Auburndale, Florida – Polk County Sheriff’s Office Robbery detectives are asking for the public’s help in a Robbery Home Invasion investigation.
At approximately 12:55 am, a couple sleeping in their home on Brenda Lane, Auburndale, were awakened by an unknown white male who had entered their home.
The male resident began to struggle with the suspect who was armed with a firearm. During the struggle, the male victim was shot. He was transported to Lakeland Regional Medical Center where he is listed in grave condition.
The suspect is described as being an older male, approximately 5’9 and weighing 160-170 pounds, wearing a grey/black beanie on his head, dark clothing, dark shoes, and a bandana across his face. The suspect fled in a white, single cab, Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck belonging to the victim. The actual vehicle is pictured above..
During the investigation, detectives located approximately two pounds of methamphetamine inside the residence and believe this was not a random act of violence.
Anyone with information about this investigation is urged to contact Detective Tonya Wright at863.298.6200.
Winter Haven, Florida – On Thursday May 8th around 9pm, 2014, two men got into an argument at the Circle K store at the intersection of Grady Polk Road & Spirit Lake Rd. The two men were Francis Perry, 29 (a previously convicted felon), and Charles Tobitt, 39.
According to reports Tobitt left and went to his home (121 Grady Polk Road). Allegedly while Tobitt was still in his front yard Perry and another man pulled up on a motorcycle and started arguing again. During the second argument Tobitt was shot, allegedly by Perry. At this time Perry left the scene and eventually a warrant for his arrest was issued. Tobitt meanwhile suffered a gunshot wound to the arm and had to have surgery at St Joesph’s Hospital in Tampa.
A warrant was issued for Perry’s arrest. On May 21, 2014 Perry was arrested and charged with attempted 2nd degree murder, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, possession of marijuana, possession of a methamphetamine and possession of drug equipment. Perry was taken to Polk County Jail.
Her smile could get her out of anything,” says her riding instructor, Annette Sullivan, who remembered the giggly girl who wore pink cowboy boots.
* The DailyRidge.Com will be sharing a little bit about each child killed on December 14th in Newtown Conn. Every HALFhour for 10 hrs. We choose to say ” I am” because these children and the memory of what happened needs to live on forever.
“He was “smart as a whip,” gentle but with a rambunctious streak.
He was a twin. Noah and his sister were always playing together, they loved to do things together” said his uncle.
*The DailyRidge.Com will be sharing a little bit about each child killed on December 14th in Newtown Conn. Every HALFhour for 10 hrs. We choose to say ” I am” because these children and the memory of what happened needs to live on forever.
Lake Wales, Florida – I don’t personally know Nicholas Plante. I know that he is a friend of ours on facebook, but so are about 4300 other people. The fact that I know about Nicholas specifically is a testament to what this young man has accomplished in the last 8 months. Nicholas and his family came here from New York. He had some difficulty at first as his mother would point out. He was in remedial reading, not caring about anything, from a much smaller middle school than McLaughlin Middle & Fine Art Academy. And a separated family that put extended stress on him.
Nicholas had a talent for art. It helped that Nicholas is an 8th grader at McLaughlin Middle & Fine Art Academy and he had a dedicated mentor. Tim Williams a local businessman stepped up and helped to mentor Nicholas. Tim’s help, a committed family and the ability to express himself through art helped propel Nicholas to greater heights.
Nicholas Plante with his digital photograph which was honored by the Polk Museum of Art.
Nicholas has been recognized with numerous art awards. He was recognized with the Polk County Art Museum Sponsor’s Art Award for his digital macro photograph. He was also awarded a monetary award from Ridge Art Association Young Artists Show. With the assistance of Nick’s mentor, Tim Williams, his artwork was seen by thousands as they passed a Lamar Billboard here in Lake Wales. The art could be seen during the Easter Holiday displayed on a billboard on Hwy 27 across from the mall. According to Lamar Advertising Mr. Williams contacted them showing some of Nick’s art pieces and they chose one for the holidays.
Nicholas would go on to excel in other areas along with art. He would be on the Honor roll, take honors classes, join the Honor Society and become a Lake Wales Scholar. Nick’s mother is extremely proud of him and amazed at how he is able to “keep it all together”.
