Frostproof, Florida – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to the DailyRidge.com news that they are investigating a shooting in the Sun Ray community of Frostproof. According to the PCSO public information officer no details are available at this time, homicide investigators are on scene.
The investigation has been ongoing since early Friday morning.
This is a developing situation and we will update as details are officially released.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office:
DYK the proper way to turn left in a crossover median? One of our fans suggested we post this to help educate our motorists – and we think that’s a fabulous idea. It seems MOST drivers do it the WRONG WAY, and when they encounter drivers who are doing it correctly, they tend to get angry, and tend to express it (honking, and using obscene gestures). Can’t we all get along? Think about it – moving your vehicle as far right as you can in the median makes sense for 2 reasons – we drive on the right, and when you position your vehicle there you can actually see the oncoming traffic. This allows everyone to cross safely – nobody is obstructing anyone else’s vision. With more motorists on the road this time of year, let’s all do our part to courteously, patiently, and safely get to where we’re going. Thank you, from your favorite guys ‘n gals in green.
Two Shots Fired Calls, Police Are Investigating
On March 18, 2021, the Lake Wales Police Department responded to two separate calls for service in reference to shots being fired. At approximately 8:40pm officers responded to 224 C St in reference to shots being fired. Upon their arrival, vehicles were leaving the area and officers talked to a few bystanders. Bystanders told officers they heard the shots being fired and this was confirmed by officers finding numerous empty shell casings on Lincoln Ave near C St. No victims were located and no information was received about anyone being shot. While officers were still on this scene conducting their investigation a second call about shots fired came in.
At approximately 10:55pm officers responded to a call about shots being fired in the area of Central Ave and S. Lakeshore Blvd. Once on scene officers learned multiple shots were fired in the area of 4 S. Lakeshore Blvd. Again, officers located several shell casings and this time found damage to the house and a vehicle at 4 S. Lakeshore Blvd. Interviews were conducted in the area of the call and neighbors reported hearing shots fired but did not witness who did the shooting. There was no report of anyone being shot at this location.
These are active investigations and believed to possibly be related. Anyone who has information about these shootings is encouraged to call Detective David Arana at (863) 678-4223 extension 269 or Heartland Crime Stoppers at (800) 226-8477.
Special Meeting March 30th, 2021 at 5:30 PM EST
Meeting Located at:
1702 Highway 17 S., Bartow FL, 33830
Attend in person or via Zoom meeting using the link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84230115597?pwd=QXhBaHV4VFpWZTM1anRQZUc5SjNJQT09
Meeting ID: 842 3011 5597 Passcode: PolkSoil
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Davenport man on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, after he committed an armed robbery within two hours of another robbery at a different 7-Eleven store in Osceola county.
Detectives located 28-year-old Victor Santana Ramos at his girlfriend’s residence Tuesday afternoon, less than a week after the robberies. PCSO deputies responded to an armed robbery call on March 10th at about 5:04 AM at the 7-Eleven store at the intersection of Lake Wilson Road and Ronald Reagan Parkway in Davenport.
The suspect in that robbery pointed a handgun at an employee and demanded money and Newport cigarettes. After getting both from the employee, he fled northbound on Lake Wilson Road. Detectives learned that a similar armed robbery had occurred about a mile away at a 7-Eleven store on Osceola-Polk Line Road in Osceola County at about 3:00 AM that same day. During the processing of the Polk County scene, PCSO Crime Scene Investigators noted an obvious tattoo on the suspect from surveillance photos.
Investigators also recovered a fingerprint belonging to Victor Santana Ramos, a convicted felon whose fingerprints were on file. Detectives were able to track him to a residence in Davenport, where he was arrested. During an interview with detectives, Santana Ramos denied the allegations against him, saying that he is too smart to rob gas stations so close to his residence. Detectives then showed him a photo of one of his tattoos that was visible during the robbery, and he stated, “I’m guilty, you got me.” Cartons of Newport cigarettes and clothes from the robbery were found during a search of Santana Ramos’ residence. And when deputies first made contact with him, he had a gun tucked in his waistband, and it resembled the one that was used in the robbery. Detectives seized that handgun and another in the residence.
“Some top-quality work was performed by detectives and crime scene investigators on this case. This guy said he was too smart to do something like this, but our evidence proved him wrong. A detective said that when they showed him the photo of his tattoo, Victor physically deflated. He knew he was busted. Fortunately in Florida, when you are caught committing an armed robbery, you are subject to a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years. We look forward to him being held accountable for terrorizing these convenience store clerks.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff.
