Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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Thursday afternoon travelers on Hesperides Road found themselves caught in a lengthy backup after three vehicles tangled at the intersection of Ninth Street. Emergency responders worked to investigate and remove vehicles from travel lanes to clear the street, but no major injuries were reported. The crash was apparently triggered by an illegal right-turn attempt from a left-hand travel lane. A vehicle with two occupants driven by an employee of Edgewood Landscape crossed into...
A weeklong sewer extension project in Lake Hamilton will require the closure of a stretch of Lake Hatchineha Road for several days. According to Bill Skelton of the Polk County Roads & Drainage Division, the closure will affect a portion of the road just east of Scenic Highway. The project was previously scheduled to begin on September 26, but has now been rescheduled to start Tuesday morning, October 10, with an expedited reopening no later than Friday afternoon October 13....
Two young Lake Wales residents found themselves quickly in the custody of police after one attempted to rob a man near Polk Avenue Elementary school. According to police, the incident "does not appear to be a random act, as the victim was an acquaintance of the suspects." No shots were fired during the encounter, which was apparently an attempt to frighten and rob the victim. Minutes after receiving the call, a Lake Wales Police response led to the arrest of Joemil Olivers of...
A manhunt for a suspect who was seen on video violently assaulting a Haines City woman and two men who came to her defense was successfully concluded when the man was arrested by the Lake County Sheriff's Office. The Polk County Sheriff's Office has been notified that 35-year old Jose Chaidez of Haines City has been arrested in Lake County. a warrant for Chaidez's arrest had been issued, leading area law enforcement agencies to alert to track him down. Chaidez was captured on...
Police are seeking the help of the public in locating 35-year-old Jose Chaidez of Haines City, who is accused of battering his 64-year-old former girlfriend and then severely beating another man who tried to intervene in his attack on the woman. Chaidez is facing charges that include attempted second degree murder, armed burglary with battery, burglary with battery, criminal mischief, and stalking for the purpose of domestic violence. The attacks occurred at J&S Food Mart...
The cost of enjoying a day in the relaxing environment at Bok Tower Gardens may add a bit of unfortunate stress to budgets after the gardens announced that the their admission rates are rising once again. Beginning October 1, adult general admission will be $20, while children ages 6-17 will get in for $10. Children 5 and under will continue to be admitted free. Annual passes for individuals and families are available. A statement issued by Bok Tower Gardens called the increas...
A "commercial fire" alert at Eagle Ridge Mall that went out on a 911 emergency channel gave some folks a start on Sunday afternoon, but happily turned out to be "not much," according to Lt. Matt Hulen of the Lake Wales Fire Department. The fire turned out to be a burning motor in rooftop equipment. The fire caused the closure of Lake Wales Bowl and Entertainment, the large bowling center and restaurant at the mall. According to witness reports, smoke was observed coming from...
A 37 year old Tampa resident was arrested following quick action by Lake Wales Police officers who responded to a reported robbery. The suspect was charged with stealing a $6,000 necklace from Kay's Jewelers in the Eagle Ridge Mall Wednesday. Officers from the LWPD were dispatched to Kay Jewelers mid-afternoon following a reported robbery. Officers were told that a woman, later identified as identified as Shaneka S. Webb, entered Kay's Jewelers and asked to see a gold...
A early morning decision to allow a 15-year-old child to drive his 12-year-old-sister to school resulted in one death, left the young passenger in critical condition, and has law enforcement searching for the driver of an vehicle.abandoned at the scene. According to Polk Sheriff's office, at about 6:11 am, a white 2020 Chevrolet Traverse driven by a 15-year old from Lake Wales was westbound on SR 60 and turned left to head south on CR 630, crossing into the path of an eastboun...
Stephen Thomas Rodda has been charged with first-degree murder after apparently killing his own 16-year-old son on Monday. Rodda, 37, was booked into the Polk County Jail Monday after he was arrested by Polk County Deputies and charged with killing the teen with an angle-grinder, a power tool normally used to cut metal. He will have a first appearance hearing at 1:00 p.m. today, Tuesday, September 5, 2023. According to the Sheriff's office, the victim's grandfather returned...
The dramatic, and very loud, collapse of a large gas station canopy at Scenic Highway and Polk Avenue Tuesday afternoon brought a quick response from emergency services, but happily no one required medical attention. The 3:00 pm collapse was heard by area residents, who said it made a "very loud boom" that brought them out to see what had happened. It was apparent, they said, that a tractor trailer that was driving past the structure had clipped it and destabilized it. The...
Nighttime lane closures will require extra caution for drivers on US 27 at the signalized intersection of Washington Avenue in Lake Wales. Turn lanes will be closed to allow Polk County crews to resurface the busy cross street, which handles truck traffic for Florida's Natural Growers as well as other area industry. Drivers can expect turn lane closures from US 27 onto Washington Avenue between 8:30 pm and 5:00 am. Lane closures are expected to be nightly for approximately...
