D-SNAP third phase opening for Lake, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia county residents affected by Hurricane Ian
The Department of Children and Families announced on Sunday that the third phase of the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or D-SNAP, will open on Monday, Oct. 24 for Lake, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia county residents affected by Hurricane Ian.
Florida Gov. DeSantis targets Disney Worldโs Reedy Creek district in special session
Florida lawmakers currently debating congressional maps proposed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in a special session will now also consider getting rid of special districts enacted before 1968, which includes Disneyโs Reedy Creek district, the governor announced Tuesday at a news conference in The Villages.
Orange-Osceola state attorney creates new policy for officer-involved shooting review
Prosecutors with the State Attorneyโs Office in the Ninth Judicial Circuit, covering Orange and Osceola counties, will independently investigate police officer or deputy-involved shootings in addition to the review conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Indian River County prescribed burn causes smoky conditions in Brevard County
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. โ Although no prescribed burns were scheduled for Brevard County, two large burns in Osceola and Indian River counties have been sending smoke to Central Brevard Wednesday afternoon, reports News 6 partner Florida Today. Skies over parts of Melbourne, Rockledge and Merritt Island were filled with grey smoke that obscured the sun and glowed bright orange from the 9,600-acre burn in Indian River County. Winds carried the smoke into a large portion of southern and central Brevard County. Radar images from the National Weather Service showed how south-by-southwest winds carried smoke from the prescribed burn in western Indian River County into Brevard. Ash and poor air quality were reported over large swaths of Brevard.
LIVE RADAR: Rain moves through Central Florida
Hail, gusty winds and heavy rain pic.twitter.com/ldk6JlssUe โ Jonathan Kegges (@JonathanKegges) March 6, 2021Hail, gusty winds and heavy rain were among the threats to the area. pic.twitter.com/dxIRQhuu0n โ Jonathan Kegges (@JonathanKegges) March 6, 2021Now a SEVERE T'STORM WARNING for Volusia. pic.twitter.com/m6dMsMzJEx โ Jonathan Kegges (@JonathanKegges) March 6, 2021Using our Pin It! Most of Saturday afternoon will be in the 60s across all of Central Florida. Improvements to the allergy situation will be likely as this system moves in and out of Central Florida.
More waves of rain expected Sunday, few strong storms possible
The rain and clouds will help to lower the overall severe weather threat Sunday, but a few storms could still be strong in the afternoon. Severe threats SundayThe main severe threat will occur in the afternoon if enough heating can occur to generate a sea breeze. Future radar SundayAnother chance for strong storms arrives Monday with another system pushing through the Southeast U.S. The highest severe threat will be northwest of I-4 Monday for areas shaded in yellow. All of Central Florida has the chance for a few strong storms Monday.
Lynx offers seniors with appointments a ride to Orange County Convention Center vaccine site
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. โ Seniors needing a ride to their vaccine appointment at the Orange County Convention Center can ride for free with Lynx. Anyone in Orange, Osceola or Seminole with a vaccine appointment can call 311 to schedule a pickup, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said Thursday during a coronavirus update. Deming said 311 will coordinated with the Office of Emergency Management to arrange the ride. โWhen a ride is scheduled youโll get a ride from home to the Convention Center,โ Demings said where a โLynx driver will wait with the senior for entire process then take them home.โMasks must be worn the entire time. The program is for the Convention Center vaccine site only.
Ormond Beach residents fight to keep last beachside school
ORMOND BEACH, Fla. โ Osceola is Ormondโs only beachside elementary school and for many families, it has become a generational staple for the past 65 years. [TRENDING: Trooper Steve diagnosed with cancer amid pandemic | Latest on $1,400 payments | How to get vaccine in Fla.]Pavelka went to Osceola Elementary, his mother worked there and now, his children go there. AdThe school district wants to close it and merge it with Ortona Elementary, roughly eight minutes south in Daytona Beach. The city of Ormond Beach just passed a resolution giving $2 million to the district to keep the school at Osceola. โDuring the half cent sales tax referendum, the voters here in Ormond Beach were told that there would be significant renovations to Osceola.
