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During Tumultuous Times & The #FIXPOLKFIRE Staff Movement Polk County Fire Rescue Chief Appears To Be Leaving

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Polk County, Florida – The Polk County Fire Rescue Department already in the midst of a severe shortage of staff may be looking for a new chief! The Daily Ridge was made aware that PCFR Chief Robert Weech was seeking the position of fire chief for the City of Lighthouse Point Florida. The city board will vote on a resolution tonight on whether to hire Chief Weech.

The Daily Ridge reached out to the county for comment as no public statements have been released at this time. According to Polk County Communication Director, Mianna Nelson, the county is aware of Chief Weech seeking the position, but have no formal resignation at this time.

Both Chief Robert Weech & Deputy County Manager Joe Halman, Jr have presided over what is becoming a crisis for the professionals in the Polk County Fire Rescue. Staff is is being over taxed. While they are not alone due to the pandemic, they have problems that go way deeper than the pandemic. It’s well documented how the department treated a long standing fire fighter just because he wanted to work for a volunteer agency. The story of Jerry Riner is well known by many, but many other situations occurred that fire rescue professionals just simply quit or gave up on doing what they loved by volunteering. Morale among the staff appears to be very low.

While the county continues to grow in population and housing the fire rescue staff is having difficulty keep up. In an article from last year the Lakeland Ledger described the staffing standard and issues

In an article from WFLA in January of this year describes the change in mandatory overtime from 48-72 hours . In that article “They have to get the scheduling under control because you’re not going to have much of a department over the next couple years,” said Dionte Brown, who lives in Winter Haven.

Here are a few recent posts to Polk County Professional Firefighters – IAFF Local 3531 social media page:

“Did you know the current state of Polk Fire staffing?? For too long the men and women of PCFR have been bearing the burden of staffing shortages that the County has failed to provide any actual resolution to.

Todays staffing 6/25/22:
18 – Members working Mandatory Overtime
5 – Engines with 2 personnel instead of 3 personnel
1 – Engine COMPLETELY out of service
1 – Advanced life support engine without a state certified Paramedic on board

Please help us spread the word. This is unacceptable and is a disservice to the hard working tax payers of Polk County

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“Today’s staffing 6/26/2022:
22 – Members working Mandatory Overtime”

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“Todays staffing 6/27/22:
24 – Members working Mandatory Overtime
3 – Engines with 2 personnel instead of 3 personnel

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“Did you know that so far this year, the men and women of PCFR have worked a combined total of 87,843 HOURS OF MANDATORY OVERTIME?? Current as of 6/27/22”

As one fire rescue person told the Daily Ridge “They need to do better”

Welcome, World Travelers! Do Not Watch Lightyear. It’s Boring! 

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Welcome, World Travelers! Do Not Watch Lightyear. It’s Boring!

by James Coulter

What’s the worst type of movie to talk about? Surprisingly, it’s not bad movies. At least you can discuss why bad movies are bad. Sometimes, they’re so bad they’re good, and you can ridicule how absurdly bad they are. No. The worst type of movies are mediocre movies. Those movies are neither good or bad. They have absolutley nothing to say about them because nothing significant happens in them. That’s why they are the worst!

Lightyear is a mediocre movie. It is neither good nor bad. Rather, it is bland, uninspiring, and forgettable. As I write this review, it has been less than an hour since I watched the film in theaters, and I am struggling to recall anything specific about it to discuss. I am currently restraining myself from typing out the sentence, “Lightyear is boring, don’t see it!” over and over again like Jack Nicholson’s character in The Shining. That’s how unremarkable this movie is.

Remember in the Toy Story movies how Buzz Lightyear was a toy based off of a space ranger character whose mission was to help Star Command defend the Galactic Alliance from the Evil Emperor Zurg? This movie is not about that character. Rather, it is a re-imagining of him. That’s fine. Problem is, this movie sells itself as being the film that Toy Story‘s Buzz Lightyear was based upon. It even says at the very beginning that Andy watched this movie back in 1995.

That’s a lie! The Buzz Lightyear character in this movie acts nothing like the toy from the Toy Story film. Lightyear looks like nothing that would have been shown in 1995. Even ignoring the enhanced computer graphics, the tone feels very much like a contemporary movie. These are two different versions of Buzz Lightyear. They are nothing alike. Which is fine. But the movie should not have marketed itself as being the one that Buzz Lightyear was based upon.

