Winter Haven Police Go Pink For Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Winter Haven

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October 4, 2016

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Winter Haven Police Go Pink For Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Winter Haven, Florida – Members of the Winter Haven Police Department have voluntarily purchased pink badges in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month thru the month of October.

To show support for those who are fighting, who have won the battle and of course those who have passed due to cancer, officers will wear the pink badges during the entire month of October. Civilians at the agency have the opportunity to show their support with a badge that is suitable for a shadow box to display.

Each person has purchased a badge for different reasons. Chief Bird said “In my case it is to honor my mother who is a survivor, but I also wear it to honor my brother and step-father that died of other types of cancer, as well as a co-worker who has survived cancer. Cancer is a bad disease that takes many of our loved ones prematurely. This is an opportunity for members of the Winter Haven Police Department to bring awareness in our community of all types of cancer. The badge company will donate a portion of the proceeds to a local charity of our choice. Plus, I look good with some pink on my blue uniform.”

Diversification Key to Success for Local Business Man

Staff Reporter

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October 4, 2016

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Diversification Key to Success for Local Business Man

Starting your own business is, by its very nature, a challenging endeavor, and rising to entrepreneurial success under any circumstances is a great achievement.

In today’s economy, start- up money can be hard to obtain and adding in the time it takes to do all the tasks of creating and building the business, you practically have to quit your day job to have time to do it all.

But none of that mattered to local entrepreneur Michael Brewner, who decided to do it the old fashion way and work his way up in the business world.

Born and raised in Polk County, Michael started his climb in the air conditioning industry out of college and worked throughout Florida including Sarasota, Tampa Bay, and the Orlando markets where he perfected his talents in residential air conditioning sales and service.

Michael rose in the ranks to management and faithfully led the sales and service teams of several multi-million dollar AC companies throughout his tenure in those markets. The demand of the job would leave little time for a personal life. But it just so happens love will always finds a way.

Though climbing the ladder of success kept Michael busy; love eventually caught up to him and he was blessed with meeting and marrying the love of his life, Brandy.

Michael joined the team at Iceberg Air Conditioning and quickly worked his way up in the business. His dedication and his skills were a valued addition to the business and its growth. Michael rose in the ranks at Iceberg Air Conditioning and today is a 50/50 owner with his business partner Jason Robbins.

“We work very well together and complement each others weaknesses with our own strengths” says Michael.

Working together as a team, the owners at Iceberg Air Conditioning now offer all types of AC work from the smallest residential AC systems to the largest commercial and industrial types of refrigeration equipment. They also design and maintain ammonia refrigeration equipment which is used widely in most commercial and citrus facilities.

“What makes Iceberg the best is the well trained staff. Our technicians are highly trained and our office staff has exceptional customer service. Just look at our reviews!!”

With Iceberg Air Conditioning a winning investment; Michael wanted to diversify a bit and started looking at creating a second business. The joint venture/strategic partnership that worked so well with Iceberg had been a model of success and he wanted diversify and apply those strategies to another business.

Diversification is an economic art form all its own. It requires strategic planning and business savvy that doesn’t come easily to most. Most diversify to recession proof their business.

An Investopedia article from July 2016 states it best:

“It (Diversification) aims to maximize return by investing in different areas that would each react differently to the same event. Most investment professionals agree that, although it does not guarantee against loss, diversification is the most important component of reaching long-range financial goals while minimizing risk.”(1)

Michael found his second venture in the form of Elite Lawn and Landscape. With his dad as a part-owner and best and longtime friend Steven Weir who had almost 20 years of landscaping and lawn care experience managing day-to day operations, Elite has grown to service over 200 accounts of residential and commercial properties since their start in early 2016.

“We have the hardest working crews and again that is the reason Elite is the best, because of the hard working team we have there. My parents help with all the day to day work with the billing and paperwork and without them it would not have been possible.”

Having a great looking lawn is something that most homeowners aspire to. Being the envy of the block thanks to your perfectly groomed turf is reason to be proud.

