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LAKE MARY, Fla. - A Seminole County mom has filed a lawsuit against a daycare in Lake Mary claiming that her son was assaulted by a teacher's assistant who allegedly held him against a table and shoved him to make sure he stayed there, according to court records.

The lawsuit, filed by Imani Prioleau-Smith in Seminole County on Jan. 4, alleges that Starchild Academy, a daycare center in Lake Mary, was negligent, which resulted in two alleged assaults of her son. Prioleau-Smith is seeking over $50,000 in damages from the daycare, which she is accusing of negligence, negligent and inadequate supervision, civil battery, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress and loss of consortium, according to the lawsuit.

It remains unclear how old Prioleau-Smith's son is, but Starchild Academy's website advertises daycare services for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and elementary school students.

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The first assault allegedly occurred on Jan. 10, 2022. The boy was playing in the playground and wanted to get on the monkey bars, according to the lawsuit. He guided another child away from the monkey bars, and that's when a staff member allegedly grabbed him and "snatched him up" by the arm, causing him to be suspended in the air as he was moved to the time-out area.

The second assault happened on Sept. 21 later that year, the lawsuit said. Helper and teacher's assistant Betsy Rodriguez Reyes allegedly "pinned him with her leg against the table and aggressively pulling him by his arm and forcibly slamming him into his seat and shoved him into the table against his sternum."

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In the aftermath of these incidents, the boy's parents made the school aware of what happened and spoke to the teacher and director. The boy was then pulled out of the class and was given a new teacher.

The boy has suffered mental and emotional trauma and is now "afraid of going to school," the lawsuit states. Prioleau-Smith said her son has become "extremely anxious" when it's time to be dropped off at school and has sustained "significant psychological scarring."

"He has suffered in the past and will continue to suffer in the future, severe mental, emotional, and psychological pain from the assaults he had to go through," the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit states that Starchild Academy was responsible for the safety of those in their care, and knew or should have known that an incident or accident was possible. Additionally, the mom said the daycare center's assault and battery on the child was "intentional and reckless" and they should have known the "emotional distress" that would transpire.

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"The conduct … is outrageous and it goes beyond all bounds of decency and is utterly intolerable and unacceptable in a civilized community, much less at a school and daycare facility for young children," the lawsuit said.

Starchild Academy did not reply to FOX 35's request for comment at the time of publication.

Back in 2009, another Starchild location in Orlando was sued by parents of a 4-year-old child for $5 million. They said their child was "molested and otherwise touched in a sexually inappropriate manner by another student." The daycare center's owner denied the allegations and the Department of Children and Families, who investigated the complaint, said they didn't consider a child that young to be a perpetrator. This lawsuit also alleged supervision issues at the daycare, but no formal action was taken against Starchild Academy at the time.

A three-legged bear celebrated Labor Day weekend much like two-legged humans would, raiding a mini fridge and downing White Claws at a Florida home.

Video captured the encounter at a home in the Orlando suburb of Lake Mary on Sunday. It was around 5 p.m. when Josaury Faneite-Diglio got a notification from her security camera and saw that a bear known locally as Tripod was paying a visit, she told WESH-TV.

Faneite-Diglio's 13-year-old son, Joseph, was home to capture the encounter on his cellphone.

Watch the video of Tripod the three-legged bear raiding a mini fridge.

'One in a lifetime'

Home-security video shows Joseph quieting the family dog Bruno, who had alerted him to Tripod's presence. Joseph recognized the locally famous bear almost immediately.

"He's coming close. This guy's trying to eat the food here," Joseph said as he filmed, releasing a string of expletives as he narrates.

"Oh my god," he said. "This is like, one in a lifetime.

"I feel like I gotta lock all the doors now," he says as Tripod slowly hobbles through toward the window where Joseph is filming. "I've never been this close to a bear."

Taking the booze

Joseph continues filming while Tripod makes his way to the mini fridge. To Joseph's surprise, he opens the fridge door with no trouble.

"Oh, look, he just opened the door!" Joseph says, laughing. "He's about to take the beer!"

By the time Tripod left, he drank three White Claw hard seltzers, paired with some fish food the family leaves out by a fish tank, Faneite-Diglio told WESH-TV.

"I was not scared because we know the bear really well," she told the station. "He lives here; we respect their habitat as much as we can."