In this movie, Lightyear and his partner crash land on a remote planet. They and their team now have to mine the planet’s resources and create fuel for their ship. Buzz tries to test the fuel with a smaller ship but fails every time. Worse, because he is traveling at near light speed, time slows down for him so that four years pass when he returns to the planet. After several failed test flights, nearly 50 years have passed and his partner has passed away. Now he must work with her granddaughter and a rag tag team to complete their mission. Oh, and Zurg is also there!

This movie is boring. I have not much to say about it. The humor is unfunny. Every attempt at a joke falls flat. (The closest thing to a “funny” joke is a conversation about a sandwich made with bread between two slices of meat. Even that’s stretching the concept of a “joke”!) The action scenes carry no emotional weight. The characters other than Buzz Lightyear are bland archetypes with stock personalities. Even Buzz himself is lifeless and boring. Gone is the charismatic space ranger with an over-the-top personality. Instead, we have a bland cardboard cutout of a copy that feels more lifeless than an actual plastic toy.

The only thing spectacular or noteworthy about the movie is the third act twist, which is so absurdly dumb that, even though I don’t care about spoiling this mediocre mess of a movie, I don’t want to bother explaining. Let’s just say that Emperor Zurg turns out to be a surprise twist villian and, well, Buzz has met the enemy and it is him. (It’s as dumb as you think it is!)

As I write this review, Lightyear has been in theaters for one week, and it has flopped hard at the box office. Some people are blaming the movie’s poor performance allegedly on Disney’s “woke” agenda. Some say it’s because there’s a same-sex couple who share an on-screen kiss together. Others say it’s because Buzz’s original voice actor, Tim Allen, was replaced because of his “conservative” political views. No. This movie did not fail because it’s pushing a “gay” agenda, nor because Tim Allen was “cancelled” (despite getting his own made-for-streaming series on Disney Plus). No. This movie is bad because it is boring!

In short, do not watch this movie. Do not watch it in theaters. The only people who will like it are little kids who love Toy Story and who will be easily distracted by its wacky “shenanigans” and bright, flashing lights. Even then, do not take them to the theaters to watch this. Wait until it releases on Disney Plus or it becomes available to rent on DVD. If you must visit the cinema, watch a matinee showing. This movie is not worth the full price of admission. Needless to say, it does not go to infinity and beyond!

Citizens Help Polk County Sheriff’s Office Identify Lakeland Bank Robbery Suspect Which Lead To His Capture

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Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested registered career offender 39-year-old Jason Cherry of Lakeland for Robbery with a Mask (F1) today, Monday, June 27, 2022. He robbed the SouthState bank (4719 S, Florida Ave.) in Lakeland last Friday. Cherry is also being charged with previously robbing a bank in the city of Lakeland by the Lakeland Police Department.

On Friday, June 24, at around 10:40 a.m., a man entered SouthState bank and passed a note to one of the tellers demanding money. He told the teller he was armed. The suspect then took the money and fled the bank in a gray Honda Accord. No bank employees were injured and there were no customers in the bank at the time.

PCSO posted the robbery on social mediaand asked the community’s help to identify the robber. After seeing the PCSO social media post, a citizen contacted the agency with information about the suspect’s identity. Using this new information, detectives identified the robber as Jason Cherry and obtained a warrant for his arrest. 

Cherry was arrested this morning, Monday, June 27, at the Tiger Villa Motel (600 New Tampa Highway) in Lakeland. Detectives also located the gray Honda Accord Cherry used following the robbery. 

“I am grateful to the citizen who saw something and said something. Because of your willingness to act and the fast work of our detectives, this convicted felon is off the streets. Thankfully no one was hurt, and he will now answer for his crime. Given his criminal history, let’s hope he spends plenty of time in Florida State Prison—enough is enough.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

Cherry is currently being held in the Polk County Jail without bond. His prior criminal history includes 21 felonies and 10 misdemeanors for robbery, armed burglary, burglary, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, grand theft of a firearm, aggravated battery with a weapon, aggravated battery of a police officer, aggravated battery of detention staff, child abuse, grand theft, vehicle theft, battery, possession of marijuana, petit theft, and violation of probation. He has twice been incarcerated in state prison.

