Orlando

Scott PowersMarch 8, 2017

Orlando Democratic state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith and Lake Worth Democratic state Sen. Jeff Clemens want people to stop going to jail or prison for possessing small amounts of marijuana. The pair of lawmakers introduced bills this week that would make possession of one ounce or less of cannabis – described as a “personal use […]

Scott PowersMarch 8, 2017

President Donald Trump will get his first chance to signal his vision for space now that both houses of Congress have approved a $19.5 billion bill cosponsored by both Florida senators to continue NASA’s programs. The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved the one-year spending plan late Tuesday, calling for continued support for commercial space […]

Scott PowersMarch 7, 2017

New Orange County Commissioner Emily Bonilla has to be getting used to being a kicked-around rookie on the Board of Commissioners, especially as an outspoken Democrat on a Republican-dominated panel, but Tuesday she got taken down by all of her fellow commissioners. “I feel it is pretty disrespectful,” Bonilla told them during Tuesday’s meeting, after […]

Scott PowersMarch 7, 2017

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio lost leases on his offices in Tampa and Jacksonville in part because of landlord’s impatience with the incessant barrage of protests out front. Is Orlando next? The plaza in front of the downtown Orlando office building housing Rubio’s Central Florida office was the site of another protest Tuesday, as it has […]

Scott PowersMarch 7, 2017

Osceola County Expressway Authority plans to run a new highway through an Orange County nature park drew strong fire Tuesday at the Orange County Board of Commissioners meeting, but Mayor Teresa Jacobs and the commissioners were uncertain they could do anything about it. Several dozen people came to the meeting to appeal to Jacobs and […]

Associated PressMarch 7, 2017

Casey Anthony knows that much of the world believes she killed her 2-year-old daughter, despite her acquittal. But nearly nine years later, she insists she doesn’t know how the last hours of Caylee’s life unfolded. “Caylee would be 12 right now. And would be a total badass,” she told The Associated Press in one of a […]

Scott PowersMarch 6, 2017

State Sen. Victor Torres has introduced a bill to force call center operators to give extended notices if they intend to shut down or move call-center jobs out of state or overseas. The Orlando Democrat filed Senate Bill 1632 to require call centers that reduce their staffs by more than 30 days relocate outside of […]

Scott PowersMarch 6, 2017

A fourth candidate has filed to run for the Orange County Commission’s District 4, with the entry of Lake Nona criminologist Nicolette Springer. Springer, 39, a Democrat, is running for the southeast Orange County district seat being vacated in 2018 by Republican Commissioner Jennifer Thompson, who is term-limted. She joins three other Orlando Democrats who […]

Scott PowersMarch 3, 2017

[The following is drawn from pool reports provided by Ted Mann, reporter for The Wall Street Journal.] Accompanied by U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and others, President Donald Trump dropped in on a Catholic school 4th-grade class the met with Orlando Diocese leaders Friday to talk about school […]

Peter SchorschMarch 3, 2017

The wife of the Orlando, Florida, nightclub shooter must remain in jail, at least for the time being, a federal judge in Florida ruled Thursday, a day after a magistrate judge in California said she could be released. U.S. District Judge Paul Byron in Orlando issued an order saying Noor Salman should stay in jail while he decides if […]

Orlando
Mike Johnson. Image via AP.

Carlos Smith, Jeff Clemens introduce decriminalize pot bills

NASA’s $19.5B plan headed for Donald Trump’s desk

Emily Bonilla clashes with other Orange commissioners over parks appointee

Protests at Marco Rubio’s office say focus is on access, not booting him

Planned Osceola Parkway extension through park draws fire in Orange meeting

For 1st time, Casey Anthony speaks about case

Victor Torres seeks to save call-center jobs

Fourth Democrat, Nicolette Springer, enters Orange County commission race

Donald Trump meets with 4th graders, private school leaders in Orlando

Judge says Pulse gunman’s wife should stay in jail, for now