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☆ The only US state without commercial airline service is getting 5 new routes to Florida next year — see the full list
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Low-cost startup Avelo Airlines is launching five new routes to Wilmington Airport in New Castle, Delaware. Delaware is the only US state without commercial airline service after Frontier Airlines left in June. Low-cost startup Avelo Airlines announced on Thursday that it will open a new base at Wilmington Airport in New Castle, Delaware on February 1. Henryk Sadura/Getty ImagesAvelo will launch twice weekly flights on Mondays and Fridays between Wilmington and Fort Myers starting on February 3. Walter Bibikow/Getty ImagesAvelo will launch twice weekly flights on Wednesdays and Saturdays between Wilmington and West Palm Beach starting on February 4.

☆ Spirit shareholders approve takeover by JetBlue after long battle for discount airline
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A JetBlue airliner lands past a Spirit Airlines jet on taxi way at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport on Monday, April 25, 2022. (Joe Cavaretta/Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)Spirit Airlines shareholders have approved a takeover by JetBlue Airways after a six-month battle to create the country's fifth-largest carrier, a deal that now faces a high hurdle with federal regulators. In April, JetBlue made a $3.8 billion all-cash offer for Spirit, derailing Spirit's plan for a cash-and-stock deal to merge with Frontier Airlines . If the takeover is approved, JetBlue plans to do away with the Spirit brand, known for its ultra-low airfares and bare-bones service with fees for add-ons like carry-on bags. "This is an important step forward on our path to closing a combination that will create the most compelling national low-fare challenger to the dominant U.S. carriers," Spirit Airlines CEO Ted Christie said in a release.

☆ Hearing aids available over the counter at Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Best Buy
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Millions of Americans with hearing loss can now purchase hearing aids without a prescription or medical exam from Walgreens, CVS and Best Buy, according to the companies. Walgreens on Monday started selling over-the-counter hearing aids online and at its stores nationwide for $799 a pair. Walmart is also offering over-the-counter hearing aids online and in stores in Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas. And Hy-Vee, a supermarket chain, will offer four different hearing aids online and in 34 locations across Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin this week. The FDA, in an analysis, estimated that over-the-counter hearing aids could save consumers about $1,438 each because they are not bundled with costly professional services.

☆ Biden to campaign for DeSantis rival Crist in November Florida trip
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( Jeff Mason | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WILMINGTON, Del., Oct 16 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will take on a potential 2024 presidential rival, Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis, in a November campaign event for the Democratic candidate for governor, Charlie Crist. Biden and DeSantis have publicly played nice with each other in recent weeks in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. During a joint appearance on a trip to survey storm damage in Florida, Biden said the two leaders had worked "hand-in-glove." DeSantis is popular in the Republican Party and has clashed with Biden on multiple policy issues including COVID-19 vaccines, immigration, and abortion rights. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Chizu NomiyamaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz spared death penalty. Victims' families might be better off.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Emilia Benton | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Though many were shocked he didn’t receive the death penalty, and many victims’ family members were visibly upset by the decision, it’s wrong to assume this would have automatically brought them solace. The lengthy proceedings stirred up decades-old memories of waiting to find out whether my own mother’s murderer would receive the death penalty. It’s the prime example people use when they’re surprised to learn I’m not fervently in favor of the death penalty. Sometimes family members of victims do have clear-cut feelings that the death penalty is needed. It’s time for everyone in this country, from lawmakers to the general public, to prioritize the effect of the death penalty on a victim’s survivors over their own political ideologies.

☆ Jury Starts Deliberating Fate of Parkland Shooter Nikolas Cruz
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Arian Campo-Flores | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Nikolas Cruz stands during the penalty phase of his trial at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Tuesday. Jurors began deliberating Wednesday over whether Nikolas Cruz , who shot and killed 17 people at a Parkland, Fla., high school in 2018, should receive the death penalty or spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole. Broward County Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer delivered instructions on the law to the 12-person jury before they headed to the jury room. Their deliberations over Cruz’s sentence come three months after both sides began presenting evidence in the trial, including graphic images of the carnage and emotional testimony from survivors of the shooting—all while victims’ families watched in the courtroom.

