Kissimmee commissioners Tuesday reconsidered a proposed 150-acre baseball complex that would be built in a residential neighborhood on the north side of Carroll Street and approved the first step in its development.

News-Gazette Photos/Andrew Sullivan

Construction officially commenced Thursday evening on the renovation of Hickory Tree Community Park.

Osceola County Commission Chairman Fred Hawkins Jr., center, as well as representatives of the design and construction firms working on the project and members of the St. Cloud Youth Football program, who will ultimately benefit from the improvements, paricipated in the ceremonial breaking of ground.

Turner Construction Company officials were unhappy with the Osceola County School Board’s 3-2 decision Tuesday to rebid the Highlands Elementary School replacement project because of confusion over the local vendor policy.

News-Gazette Photo/Andrew Sullivan

By Juliana A. Torres

An investigative report released this week into how inmate Michael Rigby escaped the Osceola County Jail lists 22 Corrections Department employees that were in violation of jail procedure and/or county policy and explains 25 deficiencies, design flaws or security concerns within the jail itself.

So far, no jail employee has been reprimanded, fired or even been put on paid administrative leave, county spokesman Larry Krause said. In the coming days, a disciplinary report that will list consequences will be released, coupled with a press conference by the Osceola County manager, Krause said.

Specifically, the report lists several instances where officers searching Rigby’s cell should have found evidence that he was carving out a hole in the toilet, attached to the cell wall, which eventually allowed him to escape through the maintenance craw space behind the wall.

The city of St. Cloud’s adjusted fee schedule for its parks and recreation programs and facilities use went into effect Monday.

The changes were to make up for the county no longer subsiding non-city resident fees. Staff also said they tried to make fees across the board more equitable, at the St. Cloud City Council’s direction. The fees were discussed during the council’s workshop Feb. 18 and presented for approval Feb. 25.

By Rick Madewell
Assistant Editor

It’s Mardi Gras time in St. Cloud.

Really.

This year’s St. Cloud Life event will carry a slice of the famous New Orleans spectacle during its Celebrating Mardi Gras day, Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the St. Cloud Civic Center, 3001 17th St.