11.19.20 West Orange Times & Observer by Orange Observer

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Observer Winter Garden, Ocoee, Oakland

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. VOLUME 87, NO. 47

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

Donate to our book drive The Observer’s Reading Reindeer is now accepting donations. 7.

City OKs facility expansion

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YOUR TOWN GIVE BACK THIS THANKSGIVING In the spirit of the upcoming holiday, here are two ways you and your family can assist those in need for Thanksgiving. In keeping with a 15year tradition, the George and Tera Grimes families will again serve Thanksgiving dinner at the West Orange Christian Service Center, 300 W. Franklin St., Ocoee. The traditional meal is free to the public and will be handed out in a grab-and-go format from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 26. Food donations are being accepted until noon Friday, Nov. 20. For information, call (407) 656-6678. Meanwhile, Southeastern Food Bank will be doing its Thanksgiving food distribution differently this year. Drivers are needed to deliver prepacked boxes to families in West Orange County starting at 8 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 26. Food For Families boxes can be picked up at West Orange Baptist Church, 1006 East Crown Point Road, Ocoee. To register to volunteer, visit southeasternfoodbank.com.

Winter Garden leaders approved the rezoning of 4.8 acres of land on West Plant Street, allowing Golden Pond Communities to add a 60-bed building. DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Golden Pond Communities is another step closer to expanding its assisted-living footprint. At their Nov. 12 meeting, Winter Garden commissioners unanimously approved Ordinance 20-36, which rezones a piece of land on West Plant Street from R-2 (Residential District) to PUD (Planned Unit Development). The subject property is SEE GOLDEN PAGE 2

FUTURE PLANS! Courtesy photo

City remembers Mayor Ray Spears Local senior athletes announce plans to play at the next level. SEE PAGE 19. PRSRT STD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID WINTER GARDEN, FL PERMIT NO. 81

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The three-term Winter Garden mayor and Lakeview High graduate was dedicated to church and civic service, as well as his family. SEE STORY ON PAGE 4.

THE SOUND OF ‘NEWS’-IC The first episode of our new podcast is now available for download. SEE PAGE 6.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

IN OTHER NEWS

Golden Pond to add building CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

located on 4.803 acres at 1001 W. Plant St., west of Lakeview Road and south of Tildenville School Road. Two properties — one with a single-family home and the other with Golden Pond, which has five single-story assisted-living facilities — abut the site to the north. This would allow for the development of a 60-bed assistedliving facility — an expansion of the existing Golden Pond facility. The project also includes associated site improvements like parking, open space and stormwater ponds. Originally, the proposal included plans for expanding the Found Life Church. According to city documents, the entire property — a total of 15.83 acres — originally was owned by the Found Life Church, which decided to part-

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ner with the developers of the Golden Pond Assisted Living Facility north of the property to propose the project. Initially, the project called for the 60-bed assisted-living facility, a 150-seat expansion of the existing church and a 500-seat gymnasium to be used by the church. At the Oct. 22 meeting, Found Life Church opted to remove itself from the planned church expansion and associated uses. It has since sold the 4.803 acres to the Golden Pond developers, and the assisted-living facility is its own PUD. According to city documents, the assisted-living facility comprises 32,570 square feet. Nearby is the two-story, 14,860-squarefoot church. “At the last meeting, (it was) asked what the unit count was at the existing Golden Pond,” Community Development Director Steve Pash said. “At the existing five single-story buildings, there are 90

assisted (living) and 18 memorycare units for a total of 108. … At the entrance as you come in there at their east corner, they’re building another two-story building that will have 46.” According to city documents, staff held a virtual community meeting Aug. 24, during which the applicant presented the original proposal. Most comments, staff said, focused mainly on the permitted building heights. “All concerns have been addressed by the applicant and staff through the use of the PUD zoning designation and limiting the heights to (35 feet) with an allowance of 45 feet for church steeples or architectural features,” staff wrote. “Staff has coordinated with the applicant to ensure that the development of the property will be consistent with the surrounding residential communities both in the scale and size of the building, as well as the open-space standards and impervious surface ratio criteria.”

Commissioners approved the first reading of an ordinance that would rezone 1.07 acres of land at the northeast corner of South Main Street and East Smith Street from Central Commercial District to Planned Unit Development. This would allow for development of a new two- to three-story building with 38 apartment units and a small café on the first floor. Commissioners also approved a purchase order with TD Thomson Construction for drainage improvements at 1501 and 1507 N. Fullers Cross Road, in the amount of $58,454, which includes a 10% contingency. BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS UPDATE

Commissioners also unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding with Orange County and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida. City Manager Mike Bollhoefer said the city has the opportunity to partner with the county and the Boys & Girls Clubs to build a new facility in Winter Garden, to be

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located on 7.49 acres just south of Shepherd’s Hope at 459 Ninth St. “They were going to build and expand (at) the Mildred Dixon Center, which is adjacent to the Magic gym,” Bollhoefer said. “That fell through, so … we were approached, actually, by Commissioner (Betsy) VanderLey for the city to find an alternative location. … When we ended up with that land, we made the deal with Dreyfus (Citrus) when we did the deal with their annexation many, many years ago. It was always the intent that this land would be used for the benefit for their community.” The city’s contribution would be a long-term lease at minimal cost and waiving both impact fees and building fees, Bollhoefer said. The county will contribute funds for the building’s construction, while the Boys & Girls Clubs will build and maintain the club, as well as provide additional funds necessary to build. Lease details will be determined in a separate agreement to come back to the City Commission. “It will provide a great … amenity and asset for the community and the children there,” Bollhoefer said.

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BETTY J’S FLORIST

NEW ROOTS

After 50 years on the corner of Bluford Avenue and McKey Street in Ocoee, Betty J’s Florist is making the move to Winter Garden. ‘THIS IS HOME’

DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

hen Rilla Tomyn first took over Betty J’s Florist 20 years ago, she was given an integral piece of advice. “The guy that sold me my first Teleflora package said, ‘OK, this is what you’ve got to know: When you buy a flower shop, never change the location, the phone number or the name,’” Tomyn said. For 50 years, Betty J’s Florist has stood on the corner of Bluford Avenue and East McKey Street. Now, Tomyn and her team are starting a new chapter for Betty J’s with a move to Winter Garden. “I’ve been consistent for almost 20 years — I’ve kept all of those,” she said. “Now I’m off on a new adventure. The location is changing, but we’re just two-and-ahalf miles away, and we’re going to bring a lot of exciting things to the table.”

Betty J’s Florist was started 50 years ago by Betty Jean Brimer and her family. Upon Brimer’s retirement, Elizabeth Longcoy — Tomyn’s aunt — bought the flower shop as a gift to her niece. “I think Betty wanted somebody that was from here that knew the community to take over and grow the shop,” Tomyn said. “I had no idea what I was stepping into — no idea. … When you suddenly are the owner of a storefront in your hometown, it changes you.” Tomyn took over the floral legacy nearly 20 years ago, following Longcoy’s death. She and her team have their loyal customer base in Ocoee, many of whom are known by name. The business grew steadily, even in the face of a pandemic. But the building Betty J’s has inhabited for the last half-century was sold this past summer, forcing Tomyn to decide how to proceed. “I found out that the building

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SOMETHING ABOUT THE HEART

This year has been tough for many people, and many in the floral industry were impacted heavily by COVID-19. That wasn’t the case for Betty J’s. When the lockdown first began, Tomyn almost closed the shop temporarily. Her head floral designer, John Taylor, encouraged

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WINTER GARDEN

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had sold, and you sort of fall apart,” Tomyn said. “It is an emotional attachment, and I would have stayed there forever if something hadn’t given me a nudge. We spent a couple of days trying to figure out which direction to go, what to do. “We were ready to have some fun and show off and branch out,” she said. “So, Winter Garden was just calling — we could hear it calling — but we didn’t know how to do it. We were in Ocoee, it was the building that the shop had been in forever, and people do not just pick up from a shop that’s been in an area for 50 years and change the location. But we felt confident enough to do it and we were ready to have some fun, branch out and have an adventure.” She and her team began looking at different properties before they found their new home in a renovated building at 403 S. Dillard St. “I walked in and it was just a shell — it had been a day care — and I just started crying and couldn’t stop,” she said. “I almost was sobbing, and it was a feeling that I had come over me that, ‘Oh my gosh, this is home.’ From that moment on, I knew that this is where we had to be.”

DAVENPORT

6 S. Bluford Ave., Ocoee; 403 S. Dillard St., Winter Garden PHONE: (407) 656-3526 WEBSITE: myorlandoflorist. com INFORMATION: Although the Betty J’s team has slowly been moving things to the new location in Winter Garden, Rilla Tomyn expects the Ocoee location to remain open through New Year’s Eve. Call or visit the shop’s website for more information or to order flowers.

her to remain open. After all, their customers needed them. As it turned out, their customers came through for them, too. “We became essential, because of all the things we were able to help people do as far as communicating with their loved ones,” Tomyn said. “It was about people sending flowers, sending chocolates, sending bears, sending balloons … and it just kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger.” Because of the community support, Tomyn said, Betty J’s numbers are better than they’ve been in the last couple of years. That same support is what allowed the team to spread its wings and do what it’s doing now in Winter Garden. “It brought us closer together, and it gave us the confidence to go beyond something like a pandemic and continue our business and what we do,” Tomyn said. “It’s not about the numbers, really. It’s about the gift that we can help people give. It has taught me a lot this year. … There’s something about the heart that has been in this year.” Taylor added that Betty J’s is for-

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

Betty J’s head floral designer, John Taylor, left, and owner Rilla Tomyn are optimistic about their move to Winter Garden. Danielle Hendrix

tunate to be growing during a time when many flower shops didn’t make it. “We are so blessed with business, because our industry is really suffering through COVID,” Taylor added. “So we’re lucky. We’ve got to take care of our client base, no matter what. We are capable of … changing with the times and modernizing and keeping ourselves well abreast to the current trends, and everything is forever changing.” A NEW LEAF

Although the new Betty J’s Winter Garden location is now open, Tomyn expects to continue operations at the Ocoee location through New Year’s Eve. The move began toward the end of October and is picking up momentum. Of course, leaving the storefront Tomyn has known for decades is emotional. “I’m going to miss the corner there in Ocoee,” she said. “I’ve known that corner for 60 years, you know? … I’m going to miss the customer base that comes in there all the time. We’ll get a whole new customer base here, which I’m looking forward to. There’s a lot of people from Winter Garden that have come over to see us over there, and they all were sharing in that excitement. “There are people that are not going to be happy with us, but we can’t stop our growth and our writing of the next chapter,” Tomyn said. “They just have to come a couple miles over, and we’ll have something wonderful to show them.”

