SO U T H W E ST O RA N G E
Observer Windermere, Horizon West, Dr. Phillips
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 7, NO. 45
FREE
The City Commission approved a resolution to the revised rate schedule for residential and commercial solid-waste services with an increase of 15.57% to begin Oct. 1. SEE PAGE 2.
YOUR TOWN COURTS CLOSED FOR RESURFACING
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2022
ELECTION 2022:
TRASH TALK: Rates to increase in W.G.
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Get to know our public school teams. SEE 1B.
MEET THE CANDIDATES Laura Loomer and Gavriel Soriano are challenging Daniel Webster for seat. 3A.
THRICE AS NICE
The school welcomed its first group of Panthers with a colorful banner placed by the school’s entrance.
A popular sports court in Winter Garden is being closed temporarily for renovations. The city of Winter Garden’s public pickleball and tennis courts at Veterans Memorial Park will be temporarily closed beginning Monday, Aug. 22. The closure is due to resurfacing and court layout conversion to add more pickleball courts. The completion date will depend on the weather. The park is at 420 S. Park Ave.
SHRED YOUR OLD DOCUMENTS The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is hosting a Shred the Word Shred-a-Thon event from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 20, at Olympia High School, 4301 S. Apopka-Vineland Road, Orlando. No registration is needed, and the drive-thru event is free. Acceptable items include all paper, file folders, hanging files, computer paper, notepads and envelopes. Items to be shredded should be placed in the vehicle trunk. Prescription drug disposal is available as well.
ST. LUKE’S TO SHOW ‘FLORIDA PROJECT’ The community is invited to a showing of “The Florida Project” at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, in Building C of Founder’s Hall of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. The local film takes a look at families living in poverty in a Kissimmee motel. The viewing will be followed by a “Talk Back” session with community leaders where attendees can learn more about poverty-alleviation efforts in the Central Florida area. The showing is free, but donations will be accepted and concessions will be sold to raise money for poverty-alleviation efforts in Central Florida. RSVP is requested but not required. For information and to RSVP, visit st.lukes.org/movienight. The church is at 4851 S. Apopka-Vineland Road, Orlando. PRSRT STD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID WINTER GARDEN, FL PERMIT NO. 81
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Postal Customer
Observer staff
Hamlin Elementary faculty and staff sported stunning smiles for the first week of school. Left: Media specialist Janet Anderson, left, and Dr. Suzanne Knight, principal, were pleased with the results of the media center at Hamlin Middle School.
Horizon West’s school community grew by three with the opening of Hamlin Middle, Hamlin Elementary and Panther Lake Elementary last week. STORY ON PAGE 4A.
Will the transportation tax help West Orange? Voters will decide in November whether a one-cent sales tax referendum will fly. SEE PAGE 8A.