Things To Do In SW Florida

By JOSH FUNK, SEJAL GOVINDARAO and TY ONEIL, Associated Press

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Back when egg prices remained securely under $2 a dozen in 2021, Nevada joined several other states concerned about animal welfare in requiring cage-free eggs.

Now four years later, a dozen eggs costs an average of nearly $5 in the U.S. because of the lingering bird flu, so Nevada passed a law the governor signed Thursday that will allow the state to suspend that law temporarily in hopes of getting residents some relief at the checkout counter.

But it is not quite that simple, which is why the other six states with the same laws are so far reticent to follow suit.

By relaxing the rule, Nevada might get access to additional eggs, but the supply of all eggs remains tight because nearly 159 million birds have been slaughtered since the bird flu outbreak began in 2022 to help limit virus spread. The virus prompts the slaughter of entire flocks anytime it is found.

It is not clear dropping cage-free laws will have a significant effect on egg prices that have peaked at an average of $4.95 per dozen because the farmers who collectively invested several billion dollars in making the switch can’t easily go back to raising chickens packed together in massive barns that they already spent the money to convert. read more

By RAF CASERT, Associated Press

BRUGES, Belgium (AP) — St. Valentine chocolates always seek to show how deep your love is. This year, it might just also show how deep your pockets are.

With the price of cocoa beans setting unprecedented records on the commodities market, it will certainly turn the gift of love into a bigger financial commitment than it once was. Turns out that if love is reputed to be eternal, a low price for cocoa, the essential ingredient in chocolate, is not.

No beans, no Valentine’s chocolate

“The price increase of cocoa is absolutely spectacular, now for 2, 2½ years,” said Philippe de Sellier, the head of both Leonidas and Belgian chocolate federation Choprabisco. When it stood at less than $2,000 a ton in the summer of 2022, it really took over early last year and peaked at well over $12,000 during the Christmas season and has been hovering around the $10,000 mark since.

“We are seeing unprecedented prices. They haven’t been this high for the last 50 years,” said Bart Van Besien, policy adviser of the Oxfam fair trade group. And the impact can be felt deep in chocolate gourmet country Belgium, where some of its 280 chocolate companies are left with a bleeding heart during Valentine’s week. read more

Health care

Pulmonary and sleep medicine specialist Dr. Francis Christian has joined AdventHealth Medical Group and will care for patients at AdventHealth Waterman.

Vascular surgeon Dr. Mauricio Perez Martinez has joined AdventHealth Medical Group and will care for patients at AdventHealth Waterman.

Lindsay Kist was promoted to vice president at the Winter Park Health Foundation.

Pest control

Rossani Nelson was promoted to resource specialist for Central Florida at Truly Nolen Pest Control. He will remain based at the company’s East Coast Operations Headquarters in Orlando.

Real estate

Jonathan Clayton has joined Maury L. Carter & Associates Inc., Orlando, as vice president.

Darren Pierce was promoted to chief executive officer at ZRS Management, Orlando.

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

By MATTHEW DALY

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a major reversal, the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency said he will try to rescind $20 billion in grants awarded by the Biden administration for climate and clean-energy projects.

In a video posted on X, Administrator Lee Zeldin said the EPA would revoke contracts for a still-emerging “green bank” that is set to fund tens of thousands of projects to fight climate change and promote environmental justice.

The program, approved under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, is formally known as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, but is more commonly called the green bank. Two initiatives, worth $14 billion and $6 billion respectively, are intended to offer competitive grants to nonprofits, community development banks and other groups for projects with a focus on disadvantaged communities.

The program is a favorite of Democrats who passed President Joe Biden’s signature climate law without a single Republican vote, and former EPA Administrator Michael Regan frequently cited it as one of his major accomplishments. read more

By Rosie Cima, NerdWallet

Scraping together a down payment for a home is a challenge, especially in today’s housing market. But one persistent financial myth could be making it harder than it needs to be.

According to NerdWallet’s 2025 Home Buyer Report, 62% of Americans say that a 20% down payment is required to buy a home.

But that’s not the case. And since 33% of non-homeowners say that not having enough money for a down payment is holding them back from buying a home at this time, according to the survey, this misconception could be stopping them unnecessarily.

There are many reasons you might want to put down 20% or more of the purchase price when buying a home. But you don’t have to, and many options exist for lower-downpayment home loans. If you’re one of the 15% of Americans who the survey says plan on buying a home in the coming year, it could pay to know about them.

A surprisingly persistent myth

This myth prevails across the majority of age groups and educational levels. Even 60% of homeowners think a 20% down payment is required, according to the survey. This is surprising because the median down payment among all home buyers is under 20%, according to a survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors. read more