Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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City action may at last be pending against a long-derelict eyesore property that confront thousands of travelers each day passing by on Scenic Highway. The former "Five Points" Shell station at the intersection of Scenic, Fourth Street and Polk Avenue has been abandoned for nearly two decades and has been through a number of ownership changes, including two different tax deed sales in 2015 and 2021. The property has been repeatedly battered by hurricanes, and was damaged in...
Hurricane Ian is estimated to have caused more than $60 billion in private insured losses in Florida, effectively making it the second-largest disaster loss event on record, according to the industry trade group Insurance Information Institute. While Lake Wales residents dodged a bullet when it came to the severity of the late 2022 hurricane, many throughout Polk County still felt the impact. From how Ian has shed a light on hurricane preparation to what Lake Wales residents...
Thursday was an exciting day for both students and administrators of Lake Wales' McLaughlin Middle/High School as they broke ground for a new $15 million gymnasium, and welcomed back former student Amar'e Stoudemire to give a keynote address. Stoudemire brought a message of encouragement to students hoping to follow his success as a "student athlete. "Hard work" was the repeated theme he share. Highlighting the need for education as well as athletics, he proudly announced his...
Almost 10 weeks after Hurricane Ian struck Polk County on September 28, large piles of storm debris remain piled along some Polk County roads. Despite complaints, some residents' frustrations are turning to anger directed at the county. While cities have move promptly to remove the heaps of limbs and branches, Polk County has struggled to maintain service for residents. During the same time frame a break-down in service for even normal household waste resulted in the Polk...
The historic Crystal Lake will Apartments at 282 East Park Avenue are expected to undergo extensive remodeling and exterior refurbishment after their purchase by the Lake Wales Care Center. The 100-year-old building has been vacant for about three years. The purchase price was discounted to $340,000, according to Antonio Spagnolo of Bright Trust Realty, in recognition of some damage caused during the passage of Hurricane Ian in September. Both the purchase price and the...
Frustration among Polk County residents in the Lake Wales area spread this week to include the Board of County Commissioners, who have been deluged with complaints from residents about missed collections of trash. The issue is only compounded by the mountains of yard waste still remaining on area streets in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in early October. County Commissioner Bill Braswell introduced the motion to declare an emergency after hearing complaints of up to...
One-time Hurricane Nicole passed over the Lake Wales area this morning, with the broad center of the storm positioned directly over the city at 7:00 am today. Despite gusty winds and steady rains, few serious impacts have been reported so far. Once again, forecasts from the National Hurricane Center have proven uncannily accurate in predicting the movement of the storm, from predictions of its formation three days before evidence was seen, to its entire unusual course. Nicole...
The early morning forecast from the National Hurricane Center confirms that once Sub-Tropical Storm Nicole is transitioning to a Tropical Storm, and is likely to reach Hurricane strength as it moves through the northern Bahamas before impacting Florida's east coast. The change has implications for the Lake Wales area. Still retaining the extremely-broad wind field of an extra-tropical system, Nicole is now developing an inner core of strong winds, which will likely bring a...
The approach of Storm Nicole has many Lake Wales area residents on edge, but this system is unlikely to be much like what we would normally expect from a hurricane.. As a "sub-tropical" storm Nicole has a much different structure, and the location of the exact center of the system will make little or no difference in regards to impacts. Sub-tropical storms typically lack the intense inner core and eye-wall structure found in hurricanes, instead dispersing their intensity over...
Despite the arrival of dry autumn-like weather, unseasonable warmth has left the door open for possible tropical storm development, and forecasters are now keeping an eye on the potential for a rainy, windy spell for the state of Florida. For several days long-range weather models have been depicting a new low forming over the northeastern Caribbean and south-west Atlantic before drifting over the Bahamas and approaching the east coast of Florida. That path alone would make...
Polk County's Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is open and ready to provide assistance with FEMA applicant services, SBA, Housing, Department of Children and Family, and Hazard Mitigation. Residents applying for disaster assistance caused by Hurricane Ian must have this information available when applying: •Your address with zip code •Condition of your damaged home •Insurance information, if available •Social Security number •Phone number where you can be contacted •Address...
Lake Wales area homeowners and business owners are eligible for Federal disaster relief following a declaration of disaster by President Joe Biden. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is preparing to render federal disaster assistance as quickly as possible to Polk County's small business owners and critical disaster relief to homeowners. Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners...
Polk County's contracted debris haulers have been working seven days a week, from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., since Oct. 3 to clean up Hurricane Ian's debris. In 15 days of cleanup, AshBritt's haulers have transported 6,745 loads to debris management sites, according to Polk County officials. So far, 75,000 tons (301,234 cubic yards) of debris has been recorded. Currently, with approximately 100 units on the road in Polk County each day, haulers are collecting between 21,000 and 24,000 c...
