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Welcome, World Travelers! Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 is a Beautiful Mess

Staff Reporter
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Welcome, World Travelers! Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 is a Beautiful Mess

by James Coulter

I love the Guardians of the Galaxy movies! They are my favorite Marvel films. The only movie better than the original was Vol. 2. The Holiday Special has quickly become a new holiday tradition. I have the posters for both films plastered on the walls of my room. I have the action figures proudly displayed on my shelf. Cosmic Rewind has become my new favorite ride at Epcot. And I even bought a new shirt to wear to the viewing of the newest movie.

If anyone was excited about Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3, it was me. If anyone was expecting this movie to be the best, it was me. As I said, the only movie I considered better than the original was Vol. 2, so Vol. 3 should have been a shoo-in to become even better. The question remains, was it? Does this movie make you “Come and Get Your Love”? Or does it “Cherry Bomb” at the box office?

Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3 takes place shortly after the events of Infinity War and Endgame. The Guardians have set up their new base on Knowhwere, and everyone else is happy except Star-Lord, who has fallen into a drunken depression following the trauma from the previous two films. A new character named Adam Warlock literally drops in to kidnap Rocket Raccoon, who had become stricken with a strange ailment. Now Star-Lord and the others need to hunt down a cure from someone called The High Evolutionary, the mad scientist who genetically engineered Rocket. Will the Guardians save him in time? And what does the High Evolutionary want with the raccoon?

The Guardians of the Galaxy has proven to be one of the most unique franchises in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Everything that makes these films unique and beloved is more than present in this film: the artful blend of action with comedy, snarky characters with snarkier banter, brilliantly-colorful settings, and a soundtrack rocking with some of the greatest pop songs. So, at the very least, if you loved seeing characters who simultaneously love and hate each other bickering with one another while fighting in a high-octane action scene interspersed with 80s rock ballads, there’s plenty in this movie to love.

As with the previous two volumes, Vol. 3 has unique and colorful otherworldly settings. The bright, vibrant color palette makes the film feel reminiscent of 1960s and 1970s sci-fi films. My favorite setting has to be the laboratory that the Guardians have to sneak into. The entire place feels like a living, breathing body. The walls are like muscles, the framework like bones, the fountains like stomach bile, and even the security cameras are shaped and function like eyes. It’s a very unique setting that certainly feels out of this world.

Another scene I love is an action scene near the very end, where all of the character are fighting against a horde of bad guys. The entire scene is filmed in one long shot along one long hallway. It is truly one of the best and most cinematic action scenes in the franchise—a true work of art and a testament to how great these movies can be.

However, while this movie has enough of what is right with the Guardians movies to make it a passable installment in the franchise, it, unfortunately, does not make up enough for the film’s

many other problems—and this film has problems. To quote another famed reviewer, The Critical Drinker: “The slick and polished efficiency of its predecessors is missing, the script lurches chaotically between dark, serious body horror and personal tragedy one minute and goofy slapstick comedy the next, it’s long and kind of unfocused, lacking the discipline to properly explore the big ideas that it touches on, and weighed down by a bloated cast that it doesn’t know what to do with. In short, it’s a bit of a mess—an often glorious and heart-wrenching mess, but a mess all the same.”

Let’s start with the most obvious problem: the pacing. This movie is nearly two-and-a-half hours long—and if you count the trailers and teasers beforehand, it’s three! You feel each minute pass by as slowly as they do. I’ve made this complaint in other reviews, but movies these days have become too dang long. There was no reason this movie needed to be a half-hour longer than the original. You could easily have cut an hour from the film!

Then there’s the cast. Except for the main villain, this film only needed Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon, and Gamora. Everyone else was superfluous. The other Guardians only serve as comedic relief and nothing else. They have no serious character arcs, and they don’t do much else other than help the other main characters fight off the bad guys and go from Point A to B. The most egregious waste of space is Adam Warlock, a character whom I am certain is only in this film because he was hinted at in the end credit scene of Vol. 2. Otherwise, he could have been left out and nothing of value would have been lost.

The comedy in this movie proves to be real hit-and-miss. Normally, in a much better-paced movie, I would love seeing the characters spend two to three minutes struggling to get a car door open; but with this movie dragging on with its two-and-a-half-hour runtime, these minutes feel like hours–painful hours! Some of the jokes are funny, as is the witty banter, but with how horribly this movie is paced, they don’t do much other than pad out an otherwise padded-out film.

