Saturday, troopers say
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“Osceola On the Rise” County Financial Report For more Positively Osceola, visit our Social Media & Website! PositivelyOsceola.com Inside this issue Viva Osceola Returns to Kissimmee's Lakefront Park October 8, presented by Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 2022
Kissimmee killed in Hill Road crash
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Osceola County Clerk of the Court Comptroller Kelvin Soto Publishes
beginning $7Tuesdaymillion available to Osceola Residents for Emergency Rental Assistance Beginning Monday September 12
Pleasant
City of St. Cloud to open up voting for new name for 'The Ranch at St. Cloud'
For more Positively Osceola, visit our Social Media & Website! PositivelyOsceola.com WEEKLYMon,GoodLIVESTREAMSMorningOsceolaWed,Friat7:30AMIntheLoopLIVETueat6:00PMDaybreakLIVEWedat9:00AMOsceolaMattersThuat6:00PMIntheLoopLIVESatat8:00AM
August 26th, 2022 Positively
For more
Business Spotlight: The Lavender Patch - St Cloud
August 18th, 2022
Osceola, visit our Social Media & Website! PositivelyOsceola.com
Creative Inspiration Journey School is enrolling for the school year!
In the Loop LIVE with Krissi Hardy!
August 19th, 2022
August 20th, 2022
ON DEMAND LIVESTREAMS
Daybreak LIVE with Bri Stefek of Osceola Arts
Help Now of Osceola’s 13th Annual DV Rally, Awareness Walk & Candlelight Vigil
August 27th, 2022
LIVE Business Spotlight with Jammers Music Center in Downtown St. Cloud
LIVE Business Spotlight at Savvy Sweets in Downtown St. Cloud
LIVE with Victoria of H & Wes talking about her business in Downtown St. Cloud
IN & AROUND OSCEOLA
LIVE at Tohopekaliga High School as the Tigers start the season off with a 49-0 win
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LIVE with Jeremy Thomas Lanier and nurse Wendy, talking about monkey pox and it’s vaccine
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Viva Osceola - Kissimmee
Make a Positive Difference
VIDEOS ON DEMAND
The Osceola Chamber está invitando a la comunidad al trigésimo año del principal festival latino del condado de Osceola que ofrece entretenimiento, comida, diversión y juegos para toda la familia, ¡ Viva Osceola ! Este evento será el sábado 8 de octubre de 11:00 am a 6:00 pm en Kissimmee Lakefront Park.
For & Website! PositivelyOsceola.com
American Sign Language for Beginners from the Osceola Library
Writing Assistance Sessions at the Poinciana Library
The Poinciana Library is hosting Writing Assistance Sessions on Fridays from 4pm to 5pm. Bianca Myrtil will provide free editing, proofreading, and other editorial services to help shape and perfect your next writing project. The Osceola Library System’s Poinciana Library is located at 101 North Doverplum Avenue in Kissimmee.
Fandom Kissimmee is BACK on September 17th
Would you like to make a difference in our students’ lives by becoming a teacher? The Osceola County School District, FL, USA - Human Resources is providing a virtual information session outlining the steps to becoming certified to teach in Florida on Wednesday, September 21st at 3:30pm.
Beginning Monday, September 12th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm, you can learn the basic skills required to begin communicating with Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in your community at the Osceola Library System’s St. Cloud Library. Taught by Deaf instructors; students will learn to carry on an everyday conversation with Deaf individuals.
On September 17th, Fandom Kissimmee is BACK at the Kissimmee Civic Center. From 11:00am to 5:00pm, transport to a world where your favorite characters from comic books, TV, film, and games come alive. There will also be panel discussions and demonstrations from comic industry professionals. Admission to Fandom Kissimmee is free, so bring the whole family!
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Who doesn’t love a good pig-out? On Saturday, September 17th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Peghorn Nature Park and Trail, the City of St. Cloud will host its annual Pig-Out event… a really big pig out barbecue!Thisfree community event will be filled with awesome live music, a free BBQ by the Fine Swine of Boy Scouts Troop Nine, horseshoes, local vendors, exhibitors, a blacksmith demo, and an awesome nature trail. Did I mention FREE barbecue?
The Downtown Kissimmee Council’s Downtown Update Breakfast will take place on Wednesday, September 7 and will feature Osceola County Manager Don Fisher, and City of Kissimmee Manager Mike Steigerwald. For the first time since 2019, attendees will be able to hear all things Kissimmee and Osceola as they enjoy breakfast catered from Big John’s Rockin’ Barbecue at the Kissimmee Civic Center.
Registration begins at 7:30am and the program will take place from 8am-10am Registration for the event is $15. Register here for the breakfast event: bit.ly/ DowntownUpdate2022
NEWS
City of St. Cloud to host ‘Peghorn Pigout 2022’ Barbecue on Saturday September 17
County Manager Don Fisher, Kissimmee City Manager Mike Steigerwald to speak at Downtown Update Breakfast Wednesday
So, we know where Positively Osceola will be on Saturday September 17th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at St. Cloud’s Peghorn Pigout 2022…I hope to see you there!
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Viva Osceola Returns to Kissimmee’s Lakefront Park October 8, presented by Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital
VIVA Osceola, presented by Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital, returns to Kissimmee’s Lakefront Park on Saturday October 8th from 11am – 6pm and will celebrate 30 years of heritage, and 30 years of you!
NEWS For more Positively Osceola, visit our Social Media & Website! PositivelyOsceola.com
Viva Osceola, brought to you by The Osceola Chamber and Orlando Health St Cloud Hospital, coming to Kissimmee on Saturday, October 8th!
Experience headliners Domino Saints, Nano Cabrera, and Sammy Velez on Viva Osceola’s main stage, or enjoy local talent at the Exitos 96.5’s Somos Kissimmee Stage.It’san event for the whole family with authentic Latin food from Sabor Boricua, and for the kiddos, the KUA Kid’s Power Zone will be at Viva Osceola complete with bounce houses, free snow cones, and a kids craft activity, and don’t forget to visit the FREE Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital Photo booth to capture memories of your day!
READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3wZFS7w
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The affected products were distributed to stores in Florida, Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Washington State, Virginia and Wisconsin. As of last week, no related illnesses have been reported.
Smoked salmon sold in Florida, 9 other states recalled over Listeria concerns
St. Cloud family who lost their one-yearold daughter to cancer, gives back to help a little girl fighting for her life
A smoked salmon product sold in Florida and 9 other states is being recalled after a sample tested positive for Listeria.
Last week, the Romualdo family held a garage sale with many of Nicole’s things to raise money and to spread awareness for a little girl named Helena in Brazil, who is fighting cancer. It’s not too late to help this courageous little girl in honor of Nicole Romualdo, just go to the gofundme page that was setup to help: https://gofund.me/aaf4cad8
The recall concerns 4-oz. packages of St. James Smokehouse’s Scotch Reserve Scottish Smoked Salmon sold between February and June 2022.
The Romualdo family moved to the St. Cloud community in 2021, then, they received some devastating news… their 11 month old daughter Nicole was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma – cancer. Friends, neighbors, and the community came together to support the family, including holding a wonderful one-year birthday celebration for the precious little girl, but sadly, Nicole sadly passed away earlier this year.
The coalition’s plan aims to diversify Osceola County’s economy, which has always been known for its strength in tourism and agriculture.
The Whitehouse has announced that Osceola County and its Coalition partners will receive $50.8 million from the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) to develop Central Florida’s semiconductor and microelectronics industry
READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3BgnR7F
Their new social worker, Matthew Jarmon, will offer individual or family assistance and referral in many important areas, including: Mental Health and Counseling Substance Abuse Assistance and Houselessness Health Care
is part of an elite group of 21 coalitions that the Biden Administration is backing to boost the nation’s economic recovery and rebuild American communities. Out of 529 original submissions, the Osceola-led Central Florida Coalition was one of 60 finalists — and the only one in Florida to make it to the final round.
Osceolacluster.County
Osceola Library System’s social worker, Matthew Jarmon, helps individuals and families in the community
Osceola County Awarded $50.8 Million for NeoCity from Build Back Better Regional Challenge Grant
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• Housing
The Osceola Library System is now offering a professional social worker to better connect Osceola County citizens with important community resources, programs, and services critical to improving lives and fostering greater well-being.
Without a doubt, it’s been a challenging few years, and as a community, we’ve all been working together to ensure that everyone is safe, secure, and able to take care of their basic needs.
The free food distribution will be first come, first served – and will take place while supplies last. It’s a great way for families and individuals who are experiencing food insecurity to receive some help from others… others who care. Osceola County residents only. Questions? Please call 407-742-2000.
Florida’s brand new “tool time” sales tax holiday on tools and other home repair and construction items will continue through September 9, 2022 and is part of a wide-ranging tax bill passed this year by the Florida legislature and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis. The name of the tax-free holiday is reminiscent of the home-improvement sitcom show in the 1990s called “Home Improvement, and will allow shoppers to avoid paying sales taxes on numerous home repair and construction items. During the holiday, purchases of the following items are exempt from sales tax:
• Hand tools selling for $50 or less
• Power tool batteries selling for $150 or less
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Florida’s first ‘tool time’ sales tax holiday continues through September 9
September 19 at 10am
READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3wUBh6I
Osceola Commissioner Viviana Janer to host Farm Share food distribution Saturday
Archie Gordon Memorial Park at 420 Buenaventura Blvd in BVL, at 10am.
