Opinion

Florida has executed 114 more killers since then, nine of them this year. Two more are set to die this month.

Florida has executed 114 more killers since then, nine of them this year. Two more are set to die this month.

CAPITOL COLUMN: Trying to avoid 'freakish and whimsical'

Bill Cotterell
Friday, August 15, 2025
Suppose the company you work for is doing something that’s very expensive, takes a lot of time and never delivers the result it was intended to produce.Oh, and one other thing: Do it wrong, and the consequences are ghastly—and irreparable.That’s where Florida finds itself with capital punishment.
My kids are 16 and 10. When I haven’t been a “newsman”, I’ve been like the concerned neighbor watching all of this unfold, asking the questions within the office … How could this happen … unchecked … for years?

My kids are 16 and 10. When I haven’t been a “newsman”, I’ve been like the concerned neighbor watching all of this unfold, asking the questions within the office … How could this happen … unchecked … for years?

FROM THE EDITOR: Seeing Soto case as a newsman . . . and a dad

Ken Jackson
Friday, August 1, 2025
Being the legal epicenter of the universe has its pros and cons.Just like appearing on a national Court TV show as one of the local experts.That was a thing in 2024. If you watch “Closing Arguments with Vinnie Politan”, you saw a familiar face and name—mine.
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CAPITOL COLUMN: Offended by Politics? Get over it

Bill Cotterell
Friday, August 1, 2025
It wasn’t a great political or cultural loss for Florida, but it’s kind of sad that Matt Gaetz quit competitive campaigning this year.The brash young Republican brought a refreshing lack of sensitivity to public appearances, just when “woke” was starting to go out of style.
Mel Gurtov writes Trump bombed Iran and then warned it not to retaliate; if it did, he said Iran would face force “far greater than what was witnessed tonight.”

Mel Gurtov writes Trump bombed Iran and then warned it not to retaliate; if it did, he said Iran would face force “far greater than what was witnessed tonight.”

GUEST EDITORIAL — It's Trump's war now

Mel Gurtov
Friday, July 25, 2025
President Trump announced that the U.S. had bombed three Iranian nuclear sites. Then he messaged that “now is the time for peace.” No, it is time for war.
With growth comes responsibility—and sometimes, tough conversations, the Kissimmee mayor says.

With growth comes responsibility—and sometimes, tough conversations, the Kissimmee mayor says.

From the mayor: Addressing 'tough' concerns downtown

Jackie Espinosa
Thursday, July 24, 2025
Over the past seven months since being sworn in alongside a new city commission, the City of Kissimmee has undergone a transformational shift—one rooted in a renewed commitment to building a bright, safe, and successful future for all residents and small businesses who call our beautiful city home.
People take pictures in front of the Alligator Alcatraz sign at the entrance to the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport. (Photo/Getty Images via News Service of Florida)

People take pictures in front of the Alligator Alcatraz sign at the entrance to the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport. (Photo/Getty Images via News Service of Florida)

CAPITOL COLUMN: Alligator Alcatraz a boon to both sides

Bill Cotterell
Thursday, July 17, 2025
An alert reader sent a snarky comment to the “sound off” column of a newspaper editorial page last week, pointing out that federal rules of the road specify certain colors for highway signs—green for city names and mileage numbers, blue for services like restaurants, gas stations and hotels and...
GUEST EDITORIAL: The future of public media is in our hands

GUEST EDITORIAL: The future of public media is in our hands

GUEST EDITORIAL: The future of public media is in our hands

Judith Smelser
Friday, July 11, 2025
Congress will soon make a decision that could forever change the media landscape in our nation and in Central Florida. It will decide on a proposal that would take back over a billion dollars previously set aside to support public media for the next two years.
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