Positively Osceola Weekly, Osceola County's Leading Source for News

St. Cloud to Host Memorial Day Wreath Laying Ceremony, Monday, May 30 at 10am Click Here to Read More: https://bit.ly/3MXmHkT Positively Osceola has asked each of the women school district candidates to share about themselves, why Page 20 they're running, their goals.

FDACS, USDA Helping Feed Florida’s Children While School’s Out During Summer Break Page 28 Kissimmee Fire Department to Begin Using Innovative Tele911 Program Page 48

Kissimmee Utility Authority Releases 2022 Hurricane Preparedness Guide Page 49

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149TH SILVER SPURS RODEO The 149th Silver Spurs Rodeo rides into Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee June 3rd – 4th The Silver Spurs Riding Club will host their 149th Silver Spurs Rodeo Friday, June 3 & Saturday, June 4 at 7:30 pm in the Silver Spurs Arena at Osceola Heritage Park.

Fans will be treated to seven of rodeo’s traditional events: bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, women’s barrel racing, steer wrestling and team roping.

For the second year now, breakaway roping will be added to the event schedule. In addition to this great tradition, the June rodeo will present junior barrel racing, junior bull riding and the junior quadrille (square dancing on horseback). These events feature our youth who are starting their rodeo careers in the Silver Spurs Arena! The 149th Silver Spurs Rodeo will also feature everyone’s favorite event before the performance, ‘mutton bustin’ (also known as sheep racing)!

“We are looking forward to this summer’s rodeo, since this is how the Silver Spurs Rodeo and our community kicks off the summer break from school, highlighting our local youth in bull riding, barrel racing, and quadrille,” said Dustin Bronson, Big Boss of the Silver Spurs Riding Club. “This has been a tradition since 1944 in Osceola County, so come out to the Rodeo in June for one of the longest-running traditions east of the Mississippi.”

Single night tickets are just $20 per adult and kids 10 and under are FREE with a new “Joint Performance” ticket that includes two performances for $30.

All active and retired military receive FREE admission at the June 3, 4. Please bring proof of military service to the Silver Spurs Arena box office.

A portion of the ticket sales from the Friday and Saturday June Rodeo performances will be donated to a local charity.

For more information, to purchase tickets and to read the Rodeo Guidelines for a safe rodeo go to www.silverspursrodeo.com.

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149TH SILVER SPURS RODEO Upcoming Miss Silver Spurs Pageant to select next “ambassadors” for Silver Spurs Rodeo Every June, young girls and women from all over Florida compete in one of three age divisions of the Miss Silver Spurs Pageant: Miss Silver Spurs, Junior Miss Silver Spurs, or Little Miss Silver Spurs. The winners become the next court of ambassadors for the Silver Spurs Rodeo.This year’s pageant will take place on Thursday, June 2, 2022 at 6 PM. The 2022 slate of Miss, Jr. Miss, & Little Miss Silver Spurs Pageant Contestants are: Miss Silver Spurs: Delia Benitez, Lacee Church, Jennifer Faraoni, Rae Lynne Kempfer, and Savannah Thomas Jr. Miss: Ryleigh Boro, Gianna Butler, LillyAnn Daugherty, Riley DeRosa, Haidyn Dykes, Teagan Frey, Grace Herb, Bella Kibler, Lindsey Yma Little Miss: Josie Cain, Hadley Ellis, Giana Fitzgerald, Hayden Kessler, Kylie Kimmel, Tessa McCommon, Anita Pifer, Marlee Shirah

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3l5q110

The 149th Silver Spurs Rodeo returns to Kissimmee June 3-4, so does Mutton Bustin’ for the kiddos!

June kicks off in a big way with the 149th Silver Spurs Rodeo riding back into the Silver Spurs Arena on Friday June 3, and Saturday June 4 – both rodeos kickoff at 7:30pm. Of course, it wouldn’t be a June Silver Spurs Rodeo without the crowd favorite Mutton Bustin’.

Serving as an additional rodeo event just for the little cowboys and cowgirls, Mutton Bustin’ is a family-friendly event that fun and entertaining for participants and spectators. During Mutton Bustin’, a sheep is held still by a few of the rodeo handlers and a child is placed on top of the sheep in a riding position.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/39xoONi For more Positively Osceola, visit our Social Media & Website!

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POINT OF SALE IN OSCEOLA COUNTY

WHAT IS POINT OF SALE? When we say “Point of Sale,” we’re referring to marketing and promoting tobacco products in retail environments – like gas stations, convenience stores, and other retail outlets.

SOME TACTICS THEY USE ARE: Discounting products, appealing to children and young adults.

POINT OF SALE IS THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY’S MAIN MARKETING METHOD.

Paying retailers for prime product location and advertising.

Targeting lower-income communities.

WHY IS POINT OF SALE IMPORTANT?

Studies show that tobacco use is associated with exposure to retail advertising and relatively easy access to tobacco products.

Schools with a higher number of tobacco retailers nearby tend to have higher smoking rates.

More cigarettes are sold in convenience stores than in any other type of store.

WHAT IS OSCEOLA COUNTY DOING?

We are implementing tobacco education and prevention to create awareness within our community. This includes educating local decision makers about the local tobacco retail environment which includes information about product placement and the amount of tobacco retailers near schools.

YOU CAN GET INVOLVED!

CONTACT JEANNE@CIVCOM.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION.

