Osceola County joblessness drops

Osceola County’s unemployment rate for March (not-seasonally-adjusted) was 11.3 percent, down from February’s 11.9 percent and down from 12.3 percent in March 2010, according to the latest report from the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation. This represents 16,009 unemployed workers out of a labor force of 141,396.

The jobless rate for the Orlando metropolitan area, which includes Lake, Osceola, Orange and Seminole counties, was 10.4 percent, down from 10.8 percent in February.

Orange County’s jobless rate was 10.3 percent; Lake County’s was 10.9 percent; and Seminole County was 9.7 percent. Polk County, Osceola County’s other neighbor that is not in the metro-area, had a 11.3 percent jobless rate.

Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in March was 11.1 percent, down 0.4 percentage point from February’s 11.5 percent. The new state unemployment rate represents 1,030,000 jobless out of a labor force of 9,251,000.

The nationwide jobless rate for March was 9.2 percent, down from 9.5 percent in February and 10.2 percent in March 2010.

Education in the Park to be May 7

The Osceola County School District will host its annual Education in the Park event Saturday, May 7, at Osceola Heritage Park from 2 to 7 p.m.

This is the largest youth-oriented event in Osceola County as more than 20,000 people are expected to come and enjoy this free family fun day designed to celebrate children and education.

Highlights of the event will include:

• Educational displays featuring more than 100 interactive booths showcasing the county’s public and charter schools, as well as numerous district-wide programs and community youth organizations;

• Hands-on arts exhibits in the “Arts in the Park” section;

• “Pint-sized” activities for youngsters in the prekindergarten area;

• Non-stop student entertainment throughout the day and plenty of free family fun, with a KUA children’s area, moon walks, ropes course, rock climbing wall, Velcro wall, bungee jump, face painting, balloon artists and more.

As part of this year’s event, Radio Disney AM 990 Orlando will present professional musical performances by Kicking Daisies, a rock band from Milford, Conn., with members ranging in age from 14 to 17 years old. The group’s songs “Keeping Secrets” and “Big Bang Theory” are featured on Radio Disney.  

The event is open to the public and parking and admission to the event are free.

Gold Apple sponsors for this event include: Education Foundation-Osceola County, Kissimmee Utility Authority, CFE Federal Credit Union, CiCi’s Pizza, Ibiley Uniforms, Osceola County Health Department, Toho Water Authority, Turner Construction Company, Osceola News-Gazette, Orlando Sentinel, Moon-Walker and the city of Kissimmee.

For more information, contact the School District’s Community Relations Department at 407-870-4007.

County celebrates Steffee Homestead with ribbon cutting

Osceola County Commissioner Michael Harford, along with county staff, will host a ribbon cutting at 1 p.m. Friday to open the Steffee Homestead property at 4280 W. U.S. Highway 192.

The opening is the culmination of a cooperative team effort from the County Commission, city of Kissimmee, South Florida Water Management District, Florida Communities Trust and various county departments, county officials stated in a press release.

“Shingle Creek was the lifeline for early inhabitants and settlers of Osceola County. I am pleased that with the opening of the Steffee homestead site, along this historic corridor, we continue to preserve our rich cultural and natural heritage that contributed to making Osceola County such a great and prosperous place to live and play,” Harford stated.

According to county officials, the homestead property is recognized by the state as an integral part of the Heritage Trail linkage being created between the historic Babb Citrus operation site a few miles north of the Steffee homestead and the Osceola County Historical Society’s Bass Road facility.

In conjunction with the grand opening and in celebration of Earth Day, Shingle Creek Regional Park will be the site for the second Shingle Creek Adventure Challenge at the Babb Landing property, which is located within Shingle Creek Regional Park, on Saturday. Participants should register through the city of Kissimmee website at www.kissimmee.org.

Coinciding with the race will be the city of Kissimmee’s family-oriented Easter Eggstravaganza event with games, food and fun beginning at 11 a.m. and running until 3 p.m.

For more information, contact the Osceola County Community Outreach/Public Information Office at 407-742-0101.

Swan files for re-election

City of Kissimmee Mayor Jim Swan has filed for re-election in 2012.

Swan is seeking his second full term in seat 5 after winning the office in 2006 in a special election. Others filing for the office so far include Art Otero, sitting city commissioner in seat 1, and newcomer Nereida Rios.

The City Commission race is nonpartisan and candidates are elected at large. If a single candidate does not win more than 50 percent of the vote in the first election in August, the race goes to a run-off on Election Day.