Home Blog Page 317

Mayor Jack Hilligoss Seeks Re-Election with Campaign on Long-Term Planning and Quality Development

Staff Reporter
-
0
Mayor Jack Hilligoss Seeks Re-Election with Campaign on Long-Term Planning and Quality Development

THIS IS A PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT: PAID FOR AND APPROVED BY JACK HILLIGOSS CAMPAIGN (NP)

by James Coulter

 

Mayor Jack Hilligoss has served as the Mayor of Lake Wales since 2022. In that time, the city has seen exciting change and growth. Now, he’s seeking re-election to ensure that the city continues to grow and thrive through the further implementation of the Lake Wales Connected Plan.

In the latest Chattin on the Ridge podcast, Mayor Hilligoss shared his thoughts about how Lake Wales has been positioned to thrive in his first three years and his top priorities in his next term. You can listen to the full podcast on Acast:https://shows.acast.com/chattin-on-the-ridge/episodes/ep-55-lake-wales-re-election-wjack-hilligoss

Here’s a sample of his thoughts on his political career and his expectations for the future:

1. Mr. Hilligoss, tell us about your current term as mayor. You originally started as the pastor of HighPoint Church in Lake Wales. Tell us, what inspired you to go from the podium to politics?

I became involved in August of 2021 when I was asked to accept a temporary appointment to Seat Four, which had been vacated on our commission. Our mayor at the time, Eugene Fultz, had made it clear that he was not wanting to seek a fourth term. When that happened, several local leaders reached out to me and asked me if I would consider running. And in my time on the commission, I become aware of a few pressing issues that I felt demanded some leadership.

I felt like my experience in policy governance (which is the way we run our church, and which is very similar to how the City of Lake Wales is structured to run) helped me address those issues and bring some cohesion between the Lake Wales Commission and the City Staff. So, I prayed about it and consulted with our church leadership and decided that I would throw my hat in the ring to become the mayor. And I won the election in 2022.

2. And since you first became Mayor in 2022, how has your current term been? What have been some of the highlights and accomplishments of your political career?

I would describe my first term with two words: effective and challenging.

I say challenging because it is a steep learning curve for anyone who comes out of civic life, out of private life, and into public service. There are so many layers of government that work together in the City of Lake Wales. We have local, country, state, and federal government all interacting together here in the City of Lake Wales. And there are so many laws that govern how we get to work together. We are required to work with developers. And most of the system understands that. And so, for that reason, I think we receive a lot of criticism for decisions that we do not have any jurisdiction or control over do impact our local community.


It’s also challenging because of the growth. I understand that angst. I kind of share it. I heard a local official say they would be happy if there wasn’t another homebuilding in Polk County. Personally, I kind of share that. But since there is no way that we can stop that from happening, we have to deal with it more realistically.

That leads, I think, to the biggest challenge, which is there is a contingent of people in Lake Wales who play upon that angst with overgrowth by demonizing the Commission and making kind of vague slanderous accusations about corruption with absolutely no evidence and promising that they will stand up to the developers and stop the growth, which they can’t do and they won’t do. And it’s really just a cynical kind of dishonest political ploy.

So those are the challenging aspects of it. But overall, the good outweighs the bad.

3. Tell us about your plans for your next term, if you become elected. One of your main priorities is long-term planning and quality development. I assume, then, that the Lake Wales Connected Plan has been a main priority for you. Tell us, what are your thoughts on Lake Wales Connected? And how successful would you say you have been in helping implement it?

 

The accomplishment I would say I am the most proud of in the first three years that I have served as the Mayor of Lake Wales is the long-term planning that we have done. And the Lake Wales Connected Plan was only the beginning of that. It was actually initiated by Lake Wales Main Street in 2019. It is a big, bold comprehensive plan for the city. It has 69 actions. We have already completed or enacted over 50 of those 69 action plans. That is important because these kinds of plans often just turn into expensive three-ring binders in some city manager’s office. But we’ve acted on it.

