#TX #Advisory We're working a fatal crash on CR 640 AKA Homeland Garfield Rd, just west of 80 Foot Rd, in #Homeland (between Bartow & Fort Meade) involving a semi and a car. That road is shut down until further notice. Please use alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/7uNYnlDU1m
— Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd (@PolkCoSheriff) May 24, 2023
Return To Old Florida at Creek Legacy Ranch
by James Coulter
Imagine being able to escape your 9-to-5 work grind by retreating into the Florida wilderness. Imagine saddling your own horse and riding through hundreds of acres of rugged Florida woodland miles away from civilization. Imagine you, your trusted steed, and your closest companions sharing quality time in the country as you leave all your daily cares behind.
At Creek Legacy Ranch, you don’t need to imagine. You can make this dream a reality. Here, you can board your horse in your own private paddock or stable, pasture them in hundreds of acres of the great outdoors, and ride them through miles of trails in all-natural Florida.
Located near Haines City, Creek Legacy Ranch sits on 1,400 acres of rugged wilderness, teaming with woodlands, Everglade wetlands, and countless Floridian flora and fauna. Of that wilderness, 700 acres are dedicated as an equestrian center where you can board, pasture, and ride your horse.
When it opens, the equestrian center will include a lit arena for horseback riding. They will also rent out eight stables on a full-board basis and pasture up to 40 to 50 horses. Private paddocks and stables will also be available. In this case, the only horse boarded and pastured will be your own.
Owner Reggie Baxter purchased the ranch in May of last year. He has lived in the area for many years, where he owns and operates Lake Hatchineha Resort and RV Park. He has seen the ranch change hands many times over the past few decades, so he decided to take initiative and buy it himself.
“For 19 years, I have seen it change hands many times, so, when I saw it come back on the market, I knew that we had to see what we could do with it,” he said.
Together, with his business partners, ranch manager Darrell Anderson, and his wife, they plan on turning the ranch into a full equestrian center where the horse owners can enjoy the great outdoors of Florida with their faithful steed.
“Best of all, being isolated far from civilization and with trusted individuals residing on property 24/7, clients can rest assured that they and their horses are in good hands”, Anderson explained.
“It is a secure place. The three of us live on this property, so if there is an issue, there is someone to help at the barn. It is a safe place to have your animals and a good place to see and learn about nature.”
More than simply serving as a place for horse owners and their horses, the 1,400 acres of land will also be used to help preserve the natural environment. The ranch will be used to conserve the 700 acres around Lake Hatchineha and even around the conservatory near Walt Disney World.
“If you love Old Florida, there is nothing that compares to the 1,400 acres of this ranch. It is nice and quiet,” Baxter said. “The beauty of the canopy trees, the riding trails, not to mention the deer and other amazing wildlife you see while riding the ranch, compares to none. The ability to ride the ranch and also ride across the street to the State Park (Head Waters of the Everglades) is an added bonus.
Baxter and his staff have high expectations to create something truly unique with their property. They intend on hosting summer camps and even historical reenactments on their property to teach future generations about horse riding and the beauty and history of Old Florida.
“We hope to create a place where families can bring their kids, enjoy working with their horses, and wonder at all the nature around them while knowing their horse is in a safe and secure facility,” Baxter said.
To learn more about Creek Legacy Ranch, visit their website at: https://creeklegacyranch.com/ Or call Darrell Anderson at 863-207-8048.
Inaugural Writers Block Party Raises $1,000 for Bartow Community Service Center
by James Coulter
Mystery, history, and fantasy. These genres and more were showcased at the inaugural Writers Block Party & Street Fair last Saturday in Bartow.
More than a dozen local authors set up booths along Sumerlin Street in Downtown Bartow to promote and sell their books. From Bigfoot hunters to Disney doctors, these authors arrived to share and discuss their work with potential readers.
Other activities that day included author round table discussions, literary costume contests for pets and humans, and even coloring sessions with a Klingon from Star Trek.
Local author A.B. Kayge showcased her debut thriller novel, “The Dicer”, and discussed her writing career during one of the author round tables. While the overall turnout was not as she had initially expected, she nevertheless enjoyed the experience and hopes to come to next year’s event.
“I think next year will be bigger and better,” she said. “All of the vendors and authors were great today. It was a great event. I intend to participate again in the future.”
William Hatfield, a local author of several humorous murder mystery novels, likewise expected a much larger gathering, yet loved the overall experience. He had been invited by the event organizers and agreed to attend because he enjoyed their work at other events so much.
