Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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A happy city staff, as well as grant consultants Lee Hale and Hilary Waers of Hale innovation, were celebrating before, during, and after the city commission workshop Wednesday. In a room decorated with balloons, City Manager James Slaton made the happy announcement that the city had received a grant award of $22.93 million from the US Department of Transportation. The RAISE grant for "Complete Streets" will assure the completion of the Lake Wales Connected plan, a...
The community-developed Lake Wales Envisioned plan continues to receive accolades from organizations both in Florida and around the nation. In the latest announcement about the program, Lake Wales Envisioned has been chosen by the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA FL) for its premier honor, the Award of Excellence. Envisioned also won an award from the Florida Planning & Zoning Association earlier this month. The new award follows closely the...
The boom in development of new fast-casual restaurants in Lake Wales is continuing unabated, pacing the area's fast-growing residential population. New conceptual applications have been submitted for both a Chipotle Mexican Grille and a Chick-fil-A restaurant. Pre-application meetings have been completed for both, according to city officials. Most of the newly-announced sites are clustered around the Eagle Ridge Mall on US 27 at Chalet Suzanne Road. An announced new Dunkin...
In an emotional moment during a city commission workshop Wednesday afternoon, Lake Wales City Manager James Slaton, in a halting statement, revealed that he has had a change of heart and plans to withdraw his name from contention for jobs in other cities. The moment came in the midst of a celebratory mood marking the announcement of an award of a grant of nearly $23 million to construct the "complete streets" program of the Lake Wales Connected plan. That award, by the US Depa...
A new city effort will see the construction of about a mile of new sidewalk and the planting of scores of new street trees in Lake Wales. The long-neglected Northwest Neighborhood of Lake Wales, subject of a two-year Community Redevelopment Agency effort to improve housing, will soon benefit from an investment in new sidewalks and street trees. Residents will see some disruption as the improvements are made. The project is only the first portion of the two-phase project, City...
Lake Wales City Manager James Slaton finds his relaxation, he recently told Lake Wales News, by fishing, typically on salt water far from the ring of a telephone. It's an understandable outlet. Slaton has demonstrated that he can play just as well on dry land, whatever the game. The job of city manager is undoubtedly one of the more interesting and challenging careers in the modern workforce. Charged with running a government as an appointed, rather than elected, official,...
A busy stretch of South Scenic Highway in Lake Wales will be closed for at least 30 days beginning Monday, June 17 between Winston Avenue and Alvina Avenue, a distance of about four blocks. Florida Department of Transportation crews have closed Scenic Highway from Grove Avenue to Hillcrest Avenue. The closure will require a detour for motorists using the roadway, routing traffic along South 4th Street to avoid construction. The Florida Department of Transportation will be...
UPDATE: An argument between two young men who had known each other since high school near a recently-constructed county football field led to a shooting that left one dead around 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday evening in Lake Wales. The incident happened outside city limits near a county-owned sports park on W. Northside Drive, about 200 feet north of Washington Avenue. According to a preliminary report from Polk Sheriff's investigators, Vincent Thomas, Jr., 21, arrived in a car at a...
A team of civic-minded volunteers from Lake Wales Heritage took advantage of the rainier weather this week to work on the organization's ongoing streetscaping project. Monday morning found a team of volunteers planting nine young lemon bottlebrush trees on South 4th Street. The trees were replacements for some lost due to heat stress and drought this spring. "Now that the seasonal monsoon rain season has begun, the time is right," said Heritage volunteer director Preston...
Tommy C. Gaffney, age 63, passed away June 14, 2024, at Bartow Regional Medical Center in Bartow. He was born on May 16, 1961, in Haines City, FL. He worked in Records Management for Polk County Board of County Commissioners. He was a Representative for the Florida Mobile Homes Organization, former Teamster Representative and former Moose Lodge Governor. He enjoyed spending time with family, traveling and playing jokes. He was preceded in death by parents Raymond Gaffney &...
Keeping fit and active is important for thousands of Lake Wales residents, so the City of Lake Wales is now making an extra effort to see that the sports facilities they use are in top shape. J.C. White is now in charge of making the town's many sports fields look their very best. White is Lake Wales' new Athletic Turf Superintendent, which places him in charge of bringing the athletic fields 'up to snuff,' where they deserve to be. With 16 baseball and softball fields and sev...
(Editor's note: This story introduces a new series addressing the economic impacts of real estate development in the Lake Wales and east Polk County area.) Lake Wales has a need for economic development, and it can only be achieved through responsible growth. Attracting new businesses will provide greater opportunities for the community. In recent years, Polk County has experienced a fast growing population which has stimulated developments across the area. According to the U....
Lake Wales Envisioned, a film documenting the development of the eponymous project created to help guide the community through the challenges of rapid development, has been named as a recipient of the 2024 Communicator Award for excellence in film-making. The 30-minute film was created by Lee Dover of the planning firm of Dover, Kohl & Partners, who were the lead planners responsible for the award-winning plan. It was selected for screening at the Redfish Film Festival in...
