03.21.24 Southwest Orange Observer

Voters cast ballots in Winter Garden, Ocoee, Oakland

Residents in three municipalities voiced their opinions of who they want running their cities and town in the Tuesday, March 19, elections.

OBSERVER STAFF

Residents in Oakland, Ocoee and Winter Garden have spoken. Elections were held in the three West Orange County municipalities Tuesday, March 19, with early voting taking place March 4 through 17.

When the polls were closed and the ballots were counted, voters had selected Shane Taylor as their new mayor of Oakland, George Oliver III as District 4 commissioner in Ocoee and Chloe Johnson as District 3 commissioner in Winter Garden.

A runoff between incumbent Ron Mueller and Iliana Ramos Jones will determine the winner of Winter Garden’s District 2 race.

The town of Windermere did not host a 2024 election. Incumbent Mayor Jim O’Brien ran unopposed, as did council members Andy Williams and Brandi Haines.

OAKLAND

In Oakland, Taylor bested Sal Ramos 756 to 416 in the race for mayor on the Oakland Town Commission.

Taylor received 64.51% of the votes to Ramos’ 35.49%.

Taylor received 265 early votes, 130 mail-in votes and 361 electionday votes. Ramos received 76 early votes, 81 mail-in votes and 259 election-day votes.

“It’s a new era for the town of Oakland, and the people have spoken that they want a change in direction for the town,” Taylor said. “Our campaign was strictly grassroots; it was neighbors, it was friends, it was volunteers. The true American spirit to run a grassroots campaign and make a change can happen.”

Taylor is ready to serve the town of Oakland. He said his first priority as mayor will be to hear from the residents and find out what they want to see in their town. He also wants to meet with Town Manager Andy Stewart and Public Works Director Mike Parker to carve a path forward.

Ramos vacated his Town Commission seat to run for the mayor’s position. No one qualified for the empty seat, so the commission will have to appoint someone.

Taylor and Ramos were vying for mayor after Kathy Stark, the mayor for 20 years, retired from the position.

Mike Satterfield, commissioner

for Seat 2, had no opposition and was returned to his seat for another term.

OCOEE

In a race decided by just 32 votes, Oliver regained his former seat and defeated Nate Robertson in a special election for the Ocoee City Commission District 4 seat.

Oliver received a total of 739 votes (51.11%) to Robertson’s 707 votes (48.89%). His win came with 309 election-day votes, 259 mail-in ballot votes and 171 early votes, compared to Robertson’s 317 electionday votes, 212 mail-in ballots and 178 early votes.

“First of all, I want to thank the residents of District 4,” Oliver said. “I also want to let them know that they can count on total transparency from my office, and they can count on me to reach out and establish a rapport with them … so they are fully abreast of what’s going on in the city and in District 4.”

This special election was to fill the seat, left vacant by Oliver in 2023, until the end of the original fouryear term, which expires in 2025.

Elsewhere on the ballot in Ocoee, 11 of the 13 charter amendment questions that were up for a vote passed, including the establishment of a one-year residency requirement to run for city office, a limitation of commission member salaries to part-time and an authorization to

allow the commission to extend the residency requirement for the city manager by unanimous consent.

WINTER GARDEN

Winter Garden will hold a runoff election April 16 for the City Commission District 2 seat between incumbent Mueller and challenger Jones. Danny “DJ” Culberson Jr. was the third contestant in the race.

Jones had 247 election-day votes, 151 early votes and 189 vote-bymail, which accounted for 587 votes (48.04%).

“Although we did not achieve the result we would have liked, we are honored to be included in the upcoming runoff in about a month,” she said. “We will continue to reach out to voters to let them know of our vision and hopes for Winter Garden’s future. I have spoken with the mayor and all the other commissioners tonight, and they all have pledged their continued support in this effort as we reach out to voters to let them know of the runoff.”

Mueller had 137 election-day votes, 182 early votes and 193 voteby-mail, totalling 512 votes (41.90%).

said. “That’s worked well for us in the past, and it resonated with our voters this time. I’m going to continue that journey forward.”

Additionally, Culberson had 40 election-day votes, 38 early votes and 45 vote-by-mail, for a total of 123 votes (10.07%).

In the District 3 race, Chloe Johnson beat out Karen McNeil for the City Commission District 3 seat.

Johnson had 275 election-day votes, 176 early votes and 236 voteby-mail, which accounted for 687 total votes (68.09%).

“My nerves are all over the place, but I feel so good right now,” Johnson said about winning. “It feels amazing to know that all of my hard work has paid off.”

McNeil had 115 election-day votes, 98 early votes and 109 vote-by-mail, which added up to 322 total votes (31.91%).

Johnson earned incumbent Mark A. Maciel’s endorsement following his withdrawal from the election two days after qualifying in November.

“Given this will be a runoff election, I plan to continue down the same path I have been on by focusing on positivity, building our community, looking at what has been accomplished and moving forward to our vision for the future,” Mueller

“I think people chose to elect me because I showed that the work that you do really speaks for itself,” Johnson said. “I work hard, I’m patient, and I’m dedicated. It proved itself. … I plan to just listen and learn as much as I can.”

Current District 4 Commissioner Colin Sharman was unopposed, so no election was required.

Outside in front of the Mosaic at Woodlawn Memorial Park.

Easter message with prayers and music.

Sermon by Jeff Pritchard of Starke Lake Baptist Church.

Continental breakfast to follow

Woodlawn Memorial Park and Funeral Home

400 Woodlawn Cemetery Rd, Gotha, FL 34734

For additional information, please call 407-293-1361

Feeling lucky

Crooked Can Brewing Company hosted its annual Celtic Fest at Plant Street Market, bringing out hoards of

The ninth edition of the annual event celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, and Irish culture in general, featured plenty of entertainment for eventgoers.

Beyond what the local brewery had on tap and food vendors were serving up, the event featured live music performances from Todd Nichols, Rosie O’Grady’s Pipe & Drum, FiddleRat and others, along with face painting for the kids, lawn games, stilt walkers, Irish dance performances and plenty more.

— SAM ALBUQUERQUE

Members of Rosie O’Grady’s Pipe & Drum ensemble marched down a closed South Central Avenue and entertained event-goers with classic Irish songs.

A stilt-walker, dressed in a St. Patrick’s Day outfit, passed out green beads and interacted with those in attendance.

Chris Perry tried his hand at the Beer Puppeteer lawn game.

Meet Miss City Beautiful’s Teen 2024

Amelia Grace Donaho is working to break the stereotype associated with pageants by inspiring others and leading with her heart.

ANNABELLE SIKES NEWS EDITOR

The moments leading up to the announcement of Miss City Beautiful’s Teen 2024 were filled — not with nervousness for 17-year-old Amelia Grace Donaho — but, instead, with peace.

“I don’t really know how to explain it, but I felt peace just came over me,” she said. “I had peace knowing that either this was going to go well, I was going to win and it would be great; or I’m not, and God has somewhere else he wants me to be. When I won, I knew it was a ‘Yes’ from God. It was a moment of pure joy and happiness.”

Amelia, a Windermere resident and junior at Foundation Academy, was crowned at the Miss Orlando 2024 competition held Feb. 11 at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

She will join five other women to represent Team Orlando 2024 at the Miss Florida 2024 competition in June in Lakeland.

In addition to Amelia, the group includes Amber Boykin, Miss Orlando 2024; Tori Leto, Miss City Beautiful 2024; Lindsey Franxman, Miss Winter Park 2024; Milee Hasting, Miss Orlando’s Teen 2024; and Aubrey Rosenhaus, Miss Winter Park’s Teen 2024.

