Business problems
To the editor:
Osceola County has done a few changes that affect all of us. Let’s take a look at some of these issues that affect us.
Why would we open a business in Osceola County? Maybe because we like all the red tape involved in getting an occupational license. This license could take anywhere from seven to 21 days. Maybe it would be because the County Commission has lowered impact fees? No, it couldn't be that either. Perhaps, it’s because the unemployment rate is low and people are spending lots of money locally (only kidding). On a more serious note, let’s look at some of the businesses that have shut their doors.
I took a ride from the Florida’s Turnpike all the way to Hoagland Boulevard and this is what I found:
Golf and driving range, Saturn dealership, gas and repair station and package store off of turnpike, abandoned hotel, Waffle House, 7-Eleven, mobile home sales going out, Owens property across from OHP, Bank of America Denn John, Albertsons, Shell gas, Amoco gas, Mobile gas, Hardee’s, Hooters, Chevy’s restaurant, Big 10 Tires, Midas Muffler, old Meritor bank building, Larson’s Lodge, Publix, Perkins, Shells Restaurant, old Chinese restaurant, Sonny’s barbecue, Sizzler, old Duff’s Restaurant, Roadhouse Grill and medical building – all empty.
Don’t forget the Osceola Square Mall, the two Winn-Dixie plazas, Sports Authority, Mill Creek Mall and the plaza behind Outback. The Kmart plaza looks like a run-down area, too.
Of course, let’s not forget all the empty stores there are in other strip malls.
Next time you take a ride, look around and what you will see is an abundance of pawnshops, liquor stores, tattoo parlors and sleazy looking hotels that have not had a facelift in many years. The dirty look of U.S. Highway 192 doesn’t help the matter any either. The only thing we are lacking is the graffiti.
This, of course, is not an easy fix, nor a fast one.
Let’s keep in mind that if this present Conty Commission reduced impact fees and the red tape, maybe more businesses would look into coming here.
This would help in many ways. It would help get some of these stores occupied and reduce unemployment locally, and thus bring in more tax dollars at the same time.
Orange County has solicited Darden Restaurants and Jet Blue. Osceola County has solicited no one. These are just some examples. What’s wrong with this picture?
This past week, Commissioner Brandon Arrington held a town hall meeting in Poinciana. The main issues that were addressed were mainly roads. Roads are extremely important, but there are other issues that needed to be brought up. I think Commissioner Arrington should have taken it upon himself to bring up issues like unemployment, foreclosures and business closures, among other things.
Another question should have been why is it so important to raise the gas tax another 5 cents at a time when our unemployment rate is at a record high in Osceola County? Maybe it’s time for the people to start telling this commission what we want; after all, we voted them in. Maybe it’s time that our cry stopped going to deaf ears.
This commission is only thinking of choo-choo’s and orange. Let’s look at the real issues at hand.
Tony Ferentinos
Kissimmee

Save the KAST Club
To the editor:
To the people of Kissimmee, your commissioners are going to bulldoze the KAST Club out this spring, which is the shuffle and KAST Club building. There are over 100 members who use this club six days a week and replace it with grass? That roof and building is in good shape and it gives the people of the park a place to get out of the rain and hot sun. The courthouse people also use it when a bad storm is coming. It will cost over $100,000 to get rid of it. That money could be better used somewhere else. This club has been here over 80 years and still going strong.
We would like to see this club stay another 10 years or more. Call your commissioners: Jim Swan, Cheryl Grieb, Jerry Gemskie, Carlos Irizarry or Art Otero at 407-518-2300 and complain to them. Please help us save our club.
Mary Jane Lewis,
KAST Club president
Mac Lemenager,
first vice president
Gerald Lemenager and
Betty Rigney, directors

Thanks, this time
To the editor:
I, for one, would like to thank the Osceola County commissioners for hearing residents and abandoning the proposed amendment to the airboat ordinance regarding overnight airboat use.
I know a good many people who appreciate that we will continue to sleep peacefully at night, even some who were hesitant to speak up because they live near airboat owners.
They were well within their rights with the original ordinance.
Since I am the first to chastise commissioners when I think they are not listening, I think it's only fitting that I be among the first to thank them when it's evident they do.
Janice Peek
Kissimmee

Responses to rebuttal
To the editor:
This letter is in regards to my rebuttal to those who criticize my letter to the editor published Jan. 2, pertaining to discrimination.
While we can agree that state Rep. Darren Soto’s district does include a large portion of Orange County, it still does not change the fact that Soto is pushing for the PCAN clinic to be located in an area within his district that is predominantly Hispanic and Spanish-speaking.
My question was and still is, “Why not put the PCAN clinic in an area in Soto’s district that is more accessible to all the residents of his district and not just in the Hispanic area?” Those who criticize my letter still did not address the issue of a college scholarship for Hispanics only. I thought it was against the law to discriminate based on race.
Mark Cox
St. Cloud

Save detention center
To the editor:
I am attempting to inform you about the possible closure of Osceola Regional Juvenile Detention Center due to the proposed budget cut for the fiscal year starting July 1.
If closed, Osceola County, as a whole, would suffer greatly. Juvenile offenders will have to be transported all the way to Orange County, which, in return, leaves our community unprotected. It is apparent that Osceola County needed a detention center about 10 years ago for a reason – crime rates were rising and the county was growing. I don’t think that crime or the community has stopped growing.
Of course, there is always a need to save money, but closing the detention center is not the way to do so. I urge all concerned residents to contact any member of the Criminal
and Civil Justice Appropriations Committee, and specifically state Rep. Darren Soto at 407-846-5187; Gov. Charlie Crist at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; or Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Mike Macnamee
Kissimmee