Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Sorted by date Results 276 - 300 of 1203
Crews from Gomez Construction have made substantial progress on a block of West Park Avenue between First Street and Wetmore Street. The reconstruction is part of the $11.5 million transformation of that street and, eventually, the adjoining eastern blocks and the adjacent MarketPlace. The Lake Wales Post office and adjacent businesses are being served from a parking lot accessible from Orange Avenue, one block to the north. Signage has been placed to direct traffic to the...
The first new development to adopt the "Traditional Neighborhood Design" principles adopted by the Lake Wales City Commission has been approved. The concept lies at the heart of the Lake Wales Envisioned plan currently under development by planning consultants. The adopted plan for the 18.66-acre site includes the mixed residential types, rear parking, sidewalks leading to nearby commercial services, a "green street," and other features advocated in the city's adopted set of...
The interconnectedness of the Lake Wales Ridge and surrounding public and private lands will be the focus of an online "Deep Dive" presentation Wednesday afternoon from 4:00 to 5:00 pm. Those lands are the subject of detailed study as part of the Lake Wales Envisioned planning ongoing, which will address "Olmsted's Garden City in 10, 25, and 50 Years," The in-depth discussion of the draft "Big Green" and "Little Green" land conservation and open space concepts under...
A vision for the long-term future of the Lake Wales region that shifts away from the contemporary development style toward "traditional neighborhoods" was the subject of discussion at the Lake Wales Breakfast Rotary Thursday morning. "Most towns are already 100 years old when they decide what they want to be when they grow up," city planner Victor Dover told more than two dozens in attendance, explaining that Lake Wales has a huge head start due to the efforts of the city's...
A downtown business improvement effort "focused on asset development and retail recruitment" was outlined to a large group of downtown property owners at a Wednesday luncheon. Elliott Cook of Retail Strategies told those in attendance that his purpose was to gather information from them that would be used in their efforts. Cook promised that his firm would provide owners with the tools for success. Retail Strategies was hired by city government to help recruit new business...
A proposal to add a huge swath of northern Lake Wales to the current Community Redevelopment District map will be the topic of a staffed public presentation at the Eagle Ridge Mall food court this Wednesday. The public is invited to stop by between 11:00 am and 7:00 pm to learn about the effects that would flow from the expansion and offer their opinions. A large tract west of US 27 between Thompson Nursery Road, Chalet Suzanne Road and Mountain Lake Cutoff Road being...
An endangered Florida Black Bear was spotted perched high in an oak tree by walkers using the popular Lake Wailes Trail Thursday morning. The bear was sitting on a high branch, and apparently hoping to avoid being noticed. "It's big, it's a full-adult bear," said walker Robert Mills, who uses the trail daily and was surprised to see it. After the Lake Wales Police Department was notified they quickly called the Florida Game and Fish Conservation Commission, and officers were...
The outsized impact of a relatively small number of Lake Wales women continues to shape and improve the lives of Lake Wales residents. With only two dozen members, the GFWC Woman's Club of Lake Wales continues to be a dynamic contributing force within the community. Part of the international Greater Federation of Women's Clubs, the local organization has served the community for more than 100 years. Operating from their historic clubhouse and auditorium at 275 East Park...
In a long-delayed ruling, the State Attorney's office has announced that their investigation into a exchange of gunfire between police and a suspect last August determined that police use of deadly force was justified. Earnest Borders, 57, of Lake Wales, was killed. A police department K-9, Max, also died in the gunfire. A letter signed by Assistant State Attorney Mark Thomas Levine states that "it is my opinion that Officer Jared Joyner and Officer Esaul Hernandez were justif...
Charmayne Turner Marston of Babson Park passed away Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at AdventHealth Lake Wales. She was born July 5, 1947 in Fort Thomas, Kentucky to the late Frank and Martha Turner. Charmayne lived in Kentucky before moving to Lake Wales where she has resided for the past 38 years. She was a homemaker and a member of First United Methodist Church where she taught Sunday School. Charmayne was a volunteer at the Little Theater, was named volunteer of the year at...
