Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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The conversion of the former McLaughlin Academy of Excellence, a middle school, into McLaughlin Middle/High School is moving ahead with the construction of a new gymnasium, the first of several new facilities that will be added to the school's 38-acre campus in coming months and years. The new gymnasium will serve the full line-up of athletics anticipated for the McLaughlin Phoenix teams. The 28,300 square-foot gymnasium will host a variety of athletic programs, including...
Homeowners should "beware and to proceed with caution" when approached with 'PACE' agreements to pay for energy-efficient and storm-hardening features on their property tax bills, according to Polk County Tax Collector Joe G. Tedder. Some contractors are offering Polk homeowners a variety of home improvements without provisions for billing, saying that all they need to do is sign a "PACE" agreement. Property Assessed Clean Energy, or PACE, offers a loan program to property...
A vision for the long-term future of the Lake Wales region that shifts away from the contemporary development style toward "traditional neighborhoods" was the subject of discussion at the Lake Wales Breakfast Rotary Thursday morning. "Most towns are already 100 years old when they decide what they want to be when they grow up," city planner Victor Dover told more than two dozens in attendance, explaining that Lake Wales has a huge head start due to the efforts of the city's...
The sale of five lots owned by the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency will spur the development of new affordable housing for workers and retirees. An agreement for the sale of the five properties for a total of $34,157.00 to Florida Development Corp, Inc. (FDC) will allow the company to develop five two-bedroom rental units on the lots, located on Sessoms Avenue, D and E Streets. Although a staff report lists the units as having a single bathroom each, an attached floo...
The second phase of the city's annual street resurfacing project will begin in coming days as seven new streets are addressed by contractors. Portions of eleven streets are included in the overall resurfacing effort, which is being performed by Asphalt Paving Systems of Zephyrhills at a total cost of $593,144.32. Four streets were addressed earlier this fiscal year. "Our multi-year pavement management program, created in 2019, is fully funded for the first time," said City...
A ribbon-cutting event celebrating the Circle of Friends new location is planned to include a ribbon-cutting and reception co-hosted by the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council, according to an announcement by the non-profit group. The organization serves an adult disability community from their new home at 333 Lime Ave, Lake Wales. The public reception will take place on June 22 beginning at 11:30 am with a program following at noon.. "We have...
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...
Going back to school in August is as intimidating for some students as it is exciting for others. Polk State College understands the challenges faced by many families in our area and the trepidation so many young students and their families feel, and they've come up with a way to help. On July 29, 2023, Polk State College will be hosting an event called "Start Right." The goal of this program is to reduce bullying, enhance students' success rates in the classrooms, and...
Charmayne Turner Marston of Babson Park passed away Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at AdventHealth Lake Wales. She was born July 5, 1947 in Fort Thomas, Kentucky to the late Frank and Martha Turner. Charmayne lived in Kentucky before moving to Lake Wales where she has resided for the past 38 years. She was a homemaker and a member of First United Methodist Church where she taught Sunday School. Charmayne was a volunteer at the Little Theater, was named volunteer of the year at...
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"...
Westgate River Ranch, just east of Lake Wales, was named the No. 1 Glamping Spot in the nation in the annual USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards. The largest dude ranch East of the Mississippi River, Westgate River Ranch is rooted in the history of the nation's first cowboys and lies on 1,700 lush acres in the heart of Florida's cattle lands. The location offers cowboy-themed accommodations ranging from tent camping and a lodge to luxurious two-bedroom cabins, Glamping...
An apparent medical incident that left a driver partially incapacitated ended with a fatal rear-end crash on US 27 at Washington Avenue. The Medical Examiners investigation revealed Mr. Wulff died from a medical episode unrelated to the crash. This was not a traffic homicide as no other persons, to include Mr. Wulff, died as a result of the crash. According to police reports, at approximately 1:18 p.m Monday a 2008 white Chevy panel van driven by Thomas Wulff, 75, of Lake...
An annual "celebration of music, community, and nature" is returning to Lake Wales for a ninth year and is expected to draw crowds of music-lovers to town for the early December festival. The Orange Blossom Revue is a two-day event featuring a lineup of top musical acts in a wide range of genres ranging from "R&B to country to folk to jazz," according to festival organizer Rusty Ingley. Ingley and Reid Hardman have been running the concert since its inception. "it was an...
Two Haines City men are dead and a third hospitalized following an early morning crash on US Highway 27. Lake Wales Traffic Homicide Investigators determined that a car driven by Aljerume Brooks, age 40 from Haines City failed to stop for the red traffic light while traveling North on Highway 27. Also in the vehicle was Gary Faniel Jr, age 24 and Javarcea Morton, age 23, both of Haines City. Both Faniel and Morton were pronounced dead at the scene. Brooks was transported to...
