1New bar and grill opens in Ocoee Daniel Gabor’s Alpine Bar & Grill is in its soft-opening phase.
Located at 1568 Maguire Road, Ocoee, Gabor, the chef, promises a fresh take on Alpine comfort food.
The soft-opening hours are from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, and 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
According to its website, team members are continuing to enhance the space for its grand opening, so they’re offering a 15% discount on all checks.
Guests can look forward to many classic menu items from Gabor’s previous restaurant, Schmankerl Stub’n German Scratch Kitchen, along with new dishes inspired by German and Alpine regional cuisine. Seating is limited during the soft opening, so reservations are recommended.
2
West Orange Habitat names new president
The West Orange
of God,” he said. “It brings the kind of generational change so many in our community need, and we don’t give handouts, we offer a hand up through partnership.”
The West Orange Habitat for Humanity is an organization that provides affordable housing for those in need. West Orange Habitat designs and constructs its homes in a cost-effective manner and utilizes volunteer labor and marketdiscounted or donated materials whenever possible.
home. They also participate in classroom instruction covering a multitude of topics including budgeting, financial management, debt reduction strategies and essential aspects of home maintenance.
Once completed with the process, families receive titles to their homes at a price discounted to market and with an interest-free mortgage that is structured to keep their monthly payments affordable.
3
New pizza spot to open in Horizon West Horizon West is getting a new pizza restaurant.
Pie-Fection, a Brazilian pizza spot, will open at 13211 Reams Road, Suite
sweet pizzas with Nutella, guava and cheese, bananas, strawberries, and more.
Signage for the restaurant already is up and designated parking spots have been set, but there is not yet a scheduled opening date.
4
Ocoee crash under investigation
Ocoee Police Department responded to a single-vehicle crash Monday,
traveling southbound on Clarke Road drove off the roadway into a retention pond.
First responders arrived on the scene shortly after, taking the driver and a passenger to a local hospital.
The OPD said the crash is under investigation, and the conditions of the driver and passenger are unknown.
5
New expansions coming to AdventhHealth Winter Garden
AdventHealth is expanding its Winter Garden campus, enhancing women’s health services as well as oncology services.
The expansions include the addition of obstetrics and gynecology care, as well as new operating rooms and 80 additional inpatient beds to the patient tower, bringing the hospital to 176 licensed beds. The 105,000-square-foot expansion project added three additional floors to the tower, totaling seven stories. On top of enhancing women’s health services, AdventHealth of Winter Garden is constructing a Cancer Institute.
The 60,000-square-foot facility will offer comprehensive cancer care services, including radiation and medical oncology, advanced immunotherapies and personalized treatments.
These expansion projects are scheduled for completion in the
“Together, these developments
Garden’s chief medical
Courtesy photos
Pie-Fection will be opening in the spot occupied formerly by Playa Pizza.
Austin Arthur is the new president of West Orange Habitat for Humanity.
The natural
Ocoee’s Peggy Lantz has transformed her youthful love of writing poems into authoring 10 nature books.
MEGAN BRUINSMA EDITORIAL INTERN
“Ajack of all trades.” That’s what Ocoee resident Peggy Lantz calls herself.
Throughout her life, she has had many hobbies, including arts, music and writing. She has owned two horses and taken them trail riding. In her backyard sits a coop with 12 chickens.
As a child, she dreamed of having her name on the cover of a book.
At age 92, Lantz has fulfilled her dream with 10 published books to her name.
WRITING JOURNEY
Lantz grew up in Miami until she was 7, when her family had to relocate to Massachusetts for her father’s job.
Her journey to authorship started at a young age. In high school, Lantz wrote poems and had a few published in a high school poetry association. She won a poem award at age 12.
Writing was just one of her many creative pursuits. She dabbled in different art media such as drawing, inkwork, painting and lettering. And at age 7, she began her piano lessons. The talent led her down a musical path that eventually led to a piano scholarship at Rollins College in Winter Park.
“(I) made a beeline back to Florida as soon as I was old enough to leave home,” Lantz said.
She wanted to get back to the warmth and a portion of her family that resided in Ocoee.
At Rollins, Lantz went through a typical college experience, struggling with keeping up with an everchanging schedule that came from classes and extracurriculars.
“They had so many musical activities going on that I couldn’t keep up with them,” she said. “So I had to write them all down, so I put them on a sheet of paper and gave it to everybody else, too.”
Lantz also started a newsletter — not knowing at the time it would be the first of many publications to which she would contribute.
After graduating from Rollins, Lantz taught music for three years before she transitioned into becoming a musical director for 25 years. She continued on with life, raising four children in an “extraordinarily happy marriage” and kept up with her writings.
“I wrote articles and wrote some for Florida Audubon Magazine, and they eventually asked me to edit their magazine, so I became the editor of the Florida Audubon Magazine,” Lantz said. “But prior to that, I had those articles that I had writ-
ten for that magazine brought to the attention of somebody who started the Florida Native Plant Society, and I was the editor of the Florida Native Plant Society magazine for 15 years.”
Joining the magazines propelled Lantz to authorship. She learned much more about writing and had the opportunity to practice the skill much more than in her youth. She began to write children’s inserts to put in each quarterly issue of the Florida Audubon Magazine.
The journey led Lantz to becoming the president of a writer’s organization. She wrote to the Pineapple Press, a publishing group, to ask if its editor would come to talk with the group. In the email, Lantz attached some of the children’s inserts she had written with Wendy Hale, a member of the Florida Audubon Society, and threw a Hail Mary by asking if the editor would turn those into a book.
“(The editor) said, ‘I can’t come to your group, but I like your book idea,’” Lantz said. “My first book came out, and that was ‘The Young Naturalist’s Guide to Florida.’”
Publishing the first book was a yearlong process. She felt prepared, because she had learned how to organize pamphlets for the Florida Native Plant Society, but it was published in a time before computers were a tool and she had to write it on a typewriter.
“I’d take (book pages) out to somebody to do the pictures for the printing,” she said. “I’d take them to somebody to do the typesetting. Then I’d bring them home, and I’d put them on a board, wax them and cut them up on strips and put (pictures) in, design the page. Then take them to the printer. He would photograph them and then put (the pages) on something he could put on his printing press.”
Publishing “The Young Naturalist’s Guide to Florida” in 1994 was an “at-last” moment for her, but the book was co-authored. She remained determined to publish her own.
Lantz found herself continuing to write books for the Florida Native Plant Society and she did a short pump pamphlet with a co-author, Dick Durling, on edible wild plants. Durling “knew his plants” and understood how to cook with them and gather them but lacked writing skills.
That’s where Lantz came in.
She began to translate the notes Durling gave to her into sentences, and they started to work on a book that identified native plants and taught readers how to cook with them.
During the book’s creation, Durling died. But Lantz continued to use the knowledge he shared to complete “Florida’s Edible Wild Plants: A Guide to Collecting and Cooking.”
It became the first book she published with only her name, and Lantz believes that’s a great accomplishment to reach as an 80 year old.
The book is dedicated to teaching readers how to properly identify edible plants and forage off the natural lands that Florida has to offer, a love that Lantz holds close to her heart.
PUBLISHED WORKS
n “The Young Naturalist’s Guide to Florida,” Peggy S. Lantz and Wendy A. Hale, October 1994
n “From Raindrops to the Sea: The Florida Water Story,” Peggy S. Lantz and Wendy A. Hale, March 1998
n “The Wetlands of Florida,” Peggy S. Lantz and Wendy A. Hale, May 2014
n “The Coastlines of Florida,” Peggy S. Lantz and Wendy A. Hale, May 2014
n “The Coral Reefs of Florida,” Peggy S. Lantz and Wendy A. Hale, May
2014
n “The Oceans of Florida,” Peggy S. Lantz and Wendy A. Hale, May 2014
n “Early Settlers in Ontario, Canada,” Wilhelmine Ramsay Hogg Sias and Peggy S. Lantz, December 2014
n “Florida’s Edible Wild Plants: A Guide to Collecting and Cooking,” Peggy S. Lantz, June 2014
n “Lake Lucy Tales: Life in Early Days of Central Florida,” Peggy S. Lantz, June 2016
n “Adventure Tales from Florida’s Past,” Peggy S. Lantz, January 2021
n “Florida’s Incredible Wild Edibles,” Richard J. Deuerling and Peggy S. Lantz, March 2021
n “Earth Care: A Florida Naturalist’s Thoughts on Creation,” Peggy S. Lantz, October 2024
A LOVE FOR NATURE
“I’ve always been interested in nature,” Lantz said. “I’ve always been happy with my trees and my weeds.”
Her grandparents lived in Ocoee at the property on which Lantz now resides. She has fond memories of visiting them, being outdoors and swimming.
It wasn’t until Lantz started editing the newsletter for the Florida Native Plant Society that she started to learn about the nature surrounding her.
“When I started editing the newsletter for the Florida Native Plant Society, I really just wanted to be an editor,” she said. “And then I found I liked native plants too. I did a great deal of learning by reading all the stuff that people sent me to put in the magazine.”
As she learned more about Florida’s native plants and saw firsthand the changes in the scenery of Ocoee — from groves of orange trees to the abundance of homes with limited natural space — Lantz wanted to play a role in preserving Florida’s nature.
Lantz transformed a 5-acre property her grandparents owned into a
space dedicated to native Florida plants. She rented a machine and cut out all the overgrown plants besides a few clusters of oak trees.
“We planted Little Longleaf Pines and the grasses that grow in a sandhill habitat, flowers, grasses — I call it my piney woods,” Lantz said with a smile beaming across her face.
She received a restoration award from the Native Plant Society for the work she did to the property. Lantz tries to maintain her yard as a native plant sanctuary but she said it’s hard to keep up with the rapid spread of invasive plants from her neighbors’ yards.
The passion for nature is what has led her to speaking out to commissioners, trying to fight for the preservation of Florida’s lands.
It’s what led her down the road of writing books about Florida’s nature to captivate people’s attention to the topic.
“I just want them to be interested,” she said. “I want them to want it. I want them to stop wanting to kill bears and want to have marsh rabbits in their yards instead.”
Megan Bruinsma Ocoee’s Peggy Lantz has authored 10 books, all of which are about nature.
Horizon West Theater Company cast members have run lines in a parking lot of a school.
A cast performed a cabaret at Maple Street Biscuit Company, pushing tables to the side after the restaurant closed for the day.
When it comes to performing, Raja Jalernpan, president of Horizon West Theater Company, said the cast only has ever needed a place with a couple of walls and air conditioning, so they’ve performed in various places, including school auditoriums, churches and restaurants.
But with the cost of renting spaces out to perform increasing, Horizon West Theater Company is looking for its own permanent facility.
“We have realized it’s kind of time for us to actually have a building and have a permanent home in the Winter Garden, Horizon West area that we can call ours, that we can keep doing programming in,” Jalernpan said.
Horizon West Theater Company is in negotiations for a facility in Winter Garden that cannot yet be disclosed, because a lease for the facility has not yet been signed, Jalernpan said.
