Latest news with #Orlando-area
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Editorial: Leaders' resolve on Pulse memorial reflects our community's strength
It's time. It's time. It's past time. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings knows the truth of those words more than most. As the county's elected sheriff, he left his home in the pre-dawn hours of June 12, 2016 to rush to the site of downtown Orlando's Pulse nightclub. He'd stay there for nearly 24 hours, working beside his friend John Mina (who was at the time Orlando's police chief) as law enforcement frantically sought to rescue those trapped inside. Demings will likely never forget that night, nor the weeks and months that followed. There are so many more Central Floridians who have horrific memories engraved on their souls. The survivors who huddled and hid as a gunman stalked through the club. The emergency-department staffers who worked tirelessly to save as many lives as they could. The family members who pleaded to know if their sons, daughters, spouses, friends or other loved ones were among the dead. Community leaders like Orlando Commissioner Patty Sheehan, the county's first openly gay elected official, who rushed to the site and tried to comfort family members' fear and grief. And the millions of Central Floridians who fought to reconcile the knowledge that their home had become the site of the worst mass shooting in the nation's history — up until that point. (Sadly, it's been eclipsed). Those survivors may not need a memorial to recall the horror of those early dawn hours. But they deserve one, especially if it nurtures the lasting changes that brought Orlando-area residents together in anguish and solidarity. That compassion has centered on the LGBTQ+ community that formed the base of Pulse's clientele, and the young Hispanics who came from across Central Florida for a weekly celebration of Latin music. It was an outpouring of acceptance that transcended the political, changing Orlando for good, and for the better. It lives on in many local residents's stubborn resistance to anti-immigrant crusades and attempts to marginalize sexual minorities. The names and faces of the 49 'angels' who died that night should never be forgotten. Nor should the terror of another 53 who were wounded but survived. The psychological scars of those who ran for their lives, or who huddled in hiding while waiting for rescue, also deserve acknowledgement. Most of all, the tragic lessons of this hate crime should be memorialized in the hopes that it avoids a repeat. And the resilience of local residents — their steadfast refusal to let Orlando and its surroundings be redefined by hate — should be celebrated. That's why Orange County residents should applaud the leadership of elected county and city leaders, who are joining forces to insist on (and pay for) a memorial on the site of the nightclub at the corner of Orange Avenue and Kaley Street. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer pushed for the city to take the lead after the collapse of the nonprofit foundation that was supposed to build the memorial. The wait has been infuriating, stretching the boundaries of trust and raising serious questions about what happened to millions of dollars raised toward the ostensible goal of creating a suitable tribute. Local leaders should continue to push — through any means at their disposal — for a thorough audit of OnePulse, the nonprofit that solicited money toward a memorial yet stumbled again and again. But the plans for a $12 million memorial, developed under the guidance of Orlando city government, are heartbreakingly beautiful — a glowing tribute of brightly colored glass, flowing water and the names of those angels who now stand as guardians to this community's resilience, hope and love. Plans unveiled before the County Commission Tuesday show a site that will offer ample opportunity for reflection — both of the tragedy that brought Central Floridians to their knees, and the inspiration leading them to stand together in solidarity and service without prejudice. Commissioners spent nearly two hours discussing the city's request to contribute $5 million toward the cost of the memorial, but the outcome was never seriously in doubt. The biggest point of strife: Who would make the motion to proceed with the donation. Demings took that victory by fiat, and it's hard to criticize his decision. His early, strong leadership almost certainly broke down barriers among more conservative communities that might otherwise have responded to the massacre with silence — or worse. There are still big questions ahead, including a continued probe into the failures of the OnePulse Foundation. City and county leaders should work together to demand answers. Some community members may also criticise the decision to remove most — possibly all — of the nightclub building and its iconic sign as the memorial is constructed. Certainly, their shared financial contribution gives every Orange County resident the right to voice their opinion; for more information, visit But that should not obscure the victory here, and Orange County and Orlando residents should be rightly proud of their elected leaders for insisting that plans for a memorial move forward — despite the delays and abuse of trust. Once again, this community has chosen to transcend tragedy and hatred with hope and unity. It is the right decision, and within two years this city should have a fitting memorial to the sacrifice of young people who only wanted to dance and have fun, without boundaries or prejudice. It is time. It is past time. The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Executive Editor Roger Simmons and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at insight@
