Looking for something fun for the kids to do after early dismissal? Bring them over to the Larry R. Jackson Branch Library on November 21 from 2:30–3:30 PM for an afternoon of creativity! Kids can make their very own sand art bottle, and all the materials will be provided—just bring plenty of imagination.
This monthly drop-in program, called Crafternoon, is designed for children ages 5–12 and takes place on Polk County Public Schools’ Early Dismissal Days. No registration is needed—simply stop in and enjoy the fun.
If you have any questions, reach out to Cassie Walters-Shantal at (863) 834-4294 or [email protected].
Invitation for Quote (IFQ-26-10) The City of Winter Haven is seeking quotes for Tennis Court Resurfacing. Quotes must be uploaded to Mercell by 2:00 PM on November 25, 2025 using the required form.
For questions, contact: David Saltman — (863) 291-5690 Email: [email protected]
The Gate Church in Davenport is gearing up for one of its most meaningful traditions of the year—its annual Thanksgiving Meal Giveaway. This community-focused event provides families in need with a complete holiday meal at no cost, offering a helping hand during a season centered on gratitude and togetherness.
With the support of sponsor Jarrett Gordon Ford – Davenport, the church will be distributing 250 turkeys, along with all the sides needed to prepare a full Thanksgiving feast. Anyone who could benefit from a free holiday meal is encouraged to sign up while supplies last.
Registration is required, and once you sign up, you’ll receive a confirmation email. Be sure to bring that email with you on pickup day. Registration will close immediately once all 250 meals have been claimed.
Meal pickup will take place on Saturday, November 22 from 10 AM to 12 PM at the Tom Fellows Community Center, located at 207 N Blvd, Davenport, FL 33837.
This Thanksgiving, Downtown Lakeland is adding a brand-new tradition to the holiday season. On Thursday, November 27 at 6:00 PM, the city will light the very first Christmas tree ever placed in Munn Park—marking a milestone moment for one of Lakeland’s most beloved gathering spaces.
Families are invited to arrive early, as the park will start buzzing around 5:45 PM with festive music, holiday photo opportunities, and a cheerful pre-show atmosphere. When the clock hits 6:00 PM, the community will come together for a shared countdown as the tree bursts to life in brilliant lights.
Once the switch is flipped, visitors can wander the park, snap photos, and soak in the cozy holiday glow.
This free, family-friendly event takes place in the heart of Downtown Lakeland. Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chairs to settle in comfortably. Downtown parking garages and nearby street parking will be open—though arriving early will make the experience even smoother.
A new tradition is starting in Munn Park, and everyone’s invited to watch it shine.
Daily Ridge News has received a series of alleged text messages provided by a source on September 28, 2025, who stated the messages were obtained through a public records request involving Polk State College. The screenshots appear to show internal conversations among individuals involved in the college’s administrative and public information workflow. Because Polk State College has not confirmed the authenticity of these messages, and because the authors are not identified within the screenshots, Daily Ridge is presenting them as alleged communications.
Alleged Internal Text Messages
The timestamps show the conversations occurred in July 2025, which was the same period when Daily Ridge was requesting information regarding several issues at Polk State College. These included questions about the Polk State College Foundation’s emergency fund procedures, reported mold concerns, and concerns involving the use of real personal identifiable information during Banner system training. These inquiries were submitted in good faith, and no responses were provided.
Several of the alleged messages specifically reference “Carl,” referring to Carl Fish, cofounder of Daily Ridge News, an online news organization established in 2006 that covers Polk County, Florida. The screenshots also name individuals who appear to be directly involved in Foundation oversight. One message mentions “Steve” — referring to Dr. Steve Warner, Vice President of Resource Development and Executive Director of the Polk State College Foundation & Alumni. Another message refers to “Joanie” — referring to Joanie Malone, the Chief Financial Officer of the Polk State College Foundation and the whistleblower whose internal actions ultimately brought about an external audit that remains ongoing.
