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☆ My $500,000 Home Renovation Turned Into a Real-Estate Nightmare
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Christine Chitnis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

What was supposed to be a yearlong $140,000 renovation ballooned into three excruciating years that cost us more than $500,000 — and the work is still not finished. But as my husband and I soon discovered, unless you've made a plan, legal protections for homeowners are close to nonexistent. Every time our contractor turned up the temperature, we grimly adjusted to the reality of our demise. Knowing the cardinal rule of home renovation — never pay in full until the job is over and inspected — we grew suspicious. Despite completing several home-improvement and renovation projects with her husband over the years, she lacked the confidence to DIY the renovation of her newly purchased 6,500-square-foot home.

Persons: Arcadis, you've, Christine Chitnis, wasn't, It's, We've, Amanda Jane Jones, Jones, David Jensen, Greenberg Traurig, He'd, Jensen, Lisa DiAntonio, DiAntonio, hadn't, what's, Condé Organizations: Homeowners, Harvard's, for Housing Studies, Department of Business, American Institute of Architects, Vogue, The New York Times Locations: Rhode Island, North America, Northern Michigan, Michigan, Utah, New Jersey, Andover , Massachusetts

☆ Anita A. Summers, Economist, Dies at 98; Brought Rigor to Public Policy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Clay Risen | More About Clay Risen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Anita A. Summers, an economist at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania who injected quantitative rigor into a wide variety of public policy topics, including zoning, education and tax incentives, died on Sunday at her home in Gladwyne, Pa. She was 98. Her son Lawrence H. Summers, the economist and former secretary of the Treasury, confirmed the death. Though she spent much of her career in academia, Mrs. Summers was far from a hidebound intellectual. She was the founding chairwoman of Wharton’s public policy and management department, the first of its kind at a business school. (It is now called the department of business economics and public policy.)

Persons: Anita, Summers, Lawrence H Organizations: Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Treasury, Wharton, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Locations: Gladwyne, Pa

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A ruling prohibiting the enforcement of a new Florida law targeting drag shows will stay in place for the time being, according to a federal appeals court decision. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday upheld a lower court's granting of a preliminary injunction stopping the law from being enforced until a trial is held in Orlando, Florida to determine its constitutionality. The law was challenged by the owner of a Hamburger Mary’s restaurant and bar in Orlando, which regularly hosts drag shows, including family-friendly performances on Sundays that children were invited to attend. The restaurant owner said the law was overbroad, was written vaguely and violated First Amendment rights by chilling speech. Venues that violated the law faced fines and the possibility for their liquor licenses to be suspended or revoked.

Persons: nonparties, hadn't, Hamburger, Ron DeSantis Organizations: Circuit, Florida Department of Business, Republican Gov Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Florida, U.S, Orlando , Florida, Orlando

☆ Hawaii calls for tourists to visit Maui as unemployment claims surge after deadly wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Supplies for Lahaina fire victims are gathered and delivered by Hawaiians sailing on a large catamaran who often sail around the world together to Lahaina neighborhoods. Officials in Hawaii are encouraging tourists to visit Maui to help support the economy as unemployment claims surge on the island in the wake of deadly wildfires in the western region. But the governor and the Hawaii Tourism Authority are encouraging tourists to visit all other areas of Maui to help support a local economy that is suffering in the wake of the blaze. Sen. Brian Schatz said furloughs and layoffs are starting to pick up because people think the whole island is closed. Unemployment claims in Maui have skyrocketed from 130 shortly before the blaze to 4,449 as of last week, according to data from the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

Persons: Josh Green's, Sen, Brian Schatz, furloughs Organizations: Gov, Hawaii Tourism Authority, Hawaii Department of Business, Economic, Tourism Locations: Lahaina, Hawaii, Maui, West Maui

The industry is Maui's "economic engine," generating 80% of its wealth, according to the island's economic development board. Hotels in West Maui have temporarily stopped accepting bookings. Many are housing their employees and preparing to house evacuees and first-responders working on disaster recovery, according to the tourism authority. "Maui is not closed," Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said at the weekend press conference alongside the governor. Tour operators who continued to offer services in or around West Maui after the fires faced a flood of criticism.

