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The independent voice for West Orange County news

Commentary

SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS

No, an elections supervisor should not accept endorsements from other elected officials

Doing so erodes the trust in the office that's essential for fair elections.

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ABORTION

On the two-year anniversary of the fall of Roe

Formerly anti-choice, Congressional candidate Barbie Harden Hall shares what the Dobbs decision could have meant for her high-risk pregnancies and why she’s campaigning to keep abortion legal now.

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GOVERNMENT

No (other) commissioners allowed

D1’s Lisa Bennett doesn’t want D2’s Ron Mueller promoting events in her district. This petty territoriality is embarrassing.

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GOVERNMENT

What happens when Mayor John Rees violates the city charter?

We don’t know if Commissioner Ron Mueller violated the city charter. But we do know that in repeatedly not fulfilling a job responsibility listed in the charter, the mayor violated it. That warrants consideration.

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GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE

The public comment period is open on the proposed ban on gender-affirming care for teens, and I have some thoughts

Trans teens’ emotional health improves on puberty-blockers and hormones, and those treatments should not be curbed by politics, argues one mom/advocate.

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BOOK BANS

Orange County Public Schools and the New Pornography

The Orange County Board of Education wants to re-define “pornography” to circumvent longstanding procedures for removing controversial books from school library shelves.

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POLICE BRUTALITY

Say his name: Jean “Samuel” Celestin

On this third anniversary of his death, keep the hope of justice alive.

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ABORTION

Florida Bound

Banning abortion after 15 weeks, GOP lawmakers show the bill is about controlling women. They won’t stop there.

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BOOK BANS

OCPS and the censoring of middle and high-school libraries

One man grabbed the spotlight at a fall school board meeting. Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Barbara Jenkins caved. Now LGBTQ and certain BIPOC books can’t be found in school libraries, and bills to make that permanent are under consideration in the Florida Legislature.

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EDUCATION

$25 is a gift card — not a cost of living increase

With inflation, OCPS’ proposed teacher contract doesn’t even cover the costs for teachers to live in our communities.

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