It all started with riding a bike at night with no lights!
On April 26, 2021 at approximately 9:36 p.m., officers patrolling the area around Ave. P NW encountered a bicyclist riding with no lights. Making contact with the rider, 34 year-old Larry Jermaine Evans (180 Central Ave., Winter Haven) was found to have a warrant out of Polk County for Aggravated Battery with Deadly Weapon. Evans was immediately placed under arrest without incident for the warrant.
When a search of Evans was conducted, officers found a black fanny pack around his upper body. Inside, there was a host of drugs to include MDMA (Ecstasy/Molly) in pill (86) and powder form, heroin and 19 individual baggies of cannabis. Due to the quantities, Evans was charged with trafficking MDMA and possession of cannabis with the intent to sell.
Charges: Trafficking MDMA – F1 Possession of Cannabis with Intent to Sell – F3 Possession of Heroin – F3 Possession of MDMA – F3 Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – M1
“The proactive patrolling our officers conduct has again put a dangerous man in jail and removed some dangerous drugs off the street,” said Public Safety Director Charlie Bird. “We are dedicated to continue working hard to keep our citizens safe.”
Inagural Central Florida Cannabis Fest Took Attendees Higher With Two Days Of Music
by James Coulter
Ray Brown Jr. owns Mom N Pop CBD and Wellness Shop in Plant City. He sells many products with cannabidiol (CBD) that help alleviate arthritis, glaucoma, and other ailments.
Children as young as one-and-a-half take their gummy candiesfor ADHD, ADD, and sleep issues. His oldest client is a 94-year-old woman from New Jersey. She applies CBD topicals to her knees. The result has been quite astounding.
“She came in our store with a walker and walked out literally with no walker,” Brown said.
Brown showcased many of his products, ranging from edible gummies to ointments and tinctures, at the inaugural Central Florida Cannabis Fest last weekend at the Plant City Flea Market.
Brown has also been selling his merchandise from Dr. Brown CBD, his booth at the flea market on Wednesday. Having attended cannabis festivals across the country for the past two years, he considered the flea market to be a viable venue for such an event, which is why he pitched it.
Over the weekend, Brown and his staff showcased their wares and even offered a few samples, all while extolling the natural benefits of CBD. Overall, he enjoyed being able to interact with people and see them walk away happy.
“It has been very welcoming and successful,” he said. “I love the smiles on everybody’s face. I think we are at the point, halfway through the day, I think we are beyond what we thought we could do. And even vendor-wise, we got more than we expected. And the turnout has been wonderful.”
Several dozen vendors showcased a diverse selection of CBD-related products during the inaugural Central Florida Cannabis Fest over the weekend at the Plant City Farmers and Flea Market. The event also offered food trucks, children’s activities, and more than ten local bands performing live music.
The event was free to the public with $2 to $5 parking. Proceeds from alcohol sales and a portion of the parking went towards donations to Polk County’s Rockin on the River and the Tampa Autism Awareness Shop, which recently opened a therapy center.
While most other cannabis fests are for attendees 21 years and older, this festival was geared to be more family-friendly, allowing attendees of all ages to enjoy the fun activities.
“The turnout today was amazing,” explained David Higgins, Vice President of Sales at Boss Hogg Radio, which helped facilitate the event. “People are very receptive, super friendly…This isn’t just a party scene. This is a community get-together for small businesses for a fundraiser.”
Darby Boys was one of those small businesses. This family-owned business from Dade City grows hemp for CBD within an outdoor environment. The CBD is then used to create all-natural remedies.
Jason Nicolette, son of the owner, enjoyed the event. Not only did it allow them to gain exposure for their business, but they also loved the overall festive atmosphere with great food and great music.
“We were invited to come out here, to have a good time,” Nicolette said. “It has been a great festival. I think everyone has had a great time so far. I would say we are really blessed to be out here.”
