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Your Florida Daily: Teacher accused of taping sex with former student, Orlando Magic to retire Shaquille O’Neal’s No. 32

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Your Florida Daily: Teacher accused of taping sex with former student, Orlando Magic to retire Shaquille O’Neal’s No. 32


ORLANDO, Fla. – Serious charges have been filed against an Orange County teacher after investigators say she had sex with a former student and recorded it.

Marie-Jo Gordo was indicted by a federal grand jury after prosecutors argued Gordo was the boy’s eighth grade teacher in 2019, but then in 2023, began a sexual relationship with him.

They say the boy had over two dozen videos on his phone showing the two engaging in sexual activity.

The indictment didn’t say what schools Gordo has worked at but News 6 has reached out to the district to find out and to get her current employment status.

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Daytona Beach police honor fallen officer Jason Raynor

Florida legislator files ‘Officer Jason Raynor Act’ after slain Daytona Beach officer

It’s been months since the man who killed a Daytona Beach police officer was convicted of a lesser sentence of manslaughter, and now Florida lawmakers are working on a bill that would automatically sentence someone to life in prison for causing the death of a law enforcement officer.

It’s called “The Officer Jason Raynor Act,” named after the Daytona Beach officer shot and killed in 2021.

Investigators say Raynor was searching for a stolen car when he saw Othal Wallace in one that looked similar. Raynor went to question Wallace, but he wouldn’t comply.

Wallace then shot the officer and took off. Wallace argued in his trial that he shot Raynor because he feared for his own life.

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Though charged with first-degree murder, the jury found him guilty of manslaughter and he was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood believes this act would make one thing clear.

“If you don’t like that the cop stops to investigate you because we think you’re acting suspicious, you don’t take matters into your own hands, put a bullet in the back of a law enforcement officer’s head,” Chitwood told News 6.

If passed, the act would take effect on Oct. 1.

FILE-This April 7, 1996 file photo shows Orlando Magic’s Shaquille O’Neal dunking the ball and knocking Chicago Bulls’ Dennis Rodman out of the way at the same time during their game in Orlando. O’Neal says on Twitter that he’s “about to retire.” O’Neal sent a Tweet shortly before 2:45 p.m. saying, “im retiring.” It included a link to a 16-second video in which he says, “We did it; 19 years, baby. Thank you very much. That’s why I’m telling you first: I’m about to retire. Love you. Talk to you soon.” (AP Photo/Steve Simoneau,File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Orlando Magic to retire Shaquille O’Neal’s No. 32 jersey

A big honor for one of the Orlando Magic’s most famous players.

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The team announced it will officially retire No. 32 in honor of Shaquille O’Neal. It will be the first time the Magic has ever retired a jersey of one of their former players.

Shaq was the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft and spent four seasons with the Magic from 1992 until 1996.

A special ceremony is planned for after the team’s home game against Oklahoma City on Feb. 13.

The school, originally called Public School Number Four, was constructed in 1917 at a cost of $250,000 and originally overlooked Riverside Park, before the construction of I-95 and I-10 isolated it in the 1950s. I was later named for its former long-time teacher and principal.According to MetroJacksonville.com, the school closed in 1960, although it was used for storage and office space until it was condemned in 1971.The building was designated a historic landmark by Jacksonville City Council in 2000.

Random Florida Fact

In Jacksonville, there’s an old brick building with the name Public School Number Four engraved on top.

It’s a gigantic abandoned schoolhouse and you can see it while driving along Interstate 95 as you curve onto Interstate 10.

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Built in 1915, the schoolhouse was renamed Annie Lytle Elementary in 1957 in honor of a former principal.

But it only stayed open for three more years. In 1960, it was condemned and decades later, a fire destroyed the roof.

Over the years, volunteers have tried cleaning the historic grounds, though nature and graffiti have since taken over the building.


