Orlando sentinel: The Villages

[Midge538]

The Villages growth: The Villages booming growth — good or bad? - OrlandoSentinel.com (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/os-lk-lauren-ritchie-the-villages-20120413,0,3673457.column)

[villages07]

Byline is Lauren Ritchie who has long professed her disdain for the Villages developer and really doesn't seem to have much good to say about the Villages overall.

No real new info in this article ... Not sure what point she's trying to make other than piggybacking on the Blechman/Leisureville theme of retired folks checking out of "regular" society. Ho-hum.

Thanks for posting the link...I probably would not have otherwise seen it.

[senior citizen]

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[Mikeod]

:blahblahblah: Another piece of "journalism" from Lauren Ritchie. I think these are timed to catch the newer residents of TV. I suspect there will be another one in about 18 months. This one is so rife with inaccuracies and obvious bias that is speaks ill of the Sentinel.

Yes Ms. Ritchie. We get it. You don't like the Morse family. You don't like TV. I'm beginning to think you don't like the residents, either, since you paint us as deserters from our previous home towns. And we are so stupid as to believe the "history" of the town squares as depicted on the buildings and signs.

And don't mention the creation of job opportunities for people in TV and surrounding towns that weren't there before, nor the tax revenue. Nor the incredible number of volunteers and charities the residents support in the surrounding area. While we are no longer in our previous locations, many of us have transferred our community support activities to our new towns (use of plural is intentional since we are active in places other than TV itself).

[Skybo]

Good post Mike! You should post that in the comments section under the article.

[jblum315]

Lauren Ritchie despises TV, always has, always will
That said, how does she come up with the population figure "97,000"?
And "several town squares"? We have two, the third isn't built yet.
At the very least, newspaper reporters should strive for accuracy.

[Taltarzac725]

As to some of the points made in Lauren Ritchie's Orlando Sentinel article:

I have not met many of the party animals Ms. Ritchie seems to talk about in her article. Many of the Villagers also seem to be involved in politics. The Republicans in the Villages seem the most visible but from what I have read on TOTV there are also quite a lot of Democrats here.

And, I frequently see grandparents with visiting kids. They do seem to like it when they finally put them on their way home though as I expect they get tired out after various trips here and there.

I did look for that card that was supposedly thrown up into the ceiling at the Old Mill Playhouse by the magician. That was until the ticket taker mentioned that if you go through that door you will see it. He meant the Exit door. I just continued on to the movie I was about to see.

I also remember that The Villages Daily Sun --that media controlled by the developers' iron hand-- actually had an article about me and my attempts to help survivors/victims of crimes back around 2007. This was written by Mr. Gary Corsair about my efforts to get a link to the FL Victim Services Directory within the websites of the Villages' area libraries. http://myfloridalegal.com/directory

So, Villagers are trying to do something to improve the lives of people in their new community as well as the surrounding ones with a little help from The Villages Daily Sun. The public library websites I tried to improve were in Lake/Sumter/Marion Counties which covers quite a bit more than just the Villages.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Good post Mike! You should post that in the comments section under the article.

Absolutely, Mike!

Bill :)

[RichieB]

Lauren Ritchie despises TV, always has, always will
That said, how does she come up with the population figure "97,000"?
And "several town squares"? We have two, the third isn't built yet.
At the very least, newspaper reporters should strive for accuracy.

As the late Yankee Stadium public address announcer Bob Sheppard often said ".....clear, concise and correct."

[CarGuys]

Thanks Midge....appreciate the link as I haven't read the Orlando Sentinel in awhile.

Personally I didn't see the Disney World "atmosphere" she mentions.

Also, hopefully it will never turn into a social experiment as she imagines.

I really doubt if the main reason people move there is to eliminate children from their lives. If any do exist who cannot experience the joy that children bring , then they will be mighty upset when the Villagers' grandchildren all visit. Ours all said they will come as often as they can.

My personal opinion is that after 50 or 60 + years of blizzards, snow gets pretty "old" after awhile. Ditto for multi storied homes when steps just become a hassle carrying everything up and down constantly......not to mention outdoor maintenance........we no sooner put away all the outdoor furniture and other junk then it is time to put it all back outside again.

Ditto for the snowblower, etc. and calcium chloride, rock salt, etc.

It's things like that.....or lack thereof, that make a move to THE VILLAGES tempting......plus the lovely homes and neat surroundings. My husband noticed immediately how smooth the roads were........we came back north to our typical pot holes.

Someone should tell this to Lauren Ritchie.

