In case you missed it: The Apopka news week in review

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In case you missed it: The Apopka news week in review
In case you missed it. The Apopka News Week in Review includes five articles that shaped the City... all in one place, including details on Apopka's water restrictions.
Wekiva High wins Banana Split Showdown
The Geode Sundae: Bruleed bananas with scoops of black sesame, ube, and coffee chocolate ice cream, with bada bing cherry coulis and red miso caramel. Finished with almond white chocolate drizzle, candied coconut, and a cloud of spiced cream was a winner for the Wekiva High Culinary Team.
Lawmakers convene in a joint session in the Florida House of Representatives chamber to hear Gov. Ron DeSantis deliver the State of the State address on March 4, 2025.
House marries insurance litigation changes to phosphate mining bill
The original Senate proposal would establish a defense for companies from lawsuits related to pollution on sites of former phosphate mines, which had drawn wide support, with only three senators voting against it on April 15th. The House tacked on a proposal Friday that would award attorney’s fees to the winning party in insurance litigation to a Senate bill that would extend new legal …
Is your phone listening to you? We fact-checked five surveillance myths
To address these concerns, Stacker.com investigated five common fears about tech surveillance and separated fact from fiction.
Everything coming to Disney+ in May
As May unfolds, Disney+ invites subscribers to dive into a treasure trove of new content, featuring enchanting originals, beloved classics, and exciting series premieres.
Bonus Content
Local News
Florida State University
Students, lawmakers clash over gun violence response after FSU shooting
The protest follows last week's shooting at FSU's Student Union, the state's sixth mass shooting this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Everything coming to Hulu in May
With everything from heartwarming love stories to hilarious raunchy comedies, Hulu’s May offerings give viewers just about anything they want.
Next Step Foundation faces a pivotal year in Apopka’s ongoing homelessness crisis
The Next Step Foundation has set a clear timeline: if a suitable location for a drop-in center and temporary lodging is not secured within the next year, the board will disband and not renew its nonprofit status.
OCPS enters into a unique partnership to boost enrollment 
OCPS has entered into a partnership with a third-party organization to help inform families about the opportunities available in their local public schools. 
Everything coming to Amazon Prime Video in May
In May, Amazon Prime Video will add the sixth season of fan-favorite thriller The Handmaid’s Tale alongside the return of Clarkson’s Farm. May will also mark the return of Nine Perfect Strangers for its second season, alongside the new Original Series Overcompensating.
Apopka Police Department Arrest Report
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 April 19th.
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Since our founding in 2015, we have remained committed to bringing our readers the most important local news stories. We are celebrating ten years this December, so with ten months leading to the big date, we'll be sharing memories along the way. We also want to hear from you so we can make the next ten even better! Read on for more details...
A Des Moines Water Works employee analyzes samples from a nearby river. The regional water utility delivers drinking water to more than 500,000 Iowans.
At a time when so many systems are already under strain, it raises the question: What kind of commitment is the federal government making to the future of clean water in America?
Business
Orange County homeowners build ADUs for aging parents through Ready Set Orange
Launched in August 2024, Ready Set Orange is one of Orange County’s key initiatives to address the affordable housing crisis.  
Andre the Farmer: "Plant everything you can get your hands on"
"I want to talk to you and encourage you to get your first, second, or even 100th fruit tree. Our climates are ideal for growing subtropical and many tropical fruit trees."
Landsea Homes launches sales for 205 homes at two new communities in Apopka
The Landsea Homes corporation of Dallas announced the sales launch of two new developments in Apopka: Oakview and Thompson Village. The developments total 113 homes and 92 townhomes.
Farmworkers at Del Bosque Farms pick and pack melons on a mobile platform in Firebaugh, Calif., in July 2021.
The study determined that if 20% more farmworkers got health insurance coverage, they would have earned $23,063 a year in 2022, up from $22,482 if they did not. In this scenario, their employers would earn $7,303 in net profits per worker annually versus $6,598.
Olsen: "The infrastructure cost required to support development should fall to the property owner and developer. The power, water, sewer, roadways, sidewalks, schools, and parks to support the new development should not fall on current Taxpayers."
A new White House executive order eliminating collective bargaining rights for federal workers has hit Florida particularly hard, as home to major military installations and thousands of federal employees.
With the citrus industry at a crossroads, growers are looking for any solution to cope with the deadly citrus greening disease. Scientists see genetic editing as one potential avenue to rescue Florida’s signature crop, and consumer perceptions of the technology are key. The University of Florida will conduct a survey to gauge consumer preferences in this area.
This work will help guide scientists, citrus growers, and others in the industry with insights into consumers’ perceptions, attitudes, and preferences for gene editing and modification in citrus. 
Health

DOH-Orange hosts Veterans Wellness Fair 

The Florida Department of Health in Orange County offers support through a dedicated Veterans Wellness Fair—an event designed to connect veterans and their families with valuable health and wellness resources.

Flags to fly at half-staff until Monday for FSU shooting

Students sit on blankets on Florida State University’s Landis Green on Dec. 31, 2024, with Landis Hall in the background.