About the Author:
Katrina Scales

Katrina Scales is a producer for the News 6+ Takeover at 3:30 p.m. She also writes and voices the podcast Your Florida Daily. Katrina was born and raised in Brevard County and started her journalism career in radio before joining News 6 in June 2021.

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Kids with autism are prone to drowning. Florida is trying to prevent that

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Kids with autism are prone to drowning. Florida is trying to prevent that


Garland Jones, recreational therapist and senior program director of the YMCA of South Florida’s special needs program, teaches Mackenzie Wesley, 5, to breathe safely in water by using a ping pong ball as a visual aid.

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WESTON, Fla. — Mackenzie Wesley sports a big grin and bright blue Lilo & Stitch swim gear as she runs into her weekly swim lessons. It’s fitting, because the 5-year-old has something in common with movie character Lilo: She adores water.

“Whether it’s the pool or beach, she enjoys it fully,” says her dad Steven Wesley.

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Mackenzie isn’t alone: Many kids with autism share a natural love for water because it can be sensory bliss — the feeling on their skin, the pressure and the sparkle of the water can all be soothing. Lucky for her, Mackenzie lives here, less than an hour outside of Miami in a state that’s dotted with bodies of water.

But there’s a tragic reality tied to that fact, as Mackenzie’s mom, Brittany Bucknor, is all too aware. “In Florida, there’s water everywhere, and also with kids her age, and also just being on the spectrum, it’s a very — way higher — rate of having an incident of drowning.”

Kids with autism are 160 times more likely than other children to die from drowning, according to a seminal 2017 study from Columbia University. In fact, in Florida, most children drown in backyard pools. That’s largely because about half of autistic children have a tendency to wander from safe settings. That fact, combined with an attraction to water can make for a dangerous combination. Quality swim lessons can help.

That’s one of the reasons Mackenzie’s parents enrolled her in Swim Buddies, the YMCA of South Florida’s low-cost program aimed at children with disabilities. It’s also why the state of Florida, which has one of the highest childhood drowning rates in the nation, is expanding a voucher program on July 1 that will put children ages 1-7 who have autism at the front of the line for subsidized swim lessons. “We have tragic circumstances and stories across the state of Florida of young children with autism that are wandering away, they’re eloping from their homes, from their classrooms,” says Florida state Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat, and one of the lawmakers who sponsored the bipartisan bill that changed the state’s swim vouchers.



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New details in deadly Florida alligator attack

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New details in deadly Florida alligator attack


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Officials say 31-year-old Brittany Clark died after being attacked by an alligator while swimming in a river. Clark was hiking in a state park outside Orlando when the attack happened. NBC News’ Liz Kreutz has more.

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Fast-growing South Florida wildfire consumes over 4,000 acres

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Fast-growing South Florida wildfire consumes over 4,000 acres


A swiftly-growing wildfire in western Broward County has consumed over 4,000 acres, having ballooned in size since igniting a few days ago.

The Atlantic Fire, located near the Sawgrass Expressway and Commercial Boulevard, burned 4,755 acres and was 0% contained as of 8:01 p.m. June 29, according to a map of active wildfires provided by the Florida Forest Service. The fire began over the weekend, and had grown to 180 acres by Sunday.

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Wildfires in neighboring Miami-Dade County burned thousands of acres in recent weeks

Three wildfires burning in Miami-Dade County cumulatively consumed over 19,000 acres over the past few weeks.

The Quarry 2 Fire, which began on June 15 near NW 137 Avenue and NW 41 Street, had grown to 19,018 acres and was 97% contained as of 1:26 p.m. June 21, according to a map of active wildfires provided by the Florida Forest Service. The Well Fire, which began on June 16 and is located near NW 122 Avenue and NW 58 Street, had burned 2,814 acres and was 90% contained as of 4:41 p.m. June 25.

The Corrections Fire, located south of 8th Street and west of Krome Avenue, had burned 363 acres and was 95% contained as of 12:12 p.m. June 25.

Sarah Perkel is a South Florida Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network’s Florida Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.



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