Articles by Michael Schneider

Two Florida Tourist Sites Halt Drone Shows After Boy Was Hit at Orlando Event

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A theme park resort and a huge hotel in central Florida either have stopped using drones or canceled their drone-based shows after several drones collided and fell from the sky during a separate holiday celebration in …

Milton Ravaged One of the Most Popular Areas for Snowbirds on Florida’s Gulf Coast

BRADENTON BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The start of “snowbird” season in Florida is only weeks away, but many Florida Gulf Coast beaches, regularly voted some of the best in the United States, are closed to the public because of the …

Florida Arts Groups’ Insurance Could be Affected With DeSantis Veto of Funding

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Coral Gables Art Cinema will be short more than $100,000 this year. About $150,000 has suddenly disappeared from the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra’s budget. The Miami New Drama also has an unexpected $150,000 budget hole. Across …

Disney to Invest $17B in Florida Parks Now That Fight with DeSantis Has Cooled

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Months after Disney and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees agreed to end a protracted legal fight, the two sides are set to approve an agreement that could result in the company investing up to $17 billion into …

Driver of Pickup Charged with DUI After Crash with Bus that Killed 8 Farmworkers

OCALA, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Highway Patrol has arrested the driver of a pickup truck that crashed into a farmworker bus early Tuesday, killing eight, on charges of driving under the influence-manslaughter. Bryan Maclean Howard, 41, faces eight counts …

It’s a Matter of When, Not if, a Hurricane Will Hit Florida, Forecasters Say

SANFORD, Fla. (AP) — With the start of hurricane season less than a month away, U.S. officials who predict, prepare for and respond to natural disasters had a message for Floridians on Friday: It’s not a matter of if a …

Florida University to Pay $1.1M to Family of Drum Major Killed in Hazing

Florida A&M University reached a $1.1 million settlement Sept. 18 with the family of a drum major who died after being hazed by fellow band members. The university agreed to name the marching band’s anti-hazing program after Robert Champion as …