Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Sorted by date Results 976 - 1000 of 1226
In Law School, one of the first things we learn is why our U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights (the first ten Constitutional Amendments ratified in 1791) is critical to the United States. The First Amendment to our U.S. Constitution guarantees Freedom of the Press. This right was so important that it is in the First Amendment! Freedom of the Press is critical to our U.S. way of life; it plays a vital role in informing citizens about public affairs, monitoring the actions...
New features and patron events and more than 50 artists from around the world look to make the 49th Annual Citizens Bank & Trust Lake Wales Arts Festival Feb. 29 and March 1 the best one to date. Hosted by the Lake Wales Arts Council, the Festival will kick off with the 9th Annual Art-B-Que on The Shores of Lake Wailes, 33 N. Lakeshore Blvd., from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday February 28. The free-to-attend Arts Festival will continue on February 29 and March 1. Additions to the festiva...
Dorothy Elizabeth (Stanley) Kenney, 92, of Lake Wales passed away Tuesday Feb. 18, 2020 at Bon Secours Manor in St Petersburg. She was born April 28, 1927 to the late Arthur Paul and Margaret Elizabeth (Molter) Stanley in Lake Wales. She was raised on Twin Lakes in Lake Wales where much of her life was influenced by water. She water-skied on barrow slats tied to her feet, learning to swim before she could walk. As a young woman she would ride her bicycle out to the local municipal airport where she took flying lessons and...
Dr. Diana Reigelsperger speak Thursday, Feb. 20 about Tavern Life in Colonial Florida - a time when American consumption of alcohol was at an all-time high, and early Temperance movement organizations arose. The free presentation begins at 6 p.m. in the city commission chambers at 201 W. Central Ave. in Lake Wales. Reigelsperger is an associate professor of history at Seminole State College in Sanford, FL Her research focuses on trade in colonial Spanish Florida, particularly...
When Lake Wales City Manager Ken Fields asked in February 2019 for a change to his retirement account contributions, City Commissioner Terrye Howell was happy to make the motion to approve it. After all, Fields stated that the fiscal impact for the year would be just 2.6 percent or about $3,560, an increase she felt was reasonable. It turns out the city's 2019 contribution of $51,490 to Fields' retirement accounts was actually about $14,500 more than 2018, and Howell is not...
In a split 3-2 vote the City of Lake Wales General Employee Pension Board agreed Friday Feb. 14 to recommend to the city commission that they allow employees to buy up to five years of service credit for their work for other governmental entities in Florida. Pension Board Member Sarah Kirkland, the city's utilities director, said she was prepared to vote "no" until Deputy Mayor Robin Gibson made the case that because of politics, especially in small towns, few city managers co...
The Lake Wales History Museum opened the major traveling exhibit, Spirited: Prohibition in America on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Organized by the National Constitution Center, Philadelphia, PA, in partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance, Kansas City, MO, Spirited: Prohibition in America explores the era of Prohibition, when America went "dry." Visitors will learn about the complex issues that led America to adopt Prohibition through the 18th Amendment to the Constitution in 1919 unt...
Lake Wales city commissioners in their role as the Community Redevelopment Agency authorized the city manager to explore the possible sale of the 1919 school property to the Lake Wales Charter Schools to become the permanent home of Bok Academy North. But commissioners raised several issues they want resolved during negotiations. Deputy Mayor Robin Gibson left the room during the discussion to avoid any ethical conflict since he serves as legal counsel for the charter system....
Bruce R. Clark, 62, of Lake Wales passed away Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020 at the Winter Haven Hospital. He was born Dec. 23, 1957 in Detroit, MI; he moved here from Marine City, MI 14 years ago. He was a retired self-employed carpenter and attended the Saddlebag Community Church. He enjoyed hunting, golfing, writing short stories, music and song writing. He was a long time member of AA and celebrated 29 years of sobriety. Survivors include his daughters, Anna Clark of Winter Haven, Emma Gillespie and husband, Brett of Nampa, ID a...
Lake Wales City Manager Ken Fields is asking city commissioners, in their role as the city's Community Redevelopment Agency, to allow the Lake Wales Charter Schools to lease the old high school property off Seminole Avenue for one dollar for one year so they can proceed with plans to locate Bok Academy North there for the 2020-21 school year. The CRA meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18 at the city administration building, 201 W. Central Ave. The CRA agenda item asks...
Lake Wales City Manager Ken Fields is proposing two changes to the city's pension rules. One would enable him to get a lifetime city pension worth potentially more than $600,000 without completing the minimum 10 years of service with the city. The other change would create investment accounts for Police Chief Chris Velasquez and Fire Chief Joe Jenkins, whose retirement contributions have been stopped because they are the first two city employees to reach the $75,000 pension...
The Lake Wales Charter Schools are looking to breathe new life into the old high school complex by locating Bok Academy North on the site off Seminole Avenue. Charter Schools Superintendent Jesse Jackson said his staff is working with Lake Wales City Manager Ken Fields and may have a proposal for the city commission at their next meeting as the Community Redevelopment Agency Feb. 18. The charter schools approached the city two years ago asking for a donation of the school...
