01.02.25 West Orange Times & Observer

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2024 YEAR

IN SPORTS

Winter Garden, Ocoee, Oakland

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

SEE PAGES 16A-18A.

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VOLUME 92, NO. 1

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Love at first flight

Courtesy photos

Nicholas Marotta and Judy Patrizzi had their gear packed and were ready to jump out of the airplane to fulfill a promise the two made before Marotta left for his Peace Corps experience.

Nicholas Marotta and his grandmother, Judy Patrizzi, went on a skydiving adventure after he returned from his two-year mission to Madagascar.

STORY ON PAGE 4A.

Judy Patrizzi, 85, was all smiles during her skydiving adventure.

2024 YEAR IN PICTURES

SEE PAGES 3A-15A.

Windermere police chief pens new book The 100-day devotional turns scripture, leadership lessons and experiences from David Ogden’s lifetime of service into seeds of leadership and spiritual wellness.

SEE PAGE 2A.

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OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2025

David Ogden releases 100-day devotional SAM ALBUQUERQUE SPORTS EDITOR

GET THE BOOK

David Ogden has spent most of his life serving as a first responder.

Specifically, he’s dedicated more than 38 years as a law-enforcement officer, spending the last decade and change serving as the chief of police for the town of Windermere.

Still, nearly four decades since beginning his journey in law enforcement, he vividly recalls his first day on patrol as part of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

However, Ogden doesn’t remember this day because of a photographic memory or a traumatic experience.

Rather, he remembers that first day because his sergeant told him he wasn’t going to make it as a cop.

“I started my law-enforcement career in corrections, but about a year and a half later, I went on to be put on patrol — which is all I ever wanted to do,” Ogden said. “My first patrol was on a really cold January day. I got in the patrol vehicle, and back in that day, they didn’t have computers, so you actually had a three-ring binder with all your policies in it. So I sat in the car with this guy, Cpl. Hoyt Stough. He was a great guy, just very knowledgeable, extremely smart, but he was a smoker. So we sat in a car and he smoked his cigarette, and he asked me a series of questions, right?

Clearly, I didn’t smoke. I was rolling the window down to get some fresh air. But still, he asked me, ‘Hey,

“Seeds of Leadership: Sowing the Foundations of Excellence in First Responders” To read more about the book or purchase a copy visit davidogdenbook.com.

IT TAKES ITS TOLL

According to Ogden, the divorce rate for couples within the law enforcement field is 72-74%, significantly higher than the average rate of 51% in the United States.

Statistics like this and experiences like Stough, sadly, are the norm in law enforcement.

“When I look at data like that and ask myself, ‘Well, why is that the case?’” Ogden said. “My experience tells me it’s because leaders in our profession, as soon as someone says they’re getting a divorce or something bad has happened at home, they just turn the other way and go, ‘That’s your problem. That’s your issue.’

“The fact of the matter is, if you’re having a bad day at home and you come to work and get in a shooting or get in an arrest situation, or you get in a situation where somebody’s violently resisting arrest or giving

you lip, there’s no doubt in my mind that your home life is going to affect how you respond to the situation and vice-versa,” he said.

SEEDS OF LEADERSHIP

Knowing the overwhelming impact a first responder’s overall wellness has not only on their ability to do the job but also how that affects the community they are serving, Ogden saw an opportunity to help.

So he got to work.

The result was a 100-day devotional book called “Seeds of Leadership: Sowing the Foundations of Excellence in First Responders.”

The book was written and designed specifically to help bridge the spiritual wellness gap of first responders by combining lessons from the Christian faith, lessons focused on leadership Ogden has learned throughout his professional career and the lessons he’s learned throughout his personal experiences into 100 easily digestible sections.

“I have a passion for these guys and ladies,” Ogden said. “I think they do God’s work, and I think police work is intrinsically spiritual, in that we’re trying to do good in the community. … So, my hope is that this book can help plant seeds of leadership and help people learn

to develop the relational tools, discipline and resilience to not let being a first responder have the negative impact we’ve all traditionally seen it have on our personal, emotional and spiritual life. There are some great leadership lessons in here.

There are a lot of lessons in there that helped me develop discipline and determination. There’s a lot of lessons about how I handled different situations, some I handled well and some I didn’t handle well as a younger leader, and even as a leader to this day.”

Ultimately, Ogden’s desire when crafting this book was to make something that would connect with first responders and hopefully plant a seed of positivity.

“I want to put this book in the hands of every West Orange County officer that’s out there, and then eventually every officer across the country,” he said. “I know how first responders think. Most of them won’t pick up this little book and read it from cover to cover, but maybe they’ll stick it in the visor of their car — which is why I made sure to design it to be this size — and one day something happens and decide to open it up and take a look.

The hope is that something in this book helps them get something positive in that moment.

That’s all I want to do — just spread a seed.”

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boy, do you smoke?’ I go, ‘No, sir, I don’t.’ Then he takes a big drag from his cigarette. I think he was really trying to make this moment stand out. So he asks me, ‘Do you drink?’

I respond, ‘No, sir.’ And then he asks, ‘Well, do you cuss a lot?’ I go, ‘No sir. I try not to.’ Again, he takes a moment before pulling another drag from his cigarette, blowing it out and saying, ‘Well, hell, boy, you ain’t gonna make it.’”

Looking back, Ogden doesn’t resent this moment. Upon reflection, he now understands what his sergeant was trying to tell him.

“I’m sure he was trying to scare me a little bit, trying to tell me that this is real,” Ogden said. “But this happened in like 1988, and at the time, these types of guys didn’t know how to articulate what it is that we were going to go through in this job, but he was really trying to tell me something important. I look back now, and I know what he was really trying to say, and it was that

this job is not easy. You’re going to see the worst of people … and at the end of the day, it’s really easy to believe that everybody you run into is the worst version of society. If you don’t have the tools or support system that helps you take a step back and understand how to manage your overall wellness — mental, physical, spiritual and relational — this job can have a really negative impact on your life.”