On Saturday, September 19th, Osceola County, along with Osceola County Commissioner Viviana Janer and City of Life Church, will host a Farm Share free drive-thru food distribution event at
• Power tools selling for $300 or less
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The Florida Department of Health in Osceola County has issued a Health Alert for the presence of harmful blue-green algal toxins in Fish Lake, near Sexton Park in Osceola County. This is in response to a water sample taken on 8/29/2022. The public should exercise caution in and around Fish Lake. Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautions:
partnership allows us to seamlessly connect both leisure guests and meetings groups with Orlando Health’s medical experts to make healthy travel more accessible,” said Casandra Matej, president & chief executive officer, Visit Orlando. “Orlando has been a leader in healthy meetings for the past several years and with Orlando Health as our official Health and Wellness Partner, we are elevating the service and resources we provide groups to ensure Orlando remains a top choice for meetings and events.”
Osceola Health Officials Issue Blue-Green Algae
Visit Orlando, the Official Tourism Association for Orlando, and Orlando Health, have joined forces designating Orlando Health as the Official Health and Wellness Partner of Visit Orlando and offers health-related benefits for the millions of visitors who help make Orlando the most visited destination in the United States and Theme Park Capital of the“ThisWorld.new
Orlando Health is the official health and wellness partner of Visit Orlando
NEWS
• Do not drink, swim, wade, use personal watercraft, water ski or boat in waters where there is a visible bloom.
• Wash your skin and clothing with soap and water if you have contact with algae or discolored or smelly water.
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Bloom Alert for Fish Lake in Osceola County
Veronica Miller, who has worked for the City of St. Cloud for 19 years, was given the nod by St. Cloud Council members on Thursday night during a special meeting to become the next City Manager, and to replace current city manager Bill Sturgeon, who has served the city since 2013 and served as City Manager since 2017, and is retiring effective today, Sept. 2. Miller would be the first Hispanic female to serve as St. Cloud City Manager.
READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3RmAinS
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During Thursday’s special meeting Deputy Mayor Linette Matheny made the motion to hire Miller, which was seconded by Council Member Dave Askew. It passed 3-2, with Mayor Nathan Blackwell and Council Member Keith Trace voting against it. Blackwell supported Deputy County Manager Darren Grey, citing his expertise in commercial development, and Trace said he would prefer that the City conduct a wider search before making a selection.
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Do you own a small business and has it been impacted by COVID-19? The Osceola County Housing and Community Services Department’s Microenterprise Assistance Program provides financial aid to qualifying small businesses. The program offers a one-time $5,000 grant to qualified, for-profit businesses located within unincorporated Osceola County to prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus on a first-come, first-ready basis. A total of approximately $1.4 million is available.
Own a Small Business? You May Be Eligible for Help from Osceola’s $1.4 million Fund
NEWS
Applicants must possess a business license and must be current on all County taxes, assessments, and fees to participate. They also must be income eligible – with a threshold of 80 percent of below the Area Median Income has calculated by HUD.
St. Cloud Council approves Veronica Miller to be next city manager
For more information go to Osceolalibrary.org. The website is filled with programs and programs that could change your life!
NEWS
St. Cloud Library to host Free American Sign Language for Beginners Class starting Monday September 12
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Communicating with each other, all too often we take it for granted, but for many, it’s not it’s not so simple. For those of us who want to be able to communicate to learn how to sign, the Osceola Library System has you covered.
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Beginning Monday September 12th from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm you can learn the basic skills required to begin communicating with Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in your community. Taught by Deaf instructors; students will learn to carry on an everyday conversation with Deaf individuals. Role playing and games designed to teach basic signs will be used as tools. By the end of class some of the skills you will learn are: Manual Alphabet, numbers, introducing yourself, facial expressions, talking about family and more. It’s an awesome and fun four-week course presented by ASL Services.
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Disney Animation Studios’ “Encanto” tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel. When she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she might just be her exceptional family’s last hope.
Bring your own chair, blanket, and snacks and settle in for a free showing of Disney’s “Encanto”. For more information please contact Parks and Recreation at 407-957-7243.
St. Cloud to show ‘Encanto’ during next free ‘Movie at the Lakefront’ Saturday SeptemberNEWS10
PositivelyOsceola.com
St. Cloud will continue to provide great entertainment for the community on Saturday, September 10th beginning at 7:30pm with a free showing of Disney’s ‘Encanto’ during its. next ‘Movie Under the Stars’ night at St. Cloud’s beautiful Lakefront.
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St. Cloud community comes together to show support for 16-year-old Jacob Verdecia, hospitalized after Turnpike crash
Jacob, who is a junior at St. Cloud High School and a member of the St. Cloud Bulldog Basketball team, was riding in the backseat of a car with his friends on a rainy night on the Turnpike when the driver lost control of the car, crossed over four turnpike lanes before striking hard into a guardrail.
The football stands were filled with St. Cloud Bulldog fans Friday night to welcome back High School football, but after the game, Tom Gannarelli field was filled with those coming to together to show their support and love for Jacob Verdecia and his family, after the 16-year-old boy was seriously injured in a car crash on Florida’s Turnpike earlier in August and is now fighting to recover in the hospital.
How bicyclists can stay safe on the roads
Draper Law: Tips for Safe Bicycle Riding in Central Florida MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3QmngFw
Few things are better in the Sunshine State than taking your bicycle out for a spin. Unfortunately, Florida leads the nation for bicycle fatalities. Here are some tips for bicyclists and drivers to keep the roads safe.
Although Florida doesn’t require cyclists over 16 years old to wear helmets, wearing one can minimize injury and can even save your life if you’re hit by a car.
INJURY LAW
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Bikers should make sure their vehicles meet Florida safety guidelines. Specifically, bicyclists should use a headlight while the sun is set, which lets other vehicles see them at night. Additionally, all bikes should have reflective lights and working breaks.
READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3R6GMaf
Osceola Arts to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with “The Tie That Binds/ El Lazo Que Une: works by Alberto Gomez”
Osceola Arts celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with a new visual arts exhibit “The Tie That Binds/ El Lazo Que Une: works by Alberto Gomez” from September 1 through November 6.
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Florida-based artist Alberto Gomez is a humble observer with an artistic vision that is rooted in his native Colombia. “I consider my work to be categorized as magical realism in the visual sense similar to the writings of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Isabel Allende. This style is a tradition in my Latin American homeland. My work depicts the combination of daily life and fantasy together in the story. I consider my technique to mirror that of the poet using symbols, and a sense of place with the people presented in my art. My inspiration comes from my love of people.
READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3wbfyXv
Creative Inspiration Journey School sees continued student growth amid school facility expansion
From the first day that Creative Inspiration Journey School opened its doors in the Fall of 2019, it was easy to see that it wasn’t going to be just another tuition free public charter school, it was focused on creating an environment of learning for its students unlike any other school in the St. Cloud and Osceola communities.
CIJS uses the Reggio Emilia approach to learning, which allows children to direct their own learning process according to their needs, and in a less-structured environment. This gives the students a apportunity to grow at their own pace, both as individuals – and community members.
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A new irrigation schedule based on the last number of an address has been rolled out for new and existing water utility customers of St. Cloud Utilities, who will be welcomed by Toho Water Authority (Toho) Oct. 1, 2022.
Beginning Thursday, September 8, at Hart Memorial Central Library from 6 – 8pm, you’ll be able to boost your Spanish language skills for free by learning basic conversational phrases that will help you communicate better on a daily basis. The classes will be taught by Ivonne Sanchez, and it’s sure to be very helping in learning Spanish, and lots of Thefun.
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Approved by the South Florida Water Management District, the revision was needed to meet growth needs. Adjusting irrigation timers to the outlined days and times (attached) will help to ensure adequate supply for both potable and reuse water used to water yards and landscaping. Questions: Customer Service at 407-957-7344 or online at: stcloudfl.gov/1683/Watering-Schedules.
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Hart Memorial Library in Kissimmee to Offer Free Spanish for Beginners Classes Beginning in September
Have you been thinking about learning Spanish, maybe just enough to better understand casual conversations, or to begin your path toward being a proficient Spanish speaker? The Osceola Library System’s Hart Memorial Library in Kissimmee may have exactly what you’re looking for.
course is free, and presented by the Osceola Library System. Hart Memorial Library is located at 211 E Dakin Avenue in Kissimmee, and the class will be taught on the 2nd floor. For more information call 407) 742-8888 or visit Osceolalibrary.org.
New irrigation schedule for St. Cloud customers
In January, the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office underwent some changes, as set forth by Amendment 10 in the Florida Constitution, and was reestablished as the Osceola County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Office in order to provide a checks and balances system for Osceola County government’s finances.
