Friday Jan. 29, 2010

Mugshots were not available at this time for William Lanneaux, Nicholas Rodriguez and Cristin Torres.

Today at approximately 9:04 a.m., Osceola County Sheriff’s deputies responded to 2328 Andrews Valley Drive in Poinciana in reference to a burglary. Upon arrival, deputies observed the living room window broken and extensive damage to the inside of the residence. One 14-year-old female was immediately taken into custody and deputies searched for additional juveniles near Poinciana High School. For a short time, the school was on lock down because two of the juveniles were seen running across the football field. Aviation and patrol deputies located the remaining 3 juveniles they were all taken into custody. Based on the information they provided, all six juveniles were arrested and charged with Burglary to an Unoccupied Dwelling. They were booked into the Osceola County Juvenile Detention Center.

Kissimmee, Florida – Mr. Robert J. Bornstein was recently appointed to the Board of Supervisors of Toho Water Authority by the Polk County Board of Commissioners. Mr. Bornstein is replacing former Polk County representative supervisor Fernando Valverde. Mr. Bornstein’s term will run thru September 30, 2012.

When asked about his newly appointed position, Mr. Bornstein pledged to respond to Polk County resident’s suggestions, concerns and complaints. He encouraged residents to contact him at his web site http://www.tohowater.com/members.html.

Mr. Bornstein has been a resident of the Solivita community on the Polk/Osceola line since 2006. Prior to that move, he lived in Seminole County for six years. He and his wife Ingrid have resided in the south since moving from his native state of New York in 1995. At that time he retired from his position as a hospital C.E.O., after almost thirty years as a hospital executive.

Mr. Bornstein has many years of experience in the business sector. He has also served in many volunteer positions for numerous community organizations, including Board positions and twice as Board Chair. Mr. Bornstein’s extensive career in hospital administration provides a good business and management background for the Toho Water Authority Board of Supervisors.

Established in October 2003 by a special act of the Florida legislature, Toho Water Authority is the largest provider of water, wastewater, and reclaimed water services in Osceola County. The Authority currently serves 80,000 water, 74,000 wastewater, and 10,000 reclaimed water customers in Kissimmee, Poinciana, and unincorporated areas of Osceola County.

Orignally posted by: OrlandoSentinel.com

January 21, 2010

A man who drove a pickup into a loaded Amtrak train in Osceola County this afternoon now faces a careless driving citation, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

A 1997 Ford F-150 driven by Frank Rosa struck the side of a northbound Amtrak train at a crossing at Old Tampa Highway and Poinciana Boulevard about 3:50 p.m., FHP spokeswoman Sgt. Kim Montes said.

Tire marks at the scene indicate Rosa, 40, skidded through the crossing and into the train’s engine car. A crossing gate was down, Montes said.

Rosa and two of the truck’s passengers were taken to Osceola Regional Hospital with minor injuries.

No passengers on the train were injured, she said.

Poinciana Community Center
January 26th, 2010
6:30pm

Greetings!

Help us give every child a childhood.

Join us for just over one hour to help create magical possibilities for children in central Florida. Learn how your support saves and improves lives for as little as fifteen cents per day.

A free continental breakfast will be served. Arrive by 8:30 a.m. for best parking.

Please follow the link below to register or RSVP.

Register Now!

Or contact:
Janice Brodie at jbrodie@fsmetroorlando.org or
Anissa Mercado at amercado@fsmetroorlando.org

Thank you for taking the time to register and attend the Give a Child a Childhood Fundraising Breakfast. I look forward to seeing you there!

Where:

First Baptist Orlando
3000 S. John Young Parkway
Orlando, FL 32804

More Info: Click Here

The advantages and disadvantages of each entity (sole proprietorship, C corporations, S corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies) should be discussed between the accountant and business owner to determine tax implications of each.  An experienced attorney should be directly involved in providing advice on liability issues.  The accountant must be fully versed in the tax advantages and disadvantages of the various entities in order to advise the business owner which is the most appropriate.  Without a thorough review of the business by the accountant it is difficult for them to provide advice which entity is best.  Before deciding or changing your entity it is recommend you consult your accountant and legal professional.

