W E ST O RA N G E T I M E S &
IDE GIFT GUS EA 017 WINTER 2
Observer
THE OB
WINTER
2017
INGS GOOD TID GUIDE TO SERVER’S
THE OB SERV
SON
ER’S GU IDE TO ARTS A ND SOC IET
Y
Celebrating more than 110 years in West Orange
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
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VOLUME 84, NO. 46
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IN THIS ISSUE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017
Boot scootin’ boogie
Edgewood Children’s Ranch saddled up for its annual dinner auction. SEE PAGE 11.
YOUR TOWN NAGY-MADRIGAL VOWS EXCHANGED
City of Ocoee reinstates officer fired over racial slur
Thank you,
Kimber Steve and Suzy Nagy, of Monticello, announce the marriage of their son, Stephen, to Alejandra Madrigal, daughter of Mario and Maria Madrigal, of Ocoee. Stephen is the grandson of Christy and Debbie Anthony, of Montverde, and Scott and the late Sandra Nagy, of Monticello; greatgrandson of Jean Anthony and Mary Lou Bouch, both of Winter Garden. Alejandra is the granddaughter of Lety Sanchez and Rafael Madrigal, of Quitopan, Mexico, and Isabel Andrade and Valentine Plascencia, of Guadalajara, Mexico. The couple was married Oct. 18, 2017, on Smith Island, Montverde, at the groom’s grandparents’ home. They will reside in Montverde.
City Manager Robert Frank reversed the department’s decision to fire William Wagner. GABBY BAQUERO NEWS EDITOR
The Winter Garden Police Department officially retired its 7-year-old K-9 officer Kimber after he was diagnosed with a medical condition.
A former lieutenant from the Ocoee Police Department has been reinstated after being fired for using a racial slur in early October. Ocoee Police Chief Charles Brown chose to fire then-lieutenant William “Bill” Wagner
GABBY BAQUERO
SEE OFFICER PAGE 10
NEWS EDITOR
A
ARTS & CULTURE
fter five years on the force, 7-year-old Winter Garden K-9 officer Kimber is retiring. Kimber, who officially retired Thursday, Nov. 9, was imported from the Czech Republic and donated to Winter Garden Police K-9 handler Jeff Doyle to provide assistance in tracking down narcotics and criminals hiding from law enforcement.
SEE CITY PAGE 4
Laura Schaefer pens retelling of ‘Little Women.’ 16.
OCOEE OPENS GRANT CYCLE Applications for the city of Ocoee’s Most Valuable Partnership grants are available at City Hall, 150 N. Lakeshore Drive, Ocoee. Ocoee homeowner associations and civic groups may submit projects that beautify neighborhoods, address public safety concerns or foster cultural, recreational or educational wants and needs of the neighborhood or organization. The deadline to submit applications is Nov. 30. Applications will be available online at ocoee.org or at the City Hall reception desk. For more, visit ocoee.org or call (407) 905-3100.
THANK YOU, VETERANS
Ocoee debates historic marker, bans medical marijuana centers City leaders still haven’t agreed on the wording of the proposed marker.
ordinance banning medical marijuana dispensaries within the city’s boundaries.
GABBY BAQUERO
The city’s Human Relations Diversity Board currently is working with the Equal Justice Initiative to install two markers dedicated to the victims of the Ocoee Election Day Massacre of 1920. During this event, black citizens were killed for trying to exercise
NEWS EDITOR
Ocoee and Winter Garden honor local veterans at annual Veterans Day ceremonies. PAGE 3.
During the Nov. 7 Ocoee City Commission meeting, city leaders discussed the wording of the proposed marker to memorialize victims of the Ocoee Election Day Massacre and unanimously passed the final reading of an
OCOEE MASSACRE MEMORIAL INSCRIPTION
SEE OCOEE PAGE 4