“Osceola On The Rise” is a summary of the financial information provided in the Osceola County Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) which was jointly prepared by the Comptroller’s office and the Osceola County Board of County Commissioners.“Iamproudto
To view or download the “Osceola On The Rise” publication just click here. Print copies are available by request. Contact communications@osceolaclerk.org.
To help citizens better understand the county’s finances, Osceola County Clerk of the Court & County Comptroller, Kelvin Soto, Esq. has published the inaugural edition of the Osceola On The Rise Popular Annual Financial Report for Fiscal Year ended 2021.
PositivelyOsceola.com
Osceola On The Rise provides information about the Osceola County community like statistics and demographic information, directories of parks, recreation facilities, libraries, emergency services, public services and annual events, Clerk and County accomplishments, and an overview of the County’s financial well-being.
share with you this first ever Popular Annual Financial Report in Osceola County. As the County Comptroller, I am committed to fulfilling our constitutional duty of transparency in government and responsible stewardship of our citizen’s finances,” said Honorable Kelvin Soto, Esq. . “It is my hope that you will find Osceola On The Rise valuable, enjoyable and informative.”
NEWS
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Osceola County Clerk of the Court & Comptroller Kelvin Soto Publishes “Osceola On the Rise” County Financial Report
Draper Law: Starting Over After Divorce
Divorce can be one of the most emotionally and financially devastating experiences a person can have. After the process is complete, the newly divorced person is left to recover from the pain of losing their marriage and rebuild their lives. While staring over after divorce may seem daunting, there are steps you can take to get back on your feet.
Financial Adjustments
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FAMILY LAW
Going from sharing a home and finances with your former spouse to being on your own can be a difficult change. While you may not have control over the difference to your financial situation, you can control your budgeting and spending. Sit down and create a realistic budget which includes some savings. Even putting a small amount aside each month is a positive habit and can help you be prepared should you have unexpected expenses.
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With the cost of housing continuing to increase in and around Osceola County, many families and individuals are finding it more and more challenging to find attainable or affordable housing, especially lowincome seniors, who are already struggling with inflation and increasing rental expense as they try to make ends meet on fixed incomes.
The Osceola Council On Aging announced Friday, that it would be receiving a $5.69 Million HUD grant for an affordable housing project in BVL called Buen Vecino, which translates to “good neighbor.” The affordable apartments project, scheduled to open in 2023, will benefit Osceola low-income seniors who the Osceola Council on Aging serves for housing, food, and services.
Osceola Council On Aging awarded $5.69 Million affordable housing HUD grant for seniors, Osceola and Kissimmee add $4.3 Million more
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SPORTS
“Offensively we moved the ball well but our offense faltered a bit when we had a few bad exchanges between the center and quarterback and we dropped a couple of potential touchdown passes,” Osceola coach Eric Pinellas said. “Their offense really didn’t do anything to surprise us, but between not reading the formations correctly, not lining up properly, and some sloppy tackling – they were able to move the ball. Giving up that long touchdown drive right before half really flipped the momentum of the game in their favor, still we had plenty of chances to win this game.”
Big Plays, Breaks Sink Osceola Kowboys in Overtime, 28-27 MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3cP5YDs
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Michael Key caught 10 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns and Luke Rucker hit Marvin Brown on a twopoint conversion in overtime, as Seminole High School won its 24th consecutive regular season road game with a 28-27 win over Osceola.Despite giving up more than 450 yards of total offense, the Kowboys led or were tied for all but one minute of the game. But a failure to take full advantage of three turnovers, a blocked extra point, and losing the toss in overtime all played key factors in Osceola’s loss to Seminole – the Orlando Sentinel’s top ranked team in the region.
Osceola would grab a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. After a defensive stop, Taevion Swint would take a sweep and race 60-yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead. Osceola would extend the lead to 14-0 lead in the second quarter. Jayden Bradford would intercept Rucker and after a near two-hour lightning delay, Gunner Holland would hit Swint on a third-down play for a 17-yard touchdown pass with 3:43 remaining in the second quarter.
But Rucker would need just four plays to get Seminole back in the game. After a gaff in the return game pinned Seminole on its own six, Trey Clark would break off a 17-yard run before Rucker completed three consecutive passes or 7, 44 and 26 yards – the last two going to Key – for a 14-6 deficit at halftime.
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A big test for the Harmony Longhorns (2-0) and two games in four days will be on tap for Tohopekaliga (1-0) as Osceola County schools enter Week 3 of the high school football season.
Palm Bay has outscored its opposition 62-22 in outplaying both Bayside (41-14) and Haggerty (21-8) this season. The Pirates and Longhorns have developed a good rivalry of late, with Palm Bay winning 20-16 last year and the Longhorns taking a 15-14 decision a year
“This is going to be big test for this team,” Harmony head coach Don Simon says about Friday’s 7 p.m. home game against Melbourne’s Palm Bay (20). “They are a big team loaded with athletes on both sides of the ball. Although it is not a district game, this is one of those contests we pointed at in the beginning of the year as a contest could go either way.”
Harmony Longhorns face stern test, doubleheader on tap this week for Tohopekaliga Tigers SPORTS
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Defensively, Harmony came up big as its first team defense held Celebration’s Oniel Senatus to just a couple of rushing yards. Sophomore Dalton Phelan led the way with 10 tackles. The Storm, 0-2, will attempt to get on the winning track when they travel to Haines City (1-0) on Friday.
Harmonyearlier.is
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If Tohopekaliga is to improve to 3-0, they will have to win twice in four days. The Tigers Friday home game with Gateway (1-0) was postponed because of unplayable field conditions and moved to Austin Tindall Park with a 7 p.m. kick on Tuesday (Positively Osceola will have complete game coverage on Wednesday).
off to a solid start, remaining undefeated with a 36-0 running clock road win over Celebration last week. Senior running back Tyler Emans posted a second straight 100-yard rushing game, gaining 177 yards and scoring twice in the win. Cooper Richards added one score and totaled 100 all-purpose yards in the game; while Aiden Parks was seven of 11 for 100 yards and two touchdowns—including a 12-yard strike to senior tight end Reid Fitzgerald to open the scoring.
Making Business better, together OSCEOLA BUSINESS R E F E R R A L S E R V I C E OBRS.net
FWC’s School Fishing Club Program to Award Forty High School Fishing Clubs $500, Apply Now! https://bit.ly/3QphUKt
School is back in session, and now is the time for Florida parents, teachers and school staff to apply for funding to support school fishing clubs for students, like our local high school fishing club, the Osceola Anglers. Forty high school fishing clubs or teams can apply for a $500 grant to assist with club expenses.
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COMMUNITY
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Sport Fish Restoration R3 Fishing Grant will award up to 40 high school fishing clubs or teams $500 to assist with club expenses, the purchase of fishing licenses or gear for participants.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) 2022-23 School Fishing Club Program, previously named the High School Fishing Program, offers school fishing clubs or teams the opportunity to apply for the Florida R3 Fishing Grant. The application period is open now until Sept. 16, 2022. This grant program is focused on engaging youth anglers to ensure the future of fishing in Florida.TheFlorida
COMMUNITY
Huntington Learning Center offers reading tutoring programs designed to help students in elementary school through high school develop the language skills they will need in the classroom and beyond. Our highly experienced reading tutors strive to help students reach their full potential, instilling a strong understanding of reading basics that can then be applied in ways that help them to explore and understand the world around them in a meaningful way.
Huntington Learning Center, Reading Tutoring For All Levels MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3uUBd5Z
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The power to read is inarguably one of the most important skills fundamental to a student’s ability to function and prosper in school and beyond. It infiltrates every facet of life, from the most miniscule tasks such as reading a menu to more difficult tasks like analyzing dense texts in advanced college courses. Setting a strong foundation from the very early stages of your child’s life is incredibly important for him or her to be able to build upon and grow as your child advances in school.
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Teacher. Caregiver. Chef. The pandemic created distinct challenges and stressors for women as many are faced with fulfilling multiple roles while still meeting the expectations of their jobs and careers. The situation is particularly significant when you consider that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 20 percent of American women already were struggling with a mental health condition like depression or anxiety, according to the Office on Women’s Health.
Ways to Boost Your Mental Health
• Get at least 15 minutes of sunshine per day, which is shown to boost vitamin D and elevate your mood.
• Take a short trip, exploring what’s in your local area. Experiencing a change of scenery can provide much-needed stimulation and reduce anxiety.
Mental health poses unique challenges for women. Throughout her life, a woman’s body is constantly changing, putting pressure on her to adapt to new purposes and perceptions. Puberty, pregnancy and childbirth, menopause — they all force women to reckon with new bodies and new ways they fit into the world around them. Some of these physical changes can trigger mental conditions specific to women, including perinatal depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder and perimenopause-related depression.
READ MORE, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3CEFqzp
HEALTH
Strategies to manage your mental health vary widely, and what works for one woman will not necessarily appeal to another. Focus on developing a unique strategy for yourself based on your interests, rather than pursuing an activity because it worked for a Herefriend.are
• Spend half an hour in nature whenever you can. Whether on a park trail, a riverway or the beach, nature boosts well-being.
