Wanting to keep those pearly whites, pearly white doesn’t give anyone permission to take a water flossing device without paying. But this guy did. He entered Walmart (7450 Cypress Gardens Blvd) and selected a water flossing device from Health & Beauty Aids. He is seen by an associate in the Garden Center leaning over the cart. They hear plastic ripping open and see the man place the device inside a pocket and leave the Garden Center. The associate finds the empty packaging and reports it to store loss prevention. Video shows the man at the self checkout pay for shoe inserts and leaves. Anyone who recognizes him should give Detective Maldonado a call at 863-291-5676.
When the alarms sound and you only leave one of the items in the cart you didn’t pay for?
That’s what happened here. The female in the video with a baby in the cart went to Walmart (7450 Cypress Gardens Blvd) and selected a case of formula and an automatic floor cleaner.
She didn’t go anywhere near the registers and as she is walking out, the alarms did what they were designed to do – stop people. However, she only took the floor cleaner out of her cart. She waved one associate off and as she’s departing, she showed a second one where she deposited the cleaner.
She still had the formula and went on her way.
Recognize her? Call Det. Maldanado at 863-401-2256.
Camp Mack Kicks Off Inagural Fire On The Lake Chili Cookoff
by James Coulter
What better time to cook and enjoy a bowl of hot chili then when the weather is getting chilly? Camp Mack seemed to have the right idea when they postponed their first annual chili cook off to late September.
Nearly a dozen chili teams traveled from across the state and even as far as Mississippi to participate in the inagural Fire On The Lake Chili Cookoff and Cornhole Tournament at Camp Mack, A Guy Harvey Resort, in Lake Wales.
Teams set up their booths six feet apart according to social distancing guidelines and spent all-day Saturday cooking theirbest pot of chili, be it homestyle, traditional red, or verde.
Tony Perry, leader of HD Chili, won first place in the traditional red division. As someone who has been cooking for the past eight months, he attributes his success to preparing his chili with only the freshest ingredients.
He has competed in several cooking contests previously. Often, he competes against his own brother, who also participated in this year’s event.
Overall, aside from winning first place, Perry loved enjoying the camraderie with his fellow teammates and competitors. Any time spent over a pot of chili is a good time for him, he said.
“I love the camraderie,” Perry said. “We enjoy it. We will be back when they have the next one.”
Perry and his team won first place in the traditional red division. Barker’s Best won first place in homestyle, and Jonathan Everett and his team won first place in verde.
Originally, the chili cook-off was to be hosted in the spring earlier this year. However, due to COVID-19, the inagural event had to be postponed to late September.
To maintain social distancing, teams were to be set more than six feet apart from each other, and tasting was only to be conducted by the judges.
“Turnout was great,” said Kevin DeNell. “My hat’s off to the cook teams. Today was a little different with everything going on today. They came out with great competition.”
DeNell himself loved cooking chili. He loved being able to watch the other teams work their own magic and prepare chili their way.
Next year’s event will be hosted in the spring as intended. However, even in spite of the late season and the looming COVID-19 crisis, the turnout proved more than fantastic, and DeNell hopes to see an even larger turnout next year.
“It is always a hard challenge for a pandemic,” he said. “But people are anxious to go outside and cook. I think that is a good place to do that.”
More Than 100 People Proudly Drove In Trump Car Parade
by James Coulter
Nothing can stop the Trump Train, or so Trump supporters claim. From boats on the water to trucks on the road, supporters of President Trump have been more than happy to fly their colors across the country, especially in Polk County.
More than 100 people from across the county and even the state participated in a Trump car parade on Saturday. The event started with a flag wave at the Winter Haven Republican Headquarters at Inman Park Baptist Church.
The procession of cars then drove off onto Highway 17, turned onto Highway 17/92, and continued along Highway 27 to the real estate office in Haines City, where participants enjoyed hot dogs and other refreshments.
Participating vehicles flew their colors proud with flags ranging from the traditional Red, White, and Blue to flags for Trump 2020 and Blue Lives Matter. Many attendees were from Winter Haven, while others came from as far as Kissimmee and Orlando.
“People are excited about this election,” said Steven Larsen, President of the East Polk County Republican Club. “They want to see some changes in this country.”
Like many Trump supporters, Larsen has been proud of what the President has accomplished within the past four years, and he firmly believes that he deserves to win another four years in the coming election.
