THE HIT LIST

TRAGEDY HITS HOME

On Nov. 14, 1970, Ruth and Jenkie Cottrell drove 627 miles from Eustis to Greenville, North Carolina to watch a football game between Marshall and East Carolina. They came to see their son, Stuart, a star quarterback at Eustis High School who started as a safety that day for the Marshall Thundering Herd.

Stuart didn’t disappoint. In the second quarter, he intercepted a pass and returned the ball 81 yards for the rst touchdown of his collegiate career. Ruth and Jenkie beamed with pride from the bleachers as their oldest son experienced this glorious gridiron moment.

After the game, which Marshall lost 17-14, Ruth and Jenkie talked to Stuart and hugged him goodbye. That would be the last time they saw him alive.

Hours later, a chartered ight carrying Marshall football players and coaches crashed into a West Virginia mountainside, killing all 75 passengers, including Stuart. This month marks the 50th anniversary of that crash, which is known as the worst accident in American sports history.

Stuart’s sister, Leigh Cottrell Cordiner of Winter Springs, was only 12 when he died. It was the rst time she had to cope with the death of a family member.

“I was a small girl who didn’t know how to handle death. I became quiet. I was confused for many years about life and death.”

Five decades later, she nds peace by remembering Stuart, not for the tragedy that took his life, but rather as a big brother who loved every minute of life.

“He had four younger siblings and was always attentive to us,” says Leigh, a 1977 graduate of Eustis High School. “He would take us to the store to get Icees and also take us to the drive-in movie theater in his 1958 Plymouth with his cheerleader girlfriend by his side. He’d also have us go outside and throw the football to us.”

Throwing the football was Stuart’s specialty. He was a secondteam all-state quarterback at Eustis High School, where he graduated in 1969. He led the Panthers football team to three straight conference titles and lettered in baseball, basketball and track. He also served as president of his senior class. Those achievements came with much fanfare.

“It was fun hanging around him because everyone would approach him and want to talk,” Leigh recalls. “I met a lot of people through him. He made a big impression on people.”

Years after his death, some haven’t forgotten how Stuart touched their lives. In 2007, Leigh traveled to Huntington, West Virginia to attend the premiere of “We Are Marshall,” a movie highlighting how Marshall University rebuilt its football program following the tragedy. A man who was on the freshman team in 1970 approached Leigh that night.

“He told me that freshman football players tend to get picked on by upperclassmen, but said Stuart was very encouraging to him and made him feel important. He said he was a friend to everybody and had great character.”

Stuart’s legacy lives on. Soon after he died, Eustis High renamed its baseball eld Stuart Cottrell Memorial Field, which features an engraved plaque with his name on it. Today, family members and friends pay tributes and share memories on a Facebook page called “Remembering Stuart Cottrell.”

“As his younger sister, I remember Stuart’s gentle attention,” Leigh says. “He didn’t mind babysitting me and readily included me in his life. I’m over 60 years old now and I still feel his genuine love.”

A LITTLE AREA HIS-STAR-Y LESSON

If one were to visit Yummi’s Frozen Yogurt and Cafe, 650 8th Street in downtown Clermont, they may notice many things inside and outside of the shop.

That includes the store’s cute logo; a smiley faced dollop of frozen swirls atop the “Y” in Yummi’s, a plethora of yogurt, sorbet and gelato avors, plenty of toppings to choose from and a cute choice of colors and décor inside the shop.

And if you haven’t noticed, there is a black star on the sidewalk right outside the shop’s front door. Wondering what it signi es?

Well, mystery solved! The star was put there in the 1920s when the corner building that is Yummi’s was a Texaco gas station. The star – the Texaco logo – is what remains of its history there.

