News Briefs for October 28, 2010

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News Briefs for October 28, 2010

County News

Wednesday, 27 October 2010 12:08

Joblessness

Graph/Agency for Workforce Innovation
The chart above shows the state and national jobless rate since January of 2000.

Joblessness up again

Osceola County’s jobless rate in September (not seasonally adjusted) was 12.7 percent, up from 12.6 percent in August, according to the latest report released Friday from the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation.

The September jobless rate for Orange County was 11.8 percent, down from 12 percent in August. The jobless rate for the Orlando metropolitan area, which stretches from Kissimmee to Sanford and includes Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties, was 11.8 percent in September, down from 12 percent in August.
The state’s unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) in September was 12 percent, compared to 12.4 percent in August, which represents 1,118,000 jobless out of a labor force of 9,284,000. The state’s jobless rate for September 2009 was 11.4 percent.
The national jobless rate in September was 9.2 percent, down from 9.5 percent in August and also down from the September 2009 figure, which was 9.5 percent.
Liberty County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate in September (7 percent) followed by Walton County (7.9 percent). Hendry County had the highest jobless rate (20.2 percent) followed by Flagler County (16.3 percent).
Jobless rates for other counties in Central Florida in September were: Polk, 13.3 percent; Lake, 12.4 percent; Seminole, 10.9 percent; and Volusia, 12.5 percent.
There were 52 counties in the state with double-digit unemployment rates in September, unchanged from the previous month.
Political consultant sentenced
Doug Guetzloe, an Orlando-based political consultant who has taken up Osceola County political causes over the years, has been sentenced to 60 days in the Orange County Jail and fined $1,000 for a 2006 misdemeanor involving a campaign flier violation.
Guetzloe, who runs Ax the Tax, won’t have to report to jail until after Tuesday’s election. He also will be allowed to participate in a work-release program.
Guetzloe, through the Osceola County chapter of Ax the Tax, recently announced opposition to the proposed 1 percent sales surtax in Osceola County that would fund various road projects and which voters will see on the ballot Tuesday. Tony Ferentinos, a Kissimmee businessman who has filed to run for the 2012 Osceola County Commission race, chairs the local Ax the Tax group.
Jose A. Alvarez, a Florida Tea Party candidate for House district 79 who lives in Poinciana, also has been supported by Guetzloe, who is closely associated with this political group.
Candidate asking for Justice Department election monitors
Armando Ramirez, the Democratic candidate in the district 2 Osceola County Commission race, announced Monday he had asked the U.S. Department of Justice to monitor the elections in Osceola County for his district and in commission district 4.
“I am also requesting Latino Justice to cover the election process,” Ramirez said, adding that he has “noticed surveillance vehicles tailing” him.
Ramirez said the tailing of his vehicle happened in previous elections and that there were threatening phone calls during 2004 and 2007 when he was running for office.
Latino Justice PRLDEF’s work, according to its website, encompasses three principles – protecting civil rights, cultivating Latino leaders and increasing civic participation. PRLDEF stands for Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund.
The Justice Department several years ago filed the lawsuit that led to the use of single-member districts for electing Osceola County commissioners. Ramirez was one of the community activists who led the effort to have the at large election system changed.
The Osceola County School District then followed up with a referendum, which passed, asking voters whether they preferred single member or at large elections for School Board members.
Firefighters wearing pink
The Kissimmee Fire Department is joining firefighters across the country in recognizing National Breast Cancer Awareness.
During October, the department is showing its support by allowing the firefighters to wear pink T-shirts, featuring a custom logo for the fire department, while on duty.
“Each of us has been touched one way or another by this disease. Our hope is to bring continued awareness, so we can work together to find a cure,” Deputy Fire Chief Jeremy Donovan said.
For more information about the pink T-shirt campaign, call the Kissimmee Fire Department at 407-518-2222.
Conservation area to officially open
Osceola County commissioners at 10 a.m. Tuesday will cut the ribbon officially opening the Lake Runnymede Conservation Area.
The conservation area is at 4600 Rummell Road, St. Cloud. The park entrance is approximately a mile west of the intersection of Rummell and Narcoossee roads.
The conservation area already has been used by different groups for overnight camping, including local Boy Scouts.
Rail meeting cancelled
The Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission’s Technical Advisory Committee meeting originally scheduled at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Florida Department of Transportation’s Orlando Urban Office has been cancelled.
If you have any questions, contact Steve Olson at steve.olson@dot.state.fl.us or at 386-943-5479.
Poinciana to kick off Relay For Life
The kick-off event for the 2011 Relay For Life in Poinciana will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, at the Poinciana Community Center.
The April Relay event will include luminary representation for those lost, a first lap for all survivors, speakers, music, fun, friendship and family. You can read more about the event at www.relayforlife.org.
Organizers of the relay are looking for sponsors, teams, walkers, volunteers and survivors to join in the drive to raise money to find a cure for cancer.
To sponsor a team ($500-$5,000), join/start a team or to register as a survivor, e-mail information to Christina Atkinson, event chair, at mrscatkinson@gmail.com or call 863-512-9646.