Things To Do In SW Florida

TALLAHASSEE — Despite retirees continuing to reduce the size of the labor force and a slight bump in the number of Floridians out of work, the state’s unemployment rate held steady in December.

The Florida Department of Commerce on Friday released a report that said the unemployment rate was 3.4 percent in December, unchanged from November. The national unemployment rate in December was 4.1 percent.

The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metropolitan statistical area had the state’s lowest unemployment rate in December at 2.8 percent, followed by the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin and Naples areas at 2.9 percent.

Among others, the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Panama City and Jacksonville areas had 3 percent rates in December.

The highest rate was in the Homosassa Springs area at 4.8 percent. The Sebring area was at 4.5 percent and The Villages area was at 4.4 percent.

Jimmy Heckman, the Department of Commerce’s chief of workforce statistics and economic research, attributed the state’s employment picture to its population growth, which has boosted demand for goods and services. read more

By ALEXA ST. JOHN

DETROIT (AP) — While President Donald Trump took aim at the electric vehicle industry this week, there is still optimism about the industry’s future in Michigan, a state retooling from America’s most recognizable auto hub to its number one destination for electric vehicle investment.

Walt Disney World has announced the closing dates for the MuppetVision 3D attraction and two nearby restaurants as Disney’s Hollywood Studios prepares to introduce a “Monsters, Inc.”-themed land in that area.

The final day for visitors to see MuppetVision in action will be June 7, Disney announced Friday.  The show, which debuted in 1991, features Jim Henson’s Muppets putting on a production and uses several special effects, including a pie to face, water-spraying flower, a musical number that goes wrong featuring Miss Piggy and a patriotic finale that also goes wrong. Animatronics of Statler and Waldorf comment from a side balcony throughout, and a live-action Sweetums makes an appearance.

June 7 will also be the final day for PizzeRizzo, the two-story, mostly Italian, themed restaurant across the plaza from MuppetVision.

Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano will operate through May 10, Disney says.

The Muppets eventually will have a new home at  Hollywood Studios, taking over Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster from Aerosmith, which has been featured on the enclosed ride since it opened in 1999. No timeline for that transition was announced. read more

Four Central Florida restaurants and a food truck shut down the week of Jan. 12-18, according to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Lake

Taqueria Las Catrinas at 4120 Corley Island Road, Suite 300 in Leesburg shut down on Jan. 16. Inspectors found 23 violations, four of which were high priorities. Those violations included an employee touching their soiled clothes during food prep, a mobile food vehicle dispensing wastewater in an unapproved location, sewage dumped on the ground under the establishment and raw animal food not separated from ready-to-eat food. Officials conducted a second inspection on Jan. 17. There were no violations. The restaurant complied with the emergency order.

Mas Q Arepas at 940 U.S. Highway 27, Vin #B121 in Clermont shut down on Jan. 16. Inspectors found 17 violations, three of which were high priorities. Those violations included a mobile food dispensing vehicle receiving water from an unapproved source, an improperly stored toxic substance and raw food not separated from ready-to-eat food. A second inspection occurring the same day found four violations. None was a high priority and the restaurant met inspection standards. On Jan. 17, officials conducted a third inspection. There were no high priorities, but the truck required a follow-up inspection. read more

By MATT O’BRIEN and SARAH PARVINI

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on artificial intelligence Thursday that will revoke past government policies his order says “act as barriers to American AI innovation.”