W E ST O RA N G E T I M E S &
Observer Celebrating more than 110 years in West Orange
New eateries offer exotic flavors on Plant Street. 3.
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VOLUME 84, NO. 29
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THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017
Care for a snake on your face?! Things got wild when Gatorland wrangler Justin White visited Winter Garden Branch Library. PAGE 14.
YOUR TOWN STUDENTS ACE BOOK CAMP Twenty-five Bridgewater Middle students have completed a two-week summer book camp with The Crazy Book Ladies, teachers Monique Foister and Melanie Williamson. The camp focused on Florida’s 2017-18 Sunshine State books. The Bridgewater Media Center was transformed into a swamp to mimic the setting of the selected novel, “Terror at Bottle Creek,” by Watt Key, a survival story set on the Gulf Coast of Alabama. The finale was a Skype visit with the author. Students ended the camp with a swamp fest featuring gator bites, cattails (aka corn dogs), frog (chicken) legs, wish hog mash (mac and cheese) and a snake-shaped cake.
WIC FACILITY OFFERS OPEN HOUSE
The Florida Department of Health in Orange County is holding an open house at 10 a.m. Friday, July 21, at the new Westside WIC Center, 6218 W. Colonial Drive, Suite 232, Orlando. The center administers the federally funded nutrition program for Women, Infants and Children. To make an appointment or inquire about the WIC services offered, call (407) 858-1494.
OCSO about 200 deputies short
ARMED ANGELS
GABBY BAQUERO NEWS EDITOR HORIZON WEST Both residents and homeowners associations located in the more affluent areas of Orange County Sheriff’s Office’s Sector 3 have been purchasing home-surveillance systems and saving money to hire extra OCSO patrols. But it’s not a sudden increase in crime that has residents
A local paramedic is raising money to purchase life-saving Kevlar vests for area firefighters going to calls where there might be an active shooter.
SEE SHERIFF’S PAGE 4
ARTS & CULTURE
AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR
Matthew “Mo” Brabham learned firsthand just how vulnerable first responders can be several decades ago. He and another paramedic were moving a gunshot patient to an ambulance when they heard two gunshots. “It sounded like it was right on top of us,” Brabham said. “We
WINTER GARDEN
Windermere’s Joe Foglia records impressive career.
SEE ANGELS PAGE 5
FOOTBALL FANATICS
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Winter Garden City Commission OKs first reading of city dispensary ban If approved at the second reading July 27, the ban will prohibit medical marijuana dispensing facilities within Winter Garden city limits. DANIELLE HENDRIX STAFF WRITER
Winter Garden is on track to prohibit medical marijuana dispensing facilities within city limits after approving the first reading of the ordinance that would allow it to do so.
WINTER GARDEN
West Orange-area soccer players traveled to Spain to compete in the Donosti Cup. PAGE 17.
City leaders approved the first reading of Ordinance 17-24 during the Thursday, July 13, commission meeting. Although about 70% of Florida voters were in favor of legalizing medical marijuana last fall, the problem city leaders faced was that dispensaries are treated the same as phar-
macies in terms of zoning. Residents in attendance expressed their disapproval of the ordinance and urged city leaders to allow medical marijuana dispensaries. “It’s very important to be aware SEE DISPENSARY PAGE 4