But in order to implement any of that, you have to have the money. So, the City Commission has secured the financing to actually get started with $13 million to get the work done on Park Avenue and the Market Street Plaza. The result of that work has been national recognition and national sources of funding. In the last three years, the city of Lake Wales has received $31 million in grants.

We have created a mixed-use district in Downtown with different forms of housing. We created a historic overlay district for our downtown so we can preserve that historic quality in the area while we were activating it. I think that will activate the Downtown area. So, this is not about business and housing. We have had visits just in the last couple of months from two different investment groups and business groups that are visiting the downtown area and thinking about moving there. 

We were also part of Lake Wales Connected. The city put $1 million behind HUD to help them secure, which is a federal organization that manages the Garden Grove Housing, and our $1 million dollars in backing will help secure federal funding for a big renovation and rework of the Garden Grove housing area. We established a 180-utility service area that gives a footprint for our city for the future, it gives us a first right of refusal. When people want to annex, it helps us prioritize zoning.

In my second term, one of my top two priorities will be with economic development. We have a plan for the Central Florida Council on that. Also, we are increasing our quality of life, and the primary way that we are going to focus on that is a Parks and Recreation master plan which call for millions of dollars in investment in our parks. It is an exciting plan. And my priority will be to implement that plan and get that work done.

4. And when it comes to implementing Lake Wales Connected, what have been some challenges. Having watched many city commission meetings, I can tell there have been many local residents who have been quite vocal about it. Have the NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard) been somewhat of a stumbling block for you and your fellow commissioners?

I will say there have been many residents who have voiced opposition to this. There have been a few who have shown up persistently and consistently at City Commission meetings and have been critical. But those few I will tell you are just, they have been kind of that way almost about any initiative that the city takes and it seems to be their reason for living sometimes.

And so they have complained about the type of bricks that we use, the type of trees that we planted, and have used every one of these setbacks as kind of an opportunity to criticize. Jesus said these are the kind of people who strain out gnats and swallow camels. And that can be frustrating at time, but it has been a stumbling block.

But outside of that, you know when merchants have voiced legitimate concerns they have had and struggles we have faced, we have been trying to be sympathetic and kind as possible, and I believe they will be able to reap some of the real benefits in this project now that it is done.

SPECTRUM LAUNCHES GIGABIT BROADBAND, MOBILE,TV AND VOICE SERVICES IN POLK COUNTY

Staff Reporter
-
0
SPECTRUM LAUNCHES GIGABIT BROADBAND, MOBILE,TV AND VOICE SERVICES IN POLK COUNTY

“Spectrum, the #1 rural internet provider in the nation*, today announced the launch of Spectrum Internet, Mobile, TV and Voice services to nearly 4,900 homes and small businesses in Polk County, Florida. Spectrum’s newly constructed fiber-optic network buildoutextends Spectrum services to parts of Lake Wales, Fort Meade, Polk City and surrounding unincorporated areas of Polk County.

Spectrum’s multi-year Rural Construction Initiative is driven by an approximately $7 billion private investment from Spectrum and will ultimately connect approximately 1.75 million new homes and small businesses across the country.

“Spectrum is bringing gigabit broadband to unserved communities in Florida and across America,” said John Dosher, Area Vice President, Field Operations, Charter Communications. “Our investment is making it possible to deliver the high-value broadband, mobile, TV and voice services to additional rural Polk County communities. We are providing local residents and small businesses superior connectivity at highly competitive prices, backed by a team of skilled local technicians and 100% U.S.-based customer service.”

In addition, Spectrum has partnered with the state of Florida through the Florida Office of Broadband to continue expanding broadband access through the Broadband Opportunity Program to thousands more additional unserved homes and small businesses in Polk County and across the Sunshine State. 

“Expanding rural broadband has been a longtime priority for me and ensuring that residents and business across Polk County have reliable, fast, and affordable internet is critical,” said State Rep. Josie Tomkow. “With Spectrum’s support, we are making significant progress in closing access gaps for the communities that need it the most.”

