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The University of Central Florida (UCF) has received a $50 million transformational gift from a distinguished alumni. This is one of the largest private gifts in the university’s history. School officials announced the donation this week, calling it a major investment in UCF’s long-term growth as one of the nation’s largest public universities. The donor’s identity was not immediately disclosed, but university leaders said the gift reflects alumni’s strong confidence in UCF’s direction and influence. University officials say the pledge will support a variety of strategic priorities, including expanding academic programs, student scholarships and research initiatives. The bulk of the…

Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) announced plans to eliminate approximately 200 positions as part of a broader effort to address budget constraints for the upcoming school year. District officials said the cuts are aimed at filling anticipated funding gaps caused by rising operating costs, changing enrollment patterns and uncertainty around the flow of state and federal funding. District leaders say most of the cuts will be through attrition, vacancies and reassignment rather than widespread layoffs. Administrators emphasized that classroom instruction remains a top priority, with a focus on minimizing the impact on students. However, some non-instructional roles and administrative positions…

Put the past behind you, put the future on hold and take our mini quiz about what’s going on at Disney’s Animal Kingdom these days. I hadn’t been to this theme park since I waved at the closed Dinosaur attraction, so it was time for a walk. Please answer as follows if you would like. 1. What are the newest animatronics in the park? 2. What is the hottest new dessert? 3. What is happening behind the walls of Dinoland Construction? 4. What time does this place close? answer Benjamin Clawhauser, a character from the Zootopia movie series, will appear…

My trip to Japan was an active one. On my first night, I didn’t sit very still, other than at a rooftop footbath in Tokyo’s Asakusa district. It was a wonderful visit. I watched top-level sumo wrestlers, learned the cheering songs (cheering songs) at a match in Yokohama, and cheered on the DeNA BayStars while drinking local beer poured by vendors (servers) carrying heavy, bright yellow barrels on their backs. I went to sample it at Suntory Yamazaki Distillery. I took the Shinkansen to Kyoto at a speed of 200 miles per hour. I saw the legendary Iron Maiden in…

Convenience store giant 7-Eleven is planning major downsizing and closing hundreds of stores across North America as it overhauls its business and prepares for a long-awaited initial public offering. The company plans to close about 645 stores in the U.S., Canada and Mexico during the current fiscal year, which began March 1, according to a recent investor filing from parent company Seven & i Holdings. Some locations never disappear completely. Instead, the company said certain stores may be converted into wholesale fuel distributors, signaling a shift to lower-cost, fuel-focused operations in unprofitable markets. Fewer stores, bigger strategy Despite the large-scale…

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday that Tallahassee’s airport has been officially renamed the Bobby Bowden Tallahassee International Airport in honor of the legendary former Florida State Seminoles head football coach. The designation follows the governor’s signing of Senate Bill 628, which officially renames Leon County’s airports and includes several honorary road designations in the state. “Coach Bowden is a legend in college football, and it’s only right that we honor him in a way that is visible to all who travel to and from our nation’s capital,” DeSantis said. The airport’s new name pays homage to Bobby…

New polling data released by Rasmussen Reports shows that a majority of American voters believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, and that economic confidence is lower than in recent months. A national survey found that 39% of likely American voters say the country is on the right path, while 55% think it is headed in the wrong direction. This marks a slight change from the same period last year, when 43% said the country was heading in the right direction and 51% said it was on the wrong track. The results are based on a Rasmussen Report…

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Attorney General James Usmayer has filed a petition with the U.S. Census Bureau asking for changes to the way the federal government conducts population counts used to determine congressional representation. The move follows the release of new data showing that Florida and other Republican-leaning states were undercounted and many Democratic-leaning states were overcounted in the 2020 U.S. Census. Usmayer said in a statement that the census process should focus on accurately representing the American people, saying population totals directly affect how political power and federal resources are distributed. “How we count our population has a direct…

SOUTH BAY, Fla. — Ron DeSantis announced Monday that all federally funded contracts for Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) reservoirs have been fully fulfilled, marking a significant step forward in one of the state’s largest environmental remediation efforts. The announcement was made in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is partnering with the state on the project. The completed contract is expected to accelerate construction of the reservoir, with an expected completion date of 2029, about five years earlier than originally planned, state officials said. EAA reservoirs are considered a central component of a broader Everglades restoration plan…

OCALA, Fla. — A 53-year-old Morriston veterinarian has been arrested on federal charges of transporting a minor across state lines for illegal sexual activity and sending threatening text messages to another victim. Federal prosecutors allege that Gregory Ford transported two underage victims for the purpose of sex acts between October 16, 2024 and May 16, 2025. In a separate charge, authorities say Ford sent a text message on Sept. 23, 2025, containing a credible threat to harm a third victim. Ford is charged with three counts of transporting a minor for the purpose of sexual activity. Each of these charges…