Orlando, Fla. — Huh?
News 96.5 WDBO was startled to learn that the newest vehicle in their fleet of news-gathering SUVs was issued a parking ticket while parking in front of Orlando City Hall Tuesday.
The Ford Flex SUV was cited for illegally parking in a space marked for media parking only.
As noted in the image above, the news unit is also CLEARLY marked as a member of the very same media for whom the space was created.
<b><u>To be clear</u></b>, our new 'news unit' (as we call our vehicles) did not have the proper permit to park in the space. The City of Orlando issues parking laminated permits recognizing real media vehicles.
“Of course, one only needs eyes to ‘recognize’ that our news unit is an official media vehicle,” quipped Joe Kelley
“This is the difference between following the letter of the law versus the spirit of the law,” remarked Joe Kelley, host of Orlando’s Morning News and News Director of News 96.5 WDBO.
“WDBO has been reporting the news from City Hall since the early 1950’s. We are immediately recognizable to MOST Central Florida residents and certainly at Orlando’s City Hall.”
“Clearly those parking spaces are provided for working members of the media who, often times, need close-up parking during live broadcast reports so they can run broadcast cable, powers cords and heavy gear.”
Kelley took to Facebook Live Wednesday to express his dismay at the citation to ask viewers if he should pay it or fight it.
After 30-to-40 seconds of Red Bull-fueled outrage and contemplation, News 96.5 WDBO News Director Joe Kelley announced, “It’s time to take a stand. It’s time to fight City Hall!”
(App users can see video here)
Joe tweeted to the City of Orlando and Mayor Buddy Dyer Wednesday:
When asked if they could “take care of our parking ticket,” the city’s Twitter account replied with:
Hi Joe, if you would like to contest the citation we can provide you with the contact info. Just let us know!<br/>
This is the ticket we got on the windshield Tuesday -
Here are pictures of the scene of the crime: