The sixth case of rabies in Polk County this year has been confirmed in the area of Oak Avenue, Fort Meade.
On Thursday, December 19, 2024, a dead bat was found inside a kennel with three Alaskan huskies – the dogs’ owner does not know if one of the dogs killed the bat or not. All three dogs are vaccinated.
The bat was sent to the State Laboratory in Tampa; test results were received at Animal Control today, confirming the bat tested positive for rabies.
“Luckily this family’s pets are vaccinated against this dangerous disease. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you come into contact with sick, injured, or deceased wildlife.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
Please do not approach any animal that is acting in an unusual or suspicious manner. If you think you or your pet has had an “exposure,” please contact the PCSO Animal Control Section at 863.577.1762.
The Haines City Police Department arrested Jordan F. Simmons after he allegedly took a shower, slept on bed, stole personal items including a handgun and ate food out of the station refrigerator. The incident took place on December 7th.
The following is a redacted, but unedited portion of the Haines City Police Department arrest affidavit (It should be noted that this is an unedited report of facts by the Haines City Police Department. These facts are up for question and everyone is entitled to question the validity of facts by law enforcement in a court of law. The Daily Ridge does not rewrite these facts as some meanings or interpretations could be in error and change context. We hope readers appreciate being able to read the information and come to their own understanding and conclusions. A suspect is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.) :
“On 12/7/2024, I Det. Vasquez, responded to the Haines City Fire Department (Station #1) in Haines City, Florida in reference to a subject trespassing in the restricted common area of the fire department. Upon my arrival, I walked into the common area and observed two firefighters conversing with a white male who I later identified via Florida Driver’s license as Jordan Frazier Simmons W/M DOB: 2/6/1979 (Arrested). The firefighters were later identified as Haines City Firefighter REDACTED (Victim) and Haines City Firefighter REDACTED (Witness #1).
I began to gather initial information, and the subject made mention he had permission to be there from a former employee he was related to. I later dispelled this information and ultimately Jordan was detained.
REDACTED notified me the subject had taken a bag belonging to him and loaded his own keys and multitool into the bag as if to claim the bag as his own. Within the bag was miscellaneous clothing to include clothing and a Glock 19 with 15 9mm rounds contained within a magazine. There was no round in the chamber. REDACTED notified me Simmons had taken his bedding from his locker and laid in his bed, soiling his linens and his pillow.
The bag was a brown in color London Fog handbag valued at $200.00. REDACTED learned the subject was wearing his black Nike socks (valued at approximately $20.00) upon learning he was missing his own. I walked out to the patrol car and advised Simmons of his Miranda Warning via an agency issued Miranda Warning card. Post Miranda, Simmons admitted to taking the socks from the bag and putting them on.
REDACTED stated his towel was hanging in the bathroom, and after learning Simmons had showered he went to check the bathroom. Once in the bathroom, REDACTED discovered his towel was wet and used, presumably by Simmons.
Positioned next to the recliner where Simmons was seated comfortably and upon discovery of his presence, was his dirty clothing, a hat, shoes, and a large hatchet approximately 10 inches in length.
REDACTED confirmed via a sworn recorded statement that no one was given permission to open his bag, temporarily deprive him of his personal belongings, or wear his clothing.
I confirmed with Battalion Chief REDACTED that no one had permission to enter the premises or the restricted area within.
At this time a point of entry could not be established, as review of the camera system was not available at this hour.
Upon my arrival at the Police Department to conduct a sworn recorded interview, Simmons declined to speak with law enforcement. Simmons made spontaneous utterances that I was “colluding” against him and putting my career in jeopardy. Simmons went on to inform me he was eating ranch dip from the fire station, which did not belong to him. A criminal history check revealed no prior convictions for theft or burglary.
Simmons was charged accordingly and transported to booking by Officer Armstrong #H1582.”
James Gunn is the GOAT! He directed the best Marvel movie, Guardians of the Galaxy. The only film better than that was the second, GOTG: Vol. 2. (GOTG: Vol. 3 wasn’t as great, but it was still pretty good.)
