Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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Polk State's Lake Wales campus, located entirely in the two-story JD Alexander Center on Central Avenue, has doubled its student population. Enrollment has grown from 600 to 1,200 students in the past five years, despite being limited to five classrooms. Campus Director Dr. Andy Oguntola described the innovation that was key to the growth, and how the relatively small building houses multiple classes. Under a concept he introduced, students attend classes one day a week in...
Lake Wales's newest housing subdivision is rapidly being developed on the high ground just west of Lake Wales High School. Scenic Bluffs Phase Two will offer 55 single-family homes on a site facing Old Scenic Highway. In a nod to the extraordinary housing shortage facing much of the nation, prices have risen sharply for new homes, pricing many first-time buyers out of the market. New homes in the development will start at 1400 square feet of living area and be priced...
By now a familiar voice to fans at Friday night football games, one local volunteer has made a highly successful career out of childhood inspiration, and a thread of football tradition runs through it. Local son Kent Lilly has become something of a legend in his own right. Lilly grew up in Lake Wales, and after Lake Wales High School went on to graduate from the University of Florida with a degree in accounting before heading off to law school at Florida State University,...
"It's a blink of an eye and 30 years have flown by. When Ralph and I started we both had darker hair," said Mike Mahalak, president of the Mahalak Auto Group, in recognition of a quadruple anniversary for their local and flagship franchises. "It has been a fun adventure. We have been blessed to see a lot of growth and have made a lot of relationships here in Winter Haven and across central Florida. At the end of the day, you can buy a vehicle from just about anybody... but...
The multiple proposals for future residential development in the Lake Wales area has many concerned for the future of the city and the potential loss of its "small town" feel. After hearing from numerous citizens about their worries for the future, Commissioner and Deputy Mayor Robin Gibson has felt the need to speak about the issue. "Folks have been telling me they are concerned about the town being overwhelmed by the coming urbanization," Gibson said in a written statement....
With thousands of homes coming off the drawing board and plans to build them at more than a dozen locations around Lake Wales, city planners are attempting to get ahead of the expected traffic impacts with a variety of moves. The latest proposal, which was approved by the City Commission Tuesday, is a study which will propose a "mobility fee," the new buzzword replacing traditional "traffic impact fees." The new fee will apply to each new home built in the city, assuring a poo...
Remember that library book, and the DVD you checked out last year and forgot to return? Yeah, that one... Well, there's good news. Now you don't have to pay the fine! Just bring a few foodstuffs, help some needy families during the holidays, and you're off the hook! The Lake Wales Public Library is conducting their annual Holiday Food for Fines program beginning November 1. The program runs through December 31. Food for Fines is an annual fine amnesty program that provides...
New features and sections added to LakeWalesNews.Net have driven skyrocketing readership since September 1, reaching well over 80,000 page views during the first month, according to statistics captured by Internet analytics. New Day Market Research acquired the online newspaper on that date and has since significantly enhanced the publication's reach and interest. "We are extremely pleased by the community reaction to our added features like the graphic Community Calendar," sa...
The rush to develop housing in Lake Wales shows no sign of abating as new proposals continue to come before the Lake Wales City Commission. Tuesday's agenda saw an approval of an annexation that will pave the way for a 90-acre residential development south of the Eastlake Center, which houses Winn-Dixie and Rural King. The proposed annexation of 62 acres will join them with another 29 already under the same ownership group. If approved for medium density residential...
In a citrus crop forecast released Tuesday, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried mentioned a startling number for Florida's peak citrus production: 244 million boxes in the 1997-98 season. Some 25 years later, the citrus forecast shows much lower numbers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast reported 47 million boxes of Florida oranges for the 2021-22 season - down 11 percent (52.8 million boxes) from last season, and 3.8 million boxes for grapefruit, down eight percent...
A 30-year extension of the life of the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) will guarantee a continuing flow of revenue for community improvements, including street and sidewalk construction, lighting, street trees and more. Community Redevelopment Agency funds are being used to pay for the Lake Wales Connected plan reconstruction and landscaping of Park Avenue and First Street, expected to begin shortly. The CRA is funded by capturing about 90% of the City and...
With hundreds of new homes slated for construction along the booming Buck Moore Road, Lake Wales City Commissioners have unanimously approved hiring an engineering firm to conduct a traffic study to keep things moving along that corridor. "This is a proactive step to anticipate and mitigate any impacts" from the new subdivisions, City Manager James Slaton said in introducing the proposal at a Commission workshop. "We want to do the corridor study now to have it in place when...
