Times& WEST ORANGE
Observer WEST ORANGE COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER FOR 109 YEARS
THURSDAY
JULY 23, 2015
FREE
WINTER GARDEN, FLORIDA
SPORTS
ARTS
Jordan Renfro, 9, qualifies for championship. PAGE 1B
Local bagpiper moves in for the kilt in competition. PAGE 15A
OUR TOWN
The Road to
Recovery
+ Rotary donates to Matthew’s Hope The Rotary Club of Winter Garden presented a $1,000 check to Matthew’s Hope Ministries. The club recently expanded its partnership with the nonprofit and now sends volunteers on the fourth Tuesday of each month. For more information about Matthew’s Hope, visit MatthewsHopeMinistries.org.
+ Rodriguez finishes training
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This week’s winner is See the photo on PAGE 5B.
Four months after a head-on collision on Tiny Road in Horizon West, Independence resident Kevin Root is home — and on the long road to reclaim his life — with the support of his wife, Ligia, his family and the West Orange community. HORIZON WEST — There are reminders everywhere. There’s the 28-slot weekly pill organizer, the walker, the gauntlet of specialists poking and prodding him. There’s the personal trainer pushing for more flexibility and strength. There are the thousands of question marks in his memory: What is a sweet potato? Then, there’s the binder — a dic-
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tionary-thick collection of documents required to get Kevin Root through the day. This is life after “The Situation.” That’s what Kevin and his wife, Ligia, call “it” — the collision on Tiny Road that changed their lives forever. Kevin was heading to the gym — as he had done hundreds of times before — that Sunday afternoon
in March, when another driver, Nicholas Recanati, 18, crossed into his lane on Tiny Road and hit him head-on. Recanati died, and Kevin’s injuries — particularly in his brain — were so severe that it still is unknown how much damage is permanent. The crash stole countless
SEE ROOT / PAGE 4A
I thought I was going to die, but I’m still here, thank God, and I’m going to get better. I just have to have patience. It’s easy to say but a hard thing to live. All that matters is that I have a life. I’m alive.
traffic by Zak Kerr | Staff Writer
WINTER GARDEN — In a recent statement, Patrick Jones, former general manager of the West Orange Country Club, announced the club was under contract to be sold at an undisclosed price, closing July 15. Within this agreement, the club’s board negotiated a clause for the facility to remain a golf course for two years and a recreational facility for three years thereafter, Jones said. “So there will be no option for development for at least five years,” he said. But that should be no conZak Kerr cern, according to the veter- Sam Knowles turned a tree an members of the 58-year- struck by lightning into this carving, the West Orange SEE CLUB / PAGE 6A Country Club Nature Tree.
GOVERNANCE by Zak Kerr | Staff Writer
Windermere Town Council approves Rosser Reserve plan Approval was based on conditions, including provisions for schools and stormwater. WINDERMERE — At its July 14 meeting, the Windermere Town Council unanimously approved the final development and final subdivision plans for Rosser Reserve, a 10-lot development of about 10 acres at 9501
Conroy Windermere Road. Across from the development site on the south side of Conroy Windermere Road is Isleworth development, including Isleworth Country
SEE ROSSER / PAGE 4A
Temporary Ficquette Road segment in place Ficquette Road bypass at Overstreet Road opened July 20.
WO Jim Burroughs.
Michael Eng
Following a head-on collision in March, Ligia and Kevin Root now are working to reclaim as much of Kevin’s lost memories as they can.
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The town of Oakland will host its first “Date Night in the Center” Aug. 15 at the Town of Oakland Meeting Hall, 221 N. Arrington, Oakland. The town will be screening the classic movie “Casablanca.” Attendees also can enjoy complimentary popcorn, raffles for gift baskets and ice cream.
Members buy West Orange Country Club A group promises big investments into the course and hopes locals will reciprocate.
Courtesy photo
Rotarian Jennifer Campbell and Matthew’s Hope founder Scott Billue
+ Oakland plans first date night
Kids flip for Gymnastics USA camp. PAGE 11A
a new course by Zak Kerr | Staff Writer
BEATING THE ODDS by Michael Eng | Executive Editor
U.S. Army Pvt. Auberto Rodriguez Jr. has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina. During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, and more. Rodriguez is the son of Cathy Knox, of Winter Garden, and Auberto Rodriguez, of Orlando. He is a 2015 graduate of Sunshine Charter High School, Orlando.
INSIDE
HORIZON WEST — As Orange County crews expand Ficquette Road so it can one day be four lanes from one end to the other, planners and engineers need to explore many possible solutions to mitigate the disruption to traffic from construction. Crews have been working on a section called Segment
F recently, centered on the point in Bridgewater Village where Ficquette Road and Overstreet Road meet, said Douglas West, a member of the Orange County Traffic and Transportation team. As opposed to a throughway running straight south from Winter Garden-Vineland Road to Overstreet Road, as
it now does, widening of the road in that area will alter that connection. In the meantime, a temporary piece of road just to the side of the junction of Ficquette Hancock, Overstreet and Fiquette roads will serve as the connection among those three roads, according to plans.
Community Calendar..............2A Crossword...............................7B
Obituaries.............................19A Real Estate.............................5B
“The new turn is further along Ficquette (Road) closer to Independence — watch for it across from the tall tower with the flag,” West said. “This new section of road is temporary and will end up being sod. The old road will be revamped to accommodate the new lanes — but only to where the bypass now ends. Further
SEE FICQUETTE / 6A
INDEX Arts & Culture.......................15A Classifieds..............................8B
Sports.....................................1B Weather..................................7B
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