This investigation is on-going and additional charges are likely.

Cherry has additionally been charged by the Lakeland Police Department for Robbery with a Weapon (F1) and Written Threats to Kill (F2). Please direct inquires about those charges to the Lakeland Police Department.

Wrong Way Driver Charged With Vehicular Homicide In S.R. 60 Crash

Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies charged 39-year-old Mark Anthony Poe of Frostproof for vehicular homicide (F2) yesterday, Sunday, June 26, 2022 after he caused a crash on S.R. 60 East at Stokes Road in Lake Wales that resulted in the death of a 27-year-old Lake Wales woman.

 

According to the investigation so far, at around 3:20 a.m.Poe was driving a white 2009 Chevrolet Silverado in the wrong lane—west in the eastbound lanes on S.R. 60 just east of the intersection of Stokes Road. There were three passengers in Poe’s truck. At the same time, the victim was driving a white 2017 Volkswagen Jetta east in the eastbound lanes of S.R. 60 when her vehicle was struck head-on by Poe’s truck.

 

The driver of the Volkswagen died at the scene. 

 

The passengers in Poe’s vehicle were transported to a local hospital where they were treated and released.

 

Deputies identified Poe as the driver—he had bloodshot eyes and his speech was slurred. Additionally, deputies smelled an odor of alcohol in the Silverado and found an open beer bottle on the rear floorboard. Also located was an open bottle of Jack Daniels Fire Whiskey on the grass median just north of the Silverado. Poe was taken to a local hospital where he is being treated for his injuries. Once released he will be transported to the Polk County Jail.

 

This investigation is on-going and additional criminal charges are likely.

 

The roadway was closed for approximately four hours in the area of the crash.

FHP Reporting 31 Yr Old Bicyclist Killed In Auburndale Early Sunday

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Auburndale, Florida – The Florida Highway Patrol is reporting that a 31 Yr old Orlando man was struck and killed while riding a bike in Auburndale. The accident appears to have occurred around 7:09am. According to reports a sedan was traveling southbound on SR-559, North of Sunset Lane, and collided with a bicyclist also traveling southbound on SR-559. The bicyclist suffered fatal injuries at the scene of the crash.Florida Highway patrol does not release the name of accident victims due to Marsy’s Law.

Supreme Court Overturn’s ROE V. Wade

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From NPR

The U.S. Supreme Court officially reversed Roe v. Wade on Friday, declaring that the constitutional right to abortion upheld for nearly a half century, no longer exists.

Writing for the court majority, Justice Samuel Alito said that the 1973 Roe ruling and repeated subsequent high court decisions reaffirming Roe “must be overruled” because they were “egregiously wrong,” the arguments “exceptionally weak” and so “damaging” that they amounted to “an abuse of judicial authority.”

The decision, most of which was leaked in early May, means that abortion rights will be rolled back in nearly half of the states immediately, with more restrictions likely to follow. For all practical purposes, abortion will not be available in large swaths of the country. The decision may well mean too that the court itself, as well as the abortion question, will become a focal point in the upcoming fall elections and in the fall and thereafter. For the rest of the article click here: Supreme Court Overturn’s Roe V Wade

According to an article by Guttmacher Institute :

26 States Are Certain or Likely to Ban Abortion Without Roe: Here’s Which Ones and Why

States Certain to Ban Abortion

If Roe were overturned or fundamentally weakened, 22 states have laws or constitutional amendments already in place that would make them certain to attempt to ban abortion as quickly as possible. Anti-abortion policymakers in several of these states have also indicated that they will introduce legislation modeled after the Texas six-week abortion ban.

By the time the Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the Mississippi case, there will be nine states in this group with an abortion ban still on the books from before Roe v. Wade, 13 states with a trigger ban tied to Roe being overturned, five states with a near-total abortion ban enacted after Roe, 11 states with a six-week ban that is not in effect and one state (Texas) with a six-week ban that is in effect, one state with an eight-week ban that is not in effect and four states whose constitutions specifically bar a right to abortion. Some states have multiple types of bans in place.
 

Pre-Roe ban: Law enacted before 1973 and never removed

“Trigger” ban: Law designed to be “triggered” and take effect automatically or by quick state action if Roe no longer applies

Near-total ban: Law enacted after Roe to prohibit abortion under all or nearly all circumstances (several of this type are currently blocked by court order)

Six-week ban: Law prohibiting abortion after six weeks of pregnancy (one in effect)

Eight-week ban: Law prohibiting abortion after eight weeks of pregnancy (none in effect)

State constitution bars protection: Constitution amended to prohibit any protection for abortion rights
 

  1. Alabama—Pre-Roe ban, Near-total ban, State constitution bars protection
  2. Arizona—Pre-Roe ban
  3. Arkansas—Pre-Roe ban, Trigger ban, Near-total ban
  4. Georgia—Six-week ban
  5. Idaho—Trigger ban, Six-week ban
  6. Iowa—Six-week ban
  7. Kentucky—Trigger ban, Six-week ban
  8. Louisiana—Trigger ban, Near-total ban, Six-week ban, State constitution bars protection
  9. Michigan—Pre-Roe ban
  10.   Mississippi—Pre-Roe ban, Trigger ban, Six-week ban
  11.   Missouri—Trigger ban, Eight-week ban
  12.   North Dakota—Trigger ban, Six-week ban
  13.   Ohio—Six-week ban
  14.   Oklahoma—Pre-Roe ban, Trigger ban (effective November 1, 2021), Near-total ban, Six-week ban
  15.   South Carolina—Six-week ban
  16.   South Dakota—Trigger ban
  17.   Tennessee—Trigger ban, Six-week ban, State constitution bars protection
  18.   Texas—Pre-Roe ban, Trigger ban, Six-week ban
  19.   Utah—Trigger ban, Near-total ban
  20.   West Virginia—Pre-Roe ban, State constitution bars protection
  21.   Wisconsin—Pre-Roe ban
  22. Wyoming—Trigger ban

States Likely to Ban Abortion

An additional four states have political composition, history and other indicators—such as recent actions to limit access to abortion—that show they are likely to ban abortion as soon as possible without federal protections in place.

  1. Florida—In 2021, the state legislature attempted to ban abortion at 20 weeks of pregnancy and an effort to adopt a Texas-style six-week ban was publicized. In April 2022, a 15-week abortion ban was enacted that is scheduled to go into effect in July.
  2. Indiana—In the past decade, the legislature has enacted 55 abortion restrictions and bans, paving the way for a comprehensive ban.
  3. Montana—For the first time in nearly a decade, new abortion restrictions were enacted in 2021, including restrictions on medication abortion and abortion at 20 weeks of pregnancy. (These restrictions currently cannot be enforced due to a court order.)
  4. Nebraska—Although not one of the most prolific states on enacting abortion restrictions, it was the first to adopt a 22-week ban (in 2010), and in 2020, enacted a ban on the standard method for abortion after 15 weeks.

Beyond the 26 states certain or likely to attempt to ban abortion immediately, other states have demonstrated hostility toward abortion by adopting multiple restrictions in the past, but are not likely to ban abortion in the near future. Notably, North Carolina has a pre-Roe abortion ban in place, but it is unclear if the state’s law would be implemented quickly. However, this analysis may change in the next few years.

It is also important to remember that Roe would not have to be overturned entirely to start the process of activating some trigger laws. If the Court weakens or undermines existing federal constitutional protections, that may be enough momentum for states to start implementing these bans.

Highlands County Deputies Shoot & Kill Traffic Stop Suspect

From Highlands County Sheriff’s Office

DEPUTY INVOLVED SHOOTING UPDATE

Good morning, I am Highlands County Sheriff Paul Blackman. I am here this morning to report what we currently know about an officer involved shooting. As always, what I am reporting is subject to change as the investigation unfolds and we gather additional evidence.

This morning, June 24th, at approximately 2:30 a.m., the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office received a call for service from the Florida Highway Patrol regarding a white van traveling north in the southbound lanes of US 27 near State Road 70 in the Lake Placid area. Our deputies responded and at 2:31 a.m., deputies located a white Econoline van in the area. At this point, the van was heading north in the northbound lanes.

Deputies followed the van for a short period and then conducted a traffic stop at 2:33 a.m., a mile north of Sun ‘n Lakes Blvd. south near Lake Placid.

