Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 27
By now a familiar voice to fans at Friday night football games, one local volunteer has made a highly successful career out of childhood inspiration, and a thread of football tradition runs through it. Local son Kent Lilly has become something of a legend in his own right. Lilly grew up in Lake Wales, and after Lake Wales High School went on to graduate from the University of Florida with a degree in accounting before heading off to law school at Florida State University,...
In a special recognition of his efforts, Lake Wales resident Joseph Lunsford will be the recipient of his very own "day" upon the issuance of a Proclamation from the City of Lake Wales declaring a "Joseph Lunsford Recognition Day." Lunsford, 28, has been selected to represent Florida in the 2022 Special Olympics USA to be held in Orlando June 5th-12th, 2022. Lunsford is a multi-sport athlete and has competed in a wide range of Special Olympics sports, including track,...
After more than 90 years, new flowering trees will soon be planted as part of a city-wide landscaping effort. More than two dozen new flowering trees will line several blocks of South 4th Street. The plantings are initial steps of a program that will ultimately involve well over one thousand trees. The original designs for city streetscapes were created by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. shortly after he completed his design of Bok Tower Gardens. Olmsted...
With their District 7 title hopes still riding high, the Lake Wales Highlanders notched their first important win against a conference rival by defeating Melbourne Eau Gallie 43-27 ay Legion Field in Lake Wales Friday night. For the second week in a row the local team started slowly, leading only 8-6 at the half after giving up a fumble in their own end zone. The Highlander points came on a Trent Grotjan pass to Carlos Mitchell that covered 30 yards. The second half was a diff...
As the city prepares to embark on a transformative Lake Wales Connected redesign of the historic Park Avenue that forms the heart of downtown Lake Wales, one city commissioner is making his own effort to support the makeover. The blank stucco wall at 244 East Park will be replaced by the original broad windows open to the street, thanks to a substantial personal investment by Robin Gibson. "I've driven by that building many times" Gibson said of the two-story structure at 244...
Emilio Torres of Lake Wales passed away Sunday, October 3, 2021 at Morton Plant North Bay in New Port Richey. He was born September 10, 1949 in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico to the late Isidro and Adelina Torres. Emilio was preceded in death by his son, Emilio Torres, Jr. in 2013. He is survived by his daughter, Maribel Torres of Leesburg; sister, Maria Torres of Bayamon, Puerto Rico; brothers, Mariano Torres of Lake Wales, and Doroteo Torres of Brooklyn, New York; six...
Paul Edward Day of Lake Wales passed away Friday, September 24, 2021 at Advent Health in Lake Wales. He was born October 13, 1942 in Mount Morris, New York to the late Llewellyn and Dorothy Day; he moved to Lake Wales from New York State about six years ago. Paul was a retired supervisor for Coca-Cola Company and was of the Methodist faith. He loved baseball, especially the Tampa Bay Rays. He was a fan of the Buffalo Bills and liked to tinker with different things. He was the...
Jeremy Alan Palmatier of Frostproof passed away Wednesday, September 29, 2021. He was born June 30, 1976 in Westchester, Pennsylvania to the late Randolph German and Karen Palmatier; he moved to Frostproof as a child and has been a lifelong resident of the area. Jeremy is survived by his daughters, Chloe Palmatier of Frostproof, and Chelsie Palmatier of Frostproof; sons, Jeramiah Palmatier of Frostproof, and Cody Palmatier of Haines City; sisters, Rebecca Miller (Mike) of...
Several dozen citizens gathered Friday morning at Kathryn's Christian Books at 205 East Park Avenue for the Chamber of Commerce's First Friday event, which coincided with National Coffee Day. Folks clustered around an array of tasty treats and coffee selections under canopies erected on the sidewalk in front of the shop, which is well known for serving a variety of coffee and ice cream on a daily basis. Rob Quam, executive director of the Lake Wales Care Center, welcomed the...
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) wants your help improving data on catch-and-release fishing, especially for redfish, snook and spotted seatrout caught in areas of southwest Florida that are currently catch-and-release only due to the impacts of red tide. "Anglers fishing these areas have their finger on the pulse of what is happening out there," said FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute Program Administrator Luiz Barbieri. "By using the iAngler...
Edwin K. Rucker, 60 of Lake Wales, died at Advent Health Heart of Florida Hospital in Haines City. Born in Lake Wales. Visitation will be Friday, October 8, 2021, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Epps Chapel. Mask Required at Service and Visitation. Services will be held Saturday, October 9, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Epps Chapel in Lake Wales.....
Benjamin Harrison "Ben" Norman of Lake Wales passed away Wednesday, September 29, 2021 at Advent Health Lake Wales under the care of Vitas Hospice. He was born October 22, 1938 in Cherry Valley, Arkansas to the late Benjamin and Rudy Norman; he moved to Lake Wales from Cherry Valley, Arkansas in 1958. Ben was a retired welder for Haines City Exchange and was of the Pentecostal faith. He raised orchids and chickens, and enjoyed woodworking, fishing, and watching wrestling on...
Students and parents involved in the Polk County Public Schools may wish to offer comments to the School System about the future direction of Polk Public Schools. According to officials at the county-wide system, they are seeking public input to create a new strategic plan to improve schools and better serve students. A community survey has been developed, and stakeholders are being invited to tell them what they think are the top qualities for an ideal PCPS graduate. The...
