Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersApril 13, 2017

From the outside, BRIDG may not look like a high-tech building that Osceola County, Central Florida and state officials are counting on as a “transformation” of the area’s economy. It looks like an office building. But the BRIDG building, the first structure in the Neo City high-tech industrial park east of Kissimmee on U.S. Highway […]

Scott PowersMarch 30, 2017

If there was any concern about whether citizens would show up to tell Florida’s Constitution Revision Commission how they feel about the state’s founding document, the panel’s first public hearing meeting Thursday night at the University of Central Florida put that to rest. A crowd overflowed the 200-seat meeting room, then overflowed the 86-seat overflow […]

Scott PowersMarch 27, 2017

After weeks of testimony before his committee on various college and university budget requests, Chairman Larry Ahern of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education Appropriations laid out his proposals Monday to slash Bright Futures money, financial reserves, university support for private organizations, and non-recurring programs, including Orlando’s Dr. Phillips Center. Ahern, a Republican state representative […]

Associated PressFebruary 12, 2017

School districts all over Florida are facing teacher shortages, including in elementary education, which historically had the easiest jobs to fill. The Orlando Sentinel reported Sunday that the shortages are forcing school districts to ramp up recruitment for the 2017-2018 school year. The recruiting is starting earlier than ever, and recruiters are exploring out-of-state candidates […]

Staff ReportsFebruary 6, 2017

The Senate Committee on Education Monday passed Senate Bill 374, the College Competitiveness Act of 2017, sponsored by Republican Sen. Dorothy Hukill of Port Orange and co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Bill Galvano of Bradenton, and Senate Majority Leader Wilton Simpson of Trilby. Senate Bill 374 is a component of the Florida Excellence in Higher Education […]

Scott PowersJanuary 25, 2017

Asked to prepare for 10 percent budget cuts, Florida’s state university and college leaders pledged to try to avoid affecting students but told the House Subcommittee on Higher Education Appropriations Friday the impacts would still be profound. “The target reductions are set at 10 percent for each entity,” Subcommittee Chairman Larry Ahern said after spelling […]

Guest AuthorDecember 14, 2016

Key questions always loom large for parents of homeschooled, college-bound students, such as: “What happens when my child actually gets to the university level? Will they be able to keep up?” As a faculty member, I get the chance to interact with a variety of undergraduates in a number of ways, principally in the classroom […]

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 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 […]

Tag: University of Central Florida

Osceola officials cut ribbon on high-tech ‘molecular manufacturing’ center

Constitution Revision Commission gets earful in Orlando

Proposed cuts to colleges and universities unveiled by house committee chair

Florida schools facing teacher shortages

Senate Education Committee passes College Competitiveness Act

Universities, colleges paint depressing picture of dealing with 10 percent cuts

Ali P. Gordon: Homeschooled students bring own skill set to university campuses

Orange County Commission approves UCF pedestrian plan

Orange County pedestrian safety plan set for UCF area

Orlando’s cornucopia of thanks runneth over for area leaders