Bears in Florida?

Yes, there are bears in Florida.

They can be found almost anywhere in the state but prefer to be in areas of flatwoods, swamps, scrub oak ridges, and hammock habitats, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

They look for places in cover and try to stay away from heavily populated areas. But Central Florida and Lake Mary fall in one of the regions that the commission considers "frequent" for bear visits based on observations by researchers, public calls for help and sightings.

Those areas are considered core to the bear population and show evidence that reproduction is consistent.

Officials urge the public to avoid feeding bears, as it can increase their comfort with humans and put them at further risk. Officials recommend securing trash with a caddy, a bear-resistant container or simply waiting to put bins out in the morning before trash pickup.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information on the expansion.

BNY Mellon has lined up renovations that will help it grow its campus in Lake Mary.

The New York-based investment banking and financial services firm (NYSE: BK) will complete work in 200,000 square feet of new office space at 600 Colonial Center Parkway, as well as renovate 100,000 square feet of its existing space at 300 Colonial Center Parkway. Orlando Business Journal previously reported in August BNY Mellon's lease.

Upgrades to the complex will include a full-serve cafeteria, conference center, a coffee bar and new common areas for collaboration between employees. It also will have a wellness area with a gym, quiet rooms and areas for nursing mothers.

“Lake Mary is an important location for us globally, and we believe in the local community and its top talent,” Alejandro Perez, chief administrative officer at BNY Mellon, said in a press release. “We’re excited to continue expanding our presence in Florida, and remain committed to serving our clients across the state.”

Work on the two spaces is expected to be completed in 2024. A cost for the renovation and how many jobs may be added at the complex were not immediately available.

The Orlando Economic Partnership was part of the effort to draw the company to expand, having networked with BNY Mellon first during a 2022 economic development mission trip to New York City. The public-private economic development organization provided research, market analysis and counsel on potential incentives.

“The Orlando Economic Partnership is thrilled to see BNY Mellon’s expansion in Lake Mary, a move that underscores the region’s economic vibrancy as a global business hub,” Tim Giuliani, OEP president and CEO, said in a prepared statement. “This strategic partnership aligns with our mission of advancing broad-based prosperity to foster inclusive economic development and stimulate job opportunities for all while solidifying the region’s reputation as a dynamic and thriving business destination.”

BNY Mellon first added its presence in Lake Mary in 2001, and also has several Wealth Management branches in Florida. The company has more than 1,200 employees in the Orlando region.

The added office space comes as the Orlando suburb landed among the top-30 destinations in the U.S. for corporate headquarters in a post-pandemic landscape.

Princeton, New Jersey-based The Boyd Co. recognized Lake Mary alongside seven other Florida markets on the list — the rest of which were coastal markets in southeast and southwest Florida — on a list dominated by Sun Belt markets in states like Arizona, Texas, Nevada and North Carolina.

John Boyd, principal for The Boyd Co., previously told Orlando Business Journal that one of the factors that is a positive for Lake Mary is its affordability.

"If you're looking to enter the Orlando market, there are more affordable options than Lake Nona — we've been very active in Lake Mary and this is a market that we've always really, really liked," Boyd said. "Our clients are looking at cost-cutting when it comes to office needs."

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LAKE MARY, Fla. – The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, also known as the “Festival of Lights,” starts at sundown Dec. 7 and ends Dec. 15.

The heart of the holiday involves the time-honored tradition of lighting a menorah for eight nights.

Penny and Barry Gold invited News 6 into their home in Lake Mary to see their collection of 52 menorahs — one for every year they’ve been married.

“Of course, the first year we had a menorah, but there are so many choices now that it became a thing,” said Penny Gold.

There are options for everyone. The oldest menorah in their collection comes from Barry’s family. There is also a Disney-themed one, animals, and even Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

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Penny Gold said this year’s menorah is a gefilte fish with the names of everyone in the family.

The couple met in college in Manhattan and were married four years later. And now, 52 years later, they have four sons, four daughters-in-law, and seven children.

Barry jokes that they collect menorahs, grandchildren, and Converse shoes. Penny once held the Guinness World Record for having the most pairs of the sneakers. She now has more than 2,000 in all kinds of colors and styles.

She proudly showed our News 6 team a custom Converse-themed menorah that her husband made for her one year.

