W E ST O RA N G E T I M E S &
Observer Celebrating more than 110 years in West Orange
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. FREE
VOLUME 85, NO. 32
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AUGUST 16, 2018
Double Deckers separated by death
READY TO RIDE Keene’s Crossing hosts first Bike Rodeo. SEE 11.
Developer proposes boutique hotel
ROLL CALL Maxey, Frangus start new school year in new facilities. SEE PAGE 10.
A developer has shown interest in building a 60-room hotel at 8 N. Highland Ave.
YOUR TOWN PAPERS WIN STATE AWARDS The West Orange Times and Observer and Windermere Observer won a combined 12 awards in the Florida Press Association’s 2017 Better Weekly Newspaper Contest. The awards were presented at the 2018 Florida Media Conference Aug. 10 at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek.
STAFF WRITER
Courtesy photo
Ed and Merle Decker worked together as patrol officers for the Winter Garden Police Department in 1970.
Merle Decker was the first female patrol officer hired by the Winter Garden Police Department, and she and her husband, Edsel, were the first husband-wife team employed at the station. AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR
The papers won six secondand third-place awards: n Special Section, second place, Back to School 2017 n Graphic Design, second place, West Orange Times & Observer: Jessica Eng n Breaking News, third place, West Orange Times & Observer: Irma coverage n Sports Column, third place, West Orange Times & Observer: Steven Ryzewski n Website Excellence, third place, OrangeObserver.com n Sports Spot News Story, third place, West Orange Times & Observer: Steven Ryzewski
F Amy Quesinberry
Ed Decker looks over photographs of his wife, Merle, who died Aug. 1.
or Edsel and Merle Decker, 1970 was a great year. He graduated from the police academy on his birthday and met his future bride when she applied for a position with the Winter Garden Police Department. They were married Oct. 2; two weeks later, she graduated from the police academy, and they attended a celebration banquet at the landmark Gary’s Duck Inn, in Orlando. Merle made history as the first female patrolwoman when she was hired by the WGPD that year. Edsel was a patrolman, too, working difSEE A LIFE PAGE 4
Winter Garden tourists could be getting a new place to stay in the heart of downtown Winter Garden. City commissioners voted unanimously Aug. 9 to allow city staff to draft a letter of intent expressing interest in a project that could bring a 60-room, boutique hotel to downtown Winter Garden. A developer contacted the city to propose building the hotel at 8 N. Highland Ave. The old Progress Energy billing office SEE DEVELOPER PAGE 4
SPORTS
The first-place awards include: n Front-Page Makeup, West Orange Times & Observer n Sports Section, West Orange Times & Observer: Steven Ryzewski n Sports Spot News Story, Windermere Observer: Steven Ryzewski n Sports Photo, Windermere Observer: Steven Ryzewski n Online Slideshow, Windermere Observer: Troy Herring n Headline Writing, West Orange Times & Observer: Michael Eng
ERIC GUTIERREZ
RED TIDE
The Cincinnati Reds have four players with local ties 23.