Higgins and many of the staff at Boss Hogg Radio are veterans, as are many of their clientele. As such, they understand the benefits of CBD for many of their ailments as veterans. They wanted the public to understand these benefits, which is why they launched this inaugural event.
“We believe healthy safe access is important, not just for veterans, but for everybody,” he said. “If it is truly beneficial for their life, it should be accessible to everyone, they should be allowed to learn about it and have the choice.”
The flea market plans on hosting similar events soon with other themes. They will be partnering with Born To Ride Magazine for a motorcycle and motorsports event on July 27. They also plan for a fall festival in October and a holiday event in December.
“We are extremely happy,” Higgins said. “And the turnout [for this event] is much better than anticipated. These events continue to grow. We want to get to a point where we can do a monthly and get them to become larger and larger and get more of the small businesses involved.”
Poinciana man dies a day after his single vehicle crash
A 48-year-old man died Monday, April 26, 2021, the day after he was involved in a single vehicle crash on Marigold Avenue, just north of the Coyote Road intersection in Poinciana.
The victim was identified as Juan Vazquez-Nazario of Poinciana.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Investigation (THI) unit responded to the crash Sunday evening, which was reported at around 6:26 PM.
Upon arrival, deputies and members of Polk County Fire Rescue found an overturned gray 2012 Nissan Altima partially submerged in a drainage ditch.
Mr. Vazquez-Nazario was pulled from the car and found to be unresponsive, so CPR was administered. He was first transported to Poinciana Medical Center, then airlifted from there to Osceola Regional Medical Center.
There were no other victims.
According to the preliminary investigation, Mr. Vazquez-Nazario was travelling south on Marigold Avenue.
A witness told detectives that the Nissan passed her at a high-rate of speed as she was driving in the opposite direction. As she looked in her rearview mirror, she saw the Nissan crash into the ditch.
There is a curve in the roadway where Mr. Vazquez-Nazario’s Nissan crashed, and evidence indicates that he failed to maintain control of the vehicle in the curve. Mr. Vazquez-Nazario was wearing his seat belt.
Marigold Avenue was closed for approximately four hours, but the investigation is ongoing.
Project Eagle Cleans Up Chain Of Lakes After Yearlong Hiatus
by James Coulter
Bike wheels, plastic baby toys, and even a dog bed were all pulled out of the Chain of Lakes in Winter Haven during this year’s Project Eagle. Hosted by Keep Winter Haven Clean and Beautiful, the annual lakeside cleanup is held every Earth Day to remove trash from the waters of the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes.
Volunteers gather at the shore of Lake Shipp Park early in the morning and either go out into the water by boat or walk along the lake shores to collect litter. By noon, they return to the park to celebrate their work with free food, music, and other activities.
The Earth Day event was started in 1989 through a partnership with the Wildlife Commission. Since then, the annual cleanup has cleared tons of debris from the local lakes. Previous years have seen as much as nearly one ton of garbage removed, said Event Chair Tracey Mercer.
Though she does not know the exact amount that was retrieved this year, Mercer has heard stories from volunteers who have removed nearly everything and anything from out of the water during this year’s event on Saturday. Many have filled 60-gallon construction bags to the brim, she said.
“They found a lot of things floating around in the water,” she said. “One of them said they found a dog bed, but they have not found the dog yet.”
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, last year’s event was unable to be hosted as scheduled. This year’s event received a small yet serviceable turnout after a year-long hiatus, Mercer said.
Most previous events, on average, have drawn 300 to 500 attendees. While 200 attendees were expected this year, only 100 people attended, Mercer said. Nevertheless, no matter how big or small the turnout, even one person doing the most that they can on their own can make a big difference.
“We did not have as many people, but we had a lot of trash, especially because of last year with all of the rain and things that carries all the things from the road and land into the lake,” she said. “And a lot more people come out and help…to make sure we get this before it becomes a problem in our lakes.”
