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Tag: Seminole

  • Jordan Addison Case Dismissed, as State Declines Prosecution

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    Posted on: January 21, 2026, 10:06h. 

    Last updated on: January 21, 2026, 10:16h.

    • A trespassing charge against Jordan Addison in Florida has been dismissed
    • The incident occurred at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa

    Florida State Attorney for the 13th Judicial Circuit Susan Lopez is declining to move forward with charges against NFL wide receiver Jordan Addison, who was arrested last week at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.

    Jordan Addison arrest Seminole Hard Rock Tampa
    Minnesota Vikings WR Jordan Addison is tackled by Los Angeles Chargers CB Cam Hart during a game in Inglewood, Calif., on Oct. 23, 2025. Addison’s trespassing charge at a Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Florida has been dismissed. (Image: Shutterstock)

    On Tuesday, Lopez notified Addison and his attorneys that the first-degree misdemeanor trespassing charge against him was being withdrawn.

    Having reviewed the charge contained in the Criminal Report Affidavit and/or Notice to Appear, the State Attorney’s Office informs you that the charge contained therein is dismissed and prosecution is terminated as of this date and that the defendant need not appear for any further proceedings in this matter,” Lopez wrote.

    The state prosecutor also ordered that the $500 bond Addison paid be returned.

    As Casino.org reported, Addison, who plays for the Minnesota Vikings, was arrested at the Tampa tribal casino at 3:46 am on Monday, January 12, after he repeatedly refused to comply with orders to vacate the premises. Addison was released hours later after posting the $500 bond.

    Addison Issues Statement 

    Addison’s run-in with law enforcement in Florida wasn’t his first time in handcuffs.

    In July 2023, the now-23-year-old was arrested for reckless driving after being clocked driving at 140 miles per hour. A year later, the former Pitt and USC standout was arrested for DUI.

    Seminole Indian Police and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office reported in an affidavit that Addison failed to comply with orders to leave the casino’s Jubao Palace Noodle Bar, which stays open until 4 am. Upon being escorted out, police reported that Addison “repeatedly had to be redirected towards the front exit.”

    “The defendant was redirected … multiple times. The defendant was then taken into custody for trespass after warning,” wrote Officer Fluellen in the criminal report affidavit.

    State prosecutors, however, opted not to carry on with the trespassing charge. That was, of course, welcome news to Addison and his attorneys.

    On behalf of his agent and all of his people, we are very happy that we were able to get this thing brought to light quickly and that his name was not dragged through the mud anymore,” said Brian Pakett of West Palm Beach criminal defense group Pakett Law. “Jordan is a great kid, and he did nothing wrong throughout this entire incident. Any suggestions otherwise are frivolous.”

    Addison’s 2024 drunk driving arrest resulted in him serving a three-game suspension to start the 2025 NFL season. He finished the season with 42 catches for 610 yards and three touchdowns. Addison’s numbers were down significantly from 2024, when he caught 70 passes for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns.

    The Vikings finished 9-8 to miss the NFL Playoffs.

    State Prosecutor

    Lopez, a Republican, has served as the state’s attorney for the 13th Judicial Circuit since August 2022. She’s the first female to hold the position.

    Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) appointed Lopez to the role after suspending State Attorney Andrew Warren. Lopez won reelection last November with almost 53% of the Hillsborough County vote.  

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    Devin O’Connor

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  • Florida Gaming Regulator Doubles Down on Illegal Gambling Raids

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    Posted on: January 6, 2026, 02:00h. 

    Last updated on: January 5, 2026, 04:03h.

    • Florida gaming regulators seized over $14 million from illegal gambling businesses in 2025
    • The state also confiscated 6,725 unregulated gambling machines last year

    The countless illegal gambling rooms across Florida have been put on notice that their illicit businesses are being targeted by law enforcement.

    Florida gambling illegal casino arcade
    The Triple Cherry Arcade in Ft. Myers is an illegal gambling outfit disguised as an arcade. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is calling on state lawmakers to increase penalties for running an illegal gambling operation from misdemeanors to felonies. (Image: Google Maps)

    The Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) is the chief gaming regulator of all forms of lawful casino gambling, parimutuel wagering, and sports betting in the Sunshine State. The agency’s mission is to “preserve and protect” the integrity of gaming activities, including criminal investigation and enforcement.

    The gaming regulator says its raids last year of unregulated gambling parlors, often masquerading as arcades, resulted in the seizure of $14,474,336. The regulator doubled the roughly $7.1 million it seized from illegal casinos in 2024.

    “I thank Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for their ongoing support of the Florida Gaming Control Commission. Their actions strengthen Florida’s gambling laws and help protect our communities,” said FGCC Executive Director Alana Zimmer.

    “The FGCC has been working diligently to halt illegal gambling through enforcement actions across the state, demonstrating the dedication of FGCC’s law enforcement officers,” Zimmer added.

    Record Crackdown

    Along with the more than $14.4 million in seized money, the FGCC says it captured a record 6,725 illegal slot machines during the enforcement actions last year. The department seized only 1,287 illegal gaming terminals in the prior year.

    Such gaming machines are not tested or regulated by the state for fair play and consumer safeguards. Players have no assurances that the machines pay, with some machines found programmed to pay out far below slot machines found inside Seminole and Hard Rock casinos.

    The FGCC and state Attorney General James Uthmeier are hopeful that 2026 is the year when state lawmakers elevate penalties for running an illegal gambling business. Currently, violators are subjected to only misdemeanor charges.

    It’s not enough of a deterrent. I encourage the Florida Legislature to pursue heightened criminal penalties and increase the current misdemeanor charge to a felony,” Uthmeier said in November.

    “Not only does it violate our state’s rule of law and put our consumers at risk, but it often breeds other illicit acts, like human and drug trafficking, money laundering, and racketeering,” the AG continued.

    Retirees Targeted 

    With Florida home to one of the largest retiree populations in the country, many schemers have preyed on the older people with illegal gambling arcades where the machines rarely hit big. In September, Casino.org reported on one such arcade near The Villages that reportedly won over $24 million from players in just a few years.

    Right now, people can stand to make millions off unlawful gambling operations and just end up with a slap on the wrist,” Uthmeier said.

    Slot machines are limited to eight licensed pari-mutuel facilities in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, along with casinos owned by the Seminole Tribe. For a list of legal, regulated slot machine locations, click here.

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    Devin O’Connor

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  • Florida AG Asks Lawmakers to Elevate Illegal Gambling Penalties

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    Posted on: November 25, 2025, 08:09h. 

    Last updated on: November 25, 2025, 08:10h.

