Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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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. 19-21 weekend in the city's northwest business district and the community is invited to participate. An opening ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19 for the mural at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and C Street. A food truck will be on hand serving breakfast. In addition to Nieves,...
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 celebrates its 50th anniversary. "We're one of the first art shows back in the whole country, especially in the state of Florida," said Andrew Allen, executive director of the Lake Wales Arts Council. "The quality of art will also go up dramatically since we're not taking as many artists." The free...
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 eight police worn body cameras. Mayor Eugene Fultz predicted that eventually every officer in the city would be outfitted with a camera. The commissioners approved a five-year commitment for the first eight cameras, which will cost $15,000 per year for the equipment, software, licensing and cloud...
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 she said it, "put her money where her mouth is." Sara Jones Law submitted the successful proposal to purchase two city Community Redevelopment Agency lots on Lincoln Avenue to build a multipurpose professional office building and event venue. City commissioners, who serve as the CRA Board, accepted...
Darrell Starling already has an ambitious agenda in place following his recent hiring as the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Coordinator. In particular, Starling will work closely with the city[s Northwest neighborhood, one of two areas specifically targeted by the city's ambitious and award-winning "Lake Wales Connected" revitalization plan which also covers the historic downtown business district as well. City leaders expect to break ground on the early...
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 with the Polk County Health Department to bring vaccines for about 600 people in Lake Wales. Pierce got the idea from a pastor friend in Winter Haven. So Pierce worked with about 20 churches in the area to identify people age 65 and over and health care workers who needed the vaccines. A schedule...
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 sponsored by the Orlando Economic Partnership. The program prepares business minded leaders throughout Central Florida for future leadership opportunities – as political candidates or appointees to government boards or commissions. Since its inception in 2008, 29 PLI graduates have served in public o...
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 owner Harout "Henry" Kebabjian to continue his fight to develop the property. The city now will have to produce a large volume of documents related to the Seminole. Just a week before the foreclosure hearing Kebabjian's lawyer asked the court to have the city produce five years' worth of documents,...
Qualifying to run for the Lake Wales City Commission closes Friday, Feb. 19 at noon. Candidates must live in the district they seek to represent, but will be voted on citywide on April 6. Licensed mental health counselor Kris Fitzgerald has indicated plans to run against Seat 4 incumbent Al Goldstein. Incumbent Seat 2 Commissioner Curtis Gibson is not running for re-election. So far pastor Daniel Williams and Dr. Ricardo Navarro have announced plans to run for that seat. The...
Roaul D. "Sam" Houston, 73, of Lake Wales passed away Friday, Feb. 5, 2021 at Winter Haven Hospital. He was born July 20, 1947 in Lake Wales to the late Florizel and Latrelle Houston and was a lifelong Polk and Hillsborough County resident. Sam was a retired Supply Supervisor for GTE telephone company and attended the First Baptist Church of Lake Wales. He served in the United States Navy on the USS Bigelow. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, was a Tampa Bay fan and Florida...
James Daniel Townson, 75, of Babson Park passed away Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021 at Advent Health Orlando. He was born November 10, 1945 in Oak Ridge, TN to the late Clarence and Velma Townson. James was an electrician for Florida's Natural for 30 years and was still actively working. He loved to fish, watch sunsets, and ride his motorcycle. He enjoyed going to the beach and was a Pastor. James was preceded in death by his brothers and sisters and a granddaughter, Lea Henderson....
Shellie Lanier Castle, 50, of Babson Park passed away Thursday, February 11, 2021 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. She was born November 20, 1970 in Bartow to James Lanier and Claire McLemore; she was a lifelong resident of the area. Shellie was a Hospice Nurse. She loved all things ocean and her family, especially being a honey to her grandchildren. Shellie was preceded in death by her father Dewey Lanier; and son, Cody Douglas Castle. She is survived by her mother, Ann...
Margaret Bees "Cristy" Massey of Lake Wales went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Friday, Feb. 12, 2021 at the age of 46 at Lakeland Regional Health. She was born October 24, 1974 in Lake Wales to Carolyn R. Bees and the late Bennie Bees. She enjoyed spending time with her family, coloring, putting puzzles together, very crafty and loved being with her dogs. She took pride and joy in her children and supported them in everything that they did. She attended...
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 Board of Directors reportedly agreed unanimously Monday, Feb. 15 to dismiss President & CEO Kevin Kieft with 90 days' notice. The Board held a special meeting to discuss the fact that without informing them Kieft moved to Lakeland, potentially jeopardizing their $125,000 per year contract with the...