WEEKLY LIVESTREAMS Good Morning Osceola Mon, Wed, Fri at 7:30AM

In the Loop LIVE Tue at 6:00PM

Daybreak LIVE Wed at 9:00AM

Osceola Matters Thu at 6:00PM

In the Loop LIVE Sat at 8:00AM For more Positively Osceola, visit our Social Media & Website!

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ON DEMAND LIVESTREAMS In the Loop LIVE with Guest: Bill Litton, Director of Osceola County Office of Emergency Management

May 17th, 2022

Daybreak LIVE with Guest: Michelle Incandela from Draper Law Office May 19th, 2022

Daybreak LIVE with Guests: Kayla Rogers and Wanda Curtis for Experience Osceola May 4th, 2022

Daybreak LIVE with Guest: Dr. Simi George, Hematologist and Oncologist with Orlando Health May 18th, 2022

In the Loop LIVE with Guest: Osceola County Commissioner Brandon Arrington District 3 May 5th, 2022 For more Positively Osceola, visit our Social Media & Website!

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IN & AROUND OSCEOLA LIVE with Bri Stefek of Osceola Arts talking about Leadership Osceola’s workshop

LIVE with Kayla Rodgers from The Osceola Chamber talking about the upcoming Experience Osceola event

LIVE with Sam Haught from Wild Florida talking about Gator Week May 23-28

Positively Osceola LIVE at the 2022 MegaCon Convention for its last day!

LIVE with St. Cloud’s Public Information Coordinator Maryemma Bachelder discussing the Downtown Revitalization Project

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VIDEOS ON DEMAND The 149th Silver Spurs Rodeo on June 3rd & 4th

The hottest professional rodeo action in the United States is heading back to the Silver Spurs Arena on June 3rd & 4th! The Silver Spurs Rodeo has been an Osceola County tradition since 1944, and in June, fans will be treated to seven traditional rodeo events including bull riding, bareback riding, team roping, and more! For more information, visit SilverSpursRodeo.com.

Wild Florida’s Gator Week Wild Florida will host Gator Week May 23 – 28, and offer free Gator Park admission to guests who donate any amount toward their Wild Florida Scholarship Fund for Osceola County students.

Additionally, as the founders of National Alligator Day on May 29th, Wild Florida will also celebrate this special day at the end of Gator Week.

St. Cloud’s Hurricane Expo on June 4th

On Saturday, June 4th from 11am to 1pm at the St. Cloud Civic Center on 17th Street, St. Cloud will share tips from the experts, as well as provide an abundance of other helpful information designed to ensure that you and your family are prepared for the soon coming Hurricane season.

The Miss Silver Spurs Pageant on June 2nd

The next Miss Silver Spurs Pageant will take place Thursday, June 2nd at 6:00PM at the Silver Spurs Arena! Every June, young girls and women from all over Florida compete in one of three age divisions of the Miss Silver Spurs Pageant: Miss Silver Spurs, Junior Miss Silver Spurs, or Little Miss Silver Spurs.

Experience Osceola on June 18th On Saturday, June 18th at the St. Cloud Lakefront from 10AM 5PM, the community is invited to Experience Osceola like never before! This FREE event, brought to you by The Osceola Chamber and Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital, is a showcase of the Osceola business community that will include food, fun, and live entertainment for the whole family.

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MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE

Osceola Commissioner Viviana Janer Presents $2000 Betterment Grant to Boggy Creek Elementary We live in an ever-changing, increasingly complex world, with our students prepared to bring knowledge and skills to solve problems, make sense of information, and know how to gather and evaluate evidence to make fact-based decisions. Science, technology, engineering, and math, known as STEM, are integral components of what Osceola County and our state’s students need in order to meet the demands of the dynamic and evolving workforce. We must also make sure that, no matter where children live, they have access to quality learning environments.

To that end, Osceola County Commissioner Viviana Janer recently awarded a $2,000 Community Betterment Grant to Boggy Creek Elementary School with those dollars being used for Science Lab equipment!

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3abGbDC

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MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE

Commissioner Cheryl Grieb presents $3000 grant to Neptune Middle students after World Robotics Championship Osceola County Commissioner Cheryl Grieb recently presented a check to Neptune Middle School for $3,000 to help cover costs that the school’s robotics team incurred when they participated in the recent 2022 VEX Robotics World Championship in Texas.

“It was my pleasure to present to the students at Neptune Middle for their recent participation in the world robotics championship. This was a great opportunity for these kids to compete on a world stage,” Osceola County Commissioner for District 4 Cheryl Grieb shared after the presentation of the grant.

Presented by Northrop Grumman Foundation and the REC Foundation, the competition brought over 3,000 teams from 36 nations together to celebrate STEM excellence. Student-led teams ranging from elementary to university-level showcased their strategy, teamwork, and desire to be crowned champions at this world-class global event held at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas.

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149TH SILVER SPURS RODEO Coca-Cola Cowboy and Women’s Lifetime Achievement recipients Tom and Martha Booth For over eight decades, members of the Silver Spurs Riding Club have worked yearround to coordinate rodeos and other events, making an impact in the community alongside several generations of their family. The Clubs’ foundation is built on good values and morals, charitable contributions, and volunteerism. As a thank you for years of service, the Silver Spurs Riding Club Board of Directors celebrates long-time volunteers with the Coca-Cola Cowboy award and Women’s Lifetime Achievement award each year.