“Obviously, it would be great to win in June,” Amelia said. “But outside of that, I just hope to continue to have the opportunity to spread my Community Service Initiative and my faith in God. I want to help people. It’s not so much about what I gain, but how I can help others.”

‘IT’S ABOUT WHO YOU ARE ON THE INSIDE’

Born in Alabama, Amelia and her family moved to Florida when she was 7 years old. She started in pageants when she was only 2.

“She just loved being on stage,” her mother Amanda Donaho said. “She would ask to do them. It was just fun because all of the pageants she did had an interview component where she had to meet with judges. She’s just always been able to talk to people. I think that was a big part of her interest.”

In Alabama, Amelia was part of Alabama’s Rising Stars, which is a program of the Miss Alabama Competition through which candidates act as mentors for young ladies.

Amelia started attending Foundation Academy in second grade.

In Florida, Amelia became part of the Little Sunshine Sisters program, which is the mentorship program for the Miss Florida Competition. There, she had the opportunity to be mentored by Taylor Tyson, Miss Florida 2018. She also competed in a few of the Florida Cinderella Pageants.

She then decided to take a break from pageants for about five years.

The recent Miss Orlando competition was the first Amelia had participated in since then. She decided only about a month before the competition was held to re-enter the pageant world.

“I think it was because I finally started to feel comfortable and confident in my own skin,” she said. “I

Foundation Academy, will help

wanted to see what I could get out of the pageants and what I could learn when meeting all the people and having the experiences.”

Amelia knows pageants sometimes receive a bad rap, but one of her main goals is to shift that mindset.

“I’ve kind of had to explain that this is not the case to people at my school lately when they found out I had been crowned,” she said. “It’s not about being the prettiest person. It’s all about who you are on the inside, and that’s what I love the most about the Miss America opportunity.”

MORE THAN JUST A PAGEANT

Amelia has learned a multitude of valuable skills when competing in pageants, including public speaking, preparing for job interviews and getting along with different types of people.

Preparing for a pageant also takes a lot of hard work and finances.

As part of the pageant, the women competing must undergo an interview portion, complete a talent segment and come up with their own Community Service Initiative.

“I love talking to people, so I think the interview component was pretty easy for me, but it was still nerve wracking,” Amelia said. “The talent and my CSI took a lot of practice, time and thought.”

For her talent, she chose to tap dance to “Na Na Na” by Pentatonix.

Amelia started dancing when she was only 2 years old and said she has always loved tap.

She was part of the Orlando Tap Company when she was 12 but decided to take a break from dance to explore sports and other activities.

Amelia’s CSI is called “Spend, Save, Serve: Creating a Healthy Money Mindset.”

“Your CSI has to be something that you feel very sure about and that you have a strong passion for, not just something you think the judges would like,” she said. “My parents took the time to talk with me about their financial ups and downs. They also live life with a heart of service and have been faithful with their tithe and generosity to others. As a teen preparing to enter college and the workforce, my passion is to live

financially free, and I want my generation to experience this as well.

“Through my CSI, I partnered with my school to create a finance program for our elementary students,” she said. “I am now working with the local Boys and Girls Club on plans to start the finance program there. Additionally, a private school in Georgia decided to implement a portion of my CSI. I am excited to further this initiative by partnering with more schools in the Orlando area and beyond to bring a practical yet fun approach to a healthy money mindset.”

Amelia is astonished she was able to pull off everything in such a short period of time.

“A lot of the girls had been preparing for a long time, but I was kind of just dipping my toes in the water again,” she said. “I really have to credit that to my faith in God. There were so many things and blessings that worked out in my favor. It was incredible. … Yes, it was a lot to balance everything, but I was pursuing my dream. It was so worth it, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

The sisterhood of the pageant world is yet another aspect that attracted Amelia to the competition.

“Some people also think that pageants are all about competition,” she said. “While it is a competition, I would describe it more as a sisterhood. I’ve only known Tori (Leto) for about a month, but we are so close already. Knowing she always has my back is an amazing thing to have close to your heart in the pageants.”

Scholarship opportunities are yet another strong draw for the Miss Florida organization. Since its founding in 1935, the organization has awarded more than $45 million to candidates in the state.

FORGING HER OWN PATH

Amelia will have more time to prepare for the upcoming Miss Florida 2024 competition.

During this time, she hopes to focus more on her CSI. In the future, she wishes to bring her initiative to the Florida legislature. Her dream would be to implement the CSI in high schools for seniors to have to take before they graduate.

As for her own future in school, Amelia hopes to attend the University of Alabama to pursue a career in the medical field and become an obstetrician, while also continuing to expand her interests in business and finance and even become the first person in her family to obtain her doctorate. But, for now, Amelia stays plenty busy with her passions at Foundation Academy. She is a member of National Honor Society, a co-leader for Daughters Growing in Grace, yearbook editor and a member of the Student Leadership Institute. She plays varsity volleyball and beach volleyball and became the first girl at her school to go to states for weightlifting. She has earned a Distinguished Christian Student Award; has been named team captain for varsity weightlifting and volleyball; is a Volleyball All-Around Athlete and an Olympic and traditional district and regional champion in weightlifting; and was named the Speed, Strength and Agility Female Top Athlete of the Year in 2023.

“I cannot think of a better representative for Foundation Academy in our community,” said Sarah Reynolds, Upper School principal at Foundation Academy. “Amelia has a posture of grace, confidence and leadership within our school, and we are so grateful that she is sharing that outside of our walls in the city beautiful that is Orlando.”

Soon, Amelia will have the opportunity to have her own mentee through the Little Sunshine Sisters program. However, she said her own biggest mentor and supporter is her mother.

Amanda Donaho said her daughter is a natural-born leader in anything she does.

“I never wanted to be a parent that pushed,” Amanda Donaho said. “I think maybe being an educator you see all different aspects of that. I wanted her to experience different types of things but then make her own choices and decisions on them. I wanted her to forge her own path, because it’s not my future. It’s hers.”

Light coming to Avalon intersection

Following nine traffic crashes at the intersection of Avalon and Schofield roads in Horizon West since September, a temporary portable traffic signal is coming to the crossroad, which should result in fewer crashes in the area.

SPORTS EDITOR

A portable and temporary traffic signal is planned for the intersection of Avalon and Schofield roads, in south Winter Garden, in response to multiple area crashes in recent

turning onto Avalon from eastbound Schofield.

This temporary solution should help mitigate the traffic incidents at the popular intersection that is often used to enter and exit State Road 429, at Exit 13.

Orange County Commissioner

Nicole Wilson — who announced the portable signals were coming to the intersection at a community meeting in February — has been fighting for a temporary solution until a permanent solution can be arranged.

“Permanent safety measures for dangerous intersections can take a long time to secure and install,” Wilson said in a statement to the Orange Observer. “In the meantime, the safety threat remains. Since hearing from concerned residents in January, I have urged Public Works to prioritize finding a temporary measure to help improve conditions at the intersection of Avalon

and Schofield roads. We helped Public Works obtain necessary documentation, and the result is an incoming purchase order for a temporary signal.”

Although this measure has been approved and the purchase of the portable signal is in the works, Commissioner Wilson’s office shared no timeline for installation.

“We will continue to pass along updates on this project as we receive them,” Wilson said in the statement.

The latest update shared by the Orange County Public Works staff about the temporary project came in late February.

”We are getting quotes from vendors to install a portable signal as an expedient measure to address the safety concerns,” according to staff. “We are currently requesting three quotes to issue a purchase order ASAP.”

