Capturing the Spirit of Florida, One Story at a Time.

Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket: A Look at the Future of Interplanetary Travel

Blue Origin just pulled off a major milestone. Early Thursday, Jeff Bezos watched from Launch Control as his company launched the massive New Glenn rocket—321 feet tall, named after John Glenn—into the sky over Cape Canaveral. Four days of bad weather held things up, but when the skies finally cleared, the rocket thundered off the pad, carrying two NASA Mars orbiters. Once the rocket released the orbiters, the real show began. The booster turned around and stuck the landing o

T Michele Walker

Amazing! Can't Miss Photos of Florida's Northern Lights

Palm Beach, Florida People in Florida got a real surprise on Tuesday night, November 11—well into the early hours of the 12th, 2025. The northern lights, usually reserved for far northern skies, showed up thanks to a powerful G4 geomagnetic storm. Central Florida photo credit Ali Roux Gaudette The Space Weather Prediction Center actually put out a G4 “severe” warning, which is just one step below the highest alert they can give. Tallahassee, Florida That’s why the aurora push

Staff

FEATURED STORIES

Watch Your Head, Florida! Falling Iguanas Alert as Temperatures Plummet

Florida’s getting an unusual warning this week: watch out for falling iguanas. When temperatures sink below the mid-40s, these lizards go into a kind of cold shock. They freeze up—literally—and sometimes just drop right out of the trees where they sleep. It’s not just one town either. The cold snap is hitting the whole Gulf Coast and Southeast. Fort Lauderdale’s dipping to 50, Tampa to 35, and Orlando to 37. That’s well below what iguanas can handle. Here’s why it’s happening

Teresa Grosze

NEWS

From the Northern Skies to Florida: The Unexpected Journey of the Aurora Borealis

Sorrento, Florida 11/11/25 A powerful solar storm just lit up the skies with northern lights in places you’d never expect—yes, even Florida. That’s the third time Floridians have caught the aurora borealis in 2024. If you want to catch a glimpse, experts say your best bet is to find the darkest spot you can, then scan the low northern horizon. The lights are back, and it never gets old. Meteorologists predicted the aurora would reach almost two dozen states as a strong solar

Navigating Chaos: The Impact of the Government Shutdown on Florida's Air Travel

The government shutdown just hit a record on November 5—longest shutdown ever. Air traffic controllers and TSA screeners, still on the job, haven’t seen a paycheck since October 1. The timing could hardly be worse, with Thanksgiving travel looming and travelers already anxious: Is it safe to fly right now? Are delays and cancellations getting worse? What about those security lines? Let’s get into the numbers. We checked FlightAware for a snapshot of early-morning delays and c

Bark at the Beach: Exciting New Dog-Friendly Spot Opens in Daytona Next Month

Starting Dec. 1, you can finally bring your dog to the beach in Daytona Beach. The Volusia County Council just made it official with a vote this week—so now there’s a new, dog-friendly stretch of sand. The council signed off on the idea last month, but now it’s set in stone. They all agreed, no one pushed back. You’ll find the dog beach on a 1.7-mile stretch between Williams Avenue and Seabreeze Boulevard. Councilman Troy Kent first pitched the idea. He says people have been

Florida Shivers as Arctic Front Brings Unexpected Cold Weather

Arctic air is barreling all the way down to Florida, dragging temperatures into the 20s and 30s—cold enough to feel like Christmas, but without the lights or the music. North and Central Florida are bracing for freeze warnings and watches, with wind chills dipping below 20 degrees in some spots. The whole state’s under a small craft advisory too, with big waves and nasty rip currents hitting both coasts. So, here’s the drill: cover your plants, bring your pets inside, wrap up

Jacksonville Jaguars Expected to Play 2027 Season in Orlando

The Jacksonville Jaguars plan to play their 2027 season in Orlando. The NFL still needs to sign off, but on Friday, Orlando City Commissioner Shan Rose made it clear: Orlando is the Jaguars’ top choice over Gainesville for that year. Right now, Jacksonville’s EverBank Stadium is set for renovations, so the team needs a temporary home. Rose says the city is deep in the process, sorting through details and negotiations. There’s still a big step ahead—a vote from NFL owners—but

Help is Here: Navigate Florida’s Food Resources After SNAP Cuts with These Simple Steps

If you’re in Florida and need help with food after SNAP cuts, or you want to help others, there are a few solid options. Start with Feeding Florida’s map—just plug in your location and you’ll see the nearest food banks. If you’d rather call, dial 211 for United Way. They’ll point you to meal programs or food pantries nearby. Looking for something different? The Too Good To Go app connects you with local stores and restaurants that have extra food at the end of the day.

