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Leadership Winter Haven Alumni Share Their Experiences

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Leadership Winter Haven Alumni Share Their Experiences

Leadership Winter Haven Alumni Share Their Experiences

by James Coulter

When Becky Helms, Senior Sales Manager of LEGOLAND Florida, decided to move to Winter Haven, she preferred to live within a small town like Winter Haven rather than a bustling city like Orlando.

Not only does such a town allow her to live within a much quieter setting with less hassle and traffic, but it allows her to better know the people she lives with, she explained.

“I love being able to visit the wine bar and see someone I know there,” she said. “I love going to a Chamber event and see people I was in a class with along the way.”

Upon buying her house and moving to Winter Haven back in 2007, she desired to become a part of the community and learn more about it.

That desire compelled her to attend Leadership Winter Haven as to better learn the ins and outs of her local community and everyone and everything within it.

“It allowed me to become part of the people in my community, but it also allowed me to learn more about the industries and the services and the businesses and the people that are in this community that really make us who we are, and I think through this class you’ll learn how special Winter Haven is,” she said.

She has since become the day chair for her class’s Tourism Day at LEGOLAND Florida, and has now become the co-chair of this year’s class.

Speaking from experience about how the class benefited her, she encourages others to enroll within it, as it will allow them a better opportunity to learn about their community.

“I encourage you all who are thinking about it, to really take that plunge,” she said. “It is a commitment, but you will be rewarded for it…and it will really pay back where you are living, so it really opens up your eyes to the wealth of things we have in this community.”

Helms shared her experiences with the program during an “Everyone Bring One” event last Tuesday at the Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce, which allowed alumni the opportunity to discuss the program with potential members.

Leadership Winter Haven is a program which, according to its website, “has been dedicated to developing a well informed and diverse pool of leadership talent ready to help the community and area reach its full potential.”

Since its start in 1980, making it the second oldest leadership program in Florida, the program has allowed its participants to learn more about their surrounding community and the various industries and businesses within it.

The class included various themed days with tours and field trips of the city’s various industries and aspects from culture, art, politics, and tourism.

“Class participants can learn more about different industries within Winter Haven and the surrounding areas, not from a surface perspective, but they will actually get to know how a business works and show how it works,” said Amanda-Jo Nicholson, Vice President of Member Services at the Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce.

Historically, the program has enrolled more than 500 people, with approximately 27 within this year’s class, Nicholson said.

Not only does the program allow its participants to learn about their local community, but build connections and relationships with local business owners and leaders, as well as each other.

“If you would like to build your network, build your connections, get to know more about the people and the places in the city you are in, Leadership Winter Haven is the program for you,” she said.

Brian Reeves, an independent associate at Legal Shield, was able to extend his network thusly during his own involvement with the program.

During his own participation last year, he was able to partake in tours and visits of different businesses and establishments.

“One of the things I always try to do is be connected with local businesses and so on,” he said. “I saw that as a way to see other aspects of the city I would normally not be able to take tours of.”

During that time, he established many connections within local industries, but also with his own classmates, all of which has proven beneficial to his own career.

“Overall, I benefited tremendously from the program because a lot of times, you will find that even your classmates develop some great relationships long ever after the program has ended,” he said. “It has helped me to make more connections from a business standpoint…[and] those connections are key to me continuing with my business.”

As such, Reeves more than recommends anyone wanting to make an impact within their local community through their business consider joining the program.

“You will garner a lot of things from the program, not just on a business standpoint, but also grow as an individual learning different things, learning management skills, and so on,” he said.

The deadline for Leadership Winter Haven Class 39 will be June 9. Interviews for potential participants will start in August, and classes are scheduled to begin in October.

For more information, visit: http://www.winterhavenchamber.com/leadership-winter-haven.html

Beth Ford: A Selective Retrospective

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Beth Ford: A Selective Retrospective

Beth Ford: A Selective Retrospective

By James Coulter

Most high school seniors don’t know what they’re going to do after graduation; but for Beth Ford, a local artist and art teacher, she always knew that art was her passion, and she has been following that passion for more than 50 years long after graduating high school.

