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☆ DeSantis leaves everyone on a cliffhanger on his retribution over the Disney power play: 'Buckle up'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ron DeSantis acknowledged Disney had "tried to pull a fast one" over control in Florida. Ron DeSantis of Florida has pledged he isn't done with trying to control Walt Disney World. DeSantis didn't say what would come next in his battle with the family-favorite company, a feud that first began in early 2022. First DeSantis signed a bill into law in April 2022 to dissolve the Reedy Creek district that oversees Disney. On his book tour stops, DeSantis frequently boasts about taking on Disney over the Parental Rights bill, which he said was necessary to protect children.

☆ A hidden time bomb? A 'Big Short' investor sees financial disaster brewing in housing markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Josh Edelson | Afp | Getty ImagesMore than a decade after a U.S. mortgage meltdown threatened to destroy the international financial system, a "Big Short" investor once again sees financial disaster brewing in the real estate market. Now, Burt believes an overlooked climate risk could see history repeating itself. U.S. housing market overvalued? watch now"The biggest reason why it matters from our perspective is that climate risk isn't being priced into the housing market," Jeremy Porter, head of climate implications at First Street Foundation, told CNBC. 'A humanitarian crisis'Far from a domestic issue, Burt stressed the climate risks associated with the U.S. housing market posed a major problem for countries worldwide.

☆ Florida insiders react with shock, amusement, and dread after Disney outmaneuvers DeSantis to keep most of its power
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

It appears Walt Disney World won't be losing power over its land after all — at least not yet — following a high-profile battle with Republican Gov. "It was a pretty brilliant move by the outgoing board to basically take all the power away," one Florida-based lobbyist, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Insider. Ron DeSantis got married at Disney World in 2009. Aubrey Jewett, a political science professor at the University of Central Florida who co-authored the book "Politics in Florida," told Insider. The company told Insider in a statement that it was "discussed and approved in open, noticed public forums."

☆ DeSantis warns Disney World he'll take a third swing at them after the company wrote in a loophole that collapsed his takeover plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

DeSantis warned that Disney hadn't seen the last of their feud: "There's more to come." "There's a lot of little back and forth going on now with the state control," DeSantis said, the audience booing at the mention of Disney. The governor-appointed board is talking to lawyersIn his new book, DeSantis has a chapter about the dust-up with Disney and how he retaliated against the company. He even revealed that he and his wife, Casey DeSantis, got married at Walt Disney World — a fact first reported by Insider. "The media STILL doesn't realize that Governor DeSantis always thinks 10 steps ahead," Christina Pushaw from the governor's rapid response team wrote on Twitter.

☆ Disney's Florida surprise: an end run around DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] People gather at the Magic Kingdom theme park before the "Festival of Fantasy" parade at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, U.S. July 30, 2022. Florida lawmakers passed a bill in February giving Governor Ron DeSantis effective control over a board that oversees municipal services and development in a special district that encompasses Walt Disney World resort. "It completely circumvents the authority of this board to govern," board member Brian Aungst Jr. was quoted as saying. Disney's then-chief executive officer, Bob Chapek, publicly voiced disappointment with the measure, saying he called DeSantis to express concern about it becoming law. In a move political observers viewed as retaliation for Disney's criticism of the Parental Rights in Education Act, Florida lawmakers passed legislation that ended Disney's virtual autonomy in developing 25,000 acres in central Florida where its theme parks are located.

☆ Ron DeSantis' plan to take control of Disney's land backfired spectacularly because of a loophole in the agreement that may reduce his appointees to powerless functionaries
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Ron DeSantis gained control of Walt Disney World's oversight district board in February. Ron DeSantis' move to take over Walt Disney World's governing board in Florida may have backfired due to a prior obscure agreement that new governor-appointed board members argue stripped them of their power. Disney also had the authority to appoint district board members. But the new supervisors are now saying that previous board members entered an agreement that effectively stripped them of their powers. "All these board members very much would like to see the type of entertainment that all families can appreciate."

☆ How Girl Scouts found itself in a cookie debacle
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —For decades, Girl Scouts has used cookie sales to raise funds and teach scouts about entrepreneurship. “Right now we are focused on ensuring all Girl Scouts have a successful Cookie Season,” Girl Scouts USA told CNN in a statement, adding that it is also focused on optimizing its operations “in real-time, and [capturing] learnings that will inform our strategy going into future seasons.”But for the scouts, those learnings have been hard-won. That meant shoppers could order it themselves, though Girl Scouts encouraged them to ask scouts to place the orders. Plus, Girl Scouts built a lot of hype with the limited-time offer, creating a sense of urgency, Esper noted. Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times/Getty ImagesYet as customers clamored for the cookie, scouts and their parents learned there was no chance of increasing supply by the end of the cookie season in April.

