Best Walmart Sale Ever! Or maybe not! 2 King-Sized Sunbeam Warming Blankets – for less than $6? This pair got this deal at Walmart (7450 Cypress Gardens Blvd) on 12/23/20) when they ticket-switched on these two blankets worth a total of $218. They paid the low price of less than $6 cash (they made sure to grab the change) Recognize them? Call Sgt. Hall at 863-291-5736. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can call Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS (8477). Callers are guaranteed anonymity and could be eligible for a CASH reward.
Santa Socially Distances At Haines City Fire Department
by James Coulter
You better watch out, you better wear a mask, and you better stay six feet apart, and I’m telling you why: because Santa Claus came to town—and he was staying safe by social distancing!
Just as he has for the past three years, Jolly Old Saint Nicholas paid a visit to the Haines City Fire Department during its annual Santa at the Station event last Friday evening.
Yes, even during these uncertain times, Santa Claus was still able to arrive in Haines City. Special precautions were taken, of course, to ensure both his safety and the safety of his young visitors.
During the event, attendees needed to wear a mask and wait outside in a line six feet apart. Special stars were marked off in chalk to indicate where visitors were to stand while waiting for a visit with Old St. Nick.
Once inside the fire station, Santa Claus remained seated within a vintage fire engine while visitors sat on the ground in front of him and had their pictures taken.
Unlike previous years, no fire station tours were offered, and the fire trucks were off-limits. However, guests could still visit the fire engine bay for cookies and coloring book activities.
Holly Gorsline, Executive Assistant with the Haines City Fire Department, and her staff faced challenges while preparing for the event; nevertheless, the annual visit with Santa Claus still proved successful, with plenty of children and their families eagerly arriving.
“Just because of COVID-19, it was a little bit more difficult to see how to set it up, so it was safe for everybody, but I think we did a good job with social distancing and masks,” she said. “We had a line since we started…Everything is going great thus far. Our expectations are just for the community to come out and have a good time, and everyone is having a good time thus far.”
Jake Jimenez, Haines City Fire Department Battalion Chief, loves being able to help every year. Though this year was less interactive due to the lack of tours and fire trucks, he could still see and meet many eager young visitors.
From within the town limits of Haines City, and as far away as Lakeland, Lake Wales, and Lake Alfred, visitors often come far and near to visit their annual event, and even these uncertain times would not deter them from good old-fashion holiday fun.
“I love getting out and interacting with the community,” he said. “We get to speak and talk with people everywhere…They hear about this event, and we get to talk with them, and they ask questions, and we clarify stuff they do not understand, and it is great community involvement.”
by Kevin Kieft, President/CEO of the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and EDC
Happy holidays, everyone! Around the middle of the year, the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce hosts its annual awards ceremony. The awards honor citizens and businesses who’ve made a big difference in the community throughout the year.
While we could not host our awards gala in person due to these uncertain times, we could still move forward with accepting nominations, our committee selecting the winners, and honoring them like any other year.
We are currently producing a video announcing and highlighting the winners. We will upload the video onto our website in the next few weeks. However, here’s a sneak peek of this year’s winners and their contributions to their local community:
Larry Bossarte – Citizen of the Year Award
A licensed real estate broker and appraiser, Larry Bossarte has more than 40 years of experience in the real estate industry, especially in Lake Wales. He has utilized that experience to aid the city with economic development through commercial real estate. Furthermore, he has served on numerous boards and committees. Currently, he serves as the Chairman of our Chamber Ambassador’s Program.
As someone who has been more than willing to give his time helping the community, from working in the real estate industry to serving with the Chamber and Lake Wales Main Street, Larry embodies the Citizen of the Year. He wants to make Lake Wales better, and he gives his own time to help make that happen. We could not think of a better person for the award than him.
Gail Quam – The Jerry Miller Community Leadership Award
This award goes to a person who might not be active with the Chamber, but who is more than involved in the community. The award is named after Jerry Miller, a former chamber chairman who served on many boards and committees and who recently passed away. As someone who embodied the award’s spirit, it’s only fitting we rename it in his honor.
This year’s award goes to Gail Quam, Principal of Polk Avenue Elementary School. Gail has served the Lake Wales community, both through her students and outside of the school walls, so we thought she was the perfect person to receive that award.
Chief Joe Jenkins – Public Servant of the Year Award
Since taking charge of the Lake Wales Fire Department, Chief Joe Jenkins has proven to be a real asset to the city, especially during these uncertain times. He and his team have been on the frontlines with everything concerning COVID-19 this year. He has been the go-to person for updates, and he has worked as a pandemic expert with different agencies in the city. We want to
thank Chief Joe for everything he does, but all the more so this year because he has gone above and beyond with his department.
McKeon Chiropractic Clinic, P.A. – Carl F. Durso Award for Excellence in Business (small business)
McKeon Chiropractic Clinic has not only been an exceptional chiropractic practitioner, but they have also volunteered in the Lake Wales community. They have served with different boards, committees, and churches, to assist the local community, especially during these uncertain times. This year, they have stood out offering what they do, making them a prime candidate for this award.