The Guardians movies proved so popular that Warner Bros. decided to make their own version for their DC Comics movie franchise: Suicide Squad—which flopped hard! In fact, it was only after Gunn joined Warner Bros. and directed the sequel/reboot, The Suicide Squad, that the formula finally worked for them.
Now Gunn is set to helm the DC Comics Universe (DCU) moving forward. Next year will officially kick off this new series of comic book movies with a Superman reboot. (And if the teaser trailer is any indicator, it looks awesome!)
Until then, DC Comics has released a new animated series created by Gunn for the Max streaming service: Creature Commandos. But will this series be a graveyard smash of a monster mash? Or…oh, who am I kidding? James Freaking Gunn made it. It’s going to be gold!
When a small European kingdom gets invaded by the evil enchantress Circe, Rick Flag Sr. assembles a band of incarcerated monsters on a rescue mission to save the princess. His team includes the Bride (as in the Bride of Frankenstein), GI Robot (a WW2-era robot with a love for killing Nazis), Weasel (who’s literally a giant weasel), Doctor Phosphorus (a flaming irradiated skeleton), and Nina (a gender-swapped version of the Creature from the Black Lagoon).
While this year hasn’t been great for superhero movies—looking at you Madame Web and Kraven the Hunter!—it has undoubtedly been good for animation. The first animated hit, of course, was X-Men ’97. And now Creature Commandos appears to be the next great thing. As of this review, only four of the seven episodes have been released on Max. However, James Gunn’s animated series appears to be so far, so good.
The animation for both this and X-Men ’97 proves that detailed, comic book-like art styles are not dead. While the current trend of simplistic art styles in animated shows like Steven Universe and Owl House is good, nothing beats animation that looks like comic books come to life.
As for the plot, if James Gunn is good at anything, it’s taking a band of misfits, putting them into over-the-top action scenes, having them bounce witty banter off of each other, and giving them a healthy dose of character depth. It’s what made the Guardians movies great. And it’s what makes this series good.
As always, Gunn effortlessly balances blue humor and gratuitous violence and sex that entices the adolescent sensibilities of viewers with plenty of emotion that makes for sincerely heartfelt moments. Each of the characters gets their own backstory which reveals the humanity within these “monsters.”
The Bride was literally created to be the bride of Frankenstein, but ended up having complicated feelings toward her creator which caused tension in their relationship. GI Robot was designed
solely for killing Nazis during WW2, and struggled to find purpose after the war when there were no more Nazis to kill. And as for Weasel? Well, no spoilers, but Gunn wasn’t kidding when he explained the episode was the saddest thing he’s written.
I’ve managed to binge-watch all of the episodes so far in one sitting, and I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the remaining episodes to be released. I have not been excited about an animated show—or really, any show—in a long time (with the notable exception of Delicious in Dungeon). And if this show is any indicator, the DCU is in capable hands with James Gunn. Godspeed!
On Tuesday, December 24, 2024, at approximately 7:39 p.m., officers responded to a crash involving a pedestrian near the 2100 block of East Edgewood Drive. Based on witness statements and evidence gathered at the scene, prior to the crash, a pedestrian was attempting to cross East Edgewood Drive in a southerly direction when they walked into the path of a 2015 BMW that was traveling eastbound. The driver of the vehicle, 26-year-old Shakur Dexter, stopped and remained at the scene as first responders were en route.
The Lakeland Police Department Patrol Unit, Polk County Fire Rescue, and the Lakeland Fire Department arrived on the scene and began life-saving measures. The pedestrian, later identified as William Crede, age 69, was transported to Lakeland Regional Health. Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, Crede succumbed to his injuries.
Members of the Traffic Homicide Unit responded to the scene and took over the investigation. The roadway was shut down for approximately two hours while the scene was processed for the ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Officer Travis Payne at [email protected].