Continuing generational legacies are 2021 Coca-Cola Cowboy and Women’s Lifetime Achievement honorees Tom and Martha Booth.

Born into a founding family of the Silver Spurs Riding Club, Martha Booth upholds a long-standing tradition of ranching and rodeo in Osceola County. Growing up as a Silver Spurs kid, she served the community through rodeo events each year. Wooden floors, vegetable bins along the wall, and barrels of Gladiolus grouped by rubber bands welcomed the concession stand ladies to Rollie Rolls in downtown Kissimmee before each performance. While her service to the club started by eating grapes on the countertops while the ladies of the Silver Spurs concession stand hand-pattied hamburgers for rodeo performances, she eventually carried on a family tradition riding in the Silver Spurs Quadrille team, getting initiated at 21 years old, and serving as the concession stand committee chairperson.

Tom Booth was born in a small town in Alabama to a hardworking, Christian family.

He was committed to three sports in high school: football, track, and wrestling before graduating and attending the University of Alabama on an athletic scholarship. Moving back to his hometown to coach, he met the student-teacher, Martha. After realizing she liked football and the woods, Tom proposed, and the two married. Alabama residents for the first four years of their marriage, Tom flew to Kissimmee on Labor Day weekend, in between games and practice schedules, to be initiated into the club at 25 years old.

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149TH SILVER SPURS RODEO The 149th Silver Spurs Rodeo is bucking its way back to Kissimmee July 3-4 Silver Spurs bucking bulls, they’re mean, they’re fierce, they’re strong, and they’re ready to do what they do on Friday June 3rd and Saturday June 4th in Kissimmee… BUCK! Bull riding is rodeo’s most dangerous and exciting event where competitors must ride a bucking bull for eight agonizing seconds with no more than a bull rope as a handhold.

Like bareback and saddle bronc riders, the contestants in bull riding must ride on the back of a 2,000-pound animal and stay on for an eight-second ride. Grasping onto a flat braided rope tied around the chest of the bull with one hand, his other hand will need to stay above his head. If at any point his free hand touches the bull or himself, he will receive no score.

One end of the bull rope, called the “tail,” is threaded through a loop on the other end and is tightened around the bull. Unlike the other rough stock contestants, bull riders are not required to mark out or spur the animals (have their spurs touching the bull).

While spurring a bull can add to the cowboy’s score, riders are commonly judged solely on their ability to stay on the bull.

Like bareback and saddle bronc riding, the judges not only look at the cowboy’s performance during a ride, they also look at the roughstock. Both bull rider and bull can receive a max of 50 points each during a ride, meaning they can potentially score a total of 100 points.

For the contestant, they are scored on elements such as their ability to stay balanced on the bull, display quick reflexes, and ability to coordinate with the bull’s movements.

For the bull, a judge will be looking at their unique bucking style to help come up with a total, final score for the ride as no two bulls have the same type of style. For example, while one bull may prefer to make tight spins in a continuous circle, there are other bulls that will jump high in the air or buck.

For tickets and more information visit SilverSpursRodeo.com.

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COMMUNITY School District of Osceola County Graduations

Congratulations Gateway High School!

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COMMUNITY School District of Osceola County Graduations

Congratulations St. Cloud High School!

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COMMUNITY School District of Osceola County Graduations

Congratulations Celebration High School!

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COMMUNITY School District of Osceola County Graduations

Congratulations Osceola County School for the Arts!

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OSCEOLA BUSINESS REFERRAL SERVICE

Making Business better, together

OBRS.net

NEWS

Florida launching new program to help “hometown heroes” in 50 different professions buy their first homes Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced the June 1 launch of the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program which is designed to help Floridians in over 50 different professions purchase their first home.

The Hometown Heroes Housing Program will be available to Floridians including law enforcement officers, firefighters, educators, healthcare professionals, childcare employees, and active military or veterans. Including this $100 million program, the Governor also announced his intent to support the total of nearly $363 million appropriated for affordable and workforce housing in the 2022-2023 budget, the highest total in 15 years. The assistance program will be administered by the Florida Housing and Finance Corporation (Florida Housing) and is geared to expand Florida’s existing housing programs in order to reach critical workers and those who have served our country.

“In Florida, we value the contributions of our police, firefighters, teachers, and nurses,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3NBtUa1 For more Positively Osceola, visit our Social Media & Website!

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NEWS

County Commissioner Cheryl Grieb presents $150,000 to Osceola YMCA to restore swimming pool Osceola County Commissioner Cheryl Grieb presented $150,000 to the Osceola YMCA Learning Center on Tuesday to assist in the restoration of one of the its most popular offerings… its swimming pool!

“This pool is an important resource for our community and I’m happy that we are able to support this project,” said Grieb. “For a long, long time the YMCA has been this community’s go-to resource for swim lessons. There’s good reason why many consider the “Y” to be America’s swim instructor. I can’t wait for the pool to re-open later this summer.

Thousands of members of the community have learned to swim at the YMCA’s pool, which has also served as a site for local schools’ swim competitions. The outdoor, heated pool has six 25-yard lanes, a recreational area, and will feature new lighting upon completion of the renovation. The restoration of the YMCA’s pooling will certainly be a great recreational center for the community, but it will also provide a critical role in public safety.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3wPBlUj For more Positively Osceola, visit our Social Media & Website!

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NEWS The Osceola County School District 2022 School Board Candidates Across the United States, women make up over 40% of school board members. That's more than twice the average female representation in other governing entities.

