Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Sorted by date Results 151 - 166 of 166
There's just something inherently wrong about people who clearly don't understand social media trying to regulate others' use of it. Lake Wales City Manager Ken Fields, through the city's HR director, proposed a social media policy that required not only employees, but also city officials to get approval prior to posting on social media. At 72, Fields is at the upper end of the Baby Boomer generation. According to a 2018 Facebook demographic study only one in four people over...
When Lake Wales commissioners were asked to envision what would produce a huge city success story by the year 2040, they enthusiastically detailed a bright future. Commissioners and senior staff came up with some big vision headlines for a "Miracle on the Ridge": "Lake Wales Annexes its Way to Prosperity and Success." "Lake Wales Restores Big Lake Wailes as Recreational Paradise." "Grand Hotel Open with Rotating Restaurant on Top." "Lake Wales Becomes Second Largest City in...
"Electrifying" is how Lake Wales resident Elizabeth "Bet" Tucker described the Orlando rally Tuesday, June 18 to kick off the 2020 re-election campaign of President Donald Trump. It was only 50 miles away but she and friend Teresa Burr from Winter Haven stayed at an Orlando hotel because of the long day planned. They woke up very early Tuesday and were in line at the Amway Center by 7 a.m., a full 13 hours before the president was scheduled to speak. "It was my first rally...
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...
U.S. President Donald Trump will be kicking off his 2020 re-election campaign about 50 miles from Lake Wales with a rally June 18 at the 20,000-seat Amway Center in downtown Orlando. The location highlights the importance of Florida and the I-4 corridor to the president's re-election efforts. Trump lost Orlando's home Orange County in 2016, but beat Hillary Clinton 48 to 47 percent statewide to collect all 28 of Florida's electoral votes. Trump won nearly 55 percent of the...
One hundred thousand tons of coal ash being hauled from Puerto Rico to a Central Florida landfill have resulted in a raging controversy that affects Lake Wales, as a candidate tied to the project seeks to represent the city in the Florida House. The coal-ash controversy led to more than an hour of agitated public comments at a recent County Commission meeting in Osceola County. At that meeting Commissioner Fred Hawkins Jr. found himself the target of much of the ire. Hawkins,...
The Lake Wales City Commission changed slightly Tuesday, May 7 with the installation of new City Commissioner Al Goldstein. Goldstein was elected without opposition for a two-year term after Commissioner Tonya Stewart failed to qualify when her collection of signatures fell short. With wife Shirley at his side, Goldstein was installed by state Rep. Melony Bell, who also swore in Mayor Eugene Fultz, who won re-election in April and will serve three more years. Several family...
By 2 p.m. on election day Tuesday, April 2, more than 1,800 City of Lake Wales voters had cast ballots. With five hours to go, the number of votes cast was already 20 percent higher than in the most recent city election in 2017. Nearly 1,500 vote by mail ballots had been received by the supervisor of elections office, and additional ballots would be accepted up to the 7 p.m. deadline. City Clerk Jennifer Nanek said voting was going smoothly and turnout was definitely up. In 20...
Lake Wales voters re-elected both incumbents Tuesday and approved a charter change that extended commissioner terms from two years to three. City Commissioner Curtis Gibson coasted to victory with more than 63 percent of the vote, beating political newcomer James Tucker by 1,110 votes to 637. Mayor Eugene Fultz had a closer race winning 55 percent of the vote to claim his third term over challenger Bob Wood, with a final vote of 995 to 818. Nearly 59 percent of the voters...
Lake Wales City voters have their final opportunity to vote for the mayor and one city commissioner from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2. Voters also are being asked to change the City Charter to increase the mayor's and commissioners' terms from two years to three. Incumbent Mayor Eugene Fultz is being challenged by Bob Wood, who ran unsuccessfully for a city commission seat in 2016. Political newcomer James Tucker is challenging incumbent Commissioner Curtis Gibson for...
The Lake Wales City Commission at their March 19 meeting shot down a proposed city policy that attempted to regulate their ability to comment freely on social media. City Commissioner Curtis Gibson said he supported a clear social media policy for employees but said he felt including elected officials was "out of bounds." "Frankly, as the youngest member of the commission and the one who uses social media the most, I feel targeted by this proposed policy," Commissioner Gibson...
When Lake Ashton resident Al Goldstein became the only candidate to qualify for April's District 4 City Commission election, he won automatically, leaving plenty of Lake Wales residents wondering: "Who is Al Goldstein?" In a rambling two-hour conversation, Goldstein revealed much about himself and his strong opinions about several pending issues but left plenty hidden as well. Critical of some proposals before the Commission, Goldstein offered his respect for the positions...
The American Association of University Women is hosting a forum March 14 featuring the candidates for Lake Wales City Commission. The forum is open to the public and begins at 5:30 p.m. at the James P. Austin Center, 315 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Lake Wales. Lake Wales voters on April 2 will elect a mayor and one city commissioner and vote on a proposed City Charter change that would extend commission terms from two years to three. The change would go into effect...
In its efforts to get more voters to the polls this November, the Democrat Party moved its headquarters to a more centrally located place in Polk County. On Feb 2 the local political party had an open house at 1549 E. Combee Road in Lakeland moving from Haines City. "This is wonderful," said Polk state committeewoman Karen Welzel. "This is the beginning of what we'll turn in Polk County." About 100 people attended the opening of the office in Polk and Chair and the Executive...
Lake Wales will have at least one new city commissioner in May. Al Goldstein of Lake Ashton became the only candidate for Seat 4 when incumbent Tonya Stewart failed to qualify for re-election. "Wow. I am elated and surprised to have this new journey over and so soon. I am looking forward with enthusiasm and vigor to work for all citizens of Lake Wales and to keep this City moving forward successfully," Goldstein said. The City election is set for April 2, and there will be...
The Lake Wales mayor and two city commissioners are seeking re-election. Potential challengers for all three have picked up campaign packets, and the qualifying period ends at noon, Feb. 15. To qualify, candidates must declare for office, name a treasurer, open a bank account, pay a qualifying fee and submit the signatures of 25 registered voters within their respective districts. Mayoral candidates may obtain signatures from registered voters who live anywhere in the City....
