Things To Do In SW Florida

Attorney Ben Crump lashed out at Universal Orlando Resort on Monday, calling it “deeply disturbing” for the theme park to reopen its Stardust Racers ride before his investigators could inspect the roller coaster and help determine how Kevin Rodriguez Zavala died after riding it.

Flanked by members of Zavala’s family at a press conference in downtown Orlando, a visibly angry Crump called the ride’s opening as “the ultimate disrespect” to Zavala’s family “and the community.”

Crump added Zavala’s family and his legal team found out Universal planned to open the ride on Friday after seeing news reports, not from the theme park.

“You know how we found out? From you all,” he said, pointing to nearly a dozen television cameras and several news reporters in the hotel banquet room.

Representatives from Universal Orlando did not immediately respond to Crump’s allegations. However, a spokeswoman for the company has previously said they cannot comment “on pending claims.”

As part of reopening Stardust Racers at Epic Universe on Saturday, Universal updated its procedures and signs to reinforce existing warnings for “physical eligibility requirements” of riders. read more

The first of the year’s only three supermoons will rise tonight with the full moon coming just before midnight and just minutes before a planned launch of a SpaceX rocket.

The near side of the moon will have 100% illumination at 11:47 p.m. when it’s about 224,000 miles from Earth, according to timeanddate.com. The combination of full moon and its proximity to the moon’s closest approach to the planet, or perigee, can make it a supermoon.

The moon’s perigee technically will be 223,580 miles away, but not until 8:37 a.m. Wednesday, according to data maintained on a site run by Fourmilab Switzerland.  The moon can range in distance to Earth from about 221,000 miles to as far as about 255,000 miles.

But the moon is still close enough for the near full moon rise Monday at 6:32 p.m. and continuing on through Tuesday night’s waning gibbous phase moonrise to make it seem as much as 30% brighter and 14% larger.

The moonrise itself will enhance the effect of a visually larger moon because of a lensing effect of the Earth’s atmosphere. read more

By DAVID BAUDER, AP Media Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Paramount said Monday that it has bought the news and commentary website The Free Press and installed its founder, Bari Weiss, as the editor-in-chief of CBS News, saying it believes the country longs for news that is balanced and fact-based.

It’s a bold step for the television network of Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather and “60 Minutes,” long viewed by many conservatives as the personification of a liberal media establishment. The network is placing someone in a leadership role who has developed a reputation for resisting orthodoxy and fighting “woke” culture.

“I am confident her entrepreneurial drive and editorial vision will invigorate CBS News,” said David Ellison, who took over this summer as the corporate leader overseeing the network when his company, Skydance, purchased Paramount. “This move is part of Paramount’s bigger vision to modernize content and the way it connects — directly and passionately — to audiences around the world.” read more

Instead of scrolling through Amazon’s Big Deal Days, I decided to try something different this year: thrifting my kids’ Christmas gifts. With toy prices predicted to climb because of tariffs, holiday shopping can add unwanted stress to this already expensive season.

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The secondhand market offers an alternative — one that’s kinder to my budget and to the planet. By starting early and scouring thrift stores, kids’ resale chains, and online marketplaces, I’m slowly finding gifts my kids will love at a fraction of regular retail prices. read more

Orange County is now certain to break its annual record for tourist tax collections in the wake of the spring opening of Epic Universe, with Monday’s report of another boom month in August.

Revenues were up 11% — or $2.48 million — over August of last year, leaving the county just a few million short of its 12-month historical high with one month left in the fiscal year, according to figures compiled by Comptroller Phil Diamond’s office, which tracks both collections and spending of the tax revenues.

“The question isn’t whether we break the record, the question is by how much,” Diamond said.

Through 11 months of Fiscal Year 2024-25, which ended Sept. 30, the Tourist Development Tax or TDT has totaled $355.1 million. Monthly collection reports generally trail collection by about five weeks. Figures for September will be announced in early November.

The 12-month fiscal year record, set Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024, is $359.4 million.

Diamond has attributed the surge to Epic Universe, Universal’s new park which features five themed “lands” based on characters in video games or films, including Super Nintendo, the Harry Potter series, How to Train Your Dragon and classic movie monsters. read more