Author

Isaac Benjamin Babcock

Isaac creates editorial plans, working closely with the community to identify issues that affect people’s everyday lives. He is OCN’s resident photojournalist.

He is a longtime local journalist and former managing editor of the Seminole Voice. His work has been featured in Golfweek magazine, the New York Times and Jalopnik. He has won more than a dozen Florida Press Association and Society of Professional Journalists awards and contributed to award-winning, in-depth work for the NPR member station 90.7 WMFE.

Isaac holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Central Florida’s Nicholson School of Communication and Media, and may be best known for his many roles in the annual Oviedo Cemetery Tour. He enjoys hiking, running, sailing, motorcycling, modifying cars, inventing things, baking and going on adventures into forests and up snowy mountains with his family.

Isaac's Latest Articles

Winter Springs
Winter Springs Commissioners express contamination concern ahead of superfund site annexation final vote
Construction is creeping forward at the Winter Springs pickleball facility that's expected to be completed near the end of the year.
Winter Springs inches closer to pickleball time

As a national-level pickleball tournament prepares to open play for the first time in Winter Haven, Winter Springs is edging closer to having its own tournament-level pickleball facility. 

Four-story facility nears big vote in Winter Springs

Weeks after resident uproar failed to stop Seminole County from allowing the rezoning of a three-story storage facility near Winter Springs' downtown, a taller project is making its way to the city commission.

Winter Springs scrambles for territory after new law passes

A law just passed at the state level will pave the way for $711 million in additional funding for affordable housing in Florida, but local leaders fear they'll lose control over development. 

Winter Springs annexes EPA Superfund site

Winter Springs is on the grow after the City Commission voted to annex the former Gould printing property, now a 9.81-acre Environmental Protection Agency Superfund cleanup site along U.S. Highway 17/92, on May 22.

The penny sales tax water systems infrastructure stormwater improvements culvert Winter Springs road resurfacing
A breakdown of the Winter Springs audit

After concluding that Winter Springs spent “a small portion” of funds against Florida law, an audit report of the city's finances prepared by Seminole County auditors broke down their concerns, in the county's opinion, and what should change in the future.

Winter Springs loses another round in storage building fight

For the second time, a proposed three-story storage facility has cleared a vote that brings it closer to reality for nearby Winter Springs residents, after the Seminole County Commission unanimously approved a controversial rezoning.

Winter Springs audit released, says ‘small portion’ not in compliance

Three weeks after a draft of an audit of Winter Springs was leaked to the news media, the official audit was released this week before the city had seen it, according to a city spokesperson.

Pickleball facility hits pause
Creek sediment will be dredged to help water flow
Winter Springs fires back at “unprofessional” audit