OSCEOLA COUNTY
Orignally posted by: Bay 9
According to Osceola County officials, a single-engine Cessna plane took off from Kissimmee Gateway Airport Monday, heading for Fort Lauderdale.

The plane’s debris was found this morning in a wooded area near Lake Russell, east of Poinciana, in Osceola County. That is near the Polk County border.

Officials at Orlando International Airport called the Sheriff’s Office to report Kissimmee Gateway Airport had lost contact with the aircraft.

Also, unconfirmed reports said the pilot may have radioed that the four-seat plane was having problems.

There is no information about how many people may have been on board. Officials said investigation is still a search and rescue effort.

Originally posted by: OrlandoSentinel.com
Jeannette Rivera-Lyles

They call themselves the ROMEOs (Retired Old Men Eating Out) and are upfront about the reason they meet in restaurants once a month — to eat, drink and be merry.

But when this 60-member club from the Polk County retirement community of Solivita gets together for lunch, conversation topics are far from trivial. From Middle East politics and health-care reform to English-only-language policies, no subject is off the table.

“Sure, we’re a social group,” said Bob Zimbardi, a retired engineer. “But we’re still very involved in local, national and world events.”

Local leaders and elected officials are taking notice. Recently, some of the ROMEOs, who are also involved in other organizations, had dinner with state Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, to express their opposition to the incorporation of the Polk community of Poinciana.

“They come down and talk to us because we’re a voting force,” Elliott Port, a retired doctor, said, pointing out that older and educated people vote at a higher rate than other groups.

The ROMEOs are a national organization with more than 140 groups throughout the nation, including in California, Ohio, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania.

Retirees have long been a significant political and social force in Florida because they have the resources and know-how to advocate for the issues that affect them, and they often vote as a block. The South Florida condo commandos, for example — scores of retirees living in condominiums along the shores of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties — are courted by politicians from the left and right because they can and have decided the outcome of elections. The ROMEOs, as well as other clubs in Solivita, are on their way to becoming just as strong a political force, said state Rep. John Wood, R-Lakeland. “Today’s older Americans are probably the best educated and most informed generation that America has ever seen of this age group,” said Wood, whose district includes the Polk County section of Solivita. “This is particularly true in the Solivita community because of the concentration of individuals from all over the country who have retired here, who are educated, know a lot about civics and understand how the process works. I have found them to be very active voters.”

At a recent lunch in a Kissimmee Mexican restaurant, discussions about whether Poinciana should be incorporated as a city proved hotter than the spicy food.

“They want to take the assets from our community to finance areas that are bankrupt,” Port said of the pro-incorporation efforts.

Zimbardi said that often, after the monthly lunches, he comes home pumped up and ready to fire up his weapon of choice: a laptop computer.

“I sit down and start sending e-mails to members of Congress, legislators….” Zimbardi said. “There’s a lot happening in our community and a lot happening to seniors. Just look at the whole health-care debate.”

ROMEOs President Dave Lane attributes the group’s growing influence to its community roots. The group candidly reviews every restaurant they visit for a community newsletter, and they’re equally outspoken about the social and political topics they discuss at lunch.

“They [the members] have wives, family and friends,” Lane said. “They’re not always necessarily seeking to influence a point of view, but they do talk. We are an economic force for the restaurants and a social force in our community.”

Santa delivers gifts to children who would not otherwise have a Christmas

Poinciana, Florida

It’s getting to be that time of year again, to start thinking about those families in Poinciana facing a bleak Christmas…

Santa is awakening from his long winters nap, and is looking forward to helping some of our families once again.

Last year, 6 families had Christmas dinner, and 21 kids had bags full of Christmas gifts thanks to the generosity of folks from Poinciana, and elsewhere.

The economy isn’t good, and things are tight, but we hope there will be enough concerned residents to make a merry Christmas for those less fortunate…

Boxes will be placed in local stores who are willing to participate in our drive, where you can place an unwrapped gift for a child.

Donations of non-perishable food, cash, or a few hours of your time will also be gratefully accepted. All donations will go for Poinciana kids, and their families, and we rely 100% on your donations to make this work. Please help us make this years drive a success once again.

If you would like to donate or participate, please contact me at:
407-729-3177, or e-mail me at Santashelpinghands@msn.com.

