Community Lifestyles Sports For the latest Lifestyles Editor Poinciana activities, events Peter Covino reviews junior leads and classes the Syfy series All-County girls “Warehouse 13” ... see... tennis team Page B-1 Page B-4 Page A-7 Serving Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Poinciana, Harmony, Narcoossee, BVL 117TH YEAR • SATURDAY EDITION • 50 CENTS JULY 13, 2013 Police news Kissimmee TDC approves using tax money to build new baseball complex Pregnant the chance to drive it in from current preseason Viera home. um would be capped at $98 mil- woman County second. Commissioners will see the lion. The county would spend The TDC voted 4-2 Wednes- project on their agenda at Mon- $38 million from its general killed in Commission day in favor of sending a plan to day’s meeting, with the fate of fund as a start toward that fig- Residents spar use tourist development tax dol- the $120 million project rest- ure. lars to build a new spring train- ing in its hands. That figure The state has earmarked with city over 3rd now must ing facility on the Judge Farm includes other ancillary spending $20 million in funds (up to $50 Osceola leg of MLK Blvd. property to the BCC. on the site, including digging a million if a two-team complex is decide A caveat to the stamp of 194-acre lake that Toho Water built) to go to cities with teams For residents of Orange with expiring leases — the crash approval included in the motion Authority will eventually pay for A pregnant St. Cloud Gardens, the construction By Ken Jackson Houston Astros will likely play was that the county must ana- and maintain, and building a woman was killed in a of Martin Luther King Jr. Staff Writer lyze ways to maintain the sales road through the complex that its final spring training in Kissim- mee in 2015 — to try and keep crash early Thursday morn- Boulevard has become a Osceola County staff, the and marketing budget of Experi- will run from U.S. Highway 192 ing on U.S. Highway 192 threat to their safety. Washington Nationals and the ence Kissimmee, the county’s and Boggy Creek Road south to them from leaving for Arizona. The Astros were named as one after another driver failed proposed designer for a new tourism marketing arm, which Neptune Road. to yield at a stop sign and See page A-2 stadium complex on U.S. High- also is funded by tourist tax dol- Development on an addi- of those fragile franchises, and County Manager Don Fisher slammed into the victim, way 192 made its pitch to get lars. And also try lowering cost tional 90 acres set aside for Florida Highway Patrol the approval and support of the per new room night generated future expansion, such as a called that state funding at a July 1 commission meeting crucial to reports stated. Tourism Development Council by spring training and amateur hotel, dorms for players, a reha- Vanessa Santiago San- Wednesday. baseball. bilitation center and culinary arts this project. Opinion That state funding also would chez, 17, of St. Cloud, was The TDC swung at the pitch, The county has a partner school, would run another $36 driving southbound in a lining it into the gap for a dou- — one it finally could name million, although much of that require the Nationals to sign a 30-year lease or two teams sign 2011 Kia Sorento on Pine ble. Wednesday as a confidentiality would come from private fund- Grove Road at about 1 Giving thanks to With a runner in scoring agreement was finally rescinded ing. a 37-year lease, under which the team(s) would be the prima- a.m., while Kristen Nicole Osceola County’s position, the Board of County — in the Nationals, who are County legal counsel said Wright, 23, was travel- Commissioners is on deck and finest actively seeking to leave their construction costs for the stadi- See Complex, page A-2 ing eastbound in a 2001 soon will step into the box with Oldsmobile Alero on U.S. To the Osceola Highway 192. According County Sheriff’s to patrol reports, Sanchez Office, the Kissimmee “failed to yield the right of Police Department Kissimmee way from a stop sign” as and the St. Cloud Poinciana hospital ready to open she attempted to cross over Police Department, the highway at the intersec- we just want to say police file tion. Sanchez struck the “thank you.” left side of Wright’s car, murder which then overturned. See page A-4 Wright, who was pregnant, was pronounced dead at charges in the scene, reports stated. She was not wearing a seat Guerrero belt. Sanchez and a passen- ger, Hannah McNeil, 18, slaying of Kissimmee, were taken to Osceola Regional Medi- If found guilty of By Ken Jackson cal Center with serious murder, should all four Staff