Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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Lake Wales Public Library is asking the public for assistance in locating historic photos of downtown Lake Wales, particularly any that may include one particular build. Perhaps the background of old family snapshots may hold keys to the future beauty of the National Register Historic District. According to the Library's website, "We have a mystery that we hope our library patrons can help us solve. A resident is looking for a photo. We've been searching, he's been searching,...
Students heading back to school will get a welcome boost as 700 backpacks full of school supplies are given away to students from kindergarten through college age. The event marks the return of the Polk State College "Start Right" campaign and includes free school supplies, haircuts, food, and more for students and their families ahead of the 2022-2023 Academic Year. The event will begin at 9:00 am on Saturday July 23 at Polk State College's JD Alexander Center, 152 E....
It took only a few months working in the Development Services Division at the City of Lake Wales for Autumn Cochella to realize she had found her passion and a life-long career path. After six years on the job she recently earned a coveted certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners. "This is my hometown," Cochella said. "I get it. The responsibility is more personal because I care on a different level. She stepped into the role in a bigger way recently...
The inspiration of hard-working parents who wanted their children to have a better life has led their son to "pay it forward" by leading others to higher callings through Polk State College. Dr. Andy Oguntola is the Director of the college's Lake Wales campus in the JD Alexander Center on Central Avenue downtown. He also serves as Dean of Workforce Development for the multi-campus institution. Under his five-year watch enrollment at the local campus has grown from 600 to...
A local woman is in critical condition after being found badly beaten in an apartment early Saturday morning. Lake Wales Police responded to a call of an individual expressing suicidal thoughts, but the investigation soon discovered the victim, who was unconscious on the floor of her nearby apartment. The incident unfolded at 3:25 am at a location on North First Street, and led to the nearby apartment on West Sessoms Avenue, which the police report described as "completely...
"Human trafficking is modern-day slavery." With these words the One More Child organization describes the silently pervasive problem of human trafficking, which involves both adults and children as victims, and groups as diverse as gangs, families and religious organizations as perpetrators. In a six-hour forum sponsored by One More Child, the Lake Wales Care Center, local area pastors, and the Lake Wales Police and Fire Departments, some 80 participants heard expert...
Kevin N. "Kev" Jackson, 37, of Lake Wales passed away Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021 at Advent Health Lake Wales. He was born March 6, 1984 in Winter Haven, to Donald and Danise Jackson. Kev was the parts manager for Fields Equipment in Zolfo Springs and was a member of Impact Church in Lake Wales. He enjoyed hunting and fishing and was the Vice President of the FFA Alumni. Kev was the leader of the Orange Blossom 4-H and was a member of the Federal Christian Sportsman and the...
Gary Larson Helm, 74, of Lake Wales passed away Thursday, July 29, 2021 at Select Special Hospital in Orlando. He was born May 20, 1947 in Lake Wales, to the late Elmer and Lola Helm. Many people in Lake Wales remember him as a community hero, who as a young sergeant in 1972 helped save a grocery store full of people and a fellow officer by engaging five armed robbers in a gun battle. Gary shot and killed two robbers at the Publix on SR 60 and arched his back to narrowly...
Retired Lake Wales Police Chief Gary Helm died July 29 after a lengthy illness and hospitalization. He was 74. Many people in Lake Wales remember him as a community hero, who as a young sergeant in 1972 helped save a grocery store full of people and a fellow officer by engaging five armed robbers in a gun battle. Helm shot and killed two robbers at the Publix on SR 60 and arched his back to narrowly avoid being shot himself. Friends said he kept the shirt with the bullet hole...
Arson is one of the most expensive property claims in the United States. Each year billions of dollars in property damage and hundreds of lives are lost as a result of fires set by arsonists. For 38 years State Farm Insurance has been training arson dog teams to locate potential evidence of arson following a fire. The dog alerts the handler, usually a firefighter or law enforcement official, to the specific location of an accelerant (gasoline, oil, fuel) and the handler...
The Water Department will be flow testing all fire hydrants in the City of Lake Wales starting on Tuesday, April 27. Two technicians will be performing the work. It will continue until the city completes flow testing for all city fire hydrants. This could take approximately 3 months to flush all hydrants. Customers who experience brown water are encouraged to flush the plumbing for 5-10 minutes to clear any brown water issues....
City residents can thank a local restaurant for helping the Lake Wales Chamber of Commerce find its 2020 Public Servant of the Year. Lake Wales Fire Chief Joe Jenkins – born and raised in the city and now celebrating 30 years with the department – was honored with the award in late December, for not only his service as chief, but as the city's Emergency Operations Director during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Jenkins said he didn't really know what he wanted to do whe...