“I like author events,” he said. “It could have been better populated, but, you know what, the first one is always a crapshoot. We can work on marketing and have it indoors next year.”
The Writers Block Party served as a fundraiser for the Bartow Community Service Center. Event organizers Lori and Sean Serdynski are close friends with the owner, Rusty Music. They appreciate what his organization does for the community and wanted to support him.
They presented him with a large check for $1,000. The proceeds will go toward the center’s mission to help the less fortunate in the community by providing them with basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter. Music appreciated the event being hosted as a fundraiser in support of his organization.
“It is truly an honor to be here with Sean and Lori and spend time at the Writer’s Block Party,” he said. “The $1,000 they raised for us is going to be tremendous and be able to feed the community and be longstanding support for other families in our Bartow community.”
Sean L. Serdynski has experience organizing other popular events in Bartow. For the past ten years, he and his wife have hosted SyFy Bartow, the annual outdoor sci-fi festival in Downtown Bartow. They also plan on hosting two more events later this year, both as fundraisers for the Bartow Community Service Center.
The only major problem with this year’s inaugural event was the 91-degree weather, which proved so scorching and unbearable that the event had to be ended two hours early. Otherwise, the turnout proved satisfactory, and many authors boasted of good sales.
“I think it went fantastic,” Serdynski said. “A lot of my authors sold a lot of their writings. I wish I could control the weather, but I cannot. I’m not that evil guy that has a weather control machine. But, hey, it’s Florida, right?”
For more information about upcoming events hosted by Bartow Con, visit their website at: bartowcon.com
From Infrared Photos to Flame Work Glass: Mayfaire-By-The-Lake 2023
by James Coulter
Glancing at Bill Dirienzo’s art will remind you that it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere, and it will have you wish to be wasting away in Margaretville. His tropical beachside landscapes and portraits of Key West locations certainly make people imagine steel drums playing in their heads, if not the occasional Jimmy Buffet tune.
Dirienzo has painted plenty of pictures set in the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Key West. Fittingly enough, these art pieces are framed in beach wood frames he crafted himself. With so many of them invigorating the senses of the Florida beachside, it’s no surprise that many of his most faithful clientele is at Mayfaire-by-the-Lake.
For the past 12 years or so, Dirienzo has been frequenting the outdoor art festival hosted annually along the scenic shores of Lake Morton. The overall relaxed atmosphere and loyal customer base keep him returning every year.
“I love the atmosphere and around the lake and the community,” he said. “It is a nice community.”
Dirienzo was one of nearly 100 artists from across the state and country who attended the annual Mayfaire-by-the-Lake last weekend near Lake Morton in Downtown Lakeland. The event was hosted by the Polk County Museum of Art and sponsored by Citizens Bank and Trust.
Hugo Cruz was one of the photographers who showcased his photography skills. He specializes in inferred photography, not only allowing him to show his natural subjects in a different light but in an overall different wavelength not visible through the naked eye.
“I love seeing nature, and inferred has a way to really make it pop,” he explained. “It really opens a whole new dynamic. It alters perspective through a very surreal and ethereal feel.”
He has attended Mayfaire-by-the-Lake many times before. He loves the Lakeland community, and he loves the overall organization of the event.
Meanwhile, Tracey Womack attended the event for the first time this year. She is a jeweler who specializes in creating colored glass ornaments through “flame work”, or “lamp work.” She has been making her art for 38 years and she decided to attend Mayfaire to showcase it.
While she felt the setting around the lake was “too long and far” for people to walk, especially in the summer heat, she nevertheless remained impressed by the overall execution of the event. She felt it was pulled off flawlessly much to her satisfaction.
“I thought it might be a good show,” she said. “I am enjoying it very much. I say it is an average show for me…[and] they [the event organizers] do a good job of putting on the show and taking care of the artists.
What Made the USS Marine Explode? This Local Author Proposes an Answer in His Newest Book!
by James Coulter
They say truth is stranger than fiction, and perhaps no truth in history is stranger than the mysterious explosion of the USS Marine in 1898, which instigated the Spanish-American War. Who or what caused this explosion remains a mystery to this day. However, one local author has proposed one possibility in his latest historical romance novel.
In Love and Terror in Havana, award-winning Sebring author Mark Barie combines suspense, mystery, and romance all against the backdrop of the rising tensions between the Spanish and Americans during the turn of the 20th Century—tensions which eventually explode with the explosion of the USS Marine, sparking the ensuing Spanish-American War.
