Orange County

Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) is halting plans for new school construction as the district braces for a projected decline of more than 3,000 students next academic year ? a shift officials say could leave classrooms empty. Stephanie Vanos, OCSB member for District 6, joins Good Day Orlando to talk about the construction pause.

A new audit of Orange County?s 911 call center reveals that the sheriff?s office has consistently failed to meet Florida?s emergency response standard, requiring 90% of calls be answered within 10 seconds. In 2023, only 61% of calls met that mark. The problem, officials say, stems from a severe staffing shortage that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the number of dispatchers dropped by nearly half. Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond joins Good Day Orlando to discuss the audit.

Children at Park Maitland School are learning about the art of being entrepreneurs. They're competing "Shark Tank" style to present their own business concepts. FOX 35's Amanda McKenzie heads out to the school to talk to some of the students about their creations.

A woman was threatened at gunpoint during an attempted abduction on May 11 near Adanson Street and Lee Road. The suspect fled in a stolen Toyota 4Runner, which was later recovered by deputies. Authorities released surveillance video and are asking for help identifying the man involved.

The wife of a convicted killer is now being charged with conspiracy. Beatriz Hererra was recently booked into the Orange County Jail. Her husband, Joshua Touchton is also there as he appeals a 2013 murder conviction.

A LYNX bus hit and killed a pedestrian attempting to cross State Road 50 on Friday night in the Orange County area. Troopers say the pedestrian, a 67-year-old woman from Orlando, was not in a marked crosswalk. The driver and passengers on the bus were not injured, officials say.

A woman was threatened at gunpoint during an attempted abduction on May 11 near Adanson Street and Lee Road. The suspect fled in a stolen Toyota 4Runner, which was later recovered by deputies. Authorities released surveillance video and are asking for help identifying the man involved.

Students at Lake Nona High School are still in shock after the death of one of their own. The teenager?s body was recovered Thursday from Lake Whippoorwill after hours of search efforts by dive teams. According to the Orland Police Department (OPD), the teen had been kayaking with a group of friends on Wednesday evening when he went under and did not resurface.

The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) has made an arrest in a deadly hit-and-run incident that occurred late Thursday night in Orange County. Authorities said Ferdinand Georges, 65, is facing charges beyond "leaving the scene of a crash involving death."

Investigators are still at the scene of a deputy-involved shooting that took place Friday afternoon in Orange County. A deadly deputy-involved shooting occurred Friday afternoon in Orange County. Sheriff John Mina said a deputy shot a man as a SWAT team was serving a drug search warrant. The man later died at the hospital, and the deputy has been placed on paid leave.

Right now, the Orange County Animal Services is overwhelmed with cats and kittens. Since the beginning of May, the shelter as received 200 stray kittens. The organization is searching for homes for the cats.