After making a referral to the Florida Inspector General for what it called a “scheme” to defraud taxpayers, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District has finally come to a settlement with the Reedy Creek Firefighters and their benefits at Walt Disney World. Instead of giving the money to Disney World for the benefits, the Board has decided to give it ...

For a while there, it looked like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his appointees on the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District were winning. They took away the Reedy Creek Improvement District and replaced it with DeSantis appointees loyal to the governor. But then the actual governing of the former Reedy Creek District took place, and that’s when things started to ...

When Reedy Creek firefighter Pete Simon addressed a meeting of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board to passionately make a case for continued benefits at Walt Disney World, he summed up the attitude of the Board since it took over for the Reedy Creek Improvement District earlier this year. Simon said, “All we’ve seen and heard is cuts. Cuts ...

Earlier this week, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District issued a scathing press release and made a referral to the Florida Inspector General over what it called a “scheme to funnel millions of taxpayers dollars” for use by employees at Walt Disney World. But in an email to those employees, the Board, hand-picked by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, said that ...

When the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District took over Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, most Disney employees were skeptical of the news board. How could they not be? The Board was hand-picked by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. It filled with his allies who had one mission: punish the Walt Disney Company and Disney World for speaking out against Florida’s “Don’t ...

When Florida state lawmakers terminated The Walt Disney Company’s special autonomy, they changed the name of The Reedy Creek Improvement District to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District for a very specific reason. From now on, the new Board of Supervisors will be tasked by the Governor–in this case, Governor Ron DeSantis–to make all decisions that appropriately fall to them ...

The Reedy Creek Improvement District’s fire department has officially come out in support of the Florida State Government’s ongoing decision to pursue legislation that would effectively end Disney World’s self-governance within the district’s boundaries and appoint local state-level officials to oversee the area. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the union representing Walt Disney World’s firemen and first responders came out in support ...

The Walt Disney World Resort once again became the site of real-world heroism as a vacationing fireman answered the unexpected call of duty. Poughkeepsie Fire Department Lieutenant Paul Bucher was on a family vacation when he saved a man who was having a heart attack while at dinner. According to News10.com, “The lieutenant performed a precordial thump and began chest ...

The Reedy Creek Fire Department officially endorsed Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis as he faces his first re-election bid this fall. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the professional firefighters made their decision clear to join other unions at an endorsement event at the Hilton Orlando on Tuesday, July 12. But it comes at a tumultuous time in The Reedy Creek Improvement District’s history. ...

On the morning of June 7, a collision occurred on I-4 in the vicinity of Disney Springs, causing the all four lanes of westbound traffic to be blocked. News of the incident was shared on Twitter by Spectrum News 13 Traffic Anchor and Reporter Jerry Hume who said, “Reedy Creek Firefighters & first responders quick on scene of this I-4 ...