ORANGE COUNTY INTERNET NEWS SERVICE

PRIVATELY  OWNED & OPERATED

ORLANDO, FLORIDA, USA 

TERMS OF WEBSITE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BILL SEGAL    Biography 

BILL SEGAL WEBSITE http://www.billsegal.com/

LINDA STEWART   Biography

LINDA STEWART WEBSITE http://www.lindastewartformayor.com/

MILDRED FERNANDEZ  Biography

MILDRED FERNANDEZ http://www.mildredformayor2010.com/ 

TIM ADAMS WEBSITE http://www.adamsformayororangecounty.com/

TERESA JACOBS WEBSITE http://www.teresaformayor.com

ORANGE COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES GOES “BONKERS 4 BOGO”

~New Adoption Promotion Kicks off Division’s Summer of Saving!~

ORLANDO, Fla.—June 1, 2010—Orange County Animal Services kicked off a new promotion today—the first day of national Adopt-A-Shelter Cat Month—aimed at saving the lives of hundreds of cats during June.

“The goal of ‘Bonkers 4 BOGO’ is to increase cat adoptions by waiving one adoption fee when two cats are adopted at the same time,” said Katherine Lockett, Division Manager of Animal Services. “The great thing is that we’ve extended the promotion to include friends and family. We realize not everyone wants two cats, but they probably know someone else who is interested in adopting, too. And now they can adopt together and pay only one $40 adoption fee for both!”

The event kicks off Animal Services’ “Summer of Saving,” which features a new cat promotion each month from June 1-Aug. 31. Effective today, a new cat adoption area will be open to the public from 12 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

“The new adoption area opens nearly 100 housing units of cats and kittens to the public,” said Lockett. “Many of those units house litters of kittens that came in together and would be a perfect match for adopting in pairs.”

Animal Services is encouraging adoption, foster care and foster-to-adopt in order to save as many lives as possible during kitten season, the shelter’s busiest time of year.

“We’re not going to spend the summer humanely euthanizing healthy, friendly, adoptable cats,” said Lockett. “It’s not ok, it’s not what we stand for, and we don’t think it’s what our community wants.”

The Division is hoping its new adoption promotions will make it as easy and uncomplicated to adopt a shelter cat this summer. Cat and kitten adoption fees are just $40 and include:

·         Spaying or neutering

·         FVRCP and rabies vaccinations

·         FLV/FIV testing

·         Microchip identification

·         Deworming

·         5 lb. Bag of Science Diet Dry Food

·         Adoption Welcome Kit and Training Video

Orange County Animal Services is located at 2769 Conroy Road, Orlando, FL 32839 near the Mall at Millenia and IKEA. The facility is open for adoptions Monday–Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, please visit www.ocnetpets.com .

MEADOW WOODS

The attached notice was sent out on Friday, May 28, 2010 to ~95 residents.

Planning requests that a representative from the Development Engineering Division and Orange County Public Schools be present at the meeting.

MEADOW WOODS.doc

GRAND OPENING FOR BARNETT PARKS FOOTBALL FIELD

COMMISSIONER MOORE RUSSELL TO LEAD THE WAY

            ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. –District 6 Commissioner Tiffany Moore Russell will join the Orange County Parks and Recreation Division in celebrating the Grand Opening of Barnett Parks Football Field.  The event will take place on Wednesday, June 9 at 5:30 p.m. 

            For more information please call (407) 836-6243.  Grand Opening for Barnett Parks Football Field

AGENDA

5:30 p.m.                      Remarks

                                    Matt Suedmeyer, Manager

                                    Orange County Parks and Recreation Division

                                    Commissioner Tiffany Moore Russell

                                    District 6

 5:50 p.m.                     Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

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Barnett Park is located at 4801 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando in west Orange County behind the Fairgrounds.

Barnett Park to Host Jr. Magic Basketball for Youngsters

            ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County Parks and Recreation Division’s Barnett Park has registration underway for Jr. Magic Basketball for boys and girls.  Youth ages 5-17 are invited to participate.  The $40 per person fee includes a jersey.  Important Jr. Magic Basketball dates and times:

Registration dates:

Now until May 30, 2010

League play dates:

June12, 2010 – August 7, 2010

                                 Volunteer applications are also being accepted as coaches are needed as 

                                  well.                                                                              

 For more information, please call staff at (407) 836-6248.

