Things To Do In SW Florida

Q: I’m seeking advice regarding a neighbor who has repeatedly filed unfounded complaints to city authorities about several properties in our neighborhood, including ours. Although most complaints were unfounded, we still had to contend with the stress and inconvenience of dealing with code enforcement. We believe this behavior has escalated beyond a neighborhood dispute into what we believe is harassment and invasion of privacy. What are our legal options to stop this conduct and protect our privacy? — Katherine

A: Understanding your legal options when dealing with a neighbor’s repeated complaints can be complex. While it may feel like harassment, the legal definition is quite specific.

Courts have consistently ruled that filing complaints with government authorities, even if done with malicious intent, generally does not meet the legal criteria for harassment. This is because such actions are considered constitutionally protected activities.

Harassment refers to a course of conduct directed at a specific individual that causes substantial emotional distress and serves no legitimate purpose. However, activities like petitioning the government are excluded from this definition. read more

Lake Margaretta Estates, a proposed 196-acre subdivision in Leesburg from Orlando-based developer American Land Development, won unanimous approval Monday from the Leesburg City Commission, four months after a split planning commission opposed it.

Located south of County Road 48, just west of Howey-in-the-Hills, Lake Margaretta Estates could include up to 586 detached single-family homes, according to plans cited in a report in Growthspotter.

Developer Robert Zlatkiss sought to annex 93 acres to the city and change the land use from its current Rural Transition classification to Estate Residential, which would max out development in the area at four units per acre. He has also applied for rezoning to Planned Unit Development.

Approximately 103 acres of the 196-acre property is already within the city limits. That acreage has city zoning districts of agricultural and estate density residential, with a future land use of estate.

The project is set to be built in two phases, with development of 270 units in Phase 1, and 316 units within Phase 2. At least 35 percent of the total project area would be green space. read more

NEW YORK (AP) — New York’s attorney general on Wednesday sued the parent company of the Zelle payment platform, months after the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau abandoned a similar case as the Trump administration was gutting the agency.

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Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, sued Early Warning Services in New York state court, alleging that the company, which is owned by a group of U.S. banks, had failed to protect users from fraud by not including critical safety features in Zelle’s design.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau earlier this year dropped a similar case after President Donald Trump fired the agency’s leader and his administration halted nearly all the bureau’s work, closed its headquarters and moved to fire many of its workers. read more

By STAN CHOE, Associated Press Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are ticking higher on Wednesday after a rally spurred by hopes for lower U.S. interest rates wrapped around the world.

The S&P 500 rose 0.4%, coming off its latest all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 364 points, or 0.8%, as of 10:20 a.m. Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite was adding 0.3% to its own record set the day before.

Stocks got a lift from easing Treasury yields in the bond market, as expectations reach a virtual consensus that the Federal Reserve will cut its main interest rates for the first time this year at its next meeting in September. Lower rates can boost investment prices and the economy by making it cheaper for U.S. households and businesses to borrow to buy houses, cars or equipment, though they risk worsening inflation.

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Amazon expands its perishable delivery service, putting pressure on traditional grocers

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By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO, Associated Press Retail Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is now rolling out a service where its Prime members can order their blueberries and milk at the same time as their batteries, T-shirts and other basic items.

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The online juggernaut said Wednesday that customers in more than 1,000 cities and towns now have access to fresh groceries with its free same-day delivery service on orders over $25 for Prime members, with plans to reach over 2,300 by the end of the year.

The move marks one of the most significant grocery expansions for the online retailer as Amazon introduces thousands of perishable food items into its existing logistics network. The expansion is expected to put more pressure on grocery delivery services offered by such rivals as Walmart, Kroger and Target, which all saw their shares take a hit in early trading Wednesday. read more