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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" > <channel> <title>WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale</title> <atom:link href="https://wsvn.com/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://wsvn.com</link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 15:02:39 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2</generator> <image> <url>https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/08/cropped-cropped-7News_logo_FBbghex-1-1.png?w=32</url> <title>WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale</title> <link>https://wsvn.com</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">174089892</site><item> <title>The REAL ID deadline is looming and many travelers are scrambling and confused. Here’s what we know</title> <link>https://wsvn.com/news/us-world/the-real-id-deadline-is-looming-and-many-travelers-are-scrambling-and-confused-heres-what-we-know/</link> <pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 14:37:18 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tynisa Senior]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[US & World]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://wsvn.com/?p=1562169</guid> <description><![CDATA[(CNN) — New Jersey woman Lauren Mills is one of many Americans scrambling to get an updated driver’s license over the next 30 days to make...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ (CNN) — New Jersey woman Lauren Mills is one of many Americans scrambling to get an updated driver’s license over the next 30 days to make sure she’s still able to fly domestically after new federal rules go into effect on May 7. That’s the date that the Department of Homeland Security is set to enforce the deadline for “REAL ID” after years of pushing it back. The REAL ID Act, which was passed by Congress in 2005, enacted the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the federal government enhance security standards for identification. “REAL ID state-issued identification cards significantly strengthen identity verification, which is a lynchpin in transportation security,” said a spokesperson for the Transportation Security Administration, the DHS aviation security agency whose officers check passengers’ identification at US airport checkpoints. Those ID checks have many would-be travelers worried. “What’s happening now — and I kind of liken it to the toilet paper of the pandemic — I think everyone’s panicking so everyone wants to get an appointment. And there’s literally none,” said Mills, referring to the appointments New Jersey’s licensing centers are using to process the new IDs. Mills, who lives in Boonton, said she had been monitoring the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC) website for about a week for available REAL ID appointments with no luck. But minutes later, while she was still on a call with CNN, eight REAL ID appointments — the first she said she’d seen — popped up on the NJMVC site in towns in other parts of the state. They were snapped up in the next few minutes like sought-after concert tickets, she said. The REAL ID rollout, which varies from state to state, has many residents confused about who needs a REAL ID, what’s required to get one and how quickly they’ll be able to get a new ID now that the looming deadline has ramped up demand from people rushing to meet it before they travel. While residents who don’t have REAL IDs will still be able to drive using current non-compliant licenses and use that identification in other scenarios, REAL IDs will become essential for boarding flights for travelers who don’t have a valid passport, passport card or other approved identification. While the race to meet the May 7 date is very much on, the final rule published in January allows for “necessary flexibility, using a phased approach” to starting enforcement that accounts for “security, operational risk and public impact,” the TSA said. But the agency noted that the rule does not extend the REAL ID deadline. To avoid delays at airport security checkpoints, all air travelers aged 18 and older are urged to secure proper identification by May 7, 2025. <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Surging demand as the clock ticks down</h4> For years, US drivers have had the opportunity to reup their licenses for REAL IDs, although implementation timelines have varied from state to state. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation secretary Michael Carroll estimates that Pennsylvanians have had about six years since the rules began being implemented. “Of course, human nature, everybody waits til the last minute,” Carroll said. “The May 7 deadline from Homeland Security seems like a certainty at this point, and I think that the public has grasped that reality.” He said approximately 26% of Pennsylvanians have gotten a REAL ID. Wait times at DMVs in Pennsylvania are currently at about an hour, according to Carroll, “significantly more than wait times” before REAL ID. In Pennsylvania, like other states that are opening DMVs more frequently, driver’s license centers are opening on Mondays — when the DMV is usually closed — in order to try to get more drivers their REAL ID. Of course, Carroll said drivers can still go any time after May 7 to get their REAL ID, but the identification is pertinent should they need to travel by air directly after May 7. For Mills, who lives in neighboring New Jersey, the fear of unexpectedly needing to get on a flight is driving her desire to quickly secure a new ID. She has a passport, but it’s expired. She was quick to admit that she has put off getting her updated identification for too long. The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission has pushed to add new REAL ID appointments over the last few months through efforts such as dedicating Thursdays to processing the new IDs and upcoming mobile unit appointments aimed at reaching more ID seekers. NJMVC said it adds approximately 3,500 new appointments each morning to its system. “Across the country, not only here in New Jersey, the demand for REAL ID is extraordinarily high ahead of the start of federal enforcement in May,” said William Connolly, a spokesperson for NJMVC. He urged customers who can’t make appointments they’ve scheduled for REAL IDs to be sure and cancel them so that those sought-after slots are available to other customers. <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Some people may have it and not know</h4> In some states, REAL IDs were issued, and drivers may not know. For example, all permanent licenses issued in Georgia after 2012 are REAL ID compliant, according to the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS). But some Georgians are confused by a redesign of the stars on the corners of REAL IDs issued by the department. “As the implementation date of May 7, 2025 nears, DDS is seeing customers who are already REAL ID compliant visiting our centers. Either a gold or black star on a Georgia license or ID will be accepted, and the color only changed due to a card design change within DDS,” said DDS Commissioner Spencer R. Moore in a March news release aimed at clarifying compliance. In some states, there’s uncertainty about which licenses will allow you to fly. As of March 31, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission had issued more than 8 million IDs that meet the requirements for the REAL ID Act of 2005. However, more than 6 million of those licenses are labeled as “Not for REAL ID purposes,” so while they meet the law’s requirements, they are not useable for domestic flights. Across states, compliant IDs will have a marking at the top of the card, typically a gold or black star. The documentation required by each state also varies, and ID seekers discussing the REAL ID process online have commented on hurdles for people who have had name changes or other inconsistencies in their documentation. The TSA outlined basic requirements — documentation showing “full legal name, date of birth, social security number, two proofs of address for their principal residence and proof of their lawful status” — but noted that states may have additional requirements. The agency advises checking with state DMVs for guidance on requirements before visiting those facilities in person. In addition to serving as acceptable identification to board flights in the United States, REAL IDs will also be required to access federal facilities where identification is required. Many members of the flying public, including Mills, are rushing to prepare for what’s to come. Mills said she’s doesn’t have immediate plans to fly but worries about what might come up. “My biggest concern is, what if I have to get on a plane for something?” ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1562169</post-id><media:content url='https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/cnn-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2ltYWdlL2luc3RhbmNlcy9jbTkzY2NrYTMwMDFlM2I2bTEzYjM3NXo4-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2FydGljbGUvaW5zdGFuY2VzL2NtOTNid3BoNzAwMG0yY3AzZTUxZGVvcDM.jpg?quality=60&strip=color' medium='image' /> <media:thumbnail url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/cnn-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2ltYWdlL2luc3RhbmNlcy9jbTkzY2NrYTMwMDFlM2I2bTEzYjM3NXo4-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2FydGljbGUvaW5zdGFuY2VzL2NtOTNid3BoNzAwMG0yY3AzZTUxZGVvcDM.jpg?quality=60&strip=color" /> <media:content url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/cnn-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2ltYWdlL2luc3RhbmNlcy9jbTkzY2NrYTMwMDFlM2I2bTEzYjM3NXo4-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2FydGljbGUvaW5zdGFuY2VzL2NtOTNid3BoNzAwMG0yY3AzZTUxZGVvcDM.jpg?quality=60&strip=color" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">cnn-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2ltYWdlL2luc3RhbmNlcy9jbTkzY2NrYTMwMDFlM2I2bTEzYjM3NXo4-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2FydGljbGUvaW5zdGFuY2VzL2NtOTNid3BoNzAwMG0yY3AzZTUxZGVvcDM=</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>Boat brawl: Viral video of captain’s altercation with other boater in Punta Gorda jeopardizes captain’s charter company reputation</title> <link>https://wsvn.com/news/local/florida/boat-brawl-viral-video-of-captains-altercation-with-other-boater-in-punta-gorda-jeopardizes-captains-charter-company-reputation/</link> <pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 14:24:52 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tynisa Senior]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Florida]]></category> <category><![CDATA[video]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://wsvn.com/?p=1562132</guid> <description><![CDATA[PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (WSVN) —A viral video is hurting business for a Florida charter company after a captain is seen getting confrontational with another boater....]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (WSVN) —A viral video is hurting business for a Florida charter company after a captain is seen getting confrontational with another boater. Now, a woman who booked a trip with the company is demanding her money back after seeing the video. “When you look on social media, he did advertise as being the best tarpon fishing in the area,” said Smith. Shalon Smith booked a 2-day fishing trip with Captain Brock Horner. “I’m the best charter captain you will ever meet in your [explicit] life,” Horner can be hear yelling in the viral video. But she wants her money back after seeing a viral video of him getting into a fight with another boater. “We actually booked a few months ago for my son’s 16th birthday. Big deal for us,” said Smith. “My son’s buddy’s mom has family out in Florida and she sent me the link and she goes, ‘Is this the captain you’re going with? You may want to reconsider’. It reportedly started over lights and speeding under a bridge in Punta Gorda. “[…] cause he didn’t have his [explicit] lights on,” Horner yelled. “Bro, you shouldn’t come flying through the middle of the bridge. You know people fish here, bro,” said Gage Towels. Gage Towles took the video of his encounter with Captain Horner that would end with Horner eventually jumping on his boat. “Chill bro, chill bro, please bro,” Towels can be heard pleading. Smith said she paid $1,800 at booking and was set to pay Captain Horner another $1,800 the day of the trip, April 14. But suddenly he was rather hard to reach. “He wasn’t responding to calls, texts, emails, his website was shut down. His social media was shut down. I felt at a complete loss,” said Smith. She eventually got in contact with Capt. Horner’s attorney to see if he could help get her money back. “He said he is in contact, obviously, with his client. There’s a lot of quote “moving pieces”. So I don’t know what that means. But he did say if i don’t hear back to him in a week to contact him again,” she said. Other boaters who know Captain Horner say the incident was completely uncalled for. “It wasn’t worth losing his whole entire business now. And I mean, people want their money bac, they’re not getting it back,” said a man. After the incident, surrounding businesses have cut ties with Horner. He was arrested by the Punta Gorda Police Department. ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1562132</post-id><media:content url='https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/250407-Boat-brawl-Viral-video-of-captains-altercation-with-other-boater-in-Punta-Gorda-jeopardizes-captains-charter-company-reputation.png' medium='image' /> <media:content medium='video' url='https://house-fastly-signed-us-east-1-prod.brightcovecdn.com/media/v1/pmp4/static/clear/4368278029001/524fd197-af2f-4711-b770-b2eb4f6ecb93/5d7b2384-9833-44ea-bd88-692275e24482/main.mp4?fastly_token=NjdmNDM4YzNfY2M4Yjg5YmI2ZjE5ODkxMjNlODMwOGMyMTQ1MzYwNDYxOGQ1NTEzMDg1ODg4MzcxZTE3YzdlYzczMjQxZGY2MV8vL2hvdXNlLWZhc3RseS1zaWduZWQtdXMtZWFzdC0xLXByb2QuYnJpZ2h0Y292ZWNkbi5jb20vbWVkaWEvdjEvcG1wNC9zdGF0aWMvY2xlYXIvNDM2ODI3ODAyOTAwMS81MjRmZDE5Ny1hZjJmLTQ3MTEtYjc3MC1iMmViNGY2ZWNiOTMvNWQ3YjIzODQtOTgzMy00NGVhLWJkODgtNjkyMjc1ZTI0NDgyL21haW4ubXA0' type='video/mp4' /> <media:thumbnail url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/250407-Boat-brawl-Viral-video-of-captains-altercation-with-other-boater-in-Punta-Gorda-jeopardizes-captains-charter-company-reputation.png" /> <media:content url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/250407-Boat-brawl-Viral-video-of-captains-altercation-with-other-boater-in-Punta-Gorda-jeopardizes-captains-charter-company-reputation.png" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">250407 Boat brawl Viral video of captain's altercation with other boater in Punta Gorda jeopardizes captain's charter company reputation</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>The Red Ball League South Florida community to kick back to a beloved childhood sport</title> <link>https://wsvn.com/sports/the-red-ball-league-south-florida-community-to-kick-back-to-a-beloved-childhood-sport/</link> <pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 14:17:45 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Apage]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category> <category><![CDATA[video]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://wsvn.com/?p=1562125</guid> <description><![CDATA[The best part of sports is its ability to bring people together. In Broward County, it’s a childhood sport from the playground days that’s giving...