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Capturing the Spirit of Florida, One Story at a Time.
Florida's "Hands-Free" Driving Bill to Ban All Handheld Phone Use
Florida lawmakers are back at it, trying once again to tackle distracted driving. This week, State Senator Erin Grall from Vero Beach reintroduced Senate Bill 1152. Last time, the bill made it through the House but stalled out in the Senate. The main point’s pretty simple: if you’re driving, don’t touch your phone. No texting, no scrolling, not even flipping through your playlist. The bill doesn’t leave much wiggle room; if you’re holding your phone in your hand, wedging it b
Teresa Grosze
Big Freeze in Florida Triggers "Frozen" Iguana Alert
Big changes are on the way for Florida. A sharp cold front rolls in on Wednesday into Thursday, January 14 and 15, 2026, and it’s about to shake things up. Here’s what to expect: Wednesday, Jan. 14: Clouds move in. Temperatures slip a bit, topping out in the low 70s, upper 60s. You’ll probably notice some showers as the front edges closer. Thursday, Jan. 15: Here comes the main event. The cold front pushes through with steady rain and some heavy downpours, especially in
Teresa Grosze
Orlando is Getting the World’s First-Ever Slotharium
Orlando’s about to get a whole lot slower, and way cuter. The world’s first slotharium, Sloth World, is landing on International Drive in February 2026. Honestly, who doesn’t want to hang out with a sloth? This isn’t your typical zoo setup. At Sloth World, you’ll get to wander through a lush rainforest habitat with more than 40 sloths roaming around—no glass, no cages, just you and these gentle, sleepy creatures. There’ll be different species to meet, and yes, you might even
Teresa Grosze
FEATURED STORIES
2025 Florida Highlights: From Serious to Silly (and everything in between)
Florida experienced snow January 2025 We'll begin with serious political, business, and economic news. For the 2025 "Florida Man"-style highlights, scroll down. You don't want to miss it. Florida saw a wild ride in 2025—politics dominated headlines, cranes dotted city skylines, and the state’s population kept climbing. News felt relentless, with some stories grabbing the whole country’s attention. Politics and Legislation The political scene never let up. Big names shuffled i
Teresa Grosze
NEWS
Lake Eola bird flu update: 21 bird fatalities since December 7, 2025
Lake Eola's beloved swans Photo courtesy of City of Orlando As of January 6, 2026, Orlando officials confirmed that avian influenza, or bird flu, is behind the deaths of 21 birds at Lake Eola Park. The outbreak began on December 17, 2025, and it’s hit the swan population especially hard. Nineteen of the dead birds were Royal Mute swans. The others: one anhinga, one ibis. Before this started, Lake Eola had around 50 to 60 swans. City workers, together with the Florida Fish and
Be careful what you beef about: Publix’s near-$50/lb prime cut goes viral
Photo posted on Reddit Publix just stirred up a storm with its regulars, and the internet’s not letting it slide. People are actually calling the prices “criminal”—and, honestly, when you see what they’re charging for meat, it’s kind of wild. It all kicked off with a Reddit post. Someone snapped a shot of a 1.23-pound cut of organic prime tenderloin at Publix, and the price tag was eye-popping: $49.99 a pound, so over $61 for that one steak. The poster didn’t hold back—“What
Mortar Found on Fort Pierce Beach Prompts Pepper Park Evacuation; Coastline’s WWII Live-Ordnance History Brought Back to Light
Pepper Park Beach in Fort Pierce A diver stumbled on a mortar that had washed up at Pepper Park Beach in St. Lucie County on Saturday afternoon, resulting in an evacuation of the beach. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office arrived at 3302 N. Highway A1A around 3:30 p.m. after the diver called it in. Deputies cleared everyone from the beach, pushing people back at least 300 yards in all directions—no chances taken when you’re dealing with old explosives. The Bomb Disposal Tea
Pool Party Crasher: 8-Foot Gator Ignores Cold Front for a Late-Night Dip in Naples
Alligator found in Naples pool If you grow up in Florida, you just know—where there’s water, there’s probably a gator lurking. Locals try to warn visitors, but honestly, most people just shrug it off. Even with cooler temps in Naples, that didn’t stop a nearly 8-foot alligator from going for a midnight swim in someone’s backyard pool. “This is wild. Nobody believed it, not until we saw the video—especially when he started rolling around. He was huge,” said Rob Emhoff, who liv
Silent Waters: The Ongoing Mystery of Florida’s Missing Fishermen and the FBI Probe
Randall Spivey and Brandon Billmaier The timeline, what we know, who are Randall Spivey and Brandon Billmaier, and the unanswered questions. After four intense days searching the waters off Naples, Florida, the Coast Guard called off the hunt for Randall Spivey and his nephew, Brandon Billmaier. Both disappeared on December 19, and despite scouring nearly 6,700 square miles, crews couldn’t find them. Their families now face the grim truth. On Monday, December 22, as the sun s
Florida’s First Christmas Was Far from Festive: The 1539 Hernando de Soto Expedition Story
Florida’s first Christmas didn’t look anything like the holiday we know now. Picture this: late 1539, cold air hanging over the Apalachee village of Anhaica, right where Tallahassee sits today. Hernando de Soto, hungry for gold, had dragged his huge expedition—soldiers, priests, craftsmen, and enslaved people—straight into the heart of Apalachee territory. They occupied the capital, but the Apalachee didn’t surrender quietly. Tension filled the camp; skirmishes flared up agai
THEME PARKS
SeaWorld, Disney, and LEGOLAND Florida Unveil Family-Friendly Thrills for 2026