Orlando Health: 5 Ways Women Can Improve Their Mental Health
five suggestions:
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• Impaired vision—as you get older, your vision may not be as clear, making it more difficult to see tripping hazards.
Orlando Health: Tips for Fall Prevention in the ElderlyHEALTH
• Health conditions–diabetes, heart disease and other health issues can affect your balance.•Medications— sedatives and antidepressants can make you dizzy or sleepy. Other over-the-counter medicines may also lead to conditions that alter your balance.
Understanding the risks of falling or suffering an actual fall can make you fearful, leading you to curtail activities. Remember, falls do happen. Ironically, avoiding normal activities and exercises may actually increase your risk for falls and serious injury.
• Foot pain or poor footwear—increase likelihood of tripping/falling.
• Hazards in the home—throw rugs that present tripping hazards or broken or uneven steps can increase the risk of falls.
Proper follow-up care can be instrumental in helping to identify and minimize risks for future falls.
Why Do Older People Fall?
Fear of Falling?
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Falls can occur for a variety of reasons. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists these common causes:
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• Weakness—can contribute to imbalance and falls.
We are all susceptible to falls. But, older adults have an increased risk of falling, and the harm sustained can be more complicated than just your average cut, scrape or bruise. Serious injuries may occur in the form of fractured or broken bones and internal bleeding. Each year, more than three million people 65 and older are treated in emergency rooms for fall injuries. Unfortunately, fewer than half of them follow up with their primary physician about the accident, increasing the likelihood of another fall.
• Vitamin D deficiency—a lack of bone strength can lead to weakness and falls.
New 2023 voyage dates for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will soon be available at Walt Disney World Resort. Beginning Sept. 1, 2022, guests may book two-night vacation experiences aboard Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser for voyage dates through the end of September 2023.
Making its debut earlier this year at Walt Disney World Resort, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser introduced a first-of-its-kind immersive experience going beyond anything Disney has created before and continues to receive stellar reviews from guests of all ages. Guests become the heroes of their own Star Wars stories during a two-night adventure aboard the Halcyon starcruiser, a vessel known for its impeccable service and exotic destinations. Passengers relax in well-appointed cabins, enjoy exquisite dining and out-of-this-world entertainment, and experience Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in new ways.
New 2023 Voyages Aboard Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Set to Launch Sept. 1, 2022
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IN THE LOOP - THEME PARK NEWS
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The return of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party kicks off a fall full of fun at Walt Disney World Resort. The special ticket event is offered at Magic Kingdom Park on select nights from Aug. 12 to Oct. 31 after normal park hours from 7 p.m. to midnight.
• Frightfully fun entertainment abounds in “Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade,” the “Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular” stage show featuring the Sanderson
IN THE LOOP - THEME PARK NEWS
• Guests can dress in their happiest or most-haunted Halloween costumes to get in the spirit of the season!
Haunting Halloween Festivities Commence with Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
• Sisters, and “Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular” nighttime extravaganza hosted by Jack Skellington, featuring fireworks, projections, iconic Disney characters and more.
• Also new this year, guests can join Zombies and Cheerleaders at the ZOM-BEATZ BASH! as they BAMM out to music inspired by the ZOMBIES original movies on Disney Channel.•Several classic Magic Kingdom attractions will be costumed for Halloween including Mad Tea Party, Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor.
Walt Disney World gets “dressed up” for some festive Fall fun for the entire family
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• New for 2022, partygoers awaiting “Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade” can ‘Stand Out’ and dance their way onto Main Street U.S.A., with a majorly awesome 90’s crew led by Max Goof cosplaying as Powerline – his favorite pop superstar!
Fall family fun is brewing throughout Walt Disney World Resort. This year, there are so many ways to celebrate fall and Halloween with new flavors, sights and experiences, plus the return of fanfavorite events. Here is an overview of festive fall offerings guests can enjoy across Walt Disney World:
Universal Orlando Resort has revealed more gruesome details about the impending terror that awaits guests brave enough to face Halloween Horror Nights 2022 – including the six horrifying original concepts that complete this year’s lineup of 10 haunted houses, five sinister scare zones and two live shows. The event kicks off Friday, September 2 and runs select nights through October 31. All Tickets are On Sale Now – Click
Here to Purchase
As the world’s premier Halloween event turns 31 this fall, a haunting conglomerate of unfathomable experiences inspired by traditional Halloween elements and some of guests’ worst fears come to life in this year’s collection of original haunted houses and scare zones.
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Universal Studios Florida to feature 10 Haunted Houses, Five Scare Zones, Two Shows to Bring Deepest Fears to Life
IN THE LOOP - THEME PARK NEWS
IN THE LOOP - THEME PARK NEWS
SHOW OFF YOUR COSTUMES
welcome to dress up in costumes. Guests who are ages 13 and older may not wear costume masks or hoods, and all costumes are subject to the normal dress code for the park. In addition, face painting is not permitted on any guests unless it is done by park artists.
Halloween is back with candy, costumes, your favorite Sesame Street friends, and plenty of spooky surprises. Treat your family to all the festive fun of SeaWorld Spooktacular, select dates, Sept. 17 – Oct. 31
Kids love trick-or-treating during this daytime event as they explore the decorated trail and meet all sorts of colorful characters. And that’s just the beginning! From spooky stories and a Halloween dance party to moments with furry friends like Count von Count, Elmo, Cookie Monster, and more, this is immersive family fun you’ll only find at AllSeaWorld.guestsare
WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN – A NEW TERROR SURFACES
Howl-O-Scream has washed ashore at SeaWorld Orlando, and this time, the fear is everywhere. Experience the family fun by day and the bone-chilling terror by night.
PositivelyOsceola.com
Family Halloween Fun is Back with SeaWorld Orlando’s Spooktacular
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Race into Fall with the Disney Wine & Dine Half-Marathon Weekend
Guests can experience the blend of music, stories, and culinary delights found during the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival and the Walt Disney World Resort 50th anniversary celebration.
The weekend features a Coco-themed 5K, a Raya and the Last Dragon-themed 10K and a half marathon celebrating the music and magic of Soul. Guests can also experience the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, including the opportunity to buy merchandise and gadgets for runners.
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The 2022-23 runDisney race season kicks off Nov. 3-6 with the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend. The popular race weekend features a 5K, 10K and half marathon, as well as the Disney Two Course Challenge (10K and half marathon) and Post-Race Party.
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Howl-O-Scream to Return to SeaWorld Orlando beginning in September with new scares and more
Evil is returning—with a howl and a scream and 28 nights of fully immersive fear in fall 2022, only at SeaWorld Orlando.
For
SeaWorld Orlando’s Howl-O-Scream will wash ashore for its second year in Orlando on select nights from September 9 through October 31, 2022, and as SeaWorld says, there will be “nowhere” to hide! This year promises to be bigger ands badder with more pulsepounding, sweat-inducing haunts, thrills, and chills, and night-time eerie coaster riding!
Be Among the First to Scream. Sign up for Howl-O-Scream emails now and get access to exciting updates, promotions, exclusive offers, and more.
our
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Howl-O-Scream is intended for a mature audience. This event contains intense adult content such as violence, gore, and blood. Howl-O-Scream 2022 is a separately-ticketed night event. No guest costumes will be allowed.
Make your way through angry haunts and scare zones as you attempt to find shelter indoors, only to find you’ve entered a house of horrors. Experience nighttime coaster rides, quench your thirst for fear at a fiendishly interactive bar, and enjoy the freakishness of one of SeaWorld’s live shows.
osceolalibrary.org | 407.742.8888
Preheat a small pot over medium heat. Add mangoes, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook until butter and sugar are melted, and mangoes have softened. Remove from heat and cool completely. Combine milk, heavy cream, and vanilla bean in a large pot and bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Meanwhile, in a separate mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until completely combined. Temper egg mixture with a third of the hot milk, then slowly pour back into large pot with milk and cream, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat until custard reaches 180-185 degrees (stir constantly) and is slightly thickened. Strain through mesh strainer into a clean bowl and chill completely (over ice bath or in refrigerator). Pour into ice cream machine and follow manufacturer’s instructions. Approximately 5-10 minutes before ice cream is set, add mango mixture. Place in freezer-safe container and allow to set for at least 2 hours before serving.
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
INGREDIENTS
small•2½ cups Florida sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 2 Florida mangoes, diced
• ½ stick unsalted butter
PositivelyOsceola.com
Florida Mango Ice Cream, It’s PositivelyPOSITIVELYDelicious DELICIOUS
• 6 cups whole milk
PREPARATION
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Nothing cools you down like a bowl of ice cream in the summer. Especially if it’s Florida Mango ice cream! It’s Florida fresh and we think you’ll agree, it’s Positively Delicious!
• 16 egg yolks
• 2 cups heavy cream
our
It’s going to be Positively Delicious!