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Orlando weekend events: Leu Gardens movie night, CommUNITY Rainbow Run, orchid sale
As Florida's sweltering summer season kicks into full swing, many of the Orlando area's popular outdoor events have already passed for this calendar year or will wait to return until cooler temperatures arrive. However, there are still a number of locally-focused happenings for the community to enjoy the first weekend of June. Central Florida's calendar for the weekend of June 6-8 includes the 9th annual CommUNITY Rainbow Run, a movie night at Leu Gardens featuring 'Toy Story,' a lake cleanup with Central Florida Recon, an orchid sale and a vintage market. Orlando-area art enthusiasts can enjoy the FAVO Art Stroll at Faith Arts Village Orlando and the opening of the 44th Annual Juried Student Exhibition at Crealdé School of Art. Here are ways to enjoy this sunny early summer weekend in Central Florida. This annual running tradition commemorates the strength of the Orlando community in the aftermath of the Pulse tragedy. Runners, joggers and walkers navigate a 4.9K route that goes from Orlando City Hall to Pulse and back in honor of the lives lost on June 12, 2016. The race aims to serve as a testament to Orlando's resilience and love. Proceeds from the event will go toward the Orlando United Pulse Memorial, a project of the nonprofit organization Strengthen Orlando. If you go: The 9th annual CommUNITY Rainbow Run begins at 7:30 a.m. June 7 at 400 S. Orange Ave. in Orlando. Registration costs $49 in advance. More information: 'Toy Story' is the cinematic selection for the June movie night at Leu Gardens. Enjoy the film outdoors in a beautiful garden setting during this all-ages event. The gardens open at 7 p.m. and the movie begins around 8:30 p.m. this Friday. Guests can pack dinner and seats, but pets and tents are not allowed. If you go: Leu Gardens' June Movie Night opens at 7 p.m. June 7 at 1920 N. Forest Ave. in Orlando. Tickets cost $8 per adult and $6 per child (ages 4-17) plus fees. Tickets are not available at the door and seating is first-come, first-served. More information: The Central Florida Orchid Society hosts its 67th annual orchid show and sale this weekend with thousands of plants for sale. Vendors bring offerings for beginners and collectors alike. Visitors can also find door prizes, raffles, expert speakers and demonstrations, American Orchid Society judging and displays over the course of three days at the Florida National Armory in Orlando. If you go: The Central Florida Orchid Society's 67th annual orchid sale and show is from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. June 6-7 and from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. June 8 at 2809 S. Ferncreek Ave. in Orlando. Tickets are $5 per day or $10 for the weekend. Children age 13 and younger enter for free. More information: FAVO (Faith Arts Village Orlando) hosts its FAVO Art Stroll Friday and Saturday evening featuring vendors, studio artists and light refreshments. Visitors can also see the opening reception of 'SYNERGY,' a themed art exhibition with art from Marsha De Broske and Diane Martens that celebrates the spirit of the Everglades in gallery 149. Explore the event from 5-9 p.m. June 6-7 at 221 E Colonial Drive in Orlando. More information: Crealdé School of Art's 44th Annual Juried Student Exhibition showcases some of the best student work in painting, drawing, photography, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry and fiber arts. The exhibition opens with a reception from 7:30-9:30 p.m. June 6 at 600 St. Andrews Blvd. in Winter Park. More information: Central Florida Recon hosts a cleanup at Lake Formosa this weekend in partnership with the Lake Formosa Neighborhood Association. Pitch in on the water with a kayak or by walking the shoreline to pick up trash this Saturday morning. Volunteers should bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen but other equipment will be provided. The cleanup is from 9 a.m.-11 p.m. June 7 at 1801 Alden Road in Orlando. More information: The Florida Vintage Market lands at Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company on Sunday offering curated clothing items from the 2000s. The all-ages event is family-friendly and pet-friendly. Attend the free event from noon-5 p.m. June 8 at 1300 Alden Road in Orlando. More information: Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@ Stay up to date with our latest travel, arts and events coverage by subscribing to our newsletters at
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Maxwell: Will Florida's new U.S. Attorney target corruption?
