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.

The CFX and Seminole County's plan to improve traffic to Orlando Sanford Airport involves a new connector, affecting local residents and raising concerns about wildlife and property impacts.

A theft ring in Florida targeting semi-trailers was dismantled, resulting in six arrests. They are accused of stealing $7.8 million in cargo over 32 incidents.

An Orange County man was arrested after deputies say he aimed a laser at a sheriff’s helicopter; investigators traced the beam to a driveway and found suspected fentanyl. He now faces felony charges under state law.

Clermont and Ocoee police will hold a joint news conference Friday to announce a "significant development" in a decades‑old cold case involving identified remains.

The Boring Company has been chosen to develop an underground tunnel to help with traffic in Orlando, with contract talks underway for the project inspired by the Las Vegas Loop.

State agents and auditors have opened inquiries into the Concorde Estates CDD after residents flagged a rapid $900,000 spending spike and missing filings.