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☆ Disney agrees to settle Florida lawsuit with special district backed by DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board chairman Martin Garcia, right, delivers remarks as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis listens during a news conference at CFTOD headquarters at Walt Disney World on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Disney agreed Wednesday to end litigation in state court involving a Florida special tourism district that the entertainment giant effectively controlled for more than five decades until last year after Gov. The lawsuit was originally filed in state court by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District to void agreements the old district board had signed with Disney right before it was dissolved at DeSantis' behest after Disney opposed Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill backed by the governor. Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle, in a statement, said "We are pleased to put an end to all litigation pending in state court in Florida between Disney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

Persons: Martin Garcia, Ron DeSantis, Disney, Jeff Vahle, Vahle, DeSantis Organizations: Florida Gov, Walt Disney, Disney, Gov, Central, DeSantis, Republican Locations: Florida, Lake Buena Vista , Florida, Orlando, Central Florida

☆ A part-time Uber and Lyft driver who primarily works around Disney in Florida said spring break is very profitable, but making enough year-round is difficult
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Jorge, 56, said driving for Uber and Lyft amid the big Florida spring break rush during the last few weeks has been profitable. The rideshare driver, who asked to only use his first name for fear of professional repercussions, said spring break is not like the rest of the year. AdvertisementHe said he's driving more hours during spring break to maximize his earnings, working all day on weekends in addition to his normal weekday schedule. Rides in South Beach were profitable during spring break, and he would drive around casinos and other tourist destinations. He estimates some days during spring break, he's making more money from tips than from fares.

Persons: Jorge, Uber, he's, it's, He's, we've Organizations: Service, Walt Disney World, Disney, City Council Locations: Florida, Orlando, Miami, South Beach, Disney, Minneapolis

☆ 8 things to pack for a Disney vacation and 3 to leave behind, from a travel planner who's been to the parks over 40 times
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Kari Becker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewAfter going to Disney World over 40 times, I've become quite the packing professional. If you've spent any time in the Orlando area, you know it will most likely rain during your Disney trip. My favorites are the rose-gold Minnie ears, but I've been eyeing the Haunted Mansion and It's a Small World ones for a while. Kari BeckerYou can pay for almost everything at Disney World with Disney gift cards, including dining, merchandise, and resort charges. I love this aspect of Disney World because it means there are wonderful dining options with upscale food that are still family-friendly.

Persons: —, I've, I'm, you've, Kari Becker I've, fanny, Kari Becker It's, Mickey, Minnie, Kari Becker, Alberts, you'll Organizations: Service, Disney, Business, Disney Genie, Magic Kingdom, Floridian, Yacht Locations: Orlando, River, Victoria

☆ A Florida Gen Xer who met his wife driving for Uber and Lyft details all the reasons he can no longer make a living and what he's doing instead to boost his income
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A Gen Xer is transitioning away from driving for Uber and Lyft to start his own travel agency. He's hoping to land more stable gig work so he no longer needs to work 70-80 hours a week. AdvertisementCharles, 43, met his wife while driving for Uber. Charles, who asked to just use his first name to avoid professional repercussions, said while he's met all sorts of cool people over the years through driving, he's struggled to make ends meet. He's also considered a seven-passenger vehicle that could qualify for more expensive Uber rides.

Persons: Uber, He's, —, Charles, he's, I've, he'd, it's Organizations: Service, Uber, Google, Business Locations: Orlando, Pensacola , Florida, Tampa, Florida

☆ How Florida became America's 2nd-most-valuable housing market
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Florida beat out New York to become the country's second-most-valuable housing market, Zillow said. Of the top six markets that gained the most value since the onset of COVID-19, four are in Florida. The market boom is driven by an influx in new residents putting more demand on the housing stock. Florida welcomed 655,000 new residents since the start of the pandemic, according to Census estimates reported by Insider in March. Stefanie Mortenson traded her life in Virginia for a $159,000 tiny home near Tampa, Florida.

