50 CENTS 112TH YEAR • SATURDAY EDITION AUGUST 27, 2011 Area’s first supper club opens on Restaurant Row in Orlando. See story, page C-1. OOSCEOLASCEOLA NNEWSEWS-G-GAZETTEAZETTE www.aroundosceola.com • www.holaosceola.com Ruling goes Family fair Red Cross against Bedrock thanks the Industries community By Marvin G. Cortner Mid-Florida Region board Editor By Fallan Patterson chairman, said. “As the wood Orange County-based Staff Writer Bedrock Industries was not After the June 26 Vacation beams and exterior walls successful in its protest over Lodge Maingate fire gutted turned to ash, the individuals not being awarded half of a the 430-room motel, displac- and families that lived there ready-mix concrete contract ing 327 people who had been turned to our community.” that the Osceola County living there long-term, the Those entities that were School Board instead awarded community stepped up to pro- honored for assisting the fire solely to Prestige AB Manage- vide shelter, food, clothing victims include Community ment Company. and other necessities lost in Vision for helping to replace In a ruling made public Fri- the blaze. lost identification; Give Kids day and based on a July 20 The American Red Cross Safe Shelter for setting up a hearing, Susan B. Kirkland, Mid-Florida Region and Osceo- donation fund; Lynx for provid- administrative law judge, Flori- la County government coordi- ing bus trans- da Division of Administrative nated assistance from more portation to Hearings, recommended the than 30 agencies, organiza- and from the contract award should remain tions and companies who shelter at the with Prestige, a company that saved lives, donated money, gym at Celebra- has a concrete plant in Kissim- food and clothing or offered its tion High mee and the low bidder for the services to help the 127 fami- School, which work. Prestige is a subsidiary lies affected by the fire. also was com- of Votorantim Cement North Red Cross and Osceola mended, along America, which is itself is affil- County joined forces again with the Osceo- Shoucair iated with Votorantim Group, Wednesday to present awards la County School District. one of Brazil’s largest industri- to those that assisted the dis- County Commissioner John al conglomerates. placed families in various ways. Quiñones concluded it was indi- “I am very happy to have “Many of these people vidual responses the night of this behind us,” Cindy Hartig, were down on their luck the fire, which began before School Board chairman, said. already. Certainly the fire firefighters arrived on scene, “Being fair, firm and consis- added to those struggles. The that made the difference. tent is very important. With hotel was not merely a hotel, “Often we’re asked what’s the current economic state of it was home,” David Webb, See Thanks, page A-5 our schools, we must watch all our dollars. We look for- ward to saving money under the new con- crete bid. In order to pro- tect jobs and Hartig our classrooms and continue News-Gazette Photos/Andrew Sullivan to focus on education, we must be good stewards of all La Feria de la Familia, above, our dollars. We must do what returned Aug. 20 to the Osceola is right, even if it hurts.” Heritage Park Exhibition Hall. The Bedrock officials had free Hispanic festival, sponsored alleged “irregularities, impro- largely by WTMO Telemundo and prieties and defects” in the attended by thousands, brought bidding procedures, which together regional businesses, they claimed would cost the musical acts and activities for chil- News-Gazette Photo/Fallan Patterson company $74,000 annually dren. At right, Orlando resident Sam Shoucair, left, listens as American Red Cross Mid- for three years, the term of Angel Diaz sits for a styling session Florida Region CEO Joel W. Hass describes how Shoucair the contract awarded exclu- with Florida Technical College's was the first responder to the June 26 Vacation Lodge sively to Prestige; Bedrock Maingate motel fire that displaced 327 long-term residents. Industries had the contract for Style Program Director Pablo Rodriguez, at the college’s booth The Red Cross partnered with Osceola County Wednes- See Bid protest, page A-2 at the show. day to honor more than 30 local companies and organiza- tions that assisted the fire victims. Hurricane Irene aiming for N. Carolina Image/NOAA Kissimmee area had winds of 25 mph, rain squalls Hurricane Irene Friday By Marvin G. Cortner winds of 115 mph; it was peak wind of 37 mph at Mel- morning was a strong expected to be a Category 2 bourne and an unofficial wind Editor Category 2 storm about Osceola County officials storm as it made landfall for the gust to 45 mph along the coast first time in the U.S. No watch- 600 miles wide and through Thursday evening con- near Vero Beach. es or warnings