Teen apparel retailer rue21 has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and is closing all of its 541 stores, according to reports. Rue21 is roughly $200 million dollars in debt and couldn’t rebound from when it declared bankruptcy in 2017.
The retailer has two stores in Polk County. One is located in the Lakeland Mall and the other is in Posner Park in Davenport.
It’s the third bankruptcy for the debt-ridden Pennsylvania-based company, who filed for bankruptcy Thursday in Delaware, according to Reuters.
The company, which reportedly employs 5,000 people in 45 states, plans to hold going-out-of-business sales in the coming weeks.
Social media posts by people who reportedly work for the retailer say they had no warning about the intended bankruptcy or closing of stores.
Local speed demons have been able to zoom through Florida wilderness on four wheels at Bone Valley ATV Park in Bartow. Soon, they will be able to zoom along on two wheels with a motocross track currently under construction.
On Sat. May 4, Bone Valley ATV Park will be offering a sneak peek at their latest expansion, which will include a 25-acre motocross track.
The track is currently being planned and designed by Dream Traxx, LLC, a nationwide motocross company owned and operated by Bartow native Jason Baker.
The project costs $240,000 and will be constructed in the northeastern section of the park. The 25-acre track will allow for dirt bike races and practice.
The first phase of construction is currently underway. This phase includes a closed-course trail called “motor coaster”, which Recreation Superintendent Derek Harpe has compared to “riding on a roller coaster but on an all-terrain vehicle.”
“It is a real fun trail,” he said.
The public will be able to see a preview of the new property and trail during next Saturday’s annual Regular Customer Appreciation Day.
“Next weekend is for people to come and get a preview of what is coming and all the new things that will be added in the next five to seven years,” Harpe said. “This is all part of a multiphase expansion that we will bring something new to the plate every year and a half to keep it fresh and new to the wants and needs of our customers.”
Bone Valley ATV Park opened eight years ago. The property currently includes several trails for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).
The park was envisioned by County Commissioner Randy Wilkinson, who championed the need for a public access park that would allow people to ride ATVs and motorcycles safely and on public property.
“Polk County is one of the counties with the highest per capacity ATV owners in the state; so, there was a demand to build something in Central Florida,” Harpe explained.
Bone Valley ATV Park was constructed over eight to ten years. Harpe owes its success to the “stick-to-it” attitude of Wilkinson, the hard work of Parks and Recreation Manager Mike Callender, and state grants provided by Florida State Forestry.
Three years ago, an additional 300 acres were purchased, expanding the overall area to 200 to 500 acres. When the new motocross track opens, it will help solidify Polk County as a go-to destination for speed demons and other thrill seekers wanting to get the most out of their ATVs, dirt bikes, and motocross vehicles.
“I think the expectation will be a wonderful facility that has grown over 200 to 500 acres that can be a destination for them, where they can spend the whole weekend and enjoy their motocross and sports experiences,” Harpe said.
“It will give them a real venue down here in Central Florida and have a good time and feel safe in a family environment to ride,” he said. “We are very excited for the future which is the most exciting part to open the campground and other amenities that will allow people to be there for multiple days and be a good place for motorsports in the area.”
To learn more about the new motocross track and more about Bone Valley ATV Park, visit their website at: https://www.polk-county.net/things-to-do/parks-and-recreation/bone-valley-atv-park/
We currently monitoring a bad accident on Walk In Water Rd near C.R. 630 E. According to preliminary reports the accident occurred around 8:15 pm. We do not have information on how many vehicles were involved or the number of injured. We do know that multiple ambulances are on scene and two helicopters are currently airlifting patients.
We will update as more information becomes available.
Lake Wales Police arrested Charles Young Jr., Chief Financial Officer of Florida Development Corporation (FDC) at his home in Hillsborough County Friday morning following a lengthy investigation into alleged financial crimes. He was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail on a warrant for grand theft of more than $100,000 and for obtaining more than $50,000 in property through fraud, both 1st degree felonies. He is currently held without bond while he awaits extradition to Polk County.
Young’s arrest was the result of an investigation that began in November of 2023 when FDC contacted police three months after they terminated his employment and reported they suspected him of theft from the organization. The investigation revealed Young intentionally overpaid himself through payroll from August 2022 through July 2023 to the amount of $32,000. Detectives also found Young had used Florida Development Corporation’s business checking account to pay his personal and business credit card bills to the tune of more than $190,000. Using financial records and working with the chief executive and operating officers of the corporation, detectives determinedthe total amount stolen was nearly a quarter of a million dollars.