“All across the country, there has been a good turnout,” he said. “We want to get the energy for this election, and the more we promote Trump, the more likely he will win the election. So it is almost like the silent majority is waking up.”
The Winter Haven Republican Headquarters has especially experienced an influx of requests for campaign promotional material. More than 8,000 yard signs and 90 4×8 signs have been distributed thus far, said Glynda White, Headquarters Manager.
Even with many signs being allegedly defaced, the number of Trump campaign paraphernalia being proudly displayed in yards and from cars across the county show that the President has good standing among his supporters.
“It is not dampening the enthusiasm,” White said. “Not one bit; in fact, it’s enhancing it.”
Both she and Larsen have attested that many former Democrats have arrived to their headquarters to change their registration so they can vote for Trump in the upcoming election.
“My hopes are that the hype for Trump grows even further,” she said. “He is a great President, these people know it, and they love him. He is not only a President: he is trying to do something for the citizens of the United States.”
Local Politicans Chew Fat At 38th Annual Pig Roast & Political Rally
by James Coulter
Normally, when people think of pork and politics, they think of pork barrel spending. However, here in Polk County, it’s been a long running tradition for local politicans to chew the fat with constituents during the Annual Pig Roast & Political Rally in Haines City.
This year’s event was hosted poolside at the scenic Balmoral Resort in Haines City. Normally, the event is hosted in August at the Lake Eva Event Center; however, due to COVID-19, the date was pushed to late September with Balmoral hosting the event at their bar and grill.
Nearly a dozen politicans set up booths near the pool to distribute campaign material and to talk with local constituents. Whether you were Team Trump or Biden, every politician of every political affiliation had a chance to join in the camraderie and dinner.
Speaking of dinner, true to its name, the pig roast included a barbecue dinner catered by Balmoral Resort. Attendees could pig out on barbecue chicken and pork, along with other fixings like green beans, potatoes, and yeast rolls.
Sam Killebrew (R), is currently running for re-election to the Florida House of Representatives to represent District 41. He has been attending this event for the past 12 to 14 years, even long before he ever ran for political office. Since running for office, he has proudly attended for the past four years.
“Haines City is a great community,” he said. “[The Pig Roast] is good and gives us a chance to talk with people and [discuss] policy that we believe in, and they get to tell us what our concerns are. So it turns out good for all of us.”
Killebrew was especially pleased at the turnout this year, even in spite of the current COVID-19 crisis. He was glad that the govenor eased on mandates concerning masks in public, and he’s expecting the economy to keep going strong moving forward.
“Tonight’s event is great,” he said. “I cannot complain at all. I got to see a lot of people. People I didn’t know, people I knew. I met my opponent for the first time, he seemed like a nice guy. So it was good. I was happy with it.”
Darren Soto (D), running for re-election to the U.S. House for Florida’s 9th Congressional District. He also appreciated the great turnout, and especially with how everyone did their best to stay safe with social distancing and mask wearing.
Being able to communicate with constituents at events like this is what he loves most about the Pig Fest. Especially in uncertain times like this, it is important to reach out and make sure everyone is doing well for himself, he said.
“It is great to meet up with a lot of people you have not seen for a long time,” Soto said. “We need events like this to meet with constituents. Without talking to folks, whether it is a labor community, business community, environmental community, or some of the many other different groups who work, you can lose touch.”
Lana Stripling, Director of the Northeast Polk County Chamber of Commerce, loved how many people turned out for the event. She especially appreciated how Balmoral was able to host it on such short notice, with less than a month to prepare, she said.
“Balmoral Resort has done a fantastic job,” she said. “We had a great turnout tonight. So the weather is perfect, and it is Chamber of Commerce weather, and we are loving it.”
For the past three decades and counting, the Pig Roast and Political Rally has allowed local residents to meet with their elected officials and with running candidates to discuss the politics of the day. The support from the local community has allowed it to continue growing strong, she said.
“Our business members are great supporters, and they support us in our events,” she said. “Being able to connect them with possibly helpful for our businesses, and also the canidates being able to talk with them and the people can come out and talk with them and show their concerns and see where they stand.”
There’s no part of your body more personal than your eyes. Without them, you wouldn’t be reading this article. When you are looking for eye care and wear, you want a practice that brings you a personalized service and care. That’s why you should consider Eyes on Lakeland.
