Reservations open Aug. 11 for Epcot Food & Wine events

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The 14th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Festival runs for six weeks beginning Sept. 25 at Walt Disney World Resort, but booking for some of the most popular reservation-only events opens later this month.

Fla. town manager fired over porn star wife says they’re leaving town with ‘heads held high’

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — The administrator of a southwest Florida beach town who was fired because his wife is an adult film actress says he is leaving town but doesn’t plan legal action.

Hulk Hogan and his wife reach Fla. divorce case settlement, end months of bitter accusations

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Hulk Hogan and his wife have finally reached a settlement in their divorce case.

Sculpture of naked family turns heads at Florida shopping mall; PTA asks parents to complain

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Parents in Florida are complaining about a sculpture of a nude family outside a shopping center west of Delray Beach.

Cirque du Soleil founder steals space show, promises no fire-eating during his fall flight

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A former stiltwalker and fire-eater stole NASA’s show Thursday, saying he’ll be “like a kid in a candy store” experimenting with zero-gravity tricks on his upcoming tourist trip to the international space station.

Cirque du Soleil founder steals space show, previews station trip while astronauts work on lab

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A former stiltwalker and fire-eater stole NASA’s show Thursday, saying he’ll be “like a kid in a candy store” experimenting with zero-gravity tricks on his upcoming tourist trip to the international space station.

Cirque du Soleil founder steals space show, previews mission while astronauts work on lab

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A former stiltwalker and fire-eater is stealing NASA’s space show.

A year later, saga of Fla. mom accused of killing girl fascinates public with twists, turns

ORLANDO, Fla. — The story of a Florida mom accused of killing her 2-year-old girl has become a soap opera of sorts over the last year, with plot twists and turns.

India-born Pittsburgh Pirates farmhand gets first win in Gulf Coast League

LAKELAND, Fla. — Pittsburgh Pirates farmhand and reality show contestant Rinku Singh earned his first win Monday in the second game of a Gulf Coast League doubleheader.

Folk ballad hero has lived a country song and is ready to write a new verse

BARTOW, Fla. — Christopher Daniel Gay’s life has been one long, sad country song, the latest verse written when he bolted from a sheriff’s deputy at a Waffle House on his way to jail.

Sarasota’s rich circus history always on display at Ringling museum

SARASOTA, Fla. — Sarasota and the circus became forever linked more than 70 years ago when John Ringling decided to move the headquarters of his “Greatest Show on Earth” to the lovely Gulf Coast city where he spent his winters.

Autopsy planned for TV pitchman Billy Mays after he’s found dead at Florida home

TAMPA, Fla. — Television viewers knew him as the OxiClean guy: the bearded, boisterous pitchman on commercials airing hundreds of times a week nationwide. “Hi. Billy Mays here,” he would begin, before showing off his latest cleaning product or gadget.

TV pitchman Billy Mays, known for hawking cleaning products, found dead at Florida home

TAMPA, Fla. — Billy Mays, the burly, bearded television pitchman whose boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo and OxiClean made him a pop-culture icon, has died. He was 50.

Police: TV pitchman Billy Mays, known for hawking cleaning products, found dead at Fla. home

TAMPA, Fla. — Billy Mays, the burly, bearded television pitchman known for his boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo and OxiClean, has died. He was 50.

Bus fight over news of Michael Jackson’s death lands Fla. man in jail on assault charge

NORTH LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida officials say one passenger chased another down the aisle of a county bus during a fight over news of Michael Jackson’s death.

PGA Tour coverage continues in the UK with Eurosport deal

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — PGA Tour television coverage in the United Kingdom will continue under an agreement with Eurosport to broadcast the remaining tournaments on the 2009 schedule.

Billy Bob Thornton’s estranged daughter indicted on murder charge in central Florida

OCOEE, Fla. — The estranged daughter of actor Billy Bob Thornton has been indicted on several charges in the death of a 1-year-old girl she was baby sitting in central Florida.

Purple Reign: Kobe Bryant, Lakers capture 15th NBA title with 99-86 win over Magic in Game 5

ORLANDO, Fla. — Kobe Bryant has the NBA title he needed most — the one without Shaq.

Rihanna, Chris Brown seen at NBA game _ but not together

ORLANDO, Fla. — R&B singer Chris Brown and former girlfriend Rihanna were among the celebrities in the crowd at the fourth game of the NBA Finals in Orlando.

Rihanna, Chris Brown both seen at Game 4 of NBA Finals; Hulk Hogan and Tiger Woods meet before

ORLANDO, Fla. — R&B singer Chris Brown and former girlfriend Rihanna were among the celebrities in the crowd at Game 4 of the NBA Finals in Orlando.

It’s Magic: Howard has 21 as Orlando gets first NBA finals win, 108-104 over Lakers in Game 3

ORLANDO, Fla. — Missing for two games, Orlando found its Magic touch.

Gainesville, Fla., names plaza after rock ‘n’ roll legend and former resident Bo Diddley

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Officials in Gainesville have renamed the city’s downtown plaza after rock ‘n’ roll legend and former Florida resident Bo Diddley.

Affidavit: Thornton’s daughter’s account inconsistent with injuries of child that died

OCOEE, Fla. — Billy Bob Thornton’s estranged daughter told investigators a 1-year-old girl who died in her care acted normally and ate bananas after she fell from a playpen and hit her head, according to documents released Monday.

Celebrity Web site: Oldest daughter of Billy Bob Thornton charged in death of 1-year-old girl

OCOEE, Fla. — The oldest daughter of Billy Bob Thornton faces charges in the death of a 1-year-old girl she was babysitting in October, a celebrity gossip Web site reported Sunday.

Celebrity Web site: Oldest daughter of Billy Bob Thorton charged in death of 1-year-old girl

OCOEE, Fla. — The oldest daughter of Billy Bob Thorton faces charges in the death of a 1-year-old girl she was babysitting in October, a celebrity gossip Web site reported Sunday.

Rapper Tone Loc recovering after suffering apparent seizure, collapsing at concert in Fla.

PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. — Rapper Tone Loc, who performed the 1980s hits “Wild Thing” and “Funky Cold Medina,” was released from the hospital Friday after collapsing during an outdoor concert in Florida, officials said.

Authorities: Rapper Tone Loc collapses during outdoor concert in Fla. after apparent seizure

PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. — Authorities say rapper Tone Loc, who performed the 1980s hits “Wild Thing” and “Funky Cold Medina,” collapsed during an outdoor concert in north Florida.

A-Rod homers, plays 7 innings in field, but he’s not talking on day his biography is released

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Alex Rodriguez hit a long homer, played seven innings in the field and drew a walk off Philadelphia’s J.C. Romero on Monday in his latest extended spring training game.