Lake Wales, Florida – The Lake Wales Police Department, Lake Wales Fire Department and approximately 4 Polk County Fire Rescue ambulances are on scene of multiple vehicle crash on Burns Avenue in Lake Wales.
According to Troy Schulze, Deputy Chief, with the Lake Wales Police Department the “crash is at Burns Ave and Tower Blvd. There are two vehicles involved. The vehicle crossing Burns Ave reportedly violated the right of way of a westbound vehicle on Burns Ave.” The accident was reported at 10:16am.
According to Schulze it appears 4 patients are involved. 2-3 of those patients may be transported by helicopter evacuation.
At this time it does not appear that these injuries are life threatening, but traumatic enough to warrant helicopter transport.
Editors Note: We apologize we accidentally put 8 months rather than 8 weeks in our initial headline.
On Saturday, February 24, 2024, Winter Haven Police reunited Willow, the tiny Pomeranian with her 15 year-old owner this afternoon.
Willow was 8-weeks old when she was taken from the girl on February 14 as she walked through a parking lot on 6th St SE in Winter Haven after school. She received the puppy as a gift for her extraordinary work on a Youth Fair project.
Little details of the rescue are available at this time, however after detectives continued to dig in and follow leads, they were able to obtain the dog unharmed and in good condition.
“We are absolutely thrilled that we had this reunion today,” said Police Chief David Brannan. “The most important thing right now is this young girl has her puppy back safe and sound.”
No further details are being released at this time as the investigation is still ongoing. If and when charges are filed we will update you.
Last Saturday, Downtown Bartow partied like it was 1999…or rather, 2014. This year’s SyFy Bartow was themed to time travel, which was the same theme of its 2nd event ten years ago.
This year’s theme was “It’s About Time”, with this year’s event focusing on time travel media like Back to the Future, Doctor Who, and The Terminator. Both the Tardis from Doctor Who and the DeLorean from Back to the Future were on full display at the Classic Car Show.
Attendees were encouraged to dress up as their favorite characters from their favorite media, whether it had to do with time travel or not. Several dozen competed in the costume contest. One of the winners was dressed up as The Penguin from Batman.
Throughout Downtown Bartow, attendees could peruse the various vendors and booths lined along Main Street and the adjoining avenues. Several guest celebrities participated in the event, including Jack O’Halloran, the actor who played the henchman Non in Superman II.
While previous years had overall good weather save for the occasional drizzle, this year’s event had bad weather on the forecast with gray overcast skies. The good news is that rain did not start until near the end of the event. The bad news is that the bad weather most likely deterred many attendees, explained event founder and organizer Sean Syndenski.
“It was a little down this year because of the threat of rain,” he said. “First year in 11 years that the weather was a factor. Thousands of people braved the not-so-bad weather and had a fantastic day so it always meets my expectations when people are happy. Aside from the occasional drizzle for a few moments randomly throughout the day, the weather was beautiful.”
Despite the encroaching threat of inclement weather, the event went overall well, Syndenski said. He never experienced a SyFy Bartow event that was a complete flop. He owes its success to the fan community they have created throughout the years.
“You know, I thought it worked out pretty well,” he said. “In 11 years weather has never been a big factor so I thought the event went well. It doesn’t discourage me from doing outdoor events.”
“It always boils down to the support of the attendees, sponsors, and vendors,” he continued. “The volunteer staff that we have is extremely customer service related and professional. This always makes for a really good experience. I think the most compliments we get every year is that our staff is very informative and helpful.”
Next year’s event will be themed to “Villains” with an emphasis on fictional antagonists. Overall, Sean and his wife Lori love hosting the event. He says that his favorite part is interacting with the people.
“Every year my wife Lori and I run into the random family sitting on the curb having lunch or at one of the tables provided or one of the local restaurants,” he said. “Their kids are smiling and laughing. Everyone is having a good time. It’s like visiting a theme park where everyone is mesmerized by the event and it’s a happy place. So, bottom line, smiling faces.”
