Things To Do In SW Florida

A Delta Air Lines flight from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam was hit by serious turbulence, injuring passengers and forcing the flight to divert to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, the airline said.

The flight landed around 7:45 p.m. Wednesday. The airport fire department and paramedics met the flight and 25 passengers were taken to hospitals for evaluation and treatment, the airline said.

Serious injuries from in-flight turbulence are rare, but scientists say they may be becoming more common as climate change alters the jet stream.

A man was killed when a Singapore Airlines flight hit severe turbulence in May 2024, the first person to die from turbulence on a major airline in several decades.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — The next four humans in the parade of SpaceX launches from the Space Coast are set to fly to the International Space Station at a launch just after noon Thursday.

The Crew-11 mission flying on a Falcon 9 rocket is set to lift off from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A at 12:09 p.m. carrying NASA astronaut and commander Zena Cardman, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov.

The quartet, who arrived to KSC on Saturday, will be riding in the Crew Dragon Endeavour making its fleet-leading sixth trip to space. They donned their spacesuits after 8 a.m. at the Neil Armstrong Operations & Checkout Building ahead of walkout and the ride over the launch pad. Their black Teslas for the ride out feature individual license plates reading “Live,” “Laugh” and “Launch.”

“This is a really important mission,” said NASA Commercial Crew Program manager Steve Stich during a flight readiness press conference Thursday. “We worked very hard with SpaceX to complete all the reuse activities for this vehicle. We had certified the vehicles – the Dragons – for only five flights. Now, we’ve completed all that work, and we’re really ready to go.” read more

Q: We have a neighbor with an overgrown tree. We’ve tried everything to get her to trim it. She won’t do it, and it drops debris on our lawn and makes a mess of our house. What are our options? — Greg

A: Dealing with a neighbor’s overgrown tree can be a frustrating experience, especially when it encroaches on your property. While the specifics can vary depending on local laws and regulations, there are some general steps you can take to address the situation.

First and foremost, communication is key. You’ve already taken a great first step by approaching your neighbor in a friendly and nonconfrontational way to discuss the issue. Sometimes, a simple conversation can lead to a resolution. Explain how the tree affects your property, from dropping limbs to creating a mess, and see if you can reach a mutual agreement on trimming it.

Since this direct approach did not yield results, you may need to explore other options. Check your local ordinances or homeowners’ association rules, if applicable, to understand your rights and responsibilities regarding tree maintenance. In most areas, when a tree is on your neighbor’s property, but its limbs or roots extend onto your property, you have the right to trim them back to the property line, as long as you don’t harm the tree’s overall health. read more

A local entrepreneur and restaurant owner is looking to open a unique restaurant concept — an all-halal food hall — a short drive north of Disney Springs.

Somita Enterprises LLC is behind an application to Orange County that calls for a 5,600-square-foot facility, according to a report in GrowthSpotter. The concept, going by the working name “Lake Buena Vista Food Hall”, would be built on a roughly 1.4-acre property at 11581 S. Apopka Vineland Rd. across the street from the Islamic Center of Orlando, which operates a mosque and a private school.

Halal food, which uses ingredients that are permitted for consumption according to Islamic law, incorporates a variety of meats such as beef, lamb, chicken, goat meat, and most seafood. Most notably, pork and alcohol are not considered halal.

The LLC is associated with Tahir Ansari, best known as [one of the original owners of the now-closed The Skull Kingdom on International Drive, who owns a franchise location of The Halal Guys in East Orlando. The restaurant features a Mediterranean-inspired menu, with beef gyro, chicken, and falafel sandwiches and platters among the food offerings. read more

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS and MATT SEDENSKY, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Businesses around the country are reevaluating security after a brazen shooting at a New York City office building raised questions about what it takes to keep workplaces safe.

The attack on a seemingly secure building — in a gilded part of Manhattan where the rich live in sprawling apartments and tourists window-shop designer stores — has rattled workers and prompted managers to examine whether they are adequately protected.

“What should we be doing different?” clients are asking, said Brian Higgins, founder of Group 77, a Mahwah, New Jersey, security company that is among those getting peppered with an influx of calls. “How can we prevent something like this?”

The gut reaction of some companies, Higgins said, is to buy the latest technology and blanket their workplace in cameras. But, he cautioned, that’s only only effective if paired with consistency and long-term monitoring.

“If you’re going to add a security measure … you have to make sure you maintain it,” said Higgins, a former police chief who teaches security at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. read more