Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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The Triple Canopy Ranch concert venue 20 miles east of Lake Wales will take on new life in 2020 as a resort with over 1,000 sites for manufactured homes and RVs and a full range of resort style amenities. The developers say the Resort at Canopy Oaks should be built out with a grand entrance on CR 630 within a year and ready for its first full season in the fall of 2020. "It's going to be a big, big project – a multiyear deal," said Tristan Farrell, president of the Resort a...
Thirteen area residents completed their 9-month program June 6 and became graduates of Leadership Lake Wales Class 23. After enjoying a pasta dinner at the American Legion at Eagle Ridge Mall, the classmates talked about learning many new things about Lake Wales and forming bonds that will last well into the future. The Leadership Lake Wales group held an opening retreat in September and a closing retreat in May and met monthly for a daylong session devoted to a particular top...
The City of Lake Wales may own a multimillion dollar recreation facility and swimming pool by the end of the year. At a workshop Tuesday, June 25 city commissioners expressed support for purchasing the Lake Wales Family YMCA, calling it a "win-win" partnership. Revised facility use and operating agreements will be brought to the Y board and city commission for approval in about two months. If approved the city would commit an estimated $545,000 to pay off the mortgage and...
The Rotary on the Ridge president's gavel Monday, July 1 passed from one Gillis to another Gillis as five other family members were recognized with Service Above Self Awards. Rotary is definitely a family affair for 2018-19 President Megan Gillis and husband Herb, who took over club leadership for 2019-20. Shortly after Megan was installed as president last June her parents, Sheri and Marshall Hartley, joined the club. Megan and Herb were charter members of Rotary on the...
If you're frustrated by traffic congestion on U.S. 27, the Florida Department of Transportation wants to hear from you. Sarah Catala, project manager for the Northeast Polk U.S. 27 Mobility Study, shared information about the project and urged Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce & EDC members at a breakfast June 19 to participate in the online survey. The survey can be accessed online at www.ontimewith27.com. The mobility study is concerned with the 32-mile stretch of U.S. 27...
For those who text and drive, it's a good time to quit. A new Florida law goes into effect Monday, July 1 making texting while driving a primary offense. Prior to the new law, officers could only cite drivers for texting if they were pulled over for another violation. The new law means officers can stop drivers they see texting. The texting ban does not apply to a driver using a navigation device or to a driver whose vehicle is stationary. Lake Wales Police Chief Chris Velasqu...
"Electrifying" is how Lake Wales resident Elizabeth "Bet" Tucker described the Orlando rally Tuesday, June 18 to kick off the 2020 re-election campaign of President Donald Trump. It was only 50 miles away but she and friend Teresa Burr from Winter Haven stayed at an Orlando hotel because of the long day planned. They woke up very early Tuesday and were in line at the Amway Center by 7 a.m., a full 13 hours before the president was scheduled to speak. "It was my first rally...
Scott Blackburn said he and his wife Carrie are tired of carting their four children to other communities because Lake Wales doesn't have enough recreation and sports facilities. Blackburn expressed his frustration to Lake Wales city commissioners at a recreation workshop Tuesday, June 25. Commissioners were reviewing the latest plans for expansion of the Crystal Lake Park complex between the city library and Lake Wailes Park. "We travel to other cities because we don't have...
Lake Wales City Commissioners are holding a recreation workshop Tuesday, June 25 to further discuss plans to purchase the local YMCA and to develop a master plan for Crystal Lake Park. The public meeting will start at 6 p.m. at the James P. Austin Center at 315 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. If officials can come to terms with the Y, the city would pay off the Lake Wales Family YMCA mortgage and lease the facilities back at $1 per year for the YMCA of West Central Florida...
To demonstrate the flaws in current Florida law regarding emotional support animals, state Rep. Sam Killebrew said he paid a fee online and registered his stuffed baboon named Ophelia. He wasn't able to get the lax law toughened this year but he did call attention to how easy it is, especially for apartment and condo dwellers, to circumvent the rules. That was just one issue East Polk County business leaders heard about as they gathered for breakfast Thursday, June 13 to learn...
Florida Senate Minority Leader Audrey Gibson fired up members of the Lake Wales NAACP Saturday June 15 with a rousing call to be bold, to vote and to make sure others vote. The Jacksonville Democrat was keynote speaker for Branch 5109's 46th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet. Gibson has been in the Florida Legislature since 2002, the first eight years as a Representative, and the last eight as a Senator. Since it was Father's Day weekend, Gibson brought her dad, Ernest Gibson, to...
Maria Tovar just achieved two major milestones: she obtained her high school equivalency diploma (GED) and became the 100th person to accomplish that goal with the help of the Lake Wales Family Literacy Academy. Cleaning houses for a living and taking care of her 5- and 8-year-old children kept her so busy that there were times she thought about quitting. She dropped out of Lake Wales High School her junior year and wasn't sure she would ever be able to earn a GED or go to...