Since September, the Florida Highway Patrol has reported nine

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crashes at or near the Avalon/ Schofield intersection.

Considering the substantial number of crashes in the area, this move to implement portable traffic signals falls in line with the Orange County initiative passed in 2022, Vision Zero. The program, according to Orange County’s website, aims to eliminate traffic deaths and severe injuries on its transportation systems. It is unclear what the long-term plan is for the Avalon/Schofield intersection or when it could be decided, but the addition of the temporary traffic signal should see the busy intersection become safer in the short term.

Amelia Grace Donaho, a junior at

Windermere to join Form 6 litigation

Florida Form 6 requires more detailed financial disclosures from elected officials. More than two dozen municipalities and more than 70 elected officials from across Florida are suing, including the town of Windermere.

ANNABELLE SIKES

NEWS EDITOR

The town of Windermere is joining the Florida Form 6 litigation, as decided at its Tuesday, March 12, Town Council meeting.

The new form, which was signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis this year, is facing two lawsuits filed by Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman, PL.

More than two dozen municipalities and more than 70 elected officials from across Florida, including the town of Windermere, are part of the lawsuits, which allege the law is “highly intrusive” and unconstitutional.

“The issue that comes up here, in my perspective, is I believe some of this is being done to discourage people … and that to me is a threat to the way that we do business,” Windermere Mayor Jim O’Brien said. “For us to have to continue to give out additional information; it’s not easy to get all of that information. … At the end of the day, while I am 1000% sure that nobody here has anything to hide, just going through all that effort, it’s just an additional burden to discourage people from running for council. It’s already a difficult position. It’s not a lot of fun all the time. But, we love doing it because we care about our community.”

WHAT IS FORM 6?

Form 6 is a full and public financial disclosure filed by county candidates, including commissioners, constitutional officers, school board members and judges. This form is

usually filed directly with the Florida Commission on Ethics, unless it is during the year the office is up for election.

In the past, Florida’s ethics laws have required local elected public officials to disclose their primary sources of employment each year. Officials elected to city and town governments filed a Form 1 disclosure, which required them to list assets and liabilities of more than $10,000, as well as sources of income and property holdings. But it did not require candidates to specify dollar amounts.

However, the new legislation’s form requires net worth, assets and liabilities exceeding $1,000, and an itemized breakdown of all sources of income that exceed $1,000.

More than 100 elected officials have been reported to have stepped down due to the new law, including a previous council member in the town of Windermere.

The first lawsuit was filed Thursday, Feb. 15, in the Leon County Circuit Court.

The complaint, filed in Florida court, states the form violates city officials’ right to privacy under the Florida Constitution. The lawsuit called the added disclosure “an unwarranted intrusion into the privacy of municipal elected officials” and an unnecessary safety risk. It states the airing of personal financial details could make officials targets of robbery, identity theft and extortion.

A second suit, filed in federal court, contends it violates their right to be free of government compelled speech under the U.S. Constitution. The complaint states the added financial disclosure “does not prevent or even ameliorate” conflicts of interest or public corruption and does not increase public confidence in government.

The complaints both were filed against Florida Commission on Ethics members who enforce the law. The complaints argue there are less-restrictive means available to accomplish the “compelling state interest” of evaluating conflicts of interest and deterring corruption.

Officials who fail to file the form can face a civil penalty of up to $20,000 and potential removal from office following an investigation and public hearing, according to the complaints.

Unlike county and state officials, many city officials, primarily in smaller municipalities, receive little or no pay for their service.

‘WE NEED TO PUSH BACK’

Council members, at the February meeting, opted to have the town attorney draft a resolution to add to the March agenda pertaining to the possibility of joining the litigation.

Although not in attendance at the March meeting, Council Member Mandy David relayed her full support for the resolution in a letter to the Town Council read by Town Manager Robert Smith.

“I think it is important we try to protect our council in the future so that it won’t prevent others from serving in our wonderful town,” she wrote.

Council Member Tom Stroup inquired on why the lawsuit is being pursued now when the Form 6 has existed in the past.

“Supposedly, for the past few years, this is an issue that the governor has thought important for all elected municipal officials to have to do, and, up until this point, it never went through … but it did get high,” Town Attorney Heather Ramos said. Stroup said he felt conflicted about the resolution.

“I think that if I expect it from my county mayor and my city mayor and other elected officials; I am an elected official also,” he said. “I see all the sides.”

“It is a shame,” Ramos said. “I really wish they just would have carved out the folks that were not being paid for their service.”

“I don’t think anyone in government should have to disclose their private information to all …”

Council Member Tony Davit said. “We all get training for ethics. We all know what behavior is not accepted. What does financial disclosures have to do with any of that?”

Council Member Andy Williams asked where the encroachment stops unless people push back.

“You see it from the federal, state, all levels of higher government trying to influence local government affairs by these types of tactics,” Davit said. “We need to push back.”

Davit made a motion to approve the resolution and it passed 3-1, with Stroup dissenting.

BATHROOM BARRIERS

Council members also discussed temporary restrooms at Town Hall Square.

“The town manager has received a few requests — I’m saying a few lightly — about the fact that there’s no restroom facilities here at the Town Square park area,” Public Works Director Tonya Elliott-Moore said. “This becomes an issue for those that are out playing basketball or soccer because Town Hall is generally locked during the day when it’s not open for some type of event. So, the town manager asked me to obtain quotes for a portable restroom trailer.”

Elliott-Moore said she reached out and received quotes from three different companies.

The lowest quote at a 12-month cost was from Orange County Potty’s for $42,462. She said the cost includes the company doing cleaning and clearing of the facility.

“I understand the need, and I am frustrated,” O’Brien said. “I have a couple things that I’m a little concerned about. One is where we put this … Are we sure we don’t want to invest in something that (is more permanent)? … If this is the way that we have to go; we have to do something. We’re in a bit of a predicament now … between timeliness and readiness to commit to what we’re going to do for the rehabilitation of Town Hall and securing that funding … I agree that the local businesses should not have to pick up the bathrooms for the town. … All I want to say is do we want to take a little more time and look at a few more options?”

The conversation was tabled so

staff can explore other products and bring the findings back to the Town Council in the near future.

IN OTHER NEWS

n The Windermere Town Council heard a 2023 Financial Audit Statement presentation from McDirmit Davis, as well as a State of the Lakes update from Amy Giannotti with Aquastem Consulting.

n The town swore in the following members for their next twoyear term: Mayor Jim O’Brien, Council Member Loren “Andy” Williams and Council Member Brandi Haines.

n Council members approved three consent items: the minor replatting of 10908 and 10988 Down Park Lane to create three lots; a variance to allow a covered porch that results in a maximum floor area ratio of 42%, which exceeds the allowed total maximum 38% floor area ratio at 10910 Bayshore Drive; and a variance to allow a dock with side setbacks less than 16 feet to allow side setbacks of 10 feet on the east side and 10.8 feet on the west side at 212 W. First Ave.

n The council approved a resolution revising the town’s purchasing policies and procedures to “maximize the purchasing power and value of the town’s funds and to ensure that the town’s purchasing process is conducted in an ethical, fair and open manner, and in accordance with Florida law.”

n The town approved a subrecipient agreement for phase two of the Sixth Avenue and Butler Street drainage project.

School upgrades spark contrasting opinions

Holy Family Catholic School is proposing to upgrade its existing track-and-field and sports facilities. However, some neighbors have concerns.

