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Veteran Owned and Operated Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries Offers Boats, Repairs, and More

Staff Reporter
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Veteran Owned and Operated Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries Offers Boats, Repairs, and More

Veteran Owned and Operated Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries Offers Boats, Repairs, and More

by James Coulter

Terry McCamis knows a good boat dealership and facility when he sees one. He has more than 70 years of bass fishing experience and 43 years of experience for a major manufacturing company. As such, he knows Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries offers the best quality service of any boating and marine facility.

Terry served as a factory worker in three states during his nearly four decade-long career. He knows full well maintaining a good dealer network where customers can receive direct support from the dealers themselves is crucial to a company’s success. He sees that level of support and commitment with Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries.

“As I told my customers before I retired, you can buy my product anywhere, but it is the support you will get after the sale, and that is something we see people don’t understand anymore in our country,” Terry said. “That is what I love about Hoppy’s: you get 100 percent support after the sale, and I can’t say that for a lot of dealerships in this county or state.”

Being super impressed by the quality of their workmanship, Terry has remained a customer at Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries for many long years. He buys most of his boating equipment there, and recently made a few significant purchases.

He has known the current owner, Chaz Hickcox, for many years. Both of them are veterans, and as such, Terry knows that he can trust the service that Chaz and his staff provide. He considers them to be fair, and he wants to support a fellow veteran in his endeavor. Thus far, Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries has kept him more than satisfied with their service.

“I will give them ten out of ten, maybe 12 out of ten, I am that impressed,” he said. “I can’t do any better than that, and I truly believe what Chaz has when he runs a business. He does everything himself on a pro basis, and that makes them different from any other dealership in Polk County.”

Located in Haines City, in the heart of the boating and fishing capital of the world in Central Florida, Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries is your one-stop full-service shop for boats and boating accessories. Whether you want a brand new vessel, or you would prefer a value on a pre-owned vehicle, Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries not only has what you are searching for, but everything to facilitate what you need and more.

“We can guarantee you that we have the passion and experience for getting it right, the first time,” their website states. “Whether you need a new boat, need to sell your boat, require service, or need any type of boating part, we are your first line boating dealership.”

As a trusted Mercury Marine dealer, they sell brand-name engines of all stock and sizes. Whether you are going bass fishing on a freshwater lake or taking a cruise out in the deep blue sea, Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries not only has the engine you’re looking for, but the experience to keep it in tip top shape.

Scott Siller, National Professional Fishing League Champion, being a professional bass fisher, has experience with boating and boat dealers. Not only does he appreciate the service Hoppy’s provide to his engine and vessel, but also how the facility is a one-stop shop for all of his needs.

“That, to me, is just unbelievable service,” he said. “It is so comforting to know that when you make a living on a boat, like I do here…there is a dealership to trust, and they are knowledgeable and they do it right the first time. So, I think we are…fortunate in Polk County to have a dealership like that in our own backyard.”

Owner Chaz Hickcox served in the U.S. Marine Corps in Iraq and Afghanistan. After serving for 20 years, he and his wife decided to settle down and start their own business. Chaz loved boating and fishing, so he decided to start a business through his hobby.

“A lot of my personal stuff, dealing with memories from the war, and getting away from that meant going on the water and fishing,” he said. “I knew when I retired, I wanted to be around my escape as much as possible. Going down this particular route allows me to do that and allows me to help others in their vehicle.”

Located along Highway 27 in Haines City, Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries was originally started by Hoppy Ingram in 1982. The original owner had since sold the store to Chaz and his wife, and the both of them have been keeping it in tip-top shape ever since.

Both under old and new dealership, Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries has remained committed to not only offering customers a good product, but ensuring that their product remains running in prime condition following the purchase.

“[It’s about] being able to provide them peace of mind when the boats run right,” Chaz said. “I really enjoy seeing people get excited going out and doing their different adventures [on the water]…and I enjoy being able to provide that kind of lifestyle if they so choose.”

The other secret to their success has been the staff. Chaz knows that businesses only offer a good service when their employees are treated well, which is why he makes sure his employees are treated right. Not a single employee makes minimum wage, and all of them receive excellent benefits.

“We provide them with the best benefits in the industry in Central Florida with complete pay to our employees,” Chaz said. “If you treat your employees right and you have high quality employees who provide high quality service, they will attract high quality customers who are looking for that level of service and detail.”

Chaz has high hopes and expectations moving forward. He wants to serve even more customers and provide them with even better service. He knows his success lies with his commitment to high standards, and he wants to reach even higher.

“I want to be able to service as many people as possible in Polk County and let them know that we are a service-based company,” he said. “We understand that the customer is the whole reason for us being in business as far as being able to provide them the freedom to get into the water and escape their day to day lives and looking forward. I want to offer them best quality services and products.”

Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries is located at 31499 US-27, Haines City, FL 33844. For more information, call 863-439-7616, or visit their website at: https://crossedindustries.com/hoppys.

Resident Drop-Off Locations Available For Self-Haul Yard Waste

Allison
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Resident Drop-Off Locations Available For Self-Haul Yard Waste

Polk County Emergency Management

If you wish to self-haul your yard waste, you may visit one of the drop-off sites below.

  • Strickland Pit – 5901 Strickland Ave., Lakeland
  • Cypress Parkway – Corner of Cypress Parkway and Lake Marion Creek Road, Poinciana
  • Marigold – 9500 Marigold Ave. – Poinciana

Things to know before you go;

  • Hours: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • These sites are staffed. You will need to show ID for proof that you are a Polk County resident
  • No commercial companies – residents only
  • Vegetative material only, no garbage bags of leaves, etc. and no construction and demolition (C&D) materials

Cheryl Williams charged with second degree murder in death of Deputy Lane

Carl Fish
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Cheryl Williams charged with second degree murder in death of Deputy Lane

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has charged Cheryl Lynn Williams, DOB 5/30/76, with 13 felonies in the death of Deputy Sheriff Blane Lane, who died in the line of duty on October 4, 2022:

  • Second degree murder of a law enforcement officer (F1)
  • 3 counts aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer (F2)
  • 3 counts possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (F2)
  • 3 counts resisting arrest (F2)
  • 2 counts possession of ammunition by a convicted felon (F2)
  • Possession of methamphetamine (F3)

She will be booked into the Polk County Jail upon her release from the hospital, where she remains in stable condition.

Click here to read the news release with early details of the investigation.

“When deputies arrived at this residence following up on a Crime Stoppers tip that Cheryl Williams was there with an active warrant, they gave her every opportunity to turn herself in. She made the choice to hide, and then to jump out while pointing a gun at them. Everyone in that house is a convicted felon with a criminal history, but all they had to do was cooperate, and this tragedy would never have occurred. Cheryl Williams would have been taken into custody peacefully, and would solely be facing her original failure to appear charge. Now she is responsible for the death of Deputy Lane, a young man who had his entire life ahead of him, eager to serve the people of Polk County while making a positive difference as a law enforcement officer.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

After a search of the residence that Williams shares with two others (4345 Foxtown South, Polk City), deputies found the following firearms openly displayed on a gun rack attached to the wall in the hallway:

  • A Marlin model 99M1 .22 caliber rifle with scope; one live round in the chamber and seven rounds in the magazine tube
  • A Connecticut Valley Arms, Inc. single-shot 12 gauge shotgun
  • A bolt-action 410 gauge shotgun; one live round in the chamber         

Deputies arrested the two convicted felons who live there, Donald Mathis, DOB 8/11/50 and Joseph Larry Albritton, Jr., DOB 9/18/67, for 3 counts possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (F3), 5 counts possession of ammunition by a convicted felon (F5), and Albritton was also charged with violation of probation.

Mathis was additionally charged with possession of meth (F3) and possession of paraphernalia (M1). Detectives found a small plastic baggie in his bedroom with a substance that tested positive for meth, along with three boxes of ammunition.

Mathis’ criminal history includes 13 felonies and 11 misdemeanors. He spent 1.5 years in state prison for cocaine possession. He’s had numerous arrests since 1991, on charges such as possession of cocaine with intent to sell, grand theft, battery, DUI, and petit theft. 

Albritton’s criminal history includes 8 felonies and 22 misdemeanors. Since 1986 he’s been arrested many times, charged with aggravated battery, battery domestic violence, resisting arrest, trespassing, DUI, possession of meth and marijuana, DWLSR, and tampering with a witness.

Possible Officer Involved Shooting In Winter Haven Tuesday

Carl Fish
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Possible Officer Involved Shooting In Winter Haven Tuesday

This morning (10/4/2022) at approximately 11:31 a.m., Winter Haven Officers responded to a disturbance call at 270 Kings Pond Ave., Winter Haven.


The first officer on scene arrived and was speaking with a witness across the street from the residence where the disturbance occurred, when two men from the disturbance residence came outside and starting shooting at each other.


From across the street, our officer turned to see the aggressors shooting towards each other. Due to the imminent danger to the public, our officer fired his weapon in the direction of the aggressors.


The two aggressors were injured and aide was given by our officers on scene. It is unknown at this time what injuries came from the aggressors shooting at each other or if there are any injuries resulting from our officer firing his weapon.


