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Jake Bell

UCF Print/Digital Journalism

Graduation Date: December 2024

Background photo by: Jake Bell

Hard News (Photos)

VoxPopuli •

Orange County Democratic Legislative Delegation backs Thompson over Bracy | VoxPopuli

Orange County Legislative Delegation Democrats Friday endorsed State Sen. Geraldine Thompson for re-election in Senate District 15 over former State Sen. Randolph Bracy in a “unified show of support.” A statement released by the delegation said, “This collective endorsement underscores the delegation’s confidence in Sen. Thompson’s proven track record and unwavering commitment to the citizens of Orange County and the State of Florida. Over the past decade Sen. Geraldine Thompson has been a stead...
VoxPopuli •

GOP state senate candidate faces September trial for looting Orlando HOA

Cheryl “CJ” Blancett, 64, of Leesburg, is on the ballot for the Aug. 20 State Senate District 13 Republican primary. But the following month, on Sept. 23, the candidate, who describes herself as a “gladiator for the U.S. Constitution,” goes on trial for two counts of felony theft in Orange County’s Ninth Judicial Circuit Court.If Blancett, the founder of United Conservatives Alliance, is found guilty of stealing nearly $48,000 from the Orlando homeowner’s association (HOA) she was hired to manag...
The Apopka Voice •

City Council tables additional services from Institute for Human Development

Apopka's City Council meeting on July 19th addressed the issue of a sole-source provider, the Institute for Human Development (IHD), that works with the City's supervisors and management to improve communication skills and performance in the workplace.
Sole-source or no-bid contracts are often reserved for suppliers and contractors offering unique services or expertise. But sometimes, these types of agreements raise questions about transparency and fairness.
According to the City Council, paymen...
The Apopka Voice •

Resolution to change name of Harmon Road to Bill Arrowsmith Parkway tabled by Council

Should Harmon Road's name be changed to Bill Arrowsmith Parkway?
At Apopka’s July 19th City Council meeting, a resolution requesting Harmon Road, which connects Binion Road to Ocoee-Apopka Road and its extension that connects Ocoee-Apopka to Marden Road, be renamed Bill Arrowsmith Parkway.
“So what precipitated this?” Commissioner Diane Velazquez asked. “…Just one resident asked to have that road renamed?” 








Former Apopka City Commissioner Bill Arrowsmith...
The Apopka Voice •

Nesta calls out threatening comments by "keyboard warriors" on social media

With social media being front and center in the lives of most Americans, young and old, a voice in public discourse is at the fingertips of almost everyone. Public citizens, like politicians, face a higher likelihood of being criticized, even threatened, more than ever before.
"It's obviously gotten more and more prevalent as social media has come into play," Nesta said. "People become keyboard warriors… I will not stand for it in any capacity."
The issue of online harassment was brought up at t...
The Apopka Voice •

Apopka sending settlement agreement to Wendover

A settlement agreement was brought to the floor of the Apopka City Council for Wendover Housing Partners (the developers of Southwick Commons affordable housing development) at its June 21st meeting. This measure is in response to the last City Council meeting in which Wendover’s development plan was denied due to disagreements on the size and type of balcony that was proposed.
And while the 4-1 vote moved the settlement agreement down the road, there was a curious "nay" vote.
According to Commu...
The Apopka Voice •

Demings shooting for "The Next Level" in Orange County

“…We are taking Orange County to the next level in every possible way.”
Those were the words that Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings highlighted throughout the 2023 State of the County address at the Orange County Convention Center in the Linda Chapin Theatre on Friday. Elected officials, county employees, and residents were in attendance as Demings recounted the achievements and future plans of Orange County.
“This has been a year of significant achievements, record-breaking tourism numbers, and...
The Apopka Voice •

Wendover vs. The City of Apopka, and the definition of a balcony

Have you ever asked yourself, “What is a balcony?” Probably not. But in Apopka, it's a burning question. 
According to Merriam-Webster, it is “a platform that projects from the wall of a building and is enclosed by a parapet or railing.” 
Simple enough, but not when it involves an affordable housing development in the middle of the Apopka City Center project.
The battle of the balcony, or the interpretation of the word, would rage on for 90 minutes at Wednesday's Apopka City Council meeting... a...

Feature Articles (Photos)

VoxPopuli •

Seth Hyman

Criminal defense attorney Seth Hyman, 48, who  worked for the state attorney’s office for the Ninth Judicial Circuit serving Orange and Osceola counties before getting terminated in 2017, is now campaigning to head that office.

He’s running to prevent former State Attorney Monique Worrell, a Democrat, from being re-elected, according to a candidate survey Hyman completed on Ballotpedia. He said it was “imperative” that Worrell, elected in 2021 and removed from office last year by Gov. Ron DeSan...
VoxPopuli •

Keith Truenow

Republican State Rep. Keith Truenow, 54, of Tavares, is running for the state senate seat in District 13. The twice-elected state representative is running against two first-time candidates — supermarket businessman Bowen Kou and former property manager Cheryl “CJ” Blancett, who is currently awaiting trial on two counts of felony theft for allegedly stealing $48,000 from the Orlando community that she was managing.

