Lightning Strike Causes Fire at Pineberry Street Residence
Lakeland, FL –
Approximately 4:40 PM on Aug. 12, Lakeland Fire Department (LFD) received a
call for a building fire with heavy smoke located at 1639 Pineberry Street.
Upon arrival, crews observed smoke coming from a vent in the roof, with fire
showing under the structure’s eaves.
Fire crews made entry to
the residence, extinguishing the fire within 15 minutes. Crews then ventilated
the property, which sustained fire and smoke damage.
The occupant stated they
heard a loud bang or explosion on the rooftop; nearby roofers working at a
neighboring house alerted the occupant of the fire. The cause was determined to
be a lightning strike to the house.
Responding to the scene
were 16 LFD units and Polk County Fire Rescue Medic Unit. No firefighter
injuries were reported.
Additional information and
resources regarding fire safety can be found on our website www.lakelandgov.net/lfdand
social media sites @LakelandFD.
The Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency has agreed to sell a parcel of land at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and B Street on which developers have proposed a mixed-use building that includes both commercial and residential space.
After the city issued a request for proposals, two bids were received to develop the vacant tract, currently owned by both the city and CRA. Florida Development Corporation was unanimously approved as the firm to move forward with its proposal for a two-story building dubbed “LINC Plaza”.
The building’s footprint calls for 6,000 total square feet, including 1,400 in commercial footage, 4,200 for six residential units and 400 square feet of common space. According to company documents, monthly rent on the two-bedroom, one bath residential units – two of which would be on the first floor and four on the second – would be around $800.
“This is what we’ve wanted in that area, the start of reconstructing businesses, and putting business there that are possibly beneficial to the residents that are there,” Mayor Eugene Fultz said. “FDC is a very good corporation to step forward to do this.”
Half of the first floor commercial space could include a food service tenant, or a retail or food market, FDC officials noted.
“The other half of the commercial space could be leased out for office, governmental, and/or non-profit uses,” the firm notes in its 24-page proposal. “Another option for this space would be for business development or shared/co-work space.”
The residential units could accommodate a number of different individuals, developers said.
“These residential units are ideal for empty nesters, young urban professionals and small families alike,” the proposal indicated. “(We) will work with our design-build general contractor to finalize the layouts to best accommodate two bedrooms, one bath, laundry, kitchen, dining and living rooms in each unit. Residential units will incorporate National Green Building Standards in the design and construction, for better energy efficiency and lower operating costs for residents.”
FDC will be working with the city to create a shared parking space that will go toward supporting patrons/residents of the LINC Plaza and the public at large, officials added.
“The outdoor parking and green space area can be blocked off and used to host occasional events such as farmers markets, craft sales and food trucks,” FDC noted.
According to an FDC provided timeline, the firm hopes to submit final building plans to the city in early October, break ground in late February, 2022, and have tenants and residents in place by the first quarter of 2023.
FDC also said the LINC Plaza project would give a financial boost to the city and CRA, while also serving as a catalyst for more development in the historic northwest neighborhood.
“The increased ongoing significant tax base increase from new residences and new commercial space, will continue to add revenue to the city long after this property is completed,” FDC noted in its proposal. “With the addition of new residents living and/or working in the CRA area, this increased activity will catapult meaningful increased traffic and attention to Lincoln Avenue. The economic development stimulus of this substantial investment to the northwest community neighborhood should accelerate further build-out of this neighborhood and the ‘Lake Wales Connected Plan’ beyond.”
FDC estimates that the entire project will cost about $1.6 million. The CRA agreed to the sale of the land for $15,000.
The Polk County Soil and Water Conservation District is seeking a Multi- County Conservation Technician to assist with the implementation of The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) adopted Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) program. This will include working with the FDACS cost share program, Implementation Verification (IVs). The position will be based in Polk County, but will also require travel to surrounding counties. The applicant should be team oriented, independent and have an agricultural and/or natural resources background, with computer and office management skills. Employment is a grant funded position and ends June,2023. With renewal.
Applicant will be required to perform clerical and field work.
A pre-employment federal background check will be performed.