    • Florida AG Uthmeier wants the state to increase penalties for running an illegal gambling business
    • Florida currently only levies misdemeanor charges against unlicensed gambling enterprises

    The attorney general of Florida enforces the law but cannot make it. He’s pleading with state lawmakers in Tallahassee to update penalties related to illegal gambling convictions.

    Florida gambling illegal casino arcade
    The Triple Cherry Arcade in Fort Myers is an illegal gambling outfit disguised as an arcade. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is calling on state lawmakers to increase penalties for running an illegal gambling operation from misdemeanors to felonies. (Image: Google Maps)

    On Monday, following yet another high-profile case involving an illegal gambling business, this one involving a county sheriff and his wife who were allegedly involved in the criminal enterprise, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier “encouraged” the legislature to elevate penalties against those convicted of operating unlicensed gambling houses from misdemeanors to felonies.

    Not only does it violate our state’s rule of law and put our consumers at risk, but it often breeds other illicit acts, like human and drug trafficking, money laundering, and racketeering. Right now, people can stand to make millions off unlawful gambling operations and just end up with a slap on the wrist,” Uthmeier said.

    “This is not sending the right message,” Uthmeier continued. “It is not enough of a deterrent. I encourage the Florida Legislature to pursue heightened criminal penalties and increase the current misdemeanor charge to a felony.”

    Sun Setting on Illegal Gambling? 

    Florida has the highest concentration of retirees in the country. About 21% of the Sunshine State’s population is aged 65 and older.

    Many older adults enjoy playing slot machines. But with Las Vegas-like slots limited in Florida to the Seminole Tribe’s six land-based casinos and slot machines within Miami-Dade and Broward counties, many illegal gambling “arcades” have popped up from the Everglades to the Panhandle.

    The unregulated businesses commonly offer newer slot terminals found in casinos across the nation. But unlike legal gambling enterprises, the games are not monitored for fair play.

    In Florida, slot machines are required to have a minimum payout rate of 85%. At unregulated gambling arcades, some machines have been set to as low as 18%.

    Unregulated gambling businesses often lack responsible gaming safeguards, and the venues typically have lax security protocols.

    The possible financial gain, with many of the illegal businesses reportedly raking in millions of dollars a year, outweighs the possible misdemeanor penalties, says Uthmeier.

    It’s time to ensure that the consequences for this illicit behavior correspond with the dangers it brings into our communities,” Uthmeier said.

    The attorney general said law enforcement has taken down numerous large-scale illegal gambling operations that have spanned in the “tens of millions of dollars.” However, much law enforcement work regarding illegal gambling remains, as many of the bad actors open new illegal gambling arcades following their misdemeanor convictions.

    Bill Introduced

    Legislation to increase illegal gambling convictions in Florida to felonies died in the state House of Representatives earlier this year. When the legislature convenes for its 2026 session in January, the discussion will continue.

    State Sen. Jennifer Bradley (R-Union) and Rep. Dana Trabulsy (R-St. Lucie) have pre-filed gaming bills in their respective chambers to levy felony charges in the third degree against persons found to be running an illegal gambling business. A person found guilty of a third-degree felony in Florida faces “a term of imprisonment not exceeding five years.”

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    Devin O’Connor

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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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  • SpaceX set to launch Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on Sunday

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    SpaceX set to launch Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on Sunday

    Updated: 5:15 PM EDT Sep 14, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    >>>Watch the launch live in the video player aboveSpaceX has scheduled a Falcon 9 launch of Northrop Grumman’s next Cygnus mission to the International Space Station on Sunday. Liftoff is targeted for 6:11 p.m. from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.Eight minutes after liftoff, Falcon 9’s first stage is expected to land on SpaceX’s Landing Zone 2.SpaceX said there is a possibility that residents of Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Indian River, Seminole, Volusia, Polk, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the landing.

    >>>Watch the launch live in the video player above

    SpaceX has scheduled a Falcon 9 launch of Northrop Grumman’s next Cygnus mission to the International Space Station on Sunday.

    Liftoff is targeted for 6:11 p.m. from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

    Eight minutes after liftoff, Falcon 9’s first stage is expected to land on SpaceX’s Landing Zone 2.

    SpaceX said there is a possibility that residents of Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Indian River, Seminole, Volusia, Polk, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the landing.

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  • Friday Night Hits: Week 4 Scoreboard and Recaps