Rhonda Todd, Executive Director of Keep Winter Haven Clean and Beautiful, has been with the non-profit organization for seven months. This was her first year participating in the cleanup. However, she has been involved with the Winter Haven community for nearly 25 years.
With this year being her first, she was impressed by the beautiful “Chamber of Commerce” weather, which helped to draw in volunteers that day. Overall, she loved the sense of community. Everyone was enthusiastic and excited to help do their part in keeping their local community and lakes clean.
“If we don’t take care of it, no one will,” she said. “Our lakes are such a precious resource and a gem within our community and we have to treat them better and keep them clean for many years.”
Melanie Brown, a local organizer who has supervised many community events, offered her own hand in organizing this year’s event. She toured many of the lakeside eateries like Tanner’s, Twisted Prop, and Old Man Franks offering t-shirts to volunteers and participants. She also brought in local musician Rob Dennis to perform live music.
Brown appreciates how Project Eagle has been going strong for the past 30 years. Such dedication inspired her to participate for the past seven years. Recently, she helped raise proceeds for the event during their Crawlin on the Chain fundraiser last month at Tanner’s Lakeside.
“Basically, [I love] all of the community keeping this together to support and keep our chain clean,” she said. “We live in such a beautiful community to keep it all free and looking good and for everybody to enjoy themselves on our beautiful chain.”
Lake Wales Family Restaurant Owner Retires After 20 Years
by James Coulter
For more than 20 years, Frank Fotios Papadopoulos has served as the owner of Lake Wales Family Restaurant. His eatery served excellent food for breakfast and lunch, and it also served the local community through various endeavors.
He has coached and sponsored many local sports teams, served free Thanksgiving meals to the poor and homeless, provided special parking spaces to veterans, and even helped raise money for a young boy and his dog in need.
Now, after 20 long years, Frank will be stepping down from his position and passing ownership to his son Iraklis. Following his retirement, he and his wife, Popi, will be taking things easy, settling down, and even spending quality time with relatives in his home country of Greece.
However, while he plans to relish his retirement, Frank will miss many of the familiar faces who regularly passed through his eatery. True to their motto, his eatery was a place “where friends are family.”
“Our goal always was to be a family restaurant and make people welcome with their kids and their families,” he said. “We are family here. It was fun to come in and greet the customers and see that they are happy because we have so many regulars with so many stories every day.”
Frank moved to America from Greece at the young age of 14. His family moved to Pennsylvania, where he worked in the restaurant business. He attended college, graduated with his math degree, and went on to open three eateries.
However, he soon realized that he could not raise a family and make a decent living running three separate businesses. So he sold everything, went to live in Greece for a few years, then moved to Florida.
He considered possibly working in sales or as a teacher. However, upon discovering an abandoned diner, he decided to once again attempt opening and running his own restaurant.
The business proved to be most ideal for him. He could work from morning to afternoon, serving breakfast and lunch. Then he would leave at 3 pm to return to his wife and kids to spend quality family time with them.
For the past 20 years, he and his staff have served the community, not only with great food, but also with volunteer work and fundraising. He sponsored many local school sports teams like cheerleading and football, coached soccer, and he even served breakfast to the local high school football.
As an immigrant, Frank appreciates his liberties as an American citizen, especially the freedom protected by the brave men and women of the military. As such, he provides special parking to local veterans.
“We want to thank all those veterans who gave us our safety and our freedom in this country to live,” he said. “We are proud to be Americans and Greeks at the same time.”
His restaurant also serves Thanksgiving meals to local homeless and struggling families. He even helped raise money for a young boy and his dog in need.
Now that he has retired, Frank will be passing on ownership of his restaurant to his son. Iraklis has considered his family’s business a second home ever since he was four years old. He and his sister would often stay in the office watching television when his parents worked weekends. Now, 20 years later, Iraklis is proudly taking the reigns of the family business.
