Politics
Frost Secures Nearly $12 Million For Key Local Projects in Central Florida
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10) announced that he has successfully secured nearly $12 million in federal dollars to fund all 15 of his Community Funding Projects requests and deliver millions to support critical projects to improve housing, transportation, and infrastructure across Central Florida.
The funding, which was signed into law by President Biden earlier this month, will soon start being distributed across Central Florida.
Last Spring, Congressman Frost worked closely with local community partners and stakeholders to submit funding proposals for 15 comprehensive projects to support a wide range of efforts from affordable housing to infrastructure and transportation. Some of the landmark projects that will now receive federal dollars thanks to Congressman Frost’s efforts include:
- $4,116,279 million to convert a vacant property in Eatonville into an affordable multi-family housing rental apartment building;
- $1,709,752 to the City of Orlando to rehabilitate a local community center used for Community Violence Intervention programs to stop gun violence before it happens, and to make major improvements to stormwater management to prevent flooding;
- $1,641,000 to Orange County to construct a multicultural senior center where folks can congregate and be connected to services in partnership with the Office on Aging, and support transportation and energy efficiency projects;
- $750,000 to support the construction of quality, affordable small houses for low-income people in Bithlo;
“I came to Congress with a mission to deliver on affordable housing, transportation and infrastructure issues, and to make our communities a better place where everyone can live and thrive, and I am now proud to say that our team is making these goals a reality” said Congressman Maxwell Frost. “Central Florida is now set to receive nearly $12 million in federal dollars that will help transform our communities and help grow our local economy. While this $12 million is going to make a world of difference for so many working people and families in the Orlando area – this is only the beginning. My team is ready to secure and bring home even more money to help change Central Florida for the better.
Thanks to Congressman Frost, Central Florida will now receive $11,922,031 to fund the following 15 projects:
- $4,116,279 for the Town of Eatonville to create a multi-family affordable housing apartment building;
- $1,000,000 for construction at the Multicultural Senior Center;
- $750,000 for community center rehabilitation for the Community Violence Intervention Project as part of the City of Orlando;
- $500,000 for North Independence Lane Expansion for the City of Maitland;
- $370,000 to provide low-income seniors with high efficiency air conditioning replacement, service, or system upgrades so they can stay in their homes longer;
- $271,000 for Transportation Mobility Hubs for Orange County Government;
- $500,000 for a housing rehabilitation and affordability preservation program in the City of Winter Park;
- $750,000 for the Small House Project at Transformation Village in Bithlo;
- $850,000 for bus bay reconstruction at LYNX Central Station Bus Terminal;
- $500,000 for solar technology for bus shelters and shelter refacing for LYNX;
- $200,000 to purchase and install a thermal energy storage system so Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida can store more food;
- $400,000 for roof replacements for Meadow Lake Apartments for the Orlando Housing Authority;
- $500,000 for community center education space for Shalom Orlando;
- $255,000 for acquisition and rehabilitation of a vacant two-unit complex to create into affordable housing;
- $959,752 for stormwater management improvements for Haralson Estates.
Congressman Frost will soon embark on a Community Project Funding tour across Central Florida to revisit the sites and projects that will soon receive federal funding.
Crimes and Courts
Florida Gambling Crackdown Earns International Award After 14000 Slot Machine Seizures
Central Florida News
FBI Director Kash Patel Addresses Global Threats, Crime-Fighting Partnerships at International Police Conference in Orlando
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — FBI Director Kash Patel discussed bureau priorities, violent crime and cooperation across jurisdictions during the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the Orange County Convention Center.
The annual conference and exposition, held Oct. 24-27, brought together law enforcement professionals from the United States and abroad for training, presentations and discussions about public safety.
Patel addressed the evolving global threat environment and the importance of partnerships among federal, state, local, territorial and international law enforcement agencies confronting violent crime and transnational threats.
FBI priorities and violent crime
Violent crime enforcement was among the priorities Patel discussed during his Orlando visit.
Published coverage of his weekly update from Orlando described a broader agenda encompassing cybercrime, fraud and other investigative responsibilities. The update also highlighted cooperation among the FBI, the Justice Department and state and local authorities.
The conference provided an opportunity for bureau leadership to discuss those priorities with police executives whose agencies work alongside federal investigators.
Photo by Florida National News
Cooperation across jurisdictions
Partnerships were a central theme of Patel’s appearance, including coordination among agencies at different levels of government and cooperation with international counterparts.
Transnational investigations can involve suspects, evidence and criminal activity spanning multiple jurisdictions, requiring agencies to work across geographic and institutional boundaries.
Published coverage of Patel’s visit also reported plans for meetings with the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the IACP Board of Directors.
Patel highlights partnerships in X post
“Great to be in Orlando visiting with our brilliant law enforcement partners,” Patel wrote in a post on X about the conference.
Patel described the gathering as drawing more than 20,000 law enforcement professionals, leaders and partners. He credited cooperation with the FBI for reductions in crime.
In the post, Patel cited a 20% reduction in the national murder rate and more than 54,000 FBI violent crime arrests, which he described as a 90% increase.
The post did not specify the reporting periods or underlying datasets for those figures. The statistics were not independently verified for this article..
Global threats and local policing
The changing threat environment was another focus of Patel’s remarks, connecting the FBI’s national responsibilities with challenges facing police departments and their international partners.
