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Chief of Law Enforcement exits after 34 years with Polk County Sheriff’s Office to serve as the next CEO of Peace River Center

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After 34-years with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Larry Williams, Jr., the Chief of the Department of Law Enforcement is leaving the agency to accept the Chief Executive Officer position at the Peace River Center. After entering into the Florida Retirement System’s Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP), Williams was preparing to officially retire based on his years of service, but then came an opportunity with the Peace River Center.

Following a national executive search that began in December of 2021 to replace the retiring CEO Bill Gardam, the PRC’s Board of Directors unanimously chose Larry Williams.

“Larry Williams is a dear friend of mine, and I hate to see him go, but this is a great opportunity for him, and a solid choice by the PRC’s Board of Directors. After a long, successful career with us, he entered into the DROP, but a person with his background doesn’t just stop. He still has so much to offer.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

“I am looking forward to working with the professionals at PRC to deliver the highest quality and most impactful services to individuals in our diverse communities. Improving the lives and emotional wellbeing of our fellow citizens helps build a better quality of life for all of us.” –Larry Williams, Chief, PCSO Department of Law Enforcement

Williams began his career with the PCSO back in 1988 as a part time deputy sheriff, and finishes as the agency’s Chief of the Department of Law Enforcement and a member of Sheriff Grady Judd’s Executive Staff.

Williams has an Associate of Arts degree from Polk Community College, a Bachelor of Arts degree from Warner Southern University, and a Master’s degree from Troy University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Class 260, the Southern Police Institute 114th Administrative Officers Course, the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP), and the Florida State University’s Certified Public Manager Program.

Williams will officially begin as CEO at Peace River Center on May 2, 2022.

Peace River Center (PRC) is a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit organization striving to impact the lives of our clients and the community we serve by engaging, restoring, and empowering individuals to reach their fullest potential by offering a broad range of mental health, victim services and substance use disorder services throughout Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties.

Peace River Center’s mission is to engage, restore, and empower individuals in our community to reach their fullest potential. The vision of Peace River Center is to be a Center of Excellence for building emotional wellness.

—From the Peace River Center website. For more information go to peacerivercenter.org.

Tech Tuesday: Protecting Your Digital Assets

By Kip Kirchberg

When you think of a “hacker” you probably envision some kind of hoodie-wearing teenager with black fingernail polish, a laptop plastered with techie stickers and an array of empty energy drink cans surrounding them.

If you’re like me, you probably also picture a movie like the Matrix or Swordfish, great movies.

User Names and Passwords are the most common way to prove we are who we say we are when it comes to using websites, social media accounts, email, and even the computer itself.

Passwords also give us and others access into mobile phones, bank applications, work log-ins, and confidential files. For many online systems, a password is the only thing keeping a hacker from stealing our personal data.

In all reality hacking is not rocket science. The truth is you can prevent a lot of common cyber attacks by using unique passwords for each site. If you are looking for a way to improve your cybersecurity, password security is where you should start.

Leveraging a password manager like Last Pass will help you generate very unique and complicated passwords for every site you visit. The best part is you don’t have to remember your logins because Last Pass does it for you. Save a password once, and it’s instantly available on a single device type for Free. With Premium, LastPass goes everywhere you do, across all your devices.

Link to Protecting Digital Assets Slide Here

Kip Kirchberg is an International Cyber Security Expert who has experience building Cyber Security Teams and working with Multiple Fortune 500 organizations. Experience includes but is not limited to Building SIEM platforms, Endpoint Security, 3rd Party Remote Access, Industrial Control System’s NextGen Firewall’s, Helping Organizations Identify Cyber Security Risks, Generating Reports that lead to actionable data, Build and maintain Incident Response Team’s, Draft and Adopt Corporate Cyber Security Governance, Internal and External Pen Testing, plus much more….

If you are looking for a better solution to protect your endpoints, have a need for remote management, need visibility into pc performance, or would like to capture pc software inventory I can help find a solution for you.

Please reach out and request your free Cyber Security Consultation. I will be glad to discuss options, schedule a Demo, and help you find a solution that will work best for your environment.

You can reach me at 863-734-8060 or at [email protected]

April Showers Did Not Rain Out Bartow Spring Fling

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April Showers Did Not Rain Out Bartow Spring Fling

by James Coulter

April showers bring may flowers, and even the threat of April showers could not deter vendors and attendees from attending the Spring Fling Hop & Shop in Downtown Bartow on Saturday.

Several vendors set up booths along Central Avenue in Downtown Bartow to sell everything from homegrown honey to handcrafted wreaths. Despite the forecast calling for severe thunderstorms, many people decided to attend the event, explained Linda Holcomb, Main Street Bartow Executive Director.