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

City remembers Ray Spears AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.” Friedrich Hayek

ay Spears spent a lifetime making contributions to his community. The Lakeview High School graduate was a three-sport athlete; he served as a church pastor and a Winter Garden Rotary Club president; he worked as a contractor; and he led Winter Garden for three terms as mayor. Raymond Glen Spears died Monday, Nov. 9, at his home in Winter Garden. He was 87. Ray Spears was born Nov. 17, 1932, in Clio, Alabama. His parents, Howard and Thelma (Carter) Spears, moved the young family to Winter Garden when he was 5 — and although he went away for college and seminary school and lived briefly in Miami and Alabama, he considered Winter Garden home. He attended Winter Garden public schools and was active on the football, baseball and basketball teams. After graduating in 1951 from Lakeview High School, he attended Florida State University, where he met his wife, Betty, and was involved in the Baptist Student Union. The couple married during her sophomore year of college, prior to him starting seminary school. Upon his graduation, they lived in Miami — where he pastored a church and they started a mission. He also served as a church pastor in Hartford, Alabama. In 1973, the Spearses decided it was time to “come back home,” Betty Spears said. The relationships Ray Spears made in Winter Garden — both personal and professional — were an important part of his life. He remained close to childhood friends, many of whom played sports with him. “He made lots of friends,” Betty Spears said. “His best friends — he remained friends with them his whole life.” He and his classmates were so close they gathered frequently in the private room at the Winter Garden Pizza Company; one friend traveled from Colorado to be part of the gathering. They talked about next year’s 70-year class reunion. Ray Spears jumped into the political arena in 1975 and served two two-year terms as mayor — at a time when Winter Garden had about 8,000 residents and the city was beginning to experience changes to its downtown area. During this time, he served as chair of the city’s bicentennial committee.

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Ray Spears served as mayor of Winter Garden from 1975-79 and 1989-91.

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The West Orange Times, West Orange Times & Observer and Southwest Orange Observer are published once weekly, on Thursdays. The papers can be found in many commercial locations throughout West Orange and Southwest Orange and at our office. If you wish to subscribe, visit our website, OrangeObserver.com, call (407) 656-2121 or visit our office, 661 Garden Commerce Parkway, Suite 180, Winter Garden.

TO ADVERTISE Ray Spears played on the football, baseball and basketball teams at Lakeview High School.

He successfully ran for the mayoral position again in 1989. “I think he was concerned about taking care of some of the things he wanted to do in the town,” Betty Spears said. “He really enjoyed being the mayor.” Betty Spears said Election Day 1989 is memorable for another reason, too. That morning, he had a medical emergency that landed him in the emergency room and, ultimately, in coronary bypass surgery. Yet his main concern was getting updates on the election, she said. He served one more two-year term from 1989 to 1991. In 1990, Ray Spears created a recognition program and gave the first-ever key to the city to John Rees, who was stepping down from his seat on the city commission. Besides politics, Ray Spears served his community in other ways. He was a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Winter Garden. He was a licensed

Ray and Betty Spears were avid travelers and spent many vacations on cruises.

real-estate broker and general building contractor and a charter member of the committee that planned the Orange County Convention Center. He retired from full-time work in 2004 following another bypass surgery but continued to work part-time for the rest of his life. In his retirement, Ray Spears enjoyed traveling with his wife on riverboat cruises. He loved his family and enjoyed visiting his children and grandchildren, as well as his large extended family. He was a Florida State Seminoles fan and had season football tickets for many years. Faith continued to play an important role throughout Ray Spears’ life. He was a longtime member of First Baptist Church Winter Garden; the chair of the church centennial celebration committee in 1989; and a teacher of his Sunday school class for more than 20 years. “His church and Sunday school class were very meaningful,” Betty

Spears said. “They were a lot of people we spent a lot of time with. He was very active.” In recent months, the Spearses participated in their church virtually because of the coronavirus. “Dad was a believer,” his son Glen Spears wrote on his Facebook page. “(We are) so grateful that he has now received his reward and is face to face with our Savior.” In addition to his wife, Betty, he is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law, Jim and Gayle (Reid) Spears, of Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Glen and Joni (Hardy) Spears of Grayslake, Illinois; his brother, Gene; and his sister, Glynda; four grandchildren; and two greatgrandchildren. Spears is preceded in death by his brothers, Bob, Jack, Billy and Michael. A funeral was held Monday, Nov. 16, at First Baptist Church, Winter Garden, and was followed by a graveside service.

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Town of Windermere tables discussions about stormwater The Town Council can bring back revised individual-project orders for two stormwater projects at a later date. DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Windermere officials have tabled decisions for individual project orders for two drainageimprovement projects. Following more than three hours of discussion during the Town Council meeting Nov. 10, council members ultimately voted to put the individual project orders on hold. They now can decide to hold a special meeting at a date to be determined to take a look at revised IPOs. IPOs identify the scope, schedule and fee for engineering services for the design and permitting of dirt road and drainage improvements along existing dirt roads. The town was awarded a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program grant for stormwater improvements for the Butler Street basin area — namely Butler Street and Seventh Avenue — in the amount of $80,000 for design and between $500,000 and $700,000 for construction. The grant also requires the town to contribute 25% of the project cost, which for this project would be $195,000. Additionally, the town received an HMGP grant for stormwater improvements for Bessie Street and Ninth Avenue. The grant includes $90,000 for design and $1.1 million for construction. The town would need to contribute 25% of the cost, or $297,500. Discussion regarding concepts to improve stormwater drainage has been ongoing for a few months, with no real consensus reached to date. Many residents voiced their displeasure for the concepts Kimley-Horn has presented thus far. Their concerns included the size, scope and impact of the projects. “Residents are exhausted by

“In my opinion, grant money has nothing to do with this at all — whether we get it or not, doesn’t matter — we have a stormwater issue, and there are many homeowners that are drastically affected by it.” — Andy Williams, Windermere Town Council member

this,” resident Nora Brophy said. “It’s been going on for months. We’ve been asking questions, we’ve been getting answers, and then answers change. … It’s impossible for residents to understand what we’re doing here. This whole FEMA thing has been so haphazard and so pushed. You’re asking residents to give you an enormous amount of trust and essentially a blank check, and we don’t have anything to look at. I don’t think that’s fair for the residents.” When grants are involved with such projects, a municipality typically is required to adhere to guidelines from the granting agency. Windermere residents have expressed concern over guidelines and how they could impact the charm and character of the town. Current concepts include swales and berms as methods for carrying the runoff water. However, they would require some right-of-way in front of some homes. Christine Huffman told town staff and council members although money is necessary, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s grant simply may not be a match for what the town residents are “clearly and overwhelmingly stating.” “We have not maintained the plans that we have,” Huffman said. “Before we can move forward with something new, I think we need to maintain what we already have in place. … This is a huge undertaking for our town, and it’s something that overwhelmingly, I feel — as you can see by the letters, the people, the attendance, the engagement — people don’t want this. … They do not want this plan, they do not want these spaces taken up in the easements. They don’t want the swales, they don’t want the berms.” Council Member Andy Williams said grant money aside, what remains are the stormwater-drainage issues that homeowners have been facing. “In my opinion, grant money has nothing to do with this at all — whether we get it or not, doesn’t matter — we have a stormwater issue, and there are many homeowners that are drastically affected by it,” Williams said. “But we need a direction to go with and to come up with a plan for this. We have to move forward with something. We can’t keep kicking this down the road. … We need to do something. … I think we cannot just back up and throw everything we’ve done so far out the window.” Council Member Liz Andert added that although only some residents may be experiencing stormwater issues, they stem from a larger problem with the basin. “It has to do with the basin in its entirety, and so we have to look at some things that might create some discomfort in some areas to help fix some things for people who are really experiencing pain or have in the past,” she said.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

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Observer launches Full Circle podcast channel The first miniseries, “A Century Removed: Truth and Reconciliation of the 1920 Ocoee Massacre,” is a deep dive into a moment of history.

A TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

couple of months back, the editorial staff here at the Observer was asked to “think outside of the box” and come back to the following week’s Thursday morning meeting with an idea. Honestly, it didn’t take me longer than that day to figure out what I wanted to do: a podcast. I’ve always had a thing for the spoken word — it’s humankind’s oldest form of storytelling — and often when my radio is turned on, I’m tuned into NPR, or if my phone is plugged in, I’m listening to some kind of podcast. I had done some audio work when I was in grad school at Alabama, but since finishing that master’s degree in 2016, I hadn’t really acted on my desire to put out an audio series. Until now. So, with this idea in hand, the next step was figuring out what I wanted to talk about — which also, in turn, had to be something of interest to the good folks in our community. That’s when the idea hit me: Why not do a podcast on the 1920 Ocoee Massacre? I’ve been covering the Ocoee City Commission meetings since about the time the COVID-19

pandemic swept in, so I was privy to what the city was up to in relation to this event. Honestly, it was through the commission meetings that I first learned about the massacre and that its 100-year anniversary was approaching. “What better way to memorialize this tragic event while having an open conversation about things?” I thought to myself. And with that, I came up with a multi-part idea — sort of like Serial or any other podcast that takes on an episodic life. So, over the course of about a month or so, I took a deep dive into an event I knew so little about. I spoke with Pam Schwartz — the chief curator at the Orange County Regional History Center — who also took me on a tour of the museum’s special exhibit, “Yesterday, This was Home: The Ocoee Massacre of 1920,” and I was awestruck by what I learned. There were details in the exhibit that were jarring — maybe none so as much as the letter from a Grand Master of the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan, which threatened violence and promoted the notion that they would do whatever it took to maintain white supremacy.

That interview was followed up with talks with Ocoee Commissioner George Oliver and Human Relations Diversity Board Chair William Maxwell to get an idea about where the city is now, while I continued to dive into the research of folks such as Paul Ortiz — a historian and professor at the University of Florida. The research I had done culminated in a 5,000-word story that examined the lead-up, event itself and the aftermath of the massacre. The story also served as a foundation of the script for my podcast. I’ve never done a full-fledged podcast, so this experience is a

lot to take in, but it’s also an experience I’ve been wanting. I spent several hours just recording my own narration — which has been the most nerveracking part. Hearing yourself on repeat is its own level of hell. Then, I spent several more hours editing, mixing and tweaking. All that hard work has culminated into a nearly 23-minutelong opening episode that concentrates on the events leading up to the massacre itself. It’s available now, and I’m currently working on the second episode — which will be up at the end of this week — that includes Election Day 1920 and the following day. The final two episodes will focus on the lasting effects and what the city is doing now to deal with its past drama. So, please, if you have some time to spare, check out this new realm of storytelling your local paper is exploring!

LISTEN NOW

Links to the podcast can be found at anchor.fm/ orangeobserver or spoti. fi/3kD46eT.

West Orange Chamber of Commerce

Celebrates Business

THE WEST ORANGE CHAMBER OFFERS 4 NETWORKING GROUPS:

West Orange Chamber of Commerce Celebrates Schmid Construction’s new Winter Garden Headquarters WOCC Ambassadors celebrated the Ribbon Cutting of the new headquarters for Schmid Construction, a family-owned and operated business with deep roots in Central Florida and decades of experience in the construction industry. Schmid Construction is located at 15690 W. Colonial Drive, in Winter Garden. To learn more, visit www.schmidconstruction.com

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To learn more and to register participation visit wochamber.com/ ChamberGroups or call 407-656-1304

West Orange Chamber of Commerce Recognizes Southwest Aquatics in Winter Garden with “We Noticed” Award The West Orange Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors recently recognized Southwest Aquatics for their addition of a new indoor, 8-lane competition pool. They are located at 205 Windermere Road, in Winter Garden. To learn more, visit www.southwestaquatics.com.

