WEST ORANGE TIMES &
DPHS GRAD SERVING WITH NAVY IN ITALY
Petty Officer 3rd Class Vanessa Benzaquen, daughter of Gladys Vivas, a resident of Ocoee, is serving in the U.S. Navy assigned to U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command, Sigonella/U.S. Naval Hospital, Sigonella, Italy. She serves as a hospital corpsman responsible for assisting healthcare professionals in providing medical care to Navy personnel and their families.
Benzaquen, a 2012 graduate of Dr. Phillips High School, joined the Navy more than three years ago and graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Science in psychology.
“I joined the Navy to further my education and for the opportunities the Navy provides and for job security,” Benzaquen said.
Photos by Michael Eng
Hazel Jones and Ava Johnson served up plenty of Ms. Bee’s Gourmet Popcorn.
Vocal Flash performed with plenty of charisma.
Sports complex earns Ocoee approvals
SAM ALBUQUERQUE SPORTS EDITOR
The Ocoee City Commission unanimously approved at its Feb. 18 meeting two key ordinances regarding the development of The Dynasty | Ocoee, a billion-dollar regional sports complex coming to the city — an amendment to the site’s large-scale comprehensive plan future land use map designation from low-density residential and conservation to commercial and the rezoning of the site to city PUD. During the second reading of these two ordinances, representatives of the development presented key aspects of the project, provided an updated timeline of the development process and answered questions and concerns from the commission and public.
“I want to make sure that everybody here understands that this is
not the closing of the project,” said Marcos Bastian, a representative for Montierre Development, during the meeting. “This is actually what I jokingly call the end of the beginning. … (It is) actually starting what is going to be the most palpable, most visible piece of this project, which is all of the site planning, all of the design, all of the permitting. If you are concerned that you haven’t heard about this project, there’s still a lot of ground to cover. There’s still a lot of communication that we’re going to have with everybody, including all members of the public and this board. … From here until probably about the middle of this year is when we go through the site review and approval process, which is going to also come to this board. We’re already working with environmental permitting … so we can actually start doing site work and two very important things,
“There’s six families that live there, and we’re going to be heavily impacted by this. So, is there some type of sound or visual barrier that they’ve designed to be able to put up around us … (to) eliminate any potential problems that can come from thousands of people every week coming through our property?”
— Ed Roberts, Ocoee resident
which is the site mitigation work and the site preparation work.”
Several residents took the opportunity to express concerns and approval or ask questions during the public comment section of the ordinances’ reading.
“I’m glad the project’s going to happen, but there’s about a 5-acre tract that they showed that was all wooded in the southeast corner of their tract; well, that’s our properties,” Ocoee resident Ed Roberts said. “There’s six families that live there, and we’re going to be heavily impacted by this. So, is there some type of sound or visual barrier that they’ve designed to be able to put up around us … (to) eliminate any potential problems that can come from thousands of people every week coming through our property?”
Owner and developer Jaime Douglas said his company has various methods to mitigate Roberts’ concerns and is committed to continuing to have discussions with him and members of the community throughout the process.
“Absolutely, we have various methods to make (Roberts’) life as normal as possible in this effect,” he said. “We’ll commit to furthering those discussions throughout this
today, we can take a step back and reinvigorate those conversations that we had previously or discuss what we’re going to do with the site plan to make that as feasible as possible.”
Bastian also addressed a variety of other concerns, including traffic, growth and environmental impacts.
“The reality is that this is a lifechanging project,” he said. “It doesn’t happen every day, but I also know that you all have concerns. The fact that (you all are) here, nobody comes to a public meeting on a Tuesday night unless they have something on their mind.
“I cannot read minds but I can pretty much guess that a number of you here have traffic as your primary concern,” Bastian said. “As we have stated over and over during the public planning process, Jamie has committed to improvements to the existing roadway network (that’s) way beyond what any other developer would do. … This project is different because, without those improvements, this does not succeed. Nobody wants to come to Ocoee to be stuck in traffic. So, part of our success is to make sure that access, in and out, and flow through between the project and all these other destinations that
n The Ocoee City Commission approved a 10-item consent agenda by a 3-1 vote without discussion. District 4 Commissioner George Oliver III made a motion to pull or discuss item No. 5 — which was about the city taking control of operations for Ocoee Little League — but his motion did not receive a second. The city received a letter from thenpresident of the organization, Reann Fitzpatrick, stating the board was dissolving.
n Among the consent agenda items approved by the commission was the approval of appointment of Jason Mellen as an alternate member of the 2025 Canvassing Board; approval of the 429 Business Center Plat — which is required to create two new lots, Tract A and Tract B; and the approval of the final large scale plan for the Covington Oaks subdivision; a nearly 10-acre and 17-lot development located in District 4 north of A.D. Mims Road and west of North ApopkaVineland Road.
n The commission heard a presentation by Lake Apopka Natural Gas District CEO Brent Haywood. His presentation
The March 11 Ocoee general election will ask residents to choose between incumbent George Oliver III and challenger Ages Hart for the District 4 City Commission seat.
Beyond opposing each other in this election, the two commission candidates have a deeper connection that makes this race one of the most interesting
GEORGE OLIVER III
Age: 57
Family: Wife, Deborah; children, Karte, George, Kameron, Christian and Isaac; six grandchildren
Education: Two associate’s degrees in paralegal studies, litigation and transactional; bachelor’s degree in business management; MBA, University of Phoenix
Relevant experience: Ocoee District 4 commissioner from 2018-23, 202425; Florida Supreme Court-certified mediator; member of the Washington Shores Community Development Board; board member of United Sports Complex, a non-profit organization that supports youth initiatives in and around Orange County Years as Ocoee resident: 23 years
Why are you the best candidate for the Ocoee City Commission District 4 seat?
I have a vision for the city that will allow us to plan for the next 40 years. A vision that will address issues such as sit-down restaurants, retail economic development, infrastructure and a better quality of life for all citizens of Ocoee. The amount of work that we have completed over the past year speaks volumes to the residents of District 4.
Some of the projects that we have completed in just one short year include:
1. The completion of the widening of Clarke Road (project completion in two weeks)
2. Three 5G towers have been installed
3. Fiber optic cabling is being installed throughout the district
4. New playground equipment is being installed in two parks
in West Orange. Oliver, who first won the District 4 seat in 2018 and became the city’s first black commissioner, stepped down from the seat in 2023 to challenge for the mayor’s office.
Hart was then appointed to fill the District 4 seat as the interim commissioner, serving in the role for 11 months until the city held a special election in March
Infrastructure improvement plans (road improvements, extensions, traffic lights, sidewalks, street lights, 5G, parks, wildlife reserve areas, etc.) should be on the forefront of all development discussions.
Both you and your opponent have served in this capacity. Why are you the better choice for District 4 residents?
I work with my team to get things done with a sense of urgency. I served in the seat from 2018-2023 and bring experience that my opponent just does not have.
1. I will be able to walk into office from Day 1 and pickup where I left off.
2. I have developed relationships with federal, state and county officials that have proven to be valuable to the growth of our city.
3. I have a platform that addresses the issues we face in the district.
4. I have a vision (40-year plan) not just for the district but for the entire city, which can be reviewed at GeorgeOliver3rd.com
5. My vision for the district and the city is a vision that considers generations to come, such as Gen-Z, Gen-Alpha and Gen-Bravo.
AGES HART
Age: 57
Family: Wife, Dr. Lori Hart; three daughters, Ashley, Brittany and Caitlin
Education: A graduate of Oak Ridge High School; pharmacy degree, Florida A&M University
Relevant experience: Served as Ocoee interim commissioner of District 4. Thirty-six-year career with Walgreens, holding multiple leadership roles, including pharmacy intern, staff pharmacist, pharmaceutical calculations trainer for pharmacy technician certification and shift manager.
Years as Ocoee resident: 32 years
Why are you the best candidate for the Ocoee City Commission District 4 seat?
THE CANDIDATES Ocoee District 4 City Commission
5. Played a part in the approval of the city’s first billon-dollar project (Dynasty Sports Complex)
6. Have been a champion for small businesses throughout the city
If elected, what would be your top three issues to address for the city of Ocoee?
1. The redevelopment of the West Oaks Mall. They are a privately held entity with no debt. The entire City Commission has to come together along with staff to form a united front and visit the headquarters to propose a collaborative plan regarding redevelopment. … I have had the opportunity to meet a few key players who might prove to be instrumental in establishing a line of communication between the mall owners and a prominent developer.
2. More sit-down restaurants. The city could possibly have more sitdown restaurants if we would get out of the box and visit other cities with similar footprints and ask them how were they able to transform a dead or dying area into a bustling array of sitdown restaurants and retail shops.
3. Balance between development, infrastructure and green space.
The biggest difference between me and my opponent is that I get things done. When my opponent was asked what did he do in the 12 months that he occupied the seat, he could not answer because he did nothing, a wasted opportunity to serve.
Describe how your faith would influence the way you would perform the duties of this seat.
According to Proverbs 16:9, which says: “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” The thought is that God is in control of outcomes and our plans should be aligned according to His will. I would base my actions on the needs of the community while standing on my faith and biblical principles.
How important is your race in terms of representing Ocoee residents on the City Commission?
I personally don’t think that race is important in terms of how I serve the residents of Ocoee. My service to District 4 and the city is predicated on how effective I am in getting things done. My focus and mission is and has always been to move our city forward as ONE OCOEE. If elected, will you commit to serv-
2024. Hart chose not to run in the special election. Oliver, after losing the mayoral election, run and won his old seat to complete the one remaining year of the original four-year term. These answers have been edited for space. The entire, unedited responses are available at OrangeObserver.com.
well as increase police patrols.
3. Controlling Development. I want to ensure that green spaces and pedestrian-friendly areas are maintained and are key components in our future developments. It is essential that we maintain the natural beauty of our city.
My family moved to Orange County in 1927. Over the generations, the history of Orange County has been passed down to me. My wife and I bought our first and second homes in the city of Ocoee and raised our daughters here. I have lived the Ocoee experience, and I understand the needs of Ocoee. District 4 has many people who are new to Ocoee, so my experience can help me to be a better mediator for them than my opponent. I understand the importance of leaders being available for the citizens at all times, not just during election time. I understand the importance of being trustworthy and a role model for our youth to emulate, as well as representing the city of Ocoee with character. I also understand the importance of working as a team, knowing that one commissioner cannot do anything alone. Citizens’ concerns become my concerns, and I will do my due diligence to follow up with them about their concerns.
