Unbeaten Spruce Creek (19-0) proved it is the area’s top team after toppling top-seeded Apopka The Hawks advanced to the state semifinals to be held May 9 at the AdventHealth Training Center in Tampa The upset propelled Spruce Creek to the top of this week’s rankings We looked at schools in seven area counties (Orange Brevard and Indian River) and compiled the High School on SI Top 25 Central Florida flag football postseason rankings The rankings are based on regular season records Reach Jeff Gardenour on Twitter @JMarkG1962 or email him at jgardenour1962@gmail.com Region 1 semifinals and then beat Apopka in the final The Hawks next take on top-seeded Wellington in the state semifinals on May 9 at 7 p.m The winner will play either Alonso or Palmetto for the title on May 10 Leading Spruce Creek is senior quarterback Jillian Truax who has passed for more 3,100 yards and 31 touchdowns and rushed for almost 1,200 yards and 13 TDs Orange County’s top team extended its win streak to 10 with its 27-0 mauling of Jacksonville Mandarin in the Class 4A but then fell to Spruce Creek to end its season The Blue Darters were led by senior quarterback/linebacker Jhenell Francis who passed for more than 1,500 yards and 14 TDs rushed for more than 1,700 yards and 20 TDs and made three interceptions District 4 champ Wolves had their nine-game win streak snapped by Spruce Creek in the regional semifinals Junior quarterbacks Kyla Tometi and Laina Difebbo junior wide receivers Becca Shaw and Naomi Hamilton and senior athlete Alex Lue Pann led the team this season had its seven-game win streak snapped by top-seeded Wellington Leading the Longhorns this year were senior quarterback Martha Edwards Junior dual-threat quarterback Isabel Meadows led the team this season with more than 2,500 yards passing and a whopping 41 TDs and more than 80 yards rushing and seven scores who were the only team to beat Apopka in the regular season and finished as Class 4A The Hawks were led this season by sophomore quarterback Fabi Kreubel District 4 champ Lions fell hard to Ponte Vedra They were one of only two Central Florida schools to finish the regular season unbeaten Leading Oviedo were senior quarterback Ansley Devos and junior athletes Jada Joy and Kiara Hernandez Region 2 quarterfinal and then fell to top-seeded Hernando Leading New Smyrna Beach this year were senior quarterback Emma Corr and junior linebackers Ashlynn Endicott and Zanial Toledo District 7 champ Tigers lost to unbeaten Green Cove Springs Clay On the outside looking in: Kissimmee Gateway (11-6) To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — A+ Teacher Janelle Doby encourages curiosity and the spirited back-and-forth debate over ideas in her class. she goes all out to really make sure her students understand what they are learning “I think as English teachers we worry that they’re just going to navigate life without asking questions or seeking knowledge and that’s a little terrifying for us and so we kind of like push them to start looking and asking questions,” she said Doby is in her element when she is in the classroom “They do seem eager to learn if they feel that you are eager to teach them,” she said She is just as eager to reach her students She changes out her classroom decorations based on the literature that her students are poring over we had the hats up because we read Macbeth and we had like the three witches Shakespeare is the first time they’ve interacted with that kind of language so I try to make it as approachable as possible,” she explained While she is in her third year of teaching she said being an educator was not her first career choice I actually was an accountant for General Motors.” Doby is head of the class and is enjoying steering her students’ learning “I like showing the kids that there’s a world outside of the world that they live in It’s fun to watch them start to peel back layers and realize nothing we read is just surface level There’s always like a deeper meaning in everything we’re reading so I really enjoy seeing the light come on for them,” she explained “I hope they take away that even if they don’t like reading that they understand that there is a story bigger than all of us in everything that we’ve read.” About two weeks after hundreds of fish on Lake Apopka died floating to the surface of the lake and concerning area residents and fishing enthusiasts a reason for the fish kill event remains unclear according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission No evidence points to either an algal bloom or low dissolved oxygen levels in the water as the fish kill’s likely cause which also reports it received 31 fish kill reports for Lake Apopka between January 31 and February 11 Cold temperatures can also trigger fish kills, especially if water temperatures drop suddenly or last for an extended period of time, according to FWC Other common fish kill causes include disease Orange County resident Andy Braddock calls Lake Apopka, Florida’s fourth-largest lake, his “happy place.” Braddock says he spends lots of time fishing on the lake, and captured video of the fish kill event there after recently discovering the dead fish while out boating including fishing enthusiasts who frequent Lake Apopka are concerned the state’s herbicide strategy for aquatic plant management may be too aggressive Herbicides are used to control the spread of invasive aquatic plants but some worry the chemicals in those herbicides may do more harm than good RELATED: As pollution plagues Florida lakes, state spends millions to manage invasive plants FWC is not currently applying any herbicide to Lake Apopka, according to agency data, but did apply herbicide to treat hydrilla there in 2023 Some fish that washed up onto Lake Apopka’s south shore at the Oakland Nature Preserve are still decomposing But no more dead fish appear to be floating up to the surface “It seems like the active event is over,” O’Brien said FDEP continues to analyze water samples FWC collected during the fish kill Johns River Water Management District also collected water samples Staff with FWC also collected dead fish for analysis but those necropsies so far haven’t yielded conclusive results ORANGE COUNTY – Crews in Orange County are reporting that a brush fire that caused traffic headaches for motorists on Saturday afternoon is out According to officials from Orange County Fire Rescue the estimated 25-acre brush fire was in the area of S.R that “crews are reporting that the fire is out,” but will remain on the scene to check for hotspots The fire temporarily had the westbound