East county observer 4 22 15

Page 1

E A ST COUNTY

Observer Lakewood Ranch’s weekly newspaper since 1998

GULLETT CHOMPS THE CHOMP. 1B

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

VOLUME 17, NO. 23

FREE

YOUR TOWN

THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

WATER PARK CONCEPT

MARCHING FOR VETERANS

WILL IT FLOAT? An Orlando developer seeks support for the Lost Lagoon water park.

The annual Tribute to Heroes Memorial Day parade tradition will march on, despite previous discussions about the possibility of canceling the celebration. The event begins at 5 p.m. Sunday, May 24, with the parade starting at 6 p.m. on Lakewood Ranch Main Street. But organizers need help to continue the tradition and are seeking sponsors, floats and musicians/bands. Residents can also enter decorated golf carts or their own floats; prizes will be awarded. Children who wish to participate in the bicycle-decorating contest also should register. To get involved, contact Associate Publisher Lori Ruth at 302-3079.

ARTS+CULTURE

PAGE 3A

Bill Gridley, of Tandem Communications

For the Love of the Cats Barb Miller loves cats, and she’s on a quest to save the ‘wild’ ones — particularly a feral colony behind an East County apartment complex. COMMUNITY HIRE

PAM EUBANKS SENIOR EDITOR

ANIMATION DOMINATION

Ringling College transforms student artists into professional movie animators.

BLACK BLUE TIE & BUTTERFLIES

TIE

Child Protection Center pulls in $489,000 at its biggest fundraising event.

INSIDE

EAST COUNTY — Barb Miller starts her days before sunrise by feeding her cats — all 50 or so of them. Well, they aren’t her cats exactly, although she has names for more than half of the residents of the seven feral cat colonies she feeds along State Road 64 in the morning and the handful of other cat colonies along University Parkway she visits at night. During her visits, the 68-yearold Lakewood Ranch resident grabs buckets of cat kibble from the trunk of her car, walks to the cats’ eating areas and pours food for their nourishment. She rarely, if ever talks, so as not to disrupt their normal routines. A few of them walk toward her, eager for a morning back rub. “I never talk when I go to feed them. I use my hands,” Miller said. “I’m all business.” But Miller is worried about one cat colony she cares for: a group of approximately 20 cats behind Eden Pointe Apartments. The apartment complex’s man-

SEE CATS PAGE 8A

Pam Eubanks

Lakewood Ranch resident Barb Miller has been involved in caring for feral cats since she was a child. “A friend of mine said there is no out from rescue,” she says. “It’s like mafia. Death is (the out).

The Lakewood Ranch Community Activities organization has a new director: Kyanne Merrill. Merrill, originally from the New England area, has worked in the community association management industry for the last decade with Lighthouse Property Management. “We are so thrilled to have Kyanne join our organization,” said Marie Gowgiel, board chairwoman of LWRCAC. “Kyanne’s expertise and work experience will enable LWRCAC to increase events and activities for our residents, especially at a time of substantial growth in resident numbers and diversity of interests. There is no doubt our residents will enjoy working with Kyanne.”


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
East county observer 4 22 15 by The Observer Group Inc. - Issuu