At 121 years, Kissimmee Utility Authority among state’s oldest utilities
June 28 marked the 121st anniversary of Kissimmee’s municipally-owned electric service.
“This celebration of 121 years of electric service in our community is extremely important to us,” said Brian Horton, KUA President and General Manager. “We continue to embrace our rich history as we carry out our mission to provide reliable and economical services to our customers while partnering with the community and the environment.”
It was during a Kissimmee City council meeting on June 28, 1901, that a resolution was passed authorizing the city’s purchase of Kissimmee Electric Light Company from W.C. Maynard for $4,293.59. Maynard, a Kissimmee resident, had owned and operated the private power company in Kissimmee under contract with the city since December 4, 1900.
KUA is Florida’s sixth largest community-owned utility and the fifth oldest municipal utility in the state, following Starke (1890), Jacksonville (1895), Ocala (1897) and Williston (1900). In addition, Kissimmee residents began enjoying the benefits of electricity 22 years before their neighbors to the north in Orlando (1923).
The utility’s first purchase was a 15-kilowatt generator in 1901 — enough to power 150 100-watt lightbulbs or 13 coffeemakers. That was followed by the addition of three diesel generators in the 1920s to serve the approximately 200 electric customers in Kissimmee at that time. Not until the opening of Walt Disney World in the 1970s did the utility begin experiencing tremendous customer and energy demand growth.
Osceola’s Castillo named FSBA Vice President
At the June General Membership Meeting of the Florida School Boards Association, Osceola County School Board Chair Terry Castillo was named Vice President for the upcoming year. The FSBA is the statewide nonprofit organization representing the elected school boards in Florida. Its mission is to increase student achievement through the development of effective school board leadership and advocacy for public education.
Citrus County School Board Member Thomas Kennedy was elected President.
Celebration Suites named Tripadvisor No. 5 in the country
Celebration Suites was named No. 5 in the country in Tripadvisor’s Top 25 Hotels for Families in the United States.
“Stays with awesome amenities for kids and the parents that tag along,” the tagline said.
“Perfect for large families and International guests who want the convenience of a vacation home with the location and services of a hotel,” Tripadvisor’s review says.
“Throughout the pandemic, they worked extremely hard to provide the best experience to all families and guests who chose to stay with them,” said County Commissioner Peggy Choudhry, who’s district 1 includes the tourism area.
Florida Cancer Specialists announced opening of Kissimmee Cancer Center
Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, LLC (FCS) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week to celebrate the opening of Kissimmee Cancer Center, at the corner of Rose Avenue and Oak Street (801 W. Oak St.) near HCA Florida Osceola Hospital.
The 3,400 square foot office offers a broad range of treatments and services for patients with cancer and blood disorders, including medical oncology/ hematology, infusions and an in-house laboratory.
FCS Chief Executive Officer Nathan H. Walcker said, “The opening of our Kissimmee clinic is a significant milestone for FCS and an important step forward in fulfilling our mission. This new location further expands our presence in the heart of central Florida where patients in Osceola County can now benefit from easy access to world-class cancer care close to home.”
“We are extremely excited about this latest expansion to our statewide community oncology network,” said FCS President and Managing Physician Michael Diaz, MD. “Our cancer care experts provide the most advanced treatments and therapies personalized for each patient’s unique needs. Additionally, patients can also participate in promising new treatments through clinical trial opportunities available at Drug Development Units in Lake Nona and Lake Mary.”
HCA Florida Osceola Hospital names new Chief Nursing Officer
HCA Florida Osceola Hospital has announced the appointment of Michelle Farris as Chief Nursing Officer of HCA Florida Osceola Hospital.
In the role, Farris will oversee the hospital nursing team and a number of departments to include the Emergency Departments, Women’s Services, Medical Surgical and Critical Care Units at the 404-bed acute care hospital and Level II Trauma Center.
In Farris’ 28 years across HCA Healthcare, she most recently served as the Chief Nursing Officer at HCA Florida West Marion Hospital in Ocala, where she achieved nationally-ranked performance in patient experience, drove the facility’s Leapfrog score to an ‘A’ letter grade and achieved top performance in physician, employee and nurse engagement. In addition, she led several significant expansion projects including new operating rooms and cardiac cath labs, as well as an addition of 139 inpatient beds including an inpatient rehabilitation unit, emergency department expansion, and intensive care beds.
“I could not have imagined a better suited leader to advance the nursing, clinical, service, quality, and growth agendas at our hospital”, said David Shimp, Chief Executive Officer of HCA Florida Osceola Hospital. “Michelle’s proven ability to achieve excellence and enhance culture makes her uniquely qualified for this role.”
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