As the iconic Grinch story goes: perhaps Christmas doesn’t come from a store; perhaps Christmas means a little bit more.
Christmas is more than ribbons, more than tags, much more than packages, boxes, or bags. And Christmas is much more than simply presents.
Actually, in fact, Christmas is about gifts–because it all started with a gift of love. And that reason is why Believer’s Fellowship Church of Lakeland hosts its annual Christmas festival.
This weekend, the Lakeland church will be providing holiday arts and crafts, hot cocoa, smores, hay rides, and free food during its annual holiday event. And highlighting the evening will be the main event: a live nativity depicting the birth of Jesus Christ.
Believer’s Fellowship Church of Lakeland was founded in 1978 by Pastors Wayne and Matti Friedt. Their son, Jon, assumed the role of pastor in 2018, when he started their annual Christmas Festival and Live Nativity.
“That’s what I want people to get while they are here,” he said. “I want them to get that gift. I want them to realize that God loves them so much that he sent Jesus. And it’s not just a baby born in a manager. Every person is born with a purpose, including Jesus.”
The Christmas Festival and Live Nativity will be hosted this Fri. Dec 13 and Sat. Dec. 14 from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM. The church is located at 5240 N Socrum Loop Rd in Lakeland, FL. For more information, visit their website at: believersfellowship.com
Pastor Jon Friedt recently appeared on the Chattin on the Ridge podcast to discuss his church’s upcoming holiday event. Listen to the full episode on Acast: https://shows.acast.com/chattin-on-the-ridge/episodes/ep-50-make-it-magical-at-the-nativity-wronni-wood-pastor-jon
A Winter Haven woman is behind bars after she pawned jewelry from an elderly resident who trusted her to assist with small jobs around her home.
On Nov. 9, 2024, the victim contacted the Winter Haven Police Department to report that she had a large amount of her jewelry missing. She advised the jewelry had been taken from a storage area in the living room of her residence.
Investigators interviewed the victim and she stated that back in October, she had hired an individual to assist with cutting down a tree that had been recently damaged, due to a hurricane. She stated that when the man arrived, he had his girlfriend, 35 year-old Kalan Davis with him. The couple came to the residence on four occasions: Oct. 16, Oct. 23, Oct. 28 and Nov. 8, 2024.
While the tree work was being conducted, Davis would make her way into the home to do odd jobs for the victim and was paid. The victim stated that Davis was very nice, but seemed to be overly nice making statements like, “I love you” and such. The victim recalled on incident where she had been franticly looking for a jewelry box that had been temporarily placed on her bed. The victim stated Davis left to go outside for a short time and when she returned, she happened to locate the box under the bed (where the victim had looked numerous times.)
The victim thought this occurrence was very odd. After the couple left the residence, the victim noticed that some of her jewelry was gone. The estimated amount was $10,000. She confronted Davis who denied taking the jewelry stating that she would never do that because she “loves her”. Investigators started a search and located numerous pieces of jewelry at pawn shops in unincorporated Winter Haven, Lakeland and Auburndale that were verified as the victim’s. The total amount recovered was $5,516 that was paid to Davis for the pawned items.
A warrant for the arrest of Davis was obtained and on Dec. 7, 2024, Davis was located and arrested. She was booked into the Polk County Jail for Grand Theft $5000 less than $10000. She remains in the Polk County Jail with a $25,000 bond. Additional charges could be filed due to Davis pawning the stolen items in other jurisdictions.
“I applaud our victim and her keen recall of the occurrences leading us to make this arrest,” said Police Chief Vance Monroe. “Preying on the elderly is as about as low as you can go, but Davis found out our victim was smarter than she was.”
Cherry Pocket, the popular and historic steak and seafood “shak” on Lake Pierce, is about to be featured on “America’s Best Restaurants.”
Photo: Jody McKeen
A YouTube show that travels the country to highlight the unique food of locally owned restaurants, ABR’s goal is to help independent restaurant owners and to show consumers where to eat.
America’s Best Restaurants generally travels to each featured restaurant in a branded van
The owners of Cherry Pocket received an email from America’s Best Restaurants that advised they were nominated by an individual for the program. After some research and an online meeting with the owners, ABR decided the restaurant fit their criteria and the date was set for December 17, 2024.
