Rippel effect

Your Town

Elks Holding Heroes Lunch

The Winter Garden Elks Lodge is holding a lunch to thank the heroes in the community. All firefighters, paramedics, line workers and police are invited to bring their immediate families for a complimentary meal from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at the lodge, 700 Ninth St., Winter Garden. The community is invited to attend and purchase hamburgers and hotdogs. All money goes to the WG Elks Hero’s Fund. For information, call (407) 656-2165.

Lena Rippel lived in Windermere for four decades until her death at age 95. She had a talent for painting watercolor landscapes, and a descendant is on the hunt for them. STORY ON PAGE 4A.

One boy killed, another in critical condition after separate crashes

The Bridgewater and Ocoee middle school communities were rocked last week by two crashes involving students — both on the same day and within minutes of each other. SEE PAGE 2A. ROYAL