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Corridor of the Year: What went right and what went wrong?
Commissioner Moore: "Our four corridor chiefs worked hard to organize volunteers and direct the improvements. We got community buy-in all up and down the corridors."
Giving Tuesday: A day of generosity and community
Giving Tuesday highlights the remarkable impact that collective action can have. From donating to local nonprofits and volunteering time at shelters to supporting global causes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended Americans should get the updated COVID-19 vaccine.
CDC survey: Florida among states with low influenza, COVID-19 vaccination rates
Florida had the second lowest influenza vaccination coverage rate, and nine states had lower rates for the newest COVID-19 vaccine.
The thoughtfulness counts more than the timeliness.
Why sending a belated gift is not as bad as you probably think − and late is better than never
Concerns about on-time delivery are so common that people share holiday deadlines for each shipping service. And if you can’t meet these deadlines, there are now handy etiquette guides offering advice on how to inform the recipient.
Everything streaming in December
Entertainment can be overwhelming, with many streaming services adding new shows and movies weekly. Here is a list of new releases in December.
Local News
Flooded cars in Clearwater after the arrival of Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10th, 2024.
Saltwater flooding is a serious fire threat for EVs and other devices with lithium-ion batteries
According to one tally, 11 electric cars and 48 lithium-ion batteries caught fire after exposure to salty floodwater from Helene. In some cases, these fires spread to homes.
A flock of fulvous whistling ducks soars over the Lake Apopka North Shore.
Birds of a feather flock to Lake Apopka North Shore
The Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive has 377 different species of birds that have been spotted on the property, more than any inland site in the United States.
Apopka lights up the Christmas season with annual Tree Lighting ceremony
Join the City of Apopka as the community comes together to celebrate the holiday season with festive lights, holiday displays,  and a special tree lighting ceremony.  
Join Kiwanis Club of Apopka to learn about helping local children through community service projects.

Business
Eggs Up Grill: A great place for breakfast and to connect with the Apopka community
In the Hunt Club Apopka area, there has been a glaring need for a solid breakfast spot, and the Giordanos saw an opportunity to fill the gap and create a place where the community can gather over a hearty meal.
Celebrate the holidays with comfort and savings: Choose natural gas
Whether you’re roasting a picture-perfect Thanksgiving turkey, baking a tasteful Christmas Eve ham, or whipping up your favorite dessert, there’s nothing better than bringing your loved ones together over a delicious meal, and there’s no better way to cook than with natural gas.
Central Florida Soccer Club organizes successful food drive to support Apopka schools
This year, CFSC collected and donated over 7,500 food items to three local elementary schools: Apopka Elementary, Dream Lake Elementary, and Rock Springs Elementary.
“The big goal is to effect change. We want growers to adopt these different automation practices so they become more profitable and more sustainable, and it helps the industry as a whole." - Chris Marble, associate professor of ornamental and landscape weed management at the UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center.
Items like chicken is cheapest at Walmart; ground beef – at Aldi; plain milk – at Costco; whipped cream – at Kroger; and parmesan – at Target. Find out more of where to shop and save for Thanksgiving.
Preliminary estimates say that that 92.1% of that total was domestic, with overseas (5.8%) and Canadians accounting for the remainder (2.2%).
Following the storms, some areas required more effort to get the fields back in working order to complete planting. Growers had to wait until the water receded before they could begin their recovery efforts.
Health

Protect your health and your wallet: Understanding how health insurance works for you

While no one plans to get sick or injured, everyone requires medical care or prescriptions eventually. Health insurance helps you pay less for these, whether you have a minor illness or serious injury.

AdventHealth Apopka earns ‘A’ safety grade from independent national nonprofit watchdog

AdventHealth Apopka

The Leapfrog Group is an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 performance measures.

4 surprising facts about health insurance / 4 datos sorprendentes sobre el seguro de salud

People often think it’s too expensive, too confusing, and too hard to enroll in. Some question whether they need health insurance at all, and they choose to go  without coverage, leaving themselves and their families unprotected from expensive medical bills.

