Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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Think of 25 people you know. One of them is likely atheist. And probably afraid of you finding out. We know that there are even nonbelievers working in governments and sitting on Boards or holding other elected positions who feel their nonreligious identities must remain hidden because they are made to feel as second class by things like discriminatory invocation practices and some of the public response we saw this week in Lake Wales, FL. A few weeks ago, I was approached by...
Deputy Mayor Robin Gibson in July voted against raises for himself and his fellow commissioners, but he's apparently had a change of heart. At the commission's Sept. 16 workshop Gibson asked for the issue to be reconsidered. Interim City Manager James Slaton quickly placed the item on the Sept. 23 agenda to meet a fast approaching deadline. Commissioners have the power to raise their salaries, but any action must be at least six months prior to the city election. The window...
Rotary on the Ridge named Mike Baccus as its 2019-2020 Rotarian of the Year. Delayed due to the COVID-19 virus, the presentation was made Sept. 14 as the club began meeting back in person. As his last official act Immediate Past President Herb Gillis presented Baccus with a plaque at an early dinner gathering of members. Then during the club's regular meeting in-person and on the online Zoom platform, 2018-19 Rotarian of the Year Drew Truitt re-presented the award so the rest...
Lake Wales City commissioners by a 4-1 vote Sept. 9 approved an invocation policy that appoints an official chaplain and develops a list of volunteers from local congregations to fill in as needed. Two atheists who live outside the city and one city resident who described herself as non-religious failed to convince commissioners to abandon the invocations or replace them with a moment of silence. Lake Wales resident Charlene Bennett said the policy "pretty much guarantees you...
COVID-19 did not deter volunteers from the American Association of University Women from delivering nearly 100 framed prints of famous fine art paintings to area schools for public display. This year the selections range from Middle-Ages masters Durer and Brueghel to more modern artists such as Matisse and Dali. Advancing through their K-12 school years, with displays changing annually, students see a wide variety of styles and periods of art through this program. More pieces...
The Polk County Democrats will be holding their annual fundraising gala from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12 as a unique, virtual event. The Celebrate Blue theme reflects ongoing efforts to elect Democrats in the upcoming Nov. 3 election. Keynote speaker will be Nikki Fried, commissioner of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Special guest speaker will be U.S. Rep. Val Demings from Orlando. Others participating include U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, Florida...
The Lake Ashton Veterans Association is facilitating an initiative by Wreaths Across America to remember "the sacrifice and impact upon our great country" on September 11, 2001 from the terrorist events in New York City, the Pentagon and Pennsylvania. The organization is asking Lake Ashton residents to wave the U.S. flag outside of their homes at 8:46 a.m., 9:37 a.m. and 10:03 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 11 to honor those lost and those first responders who still suffer the after-ef...
Rotary on the Ridge has been recognized with a 2019-2020 Water Safety Advocacy Award by the Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation. The regional after hours service club kicked off its water safety initiative in the spring of 2019 using the foundation's Josh the Baby Otter program materials. The club presented the water safety program to more than 500 children at Chain of Lakes and Spook Hill elementary schools and at day care centers in Dundee and Lake Wales. Planned 2020...
Lake Wales Deputy Mayor Robin Gibson said he would prefer city commission meetings begin with a moment of silence, but the mayor and other commissioners agreed at their Sept. 2 workshop to go forward with a new invocation policy that appoints an official chaplain and sets up a rotation list of local clergy volunteers when he is not available. Commissioners will consider adopting a resolution formalizing the new policy at their Sept. 9 meeting. The resolution appoints Dr....
Merle H. Peterson, 87, of Lake Wales passed away Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020 at Grace Healthcare. She was born October 6, 1932 in Lake Wales to the late William and Mary Huggins. Merle was a retired secretary for the Polk County Finance Department and was of the Baptist faith. She enjoyed cooking and watching shows on T.V. Merle was preceded in death by her husband, Willis B. Peterson in 1990; daughters, Kathy Powell, and Janice Holmer; and grandchild, Bobby Powell. Survivors...
The Lake Wales Public Library, with the assistance of lakewalesnews.net, has revived a tradition that existed in our local weekly newspaper for many years, the publication of a sampling of new books available at our library. The list will be updated weekly. The Lake Wales Public Library continues to offer safe door-side pickup of materials during our current hours of operation. Call the library to request that holds are placed on items for pickup at the Lake Wales Public...
Polk County Public Schools has created a new resource for parents, employees and members of the public who seek further information about the impact of COVID-19 on their school communities. In conjunction with the Florida Department of Health, PCPS has created polkschoolsfl.com/covidschoolcommunications. "We know how important it is to communicate with our community and to keep them as informed as possible during these very uncertain times," said Rachel Pleasant, senior...
With a possible hurricane headed toward Florida, Polk County is offering sandbags to residents wanting to protect their homes from water intrusion. Sandbags will be provided to Polk County residents at all Roads and Drainage maintenance units and another site in Poinciana from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; Aug. 22 and 23. A maximum of 10 sandbags will be provided to each vehicle to help prevent water intrusion into the home. Beginning Aug. 22, the following locations...
