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Friday, January 17, 2020
HEADLINE NEWS:
New Apopka police officer has pointy ears, wet nose
He’s got a wet nose and is only 14 months old. He weighs just 67 pounds and doesn’t even have a name yet, but,...
Some areas of Apopka could see increase in development density
By a 3-1 vote, the City Council gave the first of two approvals to an increase in the number of dwelling units allowed per...
Elections’ supervisor getting ready for busy 2020 elections
Only about a quarter of Orange County voters these days cast their ballots on election day as about 75 percent will vote early or...
City changing use of property on lake
The Apopka Planning Commission separately recommended approval for a future land use amendment and zoning change of an estimated 4.32 acres of land that’s...
New traffic signals now fully functional
The city of Apopka paid for the $3.7-million road and traffic signal work that was approved by the Florida Department of Transportation because both...
Legislators give thoughts on session that begins next week in Tallahassee
Teachers’ salaries, as well as two local projects that could get state funding were among the many items discussed Thursday, January 9, at a...
Mayor’s salary increase highlighted late 2019
Note: This is the fourth of a four-part series reviewing the news of Apopka in 2019 written in the pages of The Apopka Chief....
Traffic signals will go live
New traffic signals at the interchange of U.S. Highway 441 and State Road 436 (foreground), along with U.S. 441 and McGee Avenue (background), will...
OUR POSITION:
Deaths of young black girls changed a segregationist family’s attitude
With time, many white southern hearts changed. Martin Luther King Jr.’s message of peaceful resistance moved America toward his vision, stated eloquently on August 28, 1963: “A day will come when all God’s children … will be able to join hands and sing the words of the old Negro spiritual, ‘Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last.’”
THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY: OPINION & ARTICLES OF INTEREST
O.C. needs your reports for repairs
By Christine Moore, County Commissioner, District 2
I hope for the New Year, we will be more active about the condition and quality of our streets and communities. Together, we make Apopka a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
Teachers feel underpaid, under-appreciated
By Melissa Byrd, Orange County School Board, District 7
In my time on the board, too many teachers have come before us and testified to the challenges they face with the salaries they are given. It’s hard to hear the people who do one of the most important jobs in our society talk about having to have a second job or not being able to afford to get their car fixed.
Election slogan ‘I Like Ike’ soon turned to ‘Thank God For Ike’
By Richard Corbeil
I am sure Trump’s successes are, like Ike’s, based heavily on his four years of military academy.
Freedom or Tyranny
Patti Bankson
Sometimes freedoms are hard fought for and bring chaos, even destruction. It seems to me that their choices are limited: Demand and fight for their freedoms or quietly continue under a dictatorship. It’s a shock to think that any American thinks the latter is the better choice.
Letters to the Editor:
Your Opinion Counts. Send a Letter to The Editor
Police Beat: STAY INFORMED. Get the details: who, when, and why arrests were made in our community by subscribing to The Apopka Chief today.
Lifestyle News
Serve Orange Pork Chops – recipe from ‘Treasures and Pleasures’
Orange Pork Chops is different from most of our day-to-day pork chop recipes; it features a complementary orange sauce for serving over rice. This...
Apopka Woman’s Club carollers
The Apopka Woman’s Club Christmas Carollers have been singing for the past 3 years at local nursing homes in the Apopka area. This year...
Apopka Art and Foliage Festival dates are now March 28, 29
The 59th annual Apopka Art and Foliage Festival’s dates have been moved up one month, from the traditionally scheduled last weekend of April to...
Try Swedish meatballs from ‘The Jones-Morris Family Treasury’
Betty Ann Vakauza’s Swedish Meatballs comes from The Jones-Morris Family Treasury. We thank Susan Nethercote, our friend of many years, for sharing this delightful...
AMAC educates senior citizens about Social Security benefits
Do you have questions about the proper order for claiming personal and spousal benefits? This week Social Security Adviser Russell Gloor uses a letter...
Elisabeth von Trapp will perform at First Presbyterian
The sound of music will echo throughout First Presbyterian Church on February 8, 2020 when Elisabeth von Trapp, granddaughter of the legendary Maria and...
Orange Lodge celebrates 164th
Apopka’s Masonic Lodge, Orange Lodge No. 36 Free & Accepted Masons, was instituted by warrant issued from the Grand Lodge of Florida on January...
Make wise choices when a representative payee manages your money
Some of the millions of people who get monthly Social Security or Supplemental Security Income benefits need help managing this money. A person assigned...
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MLK parade is slated
Presented by the South Apopka Ministerial Alliance, the 11th annual parade will begin at the Apopka Community Center/VFW building in Apopka. Get all the details on page 1A. -
City of Apopka staff committee looks at property for three houses
The Development Review Committee explored a concept plan that proposes a three-lot single family housing subdivision, a property that hasn’t yet been annexed into the city. Read more on page 5A. -
Apopka man claims lottery prize
The $20 game, $5,000,000 Luck, launched in September 2019 and features more than $329 million in cash prizes, including six top prizes of $5 million. Read more on page 8A. -
School board handles several items at meeting
Recognizing the upcoming Celebrate Literacy Week and committing to ending student use of all tobacco products were the highlights of the Orange County School Board’s regularly scheduled meeting. Read more on page 8A. - If saving money made your New Year’s resolution list, start by cutting your energy use to save money year-round. With some simple lifestyle tweaks, you can trim your energy usage and help keep your 2020 budget in check. Read the Apopka Chief’s tips and tricks for reducing energy bill costs on page 1B.
- January is Cervical Health Awareness Month. The Florida Department of Health in Orange County is encouraging women to learn more about preventing cervical cancer through lifestyle change and vaccination, as well as visit their health care providers. Read on page 5B for resources related to the prevention of cervical cancers.
- Emily Peyton, a Freshman Elementary Education major from Apopka, was among over 900 Bob Jones University students named to the fall 2019 dean’s list, according to a Monday, January 13, press release.
- Madison Pollock of Apopka was named to the fall 2019 dean’s list at Berry College, according to a Tuesday, January 7 press release.
- Brandon English of Apopka graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Liberal Studies) from Graceland University, according to a Tuesday, January 7, news release.
Sports News
Wekiva High boys basketball team gets a much-needed victory
For at least Wednesday, January 15, the world was a little bit younger and somewhat more innocent for the Wekiva Mustangs boys basketball team....
Apopka High School wrestlers having successful season
According to what was on paper when the 2019-20 season started, the Apopka Blue Darters wrestling team was rebuilding as youth and inexperience at...
College signees from Apopka High
A signing day for various athletes at Apopka High School was held in November. Read more 6C.
Fish are bitin’ in most area lakes and rivers
Hello Folks,
We are well into the new year and the fishin’ has started to pick up in most of the lakes in our area....
Jumping for control
Myanna Garrett (3) seeks to control the opening tip for the Wekiva Mustangs girls basketball team at the start of its game over the...
Driving for two
Apopka Blue Darters girls basketball player Mary McMillan tries to get past a Windermere defender...See more on 4C.
For the most part, basketball teams doing well
Peery’s Extra Points, John Peery
Basketball season is getting serious for high school teams and it’s pretty good in these parts. Page 6C…
Wekiva High girls improving again as new year starts
Wekiva has used the Florida Prospects Holiday Classic as a driving force toward finding that level of play required to contend for state championships. More on 6C.