A 300-unit subdivision that would wrap around the northern and eastern sides of Ridge Manor has been delayed after the withdrawal of an application for a permit from the city. The project, dubbed Steeple Chase, would occupy almost 98 acres on three parcels stretching east from Scenic Highway to beyond 9th Street. Developers had requested a Preliminary Subdivision Plat and a Special Exception Use Permit. After their application was subject to a 35-minute discussion at a...
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to include citation of a written opinion from City Attorney Chuck Galloway to city commissioners, released to the press today. April 17 - In a surprise twist, former city commissioner Kris Fitzgerald has been denied a return to her open seat on the Lake Wales City Commission despite her sudden reinstatement by Governor Ron DeSantis last week. Lake Wales City Attorney Chuck Galloway read a statement at the opening of Tuesday night's...
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...
Police are seeking the whereabouts of a Haines City man who reportedly drove at high speed and ran a red light on US 27, resulting in the deaths of his two passengers. Lake Wales Police have obtained an arrest warrant for 40-year-old Aljerune Brooks of Haines City. An investigation confirmed Brooks was the driver of the Cadillac that failed to stop at the signal at Washington Avenue, crashing into a "yard dog" truck cab owned by Florida's Natural. The driver of the truck,...
A bloody toll of fatalities and serious injuries during the month of May has left multiple area families mourning their losses. The rash of deadly crashes is a clear call for increased law enforcement presence on area streets and highways. So far in this month, at least five people have been killed in four fatal accidents in the Lake Wales area. Three of those occurred in two crashes at the single intersection of US 27 and Washington Avenue. Earlier this month two Haines City...
May 12 - Long-time Lake Wales Main Street executive director Karen Thompson has announced her resignation. "I am excited about downtown Lake Wales' future and proud to have played a small role," Thompson said. "We are fortunate that both the Main Street board and the City are committed to realizing downtown's full potential and holding quality as the number one priority." The Main Street program is funded in part by the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency. Thompson, who...
City Commissioner Kris Fitzgerald has been reinstated to her seat on the Lake Wales City Commission nearly two years after her suspension by Governor Ron DeSantis following her arrest on felony charges. Her acquittal on all charges in a jury trial last October allowed for her resumption of service. Fitzgerald served only two months of her elected term prior to being suspended. The reason for the long delay in her reinstatement is unclear. Reached via text message,...
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...
APRIL 26 - A surprise announcement by the West Central Florida YMCA group that they are ending a contract allowing them to operate the Lake Wales Family YMCA has caught facility owner City of Lake Wales by surprise. The group issued a letter to the city stating they would be "closing" the facility, even though it is city property. "They delivered me notice of a six-month contract cancellation yesterday afternoon," City Manager James Slaton told LakeWalesNews.net. "I informed...
APRIL 25 - A public "town hall" meeting about the proposed ADS plastic pipe plant scheduled for Wednesday evening will be chaired by Lake Wales Deputy Mayor Robin Gibson, it was announced this week. The meeting will offer residents an opportunity to ask questions about the operations and impact of the facility. "They asked the city to be in charge of things," Gibson told LakeWalesNews.net, and specifically suggested that Gibson should chair it. "I told them 'If you want that,...
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 creative group of Lake Wales area citizens joined with urban design and traffic planners Saturday morning at the James Austin Center to begin the process of designing an alternative future for the City of Lake Wales. Future neighborhood development types, street designs, greenways, preferred placement of residential developments, and even a "blueway" trail connecting to Winter Haven were among suggestions that emerged from teams working around maps and charts. The process,...
APRIL 22 - An early spring and nearly summer-like temperatures have already led to parking problems at Frostproof's Lake Clinch Beach, and the Frostproof City Council is poised to do something to attempt to correct the situation. The agenda for a scheduled 5:00 pm public workshop on Monday, April 24 includes discussion of the possible implementation of parking permits for the Lake Clinch beach area. The Council unanimously agreed to hold a workshop at their April 17 meeting...
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...
A public meeting seeking to respond to public concerns over a proposed plastic pipe manufacturing facility will take place on Wednesday, April 26 at the Lake Wales Arts Center. The meeting will be hosted by Advanced Drainage Systems, or ADS, the company seeking to build on a 97-acre site fronting South 11th Street and Hunt Brothers Road. The meeting will begin at 6:00 pm. Some residents have voiced opposition to the "heavy" industrial use of the property, although it has been...