In fact, there is video of it. Members of the Cooper Memorial Library Association Board of Directors in Clermont found it in a box containing photos, documents and an old reel of lm for a project involving an update to a historical book called “Clermont, Gem of the Hills (1884-1984)”. The book was republished as “From Gem of the Hills (1884-1984)”. The book was republished as “From Gem of the Hills to Choice of Champions” in December 2019.

theater in his 1958 Plymouth with his cheerleader girlfriend by his

Throwing the football was Stuart’s specialty. He was a secondand track. He also served as president of his senior class. Those approach him and want to talk,” Leigh recalls. “I met a lot of people

Years after his death, some haven’t forgotten how Stuart touched their lives. In 2007, Leigh traveled to Huntington, West Virginia to attend the premiere of “We Are Marshall,” a movie highlighting how Marshall University rebuilt its football program following the tragedy. A man who was on the freshman team in 1970 approached

“He told me that freshman football players tend to get picked on by upperclassmen, but said Stuart was very encouraging to him and made him feel important. He said he was a friend to everybody

Stuart’s legacy lives on. Soon after he died, Eustis High renamed its baseball eld Stuart Cottrell Memorial Field, which features an engraved plaque with his name on it. Today, family members and friends pay tributes and share memories on a Facebook page called

“As his younger sister, I remember Stuart’s gentle attention,” Leigh says. “He didn’t mind babysitting me and readily included me in his life. I’m over 60 years old now and I still feel his genuine love.”

The lm reel contains silent footage of Clermont shot over several years in the 1920s.

In di erent segments of the lm, the Yummi’s building appears as the Texaco and as a drug store. And at one point, the star on the sidewalk can be seen.

And that’s not the only Lake County building with a Texaco-based history. The Mount Dora Marketplace building at 100 E. 4th Ave., (home of Wolf Branch Brewing Company) also contains a piece of its own.

According to Marketplace owners, the building was a Texaco gas and service station with an adjoining Greyhound bus station in the 1930s. Below the wooden oorboards in the bar area, the actual lifts used to x the cars remain perfectly preserved.

Before Wolf Branch and its beloved craft beers moved in, a tap room called The Filling Station was considered. That name was a shout-out to the historical considered. That name was a shout-out to the historical aspect of the building. aspect of the building.

THANKSGIVING LEFTOVERS? LOOK LEFTOVERS? LOOK NO FURTHER NO FURTHER

Leftovers sandwiches are as much a part of Thanksgiving as turkey and dressing, but there Thanksgiving as turkey and dressing, but there are alternative ways to clean out the fridge after are alternative ways to clean out the fridge after holiday guests have gone back home. Instead of holiday guests have gone back home. Instead of a sandwich, try a Thanksgiving leftovers taco. a sandwich, try a Thanksgiving leftovers taco.

With sweet potatoes, if they’re not mashed With sweet potatoes, if they’re not mashed already, mash them until there’s no lumps, already, mash them until there’s no lumps, and slowly knead in our until a tortilla dough and slowly knead in our until a tortilla dough forms. You’ll end up adding roughly one-part forms. You’ll end up adding roughly one-part our to two-parts sweet potato, but only add our to two-parts sweet potato, but only add about a tablespoon or so at a time. about a tablespoon or so at a time.

Next, scoop dough into 2-3-inch balls and use Next, scoop dough into 2-3-inch balls and use a oured rolling pin to roll into thick tortillas. a oured rolling pin to roll into thick tortillas. Once that’s done, spray a pan and cook each Once that’s done, spray a pan and cook each tortilla until it’s lightly browned on each side. tortilla until it’s lightly browned on each side. Lastly, ll it up with turkey, gravy, veggies, Lastly, ll it up with turkey, gravy, veggies, cranberry sauce, and whatever else was on your cranberry sauce, and whatever else was on your table (Well, maybe not pumpkin pie). Enjoy! table (Well, maybe not pumpkin pie). Enjoy!

P.S. Spicy shrimp tacos is another great P.S. Spicy shrimp tacos is another great way to use sweet potato tortillas! Try sautéing way to use sweet potato tortillas! Try sautéing shrimp with any cooking oil, chili powder, shrimp with any cooking oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt, black cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt, black pepper and cayenne, then add fresh cilantro pepper and cayenne, then add fresh cilantro and lime to taste. Or, make a breakfast and lime to taste. Or, make a breakfast taco with eggs, cheese, avocado and your taco with eggs, cheese, avocado and your favorite hot sauce. favorite hot sauce.