“It has been okay considering the threat of the weather conditions,” she said. “Some show up. Some cancelled last minute. And then, of course, the crowds are not as big as they usually have been. It is usually bigger earlier…We had a ton of families down here. Vendors have been selling stuff, so they are happy.”

With Easter right around the corner, attendees could get into the holiday spirit by taking pictures with the Easter Bunny and purchasing other holiday goodies like Easter baskets, eggs, candy, and orchids.

Many residents went above and beyond to get into the Easter spirit. Trish Pfifer, who is currently running for Seat 3 on the Bartow City Commission, dressed up in bunny ears and took a stroll with her two pet dogs.

She was glad that the rain did not come, despite the weather forecast for that day and gray clouds forming and looming above. Otherwise, she loved the beautiful weather, which was most ideal for a stroll downtown.

“It is a beautiful day down on the main street area,” she said. “It brings people to our city which is great we want them to see what to offer with our downtown hospitality so it is a great event.”

Melissa Woodward has been selling coasters and other artwork with characters based on popular movies, games, and shows. She especially loves making items based on anime like Naruto and Demon Slayer.

She has been making and selling her items at events like this for five years and counting. She owes her success to the loyal customers who support her and her work.

“[I love the] people who come out an enjoy my items,” she said. As for the event that day, she thought it was, “pretty decent despite all of the rain moving in.”

For more information about upcoming events, visit Main Street Bartow’s Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/MainStreetBartow/

Junior Leauge of Greater Lakeland Raises Racket for Raise A Racket

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Junior Leauge of Greater Lakeland Raises Racket for Raise A Racket

by James Coulter

The only thing the Junior League of Greater Lakeland loves more than their local community is being able to “love” to love their local community through tennis. They showed their love last Friday night during their Raise A Racket Party.

Hosted at the Junior League of Greater Lakeland Building, the Raise A Racket Party is their casual, tennis-themed party where attendees could eat appetizers, bid on silent auctions for various prizes, and even make donations to their backpack wall by filling bags with school supplies for local children.

The annual fundraiser is hosted to help raise funds for community needs, especially literacy and food insecurity. Proceeds go towards causes such as their literacy initiative, which helps donates books to children ages 1 to 5, and their clothing initiative, which donates clothes to be distributed at a clothes closet at Tennerock High School.

More than 125 tickets were pre-sold before that evening’s event, and even more were sold as attendees arrived at the door, explained Maggie Briggs, Junior League President-Elect. The turnout that evening felt like a good prelude to the turnout to the ProAm Tournament the following day at the Lakeland Country Club, to which this party served as a warm-up.

“I think what I love most is seeing the community turn out and really support what it is we are trying to do here, which is helping meet critical needs in the community,” she said. “So our overarching theme is meeting the critical needs of our community through the heads, hearts, and homes of Polk County children…Our goal is to fill the entire wall with those backpacks to be able to get out to the students. We are excited to be a part of the community and to have a very successful event.”

The Junior League of Lakeland, according to its website, is “an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.”

Carolyn Woodger, Junior Leauge Committee Chair, has been an active member for three years and a traditional member for one. As a committee chair, who has been around for that long she has been able to see the fruit of their labor come to fruition through fundraisers such as this.

This year has especially been tough as the ongoing COVID crisis has been slowly winding down. They hosted this year’s event with indoor and outdoor elements to ensure that attendees felt comfortable attending despite these uncertain times, she said.

“[I love] Just getting the opportunity to see people and smiles on faces, [and] just getting to see how happy they are when they come through the door,” she said. “Our expectation for tonight is that everyone has a great time and that we can raise money to meet the critical needs of our community.”

Lake Wales Charter School Calls Special Meeting For Monday April 4th

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Lake Wales, Florida – The Lake Wales Charter School Board has called a special meeting to discuss :

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL EQUITY LAB
Request Board approval of the Implementation of the National Equity Lab. – Here is a link to National Equity Lab: https://edequitylab.org



GENERAL COUNSEL CONTRACT
Request approval of the terms of the General Counsel Contract. – It was pointed out by board members at the March 28th meeting that a contract for services wasn’t available for review.


LWCS BYLAW CHANGES
Request Approval of the changes to the Bylaws. – Bylaws are the legally binding rules that outline how the board of a nonprofit will operate. While they are unique to each organization, nonprofit bylaws generally have a similar structure and use.

Board of Trustees “Special” Meeting Monday, April 4, 2022 – Time: 5:00pm – Place Lake Wales High School (Auditorium)

Public Notice

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Notice is hereby given that the undersigned pursuant to the fictitious name statutes 865.09 Florida statues will register with the division of corporations of the state of Florida upon receipt of proof of publication of this notice the fictitious name to wit Good Directions General Market under which we are or intend to do business as in Polk County Florida that parties interested in said business enterprises are as follows Names or officers Amber Innis and Christopher Innis.

