Due to Pandemic related impacts, the City’s vegetative yard waste collection will be running behind. As of now household garbage and recycling collection are running mostly on schedule.
If you have a small amount of yard waste, please consider holding off on placing it to the curb until next week as you may not be visited by the claw truck this week. We are hopeful to have your regular drivers back on their routes ASAP. Thank you for your patience.
Auburndale, Florida – The Auburndale Police Department has arrested and charged an Auburndale High School student after a gun was found in a backpack on campus. According to Andy Ray, Auburndale Police Chief , they were called to the school on 9/17/21, just after 1:00 p.m. According to Ray, a Taurus 9 mm pistol was found within a backpack on campus. The investigation led to the identity of the 15 year-old student who initially possessed the backpack and the student admitted she placed the pistol in her backpack after discovering her father had accidentally left it in the car she rode in to school, on the previous evening. She was cooperative and had no prior negative contacts with police, according to the investigation. She was charged with possession of a firearm on a school campus and the Polk County School District is handling the school-related discipline matters.
The identity of the student has not been released at this time.
Bullying & Discipline Discussed During Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Forum
by James Coulter
As the mother of a student at Frostproof Middle-Senior High School, Jennifer Hutto felt impatient about the lack of response to her concerns about her son’s safety and the safety of the other students. So, she took her concerns directly to the new superintendent during his community forum hosted at Winter Haven on Thursday evening.
“I am here to say enough is enough,” Hutto said. “I am here for the safety and wellbeing of our kids and to make sure they are taken priority. There have been countless situations ignored and shoved aside by our current administration…So many questions unanswered and concerns, so many it is above my paygrade…Too many bullied kids that are now taking it into their own hands because they have absolutely nobody to talk to in the school system.”
Her biggest concern was a male high school student who posed an immediate threat to the other students. The young man had recently been arrested twice: first for bringing a knife to school, and again two days later for running down a female student with his car, Hutto explained. He had also been charged with sexual harassment and stalking but never convicted, she said.
For Hutto, this was not the first time the school failed to heed the concerns of students and parents. Two years ago, a male student was beaten to death by his bully. Yet, despite the young man being bullied constantly, the school did nothing to hear his concerns until it was far too late, Hutto said.
“The staff of the school and the school board are entrusted with our most precious gifts, which are our children, yet so many concerns go unanswered, so many calls do not get returned, and each time the accountability is passed off to the next Polk County employee,” she said.
Fredrick Heid, Superintendent of Polk County Schools, was disheartened about the issues Frostproof High School had been facing recently. He assured Hutto that the school system was doing everything in its power to set things right.
“As far as the administration being unresponsive to you, that is unacceptable,” he said. “We will absolutely address those things. Our primary responsibility is the health and safety of our students.”
Bullying and discipline were some of the topics discussed during a forum held by Polk County Public Schools on Thursday evening. Hosted at the AdventHealth Fieldhouse in Winter Haven, the forum allowed residents to voice their concerns about the school system and the direction they wanted to see it go.
Superintendent Heid, who obtained his position ten weeks ago, has been hosting these forums throughout the county to gain such community feedback so that he and his staff could formulate a strategic plan for the school system. In addition, he wants to acquaint himself with the people and allow them an opportunity to hear their thoughts and ideas.
A major topic of contention brought up that evening was the current situation at Frostproof High School, where a student had been arrested twice. One high school senior expressed her concerns about him that evening, as he had harassed her and other female students with allegedly no repercussions from the school.
The young man had been transferred from Auburndale, where he was previously accused of sexual harassment, the young girl said. She told the superintendent how she had been pursued by this man into the bathroom, chased down for her phone number, stalked on social media, and witnessed several other girls chased off of campus, and yet nothing was done about him.
“As a student, you are always told that you are given a voice. If that is the case, then why is it that my school has stopped listening to me?” she asked. “Why is it that our problems are pushed aside like it is nothing? This boy was a serious threat…My question is, when are you guys going to listen to us and start taking us seriously?”
Superintendent Heid assured the young lady her concerns were being heard. In the next two weeks, he plans on hosting a meeting at the school to listen to student concerns.
“I feel horrible about what has happened here,” he said. “The assumption that nothing is being done…is not true. There is a lot being done. Law enforcement is involved. You are being involved. We are involved. I am directly involved. And I have made my thoughts and opinions known about what my expectations are moving forward.”
Superintendent Heid has been hosting community forums across the county this month to help gain feedback for a strategic plan to improve schools. The goals of his project are to improve student outcomes, develop great teachers and leaders, engage family and community, provide equitable and efficient use of resources, and create a curriculum to “develop the whole child.”
