The Midtown Press - April/May 2024 Issue

The little paper with the big picture!

EDITOR’S CHAIR

Happy Spring! Writing this section serves as a reminder of how fast the clock is ticking. By the time this issue is published, we will be seven weeks away from the Memorial Day weekend. Schools will be wrapping up on another year, and we will be in the middle of the dog days of summer, hopefully making you want to eat more ice cream. And just in case it puts you in that mood, please be sure to see my "surprise announcement" on Page 21 of this issue.

I would like to extend a very special thank you to Ms. Vernell "Red" Birden for allowing me to interview her for the last issue. I have received such positive feedback about her story from people who were familiar with her famous barbecue restaurant and wondered what happened to her.

I love the Arts, and a goal of mine is to introduce and promote more of the Arts scene to our readers. Please be on the lookout for more content in future issues from Associate Editor, Barbara Chandler on happenings around town. As a prominent feature in this issue, be sure to check out the article on the Winter Park Playhouse. This nonprofit theater is a community jewel and hosts multiple high-quality shows each year featuring talented actors and musicians. I saw a recent showing of their production entitled Five Guys Named Moe! It was brilliant, and I encourage everyone to check out the show. As an added incentive, be sure to see the story and corresponding discount code created exclusively for readers of The Midtown Press on the ad featured on Page 15

If it has not caught your eye, please check out the beautiful new Pine Hills neighborhood sign on W. Colonial Drive. This issue also features more information about how the sign came to be.

I never take the opportunity to publish this paper for granted. It amazes me how many people request, comment, and share it with their friends. The paper's tagline is "The little paper with the big picture!" While we may be small, I never want to feel that way. I will always seek out new ways to connect and present the paper. Part of that work includes meeting and gaining new perspectives from others. As things change for me with other ventures I am involved with, I will test out new features and sections to grow the paper and provide even more content. However, having your feedback will be critical. So, as many people already do, if you have questions, suggestions, or concerns, please do share them with me. I take the time to review and respond to each message we receive.

Lastly, as I have said often, this paper would not have been possible without the support of our advertisers. Please spend an extra minute or two looking at the ads that are included, and if you have an opportunity to support them, please do. It means as much to me as I am sure it does to them.

Thank you for supporting the Midtown Press - The little paper with the big picture!

Tidbits

Free Door Alarms Available

In an effort to prevent drownings and bring awareness to water safety, Orange County Fire Rescue partnered with The Gunner Martin Foundation and purchased 1000 door alarms to install in Orange County residents’ homes for free. The program is one of the first in Central Florida to provide at-home installations.

Door alarms will be installed on a first-come, first-served basis. This will be an ongoing program offered by Orange County Fire Rescue. To schedule a door alarm installation, visit www.OCFL.net/DoorAlarms.

Between 2019 to 2023, Orange County Fire Rescue responded to an average of 14 residential drownings each year, with the majority being pediatric patients. Drowning is the number one cause of accidental death in children ages one to four years old. Door alarms can act as a barrier and add a layer of protection, alerting a guardian when an entry way to a pool or body of water has been unexpectedly opened.

Comcast Doubles Internet Speeds For Florida Customers

Are you a Comcast customer? In March, 2 million Comcast customers woke up to faster internet speeds at no additional cost, including customers in Pine Hills, all made possible thanks to the continual investments and improvements the company makes on the Xfinity network. For Florida, this means roughly 46% of customers will begin enjoying faster speeds – in some cases twice as fast. Comcast announced that it’s increasing speeds for the following Xfinity Internet tiers:

• Prepaid: 50 Mbps to 200 Mbps – More than double the speed!

• Connect: 75 Mbps to 150 Mbps – Double the speed!

• Connect More: 200 Mbps to 300 Mbps

• Fast: 400 Mbps to 500 Mbps

"We're excited to boost speeds for Xfinity customers across the Florida region. It's our way of keeping them connected to what matters most," said Jeff Buzzelli, Florida Region Senior Vice President.

This announcement marks Comcast’s 20th consecutive year of speed increases without raising the cost, providing the necessary speeds to customers need to power their increasingly connected lives.

The Hannibal Square Heritage Center is the permanent home for the Heritage Collection: Photographs and Oral Histories of West Winter Park. On display are pieces not normally on view, including newly unveiled images and oral histories from Peter Schreyer’s 1994-95 Winter Park Library historic research grant project, depicting life in Hannibal Square in the mid-1990s.

Seniors Greeting Dr. Martin Luther King Day Parade, 1995, Photograph by Peter Schreyer

WINTER PARK PLAYHOUSE

We had a time last night! If you spend time on any social media platform, you get the reference. My excitement stems from spending time learning more about The Winter Park Playhouse and seeing a production of Five Guys Named Moe. For readers who are unfamiliar with the venue, they are located at N. Orange Ave. in Winter Park near Fairbanks Ave. The nonprofit theater was founded in 2001 and provides an intimate professional theater experience that offers musical productions year-round. The 123-seat theater engages patrons in a unique, up-close, and personal theatrical experience.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Executive Director Heather Alexander, who is warm and engaging. To see her in action is amazing as she hugs just about every patron that walks in. Along with Lisa Melillo, Marketing Director, and Roy Allen, Artistic Director, they and the rest the team work to ensure you feel welcome. The theater is non-pretentious and encourages you to come as you are (shirts and shoes required, LOL!). The theater does not have a stuffy, uptight atmosphere. When you visit, I encourage you to show up 10-15 minutes before the show to grab a snack and a drink and hang out in the lobby, which feels like a comfortable living room space.

