2007 May

Orlando Tribune Osceola Manhunt 2007 Gavin P Smith
Dangerous Traffic Stop leads to Manhunt on Narcoosee Road

On May 19th, around 7pm, residents in the East Lake Reserve area of Narcoosee Road got a firsthand look at an army of police officers in action.  Osceola County and Orange County officers arrived with some twenty-five or more units in total.  Every side road for two miles was blocked off by a patrol car.  Police search boats were on the scene.  Police officers in body armor jackets with rifles were present.  Aviation units from Orange County were in the air.  Even K-9 units from both counties were on the scene.

Orlando Tribune OCAlert - 2007
New Alert System Unveiled for Orange County

With the doom and gloom of upcoming hurricane season predictions, concern for public safety recently married with technology in Orange County.  That marriage is giving birth to a new system to alert the public of dangers ranging from severe weather to Amber Alerts.  The new system, OCAlert, uses text messaging technology to deliver alerts to any citizen wishing to subscribe to the service.

Orlando Tribune - Virginia Tech UCF 2007 Gavin P Smith
UCF, Florida Universities Seek More Money for Campus Security

The University of Central Florida, along with the rest of the public universities in the state, are looking to legislators for $3.5 million in fast cash to be injected into efforts to beef up security on campuses statewide. In the wake of the recent Virginia Tech massacre, new approaches are being considered to secure the campus and its community from similar events.

Orange County Crime Forum 2007 Gavin P Smith
Commissioner Stewart Leads Community Crime Forum in South Orlando

Recently, local law enforcement officials and county commissioners came together at the South Orlando YMCA for a Community Crime Forum.  Led by Commissioner Linda Stewart of District 4, the purpose of the forum was to discuss concerns over neighborhood crime and safety.  An open meeting, attended by a number of citizens, the forum dived in to some of the core problems facing Orange county communities, with potential solutions discussed.

Orlando Tribune - Wekiva Study 1 2007 Gavin P Smith
Controversial Wekiva River MACTEC Study: Worthwhile or Worthless?

In 2004, Governor Jeb Bush signed The Wekiva Parkway and Protection Act into law, authorizing the construction of the Wekiva Parkway and protection of the Wekiva River system.  The Wekiva River — downstream from the Little Wekiva River – has also been the focus of federal protection efforts. U.S. Rep. Bill McCollum introduced legislation in 1999 seeking to include the 42-mile-long Wekiva River in the National Wild and Scenic River system.