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Tag: Ashley Engle

  • Flying without a REAL ID? TSA warns of delays, fees starting Feb. 1

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — Starting Feb. 1, travelers without a REAL ID or acceptable form of identification could face extra screening and a $45 fee at TSA checkpoints.

    A process called ConfirmID may add up to 30 minutes to security screening for some passengers.

    What You Need To Know

    • TSA’s Confirm ID process begins Feb. 1 for travelers without REAL ID or acceptable identification

    • The process can add up to 30 minutes to security screening and includes a $45 fee

    • TSA says 94% of passengers already present acceptable identification

    • For a full list of acceptable forms of identification and more information on REAL ID requirements, click here.


    The TSA’s ConfirmID process is used when a passenger arrives at an airport checkpoint without a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification.

    “You need ID to identify yourself. I don’t want to be on a plane with people they don’t know,” said traveler Tee Hollis.

    Travelers who go through ConfirmID are subject to additional ID verification and enhanced screening, which TSA says can cause significant delays.

    “With all the security we go through. It better be safe,” said traveler G.Q. Renfro.

    TSA warns that the ConfirmID process can take up to 30 minutes and may cause missed flights if passengers don’t arrive early.

    “The good news is that right now across the country, 94% of passengers who are coming through the checkpoint do have some form of acceptable ID. Most are presenting either a REAL ID from their state or a U.S. passport,” said Daniel Velez, TSA spokesperson for Florida.

    TSA emphasizes that passengers with a REAL ID or another approved form of identification do not need to use ConfirmID.

    “We’re trying to ensure that we’re keeping our skies safe from terrorists and any nefarious actors,” Velez said. “So we have to confirm everybody’s identification that gets onto an aircraft. And the majority of the country right now is doing so. As I mentioned, 94% of people are showing us some form of acceptable ID.”

    TSA says travelers can check with their state DMV if they’re unsure whether their ID is REAL ID compliant.

    TSA says the $45 fee ensures that non-compliant travelers, not taxpayers, cover the cost of processing travelers without acceptable IDs. For a full list of acceptable forms of identification and more information on REAL ID requirements, click here.

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    Ashley Engle

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  • Florida families struggle post-shutdown as SNAP backlogs persist

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — The government shutdown may be over, but the aftershocks are still hitting millions of families who rely on SNAP benefits. Advocates say the delays and confusion won’t disappear overnight.

    What You Need To Know

    • SNAP delays from the shutdown left families choosing between groceries and basic bills

    • No Kid Hungry says 1 in 5 Florida children lack guaranteed meals

    • Heart of Florida United Way reported a 114% spike in 211 calls for food assistance

    • Advocates warn the surge in need may continue through the holiday season as SNAP backlogs clear


    Families are now untangling weeks of missed paychecks and backlogged SNAP benefits.

    “You know, you really saw families having to make really difficult choices,” said Sky Beard, Florida Director of No Kid Hungry. “Having to make tradeoffs about ‘am I going to pay the electric bill or am I going to make that run to the grocery store so that my children have access to food?’” 

    Beard says during the shutdown, the lapse in SNAP benefits, affected more than 40 million Americans, including 16 million children.

    She added that in Florida, one in five kids are living in homes where meals are not a guarantee. During this time, kids were hit hard, and are still feeling the ripple effects.

    “We saw over the last couple weeks how critically important SNAP is to addressing food and security across Florida, across the country. We’ve also seen really how fragile that food system is,” Beard said.

    Many nonprofits, including Heart of Florida United Way, say they’re seeing the aftermath firsthand. Calls to their 211 hotline spiked by 114% as families searched for help and answers.

    “Individuals were calling to try to find the nearest food bank, (asking) where they would be able to find a meal to put on the table for their family. Maybe even for that evening. That was a tremendous increase,” said Graciela Noriega-Jacoby, COO of Heart of Florida United Way.

    The shutdown, Noriega-Jacoby says, created far more than a gap in benefits, it created weeks of uncertainty for many families.

    “One of the things that we don’t see from the impacts of the federal shutdown is this fear, the anxiety, the stress that is put upon so many people who rely on basic needs — food, housing, even child care,” she said.

    Advocates say it could take weeks for SNAP benefits to fully catch up. The weight of playing catch-up is heightened, and the surge in need may last well into the holiday season.

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    Ashley Engle

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  • Florida’s “Trenton’s Law” brings tougher DUI/BUI manslaughter penalties

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    BELLE ISLE, Fla. — A new law is now in effect across Florida — one that could change the way people think about getting behind the wheel or the throttle after drinking. Belle Isle Police hope “Trenton’s Law” will save lives, both on the road and out on the water.

    What You Need To Know

    • “Trenton’s Law” took effect in Florida on October 1, increasing penalties for DUI and BUI manslaughter and doubling prison sentences for repeat offenders from 15 to 30 years

    • The law is named after 18-year-old Trenton Stewart, who was killed by a drunk driver in 2023

    • Belle Isle Police say the law won’t change how they patrol but hope stiffer penalties will deter impaired driving and boating


    On Lake Conway, the water is peaceful. But for Belle Isle Police, it’s very busy.

