Walt Disney World celebrates 4th of July with fireworks and special shows

On July 21, Disney Parks and Resorts released information on its 2011 Independence Day shows and events at Walt Disney World Resort theme parks. The 4th of July celebrations include fireworks, holiday versions of night show, musical entertainment and special meet-and-greets at three of the four theme parks.

Magic Kingdom

Home to fabulous fireworks 365 days a year, the 4th of July at Magic Kingdom akes on an extra bit of night-time flair. The park will offer “Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky,” a patriotic version of their nightly fireworks spectacular. Look for star-spangled overlays and rousing music. The show celebrates American hopes and dreams.

Disney’s Celebrate America! Will be shown on July 3 and 4 at 9:00 p.m.

Guests interested in celebrating the holiday while at Magic Kingdom might also consider a visit to Liberty Square, especially to see the Hall of Presidents, or attend the 5:00 p.m. Flag Retreat Ceremony on Main Street, U.S.A.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The Studios will offer its Fantasmic! night show at 9:00 and 10:30 p.m. on July 4th. But what really rocks for Independence Day is the Studios’ new musical show, “Rockin’ 4th of July Celebration!” Starring Mulch, Sweat ‘n Shears, the show will feature the cover band’s “musical road trip across America” and showcase different region’s rock and roll stylings. “Rockin’ 4th of July” takes place at 9:45 p.m.

For guests interested in recognizing the 4th of July holiday while at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, on option is visiting Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream. Although focused on Walt and his worlds, the self-guided tour and optional film offers a look at Disney’s role in American culture in the 20th and early 21st centuries.

Epcot

Epcot offers a look at America’s patriotic Independence Day celebrations, done Disney-style. IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, the park’s nighttime laser, water, music and pyrotechnic show, adds a special finale to celebrate the 4th of July. “The Heartbeat of Freedom” will add an overture of traditional American themes. The show starts at 10:00 p.m.

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 http://www.examiner.com/disney-travel-in-national/walt-disney-world-celebrates-4th-of-july-with-fireworks-and-special-shows#ixzz1QCPGW5oY

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Blackbeard comes to Disneyland's Pirates ride

Starting Friday, the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World will feature the watery image of legendary pirate Blackbeard inviting riders to proceed “if they be brave or fool enough to face a pirate’s curse.”

Since 2006, the face of Davy Jones was featured in a curtain of mist in the grotto scene during the 44-year-old water ride.

The change coincides with the opening of “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” starring Johnny Depp. The film – and the face replacing Davy Jones – feature Ian McShane as Blackbeard.

Disneyland Resort spokesman John McClintock said the image will be changed out Thursday night after Disneyland closes and be ready in time when the park opens Friday.

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http://www.ocregister.com/news/disneyland-300693-blackbeard-proceed.html

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Keith Richards does Disneyland for Pirates' sake

LOS ANGELES — After decades of dark excess, Keith Richards seems wildly out of place at family-friendly Disneyland. But on a recent Saturday, there he was, a rock 'n' roll exile on Main Street USA, attending the massive movie premiere of "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," the fourth installment in the blockbuster franchise in which he briefly appears as Capt. William Teague, father to Johnny Depp's scoundrel son Jack Sparrow.

"No one is more surprised by all of it than me," the Rolling Stones guitarist said with a wink. "I never expected to work for the Disney organization for a while. I'm still shocked, but, hey, it's all good fun."

Richards first got on board for a cameo in the 2007 film "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" at the behest of Depp, whom the musician describes as a "blood on blood" friend, and it's quite apparent they have a jolly good time playing pirate together. "If Johnny says he wants to do something, well, it doesn't take much to get me to show up," Richards said with a rasp of a laugh.

The legendary guitar player was given a surprising amount of spotlight during the six-hour premiere, which was really more of a pop-culture pep rally, with more than 700 fans paying $1,000 each to join invited guests and watch the 3-D film on a six-story outdoor screen, eat dinner and see the stars up close.

With a big pirate grin, Richards went through it all, shrugging, bowing and staggering, the same bleary ballet that famously inspired much of Depp's on-screen shtick as Sparrow when he was first putting his now-signature character together for the 2003 film "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl."

Read More

http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Keith+Richards+does+Disneyland+Pirates+sake/4791814/story.html

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Boy Loses Battle With Cancer While On Dream Trip To Disney World

Saturday would have marked the second meeting in recent weeks between three-year-old Parker Karsan and Mickey Mouse.

