Windermere considers recognizing fallen officer 10A Vol. 81 No. 29
Troops requesting freeze pops
7-on-7 passing leagues take center stage in summer
1B
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Winter Garden, Florida
3A
Three Sections, 44 Pages
Couple brings son Miko home
In brief
Times earns awards
The West Orange Times won four writing awards in the Florida Press Association’s 2013 Better Weekly Newspaper contest. The program was held last week at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. Managing Editor Amy Quesinberry Rhode picked up three certificates: • second place in the Feature Story: Profile category for her story on World War II veteran and Ocoee resident Mel Jenner. • third place in Community History for Jenner’s story. • third place in Health, Medical & Science Reporting for her article on West Orange High School students participating in the Relay for Life of Winter Garden in honor of fellow student Joey Grant. Former writer Kelsey Tressler won third place in Serious Column for writing about her rescue dog, Heathcliff. And the Times’ new sports editor, Steven Ryzewski, received three awards for work he did last year as an employee of Seminole Chronicle: third place in Sports Page, second place in Sports Spot Story and first in Faith and Family.
Elvis co-star to speak at Garden Theatre film series
This Thursday’s movie at the Garden Theatre is “Paradise, Hawaiian Style,” featuring Elvis Presley and Suzanna Leigh. Now living in Winter Garden, Leigh will speak for 20 minutes starting at 6:55 p.m. and then introduce the movie. Her book, “Paradise Suzanna Style,” will be for sale in the lobby. Tickets are $5 general admission. The theater is in downtown Winter Garden.
Enjoy a movie, food and more this Friday
Ocoee’s monthly Movie in the Park and Food Truck Event is scheduled for this Friday, July 18, at Bill Breeze Park, 125 N. Lakeshore Drive. A variety of food trucks will offer meals and snacks from 6-9 p.m. The event’s Arts and Crafts Market will be open from 6-8:30 p.m. Also, The Friends of Ocoee History Preservation will give free tours of the historic Withers-Maguire house, 16 E. Oakland Ave., from 6-8 p.m. And the film, “The LEGO Movie,” will be shown on an outdoor screen in the park at 8:30 p.m. To learn more, call the Ocoee Parks and Recreation Department at (407) 905-3180 or visit ocoee.org.
Inside
Opinion…4A Winter Garden…7A Ocoee...8A Oakland...9A Windermere...10A Deaths…12A Social…11A Sports…1-4B Schools…5B.
I WO This week’s winner is John Czajkowski. See his photo on PAGE 13A
50 Cents
By Amy Quesinberry Rhode
Photo courtesy of Serendipity Photography
Heather and McLean Alley are getting to know their adopted infant son, who was born in Japan in April. The Alleys named him Miko, a derivative of Michael, the archangel. His middle name is Kekoa, a Hawaiian name meaning strength and bravery. The Alleys were married in Hawaii.
McLean and Heather Alley spent three weeks in eastern Asia in late May, taking in such historic sites as the Asakusa Temple and Mt. Fuji, but the trip was much more than a vacation. The Winter Garden couple was there to pick up a 7-week-old, full-cheeked little boy named Miko — their new son. The Alleys’ 7,000-mile journey to Japan began in 2012 when the Summerport/Windermere couple filed paperwork to adopt a child through Faith International. Administrators had told them it could take three years, so they were expecting to wait another 12 months for the addition to their family. But, their phone rang in mid-May, and the caller delivered some wonderful news: a baby boy had been born, and he belonged to them. They were told later that although they were No. 11 on the waiting list, the other families before them had been called one by one but had declined the adoption for various reasons, among them, not being financially ready or holding out for a girl. Heather and McLean were ready. They say they couldn’t have taken this giant step without the support of their faith family at Mosaic Church in Oakland. “They have been one of the biggest (See Miko, 5A)
1st phase of Florida Hospital construction approved By Peter M. Gordon
The bigger the project, the more likely it is to inconvenience residents. Winter Garden and West Orange County’s growing population created a need for a large medical facility within the city. Florida Hospital wanted to build one and found a location near Winter Garden Village at Fowler Groves. The project’s neighboring residents and city commissioners were concerned about the impact of construction, additional traffic and noise on their communities. Winter Garden city staff spent months reviewing site
Rendering by Florida Hospital. and construction plans before bringing Phase A of the plan before the city commission for approval on July 10. The current plan calls for construc-
