A frontal boundary that moved through the area overnight has increased rain chances and the potential for marginal severe storms.
A Marginal Risk (1/5) of severe storms is expected this afternoon (May 4, 2025) & early evening, mainly across the interior areas, including parts of Polk County.
Primary threats include large hail, gusty/damaging winds, and perhaps a brief tornado.
Source: The National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin Fl
May 4, 2025
A train vs pedestrian incident occurred early this morning in the area of W G Roe Park in Winter Haven. The pedestrian is alert and expected to make a full recovery.
However, the stopped train has impacted multiple crossings to include Ave. R SW, Lake Shipp, 15th St to 26th St.
The train was stopped for a period of time for CSX to conduct their investigation. Drivers who usually navigate through the City of Winter Haven over railroad crossings were asked to utilize alternate routes.
One Movie Later: A Minecraft Movie was…Surprisingly Good?!?
by James Coulter
So, the Minecraft movie made all the money! It earned $150 million domestically, $300 million globally, and not only was it the biggest opening weekend in 2025, but it became the first movie in history to open with more than $50 million on a Friday and go on to sell more on a Saturday. So, you know sequels are on the way!
But the question is: was this movie worth it? Did it deserve to earn so much on its opening weekend, let alone at all? Aside from it being based on one of the most popular video games, is there anything else about this movie that’s good?
A Minecraft Movie stars a man named Steve, who discovers a magic orb in a mine that transports him to another world called the Overworld, a place where he can create anything he can imagine. Unfortunately, an evil pig sorceress named Malgosha also wants the orb, so Steve is forced to send it back to the real world.
A few years later, a young boy named Henry discovers the orb in an old video game store, and the orb teleports him, his sister, the store’s owner, and a woman named Dawn to the Overworld. Now they need to team up with Steve to fight against the evil Malgosha and her pig warrior minions. Will they save the Overworld? Or is this literally game over?
I never played Minecraft. The game was released in 2011, two years after I graduated college. It was created long after my time. So, I know nothing about it.
And when I saw the trailers and ads for this movie, I rolled my eyes. I thought it was going to be a lazy corporate cash-in of a popular game. So, I went to the theater expecting to hate it.
But I was genuinely shocked that I…actually liked this movie? And it wasn’t that bad? Granted, it wasn’t very good either. But it wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be, and certainly not the dumpster fire everyone else has been calling it.
A Minecraft Movie is one of those films where I must eat a slice of humble pie and admit this movie was not made for me. This is a movie made for young children who love Minecraft. And admittedly, if I were a kid who played Minecraft, I would have loved this movie.
So, as an adult, what saves this movie for me? Two words: Jack Black.
Jack is a real ham and cheese sandwich of an actor who knows how to ham up his performances. So, if anyone could make this movie work, it would be him. And he did not disappoint. He went over-the-top playing an over-the-top character like Steve. I especially loved the chemistry he shared with Jason Momoa’s character, with each man trying to outmacho the other and bonding as friends along the way.
And, of course, it wouldn’t be a Jack Black performance without him flexing his musical prowess. And he certainly does that with his “Lava Chicken” number. It’s not “Peaches” from the Mario movie, but it still works.
You know, if I had a nickel for every time Jack Black starred in a video game movie, I would have more than two nickels. Bowser from the Mario Movie. Claptrap from Borderlands. And now Steve in Minecraft. Makes you wonder if he’ll star in the next Sonic movie. (My bet is that he plays Big the Cat.)
Even then, the movie’s real weak point is the humor. It’s real hit-and-miss, with far more misses than hits. What do I mean by that? Well, here are two examples of the movie’s “jokes”:
1. At the start of the movie, the main kid character finds the orb with a letter telling him, “Do not use under any circumstance, especially if you’re a business owner in serious need of cash.” And what do you know? The kid is with a business owner who tags along because he’s in serious need of cash.
2. One character is having dinner with another. Their waitress comes by and asks them, “Are you finished?” The one character replies. “No, I think he’s Swedish. But we’re done.”
If you considered either of those jokes the “height of comedy”, congratulations! This movie is brimming with them.
