Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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The storm came in a destructive rush, defying predictions, and caught most Polk residents completely off-guard. When it had passed, Hurricane Charley had left a trail of incredible destruction in its wake. It was a Friday, the 13th of August, twenty years ago this week that the first hurricane in 44 years struck southeast Polk. It's a date that many who experienced the storm will never forget. In a matter of about two hours the fast-moving storm damaged virtually every...
As the economy continues to improve in the Lake Wales area, the Orange Grove, a large and long-underused shopping center on SR 60 east at 11th Street, is showing multiple signs of new life as tenants snap up space in the sprawling plaza, once left behind by outward growth. New businesses planned for the center include a Stone Cabin Coffee and Cheesecake restaurant, the fourth location for that family-owned chain, offering elaborately-decorated cheesecakes in a wide variety of...
A new road closure will require long detours for yet more motorists in eastern Polk County, while other projects extend well beyond their announced completions. Drainage upgrades will close Timberlane Road just south of the intersection with Canal Road northeast of Lake Wales beginning Thursday, August 8. The work is scheduled to take two weeks. The cross drains beneath the roadway leading to Lake Pierce are being replaced ahead of a county project to resurface Timberlane...
A strong feeder-band of storms is expected to pass over the Ridge area beginning about 3:45, with possible tornados and very gusty winds accompanied by heavy rains. Those needing to travel are encouraged to wait out the storms which should clear the area in about an hour. The heavy band of rain has already cleared the Bartow and Fort Meade area, where a rotation was detected by Doppler radar. An earlier funnel cloud was seen by multiple witnesses as it passed over Lake Wales,...
Heavy squalls passing through the Lake Wales area early Sunday afternoon generated a funnel cloud that hovered over Lake Wales. If was unconfirmed if it had touched the ground at any point during its south-to-north passage over the city, although there were numerous reports of very strong wind bursts from north of Crooked Lake to the city's north side. The squalls are part of the right flank of Tropical Storm Debby, which is intensifying over the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane and...
Heavy rains southeast Polk and the Ridge area may be accompanied by gusty winds on Sunday and Monday as Tropical Storm Debby. currently located near Cuba will affect Florida's weather. The current forecast keeps the center of newly-designated Tropical Storm Debby away from the Tampa Bay area over the Gulf, reaching the coast only in the Big Bend area. The National Hurricane Center in Miami is projecting that the Debby will reach hurricane strength as it passes over the very...
Highway 60 was blocked west of Lake Wales for about five hours Friday night after a vehicle crossed the median and was struck by an oncoming truck. A Lake Placid woman lost her life in the tragedy. According to investigators from the Polk County Sheriff's office, at about 8:19 p.m., 32-year old Nakeyma Williams of Lake Placid was driving a 2011 Toyota Camry westbound when she apparently lost control of her vehicle, which slid into the eastbound lanes where it was struck...
Ridge cities are facing a challenging and expensive future effort to obtain water supplies for a growing population, according to officials from the Polk Regional Water Cooperative. PRWC Executive Director Eric DeHaven joined a team of engineers at a forum this week to explain the status of an ambitious project that expects to extract brackish water from a depth of more than 1,000 feet, substantially lower than the Floridan aquifer that currently supplies water to area...
Skyrocketing development pressures are colliding with dwindling supplies of water across Florida. Those same forces are now causing angst for elected officials along the Ridge, who are wrestling with increased costs and possible building moratoriums, even as the collapse of the citrus industry along the Ridge in eastern Polk has caused many former citrus growers to offer their huge tracts of land to developers. The Town of Dundee, which has grown to 6,000 residents in recent...
Major Richard (Dick) S. Kenney, 73, of Lake Wales, FL, passed away peacefully on July 2nd, 2024, surrounded by loved ones. Born in Lorain, Ohio, on July 31, 1950, to Jim and Dorothy (Stanley) Kenney, Dick was a lifelong adventurer. He attended Lake Wales High School and was a proud member of the JROTC. After earning an associate's degree from Polk County Community College, he continued his studies at Northeast Louisiana University, majoring in game management and ecology. Dick...
Avoiding the likelihood of an expensive lawsuit, the trustees of the Lake Wales Charter School have accepted a settlement of issues connected to their abrupt June 7 termination of the system's former superintendent. Dr. Wayne V. Rodolfich had served just under two years at the head of the seven-school system when he was cited for one or more "grievances" filed by employees. Details of the accusations have not been made public but based upon statements made by both Rodolfich...
Polk State College is hosting its annual school supply giveaway event to provide students and families with support and resources as the new school year begins, including up to 500 backpacks and 1,500 books. Students and families are invited to attend Polk State College's "Ready to Soar" event August 17 at the JD Alexander Center in Lake Wales. The Center is located at 152 East. Central Avenue in Lake Wales. The event is open to the public and intended for students from...
