Things To Do In SW Florida

As legal marijuana dispensaries hope Floridians vote in November to allow recreational weed, they face a troubling trend: Right now, their flow of new customers is drying up.

The state’s medical marijuana industry is stagnating, data shows. Experts say a slowdown in new patients means the success of the largest marijuana companies in the state could depend on the proposed amendment.

“This is really their only opportunity for growth,” said former Republican state Sen. Jeff Brandes of St. Petersburg, who supports the legalization effort.

Amendment 3 would allow Floridians 21 and older to buy and possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana. At least 60% of voters must support the measure for it to pass.

So far, the largest donor to the effort has been cannabis behemoth Trulieve, which has provided nearly $50 million of the $55 million raised by the amendment’s sponsor.

Today, cannabis companies are limited to selling to the almost 900,000 Florida residents who have been referred by a doctor for a medical marijuana card. Allowing recreational use would mean the same firms could sell to anyone of age. read more

No Central Florida restaurants were shut down the week of May 5-11, according to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Complaints and warnings

Orange County had the top spot for most warnings and other complaints in Central Florida, with 37.

Volusia had 13, Osceola 11, Lake and Brevard had six each and Seminole had one.

Warnings given with required follow-up inspections could lead to a business being shut down if problems remain.

Wells Fargo bank has been accused of “aiding and abetting” an alleged $300 million Ponzi scheme that reportedly bilked more than 1,000 victims, many who were elderly and lost their life savings.

According to a lawsuit filed on May 9 in Palm Beach Circuit Court by the receiver appointed in the case, the bank failed to stop operators of the scheme from diverting funds from Wells Fargo accounts set up to hold investments from later investors into Wells Fargo accounts created for earlier investors.

A Wells Fargo spokeswoman said Wednesday that the company had no comment about the lawsuit. The company has not yet filed a response to the lawsuit, according to court records.

In July 2021, the Florida Office of Financial Regulation filed a civil lawsuit against a long list of companies, saying they engaged in the sale of unregistered securities.

The scheme was developed by Marshal Seeman and Eric Charles Holtz, operating in Boca Raton as Seeman Holtz, the office alleged. Seeman and Holtz were assisted in their operation by Brian J. Schwartz, the state’s lawsuit said. read more

The magic of Walt Disney World notwithstanding, it takes more than fairy dust to keep things in the realm maintained and moving forward, and so the scaffolding I spy on the exterior of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa on approach — gleaming and gorgeous despite the construction-related accouterments — is a tell that brings to life the work that’s been going on here for the past several years.

Updates, or “reimaginings,” as the team often calls them, abound. Citrico‘s, the newly Michelin-starred Victoria & Albert’s and other spaces within have been retooled in recent years in this circa-1988 spa resort. The latest upgrades were revealed recently when its buffet-style eatery, 1900 Park Fare, reopened its doors last month.

A new dance begins as Victoria & Albert’s reopens its doors at Disney World

The Grand is WDW’s most opulent stay, its look and design inspired by the seaside resorts of the Victorian era. 1900 Park Fare, with its carousel theming, fits right into the wheelhouse. Those who remember Big Bertha — the antique French pipe organ has been a fixture here since the resort opened — will find her as a focal point in the redesign, along with brand-new touches. read more