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    ONE. BRAVES WIN IT 2721. ALL RIGHT. NOT TOO FAR FROM DOWNTOWN. DOCTOR PHILLIPS IN OCOEE BATTLING TONIGHT. FOURTH QUARTER TIED AT 22 KNIGHTS IN THE GOAL LINE. NO. IT’S A FUMBLE. DP COMES AWAY WITH THE BALL. DOCTOR PHILLIPS TRYING TO TAKE HOME THEIR FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN OVER OCOEE, TN WILLIAMS UNLEASHING THE CANNON. ZYDOWICZ IRVIN ALL ALONE. NOBODY AROUND HIM. THAT IS YOUR GAME WINNING TOUCHDOWN. OCOEE HAD A CHANCE BUT THEY LET IT SLIP RIGHT THROUGH MUFFING THE KICK TO SEAL THE DEAL. DOCTOR PHILLIPS, UNBEATEN. WELL, THEY’VE BEEN OCOEE UNBEATEN NO MORE. 2922. THE FINAL SCORE. ALL RIGHT. WINTER PARK PAID A VISIT TO LAKE NONA WILDCATS 11 ONE ALL TIME IN THIS SERIES. LIONS DRIVING LATE. SECOND QUARTER HERE. LAKE MORGAN PICKED OFF IN THE END ZONE AIDEN POUNCEY GREAT RETURN BUT A HUSTLE PLAY FROM MORGAN SAVES THE SIX PLAY. THIRD QUARTER DAKARI JOHNSON. HE WILL TAKE A HIT AND KEEPS ON GOING. HE GOES IN FOR SIX. WE DID GET A FINAL SCORE IN THIS ONE. IT IS 28 TO 13. WINTER PARK TAKES THE WIN. ALL RIGHT IN OSCEOLA COUNTY THIS ONE IS KNOWN SIMPLY AS THE GAME COWBOYS OF THE K HOSTING THEIR RIVALS FROM NEARBY SAINT CLOUD IN A CLASH THAT DATES BACK EXACTLY 100 YEARS OF RIVALRY GAMES TONIGHT. THE FIRST MEETING BACK IN 1925. THAT IS CRAZY. THIS IS THE 102ND MEETING ALL TIME. OSCEOLA HAS DOMINATED THE SERIES AS OF LATE. 18 STRAIGHT WINS OVER THE DOGS. ADD ONE MORE. YEAH, PERHAPS THAT’S WHAT OSCEOLA HEAD COACH ERIC PINELLAS WAS THINKING ABOUT ON THE SIDELINES. ALL BUSINESS FOR THE COWBOYS WITH A K IN KISSIMMEE TONIGHT. THIRD QUARTER HANDOFF TO JACKSON HARDNETT HE BOUNCES HIS WAY OFF THE DEFENDER AND IN FOR THE SCORE. HI MOM 19 SEVEN AFTER A TWO POINT CONVERSION OSCEOLA STAYING ON THE GROUND A BIT LATER. THIS TIME IT IS JEFFERY BULLDOZING HIS WAY THROUGH. COWBOYS NOW HAVE A 20 POINT ADVANTAGE. THEY WERE NOT DONE YET. BULLDOGS TRYING TO GET IT TO MICHAEL COYER. INSTEAD IT’S JAMARI BRADFORD PLUCKING IT OUT OF THE AIR AND TAKING IT BACK FOR THE SCORE. IT IS ALL COWBOYS 4047. THE FINAL. THE HAWKS OF SPRUCE CREEK FLYING OVER TO DAYTONA, TAKING ON MAITLAND. BUCS FANS WERE FIRED UP FOR THIS MATCHUP, BUT I’M NOT SURE THEY LIKE THIS PLAY RIGHT HERE. HAWKS CAMERON OXENDINE MAKES A GROWN MAN CATCH AT THE 20. HUGE FIRST DOWN. WILL SET UP THE TOUCHDOWN HERE. DIRECT SNAP TO KEENAN. NEPHEW STIFLES THE BUCS DEFENSE. AND THAT’S AN EASY SIX FOR THE HAWKS. MAINLAND DID KEEP IT CLOSE IN THIS ONE. CHECK OUT QUARTERBACK SEBASTIAN JOHNSON. MAKE IT A LITTLE SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING. SCRAMBLES TO FIND CHRIS BUTLER FOR A BIG GAIN. THE BUCS WOULD CAP THAT DRIVE WITH A FIELD GOAL. THEY END UP FALLING, THOUGH BY FOUR AS THE HAWKS TAKE IT 20 TO 16. THAT’S A HUGE WIN FOR SPRUCE CREEK. CHOPPER TWO HIGH ABOVE LAKE MARY HIGH SCHOOL. THE RAMS TRYING TO BOUNCE BACK AFTER A LOSS AT LAKELAND LAST WEEK. TOUGH TASK THOUGH. RAINES WAS DOWN FROM JACKSONVILLE EARLY SECOND QUARTER. THAT’S DAN DUONG WITH A 37 YARD FIELD GOAL. IT’S GOOD DAN HAD A BUSY NIGHT. RAINES ON THE DOORSTEP HERE TIMOTHY COLE OFF THE DIRECT SNAP. BARELY GETS THE BALL ACROSS THE GOAL LINE. THEY HAD TO TALK ABOUT IT. AND THEN THEY SAY YEAH TOUCHDOWN. THAT WASN’T A DETERMINING FACTOR IN THE GAME THOUGH. RAINES ROLLS 51 TO 3. FOUR. LAKE MARY WE’RE GOING TO ZIP OVER TO SEMINOLE. THE NOLES HOSTING MONARCH WHO WAS UP FROM SOUTH FLORIDA. THIS IS A DEFENSIVE BATTLE. EARLY ON. SEMINOLE FORCES A FIELD GOAL. IT IS NO GOOD. THE NOLES WILL TAKE OVER, BUT THAT DRIVE GOES NOWHERE. KNIGHTS WITH THE BALL HERE, BUT NOT FOR LONG. ACTIVE HANDS FROM SEMINOLE. BALL PUNCHED FREE. JALEN CHAPLIN DIVES ON THE BALL. SEMINOLE TAKES OVER. BUT IN THE END IT IS MONARCH 3420 SEMINOLE FALLING FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS SEASON. YEAH. ROUGH NIGHT IN SEMINOLE COUNTY OVER TO LAKE BRANTLEY THOUGH THE PATRIOTS ONE WIN FROM SURPASSING THEIR ENTIRE WIN TOTAL FROM LAST SEASON. FEELING ALL KINDS OF FIRED UP FIRST QUARTER HERE, JACKSON STETCHER HANDS OFF TO CURTIS DEWBERRY, WHO ZIPS INSIDE FOR SIX. THAT’S A TOUCHDOWN. PATRIOTS GAME LOOKED LIKE IT WOULD BE KIND OF CLOSE THOUGH. WATCH LADARIUS SIMMONS DON’T ALWAYS SEE THAT FROM A QUARTERBACK. 50 YARDS FOR THE HOUSE CALL. WHAT A RUN FOR THE BULLDOGS. BUT IN THE END IT’S THE PATRIOTS WHO COME OUT ON TOP. LAKE BRANTLEY FOR NOW DAREN TO START THE SEASON 48 TO 7. THE FINAL SCORE. AND THEY’VE REALLY TURNED THINGS AROUND. LIONS OF OVIEDO ON THE ROAD AT LYMAN. GREYHOUNDS STILL SEEKING THEIR FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON STILL SEEKING THEIR FIRST POINTS OF THE YEAR AS WE ENTER WEEK FOUR. OPENING DRIVE OVIEDO SEBASTIAN GALANO TO KAMARI SOLOMON. SIX POINTS MAKING IT LOOK EASY. MORE FROM THE O OF OVIEDO GALANO TO DONAHOO. TOUCHDOWN! 14 ZERO JOHNNY COBBS GETS IN ON THE GROUND HERE. IT WAS ALL OVIEDO TONIGHT. LIONS WIN WITH EASE. MATT HEDRICK AND THE HORNETS OF BISHOP MOORE HOSTING HIS ALMA MATER, MOUNT DORA IN TOWN OVER IN COLLEGE PARK. LATE SECOND QUARTER. BISHOP MOORE ON THE GROUND HERE. AMARI JOHNSON WILL WALTZ IN FOR THE SCORE. HORNETS IN CONTROL JUST BEFORE THE HALF. BISHOP MOORE GOING FOR MORE. BLAKE MCCULLOUGH TO THE AIR. KENYON ALSTON WILL CATCH IT. CRUISE IT UNTOUCHED. SIX POINTS. BISHOP MOORE. 5721 WINNERS TONIGHT. THE LIGHT SHOW AT EVERYTHING. HORNETS ARE FOUR AND ZERO. MORE SCORES FROM AROUND THE AREA. CHECK IT OUT. POINCIANA GOES TO EVANS AND FALLS 31 TO NOTHING. WEKIVA SHUTS OUT EUSTIS 14 TO NOTHING. COUPLE OF SHUTOUTS, BUT WE GOT MORE SCORES FOR YOU HERE. THE FIRST ACADEMY TAKING ON O’GALLEY. WE GET TO SEE HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT. WE GET TO SEE THAT ONE. THAT’S MY BAD GUYS I’M SORRY. EASTRIDGE OVER FREEDOM 62 TO NOTHING. HAD TO ADD ANOTHER SHUTOUT FOR YOU. YOU KNOW YOU’RE JUST TEASING AHEAD TO WHAT’S TO COME. WE HAVE THE GAME WINNING TOUCHDOWN FROM THAT TFA GAME. IT’S COMING UP. WE’LL SEE THAT IN JUST A BIT. PLENTY MORE TO COME HERE ON FRIDAY NIGHT HITS. IT’S WEEK FOUR. WE’RE JUST HITTING OUR STRIDE. HOW ABOUT THE COCOA TIGERS PLAYING A ROAD GAME AT HOME? IT’S BEEN AN ODD SEASON FOR THEM SO FAR. WE WIL