The little boy loved Mickey. Recently, he got to hang out with Mickey during his family's vacation in Florida.

The Karsans made tracks for the Sunshine State last week after friends got in touch with the Dream Come True foundation.

Family friend Randy Plessor was one of the people who helped to make the trip a reality.

"The thing that we really prayed about, to give him that trip, happened," said Plessor.

"He had a very good time, enjoyed the trip as a whole and passed away on Tuesday morning," said Parker's dad, Shawn.

Soon, it'll be Mickey who's on the move. He's expected at a party for Parker on Saturday.

The terrible diagnosis came last summer. And then in October, the family's home in Bethlehem Township, Northampton County, was heavily damaged by a fire.

The Disney vacation was a much-needed getaway. Parker, along with his parents, older brother and sister, rubbed elbows with Disney princesses, checked out the rides, and even dug into some ice cream.

But on Wednesday, Parker's parents had to get on a plane to bring their little boy home. They're making plans for a funeral on Friday. But they're also planning that party.

On his Facebook page, Parker's father said:

"Parker always made the best of his situations and that is how we intend to continue to lead our lives."

Plessor said the party will be a celebration of Parker's life.

"We're going to have games and parties, dances going on, bands, and giveaways," said Plessor.

All proceeds from "Parker's Party" on Saturday at the Petersville Rod and Gun Club in Bath will go to his family.

LINK: Pray For Parker 

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A Stroll on a Gulf Beach Yields a Dolphin Disposal

Laurel Lockamy has seen her share of dead sea life washing up on the beaches of Mississippi. Like a few other residents, she’s toted her camera along wherever she goes, documenting the dolphins, sea turtles, red fish and plethora of dead birds that seem to be washing in unusually high numbers.

That isn't stopping Gulf businesses from hoping for a better year than last, when beaches were soaked in oil and tourism vanished with the black tide. Now there are signs business is rebounding. Tourist industries in Florida panhandle report better than expected traffic this year. Some in Congress in fact are pushing for increased drilling in the Gulf, with fewer safety and environmental reviews of the process. It seems some lawmakers have short memories.

But not all is well in the Gulf. High numbers of endangered sea turtles and dolphins have washed into the beaches, although the number of fatalities is declining. Scientists still don’t know what has caused this spike in deaths.

And they are still dying. Last Sunday, Laurel decided to take a stroll down the Gulfport beach after watching a boat race in nearby Biloxi. Off in the distance she saw a familiar orange-colored figure lying by the water’s edge. It was another dead dolphin, the third one she’s seen this year.

As she approached she realized it was a juvenile, maybe three or four feet long, badly decomposed. Someone had spray painted IMMS in bright orange on its side. That means Institute for Marine Mammal Research investigators had been there and counted it. A tag was stuck in its mouth with the date: May 13, 2011. That was two days earlier.

“At first I could not believe what I was seeing,” Laurel says. “It looked like an alligator with a long tail. Then I got really angry. The smell was so bad, it was heartbreaking.”

The next day Laurel slept late and went out to see if the dolphin was still there. It was. But just as she was taking more pictures, a large yellow bull dozier came roaring up the beach toward her. The driver sort of winked at her, she says, then proceeded to move the giant front loader bucket into position to snatch the decaying dolphin carcass from the water's edge.

As it wheeled closer to the orange-painted dolphin, Laurel stood her ground. She continued taking pictures as the tractor rolled along the shoreline and quickly scooped up a batch of sand along with the dolphin carcass. With his sandy catch held up in the air, the driver gunned his engines and rolled down the beach to a less populated area. Laurel watched in amazement as the front loader turned and dumped its load behind some beach vegetation. Poof it was gone! A instant sandy sarcophagus for another federally protected mammal. Perhaps no one else will ever know it’s there.

Read More

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/rkistner/in_the_gulf_a_sunday_stroll_yi.html

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What's Happening Around Northeast Florida This Week

Enjoy the music of the Queen Tuesday at the Florida Theatre. "One Night of Queen" is a stunning live two- hour concert recreating and celebrating the music of Queen. "One Night of Queen" has performed to sold out concerts in Italy, South Africa and New Zealand. For tickets, go to www.floridatheatre.com

Wednesday

Career Fair

The West Augustine Career Fair will be held Wednesday at the Solomon Calhoun Center on Duval Street in St. Augustine. This free event is designed to help with many types of career and education services. It will begin at 10 a.m. Refreshments will be provided.