The story involves the budding romance between two teenagers who remain divided by political divisions. Isabella loves Roberto, but with Roberto being a Cuban rebel and her uncle being a general out to stamp out the rebel army, their love remains more than complicated. Matters become even more complicated when an unstable sailor threatens to blow up the USS Marine.
Mark Barie considers himself to be a methodical historical fiction author, someone who meticulously researches a subject before writing about it to ensure it remains authentic to its historical setting. However, the best thing about writing about the USS Marine is that its explosion remains a mystery to this day, so he could more easily exercise his creativity by creating his own explanation for it—albeit corroborated with his own research.
“The more I delved into it, the more curious I got because, even today, 125 years later, there is still a very hot debate as to what exactly and who or what caused the explosion of this USS battleship,” Barie said. “The more I got into it, the more I realized that I am not sure that the conventional and accepted theories for its destruction were correct, and as a result of my extensive research which involved dozens of books and hundreds of articles and scientific treatises, I have uncovered evidence that suggests an altogether different explanation for the explosion of the ship. It is revealed in the book, and sufficed to say, the so-called experts from 125 years ago were in the right church but the wrong pew. I have come up with another reason for that explosion.”
Barie was inspired to write historical fiction following his retirement. His wife, a genealogist, made an amazing discovery that he had relatives who fought the American Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. Discovering that history in his family tree sparked an interest in learning about history and writing fiction about it. Barie previously wrote three other historical romances about the Civil War, the American Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812. His newest book came full circle with him writing about the Spanish-American War.
His books have earned him national and international acclaim. His first book, War Calls, Love Cries, earned him is first book earned him a gold medal from the Florida Authors and Publishers Association for Historical Fiction, and it was designated a Finalist in the prestigious Eric Hoffer
book awards. His third book, The Commodore and the Powder Monkey, received a third-place bronze medal for military fiction in the Annual Independent Publisher Book Awards.
To hear more about Barie and his newest book, listen to his interview on our podcast, Chattin on the Ridge, available on Spotify: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/kepLJ3KVtzb
Love and Terror in Havana is available on Barnes and Noble and Amazon. To learn more about Barie and his work, visit his website at: https://www.markbarie.com
Fugitive Sex Offender Shot And Killed By Highland’s Sheriff’s Deputies
SEBRING — A deputy-involved shooting that took place earlier today. This information is preliminary, and may change as the investigation proceeds.
At approximately 1:15 p.m. today, Highlands County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at 6409 Concord Street in the Spring Lake area of Sebring to attempt to contact 63-year-old Bradley Frank Begens.
Begens had multiple active arrest warrants dating back to October 2022 and was a fugitive sex offender, who was previously convicted of attempted sexual battery on a child under 12 years of age.
When deputies arrived on scene, they saw Begens inside the home. At that point, they secured the perimeter of the home and called for back-up units.
A search warrant was obtained for the home. After the warrant was obtained, multiple attempts were made to contact anyone inside the home before deputies breached the front door at around 2:45 p.m. and made entry into the residence.
A search of the house revealed that the door to one of the bedrooms was closed and locked. Deputies once again made repeated attempts to have Begens surrender peacefully, including giving multiple K-9 warnings.
When deputies forced entry into the bedroom, they discovered Begens hiding in a closet. He refused to show his hands and surrender, at which time a K-9 was deployed.
As the K-9 made contact with Begens, he raised a handgun. At that point, which was approximately 2:52 p.m., deputies fired several rounds at Begens. Deputies initiated life saving measures however, Begens died at the scene of the shooting.
When deputies entered the closet they discovered 60-year-old Doreen Murphy Turner. She was not wounded in the shooting, but was taken into custody and will be charged with felony murder in the second degree and resisting arrest with violence.
No Highlands County Sheriff’s Office personnel, including the K-9, were injured during the incident. The deputies involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
The 10th Judicial Circuit Officer Involved Deadly Incident Task Force, which includes law enforcement officers from Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties, as well as the State’s Attorney Office, will conduct the investigation.
Flaming Arrow Scout Reservation Receives Life Saving STOP THE BLEED Kit
Saturday, May 20th, In-Gauge of Polk County donated a STOP THE BLEED, emergency blood loss control, tourniquet kit to the Flaming Arrow Scout Reservation, in rural Lake Wales.
Flaming Arrow Scout Reservation Chief Ranger Kevin Slater accepted the kit on behalf of the Scout reservation.
