Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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Significant growth within the municipal limits of Lake Wales is driving changes in the city’s annual budget, which will see significant investments in improvements to city facilities while reducing the overall property tax rate. Despite the rate reduction, property tax receipts are expected to increase by $240,613 due to growth within the city limits. Several other funds are also expected to grow significantly from 2020, including sales and use taxes, which will jump by $...
A fatal crash between a light pickup truck and a Freightliner resulted in an afternoon-long blockage of US 27 in Lake Wales Saturday. Edwin McMillan, 62, of Lake Wales was southbound on US 27 at 1:15 pm when his Nissan Frontier collided with the left turning truck driven by Sterling Robles of Fresno, California, who was uninjured. The crash occurred at the intersection of Washington Avenue, which has signalized left-turn lanes. If remained unclear which driver had the...
Lamar Goff, 76, of Lake Wales passed away Monday, Aug. 23, 2021 at his residence. He was born September 8, 1944 in Lake Wales, to the late Daniel and Margaret Goff. Lamar was a retired Police Officer for the Frostproof Police Department and was a veteran of the United States Army, serving in Vietnam. He enjoyed fishing and riding motorcycles. Lamar was an artist and was known for building clocks. Lamar is survived by his wife of 53 years, Susie Goff; daughters, Lisa Kendrick and husband Layton of Lakeland, and Christie Maerke...
Members of the Lake Wales Police Department have been pleased with the roll out of eight body-worn cameras already in use, with an additional 24 cameras to come on line later this fall. Deputy Chief David Black said officers who are currently using the cameras are providing constructive feedback and reacting positively to having them available. "The guys seem to love the body worn cameras. They're excited to have them. We've already had a couple of criminal cases with them. I...
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...
It was a "bumpy start" as Lake Wales rolled out one-fourth of their new police worn body cameras Monday, July 26. Police Chief Chris Velasquez said the department will use the experiences of the first eight officers wearing the cameras to make sure the program is running smoothly when fully implemented in two or three months. "It's going to be a matter of working through, seeing how they work with us and how we can work also with all the other partners," Velasquez said. Since...
Lake Wales Police are investigating a rash of 48 vehicle burglaries between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, June 14. The bold burglars in some cases broke windows to gain access to steal valuables from the vehicles. The reported burglaries were in a concentrated area between Johnson Avenue and Greenbough Drive fairly close to Lake Wailes Lake. Police said a vehicle was stolen during the burglaries and recovered by officers. The largest concentration of burglaries was 11 p...
Lake Wales police are investigating a shooting that left a man in critical condition with multiple gunshot wounds. Police were called to a home at 426 Domaris Ave. at 9:34 p.m. June 4 regarding a shooting. Upon arrival, officers learned an armed robbery had just occurred at 414 Domaris Ave. Officers found the victim, a 36-year-old Lake Wales resident, at 422 Domaris Ave. with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to the hospital in critical condition. Police said the...
A recent statistically valid survey of residents in the northwest section neighborhood of Lake Wales revealed 60 percent of respondents say they "feel hopeful about the future of their neighborhood." City commissioners recently discussed results of the survey, which was conducted by the ETC Institute, a national firm renowned for helping local governments gather data from residents to enhance community planning and the delivery of municipal services. The survey, which was both...
Elizabeth J. “Beth” Satterwhite, 61, of Lake Wales passed away Tuesday, May 18, 2021 at Advent Health Lake Wales. She was born April 4, 1960 in Winter Park to Jimmie R. and Jimmie Lou Beasley; she moved to Lake Wales in 1989, but left for Texas in 2006. She returned to the area four years ago and has been a resident since. Beth was a former dispatcher for the Lake Wales Police Department and a former caregiver. Beth was preceded in death by her husband. She is survived by her daughters, Crystal Guerrero of Corpus Chr...
Polk Vision welcomed 45 program members to accomplished ranks of Leadership Polk Alumni on Friday, May 21, 2021 at the Balmoral Estates. Those with close ties to Lake Wales included Andy Oguntola from Polk State College, David Black from the Lake Wales Police Department and Michelle Yodonis with the Polk County Clerk of the Courts. Leadership Polk says its Alumni include some of the community's best thought leaders. They understand the value of collective impact and value the...
