Tanners Lakeside: Foot the Chain is an epic two day long family reunion, it’s one big party with your waterski family! The Barefoot Shootout is how it began and now has become 2 days of Showskiing Barefooting and Music! It is our goal to Celebrate the tradition of Winter Haven being the Waterski Capital of the World with our Waterski & Music Festival! Join in on all of the action this January, 18th at Tanners Lakeside!
Tanners is located at 1006 S Lake Howard Dr in Winter Haven.
Polk County ranks in the top 25 counties in Florida for traffic crashes resulting in serious and fatal injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists. In our continuous effort to make Auburndale’s roadways safer, the Auburndale Police Department (APD) is conducting High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) to increase awareness of and compliance with traffic laws that protect the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists.
Enforcement efforts will focus primarily on education; however, violations may result in warnings or citations. APD will launch the HVE Operation today, Monday, January 06th, 2025. This operation is funded through a contract with the University of North Florida in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation. The operation will run through May 09, 2025.
The following locations are part of the HVE operation:
US Highway 92 – From Berkley Road to Jerico Road
Berkley Road – From Anarece Avenue to Lantana Road
Drivers are encouraged to always obey speed limits, never drive impaired, and watch out for pedestrians and bicyclists. Bicyclists should obey traffic laws, ride in the direction of traffic, and use lights at night. Pedestrians are asked to cross in crosswalks or at intersections, obey pedestrian signals, and make sure they are visible to drivers when walking at night.
For more information, please call (863) 965-5555.
On January 5, 2025, at 3:44 p.m., Lakeland Police Department officers responded to a report of a 6-year-old boy who sustained a gunshot wound to the head. The incident occurred in a vehicle at a residence in the 200 block of Crawford Street. Prior to officers’ arrival the Victim was transported to Lakeland Regional Health via personal vehicle.
Detectives responded to investigate the circumstances and preliminarily it appears the child was injured as a result of an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot from a firearm which he was able to access inside the vehicle. The Victim remains in critical condition at this time. Lakeland PD Ofc. Stephanie Kerr, Public Information Officer said no charges have been determined yet, however, the case remains open and active.
On January 5, 2025, just after 5:00 p.m. a suspicious package/bomb threat was reported at 198 Central Ave W in Winter Haven. This is the location of First Baptist Church. Law enforcement arrived on scene to investigate.
The roadway was shut down for a few hours as a precaution and for law enforcement to investigate.
Jamie Brown, Winter Haven Public Safety Department’s Public Information Officer confirmed nothing was found/no threat, and the roadways were back open and operating at 8:00 p.m.
Brown added, “People are just on heightened awareness due to recent events in our country.”
As there was no threat, this will be the only update on the situation.
by James Coulter
Disney World guests can soon expect to see the Magic Kingdom light up the night with thousands of shimmering lights with its new nighttime parade, which is set to make its grand debut next summer.
During the D23 2024 expo in August, Disney announced many new rides and attractions coming to Disney Parks worldwide. One of those announcements was for a new nighttime parade set to premiere in the Magic Kingdom next summer.
Recently, during “The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular,” which aired on ABC on Sun. Dec. 1, the full name and logo of the parade were revealed: “Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away.”
Disney Starlight will follow the tradition of previous nighttime parades like the Main Street Electrical Parade. It will star the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio. It will also include floats from Disney movies like Peter Pan, Moana, Frozen, and Encanto.
The Magic Kingdom has been without a proper nighttime parade since 2016 with the departure of the classic Main Street Electrical Parade. Since then, the park’s only form of nighttime entertainment.
So what will the new parade look like? Most likely, it will follow in the tradition of previous nighttime parades like the Electrical Parade and SpectroMagic, with floats and characters shimmering in thousands of lights and spectacular colors.
As Disney Parks Blog proudly announced: “The parade’s vibrant lights will dance in the dark, transforming the night into a mesmerizing canvas of glowing colors.”
And what will the parade sound like? Disney had yet to reveal the parade’s theme or soundtrack. However, many eager fans have put forward the effort of creating their own fan-made music.
