Community Lifestyles Sports For the latest Lifestyles Editor activities, events Harmony QB Peter Covino reviews leads All- and classes see ... season three of County flag HBO’s “Boardwalk football team Page B-4 Empire”... Page B-1 Page A-8 Serving Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Poinciana, Harmony, Narcoossee, BVL 117TH YEAR • SATURDAY EDITION • 50 CENTS AUGUST 17, 2013 Local Drivers advised to watch for students, Authorities taking unwanted guns obey traffic laws when school starts The Kissimmee By Ken Jackson Police Department and Staff Writer Osceola County Sher- With more than 50,000 Osceola iff’s Office are once County students heading back into again working to collect classrooms Monday morning, drivers’ unwanted guns from the morning and mid-afternoon commutes community. again will become a little more crowd- On Thursday, the ed. Sheriff’s Office will Children will fill buses, and those be holding its Gas for who don’t will take to the sidewalks Guns, while the Kissim- on foot and on bicycles — and it’s the mee Police Department motorists’ obligation to keep an eye will be holding its Kicks out for them. 4 Guns events. Authorities are reminding drivers to be aware of all school zones and See page A-3 to stop for buses that are loading and unloading students. Police will be on the lookout ready to issue hefty fines for those not doing so. As a reminder, Florida law requires Police that motorists stop upon approach- ing any school bus flashing red lights and has its stop signs or crossing arm File Photo More charges extended. The only exception is if the Parents wait for their children’s bus to depart from a stop along Shady Lane, in front of the Walden Park bus is traveling in the opposite direc- apartments in Kissimmee. filed against KPD tion on a road with a raised median, dispatcher guardrail or other physical barrier or Drivers must slow down in school limits starts at $205 and goes as high presence of crossing guards around other unpaved space of at least 5 feet zones. The speed limit posted on sig- as $555.50 (plus court costs and other schools and on busy streets. Children Lake County Sher- in width. nage is generally 15 or 20 miles per fees and surcharges), with a manda- crossing also will be nearby. Parents iff’s detectives have Violating that will result in a $271 hour in those areas when yellow lights tory court appearance for exceeding who are dropping their children off filed another series ticket in Osceola County, four points are flashing and overrides any other a school zone by more than 30 miles at school are asked to use the prop- of charges against per hour. on a driver’s license and a mandatory posted speed limit. See School, page A-3 a Kissimmee Police trip to traffic school or court. A speeding fine for ignoring those Drivers are asked to recognize the Department dis- patcher, who has been arrested again for having pictures of a female victim under the age of 15 and Concerns aired about Common Suspects sentenced to 60 engaging in various sexual acts with her. Core standards at education forum years for St. Cloud murder See page A-3 By Ken Jackson Office deputies. Staff Writer They were found guilty The two men responsible of third-degree murder, for the shooting death of a attempted first-degree St. Cloud woman will spend murder — Bacon survived the next 60 years in prison. despite three gunshots to Ninth Cir- the head — and robbery cuit Court with a firearm on July 12, Judge Mark 2013. Blechman Bacon attended to deliver a statement on behalf of the Are you looking for- handed down prosecution, but as he did ward to the new school the sentences so he suffered an apparent year starting Monday? Wednesday to Cody Lee seizure, requiring Blechman to clear the courtroom and • Yes, I am. White, 20, White and David paramedics to come and • No, I’m not. take him to the hospital. • I’m not sure. Eugene “I am a firm believer • I have no opinion. Smith, 21, in consequences,” he said for killing before the seizure, noting he Anita Smith was there to sell drugs. “But Vote at on March 22, 2012. this is not (Cody White’s) www.around first rodeo. If you do some- osceola.com News-Gazette Photo/Ken Jackson The two Celebration K-8 Principal Rene Clayton, left, talks about the state’s new Common already had thing again, then you don’t care or you didn’t learn very Results from the Core education standards at an open forum Wednesday night as Osceola School Smith shot Patrick much.” Aug. 10 Question of the Board Chairman Jay Wheeler, center, and State Senator Darren Soto listen