Things To Do In SW Florida

By KELVIN CHAN

LONDON (AP) — People in parts of the U.S. may be able to see Northern lights Monday night — or at least use a smartphone’s camera to reveal hints of the aurora not visible to the naked eye.

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Space weather forecasters issued a rare, severe solar storm alert on Sunday after the sun let out a huge burst of energy called a coronal mass ejection last week. Another one headed toward Earth on Monday could produce more aurora sightings and with it, more social media posts of the majestic spectacle. read more

By DEE-ANN DURBIN

The Campbell’s Co. said Monday it saw stronger sales of broth and condensed soup in its latest quarter as more Americans cooked their meals at home.

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“Consumers continue to cook at home and focus their spending on products that help them stretch their food budgets, and they’re increasingly intentional about their discretionary snack purchases,” Campbell’s President and CEO Mick Beekhuizen said during a conference call with investors.

Beekhuizen said Campbell’s saw the highest level of meals cooked at home since early 2020 in its fiscal third quarter, which ended April 27. Campbell’s noted sales of its broths rose 15% during the quarter while sales of its Rao’s pasta sauces were up 2%. read more

After years of steady increases and record highs, federal student loan interest rates will finally soften this summer — making college slightly more affordable for student borrowers in the upcoming academic year.

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  One Tech Tip: How to use your smartphone to photograph the Northern Lights

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  China says US moves on computer chips and student visas ‘seriously violate’ tariffs truce

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  Clean bills of health: Which Central Florida restaurants had perfect inspections in May?

Here are the new 2025-26 federal student loan interest rates, according to a May 30 Education Department announcement, compared to 2024-25 rates:

• Direct subsidized and unsubsidized loans for undergraduate students: 6.39%, down from 6.53%.
• Direct unsubsidized loans for graduate students: 7.94%, down from 8.08%.
• PLUS loans, available to parents and grad students to fill funding gaps: 8.94%, down from 9.08%.

This rate change becomes effective July 1, and it only affects students who take out new federal loans for the 2025-26 academic year. If you’re already repaying a federal student loan, your interest rate won’t change — it’s fixed based on when you originally borrowed. read more

Retail discount behemoth Walmart is moving to solidify its position as a preferred shopping oasis for price-conscious Floridians, recently unveiling a new round of statewide store makeovers at 34 locations, including several in Central Florida.

The national chain, based in Bentonville, Ark., says it is “re-imagining the in-store shopping experience” with bigger signs, better showcasing of merchandise, expanded departments, expanded online pickup and delivery services, and pharmacies with “new private screening rooms and privacy checkout areas” for immunizations, consultations and testing.

Nationally, the makeover program is not new. The company says it has spent $1.6 billion on upgrades across the country since 2023. The program includes the construction of new stores, although there are more stores undergoing remodelings in Florida than construction of new ones.

One retail analyst indicated Walmart is effectively padding its investment in Florida’s growth story, which took off during the COVID-19 pandemic as large numbers of people abandoned urban centers in the Northeast and Midwest. At more than 23 million people, Florida has parlayed its business-friendly, low-tax environment to become the nation’s third most populous state behind California and Texas. read more

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China criticized the U.S. on Monday over moves it alleged harmed Chinese interests, including issuing AI chip export control guidelines, stopping the sale of chip design software to China, and planning to revoke Chinese student visas.

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“These practices seriously violate the consensus,” the Commerce Ministry said in a statement, referring to a China-U.S. joint statement in which the United States and China agreed to slash their massive recent tariffs, restarting stalled trade between the world’s two biggest economies. read more