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. 36
FREE • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2025
They’re going the distance Local runners get off to a fast start at the 2025 Ocoee High Cross Country Invitational. SEE PAGE 15A.
Fairway to heaven
YOUR TOWN
CELEBRATE 120 YEARS WITH US! The West Orange Times & Observer is turning 120 next week, and we’re inviting you to the celebration! The anniversary bash takes place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, at our office, 661 Garden Commerce Parkway, Suite 180, Winter Garden. Join us in person for a celebration commemorating 120 years of serving our community. Get ready for a trip down memory lane: Examine the past 120 years of history in West Orange County through the pages of the West Orange Times & Observer. Enjoy performances by the drumlines from Horizon, Ocoee, West Orange and Windermere high schools. Food and drink provided. We can’t wait to celebrate this milestone with you! RSVP at westorangetimesobserver120th.eventbrite.com. Former PGA caddie and Winter Garden resident Anthony Wilds has enjoyed a life on the links.
Sam Albuquerque
Anthony Wilds, a member of the West Orange Country Club for more than 50 years, has done it all when it comes to the sport he loves, including playing a few rounds with a pair of U.S. presidents. STORY ON PAGE 4A.
City proposes millage increase The Winter Garden City Commission is considering a raised millage rate of 4.8565 to generate $2.2 million in revenue to cover an increase in expenditures. SEE PAGE 6A.
DONUT FORGET US
West Orange High School’s Class of 2026 enjoyed its Senior Sunrise Breakfast last week. PAGE 21A.
WOJSL MEMBER SPEARHEADS HYGIENE KIT DRIVE
The West Orange Junior Service League is proud to celebrate the compassion and leadership of one of its own. Alison Madrid recently organized and delivered 100 girls hygiene kits to three local middle schools — Southwest, Ocoee and Lakeview. Her initiative, rooted in kindness and care, aims to support young women in the community with dignity and confidence. Madrid was joined by staff and administrators who helped make the effort possible. From Principal Damian Rosado at Southwest to Principal Cheri Leavitt at Ocoee to the supportive team at Lakeview, including Omelia Dhanraj and others, this was a community collaboration.
BRAINFOOD WINGED WONDERS
In this month’s Brain Food, we teach you how to plant and cultivate a butterfly garden. PAGE 20A.