On Dec. 18 The Osceola Chamber held its final 2025 monthly board meeting, when Chairman Tim Weisheyer officially passed the gavel to 2026 Chairwoman Rebekah Hurd, who will assume the role officially on Jan. 1. She will celebrate her coming year with an additional ceremonial passing of the gavel at the Chamber’s 101st Annual Meeting on Saturday, Feb. 7 at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.
The mission of The Osceola Chamber is to be, “Champions for business and the Osceola community,” by being a trusted partner to businesses of all shapes and sizes, advocating for them at the state and local levels, and creating opportunity for community engagement. In 2025, volunteers and partners contributed nearly 4,000 hours of Chamber-related service to our community through the Chamber’s various channels of involvement, the organization reported.
“We are extremely grateful for the advancement that transpired under Tim’s leadership and look forward to the great things we will accomplish during Rebekah’s time at the helm,” Chamber President and CEO John Newstreet said. “With leaders like Tim and Rebekah, the Chamber builds deeper relationships that result in trust. Members of The Osceola Chamber care about each other and the community to the extent that I have witnessed competitors refer each other business when it best fits their customers’ needs, and that is a powerful thing.”
Hurd currently serves as Director of Government Advocacy at AdventHealth Central Florida Division. She previously held the role of Government Relations Manager at AdventHealth and prior to that worked as a Senior Legislative Assistant for former Florida state representative Mike LaRosa.
AAA offers ‘Tow to Go’ to prevent holiday time impaired driving
AAA is once again offering its life-saving ‘Tow to Go’ program to help keep impaired drivers off the road this holiday season.
The service is active through 6 a.m. on Friday, January 2, 2026, across select states, including Florida.
‘Tow to Go’ provides a free, confidential ride and tow for impaired drivers and their vehicles to a safe location within a 10-mile radius. Open to both AAA members and non-members, the program is designed as a last-resort safety net when other options, like a designated driver or rideshare, fall through.
“The holiday season is a time for joy and celebration, but it also carries a greater risk of impaired driving,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “AAA urges Floridians to plan ahead and make responsible choices to keep the holidays both safe and festive. Tow to Go is our gift to the community, ensuring everyone gets home safely to enjoy the holidays with their loved ones.”
If you’re in need of a last-resort tow to keep from driving impaired, call (855) 2-TOW2-GO. The service cannot be scheduled in advance and should only be used as a backup plan.
Poinciana residents sought for Tohopekaliga Water Authority Board
Residents who are ratepayers to the Poinciana Water System are invited to apply for a position on the Tohopekaliga Water Authority (TWA) Board of Supervisors.
Polk County appoints one member to the TWA Board of Supervisors. In addition to being a user of the Poinciana Water System, the appointee must also be a registered voter.
The TWA Board of Supervisors sets policy and provides oversight of the utility. The Board meets once a month on the third Wednesday of the month at 5 p.m. in Kissimmee; other meetings may be scheduled as required. If you meet the qualifications and are interested in being considered for the appointment, please send a letter of interest and resume to ambersmith@polkcounty. net by Jan. 9, 2026.