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Polk County Fire Rescue were on scene of an accident on Shinn Blvd/17/92 and Cummings St. Multiple vehicles were involved and multiple people injured. A total of 4 ambulances were on scene and one person was airlifted for medical care.
According to initial reports the accident occurred at 12:43pm. The vehicles involved appear to be a dark blue or black pick-up and a reddish Toyota car.
The roadway was totally blocked, but we do not have an update yet if it’s cleared.
We will update this article as more information is provided.
Christmas is almost here. Is anyone else excited? But a more important question to ask would be: What is the reason for the season?
We pose this question in our latest episode of the Chattin on the Ridge podcast. This special Christmas Eve episode features audio dramatizations of holiday stories, both past and present.
Give the new episode a listen. And feel free to ponder the answer to our question as we present to you all these stories through our dramatic readings:
***
“A Visit from St. Nicholas”
by Clement Clarke Moore
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window, I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.
Read full text here: https://poets.org/poem/visit-st-nicholas
***
“Christmas? Hot? Or Not?”
from “The Light Prince: Christmas Conundrum” by J.C. Alexandre
Amber arrived at the radio station with her father and Tyler. They entered a lobby with vinyl records hanging on the walls and soft rock music playing over the sound system. Amber’s father sat on one of the couches, while the two teens approached the front desk. The secretary directed them to a hallway. Her father waved as they left.
“Good luck with the interview,” he told them. “I’ll be out here, listening and chilling.”
Strolling through the hallway, Amber and Tyler approached a large glass window. Over it hung an unlit sign that read “On the Air.”
Behind the window was a dark room with an oval-shaped table and several microphones hanging over it. Around the table sat Hannah, dressed in her usual all-black attire, T-Man, wearing a red long-sleeved sweater with a blue baseball cap backwards; and Katie, wearing a faux fur coat and her nose in a fashion magazine.
Next to them sat a much older, college-aged man. He had a greasy complexion with long unruly black hair and an equally shaggy goatee. He wore a pair of thick-rimmed glasses, a large pair of headphones, and an extra-large black shirt that barely contained his plump paunch.
The four of them were engaged in a very lively conversation, muted only by the pane of glass separating their room from the hallway. Amber gently tapped it with her knuckles, and Hannah waved for them to enter. Passing through the door, Amber and Tyler could hear the rock music playing from inside.
“Sup, dawgs!” T-Man saluted them. “Glad to see you.”
“Like, totally,” Katie said. “The more, the merrier, or some junk.”
Hannah gestured to the bearded man in the headphones. “Tyler, Amber, this is Tiny.”
Tiny stood and threw his headphones back.
“Yes-siree!” he greeted them with a squealy voice like a needle being pulled across a spinning record. “Tiny’s the name, and talking smack is my game.”
He extended a pudgy hand. Amber and Tyler took turns shaking it. Amber recoiled, smelling that he reeked like a rancid skunk. He gestured for them to sit down. Amber picked an empty chair, Tyler sat next to her, and they both rolled their seats a few inches away from Tiny.
T-Man gestured to the disk jockey as he lowered himself into his seat. “Tiny here’s our host with the most. He’ll be moderating our most righteous roundtable.”
“Yeah!” Tiny added. “And to make sure everything is legit, what with me being an adult and the rest of y’all being in high school, I have my manager here supervising us. Say hi, Kyle!”
In a corner sat an equally portly middle-aged man. Aside from his mutton chops, the rest of his face was obscured by the music magazine he was currently reading. He replied with a thumbs up, but otherwise said nothing else.
“You two came just in time,” Tiny said. “We’re about to get started with this discussion once this last song stops playing. So put your headphones on.”
Everyone put on their headphones and adjusted their microphones. When the music faded, the sign outside (its reflection shining in the glass) lit up with bright red letters: “On the Air.” Tiny pulled his microphone close to his acne-ridden face.
“Alrighty, ladies and germs,” he announced. “Hope you all got pumped up with some jammin tunes, cause we’re about to throw down with another heated session of—”
He pressed a button on his control console, and a pre-recorded voice announced over the speakers, in a reverberating echo:
“Hot? Or not?”
