Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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There’s simply no substitute for a hometown newspaper – except a hometown news website – and I’m thrilled to learn that we now have one! I literally grew up with the hometown newspaper – two of them, actually. Late every afternoon when I was a kid growing up in Ridge Manor, I looked forward to seeing the paperboy ride by on his bike. The pages were smaller than the big-city papers and after being rolled tight (and rubber-banded even tighter) it could be thrown a long way...
Eagle Ridge Mall Regal Cinemas in Lake Wales will devote half of its 12 movie screens Thursday night, April 25 to the nationwide rollout of the superhero fantasy sci-fi thriller Avengers: End Game. But unlike some theaters that plan to run the movie into the wee hours and overnight, Regal will send moviegoers home before midnight. Pre-sales nationwide hit more than $120 million by Tuesday with industry experts predicting $300 million in sales for the first four days....
NOTE: This event has been canceled due to expected bad weather. Lake Wales Live will resume the third Friday of each month starting in September. The City of Lake Wales Recreation Department presents music in the park at its third Lake Wales Live! On Friday, April 19. The free event takes place in the park across from the library at 290 Cypress Gardens Lane. The M&M Cloggers will perform at 6 p.m. followed by a musical presentation at 7:30 p.m. by Southerndipity. The event is...
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,...
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and partners celebrated the 25th anniversary of the FWC's Ridge Rangers Program on Saturday, April 6, at Lake Kissimmee State Park. The guests of honor were many of the volunteers, visionaries and agencies that have made this program a success, both past and present. "The Lake Wales Ridge is one of Florida's most highly imperiled ecosystems," said Jeff McGrady, FWC Division of Habitat and Species Conservation...
The Lake Wales area might be adding some new residents if Jeff Bretzer and Michael Skovron see their efforts bearing fruit. The two Realtors promoted the Ridge Landing Aviation community off U.S. 27 south to hundreds of attendees at the 45th Annual Sun 'n Fun Fly-in & Expo April 2-7. Bretzer is a commercial pilot flying the 777 for United. He and Skovron both live in South Florida but are airpark specialists promoting Ridge Landing through Weichert Realtors. John Fazzini of...
The Rockin' on the River fundraising event April 5-6 moved to a new location this year on the shores of Lake Pierce at the Florida FFA Leadership Training Center. The event kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday, April 5 with music by The Nathan Baldwin Band and then Darryl Worley hits the stage at 7:30 p.m. Worley will be signing autographs while BURN sets up to start their 10 p.m. performance. Saturday's festivities will start with opening ceremonies at noon with a special guest...
More than 100 civic and business leaders gathered for breakfast at the Vanguard School to hear the annual "State of the City" report delivered by Lake Wales Mayor Eugene Fultz on Wednesday morning, and most were impressed by what they heard. Ranging from a summation of new businesses arriving, including a Lake Wales Medical Center Wound Care facility, plus Aldi's, Wawa, and Love's, to imaginative plans for re-invigorating the downtown area and Crystal Lake Park, the address wa...
Candidates for Lake Wales mayor and city commission shared common beliefs about the need for more citizen involvement and transparency in city government at a forum Thursday, March 14 sponsored by the Lake Wales Chapter of the American Association of University Women. Only about 25 people came out to the James P. Austin Community Center to listen and ask questions. Incumbent Mayor Eugene Fultz did not attend, but sent some prepared comments. He is on the Board of the Ridge...
Rotary on the Ridge inducted Destini Lewis as a new member March 18. Lewis is Realtor ® and founder of her own company, Unique Destiny. She was sponsored by the club's newest member, Jonathan White, who supports her in marketing her real estate business, Homeexpo. Rotary on the Ridge is family friendly, and members have enjoyed getting to know White, Lewis and their 3-month-old Lily and 9-year-old Charles-Anthony. The family lives in Bartow. The county's only after hours...
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...
The City of Lake Wales Recreation Department will hold its second monthly Lake Wales Live event starting at 6 p.m. Friday, March 15. This month's free event will include music by Warner University's Beyond Belief Jazz Ensemble starting at 6 p.m., followed at 7:30 p.m. with music by Cory Greenway. Lake Wales Live is held in the park across from the Lake Wales Public Library at 290 Cypress Gardens Lane. The event will include food for purchase from food trucks and a beer and...