Persons: Zillow, —, Stefanie Mortensen, Stefanie Mortenson, Noelle Lane, Nicole Panesso, There's, David Triana Organizations: Florida, Service, Sunshine, Bloomberg, Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Tampa, North, Coral, Lakeland, Cape Coral, Joint Center for Housing Studies, Harvard University Locations: New York, Florida, California, Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville, Orlando, Virginia, Tampa , Florida, North Port, Palm, Gulf Coast, Naples, Cape, Georgia, Tennessee, Nicole Panesso South Florida, Fort Lauderdale, Chattanooga , Tennessee, Clermont , Florida

☆ Neo-Nazis parade swastika flags in Florida, chanting 'We are everywhere'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

White supremacist hate groups staged a neo-Nazi rally in Florida. The extremist hate groups Blood Tribe and The Goyim Defense League paraded in the Orlando area on Saturday. The Goyim Defense League is an antisemitic hate group that has been known to harass Jews. According to videos of the rally posted on social media, the groups were able to muster a few dozen supporters for the event. On the same day, a separate far-right group called the Order of the Black Sun protested outside Disney World.

Persons: Christopher Polhaus, Hitler, League's, Ron DeSantis, Anna Vishkaee Eskamani, Heil, Laura Loomer, Ryan Palmeter Organizations: Nazi, Service, Labor, Mail Online, Goyim Defense League, Defamation League, Extremism, ADL, Black Sun, Disney, Daily Locations: Florida, Jacksonville, Wall, Silicon, Orlando, FL

☆ I'm a millennial with dreams of owning my own home, but the cutthroat real-estate market has kept me living with my parents in Florida
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

PR account executive David Triana, 27, moved back in with his parents in Clermont, Florida, in 2019. He and his fiancé want to live in Davenport or Clermont, Florida, where the median home sales prices are $363,000 and $475,000, respectively, according to Redfin. I'm an account executive at a PR firm and I currently live in Clermont, Florida, a town that is 45 minutes southwest of downtown Orlando. The real-estate market in Orlando is hotThe greater Orlando area has become busier and there's a lot of new real-estate development. A sidewalk in Clermont, Florida.

Persons: David Triana, homeownership, I've, We're Organizations: Service, Disney Locations: Clermont , Florida, homeownership, Wall, Silicon, Florida, Davenport, Orlando, Puerto Rico, Cuban, United States, Texas, Winter, Clermont

☆ I make up to $1,500 a month cohosting Airbnb units. It only takes me about 3 hours a week and I can do it from anywhere.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Elle Hardy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

He says he spends about three hours a week managing admin for the five properties they cohost. He says they make about $1,000 a month during the year and peak at about $1,500 in the summer. I'm an ICU nurse in Reykjavík, Iceland, but I'm originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee. I spend about 3 hours a week working as a cohostCohosting is integrated into the Airbnb platform, so it makes it really easy. Using the systems I have right now, and while working full time, I'd say I could add another 10 units to our portfolio.

Persons: Seth Sutherland, cohost, Airbnb, Agnes, I'd, I'm, couldn't, Rafael Loza, Sean Rakidzich Organizations: Service, YouTube Locations: Wall, Silicon, Reykjavík, Iceland, Chattanooga , Tennessee, United States, Italy, Tennessee, Orlando, Florida, East Coast

☆ It’s Toxic Slime Time on Florida’s Lake Okeechobee
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +14 min

For thousands of years, Lake Okeechobee pumped life into Florida’s swampy interior. Lake Okeechobee 10 miles Lake Okeechobee 5 miles Lake Okeechobee 5 miles Algal bloom extent on June 12 Source: Satellite image by Landsat By Leanne AbrahamRainy season is just starting, but by late June the lake’s level was roughly two feet higher than the United States Army Corps of Engineers would like. Sunrise over Pahokee and Lake Okeechobee. “Like clockwork.”Similar outbreaks have struck lakes elsewhere, including Lake Champlain, Lake Erie and Lake Tahoe. Equally challenging to grasp is the idea that the whole new lake, as big as it sounds, will fill to capacity if only six inches of Lake Okeechobee is sent its way.

