KUA to host customer gatherings

As part of its ongoing customer outreach, Kissimmee Utility Authority will host a series of customer informational gatherings this summer.

Utility managers and staff will be available at each meeting to provide information on customer service, customer assistance programs, bill payment options, service reliability, electric rates and energy conservation as well as tips for hurricane preparedness. KUA also will have customer service representatives on hand with laptop computers for those wishing to discuss individual account issues.

“We realize these are difficult times and we hope to bring solutions that will help customers manage their energy bills and keep their service on,” Jim Welsh, KUA’s president and general manager, stated in a press release. “We vow to continue these efforts to bring information and assistance options to the communities we serve.”

The 60-minute meetings will begin at 7 p.m. on the following Tuesdays: June 14, Lakeside Community Center, 2253 Lakeside Drive; June 28, Barney E. Veal Center, 700 Generation Point; July 12, Kissimmee City Hall, 101 N. Church St.; July 26, Good Samaritan Village, 1441 Hoeger Circle; and Aug. 2, Robert Guevara Community Center, 501 Florida Parkway.

Those who attend will receive a free printed copy of the utility’s 2011 Osceola Hurricane Handbook. The 40-page guide includes practical tips to prepare for hurricanes and floods, plus helpful Osceola County telephone numbers, a disaster supplies checklist and a hurricane tracking chart.

Light refreshments will be provided and participants will have the opportunity to win one of several door prizes. For more information, contact KUA at 407-933-9836.

Chamber seeking volunteers for July 4 event

The St. Cloud Greater Osceola Chamber of Commerce is seeking volunteers for its Fourth of July celebration at the lakefront.

If you are interested in helping or need more information, call Linda Pinkerton at the chamber, 407-892-3671.

Silver Spurs to host barrel race state finals June 16-19

The largest barrel race in the nation will move into its weekend home during the National Barrel Horse Association’s Florida State Finals June 16-19 at the Silver Spurs Arena at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee.

For the eighth consecutive year, the Silver Spurs Riding Club will host the finals, with more than 1,000 competitors expected.

“This event makes a huge economic impact in our community,” Ricky Booth, Silver Spurs Riding Club Big Boss, said in a press release. “We are truly honored to again host the state finals.”

Barrel racing fans and spectators are encouraged to not only enjoy the sights of the competition, but the great shopping as well. More than 50 vendors will be on hand displaying an array of merchandise, including Western-style furniture, clothing and jewelry. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily and admission is free.

The National Barrel Horse Association, headquartered in Augusta, Ga., is the largest barrel racing organization in the world. In 1992, the association revolutionized the barrel racing industry by pioneering the divisional format. This format allows riders of all skill levels a chance to win money and prizes in barrel racing competition.

The association has more than 23,000 members of all ages across the United States and affiliates in five other countries: Canada, Italy, France, Panama and the Netherlands. Find out more about barrel racing’s international presence at NBHA.com/ibhf.

The Silver Spurs Riding Club, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1941 and was established to promote good horsemanship and good fellowship in Osceola County. Today, the club is the host to one of the most successful rodeos in the country, the Bi-Annual Silver Spurs Rodeo of Champions.

For additional information about the National Barrel Horse Association Florida finals, call Linda Jones at 863-781-4307 or the Silver Spurs Riding Club at 321-697-3495.

Wendi Jeannin, marketing manager for the Silver Spurs Riding Club, provided this article.

Posey announces Congressional Art Competition winners

The Osceola Center for the Arts April 30 hosted Congressman Bill Posey’s second Congressional Art Competition, entitled “An Artistic Discovery,” for high school students.

The competition drew approximately 40 entries from students across the 15th Congressional District, which encompasses Osceola, Brevard, Indian River and Polk counties.

“I was very impressed by the students’ interpretations of ‘patriotism’ for the theme of this contest,” said competition judge Pablo Remonsellez, of Brevard Cultural Alliance.

“We are honored to host this event for Congressman Posey’s district and appreciate all of the hard work that is involved from district 15 administration staff, art teachers, parents and especially all of the talented students who participated,” competition judge Jules Davidson, of the Osceola Center for the Arts, said.

The first-place winning artist will have the honor of having artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., an all-expenses paid trip to Washington with a parent or guardian, as well as a scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design.

The two second-place winners will have their art displayed in Congressman Posey’s Washington and Florida offices. All students who entered the competition received free admission passes to the Brevard Art Museum and the top winners were provided two complimentary admissions to the Orlando Museum of Art.

The winners were:

• First place, Eduardo Correa, for a painting called “Americana,” Osceola County School for the Arts; his teacher is Patricia Calderon.

• Second place: Tyeisha McLendon, a charcoal work called “President Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address,” St. Edward’s School; teacher, Anne Whitney.

• Second place, Carl Max-Morival, for his etching called “Home of the Brave,” Osceola High School; teacher, Sally Alexandres.

Honorable mentions went to: Christina Lynne Bantz, Master’s Academy (Indian River County); Lizzy Hutchins, Rockledge High School (Brevard County); and Jesse Woodall, Osceola County School for the Arts.

Posey in a press release also made special mention for two students of Cypress Elementary School – Amaya Collado and Amberliz Fermin – for their “Living Statues” display, and Osceola County students Jasmin Calderon and Musa Jundi for their musical performance.

The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, more than 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition. More than 50 parents, students and staff were in attendance for the awards ceremony following the event.

One-day camp is on health professions

Florida Hospital, the University of Central Florida College of Medicine and Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at Lake Nona have joined forces to offer a unique summer camp for high-school students.

The three organizations will bring together experts in education, health care and research for the 2011 MeD Camp Student/Doc Roundtable. This day camp is aimed at giving aspiring young medical professionals access to a variety of health care professionals.

“Two years ago, we started offering a medical camp in response to what we heard students in our community wanted,” Samantha O’Lenick, executive director of corporate communications and community partnerships at Florida Hospital, stated in a press release. “The most popular part of the past MeD Camps was the roundtable discussions. We have adjusted the format to make sure students get to spend valuable one-on-one time with the health care professionals.”

The MeD Camp Student/Doc Roundtable is a networking breakfast and interactive event open to high-school students. Students will have the opportunity to speak with various health and sciences professionals from Florida Hospital, the college of medicine and Sanford-Burnham, including surgeons, educators, nurses, pediatricians and research scientists. Students will have the opportunity to learn from these professionals’ real-life experiences and get answers to questions about the challenges, rewards and educational requirements specific to their area of study.

This half-day event will be Wednesday, June 29, at Florida Hospital Orlando from 8 a.m. to noon. Space is filling up fast and those who are interested are urged to RSVP today by going to www.regonline.com/floridahospitalmedicalcamp. There is a $35 fee to participate, which includes a custom scrub top, goody bag and lunch.

For more information, contact Florida Hospital Media Relations at 407-303-8217.

Gov. Scott appoints five to water district board

Gov. Rick Scott this week announced the appointments of Daniel DeLisi, James “Jim” Moran, Daniel O’Keefe, Timothy Sargent, and Glenn Waldman to the governing board of the South Florida Water Management District.

DeLisi, 37, of Estero, is a self-employed planning and engineering consultant. He is appointed to represent Collier, Lee, Hendry and Charlotte counties for a term ending March 1, 2015.

Moran, 63, of West Palm Beach, is a self-employed attorney. He is appointed to represent Palm Beach County for a term ending March 1, 2015.

O’Keefe, 43, of Windermere, is an attorney with Shutts and Bowan. He will represent Glades, Okeechobee, Highlands, Polk, Orange and Osceola counties for a term ending March 1, 2012.

Sargent, 41, of West Palm Beach, is the director of tax and operating company chief financial officer for Huizenga Holdings. He is appointed as an at large member for a term ending March 1, 2014.

Waldman, 51, of Weston, is a self-employed attorney. He is appointed to represent Broward County for a term ending March 1, 2014.

The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

No new power plants needed until 2020 for 14 cities

No new power plants are projected to be needed until 2020 for a group of 14 Florida cities served by the Florida Municipal Power Agency, according to a report submitted to the Florida Public Service Commission this month.

The cities, through the agency’s all-requirements project, are estimated to have adequate electric generating capacity until summer 2020, according to a long-term power supply report known as the Ten-Year Site Plan.

“Our customers want power that is reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible. Long-term planning helps us achieve that balance,” agency General Manager and CEO Nicholas P. Guarriello said.

The agency’s All-Requirements Project supplies all the wholesale power needs of Bushnell, Clewiston, Fort Meade, Fort Pierce, Green Cove Springs, Town of Havana, Jacksonville Beach, Key West, Kissimmee, Lake Worth, Leesburg, Newberry, Ocala and Starke.

The agency forecasts that customers’ demand for power will reach a peak of approximately 1,270 megawatts in summer 2011 and increase to approximately 1,420 megawatts in 2020. At this time, the agency plans to meet the need for additional generating capacity in 2020 through a power purchase from a supplier to be determined. Other key elements of FMPA’s Ten-Year Site Plan include:

• Cane Island Unit 4: This 300 megawatt natural gas-fueled generator is under construction in Osceola County, near Kissimmee. When it begins operation later this year, it will be one of the cleanest and most efficient plants in Florida.

• The agency continually evaluates renewable power and energy conservation as part of its long-term planning process. The agency uses renewable energy resources, including solar photovoltaic power, landfill gas and biomass. In addition, the all-requirements project operates a highly successful energy conservation program and encourages the development of customer-owned renewable generation through a net metering program.

• The agency is optimizing the use of its generation capacity resources as part of a strategic plan to lower wholesale electric costs. As part of this effort, it has become the city of Quincy’s new wholesale electric provider.