“I just want to continue what they have going,” he said. ” It is astonishing what they were able to accomplish coming over from Greece at 14 years old. They did not have much. They did not know much. What they accomplished here is major, and to be able to take it over and run it the way that they have and continue the tradition, it is a privilege and an honor.”
His father exceeded initial expectations, both in the quality of their food and their relationships with their customers and the local community. Iraklis hopes to continue and further the success of what his father started.
“I appreciate the way things have been,” he said. “Serving the community on here on end, it [all] really grows on you with the people and community here and the people involved…and I want to continue the best that I can.”
Frank has remained married to his wife, Popi, even long before they started their business together. Popi appreciates the time she and her husband spent together, helping to start and grow a business together for them and their family.
“It has been really emotional right now,” she said. “We made a lot of friends, met a lot of people, and it is really emotional that we are leaving this business because this is like home, and we have been here for so long. This is our home. We grew up in here. Our kids grew up in here. And everyone is like family to us. This town has been a family to us, and we will miss everybody.”
For Frank and his family, their business’s success has been maintained through their relationship with their customers. True to their motto, it has been a place “where friends are family.”
Many of their regular customers have become close, personal friends, almost to being an extended family. Frank has known many people who first entered his eatery as children and who have now grown up and had children of their own. Such personable service is what Frank strived for over the past 20 years, and by far, it will be the one thing he will miss now that he has retired.
“We welcome the customer,” he said. “They are your family, every day, you can’t just can’t give up, so every day, it is the same rule, welcome everyone like it is their first time. They have been good to us throughout the good and bad times…It has been overall a good city with all of the people in town…[and] we worked together to make it a better city for everyone else.”
Taking someone else’s laundry? Microfiber rags?
That’s what this woman did. Our victim had a dryer full of microfiber rags (about 300 of them) and a jacket in a dryer at Dexter Coin Laundry. The victim had an emergency that he needed to leave to take care of. The woman pictured came in, had her items in another dryer. When her items were done, she gets hers, then looks around and takes our victim’s items. (Actually, the jacket was taken by someone else earlier and he’s already been arrested)
Does anyone recognize her? She was wearing the black shirt, blue camouflage leggings and black shoes.
Call Det. Lazado at 863-595-1721.
Winter Haven Public Safety Community Advisory Committee
The Winter Haven Public Safety Department has been meeting with community leaders on a regular basis over the past few months with a specific goal of looking at additional ways to enhance open lines of communication. From those meetings, the groundwork for the Winter Haven Public Safety Community Advisory Committee was laid out. Resolution R-21-10 was approved unanimously at the February 22, 2021 regular City Commission meeting establishing the Committee.
We are seeking Winter Haven residents who are interested in serving on the newly-formed Community Advisory Committee. Nine selected members from our community will discuss agency programs, provide insight on community needs, review past citizen interactions and ensure the open lines of communication between residents and the Department are enhanced.
Public Safety Director Charlie Bird and his staff have been meeting with community leaders to help develop the program. “We have maintained a positive relationship with our community leaders and welcomed the opportunity to sit down and hear their ideas for this Committee,” Bird said. “I am confident this increased line of communication will further enhance our relationships and develop more opportunities for positive interactions we currently enjoy with our citizens.”
City Manager Mike Herr is encouraged by the development Committee saying, “This Community Advisory Committee will strengthen our continued connection with the community, specifically involving public safety. We strive on a consistent basis to improve services to our citizens and this Committee will afford valuable feedback through continued positive interactions and open communication.”
Seven Committee members will be selected and appointed, through an application process, by each City Commissioner, the City Manager and the Public Safety Director. The remaining two will be selected by the initial seven members chosen for a total of nine members. Two alternates will also be chosen. Each applicant will be fingerprinted with a background check conducted as part of the vetting process.
Applicants must be a citizen of the City of Winter Haven and be in good standing with no criminal history. (For a list of the committee criteria and selection process, visit www.winterhavenpd.com and select the “Community” tab or one can be obtained at the Winter Haven Police Department, 125 N Lake silver Dr., NW, Winter Haven.)
