Category: UF/IFAS Extension

Medicare Open Enrollment: A Little Homework Now Could Save You Money Later

by Alicia Betancourt
October 8, 2026

Have you ever opened a letter from your insurance company, looked at all the fine print, and thought, "I'll deal with that later"? I think most of us have. Insurance paperwork isn't exactly exciting reading, especially when everything seems ... READ MORE

Category: , Home Management, Money Matters, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Consumer Education, Florida Seniors, Health Insurance, Healthcare Costs, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Benefits, Medicare Open Enrollment 2026, Medicare Part D, Medicare Savings, Medicare Scams, Prescription Drug Coverage, Senior Healthcare, SHINE Florida, UF IFAS Extension

Buyer Beware of Fake Shopping Websites

by Alicia Betancourt
September 29, 2026

The internet has made shopping more convenient than ever—but it has also opened the door for scams. Fake websites that claim to sell cheap products are increasingly common, targeting people looking for good deals. While these sites may look ... READ MORE

Category: Money Matters, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Consumer Fraud, Consumer Protection, Counterfeit Products, Credit Card Fraud, Cybersecurity, Digital Safety, Fake Shopping Websites, Fake Websites, Fraud Prevention, FTC, IC3, Identity Theft, Internet Fraud, Online Safety, Online Scams, Online Shopping Scams, Safe Online Shopping, Scam Awareness, Shopping Scams, Social Media Scams, UF IFAS Extension

Email Bombing and Online Fraud

by Alicia Betancourt
September 29, 2026

Learn what email bombing is, how criminals may use a flooded inbox to hide fraud, and what steps you can take to protect your accounts and personal information. Email bombing—sometimes called an email bomb, subscription bomb, or list bomb—is ... READ MORE

Category: , Money Matters, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Account Security, Consumer Protection, Consumer Scams, Cybersecurity, Digital Safety, Email Bomb, Email Bombing, Email Scams, Email Security, Financial Fraud, Fraud Prevention, Identity Theft, Multifactor Authentication, Online Fraud, Online Safety, Password Security, Phishing Scams, Scam Awareness, Subscription Bombing, UF IFAS Extension

Saharan Dust is on the Horizon in South Florida

by Shelly Krueger
July 13, 2026

July 13, 2026 Saharan dust, a vast plume of fine particles lifted from the deserts of North Africa, may seem like a distant phenomenon—but it regularly reaches the Florida Keys, shaping the environment and skies in subtle but important ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Florida Sea Grant, Monroe County Extension, Saharan Dust

El Niño and Coral Bleaching

by Shelly Krueger
June 18, 2026

El Niño Conditions are Present As of June 11, 2026, NOAA assessments indicate El Niño conditions have officially begun and forecast to strengthen from the current time through winter in the Northern Hemisphere. This could once again elevate ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: 4th Global Coral Bleaching Event, Coral Bleaching, El Nino, Florida Sea Grant, Marine Heatwave

BOLO (Be On the Look Out) for Pulse Corals

by Shelly Krueger
June 17, 2026

June 2026 Potential New Invader: Pulse Corals There is the potential for a new aquatic invader in South Florida. Pulse Corals are bright-colored soft corals that are very popular in the saltwater aquarium trade. These soft corals are a type ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Florida Sea Grant, Invasive Octocoral, Pulsing Xenia

2026 Sargassum Inundation Event

by Shelly Krueger
June 17, 2026

Sargassum: The Golden Tide The Florida Keys are currently experiencing a familiar golden-brown visitor: floating mats of sargassum seaweed. Scientists often refer to the annual influx of sargassum as a "golden tide" because of the macroalgae's ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, NATURAL RESOURCES, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Florida Sea Grant, Golden Tide, Sargassum

Prepare NOW, get a digital hurricane kit!

by Alicia Betancourt
June 2, 2026

While living in Florida has its perks, the one thing that can ruin it (and rather quickly) is hurricane season. By now we should have all our hurricane preparation plan ready. But Wait! There is one more thing you need to do to prepare. In ... READ MORE

Category: , Disaster Preparation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: American Red Cross, Crowdsource Rescue, Disaster Preparedness, Disaster Recovery, Document Storage, Dropbox, Emergency Alerts, Emergency Communication, Emergency Kit, Emergency Preparedness, Emergency Resources, Evacuation Planning, Facebook Safety Check, Family Emergency Plan, FEMA App, Florida Hurricanes, Florida Living, Gas Availability, GasBuddy, Google Drive, Hurricane Apps, Hurricane Preparedness, Hurricane Safety Tips, Hurricane Season, Hurricane Tracker, ICE Medical Standard, Natural Disasters, Nextdoor, Pet First Aid, Pet Safety, Safety Apps, Smartphone Apps, Storm Tracking, Teladoc, Waze, Weather Preparedness, Weather Underground, WhatsApp, Xfinity WiFi, Zello

What the New 2026 Tax Brackets Mean — and What You Should Do Now

by Alicia Betancourt
April 20, 2026

As we head into the 2026 tax year, the IRS has rolled out updated tax brackets, deductions, and limits. While these changes may look minor on the surface, they can directly impact how much you keep in your paycheck—and how much you owe when ... READ MORE

Category: , Home Management, Money Matters, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Budgeting, Financial Literacy, Income Tax, IRS Changes 2026, Monroe County, Standard Deduction, Tax Brackets 2026, Tax Planning, Tax Tips, UF IFAS Extension

Digital Preparedness: Protect Your Information Before, During, and After a Disaster

by Alicia Betancourt
April 7, 2026

Website tracking collects your online behavior using cookies, pixels, and device fingerprinting. After disasters, scammers can use this data to send targeted phishing messages, fake FEMA alerts, and fraudulent contractor offers. Protecting your ... READ MORE

Category: , Disaster Preparation, Money Matters, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Consumer Protection, Digital Privacy, Disaster Preparedness, Financial Resilience, Florida Keys, Fraud Prevention, Hurricane Safety, Identity Theft, Monroe County Florida, Online Safety, UF IFAS Extension

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