Juliette Kayyem: At his sentencing, Rhodes was unrepentant. And yet Rhodes also unwittingly revealed deepening fissures in the far-right movement that, two years ago, resorted to violence to keep Donald Trump in the White House. read more
A recently elected Georgia GOP district chair revealed that she believes the world is flat and that the proliferation of globes is part of a conspiracy,
As Walt Disney Co. continues to pitch its 30-year theme park expansion plan to Anaheim, the company released new data on just what's in it for the city. For every $1 billion Disney invests to redevelop and update Disneyland Resort, the project will generate $253 million annually in economic output, $15 million in tax revenue, and 2,292 jobs, according to an economic analysis the company commissioned from the Woods Center for Economic Analysis and Forecasting at Cal State Fullerton. The analysis also laid out additional economic benefits from the four-year construction phase. To proceed with its plan to redevelop areas of the existing resort, Disney must receive approval for mixed-use land development from Anaheim. But what exactly Disney plans to construct is still not clear. read more
Disney on Thursday upped the ante in its battle with Florida's Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, and it cost his state 2,000 white-collar jobs. Disney is scrapping plans to build a $1 billion office complex in Florida, citing "changing business conditions," according to a memo provided by a Disney spokesperson. The decision comes at a time when the company is openly feuding with DeSantis, who is expected to officially enter the 2024 GOP presidential race next week, CNN reported Thursday. Separately, the company confirmed Thursday that it would shut down its Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser resort at Disney World just over a year after it opened. The popular attraction "will take its final voyage" at the end of September, Disney said, adding that it is working with guests to rebook reservations for later in the year. The campus in Lake Nona, Florida, in the greater Orlando area, was expected to add 2,000 jobs, many of which were set to be relocated from California. read more
Donna Deegan's shock election as mayor of Jacksonville on Tuesday shows Florida hasn't become "thoroughly ruby-red," according to a political scientist. The Democrat beat Republican rival Daniel Davis, who heads the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce and had a substantial fundraising advantage, by around four points. Deegan's win undermines claims that Florida, once a swing state, has become firmly Republican after the party secured a string of impressive victories in November 2022, with Governor Ron DeSantis winning re-election by nearly 20 points. It's a major blow to DeSantis, with the governor widely believed to be weighing up a possible presidential bid as polling shows he's the second-most popular candidate with GOP voters after Donald Trump. His defeat means the GOP will lose control over what had been the largest city in America with a Republican mayor. In 2022, DeSantis won Duval County, which largely consists of Jacksonville, by 12 points.
Mormonism is a cult.