Heid and his staff will collect the responses, share summaries with their board in November, and work on the strategic plan throughout the remaining months. He expects the board to adopt his plan by February officially.
At last Thursday’s forum, he offered his presentation and allowed time for questions and answers. Several dozen residents participated that evening and offered questions and raised concerns about everything ranging from teacher response time to e-mails to the availability of bilingual resources for teachers and students.
Several concerns were raised about student behavior and discipline. Heid assured them that the school system would do everything in its power to address those concerns. He also reminded everyone that the development of students was a shared responsibility of parents and the community, and that the burden should not solely lie with the school.
With Polk County being the second fastest-growing county in the nation, its student population is expected to likewise grow by another 50 thousand students in the next 10 to 15 years. Current growth will not only provide better possibilities for students, but it has already provided better possibilities for staff. Heid boasted that bus drivers have received pay raises and that teachers and paraeducators could expect similar raises due to extra property taxes being provided to the schools.
Heid shared many of his intentions for the school system. With the county growing, the potential for innovation will also grow, and the school system needs to adapt to these coming changes. One proposal he suggested was to better collaborate with local businesses to provide vocational training.
One proposal would be to invite private businesses onto high school campuses to set up shop. They could run their business on-site while also opening their facility to students to provide them with training and instruction, as well as potentially offer them future employment.
“That is the incentive for students because they know there is something waiting for them, not just the chance or the opportunity that the job may be there, but a guarantee that it will be there,” Heid said.
Upcoming community forums will be hosted at the following dates and locations. All meetings will start at 6 p.m.:
Sep. 20: Presbyterian Church in the Highlands
1010 Lake Miriam Drive, Lakeland
Sep. 21: Lake Eva Event Center
799 Johns Ave., Haines City
Sep. 23: Dream Center of Lakeland
635 W. 5th St., Lakeland
Sep. 27: Virtual Forum
Broadcast live on Facebook (@polkcountypublicschools)
For more information, visit: http://polkschoolsfl.com/communityconversations
Racks for a Heart Racks Up Funds For Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation
by James Coulter
John Nipper was a long-time friend of Michael Culpepper, a local security officer who passed away last year from cardiac arrest. So when he and his friend, Preston Craft, learned a pool tournament would be hosted in Michael’s honor, they decided to join. Not only did they have a good time, but also their team won first place.
John owes his victory to “lots of alcohol.” He loves to play pool, and he appreciates the tournament being held in his late friend’s honor. He also admires Melanie Brown Culpepper, Michael’s fiancée, for starting Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation in his honor and spreading awareness about heart health.
“It was freaking awesome to win first place,” John said. “I think this was a fantastic tournament, and for a good cause. I am very proud of the work Melanie continues to do, the strives that they make in education and promoting heart-healthy choices in the community, and making advancements in fire rescue gear.”
The inaugural Racks for a Heart pool tournament was hosted last Saturday at Slates 8 in Winter Haven. Nearly a dozen teams competed in the game, and several dozen prize baskets were raffled off during the 50/50 raffle.
Melanie hosted the tournament as part of her fundraising efforts to finance and install defibrillators in the community. This year, she had already hosted a 5K race and fishing tournament, and used the proceeds to install two defibrillators: one in her salon, Melanie’s Cutting Edge, and another at Old Man Frank’s, where her fiancée served as a security officer.
She was especially pleased by the turnout for the pool tournament, which more than met her initial expectations. As always, she could not have been able to host the event without the support from her volunteers and the local community.
“I was very proud of everyone who came out and Slates who went above and beyond to help me put this together,” she said. “It was better than my expectations. I did not know what to expect coming into this, but it was way better than I thought.”
Bree Kirkland works as a bartender at Slates. She assisted with the tournament that day. She considered the cause a good one and was pleased to see it succeed.
“I think [Melanie] did an awesome job,” she said. “I liked how everybody came together as a family and brought everything as it should be. I think everything went well. It is nice seeing everyone come together as a family to support each other and support Melanie. I think it went above and beyond everyone’s expectations.”
Bobby Jean is a close friend of Melanie and Michael. Following Michael’s passing, he helped Melanie in her endeavors over the past six months. Though the tournament did not have as many players as she expected, the event still turned out great, and she enjoyed being able to participate and win second place.
“The tournament went well,” she said. “I think it is a great cause and a great foundation. She did a bang-up job putting it together, and it really took off.”
