W EST O RA N G E T I M E S &
Observer Winter Garden, Ocoee, Oakland
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 92, NO. 35
FREE • THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2025
Fun for one, fun for all! The Roper YMCA Family Center on Aug. 23 hosted Healthy Family Day. PAGE 20A.
SAVE THE DATE: WINDERMERE HIGH FALL BASH 2025 Windermere High School’s PTSO is preparing for its annual fall event. This year’s Fall Bash will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17, at Home State Brewing Company, 6016 New Independence Parkway, Suite 100, Winter Garden. Attendees will enjoy drinks, food, music and a silent auction — all to raise funds for faculty and club grants for the school. All ages are welcome. Last year’s event raised $5,000; organizers hope to raise $6,000 this year. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit teachtix. com/whsptso/fall-bash.
THE UNSOLVED
A break in the case
Market Moves HouseWiseofWOC HouseWise Supply & Demand AUGUST 2025
Housewise of WOC is an Observer Media Group sponsored content product.
INSIDE
YOUR TOWN
n Halfway through 2025, RE/MAX real-estate adviser Carmelo Nuccio shares his predictions on a volatile market as we head into the end of the year and into 2026. n While some companies have scaled back — or even eliminated — their homeowners’ insurance policies in Florida, State Farm remains committed. n The Orlando Regional Realtor Association hosts its State of Real Estate event.
Here is the latest edition of HouseWise. INSIDE.
Hotel sells for $10.3M
WIN TICKETS TO CHRIS BROWN, ANDREA BOCELLI
Details on the future of the historic Edgewater Hotel in downtown Winter Garden still are murky. But here’s who bought it. PAGE 7A. Attention music fans: You can score tickets to two of the hottest upcoming shows and support the Winter Garden Art Association and SOBO Art Gallery at the same time. The office of District 1 Orange County Commissioner Nicole Wilson has donated two tickets to both the Chris Brown concert, scheduled for Sept. 30, and Andrea Bocelli, scheduled for Oct. 9, at the Kia Center. Suggested donation for raffle tickets is $20 for the Chris Brown concert and $25 for the Andrea Bocelli concert. The Chris Brown raffle closes Sept. 14; the Andrea Bocelli raffle closes Sept. 24. Winners will be notified by email or phone. No purchase necessary; limit one free entry per household. To enter the Chris Brown raffle, visit wgart.org/chrisbrown. To enter the Andrea Bocelli raffle, visit wgart.org/ raffle-tickets-bocelli.
GAME OF THE WEEK The composite sketch was helpful in solving the case. Retired Detective Michelle Grogan said it was “eerie and cool” to have a face to the remains she initially saw in 2016.
The skeletal remains found on the side of the Florida’s Turnpike in 2016 were identified as Lloyd P. Williams.
Retired Detective Michelle Grogan works with Ocoee PD and several national organizations to solve 2013 missing persons case. STORY ON PAGE 4A.
Ocoee to county: Put cities in same district Ocoee city commissioners voted to express support of proposed county redistricting map that puts Ocoee, Winter Garden, Oakland and Apopka in the same district. SEE PAGE 8A.
West Orange overcomes early deficit to beat Evans in Week 1. SEE PAGE 15A.