🌱 Bud Light Restaurant Ban + Gov. DeSantis Escalates Disney Fight

Hello, everybody. I'm here right on time with your fresh copy of the Orlando Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out all the most important things happening locally, including updates on:

• One person died after a fight between two people in Orlando on Tuesday morning near a McDonald's on West Colonial.
• Meal-kit company CooKit is coming soon to downtown Orlando.
• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is once again fighting with Disney and this time former President Trump chimed in.

But first, today's weather: Mostly sunny and pleasant. High: 81 Low: 63.

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Here are the top stories today in Orlando:

1. Central Florida's CooKit is coming soon to 355 N Rosalind Ave. in Orlando. The meal-kit company has signed a 10-year lease, according to records obtained by Bungalower. The business will be opening at the new Radius Building. (Bungalower)
2. One person died in Orlando after a fight early Tuesday morning near a McDonald's in the 3000 block of West Colonial Drive. Police believe the two people involved in the altercation that led to the death were unhoused. An investigation is now underway into the incident. (WESH)
3. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is once again escalating his battle with Disney with new measures announced this week at press conference against the theme park, which is the largest employer in Florida. Proposed penalties include increased inspections of rides at theme parks and potentially building a state prison next to the theme park. Former President Donald Trump attacked DeSantis as "being absolutely destroyed" by Disney. (Florida Politics, The Hill)
4. Florida has been ranked the third worst state for single parents by LendingTree. Factors include lack of paid parental leave and low incomes combined with high rent and mortgages. One Heart for Women and Children in Orlando is trying to help parents with clothes, food, and jobs amid the many hardships in the area. (WESH)
5. Joe Penovich, the owner of Grills Restaurants in Central Florida, has decided to stop selling Bud Light beer in his restaurants after a recent push by conservatives to ban the beer after its support for the LGTBQ community with an influencer campaign. Penovich blamed "corporate greed and a deeper spiritual reality." (Fox 35 Orlando)

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Today in Orlando:

• Don Quijote Vs. Bad Bunny at Lowndes Shakespeare Center. (10 a.m.)
• Microsoft Excel — Automate Tasks at Southwest Branch Library. (10:15 a.m.)
• Speed Skate Lessons at Astro Skate Orlando. (5:30 p.m.)
• Deep Listening With Keith Lay at Timucua Arts Foundation. (7 p.m.)
• WonderWorks After Dark. (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Valencia College shared: "The opening reception of our Annual Juried Student Show was a success. 🎨The exhibit celebrates the work of Valencia student artists across disciplines. Congrats to all of our students featured in the exhibit. 🥳" (Valencia College via Instagram)
• Orlando Fire Department shared: "These are some great action shots of our OFD firefighters at a recent 3 alarm fire. Photos are courtesy of Dave Williams." (Orlando Fire Department via Facebook)
• Orlando Police Department shared: "Congratulations to Community Service Officer Lesley Noseworthy who was selected as the CSO of the Quarter for the 1st quarter of 2023! Lesley has been serving the City of Orlando Government for 8 years." (Orlando Police Department via Facebook)
• Orlando Police Department shared: "Mr. Johnny Stringer, one of the best Citizen Observer volunteers at OPD has volunteered over 25,000 hours in the City of Orlando." (Orlando Police Department via Facebook)

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That's it for today! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow with another update.

— 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.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Orlando Patch newsletter? Contact me at carlosreportsnews@gmail.com