Payne Air Conditioning Wins Inagural Play For Your Heart Golf Tournament
by James Coulter
Despite making a few putts too many, Andrew Foss and his teammates from Payne Air Conditioning won first place at the inaugural Play For Your Heart Golf Tournament, hosted by the Lakeland Regional Health Foundation on Monday.
Foss was invited to attend the golf tournament Payne Air Conditioning & Heating. He and his two other teammates took to the links, and while they admittedly made “a bunch of putts we probably should not have made”, managed to win first place.
Foss enjoyed being able to spend time on the green, enjoy a hearty lunch, and listen to pro golf tips as presented by the guest speaker that afternoon, Annika Sorenstram. Overall, the entire experience was great, and he was happy to do it all for a good cause like Lakeland Regional Health Foundation.
“They do phenomenal charity work and there is no other cause you would want to support,” he said. “I think seeing Annakiawas great. She was so kind to be out here today and spend time. She was super lovely to everyone.”
The Lakeland Regional Health Foundation (LRHF) hosted its inaugural Play For Your Heart Golf Tournament on Monday at Grasslands Country Club in Lakeland. More than 33 teams of three participated that day, which was a phenomenal turnout even despite the lack of marketing beforehand, explained Jodi Ridley, LRHF Developmental Director.
“We are very happy with our turnout,” she said. “We did not do any marketing for it. It was our first one. We did it last minute. We are glad it was intimate and smaller since it was our first one. We are super happy about that. That has been nice. We are looking forward to it being bigger and better next year.”
Proceeds from the benefit go towards the Jack and Tina Harrell Institute for Cardiac Services, which, according to their website, is “Polk County’s pioneer in expert cardiovascular medicine and have been for more than three decades.”
LRHF has hosted various fundraisers in the past. Their main event is their Annual Promise Run, a 5K/10K race through Downtown Lakeland. As for their inaugural golf tournament, they owe their success to their vendors and participants, as well as the overall beautiful weather that day.
“I am thankful for our vendors who stepped up and wanted to be a part of this, and that I think has been super helpful,” Ridley said. “We brought people who were out of town who wanted to be in good weather. I think that has been super helpful as well. We are thankful for the support.”
Annika Sorenstram attended the event as a guest speaker. She is a pro-golfer who recently moved to Florida, living only an hour away from Lakeland. She was new to the area but willing to participate in the event to offer pointers and other advice.
She was inspired to attend the event upon hearing good things about the LRHF and its cause. Being new to the area, she wanted to give back to an organization that helped give back to its community.
“I want to help and continue to make sure they can achieve what they want to achieve with their initiatives,” she said. “I am passionate about giving back because golf has been so good to me. So when I got this call to support this event. It is a good cause. I wanted to put my services to use.”
On Wednesday morning, May 4, 2022, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office captured homicide suspect Robert Simmons following an 18-hour manhunt in the Eloise area of Winter Haven.
Simmons, 42, has an extensive arrest, conviction, and prison incarceration history—and he was wanted for the murder of a homeless man whose body was recovered Tuesday afternoon (May 3rd) in a shallow grave at a homeless camp just northwest of the intersection of US 17 and Snively Avenue.
Homicide Suspect Robert Simmons
“Our suspect is no stranger to trouble, and is a dangerous person. Our search for him was hindered by some bad weather Tuesday, but deputies held a tight perimeter around where he was last seen, and contained him there overnight. After sunrise, we were able to methodically close in on him and capture him. Our deputies did a fantastic job, and I’d like to also than K-9 units from the Winter Haven and Auburndale police departments who assisted.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
The investigation began Tuesday (May 3rd) at around 2:20 p.m. when three people from the homeless camp came forward with information about a possible murder in the camp over the past weekend.
The witnesses only knew the victim as an Hispanic male who was believed to be between 30-40 years old. Detectives have positively identified him as a 39-year-old white male and are working on locating and notifying his next of kin.
Covered Shallow Grave Of Homeless Man
Statements from the witnesses revealed key moments leading up to the victim’s death, which were not previously reported to law enforcement:
· During the weekend of April 30-May 1st – an altercation had occurred between Simmons and the victim which resulted in the victim receiving a laceration on his back, but he refused to seek medical treatment.
· The victim was seen bleeding on his left arm during a fist fight with Simmons.
· Simmons returned to the camp and was asked about the victim’s whereabouts. Simmons told the witness that the victim left for Avon Park. Simmons then left the camp again at around 9:00 a.m. and was not seen again until after sunset on Sunday, May 1st.