Barnett Park is located at 4801 W. Colonial Drive in Orlando.   It is adjacent

to the Central Florida Fairgrounds.

OCOEE TO HOLD MEMORIAL DAY AND

PEACE POLE DEDICATION CEREMONY ON FRIDAY

OCOEE, FLORIDA – The City of Ocoee will honor fallen troops at its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Friday, May 28 at 11:00 a.m.  The event will be held at the Starke Lake Gazebo, 125 North Lakeshore Drive, next to City Hall.  

In a special tribute to the men and women who gave their lives for freedom, a Peace Pole Dedication will be held during the ceremony.  The New Covenant Church of the Brethren donated the Peace Pole to the City. The Peace Pole is recognized as an international symbol and monument to peace.  It is estimated that there are more than 200,000 Peace Poles that have been dedicated across the world.

Lt. Colonel Sharon A. Branch USAF

The keynote speaker for the Memorial Day and Peace Pole Dedication Ceremony will be Lt. Colonel Sharon A. Branch.   Colonel Branch served 26 years on active duty as an information management and personnel officer in various command and staff positions in Europe and the United States.   In 2002, she began working for Orange County Public Schools as an Aerospace Science Instructor at Dr. Phillips High School. Colonel Branch teaches second through fourth year cadets about leadership, science of flight and exploration of space. She also sponsors after school Air Force JROTC clubs and activities.

The public is invited to attend the Memorial Day and Peace Pole Dedication Ceremony.   Refreshments will be served. 

MILLENNIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Millennia Elementary School presents its annual spring concert and art exhibit. This year’s show has a very timely theme considering the oil spill off the coast of Florida. It is called “Life Beneath the Sea.”

The art exhibit will consist of student designs showing marine life, the ocean, and the environment. Millennia Elementary students will also put on a stage performance of John Jacobson & Roger Emerson’s “Pirates! The Musical.” The students have been learning about the value of taking care of the ocean and the environment through lessons in their art and music classes.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

6:15 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Millennia Elementary School

5301 Cypress Creek Road

Orlando,  FL  32811

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NOTICE OF SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

Notice is hereby given that the School Board of Orange County, Florida, will have a public meeting on June 8, 2010, 3:30 p.m., in Conference Room A at the Educational Leadership Center, 445 W. Amelia Street, Orlando, Florida 32801 for an agenda review session at which time the board will review the agenda for the June 8, 2010 4:30 p.m. meeting and hear from special order speakers immediately following the agenda review.  This is a work session where no formal action will be taken.

Following the agenda review session, the School Board of Orange County, Florida, will meet in regular session at 4:30 p.m. The meeting will be for the purpose of considering a series of items which will be published in an agenda seven days prior to meeting.  The agenda may be obtained at the Educational Leadership Center between the hours of 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

ORANGE COUNTY HONORS ITS FALLEN HEROES

Orange County, FL – May 24, 2010 - The Orange County Mayor’s Veterans Advisory Council will host a rededication ceremony on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31, 2010 at the Orange County War Memorial located at the Orange County Courthouse Plaza, 425 N. Orange Avenue in Orlando. This community ceremony will begin at 10:00 am.

A special tribute will be made in honor of Staff Sgt. Randy M. Haney, U.S. Army,  a resident of Orange County, who died in Afghanistan in September, 2009.  His name has been added to the Orange County Memorial Wall. (Information attached.)

Guest speaker for this ceremony will be Colonel David A. Smith, USMC Program Manager, Training Systems, Marine Corps Systems Command.

For information and attendance confirmation, please call 407-836-5430.

“ANGELS WANTED” AT ORANGE COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES

Urgent Need for New Foster Parents to Aide Orphaned Kittens

ORLANDO, Fla.—May 25, 2010—Orphaned kittens, homeless puppies, sick and injured animals—Orange County Animal Services receives hundreds of these types of pets every week during its busiest season, which is in full swing right now. The agency is in urgent need of foster parents to come to the aid of the community’s most helpless animals.

“Kitten season is the time of year when cats give birth, flooding Animal Services with litters of homeless cats,” said Katie Lockett, Division Manager for Orange County Animal Services. “We currently have more than 300 homeless cats at our shelter. Many of them are pregnant, nursing or orphaned young, and most will not survive without the loving assistance provided by a foster family.”