Downed trees, power outages, and significant flooding were the primary impacts of Hurricane Ian locally. No deaths or injuries were reported to local authorities. The storm weakened enough on its trip inland that it had weakened to a Category One hurricane by the time it made its closest approach. A limited number of buildings sustained wind damage, but it was largely limited to screen enclosures, fences, sheds, and mostly minor roof damage. More than 21 inches of rain was rec...
A civic organization working to re-create a historic landscaping plan in Lake Wales is seeking community help. Lake Wales Heritage is a non-profit group working to re-plant the 1930 landscape plan created by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. "We need to find some helpies," said Heritage director and volunteer Tish Sheesley, citing the several projects the group is tackling. Alongside the tree-planting effort, the organization is launching an educational program for middle school stude...
Polk County residents with questions regarding hurricane debris are advised to call the Hurricane Ian Debris Hotline at (800) 375-0844. This is the only number that will be able to provide answers for all debris-related questions. Polk County's Waste & Recycling Division does not collect and dispose of debris from hurricanes. Your typical residential garbage, recycling, yard and bulk waste will need to be placed curbside separate from hurricane debris Residents are urged to...
Individuals in Polk County can apply for FEMA Individual Assistance for home repairs, lost and damaged property, food assistance, and more. according to a statement issued by the office of Congressman Darren Soto, who represents the Lake Wales area. Soto recently welcomed FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell "to assess damages and thank our first responders for their continued rescue and recovery efforts," he said. Soto expressed gratitude "for our first responders, who have...
Last year school shootings rose to the highest number in two decades. but according to the U.S. Department of Education, the most reported crimes on college campuses are burglaries, sexual harassment and motor vehicle thefts, Now more than ever, it's important for schools to use the best tools available to help keep campus safe. In response, Warner University and 911Cellular have launched a new smart phone app called "WarnerShield," designed to protect students and staff...
A free legal help hotline is now available for Hurricane Ian victims in the affected counties that include Polk. The hotline is available to connect residents to free legal services in qualifying counties who cannot afford an attorney. Residents can call (866) 550-2929 or go to https://www.americanbar.org/groups/committees/disaster/resources/disaster_legal_hotlines/. Hotline callers may get help with legal issues like: ● FEMA and SBA financial benefits ● Home repair contracts...
Several Polk County Environmental Lands sites have reopened to the public following Hurricane Ian, including Crooked Lake Prairie, Crooked Lake Sandhill, Gator Creek Reserve, Hickory Lake Scrub, Lakeland Highlands Scrub, Sherwood L. Stokes Preserve and SUMICA. While these sites are open, visitors are advised to use caution and follow the posted trail closures. Sections of trails may be under water and portions of trails may be closed, due to excessive downed trees and debris....
Unwilling to relax and call it a season, some Florida residents are keeping a close eye on the tropics as some models show a continuing parade of tropical waves moving off Africa and marching across the Atlantic. Unusually warm water temperatures across the basin are continuing to sustain the potential for development. The Lake Wales area has enjoyed delightful fall-like weather in the aftermath of the passage of Hurricane Ian, which brought up to two feet of rain and high...
Polk State College's campuses and centers will reopen on Monday, including the collegiate high schools, spokesperson Madison Fantozzi reported Sunday. Kyle Kennedy, spokesperson for Polk County Public Schools, said that "all available PCPS staff will return to work on Monday" in order to prepare the schools to receive students on Tuesday morning. Fantozzi's statement statement said that crews have been working through the weekend "to clear debris and repair minimal damages"...
WEDNESDAY 5:00 PM UPDATE: NOAA Doppler radar imagery indicates that the eye of Ian has made landfall on the mainland southwest Florida peninsula just south of Punta Gorda near Pirate Harbor. Maximum sustained winds at landfall were estimated to be 145 mph (235 km/h). They are now estimated to be 140 mph. A WeatherSTEM station at the Cape Coral Fire Department recently reported a wind gust of 110 mph (177 km/h). A WeatherFlow station in Grove City on the western side of...
TUESDAY 8:00 PM UPDATE: Hurricane Ian has continued to deepen as it moves toward Florida and model trends continue to shift the track toward the east, bringing the center of circulation over Polk County. Lake Wales is expected to be exposed to winds of up to 100 MPH sustained, with higher gusts. There is also an enhanced chance of tornados in this area. For the latest information on expected impacts to the Lake Wales area, please RETURN TO HOME PAGE The 5:00 Advisory from the...
There are no shelters designated to open in the Lake Wales area, according to Polk County and Polk School System officials. No explanation has been offered for that situation. Available shelters in Polk County will open Tuesday at the following locations: • Horizons Elementary School, 1700 Forest Lake Dr, Davenport • Sleepy Hill Elementary School, 2285 Sleepy Hill Rd, Lakeland • R. Bruce Wagner Elementary School, 5500 Yates Rd, Lakeland • Chain Of Lakes Elementary School....