“I was never in any doubt that this was my calling,” she said. “I could draw at an early age, and that let me know that there is something to being an artist.”

A sample of her award-winning artwork, spanning more than 50 years and various media, will be showcased in “Beth Ford: A Selective Retrospective”, an art exhibition at Polk Museum of Art in Lakeland from now until September 23.

As she is a true “Jane-Of-All-Trades”, her exhibit is a culmination of her mastery over different art media, ranging from drawings, paintings, and intaglio printmaking.

Ford describes her artwork as the juxtaposition between the real and imagined. Often she takes objects familiar and recognizable to her and other people and re-works them into more abstract figures, thus making the ordinary more extraordinary.

“I have worked with a familiar object or familiar theme or something I am really involved with,” she said. “But sometimes, it is just fun to work with the media itself and make it an emotional thing and see what can come out with the color and the design and motion of the shape.”

One such item is an award-winning art piece from Mayfaire in 1983, which is a drawing of hers wrapped in a package. This very important piece exemplifies a metaphor of her feelings back when she first created it, she said.

Another of her art pieces deals with the topic of censorship, showcasing several paintings of such famous artists as Picasso and Goya all wrapped up, representing how their art, which is now widely-lauded, were once shunned as “controversial”, she explained.

Perhaps her favorite and most personal piece is a 9-foot-by-9-foot painting divided into three parts, with each of the smaller, individual panels showcasing one of her beloved pets.

“I am an animal lover,” she said. “I consider that painting my scrapbook of memories, and I want to keep it for a long time.”

At least 15 of her drawings are featured within her book, “Room 4”, with more than 60 colored pencil drawings created to preserve her childhood memories.

“Everybody has a story,” she said. “I really knew I wanted to preserve with my own illustrations my memory of being a child growing up in a Southern Mississippi hotel.”

Ford was born in Mississippi and raised within the McColgan Hotel in McComb. Ever since she was a little girl, she has been an artist all her life.

She attended the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida at age 16. Following her high school graduation in 1948, she went on to attend the University of Mississippi.

There she met her husband of 65 years, whom she married, left school after one year, and went on to have three children.

She would later resume her college education at the University of South Florida, where she received both her degrees in fine arts and art education.

Her first job was teaching at Polk State College (then Polk Community College) from 1966 to 1968. She later served as proffesor emeritus at Florida Southern College for over 40 years, where she still teaches a course in print making.

Her own art was influenced by Marie Hall, a Mississippi artist whose art she became familiar with and inspired by during her early college years married to her husband.

During her time at USF, print making began as a trend. She decided to follow that trend and learn more about the art form, including monotype, etching, relief printing, silk screening, serigraphy, and intaglio printmaking, which she considers her forte. She had since taught the art for more than 40 years.

A true Renaissance woman, Ford has practiced and studied various art forms from drawings and paintings to print making and ceramics.

Whatever art form she delves into, she puts more than 100 percent into, and she often finds herself hopping from one art form to the other, going wherever her creativity takes her.

“I have been sort of a media hound because I love to explore and discover different techniques,” she said. “So I don’t feel guilty making other media. I milk it until I get as much out of it at the moment. Sometimes, the ideas surface again, and I go and work on it some more.”

“Beth Ford: A Selective Retrospective” will be hosted until September 23 at the Polk Museum of Art, located at 800 E. Palmetto Street in Lakeland.

Ford will be present at the museum for two upcoming event: Point of View Gallery Talk on Friday, June 8 at noon, and Coffee With The Artist on Saturday, June 9, at 10:30am.

She will later host a public lecture and book signing of her book, which is available within the museum’s gift shop, on Saturday, September 8, at 2pm.