The gathering offered law enforcement leaders an opportunity to discuss shared concerns, exchange professional knowledge and strengthen relationships that support investigations.
FBI Director Kash Patel, right, participates in a fireside chat with IACP President David B. Rausch during the Closing General Assembly of the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Florida National News.
Training and professional development
Beyond executive presentations, the four-day conference featured educational sessions, networking opportunities and an exposition showcasing products and services for law enforcement.
Organizers identified training, networking and exhibit hall education as the conference’s three central components.
The Orlando event brought those activities together to help police leaders develop their agencies and exchange approaches to public safety.
__________________________________________________
Florida National News Staff | News@FloridaNationalNews.com
Central Florida News
Broadcaster Ray Cruz Santiago Criticizes Samuel Vilchez Santiago With Communist Graphics, Puerto Rican Identity Claims
The commentator’s video pairs the Democrat’s image with Soviet-style imagery and references his grandfather’s communist beliefs; Vilchez Santiago has publicly rejected socialism.
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Hispanic broadcaster Ray Cruz Santiago is targeting Florida House Democratic nominee Samuel Vilchez Santiago in a video that depicts the candidate in a Soviet-style military uniform and pairs his name with a hammer-and-sickle graphic.
The approximately two-minute video invokes Vilchez Santiago’s description of his grandfather as a communist while presenting images of the candidate, former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and Republican opponent Jorge Malavet.
In separate Facebook posts, Cruz Santiago also accuses the Venezuelan-born Democrat of misleading Puerto Rican voters about his heritage. The material reviewed does not substantiate that allegation, and Vilchez Santiago has publicly rejected the socialist label.
Video visually links candidate to communism
The uploaded video shows an apparent composite depicting Vilchez Santiago in a military uniform and peaked cap. Another graphic places the name “Samuel Vilchez” beneath a red flag bearing a hammer and sickle.
An on-screen caption describes him, translated from Spanish, as a “Democratic candidate in District 43 with a communist grandfather.”
The sequence also juxtaposes footage of Chávez with an image of Vilchez Santiago draped in a Venezuelan flag. Later frames display Malavet and Vilchez Santiago alongside Puerto Rican and Venezuelan flag symbols, respectively.
Together, those visual choices suggest an association between the Democratic candidate and communism. They do not independently establish his political beliefs, affiliations or support for Venezuela’s government. The uniform depiction should be understood as an apparent composite, rather than documentary evidence that he wore such a uniform.
Grandfather’s statement includes family opposition to Chavismo
The reference to Vilchez Santiago’s grandfather has a documented source.
“My grandfather was a communist,” Vilchez Santiago said in a 2019 Princeton University profile. In the same discussion, he described his parents as politically active opponents of Venezuela’s Chavista government and discussed his family’s departure because of political persecution. pace.princeton.edu
That account describes an ideological divide within his family. His grandfather’s beliefs do not establish the candidate’s own ideology.
Candidate has rejected socialist label
Cruz Santiago’s supplied posts describe Vilchez Santiago as a socialist or democratic socialist, a characterization the candidate has disputed.
“I am not a socialist. I have never been a socialist,” Vilchez Santiago said in Spanish in an interview published Sept. 29 by La Prensa Florida.
He argued that proposals involving health care, Social Security and lower household expenses should not automatically be labeled socialist. His stated priorities included easing property tax increases for first-time homebuyers, reducing toll expenses and simplifying small-business registration. laprensafl.com
Separate posts question Puerto Rican campaign imagery
Cruz Santiago’s heritage criticism appears in separate Facebook posts alleging that Vilchez Santiago is presenting himself as Puerto Rican to attract voters. www.facebook.com
A screenshot of a campaign advertisement supplied to FNN shows a photograph of Vilchez Santiago holding a Puerto Rican flag alongside two women, with his campaign branding displayed over the image.
The photograph places a recognizable symbol of Puerto Rican identity within the campaign’s presentation of his personal story. Viewers unfamiliar with his Venezuelan background could interpret it as suggesting Puerto Rican heritage. The materials reviewed do not establish whether viewers reached that conclusion or whether the campaign intended it.
The screenshot contains no explicit claim of Puerto Rican ancestry. Vilchez Santiago’s Venezuelan background is publicly documented in the Princeton profile and a Venezuelan-American Caucus biography. pace.princeton.edu
Why the presentation matters to voters
The criticism combines two distinct subjects: the candidate’s heritage and his political beliefs.
For voters evaluating the material, the central distinction is between documented statements and associations created through editing. The grandfather’s communist beliefs are supported by the candidate’s published account. The uniform, hammer-and-sickle graphic and Chávez juxtaposition are elements of the video’s presentation, rather than proof of the candidate’s ideology.
Likewise, the Puerto Rican flag photograph documents the campaign’s use of cultural imagery without establishing a false claim of ancestry.
Broadcaster brings criticism into District 43 contest
Cruz Santiago hosts El Escándalo del Día on Miami’s Radio Mambí 710 AM, according to his professional profile. Salsoul’s official website also lists him among its personalities. www.linkedin.com
Readers can review his commentary on Facebook and visit his website.
Vilchez Santiago and Malavet are the Democratic and Republican candidates, respectively, in the Nov. 3 election for Florida House District 43, according to state election records. dos.elections.myflorida.com