He said the location is not in Horizon West proper because the cost per square foot is less in Winter Garden. The location also allows the nonprofit to expand its reach with community members in both Winter Garden and Horizon West.
To secure the facility and prepare it for opening, Horizon West Theater Company needs to raise about $150,000. Jalernpan said the nonprofit hopes to open for limited programming by the end of the year.
He said any donation, no matter the amount, can make a big difference in helping Horizon West Theater Company provide a community art hub for everyone.
ALL ABOUT LOCATION
On average, Horizon West Theater Company produces between three and five performances per year, depending on availability of performance spaces.
WEST ORANGE TIMES
The West Orange Times (USPS 687120) is published weekly for $60 per year and $110 per two years by the Observer Media Group, 661 Garden Commerce Parkway, Winter Garden,
The rental costs don’t include the cost of props, costumes and more.
“You’re already starting with such a high number to try to meet financially, and even if we sold out the entire theater for three shows, we still would have barely made enough to cover the cost of just the rental,” Jalernpan said.
As a result, Jalernpan said the nonprofit has been creative in finding spaces to meet, rehearse and perform.
But the first question whenever the nonprofit wants to perform or provide a camp or other service is, “Where will it be held?” Jalernpan said the cost to rent an auditorium from Orange County Public Schools for a week can range between $10,000 and $20,000. The rental would be for about four to five hours per day that week and includes time for loading equipment, rehearsal, tech rehearsals, performances, closing the show and removing equipment.
“We’ve been as creative as working in restaurants when they’ve closed at the end of the day,” he said. “We’ve been in parking lots, in fields — any place that has a couple walls and air conditioning. It has kind of always been a joke that we can produce art anywhere, and that’s the beauty of art, but (location is) always at the forefront, and that’s the first wall we hit whenever we want to do something. … Space has been such a hurdle for us. We make it work because we’re theater people, and that’s what we do.”
Not having a constant location to
go to hinders the nonprofit’s ability to continue momentum and provide everything the nonprofit wants and the community needs, Jalernpan said.
With a permanent facility, Horizon West Theater Company will be able to expand its offerings. Jalernpan said the nonprofit can perform more shows for longer periods of time, expand its summer camp offerings, increase its rising stars program and more. The longest running show for the nonprofit was five performances in one weekend due to space restrictions.
Jalernpan said the new home will be a hub for creativity for artists, teachers, students, families and others to gather and collaborate.
FACILITY FOR ALL
Jalernpan said the facility the company currently is under negotiations for in Winter Garden could serve as not only a space for Horizon West Theater Company but also anyone in the area who needs it.
“Right now, there is not a dedicated, affordable community center art
space in Winter Garden or Horizon West,” he said. “While Horizon West Theater Company wants to shepherd the space as the nonprofit, our goal is not to have us use it exclusively. We want to be the umbrella that lots of other groups, organizations and individuals can come and sort of help us create this environment. … We really want to come in and finally be that model that is able to help the greater good and turn back and give because our community is what has allowed us to survive these last six years.”
The facility that is under negotiations is a warehouse and office flex space. The warehouse is expected to become a blackbox theater with lighting and seating, while the office flex space will become dance studios, workshop rooms, possibly a room for voice lessons or music in general, general meeting space and open space.
He said although the warehouse primarily will serve as a blackbox theater, the nonprofit wants the space to be flexible enough to host other events as well.
Jalernpan said the facility will be able to be used as a general community space as well for those who might want to host a book club, have a meeting, host a dance class or anything else.
“There’s such a power that comes with when people get together and collaborate,” he said. “You truly never know what type of art you can make. … Our community is at the forefront of everything we do and will continue to be everything we do because that matters these days.”
Horizon West Theater Company is an all-volunteer organization that will use spaces including hotels, churches, schools and restaurants to perform. With a new, permanent home, the nonprofit will be able to host more performances.
Hi-Lite to launch life-skills academy in Winter Garden
Jessica Villegas and Lenka Brady are opening a life-skills academy in Winter Garden to guide teenagers through the process of growing up.
LETICIA SILVA STAFF WRITER
As a 13-year-old, Jessica Villegas always was getting into trouble. She was expelled from school, fought with others, tried drugs and hung out with the wrong people.
Villegas said she didn’t have the guidance all teenagers need to “provide them the courage, the empowerment, the tools, the resources to overcome those things.”
It’s teens like 13-year-old Villegas that inspired her to open Hi-Lite Academy, which teaches young adults necessary life skills.
Villegas, who founded Hi-Lite Academy with Lenka Brady, is opening a new location Thursday, Aug. 14, in Winter Garden, with classes starting Monday, Aug. 25.
Villegas said opening a school always has been her dream.
“My vision for Hi-Lite as the developer is to become a nationwide household name for teen and young adult development,” Villegas said.
Five years ago, Hi-Lite was launched as a life-coaching brand that helped teens improve their lives. Now, Villegas said it’s being restructured.
The brand will continue offering coaching, with the addition of the academy and mentorship programs that will be offered to schools.
Villegas said she noticed public school systems lack teaching life skills aside from academics.
“When we look at where we are in education right now, we’re losing more and more of those things that create that confidence, that clarity, that competence for adult life,” Villegas said. “Noticing what we need in the community and then seeing what’s happening in our education system throughout the nation, not just in the state of Florida, there is a huge gap in preparation. It gives me chill bumps.” Villegas said a lot of young adults fear living on their own or don’t have the confidence or the skills to do that.
“From the simplicities and the conveniences of modern life like Uber Eats and Amazon, you don’t have to necessarily provide for yourself in certain ways anymore,” she said. “And then when you’re thrust out into the college life or on your own for the first time, you realize that those aren’t sustainable methods for living life.”
HI-LITE ACADEMY
855 E. Plant St., Suite 800, Winter Garden.
HOURS: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays
TUITION: Full-time, $1,200 per month; two-day program, $600 per month; three-day program, $800 per month.
DETAILS: Hi-Lite Academy allows early drop-offs and late pickups. Founder Jessica Villegas said the academy will have very flexible hours.
Designed for young adults, HiLite Academy teaches them how to cook, clean, communicate and more, so they can learn how to do daily-life tasks properly, as adults.
INFORMATION: (321) 2362053 or hiliteacademy.com
Wanting to make a difference, she created the Hi-Lite Academy to ensure young adults are learning the necessary skills to successfully enter adulthood.
Teary-eyed, Villegas talked about the impact Hi-Lite has had in families and young adults with its coaching program.
“We’ve had parents come to us crying that they never knew their kid could be this way or they have their kid back, or their kid is so different and they are just truly amazed,” Villegas said. “To know that the way we approach young people and the way that we help them see themselves and the possibilities for their lives is deeply healing for me and my own trauma and my own adversity. You know, you get to be part of that story forever.”
Wanting to continue to positively impact as many teenagers’ lives as possible, Hi-Lite Academy will provide classes daily. The academy also will provide various opportunities for students to grow and get ready for adulthood. Full-time students will go on excursions around the community to learn about entrepreneurship, how businesses run, why life skills are important and more.
“Life skills, public speaking, building confidence through passion projects and going out in the communities and taking things on proactively — those are the things that they’re gonna have to start doing,” Villegas said. “AI is taking over everything else so we have to move back to the humanities.”
The full-time program will cost about $1,200 per month. The academy also will offer two- or threeday programs, which will vary from $600 to $800 with all materials provided, though it won’t include community excursions.
Local firefighters assist after floods
Firefighters from Central Florida were deployed to Texas Monday, July 7, to help communities in need after the devastating floods.
LETICIA SILVA
STAFF WRITER
Orange County Fire Rescue’s Lt. Keenan Fitzpatrick joined dozens of others as a part of the Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 4 of Florida to help in the search for those missing as a result of the floods in central Texas.
Between Friday, July 4, and Saturday, July 5, central Texas had catastrophic flooding that took more than 130 lives. The floods were the deadliest inland floods in the United States since 1976, with damage estimates reaching $18 to $22 billion.
Gov. Ron DeSantis authorized the state to provide relief to Texas’s emergency teams, deploying the Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 4 of Florida Monday, July 7. The team returned Sunday, July 20.
New library will celebrate area’s natural surroundings
LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR
Horizon West Library is taking shape.
Thewallsofthenew20,000-squarefoot library are up, and construction crews are working on the roof.
On June 5, the contractors with H.J. High Construction Company held a “topping out” ceremony, a tradition marking when the final structural beam in a new structure is put in place.
“Once we started the groundbreaking, it’s been moving quickly,” said Danielle King, the chief of neighborhood services for the Orange County Library System.
King said the library, which, along with the new library being built in Lake Nona, will be the biggest within the Orange County Library System, is expected to open in early 2026. The total budget for the library is $27,275,000, with $18.3 million dedicated toward its construction.
“I’m excited to be able to bring a library to this community,” King said. “It’s been a long time, and the community is very excited. I’ve gone to a couple meetings out there, and it seems like they’re very knowledgeable about what the library offers, and they’ve been traveling to other branches. We’ve been doing events at other community centers in Horizon West to get the word out.”
With Horizon West’s fast growth, King said it’s exciting to see residents’ passion and support for the library.
“It’s a great thing we’re building this, and I’m just excited we have so much space to do things,” she said.
“It’s going to be a wonderful asset to Horizon West. … We’ve been studying Horizon West for years and watching the growth and saving money to build in this community, so to finally see it come to fruition is just an amazing goal to accomplish. It’s finally coming.”
With Horizon West Library being built in Horizon West Regional Park,
HORIZON WEST LIBRARY FEATURES
n Story walk n Musical garden
n Outdoor performance space
n Technology classroom
n Arts and STEM classroom
n Media lab
n Three large community rooms
n Two study rooms
BY THE NUMBERS
2024: Groundbreaking
2026: Expected opening
20,000: Square footage of library
1,500: Square footage of three
combined meeting rooms
$27,275,000: Total budget
$18.3M: Cost of construction
King said the library’s theme will be focused on nature, the environment and science.
Outside the library, there will be a nature walk with a permanent story walk and musical garden. The garden will have native plants and flowers.
The story walk consists of having permanent boards on a natural trail. Each board has a different page of a children’s story. The book will be changed every month.
“The idea is to get the kids and families out together, reading while in nature, so exercising their body while exercising their mind,” King said.
“We can do that as a passive activity but then we can also do guided story walks, where we walk with the families and do activities and then provide crafts and activities that are themed along with the book.”
There also will be an outdoor performance space with a grassy area for people to sit, which is unique to Horizon West Library. In the winter, King said this space will allow for flexibility as the library can host activities outside in the cooler temperatures.
Inside the library, the nature theme will continue with the children’s area being themed with oversized images
of local flora, fauna and native species, such as the blue calamintha bee, which is unique to the region. There also will be several sensory and interactive activities for kids that will promote creativity, play and learning.
The library will feature earthy textures, organic materials and a color palette inspired by the surrounding environment.
Horizon West Library will have two classrooms dedicated to teaching with one being for technology classes and the other for fiber arts and STEM. Unique to Horizon West Library will be a media lab, which will be available for the public to book.
There also will be three large community rooms that can either be used as one large 1,500-square-foot room for events or can be separated into smaller rooms. There also will be two study rooms.
