🌱 SeaWorld Orlando Adds Concert Performers + Orange County Firing

Hello again, everybody! I'm Carlos Hernandez, back with your fresh edition of the Orlando Patch newsletter, fresh off the presses. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening in town today. In today's issue, we have these stories and more:

• A former Orange County school teacher fired for making students write their own obituaries is appealing his termination.
• A California man has been arrested for allegedly lying to the FBI about fake paintings that were later sold to Orlando Musuem of Art.
• SeaWorld Orlando has added two additional concert headliners to its Seven Seas Food Festival.

But first, today's weather: Mostly cloudy and breezy. High: 79 Low: 69.

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Here are the top stories in Orlando today:

1. A former teacher at an Orange County high school was terminated for making students write their own obituaries. The schoolteacher is appealing his termination. Orange County Public Schools told Patch the teacher had not completed a one-year probationary period to become a permanent teacher with the district and was thus terminated. (Orlando Patch)
2. A California man has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about the origins of paintings credited to Jean-Michel Basquiat that were seized by authorities from the Orlando Museum of Art in 2022. The accused man allegedly denied making the paintings in an August 2022 interview. He could serve up to five years in prison. (WESH)
3. SeaWorld Orlando has added two additional concert headliners to this year's Seven Seas Food Festival. R&B singer Ne-Yo and country artist Martina McBride will join the music gathering. The festival will run Thursdays through Sundays until May 7. (Fox 35)
4. Orange County and partner Aspire Health Partners will host the 20th anniversary celebration of the Belvin Perry, Jr. Central Receiving Center (CRC) on April 13 at 1:30 p.m. It was the first mental health crisis assessment center to open in Florida and dedicated in honor of retired Ninth Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. (Orange County Government, FL)
5. Brevard School officials have unanimously approved a plan to increase compensation for district transportation employees. Employees must be active by April 11 and on the date of the pay-out, which is planned for May 31 to receive the benefits. The increase comes after rampant shortages during the pandemic of transit workers. (WFTV)

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Today in Orlando:

• Wine & Home Buying Info Session at Total Wine & More. (5:30 p.m.)
• Goat Yoga at Alaska Farms Orlando. (6 p.m.)
• In the Kitchen With Edible Orlando: No Waste Cooking at Center For Health & Wellbeing. (6 p.m.)
• Art & Wellness: Tibetan Meditation With Puja Madan at Timucua Arts Foundation. (7:30 p.m.)
• Pizza Boy Pop Up at Arooga's Winter Park. (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Valencia College shared: "Congratulations to Valencia College hospitality student, Eduardo Vergara Munoz, who has been named a 2023 Coca-Cola Academic Team Bronze Scholar. Eduardo will receive a $1,000 scholarship. 🎉" (Valencia College via Instagram)
• Orlando Police Department shared: "Thank you to the Rock Lake and Spring Lake Manor Homeowners Associations for having Chief Smith along with OPD detectives and officers at your joint HOA meeting tonight. We value these vital relationships and your input on policing." (Orlando Police Department via Facebook)
• Orlando Police Department shared: "MISSING: Sylvio Leblanc - DOB 1/1/1959, Black Male, 5'5", was last seen in the area of the 5700 block of LB McLeod Road at 8.a.m Tuesday, wearing a blue shirt with tan shorts. He only speaks creole and suffers from a cognitive disability." (Orlando Police Department via Facebook)
• Orange County, Florida 🍊 shared: "Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings reconvened the Citizens Safety Task Force to address recent gun violence and violent crime. The Community Crime Survey is designed to gather resident feedback regarding these topics." (Orange County, Florida 🍊 via Instagram)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Wednesday! 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.

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