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Belk Invites Community Nonprofits to Participate in Spring Charity Sale

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Belk Invites Community Nonprofits to Participate in Spring Charity Sale

belkcharitysale

Winter Haven, Florida – Belk at Citi Centre in Winter Haven invites schools, community organizations and other nonprofit organizations to participate in its semi-annual Belk Charity Sale, Saturday, April 29, 2017, from 6 – 10 a.m. The four-hour, in-store shopping event offers an excellent fundraising tool for participating organizations and an opportunity for customers to support local charities while taking advantage of special discounts on purchases during the event.

Belk Charity Sale tickets are available now to participating nonprofit organizations for sale in advance of the event. One hundred percent of the proceeds from each $5 ticket sold will be retained by the local charity. There is no limit to the number of tickets charities can sell, or to the amount of money they can raise. Belk will provide tickets and informational materials at no cost to each participating organization.
In 2015 Belk’s Charity Sale raised more than $10 million for thousands of participating charitable organizations throughout the South. Locally, we are proud to partner with charities like Habitat for Humanity of East Polk County, Lake Wales YMCA, Winter Haven Rotary Club, Columbiettes, Gamma Mu of ESA Sorority, and United Way of Central Florida during our Charity Day events.

On the morning of the Belk Charity Sale, the first 100 customers to arrive at each store will receive a Belk gift card ranging in value from $5 to $100, and a chance to win one of three $1,000 Belk gift cards being awarded company-wide. Customers, who have purchased a $5 ticket from participating charities, will have the $5 deducted from their purchase during the event. It’s a win-win!! Also, participating charities and schools will be registered to win one of three $1,000 donations from Belk in a company-wide drawing.

Charity representatives interested in taking part in this one-of-a-kind fundraising event should contact Carrie-Ann Brady at Belk Citi Centre, 253 Citi Centre Street, Winter Haven (863) 401-9031 x210. Belk Citi Centre is located directly across from Lowes in the Citi Centre plaza.

Highlands County Sheriff Reports Two Month Old Baby Dies From Apparent Bed Sharing With Dad

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Highlands County Sheriff Reports Two Month Old Baby Dies From Apparent Bed Sharing With Dad

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Lake Placid, Florida – A two-month-old boy died in the predawn hours of Tuesday, Feb. 28 while sleeping in bed with his father in their Placid Lakes home.

The father told deputies he had gone to sleep with his son in the bed with him and when he awoke, the child was not breathing. The father moved the boy to the kitchen table and performed CPR, but to no avail. The cause of death has not been determined, but this tragic event serves as a reminder about the dangers involved in sharing a bed with an infant.

Almost every parent has fallen asleep with their baby. The first few months of raising a child can be exhausting. And while most of the time nothing bad happens, it is still best to try to make sure your baby sleeps in a safe place. Sharing a bed with a baby is not recommended. A 2012 study of 8,207 infant deaths from 24 US states in the previous eight years found that 69 percent of infants were bed sharing at the time of death.

The March of Dimes says that bed sharing with an infant should be avoided if at all possible due to the dangers. According to marchofdimes.org, during bed-sharing, a baby can be hurt by:
Getting trapped by the bed’s frame, headboard or footboard.
Getting stuck between the bed and the wall, furniture or other objects.
Falling off the bed.
Being suffocated by pillows, blankets or quilts or from lying facedown.
Having another person roll on top of him.
SIDS.

The March of Dimes says about half of all SIDS deaths happen when a baby shares a bed, sofa or sofa chair with another person. To help keep your baby safe from SIDS, the website says don’t bed-share if:
Your baby is younger than 4 months old. This is when a baby is at highest risk of SIDS.
Your partner or other children sleep in your bed.
You smoke, even if you don’t smoke in bed.
You’re very tired.
You’ve had alcohol, used street drugs or taken certain prescription medicines, like antidepressants, or over-the-counter (also called OTC) medicines, like allergy or cough medicine that may make you sleepy. Taking these things can make it hard for you to wake up or respond to your baby.

If your baby doesn’t have his or her own room, it is still best that they sleep in a bassinet or crib. In the same room with you is fine — even recommended by some. Co-sleeping is the practice of sleeping close enough to your baby that you can hear them if they wake up and easily check on them during the night. It also makes feeding much easier for the parents. There are even bassinets made to attach to the side of the bed for just that purpose.

It is OK to bring your baby into the bed during the night for feeding or to soothe them back to sleep. But always put them back into the crib before going back to sleep.

