W EST O RA N G E T I M E S &
Observer Winter Garden, Ocoee, Oakland
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. VOLUME 88, NO. 45
FREE
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Sally Lofton, 105, has lived through two pandemics. 3.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2021
Imani gets her heart The 6-year-old Lake Whitney student is home and thriving after her Oct. 12 heart transplant. PAGE 4.
YOUR TOWN SURVIVING THE HOLIDAYS Wondering how you will survive the weeks surrounding the upcoming holidays? Are your dreading these holidays, knowing that everything has changed and that happy memories from past years can’t be recreated? The West Orange Dream Center is hosting a free seminar called Surviving the Holidays at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17. This seminar is especially for people who are grieving a loved one’s death. Breakfast will be served. Space is limited. Register by contacting the Dream Center at info@wodreamcenter. com or griefshare.org/findagroup.
All the right notes Downtown Winter Garden came to life with music, food and fun for the city’s Heritage and Music Festival. SEE PAGES 10-11.
ST. LUKE’S TO HOST HOLIDAY MARKEPLACE
The United Methodist Women at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church is holding its 40th annual Holiday Marketplace from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14, in the Building C Welcome Hall, 4851 S. ApopkaVineland Road, Orlando. Folks are invited to shop for handmade crafts, goodies, and gifts for friends and family. The Blessed Treasures gift shop also will be open in the annex behind Building C. For more information visit st.lukes.org/marketplace.
Jim Carchidi
Michael Andrew and Swingerhead take the stage at Winter Garden’s Heritage & Music Festival. Andrew was the headline singer and bandleader at the Rainbow Room in New York City, and band leader and singer at Merv Griffin’s Coconut Club.
DBi Services’ sudden closure leaves locals without jobs The national company had an office in Winter Garden. Former employees speak out. 2.
Making her debut West Orange High senior Jordan Mohr released her first single and performed her first show. PAGE 13.
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Rain can’t stop Donut Dash 5K Runners laced up to raise funds for the Winter Garden Police Athletic League. SEE PAGE 4.