I was fortunate on my visit to meet two of the professionals who are part of the current running show, Director & Choreographer Joshian Morales and Brandon Martin, who, in addition to being the show's Music Director, also plays the role of Nomax. The theater focuses on auditioning and hiring local talent for its shows, including professional union and non-union actors. Both Morales and Martin are local talents who have performed at Disney but are both very fond of The Winter Park Playhouse because of the people and the culture that has been established.

In addition to its productions, the theater also operates programs in schools, such as Schoolhouse Rock LIVE, which it offers to nearly 10,000 students per year at no charge through grassroots funding. It also offers an after-school program where professional actors and arts educators offer weekly sessions in music, drama, and dance.

The theater is currently in a transition that will help solidify the venue's future for years to come. They will be able to escape a high-lease scenario and enter into a partnership with the City of Winter Park. A letter-writing campaign last year to support the change resulted in the most responses ever in the City's history in an effort to ensure the theater remains a part of the community.

Five Guys Named Moe is an interactive, high-energy show that is entertaining and amazing. Be sure to warm up your voice before attending so you can be ready to sing "Push Ka Pi Shi Pie" (trust me on that). The show runs until April 20th, so please get your tickets and make it a date night or a girl's night. A special discount code has been created especially for the readers of The Midtown Press. To take advantage of this offer, call the box office at 407-645-0145 and mention "MOE 5."

For more information about this or any upcoming performance, visit their website at www.winterparkplayhouse.org.

Joshian Morales

Brandon Martin

New Ice Cream Set to Open Soon!

I have had the privilege of publishing The Midtown Press for the last two years. During that time, I have had the honor of meeting incredible people in our community doing life-changing work to improve the image, status, and safety of Pine Hills and surrounding communities. What some people may have yet to realize is that in addition to the paper, I also operate a homemade ice cream company. I launched the SMILE Ice Cream Company in 2018 after researching the ice creammaking process. I found a 3-day course where I learned the ins and outs of making ice cream and got hooked. Over the years, people have asked me why I decided to get into the ice cream business, and my answer has always been the same. I believe that magic happens when people utter the phrase, "Let's go get some ice cream!" Whether that is a feel-good moment to celebrate or a chance to cheer someone up, people's attitudes are enhanced as they come together through the magic of ice cream.

Since launching the company, I focused primarilly on providing ice cream socials, corporate events, and parties. However, I am excited to announce that I will be launching my first storefront located at 4353 Edgewater Drive (intersection of Edgewater Dr. & Fairbanks Ave) near College Park. We have set a grand opening date (assuming everything goes well) for Friday, May 3rd! Please visit our website at www.smileicecream.co and our social media pages @mysmileicecream for official grand opening festivities.

We look forward to making you SMILE!

By Maya Sumair

National Minority Health Month

Did you know that April has been designated as National Minority Health Month? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, people of color are projected to make up over half of the U.S. population in 2050. Members of racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to obtain preventative health care. If they do receive care, it is generally lower quality, leading them to experience health disparities. Health disparities are health differences linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage.

The Kaiser Family Foundation compiled a report presenting essential data on health and healthcare categorized by race and ethnicity. As of 2021, the likelihood of food insecurity among Black (13%) and Hispanic (11%) children was more than twice that of White children (4%). American Indians/Alaska Natives and Blacks had reduced life expectancies at birth (65.2 and 70.8 years) compared to whites (76.4).

The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) is one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the country's leading medical research organization. NIMHD has several important initiatives aimed at improving the health of racial and ethnic minority populations. These include promoting research to understand and improve the health of racial/ethnic minority populations, advancing scientific understanding of the causes of health disparities, developing and testing interventions to reduce health disparities, and creating and improving scientific methods, metrics, measures, and tools that support health disparities research.

In honor of National Minority Health Month, the NIMHD promotes action via health education, early disease detection, and management of associated consequences. This year’s theme for National Minority Health Month is Be the Source for Better Health: Improving Health Outcomes Through Our Cultures, Communities, and Connections. Around the country, many organizations host health and wellness events in celebration of of Minority Health Month. Cultural connections have been proven to foster an environment of respect, understanding, and inclusivity within healthcare systems, ultimately leading to improved health outcomes and well-being among minority populations. Events held during the month are designed to bring health resources and communities together in fun and creative ways.

Locally, Hebni Nutrition, in partnership with the Florida Department of Health, Orange County, is hosting the 2nd Annual Arts & Heart 5K at beautiful Lake Lorna Doone Park in Orlando. In addition to the FREE walk/ run activities, participants and community members are encouraged to enjoy local artisans, health resources, crafts, bounce houses for kids, food, and much more following the race.