· Monday, May 2nd – A witness found the victim’s blanket and went to pick it up. Upon grabbing the blanket, a foot was felt within it, and the witness immediately left, thinking it was the victim’s foot, and that he was possibly deceased.
· Tuesday, May 3rd – Simmons told a couple of witnesses that he was tired of seeing the victim masturbate all of the time and he warned him about it the first time. The second time, Simmons “beat him up,” and the third time he “killed him.” Upon hearing this, one of the witnesses sought out law enforcement.
At about 5:35 p.m. Tuesday, Homicide Unit detectives located a shallow grave near the homeless camp. A short time later, Simmons, who was walking near the camp, saw deputies and fled, but deputies were able to keep him confined to a small area.
At 9:32 a.m. Wednesday morning (May 4th), deputies captured Simmons on business property which is adjacent to the heavily wooded area containing the homeless camp.
Robert Simmons has been charged with: 2nd Degree Murder (F1), Tampering with Evidence (F3), and Resisting (M1).
Simmons’ prior criminal history includes 16 felonies and 12 misdemeanors and he has been in prison four times, with his most recent release coming in October of 2021. His list of previous charges consists of: Aggravated Battery, Burglaries, Grand Thefts, Motor Vehicle Theft, Escape, Carrying Concealed Weapon, Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, Drug Possessions, Retail Theft, and Probation Violation.
The City of Lake Wales welcomes Joanna Abernathy as Deputy City Manager. Abernathy will be working alongside City Manager James Slaton overseeing various municipal operations.
“I’m both honored and excited to be chosen as Lake Wales’ Deputy City Manager,” Abernathy said. The City is experiencing tremendous growth, and I’m thrilled to be part of a forward-thinking municipality,” she added.
Abernathy has 30 years of experience working in government. She previously served as Assistant City Manager both in Palm Beach and Polk Counties. Additionally, she obtained her Master Municipal Clerk designation in 2012, and she brings with her more than 10 years’ experience working as a City Clerk for Palm Beach, West Palm Beach and Greenacres in Palm Beach County. Her proudest accomplishment was implementing a Department of State Passport Processing Facility within city hall in Greenacres, which has proven to be a resounding revenue source for that municipality.
“Our new Deputy City Manager is an accomplished and results-oriented leader who has served in diverse government settings,” City Manager James Slaton said.
Abernathy boasts a successful track record managing capital projects. She grew up working for her parents’ construction company in upstate New York. She also has extensive experience in the operations of development services and land use planning. Her other skillsets include strategic business planning, financial budgeting, grant writing, public relations and emergency management.
Abernathy holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and history with a master’s degree in public administration and emergency management.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office continued it’s search for homicide suspects Robert Simmons, 42, in the Winter Haven/Eloise area. As reported Simmons is a suspect in murder that occurred yesterday (Polk County Sheriff’s Office Searches For Homicide Suspect).
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed they have captured homicide suspect Robert Simmons this morning in the Eloise area of Winter Haven.
Sheriff Grady Judd will brief the media this afternoon (Wednesday, May 4th) with details about the capture and the homicide.
The briefing will be at the PCSO Sheriff’s Operation Center at 1891 Jim Keene Boulevard in Winter Haven at 2:30 p.m.
To answer numerous media inquiries, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office is currently looking for a homicide suspect in the Eloise area of Winter Haven, close to US 17 and Snively Avenue.
The suspect is 42-year old Robert Simmons, and he should be considered armed and dangerous.
If anyone has any information regarding Simmons’ whereabouts, please call the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 863-298-6200. Anonymous tips can be made to Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS.
This is all of the information available at this time.
Plus, May is the start of the application process for alligator harvest permits
At their May 3-4 meeting, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Commissioners approved increasing hunting hours for the statewide alligator hunt and adding precharged pneumatic airbows to the legal methods of taking an alligator.
Increasing hunting hours from the current 17 hours a day to 24 hours a day on most areas will provide those with an alligator trapping license/alligator harvest permit seven more hours a day of hunting opportunity and more flexibility when scheduling hunting trips.
Adding precharged pneumatic airbows to the legal methods of take can assist hunters with mobility challenges and youth or smaller framed hunters who might have limited dexterity or strength. To be considered a legal take method, the airbow’s arrow needs to be attached to a restraining line, which allows the hunter to safely gain control of the animal.
