When we want to feel healthier, we often seek a physician. While that may be a wise decision, we often focus solely on our physical health while neglecting the other aspects of our being.
Ayan Wellness in Lakeland not only your physical health, but also your emotional, mental, and spiritual health with an “exceptional range of services” administered through a holistic approach.
“In addition to their focus on integrative medicine,” their website states, “the Ayan Wellness team uses functional medicine principles that identify and address everything in each patient’s life that could affect their health, from diet to environment. Patients benefit from more effective treatments and enjoy superior outcomes under the Ayan Wellness team’s care.”
Whether you are seeking to break an addiction, rejuvenate and exfoliate your skin, or treat any array of conditions, Ayan Wellness provides safe, practical, and reliable evidence-based treatments that will leave you feeling well in your mind, body, and soul.
“The practice offers the best diabetic medication program available, as well as innovative treatments like IV therapy for cancer and ketamine for treatment-resistant depression,” their website states. “Patients with aesthetic needs can take advantage of treatments such as Botox® and Juvéderm® dermal filler injections, laser hair removal, and body contouring with CoolSculpting® technology.”
Ayan Wellness Center celebrated its grand opening on Thursday with a ribbon cutting hosted by the Greater Lakeland Chamber of Commerce.
Ajay Desai owes his success thus far to his co-owner and teammates, all of whom did an excellent job helping him set up their facility.
“These guys are the real dream team,” Desai said. “They have been literally working day and night for the last two months to get this place where it is today.”
The word “Ayan” means “gift from God.” Desai chose that word for his facility’s name because he felt he was doing God’s work by providing his patients with holistic care.
“It reflects our belief that our patients’ health and wellness is a gift,” he said. “Our job and mission is to preserve that to honor that as long as possible, and we intend to do that by helping our patients look feel and think better than they ever had before and doing so with a quality of life, and we are proud to do that for many years to come in this community.”
Mike Musick, City Commissioner, appreciated the service Ayan Wellness has to offer his community by helping its residents seek better health for their minds, bodies, and souls.
“I already set up an appointment,” he said. “I am not only a commissioner, but my wife will be a client here. So we wish you lots of luck…It is excellent, and you cannot help but be successful.”
Par Sahota, a chamber member, likewise commended the new facility and wished them the best of luck: “[We are] looking forward to a ton of success and making this community even better and healthier. So, thank you again.”
Ayan Wellness is located at 1046 Florida Ave S, Lakeland, FL 33803. For more information, call 863-269-2229, or visit their website at https://www.ayanwellness.com.
Are you ready? While a four and five-day forecast can have significant errors, and the model track will probably shift, use the weekend to have your family prepared should we have a weather event next week. Polk County Emergency Management will be continually monitoring the tropics and will advise of changes, if necessary.
Lake Placid man arrested with enough fentanyl to kill more than 25,000 people
LAKE PLACID — One of Highlands County’s most prolific drug dealers is behind bars after a huge stash of drugs — including enough fentanyl to kill more than 25,000 people — was located in his Lake Placid home on Tuesday, Sept. 20.
Ezzard Charles Dixon, 47, was arrested at his home at 120 Abel Rd. NW in Lake Placid following the execution of a search warrant conducted by members of the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office Crime Suppression Unit with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
Detectives learned earlier this summer that Dixon was selling drugs, including fentanyl, from his home. Due to the fact the amount of fentanyl-related overdoses are increasing in the county as well as around the country, detectives worked quickly to develop the case to get probable cause to execute the search warrant and make an arrest.
During the search, two ounces of fentanyl powder (enough to kill 25,000 people) as well as 800 pressed fentanyl pills were discovered in the home. The potency of the pills will be determined by the FDLE lab, so it will be some time before it is known exactly how deadly Dixon’s stash of the dangerous narcotic could be.
The search also turned up over five ounces of cocaine, over one ounce of methamphetamine, seven grams of oxycodone pills, over three pounds of marijuana, five loaded firearms and $2,980 in cash.
Dixon was charged with:
● Trafficking cocaine (28 grams less than 150 kilograms).
● Trafficking fentanyl (more than 4 grams)
● Trafficking methamphetamine (more than 28 grams)
● Trafficking Oxycodone (more than 7 grams)
● Possession of Drug paraphernalia with the intent to distribute
● Owning or renting a structure for the purpose to traffic narcotics
● Committing a first degree felony with weapon (armed drug trafficking)
● Possession of firearm by a convicted felon.