To learn more about SyFy Bartow and upcoming events, visit their website at: https://bartowcon.com/
The Bartow Police Department and emergency responders are on scene of an accident on S.R. 60 & Wilson Avenue. According to reports the accident occurred around 6:35pm. At this time we don’t believe the accident has significant injuries, but it is partly blocking traffic.
Please drive carefully and we will update if. More information is released.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 15 years, you probably know the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is currently one of the hottest movie franchises of all time—so much so that many other movie studios have attempted (and mostly failed) to emulate its success by creating their own cinematic universes.
Even Sony wanted to make a superhero universe with Spider-Man. Initially, they intended to launch their planned “Spiderverse” using the Amazing Spider-Man films; but when those movies underperformed, they made the better decision to partner with the MCU and instead incorporate Spider-Man into their franchise.
However, none of that seemed to have stopped Sony from creating other Spider-Man movies and spin-offs outside of the MCU. Unfortunately, none of those other films (live action, at least—the animated Spiderverse films have been cinema gold!) have proven successful with the notable exception of the Venom movies—and only because those films were so bad they’re good.
Everything else (outside of the animated Spiderverse films) has proven dead on arrival: Morbius, Kraven the Hunter, and the newest body to be tossed onto the pile: Madame Web. Even before its official release, the movie became a laughing stock with one line from the trailer being mocked and memed across the interwebs. (No pun intended!) And since its release, the film has only gained negative reviews.
And count this review as one of them because—man!—was this movie the textbook example of wasted potential! Ever heard the saying, “No such thing as a bad idea, only good execution”? Because that saying applies perfectly to Madame Web!
When a pregnant woman in the 1970s explores the Amazon in search of a rare spider, she is betrayed by her assistant who steals the spider for himself and leaves her for dead. Fortunately, before she passes, she is saved by a mysterious tribe of spider people who help deliver her baby girl.
Twenty years later, that girl grows up to be Cassie Webb. She soon learns she has clairvoyance, and her powers reveal that three teenage girls have been targeted for assassination by an evil billionaire, who just so happens to be the same man who killed her mother. Can Cassie save those three girls in time and avenge her mother’s death?
Like I said: there’s no such thing as a bad idea, only bad execution–and this movie does have a good idea! A character who can see the future and use their powers to prevent bad events from happening is an intriguing concept, even if it’s been done many times before. And the villain having the same power of clairvoyance certainly sets up the potential for a clever game of cat and mouse, with both parties trying to outmaneuver and outsmart the other. And putting both characters in an action-packed superhero movie sounds like pure blockbuster gold.
So, what went wrong?
Well, it certainly doesn’t help that the actors—every actor!—are playing characters who are blander than mayo on crustless white bread delivering lines that are duller than burnt-out lightbulbs. For characters playing out an interesting premise, all their performances come across as nearly monotone, bland, and forgettable. In fact, I could hardly remember most of their names after watching this film. I had to look those up on Wikipedia just to know who they are.
I mean it when I say these characters are unmemorable. I only remember the name of Dakota Johnson’s character because a name like “Webs” in a Spider-Man movie is about as subtle as walking into an actual spiderweb. The three girls she’s supposed to be protecting are no better. They’re not even characters, just stereotypes: Shy schoolgirl, preppy Latina, and gangsta punk.
Speaking of which, these three girls are supposed to gain Spider-Man powers and become superheroes who kill the main antagonist. Cassie Webs also becomes a hero herself: the titular Madame Webb. Throughout the movie, we see glimpses of who these women are supposed to become, promising us some epic superheroine showdown. Instead, this payoff never pays off, and the movie comes across as a prequel to a cooler superhero movie that was never made (and, judging by the box office, will never be made).
That’s the problem with these Sony Spider-Man spin-offs. They desperately want to sell themselves as Spider-Man movies sans Spider-Man, but they don’t seem to get that people only care about Spider-Man for the titular character. Nobody cares about Morbius or Kraven or Madame Webb, and no amount of “clever” Easter eggs is going to make up for the severe lack of Spidey.
