02.25.16 Windermere Observer

WINDERMERE

Observer Serving Southwest Orange County

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

VOLUME 1, NO. 22

FREE

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First Afrocentric Orlando celebrates African cultures.

See page 13

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

Where do they stand?

Meet the candidates vying for two seats on the Windermere Town Council. Page 4

SCHOOLS

Top of the world Keene’s Crossing dads, daughters make memories.

PAGE 10

Fun reached new heights at the Windermere Elementary carnival.

See page 9

‘It’s just really scary’ Berkshire Place owners have discovered many defects in their homes and seek remediation from Pulte Homes.

Michael Eng

Annie Harbin, 5, didn’t let her curly locks get in her way as she climbed all the way to the top of the obstacle wall at Windermere Elementary’s Spring Carnival Feb. 20.

JENNIFER NESSLAR STAFF WRITER HORIZON WEST It started with

a simple paint estimate on the town houses at Berkshire Place.

All the homeowners association wanted to do was paint the exteriors of town houses. But the painting company rejected the project, citing potential construction defects, according to Jeffrey Tepper, a homeowner in the community.

“We didn’t believe them,” Tepper said.

But soon, the homeowners began to discover the problems the painting company saw. Horizontal cracks began appearing on the side of the homes. They found rotting wood, mold, water damage

ART ATTACK

SEE PULTE PAGE 8

PRSRT STD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID WINTER GARDEN, FL PERMIT NO. 81

*****************ECRWSSEDDM****

Postal Customer

Windermere showed off its creative side at the town’s first Art Affair, which was held Feb. 20 in Town Square. See page 14

YOUR TOWN Gala benefits science program Holy Family Catholic School held its 19th annual fundraising auction at Rosen Shingle Creek in the name of science. Auction proceeds will support the addition of a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Laboratory for the school.

The entire remodeling of the science room will allow for students to have a more hands-on experience. It will also incorporate smart boards and other high-tech equipment. Attendees of the masquerade-themed event had the opportunity to bid on more than 300 items, including international vacations, sports memorabilia, class art and dining certificates.

WINDERMERE OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, FEB. 25

YOU R CALENDAR

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

RIBBON CUTTING: MY NEIGHBORHOOD STORAGE LAKESIDE 5 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, at 7902 Winter GardenVineland Road, Windermere.

Mark Poole, (850) 727-9796.

WEST ORANGE CHAMBER BUSINESS AFTER HOURS 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, hosted by Toll Brothers Inc. at Lakeshore Community, 8818 Lakeshore Pointe Drive, Winter Garden. Mingle with other business men and women and make new contacts at this monthly West Orange Chamber of Commerce event. Cost is $5 in advance and $10 at the door for chamber members and $25 for others.

Call the chamber at (407) 656-1304 for information.

FRIDAY, FEB. 26

SHADOW CABINET This band will perform at 9:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26, at Dexters of Windermere, 4757 The Grove Drive, Windermere. Visit windermere.dexwine.com.

WILD MONKEY TAILS 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 26, at the Windermere Library, 530 Main St. Calling all curious kids! It’s time to go wild at the library with stories, arts and crafts about monkeys. Ages 3-5.

(407) 835-7323.

SATURDAY, FEB. 27

DJ MICHAEL KNIGHT This DJ will perform at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, at Dexters of Windermere, 4757 The Grove Drive, Windermere. Visit windermere.dexwine.com.

EXHAUSTED WOMEN’S CONFERENCE WITH CHRISTINE HAMMOND 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, at First Baptist Church Windermere Lakeside Worship Center, 8464 Winter GardenVineland Road, Orlando. Are you exhausted, overwhelmed, and stressed by demands of everyday life? Are you in need of help to repair, restore, and rebuild key relationships? Life can be different. You can improve your relationships, live out your God-given purpose, leave behind the useless baggage of life and achieve your deepest dreams. Cost is $25;

includes lunch. For more, visit fbcwindermere.com.

GARDEN CHOIR UNITY CONCERT 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, at First Baptist Church of Winter Garden, 126 E. Plant St. Proceeds from the concert go to the homeless ministry Matthew’s Hope. The 80-member choir will present an afternoon of uplifting choral music, with special performances by the Garden Chamber Choir and Sounds Like Chicken. Tickets are $20 ($10 for children 12 and younger) and available at gardenchoir.com or at the door.

ROSEN JCC ANNUAL GALA AND EVENT CENTER GRAND OPENING 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Rosen JCC, 11184 S. ApopkaVineland Road, Orlando. Cost is $75. For more information, visit RosenJCC.org/gala or contact Executive Director Bonnie Rayman at (407) 387-2744 or BonnieR@RosenJCC.org.

returning gardeners can sign agreements to grow their own vegetables, fruits and flowers.

For details, call Charlie Mae Wilder, president, at (407) 529-5214.

SUNDAY, FEB. 28

ROSEN JCC BROADWAY IN YOUR BACKYARD 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, at the Rosen JCC, 11184 S. ApopkaVineland Road, Orlando. Cost is $15 general admission; $30 VIP. For more information, visit RosenJCC.org/gala or contact Executive Director Bonnie Rayman at (407) 3872744 or BonnieR@RosenJCC. org.

TUESDAY, MARCH 1

SOUTHWEST BOOK CLUB 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, at the Southwest Library, 7255 Della Drive, Orlando.

This month’s discussion is “The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White

WINTER GARDEN COMMUNITY GARDEN 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 27, and continuing March 5, 12, 19 and 26, at the Winter Garden Community Garden, Ninth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. New and

House” by Kate Anderson Brower. Ages 18 or older. (407) 835-7323.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2

AARP FREE TAX PREPARATION 9 a.m. to noon Wednesdays, March 2 through April 9, at the Jessie Brock Community Center, 310 N. Dillard St., Winter Garden. AARP offers assistance to anyone 50 and older who can’t afford a tax-preparation service. Participants must bring all tax documents plus a copy of last year’s tax return, a government-issued photo ID card and a Social Security card for each person listed on the return. Appointments are not necessary. (407) 656-4155.

The FACES of Heart Failure • Fatigue • Activities Limited • Chest congestion • Edema or ankle swelling • Shortness of breath

Trust your HEART to the Cardiovascular Team of Experts Close to Home at Orlando Health – Health Central Hospital

Connect to health at

healthcentral.org 196276

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WINDERMERE OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

Coming home to roost?

Dallas, Madelynn and Emily Stone hope to raise their own chickens — and their own eggs — in Winter Garden.

PECKING ORDERS West Orange County includes several municipalities, so make sure you know your ordinances before setting up your coop.

UNINCORPORATED ORANGE COUNTY: Backyard chickens are not allowed. To raise poultry, your lot must be more than 100 feet from residentially zoned districts.

WINTER GARDEN: Chickens raised within city limits must be in a sanitary, escape-proof enclosure and more than 100 feet from the nearest building, church or house. However, the city is looking into Maitland’s ordinance, as the city has a program that allows residents to get permits to have backyard chickens. The discussion will continue at an upcoming commission meeting.

OCOEE: You can have chickens; however, chickens, as well as fowl and other barnyard animals in residential areas, must not be a nuisance. If you receive three separate complaints from the city, the city manager or the police department in a 30-day period, the chickens are considered a nuisance.

TOWN OF WINDERMERE: Poultry is prohibited in all districts.

Jennifer Nesslar

The Winter Garden Chicken Club wants to make backyard chickens legal in Winter Garden and hopes to dispel foul perceptions of the egg-producing birds.

JENNIFER NESSLAR STAFF WRITER WINTER GARDEN

T

wo years ago, a student in Julia Ugartechea’s kindergarten class stumbled across a picture of a peach in a book she was reading. The girl asked Ugartechea what it was a picture of, and Ugartechea told her it was peach.

“Don’t those come in plastic cups?” was the girl’s response.

The incident made Ugartechea realize the importance of teaching children about the origins of their food.

“In children’s minds nowadays, unless they’re taught or told from experience where food comes from, they just think it comes from Publix in a plastic container,” Ugartechea said.

The hope to educate people, especially children, about where their food comes from is one of the driving forces for the Winter Garden Chicken Club, started by Jessica Stone and her three children — Emily, 6; Madelynn, 9; and Dallas, 2. The group hopes to make it legal to keep backyard chickens — sometimes referred to as urban

“In children’s minds nowadays, unless they’re taught or told from experience where food comes from, they just think it comes from Publix in a plastic container.”

— Julia Ugartechea

chickens — in Winter Garden.

Neither Stone nor Ugartechea grew up raising chickens, but that doesn’t lessen their desire to raise them now.

“I just think it would be really fun and educational for my kids,” Stone said.

She became interested in raising chickens when she moved to a home in Winter Garden that was not in a homeowners association.

When she began to explore the ordinances in Winter Garden, she found she could not raise chickens in her backyard, because the coop could not sit 100 feet away from other buildings.

Recently, she and her family met someone who has backyard chickens. When her kids asked why they couldn’t have chickens, she couldn’t come up with a good explanation, other than the city doesn’t allow it.

She would like to raise hens rather than roosters, who get the reputation for being loud.

