Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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Michelle Threatt has been named first president of the newly created Northwest Neighborhood Association, Michelle Threatt. She has lived in the Northwest Neighborhood since 2004, and her passion for her neighborhood is both inspirational and contagious. Threatt previously served 15 years in law enforcement. Her passion has always been for her neighborhood that's why she started a food truck named after her mother called Topsy's. A popular staple in the Lake Wales community,...
A courtyard packed full of well-wishers gathered May 27 to celebrate the life and leadership legacy of Polk Avenue Elementary Principal Gail Quam, who is retiring after 36 years at "The Avenue." The event was full of school traditions and glowing accolades for Quam, who started her teaching career there in 1985. Prior to becoming principal in 2007, Quam served as assistant principal, reading facilitator and teacher in exceptional education, kindergarten and grades 1-3. Quam...
Polk Vision welcomed 45 program members to accomplished ranks of Leadership Polk Alumni on Friday, May 21, 2021 at the Balmoral Estates. Those with close ties to Lake Wales included Andy Oguntola from Polk State College, David Black from the Lake Wales Police Department and Michelle Yodonis with the Polk County Clerk of the Courts. Leadership Polk says its Alumni include some of the community's best thought leaders. They understand the value of collective impact and value the...
A scholarship program supporting talented students in achieving their technology-fueled goals at Florida Polytechnic University, received a significant boost from the family of one of the school's first and biggest advocates. The John R. Alexander Scholars Program honors the legacy of one of the University's most ardent and earliest supporters. Alexander passed away in 2018. "John was a strong supporter of Florida Poly from its inception," said Sarah Jane Alexander, the wife...
AdventHealth is teaming up with partner Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) and their NASCAR Cup Series drivers Ross Chastain and Kurt Busch to raise money and awareness for mental health and provide fans with a chance to compete against Chastain and Busch on iRacing, the premier online simulation for motorsports. With May marking Mental Health Awareness Month and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 race just around the corner on May 30, the two drivers are taking some time to Play It Forward and en...
When spring is in the air, motorcycles are everywhere. Do you long for the freedom that comes with riding on the open road? Then it's critical to respect your machine and improve your skills throughout your lifetime. But that's only half the story. Motorists interested only in four-wheeled vehicles still have a major responsibility in keeping motorcyclists safe on the road. In recognition of National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in May, the National Safety Council reminds...
The promotion of two long-time Polk County Fire Rescue veterans to deputy chief also brings a first for the division – it's first woman to hold the rank of deputy chief. Jennifer Huff and Eugene Gorokhov were promoted to deputy chief this week by Fire Chief Robert Weech. They will serve in the Planning and Training Division respectively. "Deputy Chief Huff's promotion is a huge milestone for Polk County Fire Rescue," Weech said. "In a profession dominated by men, Huff has s...
With National Safe Boating Week and the release of the 2020 Boating Accident Statistical Report, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) encourages boaters to focus on simple, effective steps that make boating safer. If you plan to enjoy our beautiful waterways, check out MyFWC.com/Boating for boating safety tips. Safety is never optional! "National Safe Boating Week is May 22-28 and we want to encourage boaters to boat safely while enjoying Florida's...
The Lake Wales Public Library will provide a new class in June, Basic Sewing for Children. With funding provided by the Lake Wales Library Association, the library has purchased six Singer sewing machines. The class will be taught by Lake Wales Library Association President, Jodie Schmidt. Basic Sewing for Children will provide instruction in safely using a sewing machine, threading a machine and joining fabric. Also included are pinning, feeding, hemming, decorative...
About 75 people gathered in Lake Wales at noon Thursday, May 6 for the annual National Day of Prayer observance. The event took place outside in the breezeway of the city administration building at 201 W. Central Ave. This year's theme is "Lord, Pour Out Your Love, Life, and Liberty." It is based on the Bible verse 2 Corinthians 3:17, which says "Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." The program was opened in prayer by John Motis, deacon at Episcopal Church of...
The Lake Wales Arts Council and the Lake Wales Library Association have partnered to create a unique program that will allow library patrons to check out passes to utilize the Lake Wales Arts Center's studios for creative expression. The Studio Experience Pass program was the brainchild of the Lake Wales Arts Center's Director of Programs, Amanda McCallister. She reached out to the Lake Wales Public Library with the proposal. The Lake Wales Library Association, the library's...
If Macy Sinner's life could be a mathematics equation, it might look something like this: Academic Achiever + Soccer Star = Outstanding! At Lander University, the graduating senior has had a full roster of activities -- academic A-lister, Lady Bearcats' soccer forward and a math-whiz tutor to her peers. This semester, she even found a new endeavor -- coaching soccer to children at the Greenwood YMCA! The Lake Wales High School graduate followed her sister Hannah to Lander,...