LIVE RADAR: Tornado Watch expires for Central Florida, isolated strong storms still possible
The Tornado Watch that had been in effect has been allowed to expire for all of Central Florida. SEVERE WEATHER THREAT SUNDAY MORNINGA cold front is moving through Central Florida producing downpours and storms. A few storms could be strong through the late morning, but the severe threat is lowering across Central Florida. An isolated damaging wind gust or brief tornado is still possible southeast of I-4, but the severe weather threat has come to an end along and northwest of I-4. Future radarMost of Central Florida is dry by noon.
Fire danger increases across Central Florida this week
The drier air combined with dry conditions the region has experienced during the past several months will create an enhanced risk for wildfires to start Thursday. Most of Central Florida is running 3 to 5 inches below normal in the rainfall department dating back to Dec. 1, 2020. The gusty winds that will accompany the cold front will create an environment for any fire that ignites to potentially spread rapidly. Wind gust forecast ThursdayThe greatest risk for wildfires to start and spread will be when the relative humidity is at its lowest between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday. The relative humidity naturally rises at night when the temperatures drops closer to the dewpoint.
Osceola County offers new method for seniors to request COVID-19 vaccine appointment
OSCEOLA, Fla. โ As Central Florida works to speed up the process of getting vaccines into the arms of seniors, officials canโt keep up with demand. Bill Litton, Director of Osceola Emergency Management said the county has been working to juggle vaccine availability, appointment slots, and waitlists. Health officials sent an update about the new online vaccine request form for seniors who want their first or second dose. CLICK HERE FOR FORMThe new vaccination request form can be accessed through the FDOH website. Litton said the county hopes to resume vaccinations this week.
Florida could see highs close to 80 to close out the weekend
ORLANDO, Fla. โ Foggy conditions are expected to continue into Sunday morning across much of Central Florida. Minimal rain chances are expected throughout Sunday, after the fog dissipates this morning, skies will remain partly to mostly cloudy. Overnight lows will drop into the low 60s. The first will move through the area on Monday, bringing a slight 10 percent chance of rain with highs cooling back to near normal, in the mid 70s Tuesday and Wednesday. By the latter part of the week, highs will drop back in the mid 60s with overnight lows into the 40s.
Incoming Orange-Osceola state attorney fires 5 employees before entering office
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. โ Incoming Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell has notified five employees that they will not be retained when she takes office in January. Three assistant state attorneys and two investigators were notified by letter this week that they will be let go. I am excited to inherit a staff that is so committed to these goals,โ Worrell wrote. We appreciate their service to this office, and wish them well in their future endeavors.โThe local state attorneyโs office has about 400 employees. Interviews will take place to replace the five employees who will be dismissed effective Jan. 5.
Meet the candidates: Hereโs whoโs running for Orange-Osceola state attorney
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. โ After a heavily contested primary, voters now have the choice of two candidates to replace Aramis Ayala as the state attorney for Orange and Osceola counties. Before the November election, get to know more about the two candidates vying for the position of top prosecutor. Hereโs what you need to know:Jose Torroella (NPA)Jose Torreolla says he wants to bring truth and fairness to the office if heโs elected. Heโs been endorsed by former Orange County sheriffs Kevin Beary and Lawson Lamar. Click here or visit ClickOrlando.com/results2020 to learn more about what you can expect to see on your ballot.
Meet the candidates: Hereโs whoโs running for US House District 9
Three candidates are hoping to secure a win in Floridaโs 9th Congressional District, which includes all of Osceola and parts of Orange and Polk counties. Nearly 689,000 people live in District 9, according to the last U.S. Census. In the previous three elections, the District has elected Democratic candidates. Darren Soto (D)Congressman Soto was first elected in 2016 to represent Floridaโs 9th Congressional District. Clay Hill (WRI)Hill is a write-in candidate in the U.S. House District 9 race.