All lawns need mowing; it is one of the most frequent and important tasks in maintaining a healthy lawn. Getting the cutting height and mowing frequency right can make a huge difference to the ongoing health of the lawn

Maintaining a nice lawn can be a challenge, though. It involves an ongoing commitment that your busy schedule may not afford you. This is where Elite Lawn & Landscaping can give you the cutting edge and save you time.

Both Iceberg and Elite have become successful local businesses that have come to provide a valuable service to residents and business owners in the community. Both have proven their commitment to excellent trade craft and customer service. Michael Brewner has crafted his artful masterpiece of diversification in the local business world.

“I have learned so much about the business world and strive to work harder every day. I love just being able to give back to my hometown community that I love and serve the people of this great community.”

“I continue to put God first in my life and he continues to bless my family and I.”

When local small business succeeds, everybody wins.

References:

(1) http://www.investopedia.com/articles/02/111502.asp By Investopedia Staff | Updated July 1, 2016

Fatal Crash Blocking Traffic On S.R. 60

Bartow

Staff Reporter

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October 4, 2016

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Bartow, Florida – According to the Florida Highway Patrol an accident has occurred this morning on S.R.60 & just West of 80 Foot Road. The accident actually occurred at 5:50am, but the FHP wasn’t called to handle until 6:18am (this is a correction to the earlier report that said the accident occurred at 6:18am). The FHP advises that a 29 year old Tampa man was killed in the accident. The man has been identification as JHOAN M. IDARRAGA MUNOZ.

According to the FHP the victim, in a 2009 Nissan 4 Door, was traveling westbound on SR-60 in the inside lane at a high rate of speed. A 2010 Frieghtliner semi-tractor trailer was traveling eastbound on SR-60 in the outside lane. The victim appears to have lost control of the Nissan which entered the median, rotated, continued into the eastbound lanes and collided with semi-tractor trailer. Both vehicles came to final rest on the eastbound shoulder. the victim sustained fatal injuries and expired at the scene of the crash.

The crash is still under investigation.

Bad Accident Closing Both North & Southbound Lanes Of County Line Road

Mulberry

Staff Reporter

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October 3, 2016

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Bad Accident Closing Both North & Southbound Lanes Of County Line Road

Update : Florida Highway Patrol advises that a semi-tractor trailer was stopped behind a school bus. A 1999 Ford SUV driven by John Luther Bush 59, of Mulberry, did not stop in time & collided with the rear of the semi-tractor. Bush was transported to an area hospital, but passed away due to injuries.

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Update 4:52pm : The Florida Highway Patrol has upgraded this crash to a fatality. We currently have no further information at this time, but all lanes are still blocked.

Original article:

Polk County, Florida – According to the Florida Highway Patrol a bad accident is currently blocking the Northbound & Southbound lanes of County Line Rd. & Shepard Rd. The accident occurred at approximately 2:59pm. The area may be closed for a substantial time and traffic is being rerouted around the crash area. Drivers are urged to avoid the area and find other routes.

Euthanization Of Special Needs Dog By Polk County Animal Control Questioned

Auburndale

Staff Reporter

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October 3, 2016

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Euthanization Of Special Needs Dog By Polk County Animal Control Questioned

Polk County Animal Control Euthanize Dog — Facebook Photo Of “Lefty” Provided By Owners while resting.

Auburndale, Florida – On September 29, 2016 Kristi Durham’s special needs dog “Lefty” got out during a storm. She posted on message boards, called animal shelters and called Polk County Animal Control. Unfortunately the dog ended up being euthanized a short time later. The owners are beside themselves as their dog was chipped. Many citizens expressed sadness and frustration that the county would so quickly euthanize the dog.

According to the Polk County Animal Control (AC) the dog was brought to AC by a man who saw it stumbling in the middle of Havendale Blvd. The man is unfamiliar with the Winter Haven area, so he Googled “vets” and drove the dog to the nearest one. He doesn’t know who that vet is, but that vet examined the dog and said it needed to be euthanized but to bring it to AC to have that done. According to the man who found the dog, the vet scanned the dog but didn’t find a chip in it. The man left without any paperwork because the vet just did a quick exam of the dog and didn’t charge him.