Our officer was not physically injured. The two aggressors were taken to the hospital and condition on either is unknown at this time.


This is very early in the investigation with limited information available. The Tenth Judicial Circuit Task Force, overseen by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, is handling the investigation.
We will send out additional information as it becomes available, however there will not be any further updates this evening.

Loretta Lynn, Country Music Star Dies at 90

Carl Fish
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Loretta Lynn, Country Music Star Dies at 90

NASHVILLE — Loretta Lynn, the country singer whose plucky songs and inspiring life story made her one of the most beloved American musical performers of her generation, died on Tuesday at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. She was 90.

Her family said in a statement that she died in her sleep at her ranch, which had turned Hurricane Mills, about 70 miles west of Nashville, into a tourist destination.

Complete article here: Loretta Lynn, Country Music Star and Symbol of Rural Resilience, Dies at 90

Polk County Sheriff’s Deputy Involved Shooting In Polk City

Carl Fish
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Polk County Sheriff’s Deputy Involved Shooting In Polk City

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the loss of 21-year-old Deputy Sheriff Blane Lane, who died in the line of duty on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, during a deputy-involved shooting.

This information is preliminary, based upon the investigation so far:

At 2:07 a.m. on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office received a Heartland Crime Stoppers tip that Cheryl Lynn Williams, DOB 5/30/76, who had an outstanding felony warrant for failure to appear on a possession of methamphetamine charge was at 4345 Foxtown South in Polk City. Williams has a criminal history that includes 11 felonies and four misdemeanors, and she spent 9 years in the Florida state prison system out of an 11-year sentence for trafficking in meth.

Sergeant Michael Brooks, and Deputies Johnny Holsonback III, Adam Pennell, and Blane Lane arrived at the scene, and at 3:08 a.m., they advised that shots were fired. Deputy Lane, 21 years old, was shot in the left arm, and the round entered his chest. As a result, he died at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center. 

The first witness at the trailer home told the deputies when they arrived at the front door that Williams was at the back door. The second witness who was at the back door told them, “She’s in here” and all of the deputies except Lane went inside. Lane took up a tactical position outside the trailer near the front side. Lane’s tactical position afforded him the view of the door and windows to ensure that he would see the suspect in the event she tried to flee. 

The deputies approached a “gaming” room and initially did not see anyone in the room. Williams then stepped into view armed with a silver handgun which she immediately pointed at them. Shots were fired and the suspect went down. Lane then reported that he had been shot in his arm. He was transported to LRHMC. Williams was also transported to a local hospital to be treated for multiple gunshot wounds. She is in stable condition.

Deputies interviewed the second witness after-the-fact, who told them that when Williams realized the deputies were there, she picked up the handgun and walked away from him. He told her, “You don’t want to do that,” and she replied, “Let them in.”

The handgun turned out to be a very realistic-looking BB gun. 

According to the early investigation, it appears that both Sergeant Brooks and Deputy Holsonback fired their agency-issued firearms. The round that struck Lane came from one of their firearms.

Deputy Sheriff Blane Lane was 21 years old and lived in Fort Meade. He entered the Polk State College KCTIPS dual law enforcement-detention academy in September 2020, graduated, and was hired as a Detention Deputy in May 2021. He became a Deputy Sheriff in January 2022, and was assigned to Northwest District Patrol. 

Cheryl Williams will be charged with felony second degree murder, among other charges, upon her release from the hospital. This investigation is ongoing.

PCSO will plan a line-of-duty death funeral with full law enforcement honors, and that information will be released at a later date. Please keep Deputy Lane’s family and our PCSO family in your prayers during this difficult time.

Voter Registration Deadline Quickly Approaching Polk County

Carl Fish
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Voter Registration Deadline Quickly Approaching Polk County

 

POLK COUNTY, FL (October 3, 2022) – Polk County residents who wish to register to vote in the November 8th General Election must do so by October 11th.

 

Voter registration forms may be completed online at PolkElections.gov or paper copies are available for pick up at many convenient locations throughout the county including City Halls, Libraries, and Chambers of Commerce. Registered voters are reminded to inform the Elections Office of any voter information changes before Election Day.

 

For more information, visit PolkElections.gov or call the Elections Office at (863) 534-5888.

Sample Ballot: 

For Your Precinct Sample Ballot: (click here)

For a Compilation Sample Ballot that includes all District races: (click here)

Men Charged With Shooting Another Man Multiple Times, Leaving Him To Die On The
Side Of The Road In Haines City

Carl Fish
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Men Charged With Shooting Another Man Multiple Times, Leaving Him To Die On The<br>Side Of The Road In Haines City

Polk County Sheriff’s Press Release

A man was fatally shot in unincorporated Haines City Saturday morning, September 24, 2022, and detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office have charged three men with his murder; the suspects and victim are all from Orange County.

