W EST O RA N G E T I M E S &
Observer Winter Garden, Ocoee, Oakland
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
FREE • THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2025
VOLUME 92, NO. 5
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.
The town of Windermere ignites the two torches in honor of its centennial. 6B.
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.
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.
WINTER GARDEN SENIORS CAN APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE
The city of Winter Garden has revamped its long-standing Utility Bill Assistance for Low Income Seniors Program, lowering the residency and income requirements to increase its reach and provide greater savings. Changes to the program include reducing the resident requirement to 12 continuous months, updating the income eligibility threshold to mirror federal poverty income guidelines and providing a reduction of up to 90% of base charges on city utility bills. To enroll in the program, candidates must complete an application and provide required documentation no later than 5 p.m. May 1 as well as meet eligibility requirements. Qualified candidates will receive the cost savings in their utility bills from May through April 2026. Only applicants who do not qualify will be notified. Residents must apply annually for this program. Applications are available weekdays at the Winter Garden City Hall reception desk, 300 W. Plant St., or by contacting the Utility Billing Customer Service, (407) 656-4100.
‘If not us, then who will?’
A total of 175 cots and pallets were set up at Matthew’s Hope, West Orange Dream Center and Church at the Cross.
With the generosity of the community and several organizations, Matthew’s Hope Ministries provided food and a warm place to sleep for West Orange’s homeless population. STORY ON PAGE 4A. Photos courtesy of Matthew’s Hope
OUT IN NATURE
Oakland celebrated the town’s history at the 2025 Oakland Heritage Day Festival. SEE PAGE 7B.
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