Defying legal threat, Orange stands by its growth controls

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/16 8:29A Stephen Hudak

Egged on by angry constituents, Orange County commissioners refused Tuesday to repeal growth controls in defiance of a development group s legal threat and a new state law that may invalidate the  measures. The board rejected a series of repeal...

Kissimmee businesses will need permit to sell alcohol after midnight

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/16 7:48A Natalia Jaramillo

Kissimmee put an end to the years-long debate on Tuesday with its approval to require permits for downtown bars to sell alcoholic drinks after midnight. In a notable change from the initial five-hour long heated public hearing two weeks ago,...

DeSantis remembers removing former Broward elections supervisor from office. He didn’t.

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/16 6:23A Anthony Man

Gov. Ron DeSantis, touting himself as someone committed to fraud-free, glitch-free elections, said Wednesday that he removed Broward’s then-supervisor of elections when he came into office. He didn’t....

6 Central Florida restaurants shut down last week

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/16 4:45A Garfield Hylton

Six Central Florida restaurants shut down the week of July 6-12, according to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Orange Crazy Buffet at 7038 W. Colonial Dr. in Orlando shut down on July 9. Inspectors found...

Hurricane center continues tracking system over Florida that could develop in Gulf

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/16 2:06A Richard Tribou

The National Hurricane Center on Wednesday continued to project a medium chance that a system moving over Florida would emerge into the Gulf and develop into the season s next tropical depression or storm. As of the NHC s 2 p.m. tropical...

Wednesday is warm and humid with scattered showers and storms

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/16 1:18A Garfield Hylton

East Central Florida will be warm and humid with scattered to numerous showers. Those showers and storms could also develop lightning, according to NWS Melbourne. Temperatures will be seasonably hot with peak heat indices ranging from 100 to 105...

Ginger Minj will kick off new ‘Hokus Pokus’ tour in Orlando

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/15 11:00P Matthew J. Palm

Orlando s own Ginger Minj will debut her latest production right here in her hometown.  Hokus Pokus Live, inspired by Minj s work with Bette Midler on the film Hocus Pocus 2, will kick off a U.S. tour...

Florida AG targets U.S. Masters Swimming over trans athlete policy

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/15 9:14A Cristóbal Reyes

A major adult swimming organization is facing scrutiny from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who on Tuesday called on the nonprofit group to ban transgender athletes from women s competitions — a policy it already put in place earlier...

Maxwell: Florida flouts auditing law on ‘emergency’ immigration spending

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/15 5:57A Scott Maxwell

There are a lot of troubling aspects about Florida s so-called “Alligator Alcatraz : There s the dehumanizing way these man-boy politicians joke about how much fun it would be to see people from other countries become food for alligators. There...

Hurricane center says system could move across Florida, develop in Gulf

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/15 2:27A Richard Tribou

The National Hurricane Center said Tuesday a system moving over Florida remains disorganized, but could develop into the season s next tropical depression or storm after it moves over land and into the Gulf this week. As of the NHC s 2 p.m....

Tuesday has the chance for excessive and locally heavy rain through the week

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/15 1:33A Garfield Hylton

There is a slight risk of excessive rainfall across most of east Central Florida. Expected ranges are from 0.5 inches to 1.5 inches, but locally higher amounts of up to 3 inches can t be ruled out, according to NWS Melbourne. Throughout the week,...

How one Winter Park school’s state grade tanked and what it needs to do to improve

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/15 12:00A Zoey Thomas

When Florida released its annual A-to-F school report card last week, many schools celebrated, as the number of A schools jumped. But the 2025 grades put Brookshire Elementary School in Winter Park in an uncomfortable spotlight. Brookshire got a...

We’re bursting with reasons to celebrate on our cultual scene

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/14 11:00P Matthew J. Palm

A lot of people connected to our cultural scene have had reason to celebrate in the past few months. Let s take a look at who deserves a shake of the hand and a pat on the back. First off, did you...

Florida airports ordered to report any ‘weather modification’ activities

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/14 9:38A Skyler Swisher

Florida airports soon must submit monthly reports on weather modification activities or face the loss of state funding under a controversial new law derided by critics as fueling conspiracy theories. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier wrote...

Fly bid: Disney Dumbo ride vehicle sells for $150,000 at auction

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/14 4:37A Dewayne Bevil

A ride vehicle from the old, old-school version of Dumbo the Flying Elephant attraction sold for $150,000 at a recent auction of Disney props and memorabilia. The 9.5-foot-long piece, which came from the Disneyland version of the ride, was sold...