UCF Welcomes Back Students + Memorial For Daytona Beach Officer Jason Raynor

Hey, people of Orlando! Carlos Hernandez here with a fresh Orlando Daily.

In this issue, you'll learn about college students returning to Orlando, the difficulties for first-responders during the delta variant surge, a memorial for a police officer who lost his life last week, and more. Now, let's get started.

First, today's weather: Rain in the evening and overnight. High: 91 Low: 76.

Here are the top stories today in Orlando:

1. University of Central Florida is welcoming students back to class today. Nearly 70,000 students are enrolled for the fall semester, according to officials. The university is offering free COVID testing and vaccines on campus. (Fox 35 Orlando)

2. Fire and EMS agencies carrying out 9-1-1 calls are short-staffed across Central Florida as they work to handle high call volumes, made worse by the delta variant. People are urged to not to call except for mild COVID-19 symptoms, minor cuts, scrapes or sprains. (WESH)

3. A memorial for Daytona Beach police Officer Jason Raynor to be held today. The 26-year-old will be laid to rest at 11 a.m. He was shot in the head on June 23rd while investigating a suspicious vehicle and died this past Tuesday. (Click Orlando)

4. Riley from Central Florida is currently the third highest ranked dachshund in North America, jumping and racing to win titles for owner Kristine Boyd, who started spending more time on the sport after becoming unemployed during the pandemic. (Spectrum News 13)

5. The Orange County Library System’s Board of Trustees plans to open two new library branches in Horizon West and Lake Nona. (Bungalower)

Today in Orlando

• Orlando City Council Meeting. (2:00 PM)
• National Honor Society Meeting - Boone High School. (2:30 PM)
• Boys Golf vs. Freedom - Boone High School. (4:00 PM)
• Audubon Park's Community Market. (5:00 PM)
• Rollins College Men's Soccer vs Southeastern University. (7:00 PM)

Orlando Patch Notebook

• An average of 188 children are being hospitalized in Florida daily with COVID-19.
• Orlando Food & Travel Guide: "OPAAA! We are less than a week away from the kick-off of @visitorlando’s #MagicalDining! Here is a Magical Dining Preview at one of Orlando’s best Greek restaurants: @tavernaopaorl at @pointeorlando! Check out t..." (Instagram)
• Audubon Park Garden District: "Just thought you’d enjoy seeing astronaut Leland Melvin’s actual official NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration portrait. Enjoy!" (Facebook)
• Creative City Project: "The wonderful @juleskbee is bringing a new stilt walking installation to IMMERSE 2021! You can check it out this October 15-16th in Downtown Orlando — tickets at www.immersefest.com #orlandoflorida #orlandoart #stiltwalker" (Facebook)
• Downtown Orlando: "Stop and smell the roses. August is National Black Business Month and downtown has many Black-owned businesses including Neu Blooms Floral and Event Design. This month and every month, we encourage you to support our minority-owned bus..." (Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Monday. See you all tomorrow for another update! If you're into these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— 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? I'm all ears. You can contact me at carlosreportsnews@gmail.com.