ANNABELLE SIKES NEWS EDITOR

The Orange County Zoning Division hosted a community meeting Wednesday, Feb. 28, to discuss Holy Family Catholic School’s request to upgrade its existing track-and-field and sports facilities.

John Noonan, the applicant for the school, is requesting an amendment to an existing special exception in the Rural County Estate zoning district to allow for an expansion of the athletic fields, including the installation of concessions and bleachers.

The proposal pertains to 25 acres, with the West Windermere Settlement Future Land Use designation, located at 5125 S. Apopka-Vineland Road, in the Dr. Phillips area.

Patrick Thomas and Alex Guastella, volunteering head track coaches at the school, said the existing facilities at the school serve a multitude of purposes, including sports, physical education, recess and after-school care. However, the reasoning behind the project is restoring the facilities to assure the future safety and useability of the existing facility for the students and children.

“The facility has been compromised by original design limitations, time and subsequent wear and tear causing disrepair,” the coaches said. “The refurbished facility will feature all the current amenities but in a slightly different configuration due to upgrading to conform to safety regulations and requirements but be contained within the original parish property. … These upgraded amenities will benefit the over 700 children who attend Holy Family Catholic School, providing them with a space to practice fitness and train for their athletic pursuits.”

FACILITY FEATURES

Orange County Case Planner

Ted Kozak led the meeting and presentation.

Kozak said site access would be from South Apopka-Vineland Road to the west, and the applicant is not proposing any lights. The number of students at the school, the number of parking spaces and the hours of operation would not change.

The athletic area would be used during school hours, daily from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., after school from 3:30 p.m. until sunset and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The school’s proposal includes the installation of 140 seats in two bleachers, as well as modification of the existing track and construction of a new soccer field and basketball court. Other track-and-field improvements would include a long jump and shot put area.

Although a standard track typically measures 400 meters in circumference with 38-degree turns at both ends, the school’s current facility is only 293 meters, requiring sharp 80-degree corners, Thomas and Guastella said.

“The almost square nature of the track corners is a running hazard putting students at risk of injury,” the pair said. “The school has undertaken a four-year effort to address this issue by creating proper and advanced facilities.”

In addition, a new, 1,140-squarefoot building would be constructed with restrooms, concessions and storage.

Father Martin Nguyen, Holy Family Catholic Church pastor, said the existing site plan areas of focus will include modifying the existing paving, demolishing and replacing the existing concession stand, relocating the current playground, replacing the existing track and athletic field, demolishing and relocating the current rectory, relocating the dumpster, and demolishing the existing convent and supporting structures.

“Now, with the introduction of our new and improved facilities, we anticipate even greater achievements,” Thomas said.

“Enhanced training opportunities will empower more student athletes to reach the pinnacle of their sports. Additionally, these upgraded facilities will benefit other sports like football and soccer, making it easier to host Catholic Youth Sports games.”

COMMUNITY CONCERNS

Shelley Green, a nearby resident, believes the community members in her neighborhood all oppose the special exception. “The Holy Family Catholic School wants to expand/extend the track longer, which puts that farther into the neighborhood,” she said. “It should not be approved. This really is a matter of using the existing property, as is intended to be Rural County Estate. If they want to repair or fix the existing track, then that is acceptable. However, they rushed to demolish an existing house before they were even approved for the special exception. We have some families that have been here for over 53 years. We have to fight these things all the time. This is our third encroachment into our neighborhood.

“We have been dealing with traffic and events for all these years, and they just get bigger and more frequent,” Green said. “COVID did slow things down a little for a short time. … We all don’t mind the churches. In fact, that was one of the things the majority of us liked about the neighborhood. This is about us having rights to enjoy our properties without intrusions to our neighborhood.”

Jeff Forrest, another local resident, agreed with Green.

However, he said he met with the church and its attorney following the meeting and was “pleasantly surprised by their desire to address our neighborhood’s concerns.

“The church recognized our concerns about parking and traffic and created a separation between the church’s use and the residential neighborhood,” he said. “They have modified their plan to reflect six-foot-high landscape buffers along both of the residential streets, removed the two access points from

the existing parking lot and will remove two residential lots from the church master plan, eliminating the ‘religious institutional’ use effectively preventing further encroachment into the neighborhood.

“The church agreed to provide traffic and parking control during significant events such as Easter Sunday to reduce the parking in the neighborhood,” he said. “During the meeting, Father Martin spoke about the church’s desire to be good neighbors; something his predecessor did not do. Drawing from my Greek and Roman history, I believe the church is genuine in its efforts to ‘extend an olive branch.’”

Erinn Lindland, a mother of children enrolled at the school and resident of Torey Pines, said the school is one of the best private schools in Orlando and the reason the family moved to the neighborhood. Lindland said she found other neighbors’ comments “appalling.”

“These comments were abhorrible,” she said. “The very communities that thrive off HFCS, Palm Lake Elementary, St. Jude, St. Luke, Chain of Lakes Middle School and many more are the ones who claim their property value, traffic and noise will be impacted by these improvements.

It is appalling that neighbors would call kids playing ‘noise’ and that they think property value would decrease when it is simply not the case. Houses have nearly doubled in price in Torey Pines since COVID. The reason for their home value being so high is obvious. These neighbors live in the middle of several wonderful schools and thriving businesses because of these same children.

“HFCS is simply trying to give students an upgrade on what land is already being used for the kids,” Lindland said. “We must recognize the good in what is happening and that children are voiceless when it comes to policy and government. They need parents and communities who support them; give them dignity, worth (and) trust; and recognize they are going to be adults one day. It is our duty to help them achieve that full potential and advocate for them.”

The proposal will next move on to a public hearing before the Orange County Board of Zoning Adjustment April 4, followed by a public hearing by the Board of County Commissioners tentatively set for April 23.

Courtesy photo

This rendering shows the proposed upgrades.

OCPS and teachers union strike deal

After a daylong hearing before the Orange County School Board, the school district and the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association found common ground.

MICHAEL ENG EDITOR AND PUBLISHER

It took a last-minute compromise, but Orange County Public Schools and the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association have reached an agreement.

At the end of a daylong impasse hearing before the Orange County School Board

Tuesday, March 5, at the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center, OCPS and the OCCTA agreed on a nearly 10% pay raise for most teachers and a delay in employees paying the full cost of an increase to health insurance premiums.

The School Board approved unanimously the agreement late Tuesday afternoon.

Under the agreement, instructional staff rated as “highly effective” will receive an historic 9.7% average raise. The overall increase ranges from $3,775 to $7,950 per teacher (depending on rating), with the average increase being $5,400 annually.

If ratified by a majority of OCCTA member teachers, salary increases will be paid retroactively to the beginning of the 2023-24 school year.

Furthermore, proposed health insurance modifications will go into effect, June 30. 2024. However, OCPS agreed to offset 50% of any increases to premiums beginning in September for the 2024-25 plan year. The full increase in premiums will not go into effect until the 2025-26 school year. To accomplish this, the district will pay $4.4 million to cover those costs.

This will result in a $250 to $300 decrease in health insurance premiums per employee for 2024-25.

The $4.4 million will be applied equally to all employees employed with the district before July 1, 2024, OCPS attorney Jeffrey Mandel said. This premium discount or “holiday” will not be available to teachers

who are hired after July 1.

Although School Board members said they were pleased an agreement was made, they also voiced frustration that it did not happen earlier to avoid an impasse hearing altogether.

“I cannot believe that it took you guys an hour in a room together to figure this out,” School Board District 7 Member Melissa Byrd said. “I’m frustrated that we couldn’t have done this eight months ago.”