Ribbon Cutting Celebration at Betty J’s Florist New Location Congratulations to Betty J’s Florist on their relocation to Winter Garden. Betty J’s, now located at 403 S. Dillard Street, delivers in Ocoee, Winter Garden, Windermere, Gotha, Oakland, Apopka, and some areas of Orlando. To learn more about Betty J’s Florist, visit, www.myorlandoflorist.com. For more information about joining the West Orange Chamber of Commerce, call 407-656-1304 or visit wochamber.com

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WEDNESDAY

OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

Observer kicks off annual holiday literacy program The newspaper now is collecting new children’s books through its Reading Reindeer program.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

The Medicare you earned. The flexibility you deserve. The new Visa Flex Card. Only from WellCare. Get $1,500 up to

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

This year’s holiday season may be tougher for many people who have lost their jobs because of COVID-19. Reading Reindeer is ready to do its part to make the holidays brighter for children in need in West Orange County. The literacy drive, now in its 23rd year, has begun collecting new books to be distributed in mid-December. Books should be appropriate for ages newborn up to 17. This year’s goal is 5,000 books. Two organizations that greatly benefit from Reading Reindeer include the Ocoee Police Department’s Holiday Toys For Kids in Need program and the Winter Garden Police Department’s Holiday Gifts For Kids program. Both departments give a book to each child whose parents or guardians sign up for the toy give-away program. Other recipients this year are the West Orange Christian Service Center, Edgewood Children’s Ranch, Community Health Centers and Spring Lake Elementary School. Reading Reindeer was started in West Orange County in 1998. Community support has enabled Reading Reindeer to deliver new books to nearly 70,000 children. Red donation bins are set out in locations around West Orange County for donors to drop off books. Through cash donations, this program also provides a new copy of Dr. Seuss’ ABCs to the parents of all babies born at Health Central Hospital throughout the year — about 700 births annually. The community is invited to join the effort to improve literacy levels in West Orange County. Healthy West Orange is a longtime partner. Monetary donations payable to Reading Reindeer also can be

DROP-OFF LOCATIONS

DEBIT

GOOD THRU

Foundation Academy — Lower School, 125 E. Plant St.; Upper School, 15304 Tilden Road; Lakeside Campus, 8464 Winter Garden Vineland Road, Orlando West Orange Chamber of Commerce — 12184 W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden House Blend Café, 10730 W. Colonial Drive, Ocoee

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City of Ocoee — 150 N. Lakeshore Drive, Ocoee Grain & Berry — 352 Moore Road, Ocoee Ocoee Police Department — 646 Ocoee Commerce Parkway, Ocoee Sunset Park Elementary — 12050 Overstreet Road, Windermere The French Café — 5855 Winter Garden Vineland Road, Suite 160, Windermere; and 16412 New Independence Parkway, Suite 140, Winter Garden Dr. Phillips YMCA — 7000 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Orlando

mailed to the Observer Media Group office at 661 Garden Commerce Parkway, Suite 180, Winter Garden, Florida 34787. This year’s campaign ends Dec. 5, and new books will be accepted until that date. The program is being coordinated by Allison Brunelle, and she can be contacted by emailing abrunelle@orangeobserver.com.

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Cosmetic procedures are not covered under this benefit. Benefits may vary by region. WellCare Health Plans, Inc., is an HMO, PPO, PFFS plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal. For accommodations of persons with special needs at meetings, call 1-877-699-3552 TTY 711. There is no obligation to enroll. Out-of-network/non-contracted providers are under no obligation to treat WellCare members, except in emergency situations. Please call our customer service number or see your Evidence of Coverage for more information, including the costsharing that applies to out-of-network services.

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10/9/2020 9:53:26 AM

OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

Oakland approves Johns Lake Point project

IN OTHER NEWS The Town Commission approved a request to vacate a portion of a 3.5-foot utility easement along the southern property line of Lot 32 in Pulte Homes’ Longleaf at Oakland. The vacation was needed to carry out design elements for the home being constructed on the property. Commissioner Sal Ramos recused himself from the vote because of a conflict of interest.

The 16-acre project will include eight homes, housing for senior citizens, shops and two restaurants. AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

Courtesy

Looking right above West Colonial Drive, from the northwest corner of the project into the site.

5,000-square-foot walk-in bank. The homes would be built along the north shore of Johns Lake on a cul de sac with no connection to Orange Avenue. There would, however, be police and fire access. The commercial properties would front West Colonial Drive. The town will require multiple traffic-related improvements. This includes upgrading Orange Avenue to town standards, providing a directional access driveway at Orange and extending the existing turn lanes on Colonial. The developer also must pay

A LOSS INTO A WIN by Pao Roy; Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 In unison 6 Paths that grant upward mobility? 11 Most loyal 17 Colorful summer treat 18 “Otello” or “Rigoletto” 19 High-altitude atmosphere 20 Muddy child’s plea before being hosed off? 23 Sea cow 24 Goddess also called Discordia 25 Period of history 26 Reason sarcasm wasn’t detected?

Town Manager Steve Koontz said the town is lowering the speed limit on Machete Trail from 25 to 20 mph and putting up wildlife signs after several gopher tortoises were struck while crossing the road. “We want it slower than the turtle,” Commissioner Sal Ramos quipped. Koontz reminded commissioners that the traffic light, which is located in the city limits of Winter Garden, was set to be turned on last Wednesday.

28 Elitist sort 30 Gospel singer Andrews 33 ___ Geo 34 De Armas of “Knives Out” 35 Uninteresting grind 36 Dot on a monitor 38 Word after “child” or “method” 42 Metropolis with a trash problem? 48 Thing to swing 49 Bathroom, in Liverpool 50 Charles River sch. 51 El ___ (Spanish hero) 52 Track unit 54 Not good

56 PD alert 58 Pig with tusks 59 Cats and dogs 61 “Notes of a Native Son” writings 63 “That’s my cue!” 65 Feel sick 67 Cartoon mouse whose name sounds like a finger 68 Advice to a nervous floor polisher? 72 Jazzed 75 Handbag monogram 76 Per ___ (daily) 77 Cozy spot 81 Singer Yankovic

$50,000 to the town for bicycle and pedestrian enhancements across Colonial. One issue is the Florida Department of Transportation bridge on Colonial just west of Orange, which hinders the construction of an eastbound right-turn lane onto Orange. A main entrance would be established further east off Colonial. According to Oakland Capital Group, the existing wall along the highway will be demolished, and the land will be graded to accommodate a turn lane. comedian Ali 110 Civil rights activist Plessy 113 Baby food? 118 In the style of 120 South African people 121 Vestige 122 Urgent need for a birth assistant? 126 Field for pro gamers 127 TV journalist Sawyer 128 Billie who won five Grammys in 2020 129 In the vicinity of 130 Itsy-bitsy 131 Rolls-___

DOWN 1 Future oak 2 “Illness” for soon-to-be grads 3 Declines to participate 4 “Stat!” 5 Fencing blade 6 Transylvania’s country 7 Gibbon, for one 8 Club ___ resort 9 High schooler’s big night 10 Welcomed at the door 11 Larger-life link 12 Proposal presentation 13 Oblivious 14 Dine at home 15 City south of Florence 16 Hard journey 17 Day such as March 15 19 “You’ve said enough,” in a text 21 Portmanteau genre derived from acid house 83 Divisible by two 22 Org. in “Snowden” 85 Reactions to puppy photos 27 Pentagram shape 87 Attract, as a crowd 29 “g2g 4 now” 88 Whole bunch 31 Abbr. after a phone number 89 401(k) relative 32 Buddhist sect 90 Intention 37 Need for one making a 91 Edge of a canyon stand? 93 M.A. seeker’s hurdle, often 39 Beginner’s piano exercise 94 Host’s question while 40 Either half of Gemini pouring a gifted bottle? 41 Like a certain Freudian 101 Abyss complex 102 Marked, as a ballot 42 Cleveland team, informally 103 2,000 pounds 43 Words from a bride’s father 104 Classic muscle car 44 By means of 106 Sleepover attire 45 Longtime online brokerage 109 “Hard Knock Wife” firm

The applicant assured the commission that Deer Island residents — who have voiced their opposition to large development on the land west of their community — would not be able to see anything beyond the eight homes. The commission expressed its concern about the senior-living facility and asked for further details, including the intended assisted- and independent- living percentages, to be provided to the town.

46 Sketch out 47 Virologist Jonas 48 Pollinating insect 53 Singer with the first YouTube video to hit 1 billion views 55 Symbol of intense focus 57 Skewed view 58 ___ choy 60 Personalized music gift 62 Where “bagels” and “lox” come from 64 D.C. suburb in Virginia 66 ___ Thomas, Soul Queen of New Orleans 69 Organization’s rules 70 Author Anais 71 Had office hours 72 Hole-punching tool 73 (Where’s my catnip?) 74 Bitter part of an orange 78 Works with pipes? 79 Differ 80 Female sheep 82 Zone 84 Compete 86 Round up, as livestock 92 Story of Arachne, for one 95 “Nothing Compares 2 U” singer Sinead 96 Little devils 97 Put in stitches 98 Words from a bride 99 Famed Sarah Palin impressionist 100 In a befuddled way 104 They might get you down 105 Florida bay city 107 Thorpe who was the first Native American to win an Olympic gold 108 Slyly mocking 111 Beethoven’s “Fur ___” 112 Surge of adrenaline 113 Small songbird 114 Icon in online shopping 115 Golden rule preposition 116 “___ a vibe” 117 Falco of “The Sopranos” 119 Lenovo competitor 123 Pale 124 Social connections 125 ___ de Janeiro

CELEBRITY CIPHER

By Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

“NONFZJUN’L EMMFJEYK WJ GKEW YEU YJRN JAW JI LHP LWFHUXL HL VHIINFNUW IFJR EUJWKNF MNFLJU, SAW HW’L ETT OETHV.” – CHRRZ MEXN “Y XGHYCF JR EGBRDF. XGBX’A LHJSBSKZ NGZ TZ EGJHV EGBRDFA BHF NFYHV, SFEBWAF EGJHVA VFLYEX FTJXYJRA.”

– OJRY TYXEGFKK Puzzle Two Clue: D equals G

CROSSWORD

Commissioner Joseph McMullen announced he was named president of the Tri-County League of Cities. His term begins in January.