Locally, women have a majority on our county commission, and strong representation in both the City of St. Cloud's Council and the City of Kissimmee's Commission.

In the current election cycle in the School District of Osceola County there are 3 seats open, with six women running to fill them. It's the first time in the history of the Osceola School District that six women have been running for school board seats during the same election cycle. READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3NBtUa1

Jennifer Arguello

Terry Castillo

Erika Booth

Mindy Brewter

Heather Kahoun

Debbie Mann

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Age acl.gov/oam

my way!

149TH SILVER SPURS RODEO Rodeo Fans Get Ready for Barrel Racing in June’s Silver Spurs Rodeo in Kissimmee Barrel racing is one of four timed events in rodeo and will be one of the featured rodeo events in the upcoming 149th Silver Spurs Rodeo which returns to Kissimmee June 3rd and 4th at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee. While both women and men compete at the youth and amateur level, this sport is primarily a rodeo event for women.

Originally developed as an event for women, the pattern that contestants were required to run alternated between a figure-eight and a cloverleaf pattern until the cloverleaf pattern was favored over the figure-eight because of its difficulty in the early 50s.

Combining the barrel racer’s horsemanship skills and the horse’s athletic ability, barrel racing is a fast-paced event that requires the rider to successfully maneuver a horse in a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels placed in a triangle formation in the center of the arena. Like the other three timed rodeo events, the purpose of barrel racing is to make a run as fast as possible. The time is measured by an electric eye, a device using a laser system to record times, or by a judge who drops a flag to let the timer know when to start and stop the clock.

As a contestant enters the arena at full speed on her horse, the timer begins when the horse and rider cross the start line. With one barrel on the left and one barrel on the right side of the arena, contestants are allowed to run around either the left or right barrel first. However, if the horse deviates in any other way, the rider is disqualified. After making it around the first barrel, the rider will run across to the barrel on the opposite side of the arena, before sprinting toward the third and final barrel. After making it around the third barrel, the contestant will run as fast as they can toward the finish line where the clock will stop once they cross the line. Barrel racers are allowed to touch the barrel, often to keep it from falling during their ride. But if at any point they knock down a barrel, they’ll receive a time penalty of five seconds per barrel they knock down.

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149TH SILVER SPURS RODEO Bareback bronc riding to hit the dirt in Kissimmee June 3-4 for the 149th Silver Spurs Rodeo!

Bareback bronc riding is perhaps rodeo’s original and oldest sport and June 3-4 you can catch one of professional rodeo’s most exciting and popular events at the 149th Silver Spurs Rodeo.

Dating back to the early days of the Wild West, ranchers would need horses to help with their ranch chores along with providing transportation from their home to town or wherever they needed to go. Because of this need, cowboys would find wild horses and “break,” or tame them for their personal use. With nothing more than a riggin’ and his arm, bareback riding is one of the most physically demanding sports in and out of the rodeo sports industry. A riggin’ is a suitcase-style handhold that is customized to a rider’s grip and attached to a molded piece of leather that is wrapped around the bronc’s girth.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3ackcwr

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How can Goodwin Realty & Associates help you?

Call (407) 846-2787 or visit GoodwinRealty.net The Name You Trust… The Company You Keep!

Providing the best in real estate services for over 48 years!

NEWS FWC announces 2022 Lionfish Challenge The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has announced its 2022 Lionfish Challenge tournament, which will run through Sept. 6.

The Lionfish Challenge is a summer-long lionfish tournament open to competitors around the state of Florida. This is the seventh year of the Lionfish Challenge with a goal of removing as many lionfish as possible in just 3.5 months. Are you up for the Challenge?

Participants will compete in either the commercial or the recreational division. Prizes will be awarded in tiers as follows: Tier 1 ­- Harvest 25 lionfish (recreational category) or 25 pounds of lionfish (commercial category).

Tier 2 – Harvest 100 lionfish (recreational category) or 250 pounds of lionfish (commercial category).

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/38iyevX

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NEWS Gas prices continue to climb ahead of Memorial Day as $5 per gallon draws nearer The national average for a gallon of gas is $4.59 with all 50 states above $4 per gallon. Floridians are paying an average of $4.57 per gallon of regular unleaded while in Osceola County the average is a penny higher at $4.58 per gallon, and has not fallen for nearly a month.

Gasoline has either remained flat or risen every day since April 24 and has set a new record daily since May 10.That was the day gas eclipsed the previous record high of $4.33, set earlier this year on March 11.

“Gasoline is $1.05 more than it was on February 24, when Russia invaded Ukraine,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. “That sent shock waves through the oil market that have kept oil costs elevated. Domestically, meanwhile, seasonal gas demand is rising as more drivers hit the road, despite the pain they face paying at the pump.”

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3wMY051

Registered Sex Offender arrested after exposing himself to children at Bellalago School in Poinciana, deputies say Osceola deputies arrested a registered sex offender who they say was exposing himself to children on recess outside Bellalago Academy in Poinciana earlier this month.

According to Osceola detectives with the Special Victims Unit, 49-year-old Luis Davila-Quinones exposed his genitals and masturbated in the view of the children. Davila-Quinones admitted to deputies what he had done and was arrested for lewd and lascivious exhibition and violation of probation. He has been booked into the Osceola County Jail with no bond. He was already on probation for a previous case where he attempted to kidnap a 10-year-old girl outside of a Walmart.