Rhonda Bryan knew how Melanie felt. Melanie helped raise money for her and her husband, who passed away from brain cancer. So when Michael passed away, she and Melanie grew closer together, and Melanie asked her to join her foundation. They had been on this journey together for quite some time, and she appreciated how well everything turned out for the tournament, especially since it was for a good cause.
“My thoughts on the foundation is that it is a great foundation and one of the best ideas and something we needed in the area, especially with the defibrillators, especially in our local bars and restaurants,” she said. “It is there, and we are raising money and awareness, and hopefully, it will continue to grow bigger and stronger.”
For more information about Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation, visit: https://www.facebook.com/honoringculpepper
Winter Haven Celebrates Local Waterways With 7 Rivers Water Festival
by James Coulter
For more than 30 years, Keep Winter Haven Clean and Beautiful has been remaining true to its name by keeping Winter Haven clean and beautiful. Every Earth Day, they host their annual cleanup event at the Chain of Lakes, where they clear out nearly a ton of litter every year.
Being dedicated to water conservation, the 501 c3 non-profit organization regularly attends the annual 7 Rivers Water Festival in Winter Haven. This year, they set up a booth to offer shell painting and information about their organization’s efforts.
Rhonda Todd, Executive Director of Keep Winter Haven Beautiful, appreciated attending this year’s event. She was pleased by the turnout and the overall interest of attendees in keeping their community clean and beautiful.
“We have focused in Winter Haven on keeping our community clean, especially our waterways, and just making sure we are a beautiful community to help property values and health of our citizens,” Todd said.
She especially appreciated the overall diversity of the event and its many vendors. Aside from her organization, other vendors included city departments for water and mosquito control. Seeing so many other city departments and local organizations coming together to promote awareness for water conservation encourages Todd and the rest of her volunteers in her organization.
“I think it was a great event,” she said. “I think people were ready to get out again. We had some of the greater vendors here. The county did a good job of putting it together, so we were thankful to have the opportunity to be out here in the community…The setup was great, and the vendor selection was excellent. We had a lot of great county resources. Looking forward to coming again next year to a bigger event.”
The City of Winter Haven hosted its annual 7 Rivers Water Festival on Saturday in Downtown Winter Haven. Dozens of vendors representing various city departments and organizations set up in Central Park to educate on water conservation and safety.
This year’s event also offered tours of the water and waste water treatments plants, as well as boat tours on the Chain of Lakes with a focus on pollution and water conservation. Other activities included live music, arts and crafts, and food trucks.
Keeli Carlton, Water Conservation Specialist for the Winter Haven Water Department, was pleased with the overall turnout. The event experienced larger crowds in the morning and waned out through the afternoon. There were concerns about rain, but the weather remained clear, she said.
“The event was going great,” she said. “There were a lot of people out here concerned about their future water supply and loving the fact of what we are doing here…[Overall] The turnout has been good. It has been a nice steady crowd. It was busier this morning. Looked like it was going to rain earlier, but it never did.”
Even in spite of the ongoing pandemic with rising cases of COVID-19, the event more than exceeded expectations. More than enough people were willing to venture out and learn more about their local waterways and the many ways they can help protect and conserve them.
“Our community is really into our natural resources and our water features here,” she said. “It is a water-centric community. And I think people are really into water conservation, especially now with all of the development going on. Keeping water rates low, and people are into water…Next year, we hope to see a whole lot more as things start to open up a bit.”
Charlene Brutton has been attending the festival for the past three years. As the Recreation Coordinator for Polk’s Nature Discovery Center, she showcases many of the museum’sservices and exhibits. This year, she and her team handed out animal tracks snapping bandanas and promoted job opportunities at the museum.
Next week, the Discovery Center will be hosting its Public Land Day, where they will be providing instruction on basic plant removal, hosting a science walkabout tour, and offering a formal presentation. They will also be offering job and volunteer opportunities at the center.
Charlene loves attending the 7 Water River Festival. As a very talkative person, she loves meeting people, talking with them, and educating them about the Discovery Center.
“What I enjoy about it, it is very enjoyable,” she said. “You get to meet different people, and I love that. I am very talkable person…The participation with different groups and the communication with different people, I love it.”
Can you help identify the guy in the below images?
Yes he has a mask and hat, but maybe the mustard colored hat will be a giveaway. And let’s not forget the bicycle with a dog trailer being pulled behind.
He went to Walmart (7450 Cypress Gardens Bvld.) on Sept. 11 around 8:48 a.m. He selected multiple Hyper Tough tools, a Decoy Camera and double-sided tape. He places the items in the backpack he brought with him. He exited the Garden Center (you guessed it) without paying. He was seen leaving on his greenish-yellow bike with the doggie trailer being pulled behind. He headed in the direction of Lake Ruby.
If you recognize him, please contact Sgt. Hall at 863-291-5736.
On 9/16/21, School Resource Officers (SRO) from Bartow High School were informed of damage to a boys restroom on school campus. Two soap dispensers, valued at $45.00 each, were removed from the wall. One (1) dispenser was located in the restroom sink and the other was missing.
The SROs were aware of a new national social media trend of juveniles filming themselves damaging or stealing school property. At that time, they began an investigation and located witnesses. During the course of their investigation, they did locate the suspect and arrested him for Criminal Mischief and Theft. The suspect noted he did the damage to look “cool” and take part in the social media trend. A video of him with the stolen property was located.
“I do not think it is cool to damage and steal property at your school. I hope that his arrest sends a strong message to those who are thinking about taking part in the senseless social media craze. While at school, learning is cool; stealing and damaging are not. Hopefully this young man learned a valuable lesson today that committing crime is not cool.” said Interim Chief Bryan Dorman.
The juvenile will not be identified due to his age (15 years old).
Winter Haven Police Department
Baby Shark Do Do Do Do Do Do!
Okay, sorry – just couldn’t resist. Okay, the guy pictured went to Walmart (7450 Cypress Gardens Blvd) and utilized the self-checkout to purchase some food items.
However, he “forgot” to scan the Shark vacuum under his cart (valued at $229). When the hostess tried to tell him that he didn’t scan the vacuum and he needed to retreat back to pay for the item, he continued walking away. She got distracted and he was gone before she realized it.
Someone knows this guy! If you recognize him, please contact Sgt. Hall at 863-291-5736
WINTER HAVEN, FL – The Winter Haven Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying three males who stole a patron’s truck from Carrabba’s parking lot.
Our victim visited the restaurant at 8 p.m. and parked his 2021 Ford F-150 Platinum edition in the northwestern area of the parking lot. When he walked out to leave at 9 p.m., he saw the truck gone and glass in the middle of the parking spot.
When officers arrived, video was reviewed a silver Toyota four-door sedan is seen entering the north parking lot at approximately 7:50 p.m. and back into a parking spot. Three males are seen getting out of the car. The manager recognized them as three who were asked to leave the restaurant parking lot because they were soliciting. As they are leaving, you see the vehicle stop where the victim’s vehicle is and then proceed to leave.
Further review of the video shows at approximately 7:57 p.m., a rear passenger window is broken out. A short while later, one of the three males came back to the property, entered the truck and found the spare key fob inside of the console and took the truck.
Just after midnight on Sept. 14, 2021, Orlando Police located the vehicle crashed into a tree at the intersection of S. Goldwyn Ave and Columbia St.
Anyone with information on the identities of the three males is asked to call Detective Lozado at 863-595-1721.
Fall Into Fall with Main Street Bartow Fall Fest on Sep. 25
by James Coulter
The first day of fall will be drawing near. So, too, will the holidays be upon us. So whether you’re looking for a pumpkin for a Halloween jack o’lantern, a decorative table centerpiece for Thanksgiving, or a homemade holiday gift for Christmas, you can find a little bit of everything and anything at the upcoming Annual Fall Fest in Bartow.
Hosted by Main Street Bartow, this outdoor street market will allow residents and visitors alike an opportunity to browse the various vendors and shops along Central Avenue and Summerlin Avenue. In addition, feel free to browse booths for local art, crafts, and food, and enjoy other festivities such as live music, a car show, and even a pumpkin patch.
Main Street Bartow hosts various outdoor events to allow residents and visitors alike the chance to enjoy the downtown area and everything it has to offer with its shops, boutiques, and eateries. Annual events include the Spring Fling Hop & Shop, the Honey Bee Craft Fair, and Mistletoe Market.
Linda Holcomb, Executive Director for Main Street Bartow, hopes that the upcoming event will offer “an opportunity to come out in the fresh air and spend the day in beautiful Downtown Bartow eating and shopping while making memories with friends and family.”
To ensure public health and safety during these uncertain times, special precautions will be taken. Hand sanitizer will be provided at hand-sanitizing stations and vendor booths, booths will be spaced to facilitate social distancing better, and social distancing and masks will be recommended.
“The community is looking for fun/safe outdoor activities to enjoy with friends and family,” Holcomb said. She expects everyone “to have a beautiful day with the downtown streets lined with vendors and cars, the community to come out, shop, eat and support the local downtown businesses.”
The Annual Bartow Fall Fest will be hosted in Downtown Bartow on Sat., Sep. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/MainStreetBartow
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