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ The best part of sports is its ability to bring people together. In Broward County, it’s a childhood sport from the playground days that’s giving adults a new sense of community based on a sense of nostalgia. What began as a recess activity in elementary school has evolved into a nostalgic pastime for adults. Kickball is where everyone gets a chance to socialize, make new friends, and sneak in some exercise. Plus, who doesn’t enjoy the thrill of kicking a ball hard and watching it soar? “Kind of reliving that past, right?” said Jonathan Korb, president of the Red Ball Social League. “When you smell that rubber ball, when you hear that doink of the ball when you kick it, it kind of floods all back to you.” And the best thing about kickball? Whether you’re on defense or offense, it’s a sport for all ages and athletic levels. “I love being able to come out here, you know? Run around, do some stuff with some friends, and then you also have the social part of it,” said Jenna Brooks. “So I mean, it’s a great combination, whatever you’re looking for.” While it’s all in good fun, these intense adult kickball games are no child’s play. “I’ve been playing with these people for I don’t even know how long,” Jenna said. “Since, like, 2016? And it’s always different people. Some of the ones, it’s ones you were fighting with the last game about overplay, and now we play with each other.” “We do have a fun social aspect to it, but at the end of the day, we keep score for a reason, right?” Jonathan said. “Someone’s going to win, someone’s going to lose.” Part cardio workout, with the perfect element of social hour, kickball is so therapeutic and much more affordable. Just ask the over 500 men and women of the Red Ball Social League throughout Broward County who get together a few times a week to get some, you know, what. I mean, it allows you to relieve stress in a way, if you have anybody that has stress,” said Chose Griffiths. “I mean, you come out and have fun. You had a long day at work; you want to kick some ball, take out some anger, throw balls—there you go.” Given how much fun the sport is, I asked the league president which past and present athletes he would choose for his dream kickball team and why. “Dead or alive? Doesn’t matter? Okay. We’re going for Pelé first; we’ve got to get Pelé out there. Cooper Flagg. I’m going to do LeBron, and even though I’m not the biggest fan of LeBron, I’m getting LeBron. I mean, throw Michael Jordan out there, because he could probably do anything. Mia Hamm could probably get it done. Of course, myself. And you know, I might get a Channel 7 guy to come out just so we can look okay out there. But those would at least be a couple of my players.” ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1562125</post-id><media:content url='https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/040725-The-Red-Ball-League-invites-adults-from-a-Broward-community-to-kick-back-to-a-beloved-childhood-sport.png' medium='image' /> <media:content medium='video' url='https://house-fastly-signed-us-east-1-prod.brightcovecdn.com/media/v1/pmp4/static/clear/4368278029001/81ddda66-bfde-4613-95e8-134547bac717/494c8da9-e0f4-4568-a65a-48ebff0282b6/main.mp4?fastly_token=NjdmNDM3MzVfNjZjMDYwNzE1ZDQ3M2IyNWNkNjI0MDZkMDMxNzNhM2Q4ZTUyMGI3YzBhOTFkODg1ZWY0ZGM1YTY5NDBiYTRjYl8vL2hvdXNlLWZhc3RseS1zaWduZWQtdXMtZWFzdC0xLXByb2QuYnJpZ2h0Y292ZWNkbi5jb20vbWVkaWEvdjEvcG1wNC9zdGF0aWMvY2xlYXIvNDM2ODI3ODAyOTAwMS84MWRkZGE2Ni1iZmRlLTQ2MTMtOTVlOC0xMzQ1NDdiYWM3MTcvNDk0YzhkYTktZTBmNC00NTY4LWE2NWEtNDhlYmZmMDI4MmI2L21haW4ubXA0' type='video/mp4' /> <media:thumbnail url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/040725-The-Red-Ball-League-invites-adults-from-a-Broward-community-to-kick-back-to-a-beloved-childhood-sport.png" /> <media:content url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/040725-The-Red-Ball-League-invites-adults-from-a-Broward-community-to-kick-back-to-a-beloved-childhood-sport.png" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">040725 The Red Ball League invites adults from a Broward community to kick back to a beloved childhood sport</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>Death investigation underway after body found in Tamarac canal</title> <link>https://wsvn.com/news/local/broward/death-investigation-underway-after-body-found-in-tamarac-canal/</link> <pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 14:05:45 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Apage]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Broward]]></category> <category><![CDATA[video]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://wsvn.com/?p=1562151</guid> <description><![CDATA[A death investigation is underway in Tamarac after a body was reportedly seen floating in a canal. The Broward Sheriff’s Office and their dive time...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ A death investigation is underway in Tamarac after a body was reportedly seen floating in a canal. The Broward Sheriff’s Office and their dive time units responded to the area of Northwest 57th Street and Hampton Hills Boulevard, where they retrieved a male’s body from a canal. Officials covered the body with a yellow tarp and a blue fence was also placed around the body, shielding it from onlookers as police examined the body. The circumstances surrounding the incident are unknown. Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story. ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1562151</post-id><media:content url='https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/040725-Officials-investigate-body-found-in-canal-in-Tamarac.png' medium='image' /> <media:content medium='video' url='https://house-fastly-signed-us-east-1-prod.brightcovecdn.com/media/v1/pmp4/static/clear/4368278029001/81393b5b-a7cc-4ec4-aa0b-51675651fd7e/b8b475e9-da94-48a5-9015-ba2cbd03b899/main.mp4?fastly_token=NjdmNDNmNDdfMTQwMjk2ZWE2YTI3OGY1NGRkY2NjMWUzMjMxODNmNDk1YzhkM2E5ZWIzZDhhYzMwZGZlOTY1NTU4NGY3MmFhMF8vL2hvdXNlLWZhc3RseS1zaWduZWQtdXMtZWFzdC0xLXByb2QuYnJpZ2h0Y292ZWNkbi5jb20vbWVkaWEvdjEvcG1wNC9zdGF0aWMvY2xlYXIvNDM2ODI3ODAyOTAwMS84MTM5M2I1Yi1hN2NjLTRlYzQtYWEwYi01MTY3NTY1MWZkN2UvYjhiNDc1ZTktZGE5NC00OGE1LTkwMTUtYmEyY2JkMDNiODk5L21haW4ubXA0' type='video/mp4' /> <media:thumbnail url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/040725-Officials-investigate-body-found-in-canal-in-Tamarac.png" /> <media:content url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/040725-Officials-investigate-body-found-in-canal-in-Tamarac.png" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">040725 Officials investigate body found in canal in Tamarac</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>Appeals court reverses Trump firings of 2 board members in cases likely headed for the Supreme Court</title> <link>https://wsvn.com/news/politics/appeals-court-reverses-trump-firings-of-2-board-members-in-cases-likely-headed-for-the-supreme-court/</link> <pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 13:40:02 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tynisa Senior]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://wsvn.com/?p=1562140</guid> <description><![CDATA[WASHINGTON (AP) — Two board members fired by President Donald Trump can go back to their jobs, a split appeals court ruled Monday ahead of...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ WASHINGTON (AP) — Two board members fired by President Donald Trump can go back to their jobs, a split appeals court ruled Monday ahead of a likely Supreme Court showdown on the president’s power over independent agencies. An appeals court in the nation’s capital handed down the 7-4 decision in lawsuits brought by two women separately fired from agencies that both deal with labor issues. The order relies largely on a 90-year-old Supreme Court decision known as Humphrey’s Executor, which found that presidents can’t fire independent board members without cause. But the ruling has long rankled conservative legal theorists who argue it wrongly curtails the president’s power, and experts say the current conservative majority on the Supreme Court may be poised to overturn it. The ruling reverses, at least for now, a judgment from a three-judge panel from the same U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Former President Joe Biden nominated both of the fired board members, Cathy Harris of the Merit Systems Protection Board and Gwynne Wilcox of the National Labor Relations Board. The five-member NLRB lacked a quorum after Wilcox’s removal. The three-member MSPB enforces civil rights law in the workplace. ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1562140</post-id><media:content url='https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/032025-Donald-Trump.jpg?quality=60&strip=color' medium='image' /> <media:thumbnail url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/032025-Donald-Trump.jpg?quality=60&strip=color" /> <media:content url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/032025-Donald-Trump.jpg?quality=60&strip=color" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">032025 Donald Trump</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>Wall Street drops 20% below its record and markets reel worldwide as Trump digs in on his tariffs</title> <link>https://wsvn.com/news/politics/wall-street-drops-20-below-its-record-and-markets-reel-worldwide-as-trump-digs-in-on-his-tariffs/</link> <pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 13:38:39 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tynisa Senior]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[US & World]]></category> <category><![CDATA[video]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://wsvn.com/?p=1562141</guid> <description><![CDATA[NEW YORK (AP) — The losses are only worsening for financial markets worldwide as worries rise Monday about whether President Donald Trump’s trade war will...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ NEW YORK (AP) — The losses are only worsening for financial markets worldwide as worries rise Monday about whether President Donald Trump’s trade war will torpedo the global economy. The S&P 500 was down 3.8% in early trading, coming off its worst week since COVID began crashing the global economy in March 2020. The index, which sits at the heart of many investors’ 401(k) accounts, has lost more than 20% since setting a record less than two months ago. If the S&P 500 finishes the day below that mark, it’s a big enough drop that Wall Street has a name for it. A “bear market” signifies a downturn that’s moved beyond a run-of-the-mill 10% drop, which happens every year or so, and has graduated into something much more vicious. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1,343 points, or 3.5, as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 4.2% lower. The financial pain once again hammered investments around the world. Stocks in Hong Kong plunged 13.2% for their worst day since 1997. A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude oil briefly dropped below $60 for the first time since 2021, hurt by worries that a global economy weakened by trade barriers will burn less fuel. Bitcoin sank below $78,000, down from its record above $100,000 set in January, after holding steadier than other markets last week. It’s all a slap in the face to Wall Street, not just because of the sharp losses it’s taking, but because it suggests Trump may not be moved by its pain. Many professional investors had long thought that a president who used to crow about records reached under his watch would pull back on policies if they sent the Dow reeling. On Sunday Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he does not want markets to fall. But he also said he wasn’t concerned about a sell-off, saying “sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something.” Some investors are holding onto hope that Trump may lower his tariffs after negotiating with other countries, and Trump said Sunday that he’s heard from leaders “dying to make a deal.” A drop in tariffs relatively soon could help avoid a recession, but whether that can happen is still uncertain. Trump has given several reasons for his stiff tariffs, including to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States, which is a process that could take years. Trump on Sunday said he wanted to bring down the numbers for how much more the United States imports from other countries versus how much it sends to them. “The recent tariffs will likely increase inflation and are causing many to consider a greater probability of a recession,” JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon wrote in his annual letter to shareholders Monday. He’s one of the most influential executives on Wall Street. “Whether or not the menu of tariffs causes a recession remains in question, but it will slow down growth.” Trump’s tariffs are an attack on the globalization that’s remade the world’s economy, which helped bring down prices for products on the shelves of U.S. stores but also caused production jobs to leave for other countries. It also adds pressure on the Federal Reserve. Investors have become nearly conditioned to expect the central bank to swoop in as a hero during downturns. By slashing interest rates to make borrowing easier for U.S. households and companies, along with other more untraditional moves to juice the economy, the Fed helped the U.S. economy recover from the 2008 financial crisis, the 2020 COVID crash and other bear markets. But the Fed may have less freedom to act this time around because the conditions are so much different. For one, instead of a coronavirus or a system built up on too much belief that U.S. home prices would keep rising, this market downturn is mostly because of economic policy from the White House. Perhaps more importantly, inflation is also higher at the moment than the Fed would like. And while lower interest rates can goose the economy, they can also put upward pressure on inflation. Expectations for inflation are already swinging higher because of Trump’s tariffs, which would likely raise prices for anything imported. “The idea that there’s so much uncertainty going forward about how these tariffs are going to play out, that’s what’s really driving this plummet in the stock prices,” said Rintaro Nishimura, an associate at the Asia Group. Nathan Thooft, chief investment officer and senior portfolio manager at Manulife Investment Management, said more countries are likely to respond to the U.S. with retaliatory tariffs. Given the large number of countries involved, “it will take a considerable amount of time in our view to work through the various negotiations that are likely to happen.” “Ultimately, our take is market uncertainly and volatility are likely to persist for some time,” he said. ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1562141</post-id><media:content url='https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/250407-Panic-Monday-Wall-Street-follows-global-markets-sharply-lower-as-Trump-doubles-down-on-tariffs.png' medium='image' /> <media:content medium='video' url='https://house-fastly-signed-us-east-1-prod.brightcovecdn.com/media/v1/pmp4/static/clear/4368278029001/6d372f9e-0bf5-4db2-8cff-cac5469dad46/2a5ed44f-834d-4e53-adbd-cd5d1403bcde/main.mp4?fastly_token=NjdmNDMxOGFfODAzMTRlYzQyMDE4NjhiY2Q2Njk3ZGYzMWI3M2RmZmU0MTYzYjE3NzFiZDFlZWE0NmMzY2VkNmI5OGQ1ZDkxYV8vL2hvdXNlLWZhc3RseS1zaWduZWQtdXMtZWFzdC0xLXByb2QuYnJpZ2h0Y292ZWNkbi5jb20vbWVkaWEvdjEvcG1wNC9zdGF0aWMvY2xlYXIvNDM2ODI3ODAyOTAwMS82ZDM3MmY5ZS0wYmY1LTRkYjItOGNmZi1jYWM1NDY5ZGFkNDYvMmE1ZWQ0NGYtODM0ZC00ZTUzLWFkYmQtY2Q1ZDE0MDNiY2RlL21haW4ubXA0' type='video/mp4' /> <media:thumbnail url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/250407-Panic-Monday-Wall-Street-follows-global-markets-sharply-lower-as-Trump-doubles-down-on-tariffs.png" /> <media:content url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/250407-Panic-Monday-Wall-Street-follows-global-markets-sharply-lower-as-Trump-doubles-down-on-tariffs.png" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">250407 Panic Monday Wall Street follows global markets sharply lower as Trump doubles down on tariffs</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>New technology can track Sargassum’s seaweed path across the ocean, offering hope in battle against seaweed invasion</title> <link>https://wsvn.com/news/local/florida/new-technology-can-track-sargassums-seaweed-path-across-the-ocean-offering-hope-in-battle-against-seaweed-invasion/</link> <pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 13:12:26 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tynisa Senior]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Florida]]></category> <category><![CDATA[video]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://wsvn.com/?p=1562117</guid> <description><![CDATA[With summer just around the corner, it’s only a matter of time before seaweed washes up on shore and researchers are now developing a new...