This family-owned practice offers a personalized level of service to their patients. Whether you need a new pair of glasses, an eye exam, or any other eye treatment, their family is ready to see your family and take care of your eyes.
“As a patient, you can expect friendly and attentive care from our experienced team of eye care professionals,” their website states. “We leverage advanced diagnostic technology to provide modern eye care services, including comprehensive eye exams, vision correction, and more.”
Eyes On Lakeland recently celebrated their grand opening with a ribbon cutting by the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce. Located along Florida Avenue, this new practice is run by a local family for local patients.
Dr. Ornella Aluwiesi purchased the building around two years ago. COVID-19 pushed back their initial opening date, but they have since recently opened to the public and are ready to provide their local community with their optometry needs.
“Best Eye appointment I have ever had,” one Facebook reviewer write. “Dr. Aluwiesi did the most thorough exam I have ever had. She never seemed rushed and explained things to me in a way that was easy to understand. She took her time talking with me, making sure that all of my questions were answered.”
With assistance from their staff, the reviewer was able to find the exact pair of glasses that they needed, selecting a “fun” pair. They were more than willing to visit again for a second pair.
“I have found my new eye doctor for life,” they wrote. “I walked in as a new patient and walked out feeling like family! I highly recommend giving them a try!”
Their on-site lab contains state-of-the-art equipment that provides “advanced diagnostic technology”, ensuring that their patients receive the best top-of-the-line care. Their equipment can provide precise measurements. They can even cut lenses on-site, so the turnaround for new glasses are much quicker than other practices.
Their optical department offers a wide selection of designer frames and specialty contact lenses from the top brands. One brand even plants a tree for every pair of frames sold.
“With guidance from our knowledgeable staff, you’ll find the look you want and the features you need,” their website states.
As a family-owned local practice, Dr. Aluwiesi and her family are here to provide you and your family with the care that you require. Her own experience allows her to help patients as young as six-months old. So whether you are nine-months or 99 years old, you know your eyes are in good hands with them.
“My expectation is to just become the community’s go to eye care provider that is family-owned,” Dr. Aluwiesi said. “We want to be basically your mom and pop shop for your eye care needs”
Eyes on Lakeland is located at 1400 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL 33803. For more information, call 863-250-5553, or visit their website at: https://eyesonlakeland.com/
Believers’ Fellowship Church Hosted Rally To Keep America Great
by James Coulter
When asked about her thoughts of the past four years under President Donald Trump, Leena Watson, a Navy disabled veteran, simply replied with “promises made, promises kept.”
Watson was one of the many people who arrived to Believers’ Fellowship Church on Saturday to participate in the church’s Keep America Great rally on Saturday.
While clouds may have darkened the skies and the rain came down, the gloomy weather could not darken nor dampen the spirits of attendees such as herself. She was proud of everything accomplished within the past four years under Trump, and she is expecting four more.
“He is the first to give me a pay raise,” she said. “We are going to win by a landslide.”
Keep America Great was hosted by Believers’ Fellowship Church in Lakeland to help raise patriotic fervor within the local community and to promote “biblical conservative values.”
While the rally was not advertised as a “Trump rally”, undoubtedly, most everyone who attended and participated were fans of the President. Many wore the signature red “Make America Great Again” hat, wore “Trump 2020” shirts, and some even participated in a flag wave alongside the road, waving Trump flags and carrying signs showing their support of him.
The event also unabashedly reveled in its support for the sitting president. Trump Burgers were served alongside Sloppy Joes, many vendors sold Trump merchandise including life-sized cardboard cutouts, and even a giant Trump 2020 was raffled off.
John Friedt, Pastor of Believer’s Fellowship Church, wanted to host the event to help spur excitement and interest in the upcoming election, and to help “stir up a conservative vote for conservative values.”
“I think it will be a close contentious race,” Friedt said. “My hope is beyond the presidential race, the other seats that are vacant and being voted on, that we have a conservative wave across the nation, all the way from local seats to the White House.”
Being 42, Friedt claims he had not seen many presidents accomplish so much in one term than Trump has. He firmly believes that the decision for the upcoming election is clear: the Republican Party and candidate, in his opinion, aligns more closely with Biblical Christian values, which is why they should win the next election.
