New ‘toll Violation’ Scam Alert
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is warning motorists of an ongoing fraudulent scheme involving counterfeit court notices that falsely claim to originate from Florida county courts and related judicial offices. These documents assert that recipients have outstanding traffic or toll violations and demand immediate payment.
The fraudulent notices closely resemble official government correspondence and may include fabricated state statutes or case numbers, Threats of license suspension, registration holds, or default judgment and QR codes directing recipients to unauthorized payment portals. These were not issued by any Florida court, the FLHSMV states. Residents are reminded that official government entities do not request payment through QR codes, third-party links, or unverified online platforms.
Jeffrey Ball is St. Clouds’ new Community Development Director
The city selected Jeffrey Ball as its new Community Development Director to oversee the city’s planning, zoning, and code compliance operations. Among his 25 years in state and local government, Ball served the same role for Lake Hamilton in Polk County, and as Planning and Zoning Manager for Brevard County.
“Jeff knows our area and the issues we face with growth,” said City Manager Veronica Miller. “He is adept at managing multiple, competing priorities in a fast-paced environment. We are excited to have him join our team.”
Chris Lyle Aquatic Center pool closing for resurfacing
The City of St. Cloud’s Chris Lyle Aquatic Center pool on 17th Street will close starting April 1 for resurfacing. City officials say they expect to complete the job by early May.
“Our pool gets a lot of use year-round, and we appreciate the community’s patience while we work to ensure we continue to provide excellent recreation facilities to our residents,” said Parks & Recreation Director Stephanie Holtkamp. “There’s never a great time to close the pool, and we encourage our residents to cool off at the Lakefront Splash Pad while the pool is closed.”
Kissimmee’s Shelby Lomen enters Phi Kappa Phi
Shelby Lomen of Kissimmee was recently elected to membership into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, at the University of Florida. Lomen is among approximately 20,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year.
