December 2008 Top Stories

Commissioner Bill Segal presents $5,000 check to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Fla. Commissioner Bill Segal presented a check in the amount of $5,000 from his office account of left-over campaign funds to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida at their Empty Bowls Luncheon at the Rachel D. Murrah Civic Center in Winter Park.  This money will go to help needy families during the holiday season.  He is challenging other elected officials and former candidates to do the same with their left-over funds.

Dave Krepcho, Pres/CEO, Second Harvest Food Bank and Commissioner Bill Segal

“I can think of no better use of these funds than to make sure that they go directly to families in this time of need.  Second Harvest Food Bank is an excellent organization with an important mission.  Everyone – from families to non-profits – are facing a pinch right now and we all need to do everything we can.  I hope other candidates and elected officials will consider doing the same and making contributions out of their left-over funds.” Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is a private, nonprofit organization that collects and distributes donated food to more than 450 nonprofit partner agencies in six Central Florida counties: Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia. Bill Segal is the District 5 Commissioner on the Orange County Board of County Commissioners.  District 5 includes Maitland, Winter Park and College Park and the UCF corridor out to Bithlo, Wedgefield and Christmas.  He has served on the Orange County BCC since 2004 and was recently elected without opposition.  He and his wife, Sara, live in Winter Park.

EDGEWATER HIGH SCHOOL RECONSTRUCTION UPDATE - by David E. Rose, President, College Park Neighborhood Association The Orange County Public Schools, OCPS, held an informational meeting on November 11th at Edgewater High School to give an update on the plans and progress of the planned reconstruction of the school. This has been a long and sometime controversial process but the community has come to a strong consensus on the current plan. OCPS has purchased the three parcels immediately north of the existing campus, those being the existing shopping center, an undeveloped lot on its western border, and the “College Park Leisure Homes” on its northern border. That adds about twenty seven acres of land available for the school. On October 21st the City of Orlando’s Municipal Planning Board approved the rezoning of the land for public use and also vacated its right of way for what is now Preston Drive. Those actions combined to provide enough room to build a comprehensive high school at the existing site, it will still be the smallest site for a comprehensive high school in Orange County. C.T. HSU + ASSOCIATES, PA have been hired to design the school and presented their plans to the assembled crowd on Tuesday evening. The land that the current Administrative offices, music room, and Auditorium sit on will not be used for the new school, the land fronting Edgewater Drive south of Preston, effectively moving the school’s Edgewater Drive frontage north to Par Ave. There will be three vehicular entrances to the new school, the main entrance at Par, a second Edgewater drive entrance at a new driveway about were the current music building sits, and a third bus only entrance on Maury Road. Site work on the former mobile home park may begin anytime, the shopping center will continue business through the end of the year and demolition is scheduled to begin in January. The actual construction is phased so as to minimally impact the operations of the school. The “first phase” will be the bulk of the new school which will be built on the new land with an estimated construction time of eighteen months. During that time classes and school activities will continue in the existing facilities. At the beginning of the 2010 school year the new buildings will hopefully be ready for grades 10 thru 12 while 9th grade will continue in some of the designated existing buildings while the new 9th grade academy is completed on the south campus. The College Park Neighborhood Association is working to get links to the plans up on their website as soon as they are available. So to take a look at the plans check in with their website at www.collegeparkorlando.org , they should be up soon. I think it is was a strong consensus among those at the meeting, many of whom have been involved in these plans for many years, that the plans for the new school are realistic and that Edgewater High School can be proud of its new home once it is completed.

Volunteers Build Wheelchair Ramp for Local Woman Meeting Planners International (MPI) teamed up with Allan and Conrad Structural Engineering firm to build the ramp for Elizabeth Sharpe, who lives on Dubsdread Circle. She is wheelchair bound, and the ramp will make it possible for her to come and go more easily from her home. (Right) The two people prominent in this picture are Mark Taraborelli (man in white t-shirt and jeans) and Kathy Masterson (short blonde hair and grey t-shirt). Mark is the President of the Greater Orlando Chapter of Meeting Planners International, and Kathy is the President-Elect for the organization.

Click on picture to enlarge

Comings & Growings - who's in, who's out, who's changed - If you have a new business, e-mail Info@CommunityPaper.com or call 407-297-8497. Orlando Florist has merged with McRae’s Florist. Joe McRae, original owner of McRae’s, has become a part of the Orlando Florist team. He will continue the 22 years of devoted service to the College Park Community. Jean Schneider, original owner of Orlando Florist, also for 22 years & John Latter are the new owners. Orlando Florist moved from Orange Avenue to 1814 Edgewater Drive (corner of Dartmouth). Give them a call at 407-841-0469. W. Doug Martin has joined the firm of Dellecker, Wilson, King, McKenna & Ruffier, llp, as an associate. Martin is a trial attorney whose practice focuses on medical malpractice, personal injury, premises liability and insurance litigation. Prior to joining thefirm, he worked as an associate at two prominent Orlando area law firms with a focus on medical malpractice and insurance litigation. Martin earned his law degree from University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2005 where he received the Book Award for Trial Practice, served as Honor Court Defense Counsel, a Student Conduct Committee Advisor, and was a member of Pi Delta Phi International Legal Honor Fraternity. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a focus in finance from the University of Florida. Dellecker, Wilson, King, McKenna & Ruffier, llp (www.dwklaw.com) is a plaintiff’s personal injury law firm dedicated to serving clients who have suffered serious injury through the negligence of others. Founded in 1989, they practic in the areas of personal injury, wrongful death, car accidents, medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, defective products, premises liability, insurance company bad faith and business torts. They are located at 719 Vassar Street, phone 407-244-3000.

DECEMBER ARTICLES: • From The Desk Of City Commissioner Robert Stuart • Cutting Edge Consciousness - by Diane Ross • Jewel of the Month - by Phyllis Stewart-Tuell, Stewart Jewelry • Real Estate - by Mike Derenthal, Derenthal Realty