Puzzle One Clue: M equals P

A 16-acre multi-use property at Orange Avenue and West Colonial Drive — which will include homes, a senior-living facility, retail and restaurants — is one step closer to reality following the Oakland Town Commission’s vote Nov. 10. The Oakland Town Commission approved an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan’s future land-use map from Orange County Rural to Oakland Mixed Use Activity Center and the rezoning from single-family residential to Planned Unit Development. This site, located at the intersection’s southeast corner, has had its share of controversies through the years, but Oakland Capital Group LLC representatives say town officials and residents will be pleased with the proposed project, dubbed Johns Lake Point. The proposal calls for eight single-family homes, a 195-bed senior-living facility (with a combination of assisted and independent living), a 6,000-square-foot sit-down restaurant, a 3,500-squarefoot fast-food restaurant with no drive-thru windows, 20,000 square feet of retail space and a

SUDOKU

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

11-19-20

OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

Jeweler, popcorn shop find new locations Plantation Jewelers and Ms. Bee’s Gourmet Popcorn & Candy Shoppe have found permanent homes after being displaced 17 months ago, when their downtown Winter Garden roof collapsed. AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

Two downtown Winter Garden businesses finally can put the past behind them and move on after a heavy rainstorm caused the roof of their 58-year-old building to collapse in June 2019, causing significant damage to their inventory. Belinda Wilson plans to have Ms. Bee’s Gourmet Popcorn & Candy Shoppe reopened before Christmas. Although it won’t be downtown, she is confident her customers will drive a few extra miles to buy their sweet and salty treats from her new store in Clermont. Alex Ramos, owner of Plantation Jewelers, reopened his jewelry and clock shop just up the street in June. He is grateful for the larger space so he can offer more merchandise. PLANTATION JEWELERS 115 W. Plant St., Winter Garden plantationjewelers.com

Ramos considered himself lucky at the time of the collapse because he was preparing to expand into the space next door to his shop. Although he lost his showcases,

camera system and most of his equipment, he was able to salvage his merchandise, which includes his handmade jewelry. He was in the temporary storefront for a year before the current space opened. At 2,000 square feet, the new store has room for more showcases and a larger workshop with modernized equipment in the back. Ramos makes most of the jewelry he sells, and he specializes in custom wedding rings and repairs. He can create new rings using the stones from old ones, and he can take a customer’s ideas and create a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry. “I like the older pieces that are more intricate, as opposed to having ultra-modern, straight lines,” Ramos said of contemporary jewelry. “Even though I can make that, I tend to go with … modern vintage.” In addition to jewelry, Plantation sells and repairs grandfather clocks. Ramos attends estate sales all over the state looking for old clocks he can restore and bring back to life. A popular part of the store is Ramos’ uncle, Adel Rey, a longtime fixture at Plantation who still makes an appearance on most Fri-

Alex Ramos reopened Plantation Jewelers a few blocks west, at 115 W. Plant St., in downtown Winter Garden. Amy Quesinberry

day afternoons to whip up some Cuban coffee and chat with Ramos and the customers. He worked before COVID-19, but when Plantation was closed for seven weeks, Rey decided to stop. Plantation Jewelers originally shared space with another business when it opened in 2000. Two years later, Ramos moved down the street, where he remained until last year. MS. BEE’S GOURMET POPCORN & CANDY SHOPPE 13900 County Road 455, Suite 115, Clermont • (407) 554-2028

“We do have a new home, and I’m excited about it,” Wilson said. “We’re finally getting up and running. … As much as I tried to keep in the Winter Garden area, it just wasn’t happening.” At times, it seemed easy to give up on reopening Ms. Bee’s, Wilson said, but customers encouraged her to keep selling her treats.

“I just had to; Ms. Bee’s is important to the community,” she said. She said she reached out to the city of Clermont, and the people she has talked to are excited to see Ms. Bee’s open in their city. The new store is just seven miles away. “It’s crazy,” she said. “We’re just a little mom-and-pop shop.” This small-town establishment serves more than 70 flavors of popcorn, as well as vintage candies and gum and Wilson’s homemade fudge. Wilson said she plans to sell an expanded variety of her fudge, as well as 75 flavors of saltwater taffy and other nostalgia candies. “I’m very proud of our popcorn and our recipes, and we’ll continue to be good, if not better,” she said. “This is a new beginning.” The new space is smaller, she said, so inventory will be smaller, too; but she is making the most of the square footage she acquired in the Publix shopping center. “Our store isn’t going to be like downtown Winter Garden because

we’re not going to have the walkin store like we had, but what we will have will be bigger and better,” Wilson said. “People love their sweets, and they love their popcorn.” Customers also loved the carousel horse named Arabella that held court in the window of the Plant Street shop, so Wilson is trying to find a place to put her. Wilson plans to be open by Christmas if renovations stay on schedule. “We still have a few hurdles, but I have faith,” she said. Wilson opened Ms. Bee’s in November 2011. “I didn’t really go in there with the mindset that this is a true business,” she said. “I just thought this would be something I could give the community. … We helped out downtown. We did fundraisers.” She said she will continue to give back to the community once Ms. Bee’s opens its doors again.

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Ken Minnotte Your local business partner at Valley Bank in Hamlin

OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

FOLA honors VanderLey for trail connection The Orange County commissioner received the award for her work to connect the West Orange Trail to Magnolia Park. AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

Amy Quesinberry

Orange County Commissioner Betsy VanderLey is the recipient of the Jim Thomas Environmental Hero Award.

description of the honor. VanderLey led the effort to connect the West Orange Trail to Magnolia Park on the lake’s shore northeast of Winter Garden. “She helped facilitate the annexation and purchase of a key land parcel to enlarge Magnolia Park and facilitate the rights of way for the new trail,” according to the framed certificate. “Her leadership on the board of MetroPlan Orlando helped create a critical component of the 40-mile cycling path around Lake Apopka. Betsy didn’t just talk about the need for the trail. She went out and rode her bicycle from Winter Garden to

Magnolia Park so she could understand the issues firsthand.” VanderLey said she is proud to continue the work started by her father, the late Jon VanderLey, former town of Oakland mayor. “I’m particularly honored to receive this award as my dad was very involved with the Friends of Lake Apopka at its inception, and one of his dreams was to have a loop trail around the lake,” she said. “I’m grateful that I get to further his dreams — and we are one step closer to the reality of that trail — and that I have been able to play a part in the ongoing efforts to restore our lake.”

“Betsy’s family has been protecting Lake Apopka for many years,” the certificate read. “Her father, as mayor of Oakland, was instrumental in the creation of Oakland Nature Preserve. She continued the family passion for our local environment as the Orange County District 1 commissioner.” Among VanderLey’s work, she reached out to her colleagues in Lake County to encourage them to “Connect the Trails” between Green Mountain and Hancock Road Trail. “In just a few years, we will have a safe cycling trail around Florida’s

Introducing …

FULL CIRCLE IS THE OBSERVER MEDIA GROUP’S NEW PODCAST PLATFORM. Featuring audio journalism from the Observer Media Group’s Central Florida bureau, Full Circle has launched with a four-part series, “A Century Removed: Truth and Reconciliation of the 1920 Ocoee Massacre.”

For more information about Full Circle, visit OrangeObserver.com.

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The Friends of Lake Apopka organization has spent nearly 30 years advocating for Lake Apopka, once considered one of Florida’s most polluted lakes. Consistent dedication from this and other groups has led to an improved lake quality and the return of wildlife to its shores. With the improvements comes the community’s desire to get out and enjoy the lakefront amenities. Orange County District 1 Commissioner Betsy VanderLey has been instrumental in helping connect the West Orange Trail to a new trail that will loop around the lake. For her work and her support, FOLA honored VanderLey with the Jim Thomas Environmental Hero Award for 2020 at the organization’s Nov. 12 meeting at the Oakland Nature Preserve. The award recognizes a resident who exemplifies the passion and commitment of FOLA founder Jim Thomas and who contributes to the continued restoration of Lake Apopka. Jim Peterson received the inaugural award last year. Immediate past president Joe Dunn presented VanderLey with a blue, glass sculpture and a framed

fourth-largest lake, and Betsy was instrumental in making that happen,” FOLA officials said. VanderLey has also been active in supporting SJRWMD efforts to further restore Lake Apopka. VanderLey’s family joined her at the award presentation; as did FOLA board members Joe Kilsheimer, president, and Peterson, 2019 award winner and ONP president. Other community leaders present were Scott Boyd, former Orange County commissioner; Pam Gould, CEO of Shepherd’s Hope; Bryan Nelson, mayor of Apopka; Rick Polland, town commissioner, and Steve Koontz, town manager, of the town of Oakland; Krista Carter, vice president of the West Orange Chamber of Commerce; and Jennifer Hunt, Oakland Nature Preserve director. Thomas is an environmental biologist who helped organize FOLA in 1991 to improve the area’s environmental health. It is a citizen advocacy group focused on restoring Lake Apopka to its once-pristine condition. Once a fishing paradise, Lake Apopka endured nearly five decades of pollution along its shores, creating one of Florida’s most polluted lakes. FOLA appealed to agricultural interests to change farming practices and sought public support to restore the lake. Today, the group continues actively advocating for a healthy lake by supporting efforts for recreational trails and access to the lake.

OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

The new, 368-home community will be located north of Hartzog Road and east of Avalon Road. subdivision will be constructed in three phases. In addition to the approval of the preliminary subdivision plan, Tim Hull — Environmental Programs Administrator at Orange County Environmental Protection Division — presented the applicant’s associated request for a conservation-impact area permit. The applicant, Withers LLC, requested to impact 0.05 acres of direct Class 1 surface water in order to construct the development with parking and associated infrastructure. There also is an additional 1.3 acres of Class III wetland/surface impacts. “Their mitigation plan includes preservation via conservation easement of over 15.38 acres of wetlands at the Spring Grove Mitigation Tract, which is located just off Avalon Road just north of the project,” Hull said. “The environmental assessment for this project that the applicant submitted included a survey for imperiled species. Gopher tortoises and sandhill cranes were observed on site. There was also suitable sand skink habitat on site. However, they did a sand skink survey in 2018, and neither direct or indirect evidence of the sand skink was observed. “But they did have the gopher tortoises and sandhill cranes, and so the applicant will be required to demonstrate coordination with the applicable state and federal wildlife agencies prior to approval of their land-clearing permit,” Hull said. Although not included in this preliminary subdivision plan application or approval, there also are plans for a related subdivision just north of the Hartzog Road realignment. According to county documents, that subdivision will host a 23.62-acre piece of land for a future middle school, as well as 446 residences. “We would like to thank Environmental Protection Division staff for their input and guidance on this process,” said Stephen Butler, project manager at BioTech Consulting.

