Lake Wales High School Girls Basketball Team Wins District Tournament
By Allison Williams
Photo provided by Lakendra McMath
The Lake Wales High School Lady Highlanders played an exciting game Friday night against Lake Gibson. This was the 2021 FHSAA Girls Basketball District Tournament and they won with a score of 59-46.
The leading scorer for the game was Chanelle McDonald, a senior. She scored 38 points and was coined Player of the Game.
The second leading scorer was Jameria Robinson, sophomore, with 10 points.
Next up for the Lady Highlanders will be the Regionals tournament. This game will be held on Thursday, February 11 and begin at 7:00 p.m. The game will be local at Lake Wales High School. 1 Highlander Way, Lake Wales, FL 33853.
The goal for the Lady Highlanders is to make it all the way to the State Tournament this year.
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of ARMHOLES DBA Six Pac Project Management LLC and intends to register the said name with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Tallahassee, FL and /or Clerk of the Circuit Court of Polk County, FL
PCSO is seeking
qualified men and women who desire to work as substitute part-time school
crossing guards in Lakeland, Lake Wales, and Winter Haven.
The guard should be
available to work for one hour in the morning and for 30 minutes in the
afternoon.
Anyone interested in
applying for a school crossing guard position in LAKELAND should contact Supervisor
Heather Strafford at (863) 534-7300 ext. 108.
Anyone interested in
applying for a school crossing guard position in WINTER HAVEN OR LAKE WALES
should contact Supervisor Courtney Branch at (863) 534-7300 ext. 109.
School Crossing Guard
services are provided by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office through funds
provided by the Polk County Board of County Commissioners. This vital program
provides adult crossing guards at selected school crossings to ensure the
safety of our elementary school children walking to and from school.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office is looking for 27-year-old Ashton Leigh Knowles of Majesty Drive in Davenport, who was last seen between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 3, 2021.
She is considered MISSING AND ENDANGERED based on concerning statements she made, and her lack of resources (she left behind her dog, keys, cell phone, etc.).
Ashton is 5’8″ tall, 120 lbs., with blonde hair and blue eyes, possibly on her burgundy Schwinn bicycle.
If you see Ashton, please contact Detective Christie at 863-298-6200.
On February 8, 2021, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested 47-year-old Arleen Lebron, Director of Nursing at Haines City Rehabilitation and Nursing and 63-year-old Carol Ruopolo-Lemay, a registered nurse at the Day Surgery Center in Winter Haven (2400 Dundee Road) for DUI. “Nursing is a noble profession, and those who choose this calling are committed to caring for people and saving lives. Driving while under the influence is the complete opposite of that – and these two nurses put people’s lives in jeopardy last night. I’m grateful no one was hurt or killed. Please, use the many resources available and do not drink and drive. ”– Grady Judd, Sheriff
Arleen Lebron (47-years-old) of Kissimmee
At around 11:15 p.m., February 8, 2021, deputies responded to a report of a possible impaired driver who was blocking a customer in the waverly (Lake Wales area) Post Office parking lot. Deputies located Lebron asleep in her running vehicle. According to the affidavit, when deputies spoke with Lebron, “her speech was slurred, her eyes to be bloodshot and glassy, and a moderate odor of an alcoholic beverage was coming from her breath.” Lebron was arrested for DUI (M1). She was transported to the Polk County Jail where her blood alcohol level was recorded as 0.142 and 0.136 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. A person is in violation if their breath sample results in 0.08 or more grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. Lebron had been previously arrested for DUI in 2016 and is currently being held without bond. Lebron is the Director of Nursing at Haines City Rehabilitation and Nursing. Please direct questions concerning her employment there.
