Tuesday's Afternoon Update

DeSantis, Cabinet approve land deals

Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet on Tuesday approved land deals that could help protect 86,819 acres across the state. The approvals included land purchases and acquiring conservation easements, which limit development on agricultural land. The deals total $318 million, with $8.39 million going for 2,483 acres in central Walton County, where a new state park is planned that will double as a buffer for Eglin Air Force Base. More from the News Service of Florida.

Disney World keeps fighting over its property taxes in new round of lawsuits

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts filed about a dozen lawsuits in Orange Circuit Court to contest the assessments done at its four major theme parks, as well as several hotels, the water parks and other properties. Disney has successfully argued in court that a hotel’s past property assessments were unfair. A Judge earlier ruled that property assessments were “unconstitutional and invalid” for Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resort in 2015 and 2016. More from Florida Politics.

‘I’m really hopeful:’ Central Florida restaurants face economic strain amid rising costs

In a year marked by the closures of beloved restaurants like Kappy’s Subs in Maitland, Pom Pom’s Teahouse in the Milk District, and Hamburger Mary’s in downtown Orlando, the Central Florida restaurant scene is facing unprecedented challenges. Rising costs and a hot labor market are squeezing the lifeblood out of cherished local businesses. Among those navigating these turbulent times is the Bakery Colombian Cafe in Avalon Park, a vibrant eatery with a story as colorful as its decor. More from Click Orlando.

SunRail to Orlando International Airport? Region faces first critical hurdle

Since SunRail trains first rolled down the tracks more than a decade ago, advocates have dreamed of connecting the train line to the massive Orlando International Airport, which sees nearly 60 million passengers a year. The planned Sunshine Corridor also would extend all the way to Disney Springs, making it possible to go from theme parks to airport gates without joining the crush of traffic on area roads. But now, a critical hurdle for Central Florida’s transportation future has finally arrived: The region must come together to pay for a $6 million study that demonstrates the Sunshine Corridor is worth its now-estimated $4.4 billion cost. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

South Florida cities score high for being inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community, report finds

This year, seven Florida cities got a perfect score on the Municipal Equality Index, including Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors and Miami. Cathryn Oakley is with the Human Rights Campaign. She says while Florida is at the forefront of anti LGBTQ law and policy, a lot of cities are fighting back. "It's particularly important to be recognizing the hard work that these cities are doing, even in the face of state legislatures that are trying to do the opposite, these cities continue to be fighting to make sure that they are taking care of the people in their communities," Oakley said. More from WLRN.