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Orange County commissioners have cleared the way for a new subdivision in Horizon West. The commission on Nov. 10 voted unanimously to approve a request to subdivide property in Village I, allowing for 368 singlefamily residences and associated subdivision infrastructure. The preliminary subdivision plan discussed is part of the Withers PD on 155.92 gross acres north of Hartzog Road and east of Avalon Road. Three parcels are involved — two with village-district designations and one with a townhome-district designation. “The applicant has also requested three waivers from Orange County code, which are related to lot-frontage orientation, block breaks and building separation,” said Eric Raasch, with the Orange County planning department. Raasch pointed out Old Hartzog Road south of the PD, adding that it ultimately will be a cul-desac road in its final configuration. “You can see the realigned Hartzog Road on the north side of the site, which is currently under construction, and that will ultimately provide a connection from Avalon Road all the way over to Flamingo Crossings (Boulevard),” Raasch said. According to county documents, Parcel 11 will host 50 single-family homes and Parcel 13 will have 138. These are the village-home districts. Parcel 17 is considered a townhome district, and plans call for 29 single-family homes and 151 townhouses. Of the nearly 156 gross acres, 52.21 are considered developable area. The rest includes 58.43 acres of preserved wetland, 5.37 acres for a public park, and 15 acres for a future elementary school on the east side of the site. The property is bordered on the west by Lake Gifford and to the north by the new Hartzog Road realignment. According to county documents, Toll Brothers is the proposed homebuilder, and the

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ASSOCIATE EDITOR

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

THE WORLD’S GREATEST FIREARMS EXPERIENCE

County approves new Horizon West subdivision DANIELLE HENDRIX

REAL ESTATE

OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

Isleworth estate sells for $3.45 million A home in the Isle-

HORIZON WEST

worth community

The home at 7123 Calm Cove Court, Windermere, sold Nov. 9, for $514,000. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 3,044 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $168.86. Days on market: 13.

in Windermere topped all West Orange-area residential real-estate

transactions from Nov. 6 to 12.

ASHLIN PARK

ENCLAVE AT BERKSHIRE PARK

The home at 7429 Colbury Ave.,

con Circle, Windermere, sold Nov. 6, for $3.45 million. Built in 1999, it has four bedrooms, five-and-one-half baths, a pool and 6,498 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $530.93. Days on market: 316. These are the highestselling homes in each community in West Orange.

Fall is coming

it’s Time to $ave

The home at 6300 Dea- Windermere, sold Nov. 10, for

$356,000. Built in 2009, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,234 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $159.36. Days on market: 29.

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The home at 17557 Black Rail St., Windermere, sold Nov. 10, for $625,000. Built in 2017, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 3,910 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $159.85. Days on market: 362.

The home at 6300 Deacon Circle, Windermere, sold Nov. 6, for $3.45 million. The custom residence took more than two years to construct and features European architecture with new-world luxury & style.

HAMILTON GARDENS

The home at 5460 Bowman Drive, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 6, for $387,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 2,474 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $156.43.

The home at 16371 Taliesin St., Winter Garden, sold Nov. 10, for $506,497. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 3,083 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $164.29. Days on market: Zero.

HAMLIN RESERVE

HICKORY HAMMOCK

The townhouse at 6233 Aralia Ivy Lane, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 6, for $304,635. To be built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,772 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $171.92. Days on market: 167. The townhouse at 6229 Aralia Ivy Lane, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 10, for $288,710. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and

1,582 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $182.50. Days on market: 69.

price per square foot is $171.

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The home at 150176 Sunstar Way, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 6, for $487,990. Built in 2020, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 2,445 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $199.59. Days on market: Zero. The home at 7154 Desert Mandarin St., Winter Garden, sold Nov. 6, for $348,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, twoand-one-half baths and 2,365 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $147.15.

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NOTICE IS HEREBY given that the OCOEE CITY COMMISSION will consider a proposed amendment to the City of Ocoee Comprehensive Plan for the purpose of updating the Capital Improvements Element.

The OCOEE CITY COMMISSION will hold a public hearing on the proposed amendment on TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020, AT 6:15 PM or as soon thereafter as practical. The public hearing will be held in the City Hall Commission Chambers located at 150 North Lakeshore Drive, Ocoee.

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AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA AMENDING THE OCOEE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS ADOPTED IN 1991, AS AMENDED, IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH SECTION 163.3177, FLORIDA STATUTES; AMENDING THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ELEMENT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

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Interested parties may appear at the meeting and be heard with respect to the proposed actions; however, attendance inside the Ocoee Commission Chambers may be limited to accommodate $150 OFF $100 OFF ANY DBL DOOR, SWAP OUT or PRE-HU After Mirror Wra ANY 1/2 DOOR ANY FULL DOOR social distancing and is subject to change based on the Governor’s Executive Order. This meeting is p Before Mirror Wra NG UNIT & 1p SIDELIGHT & 2 SIDELIGHTT broadcasted live on Spectrum Channel 493 with a live stream at www.Ocoee.org/197/Ocoee-TV. ANY CLEAR SWINGING Any interested party is invited to offer comments and/or questions during the hearing by emailing $50 OFF $200 OFF SHOWER DOOR UP TO 25 S/F citizens@ocoee.org or calling 407-554-7118 or by registering in advance by emailing citizens@ ANY 1/2 ANY FULL DOOR DOOR PANEL & 2 SIDELIGHTS ocoee.org or calling 407-905-3105 and City staff will call you during the live meeting. The complete case file, including a complete legal description by metes and bounds, may be inspected at the $100 OFF Ocoee Planning Department located at 150 North Lakeshore Drive, Ocoee, Florida between the ANY CLEAR SWINGING ANY MATCHING TRANSOM (OVER 5O SQ.R FT) hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays. The Ocoee City SHOWER DOOR OVER 26 S/F RE11/30/20 THRU Commission may continue the public hearing to other dates and times, as it deems necessary. Any 2 O (LEADED GLASS DESIGNS ONLY) GOODF E R MORE... In-Home interested party shall be advised of the dates, times, and places of any continuation of these or Estimatdown. es IRR *Not good with sales, orders,M promos or O closeouts already marked Lic. #SCC131151683 R continued public hearings shall be announced during the hearing and no further noticesprior regarding M AGlass TE Cleaner FREE Can of with Any Shower Purchase* these matters will be published. You are advised that any person who desires to appeal any decision made at the public hearings will need a record of the proceedings and for this purpose may need $ to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made which includes the testimony and Any Sliding Sh 1122 Bichara Blvd, Lady Lake, FL evidence upon which the appeal is based. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, ower Door (352) 751-0833 persons needing a special accommodation or an interpreter to participate in this proceeding should $ contact the City Clerk’s Office 48 hours in advance of the meeting at (407) 905-3105. Any Clear Swin www.entrypointbyperrys.com ging Sh ower *Not good with sales, prior orders, promos closeouts already marked down. Lic. # SCC131151683 Doororup to 25 s/ f $

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OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

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The home at 17557 Black Rail St., Windermere, sold Nov. 10, for $625,000. It was the largest transaction in Horizon West from Nov. 6 to 12.

SNAPSHOT

Total Sales: 63 High Sale Price: $3.45 million Low Sale Price: $95,000

The home at 15492 Camp Dubois Crescent, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 6, for $289,990. Built in 2011, it has four bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 2,571 square feet. The price per square foot is $112.79. Days on market: 18. The home at 15213 Avenue of the Arbors, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 10, for $324,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 1,817 square feet. The price per square foot is $178.32. Days on market: Two. LAKE SAWYER SOUTH

The home at 7604 Brofield Ave., Windermere, sold Nov. 10, for $495,000. Built in 2011, it has four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 2,752 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $179.87. Days on market: Zero. The home at 7316 Tattant Blvd., Windermere, sold Nov. 10, for $338,000. Built in 2007, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,706 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $198.12. Days on market: Eight. 344424-1

BECAUSE OF YOU, HOMEBUYERS BUY WITH CONFIDENCE

The home at 7709 Moser Ave., Windermere, sold Nov. 12, for $265,000. Built in 2010, it has three bedrooms, two-and-onehalf baths and 1,644 square feet. The price per square foot is $161.19. Days on market: Five.

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INDEPENDENCE/ SIGNATURE LAKES

The home at 13261 , Windermere, sold Nov. 6, for $340,000. Built in 2008, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,706 square feet. The price per square foot is $199.30.

LAKES OF WINDERMERE

The home at 7036 Mapperton Drive, Windermere, sold Nov. 8, for $405,000. Built in 2003, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 2,777 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $145.84. Days on market: 14. The home at 7030 Mapperton Drive, Windermere, sold Nov. 10, for $400,000. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, two-and-onehalf baths, a pool and 2,455 square feet. The price per square foot is $162.93. Days on market: 11.

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The home at 14313 White Moss Way, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 6, for $465,000. Built in 2016, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 3,216 square feet. The price per square foot is $144.59. Days on market: 36.

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OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

BAPTIST

First Baptist Church Pastor Tim Grosshans 125 E. Plant St, Winter Garden (407) 656-2352 Sundays: 8:30 a.m. Traditional 9:45 AM Bible Study 11:00 AM Contemporary Wednesdays: 6 p.m.- Awana 2nd Campus: First Baptist Church @Horizon West Sundays: 9:45 a.m. All Ages FBCWG.org Starke Lake Baptist Church Pastor Jeff Pritchard PO Box 520 611 W Ave., Ocoee (407) 656-2351 StarkeLakeBaptist.org

REAL ESTATE

METHODIST

First United Methodist Church 125 N. Lakeview Ave., Winter Garden (407) 656-1135 Services: Livestreaming Sunday @ 9 AM. Viewable on Facebook and Youtube

The home at 5567 Cypress Hill Road, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 6, for $329,900. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,650 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $199.94. SUMMERLAKE

The home at 8113 Summerlake Groves St., Winter Garden, sold Nov. 12, for $400,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,680 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $149.25. Days on market: 124. SUMMERLAKE GROVES

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

Windermere Union Church 10710 Park Ridge-Gotha Rd., Windermere (407) 876-2112 Adult Worship: 9 a.m. Sunday School: 10 a.m. WindermereUnion.org

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

The townhouse at 9507 Amber Chestnut Way, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 12, for $315,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,937 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $162.62. Days on market: 39. WICKHAM PARK

The home at 12949 Bosworth Ave., Windermere, sold Nov. 10, for $320,000. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, three-and-onehalf baths and 1,782 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $179.57. Days on market: 49.

The home at 15307 Murcott Harvest Loop, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 9, for $397,900. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,278 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $174.67. Days on market: 10.

WINDERMERE SOUND

WATERLEIGH

WINDERMERE TRAILS

The home at 10176 Atwater Bay Drive, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 6, for $428,000. Built in 2019, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,117 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $202.17. Days on market: Five.

The home at 13142 Kegan St., Windermere, sold Nov. 10, for $365,000. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 2,461 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $148.31. Days on market: 44. The home at 8749 Iron Mountain Trail, Windermere, sold Nov. 10, for $449,900. Built in 2014, it has five bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 2,899 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $155.19. Days on market: 214.