At the end of a tense, 3 ½ hour city commission workshop on community policing and the prospect of police wearing body cameras Lake Wales City Manager Ken Fields summarized his marching orders: Bring back a plan and budget for implementing body cameras and develop a better system for citizen complaints. Police Chief Chris Velasquez made a lengthy and detailed presentation citing his department's service-based community policing philosophy and commitment to building...
The regular municipal election for the City of Lake Wales will be held on Tuesday, April 7 to elect commissioners for Seats 3 and 5. Both incumbents, Terrye Howell in Seat 3 and Robin Gibson in Seat 5, say they plan to seek re-election. Howell has been a city commissioner since 2005, except for one year when the district boundaries changed and her new seat was not yet up for election. Gibson was first elected in 2016 and then re-elected without opposition in 2018. Voters last...
Lake Wales City Commissioners Feb. 4 approved lease and operating agreements to pave the way for purchasing the Lake Wales Family YMCA. Commissioners at their Jan. 20 meeting approved the purchase of the property for $565,000, but still had some contract language they wanted modified before proceeding. Deputy Mayor Robin Gibson, an attorney, helped revise the contracts with the YMCA of West Central Florida and said Tuesday he was satisfied. The city in December agreed to...
Lansing "Lance" Poole, 75, passed away Saturday, Jan. 19, 2020 at his residence. He was born December 7, 1944 in Miami to the late Henry W. and Frances (Jordan) Poole. He has been a resident of the area since 1993 coming from Miami. He was a retired Lieutenant for the City of Miami Fire Rescue for 24 years. Lance was a veteran in the U.S. Air Force serving in Vietnam. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club, a dedicated family man, an active member in his Church and the men's...
Billy Joe Barfield, 84, of Daleville, AL went to be with his Lord and Savior on Jan, 24, 2020. Billy Joe was born on Dec. 14, 1935 in Crisp County, Georgia to the late Benjamin and Alice Barfield. He was a longtime resident of Lake Wales, and moved to Arabi, GA in 1994, and then to Daleville, AL in 2014. Billy Joe was an avid Georgia Bulldog football fan. He was a retired installer/repairman for GTE. He was of the Baptist faith. Billy Joe was preceded in death by his parents,...
The president of the newly formed Lincoln Community Development Corporation is calling for Lake Wales police to start wearing body cameras to document interactions with suspects and the general public. Attorney Sara Jones said she also would like to see police get more training and make a stronger commitment to community policing to enhance relationships with citizens, especially in the northwest community. To discuss Jones' requests, city commissioners will hold a workshop...
Charles Ray Miller, 89, of Winter Haven passed away Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020 at his residence. He was born August 07, 1930 in Lake Wales to the late Charlie and Era Mozelle (Campbell) Miller and he has been a lifelong resident of this area. He was a retired owner/operator of M&N Fruit Harvesting. Charles served in the U.S. Navy. He was an active member of the Landmark Baptist Church in Haines City. He was an avid Nascar fan. Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Lucille Miller; daughter, Susan Eldridge and husband Glenn of...
For the second time this month the city's plans to purchase the Lake Wales Family YMCA hit a roadblock that pushed the whole deal further down the road. Commissioners at their Jan. 20 meeting approved the purchase of the property for $565,000, but that sale will only go forward if both sides can agree to the lease and operating agreement with the YMCA of West Central Florida. In December they agreed to borrow $900,000 for the purchase, related costs and renovations. It's...
The Lake Wales City Commission Tuesday, Jan. 14 approved $150,000 in incentives to help a taproom locate downtown and a café open on Lincoln Avenue. Since the two commitments would deplete their $200,000 incentive fund budget for 2019-20 commissioners agreed to make another $300,000 in Community Redevelopment Agency funds available for future food-related businesses seeking support. Lake Wales Main Street Director Karen Thompson said the two projects would serve as catalysts t...
A variety of activities are planned Jan. 16-20 in Lake Wales to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Committee is inviting participation in the following: 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16 at James P Austin Community Center, 315 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. A pot luck dinner is being sponsored by Unity in the Community entitled "Dessert First". Please come out and get to know your community neighbors. For more...
Auditions for the March Lake Wales Little Theatre production of Super Freaks will be Jan. 13 and 14. Director Lesta Woods is looking to cast three men and three women in this fun play about quirky inmates at a mental health facilty who imagine they are crime-fighting superheroes. A copy of the script is available for review at the Lake Wales Public Library. Auditions start at 6:30 p.m. both day at the theatre at 411 N. 3rd St. in Lake Wales. In the play, Lois Lancaster is a...
Kevin Sunderland says he was pleasantly surprised to be named City of Lake Wales 2019 Employee of the Year. As manager of information technology he does much of his work behind the scenes and behind his computer screen. In announcing his selection city Library Director Tina Peak pointed out that Sunderland's job effects the work of all city employees every day. "I enjoy trying to help everybody out," said Sunderland, who was hired six years ago as network administrator and rec...
Lake Wales' longtime historian, visionary, beloved wife, and mother, Mimi (Mary Leigh Reid) Hardman, died at age 85 on Dec. 13 following an extended illness. A driving force for historic preservation and celebrating the pioneers who built Lake Wales, Hardman left behind an extraordinary legacy. In her adopted hometown and beyond, Mimi will be remembered as the founder and director of the Depot Museum, host of the annual Pioneer Days festival, red outfits and patriotic...
