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Browse Florida-focused gifts and shop local this holiday season. Gifts may also support a good cause. The Sunshine State is offering merchandise supporting the Save the Manatee Club, Surfing Santa T-shirts and hats, and ResortPass gift cards to sponsor your loved one’s sun-kissed vacation at a Florida hotel. Purchasing a Manatee Calendar is one way to support Save the Manatee Club this holiday season. (Courtesy of Save the Manatee Club) save the manatee club Save the Manatee Club has worked tirelessly to protect Florida’s beloved sea cows since it was founded in 1981 by the late former Governor Bob Graham…

This list of holiday shopping suggestions includes past, present, and future themes. And depending on how seriously you take soccer, each item could have historical significance. Or you could call it a featured list, with some space adventures and some serious weather fronts, both real and imagined. burst Central Florida’s biggest theme park story of the year is the opening of Epic Universe at Universal Orlando. There is a lack of park goods bearing the 2025 brand, but this would be a touch typical of the debut year. Instead, look for gifts, specifically popcorn containers, from the Mysteries of 2020s…

Central Florida executives and attractions are well-represented on the 2025 list of Top 50 Theme Park Influencers, compiled annually by Blooloop, a website covering the global attractions industry. People connected to the opening of Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe theme park dominate the rankings, but Walt Disney World cast members and leaders of Orlando-based small businesses involved in attractions in central Florida and other areas also feature. According to the Blooloop website, reader nominations have formed a list of the 100 people whose “creativity, passion and drive” have most influenced them in the past 12 months. A panel of judges will…

1. Army vs. Navy Only one college football rivalry brings together so many Americans to serve their country and have the president toss a coin each year. Neither team has competed for a national title in decades, but no other college rivalry is as deep and long-running as Army and Navy. 2. Alabama vs. Auburn If Alabama fans and Auburn fans had a cigar smoking contest, fans would pay to watch. Typically, at least one of the two teams is competing for a national championship or a top-10 finish for the season. With no professional sports teams in the state,…

While Christmas and Halloween have countless entries in movie rankings, Thanksgiving is ignored by Hollywood. You can find a small number of high-quality Thanksgiving-themed movies. Here are three Thanksgiving movies worth considering for your family gathering after a big feast. Movie 1: Planes, trains and cars Two of the most talented comedic actors team up in John Hughes’ classic film about two men trying to get home in time for Thanksgiving. Movie 2: Home for the Vacation Directed by Jodie Foster, this holiday drama focuses on the chaos and awkwardness of Thanksgiving family gatherings. The star-studded cast includes Holly Hunter,…

As a journalist, I don’t ask questions to get what I want to hear, but as a food journalist, it often works out by accident. This morning I got on the phone with Kaya co-owner Jamilyn Salonga Bailey to ask about the new desserts coming at her Mill’s 50 Boy, a 2024 James Beard Foundation Award finalist for Best New Restaurant. “Well, we also have Adobo Caramel Apple Tart, Silvana Alaska, Calamansi Coconut Cream Pie…” She continues to list them, but I get distracted and find myself floating on a dreamy cloud of ube marshmallows. That happened to be another…

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis announced a new proposal aimed at protecting dogs from abuse and eliminating unethical puppy mills across Florida. The plan, developed in partnership with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, will establish statewide standards for responsible dog care and increase accountability for violators. Under the proposal, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation would begin licensing dog breeders to ensure humane practices and compliance with animal welfare laws. The initiative targets abusive practices that abuse dogs through overbreeding, confinement in cramped cages, exposure to extreme weather, and deprivation of food and water.…

Below is an official statement from Florida Attorney General James Usmeyer’s office regarding California’s attempt to lead national energy policy. Attorney General James Usmayer announced that Florida has submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Justice in response to a request for information regarding state laws that harm interstate commerce and the national economy. Florida’s filing identifies several California laws and policies that it says seek to usurp the nation’s energy policy in violation of the Constitution and federal law. “California does not have the authority to determine America’s energy future,” said Attorney General James Usmayer. “Florida is calling on…

Florida’s tourism industry achieved record results in 2024, according to new data released by VISIT FLORIDA. The agency’s Tourism Economic Impact Study reports that travel and tourism generates $133.6 billion in economic impact, supports 1.8 million jobs, and saves Florida households about $2,000 in taxes each.Out-of-state travelers spent $134.9 billion last year, a 3% increase from 2023. U.S. visitors accounted for $120.1 billion of this spending, and international travelers accounted for an additional $14.8 billion. Almost 99 cents of every dollar spent by visitors remained in Florida, supporting local businesses and wages across the state.Governor Ron DeSantis credited Florida’s tourism…

It was a bold bowl move. Orlando-based Ripley Entertainment purchased the 18-karat gold toilet at auction for $12.1 million. This is the most money the company has ever spent to add to its vast collection of oddities. Ripley acquired the fully functioning toilet at a Sotheby’s New York auction earlier this month. “We were the only bidders,” said Suzanne Smagala-Potts, Ripley’s senior manager. “This was quite surprising as we expected it to fetch a higher price as the artist himself is very famous.” The piece was one of three identical golden toilets created by Italian-born satirical visual artist Maurizio Cattelan.…