“This will be kind of the biggest space that we have in the system to do events besides downtown,” King said.
As for programming, King said the library will have the traditional programming offered at all other libraries. Some of the programming includes weekly story times, family programs, adult classes and book clubs.
Unique to Horizon West Library will be a focus on environmental programs, such as gardening programs to teach people about native Florida plants.
“We want to take advantage of being next to the park, so we’re thinking about ways we can partner with the park,” King said. “Maybe we will go on hikes with people into the park from our location.”
King said the library will grow with the community.
“It’s not something that we say, ‘OK, all right, we build it; this is what we’re doing,’” she said. “We are always open to ideas about what kind of programming we should be offering. We change with the community, and we’ll grow with them.”
“We’re just trying to find the people that we can and help the families get a little bit of closure and bring them home,” Fitzpatrick said.
Task Force 4 includes 10 personnel from the Seminole County Fire Department, 10 personnel from Orange County Fire Rescue Department, eight personnel from City of Orlando Fire Department, as well as civilian K-9 handlers, a civilian structure specialist and a doctor.
The team is self-sufficient, meaning it has all gear necessary to provide aid, so it doesn’t strain local resources.
“We take everything with us,” Fitzpatrick said. “We have plenty of water, food. We have first-aid supplies; we carry an AED with us. So no matter how you scale it up or scale it down, whether it’s from the whole team to an individual person, it’s designed to be self-sufficient.” Fitzpatrick said the mission was quite challenging.
“The big safety message that’s really been driven on this mission has been ‘hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and sunscreen,’” Fitzpatrick said. “And what we’re not really used to is rattle-
snakes, so we’ve had to navigate that a little bit. There’s some obstacles and some difficulties there with the terrain. … It’s just a lot of walking. Luckily, we are from Florida, so we’re used to the heat.”
Besides the physical obstacles, the force also had to navigate emotional obstacles.
“Some of the most challenging things are when you don’t find anyone,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s hard knowing that there’s a lot of people that still have been unaccounted for,
and you walk and you search for six hours, and you don’t find anyone or anything that could lead you in the right direction. It’s very frustrating, and it’s hard to do that.” Fitzpatrick said despite the challenges, every person on the force was committed to providing the necessary help.
“We all do this job to take care of our communities and be able to help out,” Fitzpatrick said. “But, every now and then, there’s a community that may not be in your area where
you’re able to help, and this team gives us that opportunity to be able to go to different communities and help people. I’ve been all over the country. … Without being on this team, you don’t get that opportunity to go to places and really, really help out those communities that really need the help. They’re inundated and they’re overrun, and there’s too much for their local resources to handle. So, it’s nice to be able to go and offer that hand to help.”
Fitzpatrick said he is amazed by the work teams have done in Texas and how they have worked together to help with rescues and recoveries.
“Something that never ceases to amaze me on these deployments is how people from different agencies can come together and just work together seamlessly,” Fitzpatrick said.
“You know, we’re here with people, like agencies from Texas, law enforcement agencies from Texas and by an hour into it, it’s like we’ve known each other our whole lives, and we work seamlessly together. … Three big agencies that do things three completely different ways at a big level, and then you put us all together, and it just doesn’t matter.”
He said it is an honor to represent Florida and the agency.
As a message to the community, Fitzpatrick wanted everyone to know how hard agencies are working in central Texas.
Courtesy image
Central Florida’s Task Force 4 was activated on Monday, July 7. The members of the force returned to Central Florida on Sunday, July 20. In total, the task force helped Texas agencies for 14 days.
Horizon West Library will feature a nature theme inside and outside the library. Courtesy image
BAPTIST
First Baptist Church
Pastor Tim Grosshans
125 E. Plant St, Winter Garden (407) 656-2352
Sundays: 8:30 AM Traditional 9:45 AM Bible Study 11 AM Contemporary Wednesdays: 6 PM Awana
METHODIST
First United Methodist www.fumcwg.org
125 N. Lakeview Ave., Winter Garden (407) 656-1135
Services: 9 AM Traditional 10:45 AM Contemporary Also viewable on YouTube
Teen Academy ignites interest in firefighting
Ocoee Fire Department hosted its academy for high-schoolers.
LETICIA SILVA STAFF WRITER
Six months ago, members of the Ocoee Fire Department’s Station 25 realized there isn’t any link between high-schoolers and the fire academy. Realizing that, the Ocoee FD came up with the idea of a free program for teens in high school ages 14 to 18 who are interested in becoming a firefighter or first responder.
“Most people know what a teacher does, most people know what a doctor does,” said Mason Missler, Ocoee’s fire inspector and public educator. “Not a whole lot of people know the extent of everything that the fire department includes. Everybody knows that we put water on fire, but they don’t know that that’s only 20% of our calls.”
participants continued to learn by being involved in the academy, full of curiosity and a positive attitude.
CHURCH DIRECTORY
STARKE LAKE BAPTIST
CHURCH
PO Box 520, 611 W Ave, Ocoee
Pastor Jeff Pritchard (407) 656-2351 www.starkelakebaptist.org
CHURCH OF GOD
OCOEE CHURCH OF GOD
Pastor Thomas Odom 1105 N. Lakewood Avenue, Ocoee 407-656-8011
Missler said as a team, the department created Ocoee’s first Teen Academy, which gave local teens a glimpse into the life of a firefighter.
Fully self-funded by the OFD, the academy consisted of nine days of hands-on learning from 6 to 8 p.m. July 14 to 24. Participants learn about CPR, extractions, first aid, fire hose training and more. Seventeen students from Ocoee, Windermere and West Orange high schools participated in this first academy.
“They aren’t on their phones; they’re interacting with each other, they’re asking more questions,” Missler said. “They seem to enjoy it.”
Students worked together as a team to successfully complete tasks at the academy. For example, students were sent through a blacked-out maze and worked together to find the exit.
“Every single person went in it, and almost everybody made it completely through without assistance,” Missler said.
This page appears weekly in the West Orange Times & Observer and online at OrangeObserver.com.
“This blew my expectations to see the kids that seem to really want to be here,” Missler said. “(On July 16), they were outside in the hot sun in full gear, going through mazes, sweating like crazy, and they all came back the next day.”
Yeniel Gltay, from West Orange High, said he underestimated how hot and heavy the gear would be but still hopes to be a member of a fire department one day.
Advertise your Services or Events on this page weekly.
His goal for Ocoee’s Teen Academy is simple: teach students how to work together. And as long as they learn something, he is happy.
To advertise in the Church Directory call 407-656-2121 or email AdvertiseNow@OrangeObserver.com
Like Gltay, many other teenagers were eager to learn more about the department and the skills necessary to be a part of the team.
With bruises and scratches, all
On Monday, July 21, the department landed a helicopter at the station with nurses and paramedics that fly for Orlando Health, allowing students to speak with critical care specialists and ask questions about the job.
In the future, the department hopes to expand its community reach by providing programs to high schools and continuing its Teen Academy.
FRIDAY SIGHTS NIGHT
West Orange and Southwest Orange including:
• In-depth analysis of each team, including rosters, schedules and players to watch
• Features on the marching bands, cheerleading squads, JROTC programs, cheering sections and more
• Behind-the-scenes looks into all the support groups that make Friday football games happen
Leticia Silva
Yeniel Gltay, from West Orange High, practiced his CPR skills.
Ocoee OKs higher fire-service fees
The City Commission unanimously approved Envision 2045, a new comprehensive plan that establishes updated standards and guidelines for the city’s future development.
IN OTHER NEWS
With its chambers packed with residents, the Ocoee City Commission unanimously approved, with District 3 Commissioner Richard Firstner absent, an increase to its fire-protection fee during its July 15 meeting.
The approved increase to the nonad valorem tax is the first rate change since the current rate of $69.50 per unit was established in 2014, and at $139.23 per unit, the new rate will more than double the cost residents have to pay for the fire-protection services the city provides.
During a presentation about the increased fee, Assistant City Manager Mike Rumer pointed to passed and upcoming state legislation — that would limit the city’s property-tax revenues — as well as the increased costs of providing fire-protection services as the primary reasons for this proposal.
For nearly an hour following Rumer’s presentation, Ocoee residents voiced their concerns and discontent about the increased fee.
“I am opposed to the proposed increased special assessment for fire services,” Michael Rodgers said during the public hearing section about the rate increase. “I’d like to clarify that I am not arguing the question of firefighter pay or department funding. I am questioning financial responsibility. Why the special assessment instead of cutting costs elsewhere? … I’m questioning why the burden should fall on homeowners.”
The commissioners understood the complaints from residents and even sympathized with them during their comments about the proposed increase.
“My belief is the role of municipal government is to provide municipal services and only that — that’s police, fire and utilities, mostly,” District 1 Commissioner Scott Kennedy said. “So when the gentleman from the Vineyards asked, ‘Are you happy?’ No, I’m miserable.”
Kennedy went on to point out that although he doesn’t like the increased fee, these are the consequences of the state Legislature and voters forcing the city’s hand.
ENVISION 2045 APPROVED
In accordance with state law, municipalities must have a comprehensive plan, which is a city’s principles, guidelines and strategies for its overall development. That plan must include at least two planning periods that cover at least the first 10-year period occurring after its adoption and a second that covers at least a 20-year period. Ocoee’s current comprehensive plan was adopted in 2002 and reached its long-term planning horizon of 2022.
That’s where Envision 2045 comes in. It’s the city’s new comprehensive plan, which was unanimously approved at the meeting.
In a presentation of the updated plan, Deputy Development Services Director Anoch Whitfield shared its
n District 45 State House Rep. Leonard Spencer gave an update on the 105-day-long legisla tive session during the July 15 Ocoee City Commission meeting.
“While every legislative session comes with its share of challenges, I’m pleased to share that this year, my office was able to secure results for District 45, results that will directly benefit the people and priorities here in Ocoee,” Spencer said. “I’ll start with the most concrete win: My office was able to identify $3 million in state funding for our district.”
Spencer also highlighted the $150,000 his office helped secure for the Central Florida Mothers’ Milk Bank, which supports vulnerable infants in the region by providing safe human donor milk.
n Ocoee Fire Chief Thomas Smothers shared an update on the recently completed installation of five Automated External Defibrillator stations at five of the city’s parks. With funds from the city’s 2023-24 budget and a donation from Parent Heart Watch, Healthy West Orange Wellness Park, Liberty Park, Freedom Park, Prairie Lake Park and the Jim Beech Recreation Center now each have an AED tower installed.
n With District 1 Commissioner Scott Kennedy dissenting, the City Commission approved a nine-item consent agenda by a 2-1 vote, with District 3 Commissioner Richard Firstner absent. Among the items approved was the appointment of Roman Whittle to the Code Enforcement Board for a three-year term; the approval of $202,800 for design and engineering services from Kimley-Horn & Associates for the second phase of the Lake Apopka Nature Park Master Plan; and the approval of a tentative millage rate increase from 4.95 to 5.5 mills for the 202526 fiscal year. This tentative rate is required by state law to be set every July so taxpayers can receive their estimated property tax levies for the upcoming year. However, the rate might be reduced during September budget hearings — a practice the city has traditionally followed.
vision statement: “The city of Ocoee is a vibrant, attractive and economically sustainable community where businesses thrive and neighborhoods flourish through diverse, compact and complementary land uses that produce quality development and safe, connected mobility systems through adequate movement of people and goods, while simultaneously preserving environmental systems and creating parks and open spaces to promote social engagement and enhance community health leading to the overall well-being of the city.” City staff compiled a 205-page policy framework and a 293-page data, inventory and analysis document — both of which are available to read on the city’s website in the Planning & Zoning Division section.