The man brought the dog to AC and told them what was going on with the dog. The AC vet also felt that the dog needed to be euthanized due to its behavior which indicated a severe brain injury or infection. They scanned the dog for a chip first, and found one – and they contacted 24 Hour Pet Watch trying to get the phone number assigned to that chip. According to AC they spent between 15-20 minutes on the phone with the company. They read back the number digit by digit to make sure it was right, due to the fact that it was an odd area code. The number the company gave was a disconnected Kentucky number.

The dog didn’t have tags and was not registered with Animal Control in any other way. Animal control didn’t have any other way to find the owner. They euthanized the dog.

On Friday, an AC officer saw the dog on the Facebook lost and found pet page, and called the number listed on that posting (which is a different number, off by 2 digits, from what they had on file from 24 Hr Pet Watch).

According to Carrie Horstman, PCSO, the AC receive 50-75 calls a day from pet owners who have lost their pets, asking if they have them. When they get a call, they look in their online database to see if the pet being described over the phone has been entered into our kennel and online database. They tell the caller to please come to AC and physically walk the kennels to see if their pet is there – often a description over the phone is not good enough for us to confirm that the pet is there. Even when they enter the pet into the online database with a photo, they tell pet owners, you should still come to AC and walk the kennels because the photo may not look like the dog but it’s still your dog. If the dog has a tag on it, obviously they use that as the identifier, or if it has a chip that is registered with the company we use, which is Home Again. If it has a chip registered to a different microchip company, they call that company and get the owner info, which is what they did here.

Anyone that has a dog microchipped with any service, can come to AC and have the data entered into the system that we use, which is Home Again. They encourage pet owners to do this. They also encourage them to have their dog tags updated in the Polk County system and to wear their tags at all times.

They are aware now in reviewing this dog’s story, that the owner called AC prior to the dog arriving there. Also, the dog was not entered into their database because it was not entered into the kennel – it was euthanized due to the Vet examination. When they have lost or strays brought to us, or they pick them up in our trucks, if they can’t locate an owner they typically will get entered into their searchable online database, and remain in our kennels for 4-7 days.

The microchip company where the dog was registered, “24 Hour Pet Watch” gave the AC a bad number. It is different from the owner’s number by 2 digits. The have the person’s name listed as Jason Durham of Kentucky but the number they gave was disconnected. Because the address assigned to it was in Kentucky and the area code was also out of town, they didn’t have the option of driving to a house to find an owner.

This is a developing story. We will update as more information is available.

It’s that time of year again. Open House!! Saturday October 15th, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Fire Safety Complex, 301 Avenue G S.W.

Winter Haven

Staff Reporter

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October 3, 2016

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It’s that time of year again. Open House!! Saturday October 15th, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Fire Safety Complex, 301 Avenue G S.W.

We will be serving refreshments, snacks, snow cones and popcorn.

Open House always filled with fun and education for the entire family!

-Explore the fire engines.
-Play games, and win prizes.
-Jump in the bounce house, slide down a huge slide.
-Take a train ride.
-See a K-9 demonstration.
-Tour the Fire Station.
-Practice with a Water Fire Extinguisher.

If you need any assistance with car seat installation instruction we will have are experts there to assist and install your car seat for the safety of our most precious cargo.

Thank you to our sponsors:
Public Corporate Office
Walmart Store # 968
Walmart Store # 3347
Walmart DC # 60871
Paul Davis Restoration

Parade in Winter Haven This Thursday Celebrates Homecoming for Local Area High Schools and PSC

Winter Haven

Staff Reporter

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October 3, 2016

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Winter Haven-

Parades and fireworks are always fun but rarely do you get to have both at the same event!

This Thursday, four Winter Haven area High Schools and Polk State College will be joining together to celebrate their homecomings with one big celebration including a festival and parade hosted by the Public Education Partnership of Winter Haven and sponsored by local businesses and school organizations.

Participating High Schools include Winter Haven High, All Saints Academy, New Beginnings High, Chain of Lakes Collegiate High and Lake Region High.

The parade will start at 6 p.m. at Denison Stadium and head west on Avenue C Southeast to Second Street Southwest. It will continue on Magnolia Avenue, then onto Third Street Southwest to South Lake Silver Drive where it will end at Martin Luther King Jr. Park.

The festival will be at the park and will go from 6p.m until 9 p.m..

The festival will be full of vendors selling food and other treats. Live entertainment will include a performance by the Cypress Gardens Water Ski Team and Fireworks at 8:30 p.m..

A great family-fun event for everyone! See you there!

PCSO Investigating A Body Struck By Train

Davenport

Staff Reporter

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October 3, 2016

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PCSO Investigating A Body Struck By Train

Davenport, Florida – Around 12:05 a.m. on Monday, October 3, 2016, a CSX motor vehicle transport train hauling 91 train cars, carrying vehicles from Jacksonville to Taft, FL, was approximately 600 yards south of Ronald Reagan Pkwy when the train engineer observed an object laying between the two rails ahead.

As the train approached, it was apparent the object was a man wrapped in a blanket. The engineer applied the horn and brakes but the man didn’t move. The train drove over the man before it came to a complete stop. The man was located underneath the 13th train car, deceased.

An autopsy was conducted today, and, while the victim does have trauma to his face and body, the exact cause of death is pending toxicology.

The man is an adult, has not yet been positively identified. Once we are able to identify him and notify his next of kin, we will send that information out.

Man & Juvenile Arrested After Drive-By Shooting In Mulberry

Mulberry

Staff Reporter

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October 3, 2016

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Man & Juvenile Arrested After Drive-By Shooting In Mulberry

Mulberry, Florida – On 9/30/16, at approximately 10:20 pm, Polk Deputies were called to a home on Fox Creek Dr. & Kelly Court in Mulberry. According to reports Brian Johnson was in the front yard of his residence, when a red older model Lincoln Navigator passed southbound. Mr. Johnson then observed an occupant of the vehicle, hold a hand held fire arm out of the window and fire multiple shots. The vehicle then speed away. This was witnessed by four other neighbors. All witnesses advised they could not identify who fired from within the vehicle because the darkness with the time of night, but did observe a white male passenger in the vehicle.

Eleven 9MM casings were located in the roadway of Kelly Court, photographed, and collected for processing by deputies. Kelly Court is across from the shooting.

During a canvass of the area, a juvenile was identified as known to ride as a passenger in an older model red Lincoln Navigator. Deputies and I then responded to the juvenile’s residence and made contact with him.

Post-Miranda, the juvenile provided a sworn taped statement advising he was riding with his friend Demecio Aguirre, who was driving his [Aguirre’s] brother’s 2002 red Lincoln Navigator. As they passed the residence located at Kelly Court an unknown male subject approached the roadway and fired several shots in the air with a hand gun. The juvenile advised his friend Demecio Aguirre produced his firearm [Aguirre’s], a Glock 9 MM, and fired several rounds into the ditch. Aguirre then handed the handgun to the juvenile and told him to fire some rounds too. The juvenile advised he then fired two rounds into the ground. The juvenile advised at no time was any party pointing any of the firearms at another person.

Contact was then made with Demecio Aguirre, who post-Miranda provided the same account as the juvenile, except he advised only he, not the juvenile fired the handgun in return. Mr. Aguirre provided deputies with the firearm, a Glock 17, which was submitted as evidence.

Aguirre and the juvenile were both arrested and charged with Aggravated Assault, Shooting From an Occupied Vehicle, Improper Exhibition of Firearm and Culpable Negligence. In addition, Aguirre was charged with Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor by providing and directing the juvenile, to fire the weapon after he had.

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