Overall, if you want a superhero movie where a group of female characters have to escape the clutches of an evil rich guy who wants them all dead because they pose a threat to his livelihood, go watch Birds of Prey. I promise you it’s a more interesting watch than this, which is essentially Birds of Prey sans the comedy.
The Annual Ribs on the Ridge in Haines City has proven to be a favorite barbecue competition for many local barbecue teams. So, it only made sense that the event served as the third and final leg of the Florida Triple Crown of BBQ.
Despite the cloudy weather with a chance of rain, Ribs on the Ridge experienced an exceptional turnout last Saturday with an increase of new teams and plenty of attendees, said Gerald Richardson, Deputy Parks & Recreation Director.
Ribs on the Ridge served as the third and final leg of the inaugural Florida Triple Crown of BBQ, a county-wide barbecue tournament offering teams a chance to win a grand prize of $1,500. The other two legs of the competition were Lakeland Pigfest and Grills Gone Wild in Davenport.
Heavy Smoke BBQ was the Grand Champion in the professional division, with Poppa Pig being the reserve champion. Meanwhile, in the backyard division, Curly Bird BBQ was the grand champion and Belly Bustin Bistro was the reserve champion.
“The turnout this year was good and we were thankful the rain stayed away on Saturday,” said Richardson. “In regards to the teams, they really love the fact that we are able to spread them out and they are not cramped up on top of each other as well as the fact that Haines City has grown to be one of the favorite stops for a lot of team. In regards to attendees, they love the family atmosphere, music entertainers, and the huge variety of food vendors, marketplace vendors, and our kids zone.”
This year’s event, especially being part of the Florida Triple Crown of BBQ, and even in spite of the weather, drew in more teams in both the professional and backyard divisions than in previous years, Richardson said.
“With the increase of new teams attending this year we look to continue to grow the event in number of teams as well as attendance,” he said. “We look forward to continuing to be a part of the Florida Triple Crown of BBQ and are making plans for new additions to the event next year!”
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned pursuant to the fictitious name statutes 865.09 Florida statues will register with the division of corporations of the state of Florida upon receipt of proof of publication of this notice the fictitious name to wit Orlando Carpet Cleaning and Restoration LLC under which we are or intend to do business as in Polk, Osceola and Orange Counties Florida that parties interested in said business enterprises are as follows Names or officers Ashleigh Bakker and Seth Bakker.
Traffic Homicide detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a fatal crash that occurred at the interchange of US 27 and Interstate 4, near Davenport, on Saturday night, February 17, 2024.
The crash occurred at around 8:14pm near the westbound on-ramp to I4, and members from the PCSO and Polk County Fire Rescue responded.
41-year old William Sotomayor of Davenport was positively identified as the victim after the PCSO’s Identification Section examined copies of his fingerprints.
35-year old Jesus Cotorett Guzman of Davenportwas the driver of a silver 2012 Acura RDX that struck Mr. Sotomayor as he tried to cross US 27 on foot.
According to the Traffic Homicide detectives’ preliminary investigation, Mr. Cotorett Guzman was travelling north on US 27 and Mr. Sotomayor began crossing the road, near or in the crosswalk.
Mr. Cotorett Guzman was unable to stop immediately after the crash because it was raining and there was another vehicle directly behind his. Mr. Cotorett Guzman parked at a nearby gas station to speak with deputies.
Northbound lanes of US 27 were closed for about two hours.
There are no charges currently anticipated, but the investigation is ongoing.
Sheriff Grady Judd is a man who needs no introduction. Chances are, many Polk County Residents don’t know the name of their own city’s mayor or county commissioners, but they know and revere the name Sheriff Grady Judd very well.
For more than 50 years, Sheriff Judd has served in the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. He started humbly enough as a dispatcher in 1971 before working his way up the career ladder to his current position as sheriff, which he has faithfully served for 20 years.