During this time, Young was the sole controller of funds for Florida Development Corporation, operated by Frank Cornier, Chief Executive Officer, Derrick Blue, Chief Operating Officer and Charles Young Jr., Chief Financial Officer. Young also worked with Young and Sons Tax and Accounting, LLC., a family owned tax and accounting business in Ybor, Florida when the theft occurred.
Florida Development Corporation specializes in real estate, community and economic development. The organizationopened in 2016 and functions primarily through government funded grants. The City of Lake Wales entered into a partnership with Florida Development Corporation on July 25, 2022 and has granted the organization a total of $900,000 to help local businesses grow and steer small businesses towards success. City leaders are awaiting the findings of a previously requested performance audit to ensure the organization has fulfilled the terms of their agreement.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd shared more information regarding a weekend shooting that left 1 suspect dead & two deputies critically injured.
Here is the original press conference by Sheriff Judd
Sheriff Judd Briefs Media About Overnight Shooting
According to Sheriff Grady Judd on April 27, a deputy encountered a man in a public park after closing time. The deputy approached the man’s vehicle and asked him why he was in the park after closing. He refused to cooperate with the deputy and would not leave the park, Sheriff Grady Judd stated in a news conference “At this point, he’s resisting a law enforcement officer in the performance of their duty,” Judd said. “He’s also violating a county ordinance.”
Deputies try to talk to the man he refused to communicate with them. Two deputies tried to get him to talk to them and eventually get out of the car. At that time the car starts to move and the deputies grabbed for the window. “And all of a sudden he starts shooting”, said Sheriff Judd. The suspect who now has been identified as as 26-year old Kmac El Bey. His California driver’s license showed his birth name as Kyran Caples. The suspect shot critically injuring both deputies.
According to Brian Bruchey, public information officer, with the PCSO the condition of Lt Chad Anderson is critical but stable, and the condition of Deputy Craig Smith is stable.
The incident is still under investigation.
Polk Sheriff Grady Judd Updates Media On Weekend Shooting
Bartow, Fla. (April 29, 2024) — Starting Wednesday, May1, installation of a water main for a new subdivision and related road reconstruction will close H.L. Smith Road just north of the Lake Mabel Loop Road intersection for 10 weeks. Traffic will be briefly detoured along Lake Swan Road or Lake Mabel Loop Road to Lake Trask Road to bypass work zone. Access to local residences is unaffected. Minor delays are possible, especially during peak-hour traffic along Lake Trask Road at Dundee Ridge Academy during student drop-offs and pickups. Commuters are advised to drive with caution, be alert to detour signs, and to add extra drive time to trips through this area.
For more details, contact Bill Skelton with the Polk County Roads & Drainage Division at (8363) 535-2200.
A Davenport man was involved in two crashes early Saturday morning, April 27, 2024, the second of which was fatal.
Detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit identified the man as 50-year old Edgar Penaloza.
The investigation, which remains ongoing, determined that Mr. Penaloza was involved in a hit-and-run with another vehicle and fled from the scene. A short time later, Mr. Penaloza crashed his black 2005 Toyota Tundra pickup truck in a single-vehicle crash; he died at the scene.
The first crash occurred at around 12:56 A.M., as Penaloza’s Toyota was travelling southbound on North Scenic Hwy near Hickory Hammock Road. The victim of this crash reported that the Toyota was being driven aggressively—tailgating and weaving prior to the Toyota rear-ending the victim’s silver 2020 Honda Civic.
After making contact with the CIVIC and causing it to crash, the Toyota sped away. The driver of the Civic refused medical treatment.
At about 1:03 A.M., The Toyota was found crashed, off the roadway, just south of the intersection of North Scenic Highway and Egg Farm Road in an unincorporated area of Lake Wales.
Based on evidence, PCSO detectives believe Penaloza lost control of the Toyota in a curve and overcorrected. The Toyota overturned multiple times and the bed of the truck became separated from the cab.
Mr. Penaloza was not wearing his seatbelt, and he was ejected from the vehicle.
The two crash scenes were approximately two miles apart.
North Scenic Highway was closed at the fatal crash scene for approximately three hours.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office two deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office were shot after midnight ( 12:22 am) on Saturday April 27th. The shooting occurred while deputies were patrolling Hunt Fountain Park, just off Duff Rd. According to Sheriff Grady Judd, had extra patrols in the North Lakeland area because there has been an increase in burglaries.
Deputies noticed a “suspicious” man sitting in his car after the parks closing hours (a search produced the operating hours between 5am and 10pm. When deputies tried to ask him why he was there and get him out of the car, he started shooting.
Deputy Smith has four gunshot wounds and Deputy Anderson was shot in the arm, and the bullet went into his chest, said Sheriff Judd. Deputy Anderson is in critical but stable condition and Deputy Smith is stable condition in the intensive care unit, said Judd.