Polk County Fire Rescue On Scene Of Accident Involving Pediatric Trauma Alert In Highland Park Manor Area Of Lake Wales

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Lake Wales, Florida – The Polk County Fire Rescue & Polk County Sheriff’s Office is currently on scene what is being described as a traffic collision in Lake Wales. The incident is taking place at Betsy Lane & Friedlander Rd. in the Highland Park Manor.

The original call came in at 6:19pm. According to initial information the incident involved a child/pediatric patient (4 yrs old we believe). At the time a helicopter medical transport was being requested.

Update: According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office a child was hit by a car. As a precaution they were transported via helicopter, but it doesn’t appear injuries are life threatening. We will update if more information is released.

Q&A With Tammy James Mayoral Candidate for City of Lake Wales

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Q&A With Tammy James

by James Coulter

Tammy earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Georgia State University and working on the certificate to Master’s degree in Public Administration at the University of South Florida. She has over twenty years of experience in the Private and Nonprofit sectors leading Finance and Operations teams.

She is currently working as a Strategic Advisor with World Wildlife Fund, concentrating on financial stability and sustainability, conservation impact, and development coaching. Tammy James and her husband, Stephen, purchased a family friend’s home in 2016. Stephen is the third generation to call Lake Wales home.

Tammy James is currently running for mayor of Lake Wales against Jack Hilligoss and Curtis Gibson. We recently sat down with her to ask questions about pertinent local issues and her position on them. Here is what she had to say:

Q: The City of Lake Wales is predicted to triple in size in the next 10 years with 8,500 new homes approved in the city limits. What are your plans for the city to facilitate this growth?

A: Lake Wales has been discovered as an extraordinary place, something we’ve known all along. Rapid growth is a significant challenge, and we will need to take a strategic approach to managing future development. Additional services are needed for our city to remain the place we love to live in. It will require us to set, and enforce, high development standards. Lake Wales is the beneficiary of the vision of Edward Bok and Frederick Olmsted who helped make us a City in a Garden. To ensure that new development meets that standard, as mayor I will ensure the coordination of the Development Services department, the CRA, Mainstreet, and the Chamber of Commerce to partner with developers to ensure they are sharing and supporting that vision.

Q: Concerns have been raised about waiving impact fees, especially in light of the approval of new development. These fees are necessary to fund any potential infrastructure. How do you think the city should address this issue?

A: Impact fees are necessary and provide the funding for new infrastructure required by growth, so that current residents aren’t asked to subsidize new ones. Consideration is given to those who are redeveloping areas with pre-existing infrastructure. The city is currently considering adding a “mobility” fee” to help pay for transportation impacts, a move I support. Impact fees rates are continuously reviewed and have been recently increased, but remain lower than in the surrounding areas.

Q: Another prescient concern is education, especially about potential overcrowding and understaffing. How will overcrowding be addressed? Will developers be required to set aside “so much” land for schools? Will you put pressure on the Polk County School Board to allocate funds to the Lake Wales Charter Schools?

A: While the Mayor and Commissioner do not have direct authority with the Charter School system, education is an essential element of a “livable city.” Strengthening the partnership with the County and the school system is necessary. The City can set requirements for large projects, and setting aside acreage for school sites is a serious possibility. The understaffing of schools is not unique to Lake Wales. and uniting the community behind the Charter School system ensures that they can continue to provide an excellent education for our students.

Q: Finally, there’s infrastructure. Many citizens have voiced concerns about Chalet Suzanne Road and their desire to see a sidewalk there. Others want existing streets to be repaved such as the road in front of Spook Hill Elementary. What plans and priorities towards infrastructure do you want the city to implement?

A: Mobility is a required element of a livable city and providing access to mobility is a factor in assuring that our housing remains affordable as well. Mobility includes the issues of safety, congestion, maintenance, and various modes of transportation walking, driving, public transportation, and vehicles. Partnering with county, state, and Federal governments to seek funding for new sidewalks, turn lanes, and similar projects. Strategic planning for infrastructure that will be needed for the future is essential and should be continuously reviewed. I recently attended a luncheon with business leaders where the message was “The best way to predict the future is to create it yourself.”

Lake Wales Man Sought In Brutal Beating Of Elderly Man

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*** UPDATE ON WARRANT FOR DON WALKER ***

43 year-old Don Ray Walker of Lake Wales has turned himself in at the Polk County Jail this morning.

**Original Release **

Winter Haven Police have obtained a warrant for the arrest of 43 year-old Donald Walker (DOB 12/1/78, 6163 Lakeview Dr., Indian Lake Estates, FL) in the brutal beating of a 73 year-old man outside of Publix.