She created the Winter Garden Chicken Club and plans to attend an upcoming commission meeting to present the idea. The commissioners currently are looking into ordinances from cities that allow backyard chickens.

Stone and Ugartechea took a class on raising chickens through the UF Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences extension office in Orange County. The Stone children also have researched facts about chickens. Chickens eat weeds in grass, slurping up grass like spaghetti. And they are comforting, just like other pets.

“They’re soft and feathery,” said Madelynn, who is working on writing a letter to the city of Winter Garden, expressing her interest in raising chickens.

Contact Jennifer Nesslar at jnesslar@orangeobserver.com.

EGGS-PLANATION Buying farm-fresh eggs is always preferable to purchasing traditional grocery store eggs, said Cathy Clay, co-owner of the Farmacy in Winter Garden. Grocery store eggs can sit for weeks and even months, while farmfresh eggs come to the store straight from a farm, within the same week they are laid.

“The longer that an egg is out of the chicken, it deteriorates over time,” she said.

But raising chickens and eating the eggs they produce is the safest way to consume eggs, Clay said. When chickens produce eggs, they produce a membrane called a “bloom” that keeps bacteria from coming into the egg. An egg with a bloom does not need to be refrigerated.

The USDA requires eggs sold in a store to be washed.

Once eggs are washed, the bloom is gone, and the eggs must be refrigerated.

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POULTRY PROGRAMS Cities around America are starting chickenkeeping programs. Many of these programs allow homeowners associations to supersede city rules if they do not want chickens in their neighborhood.

Maitland has an ordinance designed to allow residents to keep backyard chickens.

Here are the basics of the program: n Residents can’t raise chickens without first receiving a permit. n The city will grant up to 50 permits throughout the city on a firstcome, first-served basis. n City staff will perform follow-up inspections but must provide 48hour notice to permit holders. n The lot must be single-family residential. n Those interested in receiving a permit must submit a building permit site plan to the community development department. It must include a scaled drawing of the proposed chicken coop and fenced pen area. n The coop and pen must be no more than 100 square feet. n Maximum of four chickens on a lot. n The coop must be located in the backyard. n The coop must be set back at least 7.5 feet from the side and rear lot lines and a minimum of 20 feet from any side street. The coop and pen area must also be at least 25 feet from any residential structure on an adjoining lot. The setback requirements do not apply if the coop and pen abut an opaque wall that is at least 6 feet high and is on the property line. n Applicants must complete the Orange County Agricultural Extension Service class on the care and raising of chickens.

THREE CHICKEN MYTHS 1. Chickens are noisy. At their loudest, when they are laying eggs, hens are still quieter than a large dog.

2. Coops are an eyesore. Modern coops are actually made with some interesting architecture and pleasing designs.

3. Chickens produce too much waste. Ten chickens will produce less waste than a 45-pound dog.

ONLINE Fowl on Facebook

facebook.com/WinterGarden ChickenClub

WINDERMERE OBSERVER

These answers have been edited for space. For the candidates’ complete, responses, visit OrangeObserver.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE

MEET THE CANDIDATES

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

WINDERMERE

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Observer

seats, in alphabetical order, include John Armstrong, Richard Gonzalez and Allen Pichon. All

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.”

own of Windermere residents will be charged with filling two open seats on the Windermere Town Council at the March 15 general election. The seat for mayor was open, as

well, but no one filed to challenge incumbent Gary Bruhn. Candidates for the Town Council voting will take place inside Town Hall, 520 Main St.

— ZAK KERR

Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944 Publisher / Dawn Willis, dwillis@OrangeObserver.com Executive Editor / Michael Eng, meng@OrangeObserver.com Design Editor / Jessica Eng, jeng@OrangeObserver.com Community Editor / Amy Quesinberry Rhode, aqrhode@OrangeObserver.com Senior Sports Editor / Steven Ryzewski,

JOHN ARMSTRONG

RICHARD GONZALEZ

ALLEN PICHON

sryzewski@OrangeObserver.com

AGE: 57 FAMILY: Wife, Deanna, married 25 years WINDERMERE RESIDENCY: The Armstrong family has lived in Windermere since 1915.

OCCUPATION: Windermere Town Councilman (present); hospitality executive (retired) COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Two terms on the Windermere Town Council (2012 to 2016); Windermere Historical Preservation Board (2011); active in the 1887 Schoolhouse Restoration Project

AGE: 73 FAMILY: Wife, Kathryn V. Gonzalez; children, Alana, Ryan and Drew WINDERMERE RESIDENCY: Since 1989 OCCUPATION: VP of Pineloch Management — Asset Management COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Served two terms as councilman; 28 years of volunteer service with Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and schools; Tree Board and Parks and Recreation volunteer; DRB Board

FAMILY: Wife, Sharon; two children; five grandchildren WINDERMERE RESIDENCY: Since 2002 OCCUPATION: Retired as vice president of operations at ASIG; retired colonel of the U.S. Air Force COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Church minister; Willows of Lake Rhea Homeowners Association Board; community Architecture Review Board, Beautification Committee, and Maintenance Committee; charter review committee

Danielle Hendrix,

Of the plans for new facilities pertaining to the proposed loan in this year’s ballot language, what makes the most sense?

The referendum on the ballot authorizes a borrowing limit pertaining to the administration and police department buildings. If the referendum is passed, there will be many meetings in which the town’s residents will discuss building strategies. The outcome of those meetings will reveal the will of the people.

Town staff and county staff discussed Windermere annexation of surrounding land. What makes sense for Windermere to annex and why?

I favor small strategic annexations that are mutually beneficial to the town’s residents as well as the areas in consideration for annexation. I will use Isleworth and the two west corners of Sixth Avenue and Apopka-Vineland Road as an example. If these areas were annexed in, current residents would have a reduction in millage rate of at least 1% or more. The increased tax base would also help keep our town small and financially solvent for the next 50 to 75 years.

How do you believe the town should proceed regarding maintenance of its roads and lakes?

I am not in favor of paving our dirt roads. Besides adding to our town’s distinctively southern look, I believe the dirt roads also help to preserve the lakes. We have made great progress working through our long list of storm water projects.

These are projects which address water runoff and road erosion. We have also increased our storm water fee so we can expedite completion of some of these initiatives.

Members of some neighborhoods in Windermere have expressed feeling less considered and represented than others. How would you address this concern?

My voting record is a testament to the fact that I vote the will of the residents. It is my core belief that I am here to represent the residents of Windermere and not my own interests. For the last four years I have spoken to many residents to get their feedback on issues facing our town.

Of the plans for new facilities pertaining to the proposed loan in this year’s ballot language, what makes the most sense?

(Town Manager) Robert Smith has initiated studies to identify critical needs to the town. We are proceeding forward cautiously, informing the citizens to vote their opinions, and future steps will only be implemented with a clear understanding of what is needed, what the cost will be, where the funding will come from and identification of impact on our budget based on taxes.

Town staff and county staff discussed Windermere annexation of surrounding land. What makes sense for Windermere to annex and why?

Our initial annexation targets are Isleworth and the Lake Butler Boulevard-area community. No annexation should be done without a thorough annexation agreement between the parties. … Annexation and management should be viewed with the same seriousness as a marriage (contract).

How do you believe the town should proceed regarding maintenance of its roads and lakes?

Mr. Smith has in his office plans annually for which roads are going to be repaired on a priority basis.

Parallel to this is control of the water runoff, paving or reinforcing the dirt roads to prevent erosion.

On three ranches that I manage, there are 45 miles of dirt roads and water-retention areas and ditches parallel to many of these roads.

None of them is eroded, full of holes, undermined by root systems from large trees or other growths.

Windermere has never had a proper skilled operating system for the maintenance of dirt roads. We are better now than we have been but nowhere near the standard I expect.

Members of some neighborhoods in Windermere have expressed feeling less considered and represented than others. How would you address this concern?

Every area of the city and every individual in the city receives the same professional and equitable service. I know Mr. Smith does make contact with the HOAs and their management and contributes needed information and solutions.

Of the plans for new facilities pertaining to the proposed loan in this year’s ballot language, what makes the most sense?

My concern has to do with the timing of the project. We are talking about borrowing $4.2 million. We have road, sidewalk, water runoff and other infrastructure issues.

I favor putting those items at the front of the line and pushing the new complex downstream in time.

Town staff and county staff discussed Windermere annexation of surrounding land. What makes sense for Windermere to annex and why?

When I attended a Town Council meeting in November, the council discussed annexation of several areas. In general, the town decided to look into the annexation of Chaine Du Lac, Isleworth and the northwest and southwest corners of the Four Corners area at Apopka Vineland and Conroy/Windermere Road. There is infrastructure in place in three of the areas. As a result, there would be little cost to the town for required infrastructure projects.

How do you believe the town should proceed regarding maintenance of its roads and lakes?

I have always favored the way our community looks in terms of our “dirt roads.” That was part of the charm that my wife and I fell in love with. The reality is that dirt streets work until there are hurricanes, major rains, water runoff, etc. Following those events, there is an impact with regard to major ruts along those roads and the runoff to our lakes. I believe there is a pervious pavement solution that is being explored, which with a base and sub-base allows the movement of stormwater through the surface.

