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Juneteenth (also known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, and Jubilee Day), June 19th, is a day commemorating the abolition of slavery in the United States. This day marks 161 years since federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to signal freedom to enslaved African Americans and the end of the Civil War. After years of grassroots advocacy and a national civil rights movement, Juneteenth was designated as a federal holiday in June 2021. There are many celebrations planned in the Orlando area around the holidays. Here’s how to celebrate Juneteenth in Central Florida. Kissimmee Juneteenth Festival This community celebration celebrates African…

Chef Hari Prapaka is a James Beard Club semifinalist of Central Florida and is well-versed in the region’s food scene. And while it’s taken him some time to focus on new projects and personal endeavors since he and his wife, Jenifer, moved on from Cress in DeLand, the award-winning restaurant they opened in 2008, Orlando is about to see more of him. Prapaka joins the team at 4Roots, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the way communities grow, access and engage with food, and building a food system that is healthier, more just, and more resilient for everyone. In his…

“We have seen record funding for Everglades restoration under Governor Ron DeSantis, and the funding appropriated by the state Legislature will continue to make progress,” said Eric Eichenberg, CEO of the Everglades Foundation. The Florida Legislature passed a fiscal year 2026-27 budget that includes $638 million for Everglades restoration, including funds needed to complete the state’s portion of the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) reservoir. “This budget continues to advance Everglades restoration, investing $638 million in the Everglades, a critical $1 trillion asset, the foundation said. EAA Reservoir has been called the crown jewel of Everglades restoration, helping water flow from…

To text this article to a friend,[SMS]Tap Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia announced that his office has identified more than $275 million in what he calls “excessive and wasteful spending” in Jacksonville’s 2025-2026 budget. The city of Jacksonville’s general fund budget has increased 61% since 2019, according to Ingoglia. He pointed out last year that more than $199 million of the city’s 2024-2025 budget was wasteful spending. Ingoglia said the findings are part of an ongoing effort to provide transparency to local taxpayers and hold city officials accountable for spending decisions. “The City of Jacksonville has proven once again…

To text this article to a friend,[SMS]Tap 186.2 million Americans rely on AI for medical advice, in some cases trusting chatbots before consulting a doctor, according to a new study from medical staffing platform Nursa. Research highlights: Floridians are among the people most likely to rely on AI instead of doctors, and Miami and Jacksonville are among the top cities in the U.S. for health use of AI. More than half of Americans (54.34%) have used AI to assess symptoms or health concerns, representing 186.2 million Americans. The most common reason for seeking AI help is cold and flu symptoms…

The future of the long-closed Hood’s Up gas station facility, located in a prime location at Robinson Street and Bumby Avenue in Orlando’s Milk District (2400 E. Robinson St.), is becoming clearer. The Orlando City Council on Monday approved funding improvements to the property owned by Usler Development, which is moving toward opening Paper Kites, a restaurant project with the James Beard-nominated Good Salt Restaurant Group, says Good Salt’s Jason Chin. The name was chosen by his wife and partner, Su Chin, from the fond memories they had together in their hometown of South Korea. “It’s been thrown around a…

To text this article to a friend,[SMS]Tap The term used to describe wasteful spending in the nation’s capital is “pork barrel spending,” but in Florida it’s called the “turkey project.” For the past 40 years, Florida TaxWatch has published an annual report identifying some of the areas where turkey projects are taking place. Florida TaxWatch identified 621 items on this year’s list that cost Florida taxpayers approximately $830 million. “These are expenditures that circumvent or violate established budget procedures and legislative and public oversight,” the report states. A cleaner version is: TaxWatch leadership contends that most of these projects involve…

To text this article to a friend,[SMS]Tap Summer in Coral Springs is no joke. When your air conditioner stops working in mid-August, most people start researching repair companies, hoping to find one that won’t overcharge or do sloppy work. The list is long. It seems almost impossible to choose the right one without some guidance. Word of mouth is still widespread here. Air Nifty is one of the names that comes up a lot when people talk about their neighborhood. Air Nifty provides air conditioner repair in Coral Springs and has a reputation for honest pricing. That kind of trust…

To text this article to a friend,[SMS]Tap After waiting nearly two years, Floridians finally had the opportunity to vote on a formal property tax proposal from Gov. Ron DeSantis. This is certainly ambitious and has two major benefits. Inflation reduces the current homestead exemption amount and increases it to $150,000 in 2027, completely offsetting the loss in dollar value. Commercial property owners will also benefit as the cap on assessed value increases will be reduced from 10% to 5%. These are major changes and will be central to consideration of the proposal. Unfortunately, this amendment still leaves a lot to…

To text this article to a friend,[SMS]Tap Florida State will have one of the most interesting schedules at the 2026 World Cup. Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens will host seven games, including four group games, 32 round games, the quarterfinals and the third-place game. Group stages include Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay, Uruguay vs. Cape Verde, Brazil vs. Scotland and Colombia vs. Portugal. This combination allows soccer betting fans to enjoy several different types of matches. There will be a match against the favorites against an outsider, a test in South America, a showdown with an underdog in Africa and…