W E ST O RA N G E T I M E S &
Observer Celebrating more than 110 years in West Orange
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. FREE
VOLUME 85, NO. 22
YOUR TOWN 65 YEARS STRONG
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THURSDAY, MAY 31, 2018
Just the beginning West Orange, Foundation and Legacy celebrate commencement. SEE 9-10.
We salute you West Orange-area communities honored those who gave their lives with Memorial Day events. SEE PAGE 4.
Berwyn and Kathryn Oltman will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary June 3. They grew up on opposite ends of Nebraska and first met as children, when one of Kathryn’s sisters married and moved to the community where Berwyn’s family lived. They both are from families with eight children. They were students at McPherson College in Kansas the first year they were married. Berwyn is a retired Church of the Brethren minister and served churches in both Iowa and Florida. They moved to Ocoee nearly 30 years ago. They have three children: Stephen, Carolyn and Christopher; and a 4-year-old grandson, Ryder.
The City Commission also approved the purchase of three parcels for $1.6 million.
Amy Quesinberry
Retired U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Robert E. Cole Jr. was the guest speaker at Winter Garden’s Memorial Day program.
Expansion to bring elite-level gymnastics to Winter Garden
SPORTS
City leaders OK strategic plan for east Winter Garden
The owners of Gymnastics USA purchased equipment from the 2017 World Championships in Montreal and had it shipped to Winter Garden.
ERIC GUTIERREZ STAFF WRITER
When city commissioners voted unanimously to approve the East Winter Garden Plan at the May 24 meeting, many citizens in attendance applauded the decision. Dover, Kohl & Partners began preparations for the plan to give east Winter Garden a new look in July 2017. City Manager Mike SEE LEADERS PAGE 4
AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR
West Orange softball caps a strong season with an appearance in the state final. SEE 17.
Since opening in Winter Garden nearly four years ago, Gymnastics USA has outgrown its 33,000-square-foot facility in the Winter Garden Plaza on West Colonial Drive. An average-sized gym has 500 students, said head coach and co-founder Zander
Arthur; Gymnastics USA currently has 1,300 enrolled. He and the other co-founder, brother Austin Arthur, decided an expansion was necessary, and they are celebrating their grand reopening of the enlarged space in an open house Saturday, June 2. The additional 16,000 square SEE GYMNASTICS PAGE 8