After covering politics in Florida for more than a quarter century, I've concluded that one of the biggest problems is corruption. Not just that it takes place — and boy, does it — but that so many of this state's prosecutors and law-enforcement agencies seem totally disinterested in curbing it. Some are lazy. Some are complicit. Some prefer to make big shows about arresting low-level offenders over doing the hard and feather-ruffling work required to go after the politically connected. Whatever the reason, very few Florida prosecutors have made targeting corruption a top priority. If you want proof, I have two words for you: Joel Greenberg. The guy was a one-man wrecking ball to the public trust and coffers. Yet it wasn't Florida investigators who were hot on Greenberg's trail. It was the Orlando Sentinel. This newspaper wrote story after story about the former tax collector abusing his position, handing out bogus contracts to politically connected cronies and even paying three of his former groomsmen more than $600,000. And do you know what state prosecutors did about all this? Nothing. It wasn't until the feds swooped in that Greenberg was held to account, ultimately pleading guilty to six felonies that netted him an 11-year prison sentence. That's why federal prosecutors are important. That's also why I was particularly interested in the story in Wednesday's newspaper about the new U.S. Attorney for Florida's Middle District — the guy who replaced the former federal prosecutor who went after Greenberg. I wanted to know what crimes he plans on prosecuting. Greg Kehoe's top priority, as listed in the piece from the Tampa Bay Times, were immigration crimes. He also cited fraud. Nowhere was the word 'corruption' even mentioned. Greg Kehoe outlines priorities as new Orlando-area U.S. attorney Now, that doesn't necessarily mean Kehoe plans on giving corrupt pols a pass. I emailed him Tuesday to ask him if corruption was also one of his priorities. He didn't immediately respond. But we should find out soon enough. Hardly a month goes by without some public official in Florida doing something that merits probing. And Kehoe already has a test case on his hands with former State Rep. Carolina Amesty, whom the feds have accused of fraudulently obtaining money meant for COVID relief and using it for personal expenses. Former state Rep. Carolina Amesty charged with stealing COVID-19 relief funds Kehoe actually made a point of citing pandemic-relief fraud cases as a priority. That's encouraging, since prosecutors are often as soft on white-collar, financial crimes as they are corruption. A street urchin caught stealing a TV gets the book thrown at him while a hospital exec caught stealing millions of tax dollars gets a deal. And maybe elected governor. Kehoe told the Times: 'White-collar fraud is extremely important because, frankly, it damages the fabric of society …' Amen. But Kehoe may face some serious pressure on the Amesty case, since the former GOP legislator hired Brad Bondi — the brother of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi — as her attorney. And Pam Bondi is the one who gave Kehoe his new job. In fact, the Justice Department announced that the Middle District's former prosecutor — Roger Handberg, who oversaw the cases against both Amesty and Greenberg — was out of his job the same day Amesty appeared in court. Former Rep. Amesty retains well-connected lawyer: Trump AG-pick Pam Bondi's brother Now, I'd like to believe that Pam Bondi will follow every ethical letter of the law. But I'd also like to believe that my abs will get ripped by eating bacon burgers and buffalo wings. Bondi's track record as Florida's AG was well-documented. Most notably, she was caught cashing a $25,000 campaign check from Donald Trump's foundation just three days after her office said it was reviewing complaints from Floridians who said they'd been fleeced by a Trump money-making venture. No prosecutor who even cared about the appearance of impropriety would accept money from someone they'd been asked to probe. Kehoe says he and Bondi are old friends, which is how he got the job. I had a front-row seat to Pam Bondi's messy stint as attorney general | Commentary Kehoe, 70, is a former federal and international prosecutor who went after everyone from outlaw bikers to war criminals. He's also a former defense attorney, who defended everyone from corrupt politicians to accused war criminals. One of his former clients was a Croatian general who was convicted of crimes against humanity but then had those convictions overturned on appeal. Another was former Democratic Congresswoman Corrine Brown who was convicted on 18 fraud charges before those charges were overturned and she pleaded guilty to a lesser charge. I don't know the Croatian war general. But I read every word of the lengthy federal case against Corrine Brown, and her actions stunk. Maxwell: Corrine Brown delivered … to herself, feds say You can't always judge attorneys by their clients. And Kehoe claims to want this new job prosecuting crimes across the Middle District that covers 35 counties from Northeast to Southwest Florida because he believes in 'the greater good.' Well, a