🌱 Earl The Squirrel Debut + Mayor Buddy Dyer's 2021 State Of Downtown Address

Rise and shine, Orlando! Let's get you all caught up to start this day off on an informed note. These are the most important things happening in town today.

First, today's weather:

Fog in the a.m.; partly sunny. High: 85 Low: 67.

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Here are the top stories today in Orlando:

1. City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer will provide an update on downtown developments and the local economy during his 2021 State of Downtown address on Monday, December 13th at 3:30 p.m. This year's address will be a town hall-style event to allow attendees an opportunity to ask questions directly to Mayor Dyer. (Click Orlando)

2. Central Florida deputies arrested a man who police say was sexually abusing a young child. 23-year-old Ian Gadd is facing multiple charges, including sexual battery of a child younger than 12 and possession of child pornography. The arrest was part of an undercover investigation on people who possessed and distributed images and video of children being sexually abused. Gadd is one of 4 people now in jail. (WESH)

3. Orange County deputies are investigating a shooting at Quality Inn on West Landstreet Road early Friday morning. Deputies found a man who was shot and he was taken to the hospital. The man is expected to survive. (WFTV)

4. Universal Orlando has added a new costumed character to its holiday celebration with Earl the Squirrel. Earl begins meet-and-greets today at the theme park. Earl's origins trace back to several years ago when workers found a squirrel inside the park's Christmas tree. (Spectrum News 13)

5. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that most states across the country have higher salaries than Florida for entry-level correctional officer pay. Florida's prison system has been faced with threats during the COVID-19 pandemic and facilities have struggled to keep staff. (Florida Phoenix)

Today in Orlando:

• Writing Poetry In the Galleries at Orlando Museum of Art. (10:00 AM)
• Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest at Victory Casino Cruises. (11:00 AM)
• Wycliffe's Christmas Around the World at Wycliffe Discovery Center. (2:00 PM)
• FSYO presents Miracle at Mead Botanical Garden. (3:00 PM)
• Santa's Twilight 5K at Clermont City Hall. (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Universal Orlando Resort: "Did you know that you are 167-feet closer to the sun when you ride Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit? Well, now you do. ☀️" (Instagram)
• Pet Alliance Greater Orlando: "Blackie would like to help you better understand an illness that impacts 4% of outdoor community cats in North America: FIV (Feline immunodeficiency virus). This gentle and affectionate boy is ready to leave the streets behind and is s..." (Instagram)
• Nature Conservancy in Florida: "Ravensworth Farms sits next to the biodiverse Lake Wales Ridge — a region essential for wildlife and water flow, supporting healthy waters in the Kissimmee River, Lake Okeechobee, and ultimately the Everglades. Threatened by high intensity..." (Instagram)
• Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer: "Buddy Claus has come to town. I was happy to again join Mike Bianchi during his annual holiday show on 96.9 The Game. I hope I was able to spread some Christmas cheer to some young residents and help Mike raise thousands of dollars for t..." (Facebook)

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That's it for today! I'll see you around.

— Carlos Hernandez

About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a food writer with over 10 years of experience in the industry. I write the food blog Carlos Eats (http://www.carloseats.com) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines with food-related blogs and articles.