☆ Florida jury says man who confessed to Parkland school shooting should be sentenced to death
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Brian Ellsworth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Pool via REUTERSOct 13 (Reuters) - Jurors determined Thursday that Nikolas Cruz should be sentenced to death for a 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people. Jurors determined in at least one of the murders that there were aggravating factors that would support a death sentence, but in other cases they did not. Cruz, 24, had pleaded guilty last year to premeditated murder at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Under Florida law, a death sentence could only have been handed down if jurors had unanimously recommended he be executed. The Parkland shooting had led to renewed calls for tighter gun control in the United States.

Nikolas Cruz, 24, pleaded guilty last year to premeditated murder at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, about 30 miles (50 km) north of Fort Lauderdale. After hearing her instructions, the jurors were escorted from the courtroom to begin sequestered deliberations. Scherer had counseled jurors on Tuesday to bring "at least a few days" of clothing and medication to have with them during deliberations. Scherer took about an hour Wednesday to instruct the jurors on the law governing their decision. In his guilty plea, he said he was "very sorry" and asked to be given a chance to help others.

Nikolas Cruz, 24, pleaded guilty last year to premeditated murder at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, about 30 miles (50 km) north of Fort Lauderdale. The Valentine's Day school shooting was among the deadliest in U.S. history. Broward County Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer recommended that jurors take "at least a few days" of clothing and medication. Cruz previously plead guilty to all 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was 19 and had been expelled from Marjory Stoneman Douglas at the time of the massacre.

☆ Florida's wealthy residents have been chartering private jets to hurry away from the state in the days before Hurricane Ian
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

People have hopped on private jets to escape Hurricane Ian, Bloomberg reported. A private jet operator said requests for flights out of Florida grew in the run-up to the storm. Airports that have stopped commercial operations include Orlando, Naples, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Fort Meyers. The company has a private terminal in Naples on Florida's southwest coast — one of the main areas being battered by the storm. Airports that have stopped commercial operations over the past two days include ones in Orlando, Naples, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Fort Meyers.

Share this -Link copiedFloridians are livestreaming Hurricane Ian on TikTok Floridians are giving TikTok users a front-row seat to Hurricane Ian. Storm surge map, they didn’t have a color for 12 to 15 feet," he said about the historic levels of storm surge expected near where Ian is expected to make landfall. Share this -Link copiedA view of Hurricane Ian from the International Space Station A view of Hurricane Ian from the International Space Station, on Monday. Share this -Link copiedSatellite images show Hurricane Ian approaching Florida Hurricane Ian over the Gulf of Mexico early Wednesday. Share this -Link copiedIan expected to strengthen until making landfall, officials say Hurricane Ian is still forecast to strengthen until the hurricane makes landfall in Florida, the National Hurricane Center said.

Storm surge map, they didn’t have a color for 12 to 15 feet," he said about the historic levels of storm surge expected near where Ian is expected to make landfall. Share this -Link copiedA view of Hurricane Ian from the International Space Station A view of Hurricane Ian from the International Space Station, on Monday. “We are extremely concerned about the potential impacts Hurricane Ian may have on phosphate facilities around the state,” Whitlock added. Share this -Link copiedIan strengthens into Category 4 storm Hurricane Ian has strengthened into a Category 4 storm as it advances upon Florida's west coast. Share this -Link copiedSatellite images show Hurricane Ian approaching Florida Hurricane Ian over the Gulf of Mexico early Wednesday.

Share this -Link copiedView of Hurricane Ian from International Space Station View of Hurricane Ian from the International Space Station. Share this -Link copiedIan on track to make landfall in Florida as 'catastrophic' Category 4 storm Hurricane Ian is strengthening as it nears Florida's west coast, officials said. “We are extremely concerned about the potential impacts Hurricane Ian may have on phosphate facilities around the state,” Whitlock added. Share this -Link copiedIan strengthens into Category 4 storm Hurricane Ian has strengthened into a Category 4 storm as it advances upon Florida's west coast. Share this -Link copiedSatellite images show Hurricane Ian approaching Florida Hurricane Ian over the Gulf of Mexico early on Wednesday morning.

