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Jaguars nab Bucs assistant Liam Coen as new head coach

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The rivalry between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars has not had much heat or history. That’s changing, at least from the Buccaneers’ standpoint.

That’s because of the way the Jaguars’ coaching search has played out.

Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator Liam Coen has been hired as the new head coach in Jacksonville. That Coen made the move across the state for a bigger job is not the notable detail of the story, however. What’s remarkable is the way it happened.

Coen was the second high-profile offensive coordinator to withdraw from the Jaguars’ coaching search after an initial interview. A second interview, this one in person, was scheduled with Coen on Wednesday. But before the interview, Coen pulled his name from consideration, as had former Lions offensive coordinator (now Chicago Bears head coach) Ben Johnson.

In both cases, it is believed that the presence of Trent Baalke as general manager was an obstacle to filling the coaching role.

So on Wednesday, Coen agreed to re-sign with the Bucs for a deal reported to make him the highest-paid coordinator in the NFL. Then, the Jaguars fired Baalke.

That’s when the intrigue began.

Before Coen could sign the new contract with the Buccaneers, the Jaguars reached back out. As Coen and his wife were at the hospital with a sick child, he was not communicating with the Buccaneers. According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, Coen contacted head coach Todd Bowles around 5 p.m. on Thursday, telling him he wanted to look back into the Jaguars’ situation.

Khan sent a private plane for Coen and sometime after 1 a.m. Friday, the deal was done, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Buccaneers’ fans and personnel now have a clear reason for the rivalry with the Jaguars to be hotter. The Jaguars and Bucs are not scheduled to face one another in the 2025 regular season, but the two teams routinely play a preseason game. That could be the first opportunity for Buccaneers’ fans to voice their feelings about the situation.

As for Coen’s next steps, he must begin to assemble a coaching staff and has already given input on the direction the Jaguars should take in their fresh general manager search.

Perhaps the Jaguars hired the candidate they would have hired anyway. The consensus around the NFL was that the Jaguars should have moved on from Baalke when they fired head coach Doug Pederson the day after the season ended. Instead, Khan held an awkward video conference with Baalke after firing Pederson where Khan sounded like any suggestion that Baalke should have been let go was preposterous, even calling a total overhaul “suicidal.”

Now, Baalke is out.

Coen inherits a good situation in some respects. The Jaguars have plenty of salary cap room to add free agents. The team has 10 selections in the April draft, more than any team in the NFL. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is still considered a promising prospect, though he must improve his play dramatically. Coen also has a star receiver in Brian Thomas Jr., who led all rookies in receiving in 2024.

The Buccaneers must now search for a new offensive coordinator.


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Disney World’s government settles ride evacuation injury lawsuit for $50K

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Walt Disney World’s government has settled a lawsuit after a boy was injured during a ride evacuation in 2021 at the Magic Kingdom, records show.

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District agreed to pay the boy’s grandfather, Richard McNamara, $50,000 and did not admit any liability for the incident, according to the terms of settlement. Both sides agreed to pay their own legal expenses.

CFTOD, formerly known as Reedy Creek Improvement District, released the settlement this week following a Florida Politics records request made late last year.

The boy, originally from Alabama, had gone through a lot in his 12 years before he came to Orlando on vacation in March 2021.

His teenager brother shot and killed their father before shooting the boy, paralyzing him from the waist down, according to media reports.

An organization that helps children in need provided the boy with a trip to Disney World.

It was on that vacation when the boy rode the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, a popular roller coaster based on “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” when the coaster broke down.

“When the first responders attempted to lift (the boy) to remove him from the ride, they over-extended his leg, snapping his right femur at the knee,” the lawsuit said.

The family sued in 2022 for a claim of more than $100,000.

The lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed last year after the two sides reached a settlement.

McNamara’s attorney, the boy’s attorney and CFTOD either declined to comment or did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

At the time, Disney did not disclose the boy’s injury on the state theme park injury report released every quarter by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Theme parks face little regulation when it comes to disclosing juries to the public. Theme parks are only required to disclose injuries if people are hurt on a ride and require at least 24-hours of hospitalization.