    Scores across Central FloridaFriday Night Hits Week 4: Game of the WeekEdgewater 20, Jones 17Friday Night Hits Week 4: You Pick 2 Game Boone 27, West Orange 21Winter Park 28, Lake Nona 13 Innovation 55, Cypress Creek 0 First Academy Leesburg 29, Lake Mary Prep 10East Ridge 62, Freedom 0The First Academy 12, Eau Gallie 8Windermere 70, Orlando University 3Monarch 34, Seminole 20Dr. Phillips 29, Ocoee 22 Monarch 34, Seminole 20South Lake 61, Davenport 0 Bishop Moore 57, Mount Dora 21Evans 31, Poinciana 0Raines 51, Lake Mary 3Umatilla 48, Interlachen 6 Trinity Prep 26, Harvest Community 14Osceola 36, St. Cloud 7 DeLand 46, Appling County 30 Lake Brantley 48, Flagler Palm Coast 7 Oviedo 55, Lyman 0 East River 24, Colonial 12 Wekiva 14, Eustis 0 Harmony 39, Clewiston 6 Lake Buena Vista 26, Oak Ridge 25Williston 63, Lake Minneola 0Olympia 14, Timber Creek 7 Winter Springs 60, Liberty 6Pine Ridge 14, Atlantic 6 Tavares 36, George Jenkins 0New Smyrna Beach 35, Orange City University 7Windermere Prep 22, Faith Christian 8 Lake Highland Prep 49, Orangewood 0 Mount Dora Christian 64, Cedar Creek Christian 0

    Scores across Central Florida

    Friday Night Hits Week 4: Game of the Week

    Edgewater 20, Jones 17

    Friday Night Hits Week 4: You Pick 2 Game

    Boone 27, West Orange 21

    Winter Park 28, Lake Nona 13

    Innovation 55, Cypress Creek 0

    First Academy Leesburg 29, Lake Mary Prep 10

    East Ridge 62, Freedom 0

    The First Academy 12, Eau Gallie 8

    Windermere 70, Orlando University 3

    Monarch 34, Seminole 20

    Dr. Phillips 29, Ocoee 22

    Monarch 34, Seminole 20

    South Lake 61, Davenport 0

    Bishop Moore 57, Mount Dora 21

    Evans 31, Poinciana 0

    Raines 51, Lake Mary 3

    Umatilla 48, Interlachen 6

    Trinity Prep 26, Harvest Community 14

    Osceola 36, St. Cloud 7

    DeLand 46, Appling County 30

    Lake Brantley 48, Flagler Palm Coast 7

    Oviedo 55, Lyman 0

    East River 24, Colonial 12

    Wekiva 14, Eustis 0

    Harmony 39, Clewiston 6

    Lake Buena Vista 26, Oak Ridge 25

    Williston 63, Lake Minneola 0

    Olympia 14, Timber Creek 7

    Winter Springs 60, Liberty 6

    Pine Ridge 14, Atlantic 6

    Tavares 36, George Jenkins 0

    New Smyrna Beach 35, Orange City University 7

    Windermere Prep 22, Faith Christian 8

    Lake Highland Prep 49, Orangewood 0

    Mount Dora Christian 64, Cedar Creek Christian 0

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  • Friday Night Hits: High school football recaps and scores in Central Florida

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    Friday Night Hits: All game recaps and scores of Central Florida high school football

