Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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For the second time in three years, $2.5 million of Polk State College’s recurring operational budget – more than 5 percent of the College’s total budget – is at risk of veto and the College is requesting the community’s support to protect these funds to ensure the Polk State JD Alexander Center, Polk State’s Lake Wales Campus, may continue to serve southeast Polk County with quality higher education and workforce training. The 2019 Legislative Session concluded May 4 with...
The Triple Canopy Ranch concert venue 20 miles east of Lake Wales will take on new life in 2020 as a resort with over 1,000 sites for manufactured homes and RVs and a full range of resort style amenities. The developers say the Resort at Canopy Oaks should be built out with a grand entrance on CR 630 within a year and ready for its first full season in the fall of 2020. "It's going to be a big, big project – a multiyear deal," said Tristan Farrell, president of the Resort a...
Hot, hot, hot. That's what experts are calling the Polk County real-estate market, where inventory of existing houses remains low and homebuilders are busy. Various reports rank the local real-estate market in the Top 5 among major metropolitan areas, continuing a trend that started in 2018. Realtor.com places the Lakeland-Winter Haven MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area, which in this case is Polk County) as the No. 1 hottest market in the country, followed by Grand Rapids, Mi...
Over the past six years, the graduation rate at Lake Wales High School has soared, from just over 70 percent for the 2013-14 school year to over 90 percent last school year. While a vast majority of grads decide to head off to college, there are many who also want to pursue a different path, which was the genesis of the Highlander Guild, a new organization at the school this past year designed to introduce students to potential vocational careers to become plumbers,...
Kathy M. Barber, 78, of Lake Wales passed away Thursday, May 30, 2019 at her residence. She was born June 26, 1940 in Michigan to the late William H. and Sarah J. (Lindsey) Rowston. She has been a resident of the area since 1967 coming from Pontiac, Michigan. She was an administrative assistant for Florida's Natural and of the Presbyterian faith. She loved to make jewelry, sing, play the organ and was an animal lover. She is survived by her daughter Teresa Bruce and husband...
James R. "Jim" Bryan was born April 11,1938 in Sebring to Edith and Earl Bryan. He died May 25, 2019. Brothers E. Kenneth and Bruce Bryan are both deceased. He was raised in several cities in Florida, spending his junior and senior years of high school in Auburndale where he played sports. He graduated in 1956 and received a scholarship to play football at Florida State University. A coach Hugh (Bones) Taylor recruited him to play pro football for the New York Titans. Jim rece...
About 100 business and community leaders, elected officials and educators gathered Thursday morning, May 16, to rally support for continued funding of the Lake Wales J.D. Alexander Center of Polk State College. Rather than include $2.5 million for the Lake Wales campus in its regular budget, the Florida Legislature placed it as a separate line item, making it subject to a potential veto by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Polk State President Angela Garcia Falconetti reminded the crowd that...
Marty Griffin, 66, of Babson Park passed away Wednesday, May 8 at his residence. He was born October 31, 1952 in Adel, GA to the late Carson and Sally F. (Greene) Griffin. He has been a resident of the area for seven years coming from Georgia. He attended elementary and high School in Frostproof. He was employed as a boat loader and was of the Baptist faith. Marty liked wrestling, video games, motorcycling and fishing. He loved the Lord and his Momma, and he would always check on everyone by phone every day. He is survived...
The Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council at its annual awards gala May 9 presented two local companies with Carl F. Durso Excellence in Business Awards. The small business winner was Capo Security and the larger business award went to Grow Healthy. Durso was a longtime Lake Wales supporter and Chamber executive director. Criteria for the award includes length of time in the community, number of employees, growth or expansion of the business...
Gayle S. Reeder, 75, died April 27 in Lake Wales. She was born December 10, 1943, in Mebane, Alamance County, NC to Roy Clifton Smith, Sr. and Lottie Corene Blackard Smith. She moved with family to Lake Wales, Florida, in 1959. Gayle graduated from Lake Wales High School in 1962, married Dennis Reeder August 3, 1962. Their son William Luke Reeder was born 1970. She was predeceased by her husband, Dennis Reeder, and parents, Roy C. Smith, Sr. and Lottie Corene Blackard Smith...
Lake Wales Police detectives arrested a 19-year-old Frostproof man Friday, April 26 after they say he arrived at a location believing he was there to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex. After being alerted by a McLaughlin Middle School administrator, who saw a 13-year-old student with an adult male several blocks from school that morning, police talked to the girl and learned she had been communicating with the man on social media for about a year. She also told police the man ha...
Max Edward Linton, a longtime Lake Wales resident, Korean War Veteran, beloved Central Florida educator, husband and father died Friday, April 19. He was 83. Max was born November 25, 1935, in Buffalo, NY, to Burdette and Dawn Linton. He graduated in 1953 from Lafayette High School (Home of the Fighting Violets), where he was known as "Happy." From his earliest days, Max was industrious – always holding a myriad of jobs, which included at different times delivering ice and i...
The City of Frostproof will host a two-day barbeque celebration April 12-13, bringing people together for food, music and activities for kids. Fire it Up! Will include a barbeque contest sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) and a steak contest and Kids Que sanctioned by the Steak Cookoff Association. According to the KCBS, barbecue is a uniquely American tradition. The Frostproof event at Henderson Field, 71 N. Lake Reedy Blvd. starts at 4 p.m. Friday with...