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ With summer just around the corner, it’s only a matter of time before seaweed washes up on shore and researchers are now developing a new tech tool to predict where it goes. Higher resolution sensors are allowing university researchers like Brain Barnes to pinpoint Sargassum seaweed like never before. “This is kind of where we’ve been for the last five years in our data products,” said Brain Barnes, Research Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida. Sargassum seaweed, a common brown algae, grown in large masses and known for its rough texture and toothlike edge is typically found along Florida’s Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean Sea. “If you pick it up, it’s kind of prickly. It feels like a bunch of grass,” said Barnes. Sargassum floats in clusters on the water’s surface and never attaches to the seafloor. “Instead of saying ‘Hey there’s a lot of sargassum out in the ocean or out in the Atlantic that may impact Florida in a month or so’, we can look and say that individual patch impact that particular beach in the coming days,” said Barnes Barnes helped develop a Sargassum Watch System— tracking and forecasting where the algae’s headed through satellite images. The tracking part is already available, but now they are adding forecasting using newer models, going live with it as soon as next year. “So this first image is essentially a simulation showing that first image is where sargassum is now and we can track over the next three and a half days where the sargassum will move,” said Barnes. With sargassum floating on top of water, it’s become a problem in recent years for coastal ecosystems and nearby residents. “It starts to decay. It’s got a really terrible rotten egg smell to it,” said Barnes. Sargassum can impact tourism in the Sunshine State. “It matters to any tourist area that may be impacted. The Florida Keys, for example, did a study of the impacts of a bad sargassum year with loss of tourism, to the cost of removing it and so forth and it would be around $20 million for one single event,” said Barnes. That’s a hefty price tag, so knowing it’s travel path can help communities to prepare. “And with that what we can do is, we can stage equipment to remove it quickly, or we can place some barriers that we can prevent it from hitting some of the more sensitive areas,” said Barnes. Barnes said the new capabilities were made possible by a five-year grant provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1562117</post-id><media:content url='https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/250407-New-technology-can-track-Sargassums-seaweed-path-across-the-ocean-offering-hope-in-battle-against-seaweed-invasion.png' medium='image' /> <media:content medium='video' url='https://house-fastly-signed-us-east-1-prod.brightcovecdn.com/media/v1/pmp4/static/clear/4368278029001/a39b7f07-0857-4189-bc65-3fc5642fb0c7/599c501c-8bf1-4f4a-ad62-3f703d5c1dd3/main.mp4?fastly_token=NjdmNDNjNTlfODIzOGMzMzg5N2JlODM4MGY3NzUxYjkyMDFkNTIwYjM5YTUxMjlmYWFkZDA5YjNhMTQ2YjA0OTU4NjkxOWEwNl8vL2hvdXNlLWZhc3RseS1zaWduZWQtdXMtZWFzdC0xLXByb2QuYnJpZ2h0Y292ZWNkbi5jb20vbWVkaWEvdjEvcG1wNC9zdGF0aWMvY2xlYXIvNDM2ODI3ODAyOTAwMS9hMzliN2YwNy0wODU3LTQxODktYmM2NS0zZmM1NjQyZmIwYzcvNTk5YzUwMWMtOGJmMS00ZjRhLWFkNjItM2Y3MDNkNWMxZGQzL21haW4ubXA0' type='video/mp4' /> <media:thumbnail url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/250407-New-technology-can-track-Sargassums-seaweed-path-across-the-ocean-offering-hope-in-battle-against-seaweed-invasion.png" /> <media:content url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/250407-New-technology-can-track-Sargassums-seaweed-path-across-the-ocean-offering-hope-in-battle-against-seaweed-invasion.png" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">250407 New technology can track Sargassum's seaweed path across the ocean, offering hope in battle against seaweed invasion</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>Miami’s ‘Little Venezuela’ fears Trump’s moves against migration</title> <link>https://wsvn.com/news/us-world/miamis-little-venezuela-fears-trumps-moves-against-migration/</link> <pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 11:51:42 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tynisa Senior]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Miami-Dade]]></category> <category><![CDATA[US & World]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://wsvn.com/?p=1562112</guid> <description><![CDATA[DORAL, Fla. (AP) — Wilmer Escaray left Venezuela in 2007 and enrolled at Miami Dade College, opening his first restaurant six years later. Today he...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ DORAL, Fla. (AP) — Wilmer Escaray left Venezuela in 2007 and enrolled at Miami Dade College, opening his first restaurant six years later. Today he has a dozen businesses that hire Venezuelan migrants like he once was, workers who are now terrified by what could be the end of their legal shield from deportation. Since the start of February the Trump administration has ended two federal programs that together allowed more 700,000 Venezuelans to live and work legally in the U.S. along with hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians and Nicaraguans. In the largest Venezuelan community in the United States, people dread what could face them if lawsuits that aim to stop the government fail. It’s all anyone discusses in “Little Venezuela” or “Doralzuela,” a city of 80,000 people surrounded by Miami sprawl, freeways and the Florida Everglades. <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Deportation fears in Doralzuela</h4> People who lose their protections would have to remain illegally at the risk of being deported or return home, an unlikely route given the political and economic turmoil in Venezuela. “It’s really quite unfortunate to lose that human capital because there are people who do work here that other people won’t do,” Escaray, 37, said at one of his “Sabor Venezolano” restaurants. Spanish is more common than English in shopping centers along Doral’s wide avenues, and Venezuelans feel like they’re back home but with more security and comfort. A sweet scent wafts from round, flat cornmeal arepas sold at many establishments. Stores at gas stations sell flour and white cheese used to make arepas and T-shirts and hats with the yellow, blue and red stripes of the Venezuelan flag. <h4 class="wp-block-heading">New lives at risk</h4> John came from Venezuela nine years ago and bought a growing construction company with a partner. He and his wife are on Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, which Congress created in 1990 for people in the United States whose homelands are considered unsafe to return due to natural disaster or civil strife. Beneficiaries can live and work while it lasts but TPS carries no path to citizenship. Born in the U.S., their 5-year-old daughter is a citizen. John, 37, asked to be identified by first name only for fear of being deported. His wife helps with administration at their construction business while working as a real-estate broker. The couple told their daughter that they may have to leave the United States. Venezuela is not an option. “It hurts us that the government is turning its back on us,” John said. “We aren’t people who came to commit crimes; we came to work, to build.” A federal judge ordered on March 31 that temporary protected status would stand until a legal challenge’s next stage in court and at least 350,000 Venezuelans were temporarily spared becoming illegal. Escaray, the owner of the restaurants, said nearly all of his 150 employees are Venezuelan and more than 100 are on TPS. The federal immigration program that allowed more than 500,000 Cubans, Venezuelans, Haitians and Nicaraguans to work and live legally in the U.S. — humanitarian parole — expires April 24 absent court intervention. <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Politics of migration</h4> Venezuelans were one of the main beneficiaries when former President Joe Biden sharply expanded TPS and other temporary protections. Trump tried to end them in his first term and now his second. The end of the temporary protections has generated little political reaction among Republicans except for three Cuban-American representatives from Florida who called for avoiding the deportations of affected Venezuelans. Mario Díaz Ballart, Carlos Gimenez and Maria Elvira Salazar have urged the government to spare Venezuelans without