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Minutes from Home.

A Lifetime of Healing.

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Thomas Lightbody | TK Photography

2024YEAR

IN PICTURES

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OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2025

Observer “If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.”

Friedrich Hayek

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Judy Patrizzi and Nicholas Marotta psyched themselves up before jumping out of the airplane.

Courtesy photos

Peace Corps volunteer keeps promise to Nannie AMY QUESINBERRY PRICE COMMUNITY EDITOR

T

wo years after making a pact to go skydiving together, Nicholas Marotta and his grandmother, 85-year-old Judy Patrizzi, fulfilled their promise last month.

Marotta, of Ocoee, and Summerport resident Patrizzi made plans to jump out of an airplane to celebrate his return from his 24-month stint as a volunteer with the Peace Corps in Madagascar. They jokingly discussed the adventure before he left for the east African country.

“Before I got back, we had some phone calls where it was mentioned jokingly,” Marotta said. “When I got back, we had a powwow, and we decided it was the real deal and we’re doing it.”

Patrizzi agreed to go through with it.

“When he got back, I said, ‘I have to do this, even though it wasn’t my heart’s desire,’” she said.

For their first-time adventure, they went to Skydive Space Center in Titusville. They chose Friday, Dec. 13, as their jumping day.

Marotta said the 18,000-foot jump is the world’s highest tandem skydive jump. The whole experience took fewer than 15 minutes, and about two-thirds of it was soaring in

slow motion underneath the opened parachute.

“If you’re going to skydive for the first time at the world’s highest jump, you might as well do it on Friday the 13th,” Marotta said.

“I was surprisingly calm for the weeks leading up to it,” Patrizzi said.

“The only time I started to feel real fear was when we were in the plane and it was almost time to jump … my heart started to pound a little bit. I had confidence in the instructor.”

Patrizzi was the first one to jump out of the plane with her instructor.

“He turned me upside-down a couple times; I wasn’t expecting that,” she said. “The wind was cold, it was loud. Once we got out of the plane, I wasn’t scared. And then when the parachute opened up, it was nice and slow, and he let me hold the handles and steer to the left and to the right, and then I let him take over.

“When you’re coming down for the landing, it feels like you’re going really fast,” Patrizzi said. “When we landed, he landed on his feet, and I didn’t have to.”

Marotta said it was surreal watching his grandmother jump first.

“It looked like she was just swept away in the wind like nothing,” he said. “It was incredible how quickly she disappeared.”

For Marotta’s jump, the experience was “incredible, truly unbelievable

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Nicholas Marotta steered his parachute through the air.

and fabulous,” he said.

“I also felt surprisingly calm,” Marotta said. “I told my friends … I’m going to jump out of an airplane, and every time I wasn’t scared. … I was so excited to do it with my Nannie.”

His instructor has jumped more than 14,000 times, Marotta said, so he had confidence in the experience.

“We got onto the airplane and … I watched out the window as we

VOLUNTEERING IN MADAGASCAR Two years ago, Nicholas Marotta was preparing for his Peace Corps assignment, and he wasn’t sure what to expect.

He ended up in the Highlands, the central mountainous region of the country, teaching English to middleschoolers. He lived in a tiny rural town — which was a brutal six-hour taxi ride to the nearest town with a bank, he said — where he fetched his own water from a 25-meter-deep well, hand-washed his laundry and cooked from scratch all of his meals.

“Without all of those tools for efficiency, life slowed way down and … other than chores and staying alive and my work as a teacher, I was also, of course, so focused on trying to communicate with people,” Marotta said. “One of the biggest joys of the Peace Corps service was learning Malagasy. It was such a wonderful experience. Basically, I would carry this little notebook and ask people questions constantly.”

He gained a pretty solid proficiency in the Malagasy language, and it was a rewarding process, he said.

The school at which he worked had limited resources, no electricity and bare-bones furniture.

Aside from his teaching assignment, Marotta’s other big project was writing a grant request and receiving funding for the installation of windows at the school. He and his students made a video, and the children explained the problem.

“This problem became clear in the time I was teaching there,” he said.

“In the mountains it was cold, and the kids were shivering in the winter.

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climbed higher and higher, and I stayed calm,” he said. “And then I started wondering, ‘Will I put my arms and legs in the right place?’ He never told me anything about landing. … We were about to jump, and we were at elevation. My instructor told me, ‘I’ll tell you how to land after the parachute comes out, because if it doesn’t come out, we don’t have to worry about that.’”

At about 3,000 feet, as he was freefalling through the clouds, he felt the wind rushing and the cold stinging his face. He likened it to being shot out of a cannon.

“And then we came out the other side, and our parachutes opened,” he said. “The instructor … was very relaxed and focused on getting me to do these cool hand signals for the cameras.”

The landing happened without a hitch, he said.

“When we landed, we still had our harnesses on, and Nannie said, ‘What’s our next adventure?’”

Marotta said.

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ADVENTUROUS NANNIE

Courtesy photos

Nicholas Marotta spent two years in Madagascar teaching English to middleschoolers. He lived in a rural town hours from any real civilization.

And in the summer, the torrential downpours were loud and the kids couldn’t hear me teach. The problem was solved simply by adding windows.”

Marotta said he would consider another Peace Corps assignment later in life. For now, he is ready to put down roots. He has

accepted a position as a vegetation management inspector in California, and he will walk through the forests in the northern portion of the state checking power lines and making sure the trees are healthy and aren’t growing too close to the lines.

Patrizzi is known for her adventurous spirit. She and Gene, her husband of 62 years, participate in an exercise program three times per week, and she frequently goes on excursions with her six grandchildren.

