United States

Forest Acres, S.C. – October 29, 2026 -- Before paying for a repair call, homeowners whose furnace has stopped working can run through a handful of simple checks that often fix the problem, according to a new HelloNation article.

The guide advises staying calm and ruling out minor issues before assuming a major failure. In Forest Acres, where temperatures can shift quickly, a malfunctioning heating system can cause discomfort if it is left unaddressed.

Start with the thermostat

An incorrectly set or unresponsive thermostat can stop a furnace from running. The article says to make sure it is set to heat and adjusted above the current room temperature. HVAC experts, including those at Mid-State Heating and Air LLC, frequently see thermostat problems as an early cause.

Austin – October 29, 2026 -- Most international travelers still pack both cash and plastic: 71% use local-currency cash abroad and 69% use a physical credit card, according to a new Upgraded Points survey of 1,500 adults who traveled internationally in the past 12 months.

The respondents included 1,000 U.S. adults and 500 adults from other countries. They answered questions about payment methods, cash habits, credit card use, airport currency exchanges and confidence with exchange rates.

Cash in the local currency is still in most wallets

More than 8 in 10 travelers (81%) carry cash in their destination's currency. Of those, 64% use it at street vendors, markets or small businesses, 55% use it for tips and other customary cash payments, and 53% keep it for emergencies.

Few people load up on it at once. About 44% exchange enough cash for several days, while 26% exchange enough for the full trip.

ORLANDO – October 29, 2026 -- Florida families facing food insecurity can get help with Thanksgiving dinner through The JOY FM's T-Shirts for Turkeys food drive, which Del-Air Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric is sponsoring as presenting sponsor again this year.

Listeners, businesses and community groups collect turkeys and gift cards

The drive brings together The JOY FM listeners, community organizations and business partners. They collect turkeys, along with monetary or grocery gift card donations, so local families can enjoy a Thanksgiving meal. The radio station's Florida footprint includes Orlando, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville and Sarasota.

Del-Air became the drive's first presenting sponsor in 2025

In 2025, Del-Air became the first presenting sponsor in the drive's 21-year history. Employees across the company are taking part this year.

LOS ANGELES – October 29, 2026 -- EBONY has named six honorees to its 2026 Power 100 Court, who will be celebrated on stage at the EBONY Power 100 Gala on Monday, Nov. 9, at the Hollywood Palladium. Kirk Franklin will open the show, and T.I. will close it with live performances.

Six honorees span space, finance, media, music and sports

This year's Court includes:

• Grammy-winning singer and actress Brandy
• Byron Allen, founder of Allen Media Group
• Flau'jae Johnson of the WNBA's Seattle Storm
• Keith Lee, digital influencer and culinary tastemaker
• Lena Waithe, Emmy Award-winning writer, producer and actor
• Victor Glover, NASA Astronaut Emeritus

The Court represents the honorees whose work most fully embodies this year's theme, "The Stories We Shape." Each member will receive a dedicated tribute and accept the honor in person on the Palladium stage.

Munich – October 28, 2026 -- Orlando offers winter sun beyond the theme parks, with outdoor adventures, art festivals running from January 15 to March 1, and open-air dining, according to tourism board Visit Orlando.

Wekiva Springs and Gatorland put the adventure outdoors

Wekiva Springs State Park lets visitors swim in crystal-clear water, kayak and try stand-up paddling. At Gatorland, the Screamin' Gator Zip Line runs more than 300 meters over alligators and crocodiles.

The Harry P. Leu Gardens add a butterfly garden and about five kilometers of walking paths.

Two art festivals fill the winter calendar

The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts runs from January 15 to March 1. It combines visual art, food and performing arts.

IMMERSE Fest, held February 19-21, 2026, turns ten blocks of Downtown Orlando into an interactive art festival with live performances and immersive installations.

Clearwater – October 28, 2026 -- FASTer Way's reimagined app now includes Lumi, an AI guide that logs a meal from a photo or a short description, with the average meal taking less than 30 seconds.

Lumi turns a snapshot into a logged meal

A member photographs their plate or summarizes what they ate. Lumi identifies the food, calculates the macros and logs the meal automatically, with no searching or manual entry.

Members also share their dietary preferences. Lumi then creates recipes and ready-to-use shopping lists designed to hit their macro targets.

Lumi learns from every meal, workout and glass of water

The AI draws on everything a member logs, including meals, workouts, daily steps and water intake. It uses that data to suggest workouts, recommend meals and track progress in real time.

PALM BEACH GARDENS – October 28, 2026 -- Residents of The Country Club at Mirasol in Florida can now play pickleball year-round in a climate-controlled setting. The club has opened an 18,000-square-foot indoor complex that it describes as one of the largest dedicated indoor pickleball facilities in a South Florida country club community.

Seven regulation courts anchor the new facility

The complex has seven regulation-size courts. It also has a viewing area, a lounge, and dedicated retail and stretching areas.

It adds to the six outdoor courts at the club's family-friendly Sports Complex.

LOS ANGELES – October 28, 2026 -- A new episode of LOVERS by Shan premieres October 28 with Dr. Keeonna Harris, Jason Espinoza and Jeremiah Chin, who discuss how their blended family has navigated incarceration, motherhood and changing relationships over 30 years.

Shan Boodram hosts three guests with distinct roles

Intimacy and relationship educator Shan Boodram leads the conversation. Harris is a best-selling author, scholar and advocate. Espinoza is a journey counselor at the Amity Foundation. Chin is the Lane Powell & D. Wayne Gittinger Endowed Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Washington.

Harris draws on lived experience from her memoir

Harris wrote Mainline Mama: A Memoir. Her story follows a woman's evolution as a mother, partner, advocate and individual, and looks at carrying responsibility, reclaiming identity and moving forward without ignoring the past.

Bellevue – October 28, 2026 -- Families in Bellevue, Washington, can now apply for kindergarten through Grade 4 at a new BASIS Independent Lower School campus that opens in Fall 2027 for the 2027–28 school year.

The Lower School sits directly across from the current campus

The new campus is at 15760 NE 4th Street, across the street from BASIS Independent Bellevue's existing school. Once it opens, the current campus becomes the Upper School for Grades 5–12.

A renovated two-story building holds 16 classrooms

The renovated building covers approximately 30,000 square feet on 1.5 acres. Inside, it will have 16 classrooms, a dining hall and an exercise room. Dedicated spaces are planned for music, performing arts, visual arts and engineering.

Outside, students get a playground and a covered play area.

NEW YORK – October 28, 2026 -- On November 6, a free pop-up on the Lower East Side will let guests build their own savory martini at a self-serve machine, and pair it with Dave's Hot Chicken. Cîroc is behind the Martini Machini, which it describes as a first-of-its-kind interactive martini-mixing machine.

The Martini Machini lets drinkers dial in brine, garnish and flair

Guests customize their martini by choosing their preferred ratio of brine, garnish and flair. The machine is built around Cîroc's new signature serve, the Messy Martini, a trademarked, layered twist on the classic dirty martini.

The Messy Martini combines Cîroc Vodka with pickle and banana pepper brine.