Lake Wales area pastors invite the public to gather at noon Thursday, May 6 for the annual National Day of Prayer observance. The event will take place outside in the breezeway of the city administration building at 201 W. Central Ave. This year's theme is "Lord, Pour Out Your Love, Life, and Liberty." It is based on the Bible verse 2 Corinthians 3:17, which says "Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." The featured speaker offering a brief devotional will be Col....
Think back to January 2020, what were your top concerns upon leaving home to start your day? I can tell you my top two: Did I unplug the iron and did I close the garage. January 2021, those concerns look more like: Do I have my mask, and do I have enough hand sanitizer? The mental health crisis in America we are now faced with has staggering numbers showing 1 out of every 4 adults and 1 out of every 5 adolescents suffer with a diagnosable mental health illness. Six out of...
Florida child care now can be more expensive than in-state college tuition, so the Early Learning Coalition of Polk County wants to help. The Coalition says many parents are struggling to pay for high child care costs along with other major expenses in their budgets. The Coalition is currently assisting over 5,000 families in Polk County with child care expenses. Parents can see if they qualify for financial assistance by calling 863-577-2450 or visiting el...
At the end of his last official meeting April 20, City Commissioner Curtis Gibson announced plans to run for Lake Wales mayor in 2022, saying he is "excited for new adventures." Gibson decided to not seek re-election this year, saying he wanted to spend more time with family – including an infant son – and complete his bachelor's degree this summer. Mayor Eugene Fultz has publicly stated he plans to step down in 2022. Gibson and outgoing Commissioner Al Goldstein will be rec...
Sandy Dent never gave up hope, and after more than nine months her missing chihuahua, Valdez, is finally home. Dent regularly checked lost pet sites and posted photos on social media, hoping someone would recognize Valdez, who ran off last July 4 after being frightened by fireworks. As it turns out, Valdez has been well cared for by three different women and even added three pounds to his former 9-pound frame. "I said I would not give up, and I didn't," Dent said. "This is...
This week, the Lake Wales Public Library encourages all community members to visit their website to explore and access virtual services and programs. The Lake Wales Public Library offers a wide array of online resources that are available from the comfort of home, including online training resources through Gale Courses and Gale Presents Udemy. The website also features downloadable eBooks, audiobooks, movies, television and magazines with their OverDrive, Hoopla and Flipster...
Offering one of the most picturesque race routes in the country, the Carillon Classic 5K presented by AdventHealth returns to Bok Tower Gardens, Saturday, May 1 at 7:30 a.m. Registration for the event began Friday, March 12, and is available at www.boktowergardens.org. The cost is $30 per participant and includes an event t-shirt, event momento, and post-race refreshments (price increases to $35 week of race). Prizes will be awarded for the top three runners in each age...
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) invites you to celebrate Gopher Tortoise Day on April 10. This year, you can celebrate gopher tortoises by making your yard tortoise friendly and participating in our new recognition program. The FWC's new Gopher Tortoise Friendly Yard Recognition Program honors Florida's private landowners for contributing to wildlife conservation. Gopher tortoises live in every Florida county and, since more than half of the land...
Addicts and alcoholics will be quick to jump into a detox program in hopes to solve their addiction in 3-7 days. One of the reasons they get stuck on drugs and alcohol is because when they try and stop they go into withdrawal and it is very uncomfortable. Short term medical detox programs will get you through the physical withdrawal as comfortably as possible with the use of drugs, and that's really it. Let's not forget that they still need to deal with why they got addicted...
Many times life here and now is challenging for us and extremely challenging for many others. We can easily feel overwhelmed by our personal and community circumstances when we look at how our goals can be accomplished using only "our" resources, physical strength, intellectualism, craftiness, or our ability to manipulate others. When we fail to see what God can do when we truly and continually line ourselves up with His will for our lives, we can get depressed that there are...
Editor's Note: Candidates for City Commission were asked to complete a questionnaire. Their responses are being printed as submitted. Daniel Williams Lake Wales City Commission Seat 2 Candidate Hello my name is Daniel Williams, I'm 47 years old an a native of Lake Wales, Florida. I graduated from Lake Wales High School in 1991 and went on to attend Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN. I graduated from "The Peay" in 1996 with a double major in Political Science and...
Editor's Note: Candidates for City Commission were asked to complete a questionnaire. Their responses are being printed as submitted. Dr. Ricardo Navarro Lake Wales City Commission Seat 2 Candidate Age: 33 years old Occupation: • Internal Medicine Physician. • Owner and President of Navarro Medical. • Medical Director for the Hospitalist Medicine program at Advent Health Lake Wales • Consulting Physician for Vitas Healthcare Years Living in Lake Wales : Twenty-seven (27) ye...
Due to the overwhelming positive response to their "Drive-Thru Christmas" and since there remains concern about the spread of COVID-19, a local church in Lake Wales is presenting a "Drive-Thru Easter" during Easter weekend in 2021. This dramatic event will be presented by the membership of First Baptist Church of Lake Wales on their church grounds for two evenings, Friday April 2 and Saturday April 3 from 7-9 p.m. nightly. The event will feature four scenes from the biblical...