Broadband speeds up to 1 Gbps, plus money-saving Mobile options and 85,000 On Demand choices

Spectrum Internet delivers speeds up to 1 Gbps and Advanced WiFi for residential and small business customers, featuringstarting speeds of 500 Mbps, with no modem fees, data caps or contracts. Spectrum Business Internet offers customers 1 Gbps download speeds, with 400 Mbps and 600 Mbps options. The company has also begun a network evolution that will provide gigabit upstream speeds and multiple gigabit download speeds across its entire 41-state service area.

“Spectrum is helping us to deliver internet accessibility to more families in Polk County— from agriculture to manufacturing, our county’s rural communities will play a huge part in Florida’s growth this century,” said Becky Troutman, Commissioner, Polk County. “We are grateful to Spectrum for recognizing this and for being such a strong partner.”

 

Spectrum Internet exceeded advertised download and upload speeds for all tiers measured — even during peak weeknight usage between 7 and 11 p.m. — according to the FCC’s most recent “Measuring Broadband America Fixed Broadband Report.”.

Along with multiple broadband options, Spectrum services now available also include Spectrum Mobile™ and Spectrum TV®.Spectrum Mobile is the nation’s fastest-growing mobile provider** and combines with Spectrum Internet and Advanced Home WiFi to provide seamless connectivity inside and outside the home. Spectrum Mobile provides customers access to nationwide 5G at great value, with Unlimited lines starting at $30 a month, as well as By the Gig options.

Spectrum TV offers more than 270 HD channels and access to 85,000 On Demand movies and shows. Using the Spectrum TV App — the highest-rated pay TV streaming app in the U.S.*** —viewers can stream content across a growing number of platforms, including iOS and Android mobile devices, Xbox One, Kindle Fire, Samsung Smart TVs, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, XUMO TVs and PCs.

Local residents and business owners should visit spectrumruralexpansion.com to learn more about when their home or business may be able to receive Spectrum services.

*Based on December 2022 FCC Broadband Data Collection locations.

**Based on 1Q 2024 subscriber data among top 3 carriers.

***iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play) average ratings as of July 1, 2024. Apps must have at least 150k reviews through combination of iOS & Android store reviews as of July 1, 2024.

 

About Spectrum 

Spectrum is a suite of advanced communications services offered by Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR), a leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator with services available to nearly 57 million homes and businesses in 41 states. Over an advanced communications network, the Company offers a full range of state-of-the-art residential and business services including Spectrum Internet®, TV, Mobile and Voice. 

More information can be found at corporate.charter.com.”

*information provided by Spectrum

New Discount Grocery Store Plans to Open in Lake Wales Soon

Staff Reporter
-
0
New Discount Grocery Store Plans to Open in Lake Wales Soon
The future home of Hutson’s Discount Groceries, across Hwy. 60 from Walmart

It’s true; Lake Wales is getting a brand new discount grocery store. While you may not yet be familiar with the name, seeing the new sign on Highway 60 will probably help you to remember.

Hutson’s Discount Groceries, an independent chain, is planning to open their second Florida store on at 2039 Hwy. 60 in Lake Wales, in the plaza that currently houses All-Star Grill, across from Walmart. This location formerly housed a Food Lion grocery store.

The Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce currently has the company listed on their online business directory.

The store is on an expedited path to open within approximately 60 days, or sometime in May 2025.

According to their website, Hutson’s motto is “Shop with us, save with us.”

The company strategy to keeping food prices at a discount encompasses a few different factors. By minimizing overhead costs, bulk purchasing and having efficient supply chains, and offering private labels and limited inventory, this discount grocery store claims to be able to offer premium items at a fraction of the price of regular brand names.

The company’s first location is currently open in Port Ritchey, Florida.

Additional details regarding Hutson’s Discount Grocery will be forthcoming in an upcoming article.

