The Lake Wales Police Department is hosting a Community Relations Advisory Committee Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, February 24, 2025, at the Lake Wales Family Recreation Center. The public is invited.
The purpose is to promote a dialogue and positive relationships between the community and the Police Department.
The Lake Wales Family Recreation Center is located at 1001 Burns Ave., Lake Wales.
Walburga “Wallie” Sylvia, 87
Walburga “Wallie” Sylvia of Lake Wales passed away Thursday, February 20, 2025 at Forsythe Hospice House in Auburndale.
She was born May 20, 1937 in Augsburg, Germany to the late Englebert and Walburga Schafhauser; she moved to Lake Wales from Derry, New Hampshire in 1980. Wallie was a homemaker and of the Catholic faith. She loved music and visiting the VFW. Wallie loved spending time with her husband, especially fishing and dancing.
Wallie was preceded in death by her daughter, Jean Marie Scrima in December of 2024; and her brothers and sisters. She is survived by her husband of 70 years, Richard L. Sylvia; and grandson, Noah Brogan.
No services are scheduled at this time.
On February 23, 2025 Polk County Fire Rescue responded to a water rescue 911 call at Lake Ned in Winter Haven.
Polk County Fire Rescue was dispatched just after 1:15 p.m.
We reached out to Nathaniel Gale, Public Information Officer for Polk County Fire Rescue for details on the incident, and he was able to provide limited details regarding the rescue.
He confirmed they rescued one person from the water and transported the patient to a local hospital by ground. The injuries to the patient were not considered a trauma alert.
Call complete at 2:43 p.m.
This is all the information that PCFR is able to provide regarding the incident at this time.
Polk County Fire Rescue:
Shortly after midnight on February 23, 2025, Polk County Fire Rescue responded to a residential structure fire on Cresap Street in Lakeland.
The call came in at 12:08 a.m. and the first unit, Engine 24, arrived on scene at 12:14 a.m. On arrival, they found multiple shed-like structures on fire and proactively provided protection to a nearby mobile home.
PCFR members had water on the fire at 12:18 a.m. and had the fire knocked down at 12:31 a.m. Crews then completed an extensive overhaul of the fire scene.
There were no reported injuries. Polk County Fire Rescue notified the Red Cross and State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Interim Fire Chief Shawn Smith would like to thank all fire personnel who responded for their exceptional work in bringing the blaze under control. Interim Chief Smith would also like to thank the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Lakeland Electric for their assistance.
Notice is hereby given that Lake Wales Storage intends to sell the property described below to enforce a lien under the Florida Self Storage Facility Act, Statutes (section 83.80-83.809). The owner will sell at public auction on or after March 13, 2025 at 10:00 am at storageauctions.com
| StorageAuctions.com Storage Auctions is the best place to find online self storage auctions. Search through an unlimited amount of auctions for free. Get text alerts about auctions you are bidding on. Always be the first in line for new auctions in your area.storageauctions.com |
Units belonging to the following:
CUSTOMER NAME:
Richard Whitaker
This sale will be continued on such succeeding sale days thereafter as may be necessary to be completed. *Unless otherwise noted units contain household items.
by James Coulter
For Christmas, I received a toaster oven that also works as an air fryer. Curious, I decided to do some research on what can be prepared with a dehydrator. Many things actually: raisins, apple chips, beef jerky, and—the dish I’ll be sharing in this recipe—fruit leather.
What’s fruit leather? Well, as a kid, have you ever had a Fruit Roll-Up or Fruit by the Foot packed in your school lunchbox? Because that’s essentially what fruit leather is: a sweet treat like a homemade Fruit Roll-Up.
The best part about fruit leather is that you can make it using any fruit: apples, berries, oranges, bananas, or a combination of any of them. Whether frozen or unfrozen, fresh or over-ripe, aslong as you have a blender, a dehydrator, and the patience, you can turn any fruit into a sweet treat that can’t be beat.
Best of all, because they’re dehydrated, these treats have a good shelf life. You can store fruit leather in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to a month and in the fridge for several months.
The following recipe uses apples and cinnamon, but you can use any fruit you want. Go wild and experiment. These homemade treats are as extreme as the commercials used to advertise the store-bought variety.
***
Apple Cinnamon Fruit Leather
Ingredients
4 cups of peeled, chopped apples
1/2 cup water
1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar, to taste
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
1) Wash, peel, and chop apples and place them in a medium saucepan.
2) Add 1/2 cup water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes or until soft.
3) Add granulated sugar and cinnamon and mash. Cook for 2-3 more minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
4) Put mixture into a blender and process until smooth.
5) Pour onto a large baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat and spread with a spatula into a thin layer. Bang the pan on the counter a few times to make sure the mixture is evenly distributed.
6) Bake at 170 degrees (or a similar low temperature, depending on your oven) for 2-3 hours, checking every 20-30 minutes, until it’s tacky but doesn’t stick to your finger.
7) Allow it to cool, then cut into strips (a pizza cutter works well) and roll up. Keep in an airtight container.
Martha Anne Wardlaw Dickinson, a lifelong resident of Frostproof, passed away Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at Good Shepherd Hospice in Auburndale.