If elected, what would be your top three issues to address for the city of Ocoee?
1. Public safety. I want to make sure that when our citizens leave their homes, they feel safe and secure. This will require that we are properly staffed in our police and fire departments. I will work with the city staff to recruit and retain the best-qualified candidates.
2. Traffic. Traffic has always been a major concern in District 4. The Clarke Road expansion is nearly completed, but we still have many challenges. The increased growth in Apopka has caused an increase in the traffic that flows through Ocoee. Therefore, I will work with Orange County to ensure that they pay their fair share for the required road improvements.
In addition, I have received numerous calls from residents about speeding and running stop signs in their neighborhoods. As commissioner, I will work with city staff to increase signage for these areas, as
Both you and your opponent have served in this capacity. Why are you the better choice for District 4 residents?
Anyone can go back and look at my time in office and compare it with my opponent’s time. They will see the difference. Many people have thanked me for my preparedness and professionalism during city meetings. The agenda comes out on Friday before the commission meeting, which gives us enough time to ask for clarification before the meeting. I have always been prepared to engage in productive dialogue. My opponent often asks questions that have been addressed in the staff reports, which indicates the lack of preparation on his behalf — as was seen again in the Feb. 18 meeting.
I also represented the city I love, my home, well. I am always promoting the great things in Ocoee as a testimony that Ocoee is the “Center of Good Living.”
Describe how your faith would influence the way you would perform the duties of this seat. How my faith would influence my duties as commissioner is summed up in Galatians 5:22-23. These verses talk about the fruit of the spirit — love, joy, peace, meekness and gentleness, to name a few. This helps me to be compassionate and understanding with the people I meet. I strive to meet people where they are and understand their needs. It helps me to remember, although, we may disagree, we are not enemies and it helps me to look for the good in others. My faith has served me well during my 36 years as a pharmacist, and I know my faith will help me serve the citizens of Ocoee well.
How important is your race in terms of representing Ocoee residents on the City Commission? My desire is to be a good commissioner for District 4, who just so happens to be black. The character, commitment and the integrity of the person — and not the race — that sits on the dais are some of the key
WAY BACK WHEN
Pat Brooks Angry
Angry’s mind is like a sponge, holding all the memories of 82 years of living in east Winter Garden.
AMY QUESINBERRY PRICE
COMMUNITY EDITOR
Editor’s note: Way Back When is a recurring feature that records and preserves the stories and memories of longtime West Orange and Southwest Orange residents.
Pat Brooks Angry grew up in a time when it took an entire family to raise a child. A lifelong resident of east Winter Garden, she always has felt a connection to her hometown, its residents and its future.
Angry was born on Winter Garden’s east side, likely at home on North Street, 82 years ago to Carrie and Arthur Williams. Her father was serving in the military at the time, and her mother already had two small children to raise, so her cousin and her husband, Malonie and John Brooks, raised her. They also raised her aunt, Annie Pearl Mullins, who later cooked at all the neighborhood restaurants.
“If a family was large, some of the relatives who didn’t have any kids took them in,” Angry said. “That’s the way it was. … Black people didn’t adopt back in the day; they just took them in.”
Angry recalled having a wonderful childhood and said she was probably one of the more privileged black children around. Her father was a truck driver for the Roper family — and might have driven one of the first diesel trucks in the area, she said. Her mother did the ironing for many families, including the Ropers.
GETTING AN EDUCATION
Angry’s mind is like a sponge, holding all the memories of 82 years of living in one community. She attended her primary grades at the Winter Garden Colored School, located at Center and 10th streets, the same school her mother attended. At Christmastime in 1948, it was moved to a site between Maple Street and East Story Road, most recently occupied by Orange Technical College — Westside Campus.
“I had to catch the bus up on Ninth Street; they had a bus that came from Tildenville,” Angry said. “It picked up Mr. (Henry) Birdsong’s children, and then it came down Ninth Street, where I was supposed to catch it, which I rarely did because I missed it. Daddy would come back in the work truck and take me to school.”
Angry remembers 10 wooden buildings with a restroom in the center of them. One of the classrooms had the cafeteria. A gymnasium was built in the 1950s, she said. Elementary students attended school there until Maxey Elementary School was built on Maple Street. The black school later became Charles R. Drew High School, from which Angry would graduate.
“My teachers — I remember every last one of them,” Angry said. “Mrs.
(Juanita) Maxey taught me from first to third grade; Miss Connie, her sister-in-law, taught me from fourth to sixth grade. And then in seventh grade you had different teachers, (such as) Mrs. Hattie Mae Wright, Mr. T.H. Charleston.
“Mr. Charleston was the most comical man you would ever want to meet,” she said. “He made you learn. I never will forget him. I will never forget Mrs. Maxey. I will never forget any of my teachers. Lester Starling … taught all the maths. Mr. Walden – he was the band teacher, but he taught the sciences.”
Angry played clarinet in the band, and she also took chorus under the direction of Miss Sampson.
“We really excelled under her; we really put Winter Garden on the map — we were that good,” she said. “We had gone to Tallahassee to the state competition, and they had a lot of Germans there. Before we started singing, they were mocking us, but then they put down their pencils and enjoyed the music. We got all A-pluses. Mr. (William S.) Maxey would follow us because it did him good to say, ‘They’re my kids.’”
MAPPED OUT
Angry remembers where everyone lived and what business was located where. In fact, she provided the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation with a hand-drawn map that lays out the entire community she lived in as a child. When she was growing up in the 1940s and ’50s, the neighborhood was full of small businesses, including taxi companies, grocery stores and a slew of bars and jook joints.
One of the stores, Mr. Richardson’s Grocery Store, was located on Center Street and belonged to Hezekiah Richardson.
“Most kids couldn’t say Hezekiah, so we called him Mr. Ki,” Angry said. Taking a mental walk west down the street, Angry also remembers a taxi cab company, barber shop, duplex, former Winter Garden City Commissioner Mildred Dixon’s family’s house, church parsonage, Holt’s Pool Room and Dry Cleaner and, on the corner of Ninth and Center, a building that housed a snack and jook joint and a laundry. Cross the street and head back east to find several small houses Mr. Wil-
cox rented out; a house that later was moved for the filming of “Rosewood” in the 1990s, Angry said; another snack and jook joint that also served as a house; and then the only sidewalk in east Winter Garden, according to Angry.
The Merchant family owned several pieces of property and small rental houses, as did the Holts and the Boulers.
“The Holts had what we call a soda shop and ice cream shop, and they sold hot dogs and teenagers used to have a dance in there,” Angry said
The street also boasted a joint in which Lucy Bouler cooked for the neighborhood’s working men.
“She fed most of the guys that were single, made lunch to take to work with them, and then in the evening they ate there,” Angry said. “Next to that was a shoeshine shop, and they called him Daddio.”
Ginny Burch had a restaurant near there, and Sam “Teeny” Manuel owned a café next door. Next to that was Daisy Brown’s restaurant. All served soul food, Angry said.
As was common at the time, the businesses — including restaurants, jook joints, pool rooms, dry cleaners and a fish market — occupied the downstairs and the upstairs had several rooms for rent.
Also on Center Street was the popular Dyson’s Plaza, which housed everything from a taxi service to a jook joint, beer garden, restaurant, convenience store and icehouse. Next door was an open field.
“People used to set up barbecue pits and sell barbecue there,” Angry said.
Further down the street was a kindergarten run by Rosa Toney.
“One of the best teachers around,” Angry said. “You learned something when you went there at an early age. … I went there, and I knew how to do all the things, (like) read and write. I started there when I was about 2 years old until about 5 years old; I was ready to move on. She taught out of her house. She was a babysitter. She was a teacher. I can’t say how much she charged or anything, but most of the kids around here went to her. And then they went across the street to the elementary school, Winter Garden Colored School.”
The neighborhood boasted several churches, including St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal at Center and 11th streets, Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church at Ninth and Plant streets and Ninth Street Church of Christ.
EAST WINTER GARDEN IS HOME
As a child, Angry lived on Story Road near Ninth Street. The house was built using wood from another house that had been torn down.
“My daddy, he built that house out there on Story,” she said. “He moved the lumber out there, and during the summer of 1948 he built that house. My job was to take the nails out of the boards, because, back then, if you didn’t go up north, the men stayed here and didn’t have anything to do in the winter. Me and him built the house. They tore down the house recently.”
Angry attended one year of college at Florida A&M before getting married and having children, six in all. She is now a grandmother to 18.
She graduated from nursing school and worked at the old West Orange Memorial Hospital. She quit after a year because she didn’t like “important” residents being put ahead of critically ill patients.
“I was going to take care of the sick first,” she said.
She later went into the automotive business with James Burks on the west side of town, renting space from Sam Sanders, known in the area as the kerosene man. West Orange Automotive Repair did diesel mechanic work for 22 years at that location and, later, on Ninth Street.
Angry has long advocated for her neighborhood, serving on the board of Orange County Community Action and finding available land in Winter Garden for neighborhoods such as Horizon Oaks and Bay Pointe Apartments.
Angry never considered settling down in another city — east Winter Garden is home.
“I never wanted to live anywhere else,” she said. “I could have excelled more by not living here because I had opportunities, but I just wanted to make my hometown better. I love Winter Garden.”
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Amy Quesinberry Price
Photos courtesy of Winter Garden Heritage Foundation
A staff photo depicts the teachers at the Winter Garden Colored School, once located at Center and
The Power of Progress: Honoring Black Leaders in Energy History
As Black History Month comes to a close, we at Lake Apopka Natural Gas District (LANGD) are proud to reflect on the remarkable impact Black leaders have had on the energy industry.
From trailblazing pioneers who shaped the natural gas sector to modern-day visionaries driving innovation, the contributions of Black leaders have been instrumental in advancing safe, reliable, and affordable energy for all.
Black Pioneers Who Shaped the Energy Industry
Throughout history, Black innovators have contributed to the development of energy infrastructure, improving safety, efficiency, and accessibility for all. John Tucker broke barriers as the first Black officer of the American Gas Association, advocating for the growth and safety of the natural gas industry. Meanwhile, “the human computer,” Annie Easley, was a brilliant NASA scientist and mathematician who revolutionized computer applications for energy systems— paving the way for smarter, more efficient energy solutions. These are just a couple of the countless individuals who have made their mark over the centuries.