big part of that is going after the bad guys, even when they're wealthy, powerful or politically connected. Sometimes there are jurisdictional issues. State crimes should obviously be pursued by state officials while federal ones should be pursued by federal ones. But sometimes, it's just a matter of which prosecutor cares. And too often in Florida, no prosecutors have. And there's plenty of shady behavior at state and local agencies where federal money is involved. The Hope Florida scandal involves Medicaid money, for instance. And a new scandal seems to pop up at Orlando's federally funded airport every few years. Readers often ask why Florida seems to have a disproportionate number of politicians doing shady things. And I usually respond: Partly because there aren't many prosecutors in this state who do much to stop it. smaxwell@ Joel Greenberg's prosecutor gets a promotion. Great. Let's prosecute some more | Commentary
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
World's largest cruise ship performs sea trials before Port Canaveral arrival
What will become the largest cruise ship in the world is set to begin sailing from Port Canaveral in August, but first Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas has to complete a series of sea trials. The sister ship to current titleholder Icon of the Seas that debuted out of Miami last year ventured out into the waters off the coast of Turku, Finland, where the 248,663-gross-ton vessel has been under construction since February 2023. With less than 100 days before its Aug. 31 debut from the Orlando-area port, the ship left Monday on an 11-day series of trials to test out the vessel's navigation, naval architecture and engineering with more than 2,000 watchful eyes on board making sure Star of the Seas is seaworthy. The open-ocean trials will cover hundreds of miles before it returns to the shipyard for final touches followed by an official handover to Royal Caribbean and transatlantic sailing to Port Canaveral. The ship is the second of four announced Icon-class vessels that will each be incrementally larger than their sister ships. The class is about 15,000 more than the six existing Oasis-class vessels — five of which had previously held the title for world's largest cruise ship. Star of the Seas will have a 5,610-passenger capacity based on double occupancy — but will approach 8,000 passengers plus 2,350 crew at full capacity. Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas cruise ship performs sea trials sailing out from the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland on May 19, 2025 ahead of its debut in Port Canaveral in Aug.. (Courtesy/Royal Caribbean) Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas seen during construction in fall 2024 at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, ahead of its 2025 debut. (Courtesy/Royal Caribbean) Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas has the glass-and-steel dome of the AquaDome neighborhood lifted onto the ship's bow at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland on July 17, 2024. The ship is set to debut next year from Port Canaveral. (Courtesy, Royal Caribbean) Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas has the glass-and-steel dome of the AquaDome neighborhood lifted onto the ship's bow at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland on July 17, 2024. The ship is set to debut next year from Port Canaveral. (Courtesy, Royal Caribbean) Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas remains in dry dock in this shot from Sept. 23, 2024 ahead of its float out at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland on Sept. 28, 2024. The ship is set to debut next year from Port Canaveral. (Courtesy, Royal Caribbean) Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas is floated out at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland on Sept. 28, 2024. The ship is set to debut next year from Port Canaveral. (Courtesy, Royal Caribbean) Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas is floated out at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland on Sept. 28, 2024. The ship is set to debut next year from Port Canaveral. (Courtesy, Royal Caribbean) Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas has the glass-and-steel dome of the AquaDome neighborhood lifted onto the ship's bow at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland on July 17, 2024. The ship is set to debut next year from Port Canaveral. (Courtesy, Royal Caribbean) Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas is floated out at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland on Sept. 28, 2024. The ship is set to debut next year from Port Canaveral. (Courtesy, Royal Caribbean) Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas has the glass-and-steel dome of the AquaDome neighborhood lifted onto the ship's bow at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland on July 17, 2024. The ship is set to debut next year from Port Canaveral. (Courtesy, Royal Caribbean) Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas has the glass-and-steel dome of the AquaDome neighborhood lifted