Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Sorted by date Results 901 - 925 of 1255
The office of Tax Collector Joe G. Tedder continues to serve the people of Polk County online via a new CHAT feature at PolkTaxes.com or by phone. For customers seeking assistance, a Customer Service Specialist is available Monday – Friday, from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM at PolkTaxes.com via the CHAT feature, or by phone at (863) 534-4700 or (863) 581-8099. (EDITOR'S NOTE: Once offices reopened, the CHAT function was discontinued.) Tax Collector Joe G. Tedder wants people to know the...
Lake Wales city officials are asking commissioners to green light a study to determine the feasibility of building a sports and recreation complex that might attract tournaments and other special events. The study would be one element of an overall recreation master plan that would be funded with recreation impact fees. At their May 19 meeting commissioners will be asked to approve a contract with Clearwater-based Sports Facilities Advisory (SFA) for $42,500 plus travel...
Sunday, as I completed my shop and headed out to my black SUV with a Publix bag boy in tow behind my full cart, I walked around to the passenger side of my SUV, pulled the door open as always and a very startled lady looked me right in the eye. It was not my SUV! The lady was simply waiting for me to cross behind her SUV and leave. Two lessons here LADIES! 1. Lock your vehicle the second you get in it. Don't wait for the automatic locks to set in before you pull out. 2. Know...
It's the scope of Resolution 2019-2020-12 that matters to District One School Board Member Billy Townsend. It reads: Temporary Suspension of School Board Policies During Certain Emergencies Until the Next Meeting of the School Board of Polk County. As matters now stand, this resolution is voted upon at every school board meeting. "That's a pretty big suspension, so I think it behooves us as elected officials just to vote on it each time because it's pretty extraordinary...
Polk County Public Schools' self-funded health plan is on track to become solvent in 2020 - three years ahead of schedule. "Every PCPS employee should be very proud of what we have achieved, because we did it together," said Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd. "We were facing multimillion-dollar shortfalls. The district and the unions took action together, and because we did, the health plan is healthier than it's been in a long time." The work done to stabilize the health plan...
Polk County School Board meetings will be conducted next week via video conference to maintain social distancing due to current health concerns regarding the coronavirus. A work session will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12, followed by a board meeting at 5 p.m. The work session and board meeting will be livestreamed at youtube.com/polkcountypublicschools These meetings will also be broadcast live on the following channels: Comcast: Channel 7, Frontier: Channel 45,...
Polk County has been given 126 million dollars from the federal government. It literally was wired into our account with no prior notice. This happened last week. We have been trying to determine what strings are attached. There are some but not nearly as many as FEMA hurricane clean up money. Bottom line, this money will not be used for roads or sidewalks or paying other bills. We agreed it will be used to help the citizens adversely affected by our economy collapsing over...
Beginning with the fiscal year that starts July 1, existing Polk County Public Schools employees will have the option of being paid twice monthly. "Our employees told us this was something they wanted. We listened, we collaborated closely with our unions, and working together, we made it happen. I'm very proud we are able to give this option to the hardworking people of PCPS," said Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd. For as long as most memories serve, PCPS employees have been...
Suncoast Credit Union, Florida's largest credit union, announced Monday that it will donate $25,000 to the Polk State College Foundation with $20,000 of the generous gift designated for scholarships. The remaining $5,000 will assist students who are experiencing financial hardships because of the coronavirus public health emergency. "This generous donation came in at a time when it's needed most," Polk State President Angela Garcia Falconetti said. "The Foundation's emergency...
The Polk County School Board is making arrangements to hold traditional graduation ceremonies in June. Seniors expressing their opinions in an online survey overwhelmingly chose traditional ceremonies over virtual or drive-through graduations. School district officials said they belive they will be able to provide a traditional graduation experience to students and their families while adhering to CDC guidelines. Full details will be announced once the new schedule is...
Polk State College is celebrating more than a thousand graduating students this Spring 2020 Semester and is getting creative to publicly recognize their milestone accomplishments. Due to the need to cancel the May 7 commencement ceremonies to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Polk State is offering a variety of virtual opportunities for graduates to participate in, including the creation of lifelong keepsakes for them and their families. "Polk State College's 122nd...
Polk County Public Schools and Polk Vision have teamed up to help improve internet access for students through a new initiative: Synced for Students. With campuses closed through the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, PCPS students are engaging with their teachers and lessons online as part of a statewide transition to distance learning. However, the change has been difficult for many families who lack internet service at home, or have limited internet options in their...
