Bloggytown

Alt-right in fat Elvis mode at D.C. Nazi rally

by Brandon Soderberg on June 28, 2017 at 3:53PM

service," they say. We're all soaking in it out here — the 4chan-ing, Reddit-residing, Pepe meme-ing, racist, anti-Semitic, alt-right to which Trump is at least adjacent to or making coy goo-goo eyes at (did you see Eric Trump's got the Nazi haircut now?).

Sorry, but Orlando drivers are not the 'third best in the country'

by Kristin James on June 28, 2017 at 3:18PM

For the second time in two years a highly questionable study says that Orlandoans are some of the best drivers in the country, a bold claim that is unequivocally false. The study, from insurance website QuoteWizard, calculated accidents, speeding tickets, DUIs, and citations in the 75 most populous metro areas in the country, and Orlandoans were ranked as the third-best drivers.

Donald Trump has literal 'fake news' hanging in Mar-a-Lago

by Colin Wolf on June 28, 2017 at 1:51PM

While it's unclear who made these fake news covers, or even why, what is clear is that the barcode on Trump's fake cover is for karaoke DJ software and it was used in a graphic design tutorial from 2010 on how to make a fake Time cover. This is a good times to remember back to January, when Trump bragged to the CIA about how many times he was on the cover of Time.

Apparently, Oviedo police can't tell the difference between drywall and cocaine

by Kristin James on June 28, 2017 at 1:02PM

A Central Florida man spent 90 days in jail because the Oviedo Police Department couldn't tell the difference between drywall and cocaine. Back in March, Oviedo resident Karlos Cashe, who works as a handyman, was pulled over for driving with his headlights off.

Florida Democrats on offensive in health care fight

by Brandon Larrabee, News Service of Florida on June 28, 2017 at 11:56AM

Even as the U.S. Senate delayed a planned procedural vote Tuesday on a controversial Republican plan to overhaul the Affordable Care Act, the proposal was roiling Florida's political landscape ahead of the 2018 elections. Democrats running for the Senate and in the state's governor's race hammered away at the GOP, suggesting that they saw a chance to go on the offensive over an issue that has dogged them for years.

Orlando International Airport will likely beat last year's record of confiscated guns

by Colin Wolf on June 28, 2017 at 11:47AM

The Orlando International Airport will probably surpass last year's record of 86 guns confiscated by TSA agents. As of today, TSA officials have stopped 41 guns from going through security at OIA, said TSA’s Federal Security Director Jerry Henderson to Fox 35.

UCF fraternity suspended after claims of sexual assault and hazing

by Colin Wolf on June 28, 2017 at 11:23AM

After a slew of complaints, the University of Central Florida has suspended Lambda Theta Phi Fraternity, the same frat that was investigated last year after a member allegedly held a gun barrel to the head of a blindfolded pledge. According to public records obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, the fraternity faces allegations that they hosted underage drinking at a party last spring, engaged in hazing, and that one of its members had sex with someone who was too drunk to consent.

Florida tourism officials worry about Trump's impact on travel

by Jim Turner, the News Service of Florida on June 28, 2017 at 10:13AM

Attracting more than 120 million visitors before the end of the calendar year remains a goal of the state's tourism-marketing arm, now that Visit Florida's funding won't be slashed. But Visit Florida board members, whose agency continues to undergo belt-tightening as a result of new operational guidelines ordered by state lawmakers, expressed concern Tuesday over the potential international impact of President Donald Trump on the travel industry.

Orlando's toilets get an Instagram account

by Virginia Vasquez on June 27, 2017 at 4:29PM

While some may disagree with the rankings, the account offers an entertaining way to see a different side of Orlando. Will's Pub toilet gets a 10/10 for the unique graffiti and lighting.

Florida justices asked to reconsider overturning death sentence for Bessman Okafor

by News Service of Florida on June 27, 2017 at 4:14PM

Attorney General Pam Bondi's office has asked the Florida Supreme Court to reconsider a ruling that overturned the death sentence of a man convicted in a high-profile home invasion murder in Orange County. The state late Friday filed a motion for a rehearing in the case of Bessman Okafor, who was found guilty of murdering Alex Zaldivar in an Ocoee home in 2012.