Although resumes are accepted an application form must be completed and sent to:
This is a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) technical and professional team-oriented position under direction of the supervisor in the Office of Agricultural Water Policy’s (OAWP) in partnership with the Polk County Soil and Water Conservation District (PSWCD). The position will be assisting with the coordination and implementation of FDACS-adopted best management practices (BMPs) and assisting with agricultural related projects with the PSWCD. The primary office of the technician will be in Polk County. The primary area of the technician will be Polk County, but will travel to neighboring counties such as Hardee, Hillsborough, and Highlands County. This position will involve travel to agricultural operations, meetings, and will include a vehicle. These are the primary responsibilities of the technician position:• Conducting evaluations for the OAWP’sImplementation Verification to assure implementation of FDACS-adopted BMPs • Coordinating with partner agencies, follow-up visits with agricultural operations, generating maps, data collection and analysis, and cross-checking parcel identification information. • Assisting the OAWP team with implementation of BMPs and enrollment into the FDACS-adopted BMP Program by conducting on-site field evaluations of agricultural operations using BMP manuals, checklists and other tools to assist producers in enrolling by filing with the FDACS a Notice of Intent (NOI) to Implement BMPs. . • Assisting PSWCD and OAWP with administration, implementation and verification of the BMP cost-share program, such as the review of cost-share projects, invoices and deliverables documentation. • Assisting in education, outreach, and implementation of the FDACS’ responsibilities under the Florida Watershed Restoration Act/Total Maximum Daily Loads Program through producer enrollment in the FDACS-adopted BMP Programs.• Assists in delivery of information to and input from the PSWCD, Extension Service, and the local agricultural community on non-regulatory strategies, cost-share and other incentives, technical assistance needs, and research and demonstration needs. These include assisting the FDACS and the PSWCD by helping plan, and participate in meetings, workshops, field days, and distribution of printed and electronic materials.
We need help locating Densley Brown!
Mr. Brown (63 yrs old) left his Palmeto Ave. residence on Wednesday morning in his 2010 Blue Hyundai Sonata and has not been heard from. His daughter stated he called her and said he may go to the hospital due to chest pains. He has not been at any area hospitals, nor has his 2010 Blue Hyundai Sonata (FL Tag: MSSUPA) been found.
If anyone knows the whereabouts of Densley Brown please call Detective Chapnick at 863-632-0071.
Traffic Homicide investigators from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office continue to investigate a fatal single-vehicle crash which occurred west of Lakeland Sunday afternoon, August 15, 2021.
Deputies and members of Polk County Fire Rescue were dispatched to the crash at the intersection of County Line Road and Pipkin Road West, at around 12:42 PM. Upon their arrival, the driver of the vehicle was found deceased.
The victim was identified as 28-year old Keith Jones of Lakeland. He had been driving a tan, 1997 Chevrolet pickup truck.
Evidence and witness statements indicates that Mr. Jones was driving his truck north on County Line Road and transitioned into the right turn lane.
The truck continued through the intersection and struck a utility panel on the northeast corner of the intersection.
Mr. Jones was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
The northbound lanes of County Line Road and westbound lanes of Pipkin Road were closed for about four hours while investigators and the Crime Scene Unit were on scene
Bartow,
Fla. (Aug. 12, 2021)
– Sandbags will be provided to Polk County residents at all Roads and Drainage
maintenance units tomorrow and Saturday in preparation of Tropical Depression
Fred.
The
sites will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
A
maximum of 10 sandbags will be provided to each vehicle to help prevent water
intrusion into the home. Polk County Roads and Drainage crews will be at the
following locations to provide filled sandbags:
Mulberry
– 900 NE 5th St., Mulberry, (863) 519-4734
Lakeland
– 8970 N. Campbell Road, Lakeland (863) 815-6701
Fort
Meade – 1061 NE 9th St., Fort Meade (863) 285-6588
Frostproof
– 350 County Road 630A, Frostproof (863) 635-7879
Dundee
– 805 Dr. Martin Luther King St. SW, Dundee, (863) 421-3367
Poinciana
– Association of Poinciana Villages (APV) Public Works facility, 2012
Hemlock Ave., Poinciana
Residents
living in flood prone areas are encouraged to sandbag their homes. To protect
against water damage, follow these simple sandbagging techniques.
At
the area where water can enter a structure:
If not working on concrete, a small ditch should be dug
just deep enough to go below ground level. The ditch should be back far
enough from the entrance to allow room to place optional submersible
(sump) pumps into the protected area. The edge of the plastic sheeting
should be placed in the ditch as a bottom layer.
Place the first row of sandbags in ditch, fold plastic
sheeting over the top of first row, place a second row of bags on top,
fold plastic sheeting back over, place a third row of bags on top, and so
on. This creates an “S” pattern with the plastic sheeting.
