50 CENTS 112TH YEAR • SATURDAY EDITION JUNE 11, 2011 Osceola County School for the Arts climbs in magazine’s national rank- ing. See story, page A-5. OOSCEOLASCEOLA NNEWSEWS-G-GAZETTEAZETTE www.aroundosceola.com • www.holaosceola.com $2M for Kissimmee airport City to roll out By Brian McBride Kissimmee budget funded by tax revenue to 50 jobs with wages above generated by aviation fuel the Osceola County average, Associate Editor recycling Oct. 1 After failing to escape the Director Terry Lloyd, could be sales. Lloyd said. According to Lloyd said he believed the governor’s veto pen over a aviation maintenance shops, www.chooseosceola.com, By Fallan Patterson number of years, the Kissim- manufacturers of aviation project was passed this year which lists Osceola County St. Cloud components or specialized with the influence and support Staff Writer mee Gateway Airport received demographics and statistics, S t. Cloud residents will soon flight training, such as a jet of state Rep. Mike Horner, R- lection rates from rising, resi- $2 million this year from the the average annual salary in have the opportunity to recycle training school. Kissimmee, in Tallahassee, $69.1 billion state budget to the county was $30,042, from home as city officials are dents, beginning in October, Lloyd said the airport had who called the airport an allow an aviation business according to a 2007 study. gearing up for the Oct. 1 curb- will have one day a week trash, been waiting since about “untapped economic engine.” park project to take flight and Some of the businesses that side recycling rollout. recycling and yard waste pick- 2003 for the appropriation. “I think the focus this help create jobs. won’t be found at the park are The city would be the first up. Fifty-five percent of the “This is the first year it sur- year was job creation,” The design, which was normal flight schools and county government entity to survey participants indicated vived the governor’s veto pen,” Horner said, explaining why completed in 2001, calls for a fixed-base operators because offer a curbside recycling pro- once-a-week trash collection 12-acre park with about 10 Lloyd said. “I was pleasantly he thought the money was the airport already has enough was sufficient if curbside recy- surprised. We always thought it gram, according to Sandra parcels of land on which about budgeted this year. “I think of that type of commerce, Ramirez, St. Cloud’s public cling were implemented. eight aviation-related business- was a good project.” the business air park will Lloyd said. And he’s expecting information officer. If the city kept the twice- es could build. Some exam- The $2 million will come create jobs.” Officials are hammering out weekly trash collection, resi- ples, according to Airport from a trust fund in the state The park would create up See Airport, page A-6 the details for hauling the recy- dents would pay $24 more clables as well as which com- annually to cover an increase pany would receive the recy- in equipment and labor costs. cled materials. City officials, however, did News-Gazette The City Council approved anticipate the move to curbside Photos/Andrew Sullivan in May single-stream, weekly recycling would not only save Kissimmee Gateway curbside recycling after weigh- money but also become a rev- Airport Director of ing the results of a city-issued enue source. Aviation Terry Lloyd survey in which 75 percent of Former Public Services displays a site plan the more than 3,000 partici- Administrator Todd Swingle for a proposed busi- pants stated they want the previously said dropping the ness expansion at service. In order to keep waste col- See St. Cloud, page A-3 the southwest corner of the airport proper- ty. The airport will be expanding its taxi- School Board OKs ways and roads for build-to-suit lots available to aviation- top administrators related businesses. The aviation park will be built in the area By Rick Madewell School Board shown in the right of Assistant Editor A one-year employment have to perform. And Terry, I the photo below. contract for Osceola County expect you to do that ... if not, School District Superinten- I am going to call you out on dent Terry Andrews was it.” approved 5-0 Tuesday night Also during Tuesday’s by the School Board. meeting, Andrews highly rec- In discussing the contract, ommended two administrative Andrews, whose annual salary leaders to the board to fill two will be $150,529, said he positions that had recently would not accept any bonuses become open. for attending school functions Pam Tapley, St. Cloud outside the scope of his job. High School principal, was School Board Member Jay appointed superintendent of Wheeler then secondary education while told Andrews, Mark Munas was appointed as “I never liked assistant