Polk State’s search committee recommended Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas as the sole finalist to be the college’s next president. Trustees will consider the pick June 3 and Kamoutsas will visit campus that day.

State inspectors ordered emergency closures at five Central Florida restaurants last week after finding pests, broken equipment and other safety hazards.

Universal will phase out the Lost Continent at Islands of Adventure and close Mythos in 2027. Longtime visitors are already marking last looks at the park’s quieter corners.

Integra Land Co. filed a master plan to redevelop the long‑vacant Flea World parcel in Sanford; Orlando Business Journal reports Goodwill is eyeing part of the project.

Chef Mario Pagán is closing Chayote and reopening the Winter Park Village space as The Grove Bar + Kitchen, a Florida‑focused, more approachable concept slated for late May. The new menu leans on local purveyors and adds a private dining room.

Seminole County approved applying for up to $10M in federal SS4A funds to add smart cameras, connected‑vehicle gear and battery‑backed signals at busy intersections. Officials say analytics could flag near‑misses and speed emergency response.

Palm Bay police launched a death investigation after a man's body was recovered along the Indian River shoreline early Tuesday near U.S. 1 and Kingswood Drive.

Ten people were rescued after a plane went down about eight miles off Melbourne’s coast. Officials say the cause is unknown and an investigation is active.

Gospel Inc.'s Gospel Village in Lakeland added 48 permanent homes on Tuesday, expanding its supportive housing campus for people who were chronically homeless.

Kay Rawlins, who co-founded Orlando City SC and the Orlando Pride, is retiring after 15 years. Her stadium-era traditions and community programs helped make Orlando a soccer city.

Security footage shows a Lake Hills School aide pushing a nonverbal student. He faces felony child‑abuse charges and a June arraignment.

Cloudy morning in Orlando will give way to scattered thunderstorms this afternoon; Volusia and Brevard beaches face a high rip current risk.

Orlando City Commissioner Tony Ortiz has filed to run for mayor in 2027, pitching a neighborhood-focused platform on housing, safety and transit. The entry expands a field already featuring state Rep. Anna Eskamani.