Things To Do In SW Florida

Boards of directors

Kevin Yurasek, executive director of strategic communications for Lake Sumter State College, was appointed president of the Lake County chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association.

Sarah Lux, lead public information officer for Lake County Board of County Commissioners, was appointed president elect of the Lake County chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association.

Darryl E. Owens, associate vice president for communications and engagement at Beacon College, was appointed immediate past president of the Lake County chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association.

Kelsey Marquez, marketing officer for United Southern Bank, was appointed secretary/communications of the Lake County chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association.

Elisha Pappacoda, communications director for the Town of  Lady Lake, was appointed membership director of the Lake County chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association.

Mandy Wettstein, owner of Amanda Wettstein PR and Government Relations, was appointed credentialing director of the Lake County chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association. read more

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation in the United States dropped last month to its lowest point since it first began surging more than three years ago, adding to a spate of encouraging economic news in the closing weeks of the presidential race.

Consumer prices rose just 2.4% in September from a year earlier, down from 2.5% in August, and the smallest annual rise since February 2021. Measured from month to month, prices increased 0.2% from August to September, the Labor Department reported Thursday, the same as in the previous month.

But excluding volatile food and energy costs, “core” prices, a gauge of underlying inflation, remained elevated in September, driven up by rising costs for medical care, clothing, auto insurance and airline fares. Core prices in September were up 3.3% from a year earlier and 0.3% from August. Economists closely watch core prices, which typically provide a better hint of future inflation.

Alan Detmeister, an economist at UBS Investment Bank, suggested that some items that contributed to higher core inflation last month, notably used cars, may rise again in the coming months, keeping prices a bit elevated. But other items that rose in price in September, like clothing and air fares, are more volatile and should cool soon. read more

TALLAHASSEE — Hurricane Milton “poses a significant threat to the Florida property insurance market,” particularly for insurers that focus their business on the state, the financial-rating agency AM Best said in an analysis released Wednesday.

Milton, which slammed into heavily populated areas of the Gulf Coast on Wednesday, comes two weeks after Hurricane Helene caused extensive damage in Florida and other states. But much of the damage from Helene in Florida involved flooding — not something covered by typical property-insurance policies — while Milton was expected to cause costly wind and flood damage.

That will have implications for reinsurance, which is essentially backup insurance for insurers, and for insurance-company surplus amounts, which is money that provides a sort of financial cushion.

“The damage from Hurricane Milton is expected to be much worse than Helene’s and will be predominantly in Florida,” the analysis said. “Diversified, large insurers and reinsurers will … likely be able to absorb losses from Hurricane Milton as an earnings event. read more

By Lauren Schwahn | NerdWallet

The unofficial start of the holiday shopping season has arrived. Thanks to Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days and other retailers’ “early holiday” sales, shoppers don’t have to wait until Black Friday in November to start deal hunting. But a long shopping season can lead to a lot of spending — and debt.

Nearly 3 in 10 Americans who used credit cards to pay for holiday gifts last year (28%) still haven’t paid off their balances, according to a 2024 Holiday Spending Report from NerdWallet.

Creating a budget, building up your savings and comparing prices are some strategies you can use to avoid spending more than you can afford.

Use earmarked funds

Putting money in a special savings account or envelope just for holiday expenses reduces the risk of going into debt. You’ll have funds ready when it comes time to shop.

“Ideally, people should begin saving for the holidays as early as January,” Los Angeles-based certified financial planner Cynthia Jabr said in an email interview. “If not, then starting now is good, too.” read more

Q: We are new to Florida and dealing with our first major storm. Many people are telling us how to prepare, but not the realities of dealing with damage to our new home, should it occur. What do we do if something happens?  — Justin

A: Natural disasters can occur no matter where someone lives. For some people, it could be a hurricane; for others, it could be a flood, earthquake, tornado or blizzard. While laws vary from state to state, the guidelines for dealing with the cleanup are consistent.

Safety is always your priority, both during and after a storm or other disaster. While items and even homes can be replaced, people cannot.

Be careful of deep puddles, hanging power lines, and similar hazards. If you have to use an electrical generator, follow the safety guidelines.

After you get through the immediate emergency, dealing with the legal issues is similar to most other legal issues. Keep a journal of everything that happens and whom you speak with. Take lots of pictures of the damage and clean up. Before the storm, make an inventory of your possessions and take videos or pictures of your home so you can show its pre-disaster condition. read more