Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersNovember 29, 2016

A $5 million plan to add mid-block crosswalks and other improvements to pedestrian and bicycle safety in the major roads serving the University of Central Florida was unanimously approved Tuesday by the Orange County Board of Commissioners. The plan aims at making sidewalks, bike paths and crosswalks more appealing and safer for the 50,000 UCF […]

Scott PowersNovember 28, 2016

Orange County planners are set to present their proposal Tuesday for helping make the University of Central Florida a safer and easier place to walk or bike around. The proposal comes out of a two-year Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety Study effort to try to address the difficulties faced by tens of thousands of college students and university […]

Scott PowersNovember 28, 2016

Lew Oliver has chaired the Orange County Republicans for decades with little serious opposition but now the leader of Donald Trump‘s campaign in the county, Randy Ross, is taking on the venerable chairman. Ross, 51, of Orlando, declared his candidacy over the weekend for chairmanship of the Orange County Republican Executive Committee after a general […]

Associated PressNovember 28, 2016

When Randall Baker began renting out a pair of College Park cottages through Airbnb, he says he thought he had done everything right. He had a business license through the state and tax receipts from the city and county. But after a neighbor complained, Orlando code enforcement determined Baker was violating zoning rules. Though he […]

Scott PowersNovember 23, 2016

As Orlandoans gather round dinner tables with family and close friends, let us start by being thankful that those of us who can be are there to gather. Let’s give thanks for a community that found comfort, faith, and strength in each others arms during the dawn following our darkest day, and for the commitment […]

Larry GriffinNovember 17, 2016

The Orlando Political Observer, a local political news site, has changed hands — now it’s owned Doug Kaplan, a Winter Park-based pollster and president of market research firm Gravis Marketing. Kaplan purchased the Orlando Political Observer from founder Frank Torres, according to a story on the site written by Torres himself. Kaplan assured readers in the OPO story […]

Terry RoenNovember 16, 2016

Nine miles of aisles of rocking rides, super-sized inflatables, and a preview of the future through virtual reality goggles are just some of the enticements at the 98th annual Attractions Expo. More than 30,000 buyers and engineers from amusement parks, water parks, family entertainment centers, zoos, aquariums, science centers, museums, and resorts jammed the International Association […]

Michael MolineNovember 14, 2016

Citrus greening may chase one of Florida’s largest landowners out of that industry. “We’re going to shift out if it and transition, probably, to cattle production,” Erik Jacobsen, president of Deseret Ranches, said in a speech in Tallahassee Monday to the Economic Club of Florida. Deseret, owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter […]

Scott PowersNovember 8, 2016

U.S. Rep. John Mica’s 24-year congressional career has ended representing the largely suburban, largely Republican constituency north of Orlando, thanks to voters in new parts of his district. With all but one precinct fully reported in Orange and Seminole Counties, and all early and mail-in votes counted, Democrat Stephanie Murphy has defeated Mica in a close […]

Scott PowersNovember 8, 2016

Tuesday night’s election was just a formality, but now it has become official: upstart Democratic candidate Aramis Ayala of Orlando was elected state attorney in Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit, making her the first African-American state attorney in Florida’s history. Ayala effectively won the race when she upset incumbent Jeff Ashton in the Democratic primary in August because there were […]

Tag: Orange County
Image via AP.

Orange County Commission approves UCF pedestrian plan

Orange County pedestrian safety plan set for UCF area

Donald Trump’s local chair Randy Ross challenges Lew Oliver for Orange County GOP leadership

Orlando grapples with Airbnb, other rental networks

Orlando’s cornucopia of thanks runneth over for area leaders

Orlando Political Observer purchased by Doug Kaplan-led group

Attractions Expo gives a glimpse of the future of entertainment

Blaming greening, Deseret Ranches foresees the end of its citrus production

Stephanie Murphy topples John Mica in CD 7

Aramis Ayala becomes first black state attorney in Florida’s history