Persons: Ian, Fort Myers, Stuart —, Leanne Abraham Rainy, ”, Star Robinson, it’s, Herbert Hoover, Palm Beach Herbert Hoover, Leanne Abraham, Gil Smart, Robinson, It’s, Herbert Hoover Dike, Roy Senff, Okeechobee’s outflows, Sherwin, Williams, Hoover, Stuart, Nature, Col, James Booth of, Tim Harper, “, Biden, Ron DeSantis, Eric Eikenberg, Bill Mitsch, Mother Nature, Floridians, Stefani Hughes, Smart, VoteWater aren’t, They’re Organizations: United States Army Corps, Engineers, Army Corps of Engineers, Orlando Area, Air, Palm Beach Herbert, Everglades, States Geological Survey, Everett, Inc, Fort, Florida Water Management District, Florida Legislature, Gov, Everglades Foundation, Research, Florida Gulf Coast University Locations: Okeechobee, Fort, Pahokee, Lake Okeechobee, Ala, Orlando, Fla, Kissimmee, Florida, Myers, Gulf, Mexico, Miami, Ga, Palm, Everglades Miami, Lake Champlain, Lake Erie, Tahoe, Stuart, U.S.D.A, Manhattan, South Florida

CNN —Miami GOP Mayor Francis Suarez has filed paperwork to run for president, according to new FEC filings, marking the long-shot candidate’s formal entry to the race. “Conservative mayor Francis Suarez chose a better path for Miami,” the video’s narrator says, highlighting his approach to crime and support for law enforcement. High-profile mayorPrior to his first election as mayor in 2017, Suarez served a Miami city commissioner for eight years. As mayor, Suarez has sought to bring a new era of technology, innovation and entrepreneurship to his city, including promoting industries such as cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence. In 2020, Trump lost Hispanic-majority Miami-Dade County – the state’s most populous county, which includes the city of Miami – by 7 points.

Persons: Francis Suarez, Suarez, Ronald Reagan, ” Suarez, Florida’s, Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen, Tim Scott, Doug Burgum, Asa Hutchinson, Chris Christie, Trump’s, Trump, “, ”, Xavier Suarez, Elon Musk, DeSantis, NewsNation, CNN’s Jake Tapper, Hillary Clinton, DeSantis coasted Organizations: CNN, Miami GOP, Ronald Reagan Presidential, Fox News, Reagan, US, of Mayors, Wednesday, White, “ Conservative, Republican, Florida Gov, United Nations, Tim Scott , North Dakota Gov, Arkansas Gov, New, New Jersey Gov, CBS, GOP, Republican National Committee, Twitter, Disney, Miami Herald, DeSantis, Democratic, Miami, Dade, Miami –, Fox Locations: Simi Valley , California, Cuban, Miami, Florida, Palm Beach, South Carolina, Tim Scott , North, Arkansas, New Jersey, Milwaukee, Central Florida, “, Dade County, Osceola, Orlando, Puerto Rican

☆ Dozens of transgender people in Florida are crowdfunding to flee the state, and they've raised more than $200,000
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Thalia Beaty | Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Dozens of transgender people in Florida are using crowdfunding to help them flee the state. In addition to banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors, the law places new restrictions on adults seeking treatment. Chelf began making plans to leave the state after Florida legislation caused her to lose access to gender affirming care. A marked increase in fundraisers to help trans people leave FloridaPeople have given more than $200,000 since January to fundraisers on GoFundMe started by trans people seeking to leave Florida, according to data from the platform. Sage Chelf shows her GoFundMe campaign to move out of Florida in Orlando, Fla., May 27, 2023.

Persons: —, Sage Chelf, Chelf, Laura Bargfeld, I'm, GoFundMe, Jalen Drummond, Ron DeSantis, Laura Bargfeld That's, Una Osili, Indiana University Lilly, Elise Colomer, it's, Jasmine Beach Organizations: Service, AP, Williams Institute, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, Indiana University, Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Southern Equality Locations: Florida, GoFundMe . Florida, Fla, Orlando, Orlando Fla, Chelf, Cheadle, Illinois, Ferrara

☆ Disney scrapping a $1 billion campus in Florida could screw over adjacent developers banking on it to build their own projects: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Disney's decision to scrap its $1 billion campus could affect projects nearby. CoStar Group told The Wall Street Journal that thousands of homes were built after Disney announced its campus in 2021. However, the development group that owns the land says that Disney's decision will not affect it. Hundreds of employees set to work at the new campus had already moved to Lake Nona before Disney announced they would be abandoning the plan. They also told the Journal that 95% of the multifamily housing at Lake Nona is currently being occupied.

