Dr. Aaron Walton Joins Osceola County

Animal Services as Staff Veterinarian

Dr. Aaron Walton, a veterinarian with more than 26 years of experience in small animal medicine, has joined the Osceola County Animal Services team as their staff veterinarian.

Walton is an advocate for the injured or ill animals that often arrive at Animal Services – either because they are lost, have been mistreated or their owners no longer have the means to care for them

“A lot of animals have medical issues when they come here, it’s the sensible thing to handle some medical and surgical cases in-house,” Walton said. “Some need to be referred to other practices for treatments but in the end, it’s really rewarding to help treat an animal so that it is ultimately adoptable. “My goal, when it is all said and done, is for the shelter to be in a better place than when I started.”

Strays can present with a lot of issues from malnourishment to fleas, skin ailments or injuries, he said.

Walton is a 1996 graduate of Michigan State University, who sold his practice several years ago and began working as a “relief” vet and at a shelter. He and his wife, Deb, relocated from Flint, Mich.

“You can learn something new every day. You never know what you’re going to run into,” he said. “Most vets are animal lovers, so being able to treat and rehabilitate the animals here and see them placed in a good home is part of the appeal of shelter medicine. It’s a good challenge at this my stage of my career.” He cited an example of work at a Michigan shelter as one of the rewards of the job.

“This dog came into the shelter. It was completely neglected, underweight, terrified of people. We couldn’t walk him for three weeks. But we gave him some time and he filled out physically. Eventually, we were able to start handling him and get him out of his shell. He was fostered and ended up being adopted. That’s really rewarding because many people would have looked at him as a lost cause, but he was a success story. Those kinds of outcomes make you happy.”

Governor DeSantis announces $7 billion infrastructure plan aimed at traffic congestion relief over 4 years, including Central Florida

Today, Governor DeSantis announced the Moving Florida Forward initiative to expedite transportation projects over the next four years, mainly in Central and South Florida. If passed by the legislature, this proposal would invest $4 billion of general revenue, redirect an average of $131 million annually to the State Transportation Work Program, and leverage additional funding over the next four years for a total of $7 billion to strengthen Florida’s transportation infrastructure to accommodate the growing number of people that rely on Florida’s roadways.

Through this record investment, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) would expedite 20 priority infrastructure projects into the existing Work Program to combat congestion, improve safety, and ensure a more resilient transportation system to bolster current transportation needs and set the stage for future growth. Projects included as part of the Moving Florida Forward Legislative Proposal are available at FDOT.gov/MovingFloridaForward.

“This proposal will break through bureaucracy that often slows down infrastructure projects and allow FDOT to target projects that will ease congestion across the state,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Expediting these projects will bring them to completion more than a decade ahead of schedule.”

FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue, P.E said. “The Department has worked closely with communities and our partners through the years to plan and prepare these projects for construction. Receiving this funding will allow the vision of each project to become a reality in the immediate future to better meet the growing demands in communities throughout the state. Our team is prepared and ready to work with the Legislature to deliver these critical projects and strengthen Florida’s transportation infrastructure.”

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Celebration Foundation Concert Series to Feature Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra Saturday February 18

The Celebration Foundation Concert Series continues on Saturday, February 18 at 3pm with the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra, sponsored by Experience Kissimmee.

Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras educate and inspire Florida’s top young musicians with programs that reflect a commitment to provide young musicians with the opportunity to strengthen their musical talents.

The Symphonic Orchestra, under Music Director & Symphonic Conductor Dr. James Welsch, is a pre-professional, conservatory level orchestra in which students are challenged with exceptionally difficult literature.

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Get ‘Wild’ About Reading and Get Into Wild Florida For Free February 4

Looking to get ‘wild’ over reading? Just head over to Wild Florida Saturday February 4 from 10am – 2pm and receive FREE admission to Central Florida’s gator park with an Osceola Library Card.

Enjoy some ‘wild’ activities in the morning and entertainment in the afternoon while exploring the park’s wild animal exhibits, sponsored by the Veterans Memorial St. Cloud Library.

Wild Florida is located at 3301 Lake Cypress Rd. in Kenansville, and is only a 15-minute ride from St. Cloud.

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150th Silver Spurs Rodeo to Hit the Dirt

February 17-19 at Osceola’s Silver Spurs Arena, Monster Bulls February 11

The Silver Spurs Riding Club will host the 150th Silver Spurs Rodeo on February 17-19, 2023 at the Silver Spurs Arena at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee.

During the rodeo, fans will watch contestants from all over the nation compete in rodeo’s seven traditional events: bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, women’s barrel racing, steer wrestling, and team roping for an entire year of bragging rights and $52,500 in cash. Plus, rodeo fans will be entertained by the Spurs’ rodeo clown and talented Silver Spurs Quadrille team, who perform a square dance on horseback, something the club has performed since its inception over 79 years ago.

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Creative, Talented and Inspiring High School Students Chosen for This Year’s Disney Dreamers Academy at Disney World

A budding artist, an aspiring neurosurgeon and a creative storyteller are among the 100 talented high school students selected for this year’s Disney Dreamers Academy, an educational mentoring program hosted at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

The 100 students from across the country will descend on Walt Disney World Resort March 23-26 for the 16th annual event, aimed at broadening career awareness and creating exclusive opportunities for Black students and teens from underrepresented communities across America.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: http://bit.ly/3Hl822v

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State Representative Paula Stark for District 47 to Hold “Meet and Greet” at New Office Opening February 2

State Representative Paula Stark, District 47, and her staff will host a “Meet & Greet and Open House” at her new district office in Kissimmee on February 2 from 5:30pm – 7:30pm. During the community “meet & greet” Representative Stark will share information from the “committee weeks” currently taking place at the state capital in Tallahassee, as well as her hopes for the upcoming Florida Legislature general session that will convene for 60 days March 7 through May 5, 2023.

In addition to the Meet & Greet, there will be a ribbon cutting with The Osceola Chamber & the St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce. Stark is a graduate of Osceola High School and attended Florida Technological University now known as UCF. She went on to work as Sales Director and then Publisher with the Osceola News Gazette.

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Florida Launches 2023 Black History Month Student and Educator Contests

The Florida Department of Education and Volunteer Florida has officially launched the 2023 Black History Month student art and essay contests with the theme of “Celebrating the Achievements of African American Floridians.” These contests will run through Tuesday, February 7, 2023. Black History Month is celebrated each year in the month of February.

“African Americans have a long and proud history in our great state of Florida, and Black History Month is the perfect occasion to celebrate their many achievements,” said Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “Learning about African American achievements is central to learning about Florida and America itself. I have no doubt that this year’s art and essay contest submissions will be outstanding.”

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Florida Department of Health in Osceola County to Distribute Narcan Nasal Spray kits

The Florida Department of Health in Osceola County (FDOH-Osceola) is announcing the availability of free Naloxone (Narcan) Nasal Spray kits. This lifesaving medication could reduce thousands of substance abuse deaths across the state.

Naloxone is available to people who use drugs, people with a history of drug use, others at risk of experiencing an overdose, friends, family members, and others who may witness an overdose. Kits consist of two Naloxone nasal sprays that are administered even without a health care professional present.

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