The Highlands County Commission is close to approving a finalized 2024-2025 budget. Commissioners had a first vote approving the county’s proposed $221.2 budget Thursday night and are expected to hold a second vote at a public hearing soon. Largest increases to the budget over last year’s county budget include $8 million for the construction of a new landfill section for depositing the county’s solid waste, $2.5 million for a new fire apparatus, and $847,000 for state mandated programs. The new budget also includes salary increases and millage rate decreases. The final budget vote is set for Sept. 17 at 5:30 p.m. in the County Commission hearing room.
A species on the decline seems to be making a home in Polk County. A Florida Panther was seen on camera yesterday in Lake Wales Ridge State Forest. ZooTampa Senior Animal Director Tiffany Burns says there’s less than 200 of them in the wild, and most of them are in South Florida. She tells 10 Tampa Bay it’s important for panthers to move north to protect the species.
A medical equipment manufacturer is preparing for an expansion in Central Florida. Crews broke ground on IRadimed’s new Orange County headquarters and production facilities at Orlando’s Central Florida Research Park earlier today. The Seminole County-based company, which specializes in MRI patient care, is planning to invest 20-million dollars into its expansion project, while creating 160 jobs. Construction is scheduled to officially begin next May.
The Miami Dolphins say they’re saddened by what they call overly aggressive and violent conduct of Miami-Dade Police officers. The team released a statement yesterday after the MDPD released body cam video of a traffic stop involving wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Officers handcuffed the 30-year-old on his way to Hard Rock Stadium for Sunday’s game. The team says it’s both maddening and heartbreaking to watch the very people we trust to protect our community use such force and act with such hostility. The Dolphins are calling on the MDPD to take swift and strong action against the officers.
The Orlando Police Department is in the middle of a legal battle in connection to a raid more than four years ago. A couple recently filed a ten-million-dollar lawsuit against the agency, claiming they were falsely accused of creating and sharing child porn back in 2020. The suit claims the victims’ home was wrongfully raided after detectives skipped steps in their investigation and went to the incorrect home. The family says they were on their way to the vet to get their dog help when the incident happened. Their dog died and the couple’s one-year-old child was taken out of their custody. Orlando police sent a statement to WFTV, saying they are unable to comment on the case
Over two dozen people are accused of being part of a fentanyl ring in Tampa Bay. The FDLE announced yesterday 25 people were arrested in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. The suspects range in age from 25 to 54-years-old. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody says fentanyl is the deadliest drug we have ever faced, and we’re committed to aggressively getting this dangerous substance off our streets.
An Orlando man is now in his final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery. Former Air Force Colonel Joseph Kittinger was buried there yesterday. He passed away last year at the age of 94. In 1960, Kittinger jumped over 100-thousand feet from a high-altitude balloon. It was a record that stood for over 50 years. He also served in Vietnam and was a POW for almost a year. Kittinger also has a park named after him in Orlando at South Crystal Lake Drive and East South Street.
The Buccaneers have to navigate some injuries in their secondary. Head coach Todd Bowles said yesterday that cornerback Bryce Hall may miss the rest of the season due to an ankle injury. He was hurt in Sunday’s win over Washington at Raymond James Stadium. Cornerback Zyon McCollum suffered a concussion in the game, and Josh Hayes hurt his ankle. Also, safety Antoine Winfield was wearing a boot after getting hurt late in the game. There’s no word on his status for Sunday’s game in Detroit.