Grilled Florida Ribeye with HerbCitrus Butter, It’s Positively Delicious
POSITIVELY DELICIOUS
PositivelyOsceola.com
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Fresh tip: The best way to check if the steak is your preferred temperature is to stick an internal read food-safe thermometer in the thickest part of the steak. For medium-rare, pull the steak out at 110 degrees, medium 120 degrees, medium-well 130 degrees, and cooked well 140 degrees.
INGREDIENTS
PREPARATION
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 (1-tablespoon slices) Florida Herb-Citrus Butter
Preheat charcoal or gas grill to medium-high. Season each side of the beef with salt and pepper. Carefully place steaks on the hot grill. Grill the steaks for 2 to 4 minutes on each side. When the desired doneness is reached, remove from the grill, and allow to rest. Serve warm and garnish with herb-citrus butter.
In Florida we’re still in the hot summer months, and that means it’s the perfect time to grill outside. Today we’re talking steak, Florida beef ribeye steak, and we think you’ll agree. It’s Positively Delicious!
2 (12 ounce) Florida beef ribeye steaks
Source: Fresh from Florida
WHAT IS POINT OF SALE?
More cigarettes are sold in convenience stores than in any other type of store.
Paying retailers for prime product location and advertising.
SOME TACTICS THEY USE ARE:
WHAT IS OOSCEOLA COUNTY DOING?
WHY IS POINT OF SALE IMPORTANT?
POINT OF SALE IN OSCEOLA COUNTY
YOU CAN GET INVOLVED! CONTACT JJEANNE@CIVCOM.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION.
POINT OF SALE IS THE INDUSTRY’STOBACCOMAINMARKETINGMETHOD.
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.
Studies show that tobacco use is associated with exposure to retail advertising and relatively easy access to tobacco products.
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.
Discounting products, appealing to children and young adults.
Schools with a higher number of tobacco retailers nearby tend to have higher smoking rates.
Targeting communities.lower-income
#OsceolaSports
PAGE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
12 PAGE 16 TOHOPEKALIGA TIGERS PAGE 20 POINCIANA EAGLES PAGE 24 ST. CLOUD BULLDOGS PAGE 28 HARMONY LONGHORNS PAGE 32 LIBERTY CHARGERS PAGE 36 CELEBRATION STORM
PAGE 8 OSCEOLA GATEWAYKOWBOYSPANTHERS
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be valued. choose well. be relieved. choose well.
Ten award-winning hospitals. More than 100 medical specialties. 14 ERs. 4200 expert physicians.
So many reasons to choose well. OrlandoHealth.com
This exciting line-up features 8 productions not only beloved on stage but also cherished on the silver screen! Visit OsceolaArts.org for More Information 407-846-6257 | 2411 E 192 in Kissimmee
“We have just concluded an incredible year in Osceola sports,” County Athletic Director Ryan Adams said. “We had seven of our athletes win individual state championships this year and St. Cloud won a state title in United Basketball. The county saw several schools add new sports in beach volleyball and lacrosse. We had close to 90 senior athletes sign grant-in-aids to play at the next level. All this was accomplished while our athletes continued to excel in the classroom. We look forward to this upward trend continuing in this new school year.”
BY: J. Daniel Pearson for Positively Osceola
High school sports returns to action this week as football teams across Osceola County play their Kickoff Classic exhibition games on Friday night.
The new school year will come with a lot of new changes. Four teams (St. Cloud, Celebration, Tohopekaliga and Liberty) will start the season with new football coaches. Long-time Osceola wrestling coach Jim Bird, who produced at least one state champion for 16 consecutive years, stepped down in July, meaning that storied program will also have a new coach.
Coming off one of the county’s most successful athletic years in recent memory, which included multiple state champions in different sports, deep playoff runs, incredible individual performances, high academic achievement in the classroom, and the expansion of athletic opportunities for student athletes -- more of the same is expected as the 2022-23 year begins.
PositivelyOsceola.com
NEW FACES, GREAT EXPECTATIONS AS WE WELCOME BACK SPORTS
Five of those schools (the four mentioned above plus Osceola) will begin the year with new Directors of Athletics.
Those tournaments are scheduled for girls’ volleyball (Host School: St.Cloud, Oct. 3-6), Girls’ Soccer (Harmony, Dec. 5-9), Boys Soccer (Gateway, Jan. 17-20), Girls’ Basketball (St. Cloud, Jan. 17-20), Boys’ Basketball (Tohopekaliga, Jan. 23-27), Flag Football (Harmony, Mar. 27-31), Boys’ Volleyball (Celebration, Apr. 10-13), Softball (St. Cloud, Apr. 10-14), Baseball (Poinciana, TBA), Boys’ and Girls Tennis (TBA).
In addition to new coaches, other changes will be noticeable on the field. Football has eliminated the traditional separation of teams by enrollment (1A8A) and instead will divide into two divisions called Metro and Suburban. Each division will crown four champions in classes Suburban 1-A to 4A and Metro 1A to 4A. The Metro will consist of school’s from the seven most-populated counties in Florida and will be divided into four classes by population; while the remaining counties – which include Osceola – will play in the Suburban Division. Tohopekaliga, Osceola, Celebration and St. Cloud were all placed in the Class 4A, District 10; Gateway and Liberty will play in Class 3A, District 8, Harmony will play Class 4A, Disctrict 11, while Poinciana will play an independent schedule.
The fall slate, which includes football, cross country, girls’ volleyball, swimming/diving and golf should be an exciting one in the county. In football, Osceola -- long a state power -- could challenge for a state championship; while Harmony will field a veteran team and could challenge for a playoff spot. New Tigers’ coach Anthony Paradiso has already began to turnaround the Tohopekaliga program from last year’s 2-8 season and will feature one of the most talked about freshman quarterbacks in the country in Sabby Meassick. St. Cloud features a young, but talented group of athletes under new head coach Mike Short; while Poinciana is hopeful for their first winning season in school history.
PositivelyOsceola.com
The 2022 Volleyball Season promises to be something to watch, as up to five teams (Osceola, Tohopekaliga, Gateway, Harmony and St. Cloud) could challenge for spots in regional play. The Kowboys return a veteran team, including Kaitlyn Taylor, to its 20-win team; while Tohopekaliga – which went 14-0 against county opposition and won the OBC championship—has a bevy of new transfer talent coming in to support a young team coming up from junior varsity.
The Orange Belt Conference, which consists of all eight county public teams in other varsity sports, has announced a major change in its schedule for team sports. For first time, all those sports will hold bracket-style week-long tournaments to determine the OBC Champion in each sport.
The tournament format is new to some sports, while COVID issues forced the county to go to round robin play to determine a champion in other sports the previous two years. “The general consensus among our coaches was the tournament route was the way to go,” Adams said. “It creates excitement for the athletes and also creates a lot more flexibility in scheduling for the coaches as it doesn’t tie up as many playing dates for OBC requirements.”
Gateway returns veterans off its Class 5A regional semifinal team; while the Longhorns and St. Cloud also hope to challenge for district titles.
1118 13th Street, St. Cloud, FL407-892-2141KisselbackFord.com
off-season.”Adamsadded
Insurance Agency 321-316-3360
In golf, look for Harmony and Celebration to try to chase down St. Cloud for OBC titles; while Harmony and Celebration should field outstanding swimming teams. Toho, Celebration and Harmony all return strong runners in cross country, including the Storm’s Catalina Edwards – one of the state’s top performers. Next spring, St. Cloud will field its first varsity team in boys’ and girls’ lacrosse – joining Celebration and Tohopekaliga as the third county school to add that sport. “It’s great to have the athletes back,” Adams said. “For each sport and each coach it’s essentially a brand new team with new leadership and new young talent on every roster. The start of each season is the most exciting time of the year as it becomes the athletes’ time to shine after a long
PositivelyOsceola.com
that athletics plays a vital role in the student’s development and thanked all the coaches for their dedication and commitment to their sport. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the overall average GPA of all student athletes in Osceola County topped 3.00; with many team’s posting significantly higher GPAs,” Adams said. “Athletics teaches the values of hard work, team work, and discipline and that would not be possible with the dedication, devotion and hard work of our many coaches.”
Have a Great Season! #GoKowboys #GoPanthers
One of the main reasons for optimism this year is the Kowboy offensive line, a unit that struggled in both depth and experience last year. With the exception of Jamarrion McCrimmon and Cory Vega, the offensive line was thin and also inexperienced last year and struggled against better teams. Although Vega departs via graduation, four-year starter McCrimmon returns and he is surrounded by both teammates like Cameran Dekle and Antonio Cruz that gained valuable experience last year; as well as talented transfers like Noah Menderson (6-5, 340, Freedom) and Thomas Gearity (6-2, 270, The First Academy). That experience and depth turns one of the biggest question marks from 2021 into one of the team’s strengths in 2022 as the Kowboys can go 10deep on the offensive line.
In what should not be a surprise to anyone, Osceola will once again field the top high school football team in the county. In fact –with a roster loaded with Division-1 talent -- they may be a lot better than they were last year and could challenge for a state title in 2023.
