Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Sorted by date Results 126 - 150 of 220
An apparent medical incident that left a driver partially incapacitated ended with a fatal rear-end crash on US 27 at Washington Avenue. The Medical Examiners investigation revealed Mr. Wulff died from a medical episode unrelated to the crash. This was not a traffic homicide as no other persons, to include Mr. Wulff, died as a result of the crash. According to police reports, at approximately 1:18 p.m Monday a 2008 white Chevy panel van driven by Thomas Wulff, 75, of Lake...
Two Haines City men are dead and a third hospitalized following an early morning crash on US Highway 27. Lake Wales Traffic Homicide Investigators determined that a car driven by Aljerume Brooks, age 40 from Haines City failed to stop for the red traffic light while traveling North on Highway 27. Also in the vehicle was Gary Faniel Jr, age 24 and Javarcea Morton, age 23, both of Haines City. Both Faniel and Morton were pronounced dead at the scene. Brooks was transported to...
Polk County is again reducing yard trash collection, with new guidelines that limit pickup to branches that do not exceed two inches in diameter. In addition to the diameter limits, items may be no longer than three feet, and must be containerized in bins, bundles, or bags, with a maximum combination of four containers, each weighing 30 pounds or less. Yard waste items should be placed curbside by 6:00 am on resident's designated collection day. "Items not in compliance will...
May 13- An argument and poor judgement led to the death of an Orlando woman Saturday night, only some three hours after the traffic death of a Lake Wales man nearby. According to Lake Wales Traffic Homicide Investigators, Lataysha Rene Kelly, 27, of Orlando had been driving west on Chalet Suzanne Road just west of Dinner Lake Shores in Lake Wales, at approximately 10:55 pm, accompanied by Donald Dixon 34, also of Orlando. Police reported that the two were having an argument...
A Lake Wales man died in a head-on crash on US 27 just before sunset Saturday evening after driving his motorcycle northward in the southbound lanes of the six-lane highway. The 7:58 pm crash took the life of 60-year-ol Gary Restifo of Lake Wales. There was no explanation of why he was driving on the wrong lanes of the busy highway. The Polk County Sheriff's office is investigating the incident. Restifo was passing north of Dundee Road (CR 542) when he was struck by a...
It's not too late to gather your posse of friends to participate in a great event this Saturday to help persons with limited abilities, and have a good time doing it! The first-ever Paddle On! Lake Wailes will be held on May 6 and will offer participants several ways to help raise funds that will benefit the StirringWaters program. "We hope so many paddlers participate that they create a kaleidoscope of color on the lake. Paddle On! Lake Wailes will unite people in an...
Babson Park Elementary student Grace Sullins now has the special honor of having her license tag design mounted on the front of Polk County Tax Collector Joe Tedder's truck. Sullins is this year's special Tax Collector's Choice Award recipient. Sullins won the special recognition in The Kids Tag Art (KTA) program, created by Tedder in Polk County. The Kids Tag Art (KTA) program now spans 15 counties across Florida, inspiring fifth grade student artists to create their own...
May 3, 2023- Quadruple murder suspect Al Joseph Stenson has been killed in a shootout with police after fleeing to a motel in Sanford, Florida, Lake Wales Police have reported. Police believe that Stenson may have murdered a mother and her three children early yesterday morning. Stenson was the only suspect in a horrific quadruple-murder that took place in Lake Wales Tuesday. Police confirmed that he was known to the victims, and was likely injured during the predawn event....
APRIL 26 - A caution from the National Weather Service warns of the likelihood of severe weather today that is expected to include "large to very large hail," along with the potential for very strong downburst winds from thunderstorms. All areas of eastern Polk County are included in the alert. The strong storms will be generated by very cold air aloft and a dip in the jet stream creating a "vort max," or a vortex-type bend in the jet that causes rapid ascension of heated air...
APRIL 27 - A powerful thunderstorm that descended on the Lake Wales area Wednesday night left many residents cleaning up fallen limbs and damp walls and floors. LakeWalesNews.net had shared a warning of the potential for a hailstorm only 12 hours before it struck. The storm, which grew to severe proportions over the Green Swamp are of northern Polk County, dropped south down the Lake Wales Ridge, striking Haines City and Dundee before passing over Lake Wales with one-inch...
A chance to relax in the shade, enjoy food from your favorite food truck, listen to four different bands, and let the kids burn off steam as they learn and play is expected to draw crowds to Lake Wailes Park Saturday. The 10:00 am to 8:00 pm event will include a kite festival, a family-feud style trivia game, nature walks, a giant inflatable obstacle course, nature walks, a "fishing pond," and a wide variety of games and prizes for adults and kids. A silent auction and gift...
Lake Wailes Park will again host a day of family fun on Saturday, April 29 as the city celebrates the annual Olmsted Day in the Park. This years' event promises to be bigger and better than ever as plenty of new features and attractions are being added. Food trucks, lots of games for both kids and adults, live bands, and the added feature of "Beers With Pioneers," a beer-tasting event, will make the day fun for every member of the family. For kids, an inflatable obstacle...