Finally, the tone. Most Marvel movies, especially the Guardians films, do an excellent job balancing out serious, often dark subject matter with lighthearted comedy and melodrama. This movie aspires to accomplish such a feat by addressing dark subject matter like animal experimentation, eugenics, and fascism. Unfortunately, with how uneven the tone is balanced in this movie, it often feels like it’s switching back and forth between Spaceballs and Schindler’s List.

I wanted to love this movie. I really did. The Guardians are my favorite of the Marvel movies. And with how lackluster the other films in the MCU have been since Endgame, I was holding out for this film to exceed expectations and shine brightly. To my credit, it did shine, but not as a firework display like in the ending of Vol. 2, but moreover as the explosion of an atomic bomb–and the destruction was my remaining faith in the MCU. Needless to say, I think I’m going to be taking a break from Marvel movies from here on out.

Leadership Bartow Class 19 Graduates 20 Members

Staff Reporter
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Leadership Bartow Class 19 Graduates 20 Members

Leadership Bartow Class 19 Graduates 20 Members

by James Coulter

More than 20 people graduated as part of the Leadership Bartow Class 19 on Thursday evening. The graduation ceremony was hosted at Polk State College Clear Spring Advanced Technology Center.

Started in 1984, Leadership Bartow, according to its website, was started “to enhance the civic participation of emerging leaders within the greater Bartow area.”

Its website further states: “Since its inception, more than 550 individuals have completed the Leadership Bartow program, acquiring the skills, knowledge and passion necessary to participate fully in the life of our community.”

Over two years, 20 members from the Bartow community were able to learn more about their town, its businesses, and industries through classes, activities, and special field trips. They even had the opportunity to visit the U.S. capital of Washington D.C. to learn about civics and politics.

Aside from their diplomas, a few other graduates that evening received recognition for their perfect attendance. The graduates awarded were Melissa Konkol, Johnnie Levin, Mark Miller, and Stephanie Tucker.

Mark Miller was named Class MVP. The award, which is voted on by classmates, “goes to an individual who embodies leadership qualities, and dedication to the service of his or her classmates.”

Miller thanked his fellow classmates for bestowing upon him that honor, and he likewise boasted how much of an honor it was to participate in the program.

He appreciated his experiences with everyone in the class so much that he recommended forming a committee of three to four other classmates to arrange meetings for their class three to four times a year.

“I am grateful to be here with my classmates and friends,” he said. “I wouldn’t trade our experiences together for anything.”

Virginia Condello, Executive Director of the Greater Bartow Chamber, who had graduated from Class 14, commended the graduates for their accomplishments and boasted about how the program taught her to better herself and her career.

“I found that Leadership Bartow can inspire and motivate success on every level in both the workplace, as well as one’s personal life,” she said. “From meeting lifelong friends to learning about city, county, state, and country, Leadership Bartow inspired me to try and do better.”

Michell Githens, President of the Chamber Board, likewise commended the graduates for completing the program and wished them good luck in applying their lessons to their own lives and careers.

“On behalf of the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, I salute you, graduates, and offer our congratulations on completing the Leadership Bartow 2-year program,” she said. “It is my sincere hope that all of our graduates this evening have been inspired and motivated in some way through your Leadership Bartow experience.”

Leadership Bartow Class 19 was sponsored by Bartow Community Healthcare Foundation, Mosaic, PalletOne, and supported by various local businesses and organizations, including the City of Bartow, Polk County, and the State of Florida.

Leadership Bartow Co-Chairs Tanya Tucker, Class 12 graduate, and Shannon Medley, Class 16 graduate, thanked all the sponsors and other local businesses and organizations that helped support this year’s program.

“Tonight’s graduates represent many of those organizations,” Tanya said. “On behalf of the Bartow Chamber of Commerce, we say thank you to those companies for investing in their employees and allowing them the opportunity to be part of Leadership Bartow, Class XIX.”

