091522_SW_Taste The Town_DIGITAL EDITION

18 x September 15 — October 5, 2022 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
NEWS & BUSINESS BRIEFS
compiled by Lauren Salinero
2023
We want to know your
Southwest Orlando favorites!
• Best Family Restaurant
• Best Fine Dining Restaurant
• Best Fast Food/Casual
Restaurant
• Best Italian Restaurant
• Best Mexican Restaurant
• Best Sushi
• Best Pizza
• Best Steak
• Best Seafood
• Best Wine Shop/Bar/Happy Hour
• Best Pet Services
• Best Fitness Facility
• Best Day Spa
• Best Salon/Barber Shop
• Best Church
• Best Golf Course
• Best Entertainment Venue
• Best Wedding Venue
• Best Child’s Birthday Venue
• Best Private School
• Best Real Estate Agent
• Best Insurance Agent
• Best Dentist
• Best Physician
• Best Veterinarian
To vote, visit www.southwestorlandobulletin.com.
The deadline is Oct. 28.
Winners will be announced in the Jan 5, 2023, issue.
Only one entry per Southwest resident allowed.
At least 50% of the online ballot must be completed.
n SunPass discount program
begins
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced
the launch of SunPass Savings, a
new toll discount program for customers
who use Florida’s Turnpike
System and toll facilities owned
by the Florida Department of
Transportation (FDOT). It will run for
6 months and is estimated to provide
$38 million in relief to SunPass commuters.
Additionally, Gov. DeSantis
called on the state Legislature to take
necessary action during next year’s
legislative session so more Florida
families can benefit from toll relief.
“This program will help frequent
SunPass customers keep more money
in their pockets during a time of
growing inflation,” Gov. DeSantis
said. “Florida families who depend
on these FDOT facilities for a timely
commute to work will benefit from
these savings. We will, of course,
seek to enact greater savings for
commuters in the next legislative
session.”
The program applies to two-axle
vehicles and is available to customers
who use SunPass or other Florida
transponders with accounts in good
standing.
For more information about
SunPass, call 888-865-5352 or visit
www.sunpass.com.
n Grant provides new housing
The city of Winter Garden approved
a $40,000 grant for neighborhood
revitalization for West
Orange Habitat for Humanity.
This will allow WOHFH to improve
a minimum of 16 houses within an
18-month period in the east Winter
Garden community. The neighborhood
revitalization focuses on exterior
home improvement projects for
low-income homes and will allow
WOHFH to serve more families in
the community, with a holistic approach
for lasting neighborhood
transformation.
The partnership between WOHFH
and Winter Garden provides the
opportunity for low-income families
to purchase their first homes.
WOHFH oversees the construction
of these single-family residences,
using sustainable materials and environmentally
friendly building and
landscaping practices. In addition
to its existing stalwart partners and
volunteers, WOHFH seeks strategic
relationships with other interested
corporations, churches and community
organizations to help expand
its volunteer and material resources,
and hence its reach and impact for
good.
For more information, call
407-809-4111, ext. 105, or visit
www.westorangehabitat.org.
n Yield signs replaced with
stop signs
The Orange County Public Works
Traffic Engineering Division is in the
process of converting more than
3,000 yield signs to stop signs to
improve safety in neighborhoods
throughout the county.
The project launched following the
adoption of a resolution by the Board
of County Commissioners, authorizing
Public Works to approve certain
traffic-control devices to enhance
safety at intersections. Public Works
officials identified 3,358 yield signs
to be converted, organized them into
15 different groups, and has already
converted a third of the total groups.
The entire project, which started in
2021, is estimated to be completed
by October 2023.
The conversion from yield to stop
signs at regular intersections is a
safety enhancement for all modes
of transportation, including vehicles,
pedestrians and bicyclists.
n New Ocoee City Hall opens
The city of Ocoee and Wharton-
Smith Inc. Construction Group held
a ribbon-cutting and open house