State Attorney
Two of the four candidates hoping to become the next State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit are on the ballot for next week’s primary election. The position covers both Orange and Osceola counties and serves about 1.9 million residents. Central Florida Public Media’s Marian Summerall joins Engage to discuss the role of the State Attorney in setting policy and public safety in communities.
Primary Election
Early voting ends this weekend ahead of the primary in Florida Tuesday, August 20. Brevard County Supervisor of Elections Tim Bobanic is visiting polling places today, and he joins Engage with an update on early voting. We also checked in with Lake County Supervisor of Elections Alan Hays to find out how turnout is for early voting there.
Drowning Prevention for Children with Autism
Last week, Volusia County deputies rescued a five-year-old boy from drowning. The child is autistic and, unfortunately, this type of scenario happens with relative frequency. The results are often tragic. Two documented cases in Orange County this summer involved young children on the spectrum wandering away from home, eventually drowning in area retention ponds and lakes. We’ve learned that children with autism are at a greater risk of drowning. Stacey Hoaglund joins Engage. She is the mother of a son with autism and president of the Autism Society of Florida which is based in Orlando. The Society reports drowning is the leading cause of death for people on the spectrum and Florida leads the way.
Metallica Scholars at Valencia
Valencia College is in its fifth year with the Metallica Scholars Initiative program. The community college uses funding from Metallica's All Within My Hands Foundation to support students in the welding, mechatronics, and CDL programs. Valencia College graduate Robert Blackowski is a scholarship recipient. Carolyn McMorran is the Assistant Vice President of Professional Continuing Education at Valencia. Renée Richardson is Director of Philanthropy of Metallica's All Within My Hands Foundation. All three join Engage to discuss the impact of the program on Central Florida.
