Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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Identity theft is when someone uses your personal information to impersonate you or steal from you. These crimes can impact your physical, mental, and emotional health and lead to lost opportunities that are often hard to measure. Learning more about identity theft can help you keep your personal information safe. There are two types of identity theft you should be aware of: • Thieves stealing your data, physically or digitally, without contacting you directly. •...
Women Who Made History on the Ridge was the theme of three awards granted by the Laker Wales chapter of the American Association of University Women this week. Dr. Glenda Morgan and two former mayors of Lake Wales, Linda Kimbrough and Kathy Manry Smith, were honored for their years of contributions to the community at a luncheon at the Good Shepherd Church March 12. Each of the three was introduced by Lake Wales City Clerk Jennifer Nanek, who included personal anecdotes of...
(NAPSI)-If you think you'd know if you were losing vision to an eye disease, you might want to think again. The symptoms of glaucoma can start so slowly that you may not notice them. That's why half the people with glaucoma don't even know they have it. The good news is that regular eye exams and timely treatment can preserve your sight. But, the only way to find out if you have glaucoma is to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommen...
Christine Frances Magruder Hackl, age 96 of Indianapolis, Indiana, passed away on March 23, 2024. Christine was born on June 16, 1927 in Jackson, Mississippi. She married Albert James Hackl and celebrated 67 happy years of marriage, and raised eight children seemingly with ease, navigated numerous moves around the country with an adventurous spirit, and never wavered in her Catholic faith. Known for her strong convictions, Christine never shied away from tough topics and...
A Lake Wales woman is in custody after a horrific accident on Saturday morning resulted in the death of a passenger in her vehicle. After what police described as "a very active and ongoing traffic homicide investigation," the Lake Wales Police Department obtained an arrest warrant for Jeanette Gonzalez of Lake Wales for DUI Manslaughter. The crash took place on U.S. Highway 27, in front of Weikert Ford, where officers found 38-year-old Eliecer Padilla of Lake Wales deceased...
Dr. Alexander “Fleet” Ryland, III, 77, of Lake Wales, passed away on Monday, February 5, 2024, surrounded by loved ones at AdventHealth in Lake Wales. Born on April 5, 1946, in Richmond, VA, Fleet was the cherished son of the late Alexander and Brennan Ryland. Growing up primarily in Sarasota, Fleet attended Riverview High School before proudly serving in the Navy. It was during this time that he found his lifelong companion, Theresa, whom he married in 1969. Pursuing his pas...
Earle F. Sullivan of Prestonsburg, Kentucky passed away Friday, January 19, 2024 Pikeville Kentucky Medical Center. He was born January 31, 1952 in Dayton, Ohio to the late Ottis and Weltha Sillivan. He was a resident of Lake Wales before moving to Kentucky. Earle was a machine operator for the Lakeland Ledger and the Palm Beach Post. He was a fan of football and baseball and enjoyed boating. Earle loved his grandchildren and his dog Scruffy. Earle was preceded in death by...
A passion for helping people overcome health challenges and a will to reach as many in need as possible has led Dr. Kulmeet Kundlas to fulfilling his dreams in Lake Wales, even as he provides funds to educate the next generation of doctors. His work has also led him to fall in love with the community. Dr. Kundlas, a board-certified physician, operates the Shield Medical Group, a general medical practice on US 27. He came to Lake Wales directly from his residency at Cornell...
Asbestos was once a celebrated building material, a staple in shipbuilding during the 20th century due to its singular heat resistance and insulating properties. The mineral was a lurking danger, emerging when its microscopic fibers became airborne and were inhaled. It was too often an ignored threat, Every branch of the U.S. Military - including the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy - applied products made with asbestos for decades. However, Navy personnel...
Hundreds in Lake Wales were left stunned and saddened recently by the sudden passing of Drew Truitt, a community volunteer described by one friend as a "social instigator." Truitt, 67, had celebrated his birthday only days earlier at a meeting of Rotary on the Ridge, which was one of several avenues for his enthusiasm and willingness to help. Truitt had been named Rotarian of the Year in 2018-19 largely due to his contagious enthusiasm for volunteer projects and his...
An anniversary worth noting is happening this month, as a local institution marks its 100th birthday. The Babson Park Woman's Club (BPWC) is a designated national historic landmark standing just across the street from Webber University. Established in the fall of 1923, the Babson Park Woman's Club turns 100-years old on November 16, 2023, marking a full century of significant contributions to the community and nation, ranging from local social activities to WWII bandage...
A new "circulator" bus route that will serve the city six days a week on a frequent schedule began this week, making getting around town without a car a much simpler task. Lake Wales should be very proud of the new service, according to Tom Phillips, executive director of Citrus Connection, which operates the buses. "This is only the second city [in Polk County] to have a real circulator route," he told Lake Wales News.net. The circulator will stay within the city limits,...