These pioneers didn’t just make history; they shaped the way we power our lives today. Their legacies continue to inspire progress in natural gas technology, ensuring communities—especially historically underserved ones— have access to dependable and cost-effective energy solutions. Today, natural gas continues to be a key driver of energy affordability and resilience, helping families and businesses save money and improve reliability, even during extreme weather conditions.
Breaking Barriers Locally
At LANGD, we celebrate the leaders who have driven progress in the natural gas industry— including those within our own organization. In 2023, LANGD’s Director of Public Relations, Monica Marlow, made history as the first Black woman to
Interested in learning more about natural gas?
serve on the American Public Gas Association (APGA) Board of Directors, bringing fresh perspectives and leadership to the national energy conversation.
We also recognize the leadership of Clifton Addison, who has served as LANGD’s Chief Financial Officer since 2009. With over 15 years of dedication to the district, Addison has played a crucial role in ensuring LANGD’s financial stability and growth, helping to expand natural gas access while maintaining affordability for the communities we serve. His expertise and commitment to excellence continue to drive LANGD’s mission forward, reinforcing the district’s dedication to safety, reliability, compliance, financial performance and emergency preparedness.
Together, their leadership and the impact of many others like them is paving the way for greater diversity in the industry, inspiring the next generation of energy professionals.
A Legacy of Safety, Innovation, and Community Commitment
As we reflect on Black history and the pioneers within the energy industry, we reaffirm our dedication to providing safe, reliable, and affordable natural gas to the communities we serve. The contributions of Black leaders—past and present— continue to inspire our mission, reinforcing the critical role natural gas plays in providing Energy Choice.
For more information about LANGD and how natural gas can power your home or business, visit www.langd.org or call (407) 656-2734.
Horizon West Fest offers hometown food and fun
The annual celebration Saturday, March 1, will include live music, food and fun for all ages.
AMY QUESINBERRY PRICE COMMUNITY EDITOR
Celebrate the spirit of the community Saturday, March 1, at the annual Horizon West Fest. It takes place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hamlin Town Center, Winter Garden. The big community celebration will have activities for all ages, and attendees are being encouraged to bring their chairs or blankets and make plans to enjoy the day.
“Horizon West Fest is that one day that we get together in the year and we just celebrate,” said Stephanie Lang, chief empowerment officer of presenting organization Horizon West Happenings. “We have so many people who land here, and how do you find your roots and feel connected? If you’re looking for a local book club or moms group or want your house painted, this is the place to be.”
About 90 booths will be set up by a variety of clubs, groups, nonprofit organizations and local business owners — all either operating in or serving the residents of Horizon West — to allow guests to explore volunteer opportunities, essential services and other ways to get involved.
“Are you looking to volunteer, have hobbies?” Lang said. “We’re just (offering) ways to get involved in the community.”
People tend to get confused about the Horizon West area, which has mailing addresses of Winter Garden, Windermere and even Orlando but technically lies in unincorporated Orange County, Lang said. So, in addition to local businesses and organizations, several county groups will be in attendance as well, including the Orange County Library System, Orange County Fire & Rescue (including a fire engine onsite from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.), Orange County Sheriff’s Office and Orange County Clerk of Court.
Orange County District 1 Commissioner Nicole Wilson will address the crowd at noon.
The event started in 2019 with a small crowd and a deejay. The next year, a band played.
Lang is looking forward to the variety of music that will be offered this year. Four acts are scheduled to perform: Francesca Tarantino, from 11:20 a.m. to noon; The Remix, 12:20 to 1:05 p.m.; Shamanic Rootz, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.; and Jessica DeLaCruz, from 3 to 3:30 p.m.
There’s plenty for the children to do in the Kids Zone, including games,
FROM PAGE 1A
ing the entire term? Why or why not?
My commitment is to serve the people of Ocoee. Whether it be four years as the commissioner of District 4 or to transition as a citizen, I will still uphold that commitment to serving the people.
How much does the national political climate filter down into local city politics?
We are living in an increasingly polarized society. As elected officials, it is our duty to find common ground. National politics has found its way into our living rooms and kitchen tables. As (locally elected officials), it is important we recognize how national politics can have
FROM PAGE 1A
factors we should use to evaluate who wins this election.
If elected, will you commit to serving the entire term? Why or why not?
IF YOU GO
HORIZON WEST FEST
WHEN: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, March 1
WHERE: Hamlin Town Center, 14111 Shoreside Way, Winter Garden
COST: $5 general admission for ages 3 and older, $10 for Kids Zone wristband (includes admission and unlimited rides and games)
activities, giveaways, face painting, airbrush tattoos, inflatables, Turbo Tubs and, for the youngest guests, the West Orange Fun Bus, bounce houses and a soft-play tot lot.
Not to be left out, adults can have their fun at the 360 photo booth, scavenger hunt and lounge area with yard games. From 3 to 5 p.m. Toothless the Sloth will be out meeting attendees.
When guests get hungry, or just want to have a snack or drink, they can head over to the food trucks and booths representing Lime Fresh Mexican Grill, Skyline Chili, Clean Eatz, Gertrude’s Kitchen, Willy T’s Crabshack, Chikiz Empanadas Gourmet, San Pastelitos, Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza, La Parris Grille, Red Barn Snacks, Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream, Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, Atelie do Brigadeiro, Home State Brewing Co., Thirsty Gulps and Cowgirl Coffee Co.
“Bring together music and food, and everybody’s happy,” Lang said. This is the seventh Horizon West Fest celebration.
“It really has grown each year,” Lang said. “Last year, we had right at 3,500 people, and it’s continued to grow and bring in new people. We’ve marketed it to the young adults and young professionals with the yard games and adults lounge, really just trying to speak to them as well. It’s not just for families and children.”
Whether you’re there for food or fun — or a little of both — the event takes place in the grassy field adjacent to the Cinépolis movie theater.
“We’re just like a welcome wagon,” Lang said. “Meet your neighbors, get connected with the community and have a good time.”
an effect on local municipal policies. Therefore, I am currently working to foster positive relationships through community partners (such as) churches, small businesses and the community at large who have shown interest in helping to find that common ground. In December of 2020, I was able to convince the commission to have a workshop on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). The goal was to have a structured conversation among the commission and city department heads to understand (one another) a little more. From there, the plan was to move that structured conversation to the community at large. This is where the mantra of #ONEOCOEE can be used to unite all Ocoee communities.
and return after losing. Our district deserves better. We deserve a leader who is dedicated to his citizens and not their own ambitions.
How much does the national political climate filter down into local city politics?
Contact the District’s marketing team at (407) 656-2734 ext. 307, marketing@langd.org, or visit https://www.langd.org/ for more information.
Be
Yes! If elected, I am committed to serving the wonderful citizens of District 4 for the full four years. We need a leader who is committed to serving the full four-year term, not someone who sees this position as a stepping stone for their political career. During a recent candidate forum, my opponent would not commit to finishing a full term if reelected. Just two years ago, he left his seat to run for mayor, only to try
It should not. The only time I have seen national politics trickle down to our local politics was earlier this month, when my opponent stated that the three proposed charter amendments on the ballot in the upcoming election were part of Project 2025. That was a false statement. My opponent made this false statement to a church congregation behind a sacred desk in the pulpit.
OLIVER
HART
Kimberly Hardy and Betsy VanderLey presented the award for Small Business Member of the Year to representatives of Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream. “We are grateful for this award,” said Kelly Seidl, owner of Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream.
Representatives from Westgate Resorts accepted the Big Business Member of the Year award.
Above: West Orange Chamber president and CEO Stephen Lewis and his wife, Amanda, enjoyed the festivities.
Left: Ocoee Mayor Rusty Johnson accepted the Sam Hovsepian & Mary VanDeventer Award “Spirit of West Orange” from Kimberly Hardy and Betsy VanderLey.
Chris Demetriou and Laura Fendler had a great time at the chamber event.
Kimberly Hardy, left, and Betsy VanderLey, right, presented the Ambassador of the Year Award to Observer Media Group’s Cyndi Gustafson, center.
First United Methodist www.fumcwg.org 125 N. Lakeview Ave., Winter Garden (407) 656-1135 Services: 9 AM Traditional 10:45 AM Contemporary Also viewable on YouTube
CFX seeks input for S.R. 429 expansion
LIZ
RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR
Horizon West residents, rejoice: Plans are underway for an expanded State Road 429.
The Central Florida Expressway Authority is seeking public input regarding the proposed expansion of S.R. 429 from Seidel Road to Tilden Road. The project, which would widen a seven-mile portion of S.R. 429 from four lanes to six lanes with the addition of Flex Lanes, is in the Project Development and Environment Study phase.
Flex Lanes are wider median shoulders that can temporarily accommodate additional traffic during emergency responses.
Brian Hutchings, a spokesman with Central Florida Expressway Authority, said the widening of S.R. 429 will increase the capacity, making the flow of traffic easier.
“Twenty years ago, we opened up our section of 429, so in that time, we’ve had tremendous growth in West Orange County and also Lake County that’s feeding into it,” Hutchings said. “We’ve really seen in some sections traffic volumes double just in five years, so in order to help alleviate that traffic and keep people moving and meet the current demand as well as future demand, we’re doing the study to widen it down to the end of our system.”
The PDE study considers the evaluation of social, cultural, natural and physical environment effects of any proposed transportation improvements as well as right-of-way considerations and construction cost estimates. It also documents potential project benefits.
At the south end of the project at Seidel Road, S.R. 429 will be widened to four general lanes northbound and southbound, which will match the lanes in the Florida’s Turnpike enterprise project.
The expansion will continue to Schofield Road, where the outside lanes will transition to the off-ramp.
The proposed Flex Lanes will begin about halfway between Seidel Road and Schofield Road on the inside shoulder.
From the Schofield Road interchange to the New Independence Parkway interchange, there will be three general-use lanes and a Flex Lane on the inside shoulder in each direction.
LEAVE A COMMENT
The Central Florida Expressway Authority is seeking input on the proposed expansion of State Road 429 from Seidel Road to Tilden Road.
To learn more about the capacity improvements, Project Development Environment Study and leave a comment, visit bit.ly/ SR_429_capacity_improvements. The deadline to leave comments is Friday, Feb. 28.
First Baptist Church @ Horizon West 15304 Tilden Road, Winter Garden Sundays: 9:45 AM All Ages www.FBCWG.org
GOALS FOR S.R. 429 EXPANSION
n Enhance mobility for the region’s growing population and economy by providing additional transportation infrastructure
n Provide consistency with local plans and policies
n Promote regional connectivity
n Enhance evacuation and emergency services responses
n Add future capacity by incorporating Flex Lanes
The capacity improvements from this project also will include new on- and off-ramps to the new State Road 516 that CFX currently is constructing. The ramps will be near Schofield Road.