Members of some neighborhoods in Windermere have expressed feeling less considered and represented than others. How would you address this concern?

I have been attending the Town Council meetings on a regular basis for the last two years. I believe the opinions of our residents have on occasion not been taken seriously by town officials. That is one of the reasons I am running for election to the Town Council.

Staff Writers dhendrix@OrangeObserver.com Zak Kerr, zkerr@OrangeObserver.com Jennifer Nesslar, jnesslar@OrangeObserver.com Advertising Executives Bill Carter, bcarter@OrangeObserver.com Kim Edwards, kedwards@OrangeObserver. com Cyndi Gustafson, advertising@OrangeObserver.com Creative Services Tony Trotti, ttrotti@OrangeObserver.com Andrés Tam, atam@OrangeObserver.com Customer Service Representatives Sarah Felt, sfelt@OrangeObserver.com Allison Brunelle, abrunelle@OrangeObserver.com

CONTACT US The Windermere Observer is published once weekly, on Thursdays. It provides subscription home delivery.

The Windermere Observer also can be found in many commercial locations throughout West Orange County and at our office, 720 S. Dillard St., Winter Garden.

If you wish to subscribe to the Windermere Observer, visit our website, OrangeObserver.com, call (407) 6562121 or visit our office, 720 S. Dillard St., Winter Garden.

TO ADVERTISE For display or digital advertising, call Cyndi Gustafson, (321) 239-3252, Kim Edwards, (407) 656-2121 or Bill Carter at (407) 656-2121.

For Classifieds, call (407) 656-2121.

SEND US YOUR NEWS We want to hear from you. Let us know about your events, celebrations and achievements.

To contact us, send your information via email to Michael Eng, meng@ OrangeObserver.com.

WINDERMERE OBSERVER The Windermere Observer (USPS 687-120) is published weekly for $29 per year ($40 outside of Orange County) by the Observer Media Group, 720 S. Dillard St., Winter Garden, Florida 34787. Periodical postage paid at Winter Garden, Florida.

POSTMASTER send address changes to the Windermere Observer, 720 S. Dillard St., Winter Garden, Florida 34787. Opinions in the Windermere Observer are those of the individual writer and are not necessarily those of the Windermere Observer, its publisher or editors. Mailed letters must by typed and include the author’s signature and phone number. Letters to the editor are subject to editing for space and grammar and become the property of the newspaper.

Windermere Observer 720 S. Dillard St. Winter Garden, FL 34787

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

Florida Hospital is the #1-ranked hospital in Florida for the third year in a row.

NOW OPEN

15-WO-02983

FL O R ID A HOS PIT A L W IN T E R G A R DE N

#1-RANKED HOSPITAL NOW SERVING WEST ORANGE COUNTY. Our new facility features state-of-the-art technology and board-certified physicians trained in the treatment of both adults and children. This hospital-based emergency room specializes in treating chest pain, heart attacks, strokes and orthopaedic injuries as well as other major conditions. Outpatient imaging, lab and surgical services, as well as primary care and specialty physician offices are also available — all in one convenient location.

Visit FloridaHospital.com/wintergarden to find out more.

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15-WO-02983-FHWG West Orange Times 2/25.indd 1

1/4/16 11:00 AM

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

Bridgewater students share love, warmth Students also made colorcoordinated pillows and cards for pediatric-unit patients.

ZAK KERR STAFF WRITER HORIZON WEST When

you think of a sewing circle, what age group comes to mind?

Seniors; maybe middle-age women?

Try the National Junior Honor Society at Bridgewater Middle School, which made pillows and blankets for the pediatric unit at Arnold Palmer Hospital.

“We reached out to the Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital and asked them what they would need from us, and then they told us that a lot of their patients needed fleece blankets,” teacher Shalanda Cooper said. “Some of the girls are actually in Girl Scouts, so they were familiar with making the fleece blankets. It was just basically getting the boys involved, and so they actually worked in pairs to complete the blankets.”

A shopping trip to Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft produced fleece in Carolina blue, yellow, black and gray — the school’s colors, she said. The PTSO provided extra T-shirts to use for pillows, too, so the recipients would know who made the items, she said.

“The kids decided that — because it was so close to Valentine’s Day — that they wanted to do Valentine cards for them,” Cooper said. “We were told many times the kids are there and without relatives and quite close to the Ronald McDonald House, but they’re not receiving anything, so

Courtesy photo

First row, from left: Izabella Tingo, Gavin Boswell, Rebecca Doss and Kaitlyn Howells. Second row, from left: Raymond Singh, Izabel Acosta, Izabella Pacheco and Andrew Bohen. Third row, from left: Julia Kendall, Rhiannon Dunkelberger, Maggie Yuan, Colin Williams, Kyle Mullman, Ryan Mullman, Declin Willams, Donald Basile, Elisha Robinson, Valeria Chavez and Adeena Ademu. Top row: Natalia Velez and Ayana Powell.

we just wanted to make sure that we were able to shine a little bit of love in their hearts.”

In past years, the school community had provided the hospital non-perishable food items, but Cooper wanted to make something more personal. When she heard blankets were needed, she figured pillows would be a great complement and add to the touch of one child giving to another.

“It’s important that you learn what other kids are going through, and that could very well be you or anybody,” student Donald Basile said. “It’s important to be prepared and to be thankful for what

you have and just try to help the people who aren’t as fortunate as you.”

Students spent 90 minutes after school Jan. 27 sewing the objects, and the delivery was on Feb. 6, Cooper said.

“They actually threaded needles and sewed the shirts themselves, and most of the students had no sewing experience, but they were so willing to do it and try it,” she said. “We’re actually reaching out to nursing homes and assisted-living facilities to make some for those residents, as well.”

The children were eager to learn

sewing, a skill not as often learned nowadays that Cooper likened to learning a foreign language. She said they had caught on fast and then wanted to do more once they had finished their quota, and Donald agreed it was easy to get the hang of once he was able to start.

“I thought it’d be fun to learn how to sew,” Donald said. “I’d never actually sewed before, and I enjoy doing community service.

I think it was a nice little thing to do for everybody at the hospital.”

Contact Zak Kerr at zkerr@orangeobserver.com.

… we just wanted to make sure that we were able to shine a little bit of love in their hearts.”

— Shalanda Cooper

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

Your child.

Our promise.

“I’m passionate that parents need to find the right doctor for their family, one they can talk to about anything.” Christine Chan-Ragazzo, MD, is a boardcertified pediatrician with fellowship training in adolescent medicine. She has cared for children and teens in both private practice and hospital settings, including emergency medicine.

© 2015. The Nemours Foundation. ® Nemours is a registered trademark of The Nemours Foundation.

Now Open — Nemours Children’s Primary Care, Horizon West The new home of Dr. Chan-Ragazzo. As a part of one of the nation’s leading children’s health care systems, we love working alongside families, helping you through all your child’s ages and stages - from birth to 18. Pediatric services include newborn care, well child exams, sick child visits, immunizations and ADD/ADHD evaluations and treatment.

Can’t make it to our location, or have a problem after we’re closed? With Nemours CareConnect, you can talk face to face with our pediatric experts online —anytime, anywhere. So it’s easy to get the help you need, exactly when and where you need it. Learn how at Nemours.org/CareConnect.

For appointments: (407) 217-7979 Expecting a baby? Call for a complimentary meet and greet.

We accept most insurance plans, including United, Aetna, AvMed, Blue Cross and Cigna.

Horizon West Your child. Our promise.

196967

Overstreet Market 7315 Winter Garden Vineland Road, Suite 101, Windermere, FL 34786 Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Walk-in sick care for established patients from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. daily.

Nemours.org/horizonwest

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OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

Residents seek remediation

n Stucco. At 1/4 inches and 3/8 inches on most homes, the stucco is too thin. It is supposed to be at least 7/8 inches.

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“All I can say is, it started on Tuesday morning, and it was a two-day mediation,” Sasso said.

“We walked in with no money, and we walked out with no money.”

Pulte Homes’ Sarah Garlick said: “The mediation on Feb. 16 was an opportunity for all parties, including Pulte and the contractors, to understand the issues and claims presented by the plaintiffs’ attorneys. We hope to reconvene with the parties to continue with the mediation process and work (toward) a resolution.”

Contact Jennifer Nesslar at jnesslar@orangeobserver.com.

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here because I was planning on retiring here and staying here and not moving again. And now, you’re just really concerned about your property value and what’s going to happen. I go around and … I look at the ceiling or I’ll look at the walls to see if issues are starting.”

DeRose is now considering selling the home, but she is left with the same question her neighbors face: Will anybody even want it?

So far, the homeowners have not been pleased with what Pulte has done to resolve the issue.

Mediation between the homeowners and Pulte Homes began Feb. 16 and lasted two days.

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Jennifer Nesslar

Discoloration from thin stucco and water damage shows clearly on the side of a home.