Nicholas is on a great path to wonderful things in the future. We believe hard work and talent will pay off big in his future. Great Job Nicholas!
Lake Wales, Florida – “I always knew it could happen, but never thought it would happen to my child” said Donna Hayes of Lake Wales. The mother of four children has had her world turned upside down. Approximately two weeks ago she found out her little girl, McKinze ( 7 yrs old) had a diagnosis of myelodysplasticsyndrome ( formerly known as preleukemia). Currently the doctors are testing McKinze to determine what type of leukemia is attacking her body. She currently in need of the communities help to replenish blood supplies as she is getting blood transfusions regularly.
McKinze went to the doctor for what her mother thought was an unrelated medical issue. After some tests and then a CBC (Complete Blood Count) it was determined that she needed to go to Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando. Since the diagnosisher blood count has been dropping. Yesterday, September 18th, McKinze received another round of platelets because her count was extremely low (a normal count is 250-450; she was an 8). The family would appreciate it if everyone would donate blood. McKinze is O Positive but any blood type is accepted. Please do not let your blood type keep you from donating. What happens is when people donate any type of blood the Florida Blood Bank will credit her bank with O positive blood. She has already received 3 blood transfusions and will need more, in addition to a bone marrow transplants.
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is the name of a group of conditions that occur when the blood-forming cells in the bone marrow are damaged. This damage leads to low numbers of one or more type of blood cells.
We will be keeping up with McKinze and her treatment and ask that everyone say a prayer for her and her family. Please donate blood if you can to a Florida Blood Banknear you.
A 23 yr old Lakeland man was arrested Tuesday after deputies say he picked up a 15 yr old girl he met online according to an arrest affidavit.
Joseph Christopher Kern, was charged with using a computer or Internet to solicit a child for a sexual act, a third-degree felony, and traveling to meet a minor for sexual activity and lewd molestation, second-degree felonies.
According to the report, Kern had several sexual conversations with the Lakeland girl on the Web site MySpace.com on Monday and Tuesday. During the online conversations, Kern told the girl to change her age on the Web site to 18 so he could avoid ‘trouble’ and asked her for a mature relationship, the report said. The girl indicated in one message that she wanted to wait before any sexual activity and Kern indicated he would try to wait.
About 8 p.m. Monday, Kyle Stinson, 21, drove Kern to meet the girl and one of her friends, deputies said. They
took the two to Stinson’s home, where the report said Kern and the girl engaged in sexual activity.
The girl returned home about 1 a.m., after her mother had called her demanding that she come home, the report said.
Both Stinson and Kern were charged with interfering with child custody, a third-degree felony.
Learn How This Local Waitress Survived Breast Cancer While Pushing On
by James Coulter
Tammy Red was diagnosed with stage-3 breast cancer in 2017. That year, she struggled through her recovery process with a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. Through it all, she kept her spirits up and inevitably recovered.
Currently, she’s diagnosed with lung cancer, though her condition is dormant. Nevertheless, she refuses to let her condition hinder her. She still gets up every morning, goes to her job, and works through the day to keep herself going.
“A lot of it is that you have to keep positive and keep pushing,” she said. “You cannot lay down and let it beat you. You have to overcome.”
To help her through her breast cancer journey, her friend, Melanie Brown Culpepper, hosted a fundraiser at her salon, Melanie’s Cutting Edge, in October 2018. The event started out small, but grew so big that it had to be moved outside at the side of the building, Tammy said. Such an outpouring revealed how much the local community was willing to step up to help someone like Tammy.
“We had people coming to donate their time and money and give money to someone they didn’t even know like myself,” she said. “People who didn’t even know me were here and supporting me.”
Melanie often hosts fundraisers to raise awareness for breast cancer every October. She was unable to do it last year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, this year, she is raising awareness by hanging pink bras through her salon.
After her fundraiser in 2018, Tammy was able to finance her reconstructive surgery following her double mastectomy. Using tissue from her stomach, she was able to have new breasts constructed for her. Though she insisted on continue working through her ordeal with cancer, her reconstructive surgery required her to stay home and take time off of work for six to eight weeks.