Jody McKeen, Cherry Pocket’s owner, has spent recent years, along with her husband, revitalizing the restaurant after taking ownership in 2019. Cherry Pocket is said to have opened in the 1940s.
Historical photo of Cherry Pocket Provided by Jody McKeen
“Two great friends brought us to Cherry Pocket one February night in 2007 and we thought, where are they taking us?” Jody says. “Looks did not do it any justice. Once we got inside, saw all the dollar bills, the old structure, it just had a great vibe and we ate, we were ‘Pocketized!’
“We then came here every year after that to spend the winters. During that time we became friends with the owner and enjoyed our conversations with Rick about the day to day goings on in business as we also have several business ourselves and found it very interesting. When Rick took ill, we discussed purchasing CP. Rick wanted CP to succeed, even with all the struggles CP was going to have and the improvements that had to be made and capital costs, Rick knew we would take it to the next level. We love CP and what it has to offer and wanted other people to enjoy it as we did. So we bought it and brought life back into the Pocket for everyone to enjoy.”
The patio: photo by Jody McKeen
While the popular restaurant and fish camp has been around since 1940, it started with one room with a bar and over the years has grown into what it’s become today. The McKeens have put in a lot time, effort, and capital to make Cherry Pocket what it is today.
“We purchased the business in December 2019,” Jody recalls. “Covid hit in March and shut it down; this gave us an opportunity to make many improvements we were going to make them in a shorter time frame.”
One item at a time, the owners updated floors and restrooms, kitchen equipment and bar furniture.
“Over the following years, we built new boat slips, added a full tiki roof over the outside patio, new boat bar, made motorcycle parking area, improved parking, renovated the games room, updated the side & front entrances,” Jody says.
The cabins: photo by Jody McKeen
“Even though we did all these improvements we tried to keep the old charm on the place. A customer said it the best to us, ‘Don’t knock all the dust off the place’, which always sticks in our minds when doing anything. We always try to give CP all the right tools and staff the leadership to create a great team to grow and succeed. A place they can be very proud to work at. Many of our staff were here before we bought CP.”
McKeen gives credit to her staff for bringing strength and service to the “face” of Cherry Pocket.
Dakota Owens, a server with 5 years of service, is a happy employee who feels valued by her employers.
“I love everything from the atmosphere to the owners that appreciate us…I absolutely love this place,” Owens says. “It means a lot to me; come sit by the lake, listen to the music and you must try the CP dressing. When you’re up getting ready for work and you’re smiling, that’s that best day.”
Pocket POW Shrimp
Kim Noelle, manager and bartender with 13 years of service, says, “Cherry Pocket is known for its warm, welcoming, and laid-back atmosphere. It is the kind of place where people come to relax, have fun and make lasting memories. The food is fantastic with specials that showcase creativity and fresh flavors. Cherry Pocket prioritizes customer satisfaction, creating a space where guests feel valued and appreciated. It’s a true hidden gem that keeps people coming back. It’s not just a business, it’s a part of the community. The team is like a family. It’s a great place to work.”
Server Jessica Hartung says the vibe at Cherry Pocket is one of family.
“I love the Pocket because of how friendly it is and the customers. We all have been at the Pocket so long we are really like family and it’s just a fun atmosphere. I have been here 18 years and I wouldn’t wanna work anywhere else. The food is fantastic of course.”
The menu runs the gamut, with everything from appetizers, salads and sandwiches, to a variety of entrees, a kid’s menu, and desserts. Some menu items are pretty standard, but it’s the ones that aren’t that will get your attention.
The Cracker Platter (photo: CP Website)
The Cracker Platter is an appetizer, “A sample of all our golden crispy favorites. Catfish nuggets, Grooper* (similar white fish called Pangasius) nuggets, Gator nuggets, mushrooms, onion-rings and zucchini. Served with tartar, hazel or ranch dressing.”
Seafood nachos, Jed’s Steak Sandwich, and their Cherry Pocket Cobb Salad (with their specialty dressing, of course) are just a few items on their menu.
The filming of the episode will take place on December 17, 2024. McKeen says they will want customers to come on that day. The production should begin around 9am, and may run until lunchtime.
McKeen says Lake Wales is the very best place the restaurant could be.
“It’s a diamond in the rough; take one look and you think, really? “ she says. “But if you give it a try, you’re amazed, love it and are hooked.
