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...
City of Lake Wales officials continue to restrict access to the condemned 1929 Seminole Hotel in downtown Lake Wales to the frustration of developer Ray Brown. A code enforcement officer and three police officers met Brown at the site Tuesday, April 30 and threatened him with arrest for trespassing if he entered the hotel building. Brown says he has a contract to purchase the hotel and notarized permission to enter by the current owner. Brown was there Tuesday to meet senior...
The Lake Wales City Commission will meet Tuesday, May 14 to discuss priorities for the 2019-2020 budget. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the City Administration Building, after the commission meets at 5:30 p.m. serving as the city's Community Redevelopment Agency According to the budget workshop agenda by Finance Director Dorothy Eklund, "as the City Commission begins the annual budget process, it is customary for the City Commission to first hold 'priority setting workshops'...
Three individuals, two businesses and one service organization will be honored Thursday, May 7 at the annual fundraising gala hosted by the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council. The event theme is "Feeling Groovy," and many attendees are expected to dress in costumes from the 1970s. The event is scheduled from 6-9 p.m. in the Lake Ashton Banquet Hall. Tickets are $75 for individuals and $1,000 for a table of 8. Other sponsorship levels are...
A suggestion that Florida's capitol be relocated to Polk County got a rousing response at a dinner at Lake Ashton on Saturday. The proposal was floated by Rob Lorei, the long-time host of "Florida This Week," a political-affairs show aired on WEDU television. Complaining of the isolation of the Florida Legislature from the bulk of the state's citizens, Lorei said that elected officials count on the long distances and shrinking press coverage to pass measures on behalf of...
Lake Wales Family Literacy Academy friends and volunteers celebrated founders Deming Cowles and Gail Crum at a dinner Friday night, April 26. The Lake Wales High School orchestra, directed by teacher Meg Smith, performed a special concert for the event, closing with "You Raise Me Up," as a tribute to what Cowles and Crum do for others. Howard Kay, a longtime academy volunteer and board member, praised the commitment of Cowles and Crum: "I never dreamed of all the families...
Under the watchful eye of a neighborly alligator, a team assembled by Keep Polk County Beautiful recently dismantled and carted off a derelict houseboat just outside the Camp Mack boat ramp on the Kissimmee River at Camp Lester. KPCB Executive Director Katie Yoxall said the eyesore had plagued the area for at least 17 years. Yoxall said her organization doesn't really have the funds for derelict vessel removal, which can run thousands of dollars, but she was able to use a...
People who would like to learn more about a Revolutionary War ancestor are invited to a genealogy workshop at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 27 in the 1926 courtroom at the Polk History Center, 100 E. Main St. in Bartow. Kerry Kennedy, registrar for the Bartow Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, will lead the session, which will explore resources available for genealogical research. Attendees are asked to bring a laptop computer for a hands-on research experience...
Misused prescription drugs contribute to addiction and even death, so the Lake Wales Police Department will join others as a drop-off location for National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 27. According to StandUP Polk, the organization sponsoring the event along with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, people can get rid of any unwanted human or pet medication, including pills, liquids and syringes. Just drive up, hand the officer your medication...
Lake Wales police joined officers from Bartow, Haines City and the Polk County Sheriff's Department as part of the Polk County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigation that resulted in 44 arrests, three warrants and the seizure of 50 pounds of methamphetamines with a street value of $1.4 million. The task force also seized $50,000 in U.S. currency and assets along with four firearms. According to the sheriff's department, the suspects were collectively...
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....
Developer Ray Brown wants to purchase and restore the historic 1929 Seminole Hotel on First Street in Lake Wales but he says the city is anti-development and throwing up roadblocks. Brown, who also is in the process of restoring the historic Walesbilt Hotel, says the Seminole is a solid structure with great potential. He plans to partner with architect Rick Gonzales from West Palm Beach, who has extensive experience with restoration of historic buildings and serves as vice cha...
Lake Wales attraction Spook Hill has now earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. City Clerk Jennifer Nanek announced the special designation at the Lake Wales City Commission meeting April 16. City Manager Ken Fields credited Nanek with persistence in seeking the special designation, which needed nomination by the State of Florida and then approval by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The National Register is the official list of the nation's historic...
