East Central Florida under ‘Red Flag Warning’ in the afternoon

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 4/11 3:17A Garfield Hylton

Friday s Red Flag Warning is from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. South Lake, Volusia, north Brevard, Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties are in the warning zone, according to NWS Melbourne. Westerly winds will blow around 15 mph and gust up to 25 mph. It s...

I-95 ‘is a horror.’ Should Florida let drivers have higher speed limits on interstates?

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 4/11 1:00A Anthony Man

Legislative proposals to increase speed limits on Florida interstate and other highways are cruising to passage. If the speed limits are increased, even by the proposed 5 mph, research shows more accidents could follow. So far, the proposal...

Destination D23 tickets for August event going on sale

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 4/11 12:06A Dewayne Bevil

Tickets for this summer s Destination D23 gathering at Walt Disney World will go on sale Monday. The three-day event is held by D23 , the official Disney fan club, and will include a 1980s/1990s concert, nods to the 25th anniversary of The Emperor...

Across Florida in 4 days: A high-adventure bike ride from coast to coast

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 4/11 12:00A Patrick Connolly

I never quite know when the opportunity will arise to check another item off my Florida bucket list. When the invite came to cycle across the Sunshine State I jumped at the opportunity. After my epic...

Amid legal uncertainty, Orange County halts cultural DEI grants

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 4/10 11:00P Matthew J. Palm

Orange County has abruptly ended fledgling DEI and sustainability grant programs for arts and cultural organizations, citing fear of jeopardizing state and federal government funding in a fraught...

Maxwell: Readers tee off on politicians, insurance, Moon Pies and columnist

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 4/10 4:33A Scott Maxwell

Dear Scott, you re an overrated columnist for the rag Orlando Sentinel . Norma Jean It’s actually kind of cool to learn that someone is A) rating columnists; and B) over -rating me. It is always a nice way to start the day reading your column ....

7 Central Florida restaurants shut down last week

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 4/10 3:25A Garfield Hylton

Seven Central Florida restaurants shut down the week of March 30 April 5, according to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Orange Sunshine Soulfood Cafe at 2528 W. Colonial Dr. Suite B in Orlando shut down on...

Cool day with mild temperatures and increased chances for rain

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 4/10 1:29A Garfield Hylton

Thursday is a cooler day with increased chances for rain. Temperatures are in the high-70s along the coast and around 80 degrees in the interior, according to NWS Melbourne. Rain chances are 20%-40% on the coast with a low chance for lightning...

Epic notebook: More tidbits from Universal’s new theme park

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 4/9 11:45P Dewayne Bevil

A couple of my professional colleagues teased me because I used a pen and a tiny notebook during a recent media tour of Epic Universe . For me, it’s faster that way, keeps me organized and doesn’t...

After 3 years, unique theater reopens — and returns to the edge

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 4/9 11:00P Matthew J. Palm

Samantha DiGeorge is happy to be right where she s supposed to be — in a theater. The past few years I ve been surviving, she says. The past three weeks I ve actually been living. DiGeorge has spent...

New survey: Central Florida lagging in solutions for its homeless

Orlando Sentinel (Osceola County News) 4/9 10:51A Orlando Sentinel and News Collab

Last week’s release of the annual point-in-time count made the challenge abundantly clear: Central Florida still doesn’t have enough ways to house its vast numbers of homeless residents. And planned...

Jones, Evans High seniors eligible for full-ride scholarships to Valencia

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 4/9 10:13A Steven Walker

Jones High School seniors sat on the gymnasium bleachers Wednesday morning wondering why they were pulled from class. Then Vicki-Elaine Felder, an Orange County School Board member and Jones alum,...

Maxwell: Florida AG’s flawed scheming against Worrell is exposed

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 4/9 8:50A Scott Maxwell

If you haven’t been following the developing stories about Florida’s new, unelected attorney general trying to target Orange-Osceola prosecutor Monique Worrell, you should. For two reasons: 1) This is the kind third-world, anti-Democracy,...

Osceola County things to do, starting April 11

Orlando Sentinel (Osceola County News) 4/9 8:19A Joe Rassel

What’s happening Family Easter Event at Old Narcoossee Schoolhouse: There will be pictures with the Easter Bunny, tours of the Schoolhouse, outdoor activities, food and local vendors. Presented by Narcoossee History. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. April 12,...

Florida universities face sweeping state audit under DeSantis’ DOGE mandate

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 4/9 8:03A Garrett Shanley

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida’s public universities and colleges have just two weeks to turn over six years’ worth of records on staffing, research and grant funding as part of the first formal information request under Gov. Ron DeSantis’ newly...