Latest news with #TheBlock
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Families of deadly mass shooting victims to sue City, OPD, businesses in Downtown Orlando
The families of the two men killed during a mass shooting in Downtown Orlando in 2024 are suing the city, OPD, and several businesses in the Entertainment District. 19-year-old Timothy Schmidt Jr. and 25-year-old Tyrek Hill were fatally shot while attending the traditional bar crawl on Halloween night. 'This can't keep happening. It's indescribable. What's it going to take? A shooting at Disney? A theme park? In a sports arena, why are the streets not safe, but those places seem to be?' said Timothy Schmidt Senior, father of Timothy Schmidt Junior, killed in the mass shooting. Junior was killed on the same night as Tyrek Hill. The 25-year-old was supposed to open his own business just days later, according to his mother. 'To lose your child like this is the worst thing ever,' said Teresa Clinton, Tyrek Hill's mother. 'We know that we all have to leave here, but what a way to go. Because of someone else's negligence.' Attorneys representing the families claim negligent security and wrongful death; they also claim they have been trying to find out who was responsible for getting event permits for last year's event. 'A number of the members of the Orlando Entertainment District, The Block, which is a loosely organized entertainment district in those private enterprises,' said Michael Haggard, crime victim attorney, when asked about what specific businesses would be listed in the suit. As the legal move starts, the suspect, 17-year-old Jaylen Edgar, remains at the Orange County Jail. Edgar faces two counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted first-degree murder, with a court hearing scheduled for August 25th. The case is scheduled to be filed at the end of the month, as state law requires six months' notice when a public agency is involved in a lawsuit. 'We can point the blame at anybody. But who's going to step up and make a change?' said Clinton. The City of Orlando sent Channel 9 a statement saying it cannot make comments at this time. Channel 9 also reached out to OPD and The Block for comment but has not heard back. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
The Block winners Steph and Gian Ottavio reveal gender of their first baby in adorable video
The Block 2023 winners Steph and Gian Ottavio have revealed the gender of their first baby in a heartwarming DIY-themed video. Just weeks after announcing they were expecting their first child, the popular couple took to Instagram on Monday to share the next chapter in their growing family story - confirming they're having a baby girl. In the adorable clip, the design-savvy duo are seen blindfolded, kneeling in front of a freshly painted wall with the word 'BABY' boldly scrawled in white paint above them. With a paint tin between them, the couple slowly remove their blindfolds before breaking into smiles and sharing a kiss - officially marking the moment they discovered their baby's gender. Moments later, they add two small hand prints to the wall, and laughter erupts as Gian lovingly smears paint on Steph's cheek. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Just weeks after announcing they were expecting their first child, the popular couple took to Instagram on Monday to share the next chapter in their growing family story - confirming they're having a baby girl The wholesome reveal ends with the couple sharing another sweet kiss, celebrating the exciting news with a splash of fun (and a few splashes of paint). The video has already racked up thousands of views, with followers and famous friends flooding the comment section with congratulatory messages. 'I can't wait to meet the mini you,' Steph captioned the post. The excitement was real on creating this gender reveal, although don't worry as recommended we washed it straight off!' Former Block contestants and influencers were quick to react to the wholesome reveal. Jules Robinson wrote: 'This is beautiful. Congrats!' Designer duo Alisa and Lysandra added: 'Oh yay, totally knew it was going to be a girl! Congrats guys.' Meanwhile, elizaandliberty chimed in with: 'Girlieeeee Girl gang super strong now (G has 3 wives and a little princess). PS. The paint on the floorboards'. It comes after Steph and Gian revealed last month they were expecting their first child together. 'The start of our little family, when two become three,' they wrote at the time, alongside a touching video featuring ultrasound scans and tender moments of Steph showing off her bump. The loved-up couple won over Aussie viewers during their time on The Block, taking out the top prize in 2023 after weeks of high-pressure renovations and strong public support. She then did an outfit change into a crop top and long maxi skirt, with her belly on full-display as the couple kissed, hugged and danced in the Instagram post. Her hubby brandished a giant grin across his face, elated about his growing family. Other clips showed the couple getting an ultrasound scan and excitedly painting their baby's room. Last year July, Stephanie and Gian revealed they were at it again and making real estate moves. The Block winners purchased an original Federation home in Summer Hill, Sydney for $2 million. The three-bedroom, one-bathroom property is described in its Adrian William advertisement as a 'freestanding renovator's delight in trendy locale' The three-bedroom, one-bathroom property is described in its Adrian William advertisement as a 'freestanding renovator's delight in trendy locale'. The property features a fireplace, traditional washroom and a concrete backyard. At the time, the childhood sweethearts said they planned on documenting their renovation process on social media. 'We've got this ultimate plan that we can actually take everyone through from the conceptual phase,' Steph revealed. 'I'm excited to take everyone on that journey of an architect's brain of sort of being like, I've been here, I've experienced this, and this is a direct influence. It will be this whole big journey and I think it's quite relatable to what people go through,' she continued. In the nail-biting finale of The Block, Steph and Gian were the runaway winners with their house selling for an incredible $5 million. They walked away with $1.65 million profit plus prize money of $100,000, bringing their total earnings to a record breaking $1.75 million. Steph and Gian's House 4 was first to auction, and it was a tense time for the pair, who called their $3.35 million reserve 'hell' and feared they would not make money. The $5 million sale gave the pair $1.65 million profit, with Steph and Gian embracing and bursting into tears as they called the money, 'life changing '.