    “Our primary months of operation on the water, we start in May and we’re out here every weekend until from May until October. We just got through our busy season, if you will,” said Sgt. Allen Wasmund, with Belle Isle’s Traffic Marine Patrol Unit.

    Days spent under the sun, music in the air, and families making memories, but one bad decision can turn paradise into tragedy.

    “We try to stop that as soon as possible. We don’t need anyone getting hurt out on the lake,” Wasmund said.

    On Oct. 1, “Trenton’s Law” took effect, named after 18-year-old Trenton Stewart, who was killed in 2023 by a drunk driver.

    The new law delivers tougher penalties for DUI and BUI manslaughter, doubling prison sentences from 15 to 30 years for repeat offenders.

    And it goes even further making it a misdemeanor, in some cases, to refuse a breath or urine test on scene.

    “We’re hoping that with the penalties stiffer, people will think twice about actually committing these crimes,” Wasmund said.

    Wasmund says last year they handled about 15 DUI cases.

    While this new law won’t change how they enforce the rules on the water, they’ve already noticed a difference, more law enforcement agencies are out patrolling.

    “Our hope is that our presence deters the crimes that are occurring. We’ve been ramping up patrols,” Wasmund added.

    Along with Belle Isle’s marine unit, Florida Fish and Wildlife and Orange County deputies also keep watch on the lake.

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    Ashley Engle

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  • Winter Springs Citizen’s Police Academy gives residents behind-the-scenes look

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    WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. — The Winter Springs Police Department hosts a Citizen’s Police Academy every other year. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Winter Springs Police hosts a Citizen’s Police Academy every other year

    • Participants, like resident Art Gallo, get hands-on experience in policing — from K-9 demos to forensics

    • Lt. Lynn Saccente says the academy builds understanding and trust between police and the community

    • The program has been held six times, with the next scheduled for 2027

    For Winter Springs resident Art Gallo, the experience was so impactful that he did it twice.

    “It’s a demo of how they train the dog. I remember he really pulled me. It was hard. He was a really strong dog,” Gallo recalled, remembering his turn in a K-9 demonstration.

    It’s not every day you get to step into the boots of a police officer. But that’s exactly what the Winter Springs Police Department’s Citizen Police Academy offers.

    “This one I attended in 2023. It’s ten weeks,” Gallo said.

    Art isn’t a police officer, but after attending the academy, he talks about the department like he’s part of the team.

    “This is a great way to learn about your police department and meet the officers who are protecting you every day,” Gallo said.

    For him, the academy wasn’t about the thrill — it was about understanding.

    The program is hosted every other year. Participants learn about the K-9 unit, forensics, the emergency operations center, and more.

    “I feel that it is very beneficial for citizens to know that there’s different roles and different responsibilities in each police department,” said Lt. Lynn Saccente with Winter Springs Police.

    Saccente says the academy always fills up fast, and it serves a bigger purpose than many realize.

    “It helps educate them that we’re not just cops out there writing tickets. We’re actually doing our job, and part of that is teaching and educating and hands-on,” Saccente said.

    She added that the academy also gives police a chance to hear citizen comments and questions, which helps them serve the community better.

    “These might be policemen and women, but they are members of your community,” Gallo said.

    The Winter Springs Police Department has hosted the Citizens Police Academy six times. The next one is scheduled for 2027.

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    Ashley Engle

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  • Volunteers pack 126,000 meals in Central Florida food bank in 24 hours

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — Second Harvest of Central Florida Food Bank took on a first-of-its-kind challenge, staying open for 24 hours straight to fight hunger in the community.

    What You Need To Know

    • Second Harvest of Central Florida stayed open for 24 hours for the first time in its history

    • More than 300 volunteers rotated through three-hour shifts to pack food

    • The event’s goal was 100,000 meals, but volunteers exceeded it with 126,000

    • Leaders say the event highlights that hunger never takes a break

    “I started volunteering here in 2016,” said Alfred Delio, a longtime Second Harvest volunteer.

    At four o’clock in the morning, while most of Central Florida is asleep, Delio was already stacking boxes inside the food bank.

    “It makes me feel good inside. I feel like I’ve accomplished something,” he said.

    Delio was one of more than 300 volunteers who signed up for shifts during the relief marathon, called Hunger Never Sleeps. Beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday, teams rotated every three hours, sorting, packing, and sealing food boxes with the goal of creating 100,000 meals.

    “It’s making such a positive impact on lives in Central Florida. We’re feeding hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens every ship. It’s almost biblical. Multiplying the efforts of our volunteers here,” Delio said.

    Second Harvest’s President and CEO, Derrick Chubbs, emphasized that the event was about more than just numbers.

    “1 in 7 Central Floridians do not know where their next meal is coming from. 1 in 6 are children that are food insecure. We just want to be here to try to bridge that gap,” Chubbs said.

    Organizers also highlighted the significance of the 24-hour effort.

    “In 43 years of the food bank’s history, we’ve never been open overnight. For the community to step forward with that ask is pretty significant,” Chubbs said.

    As the final hours ticked down, Delio said the lack of sleep was worth it, because the impact would last long after the lights turned off.

    “I really want to be a part of that. It sounds amazing,” he said.

    Second Harvest exceeded its original goal, packing 126,000 meals that will soon be distributed to families across Central Florida.

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    Ashley Engle

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