PositivelyOsceola.com
KOWBOYS CLASS OF COUNTY, MAYBE MORE
BY: J. Daniel Pearson for Positively Osceola
OSCEOLA KOWBOYS
“The goal is always the same, we want to win districts and challenge for a state championship,” Coach Eric Pinellas said. “We are stacked at practically every position so if we stay healthy there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be able to compete in the post-season.”
Sophomore running back Taevion Swint, who led the team in rushing, total yards and scoring, last season as a back-up, is ready to assume feature back status after the graduation of older brother Ja’Randy Swint. A big-time talent in Oniel Senatus transfers in from Celebration. The school’s all-time leading rusher with 2675 yards, Senatus posted a monster year in 2021. He set school records for rushing yards (1816), total yards (2417), rushing touchdowns (23), total touchdowns (27), and points (162). He rushed for more than 200 yards four times, including a career-high 314 yards and seven touchdowns on just 10 carries in a game against Lake Region. He also tallied 271 yards against Gateway and had a 255 yard rushing effort against Poinciana. “Obviously he is a talented football player,” Pinellas said. “He could be used at running back, in the slot and even at safety. If he does enroll, he’ll be like any other player on the team. He will compete for playing time and touches.”
Defensively, Osceola is also stacked. The Kowboys may feature the best defensive line in the state with seniors John Walker, Derrick LeBlanc and Elijah Palermo. Walker (UCF commit) and LeBlanc (Oklahoma commit) are both ranked in ESPN’s exclusive “Top 300” players in America; while Palermo is potential D-1 signee. The trio combined last year for 171 tackles, 37 tackles-forloss and 27 quarterback sacks – numbers that helped Osceola hold opponents to just over one yard per rushing attempt last year. Although standout Lamont Lee graduated at linebacker, Matt Amboise and Drevon Lee both return; while transfer Robert Mickal-Lee (Ocala) will compete for a starting role.
Osceola will be highly favored to win the title in the newly-created District 10 of Class 4A Suburban with Celebration, St. Cloud and Tohopekaliga; Pinellas scheduled one of the toughest non-district schedules in perhaps the entire state as the Kowboys will face eight 2021 playoff teams in their non-district schedule including Apopka (12-3) in the Kickoff Classic. All told, Osceola’s eight non-conference teams combined for a record of 76-24.
PositivelyOsceola.com
Bryce Reed and newcomer Elijah Melendez will provide quality depth at running back. At quarterback, the Kowboys lose Chad Mascoe but have a trio of talented athletes ready to take the reins. Gunner Holland, a two-time state wrestling champion, started in the spring and led the Kowboys to a win over tough Edgewater in the spring game, will battle with City of Life transfer Danny Buggs and strong-armed Alex Melendez – who transferred to Osceola from Colorado last spring and was a member of the Kowboys baseball team.
Ja’Keem Jackson (36-548-4 TD) and Donald Cummings (15-213-4) return as receiver; as do backups Akeem Knox and Terry Cruz. Talented transfer TJ Massey (25-274-3) came from Evans High mid-year and participated in spring ball for Osceola. He also will challenge for playing time.
Bo Mascoe – a Rutgers commit – returns to lead a talented secondary. The corner will be flanked on the other side by two-way standout and University of Florida commit Jackson, who has offers from other schools including Tennessee, Auburn, and Texas. LaCory Walker and Jayden Bradford are poised to take over the safety positions for departed seniors Jeremiah Wilson and Kaylon Walters but the Kowboys also have talented reserves at both safety and corner.Although
Meet Osceola High School Coach Eric Pinellas
UPCOMING GAMES THIS SEASON
PositivelyOsceola.com
Fahmi Goldston is another transfer that should help the Panthers; while Joshua Fuller – a sophomore speedster on the track team – is playing football for the first time and has caught the attention of Panther coaches this spring. “He’s a big, strong and fast; sort of reminds me of the Harmony kid (Tyler Emans) when he was younger,” Robert said. “He has incredible instincts too, and he just needs to understand that it’s okay to run over people as well as around them.”
BY: J. Daniel Pearson for Positively Osceola
After posting their fourth consecutive losing season last year, veteran Gateway coach Marlin Roberts is hopeful an infusion of new talent will help bolster the Panthers in 2022.
That optimism stems from several factors, including the arrival of defensive end/defensive tackle Chris Martin-Charity from Virginia. “He big strong kid and he’s only a sophomore,” Roberts said. “Chris can either play inside or on the end and that’s another plus, we’ll be able to move him a round and try to put him in position where he can be most effective.”
PositivelyOsceola.com
GATEWAY PANTHERS
The Panthers may need major contributions from Fuller, as starting quarterback Eli Azize broke his leg in the spring and is not likely to return before Week 3 or 4 this year. Two other players – running back Jaquavion Pinellas and WR Devon Pryor – transferred leaving Gateway thin at skill positions. Roberts is hopeful that either Harmony junior transfer Hunter Waller or one of several out of state transfers can come in and take over the quarterback position – at least in the early going.
ROBERTS HOPES NEWCOMERS CAN SPUR PANTHERS
Meet Gateway High School Coach Marlin Roberts
UPCOMING GAMES THIS SEASON PositivelyOsceola.com
“We have some talent, particularly on the defensive side of the ball,” Roberts said. “But as has been the case the last couple of years, we simply do not have very much depth. We are playing a lot of kids both ways and we cannot afford to get players hurt.” Beginning his 22nd year at the school and 14th as head coach, Roberts is the Dean of Osceola County high school football coaches. He believes the opening of Tohopekaliga High School four years ago was a major setback for Gateway football and those effects are still being felt. “When Toho opened they took almost half our students and –by simple math – half our athletes,” he said. “While most schools in the county continue to burst at the seams, we have empty classrooms. I’m hopeful they will rezone soon and help us get our numbers back up.” In three years prior to Tohopekaliga opening, the Panthers were 20-12 but have been 10-31 since. Gateway will compete in new Class 3A, District 8 – one of the largest districts in the state with the Panthers joining Auburndale, Lake Wales, Lake Region, Davenport and Liberty. Non-conference games include contests against county rivals St. Cloud and Tohopekaliga.
Gateway does return two veteran running backs in Aiden Morillo and Ishmail Sesay but also must rely on a brand new starting offensive line. Defensively, the arrival of Martin-Charity will allow Jamare Owens (5-10, 190) to move back to his more natural position at linebacker. Pierre Julien returns, as does Kevin Montilla –a linebacker who missed most of his junior year with a broken arm.
TOHOPEKALIGA TIGERS
72-43-0 at Lake Nona, has already started to change the culture at Tohopekaliga. “I think there are three keys to building a successful program. Create an identity, improve facilities and make the program attractive for the players,” Paradiso said. “We have made it attractive by getting new uniforms and creating new combinations. We have started branding our facilities with paint and logos. The biggest key is building an identity. We are going to run a fast-paced fun offense the athletes going to want to play in. But most importantly, we are going to do everything we can to put our players in a position to be successful and get to the next level if that is their goal and that includes in the classroom or on the field. That is the real identity we want to establish. We won’t worry about wins, because if we do everything right the wins will take care of themselves.”
NEW LOOK TIGERS LOOK TO REVERSE FORTUNES
’21
BY: J. Daniel Pearson for Positively Osceola
For the fourth time in its five years of existence, Tohopekaliga will be starting the season with a new head coach at the helm. The first two coaches –Anthony Davis and Marc Deas – built a successful program, but the team backslid dramatically last year. Enter Athony Paradiso, who takes over after a successful run at Lake Nona High School where he guided the Lions to eight trips to the Paradiso,post-season.whowent
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It’s not like Paradiso has not had success with freshman quarterbacks before. In the fall of his first season at Lake Nona, he made the unusual decision to start freshman Kyle Isreal at quarterback. Isreal threw 30 touchdown passes in his first season and finished with 15,000 passing yards and 162 touchdown passes in leading the Lions to three consecutive playoff appearances. “That worked out pretty good for us and I think Sabby has the ability to match or exceed what Kyle
Meassick should have some weapons to throw to. “We have about eight receivers that are all the same and we play fast so we will rotate a lot of them in and out of the game,” Paradiso said. He added that Julian Nasco, a 5-11 junior transfer from St. Cloud, Nick Rawls a senior transfer from Orlando Christian Prep and Dillan Harrell, another senior transfer, will all play prominent roles on the offense this year. The offensive line will be anchored by senior co-captain Jonathan Ogbuaga and Jairo Beltran. Anthony Barnes will anchor the Lions linebacking corps and the Tigers should feature some solid players in the defensive backfield.
The early results have been encouraging. Because of transfers and athletes leaving the team, Tohopekaliga finished with less than 40 players on the roster at the end of last season. Under Paradiso, the team had almost 90 players at the beginning of camp. “Toho was not able to field even a junior varsity team the last couple of years,” Paradiso said. “I hoping we will have a varsity, JV and freshmen team this year.” Although just entering ninth grade, Sabby Meassick will be showcased on the varsity as he has already been named the team’s starting quarterback. Meassick, who played some varsity last year as an eighth grader at the private Foundation Academy, has already grabbed the attention of major colleges – with Florida offering him a scholarship last year.