There will be six general-use lanes and Flex Lanes on the inside shoulder from the New Independence Parkway interchange to the end of the project on Tilden Road.
Noise walls are proposed on the east side of S.R. 429 as part of the Florida’s Turnpike enterprise project as well as on the west side of S.R. 429 near Lakeside Hamilton, north of Porter Road. Proposed noise barriers also are located on the west side of S.R. 429 just north of the New Independence Parkway Interchange.
There are no proposed noise barriers along the roadway near the Waterleigh community because the walls would not be tall enough to provide necessary noise reduction per state and federal guidelines.
Dry ponds will be added on the east and west sides of S.R. 429 surrounding the Independence mainline toll plaza. Existing cash closets will be converted to CFX maintenance facilities as CFX moves toward a cashless toll system.
CFX is in the process of wrapping up construction later this summer on the widening of a 13-mile stretch of S.R. 429 between S.R. 414 and Schofield Road. The widening from Tilden Road to Seidel Road would be a continuation of the S.R. 414 to Schofield Road widening.
Hutchings said all the work on the project is within CFX’s right of way.
Once the Project Development and Environmental Study phase is complete at the end of March, the project will move into the design phase, Hutchings said. Hutchings said when CFX moves into the design phase, further refinements to the project will be made.
“We will be doing a continuous outreach to the communities, getting their input,” he said. “We’ve heard noise concerns, we’ve heard lighting and traffic concerns, so those are things we’re looking at to make sure that whatever we build is going to accommodate the local community so not only will they be able to use the road, but it also will not be a negative impact to them.”
Starke Lake Baptist Church
Pastor Jeff Pritchard PO Box 520 611 W Ave., Ocoee (407) 656-2351 www.StarkeLakeBaptist.org
Victory Baptist Church & Christian Academy 1601 A.D. Mims Rd, Ocoee FL 34761 (407) 656-3097 www.VBCOCOEE.com Sunday: 11AM & 6 PM Wednesday: 7 PM
CFX is proposing an expansion of State Road 429 from Seidel Road to Tilden Road.
Jeff and Dr. Katie Hohman, of Hohman Rehab, were excited to share their knowledge at Health YOU Day.
The Fun Bus gave kids a chance to get some energy out.
Trish Hamlin and Dr. Jennifer Bourst represented Unity Family Chiropractic.
The Body Pump class was ready for a great workout.
Brooke Herrera helped lead the Body Pump class on Heathy YOU Day.
Left: Raquel Mendez and Junior Melendez represented Integrated Chiropractic Winter Garden.
Brandon Guarro shared information about AdventHealth at the event.
COMING DOWN IS THE HARDEST THING
WINTER GARDEN PRESENTS MUSIC FESTIVAL
Vocal Flash dazzled the audience with its a cappella renditions of popular songs.
Callum McKeon, 3, had a blast zooming down the inflatable slide in the Kids Zone sponsored by First Baptist Church, Winter Garden.
Pop and soft rock duo Brian + Hannah played a smooth set at the Butterfly Sculpture Park stage.
Above: Lucia Champagne, 5, just loved her face-painting.
Left: Craig Thompson, frontman of the Craig Thompson Project, played classic reggae and top-40 hits at the intimate Centennial Plaza Gazebo stage.
Martin Corredor, left, and Gary Bradford of Big B Kettle Korn served up a delicious variety of popcorn to eventgoers.
Photos by Sam Albuquerque, Michael Eng and Amy Quesinberry Price
The Porchdogs performed a unique blend of Louisiana Cajun and zydeco music.
Jukebox Joes shared their vocal harmony with a variety of pop songs.
Richard and Vickie Zennario dressed in a fun way for the music festival.
Mediterranean estate sells for $3 million
Alakefront estate near Windermere topped all West Orange-area residential real-estate transactions from Feb. 10 to 16.
The home at 9679 Westover Roberts Road, Windermere, sold Feb. 13, for $3,000,000. Built in 2007, it has six bedrooms, sixand-one-half baths and 5,666 square feet. Days on market: 193. The sellers were represented by Rob Rahter, Stockworth Realty Group.
These are the highestselling homes in each community in West Orange.
DR. PHILLIPS
BAY HILL VILLAGE WEST
The home at 8917 Charleston Park, No. 9, Orlando, sold Feb. 10, for $1,230,000. Built in 1981, it has three bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 2,274 square feet. Days on market: 148.
BAY VISTA ESTATES
The home at 8400 Sand Lake Shores Court, Orlando, sold Feb. 14, for $950,000. Built in 1997, it has four bedrooms, four-andone-half baths and 3,549 square feet of living area. Days on market: 83.
EMERSON POINTE
The home at 5736 Emerson Pointe Way, Orlando, sold Feb. 12, for $1,450,000. Built in 2013, it has four bedrooms, four baths and 4,324 square feet. Days on market: 14.
RUBY LAKE
The home at 11209 Lemon Lake Blvd., Orlando, sold Feb. 13, for $890,000. Built in 2019, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,510 square feet. Days on market: 43.
SOUTH BAY
The home at 9037 Shawn Park Place, Orlando, sold Feb. 13, for $1,475,000. Built in 1989, it has five bedrooms, four-and-onehalf baths and 4,664 square feet. Days on market: 23.
HORIZON WEST
DEL WEBB OASIS
The home at 13460 Princess St., Winter Garden, sold Feb. 13, for $468,000. Built in 2024, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,579 square feet.
ENCLAVE AT HAMLIN
The home at 4762 Terrace Bluff St., Winter Garden, sold Feb. 11, for $571,000. Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, three-and-onehalf baths and 2,441 square feet of living area. Days on market: Nine.
HAMLIN RIDGE
The townhouse at 16369 Ingram Hills Alley, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 12, for $435,990. Built in 2024, it has three bedrooms, twoand-one-half baths and 1,729 square feet.
HIGHLAND RIDGE
The home at 11961 Bracco St., Winter Garden, sold Feb. 13, for $517,000. Built in 2024, it has four bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,114 square feet. Days on market: 10.
The townhouse at 16404 Hamlin Hills Road, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 12, for $433,990. Built in 2025, it has three bedrooms, twoand-one-half baths and 1,729 square feet.
The townhouse at 16484 Tangerine Mesa Drive, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 14, for $435,990. Built in 2024, it has three bedrooms, twoand-one-half baths and 1,729 square feet.
INDEPENDENCE/
SIGNATURE LAKES
The home at 14528 Old Thicket Trace, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 14, for $730,000. Built in 2006, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 3,179 square feet. Days on market: 163.
The townhouse at 15501 Avenue of the Arbors, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 12, for $430,000. Built in 2008, it has three bedrooms, twoand-one-half baths and 2,146 square feet of living area. Days on market: 70.
ORCHARD HILLS
The home at 5596 Mangrove Cove Ave., Winter Garden, sold Feb. 10, for $650,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, two-and-onehalf baths and 2,628 square feet of living area. Days on market: 47.
OVERLOOK 2 AT HAMLIN
The home at 15167 Shonan Gold Drive, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 11, for $1,050,000. Built in 2018, it has five bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 3,407 square feet of living area. Days on market: 74.
SERENADE AT OVATION
The townhouse at 13213 Peaceful Melody Drive, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 12, for $412,713. Built in 2024, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,715 square feet of living area. Days on market: 193.
STOREY GROVE
The home at 11006 Silver Surfer Alley, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 11, for $490,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two-and-onehalf baths and 1,782 square feet. Days on market: Five.
WATERLEIGH
The home at 12829 Charmed Drive, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 14, for $717,000. Built in 2024, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,924 square feet. Days on market: 158.
WEST LAKE HANCOCK ESTATES
The home at 14377 Black Quill Drive, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 14, for $745,000. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,786 square feet. Days on market: Six.
OCOEE ARDEN PARK
The home at 1611 Amber Leaf Circle, Ocoee, sold Feb. 11, for $549,900. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 2,883 square feet. Days on market: 38.
ARDEN PARK NORTH
The home at 1949 Mountain Pine St., Ocoee, sold Feb. 10, for $649,000. Built in 2020, it has five bedrooms, three-and-onehalf baths and 3,453 square feet of living area. Days on market: 36.
SILVER BEND
The home at 2410 Alclobe Circle, Ocoee, sold Feb. 14, for $444,900. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,048 square feet. Days on market: Nine.
The home at 2124 Cassingham Circle, Ocoee, sold Feb. 14, for $355,000. Built in 1993, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,406 square feet. Days on market: 29.
WYNWOOD
The home at 2366 Coachwood Drive, Ocoee, sold Feb. 14, for $449,990. Built in 2024, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,828 square feet. Days on market: 115.
The home at 2216 Greenwood Oak Drive, Ocoee, sold Feb. 14, for $445,000. Built in 2023, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,846 square feet. Days on market: Five.
WEST ORANGE
PROVIDENCE
The home at 13230 Fossick Road, Windermere, sold Feb. 12, for $715,000. Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,555 square feet of living area. Days on market: Four.
WINDERMERE
ORANGE COUNTY
The home at 9679 Westover Roberts Road, Windermere, sold Feb. 13, for $3,000,000. Built in 2007, it has six bedrooms, sixand-one-half baths and 5,666 square feet of living area. Days on market: 193.
RESERVE AT LAKE BUTLER SOUND
The home at 6550 Cartmel Lane, Windermere, sold Feb. 10, for $1,600,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, four-and-onehalf baths and 4,257 square feet. Days on market: Eight.
SILVER WOODS
The home at 9143 Woodbreeze Blvd., Windermere, sold Feb. 12, for $550,000. Built in 1985, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,723 square feet. Days on market: 150.
WATERFORD POINTE
The home at 12906 Water Point Blvd., Windermere, sold Feb. 14, for $1,670,000. Built in 1991, it has five bedrooms, five-andone-half baths and 4,025 square feet of living area. Days on market: 14.
WINTER GARDEN
CARRIAGE POINTE
The home at 1849 Burdock Drive, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 12, for $560,000. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,683 square feet. Days on market: 59.
CHAPIN STATION
The home at 1021 Jilliam Way, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 11, for $470,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,047 square feet. Days on market: 39.