criminal records from deportation and review TPS beneficiaries on a case-by-case basis. The mayor of Doral, home to a Trump golf club since 2012, wrote a letter to the president asking him to find a legal pathway for Venezuelans who haven’t committed crimes. “These families do not want handouts,” said Christi Fraga, a daughter of Cuban exiles. “They want an opportunity to continue working, building, and investing in the United States.” <h4 class="wp-block-heading">A country’s elite, followed by the working class</h4> About 8 million people have fled Venezuela since 2014, settling first in neighboring countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. After the COVID-19 pandemic, they increasingly set their sights on the United States, walking through the notorious jungle in Colombia and Panama or flying to the United States on humanitarian parole with a financial sponsor. In Doral, upper-middle-class professionals and entrepreneurs came to invest in property and businesses when socialist Hugo Chávez won the presidency in the late 1990s. They were followed by political opponents and entrepreneurs who set up small businesses. In recent years, more lower-income Venezuelans have come for work in service industries. They are doctors, lawyers, beauticians, construction workers and house cleaners. Some are naturalized U.S. citizens or live in the country illegally with U.S.-born children. Others overstay tourist visas, seek asylum or have some form of temporary status. Thousands went to Doral as Miami International Airport facilitated decades of growth. Frank Carreño, president of the Venezuelan American Chamber of Commerce and a Doral resident for 18 years, said there is an air of uncertainty. “What is going to happen? People don’t want to return or can’t return to Venezuela,” he said. ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1562112</post-id><media:content url='https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/250213-Miami-Dade-Democratic-leaders-advocate-for-renewal-of-Temporary-Protected-Status-for-Venezuelans.png' medium='image' /> <media:thumbnail url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/250213-Miami-Dade-Democratic-leaders-advocate-for-renewal-of-Temporary-Protected-Status-for-Venezuelans.png" /> <media:content url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/250213-Miami-Dade-Democratic-leaders-advocate-for-renewal-of-Temporary-Protected-Status-for-Venezuelans.png" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">250213 Miami-Dade Democratic leaders advocate for renewal of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>Flying dragons and omnidirectional elevators: Inside Epic Universe, one of the largest, most expensive theme parks ever made</title> <link>https://wsvn.com/news/local/florida/flying-dragons-and-omnidirectional-elevators-inside-epic-universe-one-of-the-largest-most-expensive-theme-parks-ever-made/</link> <pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 11:45:08 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tynisa Senior]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Florida]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://wsvn.com/?p=1562109</guid> <description><![CDATA[Orlando, Florida (CNN) — As if the words from “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” have jumped off the page into reality, fluorescent green...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ Orlando, Florida (CNN) — As if the words from “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” have jumped off the page into reality, fluorescent green fog shrouds people walking through a wizarding world Floo Network transit tunnel, to be greeted on the other side by an atrium with soaring ceilings depicting moving storm clouds. It might be the first time Muggles (non-wizards) have been inside the Ministry of Magic. That is just one jaw-dropping moment for guests to experience when Universal Orlando Resort officially opens its third and newest theme park, Epic Universe, on May 22. It is the first major theme park to open in central Florida in 26 years. At 750 acres, including both guest areas and backstage space for employees, it is believed to be the largest theme park in the world and estimated to have cost up to $7.7 billion to build, according to Dennis Speigel, owner and founder of consulting firm International Theme Park Services. Universal hasn’t commented on the park’s cost. “I’ve seen them all,” Speigel said of theme parks around the world. And Epic Universe, he said, is “too damn good.” That first impression has everything to do with Universal’s use of the most advanced technology available coupled with intentional design to build a sense that the visitor is truly in a fantastical space with no glimpse of the outside world. At a media preview ahead of the public opening, CNN saw each of the park’s “worlds” and the experiences in them, including technology never seen in a theme park before. Let’s take you through each section. <h4 class="wp-block-heading">When you enter</h4> It all begins with walking through Chronos, a portal that takes guests into the main hub of Epic Universe: Celestial Park. Here, guests will find Stardust Racers, a dual-track roller coaster, as well as Constellation Carousel, beautifully lit with animals that spin in different directions. There are shops, restaurants and bars nearby. But that’s just the beginning. From this hub, guests can choose to enter four other portals, each leading them to a different world. <h4 class="wp-block-heading">The four ‘worlds’</h4> “It’s as if all of the worlds of Epic Universe are closed off from the rest of the park,” said Alicia Stella, owner of Orlando ParkStop. Stella, who has been tracking the development of the park since its inception, said “when you enter those portals … you are no longer in a theme park. You are in the Isle of Burke, from ‘How to Train Your Dragon.’ You are in the video games of Nintendo. You are in the Wizarding World, and you are in the world of Universal monsters, at Dark Universe.” When guests are inside one of these spaces, the only thing visible beyond its walls and sets is perhaps the top of Helios, a glittering new hotel located in the center of the park. Through one portal, in the world called Dark Universe, Universal brings to life its signature monsters including Dracula, the Wolf Man and the Invisible Man. The anchor attraction in this world — and one of the best in the park — is Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, utilizing some of the most advanced, life-like robotic technology ever created. But it’s through another portal, to Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic, that the resort has introduced its most ambitious ride to date. Universal Orlando Resort already has two themed Harry Potter areas in its existing parks, but the third installment within Epic Universe brings people into the 1920s Paris of the “Fantastic Beasts” offshoot story, full of street atmosphere, shops and restaurants. Guests will then be expected to time travel to experience the impressive ride, Harry Potter: Battle at the Ministry, going via metro tunnel from 1920s Paris into 1990s London, after the original Harry Potter series has concluded. Staff at the awe-inspiring Ministry of Magic are preparing for Dolores Umbridge’s trial, and guests will ride an omnidirectional elevator, chasing her through the building. Epic Universe’s third portal transports guests to the first-ever theme park land devoted to the “How to Train Your Dragon” franchise. Guests have told CNN that they have seen tests of large, extremely life-like dragons flying through the sky via drone, although those were not on display during media previews. Guests will find roller coasters and a kid-friendly boat ride in the midst of an elaborate Isle of Berk, where dragons breathe fire and ice. A technically impressive show inside a theater features Toothless, the lovable dragon from the series, who flies above the audience, landing on stage. Super Nintendo World, which currently exists in Universal’s Japan and Hollywood park locations, now comes to Epic Universe through a fourth portal with a beloved Mine-Cart Madness ride themed to Donkey Kong, in addition to the go-kart racing