When the Patrizzis lived in Connecticut, the grandchildren visited twice each year, and when they were tucked into their sleeping bags, Nannie told them stories of grand adventures. As they grew older, she took them on their own adventures.

She has gone zip-lining with all six of them at the Sanford Zoo and has gone rock climbing with them, too.

Patrizzi’s next experience is taking four of her grandchildren to New York City.

“We usually have a big celebration at Christmas; we don’t have just one day during the holiday,” she said.

“We have pie-making day, preparation day, a scavenger hunt, we have Christmas Day and then leftover day.

At least four days.”

Will she ever go skydiving again?

“I think both of us would,” Patrizzi and Marotta agreed.

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Double The IMPACT With A Matching Fund Gift In the spirit of giving and making a lasting impact on future generations, we invite you to consider a year-end donation to help us continue our vital work.

Matching Funds For Hope: Now through December 31, 2024, our friends, The Lewis Family will match all donations dollar-for-dollar up to $100,000.

To Learn More About Our Mission visit EdgewoodRanch.com or call 407-295-2464 ext. 7.

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OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2025

Horizon High School staged a production of “Clue: On Stage (High School Edition). Published Jan. 25, 2024.

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 2nd Campus: First Baptist Church @ Horizon West 15304 Tilden Road, Winter Garden Sundays: 9:45 AM All Ages www.FBCWG.org

JANUARY

EPISCOPAL

Church of the Messiah 241 N. Main St., Winter Garden Sunday: 8, 9:30, & 11 AM., 4PM (French & Creole), 7 PM www.ChurchoftheMessiah.com

METHODIST

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

Windermere natives Kavya and Rishi Shah are promoting longevity, healthy aging and social connectedness among the elderly in local communities through their creation: The Nourish Project. Published Jan. 25, 2024.

Starke Lake Baptist Church Pastor Jeff Pritchard PO Box 520 611 W Ave., Ocoee (407) 656-2351 www.StarkeLakeBaptist.org

Left: Stoneybrook West Golf Club director Rocky Hodge and former PGA pro golfer Brian Davis opened Brian Davis Golf Academy in Winter Garden. Published Jan. 11, 2024.

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

Matthew’s Hope is in need of prepared PB&J and/or meat & cheese sandwiches.

Winter Garden celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a Community Celebration. One Winter Garden had a massive showing in this year’s Winter Garden parade.

Published Jan. 18, 2024.

These can be dropped off Monday - Friday, 10 AM 4 PM or by appointment.

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611 Business Park Blvd. #101, Winter Garden, FL 34787 (407) 905-9500 | MatthewsHopeMinistries.org

On Christmas Eve 2023, her only car — and means of work — was repossessed. A few weeks later, single mom Noemi Morales was blessed

by West Orange’s generosity. The Morales family — Anaiya, 16; Noemi; Jovani, 12; and Exavier, 6 — received a new car from Main Street Collision, as well as gift cards, food, clothes, toys and more. Published Jan. 18, 2024.

WANT TO SEE YOUR LISTING HERE? CALL (407) 656-2121 or email AdvertiseNow@orangeobserver.com

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Kathleen Klare spent years gathering details of Gotha’s rich past to write “The New Colony of Gotha, 1876-1950: Place-Making in Pioneer Central Florida.” Published Jan. 18, 2024.

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Right: Jessica Villegas, owner of Hi-Lite Coaching and Consulting, was selected to face off against 99 other business owners in Weston Bergmann’s “The Blox.” Published Jan. 11, 2024.

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OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2025

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Orange County District 1 Commissioner Nicole Wilson and Mayor Jerry L. Demings participated in the ceremonial groundbreaking at Horizon West Regional Park.

Published Feb. 22, 2024.

FEBRUARY

Courtesy of Jason Cannon | Cannonfire Photography

The West Orange Chamber of Commerce hosted the annual Big Orange Awards Friday, Feb. 9, at Walt Disney World’s Coronado Springs Resort.

Published Feb. 15, 2024.

For 100 years, members of the Woman’s Club of Ocoee have come together to improve their community and support many local endeavors. Published Feb. 8, 2024.

Hundreds of residents celebrated Oakland’s history and culture at the annual Oakland Heritage Day Saturday, Jan. 27, in downtown Oakland and at Speer Park. Published Feb. 1, 2024.

Left: Family Church rolled out the red carpet for the Tim Tebow Foundation’s Night to Shine event Friday, Feb. 9, at its Windermere campus. Published Feb. 15, 2024.

Mary Baker Eddy was known as a caring teacher with a sharp eye and an intolerance for foolishness at Winter Garden and Dillard Street elementary schools. She died Dec. 20, 2023, at the age of 99. Published Feb. 1, 2024.

Fourteen-year-old Ava Petroski earned a perfect score in the Florida Junior Thespian State Festival and also has been accepted into Valencia College’s Florida Playwright Competition. Published March 28, 2024.

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. Published March 21, 2024.

MARCH Windermere resident Amelia Grace Donaho, a junior at Foundation Academy, was selected as Miss City Beautiful’s Teen 2024. She represented Team Orlando at the Miss Florida 2024 competition in June in Lakeland. Published March 21, 2024.

The town of Windermere hosted a remembrance ceremony for Windermere Police Officer Robert “Robbie” German, who was killed in the line of duty March 22, 2014. Published March 28, 2024.

Left: From the live music and entertainment to the food, games and fun, this year’s Horizon West Fest was the place to be Saturday, March 2. DJ Bubbles, aka Stephen Herron, of Florida Foam Factory, kept the energy up all day from the main stage. Published March 7, 2024.

Miranda Yuncosa, left, and Nixmar Sanchez enjoyed spending the night at Sand Lake Elementary School’s Sweetheart Dance. Published March 7, 2024.

