Taste Of Winter Haven Offers Dining Passport To Local Eateries

Winter Haven

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January 12, 2021

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Taste Of Winter Haven Offers Dining Passport To Local Eateries

by James Coulter

COVID-19 forced many people to stay at home and many businesses to close down last year. To help local eateries gain more business and inspire residents to eat out, the Greater Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce is offering a dining passport with coupons for local restaurants.

Normally, the Chamber hosts its annual Taste of Winter Haven event, with nearly 500 attendees congregating at Venue 650 to sample dishes prepared by local eateries and catering companies. Due to the lingering threat of COVID-19, it has decided to cancel its in-person event this year.

Considering how these uncertain times have hurt local businesses by requiring them to shut down, the Chamber has decided to kill two birds with one stone by helping local restaurants gain more business and residents to eat out and partake in these eateries.

Taste Of Winter Haven Dining Passport allows residents to support their local restaurants, bars, and caterers by purchasing a booklet with special discounts and coupons. For $50, they can support their local Chamber and businesses and sample everything their local cuisine has to offer.

“But we certainly know that our restaurants and caterers need our support more than ever after the year they had, so we wanted to create something to help market and derive business to these caterers,” said Katie Worthington, Chamber President/CEO. “It is a fundraiser for the chamber, but the primary point is to push and promote and market people to visit these local restaurants and caterers.”

From fine dining at fine restaurants to down-home flavor at down-home bars, the Dining Passport opens up a wide variety of local cuisine, allowing residents to enjoy what Winter Haven has to offer. Participating eateries include:• Arabella’s Ristorante• Culvers• Elite Catering Company• Fire Restaurant • KFC Auburndale • Mediterranean Fresh Grill• Old Man Franks• Richard’s Fine Coffees• Smoothie Squad• Tanner’s Lakeside• Tempo 1930• The Catering Co of Central Florida • Union Taproom

The Dining Passport will be available on Jan. 15 and useful throughout the year until Dec. 31. Whether you purchase it now or later on, it offers you an entire year of savings to local cuisine, with savings valued at nearly $130. Not only can you enjoy local good eats, but also support small businesses after a whole year of uncertain times.

“It is a great opportunity, and it takes the excitement of the Taste of Winter Haven in-person event of trying samples and makes it something you can celebrate all year long,” Worthington said. I think what they can come to expect are some delicious meals at the participating venues. So I hope you can purchase a passport, get a date, and go out to support these local restaurants.”

The 2021 Taste of Winter Haven Dining Passport is available for $50 per booklet. For more information, visit the Chamber website at: https://www.winterhavenchamber.com/taste-of-winter-haven.html

Jersey Boyz Cafe Open In Downtown Haines City

Haines City

Staff Reporter

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January 12, 2021

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Jersey Boyz Cafe Open In Downtown Haines City

by James Coulter

When Ronny Chirichello opened his cafe and coffee shop in Downtown Kissimmee last January, he had high hopes for his new eatery. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 crisis forced his new business to shut down and inevitably close indefinitely in September.

He had since moved to Haines City seven months ago, where he found a new location with reasonable rent. He opened up his new business, Jersey Boyz Cafe, and continues to maintain his high hopes.

As a former Jersey resident, Ronny wanted to name his place after his former home state, and he wanted to serve food that would make any Jersey boy proud.

Located in Haines City, the new cafe serves a diverse menu, from waffles, pancakes, and egg sandwiches for breakfast, to paninis, subs, wraps, tacos, and nachos for lunch, along with an assortment of fresh-fruit smoothies.

While Ronny guarantees that all of their sandwiches and paninis are worth ordering, he highly recommends their signature sandwich, The Turnpike, with ham, egg, and cheese served on toasted sourdough bread.

Best of all, most of their food items are sold at affordable prices. Their breakfast platters are around $5.99, while their lunch platters are between $6.99 to $9.99.

“We offer good food, quality food, for a great price, Ronny said. “We have been steady, [and] we are moving along in a good direction.”

Jersey Boyz Cafe celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Northeast Chamber of Commerce.

Following a few words from city and chamber officials and the ribbon cutting, attendees could enjoy samples of the cafe’s food,including nachos, smoothies, and caramel corn.

Lana Stripling, Chamber Executive Director, has eaten several sandwiches since the cafe opened. She enjoys the high quality and affordable prices of the food and service.

“The food is delicious,” she said. “The food is very good. Quality is good, [and the] staff is great.”

The Haines City CRA is currently overseeing the revitalization of Downtown Haines City. They are seeking to draw in new businesses to the downtown area, and Jersey Boyz Cafe is a welcomed addition.

