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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The shakeup of Walt Disney World's governing district more than a year after it was taken over by Gov. Ron DeSantis' appointees continued Wednesday with the departure of its board chairman who had been highly critical of Disney. In an email, DeSantis' communications director, Bryan Griffin, thanked Garcia for “successfully navigating” the transition of the district from a governing body controlled by Disney supporters to the current iteration controlled by DeSantis appointees. As punishment for opposition to the law, DeSantis took over the district through legislation passed by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature and appointed a new board of supervisors. Disney sued DeSantis and his appointees, claiming the company’s free speech rights were violated for speaking out against the legislation.

Persons: Walt Disney, Ron DeSantis, Martin Garcia's, Glen Gilzean, DeSantis, Martin didn't, Bryan Griffin, Garcia, “, Garcia “, ” Griffin, Stephanie Kopelousos, Kopelousos, ”, Disney, Mike Schneider Organizations: Gov, Disney, Central, Republican, DeSantis, Florida Legislature, Straight Alliance Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Central Florida, Orange County, Orlando, Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The court fight between Disney and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' appointees over control of Walt Disney World's government won't be decided until at least this summer, provided the two sides don't reach a settlement beforehand. A hearing over whether the state court case should move forward or be decided without the need for a full trial was set last week for July 25 in Orlando. Disney claims the Republican governor and his appointees took over the district, which provides government services like planning and firefighting at Disney World, in retaliation for the company opposing Florida's so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law. DeSantis and his appointees to the governing district had a first-round victory in the multiple court fights over the takeover when a federal judge in Tallahassee in January dismissed Disney’s free speech lawsuit against them.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Walt Disney, DeSantis, Disney’s, Mike Schneider Organizations: Disney, Florida Gov, Republican Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Orlando, Tallahassee

Ron DeSantis that gave the tribe exclusive rights to run sports wagers as well as casino gambling on its reservations. The companies sued Deb Haaland, secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior, which oversees tribal gambling. State economic forecasters predict the revenue sharing from tribal gaming could total $4.4 billion through the end of this decade. The pari-mutuel firms also sued DeSantis and leaders of the Florida Legislature, which authorized the compact, in a case pending before the Florida Supreme Court. The tribe argued the legislature has the authority to decide where online gambling is initiated and the amendment doesn't change that.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Deb Haaland, DeSantis, Seminole Tribe, Daniel Wallach, Jason Molina, ” Molina, “ It’s, ___ Daniel Kozin, Mike Schneider Organizations: Seminole, Supreme, West Flagler Associates, Fort Myers Corporation, U.S . Department of Interior, U.S, Florida Constitution, Florida Legislature, Florida Supreme, Casinos, DeSantis, Seminole Tribe, State Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Florida, U.S, Bonita, South Florida, Miami, Hollywood , Florida

Opponents said the law had created confusion about whether teachers could identity themselves as LGBTQ+ or if they even could have rainbow stickers in classrooms. Other states used the Florida law as a template to pass prohibitions on classroom instruction on gender identity or sexual orientation. Under the terms of the settlement, the Florida Board of Education will send instructions to every school district saying the Florida law doesn't prohibit discussing LGBTQ+ people, nor prevent anti-bullying rules on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or disallow Gay-Straight Alliance groups. It barred instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through the third grade, and it was expanded to all grades last year. In some cases, books dealing with LGBTQ+ topics were removed from classrooms and lines mentioning sexual orientation were excised from school musicals.

Persons: it’s, “, ” Roberta Kaplan, Ron DeSantis's, couldn’t, ”, Ryan Newman, DeSantis, Kaplan, ” Kaplan, Mike Schneider Organizations: —, Florida Board, Education, Straight Alliance, Florida Gov, Republican, GOP, Florida Legislature, Dade County School Board, Walt Disney, Disney, Eleventh Circuit, Appeals Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Florida, Alabama , Arkansas , Indiana , Iowa, Kentucky, North Carolina, Miami, DeSantis, Tallahassee

The test questions will be sent to 480,000 households, with the statistical agency expecting just over half to respond. If the questions are approved, it will be the first time sexual orientation and gender identity questions are asked on the American Community Survey, which already asks questions about commuting times, internet access, family life, income, education levels, disabilities and military service, among other topics. Possible answers: Male; Female; Transgender; Nonbinary; and “This person uses a different term” (with a space to write in a response). The second gender question will be tested in two different ways to determine whether to give respondents the opportunity to select multiple answers. The agency also plans to add what it describes as a “verification” question for anyone whose responses on the two gender questions don't match.