Dixon has already served time for drug dealing. He was sentenced to 12.5 years in federal prison in 2003 for dealing cocaine. He was released from prison and placed on probation in 2012 and completed his probation in 2020.
“This man was literally selling death and needs to spend the rest of his life in prison,” Sheriff Paul Blackman said. “I am so proud of the work done on this case by the Crime Suppression Unit and the work of all the others who took part in this investigation. Their efforts have put one of the county’s major drug dealers in jail where he belongs and likely saved many lives.”
Time to get into the Fall spirit! Polk County Parks and Recreation’s Senior Fall Social is a free event for those 55+ years to enjoy an afternoon of fun activities. The event will be held at the Wabash Community Center on Saturday, September 24 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The event will feature yard and group games, healthy cooking demonstrations, letters to veterans, free lunch (first come, first serve) and more…! Event Page: https://fb.me/e/3zH6bPK0M
For more information, please call the Wabash Community Center (863) 284-4223
Welcome, World Travelers! Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is a Cosmic Blast!
by James Coulter
I would say Guardians of the Galaxy is my favorite Marvel movie of all time, but that would be a lie. Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 is my number one favorite, while the original movie is my fourth favorite. (For the record, Avengers: Infinity War and Thor: Ragnarok are my second and third favorites, respectively.)
So, when a Guardians ride was announced in 2017, I was pumped. Finally, we would have an official Marvel attraction at Disney World and an actual roller coaster at Epcot. (Test Tracktechnically doesn’t count.) And it was going to be based on my favorite Marvel franchise? Needless to say, I was hooked! (You could say—hooked on a feeling! Ba da da daa!)
Finally, this May—five years and one global pandemic later—Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind made its grand debut, just in time to celebrate both Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary and Epcot Center’s 40th anniversary.
And—I couldn’t ride it. Not yet!
The attraction opened on Memorial Day weekend, right before the annual passholder summer cut-off dates. There was a special annual passholder sneak preview hosted earlier that month, but while I qualified, I did not make the cut. I had requested media credentials for its press preview, but, again, I did not make the cut.
Three months passed, and my folks and I went on vacation to Walt Disney World. I made a park reservation for Epcot Center, but with the expectation that I most likely would not ride Cosmic Rewind. I either had to reserve a spot on the Virtual Queue (which, if you’ve read my review of the system, I am not a big fan of) or purchase a Lightning Lane pass for $15 (which, if you’ve read my review, I’m also not a big fan of). As a last resort, if I could not acquire either, I was prepared to march down to Guest Services, show my press pass, and request clearance to ride it. (Something I was fully expecting would not happen).
The day of my Epcot trip, at approximately 1:50 p.m., I sat in the Connections Café, drink in one hand, cell phone resting on the table, my free finger impatiently hovering over its screen. I opened the My Disney Experience app, opened the Virtual Queue for Cosmic Rewind, and, five minutes before 2 p.m., repeatedly pushed the refresh button, waiting for 2 p.m. to arrive and the “board” option to appear. 2 p.m. finally arrived, the “refresh” button switched to “board”, I pressed the button, and—I received a boarding pass!
Maybe it was pure luck. Maybe it was because I recently purchased a newer, faster phone model. But I finally had a chance to ride the ride I most wanted to ride of all time! Granted, I had to wait three hours until my boarding group was called, but once it was called, I ran and skipped to the attraction queue with the song, “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket!” playing in my head.
I used the restroom one last time. I checked in for the Virtual Queue. I went online and waited. I watched the pre-shows. I went to the boarding station. I strapped myself into the ride vehicle and placed my belongings at my feet. I rode the ride, and—
It. Was. AWESOME!
The conceit behind the attraction is that Xandar has opened an official exhibit at Epcot Center showcasing the planet and educating the public about its history, culture, and geography. They even set up a special teleportation area to transport guests to their spaceship currently in orbit. There, they reveal the Cosmic Generator, which provides power to the ship and the facility on earth. Unfortunately, the generator is seized by a giant Celestial, who wishes to pass judgment on Earth by going back to “the very beginning.” Fortunately, the Guardians are at hand to save the day, and everyone else has a chance to go along for the ride.
The best way for me to describe the ride is that it’s essentially Space Mountain combined with the thrills of Rock n Roller Coaster and with the same level of immersion as Flight of Passage. Honestly, comparing it to those two roller coasters is the best point of comparison. It’s much more thrilling than Space Mountain, but it lacks the intense speed and inversions of Rock n’ Roller Coaster. Essentially, it’s a greater thrill ride than the former, but not as exhilarating as the latter. Overall, it’s a happy medium between the two.
