Times& WEST ORANGE
Observer WEST ORANGE COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER FOR 109 YEARS
THURSDAY
OCTOBER 2, 2014
FREE
WINTER GARDEN, FLORIDA
INSIDE
INSIDE
SPORTS
Lake Hancock home tops Winter Garden real-estate sales. PAGE 6B
West Orange High’s Brandon Wilson commits to Virginia. PAGE 1B
Ocoee honors Hispanic heritage at annual fiesta. PAGE 7A
OUR TOWN money matters by Peter M. Gordon | Staff Writer
City passes 2014-15 budget, renews city manager contract
+ Welcome to the world! Jason and Janna Figueredo, of Winter Garden, are the parents of a baby boy, Jackson O’Neil Figueredo, born Aug. 8, at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. He weighed 8.3 ounces and measured 20.25 inches in length at birth. Grandparents are Russell and Kathy Crouch, of Winter Garden, and Bob and Chris Figueredo, of Miami. Greatgrandmother is Emily Jane Thompson, of Orlando. The family also includes Jackson’s older sister, Finley.
WINTER GARDEN — City commissioners unanimously approved the second reading of the 2014-15 budget and millage rate at their Sept. 25 meeting. This fixes next year’s budget at $28,040,890 and keeps the millage rate of 4.25 mills flat for the fifth consecutive year.
Property values in Winter Garden rose by 10% year over year, the highest percentage increase of any municipality in Orange County. That means city revenues are expected to increase even with the millage rate remaining the same. Winter Garden dedicates more than half its budget,
more than $15 million, to public safety, which includes the police and fire departments. Next year’s police department budget of $9,527,825 and fire department’s of $4,692,161 are each larger than any other individual government department. General Government has the next-larg-
The new West Orange Times & Observer will double the company’s distribution in West Orange County. WEST ORANGE — To expand its audience and deepen its penetration as the leading news medium for West Orange County, the West Orange Times launched this week a new free edition, called the West Orange Times & Observer. The newspaper also shifted its day of distribution from Wednesday to Thursday. With the introduction of
John Ciccone
Subscriptions cost $21.50 per year and are available by calling (407) 656-2121 or visiting wotimes. com. Click on the “Subscribe and Support” banner ad.
HONOR by Amy Quesinberry Rhode | Community Editor
Sheri Myers, a teacher at Bridgewater Middle School, recently lost her battle with cancer, and her friends and colleagues are planning a Celebration of Life at 6 p.m. Oct. 15 in the school’s library, 5600 Tiny Road, Winter Garden. Members of the community, including parents and former students, are invited. Light refreshments will be served.
See the photo on PAGE 10B.
WANT IT DELIVERED?
SEE GROWTH / PAGE 4A
+ Bridgewater to honor Sheri Myers
This week’s winner is
SEE BUDGET / PAGE 6A
W.O. Times introduces new free edition
The West Orange High School swimming and diving teams are holding a fundraising car wash and garage sale from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, near Bravo Supermarkets, on West Colonial Drive in Winter Garden.
WO
ing population. City employees also will receive a 3% cost of living/merit increase. The Parks and Recreation Department will receive the largest percentage increase of any department. The increase of 23.2%, to $3,647,606, is mainly due
HERE WE GROW by Michael Eng | Executive Editor
+ W.O. swim to host benefit
I
est department budget, at about $4.6 million. Some of the public safety budget will go toward hiring four new police officers, three new emergency dispatchers and four new school crossing guards. The fire department plans to build a new fire station to better serve the city’s grow-
Oakland issues first ceremonial key to Warren Griffin Griffin was recognized for directing the town while serving on numerous boards.
Amy Quesinberry Rhode
Staci Stout stars in the title role of West Orange High School’s production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” Stout recently returned from a summer in New York, where she was featured at the Broadway Star of the Future competition and then studied vocal performance and technique at CAP 21, the training ground for numerous current Broadway stars. For more photos, see pages 8-9A.
OAKLAND — The first-ever key to the town has been given to Warren Griffin, who has served on numerous boards in his 17 years as an Oakland resident. Griffin and his wife, Betty Anne, are moving to Ellijay, Ga., and local officials say he and his service to the town will be missed. “It’s going to be a huge loss for me,” Town Manager Dennis Foltz said. “Warren and I have shared a vision
for this town.” Mayor Kathy Stark and the Town Commission presented a plaque with the mounted key at the Sept. 23 regular meeting. “Warren has been instrumental to the town of Oakland for so many things, it is hard to count them,” Stark said. “We could always depend upon Warren to be the voice of reason and to bring
SEE GRIFFIN / PAGE 4A
INDEX Calendar............................ 2A Crossword........................10B
Histsory............................. 4A Obituaries........................ 14A
Real Estate........................ 6B Schools............................ 12A
Sports................................ 1B Vol. 81, No. 39 | Three sections Weather...........................10B WOTimes.com