WEATHER ALERT
‘Absolutely no justice:’ Grandmother of boy who drowned at Chuluota day care calls for changes after no charges filed
Read full article: ‘Absolutely no justice:’ Grandmother of boy who drowned at Chuluota day care calls for changes after no charges filedThe grandmother of a 2-year-old who died after falling into a home daycare swimming pool is calling for changes after investigators announced no charges would be filed in the case.
No toys, flowers allowed on gravesites at this Florida cemetery
Read full article: No toys, flowers allowed on gravesites at this Florida cemeteryChief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is looking into the policies set in place by the Chuluota Cemetery Association limiting what items loved ones can leave at gravesites.
Seminole County man pleads guilty to $7.2M COVID-19 relief fraud
Read full article: Seminole County man pleads guilty to $7.2M COVID-19 relief fraudA Seminole County man who fled the U.S. and was eventually arrested in Croatia has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $7.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
Florida Foodie: Grassroots effort to get food to people in need during the pandemic
Read full article: Florida Foodie: Grassroots effort to get food to people in need during the pandemicKaren Zielke from the Chuluota Free Vegetable Distribution shares the story of how her grassroots push to feed people turned into a community effort.
Feds: Man uses $7.2M from PPP funds to buy Seminole County mansion, luxury cars
Read full article: Feds: Man uses $7.2M from PPP funds to buy Seminole County mansion, luxury carsSEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – A Bradenton man is accused of using $7.2 million from Paycheck Protection Program funds to buy a mansion in Chuluota, according to court records. Don Cisternino was indicted on two counts of wire fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft and three counts of illegal monetary transaction. Records show Cisternino applied for Paycheck Protection Program loan established as part of the federal CARES Act relief bill. Cisternino is accused of saying MagnifiCo had 441 employees with an average monthly payroll of $2.88 million. Records show after the application the Small Business Administration issued $7.2 million in PPP funds to MagnifiCo.
Pop-up food bank serves Chuluota area with fresh vegetables
Read full article: Pop-up food bank serves Chuluota area with fresh vegetablesTwice a month, the couple creates up a pop-up farmers market in front of VFW Post 10139 in Chuluota. “Would you like some spinach?” Zielke asked one of the nearly 70 people who make their way to the fresh vegetable food bank. “That gave us an idea that we could go there and help them by purchasing some of the food they couldn’t sell,” Mike Zielke said. “It’s something we thought would be very short term,” Mike Zielke said. Friends suggested he stop by the Chuluota food bank.