Santana Ramos was transported to the Polk County Jail and charged with Robbery with a Firearm (Life Felony), Armed Burglary with Assault (Life Felony), and Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon (F2), and Carrying a Concealed Firearm (F3). These charges are related to the Polk County investigation only. Santana Ramos was also found to be on felony probation in Lorain County, Ohio and currently has a warrant for his arrest in Cleveland, Ohio for aggravated assault with a gun. He did not disclose to his probation officer in Ohio that he had left the state.
His prior criminal history also includes a felony conviction in Ohio for Improper Handling of a Firearm in a Vehicle, two charges in Puerto Rico for Attenuated Aggression and Aggravated Weapons, and charges in Florida to include Giving False ID to LEO, Resisting, and DWLSR.
Polk County Visitor Center Hosts Free Easter Egg Hunts on Saturday, April 3
Davenport, FL (Mar. 17, 2021) – Central Florida’s Visitor Information Center (CFVIC) will host an Easter Egg Hunt event on Saturday, April 3. This free event will take place from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., featuring kid-friendly activities, giveaways and egg hunts beginning at the top of each hour (children will be separated into three age groups for each of the four sessions). There will be chances to win LEGOLAND® Florida Resort and Bok Tower Gardens tickets and vendors will be on hand with local goods and treats for sale. Safety measures will be in place to promote social distancing and proper hygiene, and face coverings are encouraged. For more information, call (863) 420-2586.
In addition to assisting visitors, and residents (by providing tourism information about Polk County), CFVIC also sells discounted attraction tickets for many Central Florida attractions (including LEGOLAND Florida Resort) and hosts a seasonal Farmers Market on Thursdays, continuing through May 6, 2021.
The information center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week (excluding major holidays, closed on Easter Sunday), and is located at 101 Adventure Court, Davenport, FL 33837 (along U.S. Highway 27), a half-mile south of I-4 at Exit 55.
IDENTIFIED! 33 year-old Danny Pike.
He was already out on Felony Petit Theft Charges. He’s back in jail.
Winter Haven Police Department
And we’re back with yet another tale of a skip-scanner in progress. This guy has some manners. Doesn’t attempt to run over the people in front of him as they slowly exit the store. He patiently walks behind them though many of his items weren’t scanned.
The guy is pictured with a distinctive wallet by the way) at Walmart (7450 Cypress Gardens Blvd) on March 12 where he skip scanned quite a few items including items he left in the cart and didn’t bother to scan. Not cool dude!
Recognize him? Call Sgt. Hall at 863-291-5736.
Spring Obsession Obsesses Over Spring At Lake Crago Park
by James Coulter
Carol Prevatt has been creating glass wind chimes for the past 14 years. She self-taught herself after repairing a pair of old chimes. Now she makes her own and sells them out of the store in her home.
From puppy dogs to majestic swans, Carol designs her chimes after everything and anything. No matter what they look like, they all sound just as mellifluous as their glass bits clangor in the wind.
Carol has been selling her chimes at the annual Spring Obsession in Lakeland for the past seven years. She draws in plenty of customers at the show, and she loves the overall majestic landscape of the venue, customarily hosted at Munn Park. This year, the location was changed to Lake Crago Park.
This year, she made up for lost time, as the show was not hosted last year due to COVID-19. She loved being able to reunite with old customers, and she also enjoyed being able to take in the new view at the show’s new venue.
“I do well at these shows,” she said. “I enjoy talking to the people and watching them look at the art and brag on it, I love it, they enjoy looking at it. Customers have been happy with this new venue and so am I. I love it. Everyone who comes out loves it, and they hope they will be out next year.”
Last Saturday, the Rotary Club of Lakeland hosted its 18th annual Spring Obsession outdoor spring event. More than 60 vendors showcased various flowers and plants and outdoor decor, gardening equipment, and other spring-related merchandise.
Since it first started 18 years ago, Spring Obsession has been hosted at Munn Park in Downtown Lakeland. However, due to the current COVID-19 crisis, the event was canceled last year.
This year’s event was hosted at the new Lake Crago Dog Park off of Massachusetts Avenue. The new venue was selected to not only highlight the new location but to provide a more spacious environment that would permit for better social distancing, explained Kathy McGee, Lakeland Rotary Club Member.
