50 CENTS 112TH YEAR • SATURDAY EDITION APRIL 2, 2011 G.I. Joe Convention starts today at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort. See story, page 1-B. OSCEOLA NEWS-GAZETTE www.aroundosceola.com • www.holaosceola.com Area takes School news minor hit Teacher from storms A new home By Brian McBride of the Associate Editor S evere weather pounded Central Florida this week, spawning tornado warnings year in Osceola County and uprooting trees and knocking By Fallan Patterson out power in the area. Staff Writer The heavy thunderstorms Holly Plaza, a fourth-grade that dumped rain, whipped teacher at Kissimmee’s Mill up winds and caused frequent Creek Elementary School, lightning were caused by a was “thankful, humbled and cold front coming in off the honored” to be chosen Thurs- Gulf of Mexico and began day as Osceola County School causing a disturbance District’s 2012 Gaylord Palms Wednesday afternoon. A sec- Teacher of the Year. ond wave lasted most of Plaza is a third-generation Thursday. teacher; both The storms Wednesday left her mother 831 Kissimmee residents and grand- without power as outages mother were were scattered throughout the educators. Kissimmee area, Kissimmee “I do plan Utility Association spokesman on represent- Chris Gent said. ing Osceola Most of the outages County to the Plaza occurred Wednesday during best of my abil- the height of the storm at ity,” Plaza, who received 5:04 p.m., but all power was $1,000 and a specially-made restored by 9:10 p.m. ring as the winner, told the In St. Cloud, St. Cloud Fire audience. Rescue fire station 33, 3369 News-Gazette Photo/Fallan Patterson Patty Walker, the 2011 Cord Ave., was battered by Getting in on the ribbon cutting at the new Lynx operations center in Osceola County were, from left: Kissim- winner, recorded a message to the rough weather, damaging mee Commissioner Cheryl Grieb, Mayor Jim Swan, County Commission Chairman Brandon Arrington and the 10 finalists; she is attend- the aluminum canopy trim, Lynx CEO John M. Lewis. ing the National Conference which was left hanging from for History Education in the roof. Also reported in the Charleston, S.C. city were damaged screen “I understand the emotion- porches, trees knocked over Operations center will help cut costs al roller coaster you’re riding,” onto homes and downed she said before congratulating power lines. By Fallan Patterson Lewis is from. center was Arrington’s pet facts that impressed Kissim- the winner. “You’re a world “We have seen a bit of “Lynx has needed a home project for two years. In mee Mayor Jim Swan. Staff Writer changer and you’re changing everything in the last 24 In a partnership between at the southern end of opera- addition to saving money, “Taxpayers can be thank- the world one student at a hours – rain, high winds, light- Lynx and Osceola County tions for years,” Lewis said. Arrington and Lynx aimed to ful because, with this facility, time.” ning, and tornado watches,” government, the regional “It’s government partnership lessen commute time for we are running more effi- Plaza beat out 56 other Fire Chief Bill transportation agency Tues- at its best.” employees; the 70 employ- ciently and timely,” Swan teachers nominated by their Johnston said day opened an operations Between fuel and other ees being transferred to the said. peers and joins the elite ranks Thursday in a center at the city of Kissim- cost-savings, Lynx estimated new facility all live in Osceo- The opening followed a of past winners honored since press release. mee Central Services Com- it would save $600,000 la County, cutting out work- trip Lewis, Arrington and 1962. “Our person- plex just west of Thacker annually, which will offset the related travel time. other local government offi- Choosing the teacher of nel train con- Avenue. decrease in state and federal “We did have a lot of folks cials took to Salt Lake City to the year was “no easy task,” stantly for This facility, at 100 N. funding anticipated due to who drive the routes here study the city’s “very progres- Osceola County School Dis- these types of Alaska Ave., will allow Lynx budget constraints. (and live in Osceola County) sive” public transportation trict Superintendent Michael situations and Johnston (short for Central Florida “The original hope was to and it’s about giving them system, where Kissimmee A. Grego said, emphasizing are always ready to assist Regional Transportation create cost savings for our rid- back some time,” Lynx City Commissioner Cheryl how proud he is of the event. within our community. How- Authority) to shave off 1,500 ers,” Osceola County Com- spokesman Matt Friedman Grieb said she “caught a “This is the most special ever, we always recommend miles traveled each day by 37 mission Chairman Brandon said. glimpse into our future.” evening you can have (as planning as a resident’s best buses beginning their routes Arrington, who also sits on Arrington also announced