On Tuesday, Kissimmee approved a final budget that includes a hiring freeze as leaders brace for a potential loss in revenue if Amendment 3 passes in November. Construction of a community center has also been canceled since the city cannot afford the positions to run it, and purchases of vehicles, equipment and other city needs have been put on hold for now.

The property tax rate will stay the same in Osceola County. Commissioners on Monday voted unanimously to maintain the general fund millage rate at 6.7 mills for the 16th consecutive year. The county said to hold the line on the millage rate, it cut planned expenditures by $12 million, instituted a hiring freeze, and postponed nearly $92 million in capital projects.

Deputies in Osceola County arrested a woman who they said tried to kill herself and her two sons, telling deputies that she was struggling to care for the men, who had a severe form of autism.

A man and woman were arrested Thursday at a Kissimmee-area motel after deputies said they found a couple kidnapped and beaten inside. Deputies arrested Salvi Sola-Torres, 37, and Glorimar Ramos-Pagon, 38, at the Siesta Motor Inn on Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway.

News 6 has compiled a list of the latest "book bans" from across Central Florida.

The City of Kissimmee’s Public Works & Engineering Department is moving forward with railroad crossing safety improvements aimed at maintaining the city’s Quiet Zone designation. Construction began in August and is expected to be completed by November.

Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa is speaking publicly for the first time Thursday and only to News 6’s Ashley Garrett since the Florida Commission on Ethics issued her a censure and recommended a $2,000 fine.

A proposed toll road through Split Oak Forest is drawing opposition from environmental advocates and an Orange County commissioner.

Years before he was arrested for an alleged fight with a 14-year-old student, a Poinciana High School campus monitor resigned from the Orange County Corrections Department amid an investigation into an allegation that he engaged in “improper behavior” with an inmate, according to newly obtained documents.

A 2-year-old boy was airlifted to the hospital after drowning on Tuesday, according to the St. Cloud Police Department.

Since launching its mobile food pantry in June, the Salvation Army of Osceola County has seen a steady climb in the number of families seeking food assistance, and officials say they expect that trend to continue.

As Central Florida prepares for dozens more red-light cameras, new data is raising questions about their impact on roadway safety.

An Osceola County judge Friday sentenced a pastor to 30 years in prison for raping a congregant.

An Osceola County judge ruled Thursday that Ahmad Bojeh — accused of fatally shooting three Ohio tourists at a vacation rental — was mentally competent to stand trial, after two court-appointed psychiatrists concluding he is fit to proceed.

School zone speed cameras in St. Cloud generated nearly $563,000 in collected funds and helped reduce speeds while they were active, according to the St. Cloud Police Department’s 2026 annual report.

A man found unconscious after a lightning strike was seen in Celebration was pronounced dead Tuesday.

An Orange County circuit judge who was accused of making more than 900 political contributions has resigned from the bench.

On Thursday, Osceola County commissioners will meet for the First Truth in Millage, or TRIM, public hearing to consider proposed millage rates and a tentative budget for fiscal year ending September 30, 2027. The county is bracing for a potentially massive budget hit if voters approve Amendment 3 in November.

The Florida Commission on Ethics found probable cause that businesses belonging to Mayor Jackie Espinosa or her family received a combined $50,000 in grants through the city’s BOOST 2.0 grant program, which used federal COVID-19 relief money to assist Kissimmee businesses.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier took to the podium on Tuesday to announce that nearly 6 million eggs will be delivered to the Sunshine State after a massive investigation.

An Osceola County school monitor was arrested after getting into a “physical altercation” with a 14-year-old boy on Tuesday, according to the sheriff’s office.

GROW Healthy Kids, a nonprofit focused on whole-child wellness, is distributing more than 1,200 recess kits to 41 K-5 public schools across nine Central Florida counties. Each kit is stocked with classic play supplies — think jump ropes, scoops, balls and cones — designed to get kids moving and interacting with one another.

Growing public pressure and concern about privacy issues had already led to discussions and even suspensions in some local governments. These agencies have done so in Central Florida so far.

Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell addressed rumors Tuesday that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis may suspend her from office a second time, defending her record with conviction rates as high as 100% in some categories, declining crime statistics across her jurisdiction and the support of voters who twice elected her to the position.

The victims — two boys and two girls ranging in age from 5 to 9 — lived in the cab of a semi-truck for six years, where they were sexually abused, malnourished, and forced to use the bathroom in cups and paper bags, said Uthmeier.