Recently, a fan by the name of Jake Warden released a fan-made soundtrack for the parade. Taking inspiration from previous parades, the music weaves songs from classic Disney movies into a single vibrant melody.
This particular fan-made composition includes samples from songs from movies including Frozen, Moana, Wish, and Aladdin, and even songs from lesser-known films like “Miracles Happen” from The Princess Diaries and “This is What Dreams Are Made Of” from the Lizzie McGuire Movie.
Since its release, the fan video has received more than six thousand views. Give it a watch and listen for yourself: https://youtu.be/fFTAkKKkDWc?si=fotXtKMbnQNkdIBa
City of Winter Haven Lane Closure Notice
On Monday, January 6, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Tucker Paving, Inc. will mill and pave along Martin Luther King Blvd. Please follow detours and flaggers for safety.
Questions? Contact Scott Elswick, Project Manager, Tucker Paving, Inc., at (863) 514-4912.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested 78 people for Driving Under the Influence of alcohol and/or drugs in December.
These 78 arrests were PCSO arrests only, and do not include arrests in Polk County made by any of the city police departments or the Florida Highway Patrol.
If you see someone who appears to be driving while impaired, please call 9-1-1 immediately.
May 30th, 1939 – December 22nd, 2024
Marilyn Ousley, affectionately known as Mo, passed away peacefully on December 22, 2024, at her “second” home of Winter Haven Hospital, at the age of 85. Born on May 30, 1939, in Buffalo, New York, she was the beloved daughter of Isadore and Grayce Pifher.
Marilyn leaves behind a legacy of love, compassion, and faith. She married Peter Ousley in 1961 and soon moved to Florida in 1968. She was a devoted mother to her five children: David (Beverly), Scott (Jennifer), Steve (Christine), Jennifer (Tony Insua), and Karen (Daniel Hagman). Her 17 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren brought her immense joy, and she was a cherished sister to Ginny (Joel Scime), Alice (Foley), and Mark (Cindy) Pifher.
A graduate of Sisters of Charity Hospital in Buffalo, New York, with some of the classes at Canisius College, Marilyn devoted over 50 years to caring for others as a registered nurse at Winter Haven Hospital. Her patients knew her for her exceptional care, kindness, and unwavering commitment to their well-being. Her passion for nursing led her to continue to inspire and mentor countless other nurses especially brand-new nurses fresh out of nursing school. Mo was known for her nursing cap and distinctive freshly pressed white uniform dress that was a lasting symbol of her dedication.
Her Catholic faith was the cornerstone of her life. Marilyn was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church for over 56 years and attended Mass regularly. She also served as a Eucharistic Minister, bringing Communion to the homebound and those in the hospital and nursing homes. Her faith was reflected in every aspect of her life, as she worked tirelessly to minister to the spiritual and physical needs of others.
Marilyn Ousley, known by so many loving nicknames, was a beacon of kindness and friendship and will always be remembered for her compassion, her faith, and the deep love she shared with everyone she encountered. She leaves behind a legacy of service, kindness, and devotion that will continue to inspire those who knew her.
A Funeral Mass will be held in her honor on Saturday, January 4th, 2025, at 10:00 A.M. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 532 Avenue M NW, Winter Haven, Florida.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Catholic Charities in Marilyn’s memory.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that they are currently on scene of a domestic disturbance that began at 8:30pm Friday night.
According to Brian Bruchey, Public Information Officer, with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office a male & female got into an altercation. Law enforcement was called and the female victim fled the house. The unidentified male suspect refused to come out.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies were able to apprehend the suspect and he has been transported to a local hospital with unreported injuries.
This is a developing story and we will update as information is released. This appears to be an isolated incident and the suspect is in custody.
The Cypress Gardens Water Ski Team is hosting its first ski show of 2025.
When: January 18
Where: 275 South Lake Silver Dr in Winter Haven
Preshow Starts at 3:30
Main show is at 4:00
Bring a chair or blanket.
Concessions are available.
© 2021 WinterHavenDaily.com | All rights reserved.