First Wednesday Art Walk

The theme of this month's art walk is Mixed Media for Mother Earth. This monthly festival in downtown Jacksonville will feature Love Ur Mother 2011, which is an event that blends art, food and fashion, along with the 10th annual Canstructin Design Competition at the Landing, and the grand opening of Burro Bar. This event begins at 5 p.m., rain or shine. For more information, go to www.downtownjacksonville.org.

Gateway Health Fair
Gateway Health Systems will present a Health Fair on Wednesday. It will be held at 555 Stockton Street, beginning at noon. There will be HIV rapid testing, blood pressure checks and vision screening. This event is free. For more information, go to www.gatewaycommunity.com.

Jeff Beck
One of rock's true virtuosos is coming to Jacksonville this week. You can see Jeff Beck perform on Wednesday at the Florida Theatre beginning at 8 p.m. To purchase tickets, go to www.floridatheatre.com.

"Til Death Do Us Part: Late Nite Catechism 3"

"Til Death Do Us Part: Late Nite Catechism 3" is the latest class in this funny series. In this series, Sister is now offering lessons on the Sacraments of Marriage and Last Rites. You can also see her wacky version of "The Newlywed Game" beginning Wednesday at Wilson Center for the Arts. The show will run through Sunday. To purchase tickets, head to www. Artistseriesjax.org.

Friday

Movies In The Park

See the final movie of the Movies In The Park Series on Friday. The final movie, "The Wizard of Oz," will be shown at the riverfront lawn by the Wyndham. Parking is still free and available next to the lawn. The movie begins at 8 p.m.

There are even more events lined up find them here

http://www.news4jax.com/entertainment/27744545/detail.html

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Launch Of Space Shuttle Endeavour Boosts Florida Tourism

Florida tourism receives much required boost due to the launch of Space shuttle Endeavour. Friday's launch of Endeavour has increased tourism in Florida as thousands of tourists are traveling to Cape Canaveral.

Endeavour Space Shuttle

Around 700,000 people are expected to visit Florida for the final launch of the Endeavour space shuttle. The hotels in Titusville are completely booked. To meet the demands of the tourists local people have started to offer their homes on the rent.

Generally space shuttle launch generates around $5 million for the local tourism industry. But this time tourism industry expects $15 million from the event. Apart from the Endeavour other star attractions present at the launch would be US President Barack Obama and Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords who suffered serious injuries following the assassination attempt.

The restaurants in Titusville are also expecting twice the revenues comparing to the usual launch. Even though big revenues are expected from the Friday's launch, local tourism industry is worried about the aftermath. The NASA Space shuttle program will soon come to the end that could mean much less tourists than the usual numbers for the tourism industry.

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Walt Disney World announces dates for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

So what if it is only the beginning of May; that doesn't maen it is too early to plan for the October holiday that brings out the ghosts, ghouls, and monsters. Only why not enjoy the company of all the little creatures that happen to not be the scariest ones in the land.

Walt Disney World has now announced the dates for the this year's Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party which is sure to be a semi-frightening good time. Enjoy trick-or-treating and costumes on your favorite characters along with the Magic Kingdom decorated to the fullest extent with pumpkins and other Halloween related goodies. Let's not forget about the "Boo To You" Halloween parade and Happy HalloWishes fireworks display.

Tickets officially went on sale on Sunday, May 1st.

Dates:

* September: 13, 16, 20, 23, 27, 30

* October: 2, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31

* November: 1

Mickey's Not So Scary events take place after the Magic Kingdom park closes for the night and all other park guests must exit. To stay for the party though, it is an extra cost and one that is worth it to spend the hours of park closing until midnight enjoying all the Halloween festivities.

Read More

 http://www.examiner.com/disney-world-travel-tips-in-national/walt-disney-world-announces-dates-for-mickey-s-not-so-scary-halloween-party#ixzz1LI2olTcV

‘One Ocean’ opening day crowds at SeaWorld

Word of warning if you’re heading to SeaWorld Orlando this weekend: Like all the theme parks, it will be very crowded. But SeaWorld has an additional factor besides Easter and school breaks: Its new Shamu show, “One Ocean,” debuted Friday.

