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Raul Perez (DOB 7/19/1972), the suspect in Tuesday's shooting in west Osceola County. (Mugshot/Osceola County Jail)

Raul Perez (DOB 7/19/1972), the suspect in Tuesday's shooting in west Osceola County. (Mugshot/Osceola County Jail)

Kissimmee man arrested for attempted murder in early Tuesday shooting

News Staff
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
The Osceola County Sheriff ’s Office has made an arrest in an early Tuesday shooting on the west side of the county.Raul Perez, 53, was arrested later in the day Tuesday and charged with attempted murder. He was booked into the Osceola County Jail with no bond.
Lawmakers convened a special session Tuesday to resolve a $1.4 billion difference between the preferred spending plans of the House and Senate. (Getty Images via News Service of Florida)

Lawmakers convened a special session Tuesday to resolve a $1.4 billion difference between the preferred spending plans of the House and Senate. (Getty Images via News Service of Florida)

Tallahassee lawmakers open special session to resolve budget stalemate

News Service Of Florida
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
By Gray Rohrer and Jim Turner — Lawmakers convened a special session Tuesday to resolve a $1.4 billion difference between the preferred spending plans of the House and Senate.The gap between the Senate’s $115 billion budget and the House’s $113.6 billion plan is 1.
Christian Roux-Rey, 23, faces 15 years to life in prison when he is set to be sentenced on July 29.

Christian Roux-Rey, 23, faces 15 years to life in prison when he is set to be sentenced on July 29.

Kissimmee man pleads guilty to role in Orlando fentanyl street gang

News Staff
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Nine members or associates of the RMS/EBK gang (Respect Money Structure/Everybody Killer) have pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges, including a Kissimmee man.Christian Roux-Rey, 23, faces 15 years to life in prison when he is set to be sentenced on July 29.
Figures for the Orlando area, which includes Osceola County, shows local prices up 4 cents per gallon over the last week, and up 34 cents over the last month.

Figures for the Orlando area, which includes Osceola County, shows local prices up 4 cents per gallon over the last week, and up 34 cents over the last month.

Gas prices falling ... but could they face U-Turn?

Ken Jackson
Monday, May 11, 2026
Gas prices have retreated a bit since the end of last week, falling from the $4.50s range to the $4.40s.It's a trend, right?Nnnnnnope.The decline isn’t expected to continue as oil prices surged early Monday after President Donald Trump called Iran’s response to a U.S.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is scheduled to close ChampionsGate Boulevard (County Road 532) in both directions under Interstate 4 nightly from 10 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. this week (Graphic/FDOT)

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is scheduled to close ChampionsGate Boulevard (County Road 532) in both directions under Interstate 4 nightly from 10 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. this week (Graphic/FDOT)

Night work — see what Osceola County road will close for construction nightly this week

News Staff
Monday, May 11, 2026
As part of a continuing construction project near ChampionsGate, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is scheduled to close ChampionsGate Boulevard (County Road 532) in both directions under Interstate 4 nightly from 10 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
The News-Gazette has joined a collaboration of local news outlets to extend outreach of issues leading up to the 2026 primary and general elections on Aug. 18 and Nov. 3.

The News-Gazette has joined a collaboration of local news outlets to extend outreach of issues leading up to the 2026 primary and general elections on Aug. 18 and Nov. 3.

Voting Central Florida 2026

Staff Report
Sunday, May 10, 2026
A list of collaboration stories published:Jan. 29: Voting by mail in ’26? Make sure your request is valid (Osceola News-Gazette)Feb 12: Kissimmee commissioners to vote on tougher smoking ban in parks, election changes (Osceola News-Gazette)Feb.
The Osceola County School for the Arts' Jazz A Band shows off the latest hardware earned at the International Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Festival last week at the Lincoln Center in New York. (Photo/Ken Jackson)

The Osceola County School for the Arts' Jazz A Band shows off the latest hardware earned at the International Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Festival last week at the Lincoln Center in New York. (Photo/Ken Jackson)

Essentially and Presidentially the Best — OCSA’s Jazz, Wind Ensembles victorious again in elite competitions

Ken Jackson
Sunday, May 10, 2026
If this story was about anything but jazz and big-band music played by high schoolers, we could say the Osceola County School for the Arts already-accomplished Jazz A and Wind Ensembles closed out the school year with a bang.
Amelia Blanca Martinez and her daughters at her 100th birthday celebration. (Photo/Debbie Daniel)

Amelia Blanca Martinez and her daughters at her 100th birthday celebration. (Photo/Debbie Daniel)

At 100, ‘Grandma Blanca’ leaves legacy of service, family and faith

Debbie Daniel
Friday, May 8, 2026
Step by step, Amelia Blanca Martinez has built a life of servanthood, empathy, kindness, and faith. On Sunday, her family celebrated her 100th birthday with a Bridgerton-themed ball in her honor.Born May 3, 1926, in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, “Grandma Blanca” was always a hard worker.
Members of the Kissimmee and St. Cloud Police Department tactical teams descend on a home on New Nolte Road Thursday morning. Eleven arrests were made and more than 60 pieces of evidence were seized. (Photo/St. Cloud Police Department)

Members of the Kissimmee and St. Cloud Police Department tactical teams descend on a home on New Nolte Road Thursday morning. Eleven arrests were made and more than 60 pieces of evidence were seized. (Photo/St. Cloud Police Department)

St. Cloud, Kissimmee Police arrest 11, seize drugs at 'nuisance property' Thursday

Staff Report
Friday, May 8, 2026
A joint investigation of the Kissimmee and St. Cloud police departments of what they called a "nuisance property" led to the arrest of 11 suspects and the seizure of more than 60 pieces of evidence during a raid Thursday morning.
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