Things To Do In SW Florida

The Department of Business and Professional Regulation shut down six Central Florida restaurants for health code violations during the week from Dec. 14-20.

Orange

King Cajun Crawfish Restaurant at 924 N. Mills Ave. in Orlando shut down on Dec. 17 after inspectors found five violations, including two deemed high priority. Those involved roach activity, with both live roaches and roach droppings found. Inspectors returned the same day and found only one violation that was not high priority and allowed the venue to reopen.

Cornerstone Pizza at 1513 E. Michigan St. in Orlando shut down on Dec. 17 when inspectors found 16 violations, including one deemed high priority. That was for 14 live roaches found near the cook line and wash area. Inspectors returned on Dec. 19, still finding eight basic violations but none that was a high priority. The restaurant met inspection standards and reopened.

Lily’s Creole Restaurant at 607 Pine Hills Road in Orlando shut down on Dec. 17 when inspectors found seven violations, including one deemed high priority. That was for an employee who began working with food without first washing hands because the hand sink was not working. The sink was then repaired and the venue was allowed to reopen the same day. read more

By Erik Wasson and Steven T. Dennis, Bloomberg News

The Republican-controlled Congress has been very good to most of corporate America this year. Foremost among the boons is a $4 trillion tax cut package that extended and added generous breaks for businesses large and small.

Related Articles

• 
  Trump approves deployment of 350 National Guard members to New Orleans

• 
  Trump administration moves to overhaul how H-1B visas are granted, ending lottery system

• 
  US bars five Europeans who allegedly pressured tech firms to censor American viewpoints online

• 
  Voters sue to suspend Missouri’s new congressional map until a referendum

• 
  Oklahoma college instructor is fired after giving failing grade to essay on gender

But it hasn’t been all good news for U.S. companies and some industries have benefited more than others. The legislative branch’s acquiescence to President Donald Trump’s sharp tariff increases raised input costs across the economy and provoked retaliatory moves against U.S. farm exports. read more

With plans to launch the massive Starship from Florida next year, SpaceX defended its commitment to airspace safety after a Wall Street Journal article claimed an explosive mission in early 2025 was a greater danger to some flights than previously reported.

The article published Saturday cited Federal Aviation Administration documents that stated debris from the Jan. 16 launch from SpaceX’s Texas site Starbase, which led to the upper stage disintegrating on its flight path, threatened three airplane flights. The debris field could be seen from Florida, the Bahamas and several Caribbean islands as the broken-up spacecraft streaked across the sky.

The article says the incident forced a JetBlue flight to Puerto Rico to adjust its flight path into a holding pattern, while a private jet and an international Iberia Airlines flight were under fuel emergencies and ventured into the FAA’s keep-out zones.

A similar Starship explosion occurred during a March launch attempt from Texas that shut down air traffic to several Florida airports, including Orlando International Airport. read more

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO

NEW YORK (AP) — Consumers stepped up gift giving during the first seven weeks of the holiday shopping season, according to new data released Tuesday. But uncertainty about the economy is making shoppers more targeted in their buying.

Related Articles

• 
  Health inspectors shut down 6 Central Florida restaurants last week

• 
  Nvidia gains, hospitals hurt: Congress winners and losers

• 
  SpaceX defends airspace safety ahead of Florida Starship launch plans

• 
  US stocks rose again in 2025 after overcoming turbulence from tariffs and Trump’s fight with the Fed

• 
  Consumer confidence slides in December to lowest level since US tariffs rolled out in April

From Nov. 1 through Sunday, cash and credit card sales rose 4.2%, which is less than the 4.8% increase during the same period a year ago, according to Visa’s Consulting & Analytics division.

The data, which exclude sales from auto dealerships, gas stations, and restaurants, are not adjusted for inflation or the impact from President Donald Trump’s tariffs. read more

By STAN CHOE

NEW YORK (AP) — It was a scary good year for investors.

Related Articles

• 
  Health inspectors shut down 6 Central Florida restaurants last week

• 
  Nvidia gains, hospitals hurt: Congress winners and losers

• 
  SpaceX defends airspace safety ahead of Florida Starship launch plans

• 
  Cautious shoppers step up spending to start holiday season

• 
  Consumer confidence slides in December to lowest level since US tariffs rolled out in April

It was scary because the U.S. stock market plunged to several historic drops on worries about everything from President Donald Trump’s tariffs to interest rates to a possible bubble in artificial-intelligence technology. In the end, though, it was a great year for anyone with the stomach to stick through the swings.

S&P 500 index funds, which sit at the heart of many savers’ 401(k) accounts, returned more than 18% in 2025 through Dec. 11 and set a record high that day. It’s their third straight year of big returns. read more