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Video: Florida Republican Primary Heats Up; Romney Visits Orlando

Jacob Sadowsky — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:35:56 +0000

Former governor, and current presidential candidate, Mitt Romney came to Orlando this Friday, accompanied by Senator John McCain and Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuno.

KnightNews.com was at the at the Lanco & Harris paint warehouse in Orlando where the rally took place. Check out our video and a few photos from the event.

Black Friday Store Hours 2011: Best Buy, Target, Macy’s, Kohl’s, etc.

Staff — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:56:56 +0000

Stores are opening their doors earlier than ever this Black Friday, and KnightNews.com has compiled a list of some of the most popular stores’ opening hours.

Kmart: Open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thanksgiving Day

Toys “R” Us opens at 9 p.m. Thanksgiving day

Walmart opens at 10 p.m. Thanksgiving day

Best Buy, Macy’s, Target, Kohl’s, Florida Mall: Open at the stroke of midnight — several hours earlier than the past on Black Friday.

You can see some of the fliers and black friday ads here.

If shopping turns crazy during the Black Friday rush, email us tips or pics to news@knightnews.com. You can also text our tipline at 407-5-tip-ucf.

UCF ‘Moving’ to Ban Smoking on Campus, Hitt Says

Staff — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 05:37:54 +0000

UCF President John C. Hitt announced Thursday UCF is moving to ban smoking on campus “out of concern for the health and safety of our campus community.”

The announcement came during Hitt’s State of the University address, which was held in front of students, alumni and community members in the Pegasus Ballroom of the UCF Student Union.

Hitt declared that UCF will host public discussions and forums as the second-largest university formulates its new smoking policy, which would align UCF with anti-smoking moves being made by Orange County government and Florida Hospital.

Hitt also addressed how underage drinking became a topic on campus following UCF freshman Ann Hefferin’s death.

“As president of this university, let me be very clear: UCF has no tolerance for underage and excessive drinking, drinking while driving, or illegal drug possession and use on our campuses,” Hitt said.

Ida Cook, Chair of the Faculty Senate, also spoke, along with UCF SGA President Matt McCann.

McCann expressed how students are hurting following major blows the Bright Futures Scholarship program has sustained at the state level, combined with the tuition hikes students are being slammed with year after year.

“Times are tough. These issues are being felt by all students within the State University System, some more than others,” McCann said.

McCann also announced a plan to bring a video rental service, similar to “Red Box,” to campus.

To read the full transcript of the speeches given by Hitt, Cook and McCann, click on the next page below to read the text released by UCF.

UCF Student Arrested at Occupy Wallstreet Speaks Out Before Occupy Orlando

Staff — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 02:45:25 +0000

Update: The Occupy Orlando movement went off Saturday with a march through downtown and an occupation of a park. Meanwhile, up in New York City, KnightNews.com has learned UCF students are marching with UCF alumni activists and former SGA officials Matt De Vlieger and Eric Eingold. Eingold tweeted to KnightNews.com that there were five UCF students with him over the weekend NYC occupation.

De Vlieger interviewed Mike Myers during one of the marches.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5DfQXNd01w

Before the spin-off Occupy Orlando began, KnightNews.com sat down with a UCF student who told us he got arrested during Occupy Wallstreet in New York. See his interview below:

Check back to KnightNews.com for more on the occupy movement.

The Occupy Wall Street movement is coming to Orlando, as Occupy Orlando is set to begin tomorrow Saturday morning at 8 a.m..

According to the Occupy Orlando website, the movement describes itself as “a leaderless, nonviolent political movement that is spreading around the United States and the globe. Our purpose is to send a message from the 99% -”We the People”- to the 1% who run the mega-corporations and government that we are no longer willing to tolerate the greed and corruption that places profits before people.”

The Occupy movements across the country have led to several hundred arrests.

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It is unclear how many protesters will occupy a park near the Orlando Chamber of Commerce and will march through downtown on Saturday.

KnightNews.com interviewed a UCF student who was arrested in the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York.

The route of the march is still unclear but it is expected to start at 11:30 a.m..

KnightNews.com will continue to follow this story and the Occupy Orlando movement.

Obama Drinks Beer at Downtown Bar across from Vain Orlando

Staff — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 02:25:14 +0000

US President Barack Obama made a stop in downtown Orlando Tuesday evening — to have a beer at an Irish pub right across from Vain Orlando, a bar popular with UCF students.

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Obama had a drink of Guinness with Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and unemployed construction workers at the Harp and Celt Irish pub on Magnolia.

Obama has beer in Orlando

Obama was pushing his “jobs plan” while stopping to meet with the unemployed construction workers, saying they are a reason it should be passed and that it would help the economy. Republicans killed the jobs plan around the same time tonight, saying it would amount to a tax increase that would hurt the economy.

A Republican primary debate was also held tonight. Check back KnightNews.com to stay up to date on the race for the White House in 2012.

Apple Tells Wall Street Journal CEO Steve Jobs Has Died

Kevin Wolkenfeld — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:48:50 +0000

BREAKING NOW: The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple CEO Steve Jobs has died.

KnightNews.com will update this story as details come in.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs Resigns, Recommends New Succesor

Kevin Wolkenfeld — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 23:22:32 +0000

Bloomberg.com is reporting that Steve Jobs has resigned as Apple CEO and is recommending Tim Cook to be his successor.

KnightNews.com will continue to follow this breaking story.

5.8 Magnitude Earthquake Centered in Virginia Shakes The East Coast

Staff — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 20:32:44 +0000

According to the USGS, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake occurred today at near Richmond in Mineral, Virginia at 01:51 PM that affected Washington D.C. to even New York City with reports of minor damage.

The North Anna nuclear power plant located 20 miles from the epicenter was shut down as a precaution but no initial reports of damage.

The Washington Reagan National Airport was evacuated because of a gas odor but no severe damage occurred.

The Pentagon reported a water line leak that flooded two corridors.

Here are a couple tweets CNN pointed out about the earthquake:

In Philadelphia, HunterPence3 tweeted, “Wow Earthquake just shook the entire locker room!”

In Cleveland, “tribeinsider” wrote “I’m no expert but i think we just had an earthquake here.”

Check back for updates.

‘The Plaza’ Across From UCF to be Bulldozed, Rebuilt with Apartments, Retail

Staff — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 03:41:22 +0000

Plans have been announced to bulldoze “The Plaza” shopping center across from the University of Central Florida’s main campus, which hosts popular bars like Deko, Knight Library and FUBAR, so it can be rebuilt with retail and residential.

Tell your friends:

That’s according to the Orlando Sentinel, which reports that American Campus Communities bought the 14-acre shopping center in a more than $27 million deal.

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After the current structure is bulldozed, plans call for developers to rebuild it with retail shops on the first-floor and then four floors of residential living above that, buyer’s representative Paul Guyet told the Sentinel.

The property situated on University Blvd. and Alafaya Trail will reportedly be built over two phases, with more than 500 residential units with about 1,527 beds.

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KnightNews.com will follow this major shakeup to the popular UCF nightlife and dining scene, and work to find out the time-table for the demolition and the schedule for when the new retail and student living center will open.

Florida’s back-to-school tax break starts now til Sunday

Kevin Wolkenfeld — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 04:17:29 +0000

In one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year, right before school schools, the state will suspend the 6 to 7 percent sales tax for some shopping goods.

The shopping goods include items that could be used for school like clothes, shoes and school supplies.

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The St. Pete Times mentions in an article the state is expected to forsake $30 million in tax collections to get more consumers to buy.

A full list of the items and more in formation can be found here.