“We are a destination, not just a place to eat. You can come by car, motorcycle, boat, even Seaplane or helicopters as we are an official Seaplane Base here. You can even book yourself a seaplane sightseeing tour of Central Florida right at CP. We have updated the cabins and added our new log cabins, which have amazing views of Lake Pierce. Many customers come for the day and end of booking a cabin and staying the night.
“Another tradition is stapling your signed dollar bill on our walls. If you take the time to read some, people come from everywhere, that’s why we call ourselves World Famous Cherry Pocket. We are very proud that word of mouth is how many people hear about us. It is really amazing how many people bring their friends/family to show them the charm this place has.
When asked what the most important thing she would want people to know about Cherry Pocket, this is what McKeen says is vital:
“We’re a destination, in a part of Florida that is still has the OLD FLORIDA charm, a step back in time. We have a great mix of locals and snow birds. When you come to CP, its not just the amazing food, it is the total experience, wildlife, live music, beautiful cypress trees, old mobile homes & seaplanes flying over head. You must try our homemade Cherry Pocket dressing and our homemade desserts. The carrot cake is to die for! The dressing, you can’t get enough of it. I bet you will end up taking one the these 2 home with you. Make sure you have several hours to enjoy and take everything in.
“We are not just a restaurant, we are a place to come to, relax, take a step back in time and enjoy.”
Cherry Pocket is located at 3100 Canal Road, Lake Wales. For more information, visit www.cherrypocket.com.
Charles Arthur Paulk of Lake Wales passed away Monday, December 2, 2024 at AdventHealth Lake Wales.
He was born August 29, 1946 in Detroit, MI to the late Arthur and Elizabeth Paulk; he came here from Lodi, CA 7 years ago. He retired from Chrysler and enjoyed making jewelry, cycling, hiking, camping, dancing and being the life of the party.
Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Elizabeth Paulk; sons, Jonathan Paulk (Rizalyn) of Lake Wales, Christopher Paulk (Joann) of Wyandotte, MI and Charles Joseph Paulk of Las Vegas, NV; brothers, Robert Paulk (Kate) of Novi, MI and James Paulk (Laura) of Novi, MI; and four grandchildren.
PET FEST 2024 will be held on Saturday, December 14, 2024, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Animal Controlat 7115 De Castro Road in Winter Haven (just off the Polk Parkway Winter Lake Road exit).
This annual event offers free pet adoptions (including spay/neuter, rabies vaccination, microchip ID, and county license) with more than 100 dogs & cats available and ready to go to new loving homes.
Leashes and cat carriers will be offered free of charge, and every pet adopted that day will go home with a free holiday ornament.
There will be about 30 vendors providing food, services, and pet items.
Santa Claus will also be available for photos with pets.
For more information or questions, please call Animal Control at 863-577-1762
The City of Lake Wales joins the list of more than 160 communities in the State of Florida to earn a Tree City USA designation by the National Arbor Day Foundation.
Lake Wales met all criteria to qualify for the designation by operating a tree advisory board, facilitating a tree care ordinance, maintaining a forestry program with an annual budget and observing Arbor Day annually.
“Our tree management program facilitated by staff and our partnerships within the community got us this recognition,” City Manager James Slaton said. “It complements the work we’re achieving in the historic core to become ‘A City in a Garden’.”
Native trees, urban canopies and streetscapes are a big part of the City’s award-winning downtown revitalization pan, Lake Wales Connected.
“This is a prestigious honor for our city,” Kevin Polk, city horticulturist said.
Notable landscape architecture in Lake Wales dates back to the early 1900s with plans to become a ‘garden city,’ a plan originally established by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr.
The Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA program is operated in partnership with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service.
The City of Lake Wales has an ordinance in place that regulates the removal and relocation of all defined trees within the city limits.
A permit is required prior to the removal or relocation of any tree meeting the definition of a tree unless specifically exempted.
According to the ordinance, a copy of which was provided to Lake Wales Daily by City of Lake Wales Communications and Engagement Director, Eric Marshall, “A tree is defined for the purposes of this section as a woody, self-supporting plant, having a mainstem or cluster of mainstems and having a diameter at 4½ feet above the ground of four inches; a tree is further defined as a plant which at maturity grows to at least 15 feet high in the Polk County area. Also specifically included are significant stands of oak trees defined as a group of four or more oak trees which may have trunk diameters of less than four inches but which constitute a compact unit or grove covering 50 square feet or more in area.”