“It normally would take a lot of thought before naming a the freshman starting quarterback,” Paradiso said. “But he’s the best and most qualified quarterback we have in camp. Sabby is an incredibly intelligent individual and is a sponge for absorbing football knowledge. He’s the most dynamic 14-yearold player I have ever seen.”
But more than the new players and few veterans, Paradiso believes it is the increase in numbers that will make the biggest difference for the Tigers this year. “We are going to have an offense and a defensive unit with backups on both sides of the ball,” he said. “With the exception of maybe two players, we are not going to have to have guys play both ways and in the long run, that will make a huge difference over the course of the season.”
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Lastdid.”season, the Tigers had most of their best players going both ways – which is something Paradiso hopes they can avoid this year. “With the exception of one or two guys, we absolutely hope to platoon this year. Toho had some good players last year that just got worn down as the game went on.”
He added that he expected some first-year hiccups. “We’re going to make some mistakes this year, which always happens with a new system. But we have a lot of players and we are going to put them in position to make plays,” Paradiso said.
Meet Tohopekaliga High School
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NEW UPCOMING GAMES THIS SEASON
Coach Anthony Paradiso
Beeken is hopeful that the new culture, combined with the addition on several talented transfers, could lead to the first winning season in the school’s 33-year history. “We had good numbers in the spring and summer,” Beeken said. “We also had a bevy of transfers come in, but technically I don’t consider a lot of them transfers many of them were originally zoned to attend this school to begin with.”
BY: J. Daniel Pearson for Positively Osceola
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As the 2021 season was winding down, Poinciana football was at a low point. The team was winless, morale was low and players were not showing up for practices. Head Coach Randy Beeken made a difficult decision to suspend several high profile players from the team.
TRANSFERS, NEW CULTURE COULD LEAD EAGLES TO FIRST WINNING SEASON
In the end, the Eagles rallied to win two of their last three games. “It got pretty bad last year and we made a difficult decision that we hoped would pull the rest of the players together. It seemed to work and that has carried through spring and the early days of fall camp,” Beeken said. “We hopefully have everybody on the same page now.”
In all, the Eagles with play two teams that posted .500+ winning records last year in Teneroc (5-4) and Liberty (5-5). Key games will include Davenport (45) and Lake Buena Vista (0-10) a pair of relatively new schools that are playing in just their second season of competition. The most important game will come on Nov. 4 when the Eagles play Liberty in the “Battle of the Boulevards.” Similar to when Harmony opened and took quite a few students from St. Cloud, Liberty drained a good portion of the Poinciana student body when it opened in 2007. Unlike St. Cloud and Harmony, however, the Liberty-Poinciana rivalry has been one-sided with the Chargers winning all 15 previous contests.
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Two big names that should help Poinciana are a pair of Osceola High transfers in WR Donald Cummings and RB/DB Perry Garrett. Garrett averaged more than seven yards a carry and nearly 20 yards a reception for the Kowboys, although he saw limited action. Cummings is a home run threat of a wide receiver, as he scored four touchdowns and averaged 26.4 yard per reception for Osceola – despite only catching 15 total passes as back-up. Garrett has already been penciled in as the starting running back.
Prospects for a winning season also improved with the decision to remain an independent for a second consecutive year. Although it will not allow them to participate in the playoffs, it allowed Beeken and Athletics Director Tiffany King to put together a balanced schedule. “Based on where our program sits right now and based on our history, this is a competitive, balanced and fair schedule,” Beeken said . “Almost every team we face is similar to our team in terms of talent and numbers.
Although the increase in roster numbers has given Beeken hope that the Eagles may go to more platoon football, Poinciana will be thin on both the offensive and defensive lines. Taurence Boland, Mike Rivera, and Jayden Swaby are three of the top returning linemen and all three will most likely start on both offense and defense. Poinciana has some talent at both linebacker and defensive back, particularly with the addition of Garrett and Cohn. At linebacker, leading tackler Noah Otero (75 tackles, 7.0 TFL) returns as does starter Luis Sorto. Jaylon Morris led the Eagles defensive backfield in stops (25) last year and will lead an improved unit that includes Michael Centeno.
Dav’Rell Cohn, a defensive back who saw very limited action for the Kowboys, also transferred from Osceola and could contend for a starting spot with the Eagles. A key returning player will be quarterback Jahmari Corbett, who threw for 700 yards and six touchdowns as a part-time starter last year, has improved greatly from last fall. “He’s a year older and more experienced,” Beeken said. “His ability to read defenses and his decision making process has improved greatly.” Ernest Nunn, just a sophomore, could be ready for a breakout year. In the Poinciana’s spring game, Nunn caught 150 yards in passes and could combine with Cummings to give Corbett two big-time targets.
We should have a chance to win every game we play but the opposite is also true. The decision was fairly simple, play a fair schedule or be placed in a district with three or four teams powers where we had no chance of being competitive against. “
Meet Poinciana High School Coach Randy Beeken
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Thefootball.”offense
will revolve around one of those young players, sophomore quarterback Logan King. The brother of former three-year starter Garhett King, Logan is a big (6-2, 215), strong-armed player who made several starts last season for the Bulldogs and finished with a 55.4% completion percentage and three touchdowns and six interceptions as a freshman.
“We were a pretty young team last year and it’s going to be more of the same this year,” Short said after directing a summer workout. “Normally that would be a huge concern, but these kids are a pretty fearless lot and want to play
St. Cloud salvaged what was turning out to be uncharacteristic dismal football season last year with a huge 31-30 upset over arch-rival Harmony in the final game of the year. And although that win did not totally heal the wounds of a 3-6 campaign, it created a lot of momentum for a young Bulldogs team heading into the upcoming season.
ST. CLOUD BULLDOGS
YOUNG PUPS TO LEAD ST. CLOUD IN 2022
It will also be a season of change for the Bulldogs, as Michael Short takes over for Bryan Smart, who resigned after spending nine years as head coach to become the school’s new Athletics Director.
BY: J. Daniel Pearson for Positively Osceola
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“We’re playing a challenging schedule,” Short said. “And we are going to be playing that schedule with a lot of sophomores and juniors on the field. Our biggest key is that we have to stay healthy. We simply do not have the depth to withstand a lot of injuries.”
Short believes King has made tremendous strides in the off-season. “Although we tried to bring him along slowly last year we still threw him into the fire,” Short said. “It’s a really tough position to step in and start as a freshman. He looked so much more comfortable this spring and during the summer.” St. Cloud will most likely use a running back by committee approach. Senior Isaac Nieves (182 yards, 1 TD) is the top returning running back. Look for linebacker Noah Carr to go both ways and see a lot of action in the offensive backfield; while sophomore TJ Griffin, started as a freshman defensive back, has looked good at running back both this spring and during summer drills.
Connor Howes (6-5, 270) is a massive presence and is starting to come into his own after seeing some varsity action as a freshman. “He has improved by leaps and bounds since last fall and has already caught the eye of recruiters from his work at summer camps,” Short noted. Although young, Short said his defensive line might be the deepest position on the team. Junior Kareem Elgin (6-0, 230) is an extremely mobile lineman who recorded 25 tackles and three sacks last year. “We’re expecting a big year out of Kareem this year,” Short said. “He can play both inside and out so we are going to move him around a lot and try to create some mismatches.” Jose Martinez, Bobby Madden and Elvis Quetzal are others to watch on the defensive line.
Joe Clukey, a defensive stalwart for the Bulldogs last year, will become a fulltime two-way player for St. Cloud this year. Short has praised him at wide receiver this summer. “He had a great spring and has been unreal during these seven-on-seven tournaments,” Short said. “Joe is a big target at 6-4 and rarely drops a ball.” Senior Jake Dabrowski will be a part of the regular receiving rotation and Owen Conner, a transfer from Lake Minneola, has looked good in summer
As mentioned Carr will receive some play at running back but it is at linebacker where he is most effective. The rising senior and all-state weightlifter led the Bulldogs in tackles (126), tackles-for-loss (13) and tied for the lead in quarterback sacks (6) and is probably the one player St. Cloud cannot afford to lose. Although listed as a safety, Clukey often plays close to the line and recorded 60 tackles. Griffin (2 interceptions) and Clukey will shore up the defensive backfield; while Wyatt Castellucci returns as the starting placekicker and punter. He average 31 yards per punt, made all 19 extra points and was a solid 5 of 7 on field goal attempts last year.
Under the new Suburban/Metro alignment, St. Cloud has been placed in Suburban Class 4A, District 10 with county opponents Osceola, Tohopekaliga, and Celebration. The seven non-district opponents include Central Florida Christian Academy, Winter Springs, and Ambassador Christian Academy at home and road games with Pine Ridge, Liberty, Gateway and Harmony. The Bulldogs will travel to Windermere for its season-opening Kickoff Classic exhibition on Aug. 19.
Sophomoredrills.