OAKLAND PARK
The home at 1056 Sadler Oaks Way, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 14, for $1,050,000. Built in 2024, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,711 square feet. Days on market: 129.
STONE CREEK
The home at 1912 Portcastle Circle, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 14, for $434,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 1,857 square feet. Days on market: 22.
STONEYBROOK WEST
The home at 1140 Harbor Hill St., Winter Garden, sold Feb. 14, for $470,000. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,180 square feet. Days on market: 130.
The home at 1220 Portmoor Way, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 12, for $470,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,894 square feet. Days on market: 105.
WATERSIDE AT JOHNS LAKE
The home at 17416 Bal Harbour Drive, Winter Garden, sold Feb. 13, for $740,000. Built in 2019, it has five bedrooms, four-andone-half baths and 3,340 square feet of living area. Days on market: Three.
Courtesy photo
The home at 9679 Westover Roberts Road, Windermere, sold Feb. 13, for $3,000,000. This lakefront, custom-built sixbedroom estate with attached mother-in-law suite sits on 1.75 acres behind iron gates and a privacy wall. The sellers were represented by Rob Rahter, Stockworth Realty Group.
SPORTS
5
1
West Orange High baseball went on the road to Windermere High and handed the Wolverines a 2-1 loss, their first loss of the early season.
This pitchers’ duel between two of the area’s top arms — Warriors (3-1) senior Sims McClusky and Windermere (4-1) sophomore Joey Waddingham — was a measuring stick game for two mainstay programs.
2
The Windermere High boys basketball won the FHSAA Class 7A, Region 2 Championship and advanced to the state semifinals after topping district rivals Oak Ridge High, 62-58, Feb. 21 at home.
The Wolverines (25-5) will face Sarasota High (28-2) at 3 p.m. Friday, March 7, at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland for a spot in the state title games.
3
The girls basketball teams from Ocoee High, Dr. Phillips High and Central Florida Christian Academy all claimed regional championships and advanced to the state Final Four.
In Class 7A, Region 1, the Lady Knights (25-3) made school history by claiming the program’s first regional championships and reaching the Final Four after beating Timber Creek High (25-5), 49-40.
Sticking in 7A, Dr. Phillips (19-9) — the defending back-toback-to-back state champions — once again booked its annual trip to the state final four after topping Centennial High (18-9), 74-41, to claim the Region 2 title.
The two area 7A teams will play in the state semifinals Friday, March 7, with the Lady Panthers facing off against Doral Academy (21-7) at 9 a.m. and Ocoee taking on Winter Haven (25-2) at 1 p.m. at the RP Funding Center.
Flipping from the state’s largest classification to its smallest, the Lady Eagles (21-8) were dominant in the 1A, Region 2 finals — beating Mount Dora Christian (18-10) by 41 points.
The 67-26 home win booked CFCA a spot in the 1A Final Four against North Florida Educational Institute (19-12), which was played at 5 p.m. Feb. 25 in Lakeland after press time.
4
The Ocoee Middle boys and girls basketball teams both remain undefeated after going on the road to SunRidge Middle and beating the two Eagles teams to claim the Southwest Orange County Cluster Championships, the third consecutive cluster crown for the Lady Cardinals. Both Cardinals teams ran through their regular season schedule, which consisted of games against the other six teams within the Southwest Cluster — Horizon West Middle, Hamlin Middle, Lakeview Middle, Water Spring Middle, Bridgewater Middle and SunRidge. Next up for the Cardinals is the county championship, where they’ll face off against the top teams from Orange County’s six other clusters: South, North, Central, Northwest, East and West.
5
In the first edition of MaxPreps’ national high school baseball rankings for the 2025 season, The First Academy (4-1) was the lone area program — and one of six teams from Florida — included in the list, coming in at No. 24.
Sticking landing the
At just 11 years old, Horizon West pre-teen Jocelyn James is flying up the gymnastics ranks in quick fashion, demonstrating the skills and drive required to turn a lofty dream into a reality sooner than one would imagine.
SAM ALBUQUERQUE SPORTS EDITOR
No matter if it is at the professional or amateur level, there’s a crossroads-type moment in every athlete’s development when they encounter a difficult challenge.
Sometimes, that roadblock comes as a matter of luck and your team, by the luck of the draw, gets selected to face off against that specific opponent that pushes you to another level.
Sometimes, facing this adversity is self-inflicted, an athlete knows the only way forward is through the wall, so why run from it? And sometimes, that moment is strategically placed in front of an athlete by their coach as a trigger for a type of growth an athlete otherwise wouldn’t have experienced. That was the experience 11-year-old Jocelyn James had after just one season of competitive gymnastics.
“When she started in the compulsory levels, she spent almost no
We’re all about that base(ball)
As the 2025 baseball season kicks into high gear, check out this list of the area’s top talent to watch out for on the diamond this year.
SAM ALBUQUERQUE SPORTS EDITOR
The 2024 season was another example of the high-level baseball played in West Orange and Southwest Orange. Five area teams won 17 or more games (three topped the 24-win mark), four reached the regional playoffs, two won their respective district and regional championships, and one area team, the 28-4 Windermere High Wolverines, got within one run of pulling off an upset for the ages against four-time defending 7A state champions, Stoneman Douglas High, and winning its first state title. Expect more of the same type of success on the diamond for the area’s top teams in 2025, as this crop of clubs will be led by a heap of college-level players, budding superstars and a colorful collection of savvy and experienced managers; this group even includes the sons of two former big-leaguers.
Editor’s Note: Players are listed in alphabetical order by school, then last name.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
THE FIRST ACADEMY ROYALS
BLAKE FIELDS
SENIOR, OUTFIELDER
One part of the four-man wrecking crew of Royals batters who all managed 30-plus hits last season, Fields was one of the most electric offensive players in the state. In 2024, he hit for an average of .403 (31-of-77), scored 36 runs, drove in 22 runs, stole 11 bases and hit five home runs.
REMO INDOMENICO
SENIOR, OUTFIELDER
In his first season at TFA, the Oklahoma State signee led the Royals with a .445 batting average, 26 RBIs and a .577 on-base percentage. He also added 31 runs scored and four homers.
GET TO KNOW JOCELYN JAMES
n AGE: 11 years old
n SCHOOL: Florida Virtual School
n NICKNAME: Joccy
n ROLE MODEL: Suni Lee, American gymnast. “She’s fought through many things in her career, and she’s still going through a lot, but she’s been doing really good still. She’s taught me that no matter what, always work as hard as you can.”
n FAVORITE PART OF GYM-
NASTICS: “I love gymnastics because it’s difficult, and the challenges also make it really fun, and it also plays a big fun role in my life.”
time in Level 3,” Jocelyn’s father, Scott James, said. “She was pretty advanced from the beginning, so her coaches moved her to Level 4 right away. She did really well in her first season at that level, and before the summer of 2023, they were training her with the goal of moving her from the compulsory levels into what is called the optionals levels — specifically into Level 6. As she was training that summer, preparing for her first optionals competition, she had a fantastic training period. It was just so much fun to watch from my perspective, I was just like, awestruck at all the time watching her do some amazing things. Because of how great
AUSTIN PIERZYNSKI
SENIOR, CATCHER
The son of former big league pitcher AJ Pierzynski, the Royals catcher not only helped lead TFA to a regional championship from behind the plate, he also showed significant improvement with his bat — hitting .371 (33-of-89), 25 RBIs, 29 runs and two home runs.
Horizon softball senior Mackenzie Duncan is the program’s leader in strikeouts, games played and innings pitched. Page 2B.
David Jester
A career .350+ hitter for Olympia High, Ethan Rathmann enters his junior season as one of the top players in the area.
Jocelyn James, an 11-year-old gymnast from Southwest Orange, struck a pose during her floor routine. Courtesy photo
OF THE WEEK Mackenzie Duncan
As one of only two four-year varsity players in Horizon High softball history, Mackenzie Duncan, a Penn State softball signee, started her incredible career at Horizon by leading the team to a 17-9 season and being named the 2022 Class 5A Player of the Year. She is currently the program’s all-time leader in games played, runs batted in, a pitched and strikeouts — and with most of her senior season in front of her, she is one home run and seven hits shy from those all-time marks, as well.
It
my hard work is paying off.
What do you enjoy the most about softball?
I love the fast-paced action of the game and being able to compete against some of the best athletes around. I enjoy how it challenges me.
What is the biggest lesson you have learned from softball? How to control what I can control: As a pitcher, I’m constantly thinking about what I need to do to get an out, but sometimes you just have to throw the pitch and trust that those around you have your back.
What is your favorite softball memory?
My favorite softball memory would have to be this past summer in Colorado, when my team came back from a nine-run deficit to win and stay alive in the tournament.
Who is your favorite athlete?
My favorite athlete would have to be my mom. She played college softball and inspired me to play. She is one of my biggest supporters.
What is your go-to pre-game meal?
Definitely Chick-fil-A but I always have to have a lucky banana.
THE
BASICS Age: 17 Sport: Softball Grade: Senior School: Horizon High
What is your go-to pre-game hype song?
Probably “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield because it’s just an automatic mood-booster.
What is your favorite nonsports hobby?
Either spending time with friends or shopping.
What is your favorite subject in school?
I really enjoy my physics class because of how challenging yet interesting it is.
What is your favorite movie? “Tangled.” I’ve always loved the classic princess movies, but that one has always been my favorite.
If you could have dinner with one person — dead or alive — who would it be?
It would definitely be Jesus so I could have a face-to-face conversation with Him, thank Him for everything He’s done for me and to give Him the biggest hug!
If you could go back in time to a specific period in history, when and where would you go? I would go back to the Wild West era, just so I could experience it.
Looking back, what piece of advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell her to trust the process. The recruiting process was really hard for me, and I was constantly down on myself but knowing God had a plan for me helped me end up right where I’m supposed to be.
If you could ask your future self a question, what would it be? How hard did that first winter (of college) in Pennsylvania hit you?
Who is your favorite superhero? Deadpool because he’s hilarious and doesn’t seem to have a care in the world for what anyone thinks
Who is your favorite supervilLoki because he was always so misunderstood but ended up doing good in his final moments.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
If I could have any power it would definitely be to time travel so I could see my mistakes and fix them before they happen.
If you could travel to three places in the world, where would you go and why? Scotland, Greece and Switzerland just to see the beautiful
If you could be an animal for a day, which one would you be and I’d be a dog just because they always seem so happy!
What is your most controversial A steak isn’t worth eating unless Does pineapple belong on Yes, you have to add some sweetness to the savory!