Depending on the size of the barrier, one or more
submersible (sump) pumps should be utilized. The barrier will not
completely stop water from entering the protected area. However, with the
proper placement of bags, plastic sheeting and sump pumps, water, in most
cases, can be removed quickly.
LAKELAND, FL (August 12, 2021) – Detectives with the Lakeland Police
Department’s Special Victim’s Unit, with the assistance of the Columbia City
Police Department in Indiana, have arrested 35-year-old Tabitha Palmer, related
to criminal acts involving a minor in Lakeland whom she met online while
playing video games.
On June 9, 2021, the parent of the victim, an 11-year-old boy,
reported finding inappropriate content of a sexual nature on her son’s tablet.
Upon interviewing the victim and a forensic review of his tablet, detectives
discovered evidence of an inappropriate online relationship that developed
between Palmer and the victim over the course of approximately seven to eight
months. Initially, Palmer and the victim met and communicated while playing the
online video game Fortnite. In May of this year, Palmer began communicating
with the victim on the communications platform Discord, and the context of the
messages became increasingly sexual in nature. Over the period of one month,
Palmer and the victim exchanged approximately 14,300 messages through the
Discord platform. Detectives found a noticeable progression in the sexual
nature of messages between Palmer and the victim. Palmer gradually exposed the
victim to explicit photographs and conversations, eventually encouraging him to
engage in similar behavior.
Upon review of the evidence uncovered, detectives were able to
confirm the identity of Palmer and her location. Detectives Cory Lawson and
Alex Urra, with the Lakeland Police Department’s Special Victim’s Unit, sought
and received a warrant for Palmer’s arrest on August 2, 2021. The detectives
traveled to Columbia City, Indiana, and with the assistance of the Columbia
City Police Department, Palmer was arrested on August 5, 2021. In an interview
post-Miranda, Palmer admitted sending lewd images of herself and soliciting
indecent images from the victim. Palmer also admitted to sending lewd images to
at least three additional juveniles, all of whom are believed to be between 12
and 14 years of age. Investigators are continuing to work to identify the three
minors; however, all are believed to reside outside Florida.
Chief Ruben Garcia said, “Thankfully, this child’s parent
was vigilant in reviewing the electronic device he was using and reported the
illegal content immediately. It is crucial for parents to monitor their child’s
digital activity because you never know who is communicating with your child
online. We are grateful for the outstanding work of the detectives in this case
and the many other efforts the Special Victim’s Unit engages in to safeguard
our most vulnerable citizens from those who would prey on them.
Tabitha Palmer was charged with (9) counts of
Distribution of Harmful Material to a minor [847.0138], (1) count of Computer
Pornography; prohibited usage to Seduce, Solicit, Lure or Entice [847.0135
(3)(a)], and (1) count of Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication [934.215].
All of the charges are third-degree felonies. Palmer is currently being held at
the Whitely County Jail in Columbia City, Indiana, without bond awaiting
extradition to Polk County.
One of the owners, Michael Denn, previously charged with 2nd degree murder after shooting a man at his tow yard.
On August 11, 2021, PCSO detectives concluded an investigation into illegal towing practices being committed by a Mulberry business, Strapped Towing, specifically within the Stoll Manor Mobile Home Park in Lakeland, and charged the owners, husband and wife Michael and Elissa Denn, with multiple felonies.
The investigation began when PCSO received complaints from
residents of the park about Strapped Towing coming into the neighborhood at
night, when management wasn’t there, and towing vehicles the business deemed
were in violation of a written agreement with Stoll.
Detectives obtained a copy of the written and signed
agreement between Stoll Manor and Strapped Towing, which states: “vehicles
should be towed IMMEDIATELY if they are ‘blocking exits,’ parked in ‘grass,’ or
‘on the street,’ including ‘boats and trailers.’”
The contract stated that the services were to start on May
15, 2021.
A section on the agreement listed as “violation program”
states: “violations will be stickered for the following: jackstands, flat
tire(s), immobilized, and no plates. Just below this section in bold print the
agreement reads, “All violations will be reported to management via email
within 24 hours of being stickered.” Nowhere on the agreement does it mention
that Strapped Towing is authorized to tow vehicles for the reasons listed in
the “violation program” section – it states the violators will receive a
sticker depicting the violation.
Between May 15th and May 16th, 2021, Strapped Towing removed
19 vehicles from inside Stoll Manor, and provided the vehicle owners with the
address of 1330 Virginia Street in Mulberry as the storage facility where the
vehicles were being taken. Each of the vehicles’ owners had to respond to the
Mulberry location and pay cash to recover their vehicles.