What Florida’s new public anti-camping and sleeping law means for Apopka's homeless

There are no designated homeless shelters in Apopka. Altamonte Springs, Orlando, and Winter Garden are the nearest cities with facilities, but traveling there is typically out of reach for the unhoused.

Abortion funds in Florida carry on despite Amendment 4 loss

FAN is on track to award $500,000 in support by the end of the year, which is approximately $100,000 more than the group dispersed last year, but that figure doesn’t totally reflect the increasing demand.

Military veterans are disproportionately affected by suicide, but targeted prevention can help reverse the tide

Mounting evidence shows that veterans need targeted suicide prevention services.

Identifying the true risk of veteran suicide, especially relative to the general population, is a surprisingly difficult task.

Three reasons to supplement your VA benefits with a Medicare Advantage plan

Veterans may not realize that a Medicare Advantage plan can complement your VA benefits, providing additional coverage and flexibility.

Heartland Haven Foundation presents its 2nd Annual Fall Festival Fundraiser

With free admission and parking, the Fall Festival is designed to bring together families, friends, and supporters for a memorable day on the farm.

Government
The Apopka Voice publishes a weekly arrest report that includes arrests, crashes, calls for service, and traffic citations. This report is for the week ending November 23rd.
On September 22, 2024, Swatkowski was involved in a single-vehicle crash that claimed the life of her 4-year-old daughter and resulted in serious injuries to another child in the vehicle.
The Apopka Voice publishes a weekly burglary report from the Apopka Police Department that includes reported burglaries of businesses, residences, and vehicles. 
Jacob Smith, the Apopka City Administrator, was unsure when the search process for a new economic development director and fire chief would begin and what it would entail.
Apopka City Hall.
Nelson refutes rumors of resigning from Next Step Foundation Board
Apopka Mayor Bryan Nelson denied rumors that he resigned from the Next Step Foundation Board of Directors at the City Council's November 20th meeting.
The coastline in Steinhatchee remains covered in debris on Oct. 3, 2024, following Hurricane Helene.
Citizens Insurance issued living-expenses checks for 40% of claimants at response centers
More than 3,500 Floridians insured through Citizens Property Insurance sought assistance at one of the catastrophe centers Citizens opened following hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton.
Raise a glass of H2O to Orange County Utilities for winning the title of Best Tasting Drinking Water in Central Florida!
Nine utilities competed in the Region III Drinking Water Contest hosted by the Florida Section American Water Works Association (FSAWWA), a statewide association of drinking water professionals.
Opinion

Orange County takes on emerging homelessness issue

It is helpful if we all avail ourselves of knowledge about existing and new programs for the unhoused.  You never know when you might need this information to help a person avoid camping on the street.
Counting primaries, runoffs, and general elections, this is Bankson's sixth straight successful campaign. However, Summersill's performance as a first-time candidate was impressive.
Both candidates, incumbent Rep. Doug Bankson (Republican) and challenger Marsha Summersill (Democrat) have ties to Apopka, and the district itself entails all of the city, which is the lynchpin to victory.
It has become virtually impossible for pastors and rabbis to publicly apply social values to the world in which we live without political repercussions.
Bonus Content

Why are bullies so mean? A youth psychology expert explains what’s behind their harmful behavior

Spreading rumors about others is one form of bullying.

No matter your age, if you’re being bullied − there’s help out there.

Fossilized footprints reveal 2 extinct hominin species living side by side 1.5 million years ago

Excavating the new trackway site, with footprints from hominins, birds and other animals visible in foreground. Neil Roach

Ancient fossil footprints are the first evidence of two different hominin species − Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei − living in the same place at the same time.

Is time travel even possible? An astrophysicist explains the science behind the science fiction

If traveling into the past is possible, one way to do it might be sending people through tunnels in space.

Scientists are trying to figure out if time travel is even theoretically possible. If it is, it looks like it would take a whole lot more knowledge and resources than humans have now to do it.

Was Jesus really born in Bethlehem? Why the Gospels disagree over the circumstances of Christ’s birth

A doll representing the infant Jesus in St. Catherine

The differences in the Gospels are hard to reconcile. That’s because, says a scholar, they offer an important insight into the Greco-Roman views of ethnic identity.