VIDEOS ON DEMAND

The Mayor’s Minute with St. Cloud Mayor Nathan Blackwell

Our hot summer months are here, and that means the City of St. Cloud, Florida is hard at work creating impacting experiences and opportunities for the community!

SeaWorld Orlando’s Summer Spectacular Concert Series

Check out the lineup for SeaWorld Orlando’s Summer Spectacular Concert Series every Saturday and Sunday night from July 8th to August 6th.

City of St. Cloud Junior Lifeguard Training Program

Junior Lifeguard Training Program for ages 10 thru 15 begins June 9th. Each session is held over 3 days ending on July 30th. Classes are filling up! City of St. Cloud, Florida

City of St. Cloud’s Future Leaders Camp

Parents, there’s still time to get your kids ages 13 to 14 into the Future Leaders Campe thru August 4th from 7am to 6pm.

Talent Tuesday at Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital

Every Tuesday is Talent Tuesday at Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital from 1-3pm.

The monsters are coming as LEGOLAND Florida Resort’s Brick-or-Treat 2023 Monster Party returns this fall

The monsters are coming, the monsters are coming! That’s right, Brick-or-Treat Monster Party will return to LEGOLAND Florida Resort on select Saturdays and Sundays from September 16 to October 29, 2023. With more candy, more LEGO characters, and more spellbinding surprises included with general park admission and select Annual Passes, this Halloween spectacular will have families screaming with delight.

With new and returning live shows, boo-tastic LEGO décor, and, of course, brick-ortreating throughout the Park, this year’s party will be more rockin’ than ever. Keep an eye out for monster mischief around every corner, and look for additional opportunities for all the little skeletons to boogie with ghoulishly great experiences from the moment you arrive.

On select weekends this fall, Monsters will take over LEGOLAND® and host the year’s biggest Halloween party.

For more Positively Osceola, visit our Social Media & Website! PositivelyOsceola.com

Osceola County Weather: Hot, steamy, and stormy on Wednesday and through the week

Happy Wednesday Osceola! Today we should see a high temperature of 93 degrees, but it will feel more like 105 degrees, or even higher in Osceola County. Rain chances will be up to 60% for today and for tomorrow, which will be the trend for the next week or more. Keep your umbrella handy and make sure to use plenty of sunscreen and stay hydrated if you’re out in the heat in anyway. Here’s the Positively Osceola dayby-day and week-ahead weather forecast:

Today

Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 106. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/43rg0ie

Tonight’s Powerball jackpot hits $725 million, that’s $366.2 million if you win and prefer the lump sum cash option!

The Powerball jackpot has resumed its climb up the record charts after eluding players again! The jackpot now stands at an estimated $725 million for the next drawing on Wednesday, July 12. The cash option for the jackpot is an estimated $366.2 million. The jackpot currently ranks as the seventh largest Powerball jackpot.

The Powerball jackpot rolled Monday night after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn – white balls 2, 24, 34, 53, 58 and red Powerball 13. The Power Play® multiplier was 2X.

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

For more Positively Osceola, visit our Social Media & Website! PositivelyOsceola.com

Florida Sees Record Applicants for Hometown Heroes Homeownership Assistance Program

Florida’s Hometown Heroes down payment assistance program reached $20 million in applications within the first week of launching the program’s second year of funding, which includes $11 million in applications on the first day alone.

The Hometown Heroes program was expanded to allow more hardworking Floridians to utilize this assistance when purchasing their first home in the communities that they serve. Last year, the program provided more than $100 million for Florida’s hometown heroes. This year, the Hometown Heroes Program was included in the Live Local Act, which was signed by Governor DeSantis in March. For more information on the Live Local Act, click here.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/44muhOC

CFX announces overnight SR417 ramp closures this week

The Central Florida Expressway Authority has announced ramp closures this week associated with the State Road 417/Central Florida GreeneWay Resurfacing project.

• The northbound State Road 417 off-ramp to Lee Vista Boulevard (Exit 27) is scheduled to close for a short duration on the night of Wednesday, July 12 between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., for road work. Drivers will be directed to exit at Curry Ford Road (Exit 30) and follow the detour signs for southbound Econlockhatchee Trail to Lee Vista Boulevard. Tolls at State Road 417 Curry Ford Road Mainline Toll Plaza will be suspended while the detour is in place.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3rsr0yD

Osceola County Schools to hold back-to-school open houses for 2023-2024 school year

The Osceola County School District is encouraging students and parents to attend their school’s upcoming Back-To-School Open House in order to prepare for the 20232024 school year. Osceola County public schools will hold Open Houses on the following dates and times:

• Monday, August 7 – All high schools will have Open House from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (including The Osceola County School for the Arts Grades 6-12)

• Tuesday, August 8 – All middle schools and K-8 schools will have Open House from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

• Wednesday, August 9 – All elementary schools will have Open House from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Students in Osceola County will begin classes on Thursday, August 10, 2023. Parents can find the 2023-2024 school year academic calendar at bit.ly/SDOC2324Calendar.

