Celebration of Souls: Day of the Dead Exhibit on Display at Lake Wales History Museum
by James Coulter
The Mexican Day of the Dead is on Nov. 1. However, any day is a good day to reflect on the lives of passed loved ones. It is also a good day to learn more about Hispanic culture and tradition, which can be done with the latest traveling exhibit at the Lake Wales History Museum.
“Celebration of Souls: Day of the Dead” is a traveling exhibit of 26 photographs, taken from Oaxaca, Mexico, and with bilingual panels in English and Spanish, that detail the rich traditions of Mexico’s most luminous holiday.
As its website description reads: “Join villagers immersed in all aspects of the celebration—preparing centuries-old recipes for the departed, scattering trails of marigolds to guide the dead home, and offering chocolate and pan de muerto (bread of the dead) at community gatherings.”
The exhibit also includes a traditional altar with photos and other honorary items that would be placed upon an altar. It also helps highlight the many different practices celebrated in Mexico and throughout Central and South America.
The traveling exhibit is currently on loan from the Field Museum in Chicago. It has been at the Lake Wales History Museum since Jan. 18 and will be on display until Apr. 16. A special reception was planned last week, but was canceled due to a potentially low turnout, explained Anderson Hanna, museum interim executive director and collection curator of exhibit.
However, even though the exhibit could not be scheduled during the time of the holiday, it still offers a valuable look into the rich traditions of the Hispanic community. As such, it provides the community an opportunity to learn more about their Hispanic neighbors, and for Hispanic residents to reflect on their culture, Hanna said.
“With the large Hispanic population around…it showcases their culture with respect to that particular event,” he said. “You would be able to see the differences between regions, so it celebrates an event that had quite a bit of meaning…We invite people to come in and tour the museum and toward that exhibit and see what it means and about.”
Celebration of Souls: Day of the Dead Exhibit is currently on display at the Lake Wales History Museum until Apr. 16. The museum is open from Wed. to Sun. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is located at: 325 South Scenic Highway, Lake Wales, Fl. 33853. Admission is free. For more info, visit their website at: https://lakewaleshistory.org/
Lake Wales CDJR Selected to Host Live Broadcast on RFD-TV During AgRally‘22Farm Show on National AgDay–March 22
Lake Wales, Fla. (March 9, 2022) – Lake Wales Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram (CDJR) was selected by the Certified Agriculture Dealer (CAD) Program, and their partner RFD-TV to serve as a host for the live television program as well as a local Certified Agriculture Dealer location providing a remote visits during the 3-hour live broadcast on RFD-TV on March 22nd, also National Ag Day.
“We selected Lake Wales CDJR to hold a local event and provide live camera feed because of the great job they do in serving local farmers, growers and ranchers,” noted Patrick Driscoll, president of the Certified Agriculture Dealer Program.“During the remote feed of the broadcast, Sara Spinosa, communications specialist will interview Mike Roberts, current president of the Florida Fertilizer & AgChem Association to share the latest update on the fertilizer industry.”
“We will also be getting local reports from other industry experts who will be reporting from the other dealer live broadcast locations across the country,” noted Driscoll, “Including Victory Motors, Craig, CO; Minot Automotive, Minot, ND; Fox Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Grand Rapids, MI; Jerry Ray Davis Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Owensboro, KY; Central Valley Nissan, Modesto, CA and the Fort Worth stockyards Special Texas FFA event sponsored by Glenn Polk Ford, Gainesville, TX.
Lake Wales Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is part of the Mahalak Auto Group, a family-owned organization whose roots stretch all the way back to 1966. It was then, over 50 years ago, that Ralph Mahalak Sr. opened his first Dodge dealership in Michigan.
Studio hosts for the broadcast will be Mark Oppold, former anchor for RFD-TV and Pat Driscoll, previous broadcaster with the Michigan Farm Radio Network. “We’re pleased to bring Mark, our award-winning anchor, back to the set for this next generation of agricultural events,” added Patrick Gottsch, Founder and President of RFD-TV. “The combination of live TV with a local gathering at these certified agriculture truck dealers satisfies both the need to learn about new technology while also being able to socialize with other farmers, friends and neighbors.”
AgRally will begin at 2:00 PM eastern and run through 5:00PM on Tuesday, March 22. Social time aside, one of the most important parts of attending a farm show is being able to engage with new products, emerging technologies and company executives. “Our team recognized this simple fact right out of the chute and built an event around that premise,” added Driscoll.
Farmers, growers and ranchers should register for the event to participate in the Q&A sessions, win prizes like Yeti coolers and help each Certified Agriculture Dealer comply with their local Covid regulations. Registration is simple and will also provide the details for streaming the 3-hour live event to a mobile device. Register here to do all that.