Thanks in advance to all, Bob Tremblay

Originally posted by the Orlando Business Journal

Monday, November 9, 2009, 4:20pm EST

Construction to start on CVS in PoincianaOrlando Business Journal
A Clearwater firm plans to start construction later this month on a new 12,900-square-foot CVS Caremark in Poinciana.

Boos Development Group Inc., the preferred developer for CVS Caremark Corp. (NYSE: CVS) in Florida, expects to complete the project by April in The Pointe, a retail center being developed by Avatar Properties Inc. at Poinciana Boulevard and Pleasant Hill Road.

The CVS Caremark store joins a 148,000-square-foot Lowe’s, a 7,350-square-foot AutoZone, a 2,500-square-foot BB&T and a 2,940-square-foot 7-Eleven convenience store, said a news release.

Avatar Properties, whose parent company is Coral Gables-based Avatar Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: AVTR), is the developer and primary homebuilder in Poinciana, a 47,000-acre, master-planned community in northwest Osceola and northeast Polk counties.

J.J. Ellis, Liberty High School

Fol­low­ing Fri­day night’s 33–12 win by Lib­erty High School over rival Poin­ciana High School, Jason Roberts of PRISM Press Group / Central Florida Chapter of the National Football Foundation had an oppor­tu­nity to talk to a num­ber of Charg­ers’ play­ers about a big Bat­tle of the Boule­vard vic­tory and what may lay ahead in the future, par­tic­u­larly for those hav­ing played their last game in a Lib­erty uniform.

The fol­low­ing is the first of sev­eral inter­views to be pub­lished through­out the week, with Jason begin­ning with Osce­ola County’s top run­ning back for 2009, junior J.J. Ellis:

Ellis tells PRISM Press Group that he felt Lib­erty did a good job of mov­ing the ball in the first quar­ter of Friday’s game, but was hin­dered after by mis­takes the Charg­ers made on offense from the sec­ond quar­ter on. He notes that he and his team­mates did a good job of remain­ing focused despite the errors on the offen­sive side of the ball, and though turnovers con­tin­ued to plague Lib­erty through­out the entire sec­ond half, the final out­come, all-in-all still turned out a pos­i­tive one. Both Ellis and quar­ter­back Willie John­son worked hard to keep the team moti­vated in the down­times, he explained, with Ellis stat­ing he in par­tic­u­lar con­stantly reminded team­mates to keep going “100 per­cent each play.”Ellis says that know­ing he is the top run­ning back in the county is some­thing he holds near-and-dear, espe­cially given that he is just a junior and has another year remain­ing to make his mark on Lib­erty foot­ball. Fac­tor in as well that just last year, Ellis could be found play­ing in the Charg­ers’ sec­ondary, with a bid his fresh­man year at tail­back for the JV team appar­ently not show­ing the level of tal­ent that Ellis says he feels he’s shown this season.

In terms of what makes Ellis a great run­ning back? Sur­pris­ingly, the junior says it isn’t his speed – though, watch­ing him on the field, one wouldn’t be led to believe that such was the case. Instead, Ellis men­tions that he feels both his agility and over­all endurance make a dif­fer­ence at a key posi­tion in the Lib­erty offense.

With Ellis hav­ing estab­lished him­self as solid a run­ner as he is this sea­son, don’t be sur­prised to see Ellis being sought after by col­lege pro­grams through­out the South­east head­ing into his senior year. He tells PRISM Press Group that he truly wants to remain in-state if at all pos­si­ble, and will weigh poten­tial offers from pro­grams seek­ing him out by the level of aca­d­e­mics present at each insti­tu­tion, as well as by the type of schol­ar­ship each uni­ver­sity offers him. He also notes that from a foot­ball per­spec­tive, he wants play­ing time early, but is also intel­li­gent enough to real­ize that a key to his suc­cess at the next level is the abil­ity of other team­mates to con­tribute to a strong sense of team unity; Ellis, in other words, wants to be a main­stay con­trib­u­tor to a win­ning pro­gram, but acknowl­edges that no sin­gle player accounts for vic­to­ries with­out the sup­port of those who sur­round him.

