Engage

School closings amid declining enrollment. Pulse nightclub sign removed. Allergy season persists year-round. Prison gerrymandering impacts. Power line workers soar.

A new election bill approved by the state House would make Floridians show proof of U.S. citizenship before voting and limit the types of identification people could use at the polls. U.S. Representative Mike Haridopolos discusses similar proposed changes at the federal level. Iranian Americans gathered in Orlando to celebrate the death of the Ayatollah. Representative Anna Eskamani, the first Ira...

Financial indicators are pointing to a robust economy, but consumer experiences are telling a different story. The Florida Roundup takes the show on the road to Central Florida Public Media. Black History Month marks a century this year, and it didn’t start as a celebration. Quilting in Black communities began as survival during slavery and evolved into art and archives of family legacy.

A bill gaining traction in the State Senate says undocumented immigrants driving commercial trucks pose an immediate threat to safety. Representative Maxwell Frost’s communications team turns to crowdsourcing as he reviews unredacted Epstein files. The Orlando Amateur Radio Club explains why people still take to the airwaves in the age of the internet. The Lunar New Year is here, and Central Flori...

In Central Florida, Puerto Ricans make up a significant share of the population, and the cultural impact is increasingly visible. Bethune-Cookman University and NASCAR team up to fast-track students’ careers. Two centuries later, author Jane Austen still captivates fans, and that passion is on display this weekend in Mount Dora.

Orange County plans to limit the number of ICE detainees at the jail and stop a cycle of removing and rebooking used to extend a detainee’s time in custody. Thousands in Central Florida find relief after a court blocks the end of temporary protected status for Haitians, but questions remain about the future. The Licorice Sticks perform in a full orchestra using only clarinets.

While Central Florida continues growing, its largest public school district is shrinking. Seven Orange County schools could shut down soon, and it may not stop there. This week marks 40 years since the Challenger disaster. We revisit that day and the impact it still has on our Space Coast. The weekly Language Exchange at Lake Mary’s Rita’s Café builds a community and creates opportunities to pract...

In Central Florida, immigration enforcement has become more visible and for many families, more frightening. Immigration advocates are responding with prayer vigils and community ICE watch trainings while supporters of stepped-up enforcement and partnering agencies weigh-in. We discuss the key tests this week on our Space Coast to send people back to the moon for the first time in decades. Meet th...

Central Florida reporters break down the issues shaping schools, healthcare, and neighborhoods during the 60-day session in Tallahassee. New legislation would regulate AI data centers, protect privacy, and give local governments more control over technology projects. Stars of the Spectrum performers on the autism spectrum showcase music and community support.

Extra Affordable Care Act discounts ended because Congress let enhanced tax credits expire at the end of 2025. This year the cost of healthcare outweighs the ability to pay for many Central Floridians, but some groups argue ending the temporary subsidies helps long term. A key vote is coming in a long-running dispute over the historic Eatonville Hungerford School property. A UCF Anthropologist sha...

Engage looks back at the most inspiring, the most joyful, the most engaging segments of 2025, including a look at a manatee rescue program, the renovation of a historic home on the Bethune-Cookman campus, a unique skateboarding community, Maitland's finest confections and a look at John Lennon’s visit to Disney World.

Central Florida’s rapid growth is reshaping how people experience home and belonging. Engage hosts a live community conversation examining what helps people stay connected as communities evolve and how the region can build a future where more people feel rooted here.

States are grappling with the federal government over who gets to regulate the artificial intelligence industry, Central Florida gets a new non-NFL football team, The Creative Happiness Institute celebrates all the holidays and Central Florida hoofers gather for a five-day ballroom dancing competition.

Florida’s legislature prepares to redraw the state’s congressional districts as the 2026 legislative session approaches. An F-DOT project brings attention to driver safety on I-4. A Windermere resident faces his troubling past. HBCU athletics return to Central Florida with the first HBCU Hoops Invitational. Jose Juarez puts the flavors of Cuba in a bottle.

Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the Orlando/Kissimmee market near the bottom for wage earners. A StoryCorps program bringing together people from different backgrounds comes to an end. UCF researchers are analyzing saliva to determine the impacts of music on people living with Alzheimer’s.

Florida passed a ‘Stand Your Ground’ law twelve years ago and the impacts across Central Florida communities have exposed inequities in its use.

As the federal government shutdown proceeds through day 37, SNAP recipients are feeling the shortfall. Federal cuts to HIV funding are having dangerous effects on efforts to educate, prevent and treat. Bartow’s own James Van Fleet played a pivotal role in Allied victory in WWII.

Unexpectedly sustained rains douse Coastal Central Florida, causing damage. A category 5 hurricane pummels Jamaica and Millennials figure out late nights mean rough days.

Central Florida communities are responding to teen mental health crisis in Seminole County. UCF’s Institute for Economic Forecasting releases its three year economic predictions. The Bracket Brothers turn barroom debates into playoff brackets.

An Orlando veteran is terminated while on furlough because of the federal government shutdown. Planned Education Department layoffs in its special education division are causing concerns for families of students with unique abilities in Central Florida. Special Olympics Florida is recruiting the next generation of coaches. Hundreds of humans compete on the UCF campus for the honor of best meow.

When the federal government shuts down because lawmakers fail to pass a budget in time, some of the impacts are immediate while others take longer to be felt. A year after Milton made landfall and impacted lives on our coast, we’re looking at what’s changed since in those communities and why October brings unique challenges during the Atlantic Hurricane Season. The 52nd annual Winter Park Autumn A...

47,000 Central Florida Federal Employees Hit by Shutdown, School Libraries Disappearing, Orlando Artist Brings Authenticity and Hip-Hop to the Ring

Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia led a DOGE team looking for waste, fraud and abuse in Orange County and left with accusations of overtaxing. A documentary film looks at how hedge funds are buying up and liquidating American newspapers. Jacob Fatu is making a name in the WWE and a home in Orlando.

The state’s ban on openly carrying a gun is ruled unconstitutional, but the future of firearms laws in Florida is unclear when it comes to what is and is not allowed. In a time of division and tension, Stetson University students find a way to unite, cross party lines, and condemn political violence. A story of sisterhood and survival brings the voices of Black women to the stage in Sanford.

After Florida’s Surgeon General announces plans to roll back vaccine mandates, the state health department clarifies the policies that will change. Mable Butler, the woman known as the matriarch of African American politics in Orlando, has died. On this day of remembrance, we take you to the Orlando Fire Department’s tribute to honor those who died on September 11 , 2001, and hear from the veteran...