— SAM ALBUQUERQUE
West Orange girls lacrosse dominates in first home win
West Orange High girls lacrosse captured its first home win of the 2025 season in dominant fashion, handing the visiting Edgewater High Eagles its second loss of the season by a score of 19-3.
The Lady Warriors — led by top scorers Tori Madrid, who scored nine goals, and Addison Petch, who found the back of the net six times and dished out four assists — moved to 2-1 on the early season and are looking to build on a stellar 2024. Last year, West Orange finished with a 13-3 record and a district championship.
With a majority of its roster back, including last season’s top points-scorers Madrid, Petch and Sammy Wheeler, this young but experienced team is starting to show signs that it can put together a run. — SAM ALBUQUERQUE
Joccy James flies high in
competitive gymnastics
she performed in training, a few days before that very first optionals meet, she was actually moved to Level 7.”
This moment, one way or another would leave an indelible mark on the Horizon West pre-teen’s gymnastics journey.
“When I went to my first optionals competition, (about) a week before the meet, I moved up a level (higher than I expected),” Jocelyn said. “It showed me how good I was (doing) … and it helped me gain confidence; I felt ahead.”
Knowing his youngest of four and only daughter was “built different,” it was no surprise to Scott James when she won the gold in the floor and bars competitions, silver in the beam and bronze in the vault and took home the all-around gold at the 2023 Orlando Holiday Classic — her first Level 7 competition.
However, a couple of months later, Jocelyn’s performance in her fifth optionals competition — the 2024 Charleston Cup — made her dad speechless.
“The Charleston Cup was really an eye-opening experience for me,” Scott James said. “I remember just being speechless; all I could really say was, ‘Wow.’ Out of 150 or something gymnasts, she was the only one to qualify for all four event finals … which she didn’t end up competing in all four because her coach did not want her to get hurt at that point of the season with states and regionals coming up. But you could just tell at that competition she was different than the other girls. You could just tell.”
Jocelyn claimed gold in the allaround competition at that event before going on to finish second in the all-around at both the Florida Level 7 championship meet and Region 8 championship meet in 2024.
NEW LEVEL, SAME DOMINANCE
Once again, the start of a new gymnastics season for the now-thirdyear gymnast meant a step up in competition into Level 8 during the 2024-25 season. However, it seems the increased difficulty and bigger stage have not impacted how Jocelyn has performed.
In 20 events — all four of the floor, vault, beam and bars events across five different competitions — she has finished top three 14 times, top two 11 times and won gold on seven occasions, never finishing lower than third in the all-around this season.
As the biggest competitions of the season approach over the course of the next couple of months, the biggest part of 2025 for Jocelyn will occur this summer as she will begin her preparations for the biggest leap in competitive level.
“Jocelyn has to go through something that’s called Hopes, which is the first step in stepping into reaching Junior Elites,” Scott James said.
“Right now, she’s on track to compete in the 11-12 division of Hopes after her training over the summer. We won’t know exactly what she’s going to do until after that when the coaches assess where she’s at. But to me, to even be at this point in her journey after not even three full seasons of competing in the sport is the most amazing thing. That
really gives you an idea of the type of work she’s putting into her. She trains five days a week, for five to six hours a day. She’s built different. People will ask me how she’s able to do any of this, and that’s where I always land; the girl is just built differently. She does not let anything really bother her. She’s coachable, she listens and she doesn’t want to stop putting in the time. She’s not your normal 11-year-old girl.”
When you consider how she responded when asked about the biggest life lesson she has learned from gymnastics, her father’s assertion about Jocelyn not being an average pre-teen girl gains even more legitimacy.
“My goal is to train as hard as I can and go to the Olympics,” she said. “(Because of that, I’ve learned) you’re not always going to get something you want right away; you have to work hard for most stuff in life.” And as Jocelyn pursues her dreams of becoming an Olympic gymnast, Scott James is doing everything he can to help his daughter in that journey. But before fulfilling his gymnastics dad duty, he’s making sure to enjoy being a dad first.
“It’s priceless,” he said. “I have four kids, and Jocelyn’s the baby and the only girl, so it’s just priceless because girls are different than the boys … so it’s just fun as a dad to watch your daughter grow into becoming herself. You watch her be a kid for this chunk of her life and then she starts growing up and you get to see her grow in something that she really enjoys doing. It’s priceless; I just catch myself smiling all the time watching her.”
West Orange junior Addison Petch (No. 8) drove past the Edgewater High defender.
Warriors junior Aubrey Beahler (No. 17) cradled the ball near midfield in West Orange’s 19-3 home win.
Sophomore Tori Madrid (No. 3) lined up her attack following a penalty.
Meet the area’s top baseball talent
FROM PAGE 1B
FOUNDATION LIONS
BARAK BOSTON, SENIOR, INFIELDER
In his first season at Foundation, the Army West Point signee has been a dynamic addition to the Lions lineup. Through five games — as of press time — Boston has hit for an average of .636 (7-of-11) with an OBP of .778, six runs batted in, eight runs scored and six stolen bases.
RYLEE GIBSON
SENIOR, PITCHER
After a breakthrough season in 2024 during which the Lions ace finished the year with a 1.11 ERA, 58 strikeouts over 56.2 innings and a 3-0 pitching record — Gibson is ready to lead Foundation to another historic season before heading off to play college ball at The Citadel.
HORIZON HAWKS
ALEX GALAN SENIOR, OUTFIELDER
A five-tool player, the senior centerfielder has been crucial to Horizon’s 6-0 start in 2025 — the best in the program’s short history — thanks to his ability to get on base. In 20 plate appearances, the Hawks’ leadoff hitter has reached base 11 times for an on-base percentage of .550 OBP — which is up from his .486 OBP in 2024.
OCOEE KNIGHTS
GUNNAR PATTERSON
SENIOR, PITCHER
After striking out 66 batters over 49 innings in 2024, the Knights ace has continued that type of form to kick off 2025 with 10 Ks in 10 innings and an ERA of zero. With a mix of four pitches to lean on, all of which he can throw for strikes and locate well, expect the Ocoee High lefty to continue to give opposition batters fits.
OLYMPIA TITANS
ROBBY HOFFMAN
JUNIOR, INFIELDER, DH
As one-half of the Titans’ top bats returning in 2025, the first-team All-Metro Conference team selection brings a combination of speed and power to the Olympia lineup that can change a game at a moment’s notice.
ETHAN RATHMANN
JUNIOR, OUTFIELDER
A two-time All-Metro Conference team selection and three-year starter at Olympia, Rathmann is the area’s best example of a true five-tool player and possibly the best player that West Orange and Southwest Orange has to offer in 2025. At only the beginning of his junior season, the Miami commit already has more varsity playing experience (57 games) than most seniors. Across his two seasons and change at Olympia, Rathmann has a batting average of .352 (57-of-162), a .505 OBP, 50 runs, 37 RBIs, 30 stolen bases and three home runs — all while patrolling center field.
WEST ORANGE WARRIORS
CHARLIE EIDELMAN
SENIOR, OUTFIELDER
A Thomas University commit, Eidelman was a key bat for the Warriors in 2024, hitting for an average of .338 (22-of-65), scoring 16 runs, driving in 10 and stealing five bases. He’s continued to be a big factor in the West Orange offense on the early season, seeing a bump in his average from last season to .353 (6-of-17) with a .455 OBP and four RBIs in six games.
PARKER HOHNSTOCK
SENIOR, PITCHER
With 50 Ks in 37.1 innings pitched last season — with a 2.62 ERA — the Saint Leo University signee not only returns in 2025 as West Orange’s leader in strikeouts but also is one of the key arms in a Warriors pitching staff that should be a big part of the success of the Warriors’ success this season.
SIMS MCCLUSKY
SENIOR, PITCHER
Another key arm in the West Orange pitching staff, the Coker University commit struck out 36 batters over 30.2 innings last season with an ERA of 2.74. Early in 2025, McClusky has been the closest thing to an ace a staff this deep could have by leading the team with 12.2 innings pitched, 12 strikeouts, an ERA of 1.11 and a player-of-the-game type performance against Windermere High on the road, handing the Wolverines their first home loss since Feb. 28, 2023.
WINDERMERE WOLVERINES
CONNOR FINK
SENIOR, PITCHER
As a core member of Windermere’s 2024 pitching staff, the 6-foot-1 lefty returns to the Wolverines staff as its lone senior and leader in innings pitched (54.1), strikeouts (36) and wins (8-0) to go along with a 1.93 ERA. With various young arms — four sophomores and a freshman — set to see time on the mound this season, Fink will be expected to not only produce but also lean on his experience and be a leader in the bullpen.
RANDY RUIZ JR.,
JUNIOR, OUTFIELDER
Other than his teammate Ty Head — now a member of the NC State baseball team — the son of former big-leaguer Randy Ruiz Sr. had one of, if not, the best, season from any area player from the batter’s box. With a team-leading 35 runs batted in and three home runs, Ruiz Jr. also scored 28 runs, stole 15 bases and hit for an average of .396 (38-of-96) with a .543 on-base percentage. The most impressive part of his 2024 season — it was his sophomore campaign.
JOEY WADDINGHAM
SOPHOMORE, PITCHER
Along with Ruiz Jr., the younger brother of current Stetson player and Windermere Wolverines great Jack Waddingham, Joey Waddingham is one of the budding stars on this Windermere team. After breaking into the pitching rotation last season — throwing 35 Ks with a 0.8 ERA over 34 innings pitched — the younger Waddingham brother also has shown his ability in the batter’s box in 2025, driving in six runs in six games.
West Orange High senior pitcher Sims McClusky is one of various arms in the Warriors’ 2025 bullpen.
After hitting .320 last season, Olympia High senior Robby Hoffman will be a valuable bat in the Titans lineup.
Windermere High senior lefthanded pitcher Connor Fink was a big part of the Wolverines’ run to the state title game.
The First Academy senior Austin Pierzynski, a UAB signee, is a key leader on both sides of the ball for the Royals.
Randy Ruiz Jr. returns as the Wolverines’ top bat, following a sophomore campaign with a .396 average and 35 RBIs.
Ocoee High Sports Media
Ocoee senior Gunnar Patterson was a strikeout machine in 2024, with 66 Ks over 49 innings pitched.