lanes of S.R 414 closed near mile marker 5 in the Apopka area while crews battled the fire No injuries have been reported and there are no immediate threats to structures in the area [EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos] #BrushFire Multiple units are on scene of a brush fire in the area of SR 414 and Lakeville Rd. Use caution in the immediate area and expect road closures. pic.twitter.com/inSh4yCfJk Officials asked motorists to use caution in the area and to “expect road closures.” Copyright 2025 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved mostly as a photojournalist and video journalist before joining Spectrum News 13 as a web editor and digital journalist in 2021 TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us / Follow on Social Media Careers at WKMG Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications EEO Report Disability Assistance Copyright © 2025 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group #BrushFire Multiple units are on scene of a brush fire in the area of SR 414 and Lakeville Rd. Use caution in the immediate area and expect road closures. pic.twitter.com/inSh4yCfJk The state has identified more than 1,000 freshwater springs One top spot for amazing clean water is Rock Springs and the Kings Landing launching point in Apopka Kings Landing tour guide Nigel Stafford-Haworth takes guests up and down the Rock Springs Wekiva River Run daily It's top-quality water,” said Stafford-Haworth Guests rent kayaks from Kings Landing that offers a variety of both guided and self-guided tours along the river a lot of guests come from all over the world,” said Stafford-Haworth A couple of things make the Rock Springs Run unique to other springs around the state of Florida Much of the river is very shallow (ankle deep) in many spots and the run is very narrow giving paddlers the feeling they are traveling in a unique world The highlight of the river is what is known as the “Emerald Cut’ section of Rock Springs. You will know you have entered the area because of the large cypress trees growing out of the middle of the river and the canopy that covers overhead bringing amazing shade on hot days “The Emerald Cut has some of the most amazing colored water anywhere in the state of Florida,” said Stafford-Haworth The area is known for its “emerald colored water” that shines underneath the trees One way to experience the spring is with the Kings Landing VIP kayak/paddleboard tour The guided excursion is for both beginner and intermediate paddlers The ride will begin in a golf cart and take your through the forest of Kelly Park where you may see wildlife Your guide will drive you to a special launching point that is near the famous Emerald Cut The VIP experience will save you paddling time and effort “The VIP is special because we eliminate all that hard work and we get driven up to the top of the river The Kings Landing VIP Tour is $89 for adults and $79 for children 5 to 14 years old The tour lasts 2.5 hours and covers about 3 miles of river Kings Landing is located at 5722 Baptist Camp Rd. — Thousands of dead fish have washed up along the shores of Lake Apopka this week causing alarm among nearby residents and prompting an investigation Two agencies have collected water samples and are looking into finding the cause Andy Braddock is a sixth-generation Floridian who has lived in Apopka for 25 years After hearing about fish kill reports in Lake Apopka he decided to go out on his boat to see for himself He said what he found is unlike anything he's ever seen before. “There were some recreational fishermen on Thursday and Friday that reached out and said we’re starting to see a good number of dead fish that were floating in Apopka,’ which isn’t uncommon," Braddock said the reports got worse and on Sunday was pretty catastrophic." he saw dead fish washing ashore everywhere around the lake “To see it actually in action was devastating and it was hundreds of thousands of fish,” he said In an email, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said staff took water samples from Lake Apopka on Feb “It’s a very popular spot with all the wildlife and to see this devastation is alarming," Braddock said "This is the largest fish kill that this lake has seen in a half century." fish kills can occur in Florida bodies of water for various reasons harmful algal blooms like blue-green algae Spectrum News also reached out the St. Johns River Water Management District about the incident They said FWC is the lead investigator on this matter and will provide their findings once their analysis is complete Johns River Water Management District has also collected additional water quality samples in the area the District collected two samples for harmful algal bloom (HAB) evaluation one sample at the south end of the lake near the Oakland Nature Preserve and a second in the northwest portion of the lake near the inlet canal for the Marsh Flow-Way These samples were sent to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s lab for algal identification and toxin evaluation will be analyzed to better understand the cause.” Results from the two tests will be analyzed to better understand what may be killing the fish with FWC and not rush to any judgment on what it is … people on both sides of some of the opinions on why this happened," Braddock said "We need to wait for the facts to come in." According to the St. Johns River Water Management District’s website, Lake Apopka is the state’s fourth-largest lake making it Central Florida’s first tourist attraction impacts to the lake over many decades degraded its water quality and fisheries and led the lake to be named Florida’s most polluted large lake Johns River Water Management District and its partners have been working to improve water quality and clarity and the restoration of fish and wildlife habitats but now they are faced with this fish kill and need to investigate what caused it FWC officials said fish kill reports from the public are vital in responding to events like this. They encourage the public to please submit fish kill reports to their Fish Kill Hotline at 1-800-636-0511 It remains unclear why hundreds of dead fish floated to the surface of Lake Apopka two weeks ago Cold temperatures can also trigger fish kills, especially if water temperatures drop suddenly or last for an extended period of time, the agency says. Other common causes include disease Orange County resident Andy Braddock calls Lake Apopka, Florida’s fourth-largest lake, his “happy place.” Braddock says he spends lots of time fishing on the