Posted inOrlando Area News
Maitland mayor to challenge GOP Sen. Jason Brodeur for his Florida Senate seat
Maitland Mayor John Lowndes is running for the GOP-held seat as a Democrat.
McKenna Schueler
General news reporter for Orlando Weekly, with a focus on state and local government and workers' rights. You can find her bylines in Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, In These Times, and Facing South.
Posted inNews
Orange County officials will alter ICE agreement next week
This move will effectively restrict how long the Orange County Jail can detain people on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Posted inOrlando Area News
Orange County Library System offers free book to kids in June as part of summer reading challenge
The free book offer is available for kids up to 18 years old, while supplies last.
Posted inOrlando Area News
Lawmakers restore funding for Central Florida Zoo in state budget proposal
This reverses a proposed cut to the appropriations request filed for the zoo ahead of its unanticipated rescue of animals from Orlando’s never-opened Sloth World attraction.
Posted inOrlando Area News
Disney World Cake Bake Shop faces lawsuits over alleged wage theft
Nearly a dozen former employees have filed lawsuits claiming the third-party establishment at Disney’s Boardwalk violated federal and state minimum wage laws.
Posted inLabor
The ‘union avoidance’ industry is worth $1.7 billion. Florida union busters are cashing in.
Union avoidance firms based in Florida reported millions of dollars in earnings from companies like Amazon last year alone.
Posted inNews
Orange County considers new safety rules for e-bikes and scooters
A rising number of teens are driving electric bikes and scooters in ways dangerous to themselves and others
Posted inElections
Orange County mayoral candidates face pressure to resign early to avoid DeSantis replacement threat
Under state law, elected officials seeking a different office must resign from their current position ahead of a certain deadline to avoid having the governor just choose someone to replace them.
Posted inFlorida News
John Morgan opens $100,000 contest to name his new political party
The founder of Morgan & Morgan law firm teased the contest last month after publicly confirming he won’t be running for Florida Governor this year.
Posted inOrlando Area News
Orlando’s Uncle Lou released from jail into ICE custody
The law firm representing Cleon Williams (“Uncle Lou”) confirmed the news Tuesday morning.
Posted inOrlando Area News
Orange County commissioner Nicole Wilson launches youth leadership council
“Everything we do will affect them,” Wilson acknowledged in an interview. “They need to have a voice.”
Posted inOrlando Area News
Seminole County makes lifesaving Narcan available at Orlando-Sanford International Airport
Ready access to Narcan is important for cases “where we can’t wait on medical personnel to respond,” says airport rep
Posted inOrlando Area News
Downtown parking rate hike advances despite public concern
A second vote of approval is needed for the rate hike to take effect. That vote is expected to occur at City Council’s June 8 meeting.
Posted inOrlando Area News
Florida lawmakers consider cut to state aid for Central Florida Zoo as they care for rescued sloths
The Florida Senate has proposed a cut to a state appropriations request for the zoo to match a lower funding request approved by the Florida House.
Posted inOrlando Area News
City commissioner Tony Ortiz launches bid for Orlando mayor
Ortiz will face off against progressive Democrat Anna Eskamani, who filed her own paperwork to run for mayor in late 2024.
Posted inOrlando Area News
Is Orlando’s homeless population declining, or just harder to find?
Local advocates warn that while the region’s annual count of homeless people remained steady this year, they suspect it’s an undercount.
Posted inOrlando Area News
Rapper Kodak Black bonds out of jail after arrest in Orlando
Bill Kapri, the Florida rap artist better known as Kodak Black, was arrested and jailed as part of a coordinated surrender to police on Wednesday.
Posted inOrlando Area News
Delta Airlines worker dies on the job at Orlando International Airport
Delta will work with local authorities to conduct a full investigation into the death.
Posted inOrlando Area News
Orange County expands access to cooling centers during extreme heat
County leaders agreed to lower the heat index threshold required to open these county-operated cooling centers
Posted inFlorida News
Florida teachers union, parents sue state over crumbling public school system starved by state vouchers
Plaintiffs argued the state has failed to uphold students’ constitutional right to a high-quality education through the public school system.