Right: After he moved from his native Spain, Elias Herruzo Puerto said he couldn’t find an authentic paella in the United States. So, the Winter Garden resident made his own.

Published March 7, 2024.

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OrangeObserver.com

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2025

Bret Michaels and his band rocked out at the 2024 Ocoee Music Festival Friday, April 12. Published April 18, 2024.

Oakland Avenue Charter School celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024. It opened in 2004 under the principalship of Nina Kuhn. Published April 18, 2024.

APRIL The West Orange Chamber of Commerce featured local food and drink vendors at Best Fest 2024: “The Taste of West Orange.” Devan Ortegon, left, Kristen Bridges and their dog, Comet, enjoyed the event. Published April 4, 2024.

Bloom & Grow members Robin Sanchez, left, Laura Radius and Carolyn Karraker handled the sale of Spring Fever in the Garden merchandise. Published April 11, 2024.

Left: Addison’s Park was dedicated in the Summerport community on Easter weekend in memory of Addison Sinclair, a resident who died of cancer in 2020 at age 8. Her family lives next door to the park. Published April 11, 2024.

Right: Following a long battle filled with legal definitions, the city charter and court rulings, George Oliver III officially returned to the Ocoee City Commission.

Published April 11, 2024.

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edwardjones.com | Member SIPC > edwardjones.com>| Member SIPC > edwardjones.com | Member SIPC

Join The Rotary Club of Windermere as they host their annual Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

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As the calendar turns the page, we wish you the very best in the Happy year ahead.New Year!

As the calendar turns the page, we wish you the very best in the year ahead.

As the calendar turns the page, we wish you the very best in the year ahead. Bruce Young, CFP®, ChFC®, CRPC™

Happy New Year!

Financial Advisor

17301 Pagonia 100 ®, CRPC™ Bruce Young,Road CFP®Ste , ChFC Clermont,Advisor FL 34711 Financial

407-654-4915 17301 Pagonia Road Ste ®100 Bruce Young, CFP , ChFC®, CRPC™ Clermont, FL 34711 Financial Advisor 407-654-4915

Scan the code with the camera Scan code onthe your phone 17301 Pagonia Road Ste 100 As theAECSPAD calendar turns the page, we wish the very best in the MKT-9811E-A 23869212 with theyou camera Clermont, FL 34711 407-654-4915 on your phone year ahead.

Scan the code

Saturday, January 11, 2025 The Pines at Windermere starting at 6:30pm

MKT-9811E-A AECSPAD 23869212

MKT-9811E-A AECSPAD 23869212

with the camera on your phone

Bruce Young, CFP®, ChFC®, CRPC™ Financial Advisor

The evening will include a dinner of fresh lobster, live music and magical comedy of the Kostya Kimlat Team.

17301 Pagonia Road Ste 100 Clermont, FL 34711 407-654-4915

MKT-9811E-A AECSPAD 23869212

Scan the code with the camera on your phone

Bring family and friends.

Seats are limited, so don’t wait!

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(Rotary Club of Windermere, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

Contributions and any ticket price paid above value received are tax deductible.)

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Scan to get your tickets today!

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OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2025

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MAY

The Maxey Community Center hosted its annual Senior Prom for east Winter Garden residents. Sonny Edward Scott, left, and Charlie Mae Wilder were crowned prom king and queen.

Published May 2, 2024.

Windermere Prep’s theater program is raising the stakes on the drama program and giving other troupes a run for their money when it comes to competition. Published May 2, 2024.

Thomas Lightbody | TK Photography

Horizon West lassoed in some cowboy fun for its annual Hamlin Hoedown, held Saturday, May 4, in the Hamlin green space. Published May 9, 2024.

Foundation Academy celebrated the largest graduation class in its history with a commencement ceremony Friday, May 17, at Leiferman Gymnasium on the Tilden Campus. Published May 30, 2024.

The walls came down on a nearly 100-year-old infamous mansion in Oakland. Its most notable owner was Khalil bin Laden, one of 53 siblings of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. A new development will feature apartments, restaurants, a bank and retail space. Published May 16, 2024.

The Gold Star families released doves at the conclusion of Woodlawn Memorial Park’s 74th annual Memorial Day Ceremony.

From left: Orange County Sheriff John Mina; retired U.S. Army Col. Calvin Wimbish; Barbie and John Pugh; and Placida, Francisco and Angelica Hernandez. Published May 30, 2024.

Left: A March 1 house fire destroyed the Winter Garden home occupied by Patricia Oliver and her son, Darryl Merchant. She is living in a rental home until her house can be repaired, and the work is taking much longer than expected. Published May 9, 2024.

Windermere High School student Kayden Avera, 14, died after a tree fell onto the car in which she was riding on Reams Road in Horizon West.

Published June 20, 2024.

Left: Windermere High School alum Jacob Goldberg became the first Wolverine to complete the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Published June 13, 2024.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings highlighted the county’s achievements and plans for the future during his State of the County address Friday, June 7. Published June 13, 2024.

JUNE ‘Top Chef: All Stars’ winner Richard Blais visited his Southwest Orange restaurant, Four Flamingos, located at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. Published June 13, 2024.

Led by Bat Boy George, the Squeeze Squad has evolved into more than just a group of kids running around with bats.

These days, everyone involved with the team is now part of the squad. Published June 27, 2024.

Right: Winter Garden 10-yearold Lleyton Chan’s Pokémon play took him all the way to Hawaii for the 2024 Pokémon World Championships. Published June 20, 2024.

Sarah Myers, an Olympia High alum, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, in Annapolis, Maryland. Published June 6, 2024.

Left: A dry spring was blamed for several wildfires in the area. Florida Forest Service enlisted its helicopters to help extinguish the May 30 fire in Lake County. Published June 13, 2024.