lake and captured video of the fish kill after recently discovering the event while boating including fishing enthusiasts who frequent the lake FWC is not currently applying herbicide to Lake Apopka, according to agency data, but did apply herbicide to treat hydrilla there in 2023 Some fish that washed onto Lake Apopka’s south shore at the Oakland Nature Preserve are still decomposing But no more dead fish appear to be rising to the surface State environmental officials continue to analyze water samples that FWC collected during the fish kill but those necropsies haven’t yielded conclusive results Copyright 2025 Central Florida Public Media FL – Orange County Utilities invites Orange County residents to a Household Hazardous Waste and Electronic Waste* Community Collection Event on Saturday Participants will have the opportunity to properly dispose of hazardous and electronic waste – free of charge The following items will be accepted (paint and chemicals limited to 25 gallons per vehicle): Participants are prohibited from bringing biologically active materials and pressurized cylinders (except propane tanks as noted above) No regular garbage or commercial waste is accepted *An item is considered electronic waste if it contains a circuit board For more information, please call the Orange County Utilities Solid Waste Hotline at 407-836-6601, visit www.ocfl.net/HHW, or email Solid.Waste@ocfl.net This website is unavailable in your location It appears you are attempting to access this website from a country outside of the United States therefore access cannot be granted at this time MEASLES - Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease The best way to protect against it is through the measles Kent Donahue kent.donahue@flhealth.gov — The Florida Department of Health in Orange County (DOH-Orange) cautions the public of the presence of blue-green algae in Lake Apopka - Newton Park dock on December 27 Blue-green algae have the potential to produce toxins Since environmental conditions can change at any time even if presence of toxins has not yet been confirmed Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautions: Blue-green algae are a type of bacteria that is common in Florida’s freshwater environments A bloom occurs when rapid growth of algae leads to an accumulation of individual cells that discolor water and often produce floating mats that emit unpleasant odors Blue-green algae blooms can also appear as scum, foam, or paint on the surface of the water in various colors. To learn more about the appearance of algae blooms, visit Protecting Florida Together Some environmental factors that contribute to blue-green algae blooms are sunny days Blooms can appear year-round but are more frequent in summer and fall Many types of blue-green algae can produce toxins Blue-green algae may not always be visible as a bloom which can be harmful to humans and pets as well as ecosystems the elderly and those who are immunocompromised) may still be at risk even at low concentrations and should avoid any exposure For additional information on potential health effects of algae blooms, visit the Florida Department of Health's harmful algae blooms webpage Where Can I Find Current Water Status Information Current information about Florida’s water quality status and public health notifications for harmful algae blooms and beach conditions is available at Protecting Florida Together. You can subscribe to receive notifications when water quality changes in your area Where Can I Report Issues Related to Algae Blooms If you have other health questions or concerns about blue-green algae The Department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state some Apopka residents are still nervously watching water levels rise near their homes as retention ponds overflow and Seminole County will need to work together to fix the issue With floodwaters lapping at her driveway in Apopka’s Wekiva Village she thought she and her family had gotten lucky Thursday night she noticed floodwaters creeping up using whatever they had on hand to track it So things really picked up quickly,” Barrick said crews had to cut off power to her home and some of her neighbors because of concerns that the water might cause their transformer to blow A generator was brought in to keep the lift station going and keep wastewater from coming up to their homes it went up another half-inch,” she explained According to Orange County’s Stormwater Management Division the latter of which is under Seminole County’s jurisdiction back-flowed into Orange County’s street drainage system and overwhelmed the wetland and lake at the end of Barrick’s street District 2 Commissioner Christine Moore said they are working hand in hand to fix the problem we had a discussion and discovered now it is another city lake that is pouring into the county’s system under the road to our pond," Moore said "So the temporary solution would be for the city to plug up that inlet as well.” Apopka Mayor Bryan Nelson said he’s been watching the flooding in the area The city initially was trying to pump water until the ponds got too full Now they are implementing temporary solutions “So we are taking a little over 3 million gallons of stormwater and processing it at our wastewater treatment plant," Nelson said "So we are taking water out of this area and taking it over to our plant on Cleveland Street.” Both Nelson and Moore agree there needs to be a permanent fix to this issue that will take time stuck without power until the waters recede As she continues to watch the water inch closer to her back door she’s disappointed that the city didn’t do anything sooner “If it’s going to cost millions of dollars to fix this — who is going to buy our homes Barrick said "Like we can’t just move and this is a problem that has to be fixed and it was a failure of local government According to Orange County Stormwater Management staffers are working on a potential solution and will have recommendations to the city of Apopka Barrick and many of her neighbors brought up the issue at the city council meeting Wednesday evening. Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore has filed to run for Apopka Mayor in 2026 who is in her second term on the County Commission said there needs to be a change in leadership at the city level a lot of problems,” Moore told Florida Politics “I’d like to get in there and bring the rancor and ill will down and move toward creating a beautiful downtown together.” Apopka’s City Election will be held March 10 Moore is the first candidate to file for a city office in that election Mayor Bryan Nelson has not announced if he will seek another term Moore announced her candidacy for the city office Monday. With the election in March, the County Commissioner will need to resign from her current term on the Commission That resignation cannot be revoked regardless of the city election turns out Moore intends to stay in office until April 2026 when the next Mayor of Apopka takes office Ron DeSantis may appoint another Commissioner to serve out her term also a County Commissioner when he first ran for Apopka Mayor Rick Scott named Rod Love to serve out Nelson’s term and Moore won the District 2 seat on the County Commission in November 2018 More previously served on the Orange County School Board from 2009 through 2018 professional musician and real estate investor and has lived in Apopka for 35 years She listed accomplishments during her term in office including a $125 million Orange County Utilities septic-to-sewer program to improve water quality and protect Wekiwa Springs The county recently celebrated its 500th home conversion as part of the program which long-term plans to convert 2,000 homes to sewer service She said she secured state dollars to improve stacking at the State Park entranceway Moore also pointed out that more than 424.7 acres of conservation land in District 2 were preserved she supported a rural boundary preservation amendment passed in 2024 Moore was also instrumental in the Magnolia Park upgrades The Commissioner said she had largely focused on infrastructure and will attend a ribbon-cutting at a new bridge next week on U.S She voted to fund the Accelerated Transportation Safety Program for streetlights Moore led the effort for the county to fund a Northwest Orange Comprehensive Area Transportation Study “I am going to do a lot to increase the pipeline for talent and city involvement,” she said “It’s been a city really run by one person and we need to broaden and bring more people to the process.” This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL © Copyright by Extensive-Enterprises 2025. All rights reserved. STAFF LOGIN APOPKA – The Apopka City Council on Wednesday approved Orlando’s deputy police chief as its own Dr. Lovetta Quinn-Henry was unanimously approved as the next deputy chief of the Apopka Police Department, the agency announced on social media Quinn-Henry serves as the deputy chief for the Orlando Police Department where she’s spent the last 25 years and has filled various leadership roles according to an Apopka City Council staff report she has played a critical leadership role as the Team Commander for the Critical Incident Stress Management Team providing support during high-profile incidents such as the Pulse Nightclub shooting Quinn-Henry holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice a master’s degree in public administration and a doctorate in philosophy She’s a graduate of the Southern Police Institute’s Command Officer Development Course the Liberty University Criminal Justice Executive Leadership Class and the FBI Federal Executive Development School She’s expected to start at Apopka Police Department on May 1, the Apopka Chief reported joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021 — A+ Teacher Kristin Brown Steele has mastered the science of teaching science She welcomes questions because she does not want to discourage her students’ natural curiosity As Steele circles her classroom to interact with her students at Wolf Lake Middle School Steele has been teaching for more than 21 years and says science is truly her passion You problem solve and you find solutions.” That is exactly what she shows her students how to do “So the students right now are looking at weathering at different locations They’re looking at the different kinds of weathering like chemical Steele admits the subject can be a challenge The concepts are hard but if you make a way for the students to understand they’ll understand it right off the top and you’ll see that aha moment when they get it,” she says one of my students got a hundred on one of his tests and he was so happy It is those smiles that motivate Steele to look for unique ways to make learning fun they can see it and have a conversation with the people at their table and they’re able to understand the concept of weathering a lot easier.” there is no other place she would rather be — Making Apopka a destination spot is a goal for city leaders an iconic space in the city will soon be seeing major improvements Orange County leaders recently voted to approve $75 million to fund 11 projects over the next 5 years as part of excess Tourist Development Tax dollars The City of Apopka is preparing to spend $13.1 million dollars of that to revamp their Northwest Recreation Complex and Amphitheater That money is thanks to Orange County’s tourist development tax dollars general manager at the Hilton Garden Inn Apopka City Center says he’s confident the TDT grant to Apopka will help generate more hotel stays here “It’s going to help us compete with other cities,” he said Friedrich says his hotel sees an influx of business travel “The Northwest Recreation Complex is a gem for the city we need to modernize it and we need to stay relevant,” he said Apopka Mayor Bryan Nelson shared his vision for the park so it’s kind of the crown jewel of Apopka,” said Nelson while riding around in a golf cart The mayor said the city will be adding amenities to the amphitheater where they have outside concerts to make it more user-friendly. right now they have to bring porta-potties well that’s an extra expense for the promoters,” said Nelson Apopka Mayor Bryan Nelson shows Spectrum News the renderings that show an additional ring at the top of the hill where food trucks will be “We’re going to be adding another bathroom another bathroom at the top of the hill,” he said the city hopes to have bigger and better concerts here and bring more tourists to Apopka which is where we’re going to put the four additional softball fields,” he said Apart from the current 12 baseball and softball fields which means they come from farther away which means more hotel night stays more sales tax dollars coming in to the City of Apopka Orange County and the State of Florida,” he said Nelson says the money hotels are already collecting here in Apopka will come back to Apopka “We in the City of Apopka have five hotels so we generate between 3/4 of a million to a million dollars a year in hotel taxes,” he said Nelson says toward the first quarter of next year The city will pay for the project in stages and then