The Lake Wales Public Library, with the assistance of lakewalesnews.net, has revived a tradition that existed in our local weekly newspaper for many years, the publication of a sampling of new books available at our library. The list will be updated weekly. The Lake Wales Public Library continues to offer safe door-side pickup of materials during our current hours of operation. Call the library to request that holds are placed on items for pickup at the Lake Wales Public...
After hearing a national organization might file a lawsuit, Lake Wales City commissioners Aug. 18 paused their plans to adopt guidelines for invocations before meetings . Commissioners had decided in workshop session a week earlier to appoint Dr. James Moyer as the city's official chaplain and fill in themselves with invocations in his absence. Since 2009, Moyer, a retired minister of higher education and chaplain for the Polk County Sheriff's Office, has been the primary...
With all 167 precincts, early votes and mail in ballots tallied, Lori Edwards has coasted to another term in office, an indication that voters are pleased with how she is running the Supervisor of Elections office. The unofficial results are Edwards with 79,210 votes (77.67 percent) to Debbie Hannifan garnering 22,778 votes (22.33 percent). Edwards was the biggest winner of the night. This is not to say this race was without controversy, as her opponent unsuccessfully...
Donald W. "Don" Lewis, 79, of Lake Wales went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020 at his residence. He was born March 10, 1941 in Bristol, VA to the late Clarence and Evelyn Lewis. During his working years, Don was a process server for the Polk County Sheriff's Office, as well as working for the Lakeland Post Office for many years. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam Era. Don was a sports enthusiast with football being his primary passion. He play...
The city's unofficial chaplain, Dr. James Moyer, is likely to become the city's official chaplain Aug. 18, two weeks after a firestorm erupted when the Lake Wales city clerk invited a representative of the Atheist Community of Polk County to give the invocation to open the city commission meeting. Since 2009, Moyer, a retired minister of higher education and chaplain for the Polk County Sheriff's Office, has been the primary person offering invocations at Lake Wales City...
Cyber Florida at University of South Florida and the Florida Center for Instructional Technology at USF are pleased to announce that Polk County has joined the partnership to prepare Florida's high school students to pursue careers in the high-paying, in-demand field of cybersecurity. Beginning in fall 2020, the course "Cybersecurity Essentials" will be available to high school students across Polk County. This effort is part of a statewide initiative that will serve as a mode...
The four candidates for two Polk County School Board seats participated in an online forum that through Facebook has reached more than 6,000 viewers and garnered more than 1,100 comments. Brandon Alvarado with the Lake Wales Arts Council moderated the July 27 forum, sponsored by Rotary on the Ridge, LakeWalesNews.net and BartowNews.net. Incumbent Billy Townsend and challenger William Allen are vying for the District 1 seat, while incumbent Lori Cunningham is being challenged b...
Eligible voters may vote in advance of the Aug. 18 Statewide Primary Election at nine convenient locations around Polk County. Early voting in Lake Wales will be at the James P. Austin Community Center, 315 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd N. Early voting begins Aug. 3 and continues through Aug. 15, and will be open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily. Any eligible Polk County voter may cast a ballot at any Early Voting location. Other early voting locations include: Bartow - Polk...
The Aug. 11 Polk County Public School Board meeting featured only two agenda items: updates on COVID-19, and following its lunch break, the search for a new superintendent. As has come to be "par for the course," it was not without acrimony. For the first part of the meeting, dealing with COVID-19 and the re-opening of school, Superintendent Jackie Byrd welcomed Dr. Joy Jackson, director of Polk County's Department of Health, as well as an assembled group of doctors, six altog...
The Lake Wales Public Library, with the assistance of lakewalesnews.net, has revived a tradition that existed in our local weekly newspaper for many years, the publication of a sampling of new books available at our library. The list will be updated weekly. The Lake Wales Public Library continues to offer safe door-side pickup of materials during our current hours of operation. Call the library to request that holds are placed on items for pickup at the Lake Wales Public...
Alfred Charles (Chip) Thullbery, Jr., 67, of Lake Wales died on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020, in Moffitt Cancer Center, from an aggressive melanoma cancer in his liver and bone marrow. He lived fully until the cancer emerged and within three weeks debilitated him and took his life. We, his family and friends, are feeling bereft at losing Chip so suddenly, but are grateful to have had him in our lives, grateful to have known someone who was such a good friend, brother,...
The Democratic National Convention starts Aug. 17, and Polk County Democrats will be revving up enthusiasm with three "Ridin' with Biden" caravans the day before the convention kicks off in Milwaukee. On Sunday, Aug. 16, the caravans will start at 2 p.m. at three Polk locations. One will start in Lakeland, one in Poinciana, and one in Winter Haven. One hundred cars or more are expected to hit the road in Polk. They'll join thousands of cars around Florida that will be...