The man in the car was a Moorish sovereign citizen and they have the reputation of resisting government, Judd said.
Deputies ended up shooting and killing the man.
“We killed him graveyard dead,” Judd said.
Sheriff Judd advised they were not identifying the suspect as they are still notifying next of kin.
This is a developing story and we will update more details when they are made available.
Bartow, Fla. (April 26, 2024) — Polk County Fire Rescue joins fire departments, organizations and individuals in participating in Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters to honor firefighters who lost their lives. PCFR involvement takes place April 29 through May 5.
All apparatuses in an individual battalion each day will be turning on their emergency lights and sirens for one minute at 8 p.m. starting April 29 with Battalion 1. The Fallen Firefighters’ event culminates May 5, with all 49 PCFR stations lowering their flag to half-staff from 7-8 a.m. and at noon all available units running their emergency lights and sounding their sirens for one minute. The night concludes with Battalion 7’s apparatuses showing of lights and sirens at 8 p.m.
As a department, we will always honor our members who have lost their lives and keep their families in our thoughts and prayers. “Polk County Fire Rescue is humbled to participate in acknowledging fallen fire service members. The activities across the United States demonstrate the unity of the fire service. As a metro-department, we share in the emotions that accompany the loss of members whether in the line-of-duty or otherwise,” said Fire Chief, Hezedean A. Smith, D.M.
A Mexican drug trafficking organization operating in several states, including Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia was disrupted by a multi-agency investigation led by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
The results of the investigation were the arrests of four people, and the seizure of fourteen kilograms of fentanyl. A fifth person is wanted.
“Fentanyl is an enormous threat to Americans today. In addition to the tens of thousands who are killed by fentanyl-related drug overdoses each year, there is also great damage done to families and communities. I am confident that with the arrests and seizures made during this investigation, many lives have been saved in Polk County and beyond, but more work needs to be done at the southern border to cut-off the supply into the United States.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff.
Beginning in August of 2023, members of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force began an investigation of a drug trafficking organization out of Mexico that was specializing in fentanyl.
The HIDTA Task Force received assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, The United States Border Patrol, and the State Attorney’s Office 10th Judicial Circuit.
During the early stages of the investigation, two kilograms of fentanyl were delivered from the trafficker based in Mexico to detectives.
A second delivery was coordinated for an in-person transaction at a motel in Lakeland on April 5, 2024 for one kilogram of fentanyl.
The success of the transaction in Lakeland led to another delivery; the trafficking organization agreed to ship eleven more kilograms of fentanyl to Polk County.
On April 22, 2024, 29-year old Maria Machuca-Alderete, 48-year old Maria Guadalupe-Garcia, 52-year old Sergio Garcia, and 31-year old Pedro Rodriguez-Correa arrived at a pre-determined location in Polk County to deliver the fentanyl, and all four were arrested at that time.
Rodriguez-Correa, the driver for the group, brought a six-year old boy along for the delivery. Florida Department of Children & Families responded to the scene and took custody of the child.
In addition to the evidence, detectives also seized two vehicles used by the drug traffickers, and $5,461.00 in cash.
“Florida law enforcement continues to fight the death and destruction emanating from Biden’s border crisis. The latest, the largest fentanyl bust in Polk County history—enough of this deadly poison to kill seven million Floridians. These interdiction efforts save lives and while we continue to do everything we can here in Florida to stop the opioid crisis, the skyrocketing national overdose death toll will not slow down until Biden stops empowering the Mexican drug cartels and closes the border.” – Ashley Moody, Florida Attorney General
Charges
Maria Machuca-Alderete – Trafficking Fentanyl Over 28 Grams (F1), Maintain Vehicle to Traffic Drugs (F2), Resist Officer with Violence (F3, 4-counts), Battery on Law Enforcement Officer (F3, 4-counts), Unlawful Use 2-way communication device (F3), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (M1). Machuca-Alderete is in the United States illegally, and a Hold has been placed on her for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Maria Guadalupe-Garcia – Trafficking Fentanyl Over 28 Grams (F1), Maintain Vehicle to Traffic Drugs (F2), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (M1).
Sergio Garcia – Trafficking Fentanyl Over 28 Grams (F1), Maintain Vehicle to Traffic Drugs (F2), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (M1).
Pedro Rodriguez-Correa – Trafficking Fentanyl over 28 Grams (F1), Unlawful Use 2-way communication device (F3), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (M1). Rodriguez-Correa is in the United States illegally, and a Hold has been placed on him for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Fifth Suspect Wanted: Trafficking Fentanyl Over 28 Grams (F1), Maintain Vehicle to Traffic Drugs (F2), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (M1).