Orange County will reimburse the $13.1 million over three years — Orange County Commissioners have approved $11 million in funding to build at least 300 affordable multifamily housing units in Apopka addressing the growing housing crisis in the county known as “The Mira,” will be located along Spring Lane It is a collaborative effort between Apopka Leased Housing Associates and Neighborhood Lending Partners of Florida The funding includes $7 million from the county’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund Loan and $4 million from the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Mayor Jerry Demings stated the new housing units will be available to families earning no more than 60% of the area median income Local resident Roy Floyd said projects like this could make a significant difference for families like his referring to the financial stress his family faces “A development like this would be a big break for us.” of the Christian Service Center for the Homeless praised the project as a step in the right direction but noted the county’s deficit of 150,000-200,000 affordable units but an important one that sets a precedent for more to come,” Gray said 30% of the units will waive application fees and lower credit score requirements to meet low-barrier thresholds — Hurricane season starts on June 1. and many Central Floridians are preparing for the season ahead of time. the city council approved something called the Border Lake Pumping Plan. This plan will help manage water levels in a number of Apopka lakes The project is in collaboration with Orange County and the overall goal is to control water levels. Apopka city council members voted for this unanimously The utility design manager for the city’s public service department says the project will be taken in steps Each lake is two to three feet above the seasonal average Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore says she’s looking forward to this project “Water will be pumped through hoses with pumps through a neighborhood through five lakes and under Piedmont Wekiwa Road into an existing drain well in Lake Page the neighborhood flooded as a result of three surrounding lakes spilling into lower areas She says she wants the county to stay ahead of storm season. “Understand it’s not going to take the 100-year storm anymore It’s not going to take all the stars aligning anymore It’s going to take something significantly less to create that problem for us again,” Jones said Moore says the county is filing the paperwork She tells Spectrum News 13 they have preliminary approval from the St They’re giving the county 90 days to pump the water. This is only a short-term solution. Moore hopes to find a long-term solution in the future. – Decades of work and millions of dollars have gone into restoring Lake Apopka but now hundreds of dead fish are showing up along the shoreline Our News 6 team started receiving messages from residents concerned about the situation and set out Tuesday to see it for ourselves met our crew at the MacDonald Canal Boat ramp and invited us on his boat He estimates the dead fish can be seen along 8 miles of the northwest shore “I even saw pickerel when I was out yesterday I saw a pickerel in this lake for the first time.” says the volume and mass of dead and rotting fish is astounding “It’s pretty much the entire western shore of Lake Apopka and Lake Apopka is the fourth largest lake in the state,” said Braddock Nothing like this has happened in this lake in a long time.” Braddock says he started getting calls on Thursday from people who spotted the fish Something to this scale is not common,” he said The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed with News 6 Tuesday that they are investigating after receiving numerous fish kill reports FWC staff took water samples and potential fish kill samples from the lake on Monday to be analyzed in a lab who has also spent years studying the lake on his own shared his concerns about chemicals that are sprayed to manage aquatic vegetation “I don’t believe that it’s the chemicals directly that killed the fish That’s directly linked to the spraying,” said Braddock FWC does use control methods, like selectively spraying, to remove invasive aquatic plants, like hydrilla, from waterways across the state. Information shared by the agency online says it is part of public land managers' mission to preserve and restore Florida’s ecosystems Our News 6 team asked if this technique has been used in Lake Apopka recently The agency confirmed there was an herbicide spot treatment on Jan 10 in two small residential canals connected to the southwest end of the lake Braddock says when large amounts of aquatic vegetation rot He says it’s possible the recent temperature drop triggered the release of nutrients from the decaying plant matter which creates an ideal condition for algae to flourish and you had a suspension of nutrients that fueled this giant algae bloom,” said Braddock An official cause of the fish kill has not been determined and a spokesperson with FWC said it can take up to 10 days to get results from their lab samples “I think there’s a lot more to this challenge than just spray or don’t spray,” said Braddock “This lake is one of the most studied lakes probably in the world in ecological literature and there were a lot of theories about what we should do from very smart people that have other research facilities across the country and we’ve got 25 years of data now to go back and look at but we’re not doing that.” Lake Apopka was once considered the most polluted lake in Florida, and News 6 has reported on how it has rebounded from decades of contamination caused primarily by farms that once lined the lake’s northern shore As a result of clean-up efforts, phosphorus concentrations in Lake Apopka have declined 69% since the late 1980s while water clarity has increased 93%, according to the St. Johns Water Management District Braddock says he has loved watching the comeback over the last decade and seeing it in its current state is just “really sad.” this is an amazing place and I think it just needs to be managed better.” FWC says fish kill reports from the public are vital in responding to events like this, we encourage the public to please submit fish kill reports to our Fish Kill Hotline at 1-800-636-0511 Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: the spotlight has been on people who are in the country illegally But there are thousands of immigrants in Central Florida who are here legally standing in line waiting to become citizens For 11 