Persons: Mike Schneider Organizations: American Community Survey, American, Survey

The proposed questions geared toward people age 15 and older will be tested sometime this year. Intersex is an umbrella term for a number of conditions where internal or external sex characteristics aren’t exactly like typical male or female bodies. Rene Coig objected to respondents being asked their sex at birth and then being asked their current gender. Others were disheartened by transgender being separated out as a category from male, female and nonbinary in the gender question instead of including the options of transgender man or transgender female. Several Republicans in the U.S. Senate have objected to some of the proposed questions.

Persons: ”, Gary Gates, demographer, Gates, “, ” Gates, David Ernesto Munar, Rene Coig, Coig, Amy Leite Bennett, Marco Rubio, JD Vance, Robert Santos, Mike Schneider Organizations: Associated Press, American Community Survey, UCLA, Howard Brown Health, University of Washington, Hennepin County Health, Human Services, Survey, American, Republicans, U.S . Senate, Ohio, Rutherford Institute Locations: United States, Chicago, Hennepin, Minneapolis, U.S, Sens, Marco Rubio of Florida

Workers who bring Disneyland’s beloved characters to life — including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Cinderella — are looking to unionize. Labor organizers announced the campaign Tuesday, saying performers want better safety conditions and scheduling policies to help keep the magic alive for visitors. While most of the more than 35,000 workers at the Disneyland Resort already have labor unions, about 1,700 performers and character actors do not. “This isn't one of those situations where we're out making the employer the bad guy,” said Kate Shindle, president of Actors' Equity Association, which would represent the performers. Disneyland officials said in a statement that they believe cast members deserve the right to a confidential vote.

Persons: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, ”, Kate Shindle, Disney, — Taxin, Mike Schneider Organizations: Workers, Labor, Disneyland, Actors ' Equity Association, Disney, Disney California, Downtown Disney, Themed Entertainment, ’ Equity Association, Walt Disney Co, Associated Press, Actors, Equity, National Labor Relations Board Locations: Anaheim, Florida, Santa Ana , California, Orlando , Florida

The U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday halted plans to change how it asks people about disabilities after facing a growing backlash. Supporters of the proposed changes said the revisions would have provided more nuanced data and given officials better details about disabilities that can inform how services or resources are provided. In a test run, the percentage of respondents who were defined as having a disability went from 13.9% using the current questions to 8.1% under the proposed changes. The proposed changes to the disability questions were among several tweaks to the American Community Survey that the Census Bureau was planning to submit this year for approval to the Office of Management and Budget. As part of that process, the Census Bureau solicited public feedback and got more than 12,000 responses, with the majority expressing concerns about changes to the disability questions.

Persons: ”, Scott Landes, “, Robert Santos, ” Santos, Bonnielin Swenor, Mike Schneider Organizations: Census, Survey, Syracuse University, American, American Community Survey, Bureau, Management, Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Disney on Thursday appealed a judge's dismissal of its free speech lawsuit over what it described as Gov. A separate lawsuit over who controls the district also is still pending in state court in Orlando. Disney had argued that legislation signed by DeSantis and passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature transferring control of the Disney World governing district from Disney supporters to DeSantis appointees was in retaliation for the company publicly opposing the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” law. Before control of the district changed hands from Disney allies to DeSantis appointees early last year, the Disney supporters on its board signed agreements with Disney shifting control over design and construction at Disney World to the company. Disney has filed counterclaims that include asking the state court to declare the agreements valid and enforceable.

Persons: Disney, Ron DeSantis, Walt Disney, ”, ” DeSantis, DeSantis, District Judge Allen Winsor, Winsor, Richard Foglesong, “, ” Foglesong, Jacob Schumer, ” Schumer, Mike Schneider Organizations: Walt, Disney, DeSantis, Republican, District, Rollins College, Disney World, Orlando Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Florida, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed Disney's free speech lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, leaving the company's remaining hopes of regaining control of the district that governs Walt Disney World to a separate state court challenge. U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor in Tallahassee said in his decision that Disney lacked standing in its First Amendment lawsuit against the Republican governor and his appointees to the Disney World governing district. The separate lawsuit is still pending in state court in Orlando. In retaliation for Disney objecting to the law, DeSantis and Republican legislators took over the district Disney had controlled for more than five decades and installed five board members loyal to the governor.