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NEWS FDACS, USDA Helping Feed Florida’s Children While School’s Out During Summer Break Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are working together to provide summertime meals for Florida’s school children while school is out.

To ensure that Florida children have access to wholesome meals during summer break, the FDACS Division of Food Nutrition and Wellness are partnering with schools and organizations to provide free meals to kids and teens from low-income households. The Summer BreakSpot Program provides meals at no cost to children 18 and under while schools are closed for the summer.

“One of the most important missions of our department is providing access for all of Florida’s kids to healthy, nutritious meals regardless of family income,” said Commissioner Nikki Fried.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3MU0DaD

Florida Friendly Angler course is now live!

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), UF/IFAS Extension and Florida Sea Grant have teamed up to develop the Florida Friendly Angler course. This free online course is for both new and experienced anglers looking to educate themselves on fisheries management and up their fishing game by learning skills and practices that help ensure fishing opportunities for the future.

The course is comprised of three selfpaced modules that cover environmental ethics, best fishing practices and fisheries management. These narrated presentations can be accessed any time after registration.

Upon finishing the course, you will receive an electronic certificate of completion and will be mailed a Florida Friendly Angler decal by providing your contact information.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3MNmZuk For more Positively Osceola, visit our Social Media & Website!

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NEWS Arby’s adds first-ever burger made with premium American Wagyu beef to menu McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s watch out, there’s a new burger in town and it’s made by the guys who have the meat! That’s right Arby’s has moved into the burger selling space!

Arby’s new burger is made with a blend of 48% ground beef and 52% American Wagyu, and is a cross between Japanese Wagyu and top American cattle breeds. Arby’s says it’s the largest single patty in the fast food genre, with a raw weight of 6.4 ounces. That would be 50% larger than McDonald’s Quarter Pounder and will be prepared sous-vide style, using a technique more common in fine dining. The cooking method results in a juicy burger with a crispy outer edge and slightly pink center, Arby’s said in a statement The Arby’s Wagyu Steakhouse Burger is topped with American cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onion and a special burger sauce and served on a toasted brioche bun. Guests can also choose to add bacon and ranch.

“Boring burgers are a fast-food staple, so Arby’s felt compelled to raise the bar with a Wagyu Steakhouse Burger. Instead of focusing on making billions of mediocre burgers, we’re taking a stance on high-quality meat that deserves to be cooked properly.”

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3wNyVXE

Toho Water Authority Admin Office to Close Monday, May 30, in Observance of Memorial Day Toho Water Authority’s administrative office will be closed Monday, May 30, in observance of Memorial Day. Regular business hours will resume at 8 a.m.

Tuesday, May 31.

Customers can always make payments, report emergencies and use other selfservice features at www.tohowater.com, or by using the 24-hour customer service line at 407-944-5000.

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149TH SILVER SPURS RODEO 149th Silver Spurs Rodeo to Feature the Best in Saddle Bronc Riding June 3-4 in Kissimmee Saddle bronc riding is rodeo’s classic event, tracing its roots back to the Old West where cowboys would break and train wild horses to work the cattle ranches.

In the rodeo industry, contestants refer to saddle bronc riding as the toughest rodeo event to master because the bronc rider must be synchronized with the movement of the bronc.

This is a stark contrast compared to the wilder and less controlled rides you would find in bareback bronc riding.

In both saddle bronc riding and bareback riding, riders must follow a “mark out” rule during their ride. Marking out is where the rider must have both spurs touching the bronc’s shoulders until the bronc’s feet hit the ground after the initial move out of the chute. If the rider forgets to make his mark or pulls his legs in before the bronc’s feet hit the ground, he will be disqualified.

Unlike bareback riding, where the rider has a riggin’ to hold on, the saddle bronc rider only has a thick rein attached to the bronc’s halter to hold on to during his ride. While sitting securely in his saddle, the contestant will have one hand holding the rein and the other up in the air. If at any point the cowboy’s free hand touches the bronc or his own body, he will be disqualified.

Like bull riding and bareback riding, both the performance of the rider and the bronc are judged to make the final score out of a possible 100 points. While the saddle bronc rider keeps one hand on the rein and one hand in the air, the judges will look at his control of the bronc, his spurring action, and if he’s able to keep his toes pointed outward. For the bronc, the judges will consider the bronc’s bucking ability and if the ride is smooth and rhythmic. Save time in line… get your tickets for the 149th Silver Spurs Rodeo in Kissimmee here now!

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149TH SILVER SPURS RODEO Saddle up for the 149th Silver Spurs Rodeo June 3-4, the Best in Steer Wrestling in the Lineup Steer Wrestling, also known as bulldogging, is a rodeo event that demonstrates strength and teamwork between a bulldogger and hazer and their horses. The objective of steer wrestling is to wrestle, or “wrassle,” a steer to the ground as quickly as possible.

This may sound easy, but wrestling a steer is no simple task. Not only does a cowboy have to successfully grab a steer at 30 miles per hour, they then have to wrestle this steer, which weighs more than double their own weight, down to the ground.

Similar to team roping and tie-down roping, two contestants enter a box with a chute in between them. Both the contestant who will wrestle the steer, known as a “bulldogger,” and his partner, the “hazer,” will start on both sides of the chute on horseback. With the steer loaded in the chute, a breakaway rope barrier is attached to the steer to make sure the steer is given a head start. As the steer runs out of the chute, the barrier is stretched across the open end of the box. When the steer reaches the advantage point, the barrier is released and the bulldogger and hazer chase after the steer. However, if the bulldogger breaks the barrier before the barrier is released, a 10-second penalty will be added to the contestant’s time.