Another point against the film is its plot. Stop me if you heard this before: a young kid has a special gift but feels out of place because of it. He then gets isekai-ed into another world where he ends up saving the day because of his special gift.
If you consider that trite plot the height of comedy, congratulations. This movie follows the portal fantasy hero’s journey plot to a tee.
A Minecraft Movie is your bog-standard adventure story with a bog-standard moral about the importance of creativity. The main villain essentially wants to destroy the world because they’re an uncreative person who hates creativity. (So, in other words, Elon Musk.)
Should you watch A Minecraft Movie? That depends. Do you have a kid who loves Minecraft? If so, chances are that you were not only forced by your kids to watch this in theaters, but you’re also going to be forced to buy the DVD once it comes out so they can watch it on repeat at home.
Otherwise, if you’ve never played Minecraft or have a kid who plays it, there’s no real reason for you to watch the movie. But if you do, well, there’s a chance you might glean some enjoyment from it. I know I did, and it was pleasantly surprising.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit was called to investigate a traffic fatality on Friday evening, May 2, 2025, regarding a pedestrian who was hit by a car in the middle of the road.
Around 10:45 p.m. the PCSO ECC received a 911 call from the 900 block of Dundee Road in Dundee. The 41-year-old driver of a 2004 Buick sedan was heading east on Dundee Road and entered the right turn lane to head south on U.S. Hwy 27 as the pedestrian, a Dundee man, was walking north and crossing the southbound lane. There was a to-go bag of food located near him after the incident. The driver of the car initially did not know what he had hit, but he pulled over, saw the victim and the blood on his vehicle, and immediately called 911.
Despite life-saving efforts at a local hospital, the pedestrian succumbed to his injuries around 4:40 a.m. this morning. His next of kin has not yet been notified.
——— Original Post ———-
Emergency crews responded late Friday night to a serious vehicle-versus-pedestrian collision on Dundee Road near U.S. Highway 27 in Dundee.
The incident occurred around 10:44 p.m., prompting a swift response from both Dundee Fire Rescue and Polk County Fire Rescue. Upon arrival, first responders located a pedestrian who had been struck by a vehicle along the roadway.
Due to the severity of the injuries, the pedestrian was quickly stabilized on scene and transported to the nearby Winn-Dixie parking lot, where a medical helicopter air evacuation is taking place. As of this time, the identity and condition of the pedestrian have not been released.
The roadway remains partially blocked as emergency crews continue to work the scene and law enforcement initiates a traffic investigation. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and seek alternate routes if possible.
This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
Auburndale Police Department-
MISSING PERSON:
On 4/23/2025, at approximately 0741 hours, officers from the Auburndale Police Department received a missing person report. Officers were advised that the missing person, John Nathan Ladner (W/M, 11/4/1988), had not been in contact with the reportee or anyone she knows since 4/7/2025. On 4/8/2025, Ladner missed a scheduled visitation with his child. The reportee was concerned about Ladner’s safety because of past substance abuse issues. Ladner has a cell phone however it is currently disconnected. Below are two photographs of Ladner. His physical appearance is known to fluctuate. He was possibly last seen in the area of Nelson Street in Auburndale, FL on 04/14/25.
Ladner has the following tattoos:
Chest: “I hate my baby momma” “1988”
Back: “Ladner”
Leg: A picture of a Koi Fish
If you have any information, please contact Detective Adair at 863-965-5555 or by email at [email protected]
One Movie Later: King of Kings is a Good Enough Adaptation of the Gospel Story
by James Coulter
Mainstream religious films are hard to come by. In recent years, Hollywood has released a few good films like Prince of Egypt, Passion of the Christ, and Noah. Otherwise, most Christian flicks serve a rather niche audience, especially with such controversial films as the God’s Not Dead franchise.
Enter Angel Studios, a faith-based company with the aspiration to push faith-based films and shows into the mainstream. Their most popular and successful property has been The Chosentelevision series. Now, the studio has released its first animated film, King of Kings. But will this animated film about Jesus live up to its royal name? Or, unlike Christ, will it remain dead and buried?