THEME PARKS

Breaking Down Disney's Big Announcements: What Lies Ahead?

On November 13, 2025, Disney dropped its Q4 earnings report for fiscal year 2025 and held the usual earnings call. The company covered everything—theme parks, Disney+, the cruise line, and a bunch of other updates. So, what’s really happening inside the Walt Disney Company right now? Let’s zoom out first. Disney posted $22.5 billion in revenue for Q4, which basically matches what they made in Q4 last year. For the entire fiscal year, revenue ticked up 3% to $94.4 billion, up

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Welcomes Zootopia: A Celebration of Wildlife and Adventure

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is about to make Zootopia feel real with a brand-new 4D theater show right inside the park’s famous Tree of Life. The show, called Zootopia: Better Zoogether, drops you into a nine-minute ride alongside Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. You’ll slip on “carrot vision” 3D glasses (“because carrots are good for your eyes,” of course), and the city of Zootopia just bursts to life around you. Sights, smells, and wild motion effects make you feel like you’re right

The Magic Returns: Celebrating the Soft Opening of Spaceship Earth

Spaceship Earth surprised everyone by opening its doors to guests October 18, 2025, after months of refurbishment at EPCOT. People who managed to catch a ride said it felt just like it did before the August shutdown—same narration, same scenes, no big changes that guests would notice. Even though the ride is spinning again, Disney’s official site still lists Spaceship Earth as closed until October 24, with normal hours picking up on the 25th. Right now, nobody’s really sure i

CULTURE

“Let the People Sing”: A Creative Tribute to Zora Neale Hurston at Rollins College

Back in 1933, Zora Neale Hurston, famed writer and anthropologist from Eatonville, Florida, tried to stage a play rooted in Black folklore at Rollins College in Winter Park. She had friends among the professors, but that didn’t open the doors she hoped. The Annie Russell Theatre wouldn’t have her work. Instead, she put on her show in the Rec Hall, and the audience? All white. Now, nearly a century later, history circles back. A new play about the making of Hurston’s 1933 prod

Step Right Up! WATER FOR ELEPHANTS Brings Circus Magic to Life at Dr. Phillips Center

The cast of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS Photo by Matt Murphy courtesy Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts “Water For Elephants–The Broadway Musical” plunges into the chaotic, colorful world of a 1930s traveling circus, complete with massive animal puppets, dazzling acrobats, and aerialists. The score mixes old-time string music—think folk-style bluegrass—with the lively bounce of 1930s jazz. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive , praising the stunning circus-style acrobati

16 Fun Fall Festivities to Attend in Florida

Finding Fall in Florida Florida is finally seeing a shift in the weather, with the first real signs of fall arriving after an extended period of summer heat. The Sunshine State is experiencing cooler mornings, lower humidity, and abundant sunshine—a welcome change for both residents and local businesses that have been navigating a long stretch of heat advisories and tropical systems. Forecasts from the National Weather Service indicate that Florida will see continued sunny co

FLORIDA LIFESTYLE

Honoring Our Hometown Heroes

From the greens at Rio Pinar to the front lines overseas, we’re taking a moment to recognize Orlando’s own Peter Morlock as he shares a few stories of his life in service. By T. Michele Walker Peter J. Morlock, Jr. has always been on the move. One minute, he’s flying missions between Spain and Crete. The next, he’s chasing down ships smuggling oil during those tense embargo years. All in the name of serving his country. He started as an air crewman, riding in the back of reco

Beyond the Bowl: 10 Innovative Ideas for Halloween Candy Stash

It's the day after Halloween and your house is full of candy. We asked our readers for their tricks on dealing with all those treats. We hang on to a few favorites, but I take the rest to work and leave it in the break room. I work at a hospital, and honestly, the nurses are always grateful for extra snacks to help them through those long shifts. We sort through the candy, pick out the ones that work well for decorating gingerbread houses, and then freeze those until Christma

Nature's Resilience: How Flamingos Are Thriving Again in Florida After 100 Years

Flamingos are nesting in Florida again, and it’s the first time that’s happened in a hundred years. Scientists think they’re not just passing through—they might actually stick around. Back in 2023, Hurricane Idalia blew hundreds of flamingos off their usual path. A lot of them ended up in Florida Bay, and people started spotting them more and more. Now, it looks like these birds are bringing back a wild population everyone thought was gone for good. Why are they back? Experts