Orlando International Airport bans medical marijuana despite legalization

by Monivette Cordeiro on June 27, 2017 at 12:43PM

Orlando International Airport has decided to ban medical marijuana despite it being legal in the state of Florida. WMFE 90.7 reports the airport is planning to install signs warning passengers that any cannabis, medical or recreational, could be confiscated at the airport.

Rick Scott cites London fire in vetoing bill easing protections for condos

by Jim Saunders, News Service of Florida on June 27, 2017 at 10:56AM

Pointing to a high-rise fire in London that killed dozens of residents, Gov. Rick Scott late Monday vetoed a bill that would have eased fire-protection requirements for older condominium buildings in Florida. The bill (HB 653), which passed the Legislature with only one dissenting vote, dealt with requirements for retrofitting high-rise condominium buildings with fire sprinklers and other types of safety systems.

Florida Legislature can't decide who should replace Confederate general in D.C. National Statuary Hall

by Brandon Larrabee, News Service of Florida on June 27, 2017 at 10:33AM

In the 2017 legislative session, though, competing proposals and a House chairman's concerns about the process stymied efforts to approve a new figure. One proposal (SCR 1360) to use a likeness of Mary McLeod Bethune — an educator and civil-rights activist who founded what is now known as Bethune-Cookman University — passed the Senate but had no counterpart in the House.

SeaWorld is under federal investigation for statements made after 'Blackfish'

by Monivette Cordeiro on June 26, 2017 at 3:05PM

SeaWorld is under investigation by two federal agencies for comments that company executives made in response to Blackfish, a 2013 documentary that alleged the theme park was mistreating its orca whales. Reuters reports SeaWorld said it was subpoenaed last Friday in an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Rick Scott appoints political ally as Florida's new chief financial officer

by Jim Turner, the News Service of Florida on June 26, 2017 at 1:52PM

Florida's next chief financial officer will be one of Gov. Rick Scott's original political allies. Scott on Monday turned to former state Rep. Jimmy Patronis, 45, to complete the term of Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, who will leave the elected Cabinet office Friday for a job at Florida Atlantic University.

Half of Florida lawmakers earn failing grades on open government

by Monivette Cordeiro on June 26, 2017 at 12:44PM

A new scorecard shows half of Florida lawmakers earned failing grades on their support of open meetings and public records in this year's legislative session. The Associated Press reports 77 lawmakers earns Ds and three earned Fs out of 160 legislators, according to a grading system produced by the Florida Society of News Editors along with Florida's First Amendment Foundation.

TSA officer arrested for stealing passenger's cash at Orlando airport

by Kristin James on June 26, 2017 at 11:19AM

Police say an Orlando International Airport employee was caught red-handed when he tried to steal a passenger's cash on Thursday. WESH 2 reports Kathleen Duddleston, a passenger at OIA, was going through security when she was pulled aside for a patdown, according to an Orlando Police report.

SpaceX successfully reuses another Falcon 9 rocket

by Joey Roulette on June 26, 2017 at 9:53AM

Vertical landing capabilities used to be one of the most inspiring traits of a SpaceX launch — landing the rocket’s first stage after sending its payload into space has proven to save millions in launch costs, and the booster’s atmospheric reentry is always a stunning sight to witness. Unsurprisingly, these massive boomerangs were always meant to be reused.

Scott finally signs bill implementing medical marijuana, but smoking is still barred

by Jim Saunders and Jim Turner, News Service of Florida on June 24, 2017 at 11:02AM

More than seven months after Floridians overwhelmingly backed the broad legalization of medical marijuana, Gov. Rick Scott on Friday signed a bill aimed at carrying out the voters' wishes. Lawmakers passed the bill (SB 8-A) during a special session this month after struggling to reach agreement on an implementation plan for the medical-marijuana constitutional amendment, which 71 percent of voters approved in November.

Florida Supreme Court to determine whether doctors can charge patients more to copy medical records

by News Service of Florida on June 23, 2017 at 1:30PM

A long-running battle about how much patients should be charged for copies of medical records has gone to the Florida Supreme Court. A patient and a law firm opposed to increased costs have filed a notice asking the Supreme Court to take up the dispute, according to documents posted Thursday on the Supreme Court website.

Orlando Weekly

Blogs

» topic: Bloggytown