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  • US Army Hero Returns Home to Lake Wales 74 years After Fatal Battle

    Robert Connors|Updated May 22, 2025

    George Carey Manring of Lake Wales answered his nation’s call to duty by enlisting in the US Army in 1947 at the age of 18. This month he is returning home to rest. He had been missing in action since December 6, 1950. Master Sergeant George Carey was one of “The Chosin Few” who had faced an overwhelming mass assault by the Communist Chinese Army against their positions at the Chosin Reservoir in the early days of the Korean War. Master Sergeant Manring was part of Baker...

  • Heart Health Kits Available at AdventHealth Lake Wales

    Special to the News|Updated May 15, 2025

    Heart failure patients at AdventHealth Lake Wales are taking control of their health and recovery outside of the hospital, with the help of free health supply kits. This is part of a new program working to address one of the region's most urgent health care challenges: heart failure. The heart care kits are used to monitor patients' progress after they are discharged from the hospital, with both English and Spanish versions being offered. The kits include a weight scale,...

  • Behavioral Health Summit Drew 230 to Discussions of Mental Health Awareness

    Emilisse Ortiz|Updated May 6, 2025

    Polk County’s Health and Human Services Division partnered with Polk Vision to host the second annual Conversations in Behavioral Health Summit on Thursday. More than 230 parents, mental health professionals and residents attended the summit. “I can’t think of a better way to kick off Mental Health Awareness Month than with an event about the power of hope and healing,” said Holly Vida, Behavioral Health Program Manager for Polk County. “I’m thankful to all of our speakers wh...

  • AdventHealth Lake Wales Wound Care Center Wins Prestigious Awards

    Special to the News|Updated Apr 27, 2025

    AdventHealth Lake Wales Wound Care Center has been honored with three prestigious awards by Healogics, the nation's leading provider of advanced wound care services, highlighting the center's commitment to exceptional patient satisfaction and the best in clinical outcomes. AdventHealth Lake Wales Wound Care Center recently received the President's Circle Award, the Center of Distinction Award, and the Robert A. Warriner III, M.D., Clinical Excellence Award. The Center achieved...

  • AdventHealth Lake Wales and AdventHealth Heart of Florida in Davenport Earn National Recognition

    Special to the News|Updated Apr 17, 2025

    AdventHealth Lake Wales and AdventHealth Heart of Florida in Davenport have earned national recognition for their efforts to increase organ, eye and tissue donor registrations across the state of Florida through the DoNation Campaign. According to LifeLink of Florida, ten lives were saved by organ donors at the two hospitals in 2024. The organization said AdventHealth Heart of Florida had three donors who saved five lives and AdventHealth Lake Wales had two donors save five...

  • Camp Margaritaville in Auburndale to Hold Fundraiser for StirringWaters

    Special to the News|Updated Apr 17, 2025

    Jen Bricker-Bauer knows how it feels to sit on the deck and watch while everyone else has fun playing in the water. Born without legs and abandoned, One would think she was destined for a life of hardship. However, her amazing adoptive family gave her one simple rule, "Never Say Can't." Instead of bemoaning her fate, Bricker-Bauer has become an international aerialist, inspirational speaker and New York Times best-selling author, and the ideal keynote speaker and performer...

  • Red Barn Farmer's Market to Raise Funds for "A Heart for H.E.R.O.S"

    Special to the News|Updated Apr 4, 2025

    Frostproof's Red Barn Farmer's Market Frostproof will host a special event Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to support A HEART FOR H.E.R.O.s, a local 501c3 non-profit serving the Special Needs community of Central Florida. The market is located at 800 Ulmer Road. Fundraising activities planned include pony rides, a raffle with 34 items, yard games, artwork from one of the horses, a petting zoo and photo ops with the famous Unicorn pony. The Friday event will be accompanied by...

  • Cardiologist Joins Staff at AdventHealth Lake Wales

    Special to the News|Updated Mar 2, 2025

    AdventHealth Lake Wales has announced the addition of cardiologist, Saiyed Mohib, MD to its roster of expert physicians. Dr. Mohib is a board-certified cardiologist who is now accepting new patients in Lake Wales at the AdventHealth Medical Group General Surgery Office, located at 423 Linden Lane. With over 20 years of experience in cardiology, Dr. Mohib is an expert in assessing and preventing heart attacks and other heart-related diseases. He offers nutritional counseling...