Housing has been in high demand in the Lake Wales area, and planned single-family developments have been building out rapidly, but demand is equally strong for apartment homes. Some of that demand will soon be met as Equinox of Florida LLC moves forward with their plans to build 335 new units on the north side of town. The new complex will consist of 13 buildings on two separate parcels totaling almost 50 acres. They are located about 500 feet north of Chalet Suzanne Road, dir...
A week-long observation in all seven Lake Wales Charter schools culminated with a special community event at Eagle Ridge Mall with hundreds of staff, students, families and local supporters celebrating Disabilities Awareness Week. Charter Schools participated in a variety of activities designed to help students, teachers, staff, families and the broader community understand the importance of supporting special need students – children with disabilities – and their fam...
It was perfect Florida weather as 80 artists exhibited their work on the shores of Lake Wailes Saturday, Feb. 23. The show continues from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24. It was Angela Pulido Wadsworth's first show. A hard-charging personal injury attorney for 21 years, she began painting after a battle with breast cancer sidelined her from her work as a trial attorney. She created De Novo Art named for the Latin term that means to start from the beginning. The effects of he...
Rotary on the Ridge has installed William Heath III as a new member. "Trey" is a REALTOR ® with Century 21 At Your Service Realty in Lake Wales. Trey's wife, Michelle, mother, Sara, and in-laws Ruthie and Ken Welch attended the installation service Jan. 28. "Trey obviously has a servant's heart," said sponsor Chevon Baccus, co-founder of the regional service club. "I am honored to sponsor him to become a Rotarian so he can put his energy and commitment to work serving our...
Traveling by car in Central Florida in 1929 wasn't easy. In the late 1920s, many Florida roads were clay. Yet, thousands of cars full of curious people headed to Lake Wales to see the President of the United States and to see Edward Bok's Bird Sanctuary. On Feb. 1, 1929, President Calvin Coolidge dedicated the Mountain Lake Sanctuary and Singing Tower, now known as Bok Tower Gardens. It was a very rare occasion to see the President in those days. To have the opportunity to...
The City of Lake Wales is planning to add a new library branch and recreational facility on Chalet Suzanne Road on the northern edge of the city near the Eagle Ridge Mall. The new recreational facility would include playground equipment, picnic tables, a basketball court and bathroom facilities. The new branch would occupy an existing unused garage located on city property where the current northern Lake Wales Fire Department is located. The cost of the project, according to...
Rotary on the Ridge installed Jonathan Lamont White as a new member Monday, Feb. 18. White is an investor with Empower Through Enterprise and also works to promote the Bartow real estate business of his wife, Destini Lewis, Heavyweight of Real Estate. Curtis Gibson sponsored White into the club and vouched for his character and commitment to community service. "Jonathan wants to really make a difference in the community," Gibson said. "He will be a great addition to our...
Artists and arts enthusiasts helped kick of the Citizens Bank & Trust Lake Wales Art Show Friday, Feb. 22 with a Mardi Gras-themed event. The crowd enjoyed New Orleans style food, prepared by Mike Berkau of Ridge Catering, and the brassy sounds of the Jazz Phools. Event co-chairs Stephanie Eckstein and Margie Sikes carried out the theme with colorful masks, beads and purple and green decor. The annual Art-B-Que kicks off the weekend's Art Show and gives the artists an...
The shores of Lake Wailes lake will come alive with food, music and all kinds of artwork Feb. 23 and 24 for the 48th Annual Citizens Bank & Trust Lake Wales Arts Festival. About 80 artists are expected to exhibit their works from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The event is juried, meaning the artist submissions were reviewed by a panel of experienced jurors and deemed quality work, worthy of a place at this popular festival. Impressed with the hometow...
Three Lake Wales Charter schools were among 21 schools in Polk County recognized recently as Five Star School award winners by the Florida Department of Education. Dale R. Fair Babson Park Elementary School, Hillcrest Elementary School and Polk Avenue Elementary School were among about 700 schools statewide to receive the honor for the 2017-18 school year. The Five Star School award honors schools for exemplary community involvement and their commitment to incorporating...