in. Clay- Bacon during Blechman cited a lengthy week: ton said her school’s youngest students began aligning with the new national-based a fake drug deal in which they were going to steal criminal background — standards last school year. some 20 charges between Do you play the marijuana from him, and Smith and White as tag-team Powerball lottery? By Ken Jackson from those who sit on edu- dards are going to be used,” randomly chose that back- yard to do the deal. criminals since their pre-teen Staff Writer cation boards in Osceola, he said. “The new system days — for sentencing White Yes, I do. – 90.1% Anita Smith, who had • Like the students who will Orange, Brevard and Polk uses online testing, but do to the maximum allowable • No, never. – 4.9% gone outside around 2 a.m. fill the halls beginning Mon- counties. we have the technology to sentence and handing down • Only when there is to investigate noises in the day, State Senator Darren Soto said the president of implement it? I’m here to Smith’s terms based on his a huge jackpot. backyard of her Lake Lizzie Soto, D-Orlando, went to the senate and the speaker listen to constituents and status as a prison-released – 4.7% Drive home, was discovered Celebration K-8 School on of the house in Tallahassee see what parents’ concerns offender. • I have no opinion. are working to see how big are.” shot to death near a shed Wednesday night to get an by Osceola County Sheriff’s – 0.3% education. of a role this shift in edu- Osceola School Board See Suspects, page A-6 The district 14 state sena- cation paradigm will play Chairman Jay Wheeler said tor was joined at an Educa- in the upcoming legislative the goal of Common Core is tion Forum by state House session. to create a set of nationwide member Neil Combee and The Common Core standards. a cross section of school standards take on a more “If it works as it’s August heat pushes power Index board members from Cen- nationwide scope and were designed, our kids will be tral Florida. The forum was designed by school sys- able to compete with any use to near record limits designed to gauge their tem chiefs from 45 states, other kids in the world,” he Page A4, Editorial concerns and those of par- Orange County School said. “I keep hearing that By Tiffanie Reynolds KUA’s record peak of 338.8 ents as the state’s education Board member Rick Roach in math and science educa- Staff Writer megawatts in 2007. Page A8, Sports system begins transition- said. The parents in atten- tion, we’re 15th or 20th in As July rains give way to On Monday, the power ing away from the Florida dance Wednesday night the world, but people come the August sun, the rise in spike reached the closest, Page B4, Community Comprehensive Assessment were concerned about how from around the world to temperatures will likely cost with megawatt usage only Test standards toward a new the standards are imple- this country to earn aero- Kissimmee residents more eight points under the record. Page B1, Lifestyles standard – the Common mented and used to label space Ph.Ds.” money in energy costs in the Chris Gent, spokesperson Page A2, Local news Core – this school year. students and teachers as Parents in the audience coming weeks. for Kissimmee Utility Author- Joining them were Cel- passing or failing. Soto said expressed concern to the In the first week of August ity, said that the near-record Page C1, Classi ed ebration K-8 Principal Rene he had the same concerns educators about the FCAT alone, Kissimmee Utility electricity usage is because of Clayton and more than two and wanted to get input test and how their chil- Authority reported an 11 per- the recent heat wave, which Page C4, Legals dozen parents who came from parents. dren’s scores did not cor- cent increase from July in started at the beginning of Page B6, Obituaries to voice concerns and hear “I think everybody is con- relate to their report-card electricity usage, with power August. both answers and insights cerned with how the stan- See Forum, page A-5 demands climbing close to See Heat, page A-7 Page A2, NEWS-GAZETTE • Online All The Time • www.aroundosceola.com • Saturday, August 17, 2013 Paid political ad paid for by Kissimmee Tourism Education Association Saturday, August 17, 2013 • Online All The Time • www.aroundosceola.com • NEWS-GAZETTE, Page A3 More School Authorities taking unwanted guns Continued from Page A-1 By Tiffanie Reynolds to trading guns for a $50 gift the Kicks 4 Guns event, and er drop off area and not in ing safely and watching for Staff Writer card to Walmart or Target.