Plus, I doubt truly if every single person who moves to TV is a party animal.
I think that "spin" is put out there so that it doesn't get thought of as an old fogie community. We had aunts and uncles who retired to central Florida and lived to very ripe old ages, leaving the snow and extra workload behind up north. They led quiet comfortable lives as most seniors do.

We met several couples at the airport, both coming and returning, who bought below TV in Leesburg and just loved their quiet living at the Plantation but said they would visit TV "now and then" but not too often.

Yes, I will agree with Lauren Ritchie, that everyone we met in person was friendly.......so TV does deserve that tribute.

I agree. After visiting here we thought we died and went to Heaven after Syracuse NY. The smile on my Ruthie's face made me leap.
I just wish people would quit telling us how miserable were going to be. One couple sold everything and moved to Buffalo to be next to their grandbabies. Now he keeps asking for our address! LOL
This mild winter up here brought out the " Why move it beautiful here now comments?
But we both know that lake effect snow is coming back. Ice Age Returns! The new movie.

[BobKat1]

I found it interesting reading. Don't agree with much of it. One persons perspective. It will be interesting to see what kind of comments/replies she receives.

[senior citizen]

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[jane032657]

I wrote to Lauren and told her my views. She said I made some good points and asked if she could use them in an article she is writing next week. I said yes. I have never read anything by her before, but read the link today provided here.

[Bogie Shooter]

I wrote to Lauren and told her my views. She said I made some good points and asked if she could use them in an article she is writing next week. I said yes. I have never read anything by her before, but read the link today provided here.

do a search on Lauren Ritchie, you can read all her opinions. And then you may want to tell some more of your views.

[Midge538]

I wrote to Lauren and told her my views. She said I made some good points and asked if she could use them in an article she is writing next week. I said yes. I have never read anything by her before, but read the link today provided here.

She directly asked for responses so it would be in our interest to respond and: agree, disagree, clarify, or offer our own thoughts on what we enjoy (or have concerns about) here in The Villages. (Maybe she is getting ready to retire : - ).

[Pturner]

Lauren Ritchie often uses here opinion column to bash TV and the Morse family. She and Blechman are fond of saying retirement communities are bad for society. Neither has yet to name any ways in which society has been harmed or to offer any evidence. Nonetheless, they are entitled to their unsubstantiated opinions.

I wonder if they are related?

[Villages PL]

I read the article first and thought it was interesting. Then I read the posts that followed and was surprised at the reactions to it. I think perhaps posters may be reading too much into it. Why so sensitive? Why so protective? Just relax and take it as another person's perspective.

I didn't think it was all that bad. :024: I think it was designed to make people think about how they are living their retirement. And she left the door open for people to express their approval of The Villages.

:wave:

[jimbo2012]

Well it appears the developers just don't use a PR firm to pay attention to such articles and counter them.

[graciegirl]

Well it appears the developers just don't use a PR firm to pay attention to such articles and counter them.

You would need to employ a PR firm to do that if you weren't THIS successful.

Wait until you move here and all this will make more sense as you observe the growth and the skillful handling of situations and see how this place is run.

There isn't any more successful retirement area in the whole world. We have recently been on Forbes list as fastest growing town in U.S.

If you live here you KNOW about Lauren Ritchie.

Some folks like the Orlando Slantinal. I don't particularly...because of this kind of journalism. Give me the Daily Fun.

[senior citizen]

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[senior citizen]

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[Villages PL]

Yes, it's true that we have hundreds of social clubs. However, here's one thing I've noticed about most of them I have visited: People arrive alone, get lectured to, and go home alone. Or they arrive in couples and never meet other couples or singles. Or it's line dancing where everyone dances in a group, but no one knows who the other people are. Or it's an ethnic group or whatever....same thing.

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this.

[keithwand]

We live in Orlando and get The Sentinel everyday. We are now using to wrap stuff for our move to TV in June.
A lot of the "news" come from other papers so we are looking forward to TV's paper when we get there.

[rubicon]

It seems to me that too many folks are more interested in shooting the messenger rather than digesting the message. IMHO she is spot on. Oops I commited heresy again.

[Taltarzac725]

Yes, it's true that we have hundreds of social clubs. However, here's one thing I've noticed about most of them I have visited: People arrive alone, get lectured to, and go home alone. Or they arrive in couples and never meet other couples or singles. Or it's line dancing where everyone dances in a group, but no one knows who the other people are. Or it's an ethnic group or whatever....same thing.

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this.

