Orlando

Scott PowersApril 11, 2016

Democrat Susannah Randolph may have picked up her biggest local endorsement yet Monday with the news that former Orange County Chairwoman Linda Chapin is backing her for the Orlando-based Congressional District 9. Chapin is a long-time figure in Orlando Democratic politics, an activist first elected to the Orange County Board of Commissioners in the 1980s. […]

Associated PressApril 10, 2016

The city of Orlando is getting into the open-data game. Mayor Buddy Dyer and Police Chief John Mina are planning to unveil a new website that offers city-specific data for developers and the general public. The data that will be available on the website include business permits, business tax receipts, police calls for service, trash […]

Scott PowersApril 8, 2016

Orlando Republican candidate Dean Asher has received the endorsement of state Sen. Travis Hutson in Asher’s quest to be elected in the Orlando-based Senate District 13. Asher, a real estate professional, is the lone Republican seeking to succeed term-limited state Sen. Andy Gardiner in the district, which covers much of northern and eastern Orange County. […]

Scott PowersApril 8, 2016

Democratic candidate Val Demings has received the endorsement of the U.S. House of Representatives minority whip in her campaign for the Orlando-based Congressional District 10, her campaign announced Friday. Demings has received the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Democrat from Maryland. “Val Demings is the kind of leader we need to advocate on behalf […]

Scott PowersApril 8, 2016

Leading candidates in Orange County’s three commission races made it clear Friday they don’t like each other: They pursued personal attacks but offered little to distinguish each other on business issues during a debate sponsored by BusinessForce of Orlando. While Orange County has seen highly contentious business-related issues arise in recent years, notably a petition demanding a […]

Scott PowersApril 8, 2016

The Tampa Bay Times “Failure Factories” series of stories investigating how the Pinellas County School District served black students has won a prestigious national IRE Medal for investigative reporting, the international journalism organization Investigative Reporters and Editors announced. The Times project, published in three parts plus a prologue last August, explored what is described in the […]

Scott PowersApril 7, 2016

Republican businessman and youth pastor Peter Vivaldi of Windermere has filed to run for the Florida Senate in the Orlando-based Senate District 15. Vivaldi, 54, said Thursday he decided to run after spending much of this past session of the Florida Legislature in Tallahassee advocating on issues ranging from education choice to religious freedom. Vivaldi […]

Scott PowersApril 6, 2016

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs wants her county to hold off on a new proposal for spending tourist tax money because she thinks any action now would preempt voters, who might get a chance to vote on the tax in November. And unlike Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, who endorsed the plan Friday hours after it was proposed […]

Scott PowersApril 6, 2016

State redistricting has transformed west Orange County’s Senate district from a longstanding African American-dominated base to a broader, still Democratic-leaning base where environmental operative Chuck O’Neal sees a route to Tallahassee. Apopka resident O’Neal, who has been active on issues ranging from protection of springs and estuaries to opposition to Florida’s bear hunt and oil […]

Scott PowersApril 1, 2016

With Orange County’s bed tax flush from record tourism, Orlando’s tourism community wants to see more of that money spent on tourism marketing, the convention center and area sports and arts venues, including the next phase of construction for the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center. The Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association and Orlando’s three major […]

Orlando
Kathleen King and Joe Gruters. Image via Max Goodman.

Linda Chapin endorses Susannah Randolph in CD 9 race

Orlando debuts open data website for developers and public

Dean Asher endorsed by Travis Hutson for Senate District 13 race

Val Demings endorsed by U.S. House minority whip in CD 10 race

Orange County Commission candidates’ debates offer heat but few business differences

Tampa Bay Times investigation into Pinellas schools wins IRE national investigative reporting prize

Republican Peter Vivaldi enters SD 15 race

Teresa Jacobs aims to put brakes Orange County tourist tax proposal

Chuck O’Neal brings environmental issues, more to Democrats’ SD 11 race

Hotel association, Orlando theme parks pitch for more Orange County tourism tax money