Articles written by Chevon T. Baccus Apr
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 284
By 
Four Candidates Vying for Two City Commission Seats April 6
Editor's Note: Check out questionnaires submitted by the four candidates in our People section. Four candidates have qualified to run for two Lake Wales City Commission seats in... — Updated 2/24/2021 Full story
Community Street Mural Project to be Completed Over Feb. 19-21 Weekend
Editor's Note: Due to expected rain, the opening ceremony has been moved to 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 20. Artist E.J. Nieves of Ocala will be painting a street mural over the Feb.... — Updated 2/19/2021
Lake Wales Arts Festival Celebrating 50th Anniversary Feb. 20-21
More than 50 artists will exhibit in the 2021 Lake Wales Arts Festival on the shores of Lake Wailes lake Feb. 20-21. The event is even more special this year as the festival... — Updated 2/17/2021
City Commissioners Move Forward with First 8 Police Worn Body Cameras
After 90 minutes of passionate testimonials from citizens raising concerns about local police, Lake Wales city commissioners voted unanimously to implement a pilot program with... — Updated 2/17/2021
Local Attorney Sara Jones Kicks off Development in Northwest Business District
Lake Wales attorney Sara Jones has spent hundreds of hours volunteering to help redevelop the city's Northwest business district. On Tuesday Feb. 9 she took the first step to, as... — Updated 2/17/2021
Pastor Reaches Out to Area Churches to Coordinate COVID-19 Vaccines
The Rev. J.J. Pierce was concerned that not enough people, especially those in the black community, were able to access vaccines for COVID-19. So he stepped up and started working... — Updated 2/17/2021
Commissioner Gibson Chosen for 2021 Political Leadership Institute
Lake Wales City Commissioner Curtis Gibson has been chosen as one of 20 participants in the 2021 Central Florida Political Leadership Institute, a regional, nonprofit program... — Updated 2/17/2021
Judge Gives Kebabjian More Time, Documents to Fight Seminole Hotel Foreclosure
Lake Wales city officials were hopeful the foreclosure sale of the historic Seminole Hotel would be ordered Feb. 12, but instead Circuit Judge Dana Moore agreed to allow current... — Updated 2/17/2021
Chamber of Commerce Negotiating Departure of President Kevin Kieft
Editor's Note: This story will be updated when Chamber officials release official comments or more details. The Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council... — Updated 2/17/2021
Commissioners to Vote Feb. 16 on Police Body Camera Pilot Project
Lake Wales city commissioners will vote Tuesday, Feb. 16 whether to move forward with a pilot project to test and evaluate police worn body cameras. The country's premier... — Updated 2/12/2021
Police Investigating Two Officers, Accused of Violence During Arrest After Traffic Stop
One Lake Wales police officer has resigned and a second has been placed on administrative station duty pending an investigation into formal complaints against the officers.... — Updated 2/12/2021
Charter School System Gets Sheriff's Office to Investigate School Principal
The Lake Wales Charter School System has initiated a fact-finding investigation to examine allegations that recently reassigned Hillcrest Elementary School Principal Jennifer Barrow... — Updated 2/11/2021
Commissioners Upset The City's Primary Business Promoter Moved to Lakeland
The man who is earning more than $100,000 per year to promote business and economic development for the City of Lake Wales has moved to Lakeland, and a majority of city... — Updated 2/11/2021
Charter Trustees Issue Apology, Approve Superintendent's Departure Feb. 26
The Lake Wales Charter Schools Board of Trustees unanimously approved a separation agreement Monday, Feb. 1 that will end Superintendent Jesse Jackson's 13-year tenure on Feb. 26.... — Updated 2/4/2021
Charter Trustees to Act Feb. 1 on Superintendent's Exit End of Month
The Lake Wales Charter Schools Board of Trustees will consider an agreement Feb. 1 for Superintendent Jesse Jackson to exit Feb. 26 with about $59,000 owed him for accrued vacation... — Updated 1/31/2021
Trustees Meet Feb. 1 to Consider Charter Schools Superintendent Separation Agreement
EDITOR'S NOTE: Update for this story can be found here: https://www.lakewalesnews.net/story/2021/01/27/news/charter-trustees-to-act-feb-1-on-superintendents-exit... — Updated 1/31/2021
City Commission to Look at Pilot Program for Police Body Cameras
Lake Wales city commissioners agreed Jan. 19 to hold off on full implementation of a police worn body camera initiative and instead consider a more limited pilot program. City... — Updated 1/27/2021
Curtis Gibson Not Seeking Re-election to City Commission
Two-term Lake Wales City Commissioner Curtis Gibson announced Tuesday that he will not seek re-election in April. At the end of their regular meeting Jan. 19, Gibson told his... — Updated 1/27/2021
Collections and Research Center Dedicated Jan. 23 to Honor the Late Mimi Hardman
Bright sunshine broke through the dreary morning Saturday, Jan. 23 as friends, family and history buffs gathered to celebrate the opening of the Mimi Hardman Collections and Researc... — Updated 1/27/2021 Full story
Charter Trustees Suspend 13-Year Superintendent Jackson
The Lake Wales Charter Schools Board of Trustees suspended Superintendent Jesse Jackson with pay Monday, Jan. 25 pending a special meeting in a week to discuss whether to accept... — Updated 1/27/2021
Care Center Empty Bowls Event Jan. 26 to Benefit Hunger Relief
To make people more aware about hunger at home and around the world the Lake Wales Care Center will hold its annual Empty Bowls Auction and Reception, starting at 5:30 p.m.... — Updated 1/22/2021 Full story
Police Community Relations Committee to Meet Jan. 25
The next meeting of the Lake Wales Citizens and Police Community Relations Advisory Committee is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 25 at the city administration building, 201 W.... — Updated 1/21/2021
Commission Considers Purchase of Police Body Cameras at Jan. 19 Meeting
Two Lake Wales city commissioners are calling for the implementation of a police worn body camera system, but it will take a third to make it happen. Despite having no firm... — Updated 1/19/2021
Rotary on the Ridge Offers "Otter-Grams" for Special Occasions
Looking for a new fundraiser to help offset COVID-19 losses, the Rotary on the Ridge is now offering "Otter-grams" for special occasions. The regional after-hours service club had... — Updated 1/10/2021
City Approves Permit for Arts Festival Feb. 19-21
The Lake Wales City Commission Dec. 1 approved its first permit for a large-scale event in 2021 – the 50th annual arts festival the weekend of Feb. 19-21. Lake Wales Arts Council... — Updated 12/25/2020