By 12:45 p.m. Friday, the 1:30 “One Ocean” show had filled Shamu Stadium to capacity. That’s not unheard of at SeaWorld during peak times — the park takes pains to warn guests to arrive at shows early. But what was unusual: There were already close to 100 guests in line for the 3:30 “One Ocean.”

Parking gave a clue at how busy the park would be: I was parked in some grass near the Renaissance Resort. I’d never been back that far, to what’s called the Arthur C. Turtle Lot. Employees directed drivers out of the main parking lot, across the street, past a sign marked “Employee Overflow Parking,” through another lot and then to the grass. A tram took us to the entrance.

“One Ocean,” which replaced the long-running “Believe” show, plays several times throughout the day. On Friday, the showtimes posted inside the park did not match what’s on the SeaWorld website. Your best bet: Get to the park early, and prepare to wait.

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British hero who caught baby just wants to go back to vacation

A 2-year-old girl fell from a fourth-floor hotel balcony in the tourist district of Orlando on Wednesday night, but she was caught by a hotel guest and was not injured, according to Orange County deputies. (CBS)

British tourist Helen Beard doesn't feel like a hero even after being feted on Friday for catching a 1-year-old girl who fell from a fourth-story balcony at an Orlando resort hotel.

"Absolutely not. I did what needed to be done. I didn't want a fuss. Anyone would have done it," Beard, 44, of Worksop, England, said in an interview with Reuters.

Beard said she was sitting poolside at the Econo Lodge Inn & Suites, keeping an eye on her 10-year-old son and her partner as they swam, when a scream attracted attention to 1-year-old Jah-Nea Myles dangling from the balcony.

"I think you just act instinctively. I ran. I knew I needed to catch her. I had to do something. I guess I was hoping someone else would catch her, but I was the one who was there," Beard said.

Beard said she dashed through the pool gate and ran to a spot right underneath the child who, she said, "seemed to grip on for ages. I saw her tumble."


The baby's mother told investigators that she left her daughter in the care of friends, who said they didn't notice Jah-Nea slip out of the room.

As even Beard's family back home in England knows - they texted her after news of the incident flashed around the world - Beard caught Jah-Nea and held her for a moment before the little girl slipped unharmed from her arms.

At a ceremony on Friday to thank Beard, local authorities awarded her a Medal of Merit, a citation rarely given to anyone outside of law enforcement.

"Mrs. Beard showed unusual instinct and initiative when she exited from the swimming pool area and was able to catch the child as she fell, thus saving her from extreme physical injuries and/or death," said Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings at the presentation.

Beard was also presented with a Guardian Angel award created especially for her by the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Beard, who works for the national health service in England, said all she wants now is to step back from the spotlight and enjoy the rest of her two-week vacation at Orlando's theme parks.

"I just want to get back to the holiday," she said
Read More

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/22/us-babyfall-hero-idUSTRE73L49320110422

Boy charged for killing of two British tourists in Florida

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested and charged for the suspected killing of two British tourists in Florida.

James Kouzaris, 24 and James Cooper, 25, had been on holiday with family and friends in the Gulf coast town of Sarasota.

Their bodies were found peppered with bullets in a deprived residential area renowned for gang violence.

Sarasota Police Captain Paul Sutton told new agency AFP: “It’s unusual in that it’s public housing, there’s no open businesses, and they are in the area just before 3 in the morning.”

“The men were on a family vacation and staying in Longboat Key, a nearby beach resort community,” he added.

“One of the victims’ parents were travelling with them. It’s a horrible incident.”

The two men, both graduates of the University of Sheffield, did not have a car.

The motive of the murders has yet to be established, although police suspect it might have been a street robbery or a drug deal that went wrong.

Police confirmed neither of the men were in possession of drugs, although they would not say whether they had cash or weapons.

The area is a hotspot for gangs.

They had been staying on the upmarket island city of Longboat Key, about 12 miles from the less affluent area where they were killed.

Mr Kouzaris, from Northampton, was a guest of the Cooper family, from Warwick who were on holiday in the area.

“Both victims were white,” said Sarasota Police Captain Paul Sutton.

A spokesman for the British consulate in Miami said: ‘British consular officials can confirm that two British nationals were killed in Sarasota, Florida, on April 16. Next of kin have been notified.

Shootings of tourists re rare in the U.S. but in November 2009 Thomas Reeve was gunned down while drinking with friends in a Texas bar.