After 27 years with the Lake Wales Police Department, Deputy Chief Troy Schulze is stepping out on faith and making a career change. May 15 will be his last day on the force, as he leaves for a management position with Chemical Containers, Inc. His role there is still being defined, but Schulze says he is enthusiastic about the new opportunity. "It's exciting to me. I am very excited, (wife) Kami's excited, but it's difficult too," Schulze said. Schulze said he expects to...
With no discussion or public comment the Lake Wales City Commission May 4 approved spending $110,350 for the first year implementation of police worn body cameras for all officers who interact with the public. The Lake Wales Police Department will be the first law enforcement agency in Polk County to implement a body camera program. After reviewing the city's finances six months into the new budget year, City Manager James Slaton said without dipping into reserves the city...
Collaboration between different city departments is a daily occurrence at Lake Wales City Hall. But one of the more unique partnerships help show the good side of Lake Wales and is an important tool in putting bad guys behind bars. A city police drone is one of the latest tool's in the department's crime fighting tool kit. But part of the purchase price was covered by the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency, which uses the drone to provide aerial video of projects like...
Still stinging from his April 6 defeat by just 32 votes, Lake Wales City Commissioner Al Goldstein came out swinging the next morning – citing racism as a primary factor in his loss and suggesting the city is "on the cusp of destruction." Goldstein said he is not convinced his successful opponent, Kris Fitzgerald, will be a good commissioner and said she won on the coattails of Daniel Williams, who defeated Ricardo Navarro for Seat 2 by 15 votes. Goldstein said in two years h...
A team of law enforcement experts from the Center for Public Safety Management will conduct a full analysis of the Lake Wales Police Department to recommend improvements. The city will pay $45,550 to the center, which is affiliated with the International City/County Manager Association. City Manager James Slaton said the top-to-bottom assessment will result in an action list of improvements. According to the agreement for a comprehensive analysis of law enforcement services...
Lake Wales Police Chief Chris Velasquez released an investigative report Friday, March 26 that concluded there was no evidence of criminal wrongdoing by two officers during a Feb. 5 arrest. The complaint involved a traffic stop of 37-year-old Christopher Cordero that escalated into charges of resisting arrest without violence, threat of death or serious bodily injury of a law enforcement officer and assault on a law enforcement officer. Cordero accused Officers Colt Black and...
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...
One Lake Wales police officer has resigned and a second has been placed on administrative station duty pending an investigation into formal complaints against the officers. Christopher Cordero, 37, was arrested during a traffic stop Friday morning Feb. 5, and charged with resisting arrest without violence, threat of death or serious bodily injury of a law enforcement officer and assault on a law enforcement officer. Cordero claims Officers Colt Black and Travis Worley struck...
Judy Elaine Connelly, 71, of Fort Pierce, formerly of Lake Wales, passed away peacefully Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021 at her residence. She was born January 20, 1949 in Dothan, AL to the late Edlow and Emma Alice Bowden. She was a lifelong resident of Lake Wales until four years ago when she and her husband moved to Fort Pierce to be closer to their daughter. She was a strong Christian woman and a member of Christ Church on the Move. During her professional career worked as a...
Lake Wales city commissioners agreed Jan. 19 to hold off on full implementation of a police worn body camera initiative and instead consider a more limited pilot program. City Manager James Slaton said body cameras, other equipment, software license and storage for 32 police officers would cost about $93,350 up front and about $45,000 per year after that. He also said the police department would need to hire a technician to manage the videos to be used at trial, redact...
The next meeting of the Lake Wales Citizens and Police Community Relations Advisory Committee is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 25 at the city administration building, 201 W. Central Ave. The meeting opens with communications and petitions, a time when citizens may speak about their experiences with the Lake Wales Police Department. Citizens may attend in person, but space is limited and masks are required. People also may join the meeting online and speak by registering...
Two Lake Wales city commissioners are calling for the implementation of a police worn body camera system, but it will take a third to make it happen. Despite having no firm commitment from a third member, Commissioners Terrye Howell and Curtis Gibson insisted that the possible purchase be placed on their Jan. 19 regular agenda. "Accountability is what we need to look at," Gibson said. "I honestly think it will help officers as well, it protects everybody in the event of a...
A lot was different about this year's "Shop With A Cop" event, except for one very important thing – dozens of local families will have a much merrier Christmas because of the Lake Wales Police Department. In fact, a total of 70 area children will have presents under the tree and holiday food on the table thanks to the annual program, run by the Lake Wales Police Officers Association. Normally, children and their families meet at the Lake Wales Wal-Mart to pick out C...
