Darkness is crucial to Everglades habitat. Could Alligator Alcatraz threaten it?

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/10 3:17A Max Chesnes

Surrounded by the low hum of swamp bugs, Anthony Sleiman pointed his camera to the west. The conservation photographer was more than 15 miles from the state’s newly built immigrant detention center, dubbed Alligator Alcatraz. But just before 10...

‘The new normal?’ What the die-off mystery in the Keys means for endangered sawfish

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/10 1:59A Jenny Staletovich

Nearly two years after one of the planet’s rarest fish began washing up dead in the Lower Keys, scientists investigating the deaths say one thing seems certain: whatever caused it will likely be around for years to come. “We re gonna probably...

Scattered storms and showers expected in the afternoon

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/10 1:12A Garfield Hylton

Scattered storms and showers are expected on Thursday afternoon. Storm hazards include frequent lightning, gusty winds of up to 55 mph and locally heavy rainfall, according to the NWS Melbourne. Temperatures will be in the low to mid-90s across...

Disney shares holiday party dates for Jollywood, Very Merry

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/10 12:06A Dewayne Bevil

Walt Disney World has unwrapped dates and fresh details about two after-hours holiday events, Mickey s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom and Disney Jollywood Nights at Disney s Hollywood...

New ICE pact could have Orange jail staff driving immigrants to Alligator Alcatraz

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/10 12:00A Stephen Hudak, Kairi Lowery

Orange County jail staff could be directed — at county expense — to haul immigration detainees to Alligator Alcatraz or other detention facilities used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement if county commissioners approve an amended pact with...

Universal’s Woodbury set for IAAPA Expo session

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/9 7:20A Dewayne Bevil

Mark Woodbury , chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences , will be the speaker at IAAPA Expo s leadership breakfast in November. Among Woodbury s recent achievements is the opening of Epic Universe , the first theme park to debut...

Inspections lead to single Central Florida restaurant emergency shutdown last week

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/9 4:45A Garfield Hylton

One Central Florida restaurant shut down the week of June 29-July 5, according to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Volusia China Master, at 1700 W. International Speedway Blvd. Suite 148, in Daytona Beach...

Warm and humid conditions persist as scattered showers and storms continue

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/9 1:50A Garfield Hylton

Wednesday has near-normal rain chances with seasonably hot temperatures. Rain chances are 30 to 50 percent along the coast and 50 to 60 percent on the interior, according to NWS Melbourne. Temperatures are in the low-to-mid 90s across the region,...

Orlando, Leu Gardens and county library celebrate two decades of storytime

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/9 12:20A Michael Cuglietta

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer commemorated the 20-year anniversary of a city literacy initiative sitting on the floor with his 2-year-old grandson on his lap. He and his wife, Susie, and their grandson...

DC superheroes have landed at Orlando attractions

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/9 12:06A Dewayne Bevil

If the arrival of a new “Superman” movie has you all “up, up and away” for superheroic — but local — adventures, there are multiple options in Central Florida these days. DC Comics has established a...

Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge’s animals ready for visitors again in Orange County

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/9 12:00A Kairi Lowery

This is it, Debbie Helsel said. You don t have to take us anywhere else.” Helsel had been searching for a new home for her animal rehabilitation facility, located at the time on a four-acre lot next...

Stephanie Murphy declares candidacy for Orange County mayor

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/8 11:30P Stephen Hudak

Former U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy, a Democrat who forged a reputation for bipartisanship during her tenure in Congress, declared her candidacy today to succeed Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, likely becoming the front-runner to lead Florida s...

Orlando’s Raphael Fernandez is ready for his European debut

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/8 11:00P Matthew J. Palm

Raphael Arenas Fernandez entered a competition on a whim. Now the Central Floridian will be performing in Salzburg, Austria. I am so ecstatic for this amazing opportunity, he says. What could be...

Lake County 911 call system goes down, restoration time not known

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/8 10:28A Silas Morgan

Lake County s 911 call system went offline Tuesday afternoon, with the cause and time of restoration currently unknown. The outage, which began around 2:10 p.m., according to county spokesperson Jeff Foley, who said the system remained down as of...

No longer ‘disappeared’, Orange County ICE detainees are now public

Local News : Orlando Sentinel 7/8 9:02A Ryan Gillespie, Stephen Hudak

Orange County has begun identifying — in prominent fashion — the jail inmates it holds on immigration detainers, reversing its practice of hiding their names that drew angry protests. Now, beneath a detainee’s mugshot on the jail’s website, a...