22 Year Old Man Killed In Crash Just North Of Lake Alfred Wednesday Night

Carl Fish
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22 Year Old Man Killed In Crash Just North Of Lake Alfred Wednesday Night

A 22-year old man was killed Wednesday evening, May 31, 2023, in a single-vehicle crash north of Lake Alfred.

 

Deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the crash at about 9:04 pm, along with Polk County Fire Rescue.

 

The crash occurred on Old Grade Road, just north of Interstate-4.

 

Upon the arrival of first responders, Aryan Afdjeinia of Brandon was found deceased. He had been partially ejected from the red 2003 Chevrolet 1500 pickup truck he had been driving.

 

A 20-year old female passenger, also from Brandon, was transported to a local hospital as a trauma alert, however she was treated and released.

 

According to the preliminary investigation by the PCSO’s Traffic Homicide Unit, Mr. Afdjeinia was travelling north on Old Grade Road when his truck hit the concrete construction barriers on the east side of the road. The truck flipped over onto the passenger side and collided with the barriers on the west side of the road.

 

The cause of the crash is still being investigated, but investigators say that it was raining at the time of the crash.

 

Old Grade Road was closed for about three hours for the on-scene portion of the investigation.

Sheriff Grady Judd To Brief Media On Child Pornography Sting Called “Operation May’s Monsters”

Carl Fish
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Sheriff Grady Judd To Brief Media On Child Pornography Sting Called “Operation May’s Monsters”

Sheriff Grady Judd will brief the news media this afternoon, June 1, 2023, at 1 pm about “Operation May’s Monsters,” an investigation by the PCSO Computer Crimes Unit which focused on identifying those who possessed and distributed child pornography.

Eight men were arrested, including a Disney employee, a self-employed boudoir photographer, and employees of major retail chains. The suspects are facing 1,280 felony charges. The child pornography included thousands of photos and videos depicting babies, toddlers, and children being sexually battered, forced to engage in sex acts, or displayed in sexually explicit poses.

“These videos and photographs are some of the most horrific my detectives have ever seen – images of children being forced to expose their genitalia and raped. Each time one of these monsters upload and share child pornography, they are feeding a child exploitation pipeline and they are victimizing children over and over again. Parents, this is another stark reminder of why it is important to get all in your child’s business when it comes to their gaming stations, cell phones, and other electronic devices.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

Seeing bears in unexpected areas? What you should do?

Carl Fish
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Seeing bears in unexpected areas? What you should do?

Seeing bears in unexpected areas? What you should do:

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is sharing the reminder that juvenile black bears are starting to leave their mothers’ home ranges in search of new homes of their own. Between the ages of 1½ -2½ years, juvenile or yearling bears start dispersing in spring and summer, with spring marking a return to activity for bears after limited movements in winter. During this time, juvenile bears may be seen in unexpected areas as they travel across a wide range of areas in search of a new location to settle down. 

In recent weeks, bears have wandered into Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville.

“The most important thing people can do to help these bears is to leave them alone,” said the FWC’s Bear Management Program Coordinator, Mike Orlando. “Give them plenty of space and let them move along on their own.”  

Black bears are generally not aggressive but, like any wild animal, if they feel threatened, they can become defensive. Dogs have been involved in over half of the incidents of people getting injured by bears in Florida. When walking dogs, keep them close to you – preferably on a non-retractable leash – and be aware of your surroundings, which is good practice for preventing conflicts with both bears and other wildlife. Before letting your dog out at night, flip lights on and off and bang on the door to give bears and other wildlife a chance to leave the area. 

As bears become more active this time of year, they cross more roadways. For your own safety and to avoid hitting bears and other wildlife, remember to slow down when driving, particularly on rural highways at dawn or dusk. Watch for road signs identifying bear crossing areas. Each year in Florida, an average of 250 bears are killed after being hit by vehicles.

If you have bears in your area, follow these additional BearWise® Basics to help prevent conflicts with bears: 

1: Never feed or approach bears

  • Feeding bears can make them lose their natural fear of people.
  • It is illegal in Florida to intentionally feed bears or leave out food or garbage that will attract bears and cause conflicts.
  • Getting close to a wild animal is dangerous.

2: Secure food and garbage

3: Remove or secure bird and wildlife feeders

  • Remove wildlife feeders.
  • If wildlife feeders are left up, only put enough food out for wildlife to finish eating before dark and make feeders bear-resistant.