That's true of some clubs. It probably depends on how outgoing you are. I went to the Villages Computer Club (VCC) for a few years and there seemed to be various cliques within the VCC that got together for other occasions. I have friends who frequent some of the adult pools. These sound like they have cliques too. The small dog section of Doggie Doo Run Run had a club too which seemed quite active at one time. Not sure what's happening with it now as I am not exactly a big joiner.

[Taltarzac725]

I added a comment on The Orlando Sentinel article by Ms. Lauren Ritchie about the Villages. It looks like there is another TOTVer who is passionately defending the Villages along with me. I have had different experiences though over the last 7 years here in the Villages. Still made a very supportive post though just one that reflects my experiences.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/os-lk-lauren-ritchie-the-villages-20120413,0,3673457.column

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/os-lk-lauren-ritchie-the-villages-20120413,0,3673457.column#tugs_story_display

[Bogie Shooter]

That's true of some clubs. It probably depends on how outgoing you are. I went to the Villages Computer Club (VCC) for a few years and there seemed to be various cliques within the VCC that got together for other occasions. I have friends who frequent some of the adult pools. These sound like they have cliques too. The small dog section of Doggie Doo Run Run had a club too which seemed quite active at one time. Not sure what's happening with it now as I am not exactly a big joiner.

Cliques are not unique to TV. In all my former life experiences there were cliques. Remember all the "in crowd" in high school?? I think your concluding sentence sums it up rather well.

[Taltarzac725]

Cliques are not unique to TV. In all my former life experiences there were cliques. Remember all the "in crowd" in high school?? I think your concluding sentence sums it up rather well.

That's true. I am also 53, so have different interests than many in the Villages.

The small dog section people at Doggie Doo Run Run had weekly karaoke runs which unless they really liked William Hung impressions would not care much for my singing.

[Yorio]

I stated in TOTV previously that IMHO, Morse is the Steve Jobs of real estate and I still think he is. Steve Jobs was not loved by every one, but he had a vision which he pursued with passion. From another perspective, I loved Singapore when I lived there in the 90s because it was squeaky clean, beautiful, and safe compared to all the surrounding countries. Lee Kuan Yew made that happen. It's certainly not a democratic country and some journalists are not allowed in at times but the closest I would call the country paternalistic. Back in 1965 it was a desperate country having been booted out of the Federation of Malaysia. But now it is the envy. Deng Xiaoping of China looked at Singapore and Lee Kuan Yew advised him. The current China owes a lot to both. I remember my friend, a journalist, tried to expose the non-democratic side of the country but my view was that as long as the populous is content, why push so hard. I love TV with warts and all. Could it be improved, sure.

[Sally Jo]

Yorio, my husband traveled to Singapore a zillion times before he retired. He loved it for all the reasons you mentioned. Their laws are basically the same as we have here. The difference is that they enforce them. We found the same thing when we lived in Hong Kong, back in 1980. It was very safe because they enforced the laws.

[Yorio]

Sally Jo. You are right to a degree but I certainly don't want the chaos of Hong Kong to TV. I think Hong Kong's pace of life is faster than Manhattan though sometimes TV drivers think they are in The Big Apple.:). Singapore on the other hand has order. I don't think Hong Kong is clean in comparison unless it was around Old Peak Road where I was fortunately able to live while there.

[Taltarzac725]

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sn.html

The criminal laws look like some of the toughest in the world. Just do not spit your gum out on the sidewalk. http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/singapore-singapour/consular_services_consulaires/criminal_laws-systeme_juridique.aspx?lang=eng&view=d

[manaboutown]

I absolutely love Singapore although it is quite hot and humid. The island/country is very well run. It has the nicest airport I have ever seen and I have seen more than a few.

The developer of The Villages is so successful because he delivers what people want at a price they can afford. The community is well designed, pleasant, nicely landscaped, clean, well maintained and I feel very safe when I am there. The attacks from Ritchie are so typical of the mainstream media. They are the result of envy and resentment and not living they way the politics of the mainstream media want people to have to live. Hey, Lauren. Last I heard it's still a free country. Live and let live.

[jojo]

I recall a sign in a public restroom that said $50 fine if you didn't flush. Entering Singapore from Malaysia, a sign said, "If you have drugs, enter on the pain of death." I was very thirsty one day and bought a lemonade and was getting on the subway. There was a fine for having a beverage on the subway. Singapore is safe but in my view a bit sterile compared to Hong Kong.

[Sally Jo]

Yorio, I agree with you 100%. Hong Kong isn't as clean or as orderly as Singapore. I was mainly referring to the fact that I felt very safe in HK. I've only been there once since China took over.