‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidationHomeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Memorial celebrates the life of John Passidomo Hundreds of friends and family gathered for a memorial at Baker Park in Naples.
‘Latinos in Action’ empowers all students to succeed WINK News talked with teachers who are a part of the program, helping kids reach their full potential.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcyclists ride in SWFL to help veterans battle suicide A group of veterans from the American Legion are grabbing their helmets and boots for a motorcycle ride to bring awareness to the staggering rates of suicide among veterans.
SARASOTA Alleged sexual abuse victims of Port Charlotte priest comes forward Father Riley worked at three churches in Charlotte County and another in Naples. On Friday, new allegations emerged from a news conference in Sarasota.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte priest accused of sexual abuse appears in court A priest accused of sexually abusing four altar boys in Iowa nearly 40 years ago returned to Charlotte County court.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema prepares for opening at Mercato The newest movie theater in Southwest Florida opens April 29, and it does so with an array of entertainment offerings that go beyond the usual options across the region.
Let’s Waffle opens in Cape Coral Let’s Waffle is one of two businesses the Feix family launched locally, with the FMS Florida Boat Tours and Limousine Service owned and operated by Feix’s husband, Alexander.
Planned Punta Gorda hotel, pub, brewery faces construction delay Kevin Doyle, owner of Celtic Ray Public House Irish pub in downtown Punta Gorda, and his partner, S4 Global Investments, were found in violation of the city’s exposed soils code.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Memorial celebrates the life of John Passidomo Hundreds of friends and family gathered for a memorial at Baker Park in Naples.
‘Latinos in Action’ empowers all students to succeed WINK News talked with teachers who are a part of the program, helping kids reach their full potential.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcyclists ride in SWFL to help veterans battle suicide A group of veterans from the American Legion are grabbing their helmets and boots for a motorcycle ride to bring awareness to the staggering rates of suicide among veterans.
SARASOTA Alleged sexual abuse victims of Port Charlotte priest comes forward Father Riley worked at three churches in Charlotte County and another in Naples. On Friday, new allegations emerged from a news conference in Sarasota.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte priest accused of sexual abuse appears in court A priest accused of sexually abusing four altar boys in Iowa nearly 40 years ago returned to Charlotte County court.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema prepares for opening at Mercato The newest movie theater in Southwest Florida opens April 29, and it does so with an array of entertainment offerings that go beyond the usual options across the region.
Let’s Waffle opens in Cape Coral Let’s Waffle is one of two businesses the Feix family launched locally, with the FMS Florida Boat Tours and Limousine Service owned and operated by Feix’s husband, Alexander.
Planned Punta Gorda hotel, pub, brewery faces construction delay Kevin Doyle, owner of Celtic Ray Public House Irish pub in downtown Punta Gorda, and his partner, S4 Global Investments, were found in violation of the city’s exposed soils code.
Like many of Disney’s food offerings, some of the vegan dishes are themed to match their location. This hummus dish served at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is called a “Felucian Garden Spread,” a reference to a planet covered in overgrown plants in the Star Wars universe. Credit: Disney via CNN. Editor’s note: David Allan, editorial director for Features at CNN, has been a vegetarian for more than 25 years and Star Wars fan for 40 years. This is the first time those two priorities have intersected. The views expressed here about Disney’s plant-based options are his own. The self-described “happiest place on Earth” is getting increasingly happier for animals, and for those who are increasingly removing those animals from their diet. After a big push last fall, the resort development division of Walt Disney World in Florida has identified more than 400 new and proven “plant-based” options on the menus of all its food locations, including park restaurants, food carts and hotel properties. That’s 580 locations in Disney World alone. And a similar effort is underway at the Disneyland park and resort in Anaheim, California. Just don’t call these non-meat, non-dairy, non-honey options “vegan.” “Most research shows that the word ‘vegan’ appeals to vegans but the trend is much broader than that,” explained Cheryl Dolven, a manager for food and beverage health and wellness with Walt Disney World Resort Development, Optimization and Standardization. “‘Plant-based’ is much more broadly appealing,” Dolven added. “I get it, ‘vegan’ sounds weird,” I said to Dolven, who politely didn’t disagree. “Plant-based” can be defined more loosely than vegan, says CNN Health contributor and nutritionist Lisa Drayer. But Disney defines their “plant-based” options as “made without animal meal, dairy, eggs and honey,” according to their website, meeting the commonly accepted definition of vegan. Whatever you want to call it, it’s a smart move to capitalize on a trend that’s already impacting the restaurant and hospitality industry across the country. Restaurant sales of alternative meat products jumped 