Pulse Nightclub Demolished
Crews demolished the Pulse nightclub building this week. An adjacent building and other structures within a fenced area are also being removed. The process of clearing the site is expected to take several weeks. Artifacts from inside like posters and parts of the bar and walls have already been taken out and are being preserved. Some will be part of the permanent memorial scheduled to break ground in September.
Since that night, Pulse had remained closed. The OnePULSE Foundation was created to build a permanent memorial. A temporary one was put in place at the nightclub that was supposed to be there for two years. However, the foundation faced controversy, accused of misspending donations and taxpayer funds. It was dissolved in 2023. The City of Orlando later purchased the Pulse property with the promise of building a permanent memorial.
Even though the building is gone, the loss remains. It’s been nearly ten years since 49 people were murdered and dozens more injured by a gunman at Pulse during a Latin-themed dance night on June 12, 2016. One of the victims was Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo who was 20 years old when he died. His sister, Belinnette Ocasio-Capo, joins Engage to discuss the significance of this week and share memories about her brother that make her smile when she thinks about him.
The impact of this week and healing are different for everyone including those who arrived in the immediate aftermath to help. Engage is joined by Deborah Beidel, a professor of psychology and medical education at the University of Central Florida and Executive Director of UCF Restores that provides treatment to first responders and survivors of mass violence. The UCF Restores team responded to Pulse after the shooting, and Beidel still works with those who need support today.
Unfinished Work after Legislative Session
Florida’s 2026 legislative session is over, but key work remains unfinished. State lawmakers are expected to return to Tallahassee to sort out spending during special sessions on property taxes, the budget, and redistricting. Before the regular session adjournment last week, several significant bills passed, including new restrictions on DEI programs and a process to designate certain groups as domestic terrorist organizations. Meanwhile, the governor’s proposed Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights did not pass.
Douglas Soule, State Government Reporter for WUSF's Your Florida team and Community Engagement Reporter Meghan Bowman join Engage to discuss what passed, what failed, and what comes next.