Car struck by train near Frostproof; injures one and kills two others, including a baby
A 20-year-old woman and her 4-month-old son died Thursday, April 22, 2021, shortly after the car they were riding in was struck by an Amtrak train; the driver of the vehicle, who is the boy’s aunt and the sister to the other victim, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. All three are from Avon Park.
The crash occurred at about 3:17 PM on South Scenic Highway, between Livingston Lake Road and US 98.
Deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene and found Shala Cobb deceased. The little boy, Kingston Scott, suffered significant injuries and was transported to Florida Hospital Heartland in Sebring, but died upon arrival.
The driver was identified as 26-year-old Kayla Cobb. She suffered an injury to her leg and was transported to Lakeland Regional Health.
There were no injuries to anyone on the Amtrak train.
The family members were travelling in a white Kia sedan.
According to the preliminary investigation, the Kia was going south on South Scenic Highway, and the Amtrak train was also southbound. Evidence and witness statements revealed that as the train approached the road, the warning lights were operational and the crossing arms were in the down position.
The driver of the Kia drove the car around the crossing arms, and before it was able to clear the tracks, the train struck the car on the passenger side, behind the rear door. The impact split the car in half, propelling the backseat area about 50 feet. The child and his mother had been seated in that portion of the car, and were ejected.
Despite a child safety seat being found, the initial investigation indicates that none of the occupants were properly restrained in their seats.
The Florida Department of Transportation assisted with traffic control while Scenic Highway was closed for approximately four hours.
Polk County, Florida- On Tuesday, April 20th an email was sent by the Dr. Joshua Lutz, Assistant Superintendent of Learning Support, for the Polk County School Board. The email consisted of a directive from the GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) regarding how schools should observe the National Day of Silence. The “Day of Silence” in 2021 will be this Friday, April 23. Here is the email which was sent out:
“The National Day of Silence is Friday, April 23rd, 2021. This a day when LGBTQ staff, students and their allies may take a valve silence to protest the harmful effects of harassment and discrimination LGBTQ individuals face specifically in schools. When observing the national Day of Silence students and staff may go through the school day without speaking unless an emergency arises. Some teachers have planned lessons and activities in advance so that they may continue to teach while also honoring the Day of Silence. Some students May respectfully choose not to answer a question allowed if called upon. Staff and students may also come together after school at the end of the day to break the silence, sharing stories and suggestions for how schools can be more inclusive. Please be aware that this is not an act of insubordination; but an act of civil protest by a community often subjected to persistent bullying and harassment and discrimination. To learn more about the National Day of Silence, please visit https:www.gslen.org/day of silence“
This had some parents questioning what was being considered or condoned by the Polk County School Board. One parent on social media commented “Is this county wide and in every school? Please tell me this will not be happening at my 1st grade son’s school!!! If it will be he will be absent that day! I am all for love who you love! But this should not be allowed at any school!!! ” And another wrote “Just gonna say it….. this is stupid!”
Parents and a new local group called County Citizens Defending Freedom of Polk County (ccdfusa.com) reached out to the school board. This appears to have made it clear to the Polk County School Board officials a clarification was needed.
At approximately 2:45pm the Deputy Superintendent John M. Hill put out the following email:
“Good afternoon Principals,
I wanted to provide some clarification regarding Friday’s National Day of Silence.
Regional assistant superintendents recently provided you some guidance regarding this event.
Polk County Public Schools celebrates the rich diversity of our community and encourages everyone to be tolerate and compassionate. Our highest priority is to create a safe learning environment for all.
To be clear, the National Day of Silence is not a part of curriculum, but we do anticipate some level of participation at our schools.
School will be in session on Friday, and during instructional time, teaching and learning should take place. Teachers and staff should be mindful of students who wish to participate and accommodate them to the extent consistent with teaching and learning.
