SO U T H W E ST O RA N G E
Observer Windermere, Horizon West, Dr. Phillips
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 10, NO. 17
BRIGHT FUTURE
FREE • THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2025
Spirit of a champion West Orange High School’s Tyler Boyd was selected as an NFL PLAY 60 Super Kid. He’ll enjoy special treatment at the NFL’s 2025 Pro Bowl Games. PAGE 1B.
Inaugural OCOM class buries time capsule for future students. SEE 6B.
YOUR TOWN W.G. LIBRARY GETTING FACELIFT The Winter Garden Library is closed to the public through Feb. 15. Residents wanting to check out books or use the library’s resources can visit any of the other branches, including three in West Orange County. The West Oaks Library is at 1821 E. Silver Star Road, Ocoee. The Windermere Library is located at 530 Main St., Windermere. The Hiawassee branch is at 7391 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando.
ENGRAVED WGHF BRICKS FOR SALE
Winter Garden Heritage Foundation
The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation is selling engraved bricks, and folks can purchase one in honor of or in memory of someone special. Build a sense of community and lay out the foundation of your legacy in the heart of historic downtown Winter Garden, right in front of the History Research, Education and Visitor’s Center. The bricks are a way to place a personal, permanent mark on the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation’s Healthy West Orange Heritage and Cultural Center, 21 E. Plant St. Bricks can be personalized in memory of or in honor of family and/or community members, or to commemorate births, anniversaries or special events. The cost is $140 for WGHF members, $160 for others. For information, visit bit. ly/4hfki3q or call (407) 6563244.
Seniors Kathy Tran and Vivi Huynh made Chinese New Year lanterns to hang around the Windermere Prep campus.
DEEP
IMPACT Clubs and organizations at Windermere Preparatory School gave back to the community during the school’s Day of Service last week. STORY ON PAGE 4A.
ALL FIRED UP
The Town of Windermere ignites the two torches in honor of its centennial. SEE 6B.
Photos by Liz Ramos
World Language teacher Devin Bennett and Jose Pereira, president of the French Honor Society, showed off one of the six blankets made to donate to homeless shelters.
Is Tommy Zeigler innocent? New DNA analysis could exonerate the Winter Garden furniture store owner who has been on Florida’s death row for nearly 49 years. SEE PAGE 8A.
Courtesy of the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation