Marion County will break ground April 7 on a $62–63M replacement for Lake Weir Middle School in Ocala, a three‑story campus planned to serve 1,400+ students and open by August 2027.

Police closed off an apartment complex and a nearby stretch of South Semoran Boulevard Thursday night as officers investigated two scenes; neighbors said someone was taken to an ambulance.

Warm and breezy in Orlando with a slight afternoon storm chance. High rip‑current risk at Atlantic beaches through the weekend.

A local preservation group sued the Orange County School Board to block a proposed $14M transfer of 117 acres in Eatonville, saying the board moved in secret and ignored deed restrictions.

After leaving Disney’s BoardWalk in April 2025, Jellyrolls says it will reopen minutes away in Orlando’s tourist district. The bar’s official site is collecting sign-ups ahead of a formal announcement.

A Palm Bay man has been indicted after a toddler was shot to death in a Melbourne home invasion; prosecutors say the case followed months of follow‑up interviews.

Sanford temporarily closed its Paw Park for treatment after a surge of fuzzy tussock caterpillars whose barbed hairs can cause painful rashes. Officials say targeted spraying will follow.

Viral PopUp Bagels has signed for a 1,500‑sq‑ft space at Waterford Lakes Town Center as MPZ Holdings ramps a Florida rollout.

An Oviedo man was convicted in Orlando of attempting to coerce and entice a minor online. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and possibly life behind bars.

An anonymous tip led deputies to seize fentanyl, cocaine, meth and firearms at a Central Florida home and arrest a man, officials say.

A facial‑recognition match led to the arrest of Beau Burgess; body‑cam footage and employer timecards later undermined the identification and prosecutors dropped charges.

Orlando was routed 139-87 by Toronto after a historic 31-0 run and a night of turnovers; coach Jamahl Mosley took responsibility. The loss is the franchise’s largest ever.

Rep. Maxwell Frost introduced the PRO Manufactured Home Communities Act in Orlando to boost resident ownership and blunt private equity rent hikes.