Herald Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- Herald Sun
Brunswick: Victorian-era house transforms after major reno
It was a very different world when Matt Smyth and his now wife Emma Rigby bought their first home, a heritage Victorian, in August, 2020. 'We bought the house on the day we went into the second lockdown. It was around the time when everyone was predicting prices would tank due to the 'mortgage cliff', so it felt quite risky at the time,' Smyth says. MORE: 'Biggest challenge' facing popular VIC region Whisk taker: Dessert Masters winner's $100k gamble Myer family reveal new look for $100m estate The three-bedroom Brunswick home was also very different to what it is now. 'The house hadn't been touched since the 1950s but because of the significant work needed, it fell into our price range,' he says. 'With the deep block, we knew that eventually, with a lot of work, it would be a ripper house,' he adds. And that is what the couple set out to achieve through their extensive renovations. Due to the planning, the pandemic, and the shortage of materials, the extension took considerably more time to complete. The extension features a large, open-plan kitchen, dining and living area built on a heated, polished concrete slab, as well as a double garage and the conversion of the old living room into an ensuite and main bathroom. 'The biggest difference from what it was before is the fact that it's warm in winter and cool in summer,' Smyth says. 'Putting in proper insulation, double-glazed windows in the extension, and providing the option of panel heaters, underfloor heating, split systems in all the major rooms and a wood-burning fire has completely changed the enjoyment of living in the classic, draughty Victorian weatherboard.' Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox. MORE: Nation's cheapest home loan hits shock low First-home buyers hit with $40k+ tax bill Why The Block architect says beige is over
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Foreman Dan Reilly shares a sneak peak at the set of The Block 2025 and hints new season is coming VERY soon as filming wraps after 'delays'
The Block star Dan Reilly teased that the new season of the blockbuster renovation show will soon be heading to Channel Nine. Dan took to his social media on Sunday to share a gallery of snaps featuring cast and crew from the Daylesford construction site in rural Victoria. In one photo, Dan, who works as a foreman on the ratings winner, can be seen taking a celebratory drink with his partner Dani Wales. Other photos show the happy couple grinning and posing with judges Shaynna Blaze and Marty Fox. While Dan was careful not to show off any of the homes featured in the upcoming season, a glimpse of what appears to be completed structures can be glimpsed in the background of one photo. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Aerial photos released in April revealed that the 2025 season will feature some massive homes. The sprawling construction site located in the tiny rural getaway, 112km from Melbourne, features five blocks. All of the two-storey dwellings are built as a 'H' design layout with courtyard spaces in front and back of the home. It comes after claims that the upcoming season allegedly hit a serious snag which has caused production to be delayed. An industry insider exclusively told Daily Mail Australia in January that filming was set to commence in Daylesford that month but was pushed back. Production on the popular Channel Nine reality renovation series was slated to begin in February after being delayed for a month. And the reason for the hold up? Our source revealed that producers are less-than-enamoured with the crop of contestants who applied for the show's 21st season. They claimed casting producers have been in crisis meetings with Nine executives this week because they are so far unhappy with the presented line-up for 2025. 'There are desperate measures being made to get the show right for the next series,' the source said. 'There has been a noticeable absence of what Channel Nine were interested in showcasing later this year.' The source said Nine was interested in attracting 'older and wiser' contestants for 2025, in a bid to move away from on screen drama that has become a fixture on the show in recent seasons. Much of the 2024 season was dominated by the controversial 'flirtgate scandal' involving married couple Brad and Kylie Baker, and their co-star Mimi Belperio. 'The Nine network wants to shift gears from what we have seen in the last few years but the problem has been the 2025 series hasn't attracted the right kind of applicants,' the source said. 