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Suspended Sheriff Marcos Lopez's legal team will ask for his racketeering trial to be moved from Lake to Osceola County at an Oct. 23 hearing.

Suspended Sheriff Marcos Lopez's legal team will ask for his racketeering trial to be moved from Lake to Osceola County at an Oct. 23 hearing.

Here’s what’s next for Marcos Lopez in court

Ken Jackson
Thursday, October 16, 2025
Suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez and/or his legal team are expected to be in a Lake County court a number of times over the next few years regarding his felony racketeering case, as state and federal officials accuse him of helping facilitate an illegal gambling ring that had a...
Artist Devi Sachez (left) and Osceola Arts Public Arts Coordinator Brian Camacho brought a new vivid—and immersive—ARTisNOW mural to life in Orange Gardens. It all starts with the QR code. (Photo/Photog)

Artist Devi Sachez (left) and Osceola Arts Public Arts Coordinator Brian Camacho brought a new vivid—and immersive—ARTisNOW mural to life in Orange Gardens. It all starts with the QR code. (Photo/Photog)

Orange Gardens ARTisNOW mural brings nature to life—virtually

Ken Jackson
Thursday, October 16, 2025
Osceola Arts’ ARTisNOW Public Murals Project has expanded beyond downtown Kissimmee, its original epicenter, and last week cut the ribbon on its newest work, an ambitious five-panel mural painted on the Orange Gardens Community Center in Kissimmee.
Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital is sponsoring the pink wrapping of multiple St. Cloud Fire Rescue emergency vehicles for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. (Photo/St. Cloud Hospital)

Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital is sponsoring the pink wrapping of multiple St. Cloud Fire Rescue emergency vehicles for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. (Photo/St. Cloud Hospital)

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH — Self-exam and screen for early detection; St. Cloud Hospital sponsors emergency vehicle wrap

Staff Report
Thursday, October 16, 2025
As October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, messaging from health officials is clear— women should be encouraged to receive regular screenings to promote early detection and treatment of breast cancer.Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women in Florida.
Matthew Aurelius Maldonado

Matthew Aurelius Maldonado

Kissimmee man arrested in robbery, pistol-whipping during drug deal

Kristin Hurst
Thursday, October 16, 2025
A 24-year-old Kissimmee man has been arrested after allegedly robbing and pistol whipping another man during a marijuana sale earlier in the week.Osceola County Sheriff’s deputies responded Oct. 7 to a report of an armed robbery on Scott Boulevard and found a male victim bleeding from the forehead.
District 1 Commissioner Peggy Choudhry, Fire Chief Larry Collier, Osceola County leadership, Fire Rescue EMS department staff and Station 75 personnel perform the ceremonial "uncoupling" to officially open Station 75 for service on Funie Steed Road Wednesday. (Photo/Osceola County Fire Rescue EMS)

District 1 Commissioner Peggy Choudhry, Fire Chief Larry Collier, Osceola County leadership, Fire Rescue EMS department staff and Station 75 personnel perform the ceremonial "uncoupling" to officially open Station 75 for service on Funie Steed Road Wednesday. (Photo/Osceola County Fire Rescue EMS)

Osceola County Fire Station 75 now in operation in West Osceola

Staff Report
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Osceola County opened its fifth fire station since 2023 Wednesday, providing a higher level of service to residents on the west side of the community.Station 75, located on Funie Steed Road near West U.S.
Here’s a list of achievements by Osceola County students at out-of-area colleges and universities, as reported by Merit Pages News.

Here’s a list of achievements by Osceola County students at out-of-area colleges and universities, as reported by Merit Pages News.

College honors for local scholars

News Staff
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Here’s a list of achievements by Osceola County students at out-of-area colleges and universities, as reported by Merit Pages News:Jacques Bernard of Kissimmee has earned a Master of Science in Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta.Kassidy Cabot of St.
Mark Anthony Vazquez, 49, was arrested around 5:45 p.m. Monday in connection with a hostage situation at the Heritage Park Inn east of Kissimmee. (Mugshot/Osceola County Corrections)

Mark Anthony Vazquez, 49, was arrested around 5:45 p.m. Monday in connection with a hostage situation at the Heritage Park Inn east of Kissimmee. (Mugshot/Osceola County Corrections)

Monday hostage situation at East 192 hotel ends peacefully with arrest

Ken Jackson
Monday, October 13, 2025
A nearly six-hour standoff at an East U.S. Highway 192 extended-stay hotel ended early Monday evening with a man in jail, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office officials have said.Mark Anthony Vazquez, 49, was arrested around 5:45 p.m. Monday.
Former Kissimmee Police Officer Andrew Baseggio speaks on his own behalf at his sentencing hearing Monday. He had pled guilty to felony counts in connection with an April 2023 excessive force case that led to wholesale changes at KPD.

Former Kissimmee Police Officer Andrew Baseggio speaks on his own behalf at his sentencing hearing Monday. He had pled guilty to felony counts in connection with an April 2023 excessive force case that led to wholesale changes at KPD.

Former Kissimmee Police officer sentenced for felony charges in 2023 excessive force case

Ken Jackson
Monday, October 13, 2025
A former Kissimmee Police Department officer who pled guilty to felony charges related to a 2023 excessive force case — that led to an investigation of a KPD "culture of silence" and a major shakeup in the department's former administration — was sentenced Mondy to nine months in the Osceola County...
County Road 532, also called ChampionsGate Boulevard, will close to traffic for overpass work overnight much of the coming week. (Graphic/FDOT)

County Road 532, also called ChampionsGate Boulevard, will close to traffic for overpass work overnight much of the coming week. (Graphic/FDOT)

Details on a ChampionsGate Boulevard (County Road 532) closure at I-4 this week

News Staff
Sunday, October 12, 2025
UPDATE: This closure will be in effect again this week, from Monday through Wednesday (Oct. 13-15). The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will be closing ChampionsGate Boulevard (County Road 532) under Interstate 4 (I-4) each night at 11:00 p.m. until 5:30 a.m., starting this Monday (Oct.
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