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

For more Positively Osceola, visit our Social Media & Website! PositivelyOsceola.com

Don Schmidt roofing and contracting, serving Osceola County for over 34 years

Don Schmidt Roofing and Contracting has been a trusted name in the Central Florida roofing industry for over 35 years. With decades of experience under their belts, they have built a solid reputation for delivering top-notch service and exceptional results.

Their commitment to customer satisfaction, paired with their extensive knowledge and expertise, has set Don Schmidt Roofing apart from the competition. Whether it’s a residential or commercial roofing project, Don Schmidt Roofing and Contracting approaches each job with the same level of dedication and attention to detail.

Don Schmidt, learning construction from his father, obtained his contractor’s license in 1972 in both building and remodeling residential homes. In the 1980s he received his Florida State Certified Roofing license and formed Don Schmidt Contracting and Roofing, Inc. He is joined by his oldest son, Jared, who is following in Don’s footsteps by learning every aspect of the roofing and contracting business. When you call for a free, no obligation roof estimate, Jared and his staff will provide you with a professional, courteous and reliable roofing quote.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3JT275k

For more Positively Osceola, visit our Social Media & Website! PositivelyOsceola.com

By J. Daniel Pearson For Positively Osceola

Gunner Holland, Osceola High School wrestler severely burned while at wrestling camp, on road to recovery

Gunner Holland, a two-time state wrestling champion and a rising senior at Osceola High School, was severely injured in a freak burning accident late last week while attending a wrestling camp at Lake Highland Prep. Holland was was participating in the camp in preparation for a national tournament in Fargo, ND.

The incident occurred when Holland accidentally sat in some liquid that had spilled on a bench. The liquid turned out to be an undiluted cleaning solution that had apparently leaked out of a container. Holland immediately experienced a burning sensation, but he continued to compete in the camp for approximately three hours before the pain became too intense to bear.

Holland ended up being rushed to the emergency room and later admitted to the burn unit at Orlando Regional Medical Center with second degree akaline burns to his bottom and back of his legs.

“Gunner’s a tough kid and when he first noticed the burning sensation, he said he had no idea what was causing it,” his mother Samantha Gunner said. “He just kept going for several hours until the pain became too intense. I visited him on Monday and doctors are hoping he’ll be able to come home tonight or tomorrow. He’s just heartbroken that he is going to miss the opportunity to wrestle at Nationals. Because he played football the past three years, this would have been his first opportunity to go.”

Holland won Class 3A FHSAA State Championships as both a freshman and sophomore. Last year, wrestling through a host of injuries, he rallied to a third place finish.

Brandi Deal, a family friend of the Holland family, has started a Go fund Me Page to help Gunner and his family deal with medical bills and anticipated family expenses dealing with this unfortunate event.

For more Positively Osceola, visit our Social Media & Website! PositivelyOsceola.com

Help ensure Florida’s manatees and sea turtles have access to clean and healthy habitats with new decals from the FWC

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is unveiling its new 2023 manatee and sea turtle decals. New editions of these high-quality collectible stickers are released every July and are available with a $5 donation at your local tax collector’s office. All proceeds from the decals help fund manatee and sea turtle conservation efforts.

The high-quality waterproof stickers feature beautiful original artwork and are designed to look appealing on a vehicle’s bumper or the side of a boat. They can also be seen on laptops, water bottles and coolers throughout the state and around the world. Collecting them is a fun way for people to support the research, rescue and management efforts that conserve these species and spread the word about the challenges they face.

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

Orlando Health: How soon should my child start swimming lessons?

Swimming can be a fun activity for kids, and with Florida’s warm weather, it can be a great way to cool down. But with drowning listed as the top cause of death for children between ages 1 and 4, swimming lessons are key to reducing the risk of tragedy.

So, at what age should you start considering swim lessons for your kids? This may be surprising, but getting them started by the age of 1 can reduce the risk of accidental drowning by 88 percent, according to a study published in the National Library of Medicine. Your child won’t be swimming laps as a toddler, but those early lessons can help them overcome a natural fear of water, while teaching critical survival tactics such as keeping their head above water.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3D6VMzF