☆ DeSantis-picked education board considers expanding so-called 'Don't Say Gay' law to 12th grade
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Florida's board of education is considering an expansion to a Parental Rights law critics call "Don't Say Gay." It would limit instructions about gender identity and sexual orientation for up to 12th grade. It wasn't immediately clear whether the proposal was aimed at supplanting or clarifying the 2022 law, formally known as the Parental Rights in Education Act. Some Florida school boards have shown they're confused about how to abide by the Parental Rights Act. Some have removed books exploring sexual orientation and gender identity from their libraries, though it's unclear for what grades.

An Insider review found that his company has sold to foreign governments, including a $228 million dollar contract. What Mills didn't advertise was Pacem's munitions contracts with foreign governments. The company's chief legal officer Joseph Schmitz said all of Pacem's foreign munitions sales are approved by the Department of State. Mills's influence over American military spending while having ties to a munitions company poses the potential for conflicts of interest, an ethics watchdog said. In Congress, Mills sits on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees, which oversee military spending and foreign weapons sales.

☆ Girl Scouts’ sold-out cookie is available on eBay. The Scouts are not pleased
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —The Raspberry Rally Girl Scouts cookie, a raspberry-flavored version of the beloved Thin Mint, was always supposed to be a limited edition item. The new Girl Scouts cookie sold out in hours. But profits from the resale market don’t go to Girl Scouts, which said it was “disappointed” that the products are now available through other vendors. “Girl Scouts of the USA, your local Girl Scout council, and our licensed cookie bakers cannot guarantee the freshness or integrity of cookies bought through unauthorized sites.” To buy cookies from Girl Scouts directly, customers should use the Cooke Finder on the Scouts’ website, Girl Scouts said. “We strongly support the entrepreneurial spirit of hardworking local Girl Scout troops and encourage cookie-seekers to also support their local Girl Scouts,” eBay said in a statement to CNN.

☆ A Florida lawmaker thinks the so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill doesn't go far enough — and is pitching a major expansion
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Chris Panella | Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A Florida GOP state representative filed a proposal expanding the state's so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill. The bill, HB 1223, would prohibit instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity up to eighth grade. The bill's creator, GOP Rep. Adam Anderson, said in a statement to the Orlando Sentinel that the bill "promotes parental rights, transparency, and state standards in Florida schools." LGBTQ advocacy groups, such as Equality Florida, condemned the bill. DeSantis and Florida Republicans responded by stripping Disney of its special tax district and taking control of the area around Disney World.

☆ Wall Street expects these 2 fairly valued Club stocks to keep up their strong starts to 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Here's what we looked for, using data compiled by FactSet: Year-to-date gains of 10% or more, based on Thursday's close. Have 10% upside or more to analyst community's average price target, based on Thursday's close. Have a price-to-earnings-growth (PEG) ratio at, or below, the S & P 500's PEG ratio. The PEG ratio is a way analyze a stock's value, offering another layer of considerations compared with the traditional price-to-earnings ratio. That's why we wanted to find Club stocks with a PEG ratio below the S & P 500's PEG ratio of 1.64.

☆ DeSantis echoes Trump in latest offense against the media after taunting the former president during live TV roundtable
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Ron DeSantis won't be the Republican to give the party's response to President Joe Biden's forthcoming State of the Union Address. The broadcast echoed the media ire former President Donald Trump frequently has on display. "To assassinate someone's character with anonymous sources would have been a total no-no," DeSantis said of past media practice. Like Trump, DeSantis often bemoans his media coverage and excoriates what he calls the "corporate press." Despite raising his tussles with the press, DeSantis insisted non-politicians would be the focus of new libel laws.

☆ A Florida GOP congressman sent his colleagues inert grenades as a welcome gift to the House
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Florida congressman Cory Mills gifted his colleagues inert grenades. The grenades, Mills said, were made for an MK19 grenade launcher. The letter to his colleagues assured them in a postscript that "these Florida manufactured 40mm grenades are inert." Mills' letter was posted to Twitter on Thursday by Daily Mail reporter Morgan Phillips. It's unclear how many grenades Mills gifted to his colleagues.

☆ A battle between Disney and activist Peltz brews. Here’s how the situation may unfold
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Kenneth Squire | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Disney offered Peltz, founding partner of Trian Fund Management, a role as a board observer and asked him to sign a standstill agreement, which Peltz declined. Offer of a board observer positionSometimes a board observer position can be beneficial, particularly for investors who do not have a lot of board experience and are less likely to be a regular contributor to board discussions. But offering Peltz a position as a board observer is like saying to Whitney Houston, "You can join the band, but you are not allowed to sing." It is curious as to why Peltz started this proxy fight in the first place and why Disney is resisting it. Peltz acquired his position when Bob Chapek was CEO and likely had a plan to replace him with someone Peltz had already identified.