CNN —Disney is scrapping plans to build a new campus that would have brought thousands of employees to Florida, citing “changing business conditions,” according to a memo provided by a Disney spokesperson. It’s also tense time for Disney as the media industry grapples with a difficult advertising environment and a massive writers strike. The campus in Lake Nona, Florida, in the greater Orlando area, was expected to add 2,000 jobs. Before the Florida government selected the board in February, Disney had reached agreements with the outgoing board that limited the power of DeSantis’ appointees. Last month, Disney CEO Bob Iger told investors that he believed DeSantis’ actions to punish Disney were “anti-business.”Disney’s stock rose slightly after its announcement.

☆ Democrats are so desperate to win in Florida that they are considering NBA legends Dwyane Wade and Grant Hill for the Senate
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Some prominent Florida Democrats are eyeing former NBA stars in a bid to reverse their losing streak. NBC News reported that Democrats have talked to Grant Hill and tried to coax Dwyane Wade into running. Democrats are searching for a challenger to Sen. Rick Scott, who is up for reelection in 2024. Having Wade County is great," Wade told the publication. He hasn't been officially approached, but he is on the list of four or five dream candidates to challenge Rick Scott.

☆ Motive Sought After Florida Gunman Kills Three, Including Reporter and 9-Year-Old
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Alyssa Lukpat | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Orange County Sheriff John Mina laid out a timeline of the shootings. Authorities are investigating why a gunman in the Orlando area allegedly killed three people on Wednesday, including a 9-year-old girl and a news reporter officials said he didn’t know. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday identified the three people who died as Dylan Lyons , a 24-year-old television reporter; T’yonna Major , the girl; and Nathacha Augustin , 38 years old. They were killed within hours of each other by the same gunman in the Pine Hills area west of Orlando, officials said.

☆ Disney has bigger problems than Ron DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

But there are problems with spinning off ESPN, even if it would raise cash and allow Disney to trim debt. Labor painsUnionized rank-and-file workers at Disney World last week voted 96% against a contract offer from Disney that would have given them raises of at least $1 a year over the next five years. The company called the rejected wage proposal a “very strong offer.”But the last thing that Iger or Disney needs is to upset the strong demand for travel to Disney World or other park locations. Political battles in FloridaThe political culture wars are yet another headache for Iger, as Disney faces the possible loss of the powers it has to operate as a government-like entity for the land on which Disney World operates. “We are monitoring the progression of the draft legislation, which is complex given the long history of the Reedy Creek Improvement District,” said Jeff Vahle, president, Walt Disney World Resort.

New York CNN —Unionized workers at Disney World have rejected a contract proposal from the company that would have given them at least a $1 an hour raise each year over the five-year life of the rejected offer. The 32,000 Disney employees, members of six different unions, had been urged by their unions’ leadership to vote no. “I think the workers at Disney World have sent a loud message that $1 is not enough. The union and rank-and-file members say workers wouldn’t be able to afford to live in central Florida under the company’s offer. Those working under this contract, all of them full-time employees, represent more than 40% of all workers at Disney World.

New York CNN —Jonathan Pulliam has been working at Disney World since 2018, dressing up as everything from beloved Disney cartoon characters to Star Wars villains. Those working under this contract, all of them full-time employees, represent more than 40% of all workers at Disney World. “A dollar does not afford Disney workers with the ability to keep up with the skyrocketing rent increases. Union leadership said they hope that Disney will return to the table with a better offer once union members reject this one. Unions have represented workers at Disney World since soon after the park’s 1971 opening, but employees have never gone on strike.

It was totally avoidable.”Now, Bolsonaro is in Orlando, where he has supporters among the state's growing number of Brazilian Americans. After Bolsonaro's loss, unfounded claims of election fraud, reminiscent of those in the U.S., began to surface in Brazil. Bannon had said prior to the Brazilian election that Bolsonaro would lose only if “the machines” steal the election. Leading to the presidential elections in Brazil, Trump allies exported many of the former president's campaign strategies to the Latin American country. After Bolsonaro's October loss, tens of thousands of supporters began camping outside military facilities throughout Brazil to protest his loss.

