helped guide a tourism rebound after COVID-19 slammed the industry, announced Tuesday she will step down from the post.

Young, a former lawmaker who has spent nearly six years at Visit Florida, will exit when a new leader is in place.

“I am very proud of the work we have done (and will continue to do) at Visit Florida, maximizing return on investment for Florida taxpayers,” Young said in a prepared statement. “This has truly been the best job I have ever had, and I will miss my amazing team!”

A Visit Florida news release did not indicate her future plans.

Young, an attorney, represented parts of Hillsborough County in the House from 2010 to 2016 and in the Senate from 2016 to 2018. After a narrow defeat in a re-election bid, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed her to run Visit Florida days before his first-term inauguration.

Visit Florida Board of Directors Chairman John Lai, president of the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce, issued a statement Tuesday that praised Young for “guiding us through challenging times with unwavering determination and leading the way to record-breaking visitation.” read more

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer

Albertsons is giving up on its merger with Kroger and it is suing the grocery chain, saying it didn’t do enough to secure regulatory approval for the $24.6 billion agreement.

The move came the day after two judges halted the merger in separate court cases. U.S. District Court Judge Adrienne Nelson issued a preliminary injunction blocking the merger Tuesday after holding a three-week hearing in Portland, Oregon. An hour later, Judge Marshall Ferguson in Seattle issued a permanent injunction barring the merger in Washington after concluding it would lessen competition in the state and violate consumer-protection laws.

Kroger and Albertsons in 2022 proposed what would be the largest grocery store merger in U.S. history. The companies said a merger would help them better compete with big retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon.

Under the merger agreement, Kroger and Albertsons — who compete in 22 states — agreed to sell 579 stores in places where their locations overlap to C&S Wholesale Grocers, a New Hampshire-based supplier to independent supermarkets that also owns the Grand Union and Piggly Wiggly store brands. read more

By David McMillin, Bankrate.com

Buying a home doesn’t deliver the instant gratification you’re accustomed to in today’s e-commerce world. There’s no “Buy Now” button for real estate — the process requires a number of steps and a lot of patience.

And even after you find the perfect place, you’ll still need to do more waiting: The average time to buy a house, from contract to closing, was 44 days as of October 2024, according to data from ICE Mortgage Technology.

Timeline to buy a house, step-by-step

Step 1: Get preapproved

If you’re financing your home purchase, the first step is to get preapproved for a mortgage. A mortgage lender will typically ask for information about your assets, income and credit history to assess how much they’re likely to loan you. Your preapproval letter will serve as evidence to sellers that you’re a qualified buyer. Preapprovals aren’t good forever, though — they typically last between 60 and 90 days.

Before you begin the preapproval process, consider what you’ll look like in the eyes of a lender. Do you have any errors on your credit report? Are you carrying a hefty balance on a credit card? Lenders need to feel confident that you will be a responsible borrower. read more

Sure, Orlando is the theme park capital of the world. But we may also be the holiday parade center of the universe with three processionals in three attractions running multiple times during the season.

While each parade is festive, they each have distinguishing features ranging from stilt walkers to horse-drawn carriages to Big Bird shaking his tailfeathers.

Sesame Street party

What and where: Sesame Street Christmas Parade, SeaWorld Orlando

What you see: An array of Muppet characters on floats from the park’s daily parade outfitted with holiday decor and costumes, right down to Oscar the Grouch, who remains moody. The units move into place, halt for choreography-heavy performances and then head backstage.

What you hear: Upbeat seasonal songs framed by “Meet Me Right Here on Sesame Street” coming and going.

When you get the feels: There’s a somber section featuring “One Candle” that gives even grounches pause. But the dancing picks up again right afterward.

When: Most days, the parade, held in Sesame Street Land, naturally, steps off at 2:30 p.m. But some days, it’s 4:15 p.m., and other days, it’s both times. Check the listings on the park app upon arrival. SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration runs through Jan. 4. read more