For more information, visit the museum’s website at: https://polkmuseumofart.org/

One Man Shot & Another Arrested After Altercation On 4th St. In Lake Wales

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One Man Shot & Another Arrested After Altercation On 4th St. In Lake Wales

Lake Wales Police Department Press Release

On Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at approximately 7:24 p.m., Lake Wales Police Department was notified of a shooting at Mercy Apartments, 504 south 4th Street in Lake Wales. This was received from an off duty officer who heard a gunshot while driving near the area. When officers arrived it was learned four males, including Brandon Jones and Antonio Ray were outside of apartment 8D at the above address, when they were approached by Daquand Devontea Marion. There has been an ongoing disagreement between Marion and at least one of the four males. Marion does not live in the apartment complex. As Marion passed by the group he began to stare them down and circle around them. One of the four males swung his fist at Marion striking him in the head. Marion stumbled backwards and drew a handgun from his waistband. As the handgun cleared his waistband, he fired it once. The round struck Antonio Ray in the lower abdomen. Ray stumbled into apartment 8D where he was helped by Deandre Jones. Marion left the area on foot.

Deandre drove Ray to the Lake Wales Medical Center where they had to conduct emergency surgery to stabilize him. Officers continued to look for Marion throughout the night. At one point, they were able to speak to him on a phone. He told officers he was going to Bartow to turn himself in. Officers did locate him in Bartow at a local bails bond business. Marion was taken into custody without incident and brought back to the Lake Wales Police Department. Marion told detectives he was at the apartments, was struck by one of the subjects, pull his gun out and shot it.

Marion is 24 years of age and lives at 422 Domaris Avenue, Lake Wales. Marion has been charged with Aggravated Battery with a Firearm with Serious Bodily Injury, Carrying a Concealed Firearm and Discharge of a Firearm in Public.

Marion was arrested in 2015 in Leon County for Sale of Marijuana Within 1000 feet of a College. He has also been arrested twice by the Lake Wales Police Department. He was arrested once in 2016 for an active warrant out of Leon County for Possession of Marijuana. The second arrest was in February of this year for Possession of Marijuana under 20 grams and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

This investigation is ongoing as detectives attempt contact other possible witnesses. Anyone having information on this case is asked to call Detective Whitney Dukes at (863) 678-4223 extension 269 or Heartland Crime Stoppers at (800) 226-8477 if they wish to remain anonymous.

Manny’s Chophouse In Lake Wales Undergoing Renovations

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Manny’s Chophouse In Lake Wales Undergoing Renovations

Manny’s Chophouse In Lake Wales Undergoing Renovations

by James Coulter

From the roof to the floor, from the windows to the tiles, every square inch of Manny’s Chophouse in Lake Wales is undergoing $200,000 worth of renovations, once approval is received from The Franchisor, Manny’s of Haines City, who will also personally be overseeing all construction work.

These renovations include everything from installments of new floors, tiles, windows, blinds, and paint jobs, to refurbished restrooms and bar areas, explained new Franchisee, Sonny Sharma.

Until renovations are completed, the restaurant will remain closed for nearly ten days, and is expected to re-open at least by June 16, the Saturday before Father’s Day, Sharma said.

“The renovations was required for a while,” he said. “Now was the right time to get this stuff done, and we want to get this stuff done.”

Sharma became the new Manny’s Chophouse Franchisee four months ago, and with his new manager, has brought the restaurant chain under new ownership and management.

With the local restaurant chain’s reputation for customer satisfaction through fresh food served from fresh ingredients, Sharma was inspired to assume his role as the new owner, he explained.

“People love Manny’s,” he said. “[With] good food and a good name brand, that is what I was looking for.”

Renovations had been planned for a long time, but they were eventually delayed due to the restaurant’s busy season starting once Sharma assumed his role as the new owner, he said.

The need for such renovations became even more expedited following an incident a few weeks ago when a Facebook video went viral of a rodent crawling within the restaurant at night.

Allegedly, the incident occurred due to a hole within the roof that had allegedly been left behind by the roofer after the roof was replaced two weeks ago, Sharma explained.