One of the alleged messages expresses hesitation about releasing information, stating:
“The foundation doesn’t wanna share information with me because they’re worried I’m going to give it to Carl Fish.”
The conversation goes on to describe difficulty obtaining documents and historical finance committee records related to the Foundation’s emergency fund decisions.
In another alleged exchange, the sender describes escalating frustration:
“I basically just had to yell at him, Joanie and Lance and told them to send me the minutes from a finance committee meeting 10 years ago where this was decided on.”
“I haven’t responded to him because he was blowing up my email… it’s like he has these requests in a hopper and fires them off to be an ass or try to intimidate and that made me angry.”
A follow-up message states:
“I’ll acknowledge receipt now and ask for his deadline.”
Other alleged exchanges appear to express concern about media scrutiny and potential fallout. One message states:
“I’m worried that we don’t say anything that results in an investigation of the foundation.”
Another asks:
“When do you think Carl will print?”
With the response:
“She’s stalling… Also, get ready for another round of crap. Media. About this issue.”
The conversation includes additional warnings about information becoming public, including:
“If he keeps digging, we’re going to have a mess.”
Another message adds:
“This has revealed a problem that to resolve there are some things that will be public. The optics could be really bad.”
Daily Ridge attempted to verify the authenticity and context of these alleged communications. On October 17, 2025, Daily Ridge emailed Polk State College spokesperson Madison Fantozzi requesting confirmation or clarification regarding the messages, as well as answers to earlier questions involving the Foundation, mold concerns, and personal identifiable information.
Daily Ridge also carbon copied the entire District Board of Trustees and the Polk State College Foundation Executive Board on that email, ensuring full transparency and giving senior leadership an opportunity to respond. As of publication, no response has been received from the college or any board members.
Because the authors of the messages are not identified within the screenshots and the college has provided no verification, Daily Ridge is presenting these as alleged communications that raise substantial questions about transparency, internal communication, and the handling of public records requests. Public institutions in Florida have a legal obligation to respond to lawful requests and to provide clear explanations when questions involve public funds, workplace safety, or sensitive personal data.
Daily Ridge will continue to seek clarification and additional documentation from Polk State College. Updates will be published as more information becomes available.
Join us for a cozy evening with the Auburndale Police Department! Stop by, enjoy a cup of coffee or hot cocoa, and spend some time getting to know the officers who serve our community. In the spirit of giving, we’ll be accepting new, unwrapped toys and/or non-perishable food items to help support local families in need this holiday season.
Can’t make it in person? No problem! Donations can be dropped off in our lobby Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm.
We hope to see you there for a warm drink, good company, and a chance to make a difference in the community! ❤️
DETAILS: Time: 5:00pm-8:00pm
Location: Auburndale Police Department Community Room 2 Bobby Green Plaza Auburndale, FL, 33823
Adult Day Care Center Planned near 8th Street in Winter Haven
by James Coulter
A 3,600-square-foot adult day care center may soon be built in Winter Haven if city commissioners approve the rezoning of land along 8th Street.
During their recent meeting on Mon. Nov. 11, Winter Haven city commissioners reviewed the first reading of an ordinance for the rezoning of an annexed parcel located near 8th Street.
The subject property is a “mixed-use corridor” consisting of “a mixture of commercial and residential uses,” according to the city agenda memo.
If approved, the ordinance will assign the property a zoning designation of Neighborhood Support Future Land Use and Commercial- Highway (C-3).
The property, which had been annexed into the City on July 28, 2025, is planned to be developed with a 3,600-square-foot adult day care center.
City staff determined that “the supporting water, sewer, and transportation infrastructure contains sufficient capacity to support these requests at this time; however, a final concurrency determination shall be made at the time the property receives site plan approval and is developed.”
City commissioners did not vote on the ordinance, but will do so during the second reading at a future city commission meeting.
