Florida

Spring Break In Florida Was Way Different When I Was Young – Town-Crier Newspaper

Published

2 years ago

May 30, 2024

Spring Break In Florida Was Way Different When I Was Young – Town-Crier Newspaper

The Sonic BOOMER

My uncle owned a motorcycle store in Broward back when Fort Lauderdale was the exotic vacation destination for college-age spring breakers. This was before Cancun, Cabo San Lucas and Jamaica took over. Back when I was in college, a lot of kids like me paid their own tuition and, therefore, sought out a sunny location that met their primary requirement of being within hitchhiking range.

I didn’t hitchhike to Fort Lauderdale but saved up for two years so I could fly. My cost-saving plan was to take off on a wing and a prayer with a 21-year-old, first-time pilot, who had tacked an index card onto the campus bulletin board. It would be him, two of his friends, two more strangers and me.

Long story short? The weather was so horrific that the control tower sent us out over the gulf so that our inevitable crash wouldn’t be into houses. I may have had a near-death experience before we landed. And then, even though he’d taken my round-trip airfare, the pilot “ran out of money” and re-sold my seat, leaving Florida early without me. Fun times.

But you know, kids. Resilient. I had a place to stay (my uncle’s), so I figured I’d get my refund when I got back to Milwaukee. No sweat. Also, no refund.

But we must return to my story after that 100-word essay detour to What-I-Did-On-My-College-Spring-Break Land.

My uncle owned a motorcycle shop. And, because of that, our family was into motorcycles. Both my brothers became absolute fanatics after working for him a few summers, and even I had a bright yellow 60 cc scooter.

My youngest brother (rapidly approaching retirement age) currently owns a paint and body shop where he has pre-painted more than 30 motorcycle gas tanks in preparation for the idyllic gear-head decades stretching ahead of him. He can’t wait.

My other brother Jim (an unsung creative genius) took a full-size Triumph cycle, “sliced” it in half horizontally with a piece of tempered glass and turned it into a coffee table. As a bonus, there was a one-of-a-kind table lamp which revved to life when you pressed down on the accelerator.

My two brothers displayed these companion pieces of art in a Wisconsin bar during a cycle show, and Jim was immediately offered $30,000 for the set on opening day ($50,000 in today’s money). However, because he’s an artist, he turned that down because “they’re not really for sale” and “anyway, no one has seen them yet.” This museum-quality mentality almost cost him a divorce, in addition to 30 grand.

As for me, I had a great time on my scooter. I didn’t give it up until I flopped my helmet onto my ob/gyn’s examination table at eight-and-a-half months pregnant, and he gently suggested I garage the bike for a while. I ended up selling it because (as he already knew, and I didn’t), it’s not really safe to cram an infant into a wire basket and take off.

Sometimes it’s hard being a girl.

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Florida

FTBOA Partners With Florida Coast Equipment

Published

12 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

FTBOA Partners With Florida Coast Equipment

Florida Coast Equipment has entered into a partnership agreement with the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association making Kubota the exclusive tractor, mower, utility vehicle, and construction equipment sponsor of the Florida Thoroughbred industry, starting in 2026.

The long-term agreement, announced Dec. 23, places Florida Coast Equipment and the Kubota brand front and center to Florida’s Thoroughbred industry, a $3.2 billion industry with more than 90,000 Thoroughbreds and 33,500 jobs.

The Florida Coast Equipment name will now be prominently displayed throughout the FTBOA headquarters, events, and communications, including an advertising package on FTBOA.com, Wire to Wire, and the Florida Horse Farm and Services Directory.

“This partnership goes beyond sponsorship. Florida Coast Equipment is proud to serve as the local dealer of choice for Florida’s Thoroughbred community—working alongside breeders and owners every day with the equipment, service, and support they rely on,” said Florida Coast Equipment online sales manger Timothy Morris Jr. “Both the FTBOA and Florida Coast Equipment are deeply rooted in Florida agriculture and share a commitment to long-term relationships, stewardship, and doing things the right way. That shared mindset is what makes this partnership a natural fit and positions it for lasting impact across the industry.”

“When it comes to horsepower, nobody knows it better than Florida’s Thoroughbred industry, and the team at Florida Coast Equipment and Kubota,” FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell said. “This partnership unites two pillars of Florida agriculture, and we couldn’t ask for a better fit.”

This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.

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Florida

Preview: December 23 vs. Florida | Carolina Hurricanes

Published

1 day ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

Preview: December 23 vs. Florida | Carolina Hurricanes

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers square off for the second time in five days on Tuesday, going head-to-head at Lenovo Center.

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When: Tuesday, Dec. 23

Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. ET

Watch: FanDuel Sports Network South, FanDuel Sports Network App | Learn More

Listen: 99.9 The Fan, Hurricanes App

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Canes Record: 22-10-3 (47 Points, 1st – Metropolitan Division)

Canes Last Game: 6-4 Loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, Dec. 20

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Panthers Record: 19-14-2 (40 Points, T-5th – Atlantic Division)

Panthers Last Game: 6-2 Loss to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, Dec. 20

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Florida

Florida football finalizes hire of Joe Craddock as quarterbacks coach

Published

2 days ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

Florida football finalizes hire of Joe Craddock as quarterbacks coach

Florida football will be hiring Joe Craddock as its next quarterbacks coach, according to a report by Swamp247.

The move adds a veteran offensive mind with extensive play-calling and quarterback-development experience under Jon Sumrall’s first staff with the Gators.

Craddock comes to Gainesville after spending the past two seasons with Tulane, where he served as the Green Wave’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Prior to that, he held the same role at Troy.

At Troy, Craddock’s offenses consistently ranked near the top of the Sun Belt across multiple statistical categories, combining downfield passing efficiency with a balanced run game.

Before his time at Troy and Tulane, Craddock built a resume that includes offensive coordinator stops at UAB, Arkansas and SMU, along with earlier developmental roles at Clemson.

Craddock’s coaching career began after a playing stint at Middle Tennessee, followed by professional experience overseas before transitioning into coaching at the high school level and quickly rising through the college ranks.

With the Orange and Blue, Craddock is expected to work closely with the Gators’ signal-callers as the program looks to establish consistency and development at the position under Sumrall.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

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