News

Osceola County Commissioner Viviana Janer presented Florida Department of Health-Osceola County administrator Vianca McCluskey with the Lieutenant Lloyd Burton Jr. Service Award Monday. (Photo/Ken Jackson)

Osceola County Commissioner Viviana Janer presented Florida Department of Health-Osceola County administrator Vianca McCluskey with the Lieutenant Lloyd Burton Jr. Service Award Monday. (Photo/Ken Jackson)

Osceola County, cities celebrate Black History Month with awards and proclamations

Ken Jackson
Thursday, February 5, 2026
The celebration of Black History Month is well underway in Osceola County, as proclamations and awards have been given in celebration of such an important segment of the area’s heritage.Osceola County started Monday by honoring the Osceola County NAACP with a proclamation of Black History Month.
The TikTok Americans have come to know, love and scroll now has domestic ownership. (Photo/Fresh Take Florida)

The TikTok Americans have come to know, love and scroll now has domestic ownership. (Photo/Fresh Take Florida)

TikTok stays: multi-billion dollar ‘Americanized’ makeover finalized

Emely Albelo
Thursday, February 5, 2026
The countdown clock that threatened to silence TikTok in America has been unplugged.In a move that reshapes the future of the internet in America, the app has officially avoided a federal ban by transitioning into a majority American-owned entity: the TikTok USDS Joint Venture.
Kevin Walter Duda

Kevin Walter Duda

St. Cloud man gets life for 2024 shooting death

Kristin Hurst
Thursday, February 5, 2026
A 56-year-old St. Cloud man has been sentenced to life in prison after a jury found him guilty last week of first-degree murder in the 2024 shooting death of another man at the entrance to a Kissimmee RV park.
Cody Stahl caught a lot of fish, then got the heck off the water before the weather turned nasty last weekend for a wire-to-wire win on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in the The Turtlebox Bassmaster Open. (Photo/Bassmaster)

Cody Stahl caught a lot of fish, then got the heck off the water before the weather turned nasty last weekend for a wire-to-wire win on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in the The Turtlebox Bassmaster Open. (Photo/Bassmaster)

Bass-happy: Stahl’s perfect plan yields wire-to-wire win at Kissimmee Chain

Staff Report
Thursday, February 5, 2026
The Turtlebox Bassmaster Open on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes finished up on Saturday, luckily for the anglers, but winner Cody Stahl of Barnsville, Ga. could’ve slept in Saturday morning and still won the event.He tallied a three-day total of 74 pounds, 6 ounces and earned the wire-to-wire victory.
IN THE NEWS — Valencia offers tax help, healthcare career grants; info on driver's license test languages; Black History Month student contest

IN THE NEWS — Valencia offers tax help, healthcare career grants; info on driver's license test languages; Black History Month student contest

IN THE NEWS — Valencia offers tax help, healthcare career grants; info on driver's license test languages; Black History Month student contest

News Staff
Thursday, February 5, 2026
Valencia College offering annual tax prep helpJust in time for tax season, Valencia College accounting students and professors will offer free tax preparation help to the public on selected Saturdays in February and March.
(Graphic/Freepik.com)

(Graphic/Freepik.com)

Beyond the ball drop: How to make those 2026 resolutions stick

Emely Albelo
Thursday, February 5, 2026
The party is over, the decorations are gone and, for many, New Year’s resolutions are already starting to fade.Experts call this the “January Cliff.” It’s the moment when our big dreams hit the reality of our busy daily lives.The numbers show change is tough.
Three arrests have been made in a 2024 murder near Greenup and Smith streets in Kissimmee. (Graphic/Osceola County Sheriff's Office)

Three arrests have been made in a 2024 murder near Greenup and Smith streets in Kissimmee. (Graphic/Osceola County Sheriff's Office)

Three arrested in November 2024 gang-related Kissimmee murder

Ken Jackson
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Osceola County Sheriff Chris Blackmon announced Wednesday three arrests have been made in a November 2024 Kissimmee shooting that left a 20-year-old man dead.
Two men were arrested after a Kissimmee Police Department investigation says they served drinks with liquor despite Pa’Pikar holding a license to serve beer and wine. (Photo/Kissimmee Police)

Two men were arrested after a Kissimmee Police Department investigation says they served drinks with liquor despite Pa’Pikar holding a license to serve beer and wine. (Photo/Kissimmee Police)

KPD arrests 2 at downtown Kissimmee bar for illegal liquor sales

Ken Jackson
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
A downtown Kissimmee restaurant was closed Tuesday afternoon, the day Kissimmee Police announced the results of an operation that resulted in two arrests and the seizure of dozens of bottles of alcohol.
Kissimmee City Attorney Olga Sanchez de Fuentes (far left) and Mayor Jackie Espinosa (far right) discuss the reasoning behind the mayor's motion to terminate the attorney prior to the vote at Monday's Commission meeting. (Photo/Ken Jackson)

Kissimmee City Attorney Olga Sanchez de Fuentes (far left) and Mayor Jackie Espinosa (far right) discuss the reasoning behind the mayor's motion to terminate the attorney prior to the vote at Monday's Commission meeting. (Photo/Ken Jackson)

Kissimmee City Commission terminates City Attorney

Ken Jackson
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
The Kissimmee City Commission voted 3-1 to pass Mayor Jackie Espinosa's motion to terminate City Attorney Olga Sanchez de Fuentes at Tuesday night's meeting.Commissioner Noel Ortiz seconded the motion, Carlos Alvarez voted in favor and Vice Mayor Angela Eady voted against.
House Bill 1205, which has been in the courts almost since its signing by Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 2, 2025, imposed additional hurdles on the ballot-initiative process and heightened penalties for wrongdoing.

House Bill 1205, which has been in the courts almost since its signing by Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 2, 2025, imposed additional hurdles on the ballot-initiative process and heightened penalties for wrongdoing.

Proposed Constitutional amendments fail to gain ballot access

Jim Turner
Monday, February 2, 2026
News Service of Florida — Florida Decides Healthcare, a political committee sponsoring a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at expanding Medicaid coverage, was quick to turn its eyes to 2028 as the state declared an end to all initiative petition drives for the November ballot.
Subscribe to