Incumbent Deputy Mayor Robin Gibson easily turned back a challenge from Danielle Pride Gibson for his District 5 seat on the Lake Wales City Commission Tuesday. Michelle Threatt was defeated by Keith Thompson in a relatively close contest for the District 3 seat, which is being vacated by long-time Commissioner Terrye Howell. Thompson garnered 904 votes, or 53.27% of the tally, while Michelle Threatt collected 793, or 47.73% of the 1,698 ballots cast in the District 3 race....
As lawns wither and trees wilt across the central Florida, weather forecasters are eyeing long-range models showing a significant chance that a rare April tropical or sub-tropical storm could form in the Gulf of Mexico in coming days. According to the Southeast Regional Climate Center (SERCC), drought conditions over most of the Florida peninsula range from severe to extreme, and most areas are recording the driest start to any year in over a century. So far at the...
A "town hall" community organizing event is planned to take place Monday at the Mary Norma Campbell Resource Center in Highland Park Manor. The 7:00 pm event is the second meeting of the community located southeast of Lake Wales. Concern over the lack of transparency by the city of Lake Wales over rezoning of an industrial site to accommodate proposed plastic pipe factory appears to be one of the catalysts for the revival of the neighborhood association. Both Highland Park...
A very dry winter in the Lake Wales area that has extended into the spring has led to critically dry conditions and a very high fire risk. Extreme caution is being urged by authorities when handling any sort of open flame or heat source. A recent fire at the River Ranch hunting tract burned over 1,000 acres and destroyed scores of temporary structures. No one was hurt in the fires, but valuable fire-fighting resources were strained in combatting the blaze. Meager rains in...
A surge in readership and community reach is being celebrated as a reflection of the growing awareness and trust of LakeWalesNews.net among residents of the Ridge area. The expansion of readership and advertising is powering an expansion of news coverage as well as the News increases coverage of events in Frostproof, Babson Park, Indian Lake, and surrounding communities through the hiring of new staff and correspondents. In addition to a substantial base of readers who...
A collision between a work truck and a bicyclist claimed the life of a 90-year-old Lake Wales resident Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of Walk-In-the-Water Road and Uncle Joe's Fish Camp Road, southeast of Lake Wales. The crash occurred at about about 12:15 pm. First responders from Polk County Fire Rescue found the victim, 90-year old David Linne of Lake Wales, suffering from serious injuries. He was transported to a local hospital but passed away shortly after...
Travelers on US 27 should be aware that there will be new traffic shifts on US 27 northbound at the construction site at SR 60. Motorists should expect an outside lane closure on northbound US 27 near the intersection, while crews place drainage and pour concrete in the area. On Sunday, April 2, traffic will be shifted onto the new concrete pavement to allow construction of the permanent northbound lanes. Motorists should use caution in the area and watch for workers in the co...
The American Association of University Women Lake Wales Branch is inviting the public to gather with them on Friday, March 31st to conduct an "Unhappy Hour" marking the disparity between wages earned by men and women in the workforce. March 14 is Equal Pay Day 2023, a day that symbolizes the full year and two and a half months of the new year in which women must work to earn what men were paid the previous year. "Since March 31st is the last day of Women’s History Month, a m...
A major effort to develop a master plan to govern the future development of seven parks in the city of Lake Wales is the goal of a new contract Catalyst Design Group. The project was recently approved by the city commission. The planning effort will cover Lake Wailes Park, Kiwanis Park and Crystal Lake Park, which form the core of the city's park system. It will also include the city's soccer complex on Hunt Brothers Road, the Northwest Complex/Frasier Field park, the Little...
Saturday, March 25th is the last day registered voters who reside in Lake Wales can submit a request to receive a ballot by mail for the April 4th Municipal Elections. Four candidates are seeking election to new three-year terms on the city commission in the voting. New requests for mail ballots can be made online at PolkElections.gov or by calling the Elections Office at (863) 534-5888. Voted ballots may be returned by mail or dropped off to the Supervisor of Elections, but...
Several happy amateur detectives are celebrating their wins in the Lake Wales News Treasure Hunt game after finding the prize claim forms at area businesses. Charmaine Walker, Bridget Nicole, Thomas Dunn, Juanita Zwarczuk, Hattie Johnson, Amy Mincet and Cristina Carver collected prize packages sharing $1000 worth of gift certificates, event passes, and prize items. Sponsors including Melanie's Seafood Company, Dyer Chevrolet, Lake Wales Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Maggie Mae's...
The historic beauty of Lake Wales and efforts to re-create it are the focus of a special event planned for Lake Wailes Park. Area businesses, artists, and crafters are being invited to participate in Olmsted Day in the Park, an annual event celebrating Lake Wales' parks and streetscapes. Sponsors and vendors are welcome to join in the community-wide effort. The April 29 event, hosted by Lake Wales Heritage with the participation of the City of Lake Wales, features music, food...
Lake Wales Police have recovered more than $400,000 worth of stolen property and arrested a 51-year-old man suspected of dealing in stolen property. The Friday February 17, arrest of Billy Joe Byrd by Lake Wales Police detectives came after they received a tip that stolen property was being stored at 254 N Miami Street in Lake Wales. Police are seeking others involved in a wide-spread theft and fencing operation. Detectives obtained permission from the property owner before...
