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Tag: Osceola

  • How St. Cloud aims to prepare for population growth over the next 20 years

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    ST. CLOUD, Fla. — Growth throughout the city of St. Cloud has far surpassed what city officials predicted it would look like decades ago, with tens of thousands of people who’ve either moved to the city or whose property where they live was annexed.

    What You Need To Know

    • St. Cloud city officials will present proposed future land-use and transportation development plans to the city council on Oct. 9 for approval 

    • In St. Cloud’s 2002 comprehensive plan, the city projected its population would hit 38,000 by 2020. In 2020, it hit 59,000 because more people moved into the city and or their property was annexed  

    • Community development officials cite this growth as one of the main reasons they need to adapt their land-use plans as part of the city’s overall comprehensive plan for 2045  

    • If approved, the new land-use plans should accommodate 18,000 new homes to be built by 2050. It also would allow for more land to be set aside for commercial use


    This growth isn’t expected to slow down, and city officials are now working to adopt new future land-use maps for the first time in 20 years.

    “In our 2002 comprehensive plan, the city projected that we would be around 38,000 (people) by year 2020, and it turns out by year 2020, we were actually at over 59,000,” Community Development Director Melissa Dunklin said.

    St. Cloud’s population is expected to hit 108,000 people by 2050, considering current city limits, Dunklin said.

    New future land-use maps should help the city better target housing needs and employment needs, she said.

    “What the No. 1 goal of this update is to balance our jobs-to-housing ratio,” Dunklin said. “Right now, we have approximately half a job per household, which causes people to have to leave to go to work — leave city limits to go to work.

    “So what we’re trying to accomplish through this future land-use map update is designating and reserving enough land so that we have enough land set aside for employment and commercial uses so that we can have a 1:1 at a minimum; a 1:1 jobs-to-housing ratio.”

    St. Cloud community development officials said that they will present their future land-use and transportation development plans to the city council for final adoption on Oct. 9.

    The annexation of more land into city limits is a major reason old land-use maps and population projections from 2002 are now far outdated.

    “That’s why it did not appear to be accurately estimated,” Dunklin said. “There were annexations that happened that by what I think it was 2025, our city limits, the land area itself had tripled since 2000.

    “We are actively and strategically annexing land as land develops. We annex it so that we can provide their services to those areas. The city also works with the county and the school district to jointly plan the whole area.”

    The new land-use maps, if approved and adopted, should accommodate 18,000 new homes to be built by 2050.

    Dunklin also said the new land-use map would allow for more land to be set aside for commercial use.

    “Regarding the exact square footage for retail and commercial space, I don’t have that number in front of me, but we do expect that by preserving land and setting land aside, what we’re doing is where we’re preserving land so that those parcels will not be built out by homes,” Dunklin said. “So, if we can set that land aside and preserve it for jobs, and rather than homes, then when the market is ripe for development for that nonresidential commercial space, we have it set aside.”

    Dunklin said certain areas of land connecting Lakeshore Boulevard to downtown are being proposed to have neighborhood commercial land-use designations where homes can be transitioned into other businesses, such as an office or a café, for example.

    Mobility fees were just adjusted this year and should not be affected by the proposals of the new land-use maps, Dunklin said.

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    Jordan Mead

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  • SpaceX set to launch Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on Sunday

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    SpaceX set to launch Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on Sunday

    Updated: 5:15 PM EDT Sep 14, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    >>>Watch the launch live in the video player aboveSpaceX has scheduled a Falcon 9 launch of Northrop Grumman’s next Cygnus mission to the International Space Station on Sunday. Liftoff is targeted for 6:11 p.m. from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.Eight minutes after liftoff, Falcon 9’s first stage is expected to land on SpaceX’s Landing Zone 2.SpaceX said there is a possibility that residents of Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Indian River, Seminole, Volusia, Polk, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the landing.

    >>>Watch the launch live in the video player above

    SpaceX has scheduled a Falcon 9 launch of Northrop Grumman’s next Cygnus mission to the International Space Station on Sunday.

    Liftoff is targeted for 6:11 p.m. from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

    Eight minutes after liftoff, Falcon 9’s first stage is expected to land on SpaceX’s Landing Zone 2.

    SpaceX said there is a possibility that residents of Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Indian River, Seminole, Volusia, Polk, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the landing.