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About Certified Agriculture Dealer Program
Certified Agriculture Dealerships know farming and ranching as their staff have successfully completed special agriculturally focused training to become a Certified business which can then offer AgPack® a special package of cost savings and rebates for farm products.
About Certified Agriculture Dealer’s AgPack®
AgPack® is a package of farm and ranch management tools available exclusively through Certified Agriculture Dealers that give the agriculture customer an immediate return on their vehicle investment by saving thousands of dollars in farm and ranch operating costs. These products are awarded to qualified vehicle buyers, at no additional cost to the customer by several leading brands within the agriculture industry. To qualify for CAD’s AgPack®, the truck buyer simply needs to prove ownership interest in a farm or ranch. AgPack® is stackable on top of all other OEM, Fleet or VIP offers available to qualifying vehicle purchaser, and is awarded per vehicle, not per customer.If used to the maximum AgPack® can save farmers and ranchers nearly $30,000 in operating costs for products and services for their operations.
About RFD-TV & The Cowboy Channel
RFD-TV is the flagship network for Rural Media Group. Launched in December of 2000, RFDTV is the nation’s first 24-hour television network featuring programming focused on the agribusiness, equine and the rural lifestyles, along with traditional country music and entertainment. The Cowboy Channel is the official network of ProRodeo and the first 24-hour television network totally dedicated to western sports and the western lifestyle and headquartered in the Fort Worth Stockyards and features a wide variety of “live” coverage from major western events.
About National AgDay
Founded in 1973, National Ag Day encourages every American to understand how food and fiber products are produced; appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant, and affordable products; value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy; and acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food, and fiber industry. Learn more and register for events at agday.org
Former Detention Deputy Robert Collins (57 years old) was arrested and booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with misuse of public office / unlawful solicitation (FSS 838.016) and lewd or lascivious exhibition in the presence of an employee (soliciting the lewd behavior); FSS 800.09(2)—both are felonies. He was arrested yesterday, March 9, 2022 and booked into the Polk County Jail early this morning, March 10, 2022. He posted $6,000 bond and he was released.
Collins resigned prior to being booked into the jail for his unlawful conduct; he would have been terminated had he not resigned. He was employed as a detention deputy for approximately 11 ½ years, hired as a detention deputy trainee in August of 2010.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives began investigating after an inmate complained to another detention deputy that she had been victimized. The inmate said she was approached by Collins in a sexually suggestive way and he coerced her, based on his position of authority as a detention deputy, into pulling up her top, revealing her breasts, displaying and manipulating her genitalia at his request, and briefly touching his clothed penis (over his pants) at his request. She told deputies that this was against her will, and she was afraid to say no because she was due to be released soon. She told deputies that she did not believe she had a choice.
Deputies interviewed Collins who initially denied the inmate’s allegations. Once confronted with the specific allegations, he admitted that he repeatedly approached the victim’s bed while her breasts were exposed, approached her bed multiple times while she was manipulating and exposing her genitalia, and that the victim touched his penis over his clothing. When asked if he requested the victim expose her breasts and vagina and touch his penis he stated “I don’t know, it’s possible.” “I thank our victim for coming forward and reporting this reprehensible behavior. We are just not going to put up with this kind of abuse from someone the public trusts to keep our inmates safely housed while they are incarcerated. His behavior was repulsive, he betrayed our trust, and we are holding him accountable.” Grady Judd, Sheriff
Five nominees selected to be inducted this year in the Highlander Hall of Fame are:
BILL CREWS
Former teacher and coach BILL CREWS. Mr. Crews taught physical education from 1938-1970 and coached many of those same years as well. His only break was in 1940 to serve our country in World War II. Coach Crews’s teams were very successful on and off the court.
Congrats to the family of Mr. Bill Crews on his induction!
WADE DAVIS
Former LWHS athlete WADE DAVIS. Wade excelled as a right handed pitcher and committed to the University of Florida. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the third round and 75th overall pick of the MLB draft.
Congrats to Mr. Wade Davis!
HUBERT MORROW
Former LWHS athlete HUBERT MORROW. Hubert was one of the best athletes to ever wear a Highlander uniform. He excelled in basketball and football. Not only did he play the sports he helped coach them as well. Coach Morrow coached various youth sports teams and has given back to the Lake Wales athletic community in countless ways. Congrats to Mr. Hubert Morrow!
MARVIN PAVY
Longtime Athletic Director and coach and LWHS teacher MARVIN PAVY. Marvin taught Math and helped with testing for 38 years at LWHS. He has been the head football coach, head baseball coach and an assistant coach for both over his tenure at LW. Coach Pavy is a man of honor and commitment and recently retired after giving almost 4 decades of service to LWHS athletics. Congrats to Marvin Pavy!