Lake Wales Interim City Manger James Slaton says if your grocery store has an outbreak of COVID-19 among its employees you can always go to another store. But he says there's no alternative if the pandemic impacts a large number of city employees. That's how Slaton justifies keeping city buildings shut down to visitors, when so many other businesses and government offices are opening. "There's no replacement for what we do," Slaton said, noting the city is taking a...
Lake Wales City commissioners are looking to reduce or eliminate a small increase in the city’s fire fee when the first reading and public hearing on a proposed 2020-21 budget is held on Sept. 9. The overall plan totals $47.9 million – and actually trims the city’s millage rate to the rollback figure of $6.9747 per $1,000 in assessed valuation – which included a five percent increase in the city’s fire fee assessment. The residential cost was projected to rise $16 a year, fro...
Lake Wales City Commissioners got good news at their second budget workshop Aug. 12. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic's negative impact on the economy, projected state revenue is about $100,000 higher than originally expected. Budget Director Dorothy Abbott said she is confident that the City can adopt a balanced budget at a slightly lower "rollback" millage, the rate that is expected to generate the same amount of property taxes as this year. The current rate of 6.9339 may be...
As the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in Polk County and Lake Wales, the City of Lake Wales has partnered with Polk County government services to distribute disposable face masks to its citizens. Polk County has purchased one million disposable, multi-use masks utilizing federal CARES Act funds. "24,000 masks will be available for our citizens to safely pick up at convenient locations," stated Joe Jenkins, Lake Wales Fire Chief and Emergency Operations...
Lake Wales City Commissioners spent a little under two hours in a workshop session June 10 becoming familiar with next Tuesday's regular June 16 meeting agenda and sharing their opinions informally with their colleagues and city staff. Commissioners indicated they like the new pre-agenda workshop proposed by new Interim City Manager James Slaton to identify and address commissioner questions prior to distribution of the formal agenda and to obtain their input on proposed...
Body worn cameras for Lake Wales police officers got put on the back burner during a budget workshop June 3, but not without heated discussion and passionate disagreements among city commissioners. Commissioners Terrye Howell and Curtis Gibson advocated for body cameras to be a budget priority, but Mayor Eugene Fultz, who previously supported them, cited budget concerns and his doubts that cameras would resolve issues between police and citizens. Deputy Mayor Robin Gibson...
About 125 peaceful protesters gathered Sunday afternoon at the Lake Wales Police Department, but unlike groups around the country their issue was not the killing of a black man by a white Minneapolis police officer. Instead, they were calling for racial justice at the local level and demanding the firing of a Lake Wales police detective, who ironically was named 2019 Officer of the Year. The Poor and Minority Justice Association, a Winter Haven-based civil rights group,...
Although Lake Wales leaders don't know the specifics about local COVID-19 cases, those confirmed to have been sickened by the virus are still being closely monitored. Emergency Operations Director Joe Jenkins, who is also the Lake Wales Fire Chief, said while he is not kept updated on each infected person, officials from the Polk County Department of Health monitor them on an almost daily basis. "The Department of Health has that list. They know who those people are. They...
The City of Lake Wales continues to be under a declared State of Emergency by Mayor Fultz. There is no curfew at this time. As Covid-19 updates for Florida's residents continue daily, many City of Lake Wales staff have begun working from home, while others continue to work within the City of Lake Wales Municipal Administration Building, 201 West Central Avenue and other facilities. The Lake Wales Municipal Administration Building remains closed to residents and customers until...
Despite the challenges of COVID-19, Lake Wales continues to function as close to normal as possible, Emergency Operations Director Joe Jenkins said Tuesday night. Jenkins, also the city's fire chief, updated Lake Wales leaders on the latest measures and precautions being taken in light of the national health emergency, including where to go if someone suspects they might be infected. Most city facilities are closed to the public – like the library and history museum – but city...
The City of Lake Wales will close, or restrict, many of its services to the public beginning Tuesday, March 17. Recognizing the diverse populations that city departments serve, the closures are undertaken to protect all ages, most critically, those in high risk categories. The city's staff will continue to work; however entry to the City's Municipal Administration Building, 201 West Central Avenue, will not be available to residents and customers. Phone calls and email...
While the Polk County Public Schools anticipate about 1,600 teachers to be absent Monday, Jan. 13 to attend an education rally in Tallahassee, Lake Wales High School Principal Donna Dunson said she didn't expect any disruption in the local charter schools. Dunson said charter school teachers support the purpose of the rally, but most are expected to be in their classrooms Monday. Polk County Public Schools were scrambling to provide coverage for the absent teachers, with about...
Greg Massey invested in a house in August and made plans to renovate it and rent it out. Unwilling to give him the extra time he requested to submit restoration plans, the City of Lake Wales had it demolished. The demolition took place on Tuesday, Dec. 17 – the same day City Manager Ken Fields knew Massey planned to address the city commission to seek their help. The demolition permit, issued Dec. 3, was good through Jan. 17. At the commission meeting Massey detailed the t...
