Things To Do In SW Florida

By MATTHEW DALY (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Tuesday it is releasing 1 million barrels of gasoline from a Northeast reserve established after Superstorm Sandy in a bid to lower prices at the pump this summer.

The sale, from storage sites in New Jersey and Maine, will be allocated in increments of 100,000 barrels at a time. The approach will create a competitive bidding process that ensures gasoline can flow into local retailers ahead of the July 4 holiday and sold at competitive prices, the Energy Department said.

The move, which the department said is intended to help “lower costs for American families and consumers,″ follows a mandate from Congress to sell off the 10-year-old Northeast reserve and then close it. The language was included in a spending deal Congress approved in March to avert a partial government shutdown.

The Energy Department said the sale of 1 million barrels, about 42 million gallons, was timed to provide relief for motorists as the summer driving season begins. read more

Three Central Florida restaurants and two food trucks were shut down the week of May 12-18, according to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Orange

Antojitos Chapin, a food truck at 454 W. Main St. #Vin 6308 in Apopka, shut down on May 16. Inspectors found 10 violations, only one of which was a high priority for lacking potable running water. Officials revisited the food truck on May 17. No violations were found, and the truck complied with the emergency order.

Embassy Suites Resort – Lake Buena Vista at 8100 Lake St. in Orlando shut down on May 16. There were four violations, one of which was a high priority for roaches found in several areas around the kitchen area. Officials conducted another inspection on the same day and found one violation. It wasn’t a high priority. The restaurant met inspection standards.

Taqueria Taco Express Mexican Street Food, a food truck located at 1810 Rock Spring Road Vin #0460 in Apopka, shut down on May 14. Inspectors found 16 violations, three of which were a high priority. Those priorities included not having potable water, putting cooked rice in to-go bags  and flats of raw shell eggs being cooked over beef in the reach-in cooler. Officials revisited the food truck on May 15 and found four violations. None were a high priority. The truck met inspection standards. read more

A unique townhome is for sale in Lake Eola Heights.

The 3,713-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath residence is one of five townhomes carved out of a former mission-style church built in 1928. This three-story end-unit luxury townhome ties together modern and industrial touches with original architectural elements.

The home, at 601. E. Ridgewood St. blocks away from Lake Eola, is listed for $1,899,500 and, according to property records, is being sold by Michael and Elisa Filoramo.

The Diocese of Orlando sold the church building in 2014 to developer Mark Kinchla, who transformed it into townhomes. He called the new property “Samsara,” Sanskrit for rebirth.

“Whoever buys this place, you really kind of own a really unique piece of history and a unique piece of art,” Drew Belani, the listing agent with Compass, told GrowthSpotter. “It’s something I think is very, very special and took a lot of vision to create.”

On the first floor is a mudroom with original tile and a separate entry door. There also is a room with an en suite bathroom that could serve as an office space or a guest bedroom. There are also two garage spaces. read more

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By Spencer Tierney | NerdWallet

Certificates of deposit work as a short-term savings vehicle for goals such as upcoming home or car purchases. If you’re near or in retirement, you might wonder if CDs fit there too.

For risk-averse folks, CDs can be appealing. Safety is central to them: CDs offer predictable returns, federal deposit insurance and no volatility in value such as in the stock market.

“CDs are like that big, comfortable hug in the investing world,” says Noah Damsky, chartered financial analyst and founder of Marina Wealth Advisors in Los Angeles.

But CDs aren’t the most flexible among low-risk savings options. Here are some quick tips for what to do and not do when using CDs for retirement.

Do: Focus on short-term excess funds for CDs

Whether you’re near retirement or not, an emergency fund is a primary goal for short-term savings. Having three to six months’ worth of living expenses, or more, in a regular savings account tends to be a common recommendation. read more

Hanna Webster | (TNS) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

From the driver’s seat of his parked truck, Lewis recalled what it felt like to take opioids.

He was prescribed Vicodin after getting his wisdom teeth removed at age 15, he says, which jumpstarted an addiction he’s battled for nearly two decades. (Lewis’ last name has been omitted for concerns regarding his medical privacy.)

“I just remember it took all the worries away,” said the Pennsylvania native during a September interview over Zoom. “It gave me a feeling almost like I didn’t have to be afraid.”

He eventually started experimenting with stronger opiates, namely Percocet and Oxycontin, and progressed to heroin a couple years later. He said it was “the worst decision” he’s ever made.

“I lost everything,” said Lewis, who is in his early thirties.

In recovery since 2021, he credits a virtual telemedicine business, Ophelia, with helping him get back on track: “It’s literally changed my life,” he said.

Ophelia partnered with Highmark Wholecare last March to provide telehealth addiction services to its patients, which includes Pennsylvania-based Medicaid and Medicare members; in April, it was designated as Pennsylvania’s first virtual Center of Excellence for opioid use disorder. Centers of Excellence are designated treatment centers deemed official by the state Department of Human Services. read more