School Board District 4 Member Pam Gould said she hopes the hour of collaboration that resulted in the agreement is a sign of a new working relationship between the district and union.

“I’m so glad we finally came to a collaborative bargaining arrangement, because that what it felt like, instead of collective where we have been that has been detrimental to all involved,” she said.

OCCTA President Clinton McCracken said that spirit of collaboration was made impossible during this year’s negotiations because School Board members would not meet with the OCCTA.

ANGLICAN

BAPTIST

First Baptist Church

Pastor Tim Grosshans 125 E. Plant St, Winter Garden (407) 656-2352

Sundays: 8:30 AM Traditional

9:45 AM Bible Study

11 AM Contemporary Wednesdays: 6 PM Awana

CHURCH OF GOD

Ocoee Church of God

Pastor Graham Chancey 1105 N. Lakewood Ave.,Ocoee (407) 656-8011

EPISCOPAL

Church of the Messiah 241 N. Main St., Winter Garden Services: 8, 9:30, & 11 AM,

ANGLICAN COMMUNITY

FELLOWSHIP CHURCH

“I have tried all year, in so many ways and so many times in conversations with some of you, to prevent us from being here,” he said to the School Board. “What didn’t happen this year is any conversation from any of you with us. It was all just me talking to you. … If we’re going to talk about the district and the union, we need to consider that you all are part of this conversation and bargaining, as well. You are responsible for some of the things that happen in bargaining, and none of you would talk to us.”

Rector The Rev. Canon Tim Trombitas 1146 East Plant St, Winter Garden

SUNDAY SERVICE 10:00 AM

Find us at: Theacf.net

BAPTIST

BEULAH BAPTIST

Pastor Casey Butner 671 Beulah Rd, Winter Garden 407-656-3342 | BeulahBaptistWG.org

SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY 9:30AM

SUNDAY SERVICE 11:00AM

WEDNESDAY SERVICE 6:00PM

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

125 E Plant St., Winter Garden 407-656-2352

SUNDAYS 8:30 am Traditional

9:45 am Bible Study 11:00 am Contemporary

WEDNESDAYS - 6pm - Awana

Pastor Tim Grosshans www.fbcwg.org

2nd Campus: FOUNDATION WORSHIP SUNDAYS 9:45 am - All Ages Foundation Academy High School 15304 Tilden Rd., Winter Garden www.FoundationWorship.com 407-730-1867

STARKE LAKE BAPTIST CHURCH

PO Box 520, 611 W Ave, Ocoee

Pastor Jeff Pritchard (407) 656-2351 www.starkelakebaptist.org

CHURCH OF GOD

OCOEE CHURCH OF GOD

Pastor Thomas Odom 1105 N. Lakewood Avenue, Ocoee 407-656-8011

EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH

241 N. Main, Winter Garden Services: 8, 9:30, & 11am, 7pm www.churchofthemessiah.com

METHODIST

FIRST UNITED METHODIST

CHURCH

125 N. Lakeview Ave Winter Garden Service Times 9:00 AM and 11:15 AM Phone – 407-656-1135

Web: fumcwg.org

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST WINDERMERE UNION CHURCH 10710 Park Ridge-Gotha Rd.

New hydrilla treatment coming to Lake Apopka

ANNABELLE SIKES

NEWS EDITOR

The St. Johns River Water Management District hosted a community meeting Tuesday, March 5, at Tanner Hall in Winter Garden to give updates on Lake Apopka restoration and vegetation management.

At the meeting, Mary Ellen Winkler, assistant executive director for SJRWMD, announced the district is aiming to treat 1,633 acres of Lake Apopka for hydrilla by airboat come spring 2024.

The SJRWMD’s treatment plan proposes three new treatments at Smith Island, Gourd Neck and the Oakland Nature Preserve. In addition, follow-up treatments in the fall would be given to a 350-acre area along the northwest shore of Lake Apopka, east of Ferndale, as well as to a 1,125-acre area described as the north shore.

The district hopes the treatment will be conducted before the end of April. However, the exact timing is contingent upon weather conditions and lake-related activities.

“Our objective with these treatments is twofold: to reduce hydrilla in Lake Apopka helping safeguard our continued ability to fulfill our mission of providing regional flood protection, while simultaneously promoting the growth of native aquatic vegetation,” said SJRWMD director Mike Register. “By establishing native vegetation, we’re not only fostering a healthier ecosystem but also preserving our flood protection capabilities, ensuring a balanced and sustainable approach in Lake Apopka restoration efforts.”

LAKE LIFE

The SJRWMD is an environmental regulatory agency whose work is focused on ensuring a long-term supply of drinking water and to protect and restore the health of water bodies in the district’s 18 counties in northeast and east-central Florida.

Lake Apopka is the fourth largest lake in Florida — more than 30,000 acres in size — and is the headwaters of the Ocklawaha Chain of Lakes. The lake was Central Florida’s original tourist attraction.

The SJRWMD and partners have worked since the 1980s to improve the lake’s water quality and habitat. Over the last almost 40 years, the state and the district has invested about $200 million into bringing the lake back to life.

Lake Apopka’s water quality restoration has been based on a multipronged approach of diet and exercise. “Diet” has focused on reducing the amount of phosphorus entering the lake. The largest diet improvement occurred following the legislature’s 1996 direction to the district to buy out the farms on the lake’s north shore.

This area, formerly a floodplain marsh, was diked, drained and put into agricultural production in the 1940s. Phosphorus from these farms fueled the continuous algal bloom that shaded the lake’s vegetation and caused the bass fishery to collapse.

Key to reducing phosphorus load-

ing from the north shore was restoring the area’s wetlands to reduce the volume of nutrient-laden water pumped to the lake. Now, discharges can be treated to inactivate phosphorus, and in 2003 the passage of the Lake Apopka Stormwater Rule enhanced the lake’s diet to the entire watershed.

“Exercise” is removal of phosphorus already in the lake, which has included harvest of rough fish, largely gizzard shad, from the lake and operating the marsh flow-way to continuously filter algae, suspended solids and associated nutrients.

The combined effect of the diet and exercise has been a dramatic improvement in water quality.

Since the late 1980s, phosphorus concentrations have declined 69% and water clarity increased 93%, as of the end of 2023. The recovery of clearer water and return of sunlight to the lake’s bottom caused the

regrowth of submerged aquatic vegetation, which had been missing for 50 years, and the critical bass habitat needed for recovering sportfish populations.

NEXT STEPS

Winkler said one of the biggest challenges the SJRWMD continues to face is the regrowth of submerged aquatic vegetation, also known as hydrilla.

The hydrilla cover has expanded rapidly in recent years and has exacerbated existing flood protection concerns. The hydrilla concerns on Lake Apopka threaten the $200 million state and district investment in the lake’s recovery.

For flood protection, Lake Apopka needs the Apopka-Beauclair Canal and dam to be free of vegetation to pass flood water.

Winkler said hydrilla outgrows native submerged aquatic vegetation species and management becomes more difficult with increasing biomass over time.

Hydrilla easily fragments and can infest downstream lake chains, as well as have an impact on shad harvest and recreational boating.

“It’s a ‘perfect storm’ type of species,” Winkler said. “It easily replicates and grows. … As an agency that has worked very hard over the last several decades; we don’t want it to overtake Lake Apopka.” Winkler said maintenance control is cheaper and uses less herbicide than whole-lake treatments.

