Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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A series of free downtown street concerts will enliven evenings downtown over the coming months, thanks to an alliance between the Lake Wales main Street, Lake Wales Arts Council, and the City of Lake Wales. The shows kick-off with the Outta Hand Band on Friday, November 10. "Lake Wales Live" will offer residents good reason to visit the downtown area, and perhaps get a sneak peek at the ongoing transformation of the area as the Lake Wales Connected plan proceeds, according to...
Martin Scorsese's new film, Killers of the Flower Moon, is a sprawling epic about the serial murder of Osage Nation members in 1920s Oklahoma. The film is based on the best-selling book of the same name by David Grann, and it stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone. I read this book back in 2019. I thought it was an excellent book and I thought then that it should be a movie. The film's acting is top-notch, with all three leads delivering excellent...
Strange Way of Life is a 31-minute 2023 Spanish Western drama written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar starring Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke. It's a gay cowboy movie that I have been looking forward to all summer. The film follows Silva (Pascal), a gunslinger who rides into town to visit his old friend, now Sheriff Jake (Hawke) after 25 years. Silva is in love with Jake. However, there is more to this reunion. Almodóvar explores the complex relationship between the two men w...
Zachary Levi is back as Shazam, a teenager, who can turn into an adult superhero, and his band of foster siblings who are trying to save the world from angry Greek gods. There's a lot of silliness in this as kids are trying to be grown ups in this superhero adventure. I laughed a lot at this. Some jokes are cheesy though. Helen Mirren, the Queen herself, and Lucy Liu are the villians in this. They play Daughters of Atlas trying to reclaim the world for themselves somehow. Ther...
Winners of the first week of a 13-week contest sponsored by Lake Wales News.net and Pizzano's Pizza and Grinderz have been have announced, and tasty awards await, ideal for that football gathering, birthday party, or other get-together. Susan Coyne and Samantha Bourke were chosen as winners of a large pizza of their choice, enough to feed a family of four. The winners gained entry simply by sharing a story from LakeWalesNews.net on their social media. To be sure that we don't...
We love contests, and we love prizes, so we're giving two lucky families free dinners from Pizzano's! Best of all, we're doing it EVERY WEEK! Win the large pizza of your choice, including the works if you like, just by sharing the important stories we publish about our community. Pick something from our sections about Schools, Fun, Ridge Life, Business, it's all up to you! Just know that you could very well be enjoying one of our delicious prizes. Two winners will be randomly...
Among the most popular options for a quick restaurant-supplied meal in the Lake Wales area is pizza. With multiple outlets available, including several national chains, we decided to conduct a taste-test survey of local choices. Among those we have tried, one stood out. Pizzano's is a locally-owned pizzeria that turns out consistent pies that meet all the several measurement points we set out. Consistency was one of the most important, and the quality of the several pies we...
Kenneth Branagh's latest Hercule Poirot film, A Haunting in Venice, is a haunted house movie but isn't that scary. It is a surprisingly enjoyable and suspenseful mystery. While it may not be the most original or groundbreaking film of the year, it's well-made, well-acted, beautifully shot and fun. The film is set in the atmospheric city of Venice, where Poirot is invited to investigate a series of mysterious deaths at a séance. The cast is full of talented actors, including Br...
A special performance by the well-known touring band Big Al and the Heavyweights is happening this Friday night, September 22, at The Spot in Lake Wales. Led by "Big Al" Lauro, the band was originally formed with Warren Haynes of Allman Brothers Band and Gov't Mule, along with pianist Rick Gergen, formerly of Sweethearts of the Rodeo. It now features Louisiana Music Hall of Fame pianist and vocalist Wayne Lohr, along with guitarist and vocalist extraordinaire Marcel Anton and...
The history of human transportation gets a rousing send-up in the humorous "Are We There Yet" which will be on stage at Lake Wales Little Theater this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Director Alicia Bush and Kara Wiseman, with the assistance of Musical Director Mindy Kessler have combined the clever songs of playwright Stephen Murray to marshall the tremendous force of dozens of young performers into an entertaining show. Whether you are a parent or grandparent, or just wish you...
I finally got to see Blue Beetle over the weekend. This is a superhero character I had never heard of. Blue Beetle is a fun and enjoyable superhero film that brings a fresh perspective to the genre. Xolo Maridueña delivers a charming and charismatic performance as Jaime Reyes, a young man who stumbles upon an alien scarab that grants him extraordinary powers. Together with his family and friends, he must learn to control his newfound abilities and use them to protect his...
Red, White & Royal Blue is a fun, silly, and heartwarming romantic comedy about the unlikely romance between Alex Claremont-Diaz, the son of the United States President, and Prince Henry of Wales. The film is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Casey McQuiston. I have not read the best-selling book but now I fully intend to. The film's two leads, Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine, are perfectly cast as Alex and Henry. Perez brings a lot of charisma and...