As the hazer and bulldogger run after the steer, both cowboys work together to guide the steer closer to the steer wrestler, so he’s able to reach down and wrestle the steer.

When the cowboy reaches the steer, he slides down off of his horse and hooks his right arm around the steer’s right horn, grasping the left horn with his left hand. While holding onto the steer, the cowboy digs his feet into the dirt to slow the steer down, while using his strength and leverage to wrestle it to the ground. His work isn’t done, nor does the clock stop, until the steer is on its side and all four feet are pointing the same direction Save time in line and get your tickets to the 149th Silver Spurs Rodeo now!

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INJURY LAW Twenty-five percent of all vehicle crashes in Florida are hit-and-run Nearly 25 percent of all crashes in Florida involve a hit-and-run. Most hit-and-run crashes only result in property damage, but tragically, hit-and-run crashes can also be deadly. The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has initiated a “Stay at the Scene” campaign which aims to reduce the number of hit-and-run crashes in Florida by educating drivers on their responsibilities if involved in a crash and the serious consequences they face if they choose not to Stay at the Scene.

On July 1, 2014, the penalties for hit-and-run drivers changed when the Aaron Cohen Life Protection Act was signed into Florida law. The statute is named after Aaron Cohen, a 31-year-old cyclist, and father of two that was fatally struck by an alcohol-impaired driver that fled the crash scene in February 2012 in central Florida.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3Nq25BC

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FAMILY LAW Children with Special Needs and Divorce Parents of children with special needs have all the responsibilities which come with being a parent and those required to meet their child’s unique requirements. Often caring for their children needs means being a diligent advocate for their medical care, education, and therapeutic services. When families in this situation are faced with divorce, there will be additional concerns when it comes to planning for their child’s needs.

Time-Sharing In Florida, how parents spend time with their children or “time-sharing” will be reflected in a parenting plan which has been approved by the court as being in the child’s best interest. While the law supports time-sharing which allows children ongoing contact with each of their parents, when a child has special needs, the time-sharing arrangement may need to be structured according to their requirements.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3Gipl23

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SPORTS UCF Softball Advances to Super Regionals after beating #24 Michigan 9-4 in the Orlando Regional final The No. 16 UCF Knights softball team has moved on to the NCAA Super Regionals by beating No. 24 Michigan by a score of 9-4 in the regional final on Sunday.

“We started this year talking about Team XXI and just saying ‘playing with no regrets’,” said head coach Cindy Ball-Malone. “They’ve done it. We’re not done; we’re definitely not done. (I’m) just so proud of the fight of this team. I’m super proud of these women and what they’ve done and the odds that they’ve fought against. The show keeps going.”

The Knights jumped on the Wolverines from the start as Allyse Volpe fouled off four straight pitches before dropping one into right field to lead off the game. She was pinch ran for by Denali Schappacher, who was able to scamper in just ahead of the throw after Kennedy Searcy grounded one to the pitcher, who threw to second too late. With one out, Shannon Doherty singled up the middle, just behind the second base bag, allowing everyone to advance safely. With two down in the inning, yesterday’s hero, Maddie Bejarano, drew a four pitch walk to send Schappacher home for the 1-0 lead. Johneisha Rowe followed suit, drawing a five pitch walk to push Searcy across. Rowe’s walk chased Michigan starter Meghan Beaubien in favor of Annabelle Widra. The changing of arms resulted in the same result as Justene Molina drew a four pitch walk to push UCF’s lead to 3-0. Micaela Macario tried to keep the line moving and nearly did, but it took a sliding catch from the Michigan left fielder to end the side. The Knights sent all nine batters to the plate in the inning.

Michigan scratched two runs across in the bottom of the third inning. The inning started with an error at by the shortstop Macario. The next batter chopped one to second as Molina had to charge and make a tough throw to first. The ball got away, advancing the runners to second and third.

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SPORTS St. Cloud Girls Under 19 Soccer Club Heads to Texas for Regionals Some of the top high school soccer talent in Osceola County is headed to regionals in Texas after capturing the Florida President’s Cup in May. The St. Cloud Soccer Club Girls Under 19 Team captured the championship in Tampa last month with a 4-3 win over Clay Soccer (Jacksonville). The win qualifies the team for the Southern President’s Cup in Frisco, Texas, June 15-19.

“Winning the Florida President’s Cup was a huge accomplishment and honor for our team,” Head Coach Scott Marlega – who is also the Harmony girls’ soccer coach – said.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3yYPq4j

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REAL ESTATE If You’re a Homeowner, You Have Incredible Leverage When You Sell Today In today’s housing market, homeowners have a great opportunity to sell their house and receive the best terms for their personal situation.

That’s because there’s a limited number of homes for sale, which is creating competition among buyers. Right now, homebuyers want three things: • To be the winning bid on their dream home • To buy before mortgage rates rise more • To buy before home prices go even higher These buyer needs give you an amazing advantage – also known as leverage – when you sell.

What Does This Mean for Sellers Today?

You might already realize this enables you to sell at a good price, but you’re also in a great position to get the best terms to suit your needs.

According to the latest Realtors Confidence Index from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the average home sold is receiving 4.8 offers. That’s why there’s a good chance you’ll get offers from multiple buyers who are willing to compete for your house.