years, Hope CommUnity Center in Apopka has been offering citizenship classes to prepare legal permanent residents for their U.S citizenship test and their high-stakes interview with U.S immigration officers – which can mean the difference between acceptance or rejection as a U.S more than 2,000 immigrants have completed the 10-week citizenship class coordinator of the classes and the daughter of Mexican immigrants who became naturalized U.S She was signing in 70 students who showed up to the center this week for the start of the next round of classes Zamora said all of the classes are staffed by volunteers who give their time A retiree from the financial services industry Ziomec has been teaching citizenship classes at the center for three years and said the work is personally and professionally gratifying “It makes me very happy and proud to see these people here,’’ Ziomec said “Many of them are not as lucky as me and are retired.They work all day long And then they drive here and they sit in class for two hours They have families and things that they need to take care of And I think it shows how much they really want to be a citizen of this country are a couple in their 70s from Venezuela who are taking the class together They have been married 45 years and have been in the U.S “I want to become a citizen of the United States for my family and my quality of life,’’ Jesus Palma said retired attorney and law professor Robert McIntosh coaches Aurora Escudero who is scheduled to soon have her interview for citizenship with a U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services Officer McIntosh peppers her with questions to over-prepare her for that crucial moment Escudero is an immigrant from Mexico whose husband is already a U.S I like this country and this is my home,’’ Escudero said “I have freedom and more opportunity here.’’ She adds that McIntosh is the “perfect’’ teacher has been teaching citizenship classes at the center for nine years He said being a history major in college and a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala helped prepare him for this role He said part of his motivation is that “we’re all immigrants.’’ His family immigrated from Scotland about 200 years ago “It gives meaning to life,’’ McIntosh said of his time as an instructor of the classes “I don’t know if that’s a little philosophical but it’s kind of like watching people have a second birth it’s very special and people get very excited They work during the day and they come here at night and work harder.’’ students gather around classmate Martha Escobar to celebrate her success take selfies with her and share a chocolate cake in the shape of an American flag a 29-year-old aspiring professional musician and screenwriter is about to take her first class on her way to becoming a U.S She’s from Venezuela and a graduate of Full Sail University and the United States is a great country and I’m so grateful that I’m here and I’m so glad they opened their doors for someone like me who wants to make their dreams come true,’’ Romero said The classes continue until June 17 at the Hope CommUnity Center in Apopka Advanced registration for the 10-week course is required and costs $125 Residents of Apopka are set to fill downtown’s Fifth St and celebrate 23-year-old Jalen Carter about a month after his Super Bowl win Local businesses have already been “painting the town green.” The Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle and Apopka native earned Pro Bowl honors in just his second professional season. Carter is a 2020 Apopka High School graduate and still makes visits to the city. He’s hosted a free youth football camp at his alma mater for the past three summers. the city will host a ceremony Saturday from 5 p.m Apopka High School’s pep band will perform City council unanimously approved the street closure at a meeting Wednesday afternoon The vibe throughout the city is consistent: excitement and pride Nonprofit Main Street Apopka has been working with local businesses to turn the emotional excitement into a physical one It has given more than 30 businesses in the area LED lights to display in store windows and make the city’s downtown shine green – one of the Eagles’ colors – at night Executive Director Caitlin Kasheta said the organization had been looking for ways to unite local stores for a while and the celebration was an opportunity to score twice with one pass Businesses can keep the lights after the celebration to bolster this sense of a united Apopka Owner Louis Correa opened the business with his wife Nestled between Park Avenue and West Orange Blossom Trail the Correas work closely with local schools and students to customize sports gear Louis Correa said Carter’s success in the NFL has inspired the student athletes that come into his store “Everyone walks in thinking ‘When is the next star coming?’” he said The pair are excited to keep the lights up those lights are going to stay green,” he said some have a problem with how it is being organized During the public comment portion of Wednesday’s city council meeting Apopka resident Leroy Bell told council members he can’t wait to celebrate Carter he would rather see taxpayer money go into helping community members who aren’t already national stars Recreation Director Radley Williams said police officer funding comes from the city’s police department and additional event expenses come from “cost savings from some other events that have occurred already.” “Take some pride in Apopka before somebody wins a football game,” Bell said Commissioner Nadia Anderson defended the city’s choice by saying that Carter has contributed “thousands and thousands” of dollars into the community – including funding his football camp Central Florida Public Media reached out to the city to see how much was spent on Saturday’s celebration but the city didn’t respond before publication Enhancements include two new rest areas on segments that connect the West Orange Trail with the Lake Apopka Loop Trail – Work on a trail project in north Orange County is underway Orange County Public Works issued a Notice to Proceed this week on the Lake Apopka Connector Trail project “paving” the way for a new section of trail that connects two existing trails and the Connector Trail open to the public by March of 2026 Crews will construct a 3.23-mile multi-use trail connecting the existing West Orange Trail along McCormick Road to the Lake Apopka Loop Trail at Magnolia Park The asphalt pavement/concrete trail will vary from 10 to 14-feet wide allowing pedestrians and bicyclists alike to safely and comfortably use the trail The project also includes a 100-foot boardwalk section in the Northwest Orange Water Reclamation Facility segment There will also be two rest areas provided with this project along with new pedestrian/bicycle picket railing Other improvements associated with the project include drainage improvements curb and gutter reconstruction along Ocoee Apopka Road Two segments of the Trail were completed as part of the Wynwood and Oak Pointe North developments and are already open to the public Apopka city leaders gave an update on Border Lake which was the epicenter of major flooding after Hurricane Milton the city council approved a pumping plan to help manage water levels in Apopka lakes as a temporary solution but many are looking for long-term solutions Commissioner Nick Nesta went so far as to call it a "pipe dream" to get these solutions done in a year For one homeowner who was impacted by flooding the timeline is her biggest concern as well I am really curious to see what is said and the timelines for the long-term plans,” said Amber Barrick The calm waters at the end of her street in Wekiva Village are anything but soothing for Barrick but if you told me we were going through all this and experience what we had I wouldn’t have believed you,” said Barrick She remembers vividly back in October when water was lapping at her doorstep in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton she is still concerned about how high the water is “There’s a sign in the retention pond that you could always see — the pole and the sign all the way down,” said Barrick “You can just barely see the tip of it now.” Apopka city staff said there’s a lot of paperwork involved and permits that need to be issued to move forward with any option not having a plan in place makes her nervous “It shouldn’t be April when we are just now talking about these plans.” – Police in Apopka are looking for a missing man who was last seen Friday morning Smith’s wife and son told police that Smith was seen between 10:30 a.m They believe Smith will be on foot and may be carrying a large red and grey backpack His family says Smith had been suffering from some unusual stress due to recent life events Anyone who has seen him should contact Apopka police at 407-703-1757 Christie joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021 Choose the health content that’s right for you an enlarged prostate is one common side effect of aging this change begins around age 40 — and about half of the male population experience this condition by age 60 this change doesn’t lead to any significant issues some men may experience sleep disruptions due to the need to use the bathroom frequently at night You may also develop other urinary problems including the inability to empty your bladder fully If you’re experiencing the signs of an enlarged prostate, it helps to know what’s going on. Jose Silva Rivera, MD is explaining helpful tips and treatment options Removing obstructing tissue via surgery or laser procedures has traditionally been the most common form of treatment for persistent moderate to severe symptoms One option to reduce certain risks is Aquablation This minimally invasive robotic approach uses heat-free technology to remove a precise amount of tissue with a jet of water — no physical incision required The prostate is a ping-pong ball-sized gland that makes a fluid that forms part of semen the tube that carries urine out of the bladder “The technical term for an enlarged prostate is ‘benign prostatic hyperplasia,’ or BPH,” explains Dr “It’s called ‘benign’ because it’s not cancerous.” However According to the National Institute on Aging These symptoms could also be warning signs of prostate cancer you may still want to pursue symptom relief Its name provides a clue: It combines “aqua,” or water with “ablation,” the surgical removal of tissue The process starts by mapping out the area needing treatment using detailed images from an ultrasound “Aquablation therapy is the only procedure that gives a surgeon the ability to view the entire prostate during treatment,” says Dr “It allows the surgeon to map which parts of the prostate to remove and which parts to avoid reducing risks of irreversible complications like ejaculatory dysfunction your surgeon programs a robotic system to guide a waterjet directly to only the intended tissue “This treatment is tailor-made for each person to fit the exact size of their prostate,” Dr “The whole procedure takes less than an hour — and its relative lack of side effects quickly made it an attractive alternative to regular surgery.” The robot is autonomous (with oversight from your urologist) allowing for a precise and quick procedure — the treatment lasts only about five minutes The longest part of the procedure involves taking pictures and deciding what to remove “Each procedure is unique based on the size and position of the prostate,“ says Dr. Silva Rivera. Aquablation is an option for most men with enlarged prostates. However, it isn’t recommended for men with prostate cancer or certain other bladder conditions Since Aquablation treatment is still relatively new it includes a one-night hospital stay so patients can be observed overnight it may be offered in a same-day surgery center Our website uses cookies. Please review our privacy policy to find out more about the cookies we use Browsing our website means you accept these terms – City and county leaders are preparing for a critical meeting Wednesday night to discuss a short-term solution to persistent flooding at Border Lake While both sides agree that action is needed tensions are rising over what is driving the conversation homes and businesses near State Road 436 and Piedmont Wekiva Road Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore has been pushing for an immediate fix by redirecting excess water into a nearby lake Apopka Mayor Bryan Nelson believes some officials Moore has been vocal about her frustration arguing that the city has been slow to act “I don’t know what the mayor of Apopka is doing to present his option that has no funding or if he’s going to hear our short-term [solution] it should be a collaborative meeting,” Moore said earlier this month insists that the city is on board with the county’s short-term plan but says Apopka needs a seat at the table we can’t agree to something we’ve never seen,” Nelson said He also acknowledged that the county’s plan redirecting excess water from Border Lake into Lake Paige is not ideal but could provide temporary relief It would take excess water off of Border Lake