ROD SHAFER
Former head football coach and LWHS teacher ROD SHAFER. Rod taught English and SAT Prep for 25 years at LWHS. He was the head Football Coach for 20 years and during that time the Highlanders won 14 District Championships. Coach Shafer was selected Coach of the Year on numerous levels and is currently in the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Congrats to Rod Shafer!
The Highlander Hall of Fame will be Saturday, April 30 at the Lake Wales Country Club. To purchase Highlander Hall Of Fame Tickets please email us at [email protected] or visit www.lwbooster.com
Low rays of orange tinted sunlight reached over the Pinellas Peninsula and angled into the tea-colored water of Old Tampa Bay, stirring me from my half sleep. I began to swim around my corner of the bay, but stiff and marl-minded, I lazily raised and lowered my tail, enjoying the sun on my dorsal fin. My relaxed pectoral fins brought me to the surface for a pleasant breath of sun warmed air, and I swam in no particular direction.
“Where are you?” I felt the clicking from my friend, Evan. “I’m hungry Tim. Get your gray-self going.”
“Alright fish breath.” I replied with gentle clicks so as not to scare the fish we would be chasing. “You swim near the mangroves, I’ll swim down here.” In this formation, we began hunting for an easy-to-catch breakfast. We glided onto a shallow and sandy flat then began clicking with all the menace we could. Crabs stopped, shrimp dove, and fish scrambled into a shallow area. The thought of a juicy fish for breakfast woke my hunger. I clicked quicker and swam faster.
Evan moved away to my right and his clicks drove fish toward me. Quietly, I humped my back and flicked my tail to follow these savory morsels onto a flat. Behind me, I heard Evan splashing in the shallow water, grabbing his meal.
I swam harder and turned left away from the sunlight. But as I neared the fish, I felt an odd echo. Ok, this might be cool, I thought. Let’s check it out. The echoes showed a large, dense object. A manatee? I faced toward the thing. It’s on the top of the water. I turned to swim toward it. No manatee; it’s staggering like a floating tree stump. I clicked faster. This thing is bigger than me. It’s an entire school of fish. Breakfast! I pointed my forehead toward them and thrust for my final charge.
But my breakfast did not scatter. Something’s wrong. It moved toward me! I clicked louder and swam faster. Almost time to bite. I raised my head above the water to look.
Not fish or manatee, my food was a floating yellow beast! With its long stinger already raised, it was looking right at me. It stopped moving its black fins to strike. It wants me for breakfast!
Vibrating my tail, I stopped and turned back over my left fin. In one breath, I bobbed my head and splashed my tail to get off the flat and then sped toward the deep. Go. Go. Go! Up down up down I pumped my tail, swimming back to the drop off as fast as a mako shark.
Finally, I reached the safety of deep water. What is that beast that attacked Evan and me? Circling slowly, I kept watch above me. And how did I defeat it? As my mind slowed, the story of my victory formed.
Eventually I felt Evan clicking for me to join him. Instead, I called him down to my safe place, and told him how I saved us both.
“Are you high on puffer fish?” Evan wouldn’t believe me. “That was a human. In a little kayak. Fly Fishing.” He pointed his beak to the surface and continued. “Look air-brain, they don’t even catch any of our fish!” He swam away saying, “I’m going back to breakfast.”
He just doesn’t understand, I thought. I am the one who faced The Yellow Intruder. But all the same, I stayed in the dark, deep, safe water and didn’t eat until dinner.
Chris O’Byrne
Chris O’Byrne has been a teacher in Polk County for over twenty years. When he’s not chasing bass on the fly, he teaches fly fishing to individuals and groups.
He blogs about fly fishing and life at FeatherWater.com. His book The Beautiful Addiction, Learning to Fly Fish Near Your Home is available on Amazon.com.
On Wednesday, March 9, 2022, Polk County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 14-year-old Anthony Archer* of Poinciana, who is an eighth grader at Lake Marion Creek Middle School in Poinciana, for possession of a firearm on school property (F3), grand theft of a firearm (F3), carrying a concealed firearm (F3), and unlawful possession of a firearm by a minor (M1), after a witness reported he heard that Archer was going to shoot up the school and shoot a teacher first.
During change of class at second period, the witness heard about Archer’s remarks, and immediately asked his teacher for a pass to go to the office. When he entered the hallway, he saw the dean of the school, and told him. The dean summoned the School Resource Deputy via radio to the eighth-grade building.
The deputy responded and removed Archer from his classroom and asked if he had a weapon on him. Archer told the deputy that he had a handgun tucked into his waistband. The deputy removed a Glock 9 mm from the front right side of Archer’s waistband, and a magazine from his pocket that was loaded with one round. The gun was not loaded. The deputy placed Archer under arrest.