The program is designed to help low-income seniors who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, with preference given to elderly applicants.

School threats are something Central Florida communities have seen far too often. Now, Osceola County officials are taking action by launching a new initiative to remind students of the serious consequences of making threats and empowering everyone in the community to speak up.

Three people are hurt, including one in critical condition, after an early morning shooting Saturday, police in Kissimmee say. Officers say the shooting happened just after 4:15 a.m. Saturday, in the near Grande Court.

Deputies in Osceola County are looking for a teenage girl who has been missing since Wednesday and need the public’s help. Natasha Isabell Borowski, 16, was last seen in the area of Eagle Hammock Circle in Kissimmee.

A man was hospitalized after getting stabbed on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident, which happened on a Sunday night, has since sparked a wave of threatening messages after the owner shared the footage on social media

A disabled hospice dog in St. Cloud will soon be moving again after the theft of her specialized wheelchair sparked an outpouring of support.

The fire, known as the Tower Fire, is burning in a rural area near the Econlockhatchee River Swamp, southeast of Lake Hart. As of 12:41 p.m., crews had the blaze 40% contained.

Central Florida’s air quality is improving, according to MetroPlan Orlando, which monitors ozone levels at four locations across the region. The region’s ozone levels remain below the federal attainment standard, a threshold air quality officials want to stay under. Remaining in attainment is important because failing to meet the standard could affect transportation funding.

The Kissimmee Police Department says they have located and arrested a man wanted for aggravated battery.

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office needs your help to find a missing man. Deputies say Enoc Diaz, 48, was last seen in the area of Simpson Road in Kissimmee.

SunRail is temporarily suspending train service between Winter Park and Poinciana, including the Orlando area. The commuter rail system says a signal outage is affecting the service.

Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa will not face a city impeachment trial after commissioners deadlocked 2-2 Tuesday night on whether to move forward.

Here’s where to find election results for Osceola County races in Florida’s primary election on Aug. 18, 2026.

A heat index of 108 degrees in Osceola County has triggered an official cooling center response — and health officials say the risk is all about how long you're outside.

The multimillion-dollar project is designed to slow traffic and improve safety at intersections that have a history of crashes.

Kissimmee's city commission is set to hold a special meeting to vote on whether to remove Mayor Jackie Espinosa from office after a special prosecutor found enough evidence to pursue impeachment over allegations she misused public grant funds intended to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

One lane is back open on Florida’s turnpike after a crash snarled traffic Saturday morning. The Florida Highway Patrol website shows the whole thing happened around 10:40 a.m. near mile marker 242 northbound.

Osceola County requested and was awarded the funding from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to conduct a targeted, one-time removal of shoals and invasive vegetation from Boggy Creek.

Crews responded to the scene along Kaiser Avenue Thursday morning. It is not yet known whether anyone else was injured in the fire.

Central Florida school districts are rapidly rolling out evolving, district-by-district rules that allow limited, transparent AI use in classrooms while tightening guardrails around privacy, academic integrity, and high-stakes decision-making.

The air conditioners are humming again. Refrigerators are cold. And after nearly a week of uncertainty, residents say every home at the St. Cloud Mobile Home Community finally has electricity again.

Michigan Avenue in Osceola County, a stretch long known for pedestrian and bicycle crashes, is set for major improvements after years of funding delays stalled the project.

Doctors at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer say they’re seeing a sharp rise in kids seriously hurt on e-bikes and e-scooters — and first responders are training for what they call a growing epidemic. A high-intensity trauma simulation with the trauma department as well as Orange and Osceola County Fire rescue crews put responders through a chaotic scenario: two children injured in separate crashes, with different life-threatening emergencies.

The School District of Osceola County is moving closer to installing stop-arm enforcement cameras on school buses. Transportation Director Orville Watson told News 6 on Monday that the cameras are on the way.

Florida is the nation’s most “mobile” state so far this year, according to MovingPlace’s 2026 Mid-Year Hottest ZIP Codes report.

Most residents at a St. Cloud mobile home community have electricity again after spending days without power, but neighbors say the ordeal is not over for everyone. News 6 returned Monday to the St. Cloud Mobile Home Park after first visiting the community Friday following a viewer tip about residents living without electricity.

Last year, the district transported 26,000 students while facing a bus driver shortage. This year, some routes have been consolidated, and drivers may be picking up additional students along the way.

News 6 has compiled a list of the latest "book bans" from across Central Florida.

