WINDERMERE
Observer Serving Southwest Orange County
Sam Hilsee helps lead Olympia girls soccer. 17
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
FREE
VOLUME 2, NO. 14
ARTS & CULTURE
•
THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2017
Wawa, 24 Hour Fitness to anchor MetroWest development PAGE 3
Meet the ‘Violin Lady’ PAGE 7
YOUR TOWN DONATE ARTIFICIAL TREES FOR BRIDGEWATER DANCE The PTSO at Bridgewater Middle School is looking for donations of artificial Christmas trees for its Jan. 28 Winter Wonderland eighth-grade formal dance. Trees of all sizes will be accepted and can be dropped off at the school office, 5600 Tiny Road, Winter Garden, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The trees will be stored and reused each year. For questions, contact Jennifer Benton or Debra Allen at bwmsevents@gmail.com.
WEST ORANGE WELCOMES FIRST BABY OF 2017
Heaven calls home a hero Orlando Police Master Sgt. Debra Clayton, an alumna of Dr. Phillips High and an Ocoee resident, was killed in the line of duty Monday morning. OBSERVER STAFF
The passion Debra Clayton had for the Orlando community — and the Central Florida community, at large — was evident in the work she did as a master sergeant for the Orlando Police Department. She grew up in the community, was educated in the community and chose to work
Antonella AponteFigueroa had the honor of being the first baby born at Health Central Hospital, in Ocoee, on New Year’s Day. She came into this world at 4:15 p.m. weighing 6 pounds, 9.5 ounces and measuring 20.25 inches in length. Her parents are Sharalexis Figueroa and Steven Aponte. PRSRT STD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID WINTER GARDEN, FL PERMIT NO. 81
*****************ECRWSSEDDM****
Postal Customer
in service of the community. And, on Jan. 9, Clayton made the ultimate sacrifice for the community she cared so deeply about. Clayton was shot and killed in the line of duty while attempting to apprehend a murder suspect at Walmart in northwest Orlando at the intersection of North John Young Parkway and Princ-
eton Street. Clayton, who lived in Ocoee with her husband, was a 17-year veteran of the department. Before joining the Orlando Police Department in 1999, she graduated from Dr. Phillips High School in 1993 and earned a bachelor’s degree in SEE PAGE 4
Windermere Country Club owner files lawsuit against Orange County GABBY BAQUERO STAFF WRITER
The owner of the Windermere Country Club Golf Course has filed a lawsuit against Orange County after its decision to deny him development rights that would have allowed him to build 95 homes.
Unhappy with Orange County commissioners’ unanimous decision to deny him the development rights to a 155-acre plat on his property, the owner of the Windermere Country Club Golf Course is trying – again – to obtain the right to develop the property with 95 homes.
However, this time, he’s taking legal action with a lawsuit against Orange County. But the Windermere Country Club Homeowner’s Association and nearby homeowners who oppose Bryan DeCunha’s desire to redevelop the course fought long and hard for their victory during the Board of County Commissioners meeting Oct. SEE PAGE 4