Saturday, May 20th, In-Gauge of Polk County donated a STOP THE BLEED, emergency blood loss control, tourniquet kit to the Flaming Arrow Scout Reservation, in rural Lake Wales. Flaming Arrow Scout Reservation Chief Ranger Kevin Slater accepted the kit on behalf of the scout reservation.
May is National STOP THE BLEED Month and in an effort to generate public awareness of the ability to prevent needless deaths, due to traumatic blood loss, through simple easy to use techniques, with simple, easy to use equipment, In-Gauge of Polk County is donating emergency blood loss control, tourniquet kits to high-risk venues.
Saturday’s donation to the Flaming Arrow Scout Reservation was In-Gauge’s second donation to a non-profit organization in as many weeks. Two weeks ago In-Gauge donated a STOP THE BLEED kit to the Florida Frontiersmen’s Alafia River Rendezvous Park shooting sports program.
In-Gauge will be donating emergency blood loss control, tourniquet kits to other non-profit organizations throughout the month of May.
Janet Ergle, a certified STOP THE BLEED instructor, with In-Gauge, said they will continue donating kits to worthy, non-profit organizations throughout May. “We have several other organizations currently waiting to receive their kits.” “We will get their kits to them as quickly as we can.” “We will be busy the next couple of weeks.” said Ergle.
Any non-profit organization having the need for a kit, can request one by simply sending an email request to [email protected] or through ‘CONTACT US‘ on the In-Gauge website. Requests will be evaluated and granted based on need.
In-Gauge of Polk County, an NRA chartered, non-profit organization, in Winter Haven, Florida specializes in firearms safety training and is a licensed affiliate of STOPTHEBLEED.org. In addition to conducting firearms training, In-Gauge offers free STOP THE BLEED training clinics to the public.
In-Gauge will be conducting free, official STOP THE BLEED training clinics throughout the month of May. Day and afternoon, weekday and weekend classes are being conducted. Pre-registration is required for participation. Registration for the clinics can be done on the In-Gauge website or through EVENTBRITE.
Man Killed In County Line Road Crash Sunday Afternoon
On Sunday, May 21, 2023, at approximately 3:35 p.m., officers responded to a traffic crash involving a single vehicle near the area of County Line Road and Swindell Road. Just before the crash, a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox was traveling northbound on County Line Road, approaching the intersection of Swindell Road. At some point, the vehicle hit the curb, struck a stop sign, and continued across Swindell Road before leaving the roadway and striking a tree.
The Lakeland Police Department Patrol Unit, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, and the Lakeland Fire Department all arrived on the scene to begin life-saving measures. The driver, Byron Ihle, age 84, from Ocala, was pronounced deceased by medical personnel at the scene.
This remains an open investigation. Anyone with additional information regarding the crash should contact investigating Officer Tyler Anderson at [email protected].
Polk County Animal Control Hosting FREE Adoption Day May 20
On May 20th, Polk County Animal Control will host another FREE adoption day. Animal Control is attempting to increase our life-saving measures by removing adoption barriers and getting all of our animals into loving homes forever.
The adoption hours are 10am-4pm on Saturday, May 20th. Animal Control is located at 7115 Decastro Rd. Winter Haven, FL 33880.
adoptionrocks #polkcoac #dogsandcatscanbefriends #dogsandcatsofinstagram #adoptdontshop
70 Year Old Lakeland Pedestrian Killed
LAKELAND, FL (May 18, 2023) – On May 18, 2023, at approximately 4:43 a.m., a City of Lakeland street sweeper was working and traveling northbound on North Tennessee Avenue. The sweeper turned right onto East Oak Street and after negotiating the turn, the driver felt an impact. After checking his surroundings and seeing nothing, the driver proceeded to move forward in an eastbound direction. It was at that time the driver observed a pedestrian lying on the roadway behind the vehicle. The driver immediately exited the cab of the sweeper and called 911.
The Lakeland Police Department Patrol Unit, Polk County Fire Rescue, and the Lakeland Fire Department all arrived on scene, and it was determined that the pedestrian was deceased. The driver of the sweeper did not suffer any injuries sustained in the crash.
At this time, traffic homicide detectives are unsure what the pedestrian was doing in the roadway at the time of the crash. Detectives are still attempting to locate the deceased’s next of kin.
The scene was photographed for the continuing investigation.
The driver of the street sweeper was identified as:
Terry Pelham
Age: 57
City of Lakeland Employee – 17 Years
The pedestrian was identified as:
Male
Age 70
(name is being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin)
