As 2013 comes to a close, here’s a look back at the biggest stories of the year at Villages-News.com.
Watch a video from the Aug. 12 “Take Down The Wall” rally at:
http://villages-news.com/take-down-the-wall-protest-in-spanish-springs/
2. Fruitland Park. It will fundamentally change Fruitland Park forever. The Villages obtained the right to build 2,038 houses, including Premier class homes priced from $750,000, more than 1,700 Designer homes priced from $500,000, and 189 Villas priced from $220,000 in the Friendly City. It is estimated the homes will generate $1 billion in sales.
3. Colony Boulevard Traffic. The problem was easy to identify, too much traffic on Colony Boulevard. The solution has been more elusive. Community Watch? That’s costing $1,400 per week. Project Wide Advisory Committee voted to build a bridge. The developer said not so fast, that’s too costly. Signal? Roundabout? To be continued in 2014.
4. Hometown Favorite. Villages’ favorite Fernando Varela and two fellow tenors formed Forte and catapulted to fame on “America’s Got Talent.” They went on to perform at Carnegie Hall, for President Obama and ended the year in Vegas. But Fernando still insists The Villages is “home.”
5. The Villages Regional Hospital expansion project. Villages founder Harold Schwartz insisted years ago that The Villages needed a hospital. This year, hospital leaders broke ground on a $57 million expansion. Harold is probably smiling.
6. Big name visitors. Jack Nicklaus, Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, Brian Kilmeade and even “Love Boat” captain Gavin MacLeod made stops in The Villages in 2013.
7. El Santiago Building. The Amenity Authority Committee paid the developer $350,000 for the old El Santiago restaurant building. Angry residents wanted a restaurant. AAC didn’t know what to do with the gutted old building. Odds are it will be torn down in 2014.
8. Villages Honor Flight. World War II heroes were flown to D.C. to see the war memorials. Even a government shutdown couldn’t stop them. More veterans to be taken to D.C. next year.
9. Heat Index Rule enrages softball community. The death of a softball player brought about what many softball players’ viewed as an overreaction and strict enforcement of the “Heat Index Rule.” Eventually, cooler heads prevailed. A meeting on the topic is set for Jan. 15.
10. Parades march on in The Villages. The Resident Parade Committee refused to let parades be squashed in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown. The Irish, Italian and German clubs joined forces and staged three parades in Spanish Springs Town Square in 2013. More to come in 2014.
You can watch a one-minute video from the German Parade at the link below:
http://villages-news.com/german-parade/
You can watch a one-minute video from the Italian Parade at the link below:
http://villages-news.com/italian-parade/