☆ This 32-year-old was incarcerated as a teen—now he brings in over $150,000 a year: 'Your past does not define your future'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

John Luna | CNBC Make ItBut the road to earning six figures wasn't a smooth one for Mckenzie. John Luna | CNBC Make ItMckenzie also earned his GED during his time in prison and had dreams of becoming an educator. When he was incarcerated, Mckenzie found peace through cleaning. John Luna | CNBC Make ItStable housing is also key to helping formerly incarcerated people reenter society, Mckenzie says. John Luna | CNBC Make ItMckenzie also prefers to use cash to pay for most things, which is why he makes so many ATM withdrawals.

☆ 'Life is wild!': First Generation Z member elected to U.S. Congress
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Tyler Clifford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Nov 9 (Reuters) - Maxwell Frost had just been elected to represent Florida in the U.S. Congress when the 25-year-old received a call that embodied the historical moment. It was U.S. President Joe Biden, a fellow Democrat calling with congratulations on being the first person of Generation Z elected to Congress as a member of the House of Representatives. Identifying as Afro-Latino, Frost's background reflects a generation of Americans that is more racially and ethnically diverse than older age groups. Another Gen Z candidate, Republican Karoline Leavitt, lost her congressional race in New Hampshire. Gen Z voters have come of age in a world reshaped by the global pandemic that disrupted work and school culture, all while stirring economic uncertainty.

☆ A New York fugitive was vacationing in Disney World after nearly one year on the run. Then an off-duty officer spotted him.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Mirna Alsharif | Mirna Alsharif Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A New York City fugitive who had been on the run for almost a year was vacationing at Disney World's Animal Kingdom Theme Park when he was spotted by an officer who recognized him, according to court documents. Jeff Andre, a federal officer with the United States Postal Inspection Service, was on vacation Oct. 20 at the Florida theme park when he happened to spot Quashon Burton. Officers approached Burton after he left the Orlando area theme park, where he gave them a false name and resisted arrest. "Perhaps the most concerning factor here is the defendant’s persistent use of false identities and his demonstrated ability to evade law enforcement," wrote United States Attorney Damian Williams. Burton will remain in custody pending trial in the Southern District of New York, according to an order from United States District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan.

☆ DeSantis' popularity among Latinos is boosting his chances of being the first Republican in 20 years to win Miami-Dade
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Carmen.Jpg | Carmen Sesin | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Ron DeSantis’ popularity among Latinos, saying they are boosting his chances of becoming the first Republican governor in 20 years to win traditionally blue Miami-Dade County and therefore propelling his chances of a successful presidential run in 2024. The last time a Republican governor won Miami-Dade County was Jeb Bush in 2002. “DeSantis overperforms here in a way that you don’t tend to see Republican candidates perform elsewhere with Hispanics,” he said. Faced with this, Florida Democrats have expressed frustration and anger over their limited resources and money from national donor groups. Hillary Clinton won Miami-Dade County by almost 30 points in 2016, but Biden won the county by only 7 points.

Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, remained open Tuesday amid the approach of Hurricane Ian along Florida's western coast — though some surrounding Disney properties are set to temporarily close. Follow along for NBC News' live coverage of Hurricane IanAmong the other properties Disney says will be closed Wednesday through Friday:Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. According to Disney's hurricane policy, if the National Hurricane Center issues a hurricane warning for the Orlando area within seven days of a guest's scheduled arrival date, they may call in advance to reschedule or cancel Walt Disney Travel Company Disney resort hotel packages and most room-only reservations without any cancellation or change fees imposed by Disney. The policy does not apply if their stay was not booked through the Walt Disney Travel Company. Since opening in 1971, Disney World has only been forced to close eight times as a result of a hurricane, according to the unofficial Disney blog Inside the Magic.

☆ Everyone talks about all the people moving to Florida. But high prices, hot weather, and shattered expectations are pushing residents out, too.
▼ + stars: | 2022-07-13 | by ( Jordan Pandy | Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Florida was the top 2021 destination for movers, with 221,000 more US residents moving in than out. The leavers say the high cost of living, including skyrocketing insurance prices, is a big factor. Take car insurance: Lovelace, a private investigator who uses her car regularly for work, paid $430 a month. The state's chief financial officer, Jimmy Patronis, said in May 2021 that 900 people a day were moving to Florida. A study by Joblist that compared wages to cost of living ranked Florida last out of all 50 states in affordability.

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