☆ Luxury homes in pandemic real-estate boomtowns like Denver and Austin are lingering on the market as sales of pricier homes drop 28% nationwide
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Zoe Rosenberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Pandemic hot spots are among the most affected by the slowdown as homes sit on the market. Prices for luxury homes are still rising in all of the country's 50 biggest metropolitan areas. The cracks in the market are beginning to show in cities like Denver, Austin, and Detroit, which all saw an influx of monied buyers during the pandemic. The same cities that saw inventory linger saw the largest increase in new luxury listings coming onto the market in the third quarter. The median sale price of luxury homes still rose in the 50 most populous metros tracked by Redfin.

☆ Hurricane Ian: What to do if your flight is canceled or if you want to change your booking
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Hurricane Ian made landfall as a Category 4 storm near Fort Myers, Florida, on Wednesday. Here is what you can do if you want to change your flight, or if your flight is canceled. If your flight is canceled, then the airline must provide a full refund. According to FlightAware data, nearly 1,850 flights originating from or flying to Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, or Fort Myers have been canceled as of 5:30 pm on Wednesday. Customer service: (800) 435-9792Sun Country Airlines: Customers traveling to, from, or through the Florida cities of Fort Myers, Orlando, or Tampa from September 25-30 can rebook their flight once for free.

☆ Justice Department's fight with JetBlue and American Airlines heads to court
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

An American Airlines plane lands on a runway near a parked JetBlue plane at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on July 16, 2020 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Justice Department heads to court in Boston on Tuesday in hopes of undoing a year-and-a-half-old pact between American Airlines and JetBlue Airways in the Northeast U.S. Last September, the Justice Department along with the attorneys general of six states and the District of Columbia sued to block the partnership, which was approved in the final days of the Trump administration. The antitrust trial will be a test for President Joe Biden's Justice Department, which has been tasked with taking a hard stance against threats to competition. Earlier this month, a federal judge denied the Justice Department's bid to block UnitedHealth's acquisition of Change Healthcare.

☆ Homebuyers are backing out of deals at record-high rates in these 10 U.S. cities
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Mike Winters | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Amid rising mortgage costs, the number of homebuyers backing out of contracts increased to record-setting levels in the last three months — especially in cities that were real estate hotspots through 2021, new data finds. The cancellation rate is even higher in some cities, with 20% of buyers backing out of purchase agreements in 10 of the 50 most populous metro areas in the country. In Jacksonville, median home prices have increased from around $200,000 to over $300,000 in the last three years alone, per Redfin data. It's also possible that some buyers are backing out of deals because they're waiting to see if home prices fall, the study suggests. Meanwhile, large coastal hubs like San Francisco and New York had some the lowest cancellation rates, below 10%.

☆ Track Hurricane Ian's path as it takes aim at Florida's west coast
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Mirna Alsharif | Mirna Alsharif Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Hurricane Ian is set to take aim at Florida's west coast as early as Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. "A few tornadoes" are also possible late Monday night and Tuesday "across the Florida Keys and the southern and central Florida Peninsula." What initially formed as Tropical Depression Nine early Friday morning strengthened that night into Tropical Storm Ian, the NHC said. The hurricane is forecast to bring 8 to 15 inches to central West Florida, 3 to 8 inches to the rest of the Florida Peninsula and 4 to 6 inches to the Keys. On Saturday, the governor expanded that to apply statewide, citing the risk of a major hurricane making landfall on Florida’s western coast.

