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Question: We are new to growing citrus and have several orange trees. How can you tell when a fruit is ripe? Answer: Fortunately, all the citrus in your garden are orange trees. After we moved to Florida, I cut open an orange-looking fruit for my son and said how delicious it would be. It was a Meyer lemon. you guessed it. He avoided citrus fruits for at least a week or two. The best way to tell if your oranges are ripe and ready to harvest is to use a taste test. Also, if you know the variety of oranges,…

Below is Florida Attorney General James Usmeyer’s official statement regarding the recent arrest of an illegal immigrant suspected of carrying out a nationwide retail theft scheme. Attorney General James Usmayer announced the arrest of Venezuelan nationals Willy Jesús Díaz Pelayo and Maicol Eduardo García Sánchez in connection with a nationwide retail theft scheme targeting Ulta Beauty stores. “Bringing together local law enforcement and prosecutors across the state is why we created the Retail Theft Task Force,” said Attorney General James Usmayer. “Retail theft is not a victimless crime. When retailers are forced to raise prices, all consumers feel the impact.…

The state’s quarterly theme park injury report for the last three months of 2025 includes a fatal accident on Nov. 25 after riding Revenge of the Mummy, an indoor roller coaster at Universal Studios in Florida. The unidentified 70-year-old woman was unresponsive and later died at a hospital, according to a report compiled by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The state’s major theme parks self-report when a visitor is injured on a ride and ends up hospitalized for at least 24 hours. The summary “reflects only information reported at the time of the incident,” the report said.…

TAMPA, Fla. – Today in Tampa, Fla., gubernatorial candidate Paul Renner held a press conference to outline another key element of his Florida First public safety policy: combating child sex trafficking. Declaring that “good is not good enough when it comes to protecting children,” Florida’s first public safety proposal to end child sex trafficking outlines a bold, comprehensive plan to tackle human trafficking and end the sexual exploitation of children and women across the state. Paul Renner said, “For too long, responsibility for human trafficking has been shared among many different agencies and councils. They have done a good job,…

Steve Lewis, owner and founder of Gideon’s Bakehouse, famously started his company as a one-man band in a small apartment in College Park. Since then, Gideon’s has grown from a bicycle delivery business to an East End Market stall to a Disney Springs strip mall where fans from all over the world line up for candy, coffee and limited-edition collectibles that attract hundreds of bids on eBay. Today, Lewis presents a new chapter in Gideon’s story. Six Ravens, a savory fast-casual extravaganza, will open later this year at Walt Disney World’s The Landing at Disney Springs, a sister location to…

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday (January 19) and marks a day to remember America’s famous civil rights leader and give back to our communities. More than 60 years have passed since Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, D.C., and more than 57 years since the activist was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. The work he started remains extremely important to this day. Throughout the holiday weekend, performing groups, community leaders, and volunteers will bring the public together for concerts, prayers, discussions, and more around Central Florida. Here are some benefits. The…

The cruise industry continues to enhance its cruise offerings to the 21.7 million Americans expected to embark on an ocean cruise in 2026. Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line are each launching one new ship this year, as well as making newsworthy developments at their private resorts. Headlining the brand new ships coming to Florida in 2026 are the Prima Plus class Norwegian Luna and Royal Caribbean’s third Icon class ship, Legend of the Seas. In destination news, Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau has opened and Norwegian Cruise Line has announced upgrades to its private island, Great Stirrup…

Mayo Clinic’s Jacksonville campus will become the first campus in the United States and the only campus in the Western Hemisphere to offer carbon ion therapy, a cutting-edge treatment for difficult-to-treat cancers, officials announced Thursday. At a press conference, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis, along with Mayo Clinic President and CEO Dr. Kent Thielen, announced an advanced program scheduled to begin treating patients in 2028. This announcement follows the expansion of Mayo Clinic’s cancer care in Jacksonville with the June 2025 opening of the 228,000 square foot Duan Family Building, designed to house both proton and…

Jacksonville Minister Pleads Guilty to Obstructing IRS Tax Collection Efforts A Jacksonville minister has pleaded guilty to obstructing the IRS’ efforts to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes, federal authorities announced Wednesday. According to court documents, Brian Kern Jr. operated several service organizations, including Healing House Ministries, Inc., Brian Kern Ministries, Inc., and Kingdom Culture City Churches. Prosecutors said Khan filed a tax return in 2015 reporting more than $1.4 million in income and more than $600,000 in tax debt, but failed to pay the amount owed. In 2016, Khan allegedly tried to hide his true income…

Following in the footsteps of past champions, sports teams have visited the White House since the 19th century, with the Pittsburgh Penguins becoming the NHL’s first team in 1991. After hosting the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in 2024, which was last hosted by the president on Feb. 3, 2025, the Panthers suddenly found themselves feeling right at home in the nation’s capital. Prior to the ceremony, players and staff were able to tour multiple rooms at the White House and view unique artifacts and famous paintings that line the historic walls. “This will be our second visit, so we’ll know…