County Commission stands up to state law
The Orange County Board of County Commissioners opts not to repeal its comprehensive plan and pause work on ordinance developments in light of Senate Bill 180.
LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR
The Orange County Board of County Commissioners has decided to stand against a new state law that could invalidate growth control measures the board has approved and pause progress on ordinances.
County staff presented the board with a series of repeal options for measures including Vision 2050, a map for comprehensive planning and growth within the county the board adopted. Ordinances staff is working on for Reams Road and the Shingle Creek and St. Johns River basins also could be impacted.
The discussion was prompted by Senate Bill 180, signed into law June 26 by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Senate Bill 180 was created as an emergency management bill at both the state and local levels, especially during hurricane recovery and property damage as a result of hurricanes. It is aimed at retroactively limiting “restrictive or burdensome” rules restricting home reconstruction after hurricanes, but some amendments broadened the scope of the bill.
Georgiana Holmes, deputy county attorney, said there are prohibitions in a section of the bill. The county may not propose or adopt any moratorium on construction, reconstruction or redevelopment of any property damaged by hurricanes Debby, Milton and Helene; counties are not allowed to propose or adopt more restrictive or burdensome amendments to its comprehensive plan or land-development regulations; counties are not allowed to propose or adopt more restrictive or burdensome procedures concerning review, approval or issuance of a site plan, development permit or development order, to the extent that those terms are defined by state law; and any moratorium or restrictive or burdensome comprehensive plan amendment, land development regulation or procedure shall be null and void. If a resident or business owner brings civil action against the county for a violation of the section, they are entitled to a preliminary injunction preventing implementation of their claimed violation, and if successful, the resident or business owner is entitled to reasonable attorney fees and costs. The county would need to issue a notice of intent to repeal within 14 days after receipt.
Another section of the bill focuses on the same prohibitions but provides for a different timeline as it is a one-year prohibition following a storm rather than being retroactive. One section also limits challengers to being a resident or business owner, while the other allows any person to challenge the county.
LOCAL CONCERNS
Senate Bill 180 could have an impact on the ordinance the board directed county staff to create regarding Reams Road. In February, the board discussed Reams Road, which experienced flooding as a result of Hurricane Milton. Jon Weiss, deputy county administrator, said the ordinance would have the “effect of adopting a moratorium on wetland and floodplain impacts within the Reedy Creek sub basin” and also “implementing a more burdensome, restrictive procedure relative to applying stormwater discharge.”
Although Weiss said it might be “good to slow or possibly pause” efforts to draft the moratorium ordinance in light of the bill, the board directed staff to proceed. Weiss said the county will have to look into the special protection area overlays for Shingle Creek and St. Johns River basins to ensure the bill does not impact the county’s ability to develop and adopt regulatory aspects in regards to these projects. Large concern came regarding Vision 2050, which is a multi-year project eight years in the making
“What we have to do is govern in a way that isn’t speculative. We have to govern in a way that I believe takes the information we’ve gotten from our public, the data and information we’ve received from our science-based reports and our urban planning experts, and then we move forward.”
— District 1 County Commissioner Nicole Wilson
that would be a new comprehensive plan for the county. The plan was intended to provide efficiencies in the county’s land-development processes and encourage additional uses in certain areas.
It has been sent to the state for review and has not yet been found in compliance.
“Vision 2050 and Orange Code were not intended to be more restrictive or burdensome, but given that you’ve got a brand new comprehensive plan, a brand new set of land development regulations and every parcel of the county was reviewed for its future land use and assigned a new future land use in the new zoning district, is it possible that there may be a property owner out there that would view Vision 2050 or Orange Code as more restrictive or burdensome?”
Weiss said.
He said the county has not received a challenge or a notice on Vision 2050, but it’s possible.
“We had a deadline, I think it was the end of June, to actually adopt Vision 2050 or our current plan would have been out of compliance, so there are no good options with respect to Vision 2050 and Orange Code,” he said. “We find ourselves in quite the pickle because of some of the challenges and the difficulty in administering and prodding the predictability of a certain set of rules and processes.”
Weiss said no one on staff wanted to repeal Vision 2050 after the numerous hours that went into its creation and getting it to the point of adoption.
He presented options to the board that included repealing Vision 2050 to avoid uncertainty and potential legal fees and give staff time to review the plan and Orange Code in light of Senate Bill 180 before bringing it back to the board. Another option could be delaying the implementation date of Vision 2050.
Weiss said the commission also could approve a repeal if it receives a notice of a challenge. He said this option allows for implementation of the plan and keeps some regulations intact, but there are several disadvantages, including creating uncertainty for the county, sections of Vision 2050 and Orange code not being easily or logically severable and development could be proceeding at risk if policies and codes can’t be relied upon.
If the county does receive a
notice, it could deny a request to repeal and go to court, which could allow the courts to better define “restrictive and burdensome” and keep some regulations intact but also could be costly to defend and the county risks paying legal fees. There also is uncertainty in litigation as it could result in the entire plan or parts of it being thrown out, for example.
Commissioners opted not to repeal Vision 2050 and Orange Code and move forward with work on ordinances relating to growth and land uses.
Commissioner Kelly Martinez Semrad said although she doesn’t agree with some aspects of Vision 2050, she will fight to uphold the board’s decision to approve the plan.
“If we don’t stand up now and fight Senate Bill 180, this is the domino effect, because then they say, ‘You know what? Our Amendment 10, annexation, it’s more restrictive, it’s more burdensome,’” she said. “Charter Amendment Nine, super majority to build in our parks, it’s more burdensome, it’s more restrictive. … It doesn’t stop, and it just keeps going. This is when we stand up and we fight, and we challenge the state.”
Commissioner Nicole Wilson said the bill is getting in the way of “literally life-saving measures.”
“The moratorium proposal for Reams Road, that wasn’t because of some aspirational goal of development pattern restructure out there; that’s because they are underwater,” she said. “That’s because people could not get out of their homes, businesses closed for over a month. Those are decisions that were left to the local government under the Florida constitution. … We’ve had investments in reporting and data and research and science, and we should not have to take a single half-step back on that.”
Wilson said the county having 14 days to respond to a notice of an alleged violation is intimidating and puts a target on the county’s back.
“I cannot think of a better reason to have a target on our back than to prevent someone from drowning in their own backyard,” she said. “What we have to do is govern in a way that isn’t speculative. We have to govern in a way that I believe takes the information we’ve gotten from our public, the data and information we’ve received from our science-based reports and our urban planning experts, and then we move forward. If someone out there says we’re wrong, then we’ll argue that then. But until that time, I say that we don’t retreat one halfstep on Vision 2050, on Orange Code, on any of the studies that have been included in that list of really important things for people’s safety.”
For an hour, residents urged commissioners to stand their ground and not allow the repeal of growth control measures.
Windermere’s David Gonzalez, an urban designer who during public comments of the July 15 commission meeting, said Vision 2050 “empowers and protects property owners by supporting flexible, forward-thinking land uses and development patterns.
“Abandoning these softly crafted plans now would be like scrapping a finely tuned sports car after years of careful engineering, only to continue to drive a rusty, 30-year-old clunker,” Gonzalez said during public comments. “Capitulating to the empty threats of a suburban sprawl developer would neuter not only the intent of the voter-approved run but also the authority of the board to guide responsible land use policy. Will we allow Orange County to be smothered by suburban sprawl or will we guide it towards a rich, diverse future where it’s defined by distinctive world settlements, thriving suburban neighborhoods in dynamic urban districts?”
FDOE releases ’24-’25 grades
OBSERVER STAFF
One West Orange-area school jumped two whole letter grades in one year, according to the Florida Department of Education’s 202425 school grades.
Prairie Lake Elementary School earned an “A” grade for the first time since 2012 this year — up from a “C” grade it earned one year ago. Prairie Lake was one of only six Title 1 elementary schools in OCPS to earn the top grade.
Additionally, Ocoee High retained its “A” grade after achieving the top grade for the first time last year.
Overall, several West Orangeand Southwest Orange-area schools showed improvement year-over-year.
Both Atwater Bay Elementary and Innovation Montessori High earned “A” grades in their first year of testing. Eagle’s Nest raised its letter grade to a “C” after receving a “D” last year. Lakeview Middle also improved one letter grade to a “B,” and Lake Buena Vista High School earned its first “A” since the school opened.
Both Innovation Montessori at Ocoee (“A”) and Renaissance Charter at Crown Point (“B”) also improved one letter grade yearover-year.
Some area schools fell one letter grade from 2024 to 2025. Those include Dillard Street Elementary (“C”), SunRidge Elementary (“B”) and Water Spring Elementary (“B”).
The FDOE also awarded Orange County Public Schools an “A” grade as a district for the second consecutive year.
District-wide, the number of “A” traditional schools (non-charter, non-alternative) in OCPS rose to 96, up from 88 last year. Furthermore, 76% of traditional schools received an “A” or “B,” an increase from 69% the previous year. No traditional schools in OCPS received a grade of “D” or “F.”
“I’m incredibly proud of our students, staff, and families,” Superintendent Maria Vazquez said. “Our commitment to the science of reading and data-driven decisions has strengthened literacy and boosted graduation rates. These gains reflect the collective dedication of our OCPS team — well done.”
FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL LAUNCHES 13 NEW COURSES
Florida Virtual School is introducing 13 new online courses for the 2025-26 school year. The 13 new online courses reflect a wide range of elective, world language and accelerated courses, all of which allow students to discover their passions and interests before heading off to college and/or the workforce.
At the forefront of this year’s launch are four offerings: a K-5 Music Suite, two Career and Technical Education courses, and an Advanced Placement World Language course.
“We believe students thrive when they have the freedom to explore subjects that truly interest them,” Florida Virtual School President and CEO Dr. Louis Algaze said.
“With these new courses, we’re giving students even more opportunities to dive into topics they’re passionate about — whether that’s learning a new language, building foundational music skills, exploring artificial intelligence and machine learning, or taking a college-level course.” For more information, visit flvs. net.
File photo
According to the Florida Department of Education, Prairie Lake Elementary School achieved its first ‘A’ grade since 2012.
SUMMERLAKE
The home at 14742 Bahama Swallow Blvd., Winter Garden, sold July 8, for $790,000. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,681 square feet. Days on market: 13.
SUMMERPORT
Ahome in the Point Tibet community in Dr. Phillips topped all West Orangearea residential real-estate transactions from July 7 to 13.