“Pulte Homes has been proactively trying to resolve the issues that some of our residents have encountered in their homes,” the statement reads. “We have expressed on numerous occasions our commitment to honoring our warranty and addressing all warrantable items and are fully committed to resolving this matter. We have stated that we are ready and willing to work with the residents toward a reasonable solution to address their concerns, but because an attorney is involved, we must follow through the required dispute resolution process.”

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n Mold and rot. Builders used particle board rather than plywood on the second stories of the homes. Particle board rots when it gets wet and creates mold in homes. It also holds water and swells.

Pulte Homes has responded with a statement regarding the town houses.

197821

n Structural support issues.

In one home, builders cut holes in the joists that support the second story.

and even structural damage.

The name “Pulte Homes” is etched prominently in the pavers leading up to Tepper’s home. The home building group constructed the town houses starting in 2007, with some completed as late as 2011.

To assist them with their claims, the homeowners hired attorney Michael Sasso. They also created a Facebook page, “My Pulte Nightmare,” where they share information.

“Extremely poor workmanship by Pulte Homes,” Sasso said.

“One of the worst I’ve seen in 30 years of doing this.”

The residents also have turned to Orange County District 1 Commissioner S. Scott Boyd, who drafted a letter for discussion at the Board of County Commissioners’ March 1 meeting. About 100 residents plan to attend that meeting.

“When homebuilders come in and start building their product, we want a community that’s going to look and last for the next 50 to 100 years,” Boyd said.

Diana DeRose has lived in her town house for almost a year. She hasn’t noticed as much damage to her unit as some of her neighbors, but discoloration and growing cracks on her home worry her.

The fears of what could be hidden — mold and more problems — keep her on her toes.

“It’s just really scary for us,” DeRose said. “I have money invested in this place and moved

196478

Courtesy photo

F ss

PULTE’S RESPONSE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

RESIDENTS’ CONCERNS

WINDERMERE OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

9

Windermere Elementary carnival features fun, fare

Luke Walker, 9, aimed carefully at the ring-toss booth.

W

indermere Elementary students, parents and staff enjoyed perfect weather Feb. 20 during the school’s annual Spring Carnival.

Kids enjoyed navigating a plethora of inflatable obstacles, climbing the obstacle wall and attempting carnival-style games hosted by West Orange High students. Attendees fueled up with cuisine from a variety of food trucks before heading back out for more fun.

Maite Lima chose to have a beautiful butterfly painted on her face.

— MICHAEL ENG

ONLINE

Sarah Jordan, 8, steadily climbed up the obstacle wall.

See more at OrangeObserver.com

Hailey Myers, 6, climbed to the top of this inflatable mountain.

Left: Cooper Callahan, 3, was all smiles at this year’s Spring Carnival.

Right: Lyla Larsen, 7, conquered the largest obstacle course.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

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ads and daughters of all ages gathered at Keene’s Crossing Elementary School Friday, Feb. 19, for the school’s father/daughter dance, themed “Daddy and Me, Down by the Sea.” Guests could indulge in pizza and cupcakes, dance to the Cha Cha Slide and other party favorites, walk the blue carpet and take sweet or silly photos in the photo booth.

Clark Rogers and daughter Clara, 6, had their photo taken in front of the balloon display.

Pedro Porto and daughter Maria, 4, took a break from dancing to enjoy the food.

Isabella Lasorsa, 8, and her dad, Matt, enjoyed some food at the dance.

ONLINE

Mike Miacey and daughter Alexis, 8, boogied during the Cha Cha Slide.

Chris Walker and daughter Addison, 8, enjoyed their daddy-daughter date.

— DANIELLE HENDRIX

Rich McCormick and daughter Kennedy, 10, danced together to a slow song.

See more Keene’s Pointe father-daughter dance photos at OrangeObserver.com

NEW YEAR – NEW TEST! “Longer and harder Reading passages” “More words in Math Problems” Reading Passages “At least a grade level higher” than previous test. Orange County Public Schools has purchased over $470,000 of official SAT material from College Board in order to acquaint and give a practice test in schools on April 15th for Junior and Seniors.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

ARTS + CULTURE “Singing is very therapeutic. It brings people together. People love to hear good music. If we can help to spread good music throughout Winter Garden and the surrounding areas … that’s a good thing.” — Quinn Roberts, board chairman, Garden Choir

QUICK HITS FRIDAY, FEB. 26

PAINT PARTY AT SOBO GALLERY

Courtesy photo

The Garden Choir has been in the Winter Garden community for nine years.

Better together The Garden Choir is partnering with Matthew’s Hope this weekend to perform its first Unity Concert.

JENNIFER NESSLAR STAFF WRITER

G

iving back to the community can come in many dif-

ferent forms. When the Garden Choir decided to

Jennifer Nesslar

Bill Metzger in the new aquaponics and aeroponics facility at Matthew’s Hope.

AQUAPONICS AND AEROPONICS

Matthew’s Hope’s latest project is a greenhouse for aquaponics and aeroponics projects. The greenhouse sits alongside the garden already in place at the facility.

Aeroponics allows plants to be grown with little soil and water. The roots of the plants are suspended in air and are nurtured through a nutrient solution.

nity, the organization got a The choir, a community group based in Winter Garden, decided to begin an annual concert where the main focus is to give back to the community by partnering with a local organization by way of a Unity Concert.

SEE STORY PAGE 12

JILL TOWERS AT THE ATTIC DOOR 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26 at The Attic Door, 28 W. Plant St., Winter Garden. Jill Towers brings her rock ’n’ roll guitar for a night of food, drinks and good music at The Attic Door. Music starts at 8 p.m.

(407) 877-0266.

MONDAY, FEB. 29

“PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN” 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 29 at The Big Easy, 15502 Stoneybrook West Parkway, Suite 118, Winter Garden. Bring the kids to enjoy a showing of the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Kids 10 and under, accompanied by an adult, can choose one free entree off the kids menu.

From 3-7 p.m., adults can enjoy drink specials for Happy Hour. (407) 654-3279.

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give back to the commulittle creative.

6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26 at SoBo Art Gallery, 127 S. Boyd St., Winter Garden.

Come enjoy a night of art with Amy Morgan. All materials for the painting, including professional instruction, are provided, but bring your own adult refreshment. Cost is $30 for members; $35 for non-members. Ages 21 and older. (407) 347-7996.

IF YOU GO GARDEN CHOIR UNITY CONCERT: A BENEFIT FOR MATTHEW’S HOPE WHEN: 4 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 27 WHERE: First Baptist Church of Winter Garden, 125 E. Plant St., Winter Garden TICKETS: $20 for adults; $10 children ages 4 to 12; free children 3 and under INFORMATION: gardencommunitychoir. org

GAIL ATKINSON “Rave: Mike the Mechanic.

We took my son’s car there this week for a transmission fluid change and to diagnose a mystery noise. After two rides with one of the mechanics, they had narrowed it down to either a wheel bearing, a motor mount or maybe a couple other things causing the noise. We left the car overnight, and when we returned, we were happy to find out it was merely the bracket that holds the battery in had not been tightened down when it was replaced by someone else and was causing the noise. It was a relief to find a mechanic who doesn’t want to do unnecessary work and charge you over-the-top costs. I highly recommend Mike the Mechanic to anyone looking for a trustworthy reliable mechanic.”

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

Songs of hope Matthew’s Hope is a homeless outreach mission that provides meals, dental care, laundry and other services.

The mission uses an effort-points program to provide a greater service than simply a handout.

Guests clock in and work hours that translate into points they can use for goods and services, as well as food.

Guests can work through activities such as washing and waxing cars, working in the garden and working in the laundry area.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

“We want to help highlight the organizations in Winter Garden and throughout the area,” said Quinn Roberts, the board chairman of the Garden Choir. “We can give them a little bit of a spotlight.”

For the first performance, the choir selected Matthew’s Hope, a Winter Garden-based homeless outreach, as a partner.

The organization already has an emphasis on people coming together, so it is a good fit for the Unity Concert, said Erik Segalini, media and communications director at Matthew’s Hope.

“We have this place with an office and a small staff, but really, it’s 50 to 100 volunteers from all over the community, 60 different churches, civic groups, businesses — all come together on a weekly, regular basis to make a difference,” Segalini said.

All proceeds from the evening will benefit Matthew’s Hope.

“We liked that they were right within the community and working for the people of Winter Garden,” Roberts said.

THE CHOIR

The Garden Choir began nine years ago under the direction of Dr. Jeffery Redding, also the choir director at West Orange High School. The choir is about 85 members strong and includes an even split of women and men from all throughout the West Orange community. They meet weekly in the choir room at West

Orange High School.

The group covers a wide range of musical genres — from classical to spiritual to Broadway.

Some pieces are simple, while others are challenging, said Roberts. Depending on the piece, the choir can sing up to eight parts at a time.

The singers are all unique in age and experience. Some are new to singing, while others are more seasoned.

“Dr. Redding is really able to pull it out of people and make you do things that you weren’t sure you could do,” Roberts said.

At the Unity Concert, the theme is “hope,” so songs will cover a variety of genres. The men’s a cappella group Sounds Like Chicken will perform alongside the Garden Choir, and representatives from Matthew’s Hope will share their mission and also give testimonies of how the organization has impacted them.