“It was a major surgery,” she said. “I could not walk. I could not bend over. I could not move. I could not stretch. I stayed in a chair for 6 weeks. After I went back to work and pulled through it.”
Otherwise, when she was not required to stay at home, she insisted on continue working her job as a waitress at Nineteen61 in Lakeland. Through it all, she received the full support of her co-workers and boss.
As Melanie assisted her with a fundraiser, Tammy has been giving back by helping her friend with her other fundraisers and events. She assists with the raffles at her events. She goes door-to-door receiving donations. And she promotes the events through posts on social media.
After Melanie’s late fiancée, Michael Culpepper, passed away last year, Tammy assisted with her memorial by cooking food and preparing hundreds upon hundreds of plates for the reception.
“So every year, Melanie does another event, and I am here for it,” she said. “And I just back her however I can. She is always there for me and I am here for her. Whatever she needs, I am here.”
Currently, Tammy is battling lung cancer, which she was diagnosed with since 2019. She has since been taking medication to keep the disease at bay, as it is currently dormant. Even then, she still works her job. She has been working as a waitress at Nineteen61 in Lakeland for five years, and she is not going to let something like cancer stop her.
“To rise up, you have to get out of bed,” she said. “You can’t just lay in bed with depression, you have to get up. You have to get out of bed. you have to move. You have to get back into the swing of things. You can’t let things hold you back, whether it is cancer, COVID, whatever…I’m pushing forward and refusing to give up.”
Attracting Large Businesses is an Art and a Science in Economic Development
by Kevin Kieft, Certified Economic Developer and Real Estate Professional
Have you ever wondered how big companies like Amazon, Ford, or Boeing decide where to open their big distribution centers or manufacturing facilities? These companies consider many factors, from infrastructure and available buildings and land to quality of life for their employees. They often hire site selection consultants to evaluate potential locations for these factors. One major factor they always search for is a thriving and growing local economy.
Why do companies seek places with a healthy mix of jobs before they create their own jobs? The answer is actually quite simple: this will give them a good indicator that the local area can deliver the workforce they will need to be successful in that new location.
So, what is the multiplier effect, and why do we seek out these types of jobs? When a company opens a new facility and hires hundreds of new employees, those people will need places to live and various amenities to thrive in the location. They will go out to eat and shop. They will send their children to school and enroll them in youth sports. They will spend their money locally, and those dollars will be circulated over and over in the local area, helping to grow the local economy. Of course, before they can do all of that, they need an area that has these factors in place.
What is required to stimulate such a vibrant economy? First and foremost, infrastructure. These new workers and the company will need excellent roads to drive between their workplace and new homes. Speaking of which, they also need a place to live. They need homes that are available and affordable. If workers cannot afford or find homes in the area, that will be a problem for the company trying to attract the necessary workforce.
Many times, in the process of site selection, you do not even know you are on the list. So, communities need all those things ready, and these can be anything from land, utilities, buildings, and infrastructure ready to go when a company inquires. What is something small that can make a big impact when you do make the short list? My experience always brings me back to minimizing risk.
When I say this, what do I mean? It means that communities need to be ready. They need to communicate exactly what they want from the company before any construction or development takes place. Fast track permitting and flexibility are key when working with these developments and I encourage all local units of government to take on the attitude of “we can make this happen”.
Both the county and cities can best improve their chances if they have these processes in place. This is where a local economic development organization is essential. They help those companies navigate the relocation process, and they serve as an advocate for the company coming to town. Simply put, they serve as a consultant, advocating for both the community and the company to create an environment for business growth.
That is the key. Communities have to be a partner with helping make things happen and taking the steps they need to take rather than waiting on the city and the county. All of that requires proper communication. Talk to your local economic development groups.
Talk to the site selector or company and obtain feedback from them. If you have a local company that has expanded recently, find out what works for them, and find out what didn’t. Find out where you can improve, what processes made them think twice about those decisions and make those changes.
That has been my experience overseeing the many projects in the Lake Wales area over the years and in other locations. Sometimes you think you know what is going on and it’s all in control, but those companies want somebody to talk to and get their concerns addressed. They want to talk to somebody directly and to be available when they have those questions. Communication and teamwork are vital to landing these big projects.