Persons: Mike Blake, Jason Momoa, Maui, Josh Green, Green, Ilihia Gionson, Richard Bissen, Jack Richards, Rich McKay, Doyinsola Oladipo, Julia Harte, Colleen Jenkins, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Hawaii, Hawaii Department of Business, Economic, Tourism, U.S . Census, Hawaii Tourism Authority, Hotels, Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Los, Thomson Locations: Wahikuli, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, U.S, West Maui, Maui County, Wailea, South Maui, Los Angeles

☆ How tourism destinations come back from natural disasters
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Rich Harrill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The following Q&A with University of South Carolina research professor Rich Harrill, an expert on hospitality and tourism, looks at what’s happened in Hawaii and how other tourism destinations have bounced back from natural disasters. Compared with other destinations, Hawaii is very reliant on tourism – it comprises about 25% of the state’s economy. Maui County has the state’s highest reliance on tourism, with 51% of its jobs falling into sectors directly associated with tourism. This is a process that’s led by groups known in the travel industry as destination marketing and management organizations. Working with their local destination marketing organization, local governments should make decisions carefully about inviting visitors back.

Persons: Rich Harrill, Patrick T, Fallon, who’s, Hurricane Katrina, Iniki Organizations: CNN, University of South, Hawaii Department of Business, Economic, Tourism, Kahului, Getty, Hurricane Locations: Maui, Lahaina, University of South Carolina, Hawaii, Maui County, Kahului, AFP, New Orleans, Kauai

☆ A federal judge says Florida's new anti-drag law threatens free speech and can't be enforced, at least for now
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Charles R. Davis | Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A federal judge is blocking enforcement of Florida's new law on drag shows. The judge ruled the language is overly vague and threatens free speech. Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill, SB 1438, that he said was designed to protect children from sexually explicit drag shows. The drag law, by contrast, "is specifically designed to suppress the speech of drag queen performers," Presnell wrote, pointing to a bill sponsor's claim that the law would put an end to "Drag Queen Story Time," which entails no sexually explicit content. Presnell's ruling marks the third time this month that a judge has struck down portions of DeSantis' anti-LGBTQ agenda.

Persons: —, Ron DeSantis, Judge Gregory A, Presnell, Bill Clinton, DeSantis, Jeremy Redfern, Brandon Wolf, Walt, Robert Hinkle, Clinton, Nikki Fried Organizations: Service, Florida, Florida Gov, Court, Middle, Department of Business, Miami Herald, Walt Disney World, Democratic Party of Locations: Florida, Orlando, Hamburger, Middle District, Democratic Party of Florida

☆ Deel Speed: The inside story of a $12 billion HR startup's breakneck growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Rob Price | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +32 min

Insider spoke with more than 30 current or former Deel workers about the HR company's extraordinary rise, and the unconventional tactics that made it possible. "I think if you talk to anyone, they would say that Alex is the face but all decisions run through Phillipe," one former Deel worker told Insider. "They lose every employment and labor protection," Valerio De Stefano, a professor at Osgoode Hall Law School, said of independent contractors. Alex Bouaziz, Deel on Centre Stage during day two of Collision 2022 at Enercare Centre in Toronto, Canada. The company didn't have an internal human-resources team until sometime in 2021, by which point it had grown to hundreds of people.

☆ DeSantis administration sent undercover agents to an Orlando drag show and they found nothing wrong with it. The state is still trying to punish the venue.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Undercover agents were sent by the DeSantis administration to spy on a drag show, the Miami Herald reported. Still, Florida is moving ahead with a complaint against the venue to strip its liquor license. Ron DeSantis to spy on an Orlando drag show — and they found nothing "lewd" about it, according to the Miami Herald. A Florida drag queen told Insider before the Miami Herald report was published that they were concerned about rumors of undercover state agents showing up at performances. The DeSantis administration recently targeted the Hyatt Regency Miami after one of its facilities hosted "A Drag Queen Christmas" with minors present in the audience.