Ultimately, the mission of the concert is similar to the draw of singing — bringing people together.

“Singing is very therapeutic,” Roberts said. “It brings people together. People love to hear good music. If we can help to spread good music throughout Winter Garden and the surrounding areas … that’s a good thing.”

Contact Jennifer Nesslar at jnesslar@orangeobserver.com.

If you’re looking for a dog good with children and other animals, Debo (A341508) may be your new forever friend. The 2-year-old dog is house- and leash-trained, and he knows a few basic commands that he will perform for a treat.

He has lots of personality and gallops like a horse when he runs. He was surrendered because his owner could no longer care for him.

For more information, call (407) 836-3111 or visit ocnetpets.com.

Critter Corner showcases local animals available for adoption. If you run a shelter or animal rescue and wish to participate, contact Staff Writer Jennifer Nesslar, jnesslar@orangeobserver.com.

Orange County Animal Services is located at 2769 Conroy Road in Orlando, near the Mall at Millenia. The shelter is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Orange County Animal Services believes “Furever love is priceless” and is waiving all pet adoption fees during February. When adopting a pet, you choose how much you would like to pay, and the payment will be accepted as a donation.

The gala festivities include a red carpet welcome, champagne reception, exclusive reveal of the Garden Theatre’s 2016 - 2017 Season, an unforgettable performance by Maureen McGovern, and an after-party under the stars. The critically-acclaimed and multi-Grammy nominated entertainer has been described as “The Stradivarius Voice.”

197919

ABOUT MATTHEW’S HOPE

CR ITT ER CO R NER

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Garden Theatre · 160 West Plant Street · Winter Garden 34787

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|

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

13

Justin Lewis displayed his incredible pencil technique at this year’s Afrocentric Orlando.

First Afrocentric Orlando celebrates African heritage These girls were ready to have a great time at the first Afrocentric Orlando.

— MICHAEL ENG

ONLINE

These drummers performed authentic African rhythms on djembes and other hand drums.

See more photos from Afrocentric Orlando at OrangeObserver.com

197825

Nubia Smith, 5 months, was one of the youngest attendees of Afrocentric Orlando.

Florida State Sen. Geraldine Thompson spoke about the Wells Built Museum of African American History and Culture.

196993

A

ttendees of the first Afrocentric Orlando enjoyed a taste of African food and fun Feb. 20 at the Rosen JCC. The event, spearheaded

by Keene’s Pointe resident Christy Lynch, featured authentic African fare, a dance performance by The Maisha Group, djembe drumming by Mohammad Camara and a fashion show. Attendees also perused a variety of booths featuring African arts and crafts. Funds raised will benefit the Wells Built Museum of African American History and Culture.

14

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OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

Lee Holton painted a portrait of his daughter, Victoria.

Asha Worthy enjoyed the afternoon with Jakes Cakes.

Home-grown hues

THE WINNERS Best in show: Jason Hunt, pencil drawings of people First place: Kim Minichiello, watercolors Second place: Larry Roofner, sculpted rocking chairs, doors, glass and bar stools Third place: Noreen Coup, palette knife oils

T

he Windermere Town Square came to life with color and sound at the first Windermere Art Affair Feb. 20. More than 50 artists, many locally based, displayed their best work at the event. Awards were given to four artists.

— JENNIFER NESSLAR

Lochlan Anderson, 3, loved meeting Caboose the canine.

Jason Hunt won “Best of Show” for his pencil drawings.

ONLINE Windermere Preparatory School art students had their work displayed at the show.

See more photos at

OrangeObserver.com

Kimberly D. Beltrame used oil to create “The Crooked Can.”

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

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FEBRUARY 25, 2016

HIGH

SPORTS

5

Olympia High’s Mitchell Marques had five steals and two scores to lead the Titans to their first victory against Winter Park in three years. Page 19

Team-driven

Lakers sprint into 3A Final Windermere Prep routed Archbishop Carroll 80-61 in the Class 3A State semis at a breakneck pace.

STEVEN RYZEWSKI SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR LAKELAND Senior guard

1

Dr. Phillips sophomore Mike Berkman scored a season-high eight goals and assisted on three more as the Panthers boys lacrosse team battered host Edgewater Feb. 22, 19-3.

2

Olympia baseball’s Drenis Ozuna drove in three runs and scored two more while also picking up the save on the mound as the Titans (5-1) defeated Lake Mary 7-6 Feb. 16.

3

Ali DiBlasio had a home run and scored four times for Foundation Academy Feb. 18 as the Lions topped Legacy High, 15-0.

4

Dr. Phillips’ Jamel Clue (120 pounds), Dylan Meeks (220 pounds) and Tahj Glemaud (285 pounds) each won their respective district championship on the wrestling mat at Olympia High Feb. 20. The Panthers placed fifth as a team.

5

CFCA baseball’s Nick Peterson tossed his first no-hitter Feb. 19, striking out eight and walking none as the Eagles defeated Merritt Island Christian 11-0.

3 TO WATCH GIRLS LACROSSE Dr. Phillips (4-0) at Olympia (5-1), 7:30 p.m.

Friday BASEBALL West Orange (4-1) at Ocoee (4-1), 4 p.m.

Thursday SOFTBALL Olympia (5-1) at West Orange (7-1), 7 p.m.

Friday

JENNIFER NESSLAR STAFF WRITER WEST ORANGE

A

s senior Olym-

Jennifer Nesslar

Kaden Funk and Arianna Beltrame are excited to finish strong high-school tennis careers this season.

Parker Davis collected the opening tip of the FHSAA Class 3A State Semifinals, sprinted down the court and scored the game’s first points.

From that opening possession onward, Windermere Prep never really slowed down.

The Lakers (26-5) employed a breakneck tempo throughout the night Feb. 23 as they coasted to an 80-61 victory over Miami’s Archbishop Carroll (28-4). Windermere Prep pushed the ball wherever it could, repeatedly breaking through Archbishop Carroll’s attempts at a press, and found itself scoring layups and put-back buckets in bunches.

The Lakers shot a staggering 71% in the first half and 68% for the game.

“I figured with the guys we have … that we have enough guard play that we could break that initial trap and get all the layups, finishes and put-backs that we wanted,” head coach Ben Wilson said.

Davis finished with a gamehigh 25 points and, afterward, said that opening possession went a long way toward getting him going on a stage he hadn’t performed on before.

“It gave me a lot of confidence in the beginning — I was kind of nervous in this big arena,” Davis said.

Joining Davis in driving the Lakers’ fast start — Windermere Prep had 46 points by halftime — was junior standout David Nickelberry. Nickelberry scored 10 points in the first quarter and finished the night with 17 points — along with nine rebounds and seven assists.

“We knew that we need to come SEE LAKERS PAGE 21

pia tennis players Kaden Funk and

Arianna Beltrame look ahead to their college tennis careers, they also have much to look back on.

The team dynamic makes playing varsity tennis for Olympia special for Arianna Beltrame and Kaden Funk, who have had much success in USTA competition outside of high-school play.

Take, for instance, the time when both the girls and boys teams made it to state in 2015, when Beltrame won the line 2 slot.

Steven Ryzewski

SEE TENNIS PAGE 21

The Lakers outscored Archbishop Carroll 27-11 in the second quarter.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

SPONSORED BY SHANNON TILL STATE FARM IN FOWLER GROVES

Mitchell Marques Olympia’s Mitchell Marques had five steals and two scores against Winter Park Feb. 13. The 8-5 win for Olympia (5-3) was notable as it had previously been three years since the Titans had defeated Winter Park.

Tell me about the game against Winter Park.

I just thought in the mindset of the game, in the moment.

I’m not a high scorer at all, so that was a good game for me, it was a big deal.

How did you get started with water polo?

It started my freshman year with my sister. She found some flier when she started high school, and when she left, I came in and she introduced me to Coach Possell, so I got started from there.

What is the most challenging part of water polo for you?

It’s hard to balance school and water polo, especially last year, because your junior year is really hard. You have twohour practices, and then you have to go home and do all this homework and make sure you get good grades so you can go to college.

What’s your favorite part of the sport?

Scoring is always fun, because it makes you feel really good.

Any plans for after high school?

I really want to go to either UCF or USF for their biomedical sciences programs and hopefully go to grad school after that to be an anesthesiologist. I really like chemistry,

THE BASICS

Age: 18 Year: Senior Position: Center defender Height: 6 feet Weight: 175

and that’s a specialty that I think is geared toward chemistry. It sounds interesting.

If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?

I guess I’d be a whale or something, because they always call me a whale on the team because I kind of breach when I swim. When you start, you’re on the wall and you kind of twist up and down and hit the water like a whale.

Photos by Steven Ryzewski

The Olympia softball team defeated Ocoee 16-2 Feb. 18 in five innings.

Titans break out bats in early-season wins

If you could have your dream meal, what would it be?

Any kind of steak! Filet mignon, New York strip, ribeye, anything like that, a huge steak. That would be the best meal ever.

Olympia softball has scored 97 runs through its first six games, helping propel the Titans to a 5-1 start to the season.

Do you have a favorite musician or song?

I listen to everything, really.