The ex-Florida tax collector whose arrest led to a federal investigation into U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a former friend, was sentenced Thursday to 11 years in prison for sex trafficking of a minor and other offenses. Prosecutors said Greenberg paid at least one minor to have sex with him and other men. Joel Greenberg, then the Seminole County tax collector, during an interview at his office in Lake Mary, Fla., in 2019. His cooperation with federal officials could play a role in an investigation into whether Gaetz allegedly sex-trafficked a 17-year-old girl. Greenberg’s scandal-plagued term as Seminole County tax collector started in 2017, around the time he and Gaetz became friends.

☆ After a slow start, the 2022 hurricane season roared in with memorable and destructive storms
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Jennifer Gray | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —As the hurricane season closes, a handful of blockbuster storms made history after an eerily quiet first half of the season gave false hope. In fact, we didn’t have any named storms from July 3 to August 31, the first time that’s occurred since 1941. One of those storms was Hurricane Ian, which hit land in late September and will go down as the most memorable storm of the 2022 season. “Tropical storms have formed in every month outside of hurricane season, and there have been a few hurricanes, too,” NOAA said. Historically, we’ve seen at least 15 named storms form in the month of December, even all the way up to December 30.

☆ Top tips for saving money at Disney parks while traveling with a family on a budget
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( Gabrielle Reeder | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

For non-Florida residents who want to visit Disney World, purchasing a vacation package is cost-effective, travel agent Shannon Devine told Insider. For non-Florida residents, purchasing a Disney World vacation package is cost-effective, Shannon Devine, an independent travel agent with Academy Travel who specializes in planning Disney family vacations told Insider. A view of Disney's Grand Floridian Resort main entrance at Walt Disney World. Disney Tsum Tsums or smaller stuffed animals are at Walmart or Target for a fraction of Disney parks' costs. For an estimate of Disney trip costs, visit the Disney World Coast Calculator.

☆ Shooting at Florida high school football game leaves 1 dead
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: 1 min

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A shooting outside a Florida high school football game left one person dead and sent players and spectators scrambling to safety. Orlando’s Jones High School was finishing a Saturday night playoff victory over Wekiva High when a gunman fired several shots in the parking lot during an altercation between two groups, said Eric Smith, the city’s police chief. The Orlando Sentinel reported that after the shots, players and spectators fled to the opposite side of the stadium. Officers ran to the parking lot and found one adult dead and another wounded, Smith said. No charges were immediately filed and no names have been released.

[1/2] A street sign lies on the ground following the passage of Hurricane Nicole in Merritt Island, Florida, U.S. November 10, 2022. “The structural damage along our coastline is unprecedented,” Volusia County Manager George Recktenwald said in a statement. Nicole's storm surge also caused the collapse of parts of the scenic A1A highway, which runs along the Atlantic coast in Volusia County, sheriff's officials said. Hurricane Kate came ashore near Mexico Beach, Florida, on Nov. 21, 1985, said Philip Klotzbach, a hurricane expert at Colorado State University, on Twitter. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

☆ Some felons who are allowed to vote are staying away from the polls because they're afraid of being arrested, Florida lawmaker says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( Taiyler Simone Mitchell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In 2018, Florida granted formerly incarcerated individuals the right to vote, with some exceptions. Some individuals who said they thought they were allowed to vote were arrested in August. The data aligns with a New York Times report that said people who are poor and Black are more likely to be jailed for voter fraud than retirees. Republicans frequently sound the alarm over concerns of voter fraud, including in Florida, where former President Donald Trump won and where three seniors in a pro-Trump elderly community were also charged with voter fraud last year. But in stark contrast to Trump's claims that the 2020 election was stolen, The Associated Press identified less than 500 instances of voter fraud during the 2020 election cycle.

☆ The Justice Department's sex trafficking investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz seems stalled, attorneys say
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-08 | by ( Marc Caputo | Marc Caputo Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +21 min

Those included a stalking charge for falsely smearing a political rival as a pedophile, identity theft and sex trafficking the same 17-year-old who is the alleged victim in the Gaetz case. The alleged victim, who turned 18 in December 2017, did not answer requests for comment from NBC News. Also according to that plea agreement, the alleged victim falsely claimed she was of age on her SeekingArrangement profile. The Gaetz investigation became public in March 2021, after The New York Times reported the general contours of the investigation. The potential witnesses in the federal government’s inquiry into Gaetz is not limited to Greenberg, the alleged victim and Gaetz’s ex-girlfriend.

☆ Hurricane Ian roars ashore in southwest Florida, bringing destructive floods and wind
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The National Weather Service has also issued the highest-possible wind warning for several regions in Florida in anticipation of extreme wind damage from the storm. Hurricane Ian approaches west coast of Florida on Sept. 28th, 2022. A sail boat is beached at Sarasota Bay as Hurricane Ian approaches on September 28, 2022 in Sarasota, Florida. President Joe Biden told Florida residents Wednesday he would support them through the storm "every step of the way." Utility trucks are staged in a rural lot in The Villages of Sumter County, Fla., Wednesday morning, Sept. 28, 2022, in preparation for Hurricane Ian.

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