If you have no other choice but to share a bed with your baby, here are some tips to minimize the risk:
Get rid of puffy comforters and pillows. They can be a suffocation risk. Use only lightweight blankets.
Sleep on a firm mattress and make sure it fits tight against the bedframe.
Position the bed away from the wall, furniture, drapes and cords to eliminate places a baby can get wedged. The majority of bed sharing deaths come from babies getting trapped in bed structures or getting tangled up in cords.
Never sleep with a baby on a waterbed. Also avoid sleeping on sofas or overstuffed chairs.

Woman Dies in Early Morning Fire in Auburndale

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Woman Dies in Early Morning Fire in Auburndale

Woman Dies in Early Morning Fire

 

fatalfire

UPDATE:

PCSO is conducting a death investigation related to a house fire that occurred this morning at 2416 Winter Ridge Drive, in unincorporated Auburndale. Four people lived inside the home and they are:

74-year-old John VanGorder – no injuries
His wife, 72-year-old Alvina VanGorder – she is deceased
Their son, 48-year-old Larry VanGorder – no injuries
Larry’s girlfriend 39-year-old Michelle Gibson – no injuries

An autopsy will be conducted tomorrow to determine Mrs. VanGorder’s exact cause of death. Please direct all inquiries about the cause of the fire to the State Fire Marshal.

 

(February 28, 2017) – A woman was killed in an early morning fire in K-Ville. Polk County Fire Rescue was dispatched at 4:26 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, to a residential structure fire at 2416 Winter Ridge Drive in Auburndale. When fire crews arrived, there was heavy fire throughout the manufactured home. Approximately 75 percent of the structure was involved.

Four people lived at the home. Two males and one female escaped uninjured. Three dogs also lived at the home. Only one of them was located. That dog is uninjured.

The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is carrying out the death investigation.

Cooking on the Ridge: Baked Chicken Schnitzel

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Cooking on the Ridge: Baked Chicken Schnitzel

Cooking On The Ridge: Baked Chicken Schnitzel

chicken-schnitzel

Ingredients

Directions

  • Prep 20 m

  • Cook 10 m

  • Ready In 30 m

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and drizzle olive oil over foil. Place baking sheet in preheated oven.
  2. Flatten chicken breasts so they are all about 1/4-inch thick. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
  3. Mix flour and paprika together on a large plate. Beat eggs with salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Mix bread crumbs and lemon zest together on a separate large plate. Dredge each chicken piece in flour mixture, then egg, and then bread crumbs mixture and set aside in 1 layer on a clean plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
  4. Remove baking sheet from oven and arrange chicken in 1 layer on the sheet. Drizzle more olive oil over each piece of coated chicken.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 to 6 minutes. Flip chicken and continue baking until no longer pink in the center and the breading is lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Officer and Concerned Citizen Saved the Life of Lake Wales Man

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Officer and Concerned Citizen Saved the Life of Lake Wales Man
Written by Sergeant Bruce Yoxall:
“Officers responded to a call on Suset Drive in Lake Wales in reference to the reportee (Susan Craig) stating she heard a male screaming for help in the area. Upon officers arrival they located a 69 year old male (Ronald Stokes) in Lake Wailes Lake yelling for help. Officer Waldron, without concern for his own safety, took his police equipment off and headed into the water to help. By this time the only thing out of the water was Mr. Stokes’ head. Officer Waldron reached Mr. Stokes and discovered he was tangled in the lilies and could not get free. Officer Waldron cut away the lilies with his knife, freed Mr. Stokes, and dragged him to shore. It was learned that Mr. Stokes was in the lake since fishing since 11pm the night before in his kayak. The kayak tipped over and Mr. Stokes got caught in the lilies. Once on shore Mr. Stokes was asked how long he was capsized and hung up. He replied, about an hour. Mr. Stokes was transported to the hospital by Polk County EMS. Officer Waldron did an outstanding job saving this man’s life. GREAT JOB OFFICER WALDRON YOU ARE A TRUE HERO AND I’M PROUD TO BE WORKING WITH YOU.”
 
 “Susan Craig is a hero in this event as well. Without Susan hearing Mr. Stokes yelling for help and her calling the police, the outcome of Mr. Stokes’ fishing trip may have ended very differently.” – Schulze
 
 It is not indicated in the report but I was told Mr. Stokes was approximately 50 – 75 feet from the shoreline and the water was too deep for him to touch the lake bottom. 
 
Sergeant Yoxall’s comments will become part of Officer Waldron’s personnel file.
officer-michael-waldron

Winter Haven Police Are Investigating a Robbery That Occured This Morning at Treasures Unlimited

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Winter Haven Police Are Investigating a Robbery That Occured This Morning at Treasures Unlimited

robbery

Winter Haven Police are investigating a robbery that occurred this morning at Treasures Unlimited.