According to Google Maps, Stoll Manor Mobile Home Park,
located at 1123 Walt Williams Road in Lakeland, is approximately 16.7 miles
from Strapped Towing’s storage facility in Mulberry, placing the storage
facility well outside of a ten-mile radius of Stoll Manor Mobile Home Park.
Florida Statute 715.07(2a)(1a): In any county with a
population of more than 500,000, any vehicle towed must be stored within a
10-mile radius from the point of removal. Violation of this statute is a third
degree felony.
The Strapped Towing trucks that were used to tow vehicles
from the park were marked with the name of the business, a phone number, and
“Lakeland, FL.” (see attached photos)
Florida Statute 715.07(2a)(7): Any person, or towing firm,
conducting a private property tow without consent of the owner shall, on any
vehicle used to tow, have the name, address, and telephone number of the
company performing the tow. Violation of this statute is a third degree felony.
The 19th vehicle towed by Strapped, on May 16, 2021,
belonged to Juan Barroso-Muriel’s brother-in-law. A neighbor witnessed and
filmed the event, which shows Juan, his brother-in-law, and his
brother-in-law’s wife, pleading with Michael Denn to allow them to keep the
vehicle there on premises. The vehicle is seen parked partially under a carport
(not on grass, or on the street, or blocking an exit). The vehicle’s owner is
seen holding the vehicle’s tag. Denn tows the vehicle despite this.
Florida Statute 715.07(2a)(3): During the process of any
private property tow for a vehicle being unlawfully parked, if a person seeks
the return of the vehicle, the tow must be stopped. The vehicle must be
returned upon payment of a reasonable fee of not more than one-half of the
posted rate. The vehicle can only be towed after the owner or legally authorized
person in control of the vehicle is offered a reasonable opportunity to pay and
they are unable to pay. Violation of this statute is a third degree felony.
Polk County Ordinance 10.3-63 sets the administrative fee, a
one-time charge that a towing service may legally impose once the vehicle has
been placed in the storage area, of $45.00 plus $10.00 per certified letter
sent after three days in storage, not to exceed $75.00 total.
On May 16th, Michael and Elissa Denn violated FSS
715.07(2a)(3) by not stopping the tow in progress when confronted by the owner,
and not offering the vehicle owner an opportunity to pay a reasonable fee at
that time (which, per ordinance, is not to exceed one-half of the posted rate).
As previously released, the next day, May 17th, Michael Denn
fatally shot Juan Barroso-Muriel* at the Strapped Towing storage area in
Mulberry when Juan responded there with his brother-in-law to retrieve that
towed vehicle and an altercation ensued. Denn was arrested and charged with
second degree murder on May 18, 2021. He has been in the Polk County Jail since
that time, and is being additionally charged with 21 felonies related to the
illegal towing (19 counts storing vehicles outside 10-mile radius, one count
failure to have address properly marked on tow vehicle, one count failure to
stop tow at owner’s request).
Click here to read that news release:
https://tinyurl.com/3wf8kzfm
Elissa Denn was arrested on August 11, 2021, and booked into
the Polk County Jail for:
· Two counts
failure to have address properly marked on private property tow vehicle (F3)
· 19 counts
storing vehicles outside of a 10-mile radius from removal location (F3)
*Juan’s name is being released with permission from his
family.
On August 10, 2021, Polk
County Animal Control responded to a home on Fussell Road in Polk City, where a
fox bit a man while he was working on his boat. The man fought the fox off, and
when the animal charged at him again, he dispatched the fox.
The victim called Animal
Control, and the Animal Control Officers collected the fox carcass and sent it
to the state laboratory in Tampa for testing.
On Wednesday, August
11th, the results of the test confirmed that the fox was infected with rabies.
The victim was notified
of the positive test result and has begun the appropriate medical treatment.
There have been three prior confirmed rabies
cases in Polk County so far this year. This is the second case involving a
fox in 2021, while the other two cases involved a bat and a racoon.
Wider Sidewalks & Bike Trails Suggested for Lake Wales 1st Street
by James Coulter
Imagine driving past the Dixie Walesbilt Hotel in Lake Wales. You see several people lounging outside the patio, the hotel restored to its former glory. As you continue driving down 1st Street, you see pedestrians walking along the tree-shaded sidewalks, cyclists biking along flower-strewn bike trails, and cars parked in new parallel parking spaces.
