🌱 Winter Park Police Chief Resigns + 10th Annual Dragon Parade + Universal Mardi Gras

Happy Friday, people of Orlando! Here's everything worth knowing in Orlando today.

First, today's weather:

Some sun, then turning cloudy. High: 68 Low: 46.

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Here are the top five stories today in Orlando:

1. The 10th Annual Dragon Parade is scheduled for Sunday, February 13th at 11 a.m. in the Mills 50 District. The annual event celebrates the Lunar New Year in different Asian cultures and draws locals for a day of food and fun. (Bungalower)

2. Universal Studios Orlando is preparing to ring in its Mardi Gras Celebration from Saturday, February 5th to Sunday, April 24th. The celebration will include live concerts, food, parades, and more. The Mardi Gras store will be called "Mardi Gras Float Factory." (Inside The Magic)

3. Winter Park Police Chief Michael Deal submitted a letter of resignation on Wednesday. Last week, Deal was arrested on a charge of domestic violence and placed on paid leave by the department. The city said Division Chief Pam Marcum will serve as acting police chief until further notice. (WFTV)

4. Former City of Kissimmee Attorney Don Smallwood, who served the town he grew up in for over 3 decades in that role, passed away last Thursday at the age of 68, the city announced. He was recognized as a leader in municipal law around the state and was nominated as President of the Florida Municipal Attorney Association and named City Attorney of the Year in 2017. As City Attorney, Smallwood reportedly drafted 1,466 city ordinances. (Osceola News-Gazette)

5. Prominent civil rights lawyer Ben Crump held a news conference on Thursday morning about a Titusville police shooting in Brevard County that left a 40-year-old man dead in December. Crump, his co-counsel announced a public records lawsuit against Titusville police to release evidence in the case. Crump went on to say that deceased James Lowery’s family is unable to pay for funeral costs with his life insurance policy because the Titusville Police Department is "playing games" by not providing an unredacted report of the fatal shooting. (Click Orlando)

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Today in Orlando:

• Tai Chi in the Garden at Mead Botanical Garden. (10:30 AM)
• Rock The Universe 2022 at Universal Studios. (4:00 PM)
• Art After Dark Lake Nona. (6:00 PM)
• Detroit Pistons at Orlando Magic. Amway Center. (7:00 PM)
• Orlando Beer Week Bingo at The Milk District. (Midnight)

From my notebook:

• Orlando City SC has acquired Austrian forward Ercan Kara. (Instagram)
• Artists and crafters still have time to apply for space at the upcoming 33rd Annual Spring Fiesta in the Park at Lake Eola. (Facebook)
• Orange County Public Works is seeking a Chief Engineer for Highway Construction. The annual salary is $95,264-$117,894. (Twitter)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday! See you all tomorrow for your next 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.