Lake Wales Man Arrested for DUI and Reckless Discharge of a Firearm

Carl Fish
-
0
Lake Wales Man Arrested for DUI and Reckless Discharge of a Firearm

Lake Wales, FL – A routine traffic complaint escalated into a dangerous situation on February 25, 2025, when officers responded to a DUI call on Burns Ave. The suspect, later identified as Audencio Castillo, was reported driving erratically, weaving through lanes, striking curbs, and forcing oncoming vehicles to honk to avoid a collision. A concerned citizen followed Castillo’s gray pickup truck into the Sunset Neighborhood and witnessed him park at home on Sunset Circle, stumble out of his vehicle with a beer can in hand, and fire a gunshot before police arrived. Castillo is charged with DUI (3rd offense in 10 years), Discharge A Firearm In Public, Use Of A Firearm Under The Influence Of Alcohol & Threatening A Law Enforcement Official.

Here is an excerpt of the arrest affidavit (It should be noted that this is an unedited report of facts by the Lake Wales Police Department. 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 Lake Wales Daily 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 February 25, 2025, at approximately 1936 hours I responded to a traffic complaint call on Burns Ave. in Lakes Wales, that was later reclassified to a DUI. On my way to the scene, dispatch advised the driver is now shooting. I responded with lights and siren the rest of the way there. Upon arrival, Mr. Castillo had been cuffed by other responding officers. I placed Mr. Castillo in my patrol vehicle. Mr. Castillo refused to comply with orders. Officer Blaser walked around the right side of my vehicle to assist Mr. Castillo into my vehicle at which point he threatened to hurt officer Blaser by stating he would beat the shit out of him. I then met with the reportee, later identified as REDACTED. REDACTED advised she witnessed the defendant’s gray pickup truck traveling approximately 20 miles an hour in a 40 MPH zone. REDACTED noticed him weaving in and out of his lane. She also witnessed the vehicle hit a few curbs and ran over the median. Vehicles coming in the opposite direction had to honk the horn to avoid getting hit by the defendant’s pickup truck. REDACTED considered the reckless driving alarming and decided to dial 911 to stop the truck before it hurt someone. REDACTED followed the pickup truck into the Sunset Neighborhood. The pickup drove into and parked in the driveway of REDACTED Sunset Circle in Lake Wales. REDACTED witnessed the driver, later identified as Audencio Castillo, got out of the pickup truck, stumbling with a beer can in bis hand. REDACTED explained that as she was parked on the street, in front of the address mentioned above, she heard a gunshot and soon after, LWPD arrived on scene.

I then checked the truck and area surrounding the defendant’s truck for evidence. I noticed a spent shell casing chambered in 9mm on the driveway by the left, rear wheel of the truck. I also noticed an unspent 9mm round on the driveway by the left rear passenger door. There were two other rounds on the floor of the driver’s cabin. 1 also found an unloaded, light gray 9mm Kimber brand pistol with wooden handles on the driver’s seat. There was also a large can of Modelo brand beer on the top of the truck bed just behind the driver’s seat of the pickup truck, the beer can was mostly empty, still cold to the touch, had an odor of alcoholic beverage emanating from it, and whea poured out was a yellow color consistent of urine, which had an odor of alcoholic beverage.

I then interviewed the reportee/witness, REDACTED. REDACTED reiterated everything she had related to dispatch. REDACTED gave us a written statement. REDACTED, reiterated that she has been following the vehicle since Burns Ave. REDACTED explained that the driver got out of the driver’s seat, was stumbling, and had a beer can in his hand. REDACTED also explained that immediately after she heard a gunshot and she saw the driver get back into the pickup truck’s driver seat before Police arrived.

I was informed by the initial responding officers on scene that Castillo was in the driver’s seat of the vehicle when they located him. His vehicle keys were later found in his right pocket. Defendant’s vehicle is equipped with push start system.

After securing Castillo, a Kimber Brand 9mm pistol was discovered on the seat where defendant had been sitting.