Walker has been identified as the driver who almost struck the victim as he walked out of Publix on Saturday. The victim yelled to the driver and a verbal altercation ensued. Walker then stopped his truck, approached the victim and struck him in the head. The victim told Walker that he was calling police and as he had his cell phone in his hand, Walker approached the man again and knocked him to the ground punching him multiple times. He then grabbed the man’s phone throwing it causing it to shatter and preventing him from calling police.
Video obtained from the China Buffet captured Walker and his family dining and walking out just before the incident occurred.


Numerous tips were received identifying Walker as the suspect. Detectives worked around the clock to obtain a positive ID and have searched for Walker, but he has not been located.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call Detective Haynes at 863-287-9459.

Previous Article https://winterhavendaily.com/en/2022/03/26/man-pummels-73-year-old-man-in-publix-parking-lot/

Frostproof Teen Being Charged With Attempted Murder After Allegedly Attacking Ex-Girlfriend and Stabbing Her New Boyfriend Multiple Times

Frostproof, Florida – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested David Martinez (DOB: 10/27/2002), of Frostproof, and charged him with Attempted Murder and Aggravated Assault.

The following is an arrest affidavit from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (It should be noted that this is an unedited report of facts by A law enforcement agency. These facts are up for question and everyone is entitled to question the validity of facts by law enforcement in a court of law. The Daily Ridge does not rewrite these facts as some meanings or interpretations could be in error and change context. We hope readers appreciate being able to read the information and come to their own understanding and conclusions) :

“On 03/25/2022, at approximately 1300 hours, the defendant, David Martinez (DOB: 10/27/2002, W/M), did violate the laws of the State of Florida, insofar as follows;


“The defendant did commit the criminal offense of “Attempted First Degree Murder”, an intentional, unlawful act to do violence to the person of another, wherein the defendant did intentionally engage in an act of violence known by the average person to be dangerous, and the act itself was done with malice with no care for human life. The defendant’s actions caused injuries that would result in death or great bodily harm to the victim, VICTIM 1 – REDACTED.

The defendant did also commit the criminal offense of “Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon”, an intentional, unlawful threat by word or act to do violence to the person of another, coupled with an apparent ability to do so, and doing some act, which creates a well-founded fear in the victim, VICTIM 2 – REDACTED, that such violence is imminent.

Specifically:

The defendant had been in a short-term physical relationship with VICTIM 2 prior to the incident date for less than one week.

On 03/25/2022, the defendant met with VICTIM 2 and VICTIM 1, and was informed that VICTIM 2 was re-kindling her relationship with VICTIM 1, ending her relationship with the defendant. The defendant was acquainted with both victims for several years. The defendant returned home, obtained a pocket knife and learned that both victims, and friend REDACTED (witness) would be at Wall Street Park located at 15 Magnolia St. North, in Frostproof, Florida. He then left his residence and went to Wall Street Park, where he encountered the two victims and witness. The defendant approached victim 2, stating that, “I’m crazy” and “I thought you loved me”, and produced the knife from his pocket. The defendant then lunged towards victim 2 with the knife, causing her to be in fear of being cut. VICTIM 1 then stepped between the defendant and victim 2, in an attempt to deescalate the situation and speak to the defendant, which further enraged the defendant, who then began to stab VICTIM 1 repeatedly with the knife. The defendant, while stabbing VICTIM 1, accidently cut himself on the right hand and dropped the knife, and VICTIM 1 grabbed him to prevent him retrieving the knife. VICTIM 2 took possession of the knife to keep it away from the defendant.

The event was witnessed by REDACTED, who was also in the park at an adjacent park bench with her children. REDACTED provided your affiant with a sworn recorded statement, as did REDACTED, friend of VICTIM 2, who also witnessed the attack.

Law enforcement arrived and took the suspect into custody. VICTIM 1 suffered numerous deep and serious stab wounds to his body and was transported from the scene by Polk County Fire Rescue.

VICTIM 1, in a sworn recorded statement, stated to your affiant that he believed that the defendant, by his actions, intended to kill him, and that as a result of the defendant’s actions, feared for his life. The victim further stated that defendant’s unlawful actions were undertaken against the victim’s will. The victim further stated that he thought that the defendant was going to severely harm or kill him.

VICTIM 2, in a sworn recorded statement, stated to your affiant that she believed that the defendant possessed the intent and opportunity to place her life in jeopardy. The victim further stated that defendant’s unlawful actions were undertaken against the victim’s will. The victim further stated that she thought that the defendant was going to severely harm or kill her.

FCIC/NCIC check revealed no prior felony convictions of the defendant.

The defendant was placed under arrest, and transported to the Sheriff’s Processing Center without incident. VICTIM 1 suffered several deep stab wounds requiring immediate surgery.”