Orlando

Scott PowersMay 31, 2017

Two Polk County airports, in Lake Wales and Winter Haven, have won federal grants for improvements, the office U.S. Sen. Darren Soto announced Wednesday. The Federal Aviation Authority awarded grants of of $82,851 apiece to the Lake Wales Municipal Airport and the Winter Haven’s Gilbert Airport. The Lake Wales Municipal Airport grant will pay for rehabilitation of […]

Scott PowersMay 31, 2017

Winter Park’s U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy, who was born in Vietnam and escaped with her family in a boat lift when she was six months old, returned to Vietnam Wednesday and joined U.S. Sen. John McCain and other members of Congress for a tour of the notorious “Hanoi Hilton” Vietnam War prison. Murphy, a freshman […]

Associated PressMay 31, 2017

A former Marine who was armed with a fake gun attempted a “suicide by cop” Tuesday night during a nearly three-hour standoff with police at the Orlando International Airport, authorities said. No one was hurt and no shots were ever fired, but the standoff caused confusion and anxiety among travelers who were uncertain about what […]

Scott PowersMay 30, 2017

“Hey guys, if everyone would assemble themselves beside the tombstones and the coffin,” declared progressive organizer Melanie Gold, and with that the weekly protest rally outside Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s Orlando office commenced Tuesday, urging him to oppose the American Health Care Act Gold and others have been organizing such protests every Tuesday lunch […]

Scott PowersMay 30, 2017

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Celeste Philip and Gov. Rick Scott told a roundtable of Orange County public health officials in Orlando Tuesday that Zika preparedness is up and incidents and rain down this year, but the risk of another major disease outbreak remains significant and no one should abandon precautions. Florida has seen 50 confirmed case […]

Scott PowersMay 30, 2017

Winter Garden-based Knox Medical is set to open Orlando’s first medical marijuana dispensary Friday in a location near Florida Hospital’s downtown campus. Knox is one of nine companies statewide licensed to produce and sell medicines derived from cannabis. Knox has been in operation for several months, relying primarily on delivery service, and earlier this month […]

Scott PowersMay 29, 2017

The next SpaceX launch, of a Falcon 9 rocket to send cargo to the International Space Station, has been set for a 5:55 p.m. launch on Thursday from Kennedy Space Center. The mission would be SpaceX’s 11th commercial resupply effort to the space station. The Dragon spacecraft will be carrying almost 6,000 pounds of science […]

Associated PressMay 28, 2017

As a law enforcement foundation reviews how the Orlando Police Department responded to a 2016 mass shooting at a gay nightclub, the organization’s staffers say in a paper that police training and protocols may need to change. They suggest that regular patrol officers should be trained in how to respond to a terrorist attack or […]

Staff ReportsMay 27, 2017

The special election to replace Eric Eisnaugle in the Florida House will take place on Oct. 10, following a special primary election on Aug. 15. Gov. Rick Scott set the schedule in an executive order Friday, as Eisnaugle’s resignation from his District 44 seat took effect. Scott selected Eisnaugle on May 8 to replace former […]

Scott PowersMay 26, 2017

State Rep. Rene Plasencia, a former public school teacher, was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott as one of the state’s board members on the Southern Regional Education Board, a 16-state compact. “I am a firm believer we need to start reducing some of the high-stakes testing that we offer,” Plasencia told POLITICO Florida. “I want […]

Orlando

Lake Wales, Winter Haven airports win federal grants

Stephanie Murphy joins John McCain for Vietnam war-era prison tour

Police: Man with fake gun in custody at Orlando airport

Rally seeks to keep heat on Marco Rubio to oppose health care bill

Celeste Philip: current indicators improved, but Zika threat remains serious

Knox to open Orlando’s first medical marijuana dispensary Friday

SpaceX Falcon 9 launch set for Thursday evening

Report: After Pulse massacre, police training needs changes

Dates set for special election to replace Eric Eisnaugle in House

Rene Plasencia appointed to Southern Regional Education Board