    WELCOME TO FRIDAY NIGHT HITS ALONGSIDE ZACH MASKAVICH. I’M DAREN STOLZFUS. WE’LL CHECK IN WITH KRISTEN LAGO IN JUST A BIT. YEAH. TONIGHT, WEEK ONE OF THE REGULAR SEASON. WHAT DO THE THEY HAVE TO DO FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON TO GET INTO THE WIN COLUMN? OBVIOUSLY WE HAD A BUNCH OF GOOD KICKOFF CLASSIC GAMES LAST WEEK. A FEW PRIVATE SCHOOLS DID PLAY A WEEK AGO, BUT FOR A MAJORITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA TONIGHT, THE ROAD TO THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BEGINS. OUR GAME OF THE WEEK WAS A SHORT DRIVE FROM WESH TWO STUDIOS OVER TO BISHOP MOORE IN COLLEGE PARK. THE HORNETS AND THE OVIEDO LIONS CLASHING TONIGHT. YEAH, OVIEDO, COMING OFF A CONFIDENCE WIN BUILDING WIN WITH AS THEY TOOK DOWN LAKE MARY TO WARM UP THE SEASON, WHILE BISHOP MOORE LOST A TIGHT BATTLE WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS, THE EDGEWATER EAGLES, IN THEIR KICKOFF CLASSIC. YEAH, BOTH TEAMS HAVE PRETTY BIG GOALS THIS YEAR. LIONS AND THE HORNETS TANGLING OVER THERE IN COLLEGE PARK. BISHOP MOORE WASTED NO TIME IN FORCING A FUMBLE ON THE FIRST PLAY OF THE GAME. HERE IS PLAY NUMBER TWO. AMARI JOHNSON TAKES IT TO THE HOUSE. PART OF A HUGE FIRST HALF FOR NUMBER 21. A FEW MINUTES LATER OVIEDO ALREADY DOWN 14. NOTHING THEY DO STRIKE BACK. SEBASTIAN GALEANO PERFECT BALL TO DESHAWN. FAVORS. NOBODY CATCHES HIM THAT CUT THE BISHOP MOORE LEAD IN HALF BUT BACK COME THE HORNETS BLAKE MCCULLOUGH WITH THE BEAUTIFUL PASS OF HIS OWN. MAGNUS TALMA HAULS IT IN. WE LOVE MAGNUS’S NAME HERE. THE POINTS WERE COMING IN BUNCHES IN THE FIRST HALF AND PRETTY MUCH ALL NIGHT LONG AS WELL. LIONS GOING BACK TO THEIR BAG OF TRICKS HERE. WIDE RECEIVER PASS JORDAN DONAHUE TO BROCK JOYCE. WHAT A BALL. BUT THE HORNETS WOULD NOT BE DENIED JOHNSON AGAIN. HIS THIRD RUSHING TOUCHDOWN OF THE FIRST HALF. HOW ABOUT THIS FINAL SCORE. BISHOP MOORE 68 OVIEDO 35. BMC WINS TONIGHT. BIG WIN TO START THE SEASON. THEIR DAREN. EARLIER, WE MENTIONED THAT LAKE MARY LOST THEIR KICKOFF CLASSIC GAME. BUT THERE’S NO QUESTION THE RAMS HAVE BIG GOALS FOR THIS SEASON, ESPECIALLY AS THEY FINISH AS THE STATE RUNNER UP A YEAR AGO. YEAH. AND WHEN YOU HAVE THE FUTURE NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL QUARTERBACK AS YOUR GUY, NOAH GRUBBS, PRETTY MUCH A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP OR BUST. AND HEY, WE PICKED THE GAME OF THE WEEK. BUT HERE ON FRIDAY NIGHT YOU GET TO PICK TWO. THIS ONE, THE BIG GAME. YEAH COMING FROM UP NORTH COMING UP NORTH FROM MIAMI. IT WAS NORLAND PAYING A VISIT TO THE RAMS. NOT THE START THEY ENVISIONED. FIRST QUARTER. THAT WAS VIKINGS QUARTERBACK KAI MOORE FINDING MALACHI JOHNSON FOR THE SCORE. THE RAMS GET A SMALL BIT OF REVENGE HERE. THEY BLOCK THE EXTRA POINT. SO IT WAS JUST 13. NOTHING. INSTEAD OF 14 NOTHING LAKE MARY WOULD GET ON THE BOARD A LITTLE BIT LATER. HERE NOAH GRUBBS FINDS HIS BIG WIDE RECEIVER. THAT’S BARRETT SCHULTZ THAT CUTS IT TO A ONE SCORE GAME. BUT NORLAND WOULD ANSWER RIGHT BACK. A FEW MINUTES LATER. RASHAD WALLACE HE’S GOING TO SHOW OFF HIS POWER RUNNING MOVES AS HE’S GOING TO BUST THIS ONE IN. THEY GET THE TWO POINT CONVERSION THAT WOULD MAKE IT 19 SEVEN VIKINGS. GRUBBS TRYING TO MAKE THE COMEBACK HERE. BUT THEN THIS HAPPENS. JALEEL ALEX JUNIOR TAKES IT TO THE HOUSE. BUT IT’S NOT A TALE OF TRAGEDY. DAREN DESPITE WHAT YOU JUST SAW THERE, AFTER GIVING UP 29 POINTS IN THE FIRST HALF, THE RAMS COMPLETE THE COMEBACK. THEY WIN IT 3029. ALWAYS HAVE A SHOT WHEN NOAH GRUBBS IS YOUR QUARTERBACK. THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING HERE. ALSO AT HALFTIME THE RAMS DEDICATING THEIR FIELD AT THE HALF. MORE THAN $700,000 RENOVATION TO THEIR STADIUM, INCLUDING NEW TURF, WHICH WILL NOW BE CALLED DOUG PETERS FIELD. PETERS WAS A LONGTIME COACH, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND TEACHER AT LAKE MARY HIGH SCHOOL, WORKED WITH RAMS ATHLETICS FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. LAKE MARY ISN’T THE ONLY TEAM WITH HIGH EXPECTATIONS. JONES ALSO MADE IT TO THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP A YEAR AGO, AND THEIR QUARTERBACK IS ALSO ELITE DAREN COLEMAN. HE’S HEADING TO MIAMI AT THE END OF THE SEASON, AND JONES FULLY EXPECTS TO TRY TO GET BACK TO THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME THIS SEASON. BUT WANTING THE RESULT TO GO DIFFERENTLY IN THAT TITLE GAME TURNED OUT TO WINTER PARK. GREAT CROWD AT SHOWALTER FIELD, HIGH ABOVE WINTER PARK IS CHOPPER TWO, AS WINTER PARK TASTES ONE OF THEIR FIRST TESTS THIS EARLY SEASON. EARLY GOING LONG DRIVE CAPPED OFF FOR JONES BY DARIAN COLEMAN, QUARTERBACK KEEPER, FUTURE MIAMI HURRICANE IN FOR SIX. AND HOW ABOUT THE ACTION ON THE LINE RYAN DUVAL RIPS DOWN THE QUARTERBACK A BIG SACK IN THE BACKFIELD. ALL JONES TONIGHT FIGHTING. TIGERS TOP THE WILDCATS 35. NOTHING. THE FINAL SCORE. CHOPPER TWO HIGH OVER SANFORD AS SEMINOLE WAS HOSTING CREEKSIDE COMING DOWN FROM GEORGIA LATE FIRST HALF THE NOLES IN A HOLE. BUT HOW ABOUT THE DEFENSE HERE. LOOK AT THIS. GOING UPSTAIRS FOR THE PASS BREAKUP. IT DIDN’T RESULT IN A TURNOVER, BUT IT DID SET THE STAGE FOR THIS THE NEXT PLAY. LOOK AT THE PRESSURE ON THE QUARTERBACK HIT AS HE THROWS. THIS ONE IS A TURNOVER. THAT’S THE FINAL PLAY OF THE HALF. THE NOLES WERE DOWN NINE. NOTHING AT THE BREAK. AND IN THE END SEMINOLE WHO WAS HELD SCORELESS IN THEIR KICKOFF CLASSIC. THEY’RE ALSO HELD SCORELESS TONIGHT. CREEKSIDE 32 NOTHING. THE FINAL AT ALL TIME. APOPKA 18 ZERO AGAINST OCOEE. THAT WOULD CHANGE TONIGHT. A LITTLE EXTRA ON THE LINE WITH THIS ONE. SOME FORMER DARTERS NOW WEARING ALL BLACK IN THIS RIVALRY SHOWDOWN. SECOND QUARTER KNIGHTS DRIVING TYSON DAVISON. YEAH, HE WAS APOPKA’S QUARTERBACK FOR THREE YEARS. HE LIGHTS UP HIS FORMER TEAM TONIGHT. DEMARION CAWTHON GETS THE TOUCHDOWN THERE 14 NOTHING. OCOEE IN FRONT. THE DEFENSE DOING IT FOR THE KNIGHTS AS WELL KENDRICK SIDDELL RIPS DOWN THE INTERCEPTION. EVERYTHING GOING HIS WAY. STILL BEFORE THE HALF. DAVISON FINDS CHRISTIAN LINGARD FOR THE SCORE. OCOEE KNOCKS OFF APOPKA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY. AND IN A BIG, BIG WAY. 47 TO NOTHING. THE FINAL SCORE. LOOK AT THAT HISTORY BEING MADE. HOW ABOUT THIS THE GOODYEAR BLIMP OVER COLLEGE PARK AS EDGEWATER WAS HOSTING WEKIVA EARLY GOING. THE EAGLES WERE DRIVING WHEN THE STAN GANG MAKES THE PLAY, CARTER EMANUEL BUYING TIME. BUT HE BUYS TIME FOR THE WRONG REASON, THROWS IT TO THE WRONG TEAM. THAT’S MATTHEW BEECHAM FOR THE MUSTANGS COMING UP WITH THE INTERCEPTION. BUT THAT JUST BACKS UP WEKIVA. THEY END UP PUNTING FROM THEIR OWN END. IT’S BLOCKED AND IT’S GOING TO BE EASILY SCOOPED UP. AND ZAY DENMARK TAKES IT IN FOR THE SCORE. THEN HOW ABOUT DAMIEN MOORE. JUST MAKING IT LOOK EASY HERE DAREN BREEZING PAST PEOPLE. THE LINEBACKER TURNED RUNNING BACK LOOKING ABSOLUTELY ELITE. AND HOW ABOUT FOR GOOD MEASURE, WE ADD SOME MORE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAY HERE. HOW ABOUT JUSTIN EDWARDS. JUNIOR COMES UP WITH A BLOCKED PUNT THROUGH THE SUN. RECOVERS IT IN THE END ZONE. END ZONE. EDGEWATER EVISCERATES WEKIVA 65 EIGHT. THAT FINAL SCORE OUT AT WEST ORANGE WARRIORS. PLAYING HOST TO EVANS. THIRD QUARTER ANDREW CHUNG GOING TO TOSS THIS ONE DOWNFIELD. EDISON DELGADO GOING TO REEL IT IN. WELL NOPE. HE CAN’T COME UP WITH IT. INSTEAD IT’S A FUMBLE EVANS GETS THAT FOOTBALL. IT’S NOT GREAT. THIS ONE WAS BACK AND FORTH THOUGH. YEAH LET’S SEE WHAT HAPPENS. GIVE ME THAT FINAL SCORE. THERE’S THE BAND. SOMETIMES IT GOES LIKE THAT. WHO WON I DON’T KNOW. LAKE BRANTLEY ON THE ROAD AT LYMAN. WELL WE’LL FIND OUT LATER. AND OH MY GOODNESS DID THE PATRIOTS DAREN PUT ON A SHOW TODAY ALREADY WITH A BIG LEAD LATE FIRST QUARTER CURTIS DEWBERRY CUTS IT OUTSIDE, MAKES ANOTHER MAN MISS AND THEN HE WINS THE FOOTRACE. COUNT UP ALL THE YARDS. IT’S 66 FOR THE TOUCHDOWN. SCAMPER 34. NOTHING AFTER THAT. STILL IN THE FIRST. OH CAPTAIN. MY CAPTAIN AIDEN GREER FORCES THE FUMBLE. LAKE BRANTLEY RECOVERS. THAT LEADS TO A JUSTIN STECKER TOUCHDOWN. 41 POINTS ON THE BOARD IN THE FIRST QUARTER ALONE. IT IS A HUGE WIN FROM LAKE BRANTLEY. BEFORE WE CAME TO THE STUDIO, I SAW IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN 75 TO NOTHING. YOU KNOW A LOT GOING ON TONIGHT. BACK TO BACK SCORES. WE SOMETHING HAPPENED. ALL RIGHT. LET’S CHECK OUT SOME MORE SCORES FROM OUT OF TOWN. THESE ARE FILLED IN. THAT’S GREAT. OSCEOLA GOES ON THE ROAD TOPS. TREASURE COAST 35. NOTHING BOONE BEATS UP ON MOUNT DORA OVER IN MOUNT DORA, 4614 LEESBURG GETTING THE BIG 44. NOTHING WIN OVER UNIVERSITY AND BRAD LAKE SOUTH BRAD, LOURDES SOUTH LAKE EAGLES TONGUE TWISTER 27 TO 6. THEY TAKE DOWN NATURE COAST. ALL RIGHT. PLENTY MORE TO GET TO HERE ON FRIDAY NIGHT. HITS INCLUDING A DOUBLE OVERTIME THRILLER FOR THE THREE TIME DEFENDING STATE CHAMPS TONIGHT. I DO KNOW THE FINAL OUT THERE. PLUS A FORMER UCF STAR AND NFL RUNNING BACK WAS BACK ON THE SIDELINES FOR HIS ALMA MATER. TITUSVILLE.