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  • Public hearings set for Poinciana’s Southport Connector Expressway

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    POINCIANA, Fla. — Three public hearings will take place next week on the Southport Connector Expressway, called the “Great Wall of Poinciana” by some. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Public hearings are set for Sept. 16, 17 and 18 regarding the Southport Connector Expressway

    • Central Florida Expressway Authority says the elevated toll road would reduce congestion in Poinciana

    • Critics argue the toll road, built in the median of Cypress Pkwy, would split Poinciana in half


    The Central Florida Expressway Authority will hold public hearings on the Project Development and Environment study on Sept. 16, 17 and 18.

    Poinciana drivers have some of the worst commute times in the nation.

    “It was pretty bad when we first moved here. It has gotten much worse since then,” said Keith Laytham, a resident of Poinciana’s Solivita 55+ community for 17 years.

    The expressway authority said traffic on Cypress Parkway has increased 25% in the past 5 years, and they expect it to increase another 29% in the next 25 years.

    “Cypress Parkway is very heavily congested,” said Laytham.

    That is why early on, Laytham supported the Southport Connector Expressway, an elevated toll road built in the median of Cypress Parkway.

    “Right in the middle of the lanes here,” Laytham explained. “But the best part would be (it would) overpass all of the traffic lights at the intersections.”

    The expressway authority’s Southport Connector Expressway would stretch from Poinciana Parkway through Poinciana, below Lake Toho and over to Florida’s Turnpike.

    However, some residents aren’t for the plan, including Lita Epstein.

    “There’s no question that it’s going to divide the community,” said Epstein.

    Epstein started a group urging for an alternate route, concerned an elevated expressway down the middle of the community would split Poinciana in half.

    “There really is not much choice for Poinciana,” she said. “Poinciana has no alternative.”

    When it became apparent that officials would not consider an alternate route, Epstein pushed for this project to include more benefits for residents of Poinciana.

    Instead of building a wall down the middle of Cypress Parkway for the elevated toll road, the expressway authority agreed to make some of it a bridge-like structure.

    “It won’t be as much of a wall. The Great Wall of Poinciana won’t exist for most of the community,” said Epstein.

    Another big victory, according to Epstein, is the expressway authority agreeing to widen Cypress Parkway, so that local traffic not on the new toll road will have six lanes instead of four.

    There are still others who think the Southport Connector Expressway won’t benefit local drivers, the widened Cypress Parkway will have narrow lanes, and the construction will affect businesses and the environment.

    But Epstein and Laytham see more eye-to-eye now, agreeing something has to be done to tackle the crushing congestion in Poinciana.

    “We can’t go with the no-build alternative, leaving traffic conditions as they are,” said Epstein. “No, because it’s a parking lot already,” Laytham added.

    Here is information on the three public hearings:

    • Liberty High School
      • 4250 Pleasant Hill Road, Kissimmee, FL
      • Tuesday, Sept. 16
      • 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
    • Virtual
      • Wednesday, Sept. 17
      • 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
      • Register here
    • Poinciana Community Center
      • 445 Marigold Avenue, Poinciana, FL
      • Thursday, Sept. 18
      • 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
    • Anthony DePalma Center
      • 395 Marigold Avenue, Poinciana, FL
      • Thursday, Sept. 18
      • 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

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    Jerry Hume

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  • Nonprofit founded by Central Florida woman fills critical needs in Four Corners

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    CLERMONT, Fla. — Hands of Hope America founder and chief executive officer Evelisse Bookhout’s history as an at-risk youth led her to start the nonprofit in the Four Corners community to fill the critical needs of residents.

    She created Hands of Hope America in 2019 after discovering gaps in needs like childcare, education and food security in the Four Corners area.

    What You Need To Know

    • Hands of Hope America founder Evelisse Bookhout is a veteran who grew up as an at-risk youth 

    • For that reason, she said she wants to help advocate for youths in Lake, Polk, Osceola and Orange counties

    • The nonprofit started with a food pantry and has grown to offer mental health counseling, after-school tutoring and adult English classes

    • Bookhout said Hands of Hope seeks to bring together governments, nonprofits and community leaders to work across county lines to provide critical services to residents

    The nonprofit started with a food pantry and has grown to provide wraparound services like free mental health counseling, after-school tutoring and adult English classes in Lake, Polk, Osceola and Orange counties.