Since then, the restaurant had taken proper precautions to address the incident and ensure that something like that never happens again, Sharma said.  There are also plans for the restaurant to undergo tent fumigation prior to the renovation.

The entire roof had been replaced rather than simply patched, pest control has been visiting every day to ensure there are no other vermin residing within the premises, and the restaurant has enacted the necessary measures recommended by the health inspector to rectify the situation and to prevent potential ones from happening within the future, Sharma said.

“They came one evening, they told us what needed to be done, we improved ourselves, and we passed the very next day,” he said.

With Manny’s Chophouse being closed for nearly ten days while $200,000 worth of renovations are completed, Sharma and everyone else there hopes that the restaurant will remain within prime condition with no further problems.

If anything, Sharma hopes that these renovations will help reassure customers and ensure that their satisfaction remains guaranteed, he said.

“We care about our customers, and that is the only reason we are putting all this money in to keep the customer happy,” he said. “They should have a good experience coming back to the fresh restaurant.”

Manny’s Chophouse is located on 210 FL-60 in Lakes Wales. For more information, visit their website at: http://www.mannyschophouse.com/

Former Polk First Responder Is One Of 5 People Indicted On Federal Charges Of Racketeering, Drug Trafficking, Firearms Violations, Conspiracy and Murder

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Former Polk First Responder Is One Of 5 People Indicted On Federal Charges Of Racketeering, Drug Trafficking, Firearms Violations, Conspiracy and Murder

Polk County, Florida – According to arrest records and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tampa a former Polk County Fire Rescue first responder was indicted with several others on federal charges according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tampa. That first responder is  Cody James “Little Savage” Wesling, 27, of Riverview. Wesling was a member of the Polk County Fire Rescue Department until this recent indictment on May 24, 2018. Wesling is accused of being part of the 69ers Motorcycle Club gang.

Last year three members of the 69ers Motorcycle Club gang were implicated in the execution of a rival gang leader in the middle of rush hour traffic in Pasco County.

Now those three, Wesling and another 69ers members have been indicted on federal charges that include racketeering, drug trafficking, firearms violations, conspiracy and murder, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tampa.

They allegedly ran a criminal organization that sold cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine and protected its “power, territory and profits” through “intimidation, threats of violence, assaults and murder,” according to the unsealed indictment.

These are the other four gang members who also indicted:

• Christopher Brian “Durty” Cosimano, 30, of Gibsonton.

• Allan Burt “Big Bee” Guinto, 27, of Brandon.

• Michael Dominick “Pumpkin” Mencher, 51, of Tarpon Springs.

• Erick Richard “Big E” Robinson, 45, of Zephyrhills.

• Cody James “Little Savage” Wesling, 27, of Riverview.

If convicted of all charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Cosimano, Guinto, Mencher and Wesling could each be sentenced to life in prison. Robinson faces a maximum of up to 20 years in federal prison.

They’re accused of taking part in the Dec. 21, 2017 execution of Paul Anderson, 44, president of the Cross Bayou chapter of the Outlaws.
Copy of the US Attorney’s Press Release

Camp READY! Bartow Starts June 11th

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Camp READY! Bartow Starts June 11th

Event Name: Camp READY! Bartow
Event Type(s): Member Event
Description: The Learning Resource Center’s Camp READY! summer program prepares rising and repeating kindergartners for academic success over four weeks. Through hands-on, experiential learning centers, students experience learning that is FUN! With art, music and movement, cooking, and reading readiness centers, Camp READY! builds pre-reading skills while also providing a safety net to allow children more time to continue motor, social and cognitive development. On average, LRC’s Camp READY! students demonstrate growth of seven months from pre- to post-assessment. The cost of the program for the entire month is just $25.
Event Date: 06-11-18 – 07-03-18
Event Time: 08:15 AM – 12:00 PM Eastern
Location: Floral Avenue Elementary
1530 South Floral Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830
Contact Person: Grace Vallier
(phone: 863-688-9477)

Details: This camp will take place June 11-July 3, Monday-Thursday from 8:15 a.m.-12 p.m. at Floral Avenue Elementary. The cost is $25 for the entire four-week program. To register for the Learning Resource Center’s kindergarten-readiness camp, please visit https://lrcpolk.com/programs/camp-ready/.