The district treated the hydrilla targeting more than 4,000 acres in spring 2023. However, by winter the hydrilla had increased to almost 10,000 acres. Maintaining thousands of acres of hydrilla would require millions of dollars annually.

Last year, the district received a legislative appropriation providing the district $2 million for hydrilla management, as well as an additional $5 million for urgent needs, which included a treatment plan for 6,290 acres and multiple herbicides to protect native species, reduce resistance development, and reduce tuber and turion production.

The fall 2023 hydrilla treatment was completed utilizing three heli-

copters over a period of four days in late November, and the district is continuing to monitor the area to observe the effects.

The herbicides the district is using have been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“These herbicides undergo rigorous testing to ensure safety and efficacy under specified conditions outlined on the label,” SJRWMD officials said. “Our staff, and any contractors working on our behalf, strictly adhere to these guidelines.”

For the upcoming treatment, the district will utilize a combination of two EPA-approved herbicides. The herbicide mixture varies across different areas of the lake to accommodate native plant species.

SJRWMD officials said residents and recreational users of the lake do not need to take any precautions for the treatments.

“The chemicals dissipate rapidly upon contact with the water and are expected to be completely absent within a month,” the officials said. “There are no restrictions on the use of the water following the treatment.”

The SJRWD also is planning on completing some treatments on the land the district owns on the north shore property.

In addition, the SJRWMD currently is engaged in planting efforts for submerged aquatic vegetation, managing exotic species, updating the Lake Apopka North Shore Land Management Plan that includes a proposal for a new waterfowl area and developing a feasibility study for the next generation of projects to benefit Lake Apopka.

Through a partnership with the University of Florida, the district also is working to reintroduce native species. The district also plans to continue to plant submerged aquatic habitats with 46 acres to be planted before June 30.

SPORTS

HIGH 5

1

The spring sports season is well underway, but already the beginnings of fall football is showing over the horizon, as teams have started releasing their 2024 schedules.

Dr. Phillips, West Orange and Lake Buena Vista high schools all dropped their schedules with plenty of intriguing matchups.

To lead the pack of games, Dr. Phillips will travel to Olympia High Sept. 27 for their always-entertaining rivalry game. A few other games to watch for the Panthers are when they host Seminole County powerhouse Lake Mary High Sept. 13, travel to Apopka High Sept. 6, host Edgewater High Oct. 18 and wrap up the season against West Orange Nov. 11.

For West Orange, its Aug. 30 home matchup against Wekiva High, Oct. 18 home game against Olympia and Oct. 24 rivalry game against Ocoee High are games to watch. Lake Buena Vista’s road game against Windermere High Sept. 27 highlights its list of games.

2Windermere boys volleyball’s Hayden Spears has officially signed his National Letter of Intent to continue his playing career at Ohio State. The 6-foot-7 middle hitter has been extremely efficient for the Wolverines (5-3) this season, recording 86 kills in just 24 sets, 15 total blocks and eight aces.

3

Dr. Phillips boys water polo has continued its dominant form in 2024 by winning the Metro West Conference championship after a 14-12 win over West Orange. The Panthers, who are currently ranked as the top team in Florida, have a 22-2 record and have the makings of a state championship caliber team this season.

4

After squeezing out a one-run win over West Orange in its most recent game, Horizon High softball has put together a quality resume in its first 10 games of the 2024 season.

The Hawks (9-1) are led by twin sisters Avery and Madison Velazquez, as well as sophomore Lila Hernandez. The trio has been lethal at the plate this season, having combined for half of the team’s hits and all but one of its home runs Combine the trio’s stellar play with quality wins over Foundation Academy (6-2), South Lake High (6-3) and Timber Creek High (5-4), and its single loss coming on the road to undefeated Eustis High (8-0), and its safe to say Horizon is one of the top teams in the area

5Four West Orange and Southwest Orange County senior soccer players represented the area in the 2024 Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-Star Games.

After years of training umpires, Winter Garden and Little League District

SAM ALBUQUERQUE SPORTS EDITOR

There are few examples in life and in art that capture the relationship between a father and son with sports more than the closing scene of the classic sports movie “Field of Dreams,” where Kevin Costner’s character asks his father to play catch.

That iconic scene, though not very dramatic or over the top with emotion, still has the power to bring a tear to the eye of any father or son who has had a connection through sports.

umpire

For Ed Smith, a longtime Little League umpire in West Orange and Southwest Orange County, baseball was always the game that brought him and his son together.

In fact, it was at one of his son’s games that Smith not only had one of his favorite memories as an umpire but also where he first gave being an umpire a try.

“I remember that day pretty clearly — my son was in the minor league division of Little League at that time,” Smith said. “Back then, the coaches would have to umpire the games, and it just so happened that we were there on a Saturday and no coach showed up.”

Seeing a slew of kids in uniform waiting to play ball — one of which was his son, Sean — Smith didn’t hesitate.

“I jumped the fence and started calling the game,” he said. “I’m glad I did because I found I had a real love for it. From

I’ve never liked when an answer to a question, request or idea is: ‘That would be difficult to implement’ or ‘That’s too complicated to figure out,’ especially when it comes from those whose job it is to implement things or figure things out.

I don’t like people who aren’t willing to think creatively or who give up when the first, second or 100th hurdle of difficulty appears.

That’s probably why I’ve never

loved the arguments against paying college, or now high school, athletes. From my experience, the arguments I’ve heard from the NCAA and others are often procedural or regulatory. We can’t pay the athletes because they aren’t employees, and if they do become employees, how do we tax them? Or we can’t pay the athletes because we wouldn’t be able to regulate it or create a fair system — and on and on and on it goes. Those arguments bore me.

They do not address the question at hand, they don’t move anything forward; all they do is bog down the conversation. Instead of telling me why doing the thing is difficult, let’s answer the question about it being the right thing to do, regardless of the difficulty of its implementation.

So when the FHSAA announced that it had drafted a Name, Image and Likeness proposal for its athletes — which would allow Florida high school student-athletes to receive compensation from things like sponsorship deals with brands or starring in commercials for com-

Enzo Belardo has started the AAU karate season on fire, winning three of three competitions. Next up, he has his sights on Nationals. Page 2B.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Enzo Belardo

Enzo Belardo started martial arts at the age of 7 but stopped after two years to play other sports. After rededicating himself to karate almost two years ago, he’s been on a tear.

In three competitions so far in 2024, Belardo has finished first all three times. With the AAU Karate National Championships on the horizon, Belardo is currently gearing up for the big stage with three more events.

With his dedication and proven pedigree in the sport, Belardo has had the opportunity to have some awesome experiences, like training with Olympic Medalist Ariel Torres, being invited to train with a professional karate team and

How does it feel to be named Athlete of the Week?

I am honored to be chosen as the Athlete of the Week and to have my work recognized.

What do you like the most about karate?

The training environment.

What are your goals for yourself in karate?

To keep working hard and become a world champion.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from karate?

Everyone improves at their own pace.

Who is your favorite athlete?

Lyoto Machida, because he was born in Brazil just like me and he is a humble guy that I look up to.

Favorite karate memory?

My favorite karate memory would be when I was fighting someone in a final at a tournament and I was losing 0-6 in the last minute of the fight. I managed to score eight points, and I ended up winning the fight and getting first place.

What’s your go-to pregame meal?

My go-to pregame meal is a Chipotle bowl.

What’s your go-to

What is your favorite subject in school?

My favorite subject in school would have to be HOPE because I love playing sports.

What are three things you would take with you to a deserted island?

I would bring water, food and a boat to leave.

What is your favorite movie?