Please enjoy the delicious Rasta Pasta recipe shown on the following page. which originates from the Jamaican culture.

Maya Sumair currently serves as an executive assistant at Hebni Nutrition Consultants. Maya earned her B.S. degree in Health Sciences-Health Promotion Track at the University of Central Florida. Maya’s has collaborated on research projects including a proposal to examine the efficacy of melatonin supplements versus healthy behaviors for promoting sleep patterns, analyzing a clinical trial on Linaclotide for bloating and chronic constipation, and studying the link between obesity and diabetes mortality rates in Florida. Maya is currently pursuing her studies in dietetics and nutrition at the University of Alabama, intending to earn an M.S. degree in Human Nutrition

CENTRAL FLORIDA FAIR

It is always nice to mix things up every now and then to change the monotony of life. This year, on the last day of the fair, Sunday, March 10 th . I will admit, it probably has been over ten years since I last visited the fair when my kids were younger. As they got older and their desire to ride more deft-defying roller coasters, we found ourselves at some of the bigger parks. However, I must say what a pleasant surprise it was to be back after so many years. The sights, sounds, and smells were impressive and felt like a reunion. I ended up bumping into at least 10 different people and their families, most of whom I hadn't seen since the COVID-19 pandemic .

The fair truly offers something for everyone. From the exhibits and awardwinning displays in the main exhibit space to the live shows and livestock, it is truly a spectacle to behold. And best of all, it is right in our backyard!

One of the highlights of my visit was a trip back down memory lane to the exhibit of the last remaining Blockbuster video store . The replica store was complete with movie posters, film memorabilia, an incredible array of VHS tapes (yes, VHS), and even popcorn. I even had the chance to chat with the "last remaining Blockbuster employee," who informed me that this was the first time they had tried something like this away from their home location in Bend, Oregon . I was so impressed that I had to show a picture of my old Blockbuster card , which I ironically found several years ago and decided to take a picture of it as proof. Needless to say, the Blockbuster staff was impressed.

Those who haven't visited the fair in a while should do so next year. It is a very family-friendly environment with plenty to eat, see, and enjoy. The dates for next year's fair have already been announced: February 27th - March 9th, 2025 . Who knows, I just might see you there!

As we put the final touches on this issue, the calendar has officially hit April! We are officially through the first quarter of 2024. I'll ask you like one of my mentors asked me, how is your goal setting going? While on the surface, it may come accross as "busy work", goal setting has many benefits including helping clarify your priorities, focus your efforts, measure progress, and ultimately achieve success.

Goal setting is an important skill that can help you in both your personal and professional life, enabling you to make progress toward your desired outcomes and improve your overall performance. And while it may initially seem arduous, it really can help fight against procrastination and even depression. Initially, I fought against goal setting because of how busy I was. However once I began the process, which has now morphed into a habit, I find myself even more productive. The beauty of the process is that it does not need to be bogged down with rules and instructions. One piece of advice I began with was to place a notebook on your bed or sidetable and before you go to bed everynight, jot down 2-3 things you achieved that day and write down a couple goals for the following day. It provides a sense of accomplishment and bceomes addictive as you try to accompplish more and more. Simply put, there is power in planning!

As defined, goal setting is the process of identifying specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives that you want to achieve. It involves determining what you want to accomplish, defining clear objectives, and developing a plan for achieving those objectives. Goal setting is an important skill that can help you in both your personal and professional life, enabling you to make progress towards your desired outcomes and improve your overall performance.

GIn this very issue, I discuss my journey towards opening an ice cream shop. I am balancing that project in addition to working a full-time job, serving on the board of a couple of organizations, and, of course, publishing the paper. Busy? Yes, of course! And honestly, I could be more organized (although I am striving to improve). However, I could only achieve this work by setting appropriate goals. It is also important to note that goal setting can take on different formats. For example, my daughter, Madison, uses a vision board process to set goals. Vision Boarding involves visualizing your goals by cutting out pictures and words from magazines or creating a collage that represents your goals. This can be a powerful way to help you focus on your goals and stay motivated. She is more of a creative type, so this method works exceptionally well for her.

Reviewing and re-evaluating your goals is a crucial aspect of the goal-setting process. It allows you to assess your progress and make necessary adjustments to align with your overall purpose and vision. As a general practice, you should regularly review your progress, reflect on what you've achieved, what's working and what's not, and adjust your approach accordingly. By doing so, you can ensure that you stay on track and achieve your goals. It's important to hold yourself accountable for achieving your goals by setting a deadline for each goal and tracking your progress. This can help you stay focused and motivated as you achieve your desired outcomes.

Setting goals is crucial to achieving success, both professionally and personally. It provides direction and purpose, helps us stay focused and motivated, and can be a powerful tool for personal growth and development. Setting goals requires planning, focus, and commitment, but the rewards are well worth it!

For the Love of Ever y thing You Are

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By participating in research, you are helping to bring specialized and personalized treatments and cures to everyone, not without regard to factors such as race, gender, or socioeconomic status, but designed with special attention for everything that makes you unique.

Compensation for your time and participation may be available.

To learn more, scan the QR code here or visit WeAreTheBreakthrough.com.