  • Lake Wales Arts Festival Highlights the Weekend on the Ridge

    Robert Connors|Updated Feb 18, 2025

    Art lovers from across central Florida are expected to flock to the shores of Lake Wailes this weekend for the 54th annual Lake Wales Arts Festival, which takes place Saturday and Sunday under the shade of the live oaks. The juried show will feature scores of artists displaying artistic creations in multiple categories. Prize awards and purchase prizes totaling thousands of dollars await the winners chosen by judges. The art will be exhibited from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on both...

  • Valentine's Day Offers Annual Free Wedding Event

    Special to the News|Updated Jan 26, 2025

    The most romantic day of the year is an opportunity for area couples to "tie the knot" in a legal wedding ceremony. While the normal $30 ceremony fee is waived, standard marriage license fees do apply. On Valentine's Day at noon, Clerk & Comptroller Stacy Butterfield is hosting the 12th annual group wedding on the historic lawns of Fort Blount Park in Bartow. Registration is now open for courting couples wanting to tie the knot for free "We are thrilled to host this cherished...

  • Business and Civic Leader Edwin Friedlander Dead at 93

    News Staff Reports|Updated Jan 22, 2025

    Prominent Lake Wales business and community leader Edwin Morris Friedlander passed away peacefully in his home on January 19 at the age of 93. Friedlander was well-known among area business and civic circles, having participated in a number of non-profit boards and community efforts, including Lake Wales Hospital, the Chamber of Commerce, and Rotary. He was among a group of business leaders who helped lead a privately-funded urban renewal project in downtown Lake Wales in the...

  • Ridge Scenic Highway Will mark 20th Anniversary With Public Reception

    Special to the News|Updated Jan 22, 2025

    A celebration to mark the anniversary of the official recognition of the Ridge Scenic Highway will include music, refreshments, and a historical presentation highlighting the significance of the designation, which took place 20 years ago. Representatives of the municipalities, organizations, and communities along State Road 17, now known as the Scenic Highway, joined forces with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) in 2003 to advocate for the designation of a...

  • " A Tribute to Louis and Ella" Happening Saturday at Lake Wales Arts Center

    Updated Jan 8, 2025

    The popular Lake Wales Jazz Connection returns Saturday evening to the Lake Wales Arts Center for a special tribute concert to two of the greatest figures in jazz history, and tickets are still available. An enchanting tribute to Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald will fill the beautiful Arts Center with the sounds of the urbane and supremely talented Lake Wales Jazz Connection, under the expert direction of drummer Paul Gavin. "Let the timeless jazz classics and soulful...

  • Polk Achieves Certification for Interior Department Services, Historic Preservation Grants

    Special to the News|Updated Jan 6, 2025

    In a move that will open the door to obtaining additional historic preservation program funding, grants, training, and technical assistance, Polk County has been designated a nationally Certified Local Government Program by the United States Department of the Interior. In addition to access to resources for the county, the designation will also be a tool to help Polk County property owners who are seeking historical designations, according to Polk officials. "Polk County's...

  • AdventHealth Lake Wales Revolutionizes Emergency Care with Innovative Vertical Bay Program

    John Luti Jr.|Updated Dec 18, 2024

    AdventHealth Lake Wales has launched a Vertical Bay Program within its Emergency Department, allowing patients faster access to the emergency room. This new program comes as emergency departments nationwide face growing challenges. Through AdventHealth Lake Wales' Vertical Bay Program, beds and rooms are available to the sickest patients who need them the most, and nearly every patient is seen and has their needs addressed quickly and efficiently. Patients who don't require...

  • New Trail Will Connect Lake Wailes With Bok Tower Gardens

    Special to the News|Updated Dec 11, 2024

    A new bicycle and pedestrian trail will connect the Lake Wailes Trail and the Lake Wales Trailway paths with Bok Tower Gardens as a result of a newly-awarded $282,380 grant. Plans for the development of the new multiuse trail along Tower Boulevard include the construction of a 12-foot-wide surface to connect Lake Wales Park Trail to Bok Tower Gardens. Five park benches, trash receptacles, bike racks and directional signage will complement the trail. Lake Wales was one of four...

