Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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After causing a scare in the east Polk region by approaching Florida from the southwest, Hurricane Idalia behaved much as the computer models had predicted, staying well offshore of Florida's west coast before slamming into the Big Bend Area of the state as a Category Four hurricane. That course left the Lake Wales area and surrounding communities undamaged due to winds. Three times during the overnight hours tornado warnings caused alarms to sound on phones and tablets in...
Precautions are advised for strong winds and heavy rains due to the approach of Hurricane Idalia, still expected to move near Florida's Gulf Coast overnight on Wednesday. The 11:00 am, update from the National Hurricane Center in Miami indicates that the center of the storm is still on a generally northward track of five degrees, indicating a slight eastward movement. Any increased eastward adjustment in the course would raise the potential impacts of the storm in the east Pol...
The National Hurricane Center has issued Hurricane Warnings for much of the Florida west coast north of Longboat Key, and raised the former Tropical Storm Watch in Polk County to a Tropical Storm Warning. Residents of the Lake Wales area can expect gusty winds of up to about 60 mph overnight Tuesday evening, continuing for much of the day on Wednesday before gradually relaxing Wednesday night. Along with the winds, substantial rains can be anticipated, with up to four inches...
The threat of a direct strike from Hurricane Idalia on east Polk and the Lake Wales Ridge area continues to diminish this morning as the storm has continued on a northerly track with no sign of a dreaded turn to the east. That much-feared jog would bring the storm ashore on Florida's populous west coast rather than the sparsely-populated Big Bend area. Nevertheless, precautions continue in Polk County for anticipated tropical storm-force winds and the possibility for heavy...
The 5:00 pm update from the National Hurricane Center contains some positive news for the Lake Wales area as the most recent model runs for future movements of Tropical Storm Idalia trended very slightly to the west, which would keep the center of the storm away from the central Florida coastline, aiming it instead for the sparsely-populated Big Bend area of the Gulf Coast. On the cautionary side, however, is an increased expectation of rapid intensification, assuring that it...
A Babson Park man has been arrested and charged after a crash that took the life of a local woman. Coleden Snowden was arrested by Polk County Sheriff's deputies after an extensive investigation indicated that he was driving as fast as 112 miles per hour just prior to causing a crash that resulted in the death of a Frostproof woman in March. Snowden, 20, has been charged with vehicular manslaughter, a second degree felony. According to investigators, a reconstruction of the...
The Lake Wales Highlander of 100 years ago reveals much about the history of our community. Each week the Lake Wales News will publish a front-page image of the former Lake Wales Highlander from 100 years earlier, tracking the growth of the community a century ago, when Florida was in the midst of a great land price boom and rapid population growth. The images are retrieved from the digital archives of the Lake Wales Public Library. The Lake Wales Highlander eventually became...
As the 19th anniversary of the devasting impact of Hurricane Charley approaches on August 13, many Ridge area residents turn a wary eye on the tropics. Despite "super-heated" waters in most of the Atlantic basin the 2023 hurricane season has, so far, remained a no-show. A global weather shift may be the cause. A phenomenon called the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, or PDO, features alternating waves of colder or warmer waters in the eastern Pacific. It has huge influence on...
A general lack of sidewalks on county roads in eastern Polk County may serve as motivation for local residents who would like to become advocates. Polk County commissioners are looking for volunteers who would like to serve on the county's Sidewalk Advisory Committee. The 12-member advisory committee assists the Board in determining the priority of locations for new sidewalks to be built throughout the county. Five members of the committee are appointed by the Board, with...
You can expect to meet crowds of bargain-hunters on one area roadway as the 16th annual Ridge Scenic Highway "39 Mile Yard Sale" takes place on on Saturday, November 4th. The event typically draws thousands of visitors from across central Florida and beyond, coming to seek unusual finds and great bargains brought forth from barns, garages, attics, and other treasure storerooms. The sale runs from 8:00 am until 2:00 pm along the entire length of the Ridge Scenic Highway,...
Joseph William DePietro of Frostproof passed away Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at his residence. He was born July 9, 1936 in Boston, Massachusetts to the late Joseph and Phyllis DePietro; he moved to Frostproof from Randolph, Massachusetts in 1982. Joseph was a retired heavy equipment operator and a part-time jeweler. He was a veteran of the United States Army who served from 1956 until 1958 in Korea. Joseph taught opal cutting at the William Holland School of Lapidary Arts in...
Jose Manuel Velez, Sr. of Frostproof passed away Wednesday, July 5, 2023 at his residence. He was born February 23, 1941 in Lares, Puerto Rico to the late Rafael and Isabel Velez Hernandez. Jose was a self-employed auto mechanic. He had a love for motorcycles and he and his son did the lower 48 on a motorcycle. Jose had a special place in his heart for his granddaughter. He lived life on his terms. Jose is survived by his wife of 57 years, Iris Dalia Velez; daughters, Sheila...
An attempted traffic stop by a Highlands County deputy sheriff near Avon Park Thursday evening ended in a chase to Frostproof, an exchange of gunfire, the wounding of a deputy sheriff, and the death of a shooter. The shooter, identified as Ramon Martinez, 37, had an active felony warrant for his arrest for violation of probation, and a criminal history that included 16 previous felonies and 13 misdemeanors. According to police reports, the deputy attempted to stop a car...
