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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · 5d

A nonprofit organization wants to take control of a public elementary school, in what would be a first for Central Florida.

Read: www.wftv.com/news/local/t...

They love their public school. A nonprofit wants to take it over

LaQuinda Thomas and Alicia Rosario herded their children past the entrance gate of Orange Center Elementary [OCE] school as a boisterous group of kids chattered and waited for the crossing guard to wh...

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · 16d

In Ocala, Florida, school leaders are pushing the state to tighten rules on kindergarten attendance and age requirements after they noticed a rise in the number of 6-year-olds who don’t know their own name and aren’t potty trained. www.wftv.com/news/local/m...

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · 27d

A service that gave seniors free rides to and from stores in Orlando has been canceled. Some say federal budget cuts are to blame. www.wftv.com/news/local/p...

The wheels on the bus go ‘round and ‘round – until the end of next month for seniors in Orlando apartment towers getting to and from their weekly shopping trips.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Sep 19

Lots of TikTok users are suddenly learning an unexpected skill: how to steal a fighter jet.

www.wftv.com/news/local/n...

New TikTok trend teaches people how to steal fighter jets

TikTok has flooded users’ feeds with a felonious lesson: giving people step-by-step guides to “stealing” major military equipment.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Aug 12

After several years of running Bikefest, Leesburg leaders are facing a six-figure dilemma: they only have enough cash on hand to run the event for one more year. www.wftv.com/news/local/l...

Leesburg’s Bikefest, running out of money, to undergo changes

After several years of running Bikefest, Leesburg leaders are facing a six-figure dilemma: they only have enough cash on hand to run the event for one more year.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Jul 10

One CEO called it the fiber industry’s “dirty secret.”

Time and time again Wednesday, people who design and operate the infrastructure that 9-1-1 centers rely on described the state of America’s networks as a looming disaster.
Here's why: www.wftv.com/news/local/d...

‘Dark fiber’: How engineers say a fragile system brought Florida 911 centers to their knees

People who design, build and operate the infrastructure that 911 centers rely on described the state of America’s networks as a looming disaster.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Jul 2

The Orlando Diocese has been hit with more lawsuits by men who say they were abused by priests when they were children, though it said one of the named priests never worked for them. www.wftv.com/news/local/t...

Three more men accuse Orlando-area priests of abuse, some claims decades old

The Orlando Diocese has been hit with three more lawsuits by men who say they were abused by priests when they were children.

www.wftv.com

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Jun 13

I met up with Pulse survivor Chris Hansen twice this week, both before and after he toured the nightclub for the first time since the mass shooting. He spoke of the emotions, the memories and his readiness to move on. www.wftv.com/news/local/h...

He was called a hero during Pulse, but he wants to remember the music instead

Chris Hansen said he was ready to re-enter the Pulse Nightclub, nine long years after his life changed in a barrage of bullets.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Jun 13

Florida's citrus industry might be saved by a single tree growing near Groveland. "The Donaldson" is tolerant of the citrus greening disease that has contributed to a 90% decline of the industry in 20 years. www.wftv.com/news/local/m...

Meet the tree that could save Florida’s citrus industry

Matt Mattia used both hands to flip through the branch at his eye level, studying each side of every leaf as sunlight filtered from above.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Jun 10

Overlooked in the scandal department last week: one Central Florida district was caught falsifying student data and setting up "shell schools" to boost ratings and funding. www.wftv.com/news/local/w...

‘We can’t hide kids:’ Sumter County superintendent promises change after student records scandal

Sumter County Schools Superintendent Logan Brown accepted responsibility and blame for a scheme made public by report released by the Florida Department of Education.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Jun 5

BREAKING: Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez is in federal custody and facing “significant” charges, sources say.

www.wftv.com/news/local/c...

Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez arrested

Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez was arrested Thursday morning.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Jun 1

Attorneys for suspended Orlando Commissioner Regina Hill have asked a judge to bar a key witness from testifying against her, saying she has exhibited a pattern of dishonest behavior as the attorneys gear up for trial.

www.wftv.com/news/local/r...

Regina Hill’s team wants key witness barred from testifying

Attorneys for suspended Orlando Commissioner Regina Hill have asked a judge to bar a key witness from testifying against her

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · May 30

Sometimes the news follows you. And that follower is a car that JUST began checking out Orlando's streets. Waymo has arrived (sort of). www.wftv.com/news/local/a...

