A Key West condominium building received a temporary reprieve Monday morning.
Raj Ramsingh, the city’s chief building official, did not condemn Santa Clara Condominiums, 3312 Northside Dr., during a 10 a.m. hearing at city hall.
“I will not condemn the building, but this is still not off the table,” Ramsingh told the condo association board, unit owners and some of their tenants who were present.
“I don’t want these necessary repairs to fall by the wayside as has occurred in the past,” Ramsingh said after hearing testimony from two engineers and condo association board president Oliver Kofoid.
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Hyperbaric Chamber. Just the name sounds intimidating. “Chamber” sounds like a prison, and “baric” sounds too much like “barbaric” or … ew … barium, that icky solution you have to drink before a CT Scan. And most of the time, hyperbaric chambers even look like … a coffin. “Those are ‘monoplace chambers,’” said Scott Fowler, manager of Hyperbaric Medicine at Mariners. “Those are the most common hyperbaric chambers, and they look like clear coffins.” Mariners Hospital in Tavernier has made a special effort to make its hyperbaric chamber experience more comfortable. First of all, the chamber is...
Need a COVID rapid test to return to work? Need to show a negative PCR test before you board a plane next week? Do you want a COVID vaccine? Rural Health Network can do all that, plus provide primary medical and dental care from its offices on North Roosevelt Boulevard in Key West. For those who have long heard of Rural Health Network, but never known precisely what it does, here’s a quick refresher: Rural Health Network is a nonprofit medical and dental care provider that opened in Key West in 1993. It operates a “comprehensive, culturally competent, high-quality health care center...
Another week brought new positive COVID-19 infections throughout Florida and the Keys. Cases statewide and in the island chain, however, appear to have plateaued. The latest report by the Florida Health Department showed 491 new cases of COVID-19 in Monroe County from Aug. 13 to Aug. 19. That’s slightly down from the week before, when the island chain had 504 new infections spanning from Aug. 6 to Aug. 12. Statewide, 150,118 new COVID-19 cases were reported between Aug. 13 and Aug. 19. That’s slightly down from the 151,468 reported the week before. Monroe County’s top health...
The Florida Department of Health in Monroe County continues to disseminate information regarding frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccines, vaccine clinics and CDC policy: I’m vaccinated. Why do I need to wear a mask? Vaccinated individuals may be able to carry the COVID-19 virus, thus giving it to unvaccinated individuals. It’s their choice not to get vaccinated. Why should I wear a mask? There are several individuals who may not be able to receive the vaccine. This includes children, infants, those who are immunocompromised, and those with certain severe allergic reactions....
By Anthony Guntert Don’t have enough time for the gym? Can’t afford it? The solution is coming, says Marathon parks director Anthony Paul Davis, in the form of the new Fitness Court from the National Fitness Campaign (NFC). This court has a similar function as the fitness trail at Oceanfront Park, but with a new design and style. While the final layout has yet to be determined, the court will most likely contain multi-step stations such as a core area, pull-up bars, an agility course and a multitude of other options to be used with a free smartphone app loaded with detailed workouts and exercise...
By Ralph Morrow With anxiety, mental anguish and stress being the bywords for the Tokyo Olympics, and particularly Simone Biles, I was curious how far down the age levels the malady went. So I talked to the coach who has had unbridled Key West success: Ralph Henriquez Jr. In the mid-1990s, his Key West High School baseball teams won 44 straight games over two seasons and were ranked No. 1 in the country. Any problems with stress among his prep players? “Absolutely not,” said the coach, although he admits, “It’s a different world today. But back when we were winning those games and were No....
Unfortunately, a few weeks ago I worsened an old knee injury. Twisted on a planted knee and likely did some damage to the medial meniscus. It does bring a different level of understanding when it comes to pain and longer lasting pain (in no way am I comparing three weeks of knee pain to someone who has experienced months or years of pain). After a few days of somewhat significant swelling and sharper pain, my knee has turned into a sub-acute phase — dull, mild swelling, more annoyingly the unpredictability of having the meniscus ‘pop’ followed by some sharp pain and reduced mobility until it...
Health officials growing concerned over COVID-19 case spikes in the U.S. are blaming a delta variant and a population of citizens who haven’t received a vaccine. No local policy changes are expected despite an uptick in new cases in Monroe County — doing so would take some serious justification to the state of Florida. And while local officials are monitoring the situation, they say there is no urgent concern. The Centers for Disease Control updated its guidelines on July 27 in lieu of the delta variant and surging cases nationwide. The CDC said people fully vaccinated can participate...
Two. That’s the new number of COVID-19 cases reported by the state Department of Health in Monroe County on May 18. And as the county’s cases fall, so does the demand for the vaccine. At the moment, about 40,000 Keys residents — 54% — have at least one dose. And 40% of residents have the complete series. And an astounding 90% of Keys residents who are 65 or older have been vaccinated. Naturally, with so many vaccinated, the demand for the shots continues to dwindle. Starting next month in June, it’s highly unlikely health agencies will continue to offer the mass-vaccination, no-appointment-necessary...