Starting Monday, Jan. 31, 2022, a portion of the intersection of SR 17 at Mountain Lake Cutoff Road will be closed to install a new traffic signal. Visual map of detours available.
Mountain Lake Cutoff Road will be closed on the east side of the intersection during construction.
Construction is anticipated to end early April, weather permitting.
The Well In Lakeland Honors Community Heroes In Mural
by James Coulter
A jazz musician, a mayor, and several community activists were honored on a mural outside The Well, a local collaborative workspace in Lakeland that aims to assist new business startups.
The vibrant mural, painted on the walls of The Well building, located at 114 E. Parker St. in Lakeland’s Midtown neighborhood, showcases the portraits of several community figures past and present, including Dr. Larry Jackson, the first black mayor of Lakeland; Nat Adderley, a jazz trumpeter; Morris Chestang, a retired teacher and president of the Gladys Leggett Neighborhood Association; and Annie B. Phyall, a retired educator.
Chestang and Pharyll were both present during the unveiling of the mural on Friday during The Well’s ribbon cutting ceremony, hosted by the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce. Chestang mentioned that his portrayal on the mural was a real “surprise, surprise, surprise,” while Pharyll considered it “a real honor.”
The Well, as described on its website, is, “a high-design flexible workspace used by a diverse community of independent professionals, startups, and teams from small and large businesses…[It] is a purpose-built environment that provides members with a variety of areas to focus, collaborate, learn and innovate at any given time.”
Built at the cost of $1.3 million, the 4,700-square-foot collaborative workspace and business center will be utilized by more than a dozen local entrepreneurs, offering them the space and resources to allow their business startups to grow and flourish. The facility’s amenities include a co-working space, executive suites, catering kitchen, music recording studio, and several other media production rooms, according to LKLD Now.
Dr. Sallie Brisbane-Stone, an events services business owner and educational consultant, started The Well with the expectation of allowing local entrepreneurs and fledging business owners the opportunity and resources to grow from the ground up. She owes her success thus far to the support of her local community, including city officials, as well as family and friends.
“I am so thrilled,” she said. “So [with] family, faith, and community, it doesn’t get any better than that.”
Mayor Bill Mutz compared the opening and preparation of the new community collaborative workspace to Jacob’s Well in the Bible. Now that The Well has been offer, the blessings that will hopefully flow forth from it will help spur economic growth and development.
“This is an exciting day,” he said. “If you are digging a well, you have to find the right spot, and make sure you are deep enough, that is the well we have here. It will allow us to create many opportunities. It is an exciting moment.”
Stacey Weekes, a Chamber board member, could hardly hold back her excitement for the opening of the new facility and the many new opportunities it will hopefully provide and nurture for the Lakeland community.
“I cannot tell you how excited I am,” she said. “You have created such a dynamic space, and being in this room, and [with] the energy that you feel, you know it will be a great success.”
The Well is located at 114 E. Parker Street, Lakeland, Fl 33801. For more information, visit their website at: http://www.thewell-lakeland.com/
The Polk County Tax Collector’s four service centers throughout Polk County will be experiencing longer than normal customer wait times during the months of February and March.
Several factors contribute to the longer wait times. In the past, Federal income tax refunds would arrive during this time, which allowed many people to pay outstanding bills, including driver license sanctions and tax liens. Given this situation, the Tax Collector’s Office recommends that customers who need to renew their vehicle registrations, including heavy trucks (with a GVW under 26,000 pounds), utilize the Florida MV Express KIOSK services available at the Oakbridge and Grove Park Publix locations in Lakeland. Publix offers no line, instant printing, extended hours and Saturday convenience, all while shopping for essential grocery items.
Customers interested in using the KIOSK services available in the Oakbridge and Grove Park Publix locations in Lakeland should bring their registration renewal notice or license plate number and cash, credit, or debit card for payment to complete the transaction.
For customers outside of the Lakeland area, the Tax Collector’s Office recommends using mail and online services, including Express PickUp, whenever possible.
Customers are reminded that appointments are required for all driver license, I.D. card, road test, written test, and concealed weapon services conducted in our service centers.
For online payment services, office hours, and locations, as well as online services and payment options, please go to www.PolkTaxes.com.