These new rules will take effect in time for the 2022 statewide alligator harvest season. Visit MyFWC.com/Alligator for more information.
Applying for alligator harvest permits
This year, sustainable hunting opportunities will be offered at 128 AMUs (65 countywide AMUs and 63 specific AMUs). The FWC will be issuing over 7,300 alligator harvest permits through three random drawings and a final leftover phase.
The dates to apply for alligator harvest permits this year are as follows. Remember, all application periods start at 10 a.m. ET on the first day of the application period and run through 11:59 p.m. ET on the final day.
Phase I Applications May 6 – 16
Phase II Applications May 20 – 30
Phase III Applications June 3 – 13
Phase IV Leftovers June 16 – until filled or Oct. 14
Anyone who will be 18 years of age or older by Aug. 15 and has a valid credit card may apply for alligator harvest permits at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or in person at a license agent or tax collector’s office. Learn more about the alligator harvest permit application process by visiting MyFWC.com and clicking on “Limited Entry/Quota Hunts” under the “Buy and Apply” drop down menu and then clicking on “Statewide Alligator Hunt Permits.”
The FWC offers several tools to help you with the application process. Find application worksheets, a harvest unit map and listing, application tips and more by visiting MyFWC.com/Alligator and clicking on “Statewide Alligator Harvest Program.”
PCPS is now accepting applications for summer VPK.
The summer voluntary pre-kindergarten program is being held at the following sites: Davenport Elementary, Frostproof Ben Hill Griffin Jr. Elementary and Sleepy Hill Elementary.
Writers On the Ridge: “Descent from Anwyn” by Lisa Chronister
The following is a selection from “Descent from Anwyn”, the debut sci-fi novel by Lisa Chronister. To read the full story, check out her novel on Amazon in e-book and paperback. Follow the links below for more details.
Chapter One
Genève stood in the alley, pouting. She looked into Talon’s yellow eyes, trying to hold on to her resentment, but those damn eyes of his made it harder than it should have been. Talon leaned against a wooden fence. Taking a step forward, Genève adjusted his old leather jacket, and he placed a helmet over her hair with a sly smile. They were in the middle of a spirited argument, which was nothing new. She enjoyed how he got her blood boiling. Some would describe her as an eccentric person, yet few people understood her dark humor. That didn’t stop her, though; it encouraged her. She was always quick to laugh, joke, and have a good time.
There was another side to her. Although her father’s blood ran strong in her, she carried pieces of her mother. Cursed with a stereotypical redhead temper, her anger burned hot as fire.
Through clenched teeth, Genève said, “I still don’t see why I have to wear a helmet, and you don’t.”
Kissing the tip of her nose he replied, “My bike, my rules. Besides, I don’t want to mess up my hair.”
He took a step back. A look of fear replaced his silly, lopsided grin as two hands grabbed him from behind. He glanced over at Genève and realized the hands also had her. He just hoped she could keep her lip at bay and stay calm.
A deep voice growled, “We are the queen’s guards.”
Talon’s mouth hung open, and he prayed they wouldn’t hear Genève’s obscenities under her breath.
“Queen Chandi requires your immediate presence. You won’t be hurt if you don’t put up a fight.”
Genève and Talon both knew better than to disobey the monarch’s patrol. Their fathers were the top two in the hierarchy, and they had heard stories from infancy about what happened to those who tried to escape the ruler’s summons. Genève felt an icy chill run up her spine. Something must have gone terribly wrong, or their fathers would have been the ones ushering them before the queen.
The walk up the palace stairs and down the long corridor to the queen’s chambers only took moments, yet each second seemed like an eternity. Step after step, the fear ran colder and more intense. Genève imagined that if someone touched her face right then, their fingers would freeze to her skin.
They walked into the room where the court was held. The guardian of the realm was sitting down, with guards on all sides, her eyes brimming with tears. Genève’s mother, Oleander, Talon’s mother, Anise, and Talon’s father, Derik, were all chained on their knees in front of the ruler. Their faces were pale and covered with sweat. Genève’s father was nowhere to be seen.
Before registering what, she was doing, her body automatically dropped her down to her knee so she could formally bow to the queen. Talon did the same. Genève’s mother was not a kind woman, so Genève spent a lot of time with her father, who was the right hand of the monarch. She had always wished that the two of them were her parents. She knew that the queen secretly loved her father.
Her old friend smiled weakly and declared, “Rise my child. I’ve unpleasant news to deliver. Please, come closer.” She drew a breath and reached out for Genève’s long fingers.