Dyer Kia Dyer Chevrolet – Carl F. Durso Award for Excellence in Business (large business)
Dyer Kia Dyer Chevrolet has grown over the years, not only with their business but also with their local community involvement. They recently expanded into their new facility along Highway 27. They have also worked with the Chamber, and they have donated to many local non-profits. A business with such an extensive outreach deserves the award for the best large business.
Congratulations to all our winners. We apologize for not being able to host our awards in person this year. If you go on our website, you’ll be able to see our video honoring them. And when you see our winners in person, congratulate them because these five awards are the five most significant awards of the year.
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to everyone, and hopefully, everyone has a Happy New Year. We look forward to a prosperous 2021!
PCSO investigating a fatal vehicle crash that left a
pedestrian dead in Babson Park
At about 8:00 p.m. on Friday, December 25, 2020, the PCSO
Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a fatal crash
involving a pedestrian that occurred in the area of 900 Scenic Road in Babson
Park.
Preliminary information so far is as follows:
According to evidence at the scene and witness interviews,
the pedestrian, an adult male, whose name is being withheld pending next of kin
notification, was observed in the roadway waving his arms as if attempting to
stop traffic.
A 55-year-old Babson Park woman was driving a 2015 white Toyota Venza south on Scenic Highway, when she struck the pedestrian who was standing in the middle of the southbound lane. The Babson Park woman was uninjured and stopped her vehicle.
The pedestrian died at the scene.
The driver was wearing her seatbelt. Driver impairment does not appear to be a cause for the crash. Although, impairment on the part of the pedestrian is a possible cause. The area of the crash was not well lit.
The roadway was closed for approximately three hours during the investigation. The investigation is ongoing. We will bring you more information as it becomes available.
Babson Park, Florida – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that they are on scene of a fatal crash on Scenic Highway in Babson Park. The initial call came in around 8:10pm on Christmas Day. The roadway is currently blacked off and traffic is being rerouted.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has not confirmed any details, but we are bring advised the accident involves a pedestrian.
Local Fire Fighters Donate More Than $3,000 Worth of Gift Cards to Former Member with Cancer
by James Coulter
More than 200 local firefighters have decided to donate more than $3,000 worth of gift cards to a former member who is currently battling cancer.
Members of IAFF Local 3531 Polk County Professional Firefighters received $20 Publix gift cards as Christmas gifts from their union. Most of them have since decided to donate their cards to a former member in need.
Clay Geiger previously worked for Polk County Fire Rescue (PCFR) but now serves at the Lakeland Fire Department. He is currently out of work receiving treatment for a rare form of cancer, explained Dean Molnar, Captain Paramedic of Polk County Fire Rescue, and IAFF Local 3531 Secretary.
Darren Monk, a Special Ops Captain Paramedic, decided to donate his card to Geiger. He posted his intentions on the message board, and his memo received a massive response with other members wanting to do the same.
“I asked our union president if it was okay if I donated mine to Clay,” Monk said. “I made that suggestion, and everybody jumped on board [with the idea].”
Many of the IAFF members had known Clay working with him in PCFR. Some of them knew him, having attended paramedic school or fire standards with him. Upon hearing that he was battling cancer, most were more than willing to follow Monk’s lead and donate their gift cards, Molnar said.
“Darren posted on the message board that he wanted to check and see if it was okay to donate his to Clay because Clay had a rare form of cancer and had been out of work for treatment,” explained Molnar. “It blew up after that post, and we ended up having quite a few people donating their gift cards to him as well.”
More than 185 cards were provided for Clay so far from the members, with 15 to 20 more wanting to donate their cards. Collectively, the $20 gift cards amount to nearly $4,000 donated to Geiger during his time of need.
Previously, the union had offered turkeys to their members on Christmas; however, this gift idea proved challenging to manage and distribute, as more than 440 turkeys would be provided to people, Molnar said. The choice to switch to gift cards proved more manageable, and in the case of this year, much more beneficial.
“It is nice to see our members doing this, giving something that was intended for them, just giving it to somebody else to help them out,” he said. “It was nice, the brotherhood. He was a former employee, and now we have half of our members who donated their gift cards to him.”
On Thursday, December 24, 2020, at approximately 5:40 p.m., officers responded to a residence in the 1500 block of Amos Avenue in reference to a reported shooting. Upon arrival at the scene, officers found four victims, all with gunshot wounds. The victims, a 70-year-old female, 43-year-old male, 39-year-old female, and a 13-year-old female, were transported to area hospitals for treatment of their injuries. Shortly after arrival at Lakeland Regional Health, the 70-year-old victim succumbed to her injuries and was declared deceased by medical professionals. The other victims, who are all related, had varying levels of conditions upon arrival but are expected to survive their injuries.
Officers were also notified that a 19-year-old male had arrived at the hospital with a gunshot wound. His injuries were sustained during the shooting incident and are not believed to be life-threatening.