    Friday Night Hits: All game recaps and scores of Central Florida high school football

    Updated: 12:26 AM EDT Aug 23, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    Take a look at some Central Florida high school football highlights from this Friday, Aug. 22. Bishop Moore defeats Oviedo 68-35Lake Mary defeats Miami Norland 30-29Jones defeats Winter Park 35-0 Creekside defeats Seminole 32-0 Ocoee defeats Apopka 47-0 Edgewater defeats Wekiva 65-8 Cocoa defeats Merritt Island 30-24Heritage defeats Titusville 25-19Astronaut defeats Palm Bay 38-13Spruce Creek defeats Seabreeze 33-0The Master’s Academy defeats Father Lopez 43-20

    , Fla. —

    Take a look at some Central Florida high school football highlights from this Friday, Aug. 22.

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  • Popular pedestrian bridge in Seminole reopens after rehabbing safety concerns

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    WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. — A popular pedestrian bridge has reopened ahead of schedule in Winter Springs after being closed for construction since the end of April.

    What You Need To Know

    • Seminole County closed the pedestrian bridge for the Seminole Cross Trail over State Road 434 at the end of April

    • According to information from Seminole County, the bridge was closed on April 28 and wasn’t expected to reopen for 150 days
    • A county spokesperson said the bridge was closed for a critical safety rehabilitation project

    • The pedestrian bridge has reopened ahead of schedule, despite some electronic signs that still need to be installed


    Christina Watts uses the pedestrian bridge to cross over State Road 434 to continue running on the Seminole Cross Trail.

    “I was surprised it’s been closed for a little bit,” Watts said. “I figured it would be open for us to be able to get to the nicer end of the trail, where it’s more shaded, and to finish off my run.”

    According to information from Seminole County, the bridge was closed on April 28 and wasn’t expected to reopen for 150 days.

    Watts said it was frustrating to find the bridge closed without any explanation.

    “We don’t know why it’s closed, and it’s confusing because this is the route we like to take for our runs,” Watts said.

