Cadillac to launch track-focused package on CT5-V Blackwing
The Cadillac CT5 and V-Series variants, including Blackwing, are built at GM’s Lansing Grand River assembly plant in Michigan. The Precision Package will launch early next year.
Attractions’ ticket discounts are hot this summer
As we slide into August and the back-to-school season, Central Florida theme park and attractions are offering ticket discounts. Some are straight-up BOGO; some feature “edu-tainment.”
Here are a few of the more notable offerings plus a friendly reminder to check out the fine print, especially when it comes to ticket expirations, parking and black-out dates.
Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens
What: Kids get in free with the purchase of an adult ticket through Aug. 31. This deal includes access to animal exhibits and the splash pad.
How much: An adult ticket is $23.95 to $25.95, depending on date. (Child tickets are normally $17.95 to $19.95.)
Fine print: The Sanford zoo considers “child” to be ages 3 to 12. Two-year-olds and younger get in free. This offer is available only at the gate. It’s a one free kid per adult ticket sale.
More info: centralfloridazoo.org
Wonderworks Orlando
What: Back 2 School Bash deal, running Aug. 2-11, with access to its interactive exhibits and attractions such as the Space Discovery Zone, Extreme Weather Zone and Imagination Lab.
Senate passes bill to protect kids online and make tech companies accountable for harmful content
By MARY CLARE JALONICK and BARBARA ORTUTAY
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation Tuesday that is designed to protect children from dangerous online content, pushing forward with what would be the first major effort by Congress in decades to hold tech companies more accountable for the harm that they cause.
The bill, which passed 91-3, has been pushed by parents of children who died by suicide after online bullying or have otherwise been harmed by online content. It would force companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm on online platforms frequently used by minors, requiring them to exercise “duty of care” and ensure that they generally default to the safest settings possible.
The House has not yet acted on the bill. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said he is “committed to working to find consensus,” but has not said whether he will bring it to the floor for a vote. Supporters are hoping that the strong Senate vote will push the House to act before the end of the congressional session in January.
Merlin adding annual pass for Eye, Tussauds, Sea Life
Merlin Entertainments Group is introducing a bundled annual pass for three International Drive attractions: Madame Tussauds Orlando, Sea Life Orlando Aquarium and the Orlando Eye observation wheel at Icon Park.
The ticket, dubbed the Merlin Orlando Annual Pass, also includes a year’s worth of access to the Carousel on the Promenade at Icon Park.
Cost of the pass is $149.99 and can be purchased online. It comes with 10% discounts on merchandise and digital photos at the Merlin Orlando attractions.
There’s also the Legoland Gold Pass, which includes the Winter Haven theme park and the three Icon Park attractions, all of which are operated by Merlin. It sells for $249. (This pass does not include Peppa Pig Theme Park that’s adjacent to Legoland Florida.)
The 400-foot-tall Orlando Eye opened in 2015 and was originally owned by Merlin. It was sold in 2018 and went through a couple of name changes and rebrandings before Merlin — headquartered in Poole, England — repurchased the attraction earlier this year. A pass that covered Legoland Florida and the Orlando attractions existed in the earlier days.
Asbury, CDK locked in legal fight over data control ahead of Tekion pilot
Asbury Automotive has sued CDK Global and sought an injunction compelling the release of four dealerships’ data so Asbury could pilot Tekion’s DMS software at the locations, accusing CDK of “holding its data hostage.”