“These are my favorite because Barry made these for me,” she said.

Barry Gold showed us another menorah his kids gave to him for his 65th birthday. There’s a story for every single one.

It’s a display the Gold family looks forward to putting together each year as their family gathers in their home to light the candles and spend the holiday together.

“A lot of people come over, open the gifts, and play games. They play dreidel,” said Penny Gold. “And eating potato latkes. Barry makes the best potato latkes!”

Barry said that next Thursday, which is the last night of Hanukkah, everybody in the family will choose menorahs from the collection to light.

“Everyone will be lighting one, and there will be eight candles in each, so we’ll shut the smoke detectors off,” he joked.

The Golds say all of the Jewish holidays are very special to them because of their traditions.

“Tradition is very important to us,” said Barry. “Our parents passed it on to us. We keep doing it, so the kids do it, and now they’re doing it with their kids.”

This year, they say the holiday has more meaning.

“It’s nice to see something happy going on right now, something on the news that’s not a war,” said Barry Gold.

“One of my dear friends in her neighborhood in Altamonte, all her neighbors who are not Jewish got together and made her a big Hanukkah package and signs, and they gave it to her to support her in this time, which is really beautiful,” Penny Gold added.

After all, Hanukkah is a celebration and a reason to gather together for joy.

“Just celebrate because it’s a fun holiday,” said Penny. “You’re celebrating happiness, and that really makes it special.”

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A popular, locally grown restaurant chain known for its gourmet burgers and craft cocktails has inked a deal for its third location.

Hangry Bison, which has locations in Winter Park Village and downtown Winter Garden, will open its third Orlando-area restaurant this summer in Lake Mary's Colonial Town Park.

The lifestyle center is at the northwest corner of International Parkway's intersection with Seminole County Road 46A, adjacent the Heathrow area. The restaurant will open in a 6,330-square-foot space next to the Duffy's Sports Grill at 951 Market Promenade Ave.

Hangry Bison was represented in lease negotiations by Flavia Kanyago, vice president of sales and leasing for Winter Park-based CrossMarc Services.

The lifestyle center is owned and leased by Ontario-based North American Development Group, whose U.S. operations are based out of West Palm Beach. Connor Barry, senior director for leasing with the firm, represented the landlord in the lease transaction.

Kanyago indicated the deal was for a "long-term lease," and the location is a good fit for the growing restaurant chain. “Colonial Town Park encompasses all of the Hangry Bison’s criteria for its third Central Florida location, including excellent visibility in a high-end retail center with complementary high-end tenants, ample parking, strong daytime population and strong traffic count."

Joe Liguori, owner and founder of the Hangry Bison concept, said Kanyago and CrossMarc Services have been retained to seek additional new locations throughout the state, with negotiations ongoing and announcements expected later this spring.

In a post to its Facebook page, Hangry Bison's ownership announced the Lake Mary location will feature two bars, a private room for parties and "an abundant selection of cocktails, whiskeys and bourbons."

Meanwhile, in addition to its proximity to the affluent Heathrow area, the new Hangry Bison location is not far from Seminole Towne Center and the busy commercial corridor that surrounds it.

It is an area that has seen other restaurant expansions announced recently, including that of Ford's Garage, which Orlando Business Journal previously reported will open a new location at 1415 Rinehart Road.

Meanwhile, the desire of the various restaurant brands to plant their flag in the Lake Mary-Sanford submarket reflects its strong retail demographics for the surrounding area.

So said Brad Parker, a local land expert and broker with Longwood-based Southern Realty Enterprises, who is not involved with the plans for Hangry Bison but has been involved in property transactions in the corridor.

Parker noted plans by other restaurant and beverage chains — including Starbucks and Chipotle — for new nearby locations as proof of the demand there. "That tells you the demographic right there — when Chipotle and Starbucks go in, that means the best third-party studies in the world have been done. The restaurant demand in that Sanford area continues to benefit from that high demographic."

Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation data shows that new restaurant openings in Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Brevard and Volusia counties dipped slightly from 1,139 in fiscal-year 2022 (ending in June) to 1,105 in fiscal-year 2023. The biggest year-over-year drop-off was seen in Orange County, with 54 fewer restaurants opening in fiscal 2023 than the year-before period.

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