The 2023 class of Automotive News Rising Stars distinguished themselves by addressing some of the industry’s biggest challenges. They’ve proved themselves during an era of profound and sometimes unpredictable change.
SeaWorld Orlando enters spooky season fray with its third edition of Howl-O-Scream, an after-hours, extra-ticket fright fest. The park again leans into its water-based theming with five haunted houses, seven scare zones and plenty of back story involving sirens, who generally are not amused.
SeaWorld has also developed a string of specialty bars that go with the houses. There’s a lot to take in as even the bartender play a part.
The event runs on select nights through Oct. 31. The park’s Spooktacular, a more family-friendly daytime event that’s included with regular admission, begins Sept. 16.
Here are impressions from each of the Howl-O-Scream houses on Friday’s opening night festivities.
Three-word description: Government below surface.
Walk-through views: This is a slick house with a strong look and settings, presented with urgency from the staff. There’s a preshow of sorts with a (going down) elevator setting that prevents the conga line from being constant, and that seemed to add length to the queue outside. If you’re sensitive to mythical sea-creature violence, you may be triggered.
A revamping of Magic Kingdom’s Country Bear Jamboree and the replacement of DinoLand USA at Animal Kingdom were among the Walt Disney World announcements Saturday morning.
In a Destination D23 session led by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro, multiple worldwide projects were updated including character encounters, rides, shows, restaurants and much-anticipated opening dates.
At Magic Kingdom, Country Bear Jamboree, which opened with the park in 1971, will receive an update next year using Disney songs performed in different styles of country music. D23 attendees saw a video clip of a recording session for “Bare Necessities,” a famed song from “The Jungle Book.”
“We’re envisioning this new take on the classic jamboree as a homage to the classic musical reviews of Nashville,” Imagineer Chris Beatty said.
Other Magic Kingdom news included the addition of a “tavern” as part of the Pirates of the Caribbean area and a “late November” debut of the Hatbox Ghost figure at Haunted Mansion, which was announced at a previous D23 event. A video showed work on animatronic figures set for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, set to open in late 2024 in Frontierland.
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis’ affordable housing director was placed on administrative leave for a second time after an investigation determined he created a hostile work environment and violated other policies.
During a meeting Friday, the board of the Florida Housing Finance Corporation voted to place its executive director, Mike DiNapoli, on paid leave for the second time in two months.
The decision was made after board member Meredith Ivey, a former DeSantis spokesperson who is now a deputy secretary of the Department of Commerce, said she needed more time to read the report, but blasted its contents and voiced support for DiNapoli.
“I personally do not have a high opinion at all of the inspector general report,” Ivey said. “It seems very sloppy, one-sided, read more like a media hit piece.”
The board also voted Friday to prohibit employees who spoke to the inspector general from being fired without cause. Ivey voted against it.
On Thursday, the corporation’s inspector general revealed the contents of a two-month investigation into DiNapoli, whose appointment by DeSantis in February has roiled the close-knit organization. The corporation is effectively a multibillion-dollar bank for the state, distributing hundreds of millions of affordable housing dollars each year and issuing bonds.
Toyota is overhauling its r&d operations to be better, faster and cheaper in a cultural shift meant to unleash the creative power of its prestigious engineering corp.