    Now the organization serves thousands of families from its centralized location in Clermont, seeking to empower low-income families.

    She said her heart is with the children.

    “Being the example out in the community, being able to advocate for what we believe our community needs,” Bookhout said.

    Hands of Hopes’ needs assessment, which will be released this month, showed there is a lack of collaborative funding and efforts across county lines, leaving many residents without critical services, Bookhout said. 

    Pressing concerns across all four counties include major gaps in housing, food security, healthcare, employment services, education and transportation, the assessment revealed.

    She and her team of interns discovered public transportation times are limited, and they don’t connect from one county to another. 

    “Right now, we are calling for collaborative partners to be able to work together to continue to serve the need here in this community,” Bookhout said.

    A centralized community center to link families with an after-school program and bigger space for kids also is needed, she said.

    Right now, children play in the building’s parking lot. 

    “There isn’t much for the kids to do, so we have a lot of violence and drug use within our youth in our community, and I think it’s because parents need to work. They have to provide, and so parents are not around when kids get home from school,” said Rose Sterling, a case manager at the nonprofit.

    Sterling learned about Hands of Hope’s services through one of its food distribution events.

    “We have three boys, and kids weren’t really playing outside. My son is on the autism spectrum, and he was really struggling mentally,” Sterling said. “He needed friends.”

    She brought her son to one of the nonprofit’s summer programs, and he immediately started building leadership skills and making friends. 

    “Being able to give back to not only the community, but the place that gave me so much hope,” Sterling said.

    Next steps for Bookhout and the organization include more advocacy for those who need a hand.

    Bookhout, who didn’t have a lot of as she was raised by a single mom, said the community’s needs fuel her work.

    “Those experiences have truly shaped my passion for serving the community, and it’s something I’ll continue to do as long as I can,” Bookhout said.

    To help meet those needs, Bookhout said a unified vision, clear communication and resource sharing is required. She said she and the organization will work to bring together county governments, nonprofits and leaders to meet the needs of the growing population.

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    Maria Serrano

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  • Tohopekaliga’s Andrew Hines found football after the loss of his mother

    Tohopekaliga’s Andrew Hines found football after the loss of his mother

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    KISSIMMEE, Fla. — People who play football use it as a way to have fun. Some use it to help better themselves and some use it to get away from the reality of life.

    What You Need To Know

    • Tohopekaliga High School’s Andrew Hines lost his mother to cervical cancer in 2020

    • To help him grieve with the loss of his mother, family members suggested playing football to cope with the pain

    • Hines has committed to attend and play for the University of South Florida

    Tohopekaliga High’s Andrew Hines uses the sport for all three. When he puts on his jersey, it just means more to him.

    “It reminds me there is more to football than going out there than just hitting people,” said Hines. “Made a ton of relationships that will last a lifetime. Ultimately playing under Coach Diso (head coach Anthony Paradiso) has been amazing.”

    These are some wise words coming from someone who has only been playing the game of football for the last five seasons. The defensive lineman started playing in the eighth grade, and it’s a sport Hines has learned to love.

    “Man, the grit, being able to whoop someone that is your own size,” he said. “The thrill of being able to have a clean shot at a quarterback or clean shot at a running back and take everything out right there.”

    Since he has stepped onto the field, he has created a family bond with his teammates at Tohopekaliga.

    “I think the guys I have met are going to be family and not replace what my mother had with me, but definitely fill in that spot,” said Hines.

    In 2020, after a long battle, Kristi McCune lost her battle against cervical cancer at the age of 46.

    “She was my world. She sacrificed everything she could have ever wanted for us, my siblings and I,” he said. “I miss her voice. I still have some videos of us talking on my phone so I can go back and listen, but definitely miss hearing her voice.”

    Hines says it’s really special listening and watching to voice memos and the videos on his phone. It helps him remain connected to his mother.

    “It means the world. Being able to see her smile again, all the good moments, a good collage of everything we have done together, it means a lot,” Hines said.

    To help him grieve with the loss of his mother, family members suggested playing football to cope with the pain.

    “So we had to find something out, something to channel my energy, get my mind off of things, so we decided that Pop Warner football might be the best,” he said. “I think it has helped in a healthy way for sure.”

    The work he has put in and off the gridiron has now led to a college scholarship. Earlier this year, Andrew decided where he wanted to go.