As I spoke with Castillo, I noted he had relaxed muscles in his face, he was stumbling and had a drunk like walk, his face was flush, he bad slurred speech, glassy bloodshot eyes, droopy eyellds, and he had a very strong odor of alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath.

Based on Castillo being in actual physical control of the vehicle upon contact with law enforcement, and based on the observations of my Field Training Officer’s training and experience, there is probable cause to charge Castillo with DUI.

Based on the location of the firearm and the spent shell casing immediately where REDACTED said Castillo was standing, there is sufficient evidence to charge Castillo with discharging a firearm in public.

Based on Castillo’s apparent intoxication from alcohol, and the location of the firearm when he came into contact with law enforcement, there is sufficient evidence to charge Castillo with use of a firearm while under the influence of alcohol.

Based on Castillo’s threats to cause harm to Ofc. Blaser while in the course of his duties, there is sufficient evidence to charge Castillo with threatening a law enforcement officer.

Audencio Castillo is being charged with DUI, 3rd offense greater than 10 years (316.193(2)(B)2). Castillo has two other DUI convictions, case# 532017CT007618A0000WT and case# 532012CT000894A000BA.

The use of a firearm while under the influence of Alcohol (790.151), Discharging a Firearm in public. (790.15(1)), and Threatening a Law Enforcement Officer (836.12). Issued a DUI citation AKWG6GE.

I attempted to interview Castillo however he refused to speak to us after I read his Miranda Rights.

Castillo was transported to the Polk County Processing Center for processing.

EVIDENCE:

A Kimber – Micro9, 9mm Firearm, one spent casing and three rounds have been submitted to evidence.

During the incident, I was wearing my agency-issued Class B uniform, which is a dark blue polyester shirt and dark blue polyester pants. On the polyester shirt is my agency-issued badge and nameplate, along with two patches on the sleeves which read, ‘City of Lake Wales – POLICE’. While wearing this uniform, it clearly indicates I am a sworn uniformed law enforcement officer. I was also wearing my agency-Issued Body Worn Camera (BWC). The Body Worn Camera video footage was uploaded to Evidence.com.”

In Loving Memory of Dorothy “Dort” M. Yackley

Staff Reporter
-
0
In Loving Memory of Dorothy “Dort” M. Yackley

Dorothy “Dort” M. Yackley

October 14th, 1948 – February 22nd, 2025

Remember In Love  

Dorothy (Dort) M. Yackley 

Dorothy was born October 14, 1948, in Moline, IL… She was the daughter of Kenneth and Lola Schoeder Evans. Dorothy was united in marriage to Martin E. Yackley on August 21, 1976. Dorothy retired after 30 years from the US Postal Service as a rural mail carrier. Dorothy was a member of the Living Rock Community Church in Winter Haven, FL… Dorothy enjoyed traveling, cooking, eating out, playing cards and spending time with her family and friends. Dorothy will always be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and a great-grandmother.  

Survivors include her husband Martin Yackley, Son Richard Blue Sr. (Stacey) Blue of Rock Island, IL., Daughter Rita Krause of Kewanee, IL., two grandchildren Richard Jr. Blue and Ashlee Blue and Six great-grandchildren.  

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents and one daughter.  

Services will be held at a later date. 

In Loving Memory of Robert “Bob” William Maag

Staff Reporter
-
0
In Loving Memory of Robert “Bob” William Maag

Robert “Bob” William Maag

November 15th, 1951 – February 24th, 2025

Life Story of Robert William Maag

Birthdate: November 15, 1951

Date of Death: February 24, 2025 

Bob was born in the South Side of Chicago on November 15, 1951. From birth onwards, Bob was never Robert, or Rob, or Bobby, and even though he was technically a Junior, he was never a Junior either; his father insisted the only name to be used was Bob. 

He was raised Catholic and attended elementary school at St. John Bosco School. When told his parents couldn’t afford to send him and his sister to Catholic high school, Bob went out and got a job to pay for tuition, bypassing sports opportunities like track and football due to time constraints. He graduated as an Honor Student from Saint Patrick High School and studied Marketing at the University of Illinois, Chicago Circle. Upon graduation, he began working while obtaining his Master of Business Administration from DePaul University. He liked to say that he attended 14 years of Catholic schooling. 