Rosemary Creem Donadio, 77, of Frostproof passed away Wednesday, April 10, 2019, at her residence. She was born December 21, 1941 in New Haven, Connecticut, to the late Charles and Marion (Crawford) Creem. She has been a resident of the area since 1972, coming from Clinton, Connecticut and was an insurance biller for Florida Hospital. Survivors include her daughters, Sandra Avirett and her husband Joseph of Lake Wales, Vicki Baerhold and her husband Michael of Frostproof, Becky Donadio of Frostproof, son, Keith Donadio and...
Congratulations to "Team Planktons," winners of the third annual Big Kahuna Paddle Challenge on Saturday April 6 at Webber International University. Team members Jennifer Nanek, Richard Moody, Dan Hurst and Webber students, along with Bill Redmon at the helm, were victorious, but gave the winning prize to their competitor, The Vanguard School of Lake Wales. It's the third year for Nanek, Lake Wales city clerk, to compete in the event. "The secret to success is teamwork,...
Good food and fun are drawing crowds into the popular Crooked Bass Grill and Tavern, but there's also a fascinating bit of Babson Park history behind the success. Featuring a large and diverse menu and a full bar, the Crooked Bass is already a familiar dinner-time destination for folks in Babson Park and Frostproof, but as its reputation grows, people are making the drive from Lake Wales, Avon Park, Winter Haven, Haines City, and surrounding towns. The project of Tammy and...
The Ramon Theater in Frostproof will hold its spring murder mystery dinner at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 13. Lurking Down the Bunny Trail is the title of the interactive drama, where attendees try to figure out who murdered bunny breeder Barney Benson during his busiest time of year. All of the characters in the play are murder suspects, giving clues to the audience as they work together to try to solve the mystery. Tickets are $40 per person and include a catered dinner and the...
Hosting 200,000 guests is a big undertaking. More than 2,000 volunteers helped make things happen at the 45th Annual Sun 'n Fun Fly-in & Expo at Lakeland's Linder Airport April 2-7. They shuttle guests in golf carts, offer hospitality as greeters and serve in many different roles, selling tickets, checking wristbands and helping with media or in a variety of logistical jobs. Jack Madden from Frostproof has been volunteering for eight years. He and wife Sandy moved from Key...
Vice Mayor Robin Gibson floated an idea at the March 19 Lake Wales City Commission meeting he admits some people might find "nutty." Gibson proposed renaming First Street, the major North-South road through the City. He wants to call it "America Avenue." "It shows the diversity of our community and the diversity of our City as well," Gibson said. Gibson noted First Street is a long road that connects many neighborhoods. Commissioner Terrye Howell reminded him that the NAACP...
The second Lake Wales Live event drew about 100 people for music, food and lovely evening weather March 15. Sponsored by the City of Lake Wales Parks and Recreation Department, Friday's event featured music by Warner University's Beyond Belief Jazz Ensemble and singer and acoustic guitar player Cory Greenway of Frostproof. Recreation Coordinator Stephanie Edwards said she was pleased with the crowd, which was larger than the group that attended the first Lake Wales Live event...
You'll be on the edge of your seat during the production of "The Assassin's New Friend" through March 31 at the Lake Wales Little Theatre. Written by John Kaasik, the play is directed by Lake Wales Charter Schools Human Resources Director Dr. Julio Acevedo. March 15 is opening night and the play runs three weekends with performances at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. on Sundays. "This is a really good play because it has comedy, suspense, action and drama so...
Kathy L. Pressley of Lake Wales passed away Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019 at Lake Wales Medical Center. She was born Oct. 19, 1952 in Niagara Falls, NY to the late Harley and Imogene (Frye) Griffith. She has been a resident of the area since 1989 coming from Niagara Falls. She was a lab technician for Citrosuco. Survivors include her husband of 28 years, Vernon Pressley; daughter Nicole Keinath and husband Kristopher of Winter Haven; sons Steve Jones and wife Holly of Davenport,...
Love is in the air at the Lake Wales Public Library celebrating its annual membership drive during February. "This is a time for everyone, especially library support groups, to recognize the value of libraries," says Glenda Morgan, president of the Lake Wales Library Association - Friends of the Library. "All the work has been done without government funds because we raised $89,000 from people who give and give and give," Morgan states. "It's so exciting to see our local commu...
Tom Freeman turned 93 years old on October 19, 2018. Who is Tom Freeman? Well, he's kind of a legend around here - a Lake Wales treasure. He's somewhat of a renaissance man: an artist, poet, farmer, educator, businessman, war hero, golfer, historian, fisherman, storyteller, wildlife expert and activist. His life is an inspiration to many, and his art is a fabulous and important legacy. As are many, I am honored to know Mr. Freeman, and I am grateful for the privilege of...
Another dream came true for Barney Moore four years ago when he was able to go swimming for the first time in 30 years. After fellow Lake Wales resident Bill Redmon and Redmon's Kings Trail Church of Frostproof raised $2,000 to purchase a Mobi Chair fully equipped to roll from the beach at Lake Aurora Christian Camp into the water, Moore was floating across the lake, his face glowing as the sun came out of the clouds and the rain stopped long enough for a second swim. "Let me...
