Kissimmee man leaves legacy for agriculture, A-2 118TH YEAR • SATURDAY EDITION • 50 CENTS WWW.AROUNDOSCEOLA.COM AUGUST 30, 2014 H Saturday Edition Heavy travel expected Labor Day weekend Falling gas prices and an increase in consumer spending will mean more traffic on the road. Serving Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Celebration, Poinciana, Harmony, Narcoossee, BVL See page A-3 Osceola Council on Aging earns top Meals on Wheels program award By Tiffanie Reynolds Staff Writer For the Osceola County Council on Aging, this is the time of year when all its hard work finally pays off. It is the recipient of two awards: Top Meals on Wheels Program by the Meals on Wheels Association of America and the 2014 Florence R. Goldman Senior Center Award. It is the second time that Osceola won the Goldman Award since 2000. The local council will receive $10,000 from the Meals on Wheels Association of America for being selected for its “March for Meals” campaign. “We just served so many people. I mean, we serve almost half of the county out of this one building. So, we couldn’t do it without volunteers. We just work really hard, so it’s nice for somebody to say thank you,” said Beverly Hougland, chief executive officer of Osceola Council on Aging. This money, along with the additional $10,000 the program was able to raise during its March for Meals campaign, will feed another 17 seniors on their Meals for Wheels waiting list for the next year. The money also helps to News-Gazette Photo/Marc Clery bring back the congregate meals program for Kitchen workers, Jason Lopes, left, and Roderick Rivers prepare meals for Meals on Wheels at the Osceola County seniors five days a week. Council on Aging near Kissimmee on Thursday. Wilda Belisle, director for Osceola Meals on Wheels, said that what really pulled the campaign. They held events like Champions to deliver meals to seniors in the program. For “This was not an event of Meals on Wheels program above and beyond was its focus on for Meals, inviting celebrities such as Scott the March for Meals 5K, the company Fit2Run only, it was an event for the community. community. As opposed to previous years, McKenzie from the Mix 105.1 radio station partnered with them, providing prizes and Involving the community was great, and Belisle and others on staff worked to bring the and Omar Garcia from the Milwaukee bags for the runners. Kissimmee Utility community into this year’s March for Meals Brewers, as well as local government leaders, Authority sponsored the event. See Council, page A-5 Just winging it Poinciana incorporation study resubmitted to state legislature By Tiffanie Reynolds has submitted a study think that the delegation Staff Writer for the incorporation of would be pretty much The 2014 feasibilityPoinciana to the Florida forced to allow it to come study for the incorporation Legislature. Ramos was to a vote. To let the people of Poinciana has gone to confident in the outcome decide if that’s what they the Florida Legislature of this study, as he said the want or not,” said Ramos. for the second time, with organization took more The 2014 study proponents hoping for its time to address issues in includes a detailed five- blessing this round. a 2013 study that caused year plan with a date- It was submitted to the state officials to decline the specific timeline and a chairman of the Florida plan. Those issues include detailed analysis of the Federal House Local and financing, compactnesscity’s projected costs and Federal Affairs Committee of the proposed city revenues for the first five and the Clerk of the Florida and a detailed five-year years. A revised map House of Representatives projection of tax income details the boundaries on Wednesday. and city expenses. of the proposed city and It will be the second “I think that if it proves proposed population beyond any doubt that within that city. News-Gazette Photo/Marc Clery time that Val Ramos and Poinciana is indeed capable In terms of finance, the A sandhill crane spreads it’s wings as it grazes in a field on Josefina Street the Poinciana Incorporate Now Citizens Home of sustaining its own near Kissimmee on Aug. 19. See Study, page A-5 Organization (PINCHOS) municipal government. I Deputies working second Osceola County Animal Services lewd case in Poinciana area reports first rabies case of 2014 The Osceola Countydescribed the suspect as a turned around she saw he was Osceola County Animal up by an Animal Services as horses are kept current Sheriff’s Office is working Hispanic or Indian male exposed and inappropriately Services is urging residents officer and submitted for on rabies vaccinations. a second incident in the in his mid- to late-20’s touching himself. The suspect to take the necessary rabies testing. • Do not leave pet food Poinciana area where a with short black hair and left the area and the victim precautions against rabies Even though this area is out at night, or trash cans suspect exposed himself to brown eyes. He was driving told her parents who