Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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An apparent attempt to draw customers led to the wrong kind of attention for an area man as he found himself following complaints about his loud music. According to Lake Wales Police, officers responded to the area of Seminole Ave. and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. around 10:20 pm Wednesday after a resident called complaining about loud music in the Grove Manor housing complex. Arriving officers observed a minivan occupied by a man playing loud music. As they approached...
Polk State College's campuses and centers will reopen on Monday, including the collegiate high schools, spokesperson Madison Fantozzi reported Sunday. Kyle Kennedy, spokesperson for Polk County Public Schools, said that "all available PCPS staff will return to work on Monday" in order to prepare the schools to receive students on Tuesday morning. Fantozzi's statement statement said that crews have been working through the weekend "to clear debris and repair minimal damages"...
Growing a Lake Wales medical practice of his own has long been the vision of one area physician, an outcome that has come to fruition for Dr. Ray Knisley, a board-certified dermatologist. Dr. Knisley is celebrating the first anniversary of his Clear Choice Dermatology clinic here on July 5 after working for other clinics in the area. "I couldn't do this sooner due to a non-compete clause," he said. Clear Choice is presently located in a two-story medical office building at...
If you are a lover of nature and wildlife, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission would like to invite you to learn how to attract wildlife to your yard by planning and planting for their needs. The process or attracting birds and other wildlife is relatively is simple and usually satisfying. It requires an adequate supply of food, water and shelter to provide the habitat they need to survive, increasing the number and variety of species that visit your...
The Carnival season has returned to Lake Wales, and the annual Mardi Gras event is once again expected to draw tens of thousands of spectators and participants to a zany and colorful parade, and a dynamic two day line-up of musical entertainment on the shores of Lake Wailes. After a hiatus in 2021 due to the global pandemic, Mardi Gras organizers promise a strong rebound, with floats, beads, live music, food, and spirits. A Lake Wales tradition dating back to 1984, The Mardi...
The year just completed saw a number of big stories that impacted the Lake Wales community, and we've taken a look back at them through the perspective of the new year. Here's how our staff ranked the biggest stories of 2021. 1) A development surge saw multiple projects brought forward for consideration by the Lake Wales Development Services and the City Commission, including the long-dormant Winter Haven Corporation project which is expected to include more than 6,000 new...
Christmas in Lake Wales is a time of giving, blessings, wonders and delights. Lake Wales High School Interact members exemplified the spirit as they stuffed stockings for all 65 residents of the Lake Wales Health Care nursing facility with essentials and personal care items and delivered them to many isolated people, bringing a dose of healing holiday cheer. The Lake Wales Care Center team repaired and refurbished dozens of bicycles and gave them to disadvantaged children,...
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has directed staff to move forward with draft rules allowing for the production and sale of largemouth bass following discussion at its December meeting. Statutory changes made during the 2021 legislative session sanctioned the sale of Florida largemouth bass produced in aquaculture facilities for food. Staff worked with the legislature to incorporate genetic authentication standards into rule to ensure the continued...
A dazzling display of lights greeted local residents Saturday evening for a mile of Central Avenue as a column of colorful floats, bands, and more than a thousand participants marked the approach of Christmas holidays. Christmas music filled the air as scores of walkers passed out candy treats to the thousands of spectators who lined the length of the broad street between Lakeshore Boulevard and the City Administration building. The Lake Wales Marching Highlanders and the...
As the population of the United States in general, and Florida in particular, becomes increasingly mobile, population trends in our area are changing. Homes are sold, residents move in and out, and new development attracts both existing families and new residents. Children are born, others leave for college, or return to work in area businesses. To better capture the changing demographics of our area, the LakeWalesNews.Net is conducting a voluntary poll that allows you, our...
As the price of fresh cut Christmas trees rises due to a national shortage, perhaps it's time to consider a different kind of Christmas tree. "Instead of buying a cut Christmas tree that you will throw away in January, why not spend that same $50 and buy a Southern Live Oak that will live for hundreds of years?" That's the question posed by Lake Wales Heritage, the local not-for-profit working to plant the thousands of street trees called for in the 1930 Lake Wales...
One of the most significant figures in the long history of Florida's citrus industry, Frank M. Hunt II, passed away Saturday, November 27 at his residence in Lake Wales. He was 93, Born in Lake Wales to a pioneering family in 1928, Hunt progressed through Lake Wales schools before leaving to attend Erskine College in Due West, South Carolina. In 1950 he graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville with a BS Degree in Business Administration, which he immediately...
It may come as at text message, a phone call, or an email. Someone may warn you that an account is in arrears, your Social Security Number is being "suspended," or that you may be arrested for "fraud." They may even have a portion of your SSN as "proof," and claim they are going to increase your benefit. They may claim that your SSN is being used to commit fraud in another state and that you need to call "them" back as soon as possible, or warn of pending legal action. They...