Get ready for a big year in 2026—Central Florida’s theme parks are rolling out new family rides and giving old favorites a fresh twist. SeaWorld Orlando is launching SEAQuest: Legends of the Deep, an indoor dark ride that’s the first of its kind for the park. You’ll hop into a submersible and dive into shipwrecks and deep-sea mysteries. “We’re redefining what a family attraction can be,” said Conner Carr, the park’s vice president of rides and engineering. He’s excited about
Farewell to Katina: SeaWorld’s Beloved Killer Whale Passes at 50 After Decades of Devotion
Katina dies at age 50, photo courtesy of SeaWrlorld SeaWorld shared sad news on Sunday: Katina, one of their best-known killer whales, has died at 50. Her health had been slipping for a while, and things got worse in the past few weeks as she grew older. The animal care and medical staff watched over her day and night, eventually focusing on making sure she was comfortable. She passed away with staff members by her side—people who’d cared for her for almost forty years. Katin
Surprise! A Trip to Tokyo Disney Can Be Cheaper Than Walt Disney World
Tokyo Disney It’s wild, but for a lot of families, flying all the way to Tokyo Disney Resort can actually cost the same—or sometimes even less—than a trip to Walt Disney World in Florida. Prices at WDW have shot up, the Japanese yen is weak right now, and honestly, Tokyo Disney’s tickets and food are just cheaper, especially if you score a good flight deal. It sounds strange at first, right? But when you add up everything—flights, hotels, park tickets, food—Tokyo Disney start
TRAVEL & DINING
Pack Your Sleigh: 8 Festive Florida Cities for the Ultimate Christmas Road Trip
Florida doesn’t exactly scream “Christmas” to most people. We’re the Sunshine State—kids run outside in shorts on Christmas morning, zipping around on new scooters, spraying each other with water guns. Snow? Not a chance. Sure, we decorate, but our neighborhoods aren’t dotted with cozy, snow-covered cottages. We have fir trees, but you won’t spot many reindeer. Fireplaces? Only if you count barbecue grills or those patio fire pits. Our Christmas cards usually star Santa in sw
Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish History: The Story Behind the St. Pete Institution
Right after World War II, in 1945, Ted Peters and his family decided it was time for a fresh start. Ted joined forces with his stepbrother, “Red Hot,” who’d already made his way down to Florida from upstate New York. Together, they dove straight into the fish business. Ted worked at the Fisherman’s Co-Op over in Madeira Beach, Florida, and something caught his attention. Most folks stashed their fish smokers out back, hidden away like some kind of secret. Ted thought that was
Remembering the Kapok Tree Inn: The Enchantment of Old Florida
The Kapok Tree Inn wasn’t just a restaurant—locals and tourists saw it as a real escape, a place with its own kind of magic right in Clearwater, Florida. For decades, people came for the grand, Roman-inspired setting, built in the 1950s around a massive Kapok tree that had stood since the late 1800s. Inside, you’d find twelve different dining rooms, each one lavishly detailed, where the food was simple but elegant. The Kapok offered something you couldn’t get anywhere else. L
ARTS & CULTURE
Island Rhythms and Rainbow Palms: The 2026 Florida Keys Festival Guide You Can’t Miss
Ready to dive into the best festivals in the Florida Keys for 2026? Whether you’re after music, culture, wild adventures, or just some good food, this stretch of islands knows how to throw a party. First up, let’s talk culture. The Keys have a rich, quirky history and love showing it off. In January, the Key West Literary Seminar draws in authors and serious book lovers—think workshops, readings, and a setting that once inspired Hemingway himself. If Celtic music and dancing
Joey Fatone Brings "& Juliet" to Orlando for an Unforgettable Homecoming
Joey Fatone, photo courtesy of Dr. Phillips Center, Matthew Murphy, Murphy Made Get ready, Orlando, something special’s about to hit town. Joey Fatone, the hometown hero and *NSYNC legend, is coming back to the stage in the North American Tour of & Juliet. If you want to catch him, he’ll be at the Dr. Phillips Center for a short, can’t-miss run from January 6–11, 2026. Joey’s just wrapped up a stint on Broadway, and now he’s bringing ‘Lance’ home. For Fatone, this stop isn’t
FLORIDA LIFESTYLE
"Walkin' Lawton" Remembering Florida History - 55 years ago this month
On January 3, 1971, Polk County's Lawton Chiles took his seat in the U.S. Senate. Honestly, his campaign was pretty wild for Florida. Nobody really knew him at first, so he decided to walk—yep, actually walk—1,003 miles from Pensacola all the way down to Key West. "Walkin' Lawton" met people face to face, shook hands, listened to their stories. It took him 91 days and more than one pair of boots. People called it a “public relations stroke of genius,” and it worked. Chiles cr
Happy Birthday to a Florida Sports Legend: Tiger Woods Turns 50 Amidst Triumph and Trials
Tiger Woods reacts as he wins the Masters golf tournament, Sunday, April 14, 2019, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File) Tiger Woods turned 50 on Tuesday, Dec. 30. Hard to believe, right? He’s spent decades making history on the golf course and fighting through plenty away from it. No one else has ever held all four major titles at once. He’s won 82 PGA Tour events—that’s tied for the record. The guy’s body has taken a beating, too. Surgeries on his legs and back,
Celebrate Nature: The 39th Annual Florida Manatee Festival Returns to Crystal River
Get ready—Citrus County’s favorite celebration of manatees is back. The 39th Annual Florida Manatee Festival splashes into Crystal River on January 17–18, 2026, filling downtown and the gorgeous Kings Bay area with two days packed full of fun. The Citrus County Chamber of Commerce puts on the festival, with support from Coast to Coast Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC. Every year, the Manatee Festival gets bigger, more creative, and—let’s be honest—more fun for everyone. You ca
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