Citrus trees are generally exempt, with some exclusions. Trees exempt from the tree removal permit requirement include, but are not limited to, “Broussonetia-papyrifera (Paper mulberry) Castor Bean, Catlainmonosa, Chinese Tallow, Casuarinaceae (Australian pine), Cupaniopsos-anacardioides (Carrotwood), Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Ear tree), Indian Rosewood, Melaleuca leveadenra (Punk tree), Melia azedarach (Chinaberry tree), Schinus terebinthinfolius (Brazilian pepper), and Serrenoa repens (Scrub palmetto).
“Also exempted are trees destroyed or harmed by storm, provided the administrative official is notified at least two days in advance of the removal so that an inspection can be made. If the administrative official or designee determines that the tree is not severely harmed, the tree shall not be removed except through the approval of a tree removal permit application. If the administrative official or designee does not respond within two working days of the request, the request shall be considered approved. The two-day notification period is waived in instances where a damaged tree must be removed in order to make emergency repairs authorized by the building official.”
“Dead trees are exempt from the permit requirements of this section, provided the administrative official is notified at least two days prior to its removal. The administrative official may require removal of a dead tree.”
“Tree trimming for normal maintenance purposes does not require a permit; however, tree trimming which threatens the life of the tree or deforms the natural canopy is prohibited. Each occurrence will be deemed a tree removal and will require tree replacement in accordance with section 23-302.2.”
For additional information regarding tree removal, tree, relocation, permitting, or other questions regarding the ordinance, contact the City of Lake Wales.
Polk County Parks and Recreation’s Rec@Home kits for December are all about the holiday season! Activity kit registration is free, but there is a limit of 500 registrations.
Our Rec@Home kits are packed with fun for your little explorers to do at home! Each kit will include the following free activities:
J.C. Reviews: Netflix’s Spellbound Is…Pretty Okay! For What It Is!
by James Coulter
Sigh. Okay! Let’s address the animated elephant in the room. This movie was directed by John Lasseter, who was hired by Skydance Studios after being let go from Pixar due to allegations of sexual misconduct.
IMDB Poster
Skydance Studios, to date, has released two animated features. Its first movie was Luck, which did so poorly with views and reviews that Apple Studios broke ties with them. Now, they’reworking with Netflix, and have released their second film: Spellbound.
So what of their second outing? Will their second attempt at an animated film prove better than the first? Or will this movie prove the new animation studio has quite an unlucky streak? (Which is quite ironic for a company whose first film was about bad luck.)
Spellbound takes place in the magical fantasy world of Lumbia, where lives the Princess Ellian. One year ago, her parents traveled into the Dark Forest, only to return transformed into monsters. For the past year, Princess Ellian has been forced to keep her parent’s monstrous transformation a secret from the rest of the kingdom until she finds a cure.
She is informed by two magical oracles that she and her monster parents must travel through the Dark Forest to a magical Lake of Light to transform them back into humans. Will Ellian succeed in her journey? Or are her parents doomed to remain monsters?
Spellbound is pretty…okay. Not great. Not even pretty good. Just okay. Pretty okay. The movie certainly ran the risk of being bad, and while it came close, there were a few good things about the film that redeemed it. So, let’s start by accentuating the positives.
The premise was certainly promising enough. Off the bat, the story begins with the parents transformed into monsters. No reason (outside of magic) is given why the parents were transformed this way, but through Ellian’s journey, the mystery behind their transformations slowly unfolds and reveals the movie’s not-so-subtle metaphor and message.
As the movie progresses, it soon becomes quite apparent that the parent’s monstrous transformation is a not-so-subtle metaphor for dysfunctional families, with each trial that Ellian and her parents faces delving deeper into this metaphor and teaching the family how to overcome their dysfunction.
For example, at the start, the reason given as to why Ellian’s parents were changed into monsters was because they had been overcome by darkness due to losing the light in their hearts…a not-so-subtle metaphor for how anger and resentment can make someone forget the love they have for their own loved ones.
