Latest news with #CentralFloridians
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Central Florida stays hot Friday with slightly lower storm chances this weekend
Central Floridians can expect another steamy and stormy day to close out the workweek. Our forecast will be hot and muggy with scattered showers across the region. Friday's highs will climb into the upper 80s and low 90s, but it's the humidity that will make it feel between 98 and 102 degrees. Rain and thunderstorms are set to return Friday afternoon, though storm coverage will be slightly lower than recent days. Isolated downpours are expected to start around midday near the I-95 corridor and our beaches before sweeping westward through the afternoon. By Friday evening, the I-75 corridor will see the best chance for pockets of heavy rain and lightning. Some relief from the relentless humidity is on the way. Drier air is expected to filter into the region over the weekend and linger into next week. Highs are forecast to reach the low to mid-90s across Central Florida for most of next week, making for a hotter but less sticky stretch of weather. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Editorial: The people of Central Florida stand as the real tribute to Pulse
The story of what happened in the early morning hours of June 12, 2016, began with gunshots, pain and terror. Forty-nine lives lost, dozens more injured in bodies and souls. The violence unleashed by a single gunman at Pulse nightclub left scars on this community that will never disappear. And at long last, local leaders have a plan for a fitting memorial to that tragedy. But that is not the end of this story, and that memorial will not be the most important way the Orlando area honors the legacy of Pulse. Even before the sun set on that fateful day, Central Floridians were building their own monuments, written in flowers, candles, prayers and tears. In public spaces across the region, people gathered, strangers coming together to reassure each other that this ugly act did not represent what this community stood for. And before the eyes of the world, that steadfast insistence made a difference. Orlando rebutted any suggestion that it provided a haven for hatred — by responding to ugly violence with love, kindness and solidarity. That response was anchored in common but often unspoken knowledge. Even before the Pulse massacre, Orlando was known as a place where members of the LGBTQ community could live in relative peace, even though homosexuality was a crime in Florida until 2003, and same-sex marriage was only legalized in 2015. It was also recognized as a haven for people from all over the world — not just tourists, but those who came to this country looking for a new start, even if they didn't speak perfect English. Clubs like Pulse provided safe spaces for people regardless of sexuality, national origin or skin color to come together in safety, to dance, to celebrate their common humanity instead of focusing on their differences. But many of Orlando's neighborhoods, businesses and houses of worship also worked to ensure that all were welcome. That made Central Florida unusual, particularly in the South. But what happened after Pulse made it extraordinary. Even as the shock of the massacre reverberated, there was little tolerance for intolerance. We're certain that there were people who attempted to preach the massacre as the wages of this area's acceptance of alternative sexualities, or who attempted to use the Islamic ideology of the killer (who also died that night) as a wedge for anti-Muslim hatred. But those voices were barely heard — even when they came from presidential campaigns. Instead, the Orlando LGBTQ community quickly forged an alliance with local Muslim leaders and Latino organizations, standing together against the kind of persecution that each community had far too much experience with. This is the legacy of Pulse, and one that we need today more than ever. Over recent years, Americans have seen their state and national leaders attempt to exploit ugly prejudice for political gain. In Florida, elected leaders tried to parlay angst about drag queen story hours and overly 'woke' teachers to distract attention from their attempts to weaken the strength of public schools and erase history lessons that underscore the toll that hatred extracts from today's society. More recently, unfounded antagonism against immigrants is being used to sow fear across many Orlando-area communities. The goal seems obvious: Every attempt to divide our communities makes us more vulnerable, more easily manipulated, more vulnerable to acts of political aggression that can easily flower into actual violence. That reality also hit hard locally in the aftermath of the January 6, 2021, attacks on the Capitol: The revelation that many of the ringleaders and their misguided followers hailed from Central Florida was a gut check, but that knowledge was tempered by the understanding that these groups, who called themselves 'Oath Keepers' and 'Proud Boys,' were in fact too ashamed of their own hateful ideology to embrace it publicly. Within a year, Orlando residents will see the new Pulse memorial taking shape at the corner of Kaley Street and Orange Avenue, and it will be beautiful: A stirring, color-shifting tribute to the 49 angels who died that morning, and the community that is still brought to tears by their memory. But residents don't need to wait for architects or builders to remember those victims, or to protect their legacy. We honor the victims of Pulse by rejecting attempts to divide us, by celebrating our shared humanity, and by remaining Orlando United — not just today, but every day. The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Executive Editor Roger Simmons, Opinion Editor Krys Fluker and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at insight@
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Editorial: Leaders' resolve on Pulse memorial reflects our community's strength
It's time. It's time. It's past time. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings knows the truth of those words more than most. As the county's elected sheriff, he left his home in the pre-dawn hours of June 12, 2016 to rush to the site of downtown Orlando's Pulse nightclub. He'd stay there for nearly 24 hours, working beside his friend John Mina (who was at the time Orlando's police chief) as law enforcement frantically sought to rescue those trapped inside. Demings will likely never forget that night, nor the weeks and months that followed. There are so many more Central Floridians who have horrific memories engraved on their souls. The survivors who huddled and hid as a gunman stalked through the club. The emergency-department staffers who worked tirelessly to save as many lives as they could. The family members who pleaded to know if their sons, daughters, spouses, friends or other loved ones were among the dead. Community leaders like Orlando Commissioner Patty Sheehan, the county's first openly gay elected official, who rushed to the site and tried to comfort family members' fear and grief. And the millions of Central Floridians who fought to reconcile the knowledge that their home had become the site of the worst mass shooting in the nation's history — up until that point. (Sadly, it's been eclipsed). Those survivors may not need a memorial to recall the horror of those early dawn hours. But they deserve one, especially if it nurtures the lasting changes that brought Orlando-area residents together in anguish and solidarity. That compassion has centered on the LGBTQ+ community that formed the base of Pulse's clientele, and the young Hispanics who came from across Central Florida for a weekly celebration of Latin music. It was an outpouring of acceptance that transcended the political, changing Orlando for good, and for the better. It lives on in many local residents's stubborn resistance to anti-immigrant crusades and attempts to marginalize sexual minorities. The names and faces of the 49 'angels' who died that night should never be forgotten. Nor should the terror of another 53 who were wounded but survived. The psychological scars of those who ran for their lives, or who huddled in hiding while waiting for rescue, also deserve acknowledgement. Most of all, the tragic lessons of this hate crime should be memorialized in the hopes that it avoids a repeat. And the resilience of local residents — their steadfast refusal to let Orlando and its surroundings be redefined by hate — should be celebrated. That's why Orange County residents should applaud the leadership of elected county and city leaders, who are joining forces to insist on (and pay for) a memorial on the site of the nightclub at the corner of Orange Avenue and Kaley Street. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer pushed for the city to take the lead after the collapse of the nonprofit foundation that was supposed to build the memorial. The wait has been infuriating, stretching the boundaries of trust and raising serious questions about what happened to millions of dollars raised toward the ostensible goal of creating a suitable tribute. Local leaders should continue to push — through any means at their disposal — for a thorough audit of OnePulse, the nonprofit that solicited money toward a memorial yet stumbled again and again. But the plans for a $12 million memorial, developed under the guidance of Orlando city government, are heartbreakingly beautiful — a glowing tribute of brightly colored glass, flowing water and the names of those angels who now stand as guardians to this community's resilience, hope and love. Plans unveiled before the County Commission Tuesday show a site that will offer ample opportunity for reflection — both of the tragedy that brought Central Floridians to their knees, and the inspiration leading them to stand together in solidarity and service without prejudice. Commissioners spent nearly two hours discussing the city's request to contribute $5 million toward the cost of the memorial, but the outcome was never seriously in doubt. The biggest point of strife: Who would make the motion to proceed with the donation. Demings took that victory by fiat, and it's hard to criticize his decision. His early, strong leadership almost certainly broke down barriers among more conservative communities that might otherwise have responded to the massacre with silence — or worse. There are still big questions ahead, including a continued probe into the failures of the OnePulse Foundation. City and county leaders should work together to demand answers. Some community members may also criticise the decision to remove most — possibly all — of the nightclub building and its iconic sign as the memorial is constructed. Certainly, their shared financial contribution gives every Orange County resident the right to voice their opinion; for more information, visit But that should not obscure the victory here, and Orange County and Orlando residents should be rightly proud of their elected leaders for insisting that plans for a memorial move forward — despite the delays and abuse of trust. Once again, this community has chosen to transcend tragedy and hatred with hope and unity. It is the right decision, and within two years this city should have a fitting memorial to the sacrifice of young people who only wanted to dance and have fun, without boundaries or prejudice. It is time. It is past time. The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Executive Editor Roger Simmons and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at insight@
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pictures: 11th annual Parkinson Walk at Cranes Roost Park
Hundreds of Central Floridians participated Saturday morning in the 11th annual Parkinson Walk, a charity event for the Parkinson Association of Central Florida. The gathering at Cranes Roost Park in Altamonte Springs raised more than $150,000 to help fund local programs, education and research projects to find a cure for the neurological disease. An estimated 90,000 new cases of Parkinson's disease are diagnosed each year in the U.S. WESH-Channel 2 chief meteorologist Tony Mainolfi was the honorary host for the event, which included speeches by Todd Stewart, president of the Parkinson Association of Central Florida and John Gabriel, Orlando Magic executive and former president of the local Parkinson's group. You can find out more about the Central Florida Parkinson Association here.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
2 Central Florida men are millionaires after each winning big on same lottery scratch-off game
Two Central Floridians are millionaires after each winning a $1 million prize from the $1,000,000 A YEAR FOR LIFE SPECTACULAR scratch-off game from the Florida Lottery. Orange County resident Vernon Lee, 60, claimed his $1 million prize after purchasing his ticket from the Publix at 11286 Dowden Road in Orlando. Meanwhile, Osceola County resident Jose Perez, 53, claimed his $1 million prize after purchasing his ticket from the 7-Eleven at 7605 Sinclair Road in Kissimmee. Both men chose to receive their winnings as a one-time lump sum of $640,000. Each store that sold the winning ticket received a $2,000 bonus commission. The $50 game features two top prizes of $1 million a year for life and 234 prizes of $1 million, as well as more than $1.6 billion in cash prizes. Scratch-off games made up 74% of ticket sales in the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Since their inception, scratch-off games have generated more than $19.80 billion for the Education Enhancement Trust Fund and are responsible for contributing more than $48 billion to enhance education and sending more than one million students to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. Additionally, since its inception, scratch-off games have awarded more than $65.5 billion in prizes, creating 2,283 millionaires. Since 1988, Florida Lottery games have paid more than $98.6 billion in prizes and made more than 4,200 people millionaires, according to lottery officials. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
