Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Sorted by date Results 1101 - 1125 of 1227
Lake Wales Mayor Eugene Fultz declared June 4 as Richard Deloach Recognition Day to honor him for his more than 35 years of service as a youth football coach. Vice Mayor Robin Gibson read the proclamation at the city commission meeting, where friends and family of Deloach gathered to celebrate. According to the proclamation, Deloach started with the city youth football league in 1984 and led his team to 14 league super bowls, 11 of which they won. "Richard Deloach is a...
Thirteen area residents completed their 9-month program June 6 and became graduates of Leadership Lake Wales Class 23. After enjoying a pasta dinner at the American Legion at Eagle Ridge Mall, the classmates talked about learning many new things about Lake Wales and forming bonds that will last well into the future. The Leadership Lake Wales group held an opening retreat in September and a closing retreat in May and met monthly for a daylong session devoted to a particular top...
The City of Lake Wales may own a multimillion dollar recreation facility and swimming pool by the end of the year. At a workshop Tuesday, June 25 city commissioners expressed support for purchasing the Lake Wales Family YMCA, calling it a "win-win" partnership. Revised facility use and operating agreements will be brought to the Y board and city commission for approval in about two months. If approved the city would commit an estimated $545,000 to pay off the mortgage and...
NOTE: Due to lower than expected turnout, the July 19 Power Breakfast has been postponed, possibly until November. Those who want to know more about the future of passenger rail service in Florida should attend a special Power Breakfast Friday, July 19. Hosted by the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Committee, the program will feature Bob O'Malley from Brightline, who will discuss the company's express, inter-city passenger rail service. A...
Problems with a storm water pipe that created a hole in the middle of the play park have caused the City of Lake Wales to close Crystal Lake Park until further notice. City Recreation Coordinator Stephanie Edwards said the problem can't be handled by city workers, so an outside company will be brought in for the repairs. "For the safety of our citizens it closed," Edwards said. Assistant City Manager James Slaton said repairs may take three weeks, but he is hopeful once...
Lake Wales city commissioners Tuesday, July 9 will hold their second budget workshop to discuss spending priorities for the 2019-20 year, which begins Oct. 1. The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the city administrative building, 201 W. Central Ave. City staff will present a draft $44.6 million operating budget for 2019-20 and a capital improvement plan that projects $73.2 million in expenditures over the next five years. The draft capital improvement plan includes about $17.2...
Vincent DePaul Connors of Lake Wales passed away Sunday, June 30, 2019 at Lake Wales Medical Center after a long battle with pneumonia. He was 64. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Vince came to Lake Wales as the infant son of Mary L. and Paul T. Connors. He attended St. Williams' Academy as well as local public schools and graduated from Lake Wales High School in 1973. He enjoyed sports, wildlife, weather, and nature in general. Generous "to a fault," he often gave away favorite...
An odd looking boat with a paddlewheel on front is continuing removal of weeds on Crystal Lake, behind the city library. The City of Lake Wales is paying local firm Texas Aquatic Harvesting $12,500 for removal of invasive torpedo grass and common cattail grass on Crystal Lake. The firm also is removing water hyacinths and other invasive weeds from Lake Weaver at the corner of Central Avenue and U.S. 27 at a cost of $13,500. According to Parks Superintendent Vincent Crawford,...
Congratulations to Lake Wales Little League Junior boys baseball (age 13-14) for becoming District IV Champs after winning over Plant City Saturday. Next stop is Sectionals July 12th for regional play at Pinecrest Little League in Lithia, FL. Way to go boys and we are proud of you!...
Scott Blackburn said he and his wife Carrie are tired of carting their four children to other communities because Lake Wales doesn't have enough recreation and sports facilities. Blackburn expressed his frustration to Lake Wales city commissioners at a recreation workshop Tuesday, June 25. Commissioners were reviewing the latest plans for expansion of the Crystal Lake Park complex between the city library and Lake Wailes Park. "We travel to other cities because we don't have...
Mildred B. Esteve, MSW, 76, of Lake Wales passed away on Monday, June 10, 2019 at Lake Wales Medical Center. Mildred was born on December 30, 1942, in New York City to the late Anna (Ricci) and Charles Briand. She had been a resident of Lake Wales since 2005, after retiring from her career as a certified social worker in Stony Brook and Moriches, Long Island, NY. Mildred earned her Master's of Social Work, (MSW), from Stony Brook University, and she was extremely proud of her...
Wynton "Willie" Williford, 75, of Dundee, Florida passed away Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at Forsythe Hospice House in Auburndale. He was born January 15, 1944 in Blakley, Georgia to the late Leslie and Eunice (Lewis) Williford. He came to the area as a child in 1952 coming from Blakley, Georgia. He was retired from Hunt Brothers and Citrosuco. Willie enjoyed fishing, sports, an avid Atlanta Braves fan and going to Casino's. He is preceded in death by his sister Mable Pridgen. He...
