Times& WEST ORANGE
Observer WEST ORANGE COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER FOR 109 YEARS
THURSDAY
JUNE 11, 2015
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National 9/11 flag has West Orange ties. PAGE 3A
Garden Theatre kicks off summer bluegrass series. PAGE 15A
Bridgewater student takes the mound in all-girl tourney. PAGE 1B
by Steven Ryzewski | Sports Editor OUR TOWN remembrance
Community celebrates life of Scott Dillon The longtime umpire and former president of Windermere Little League died May 30. He has a ballfield at George Bailey Park named for him.
+ Dancers qualify for competition Three local dancers with Centre for Dance & the Performing Arts have qualified in the top 90 dancers in the United States and will be competing in the United States Inter-Regional Championships this July in Atlanta. For Elizabeth Karpov, this is her third year as a Southeastern representative following her qualifying win as first runner-up at regionals last month. Karpov is a rising seventh-grader at Lakeview Middle School. Courtney McHale will be attending Dr. Phillips High School in the VPA Dance Magnet this fall. This is her second year as a Southeastern representative. Maggie Scott qualified as second runner-up at regionals and will be representing the Southeast in the 11-and-under category. She is a rising fourth-grader at Lake Whitney Elementary. Cami Amein (Dr. Phillips) and Anna Binkley (The Classical School of The First Academy) both qualified as alternates and will be preparing themselves to compete if needed at the national event. At least 12 dancers from CDPA will attend along with these qualifiers. The dancers will compete in PrePremier dance events; solo, duet and group choreography; PreChampionships; the Magnolia Classic Premiership; and the North American Championship. CDPA is finishing its 25th year in West Orange County. The studio is located on Tubb Street in Oakland. For more, contact dancecdpa@ gmail.com.
polos as a sign of respect. Later, at a reception at Butler Bay Recreation Area, about 250 people gathered to further remember Dillon and, as the storm finally passed and the sun set, a double-rainbow emerged on the horizon.
Courtesy photo
Scott Dillon was a well-liked SEE DILLON / PAGE 8A umpire in the community.
IN MEMORIAM
by Steven Ryzewski | Sports Editor
Ocoee High mourns loss of student Leonard “Leo” Stay, 16, was known for his positivity, good energy and campus involvement. OCOEE — It never took long for Leonard “Leo” Stay to make a good impression. As a member of the wrestling team at Ocoee High School, Stay joined the program mid-season in January but soon emerged as a leader. He wasn’t the best wrestler on the team — but his enthusiasm, positivity and
SEE STAY / PAGE 8A
now open
Courtesy photo
The home at 306 Palm St. is considered to be one of the oldest in Windermere. It will be torn down this month.
by Zak Kerr | Staff Writer
This Old House
New shops open in downtown Ocoee district
Now under new ownership, the 1912 home of one of the key figures in Windermere’s history is set to be demolished this month. But before it is torn down, pieces of it will be removed to preserve the history hiding in its bones. WINDERMERE — The air is thick and sticky on the shores of Lake Butler as the late-afternoon sun begins its descent. Sara Luff sits at a picnic table in the middle of Palmer Park — named after Luff’s great-grandfather, John Calvin “Cal” Palmer. Palmer is one of the founding fathers of the West Orange town. Just a few yards away, his original home — built in 1911 and 1912 with planks of wood from a sawmill on Lake Down — sits empty. Some of its glass has been shattered, and a pre-
WO This week’s winner is See the photo on PAGE 7B.
by a canopy, they were partially shielded from the rain. There, his life was celebrated just steps from the ballfields on which so many local youth have benefited from his hard work over the years. The group included several of his fellow umpires — clad in their uniform blue
NO PLACE LIKE HOME by Michael Eng | Executive Editor
I
Dorothea Zajaczuk.
premium, because those who knew the Windermere resident — many of whom knew Dillon through his years as president of Windermere Little League or as an umpire for high-school and youth baseball — packed themselves into the playground adjacent to one of the ballfields. Covered
vious tenant had torn out its kitchen. It’s rickety and tired, but it’s also thought to be one of the oldest homes in Windermere. The home was moved into a trust after Sara’s grandfather, John Palmer Luff Sr., died in 2010. At that time, the family lost the homestead exemption, and the taxes were too high for any of the remaining family members to purchase it from the trust and continue to pay the taxes. Last August,
SEE HOUSE / PAGE 10A
A live floral designer and a retro barber shop opened on McKey Street in May. OCOEE — To follow the March 6 grand openings of fellow McKey Street merchants Book Rack and West Side Merchantile — as well as power-washing and city redesign of streetscapes in April — several new businesses opened in the spring in downtown Ocoee, including Europa Designs, a live-design floral shop avail-
Michael Eng
Sisters Sayler and Sara Luff have fond memories of life at 306 Palm St., Windermere.
SEE SHOPS / PAGE 8A
INDEX Arts & Culture.......................15A Classifieds..............................9B
Community Calendar..............2A Crossword...............................7B
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History..................................15A Obituaries.............................17A
Vol. 83, No. 24 , Two sections
Sports.....................................1B Weather..................................7B
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Courtesy photo
Maggie Scott, Elizabeth Karpov and Courtney McHale
WINDERMERE — A passing storm didn’t stop more than 100 family members and friends of Scott Dillon from remembering his life June 5 at Windermere Little League. Although dark clouds lingered and a heavy rain passed through the area, parking at George Bailey Park was at a
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The drive for payment is a 36 month lease with 10500 miles per year. All payments are plus tax tag title acquisition fee dealer fee and wear care plus $3000 cap cost reduction. Excludes AXZD plan purchases. Advertised price is only good for date of publication. Dealer and newspaper are not responsible for typographical errors. Photos are for illustrative purposes only.