compiled by Lauren Salinero
Bay Hill
Bay Hill resident and West Family Law Group founder Richard D. West was named the 2018 Orlando Family Lawyer of the year by The Best Lawyers in America. It marks the third year Richard has achieved this accolade. The Best Lawyers in America, which cited Richard’s work in family law, arbitration and mediation, is a highly respected peer-review publication for the legal profession. Only one lawyer in each practice area in a community is honored as a
lawyer of the year.
Ocoee
The Ocoee Fire Department was awarded a three-year grant of nearly $1.5 million from the Department of Homeland Security’s SAFER — Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response — grant program. The program assists departments with the funding of personnel to ensure that their communities have the needed fire and emergency services protection. The Ocoee Fire Department applied for the FEMA grant to hire 12 new firefighters to staff a fire engine in one of the fast-growing areas of the city. When hired, the personnel and fire apparatus will continue to respond from the temporary fire station, located at Ocoee-Apopka and West roads. The Ocoee City Commission approved building a new fire station in the northwest area of the city, and it is expected to be completed in the next 24 to 36 months.
Winter Garden
Scott Cookson of Winter Garden is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for real estate law.
Winter Garden resident and partner at ShuffieldLowman Scott Cookson was included in The Best Lawyers in America, as published in dozens of city and regional publications in the U.S, including U.S. News & World Report. Scott received the honor for his work in real estate law. The Best Lawyers in America selects its candidates based on an exhausted peer-review survey, in which 50,000 leading attorneys cast nearly 5 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. Because lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, inclusion is a singular honor.
The city of Winter Garden held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Winter Garden Stormwater Capture and Reuse Project. The project will create water storage ponds — stormwater and reclaimed — at several locations to increase aquifer recharge and provide additional water for reuse irrigation. It not only expands the reach of reclaimed water but will also help improve the water quality in nearby Lake Apopka.
Et Al
Kiwanis Club of Dr. Phillips members attend the biannual speed networking event.
Kiwanis Club of Dr. Phillips partnered with Dr. Phillips Seacoast Bank to maximize its service reach in the community. During the club’s biannual speed networking event for club members and Dr. Phillips community members, Kiwanis Club of Dr. Phillips President Dave Schmitt shared information about the club and how it is serving the community. Each person was then given three minutes to introduce themselves and took turns giving a brief summary of their business history and goals.
Rotary Club of Lake Buena Vista President Eddie Fernandez welcomes Visit Orlando representative Beth Cocchiarella as a guest speaker at a club meeting.
During a recent Rotary Club of Lake Buena Vista meeting,
Beth Cocchiarella presented a program about what Visit Orlando is doing to promote Orlando. The Rotary club meets Thursday mornings at the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort in Disney Springs.
It was chartered with the intention of becoming the official Rotary makeup location for Rotarians traveling to the Orlando area on their family vacations. Since its inception, it has been host to a continuous stream of visitors who come to the Disney area for both leisure and business travel reasons.
West Orange Chamber of Commerce members commemorate the one-year anniversary of Bella Italia Ristorante in Winter Garden.
West Orange Chamber of Commerce representatives held an anniversary celebration for Bella Italia Ristorante. WOCC builds partnerships, strong businesses and commitment to the community by serving as the leading business advocate in Central Florida, facilitating opportunity to nearly 1,000 member businesses. For more information about WOCC, call 407-656-1304 or visit wochamber.com.
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