and into Lake Paige which isn’t ideal because it’s going to go into the drainage well but it solves a short-term problem,” Nelson added Flooding in the area has been a major concern for years particularly following hurricanes and heavy storms emotions ran high when the topic was initially left off the agenda “Because the five lakes that would be involved in our plan are all your lakes it is going to be your decision as to what process or procedures you would use to try to stop the flooding,” Moore argued questioned why Moore had not pushed for action sooner She didn’t care about it after [Hurricane] Irma no response from her then and now it’s an issue for her because of whatever her political aspirations are,” Nelson said “This shouldn’t be a political football that we’re slinging around We need to sit down and figure out a solution.” The Apopka City Council meeting is set for Wednesday at 6:30 p.m Leaders will discuss potential next steps and whether a collaborative approach can finally bring relief to residents impacted by repeated flooding You can listen to every episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate in the media player below: Members of the public can weigh in on a ten-year plan for the Lake Apopka North Shore at a meeting the St Johns River Water Management District is holding Thursday night The North Shore is an area of roughly 20,000 acres of land just off Lake Apopka, Florida’s fourth-largest lake, spreading across Orange and Lake Counties. The ten-year land management plan outlines different strategies for protecting natural resources and providing public recreation opportunities there and two boat ramps on the Lake Apopka North Shore The District wants to develop a non-motorized boat launch to provide public access to the North Shore’s West Marsh area where the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is evaluating potential waterfowl hunting and/or fishing opportunities There is only one road open to vehicles on the North Shore: the 11-mile, one-way Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, usually open until 5 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays. It currently remains closed for road repairs and until water levels recede, according to the District’s website Most of the North Shore is currently below lake elevation and vulnerable to flooding due to past agricultural operations that gradually sank the land at the rate of about a foot every decade Those former muck farms were later restored into the marsh systems now making up the North Shore the ten-year Lake Apopka North Shore land management plan is slated to take effect in January of 2025 Anyone unable to attend tonight’s meeting may also submit written comments to the District, by sending an email to bbachelder@sjrwmd.com or by mail to P.O – Major flooding after Hurricane Milton in parts of Apopka has led to months of conversation the city commission gave their approval to a plan put together by Orange County to alleviate flooding around the Piedmont chain of lakes excessive rainfall led to water overflowing into a shopping center “This is a like a swimming pool over on this side and the water comes in from the lake,” said Jack Berrell as he described to our News 6 crew how the flooding has impacted his home near Lake Page “The water just came in both sides of the house Fills up one retention pond and goes across the street and goes down and fills up the other retention pond.” we couldn’t figure out how the water was making it to the Wekiva townhomes and the unnamed lake Moore said they found out that Border Lake was the problem They are now working on the permits needed to start the pumping project which should begin quickly once they are approved A utility design manager for the city of Apopka said there are flood events traced to the area as far back as the 60s They will have to pump water through a chain of lakes to alleviate the issue “This is going to require four legs of pumping Imagine it like a relay race,” said Da Huo the water is going to be pumping from Border Lake to Lake Jackson Once we get to Blue Lake it’s the end of the relay Huo said if they can draw down the water levels enough it should help everyone affected by the flooding near State Road 436 and Piedmont Wekiva Road including the Wekiva Village townhome community where a retention pond is already full “What happened last year is all the small lakes become one giant puddle We’re trying to prevent this one giant puddle from happening,” said Huo It’s a job that the city expects will take hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars to complete They’ve allocated $100,000 to cover the costs but it’s unclear exactly how much money it will take “It’s a moving target,” said Mayor Bryan Nelson “It’s not as simple as we all would like to believe it is.” Nelson shared that he went door-to-door Wednesday morning to speak with residents who will be near the noisy pumps while the work is being done in the coming weeks He said they are doing their best to be considerate while the city keeps working on a more permanent solution Moore told our News 6 crew Wednesday that the county is committed to finding a long-term fix as well “I have to say that the biggest concern was this rainy season and another potential wet hurricane to have a temporary solution that could bring us a couple of years of relief as we work on a permanent solution,” Moore said Recently, the 3-time state champion Apopka Blue Darters announced the following slate of games for 2025 including three notable contests against 7-time state champion Cocoa Kissimmee Osceola and 7-time state champ Madison County Among other teams on the Blue Darters' schedule are Dr Below is the Blue Darters' 2025 regular season schedule with official regular season game times all listed The Journey starts Monday. #HokaHey #ThoseWhoStayWillBeChampions pic.twitter.com/B81oll5rSc 2025 APOPKA BLUE DARTERS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school football news To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App| Download Android App -- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @highschoolonsi ANDY VILLAMARZOAndy Villamarzo has been a sports writer in the Tampa Bay (FL) Area since 2007 writing for publications such as Tampa Bay Times FL area and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in the summer of 2022 covering the Tampa Bay Area He has quickly become one of Florida's foremost authorities on high school sports radio programs and digital broadcasts as an expert on team rankings there is no other place she would rather be.