This bold vision of 1st Street in Lake Wales could soon become a reality, and a small glimpse of it was offered during the Lake Wales 1st Street Streetscape Design Open House on Tuesday. More than a dozen residents attended the presentation, which was hosted to inform the public about one of the many projects for the city’s initiative, Lake Wales Connected.
That evening, attendees were able to view preliminary sketches and even watch a computer-animated sequence showing a revitalized First Street, one of the longest streets in the city, and the one that connects Downtown Lake Wales with the Northwest Neighborhood.
The proposed revitalization would narrow the streets while widening sidewalks, planting rain gardens and shade trees, installing parallel parking spaces, and constructing a cycle track. These refurbishments would help make the area along 1st Street more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists while helping accentuate the overall image for Downtown Lake Wales as a “City in a Garden,” as proposed by the Lake Wales Connected Plan.
“One of the big ideas in Lake Wales Connected that there was no reason why this jewel of a community on the Ridge could not be the model for the most walkable and bike-able city in the region,” explained Jay Hood, Principal Landscape Architect with the Catalyst Design Group, one of the many organizations collaborating with the plan.
The Lake Wales Connected Plan is a citywide initiative proposed to revitalize the downtown area, helping to spur economic development and growth, and better unite Downtown Lake Wales and the Northwest Neighborhood, “one of [the city’s] most important adjacent neighborhoods,” as described on the Lake Wales website.
Key to the overall project is the revitalization and refurbishment of 1st Street. At nearly 33,000 feet, the road is one of the longest streets in the city, connecting the way south to Highway 60. The street also connects the downtown area with the Northwest Neighborhood, so the revitalization is expected to allow residents to travel between the two regions, and thus help the city feel more “connected.”
Another significant proposal provided that evening was for cycle trails and tracks to be installed in the city. These trails would connect with others in other nearby areas, thus helping to create a network of regional trail projects. Both the Indianapolis Cultural Trail and Winter Garden West Orange Trail were cited as precedents, as those cycle trails helped spur economic development in their respective cities.
“It really is about making a corridor that is today hostile to pedestrians, to make it a walk in the park,” said Hood. “It is not just about the cars…but to provide all those amenities—the shade, the street trees, the parallel parking—to really activate this corridor.”
Lake Wales Connected is currently being spearheaded by the City of Lake Wales, in cooperation with the Lake Wales Economic Development Council, and collaboration with outside groups like Catalyst Design Group and Dover, Kohl & Partners Town Planning. The project’s final design is expected to be finalized by December 2021. Bidding is expected to commence one year later, on January 2023, with construction beginning in mid-2023.
The 1st Street streetscape design is only one “piece” in the overall “puzzle” that is the larger plan for Lake Wales Connected, explained Victor Dover, principal-in-charge of Dover, Kohl & Partners. Dover has become nationally recognized in city planning, as he has overseen 200 charrettes, according to his website.
“This project, the first street redesign, is one piece in a larger project that is Lake Wales Connected,” he said. “What they are doing is show how to put down this piece on the table in the right place.”
1st Street remains a high priority for the project, as while it is an important street, it remains overall lackluster, Dover explained. The street, in its current condition, is “forgettable” and “worse than ordinary”; but through the proposed refurbs, the street should help cement Lake Wales image as a city to live and do business, thus aiding in economic development, he said. They will also attract more foot traffic and less actual traffic, he said.
“If you design a city for cars and traffic, you get cars and traffic; if you design a city for people and places, you get people and places,” Dover said. “It will turn it upside down from the street that is drag on the quality of the community to a street is like a postcard image of the city you are trying to become. That right there is the reason to do it.”
Many of the residents expressed their interest in the project during the Q&A session. Some were concerned that the project would require expanded utilities in the city. Others were concerned about the number of parking spaces, if they were to be converted from diagonal to parallel parking. Hood reassured them that parking would still be in high supply following the refurbishments.
Robin Gibson, Deputy Mayor and City Commissioner, made the bold proposal to rename the street from 1st Street to “America Street.” He felt the name change would better reflect the melting pot of diversity in the city. Recently, a city ordinance was passed that would allow for such a change if it received 75 percent approval from the people on the street.
“First Street says nothing,” Gibson said. “I have a proposal which is that we change the name to America Street. That street represents all of the demographics in Lake Wales and America.”
To learn more about Lake Wales Connected and its various projects, visit these websites: https://www.lakewalesfl.gov/Projects https://www.lakewalesfl.gov/LWCPStatus https://www.lakewalesfl.gov/1stStreet