A proposal by Lake Wales Deputy Mayor Robin Gibson would appoint at "sergeant at arms" to monitor comments made by the public during city commission meetings. During the commission's Wednesday agenda workshop Gibson cited what he called "personal attacks" that have "driven off good people" as his reasoning behind the proposal. The city has suffered the resignation of several officials during the past two years, but most have simply returned to work at the city as...
Giving young kids safe and fun outlets to help them burn off all that extra energy is a challenge that may have a solution. Parents may rejoice thanks to a new summer program offered by staff the City of Lake Wales' Family Recreation Center. Kids entering kindergarten through 5th grade are eligible to attend Camp Squeeze. Camp Squeeze will offer campers an array of themed science, art, and sporting activities. They'll learn how to make their own Mars rovers during Space Week,...
Mary Margaret Knabe of Lake Wales passed away Monday, May 27, 2024 at her residence. She was born October 6, 1956 in Chicago, Illinois; she moved to Lake Wales from Chicago 20 years ago. Mary was a retired claims adjuster and was a member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Mary was a kindhearted person who would help everyone. She loved her nieces, nephews, and family. Mary was preceded in death by her parents William Francis Knabe and Julia Knabe. She is survived by her...
Work has begun on Hickory Ridge, an 85-lot single-family subdivision that will rise just east of Lake Wales Country Club. The project is the work of Garden Street Communities Southeast, based in Pensacola, FL. It adds to the growing list of residential projects now under development in the southeast quadrant of the city. Site work is underway, being conducted by Diamondback Civil. The 47-acre project site lies in unincorporated Polk County and includes a significant wetland...
Life-long resident and supporter of numerous area charitable causes, Dale Patrick Cain of Lake Wales passed away Monday, May 20. Pat, as he was known to his many friends, was a third generation Lake Wales resident who served as a Lake Wales City Commissioner from 1988 until 1992, serving as mayor in 1991-1992. A 1965 graduate of Lake Wales High School, he played both offense and defense on the Highlander football squads in two undefeated seasons in 1963 and 1964, as more...
Dale Patrick Cain (Pat) of Lake Wales passed away Monday, May 20, 2024 at his residence after a short battle with cancer. Pat was a third generation Lake Walean born on October 16, 1947 to the late Lucas and Mary Cain. He attended the Georgia Institute of Technology on a football scholarship and later graduated with a major in finance from the University of Florida. Pat was in the financial planning industry for over 29 years following many years as owner and operator of...
A new 24-hour Dunkin outlet is planned for a small outparcel facing SR 60 East at Southgate Shopping Center in Lake Wales. Dunkin has two existing outlets in the city, which are expected to remain. Approval of the site plan will be considered by the city's Planning and Zoning Board at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28. Designs for the proposed free-standing building include the 24-hour one-lane drive-through service window as well as an indoor lobby open during more limited hours....
The newly-bricked and landscaped Park Avenue served as the backdrop for a recent ribbon cutting marking the official start of service by the new downtown shuttle known as The Squeeze. A happy crowd of citizens and officials representing Lake Wales Main Street, the Citrus Connection, the City of Lake Wales, and the Community Redevelopment agency shared the moment, celebrating the rapid changes coming to the city. The service is already earning great reviews from shoppers and lu...
A new convenience store "with gasoline service and outdoor display and sales" is planned for the northeast side of Lake Wales, according to a proposed site plan on the Tuesday agenda of the city's Planning and Zoning board. The seven-member P&Z board will consider whether to recommend approval of a Special Exception Use Permit for the 3.1 acre site on the southwest corner of Burns Avenue and Buck Moore Road. The intersection is presently signalized but a long-term...
During an eight-day-long undercover sting investigation during February entitled "Operation Child Predator V," area police detectives filed 27 felony charges against eight suspects accused of crimes against children. Polk County Sheriff's Office detectives, along with police in Lake Wales, Auburndale, Davenport, Lakeland, and the Hardee County Sheriff's Office, charged eight suspects with crimes related to those who prey upon and travel to meet children for unlawful sexual...
William Braunlin of Lake Wales passed away Saturday, May 11, 2024 at AdventHealth Lake Wales. He was born September 10, 1948 in New Jersey City, New Jersey to the late William and Isabell Braunlin; he was a resident of Lake Wales for most of his life. William was a cab driver and a veteran of the United States Marines. He was a very friendly person who loved fishing and talking to people. William is survived by his wife of 55 years, Sharon Braunlin. No services are scheduled...
Staff in the City of Lake Wales Communications & Engagement Department and Police Department were awarded four 2024 Telly Awards in four categories for their "Locating a Missing Person – Police K-9 Unit" video – Social Video for People's Telly Award, Public Relations, Health & Safety for Social Video and Education & Training. The video features Sergeant Matthew Rhoden, K-9 Officer Michael Yodonis and K-9 Officer Rhaegar track a missing person from the scent of an article of...