ride, Bowser’s Challenge. Guests can wear special “Power-Up” bands on their wrists to play games and win points, running around a life-sized video game while Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach mill about. <h4 class="wp-block-heading">The rides people will be talking about</h4> Universal officials told CNN the company invented new technology and secured patents for Epic Universe experiences, including special animating effects, ride design and robotics. The results are most obvious on two rides guests are most likely to be talking about after their visit: Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment and Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. The Harry Potter ride feels like an experience combining elements of Universal’s existing Spiderman ride and Disney’s Rise of the Resistance. It features trackless ride systems, augmented reality, and high-resolution projections combined in new ways. For all the children who waited at midnight for the release of a new Harry Potter book a generation ago, “this is our new midnight release,” said Ryan Clavin, host of DIS Unlimited: Universal Show on YouTube. <h4 class="wp-block-heading">What it costs to visit</h4> Like many theme parks, Universal employs dynamic pricing for tickets, which varies depending on the season and how busy the parks are anticipated to be. Single-day tickets for Epic Universe recently became available, starting from $139 for adults and $134 for children ages 3-9, plus tax. Those prices currently apply to some weekdays in September, with the most expensive single-day tickets priced at $199 and $194 for children, plus tax, during the late December holiday season. Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, the most visited theme park in the world, also has a ceiling of $199 during the same time frame. Multi-day ticket packages are also available, which allow guests to visit Epic Universe on one of those days. Per-day pricing on multi-day tickets is lower than single-day tickets. Universal’s “Express Pass,” which allows guests to enter attractions through a faster line, can vary by date. These passes often cost more than the park ticket itself. For example, buying an Express Pass for the busy July 4 holiday at Epic Universe will cost $250 for a single day, a cost in addition to the ticket price. Stella said she believes these prices are in line with existing parks. “I think it’s priced appropriately. Actually, a lot of us who are big fans of the theme park industry are surprised at some of the price points being as low as they are, because I feel like there was an opportunity to charge whatever they wanted for opening,” Stella said. She added that Universal’s brand-new hotels near Epic Universe are also priced more affordably than she expected. <h4 class="wp-block-heading">What the new park means for Universal’s biggest competitor</h4> With so much buzz around Universal’s new park, industry experts are watching for Disney’s response. “Disney and Universal are in the greatest boxing match they’ve ever been in at this point in time, and it’s a slug fest,” Speigel said. “I believe that within 12 to 16 months, Disney will announce its fifth gate theme park, because it’s necessary.” Disney, still the dominant leader in the theme park industry, currently has four theme parks on its Walt Disney World property in central Florida, the last of which opened in 1998. For the moment, the company has announced a slew of <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/11/travel/major-theme-park-projects-disney-announced/index.html"></a>new themed lands and attractions within existing parks, but no new theme park. “Is [Epic Universe] going to put Disney out of business? Absolutely not. Is it going to put a chink in their armor? Yes, it will,” Speigel said. Universal’s momentum has ramped up ever since it opened the first area themed to the Harry Potter franchise in 2010 at its second Orlando theme park, Islands of Adventure. Speigel said Universal Orlando Resort saw a 36% increase in attendance in the year that followed, the biggest one-year increase he has ever seen in any park attendance in history. In Disney’s 2024 fourth quarter earnings call, Hugh Johnston, chief financial officer of the Walt Disney Company, highlighted positive early bookings for this summer and said, “The history of other non-Disney parks opening in Florida has been positive for Disney bookings.” While that may be so, Stella believes the typical family vacation where most of the time is spent at Disney World, with a small portion of the week at Universal, may shift in balance. “I could definitely see it being, ‘Well, we need two or three days at Universal, so we’ll only do two or three days at Disney,’” Stella said. “If they’re coming to Orlando anyway, or if they’re coming to Epic Universe on purpose, will they decrease their stay elsewhere, like Disney? Will they skip Sea World altogether?” Speigel said, “Everybody subscribes to a rising tide floats all boats, but it does eat up some of the market too.” He added that he expects 2025 to be a year of heavy discounting by all parks, not just to compete with Epic Universe, but to anticipate a worsening economy. Even with the stock market roller coasters and Goldman Sachs predicting that <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/31/business/recession-tariffs-goldman-sachs/index.html"></a>recession odds are rising, Speigel predicts at least 6 million guests will visit Epic Universe within its first year. Clavin said what he saw on the Harry Potter ride is indicative of the spectacle Universal has created in the entire park: “This is sort of a very good example of why we love theme parks … Where else can you literally step into a movie like this?” ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1562109</post-id><media:content url='https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/cnn-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2ltYWdlL2luc3RhbmNlcy9jbTk2N3hpenIwMDJiM2I2bWpiZGZidGhw-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2FydGljbGUvaW5zdGFuY2VzL2NtOTY2bnJtNDAwNHAyNnFuNTZkYmU3aTc.jpg?quality=60&strip=color' medium='image' /> <media:thumbnail url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/cnn-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2ltYWdlL2luc3RhbmNlcy9jbTk2N3hpenIwMDJiM2I2bWpiZGZidGhw-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2FydGljbGUvaW5zdGFuY2VzL2NtOTY2bnJtNDAwNHAyNnFuNTZkYmU3aTc.jpg?quality=60&strip=color" /> <media:content url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/cnn-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2ltYWdlL2luc3RhbmNlcy9jbTk2N3hpenIwMDJiM2I2bWpiZGZidGhw-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2FydGljbGUvaW5zdGFuY2VzL2NtOTY2bnJtNDAwNHAyNnFuNTZkYmU3aTc.jpg?quality=60&strip=color" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">cnn-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2ltYWdlL2luc3RhbmNlcy9jbTk2N3hpenIwMDJiM2I2bWpiZGZidGhw-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2FydGljbGUvaW5zdGFuY2VzL2NtOTY2bnJtNDAwNHAyNnFuNTZkYmU3aTc=</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>Florida and Houston set for men’s national championship showdown after thrilling Final Four wins</title> <link>https://wsvn.com/sports/florida-and-houston-set-for-mens-national-championship-showdown-after-thrilling-final-four-wins/</link> <pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 11:41:40 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tynisa Senior]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Florida Gators]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://wsvn.com/?p=1562106</guid> <description><![CDATA[(CNN) — One last college basketball game remains in the 2024-25 season and if Saturday’s Final Four is any indication, it’s going to be quite the ride. Florida...