7 things to know today and top American boomtowns (yes, Orlando is one of them)

Good morning, Orlando! OBJ celebrated its 35th anniversary on June 24, and this week's print edition includes some interesting look-backs at how the regional economy and local business community has changed. One of my favorite things we do with .....»»

Good morning, Orlando! Here's an interesting little tidbit from our sister paper in San Francisco: Unscrupulous business owners, scammers, and marketing agencies looking to make a quick buck flooded Google Maps with more than 3 million fake bus.....»»

Good morning, Orlando! A new report on national philanthropy trends found that charitable giving dropped by 1.7% last year, despite a strong economy, and giving by individuals dropped by more than 3% — the largest drop since the end of the most re.....»»

Good morning, Orlando! The people who carry the highest credit card balances are often those who have money, not those who don’t, a new study found. But the combination of haves and have-nots in the same metro area drives up the percentage of cre.....»»

Good morning, Orlando! Believe it or not, Central Florida has seven ZIP codes where lucky drivers have the shortest commutes in Florida. And the region has seven ZIP codes with the state's longest commutes, too. I know, I know: You're thinking I'.....»»

Good morning, Orlando! Big news this past week for Merritt Island-based Craig Technologies: The company's first Craig-X Flight Test Platform is scheduled for an Oct. 12 launch on Northrup Grumman’s NG-12 rocket as it heads to the International Space S.....»»

Good morning, Orlando! The entity that will be created by the soon-to-merge BB&T Corp. (NYSE: BBT) and SunTrust Banks Inc. (NYSE: STI) has a new name: Truist Financial Corp. BB&T and SunTrust — the largest bank in Central Florida — announce.....»»

Good morning, Orlando! Barnes & Noble Inc. — which has eight stores in Central Florida — is being acquired by British hedge fund Elliott Management Corp. in a $683 million deal that includes the assumption of debt. Elliott is paying $6.50 per .....»»

Good morning, Orlando! Walt Disney World is investing heavily in its latest hotel accommodations set to open in Orlando later this year — including the dining spots there. Disney's Coronado Springs Resort is undergoing an expansion that will de.....»»

Good morning, Orlando! We're just two and a half months or so away from the opening of UCF Downtown, the shared campus of the University of Central Florida and Valencia College that is expected to open for classes on Aug. 26. The campus will be part of .....»»

Good morning, Orlando! Good news, Star Wars fans: The opening of The Walt Disney Co.'s first of two revolutionary Star Wars lands is at hand and the theme park is teasing its debut from here to the nearest galaxy. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, the 14-.....»»

Good morning, Orlando. As SpaceX is prepares for the first of many rocket launches from Florida's Space Coast to complete its 11,000-satellite constellation called Starlink, its billionaire founder appears to be less than confident of the mission's.....»»

Good morning, Orlando! Florida lawmakers finished the 2019 legislative session this past Saturday by passing a budget for the upcoming year. During the two-month session, lawmakers considered hundreds of bills and made more than $90 billion in spe.....»»

Good morning, Orlando! Orlando's tech and startup community left a lasting impression on AOL co-founder Steve Case last week, as the city was the first stop for his Rise of the Rest bus tour, but, he said, "There's still work to be done." Rise o.....»»

Good morning, Orlando! Ask small business owners to talk about the outlook for their companies, and the answer will likely be different than if the question were about their view of the economy overall. That’s one of the takeaways of a new national su.....»»

Good morning, Orlando! Rosen Hotels & Resorts — one of Central Florida's largest privately held companies — has consolidated two of its adjoining hotels on International Drive: The 134-room Midpointe Hotel has become a 356-room property with.....»»

Good morning, Orlando! Netflix Inc. has 60 million paid memberships in the United States. When Disney+ launches in November, that figure could go down to 51 million, if the results from a recent survey of Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) users are any indi.....»»

Good morning, Orlando! Walt Disney World may be silent on the latest details of its Star Wars hotel concept, but construction crews are hard at work. That's based on a series of new aerial photos that show the land for the future hotel already .....»»

Authored by Michael Snyder via The End of The American Dream blog, Earlier today, my attention was directed to a thread on an Internet discussion forum that lamented how much America had changed over the years.  I don’t .....»»

Good morning, Orlando! Looks like The Villages — which spans three Florida counties and is one of the largest U.S. retirement communities — is getting bigger. The 8,300 acres-plus deal is one of the largest recorded in Central Florida so far this y.....»»