onto the ship's bow at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland on July 17, 2024. The ship is set to debut next year from Port Canaveral. (Courtesy, Royal Caribbean) Show Caption1 of 12Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas cruise ship performs sea trials sailing out from the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland on May 19, 2025 ahead of its debut in Port Canaveral in Aug.. (Courtesy/Royal Caribbean)Expand The signature architectural feature of the class is the 367-ton, 82-foot-tall, 164-foot-wide glass-and-metal AquaDome that sits atop the bow of the ship. It's the signature space on board the Icon class that houses the AquaTheater, home to original productions that combine diving, aerialists and dancing with a high-energy fountain and light show. The ship also features an ice-skating rink and main stage theater, for which the marquee show will be a 'Back to the Future' musical. Star of the Seas will feature 40 food and beverage options mostly mirroring the venues found on Icon of the Seas, except Icon's Empire Supper Club themed to 1920s-era New York will become the Lincoln Park Supper Club themed to 1930s-era Chicago. The ship will sail seven-night alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, partnering alongside Royal's Utopia of the Seas that debuted in summer 2024 at Port Canaveral. It will continue three- and four-night Bahamas itineraries.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judicial watchdog files charges against Broward judge who promoted salacious rumors, AI recording in campaign
The state's official judicial ethics watchdog has filed formal charges against a newly elected Broward judge who promoted a salacious tell-all and a deepfake recording during her 2024 campaign. Lauren Peffer, whose term on the bench began in January after she won the August 2024 primary, campaigned on a platform of restoring public confidence in the judiciary. As evidence that of that loss in confidence, Peffer made public references to a self-published book called 'The Ninth Circus Court of Florida,' a tell-all written by a former employee of the Orlando-area court system. Those references to the book were made in an interview with the South Florida Sun Sentinel's Editorial Board when seeking the media company's endorsement. The Sun Sentinel did not endorse her. The book painted the Ninth Circuit as a hotbed of corruption, but as Peffer's 2024 campaign was taking shape, there was no indication that the book Peffer promoted had any impact in that judicial circuit. It had no published reviews and no news organizations wrote or broadcast any stories about it. Asked by the South Florida Sun Sentinel in June about the apparent silence surrounding the book, Peffer provided a link to a recording that purported to be a conversation about the book between Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz and Lisa Munyon, chief administrative judge of the Ninth Circuit. On the recording, those two judges are supposedly joined by Florida Supreme Court Justice Renatha Francis. The recording was a fake, according to all three judges and the Judicial Qualifications Commission notice of charges, which accuse Peffer of failing to maintain the 'dignity appropriate to judicial office and act in a manner consistent with the impartiality, integrity, and independence of the judiciary,' as outlined in the state judicial canons. 'Artificially created deepfakes are a tool for misinformation and digital impersonation used to influence elections and spread disinformation,' the Judicial Qualifications Commission wrote in its announcement of formal charges. 'Your campaign theme was to restore the public's trust, but your behavior did the opposite and brought harm to the dignity and integrity of the judiciary.' Peffer acknowledged the problems with the book in an interview with the South Florida Sun Sentinel in July and promised to stop referring to it in her campaign. She won the election with 52.5% of the vote. But according to the JQC, she should never have cited the book in the first place. She admitted she never spoke to the author of the tell-all, never spoke to any of the judges involved in the accusations, and never tried to authenticate the recording before sharing it. 'Rather than promote public confidence in the judiciary, your actions eroded public confidence by perpetuating a false perception of illegal, unethical, or immoral conduct by Justices of the Florida Supreme Court, a Chief Judge, and others working within the judicial branch,' the JQC wrote. Peffer has 20 days to file a written response to the charges. She released a statement Friday afternoon pointing out that she had no ties to the author of the Ninth Circuit book, whose website also posted the deepfake recording. 'My sole intent was to provide an example of the scrutiny a judge faces and why the judiciary must hold itself to the highest moral standard,' she said. 'While unintentional, I take responsibility for my actions and apologize for the unfortunate effects my reference may have caused my fellow judiciary members.' Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@ or 954-356-4457. Follow him on