The home at 6009 Lady Bet Drive, Orlando, sold July 10, for $3,564,000. Built in 1997, it has four bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 4,695 square feet. Days on market: 160. The sellers were represented by Ruthanne Martin, Revel Realty LLC.
These are the highestselling homes in each community in West Orange.
DR. PHILLIPS
AVALON AT TURTLE CREEK
The home at 10812 Woodchase Circle, Orlando, sold July 9, for $565,000. Built in 2001, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,839 square feet. Days on market: 144.
BAY VISTA ESTATES
The home at 8625 Vista Point Cove, Orlando, sold July 9, for $1,050,000. Built in 1985, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,444 square feet. Days on market: Four.
The home at 8665 Vista Point Cove, Orlando, sold July 9, for $607,500. Built in 1984, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,252 square feet. Days on market: Four.
POINT TIBET
The home at 6009 Lady Bet Drive, Orlando, sold July 10, for $3,564,000. Built in 1997, it has four bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 4,695 square feet. Days on market: 160.
SAND LAKE HILLS
The home at 8625 Shady Glen Drive, Orlando, sold July 9, for $485,000. Built in 1983, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,932 square feet. Days on market: 18.
SHADOW BAY SPRINGS
The home at 4940 Spring Run Ave., Orlando, sold July 10, for $510,000. Built in 1983, it has four bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,051 square feet. Days on market: 66.
VIZCAYA HEIGHTS
The condo at 8755 The Esplanade, No. 107, Orlando, sold July 10, for $746,000. Built in 2004, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,549 square feet.
The home at 14038 Bluebird Park Road, Windermere, sold July 8, for $875,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, four baths and 3,348 square feet. Days on market: Two.
WEST LAKE HANCOCK ESTATES
The home at 7834 Minutemen Loop, Winter Garden, sold July 7, for $565,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,952 square feet of living area. Days on market: One.
WESTHAVEN AT OVATION
The home at 13193 Tollcross Way, Winter Garden, sold July 11, for $900,000. Built in 2024, it has five bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 4,041 square feet. Days on market: 230.
OCOEE AMBER RIDGE
LAKESHORE PRESERVE
The condo at 8749 The Esplanade, No. 4, Orlando, sold July 10, for $490,000. Built in 2006, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 2,162 square feet. Days on market: 43.
GOTHA
TOWN OF GOTHA
The home at 1502 Hempel Ave., Windermere, sold July 10, for $1,300,000. Built in 2007, it has six bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 5,511 square feet. Days on market: Two.
HORIZON WEST
CREEKS RUN
The home at 5063 Carillon Lane, Windermere, sold July 9, for $600,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,406 square feet.
ENCORE AT OVATION
The home at 12067 Eastmoor Drive, Winter Garden, sold July 11, for $585,000. Built in 2023, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,346 square feet. Days on market: 62.
HIGHLAND RIDGE
The home at 11941 Bracco St., Winter Garden, sold July 7, for $490,000. Built in 2024, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,788 square feet. Days on market: 48.
INDEPENDENCE
The home at 14724 Avenue of the Rushes, Winter Garden, sold July 10, for $2,385,000. Built in 2006, it has five bedrooms, four-and-onehalf baths and 5,451 square feet. Days on market: 10.
The home at 14314 Pleach St., Winter Garden, sold July 10, for $580,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,240 square feet. Days on market: 49.
LAKES OF WINDERMERE
The home at 12641 Arley Drive, Windermere, sold July 7, for $562,500. Built in 2004, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,926 square feet of living area. Days on market: 10.
LAKES OF WINDERMERE — PEACHTREE
The home at 13422 Exbury Lane, Windermere, sold July 9, for $530,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 2,745 square feet. Days on market: 83.
The home at 15620 Panther Lake Drive, Winter Garden, sold July 11, for $2,200,000. Built in 2020, it has six bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 4,769 square feet. Days on market: 296.
The home at 15698 Panther Lake Drive, Winter Garden, sold July 7, for $1,135,000. Built in 2019, it has four bedrooms, three-and-onehalf baths and 3,425 square feet of living area. Days on market: Four.
LAKESIDE VILLAGE TOWNHOMES
The townhouse at 10631 Village Lake Drive, Windermere, sold July 10, for $455,000. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 1,834 square feet of living area.
LAKEVIEW POINTE
The home at 7071 Spring Park Drive, Winter Garden, sold July 11, for $710,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,493 square feet. Days on market: 21.
PROVIDENCE
The home at 6245 Little Lake Sawyer Drive, Windermere, sold July 10, for $2,150,000. Built in 2013, it has seven bedrooms, four-andone-half baths and 5,300 square feet of living area. Days on market: 183.
SILVERLEAF RESERVE AT HAMLIN
The home at 16337 Silver Grove Blvd., Winter Garden, sold July 8, for $770,000. Built in 2023, it has five bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 3,860 square feet of living area. Days on market: 133.
The home at 896 Satin Leaf Circle, Ocoee, sold July 11, for $350,000. Built in 1992, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,142 square feet. Days on market: Nine.
REFLECTIONS
The home at 920 Cool Springs Circle, Ocoee, sold July 8, for $485,000. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,884 square feet of living area. Days on market: 15.
SAWMILL
The home at 5032 Timber Ridge Trail, Ocoee, sold July 8, for $349,900. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,239 square feet of living area. Days on market: One.
SILVER BEND
The home at 117 Clowson Court, Ocoee, sold July 7, for $378,000. Built in 1993, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,405 square feet. Days on market: 23.
SOUTHWEST ORANGE
ROYAL CYPRESS RESERVE
The home at 10824 Royal Cypress Way, Orlando, sold July 8, for $1,203,000. Built in 2016, it has six bedrooms, five-and-one-half baths and 4,385 square feet. Days on market: 132.
WEST ORANGE
WILLOWS AT LAKE RHEA
The home at 11335 Winston Willow Court, Windermere, sold July 10, for $1,175,000. Built in 1990, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 2,885 square feet.
WINDERMERE
KEENE’S POINTE
The home at 11261 Macaw Court, Windermere, sold July 8, for $2,870,000. Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, four baths, two half-baths and 5,649 square feet. Days on market: 213.
The home at 6241 Blakeford Drive, Windermere, sold July 10, for $1,510,000. Built in 1999, it has four bedrooms, four baths and 3,556 square feet. Days on market: 38.
The home at 11521 Camden Park Drive, Windermere, sold July 7, for $1,460,000. Built in 2005, it has five bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 3,483 square feet. Days on market: 54.
RESERVE AT LAKE BUTLER SOUND
The home at 11055 Ullswater Lane, Windermere, sold July 7, for $2,350,000. Built in 2007, it has five bedrooms, six-and-one-half baths and 6,000 square feet. Days on market: 36.
The home at 6233 Rydal Court, Windermere, sold July 8, for $1,701,000. Built in 2003, it has five bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 3,902 square feet. Days on market: Two.
WINTER GARDEN
BELLE MEADE
The home at 15106 Ovation Drive, Winter Garden, sold July 9, for $680,000. Built in 2009, it has six bedrooms, four baths and 2,935 square feet. Days on market: 202.
GLENVIEW ESTATES
The home at 1013 Glensprings Ave., Winter Garden, sold July 7, for $540,000. Built in 1986, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,680 square feet. Days on market: 47.
OAKLAND PARK
The home at 1206 Civitas Way sold July 8, for $980,000. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 2,765 square feet. Days on market: Six.
SANCTUARY AT TWIN WATERS
The home at 16719 Sanctuary Drive, Winter Garden, sold July 11, for $720,000. Built in 2020, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 2,836 square feet. Days on market: 151.
STONEYBROOK WEST
The home at 2602 Shirehall Lane, Winter Garden, sold July 11, for $700,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,900 square feet. Days on market: 55.
WATERSIDE AT JOHNS LAKE
The home at 16719 Broadwater Ave., Winter Garden, sold July 9, for $2,315,625. Built in 2019, it has six bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 4,462 square feet.
WESTFIELD ESTATES
The home at 12018 Radbourne St., Winter Garden, sold July 10, for $640,000. Built in 1997, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,830 square feet. Days on market: 23.
WINTER GARDEN
The home at 12788 Gillard Road, Winter Garden, sold July 7, for $1,125,000. Built in 1980, it has six bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 6,545 square feet. Days on market: 59.
WINTERMERE POINTE
SPORTS
1
Foundation Academy rising junior Haley Higgins announced her commitment to play college volleyball and continue her academic journey in the nation’s capital as a member of the Georgetown Lady Hoyas.
The 6-foot-2 middle blocker has been vital to the Lady Lions’ success the past two seasons. Her 85 total blocks — the most of any Foundation player across the past two seasons — and 486 combined kills across 149 sets helped lead the team to a 32-11 overall record.
2
Dr. Phillips High has announced the hiring of Central Florida Christian Academy assistant coach LaToya Russ as the Lady Panthers’ next head girls basketball coach. This follows the departure of legendary coach Anthony Jones for Montverde Academy.
With more than 20 years of experience coaching at a variety of levels, Russ brings her own championship pedigree to the storied program, having served as an assistant coach for two state-championship-winning teams during her time at Wekiva High
3West Orange High defensive back duo of Devonte Anderson and Chakai Scott — both rising seniors — have announced their commitments to play Division I college football in 2026.
Anderson, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound do-it-all athlete for the Warriors selected to continue his academic and athletic careers as a member of the Louisville Cardinals.
Scott, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound versatile defensive back, announced he will play his college ball on the West Coast as a member of the Sacramento State Hornets.
4
Blake Fields, a recent graduate of The First Academy and key member of the Royals’ statetitle-winning baseball team, was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 14th round of the 2025 MLB Draft with the 423rd overall pick.
After a tremendous season for the Royals — which saw the right-handed outfielder hit for an average of .439 (43-for-98), score 46 runs, drive in 26 runs, steal 16 bases and hit four home runs — Fields, a University of Houston commit, became the first TFA player chosen in the MLB Draft since 2018.
It is unclear whether Fields will sign with the Diamondbacks and begin his journey through the minors or head to H-Town and lace-up his cleats in the Big 12 for the Cougars.
5Horizon High rising senior Kaio Oliveira has announced his commitment to play college football at the United States Military Academy at West Point, choosing to play for the Black Knights over the Midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy.
Oliveira is a 6-foot-1, 200-pound do-it-all athlete for the Hawks, playing quarterback and running back in Horizon’s run-option offensive scheme and defensive back on the other side of the ball.
“I can’t say enough about him,” Horizon coach Dennis Thomas said. “I’ve been coaching a long time, and he’s one of the best young men I’ve ever been around if not the best. He just does what he is supposed to do.”
It’s almost time!
SAM ALBUQUERQUE
SPORTS EDITOR
With summer workouts now over and fall camp kicking off Monday, July 28, the 2025 high school football season in West Orange and Southwest Orange is right around the corner. As we await the return for what promises to be another epic season of Friday Night Lights, the area’s teams converged in downtown Orlando at Camping World Stadium for the preseason tradition known as Florida Citrus Sports’ High School Football Media Day.
