W E ST O RA N G E T I M E S &
Observer Celebrating more than 110 years in West Orange
Meet West Orange’s new athletic director. PAGE 17.
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
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VOLUME 84, NO. 30
Pawsitive role model
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THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2017
YOUR TOWN
West Orange community celebrates Read to Sydney’s new home. 12.
A MIGHTY VOICE Ten-year-old Gabby Swart, a Winter Garden resident, recently attended JDRF’s Children’s Congress in Washington, D.C., to advocate for Type 1 diabetes. SEE PAGE 4.
IT’S A GIRL! Roxanne Irazoqui and Gus Irazoqui, of Winter Garden, are new grandparents with the arrival of their granddaughter, Natalia Estefania Rodriguez Irazoqui. She was born July 19 at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. Natalia weighed 7.06 pounds and measured 19 inches. She is the daughter of Stephanie Irazoqui and Jorge Rodriguez.
SANTOS FINISHES BASIC TRAINING U.S. Air Force Airman Bryan P. Santos graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas. Airmen who complete basic training also earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Santos is the son of Berta Santos, of Winter Garden, and brother of Cynthia P. Santos, of Oakland.
Gabby Swart and her parents, Bryan and Erika, traveled to Washington, D.C., for JDRF’s Children’s Congress.
Eleven-home community gets preliminary approval
Danielle Hendrix
VISION FOR THE FUTURE
Winter Garden approved the first reading of a proposal to rezone three acres of property on Plant Street for a planned-unit development. GABBY BAQUERO NEWS EDITOR WINTER GARDEN During the July
13 commission meeting, Winter Garden leaders showed support for a rezoning request that would allow the development of 11 homes near downtown. The proposed ordinance, which will see its second reading July 27, requests to build 11
single-family homes, including one dedicated cottage lot for a smaller single-family home. The planned development, named Garden West, will be situated on 3.07 acres at the northeast corner of Plant Street and Brayton Road and have a connection to the West Orange Trail. SEE REZONE PAGE 4
Ocoee police officer shoots, kills family dog A family is seeking answers after its 11-year-old dog was shot by an Ocoee police officer Monday, July 17. GABBY BAQUERO NEWS EDITOR
See inside for how firm Dover, Kohl & Partners envisions the future of east Winter Garden. SEE 6-7.
OCOEE The family had just sat down to eat lunch when members heard somebody enter the front yard. As usual, the family’s two dogs, Minnie and Duke, ran out through the doggie door and into the front yard. But unlike every other time, only one dog returned. Charlie Brooks, the dogs’ owner, followed the dogs outside, but as he opened the door,
SEE DOG PAGE 5