Orange County News - OrlandoSentinel.com

House fire may have been caused by lit candles

By Arelis R. Hernández, Orlando Sentinel — Sun, 27 May 2012 18:33:19 GMT

Firefighters contained a blaze that threatened to engulf a Pine Hills home where four adults lived, one of whom said candles may have caused the fire, officials said.

Vietnamese community inaugurates site for war memorial

By Arelis R. Hernández, Orlando Sentinel — Sun, 27 May 2012 13:39:00 GMT

Vietnamese and American war veterans commemorated in Baldwin Park memorial.

Due to incorrect information provided to the Sentinel, an earlier version of this story misstated Raymond Burr's age in 1965. He was 26.

What's not to like about free library e-books? Waiting list

By Anika Myers Palm, Orlando Sentinel — Sun, 27 May 2012 01:46:00 GMT

Central Florida public-library patrons have been borrowing e-books with an enthusiasm that has surprised librarians, and they're clamoring for more titles to be available digitally.

Changes create districts that look ripe for Democrats, Hispanic candidates

By Aaron Deslatte , Tallahassee Bureau Chief — Sun, 27 May 2012 01:40:00 GMT

TALLAHASSEE — Call it the curse of political gerrymandering: While Central Florida's urban core has shifted Democratic and Hispanic in the last decade, the region's representation in Tallahassee remained overwhelming Republican and white.

Amid hazing scandal, a call for review of FAMU finances

By Denise-Marie Balona , Orlando Sentinel — Sun, 27 May 2012 01:36:00 GMT

Hazing investigation amid Robert Champion's death raises questions about university's financial controls

Last summer, state education leaders told Florida A&M University about complaints involving "fraudulent" audits submitted by the school — "executive summaries" for internal financial reviews that, in fact, had not been done.

Bobby Sippio, recently cut by Orlando Predators, arrested on attempted-murder charge

Susan Jacobson , Orlando Sentinel — Sun, 27 May 2012 00:43:49 GMT

The former Osceola High School Kowboys quarterback and a friend beat and kicked Sippio's girlfriend's brother, deputies say.

Bobby Sippio, a wide receiver recently cut by the Orlando Predators, remained jailed without bail Saturday after his girlfriend's brother told deputies Sippio and another man kidnapped him, beat him and threatened to kill him.

FAMU hazing would not be tolerated in football

Beth Kassab — Sat, 26 May 2012 19:57:00 GMT

If Robert Champion were a quarterback instead of a drum major , and Julian White were head coach instead of band director, the scene at FAMU would be very different today.

FCAT failures show test-obsessed teaching falls short

Scott Maxwell — Sat, 26 May 2012 19:55:00 GMT

To fully appreciate how deeply flawed Tallahassee's approach to public education is, you must look beyond the recent news of abysmal FCAT scores — and look at how we got here.

Firefighters monitoring 'suspicious' brush fire near International Drive

By Arelis R. Hernández, Orlando Sentinel — Sat, 26 May 2012 13:44:00 GMT

Orange County firefighters are monitoring a suspicious brush fire that caused state highway troopers to close Interstate 4 on Friday, officials said.

Man arrested in fatal shooting at east Orange apartment complex

Susan Jacobson , Orlando Sentinel — Sat, 26 May 2012 03:38:00 GMT

Jonathan Gonzalez, 24, was killed in April.

Orange County deputies Friday arrested a 21-year-old man who they say shot another man to death in April at an east Orange County apartment complex.

I-4 drivers warned of possible smoke this weekend from brush fire | Video, photos

By Amy Pavuk and Susan Jacobson , Orlando Sentinel — Sat, 26 May 2012 00:42:00 GMT

Drivers on Interstate 4 will want to exercise caution this weekend in case a brush fire that closed the highway near the Orange-Osceola county line Friday flares up again.

Orlando new-home sales, home construction are up

By Mary Shanklin , Orlando Sentinel — Fri, 25 May 2012 23:46:00 GMT

Business has picked up from last year for Orlando-area homebuilders, and at least some of their new customers are an unlikely group of buyers: former foreclosure victims.

