Windermere juveniles arrested after fleeing police in stolen truck, officials say
Two juveniles were arrested early Sunday in Windermere after fleeing from officers, stealing a pickup truck and ramming two patrol vehicles. Police said the suspects attempted to enter multiple vehicles along Lake Butler Boulevard and were found with possible stolen property linked to other cases in Orange County. No...
Bicyclist struck, killed in Orlando
ORLANDO, Fla. – A bicyclist was struck and killed Tuesday afternoon in Orlando. The wreck happened around 1 p.m. near West Princeton Street and Mercy Drive. The Orlando Police Department said the bicyclist was taken to the hospital, where they were later pronounced dead. No other information, including the...
Some Orange County residents are being asked to boil their water
The precautionary notice was issued after a water main recently broke off South Apopka Vineland Road.
There’s a forsaken military lab hiding in Orlando. Here’s what happened to it
ORLANDO, Fla. – Drivers heading past Lake Gem Mary along Gatlin Avenue may be familiar with an old sealed-off building stashed away on the lakeside. What drivers might not know is that this was once the site of an underwater Naval research laboratory. The site sticks out like a...
Homeschooling in Florida Jumps Nearly 50% as Parents Ditch Classrooms
The Sunshine State has seen a 46 percent increase in homeschooling since the 2019-2020 school year.
DOGE starts its audit of city of Orlando’s spending
ORLANDO, Fla. — On Monday, an audit began into the city of Orlando's finances by Florida’s Department of Government Efficiency. The eight-page letter sent to Orlando notifying the city of its DOGE audit is nearly identical to those sent to other counties and cities being scrutinized. The city...
State DOGE requests 183,174 files from Orange County so far, Demings says
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County employees who met with auditors from the Florida Department of Government Efficiency team members on Aug. 5-6 provided them with 183,174 files, totaling 596.8 gigabytes of memory space, county Mayor Jerry Demings disclosed. The county, by request, also provided DOGE with access to...
Woman shot after allegedly trying to run over officers dies
A woman who allegedly tried to run over police officers in a stolen car over the weekend has died, according to Ocoee police.
Orange County Public Schools Face Enrollment Decline and Funding Shortfall, Seminole County Also Impacted
As the bustle of a new academic year gains momentum, Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) is grappling with more than just the usual back-to-school excitement. They begin the school year addressing a projected shortfall in student enrollment, an estimated 3,000 fewer than the previous year, leading to a potential $27...
Apopka elementary teacher celebrates 50 years with OCPS
APOPKA, Fla. — As students head back to school across Central Florida, one teacher in Apopka has lived through more first days than people can count on both hands. Betty Washington is a kindergarten teacher at Apopka Elementary School. In April, she celebrated 50 years as an Orange County Public Schools employee.