Fredric Ivan Eismon of Frostproof passed away Friday, October 1, 2021. He was born January 23, 1955 in East Liverpool, Ohio to the late Ivan and Shirley Eismon. Fredric worked in the maintenance department for Cargill Citro North America. Fredric was preceded in death by his wife, Jeanette Marie Eismon; and sister, Carol Jean Eismon. He is survived by his daughter, Karah Eismon Bush (Chadwich) of Bradenton; son, Christopher Eismon of Frostproof; stepdaughter, Kristin Smith of...
Josefina Pantoja Reyes of Lake Wales passed away Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at her residence. She was born March 22, 1927 in Jayuya, Puerto Rico to the late Aurelio and Margarita Pantoja. Josefina was a retired nurse aid and was a member Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall. Josefina was preceded in death by her husband, Roman Reyes in 2006. She is survived by her daughter, Josephine Roma (Paul) of Lake Wales; and sons, George Morales of Lake Wales, and Hiram Morales of Palm Bay;...
Ora "Oz" Caldwell of Lake Wales passed away September 9th due to complications of Covid-19. Known to many by his nickname of "the Great One," Caldwell was a graduate of West Point and served for many years in the office of the Public Defender in Polk County. He was known to many in the Lake Wales area as a man of generous spirit and manner. "He was an officer and a gentleman," said former Public Defender Marion Moorman. "He was a fantastic lawyer, a true trial lawyer who had...
Ora "Oz" Oscar Caldwell, age 83, of Lake Wales passed away on September 9th, 2021 at 2:20pm at Advent Health in Davenport, Florida from respiratory complications due to Covid 19. Oz was born on October 19, 1937 in Lake Wales Florida. Oz spent his formative years on his father's dairy farm. He would often speak of these times with great fondness of the cowboys and hard lifestyles of the post-Great Depression period in Central Florida that he witnessed firsthand. During this...
If you can believe the heaps of accolades the firm has received, there is no more preeminent law firm in our area than that of Lilly and Brown, LLP. The duo of personal injury lawyers operate offices in Lake Wales and Lakeland, representing clients from across Central Florida. They are consistently rated by their peers as among the very best. Both Lake Wales Attorney Kent Lilly and his partner , Steven C. Brown of Sebring, are board certified by The Florida Bar as a Civil Tria...
The plan proposed by Manatee County to treat the estimated 270 million gallons of polluted wastewater from the Piney Point gypsum stack ponds and inject it deep underground has been controversial. Deep well injection has been used extensively in Florida as an alternative to surface discharges. The best example locally is a well near Mulberry that is used to dispose of acidic wastes that were previously discharged, causing concrete bridge supports downstream to begin...
Elder Freddie Lee Hird, Jr., 82 of Lake Wales, died at Phobe North Hospital in Albany, Georgia. Born in Oviedo, Florida, he is the former Pastor of New Divine Church of God by Faith, Lake Wales, Florida. Visitation will be Friday, October 1, 2021 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at New Divine Church of God by Faith, 640 Burns Avenue, Lake Wales 33853. A mask is required. Services will be held graveside on Saturday, October 2, 2021 at Lake Wales Cemetery Mausoleum at 4:00 p.m. A...
Joan Elizabeth Drewel of Lake Wales passed away Saturday, September 25, 2021 at Winter Haven Hospital. She was born August 27, 1938 in Zolfo Springs to the late Harold and Wistalone Licht; she moved to Lake Wales from Stone Mountain, Georgia in 1999. Joan was a retired controller for Edwards Pie Company and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Lake Wales. Joan is survived by her husband of 64 years, Don L. Drewel; daughter, Beverly Joan McVean (Scott) of Bozeman,...
Riding on their 3-1 season record and seeking to repeat as district champs in their new higher classification, the Lake Wales Highlanders football squad will face the Melbourne Eau Gallie Commodores this week. It will be their first district game of the year. Lake Wales enters the game with its powerful ground game intact, with a triple threat of quarterbacks Trent Grotjan and Nick Young and an explosive running back in Marquish Seabon. Corey Harris, Devin Hardy and Carlos...
Ardella Green has been a resident of Lake Wales since 1942 and at 97 years old, she has gotten to the point in life that climbing up to fix the roof of her aging home on Alabama Street was no longer an option. Thanks to a grant from the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency, that is no longer a challenge she must contemplate. Hers was one of several aging homesteads in the city that have been repaired thanks to a $68.000 fund established by the CRA board. Referred to the p...
Fueled by the generosity of Wawa, Healthcare Heroes can enjoy the healing power of nature with complimentary admission for themselves and a guest at Bok Tower Gardens from October 1-31. This offer is being extended in gratitude for the hard work and sacrifices Healthcare Heroes have made to keep our communities safe and healthy. The complimentary admission offer is open to all employees of healthcare providers in the US with an employer-issued photo identification badge. To redeem the offer, healthcare heroes must present...
The public is invited to bring their loved pets to receive the annual blessing this Saturday at the Church of the Good Shepherd. The service will take place outdoors. It's non-denominational and open to the all animal lovers and their pets, said event coordinator Jessica Bray. The date honors the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Animals and the Environment, and is hosted by the Good Shepherd Church's Daughters Of the King Chapter. The 10:00 am program...
