WINDERMERE
Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
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VOLUME 3, NO. 7
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Windermere Prep throws 2017 Fall Festival. PAGE 3.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2017
Fourth-quarter heroics Dr. Phillips’ season keeps rolling after last-second TD lifts Panthers past Osceola. SEE PAGE 21.
False threat locks down Windermere High — again A text message sent to a parent Nov. 15 caused a three-hour lockdown at the new high school. OBSERVER STAFF
Following the second false threat to lock down Windermere High School since it opened in August, Orange County Sheriff’s Office officials and Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. SEE TEXT PAGE 4
YOUR TOWN
Melyna and Dahlia Herrera and Allegra Iurcotta enjoyed seeing the lights.
TREES AVAILABLE AT HIGH SCHOOL
Let there be light!
Santa’s Old-Fashioned Christmas Trees will be selling fresh trees and wreaths at the Windermere High School. Chorus students are making fresh wreaths, and proceeds from this sale will benefit the department. Santa’s Old-Fashioned Christmas Trees also is making a donation to the school’s musical.
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Photos by Danielle Hendrix
ARTS & CULTURE
Dr. Phillips High School students exhibit ukecan-do-it attitude with new club.
SEE 16.
Nicole Queenan and sons Jackson and Jacob matched in their holiday sweaters.
Leaders OK $16,300 to replace tower clock The clock has stood there for six years, but one resident believes that is no reason to spend $16,000 to replace it. GABBY BAQUERO
Given the ubiquity of wristwatches, iPhones and Fitbits, some residents might have failed to notice, but the town’s WINDERMERE
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Postal Customer
— DANIELLE HENDRIX
SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 4
NEWS EDITOR
PRSRT STD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID WINTER GARDEN, FL PERMIT NO. 81
he holidays officially arrived in Windermere Friday, Nov. 17, as the town lit its Christmas tree to signify the start of the season. It was also food truck night, and hundreds of community members gathered with lawn chairs, blankets, family and friends to eat and celebrate with some holiday cheer. Many came dressed in Christmas sweaters or reindeer antlers, and kids got to play in a pit of “snow” behind Town Hall.
self-described iconic tower clock is broken. Windermere Mayor Gary Bruhn was the first to take notice of the nonfunctioning clock, which SEE CLOCK PAGE 4
BLACK
TIE Matthew’s Hope hosts fourth annual Harvest for Hope Garden Party.
SEE 7.