268% last year, according to the Dining Alliance, a US industry group. Disney was also hearing directly from its own visitors, who were noting dietary restrictions in their reservations, buying more meat-free options, and giving feedback in guest surveys asking for vegan options. It all became a growing chorus asking the resorts to embrace a growing vegetarian and vegan appetite. The company is also trying to appeal to younger guests, the future of Disney, as well as its own cast members who adhere to plant-based diets, Dolven added. The proof is in the tasting It’s one thing to offer more hummus and carrot sticks. It’s another to invest and innovate in alternatives that appeal to the diverse interests of those who are vegan and may still crave the taste of meat, chocolate, pastries and ice cream. Disney chose the latter. Its in-house Flavor Lab, a research and development facility used to create and test new menu items, tasked its chefs to reeducate themselves. They took trips to vegan (sorry, plant-based) restaurants in New York and Philadelphia. They began hunting for and developing replacements for mayonnaise, butter, yogurt, cheese and eggs. Generally, “chefs aren’t trained that way,” said Gary Jones, a culinary dietary specialist at Walt Disney World. “A lot of us are going back and relearning how to extract the most flavor from plant-based choices.” Jones then led me through a sampling of some of that research and development. The most impressive of the offerings was the seafood platter on the menu at the Toledo restaurant located at Coronado Springs Resort. The creations mimicked a mouth-feel — flavor, texture and other sensations — I’d been craving over the more than 25 years I’ve been a vegetarian. The royal trumpet mushroom-based “scallop” was tender and buttery. The breaded fungi “calamari” was tangy and chewy. But it was the heart of palm-based “crab cake” that was personally moving. I was born and raised in Maryland, baptized in Old Bay seasoning. I’ve never found a fake crab that wasn’t fish. And the Toledo’s crab cake was just how I’ve long dreamed non-seafood crab could be, the taste evoking childhood memories. All over the Disney World parks and hotel restaurants, new menus rolled out in the fall feature a green leaf icon next to items that are plant-based. And while the company’s website has a new page featuring plant-based meal options, Disney’s vegan fans have created their own guides with a lot more detail and reviews. And when it comes to Disney’s plant-based options, one size doesn’t fit all. Most of the new options are unique to a location’s theme and cuisine type. The rustic-looking PizzeRizzo in Hollywood Studios serves a thick and juicy spicy Italian “sausage” sub, the same cost as their meatball sub. The African themed Mara restaurant in the Animal Kingdom Lodge has a Marrakesh Falafel Platter served with soy yogurt. Epcot’s Rose & Crown Dining Room, for example, has a vegan version of the traditional UK breakfast of bangers and mash available upon request. Hollywood Studios’ fancy Brown Derby serves a popular vegan chocolate-coconut cake, the same price as the espresso cheesecake and chocolate mousse cake. And they ate happily ever after I sampled other options in the Orlando parks, uncovering a not-so-hidden world of vegan, er, plant-based dining. In Galaxy’s Edge, the Star Wars land, I adored the Felucian Garden Spread, with plant-based spicy “kefta” meatballs and hummus and tomato-cucumber relish with pita bread, served in a skillet and actual metal silverware. The kefta was meaty-chewy and filling, the hummus thick with herbs. Jones said its one of the best sellers among the stellar offerings at the boisterous Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo. Felucia is a jungle planet that makes a brief appearance in “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.” On the other end of the culinary spectrum, the ABC Commissary in Orlando’s Hollywood Studios served a thick and delicious vegan California Burger with sautéed peppers, vegan mayo ketchup and a Sriracha mustard, served with a side of perfectly crisp shoestring fries. It cost $2 more than their traditional cheeesburger. I didn’t see any vegan dessert options, so I asked the woman taking orders if there were any. She looked confused and politely answered, “No, I don’t think so,” which the Disney public relations department later confirmed. And I made a hearty dinner of the Southwest Bowl at the Fairfax Fare stand in Hollywood Studios. The bowl is a well crafted blend of chili, corn and vegan cheese, topped with non-dairy ranch dressing and crunchy tortilla chips. It costs the same as their comparable bowl with chicken. I also noticed some locations not meeting the claim that all food locations have plant-free options. The Dockside Diner, near the Fairfax Fare didn’t have any plant-based options on its menu of hot dogs and nachos. But Disney is getting there. Disneyland will get its big plant-based push this spring. And properties in Europe and Asia have many plant-based options but no current plans to overhaul their menus (visitor demand could affect that decision). Given the planners’ careful eye on sales, it’s clear that the more Disney guests who choose vegetarian and plant-based options, the more options they can expect. After all, this is a hospitality brand famous for its innovation and for perpetually reinventing itself, and that extends to its dining choices. “It’s been great to see the reception we’ve seen from the guests,” said Jones of the new plant-based options. “They are ordering more than we thought and influencing other guests. And our chefs are a lot more inspired and excited about it.” As should vegetarian and vegan guests.