Even though he worked and studied full-time during his early 20s, he still found time to go out with his brother James to drive racecars on the weekend. During his last year, he loved it when “Jimmy” sent him photos from those days when Speed was the name of their game.

At 33, he met and married Jacqueline Reinholz. They shared many happy years in the house they built in Downers Grove, IL., until 2005, when Jackie passed away suddenly after just a week’s illness.

After Jackie’s passing, Bob expanded his love of live music and met Kerry Spaedy at music haven Ballydoyle Irish Bar in 2017. They were friends at first, going out dancing with their friend Lynn van Haren. They began dating in 2019 after Bob casually asked Kerry why the two of them had never gone out. She replied that she didn’t want to take the chance of losing their friendship. Bob said, “Let’s go out on Tuesday and talk about it.” Well, they never talked about it. It was Bob’s second chance at love, and that second chance was symbolized in the wedding ring Kerry designed using Jackie’s engagement diamond and small diamonds from Jackie’s 10th-anniversary ring. Kerry brought Bob back to the Catholic Church by attending Sunday Mass. He began going with her shortly after they got together, and his rebirth of Catholic faith grew so much that when they decided to get married last December, marrying in the Catholic Church became just as important to Bob as it was to Kerry.

Life with Kerry brought something new into Bob’s life–children. Kerry’s two daughters, Shannon Klinger and Susanne Job, and her three grandchildren, Kaitlyn and Rose Kennedy, and Brialynn Mica, brought many new aspects of life to Bob. When Bob and Kerry moved to Florida, he shared his love of boating and Florida beaches with the girls. 

Bob and Kerry’s move to Florida in 2021 was precipitated by a casual remark by Bob to Kerry that he “always wanted to live in Florida.” They followed Bob’s sister-in-law Sue Riviere and her husband Clay to Winter Haven and Lake Wales, where they found many true friends in the community of Lake Ashton. They enjoyed many nights dancing to live music at Lake Ashton and they quickly took advantage of boating on the Chain of Lakes. Bob loved hosting friends on the boat and especially enjoyed his last boating session in October with friends Clive and Colleen Greeff, Chuck, and Terresa Caesar, as well as Chicago buddy and dancing friend Lynn van Haren. 

While Bob’s interests were many, like listening to live music and dancing,  he probably spent most of his free time on anything with an engine! He acquired a 1970 Mustang Mach One and in 1988, bought Jackie her own Mustang. In addition to boating, his Mustangs were two of the main reasons he wanted to move to Florida—so he could drive them, responsibly, of course (ha!) throughout the year versus just during the summer months in the Midwest. He used the cold winter months in Illinois to build models of WWII planes, tanks, and battleships, which followed his love of the history of both world wars. 

Bob was also an avid NASCAR fan and especially enjoyed watching the races during his last year with his good buddy Jeff Prunty. But no description of his life can be complete without including his love of politics. When Kerry moved in in 2019, she quickly realized Bob could monopolize their conversations with talk of politics. And so a 90-second rule was instituted to limit Bob’s political talks to what Kerry could tolerate!

Bob loved to travel. His Lake Wales home is filled with photographs from the many trips he and Jackie enjoyed. His last trip was a favorite one to the Bahamas with Kerry and then the Inn on the Lakes in Sebring for their honeymoon over the Valentine’s Day weekend this past February. 

Bob’s career put him in various management positions, with his last position before retirement at Illinois Tool Works, where he served as Logistics Manager for 12 years.

Bob’s booming “radio” voice was missed during his last months on earth when cancer took his voice, but his facial expressions always told the story when his lack of a voice couldn’t. In typical Bob fashion, his last words–and vehement expressions!–to Kerry, the morning he died at Good Shepherd Hospice was, “Get me out of here!” God listened and brought him home.