What started as an electrical failure inside a St. Cloud mobile home community has turned into days of spoiled food, unexpected hotel bills and sweltering homes for some of the people who live there. Residents at the St. Cloud Mobile Home Park told News 6 on Friday that part of the community had been without electricity for a third day.

Habitat Orlando & Osceola President & CEO Catherine Steck McManus was joined by District 5 City Commissioner Shan Rose to ceremoniously break ground on the new homes. The properties will be sold to local families with affordable mortgages.

Early voting has already begun in some Central Florida counties, but starting Saturday, all counties across Central Florida will offer early voting for the Florida Statewide Primary election. Find early voting locations, information on what you need to vote, and what's on the ballot, here.

At the same time Kissimmee voters will choose two of their five city commissioners during the Aug. 18 primary, they will also determine whether those elected officials will be able to serve an extra term before they have to step down from the dais, at least temporarily. Voters will also decide if their successors must be subject to a criminal background check to even get on future ballots.

The School District of Osceola County opened its new Transportation and Operations Facility on the west side of the county. The location was a strategic choice as the region continues to see rapid population growth.

Kissimmee’s improved FEMA flood insurance rating (CRS Class 7 to Class 5) will boost eligible NFIP policyholder discounts to 25% starting Oct. 1, saving some residents hundreds annually.

A St. Cloud family behind a mobile lemonade stand says they were surprised when police told them they couldn’t operate from a grassy area across from an Orlando Health facility near an emergency room entrance.

Deep in Osceola County, Florida, Joe Overstreet Road is a short, scenic drive between open cow pastures that’s become a favorite for birders and wildlife photographers. In this Everyday Wild story, Joey Manna breaks down what makes the road special, what you can spot along the way—from meadowlarks to “butcher birds”—and why burrowing owls are the tiny, underground stars that keep everyone coming back.

The Kissimmee City Commission voted to raise the weight limit for commercial vehicles allowed in residential zones from 8,000 pounds to 10,000 pounds and to base enforcement on a vehicle’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, or GVWR.

A social media influencer known online as “Clavicular” will not face charges after being arrested earlier this year, according to state records obtained by News 6.

On Monday, a redesigned food pantry and lounge was unveiled at Seminole High School’s 9th Grade Center — one of five schools across Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Volusia, and Lake counties to receive a makeover through the foundation’s Renovate to Educate program. The renovations were made as an estimated 20,000 students across those five counties are currently experiencing homelessness.

If passed, the millage is expected to generate approximately $62 million a year for the district, with school leaders saying the funding is critical to covering teacher salaries, school safety and student programs.

Property taxes have gone up across Florida — but some places have seen much bigger jumps than others.

Hundreds of families gathered at Northbridge University’s Kissimmee campus Saturday morning for the school’s annual back-to-school event, where children received free backpacks and school supplies. At the same time, parents and students learned lifesaving CPR skills

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were called to Tohopekaliga High School on Thursday after the school’s resource officer reported an alligator on campus.

Florida’s first statewide condo safety inspection report following the 2021 Surfside collapse has been released— and the results revealed dozens of unsafe buildings, millions of dollars in needed repairs, and a data collection process still working out the kinks.

As part of our commitment to providing you with what you need to make an informed decision in the 2026 elections, News 6 joined with the News Collaborative of Central Florida to present the Voting Central Florida 2026 Voter’s Guide. Here are the candidates for the Florida House District 46 Democratic primary.

Tuesday, Aug. 18 is the Florida Statewide Primary election, a mix of party primaries and nonpartisan local elections, such as school board races, judicial races, and county commission races in some counties. Here are the candidates for the Osceola County Commission District 4 Democratic Primary.

Hayden Anthis, a geometry teacher at Harmony High since 2017, was arrested after detectives with the St. Cloud Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children unit say he began corresponding in an online forum with who he thought was a 14-year-old girl. Back in June, detectives say the conversations began. On Thursday, police say Anthis offered to meet for sex — and showed up with condoms.

Tuesday, Aug. 18 is the Florida Statewide Primary election, a mix of party primaries and nonpartisan local elections, such as school board races, judicial races, and county commission races in some counties. Here are the candidates for the Osceola County Commission District 4 Republican Primary.

Tuesday, Aug. 18 is the Florida Statewide Primary election, a mix of party primaries and nonpartisan local elections, such as school board races, judicial races, and county commission races in some counties. Here are the candidates for Osceola County School Board District 1.