CAROL RUOPOLI-LEMAY (63-years-old) of Lake Hamilton
According to witnesses, at around 8:30 p.m. on February 8, 2021, Ruopoli-Lemay was driving westbound in the eastbound lanes of Cypress Gardens Boulevard in Winter Haven, almost striking them. Ruopoli-Lemay then pulled into the Marathon Gas Station (795 Cypress Gardens Blvd SE). The witness followed Ruopoli-Lemay into the parking lot, and once parked, went up to her vehicle and “requested the keys from the driver, due to her driving patterns and possibly being impaired.” According to the affidavit, when deputies arrived, “her eyes were bloodshot and watery, and when she stood unsupported, she displayed a front to back sway of approximately 4-6 inches.” Additionally, when Ruopoli-Lemay was asked to complete a Field Sobriety Test she told the deputies, “I can’t, I am too drunk.” Ruopoli-Lemay was arrested for DUI (M1), and was transported to the Polk County Jail where her blood alcohol level was recorded as 0.189 and 0.191 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. A person is in violation if their breath sample results in 0.08 or more grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. She is currently being held without bond.
Ruopoli-Lemay is a registered nurse at the Day Surgery Center (2400 Dundee Road) in Winter Haven. Please direct questions concerning her employment there.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal shooting that occurred on February 7, 2021 at around 1:00 a.m. in unincorporated Frostproof.
According to the preliminary investigation, the decedent, Jory Plummer, burglarized a home in his neighborhood where a husband, wife and their 3 children were sleeping.
The wife heard banging on the front door and woke her husband. When he went to the front of his home to see where the noise was coming from, he discovered the front door was forced opened. Believing someone had just burglarized his home, he armed himself with a handgun.
The husband said he found Plummer outside, in front of the home, yelling obscenities at him. The husband told the suspect, numerous times, to leave and just go home.
The husband described Plummer as “out of control.” That’s when Plummer began to run, charging at the husband, who, in fear for his life, fired one round from his firearm at Plummer hitting him.
Plummer then turned and headed away from the residence. After walking a few feet, Plummer turned around and charged at the husband again, and the husband shot Plummer a second time. When deputies arrived, they began lifesaving measures. Plummer was transported to Sebring Hospital where he died.
This investigation is ongoing.
“People have a right to be safe in their home, and when necessary, defend that safety. At this point in the investigation, the evidence indicates that the resident acted in self-defense.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
Plummer’s criminal history includes 9 felonies and 9 misdemeanors including Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence Battery, Tampering with Evidence, Forgery, Resisting a Law Enforcement Officer, Possession of Marijuana, Driving on a Suspended Driver’s License, Violation of Probation, and Failure to Appear.
UPDATE: SR 542 (Dundee Road) Buckeye Loop Road to east of US 27: Expect nighttime lane closures until Feb 13 with flaggers directing traffic, weather permitting. Prepare to merge or stop. Dundee Road has shifted slightly south from Buckeye Loop Road to Overlook Drive. Use caution, be aware of construction vehicles in the work zone and watch for changes in the traffic pattern. This project includes widening Dundee Road from two to four lanes, constructing an enclosed drainage system, installing a new signal at Overlook Drive and closing the Overlook Drive merge, upgrading existing signal equipment, adding sidewalk, bike lanes and street lighting, and making utility improvements for the City of Winter Haven and Town of Dundee. Expected completion is summer 2023. For more information visit the project website at www.swflroads.com/sr542/buckeyelooptous27 .
After nearly a year being trapped indoors due to the COVID-19 crisis, many folks are yearning to go outside and venture into the great outdoors. They can do just that, as well as support their local law enforcement, with the Jeepin’ With Judd event later this month.
Rev up your Jeep vehicle and drive on down to Clear Springs Ranch in Bartow for three whole days of off-roading. Test your vehicle to its limits with nearly a dozen off-road trails and obstacle courses, or watch the excitement from a safe distance from the lookout.
From stock trails to moderate and advanced trails, The Orlando Jeep Club has designed many trails and obstacle courses to give your vehicle a run for its money and kick up dirt with high-octane off-roading fun.
Little ones too young to drive can also join in the fun with the Power Wheels location, with several toy cars that will allow children the opportunity to take control of their own vehicles and ride along their own tracks.
When they’re done riding or watching Jeep vehicles, attendees can peruse the many booths for Jeep related merchandise and grab a bite to eat from one of the many food trucks. All proceeds from the event will go towards Polk Sheriff’s Charities, Inc.