Writer injuries. shooting/homicide sus- Kissimmee police detec- The crash remains under pects receive the same tives have filed murder charg- investigation and charges penalty? es in the slaying of 17-year- are pending. old David Guerrero, who was • Yes. gunned down in the early St. Cloud hit and • No, the juveniles morning hours of June 26 at run ends in driver’s should not be tried a bus stop along North Cen- death as adults tral Avenue. News-Gazette Photo/Andrew Sullivan A St. Cloud hit and run • I’m not sure. Konrad incident ended with the sus- • I don’t have an Schafer, 15, Peter Marmestein, the president and CEO of Hospital Corporation of America West Florida pect dying at the hospital. opinion. and David Division, spoke to members of the media, healthcare and government officials during Thurs- Early Wednesday morn- Damus, 20, day morning’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly-constructed Poinciana Medical Center. ing, St. Cloud police offi- who earlier The facility, located near the intersection of Cypress Parkway and Marigold Avenue, will offer cers responded to a reckless Vote at in the week medical treatment for residents, who won’t have to go to Kissimmee or into Polk County for www.around were charged care. driving call at 11th Street osceola.com in the July 4 and Dakota Avenue. While driving to the scene, they home invasion stands as a two-story fully to Tallahassee and back in Results from the Schafer were alerted that a 1992 and murder functioning hospital with order to prove a need and June 29 Question of Result of an Chevrolet pickup truck driv- of Poinciana 24 private medical-surgical get the cooperation for con- the week: resident Eric en by Ger- eight year beds, a six-bed ICU wing, crete plans and action. ald Alto- Roopnarine, 11,000-square-foot emer- “This day is going to Do you think it would mare Jr., have been gency department and a change this whole commu- be a good idea for 30, of 2005 charged with residential helicopter pad. Next to nity, having this hospital Poinciana to incorporate Sixth St., first degree the hospital is a medical here. Not having to travel into a city? St. Cloud, murder and push office building with space for so far to get simple medi- crashed into principal in the physicians and health care cal attention. It’s huge. It’s Yes. – 51% By Tiffanie Reynolds the fence • first degree/ providers. just huge,” Annette Brown- • No. – 40.8% Damus Staff Writer line at Ross murder respec- Although only taking two Best, co-founder of Friends Altomare • I’m not sure. – E. Jefferies tively for their involvement in Hospital leaders, staff years for purchase and con- of Poinciana Hospital, said. 4.2% Elementary School at 1200 Guerrero’s death. and a handful of residents struction, the medical center For the group, the medi- • I don’t have an Vermont Ave. in St. Cloud. A single .45 caliber bullet walked the halls of the com- is the result of an eight-year cal center wasn’t just about opinion. – 4.2% Altomare fled his truck casing was found at the crime pleted Poinciana Medical residential effort to build convenience for residents, and ran into officers at Fifth scene. Florida Department of Center on Wednesday, the a hospital in Poinciana. but for better response times Street and Dakota Avenue Law Enforcement conclud- first hospital in the Poinci- Boiling down to a group in emergencies. Because of near a church, where he Index ed it was fired from a Hi ana community. of seven residents, called their location, it often took Point .45 caliber carbine rifle, Projected to officially Friends of Poinciana Hos- was ordered to surrender. Altomare, who appeared which detectives located at open in early August, it pital, the quest took them See Hospital, page A-3 Schafer’s father’s residence, to be under the influence of Page A4, Editorial KPD spokesperson Stacie drugs or alcohol according Miller said. Konrad Schafer to St. Cloud Police spokes- Page A7, Sports cooperated with detectives, person Sgt. Denise Rob- who determined the teenager erts, instead took a fighting Page B4, Community fired the deadly shot. County considers pulling from MetroPlan stance, but was shocked Damus, an acquaintance of by a Taser gun and then Page B1, Lifestyles handcuffed. He continued Schafer, was charged as an By Ken Jackson went it alone and formed its own said already was in the works. to fight the officers while Page A2, Local news accessory, as detectives say Staff Writer nonprofit organization to lobby for That met with positive respons- he was driving when the shot handcuffed, but suddenly fell Osceola County has been an its own road project dollars.