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OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2025

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Matthew’s Hope celebrates success stories In fact, two shining examples are among the staff at the Winter Garden campus.

In April 2024, founder Scott Billue named Shannon Diaz as the new campus director for the Orange County operation. Not only was the move a great hire, but also it is proof positive that Matthew’s Hope works.

“I love this girl so much,” Billue said of Diaz when he announced her promotion. “She came through our program. She was a rock star in the program. ... This girl was a heroin addict four years ago.”

“When Shannon was getting ready to graduate from our program, I said to her, ‘What do you want to do?’” Billue said. “She said, ‘Scott, I really want to do this.’ And I looked at her, and I said, ‘With your felony, nobody’s going to hire you. ... But I don’t play by those rules.’ So, she went to work for us, and she worked her way up the ranks, and she is now officially the director of this campus, and we’re so proud of her.”

And she’s not the only one.

Translation: Your generosity this holiday season will make twice the impact to Winter Garden’s local homeless ministry, which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year.

Gage, 25, is winning his battle with an impossible situation. His mother died of an overdose, and his father remains an addict and homeless. In six months with Matthew’s Hope, Gage has earned his Even better, Matthew’s Hope GED and has ambition to turn his founder Scott Billue invites everyone who donates to come see life around. their dollars in action. In fact, he considers them not donors but “He told me he wants to go to Orange Technical College,” Billue rather investors. said. “He wanted to get into the electrical contractor program, and “Matthew’s Hope is designed to move people forward to a life then I learned he actually spent of independence and self-susthe night there so he could be first in line to sign up. And he got tainability,” Billue says. “We are looking to get people on the in.” right side of life - so they’re not dependent on places like Matthew’s Hope and your tax dollars for the rest of their lives.”

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In all, five Matthew’s Hope employees have come through its program.

FOR MATTHEW’S HOPE SUCCESS STORIES, READ THE FULL STORY HERE

And this giving season, you can ensure Matthew’s Hope continues to have success stories well into the future.

Thanks to an anonymous angel, every dollar - up to $1 million donated to Matthew’s Hope Ministries before the end of the year will be matched.

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You don’t have to look far to see evidence of Matthew’s Hope Ministries’ impact on the West Orange community.

OrangeObserver.com

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2025

11A

JULY

Lesa Boettcher, who has been at the core of Healthy West Orange for six years, left the organization. Longtime West Orange resident Krista Carter replaced her as its leader. Published July 4, 2024.

Windermere Prep’s theater program is raising the stakes on the drama program and giving other troupes a run for their money when it comes to competition. Published May 2, 2024.

Windermere Police Department officers Jonathan Cassin and Ryan Miller’s quick thinking and dedicated service have helped to save multiple lives. Published July 25, 2024.

As a child, Shelby Combs and her horse, Cinderella, captured many awards in the horse-riding circuit. Now, she uses her skills to help people with physical, emotional and cognitive disabilities. Published July 18, 2024.

Left: Renaut Van Der Riet took two of his boys on a mission trip to the African country where they lived for the first part of their lives before being taken to an orphanage and, ultimately, meeting Van Der Riet and his wife, Brooke. Published July 25, 2024.

The Art Room in the town of Windermere inspired creativity through its annual summer camps. Published July 4, 2024.

Left: Camp Roar Day Camp is an eight-week themed camp running through Friday, July 26, at The First Academy.

Published July 25, 2024.

AUGUST Ocoee residents Ski Hutchinson and Betty Hopkins enjoyed their 100th birthdays together with family and friends at a party that included cake and mayoral proclamations. Published Aug. 29, 2024.

St. Luke’s United Methodist Church brought “The Sound of Music” to the stage. Published Aug. 1, 2024.

Foundation Academy officially cut the ribbon on the Tilden Campus’ new cafeteria and worship center. Published Aug. 29, 2024.

The inaugural class of 97 students at Horizon West’s Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine started its first week of classes Monday, Aug. 5. Published Aug. 15, 2024.

Nine recent graduates of West Orange, Windermere and Horizon high schools put their lives on hold for 18 to 24 months to serve missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Published Aug. 22, 2024.

Thomas Lightbody | TK Photography

West Orange High School seniors arrived at the school early Saturday, Aug. 3, loaded with paint cans, paint brushes and creative ideas for their parking spaces. Published Aug. 15, 2024.

OrangeObserver.com

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OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2025

The Orange Technical College — West Campus made its move from its old home in Winter Garden to its new home in Ocoee. Published Sept. 5, 2024.

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SEPTEMBER In the seven years she led the Oakland Nature Preserve, Jennifer Hunt expanded its programs and introduced generations to the wonders of the outdoors. Published Sept. 26, 2024.

Increase the value of your home with natural gas and save money.

Left: Horizon West resident Amrut Patel took 32 flights, visited 26 countries and spanned six continents during his trip around the world in 80 days. Published Sept. 26, 2024.

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Above: The First Academy’s Upper School Theatre Department presented its fall production, “Not a Clue.” Written specifically for the TFA troupe, the play takes inspiration from the cult classic, “Clue.”

Published Sept. 19, 2024.

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Left: Adeline Cruz, owner of Dipped by Ade, worked on putting together an order at the new West Oaks Farmers Market, created by Gregory McLeod. The market launched Friday, Sept. 13. Published Sept. 19, 2024.

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OrangeObserver.com

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2025

13A

OCTOBER The Sunset Park Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization hosted its annual trunk-or-treat event Friday, Oct. 18. The trunk themed around the movie “Coco,” created

by Kate Brelsford, was a popular stop. Published Oct. 24, 2024.

Windermere High School celebrated the long-awaited opening of its on-campus stadium Friday, Sept. 27, in grand fashion. The festivities included fireworks, commemorative T-shirts, plenty of fanfare and a huge win on the gridiron. Published Oct. 3, 2024.