4: Never leave pet food outdoors

  • Feed pets indoors. 
  • If feeding pets outdoors, only put food outside for short time periods and bring in leftover food and dishes after each feeding.

5: Clean and store grills

  • Clean and degrease grills and smokers after each use.
  • If mobile, store them in a secure shed or garage.

6: Alert neighbors to bear activity

  • If you see a bear, let your neighbors know.
  • Share tips on how to avoid conflicts with bears.
  • Encourage your homeowner’s association or local government to institute bylaws or ordinances to require trash be kept secure. 

Having conflicts with bears? Call one of the FWC’s five regional offices. Go to MyFWC.com/Contact, and click on “Contact Regional Offices” to find the phone number for your region. If you want to report someone who is either harming bears or intentionally feeding them, call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

More information is available at MyFWC.com/Bear, where you can access the “Guide to Living in Bear Country” brochure. Find additional ways to be BearWise at BearWise.org. Thirty-eight states, including Florida, support BearWise®, an innovative program that helps people learn ways to responsibly live around bears. Help us help bears and other wildlife by purchasing the Conserve Wildlife license plate at WildlifeFlorida.org/CWT.

New panther license plate features famous female and her kitten

Carl Fish
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New panther license plate features famous female and her kitten

New panther license plate features famous female and her kitten

The Protect the Panther License Plate will soon have a new design featuring a stunning photograph taken by photographer Carlton Ward in 2018 of a now famous female and her kitten. 

The adult female panther pictured on the plate is well known because she is the first female documented north of the Caloosahatchee River since 1973. She is also the first female documented to have had kittens north of the river in more than 40 years. For many years, the Caloosahatchee River appeared to be a major obstacle to northward movement of female panthers and the natural expansion of the population. 

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) worked with photographer Carlton Ward and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida to design the new plate, which is currently undergoing final preparation. Once vetted by the Florida Highway Patrol, the plate should be available later this year for purchase by visiting the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or by visiting your local tax collector office.

Fees from the Protect the Panther license plate go directly into the Florida Panther Research and Management Trust Fund. The trust fund is the key source of funding for the state’s panther-related research, rescue and conservation activities. Through the long-term public support of the trust fund, critical information gained from the FWC’s monitoring and research efforts continues to provide biologists and the public with timely, science-based information needed to guide current and future conservation actions.

Through effective research and management, the FWC and conservation partners have made significant progress toward recovery of the endangered Florida panther. Over the past three decades, the trust fund has paid almost entirely for all aspects of the FWC’s panther work and the program relies upon sales of the license plate to continue these conservation efforts. 

Florida panthers are native to Florida and most are found south of Lake Okeechobee. Panthers are listed as an Endangered Species under the federal Endangered Species Act and it is illegal to harm or harass them in any way. There are approximately 120-230 adult panthers in the population. 

In addition to purchasing a Protect the Panther License Plate, motorists can help by observing all posted speed limits, especially in panther zones, which are in place in several counties across south Florida and coincide with areas where panthers are known to cross. These panther speed zones help ensure the survival of the endangered Florida panther and protect motorists from personal injury.

To learn more about the Florida panther and the FWC’s efforts to conserve Florida’s state animal, visit MyFWC.com/Panther.

Florida’s Expanded Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday Enables Consumers to Shop Tax-Free on Essential Household Items May 27 – June 9

Carl Fish
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Florida’s Expanded Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday Enables Consumers to Shop Tax-Free on Essential Household Items May 27 – June 9

Florida Retail Association Press Release

Tallahassee, FL — Consumers can find more cost savings at Florida retail stores this season during Florida’s Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday. The Florida Legislature renewed and expanded this year’s sales tax holiday to offer tax savings during two two-week periods: Saturday, May 27, through Friday, June 9, and Saturday, August 26, through Friday, September 8. Floridians can also expect to find tax-free savings on a variety of newly eligible items like paper products and laundry detergent. Florida retailers are stocked up to help Florida families prepare for severe weather this hurricane season.

“Tax free holidays give Floridians a chance to save while stocking up and getting prepared for hurricane season,” said Scott Shalley, president and CEO of the Florida Retail Federation. “You can support your family and your community by stocking up at Florida retail stores. No one knows how to prepare for Florida weather like local stores and team members.”