When you do, you should look closely at the terms of each offer to find out which one has the best options for you. And if you have questions at any point in the process, remember your trusted real estate advisor can help. They’re experts who understand the fine print, know how to compare the terms of various offers, and will help you select the best one for your situation.

Bottom Line If you’re thinking of selling your home, know buyer demand in today’s market gives you a great opportunity to get the best terms and price when you sell your house. Let’s connect today to discuss how much leverage you have as a seller in today’s market.

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COMMUNITY Kissimmee Fire Department to Begin Using Innovative Tele911 Program The Kissimmee Fire Department will begin integrating telemedicine and patient navigation into the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system with the Tele911 program beginning Monday, June 6.

The use ofTele911, Inc. by Kissimmee Fire Department is intended to reduce ambulance transports to the Emergency Room for residents who call 911 with non-emergency medical issues. KFD is one of the first fire departments in Florida to use this service.

Patients will be evaluated by KFD paramedics, who will determine if they are stable and can participate in a live telehealth visit. The Tele911 emergency physician will then make an appropriate disposition and treatment plan that meets the patient’s needs.

The patient will also receive a next day follow-up with a physician.

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COMMUNITY Kissimmee Utility Authority Releases 2022 Hurricane Preparedness Guide With the start of the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season approaching, Kissimmee Utility Authority released its 2022 Osceola Hurricane Handbook, a free, bilingual, comprehensive preparedness guide offered annually to Osceola County residents.

A partnership between KUA, Osceola County, the cities of Kissimmee and St. Cloud, Toho Water Authority and UF IFAS Extension in Osceola County, the handbook includes information on emergency shelters, evacuation routes, generator safety and power outage restoration as well as helpful telephone numbers, a disaster supplies checklist and a tropical cyclone tracking chart The handbook can be downloaded in English and Spanish from KUA’s website at www.kua.com/storm. Printed copies of the bilingual handbook are now available in KUA’s Carroll Street lobby.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3lEWxHz

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COMMUNITY Creative Inspiration Journey School

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COMMUNITY Megacon Orlando 2022

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HEALTH

Christian Andres Rosado, MD Orlando Health

Orlando Health: B.E.F.A.S.T. To Recognize Stroke Symptoms Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke. Every four minutes, someone dies of a stroke. Strokes are a leading cause of death and disability for Americans, but early detection can greatly reduce your risk of dying or suffering longterm effects.

The sooner a stroke is recognized and treated, the better the outcome is likely to be.

When every second counts, understanding the different types of stroke and their signs and symptoms just might save your life.

Different Types of Strokes A stroke happens when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, preventing brain cells from getting the oxygen and nutrients they need and causing these cells to die. Strokes are divided into two main types according to how they disrupt blood flow to brain cells.

They are: • Ischemic stroke, which occurs when an artery that supplies blood to part of the brain is blocked by a clot or clogged with plaque. Between 75 percent and 90 percent of strokes are ischemic.

• Hemorrhagic stroke, which happens when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures and bleeds, damaging surrounding cells and disrupting blood flow.

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HEALTH

George E. Eldayrie, MD Orthopedics – Sports Medicine Orlando Health

Change Your Sleep Position to Wake Up Pain-Free Feeling stiff and sore in the morning?

The way you sleep may be to blame. Some sleep positions can put pressure or strain on your body — particularly the back, neck and shoulders. Finding a comfortable sleeping position that keeps your neck and spine aligned is the best way to ensure a good night’s sleep and a pain-free morning.

Where You Might Feel Sore and Stiff: Back Morning back pain is common and is often the result of sleeping positions that put pressure on your spine, causing your back’s natural curve to flatten. Stomach sleepers experience morning back pain more frequently since your stomach sinks into the bed, putting pressure and stress on the joints and muscles in your back. Many people with morning back pain usually feel better after moving around a bit. If your pain doesn’t go away during the day, you may have an underlying issue, like a slipped or herniated disc that’s exacerbated when you’re sleeping.

Neck If you’ve ever woken up in the morning with shooting neck pain, chances are you strained your neck while sleeping. Sleeping on your stomach is particularly hard on the neck because your neck may be turned to one side for hours while you sleep, straining the neck muscles. Tossing and turning while sleeping also can create tension in your neck muscles, leading to neck pain. Using an unsupportive pillow or too many pillows is another common cause.

Shoulders The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body — making it particularly vulnerable to injury and pain, even when sleeping. Side sleeping is often the culprit for morning shoulder pain. When you sleep on your side, your shoulder bears a lot of your upper body weight. If you sleep with your arm underneath your pillow, this can also pinch your rotator cuff tendon. If you have existing injuries to your rotator cuff or shoulder bursitis, side sleeping can exacerbate these conditions and intensify pain.

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Veterans Memorial St. Cloud Library 810 13th Street, St. Cloud

IN THE LOOP - THEME PARK NEWS

Electric Ocean Returns to SeaWorld beginning May 27 to Light up the night and more When the sun goes down, the night fires up at SeaWorld’s Electric Ocean beginning May 25. It’s a summer party like no other at the #1 theme park in North America!