All three suspects were arrested in Orlando and booked into the Orange County Jail, and are being charged with 1st Degree Murder (FC) and Tampering with Evidence (F3). They have been identified as:

° Felix Jomar Agosto Velazquez, 25, of Orlando 

° Joel Javier Ortega, 29, of Orlando

° Bryan Jose Colon Deleon, 26, of Orlando

“The victim was shot and left to die in a very rural part of the county. With very little information to start with, our homicide detectives were able to determine all three of his killers, and get them charged in about 24-hours. Our prayers go out to the victim’s family, and hopefully they’ll see justice carried out swiftly against these three murderers.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

Deputies were originally dispatched to the area of Lake Marion Creek Road and Midway Road at around 12:35 a.m. Saturday morning, in regards to a man stumbling on the road, covered in blood.

The 26-year old man was found by deputies, lying next to the road, with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he died a few hours later.

Several shell casings were recovered at the scene and detectives began looking for a black Mercedes that was reported to have been in the area.

The Mercedes was soon identified, and that lead to the identification of Felix Jomar Agosto Velazquez. 

Felix, Joel Javier Ortega, and Bryan Jose Colon Deleon were said to have been friends of the victim, and had spent a lot of time together in recent days. The three suspects were together at the time Orange County deputies took them into custody.

PCSO detectives searched a storage unit belonging to Felix and discovered that he visited there less than seven hours after the shooting. Detectives found ammunition in the storage unit that matched the ammunition found at the crime scene, and also found firearms which were capable of firing that type of ammunition.

During interviews with the detectives, each suspect confirmed they were together with the victim in the black Mercedes Benz, and near the area where the shooting occurred, but they refused to provide additional information.

Sunday Evening Crash In Winter Haven Kills 31 Yr Old Woman

Carl Fish
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Sunday Evening Crash In Winter Haven Kills 31 Yr Old Woman

Sunday evening crash in Winter Haven kills one driver and injures another

A two vehicle crash Sunday night, October 2, 2022, in an unincorporated area of Winter Haven resulted in the death of one driver, and non-life-threatening injuries to the other. 

Deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and crews from Polk County Fire Rescue were dispatched at about 11:36 p.m. to State Road 540, just east of the intersection with Spirit Lake Road in Winter Haven.

Upon arrival, they found 31-year old Tiffany Flannagan of Winter Haven, deceased. The other driver, 21-year old Matthew Hjort, Jr., also of Winter Haven, suffered a broken leg and was transported to a local hospital. 

Ms. Flannagan was the driver of a black 2019 Chevy Malibu, and Mr. Hjort was the driver of a black 2014 Honda Civic.

Based on evidence and statements taken at the scene, it was determined that Ms. Flannagan had been driving westbound on SR 540 at a high rate of speed when her Chevy crossed over the grassy median and collided with Mr. Hjort’s Honda which was travelling east.

Ms. Flannagan’s Chevy caught on fire following impact, but witnesses at the scene were able to extinguish it quickly.

A portion of SR 540 was closed for approximately three hours.

The crash remains under investigation.

22 Yr Old Lake Wales Man Killed In Crash

Carl Fish
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22 Yr Old Lake Wales Man Killed In Crash

PSCO Traffic deputies are investigating a fatality that occurred in Lake Wales this morning. Around 6:00 a.m. on October 1, 2022, the PCSO Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a single vehicle crash on Old Bartow Lake Wales Road. When first responders arrived on-scene they found the passenger of a truck deceased and the driver with injuries.

According to the evidence at the scene and interviews, a white 1996 Ford F-150 being driven by 70-year-old Hosie Session, Jr. of Lake Wales was traveling west on Old Bartow Lake Wales Road when it struck a downed tree that was in the westbound lane of the roadway, ultimately causing severe damage and intrusion on the passenger side of the truck. Evidence at the scene indicates there was no braking or swerving to avoid impact prior to the collision. No airbags deployed, and neither occupant appear to have been seat belted.

Session did not appear impaired and was transported to a local hospital – he should make a full recovery from his injuries. His passenger, 22-year-old Tyler Watson of Lake Wales, was declared deceased at the scene.

It was dark at the time of the crash, and no artificial lighting is in the area. The speed limit is 45 MPH where the crash occurred.

It was learned from local residents that branches were reported in the roadway earlier, which were removed. Very recently, the remainder of the tree became uprooted and fell into the roadway.

Members of the PCSO Agricultural Unit responded and removed the tree from the roadway.

A portion of Old Bartow Lake Wales Road was closed during the investigation for approximately 4 hours.

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