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Inside Osceola’s 49-foot-high tribute to the Pulse massacre’s 49 victims
The region’s first sculpture dedicated to the 2016 Pulse nightclub mass shooting envisioned to stand 49 feet tall with an open green pasture as a backdrop in Osceola County — highlighting its ties to the tragedy. Renowned local artist Jefrë is designing the sculpture as a tribute to the 49 victims and the survivors, family members and first responders. It would be imposing — roughly the height ...
Jury to decide whether Florida bank shooter receives death penalty
(NewsNation) — The fate of a Florida man who pleaded guilty to a 2019 bank shooting that killed five women will soon be in the hands of a jury. Zephen Xaver, a 27-year-old former prison guard trainee pleaded guilty to five counts of first-degree murder last year after officials charged him with carrying out the fatal shooting more than five years ago at Sun Trust Bank in Sebring, Florida.
Man gets 7 years in prison for Salvation Army arson fire in Kissimmee
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Cordearo Mable, 37, will go to prison for the arson fire that burned down The Salvation Army’s service unit in Kissimmee last November and caused thousands of dollars in damages. On Thursday, Mable was sentenced to 7 years in prison with a 10-year probation after...
Osceola County & St. Cloud offers free swim lessons as summer nears to prevent drownings
As the temperatures go up and school lets out for the summer, people will spend more time near beaches and pools to cool off, and Osceola County is making sure when you do, it’s safe.
Osceola warns residents to prepare now for expected active hurricane season
After the devastation from Hurricane Ian in 2022, Osceola County is preparing for a hurricane season unlike any other and warning residents to do the same. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expects a very active season that brings 23 named storms and 11 hurricanes — five of which could develop into major storms. The agency noted that “record warm” temperatures in the Atlantic ...
Florida man allegedly took inappropriate photo of 12-year-old at Target
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (TCD) -- Officials recently arrested a 27-year-old man on suspicion of taking an inappropriate photo of a minor at a store, as well as having additional media on his cellphone and computer devices. According to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, on Friday, May 10, a mother contacted deputies...
3 transported as trauma alerts in Polk County crash
POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A crash in the Avon Park area sent three people to the hospital as trauma alerts, according to Polk County Fire Rescue. Officials said the crash happened on U.S. 27 North near the intersection with South Scenic Highway around 4:05 p.m. All lanes of U.S....
Osceola County leads in adaptive reuse nationwide
Some old, commercial spaces are getting a facelift, as developers repurpose run-down offices and hotels into renewed, residential units. Adaptive reuse is the process of reusing existing buildings, often renovating or redeveloping them, to be used for something other than they were originally intended for. In this case, commercial spaces are being turned into homes.
Criminal Justice Academy Graduates 18 New Corrections Officers
During a ceremony on Thursday, April 18, South Florida State College’s (SFSC) Basic Corrections Academy Class 111 graduated 18 new correctional officers at the SFSC Highlands Campus in Avon Park. From the SFSC University Center Auditorium stage, Michael Austin, coordinator of SFSC’s Criminal Justice Academy, called up the 18...
Police: 2 arrested for stealing $300K worth of jewelry from Cordova Mall kiosk
PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Two people have been in arrested in Central Florida for the alleged theft of nearly $300,000 in jewelry from a kiosk in Cordova Mall earlier this month. 41-year-old Jorge Giovanni Escobar-Gonzalez and 42-year-old Linda Mayulay Salazar-Canon were arrested in Osceola County on Monday on a warrant obtained by Pensacola police detectives.
New Salvation Army emergency center coming to Osceola County, replacing burned down building
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Surveillance photos show the moments before the Salvation Army building in downtown Kissimmee was set on fire. It happened just weeks before Thanksgiving. The flames claimed most of the structure and just about everything inside, including the iconic red kettles. Since then, they’ve gotten creative...
Lake Wales offers free downtown golf cart transportation
LAKE WALES, Fla. — The city of Lake Wales is adding a new way to get around its downtown area in style. The service, called The Squeeze, has been available since last year for Lakeland residents. Since May 13, golf carts from the service have been circulating downtown Lake Wales as a new free option in transportation.
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