On Thursday, a gunman killed two people near the FSU student union, and six people were hospitalized. Law enforcement has 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, son of a Leon County sheriff’s deputy, in custody.

Healthy smiles, clear vision

Nearly half of adults over age 30 in the U.S. suffer from some form of gum disease. However, many do not go to a dentist or dental clinic yearly for a checkup.

Achoo! Coping with allergy season in Florida

The surge in Florida of sneezing, itchy eyes, and congestion is driven by wind-pollinated trees like pines and oaks - which dominate Florida's landscape.

For families with sick kids, the rise of vaccine hesitancy could be life-threatening

For parents of kids and adult children with immunocompromised systems, the consequences of fewer people vaccinating themselves and their children could be life-threatening.

When the ER isn't the best option

Research shows that up to 66% of ER visits could be treated in a non-urgent setting, like a doctor’s office or urgent care center, which are usually faster and cost less.

Lawmakers eye SNAP cuts, which would scale back benefits that help low-income people buy food at a time of high food prices

A shopper who gets SNAP benefits shops for groceries at a supermarket in Bellflower, Calif., on Feb. 13, 2023.

SNAP helps nearly 42 million people put food on the table, including 1 in 5 children. Americans can usually qualify for SNAP benefits if their income is under 130% of the federal poverty line. A shopper who gets SNAP benefits shops for groceries at a supermarket in Bellflower, Calif., on Feb. 13, 2023. AP Photo/Allison Dinner Tracy Roof , University of …

DOH-Orange hosts Veterans Wellness Fair

Veterans Wellness Fair: Attendees will receive free stress relief tips and participate in mental health education sessions. Counseling services will be available for those needing support, and various educational resources will be provided to veterans, their spouses, and partners.

MORE HEALTH ARTICLES

Government
The Apopka Voice publishes a weekly burglary report from the Apopka Police Department that includes reported burglaries of businesses, residences, and vehicles. 
The state-forced decision has drawn scrutiny from residents and advocacy groups in Apopka, who fear it undermines trust between police and communities, particularly farmworkers and laborers, who form a large part of Apopka's population and history.  
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism spectrum disorder affects approximately one in 36 children and one in 45 adults in the United States.
Neither party – Democrats nor Republicans – is better at fixing crime.
As any student of introductory statistics learns, correlation doesn’t imply causation. Looking at increases or decreases in crime rates in Republican or Democratic cities and claiming either party is to blame would be making exactly this error: confusing correlation with causation.
Apopka Fire Station #5
Apopka celebrates International Firefighters' Day
In a proclamation delivered at the April 16th City Council meeting, Mayor Bryan Nelson declared May 4th International Firefighters’ Day—a citywide tribute to the men and women who put their lives on the line daily and to those who never made it home.
A Veteran’s Mission: Honoring Norris Henderson
Since joining Heart of Florida United Way, Henderson has transformed Mission United into a vital support system for veterans across Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties.
International relief organizations in Florida impacted by USAID cuts
The funding cuts also reverberate in the Sunshine State, home to more than 120 registered international relief organizations - among the highest concentrations in the country - including Miami-based World Relief and Coconut Creek's Food for the Poor.

MORE GOVERNMENT ARTICLES

Opinion

Downtown Apopka at a Crossroads: Will CRA funds spark a comeback - or be killed in Tallahassee?

Downtown Apopka.
Winter Garden and Apopka both began their CRAs in the early 1990s. The Winter Garden CRA created an explicit plan and measurable deliverables. Apopka’s CRA documents were just aspirational.
With recent changes to federal and state laws, there has been a growth of hostility towards immigrants in the community, as well as concerning ICE raids used to enforce new rules.
Dilapidated buildings in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit was an early adopter of the Suburban Experiment, and it’s reached the financial collapse stage earlier than other cities as well.
Every mile of road, every pipe in the ground, every pump or sewer or sidewalk—these are all promises. They’re not just infrastructure. They’re obligations. Residents pay their taxes with the reasonable expectation that the city will maintain all the infrastructure it has built.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials confirmed their intent to move forward with a controversial trophy bear hunt in December 2025—despite admitting that Florida’s black bear population has not increased since 2015.

MORE OPINION ARTICLES

Bonus Content

How one woman lost 145 pounds — without GLP-1 medication

(BPT) - At just 30 years old, Gabby weighed 299 pounds and was prediabetic. Due to her weight, she experienced hip and foot pain. She struggled to walk short distances, which made it difficult to …

Most popular and emerging diamond shapes by state

VRAI looks at the most popular and emerging diamond shape trends in select states—and the styles that may complement them best.

The hidden history of Philadelphia’s window-box gardens and their role in urban reform

Window-box gardening has been a Philly tradition since the 1800s. Sonja Dümpelmann, CC BY-SA

A landscape historian explains how a Victorian tradition became a tool for social change in 19th- and 20th-century Philadelphia.

How do children learn to read? This literacy expert says ‘there are as many ways as there are students’

Not all children learn to read in the same way, but schools tend to adopt a single approach to literacy.

US schools are going all in on phonics, but research shows that approach won’t work for every child. A blended literacy strategy can get more students reading.

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