About the Office of Joe G. Tedder, Tax Collector for Polk County, Florida
Joe G. Tedder is elected by the people of Polk County to serve as their Tax Collector. The Office of Tax Collector is provided in Florida’s Constitution to serve in the state’s political subdivisions known as counties. The Tax Collector’s Office for Polk County has service centers in Bartow, Lakeland,
Davenport, and Lake Wales. The Tax Collector’s Office serves over 720,000 residents in Polk County, offering services such as: Driver licenses and identification cards; motor vehicle registrations, decals,
license plates, titles and disabled person parking placards; real estate and tangible personal property taxes; county local business taxes; tourist development taxes; concealed weapons license applications and renewals; and, other services.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a deputy-involved shooting in unincorporated Davenport involving three deputies and a suspect who charged them with a knife, stabbing one of the deputies.
Around 2:45 p.m. on Sunday, January 23, 2022, deputies assigned to the Northeast District responded to the Providence subdivision in response to a 911 call from an elderly woman who reported her adult son, 47-year-old Arthur Martin, was trying to kill her. The victim told deputies that she was napping on the living room couch when she was awakened by Martin trying to smother her by holding a pillow on her face. The victim struggled to get free, and was eventually able to escape. She ran outside, got in her car, and called 911. She later told deputies she did not know why he tried to kill her and that they had not recently had any arguments.
When deputies arrived, they quickly determined Martin was inside his bedroom on the second floor. They called for him to come out but received no response. They entered the bedroom and learned he was inside the master bathroom. He refused all their commands to come out of the bathroom with his hands up, so they attempted to enter while Martin attempted to keep the door shut from within. The deputies were able to get the door open, at which time Martin immediately charged all three deputies, armed with a large knife. Martin struck Deputy Sheriff Aurelio Nicolas in the face, while also stabbing him on the top of his head. D/S Nicolas deployed his Taser, which was ineffective. All three deputies were forced to shoot Martin. He is deceased.
Arthur Martin, DOB 12/10/74, has a criminal history from New York: he was arrested by Suffolk P.D. in August 2015 for DUI (a misdemeanor) and was convicted. He was arrested by Suffolk P.D. in June 2014 for armed assault with intent to cause serious injury (a felony) and was convicted; in 2016 he was sentenced to four years in state prison – he was released on parole in January 2019. Upon his arrival to Polk County, he registered as a felon, and his parole was set to expire in January 2024. He also had an active injunction for protection in New York, prohibiting him from having any contact with an adult female and two children.
“Here is one more example of how dangerous this job is. When deputies respond to family disturbances, they do everything they can to resolve the situation. My deputies did not choose to shoot this violent, convicted felon – he forced them to when he charged them with a knife and began attacking.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
The other two deputies involved are Deputy Sheriff Odalys Hurtado (female) and Deputy Sheriff Kyle Pitts.
Deputy Nicolas received stitches for the laceration on his head, and his face is bruised from the strike to the face by Martin. He was hired as a detention deputy in June 2020 and became a deputy sheriff in September 2021.
Deputy Hurtado was hired as a deputy sheriff in January 2019. Deputy Pitts was hired as a detention deputy in October 2017 and became a deputy sheriff in January 2018. Per agency protocol the deputies involved will be on administrative leave with pay during the initial phase of the investigation.
Standard protocol for all deputy-involved shootings includes four independent investigations: the PCSO Homicide Unit will conduct a death investigation, PCSO Administrative Investigations will conduct an administrative inquiry, the State Attorney’s Office will conduct a separate investigation, and the 10th District Medical Examiner office will conduct an investigation to determine the cause and manner of death.
The investigation is ongoing.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a deputy-involved shooting in unincorporated Davenport this afternoon. Preliminary information is as follows: around 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 23, 2022, deputies assigned to the Northeast District responded to Oakcrest Court in the Providence subdivision after the PCSO ECC received a 911 call from an elderly woman who reported her adult son was trying to smother her. She said she woke up to the suspect repeatedly pressing a pillow on her face when she was napping on the couch. She was able to escape from the house and call from a safe location.
When deputies arrived on-scene, the suspect had barricaded himself in an upstairs bathroom. The three deputies who responded ordered him to come out with his hands up – he refused. The deputies entered the bathroom and he immediately charged at them with a large knife, stabbing one deputy on the top of his head. That deputy deployed his Taser but it was ineffective, and the suspect continued to fight with the deputies while armed with the knife. In fear for their lives, they were forced to shoot the suspect. He is deceased. No other deputies were injured. The deputy who was stabbed in the head was transported to a local hospital where he will receive stitches. He is expected to make a full recovery.