King of Kings begins in Victorian England. Charles Dickens is giving a dramatic reading of A Christmas Carol when his performance is interrupted by his rambunctious King Arthur-obsessed son. Charles snaps at him, but quickly relents his harsh reaction. To cheer his son up, Charles shares with him a story that he has been working on: an adaptation of the Gospel story. Through it all, father and son both learn the importance of grace and forgiveness.
King of Kings is a very basic adaptation of the Gospel story, telling the story of Jesus Christ from his birth to his resurrection. If you’re a Christian or are familiar with the Christian story, you pretty much know what to expect.
The only unique aspect about this adaptation is the framing device of Charles Dickens telling the story to his son. Essentially, it allows Charles to serve as the narrator. And sometimes it also involves his son imagining himself in the story.
This telling of the story emphasizes the theme of forgiveness, focusing on Jesus’ teachings forgiveness, as well as him exemplifying the virtue like when he defended a woman from being stoned for adultery. And, of course, there’s the fact that Jesus died to forgive humanity of its sins.
Overall, it’s a good message, and one that more people need to hear, especially plenty of people who consider themselves “Christian.” After all, it would be nice if the folks who claimed to believe in Jesus would actually follow his teachings and forgive people, especially for such “sins” as not entering the country the “right way” to seek a better life or not identifying as the gender assigned to them at birth.
One scene I found particularly enthralling was Baby Jesus and his family fleeing from Herod. Most telling of this story haveMary and Joseph flee to Egypt before Herod orders all newborns to be killed. But in this movie, Herod’s soldiers are literally banging down the doors to the stable. It’s a real tense scene, and how Jesus’ family escapes proves to be quite surprising.
I also loved how Charles would occasionally deviate from the main narrative to share other Bible stories like the first Passover and the Garden of Eden to help explain the main Gospel story. I especially love how the Genesis story is conveyed through classic Gustave Doré illustrations. (Any children’s movie that exposes kids to fine art like Doré is a plus in my book.)
Otherwise, this film is rather unremarkable. The animation is decent, and it manages to tell the story of the Christian Gospel in one-and-a-half hours. But the condensed run time essentially forces the story to focus on hitting every plot point of the Jesus story without really doing anything to flesh out Jesus and the other characters.
Here’s a good example of what I’m talking about: there’s a scene in the movie where Charles names the twelve apostles, all of whom walk across the screen after being introduced. But aside from maybe Peter, none of them are given any real character development in the film, and you’d be forgiven if you forgot which character was supposed to be who.
It’s ironic this movie mentions King Arthur. Because it reminds me of Excalibur, the 1981 King Arthur movie by John Boorman. That movie also focuses more on telling the barebones story of King Arthur and less on developing its characters, who merely exist to act out the roles they are meant to play in the narrative. The result is a film with plenty of style but no real substance.
Overall, this movie does a basic job recounting the story of Jesus Christ. If you want to use this movie to introduce your children to the Gospel, they’re sure to find it somewhat entertaining.
However, if you want to watch a better adaptation of the Gospel, better movies exist like the 1979 Jesus film or even Passion of the Christ. And, of course, Angel Studios also distributes The Chosen, which, as a television series, has enough time to tell a proper story and develop its characters. As for children, shows like the Superbook cartoon or even Veggietales provide more entertaining and engaging adaptations of Bible stories.
As for this film? I’d recommend watching it once it comes out on DVD and streaming. Otherwise, I’d save your tickets for a better animated film.
A Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputy was injured Friday evening after being knocked down by a loose longhorn bull running through a busy Lakeland intersection.
According to Carrie Horstman, Public Information Officer with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the incident happened just after 5:28 p.m. near the intersection of Combee Road South and Crystal Lake Drive North. That’s when deputies were called out after drivers reported a “cow” — later confirmed to be a bull — running in and out of traffic, causing a safety concern for both vehicles and pedestrians.
The first deputy to arrive spotted the bull and called for backup. Just a minute later, the second responding unit radioed in with a concerning update: the initial deputy had been knocked down by the bull, hit his head, and was possibly unconscious.
The deputy was taken by ground to Lakeland Regional Health for treatment. Fortunately, officials say he is expected to be okay.
