Home News Features Briefs
Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels

News

The Charge •

Downtown Orlando fights back to end violence

From 2015-2024, there have been 66 mass shootings in Central Florida, and seven of those shootings have taken place in 2024 and 12 in 2023, according to WKMG News 6.One cause of these shootings may be attributed to the permitless carry law that was passed April 3, 2023 by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The law is defined as authorizing a person to carry a concealed weapon or firearm with a valid concealed-weapons license or without a concealed-weapons license provided that the criteria for obtaining...
The Charge •

17-year-old Halloween shooting suspect to be charged as an adult

Andrew Bain, state attorney, announced in a press conference Monday morning that a 17-year-old accused of a shooting in downtown Orlando, which killed two men and injured eight others, will be charged as an adult.Jaylen Edgar is currently facing two charges of second-degree murder with a firearm, and other charges are expected to be forthcoming in the near future, according to the press conference
Edgar opened fire at 1:07 a.m. Friday in the middle of the downtown club scene during Hallo...
The Charge •

UCF police officer reflects on his UCFPD journey and beyond

Now UCF Police Department Cpl. James Roop was speeding through a small rural town in Washington County, Ind. in his Mustang GT in 1988 when a state trooper clocked him at 75 mph in a 55 mph zone.When the officer asked why he was in such a rush, his response was nothing less than ironic.
“I was actually on my way to the police station before you closed to apply for a job,” Roop said. Even though Roop did not get the job that day, little did he know that police work would become his destin...
Observer Local News •

B Section home to get $163,364 in federally funded repairs | Observer Local News

A Palm Coast resident whose B Section home was damaged by a tree falling into the roof more than two years ago has requested $163,364 from federal funds to assist roof replacement, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, new doors and windows, and other rehabilitation work to address health and safety issues. The funds come from two sources, one controlled by the city of Palm Coast, the other by Flagler County, and both municipalities approved an increase to the maximum allowed — nor...
Observer Local News •

Door opens for firefighters in training at DSC | Observer Local News

In August 2021, 23-year-old Hanna Smith decided that being a licensed massage therapist wasn’t for her after all — it was too quiet. So she set aside her degree to try something a little different: firefighter.Thanks to a new $3,500 Open Door Grant, Smith is now in the one-semester Emergency Medical Services program at Daytona State College, which kickstarted her journey in firefighter training. That funding was a portion of the $532,000 sum awarded to DSC this year, part of the Florida Departme...
Observer Local News •

16th-annual Fun Coast Buddy Walk raises about $20,000, halfway to its goal | Observer Local News

The 16th-annual Fun Coast Buddy Walk raised awareness for people with Down syndrome — and raised about $20,000, halfway to its goal, on Oct. 9, at Central Park in Palm Coast. The funds will help support the Fun Coast Down Syndrome Association Center, located at 3601 E. Moody Blvd., Bunnell, provide programming such as cooking classes, game nights and crafts.
The association, serving Flagler and Volusia counties, was started in October 2002 by Paula Wilburn, for her son. Keaton, 22, has Down synd...