Sand sculpture created to honor space shuttles

CAPE CANAVERAL — Combine about 30 volunteers, 12 shovels, six rakes, a ton of sand and what do you get?

Artist Todd Brittingham of Fort Lauderdale created a sand sculpture titled "Sun and the Moon," which commemorates the end of the shuttle program with stars dedicated to shuttle astronauts who have died.

A work of art depicting the moon, sun and stars etched in the sand at Jetty Park. The creation, completed Sunday after four days of work, is the mastermind of Fort Lauderdale-based artist Todd Brittingham.

Every year since 1988, Brittingham has traveled across Florida creating a new "sky message" on the beach in honor of Earth Day. The creations are as large as 10 acres and best seen from an aerial view.

In addition to Earth Day, Brittingham also wanted to honor the shuttle program, which will come to an end later this year.

"I've been a big fan of NASA, and I thought this is the perfect year to do something space themed," the 47-year-old said. "We're dedicating this to the 14 people who lost their lives on Challenger and Columbia."

The sand sculpture is about 150 feet by 150 feet and contains 14 stars to represent the astronauts killed in the shuttle tragedies.

His crew of about 30 volunteers spent four days creating the piece.

Curious beachgoers milled around wondering what was being formed as volunteers used everything from their hands to a wheel barrel to perfect the artwork.

When it was completed, those involved laid around the sculpture to create human stars as a plane, paid for by Brittingham, flew overhead to snap photos.

"It was unbelievable," Brittingham said after seeing the aerial view. "You never really know what it will turn out or how accurate to the design it will be, but I'm just tickled it was so incredible. Probably the best one we've done in 23 years."

This is Brittingham's sixth trip to Brevard County, a place close to his heart since he grew up in Orlando and often came to Space Coast beaches.

He began doing the sky messages on a whim, when a friend in the real estate business asked for help with some advertising. Back then, the single college student pulled together about a dozen friends to help him with a day of fun on the beach.

"I can't believe what it's turned in to," said Brittingham, now a married father of two.

"It's a family event. We all get together every year. It' a chance to have fun and promote a positive experience. People say they aren't good at art, but everyone can dig, everyone can take part."

Some of the original dozen, along with numerous volunteers who joined in during the years, took part in the latest creation.

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Florida beaches get $30 million tourism boost from BP

TALLAHASSEE, Fla (Reuters) - Hoping to bring tourists back to Florida's Panhandle beaches, Governor Rick Scott joined BP officials and local tourism leaders on Monday to announce a $30 million marketing grant for the region, which lost much of its business last year.

Scott lauded BP's commitment to "do the right thing" by earmarking nearly $82 million so far for tourism and commercial seafood testing since the April 20 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig and subsequent spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

"I thank BP for stepping up, especially at this time, because it's terribly important that we get the tourist season up and going," Scott said at a press conference.

Unlike South Florida, the Panhandle region's peak season occurs in the summer months.

BP has already made tourism payments of $18 million to Mississippi and $22 million to Alabama, according to the company's recovery website.

Last month, Louisiana's 64 parishes split $5 million in tourism aid from the company. Those funds were the first of six BP payments to Louisiana that will total $30 million.

The grant money announced on Monday for Florida will be distributed through the Northwest Florida Tourism Council, a non-profit group set up after the disaster to represent tourism officials in seven Panhandle counties affected by the spill.

Funds will be divvied up among the counties, which produced marketing plans that have been approved by the regional council.

"We have seen the plans and have great confidence that they will result in great help to the tourism industry there," said Luke Keller, BP's senior vice president in charge of Gulf restoration efforts.

Marketing efforts are expected to include media buys in nearby states where people can easily drive to the Panhandle beaches for vacation but also in places farther afield.

Other incentives include coupons, vouchers and package deals.

"Each of those counties has very different plans," said Dawn Moliterno, chairwoman of the regional tourism council.

"But what you can expect to see are concentrated, targeted initiatives in each of those counties to the customers of their targeted markets."

Read More

http://whtc.com/news/articles/2011/apr/11/florida-beaches-get-30-million-tourism-boost-from-/

Giant anteater born at Florida zoo

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., March 19 (UPI) -- Stella-Abril, a 13-year-old giant anteater at the Jacksonville, Fla., Zoo, has become a mother for the fifth time, zoo officials said.