PRISM Press Group asked if he has any favorite pro­grams in mind as he starts to pre­pare for the appli­ca­tion process to col­lege. Ide­ally, he’d like to be part of an offen­sive scheme that cen­tered on run­ning the ball as a main func­tion of its stan­dard play­book, but admit­ted he has been a long­time fan of the Florida Gators. UF, he states, is a pro­gram steeped in tra­di­tion and blessed with the type of coach­ing Ellis feels could ben­e­fit him play­ing at the next level.

Osceola County – Late this afternoon, Osceola County Sheriff’s detectives arrested a bus driver and bus attendant for neglect after a 3 ½ year old special needs child was left on a bus for more than 6 hours. The investigation began on November 3 when the Department of Children and Families contacted the Sheriff’s Office about a possible child neglect. The mother had taken the child to the hospital to be checked out. The child appeared to be in good health. The mother told DCF investigators and deputies she put her son on the bus that morning at approximately 6:53 a.m. The bus attendant helps to secure the child into a car seat. At approximately 2:50 p.m., the mother received a call from a school employee indicating her son appeared to be in good health but was left on the bus the entire day. The school took the child home around 3:15 p.m. and the family took him to Osceola Regional Medical Center to be checked by a doctor.
Detectives interviewed the bus driver, Benjamin Gonzalez and the bus attendant Carmen Pacheco who indicated they picked up the child, along with other children that morning to transport them to Sunrise Elementary School. The children were dropped off at school and because they neglected to check the bus, no one saw the 3 ½ year old child still on the bus. Gonzalez parked the bus at the bus barn located at Horizon Middle School and it wasn’t until they went to get the bus to pick up the students in the afternoon did they notice the child still restrained in a car seat on the bus. Detectives viewed a videotape which confirmed this information and based on the evidence, arrest warrants were obtained for Gonzalez and Pacheco. They were charged with one count of child neglect and taken to the Osceola County Jail.
Benjamin Gonzalez (DOB 8/31/43), 701 Delray Drive, Kissimmee
Carmen Pacheco (DOB 2/22/49), 2247 Stonehenge Loop, Kissimmee

Osceola County – On October 24 at approximately 4:55 p.m., Osceola County Sheriff’s deputies responded to 502 Glade Court in Poinciana. Upon arrival, deputies spoke with the resident who indicated someone knocked on the door. The resident did not answer the door, but several minutes later, he heard noise coming from the back bedroom. When he went into the room, he observed a black male remove the screen and attempt to gain entry into the house. The victim recognized the suspect as Jurrel Towns, someone he knew from school. A short time later, deputies located Towns at his residence on Lucaya Drive. Towns was arrested and charged with Burglary Occupied Dwelling and Criminal Mischief. He was booked into the Osceola County Jail.

“This was a web of drugs, lies and violence,” said Sheriff Grady Judd regarding the October 4, 2009, Double Homicide – Home Invasion. “Here is another example of the violence intrinsically connected to the street level use of marijuana and cocaine.”

All 5 are charged with 2 Counts each of First Degree Murder, and Armed Burglary.

Currently in custody:

38-year-old Joshua Bryson – 09/03/1971, 4617 Oliva Street, Orlando. Currently in the Polk County Jail.

28-year-old Major Griffin, aka “Mate” – DOB 03/22/1981, 38 Channing Avenue, Orlando. Currently in the Orange County Jail.

28-year-old Robert McCloud, aka “Bam” – DOB 06/20/1981, 3533 Ocoee-Apopka Road, Apopka. Currently in the Orange County Jail.

Wanted are:

40-year-old Andre Brown, aka “Dre” – DOB 09/28/1969, 2006 Chamberlin Street, Orlando.

25-year-old Jamal Brown, aka “Finger” – DOB 11/21/1983, 3090 C.R. Smith Street, Orlando.

At approximately 6:00 am, on Sunday October 4, 2009, Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to 619 Dunlin Lane in Poinciana, Florida in reference to a reported Home Invasion and Shooting.

When they arrived they found that the front door of the residence had been forced open, and inside the residence were two victims, 26-year-old Tamiqua Taylor, and 23-year-old Dustin Freeman, deceased from apparent gunshot wounds to the head. They also found a three-year-old child asleep, under Taylor’s body, and 29-year-old Wilkins Merilan who had sustained severe burns to his lower abdomen, injuries to his head, and two apparent gunshot wounds. (Taylor was Merilan’s girlfriend, and Freeman was an acquaintance, visiting in the area.)