“It is very exciting for us,” Stripling said. “We are beginning to grow and see businesses move into our downtown area, and that is what we want to do…I am real excited because we don’t have to go outside Haines City any longer for quality food.”

Deric Feacher, City Manager of Haines City, has been to the new eatery for breakfast, lunch, and smoothies. He loves the customer service and the quality of the food, and he hopes that more residents will drop by to experience it.

“I am truly impressed with the quality of the product that comes out,” he said. “You all have a good business, and I hope it thrives here.”

Jersey Boyz Cafe is located at 31 N 6th St, Haines City, FL 33844. Online ordering is available. For more information, visit their website at: https://jerseyboyzcafe.com/

Registration For Two Lake Wales City Commission Seats Is February 15 – February 19

Staff Reporter

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January 12, 2021

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Registration For Two Lake Wales City Commission Seats Is February 15 – February 19

Lake Wales, Florida – Two seats are going to be up for election this coming April. However registration to be a candidate is only a few weeks away. Even then the window to register is only a few days. So if your thinking about running you have a little time to think about it and prepare. Registration dates and election dates are below.

Date of Elections

Notice of upcoming election: 2021 Election Notice English 2021 Election Notice Spanish/Espanol

City elections are always held on the first Tuesday in April.

Next Election, Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Resources

There will be two seats up for election on April 6, 2021.

Seat 2, District 19 currently held by Commissioner Curtis Gibson
Seat 4, District 27 currently held by Commissioner Goldstein

These seats are for three year terms. Qualifying will be from February 15, 2021 at noon and end February 19, 2021 at noon.

Candidates must have been a resident of Lake Wales for a year and live in the district they wish to represent. Candidates for Seat 2 must live in District 19 and Candidates for Seat 4 must live in District 27. All seats are voted for at-large or by all Lake Wales voters.

Charter Amendments on the 2021 Ballot

There will be 7 proposed Amendments to the City Charter on the 2021 Ballot.
Here is the list. Charter Amendments 2021

Scam Alert Representing Employer

Staff Reporter

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January 11, 2021

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Winter Haven Police Department

SCAM ALERT

Have you received a phone call from someone posing as a representative of YOUR employer? This “representative” praises you for being so dedicated working through the pandemic in spite of obvious risks. The “representative” then says you are being given a $500 bonus! WOW! Wouldn’t that be GREAT?
STOP NOW! Because the next thing coming out of their mouth is asking you to “verify” your direct deposit information. And you know where that will go…
If you receive any calls saying you are receiving X amount of dollars, regardless of where it’s from, DO NOT give out your information – period. If it’s legit, they will have what they need to deposit money. And frankly, they probably wouldn’t call you anyway.
Spread the word. Scammers are ruthless and will stoop to any level to rid you of your hard-earned money.

Polk Soil & Water Conservation District Zoom Meeting January 19

Staff Reporter

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January 8, 2021

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January 19^th, 2021 – 4:00pm

Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85136391345?pwd=ZHZQQWg2ZXZITGw1MWF1UjE1WXZrdz09 Meeting ID: 851 3639 1345

Passcode: g0XLV4
This meeting is open to the public. Please use the Zoom Meeting ID and Password above to join the meeting.

1. Call to order
2. Pledge of allegiance
3. Roll call
4. Approval of November 17th, 2020 Meeting Minutes 5. Chair Report- Joe Garrison
6. Vice Chair Report
7. Secretary/Treasurer Report- Daniel Lanier
8. Public Relations Report
9. Old Business
10. New Business

a. Vote on New Officers
b. Introduce New BMP Technician-Leah Mears c. Karl Anderson- NRCS

11. Adjourn

A Lake Wales Man & A Davenport Man Arrested For Digging Up 4 Veterans Bodies For Religious Ritual

Staff Reporter

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January 8, 2021

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A Lake Wales Man & A Davenport Man Arrested For Digging Up 4 Veterans Bodies For Religious Ritual

* Sheriff Grady Judd will brief media regarding the arrest of these two men. The men stole the bodies from Lake County graves.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office Press Release

Detectives with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office have been investigating the thefts from gravesites at the Edgewood Cemetery since the incident occurred on December 6. At the time of the initial processing of the scene, crime scene investigators collected items (to include cigars) that were left and sent those items off for laboratory DNA testing.

Detectives recently received information that DNA samples had been obtained from the cigars and that the samples were being submitted into the database for comparison. One sample came back as a match to 43-year-old Brian Montalvo Tolentino, who resides at 115 Walpole Loop in Davenport.

On January 6, Lake detectives contacted The Polk County Sheriff’s Office, whose detectives obtained a search warrant for mouth swabs from Tolentino for a direct DNA comparison.