At this point a deputy made contact with the driver and sole occupant of the van. During the traffic stop the deputy decided to issue the driver, 68-year-old white male Robert W. McNamara, a citation for failure to maintain a single lane.

While the deputy was writing the citation, Mr. McNamara refused to stay in his vehicle and was being what can be described as argumentative with the deputy. As the deputy was completing the citation, Mr. McNamara exited his van and approached the deputy. Mr. McNamara produced a black in color, pistol-grip shotgun and fired a round at the deputy. The deputy issuing the citation and a backup deputy returned gun fire, striking Mr. McNamara several times.

Our deputies did their best to provide Mr. McNamara medical treatment until Highlands County Emergency Medical Services arrived on scene and at 3:23 a.m. pronounced Mr. McNamara deceased.

The two deputies involved in this situation were not injured and have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of this investigation.

Mr. McNamara has a criminal history out of both Florida and Connecticut for narcotics and paraphernalia possession.

Also on scene is assistant state’s attorney for the 10th Judicial Circuit, John Kromholz, who will be overseeing the investigation of this incident.

Polk County Sheriff’s Dive Team Locates Car In Saddle Creek During Training

Polk County, Florida – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that while members of the Polk County Dive & Rescue Team were training they found a vehicle submerged under the water. The dive team was training at Saddle Creek.

According to the public information officer the vehicle isn’t tied to anything that’s been reported missing or stolen. No body was found in the car. “So at this time it was simply a training exercise that uncovered a car.”

Many had speculated online that the vehicle was a green Oldsmobile. This prompted others to speculate it was the car of a missing person, Cynthia Louise Robinson, missing since January 1, 1992 from Lakeland. Sadly this does not appear to be the case.

Services Are This Friday For Fallen Polk County Fire Rescues Douglas Clemons

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Bartow, Fla. (June 22, 2022 Funeral service for fallen Polk County Fire Rescue Engineer/Paramedic Douglas Clemons #0455 will be held this Friday, June 24, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.

 

Please see event details:

Location: Winter Haven Worship Center (WHWC)

     1835 Overlook Dr SE

      Winter Haven, FL 33884

Date: Friday, June 24, 2022

Time: Service scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m.

NEIGHBORHOOD TAXI DRIVER” CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING, GROPING TEEN IN HAINES CITY

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Haines City Police Department Press Release

Haines City Police Department detectives arrested a Haines City man, described as a “neighborhood taxi” driver and charged him with kidnapping and committing an Unnatural/lascivious act.

Forty-three-year-old Lorenzo De Jesus-Lopez was taken into custody after a 16-year-old girl told detectives that she used De Jesus-Lopez’s ride service several times during the past three years. The girl said that on severaloccasions, the suspect groped her thighs and asked to have sex with her on twooccasions. Each time the teenager said the driver fondled her breasts and she told him “no” and requested he take her back home.

The teen told detectives that on two occasions, when De Jesus-Lopez was driving her home, he took her to a dark construction site against her will, entered the car’s back seat, and attempted to coerce her to have sexual intercourse with him. Both times, the teenager said the driver fondled her breasts against her will and she told him, in no uncertain terms, that she did not want him to touch her and requested he take her back home. Onone occasion, he offered to pay her $600 for sex. The girl said she told him to “stop” and “take me home.”

The victim and her mother reported the incidents to the Haines City Police Department Tuesday, June 21, 2022.

Detectives located De Jesus-Lopez at his home at 7:25 p.m. Tuesday and brought him to the police department, where he first denied touching the victim inappropriately. Later in the interview, De Jesus-Lopez told detectives that he only touched the victim’s breast once in the construction site parking lot.

Interim Haines City Police Chief Loyd Stewart praised the teen’s courage in reporting the incident and advised residents to be careful who they use to obtain rides. “Anyone who thinks it is OK to prey on our city’s young people like this should know that we have ride share program just for you. But it goes straight to the Polk County Jail,” Stewart, said.

Detectives are requesting anyone with any information about other incidents involving the driver to come forward.

De Jesus-Lopez was booked into the Polk County Jail on the following charges:

2 counts of committing an Unnatural or Lascivious Act

2 counts of kidnapping 

2 counts of battery 

1 count of solicitation of prostitution