Here are the five things you need to know in and around Osceola County for June 2, 2020!
(1.) Yesterday in Kissimmee, protesters and police of multiple races and creeds walked side by side in unity with the same goal: ending the violence by those with authority and ending injustice and racism.
We should all have issues with what has happened in Minnesota to a man named George Floyd, and beyond that, with acts of violence by police against people of color. We should all be willing to agree that if we’re to grow together as a community, as a nation, and as a world, we need to do so together, openly, unafraid, boldly,. We need to do so peacefully and listen and learn from each other. In Kissimmee yesterday, the people wanted to be heard, and they got their chance.
It was all done peacefully, civilly, productively and constructively, and our local law enforcement was part of the process.
KPD didn’t stand on the sidewalks in a line, with masks, guns, and bullet proof shields, they walked next to the protesters – they were part of the protest – with those who were there to march – together in the street and in the crowds. They took photos with those who were there to protest – because they were too – to protest. They joined with the young and old, and they were part of saying that this isn’t ok anymore, and that something must be done.
Kissimmee should serve as an example to other areas of the country where riots have gone unchecked. There’s a need for healing in our country, and to heal, we need to listen to each other, have empathy and understanding for each other, show our intolerance for injustice and violence by those who are in authority, and do so in a non-violent way,
So well done to the people, and well done to our law enforcement agencies. Monday was a start, a point of light, and a moment where it looked like we might just have a chance to grow together and not apart.
2. As of Monday, Osceola County has reached 703 COVID-19 cases. Orange County reached 2,031 cases. The state of Florida has now performed over 1,000,000 tests, which represents about 4.5 percent of the state’s 22 million people. Over 14,000 tests have been done in Osceola County. If that’s all unique people being tested, it represents about 3.73 percent of the population. Of the tests done, 4.7 percent have returned positive, below the state average of 5.5 percent. Let’s continue to follow the CDC guidelines which call for social distancing, the wearing of face coverings, washing hands often, and managing how we are in contact with others.
3. More free testing for coronavirus will take place at five locations in Osceola County this week.
The Florida Department of Health in Osceola County at 1875 Fortune Road, in Kissimmee has testing available Mondays and Fridays by appointment only. Call 407-343-2000 to schedule.
Through a partnership with Walmart, Quest Diagnostics and Osceola County, drive-through testing is available at the Walmart Supercenter at 3250 Vineland Road (State Road 535) in Kissimmee. The site is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7-10 a.m. Appointments and further information can be found at MyQuestCovidTest.com.
Osceola Community Health Services will hold testing in three spots this week. Call Osceola Community Health Services at 407-943-8600 to schedule an appointment; limited appointments are available. For the full list of locations, please see our full article on PositivelyOsceola.com.
4. Disney CEO Bob Chapek addressed the question many theme park fans around the world have been asking: why is Disney opening a month later than Universal Orlando and SeaWorld?
In a post from BlogMickey.com, Chapek spoke of “pent-up demand” that a lot of people believe will lead to massive amounts of guests wanting to visit the theme parks once they reopen. It’s this pent-up demand that led Disney to creating the new reservation system that will require guests to
make a reservation to enter the theme parks.
To stay up to date with all things Disney, keep watching PositivelyOsceola.com and all of our social channels… we’ll be bringing more theme park action than ever before!
5. Kissimmee Utility Authority released its 2020 Osceola Hurricane Handbook — a free comprehensive preparedness guide offered annually to Osceola County residents — on Monday, and right on cue, a tropical depression formed.
Tropical Depression 3 is located west of the Yucatan Peninsula in the Bay of Campeche.
A partnership between KUA, Osceola County, the cities of Kissimmee and St. Cloud, Toho Water Authority, UF IFAS Extension in Osceola County and Positively Osceola, the 40-page handbook includes information on emergency shelters, evacuation routes, generator safety and power outage restoration as well as helpful telephone numbers, a disaster supplies checklist and a tropical cyclone tracking chart — all information that will become very important should a major storm threaten Central Florida during the coronavirus pandemic.
The handbook can be downloaded from KUA’s website at www.kua.com/hurricane. Printed copies of the handbook will be available beginning June 8. To receive a copy of the printed handbook by mail, residents should contact KUA at 407-933-9838 or by e-mail at hurricane@kua.com. Persons with disabilities who would like to request this information in an alternative format should contact KUA at 407-933-7777 x6513.