Lake detectives then met with and interviewed Tolentino, during which he confessed to going to the cemetery with another individual, 39-year-old Juan Burgos Lopez, of 5170 Timberlane Road in Lake Wales, and committing the crimes. Tolentino stated that Lopez used a crowbar to open the vaults and then removed the heads of the deceased. He stated they removed four heads from the four graves and then returned to Lopez’s residence. He stated the heads were taken for religious practices.

Polk sheriff’s detectives were then able to obtain and execute a search warrant for Lopez’s residence last night in an effort to locate and recover any of the human remains. During the search, detectives located a total of six skulls, a hand, partial arm, and multiple other large bones within what appeared to be some sort of religious shrine. Lopez identified four skulls as being those obtained from the Edgewood Cemetery and stated the other two skulls were obtained from other practitioners. He also had an additional skull that he claimed was fake.

Both men were arrested on the Lake County warrants by Polk sheriff’s deputies and were transported to the Polk County Jail where they were booked in with bonds of $40,000 each. Both were charged with four counts of Disturbing the Contents of a Grave and four counts of Abuse of a Dead Human Body. Polk County Sheriff’s Office may be adding criminal charges for their jurisdiction as well.

Armed & Dangerous Suspects Apprehended After Lakeland Crime Spree

Staff Reporter

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January 7, 2021

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Armed & Dangerous Suspects Apprehended After Lakeland Crime Spree

Polk County Sheriff’s deputies arrested three suspects in Lakeland after a 24-hour long violent crime spree during which they shot one person, and threatened to shoot a family.
On Tuesday, January 5, 2021, deputies were contacted by a family who said three unknown suspects entered a home where they were renting a room on Old Harden Blvd, pointed a gun at them, and demanded that they leave. After escorting the man, woman, and child outside at gunpoint, the suspects told the family they could find their belongings in the yard later. The family has been renting at that residence for over a month, and did not know who the suspects were. In fear for their lives, they ran to a nearby home and dialed 911.

When deputies arrived, they located 42-year-old Gardell Young Jr., throwing clothing and other items out onto the driveway, along with 37-year-old William Kirkland. The third suspect, described by the victims as a tall white male, was no longer on the scene when deputies arrived.
While deputies interviewed the suspects, they noted that the suspects looked like the same suspects wanted in a shooting that occurred on Monday evening, January 4, 2021, at a nearby gas station. Meanwhile, evidence from the shooting led detectives to the suspect vehicle (a black GMC SUV) involved in that investigation – the vehicle was registered to William Kirkland. The victims of the armed burglary also told detectives the suspect who fled from that scene left in a black GMC SUV.

During that incident, a male victim was shot in both legs while at the Circle K store located at 933 West Pipkin Road in Lakeland, near Old Harden Blvd. After being shot, he went to a house nearby and asked for help – the homeowner called 911. The victim was taken to LRHMC, where he received treatment for his injuries and is expected to recover.
According to the victim, witnesses, and video surveillance system at the Circle K store, the victim was hanging out at the store waiting for his friend to get off work. A black GMC SUV occupied by three men pulled up to a gas pump. One man (later identified as Young) pumped gas while the other two occupants went into the store. The victim engaged in a conversation with one of the other occupants (later identified as 38-year-old Seth Deming). The victim then walked across the parking lot, and Deming got out of the car and followed him. Deming then shot the victim, once in each leg. He went back to the GMC, and all three suspects left the scene.
Deputies responded to the area, set up a perimeter, and began an investigation. They were still actively investigating the shooting when the armed burglary occurred the next day.
On Wednesday afternoon, January 6, 2021, deputies located Deming as he was driving the black GMC SUV. They surrounded the vehicle and took him into custody.
Those arrested are:
Gardell Young Jr, DOB 03/17/1978, of BartowCharges:3 counts Armed burglary with battery (FL)Grand theft (F1)Possession of meth (F3)Possession of paraphernalia (M1)
Criminal History:32 felony charges and 25 misdemeanor charges. Prior charges includes: Aggravated battery, battery, robbery with a firearm, burglary, grand theft motor vehicle, fraud, drug possession, resisting, loitering/prowling, violation of probation, failure to appear, trespassing, criminal mischief, and DWLSR.
William Kirkland, DOB 09/09/1983, of LakelandCharges:3 counts Armed burglary with battery (FL)Grand theft (F1)
Criminal History:5 felony charges and 10 misdemeanor charges. Prior charges includes: Hit & run, resisting, DUI, theft, disorderly conduct, failure to appear, violation of probation, and drug possession.
Seth Edward Deming, DOB 08/28/1982, of BartowArmed burglary with battery (FL)Attempted first degree murder (F1)3 counts aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (F3)2 counts possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (F2)Aggravated assault with a LEO (F2)2 counts wearing a bulletproof vest
Criminal History:60 felony charges and 18 misdemeanor charges. Prior charges includes: Kidnapping, burglary, grand theft motor vehicle, tampering in a felony life capital proceeding, resisting, felony theft, dealing in stolen property, drug possession, pawn fraud, criminal mischief, violation of probation, failure to appear, DWLSR.

