Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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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...
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...
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...
A special presentation of the draft work completed by a team of architects, ecologists, urban and traffic planners over the course of the charrette week will be shared with the public at a special gathering at the Lake Wales Arts Center Thursday evening. The event will begin at 6:00 pm at 1099 East SR 60 (Hesperides Road) in Lake Wales. The planning effort is part of the city-funded Lake Wales Envisioned effort, designed to gather public input to determine the shape of...
An overflow crowd was present Tuesday night as Lake Wales City Commissioners approved correction of a "scrivener's error" that many had interpreted as a step toward the approval of a controversial pipe factory proposal. The change will allow a staff decision on a zoning change from "Light Industrial" to "Heavy Industrial" without the necessity of a commission-conducted public hearing process and site review. That process would allow commissioners to place special conditions...
Lake Wailes Park will again host a day of family fun on Saturday, April 29 as the city celebrates the annual Olmsted Day in the Park. This years' event promises to be bigger and better than ever as plenty of new features and attractions are being added. Food trucks, lots of games for both kids and adults, live bands, and the added feature of "Beers With Pioneers," a beer-tasting event, will make the day fun for every member of the family. For kids, an inflatable obstacle...
Doubts about the future of Lake Wales will be met with inspiration Friday night as a special opening reception for "Charette Week" will take place downtown from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. The public is invited. The casual "come-and-go event" will be hosted by the planning team of Dover, Kohl & Partners, who will share information about the busy week of hands-on planning that will shape the city's future through a project called "Lake Wales Envisioned." A charette is a small cart once...
The year-long lawsuit between plaintiffs the City of Lake Wales and defendants Dixie-Walesbilt LLC of Winter Haven has taken a significant turn. The future potential redevelopment of the 11-story hotel, a Lake Wales landmark, hangs in the balance. A ruling issued by Circuit Judge William Sites on Wednesday denied the defendant's motion for summary judgement on each of the five points. The suit filed by the city and the Community Redevelopment Agency alleges that...
A "town hall" community organizing event is planned to take place Monday at the Mary Norma Campbell Resource Center in Highland Park Manor. The 7:00 pm event is the second meeting of the community located southeast of Lake Wales. Concern over the lack of transparency by the city of Lake Wales over rezoning of an industrial site to accommodate proposed plastic pipe factory appears to be one of the catalysts for the revival of the neighborhood association. Both Highland Park...
An effort to green a "food desert" in the Northwest Neighborhood of Lake Wales will begin next week with the creation of a community garden on a city-owned lot on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The Northwest Neighborhood, which long featured a small community grocery store, now has no market for fresh foods within a mile and a half. Members of the community are scheduled to join officials celebrate the groundbreaking of The Grove Community Garden at 315 Dr. MLK Blvd....
In a surprise move, the Lake Wales Planning and Zoning Board voted 4-1 Tuesday evening to reject the "correction of a scrivener's error" that would eliminate a step in future zoning decisions. The decision has immediate impact in the impending decision regarding a proposed plastics manufacturing plant. Dozens of residents filled the chambers as the board, unused to crowds, opened the meeting. Chairman Chris Lutton told the group that the controversial plant was not on the...
Frostproof's limited dining options will expand with the addition of one new choice Friday, March 31 as the highly anticipated Frostproof BBQ Company is slated to open. Although several other popular dining places are already operating, many locals are quite excited to have another choice. The Frostproof BBQ Company will make owner Joel Vann's eighth location, following in their duo's work with Lakeland BBQ Company and Polk City BBQ Company. Preparations at the new business...
A surge in readership and community reach is being celebrated as a reflection of the growing awareness and trust of LakeWalesNews.net among residents of the Ridge area. The expansion of readership and advertising is powering an expansion of news coverage as well as the News increases coverage of events in Frostproof, Babson Park, Indian Lake, and surrounding communities through the hiring of new staff and correspondents. In addition to a substantial base of readers who...
A major effort to develop a master plan to govern the future development of seven parks in the city of Lake Wales is the goal of a new contract Catalyst Design Group. The project was recently approved by the city commission. The planning effort will cover Lake Wailes Park, Kiwanis Park and Crystal Lake Park, which form the core of the city's park system. It will also include the city's soccer complex on Hunt Brothers Road, the Northwest Complex/Frasier Field park, the Little...