Auburndale’s Maxwell Posts First Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Toho

Carl Fish
-
0
Auburndale’s Maxwell Posts First Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Toho

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (March 10, 2025) – Boater Christopher Maxwell of Auburndale, Florida, caught a five-bass limit weighing 23 pounds, 15 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Toho. The tournament, hosted by Experience Kissimmee, was the second event of the season for the BFL Gator Division. Maxwell earned $4,541 for his victory.

A Toho local, Maxwell has been on the water a lot lately, including for another tournament last weekend, when he weighed in about 17 pounds.

“I didn’t get a big bite (in that tournament),” he said, “but I just did pretty much the same thing today. I had a little bit of a crowd today. I just fished around them and did the same thing. I got the lucky bites today. That’s all I can say.”

Maxwell spent the tournament fishing in Toho’s southern end. He fished pads and grass, intercepting postspawn fish as they left the beds before transitioning to deeper water. He caught his limit pitching a black and blue Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver.

“I didn’t catch many fish. I caught seven today,” Maxwell said. “They were just the right ones. I just stuck with what I was doing and moved slow because all the boats were coming around, and I just didn’t let myself get aggravated with it.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Christopher Maxwell, Auburndale, Fla., five bass, 23-15, $4,541
2nd:      George Kapiton, Inverness, Fla., five bass, 20-11, $2,270
3rd:       Connor Macdougall, Cape Coral, Fla., five bass, 20-6, $1,514
4th:        Chris Crow, Lake Placid, Fla., five bass, 18-10, $1,560 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
5th:        Fred Chivington Jr., San Mateo, Fla., five bass, 18-9, $1,530
5th:        Austin Chism, Auburndale, Fla., five bass, 18-9, $870
7th:        Dylan Quilatan Windermere, Fla., five bass, 18-5, $757
8th:        John Kremer, Orange City, Fla., five bass, 17-9, $681
9th:        Cedric Perry, Trenton, Fla., five bass, 16-11, $605
10th:     Anthony Cilladi, Oviedo, Fla., five bass, 15-14, $530

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Fred Chivington Jr. of San Mateo, Florida, caught a bass that weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $660.

Chris Westhelle of Sanford, Florida, won the co-angler division and $2,580 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 13 pounds, 7 ounces.

The top 11 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Chris Westhelle, Sanford, Fla., three bass, 13-7, $2,580
2nd:      Zachary Bach, Bartow, Fla., three bass, 11-11, $1,127
3rd:       Leandro Saratt, Winter Garden, Fla., three bass, 11-1, $751
4th:        Brian Yusavage, Tamarac, Fla., three bass, 10-1, $488
4th:        Preston Williams, Tallahassee, Fla. three bass, 10-1, $488
6th:        Larry Austin, The Villages, Fla., three bass, 9-5, $413
7th:        Andrew Wiedmann, Titusville, Fla., three bass, 9-1, $376
8th:        Taylor Harris, Haines City, Fla., three bass, 8-13, $338
9th:        Robert Linthout, Cape Coral, Fla., three bass, 8-9, $300
10th:     Justin Hampton, Orlando, Fl., three bass, 8-6, $250
10th:     Kenneth Bivins, Orlando, Fla., three bass, 8-6, $250

Westhelle also earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $327, catching a bass that weighed in at 9 pounds, 9 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

After two events, Dylan Quilatan of Windermere, Florida, now leads the Fishing Clash Gator Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 493 points, while James Sponaugle of Auburndale, Florida, leads the Fishing Clash Gator Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 473 points.

The next event for BFL Gator Division anglers will be held March 22, at the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Florida. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 17-18 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Georgia. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.

The 2025 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 134 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 60 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of 12 BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top three, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Deep Dive App, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Humminbird, Lew’s, Li Time Batteries, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

You’re Invited Winter Haven Police Cadets Spirit Night

Staff Reporter
-
0
You’re Invited Winter Haven Police Cadets Spirit Night

Winter Haven Public Safety Department –

Support the Winter Haven Police Cadets at Spirit Night on March 26th at Blackburn’s Barbecue! Dine in from 5–8 PM, show the flyer, and a percentage of sales will go toward the cadets.

