http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/blogs/beth-kassab/?track=rss Headlines from OrlandoSentinel.com en ©2012, OrlandoSentinel.com Tue, 1 May 2012 13:04:00 -0400 beth-kassab-bloghttp://feedburner.google.com Beth Kassab http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/blogs/beth-kassab/os-nows-your-chance-to-tell-bondi-how-to-spend-300-million-in-housing-aid-beth-kassab-20120501,0,2743892.story?track=rss Florida will receive $300 million as its share of a national $25 billion settlement over foreclosure fraud practices with the five largest banks. Tue, 1 May 2012 13:04:00 EDT Beth Kassab http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/blogs/beth-kassab/os-how-to-tell-if-you-qualify-for-mortgage-help-from-the-hardest-hit-fund-beth-kassab-20120430,0,5042322.story?track=rss Today's column is about how Florida's $1 billion Hardest Hit Fund has been a spectacular failure. The money is supposed to go to struggling homeowners to help them avoid foreclosure. But the eligibility requirements have been so strict and the banks so unwilling to participate that very little of this money has actually been spent. Less than $100 million of the total $1 billion has made it to homeowners so far. Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:01:00 EDT Beth Kassab http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/blogs/beth-kassab/os-beth-kassab-what-angela-corey-may-be-thinking-about-stand-your-ground-20120412,0,3611137.story?track=rss It's largely presumed that George Zimmerman, now charged with second-degree murder, will argue that he was justified in killing Trayvon Martin under Florida's "stand your ground" law. Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:08:00 EDT Beth Kassab http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/blogs/beth-kassab/os-trayvon-martin-shooting-another-neighborhood-watch-leaders-view-beth-kassab-20120314,0,2476822.story?track=rss The shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by a Neighborhood Watch volunteer got me thinking: Is this what Neighborhood Watch is about these days? Pack heat, forget waiting on the cops and shoot? Wed, 14 Mar 2012 21:35:00 EDT Beth Kassab http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/blogs/beth-kassab/os-beth-kassab-how-to-find-out-about-road-projects-near-you-20120305,0,2746428.story?track=rss Since Sunday's column about changes to an intersection in West Orange County, I've had several questions from people who want to know how they can find out about planned road work near them. Mon, 5 Mar 2012 15:17:00 EST Beth Kassab http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/blogs/beth-kassab/os-where-to-find-free-housing-counseling-20120224,0,772304.story?track=rss Today's column is all about how people can find help with their mortgages for free rather than pay an attorney up front for a loan modification that may never happen. Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:43:00 EST Beth Kassab http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/blogs/beth-kassab/os-beth-kassab-ucf-trustees-approve-lake-nona-land-deal-20120126,0,5719968.story?track=rss University of Central Florida trustees decided on Thursday to spend $15.1 million on 25 acres -- just more than $600,000 an acre -- in Lake Nona's Medical City. By one longtime land developer and investor's estimate, that's 25-33 percent more than it should have paid considering the current market. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:52:00 EST Beth Kassab http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/blogs/beth-kassab/os-beth-kassab-ouc-agrees-to-work-with-pine-hills-on-banners-20120120,0,3029188.story?track=rss Good news for Pine Hills. Not only is the dedication and parade for the new Evans High School tomorrow, but the community learned this week that the Orlando Utilities Commission is now willing to allow it to hang banners on light posts along the neighborhood's main corridors. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:37:00 EST Beth Kassab http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/blogs/beth-kassab/os-beth-kassab-winter-park-police-increase-reward-for-missing-person-stephanie-edwards-20120117,0,7921288.story?track=rss The Winter Park Police Department announced today that it doubled the reward for information in the case of Stephanie Edwards, who went missing in 2010. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:57:00 EST Beth Kassab http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/blogs/beth-kassab/os-beth-kassab-arson-no-longer-ruled-out-in-fire-that-killed-big-tree-the-senator-20120117,0,5652169.story?track=rss In an about-face, the state Division of Forestry is no longer ruling out arson in the fire that killed The Senator, one of the world's largest trees. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:15:00 EST