Applicants line up for top job at Orlando expressway authority

By Dan Tracy, Orlando Sentinel — Fri, 25 May 2012 23:41:00 GMT

Nearly three dozen people have applied to run Metro Orlando's road-building agency and replace an interim director who repeatedly turned down the job.

Slain street preacher identified after crash kills 3, including 2 suspected killers

By Susan Jacobson and Arelis R. Hernández, Orlando Sentinel — Fri, 25 May 2012 19:33:00 GMT

Earlier this week, a street preacher was gunned down in Holden Heights and within days his suspected killers were dead themselves after their car overturned in a ditch while fleeing from Orlando Police.

Memorial Day events in the Orlando area

Fri, 25 May 2012 18:18:09 GMT

Memorial Day Ceremony : 11 a.m. Friday; Starke Lake Gazebo, 125 N. Lakeshore Drive, Ocoee. Ocoee Police Department Honor Guard and Ocoee High School Air Force JROTC Color Guard. Details: 407-905-3100.

After budget cut, Orange clerk's office to close early starting in July

By Jeff Weiner , Orlando Sentinel — Fri, 25 May 2012 17:45:15 GMT

The Orange County Clerk's Office soon will begin closing its doors to the public earlier as a result of new budget cuts scheduled to take effect July 1, officials said Friday.

Carl Vance: Motel-room strangler sentenced to life in prison

By Jeff Weiner , Orlando Sentinel — Fri, 25 May 2012 16:08:50 GMT

A man accused of strangling his girlfriend to death in an extended-stay motel room in 2010 was found guilty of first-degree murder on Friday and sentenced to life in prison.

Weekend events to close downtown Orlando roads

By Arelis R. Hernández, Orlando Sentinel — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:42:00 GMT

Weekend events in downtown Orlando will close a number of streets that could make it difficult to get around.

Mother: Michelle Parker's twins seem unhappy with dad

By Arelis R. Hernández, Orlando Sentinel — Fri, 25 May 2012 12:37:00 GMT

Michelle Parker's mother spoke out on the Today Show this morning saying her twin grandchildren look unhappy with their father Dale Smith and she wants greater visitation rights.

Orlando police: 2 murder suspects die in crash while fleeing

Susan Jacobson , Orlando Sentinel — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:44:00 GMT

Two murder suspects were killed and three other people were critically hurt in a car crash Thursday night as they fled from Orlando police, investigators said.

Report: Man beaten in Orange County home invasion

Fri, 25 May 2012 11:40:00 GMT

A 61-year-old man was beaten, bound and robbed by two masked gunmen that broke into his Orange County home Friday morning while he was sleeping, Clickorlando.com is reporting.

Orlando-area rents rise with few new apartments on way

By Mary Shanklin , Orlando Sentinel — Fri, 25 May 2012 03:22:00 GMT

Limited competition from new apartments in Metro Orlando continues to drive up local rents, which rose 0.6 percent during the first quarter, according to a new report from Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services Inc.

Remembering DuRocher, SVG; scolding pols

Scott Maxwell — Fri, 25 May 2012 01:57:00 GMT

In this edition of the Friday Files, we have everything from praise for police officers who are making you safer to scorn for politicians who are wasting your money — and insulting your intelligence.

Disney, Universal ads appear next to sex links

By Walter Pacheco , Orlando Sentinel — Thu, 24 May 2012 23:45:00 GMT

Walt Disney World ads featuring Mickey Mouse promoting travel and hotel deals ran alongside online links for sex shops, nudist resorts and other adult services, a report released Thursday shows.

Deliberations continue tomorrow in phone cord strangling murder trial

By Jeff Weiner , Orlando Sentinel — Thu, 24 May 2012 21:46:44 GMT

Deliberation began today in the murder trial of a man accused of strangling his girlfriend to death at an extended-stay motel.