Gladys Baxley, a Rotary Vendor Coordinator, helped oversee the change of location. She claimed the turnout was tremendous, and she owed the overall success to their marketing strategy. Over the past few weeks, she and her team has been working overtime to promote the event and its new location.
“I think we got the word out in term of our marketing,” she said. “We knew that a new location would call for more marketing efforts, and we used all media, social media, to get the word out, and our vendors got the word out for us.”
Whether or not the event will stay at its new location at Lake Cargo Park, or return to its old home in Downtown Lakeland, has yet to be determined; however, Baxley is more than happy to have the event hosted at either location.
“The turnout has been tremendous,” she said. “We were pleasantly surprised that when we moved the event [that] had been in Munn Park for many, many years. So this was the first time we changed. People came in big numbers, so we were very pleased…It seems positive to be here. We are very happy, and if we can work all the details out, we would love to stay.”
The City of Lakeland participated as one of the many vendors. Lakeland Parks and Recreation volunteers distributed free plants and flowers that were grown at their nursery.
Most of their foliage is grown for public landscaping, with the different plants being donated to the community through an event such as this, explained Amanda James, Grounds Maintenance Supervisor with Parks and Recreation.
“We gave away a few plants,” she said. “Probably not as many as in the past, but there were quite a few people…who are interested in what we did and how we can help out.”
While Amanda enjoyed the excellent weather and tranquil atmosphere at the event, she missed its old location in Munn Park. She much preferred it being near the local eateries and shops in the downtown area.
“I don’t know if I’m fond of the new location,” she said. “I feel it is too cramped. Downtown was better because it was more open with shops and places to eat down there. The atmosphere was nice. But it has been a success for us this year.”
Bartow Hops into Spring with Upcoming Spring Fling Hop & Shop
by James Coulter
Downtown Bartow helped residents and guests fall into autumn with their Fall Festival in September and get into the holiday spirit with the Mistletoe Market in December. They hope to have people hop into spring with their upcoming Spring Fling Hop & Shop, to be hosted on Sat., Apr. 3.
From 10 am to 4 pm, Downtown Bartow will host countless vendors along their streets, showcasing various wares from crafts and jewelry to jams and jellies. Even the Easter Bunny will be visiting for the smallest attendees to enjoy! A little bit of everything and anything will be available during this inaugural springtime market.
“It is a fun day out in beautiful Downtown Bartow with great places to eat, great retail shops, and a large variety of vendors for people to come out and shop with,” explained Linda Holcomb, Executive Director of Main Street Bartow. “We are always looking for ways to bring people to our beautiful downtown and bring revenue to the downtown shops.”
Main Street Bartow routinely hosts outdoor markets to draw in residents and guests alike to Downtown Bartow. They had previously hosted similar events such as the Fall Festival and Mistletoe Market, along with other events such as the Honey Bee Festival and Craft Fair and SyFy Bartow.
This Spring Fling Hop & Shop will be their inaugural event. More than 90 vendors will be set up Central, Summerlin, Wilson, and Florida Avenue rather than Main Street’s usual location. Their new venue will allow vendors and guests to spread out more, thus better facilitating social distancing.
To ensure public health and safety during these uncertain times, special measures will be implemented to meet COVID-19 protocols. Vendors will be spaced ten feet away from each other, additional hand sanitizing stations will be offered, and masks will be encouraged for attendees.
“We are hoping for a beautiful spring day,” Linda said. “Our expectation is to bring out a nice crowd. Because we are doing everything that we can for COVID safety, we have spread out the event over a larger area so it will separate people and they will feel safe to come to shop. Our retail shops will be all set up for people to bring [their merchandise] on to the sidewalks and serving lunch, and I am hoping it will be as successful as our other events.”
Spring Fling Hop & Shop will be hosted on Sat., Apr. 3 from 10 am to 4 pm. The event will be located in Downtown Bartow along Central, Summerlin, Wilson, and Florida Avenue. For more information, visit the Main Street Bartow website at: http://www.MainStreetBartowFL.com/
Polk County Parks and Recreation:
Certified Bug Hunter is the title you will win for completing Polk County Parks & Recreation’s Bug Hunt at Simmers Young Park. Bug Hunt is a self-guided virtual scavenger hunt. By using a QR scanner on your mobile device, participants will explore the park with the goal of finding all seven life size bugs! If you can complete the hunt, you will be mailed a prize!🐝🦋🦎
Simmers Young Park
339 American Spirit Rd.
Winter Haven, FL 33880
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