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ (CNN) — One last college basketball game remains in the 2024-25 season and if Saturday’s Final Four is any indication, it’s going to be quite the ride. Florida and Houston will collide in San Antonio’s Alamodome for the men’s title after a national semifinal round that was simply magical. The Gators got to this point by surviving a heavyweight bout with fellow SEC team Auburn, outlasting the Tigers through the heroics of Walter Clayton Jr. The Cougars earned their way into this contest with one of the most unlikely comebacks in Final Four history that included trailing by six with 75 seconds to play. Both teams will have needed Sunday’s day of rest. Houston’s head coach Kelvin Sampson said Sunday that his players will have plenty left in the tank after their incredible rally against Duke. “Lives are so consumed by our next game, your next game. I’m glad last night was not our last game, that we do have a next game,” he said. “That’s a good thing for this group because I’ve enjoyed coaching this team.” <h4 class="wp-block-heading">How to watch the men’s national championship</h4> The game between the Gators and Cougars tips off at 8:50 p.m. ET on CBS and pits the No. 1 seeds from the West Region and the No. 1 seed from the Midwest Region. If you want to watch via streaming services, Fubo carries the game as does the March Madness Live app. <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Clashing styles</h4> If styles make matchups, then we’re in for an intense battle on Monday. Houston comes in sporting one of the nation’s best defenses, which was a key factor in their win against Cooper Flagg and Duke on Saturday night. On the other end of things, Florida’s explosive offense can barely be contained once it gets going and Gators guard Clayton is the straw that stirs the drink. “We’re an elite offensive team, a top-10 defensive team. They’re a top-10 offensive team and elite defensive team,” Florida head coach Todd Golden said. “I think it’s going to be a contrasting battle that way. Hopefully, we can get the game up and down a little bit. They’re going to impose their will as they’ve done on everybody this year. We’re a pretty tough team also.” He added, “They’re absolutely an elite team. The way they guard, they’re going to make it really hard on us. I think they’ll pressure the ball screen, try to get the ball out of Walt’s hands. But they rotate, they’re long, they play so hard, so tough. We’re going to have great mental and physical toughness if we want to give ourselves a chance tomorrow night.” The Gators average a tick over 85 points per game and have been on an absolute tear this season. The Cougars only allow about 58 points per game and can ratchet up the pressure in the blink of an eye as the Blue Devils learned on Saturday – Duke made one free field goal in the final 10 minutes of its game against Houston. “They’re the best defensive team in America. They have just a great identity as a program of just being both physically and mentally tough. That’s something we’ve tried to pride ourselves on this year,” Golden said. “Houston I would say is a great example of that. Not only this year but Coach Sampson and his program have done it for a long time now.” <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Two star guards could light it up</h4> The Final Four was all about Clayton and Houston’s LJ Cryer. Expect much more of the same on Monday. Clayton pulled off something only one other college player has done when he scored 34 against Auburn in the Final Four: back-to-back games racking up more than 30 points in the Elite Eight and Final Four. The only other player to pull off that feat was Larry Bird, the legendary Indiana State and Boston Celtics star. It was Clayton who took the biggest shots in crunchtime after the Gators overcame Auburn’s strong first half. In fact, when the Tigers were getting out to a lead and dominating the opening stages of the game, it was Clayton who kept them in the contest by slashing to the basket repeatedly for layups and sinking 3-pointers. He shares that in common with Cryer, who was Houston’s only bright spot on offense for much of Saturday night. The senior guard at one point had half of his team’s points before the rest of the Cougars squad woke up and caught fire in the final minutes. “Our best player, the guy that kept us in the game, was LJ. He kept us in touch with them. So, when the time came, we had an opportunity to get the lead down where we could put some game pressure on ‘em, LJ was the guy,” Sampson said. Each player will be the focus of the opposing defense on Monday night, and Golden said Clayton’s teammates are going to have to step up to get him the same kind of looks he enjoyed on Saturday. “I think Walter is going to be able to run around it a little bit, keep them on their toes in terms of whether he’s going to get off it quick and let somebody else make the play or get in the paint,” he said. <h4 class="wp-block-heading">A generational clash between head coaches</h4> Sampson is 69 years old while Golden is 39. They’re very different head coaches but they share one thing in common: they’re both going after their first national title on Monday. Golden is known to be an analytics whiz who looks to the numbers to guide his game plans, while Sampson is much more old school. “We’re very analytical in everything we do. We talk about that a lot. Whether it’s roster building, whether it’s scheduling, deciding who I want to play, game scouting reports, etc.,” Golden said. “It’s more than any one specific thing, the way I like to explain it, a macro outlook on our decision-making and how we build out. We try to gather as much data as we possibly can when it comes to any sort of decision, then make what decision that data tells us to make. Then we got to live with the consequences. It’s not always going to work. Life is not perfect. You want to give yourself the best chance to be successful and live with the results.” Sampson said he’s definitely learned from coaches like Golden and Duke’s Jon Scheyer, another young head coach who is already succeeding early in his career. “The game is in good hands with the young coaches. I think they’re better set up to navigate these choppy waters that we have in front of us than maybe the old guys that coached the game when there was no shot clock, no three-point line. Then we had a 45-second shot clock. Most of these young ones don’t even know that,” he said before the Final Four tipped off. “I know I learned from ‘em. There’s a lot to be learned from these young guys, how they do things, their ideas, their energy. There’s a lot of things I don’t know. I’ve always been pretty good about not knowing what I don’t know.” But that respect doesn’t mean that Sampson isn’t looking to score one for the sport’s elders on Monday. “Last night, I got so many texts. I haven’t returned any. There’s too many to even look at. I didn’t even get through all of them,” Sampson said on Sunday with a smile. “I saw Tubby (Smith) and Rick Barnes, Tom Izzo, (Gregg Popovich), a bunch of the older coaches. They all kind of had similar messages to me: win one for the old guys, something like that.” ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1562106</post-id><media:content url='https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/cnn-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2ltYWdlL2luc3RhbmNlcy9jbTk2ODAwaHkwMDFjM2I2bWxqdjBoNndw-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2FydGljbGUvaW5zdGFuY2VzL2NtOTY3eGYxMTAwOXgyNm50aDk5ajZlc3Y.jpg?quality=60&strip=color' medium='image' /> <media:thumbnail url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/cnn-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2ltYWdlL2luc3RhbmNlcy9jbTk2ODAwaHkwMDFjM2I2bWxqdjBoNndw-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2FydGljbGUvaW5zdGFuY2VzL2NtOTY3eGYxMTAwOXgyNm50aDk5ajZlc3Y.jpg?quality=60&strip=color" /> <media:content url="https://wsvn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/cnn-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2ltYWdlL2luc3RhbmNlcy9jbTk2ODAwaHkwMDFjM2I2bWxqdjBoNndw-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2FydGljbGUvaW5zdGFuY2VzL2NtOTY3eGYxMTAwOXgyNm50aDk5ajZlc3Y.jpg?quality=60&strip=color" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">cnn-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2ltYWdlL2luc3RhbmNlcy9jbTk2ODAwaHkwMDFjM2I2bWxqdjBoNndw-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2FydGljbGUvaW5zdGFuY2VzL2NtOTY3eGYxMTAwOXgyNm50aDk5ajZlc3Y=</media:title> </media:content> </item> </channel> </rss>