Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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A million-dollar reconstruction of block-long stretches of Orange and Crystal Avenues is anticipated thanks to a federal grant and an intergovernmental agreement. The dramatic change will see new streetlights, street furniture, curbing, and the installation of numerous trees and other plants installed in rain gardens that will help absorb stormwater, . The work will include the resurfacing of the two streets east of First Street through and including their intersections with...
"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...
The Lake Wales Highlander of 100 years ago reveals much about the history of our community. Each week the Lake Wales News will publish a front-page image of the former Lake Wales Highlander from 100 years earlier, tracking the growth of the community a century ago, when Florida was in the midst of a great land price boom and rapid population growth. The images are retrieved from the digital archives of the Lake Wales Public Library. The Lake Wales Highlander eventually became...
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...
Polk County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller Stacy M. Butterfield, CPA, has announced the release of the annual list of unclaimed funds from the Clerk's office. These funds consist of unclaimed checks issued during court-related activities. "Our hope is to get the word out so that we can get these funds to their rightful owners," Clerk Butterfield said. "The process to check for your name is simple, so I encourage you to take a few minutes to review the list."...
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...
As the 19th anniversary of the devasting impact of Hurricane Charley approaches on August 13, many Ridge area residents turn a wary eye on the tropics. Despite "super-heated" waters in most of the Atlantic basin the 2023 hurricane season has, so far, remained a no-show. A global weather shift may be the cause. A phenomenon called the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, or PDO, features alternating waves of colder or warmer waters in the eastern Pacific. It has huge influence on...
Area teachers are now eligible to apply for individual grants of up to $250 that can fund special classroom activities or programs that can enhance the educational process for their students. The GFWC Lake Wales Junior Woman's Club has announced its Grants for Great Ideas mini-grant program for the 2023-2024 school year. To be eligible, teachers and other school-based professionals that work directly with students must work at an LWCS or PCPS school that has a physical Lake Wa...
Six new patrol officers were sworn in to serve the citizens of Lake Wales during a moving ceremony at the Lake Wales City Administration Building Monday evening. More than 40 residents gathered to hear Chief Chris Velasquez and other members of the department share the stories of the paths that led the men to the local department, and commend their commitment to service. In welcoming the group to the ranks of the local department, Velasquez reminded them and their assembled...
Happiness for Beginners is a July, 2023 romantic comedy film that follows Helen Carpenter, a 32-year-old woman who, in an attempt to rebuild her life after a difficult divorce, signs up for an extended hike in the Appalachian Mountains. Along the way, she encounters Jake Taylor, a handsome doctor who is friends with her brother and obviously has a crush on her. The protagonist is annoying and obnoxious. I wanted to smack her at several points during the movie. The film,...
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,...
A general lack of sidewalks on county roads in eastern Polk County may serve as motivation for local residents who would like to become advocates. Polk County commissioners are looking for volunteers who would like to serve on the county's Sidewalk Advisory Committee. The 12-member advisory committee assists the Board in determining the priority of locations for new sidewalks to be built throughout the county. Five members of the committee are appointed by the Board, with...