Election officials send mail-in ballots to these Central Florida voters
ORLANDO, Fla. โ Election officials in three Central Florida counties will be sending mail-in ballots ahead of the November election. Officials say voters should receive their ballots by next week. : Hereโs how to track your ballot]Election officials in Seminole County say their ballots will be mailed by Oct. 1. [TRENDING: Gang feud leaves 3-year-old dead | Man steals cat blood from clinic | How can I tell difference between flu and COVID-19?] Orange County officials will start sending mail-in ballots on Sept. 30.
Parents: Hereโs how you can switch your childโs learning preference for the 2nd quarter
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. โ Parents of students in two of Central Floridaโs largest school districts have until Friday to decide whether they want to switch their childโs learning preference for the second nine weeks of the academic calendar. Many parents on Friday said they are planning to make the switch from online to face-to-face, including mom Lara Ibarra. Many parents are wondering if their child will have the same teacher as they have on digital and LaunchEd. Both Osceola and Orange County school officials said it all depends on how many students return to face-to-face learning. Parents in Seminole County should be on the lookout as surveys for their choice of preferred learning also went out Friday.
More than 450 asked to quarantine across Osceola County Public Schools
OSCEOLA, Fla. In the first two weeks of the fall semester at Osceola County Public Schools, more than 450 people who came into contact with a person positive with COVID-19 were asked to quarantine by the Florida Department of Health, according to the latest report from the school district. Since the school week ending in Aug. 24, more than 36 schools have had students and/or staff asked to quarantine. A total of 26 students and 14 staff have tested positive for the respiratory illness as of the week ending in Aug. 31, according to the district. A majority of the people in quarantine are connected to a small number of schools, most of the schools with a high number in quarantine are high schools. However, the campus has been closed since Aug. 28 when 12 staff tested positive for the virus.
Deborah Barras position within state attorneys office eliminated after election
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. After her failed bid to get elected as the next state attorney of Orange and Osceola counties, Deborah Barras position within the office has been eliminated and shes instead been reassigned to the post-conviction unit. State Attorney Aramis Ayala, who did not seek re-election, released a statement Monday saying that her office would no longer have a chief assistant state attorney. Barras former chief assistant state attorney responsibilities will be given to three other assistant state attorneys. Mark Wixtrom will field policy questions and manage day-to-day interactions with Assistant State Attorneys in my office. Barra was one of four Democratic candidates seeking to replace Ayala next year as Orange-Osceola State Attorney.
Meet the candidates: Heres whos running for Orange-Osceola state attorney
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. No matter the results of the election, residents in Orange and Osceola counties are guaranteed to have a new state attorney serving them starting next year. Four Democrats have qualified to run for the race and fill the role that will be vacated by current Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala. Barra also sits on Ayalas death penalty review panel, a group of prosecutors who decide whether the death penalty is appropriate in a first-degree murder case. (WKMG)Ryan Williams, a longtime assistant state attorney in Floridas Ninth and Fifth Judicial Circuits, resigned from Ayalas office after she announced in March 2017 that her prosecutors wouldnt seek the death penalty in any case. Williams was one of the earliest candidates in the race, announcing his intent to run in March 2019.
Medical Examiner responds to questions about Floridas coronavirus death numbers
According to those records, many people died of pneumonia, many were intubated and some died within hours of arriving at the hospital. The person died of a trauma, and they just happen to have COVID. We did not attribute COVID to the cause of death in that case because it didnt contribute to that case, he said. Clearly that person died with COVID and not of COVID.There were more. It happened to be COVID pneumonia, and they died, he said.