Prior to the shooting, a 15-year-old male, who is also related to the victims, was involved in an altercation with other individuals at a separate location, which carried over to the residence at Amos Avenue. At some point, shots were fired by both a resident of the home and by the individuals who arrived at the residence related to the earlier conflict.
Detectives, working in partnership with the State Attorney’s Office, are continuing to conduct interviews and follow-up on leads related to all parties involved. This is an active and open investigation, and updates will be provided as additional information becomes available for release. No other details will be released at this time to protect the integrity of the investigation. Anyone with information related to the case is encouraged to contact Detective Tammy Hathcock at 863.834.6975 or [email protected]. To remain anonymous, contact Heartland Crime Stoppers Florida – call 1-800-226 TIPS (8477), dial **TIPS from your cell phone, visit the website www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com and click on “Submit A Tip,” or download the free “P3tips” app on your smartphone or tablet. The names of victims are being withheld in accordance with Marsy’s Law.
“I am honored to have been appointed by President Trump to be a member of the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The Council’s purpose is to coordinate federal programs related to delinquency prevention and missing and exploited children.
My agency and I have a long-standing commitment to protecting children, especially those who have been victimized, exploited, or who are missing. I look forward to contributing towards the Council’s mission in this area.
It is also critically important that we work hard to prevent juvenile delinquency and crime so that our families and communities are safe. We cannot lose sight of the fundamental purpose of our criminal justice system: prevent crime, lower crime, protect the innocent, help crime victims, and hold those who violate our laws accountable.”
A lot was different about this year’s “Shop With A Cop” event, except for one very important thing – dozens of local families will have a much merrier Christmas because of the Lake Wales Police Department.
In fact, a total of 70 area children will have presents under the tree and holiday food on the table thanks to the annual program, run by the Lake Wales Police Officers Association.
Normally, children and their families meet at the Lake Wales Wal-Mart to pick out Christmas gifts, thanks to generous local sponsors who donate to the program.
But because of the ongoing pandemic, this year families went online to reserve their gifts, or filled out a form that was returned to the police department. Then, on Dec. 12, a drive-through site was set up outside Wal-Mart, where families not only picked up their already-wrapped presents, but a 20-pound turkey and all the fixings for Christmas dinner as well.
Deputy Police Chief Troy Schulze said that while the Coronavirus outbreak altered the program, it didn’t dampen anyone’s enthusiasm, especially that of local businesses that help the department.
“The last two years have been more than any years prior,” he said of the donation amounts. A total of $10,500 in toys were purchased, along with $1,200 in food.
“It was extremely different his year, but what we saw was it did not change the excitement of the children,” Schulze said. “They were still super excited to see us, and waved and had big smiles.”
Schulze said officers and police department employees missed being in the store with families, but that in the end, the same goal was accomplished.
“It was difficult to not have that emotional connection when you’re with a family for an hour to do shopping, but you still feel really good about it,” he added. “It wasn’t the big show with sponsors and characters, but everyone’s intentions were still right. We were there for the kids. That’s what it was all about. “
Almost 15 years ago, Schulze had a first-hand peek at what a desolate Christmas might look like, a chance encounter that gave him important perspective on the holiday season.
“Years back, I was a school resource officer. I’ll never forget, this young kid literally changed my perspective,” he recalled. “It was the Friday afternoon before school was out for two weeks, he was at the bus ramp after school on the bench crying. He just looked at me and said ‘Officer Troy, Christmas at my house isn’t like at your house. It’s just another day. I don’t know where I’m going to eat for the next couple of weeks, I’m not going to have any presents. ‘ I was like ‘man, this is a kid right here in our community’. This was a Lake Wales boy crying on the bus ramp because he wasn’t going to have any Christmas.”
He added that many of the department’s officers have had moments that mirrored his.
“You go on a call and there isn’t a single decoration, not a Christmas tree,” Schulze said. “So even though it was different, a lot of our employees came out. The heart of the event was still very much alive.”
Families were picked by LWPD School Resource Officers in conjunction with officials from the Lake Wales Charter Schools.
Sponsors for this season’s campaign included The Lake Wales Police Officers Association,Wal-Mart, Dyer Kia/Chevrolet, Jahna Industries, Lake Wales Kiwanis Club, Century 21, Coca Cola, Home Depot, Lake Wales Moose Club and Lake Wales Pizzano’s Pizza.
Identity Theft is Real and Crosses State Lines Victimizing Multiple People The victim in our case lives in California. However, the man in the images at Bank of America (Central Ave. and Hwy 17) in Winter Haven is NOT who he said he is. He cashed 2 fraudulent checks to the tune of $5,000 on our first victim’s bank account. The “Pay To The Order Of” was fraudulent as well. Detectives have learned that the name given on the check is also a victim of identity theft who lives in California. It is undetermined what exactly the suspect used as identification. Whatever it was, of course it was fraudulent too. He appears to be in his 50’s and wears a large gold watch on his left wrist. If anyone recognizes this suspect or knows anything about this case, please call Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS (8477). Callers are guaranteed anonymity and could be eligible for a CASH reward.
