Orlando

Mayor Dyer Gets Second Dose of Vaccine, Calls it Helpful, Safe

Published

4 years ago

February 9, 2021

FILE - Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced at a joint press briefing that the city will close all city facilities over COVID-19. Friday, March 20, 2020. (Photo by Willie David / Florida National News)

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) – Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced that he has already received the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine during the city council’s second 2021 meeting at City Hall.

“(I did it) as an example for the community and to show that it is helpful, it is safe and good,” Dyer said. “We will only get back on track when 80% of us are vaccinated. We are still prioritizing our residents who are 65 or older, so when it is your turn please consider very seriously.”

As usual, the COVID-19 pandemic was a main topic during the meeting, as every commissioner cautioned to continue to exercise caution and get vaccinated as soon as the turn comes up.

“COVID numbers are going up, so this is not the time to be complacent,” Commissioner Patricia Sheehan of District 4, said. “I have received lots of emails about the behavior of people downtown. It’s going to be a few more months before we get that vaccine to everybody, so I ask that we do not play roulette with people’s lives.”

Commissioner Regina Hill oF District 5 thanked the Orlando Fire Department for their assistance in an event at the Mercy Drive Corridor where they vaccinated over sixty senior citizens “and showed so much patience, so much humanity” explaining everything they needed to know about the vaccine.

Hill also added that she lost an aunt to COVID in a nursing home where she had been staying for a week after an operation, so she urged everyone to keep using masks and practicing social distancing. “Access to the vaccines is not a race thing, it is not the reason why we do not have them in all the city, since the mayor is doing everything [he] can,” she said.

Commissioner Bakari Burns of District 6 took the opportunity to highlight how small businesses are struggling during the pandemic, so there is a project to highlight a small business every month. This month it would be Justin’s Caribbean Fusion, a restaurant on Conroy Road that opened in early 2020.

Burns also criticized what he considers the state’s poor response to vaccination for underserved communities. He shared that he wished the state would step up its effort.

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Juan Carlo Rodriguez is a politics and entertainment writer for Florida National News. | info@floridanationalnews.com

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Golf

Russell Henley Wins Red Cardigan at 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

1 month 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

6 months 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

1 year 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.