“We will filter back into the community helping individuals with scholarships for college and for law enforcement memorial purposes, to help those families that may, unfortunately,experience an in-the-line-of-duty death for law enforcement,” said Alicia Manautou, Public Information Officer.
Alicia has been volunteering with Jeepin’ With Judd since it first started. She appreciates how the event offers residents and guests a fun time outdoors and raises funds for the PCSO and its charity organization, thus helping the local community in more ways than one.
In light of these uncertain times, she assures everyone that the event is completely outdoors with no indoor locations. Moreover, with people driving their vehicles or watching from afar, the event offers people enough space to safely distance themselves.
To also ensure the safety and health of participants, other precautions will be put into place. Drive-through touchless check-in will allow attendees to register for the event without having to leave the safety and comfort of their vehicle. Participants can download an app, 4×4 Unity, to their mobile device and use it to scan a QR code to receive information about the event.
The bad news is that the event has sold out, so there are no more Jeep event entry tickets. However, the good news is that the event is still open for spectators, so anyone wanting to come by to watch the vehicles and peruse the vendor and food truck area.
You also still have the opportunity to purchase “Cheep Jeep” tickets where they will be raffling off a 2005 2-door Jeep Wrangler Utility Sport previously owned by Sheriff Judd, thanks to Kelley Buick GMC who donated the Jeep to Polk Sheriff’s Charities. Tickets can be purchased on their website and you don’t have to be present to win.
“Spectators are always free,” Alicia said. “So if anyone is interested in coming and checking this out and seeing what all the hubbub is about, spectators are always welcome. There is a great vantage point over the obstacle course to see the Jeeps climb the rocks and travel the trails created for them.”
Jeepin’ With Judd will be hosted from Feb. 26 to Feb. 28 from 9 am to 3 pm. The event will be hosted at Clear Springs Ranch, located at Ledley Ware Rd, Bartow, FL 33830. For more info, visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/jeepinwithjudd
Lake Gibson Health and Rehab Center Celebrates Grand Opening
by James Coulter
After you suffer an injury or traumatic event, you want to receive the best treatment possible. You don’t only want to get better, but you want to recover someplace where the stress of your current situation and your overall life melts away.
Lake Gibson Health and Rehabilitation Center at Lake Gibson Village is a skilled nursing facility. Not only does it offer the highest quality care with full rehab, occupational, speech, and physical therapy, but also amenities that help their patients feel at home, almost “as if they are in a healthcare resort,” their website states.
The 77,000 square foot facility provides 120 beds with 32 private and 47 semi-private rooms. Each room in this premiere facility has a bed and bath, along with other amenities such as a telephone and smart television.
Moreover, patients can enjoy quality dining in the indoor dining facility and outdoor recreation, with therapy treatments in their indoor gym and outdoor courtyard. These personable amenities will make their stay feel less like a hospital visit and more like a visit to a resort.
“We will be providing a home atmosphere for them to live in and enjoy,” said Michael Bradley, Executive Director. “We are open in the next few weeks. Once we have completed surveys with the state agencies, we will be able to open up. And we are very excited.”
The Lake Gibson Health and Rehab Center celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.
The center was developed as a collaboration between Greystone Healthcare Management, a Tampa-based healthcare management company, and Lake Gibson Village, a Lakeland-based senior living developer that operates the adjacent Lake Gibson Village.
Located near Lake Gibson in Lakeland, Lake Gibson Village is a senior living community that offers independent and assistant living apartments. Both the center and village provide quality care to its patients and residents and further the mission of both organizations.
“The foundation of all our centers is to facilitate rapid recovery and to restore the quality of life to patients and residents,” said Gregg Clavijo-Hopper, Greystone Health’s Senior Vice President of Post-Acute Care Services, in an article on the Lake Gibson website. “We are proud of the model we have created that produces the ideal environment for this, and the goal for The Health and Rehabilitation Center at Lake Gibson Village will be renewing a sense of well-being and restoring hope.”
One reviewer on Facebook spoke positively about the services provided to their mother at Lake Gibson Village. She praised the staff for providing her mother with the best care and even said she would have stayed there herself.