“When you look at the two platforms of the Democrat and Republican parties, it is with no question what platform most aligns with Biblical values,” he said. “Our world is confused in a lot of ways because our world no longer has a Biblical worldview, they have a contemporary worldview. Our goal is to show people we have strayed from our Biblical values and so when it comes to how we vote, we must vote for those who must closely align with our Biblical values.”
Many church attendees attended the event, along with other local residents in the nearby area. Even many local candidates and politicians like Bill Braswell, attended the rally to show their support and promote their own cause.
“Kat” Gates-Skipper, who currently sits upon the Veterans for Trump Advisory Board serving as a national veteran’s advocate, was more than happy to attend the event, even in spite of the not-so-good weather.
“No rain, sleet, or snow can keep people away when you are a Christian and you honor your president,” she said. “Rain can’t keep people away. They want to come out, they want to show their respect for their Commander in Chief. This is all about God and country. God is the reason we are here, God and our president.”
As a veteran, she appreciates how Trump has looked out for veterans such as herself. She especially loves his “no nonsense” approach to politics, acting more like a businessman than a politicans. She is more than confident that he will win the upcoming election.
“We are going to win,” she said. “He is going to win. We are going to see four more years. He has done great, and he will do four more years of taking care of our country and taking care of America.”
What’s a better way to start the morning than with a shake or a cup of tea? How about a meal replacement shake or a tea bomb infused with supplements to give you an extra boost of energy?
Whether you want to boost your metabolism or kick start your weight loss, Mixer’s Nutritional Bar in Bartow serves specialty shakes and tea bombs of all sorts to help you leave feeling refreshed and healthier.
You’ve probably prepared tea and shakes at home, but have you ever had a savory strawberry daquiri tea bomb? Or a delectable pineapple upside-down teabomb? Or a creamy cinnamon toast crunch shake? You can have all of these drinks and more when you come on down to Mixer’s.
Located along Main Street in Downtown Bartow, the new nutrition bar offers drinks made with products by Herbalife Nutrition, a global nutrition and weight management companythat sells dietary and nutritional supplements.
Raychel Carroll opened the store earlier this year. She had previously worked as a store manager at CVS Pharmacy, and she has spent the past 10 years selling Herbalife Products.
She not only sells Herbalife, but she lives Herbalife. She has used many of their products and considers them extremely helpful in aiding in her health and that of her family. She especially considers the aloes helpful with digestion.
Wanting to share the wonders of Herbalife to a wider demographic, she decided to open up her nutrition bar to share its products with more people by serving them in shakes and tea bombs.
“I thought we could grow and try our best,” she said. “Hopefully, [we want] to expand and open more shops and reach more people. Because it is helpful in your health all around with weight and digestion and mental health.”
The past few weeks have been slow for her business, but it’s starting to grow with more and more people dropping by to learn about Herbalife and how its supplements taste and work for them.
One reviewer on Facebook praised Mixer’s for its variety of teas, meal supplements, and specialty shakes: “Clean place and friendly staff! Love these nutritional drinks.”
Carroll has high expectations moving forward. She knows from experience how Herbalife helped change her life, and she hopes that she can share it with others so that it can help change their lives as well.
“We have good weeks and slow weeks, but overall, it is okay,” she said. “We wanted to reach out to other people and show them this great product.”
Mixer’s Nutrition Bar is located at 435 E Main St., Bartow, FL 33830. For more information, visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Mixers-nutrition-bar-108218124284642
Law Enforcement Supports Girls’ Basketball Team With Hoops And Heroes
by James Coulter
Ivan Navarro, Lieutenant for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, often played streetball growing up in New York. He never played in any organized sports in college, but he loves to play basketball on occasion.
Last Friday evening, while he did not take to the courts to drop some shots, he did drop some beats while his fellow officers played hoops with others in an effort to raise money for Bolts, the girls’ basketball team at Ridge Community High School.
Navarro has been with PCSO for 22 years. He and his fellow officers were asked to compete in the Hoops and Heroes sports tournament on Friday, and he was more than happy to join them. He loved seeing people turnout to watch his colleauges play against other law enforcement in the county.
“It was great and exhilarating,” he said. “It was refreshing to have all of these law enforcement agencies together in one place and time to have fun and being jovial.”
Being able to see other law enforcement officers come together to have fun playing basketball while raising money for a good cause proved to be quite the evening for him. There’s nothing he loves more than to engage in such camraderie among fellow officers, he said.