Step into Steve Warner's office at Eagle Lake Elementary and your eyes will be drawn to the whiteboard, where he's drawn a large, pyramid-shaped illustration. The names of the two Winter Haven-area high schools he serves as Polk County Public Schools' first community liaison director are at the apex, followed by the names of four middle schools and 12 elementary schools. The drawing is more than just a way to help Warner remember school names. It's also a depiction of what he...
Jim Davis is well known for rigorously training highly-skilled professionals for Central Florida fire departments, and that includes instilling in firefighters the importance of honor. After 42 years in the fire service, 30 years as a part-time fire instructor at Ridge Technical College, and nearly a decade as a Polk State Fire Science Technology Coordinator, Davis continues to pass on his traits of respect and selflessness in addition to the technical skills individuals need...
Downtown revitalization may have a domino effect and breathe new life into the old Lake Wales 1919 school building. City Manager Ken Fields told city commissioners April 16 that during the budget process this year he wants to talk about what to do with the city's red brick two-story structure that housed Lake Wales students for decades. Fields said city officials were waiting to see the recommendations of urban planners Dover Kohl, expected in June, which he believes could...
Darlene Michelle Graham Nanek Mulkins, 66, of Lake Wales, passed away April 23 from complications related to lung cancer. She was born on September 7, 1952 in Poughkeepsie, NY to David and Gladys Sharp Graham. She moved to Lake Wales in 1980 and obtained her Nursing Degree in 1987 from then Polk Community College. She was a member of Trinity Baptist Church, Lake Wales She enjoyed horseback riding, camping, riding her bicycle and spending time with her grandchildren Seth and...
It takes a dedicated person to stand in line a day or two in advance just to buy tickets to a movie – a true fan. From Star Wars to the Marvel Universe, this phenomenon has been enticing fans to do just that two to three times a year. Fans not only want to invest their time into making sure they are the first to see a film or event, they are willing to invest their money, sometimes thousands of dollars, on buying items with their favorite characters on them. Mel Brooks said i...
Bok Academy students recently put a new twist on an old idea. The Lake Wales Charter school's "Renaissance Knight" didn't look back at history but instead provided parents and friends a chance to hear and see the talents and skills of hundreds of middle school students who sang, played and even showed off their television production skills. Beginner and advanced orchestras from both Bok North and South performed on the outdoor stage at Bok South, along with school choirs and...
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...
Working to revitalize its visitor experience and grow attendance, the Lake Wales Museum is seeking just under $75,000 in county Tourist Development Grant funds to promote its 2019-20 exhibit series. The grant application focuses heavily on attracting out-of-county visitors. To obtain the funds, the City must agree to spend $74,995 in matching funds, which Museum Director Jennifer D'hollander says can be done within the planned city budget allocated for museum salaries,...
CareerSource Polk is looking for nominees for its 2019 Best Places to Work Awards. The application deadline is June 1. Through a competitive application process CareerSource honors employers who exemplify best practices in the workplace and who are committed to improving quality of life for their employees. First-time applicants pay $150 to apply and others pay $200. Applications are completed online and anonymously scored by an outside panel of Human Resource professionals on...
Without hesitation, most of us will share our vacation plans with loved ones; but when it comes to end-of-life preferences, only one third of Americans will let family know how they want to be cared for in the event of a life-threatening illness, according to a study published in the July 2017 issue of the journal Health Affairs. This means most people have not exercised their right to make decisions about their healthcare in the event they cannot speak for themselves....
Three former professional athletes, a coach who won two state titles, and one of the program's most ardent supporters make up the inaugural class for the newly-created Highlander Hall of Fame. Pro football players Lorenzo Hampton and Buford Long, along with pro baseball player Pat Borders, softball coach Nancy Denton, and "The Voice of the Highlanders" Richard "Dick" Howell will be inducted May 4 during a dinner ceremony at Lake Wales Country Club. "The Highlander Booster...
The top high school seniors from Polk County Public Schools will be honored on Thursday, April 18 during the fifth annual Superintendent's Scholars Awards. More than 1,000 seniors have qualified for this award that recognizes their outstanding educational achievements. Superintendent's Scholars include graduating seniors who have earned a 3.8 weighted GPA or higher by their seventh semester. During Thursday's ceremony, each student will have an opportunity to introduce...
