Author: Gary McKechnie
All Play and No Work: 10 Central Florida Staycations
No planes or trains involved. A refreshing, fun holiday is just a short drive away at these 10 Central Florida resorts and destinations.
Take Note of Memphis
It’s where the blues were born and where MLK, Jr. died—where guitars are made and played. It is a city of barbecue and Southern soul food.
Jacksonville East
A hopscotch sojourn among islands and history.
Wakulla Springs
Throwback creature comforts amid calming waters.
Grayton Beach
Paddling and pedaling through a slice of old Florida.
High Springs
Crystal clear immersion in a small-town oasis.
Dunedin
A choice of main street or islands unto yourself.
Coral Gables
Seductive samplings of yesteryear elegance.
Big Cypress Reservation
Back to nature—and a rich heritage.
Florida Pure & Simple
Check out seven destinations that will help you get in touch with your inner Floridian.
On Top of the World
How Scott Thompson, aka Carrot Top, went from oyster shucker to comedic headliner—and why he still calls Central Florida home.
Great Scott!
Comedian Carrot Top returns to his old stomping ground for a show at The Plaza Live! on Dec. 14.
Committed to Memory
More than six decades ago, Orlando played a role in the racist saga of the Groveland Boys. Here’s a look back at some shameful history—and a look forward to possible justice.
Linda Chapin’s Hopscotch Journey
Linda Chapin, 67, didn’t start out as an Orlando power player. Her foray into the city’s business world was visiting her grand-father at his downtown car dealership in the 1950s. It would take a series of volunteer projects to craft her social conscience and develop the political skills that led to roles as Orange County commissioner and the county’s first chairman (now called mayor). In 2001 Chapin became director of the Metropolitan Center for Regional Studies at the University of Central Florida, focusing on growth, the environment and social policies. She retired from UCF last year.
Winifred Sharp’s Brand of Justice
Her parents were dynamic civic leaders, but Winifred Sharp still had to chart her own, sometimes difficult course as a woman entering the legal profession in the early 1960s. She earned her law degree at Stanford and went to work in her father’s Orlando law firm, practicing property and family law among other specialties. In 1979, then-Governor Bob Graham appointed Sharp to the newly created Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal. Sharp, 72, retired in 2006 and today is a trustee of the Winifred Johnson Clive Foundation, which awards grants to various nonprofit groups that focus on children, arts, education and wildlife conservation. She and her husband, Joel Sharp, have four daughters.
Henry Maldonado’s American Journey
The son of a Venezuelan military officer, Henry Maldonado adapted to change early on in his life. Living in different places around the world and making new friends were part of the education of Maldonado. After studying film at Boston University, Maldonado found his calling in local TV news production. In 2001, he came to Orlando as the vice president and then general manager at Orlando’s WKMG-Channel 6. His periodic editorials on Local 6 made him one of the most recognized faces in Central Florida. Recently, Maldonado, 60, announced he would retire this summer and pursue filmmaking.
For a Prodigy, Life Is a Stage
The son of concert musicians, Hungarian-born TAMAS KOCSIS was destined to follow in his parents’ footsteps. His ascension as a classical violinist took him away from the Soviet-era Eastern Bloc and to the United States, where he furthered his music studies under the direction of prestigious instructors. Kocsis went on to land the concertmaster post at the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and, in 2004, joined the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra in the same capacity. Kocsis, 37, is a frequent soloist in the OPO’s concert series. He also is a knight, a title bestowed upon him during a visit to his homeland in 2006. His recordings of the complete violin sonatas and piano quartets of Brahms are released under the EPR label.
Daisy Lynum, Born to Read
Considering Daisy Lynum's love of reading, it seems fitting that her life story would make a great book. Her thirst for knowledge (plus a well-timed letter to President Lyndon Johnson) helped elevate her past poverty in rural Leesburg and into the upper class of education. After completing studies at Bethune-Cookman College, she attended Bryn Mawr, the prestigious women’s college near Philadelphia, and Florida State University, where she earned a master’s degree in sociology. A former state social worker, Lynum, 62, entered public life as an Orlando city commissioner in 1998. As the District 5 (Parramore neighborhood) Orlando City Council commissioner, Lynum has been a controversial figure.
