St. Cloud Beach to be closed 2 days

City of St. Cloud Parks and Recreation staff Thursday announced the closure of the area known within the community as St. Cloud Beach — the lakefront on East Lake Tohopekaliga — Monday and Tuesday.

“This chemical control, or herbicide, is a method commonly used to control algae, submerged plants and emergent plants,” City Beautification Manager Kimberly Duffy said. “While this herbicide is not dangerous, we will be closing the area as a preventive measure and the public is asked to avoid the recreational area during these two days.”

For more information, call 407-957-7243.

Computer business now open

Fast Computer Service is now open in Kissimmee.

The business, at 600 N. Thacker Ave., Ste. D-54, specializes in computer repair and network design.

According to owner Engie Otero, Fast Computer Service is a one-source solution for all IT problems. The business began 10 years ago and recently opened a branch in Kissimmee to serve the needs of those living in Central Florida.

“We are specialized in data recovery, server administration, network design and laptop repair,” Otero said.

The business is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The phone number is 407-994-2986.

City to recognize retiring city manager

The city of Kissimmee will hold a special City Commission meeting Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Kissimmee Civic Center.

The purpose of this meeting is to recognize Mark Durbin, who will be retiring after 23 years of service. Durbin is the longest-tenured city manager in Kissimmee’s history.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend the meeting, where the commission also will show its appreciation to the residents who have volunteered their time, serving as members of the city’s advisory boards.

For more information, contact the Public Information Office at 407-518-2314.

Boot drives in St. Cloud

Members of St. Cloud Fire Rescue will be out on the streets today and on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 3-4, to fill their fire boots with donations to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Firefighters will collect donations from patrons at the Publix grocery store, 4401 13th St., in St. Cloud, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. St. Cloud firefighters raised $5,042 for the association last year. This year’s goal is $6,000.

For more information about the campaign or the association, contact Sarah Kurowski at the Orlando A District office at 407-241-2370 or visit www.mda.org.

Meningitis vaccines recommended

Going into this school year, more than 66 percent of 13- to 17-year-old Floridians have not been vaccinated against meningitis, a bacterial infection that causes swelling of the brain or spinal cord and can cause death within 24 hours, according to the Florida Association of School Nurses.

The disease can mimic symptoms of flu and is spread through person-to-person contact such as kissing and sharing drinking glasses or straws.

Three cases of meningitis were documented in 2009 by the Osceola County Department of Health out of 210 across the state. More than 530 children were vaccinated against the disease this year by the local health department.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the meningitis vaccination for adolescents aged 11-17, college freshman in dorms and children age 2-10 who have an increased risk of getting sick. For more information, visit www.VoicesofMeningitis.org.