Polk Sheriff Investigating Shooting Of 19 Year Old Tuesday Night

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Polk Sheriff Investigating Shooting Of 19 Year Old Tuesday Night

Polk County Sheriff’s Office

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting in Poinciana that occurred on June 5, 2018, and resulted in one person being critically injured.

Preliminary details so far are as follows:

Around 7:00 p.m. that evening, the PCSO Emergency Communications Center received 9-1-1 calls in reference to a shooting that occurred outside 800 Squirrel Court in Poinciana. According to witnesses, the 19-year-old victim responded to the residence with friends in a white SUV. The victim exited the SUV and was standing in the front yard talking to a 21-year-old resident of the home when a silver four-door car drove up and parked. Three unknown suspects got out of the car and fired multiple rounds from an unknown style handgun at the parked SUV.

The silver car then fled the scene, last seen heading northbound on Gazelle Drive. The suspects were described as Hispanic males.

The 19-year-old was struck by several bullets, and was taken to Poinciana Medical Center by his friends in the white SUV. Nobody inside the SUV was injured. The victim was airlifted to Osceola Regional Medical Center due to the severity of his wounds.

If anyone has information about this incident, they are urged to contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 863-298-6200.

To remain anonymous and be eligible for a CASH REWARD, contact Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS (8477), or visit www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com. P3 Tips allows tipsters to submit secure and anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers on your IPhone or Android. To install this free app, tipsters can search for P3 Tips on the Apple App Store or Android Market.
Anonymity is guaranteed!

27 Year Old Woman Killed In Horrific Crash On Hwy 27 Tuesday Night

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27 Year Old Woman Killed In Horrific Crash On Hwy 27 Tuesday Night

Polk County Sheriff Press Release

Around 1:45 a.m. on Wednesday, June 6, 2018, PCSO responded to a two-vehicle crash between a Nissan Rogue SUV and a semi tractor-trailer. Preliminary investigation reveals that the SUV was traveling southbound on US Hwy 27 in Davenport approaching the red light at Ronald Reagan Parkway when it slammed into the back of the tractor-trailer that was stopped at the red light. It is unknown why the driver did not see the semi. It does not appear she braked.

The driver, who was declared deceased on-scene, was 27-year-old Jessica Lynn McMenemy of Kissimmee. She was the sole occupant. She was wearing her seatbelt.

The semi driver was not injured

2 People Helicopter Evacuated After Accident On Florida Ave

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2 People Helicopter Evacuated After Accident On Florida Ave

PCSO is on the scene of a two-vehicle crash, SUV versus car, at Christina Blvd West and South Florida Avenue in Lakeland. The crash occurred around 8:30 a.m. this morning (Wednesday, June 6, 2018).

Two victims have been flown out, and two have been transported by ambulance.

Traffic on South Florida Avenue in that area is severely impacted – please advise motorists to use alternate routes until further notice.

Summer Movie – The Incredibles at the Lakeland Public Library Friday

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Summer Movie – The Incredibles at the Lakeland Public Library Friday

Summer Movie – The Incredibles
Escape the summer heat here at the Lakeland Public Library with Kids Summer Movies!

Our doors will open at 2:30 and the movie will start at 2:40 so be sure to get here early to snag a seat!

One popcorn snack and drink will be provided for kids. All ages are welcome, children under 8 years old must have adult supervision.

Registration is not required.

June 7 – The Incredibles –  Watch the trailer! Questions? Contact our Youth Department 863.834.4268.

 

 

Watch the trailer!

Questions? Contact our Youth Department 863.834.4268.

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