She was born to John and Fannie Maye Wardlaw on May 26, 1931, in Frostproof. She graduated from Frostproof High School and later from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in education. For her first teaching job she was a teacher in Orange County, California for two years until she and her husband moved back to Frostproof after his service in the U.S. Navy.
After they moved back to Frostproof, she became a fifth grade school teacher from 1958 until 1961 at Frostproof Elementary School. She left teaching when she and her husband adopted their first child, Kimberly Dickinson Cotton. She was a past president of Frostproof Woman’s Club, a brownie leader, secretary and member of Rotary, and treasurer for Eastern Star. She served on the city council for 8 years and during that tenure was vice mayor and then mayor.
She was the first woman deacon and member of Frostproof Presbyterian Church. She was very active with Farm Bureau for many years and a state director for 28 years, Chairman for State Women Board, Chairman of American FB Labor Committee and District 9 Director for Farm Bureau. In 2015 she received the Distinguished Service Award from Farm Bureau, which is the highest award that Farm Bureau gives out. With Farm Bureau she was able to travel all over the world and upon retirement had pretty much gone everywhere she wanted to go. In 1994 she was Florida Agricultural Woman of the Year. She was on the original board that was responsible for creating Ag in the Classroom program started for Polk County and beyond. She was a managing partner of JH Dickinson Groves, Inc. and Wardlaw & Dickinson Inc.
Anne was preceded in death by her husband, James Henry Dickinson, Jr. in 2017. Survivors include her and Dick’s two adopted children, Ward Dickinson and wife, Pam of Alva and Kimberly Anne Cotton and her husband, Randy of Frostproof; four grandchildren, Taylor Dickinson, Peyton Dickinson, Skylar Cox and Corbin Lanier; and three great-grandchildren, Ripp Saiz, Mack Saiz and Lainey Cox.
Private family graveside services will be held at Silver Hill Cemetery in Frostproof.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to New Hope Church, Building Fund, 825 County Road 630 A, Frostproof, Florida 33843 or First Presbyterian Church, 101 North Palm Avenue, Frostproof, Florida 33843.
At approximately 6:19 AM this morning, February 22, 2025, Lake Wales Police responded to the report of a stabbing at a residence on Ashton Palms Drive in Lake Wales. When officers arrived on scene, they located a 71-year-old man suffering from a stab wound to his chest. Officers rendered aid until the Lake Wales Fire Department and Polk County Fire Rescue arrived on scene. The victim was transported to Lake Wales Advent Health where he died from his injuries.
During the investigation, detectives were able to identify the suspect as 49-year-old Mihaela Mallenof Lake Wales who was taken into custody without incident. Mallen is being charged with second degree murder and will be held at the Polk County Jail.
Original Release:
The Lake Wales Police Department is on scene conducting a homicide investigation at a residence in the Lake Ashton community. This remains an active investigation and detectives are working to determine the circumstances surrounding theincident. The suspect is in custody at this time and there is no threat to the community.
Police will provide updates as more information becomes available.
by James Coulter
Does anyone love the Super Mario Bros. Movie? I did. You can read all about it in my movie review from two years ago: https://dailyridge.com/2023/04/19/welcome-world-travelers-the-super-mario-bros-is-okey-dokey/
Anyway, I really love the scene early in the movie where Mario and Luigi are having dinner with their family. The meal they’rehaving is a creamy pasta dish with mushrooms–something Mario hates but which will, ironically enough, help give him powers later in the movie.
I really like seeing different foods in movies. They’re so appetizing and it makes me want to eat it myself. So, since watching that movie, I’ve tried my hands at making similar pasta dishes.
The pasta dish Mario and his family eat looks like a spaghetti dish served with a white Alfredo sauce with mushrooms. So, this recipe will essentially prepare just that: spaghetti with alfredo sauce with sauteed mushrooms.
This recipe makes for a good meatless meal. However, if you crave some meat, you can always grill some chicken and add it to your dish.
***
Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
16. oz spaghetti or linguini noodles
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 onion, chopped and diced
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1/2 cup butter
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 cups milk
6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
1) In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add pasta noodles.
2) Add cooking oil to a medium, non-stick saucepan. Add onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook until brown. Set aside in a small dish.
3) Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with a wire whisk until smooth.
4) Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan cheese and pepper. Thin with milk if needed.
5) When sauce reaches the desired consistency, add mushrooms and onions and stir, then remove from heat.
6) Either ladle sauce onto individual dishes of pasta noodles or mix the whole sauce into all of the noodles.
Lloyd Wayne Atkins, 81
Lloyd Atkins of Frostproof passed away peacefully, Monday, February 17, 2025, at his residence.
Lloyd was born July 18, 1943, in Muncie, Indiana, to Lloyd Atkins and Ruth Pence. Lloyd was a Switch Board Operator for Ben Hill Griffin. He loved old cars and dump trucks, and had his own trucking business with his brother, Jerry. Lloyd loved his family, especially his grandchildren.
Lloyd is preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Ruth Atkins; brother Jerry Atkins; sister, Shirley Terry; and daughter in law, Alison Atkins. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Atkins; sons, Arthur Atkins of Frostproof, and James Lee Atkins and wife Sonia of Dundee; Four grandchildren, Victoria, Megan, JJ, and Craig; and seven great- grandchildren.
No services have been scheduled at this time.
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