Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Sorted by date Results 476 - 500 of 668
A second public high school for Lake Wales moved a large step closer to reality last week after Polk County Schools Superintendent Frederick Heid proposed that McLaughlin Middle School campus be used to house new facilities and purposes to provide "continuity" for students there to transition straight to high school with their peers. "Any time we can remove a transition between school levels for students, the students benefit, the school benefits, the staff benefits, because...
A locker system offering rentals of kayaks and paddle boards will soon be installed in Lake Wales Park, following city commission approval of a pilot program. The rental program will be created in partnership with a company called Rent.Fun. The idea was proposed by Recreation Manager Stephanie Edwards as an inexpensive way to offer more opportunities for citizens to get on the water and enjoy the outdoors. "People are going to love these self-service options," Edwards said....
In a 4-1 vote, the Lake Wales city commission this week on first reading a land use and zoning change that will allow development of a 654-lot mobile home park and 143 conventional homes on 208 acres of land east of Scenic Highway on the north side of Lake Wales. The mobile home park feature is the first such development approved within the city limits in several years. Billed as a "resort" mobile home park, the "55 and over" community will feature enhanced amenities,...
The second annual Highlander Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, April 30, and Shelli Jacobs, secretary of the Highlander Booster Club, is excited about the event. "The Lake Wales community is deeply rooted in its love for everything Highlander," Jacobs said in announcing the event, which will take place at Lake Wales Country Club. "If you are from this area, you wear the tartan plaid or orange and black colors with sincere pride. If you are...
A Lake Wales tradition for more than 90 years, the annual Easter Sunrise Service will be held this Sunday morning, April 17 at Bok Tower Gardens. The event is free to the public, and gates will open at 6:00 am. Free admission to the service will continue until 8:00 am. The service "quite literally helps the sun get over the horizon on Easter morning," according to Curtis Bok, son of the garden's founder Edward Bok. The Easter Sunrise Service has been an annual tradition since...
Architect Frederick Law Olmsted may be best known for designing New York City's Central Park, but his many creative accomplishments also included the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, and our own treasure, Bok Tower Gardens. Just before the Great Depression in late 1929, Frederick Law Olmsted and Edward Bok designed a master plan for Lake Wales, with plans to include small parks, plenty of trees, and a lovely place to stroll the downtown area. Nearly a century later, Lake...
An armed robber wearing a hoodie and mask stole an undisclosed amount of money from a cashier at the Gate gas station near the city limits on US 27 north Monday night. Police are seeking the assistance of the public in identifying the suspect pictured in security camera images. The suspect is described as "a black male in his early 20s with a thin build...wearing a red hoodie and a grey face mask carrying a multi-color backpack", according to a police bulletin. It was approxim...
Some 100 persons gathered at noon Friday in Lake Wailes Park to walk "The Way of the Cross," a shared Christian tradition marking the passion of Christ. Cooled by a slight breeze, the group listened intently to prayers offered by ministers from the various denominations on what is considered one of the holiest days of the Christian calendar. Held under the sprawling grandfather oaks of the park, the devout procession wound its way through eight stations scattered around the...
A heartfelt plea for peace and an end to the politicizing of the Lake Wales Charter Schools has been sent to more than 20 leaders of the system by former Board of Trustees Chairman Dr. Andy Oguntola. The system has been disrupted by divisive fights over leadership and curricula. "There are moments in history where each of us play a pivotal role in finding solutions or navigating a difficult path through a storm that seems troublesome," Oguntola wrote in reference to sharply-di...
Voluntarily suffering hardships may seem an unlikely choice for most people, but for hundreds of young students at the local Heart program it's been a pathway to self-discovery and a way to help others. A recent tour of the rustic facility, led by program executive director Phil Murphy, offered the Leadership class of Lake Wales Chamber of Commerce a look at the conditions of life in much of the world, where electricity and running water are often luxuries. The Heart...
A small crowd gathered Monday morning on Third Street near the shores of Crystal Lake to witness a historic moment for the city as officials formally broke ground for the long-anticipated "Park Avenue Trail." The location was perhaps an indication that the marketing name may not last long, as the trail will eventually encircle Crystal Lake and encompass parts of three streets and two parks. Outgoing Mayor Eugene Fultz called the event "historic," noting that the $1.4 million...
Lake Wales area residents dealing with foot ailments due to the effects of diabetes should know that it is a serious health problem that demands treatment, according to Dr. Prerna Mall, a podiatrist who specializes in diabetic foot care along with her regular practice. “Diabetic foot ulcers are one of the most common complications in patients who have diabetes which is not well controlled. These ulcers are usually caused by poor sugar control, underlying peripheral n...