U.S. President Donald Trump will be kicking off his 2020 re-election campaign about 50 miles from Lake Wales with a rally June 18 at the 20,000-seat Amway Center in downtown Orlando. The location highlights the importance of Florida and the I-4 corridor to the president's re-election efforts. Trump lost Orlando's home Orange County in 2016, but beat Hillary Clinton 48 to 47 percent statewide to collect all 28 of Florida's electoral votes. Trump won nearly 55 percent of the...
While the City of Lake Wales continues negotiations to purchase the local YMCA facility, their current partnership still allows city residents free access to the Y swimming pool. This is the third year the city has been paying $3,000 per month to give city residents access to the Y pool. City residents may use the pool from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays. The Y is located at 1001 Burns Ave in...
The popular Lake Wales History Museum speaker series took a hit when the Florida Humanities Council (FHC) announced June 11 it had lost all of its state funding. The museum now will need to find $5,000 to underwrite the five programs it expected to be provided at no cost by the Council. Executive Director Steve Siebert said the FHC normally gets about 25 percent of its annual funding for operations and programs from the state, but the Florida Legislature provided zero funding...
The forecast rains stayed away so there was a whole lot of paddling going on at the first ever Beach Battle hosted by Tanner's Lakeside Restaurant and Bar in Winter Haven. The event raised funds to support the Rotary on the Ridge water safety initiative. An adult-size version of Josh the Baby Otter made an appearance, dancing and posing with event participants. The water safety program uses Josh the Baby Otter materials to remind young children to stay away from the water...
Lake Wales Arts Council members and supporters gathered Thursday, June 6 for their annual meeting to celebrate an art-filled year. Executive Director Andrew Allen, who completed his first year in March, thanked partners, spelled out a long list of accomplishments and shared highlights of plans for the coming year. "The Lake Wales Arts Council has seen an incredible amount of success during our 2018-19 season," Allen said. "We have been fortunate enough to maintain our classic...
The City of Lake Wales now has even more incentive to support prospective developers of the historic Seminole Hotel: the bid to demolish it came in June 4 at $700,000. Simpson Environmental Services of Trilby, FL submitted the lone bid, calling for $100,000 for the demolition and another $600,000 for "asbestos and road closure." City Planning and Development Director Kathy Bangley said city officials have made no decisions regarding the demolition bid: "It is currently...
Lake Wales city staff members and the proposed developers of the historic Seminole Hotel gathered for their first official meeting to outline necessary steps to move the project forward. Planning and Development Director Kathy Bangley told city commissioners Tuesday June 4 that developer Ray Brown had submitted an acceptable plan and would be granted access to the hotel starting Thursday, June 6. Bangley brought four staff members to the May 30 meeting with Brown, while...
In the wake of the recent shooting incident that killed 12 people at the Virginia Beach municipal building, Lake Wales city officials started discussing safety procedures and some building security upgrades. City Manager Ken Fields told commissioners at their June 4 meeting that he already was planning a lobby renovation, but "we are taking another look at that with an eye toward security of the building." A 15-year Virginia Beach public utilities civil engineer opened fire...
The 2019 Atlantic hurricane season kicks off Saturday, June 1, so the state of Florida is encouraging residents to stock up on supplies during a special sales tax-free period May 31 through June 6. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting a "near normal" hurricane season with a total of nine to 15 named storms. NOAA predicts four to eight could become hurricanes and two to four could become major hurricanes. Storms are named when their winds reach 39...
Stephen Cornelius recognizes that the proud tradition of the Lake Wales Marching Highlanders is still embedded deeply in the community. He understands what he faces as the new band director for Lake Wales High School, and says he's ready for the challenge. Reflecting on his new position, Cornelius wrote: "It was Theodore Roosevelt that said 'far better it is to dare mighty things...even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy...
Community Health Systems, Inc. announced Wednesday, May 22 it plans to sell Lake Wales Medical Center to AdventHealth, a faith-based, not-for-profit health system headquartered in Altamonte Springs. The corporation said the Lake Wales sale will include not only the 160-bed hospital, but also its respective assets, physician clinic operations and outpatient services. In addition to the hospital, Lake Wales Medical Center includes a Wound Healing Center, adult and geriatric...
About one-third of the City of Lake Wales staff recently participated in a two-day training program to help them become "servant leaders." Texas consulting firm SGR conducted the training "A Radical Strategy for Creating an Authentic Servant Leadership Culture" for the city's supervisory personnel and those likely to become supervisors. The 65 trainees chose Lake Wales Fire Department Lieutenant Paul Byrd to share their workshop experience with city commissioners. After...
Proud parents, grandparents, neighbors and friends came out with balloons, flowers, smiles and a few tears Friday, May 24 to celebrate the graduation of 351 Lake Wales High School seniors. Legion Field was standing-room-only for the annual celebration, marking the passage of the Class of 2019 into the "real world." Much of the ceremony was traditional. The JROTC color guard marched in and presented the flag for the pledge of allegiance. The band and orchestra played the proces...