Kissimmee Fire crews responded to a pawnshop fire on Friday morning.

A Kissimmee woman is suing a contractor working on a major Florida’s Turnpike widening project, alleging months of dust, soot, diesel residue, noise and bright lights made her mobile home unlivable.

The Squeeze and the rest of the MLP will play at ESPN Wide World of Sports this weekend.

Heart of Florida United Way unveiled its United Learning Lab Tuesday — a converted passenger bus equipped with Starlink technology capable of connecting more than 500 devices at once, designed to bring digital education, tax preparation services, and community resources directly to underserved residents across Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties at least five days a week.

Florida’s statewide primaries are three weeks away, and Osceola County election officials are taking steps to make sure every vote is counted accurately and that the public can see it happen. The Osceola County Supervisor of Elections office conducted its Logic and Accuracy Testing Tuesday and community members were welcome to observe.

A trial is underway in Osceola County for Anas Muhammad, charged as an adult with first-degree murder in the 2022 stabbing death of 16-year-old Paola Pagan, who was attacked outside her Kissimmee apartment as she left for school.

With the first day of school just around the corner, the School District of Osceola County is turning its attention to artificial intelligence. The district is holding a workshop Tuesday focused on AI implementation, giving the School Board an update on how AI is being used to support students, employees and operations.

A 5-year-old from Brevard County died on Monday after he drowned in a pool at an Airbnb, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.

Ahead of Florida's Aug. 18 statewide primary, Central Florida election supervisors are urging all registered voters — not just party members — to participate, as the ballot includes nonpartisan races for school board, county commission, judicial seats, and select universal primary races that are open to every eligible voter.

The family of a 20-year-old man fatally shot by Osceola County sheriff’s deputies outside a Target in 2022 has reached a $1 million settlement in a federal civil rights lawsuit, with the family’s attorney saying he hopes the agreement will promote accountability within the sheriff’s office.

A “juvenile male” was struck by gunfire in Kissimmee on Thursday evening, according to the police department.

A new 60-unit affordable housing community called Buen Vecino, developed by the Osceola Council on Aging in partnership with Osceola County and federal, state, and local partners, is opening in the Buenaventura Lakes area of Kissimmee to provide safe, stable housing for residents age 62 and older earning within set income limits.

Three years before Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez was arrested in connection with an illegal gambling operation, video obtained by News 6 shows Lopez’s deputies stumbling upon a ‘casino’ allegedly linked to their boss.

A special prosecutor is recommending that Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa be impeached following an ethics investigation that found she received $50,000 from a city grant program she helped control.

The Kissimmee resort announced “The Polar Express” will headline this year’s ICE! attraction, a 20,000-square-foot, walk-through experience carved entirely from approximately 2 million pounds of ice.

The Florida Supreme Court is not accepting a plan to reprimand a Central Florida judge over a perceived racial remark during a plea hearing last year, nor for telling two defense attorneys to “shut up” during a jury selection proceeding.

Officers were called to Plaza del Sol on Vine Street and North Hoagland Boulevard just before 11 p.m. When they arrived, they found a person behind the Ross store. That person was pronounced dead at the scene.

Osceola County has launched a self-service Fire Protection Rating Letter Portal that allows residents, property owners, and insurance professionals in unincorporated Osceola County to instantly generate official ISO fire protection classification letters online — potentially unlocking lower insurance premiums.

The mother of a two-year-old who was killed when another child found a gun and fired it in Osceola County earlier this month now could be charged with culpable negligence.

County leaders are set to vote on a cooperative agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc., a planning, engineering and design firm with a track record of major projects across Florida.

A suspected reckless driver in Osceola County reached speeds of 135 mph before sheriff’s deputies were finally able to stop him earlier this month.

A string of unintentional shootings involving children across Central Florida over the past six months has sparked renewed debate over firearm safety, responsible gun ownership, and whether such incidents can truly be called accidents.

Over the past year, Sea and Shoreline, in partnership with Conservation Florida and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, has planted 250,000 native eelgrass plants across a 50-acre stretch of the lake, a project that organizers say could have a ripple effect all the way to the Florida Everglades.

According to the city, the project will also strengthen connections to regional transit services, including LYNX, SunRail, Amtrak and Greyhound, while supporting the continued economic vitality of area businesses.

President Donald Trump is expected to speak about elections on Thursday, raising concerns about foreign interference. But in Central Florida at least, election supervisors say they are prepared to fend off security issues ahead of the primary and midterms in the coming months.