After a lull of several weeks without even a tropical depression, let alone a named storm, the Atlantic Hurricane Season is heating up again. August and September form the heart of the storm season, which peaks around September 10, according to historical records. Forecasters and computer models have alerted to the possible formation of a new cyclone this week in the vicinity of the Antilles. If the storm forms there, it is likely to track in the general direction of the...
When Erica Millan of Davenport delivered her first child, Francisco, on Super Bowl Sunday at AdventHealth Heart of Florida, she knew she wanted to breastfeed. However, that journey isn’t always easy. With the support of the hospital’s lactation consultant and nurse, Tina Worth, she successfully continued breastfeeding her son when they both went home. Millan was thankful when Worth followed up with her several times after Francisco's birth to make sure they were both doi...
With Florida's Primary Election day fast approaching, Polk Elections officials are reminding every voter to check their registration status. The last day to register to vote for the August 20th Statewide Primary Election is Monday, July 22nd. The Polk County Elections Office will be offering voter registration services around the county to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to register before this important deadline. Mobile registration units will be visiting multiple...
Dual-enrollment of Lake Wales Charter School students in STEM courses at Webber International University will result from a a $10,000 Impact Polk grant from the George W. Jenkins Fund within GiveWell Community Foundation. The grant will provide greater access to students pursuing careers as registered nurses or occupational therapy assistants, according to Dr. Nelson Marquez, President/CEO of Webber. STEM refers to concentrations in the areas of science, technology, engineerin...
A 40-year-old Lake Wales man is dead after a kayaking trip on a local lake. A death investigation is underway following the recovery of the body of an adult male from Lake Annie, a 407-acre lake in the Waverly area of Lake Wales early this morning. Shane Park of Magnolia Street in Lake Wales had set out on the lake about 3:30 p.m. Sunday in a kayak. Weather at the time was fine, but thunderstorms began moving into the area a short time later. When he failed to return to shore...
The closure of SR 17 (Scenic Highway) at Hillcrest Avenue, originally announced as a 30-day project, is expected to continue well after the beginning of the school year, forcing additional traffic onto South 4th Street past McLaughlin Middle-High School. Crews closed Scenic Highway from Grove Avenue to Hillcrest Avenue in June to begin installing new drainage structures. Sidewalks in the area are also detoured. According to the Florida Department of Transportation, the...
Twelve "Safe Zones" under the monitoring of the Polk County Sheriff's Office are now available to all Polk County residents for the purposes of custody exchanges of e-commerce sales, according to officials with the sheriff's office. The locations offer 24/7 continuously-monitored video surveillance with recordings retained for at least 45 days. They also provide adequate lighting and signage for safety. The Florida Legislature recently passed a law which requires count...
After a year of interim managers, Fort Meade has at last settled upon a new leader to manage city affairs, and he is arriving just in time to face a "problem" some wouldn't mind dealing with. On a 4-1 vote, city commissioners had offered the role to Edward Walker Dean last month, and his signing of the deal was reported during Tuesday's meeting of the board. His immediate challenge: trying to salvage an unused $5 million grant. Fort Meade was the only Polk County city to...
Cities across the county are seeing significant rises in property tax income, according to the preliminary tax roll published by Polk County Property Appraiser Marsha Faux. Despite the recent surge in home prices and the value of new construction, however, property values in most Ridge-area municipalities have seen only modest increases so far. The valuations have significant impacts on city budgets, since local shares of the taxes are based upon the millage rates set by...
A long-vacant space in the Orange Grove Shopping Center in Lake Wales will soon be home to a large new Ollie's store amid a burst of new residential development in the area. Ollie's is a discount department store with 521 locations, and more opening this month in other states. There are several locations in central Florida, including one adjacent to the Lakeland Square Mall. Other nearby Ollie's locations include Avon Park and Kissimmee. Ollie's stores feature more than 20 sep...
A series of "Back to School Bashes" sponsored by the Polk County Sheriff's Office will offer essential school supplies to thousands of children across Polk County, including those in the Southeast District. This community-focused event aims to support local students by providing essential school supplies and book bags as they prepare for the upcoming academic year. All the supplies were donated through private donors and Polk Sheriff's Charities, Inc. The local event will...
Thanks to an increase in rain, Polk County has repealed the active burn ban effective July 1. That permits the outdoor burning of brush in controlled circumstances, but extreme caution should still be exercised as plentiful dry vegetation remains. The Polk County Fire Chief had declared a burn ban throughout Polk County on May 28, due to dangerous fire conditions throughout the county. All of Polk County experienced an unusually dry spring, which followed a dry 2023. The...
A new county boat ramp is being constructed to provide public access to Lake Buffum in un-incorporated southern Polk County. According to county officials, the new boat ramp "will include a walled channel to provide entry to the lake no matter the water level." The annual fluctuation of water levels in the 1,268 acre lake have often caused problems for launching boats. While the new boat ramp is under construction, the old boat ramp is open for public use. The new ramp is...