Zoo officials said the baby's sex won't be known until it is older and the right to name the infant will be auctioned off next month, the Jacksonville (Fla.) Times-Union reported.

The baby was born Feb. 22. His father is named Killroy. The mother and baby are on display at the River's Edge exhibit, where the infant spends its time clinging to its mother's back.

Naming rights will be auctioned off at the zoo's annual ExZOOberation fundraiser on April 16.

Zoo officials said giant anteater births in captivity are relatively rare.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2011/03/19/Giant-anteater-born-at-Florida-zoo/UPI-30731300547266/#ixzz1JTt756GT

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Mobile museum recounts horrors of modern-day slavery in Florida

The sweltering box truck served as an overnight padlocked prison for enslaved Mexican and Guatemalan tomato pickers, who were forced to urinate and defecate in its corners.

Workers managed to escape through the truck's roof and report brutal abu

ses -- they had been kicked, beaten and chained -- to Collier County authorities in November 2007.

Their bosses later were sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. And the tomato-pickers' wheeled, windowless dungeon became a symbol for advocates devoted to eradicating human trafficking across Florida.

Sunday, parishioners explored the Florida Modern-Day Slavery Museum -- a replica of the cargo truck -- at Ascension Catholic Church.

"Can you imagine being locked in here?" Claire Maliszewski asked a trio of Boy Scouts inside the truck. "Goodness gracious. That's scary."

The Florida Modern-Day Slavery Museum features court documents, newspaper clippings, photographs of injuries, menacing chains and other educational displays highlighting indentured servitude in Fort Pierce, DeSoto County and elsewhere.

A key artifact: a blood-soaked blue-and-white striped shirt worn by a 17-year-old farmhand who was violently pummeled in 1996 in Immokalee after stopping work to drink water.

Hundreds of his fellow workers carried the stained garment during a nighttime protest march, said Margaret Gleeson, a museum volunteer.

The Diocese of Orlando has launched a human-trafficking awareness campaign highlighting Florida's agriculture and tourism industries.

The cargo truck travels today to Melbourne Central Catholic High. The display is not open to the public.

"Can you imagine when it's hot in the night?" Romeo Ramirez, a Guatemalan farm worker whose undercover work helped prosecute a Lake Placid citrus-slavery operation, asked of the poorly ventilated truck.

Read More

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110411/NEWS01/104110314/Mobile-museum-recounts-horrors-modern-day-slavery-Florida

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Disney says it generates $18.2 billion annual ripple effect in Florida

Walt Disney World and its related businesses in Florida generate an estimated $18.2 billion a year in economic activity and are responsible for more than one of every 50 jobs in the state, according to an impact study paid for by the giant resort.

The report, released Wednesday, found that Disney's theme-park operations in the state — which include Disney World, Disney Cruise Line and its Disney Vacation Club time-share business — account for 2.5 percent of Florida's cumulative gross domestic product.

"It was 40 years ago, in the fall of 1971, that we opened the gates of Walt Disney World. And we've been growing ever since," Disney World President Meg Crofton said at a Disney-organized breakfast in the Orlando Museum of Art to present the results to local government, business and civic leaders.

The eye-popping numbers stem from a report prepared by Arduin, Laffer & Moore, a Republican consulting firm whose partners include a budget director to former Gov. Jeb Bush, an economic adviser to former President Ronald Reagan, and the founder of the conservative Club for Growth political group. The firm examined data from Disney's 2009 fiscal year, which ended Oct. 3, 2009.

Disney released a two-page summary of its findings. The company would not release the full report because, it said, the report includes proprietary financial information.

The researchers found that Disney paid out nearly $1.8 billion in compensation to more than 59,000 workers in 2009. That equates to an average annual salary of approximately $30,508.

Disney said the researchers did not determine the median — or midpoint — salary for its workers. The average salary can be distorted by a small number of exceptionally high or low earners; Disney's senior-most executives in Florida are paid annual bonuses that in some cases have exceeded $1 million in a single year.

In addition to the wages paid, Disney purchased $2.3 billion worth of goods and services during the year, according the report, including an estimated $900 million from vendors in Florida. And third-party businesses operating on Disney property generated almost $600 million in sales, while vacationers to Disney spent another $1.7 billion at off-site businesses.