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Meet St. Cloud High School Coach Mike Short
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BY: J. Daniel Pearson for Positively Osceola
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The Harmony offense has been a ground and pound attack for the last two years and if the Longhorns are to return to the post-season for the first time since 2018, a pair of senior running backs will most likely have to play a key role in getting them there.
Tyler Emans and Cooper Richards both had sensational years last season in leading Harmony to a 5-4 mark. Emans rushed for almost 1400 yards and 24 touchdowns and Richards gained nearly seven yards a carry (78-532) and scored seven times as Harmony averaged 230 yards rushing per game.
HARMONY LONGHORNS
“Tyler is simply a phenomenal athlete and a better person,” Head Coach Don Simon said. “He’s so special though, people tend to overlook how important Cooper Richards is to our offense. He can run through or around people, catch the ball out the backfield and is an exceptional run blocker. Not sure Tyler would be quite as good without Cooper there to do the things he does.”
EMANS, RICHARDS HOPE TO LEAD LONGHORNS BACK TO POST-SEASON
While Marcos Romero is the only starter back, but a young defensive line could be bolstered by the return of defensive end Tyler Mcmorrow (6-2,210), who missed most of last season with an injury.
The Longhorns also have a potential standout in sophomore Jeremy Hilliard, who excelled in spring ball and summer workouts. “He has too much talent not be of field for us somewhere,” Simon said.
Meet Harmony High School Coach Don Simon
Although its offensive line lost three starters to graduation, the Longhorns have took steps to rebuild that unit. Senior co-captain and former defensive lineman Jayden Gomez has stepped up to secure the center spot; while massive Michael Capranica (6-5, 345) is a sophomore that has shown tremendous promise this spring.
If Harmony is to make the playoffs, Simon believes they will have to be a bit more balanced on offense and throw the ball more. But he also has total faith in senior quarterback Ayden Parks to accomplish that. “Ayden is a smart quarterback who knows our offense every bit as well as the coaches. Scoring points was not the issue last year and we were a run oriented offense,” Simon said. “But we worked on our passing game a lot this spring and although we are not changing our base offense, I know we will need to throw it a little more thisKalyear.”Amen
Harmony, which has been designated to play in Class 4A Suburban, remains in a district with Melbourne, Heritage and Viera. They will play a solid nondistrict schedule including Palm Bay and Haggerty. “It’s a tough schedule but it’s an absolutely fair one,” Simon said. “If we play our best, there is not a game on that schedule we can’t win, but if we are not at our best, there’s not a team on that schedule that couldn’t beat us.”
Defensively, the Longhorns are solid at both linebacker and defensive back – where both those units return the majority of their starters. Dalten Phelan led the team in both tackles (71) and tackles-for-loss (15) and is already getting D-1 offers from colleges. Alex Nash, Brayden Shelton and Nate Butler are all returning starters in the secondary.
“A few years ago, we started a lot of sophomores,” Simon said. “Those kids took a few lumps along the way but I knew if they stuck together they would have a chance to be pretty good. That time has arrived for these guys.”
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and Ivan Ramos are two wide receivers that should benefit the most by a more open throwing game.
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LIBERTY CHARGERS
BY: J. Daniel Pearson for Positively Osceola
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“Learning the names of my players,” was Smith’s half-joking response when asked what the first few days were like. “Every day gets a little better and a little more organized but there has been a lot of challenges and very little time to find answers.” One of his main goals is to hopefully build on the momentum Brandon Pennington and Munroe created in the last two years. After a 1-10 campaign in 2018, Pennington went 4-6 the next year and Munroe won five games last season -- but were just a few points short of an 8-2 season With more than 90 percent of their rushing yardage and 100 percent of their receiving yardage graduated, Smith will face a tough rebuilding task as junior quarterback Jeremiah Pierre-Louis returns as the lone skill player with any significant playing experience. Pierre-Louis threw for 561 yards and five touchdowns last season, while rushing for 146 yards and one other in seven games last season. Smith will keep the spread offense in place to maximize Pierre-Louis’ skill set. “He’s a tremendous athlete and has looked good in the pre-season,” he said. “Right now our biggest issue is depth.
LATE START TO CHALLENGE SMITH AS HE HOPES TO BUILD ON LIBERTY MOMENTUM
Ideally it is not the way you want to take over a program. After being named head coach on Aug. 4 – three days AFTER the start of fall camp – new Liberty football boss Antony Smith faces a ton of challenges as he hopes to continue the path to success that Brett Munroe started last season. Smith was selected by new athletics director Lonnie Flores after Munroe stepped down in late June for health reasons. It’s been a whirlwind of duties, as Smith has been busy recruiting players from the general student body, getting to know his assistant coaches and installing his offense and defense with this new team.
“Between those guys, new players and a few transfers, I am not too worried about what we lost to graduation. Historically, Liberty has always had some good athletes and hopefully we will find those guys and they will emerge,” Smith said. Defensively, Liberty will employ multiple formations. Junior transfer linebacker Julius Chaves, senior defensive end Damarco Howard, and Tyler –who will play both ways – at defensive back are expected to be the leaders of the Charger defense. Smith says installing his system and building numbers will be the main goal in his first season. “Obviously any new coach and system is going to take some time to install and get everyone on board with and we are going to have our share of challenges to overcome, especially with the late start we had,” he said. “But the players have been responsive to what we are trying to do. Our goal is to just try to get better every day.”
Meet Liberty High School Coach Antony Smith
At the opening of camp we only had about 24 players in uniform. We had an open house on Aug. 6 and about 45 kids expressed an interest in playing. If we can get the majority of those players out, it will help us significantly.” Smith is hopeful that sophomore Jaylin Vaughan can step in and become the Chargers’ featured running back this season. Vaughan will replace departed senior Kervalis Scott, who rushed for nearly 900 yards last season. Victor Hernandez and Matt Tyler have stood out at wide receiver in the early going; as will Jerry Raymond – the only returning player to catch a pass in 2022.
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New coach Jeremy Palmer took over in late May and said he is optimistic that the Storm can indeed continue on a path of becoming a respectable football program. “Coach Pringle did a great job of changing the culture and expectations of Celebration Storm football. My goal is to continue to build on it. It’s not going to be easy, but we have a lot of great kids in this program that bought into what happened last year and want to see it continue.”
And although the Storm lost all three of those games, they still had an outstanding season under first-year Head Coach Rich Pringle – winning a school record seven games and recording just the second winning season in the school’s 19-year history.
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But if Celebration is to build on that momentum, they will have to do so without Pringle – who resigned after one season to return to Polk County powerhouse Lake Gibson, where he was named that school’s new head coach after serving two years as that school’s defensive coordinator.
CAN CELEBRATION CONTINUE ON PATH TO SUCCESS?
For a program that had traditionally struggled, the FHSAA did Celebration no favors last year when they placed them in arguable the toughest district in the state with football powers Osceola, West Orange, and Dr. Phillips.
BY: J. Daniel Pearson for Positively Osceola
Duplicating the success of last year, may prove difficult.
Those senior players include athletes like Griffin Davis, Foster Searcy, Brian Cui and Chip Mccuiston. Davis, who played wide receiver and defensive back last season, moves to quarterback where he is expected to take over for his older brother Dylan, who graduated last spring.
The move, will allow Searcy – who saw significant time at quarterback last year – to replace Senatus as the featured running back. He was the team’s leading tackler a year ago and will continue as the starting middle linebacker for the
In addition to losing a significant amount of talent to graduation from last year’s 7-4 team, Celebration saw record-setting running back Oniel Senatus (1800 rushing yards, 27 touchdowns) transfer out of the program -- which added to some massive holes on the Storm roster.
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Mccuiston is the only receiver returning with more than 10 catches (44 receptions – 490 yards – 3 touchdowns) but between some younger players and two transfers, Palmer believes the receiving corps can be a major asset this season.Thebiggest
concerns come on the offensive and defensive lines, where Celebration with be mostly young and inexperienced. Anthony El Dib and Gavin Konopka are a pair of sophomores that will be counted on to anchor the offensive line.
“No doubt we are going to be an extremely young team, particularly at certain positions,” Palmer admits. “But we do have some really good senior leadership on this team and if we can stay healthy we have a chance for a successful season.”
“Griffin spins the ball pretty good and had a great spring,” Palmer said of the former wide receiver/defensive back. “We knew going in to the spring we were going to have to move some athletes around and this one made a lot of sense.”
incredibly important part to our team and we will rely on him to be on the field most of the time,” Palmer said. “He is a big, physical kid and we definitely want to run the ball this year.”
Four seniors, led by Searcy and Nick Kendall, headline a solid linebacker group; while Mccuiston and Davis lead are two-way guys who will also start in the defensive backfield.
Celebration moves into District 10 of the new Class 4A Suburban where they will play Osceola, Tohopekaliga and St. Cloud. “I like this new setup as the district is a lot more compact and frankly manageable,” Palmer said. “We are playing a tough schedule, especially with some of our non-district games, but we looking forward to the challenge.”
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Meet Celebration High School Coach Jeremy Palmer
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