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Nate Monroe takes over the The Tributary, promises ‘high-impact journalism’

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A high-profile Florida columnist is leaving the USA Today network for a new role effective Jan. 27.

And true to form, he’s already doing long-range planning for the new project to which he’s lending his considerable talents.

Nate Monroe, whose columns were traffic drivers for The Florida Times-Union and then for the statewide chain, will replace another former T-U scribe, Andrew Pantazi, as Executive Editor of The Tributary.

Monroe has hardware attesting to his skills and track record, including having taken the Frances DeVore Award for Public Service and the Lucy Morgan Award for In-Depth Reporting from the Florida Press Club, winning the Sunshine State Awards reporter of the year, earning a share of the 2017 Integrity Florida Award for Public Corruption Reporting from the Society of Professional Journalists’ Florida chapter, and a share of the Florida Press Club’s Freedom of Information Award in 2016.

In a phone conversation Tuesday, Monroe conveyed his excitement about the new role, while showing appreciation for the path that got him there.

“I’ve had a number of roles at the Times-Union in the 11-plus years I’ve been there and I’ve been writing a column now since 2019. That’s a good stretch of time,” he noted.

But Monroe said he was ready to get back to his roots.

“Part of what was appealing to me about the tributary is the possibility of getting back to being able to take some time and do high impact journalism,” Monroe said, recalling when he and other top-flight reporters like David BauerleinChris Hong and Steve Patterson covered issues ranging from Corrine Brown’s legal problems to the JEA sale scandal.

“I was fortunate to get to the T-U at a time where we had a really good leader in Mary Kelli Palka, and really good colleagues, the best of the best. Some of them still work there and it was kind of like we hit our groove. I feel like we were pumping out meaningful stuff pretty regularly and it’s just I think it’s fun to think about getting back to an environment where the high impact is kind of the point.”

Meanwhile, The Tributary could flow statewide sooner than later, if Monroe has his druthers, working in a nonprofit space in partnership with corporate media.

“Some of the work we’re going to do this year is figuring out what it would look like to give The Tributary a statewide footprint because that is something I’m interested in. I think there is a need for this,” Monroe said. “Everywhere in the state has the same pressures as the Jacksonville media ecosystem and so I think there are opportunities to kind of help fill the gap on a statewide level, so that is something we’ll very consciously be looking at this year.”

Reaching “nontraditional audiences” and using “alternative storytelling formats” are options on the table, as is “making our stuff free for anybody to run,” meaning that smaller papers looking for deep dive journalism may be able to reprint the work of Monroe and the other writers on the site via a “creative commons license” set up like the one ProPublica employs.

To that end, Monroe sees a key role of The Tributary as “figuring out blind spots” and “telling stories that newspapers have not been able to tell,” especially in their recent state of resource deprivation and rapid consolidation that has seen the “media ecosystem” stripped of human resources and institutional knowledge.

“Government accountability,” whether it’s examining Democrat or Republican leadership, is part of the plan.

“Focusing on those kinds of stories relentlessly is what helps you build trust and credibility,” Monroe said. “We are out to report the problems that exist. Those problems don’t have a political party. If we’re doing our job right, I don’t envision partisan bias being something on our radar that I’m concerned about.”

However, the power structure of the state will bring the GOP under scrutiny.

“Republicans control state government across the board and have for a long time so, yes, there is a good chance that if you’re writing about some sort of accountability story involving state government it could be (about) some Republican elected official,” he said. “That’s just a function of power.”


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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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