May/June 2026
the local
mix
- Ocoee’s Mark Houghton turns every stage into a force for good, blending music, momentum, and community impact.
- A West Orange physics teacher trades the classroom for chaos on Fear Factor: House of Fear.
- From Clermont to rural India, restaurateur Uday Kadam marks 70 years by feeding 7,000 people—proving that success tastes sweeter when it’s shared.
- What's new in Winter Garden and Clermont
- Building a business that lasts
the launch
pad
Ocoee
Purpose Amplified
Ocoee’s Mark Houghton turns every stage into a force for good, blending music, momentum, and community impact.
- Karen Hamlin
- Fred Lopez
If there’s a charity event happening in West Orange, chances are you’ll find Mark Houghton on stage—microphone in hand, crowd fully engaged, and a parking lot turned into a party with purpose.
Known locally as Ocoee’s go-to country cover artist, Mark has built a reputation not just for his voice, but for showing up. Whether it’s Toys for Tots or Matthew’s Hope—two causes close to his heart—he’s less interested in the spotlight than in what it can do: bring people together and give back in a meaningful way.
That instinct to act, quickly and decisively, runs through everything he does. A natural marketer with a sharp eye for opportunity, Mark is the guy other business owners call when they need momentum. And when he discovered pickleball? He didn’t just play. He launched Renegade Pickleball, designing his own paddles and apparel line to compete with major brands.
But his path here wasn’t exactly linear.
After moving from New York to Orlando, Mark was waiting tables when friends coaxed him into a karaoke bar and accidentally uncovered his talent. What started as a night out turned into something more, especially during the early days of COVID, when he joined Facebook’s “Quarantine Karaoke” and built a loyal following. Fans didn’t just listen, they supported him, helping transform a hobby into a career that eventually expanded into DJing and live events.
Today, Mark continues to grow what he calls his “tree of gigs,” driven by a simple belief: people want to do good, you just have to give them the opportunity.
Think you’ve got a story worth launching? Join us at our upcoming Launch Party! Follow @thelocalwg for dates, tickets, and details
winter garden
Luna
Potcake mix, 5 years
- Fred Lopez
Luna Fleming is a 5-year-old with island smarts and a social calendar to match. Rescued from St. Croix, she’s equal parts resilience and charm—sharp, intuitive, and proudly top of her training class. Luna lives for a crowd, happily trading the dog bed for a seat at the table, where she perches upright like she belongs in the conversation. (Fork skills, pending.) A true people pup, she listens intently, judges kindly, and never misses dinner. With her beloved humans, Lynn and Michael Fleming, Luna proves that good manners and a little sass go a very long way.
television
mix
winter garden
Fear, Served Fresh
A West Orange physics teacher trades the classroom for chaos on Fear Factor: House of Fear.
- Kate kester
- Fred Lopez
If you thought your AP Physics teacher was intense, meet Tyler “Blake” Hedrick, a West Orange High School teacher who recently competed on Fear Factor: House of Fear.
Tyler’s story actually begins back in 2001, when he was a middle schooler completely hooked on the original Fear Factor. “It was my sport,” he says.
He didn’t just watch. He went for it. Tyler applied as a kid, even pitching his own version of a family-friendly spinoff. “My mom still has the letter they sent back when they read my idea,” he laughs. “We actually interviewed for Family Fear Factor but didn’t get it… even though I like to think it was my idea.”
Fast forward to May 2025. Tyler, still following the show online, saw it was getting a reboot. He applied immediately and got a call the very next day. By August, he was one of 14 contestants filming in Vancouver, living in a house and competing in challenges designed to test both strategy and nerve.
While the show leaned more into competition than shock value, the eating challenges were still the stuff of nightmares. Pies filled with fish eyes. Pig snouts. Congealed blood. Even mouse tails. Smoothies made with rotten egg, herring, and “vomit fruit” (durian). Think Big Brother… if everything on your plate was staring back at you.
“I’m the world’s pickiest eater,” Tyler admits, which somehow makes it worse. Or better, depending on your tolerance for watching someone suffer. “Still, to me, the worst food out there is mayonnaise.”
Despite not winning, Tyler calls the experience “fun and surreal.” After nearly a month of filming, one thing is certain: he came back braver. And maybe slightly less likely to panic at a dinner menu.
“In my normal day-to-day life, I have the palate of a toddler—chicken nuggets, pizza, steak. I could never finish a salad,” he says, laughing. After eating pig snout, moldy cheese with maggots, and fish eye pie, that’s starting to change. Slowly.
These days, he’s working his way up to salads and getting a little braver every day.
The full season is now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu… if you can stomach it.
birthday
mix
clermont
A Birthday Multiplied
From Clermont to rural India, restaurateur Uday Kadam marks 70 years by feeding 7,000 people—proving that success tastes sweeter when it’s shared.