Read full story in paperback and e-book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DMQP6ZLJ
***
“The Nativity Story”
from Luke 2 (KJV)
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
Read full text here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%202&version=KJV
###
Listen to all of these stories dramatized on the Chattin on the Ridge podcast, available on Acast: https://shows.acast.com/chattin-on-the-ridge/episodes/minisode-06-the-reason-for-the-season-holiday-stories-and-so
On Saturday, December 21, 2024, at approximately 7:22 PM, PCSO deputies and PCFR responded to a two-vehicle crash with injuries on Hatchineha Road, just east of Jennings Road North in Haines City. Two vehicles were involved, a 4-door green Nissan Sentra, and a white Nissan pickup truck. Each vehicle had one occupant.
The driver of the Sentra, a 24-year-old female from Kissimmee, was found entrapped in her vehicle with life threatening injuries. The driver of the pickup truck, a 30-year-old male from Lakeland, also suffered serious, but non-life threatening injuries. Both were transported to the hospital. Hatchineha Road was shut down in both directions for approximately three hours.
PCSO Traffic Homicide detectives and Forensic investigators responded to the scene. The vehicles were travelling in opposite directions on Hatchineha Road at the time of the crash. According to witness statements taken at the scene, the Sentra was heading westbound and was attempting to pass the vehicle in front of it by pulling out into the eastbound lane at the same time that the truck was heading eastbound. Evidence collected at the scene indicates that both drivers attempted to swerve to avoid a crash, but they collided and came to a stop on the shoulder of the road.
The female driver of the Sentra succumbed to her injuries on Sunday, December 22, 2024. The investigation into the crash is still ongoing at this time.
The nights are getting longer. The weather is getting cooler. So, what better way to warm up on a cold winter night than with a hot drink? Question is, what hot drink do you prefer: hot cocoa or hot apple cider?
Personally, I’m more of a cider kind of person. Which is why, around this time of year, I love to prepare wassail.
What’s wassail? Essentially, it’s a hot spiced apple cider. The drink was so popular during the holidays they even wrote songs about it. Ever heard of, “Here we come a wassailing”?
And what, exactly, is wassailing? Essentially, it’s a medieval form of caroling where people would go door-to-door singing Christmas songs and sharing hot drinks.
Anyway, like I said, this time of year, I love to prepare wassail. Nothing warms you up after a long cold day than heating some apple cider on the stove with cinnamon sticks and apples with cloves.
Actually, I stand corrected. The only thing that warms you up more is drinking the wassail you prepared.
I’ve been using this recipe for the past few years. It combines apple cider with different fruit juices and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. The result is a warm brew that’s perfect on a cold winter night.
***
Wassail (from Tastes Better from Scratch)
Ingredients
· 2 apples
· 8 cups apple cider
· 2 cups orange juice
· 1/3 cup lemon juice
· 4 cinnamon sticks
· 15 whole whole cloves, or ½ tsp ground cloves
· 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
· 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
· 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar, optional
Directions
1. Poke the whole cloves into the apples on all sides.
2. Add all of the ingredients, including the apples, to a large pot over medium-low heat.
3. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30-45 minutes.
4. Remove the apples and whole cloves. Ladle into mugs and enjoy!
You know, in hindsight, I should have known Red One was going to be a disaster. Despite its $250 million budget, the movie only grossed $32 million in the domestic box office and $165.8 million worldwide, making it the biggest box office bomb of 2024. In fact, the movie went straight to streaming, which meant I could have saved myself a ticket and watched it on Amazon Prime.
And yet, Red One had potential. It had all the biggest action movie stars: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Chris Evans, J.K. Simmons, and Lucy Lui. And the movie certainly looked campy enough that, even if it wasn’t good, it could have been so bad it’s good.
So what made this movie so bad? Why did the movie bomb so badly that it deserves coal for Christmas? Why did this movie end up becoming naughty rather than nice?