To celebrate the gathering of the area’s top teams and players and the ever-so-near return to the gridiron — with kickoff classics scheduled
TFA’s
for Friday, Aug. 15 — we have put together a collection of the best notes and news from the end of spring football to the start of fall camp. Get ready high school football fans: The 2025 season will be one for the history books.
2025’S SURPRISE TEAMS With a new season comes new coaches, new players and new teams. Throw away what you thought you learned in 2024, because this season is going to see a few of the area’s teams outplay expectations and flip the landscape of West Orange and Southwest Orange football. Here are three teams we think will surprise fans this season.
Members of the
With the 2025 prep football season around the corner, West Orange and Southwest Orange teams descended upon Camping World Stadium to preview their seasons.
Wendell Coates Jr. founded West Orange-based nonprofit Global Not Local Cares to give local athletes a chance to grow and seize opportunities for their futures.
what we’re doing in the community, because when I was younger, I never had anything like this,” he said. “Having put on a bunch of these clinics, I know the costs involved, and it’s no wonder why we didn’t have them when I was a kid. But that’s also why we do this for free. We provide these clinics and camps, run these teams and ultimately invest in these kids, because if we don’t, it’s just not going to happen. I want to make sure that the kids from our community have the opportunity to be successful.”
After winning the Florida boys junior championship, TFA rising senior Mingbo Jiang — a USC golf commit — is ready to make some noise this fall in his final high school golf season. Page 2B.
Photos by Sam Albuquerque
Lake Buena Vista High athlete Stoly Cenemat spoke to television reporters during media day.
Dr. Phillips football’s Zion Matthews answered questions during the High School Football Scoreboard show.
Left:
Ocoee Knights football team were interviewed during media day.
Ocoee High football coach Buck Gurley answered questions during a television interview.
The First Academy football coach Jeff Conaway and five of his players joined the High School Football Scoreboard show during media day.
Courtesy photos
Rising senior football stars Larry Miles, left, Devin Jackson, and Devonte Anderson reunited with their youth basketball coach Wendell Coates Jr.
With wins at the Florida State Golf Association’s 71st Boys’ Junior Championship this month and the Orlando International Amateur Championship in December,
The First Academy rising senior Mingbo Jiang is entering his final season of high school golf on fire.
Jiang, a nationally ranked amateur, has finished in the top 10 at the FHSAA Class 1A State Championship tournament each of the past three seasons — helping lead the Royals to a team state runners-up finish in 2023 after shooting a 146 (+2).
The USC golf commit will undoubtedly look to break through this year and bring home both a team and individual state title.
How does it feel to be named Athlete of the
It feels great, and I’m thankful for the recognition and support from my family, friends and coaches.
What do you enjoy the most about golf?
I enjoy the challenge. Every round is different and keeps me focused.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned from golf?
I’ve learned patience and how to handle pressure.
What is your favorite golf memory?
Winning the Florida Boys’ Junior Championship and setting the scoring record.
Who is your favorite athlete?
Lionel Messi. I grew up watching soccer, and he’s my all-time favorite athlete.
How does it feel to be committed to play golf at the college level?
It’s exciting, but I also know it’s going to be challenging, too.
What was it about USC that made you feel like it was the right place for you to continue your academic and athletic path?
I love the school. They have a very strong golf program and the coaches are really nice.
THE BASICS Age: 17 Sport: Golf School: The First Academy Grade: Senior
What is your go-to pre-round meal?
A little noodles and some rice with chicken.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Mingbo Jiang
What is your go-to pre-round hype song?
“In the End” by Linkin Park.
What is your favorite non-golf hobby?
I like to play soccer.
What is your favorite subject in school?
Math because I’m pretty good at it.
What are three things you would take with you to a deserted island?
A knife, a lighter and a tent.
What is your favorite movie? “Inception.” I really like the story and how it makes you think.
If you could have dinner with one person — dead or alive — who would it be?
Definitely Tiger Woods because I’d love to hear about his journey and mindset.
If you could go back in time to a specific period in history, when and where would you go?
The 1990s here in the U.S. so I could watch Tiger dominate in his prime.
Looking back, what piece of advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t worry too much. Just focus on the process and keep working hard.
If you could ask your future self a question, what would it be?
Did all the hard work pay off?
Who is your favorite superhero?
Spider-Man. He’s just relatable and always tries to do the right
Who is your favorite supervillain?
The Joker. He’s unpredictable and makes every story he’s in feel so intense.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and
The power to make anything I say become real. That way, I could make sure I never miss a shot in golf again.
If you could travel to three places in the world, where would you go England and Spain because I love soccer, and Japan to experience
If you could be an animal for a day, which one would you be and A dolphin because they’re smart, fast and free in the ocean.
What is your most controversial Don’t put lemons in water; it ruins
Does pineapple belong on pizza? Yes, I think it tastes good.
— SAM ALBUQUERQUE
Windermere Prep hires state champion track-and-field coach
Former Olympia and Windermere coach Jason Greer returns to Southwest Orange to take over the Lakers’ programs.
SAM ALBUQUERQUE
SPORTS EDITOR
After one season away from Southwest Orange, Jason Greer is returning to the area as the next crosscountry and track-and-field coach for the Windermere Prep Lakers.
“Coach Greer is a transformational leader whose impact will be felt immediately by our students, athletes and community,” Lakers Director of Athletics Patrick Hollern said. “His commitment to developing student-athletes on and off the field aligns perfectly with our mission at Windermere Prep.”
Greer, a native of St. Louis, took over the Olympia High trackand-field program in 2010, after spending six seasons coaching in Jacksonville — serving as the boys track-and-field coach at Andrew Jackson High and the girls trackand-field coach at Mandarin High.
In his seven years with the Titans, Greer led the boys program to its first team state championship in 2013 — the school’s second state championship in any sport. He also helped produce 80 individual conference champions, 126 individual district champions, 33 individual regional champions, 14 individual state runner-ups and four individual state champions. He was named West Metro Conference Coach of the Year three times.
Following his time at Olympia,
Greer continued that success while building the cross-country and track-and-field programs at Windermere High, serving as the Wolverines coach from 2017 to 2024. Last year, he served as Timber Creek High’s track-and-field coach.
In total, Greer brings with him more than 25 years of experience in education, administration and athletics.
“Coach Greer brings a legacy of leadership, coaching excellence and entrepreneurial success,” said the school’s press release about the hire.
“He has served as a school administrator, classroom educator and head coach at several high-performing athletic programs throughout Central Florida. During his 15 years with
top state rankings. At both (his most recent stops), Timber Creek and Windermere High, his programs thrived under his guidance and vision.”
Prior to his coaching career, Greer was a collegiate hurdler at Northwest Missouri State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education. He went on to graduate from Walden University with a master’s degree in educational leadership and earn Florida certifications in English, social sciences and athletic coaching.
Basketball clinic set for Aug. 9
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
Now, more than a half-decade after diving into this passion for giving back, Coates is having the opportunity to reflect on the impact he has had as the group of sixth-graders who made up the first boys youth basketball team Coates coached are entering their final year of high school. This realization becomes even more tangible for Coates thanks to the accomplishments of a trio of athletes among that initial group. The three boys from Winter Garden shined so brightly on the football field that each of them earned a plethora of scholarship offers to play college ball at the Power 4 level.
Despite choosing to focus on football and leaving basketball behind, the time Devin Jackson, Devonte Anderson and Larry Miles spent hooping for Coach Dell — how the three refer to Coates — left an indelible mark on their journeys, so much so that each of them made sure to thank their youth basketball coach during their recent college football commitment ceremonies.
“Over the past two weeks, I actually had the chance to go to each of those guys commitments,” Coates said. “I saw Devin commit to Oregon, Larry with Nebraska, and D-2 (Anderson) go with Louisville. I’ve never been to something like that before. To see all of them accomplish something so big and to think that they were all part of that first group, it makes me really just proud of what we’ve done. It makes me feel like this is a real thing that’s impacting lives in a good way. To hear them make their speeches and thank their parents, coaches and include me in that group makes me certain that what I’m doing is my purpose.”
More than the fulfillment that comes from simply knowing the nonprofit’s work has impacted young people from the Winter Garden community, in the past month, Coates has been able to experience the boomerang-like effect that comes from pouring into the lives of young people.
“Me and Coach Dell’s relationship has always been great — and not just as a coach, but in a lot of ways, he’s been one of the key figures in my sports life,” Jackson said.
“Because of Coach, I had a safe place to play sports and had role models to look up to. So when I committed to Oregon, I really felt like God put it in my heart to do the same for the kids in my neighborhood. I prayed about it, talked to Coach and remembered how lucky I am to have had people in my life that pointed me in the right direction, so that’s what I wanted to do.”
The direction Jackson wants to point kids to is the understanding that getting the job done in the classroom is the only way you can get it done on the field. That is why he partnered with Global Not Local to do a free basketball clinic and backpack giveaway for 200 kids from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, at the West Orange Recreation Center.
“When it came to doing the backpack giveaway, the idea was to help kids focus on keeping school first … to make sure they have the resources they need to be successful in the classroom,” Jackson said. “I was lucky to have a mom (who) kept me focused. When I was younger, I didn’t take my education seriously. I didn’t understand why any of it was important. But my mom always made sure to remind me that my education is the most important
thing, and without it, I couldn’t play football. As I’ve gotten older, I’m just thankful for her and that she instilled that in me.”
For Coates, seeing Jackson not only develop as an athlete but also as a young man has been rewarding. Being able to collaborate with his former player on this project is even more evidence that Coates is on the right path.
“Devin reached out about doing something special for the kids in the community before they went back to school,” Coates said. “He was totally focused on the education piece and came up with the idea to do a backpack giveaway on his own. All I did was give him some guidance and suggest collaborating with our clinic and he was in.
“Honestly, though, seeing Devin instantly think about pouring back into the community — without having even started college yet — makes me feel like I did my part in helping him understand what’s important,” he said. “Devin could’ve done anything else. He could have bought a car or a chain, but instead, the first thing he wanted to do was a backpack giveaway. To not just see him be in this great position but (also) to use his resources to give back to the community means everything to me. It makes me feel like what we’re doing is not in vain.”
Along with the backpack giveaway, the back-to-school event for children ages 8 to 17 also will provide free lunch and a special Global Not Local Basketball Clinic Dri-Fit performance shirts for each attendee.
“It’s completely free,” Coates said. “We feed them. We give them camp T-shirts. We have professional trainers and athletes come train and coach them. They also speak with the kids throughout the day; it’s a great experience.”
Orange County Public Schools, he was named Coach of the Year 10 times and led student-athletes to break school records, earn state championship berths and achieve
Courtesy photo
Along with his extensive background as a high school coach, Jason Greer, left, also founded and runs High Performance Athletics — a training program and club track team.
Football media day kicks off 2025 season
Central Florida Christian Academy Eagles. After a winless first season and a 3-6 second season under coach Kevin Blackman, year three of his tenure as Eagles coach promises to see a dramatic turnaround.
“This is the tightest group and the group that has been the most bought into what we’re doing as a program since I’ve been around the team,” Blackman said. “I feel like we’ve grown in numbers since the spring, part of that … is because of how we played, part of it is because guys naturally want to come play with their friends. But I believe our team today is head and shoulders above where we were this time last year, and since the spring, we have grown in the weight room and on the field, as a whole.”