Genève stumbled forward and grabbed her hand. “What has happened, My Queen?”
As her lip trembled, the queen answered, “My kingdom has been corrupted by lust and greed, and your father has paid the ultimate price for it. I am sorry to tell you, but your father has fallen. He sacrificed his life to save his queen.”
Genève fell to the ground. For a moment, the world started spinning, and she could not breathe.
All she could feel was despair as the pain settled like a boulder in the pit of her stomach.
Genève pictured her father. Just last night he had taken her to the carnival. His grin was so goofy, just like it always had been. The moment was just a regular moment in time. Genève had been trying to win a trinket at the target practice booth. As her father held her hand in his, she couldn’t help but notice how much rougher his hands were. He stood up, bowing deeply just to show off, and grabbed the bow. After winking at Genève, all three targets became memories in mere seconds. Just like him. Now he was just a memory too.
The memory wasn’t over, and Genève never wanted it to be. She kept her eyes closed and continued to reminisce. There had been a glint in his eyes when the man behind the booth grumpily handed over the toy. That glint meant more to her than all the treasures in all the worlds. She could not accept that she would never see her father’s smile again.
Barely holding it together, her eyes met the queen’s. “How could this be, My Queen? The realm has been at peace for many years.”
“That, my dear, was the first question I proposed. The next was, where was my second in command? If your father had not been guarding me alone, he would still live.”
Talon looked up and asked, “Father, where were you when the queen and the father of my beloved needed you most?”
Anise looked up and, between gritted teeth, said, “Yes, where were you? That is the important question, is it not?”
Derik looked up with regret in his eyes. “I will admit my part in this woman, but his death is on your hands.”
The queen stood and shouted, “Enough! I have had enough of this. Apparently, your father was too busy lying with Oleander to bother protecting his queen and his realm.”
The queen walked closer to Anise and slapped her. “Wipe that smirk off your face. Derik has gotten one thing right–the part you played in this was far worse than the act of infidelity that they committed.”
Genève looked at the monarch. “Please tell me what is happening. Why are they all in chains?” she asked.
The queen closed her eyes to regain her composure.
“Anise found out that Oleander and Derik had been having an affair for months.” She paced back and forth, trying not to let the despair seep into her voice. “She discovered when they would meet, and she realized that he would be late to his duties, which would leave us vulnerable. She hired a group of thugs to attack our entourage as I made my way to court. They shot your father through the heart with a poisoned arrow. He now resides with the gods in Platonia. Fortunately, last week, when the Elders of Beimeni came to pay their respects, they gifted me with the capacity to perceive the truth in any situation. Your father was the only person who knew that I now possess the ability to make people tell me their deepest secrets. So, Anise thought I would have Derik killed for breach of duty, and she would go free.”
Genève recognized all too well how these things were handled, so she asked, “My Queen, what will happen to all of us?”
Sadness overcame the queen. As much as she tried to stop it, her voice quivered. “If you only knew how many times, I wished I had met your father before he wed your mother. I treated you as a daughter because I have yearned for you to be mine. I would do anything to keep you here by my side in Anwyn, but I just cannot. It would send the wrong message and put the entire land in danger. I must kill Anise. Because of the affection I have for your father, I will spare your mother so that she can still tend to you. Because of the respect I will always bear for you, I will let Derik live to take care of your one genuine love. However, you may not stay in Anwyn. Everyone in both clans will be banished to the human realm.”
Genève was in shock. “Thank you, My Queen. I must ask, will we not lose our agelessness?”
A tear slid down the queen’s face. Still, she remained in control. “Yes, my dear. After one hundred years, you will begin to age. A human lifetime will pass, and so shall you. I wish I could give you your life, but I can’t. I can permit you time that no one else would have for this kind of treason.”
Genève watched as the ruler raised her sword, reciting the words for the banishment of two clans of high-ranking fae. That’s all they were–pretty, pretty words. The queen had always had a weakness for words. Genève kept staring as countless memories collided. She had spent so much of her life playing word games. Her father had always let the queen come out ahead–it didn’t matter what game. Although he never once let Genève win, he knew that, if caught, he would have been the victim of her fury. Nobody wanted that.
Genève’s thoughts shifted to how cozy her father’s rough hands felt. It occurred to her that this was goodbye. Genève wished she had been given this luxury with her father. She tried to remember her last words to him, it was only this morning I saw his face. I spoke to him, and now he’s gone.