Ever wondered what it’s like to step into someone else’s shoes? The Winter Haven Public Library’s Career Cosplay series invites kids ages 8–14 to do just that through fun, interactive sessions that highlight a new career each month. The program blends hands-on activities with real-life stories from local professionals, giving young learners an inspiring look at the many paths their futures can take.
This month’s featured career field is Entrepreneurship, and attendees will hear from Koreen Hobbs of Richard’s Fine Coffees. Hobbs will share what it’s like to build and run a successful business, offering insight into creativity, leadership, and the determination it takes to bring ideas to life.
The event takes place Monday, November 17 from 4:30–5:30 PM, and advance registration is encouraged. Families can secure their spot by visiting tinyurl.com/whpl-youth. It’s a perfect chance for young minds to explore new possibilities!
AUBURNDALE – An Auburndale woman was arrested after police say she showed multiple signs of impairment during a traffic stop on Thursday night, according to an arrest affidavit filed with the Polk County Clerk of Court.
On November 7 around 7:57 p.m., an Auburndale Police sergeant reported seeing a white Chevrolet Colorado traveling south on Berkley Road failing to maintain its lane and driving in the bicycle lane. Due to the traffic violations, a stop was conducted near Berkley Road and Jasmine Road. While approaching the truck, the sergeant reported seeing an open vodka bottle with liquid in the front passenger seat.
According to the affidavit, the driver, 41-year-old Amanda Gatlin, was already outside of the vehicle speaking with law enforcement when the responding officer arrived. The officer wrote that Gatlin’s speech appeared slurred and that she smelled strongly of alcohol. Gatlin reportedly admitted to drinking three alcoholic beverages earlier in the day.
The officer stated he asked Gatlin to step away from her vehicle, and she appeared unsteady on her feet and leaned on the truck several times to keep her balance. Gatlin agreed to participate in standardized field sobriety exercises and told the officer she had no medical conditions that would prevent her from doing so.
During the exercises, the officer documented several indicators of impairment. Gatlin allegedly showed four out of six clues during the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test, five out of eight clues during the Walk and Turn test, and three out of four clues during the One Leg Stand test.
Gatlin was placed under arrest and transported to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Processing Center for a required 20-minute observation period before breath testing. The affidavit states she did not eat or drink anything during that time. Gatlin agreed to provide breath samples, which reportedly registered breath alcohol levels of 0.188 and 0.190 g/210L.
Gatlin was issued a DUI citation for a breath alcohol level of 0.15 or higher. She was also issued two traffic citations for failure to use a designated lane and knowingly driving with a suspended license.
The case was filed with the Polk County Clerk of Court on November 10.
Sharon A. Marshall, age 87 of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. She was born on July 29, 1938, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Carl and Edna Lorenz. Sharon was united in marriage to Donald Marshall on October 4, 1958.Sharon’s life centered around her large family of eight children and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. She loved reading, knitting, painting and going to the casino. Sharon is survived by her eight children, Wendy (Daniel) Johnson of Gulf Shores, Alabama, Brenda Marshall of Elkhorn, Wisconsin, Donald Marshall of Cimarron, Kansas, Lynette (David) Dean of Whitewater, Wisconsin, Tod (Shari) Marshall of Moline, Illinois, Neal Marshall of Whitewater, Wisconsin, Krista (George) Hefflefinger of Eagle Lake, Florida and Amy (Steve) Hackbarth of Reeseville, Wisconsin, many grandchildren and great grandchildren; sister Carol McClune of Hernando, Florida, many nieces and nephews and her precious fur baby LuLu. She was preceded in death by her husband Donald; parents; daughter, Karen; grandson, Joseph; sister Jeanette Katcha and brother Carl Lorenz. Sharon was a very loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother and will be missed immensely. A memorial service for Sharon will be held on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., at the Palmyra United Methodist Church, 122 N. 5th Street, Palmyra, Wisconsin