☆ Hurricane Ian barrels toward Florida's Gulf Coast, canceling Biden rally and bringing Ron DeSantis his biggest storm test as governor
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Ron DeSantis has issued a state of emergency in Florida as the response kicks into high gear. "We know we are going to have some major impacts throughout the state of Florida," said DeSantis, a Republican. DeSantis' emergency declaration also allows Floridians to bypass typical time limits on prescriptions and stock up early. In a press conference Monday afternoon in Largo, Florida, state Attorney General Ashley Moody reminded businesses that Florida law prohibits them from price gouging supplies people will need. "Our entire county is going to feel some type of impact," Cathie Perkins, director of Pinellas County Emergency Management, said at the Largo press conference.

President Joe Biden on Saturday approved an emergency declaration for Florida as the state faces a potential major hurricane from what is now Tropical Storm Ian, the White House said. It could approach Florida’s western coast by Wednesday or Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center. On Saturday, the governor expanded that to apply statewide, citing the risk of a major hurricane making landfall on Florida’s western coast. A hurricane warning was in place for Grand Cayman and tropical storm watches were in place for Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. Ten people died in the U.S. directly from the storms, and there were 82 “indirect” deaths, most of which were in Florida, according to a National Hurricane Center report.

☆ The No. 1 best city to retire isn't in Florida—but several others in the top 10 for 2022 are
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-24 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The survey ranked 182 cities based on four key categories of equal weight: affordability, activities, quality of life and health care. When it comes to the best cities to spend your retirement years, the Sunshine state takes nearly half of the top 10 spots, according to WalletHub's 2022 Best and Worst Places to Retire survey. Additionally, if you'll be living on a fixed income in retirement, be sure to plan your expenses and lifestyle accordingly, Wolske says. One of the biggest retirement planning mistakes people make is not properly preparing for additional medical expenses, Wolske says. A 65-year-old couple retiring in 2022 can expect to spend an average of $315,000 in health-care and medical expenses in their retirement, according to Fidelity Investment's August estimate.

☆ United Airlines seeks to resume U.S. flights to Cuba
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Brendan McDermidWASHINGTON, Sept 21 (Reuters) - United Airlines (UAL.O) said on Wednesday it is working to resume flights to Cuba later this year that it suspended in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. United previously flew seven flights weekly to Havana from its Houston and Newark hubs. United said given the challenges it is concerned it cannot resume flights by an Oct. 31 USDOT deadline. That is on top of the typical six daily American Airlines flights and three JetBlue flights weekdays to Havana from the Florida airports. In July, American Airlines received permission to resume service to some smaller Cuban airports.

☆ Judge in Parkland school shooter case refuses to step down
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

There was “absolutely no chance” Scherer would quit the case, said Bob Jarvis, a professor at Nova Southeastern University’s law school. Scherer, a former prosecutor, had never overseen a first-degree murder trial before being assigned the Cruz case. The prosecution, having expected the defense case to last much longer, wasn’t prepared to begin its rebuttal case. “This is the most uncalled for, unprofessional way to try a case,” Scherer said. “If I would have known earlier this was going to be happening, I would not have dragged you in here,” Scherer told the jurors.

☆ Flight attendants union blasts Spirit Airlines' pay proposal as insulting, says workers would make 'far below' JetBlue
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Spirit Airlines' flight attendants union is currently in contract negotiations. In April, Spirit flight attendants around the US picketed after the airline canceled flights. Spirit Airlines flight attendants in Orlando, Dallas, and Las Vegas picketed in April after the airline cancelled over 30% of its flights because of weather, which left flight attendants stranded. The flight attendants union and Spirit Airlines management will be back in negotiations on September 27. "Spirit Flight Attendants have been through it over the last several years," Spirit AFA president Jason Kachenmeister told Insider in a statement.

☆ U.S. OKs new American Airlines, JetBlue flights to Havana
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterA view of the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, Cuba, September 25, 2019. That is on top of the typical six daily American Airlines flights and three JetBlue flights weekdays to Havana from the Florida airports. In June, the department lifted a series of restrictions on flights to Cuba, including ending a prohibition on U.S. airline flights to smaller Cuban airports outside Havana. The previous administration under President Donald Trump barred passenger airline flights to smaller Cuban airports. In July, American Airlines received permission to resume service to some smaller Cuban airports.

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