CHURCH DIRECTORY

Purpose Church Orlando 13640 W Colonial Dr. Ste 110, CHURCH OF GOD Winter Garden Ocoee Church of God (407) 654-9661 Pastor Thomas Odom Sunday Service: 10:05 a.m. STARKE LAKE BAPTIST NGLICAN 1105 N. Lakewood NON-DENOMINATIONAL Ave.,Ocoee METHODIST CHURCH Sunday Brazilian Service: 7CHURCH p.m. OLANDO FIRST UNITED METHODIST PURPOSE GLICAN COMMUNITY PO Box 520, 611 W Ave, Ocoee (407) 656-8011 CHURCH 13640 W. Colonial Dr., Ste 110, Saturday Service: 6 p.m. LLOWSHIP CHURCH Pastor Jeff Pritchard 125 N. Lakeview Ave Winter Garden Winter Garden tor The Rev. Canon Tim Trombitas purposechurchorlando.org (407) 656-2351 Service Times 9:00 AM and 11:15 AM 407-654-9661 • Prayer 9:30AM,

OF GOD Church ofCHURCH the Messiah OCOEE CHURCH OF GOD 241 N. Main St., Pastor Thomas Odom 1105 N. Lakewood Avenue, Ocoee ULAH BAPTIST Winter Garden 407-656-8011 or Casey Butner 8, 9:30, & 11 a.m., Beulah Rd, WinterServices: Garden EPISCOPAL -656-3342 | BeulahBaptistWG.org 7 p.m. CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH NDAY BIBLE STUDY 9:30AM ChurchoftheMessiah.com 241 N. Main, Winter Garden NDAY SERVICE 11:00AM

APTIST

DNESDAY SERVICE 6:00PM

ST BAPTIST CHURCH E Plant St., Winter Garden -656-2352 NDAYS 8:30 am Traditional 5 am Bible Study 00 am Contemporary DNESDAYS - 6pm - Awana or Tim Grosshans w.fbcwg.org Campus: UNDATION WORSHIP NDAYS 9:45 am - All Ages ndation Academy High School 04 Tilden Rd., Winter Garden w.FoundationWorship.com -730-1867

Services: 8, 9:30, & 11am, 7pm www.churchofthemessiah.com

Phone – 407-656-1135 Web: fumcwg.org

Fellowship 9:45AM, Service 10:05 AM

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

WINDERMERE UNION CHURCH 10710 Park Ridge-Gotha Rd. Windermere, FL 34786 407-876-2112 Worship times: 9:00am Adult Sunday School 10:00am Worship www.windermereunion.org

WATERMARK

PASTOR

P: 407.656.1520 C: 407.758.3570 MYOAKUM407@AOL.COM

OCOEE

COVENTRY AT OCOEE

The home at 2620 Coventry Lane, Ocoee, sold Nov. 12, for $263,800. Built in 1989, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,732 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $152.31. Days on market: 32.

The Compass Clinic 100 West Gore Street, Suite 406 Matthew’s Hope Chest Creations Orlando FL 32806

• Custom Furniture, Farm Tables, Barn Doors, and More The practice of Ira Goodman, MD, • Repaired, Refinished and Sheila Baez-Torres, MD, and Repurposed Wood Furniture Anamaria Shanley, MSN, ARNP-CB, • Gently Used Furniture and New & Used Household Items announces its closure as of December 1, 2020.

Visit our Workshop Location at 611 Business Park Blvd. #101, Winter Garden 407.905.9500 • 8am-4pm Mon - Fri • 8am-3pm SaturdayDr. Goodman, Dr. Baez-Torres, and Ms. Shanley will XNSP18213

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The home at 14761 Crimson Bluff Alley, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 12, for $370,000. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,074 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $178.40. Days on market: 17.

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The home at 9668 Waterway OAKLAND Passage Drive, Winter Garden, HULL ISLAND AT OAKLAND sold Nov. 10, for $409,000. The home at 2228 Bay Line Built in 2018, it has four bedAdvertise your Services or Events Road, Oakland, sold Nov. 9, for rooms, three-and-one-half $441,991. Built in 2020, it has four baths 2,477 square feet of onand this page weekly. living area. The price per square bedrooms, three baths and 2,281 foot $165.12. Daysweekly on market: This is page appears in the square feet of living area. The Five.Orange Times & Observer and price per square foot is $193.77. West Days on market: Zero. online at OrangeObserver.com. The home at 16178 Harbor Mist OAKLAND TRAILS Alley, Winter Garden, sold Nov. To 6, advertise in the Church Directory for $360,000. Built in 2018, it The home at 2249 Standing Rock 407-656-2121 or email Circle, Winter Garden, sold Nov. hascall three bedrooms, two-andAdvertiseNow@OrangeObserver.com one-half baths and 2,287 square 6, for $350,490. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, two-andfeet of living area. The price per one-half baths and 2,008 square square foot is $157.41. Days on feet. The price per square foot is market: 45. $174.55. Days on market: 48.

be closing their private practice at the Compass Clinic. Transfer of care to another neurologist or to the primary

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Written requests for medical records should be mailed to The Compass Clinic, 100 West Gore Street, Suite 406, Orlando, FL 32806 until February 1, 2021. This request may also be faxed to (321) 202-2582.

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will provide referrals and/or plans for continued care. Patients in need of assistance in locating another physician may contact their health insurer or visit the physician referral website of local hospitals such as Orlando Regional Medical Center (orlandohealth.com) or Advent Health (adventhealth.com).

OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

one-half baths, a pool and 2,695 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $218.92. Days on market: 87.

WINTER GARDEN

ALEXANDER RIDGE

The home at 2079 Nerva Road, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 9, for $437,000. Built in 2015, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 3,254 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $134.30. Days on market: Four. AMBERLEIGH realtor.com

The home at 15246 Johns Lake Pointe Blvd., Winter Garden, sold Nov. 9, for $640,000. It was the largest transaction in Winter Garden from Nov. 6 to 12.

FOREST OAKS

The home at 1711 Ison Lane, Ocoee, sold Nov. 10, for $249,990. Built in 1987, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,230 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $203.24. Days on market: Seven. MCCORMICK RESERVE

The home at 1360 Garrett Gilliam Drive, Ocoee, sold Nov. 9, for $385,000. Built in 2018, it has five bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 3,358 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $114.65. Days on market: 15. The home at 3525 Gretchen Drive, Ocoee, sold Nov. 12, for $292,000. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,675 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $174.33. Days on market: 53. OCOEE LANDINGS

The home at 1871 Ibis Bay Court, No. 41, Ocoee, sold Nov. 12, for $353,490. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,801 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $196.27. Days on market: 24.

PEACH LAKE MANOR

WINDERMERE

PRAIRIE LAKE VILLAGE

The home at 1101 Lascala Drive, Windermere, sold Nov. 12, for $405,000. Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, three-and-onehalf baths and 2,735 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $148.08. Days on market: 73.

The home at 1101 Ursula St., Ocoee, sold Nov. 6, for $235,000. Built in 1960, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,435 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $163.76. Days on market: 39. The home at 2451 Great Birch Drive, Ocoee, sold Nov. 12, for $260,000. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,626 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $159.90. Days on market: One. PRESERVE AT CROWN POINT

The home at 2127 Donahue Drive, Ocoee, sold Nov. 6, for $380,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, two-and-onehalf baths and 2,612 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $145.48. Days on market: 15. WILLOWS ON THE LAKE

The home at 2004 Marsh Wren Court, Ocoee, sold Nov. 9, for $396,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,160 square feet. The price per square foot is $183.33. Days on market: Five.

BELMERE

RESERVE AT BELMERE

The home at 341 Lake Amberleigh Drive, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 9, for $330,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,126 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $155.22. Days on market: Eight. CARRIAGE POINTE

The home at 2107 Redmark Lane, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 10, for $490,000. Built in 2009, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,826 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $173.39. Days on market: Four.

The home at 1632 Lake Rhea Drive, Windermere, sold Nov. 9, for $870,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,620 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $240.33. Days on market: 65.

The home at 1956 Redmark Lane, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 9, for $460,000. Built in 2009, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,697 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $170.56. Days on market: Two.

RESERVE AT LAKE BUTLER SOUND

EDGEWATER BEACH

The home at 11054 Ullswater Lane, Windermere, sold Nov. 6, for $1.35 million. Built in 2006, it has five bedrooms, four baths, three half-baths, a pool and 6,165 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $218.98. Days on market: 69. WILLOWS AT LAKE RHEA

The home at 2107 Willow Brick Road, Windermere, sold Nov. 9, for $590,000. Built in 1989, it has four bedrooms, two-and-

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The home at 13525 First Ave., Winter Garden, sold Nov. 9, for $271,500. Built in 1989, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,699 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $159.80. Days on market: Five. JOHNS LAKE POINTE

The home at 15246 Johns Lake Pointe Blvd., Winter Garden, sold Nov. 9, for $640,000. Built in 2014, it has five bedrooms, fourand-one-half baths and 4,334 square feet of living area. The

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

price per square foot is $147.67. Days on market: 63. LAKE COVE POINTE

The home at 416 Lone Heron Way, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 6, for $439,900. Built in 2013, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,418 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $181.93. Days on market: One. STONE CREEK

The home at 1940 Portcastle Circle, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 6, for $290,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 1,606 square feet. The price per square foot is $180.57. Days on market: 18. SUBURBAN SHORES

The home at 13023 Suburban Terrace, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 12, for $312,000. Built in 1986, it has three bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 1,752 square feet. The price per square foot is $178.08. Days on market: Two. VILLAS AT TUCKER OAKS

The townhouse at 1210 Scarlet Oak Loop, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 9, for $249,900. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, twoand-one-half baths and 1,587 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $157.47. Days on market: Eight. WALKERS GROVE TOWNHOMES

The townhouse at 901 Walkers Grove Lane, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 6, for $332,000. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 1,895 square feet. The price per square foot is $175.20. Days on market: 36. WESTFIELD

The home at 728 Shadowmoss Drive, Winter Garden, sold Nov. 6, for $380,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,242 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $169.49. Days on market: 65.

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OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

Horizon West eighthgraders pivot to LaunchEd Michelle Thomas, principal of Horizon West Middle School, has announced that eighth-grade students are pivoting to LaunchED@Home from Monday, Nov. 16, through Friday, Nov. 20, because of six confirmed COVID-19 cases. These cases resulted in more than 100 quarantines within the school. Thomas said all individuals and parents of children who are under quarantine orders have been notified. During this time, the entire campus will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. The eighth grade will return to campus after the Thanksgiving break on Nov. 30. “Please know everyone’s health and safety is our top priority,” Thomas said in her call to parents. The decision as made in consultation with the Florida Department of Health in Orange County. Information related to any individual’s medical history is confidential and protected by law.

INFLUENCER OF THE WEEK

KIRA EBERSOLE

WINDERMERE HIGH SCHOOL At just 15 years old, Kira Ebersole has a big heart and a passion for helping others. She is a member of the Interact club at Windermere High, which brings students together to develop leadership skills and get involved in their community. Kira is a second-year volunteer for the Observer’s annual literacy drive, Reading Reindeer, which provides books for children in need. She recently hosted a book drive at her school and collected more than 200 books.

How did you find out about Reading Reindeer? I found out about Reading Reindeer through my Interact Club at Windermere High School.

general gives me an opportunity to do something that I am passionate about, so I am able to fall asleep every night knowing I have made a difference in someone’s life.

What made you want to get involved? I have personally always been very passionate about helping people, animals and the environment in general, so when I found out about Reading Reindeer, I was more than willing to help out.

What do you love most about your school? I really love all of the opportunities such as clubs, sports and other programs that allow me and my fellow students to get involved with the school and community.

You recently hosted a book drive for Reading Reindeer. How was that process? I was surprised by how generous people were with donating their books and offering to drop them off at my house. It has honestly been an amazing experience that grew me as a person and made me realize that when we all work together, we can achieve great things and make a huge impact.

