Orlando

Scott PowersOctober 4, 2017

After touring Puerto Rico earlier this week, U.S. Rep. Darren Soto declared the island is in emergency need of robust emergency federal funding, not just to assure full federal relief efforts from Hurricanes Maria and Irma, but to keep the commonwealth’s government operating in a place where almost no one can work. “The stories that […]

Scott PowersOctober 3, 2017

Help for Puerto Rico and for Puerto Ricans evacuating to Florida is going to be best provided by the rapidly-rising group of private groups, churches, and companies and government coordination will have to be done by the state, leaving little direct power for Orange County and other counties, Mayor Teresa Jacobs said Tuesday. Jacobs and […]

Scott PowersOctober 2, 2017

Monday morning there was a line through the parking lot at the Puerto Rico Family Response Center in Orlando: Puerto Rican families waiting for it to open to offer relocation help in Florida, and LatinoLeadership Inc. President Marytza Senz, who is running the ad-hoc center, said she also took 40 calls by 7:30 a.m. That’s […]

Scott PowersOctober 2, 2017

Former Florida Department of Management Services secretary Jack Miles issued his endorsement Monday of Republican Stockton Reeves in the race for Florida’s House District 47 seat. Reeves, a Winter Park businessman, faces Democrat Anna Eskamani, a Planned Parenthood executive, in the 2018 election race to succeed state Rep. Mike Miller, a Republican who is running […]

Scott PowersOctober 2, 2017

With very little early-voter turnout during the first weekend heading towards the Oct. 10 special election to fill the vacant seat in Orange County‘s House District 44, Republican Bobby Olszewski appears to have a clear advantage over his Democratic rival Eddy Dominguez, a late-addition replacement candidate. Just 443 votes were cast Saturday and Sunday in […]

Bill RuftyOctober 2, 2017

U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, the first congressman of Puerto Rican heritage from Florida, landed in San Juan early Monday. “I am heading to the Emergency Operations Center to get a helicopter tour of the Island and to meet with local elected officials,” the Orlando Democrat said. Many news reports have cited villages and rural areas completely […]

Scott PowersOctober 2, 2017

Ever since former Winter Park City Commissioner Karen Diebel married Texas’ U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions in 2012, questions swirled about whether Winter Park was unofficially gaining a member of Congress or losing a fixture in Central Florida politics, most recently with renewed questions about whether the congressman was living in Texas or Florida; but both […]

Scott PowersSeptember 29, 2017

Republican Orange County School Board Chairman Bill Sublette is entering the race for Orange County mayor. Sublette, a former member of the Florida House of Representatives, filed his paperwork Friday with the Orange County Supervisor of Elections, becoming the first major Republican to enter the race to replace outgoing Mayor Teresa Jacobs, also a Republican, […]

Scott PowersSeptember 28, 2017

Democratic U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park proudly pushed through a bill amendment that ensured families in Puerto Rico are treated equally under the federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program, and after the full bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday, she touted it with a tweet, “House just passed my […]

Scott PowersSeptember 28, 2017

Republican Florida House candidate Stockton Reeves has received the endorsement of retired Winter Park Police Chief Brett Railey, who recently served as president of the Florida Police Chiefs Association, Reeves announced. Reeves, a Winter Park businessman, is running for Florida House District 47, being vacated by Republican state Sen. Mike Miller, who is running for […]

Orlando

Darren Soto: Congress must quickly approve robust relief package for Puerto Rico

Teresa Jacobs: Orange County’s role limited for Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans

Puerto Rico exodus begun; groups struggling to help

Jack Miles endorses Stockton Reeves in HD 47 race

Slow early-voter turnout for HD 44 special election favors Republicans

Darren Soto lands in Puerto Rico

Long-distance romance: Karen and Pete Sessions calling Dallas, not Winter Park, home

Bill Sublette entering Orange County mayor’s race

Stephanie Murphy touts bill that she voted against

Retired Winter Park Police Chief Brett Railey endorses Stockton Reeves in HD 47