WINDERMERE
Observer Serving Southwest Orange County
For love of golf PAGE 17A
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 1, NO. 6
FREE
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2015
Independence Park to open this weekend The park is adjacent to Independence Elementary School in the Independence village of Horizon West. PAGE 4A
Thompson challenges Demings, Webster for U.S. House seat
RECYCLING DREAMS AFTER DIVORCE
State Sen. Geraldine Thompson would have to beat former Orlando Police Chief Val Demings in the Democratic primary to face incumbent Rep. Daniel Webster in the General Election.
Tiffany Beverlin created Dreams Recycled for divorced people to sell their expensive wedding items and make the most of the situation. PAGE 4A
ZAK KERR STAFF WRITER
For District 12 State Sen. Geraldine Thompson, who represents much of West Orange County as part of her district, her decision to run for the seat of Florida’s 10th District in the U.S. House of Representatives was based in large part on the shiftThompson ing maps of Florida districts. “I decided in July when I realized that the Senate maps were going to be redrawn,” she said. “All 40 of the senators would have different districts, perhaps, than what we currently have, and this would be the third (cycle) in a row that I would have to run.” When Thompson saw her whole Florida Senate district was within the newly drawn U.S. House District 10, she thought one way or the other she would have to run and chose to run for Congress, she said. SEE THOMPSON PAGE 4A
YOUR TOWN Geronimo graduates from basic training Air Force Airman 1st Class Brandon M. Geronimo graduated from eight weeks of basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas. Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Geronimo earned distinction as an honor graduate. He is the son of Ronaldo Geronimo and grandson of Bienvenido Salas of Windermere. He graduated in 2009 from Alconbury High School, New York, and earned a bachelor’s degree in 2015 from the University of Tampa.
W.G. holding Thanksgiving food basket drive The city of Winter Garden is sponsoring an annual Thanksgiving food basket drive for the West Orange Christian Service Center. Individuals and groups that want to get involved can contact the Service Center at (407) 656-6678. A family receiving a food basket typically includes six people. Items required for a basket: $10 gift card to Publix or Winn Dixie, dessert, bread or mix, stuffing mix, two canned vegetables, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce. Place items in a box or plastic laundry basket. If purchasing a turkey, keep it separate so it can be refrigerated. Food baskets must be dropped off at the Christian Service Center, 300 W. Franklin St., Ocoee, by noon Friday, Nov. 20.
ARTS+CULTURE
Photo by Jennifer Nesslar
“Like everything in life, there’s a bad way, a good way and a better way. We think Dreams Recycled is the best way you can get divorced. We focus on the positivity; we focus on the future. If you have children, we focus on that. It’s just a better way to live your life, because in life there are a million curveballs that can come your way. You’ve got to figure out how to roll with that.” – Tiffany Beverlin
West Orange artist copes through creation
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