Jack Is Back + Valencia Adjuncts Unionize + Scout Cookie Surplus

Good Morning and Happy Friday! My name is Carlos Hernandez and I am back to update you on the latest happening in the Orlando area.

In this issue, you’ll learn about the return of a fan favorite at Halloween Horror Nights, Valencia College, Central Florida Girl Scouts, and more. Now, let’s get started.

Today’s weather: The high is 90 and the low is 76 with cloudy skies.

Here are the top 5 stories happening around Orlando:

1. Adjunct professors at Valencia College officially voted to form a union. They make up nearly 70% of the institution's faculty and are struggling to make ends meet. (Orlando Weekly)

2. Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights is bringing back fan-favorite Jack the Clown for its 30th anniversary. Tickets are now on sale and the event runs from September 3rd to October 31st. (Orlando Weekly)

3. Central Florida Girl Scouts have about 214,000 boxes of cookies remaining because of the coronavirus pandemic. They will keep selling them until August. (Orlando Sentinel)

4. A Fort Lauderdale-based loan company is closing its Orlando office and will lay off nearly 175 employees. The office was around for nearly 20 years. (Orlando Business Journal)

5. Florida United Methodist Children’s Home has lost more than 250 children in less than 5 years according to records and residents are fed up. It is the same group home where runaways recently opened fire on police in Volusia County. (Click Orlando)

Today in Orlando:

• Public Skate at RDV Ice Den. $13-$15 including skates and tax. (12 p.m.)
• Art After Dark at Lake Nona Town Center. (6 p.m.)
• Celebrate Freedom: Juneteenth at The Wells’ Built (6 p.m.)
• Live at Timucua: The Tal Cohen Trio Featuring Ignacio Berroa. (7 p.m.)
• Frontyard Festival: Travis Tritt at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. (8 p.m.)
• Tchami at Vanguard Orlando. (9 p.m.)
• Taylor Swift Night: Cruel Summer Kickoff at Neon Beach (9 p.m.)

Orlando Patch Notebook:

• Osceola County School District is in need of 40 additional bus drivers and is now hiring.
• AdventHealth says demand for COVID-19 testing at Orlando International Airport is up.
• There was a mask compliance issue at the Orange County Public School board meeting.
• New census data shows Florida’s poverty rate for senior citizens is 12.7%, above the national rate.

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That's all for today. I will be back tomorrow with the latest happening in Orlando. My inbox is open if you have any tips to send or want to reach out: orlando@patch.com.

-Carlos Hernandez

About me: I have lived in Florida since 1999 and covered the Orlando area for nearly 10 years, mainly with a focus on food through my blog at CarlosEats.com.