Around Orlando

Commissioners meet Oct. 19 at 12:30 p.m. to discuss how future tourist-tax money could be spent. Mayor Jerry Demings has proposed more than $800 million for 13 projects, including $400 million for the downtown Orlando arts center's master plan.

The City Council unanimously approved a construction agreement with Winter Park's Gomez Construction. Work on the South Orange Avenue site is scheduled to start Nov. 25 and finish by the end of 2027, after 19 cost-cutting design changes.

The city says cameras flag vehicles traveling more than 10 mph above the applicable speed limit.

Orange County Public Schools wants to turn the century-old Cherokee School on South Eola Drive into a 500-student arts and entertainment magnet high school. Neighbors raised cost and traffic concerns at a Sept. 28 design meeting, and district officials outlined new scheduling changes.

Orange County Public Schools has about 20 openings for 98 unplaced educators after losing roughly 8,000 students this year, and families at University High School and Odyssey Middle School are already feeling the fallout.

City staff began vetting vendors Thursday to roughly double Orlando's red-light camera program, with Bumby Avenue and Amelia Street among the first stops.