The Winter Haven Police Cadets, part of the Florida Association of Police Explorers, are young adults gaining real-world experience in law enforcement, leadership, and teamwork. Your support helps provide training opportunities and competition experiences across the state.

For more info: http://www.floridaassociationpoliceexplorers.com/

Lake Wales Arts Council Offering Weekly Classes to Get You Strumming and Singing

Staff Reporter
-
0
Lake Wales Arts Council Offering Weekly Classes to Get You Strumming and Singing

Ready to make music and explore your vocal talents? Lake Wales Arts Council offers a variety of fun and engaging classes at the Lake Wales Arts Center! Whether you’re strumming a ukulele or working on your singing skills, there’s something for everyone:

Adult & Teens Ukulele Class
Tuesdays, 6:15 – 7:15 pm
All levels welcome! Learn technique, strumming styles, and fun songs in a relaxed, supportive environment. Perfect for beginners or seasoned strummers!

Voice Lessons for Adults & Teens
Saturdays, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Whether you’re preparing for an audition, brushing up your skills, or just want to sing for fun, this workshop offers a supportive space to learn and grow!

No matter your age or experience, these classes are designed to nurture your creative expression and help you reach your musical goals!

For more information, visit: https://www.lakewalesartscouncil.org/

City of Lake Wales Enters into Piggyback Agreement to Aid with Library Renovations

Staff Reporter
-
0
City of Lake Wales Enters into Piggyback Agreement to Aid with Library Renovations

by James Coulter

 

The Lake Wales Public Library will receive assistance from Library Interiors of Florida through a piggyback agreement approved by the City Commission.

At their meeting on Tues. Mar. 4, 2025, Lake Wales city commissioners voted 4-1 to enter into a piggyback agreement with Library Interiors of Florida utilizing the Orange County Public Schools Agreement for upcoming renovations to the city library.

The Lake Wales Public Library will be undergoing renovations with a new multi-purpose room and young adult rooms. These renovations are being done in response to increased demand and attendance.

“Due to significant business and residential growth within the city, the demand for extra space has never been higher than in the past couple of years,” Belle Reynoso, Library Director, wrote in the agenda memo.

“Our single meeting room is frequently booked, resulting in the library staff having to refuse five or more requests for it each month,” she further elaborated. “With an average of 40-50 library programs per month using the meeting room, public requests are often left without a space to conduct their business.”

Through the agreement, Library Interiors of Florida will assist the library with the moving of furniture and books during these refurbishments. Library Interiors has worked successfully with other libraries within the county.

The agreement was part of the commission’s consent agenda. Commissioner Carol Gillespie requested that it be pulled from the agenda for discussion. She expressed concerns about the lack of clarity within the agreement, which is why she was reluctant to vote to approve it.

“As I reviewed these documents, I found no mention of what the contractor will do for the city or how much he would get paid,” she explained. “I have a problem because I feel the contract is grossly inadequate, and if there ever is a problem that comes up, I do not feel we have the kind of protection that we would need to be sure we have money for performance or a product of what we are paying.”

Commissioner Keith Thompson, in contrast, voted to approve the agreement, claiming he did not wish to quibble over the details, and in doing so, delay any valuable work the library required.

“My personal opinion is that I do not want to delay what the library needs to do to go into minutia on contract law,” he explained.

Deputy Mayor Robin Gibson likewise voted in favor of the agreement, claiming that it proved sufficient for the staff’s and library’s needs.

“If our folks are satisfied with it, and if the library is satisfied with it, and our attorney is satisfied with it, then I am inclined to go along with this proven commodity,” he said.

City Commissioners voted 4-1 through a roll call vote to approve the agreement. Commissioner Gillespie offered the only vote against it.

1...316317318...1,386Page 317 of 1,386