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Michael Leroy Waite, 63, of Floral City, Fla., after a Florida appeals court ruled that law enforcement officers performing their official duties can be secretly recorded over the telephone because they have no expectation of privacy. The court threw out five felony wiretapping convictions against Waite, who had recorded conversations he had with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office as part of a dispute over his property. (Michael Waite via Fresh Take Florida)

Appeals court says phone conversations with cops can be recorded

Vivienne Serret
Thursday, April 25, 2024
A Florida appeals court effectively opened a loophole in the state’s law against recording telephone conversations without the permission of both sides of the call, ruling that law enforcement officers performing their official duties can be secretly recorded because they have no expectation of privacy.
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Florida private sector job growth rate increases

Ashley Carnifax
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Led by gains in the education and health services sectors, Florida saw a continued increase in the public sector job growth rate for the March 2023 to March 2024 period, according to FloridaCommerce, an agency that combines the state’s economic, workforce, and community development efforts.
St. Cloud Middle School STEM class students spend time fishing on campus at least once a week. SUBMITTED PHOTO

St. Cloud Middle creates STEM class for students hooked on fishing

Debbie Daniel
Thursday, April 25, 2024
In his 15 years of teaching, John Prow has always tried to connect what he enjoys doing in his free time to what he teaches in his job. So about 10 years ago, Prow began writing lesson plans to connect fishing and science. “I love sports and I love the outdoors and fishing, and all along I was writing these ideas and trying to bring them into the classroom,” the St. Cloud Middle School science teacher said.
Residents opposed to the land transfer for Split Oak Forrest relay their concerns to an FWC facilitator at a meeting with Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission staff last week at Osceola Heritage Park to let their opinions and voices be heard. PHOTO/TERRY LLOYD

Residents speak out on fate of Split Oak Forest

Terry Lloyd
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Upwards of 80 concerned individuals came out to Osceola Heritage Park on Thursday evening to provide input to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission staff on the fate of the nature preserve that straddles the Osceola-Orange County line, north of Narcoossee.
Visitors review educational displays inside the Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit at St. Cloud’s Centennial Park April 14. PHOTO/TERRY LLOYD

Wreaths Across America mobile exhibit returns to St. Cloud

Terry Lloyd
Thursday, April 25, 2024
With St. Cloud’s Mount Peace Cemetery and Kissimmee’s Rose Hill Cemetery being two of only five cemeteries in the Greater Orlando area actively partnering with Wreath Across America (WAA), it is no surprise that WAA’s Mobile Education Exhibit (MEE) literally rolled into Centennial Park on April 14. This is the first exhibit in St. Cloud since 2021.
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