My favorite movie is “Ted” because every time I watch this movie it always makes me laugh.

If you could have dinner with one person, who would it be?

I would have dinner with my grandpa because he lives in Brazil and I don’t get to see him that often.

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 Mesozoic era (when dinosaurs were alive), because I would like to see how different it would be.

Looking back, what piece of advice would you give your younger self?

I would tell my younger self to try harder in school.

If you could ask your future self a question, what would it be?

I would ask my future self, ‘Where am I living?’

Who is your favorite superhero?

My favorite superhero is SpiderMan because I always thought he was cool as a kid and I still like him now.

Who is your favorite supervillain?

My favorite supervillain would probably be The Joker because he’s always one step ahead of

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

I would pick teleportation because I would be able to go anywhere in

If you could travel to three places in the world, where would you go? Japan, everything looks so cool there, Bora Bora, it’s a really pretty place to be and Paris, I want to visit the Eiffel Tower.

If you could be an animal for a day, which one would you be?

I would be an eagle because I would be able to fly.

What is your most controversial food take?

Candy corn is good.

Does pineapple belong on Definitely not.

— SAM ALBUQUERQUE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B

That feeling he embraces started on the day he first stepped behind the plate and got a better-thanfront-row view of his son having a breakthrough moment in his baseball journey.

“Leading up to that game, he had some moments where he didn’t really want to be out there,” Smith said. “He had gotten hit with a pitch one time, and he was so afraid to go up to bat that as soon as the pitch came in he would bail out. But on that day, I was able to watch him get over that fear and finally achieve the goal of getting a base hit. It was awesome to see and a moment I won’t ever forget.”

That day went on to spur a morethan-two-decades-long passion for umpiring Little League games, which culminated this year with a call he’s been waiting for: Smith was selected to be one of the 16 umpires at the 2024 Little League World Series.

“I was very emotional when I found out,” Smith said. “It’s something that I’ve been striving for for years. I was a bit surprised I got it — but glad I got it. I started my journey as an umpire back in probably 2000, maybe 1999, and I’ve loved every minute of it. Little League is an organization I believe in and that I like giving back to. Even when we relocated here from New Jersey … I just walked over to the Winter Garden fields and started umpiring games.”

Smith’s love for his craft, the game and giving back to the community has been evident to those who’ve had the chance to be around him on the ball fields.

“He is a solid rock for these kids,” said Kim Griffith Johnston, the Florida District 14 Little League Baseball and Softball administrator. “The kids have all gotten to know him over the years, to the point where Ed knows so many of them individually. All the kids and coaches know when Ed is on the field that they’re going to get a solid

game from the umpire. He is always in control and stays focused on the right things. He’s just there for the right reason.”

Beyond the connections he makes, his passion for the craft of officiating a ball game is second to none.

“He just loves it,” said District 14 Umpire in Chief Jerry Johnston. “He loves umpiring for these kids, and he loves the game of baseball. Especially as a volunteer, which, volunteerism in youth sports in general, and certainly as an official, is waning. And so to put in the time he puts in, you have to love it and he does. He loves working at his craft, just always trying to be the best and improve himself. So he’s always attending trainings, and that’s why he has eventually gotten to this point.”

To Smith, the level of effort he puts in is the only way to be a great umpire.

“Umpiring has evolved and will keep changing, so learning the new techniques, that’s the key to improving,” Smith said. “There are some people that don’t do that, and they’re the ones that you’re seeing go viral on social media or getting calls wrong consistently. It’s unfortunate that there are some people out there that are like that. But to me, that’s what makes a great umpire — someone who just keeps learning the trade and is willing to evaluate themselves and try to make the needed corrections.”

That passion for studying the game and constant striving to improve is why Smith was selected to be an umpire instructor at the regional level.

“Ed has been involved in Little League for years, he has been going to trainings as a student to hone his craft for a long time,” Johnston said. “About 10 years ago, he became an instructor at the Southeast Region in Warner Robbins, Georgia, helping umpires from all over the region refine their skills … and (helping) them advance to higher levels. He’s been through the whole pro-

panies — I just knew the arguments against it would be tedious, at best, and, boy, was I right.

The core of this conversation is simple: Should student-athletes be able to receive compensation for their name, image or likeness?

The issue with the arguments against NIL that I’ve seen is, they don’t address the question directly.

Often, when the answer is no, I’ve seen the reasoning be because it’ll be difficult to deal with the ramifications or there are concerns about how transfers will be managed, or countless other procedural and regulatory excuses.

Again, the question above is not being answered directly. I would go out on a limb and say it’s purposefully not being answered because

TM

there isn’t an argument against a person being paid for something that has been deemed to be worth a certain value, and if there were, the entire employee/employer system in this country wouldn’t exist.

So why are the athletes being targeted? This conversation doesn’t exist for every other high school student getting compensated for their work, image, name or likeness.

Why can a student who has a popular Twitch page receive compensation for their video game skills or a student who has a large reach on TikTok get compensation for promoting a brand and athletes can’t?

Because in America, we care about our schools’ sports teams — especially our college teams, but also our high school teams — and

cess of doing games at the region, getting recommended for World Series, continuing to go to games and do the training, and he eventually received his appointment to umpire at the Little League World Series.”

Despite the slew of accolades and achievements, there are two things that Smith points to as his proudest experiences: The fact that he’s never thrown someone out of a game and the opportunities he’s had to umpire games with his son.

“One of my special moments as an umpire was having the opportunity to be on the field with Sean, umpiring games together,” Smith said. “For the couple of years we were able to do that, those became special moments that are ingrained in my memories.”

Another memory that will probably hold a special place in Smith’s umpiring journey will be Opening Day of the 2024 Little League World Series, Aug. 14 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where he will joined by 15 other umpires, including two others from Florida: David Noegel from Orlando and Steven Lewis from Tampa.

sometimes we care about them more than the players on the field.

That rooting interest for the team and not the individual player can explain why something that is mostly good for the players and has the possibility of negatively affecting the team you like is a pretty convincing reason to not want to pay the athlete.

But imagine if you didn’t care about your school’s team? Would you care if the players were getting paid? I doubt it.

But what would happen if you didn’t care about your school’s sports teams? Well just take a look around the world and you’ll see athletes getting developed and professional sports teams thriving.

In other countries, they don’t care about schools sports and kids who are great at sports sign contracts with professional teams and work their way through developmental systems. Look at NBA star Luka Doncic, who signed a five-year contract with Spanish basketball team Real Madrid at 13 years old.

That seems like a better system, but who am I to besmirch the good name of “amateur” sports?

To get off my soapbox, paying someone their worth is, and will always be, an inarguable point.

Regardless of the difficulty of creating a system to govern NIL in Florida — which I acknowledge is hard, but that’s the FHSAA’s job — the fundamental issue at hand isn’t difficult at all. Let the athletes get paid what the market wants to pay them.

Courtesy photo Smith has umpired for 20+ years

File photo

FHSAA’s NIL proposal could see high school athletes get paid.

At its Golden Eagle fundraising dinner, local Boys Scouts organizers awarded Golden Eagles to Ocoee Mayor Rusty Johnson and the Bloom & Grow Garden Society.

SAM ALBUQUERQUE

SPORTS EDITOR

The Central Florida Council of the Boy Scouts of America awarded Golden Eagles to Ocoee Mayor Rusty Johnson and the Bloom & Grow Garden Society at its annual fundraising event, the Golden Eagle Dinner. Business leaders, local officials and supporters of the Boy Scouts gathered at the Ocoee Lakeshore Center Wednesday, March 7, to enjoy an evening of food, drinks and celebration.