Deputies were able to locate the bull’s owner, and with some help, the animal was eventually secured in a nearby pasture behind the Dollar General in the area.
The quick response from law enforcement and first responders, the situation was brought under control without further incident.
The Polk County Bully Project will be hosting a puppy adoption event on Saturday, May 3rd from 11 am – 2 pm, at PetSmart of Posner Park in Davenport.
There will be puppies of different breeds available, and some older dogs too.
Plus, they will have chances to win a number of pet items, restaurant coupons, nail salon coupons, and more.
December 14th, 1950 – April 24th, 2025
George Israel Mardin III, 74, of Winter Haven, Florida (formerly of Holden, Massachusetts), was born on December 14, 1950 in Worcester, Massachusetts. He passed away peacefully on April 24, 2025, surrounded by his loving family.
George dedicated 45 years of his career to Brierly Lombard and Company, Inc., where he worked as General Manager. He was known for his quick wit and humor, making everyone around him laugh – right up until the very end. He had an extraordinarily strong moral compass, always doing the right thing no matter the cost. George was a loyal friend to many. His optimism, honesty, and unfiltered opinions made him unforgettable to everyone who knew him.
He loved playing poker, trips to the casino, cruises with his wife, camping, and spending time with his family, who meant the world to him.
George is survived by his beloved wife of 42 years, Joan Mardin (Ladner); his daughter Lisa Castelli and son-in-law Zach Castelli, and their daughters Mila and Frankie; his daughter Julie Frechette, her daughter Riley and son Sawyer; and his daughter Tara Re, son-in-law James Re, and their son Dakota. He is also survived by his sister Irene Longone, and her husband David. He was preceded in death by his parents, George Israel Mardin Jr. and Arlene Gertrude Gray.
At a later date, there will be two celebrations of life—one in Florida and one in Massachusetts.
Not long ago, George was asked if he had any advice for future generations. His response: “Do your best to leave this place a little better off than it was.” We believe he did just that.
Jeffrey Glenn Hutchinson, a 62-year-old Gulf War veteran, was executed by lethal injection at Florida State Prison in Raiford at 8:14 p.m. Eastern Time on May 1, 2025. His execution concludes a decades-long legal process following his conviction for the 1998 shotgun murders of his live-in girlfriend, Renee Flaherty, and her three young children: Geoffrey (9), Amanda (7), and Logan (4).
The tragic events unfolded on the night of September 11, 1998, in Crestview, Florida. After an argument with Flaherty, Hutchinson left their shared home and visited a local bar, where he consumed beer and expressed frustration about the dispute. Approximately 40 minutes later, a 911 call was placed from their residence. The caller stated, “I just shot my family,” a voice that two of Hutchinson’s close friends later identified as his. Upon arrival, deputies found Hutchinson in the garage with the phone still connected to 911. Inside the home, Flaherty and her two younger children were found shot in the master bedroom, while Geoffrey was discovered in the living room, having sustained two gunshot wounds. The murder weapon, a Mossberg 12-gauge pistol-grip shotgun registered to Hutchinson, was found on the kitchen counter. Gunshot residue was present on Hutchinson’s hands, and tissue from one of the victims was found on his leg.
During his 2001 trial, Hutchinson claimed that two masked intruders were responsible for the killings, asserting that he struggled with them before they fled. However, the jury found him guilty of four counts of first-degree murder. He received a life sentence for Flaherty’s murder and three death sentences for the murders of the children. The court cited the particularly heinous nature of Geoffrey’s death, noting that the child was conscious and attempted to defend himself before being fatally shot.
Hutchinson’s defense team presented evidence of his mental health struggles, including Gulf War illness and post-traumatic stress disorder, arguing that these conditions impaired his judgment. Despite these claims, multiple appeals were denied over the years, with courts consistently finding him mentally competent and upholding the original sentences. His final appeal was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court shortly before his execution.
At the time of execution, Hutchinson declined to make a final statement. Witnesses reported that he appeared to mumble and experienced body spasms during the procedure, which lasted over 15 minutes.
This execution marks the fourth carried out in Florida in 2025 under death warrants signed by Governor Ron DeSantis.
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