Beginning Saturday, May 27, Florida families can save on the purchase of eligible disaster preparedness items.

Eligible items available to purchase tax-free include:

  • Portable self-powered light source selling for $40 or less;
  • Certain portable self-powered, two-way or weather-band radios selling for $50 or less;
  • Tarps or other flexible waterproof sheeting selling for $100 or less;
  • Ground anchor systems or tie-down kits selling for $100 or less;
  • Gas or diesel fuels tanks selling for $50 or less;
  • Packages of certain battery types, including AA-cell, AAA-cell, C-cell, D-cell, 6-volt or 9-volt, selling for $50 or less;
    • This does NOT include automobile and boat batteries.
  • Non-electric food storage cooler selling for $60 or less;
  •  Portable generators to provide light, communications or preserve food selling for $1,000 or less; 
  •  Reusable ice selling for $20 or less;
  • Portable power banks selling for $60 or less;
  • Smoke detectors or smoke alarms selling at $70 or less;
  • Fire extinguishers selling at $70 or less;
  • Carbon monoxide detectors selling at $70 or less;
  • Dry dog or cat food 50 lbs or less selling at $100 or less per bag;
  • Cans or pouches of pet food selling at $10 or less or equivalent if sold in a box or case;
  • Over-the-counter pet medications with a sales price of $100 or less;
  • Portable kennels or pet carriers selling at $100 or less;
  • Manual can openers selling at $15 or less;
  • Leashes, collars and muzzles selling at $20 or less;
  • Collapsible or travel-sized food/water bowls selling at $15 or less;
  • Cat litter 25 lbs or less selling at $25 or less;
  • Cat litter pans selling at $15 or less;
  • Pet waste disposable bags selling at $15 or less;
  • Pet pads selling at $20 or less;
  •  Hamster or rabbit substrate selling at $15 or less; and
  • Pet beds selling at $40 or less. 

The Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday has expanded to include common household consumable items with a sales price of $30 or less. Eligible items are:

  • Powder, liquid and pod laundry detergents;
  • Fabric softener or dryer sheets;
  • Stain removers and bleach;
  • Toilet paper;
  • Paper towels;
  • Paper napkins and tissues;
  • Facial tissues;
  • Hand soap, bar soap and body wash;
  • Sunscreen and sunblock;
  • Dish soap and powder, liquid or pod dish detergents or rinse agents for dishwashers;
  • Cleaning or disinfecting wipes and sprays;
  • Hand sanitizer; and
  • Trash bags.

This year’s Disaster Preparedness Tax-Free Holiday was established was created in HB 7063, a tax package proposed by the House Ways and Means Committee. The measure was passed by both chambers and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis on May 25, 2023.  

This hurricane season, the FRF encourages shoppers to “Find It In Florida” and shop at local retailers. Supporting local retail helps boost the local economy and supports Florida jobs. Learn more about the “Find It In Florida” program at the website.

Florida’s hurricane season begins June 1.Floridians can visit FloridaDisaster.org to learn more about how to prepare and what supplies are needed.

ABOUT THE FLORIDA RETAIL FEDERATION
The Florida Retail Federation is the statewide trade association representing retailers — the businesses that sell directly to consumers. Florida retailers contribute $239 billion to the economy every year and support 3.6 million jobs for Florida families, or nearly one-third of all jobs in the state. Florida retailers pay more than $69 billion in wages annually and collect and remit more than $35 billion in sales taxes for Florida’s government each year.

14 Year Old Lakeland Boy In Critical Condition After Being Hit By Vehicle While Crossing Road

Carl Fish
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14 Year Old Lakeland Boy In Critical Condition After Being Hit By Vehicle While Crossing Road

PCSO Press Release

Around 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, the PCSO ECC received a 911 call regarding a juvenile pedestrian who had been struck by a car on 10th StreetWest in unincorporated Lakeland, just west of Saratoga Avenue. According to the investigation so far, it appears that 14-year-old Camron Holloway of Lakeland was walking along the sidewalk on the north side of 10thStreet and looked to the east for oncoming traffic before running south across the street. It does not appear that he looked west before crossing, and he entered into the path of a 1996 beige Toyota Camry being driven by 66-year-old David Arnold of Lakeland. Arnold attempted to avoid striking the boy by veering to the left but was unsuccessful, and the boy hit the passenger side of the car and rolled onto the hood, striking the windshield. Arnold immediately stopped. He did not show any signs of impairment. Holloway was transported to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, and then to All Children’s Hospital in Tampa where he is in critical but stable condition. The roadway was closed for approximately three hours.

