Times& WEST ORANGE
Observer WEST ORANGE COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER FOR 109 YEARS
NOVEMBER 6, 2014
FREE
WINTER GARDEN, FLORIDA
SPOTLIGHT
EXCLUSIVE
SPORTS
Ocoee girl selected to sing at opening of Dr. Phillips Center. PAGE 3A
West Orange welcomes fall season with plenty of family-style fun. PAGES 12-13A
Lakers, Eagles advance after opening-round wins. PAGE 1B
OUR TOWN
campaign trail by Michael Eng and Zak Kerr
Webster re-elected to U.S. House U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster said he will continue to focus on the nation’s economy in his next four years.
+ Politicians step up to the mic Elected officials will take the stage — and the mic — for the West Orange Chamber of Commerce’s Elected Official Sing-Off from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, at CityWalk’s Rising Star at Universal Orlando Resort, 6000 Universal Blvd., Orlando. The public is invited to cheer on the area’s prominent elected officials as they compete in a musical battle, accompanied by a live band. Sisaundra Lewis, from NBC’s “The Voice,” also will make a special appearance. The cost is $38 for chamber members and $48 for non-members. The event is sponsored by Universal Orlando & Greenberg Traurig, P.A. For more information or to RSVP, visit wochamber. com/calendar/event_details/ the_rising_star_elected_official_sing_off or email kcarney@wochamber.com.
THURSDAY
WINTER GARDEN — Surrounded by friends, family members and West Orange constituents, U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster celebrated his re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives during his election party Nov. 4, at the Bella Room, in Winter Garden. Webster, a Republican, soundly defeated Democrat
Michael McKenna. Webster received 58,030 (58.96%) votes, while McKenna received 40,215 (40.86%) votes. “I am pleased to earn the trust of Central Florida voters and am grateful for the opportunity to represent them in Congress,” Webster said. “The status quo in Washington is unacceptable, and Americans
deserve better. I will continue to fight for a balanced budget, a healthier economy, and an efficient and effective government for America’s future.” Webster was first elected to the House in 2010 and served on the House Committee on Rules and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Before Washington, he served
from 1980 to 2008 in the Florida Legislature. He was both speaker of the Florida House and majority leader of the Florida Senate. In the next four years, Webster said he will continue working on government spending. “I think our government in Washington, D.C., is broken in that we’re spending more money than we have,” he said. “We’re on a path to balance — we’re not there yet — but we have made progress the last
four years. We’ve gone from borrowing $1.5 trillion down to this last year … borrowing $483 (billion). I want to keep that going. Four-hundred-eightythree billion is a lot better than $1.5 trillion, but it’s not good enough. So, we went from borrowing 40 cents on the dollar to 16 cents on the dollar. I want to get it down to zero. Until we do that, we’re still going to be broken.”
SEE ELECTION / PAGE 8A
+ St. Luke’s to host bazaar The St. Luke’s Fall and Holiday Bazaar, sponsored by the United Methodist Women, will take place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 4851 S. ApopkaVineland Road, Orlando. The community is invited to participate in this holiday-season event. Attendees can explore more than 14 shops to purchase holiday gifts and support a good cause. All proceeds will be given to local and international missions and charities. Children also will have their own area to shop for their families and meet Santa Claus. Entertainment will be provided by Windy Ridge School Orchestra. For more information, call Susse Mabie, (407) 923-8409.
I
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Amy Quesinberry Rhode
Professor Brent DeWitt, a circus performer from Sarasota, dons a top hat and green coat to welcome the crowd to Pinocchio’s Marionette Theater’s Punch and Judy Show Nov. 1 at the Winter Garden Culture Fest. DeWitt performed a few tricks before the puppet show. For more photos, see page 11A.
Guardian ad litem program gives Stars will headline Ocoee Founders’ Day a voice to children in foster care
Deborah Shultz.
Oakland resident Marsha Strong has spent her years in retirement helping local children as an advocate during court proceedings.
Country stars Kellie Pickler and Chris Young will perform at this year’s festival. OCOEE — Some of country music’s brightest stars perform this weekend at Ocoee’s 21st Annual Founders’ Day Festival, this Friday and Saturday, Nov. 7 and 8. Kellie Pickler, who won ABC’s 16th season of “Dancing With the Stars” and received an American Country Award nomination for Female Music Video of the Year for “Someone
SEE OCOEE / 6A
This week’s winner is See the photo on PAGE 9B.
success story by Amy Quesinberry Rhode | Community Editor
PREVIEW by Zak Kerr | Staff Writer
Courtesy photo
Kellie Pickler will be the Friday night headliner.
OAKLAND — Marsha Strong was nearing retirement when she caught an episode of “Dr. Phil” that would change the Oakland resident’s life — and the lives of dozens of Central Florida children in foster care and in need of an advocate during court proceedings. Talk show host Phil McGraw is a big proponent of the guardian ad litem program, which provides trained volunteers who represent a foster
SEE GUARDIAN / 6A
Amy Quesinberry Rhode
Marsha Strong, of Oakland, has served as a guardian ad litem to more than two dozen children in five years.
INDEX Calendar.................................2A Crossword...............................9B
History..................................17A Obituaries.............................17A
Real Estate.............................6B Schools................................14A
Sports.....................................1B Weather..................................9B
Vol. 81, No. 44 | Three sections
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