Early voting takes place Aug. 5-18, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Check our list...
VoxPopuli •

Cheryl “CJ” Blancett

Leesburg property manager Cheryl “CJ” Blancett, 63, founder of the United Conservatives Alliance, is running for State Senate District 13 as a “constitutional conservative” in the Aug. 20 Republican primary. She is currently awaiting trial in September on two counts of felony grand theft for, as VoxPopuli originally reported, allegedly stealing nearly $48,000 from the Orlando homeowners association she managed for 16 months between 2018 and 2019. If convicted, she faces up to 15 years in prison...
VoxPopuli •

Sunshine Linda-Marie Grund

Real estate broker Sunshine Linda-Marie Grund, 40, is running for Orange County Supervisor of Elections, hoping to break through a crowded field of candidates in the Nov. 5 election. She is up against former Orange County Democratic Chair Wes Hodge, former Orange County School Board member Karen Castor Dentel and attorney Dan Helm.  

Elections supervisors serve four years, and the position has an annual salary of $205,000. There are no term limits. 

Early voting takes place daily Oct. 21-Nov....
VoxPopuli •

Dan Helm

Civil litigator Dan Helm, 38, is running for Orange County Supervisor of Elections after years of volunteering with Democratic political campaigns and working on behalf of voter protections.

“I’m a rules guy, right? So, I love the way that people are following the true letter of the law like I am,” Helm said in an interview with VoxPopuli. “I know the rules, and I know the violations.”

This is his second go at a top elections administrator job. Four years ago, he ran unsuccessfully for electio...
VoxPopuli •

Karen Castor Dentel

Karen Castor Dentel, 55, a dedicated public servant who served in the Florida House of Representatives and represented District 6 on the Orange County School Board, wants to switch gears and head up the Supervisor of Elections office. Elections supervisors serve for four years and earn $205,000 annually. There are no term limits. The election is Nov. 5. 

Castor Dentel is facing a crowded field that includes former Orange County Democratic Party Chair Wes Hodge, attorney Dan Helm and realtor Sun...
VoxPopuli •

Wes Hodge

Longtime Orange County Democratic leader Wes Hodge, 46, is seeking to rise above a crowded field of contenders to head up the Supervisor of Elections office in the Nov. 5 election. The other candidates include former Orange County School Board member Karen Castor Dentel, attorney Dan Helm and realtor Sunshine Linda-Marie Grund. 

All are Democrats; there are no Republicans in the race, and the independent candidate, Cynthia Harris, was disqualified for incorrect payment of her qualifying fee....
VoxPopuli •

Freedom From Religion Foundation calls for retraction of Winter Garden’s Day of Prayer proclamation

Rees announced Proclamation 24-06, which is based on the annual National Day of Prayer, by acknowledging it was not on the meeting agenda. He went on to say Winter Garden would hold an official Day of Prayer on May 2 when residents could come together, “reading sacred Scriptures and attending services to seek God …” According to a recent survey done by the Pew Research Center, Americans want their governments to adhere to the separation of church and state. Among the more than 12,000 adults surv...

Multimedia (Photos & Video)

The Charge •

The first #FindingKnightro scavenger hunt kicks off on campus

Ready. Set. Go! Students sprinted out of the Student Union doors on Thursday with the hope of being one of the lucky seven winners of the #FindingKnightro challenge.UCF students met in the Student Union Atrium anticipating the start of the #FindingKnightro scavenger hunt event hosted by UCF Advancement and Partnerships, which complimented UCF’s Day of Giving.
Maps of campus were handed out and marked seven locations of buildings that held the Knightro plushies and other items like a T-sh...

Photo Gallery

Section/Copy Editor

The Charge •

Walk the plank with UCF’s swashbuckling pirate class

Students at UCF, enrolled in a class about pirates, are walking the plank and diving into the political, social and economic waters of the Golden Age of Piracy.According to the course syllabus, the Archaeology of Caribbean Piracy class analyzes the lives of pirates through an anthropological viewpoint of the reality of what a life at sea as a pirate may have looked like compared to the media and pop culture. 
Derek Blandford, junior anthropology major, said he is currently taking Archaeo...
The Charge •

Flames and fauna: How wildfires and prescribed burns impact wildlife

In maintaining UCF’s Arboretum, controlled burns play a major role in preserving the wildlife, although unchecked lands can lead to catastrophic wildfires that can cause harm animals and plants.“…Prescribed burns are important to facilitate dominance in the environment, it will bring all the species down to the same level, especially the more invasive species.” Clare Podczerwinski, junior biology major, said. “It'll kill those and give the more underdog species a chance to thrive when those spec...
The Charge •

Pulse of the Tribe delivers night of Native American culture

Students gathered to enjoy a showcase of Native American culture from Pulse of the Tribe held at Lake Claire Recreational Area Tuesday night as Native American Heritage Month begins.The Multicultural Student Center and Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans hosted the event in collaboration with the group Native Insights.
Throughout the event, Native Insights spoke about the history and culture of Native Americans and they also brought cultural artifacts such as...
The Charge •

Charles Clary's 'Memento Morididdle' explores life and death at UCF Art Gallery

The UCF Art Gallery opened a new exhibit on Thursday, "Memento Morididdle," designed by artist Charles Clary, showcasing mixed-media maximalist artwork that explores the depths of the human experience.Students, family, and faculty filled the room to see the exhibit while Clary joined the reception via a Zoom call to give background information about the gallery.
In an email Clary said that the gallery integrates themes of life and death to remind viewers of their own mortality. The title...