After concluding their regular season play with an 8-2 wining record, the Lake Wales Highlanders advance as 6-A District 7 runners-up to the Florida High School Athletic Association playoffs, meeting the PSL Jaguars in Port St. Lucie Friday night. Their single loss to Auburndale by a 14-8 score left them with a 3-1 record in District play. The Jaguars finished their season with a 7-2 record, but remained undefeated with a 3-0 record in their Division play, giving them a home-f...
Remembering those who have served to preserve American democracy against the threats posed by Fascism, Communism, and Totalitarianism is among the sacred duties of American citizens each year on Veterans' Day. To remind us of the difficulties they overcame, the staff of the Lake Wales Public Library has created a Veteran's Day exhibit drawing from the library's local history archives. Documents have been provided from those archive as well as family and fellow City of Lake...
"It's a blink of an eye and 30 years have flown by. When Ralph and I started we both had darker hair," said Mike Mahalak, president of the Mahalak Auto Group, in recognition of a quadruple anniversary for their local and flagship franchises. "It has been a fun adventure. We have been blessed to see a lot of growth and have made a lot of relationships here in Winter Haven and across central Florida. At the end of the day, you can buy a vehicle from just about anybody... but...
Feel like a rodeo cowgirl or cowboy sometimes? Here's your big chance to get out those rhinestones and boots and sparkle your way across a dance floor. The Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council is inviting the public to attend their annual Awards Gala, Friday, November 19, 2021 at Lake Ashton Country Club Ballroom. The Country-Western themed gala will a judging for best cowboy and cowgirl or western themed outfit. Admission tickets for the 5:30 p...
College and University students and recent graduates wishing to gain valuable work experience working with a Congressional office are encouraged to apply for one of several internship openings being offered by Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09), who represents the Lake Wales area. Internships are available both in Washington DC and locally in a district office. Applications are now being accepted for the spring semester, which runs from January to May, but openings occur for the...
Thanks to funds provided through the American Recovery Act, rental and utility assistance funds are now available for Polk County renters who qualify. Up to $12,000 is available to those who need the assistance most. The Polk County Board of County Commissioners partnered with three local nonprofit agencies to distribute the nearly $8.4 million in Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds. The commission approved the three contracts in October with Florida Rural Legal...
A rollicking comedy promises lots of laughs as Lake Wales Little Theatre presents "The Last Roundup of the Guacamole Queens." This "Southern-fried comedy" by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten opens Friday, Nov. 5 for a 3-weekend run. "The cast is really clicking, and their talent is nothing short of amazing," said co-director Michael Baccus. "It's fast and physical with multiple costume changes. The play is challenging, but the performers are rising to the task."...
A brief opportunity to comment and offer suggestions regarding Polk County's ADA Transition Plan update opens today through November 15. The draft plan, created by the Polk Roads & Drainage Division, updates inventories of "physical barriers and identifies potential improvements for sidewalks, multi-use paths, curb ramps, street crossings, driveway crossings, crosswalks, median crossings and pedestrian-activated signal systems," according to Bill Skelton, Project Management...
Local dining food choices aren't as limited as you might believe, and they certainly don't have to be boring. That much is evident after a visit to a local restaurant celebrating its first anniversary. Orgen D'nal is an outgrowth of a personal training studio called Kingdom Fitness run by restaurant owner Arthur White in an adjacent building. His customers enjoyed rejuvenating health drinks after workouts, so after three years of operations he conceived of a juice bar, which...
After seeing their District title hopes dashed in a 14-8 loss to Auburndale two weeks ago, the Highlanders came back to best the Palm Bay Heritage Panthers last week by a 37-30 score, setting up a final District 7 battle with Kissimmee Gateway for a possible ticket to the playoffs. Lake Wales is favored over the 2-6 Gateway, confusingly also nicknamed Panthers, who are winless in the tough District 7. The game will kick off at 7:30 pm. this Friday night in Kissimmee. The...
New features and sections added to LakeWalesNews.Net have driven skyrocketing readership since September 1, reaching well over 80,000 page views during the first month, according to statistics captured by Internet analytics. New Day Market Research acquired the online newspaper on that date and has since significantly enhanced the publication's reach and interest. "We are extremely pleased by the community reaction to our added features like the graphic Community Calendar," sa...
Blacksmiths, crafters, and thousands of their admirers turned out for the annual Pioneer Days today in Lake Wales. The event, sponsored by the Lake Wales History Museum, runs through the weekend. Great weather seemed to draw out the crowds for the event, and they found lots to do and admire, with demonstrations of lots of pioneer crafts from broom-making to canoe carving. Antique tractors and cars, plenty of live music, a dozen food trucks, a beer garden and the annual...
