A new southbound lane opened on the Florida Turnpike near Minneola, delivered early as part of a seven‑mile widening project that will run through 2028. Officials say the quick delivery should ease rush‑hour backups while work continues.

An Army veteran was badly hurt after four men attacked him inside a downtown Orlando smoke shop Sunday night, police say. Detectives are investigating.

Deputy City Attorney Kalanit Oded will serve temporarily after Olga Sanchez de Fuentes was removed; the commission has outlined tougher requirements and a formal search.

Barry University law professor Glen‑Peter Ahlers was booked on 50 counts of unlawful possession of materials depicting sexual performance by a child and is being held without bond.

A cellphone video from a Sanford family visit shows a man — identified by relatives as the girl's stepfather — grabbing and slamming a young child, prompting a state investigation.

A Palm Bay man arrested after a massive Brevard County raid is set to plead guilty in federal court to a felon‑in‑possession charge tied to a 92,000‑pound seizure.

A pre-dawn fire damaged multiple suites at a Longwood strip mall near SR‑434; no injuries were reported and the cause remains under investigation.

Orange County is advancing several major Horizon West road projects — widening corridors, adding 10‑ft multiuse paths and wildlife crossings to ease congestion. Timelines stretch through 2027.

Sen. Ashley Moody has filed the Punishing Health Care Fraudsters Act to raise prison terms and fines for health-care fraud. The bill cites recent fraud probes as its spur.

Smoke from the First Point Fire over Lake Okeechobee reduced visibility across east‑central Florida and prompted health warnings for vulnerable residents. Crews fought the blaze from levees and the air.

A St. Cloud family says their 14-year-old dog Blue was taken by Osceola animal control and euthanized less than an hour later; county officials say the dog was in advanced medical distress.

William Shen and Johnny Tung are opening a Spanish‑Japanese restaurant in Baldwin Park next to Sorekara, taking over the former Colibri space with a late‑2026 target.

A Port Orange woman was arrested after a severely malnourished dog was found in New Smyrna Beach; the dog, named Olive, is now recovering at a local shelter.