Lake Wales City Commissioners are holding a recreation workshop Tuesday, June 25 to further discuss plans to purchase the local YMCA and to develop a master plan for Crystal Lake Park. The public meeting will start at 6 p.m. at the James P. Austin Center at 315 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. If officials can come to terms with the Y, the city would pay off the Lake Wales Family YMCA mortgage and lease the facilities back at $1 per year for the YMCA of West Central Florida...
The Lake Wales History Museum will be hosting "Wildlife of Florida and Beyond" Day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 22. As part of Summer Fun Days at the Museum, people of all ages will be making edible dirt pies, botanical prints, and see natural history artifacts and a wildlife demonstration. A reptile discovery program meet and greet will be held from 1-3 p.m. Participants can learn about a different wild animals from Florida and beyond. Guests are welcome to meet a...
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...
Mary Neil Hardman Whitmire Chandley, 88, passed peacefully in her sleep on June 9, 2019 at 4 a.m. She was a lifelong resident of Lake Wales, born on January 5, 1931 to Cleo and Neil Hardman, both pioneer residents of Lake Wales. Throughout her life, Mary Neil was always very active in school, church, community service, youth organizations, music and other local projects. She graduated with honors from Lake Wales High School in 1948 and attended Piedmont College in Demorest,...
While the City of Lake Wales continues negotiations to purchase the local YMCA facility, their current partnership still allows city residents free access to the Y swimming pool. This is the third year the city has been paying $3,000 per month to give city residents access to the Y pool. City residents may use the pool from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays. The Y is located at 1001 Burns Ave in...
Osubi Craig, a multi-talented higher education administrator, traditional African percussionist and arts advocate, joins the University of Florida College of the Arts as its inaugural director of a new center focused on arts, migration and entrepreneurship. (Before becoming a special assistant to the president of Virginia State University, Craig served as director of arts and cultural affairs for Polk State College in charge of the Lake Wales campus.) The new center, which wil...
I like to think of myself as an optimist. This is especially true in this column space, where I share the progress and victories of the Lake Wales Area Economic Development Council. And while the drive for success and forward momentum are important, I'm also a firm believer in the basics. Revisiting the fundamentals that have helped shape our growth can remind us how far we've come and how we've done it. The EDC considers many factors when determining what will lift the...
Lake Wales Arts Council members and supporters gathered Thursday, June 6 for their annual meeting to celebrate an art-filled year. Executive Director Andrew Allen, who completed his first year in March, thanked partners, spelled out a long list of accomplishments and shared highlights of plans for the coming year. "The Lake Wales Arts Council has seen an incredible amount of success during our 2018-19 season," Allen said. "We have been fortunate enough to maintain our classic...
The City of Lake Wales now has even more incentive to support prospective developers of the historic Seminole Hotel: the bid to demolish it came in June 4 at $700,000. Simpson Environmental Services of Trilby, FL submitted the lone bid, calling for $100,000 for the demolition and another $600,000 for "asbestos and road closure." City Planning and Development Director Kathy Bangley said city officials have made no decisions regarding the demolition bid: "It is currently...
Alma Louise Carl, 97, of Lake Wales passed away Friday, May 31 at Lake Wales Medical Center. She was born September 24, 1921 in Chambersburg, PA to the late Robert C. and Jennie (Moser) Funk. She has been a resident of Lake Wales since 2004 moving with her husband Mark from Pennsylvania. Alma was a homemaker and member of the First United Methodist Church in Lake Wales. Alma graduated from Chambersburg High School in 1939 where she was known by family and friends for her beaut...
Lake Wales city staff members and the proposed developers of the historic Seminole Hotel gathered for their first official meeting to outline necessary steps to move the project forward. Planning and Development Director Kathy Bangley told city commissioners Tuesday June 4 that developer Ray Brown had submitted an acceptable plan and would be granted access to the hotel starting Thursday, June 6. Bangley brought four staff members to the May 30 meeting with Brown, while...
Vice Mayor Robin Gibson issued a proclamation Tuesday, June 4 designating the week of June 8-15 as LGBTQ Pride Week in Lake Wales. Lake Wales members of PFLAG were on hand to accept the proclamation. Local PFLAG leader David Jones said 60 percent of Floridians had human rights protections, but they are not in force in Polk County. He asked the city commission to consider adopting a local human rights ordinance to protect all citizens from discrimination. Commissioners did not...
Betty Louise Jakeway, 94, of Lake Wales passed away Saturday, May 18 @ 5:35am, at Winter Haven Hospital. She was born June 12, 1924 in Benton Harbor, Michigan to the late Harold and Vernetta M. (Johnson) Harter. She has been a resident of this area since 1971, moving here from Los Angeles, CA, when her husband Dr. Wade Jakeway came to work for Warner Southern College, now Warner University. She coached softball at Warner and umpired for local recreation leagues, drawing from h...
