Friday news dump ✔️

Ah, Friday.

It’s the exact opposite of Monday, which makes it one of the better days of the week, and it’s the day many get to kick off their weekend.

Those who work in standard 9-5 industries might dip out of the office a little early on Friday to go hit up happy hour or beat the afternoon traffic.

Not me though.

Those in the news industry have to contend with something we call the Friday news dump.

For the uninitiated, that’s when all the local agencies unleash a flurry of news releases for us in the media to scramble and write before we’re allowed to log off for a hard-earned two days of rest.

And that, my friends, is exactly what’s happening today.

Lucky for Bri, she’s not here to deal with it. That’s right, it’s your dollar store substitution Adrienne Cutway filling in today.

Here’s what’s trending on ClickOrlando.com:

👀 Have you seen her?

This is first and foremost because there’s a chance that a young girl could be in danger. Orange County deputies released unnerving video today that they believe could show a man abducting a teenage girl. Keep in mind, this is all happening very fast and I genuinely hope that by the time you read this, she’ll be found safe. However, deputies said they aren’t completely sure what’s happening in this case and they don’t even have the names of the two people involved. Until they get more details, they’re treating it like a crime and making it the utmost priority to locate the teen. Watch the surveillance video in case you can identify the man and the girl.

Another one: I hate to just pack it on but I told you we’re in the middle of a news dump and I know every set of eyes counts when it comes to finding missing people. New photos have been released of a woman who was reported missing late last month in South Florida after her toddler was found wandering alone wearing only wearing a diaper and a T-shirt. See the surveillance stills published by the FBI.

🏈 Let’s play ball

Ugh yes I used a baseball saying with a football picture but honestly sports are confusing and it was hard to think of a headline. You know where to send the hate mail. During a vote today, the Florida High School Athletic Association, or FHSAA for short, voted to allow schools to begin practicing for fall sports later this month despite concerns about the coronavirus. While districts can start on Aug. 24, it doesn’t necessarily mean they will. Some local school systems are pushing their start dates back a bit further while some haven’t even determined a date at all. Get all the details here.

Too soon or not soon enough? Let me know your thoughts on the decision by emailing acutway@wkmg.com.

🧫 COVID-19 status report

We’ve spent the majority of this calendar year dealing with the pandemic and while most people would have fatigue right about now, our viewers continue to read our daily coronavirus numbers stories in droves. Every day this week thus far, except for Wednesday when there was a data dump, Florida has reported daily cases totals under 7,000. Yes, that’s still a lot but it’s better than having that daily total be 10,000+ like it was a few weeks ago. The exact number today was 6,148 new cases and 229 new deaths. See how those figures break down locally.

🏫 Schools, schools, schools

That’s another topic on the forefront of everyone’s minds these days, especially as local school districts prepare to welcome students back for on-campus learning for the first time since March. Even before that happens, Orange County has already reported its first case of COVID-19 at a school. The patient in that case is a 9-year-old boy and now, his whole class is being asked to isolate. Keep in mind, this was a private Christian school and there were only eight other kids in the class. Still, Orange County’s health director says it was a decent trial run for when this inevitably happens in a larger classroom. Read more on what he had to say.

Two things to note in Seminole: The first one is that a new elementary with all the bells and whistles is getting ready to open in Sanford. Check that out here. With class starting in just a few days, the superintendent says schools are ready to welcome students back. See what he had to say earlier today.

🌧️ Good news and bad news

Which do you guys want first? Just kidding, this is my newsletter (at least until Bri returns) and you don’t get to choose. Because I’m a benevolent dictator, I’ll give you the good news first. Tropical Storm Josephine, which has been festering in the Atlantic for a few days now, appears to be on its way toward disintegrating. Bye Josephine, see you never. 👋 Even better news, what’s left of the storm isn’t expected to mess with us here in the good ole US of A. If you’re still curious, watch the track for yourself. Now the bad news. It’s going to be really freaking rainy and freaking hot this weekend. Boo, what a terrible combo. Get the full forecast so you can adjust your plans accordingly.

🚨 One final update

I know you guys want to start your weekend but this is another story that’s been getting so much traction with our audience. A week ago today, a young man who was reportedly armed with a stolen handgun was fatally shot in the back by a deputy at the Florida Mall. Deputy-involved shootings aren’t uncommon in Central Florida but three words from that last sentence make this one controversial: in the back. Family and friends of the young man who was killed say they want answers and they want to see the body camera footage so they can know for sure what actually happened during the fatal confrontation. As of now, deputies say that video won’t be released. Here’s why.

Can’t say I didn’t warn you. 🤷‍♀️ I let you guys know right off bat that today would be a doozy. Luckily, now that I’ve written this and you’ve read it, we’re all one step closer to starting our weekends. Hallelujah. All that writing made me work up an appetite. So tell me, are there any new restaurants I should try? Send me your list of the most delicious local eateries by emailing acutway@wkmg.com.