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EAST COUNTY
You. Your neighbors. Your neighborhood.
NEWS
Mixon Fruit Farms welcomes public to Harvest Festival. PAGE 1B
OUR TOWN
free • Thursday, november 29, 2012
SPORTS
SPECIAL
Look inside for our annual Holiday Gift Guide.
Observer team slides into the spotlight PAGE 15A.
by Pam Eubanks | Managing Editor transition beauty and the feet
Residents take control of CDD Three residents were sworn in Nov. 20, to serve on Lakewood Ranch CDD 6.
+ Sensational sound-off
LAKEWOOD RANCH — The decision is now in the hands of the people. Lakewood Ranch Community Development District 6 took a dramatic shift Nov. 20, when three residents were sworn in to public office, replacing developer representatives from Neal Communities and forming the district’s first
resident-only controlled board. James Hill and Doug Ferry, who were appointed following the resignations of two developer representatives, joined Jane Bruyer, who was elected to a four-year term, on the board. “We’ve worked hard in anticipation of this date, and are pleased with the selection of
these board members and the election of Ms. Bruyer,” Supervisor Bob Burstein said. “I’m confident, as we move forward, the CDD has a firm grasp of our responsibilities and looks forward to carrying them out. “On behalf of the board of supervisors, I would like to thank the departing Neal Communi-
ties supervisors and internal staff for their co-operation dedication and service to the CDD,” he said. Supervisor Richard Williams, one of the board’s original resident members who also serves as the district’s representative on the Inter-District Authority
SEE CDD / PAGE 8A
Braden River High School’s Marching Band took home a championship title Nov. 17, after winning the Florida Marching Band Coalition’s 3A State Championship, at Tropicana Field. Lakewood Ranch High School’s Marching Band also won top honors, taking third place in the 4A competition.
+ Reindeer spotting? The Juliano family, of River Club, spotted these deer in their neighborhood over Thanksgiving weekend. “(My) kids said Santa’s reindeer are here,” mom Paddi Juliano said.
+ A toothy, thankful grin Creekwood Dental hosted its second annual Giving Thanks with a Smile free dentistry day Nov. 20. The first 100 patients who came in for either a filling, a cleaning or an extraction received free services.
SEE OUR TOWN / PAGE 4A
TEAM SPIRIT Pam Eubanks
Members of Team Nail It huddled with excitement, before the start of their next match-up, during The Out-of-Door Academy’s annual Turkey Bowl flag football competition. For more photos, see page 3A.
winter warmth
by Josh Siegel | Staff Writer
NBA Cares to land in Lakewood Bob Delaney brings worldwide coat drive home.
LAKEWOOD RANCH — When National Basketball Association (NBA) Commissioner David Stern called Bob Delaney on Thanksgiving eve last year, the freshly retired referee didn’t think the conversation would circle back to Lakewood Ranch. After schmoozing about retire-
ment life, Stern offered Delaney a position as the NBA Cares Ambassador, a title the recent Lakewood Ranch Citizen of the Year Sandies award winner wouldn’t accept unless he could tie the work in with the local community. Delaney will bring the annual
NBA Cares Coat Drive to Lakewood Ranch Main Street from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, to provide winter clothes to the needy, with a focus on Hurricane Sandy victims. Coats, gloves and scarves collected at
SEE COATS / PAGE 8A
INDEX Briefs....................7A Calendar............ 10A
Classifieds .......... 9B Cops Corner....... 14A
Crossword............ 8B Real Estate.......... 6B
Sports................ 15A Weather............... 8B
Vol. 13, No. 46 | Two sections YourObserver.com