Imagine Marketing, Cannonfire Photography and We Are Winter Garden

Matthew’s Hope Ministries hosted The Roaring Twenties at the Ocoee Lakeshore Center. Published Oct. 10, 2024.

Horizon High School became the first Orange County public school to bring “Hadestown” to the stage. Published Oct. 31, 2024.

Right: Hurricane Milton tore across Orange County in the early-morning hours of Thursday, Oct. 10, and caused damage in every community in West Orange and Southwest Orange. Published Oct. 17, 2024.

Frank Fernandez was the second to finish the West Orange Chamber of Commerce’s third annual Stina D’Uva Tour de Chamber Bike Ride. Published Oct. 17, 2024.

Pets of all shapes and sizes — along with their humans — flocked to Hamlin for Horizon West Happenings’ inaugural Horizon West Pet Fest. Published Oct. 24, 2024.

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OrangeObserver.com

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2025

West Orange Habitat for Humanity hosted its annual Rock the House event Saturday, Nov. 9, at the McKinnon Grove Family Farm. Published Nov. 14, 2024.

Nora Murphy-Johnson celebrated her 100th birthday with family members from around the country. Published Nov. 7, 2024.

Horizon West foodies enjoyed their favorite event of the year as Horizon West Happenings’ hosted the 2024 Flavor Fest Saturday, Nov. 9, at 14111 Shoreside Way, Winter Garden. Audio Exchange entertained attendees with several sets of music. Published Nov. 21, 2024.

Nehrling Gardens welcomed art aficionados and foodies to its beautiful grounds for the 2024 Owl Prowl Art and Wine Wander. Ann Rank found the gardens to be an inspiring place to paint. Published Nov. 28, 2024.

NOVEMBER The families of Venardos Circus, a Broadway-style, animal-free show, are what made the show a family-friendly and fun event for parents and kids alike. Published Nov. 28, 2024.

BR DENTAL 407-905-9965 Right: The Windermere High marching band’s show, “Stepping Into the Limelight,” featured music from Billie Eilish, Eminem and The Weeknd. Published Nov. 14, 2024.

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OrangeObserver.com

15A

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2025

Thomas Lightbody | TK Photography

Holiday joy filled the streets with the annual Winter Garden Christmas Parade.

Published Dec. 12, 2024.

Students from Family Church’s Brazilian community gathered at Camp Gilead in Polk City for Outsiders 2024, the Brazilian student ministry’s camp.

Published Dec. 12, 2024.

DECEMBER

Samar Salamé Hawat shared from the Garden Theatre stage a blend of classical opera repertoire with beloved Christmas carols. Published Dec. 12, 2024.

Harris Rosen, founder of Rosen Hotel & Resorts and local philanthropist, left an incredible legacy in Central Florida. Published Dec. 5, 2024.

Upper right: St. Luke’s United Methodist Church will presented its annual holiday concert — “Sounds of the Season.” Published Dec. 12, 2024.

Left: Santa asked children what their favorite cookie was before taking a photo with each of them. Published Dec. 25, 2024.

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©2025 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

1-2-25

JANUARY 2, 2025

SPORTS

1

2024 SAM ALBUQUERQUE | SPORTS EDITOR

YEAR IN SPORTS

Three-peat state champions, individual national crowns and even a world title … It’s safe to say that 2024 was the year of the champion in West Orange and Southwest Orange.

T

3

he word that best captures the year that was 2024 in West Orange and Southwest Orange County sports is easy: championships.

This year saw teams and individuals bring home state, national and even

world championships back home, along with other historic or noteworthy feats.

Here’s a look back at the accomplishments, stories and people that made 2024 such a special year in the area’s sports community.

1

2

DP THREE-PEAT

Longtime Dr. Phillips High girls basketball coach Anthony Jones said completing a threepeat is the hardest accomplishment in team sports.

On, March 9, at the RP Funding Center, his Panthers (27-4) accomplished that near-impossible feat for the second time in program history — both of which came under Jones — by topping Colonial High (27-4) in the all-Orlando FHSAA Class 7A state championship game, 53-46.

“It’s satisfying to … know that all the hard work we put in, it came (to) fruition,” Jones said. “It’s a lot of ups and downs; it’s very difficult to three-peat. We had some challenges, some injuries at the beginning of the season. … All the stuff that we went through … I’m just proud of our program and my coaching staff and my players.”

This is the seventh state championship in program history and Jones’ sixth.

2

SWIMMING STARS

Courtesy photo by Peyton Powell, Coastal Soul Media

The Windermere High boys and girls swimming and diving teams both had impressive showings at the Class 4A state championship meet. Both teams finished as state championship runners-up and brought home

a total of seven individual or relay state championships.

In the girls meet, the Wolverines finished with 311 total points across the meet’s 12 events and fell to state champions Riverview Sarasota High; the Rams finished with 378 points.

West Orange High finished fourth overall with 117 points. Windermere’s 311 points came on the back of four first-place finishes, two silvers and one bronze.

The Wolverine boys finished second with 227 points to G. Holmes Braddock Senior High’s 306 points.

The boys brought home three gold medals, four silvers and two bronzes in total across the events.

Individually, girls sophomore swimmer Rylee Erisman had the most impressive outing of the area’s swimmers by not only winning three golds and a silver in her four events but by setting two state records in the 50-meter (21.61 seconds) and 100-meter (47.14 seconds) freestyle.

3

KARATE KIDS

A general idea from the book “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell is that to become great at something, humans need to spend around 10,000 hours of their lives concentrating on that thing.

That seems to be the principle siblings Jennifer and Zaine Jeffres are taking when it comes to karate.

