Orlando

City Council Approve the Addition of The Milk District to the Orlando Main Streets Program

Published

10 years ago

October 10, 2016

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) By City of Orlando – At today’s City Council Meeting, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and the Orlando City Council voted to approve funding for the addition of The Milk District to the Orlando Main Streets Program.

The Milk District is home to a diverse collection of businesses and community spaces including The Market on South, Orlando Festival Park, The Plaza Live and Se7en Bites. As part of the Orlando Main Streets Program, The Milk District will receive financial assistance, technical support and training to foster growth and prosperity among the small businesses within the district.

“The addition of The Milk District to our Orlando Main Streets program will continue to build upon the successes we have seen in each of our neighborhood commercial corridors – creating jobs and opportunities for our residents,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “We are excited to support this unique destination and the local character they bring to our City.”

The Milk District was created as the result of local business owners Tommy “Mot” Barger and Shaun Noonan’s vision for redeveloping the vibrant and thriving community. With the support of community members and the district’s nearly 30 local businesses, Barger and Noonan reached out to the City to begin the Orlando Main Streets application process.

“It has been a long journey with many hurdles to get to this point. Without the excitement of our new board members, becoming a Main Street District would have never become a reality,” said Barger who is also serving as The Milk District’s Board President. “Being a Main Street District will give The Milk District a collective voice within the City.”

The Milk District, which has an already-established membership base, has officially incorporated with the State of Florida, and has raised the necessary first-year funding match to participate in the Orlando Main Streets Program.

The Milk District is located in two of the City’s six districts – District 2, overseen by Commissioner Tony Ortiz, and District 4, overseen by Commissioner Patty Sheehan.

“There is already an incredible synergy among businesses and residents within The Milk District,” said Commissioner Ortiz. “The technical and financial assistance through the Orlando Main Streets Program will only accelerate the revitalization efforts of the The Milk District.”

“The Milk District will be the fourth Main Street in District 4, adding to a very eclectic list of District 4 Main Streets including Downtown South, Mills 50 and Thornton Park District. We couldn’t be happier or more proud of our diverse collection of Main Street Districts,” said Commissioner Patty Sheehan. “I am delighted that on October 10th the Milk District will become the tenth Main Street – 10-10-10! All lucky 10’s for the City of Orlando. Welcome Milk District!”

The Milk District will join the City’s nine existing districts – Audubon Park Garden District, Church Street District, College Park Partnership, Downtown South, Gateway Orlando, Ivanhoe Village, Mills 50, Orlando Tech Association and Thornton Park District. Since the program’s inception in 2008, Orlando Main Streets successes include over $1 billion in public and private investments made in improvements to the district with over 730 new businesses and the creation of nearly 4,500 full and part-time jobs. For more information, visit orlandomainstreets.com.

Golf

Russell Henley Wins Red Cardigan at 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

1 year ago

March 9, 2025

Mike Brodsky

Russell Henley wins the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Russell Henley wins his first red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. This is Henley’s fifth win on the PGA Tour.

Russell Henley is greeted by his family on the 18th green after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

Henley finished at 11 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 70 today. Collin Morikawa finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Scottie Scheffler, finished today at 4 under par, tied for 11th place.

Scottie Scheffler tees off at the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo Credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

NFL

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Published

1 year ago

October 30, 2024

Mike Brodsky

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Former UCF football players Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant have partnered with GMTM to launch their Search for Greatness Combine at UCF on Saturday, November 9th. They’re giving local athletes a chance to showcase their talents and explore new sports opportunities. Griffin will be inducted into the UCF Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 2nd, during halftime of the Arizona vs. UCF football game. He is remembered for his tenacity, setting an NFL Combine record with the fastest 40-yard dash by a linebacker, and playing four seasons in the NFL, overcoming the challenge of only having one hand. He is now training to make the USA Paralympic Track and Field Team and hopes to compete in the 2028 Olympics. Joey Grant, the co-founder and CEO of GMTM, is a former UCF team captain, playing mostly Center for the Knights from 2011-2015.

Participation at the upcoming combine is free and invite-only, targeting athletes over the age of 18. To be considered, athletes must submit a highlight video via GMTM’s platform, showcasing their athleticism. GMTM will evaluate submissions and invite the most promising athletes to participate in the combine. The goal for this year’s event is to get 1,000 athletes to submit videos and be part of the combine process. Athletes chosen will receive personalized invites with further instructions, including event time slots and details. The athletes will be evaluated for their key athletic traits, to identify opportunities for them across multiple Olympic sports or professional sports programs. To learn more, or to apply for the combine, visit: https://gmtm.com/articles/the-search-for-greatness-at-ucf-with-shaquem-griffin-what-you-need-to-know.

Florida National News spoke with Shaquem and Joey about the combine, college football in the era of NIL and the transfer portal, and Griffin’s hall of fame induction. You can watch the full interview here:

Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant interview

Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com and www.FloridaSportsChannel.com for more.

Florida

Scottie Scheffler Wins Second Red Cardigan at 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

2 years ago

March 10, 2024

Mike Brodsky

Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Scottie Scheffler wins his second red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. Scheffler first won the API in 2022.

Scottie Scheffler wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational. (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

The number one ranked golfer in the world, Scheffler finished at 15 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 66 today. Wyndham Clark finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Kurt Kitayama, did not make the cut, this weekend, finishing 7 over par after the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday.

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for the 50th anniversary of The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.