Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Sorted by date Results 151 - 165 of 165
Just four months ago the Lake Wales City Commission leased a 2019 Ford Explorer XLT for the police department. That vehicle apparently wasn't good enough for City Manager Ken Fields. Instead Fields wanted the 2019 Ford Explorer Limited, which comes loaded with luxury, comfort, power and cosmetic features not included in the XLT. It also comes with 60 monthly payments of $773.17 – about $227 more per month than what the XLT costs. The Limited is a really nice vehicle. It comes...
Leadership Lake Wales Class 24 kicked off its 10-month program Wednesday, Sept. 18 with a class retreat at Bok Tower. The program is coordinated by the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and EDC through its nonprofit Lake Wales Area Foundation. Class 24 has 20 members, representing various businesses, nonprofits and government agencies in the area. Alumni from some of the previous 23 groups came to meet the new class, reflect on their participation and offer suggestions on...
Thirteen area residents completed their 9-month program June 6 and became graduates of Leadership Lake Wales Class 23. After enjoying a pasta dinner at the American Legion at Eagle Ridge Mall, the classmates talked about learning many new things about Lake Wales and forming bonds that will last well into the future. The Leadership Lake Wales group held an opening retreat in September and a closing retreat in May and met monthly for a daylong session devoted to a particular top...
An act of kindness by a Lake Wales police officer didn't go unnoticed by a little girl whose family recently was involved in a car crash. The child named Abby took the time to create a special thank-you card and to visit the police department to thank Officer Edgar Claros in person. At the July 16 city commission meeting Lake Wales Mayor Eugene Fultz read a commendation letter from Police Chief Chris Velasquez, which detailed the recent incident. "What stands out is the...
Joseph Farewell started shooting as soon as he was big enough to hold a gun and he began competing about nine years ago. The 28-year-old Lake Wales native is proud to represent the United States in the World Rifle Championship in Sweden Aug. 3-10, and he's optimistic about bringing home a gold medal. The U.S. Practical Shooting Association chose Farewell for the four-shooter men's open team, which includes Scott Green of Nevada, who placed second in last year's World Shotgun...
During their second budget workshop July 9 Lake Wales city commissioners asked questions about staff spending priorities while acknowledging they still need much additional information before they are ready to adopt a new budget for the 2019-20 year that begins Oct. 1. City Manager Ken Fields twice tried to reinforce his position that commissioners need to just concern themselves with policy and the city's overall direction and leave spending decisions on how to get there to...
For those who text and drive, it's a good time to quit. A new Florida law goes into effect Monday, July 1 making texting while driving a primary offense. Prior to the new law, officers could only cite drivers for texting if they were pulled over for another violation. The new law means officers can stop drivers they see texting. The texting ban does not apply to a driver using a navigation device or to a driver whose vehicle is stationary. Lake Wales Police Chief Chris Velasqu...
Florida Senate Minority Leader Audrey Gibson fired up members of the Lake Wales NAACP Saturday June 15 with a rousing call to be bold, to vote and to make sure others vote. The Jacksonville Democrat was keynote speaker for Branch 5109's 46th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet. Gibson has been in the Florida Legislature since 2002, the first eight years as a Representative, and the last eight as a Senator. Since it was Father's Day weekend, Gibson brought her dad, Ernest Gibson, to...
Lake Wales Police detectives arrested a 19-year-old Frostproof man Friday, April 26 after they say he arrived at a location believing he was there to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex. After being alerted by a McLaughlin Middle School administrator, who saw a 13-year-old student with an adult male several blocks from school that morning, police talked to the girl and learned she had been communicating with the man on social media for about a year. She also told police the man ha...
Misused prescription drugs contribute to addiction and even death, so the Lake Wales Police Department will join others as a drop-off location for National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 27. According to StandUP Polk, the organization sponsoring the event along with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, people can get rid of any unwanted human or pet medication, including pills, liquids and syringes. Just drive up, hand the officer your medication...
Lake Wales police joined officers from Bartow, Haines City and the Polk County Sheriff's Department as part of the Polk County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigation that resulted in 44 arrests, three warrants and the seizure of 50 pounds of methamphetamines with a street value of $1.4 million. The task force also seized $50,000 in U.S. currency and assets along with four firearms. According to the sheriff's department, the suspects were collectively...
Developer Ray Brown wants to purchase and restore the historic 1929 Seminole Hotel on First Street in Lake Wales but he says the city is anti-development and throwing up roadblocks. Brown, who also is in the process of restoring the historic Walesbilt Hotel, says the Seminole is a solid structure with great potential. He plans to partner with architect Rick Gonzales from West Palm Beach, who has extensive experience with restoration of historic buildings and serves as vice cha...
One St. Petersburg and four Orlando residents were arrested after fleeing from a Lake Wales police officer who was pursuing them as suspects in the reported theft of more than $2,400 in electronics and other merchandise from the Lake Wales WalMart. Shortly after 1 a.m. April 4 Lake Wales Officer Edgar Claros attempted to stop a silver Toyota Highlander that was speeding west on SR 60 near 11th Street. The vehicle matched the description by witnesses at WalMart who reported...
CORRECTION TO PREVIOUS STORY: An earlier story underreported the total projects to SEMCO, citing $1.1 million, but incorrectly stated all projects were awarded without bids. The City did put out requests for proposals on hurricane-related projects, but only one other company bid on one project, the water plant repairs. SEMCO met the stricter FEMA requirements and was awarded the contracts. For the downtown trail project the City received four proposals. One firm retracted...
More than 100 civic and business leaders gathered for breakfast at the Vanguard School to hear the annual "State of the City" report delivered by Lake Wales Mayor Eugene Fultz on Wednesday morning, and most were impressed by what they heard. Ranging from a summation of new businesses arriving, including a Lake Wales Medical Center Wound Care facility, plus Aldi's, Wawa, and Love's, to imaginative plans for re-invigorating the downtown area and Crystal Lake Park, the address wa...