Pitcher Joey Waddingham gave up just four runs in 34.2 innings as a freshman last season for Windermere High. CONTINUED
Photos by Sam Albuquerque
BARBARA MELENDEZ-DOBSON BAY MEADOWS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
INFLUENCER
Barbara Melendez-Dobson is the secretary/bookkeeper at Bay Meadows Elementary School and is responsible for the school finances and budget, substitutes, workers comp coordinator and assistant to the principal. She handles all the money that goes in and out of the school, and she works closely with administration, instructors and classified. She also supports staff as needed.
“Barbara is the backbone and support for students, teachers and staff,” Principal Joann M. Dorries said. “She manages many tasks and responsibilities each day with a positive customer services approach with everyone.”
What brought you to your school?
I worked in the financial aid office at Mid-Florida Technical School for 16 years, and I took a chance to be closer to home and to also do something different in my career and include younger children that need guidance and foundation in the beginning of their school life. At Mid-Florida Tech, I was with adults seeking more education, and now I am with children beginning their education.
What do you love most about your school?
I love the fact that every day is something different, whether it be with a child that is just having a bad day and needs extra attention or just making sure all classes are covered if substitutes are needed or checking the budget and the finances of the school. Every day is a different day. I love that, as employees, we work together as a team and we know that we are all here eight hours a day to better Bay Meadows.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Helping and taking the load and extra work off the teachers and classified staff. I love working with numbers, so when they are confused about something, it gives me joy to be able to help them. I love working with our admin leadership team and principal. There must be good leadership in order for the school to run smoothly.
What would you be if you weren’t in this profession?
An accountant for a big banking company, for sure.
Who influences you?
My two adult children — they are both so different, and depending on the situation, I know one of them will give me the best advice. It’s the best feeling to be able to learn from those you taught.
Who was your favorite teacher when you were in school? Why?
My coach, Teresa Anderson. She always would come into the locker room and say, “I don’t care how you feel today, whether you had a bad day or good day, but when you go out on that track, you will do your
REPORT CARD
POSITION: Secretary/bookkeeper
TIME AT SCHOOL: Four years at Bay Meadows, 16 with Orange County Public Schools
best according to how good you will feel after.” It never made sense till I became an adult and the challenges in the world happened.
What is your favorite children’s book and why?
“Cinderella.” My mom used to read the Spanish version to me, and she would always say at the end, “See, you don’t have to be perfect to be noticed.”
What do you do in your spare time? I love to exercise — gym rat I am. I love spending time with my children and grandson and spending quality time with my best friends. We are all women over 40-50 years old (who) have life experiences and are breezing through it together. Just because you are older doesn’t mean you can’t have a good solid group of friends; we support (one another) mentally.
If you could dine with any famous person, past or present, who would it be and why?
Celia Cruz — I would want to know her whole life story straight from her — her struggles and her victories being raised in the Bronx.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
To be invisible, to be able to leave the present room and still get things done, but no one can see it being done. ... I always have dreamt of that superpower.
If you could only listen to three bands or artists, who would they be and why?
Marc Anthony, Gilberto Santa Rosa and Willie Colon. I was raised on listening to them and would not want them out of my future. Brings back great memories.
What is your favorite holiday and why?
Easter. The day Christ walked out of that tomb will always be important to me and my religion.
Who was your best friend when you were in school and why? Are you still in touch?
Tami Peterson, and no we are not still in contact. She passed away in her 30s. She taught me English when I would struggle with some words, coming from a bilingual home. If I didn’t understand something, she was my own personal ESOL teacher. She was my friend in middle school and high school. We did so many things together. I’m thankful for those memories.
AMY QUESINBERRY PRICE
OBSERVER SCHOOL ZONE
Windermere Prep junior sets sights on curing cancer
Suvir Talamas’ project on ribonucleic acidbased medicine won the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. He will present his research at the national competition in April.
LIZ
Suvir Talamas, a Windermere Preparatory School junior, always has had a passion for science and coding.
He saw the perfect opportunity to combine his passions while also contributing to something bigger. Since July, Talamas has been researching how to design ribonucleic acid-based medicine to tag biomarkers on a glioblastoma cell. Glioblastomas are highly aggressive and malignant brain tumors. Talamas always has been interested in cancer research, particularly brain cancer.
“Cancer has always been an alarming subject to get the idea that every day there’s sometimes going to be an outlier cell and that outlier cell will multiply so much that it will kill you,” he said. “I’ve always found it so interesting that the fascinating things that can occur in our body at the same time can be detrimental. I’ve always been very alarmed with how deleterious it is and how many people get their life taken away every year because of cancer and the external factors that actually lead to the rise in cancer.”
Talamas’ hard work on his research paid off when he presented his work and won the competitive poster presentation portion of the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium Feb. 2 through 4 at the University of Florida.
Talamas now will present his
research at the 63rd National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, which takes place April 22 to 26 in Chantilly, Virginia.
“It’s a wonderful feeling,” Talamas said of winning. “I’ve been working on this since July to December, and I was really happy to have the ability to present at this research competition and be acknowledged by one of the professors who’s also working on something really similar to what I’m working with, where they also are attacking brain cancer but with nanoparticles. I just found it really interesting.”
At the symposium, Talamas was able to meet students from around the state and learn about their research projects. He also was able to meet University of Florida professors and tour the campus, giving him an opportunity to see if he would like to attend the university. He said he was happy to meet with people from all over the state, learning about them, their research and more.
“I’m a very curious person by nature, and I just love hearing what people were doing and what else interests them,” Talamas said. “I did have some people who had very similar ideas that I had with cancer and found different types of remedies and therapies for that. … I thought I learned a lot, and I got some more insight that day about how many people at my age are taking it upon themselves to explore things, and for me, it’s really rejuvenating to know that curiosity is still a thing and at
the end of the day, the drive to learn is also among us.”
Talamas competed against 19 other people in the poster presentation competition of the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium.
Talamas said he essentially has created a blueprint for a possible medicine as a nucleic acid-based therapy. Once tested in a lab setting, researchers can use the blueprint to find possible different types of RNAs they can generate to test on a specific cell to see how well the aptamers bind. The aptamers can carry drugs to directly attack a cancer cell, he said.
“It will really help with treating or attacking a cancer in general,” Talamas said.
When it was announced that Talamas won first place, he said his response was dramatic.
“I screamed, ‘What the heck,’ when I saw my name on the board that I won; I did not expect that,” he said. “To be honest, it was alarming; it was very shocking. At the same time, I was very thankful. This compared to other different projects, I was just in awe, and I felt so proud of myself that day. I also felt very thankful that I had a mentor to go and assist me, I had my family go and assist me, motivate me and allow me to continue doing the things I love.”
His first-place win has earned him a spot to compete at the national symposium.
“I’m excited to go and take it out to nationals and see what other people have been doing, not just across Florida but now across the United States,” Talamas said.
He’s proud of the progress he’s made on his own research and pushing himself to go outside his comfort zone in participating in the competition. If successful at the national com-
petition, Talamas could receive scholarships.
Talamas plans to continue working on his research as he said he knows progress takes time.
“It’s my personal belief that research cannot happen in one day; research happens in time,” he said.
“It’s 90% of the effort and information that you’re learning about something and then 10% of the real contributions you’re making to the research. To know I was able to receive and create fruitful information in such a long amount of time is just really nice to me.”
He hopes to find a nanoparticle or
nano vesicle that an aptamer can hold to be able to transport drugs or other therapies to attack the cancer cells and at some point, test his research in a lab setting where he can isolate a single glioblastoma cell and inject the aptamer to assess it over time on how it attacks that glioblastoma cell.
He thinks researchers are on track to find different types of therapies as well as more safe, reliable and permanent remedies for various types of cancer in the future.
“I’m beyond thankful that I’m able to go and make an impact of this type in the cancer community,” he said.
Courtesy photo
Suvir Talamas, a Windermere Preparatory School junior, presented his research at the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium at the University of Florida.
Design unveiled for new elementary
The Horizon West elementary school will be constructed along Hartzog Road and open in
LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR
Relief for overcrowding at Water Spring Elementary School is on the way.
Orange County Public Schools officials met with community members Thursday, Feb. 20, to present the 30% design phase of the upcoming elementary school, Site 126 E-4. The school is expected to open in 2026.
“The great thing about a 30% meeting is it really gives us the opportunity to get to know what your feelings are on the project and what you really kind of want or expect from the school; that’s why we do these meetings at this early stage,” said Andy Orrell, of Orange County Public Schools’ facilities communications.
Anna Douglas, the District 4 representative from the Orange County School Board, was present for the meeting.
”I’m so excited for this new building,” she said. “I’ve been teaching for 25 years, and I’m a teacher at heart, so I’m excited for the new school.”
The new school will be located on 15 acres along Hartzog Road, perpendicular to Sunset Walk Drive and north of Nature Walk Drive. It also is being built near a future community park.
There will be pedestrian access from Hartzog Road that leads to bike racks in the front entry. Bus access
also will be off Hartzog Road leading to a bus loop for 21 buses.
The car loop and parking will be accessible from Nature Walk Drive, which is south of the school. The parking lot will accommodate 150 parking spaces with 168 vehicles being able to fit in the car loop.
The two-story elementary school will feature a single, secure point of entry at the main entrance, a media center, a multipurpose cafeteria, music room, art room, labs and two wings of classrooms. One of the labs will be a discovery STEM lab, located on the first floor of the school.
The school, which has a construction budget of $38.6 million,
is expected to have 834 student stations.
On the southeast portion of the property, there is a dedicated area for future portables.
Just past the future portables are the playfields.
There will be a covered play area, as well as covered basketball courts, a courtyard with two green spaces and covered tot lot and youth lot closer to the school.
The school also features sustainable building systems. It will be 10% more efficient for heating and cooling. It also will have high efficiency chillers with 15% in energy reduction, light colored roofs to reduce heat gain and improve energy performance, energy-efficient LED lighting, and Energy Star-rated equipment.
Jordan Kager, of Schenkel Shultz, the architecture firm for the project, said the school will have water-saving toilets, faucets and fixtures.
Orange County Public Schools will be going through designing, permitting and bidding of the project through May. Construction is expected to start in May and be completed in May 2026. From May 2026 to when school starts in August 2026, teachers and staff will be moving into the finished school.
Orrell said weeks ago, Orange County Public Schools reached out to the community with a survey to obtain ideas on what families wanted to see and expect from the school.
Orrell shared the top recommendations from the community, which included an ease of traffic flow and clearly marked traffic patterns in the parking lot and surrounding streets; no portables; working air conditioners; modern facilities with plenty of room for the students; more parking and outdoor field areas; larger activity space outside for physical education, recess and after-school activities; and space for expansion.