☆ A drag queen who survived the Orlando Pulse shooting says Florida's LGBTQ community is 'scared' of further hate following DeSantis' push to revoke a hotel's liquor license
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Lloyd Lee | Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A drag queen who survived the 2016 Pulse club shooting said it only further demonizes LGBTQ people. "Not just in terms of limiting opportunities for drag entertainers, but by demonizing the art of drag as a whole," she wrote. Fine told Insider his motivation for pursuing the bill came after he found out a drag queen show was hosted in a public space in his district last year. However, the representative also said he would not support a bill that eliminates drag shows for consenting adults. In Florida, there have been at least nine demonstrations against the LGBTQ community, the organization found.

☆ Florida's decision to punish the Hyatt Regency over a drag show could be a win-win for DeSantis by having a 'chilling effect' on similar events and scoring him political points
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Hyatt Regency Miami's alcohol license is being revoked after hosting a drag show, according to a complaint filed Tuesday. Ron DeSantis praised the move and could win political points for a potential 2024 run. A venue affiliated with the Hyatt Regency in Miami hosted "A Drag Queen Christmas" in December, a touring drag show that includes performers from "RuPaul's Drag Race." "Sexually explicit content is not appropriate to display to children and doing so violates Florida law," Bryan Griffin, DeSantis' press secretary, previously told Leonard. Deterring drag shows from occurring falls in line with the talking points of many prominent conservative figures, who view drag shows as harmful to children, even if might seem out of step with their "small government" values, he said.

☆ DeSantis administration revokes Hyatt Regency Miami alcohol license after it hosted "A Drag Queen Christmas"
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The DeSantis administration had previously said it was looking into "A Drag Queen Christmas." "A Drag Queen Christmas" is a holiday-themed drag show that tours in 36 different cities and features stars from the reality show "RuPaul's Drag Race." In July 2022, the DeSantis administration filed a complaint against a Miami bar that hosted a drag show where minors were present. This year, Tennessee became the first to ban adult performances, including drag, from public spaces such as parks and schools. Public libraries across the US began facing backlash from some parents in recent years for hosting Drag Queen Story Hours.

☆ A woman who found a cockroach in her husband's food at a Slim Chickens in Florida says she had to battle with the manager to get a refund
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A woman found a cockroach in her husband's chicken tender at Slim Chickens on their anniversary. Haile Kirkland said she tried to "quietly" address the problem, but had to battle to get a refund. The restaurant's owner sent her an email to apologize and asked her to remove a social media post. He told her to look at it and Kirkland saw "the cockroach cooked into the side of the chicken." Slim Chickens didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider made outside normal working hours.

☆ UK PM Rishi Sunak overhauls government departments after bumpy 100 days in power
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

U.K. Prime Minister has announced a mini overhaul of his government as he seeks to reassert his authority after a shaky first 100 days in office. U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday unveiled a new government department focused on energy security and announced a mini reshuffle of his cabinet as he seeks to reassert his authority after a shaky first 100 days in office. Sunak named former business minister Grant Shapps as head of the newly launched Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, whose focus will be on securing "long-term energy supply, bringing down bills and halving inflation." The prime minister also appointed former Trade Minister Greg Hands as his new party chairman, replacing sacked Nadhim Zahawi, in a mini-reshuffle of his top leadership team. The U.K. previously had a Department of Energy and Climate Change, but it was merged with the business department in 2016.

☆ We found at least 25 ex-Gaetz staffers who don't mention the congressman by name on their LinkedIn page
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-20 | by ( Robin Bravender | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Gaetz's name is absent from McFaul's LinkedIn page, too, where he describes his duties during that time working as a chief of staff for an unnamed "congressman." At least 25 of Gaetz's former congressional staffers don't mention the Republican congressman by name on their LinkedIn pages, according to an Insider analysis. McFaul declined to comment about why Gaetz's name wasn't on his LinkedIn page or his Ballard bio page. She also worked for Miller, Gaetz's congressional predecessor, but doesn't name him on her LinkedIn page, either. Drew Angerer/Getty Images'Riding the wave'Some current and former Gaetz staffers continue to publicize their work for the congressman.

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