GOTCHA! Happy April Fools' Day!

No, the story you just read isn't true.

By Michael Eng
| 7:50 a.m. April 1, 2016

West Orange Times & Observer
Opinion

Blasts from the past

George and Anne Bailey always enjoyed printing a good April Fools’ Day story in their newspaper, even if it wasn’t always clear that the story was fake. And they caught plenty of flak for them, too.

The Baileys owned The West Orange Times for 44 years, which gave them multiple opportunities to publish an April 1 article.

Gourd Neck Springs Man
The April 1, 1976, issue of The Winter Garden Times announced “Discovery of Ancient Torso Astounds Scientists.”

According to the article, “One of the most exciting archaeological discoveries of this century has turned the eye of the scientific world in our direction.”

The well-preserved remains of an ancient man, estimated to be as old as 2.5 million years, were found by three West Orange High School students who were skin diving at Gourd Neck Springs, the article said. These springs are in the southwest corner of Lake Apopka near Montverde.

Philately charge
In 1982, The Times splashed a headline across the front page exposing former City Commissioner Ernest B. Crawford as a philatelist for 32 years. The article, written by staffer Ken Morris, quoted Crawford’s surprised colleagues.

“Winter Garden Police Chief Jimmie Yawn said there is no city code regulating philately in Winter Garden,” Morris wrote. “Therefore, he will take no official action against Crawford.”

City Attorney Becky Vose added: “It fits into that category of victimless acts by consenting adults.”

Creosote plant
The April Fools’ story that caused the most trouble for the Baileys was Windermere Mayor Bob Pleus’ announcement in 1993 that an industrial plant was likely to be permitted near the north end of Windermere on Wauseon Bay. The land to be utilized, known as Bumby Point, was reverting to agricultural zoning because it was once a logging camp with a small creosote distilling operation for treating lumber for docks.

A meeting was announced for April 1, but a letter to the editor that ran in the following week’s issue of the paper represented a slew of people who weren’t amused by the way-too-subtle April Fools’ hint.

The April 8 issue also ran a photo of then-Mayor Pleus throwing a cream pie in George Bailey’s face as “just desserts” for the spoof.

Dear beloved OrangeObserver.com reader: Happy April Fools’ Day.

Make no mistake: The story you just read — and all of the stories, photos, headlines and cutlines on pages 1-4 of the April 1 edition of the West Orange Times & Observer and pages 1-2 of the Windermere Observer are part our April Fools’ spoof edition. They are not true.

We repeat: They are not true.

Our sister paper, the Longboat Observer, started this tradition nearly 20 years ago. Since then, the April Fools’ edition has become that paper’s most anticipated — and most popular — issue of the year. Here in West Orange, former owners George and Anne Bailey also had some April Fools’ Day fun (see sidebar).

The reasoning is simple: Who couldn’t use a laugh now and then?

Although I may regret this in a few days, please shoot me an email — [email protected] — and let me know what you think. Better yet: Take this story and fool your family members and friends.

author

Michael Eng

As a child, Editor and Publisher Michael Eng collected front pages of the Kansas City Star during Operation Desert Storm, so it was a foregone conclusion that he would pursue a career in journalism. He holds a journalism degree from the University of Missouri — Columbia School of Journalism. When he’s not working, you can find him spending time with his wife and three children, or playing drums around town. He’s also a sucker for dad jokes.