Orange County, Florida

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Boy Who Survived Cancer Dies 'Unbearable' Death

Elyas Marshall-Rodriguez, 9, was killed after crawling under moving school bus in Florida

(Newser) - Elyas Marshall-Rodriguez was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 2, but by age 9, the Florida boy was in remission and looking forward to moving on. That makes what happened at an Orange County bus stop this week doubly tragic: According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Elyas was killed...

Does James Like to Be Called Jimmy? Not So Fast in Florida

Some districts now want parental OK before using nicknames, alternate names for trans students

(Newser) - A new school year has kicked off in many spots in the South, and two counties in Florida are already making waves for a correspondence that's been delivered to educators and parents. WESH reports that Seminole County sent an email to families this week noting that if their kids...

Shooting Victim Credits Fellow Journalist for Saving His Life

Photographer Jesse Walden mourns his 'best friend' Dylan Lyons in Florida

(Newser) - The photojournalist who survived Wednesday's deadly shootings in Orlando Springs, Florida, says he never saw his attacker coming. Jesse Walden and reporter Dylan Lyons of Spectrum News 13 had rolled up to the scene of an earlier shooting, where 38-year-old Nathacha Augustin was killed in a vehicle, in preparation...

Reporter Gunned Down at Murder Scene Is IDed

Spectrum News 13's Dylan Lyons was fatally shot in Florida while reporting on previous shooting

(Newser) - Dylan Lyons was a passionate young journalist who at 24 had already been honored by the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists for his 2020 election reporting on the 3rd Congressional District. "He took his job very seriously," according to colleague Josh Miller. "He loved his career. He...

Man Accused of Disney Scheme Involving R2-D2 Statue

Authorities say David Proudfoot posed as Disney World worker, moved droid replica

(Newser) - According to authorities, David Proudfoot posed as a worker at Disney World and moved a $10,000 replica of R2-D2 from its place at a Disney resort. According to Proudfoot, he was just trying to do the park a favor. FOX 35 reports the 44-year-old Kissimmee resident was arrested on...

Saget's Family Didn't Know He'd Died. Then Details Leaked

2 Orange County deputies have been disciplined for confirming his death before kin was notified

(Newser) - Two deputies in Florida's Orange County have been disciplined for leaking news about Bob Saget's death before his family had been notified. Emiliano Silva, one of the deputies who responded to the Jan. 9 call at Orlando's Ritz-Carlton hotel, where Saget's body was found, had been...

New Florida Law Could Mean Huge Tax Hikes for Residents

With DeSantis signing legislation, Orange County doesn't know how it can raise revenue to pay difference

(Newser) - Florida's governor and legislature have decided to eliminate the Reedy Creek District , Disney World's private government, in a political battle over the state's new law known as "Don't Say Gay." But the bill for the move will go to local officials. "The moment...

After Health Official's Vaccination Email, Fla. DOH Takes Action

Dr. Raul Pino, Orange County's health chief, put on leave after encouraging staffers to get vaccinated

(Newser) - Throughout the pandemic, Florida's Dr. Raul Pino has been the public face for Orange County's Department of Health, appearing during news briefings to offer updates on case numbers and vaccinations. The county health director may not be on camera for a while, though: The state DOH announced Pino...

Bodies of Water Are Suing the State of Florida

Orange County lakes, streams file suit against state, housing developer under 'right of nature' law

(Newser) - Late last year, voters in Orange County, Fla., pushed through a "rights of nature" law, making it the largest US municipality to do so, per a November release from the Center for Democratic and Environmental Rights. The legislation basically gives rights to rivers, streams, marshes, and lakes throughout the...

Grandma Arrested for CBD Oil at Disney Wants $18M
After Disney Arrest,
Grandma Wants $18M
in case you missed it
Aug 9, 2020 10:45 AM CDT

After Disney Arrest, Grandma Wants $18M

Hester Burkhalter says 15-hour ordeal over the CBD oil in her purse was 'humiliating'

(Newser) - Mickey Mouse had grandma arrested, and now she wants payback. Hester Burkhalter of Hickory, NC, is seeking $6 million in compensatory damages and $12 million in punitive damages, plus several million more for her family, following her April 2019 arrest at Disney World, per CNN . The Orange County Sheriff's...

She Panned Diner's Treatment of Disabled. Next Came 3 Shots
She Panned Diner's Treatment
of Disabled. Next Came 3 Shots
in case you missed it
Sep 8, 2018 8:31 AM CDT

She Panned Diner's Treatment of Disabled. Next Came 3 Shots

Friend of diner owner accused in Aug. 20 drive-by shooting

(Newser) - "I didn't think anybody was crazy enough to do something like this." So says Florida's Monica Walley, who was at her Orange County home Aug. 20 when a bullet whizzed through a window, missing her father's head by inches. It was one of three fired...

Cops: 'Disgruntled' Fired Worker Kills 5, Then Himself

Police are investigating in Orlando

(Newser) - Six people are dead, including the gunman, after a former employee opened fire at a business in Orlando, Fla., reports WFTV . Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said during a briefing Monday that the gunman was a "disgruntled" ex-worker who was fired in April, per the AP . Demings said the...

'You Don't Wanna Look': Bodycam Video From Pulse Shooting

Graphic footage from deputy's body camera shows chaos, confusion

(Newser) - No one wants to imagine what went on inside Orlando's Pulse nightclub in the early morning hours of June 12, but now you can see some of it. The Orange County Sheriff's Office has released a deputy's bodycam video that offers a glimpse into the bloody chaos...

Florida Cops Nab Prisoners Freed By Mistake

Officials trying to figure out what went wrong

(Newser) - Police recaptured two convicted killers who were freed from a Florida prison by phony documents , and authorities shifted attention to finding out who was responsible for the mistaken releases that rocked the state's judicial system. Joseph Jenkins and Charles Walker, both 34, were captured last night without incident at...

Casey Anthony Probation Appeal Rejected
 Court Rejects Anthony Appeal  
Aug 24, 2011 5:56 AM CDT

Court Rejects Anthony Appeal

Casey Anthony ordered to report to Florida probation office by Friday

(Newser) - Casey Anthony was not serving probation while she was in jail awaiting her murder trial and she must report to a probation office in Florida by noon Friday, an appeals court has decided. The court ruled that the 25-year-old cannot "take advantage" of an administrative error to dodge the...

Donald Duck Molested Me: Disney World Lawsuit

Woman sues Disney for $200K over alleged boob grab

(Newser) - A Pennsylvania woman is suing Disney World, alleging that an employee in a Donald Duck costume felt her up in the autograph line at Epcot 2 years ago. That didn’t just embarrass 27-year-old April Magolon, the lawsuit alleges, but caused “severe physical injury” and a “shock to...

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