Persons: Disney's, Ron DeSantis, District Judge Allen Winsor, DeSantis, Mike Schneider Organizations: —, Florida Gov, Walt Disney, U.S, District, Disney, Republican Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Tallahassee, Orlando

Buell died Monday in Sunnyvale, California, where his daughter lived, after battling pneumonia, his daughter Barbara Buell said in an email. “Hal pushed us an extra step,” Adams said in an internal AP newsletter at the time of Buell's retirement in 1997. Buell implemented the transition from a chemical darkroom where film was developed to digital transmission and digital news cameras. He also helped create AP’s digital photo archive in 1997. Buell is survived by his daughter, Barbara Buell, and her husband, Thomas Radcliffe, as well as two grandchildren and a great-grandson.

Persons: — Hal Buell, Buell, Barbara Buell, “, ’, ”, Eddie Adams, Horst Faas, Nick Ut, Hal, ” Adams, Kim Phuc, ” Buell, ” Santiago, ” Lyon, Kennedy, Thomas Radcliffe, Angela, Claudia DiMartino, Mike Schneider Organizations: Associated Press, AP, South Vietnamese Air Force, Northwestern University, Army, “, History, AP Corporate Locations: SUNNYVALE, Calif, Vietnam, Sunnyvale , California, Saigon, New York, ” Santiago Lyon, Tokyo, Chicago, AP's New York, Asia, Hollywood, Iwo Jima, United States, Orlando , Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Disney this week requested a second delay in a state court case involving its legal battle with Gov. Ron DeSantis' appointees over who controls Walt Disney World's governing district, as the company accused them and the governor's office of stonewalling requests for documents that are part of the litigation. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesDisney, DeSantis and the district have taken their fight over who controls the district to state and federal courts. The district said in court papers that it had provided the appropriate documents. Earlier this month the Republican Party of Florida ousted Christian Ziegler as chairman of the state party.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Walt, DeSantis, ” Erin O'Donnell, Disney, hasn't, hadn't, Nick Meros, Bridget Ziegler, Christian Ziegler, “ It’s, ” O'Donnell, Mike Schneider Organizations: Disney, Gov, Walt Disney, GOP, Florida Legislature, Central, Liberty, Republican Party of Florida Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Florida, Central Florida, Sarasota

The request for documents and communications was made Thursday by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, now controlled by DeSantis appointees. The district wants all Disney communications about DeSantis, as well as communications dealing with laws passed by the Republican-dominated Florida Legislature that switched control of the district from Disney supporters to the governors’ appointees and nullified deals the company made with the Disney-controlled district before the state takeover. Before control of the district changed hands from Disney allies to DeSantis appointees, the Disney supporters on its board signed agreements with Disney shifting control over design and construction at Disney World to the company. The new DeSantis appointees claimed the “eleventh-hour deals” neutered their powers, and the district sued the company in state court to have the contracts voided. Political Cartoons View All 1253 ImagesDisney has filed counterclaims which include asking the state court to declare the agreements valid and enforceable.

Persons: Ron DeSantis ’, “, ”, DeSantis, Mike Schneider Organizations: —, — Florida Gov, Disney, Walt Disney World, Central, Republican, Florida Legislature, The Central, Improvement Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, — Florida, Central Florida, Florida, The Central Florida, Tallahassee

The countersuit comes months after the institution sued him and others over the scandal. “These two statements fortified Defendant’s belief that the 25 paintings were authentic Basquiats,” said the former museum CEO. Political Cartoons View All 1247 ImagesDe Groft is seeking more than $50,000 for wrongful termination, defamation and breach of contract. An email seeking comment was sent Tuesday evening to a spokeswoman for the Orlando Museum of Art. Basquiat, who lived and worked in New York City, found success in the 1980s as part of the neo-Expressionism movement.