The suspect was a registered felon and on probation. He has a criminal history out of Virginia.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office Press Release
At 1:30 p.m. this afternoon (Saturday, January 22, 2022) a Winter Haven family will be reunited with their bulldog-mix puppy that disappeared from their yard earlier this month, at Polk County Animal Control located at 7115 de Castro Road in Winter Haven (just off the Polk Parkway Winter Lake Road exit).
When the family began looking for their puppy, they posted details on various missing pets Facebook pages. They feared it had been stolen.
An anonymous person dropped the puppy off at the Capital Humane Society in Lincoln, Nebraska, several days after the puppy went missing. The person told workers there that they found the pup in Winter Haven, Florida.
The Humane Society in Nebraska began searching online and located the Winter Haven family. The family confirmed that the pup – Rosie – was theirs.
Polk County Animal Control used donated funds to facilitate transporting the pup here.
Sheriff Grady Judd and Animal Control staff will reunite Rosie with her family at 1:30 p.m. this afternoon.
Polk Country Sheriff’s Office Press Release
Polk County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 47-year-old Vernorris Rambow of Kissimmee, a Polk County Public Schools school bus driver, on Friday, January 21, 2022, for one count felony criminal mischief (F3) after he repeatedly damaged the video surveillance system hard drive on his bus. He was released from the Polk County Jail after posting $1,000 bond.
According to the affidavit, the investigation began earlier this month when Polk County Public Schools suspected Rambow of damaging the system on four separate occasions:
PCPS contacted PCSO for an investigation. Detectives interviewed Rambow, who eventually admitted to them that he had damaged all four hard drives because he “did not want to get in trouble at work.” At this time it does not appear that Rambow damaged the equipment to avoid any other crime being committed on the bus, but the investigation is ongoing. PCPS advised that each hard drive is worth $360, with total damage equaling $1,440. A felony criminal mischief charge is appropriate due to the extent of the damage totaling more than $1,000.
“This is a shame – this school bus driver might have faced some discipline at work due to some complaints, but now he’s facing a felony conviction and may be out of a job. The children on his bus were better behaved than he was. We hope he’s learned his lesson.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
Polk County Sheriff’s Traffic deputies are investigating a three-vehicle crash that occurred in Lake Wales last evening, which resulted in the deaths of three people.
Around 7:30 p.m. on Friday, January 21, 2022, the PCSO Emergency Communications Center received 911 calls from the area of SR 60 East approximately one mile east of CR 630 East regarding a head-on collision between a black Nissan Pathfinder and a red Jeep Wrangler.
Preliminary information indicates that the Pathfinder, being driven west on SR 60 by an adult male, for unknown reasons entered into the eastbound lane and hit the Jeep Wrangler head-on, which was being driven East by 62-year-old Ashley Mansard of Port St. Lucie. The Jeep immediately caught fire after the collision, and Ashley and his passenger, Lori Mansard (52 years old, also of Port St. Lucie), were both killed. The driver of the Pathfinder was also declared deceased at the scene. Deputies are still trying to locate and notify his next of kin.
A black Chevrolet Impala that was heading east behind the Jeep and being driven by 27-year-old Jessica Duarte of Lakeland swerved to avoid the collision but the passenger side of her car struck the rear of the Pathfinder. She was transported to a local hospital due to complaints of back pain. None of her passengers was injured.
The roadways in that area were shut down for approximately three hours during the investigation, which is ongoing.
Polk County Sheriff’s Traffic deputies are investigating a three-vehicle crash that occurred in Lake Wales last evening, which resulted in the deaths of three people.
Around 7:30 p.m. on Friday, January 21, 2022, the PCSO Emergency Communications Center received 911 calls from the area of SR 60 East approximately one mile east of CR 630 East regarding a head-on collision between a black Nissan Pathfinder and a red Jeep Wrangler.
Preliminary information indicates that the Pathfinder, being driven west on SR 60 by an adult male, for unknown reasons entered into the eastbound lane and hit the Jeep Wrangler head-on, which was being driven East by 62-year-old Ashley Mansard of Port St. Lucie. The Jeep immediately caught fire after the collision, and Ashley and his passenger, Lori Mansard (52 years old, also of Port St. Lucie), were both killed. The driver of the Pathfinder was also declared deceased at the scene. Deputies are still trying to locate and notify his next of kin.
A black Chevrolet Impala that was heading east behind the Jeep and being driven by 27-year-old Jessica Duarte of Lakeland swerved to avoid the collision but the passenger side of her car struck the rear of the Pathfinder. She was transported to a local hospital due to complaints of back pain. None of her passengers was injured.
The roadways in that area were shut down for approximately three hours during the investigation, which is ongoing. I do not have a photo from the scene.
From Drunk Podcast Hosts To Local Voice Actors: Central Florida Comic Con 2022
by James Coulter
The year is 1834. A doctor ventures out west to find a cure for his wife and son who are dying from tuberculosis. He lives among the Native Americans to learn their herbology and medicine to create a cure. He inevitably breeds an infested rat that creates a zombie apocalypse. Now he must use steam power and other modern inventions in order to assist the army in stopping this undead army from taking over America.
“Secret War of 1834” combines zombies with steampunk to create a truly unique adventure ripped from the pages of American history and intertwined with American ingenuity. Author B.B. Lechlere and his daughter wrote the book after extensive historical research, thus penning a “historical” tale with a fair bit of history behind it.
“We had events that actually happened,” he said. “For example, in Detroit, in 1834, in one month, 900 people died. So, history reports it as cholera, but we depict it as something more exciting. So, we put that in the book.”
B.B. Lechlere first showcased his book at the Central Florida Comic Con last June. Since then, he has been attending similar cons to attract potential readers. This year, he attended wearing steampunk attire and with an animated diorama of one of his book’s scenes: an airship flying over a fort where army men defend against a zombie horde.
“Our first event was at Central Florida Comic Con in June,” he said. “That was a great success for us, and now we have come back, and that is what brings us back to this con…Great turnout, great people, a lot of vendors and visitors.”
B.B. Lechlere was one of the many participants at Central Florida Comic Con this weekend. Hosted at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, this two-day event allowed fans of all ages to share their love of comic books, video games, movies, and animated shows by perusing vendors, cosplaying as their favorite characters, or visiting special guests.
This year’s roster of celebrity guests stars included Catherine Suhterland, the actress who played the Pink Power Ranger on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers; Justin Cook, a voice actor who plays several characters on Dragonball Z; and Dana Snyder, the voice actor who plays Master Shake on Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Scratch from The Ghost And Molly McGee.
For two days, attendees were able to peruse dozens of vendors featuring artists and craftsmen showcasing their merchandise of their favorite movies, shows, comics and games. They could also participate in costume contests and attend panels and question and answer seminars hosted by several of the celebrity guests.
One notable guests was George Lowe, a local Lakeland resident and acclaimed voice actor famous for his role as Space Ghost on Space Ghost: Coast to Coast as well as other characters on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. During his panel, he entertained his nearly a dozen attendees with his rambles about everything from his art collection to his experience as a radio show host and announcer.
“The answers are long and rambly,” he replied to a follow-up question about a question concerning his start as a voice actor. When asked if there was a show he wanted to guest star on, he mentioned that if he could appear on The Simpsons, “I would die a happy man.”
Guy Hutchinson, host of the Drunk at Disney podcast, also attended to share his wisdom about the finest drinks at Walt Disney World. He’s written countless books on the subject, including “Bibbity Boozity Book: A Cocktail Guide For Those Drunk On Disney.”
Aside from being a drinking aficionado, Hutchinson also loves the history behind Disney World and other theme parks. In fact, he was drawn to the history of the RP Funding Center, which partially inspired him to attend Central Florida Comic Con. That, and Lakeland’s close proximity to Disney.
On his podcast, he and his hosts always try to raise a glass to a historical Disney figure. As for his favorite drinks at Disney World, though many of the cocktails there are admittedly “sugary and sweet”, he especially likes Dad’s Electric Lemonade at Hollywood Studios.
“We would like to say that, even though we are trying to make cocktails and stuff, we were drunk on Disney before we were old enough to drink booze, [because] Disney is it,” he said. “That is my absolute favorite place to be.”
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