OCPS consolidates curbside meal sites Starting Nov. 16, Orange County Public Schools’ Food and Nutrition Services closed and consolidated a number of sites for its curbside meals distribution. In West Orange and Southwest Orange, the SunRidge Elementary site will be consolidated to SunRidge Middle School, which is open from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Additionally, MetroWest Elementary will close, and parents will be able to pick up the food from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at neighboring Westpointe Elementary. OCPS is also closing the sites at Dr. Phillips and Palm Lake elementary schools. These schools were serving fewer than 25 curbside meals. Their closures were approved by the Executive Policy Group. For a complete list of closures and changes, visit bit.ly/ocpsfns.

What is the most rewarding part of being involved with this program, as well as being involved in the community in general? Being involved with Reading Reindeer and the community in

What do you want to be when you grow up? Why? I honestly do not know for sure yet

If you could only listen to three bands or artists for the rest of your life, what would they be and why? If I could only listen to three bands/ artists for the rest of my life, I would listen to Billy Joel, Ariana Grande and Khalid, because I find that most of their songs are very uplifting and positive. — DANIELLE HENDRIX

Do you have an “unsung hero” at your school? If so, please nominate him or her for our Influencer of the Week feature. Nominations can be sent via email to contact@orangeobserver.com.

AGE: 15 GRADE: Sophomore

Who is/was your favorite teacher throughout school so far? Why? So far, my favorite teacher this school year is Mrs. (Geralyn) Guy, my Pre-Calculus Honors teacher, because she is an amazing teacher who cares about the well-being and long-term success of her students.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? If I could have any superpower, it would definitely be to not have to sleep. I find that sleep takes up so much time, and without it, I would have more time to be able to do things that I need to get done.

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What do you like to do in your spare time? I love either hanging out with my best friends, playing softball or volunteering.

what I want to be. I have wanted to be a dermatologist or lawyer, and then I also thought about being an officer in the military, so probably one of those. I just know that I definitely want to have time to volunteer.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

OBSERVER SCHOOL ZONE

FFA programs seek funds for fair showing The pavilion at the Central Florida Fairgrounds was completed, but more construction needs to be funded and finished before livestock showings can take place next year. TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

For the last seven years, Hendrix Paterson has been involved with FFA, and for all of those years, he has shown animals annually at the Central Florida Fair. Paterson, now a senior at Windermere High School, serves as the school’s FFA president — as well as the District VII president — and sits on the fair’s junior board. His mom, Amy Paterson, is an ag teacher at the school herself. Both Hendrix Paterson and Amy Paterson are well invested in the fair — along with FFA and 4-H members around Orange County and the surrounding counties. It’s a time in which they get the chance to showcase the animals they’ve helped raise, while they

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complete projects and raise money at the annual auction. So, needless to say, when they learned the Central Florida Fairgrounds were in dire need of $30,000 in funding to finish construction around the new pavilion — otherwise, there would be no livestock show — the Patersons and the FFA and 4-H communities were thrown for a loop. “The junior board found out, I’d probably say about August,” Hendrix Paterson said. “But it’s been on everyone’s mind with everything going on with COVID — everyone is kind of struggling, but that’s when they kind of broke the news to us that, ‘Hey, we really have to band together to get these funds raised.’ “And the fair is so much more than a fair for a couple of people — there are so many people that have so much money and time invested into animals and projects,” he said. “It would really be horrible if it didn’t happen this year. So, we knew from the start when they said, ‘This has got to get done,’ that we are really going

Courtesy of Thomas Lightbody | TK Photography

to have to put our feet to the pavement and get out there and try to get some money for this fair.” Although the n e w, 40,000-square-foot facility was finished earlier this year to replace the 33-year old Livestock Pavilion, the arrival of COVID-19 led to the loss of funding for items such as perimeter fencing, tie-out areas for animals and core drilling to secure panels that are needed to safely and efficiently put on the event. The main way the CFF is raising money is through its Buy a Brick Campaign. Supporters and businesses can buy name-customized bricks to support the Youth Livestock Program. That campaign ends Tuesday, Dec. 15. There also will be a barbecue fundraiser Saturday, Dec. 5, at Country Lane Barn.

But in the first email sent to folks Saturday, Nov. 3, it wasn’t exactly clear just how dire the situation was, said West Orange High School ag teacher Kristy Lightbody. “We’re assuming everything is breezing along,” Lightbody said. “We did steer weigh-in, and they’re sending us emails about pig weigh-in. Why would we think that there were actual issues that could potentially prevent it? It’s almost one of those things where we don’t quite really know what’s going on. It’s like, ‘Do you really, really need it? Or are y’all just wanting us to push harder with these brick sales?’ I honestly don’t know what the intention was behind the original email, but it definitely sent a lot of people into a huge panic.” Two days later — on Nov. 5 —

Lightbody said they received a second email clarifying the situation, and it was then when they knew it would take quick action. Lightbody said she would have appreciated knowing about it sooner. Despite the late notice, it’s not an option to let the fair — planned for March 4 to 14, 2021 — go without the livestock show, she said. “I wish it would have come across better, but ultimately, they got the desired effect — it lit a fire under all of us,” Lightbody said. “We all jumped in and sprung into action, because the livestock part of the fair has to happen. … We all can’t let it not happen.” Students involved with FFA and 4-H started the process of getting ready for the fair months ago, and with the CFF being the lone fair in the county, it would be tough to watch all that hard work go to waste, said Ocoee High School ag teacher Amy Anderson. “This is it for the Orange County students, so if they don’t have the Central Florida Fair, we don’t have a fair to show in,” Anderson said. “We don’t have a lot of money — our kids invest in their steer projects — and I would say every single kid with me … they’re paying for their own feed and they’re doing what they have to do to make ends meet. “So it would just suck that we’ve already invested money in it and for them not to have a normal fair because everything has kind of been crazy with COVID, and it’s just like, one more thing that gets taken away from them,” she said.

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WEST ORANG E HISTO RY

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OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

THESE OLD TIMES

FROM THE WINTER GARDEN HERITAGE FOUNDATION

NOV. 19, 1970 Citrus has played a monumental role in West Orange County for decades. Every year, when the holidays rolled around, the local citrus packers started advertising their gift boxes, which they shipped all over the country and especially to the northern states. Xtra Fine Citrus Packers, in Winter Garden, was one of the many citrus companies who advertised in The Winter Garden Times, eager to share their sweet produce.

85 years ago

The federal government allocated $17,445 to Winter Garden for the building of a waterfront recreational area. Plans called for a recreation pavilion; boathouse to accommodate eight large boats; shuffleboard, tennis and croquet courts; and thatched-top houses for picnicking parties.

80 years ago

John Irrgang was honored at kindergarten on his fourth birthday. Mrs. T.A. Shepherd’s class participated. Guests were Billy Britt; Billy Bob Davis; Bobbie Brown; Shirley Ison; Dian Story; David Sayer; George Joiner; Donald Biggers; Tommy Britt; Bill Irrgang; Fritz Harter; and Bill, Ben and Sam Carpenter.

75 years ago

The first green stamp to be used by housewives for rationed foods became valid Nov. 1. Green stamp N-8 became valid, along with the list for red stamps in War Ration Book Four. Red stamps W-1 through Z-1 and green stamp N-8 will be good until Feb. 28.

70 years ago

The city will be “Lit Up” Christmas with 16 strings of lights. Gerald Thompson, secretarymanager of the Chamber of

THROWBACK THURSDAY

FROM THE ARCHIVES A Lakeview High School student contemplates the Pratt-Mastenbrook mansion during a field trip with art teacher Rod Reeves in this photograph from November 1968. The house, constructed in 1928 during the craze for Mediterranean architecture, is located on the north shore of John’s Lake in Killarney, located west of Oakland near the Lake County line. The sprawling home features a guitar-shaped swimming pool and is currently owned by an investment group. It has had many owners, including a member of the Bin Laden family.

The mission of the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation is to preserve the heritage and architecture of Winter Garden while creating new cultural experiences. The Foundation also preserves the material culture of West Orange County, using it to educate the area’s youth on the community’s rich history.

Commerce, after consulting chamber members, decided to light up the city for the holidays. Clubs and organizations were contacted for contributions. Fourteen strings were obtained, and the chamber bought the two strings to compete the project.

30 years ago

Winter Garden Mayor Ray Spears presented John Rees with the first-ever key to the city. Rees is stepping down from the City Commission after serving four years. Spears said he hoped to make a tradition of presenting keys to

the city to individuals who do something special. Ocoee Mayor Lester Dabbs officiated at the swearing-in ceremonies for the returning city commissioners. Present were Sam Woodson, Paul Foster Vern Combs and Rusty Johnson.

NOVEMBER 20, 2020

HIGH

SPORTS

West Orange High wide receiver Jayden Gibson hopes to be the third generation in his family to play collegiate football. Page 20.

The Olympia football team grinded out a hard-fought 7-6 win over Oak Ridge during its Class 8A playoff game Friday, Nov. 13. A big part of that victory came on the back of junior running back Rommarrus Hinson. Hinson picked up 123 rushing yards on 21 carries and scored the Titans’ lone touchdown in the first quarter. The win pushes Olympia into the regional quarterfinals against Treasure Coast Friday, Nov. 20.

After tying TFA 0-0 in its opening game Tuesday, Nov. 10, the Windermere Prep boys soccer team came out firing on all cylinders in a 4-1 victory over Lake Highland Prep Thursday, Nov. 12. In the win, Rayyan Diab and Vishan Patton each picked up two goals apiece. The win moved the Lakers to 1-0-1 on the new season.

Windermere Prep swimmer Marcela Scaramuzza brought home gold from the Class 1A State championships Sunday, Nov. 15. With a time of 1:01.41, Scaramuzza was crowned state champion in the 100 breaststroke.

It might only be preseason basketball, but the Dr. Phillips girls basketball team showed out in a dominating 78-26 win over Edgewater Wednesday, Nov. 11. In the preseason victory, freshman point guard Trinity Turner blew up for 18 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and six steals, while junior Skylar Thompson tacked on 18 points herself.

Signees waited patiently to sign their national letters of intent during an Early Signing Day ceremony at West Orange High.

FORESEEABLE S

TROY HERRING

SPORTS EDITOR

FUTURE It was a big week for local student-athletes, as Early Signing Day was celebrated across West Orange County and beyond at events that took place both at home and on campus.

tanding in the middle of the West Orange High School gymnasium, Michael McCalister took in the scene around him. At 6-foot-6, the senior — who mixes it up at shooting guard and forward for the Warriors’ basketball team — towered among the eager family and friends of the nine athletes who signed during an Early Signing Day event at the school Wednesday, Nov. 11. It was a celebration of the achievements of these athletes, but it looked a bit different. Everyone wore masks, including McCalister, but no one seemed to mind — especially the studentathletes, who were just happy to have the process of recruitment behind them. “I just feel relieved,” said McCalister, who will be playing at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical

Troy Herring

University next year. “Now, I can just focus on my education, and I don’t have to stress too much on performing tremendously well — it’s like, yeah, I’m going to play my heart out on the court, but it’s not that pressure to be like, ‘Oh this coach is here, this coach is there.’ It’s just a relief.” “I can’t say enough good things about Mike,” said boys basketball head coach Eric Jones during the ceremony. “He’s earned everything that he’s been given. Shoutout to the parents — they’ve always been good to him with whatever he wants to do … and I guess the only bad thing is I can’t have him another two to four years.” Before there were family photos in front of banners, Athletic Director Lisa Montgomery welcomed everyone and made sure to emphasize to both studentSEE EARLY PAGE 20

Windermere football grabs first playoff win

In West Orange girls basketball’s 62-27 thumping of Oak Ridge in preseason action Wednesday, Nov. 11, a few Warriors had a field day at the Pioneers’ expense. Junior guard — and team co-captain — Ajalon Gillard picked up 18 points, six assists, six rebounds and five steals in the win. Jasmynne Gibson added on with 17 points and eight rebounds.

