Historic Downtown Sanford hosts the St. Johns River Festival April 25–26 with roughly 150 juried artists, live demos, a food and craft-beer court and about $15K in awards.

A Kissimmee man was sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison for receiving child sexual abuse material, federal prosecutors announced. The case ties into Project Safe Childhood enforcement.

Volusia deputies say an infant taken off life support Wednesday died at home, and Sheriff Mike Chitwood says murder charges will be pursued against the father.

Turner Construction will lead the build for Westcourt Orlando, the long‑planned mixed‑use district next to the Kia Center. Developers say early site work is underway even as timelines shift.

Florida lawmakers approved SB 1074/HB 951 to let retailers round cash totals to the nearest nickel, a move that would make pennies functionally obsolete in stores.

Licensed foster homes in Florida have declined sharply, leaving fewer beds for children. Local nonprofits and students are recruiting and training new foster parents.

A deadly early‑morning crash on State Road 40 at SR‑326 in Silver Springs closed the highway for hours; drivers were detoured onto County Road 314. Traffic reopened by 6:15 a.m.

Shoppes at Victoria Square in Merritt Island traded for $16.05M, marking a big uptick in the center’s value after roughly two decades.

A Frontier flight from Orlando to Houston turned back to MCO on Apr. 21 after pilots reported a cracked cockpit windshield. Passengers landed safely and were rebooked.

Winter Park’s Good Pour is franchising across Central Florida while celebrating a $500K giving milestone; the chain will mark the achievement with in‑store events and new openings.

State inspectors ordered four Central Florida restaurants to close during the week of April 12–18 after inspections found conditions officials said posed immediate health risks. DBPR records list the closures and the reasons cited.

A Sanford man was sentenced to life after being convicted in the 2024 killing of his ex’s boyfriend. Family members and prosecutors addressed the court at sentencing.

Gov. DeSantis signed SB 182 on April 20, 2026, restoring cursive instruction for grades 3–5 and requiring proficiency by the end of fifth grade. The law also mandates presidential portraits and a teacher-mentoring program.