If they choose, students are permitted to participate at school in such freedoms of expression during non-instructional time, such as the breaks between classes, before and after the school day, lunchtime, and any other free times during the day.
Organizers of the National Day of Silence have included guidance to participants advising them that students who are able to speak do not have the right to remain silent during class time if a teacher asks them to speak as part of class participation. However, we are confident that our teachers will be thoughtful and considerate of those who choose to participate. Ultimately, teaching and learning will be our focus.
Likewise, school district employees, if they choose, are permitted to participate at school in such freedoms of expression during any duty-free time, such as breaks, before and after the school day, lunchtime, etc.
I hope this provides the clarity necessary to provide a wonderful school environment. If you have any questions, please contact your regional assistant superintendent or myself for clarification or assistance.
Thank you for your leadership.
John“
Editors note: We have not been able to reach out to parents or others regarding this latest update by Polk County School’s.
Winter Haven Kidney Care Center Celebrates Grand Opening
by James Coulter
The new Winter Haven Kidney Care Center offers cutting-edge healthcare through state-of-the-technology and quality personable care that treats patients as individuals rather than numbers.
Located at 1007 3rd Street SW, right next door to Firehouse Subs, the new clinic provides patients in-center hemodialysis utilizing top-of-the-line technology, ensuring that patients receive safe, personable care and high-quality treatment.
“Our team prides itself on providing a calm and family atmosphere for our patients,” their website states. “Our patients are our number one priority. Kidney Care Center is proud to provide the best dialysis treatment in the area. Kidney Care Center’s vision is for our patients to have safe and high-quality care.”
The Kidney Care Center celebrated its grand opening on Tuesday afternoon with a ribbon-cutting hosted by the Greater Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce. Attendees were able to tour the new facility and enjoy refreshments provided by Firehouse Subs and Chick-Fil-A.
Dr. Hal Dane Porteous serves as the medical director of the new facility. Since moving to Winter Haven in 2017, he dreamed of opening a dialysis center for the local community.
“Our center is one that is small but personable,” Dr. Porteous said. “The whole focus was not to have a big unit, but to have a unit where everybody knows everybody by name, one where we can focus on high-quality care.”
Dr. Porteous assures that his dedicated staff remains committed to providing only the best quality care for their patients. Their team works hard and strives to go above and beyond in their service through the center.
“I want everyone to know that this could not have been done by myself,” he said. “This is a team effort. We will all keep working together to give Winter Haven a place to offer the best care for patients with their dialysis.”
Katie Worthington-Decker, Winter Haven Chamber CEO and President, spoke on behalf of the city mayor, commending the new center and its staff for providing a valuable service to the local community.
“He called me and told me to express our gratitude for this investment that you all are making in this community today,” Worthington said. “This is a great investment. Access to healthcare is one of the most important things we need in the Winter Haven community.”
Robert Loftin, Chamber Chair, likewise commended the center for joining the Chamber and providing a much-needed investment in local healthcare: “On behalf of the over 700 members of the WH Chamber and Board of Directors, we welcome you and wish you success. You know you have a good CEO when a rainy day opens up for the ribbon-cutting.”
Pastor Clifton Dollison of First Missionary Baptist in Winter Haven attended to offer the benediction. He has married Dr. Porteous and his wife, so he knows from personal experience how a good doctor will serve the community.
Through his benediction, he expressed gratitude for the kidney care center. He prayed that it and its staff would provide only the utmost care for the community.
“We thank you [God] for the golden opportunity that you have placed before us,” he said. “This center will open and we see those who are already receiving such wonderful care. Thank you, dear God, for the wonderful touch. We thank you for the person-ableness of which they offer themselves. Thank you for this vision that has now come to be reality.”
The Winter Haven Kidney Care Center is located at 1107 3rd St. SW Suite 9, Winter Haven, FL, 33880. For more information, visit their website at: https://arcdialysis.com/winterhavenkidneycare