    During the closure, Watts had to change her routes, stopping and turning around at SR-434, fearful of crossing four lanes of busy traffic.

    “There’s no crosswalk,” Watts said. “There’s not even a light to take you across.”

    A Seminole County spokesperson said the bridge was closed for a critical safety rehabilitation project, which included fixing slab cracks, resurfacing the deck and removing equestrian tiles and railings that separated the equestrian trail.

    Bike calming features were also a part of the project, the spokesperson said.

    “I think it’s great that they are rehabilitating the bridge,” Watts said. “However, it would be nice if maybe they would have done one side at a time or left an area for runners to get across.”

    For safety reasons, the entire bridge had to be closed until the end of construction, according to the county spokesperson.

    About a week ago, the bridge reopened ahead of schedule.

    “It’s really important that we’re able to come on the trail and run in the mornings, and run in a safe place where there’s not a lot of cars,” Watts said.

    Some electronic signs still need to be installed, but when they arrive from back order, county officials say crews won’t have to close the bridge.

    Seminole County monitors and maintains 83 bridge structures, and a recent inspection found the problems that resulted in the Cross Seminole Trail rehabilitation project.

    If you’ve got a traffic trouble spot or question, complete the form on the Traffic Inbox page.

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    Jerry Hume

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  • PHOTOS: Protesters gather across Central Florida for nationwide demonstration

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — Thousands of protests took place nationwide Saturday in what organizers called “No Kings Day.”

    The protests come in response to President Donald Trump’s military birthday parade. 

    Organizers said they want to defend democracy. Several people rallied in cities across Central Florida to participate in the demonstrations.

    Take a look at our photo gallery below:

    One demonstration got underway in Orlando late Saturday afternoon.

    “This is time for us to come together as a country and we need to heal, we need to work together,” attendee Sandra Henry said.

    Also part of the crowd, Democratic State Representative Anna Eskamani of Orange County.

    “The energy is wonderful,” she said. “I mean this is such a reflection of who we are as central Floridians.”

    Eskamani also said she is using this time to enhance voter registration efforts.

    Other cities in Central Florida also saw demonstrations, including where Casselberry hundreds of people showed up Saturday morning.

    “There are more of us than there are of them,” attendee Beth Reeser said.

    The Orlando demonstration is expected to run until 7:30 p.m.

    As those protests took place, supporters of President Trump came together to celebrate Flag Day, as well as President Trump’s 79th birthday.

    “I just believe that we should be out here showing support for our president, because a nation divided cannot stand, that is Abraham Lincoln’s words,” Madeira Beach resident Matthew Harris said. “I’m a good conservative. I don’t call myself Republican, I don’t call myself anything. I’m a patriot, whoever is good for our country, that’s who I vote for.”

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    Devin Martin, Spectrum News Staff, Meteorologist Mallory Nicholls, Curtis McCloud

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  • College students team up with NASA for innovative water quality research

    College students team up with NASA for innovative water quality research

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    NASA is working with students at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Meyers, Florida. They are using technology to work with future scientists to analyze water quality.”We are looking for people to make an impact on the whole ecosystem that uses NASA’s earth science information,” NASA DEVELOP program manager Kenton Ross said. Dr. Rachel Rotz, a professor in the FGCU Department of Marine and Earth Sciences, will have the water school host this research team. NASA DEVELOP selected five future scientists to participate. Nathan Hewitt is one of them. He is working on getting his master’s degree right now at FGCU. He heard about this research opportunity and wanted to apply.”My main goal for this was to learn more coding,” Ross said. “So the coding workshops have been fantastic. Even some of the stuff I didn’t really think about the project, but kind of working as a team, but utilizing our strengths and learning about the different kind of personality types and how they best built the team has been really interesting.”Over the next 10 weeks, Hewitt and the four other researchers will spend part of their day at the water school looking under a microscope.”They’re looking into cyanobacteria and understanding how organisms do their thing on a microscopic scale,” Ross said.They are analyzing water quality near Seminole tribes in Southwest Florida.”They’re really testing out if this information from NASA is relevant to the tribe,” Ross said. “So is the tribe is thinking about water quality in the area in their location, in and around them. They’re interested in how nutrients are flowing through those natural systems.”They are looking at different types of algae, seeing where it is located. Then they take a look from a wider scope, up in space!”Our purpose is to help them rise in their career, and that’s going to happen when they are energized about the knowledge they can gain and about the skills they can apply to problems like this,” Ross said.Hewitt said he will take what he has learned from this research program and apply it to his future, maybe even working for NASA one day.To learn more about NASA DEVELOP and how to apply for the next research study, visit this website.

    FORT MYERS, Fla. —

    NASA is working with students at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Meyers, Florida. They are using technology to work with future scientists to analyze water quality.

    “We are looking for people to make an impact on the whole ecosystem that uses NASA’s earth science information,” NASA DEVELOP program manager Kenton Ross said.

    Dr. Rachel Rotz, a professor in the FGCU Department of Marine and Earth Sciences, will
    have the water school host this research team. NASA DEVELOP selected five future scientists to participate. Nathan Hewitt is one of them. He is working on getting his master’s degree right now at FGCU. He heard about this research opportunity and wanted to apply.

    “My main goal for this was to learn more coding,” Ross said. “So the coding workshops have been fantastic. Even some of the stuff I didn’t really think about the project, but kind of working as a team, but utilizing our strengths and learning about the different kind of personality types and how they best built the team has been really interesting.”

    Over the next 10 weeks, Hewitt and the four other researchers will spend part of their day at the water school looking under a microscope.

    “They’re looking into cyanobacteria and understanding how organisms do their thing on a microscopic scale,” Ross said.

    They are analyzing water quality near Seminole tribes in Southwest Florida.

    “They’re really testing out if this information from NASA is relevant to the tribe,” Ross said. “So is the tribe is thinking about water quality in the area in their location, in and around them. They’re interested in how nutrients are flowing through those natural systems.”

    They are looking at different types of algae, seeing where it is located. Then they take a look from a wider scope, up in space!

    “Our purpose is to help them rise in their career, and that’s going to happen when they are energized about the knowledge they can gain and about the skills they can apply to problems like this,” Ross said.

    Hewitt said he will take what he has learned from this research program and apply it to his future, maybe even working for NASA one day.

    To learn more about NASA DEVELOP and how to apply for the next research study, visit this website.

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  • AdventHealth Awards Nearly $1 Million to Central Florida Nonprofits

    AdventHealth Awards Nearly $1 Million to Central Florida Nonprofits

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    AdventHealth is distributing nearly $1 million to recipients of its 2023 Community Health Improvements Grants, giving four Central Florida nonprofits the opportunity to bolster their missions.