I like punk rock and like Mariana’s Trench and Mayday Parade. I think they’re really good bands.

STEVEN RYZEWSKI SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR LAKE BUTLER In Olympia soft-

ball coach Stephanie Manny’s fourth year leading her program, there is one characteristic that she said differentiates this year’s team from those of years past.

This spring, the Titans broke out the bats.

Olympia (5-1) has scored 97 runs through its first six games — an average of 16.2 runs per game. In a Metro Conference game against Ocoee Feb. 18, the Titans plated eight runs in both the third and fourth innings, turning a 1-0 deficit into a 16-2 victory in five innings.

“I can honestly say, in the four years I’ve been here, this is by far the best hitting team I’ve had,” Manny said after her Titans had finished off the Knights.

Helping to lead the way is senior center fielder Jessica Lien. In the game against Ocoee, Lien belted a home run in the third inning and tallied four RBI on the day.

“We’ve done a good job of just scoring early and getting ahead,” Lien said. “Our bats have really improved.”

Lien is one-third of a small but talented senior class for Olympia, along with Jill Chabot and Gabby Orland. It is a senior

What is your favorite subject in school?

Chemistry. I took AP Biology my junior year and I didn’t enjoy the subject as much, but I took chemistry that same year and I enjoyed it more than AP Biology. It just kind of came to me, and my dad was really good with it, too.

What are you most looking forward to this season?

We really are looking forward to going to and winning states this year, because we’ve been waiting since our freshman year. Our freshman-year team was really good, so we’re hoping that this is our final year to go to states and get the state ring and be able to say, “We won states.”

How has coach Stephanie Johnson-Possell helped you improve your skills?

She’s really the type to push you farther than you think you can go, and you don’t like her for it now, but later you realized that it really helped you.

Family.

Family.

Friends.

Friends.

Community.

Community.

— DANIELLE HENDRIX

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Senior Jessica Lien is congratulated by teammates after hitting a home run against Ocoee Feb. 18.

class that is near and dear to Manny.

“They’re the group that started with me when I started four years ago; we’ve actually come through the program together,” Manny said.

“They’ve made a considerable difference in their leadership throughout the four years. …

They’ve done a great job.”

Competing in a loaded district that includes powerhouses such as West Orange, Apopka and Lake Brantley, Manny acknowledges her team will be an underdog but said that’s not a bad place to be. Olympia’s

first loss this season came at the hands of the Blue Darters, but Manny cites the semifinals of last season’s district tournament — where the Titans upset Apopka and earned a berth in the regional playoffs — as proof that her girls can overcome what has been a “mental block” in past years against elite programs.

“It showed that we’ve got it in us,” Manny said. “I think it’s anybody’s district.”

Contact Steven Ryzewski at sryzewski@orangeobserver.com.

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OrangeObserver.com

Tennis standouts lead by example CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

Or in 2014, when Funk was state champion. At Olympia, he has boasted a 45-1 record in singles.

Despite all the success they have achieved individually through USTA and high-school competition, the greatest part about playing at Olympia was being with the team.

“We were all there together,” Beltrame said of the states match in 2015. “It was like a whole family. I was playing a match and my whole team was lined up on the side of the court, cheering me on, and that was a different experience than I’ve ever had, because USTA is really quiet, and you don’t have a team.”

Currently, the boys team is undefeated. This year, the state competition is more teambased than individually based, Funk said. So for his senior year, Funk wants his team to succeed at states.

“This year, I’m really hoping that some of the guys can step up their bottom lines and win some matches,” Funk said. “If we get some medals, that’s kind of the overall goal for the team.”

Funk and Beltrame are both grateful for how coaches Bubba James and Carol Haderer worked with them as they juggled other USTA matches and practices with high-school competition.

“Coach Bubba and Coach Carol have been awesome coaches,” Beltrame said. “They’ve always been huge supporters. They come to even my USTA matches to watch, and they’ve never ever pressured me to do anything

“I felt great … I felt confident and that if I continued to play strong and play aggressive that we were going to come out with a victory.”

David Nickelberry, junior

I didn’t want to do. They’ve always worked with me and my schedule.”

But their coaches feel that their hard work in both USTA and high-school tennis has inspired their teammates to aspire to improve their own games.

“Their leadership and the drive they have have really brought them to a higher level,” James said.

Beltrame’s tenacity in matches motivates her teammates to imitate her style, James said. “(Beltrame) never backs off,” he said. “She plays every point like it’s her first point and her last point.”

Next year, Funk will take his game to the University of Pennsylvania, where he will also study finance — something that interests him just as much as tennis.

To prepare for college, Funk plans to mold his game into something that will translate easily into indoor court play. In an indoor court, the size is the same, but the surface is different. The ball bounces much more quickly. To adjust, Funk needs to develop a bigger serve, bigger forehand, shorter points and more volleys at the net. He plans to keep training with his coach at Bay Hill, Matt Rineberg, and his fitness trainer, Rod Jette.

Beltrame will play tennis for Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.

Contact Jennifer Nesslar at jnesslar@orangeobserver.com.

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out strong and finish with confidence and strength,” Nickelberry said. “I felt great … I felt confident and that if I continued to play strong and play aggressive that we were going to come out with a victory.”

Xion Golding (15 points) and Will Seelman (10 points) also finished in double figures for the Lakers, though the offense ran through Davis and Nickelberry for most of the evening.

21

Vargas wins state title Dr. Phillips freshman Jamaris Vargas won a girls wrestling state championship at 128 pounds Feb. 13, helping to lead her team to a third-place finish at state.

STEVEN RYZEWSKI SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR DR. PHILLIPS Jamaris

Vargas watched her cousin Jaquan Loney wrestle for four years at Gateway High in a career that culminated in a third-place finish for him in the 138-pound class at the FHSAA Wrestling Finals last spring.

Vargas remembers helping out where she could with the program at Gateway and, over time, she became inspired to wrestle, too.

Luckily for Vargas, she is a freshman at Dr. Phillips — one of the few local schools that fields a girls wrestling program. And after years of looking up to her cousin, the Panthers freshman one-upped him by winning a state championship at 128 pounds Feb. 13, pinning Evans’ Biverlie D’Haity in the final of the Florida Girls Wrestling Championships.

“I was so happy because all the hard work I’d put into everything, it finally paid off,” Vargas said.

Vargas came out for the team at the beginning of the school year and didn’t know quite what to expect. Under head coach John Miller, she and the seven other freshmen newbies quickly learned that training and conditioning for wrestling was no joke.

“It was really, really hard, but I liked it,” Vargas said.

As a program, Miller’s team has been infused by a new wave of interest this year. After fielding a girls wrestling team of just five competitors in 2014-15, the 2015-16 edition of the Panthers completed the season with 12 wrestlers at the state competition. Miller said a combination of siblings of boy wrestlers and a few

Jamaris Vargas said she was inspired to give wrestling a try after closely following the career of her cousin Jaquan Loney, who wrestled at Gateway High.

Steven Ryzewski

recruits from the school’s Junior ROTC program have helped turn out a healthy roster.

Dr. Phillips placed third at the state competition, with freshman Shedeline Ulysse earning a state runner-up medal at 197 pounds and sophomore Remy Hellinger placing fourth in the 140-pound class.

Tops among the group though was Vargas, perhaps the quietest of them all.

“She is very soft-spoken, but she works very hard,” Miller said of his newly crowned state champion. “She doesn’t panic.”

The third-place finish at state has emboldened the girls on the team, with some already coming up to Miller in the hallways on campus, eager to start training for next season.

Lakers to face Lions in final CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

“They’re both great at attacking first,” Wilson said of his two standouts. “When they come out attacking the basket, it gets the game going.”

Windermere Prep will now take on Fort Lauderdale’s Westminster Academy in the Class 3A State Final at 5 p.m on Thursday at The Lakeland Center. The Lions (22-6) rallied to force overtime against The First Academy and outscored the Royals in the extra period, 16-6, to take the 68-58 victory.

When the Lakers take the floor on Thursday, they will likely again be cheered on by the same sizable cheering section that made the trip from Southwest Orange on Tuesday.

“They’ve been supporting us the whole year, and I’m glad that they came,” Xion Golding said.

“It was crazy — all the red in the stands was great.”

As extra motivation, Miller placed the third-place trophy in the wrestling room.

“That little trophy over there — that’s their reminder that they have to be bigger next year,” Miller said. “They all come in and look at that (third-place trophy), (and) that’s not what they want.”

As for Vargas, who plays no other sports at Dr. Phillips, she and her underclassmen teammates are excited to be a part of what could become something special in the next few years.

“It’s like a little sisterhood,” Vargas said. “Next year we’re planning on placing first as a team.”

Contact Steven Ryzewski at sryzewski@orangeobserver.com.

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OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

Get Healthy West Orange The West Orange Healthcare District, Orlando Health – Health Central Hospital, and the West Orange Times & Windermere Observer are joining together in championing efforts to become the healthiest community in the nation, by fostering a culture of health and wellness based on health status, nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle.

www.HealthyWestOrange.org

Championed by:

www.Facebook.com/HealthyWestOrange twitter.com/healthyworange

Feel better about your health. Connect with us for tips, health news, and a chance to win great weekly prizes!