Her mind wandered as she watched her twin flame, who stood helplessly, watching his mother’s execution. Genève couldn’t look away. She stared as his mother’s head hit the ground, never breaking eye contact as it stopped in a crimson puddle. Still, she looked on as the skull emerged.
About the Author
Lisa Chronister worked as an Administrative Assistant and Customer Service Representative for over twenty years. You could always find her sitting by herself with a book or plugging away at one of her stories. She is engaged to the love of her life, and they have been together eight years. Also, she is the mother of three beautiful, smart, young woman. Two silly dogs, and an adorable stuck-up cat have taken over her home and her heart. She spends more time with her animals than she does people, and she is perfectly content with that. Lisa is an avid outdoors person. She is happiest when she is in the woods or the water. Lisa spent many years, at many different campgrounds just enjoying the natural beauty. Fun fact, Lisa is inspired by nature, most of Descent from Anwyn was written when she was camping, or her Fiancé was fishing. To learn more about her novel, visit her website at: https://descentfromanwyncom.wordpress.com
Local Author Ascends with Debut Novel “Descent From Anwyn”
by James Coulter
Banished to the mortal realm due to her mother’s treachery, the fae Geneve harnesses her desire for power and revenge by raising an army to invade the fairy realm. Meanwhile, in an alternate universe, the young lass Alizeh is summoned by a powerful warlock to claim her destiny as a heroine and overthrow Geneve and her army.
With the fate of the universe at hand, only one winner can rise victorious. Who will it be? The scorned fae and her dark army? Or the budding young heroine and her motley crew of witches and other misfits?
Descent From Anwyn is the debut sci-fi novel of Lisa Chronister, a local author from Auburndale. Over the past 11 years, she has worked tirelessly on her story, which started as a short story until evolving into the first novel in a planned three-part book series.
Chronister was born and raised in St. Petersburg. She moved to Tennessee in 2011, where she met her fiancée. She moved back to Florida in 2014 where she has been living back and forth between Lakeland and Auburndale.
Initally, she attended two years of college at University of Phoenix for a degree in English Literature, but she never completed her college education. For the past decade, she had been mulling away at her story that initially started as a short story before evolving into a full-fledged novel.
As her story evolved and grew, her life and outlook, in turn, transformed along with it. She initially wrote one character as the main protagonist and another as a background character, but she so identified with the minor character that their role was promoted to main character, Chronister explained.
“I identified with her [Geneve] so much, and with everything that has happened through the life,” she said. “I identified more with the villian than the good guy, so I grew her as a character, and now she is the real character, and the main character is now the secondary character. She is still a main character, but not the main character.”
Many people who have pre-read her story have compared it to Maleficent with bits and pieces of Guardians of the Galaxy. Chronister did not consider this allusion to be intentional, yet she does see the similarities. She owes her main inspiration to Game of Thrones.
“I just enjoy being able to escape into the characters and story when writing it,” she said. “I lived the story when I was writing it, and I enjoyed it…It is looking at a different point-of-view than a normal story. It is showing growth, it is showing passion, it is showing pain, it is an emotional book with a beautiful story and if you hold on and read the whole thing, you will be swept up in a whole new world, and it will be feeling that you do not normally feel when you are reading a book.”
Chronister self-published her book on Amazon last month. Finally being able to get her book out to the public felt amazing. The only feeling that felt more overwhelmingly joyous was the birth of her own children, she said.
“Aside from having my children, I never had so much pride in myself once I held that book in my hand,” she said. “I cannot even describe how happy I was.”
Marketing has proven to be the hardest part thus far. Writing the book and publishing it was one thing. Actually getting the word out about it and having people buy a copy has proven to be much more challenging, she admitted.
“When I wrote the book, I assumed you only wrote the book and you were done with it,” she said. “You have the market the book. I am an introvert to the core, there is no extrovert in me. So going out and meeting people has changed things for me and now it is something I enjoy now and I am looking forward to in the future.”
Descent From Anwyn is planned as the first book in a three-part series. Chronister is currently chugging away at writing the next installment, though the overall process proves slower than initially expected. She is currently writing at least 1,000 words per day, and hopes to have the next book out within the year.
Here is an exclusive first look at Descent From Anwyn (click)
Descent From Anwyn is available on Amazon in e-book and paperback. For more information, visit the author’s website at: https://descentfromanwyncom.wordpress.com. Or follow her on her social media:
