Florida

A statewide registry created to help identify people with a history of animal abuse is drawing criticism from animal welfare officials who say the database lacks enough information to be useful.

A shoplifting suspect was tackled by a Port Orange police officer while trying to escape on a bicycle, an encounter captured on police body camera video.

The fight to keep Cape Canaveral’s only public elementary school open intensified Tuesday as city leaders urged the Brevard County School Board to delay a decision to close Cape View Elementary.

An arrest has been made in an attempted abduction of a minor in Eustis, police said. Investigators identified the suspect as Gregory Dewayne Lockwood, who was taken into custody after the victim was able to identify him, authorities said. Police had been searching for the driver of a white SUV following the incident.

Hundreds of fish and several turtles were found dead in a drained pond near a construction site in Sanford, prompting questions about whether work was permitted and who is responsible for cleaning up the site. Residents reported being sickened by the smell of rotting animals after the water body known as Lake Warren was drained. The deaths occurred near a property slated for redevelopment.

NASA astronauts will conduct two spacewalks in January to conduct as series of tests and installations to the outside of the International Space Station. 

Orange County Sheriff John Mina talks with Amy Kaufeldt about the latest crime states in Orange County, Florida. According to the agency, homicides are down 36%, violent crime is down 23%, and overall crime is down 19%.

A crash has caused major traffic delays on I-4 eastbound near the Lake Mary Boulevard exit. 

Residents say Evergreen Cemetery in Leesburg has fallen into disrepair, with overgrown grass and debris surrounding gravesites.

Over the span of nearly three weeks, 19 swans and 2 wild birds have been found dead at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando. The birds have tested positive for Avian influenza, the City of Orlando said in a news release on Monday afternoon.

New documents reveal the nightmare an 11-year-old boy went through after allegedly being kidnapped by a sex offender. A teenage boy is also accused of being involved in the alleged kidnapping plot, authorities said.

Hundreds of dead fish and several turtles were discovered in a pond near a construction site in Sanford, raising concerns among residents about the health of local waterways.

A customer says his car was struck by gunfire following an argument with an employee at a Checkers drive-through on West Colonial Drive, Orange County deputies reported.

Grass clippings from residential lawns are worsening water quality in the Indian River Lagoon, researchers say, adding to issues like sewage spills and fish kills. A study by the Marine Conservation Association found that when grass enters the lagoon, nutrient levels spike within days, fueling algae blooms and preventing healthy seagrass growth.

A man caught on camera impersonating a mail carrier is accused of stealing mail and packages across Orlando for the past year, authorities said.

Authorities have identified a woman who was struck and killed while walking on a sidewalk in Cocoa as 25-year-old Lexis Jordan.