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After that $25 or $20 for 17 & under/ 65 & over

You are invited to a FREE community Health and Wellness Expo.

• FREE Health Screenings • FREE Prizes and Giveaways Hourly • FREE Exciting Healthy Activities Including Cooking and Fitness Demonstrations • Great Vendors • DJ, Entertainment & More!

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Former NFL Safety, and other special guests & celebrity appearances!

Promoting Active Lifestyle Shopping!

With some of our “fitness conscience” retailers:

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

23

Health & Wellness Expo Saturday, February 27, 2016 10am-4pm

First of multiple Health and Wellness Expos to be hosted throughout West Orange communities!

You are invited to a FREE community Health and Wellness Expo.

At...

Fun for the Entire Family!

Special Guests & Celebrity Appearances!

• FREE Health Screenings • FREE Prizes and Giveaways Hourly • FREE Exciting Healthy Activities Including Cooking and Fitness Demonstrations • Great Vendors • DJ, Entertainment & More!

For more information visit: HealthyWestOrange.org Stop by the West Oaks Mall Saturday, February 27th and VOTE for YOUR Little League. The league with the most votes can win $750.00 to be used for equipment, field improvement etc. Visit the Winter Garden Squeeze booth to vote, take a practice swing in the batting cage, talk with some of the Squeeze team, and win prizes!

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Register and Win ... Take the Healthy West Orange Pledge by February 26th at 5 pm.

Your school will be in the drawing for a $1000.00 grant towards fitness equipment or nutrition services from theWest Orange Healthcare District. Drawing for the winning school will be held at the Health & Wellness Expo at West Oaks Mall on February 27th.

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24

REAL ESTATE

WINDERMERE OBSERVER

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OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

Two Casabella estates top weekly sales MICHAEL ENG EXECUTIVE EDITOR

T

wo homes in Casabella at Windermere topped all West Orange-area residential real-estate transactions from Feb. 5 to 11.

The home at 4260 Isabella Circle, Windermere, sold Feb. 6, for $1,884,444. Built in 2015, it has five bedrooms, five baths, two half-baths, a pool and 6,796 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $277.29.

The home at 4236 Isabella Circle, Windermere, sold Feb. 5, for $1,785,029. Built in 2015, it has five bedrooms, five baths, two half-baths, a pool and 5,453 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $327.35.

Michael Eng

These two Casabella at Windermere homes, at 4260 and 4236 Isabella Circle, were the top residential real-estate transactions from Feb. 5 to 11.

GOTHA

SPENCE’S POINT The home at 9025 Spence Court, Gotha, sold Feb. 5, for $303,000. Built in 1990, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,428 square feet of living area.

The price per square foot is $124.79.

HORIZON WEST

ALEXANDER RIDGE The home at 2108 Cestius Road, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 5, for $359,500. Built in 2015, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 3,265 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $110.11.

ENCLAVE AT BERKSHIRE PARK The home at 13985 Darchance Road, Windermere, sold Feb. 10, for $387,500. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, threeand-one-half baths, a pool and 3,549 square feet. The price per square foot is $109.19.

HICKORY HAMMOCK The home at 15898 Citrus Grove Loop, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 5, for $395,000. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 3,514 square feet. The price per square foot is $112.41.

LAKES OF WINDERMERE The home at 7087 Nobleton Drive, Windermere, sold Feb. 5, for $390,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, three baths, two half-baths, a pool and 4,167 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $93.59.

ORCHARD HILLS The home at 14404 Cedar Hill Drive, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 8, for $361,608. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 3,218 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $112.37.

SOUTHBRIDGE The town house at 6390 Southbridge St., Windermere, sold Feb. 5, for $225,000. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,632 square feet. The price per square foot is $137.87.

SUMMERLAKE The home at 7624 Bluejack Oak Drive, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 10, for $322,539. Built in 2015, it has six bedrooms, three baths and 2,603 square feet. The price per square foot is $123.91.

VINEYARDS The home at 6626 Bridgewater Village Road, Windermere, sold Feb. 5, for $310,170. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 2,431 square feet of living area.

The price per square foot is $127.59.

Our team shows your home PERSONALLY each and every time, so that your home will sell FASTER and closer to your asking price.

WATERLEIGH The home at 8637 Bayview Crossing Drive, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 5, for $277,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,216 square feet. The price per square foot is $125.

We can prove it!

Call to find out how.

SNAPSHOT Total Sales: 51 High Sale Price: $1,844,444 Low Sale Price: $42,000 REO/Bank Owned: Six Auction/REO: One Short Sales: Two

METROWEST

CENTRAL PARK The condo at 6082 Westgate Drive, No. 202, Orlando, sold Feb. 8, for $67,000. Built in 1988, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,422 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $47.12.

The home at 6118 Westgate Drive, No. 103, Orlando, sold Feb. 10, for $42,000 (REO/bank owned). Built in 1988, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 864 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $48.61.

MADISON AT METROWEST The condo at 2600 Robert Trent Jones Drive, No. 924, Orlando, sold Feb. 5, for $68,000.

Built in 1995, it has one bedroom, one bath and 854 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $79.63.

PEMBROOKE The home at 7228 Somersworth Drive, Orlando, sold Feb. 8, for $243,650. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,234 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $109.06.

STONEBRIDGE COMMONS The condo at 6440 Axeitos Terrace, No. 101, Orlando, sold Feb. 8, for $171,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,797 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $95.16.

STONEBRIDGE LAKES The condo at 3522 Shallot Drive, No. 106, Orlando, sold Feb. 10, for $141,560 (REO/ bank owned). Built in 2004, it has two bedrooms, two-

and-one-half baths and 1,546 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $91.57.

VILLA CAPRI The town house at 3133 Capri Isle Way, Orlando, sold Feb. 9, for $179,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 1,591 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $112.51.

OCOEE

BROOKESTONE The home at 481 Highbrooke Blvd., Ocoee, sold Feb. 5, for $333,000. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,597 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $128.22.

WINDSOR LANDING The home at 249 Sagecrest Drive, Ocoee, sold Feb. 10, for $415,000. Built in 2003, it has five bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,814 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $108.81.

WEST ORANGE

HARBOR POINT The home at 413 Cutter Court, Orlando, sold Feb. 11, for $195,000. Built in 1983, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,858 square feet. The price per square foot is $104.95.

WINDERMERE

BALMORAL The home at 9183 Balmoral Mews Square, Windermere, sold Feb. 8, for $579,229 (auction/ REO). Built in 2003, it has five bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 4,299 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $134.74.

KEENE’S POINTE The home at 6719 Valhalla Way, Windermere, sold Feb. 5, for $1.45 million. Built in 2007, it has five bedrooms, five-andone-half baths, a pool and 4,771 square feet. The price per square foot is $303.92.

By Publix on Maguire, Windermere office.

Don’t Take a Chance - Choose Barbara Vance!

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Call Barbara Vance for details: Courtesy photo

This Keene’s Pointe home, at 6719 Valhalla Way, Windermere, sold Feb. 5, for $1.45 million. features home brick, stone, cathedral ceilings, exposed beams and an outdoor living area with views of the 16th green and Lake Tibet.

WINDERMERE OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

The home at 6228 Foxfield Court, Windermere, sold Feb. 10, for $750,000. Built in 2001, it has five bedrooms, five-andone-half baths, a pool and 4,222 square feet. The price per square foot is $177.64.

WESTOVER CLUB The home at 1991 Westhill Run, Windermere, sold Feb. 10, for $381,000. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,413 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $157.89.

WINTER GARDEN

BLACK LAKE PARK The home at 14226 Lagoon Cove Lane, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 5, for $315,000 (REO/bank owned). Built in 2008, it has four bedrooms, two-and-onehalf baths and 3,603 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $87.43.

BRONSON’S LANDING The home at 2205 Rickover Place, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 9, for $545,000. Built in 2007, it has five bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 4,324 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $126.04.

COURTLEA OAKS The home at 431 Valley View Drive, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 9, for $393,820. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 3,068 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $128.36.

COVINGTON CHASE The home at 707 River Grass Lane, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 9, for $285,000. Built in 2013, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 2,466 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $115.57.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

25

WEST ORANGE OBITUARIES LOUIS A. “LOU” WAGNER Louis Albert Wagner died Friday, Feb. 5, 2016.

MARTHA LOUISE JOHNS Martha Louise Johns, 81, died Feb. 15, 2016.

Martha Louise Johns, 81, of Ocoee, Florida, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her family on Monday, Feb. 15, 2016.

She was born June 13, 1934, in Winter Garden, Florida.

She was predeceased by her husband, Harry Johns; and is survived by her children, Harriet Johns Wade (Larry), Denny Johns (Yvonne) and Scott Johns (Doreen); five grandchildren, Stephanie (Steve), Matt (Kira), Chad, Nicole and Dustin; and two great-grandchildren, Brenna and Heidi.

Martha worked in the Orange County Public School system as a lunchroom manager for 30 years and then retired. She loved to travel, often traveling with family or friends to various parts of the world. She was a devoted Christian and active leader in her church, as well as a loving mother, grandmother, sibling and friend and has always been an inspiration to others.

