W EST O RA N G E T I M E S &
Observer Winter Garden, Ocoee, Oakland
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
FREE • THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023
VOLUME 90, NO. 15
SOFTBALL SUPERSTAR
Windermere student to vie for Miss Florida Teen USA. 3A.
Beth’s Burger Bar now open The eatery celebrated the opening of its fifth location — this one in Winter Garden — last week. PAGE 5A.
Hero in a Huey She’s only 12 years old, but Kylie Konstand is already a force for the Lakers. SEE PAGE 1B.
YOUR TOWN CHAMBER’S BEST FEST RETURNS The West Orange Chamber of Commerce’s Best Fest is back after a several-year hiatus. This year’s food and business expo is from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 13, at Bill Breeze Park, 125 N. Lakeshore Drive, Ocoee. For tickets, visit wochamber. com/event/best-fest. Enjoy the taste of West Orange and indulge in a variety of beer, wine and spirits along with many delicious food offerings from some of the best local restaurants, bars, caterers and breweries in West Orange County. This festive party in the park boasts more than 50 vendors for you to enjoy throughout the night. Food and drink vendors are 4Rivers Smokehouse, Bailey Bleus, Bruster’s Real Ice Cream Windermere, Chick-fil-A, Corwin’s Personal Chef and Catering Services, Crooked Can Brewing Company, Culver’s of Winter Garden, Home State Brewing Co., Maple Street Biscuit Company, Mayson’s Wine Shop, Pammie’s Sammies, Pilars Martini & Loft, PRP Wine International, South African Jerky, Southern Steer Butcher, TableTop Catering, Texas Roadhouse, Toastique, Tom West Blueberries/ West Tree Service and TooJay’s. Other participating businesses are Acahand Foundation/ Light Orlando, AdventHealth, Bright Future Electric, Boyd Street Radio, City of Ocoee, Complete Power Resources, Computer Business Consultants, Floor Coverings International, Florida Foam Factory, Florida Blue, Foundation Academy, Foundation for a Healthier West Orange, Giant Yard Games, HAPCO Music Foundation, Think Minion, Valiant Realty, Love Motorsports of Ocoee, Mark’s Floors, McCoy Federal Credit Union, Observer Media Group, Roe Family Chiropractic, Roper YMCA and West Orange Habitat for Humanity.
Courtesy photos
Fifty-two years after Cleve Pickens saved his life, Lawrence Seeger met him face-to-face to shake his hand and thank him.
Winter Garden native and U.S. Army veteran Cleve Pickens received a face-toface thank-you from the man whose life he saved in the Vietnam jungle more than 50 years ago. STORY ON PAGE 4A.
Orlando Health, Horizon High partner for medical education Biomedical academy students are getting hands-on training at Horizon West Hospital. SEE 7A.
EGG-STRA SPECIAL
There were plenty of opportunities for Easter family fun in West Orange County. SEE PAGE 6A.