The attraction’s greatest selling point is its overall innovation. The entire attraction utilizes state-of-the-art projection screens that play scenes that synchronize with the ride. The ride vehicles are like Omnimovers in that they rotate to position guests towards the action playing out before them. One moment, you’re flying forward; the next, your vehicle rotates backward and launches you at high speed; and then it rotates you a full 360 as you swivel and swirl through the boundless recesses of space, occasionally hopping through wormholes to warp to different places and even time. The overall experience is truly unique and unlike any other at the Disney Parks, and a real pinnacle of Disney Imagineering.
Of course, what would anything Guardians-related be without an “awesome mix tape” soundtrack. The coaster launches riders with one of six different pop songs. The song I rode along to was “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” by Tears for Fears. I felt with was rather fitting, as it was literally about somebody wanting to destroy the world. Other songs include “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire, “Disco Inferno” by The Trammps, “Conga” by Gloria Estefan, “I Ran” by A Flock of Seagulls, and “One Way or Another” by Blondie.
Does the ride have any downsides? A few. First, like most modern attractions, Cosmic Rewind overutilizes screens. Most of the Guardians of the Galaxy characters “interact” with guests through screens and projections. Despite early concept art for the queue, which hinted at an animatronic Groot and Rocket Racoon, there are no animatronics. Say what you want about Mission: Breakout in Disney’s California Adventure: it may be an overlay for Tower of Terror, but at least it has an animatronic Rocket.
Also, the placement in Epcot Center seems tonally inconsistent with the park. Epcot Center, specifically Future World, was designed to showcase scientific and technological innovation. This ride, on the other hand, showcases the MCU. True, the ride queue has the look and feel of an Epcot attraction with its emphasis on education (about a fictional planet). And Peter Quill does mention in a video interview that he visited Epcot as a child and expressed his desire to visit Epcot attractions that no longer exist.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment is the ride’s location. The entire queue is housed within the former ride building for Universe of Energy. While the attraction upon its closing was slightly dated, as it starred a young Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye the Science Guy, its overall theme about energy and environmentalism (while also slightly dated) remained relevant, especially during a time of an escalating energy crisis and global warming. That such a ride was replaced by a comic book attraction seems nearly tone-deaf.
But minor nitpicks and gripes aside, I would be lying if I said I hated this attraction. It’s a thrill ride based on my favorite Marvel franchise. What’s not to love? My only disappointment is that the virtual queue will remain in effect for it until further notice—and with the Tron: Light Cycle coaster postponed until next spring, it may be around for much longer. Otherwise, it truly is a ride that’s out of this world!
Have you ridden Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? If so, what do you love most about it? Leave your comments on Facebook.
Tips on How to Work Hard And Save Money Starting At A Young Age
By Allison Williams
Photos provided by Joe Garrison
Joe Garrison is a local Polk County resident who is involved within the community and works hard to make sure his children and others’ are successful from a young age. He is the owner of Garrison Companies, a member of the Dundee Citrus Growers Association, elected official for the Polk Water Soil & Water Conservation District, former city commissioner and mayor of Dundee, and was a member of the Dundee Fire Department for over 34 years, with the last 14 years as the assistant chief.
A recent experience reminded Garrison of the importance of teaching children the value of hard work and saving.
“I was at Publix the other day and I gave the young cashier a $100 bill,” Garrison said. “The ticket was only like 30 something dollars, and I asked the young cashier to break my $100. Her response was, ‘I wish I had that problem.’”
He continued his conversation with the young woman and asked her if she knows what it takes to be successful with money. She immediately asked how.
“I said if you have a dollar that you earn, you rip it in half and you save 50 cents, you put that money aside, and you don’t touch it for anything,” Garrison said. He continued, “You live off of your fifty cents, and once you get used to it, your savings will slowly grow and then you’ll get to the point where you’re greedy, and you don’t even want to touch your savings and then you can let your money grow and you can make some good investments.”
This young woman was trying to earn money and save up before heading to college. This reminded Garrison of his own children because he has taught them the same thing.
“You know, it’s always important to save and work to learn the values, and see how that dollar is actually earned to begin with. When you do this, it’s appreciated more and plus, not only do you learn or just go to work, you learn valuable skills. Like for my kids, you know, they learned a lot of skills out here in the groves and on the tractors and with my chicken coops and everything. I do property management, and they have learned all of the skills. With that being said, every parent is different and every parent has a profession (hopefully) and then kids should get involved and learn as much as they can, you know, on the outside world as possible. Then they become grown and have some type of experience already.”