Merilan told deputies that five to six armed black males forcibly entered his home demanding drugs and money. He was later transported to Tampa General Hospital where he was treated and has since been released. The child, Merilan’s daughter, Winter, was unharmed and reunited with her mother. Neither the mother nor the child resides at the Dunlin residence.

Fingerprints were recovered from the scene and forwarded to the PCSO Identification Section for processing. Using the Automated Fingerprint identification System, or AFIS, a match for Joshua Bryson was recovered from the prints.

In the hours and days that followed, PCSO detectives learned that Merilan had sold Cocaine to Joshua Bryson in late 2008. Bryson was located at his residence in Orlando and admitted to buying drugs from Merilan but initially denied being at the residence on October 4th. However, detectives had additional evidence that placed Bryson in the Poinciana area at the time of the murders.

When confronted with the new information, Bryson admitted to being at a party in Orlando with Robert McCloud, aka “Bam,” on Saturday, October 3, 2009, where they conspired to commit a Burglary of Merilan’s residence. Bryson then followed McCloud and a third suspect, Andre Brown, aka “Dre,” to Poinciana.

Bryson drove his 2001 tan Ford Expedition. McCloud and Brown, who were joined by Major Griffin, aka “Mate,” and Jamal Brown, aka “Finger,’ drove a 2003 gold Cadillac.

Once the group arrived at the residence, they forced their way into the house and began searching for drugs. The suspects bound Freeman, forced Taylor to lie on the couch while holding the child. Both Freeman and Taylor were later shot and killed execution style. Merilan was forced to the floor where the suspects poured boiling water onto his buttocks. He was beaten, shot twice, and left to die. He suffered 2nd degree burns to 16% of his body.

Bryson was arrested and booked into the Polk County jail at 10:30 pm, Tuesday, October 20, 2009.

Orlando Police Department arrested Griffin on a narcotics charge early Wednesday morning, October 21, 2009. He was booked into the Orange County Corrections Facility where he remains with a hold regarding the Homicide and Burglary charges.

At approximately 6:00 pm, on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 members from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), made contact with McCloud in Apopka, Florida. He attempted to flee but was apprehended after a short foot pursuit. McCloud was taken into custody and also has a hold regarding the Homicide and Burglary charges. He is also at the Orange County Corrections Facility.

Detectives have Warrants for 40-year-old Andre Brown, aka “Dre” – DOB 09/28/1969, 2006 Chamberlin Street, Orlando, and 25-year-old Jamal Brown, aka “Finger” – DOB 11/21/1983, 3090 C.R. Smith Street, Orlando.

Andre Brown was last known to be driving the 2003 gold Cadillac CTS, Florida tag number M00 4BS. The vehicle has grey primer spots along the passenger side, with a black lower front bumper. The vehicle is the same vehicle witnesses saw in the area around the time of the Murders.

Osceola County (October 16, 2009)– On October 15, at approximately 6:38 p.m., Osceola County Sheriff’s deputies responded to 922 Delano Court in Poinciana. Upon arrival, deputies spoke with the victim who indicated he received a call from someone, later identified as Michael Hidalgo, inquiring about a computer the victim was selling on an Internet site. The caller seemed interested in purchasing the victim’s computer but did not have a car and could not drive to the victim’s home. The victim agreed to take the computer to Hidalgo at what he thought was his residence on Delano Court. Hidalgo met the victim outside and asked him to wait in the driveway while in took the computer inside the house to see if it worked. The victim waited outside, and after about 5 minutes, the victim knocked on the door but Hidalgo did not answer. The victim walked around the house, looked in a window and realized the house was vacant. Deputies talked to neighbors who said three Hispanic males were seen walking down a nearby street carrying a computer. Deputies located the suspect and the computer at 728 Del Ray Drive. Based on the information, Hidalgo was arrested and charged with Grand Theft. The investigation is on-going with additional charges pending.

Michael Hildago (DOB 11/22/88), 728 Del Ray Drive, Poinciana

Nov. 3 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Liberty High School auditorium at 4250 Pleasant Hill Road.
A variety of topics will be discussed, including crime, the local schools, an update on Osceola Regional Medical Center’s plans to build a hospital in Poinciana, commercial developments, and the possibility of incorporating Poinciana into a city.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate a Double Homicide which occurred shortly after midnight this morning, Sunday, October 4, 2009, at 619 Dunlin Lane, Poinciana.