- excerpt from “Lone Lion” by uday kadam
A whiff of jasmine. Mangoes still a bit green as I hurried past. I noticed the bright sky, but soon the smell of curry overtook everything else—a scene that carried me straight back home to India.
Drive west to Winter Garden, where I didn’t stop. My mind was fixed on the day ahead: preparing lunch, my gift to our local first responders, and later, welcoming evening guests enjoying chicken tikka masala, naan, and the curry-infused dishes at my Guru Indian Restaurant in Clermont.
Then came a call from my sister in India. It felt like a lifeline. I had been a little homesick, and hearing her voice grounded me.
“Do you remember your 70th birthday?” she asked.
“Ahh, yes.”
“Come home.”
“No,” I replied, “but I have an idea.”
That spring day, we formed a plan to celebrate not just my birthday, but the journey that brought me from India to America.
We decided to feed as many people in India as possible. How many? For 70 years of life, we chose the number 70—and multiplied it one hundred times.
“Team 70 x 100” was born.
The goal: feed 7,000 people and give them gifts.
The place: my home village of Methi Melkunda, and Fort Belgaum, where I attended school.
The guests: children and elders, local families, community leaders, and both of my school communities.
There would be food, of course, followed by gifts—70 saris for village widows and hundreds of notebooks for children. Gifts I hoped would be both meaningful and lasting.
“Team 70 x 100” got to work. My sister, experienced in organizing large events, coordinated everything—food, decorations, volunteers, music, and the distribution of gifts. My brothers stepped in to help.
Then, on June 12, 2025, my birthday, I remained in Florida while the celebration unfolded across the world. Messages and videos began to arrive. Children smiling as they held out their plates. Banners waving. A village alive with energy.
I watched it all from afar, feeling both grateful and deeply connected to the place I came from.
We did it. Seven thousand people were fed. Many were clothed. All were part of the celebration.
I am an American restaurateur now. But I am still, and will always be, an Indian village boy—humbled by life’s abundance and the extraordinary path it has taken.
business
mix
what's new?
Winter Garden
The curtain rises again at the Garden Theatre as the City of Winter Garden names DNA Creative its new presenting partner. With fresh programming ahead, the historic downtown stage is set for a vibrant new act.
Craving something cold and blended? Tropical Smoothie Cafe now open, shaking things up in Hamlin with fruit-forward blends, wraps, and bowls built for on-the-go cravings. Bright, fast, and refreshingly easy, it’s the new neighborhood stop for a lighter kind of fuel.
Winter Garden is going to the dogs—in the best way—with “Dog Days of Summer: The Ulti-Mutt Art Exhibit,” a juried show celebrating all things canine. Artists are invited to submit up to three original works inspired by their favorite pooch or their interpretation of the theme from May 1 through June 10.
Golf Cart Cowgirl was born from a local girl’s love for her town, sunshine days, and cruising in style. She couldn’t find the kind of laid-back, feel-good swag that matched the vibe—so she created it. Effortless, fun, and a little bit country… just like the Winter Garden lifestyle it represents.
clermont
Happy anniversary, Dash Sports! The woman-owned running shop marks 20 years this May, growing from a 500-square-foot shop in the National Training Center to two Central Florida locations. The woman-owned running specialty store continues to serve thousands with expert fittings, group runs, and community race support.
The Lumberyard District is underway, already transforming 12.3 acres near Victory Pointe Park into a walkable hub of apartments, dining, and retail. Centered around “The Saw Mill,” the mixed-use project will blend historic nods with entertainment, gathering spaces, and new energy along the South Lake Trail.
Building Blocks has unveiled a new outdoor patio and garden space, expanding its mission to empower adults with developmental disabilities through training, connection, and personal growth. The addition reflects continued growth—both for the organization and the community it helps cultivate.
Building something worth buzzing about?
New concepts, fresh locations, and smart expansions belong here. Send your business updates to heather@emagency.com
pro-spectives
with kimberly grogan
Building a Business That Lasts
1. Relationships matter most. Success isn’t built on transactions—it’s built on trust. Building trust with customers, employees, and the community creates long-term success beyond any single sale.
2. Adaptability is essential. The retail landscape is always evolving, and staying open to change—from new products to new strategies—has been key to growth and longevity.
3. Stay true to your purpose. Keeping a clear mission—to help people Live Actively—has guided every decision and kept the business grounded through challenges and opportunities.
Kimberly Grogan is the owner of Dash Sports, a specialty running store serving with locations in Clermont and now Winter Garden for 20 years. Kimberly is passionate about supporting local events, giving back, and creating an inclusive environment for all fitness levels.