Persons: —, Jean, Michel Basquiat, Aaron De Groft, De Groft, ”, Groft, Basquiat, Thad Mumford, Mumford, Michael Barzman, Mike Schneider Organizations: FBI, Orlando Museum of Art, American Alliance of Museums, FedEx Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Florida, Orlando , Florida, tatters, New York City, Los Angeles

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Disney on Tuesday released a study showing its economic impact in Florida at $40.3 billion as it battles Florida Gov. Disney accounted for 263,000 jobs in Florida, more than three times the actual workforce at Walt Disney World, according to the study conducted by Oxford Economics and commissioned by Disney, covering fiscal year 2022. The jobs include Disney employees as well as jobs supported by visitor spending off Disney World property. In central Florida, Disney directly accounts for 1 in 8 jobs, and for every direct job at Disney World, another 1.7 jobs are supported across Florida, Oxford Economics said. Before control of the district changed hands from Disney allies to DeSantis appointees, the Disney supporters on its board signed agreements with Disney shifting control over design and construction at Disney World to the company.

Persons: Disney, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, “, Mike Schneider Organizations: Florida Gov, Disney, Walt Disney, Oxford Economics, Sunshine State, Central, Florida Legislature Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Florida, Disney, Oxford, DeSantis, Southern California, Orlando , Florida, Central Florida, Orlando, Tallahassee

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Morale and trust within the Walt Disney World government has deteriorated since allies of Florida Gov. With the departure of so many district employees in such a short period of time, the district is “no longer functional,” a facilities director who left last month wrote in her exit survey. Disney has sued DeSantis and the members of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board in federal court in Tallahassee over the takeover, claiming its free speech rights were violated. Disney is also battling the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District in state court in Orlando. Before control of the district changed hands, the Disney supporters on its board signed agreements with Disney to shift control over design and construction at Disney World to the company.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, ”, “, there’s, DeSantis, hadn't, Matthew Oberly, Martin Garcia, ” Garcia, Glen Gilzean, Gilzean, Mike Schneider Organizations: —, Walt Disney, Florida Gov, Central, District, Associated Press, Republican, GOP, Florida Legislature, Disney, Improvement Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Florida, Central Florida, “, Reedy, cronyism, Tallahassee, Orlando

Ron DeSantis' appointees is dragging its feet in providing requested documents to Disney in a lawsuit over who has design and construction powers over the company’s sprawling theme park resort in central Florida, Disney said in court papers. The new DeSantis appointees claimed the “eleventh-hour deals” neutered their powers, and the district sued the company in state court to have the contracts voided. Disney has filed counterclaims which include asking the state court to declare the agreements valid and enforceable. Disney also is seeking from DeSantis’ office and several state agencies internal communications, including text messages and emails, and documents. DeSantis and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District have asked a federal judge to throw out Disney’s First Amendment lawsuit, calling it meritless.

Persons: Walt, Ron DeSantis, Disney, ” Disney, DeSantis, Mike Schneider Organizations: Walt Disney, Florida Gov, Disney, Central, Improvement, “ Productions Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Florida, Central Florida

CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio (AP) — As Jadarrius Rose drove his 18-wheeler through rural Ohio, a simple missing mudflap caught the highway patrol’s eye. The trip ended with a police dog’s powerful jaws clamping down on Rose even as he tried to surrender. For some, the scenes harken back to the Civil Rights Movement, when authorities often turned dogs and firehoses on peaceful Black protesters marching for equality. A TROUBLED HISTORYCircleville, located about 25 miles (40 km) south of Columbus, Ohio, resembles many rural towns across the country. For those working to improve race relations in Ohio, the roadside attack was a reminder of all that is still left to do.

Persons: Jadarrius Rose, Rose, “, Walter Gadsden ., Derrick Holmes, ” Holmes, Holmes, ”, ’, David Haynes, Haynes, Circleville’s, Shawn Baer, —, Madalyn Wasilczuk, ” Wasilczuk, Wasilczuk, It’s, Michael Gould, ” Gould, Ryan Speakman, Councilwoman Caryn Koch, Esterline, “ I’m, Nana Jones, Rhonda Shafner, Aaron Morrison, Mike Schneider, Samantha Hendrickson Organizations: Investigations, Civil Rights Movement, Associated Press, U.S . Records, Highway Patrol, FBI, Baptist Church, ”, . Police, University of South, Police Canine Force, Circleville Police, Ohio Patrolman’s Benevolent, AP, Columbus, NAACP Locations: CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio, Belgian, Birmingham , Alabama, Salt Lake City, Woodson Terrace , Missouri, Lafayette , Indiana, Columbus , Ohio, Americas, Southern U.S, University of South Carolina, New York City, Rose, Circleville, New York, Orlando , Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Disney attorneys want to question a previous administrator of the governing district that provides municipal services to Walt Disney World as part of its defense against a state lawsuit brought by a board made up of appointees of Florida Gov. The agreements were signed in February before the district takeover by the DeSantis appointees, who claim the contracts neutered their powers. The appointees are now suing Disney in state court in an attempt to void the deals. One of the arguments the DeSantis appointees make about why the agreements should be voided is that they weren't properly publicized. Political Cartoons View All 1211 ImagesDisney has filed counterclaims in the state lawsuit which include asking the state court to declare the agreements valid and enforceable.

