United States

Vero Beach – September 29, 2026 -- Florida voters will decide on November 3 whether to approve Amendment 3, a constitutional change that would raise the non-school homestead exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, while cutting the non-homestead assessment cap from 10% to 5%. The measure, HJR 1F, passed both chambers of the Florida Legislature on June 2, 2026, and needs 60% voter approval to take effect.

For property owners on the Vero Beach barrier island and throughout Indian River County, the amendment's fine print carries more weight than its headline number.

Temecula, Calif. – September 29, 2026 -- Fitness 19 has published a new guide, "How to Use Apps to Effectively Track Your Workouts," aimed at helping gym-goers pick the right digital tool to log their training.

Apps fall into three distinct categories

The guide sorts fitness apps into strength trackers, which log sets, reps, and rate of perceived exertion (RPE); endurance trackers, which record splits, elevation gain, and heart rate; and holistic trackers, which monitor workouts alongside nutrition, sleep, and recovery data.

Washington – September 29, 2026 -- U.S. News & World Report has released its 2027 Life Insurance Companies Awards, naming Nationwide as Best Life Insurance Company Overall for scoring highest across key evaluation metrics.

Five insurers win category-specific honors

MassMutual earns Best Life Insurance Company for Whole Life based on its permanent policy offerings, while Protective takes Best Life Insurance Company for Term Life for its flexible term options. USAA wins Best Life Insurance Company for Seniors for its specialized coverage, and Mutual of Omaha earns Best Life Insurance Company for Customer Service based on policyholder feedback collected in U.S. News' annual survey.

New York – September 29, 2026 -- Zelle is picking up the fare on a different NYC Ferry route every Thursday in October, part of a push to cut the cost of getting to a date across the city's boroughs.

Zelle sponsors five ferry routes through October

Starting October 1, Zelle will cover rides on a rotating schedule: St. George on October 1, East River on October 8, Rockaway–Soundview on October 15, South Brooklyn on October 22, and Astoria on October 29. NYC Ferry operates first-come, first-served, and tickets are valid one-way only.

Omaha, Neb. – September 29, 2026 -- Halloween shopping has stopped being a one-night errand, with 49% of shoppers starting in September or earlier and total U.S. spending on track to hit a record $13.5 billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation.

The average celebrant will spend $115.14, and decorations alone account for $4.3 billion of the total. Retailers point to a simple shift: 74% of Americans now celebrate Halloween, and the holiday has expanded from a single evening into a season that includes early yard decorating, school parties in mid-October, church or neighborhood trunk-or-treats, and door-to-door candy on the 31st.

New York – September 29, 2026 -- Ian Lopatin, co-founder of the lifestyle brand Spiritual Gangster and of the Of Course Sanctuary wellness community, will release his debut book, "The Way of a Spiritual Gangster," on October 10, 2026, through Mark Victor Hansen Library publishing.

The book argues stress is not a required cost of success

A former entertainment lawyer with three decades in business, Lopatin uses the book to challenge the belief that high achievers must trade peace and presence for results. He frames the work as an alternative approach to performance built on clarity and purpose rather than pressure.

"I believe the biggest lie high performers have been told is that stress is the price of success," Lopatin said. "You don't need to suffer through your life or change it, you need to change the state you're living it from."

New York – September 29, 2026 -- Lemonade has launched renters insurance in Alaska, giving residents access to app-based coverage starting at $5 per month.

Coverage starts at $5 monthly, undercutting national averages

The company says its renters insurance rates run roughly 30% below the national average. Customers can also qualify for extra discounts by bundling policies, installing home safety devices, or opting for annual billing.

The app handles quotes, claims, and policy updates in one place

Lemonade's platform lets Alaska renters get quotes, buy policies, make changes, and file claims entirely through its app. About 40% of claims are processed instantly, according to the company.

Los Angeles – September 29, 2026 -- Sports fans chasing every game across major leagues could now pay more than $2,266 a year to subscribe to eight separate streaming platforms, according to new analysis from Lucky Rebel.

The combined monthly cost of the eight services studied climbed from $149.95 in 2021 to $188.86 in 2026, a 26% jump equal to nearly $39 more per month. The figure reflects the cost of holding all eight subscriptions simultaneously, not what a typical fan spends.

Apple TV+ posts the steepest price hike of any service

Apple TV+ recorded the largest percentage increase among the platforms analysed, with its monthly price rising from $4.99 to $12.99, a 160.3% jump. Peacock rose 120.2%, Amazon Prime Video climbed 66.7%, Netflix increased 42.9%, NBA League Pass rose 37.9%, and NFL Sunday Ticket went up 28.6%. MLB.TV was the only service to get cheaper, with its monthly equivalent cost falling 3.8%.

Georges Mills, N.H. – September 29, 2026 -- Actor Josh Duhamel has joined footwear brand STOKE Shoes as a partner, aiming to spotlight wide-fit sneakers for the estimated 97 million American men with wide feet.

Duhamel says he was already wearing the shoes before signing on

Duhamel, who wears a wide width himself, began wearing STOKE Shoes on and off set before formalizing the partnership. "I got tired of paying over 200 bucks for sneakers that made my feet hurt. I'm on my feet all day and STOKE Shoes is the only shoe I wear," he said.

STOKE designs shoes around wide feet instead of scaling up standard models

The brand offers footwear from E/2E through 3E/4E widths, built using proprietary technologies it calls Big Ball Girth, Mansplay Midsole and PowerStack cushioning. According to STOKE, roughly 75% of men have wide feet, a group the athletic footwear industry has largely treated as an afterthought.

Jacksonville – September 29, 2026 -- Sandbox VR will open its newest venue at St. Johns Town Center in Jacksonville, Florida, on October 9, 2026, offering a 20% presale discount through October 8 for guests who book ahead.

The 4,518-square-foot venue features four private rooms for group play

Groups of up to six guests can suit up with headsets, haptic vests and motion sensors for full-body immersion, allowing players to see and physically interact with each other during the experience. Each session ends with a personalized highlight video guests can keep and share.

Vic Ali owns and operates the new Jacksonville location

"My management team and I are very excited about bringing this exciting and completely immersive entertainment experience to Jacksonville!" Ali said.