We are thrilled to introduce the newest member of our police department family—K9 Phil! This talented canine will be paired with K9 Officer Nason. Together, they will embark on a journey filled with adventure, service, and dedication to keeping our city safe.
We were honored to have members of our community join us in welcoming K9 Phil, including City Manager Jeff Tillman, Carol Lackey, former Mayor Tim Pospichal, and Vice Mayor Alex Cam, alongside our command staff and K9 Officer Nason. Their presence highlights the strong bond between our department and the community we serve.
K9 Phil is not just a new K9 officer; he represents the commitment of our department to excellence and community engagement. We look forward to seeing the incredible work he and K9 Officer Nason will accomplish together!
Grab your kayak and join the LW Outdoor Adventure Club while kayaking around Lake Wailes! Meet at the Lake Wailes Boat Ramp and Dock at 8am. In total, the kayaking venture will last approximately 1-2 hours, weather and participation permitted. *Note: If you would like to reserve (for free) one of the 2 available Rent Fun kayaks, please register.
On February 17th, the city of Davenport approved an expansion to the Tom Fellows Community Center. The center, opened in October 2021, is a general purpose recreation facility with amenities such as a media center, gymnasiums, a banquet hall and more. In addition, it acts as the city’s polling location for local elections.
Initial plans for the center date back to 2019. according to currently available records. Its creation was due to the city’s growth, and its current expansion is no exception as a city official stated at the February 17th commission meeting, “Other than it’s really not a whole lot of renovation, it’s more about expansion. We’ve outgrown that facility in record time, and I think that goes back to the fact that we have city staff that are promoting it, which is what we wanted them to do for the betterment of the city of Davenport. So, this is something that I think we- I know I have personally requested at a city meeting to at least look at it and I think this is where we are.”
3 firms bid for the project, but the city ultimately chose Furr, Wegman & Banks, the original architect of the center. With a development cost of $163,102, the expansion will include 50% more Banquet Hall area and storage, with the lobby and vehicle drop-off area to be moved to accommodate. True to the expansion’s intentions, this will help increase the center’s operating capacity, but strangely, no new bathrooms will be included to match this. New carpeting, HVAC unit, and interior finishes to furnish this expansion will match the original design of the center. The center, or at least the Banquet Hall, is expected to be closed for 4-5 consecutive weeks when construction begins.
During the meeting, no members of the commission or public gave any additional comment, and the expansion was quickly approved
Deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office responded to a fatal two-vehicle crash near Bartow Thursday evening, March 6, 2025.
Deputies and Polk County Fire Rescue were dispatched at around 8:45 pm to the 3000 block of State Road 60, which is approximately two miles west of Bartow.
The crash involved a black Honda Pilot SUV and a blue Peterbilt semi-truck and tanker.
The adult male driver of the Honda was found deceased in his vehicle; the driver of the semi-truck was not injured.
Based on evidence and witness statements, it was determined that the semi-truck was exiting a property on the south side of SR 60, and was crossing eastbound lanes in order to enter the westbound lanes (by making a left turn).
The Honda was traveling east at a very high rate of speed, and collided with the rear wheels of the tanker trailer with such force that it lifted the empty 30,000-pound trailer off of the ground and into the westbound lanes.
The deceased driver was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash.
No charges are anticipated, but the crash remains under investigation.
State Road 60 was closed in both directions for approximately four hours.
Margie Mclendon McKee, 87, of Winter Haven, peacefully passed away on March 2, 2025 at home with family by her side after a courageous battle with Cerebral Arteriosclerosis.
She was born to Marvin Mclendon and Hortense Butler Mclendon on December 2, 1937 in Donalsonville, GA. She had 10 siblings.
She was an active member of the Pentecostal Church of God. Her life was guided by her unwavering faith in Jesus Christ. Known for her adored and loving nature, she dedicated her life to serving the Lord and her family.
A devoted Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother and Great-Great Grandmother. She leaves behind a legacy of love, kindness, and strong foundation of Christian values.
She is survived by her 3 daughters Rita Paine (Robert), Lennette Johnson, and Theresa McKee Benton. 4 Grandchildren Carla Nickels (Scott), Leslie Baxter, Brock Farmer and Zachary Murdock (Amanda). 10 Great Grandchildren Michael (Case) Spiker (Courtney), Rachel Nickels, Bradley Baxter (Kharmann), Levi Farmer, Brantley Farmer, Kinley Farmer, Layla Young, Brooklyn Carter, Aubrey Murdock, and Owen Murdock, 2 great-great grandchildren Aria Baxter, and Cambria Spiker. She is survived by 1 sister, Irene Gustafson.
5 Generations Strong.
Services will be held at Steele’s Family Funeral Home/ Chapel on March 10, 2025. Pastor Christopher (Mikey) Massey will be officiating.
Visitation held at 11:00 am
Service held at 12:00 pm
Graveside service immediately following at Auburndale Memorial Park.
