St. Cloud Hospital performs first laparoscopic kidney removal surgery
Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital reports Dr. Sarat Sabharwal performed the hospital’s first laparoscopic nephrectomy this month, a milestone for patient care.
Nephrectomy, or removal of a kidney, may be necessary when a patient has recurrent kidney infections, irreversible damage, long-term obstruction or tumors that indicate kidney cancer. Laparoscopic nephrectomy – a minimally invasive approach – uses tiny incisions in the abdomen that result in decreased blood loss, less pain, plus a shorter hospital stay and recovery. Many patients are able to return to full activity within 3-4 weeks after surgery.
“Orlando Health St. Cloud is now able to offer this service to the community, a demonstration of its commitment to providing world-class healthcare close to home,” Sabharwal said. “Residents now have access to this type of surgical treatment, which can greatly improve a patient’s outcome.”
St. Cloud annexes Bella Tara, considers pedicabs
At its last meeting Dec. 14, the St. Cloud City Council approved the first reading of a plan to annex 655 acres south of Kissimmee Park Road between Lake Tohopekaliga and Florida’s Turnpike.
The Council voted 4-1 to approve the annexation of the future Bella Tara community, with Council Member Linette Matheny opposed. The development is slated to feature up to 2013 residential dwelling units, according to the Sunrise, Fla. Investment and development company Centerline Capital Advisors.
With annexation, the Council noted that the City will be able to manage zoning and other aspects of its development, and collect related impact fees.
One of a number of developments on the drawing board for the Kissimmee Park Road area, Osceola County approved Bella Tara in March 2009. Osceola County granted it a Community Development District, which holds meetings the fourth Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m. at the Hart Memorial Library in downtown Kissimmee.
The final public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 22, 2024.
The City Council also heard a presentation on the potential for pedicabs (small, non-motorized vehicles to provide rides) to be operated in the same general area as the City’s existing golf cart program to possibly link the downtown areas of the city and be used during special events, and selected Matheny to succeed Kolby Urban as Deputy Mayor.
Osceola County announces Flood Alert warning system test
The Osceola County Office of Natural Resources and the Office of Emergency Management will conduct a test of the Flood Alert Notification System on Wednesday, Dec. 27 between 9 a.m. and noon (Dec. 28 is the “Plan B” in case there’s an issue).
The purpose is to test the County’s alerting capability for all residents and provide awareness of the flood threat. This year, all residents will be alerted, including the cities of Kissimmee and St. Cloud. This test is also part of the Community Rating System criteria, which brings lower flood insurance rates to the citizens.
Residents will receive a short telephone message. The message will state; this is a test, followed by information on what will occur if alerting is ever required. Since the system will only act upon phone numbers, not everyone will receive this message. In the event of a real emergency, the system will use alternative methods and call all phone numbers.
The testing ensures the County has a viable way to notify residents through the County mass notification system known as Alert Osceola. The County has the capability to notify cell phones, activate the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and NOAA Weather Radios in real emergencies. Text ALERTOsceola to 888777 to sign up for emergency notifications. For additional flood information, or questions, contact the Office of Natural Resources 407-742-0625 For information about the test, go to www.osceola. org and click on the “Flood Threat Notification” button or call 407-742-9000.
3 local grads of FDLE’s Law Enforcement Analyst Academy
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced the graduation of 30 law enforcement analysts from the most recent Florida Law Enforcement Analyst Academy. During this six-week academy, these graduates were challenged with handson training, assignments, quizzes and presentations. They developed the skills necessary to complete individual and group research projects. The students took a comprehensive examination following the completion of all course work and successful graduates are recognized as Florida-certified law enforcement analysts.
Among those in the graduating class were Kathryn Fowler and Maritza Rodriguez of the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office and Rachel Higgins of the Kissimmee Police Department.
Toho Water recognizes award-winning team members
While celebrating its recent 20th anniversary, Toho Water Authority presented annual awards to team members.
Jose Masses, Wastewater Section Manager, was recognized as the Employee of the Year for his outstanding efforts in overseeing the operation of four wastewater facilities. Team of the Year recognition went to Heavy Equipment Operators Luis Casillas, Mike Shiver, Allan Postlewait, Lonnie Ramsey and Foreman Ray Berard for their assistance to Hillsborough County during a main lift station backup. And the Good Samaritan Award was awarded to Luis Trinidad, Treatment Operator, who assisted a family with a blown-out tire at the lake Marion Reclamation Facility.
