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Dr. Akshay Yadhati, a surgeon with Austin Regional Clinic, performed two different high-tech spine surgeries this year that were both Austin-area firsts, according to a spokesperson for the medical group. Yadhati spoke to Community Impact about the procedures and what they mean for spine care in Central Texas.

The overview: Yadhati performed a robotic navigated spinal interbody fusion on an adult patient and an endoscopic spine surgery. Both techniques are significant steps forward in spinal care, he said, because they improve the safety and accuracy of the surgeries and minimize invasiveness and recovery time.

Why it matters: “If I were dealing with [these problems], these are the techniques I would want done on my back,” Yadhati said. “That’s the main theme that I try to anchor a lot of my decisions in. If I’m the patient, or my mom, dad, brother or wife is the patient, how do I want them to be going through a surgery?”

The new Orr Family Sky Trail and Avery Family Pavilion opened to the public June 13 at the Twin Lakes Family YMCA in Cedar Park. YMCA officials offered a preview of the new developments at a ribbon-cutting ceremony June 12.

The overview: The Orr Family Sky Trail features zip lines, ropes courses, elevated walkways and multilevel climbing structures for both children and adults.

The neighboring Avery Family Pavilion is an 8,000-square-foot meeting place that YMCA officials envision as a space for everything from professional conferences to birthday parties to weddings. The pavilion features garage-door-like windows that can be opened to provide fresh air or closed for a climate-controlled environment. The pavilion also features a scenic overlook of the lake.

What you need to know: Tickets are required for the sky trail and can be purchased online. Daily tickets are $28.99 for the main Sky Trail course, or $9.99 for small children on the Sky Tykes course. Monthly memberships are also available, according to the website.

Check out some of the most-read stories from the Austin area June 8-12.

1. Slick City Action Park location coming to Round Rock's east side

2. Georgetown officials consider creation of Woodside active adult community

3. Town halls set for 3 Cedar Creek data centers spanning nearly 1,500 acres

4. Austin seeks to rein in 'chaotic' e-moto use

5. Conejos Tex-Mex Cantina serves unique takes on regional classics

6. Check out 5 Cedar Park-area parks and recreation updates

A future neighborhood-scale retail development could be built on a vacant property along RM 1431, in front of the Mayfield Ranch neighborhood in Round Rock. 

What you need to know: Developer Endeavor is seeking an amendment to its planned unit development agreement with the city of Round Rock. The proposal would see the property rezoned from office to general commercial with limitations. 

What's next? The Planning and Zoning Commission heard the proposal May 6 and recommended it to the Round Rock City Council for approval. It will appear on a future agenda for consideration.

The Texas Education Agency released results June 10 from this year’s State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness end-of-course exams.

The overview: High school students who took the year-end exams this spring made gains in all subjects, TEA data shows. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said students’ academic progress was due to “focused instruction and high expectations” in the classroom.

What you need to know: Individual STAAR results are shared through the state assessment portal. Each Texas student receives a unique access code for their results. Families can find the code on the first page of their child’s report card or contact their school, according to the TEA.

Texas public school students in third through 12th grade take the exam each spring, and it is used to measure student progress and teacher performance.

What's next: The TEA is scheduled to release STAAR scores for third- through eighth-grade students June 16.