Aside from serving as the sheriff, Grady Judd has also participated in various local causes and fundraisers, including the upcoming annual Jeepin with Judd event, to be hosted at Clear Springs Ranch in Bartow this weekend from Fi. Feb. 22 to Sun. Feb 24.
The Honorable Sheriff Grady Judd recently sat down with us for an exclusive interview where he discusses his career and legacy as one of Polk County’s most revered public officials. Here’s some of what he had to say:
Q: Sheriff Judd, you have served in the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for more than 50 years, and you have served as sheriff for nearly 20 years. How does it feel to have worked that long to protect and serve your community?
A: I always wanted to be a sheriff ever since I was a little bitty guy. I always believed that this was my mission field. I felt that this was God-inspired. Sheriff Brandon hired me when I was 18 as a dispatcher, and then I was a deputy, and then a corporeal and a sergeant and a lieutenant and a captain and a major and a colonel over operations and administrations. When Sheriff Crowe no longer wanted to be sheriff, then I ran. I am very grateful and humble that the people would let me serve them as sheriff. I love serving and helping people. That fulfills me. In fact, I filed my paper and raised a whole lot of campaign funds, which I am appreciative of, so I can be your sheriff for four more years.
Q: Through your half-century of duty, what has been the main driving force encouraging you to continue doing what you do? What would you say is your main motivation and inspiration driving your career?
A: My motivation is that I like people. In fact, I love the people of Polk County and I love to keep them safe. I love to motivate my deputies, and the support staff are the most wonderful people in the world. We come to work every day to do the hard job so you can live in a safe happy community, and we do. So we are more than just law enforcement. We are also leaders in the community. And we want to make sure that we create an environment where everyone thrives. That is what we do every day.
Q: Now, as we all know, thanks to you and your dedicated law enforcement staff, crime in Polk County has experienced an all-time 40-year-low. Even then, the county still has its challenges. What would you consider the biggest issues facing Polk County? And how have you and the sheriff’s office addressed these problems?
A: Actually, crime is at a 51-year low. That has been a challenge because in the last four years alone, over 100,000 people have moved into Polk County. Think about that. That is a lot of folks. I would tell you that the #1 issue that I am concerned about is the sale and use of fentanyl. It is killing people DRT: dead right there. It is not like you use cocaine or meth which is a very dangerous drug and you die after years of neglect or abuse. Fentanyl is causing people to die by the thousands across this nation every year immediately. So, we are working very hard with our narcotics teams to arrest those that traffic in fentanyl. In fact, in this last year alone, we seized enough kilos of fentanyl that could have overdosed well over seven million people. So, we have protected people from dying. We know statistically that some of those people who use that dangerous drug would have died had it not been for my detectives seized that violent drug and put some really bad people in jail. I am also concerned about safety and security in school. Children need to feel safe and be safe at school so they can thrive. That is why we worked with the school board to ensure that we keep children safe while they are at school.
Sally Ann Boyer of Lake Wales passed away Thursday, February 15, 2024 at AdventHealth Lake Wales.
She was born March 27, 1942 in New Castle, Pennsylvania to the late Paul and Martha Shannon; she moved to Lake Wales from Pennsylvania in 1983. Sally was an administrative secretary for Lake Wales Hospital for 27 years. She was a member of High Point Church and loved to sew and cook.
Sally was preceded in death by her brother, Robert Shannon. She is survived by her husband, Robert Boyer; daughter, Bonnie Daugherty and husband Mark; sons, Robert William Boyer and wife Lisa, Ronald Paul Boyer and wife Maria, Mark Alan Boyer and wife Angela, and Timothy James Boyer; sisters, Alice Kellogg and Barbara Shannon; brothers, James Shannon and wife Hazel, John Shannon and wife Rosemary, Walter Shannon, Dale Shannon and wife Patricia, Lesley Shannon, and Calvin Shannon; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at Marion Nelson Funeral Home in Lake Wales.
