🌱 Orlando Puts $600K Toward Housing + Black History Month Celebration

Good morning, everybody! It's me, Carlos Hernandez, your host of the Orlando Daily. Here's everything you need to know about what's happening in town. In today's issue, you'll read about these stories and more...

• City of Orlando is hosting events in celebration of Black History Month this month
• Orlando is planning to use $600,000 in federal funding to fight homelessness
• A Central Florida school official is accused of keying someone's car in a Publix parking lot

But first, today's weather:

Partly sunny and warm. High: 84 Low: 65.

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Here are the top stories today in Orlando:

1. City of Orlando is hosting events throughout February in honor of Black History Month. The events will kick off with City of Orlando’s Black History Month Art Exhibition Opening Reception today at Orlando City Hall. (Bungalower)
2. A man is on trial for a murder that happened nearly 22 years ago after DNA led investigators to the suspect. The victim was a University of Central Florida (UCF) student named Christine Franke, who was found dead in her Orlando apartment. The original incident happened on Oct. 21, 2001, at Colonial Gardens Apartments. (Click Orlando)
3. A Central Florida high school principal is accused of keying someone's car in a Publix parking lot. Nathaniel Fancher of St. Cloud High School was arrested on a charge of criminal mischief by police. Fancher is now on administrative leave from the school. (Fox 35 Orlando)
4. City of Orlando is considering using $600,000 in federal funding to help fight homelessness amid an affordable housing crisis and historic inflation in Central Florida. The funding would place people in hotels and apartments and could help 20 to 50 people. The goal would be to help stabilize working people and get them back on their feet, according to City of Orlando officials. (WFTV)
5. Prospect Real Estate Group II, LLC has purchased 10.68 acres of land in Kissimmee at the tune of $10.4 million dollars. The planned development will be located across the street from Osceola Regional Medical Center and near AdventHealth Kissimmee. Developers expect to break ground in the second quarter of 2023 and finish the project by 2025. (Orlando Patch)

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Today in Orlando:

• OCLS Celebrates Valentine's Day. Multiple locations. (11 a.m.)
• In-Person: Microsoft Word Level 1 at Southwest Branch Library. (3 p.m.)
• New Year New Network at Grape And The Grain Wine Bar. (4:30 p.m.)
• Black History Month Art Exhibition Opening Reception at Orlando City Hall. (5:30 p.m.)
• "Henry V" at Orlando Shakes. (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Nature Conservancy In Florida shared: "Smiles all around celebrating a generous grant from Disney Parks that will support Treesilience in Orlando, a TNC initiative focused on creating and maintaining a resilient tree canopy in vulnerable communities." (Nature Conservancy in Florida via Instagram)
• Orlando Health shared: "We asked Ed Hall, an emergency services liaison with Orlando Health – Health Central Hospital, what makes Orlando Health his best place to work. Thank you to our team members, who voted to make us the highest-ranking healthcare organization in Florida on Forbes' 'America's Best Large Employers' list." (Orlando Health via Facebook)
• YMCA of Central Florida shared: "We've officially launched our new Y Your Way membership, and we appreciate all the feedback we've received from people across Central Florida! 🧡." (YMCA of Central Florida via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday! See you all tomorrow morning for your next update.

— Carlos Hernandez

About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a food writer with over 10 years of experience in the industry. I write the food blog Carlos Eats (http://www.carloseats.com) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines with food-related blogs and articles.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Orlando Daily? Contact me at carlosreportsnews@gmail.com