GMWG Good Morning Winter Garden

Monday, March 23, 2026 West Orange County, FL ☀️ 84° · Sunny

Your daily dispatch from the heart of West Orange County.

Farmers market fresh · Photo: The-Lore / Unsplash

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Top Story

Nearly 400 Rialto Apartment Residents Still Displaced After Building Cracks

A five-story complex near Dr. Phillips was evacuated Thursday after popping sounds and cracks on every floor. Four days later, no one's been allowed back.

Nearly 400 residents of The Rialto at 7343 W. Sand Lake Road remain displaced after the 200-unit building was evacuated Thursday. Residents reported popping sounds and jammed doors around 4 a.m.; firefighters found cracking on all five floors. A structural engineer examined the building over the weekend, but no return timeline has been set. Orange County's Building Division has ordered a full evaluation before anyone can re-enter.

FOX 35 →  ·  Sentinel →

Roads SR 429 Nightly Closures Start Tonight 10 PM–5 AM through Friday for SR 516 construction. Northbound closed from Schofield Rd. (Exit 13) to New Independence Pkwy. (Exit 15). Detour via Avalon Rd. Read more →

Education OCPS Closes 7 Schools, Braces for $45M More in Losses 3,200 students will be reassigned. None in WG, but Supt. Vazquez warns another 5,000-student drop next year could mean more closures. Read more →

📣 The Week Ahead in Downtown WG

Speed cameras go live. Commission meets. Pops under the stars Saturday.

School zone speed cameras at Esteem Academy start issuing $100 citations Wednesday — Whispering Oak follows April 1. Thursday, the Commission votes on the New Life Slavic Church annexation. And Saturday, the Plant Street Pops Orchestra takes over Newton Park for Evening at the Pops — Grammy winner Matt Catingub conducting, $10 GA, kids 8 and under free.

☀️ This Week's Weather

Winter Garden, FL · Mar 23–29 · NWS Melbourne

Today (Mon)	☀️	84° / 60°
Tuesday	🌦	84° / 65°
Wednesday	🌧	80° / 62°
Thursday	☀️	84° / 62°

Patchy fog this morning, storms possible Tue–Wed (40–50%) · NWS Melbourne

Around Town

Sports Little League Night at WOHS Tomorrow — Warriors vs. Windermere Tue 7 PM. Little Leaguers in jersey get free admission, run onto the field for the anthem, and run the bases after the game. Check-in at 6 PM. Observer →		Local Business Harlow Grove: Winter Garden's Newest Restaurant Is Now Open Two-story spot at 186 S. Main with a Michelin-background chef. Three-beef burger, lobster grilled cheese, upstairs lounge. Dinner from 4 PM. Read more →
Sports Ocoee Track Star Breaks School Long Jump Record Junior Hervins Chervil hit 6.88m at the Kowboy Invitational, shattering the school record. Plus: two Ocoee wrestlers placed top-8 at states — a first. Read more →		Parks Tucker Ranch Park Addition Wins National Architecture Award 25.6-acre wellness center with teaching farm, outdoor kitchen & trail system. One of five Parks projects honored nationally. Opening fall 2026. Read more →
Heads Up Yard Waste Collection Running Behind Across the City February's freeze killed a lot of landscaping. Crews are catching up — leave waste curbside on your normal day and keep it clear of cars. City updates →		Roads Tremaine St. Still Closed Through May Between S. Boyd & S. Main St. — water tower refurbishment. Local access maintained, detour in place. City updates →

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A Rialto Apartments resident on the structural evacuation — Orlando Sentinel

Calendar of Events

Mar 24	Little League Night at West Orange High ⚾ 7 PM · Warriors vs. Windermere · Kids in jersey: free entry + run the bases · details →
Mar 25	School Zone Speed Cameras Active — Esteem Academy Warning period ends · $100 civil citations for speeding begin · city alert →
Mar 26	City Commission Meeting — Church Annexation Final Vote Second reading on New Life Slavic Church annexation (3.5 acres, Crown Point Rd.) · agenda →
Mar 27	Fridays on the Plaza 🎵 Tom Grimes (Blues) 7–9 PM · Centennial Plaza Gazebo · Free live music · Bring a chair · details →
Mar 28	Evening at the Pops 🎶 Newton Park 6:30–9 PM · Lake Apopka shore · Plant Street Pops Orchestra · Grammy winner Matt Catingub · $10 GA / Kids 8 & under free · tickets →
Mar 29	Winter Garden Farmers Market 8 AM–1 PM · Downtown Pavilion · 100+ vendors, live music, free parking · details →

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FOX 35 · Orlando Sentinel · West Orange Observer · NWS Melbourne · Mar 23, 2026

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