W EST O RA N G E T I M E S &
Observer Winter Garden, Ocoee, Oakland
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
Local animal rescue needs more volunteers. PAGE 6B.
FREE • THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2024
VOLUME 91, NO. 29
Combat-ready Siblings Jennifer and Zaine Jeffres started karate less than a year ago. But don’t mess with them. SEE PAGE 1B.
Cinderella story
YOUR TOWN RESIDENTS INVITED TO SHARE STORIES
The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation is hosting a forum — with the help of the Rev. Dan Johnson — to gather local history and family stories from residents in east Winter Garden. The free event will take place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 18, at Heller Hall, 21 E. Plant Street. Heritage foundation staff are available to scan photographs and documents to add to the growing archive of black family and business files, and they will be available to record the stories. The project is funded in part by Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program and by United Arts Central Florida.
OCOEE INVITES FAMILIES TO REC DAY
The city of Ocoee is holding a Family Rec Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 20, at the Jim Beech Recreation Center, 1820 A.D. Mims Road. Families can enjoy water slides and other inflatables, free pool admission, food, live deejay music and more. Backpacks will be given away while they last, and free sports physicals will be offered compliments of Greater Vision Enterprises and Inspire Healthcare Center.
CANDIDATE Whiskey is one of Shelby Combs’ two equine-assisted therapy horses.
Amy Quesinberry
As a child, Shelby Combs and her horse, Cinderella, captured many awards in the horse-riding circuit. Now, she uses her skills to help people with physical, emotional and cognitive disabilities. SEE STORY ON PAGE 4A.
ON THE WORLD STAGE West Orange High and OARS alum Victoria Grieder competed at the Henley Royal Regatta in England. PAGE 1B.
Q&A
Concern grows over Oakland tree removals Folks argue the municipality, a Tree Town USA for more than 20 years, has an obligation to keep its foliage intact when it allows developers to come into the town to build neighborhoods. PAGE 6A.
Meet Bowen Kou and Keith Truenow, candidates for Florida State Senate District 13. SEE PAGE 9A.