    “January 28th, I committed to the University of South Florida,” Hines said.

    And once he stepped on campus for a visit, it didn’t take long to determine he wanted to be a Bull.

    “About three hours. I was on campus, I was there for the junior day, maybe an hour,” he said. “Coach Patrick (defensive line coach Kevin Patrick) offered me, showed me around the school a little bit by myself and I was like, ‘Man, like, this guy, he matches my energy, I love this.’”

    Another reason why Hines chose USF is the opportunity to get playing time early in his college career. He will have a chance to do that because of the combination of his size and athletic ability.

    “I’m about 6’5” and 270 pounds, but my explosiveness, my twitch, my mindset to keep getting better was a huge part of it,” Hines said.

    Playing in college and earning a scholarship would’ve made his mother full of joy, but Hines says her reaction would’ve been contrite.

    “I don’t think she would say anything. I think she would just hug me,” he said. “I think that she would be so proud of me right now and if she were to say anything, ‘I’m proud of you.’”

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    Nick Allen

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  • AdventHealth Awards Nearly $1 Million to Central Florida Nonprofits

    AdventHealth Awards Nearly $1 Million to Central Florida Nonprofits

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    AdventHealth is distributing nearly $1 million to recipients of its 2023 Community Health Improvements Grants, giving four Central Florida nonprofits the opportunity to bolster their missions.

    These Community Health Improvement Grants aim to improve access to resources and enhance community wellness.

    Mental health was selected as the priority for the 2024 funding cycle based on community health issues addressed in the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment and 2023-2025 Community Health Plan.

    The grants will support the projects of these local nonprofits that address Central Florida’s mental and behavioral health challenges.

    “AdventHealth understands that it takes a collaborative approach to address our region’s pressing health challenges, which is why investing back into our community is a priority for us. There is a need for easily accessible mental health services in Central Florida, and these organizations are answering the call for help,” said Tricia Edris, chief innovation and partnerships officer for AdventHealth Central Florida Division. “They are working tirelessly for their communities, ensuring that those in need receive vital resources. We are proud to partner with these nonprofits as they continue to address the needs of our community with the support of the Community Health Improvement Grants.”

    The grant recipients are:

    • Hispanic Federation – Florida Regional Division, Por Nosotros: Facilitating Mental Health Care for Latinos: The Hispanic Federation aims to provide culturally competent mental wellness programming in both English and Spanish to Hispanic community members in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties. The grant will support their programming that includes intensive education to 300 individuals about mental health, available services, and other aspects of living a healthy lifestyle. The Hispanic Federation will also provide culturally sensitive community education addressing the misconceptions and stigma of mental wellness and avenues to seek support.
    • MAN UP Mentoring, Inc., The Man Up Grace Project – Immersive Mental Health Pilot Project: This pilot mindfulness program includes the use of virtual reality coupled with traditional therapy to reduce maladaptive behaviors in students while improving their stress and anxiety levels. Funding will support the creation and implementation of cutting-edge mental health software for students in need enrolled in Orange County Public Schools’ Title I Schools.
    • Gifted Ones, Inc., GO! Mental Health Initiative: This initiative offers personal well-being and professional development resources to mental health professionals of all disciplines and roles who are looking to maintain a sustainable career that supports their wellness. With this grant, the initiative will provide tailored training and support services to 75 mental health professionals and mental health support staff as well as scholarships for up to 100 hours of qualified supervision to 40 pre-licensed mental health professionals to increase access and decrease barriers for mental health professionals seeking state licensure.
    • Above and Beyond – Children and Community Services, Wraparound: The program creates positive changes in the lives of youths and families in the tri-county area by aiming to prevent the escalation of mental health needs that may lead to more intensive services. The grant will fund a care coordinator and family advocate, which will allow the organization to provide the wraparound process to 100 individuals with complex mental health needs in Orange County, Osceola County and Seminole County.

    “By improving access to mental health resources in Central Florida, more people will be able to get the information and help they need,” said Laudi Campo, state director of the Hispanic Federation. “We are grateful for AdventHealth’s support, because through this grant, we aim to break down barriers and eliminate the stigma that prevents people from seeking help, empowering them to prioritize and improve their mental health.”

    The next application cycle for the Community Health Improvement Grants will focus on workforce development, and is slated to open this spring.

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