Fort Meade Man Found Dead After Crash On CR 640 Wednesday Afternoon

Carl Fish
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Fort Meade Man Found Dead After Crash On CR 640 Wednesday Afternoon

At 1:55 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25, 2023, the PCSO ECC received a 911 call regarding a head-on collision between a gold 2009 Toyota Camry and a white semi-truck hauling a trailer on Homeland Garfield Road (AKA CR 640) just west of 80 Foot Road in Homeland(between Bartow and Fort Meade). When first responders arrived, they found the driver of the Camry, 55-year-old James Hatfield of Fort Meade, deceased in his vehicle. The semi-truck driver was not injured.


Evidence at the scene and interviews indicate that Hatfield was heading west on Homeland Garfield Road when, for unknown reasons, he crossed over into the eastbound lane where he was struck by the semi that was heading east. The roadway was closed for approximately three hours during the investigation, which is ongoing.

One Girl Was Born with a Heart Defect. The Other Had a Sister with a Heart Defect. They Both Won Scholarships to Pursue Careers in Heart Health

Allison
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One Girl Was Born with a Heart Defect. The Other Had a Sister with a Heart Defect. They Both Won Scholarships to Pursue Careers in Heart Health

One Girl Was Born with a Heart Defect. The Other Had a Sister with a Heart Defect. They Both Won Scholarships to Pursue Careers in Heart Health

by James Coulter

Aubrey Warren, a graduating senior from Bartow Senior High School, has a young sister named Bailey who was born with an atrioventricular septal defect. Her heart defect required her to receive open heart surgery at only four months old.

Desiring to assist other children the way her sister was helped, Aubrey dreams of becoming a pediatric cardiologist. She will now have the opportunity to follow her dream now that she received a $1,000 scholarship from the Cardiac Culpepper Foundation.

Aubrey was one of several dozen graduating seniors from Bartow High who was presented a scholarship during a special ceremony hosted on Tuesday evening. She was also one of two students who received a $1,000 scholarship from the Culpepper Cardiac Foundation, a local non-profit organization dedicated to promoting heart health.

“I feel honored receiving this scholarship,” Warren said. “It means a lot to me. Cardiology is something near and dear to me. I have a sister born with a heart defect. I have been inspired by that…I plan to become a pediatric cardiologist. I wanted to be one ever since I was seven or eight. I am glad to achieve this dream.”

Kyleena Mullis was born with hypoplastic right heart syndrome. Having survived being born with a heart defect, she wants to attend college to study cardiac sonography so she can help children born with heart defects.

“It means a lot to win this scholarship,” she said. “I am a cardiac kid. So I want to share my story with people and do what I can [to help others like me].”

Kyleena will be attending Polk State College with plans to transfer to a university in San Fransisco. Auburey will be attending the University of South Florida in University of South Florida.

Both girls were presented scholarships by Melanie Brown Culpepper, founder of the Culpepper Cardiac Foundation. She started her organization two years ago following the tragic passing of her late fiancée, Michael Culpepper, from cardiac arrest.

Her organization has raised proceeds to donate nearly a dozen automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to businesses across the county. She has also conferred scholarships to students pursuing careers as firefighters and EMTs. She also recently conferred one scholarship to a student at Lake Wales High School.

Being able to award two scholarships at Bartow High School proved nostalgic for her. She had not stepped foot into that school since she graduated 35 years ago in 1988. As for the scholarship recipients, she was inspired by their personal stories.

“I like their stories about cardiology that both of them [had],” she said. “One was pediatric, and the other had an incident when they were young. They were both inspiring.”

Melanie will be donating two AEDs next month. One will be at Lake Wales Ball Park. The other will be at Eagle Lake Ball Park. For more information about upcoming events, visit their website at: https://honoringculpepper.com/

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