Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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Citizen Support Services is a group of people from our community who volunteer their time, talent, and financial assistance to support and advocate for needs that exist within Lake Wales, where existing service organizations are not well positioned to support or coordinate. Citizens of Lake Wales, in partnership with leadership from several community service organizations, aim to ensure support and equity is provided to citizens in need. During the month of December, members...
The Lake Wales Charter Schools Board of Trustees will consider an agreement Feb. 1 for Superintendent Jesse Jackson to exit Feb. 26 with about $59,000 owed him for accrued vacation and sick leave benefits. The negotiated separation agreement would reinstate him from the suspension issued one week ago, and he would continue receiving salary while not performing any duties as superintendent. Chief Financial Officer Alricky Smith would continue as interim superintendent. The...
EDITOR'S NOTE: Update for this story can be found here: https://www.lakewalesnews.net/story/2021/01/27/news/charter-trustees-to-act-feb-1-on-superintendents-exit-end-of-month/2075.html The Lake Wales Charter Schools Board of Trustees will consider a separation agreement with Superintendent Jesse Jackson at a special meeting at 9 a.m. Monday, Feb. 1 at the high school. Trustees late Saturday afternoon were still awaiting details and costs, which reportedly were being worked on...
The Ramon Theatre in Frostproof will feature a tribute to Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. Tickets are $27 and can be purchased at the door or online at www.ramontheater.com. Seating is spread to allow social distancing. The theater is located at 15 E. Wall St. in Frostproof....
Lake Wales city commissioners agreed Jan. 19 to hold off on full implementation of a police worn body camera initiative and instead consider a more limited pilot program. City Manager James Slaton said body cameras, other equipment, software license and storage for 32 police officers would cost about $93,350 up front and about $45,000 per year after that. He also said the police department would need to hire a technician to manage the videos to be used at trial, redact...
William G. "Bill" Lanoue, 67, of Lake Wales passed away Friday, Jan. 15, 2021 at Advent Health in Kissimmee. He was born July 11, 1953 in New London, CT to the late William and Florence Lanoue; he moved to Oldsmar, FL in his youth. He participated in scouting, was active in little league baseball, was an altar boy at church, enjoyed camping, fishing, and building model cars. In later years he enjoyed traveling and practicing flight simulation. He was a Tampa Bay Rays and New...
The Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency has approved spending $10,000 to purchase two vacant lots on B Street to help jump start a new affordable housing initiative in that area. The city is expected to partner with Keystone Challenge Fund, a non-profit organization, to build two houses on lots currently owned by the Green and Gold Foundation across the street from the B Street Center. Officials said the homes would have an estimated value of $170,000, with mortgage...
Two-term Lake Wales City Commissioner Curtis Gibson announced Tuesday that he will not seek re-election in April. At the end of their regular meeting Jan. 19, Gibson told his fellow commissioners he wants to devote more time to family, including his infant son, complete his business administration degree and prepare for his next level of service. Gibson said he made the decision after "prayerful consideration" and hopes people "who love Lake Wales and have a heart for...
City residents can thank a local restaurant for helping the Lake Wales Chamber of Commerce find its 2020 Public Servant of the Year. Lake Wales Fire Chief Joe Jenkins – born and raised in the city and now celebrating 30 years with the department – was honored with the award in late December, for not only his service as chief, but as the city's Emergency Operations Director during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Jenkins said he didn't really know what he wanted to do whe...
Central Florida's Visitor Information Center (CFVIC) will host the "Caturday Kitten Cuddle" and adoption event on Saturday, Jan. 30, to benefit SPCA Florida. This family-friendly event will take place from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors can enjoy five minutes of kitten cuddling time for a $5 donation and all proceeds go to SPCA Florida. Cash and credit cards will be accepted. Vendors will be on-site selling items such as homemade pet treats, leashes, collars and grooming...
The show must go on. That's what the Lake Wales Little Theatre decided after an empty stage for nearly a year. The curtain will go up Friday, Jan. 22 for a two weekend production of The Odd Couple. Performances of the classic, fun play will be at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays through Jan. 31. The classic comedy opens as a group of the guys assemble for cards in the apartment of divorced Oscar Madison. And if the mess is any indication, it's no wonder...
Thomas Stevens "Tommy" Ricketts, 96, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. Tom was born Aug. 31, 1924 in Charleston, WV, and eventually moved to Tampa where he graduated from Plant High School. After his freshman year at the University of Florida, he left to serve in the United States Army Signal Corps during World War II. At the conclusion of the war, he returned to the University of Florida completing his degree in Electrical Engineering in 1949. While there he...
Bright sunshine broke through the dreary morning Saturday, Jan. 23 as friends, family and history buffs gathered to celebrate the opening of the Mimi Hardman Collections and Research Center. Named for the city's most noted historic preservationist, the center is located on South Scenic Highway in the newly restored 1916 Seaboard Airline Freight Station. Known for developing the historic Depot museum, bringing millions of dollars in historic preservation grants to the city and...
The Lake Wales Charter Schools Board of Trustees suspended Superintendent Jesse Jackson with pay Monday, Jan. 25 pending a special meeting in a week to discuss whether to accept his resignation or terminate his employment. Jackson already had submitted his resignation, effective Feb. 26, but a controversy surrounding his replacement of Hillcrest Elementary Principal Jennifer Barrow might move his departure up a few weeks. More than 300 people attended the online trustee...
Joyce Wiltshire, 71 of Lake Wales, died at Jan. 23, 2021 at Lakeland Health Hospital. She was born Feb. 2, 1949 in Lake Wales. Services are incomplete. Epps Memorial Funeral Home in Lake Wales is handling arrangements....