“The togetherness, the teamwork between all elements from the community, from the school board, all people that made it possible, it was a great undertaking and a short amount of time and everyone did their part to make this happen,” he said.
Ridge Community High School hosted the Hoops and Heroes basketball tournament to raise funds for their girls’ basketball team, the Bolts. The tournament was participated in by local law enforcement from across the county, including PCSO and the Winter Haven Police Department.
The event that evening also included other family-fun activities including face painting, bounce houses, and toy raffles.
Donations for the event went directly to the Bolts for their 2020-2021 season. The team was able to reach the state playoffs for the very first-time last season, their event program stated.
More than simply being a fundraiser for the girls’ basketball team, Hoops and Heroes, true to its name, provided an opportunity to support local law enforcement by allowing officers to come together and play basketball.
“This is a one-day tournament to help support local law enforcement and play with local law enforcement agencies,” said Nikki King, Head Coach at Ridge Community High School. “We want to bridge the gap and bring the community together.”
Being able to see so much support, both from the participating law enforcement agency and the local community, was more than overwhelming, with the turnout more than exceeding her expectations, she said.
“Just seeing the fellas compete, the officers and deputies compete against each other and have fun, it is fun to see them outside of their uniforms and compete for a trophy,” she said. “I am happy and excited for the future. This is the first one, and we are looking forward to another one next year.”
Art Alley Celebrates Grand Opening In Haines City With Food Trucks And Art
by James Coulter
Flags of many color hang fluttering from above. Two pink flamingos stand together facing a sunset in a mural sketched on a brick wall. Several other chalk drawings and messages are scrawled right next to it.
These are some of the sights you can see when you take a stroll in Downtown Haines City and turn a corner into an alleyway along Main Street. Of course, you’ll most likely be lured there by the smell of food wafting from the food trucks parked nearby.
Located at 501 E Main Street in Downtown Haines City, directly behind Citrus Growers Commerce Bank, “Art Alley” is the city’s newest initiative to draw in residents downtown with art and food trucks.
This little space, tucked away in the alley and lot behind the bank, serves as a vibrant outdoor venue for local artists to showcase their craft through murals and other art installations.
Every three to four months, Art Alley showcases a different art installation and theme. When the venue was opened earlier this year, it featured umbrellas hanging from clotheslines above the alley, along with a statue of a red man with an umbrella sitting on a nearby bench.
Their current art installation includes flags hanging from above and mural of a Florida Sunset with pink flamingos. Their next installation will feature ribbons and children’s flags.
From Thursday to Sunday, different food trucks park from lunch to the late evening serving various food offerings, ranging from Buffalo Chicken Fries from the Purple People Eatery to ArtisanPopsicles from Lula Paleta.
Art Alley celebrated its grand opening last Friday evening with a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the Northeast Polk Chamber of Commerce.
Janes Addams Water, Project Manager for the Haines City’s Community Redevelopment Agency, mentioned how she wanted the space to aid in the city’s historic revitalization and draw people from all over the city and county.
“We are planning to move forward for this to be an arts destination,” Waters said. “The idea is to take a little pocket within the city that goes unnoticed and turn it into something vibrant that people can come to and enjoy.”
Waters was especially excited to see so many people of the local community gather together (while maintaining social distancing) to appreciate this new area, the art displayed within it, and the food served from the food trucks. She hopes that the area continues to grow in popularity and becomes a staple of the community.
She mentioned how she has already received phone calls from local residents expressing their love and interest in Art Alley. She even saw a family earlier that day taking group photographs there.
“I love to see the community excited about something new in their community, and they really are,” she said. “My expectation is to see it grow in popularity. I anticipate it seeing visitors from out of town for art shows or marketplace shows.”
Oscar Pineda and Ellie Abarado own the property where Art Alley now resides. When they were approached about the initiative, they were more than happy for it to move forward.
“This park is a benefit for the alley, it is a benefit for the whole community,” Pineda said. “This is something for our community, not only Haines City. We need it at this time, and that is why we back this project.”
Abarado considered the initiative a blessing for her local community, allowing them to come together to enjoy good art, music, and food. She wishes only the best for it.
“This project was good for us here,” she said. “Everybody here is a blessing, and this is a good thing for the community, for a beautiful city like Haines City and Polk County, because we welcome everyone from everywhere.”