Garrison stresses the importance of giving kids the options of what they truly want to do and become after high school. Not every person wants to go to college and that is ok. He believes it is important for children to be educated and taught that there are other options too. Trade schools are great tools in a place like Polk County as well.
“AC people, plumbers, mechanics, handyman services, etc,” Garrison said. “I have my property services business and we manage all these homeowners associations. We pay 1000s and 1000s of dollars to subcontractors every year and they make good money. So where if college is not your cup of tea, get into the trade school. But whatever they get into they need to love what they do. Right?”
Garrison believes people should take their time, figure things out and make sure they love what they do. He said, “The sad part is there are so many job openings, but there are not enough people out there qualified to do them. There is so much money period to be made. “Being honest, hard work, coming in on time, you can make it. The old saying ‘You are who you hang with’ is so true. If you hang with positive, successful people, most likely you are going to be successful and if you don’t you are going to be the product of who you hang with.”
Garrison’s oldest son Joseph is an EMT/EMS in paramedic school, his daughter Danielle has just started her freshman year at college and his youngest son Jake is a sophomore in high school and looking toward an engineering career. They are all at different stages in their lives, and though Garrison says who knows where they’ll end up, they will have the tools to be successful in whatever they choose to do because of learning these tools at a young age growing up.
“I’m proud of all my kids for being successful, but it takes a lot of hard work to parent them. It takes both mom and dad to be there every step of the way and teach your kids, train your kids and tell them the importance of the real world. Give them real world experiences. You gotta be there to give them the opportunity to be successful.”
At AdventHealth, we are committed to using the latest, leading-edge technological advancements in breast care to provide you with the best possible results.
3D mammography (also called digital breast tomosynthesis or DBT) is the newest FDA-approved advancement to detect breast cancer early when it is most treatable. A 3D mammogram allows your radiologist to see your breast tissue details more clearly, allowing breast cancer to be detected that would otherwise be hidden by overlying breast tissue.
In a 3D mammogram, multiple thin-section images allow your radiologist to assess your breast tissue layer by layer. During the exam, the X-ray arm moves in a small arc over your breast and acquires several low-dose images, which are reconstructed into a 3D image.
The American Society of Breast Surgeons recommends that all women over the age of 40 have an annual 3D mammography breast screening. Women with a higher-than-average risk of breast cancer should have yearly screenings starting at age 35.
Nationally Recognized Breast Care in Polk County
Beyond your annual mammogram, AdventHealth can meet all your breast care needs.
AdventHealth Heart of Florida is an accredited breast center from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS).
NAPBC-accredited centers demonstrate excellence in program leadership, clinical services, research, community outreach, professional education, and quality improvement. Patients receiving care at an NAPBC-accredited center have access to information on clinical trials and new treatments, genetic counseling and patient-centered services including care navigation.
At AdventHealth Heart of Florida, patients have access to:
• Comprehensive care, including a full range of state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment services
• A multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate the best treatment options
• Information about clinical trials and new treatments
John Phillips brings with him more than 25 years of experience in retail business and law enforcement. As an officer and a businessman, he knows that now is the most opportune time for people to buy firearms to keep themselves safe during these uncertain times.
His new store, Wild Wild West Arms, sells a diverse selection of weapons, lenses, holsters, and other accessories. They sell firearms including handguns, long guns, and even AR and AK rifles. Any firearm you are looking for, Wild Wild West Arms most likely has in stock.
“This right now is what our current stock that we have, it is 20 to 30 percent,” he explained. “We expect to double if not triple our inventory, and we also are expanding into an indoor gun range this next year, and a virtual range as well.”
Wild Wild West Arms celebrated its grand opening on Saturday. Hundreds of potential customers flocked to the store to see what it had in stock. Also in attendance for the occasion was a local radio station, a food truck, and In-Guage of Polk County.
Phillips purchased the property a year ago and has spent that time converting the store space into a gun shop. They hope to eventually expand into a gun range and a virtual gun range.
“We are very successful today,” he said. “We are doing well, pushing for over 100 firearms.”
I have to thank my wife, Yashera Phillips, “she has put in a ton of work here” said Phillips.
One customer arrived with their six children to check out the new store and purchase a new firearm. She had been a gun owner for two years, but she had never used a gun until taking a class. She was quite impressed by the selection and the overall friendliness and knowledge of the staff.
“I wanted to learn more about firearms and safety and be able to understand my rights so I can protect my children in a time of need,” she said. “I would recommend [this store] to many people. They have fair prices, [and] they are very well stocked and friendly.”
Robert Dummett, chief training officer and executive director at In-Gauge of Polk County, attended the event to promote his gun safety and training classes. His organization previously hosted a class at the store, and he hopes to host even more with firearm training and gun safety.
Dummett most appreciates the customer service. As someone who has known Phillips, Dummett knows that he and his staff are good people at a good location who will help customers meet their needs.
“They have great customer service and great personality,” he said. “They have a great inventory and if they don’t have it they will make efforts to get it in for the customer.”
Wild, Wild West Arms is located at 29350 US-27, Dundee, FL 33838. For more information, visit their website at https://wild-wild-west-arms.company.site.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit is investigating a two-vehicle fatal crash that occurred this morning, Saturday, September 17, 2022 in unincorporated Lakeland.
At around 6:30 a.m., PCSO deputies and members of Polk County Fire Rescue responded to the scene of the crash near 12656 U.S. 98 North. This area of U.S. 98 is a two-lane road.
According to evidence and witnesses at the scene, 49-year-old Giovany Reyes of Lakeland was backing a black 2005 International semi-truck and tanker trailer into a residential driveway on U.S. 98 North. The truck and trailer’s lighting was activated and other motorists in the area yielded to the semi-truck and trailer.
83-year-old James Simpson of Havana, Florida was driving a white 2002 Chevrolet 1500 south on U.S. 98. At the same time, Mr. Reyes was maneuvering the semi-truck and tanker into the driveway, and when the front of the tanker and rear of the semi reached the west shoulder of U.S. 98, the roof of Mr. Simpson’s truck collided with the tanker.
Mr. Reyes was uninjured.
Mr. Simpson was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.
Witness told detectives that Mr. Simpson was not speeding and did not slow down nor attempt to avoid crashing into the semi-truck and tanker. Impairment is not suspected as a cause. The roadway was closed in the area of the crash for about three hours during the investigation, which remains on-going.
Lake Wales, Florida – A couple of years ago while many industries in the world hunkered down due to the Covid 19 pandemic, others were listed as “Essential”! One of those essential industries that worked even harder was trucking. Local Lake Wales company, Oakley Transport, was one of those companies that worked harder and even thrived. The company has more than a dozen locations in states like FL, GA, PA, IA, IL, AR, KY, TX and OH. The company basically hauls everything.
They have a division that operates sanitary tanks and DOT-407 food-grade tankers equipped with in-transit heat systems and stainless-steel pumps. This allows the company to transport alcohols, editable oils, liquid sweetener, juices, corn syrup and water.
They have a dry van/reefer division that hauls various products, both perishable and non-perishable foods, dry goods, and other temperature-sensitive loads.
Their dry bulk division has a fleet of dry bulk pneumatic trailers serving customer’s needs with granular food grade products, such as dry sugars and flour.
They also have a groves division hauling citrus and sugar cane, which is the backbone of the company. Oakley Transport is the largest citrus hauler in Florida.
Oakley Transports Super Heroes Don’t Wear Capes! They Drive Semi Trucks!
The company credits it success to it’s drivers. “Our drivers are the face of our company”, said a company spokeswoman today. This year like every year the company honors its drivers on “National Truck Driver Appreciation Week”. The week has been filled with food and fun for all the staff, but particularly the drivers. Catered breakfast and lunch has been provided every day this week. Gift certificates and prizes have also been given away to them. Just having fun has been part of week also. Some employees even dressed up as super heroes.
A favorite for everyone is the dunk tank they rolled out here in the Lake Wales corporate office. Employees donate money to throw balls trying to dunk supervisors and frankly anyone that is foolish enough to jump into the tank! And if you don’t happen to hit the target, well just go smash it! They will go down eventually one way or another.
Going Down
The funds raised this year are going to the Wounded Warriors Project. With the final tally being matched by Mr. Oakley! The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) began in 2003 as a small, grassroots effort providing simple care and comfort items to the hospital bedsides of the first wounded service members returning home from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. As their post-service needs evolved, so have their programs and services. Today, through their direct programs in mental health, career counseling, and long-term rehabilitative care, along with their advocacy efforts, they improve the lives of millions of warriors and their families.
Oakley Transport is very proud to have a large group of former military service men & woman. As on a cue during Daily Ridges visit the dunkee in the tank was a marine! Semper Fi!
The employees of Oakley Transport are extremely proud of their company and really appreciate the more than 700 drivers working for them! It certainly has been a fun filled week!