On Friday, Nov. 13, the Wolverines accomplished two firsts in program history: They won a playoff game and, in the process, have their first win streak. TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

File photo

A postseason win and their first win streak have the Wolverines riding high.

The year 2020 has seen its share of firsts in the past 11 months — most of which have generally been negative. But at Deputy Scott Pine Park Community Park, the Windermere football team is celebrating a moment of truly exciting firsts. On Friday, Nov. 13 — on what most would consider the most unlucky of nights — the Wolverines beat Freedom 49-35 in a Class 8A postseason play-in game. The

win is the school’s first playoff victory and also gave the Wolverines their first winning streak in the program’s short — and difficult — football history. “It’s tremendous,” Windermere head coach Robert Couch said. “There’s not enough adjectives to describe it. I just feel so bad for this senior class … having had three or four coaches in their four-year tenure at the school, (but) then they come together unbelievably. “Then they don’t get spring SEE WHS PAGE 20

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

WHS Early Signing Day Jayden Gibson advances SPONSORED BY MARK’S FLOORING AND SHANNON TILL/STATE FARM IN FOWLER GROVES

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

A junior wide receiver on the West Orange High football team, Jayden Gibson has been tearing up opposing defenses all season long. Gibson, who has a handful of Division 1 offers at the moment, plans to follow in the footsteps of his father, uncle and grandpa and play collegiate football.

How did you get into playing football? I’ve been playing football forever. My dad played at Florida, my grandpa played at FAMU, and my uncle played at Florida, so I’ve always played football. I started playing flag around the city, and I just grew from there, and I just loved it automatically. My love for the game has grown as I’ve gotten older and have played it more.

THE BASICS

SCHOOL: West Orange GRADE: Junior AGE: 16 SPORT: Football POSITION: Wide receiver

more than I was last year. As I’ve been playing football, I’ve learned how to become more of a leader. On the field, I think I’ve become more physical as I’ve gotten older. When I played football on Pop Warner, I used to play a lot of defense, so I had to tackle, but I wasn’t really that physical. But now I’m a physical player — a physical receiver.

What is it about the game that has kept you in it for so long? There’s a couple of things: One, I like to compete — I’m a competitor — and you can’t really compete in any other sport quite like football. On the field, there is no advantages — there is no black and white. And it’s something that when I was little, people would look at me and they’d say, “You look like a basketball player or track or something,” or, “You’re skinny.” People look at me and they see this or that, but at the end of the day, I’m out here doing my thing. … I’ve proven them wrong every day.”

Is there a highlight moment for you at West Orange? Either my first catch on JV — I remember that like it was yesterday — we were playing Windermere the first game of the JV season. Or last year, my first touchdown versus Lake Mary. In that game, I had 100some yards on seven catches and my first touchdown to seal the game. What’s your favorite part about playing receiver? The most challenging part? I think my favorite part is I like to put points on the board, (and) I like to get first downs — that kind of thing. I like to know that I can put the team in position to score and make the big play. I like to be able to put my team up … or even when we’re down, make a play that can lift us up and get the momentum going. The hardest part about playing receiver is dealing with corners and safeties and defenses that have your number — defenses that have looked you up. If you’re really good at receiver, then you’re always going to have to go through extra stuff to get open.

What’s been the biggest change you’ve seen in yourself since you first started playing? I feel like now I’m obviously more mature — even

— TROY HERRING

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ball, and then they don’t get a fall training camp for real, and now they have to basically learn how to play together during the season,” he said. “I’m just grateful that the FHSAA gave us a chance to use the first two games as training camps.” Going into Friday night’s game, the Wolverines (2-6) had lost six games in a row before picking up their first win of the year over Colonial in a 32-23 win — their first victory since the 2019 season-opener. Out of the gate, the Wolverines jumped to a commanding 28-0 lead, thanks in part to two passing touchdowns from Jordan Dozier — one to Stone Rivers and the other to Matthew Richardson. Dozier finished the night with 170 yards and three touchdowns through the air while picking up 154 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The other two scores during the 28-0 run came off of a short fumble return by Brandon Speed and an 8-yard rushing touchdown by Rosario Noto. Then, things began to get a bit dicey for the Wolverines. Halfway through the second quarter, the Patriots began to eat away at Windermere’s lead, and by the eight-minute mark of the third quarter, the Wolverines’ cushion had been cut to 28-21. “I was just like, ‘This would just be tragic to lose a 28-point lead,’” Couch said. “But I think our kids are still learning — they’re still learning to put four quarters together, they’re still learning how to deal with success just as much as they do with adversity. They could easily have folded, and they didn’t.” Windermere bent but never broke. In the third quarter — after the Patriots snagged an interception at the Windermere 43-yard line — the Wolverines found their guts and held on to stuff the visiting team for no points. They followed with two more touchdowns from Dozier and a big-time, 75-yard pick-six to help put the Wolverines up 49-21 — scores that helped in the long run because the Patriots finished the game by scoring two more times before the clock ran out. Now, the Wolverines get to face off against a Boone team that beat them 41-0 at the end of October. Despite the outcome of that game — which goes down Friday, Nov. 20 — the Wolverines now have something for which they had been searching for for a long time: Hope.

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athletes — and parents — the weight of the moment. “Signing a letter of intent is a tremendous honor,” Montgomery said. “I encourage you to make the most out of this wonderful opportunity and continue to pursue excellence at the next level. You’ve put in the work, and you have invested the time into not only become great student-athletes, but great individuals.” One by one, each of the nine student-athletes got the chance to say a little something to the crowd, which for some may have been almost as nerve-wracking as the signing itself. Senior Meagan Goldsmith, who rows for the Orlando Area Rowing Society, signed her letter of intent to compete at the University of Virginia. But the decision didn’t fully sink in until the ceremony. “At first, when I first committed — which was back in March — it was super relieving,” Goldsmith said. “But now, as it gets more real — like I actually signed a contract today — it’s a little bit scary, but I’m still super excited to go.” Although all athletes made their choice for myriad reasons, it was a combination of things that drew Goldsmith to UVA. “I’d say I’m equally excited to be challenged academically and in rowing,” she said. “They have amazing coaches there. The head coach, Kevin (Sauer), is a coach for the U23 National Team, so he is a high-level coach, and he has been a high-level coach forever. He’s been at UVA for the past 20 years, and they’ve won the ACC championship, I’m pretty sure, 19 out of the 20 years he’s been there. So, I’m super excited to go there and be able to be a part of a really good team.” As Goldsmith got a few photos taken with her family, McCalister thought about what his future holds at Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach. The big man still has a final season of high school ball to play — which started with preseason action Tuesday, Nov. 17 — but he’s already nailing down his goals for his first year of collegiate basketball. “Accolades speaking, I’m trying to be an All-American when I get there freshman year — that would be a tremendous accolade for me,” McCalister said.

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Wilma Louise Hensley DeWall, born March 26, 1915, on a farm in LaSalle County, Ilinois, to Samuel Earl Hensley Sr. and Eva Lee Holliday Hensley. Louise, age 105, died Nov. 7, 2020, in Winter Garden, Florida. Louise was educated in LaSalle County Schools and began in a one-room schoolhouse, Earlville, Illinois. On Aug. 22, 1935, she married Gerald Merritt Christopher Sr. at the First Presbyterian Church in Earlville. Two children were born of this union, Wilma Jean Christopher Aubry and Gerald Merritt Christopher Jr., both of Winter Garden, Florida. The two children were raised in Rockford, Illinois. Preceded in death by her loving parents, Samuel and Eva Hensley, Rockford; and sisters, Christine Hensley Harris (Delbert), LaQuinta, California, Blanche Hensley Nelson (Charles), Rockford, Illinois; and brother, Samuel Earl Hensley Jr., (Alice), Aurora, Colorado; and her loving husband, Urban F. DeWall, Rockford, Illinois. She is survived by her two children; seven grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; and many dear nieces and nephews. Louise was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Rockford, Illinois, taught Sunday school and was the assistant to the Sunday school superintendent. When her children were in the scouting programs, she was a leader for Brownies, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Louise was also active in the Parent Teacher Association. At age 27, she was asked to serve as Republican Judge at the election polls and served eight years. In following years, she was a member of the National Federation of Republican Women. DONALD A. KALEBAUGH DIED NOV. 10, 2020.

Donald A. Kalebaugh, 64, of Ocoee, Florida, passed away on Nov. 10, 2020, at his residence in Ocoee, Florida. Don was born on Feb. 7, 1956, in Hidalgo County, Texas. He was the son of Raymond and Carol Kalebaugh and was preceded in death by his brother, Richard Kalebaugh,

They worked to get Lynn Martin elected as a Senator to Congress, where she served two terms and worked to get the Hyde Amendment on Abortion passed. She is a Lifetime Member of the National Republican Party, and at 100 years of age, she received the Order of Merit Certificate in 2015. In the mid-1950s, she was a Buyer and Department Manager for Rockford Standard Furniture, the second largest furniture company in Illinois. Louise had a gift for decorating, and her position eventually led her to go to customers’ homes and offices to select furniture, carpeting and lighting for their needs and personalities. While in this line of work she encountered many people who were confident in their choices until it came to lighting. She became lovingly known as the “Ol Lamplighter.” In December 1973, she and Urban F. DeWall, owner of DeWall Trucking, Rockford, Illinois, were married at Oakland Presbyterian Church, Oakland, Florida. In 1974, they toured Northern Germany and Austria with his family members of Forreston, Illinois. They visited with the ancestors and enjoyed seeing the original homes and businesses still in existence. After her husband’s death, Louise filled her life with activities at the Oakland church, making friends with many of the longtime members. She had many talents but favored entertaining, preparing and planning food for family and large groups, and that led to a library of cookbooks, and espe-

cially those written by members of churches, and Junior Service League cookbooks from all over the U.S. She loved to read so carefully selected history books, past and present, for her library. Her home reflected her love for having tea with friends with a tea cart and tea set ready to serve. Louise will be buried in Forreston Grove Presbyterian Cemetery, Forreston, Illinois. Due to the year of the 2020 pandemic (COVID-19), there will be no celebrations or viewings. The family requests memorial gifts may be made in Louise’s name to the Oakland Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 38, Oakland, FL 34760.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

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