In all, that amounted to a cumulative direct economic impact of $6.3 billion. When researchers used computer models to include additional, "indirect and induced" impacts from Disney's operations, they said the total economic effect swelled to $18.2 billion and approximately 161,000 jobs.

For as big as Disney's presence has become in Florida since opening the Magic Kingdom four decades ago, the look of the company's growth has changed dramatically in recent years.

The company hasn't built a new theme park in Orlando since 1998, when it opened Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney World's fourth park. It has in recent years focused instead on wringing more revenue from its existing assets — capturing more of its guests' total vacation spending and luring new travelers to its parks — and moving into new businesses, such as cruises.

Disney executives say there is still ample room to grow through those strategies.

"I can tell you, it will still be significant, the potential future impacts," Al Weiss, the president of global operations for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said in an interview after the presentation.

Read More

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-daily-disney/os-disney-economic-impact-20110413,0,7480432.story

Safari Wild will have to wait on Commission

The proposal is an outgrowth of a controversy over an animal-oriented tourist destination called Safari Wild that was proposed in the Green Swamp Area of Critical State Concern.

A hearing officer last year struck down Polk County's approval of the project because it violated several county regulations.

This is the second time the proposed regulation had been continued because of questions about whether the regulations needed to be better defined.

"I don't think this is ready for prime time," Commissioner John Ryan said.

He said he wanted to exempt Class I and II wildlife from being part of agritourism.

Class I animals include lions, bears, apes, rhinoceros and other large animals that are potentially dangerous. Class II animals include monkeys, smaller cats, antelopes and other less dangerous animals.

Dr. Stephen Wehrmann, a veterinarian who is one of the owners of a game ranch that could take advantage of the ordinance, argued antelopes and other hoofed animals fall under the state definition of livestock and shouldn't be restricted.

Ryan said he'd be willing to discuss a revision, but said he wasn't sure a lot of situations involved legitimate agriculture.

"I don't see a zoo on a farm," he said.

The unanimous vote for continuance came following a series of failed motions to recommend approval and then denial. The first motion tied 3-3. The second failed 4-2.

Assistant County Attorney Jan McDonald recommended commissioners consider the issue when they were fresher.

The case didn't come up until after 7 p.m. during a meeting that had begun at 9 a.m.

The case, which planners had been trying to fast track to the commission, had been scheduled for a public hearing before the Polk County Commission next Tuesday.

Wehrmann is co-owner of the licensed exotic game farm off Moore Road that also is the site of the proposed Safari Wild tourist attraction.

Florida Wildlife Ranch is a scaled-back version of Safari Wild that Wehrmann said could attract some tourists -- he's not really sure what the market is -- to provide some income to pay for running the ranch that contains 160 exotic animals ranging from various species of African antelope to Indian rhinoceroses.

The main issue isn't whether farms may be great places to bring tourists, but whether there are adequate controls on issues such as traffic and noise to protect adjacent rural landowners.

A state administrative law judge last year quashed Polk County's approval of Safari Wild, concluding county officials ignored their own growth plan and development regulations.

The ruling came after officials at the Florida Department of Community Affairs, which oversees development permits in the Green Swamp Area of Critical State Concern, challenged the county's decision.

Lois Murphy, a sixth-generation Floridian whose family owns a ranch near Wehrmann's property, was one of the prime critics of Safari Wild and the county's handling of it.

She asked planners to take more time reviewing the proposal.

"I have a fear that this is more about tourism than about agriculture," she said, explaining she's afraid the result could be to weaken agriculture.

"I don't think a (development code change) should be driven by one case; that seems strange to me," she said.

Read More

http://www.newschief.com/article/20110408/NEWS/104085138/1021/news01?Title=Safari-Wild-will-have-to-wait-on-Commission

South Florida Enjoying Record Tourism Numbers

Two of the most well-known holiday destinations in Florida, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, have announced that they experienced strong tourism growth over the winter months with hotel occupancy in Fort Lauderdale alone reaching 75% in January this year. The news, which was revealed by the both Fort Lauderdale and Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, shows that Florida has become a very attractive destination for travellers, say ulookubook.com.

Ian Raine of ulookubook.com, comments: “Florida has always been a popular holiday choice with travellers, and tourism in both Fort Lauderdale and Miami has increased dramatically, compared to the figures from last year. According to the authorities in Fort Lauderdale, the hotel occupancy of 75% in January this year was 27% higher than it was in January 2010, and the total amount of passenger traffic at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport had increased by 5.1% year-on year. The results are simply staggering, as they show that more people are choosing to travel to Florida, specifically South Florida, on holiday.”