“This facility is one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen,” the review wrote. “I highly recommend this place for anyone who wants to live in a beautiful place, eat delicious meals, have a lot of activities and entertainment whether they can come and go as they like or if they need more care. This is the place to be in Lakeland!”
Aside from the quality care and services that the new health and rehab center plans to provide, the facility will also be 100 percent electronic. All records are organized and stored digitally.
In addition to the 120 patients treated on-site, the facility will also provide 150 jobs to the local community. The center will also cooperate with local organizations like the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce to assist the local community’s needs better, Bradley said.
“We will be able to provide a nice atmosphere for our patients to live in and [receive] their rehab services,” Bradley said. “I think they will all enjoy it.”
Lake Gibson Village Health and Rehabilitation Center is located at 855 Carpenters Way, Lakeland, FL 33809. For more information, visit their website at: https://lakegibsonvillage.com/
Webber University
Baseball Player Plays Against Team Of Former High School Coach Who Helped Him
by James Coulter
When Corbin Weeks
served as the Head Baseball Coach at Mulberry High School, he was approached by
a young man named Tavion “Taz” Williams. Taz wanted so desperately to
play college baseball, and he wanted the coach’s help. Taz originally began
helping coach the Panthers JV Baseball team in the fall of 2018.
“I told him
that he had to prove it to me,” Weeks said. “I told him that if he
came to practice every day that first fall that I was there, I would make some
calls to help him out.”
Over the next four
months, Taz would attend practice under Coach Weeks. The young high school
athlete dedicated himself both to the sport and his regular classes.
He played hard. He
studied hard. And all of his hard work eventually paid off when he finally
received a scholarship to Webber International University in Babson Park, where
he currently plays varsity baseball.
Weeks has since
moved on to serve as an Assistant Baseball Coach at Montreat College in Montreat,
NC. Weeks and Williams faced off in a four-game series this past weekend in
Babson Park.
Weeks could not be
prouder of Taz’s accomplishments thus far. As someone who assisted the young
man in high school, he knows full well of the young man’s potential and how he
has strived to achieve it.
“When I first
met Taz, I knew that he had the work ethic to be successful,” Weeks said.
“He came to practice every day. I believed in him, and we made it happen,
and it was because of his hard work. Taz’s journey has been one that can
motivate other players to chase their dreams. The Mulberry community should be
extremely proud of Taz.”
Taz has been
playing baseball since he was four years old. He has played more than 300 games
throughout his school career, and he has stolen countless bases.
He played baseball
throughout his stay at Mulberry High School. The year after he graduated, Corbin
Weeks took over the Panthers Baseball program. Weeks helped Taz’s brother
receive a college scholarship, and he wanted the coach to help him achieve a
scholarship, too. Blake Cousens, Justin Vanderhoff, and Isaac Andrews joined
the Williams brothers on their signing day back in 2019.
Taz trained hard
under Weeks, and now the young athlete is playing baseball at Webber International
University thanks to his scholarship. He started playing junior varsity when he
arrived at college as a freshman, and now he’s playing varsity for the
Warriors.
Both Taz and Weeks
were excited over the chance to play against one another during two games on
Saturday, with Taz playing for the Webber Warriors and Week’s coaching the
Montreat Cavaliers. Though Taz’s team lost the first game, he was more than
enthused about playing hard in the next round.
“This is a very
good Webber team that will make a run in The Sun Conference tournament. Taz
will find himself in big situations for this team,” Weeks said. “I
see him moving on and being a big player in this Webber Team over the next four
to five years. Of course, the older that he gets, the more of a role he will
play in big games for them.”
Taz owes his
success to his parents. His mother inspired him to play baseball as a young
boy, and she drove him to all of his practices.
“I owe my
confidence to my mom,” Taz said. “She is the one to drive me to every
practice and never missed a game, always made sure I stayed on time. If it weren’t
for her, I wouldn’t be playing this game.”
Both of his
parents encouraged him through his athletic career thus far, and Taz expects to
go even further, and he has Coach Weeks to thank for that opportunity.
“I want to
thank Corbin for the opportunity he got me to get here,” Taz said.
“He is good. He knows what he is talking about. I listen closely to what
he says because he knows what he is talking about.”