Electric Ocean Stay late all summer to immerse yourself in exotic worlds of light and music and experience your favorite SeaWorld attractions in a whole new way. Join playful, glowing sea creatures and world-class DJs for a family-friendly dance party beneath the waves. Then end the night with Ignite, a fireworks and fountains spectacular that brings the brilliance of the sea to the sky above. Put a charge in your summer at SeaWorld’s vibrant Electric Ocean. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, May 27 – Sept. 5, including Memorial Day and Labor Day. Ignite Surf the wave to a whole new level with Ignite, a fireworks and fountains spectacular that brings the brilliant colors of the sea to the skies above the park. The fireworks can be seen from all around SeaWorld’s large central lake, including from Bayside Stadium, The Waterfront, and the Orca Encounter Pathway.

Club Sea Glow The party amps up after dark at Bayside Stadium, where a DJ will be mixing dance music all evening leading up to the start of our fireworks finale. Enjoy plenty of space to spread out and dance while enjoying the entertainment. That includes dancers and high-energy atmospheric acts to get the party going!

Electric Current Get the excitement started early with hot music as our DJ transforms The Waterfront into an all-ages dance party beneath the waves, only during Electric Ocean evenings.

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IN THE LOOP - THEME PARK NEWS

It’s going to be an “Awe-Summer” at Legoland Florida Resort, June 4 – August 7 Legoland Florida is about to kick off its AWE-Summer, and its sure to be the longest summer celebration EVER, with over ten weeks of family fun-packed activities, special weekend events, new LEGO® friends, colorful LEGO fireworks and much more! Legoland Florida’s AWE-Summer fun will take place from June 4 – August 7.

LEGO® Friends Weekends Visit the LEGO® Friends gang and help them crack the secret code to stop the villains’ evil plan! Enjoy the Fab 5 meet & greets, fun activities and ​the coolest shows.

Event Dates: June 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26 Admission: Included with daily tickets, Awesome, Awesomer and Awesomest Annual Passes Red, White & Boom!

Celebrate America’s independence with us! Watch as the skies fill with the biggest fireworks show of the year in the only place that transform fireworks display into LEGO bricks before your eyes.​ Event Dates: July 2-4 Admission: Included with daily tickets, Awesome, Awesomer and Awesomest Annual Passes For tickets and more information visit www.legoland.com/florida For more Positively Osceola, visit our Social Media & Website!

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POSITIVELY DELICIOUS Florida Shrimp Boil with Sweet Corn and New Potatoes, It’s Positively Delicious There’s nothing quite like a shrimp boil. And, when it’s Florida shrimp, with Florida sweet corn, Florida tomatoes, and more… all together in a boil? It’s Positively Delicious.

INGREDIENTS • 1 ½ pounds large Florida pink shrimp (heads off, peeled and deveined if desired) • 5 ears Florida sweet corn, husked and cut in half • 1 large Florida tomato, diced small • 1 pound small new potatoes (peeled if desired) • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil • 1 pound cooked smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces • ½ cup seafood boil seasoning mix • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped fine • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste PREPARATION Preheat a large pot over medium-high heat, add oil and sausage and cook until lightly browned (about 2 minutes). Fill pot with the cooked sausage with water until pot is two-thirds full. Add most of the seafood seasoning, reserving a tablespoon for later.

Bring the contents of the pot to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are ¾ done. Add corn and cook for 4 minutes. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp are cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain all ingredients and place the shrimp boil ingredients on a platter. Lightly season with the remaining seafood boil seasoning mix. Garnish the shrimp boil platter with the diced tomato and parsley. Serve the shrimp boil with lemon wedges, melted butter and hot sauce.

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POSITIVELY DELICIOUS Florida Mango Upside Down Cupcake, They’re Positively Delicious Florida Mango Upside Down Cupcake. We can’t think of a better way to kick off the summer season. Florida Mango with just a hint of mint. It’s sweet, it’s refreshing and we think you’ll agree. It’s Positively Delicious!

INGREDIENTS • 2 cups Florida mango, diced small • ½ cup light brown sugar • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 cup whipped cream (store bought or homemade) • Fresh mint, for garnish (optional) • 1 cake mix (store bought or homemade) PREPARATION Preheat oven to 375 degrees if using the homemade recipe (if using store bought, follow package instructions). Prepare cupcake batter using box mix or homemade recipe provided. Once the batter is prepared, place cupcake liners in the cupcake pan and set aside. In a small sauce pan over low heat combine the brown sugar, butter, vanilla and mix until smooth. Add the diced mangos and stir to combine. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Once cool, add a tablespoon of mango mixture to each cupcake liner. Using an ice cream scoop, evenly divide the batter into the liners (about ⅔ full) do not overfill. Bake for about 16-18 minutes (if using the scratch made recipe) or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Set aside to cool completely. Top with whipped cream and mint sprig, if desired.

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Research from Home

with your Osceola Library Card!

Britannica Library

From the makers of Encyclopedia Britannica

Gale Business: Plan Builder Create a customized business plan

America’s News

Archives of newspapers from across America

Mango Languages Learn a new language

And so many more!

osceolalibrary.org/databases

osceolalibrary.org | 407.742.8888

TechCentral is a brand new creative space providing access to tools and technologies that will help the community gain the necessary skills to make their dreams a reality!

Featuring: Recording Studio Sewing Studio iMac Computer Lab with Adobe Creative Suite Virtual Reality Equipment Robotics for Kids Photography Studio 3D Printing On Demand Located on the second floor of Hart Memorial Central Library 211 E Dakin Avenue | Kissimmee, FL | 34741

osceolalibrary.org/techcentral | 407.742.8888