Not only does the Golden Eagle Dinner serve as a platform to recognize outstanding community leaders and their achievements, but it also gives local businesses, organizations and individuals a chance to learn more about the values and initiatives of the BSA and how they can support the organization.

Johnson, the individual honoree of the evening and a former Boy Scout, has lived in Ocoee for 60 years and has served in public office in the city for more than 30 years, including as mayor since 2015.

“I was kind of surprised, to be honest,” Johnson said. “But it’s certainly an honor

to me because I was in the Boy Scouts for a long time. That was one of the only activities we had here in Ocoee back in the ’50s, so I got really involved in it. ... But I’m really appreciative of the honor because it’s nice to know that somebody sees that you’re doing something right, and that’s all I’m trying to do — the right thing.”

The Bloom & Grow Garden Society, the corporate honoree, has been a driving force in the West Orange County area since the club’s inception in 1997 by stimulating knowledge and love of gardening through civic involvement.

The ninth annual Windermere Fine Art Show featured the creativity of 85 artists, who brought their best works and masterpieces to downtown Windermere Saturday, March 9, and Sunday, March 10. The grounds and interior of Windermere Town Hall were filled with ceramics, paintings, jewelry, figures and other works of art, and guests at the event could interact with a magician and sidewalk chalk student artists and enjoy food and drink options. The art show was hosted by Anne Scharer, Windermere arts chair.

— AMY QUESINBERRY

and painting) and Nicole Hu (painting, design and chalk) are art students at The First

Sam Albuquerque Bloom & Grow Garden Society founding member Gretchen Boyd represented the organization at the event, as it was the corporate honoree of the Golden Eagle.

ERIN CROSBY SUNRIDGE MIDDLE

Erin Crosby is a math instructor and the math coach at SunRidge Middle School. As a member of the leadership team, she assists with tutoring initiatives, teacher training, event supervision and anything else that is needed to keep SunRidge awesome, she said. She has been Teacher of the Year twice while at SunRidge.

“Ms. Crosby is … well known in the community for the care and love she provides all of our students,” said Principal Amy McHale. “Even if you don’t have Ms. Crosby for a teacher, you know and love Ms. Crosby!”

What brought you to your school?

After teaching in the private sector for nine years, I was ready to take my passion for teaching to the masses — aka public school!

What do you love most about your school?

SunRidge Middle School has a beautiful campus, and it houses even more beautiful people. I love our teachers and staff, but most of all I love our students. Our students come from a variety of cultures and backgrounds, and this diversity makes SunRidge an amazing place to teach.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

I love people! As a teacher, I have an opportunity to connect with and inspire students every day. The most rewarding part of my job is getting to build a rapport with students and as a result being able to be a light in their lives.

What would you be if you weren’t in this profession?  Teaching is my passion, and I am

REPORT CARD

POSITION: Math instructor and coach TIME AT SCHOOL: 11 years at SunRidge Middle School; 21 years teaching

fortunate to be able to fulfill my passion as a profession. I can’t imagine waking up every day and doing anything other than teaching.

Who influences you?

As a believer, Jesus Christ is the most influential part of my life. My parents and siblings are also powerful examples of success and great influences in my life as well.

Who was your favorite teacher when you were in school? Why?

My second-grade teacher, Valerie Plaisance, is the reason that I am a teacher today! She was the master of project-based learning and created an atmosphere of intrigue, excitement and critical thinking. In her class I really learned how to learn.

What is your favorite children’s book and why?

“Sideways Stories from Wayside School,” by Louis Sachar is my favorite children’s book. Every day in third grade, after recess, my teacher would turn off the lights and read a chapter to the class. It was the best part of my school day.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love music and reading. My nephew is a deejay, so I spend a lot of time with him, listening to music mixes from every genre.  I also spend most weekends and holidays with my family.

If you could dine with any famous person, past or present, who would it be and why?

I would dine with pop star Michael Jackson because I think I could convince him to do an

FROM OPPOSITE PAGE

impromptu concert in the restaurant just for me!

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

I would like to be able to teleport from one location to another. This superpower would allow me to never again be impacted by traffic jams, canceled airline flights or long lines at amusement parks.

If you could only listen to three bands or artists, who would they be and why?

Janet Jackson, Usher Raymond and Chris Brown! All of these artists have great voices, popular hits and huge catalogs.

What was your go-to lunch and favorite snack as an elementary student?

My favorite school lunch was chicken fingers and french fries. Cheetos and Sprite made for the best snacks.

Who was your best friend when you were in school and why? Are you still in touch?

I’ve had the same five best friends since I was 10 years old. Now we are “seasoned adults” with families and careers, but we are still the best of friends.

What were your extracurricular activities as a student? Did you win any accolades or honors?

I played the saxophone in band through middle and high school. I was very active in our community service clubs and leadership organizations. I was class president every year in high school and SGA president my senior year. My greatest accomplishment was being selected by the Leon County School Board as its student member. The board members attended my graduation and presented my diploma.

— AMY QUESINBERRY

OBSERVER SCHOOL ZONE

Keene’s Crossing Elementary hosts Glow Party

Keene’s Crossing Elementary students sang and danced the night away at the school’s Glow Party Saturday, March 2. The cafeteria was transformed into a rockin’ neon wonderland with glow sticks, neon decorations and fun dance music that kept the students moving throughout the night.

— AMY QUESINBERRY

Keene’s Crossing student Padget Goenner was a guest deejay during several songs.

Students dressed in their brightest clothes, donned light-up skirts and accessories, and danced with glowing sticks at the Keene’s Crossing Glow Party.

Brandon Loeffert and his parents, Jeff and Catherine Loeffert, showed up in their glow attire for the dance party.

Two schools in West Orange County hosted dance marathon events earlier this month.

Windermere Wolverines had a night to remember Saturday, March 2, in the school’s gymnasium.

This year’s theme was “Dancing in Wonderland,” and students at the school were able to raise $77,702.82.

The West Orange Warriors hosted their event Friday, March 1, in the gymnasium.

The $21,290 raised surpassed the Warrior-Thon committee’s goal for 2024.

Windermere High School sudents Karina Roman and Alex Mujica showed off their dance marathon T-shirts.

These West Orange High School students embraced their inner Minnie Mouse at the Warrior-Thon.

Courtesy photos

Jean Guadalupe, Julia Trimble, Evan N. Brengel, Avery Noto and Lauren Pfleger greeted attendees at the entrance of the Windermere High School gymnasium.

West Orange High School raised and donated nearly $21,290 to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Castleview Elementary stages ‘Finding Nemo Jr.’

The third- through fifth-grade students at Castleview Elementary School performed a lively rendition of “Finding Nemo Jr.” Thursday, March 7, and Friday, March 8, for families and friends. Nemo, Marlin, Dory and an ocean full of colorful creatures sang, danced and acted their way through the stage show in the school’s cafeteria.

Nicole Freeman, one of the directors of the drama club program, called the show entertaining and heartwarming and said it was a chance for the students to show off their creativity and talent.

—AMY QUESINBERRY

THE WEST ORANGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

THE TASTE o f WEST ORANGE

An assortment of undersea fish and other creatures were prepared to take the stage.

Bruce and his fellow sharks were ready to make friends with the fish in the sea.

Left: The tourists were being harassed by the three seagulls.

Right: Fish, seahorses and other sea creatures sang one of many musical numbers.

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© 2023 NEA,

NFL RECAPS by Pam Amick Klawitter, edited by Jeff Chen

Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms