ICYMI

BY ALEX GALBRAITH, PATRICIA TOLLEY AND NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

Reedy Creek firefighters endorse the man who dissolved Reedy Creek, local attraction rethinks shooting-based game, and other news you may have missed last week.

» Disney World’s Reedy Creek firefighters throw support behind

Ron DeSantis

Last Tuesday, Disney World’s Reedy Creek firefighters joined other unions in endorsing Gov. Ron DeSantis in his re-election campaign. Yes, the same DeSantis that signed a bill dissolving the special district the Reedy Creek firefighters protect. The dissolution will begin in June 2023 and there is currently no plan for what will happen to the employees of this district. The governor battled the House of Mouse after they criticized the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. This recently passed law prohibits the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in public school instruction. Even if the corporate conglomerate shouldn’t have the power to self-govern a huge chunk of Central Florida, it’s hard to cheer the removal of that power over petty political fights. However, Jon Shirey, union president of the Reedy Creek firefighters, said he trusts DeSantis to take care of them during this squabble. “He has been the most pro-first responder governor that I have seen in my entire 37 years in Florida,” Shirey said, per the Orlando Sentinel. “We’re pretty confident that no matter how this thing shakes out with Reedy Creek that we’re going to be fine.”

» Icon Park changes course on ‘Bullseye Blast’ ride following public outcry

After receiving a hefty dose of “what were you thinking” from the public, Icon Park is reconsidering their new Bullseye Blast game. The add-on game to Icon Park’s 400-foothigh observation wheel allowed guests to take aim at targets around the park using laser guns. Because Icon Park is located in the United States, the public couldn’t help but point out that the park had created something akin to a mass shooter mini-game. Icon Park has decided to change the look of the guns at the center of the game, pausing the attraction until the design is redesigned. In a statement from Icon Park, they claimed the game was “well-received” and noted that the criticism was coming from “non-guests,” saying: “Some non-guests and community members expressed that they considered the toy shooting device used to be insensitive. The attractions industry has many similar games which use similar shooting devices, so that is what we were limited to when exploring the game. However, we believe that a device can and should be designed which does not offend anyone in the community. We look forward to leading this new innovation.”

» Charges dropped against two men who were shot by police for allegedly shoplifting at Target

The execution of a young man in Kissimmee by local police became even less justified this week, as the State’s Attorney’s Office dropped charges against two men who were shot and survived. In case you missed it, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office executed 20-yearold Jayden Baez for the suspected crime of stealing Pokemon cards and pizza from a Kissimmee Target. Osceola County Sheriff’s Office deputies boxed in Baez’s car using four unmarked vehicles. The box-in maneuver was performed improperly, leaving Baez’s car the space to accelerate into the vehicles that had boxed him in, which were not immediately identifiable as police cars. While deputies claim they shouted “Stop! Sheriff’s Office!,” none of the many deputies on scene were wearing body cameras. OCSO Sheriff Marcos Lopez said that the deputies were not wearing body cameras as they had just completed a training exercise nearby.

» Florida legislators unveil Mary McLeod Bethune statue in U.S.

Capitol

An 11-foot-tall marble likeness of civil rights leader and educator Mary McLeod Bethune was unveiled last week in the U.S. Capitol, replacing a statue of a former Confederate general that had represented Florida in the National Statuary Hall for nearly a century. During an unveiling ceremony, U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson of Florida’s 24th Congressional District described the change as “rewriting the history we want to share with our future generations. We are replacing a remnant of hatred and division with the symbol of hope and inspiration.” The statue of Bethune, described as “a drum major for justice,” marks the first time a state has honored a Black person in the U.S. Capitol collection, which features two statues from each state. Among other things, Bethune founded what is now BethuneCookman University in Daytona Beach.