    These Community Health Improvement Grants aim to improve access to resources and enhance community wellness.

    Mental health was selected as the priority for the 2024 funding cycle based on community health issues addressed in the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment and 2023-2025 Community Health Plan.

    The grants will support the projects of these local nonprofits that address Central Florida’s mental and behavioral health challenges.

    “AdventHealth understands that it takes a collaborative approach to address our region’s pressing health challenges, which is why investing back into our community is a priority for us. There is a need for easily accessible mental health services in Central Florida, and these organizations are answering the call for help,” said Tricia Edris, chief innovation and partnerships officer for AdventHealth Central Florida Division. “They are working tirelessly for their communities, ensuring that those in need receive vital resources. We are proud to partner with these nonprofits as they continue to address the needs of our community with the support of the Community Health Improvement Grants.”

    The grant recipients are:

    • Hispanic Federation – Florida Regional Division, Por Nosotros: Facilitating Mental Health Care for Latinos: The Hispanic Federation aims to provide culturally competent mental wellness programming in both English and Spanish to Hispanic community members in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties. The grant will support their programming that includes intensive education to 300 individuals about mental health, available services, and other aspects of living a healthy lifestyle. The Hispanic Federation will also provide culturally sensitive community education addressing the misconceptions and stigma of mental wellness and avenues to seek support.
    • MAN UP Mentoring, Inc., The Man Up Grace Project – Immersive Mental Health Pilot Project: This pilot mindfulness program includes the use of virtual reality coupled with traditional therapy to reduce maladaptive behaviors in students while improving their stress and anxiety levels. Funding will support the creation and implementation of cutting-edge mental health software for students in need enrolled in Orange County Public Schools’ Title I Schools.
    • Gifted Ones, Inc., GO! Mental Health Initiative: This initiative offers personal well-being and professional development resources to mental health professionals of all disciplines and roles who are looking to maintain a sustainable career that supports their wellness. With this grant, the initiative will provide tailored training and support services to 75 mental health professionals and mental health support staff as well as scholarships for up to 100 hours of qualified supervision to 40 pre-licensed mental health professionals to increase access and decrease barriers for mental health professionals seeking state licensure.
    • Above and Beyond – Children and Community Services, Wraparound: The program creates positive changes in the lives of youths and families in the tri-county area by aiming to prevent the escalation of mental health needs that may lead to more intensive services. The grant will fund a care coordinator and family advocate, which will allow the organization to provide the wraparound process to 100 individuals with complex mental health needs in Orange County, Osceola County and Seminole County.

    “By improving access to mental health resources in Central Florida, more people will be able to get the information and help they need,” said Laudi Campo, state director of the Hispanic Federation. “We are grateful for AdventHealth’s support, because through this grant, we aim to break down barriers and eliminate the stigma that prevents people from seeking help, empowering them to prioritize and improve their mental health.”

    The next application cycle for the Community Health Improvement Grants will focus on workforce development, and is slated to open this spring.

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  • Seminole County first responders rescue two people stranded on a boat

    Seminole County first responders rescue two people stranded on a boat

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    Two people are safe after getting stranded on a boat in Geneva on Sunday morning.Seminole County Fire Department crews got a call to Mullet Lake Park around 2 a.m.That’s where they found two boaters trapped on a sand dune about 150 yards from the main waterway. Crews tell us the pair was driving the boat down the creek and ran aground.Responders got them back to shore by 2:45 a.m., and no one was hurt.Fire rescue crews taped off the boat until they could remove it because it was sitting in a high-traffic area.

    GENEVA, Fla. —

    Two people are safe after getting stranded on a boat in Geneva on Sunday morning.

    Seminole County Fire Department crews got a call to Mullet Lake Park around 2 a.m.

    That’s where they found two boaters trapped on a sand dune about 150 yards from the main waterway.

    Crews tell us the pair was driving the boat down the creek and ran aground.

    Responders got them back to shore by 2:45 a.m., and no one was hurt.

    Fire rescue crews taped off the boat until they could remove it because it was sitting in a high-traffic area.

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  • April 14 is the last day to witness this extraordinary exhibition of work by First Nations artists in Orlando

    April 14 is the last day to witness this extraordinary exhibition of work by First Nations artists in Orlando

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    Whether you live here or are just passing through, this crazy state called Florida often seems bewildering and chaotic. Florida’s First Nations artists, many from the Panther Clan of the south Florida Seminoles, express their own relevant views on the Sunshine State, on themselves and on the future in a show at the Albin Polasek Museum titled Yaat Ya Oke (translated as “Welcome, Travelers”), a friendly invitation to see Florida and the Seminole tribe from a less chaotic viewpoint.

    Artist Tara Chadwick, of the Papalotl (Butterfly) Project, co-curated the exhibit. Papalotl engages Indigenous youth and elders in an art- and science-based cultural knowledge exchange. Home base for the artists she worked with is the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum, the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s museum in Clewiston; they have exhibited in South Florida, Tallahassee and at the Smithsonian Museum.

    More than 20 artists contributed to this exhibit, ranging from the late Jimmy Osceola (1939-2021) to Shonayeh Shonie Tommie, age 9. Osceola’s “Camp Life 2,” a landscape glowing with one of Florida’s legendary sunsets, shows a reverence for our natural state which still exists underneath all the asphalt and concrete.

    click to enlarge

    Gordon O. Wareham, ‘Dragons Teeth’ beaded necklace

    Exquisite beadwork and weaving are on display, and the artists formally explore current mediums such as digital art with the same spirit that their ancestors showed when confronted with change. Corinne Zepeda’s three crisp digital prints each depict Seminole figures in traditional dress. The figures titled “Waach” and “Taat” are startlingly fresh, easily gaining spatial equity for these Seminole characters amid our post-Warholian sensibilities.

    This push-pull between tradition and modernity gives Yaat Ya Oke an edge that feels sharper, and bigger, than even the Polasek’s high-ceilinged galleries. Forced by colonizers into a hybrid existence, Florida’s First Nations live, like all of us, in a machine-ridden world where the computer is the second soul. Yet these artists maintain a strong identity and spirit arising from a culture where binary definitions — such as art versus craft, or modern versus traditional — are superficial.

    Instead, there’s a respect for nature and for previous generations that comes through the art. Wilson Bowers and Gordon Wareham collaborated on “Clan Mothers,” a digital print of a small central figure facing six larger animal spirits, all of whom stare fiercely in a kind of architrave of ancestor figures. They impart a sense of responsibility to the viewer.

    What is that responsibility? Well, each viewer may take a different impression from Yaat Ya Oke: the ability to appreciate the world from which these artists come, or a tribute to previous generations for what they have passed down to us. Or: a responsibility to our future generations to try not to fuck it all up.


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    Richard Reep

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