Angel Studios has proven to be one of the most surprising indie media companies to break into the mainstream. This Utah-based company achieved public acclaim through The Chosen, a live-action television chronicling the life of Jesus Christ. It has also dipped its toes into animation, producing animated shows including The Tuttle Twins, The Wingfeather Saga, and its latest project, the anime-inspired Gabriel and the Guardians.
Created by Jason Moody, Gabriel and the Guardians is an animated series that aspires to be an action-adventure fantasy inspired by equal parts Biblical mythology and Japanese anime—and with a staff of animators from throughout the animation industry working on it, the show certainly captures the look and feel of anime.
Gabriel and the Guardians recently released its pilot episode on the Angel Studios app, and the remainder of the series is currently in production. But will this anime-inspired show ascend to the same power level as shows like Dragonball Z or One Piece? Or will it be fated to fall from its lofty heights like the mythical Icarus?
Gabriel and the Guardians is set within the mythical realm of Ara, a world that once basked in light before falling into darkness and chaos. When an ancient artifact, the Celestial Seed, is stolen from the heavenly realm of Parahdem, a celestial guardian named Gabriel must descend to Ara to retrieve it. There, he is joined by an adventurer named Nok and a princess named Namay’ah. Can the trio work together to save the ancient artifact before it can fall into evil hands and potentially undo all of creation?
I’ve been following the production of this series for quite some time. As both a believer and an anime fan, the prospect of a Christian-inspired anime certainly sounds intriguing. And with it being an American production inspired by Japanese anime, the show certainly looks and feels like other American anime-inspired shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender, of which I’m a huge fan.
So far, only a pilot episode has been released. And while the episode is far from perfect, it certainly has the potential to be a real diamond in the rough.
The show has employed many animators who have worked on other hit animated shows including X-Men ’97, Invincible, and Castlevania—and it really shows! Undoubtedly, the best part about the show is its animation, with a vivid art style and fast-paced action scenes that truly live up to its anime influence.
Moreover, the fantastical fantasy setting is likewise, well, fantastic, with landscapes that truly look and feel otherworldly. I especially love the scenes in the heaven-inspired celestial realm of Parahdem with its floating gardens and larger-than-life colorful flora.
However, it appears the animation is mostly what the show has going for it. Because while the pilot episode was certainly intriguing, it was far from perfect. But before I touch upon my own criticisms, I want to dispel other criticisms that have been made against the show.
First, while the show is inspired by the Bible, most notably the first few chapters of Genesis, many believers have criticized it for drawing from apocryphal extra-Biblical sources like the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Book of Enoch. Personally, I have no problem with this. It’s quite evident the show is inspired by the Bible and not an adaptation of it, so taking some creative liberties is fine for this purely fictional fantasy setting.
Another common criticism has been the show’s use of magic, something which many believers considered forbidden by the Bible. Again, personally, as someone who can tell the obvious difference between fantasy-style magic and real-life witchcraft and occult practices, I don’t have a problem with this, and thus I don’t consider it a legit criticism.
However, that doesn’t mean this pilot is without criticism, and I have a few. For one, the series’ backstory is told through a rather bland block of text at the beginning of the episode. In contrast, many popular shows like Avatar: The Last Avatar have very vivid and memorable opening sequences that recount the show’s premise at the start of every episode.
Granted the show may have a proper prologue once it officially releases, but still, there’s no reason for the backstory to be conveyed so lazily. In fact, many teasers for the show have told the backstory through more vivid animatics. So, honestly, there’s no excuse to have cut corners here.
As for the characters, while the main character of Gabriel is introduced and developed quite well, the other two characters,Nok and Namay’ah, aren’t as much. While we clearly understand Gabriel to be a plucky underdog who has the potential to achieve great things, the most we know about the other two is that Nok is a cleric (whatever that means in the context of the show, as it’s not explained) and Namay’ah is a princess.
Understandably, some elements of the story and setting would be left ambiguous to draw intrigue for the show. However, in contrast, many other pilots for indie animated projects like Hazbin Hotel and Lackadaisy manage to flesh out their stories’ plot and premise in a way the audience can fully understand, while this pilot doesn’t explain much of anything at all. In the end, it comes across more as an elaborate tech demo that emphasizes style over substance.
If I come across as harsh, it’s only because I’m rooting for this show to succeed. It has real potential to be the next big animated series, and while the pilot has a few rough edges, given enough time before the series’ release, those edges can easily be sanded off to reveal a real hidden gem.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office currently on scene of a vehicle vs power pole accident in Babson Park. According to initial reports an accident occurred at 7:58pm. The Frostproof fire department responded to the call. It’s unknown what injuries occurred at this time, but the crashed caused significant damage to the power pole. Crews are currently trying to repair the damage. Both directions of Scenic Hwy near Lake Moody Rd are blocked.
The North bound lane of Ramsgate Lane in Auburndale will be closed. Flaggers will be on site to direct traffic. This paving project will only occur on Friday, March 7.