In Miami, the GMCVB have revealed that 12.6 million people visited Miami-Dade County last year, and spent $18.8 million, making it a record year for tourism in the area. Similarly, in 2010, 10.84 million people visited Fort Lauderdale, where they spent just over $8 million, which shows that tourist demand for South Florida is growing.

Raine continues: “Last year was truly an exceptional year for tourism in Florida, in fact the figure of 12.6 million tourists is the highest number ever recorded in Miami. These numbers are very impressive, but when it comes to air traffic, international travellers have risen dramatically, with an increase of 16.3% in the number of foreign travellers travelling to and from Fort Lauderdale in January this year alone, which represents the 17th consecutive month of air traffic growth for the airport. These figures show that Florida is still a popular holiday destination, and judging by its growth over the past year, it could very well become more popular in 2011.”

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Charlie Sheen’s tour coming to South Florida

Prepare to win, South Florida. Coming to a theater near you: Charlie Sheen’s My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not an Option Show.

Sheen is scheduled to appear in Sunrise on April 23 at the BankAtlantic Center as part of his 20-city tour. Sheen’s website said tickets are still available — ranging in price from $69 to $89.

On Saturday, the Hollywood actor turned one-man media meltdown, more famous now for his rants that include references to warlocks, tiger blood and goddesses than for his acting, kicked off his tour in Detroit to an applause that quickly turned to boos. Next up was Chicago.

The tour is the latest step in the Sheen saga, which stretches back to last year, when he pleaded guilty in Aspen, Colo., to misdemeanor third-degree assault after a Christmas Day altercation with his then-wife, Brooke Mueller.

Since then, he has talked about being a “rock star from Mars,” having “Adonis DNA” and called himself a warlock, with the women he lives with as goddesses.

Sheen’s behavior, which included lashing out at Two and a Half Men producer Chuck Lorre, finally became too much for Warner Bros. Television, which fired him on March 7.

So he decided to go on tour. In Detroit, Sheen seemed to enjoy himself in the early moments, posting pictures on Twitter of the crowd and himself at a podium. Below a picture of the crowd, he wrote, “The most honest city in the world honors the most honest man in the universe #TruthTorpedo.”

In a second picture, he referred to himself as a “Sheenius.”

But the show didn’t come across as the work of a Sheenius or a genius, according to the reviews. Media covering the event reported a crowd that booed, heckled the actor and questioned if the tour would make a full run or close early.

How did Sheen feel about this? A regular poster to Twitter, with more than 3 million followers on the service, Sheen stayed silent Sunday.

Tickets to Sheen’s South Florida stop are available through Ticketmaster or at his website, www.charliesheen.com.

Read more:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/03/2149275/charlie-sheens-tour-coming-to.html#ixzz1IYYfS59g

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Antique Gold Chain Worth $250,000 Found Off Florida Keys

Gun of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha at the Archivo General de Indias

A glint of gold in the sand.

That's what caught Bill Burt's eye last week during a dive about 35 miles off the coast of Key West, where he and his crew were searching for the rear section of the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha, which sunk during a hurricane in 1622.

Burt's eyes didn't deceive him -- that glint was gold. A 40-inch gold chain, to be precise.

The chain, believed to be from the Atocha, is estimated to be worth $250,000. The gold links resembling cotter pins -- 55 of them -- are connected to a black-enameled gold cross measuring 2 inches by 1.25 inches. Surrounding the cross are what appear to be Latin inscriptions.

Also attached to the chain, which is similar to a pair of rosary beads, are a gold religious medallion, a black bead and a gold floweret.

The dive was launched from the deck of the JB Magruder, a salvage vessel owned by Mel Fisher's Treasures.

In 1985, Fisher's team recovered a substantial bulk of the Atocha's treasure, about $450 million in artifacts.

Valuable religious relics often were stored in the ship's wooden rear, or sterncastle, where only the wealthiest passengers -- including clergy and nobility -- sat.

The discovery of this chain gives the crew of the JB Magruder hope of finding the Atocha's sterncastle, believed to have been ripped from the ship during a subsequent hurricane.

Read More

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/27/antique-gold-chain-worth-250-000-found-off-florida-keys


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