From leadership transitions and shakeups to continued city development and the unveiling of new amenities, 2025 was a busy year in Apopka news. The Apopka Chief was there to document all of these stories and more, as our city continues to grow and change.  

The Chief staff evaluated the news of 2025 and ranked the top stories, as we see it. Think we missed one? Send a letter to the editor at news@theapopkachief.com, and we may run it in a future issue.  

1. New police chief takes reins

In October 2025, the Apopka Police Department entered a new era when Dr. Lovetta Quinn-Henry took the oath of office as the city’s 16th police chief, marking a historic milestone as the first woman to lead the department.  

The transition began in March when the City Council appointed her as deputy chief with the expectation that she would succeed retiring Chief Michael McKinley, who was in this post for 10 years.   

A 1988 Apopka High School alumna and current Apopka resident, Quinn-Henry joined APD after a distinguished 25-year career with the Orlando Police Department.  

At her Oct. 30 change of command ceremony, Quinn-Henry said her goals as chief are to focus on crime prevention, professional development and community engagement.  

2. Water woes

A variety of Apopka water issues populated the headlines in 2025, starting with a 15.5% water rate increase, which the city adopted upon the recommendation of a consulting firm.

Related, the city worked to reduce the number of no-reads and billing estimates, cutting by more than half the amount of unaccounted for water. The City Council passed an ordinance implementing fines for meter-tampering. 

The year also included water restrictions due to a spring drought and much discussion of short-term and long-term flood mitigation solutions for the Piedmont-Wekiwa/S.R. 436 area, starting with Border Lake. 

In June, the city launched a $100,000 emergency pumping initiative to lower lake levels by up to 3 feet ahead of the 2025 storm season. The city is working toward a permanent pumping station and pipeline designed to reroute excess water into the city’s reclaimed water system at the Cleveland Street wastewater treatment plant. 

3. Paulucci Acres proposed for northwest Apopka 

City growth dominated the headlines this year, with the Paulucci Acres development moving forward at the top of the list. 

The massive 618-acre project — three times larger than Wyld Oaks — is proposed for property along Ponkan Road, stretching up Jason Dwelley Parkway to the Northwest Recreation Complex. The development is slated to include 1,034 residential units and nearly 150 acres of park land. 

The community first learned about Paulucci Acres in January, when the developer Pulte Homes had its first of four community meetings. Residents voiced concerns over several issues, including its effect on nearby neighborhoods and traffic.  

In August, the City Council took a major step to facilitate Paulucci Acres by voting to annex 39 acres into the city.  

In December, the City Council voted to delay a zoning ordinance discussion until January so legal details surrounding Paulucci Acres can be resolved.  

4. The Apopka Chief changes hands 

In February, the Ricketson family sold The Apopka Chief and The Planter to Mainstreet Daily News, a subsidiary of Orlando-based MARC Media.  

The sale ensured the newspaper’s legacy would continue under new leadership after owner and publisher John “J.R.” Ricketson, who led the organization for 44 years, died in 2024. 

With J.C. Derrick stepping in as publisher, the transition brought increased circulation and modernization, including a digital-first approach to news and conversion to a free newspaper model with a membership program.  

As part of this restructuring, ownership suspended publication of The Planter after 60 years to focus on expanding The Apopka Chief’s reach in the community.  

5. City administrator is terminated  

In March, Mayor Bryan Nelson terminated city administrator Jacob Smith after nine months on the job due to what the mayor described as a total breakdown in communication. 

The controversy centered on deleted emails from the state Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which had requested documentation regarding the city’s financial solvency. 

Nelson alleged that Smith failed to share these correspondences despite a pending deadline.  

Following Smith’s departure, city parks and recreation director Radley Williams was tapped to serve as interim city administrator – a dual role he continues to hold. 

6. Wekiva High School pivots to a community school 

Wekiva High School received a transformational “University-Assisted Community School” (UACS) designation, a status that will shift the school into a resource center for social and health services.  

A federal grant through University of Central Florida’s Unlimited Potential Initiative supports the UACS.  

Principal Anthony Russell said the high school can improve attendance and educational outcomes for the whole student body by addressing foundational needs such as food insecurity. 

Managed by community school director Johnny Outing, the program is launching initiatives such as the Mustang Market, a food pantry and clothing outlet meant to lift non-academic barriers to student success.  

7. Three teens die in car crash 

The community mourned the death of three Apopka teenagers who died in a single-vehicle crash on Welch Road near Wekiva Drive in November.  

Six teenagers were traveling in a Chevrolet Silverado when it veered off the roadway and hit a tree. 

Three passengers — Enrique Rodriguez Sabas, Julio Lopez, and Leyner Velasquez — were killed in the crash, while three others sustained critical injuries.  

School board members and city officials gave tributes to the teens, and funerals that took place saw an outpouring of support for the families.  

8. Community discovers downtown mosque 

In a story that surprised both city officials and residents, a petition to build an estimated new 6,400 sq. ft. mosque in downtown Apopka revealed that one has already been operating at the same location for years.  

While the Planning Commission approved the special request for the new structure, Mayor Nelson said the city has since been working with the organization to bring the current operations into full compliance with city code.  

9. ‘Muralgate’

What was intended to be a beautification project on the Main Street Domino’s building became a black eye for the community.  

After an artist completed the Downtown Mural on the building’s exterior, it was discovered that the work was plagiarized from another artist’s existing piece in Iowa. The Downtown Mural artist, Ridge Bonnick, said he didn’t know the work was plagiarized when he was given the sketch.  

To correct the situation, the Downtown Mural was painted over and remains white, although plans are in the works for a new mural.  

The incident sparked a wider conversation about the vetting process for public art and the significance of supporting local, original talent. 

10. Local governments expand their amenities 

Apopka celebrated the opening of several new community features in 2025.  

In March, the city cut the ribbon for the Apopka Action Sports Park, a $500,000 skate park and pump track that the Community Redevelopment Agency funded.  

Beyond the city limits, in May, Orange County celebrated the ribbon-cutting of the Greeneyes Wildlife Preserve, making it the 15th property to be protected under Orange County’s Green PLACE initiative, which currently protects over 25,000 acres.  

In August, the city re-opened Alonzo Williams Park after renovations to two basketball courts.  

In November, the city unveiled the $1-million all-inclusive playground at the Northwest Recreation Complex, designed to provide accessible play spaces for children of all abilities.