One of the trials in the forest involves Ellian and her parents traveling through a giant hollow log, where sound transforms into magical energy. Positive sound turns into beautiful manifestations, while harsh and negative sounds turn into dangerous attacks. Again, a not-so-subtle metaphor for how our words can either help or harm others.
Another trial has the family traveling over a desert, where internal turmoil causes people to sink and can even create a dangerous sandstorm. Ellian discovers how their journey across the desert only increases in peril the more her two parents argue with each other. Again, a not-so-subtle metaphor for how arguments can make us lose our footing.
It’s quite clear the movie has a lot to say about familial relationships, how our hate and anger transform us into monsters, how we all need to rediscover the light of our own love, and how families ought to support each other with their words and actions. So, the movie comes pretty close to expressing a very profound message.
Unfortunately, while the movie has a good idea, where it fumbles is its overall execution. For starters, the visuals, while stunning and spectacular at times, do come across as rather generic and bland. Have you ever seen one of those AI-generated images that often plague Facebook feeds? Many of the character designs almost look like they were AI-generated.
This is quite a pity, as the overall world does look rather promising. I very much love the overall fantasy world aesthetic: flying beasts, waterfalls that serve as city gates, and buildings with fantastical architecture and design. It makes me wish the art style was equally as fantastical and not so generic-looking.
Perhaps even more generic are the songs. It’s quite apparent that the soundtrack wants to be as Broadway-style bombastic as a Disney movie, but all of the songs sound rather generic and unforgettable, to the point where you forget that a musical number even occurred. There are no songs that stand out, and for a movie that’s trying to ape off of Disney, that’s a shame.
The movie also suffers from pacing. Many times the film feels like it’s padded to maintain a feature-length runtime. This is egregiously apparent at the beginning. Princess Ellian has toconsult two oracles from the forest. At first, she has to wait until they arrive for her birthday. But they’re quickly chased away by her monster parents. She has to then track them down in the forest, and only then is she told what to do. If this sounds like needless padding, that’s because it most certainly is.
Overall, while Spellbound had big potential with big ideas, the overall execution leaves a rather generic movie with a run-of-the-mill story, bland characters and design, and unmemorable music. It’s a decent enough film to keep your kids preoccupied. But this movie could have been better. Much better.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is assisting the Bartow Police Department in the investigation into the murder and attempted murder of a man and woman who were both shot by their son inside the city limits of Bartow. On Saturday, December 7, 2024, at approximately 11:20 p.m., Susan Voigt, age 58, reported that her son, Joseph Voigt, had shot both she and her husband, 63-year-old Marvin Voigt.
When Bartow Police Officers arrived, Marvin Voigt was found with apparent gunshot wounds and was lying deceased in the driveway. Susan Voigt was located inside the residence with a serious gunshot wound. Mrs. Voigt told officers that Joseph Voigt, their son, had shot them both, and fled the scene. The Bartow Fire Department and EMS arrived on scene and pronounced Marvin Voigt deceased, and performed life saving measures on Susan Voigt, who was transported to the hospital. She is currently in critical condition, but stable. The Bartow Police Department asked PCSO for assistance in this investigation.
A BOLO (Be On the Look Out) notice was issued for the vehicle Joseph Voigt was driving, to all law enforcement agencies in Polk County and surrounding counties. At approximately 2:00 a.m., Voigt’s vehicle was spotted in Orlando on International Drive. The Orlando Police Department conducted a felony traffic stop on Voigt’s vehicle, and took him into custody. He is currently in the Orange County Jail, awaiting transport to the Polk County Jail.
PCSO deputies spoke to Voigt and he admitted to shooting both his father and mother. He said his father was upset with him about spending the majority of his time playing video games and “riding his ass” about making something of himself and getting a job.
Joseph Voigt’s criminal history includes arrests for firing a weapon in a residential area, and battery.
“Thanks to the rapid response of the Bartow Police Department this violent and dangerous suspect was quickly apprehended. They asked for our assistance and we were happy to oblige. My detectives will continue their thorough investigation into this crime to ensure Voigt will face the full consequences of his actions.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic and senseless shooting. We sincerely appreciate the assistance provided by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Orlando Police Department in this case, which led to the quick arrest of the suspect, Joseph Voigt. – Chief Stephen Walker, Bartow Police Department
The suspect is still in the Orange County Jail and will be transferred to the Polk County Jail at a later date.