State issues grades for elementary, middle schools
tion to begin with road improvements and an acoustic fence to minimize the noise and traffic impact to surrounding neighborhoods. The first buildings planned are a 26,208-square-foot emergency medical building and a 71,207-square-foot medical office. Phase A also includes a parking lot, landscaping and a privacy fence. “This is a huge project for the city,” Commissioner Bobby Olszewski said at last Thursday’s meeting. Community Development Director Ed Williams said it took between six and eight months of negotiation between city and Florida Hospital staff to finalize plan details because
(See Hospital, 6A)
Introducing a festival of culture By Shari Roach
The Florida Department of Education has released the school grades for elementary and middle schools across the state. In Orange County, nearly 62% of the schools are high-performing, earning grades of A or B, according to Kathy Marsh, senior manager of media relations for Orange County Public Schools. Statewide, the percentage is nearly 51%. In West Orange County, 16 schools maintained their grade of A from 2012 and four schools earned a C. There are no D- or F-graded schools in West Orange County. The state will release the school grades for high schools in the fall. Locally, students attend Dr. Phillips, Ocoee, Olympia or West Orange high. This is the 16th and final year that school grades are being used to measure school accountability through assessment-based performance and learning gains measures. A number of West Orange County schools have maintained an A throughout this era of FCAT testing. Bay Meadows and Palm Lake elementaries each have earned 16 A’s. Southwest Middle earned 14 A’s in a row; and Dr. Phillips and Windermere elementaries, Gotha Middle and Windy Ridge K-8 all received their 13th consecutive A. MetroWest Elementary earned its 12th consecutive A, and Thornebrooke Elementary its 11th. In its first nine years, Whispering Oak Elementary has received all A’s; Hope Charter earned its eighth A in its first eight years; and Bridgewater Middle and Sunset Park Elementary both have earned an A in each of their first seven years. SunRidge Middle, which has been open for two years, earned its second A, and Montessori of Winter Garden Charter, in its first year, received an A. Keene’s Crossing Elementary kept its A grade for a third year in a row, and Ocoee Middle received an A for a second year. Frangus Elementary made a big leap from last year’s
November will be an exciting time for Winter Garden and all of Orange County when the city streets are filled with art and music, celebrating the various cultures that make each person unique and honoring traditions from the past, along with those carried on today. Including the area along Plant Street and Lakeview Avenue, Boyd Street and Main Street — and many connecting roads — the Winter Garden Culture Fest will transform the small town into a full-on global experience. For the first time, the Florida Film Academy, in partnership with the city of Winter Garden, is putting together this one-of-a-kind event that will bring people of all different backgrounds together November 1-2. Fusing artists, music, food, street performance and film across two days, this non-profit program will immerse residents and visitors into a wealth of heritage and artistic expression. “It is something that is highlighting culture and heritage as a whole, putting education and entertainment together,” said Stefanie Esquijarosa, Florida Film Academy director of operations. “The patrons that come are not only seeing art in a traditional art festival, but also performances where it is their culture, whether it’s Asian, German, etc. They are experiencing other cultures and fine art in that.” The festival will involve much more than Plant Street, the main road that runs through downtown Winter Garden. It will reach out and encompass the surrounding areas that all make up the heart of the town, allowing performers and
(See Grades, 5A)
(See Culture, 6A)
By Amy Quesinberry Rhode
“we trust everyone, but we verify. We check everything.” Winter Garden Village at Fowler Groves borders the project on the east. The Country Lake Estates subdivision is to the west, agricultural property is at the south end, and the Stonecrest subdivision lies to the north. Florida Hospital staff agreed to 32 conditions in the development plan, most of which aim to reduce noise and traffic that might negatively impact local residents. For example, the hospital will pay off-duty police officers to direct traffic during peak hours. It
Winter Garden Culture Fest photographer David Haynes depicts a historical town scene in his work, capturing the old Winter Garden train and the iconic water tower.