A third victim, 29-year-old Wilkins Merilan, who lives at the Dunlin Lane residence, is being treated at Tampa General Hospital for gunshot wounds, as well as other injuries suffered after being tortured. He is in serious condition. (Merilan is said to have been arrested previously at either Osceola or Orange County, not Polk County.)

A 3-year-old girl, Merilan’s daughter, was also in the house at the time of the incident, but was unharmed. The child’s mother was not present and does not reside at the Dunlin address.

“The two victims were executed,” said Sheriff Grady Judd addressing media at the scene. “We need the community’s help to identify these suspects.”

According to the investigation, five to six black males forced their way into the residence shortly after midnight and told Merilan, “If you’re going to deal dope, you’re going to deal for us.” The group then demanded money from Merilan before torturing and shooting him. The black female and white male victims were executed during the incident. Their identities have not been released pending confirmation of notification to next of kin.

Richard Oakley
Osceola County — The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is advising the public about, Brian Richard Oakley (DOB 10/15/76), who is a registered sexual predator by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Oakley resides at 742 Maderia Court in Kissimmee. Oakley was convicted of the following:
· Sex Battery by Juvenile/Victim under 12, F.S.S. 794.011(2) on March 2, 2001
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is in the process of notifying all licensed day care centers and schools within a one-mile radius of Oakley’s residence.

September 25, 2009

Osceola County – Today, Osceola County Sheriff’s detectives arrested a 13-year-old girl, a Horizon Middle School student and former Kissimmee Middle School student, and charged her with one count of False Report of a Bomb. Earlier today, Horizon Middle School and Kissimmee Middle School received calls stating a bomb was located at each school. Osceola County School District officials evacuated Horizon Middle School and as a precaution, Sheriff’s deputies searched all of the classrooms and buildings. At the same time, school officials evacuated Kissimmee Middle School and Kissimmee police officers searched the campus. No bombs were located at either school.
Detectives received information that indicated the girl was responsible for both calls as well as another call to Kissimmee Middle School last week. She was brought in for questioning and cooperated with law enforcement. Based on the information, she was arrested for the Horizon Middle School incident and booked into the Osceola County Juvenile Detention Center. The Kissimmee Police Department has charges pending for the Kissimmee Middle School incidents.

Osceola County – The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting a DUI saturation patrol on September 18 as part of the Drunk Driving Over the Limit. Under Arrest campaign. The patrol will be from 7:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. covering all areas of the county.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office encourages everyone to act responsibly. If you intend to drink, make arrangements to get home safely. Use a designated driver, public transportation or a taxi.
The last patrols resulted in the following:
August 21: 4 arrests, 44 citations
August 28: 4 arrests, 40 citations
September 2: 3 arrests, 36 citations

Operation Hot Date

Polk County, Florida – From Thursday through Saturday, September 10-12, 2009, Polk County Sheriff’s undercover detectives talked to women who advertised themselves on www.craigslist.com. After having email and telephone conversations with 28 different women who negotiated prices for sex acts ranging from oral sex to intercourse, from $125 to $800, all 28 women agreed to travel to an undisclosed location within Polk County to commit the act in exchange for money. Four men, acting as several of the women’s “pimps,” were also arrested during the operation. Two other men were arrested when they showed up to the undercover location looking for one of the women [one of the men was in possession of marijuana, and the other one was driving with a suspended license].

“Operation Hot Date was successful in proving that Craigslist is still a one-stop shop for all your prostitution needs,” said Sheriff Grady Judd. “Craigslist clearly continues to facilitate and derive profits from prostitution – they receive $10.00 from each one of the advertisements placed by these prostitutes. Our investigation has just begun. We are not going to allow anyone to violate the law here in Polk County.”

Those arrested drove to Polk County from: Tampa, Riverview, Lake Mary, Clearwater, Wesley Chapel, Holiday, West Palm, Ormond Beach, Lakeland, Poinciana, and Orlando. Two of the women had recently moved to Florida – one from Wisconsin and one from California – and were still living in hotels.