  • Performances by Touring Bands Pleased Crowds at Orange Blossom Revue

    News Staff Reports|Updated Dec 8, 2024

    The annual Orange Blossom Revue brought praise from hundreds of attendees from across the nation, many of whom spent the weekend in area hotels or camped in temporary campsites adjacent to festival grounds on the shores of Lake Wailes. The annual charity fundraiser features popular touring bands, many of which draw their own fans to the two day event. This year's show was the 11th in the series, and the event has grown during that time from its origins as a Rotary barbeque...

  • Social Security Benefits Available Online

    Special to the News|Updated Dec 8, 2024

    The Social Security Administration continues to make it easier for you to access programs and benefits. The official website at www.ssa.gov offers a convenient way to apply online for benefits. Using the SSA website you can apply for: • Retirement or Spouse's Benefits – You must be at least 61 years and 9 months and want your benefits to start in no more than 4 months. Apply at www.ssa.gov/retirement. • Disability Benefits – You can use our online application at www....

  • World-Renown Cellist Diego Carneiro Will Perform Two Concerts in Lake Wales

    Special to the News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    World-renown master cellist and conductor Diego Carneiro will perform two live concerts in a special one-day appearance in Lake Wales on Sunday, December 15. Carneiro has performed for audiences around the world, including at the London Promenade and the Royal Albert Hall for the BBC. Carneiro has won multiple international prizes and awards including the the Leonardo Smith Duo Competition, Solti Prize, the Barbirolli Award, the Tillett Trust, the Myra Hess Trust, 'Solo...

  • Publicize Your Special Event Free on Lake Wales News

    News Staff|Updated Nov 18, 2024

    If your club or organization is hosting or promoting a special event in our area there's no better way to get it on the radar that posting it on the free Community Events Calendar on Lake Wales News.net.. Our Calendar is the go-to source for news of what's happening in the area, and has already received more than 90,000 views by area residents! The calendar allows you to upload your poster in a simple step, and add your own description of what's happening. Fill in the time and...

  • Polk Families in Need Can Receive Free Thanksgiving Turkeys

    Special to the News|Updated Nov 14, 2024

    Just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, Polk County families are invited to receive a free frozen turkey that they can bake at home. The free turkey giveaway will take place on Saturday, November 23, 2024 at three Polk County locations. The turkeys are limited to one per family, one per vehicle on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. No identification or pre-qualification will be required to receive a turkey. The giveaway is an effort of Polk Sheriff's...

  • Veterans Find Healing Through the Power of Music, Thanks to Lake Wales Couple and "Cup of Joe Radio"

    Special to the News|Updated Nov 11, 2024

    Lake Wales residents Mike and Irene Spotswood produce Cup of Joe Radio show, a nationally- syndicated radio show aimed at veterans with "the healing power of music." The show is intended to ease the symptoms of post-traumatic stress syndrome, or PTSD, that continues to affect veterans who experienced the stresses and horrors of war. Mike, who is a Marine who did two tours in over the course of 20 months in Vietnam, and Irene, a former nurse, say their two-hour radio show has...

  • Polk County Breast Cancer Survivor Credits 3D Mammogram for Saving Her Life

    Special to the News|Updated Nov 6, 2024

    Amy Prill of Davenport said she believes if it were not for a routine mammogram, she might not be alive today to share her story of surviving breast cancer. Now, she's working to impress upon others how important early detection and getting an annual check-up is. "It was very scary to hear those words and not know what your future is going to be," she said. My son was 16 years old at the time. So, it's like, you know, talk about shaking up somebody's world." Prill said that in...

  • Veterans Invited to Receive Free Passport Photos During November

    Special to the News|Updated Nov 6, 2024

    In honor of Veterans Day, veterans and active-duty military personnel are being offered free passport photos during November. The fee for a passport photo at the Clerk's office is normally $15. To be eligible, veterans and active-duty personnel must present their DD-214, military ID, or have a veteran designation on their driver's license. Passport photos and applications are available at all three locations in Bartow, Lakeland, and the Northeast Government Center in Lake...

  • Frostproof Events Raise Thousands to Support Mothers of Veteran Suicide

    Special to the News|Updated Nov 6, 2024

    A three-weekend "Pumpkin Patch" fundraising effort generated more than $2,000 in support of Mothers of Veteran Suicide, a non-profit offering support to those suffering due to those tragedies. Funds raised by the effort will provide assistance serving to help prevent suicides among veterans disturbed by PTSD and other emotional challenges. The October weekend fundraisers were held at the Red Barn Farmer's Market Frostproof and The Gravely Red Barn. The events allowed allow...

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