were posted by tinued to closely monitor weath- In the Kissimmee area Thurs- headed for the Outer the National Weather Service for day afternoon, there were sus- Banks of North Carolina er conditions associated with Central Florida on Thursday Hurricane Irene, which stayed tained winds up to 25 mph, with other than a wind advisory. occasional higher gusts with rain for its first landfall in the about 200 miles off Florida’s Officials warned that between U.S. Emergencies were east coast as it headed toward squalls. Thursday afternoon and Friday, Even though no evacuations landfall in the Outer Banks of declared in most New residents in the eastern portion were in effect for Osceola Coun- North Carolina today and New England states in of Osceola County should ty and no shelters were opened, England on Sunday. expect “possible inland squalls officials did not let their guard advance of the storm, As it passed by Florida, the containing wind gusts of 40 mph down, and on Wednesday morn- which had minimal hurricane ranged between a and 1 to 3 inches of rain.” At 1 ing were still urging residents to strong Category 2 and a weak p.m. Thursday, the National impact in the Kissimmee- Category 3 storm, with top Weather Service reported a See Irene, page A-3 St. Cloud areas. Inside Community Lifestyles Sports Classifieds........... D-1 For the latest Peter Covino Annual Community ......... C-4 Legals.................. D-3 activities, reviews “Cold high school Lifestyles ............. C-1 classes and Fish,” a Japan- football pre- Opinion................ A-4 events, ese horror film. view in this Police news ......... A-2 see ... issue. Local news .......... A-3 Sports................... A-6 Page C-4 Page C-1 Page B-1 Page A2, NEWS-GAZETTE • Online All The Time • www.aroundosceola.com • Saturday, August 27, 2011 Don Smallwood takes reins as ‘president’ “You have to demonstrate to Smallwood also will take phone Kissimmee the legal counsel that you have calls from members seeking his something to offer,” Smallwood opinion on municipal law By Brian McBride said of the presidency. “I con- issues, he said. Assistant Editor sider it a privilege.” Smallwood has been Kissimmee City Attorney After sitting on the board of Kissimmee’s city attorney for Don Smallwood has a new title: directors for nine years, Small- more than 20 years. So what president. wood was in line to become the does it take to be an effective The longtime municipal next president. city attorney, according to counselor was recently tapped He will preside over the asso- Smallwood? to lead the more than 600 ciation’s annual conference in Have common sense, have members of the Florida Munici- July, where members will dis- the fortitude to tell a commis- sioner “no” when a his or her pal Attorneys Association. He cuss hot topics in municipal law request clashes with the law will serve for a year. such as code enforcement, and have a good working rela- The association, which was labor laws and ethics, among tionship with a city manager, was formally organized in other things. It’s a meeting of he said. 1981, consists of attorneys who the minds that helps you Kissimmee Mayor Jim specialize in the legal represen- mental and land-use attorneys. improve as a city attorney, The association’s primary Swan said Smallwood consis- tation of municipalities. These Smallwood said. It also helps in tently gives “good, cautious objective is to provide a perma- members include full-time and the networking department. legal leadership.” part-time city attorneys and nent forum for municipal attor- “It’s just invaluable,” he said. “I think anytime any city their assistant city attorneys as neys to identify and address The conference breaks up employee achieves the respect well as attorneys who engage in legal problems of common con- into committees and an expert of their peers to the extent that private practice and who render cern among Florida’s cities and News-Gazette Photos/Andrew Sullivan. on the topic is chosen to speak Don has, it’s a very positive specialized legal representation to study, summarize and dis- Above is Kissimmee City Attorney Don Smallwood at his on the subject. The topics dis- thing for the city,” Swan said. to municipalities, such as labor seminate legislation, court deci- desk at Kissimmee City Hall. At left above is a city cussed will be decided at an “I don’t know all the attorneys lawyers, bond attorneys, civil sions and administrative rulings proclamation about Smallwood being tapped to head the association retreat in January. in Florida, but I know we have rights attorneys, and environ- affecting municipal operations. Florida Municipal Attorneys Association. While sitting in the big chair, one of the best.” Police news Bid protest Three charged in ness expenditures.