The witness told the deputy he also heard that Archer showed someone the gun on Monday, March 7th. The deputies interviewed that witness, and she confirmed that Archer lifted up his shirt and showed her a gun tucked into his waistband during fifth period on Monday after she refused to give him “dap” (a fist bump/high five). That witness also told the deputy that on Tuesday, March 8th, Archer was playing with a bullet and told her that he was going to “shoot up the school” and that “nobody will make it out alive.”
Deputies interviewed other students, who reported that during math class on Tuesday, March 8th, while Archer was being picked on he made a motion with his hand as if he had a gun, and said, “Don’t come to school tomorrow,” then laughed.
During the investigation, deputies learned Archer obtained the gun from his parents’ locked bedroom while his parents were out of town – Archer’s grandfather was left in charge, and did not know that the parents owned a firearm or that it was in the locked bedroom. He allowed Archer in the room to use the shower in the master bathroom, at which time Archer took the gun.
The Glock 9mm Archer brought to middle school
“The child who immediately reported this crime to school administrators is our hero – he heard something, and immediately said something. There is no telling what this eighth grader might have done otherwise. This juvenile suspect is facing some serious felonies.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
On Wednesday, March 9, 2022, shortly after 2:00 a.m., uniform patrol officers responded to the 1000 block of West 11th Street in reference to a shots fired call. On scene, officers located an 18-year-old male victim inside a residence with gunshot wounds. Officers immediately began securing the location and rendering aid until emergency medical responders from Lakeland Fire Department and Polk County Fire Rescue arrived. The victim was transported to Lakeland Regional Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries later in the morning.
Detectives responded to the scene and conducted interviews with the reportees and those identified as being inside the home when the shooting occurred.
Detectives are continuing to follow up on leads as this is still very early in the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Troy Smith at 863.834.8973 or [email protected].
Or if you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Heartland Crime Stoppers Florida:
Or download the free “P3tips” app on your smartphone or tablet.
Tipsters will always remain anonymous when sending a tip through Crime Stoppers and could be eligible for a cash reward if the information leads to an arrest.
The name of the victim is being withheld in accordance with Marsy’s Law.
On Wednesday March 9, 2022 Lake Wales Police Officers responded to the area of 605 S 3rd Street regarding reports of shots being fired in the area. This occurred around 3:15 PM in close proximity to McLaughlin Middle School, which was placed on lockdown for a short period of time while Officers investigated.
Police believe that the shooting was between two or more people but it appears no one was struck during the gunfire. Also no one has come forward as a victim in the case at this time. Detectives continue to follow leads to identify those responsible for the shooting.
If you have any information regarding this incident please contact the Lake Wales Police Department at 863-678-4223 or anonymously at Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS (8477).
Original Release from Lake Wales Police Department
Lake Wales, Florida – At approximately 3:15pm on Wednesday, March 9, area residents near 3rd St in Lake Wales heard what they thought might be Gun fire. Police quickly descended on the area and McLaughlin Middle School was place on lockdown/or high security. That lockdown/high security has been lifted.
According to Deputy Chief David Black, with Lake Wales Police Department, advised “We locked down McLaughlin out of an abundance of caution until we could confirm the scene was safe.”
This is an ongoing situation and we will update as information becomes available!
PSWCD Board Meeting March 15th, 2021, at 4:00 PM Meeting Located at: This meeting is open to the public.
Call to order
Pledge of allegiance
Roll call
Approval of November 16th, 2021, Meeting Minutes 5. Chair Report- Daniel Lanier
Vice Chair Report- Joe Garrison
Secretary/Treasurer Report- Katie Smith
Public Relations Report
Old Business a. Request missing receipts from Brett Upthagrove for 2017/2018 purchases b. Finalize Budget 10. New Business a. 2020-21 Audit b. New legislation to end Soil and Water Boards 11. Adjourn
Captain Rian Shea, commander of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Southeast District located at 4011 Sgt. Mary Campbell Way (Thompson Nursery Road at US Hwy 27) in Lake Wales, cordially invites residents of southeast Polk County to attend a special “Breakfast with Badges” event: from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 12, 2022. The event will be held in the community room at the Southeast District. Breakfast and refreshments will be provided for all who attend.
This is your opportunity to interact with the deputies and supervisors who patrol the southeast area of Polk County – from unincorporated Lake Wales to Eloise & Wahneta, portions of southeast Winter Haven, and our three contract cities — Dundee, Eagle Lake, and Frostproof. Bring your appetites, questions, and concerns!
We will plan more events in the future if you’re not able to attend this one.