Autonomous taxi service Waymo begins touring Orlando’s streets

For now, Waymo’s cars are being human-driven around Orlando.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · May 23

Orange County taxpayers are shelling out thousands of dollars on inmates who didn't commit any crimes within the county's borders. Meanwhile, another sheriff says he has so many immigration arrests coming in, his inmates are sleeping on the floor. www.wftv.com/news/local/o...

Complaints about unequal burden of immigration arrests begin to pile up

As Florida law enforcement and ICE agents intensify efforts to root out undocumented immigrants, cracks appear in their previously unified public effort.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · May 23

We're getting a better look at the "argument" deputies said led to a Checkers employee shooting his customer. www.wftv.com/news/local/r...

Records claim Checkers employee possibly killed customer over missing mayo packets

New arrest records details what police say happened inside a Kissimmee fast food restaurant that led to a customer’s murder.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · May 11

A undocumented man accused of touching children inappropriately died in custody Friday, sources told Channel 9. www.wftv.com/news/local/o...

Orange County Jail inmate, arrested after years in hiding, dies

Deputies attempted to treat him, but he was pronounced dead less than an hour later, they said.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · May 1

The United States Army and DOGE is thinking about eliminating its Orlando simulation and training headquarters. 1,000 high-paying jobs are now on the chopping block.

www.wftv.com/news/local/u...

US Army eyeing cuts to Orlando headquarters; 1,000 jobs at risk

As many as 1,000 jobs at the United States Army’s STRI headquarters in Orlando could be on the chopping block.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Apr 29

Hundreds of thousands of Central Floridians are about to get a letter in the mail telling them their medical debt has been wiped away. www.wftv.com/news/local/3...

310,000 Central Floridians poised to get medical debt wiped out

Hundreds of thousands of Central Floridians are about to discover their medical debt has been wiped away.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Apr 29

Winter Garden leaders are moving ahead with their plan to reopen the closed Garden Theatre. www.wftv.com/news/local/o...

Winter Garden breathes life into shuttered downtown theatre

Winter Garden leaders are moving ahead with their plan to reopen the closed Garden Theatre.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Apr 29

Tech companies and developers asked a judge to throw out a lawsuit by the mother of a 14-year-old who fell in love with an AI chat bot and then shot himself. www.wftv.com/news/local/o...

Tech companies ask judge to throw out AI chatbot teen suicide lawsuit

A federal judge in Orlando heard over a dozen attorneys discuss the First Amendment, tech development and corporate responsibility.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Apr 25

Orange County is hailing one of its code enforcement officers as a hero for leading investigators to three severely malnourished dogs. wftv.com/news/local/g...

Guardian angel: Code enforcement officer calls in malnourished dogs, leading to arrests

Investigators arrested them earlier this month and accused them of starving the dogs.

wftv.com

Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Apr 22

When you're on the phone with your boss at 7:30a convincing them to let you come in early to do a certain story, you better deliver. So glad I could cover this monumental day in Okahumpka! www.wftv.com/news/local/o...

‘Impossible’ achieved: Okahumpka segregated school restoration breaks ground

After five years of fundraising and other failed attempts, community members gathered on Monday to ceremonially shovel some dirt.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Apr 19

Immigration arrests are declining in one of Florida's largest counties, data shows. It's not yet clear if this pattern extends to other counties. www.wftv.com/news/local/o...

Immigration arrests are declining in Orange County, jail data shows

After an initial surge of immigration-related arrests, data shows bookings are trending down.

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Apr 9

EXCLUSIVE TOUR: WFTV was invited to tour a Florida jail that is now being used to house suspected immigrant gang members en route to being deported. Our cameras saw the first groups arriving. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gkh...

EXCLUSIVE TOUR: Florida jail turned into immigrant gang housing for deportations

YouTube video by WFTV Channel 9

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Nick Papantonis WFTV @nickpapantonis.bsky.social · Apr 8

30 peacocks have died near Oakland, Florida. People suspect someone is deliberately poisoning them.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSim...

30 peacocks die in Florida town, poisoning suspected

YouTube video by WFTV Channel 9

www.youtube.com