Mark Lehman

Local and state education leaders joined students Tuesday as Orange County Public Schools kicked off the new school year at Pershing School in Orlando. The celebration came as Orange County is among several Florida districts grappling with budget challenges driven, in part, by declining enrollment. The district has cited declining birthrates, housing trends, federal immigration policies and expansion of Florida’s school voucher program as contributing factors to the drop in student enrollment.

Save A Life Pet Rescue, Inc. currently holds adoption events at the mall on Fridays and Saturdays. The nonprofit has rescued more than 30,000 pets since its founding in 2006.

City Manager Frank Martz has recommended closing the library in its current form and location as part of the upcoming proposed budget. Martz said the cost to operate the 66-year-old library on Maitland Avenue is no longer sustainable — and he has an alternative in mind.

At a meeting on Monday, the city council will hold a discussion about policies governing the use of LPRs and safeguards in place to prevent misuse of the program.

Currently, residents are required to obtain a no-cost permit from the city prior to conducting a garage sale.

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is proposing a series of safety and infrastructure improvements along a roughly 2-mile stretch of State Road 434 in Seminole County.

$605K renewal keeps officers equipped with body cameras through 2032

Leaders in Sanford are weighing options on funding for special events after last year’s sunset of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). At a meeting on Monday, commissioners will discuss whether the full cost of an event’s public safety requirement should fall entirely on the event applicant or if it should be shared with residents.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has released body camera video that shows the moments leading up to a deadly shooting involving deputies. On Aug. 20, a 911 call came in for an armed domestic battery at a home on Morningside Drive in Leesburg. As deputies responded, investigators say they were met by Eric Sharp, 32.

Rising costs have put pressure on city finances, leading City Manager Frank Martz to recommend cutting the Independence Day celebration, which costs more than $900,000.