“We are at the very, very early stages of this project, so some of them already have solutions,” Orrell said. “Some of them, we are discussing and trying to find solutions for.”
The most recommended expectation was space on campus.
“Basically, you want to make sure that there is enough property for this building to be big enough for what you need to have it be here for not only the next five, 10 years but 25, 30 years,” Orrell said. “Growth also has to do with that.”
Orrell said the district is working with applicable partners to ensure traffic around the school will not be negatively impacted, or if it is affected, as least impacted as possible.
“We know that not only do we have to be in your community, you have to be in the community too, so we want to make sure that we are partners with you and that everything runs as smoothly as possible,” he said.
Most questions from parents were regarding school enrollment.
4.
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He said all classrooms will have daylighting and more than 75% of all spaces in the school will have daylighting. Throughout the building, there will be thermal-efficient windows and glazing.
Throughout the site, there will be native and low-water plants to reduce water consumption. The stormwater design also is a lowimpact design, Kager said.
Orrell said although a different Orange County Public Schools department handles enrollment and zoning, the new elementary school will be pulling students from Water Spring and Panther Lake elementary schools to help relieve overcrowding at those schools.
Water Spring Elementary has a capacity of 725 students and is at 135% capacity.
Orrell said OCPS will have community meetings to discuss enrollment as it gets closer to the school’s opening.
n February through May 2025: Designing, permitting and
n May 2025 through May 2026: Construction
n May 2026 through August 2026: Teachers and staff move in n August 2026: School opens
school will be on 15 acres along Hartzog Road.
THE WAYS WE WERE FROM THE WINTER GARDEN HERITAGE FOUNDATION
80 years ago
Hoyle Pounds, chief of the city fire department, appeared before the City Commission and explained in detail an agreement the city made with Oakland in buying firefighting equipment, including a fire truck, on a cooperative basis. Oakland agreed to pay $3,000 on the truck, which would be operated out of Winter Garden by the city fire department.
Miss Ruth Grafton accepted a position in the office at the Winter Garden Ornamental Nursery.
A signal honor was conferred on J.S. Fairchild, Winter Garden banker, when he was appointed to the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank in Jacksonville. He was a 20-year executive officer of the First National Bank of Winter Garden and had seen the bank grow from $150,000 in resources to $4 million.
Fishermen at the city docks on Lake Apopka were thrown into a near panic when one of the anglers caught a five-foot moccasin snake within 15 feet of where they were fishing.
55 years ago
A new intensive ward was nearing completion at West Orange Memorial Hospital. Equipment to include two cardiac monitoring units was designed to provide care for heart attack victims and patients severely injured in crashes.
Diamond “R” was going up on Hennis Road in Winter Garden, and the $500,000 plant was expected to be completed sometime in July.
50 years ago
Lakeview High School band members sold a record number of The Winter Garden Times subscriptions: Shelley Selph came in first place for selling 57 subscriptions, Cindy Crawford came in second
for selling 15, and Dinah Tompkins and Don Katutis tied for third place. Director Harold Cooper was the biggest winner because he received a check for $232 earned by the band.
45 years ago
The newsstand price for a copy of The Winter Garden Times jumped to 25 cents. The administrative board of St.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
The Lau family recently donated a stack of photographs to be placed in the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation archive, many of them dating more than a century ago. The Winter Garden grove pictured here was photographed Feb. 23, 1919 — 106 years ago.
Images like these tie us firmly to our past, nurturing an appreciation for what came before us — and they tell the story of why we are all here.
The WGHF preserves a vast archive of citrus-related material, and readers and followers are invited to access the collection by calling (407) 6563244. Visitors will walk away with a deeper appreciation for the region we call home.
The mission of the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation is to preserve the heritage and architecture of Winter Garden while creating new cultural experiences. The Foundation also preserves the material culture of West Orange County, using it to educate the area’s youth on the community’s rich history.
FEB. 27, 1975
Do you remember a time when you could get breakfast for 86 cents? If you visited the Winter Garden Dairy Queen in 1975, your meal included two eggs, bacon or sausage, grits or hash browns and toast — all for less than a buck!
Don’t feel like cooking dinner tonight? Head over to the DQ on Mondays and Tuesdays for Family Night, which included a burger, fries and a soda for 99 cents. Imagine feeding a family of four for less than $4! The ice cream and sandwich shop was located at Highway 50 (West Colonial Drive) and Park Avenue. The original building, with its unique storefront design, still is located on the site.
Luke’s United Methodist Church voted to move services to The Epicenter because the new church congregation had outgrown the meeting site at Turkey Lake Park. Royal Canadian Development Corporation began construction on a $2.5 million, 52,700-squarefoot neighborhood shopping center on State Road 50, just east of Maguire Road in Ocoee.
20 years ago
The Orange County School Board unanimously chose the name Ocoee High School for its newest high school. The name carried on for a new generation, but instead of the Cardinals, the students would be the Knights. The other names submitted were Crown Point High, Platinum High and Unity High.
celebrity cipher
By Luis Campos
Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.
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“ZEBZYCLFFN CJ MDCE (RCFO) CJPHEMKN, GIOZJ YDLFFZJWZ OZJ OHYD OIKZ JIG UZYLHEZ GZ’KZ ELNCJW, ‘GZ YLJ PI CM, MII.’” KZWCJL VCJW
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PLAYOFF GAMES by Bob Weisz & John Kugelman, edited by Jared Goudsmit
West Orange Chamber of Commerce Celebrates Business
West Orange Chamber of Commerce celebrates the grand opening of The Luxury Choices
The West Orange Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors celebrated the grand opening of The Luxury Choices. Located at 130 N West Crown Point Rd in Winter Garden, The Luxury Choices specializes in high-end powder coating services for luxury vehicles and custom projects, and or anything metal that might need some restoration or just color in general. Founded by Jonathan Lizzi, a master craftsman with a true passion for his work, the company rewards the trust of luxury-car enthusiasts with stunning, durable finishes that elevate their vehicles to a new level.
To learn more, visit https://theluxurychoices.com/.
West Orange Chamber of Commerce celebrates the grand opening of Martha Krejci Company
The West Orange Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors celebrated the grand opening of Martha Krejci Company. Located in Windermere, Martha Krejci Company provides comprehensive training and coaching programs that empower business owners and entrepreneurs to master digital marketing strategies, social media optimization, and business scaling techniques. To learn more, visit https://withmartha.com.
West Orange Chamber of Commerce celebrates the 20-year anniversary of TLM Landscape Professionals
The West Orange Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors celebrated the 20-year anniversary of TLM Landscape Professionals. Located at 13440 W Colonial Dr in Winter Garden, TLM Landscape Professionals is a full-service landscape management company. They serve both residential and commercial clients, from office buildings, homeowners associations, shopping centers, apartment complexes and everything in between.
To learn more, visit https://thelawnmen.com/.
West Orange Chamber of Commerce celebrates the grand opening of Pearl Pediatric Clinic
The West Orange Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors celebrated the grand opening of Pearl Pediatric Clinic. Located at 15528 W Colonial Dr Ste B in Winter Garden, Pearl Pediatric Clinic’s team of dedicated pediatricians and nurses provides top-quality, comprehensive pediatric health-care services in a warm and nurturing environment for children birth to age 21. To learn more, visit https://pearlpediatricclinic.com/.
The West Orange Chamber recognizes and applauds our long-standing member businesses for their continued commitment to Advancing Community, Collaboration and Leadership. Congratulations on Membership Milestones to
THE WEST ORANGE CHAMBER OFFERS 4 NETWORKING GROUPS TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY - DR. PHILLIPS AND THURSDAY - HORIZON WEST
To learn more and to register for participation visit wochamber.com/ChamberGroups or call 407-656-1304
West Orange Chamber of Commerce Celebrates Business
The West Orange Chamber recognizes and applauds our long-standing member businesses for their continued commitment to Advancing Community, Collaboration and Leadership. Congratulations on Membership Milestones to
West Orange Chamber of Commerce celebrates the grand opening of The Peach Cobbler Factory - Ocoee
The West Orange Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors celebrated the grand opening of The Peach Cobbler Factory - Ocoee. Located at 269 West Rd in Ocoee, The Peach Cobbler Factory is excited to bring delightful desserts that evoke the feeling of grandma’s kitchen. From 12 flavors of Cobblers to Banana puddings, cinnamon rolls to shakes, cookies and more, everything they make is prepared with care and love for each flavor-filled bite.
To learn more, visit https://www.peachcobblerfactory.com/the-peach-cobbler-factorylocations/595-ocoee-fl.
West Orange Chamber of Commerce celebrates the grand opening of EliteMedNow
The West Orange Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors celebrated the grand opening of EliteMedNow. Located at 1530 Citrus Medical Ct Ste 103 in Ocoee, EliteMedNow is a physician-led concierge medical practice that focuses on preventive healthcare by using cutting edge technology to obtain the unique clinical data necessary to drive personalized precision clinical plans to optimize your health and longevity.
To learn more, visit https://www.elitemednow.com
West Orange Chamber of Commerce celebrates the grand opening of Home 2 Suites Winter Garden
The West Orange Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors celebrated the grand opening of Home 2 Suites Winter Garden. Located at 12341 W Colonial Dr in Winter Garden, Home 2 Suites is right where you need to be for an extended stay. They offer spacious suites with kitchens that ensure comfort and value however long you stay. The Winter Garden location is also pet-friendly. They also offer free breakfast. To learn more, visit https:// www.hilton.com/en/hotels/mcownht-home2-suites-winter-garden/.
West Orange Chamber of Commerce celebrates the grand opening of PAM Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Winter Garden
The West Orange Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors celebrated the grand opening of PAM Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Winter Garden. Located at 541 Winter Garden Vineland Rd in Winter Garden, PAM Health since its founding in 2006 is committed to providing high-quality patient care and outstanding customer service, coupled with the loyalty and dedication of a highly trained staff, to be the most trusted and impactful source for healthcare services in every community it serves. To learn more, visit https://pamhealth.com/facilities/find-facility/rehabilitationhospitals/pam-health-rehabilitation-hospital-winter-garden.
THE WEST ORANGE CHAMBER OFFERS 4 NETWORKING GROUPS
TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY - DR. PHILLIPS AND THURSDAY - HORIZON WEST
To learn more and to register for participation visit wochamber.com/ChamberGroups or call 407-656-1304