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Scott Franklin to head House Environment Subcommittee

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Another Florida lawmaker will have a gavel for one of the U.S. House science subcommittees

U.S. Rep. Scott Franklin, a Lakeland Republican, will chair the House Environment Subcommittee.

House Science, Space and Technology Committee Chair Brian Babin, a Texas Republican, picked the Florida lawmaker for his expertise in the fields and the role the subcommittee would play on policy affecting the Sunshine State.

“I’m excited about our SST Committee assignments for this Congress,” Babin said. “The valuable expertise and diverse backgrounds that each member brings will be instrumental in strengthening U.S. leadership and competitiveness in science, space, and technology. We have a full agenda ahead that will prioritize advancing critical scientific research, fostering technological innovation, leading the world in space exploration, addressing regulatory burdens across industries, and more. Through our shared efforts, I am confident we can achieve our objectives and drive meaningful progress in our scientific endeavors. Let’s get to work!”

Franklin said he was enthusiastic about the assignment.

“I’m eager to tackle environmental research related to weather forecasting and ensuring disaster readiness,” Franklin said. “I thank Chairman Babin for this opportunity and look forward to advancing America First policy priorities to remain at the forefront of innovation and boost job growth.”

Babin praised Franklin’s conservative record on business issues.

“I’m confident Congressman Franklin will provide strong leadership for our Environment Subcommittee this Congress,” Babin said. “He has been a steadfast advocate against burdensome government regulations that stifle innovation and fail to address states’ needs. His perspective will be critical as we consider key weather legislation in the months ahead. I look forward to working with him to advance commonsense environmental policies and legislation.”

The same day, Babin assigned Rep. Mike Haridopolos, an Indian Harbor Beach Republican, to head the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommitee.

“Since the earliest days of our space program, Florida’s Space Coast has been the launchpad for America’s journey to the stars,” Haridopolos said. “From the Apollo missions that first carried Americans to the Moon to today’s groundbreaking private sector launches, our skies have always been at the forefront of space exploration. Space is central to our district’s identity and economy, providing countless high-paying jobs and opportunities.”

He praised Haridopolos’ knowledge of the Space Program.

“Over the past several years, the SST Committee has diligently worked to support and advance our nation’s space endeavors,” Babin said. “As the representative of Florida’s Space Coast, the Congressman brings valuable expertise and leadership that will undoubtedly enhance our efforts to keep America at the forefront of exploration and development. I am excited to work alongside him to propel our space agenda forward.”


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Disney plans to convert Star Wars hotel into Imagineers’ offices

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It’s going to be an office far, far, away.

Disney World is converting the shuttered Star Wars hotel into office space for the famous Imagineers who will be designing new lands and projects at the theme parks.

The hotel’s update was reported by The Wrap and confirmed by other media outlets.

Disney closed the hotel September 2023 less than two years after it opened. The company had said it took a $300 million tax write off for shutting down the hotel after it reportedly had low occupancy.

At the hotel near Hollywood Studios, guests who were willing to pay nearly $5,000 for a two-night stay could pretend to be in their own Star Wars story at the hotel. Lightsabers included.

“Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is one of our most creative projects ever and has been praised by our guests and recognized for setting a new bar for innovation and immersive entertainment. This premium, boutique experience gave us the opportunity to try new things on a smaller scale of 100 rooms,” Disney said in a statement when it announced it was closing.

Why did it fail?

YouTuber Jenny Nicholson explained the list of reasons in a four-hour video called “The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Hotel” which captured 11 million views. The cost, the marketing, and not fully embracing the cosplay concept all likely hurt the hotel, she said.

The Wrap reported Disney had been considering using the empty hotel for a dinner theater-type experience but Disney ultimately settled on keeping the space closed to the public.

The Imagineers’ new office space comes as Disney World is starting a major expansion across several of its Orlando theme parks. Disney plans to build a Villains land and add “Cars” attractions at the Magic Kingdom as well as “Encanto” and Indiana Jones to Disney’s Animal Kingdom and “A Monsters, Inc.” land at Hollywood Studios. Disney is closing several longtime attractions in the process.


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