The Osceola County facili- a superintendent) because defense against dangerous in Osceola County instead of Lynx’s board of directors, that operating out of the ty is Lynx’s first satellite oper- you’re celebrating the core weather. It’s what you do 25 miles away at Lynx’s said. “Without opening this Osceola County facility would ations center, Friedman said, of education,” he said. “No before a storm that can make Orange County central termi- facility, the next budget year save 1,000 tons of CO2 from adding others may be added one job carries the quality of a difference in keeping every- nal. That’s like traveling each we would have had to cut spewing into the air and in other service areas provid- life as a teacher. You’re sec- one safe.” day to Richmond, Va., where back on routes.” 1,000 gallons of bio-diesel ond to none.” new Lynx CEO John M. Opening the operations fuel from being used annually, See Center, page A-3 See Storms, page A-6 See Teacher, page A-6 Good weather aided attendance this year By Ken Jackson Spring Training Sports Writer It rained like crazy on Monday in zona, two factors make it encouraging — Kissimmee. the stadium’s seating capacity of 5,300 is What a perfect day for it — the area the smallest of all spring venues, and needs the precipitation badly, and the attendance remained steady in these deli- Houston Astros concluded their spring cate economic times. training schedule on Sunday at Osceola Then there’s a third reason this spring County Stadium. season, Houston’s 27th in Kissimmee, Thanks to great weather during the met Stadium Manager Pete Rodriguez’s month of March, the stadium averaged expectations. 3,845 fans per game for more than 17 “I made budget,” he said. “Revenue Grapefruit League games between March was up a bit from last year, thanks to 1-27. That number is nearly identical to some of the ticket deals we did.” News-Gazette Photo/Andrew Sullivan last year’s attendance. Stadium officials went hog wild with Baseball fans at Osceola County Stadium converge during a March 14 game to try to catch a foul While that number is the lowest among ball. The match-up between the home-team Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies that day all Major League clubs in Florida and Ari- See Attendance, page A-3 brought in more than 6,100 fans – 800 above the seating capacity of the stadium. Inside Sports Lifestyles Community Classifieds ........... C-1 Nate Alexander The Florida For the latest Community ......... B-4 named Osceola listing of Legals .................. C-4 Film Festival Lifestyles ............. B-1 High School starts Friday. classes, Opinion................ A-4 boys basketball See Peter Covi- activities and Police news ......... A-3 coach. events, see Sports................... A-7 no’s preview. Page A-7 Page B-1 Page B-4 Page A2, NEWS-GAZETTE • Online All The Time • www.aroundosceola.com • Saturday, April 2, 2011 Congratulations to The Gaylord Palms Osceola County 2012 Teacher of the Year! Holly Plaza Mill Creek Elementary Michelle Brenda Karlene Marney Katrina Cheryl Alissa Holly Allen Denise Alford Allen Beville Brennan Cunningham Davis Jean Plaza Root Walczak New Dimensions Celebration Boggy Creek Neptune St. Cloud Narcoossee Bellalago Mill Creek Thacker Avenue Neptune High K-8 Elementary Elementary Middle Elementary Academy Elementary Elementary Middle Elementary Schools CongratulationsThacker toAvenue theElementary Winners from eachOsceola High School: School Joseph Coll Boggy Creek Elementary School Karlene Beville for International Studies Allen Root Professional and Technical Central Avenue Elementary School Cheryl Resch Ventura Elementary School Diana Beachy High School (PATHS) Michelle Sandage Chestnut Elementary School for Science Poinciana High School Carlos Duran and Engineering Nancy Breznicky Middle Schools St. Cloud High School Michael Persaud Cypress Elementary School Shanita Lloyd Denn John Middle School Jennifer Natow Deerwood Elementary School Adam Cody Discovery Intermediate School Tangela Moore Charter Schools East Lake Elementary Jennifer Benca Horizon Middle School Gary Dunn Bellalago Charter Academy Alissa Jean Flora Ridge Elementary School Elizabeth Loeding Kissimmee Middle School Michele Quinn Canoe Creek Charter Academy Emily Pidgeon Hickory Tree Elementary School Jane Myers Narcoossee Middle School Ali Dennis Four Corners Charter School Catherine Ness Highlands Elementary School Rachel Keene Neptune Middle School Denise Walczak Kissimmee Charter Academy Linda Williams Kissimmee Elementary School Ivonne Valencia Parkway Middle School Shirley Johnson Mavericks High School Nadine Leblanc Koa Elementary School Dave Hall St. Cloud Middle School Katrina Cunningham New Dimensions High School Michelle Alford Lakeview Elementary School Christopher Burns PM Wells Charter Academy Monica Brescia Michigan Avenue Elementary School Jennifer Kessler Multi-Level Schools UCP Child Development Center Ana I.