Lake Wales will likely have to tweak the borders of its four voting districts since the 2020 U.S. Census showed the city had grown by about 15 percent in the last decade. The official census count in 2020 was 16,351 residents, up from 14.225 in 2010. In order to redraw voting district lines, a special five-person Census Redistricting Committee will be formed to suggest the new boundaries, which will then have to be formally adopted by the city commission. The city has four...
Plans and proposals for new housing developments in Lake Wales have come in waves during 2021 and show no sign of abating. More than 8,300 new dwellings are now "visible" on the planning documents at the City of Lake Wales Development Services. Those residences are likely to house more than 23,000 new citizens, an expected population increase of some 140%. "Everybody wants to come where we are," said City Commissioner Robin Gibson, when asked about the growth spurt. "It's a...
Every civic club, church, and sponsoring organization in Lake Wales is invited to take advantage of the free advertising available for their events, meetings, and services simply by clicking a link. "This is rather a game-changer for the community," said News.Net City Editor Tom Paulson. "We're really glad to offer this as an alternative to the multiple and confusing calendars that are offered on several other local websites." The Community Calendar can be seen by Clicking a...
As a service to area residents and small businesses, LakeWalesNews.net is now offering a free Business Services Directory that will include listings from service-oriented businesses serving area homeowners. “This will be an opportunity for local ‘mom and pop’ businesses to connect with customers who need their services,” said Tom Paulson, spokesperson for LakeWalesNews.net publisher New Day Market Research. Businesses and those seeking services may post their listing by sending their information to editor@...
A September 28 reception has been scheduled to give Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce members an opportunity to meet the new head of the organization's economic development efforts. Skip Alford was retained several weeks ago, and was briefly introduced to City Commissioners during a recent meeting. The reception will be the first opportunity for many business leaders to meet Alford. The City of Lake Wales provides significant funding to the Chamber as a "public-private...
More than six months after the departure of lauded Lake Wales Charter Schools Superintendent Jesse Jackson, the process of seeking his replacement being conducted by the Board of Trustees is in disarray. Board Chairman Danny Gill has written a memo calling for an opportunity for citizens to voice their opinions at the September 20 meeting of the board. His memo states that “This is not a meeting to discuss who the next Superintendent should be or will be. This meeting will b...
Lake Wales will continue to enjoy the presence of a local news source focused on the community thanks to a recent business agreement. It was announced today that New Day Market Research (NDMR) has acquired the assets of LakeWalesNews.net and will continue frequent publication of important stories and community news. NDMR intends to continue the focus on local news while increasing coverage of local sports and community groups. Two and half years after its inaugural issue the...
The largest proposed development in Lake Wales history has taken another step forward. City Commissioners have approved a new zoning designation for over 1,800 acres of vacant land south of Thompson Nursery road and west of U.S. Highway 27 at the request of the Winter Haven Corporation, which has owned the property for decades. The property will now be zoned as Planned Development Mixed Use. Previously, there was no zoning classification on the land. The plan calls for 2,800...
The Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency has agreed to sell a parcel of land at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and B Street on which developers have proposed a mixed-use building that includes both commercial and residential space. After the city issued a request for proposals, two bids were received to develop the vacant tract, currently owned by both the city and CRA. Florida Development Corporation was unanimously approved as the firm to move forward with its...
As a service to area residents and small businesses, LakeWalesNews.net is now offering a free Business Services Directory that will include listings from service-oriented businesses serving area homeowners. “This will be an opportunity for local ‘mom and pop’ businesses to connect with customers who need their services,” said Tom Paulson, spokesperson for LakeWalesNews.net publisher New Day Market Research. Businesses and those seeking services may post their listing by sending their information to editor@...
Members of the Lake Wales Police Department have been pleased with the roll out of eight body-worn cameras already in use, with an additional 24 cameras to come on line later this fall. Deputy Chief David Black said officers who are currently using the cameras are providing constructive feedback and reacting positively to having them available. "The guys seem to love the body worn cameras. They're excited to have them. We've already had a couple of criminal cases with them. I...
The Lake Wales Charter Schools and the local community are mourning the passing of Dr. Damien Moses, principal of Bok Academy South. "It is with our deepest sorrow that we inform you of the passing of our beloved principal and colleague, Dr. Damien Moses," said Superintendent Alricky Smith in a July 23 email announcing Moses' death. "Dr. Moses was a pillar with the Lake Wales Charter Schools system serving since its inception." Prior to being appointed principal of Bok...
A celebration of life for Bok Academy South Principal Damien Moses is scheduled for noon, Saturday, July 31. The event will take place at the Lake Wales High School gymnasium and also live streamed on You Tube. Masks will be required to attend in person. Those wishing to share photos, stories or leave sympathy for the family can do so at https://everloved.com/life-of/damien-moses/ The link for the live stream is https://youtu.be/ykDCjGuW55k Moses died July 22. Our story,...