Red One stars J.K. Simmons as Santa Claus and The Rock as his assistant Callum. When St. Nick ends up being kidnapped from the North Pole, Callum assembles a special task force called E.L.F. (Extremely Large and Formidable) to save him. He conscripts the assistance of Chris Evans’ character, Jack O’Malley, a professional hack to help track down the Red One. Will they save Christmas? Or…well, it’s a Christmas movie, so you know the answer.
The best way I can describe Red One is that it’s a movie you would get if you tasked an edgy teenage boy (the type with posters of cars and bikini-clad chicks in their room and who watch nothing but action movies and Andrew Tate videos) with writing a script for a Christmas movie about saving Santa Claus–but because they’re too embarrassed to write about “kiddie stuff”, they try to make it “mature” and “cool”: a jacked Santa Claus who lifts mad weights, scenes shot at beaches with scantily-clad women, jacked-up snowmen and Krampuses with six packs, and plenty of action movie cliches you’d expect from a teenager who’s movie diet is nothing but action flicks.
On the surface, Red One is a campy action flick with a campy premise. So, even if it wasn’t going to be good, it had the potential to at least ironically be good—so bad it’s good. It certainly had a star-studded cast to pull it off, and admittedly, some of the action scenes were impressive. This movie could have easily been on par with a Marvel movie.
Unfortunately, Red One’s biggest problem is that it doesn’t seem to know who its target audience is. On the one hand, the movie is silly and campy like a children’s movie; but on the other hand, it also has a lot of adult subject matter not suitable for younger audiences, what with alcoholic references, scantily-clad women, plenty of kicks to the crotch, and a lot of almost-swears. In the end, the movie comes across as too juvenile for adults and too adult for children.
Many other reviewers have pointed out that this movie is a prime example of everything wrong with Hollywood movies these days. The movie was undoubtedly expensive, one of the most expensive movies of the year, and yet it failed to generate box office revenue to compensate for its expensive budget. Exasperating matters even further is how this movie was originally intended to be released on streaming, so the overall quality looks made for television.
In the end, Red One is a Christmas film that prioritizes style over substance. Despite its glossy visuals, quippy comic book movie dialogue, and over-the-top action scenes, the story ends up being your typical run-of-the-mill plot about saving Santa Claus while learning about the “true” meaning of the holiday. Overall, it’s a Christmas tree that’s all bark and not real bite.
Polk County Sheriff’s deputies patrolling the school zone outside Ridgeview Global Studies on Dunson Road in Davenport arrested a Clermont woman after witnessing her commit several traffic infractions, and then learning she also had a suspended license and marijuana in her possession.
At 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, deputies saw 23-year-old Lara Alexandre driving a black Nissan at a high rate of speed through a school zone while holding and looking at an iPad, and not wearing her seatbelt. She told the deputy sheriff who performed the traffic stop that she didn’t have her driver’s license with her. When he ran her information through the database, he found that it was suspended in September 2024.
During a search of her vehicle, deputies found marijuana and a grinder in her purse, and her suspended license in the car. As one deputy was taking her into custody, she became combative, and elbowed him in the chest.
When Alexandre arrived at the Sheriff’s Processing Center in Winter Haven to be booked into jail, she became aggressive in the back of the patrol car and a detention deputy came out to assist the deputy sheriff with retrieving her from the vehicle. Alexandre bit that detention deputy on the arm and then tried to bite the deputy again.
In addition to her traffic citations, Alexandre was charged with two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, resisting arrest with violence, possession of marijuana and paraphernalia, possession of a suspended driver’s license, and driving while license suspended.
“I don’t know if Ms. Alexandre celebrates Christmas or not, but she’s certainly not spreading joy this holiday season. In fact she’s done everything possible to ensure she’ll be in the county jail instead of spending time with her family at Christmas. Here’s a tip – if you’re driving illegally, you probably shouldn’t draw attention to yourself by speeding through a school zone while looking at a mobile device and not wearing your seatbelt.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