Plans are underway for its 2nd Annual Fall Festival, a free event that features food trucks, beer, music, professional carnival games, inflatables including two bounce houses, general vendors, community booths, farm animals from several area schools, selfie photo spots, and more. The annual event is sponsored by the GFWC Lake Wales Junior Woman's Club, and will run from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm on Saturday, October 14. at Lake Wailes Park. Event proceeds will fund programs that...
A gallery exhibition entitled "Floridian Fire: Contemporary Ceramics in the Sunshine State," will be unveiled September 5th at the Lake Wales Arts Center. Featuring 39 ceramic pieces created by 17 exceptional artists from across Florida, the show will display vivid colors, intricate textures, and captivating forms that will take viewers on a journey through the rich diversity of ceramic artistry. A special evening gallery reception will be hosted on Thursday, September 14,...
Happiness for Beginners is a July, 2023 romantic comedy film that follows Helen Carpenter, a 32-year-old woman who, in an attempt to rebuild her life after a difficult divorce, signs up for an extended hike in the Appalachian Mountains. Along the way, she encounters Jake Taylor, a handsome doctor who is friends with her brother and obviously has a crush on her. The protagonist is annoying and obnoxious. I wanted to smack her at several points during the movie. The film,...
The newest release from streaming service Hulu is Rye Lane, a fun and enjoyable romantic comedy that follows two youngsters reeling from bad break-ups who connect over a particularly eventful day in South London. The film is directed by Raine Allen Miller in her feature film debut, and stars David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah as Dom and Yas, respectively. The film's strengths lie in its characters, its humor, and its setting. Dom and Yas are both relatable and likable...
It's Barbenheimer weekend...the other half! I saw Oppenheimer first, but now I've caught up by viewing Barbie, the other blockbuster movie, this past weekend. Barbie is a 2023 American live-action comedy film directed by Greta Gerwig and written by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach. The film stars Margot Robbie as Barbie, Ryan Gosling as Ken, America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, Alexandra Shipp, Will Ferrell, and Issa Rae. Rhea Perlman, Carla from Cheers, makes an appearance t...
Movie goers were really excited this past weekend to have two big movie openings that did not involve superheroes. As a film fan and reviewer I was mostly excited about Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer is a challenging film, but it is also a rewarding one, well worth the three hours it takes to watch it. It is a film that will stay with you long after you have seen it. If you are interested in history, science, or the human condition, then I highly recommend seeing Oppenheimer. Christ...
A typical day at a local high school suddenly turned even weirder by an outbreak of brain-hungry zombies in the Lake Wales Little Theatre production of "Not Your Average Zombie Apocalypse." Presented as the annual teen production of the theatre, a cast of 25 brings plenty of light-hearted entertainment. The humorous spoof of all things Zombie is filled with funny vignettes and some of the common "jock vs. nerd" themes and the awkward social interactions of teen years. The fun...
The Little Mermaid is a live-action remake of the 1989 Disney animated classic. The film stars Halle Bailey as Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, and Javier Bardem as King Triton. The film follows the same basic story as the animated version, with a few key differences most notably that Eric and Ursula get a bit more back story and depth to their characters. The film also adds new songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken. The new songs are...
It's not too late to gather your posse of friends to participate in a great event this Saturday to help persons with limited abilities, and have a good time doing it! The first-ever Paddle On! Lake Wailes will be held on May 6 and will offer participants several ways to help raise funds that will benefit the StirringWaters program. "We hope so many paddlers participate that they create a kaleidoscope of color on the lake. Paddle On! Lake Wailes will unite people in an...
Sisu is a 2023 Finnish action film directed by Jalmari Helander. I saw this movie as part of mystery movie night at Regal Cinemas. The film stars Jorma Tommila as a solitary prospector who sets out to avenge the theft of his gold by a Nazi convoy during the final days of World War II. The film is a non-stop, over-the-top action ride that is sure to please fans of the genre. Tommila is excellent as the grizzled and determined prospector, and the film's action sequences are...
A chance to relax in the shade, enjoy food from your favorite food truck, listen to four different bands, and let the kids burn off steam as they learn and play is expected to draw crowds to Lake Wailes Park Saturday. The 10:00 am to 8:00 pm event will include a kite festival, a family-feud style trivia game, nature walks, a giant inflatable obstacle course, nature walks, a "fishing pond," and a wide variety of games and prizes for adults and kids. A silent auction and gift...
Having a passion for bingo can lead to lifelong friends and even enemies. This latest musical at Lake Wales Little Theatre takes you on a hilarious journey you don't want to miss. Their first musical production since Single Wide in 2020 is running now through April 30th. "Bingo The Winning Musical" features a dynamic, fun, and personality-filled trio of women. Vern, played by Stacey DeCosmo, Honey, played by Xela Pinkerton, and Patsy. played by Nanette Watson. These women...
A free "Bad Art Night" of creativity, designed for 'tweens 8-15 years old will take place at the Mary Norma Campbell Resource Center in Highland Park Manor on Friday April 21. The event is sponsored by Polk County Parks and Recreation. Aspiring and terrible artists alike are invited to come out and create their own disaster-level piece of artwork from scratch. Prizes in multiple categories will be awarded based on the most creatively awful original works. Kids are invited to...