Arthur R. Falconer, 79, died peacefully at his home in Lake Wales, Florida on May 8, 2023. He was born on October 5, 1943 in East Orange, New Jersey. Art was a teacher at McLaughlin Middle School for 32 years, from 1973 until 2003, before retired. After retired from the Polk County School Board, he taught Geography at Polk State College and Warner Southern University. Art was passionate about sharing his love of geography and the natural world and helping students find their...
Polk County is again reducing yard trash collection, with new guidelines that limit pickup to branches that do not exceed two inches in diameter. In addition to the diameter limits, items may be no longer than three feet, and must be containerized in bins, bundles, or bags, with a maximum combination of four containers, each weighing 30 pounds or less. Yard waste items should be placed curbside by 6:00 am on resident's designated collection day. "Items not in compliance will...
May 13- An argument and poor judgement led to the death of an Orlando woman Saturday night, only some three hours after the traffic death of a Lake Wales man nearby. According to Lake Wales Traffic Homicide Investigators, Lataysha Rene Kelly, 27, of Orlando had been driving west on Chalet Suzanne Road just west of Dinner Lake Shores in Lake Wales, at approximately 10:55 pm, accompanied by Donald Dixon 34, also of Orlando. Police reported that the two were having an argument...
A Lake Wales man died in a head-on crash on US 27 just before sunset Saturday evening after driving his motorcycle northward in the southbound lanes of the six-lane highway. The 7:58 pm crash took the life of 60-year-ol Gary Restifo of Lake Wales. There was no explanation of why he was driving on the wrong lanes of the busy highway. The Polk County Sheriff's office is investigating the incident. Restifo was passing north of Dundee Road (CR 542) when he was struck by a...
Two horses have died in Polk County's Green Swamp area from Eastern equine encephalitis, a mosquito-transmitted illness. The horses reportedly did not have EEE vaccinations. At this time, there have been no reported or confirmed mosquito-borne diseases in humans in Polk County. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus is "spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. Only a few cases are reported in the United States...
Babson Park Elementary student Grace Sullins now has the special honor of having her license tag design mounted on the front of Polk County Tax Collector Joe Tedder's truck. Sullins is this year's special Tax Collector's Choice Award recipient. Sullins won the special recognition in The Kids Tag Art (KTA) program, created by Tedder in Polk County. The Kids Tag Art (KTA) program now spans 15 counties across Florida, inspiring fifth grade student artists to create their own...
The 10th Annual "18 Aces to Conquer Cancer" golf event is sponsored by the Mahalak Auto Group, owners of a local auto dealership, to raise funds for pancreatic cancer research and patient aid. "The goal of 18 Aces to Conquer Cancer is to raise funds for pancreatic cancer, but also to have a fun time doing it." said Ralph Mahalak Jr., co-owner of the Mahalak Auto Group. "This year we will be honoring five members of the community that have recently passed: Glenda Kennon, Jeff...
Darlene Waters Hollinsed, 69, of Lake Wales, Florida passed Friday, April 28, 2023 at her residence. She was born November 13, 1953 in Winter Haven, Florida to the late Jule E. Waters and Hazel (Stokes) Waters and was a lifelong resident of Polk County. Darlene was a bank teller and loved nature, hummingbirds, and fishing. She was preceded in death by her first husband Ricky Thompson, and her son Glenn Thompson. ,Survivors include her husband, Philip Hollinsed; sister Martha...
Did you know that, according to Florida State University's Climate Center, Florida is the state with the most tornadoes per 10,000 square miles? This means that, while other states do get more tornadoes annually, Florida is No. 1 when you consider the size of the state vs. the number of tornadoes. Florida averages 12.2 tornadoes per 10,000 square miles. "During the summer, tornadoes can accompany severe weather," said Paul Womble, director of Polk County's Emergency...
APRIL 26 - A caution from the National Weather Service warns of the likelihood of severe weather today that is expected to include "large to very large hail," along with the potential for very strong downburst winds from thunderstorms. All areas of eastern Polk County are included in the alert. The strong storms will be generated by very cold air aloft and a dip in the jet stream creating a "vort max," or a vortex-type bend in the jet that causes rapid ascension of heated air...
Some low-income Polk County residents may soon find themselves at a healthcare coverage crossroad due to Medicaid changes, and the Polk HealthCare Plan may be able to help those who no longer qualify for Medicaid. Since the beginning of the COVID 19-related public health emergency, Florida has provided continuous Medicaid coverage and has not disenrolled ineligible recipients. Medicaid eligibility is again being determined through normal processing. Florida will have up to 12...