As a little girl growing up in Lake Wales Cassandra Denmark set her sights on first becoming an attorney and then a judge. That determination resulted in her current successful law practice in Bartow, and 18 years' experience that prepared her for her new role as a circuit judge in January. Denmark was elected without opposition Friday, April 24 when she was the only person to qualify to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Circuit Judge John Radabaugh. Circuit judge...
The Polk County Democrats announce that Robert Connors of Lake Wales was elected to the office of Polk County State Committeeman. The vote was held April 13 during a virtual meeting of the Polk Democratic Executive Committee (DEC). The office of Polk County State Committeeman includes informing the Polk County DEC of any questions to be brought before the Florida Democratic Party (FDP) State Executive Committee, reporting all actions taken at both the FDP Central and State...
Since September Raymond had been living in his car. The music education major at Polk State College said he had two blankets for cold nights, but if he didn't remember to tape his car's door gaps on rainy nights the water poured in and woke him. Raymond stayed committed to his studies despite spending most nights in a WalMart parking lot. Two weeks ago he left the ranks of the homeless and moved into the new Lenfestey Scholarship House at the Manse on Avenue Q in Winter...
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...
Polk County Public Schools will be joining the national movement "Be The Light" on Thursday, April 16. The significance of the movement is designed to honor and celebrate all Polk County Public School students and the Class of 2020 by illuminating our stadium lights at 8:20 PM (20:20 military time) for 20 minutes. With athletics, band, JROTC, and cheerleading, being such an important part of the Polk County community, Athletic Directors feel it will be a deserved act of...
The Florida SBDC at University of South Florida will facilitate the loan process for the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program, for small businesses in 10 counties in the Tampa Bay region, including Polk County. The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program, activated by Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday, March 16, is available to small businesses in Florida that are experiencing economic damage as a result of COVID-19. "We understand the urgency...
Enrollment is open at Polk State College for the Summer 2020 Semester, which will be fully online to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The semester will begin on May 6. Currently enrolled students are also able to register for Fall 2020 Semester classes starting April 13. Open enrollment for fall will start on June 1 and classes will start on August 17. Students currently enrolled at Polk State may register for classes through their PASSPORT accounts. Dual enrollment...
Starting Thursday April 9 the Lake Wales Charter School bus drivers will start delivering meals to 18 locations along five routes. Meals will be available to children 18 and under regardless of where the student attends school. Social distancing of at least six feet is mandatory for neighborhood pickup locations. If able, masks and gloves are highly recommended for the safety of all. Children need to be present to receive the meals. Meals will be delivered Monday through...
The Lake Wales Charter Schools system is offering to buy the city's old high school property north of Seminole Avenue for $575,000 to turn it into a permanent site for Bok Academy North. The City Commission in its capacity as the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) will consider the proposal at an April 14 meeting. Due to coronavirus concerns the meeting will be held online beginning at 6 p.m. via video teleconference and live streamed on the city's website at...
As Polk State College moves to an online learning environment for the remainder of the 2020 Spring Semester to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, faculty and staff have partnered and are taking innovative approaches to convert courses, motivate students, and assist each other through the challenging circumstances. Classes will resume online on Monday, March 30, including dual enrollment courses and Polk State's three collegiate high schools. For weeks, faculty have been...
Polk State College will continue all classes online through the Summer 2020 Semester to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The College suspended instruction on March 16 and resumed all classes, including dual enrollment and Polk State's three collegiate high schools, online on Monday, March 30, for the remainder of the Spring 2020 Semester. Due to the evolving public health emergency, faculty and staff are also preparing for a fully online summer semester. "Polk State...
ElderPoint Ministries of Greater Lakeland is a non-profit agency committed to serving nutrition and transportation needs of elderly Polk County residents, with a goal of meeting seniors at their point of need. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for senior residents of Polk County through empowering services that support healthy, independent living. The ministry delivered 45 hot meals Thursday from Mission BBQ to clients in Winter Haven and Lakeland and continued...
Polk County Public Schools April 1 began distributing 60,000 internet-accessible devices to families in need. Parents should receive device distribution instructions from administrators at their child's school. Parents should not go to their child's school until they receive notification from the school about days devices will be distributed and instructions for receiving a device. Devices will be provided only to students enrolled in each school. Parents will need to present...
