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Florida may not have snow-capped mountains, but the Sunshine State brings some major Christmas magic when it comes to holiday rail travel. From Polar Express style journeys to illuminated historic trains, these festive excursions are perfect for families, couples and anyone who believes trains and Christmas go hand in hand. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or want a memorable evening close to home, here’s our guide to the best Christmas train rides across Florida. Florida Railroad Museum North Pole Express, Parrish, Florida (Sarasota Area) From now until December 22nd Website: https://www.frrm.org/north-pole-express/ A historic railway carriage has been transformed into…
As Christmas Day approaches, millions of Christians will return to their local churches to hear the story of Jesus’ birth and the days and months that followed. Despite the fact that most Christians and non-Christians alike are familiar with the story of the three wise men who visited Jesus, the details of those wise men remain a mystery to many. If we follow the Biblical text (Matthew 2) strictly, the Bible never says there were three visitors, nor does it refer to them as kings. It says, “Magicians from the East came to praise Jesus” (Matthew 2:1-12). The “three” comes…
I recently went to meet some friends and colleagues at a nice new local coffee shop. When I arrived, she was parked at the back of the place, surrounded by thrifted furniture. As I put down my bag and went to order, she handed me a mysterious drink wrapped in a nondescript recycled paper cup. “I got this beat thing,” she said. “It’s really good!” “Beet coffee?” I said. Actually, I like beets. And like Forrest Gumpian (roasted beets, beet salad, beet juice, beet kombucha, borscht…). “I don’t think there’s any coffee in it,” she said. “Try it.” I did…
Before taking over as the state’s chief financial officer this year, Blaise Ingoglia was a Florida state senator who made illegal immigration a key issue. In 2023, the state Senate passed a bill introduced by Ingoglia that would require hospitals that accept Medicaid to ask about a patient’s immigration status on admission or registration forms. Governor DeSantis signed the bill. Ingoglia now hopes to use his position as Florida’s chief financial officer to expand the reach of undocumented immigrants currently in Florida and those planning to come to Florida. Earlier this month, the CFO announced the legislative priorities he would…
Florida is leading the way in expanding school options, and one option parents are taking advantage of is homeschooling. Homeschooling has grown in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic, and distance learning has proven convenient for students for several reasons. In 2023, the Republican-led Congress expanded the School Choice Act, which allows families to use education funding for programs such as school choice. More than 155,000 students learned from home during the 2023-24 school year, according to the Florida Department of Education. This is a 46% increase from 2019 to 2020. Despite this increase, Florida ranks fourth among states with the…
This month, the Florida Chamber of Commerce Foundation (FCF), a statewide, business-led, nonpartisan research organization, released a new county-by-county study examining the impact of undercounting in the 2020 Census. FCF announced that 750,000 Floridians were not counted in the 2020 Census. The undercount resulted in an estimated $11.4 billion in federal funds that could have been used to support schools, health care, roads and community programs, and about $1 billion a year going to other states that should go to Floridians. This study highlights the widespread impact of undercounts on the flow of federal funding that supports local communities and…
The latest 2025 data on home sales shows that people selling homes in Florida are waiting much longer to complete a sale. Real estate firm Zillow ranks Florida’s housing market as the third slowest in the country. Zillow analyzed the average time it takes for an offer to be accepted, or “days to hold,” and the average number of days it takes for a sale to close, or “days to close.” Researchers calculated the average time it took for a listing to close after it was received, and ranked each state by the longest number of days. Dave Sharon, a…
“It was a road trip with a really good team,” Ubis Balinski said. “We had a series of tough games, but we were able to bounce back after those games. It was a really good two games. We just need to keep that momentum going.” they said it “That was one of the hardest back-to-backs I’ve ever played.” – Aaron Ekblad begins road trip with back-to-back games in Utah and Colorado “Our power play numbers may not have been great the last five or six games, but I like them. We have a chance.” – Paul Maurice on the power…
Outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said this year’s holiday hiring season is proceeding at a worse pace than during the Obama administration from 2009 to 2011. One of the factors contributing to the economic slowdown is the increase in tariffs. An analysis by Tariffs Cost US shows that the increased tariffs are hurting Florida’s small business owners and manufacturing industries. “Most businesses rely on imported raw materials and will face higher costs from tariffs, forcing them to raise prices or cut jobs. Tariffs don’t just hurt foreign businesses; they hurt people and businesses right here at home,” the group…
The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as the Food Stamp Program, provides funds for food to citizens and some non-citizens who meet low-income eligibility requirements. But a recent report from Florida TaxWatch shows the state needs to crack down on people who receive food stamps. According to TaxWatch, the core of the problem is a “SNAP payment error.” One important area where this occurs is in overpayments to recipients. Overpayments or SNAP payment errors are often due to processing errors by state agencies, missed or misreported changes by recipients (income, household size), and often fraud. The General…