Volunteers and supporters gathered Saturday morning in Lake Wailes Park to mark the dedication of 34 young Magnolia trees which were planted on Friday, April 8 along Lakeshore Boulevard. The trees were a gift to the citizens of Lake Wales from Lake Wales Heritage, which is actively re-planting the lost trees of the landscape plan for the city, which was designed by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted in 1930. Olmsted played a central role in the development of...
More than 40 young magnolia trees will once again grace the length of Lakeshore Boulevard's western stretch when work is completed this week on the replacement of the missing trees from the historic Olmsted landscape. The original trees, planted more than 90 years ago, were mostly lost to hurricanes over the decades. The project is the work of Lake Wales Heritage, the local group that has dedicated itself to restoring the historic "City in a Garden" streetscapes designed by famed architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. at the...
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is warning Floridians to take extra precautions against possible cyber attacks on their computers and systems by Russian actors following its invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. Government has also warned that the U.S. homeland may be at a heightened risk for malicious cyber activity. Evolving intelligence indicates the Russian Government may be exploring options for potential cyberattacks in response to recent economic...
The unofficial vote tabulation is completed and It is apparent that Jack Hilligoss and Danny Kreuger will fill the mayoral post and that of city commissioner. With the votes tabulated, Jack Hilligoss has apparently won the three-way race for mayor, with almost 44% of ballots cast. Under the Lake Wales City Charter there are no run-offs in city elections, so a plurality is sufficient for victory. In the City Commission race, Daniel Krueger defeated James Loydd by less than 100...
An anonymous YouTube post surfaced Saturday attacking mayoral candidate Curtis Gibson with a video his campaign manager said he'd created more than a decade ago, when he was an aspiring professional wrestler. In the video, which was viewed dozens of times within hours Saturday, Gibson appears threatening and uses offensive slang. Chevon Baccus, his campaign manager, said he was acting in character as Bad Boy, his wrestling persona, before an upcoming match. An email sent to...
Most Lake Wales voters have received a pair of deceptive postcards mailed by two out-of-town political committees that have caused Sheriff Grady Judd to issue a statement denying that he is supporting any candidates in Tuesday's city elections. The postcards, taken together, falsely imply that Judd has endorsed candidates for mayor and city commission. "I did not and am not endorsing any local candidates," Judd said in response to an email request for comment from Chevon...
An apparent impropriety in the mayoral campaign financing of City Commissioner Jack Hilligoss has caused yet another twist in the closing days of the election. A letter from Lake Wales attorney Richard McKinley addressed to City Clerk Jennifer Nanek, the candidate, and his campaign treasurer Bonnie Barker demands "any and all documentation related to the itemized expenditures" listed on Hilligoss's March 18 campaign finance report. That report, filed with Nanek last week,...
A Thursday-morning ceremony in downtown's new linear park saw plenty of smiles as a crew representing T Mobile presenting a mock-up giant check representing their company's grant of $48,623 that was awarded to pay for landscaping the park, which borders Scenic Highway opposite the public library. The grant is part of T-Mobile’s Hometown Grants Program to help communities across the country kickstart development projects that will enhance the area and help enrich the lives o...
A vital channel of communication between downtown merchants, the Community Redevelopment Agency and Lake Wales Main Street was opened at a breakfast meeting at the MarketPlace Café Thursday morning, The meeting was part of an effort to familiarize the group about the pending impacts of construction of the Lake Wales Connected revitalization project. Some thirty downtown businesspeople and property owners gathered to hear a presentation from Main Street Manager Karen Thompson,...
Downtown Lake Wales is seeing a significant uptick in property transactions that some see as the result of ambitious street renewal plans being advanced by the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency. The CRA plans to invest some $18 million in renovations across a wide swath of the historic city center. In the latest transaction Monday, investors Stephen and Tammy James have acquired four additional parcels from the Park Avenue Building Company. The couple had purchased...
The public is invited to join officials and staff of the City of Lake Wales for the groundbreaking of the Park Avenue Connector Trail on Monday, April 4. The ceremony is scheduled to take place at 11:00 am on Third Street, behind the library. A portion of that street between Crystal Avenue and Park Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic to become a part of the new trail, which will link the Lake Wailes Trail with the downtown commercial district's restaurants and...
An unexpected third election forum for candidates for Lake Wales mayor and city commission has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 29 at the Lake Wales Arts Center, 1099 SR 60 East. The event was revealed by Chamber President and CEO Skip Alford, who said that the Chamber has a responsibility to the citizens to make sure they are well informed. This will be the third forum of the election cycle. Three candidates for mayor, and two for city commission seat 4, have been invited to...
More than 70 guests gathered Monday evening at the Lake Wales Woman's Club to hear all five candidates for election to two city posts discuss issues and answer questions. Speaking from the stage all five candidates received polite applause following most of their answers, but there were also moments of division. All five candidates were asked the same questions. Mayoral candidates Curtis Gibson, Jack Hilligoss and Tammy James generally agreed on most issues, including that...
