Community Bulletin and Business Briefs

Community Bulletin

Demolition began this month at the Publix in the Aloma Shopping Center in Winter Park to make room for a new, bigger Publix building. The other shops at the center, including Aloma Cinema Grill, Binson's Home Health Care Centers, Pet Supermarket and FedEx Office Print and Ship Center will remain open. The Auxiliary White Elephant Thrift Shop is the only one that closed to make way for the renovation.

Seniors First's Meals On Wheels program needs volunteer drivers to deliver hot, nutritious meals to homebound seniors in Orange County neighborhoods. Delivery routes take about an hour and can be done between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Monday through Friday. Corporate volunteer routes are also available. For information, call Pat Schunke at 407-581-9364 or visit our website at www.seniorsfirstinc.org.

The Art Stroll of Baldwin Park is now a monthly event in the town and includes artwork such as the one pictured above. Photo courtesy of Arts Hub Florida

The Art Stroll of Baldwin Park is now monthly! The next stroll is on Thursday, May 13 and is presented by the Baldwin Park Merchants Association and the Arts Hub Florida. This event will be on New Broad Street, downtown Baldwin Park, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. It is free and open to the public. You may contact Brad Biggs at 407-247-4552 and Jason L. Lee at 321-662-9073, or e-mail them at [email protected] for more information.

Bright House Networks customers will soon be able to experience a next-generation cable modem technology known as wideband. Next month, Bright House Networks is officially launching the new service under the name Road Runner Lightning. For information, visit www.brighthouse.com/rrlightning.

Winn-Dixie Stores introduced the newest design and feature in its line of durable, reusable bags just in time for Earth Day. The bag, made from 95 percent recycled material, features Microban antibacterial protection, which actively protects the bag from stain and odor causing bacteria and continuously stops the growth of new bacteria. For information, please visit www.winn-dixie.com.

According to the latest 2010 Census mail participation rates released today, the Atlanta Region, which includes Florida, has now matched the rate it had achieved during the 2000 Census. Census workers will begin visiting households who have not returned their form on Monday, May 3. They will be carrying a badge and black bag with the Census logo. A Census worker will never ask for your Social Security Number or personal banking/credit card information and will never ask for or accept any fee/payment. They will ask only the 10 questions that appear on the form, including number of people living at the residence on April 1, name, birth date, race/ethnicity and if you rent or own.

United Arts is now accepting applications for the fiscal year 2011 Organizational Project Grants program. Grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded to local non-profit cultural organizations for projects in arts, culture, history or science. Each applicant must be a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, located in Lake, Orange, Osceola or Seminole counties, and have a mission focused on arts, culture, history or science. See guidelines for complete eligibility requirements. Workshops to explain the program will be held in May and June; RSVPs required. Visit www.unitedarts.cc for information.

Business Briefs

The National Kitchen and Bath Association has named the design and installation of the historic kitchen restoration at Casa Feliz as the national Project of the Year. The NKBA's Central Florida Chapter, whose member companies donated $95,000 worth of high-end cabinetry, appliances, countertops, labor and materials, spearheaded the restoration project last fall. S&W Kitchens Inc. designed the new kitchen and installed it in nine days last September.

Susan A. Gratch, PE, vice president, has been promoted to division manager for PBS&J's Central Florida Transportation Design division. In this new role, she will manage the day-to-day operations of transportation design in Orlando, Jacksonville and Lake City as well as right-of-way staff throughout the eastern U.S. Steven D. McWilliams, PE, has been promoted to group manager for PBS&J's Orlando Roadway Design group.

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects LLC was recently awarded contracts to design the repainting of three retail centers in Tampa and Orlando that each total 100,000 square feet of retail space.

The commercial and low voltage divisions of Palmer Electric Company secured a contract with Freese Construction Company Inc. for the electrical work on a new medical office building located on Victoria Commons Boulevard in Victoria Medical Park, Deland, Fla.

Carroll McKenney Foundation for Public Media (CMF) announced today that it has received a grant of $5,000 from Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation of Winter Park. More information is available at www.edythbush.org.

The Orlando Science Center was awarded a $50,000 grant from AT&T Foundation that will enable them to engage underserved students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by providing them with hands-on learning experiences geared toward today's technologies and tomorrow's innovations.

Olga Hughes, GRI of Olde Town Brokers was recently recognized for her 30 years of service and dedication to the real estate profession.