Each year RSVP Polk volunteers give generously to Home Instead's "Be a Santa to a Senior". Working with local case managers this project ensures that seniors in care receive something for the Holidays. More than 5,000 seniors have been adopted in Polk County in the past few years. This year RSVP Polk is looking for volunteer elves to assist the project with the behind-the-scenes activities. This is a short-term opportunity (Early November – December 18). • Gift Runners: Pic...
A recently-hired deputy sheriff proved himself unworthy of his selection by driving his vehicle at high speed and fleeing to elude fellow deputies early Sunday morning. Jakob Kite, 22, was arrested following a high-speed chase around an area between Bartow and Lakeland, After his speed was measured at over 100 miles per hour he refused to pull over for a traffic stop, instead fleeing from deputies. Polk County Sheriff's Office traffic deputies were conducting traffic...
For the second year in a row, Webber International University's team has left the annual Future Business Leaders of America conference with a number of awards. Twelve FBLA students traveled to Atlanta to attend the FBLA Collegiate National Leadership Conference (NLC). The group was accompanied by their advisor, Associate Professor Dr. Joanne Muniz, who serves as the chair of the university's Accounting and Honors program. The freshman team of Michelina Arrigo, an IMC major,...
A Babson Park man has been arrested and charged after a crash that took the life of a local woman. Coleden Snowden was arrested by Polk County Sheriff's deputies after an extensive investigation indicated that he was driving as fast as 112 miles per hour just prior to causing a crash that resulted in the death of a Frostproof woman in March. Snowden, 20, has been charged with vehicular manslaughter, a second degree felony. According to investigators, a reconstruction of the...
"Another day, another heat advisory," is the phrase that begins the daily weather forecast from the National Weather Service in Ruskin for the Lake Wales area. High temperatures and higher humidity are combining to make conditions dangerous if precautions are not taken. In a summer that has already seen below-normal rainfall and scorching heat, "above average temperatures and less rain through the remainder of the week" are the expected conditions, according to...
Polk County's Indigent Health Care program has issued a Request For Applications (RFA) to healthcare-related, non-profit organizations who are interested in receiving Community Partner Grant funding to provide healthcare services to qualified Polk County residents. Applicants who submit an RFA must be able to provide direct healthcare services or coordinate the delivery of those services to county residents with incomes of up to 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. This R...
A two-year wage and benefit agreement finalized last month between Polk County and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Union 3531 has allowed Polk County Fire Rescue (PCFR) to begin offering a $10,000 sign-on bonus and additional incentives for qualified single-certificate Paramedics and Firefighter/Paramedic applicants. To qualify for the sign-on bonus, applicants must be nationally registered or have completed their State of Florida equivalency...
Thousands of area students will stream back to school tomorrow for an unusual Friday start to the new school year. Seven schools operated by Lake Wales Charter Schools and several other area schools controlled by the Polk School District will draw in more than 5,000 students to face the new academic year with high hopes. Some students in the northwestern portion of the Lake Wales area will be assigned to a new elementary school in southeast Winter Haven, which has changed...
Two Lake Wales men were killed Sunday evening in a pair of shootings, and investigators are seeking reasons. According to reports, the first victim was found in an apartment in the Grove Manor public housing complex around 8:00 pm Sunday suffering from a gunshot wound. Marquese Johnson, 23, was found by witnesses and transported to a local hospital where he died. Witnesses reported that they had seen a man identified as Kendrick Akins leaving the apartment as they arrived,...
The re-growth of a business district in the heart of the Northwest Neighborhood is the goal of a $1.2 million investment of American Rescue funds by the City of Lake Wales to spur creation of a business incubator. A ribbon cutting ceremony is now scheduled for noon on August 1 to mark the grand opening of BizLINC, located in a former dental office at 225 Lincoln Avenue. The grant of the federal funds last July has allowed Florida Development Corporation, a Tampa-based...
Teachers and staff preparing for a new school year at Spook Hill Elementary were the happy recipients of a complimentary "thanksgiving" lunch this week in gratitude for their efforts to teach children and positively affect their lives. Tammy James delivered a stack of pizzas and beverages which had been purchased by the Lake Wales Area Democratic Club as part of their "Teacher Appreciation Month." James had approached school principal Michelle Browning about the donation, and...
A face and voice familiar to most Polk County residents will soon be sharing lots of information about Lake Wales as Ken Suarez begins his duties. No stranger to the camera, the long-time Tampa Bay-area broadcaster recently left his full-time job as a television journalist to begin serving the City of Lake Wales as part-time host of a video series about events in the area. Suarez worked for years at WINK TV in Fort Myers before moving into the Tampa market almost 35 years...
Access to the busy Lake Wales Care Center Thrift Store will be restricted until after the Independence Day holiday as crews from the Williams Company reconstruct curbing and resurface the parking lot at the store. The lot is connected to the Park Avenue reconstruction being performed by the contractor as part of the Lake Wales Connected project. Closure of one access point to that street and the redesign of sidewalks and curbs caused significant impact, which led to the...
