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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into classrooms across the state, the University of Florida will host a two-day conference aimed at helping educators and students better understand how to use rapidly evolving technology responsibly. The event, hosted by the university’s School of Education, will be held at Norman Hall from March 26th to 27th to commemorate National AI Literacy Day. This conference will focus on research-based strategies designed to help Florida schools incorporate AI tools into their existing curriculum. One notable initiative is “SharkAI.” This is a project launched in 2022 by university researchers with support…

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Attorney General James Usmeyer announced that a Hillsborough County couple has been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for their roles in a fentanyl trafficking operation that authorities allege was conducted while one of the defendants was in prison. Lenny Stevens was sentenced to 60 years in prison, and Vincent Stevens was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Prosecutors said the case involved repeated sales of fentanyl and arrangements between the couple that included contacts from prison. Investigators said Vincent Stevens was already serving a 20-year sentence for human trafficking and firearms charges at the time of…

Epic Universe Theme Park’s dueling roller coaster attraction Stardust Racers is back in action after an extended downtime. Universal Orlando’s thrill ride in Epic’s Celestial Park area returned to the operating lineup Wednesday. The wait time announced Thursday morning was 45 minutes, less than the expected 60-minute queue for the park’s Harry Potter and the Battle of the Ministry of Magic attraction. The coaster has not been in operation since mid-February, and its closure time has been extended several times, most recently set for April 5th. “Stardust Racers is undergoing its first annual planned inspection and maintenance process,” Universal said…

TAMPA, Fla. — A 20-year-old Land O’Lakes man has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly attempting to detonate an improvised explosive device at MacDill Air Force Base earlier this month, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Allen Zheng is charged with attempting to damage government property by fire or explosion, illegally manufacturing a destructive device, and possessing an unregistered destructive device, prosecutors said. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison. According to court documents, the incident occurred on the night of March 10, 2026, when Chung allegedly…

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will be adding an exhibit called “Artemis II: Road to the Moon” starting March 28. NASA exhibits include authentic Artemis hardware, a 14-foot-tall moon replica and other large-scale models, a crew showcase for personal items, and an inspection of spacesuits and tools for future missions. The exhibit will be located on the first floor of the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction. Visitors can retrace the flight path and explore the technology and teams that are making this country’s return to the moon possible. The Brevard County-based attraction will also host a series of 25-minute presentations…

Universal Orlando has begun selling tickets in some categories, including one-night passes for Halloween Horror Nights. We have also expanded our Premium Scream Night offering to two nights: August 27th (the day before the first event date) and October 19th. The price of a one-night ticket varies depending on the date. October 17th and October 24th range from $88 to $130. HHN will operate on select nights at Universal Studios Florida theme park from August 28th to November 1st. Premium Scream Night tickets include food and non-alcoholic beverages, reduced wait times due to event capacity limits, and self-parking. Admission is…

Hop to the Easter festivities with these fabulous Orlando options: AVA MediterrAegean: To mark the occasion, AVA will feature La Noisette, a decadent Easter dessert made with Piedmont hazelnut praliné, 64% Manjari dark chocolate and marshmallow for a rich yet airy finish. More info: avamediterraegean.com/wp/home Café Tu Tu Tango: Celebrate Easter Sunday with brunch, where guests can enjoy its Bottomless Brunch available until 3 p.m. For $34.22 per person, diners can indulge in unlimited selections from the brunch menu along with bottomless street tacos. To toast the holiday, guests can add bottomless bloody marys or mimosas for $24.22, or upgrade…

Those who regularly go to theme parks can get stuck in a rut of prioritizing their favorite things and habitually avoiding others. I recently revisited some rides that had been off the radar to see if there was anything new (including my attitude). The queuing area for the Fast and Furious – Supercharged ride at Universal Studios Florida includes a car garage setting. (Dwayne Bevill/Orlando Sentinel) car story What: Fast and Furious — Supercharger, Universal Studios, Florida Why it’s gone so long: It might be because this attraction blends into the park like any other fake storefront (though, oddly enough,…

This summer, magical fairies will return to Orlando’s 50-acre botanical oasis, reviving a tradition that has enchanted visitors of all ages. Lew Gardens will host the Fairy Doors for the seventh time from June 8 to September. 7, inspires summer visits to outdoor spaces where visitors can embark on a magical journey. The exhibit was first conceived by Tracy Misiche, the garden’s events and marketing director, in 2018 after her then 14-year-old daughter had an interest in fairies. “My daughter has loved fairies since she was little. She was very interested in the magical world of fairytales,” Miche said. “I…

The stock market has hit record highs in recent months. So which stocks are people paying the most attention to online? Gainify, a stock research platform, says its analysis of what individuals are looking for using the Google search engine reveals that Microsoft is the most talked about stock online. META ranks second overall and Palantir Technologies ranks third. Amazon came in 4th place. In fifth place was Nvidia (NVDA). Nvidia’s stock price has hit an all-time high due to the growing popularity and interest in AI stocks. By sector, the top 50 ranking is dominated by technology. Nine of…