On 2-27-17 at approximately 8:50 a.m., the victim and store owner, 65 year-old Phillip Burkhart and 29 year-old James Preston Williams opened the Treasures Unlimited store, located at 1169 1st St S in Winter Haven.

Shortly afterwards, Williams left to get gas for the vehicle. Right after Williams left, two unknown black males entered the store and approached Burkhart asking him if he would buy some costume jewelry they had for sale.
Burkhart informed the men that he didn’t buy costume jewelry. That’s when one of the males picked up the victim’s wallet that was on the counter and then demanded the jewelry he was wearing. They took two rings and a watch off the victim and then shoved him into the bathroom. As the suspect pushed Burkhart him into the bathroom, he lost his balance and hit is head on the toilet, causing him to black out. The two suspects ran from the store in an unknown direction.
When Williams returned to the store approximately 15 minutes later, he found Burkhart in the bathroom and immediately called 9-1-1. Burkhart did not require medical attention. There were no weapons observed.
The suspects are described as: (1) 5’6″ – 5’10”, approximately 30 years old, light skin with a short afro, facial stubble with side burns. He was wearing dirty blue jeans and a dirty blue long-sleeved shirt.  (2) 5’4″ – 5’6″, approximately 30 years old with darker skin, a short afro and facial stubble. He was wearing blue jeans, a red flannel shirt, dirty undershirt and a blue jean jacket.
Anyone with information on the identities of either of these suspects is asked to call Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS(8477). Callers can remain anonymous and could be eligible for a CASH reward.

Large Brush Fire Endangered Homes Sunday In Lakeland

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Large Brush Fire Endangered Homes Sunday In Lakeland

Lakeland, Florida – Polk County Fire Rescue was called to 1712 Dawn Heights Drive in Lakeland at 12:42 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, to an out of control brush fire. The fire began to spread quickly and several homes and businesses were in danger of being destroyed.

Pipes in a grassy area at Wolseley Industrial Group caught on fire, which caused enormous plumes of dark smoke to fill the sky. No residential structures were destroyed.

Lakeland Fire Department and the Florida Forest Service were also called to fight the fire. Crews worked together to bring the fire under control.

Most of the fire was extinguished by 3:30 p.m., but there are several hot spots. Crews remain on scene to put out flare-ups.

Last Day To Register To Vote In April Municipal Elections Is March 6

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Last Day To Register To Vote In April Municipal Elections Is March 6

register-to-vote

Register To Vote

 

Polk County, Florida – The last day to register to vote in the April 4th Municipal Elections is Monday, March 6th, and the Polk County elections office will be offering voter registration services in Polk’s cities and towns conducting municipal elections to ensure that residents there have an opportunity to register before this important deadline. So get out and register to vote!

Mobile registration units will be visiting the cities of Bartow, Davenport, Dundee, Eagle Lake, Frostproof, Haines City, Hillcrest Heights, Lake Wales, Mulberry, and Polk City on Monday, March 6th. City residents who have not yet registered can sign-up to vote, and voters may update their information if it’s not current with the elections office. Additionally, voters can obtain information about walk-in voting or request a vote-by-mail ballot.

For more information, visit PolkElections.com or call the Elections Office at 863-534-5888.

Osceola Woman Charged With Stolen Valor and Fraud

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Osceola Woman Charged With Stolen Valor and Fraud

Osceola woman charged with stolen valor and fraud

vanessa

On February 22, 2017, 48-year-old Vanessa Tesky (DOB 10/03/1968) of Kissimmee, who had a Polk County Warrant for her arrest, was arrested in Osceola County and booked into the Osceola County Jail. Tesky was charged with fraud, soliciting funds/misrepresenting Military, grand theft, uttering forged instrument, and obtaining vehicle by false pretenses. She has an extensive criminal history including: sale of cocaine, DWLSR, grand theft, organized scheme to defraud, scheme to fraud (swindle), grand larceny, fraud, insufficient funds check (5 counts), credit card fraud (2 counts), credit card forgery, false statement financial condition, and obtain goods using a counterfeit credit card.  Tesky will be transferred to the Polk County Jail at a later date.

According to the affidavit, the investigation began in November 2016, when Tesky went to the Posner Park Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealership to purchase a 2016 Ram 1500 pick-up truck.  During the transaction, Tesky provided her personal information and stated she was employed by the United States Air Force as a pilot earing $7000.00 a month. Tesky identified herself with a U.S. Uniformed Services identification card and Mississippi Driver’s License.