Foundation Academy Lions.
Under the leadership of first-year coach Daniel White, the Lions have developed a culture based on aggression, athleticism and execution that should carry them beyond their 5-5 record from 2024.
“We wanted to focus on culture and make sure we do a good job of setting an expectation, and I think we’ve done that,” White said. “It’s been a great offseason for us, and we’re ready to go.”
Horizon Hawks. If you take a look beyond the surface of Horizon’s 1-9 record in 2024, you’ll see four of its nine losses came in one-score games. Add in key injuries throughout the season and it’s easy to understand how one of the more steady programs in the area saw its season unravel. It’s also easy to see why this program can bounce back in 2025, especially when you hear Horizon coach Dennis Thomas rave about his team’s offseason development.
“From our spring game, which went really well … to our summer workouts, we’ve had a great offseason,” Thomas said. “We feel like (we’ve done well) at getting stronger in the weight room during the offseason. We also added one of our track coaches to the football staff, so that’s helping us get faster, as well. But overall, we just have great kids, good parents and a good community behind us that’s helped us grow each year.”
BREAKOUT CANDIDATES
Roster turnover because of graduation, transfers and other factors creates opportunities for players to rise through a team’s ranks and establish themselves as a star of the gridiron. With plenty of talented players developing within the area’s programs and the constant influx of talented transfers the area sees, 2025 once again will see a heap of breakout players. Here are a few we think could take advantage of their opportunity.
Zion Matthews, Dr. Phillips High RB. After sharing carries with a pair of senior backs last season, Matthews will get the chance to be featured as the Panthers’ workhorse this season — a challenge he’s more than ready for.
“I’ve been waiting patiently and working hard for this opportunity,” Matthews said. “As a freshman, I didn’t touch the field but learned a lot as part of the scout team and from my older teammates. Sophomore year, I got to play a role in a lot of big games, and last year as a junior, I feel like I did very well for myself as part of that shared backfield. … But now as a senior, I know that it’s on me to carry a bigger
load for this offense, and I know that we’re going turn a lot of heads this year.”
Gavin Pritzkau, Central Florida
Christian QB. Despite never playing varsity football, the eighth-grader is one of the area’s most talented quarterbacks, and according to his coach, he’ll have the opportunity to earn time under center this year.
“I don’t want to give away too much, but both of these guys — Gavin and Mason (Mathis) — will have the chance to show off their talents on the field this season,” Blackman said. “It’s a blessing to have these two guys battling for playing time. This time two years ago, we had no idea who our quarterback was going to be. But now, we’re blessed to be able to have two guys (who) can carry the load as leaders and players.”
Abishai Smith, Horizon High ATH. A factor on both sides of the ball, the Hawks’ rising junior should wreak havoc by chasing down the ball carrier on defense and with the ball in his hands on offense.
“He was injured a lot last year, so he didn’t get to make his name yet, but he’s ready to go this year,” Thomas said. “He’s just big a ol’ guy. He’s not tall or anything, but man, he has muscles in his ear lobes, and he’s loves to play physical. He’s fast, and he’s going to hit people and just be a disrupter. The thing I love about his game is that he doesn’t always have to make the play to have an effect on the play. He has the ability to just cause disruption because of just the areas he inhabits.”
BOLD PREDICTIONS
What’s a football preview story without a few bold predictions? Here are three predictions we think are worth following this season.
The First Academy runs the table. Despite lining up the most difficult schedule of any team in the area — which includes eight teams ranked among the top 300 in the nation — we believe the development of returning players and additions at key positions will be enough to propel this Royals team to an undefeated season — especially when you consider that without a postseason, each regular-season game becomes even more important.
West Orange QB A.J. Chung throws for 3,000-plus yards, 25-plus TDs. After displaying his pure passing abilities as a freshman in a rotational role for the Warriors, Chung enters the 2025 season as the unquestioned QB1. Factor in his development physically and mentally this offseason, and we have no doubt that come season’s end, the sophomore not only will have surpassed the stats we are predicting but also will have led West Orange to a load of wins.
Windermere will repeat as Independent League champions. It’s hard to improve on perfection, and after a 10-0 season in 2024, folks might think 2025 will see the Wolverines take a step back. However, since Riki Smith took over the program, Windermere has increased its number of wins each season. And although the laws of mathematics do not allow for a team to win more games than it plays, making it impossible for Smith to continue his run of winning more games each season than the previous, we can say with confidence the Wolverines will be the dominant force among Orange County’s independent league teams.
Sam Albuquerque
The First Academy football’s Kingston Shaw answered questions during the High School Football Scoreboard show.
Foundation keeps local history alive
www.langd.org
At Lake Apopka Natural Gas, we’re helping families connect to affordable, reliable, and efficient natural gas, with appliances that pay dividends for years to come. Studies show a home with natural gas has a 6% greater resale value than an all-electric home. 407-656-2734
The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation preserves the history of the city.
KASEY BILODEAU
HOME-SCHOOL STUDENT
It’s easy to miss the hard work that keeps Winter Garden’s quaint, small-town feel alive. A melting pot of vibrant history and deep roots, the West Orange area often feels timeless — not many realize that preserving history is a difficult job of its own.
Luckily, for the past 31 years the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation has been doing its best to preserve Winter Garden’s juicy past.
THE FOUNDATION
Jim Crescitelli, director of operations and programming at the WGHF, has lived in the area since 1978 and has been working with the foundation for 13 years. Crescitelli is one of four staff members at the foundation tasked with preserving the history of West Orange.
“We gather and preserve the history of West Orange County,” Crescitelli said. “Not many people know what West Orange County’s all about. It’s agriculture, cool architecture and railroads. We try to preserve that history and present it.”
Although its main mission is to protect what’s being forgotten, the WGHF also works to engage the public and create new cultural experiences. History exhibits, museums, field trips—anything to do with West Orange County, the WGHF is on it.
The foundation keeps an archive filled with everything collected over the years — school photos, mementos, pins, American Indian artifacts, old books — contained in one room. When the lights are flipped on, there are rows of shelves, floor to ceiling, 8 to 10 feet in the air. There are bins, cabinets and boxes filled with Winter Garden’s history. This little building contains everything left of the innumerable lives lived before we got here, people and cultures forgotten.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Winter Garden in the 1800s and 1900s was a hard-working community.
“It was a small population of people based in citrus — anyone who wanted to work could get a job,” Crescitelli said.
“We were the biggest citrus shipping point on the globe.”
Working-class people were leading the community and creating waves in the citrus trade. Money flowed into old Winter Garden, and the buildings of downtown began going up. But because of a mix of factors in the 1960s, ’70s and early ’80s, inflation rose, and unemployment rates climbed. Downtown stagnated, shops were left empty and the old railroad tracks remained unused.
But even as the economy declined, old infrastructure stood strong.
“The built environment was constructed here starting 1912 and 1913,” Crescitelli said. “All that survives because of the fact that during our downward years, who was going to spend money to tear down a building and put something else up?”
That old infrastructure and its architecture has been preserved.
“So we have preserved our architecture, and we appreciate it,” Crescitelli said. “Because it’s a small town, so many people remember the stores, the shops and the buildings. It’s close to their hearts, and they want to see those standing and repurposed.”
A perfect example of this is the Garden Theatre. Opened in 1935 and closed in 1963, it was used as a storage warehouse by Pounds Motor Company for 39 years. In 2002, it was purchased by the city of Winter Garden and a collaboration between the city and WGHF ended in the theater’s successful reopening in 2008. The WGHF still works to keep the theater busy with shows and concerts. This holiday season it will be working with Opera Orlando to present a twoday holiday production of “All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914.”
HOW TO HELP
The WGHF needs the support of West Orange to continue its work — and the foundation offers a plethora of ways to do so. There is a membership with benefits such as exclusive members-only events, a quarterly newspaper and discounts in the gift shop. But the real perk of being a member is helping to maintain the community and all its quirks.
Direct donations to the WGHF supports its museums, field trips and ability to continue educating the public.
As a bonus, the WGHF always is looking for volunteers to help in the archives and museums.
“They should have knowledge of local history, or love it enough to want to do it,” Crescitelli said. As for collecting artifacts, the WGHF works with what the foundation is given. “We’re in the business of asking people to donate and share what they have,” Crescitelli said.
He explained the foundation receives a lot of artifacts through tips from locals and dumpster diving history buffs. They also reach out to homeowners and “try to educate people about the historicity of the building.”
Courtesy of WGHF
“Winter Garden’s Renaissance: A Historic Timeline” runs through July 31 at the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation.
HOW TO APPLY
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
n Must be a sophomore, junior or senior in high school in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Polk, Volusia, Brevard counties or homeschooled as of August 2025.
n Must currently have and maintain a B average, which is an unweighted 3.0 GPA.
n Must have access to a computer and a personal email.
n Must be able to complete five volunteer hours at the Dr. Phillips Center during the program year.
n Must be able to attend one meeting per month from September to April.
HOW TO APPLY
Visit Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts’ website at drphillipscenter. org/education/theaterindustry-experience/teenambassadors/ and fill out the application. Applications are due at 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1.
A peek behind the curtain
The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is hosting its annual Teen Ambassadors program.
The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is giving teens an opportunity to see careers beyond the stage through its Teen Ambassadors program.
The center started the Teen Ambassadors program in 2014 as a way to pull attention to its vision of delivering arts for every life.
For 10 years, this program has introduced students to various ways they can get involved in the arts with opportunities on stage, behind the scenes and in the community.
Last year, the center received more than 90 applicants and was able to accept 46 students from Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Polk, Volusia and Brevard counties, as well as a few homeschoolers.
This year, the number of applicants is expected to rise, with an estimated more than 100 students applying.
The Teen Ambassadors program gives every student a chance to explore different career paths in the performing arts and theater industry.
Brooke Saad, one of the education managers on the education team in the Abbott House School of the Arts, said the original purpose of the program focused on the performance groups. Over the years, as the program has developed and grown, it targeted a broader range of students and now includes both on-stage and off-stage opportunities.
“We created the Teen Ambassadors program as an opportunity to teach students about careers that are non-performative in the industry,” Saad said.
Once per month, ambassadors meet people who work at the center to learn more about the various departments, such as marketing and
education, at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
“From there, the program grew, and we interviewed people from Broadway who are doing big production jobs, who were on tour, who were working shows, and even maybe out in the industry internationally,” Saad said. “A few years later, we have combined all things, and now we are looking at community jobs here locally, such as Disney and Universal, while also looking at those Broadway tours.”
The selected students have an opportunity to learn hands-on the many different aspects of the Dr. Phillips Center. The Teen Ambassadors program focuses on opportunities that are volunteer based and allow students to network. Some of the opportunities this program includes are community givebacks when Broadway shows come into town; parades with the center’s colleagues; assisting in a technical position; backstage production with props and more.
Ambassadors also will be able to attend various genres of shows and have access to guest speakers, master classes, backstage tours, and meet-and-greets with professionals in various career paths involving the arts.
