Daily
Kissimmee
Wednesday, August 20th, 2025
Good morning, Kissimmee. Here's your local news at a glance for Wednesday, the 20th of August.
CRIME NEWS
- ➤ A former reptile dealer in Osceola County was sentenced after investigators found 111 African fat-tailed geckos abandoned in a dirty storage unit in 2023, with 41 dead and no food or water provided — he must serve four years of probation, complete 100 hours of community service, pay over $5,000 in restitution, and is banned from owning or handling animals. FOX 35 Orlando
- ➤ A storage unit in St. Cloud held more than 100 African fat-tailed geckos with 41 dead and the rest in unsanitary containers, and 48-year-old Kelvin Soto (who had an expired reptile license) was arrested in Virginia last week and pleaded guilty to felony animal cruelty. WESH
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ The legendary Mystery Fun House is being reimagined—thanks to Chuck E. Cheese—and will open later this summer at Westgate Vacation Villas Resort in Kissimmee. FOX 35's David Martin visited to preview the new arcade experience. FOX 35 Orlando
ECONOMY NEWS
- ➤ On August 19th, the Kissimmee City Commission approved a Master Development Agreement with Azure Hotel International for a more than $180 million redevelopment of the Civic Center site into a 10-story, 300-room luxury hotel and a 45,000-square-foot convention center. The project is set to create 400 construction jobs and 150 to 250 permanent hospitality positions while boosting local property taxes—though construction timelines remain pending. FOX 35 Orlando
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Valencia College President Dr. Kathleen Plinske visited the Osceola County Board of County Commissioners meeting on Monday—where she reported that the Osceola Prosper scholarship program raised the college-going rate in our county to third in Florida—and noted that the program, which began in 2022, has enrolled over 10,550 participants to support two years of tuition for local high school graduates. This initiative is expected to deliver long-term benefits for our community. Positively Osceola
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ Gov. DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Tuesday that Florida filed a lawsuit against McGraw Hill and Savvas Learning Co.—which allegedly overcharged school districts in at least 5,900 cases and may face up to $60.5 million in penalties—after a $279,000 overcharge was found in Osceola County. Orlando Weekly
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ On Friday, August 15, Celebration High School’s football opener got a boost when THE ROAR of the Jaguars—the official cheerleaders from the Jacksonville Jaguars—made a surprise visit as part of Experience Kissimmee’s partnership. The cheerleaders joined the school team on the sidelines and then took part in local events during their annual retreat in town. Positively Osceola
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Grow Osceola: Unlock Your CRM's Potential
9-11 a.m. — UCF Business Incubation Program - Kissimmee — Free admission — Discover how to enhance your CRM for greater business growth with hands-on training.
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