Marjorie Bedell Lanier of Frostproof passed away Saturday, June 24, 2023 at her residence. She was born May 31, 1931 in Dundee to the late Harold and Minnie Bedell; she was a lifelong resident of the area. She was a retired citrus packing and shipping officer at Ben Hill Griffin. She had a good life, loved her family and was a great momma. She loved fishing, fish fry's, baking and cooking. She was a hard worker and enjoyed yard sales and traveling. Marjorie was preceded in...
Vaughn Cofer of Babson Park passed away Saturday, June 17, 2023 at George G. Forsythe Hospice House in Auburndale. She was born October 14, 1928 in Glade Hill, Virginia to the late Ulis and Nannie Powell; she moved to Babson Park from Frostproof in 1958. Vaughn worked as secretary, environmental teacher, and substitute teacher for the Polk County School System for 10 years. She then worked for 10 years as a staff writer and family news writer for the Daily Highlander where...
A family Father's Day celebration tragedy took the life of a 17-year-old Frostproof resident, who drowned in Lake Clinch after a boating crash. Jose Torres was reportedly the driver of a vehicle, described as "a waverunner," that tumbled out of control about 200 yards off shore just after 8:00 pm Sunday, throwing him and a passenger into the water. According to reports, the Frostproof Fire Department was notified at 8:19 pm and responded to the scene, calling local fisherman...
Polk County Emergency Management has release the "Polk County Public Shelters" maps for 2023, revealing that there remains only a single shelter to serve the nearly 100,000 residents of Southeast Polk County. Spook Hill Elementary, at 321 Dr. J. A. Wiltshire Ave East in Lake Wales, is the only shelter in a broad area that Includes Dundee, Frostproof, Babson Park, Nalcrest, and other area communities. The 2023 map includes 47 shelters, including three "Special Needs Shelters"...
John Herbert Cofer of Frostproof passed away Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at his residence. He was born October 31, 1929 in Frostproof to the late Clifford and Bertie Cofer; he has been a lifelong resident of the area. John was a retired corrections officer and served with the United States Army during the Korean war. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Frostproof and enjoyed fishing, gardening, and traveling. He loved spending time with his family and having cookouts. John...
Two Haines City men are dead and a third hospitalized following an early morning crash on US Highway 27. Lake Wales Traffic Homicide Investigators determined that a car driven by Aljerume Brooks, age 40 from Haines City failed to stop for the red traffic light while traveling North on Highway 27. Also in the vehicle was Gary Faniel Jr, age 24 and Javarcea Morton, age 23, both of Haines City. Both Faniel and Morton were pronounced dead at the scene. Brooks was transported to...
Police are seeking the whereabouts of a Haines City man who reportedly drove at high speed and ran a red light on US 27, resulting in the deaths of his two passengers. Lake Wales Police have obtained an arrest warrant for 40-year-old Aljerune Brooks of Haines City. An investigation confirmed Brooks was the driver of the Cadillac that failed to stop at the signal at Washington Avenue, crashing into a "yard dog" truck cab owned by Florida's Natural. The driver of the truck,...
Foy Livingston McKenzie of Lake Wales passed away Sunday, May 14, 2023 at his residence. He was born February 12, 1952 in Lyons, Georgia to the late James and Patricia McKenzie; he has been a lifelong resident of the area. Foy was a fruit receiver for Citrus World. He enjoyed spending his time in nature fishing and camping; over all else he loved his family. Foy was preceded in death by his daughters, Pamela Diane Branch, and Margaret Ann Smith. He is survived by his wife of...
Jerry Arthur Atkins, 78, of Frostproof, passed away at his home, May 10th. Born June 14, 1944 in Muncie, IN, to the late Lloyd and Ruth (Pence) Atkins, he moved to Frostproof in 1980 where he worked as a truck driver for Ben Hill Griffin. Jerry loved his wife and daughters, his family and his dog, Doc. He loved motorcycles and boating, but mostly he enjoyed taking his wife out so she could go fishing. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Sherry Colleen Atkins of...
In a tightknit community, one person's battle with cancer can become a community cause. Such in the case in Frostproof, where fundraising is ongoing for Alice Hollis Evans, who is battling cancer and a blood clot. Evans, known lovingly as "Mimi," is not in her first first fight with cancer. This is her third. In November of 2015, Alice's youngest son, Ryan Evans, donated a kidney and Alice underwent a transplant as a result of the cancer. "She loves her family," said Evan's...
APRIL 22 - An early spring and nearly summer-like temperatures have already led to parking problems at Frostproof's Lake Clinch Beach, and the Frostproof City Council is poised to do something to attempt to correct the situation. The agenda for a scheduled 5:00 pm public workshop on Monday, April 24 includes discussion of the possible implementation of parking permits for the Lake Clinch beach area. The Council unanimously agreed to hold a workshop at their April 17 meeting...
Jim Lefils, 79, of Babson Park passed away, Thursday, April 20, 2023, at AdventHealth Lake Wales after a short illness. Jim is survived by his wife of 59 years Carolynn "Dede" Watson LeFils. He recently retired from Watson Pharmacy, Frostproof, where he was the co-owner and pharmacist for 50 years. Jim served in the U.S. Air Force and was a graduate of the University of Florida School of Pharmacy. He was a licensed airplane and glider pilot. Jim and Dede were avid travelers,...
