Things To Do In SW Florida

Universal Orlando has released dates for the 2025 edition of Halloween Horror Nights and other festivities at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure theme parks. And it hinted at something new for Volcano Bay water park.

HHN will begin Aug. 29, its earliest start in its history, Universal said. It will run through Nov. 2, although Universal did not specify how many nights the event would be held in that period. It also didn’t identify the themes or number of haunted houses. (Last year’s Horror Nights started on Aug. 30.)

As previously announced, the resort’s seasonal events begin this Friday and Saturday with Rock the Universe, a Christian-music festival that’s separately ticketed from the everyday attractions. And Universal Mardi Gras, included with regular admission, will be held daily from Feb. 1 through March 30.

Universal: T-Pain, Joe Jonas kick off Mardi Gras concerts

Universal indicated a return of Butterbeer Season from March 1 through May 31 at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter attractions. read more

Chapter 7

Central Florida individuals and businesses that have filed for liquidation under Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code include:

Learning Leap Behavioral Services Inc., 445 W. Ardic Ave., Eustis. Filed: Jan. 14. Assets: $0. Liabilities: $398,143. Major creditors: Bank United, Hialeah, $149,945; Bank United, Hialeah, $65,568; Chase Business, Charlotte, N.C., $47,351. Creditors meeting: Feb. 13.

Gasp Winter Park LLC, 106 E. Canton Ave., Winter Park. Filed: Jan. 14. Assets: $24,240. Liabilities: $264,083. Major creditors: Shopify Capital, Broomall, Pa., $64,085; Faire, San Francisco, $42,043; American Express, El Paso, Texas, $38,624. Creditors meeting: Feb. 13.

Chapter 11

Central Florida individuals and businesses that have filed for reorganization and protection from creditors under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code include:

International Holdings LLC, 14238 Corkwood Lane, Astatula. Filed: Jan. 15. Assets: $1,000,001-$10 million. Liabilities: $1,000,001-$10 million. Major creditors: Not available. Creditors meeting: Feb. 20. read more

By GEOFF MULVIHILL, Associated Press

Members of the family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, and the company itself, agreed to pay up to $7.4 billion in a new settlement to lawsuits over the toll of the powerful prescription painkiller, the attorneys general from several states announced Thursday.

The deal, agreed to by Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family members who own the company and lawyers representing state and local governments and thousands of victims of the opioid crisis, replaces a previous settlement deal that was rejected last year by the U.S. Supreme Court.

In the new one, the Sacklers agreed to pay up to $6.5 billion and give up ownership of the company, which would pay nearly $900 million. The maximum contribution from family members is $500 million more than the previous deal.

It’s among the largest settlements reached over the past several years in a series of lawsuits by local, state, Native American tribal governments and others seeking to hold companies responsible for a deadly epidemic. Aside from the Purdue deal, others worth around $50 billion have been announced — and most of the money is required to be used to stem the crisis. read more

By Kemberley Washington, CPA, Bankrate.com

With President Donald Trump back in the White House for a second term, Americans can expect to see major tax-law changes in the years ahead.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The longest strike in decades by Las Vegas hotel workers ended Wednesday with a tentative contract between the union and a casino where hundreds of employees had walked off the job in November.