New details are slowly emerging after the huge pileup crash Thursday evening at the intersection of US 27 and Chalet Suzanne Road in Lake Wales. "Several people were injured" in the crash, according to police, with at least one with injuries described as "life-threatening." The intersection remained closed for several hours as investigators and emergency medical personnel worked the scene. According to investigators and eyewitness accounts, a Chrysler 300 attempted to make a...
Pathways leading to college or directly to highly-paid careers are open to students at Lake Wales High School thanks to the seven "Career Academies" offered at the school. Assistant Principal Jasmine Ansley heads the career academy program and was happy to report that 1,039 of the school's students are now enrolled in one of the pathways. The program helps keep students engaged in what they like to do at school, resulting in a lower drop rate, she said. A recent special...
Polk County's medically vulnerable residents will find healthcare more accessible beginning October 1 after the Citizens Healthcare Oversight Committee approved relaxing income requirements for participation in the Polk HealthCare Plan (PHP) from 168 to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. According to officials, the change is in part a reflection of the minimum wage increase occurring in Florida on September 30. Families may make more money now due to higher pay but, thanks to...
Lake Wales will become a healthier city if traditional neighborhood design standards are applied to future development proposals here, according to studies shared by Dr. Joanna Lombard of the University of Miami. Lombard, who has dual appointments to the university's medical school and the school of architecture, was the lead panelist on a webinar hosted this week by 1000 Friends of Florida to discuss the health and wellness impacts of where we live. The significant increases...
Owners of the rapidly-growing number of electric vehicles in the Lake Wales area, as well as travelers passing through the city on SR 60, will be pleased to find four new electric vehicle chargers in a handy location. A project of AdventHealth Lake Wales Medical Center and Duke Energy EV Division, the chargers have been installed in the hospital parking lot immediately behind the Lake Wales Arts Center at 1099 SR 60 East. They are readily accessible from 11th Street. A large...
The significant way that features such as sidewalks, bicycle tracks, trees, parks, and public squares affect the overall health of the general public will be discussed by a panel of experts in a lunchtime forum certain to have relevance to Lake Wales. A number of proposals under development as part of the Lake Wales Envisioned plan cite exactly those impacts. The free webinar will take place on Monday, September 18, from noon to 1:00 pm. It's being hosted by the 1000 Friends...
Stephen Thomas Rodda has been charged with first-degree murder after apparently killing his own 16-year-old son on Monday. Rodda, 37, was booked into the Polk County Jail Monday after he was arrested by Polk County Deputies and charged with killing the teen with an angle-grinder, a power tool normally used to cut metal. He will have a first appearance hearing at 1:00 p.m. today, Tuesday, September 5, 2023. According to the Sheriff's office, the victim's grandfather returned...
The dramatic, and very loud, collapse of a large gas station canopy at Scenic Highway and Polk Avenue Tuesday afternoon brought a quick response from emergency services, but happily no one required medical attention. The 3:00 pm collapse was heard by area residents, who said it made a "very loud boom" that brought them out to see what had happened. It was apparent, they said, that a tractor trailer that was driving past the structure had clipped it and destabilized it. The...
In a move that local officials hope may help save lives and property, Polk County Fire Rescue (PCFR) has added 45 new FLIR Thermal Imaging Cameras (TICs) to its fire engines, ladder trucks, squads and tower trucks. "These new TICs will enhance the decision-making abilities and save lives," said Fire Chief Hezedean A. Smith, D.M. "By helping to protect Polk County's residents and visitors, and by making sure our members come home safely every day, these cameras will ensure safe...
Polk County's Indigent Health Care program has issued a Request For Applications (RFA) to healthcare-related, non-profit organizations who are interested in receiving Community Partner Grant funding to provide healthcare services to qualified Polk County residents. Applicants who submit an RFA must be able to provide direct healthcare services or coordinate the delivery of those services to county residents with incomes of up to 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. This R...
Former Lake Wales City Commissioner Kris Fitzgerald has filed to run for the US Congress from Florida's 15th district, which includes a portion of Polk and Pasco counties and much of Hillsborough County. Fitzgerald's formal announcement of candidacy is expected to come in a news conference next week. Her filing makes her the first challenger to Republican incumbent Laurel Lee, who won the seat only last year. Fitzgerald met with LakeWalesNews.net for an exclusive interview...
A fire in a mobile home in a remote location nearly took the life of a Polk County resident early Sunday. Polk County Fire Rescue firefighters responded to 2:20 am medical call in Babson Park that was quickly escalated into a structure fire with a trapped victim. Rescuers responding to 1562 Pfundstein Road, southeast of Babson Park, found a mobile home in flames, and at least one resident who had managed to flee the structure with injuries. After unsuccessfully attempting to g...
Polk County Emergency Management has release the "Polk County Public Shelters" maps for 2023, revealing that there remains only a single shelter to serve the nearly 100,000 residents of Southeast Polk County. Spook Hill Elementary, at 321 Dr. J. A. Wiltshire Ave East in Lake Wales, is the only shelter in a broad area that Includes Dundee, Frostproof, Babson Park, Nalcrest, and other area communities. The 2023 map includes 47 shelters, including three "Special Needs Shelters"...