Physical Confrontation On Polk School Bus Leads To Arrest Of 15 Yr Old Student & 68 Yr Old Bus Attendant

Staff Reporter

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January 7, 2021

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Physical Confrontation On Polk School Bus Leads To Arrest Of 15 Yr Old Student & 68 Yr Old Bus Attendant

On Wednesday, January 6, 2021, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested 68-year-old Algarene Richards and 15-year-old Jayvyn McFadden, both from Lake Wales, following an altercation on a school bus.
On Wednesday, at around 3:30 p.m., a Polk County School bus was transporting students home from Frostproof Middle Senior High School. When the bus approached the intersection of Freedlander Road and Sally Street in unincorporated Lake Wales, Richards, a former substitute school bus attendant, and McFadden, a student, became engaged in a verbal argument that escalated. Both Richards and McFadden battered each other.
“Students have no right to become physically violent with a school board employee. Similarly, adults who are in a position of authority cannot use excessive physical violence against a student. In this case, the facts demonstrated that both involved should be criminally charged.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
“Every day, Polk County Public Schools is entrusted with safely transporting tens of thousands of students to and from school. Like we do at our campuses, we strive to create school bus environments in which students feel supported, encouraged and, most important of all, safe. We hold ourselves, our employees and our students to the highest of standards of behavior and respect for one another. Violence of any kind will not be tolerated. We thank the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for their swift and thorough response to this incident.” –Deputy Superintendent John Hill
McFadden was charged with Battery on a School Official (F3). He was transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center.
Richards was charged with Child Abuse (F3). She has a criminal history that includes 3 batteries, 3 aggravated assaults with a weapon, a dangerous discharge of a weapon, resisting a law enforcement officer, and shoplifting.
According to Polk County Public Schools, Richards was a substitute bus attendant who was hired Sept. 13, 2019. The district terminated her employment effective Jan. 6, 2021.

16-Year-Old Female Airlifted After Being Struck By Vehicle in Winter Haven

Winter Haven

Staff Reporter

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January 7, 2021

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16-Year-Old Female Airlifted After Being Struck By Vehicle in Winter Haven

UPDATE TO TRAFFIC CRASH IN WINTER HAVEN THIS MORNING

The female WHHS student who was struck on Avenue G NW is 16 years old. She was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital, and it has been determined by medical staff that she has non-life threatening injuries, and will fully recover.

The student was in the westbound lane of Avenue G NW, walking to her school bus, which was parked on Avenue G facing east.

The car that struck her was being driven by an 18-year-old teen who was on his way to work – he told deputies he did not see her. He was driving westbound approaching the bus.

It is anticipated the road will be closed for another 30 minutes or so. We will provide more information as it becomes available

TRAFFIC ADVISORY:

The PCSO Traffic Unit is enroute to work a traffic crash involving a 15-year-old female who was struck by a car on Avenue G NW, nearest cross street 22nd Street NW, in Winter Haven.

WHPD Officers arrived on-scene in the city but have asked our Traffic Unit to investigate, due to serious bodily injuries to the victim. She has been airlifted to a hospital.

The crash occurred near a bus stop. The teenagers is a Winter Haven High School student. The driver remained on-scene.

The roadways in the area affected and shut down are Avenue G NW and Lake Howard Drive. Please advise motorists to use alternate routes.

An update will be provided once the roadways are clear.

Pedestrian Struck & Critically Injured In Dundee Accident

Staff Reporter

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January 6, 2021

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Pedestrian Struck & Critically Injured In Dundee Accident

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit responded to a vehicle versus pedestrian crash in Winter Haven last evening, during which the pedestrian was critically injured. Preliminary information so far is as follows:

Around 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday, January 5, 2021, 22-year-old Khalaya Clarke of Sebring was heading eastbound on Dundee Road approximately 50 feet east of Florida Drive in her 2014 blue Honda CRV when the front right portion of her car struck 30-year-old Edward Bracewell of Winter Haven, who was walking on the south side of the roadway along the fog line. During the impact, Bracewell’s head struck the CRV’s windshield and he was propelled onto the grassy shoulder. Clarke immediately stopped to render aid.

The area where the crash occurred has a 50 MPH speed limit, and is not illuminated with any artificial lighting. Bracewell was wearing dark clothing, and no reflective material. He was transported to LRHMC where he underwent surgery, and is in very critical condition.

The roadway in the area was closed for approximately four hours during the investigation.

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