The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is looking for students who are strong leaders with a passion for the non-performative areas of the industry, Saad said.
“We look for students (who) really want to get into the production side of things, such as opportunities that are mainly backstage,” she said. “We look for students who really have leadership roles under their belts — whether that’s a historian in one club or a student that started their own kind of nonprofit or different community group and different clubs. We want a student who will be committed to this program. The last thing we look for in an applicant is a student who has a positive personality and is enthusiastic about volunteering. Those students who have the time and the passion to want to commit to that are an important factor in what we look for.”
Courtesy photo
The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts selected 46 students for the Teen Ambassadors program in 2024. The center is expecting more than 100 students to apply for 2025.
LOCAL MOTION
AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO LIVING IN WEST ORANGE COUNTY
COMING THURSDAY, JULY 31
Local Motion 2025/2026 is your go-to guide for everything West Orange County, helping both new and longtime residents stay connected with your community. Covering Winter Garden, Windermere, Horizon West, Ocoee, Dr. Phillips, Oakland, and Gotha, it’s packed with valuable insights and local must-knows.
• Community & Events - Local history, leadership insights, and a must-attend event calendar. Things to Do - Top attractions, recreation, and ways to get involved.
• Dining & Outings - Great spots for date nights and family weekends.
• School Guide - Public, private, and charter school listings, plus special education options.
MATCH PLAY MAGIC: Fundraiser pits golfers against hoops legends
Headlined by Hall-of-Fame basketball players Vince Carter and Grant Hill, Windermere Elementary’s first fundraising tournament offers golfers the chance to play 18 holes against former Orlando Magic players.
SAM ALBUQUERQUE SPORTS EDITOR
As the fundraising chairperson on the Windermere Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization board, Natalie Mendez’s focus is to find creative ways to fund a variety of school improvement projects and enrichment programs for students.
In recent years, thanks to donations and revenue collected from various events organized by the PTO, the school has been able to provide students with unique educational experiences, such as STEM labs hosted by the Orlando Science Center or specialty art projects.
“Every year, our school gets together and comes up with different fundraisers for any school improvements that need to happen, as well as student enrichment programs,” Mendez said. “We put together new programs, activities, events, really anything to bring the community together and help provide for our students and because Windermere is a very, very tight-knit town that values our community, we are always able to raise what we need.”
Knowing the deep sense of community ingrained in the Southwest Orange town, as well as the affinity for golf its residents have, Mendez put two and two together and landed on this year’s big fundraising event: a golf tournament.
“I thought to myself, ‘This is an area full of people who love to golf. Why haven’t we done a golf tournament before?’” Mendez said. “After that clicked in my head, I (dived) right in and began working on putting it together. Once I got it approved by the board, we got the ball rolling.”
There was one small issue, though: Mendez isn’t much of a golfer and didn’t know much about golf. Luckily for Mendez, Hall-of-Fame basketball player Vince Carter decided to lend a hand in planning the event. Yes, you read that right: The former Orlando Magic star player, known for his epic slam dunks, played a crucial role in planning this event.
“The Carter family … is all about community,” Mendez said. “So when I started pushing for the golf tournament, it was just going to be a normal golf tournament. But when I spoke to Sondi Carter, Vince’s wife and the vice president of the PTO, she said ‘Let’s talk to Vince and see if he can help us out.’ She did, and he was on board, and the first thing he did was pull out his Rolodex and begin calling
IF YOU GO WINDERMERE ELEMENTARY
GOLF TOURNAMENT
WHEN: Monday, Aug. 4. Registration and breakfast begin at 6:45 a.m., with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. Lunch and awards ceremony will begin at 12:30 p.m. WHERE: West Orange Country Club, 3300 West Orange Country Club Drive, Winter Garden COST: Single players can register for $160, while the registration fee for a foursome is $560. Breakfast, lunch, carts and green fees are included with the cost of registration. REGISTRATION: wespto.org/ wes-golf-tournament
his basketball player friends.”
What started as a normal golf tournament has turned into an Orlando Magic fan’s golf dream. Golfers will have the chance to share the course with five former Magic players — Carter, Grant Hill, Quentin Richardson, Courtney Lee and Bo Outlaw. As part of the fundraising effort, golfers can purchase a $100 raffle ticket for a chance to have one of the five players, chosen at random, join their foursome for all 18 holes of the event.
The magic doesn’t stop there, though. The grand prize for the tournament’s winning foursome is a free round of golf at Four Seasons Orlando’s Golf and Sports Club, with Carter also tagging along for those 18 holes.
“Having now two kids going to the school, and, of course, with Sondi being on the PTO … I wanted to really do my part and just help out and try to bring as many friends from the NBA world as I possibly could,” Vince Carter said. “For me, getting any opportunity to play golf, I’m always looking forward to that, but I’m also excited just to see the community come out and support the school. Being a part of the Windermere Elementary community for some years now … it was a no-brainer for me. It’s a great school, doing great things, and getting to combine my love for golf with a good cause is always easy.”
Beyond having the chance to win the raffle and play a round of golf at the West Orange Country Club with one of the five former pro hoopers, Mendez confirmed that they are finalizing the details on a few different opportunities for golfers to interact with them during the tournament.
Courtesy photo
Hall-of-Famer Vince Carter will join former Orlando Magic players for 18 holes of fun at Windermere Elementary’s fundraising golf tournament.
Campers go topsy-turvy at Gymnastics USA camp
Cheers echoed throughout Gymnastics USA’s summer camp Friday, July 18, as kids from ages 3 to 12 showed off their talents on beams and springboards. They rotated in groups to allow each age to practice on the different platforms professionals use. Joy spread across kids’ faces as they achieved a new skill. Some participants, including Paige Dillion, have been participating in camp for three years, while others just started this summer. But the overall consensus was “gymnastics is fun.”
— MEGAN BRUINSMA
TIMOTHY MASTERS KEATING DIED SUNDAY, JULY 20, 2025.
Timothy Masters Keating, Jr., 65, of Winter Garden, passed away peacefully surrounded by loving family on July 20, 2025. Born April 8, 1960, in Orlando, son of Harriet and Timothy M. Keating Sr., he was the eldest of four boys. Tim attended Bishop Moore Catholic High School and later graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Building Construction while proudly serving as President of Kappa Alpha Order. He would later earn his MBA from UCF.
Tim began his career with R.C. Stevens Construction Company in July 1984 and assumed full ownership of the company in 2007. Tim’s contributions to the construction industry are widely recognized across the United States.
Tim had a deep and lasting impact as a member of many organizations around the community, including various leadership roles for the Associated Builders and Contractors, the Foundation for a Healthier West Orange, and the West Orange Chamber of Commerce. Tim played key roles in many other charitable initiatives as well.
Tim believed in living life to the fullest. He always said his greatest achievement was providing for, and leaving, a legacy for his family.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Roberson Keating; his children, Ashley Aronoff (Justin), Timothy Keating III (Jordan) and Kathryn Weis (Patrick); his aunt, Kathleen Keating; brothers, Daniel and Patrick; and his five beautiful grandchildren, Anabelle & Huxley, Lane and Blair, and Karsyn.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, 2025 at First United Methodist Church of Winter Garden. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations in Tim’s name to First United Methodist Church of Winter Garden, the Jimmy Crabtree Cancer Fund, or the Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute Foundation.
Above: Mason Stonecipher practiced his talent.
Right: Girls smiled together as the 8-year-old group took a break from gymnastics and played games on the floor.
Adriana Martinez and Dawson Girndllde took a break and relaxed on the cushion together.
Adriana Martinez and Amanda Russell practiced an important skill in gymnastics.
Rylee Smith showed off her splits on the beam.
Kids were all smiles in Gymnastics USA’s summer camp on July 18.
THE WAYS WE WERE FROM THE WINTER GARDEN HERITAGE FOUNDATION
90 years ago
Equipped with the Pounds Dual Airless Tires, the Fordson tractor attracted much attention on display at Pounds Motor Company.
80 years ago
The demand for suburban residential property promoted L.A. Grimes real estate agency to cut a 5-acre tract of land into building lots 108 by 280 feet, known as the G.T. Smith subdivision, located 1 mile south of the city near Smith’s Ornamental Nursey on the crossstate highway.
75 years ago
President L.E. Cappleman, of the Winter Garden Chamber of Commerce, revealed the membership list was at 82 members.
Many notable improvements around the grounds of the First Baptist Church were announced by the beautification committee. These improvements included the installation of a beautiful neon sign of the cross of Christ, which flashed on and off. Leonard T. Mann gave the pavement to the church. Shrubbery was added under the direction of Daetwyler Nursery landscape experts. On the beautification committee were C.C. Tyndall, H.H. Joiner, W.L. Mooney and W.H. Walker.
55 years ago
Annual subscriptions to The Winter Garden Times were $3 in the county, $3.50 out of county and $2.50 for students.
Oak Level Baptist Church had a “dinner on the grounds” to welcome its new pastor, Walt Fowler, and bid farewell to the interim pastor, the Rev. John Wetmore.
The Withers-Maguire home in Ocoee was photographed decades before the surrounding neighborhood was urbanized. This beautiful architectural gem was once the home of the Ocoee Historical Society. Its members collected artifacts and history pertaining to the city that celebrates its 100th birthday this year.
Constructed in 1888, it survives today as one of the oldest homes in Orange County. According to the Ocoee Lakeshore Center website: “This remarkable house was the first in Orange County to include closets in the bedrooms and electrical wiring inside the walls. The closets are still there, but the wiring is completely modern. Most lighting is indirect, allowing the rooms to retain many of the original fixtures.”
Thank you to an astute historian who managed to save and share this image along with many others depicting Ocoee’s history.
The mission of the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation is to preserve the heritage and architecture of Winter Garden while creating new cultural experiences. The Foundation also preserves the material culture of West Orange County, using it to educate the area’s youth on the community’s rich history.
50 years ago
Before an audience of foreign diplomats and executives of major American corporations, Walt Disney officials unveiled their plans and concepts for the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT), including an international World Showcase.
35 years ago
Two Ocoee citizens earned special recognition at a City Commission meeting. John Bateman and Curtis Richards each received Citizen of the Year awards.
30 years ago
Ray Forsythe, of Winter Garden, a massive lineman at both West Orange High School and the University of Central Florida, reported to the Cincinnati Bengals’ minicamp in Wilmington, Ohio, for the National Football League season. Main Street Winter Garden, in conjunction with SunBank, First Union, AmSouth, SouthTrust and Barnett banks, created the MSWG Downtown Reinvestment Loan Program. Commercial property owners in downtown Winter Garden were eligible for loans of $5,000
and more for repairs, upgrades and other site improvements of their building and surrounding property.
A multi-million-dollar international sports complex was on Disney’s two-year agenda. The complex, to be located on 200 acres of Disney World property, was planned to accommodate professional-caliber training and competition, festivaland tournament-type events, and vacation-fitness activities in more than 25 individual and team sports.
THROWBACK
JULY 23, 1970
Locals who wanted to shop for clothes in the 1970s had several options in West Orange County, including Penny Saver stores in the West Orange and Ocoee