“They’re both so dedicated to

their training, which is incredible, considering they started less than a year ago,” said Stoneybrook Karate Sensei Gian Paul Rivera. “The even crazier thing was that within a month of starting the sport, they committed to six days a week of practice, if not more.”

This hyper-dedicated, 10,000hour approach the two oldest Jeffres children have taken to their training and competing has seemed to work pretty well. Jennifer won the three gold medals in the three disciplines offered at the AAU National Championships — Kobudo, Kata and Kumite — winning in the beginner, U10 category for each, making her a Grand National Champion, while Zaine won a national title in the beginner, U8 category for Kata and finished third in Kobudo.

“It feels great to win these medals because of all the practice and work Sensei GP had us do,” Jennifer said.

“When you win something that you actually worked for, it’s cool. It feels like I actually got something like a reward for something that I actually did. Like, when you practice every single day and every single week and every single month for two hours straight, fighting or doing Kata, doing Kobudo, and you win something like nationals, it feels like I’m getting a reward for the work and things we learned from the senseis.”

OrangeObserver.com

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2025

17A

4

PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION

When it was all said and done, the Foundation Academy cheer team finished the 2023-24 season in historic fashion, winning a fifth consecutive regional championship, third consecutive FHSAA state championship, the NHSCC national championship and the WSC world championship.

Despite the dream finish to the season, the road there was full of twists and turns that left everyone involved in awe of its success.

“It doesn’t seem real,” Foundation co-coach Rachel Carey said of the team’s accomplishments. “We obviously wanted our girls to do well. We worked hard and we had goals in mind, but both (Kristin and I) never anticipated any of this.

We both keep saying this feels like a dream. We can’t believe it happened. But I guess it makes sense with all the hard work that the girls put in.”

Even though the Lions swept each of those competitions and established itself as one of the best cheerleading teams in the world, one of the reasons it may feel like a dream to the Lions coaches is this season wasn’t perfect. Far from it, actually.

“This season in general has probably been the most tumultuous season of both of our coaching careers,” co-coach Kristin Johnson said. “We started the season not sure what avenue we were going down — thinking we were going to be in one division. And then (we ended) up in a totally different division with not all the same athletes.

Then to have this much success … it’s just incredible. … We literally went from thinking we had 26 girls to only having 19 to compete with at states.”

The Lions went from expecting to compete in the extra-large, nontumbling division but ended up with a roster of 19 and competing in the large group.

This transition sounds simple, but it isn’t. The changing number of athletes on the team means routines developed in the offseason had to be altered, if not completely scratched, to fit not only the number of athletes but also their skill levels.

“These girls ... have had so much faith in me as a coach and just the overall support from these families and even the school to have trusted me and Kristin to build the program into what it is now, has been amazing,” Carey said. “We’ve had our hard days, and we’ve haven’t always liked each other. But at the end of the day, we’ve just had faith in each other, and I think that’s why we’ve gotten so far.”

5

LITTLE LEAGUE, BIG CHAMPS

At the end of every Little League season, each age group in baseball and softball put together a collection of that area’s best players to form an All-Star team to compete in various postseason tournaments — such as districts, sectionals and states.

In the nine games across those three postseason tournaments, the Windermere Little League 8- to 10-year-old Softball All-Stars nev-

4

Courtesy photo

er lost and claimed all three titles.

But this group of elementaryschool softball players didn’t just win these games, they dominated them. In four of the nine games, the Windermere All-Stars didn’t allow a single run. In six of the nine games, the team scored more than 10 runs. In all nine of the games, Windermere won by three runs or more. In total, the group of All-Stars outscored its postseason opponents by a whopping 109 combined runs (120-11).

One of the biggest reasons for the All-Star team’s success is the dedication and time each player has given to improving their individual skills as softball players.

“All of these girls started playing in our Little League years ago,” All-Star team coach Andre Visser said. “Ever since an even younger age than now, every one of them has come out to put in extra work to improve their throws (and) their hitting. A lot of them come here to take pitching lessons.”

Because of that extra preparation, Visser and his assistant coaches — Brian Goldberg and Jared Czachorowski — were able to choose to spend the summer-long postseason focusing not only hitting and pitching but also on teaching their young players the basics of the game.

“My assistant coaches — Brian and Jared — and I decided to take this group of girls and really help them learn the game of softball,” Visser said. “We wanted to help them develop their IQ for the game, help them learn the mental side of playing defense — things like where to move, where to back up, what to do in what situation. We also wanted to teach them the basics of baserunning and when to be aggressive on the bases. I feel like that focus has made us a very well-rounded team. When we’re on defense, these girls have an understanding of what to do when the batter hits the ball to them or near them. This growth in the mental side of the game has overall made us a very solid team and the girls have grown as players these past two months.”

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OrangeObserver.com

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2025

6

LEGACY-DEFINING MOMENT

Throughout Zachary Fox’s three-year tenure as Legacy Charter’s football coach, the Eagles’ identity on offense has been a pass-first, pro-style spread scheme. But going into this season, he had a problem: He didn’t have the type of quarterback who could run this offense.

Fox had two options: Stick to the program’s developed identity or try something new.

“We had talked a lot about the offense in the spring,” Fox said. “We tried out the single-wing offense a little bit, but it just wasn’t clicking the way that we thought it would.

So, we decided to go back to our old offense — but with a simplistic approach that we tried make fit the guys that we have on the roster. At the time, that seemed like the best call, because they were understanding the concepts a little bit better.”

But when the season started, it was painfully clear it wasn’t working. Legacy lost four consecutive games to open the season and scored just 14 points. At the Eagles’ lowest point, they fell to a 1-6 record and averaged just 5.71 points per game.

That’s when a blessing in disguise came: The Eagles starting quarterback got hurt, and Fox got the chance to reshape the identity of his offense.

