Remember When
By Ann Dupee
20 Years Ago - 1989
State Commissioner of Agriculture Doyle Conner raised his wine glass and toasted the Florida grape at the Lakeridge Winery and Vineyards dedication ceremony April 25.
Mr. Conner attended the ceremony at the request of Winery officials that included Gary Cox, General Partner of Lafayette Winery and Vineyards from Tallahassee, his brother Wesley Cox, Division Manager, and Lakeridge Manager Keith Mullins. Mullins thanked Bob Wade, President, and the South Lake Development Council members for sponsoring a barbeque on the grounds.
-- The former Clermont Marine property on the south 27 access road has been sold to Jasiel and Florence Ball of Montverde by Mike Gaynor of Hogan, McLean and Ladd, Inc. The Balls' son, Gordon, has operated and expanded the local Clermont Discount Tackle to the extent that a larger facility was needed to meet the needs of the people.
-- Letter to the Editor: The Clermont Area Chamber's Board of Directors of Commerce has voted to actively endorse and support the efforts for location of a Federal Prison Facility in south Lake County. We feel the location of such a facility will enhance the local economy and will be of sufficient economic impact that the entire area will benefit.
-- Dr. Michael Penachio, the sole Ophthalmologist practicing in Clermont, spoke about surgical procedures used to correct cataracts at South Lake Memorial Hospital's Community Health Break program.
-- Former Clermont residents Marion and Miriam Moses are presently serving their Seventh Day Adventist National Church as custodians of the Adventist Center for Archeological Research in Israel.
-- South Lake Memorial Hospital Auxiliary celebrated 30 years of volunteer service at its annual meeting. Incoming officers are Ruth Mongeau, President; Mary Vaughan, Vice President; Margaret Hendrix, Corresponding Secretary; Polly Todd, Recording Secretary and Minnie Viti, Treasurer.
-- Clermont Council approved a request from the Florida Scholastic Rowing Association to hold the State Championship Rowing Regatta at Jaycee Beach April 29.
-- Council approved a site plan request from the Disabled America Veterans for a monument to be erected in Veteran's Park to be dedicated to the men from South Lake County who fought and died in the service of their country.
-- Council unanimously approved budget expenditure not to exceed $3,000 to add six to eight inches of cover sand above the watermark on Lake Minneola Beach. Thirteen dump trucks dumped 40 loads, amounting to 700 tons, of lovely white sand at the beach a few Saturdays later. Following the dumping the sand was bulldozed into place.
Florida Rock Industries of Astatula donated all the sand. Mr. Dale DeWitt, owner of DeWitt Excavating of Winter Garden, greatly reduced the hauling costs from $35 a truckload to $25.
Joe Holt, who has only lived in Clermont 1 1/2 years but has come to love our little city already, was at the City Barn talking to Public Works Director Bob Smythe about another matter and the subject of upgrading the Beach arose.
Mr. Holt asked if anyone had checked with Florida Rock for donation of the sand. Upon finding no one had, Mr. Holt contacted Mr. Tony Struthers at Florida Rock, who in turn contacted his boss, Vice President Charles Litzell, who flew in to meet with Clermont officials and then give the OK to donate the sand for the project. Mr. Holt then talked with Mr. DeWitt and the date to dump was set.
-- Council Member Ann Dupee extended greetings from former City Manager George Forbes and his family, whom she visited recently, and reported on his noteworthy accomplishments in his job as City Manager of Boulder City, Nev.
Forbes sent a challenge to Dennis Horton to compete with him in either the Las Vegas Marathon in February or the Los Angeles Marathon in March.
-- The U.S. Postal Service announces a series of ZIP Code changes effective July 1. Portions of the 327 Zip Code will be changed to a new ZIP Code 347, including those in Clermont, Groveland, Mascotte, Minneola and Montverde. The changes will affect nearly 116,000 residents in the area served by the Orlando Mail Processing Center.
-- William Shakespeare's 425th birthday was celebrated in grand fashion at Clermont High School's dinner theater. Romeo (Cary Pierce), Juliet (Christina Lindgren), and about 90 CHS students participated in some way for the evening's festivities. Other cast members were Alice Seewer, Christy Szpek, Tommy Willis, Keely Rogers, Jamie Baysinger, David White, Jewelee Sculinbrene, John Rink, Andy Stone, Amy Pawlowski, Jake Doty, Nikki Smith, Krista Coggshall, Sophia Zetterlund, Theresa Childs, Keenya Crumbo, Damion Lovett, Rina Uyama, Dee Dee Whitehurst, Mike Harte, Jon Sandargas and Lori Van Wagner.
Producer was Dr. Lucy Harward, Karen Lee directed. Yvonne Ligato coordinated the costumes, which were hand made by parents and friends of the school. Lucressie McGriff directed about 25 students in preparing the dinner.
-- Control of CR 561 along the shore of Lake Minneola will be turned over to Clermont and Minneola. The route was a secondary state road that was transferred to Lake County 10 years ago. Last year the DOT assessment concluded CR 561 was a local road and need not require county maintenance.
-- County Commissioners granted Magnolia Island, a 39-single family unit development on 55.8 acres near John Lake, a rezoning from Agriculture (one unit per five acres) to Rural Estates (30,000 square foot lots.)
Friday, May 15, 2009 - www.dailycommercial.com/0515AnnDupee