A CORNY FALL MUST STOP

Looking for somewhere unique to take the kids for some fall-inspired fun, but also need some yummy produce for your Thanksgiving menu? Look no further than Long and Scott Farms at 26216 County Road 448A, Mount Dora.

You can shop at the venue’s Farmer’s Market, featuring Kirby Pickling Cucumbers and Scott’s Zellwood Triple-Sweet Gourmet Corn, plus other fresh and local produce, jams and jellies, honey, sauces and various other products.

Also, according to Long and Scott Farms’ website, “If hankerin’ for delicious food,” one need only visit their café located adjacent to the market, where dishes like freshmade corn chowder, yummy sandwiches, and other goodies can be found.

But wait; that’s not all! Have kids? No worries. After shopping and eating, all can enjoy some old-fashioned fun in Scott’s Maze Adventures Park, which features a challenging themed sevenacre corn maze you can literally get lost in, jumping pillow, zip line, superslide, and more!

There’s also kids shing ($2 per child) and tours of the farm via hayride (for an additional $4 per person) on The Sweet Corn Express, which includes an audio presentation about the history of the farm that has provided produce since 1963.

Farm hours of operation are 9am–5pm Tuesday through Saturday and noon–5pm Sunday. The maze is only open on weekends.

All three fall attractions – the market, café, and maze – are open through Dec. 13, and this year the weekends will also include more live music according to Agritourism Manager Rebecca Scott Tyndall.

“We’re excited. We’re hoping people want to get outside,” Rebecca says. “We’d had a really tough year, so we’d love to see people out here for some great fun and if people want fresh local produce, we’ve got it!”

Additionally, Rebecca says that because of the coronavirus pandemic, masks inside and social distancing outside are encouraged, as are presale tickets to limit lines upon arrival.

For more information, or to purchase maze and hayride tickets, call 352.383.9000 or visit longandscottfarms.com.

PANDEMIC NEST

Just as many local parents were celebrating their empty nests, their kids are boomeranging back home. It’s all part of the 2020 trend, the “Pandemic Nest,” stemming the ripple e ect of COVID-19 which caused Junior to lose his job, or his college closed dorms and he has moved back home inde nitely.

Here are the stats:

• More than half of all young adults in the U.S. now live with their

parents — that’s a number not seen since the Great Depression, according to Pew Research Center. • A recent Zillow report of current population data reveals more than 32 million adults live with a parent or grandparent. • Millions of young adults moved back home because more than 1,000 colleges and universities have shifted to online-only or primarily online models for the foreseeable future, says the Chronicle of

Higher Education.

COVID CRUISERS

When gyms were closed due to coronavirus, Carroll Jaskulski and his wife Rozann Abato decided to refurbish their bicycles and started riding around Mount Dora. Soon, friends joined them, and former Mount Dora Mayor Melissa DeMarco introduced the cyclists to many paved trails in Central Florida.

“We now have a group of about 16 that I named the COVID Cruisers as a joke,” says Rozann. “After all, if it were not for COVID, our bikes would still be hanging in the garage.”

The group rides every Saturday and sometimes on a weekday.

“We have totally embraced all the wonderful bike trails in Central Florida that we never knew existed,” says Rozann. “We intend to survive this pandemic in a good mental and physical state of health.”

WHAT’S ON YOUR TABLE THIS THANKSGIVING?

Studies found that roasted turkey and pumpkin cheesecake were the most commonly searched recipes in Florida during Thanksgiving season last year. In previous years, green bean casserole and yams turned up on the list, along with, surprisingly, an. What will be No. 1 this year?

According to Bon Appétit Magazine, new recipe ideas on the menu include apple cider and rum punch, as well as spicy cranberry sauce using lime, jalapeños and shallots, roasted carrots with a creamy sauce, and cranberry lime pie, apple walnut upside down cake, or a salted caramel chocolate torte for dessert.