Persons: —, Ron DeSantis, John Classe, DeSantis, Glen, Mike Schneider Organizations: — Disney, Walt Disney, Florida Gov, Central, DeSantis, Republican, Florida Legislature, Disney, Classe Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Central Florida, Florida, Glen Gilzean, Classe

The legal filings marked an escalation in the battle between the entertainment giant and DeSantis, a candidate for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. Disney has sued DeSantis in federal court, claiming the governor violated its free speech rights by punishing it for expressing opposition to the law. Meanwhile, the governing district now controlled by DeSantis appointees has sued Disney in state court. Disney filed counterclaims that include asking a state court to declare the agreements valid and enforceable. The DeSantis allies are arguing that one of the reasons the agreements should be invalidated is they weren't properly publicized.

Persons: Ron DeSantis ratcheted, DeSantis, Walt Disney, Disney, —, Mike Schneider Organizations: Disney, Central, Governor Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Florida, Central Florida, “, U.S, DeSantis

The United States had 3.5 million residents who identify as Middle Eastern or North African, Venezuelans were the fastest-growing Hispanic group last decade and Chinese and Asian Indians were the two largest Asian groups, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. MIDDLE EASTERN OR NORTH AFRICAN POPULATIONThe 2020 census was the first to allow respondents to identify themselves as coming from a Middle Eastern or North African country, otherwise known as MENA. ASIAN POPULATIONMore than 5.2 million people identified as Chinese, the largest group among respondents who were Asian alone or in combination with another group. The Nepalese population was the fastest growing Asian group, growing from almost 52,000 people in 2010 to almost 206,000 people in 2020. Some 1.9 million respondents who picked “some other race” identified as multiracial or multi-ethnic, and more than a half million said they were Brazilian.

Persons: Biden, ”, Maya Berry, it’s, Nicolás Maduro’s, Ernesto Ackerman, Mike Schneider Organizations: . Census, Bureau, Survey, Arab American Institute, Independent Venezuelan American Citizens, Puerto Ricans Locations: States, U.S, Jordanian, Moroccan, Washington, California, Michigan, New York, Venezuela, Miami, Puerto, American, U.S . New York, Texas

But it's not because of a sudden flood of moving trucks into Atlanta, New Orleans and San Francisco. The Atlanta urban area had its population adjusted to 5.1 million residents from 4.9 million residents. The population of the New Orleans urban area grew to 963,212 residents from 914,531. The additional 48,681 residents had been mistakenly assigned to the Laplace-Lutcher-Gramercy, Louisiana, urban area, which was supposed to be deleted following a merger with the New Orleans urban area. The San Francisco-Oakland urban area's population was corrected to 3.5 million residents from 3.2 million.

Persons: Rather, Mike Schneider Organizations: U.S, U.S ., New, San, Twitter Locations: Atlanta , New Orleans, San Francisco, U.S, Atlanta, Gainesville , Georgia, New Orleans, Gramercy , Louisiana, Oakland, San Rafael, Novato , California

The expansion of the child tax credit expired at the end of 2021, and other pandemic-related benefits have expired within the past year. As a result, the supplemental poverty measure rate for children jumped 7.2 percentage points to 12.4% in 2022, according to the Census Bureau. “We did see the child tax credit had a substantial decrease in child poverty." In a statement, President Joe Biden blamed congressional Republicans for failing to extend the enhanced child tax credit and vowed to restore it. The supplemental poverty measure includes both cash and noncash benefits and subtracts necessary expenses such as taxes and medical expenses.

Persons: ” Liana Fox, “, Joe Biden, ”, Biden, Mike Schneider, X Organizations: U.S . Census, Black, Census, Democrat Locations: United States, U.S

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