“We decided to make the shift to the single-wing and put the ball in the hands of three or four different guys who are able to equally share the carries and responsibility of making sure our offense works.

That’s made all the difference for us.”

That decision led to a four-game winning streak and a win in the SSAA Class 1A championship game.

“I can’t say enough about the willingness and poise these boys played with,” Fox said. “They never broke … to go from being 0-4 to finishing the season 4-0 with a championship, you can’t write this. All glory to the man above.”

6 7

7

WELCOME HOME, WOLVERINES

To say Windermere football’s 2024 season was special doesn’t capture how massive it really was. Not only did the Wolverines christen their new on-campus stadium, win the Orange County Independent League championship but Windermere also beat rivals Horizon High for the first time in program history — off a QB sneak in overtime — to cap off its first-ever undefeated season (10-0).

You couldn’t write a better story.

Beyond winning the most games in school history, Windermere’s individual players made major alterations to the program’s history books as well.

Senior athlete Bryce Speed now holds the Wolverines’ single-season records for most receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and all-purpose yards.

Senior quarterback Jack Reilly is the school’s career passing TD record holder and the single-season passing yards record holder.

Senior lineman Daniel Bradley holds the program’s single-season sack record, while junior defensive back C.J. Bronaugh has the most interceptions in a season as well as the most interceptions returned for a TD. “We are all excited, humbled and thankful that God’s grace has been with us both through the wins and the losses these past few years,” Windermere coach Riki Smith said.

“Our community and administrators have been supportive throughout the years I have been head coach here at Windermere. Our fan base of parents, students and faculty have followed their leadership and have been there to cheer us on no matter the outcome, and for that, I am grateful.”

8

BREAKTHROUGH ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE

With two batters still to go and 12 overs left to play out in the second of its five-match T20i series against the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago, to say the United States U19 women’s cricket team was in a difficult situation would be an understatement.

But as Suresh Vallabhaneni cheered on his adopted country, a sinking feeling weighed down his chest when he saw who was coming up to bat for the U.S. His 17-year-old daughter, Sasha, was about to make her national team debut.

“With the whole national organization watching and the team in a very, very bad state in the match,

8

match as the top scorer for the United States but also making an impression on those watching.

“She proved herself that day to the entire team,” Suresh Vallabhaneni said. “Looking back … I think it’s going to be a defining moment in her cricketing career.”

the

9

FLORIDA’S BEST

9 that’s when she walked into the match,” he said. “I’m like, ‘This can’t be how she makes her debut.’ … It felt like she was getting thrown to the wolves.”

He wasn’t the only one who was nervous. Sasha, a Windermere Prep senior, felt as if her heart was going to end up outside her chest.

“It was a very high-pressure situation,” she said. “When I first walked onto that field, I thought I could hear my own heartbeat. … I could feel my hands tighten up.”

At that moment, though, she just kept telling herself it didn’t matter that she never had played on this stage. All that mattered was that her team needed her.

“Someone had to step up,” Sasha said. “And at that moment, I had to.

We didn’t have a choice; it had to be me.”

And she did, by not only finishing

Windermere High graduate Jose Moyetones was named the 2023-24 Gatorade Florida Boys Soccer Player of the Year. Moyetones is the first Gatorade Florida Boys Soccer Player of the Year to be chosen from Windermere High.

The award — which celebrates the nation’s top high school athletes for excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community — distinguishes Moyetones as Florida’s best high school boys soccer player.

The Windermere winger scored 26 goals and dished out 20 assists, leading the Wolverines (16-2-1) to the FHSAA Class 7A state semifinals. This award caps off an incredible campaign that also saw him bring home the Class 7A Player of the Year.

“Jose’s impact on the pitch is more than just scoring goals,” said Olympia soccer coach Ray Bornacelli. “His calmness, maturity, confidence and class dictate outcomes, unlike any player I’ve faced in high school.”

10

LAST TEAM STANDING, ONCE AGAIN

10

For the second consecutive year, the Dr. Phillips High football team finished the season as the last area FHSAA team standing — winning the 7A, Region 3 championship and reaching the state semis.

“I’m extremely proud of this group,” coach Rodney Wells said.

“These guys have fought since they were freshmen; they’ve been playing since they were sophomores. So to get here, to get to the Final Four … it’s a great feat.”

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CITY OF OCOEE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE OCOEE REGIONAL SPORTS COMPLEX REZONING FROM CITY PUD (PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT), CITY R-1AA (SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING DISTRICT), & COUNTY A-1 (CITRUS RURAL DISTRICT) TO CITY PUD (PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT) CASE NUMBER: RZ-24-09-07

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Article I, Sections 1-8 and 1-10, and Article V, Section 5-9, of the City of Ocoee Land Development Code that on TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2025, AT 6:30 P.M. or as soon thereafter as practical, the OCOEE PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION will hold a PUBLIC HEARING at the City of Ocoee Commission Chambers located at 1 North Bluford Avenue, Ocoee, Florida, to consider a Rezoning to change approximately 95.1 acres of City PUD (Planned Unit Development District), 37.1 acres of City R-1AA (Single Family Dwelling District) and 18.7 acres of County A-1 (Citrus Rural District) lands to approximately 150.9 acres of City PUD (Planned Unit Development District) for the Ocoee Regional Sports Complex Project. The subject property is comprised of 9 parcels, assigned parcel ID numbers 07-22-28-0000-00-001, 07-22-28-0000-00023, 07-22-28-0000-00-057, 07-22-28-0000-00-041, 07-22-28-0000-00039, 07-22-28-0000-00-043, 07-22-28-0000-00-105, 07-22-28-0000-00060, and 07-22-28-0000-00-074. The subject property is generally located within the southeast corner of the intersection of Fullers Cross Road and Ocoee Apopka Road.

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