'The show has had a toxic culture and what happens when a trend like that forms is that similar people apply. 'There are people wanting to be the next Kylie and Brad and there are people wanting to be the next Kristy and Brett [the 2023 'villains']. 'That is the nature of these reality shows. The people applying seem to look back at what we have just seen and try to emulate that.' The source claimed that the network is now more interested in attracting contestants who are environmentally minded. The source also took time to praise the network for listening to what Block fans really want after the latest drama-packed season divided fans, with some claiming the show was trying to become like Married At First Sight.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Suzi Taylor hits Block bottom: Alarming photo emerges of renovation star-turned-prostitute while on bail - as a magistrate says what we've all been thinking for years: INSIDE MAIL
Five years ago, gossip columnist Annette Sharp posed the question of how much responsibility Channel Nine has for its fallen star Suzi Taylor. It was a question worth asking given that Taylor, a former contestant from renovation series The Block, had just faced a Brisbane court over a bizarre 'honey trap' kidnapping, the details of which had the whole television industry aghast. Taylor and her co-accused Ali Ebrahimi were eventually cleared on all charges, including extortion, deprivation of liberty, fraud and assault, and we do not suggest either of them committed a crime. Five years after her rise to fame on The Block, it was revealed Suzi Taylor was working as a prostitute. To say her downfall has been cataclysmic would be an understatement But the accusations were alarming, to say the least, drawing attention to the fact Taylor, just five years after her sudden rise to fame, was clearly a troubled woman earning a living as a prostitute. That was 2020. Now it's 2025 and she continues to face legal troubles. In March, she pleaded guilty to charges of trespassing, stealing and common assault but escaped jail and only had to pay a fine. She had forced entry into a home the previous October demanding property from someone who was no longer living there. She pushed a woman then fled on an e-scooter with a shopping bag full of stolen goods. At the time, Taylor had just been released from prison where she'd served 50 days for evading police. She is currently on bail facing drug-trafficking charges and only recently had another conviction for meth possession added to her rap sheet. In granting bail earlier this month, a magistrate noted Taylor had mental health issues. To say her downfall has been cataclysmic would be an understatement. This week, a single photo underscored just how far she has fallen: a selfie of Taylor seemingly in the throes of ecstasy with three young men - her 'toyboys' as she called them - along with a delusional caption about being 'young, wild and free'. Bear in mind this is a 53-year-old woman on bail. Taylor, who is on bail for drug-trafficking charges, posted this photo of herself flanked by a trio of male friends she called 'toyboys'. It is not suggested the men are involved in anything illegal It's no secret Nine indulged Taylor during her chaotic tenure on The Block. She even dated a producer, Tim Wise (right). Ten years later and her life has completely fallen apart So, should Australia's largest media company do something to help the woman who was arguably the biggest drawcard of its most-watched reality show a decade ago? A woman who collapsed on set - officially due to 'exhaustion' but allegedly due to her wild partying - and who also dated a Nine producer, Tim Wise, for several months? Some would say yes; some would argue she is no longer the network's responsibility. We asked Nine if there had been any intervention by them or Block team, or whether she still falls under the scope of their duty of care for former reality TV participants, but did not receive a response. The last time Nine addressed these questions was half a decade ago, when a spokesperson was quoted as saying: 'Suzi was on The Block five years ago and has always indicated it was an experience she enjoyed. 'We gave her all the support she needed during and after the show.' The last time Taylor had lucidly opened up about her personal life was in her final social media post for 2024 in which she revealed she was estranged from her three children, aged in their teens and twenties. She said her downfall had forced her to redefine what family is, and expressed hope for a more positive 2025. Fate had different plans for her.