Arrested were: Stacha Murdic; Susan Reuss; Carol Littlefield; Tina Kyle; Ben Hampton, Jr.; Lindsay Buddenbaum; Linda Blank; Blanca Miller; Jessica Mathis; Heather Roney; Charles Lee Bell, Jr.; Rosaline Flukes; Tina Pallay; Sarah Lenning; Kara Broker; Sandra Earns; Tammy Webb; Chazlin Taylor; Barbara Nieves; Lisa Furr; Tammy Hurtt; Nicole Sheriff; Gwen Lee; Jessica Shea; Megan Howell; Angelina Campbell; Devon Chambers; Michelle Hildebrandt; Mia Morrison; Michele Pintello; Jovanna Fontanez; John Frese; Eric Trombley & Scotty Howell (DWLSR and Possession of Marijuana)

Photos

Economy may not be favorable to the area becoming a city now.
Originally posted by: http://www.theledger.com
Reported by: MIKE GROGAN

POINCIANA | The board that hired a University of Central Florida team to study whether Poinciana can become a city is wondering if it can put the brakes on the project.

“Can the board stop this or do we have to let it go on?” John Corners, a member of the board of directors for the Association of Poinciana Villages, asked during a workshop meeting Tuesday night.

His question came after three members of the team that was contracted to conduct the study briefed the board on its findings.

Corners said he wasn’t against the idea of incorporation for Poinciana but feared that, under the current economic climate, municipal revenues projected in the study would not be realized because of plummeting property values, the number of foreclosures in Poinciana and the community’s high unemployment rate.

Corners wanted to know if the feasibility study could be shelved or if it had to be passed on to Poinciana’s legislative delegation, the next step in the process.

That delegation would determine if the study was done according to state requirements and could be turned over to the full Legislature to decide whether the incorporation issue could be placed on the local ballot for Poinciana voters to decide.

Fellow board member Dennis Getman, a lawyer who had worked on the successful incorporation effort by Palm Coast in 1999 and 2000, said the board could not stop the process. But Getman said he was also worried about the timing of the effort.

“One of the worst things that could occur for us is to go down this path and have (the new city) fail because of the current state of the economy,” he said.

The board contracted for the study earlier this year at a cost of more than $70,000. It was officially completed and released Aug. 28 with the conclusion that incorporation for the community of more than 75,000 residents that spreads over two counties – Polk and Osceola – is feasible because it meets state requirements for population density, physical size and potential revenues.

Marilyn Crotty, of UCF’s Florida Institute of Government and the leader of the team that conducted the feasibility study, told the board that it was not up to the team to lobby one way or the other for incorporation. Its only job was to conduct the study and lay out the facts and figures for voters.

More than 50 Poinciana residents attended the meeting but were not allowed to question Crotty’s team or to present their views since it was a workshop meeting to give the board a chance to hear from the study team and to ask questions about its findings.

But at least one resident was handing out flyers calling for voters to turn down incorporation if it becomes a ballot issue which, Crotty said, would likely happen late in 2010 if the Legislature approves.

Originally posted by: Osceola News
Sep 02, 2009 at 09:04 AM

The University of Central Florida Institute of Government released Aug. 28 the final feasibility study on how Poinciana could incorporate as a city, but its findings and suggestions have upset some residents, many of whom didn’t realize they would be included within the proposed city boundaries.

Click here for complete story

Possible library hours Proposed hours for Osceola County Library System: Branches in Poinciana, St. Cloud, Buenaventura Lakes and West Osceola (Celebration): Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hart Memorial Library in Downtown Kissimmee: Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Osceola County– On August 20, Osceola County Investigative Bureau agents received information from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office regarding possible drug activity at several homes in the Poinciana and Bellalago communities. Search warrants were executed at four residences: 29 South Flag Drive and 305 Cornwallis Court in Poinciana and 3597 Valley View Drive and 2820 Boat Cove Circle in the Bellalago subdivision. A total of 96 marijuana plants were recovered. Agents arrested Marisbel Sanchez and charged her with Cultivating Marijuana and Utility Theft. The investigation is on-going with additional charges pending.
Marisbel Sanchez (DOB 7/17/68) 3597 Valley View Drive, Kissimmee