NEWS BRIEFS

Maryland Fried Chicken Announces Closing Date

In Other News

n Commissioners accepted the architectural building elevations and floor plan for the one-acre Remington Plaza commercial subdivision at 20 Remington Road. This is along an urban corridor, and the space will house medical offices; there are no restaurants in this project.

n Commissioners approved the consent agenda, which included the interim town manager appointment, as well as a change in lottery process, out-of-field teacher assignment, and safety and security policy and procedure approval for Oakland Avenue Charter School.

n The town proclaimed March as Women’s History Month.

lated at the outfall.

Koontz obtained three quotes for the projects, and they range from $129,500 to $280,000.

Residents have offered possible financial solutions, such as adding the project to the next budget, putting the money out upfront and then getting reimbursed by the various municipalities involved, and looking for grant money.

“We’re hesitant to jump in too deep and too far into this,” Koontz said.

“If you apply a simple solution to a complex problem, sometimes you make the problem worse,” said Joe Dunn, past president of Friends of Lake Apopka and current board member. “Kudos to you for doing the right things. And (FOLA) thanks you for that.”

The consensus was to keep moving forward with this issue and continue discussions.

After nearly 60 years in business, one Winter Garden restaurant has announced a closing date.

The owners of Maryland Fried Chicken announced the last intended day of business of Winter Garden’s restaurant will be Saturday, April 1.

The property, at 13675 W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden, went under contract in an auction Wednesday, March 1.

The brainchild of the Constantine family, Maryland Fried Chicken originally opened for business in 1959.

“It is with a heavy heart that we’re closing our doors after so many years in Winter Garden,” co-owner Kyle Sleeth said. “This was a place that our grandparents used to come as children and have since been bringing their families to enjoy the familiarity and homestyle feel that Maryland Fried Chicken has brought them over their lifetime.”

Maryland Fried Chicken has become a home away from home for their staff members. The Sleeths attribute the restaurant’s longtime success to the people who work there.

“The pressure-fried chicken is the draw for customers; but the smiles and hospitality from our staff make Maryland Fried Chicken extra special,” co-owner Sarah Sleeth said. All contents of Maryland Fried Chicken — including furniture and equipment — will be for sale during the business’ last month. Furthermore, the Sleeths will be offering commemorative T-shirts for sale. All proceeds from these sales will be given to the staff.

“Taking care of our people has always been our priority when closing became a reality,” Sarah Sleeth said.

The Sleeths felt it important to send off this mainstay with a bang, so a monthlong celebration has been planned for their grand closing.

Alerting residents of the closing was important to them so they could enjoy their childhood favorite chicken one last time.

“Fifty-seven years in business deserves to be celebrated, not mourned,” they said. “We hope local residents will come in and share a favorite story with our staff. We are thankful to the residents of Winter Garden, Florida, and the United States for their patronage.”

Former Nfl Player Sentenced For Attack

Former NFL running back Zac Stacy will spend six months in jail and one year on probation for the November 2021 domestic-violence attack on his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his child.

An Orange County judge delivered the sentence Monday, Feb. 27.

A video of the incident, which took place Nov. 13, 2021, in an apartment in the town of Oakland, went viral.

In an affidavit written during their investigation, Orlando Police Department officers said Stacy “struck (the victim) on the right side of her head, and picked her up and threw her against the television, causing it to crack and fall over. ... He continued yelling at her and striking her while she got up from the floor, and picked her up again and threw her into the baby’s bouncy chair. While she was still on the floor pleading for him to stop, he picked her up and body- slammed her onto a baby walker, causing the object to break.”

Stacy is a former running back for the then-St. Louis Rams and New York Jets and played from 20132015. He also played for the XFL’s Memphis Express.

Windermere Pd Welcomes New Staffer

The Windermere Police Department has welcomed a new member. Danyel Hylton is the new police clerk and administrative assistant. She was raised in Winter Garden and attended West Orange High School. She later graduated with high honors and magna cum laude with an associate’s degree from Seminole State College.

She always has been an active member of her church and community. She founded a nonprofit organization in 2017 that assists the homeless and impoverished community in the east Winter Garden and downtown Orlando areas.

Hylton is the mother of two adult daughters. When not working, she can almost always be found near a body of water. She enjoys walks by lakes, afternoon boating and trips to the beach.

“Danyel’s humble upbringing and life experiences have cultivated a deep fervor for serving others,” Chief Dave Ogden wrote on a Facebook post. “She lives by core values of honor, integrity and service.”