If YOU can help with any information, let’s please give KPD OR Crimeline a call and get this dope off the streets. The next time, it could be YOU looking at a gun barrel!
Kissimmee, Fla. (July 30, 2009) – Kissimmee police detectives are looking for a man who robbed a local resident at knife point.

On July 29, 2009 at approximately 1:00 a.m. on the west side of Hoagland Boulevard near the Fox Hall Condos, the victim was approached by an unknown male who asked him “what you got?” while brandishing a kitchen knife. When the victim told his assailant that he had no money, the suspect slashed the victim twice with the knife; cutting the victim’s shirt and leaving two minor slash marks on his chest. The victim fled the area.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic male, approximately 23-28 years-of-age, 5’10” and 170 pounds with an athletic build. The suspect was clean shaven except for a thin mustache, has short shaved black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on the suspect or the crime is asked to contact the Kissimmee Police Department’s Major Crimes Division at 407-846-3333 or by email at seeitsayit@kissimmee.org or CRIMELINE at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477)
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As everyone faces a bad upcoming budget year, many turn to government and ask just what are they doing for you? Why isn’t this cut, why is that so much, and so on. That includes us here, who only just complained about the county manager and what he was NOT doing to help reduce costs, such as taking a pay cut. We now realize that won’t happen. BUT, other government officials, like in Saint Cloud and Kissimmee, have taken cuts, and have reduced their budgets but now face a tough upcoming year. Citizens will not be happy either way the elected officials decide;rollback rate or cut? We would guess that all depends on what citizens want from their governments. Those not wanting services cutbacks, or dare we say, increases, should expect to pay more. That’s just common sense. Others who don’t want, or need services will argue there should be deeper cuts. We won’t argue the fact that there’s ALWAYS going to be something observed that one would say, “Boy, look at that. I sure could cut that from the budget", but those observations are becoming less and less seen. Many should also realize that governments have to pay bills too. There’s no big outcry with OUC or Orange Utilities over their rate increases. We haven’t seen the outcry at grocery stores over higher prices for BASICS, like food. Forget mentioning prescription drugs, over the counter drugs, like aspirin, and also what about the local dry cleaning? Have their prices gone down recently?
When we were ALL enjoying the good time (great for some), we didn’t even look over our shoulders at what was, and what might be again. Businesses raised prices, people spent more, realtors and mortgage companies sold houses and gave mortgages to people who never should have been allowed to even look at the property, let alone purchase it. Where were we then? Where was the outrage then? Landlords raised the rents, sellers raised their selling prices, and buyers paid, or attempted to pay them. EVERYTHING went UP, and EVERYONE enjoyed the party. So, who’s at fault? NOT government, especially not local governments, who simply responded to local service demands at the time they were needed, such as planners to review all those new building plans, and more clerks to collect those additional fees.
When you get right down to it, EVERYone shares the “blame” for where we are today, and not just local government. That doesn’t mean to give them a free ride, by any stretch, but that also means looking into the mirror and seeing a part of the cause, and possibly the blame. We can all look back and see the problem. Can You?

The County’s recent budget meeting was interesting but we must say that Commissioner Ken Smith, once again, was not concentrating on his own domain but looking at others outside of his little magic kingdom. Calling for Constitutional Officers to take pay cuts, and to start trimming their budgets was a nice gesture, but this is a commissioner who cannot even control his own overpaid County Manager, who has told his executive staff that he would not cut his, or their salaries. Of course, that doesn’t mean he won’t do it, he just said it. Mr. Smith would be better to concentrate on not wasting staff time on things having little to do with running the county government, like having staff waste time and money of little projects only he views as needed, like making up little pins and literature for a pet project. Perhaps ALL the Commissioners should re-evaluate their pet projects and hold off on additional spending, other than what is already in place. Perhaps giving money to private organizations which duplicate many services could be looked at and eliminated. Tax dollars currently go towards private groups like the YMCA and the Boys Club, rather than those dollars going to other areas more in need. Yes, we said it. Someone has to. Why do we continually fund these groups? Is it because a commissioner likes the particular group, or sees it as a wonderful voting block? There are other social agencies who do need the help, and do NOT duplicate services given by anyone else. How many child abuse groups are there, under various names and guises, but all doing the very same thing, an important task in itself, but is it not wiser to focus on one particular, successful group and concentrate resources to make that organization the most successful ever? In the past, when we were “in the money", not many of us objected to spreading the money around. Now is the time to object and ask questions. Governments are charged with providing certain services others do not. Such as construction and maintenance of roads. Construction and maintenance of parks/playgrounds. In some areas, collection of waste materials. Water/sewer services (in cities) and, of course, ALL emergency services. Education is supposed to be handled by the local school board, only. We know of no other school boards going in to the home/apartment rental business, home/apartment construction business, or anything else competing with the private sector. Simply, TEACH our children! No more, no less.
There can be some additional cuts in the county’s budget. Not much, but there are ways to adjust salaries of those not even qualified to hold their position. (yes, we’re speaking of the county’s HR person) No qualifications, no education, and he commands a very high salary.
This all sounds great but until management sniffs reality, and the elected leaders actually step back and re-evaluate their own conduct, which will help them to better serve the citizens, we’ll all be around next year, still complaining about costs, and still saying it’s all government’s fault.

We’re happy to tell everyone that the Saint Cloud Beach is now open for everyone! The State Health Department cleared the beach and everyone is invited to go and take a nice, cool, dip into the lake! Ahhhh, at currently 90 degrees, that does sound nice.

This past Tuesday night’s Kissimmee Commission meeting, Mayor swan read from a prepared statement, basically lambasting Commissioner Art Otero’s attempt at politicizing the statement, “In God We Trust". Swan’s statement lasted a few minutes but Otero just did not get the message as he insisted he believed in what he tried to get done. Okay, that’s swell Art, but it’s over. Now, let’s get back to REAL city business and finding where the city will locate the several million dollar shortfall! THAT seems important to us, how about you Art?

Okay, we’re off the soapbox. now, we’ll answer some email;

Larry in St Cloud sent us an email asking why we only cover the Kissimmee Police Department and Osceola Sheriff’s office in news releases. Great question Larry, but here’s an even better answer. We have requested all public releases from the City of Saint Cloud. While we do receive many notices, we have NEVER received one regarding the police department. We can only guess they would rather handle whatever they have, in their own department, and not send anything our way. Sorry larry. but if you want to contact them we’ll be happy to share anything they send us!

Heather wrote us an email saying she thinks we spend too much time on the County business and we should concentrate more on the school board and cities. Okay heather, we’ll do our best to get MORE involved, but please understand that the pay for this blog is not near what the County Manager receives! In fact, we don’t believe we collect anything, when we last checked! How about all of you doing us a favor and let the boss know how you feel about this blog and maybe, we’ll get a free cup of coffee every now and then.(as long as we buy the coffee, buy the coffee pot, and make it ourselves!)

That’s it for now, but we do wish everyone a wonderful weekend. To our county employee friends, we wish you the best of luck with what you have to deal with. We’re indeed sorry we couldn’t make it better for you, but hang in there, those of you left.

God Bless you all. Be healthy and always be safe.