superintendent for the fact that school support services. we didn’t go The School Board unani- through a mously approved the appoint- national ments. Both will be making search, but we $117,500. All administrators are where we are approved for an annual are. I can be Andrews contract from July 1, 2011 to the biggest fan or the biggest June 30, 2012. critic, but I am going to sup- Tapley began her career in port (the employment agree- the Osceola County School ment). Whoever the superin- District in 2007, and currently tendent is, they need the con- serves as the principal of St. fidence from the board. I am Cloud High School. Prior to interested in raising the gradu- her employment in Osceola ation rate, the reading scores and pushing these kids. We See School Board, page A-6 Ground broken for new shopping center By Marvin G. Cortner County Editor Developers Tuesday morning, near the intersection of U.S. High- along with Osceola County officials, way 192 and Partin Settlement broke ground on a new shopping Road between Kissimmee and St. center on East U.S. Highway 192 Cloud. The Publix store is expected that they say will generate hundreds to open in the spring of 2012 and of new jobs and boost sales and employ about 100 people. property taxes – all thanks to a WindCrest Development Group moratorium on county transporta- News-Gazette Photo/Andrew Sullivan President Craig Buchanan said the tion impact fees. Ground was broken Tuesday morning for a new Publix-anchored shopping center at the corner of U.S. 65,600-square-foot retail project is The Partin Village Shopping Highway 192 and Partin Settlement Road between St. Cloud and Kissimmee. The project developer is moving ahead now only because of Center, which will be anchored by a WindCrest Development Group. Kissimmee-based Hanson, Walter & Associates is providing engineer- Publix supermarket, is being built See New Publix, page A-3 ing work for the project. Inside Community Lifestyles Sports Classifieds ........... C-1 For the latest Film critic Peter USSSA Pride Community ......... B-5 activities, Legals .................. C-4 Covino reviews begins NPF Lifestyles ............. B-1 classes and “Super 8,” a mys- season today Opinion................ A-4 events, see ... tery sci-fi thriller. at Wide World Police news ......... A-2 of Sports. Sports................... A-7 Page B-5 Page B-1 Page A-7 Page A2, NEWS-GAZETTE • Online All The Time • www.aroundosceola.com • Saturday, June 11, 2011 Commission annexes grease Kenansville to keep post office By Fallan Patterson pared next year should the into consideration the mini- branch land on the postal ser- mum 74-mile round-trip recycling plant into the city Staff Writer Kenansville residents rallied vice’s closing list again. “We Kenansville residents would conditional use and site plan in April to save their post know our turnout made a have to drive to reach the St. By Brian McBride difference.” Cloud post office branch. Kissimmee are to be submitted to the office and were rewarded for Associate Editor Nearly 150 people met County Commissioner city in order to “ensure all their efforts. Without much fanfare at its Postal Service officials at the Fred Hawkins Jr. commended necessary onsite improve- The United States Postal meeting Tuesday, the Kissim- nuisance ordinance and Kenansville post office, at the collaboration between res- steps would be taken ments are constructed to Service confirmed to Osceola mee City Commission County officials last week the 140 N. Kenansville Road, idents and government, with accordingly,” Ghioto said. support the brown grease approved the annexation of post office, which has roots April 12 to support the help from federal officials in recycling.” 5.4 acres of land occupied by The city’s nuisance ordi- since 1892, will remain open branch. The government Washington, D.C. City officials said the Flori- a cooking grease recycling nance deals with complaints at least another year. agency is closing hundreds of “This just proves Kenans- da Department of Environ- plant on South John Young such as smell, noise, vibra- “We got a reprieve,” Myra offices across the country in ville is a sound community mental Protection had inves- Parkway, which had drawn tions or dust. McWhorter, president of the an effort to save money as it and they work together,” tigated the smell complaints numerous bad odor com- The plant, while operating Kenansville Community faces huge operating deficits. Hawkins said. “When it in the unincorporated area, but that it found the plant to In addition to resident sup- comes to Kenansville, they plaints from both residents be in compliance with state Association, said, adding that was in violation of county port, the postal service took come out in force.” and nearby businesses. regulations.