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Ten years ago, the Orlando community came together in grief and tragedy when a gunman burst into the Pulse nightclub, killing 49 people and injuring dozens more. Ten years after the mass shooting, Central Florida unites to remember the fallen angels who died that night, showing that love is stronger than hate. This week marks the 10th anniversary, starting June 12, 2016, with art exhibitions, community events, and commemorations. 2026 Pulse Memorial Ceremony Join our community at First United Methodist Church as we remember the 49 lives lost on June 12, 2016. The ceremony will include musical performances by local…

The Trump administration is implementing new requirements passed last year under the Republican tax bill for individuals eligible for food stamps. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act placed stricter restrictions on the SNAP program by expanding work requirements and restricting eligibility. Government officials say violators could lose benefits. Economists see a silver lining in the new restrictions: people who don’t need food assistance will be forced back into the labor market. The new changes include requiring “able-bodied adults” to work at least 20 hours a week or 80 hours a month. The new changes will apply to some groups, such…

Working families in Florida are paying twice for the same problem. Once at a gas station where fuel prices have skyrocketed due to conflicts overseas, Florida’s electricity is made with imported fuel at world prices, so it’s back to the electricity bill. We can reduce that risk by increasing investment in solar power, starting a domestic nuclear renaissance, and modernizing our power grid. The answer is obvious. Build more Florida-grown power. Plus Florida Solar. More storage in Florida. A new generation of Florida nuclear power plants. A new generation of grid infrastructure. The important thing is that the new energy…

Juneteenth (also known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, and Jubilee Day), June 19th, is a day commemorating the abolition of slavery in the United States. This day marks 161 years since federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to signal freedom to enslaved African Americans and the end of the Civil War. After years of grassroots advocacy and a national civil rights movement, Juneteenth was designated as a federal holiday in June 2021. There are many celebrations planned in the Orlando area around the holidays. Here’s how to celebrate Juneteenth in Central Florida. Kissimmee Juneteenth Festival This community celebration celebrates African…

Chef Hari Prapaka is a James Beard Club semifinalist of Central Florida and is well-versed in the region’s food scene. And while it’s taken him some time to focus on new projects and personal endeavors since he and his wife, Jenifer, moved on from Cress in DeLand, the award-winning restaurant they opened in 2008, Orlando is about to see more of him. Prapaka joins the team at 4Roots, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the way communities grow, access and engage with food, and building a food system that is healthier, more just, and more resilient for everyone. In his…

“We have seen record funding for Everglades restoration under Governor Ron DeSantis, and the funding appropriated by the state Legislature will continue to make progress,” said Eric Eichenberg, CEO of the Everglades Foundation. The Florida Legislature passed a fiscal year 2026-27 budget that includes $638 million for Everglades restoration, including funds needed to complete the state’s portion of the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) reservoir. “This budget continues to advance Everglades restoration, investing $638 million in the Everglades, a critical $1 trillion asset, the foundation said. EAA Reservoir has been called the crown jewel of Everglades restoration, helping water flow from…

To text this article to a friend,[SMS]Tap Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia announced that his office has identified more than $275 million in what he calls “excessive and wasteful spending” in Jacksonville’s 2025-2026 budget. The city of Jacksonville’s general fund budget has increased 61% since 2019, according to Ingoglia. He pointed out last year that more than $199 million of the city’s 2024-2025 budget was wasteful spending. Ingoglia said the findings are part of an ongoing effort to provide transparency to local taxpayers and hold city officials accountable for spending decisions. “The City of Jacksonville has proven once again…

To text this article to a friend,[SMS]Tap 186.2 million Americans rely on AI for medical advice, in some cases trusting chatbots before consulting a doctor, according to a new study from medical staffing platform Nursa. Research highlights: Floridians are among the people most likely to rely on AI instead of doctors, and Miami and Jacksonville are among the top cities in the U.S. for health use of AI. More than half of Americans (54.34%) have used AI to assess symptoms or health concerns, representing 186.2 million Americans. The most common reason for seeking AI help is cold and flu symptoms…

The future of the long-closed Hood’s Up gas station facility, located in a prime location at Robinson Street and Bumby Avenue in Orlando’s Milk District (2400 E. Robinson St.), is becoming clearer. The Orlando City Council on Monday approved funding improvements to the property owned by Usler Development, which is moving toward opening Paper Kites, a restaurant project with the James Beard-nominated Good Salt Restaurant Group, says Good Salt’s Jason Chin. The name was chosen by his wife and partner, Su Chin, from the fond memories they had together in their hometown of South Korea. “It’s been thrown around a…

To text this article to a friend,[SMS]Tap The term used to describe wasteful spending in the nation’s capital is “pork barrel spending,” but in Florida it’s called the “turkey project.” For the past 40 years, Florida TaxWatch has published an annual report identifying some of the areas where turkey projects are taking place. Florida TaxWatch identified 621 items on this year’s list that cost Florida taxpayers approximately $830 million. “These are expenditures that circumvent or violate established budget procedures and legislative and public oversight,” the report states. A cleaner version is: TaxWatch leadership contends that most of these projects involve…