Services were conducted

by Loomis Funeral Home and Pastor Rick Grant from Way of Grace (Glad Tidings) Church on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016.

Louis Albert Wagner, “PianoLou,” 80, of Orlando, Florida, passed away Friday, Feb. 5, at Cornerstone Hospice surrounded by his loving family.

Born in Titusville, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Louis A. Wagner Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Swartslander.

He is preceded in death by his sister, Betty Wagner Butcher; and brother-in-law, Paul Butcher, of Titusville. He was a 1953 graduate of Titusville High School and attended Berklee School of Music.

He proudly served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps and then in the U.S. Air Force, during which time he spent years in the band and also in flight crews during the Vietnam War, retiring as a Master Sergeant. Lou received several military awards, includCARL R. ENGLE Carl R. Engle died Feb. 17, 2016.

Carl R. Engle of Windermere, Florida, died Feb. 17, after a long battle with prostate cancer. He was 80 years old.

Carl was born and raised in West Reading, Pennsylvania, where he attended public school and graduated in 1953 from West Reading High School. He received degrees in mathematics from Penn State University — Berks (formerly Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute) and Albright College and held an MBA from Rollins College.

After a brief career with CarTech in Reading in the mid1960s, he took a position as an industrial engineer with the Orlando location of Martin Marietta (now Lockheed Martin). One of his many projects was working on the Patriot Missile program,

ing two Air Medals.

During his retirement, Lou had two passions. He spent his time playing the piano professionally and traveling. He has traveled to every U.S. state, as well as many overseas countries — including touring Italy; Cape Town, Africa; and Cairo, Egypt. He volunteered at First Baptist Church Orlando for many years, sharing his love of music to many wonderful people. He had the honor of producing a CD, titled “Piano Lou One,” showcasing just a few of the many favorite thousands of songs that he knew.

He is survived by a wife of 51 years, Angela, of Orlando, Florida; a daughter, Alecia Wagner Helm, and her husband Tim, of Bluffton, South Carolina; a daughter, Elizabeth Wagner Williams, and her husband, Garr, of Orlando; four grandchildren; Matt Helm, Heath Helm, Margaret Williams and

Ryan Garr Louis Williams. Lou has two great-grandchildren, Gavin and Lina Helm.

He was a fighter and strong role model with never-ending jokes to make people laugh — even through the hardships in life. He will be forever in our hearts — and in the music we are privileged to hear day in and day out.

A memorial service to celebrate Lou’s life will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, March 5, 2016, at Marie Williams Chapel, located at the First Baptist Church Orlando, Florida.

which proved so successful as the “scud buster” during the first Iraq war. He was with Martin until retirement, after which he served as a consultant to Morton-Thiokol in Ogden, Utah.

A longtime Windermere resident, Carl was active for many years with the Windermere Rotary Club, served as a Boy Scout leader, was a founding member of the Presbyterian Church of the Lakes and was a member of West Orange Country Club. He enjoyed music, golfing, traveling — especially to his native Pennsylvania — poker nights and discussing politics.

Carl was an accomplished clarinetist and saxophonist. Until recently, he spent most summers playing with the Keystone Band of Rehrersburg, Pennsylvania, and was an active member of the local Memories Band in Orlando.

He is survived by his wife, Carole; children, Robert Engle of Alexandria, Virginia, Lori Engle, of Bloomingdale, New Jersey, and Leigh Ann Engle Dyal, of Windermere; grandchildren, Hannah and Caroline Engle; stepchildren, Page and Stephanie Weibley; and step-grandchildren, Calder and Corbin Weibley.

Memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, at Presbyterian Church of the Lakes.

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26

WINDERMERE OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

|

W EAT HER

I LOVE WEST ORANGE

FORECAST

SUNRISE / SUNSET

THURSDAY, FEB. 25 High: 72 Low: 51 Chance of rain: 0%

FRIDAY, FEB. 26 High: 74 Low: 52 Chance of rain: 0%

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, Feb. 25

6:56a

6:23p

Friday, Feb. 26

6:55a

6:23p

Saturday, Feb. 27

6:54a

6:24p

Sunday, Feb. 28

6:53a

6:25p

Monday, Feb. 29

6:52a

6:25p

Tuesday, March 1

6:51a

6:26p

Wednesday, March 2

6:50a

6:27p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, FEB. 27 Mar. 23 Full

High: 77 Low: 54 Chance of rain: 0% Ocoee resident Jan Pewsey submitted this breathtaking photo, taken Jan. 21 at Newton Park on Lake Apopka in Winter Garden.

The West Orange Times & Observer is hosting this weekly contest, and winners will have their photograph featured and receive a $20 prize. To enter, email your photo, along with your name and city and a caption, to aqrhode@orangeobserver.com; put “I Love West Orange” in the subject line. Please include your mailing address to receive your prize.

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ADVERTISE OR SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Call us at 407-656-2121 Email us at AdvertiseNow@OrangeObserver.com or Subscribe@OrangeObserver.com

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54 He’s a deer 55 Like groups working

together 57 Bull’s weapons 59 St. crosser 60 Just passable 61 “___ Your Enthusiasm” (HBO show) 64 Landlord’s due 65 Slugger Griffey Jr. 66 Sculptor’s chest 69 Hanging Gardens location 71 Turn topsy-turvy 73 Santa ___, California 74 ___ of operation 77 It seems like forever 78 French door piece 80 Danson of TV 81 Bed linen

1 Napoleon exile site 2 Praise highly 3 Noted British Romantic poet 4 Set a price of 5 Squalid 6 Cousin of a tearoom 7 Tooth docs’ org.

8 Muslim house of worship 9 Daily temperature stat 10 Mayberry’s town drunk 11 Hank’s “King of the Hill” wife 12 Loud kisses 13 Some merchandise pickups 14 Inning enders 15 Type of school 16 Pert blurt 18 Hike from the center 19 Parting word 23 Ideological beliefs 83 Well source 25 Like a pastor’s food 88 The three of six (var.)

90 Easily split mineral 29 “Gomer ___, USMC” 91 Well in the past 32 Good-for-nothing 92 Primary color in pho33 Exact copy tography 93 Odom, formerly of the 34 “Saturday Night Live” genre NBA 35 “Macbeth” quintet 95 Flashy 36 Boating area marker 97 Volcano in Sicily 37 Guitarist’s neckline?

98 NFL legend Graham 38 Per unit 99 Range of vision 40 Slow on the ___ (thick101 Obtains wool headed) 103 Pains’ partners 104 Stakes used in quoits 41 Add 46-Across 42 Small piece of cloth 105 Long-legged wader 106 How great minds think or paper 44 Mechanical teeth 108 House with a steep 45 Stackable cookie

47 Like a cold sheep 51 Undersea acronym 53 Raggedy redhead 56 Hotel units 58 Publicity ploy 62 Type of bread 63 Windy 66 Tell secrets 67 Like some narrow streets 68 Antenna shelter 69 Tree with smooth bark 70 Wild Asian asses 72 NBC mascot 75 Resistance unit 76 Some believers 78 Actor Sean 79 Word with high-pressure or disaster 82 New Mexico town 84 Day care enrollees 85 According to regulations 86 Like a fashionable arrival 87 Baseballer Slaughter 89 Strutted 91 19-Acrosses from a tyke 94 Type of parallelogram (var.)

96 Slightest amount 100 Complied with 102 High-flying military rank 103 Isn’t the wrong way?

106 ___-ski party (lodge gathering, perhaps) 107 Like Jack Sprat’s meat?

108 Vaulted part of a church 109 Harsh criticism 110 Toothy garden tool 111 Wind catcher 112 Like some SoHo shops 113 Double-curved arch molding 115 Voting “no” 116 Kind of principal (Abbr.)

118 Aussie avian 120 “What was ___ think?”

121 Roadblock requests

CRYPTOQUIZ

Each of the following cryptograms is a clue to the identity of a former First Son or Daughter. Using the hints G=E and K=N, decipher the clues to name the son or daughter.

1. Y K F Q D Z K B G 2. F G B D G M Z D V 3. L D X S Q B G D 4. W Z D Y K G 5. B X K B D G F F This child was born on December 23, 1907, the second oldest of six:

SUDOKU

Solve the puzzle by placing the numbers 1 Feb 25 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.49) through 9 in each row, column and box.

2 3 7

6 8

7

4

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6

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7

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|

27

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8

www.master-roofing.com State License #CCC021396

3

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2

9 This week’s Cryptoquiz answers 1) Insurance, 2) Secretary, 3) Producer, 4) Marine, 5) Congress James Roosevelt

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FebThis 25 (Medium, 0.49) week’sdifficulty Sudokurating answers

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Windermere Observer reserves the right to classify and edit copy, or to reject or cancel an advertisement at any time. Corrections after first insertion only. *All ads are subject to the approval of the Publisher. *It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication in Windermere Observer to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with town codes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property.

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8

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This week’s Crossword answers LV11097

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1

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LV11098

WINDERMERE OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

WINDERMERE OBSERVER

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OrangeObserver.com

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