After completing a credit check, a Chrysler salesperson discovered that Tesky had poor credit, however, the salesperson believed she was in the U.S. Military and was doing everything to accommodate her based on her service. Due to her low credit, the staff stated the only approval she would be able to obtain was with her providing a large down payment for the vehicle. Tesky agreed to the large down payment and issued two false checks from a closed USAA bank account. The total sales price after taxes and dealer fees was $60,285.30 (this price included a $500 military rebate). Ms. Tesky left the dealership with the 2016 Ram 1500 pick-up truck.

Tesky returned to the dealership on November 25, 2016, to pick up the Florida tag for the vehicle.  Ms. Tesky issued three more false checks from her closed USAA account totaling approximately $1100 for truck accessories.

On December 2, 2016, Posner Park Chrysler Dodge received a response that the USAA account Tesky issued the false checks on was a closed account.   The Chrysler salesperson attempted to contact Tesky multiple times about her returning the vehicle or paying for the down payment with a wire transfer, however, Tesky stated she was involved in an accident with the vehicle and that the vehicle was in Maryland at a U.S. Naval base. Tesky then claimed the vehicle crash was due to faulty equipment and continued to refuse payment. The salesperson attempted to repossess the vehicle with negative results; the dealership then contacted PCSO.

During the investigation, PCSO detectives determined the Military identification card (that Tesky showed to the dealership) indicates she is a Military dependent. Additionally, the dealership indicated that Tesky did not provide the actual ID card to the dealership; Tesky stated they were stolen and that she only had photo copies. Detectives contacted Tesky to set up an interview regarding this incident; she stated she was a pilot with the U.S. Air Force and could provide documentation the day of the interview. However, Tesky did not show up for the interview. On a later date, she left detectives a voicemail advising she was in a hospital in Puerto Rico.

Detectives sent a subpoena to USAA Bank for account information and learned the bank account was closed February 5, 2016. Detectives contacted the Department of Defense (DOD) and confirmed Ms. Tesky was never in the military, is not a military dependent, and she should not be in possession of any military identification. Detectives obtained a warrant on Tesky for scheme to defraud and grand theft.

On February 22, 2017, Detectives responded to Osceola County to locate Tesky. When they made contact with her, she was in possession of a brand-new Toyota that she stated she just purchased.  Detectives made contact with the salesman in Osceola County and learned Ms. Tesky was attempting to commit the same fraud with Toyota of Central Florida in Orlando. The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office will follow-up with an investigation in reference to this.

During a Post-Miranda interview, Tesky confirmed she was not in the U.S. Air Force but said she is a dependent of her ex-husband who is in the U.S. Air Force; she claimed she has over $60,000 in a bank account and the check she issued was from the wrong bank account.  Detectives found the check books from USAA Bank, a military dependent Identification, and a letter written to Mullimax Ford located in Kissimmee, FL, indicating she is a Lieutenant Colonel with the U.S. Air Force, in her possession.

Tesky was arrested in Osceola County, booked into the Osceola County Jail, and will be transferred to the Polk County Jail at a later date. Tesky’s Osceola County Jail mugshot is attached.

Debora “Debbie” Cay Oliver March 2, 1956 – February 20, 2017

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Debora “Debbie” Cay Oliver March 2, 1956 – February 20, 2017
Debora “Debbie” Cay Oliver
Debbie was born on March 2, 1956 and passed away Monday, February 20, 2017 at Lake Wales Hospital where she also entered the world into the loving arms James G. and Mittie Esther Westbrook Oliver.
 
Debbie as she was affectionately called was born and raised in Lake Wales, FL. where she graduated from Lake Wales High School in 1974.  She maintained a life long friendship with many of her classmates and would often go out for a bite to eat and they would catch up on their lives or through Facebook. She was loved by many and will be missed. She will be remembered by her family and those she was close to for her amazing sense of humor.
 
She was proceeded in death by her parents, sister Ginger “Honey” Farmer, her brother in law William “Bill” Farmer of Clio AL, and her life long “sister’ Susan MacBenn.
 
She is survived by her niece Aimee Kelley and husband Skip of Deland FL. Nephews Cole Tyler and wife Elizabeth of Lake Wales, FL. and Will Farmer and wife Melissa Lynn of Clio, AL. Great niece Rebecca Ferry and husband Dexter of Fayetteville, NC., and, SaraBeth and Ann Marie Tyler of Lake Wales, FL.  Great nephews Samuel Hunt and wife Ashley of Lake Wales, FL. James Farmer of Clio, AL., and John Farmer of FL.  Great Great nieces Olivia and Trinity Ferry of Fayetteville, NC and Marissa Hunt of Lake Wales, FL. Her sweet Maggie is also missing her human Mom.
 
Service will be Saturday February 25, 2017 at Marion Nelson Funeral Home 454 S BuckmooreRd. Lake Wales, FL.
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