Singer John Legend endorses Orange-Osceola State Attorney candidate Monique Worrell
ORLANDO, Fla. โ Grammy-Award winning singer and songwriter John Legend is paying attention to Florida politics, specifically several upcoming elections for local state attorney seats. The current Orlando-area state attorney Aramis Ayala said last year she would not be seeking re-election. Worrell, former chief judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Belvin Perry; current assistant state attorney in Orange-Osceola Deborah Barra and Ryan Williams, a longtime assistant state attorney in Floridaโs 9th and 5th Judicial Circuits, have all announced they are running. Worrell, a criminal justice attorney, faces the three other candidates in the Aug. 18 Democratic primary. The goal of the political group is to โelect prosecutors who will fix our broken criminal justice system,โ according to its website.
Central Florida organization worried about 'tidal wave' of evictions
Central Florida organization worried about 'tidal wave' of evictionsPublished: July 1, 2020, 1:31 pmHeart of Florida United Way President Jeff Hayward said he feared thousands of families would face homelessness with Orange and Osceola counties reporting some of the state's highest unemployment rates.
Businesses in downtown Orlando adapting to face mask requirements
ORLANDO, Fla. โ โI think the message has gotten across all of the county areas, and even in Osceola and Seminole; they know, if theyโre coming to Orange County, itโs required,โ said Roger Wall. [RELATED: Orange County residents will be required to wear face masks under new executive order]Roger Wall is the owner of Embassy Irish Bar on Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando. While Wallโs bar is open, another bar owner made the decision to close. Will Walker is the owner of three bars in Orlando: Willโs Pub, Iil Indies and Dirty Laundry. [RELATED: Restaurants and bars temporarily close as COVID-19 cases rise in Orlando area]
278 complaints filed against Central Florida businesses amid coronavirus
ORLANDO, Fla. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation received 278 complaints against Central Florida businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, according to records obtained by News 6. Records show complaints were made against a variety of business, including restaurants, retail stores, hair salons and rental properties. Kissimmee businesses saw the most complaints with 45 registered with the state, while Orlando saw the second highest number with its businesses receiving 39 complaints. This is one of the complaints filed with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation amid the coronavirus pandemic. RG also saw a single complaint during the coronavirus shutdown claiming it was open when it should have been closed.
Fire danger: Gusty winds, dry air increase fire danger Saturday
ORLANDO, Fla.- โ Be mindful of open flames across Central Florida Saturday. The dry vegetation combined with low relative humidity and gusty winds is creating dangerous fire conditions. Gusty northeast winds could quickly spread any fire that got started. The fire danger is elevated across of Central Florida, but the counties not included in the warning donโt quite meet the warning criteria. As the sun goes down, the relative humidity increases improving the situation.
Brush fire threatens homes in Osceola County
CLOUD, Fla. โ Firefighters are working to put out a brush fire Friday evening in St. Cloud thatโs threatening nearby homes. Crews from Orange and Osceola counties are using tanker trucks to try and put out the fire in the 4100 block of Cardinal Lane. Osceola Fire Rescue said the cause was burning debris that caught a mobile home on fire. People who live on the street were kept from their homes tonight until crews finished putting out the fires.
Central Florida forecast: Cooler temperatures to follow warm Wednesday
ORLANDO, Fla. โ After the morning fog burns off, another warm day is on tap in Central Florida, but slightly cooler temperatures are on the way. "We're tracking a new front that will be mostly dry as it moves south of Central Florida," Local 6 meteorologist Troy Bridges said. "We're starting with some fog and clouds, with a few showers possible across far southern Osceola and Brevard counties." Clouds will clear later Wednesday, allowing cooler temperatures early Thursday morning. With fewer clouds acting as a blanket, temperatures will range from the low 50s to low 60s across Central Florida.
Fog lifts; Warm week on tap
ORLANDO, Fla. โ Thick fog blanketed much of Central Florida on Tuesday morning, and temperatues in the 80s are expected for the region through the end of the week. Dense fog advisories for Volusia, Lake, Osceola, Brevard, Seminole and Orange counties expired at 9 a.m. Rain on Monday saturated the ground, trapping moisture and causing the fog to form. Overnight lows into Wednesday morning will hover near 63 degrees. No rain is forecast through the rest of the week.