Animal Services also places puppies and other pets requiring special care in its Foster Care Program until they are ready for adoption. The tremendously successful program has resulted in 99 percent of animals that returned healthy from foster care being adopted or rescued during the last fiscal year.

“Last year, we saved 755 animals through our foster care program,” said Lockett. “This year, we’re aiming even higher to save more lives than ever.”

Orientation sessions are being held regularly Orange County residents interested in joining the program. For more information about Animal Services’ Foster Care Program, please call 407-254-9140 or visit www.ocfl.net/foster .

OFFICE OF COMPTROLLER

RESORT TAX COLLECTIONS

ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA

ORLANDO, FLORIDA -- County Comptroller Martha Haynie announced today that resort tax collections received by the County in April for the hotel collection month of March 2010 were $15,880,300. Resort taxes are charged on short-term rentals, mostly hotels and motels.

Comptroller Haynie noted that March 2010 collections were roughly 14 percent higher than March 2009. “March 2009 saw one of the sharpest declines we have experienced in the TDT collections, and most of the year was pretty dismal. This upturn in the revenue doesn’t get us out of the ditch, but it is a very welcome development.” Haynie stated.

News from OCPS

TARGET SCHOOL LIBRARY MAKEOVER PROGRAM

Target School Library Makeover Program selects Engelwood Elementary for major project; two other schools receive books and technology

Target announced they will renovate the media center at Engelwood Elementary School. Target, in partnership with The Heart of America Foundation, and general contract partner Williams Company will work on making the media center a true hub of activity for the school. In addition to the media center facelift, the school will receive 2,000 new books and each student will get seven books to take home. According to Principal Kelly Pelletier, “We are extremely excited and are looking forward to our new learning space!”

The good news doesn’t end with Engelwood Elementary School. Target is also supplying Riverside and Oak Hill elementary schools with $5,000 worth of technology each and $1,000 worth of books for each media center.

The Engelwood Elementary School renovation is expected to be completed by September.

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MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS UNDERWAY AT UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL

Construction is underway on the comprehensive renovation of University High School located in East Orange County. The School Board of Orange County approved a $40.7 million budget for the project. The improvements will be done in phases, with the entire project scheduled for completion in February 2012.

“Since 1990 University High School has served the educational needs of East Orange County,” said School Board Chairman Joie Cadle (District 1). “I am very excited we have started on the improvements, which will be a source of great pride for the community when all the work is completed.”

The new design of the high school will create one consolidated campus serving grades 9-12. A new classroom building, central kitchen, expanded dining room and media center are also part of the new look of the high school. Other features of the project include an addition to and the renovation of the existing administration building. Plans also include the renovation of existing spaces into new science labs and new classrooms for exceptional student education. The renovation package includes upgraded classroom technology and campus security enhancements.

“The comprehensive renovation of University High is being funded with money from the sales tax referendum approved by voters,” said Superintendent Ronald Blocker. “The district’s capital program makes it possible to bring new life to many of our older schools throughout the district.”

Reynolds, Smith and Hills, Inc. designed the campus improvements and Hunt/Gomez is the construction manager of the project.

“Our planners and designers have developed a creative way to renovate University High causing the least interruption of the day to day classroom experience,” said Chief Facilities Officer Bob Proie.

Hi…..   My name is Bonnie Head @ Orange County Public Schools.   I just wanted to let you know the we miss your articles everyday and hope that you both are well and doing Okay?   Hope you can get things back and running again soon!!!

OCIN’S RESPONSE:…thanks for your email and thanks for the many others we have received…regrettably, we have been hit with a “double whammy” in the heath department area…recovery is in the hands of someone bigger than our selves…

ORANGE COUNTY

COMMISSION ON AGING

NEWSLETTER

…click on:

COMMISSION ON AGING NEWSLETTER

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~Caregivers Seminars~

Counsel for Caregivers Seminar – Join us on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 12:10 to 12:50 at the Downtown Orlando Public Library, 3rd Floor, Albertson Room to learn more about caregiving resources and programs.  The seminars are FREE and lunch is provided for the first 50 people to RSVP to 407-836-7446 or officeonaging@ocfl.net . 

January – June Caregiver Flyer

(image by OC)

…for latest newsletter, click in the right margin of the following link:

MAYOR CROTTY

… a newsletter from City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer … click on:

MAYOR DYER