notified after reporting its first case not heavily populated and uncovered – as any food a victim. a late model green Toyota law enforcement. this year. is surrounded by pastures source will attract animals On Wednesday, Osceola with tinted windows and She described the driver A rabid cat was found and woods, Animal including wildlife. County Sheriff’s deputiesgold emblems. The vehicle as a light-skinned, thin, in a rural area near the Services officers plan to • Do not approach or took a report of a suspicious also had a sunroof with a white male in his 20s or 30s. southeastern shore of Lake contact people living in the feed wildlife. incident on Monterey Road. rain guard. He was bald with brown eyes Tohopekaliga. It serves as a area to alert them of the • Contact Animal The complainant said that This is the secondand was wearing a white reminder of the importance situation and enforce rabies Services immediately if approximately three weeks suspicious incident reported T-shirt with a turquoise of avoiding contact with vaccinations. you observe sick or stray ago, at 10:30 p.m., she was this week in that area. On design. The suspect was stray animals and keeping The Health Department animals in your area. walking her dog on Monterey Tuesday at approximately driving an older model green pets vaccinated against the will be contacting victims Rabies is a disease of Road when a man driving a 7:46 a.m., deputies responded sedan with tinted windows. deadly disease, Animal to determine if there the nervous system and green sedan pulled up next to the area of Monterey Based on the varying Services officials said. were other inadvertent is fatal to warm-blooded to her. The man asked for Road and Brighton Court in descriptions, detectives have The appearance of a sick exposures. animals, including humans. directions and when she Poinciana, where deputies no information linking the cat was reported after it Animal Services officials Treatment for human responded, he was exposed spoke with a 12-year old two cases. attacked at least two people want to encourage citizens exposure entails a series of and began inappropriately girl who said a male driving Anyone with information near Keystone Avenue, to do the following: post-exposure vaccinations touching himself. He made a green, older model is asked to call the Osceola county officials said, adding • Keep pets inside at consisting of human a lewd comment toward her sedan approached her. He County Sheriff’s Office at that it is the first confirmed night. rabies immunoglobulin before leaving the area. attempted three times to get 407-348-2222 or Crimeline case in Osceola County all • Make sure pets and and human diploid cell The 25-year old victim her attention, and when she at (800) 423-TIPS (8477). year. The stray was picked appropriate livestock, such vaccines. Artegon Bulldogs Index: Marketplace offense rolls Page A4 ......................................Editorial is for artists is 69-56 win Page A6 ...........................................Sports Page B4 ................................Community Page B5 ................................... Obituaries Page C1 .....................................Classified Page C3 ...........................................Legals Page B-1 Page A-6 Page A2, NEWS-GAZETTE • Online All The Time • www.aroundosceola.com • Saturday, August 30, 2014 • Conservation • Cattle Ranching • Online All The Time Go to: OOSCEOLASCEOLA AAGG www.aroundosceola.com State Forester Jim Karels recognized by Florida Cabinet Years after death, Kissimmee State Forester Jim Karels was recognized by the Florida Cabinet in appreciation for his leadership during the investigation into the deaths of 19 firefighters in the man leaves legacy for agriculture Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona in 2013. SCEOLA“Jim demonstrated true leadership in By Tiffanie ReynoldsGdisplay in their shop and O lending his expertise and experience Staff WriterA including them in the to the investigation of the fire Cattlewomen’s Association that killed 19 fellow firefighters While ranching is a Champions Challenge at the in Arizona last year,” said Florida large source of income for Silver Spurs Arena. The goal Commissioner of Agriculture Osceola County, these cows is to raise $1,000 for the Adam H. Putnam. “The lessons will be making money of a scholarship, and while the learned from his investigation can different kind. Cattlewomen’s Association be implemented in Florida and Susan Welsh, wife of offers a number of annual across the country to help keep our late Joe Welsh, teamed up agricultural scholarships to firefighters safe from harm.” with Osceola Cattlewomen’s students, this scholarship Karels Association to raise money will only be offered this The recognition came from the from her husband’s year as well as the first that Yarnell Hill Fire Serious Accident Investigation Team, Chicago “Cows on Parade” specifically honors someone who presented Karels with a plaque thanking him for his miniatures for a local in the community.