Tickets are on sale now for “An Afternoon with Diego Carneiro – Candlelight Concerts”.
Rotary on the Ridge and Lake Wales Little Theatre are partnering for a special one-day event on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, at the Lake Wales Little Theatre.World Class Cellist Diego Carneiro will perform live on stage.
Brazilian native Diego Carneiro started performing on the world stage 30 years ago at the age of 11. The Rotary Peace Fellow and master cellist delights audiences with not only his musical artistry but also tales of the Amazon, classical composers and his message of peace. Diego keeps the performance lively with audience interaction and humor. Diego promotes peace through music.
He created youth orchestras in Ecuador and Uganda and provided donated musical instruments to his students and refugees leaving everything behind to escape to safety. Bring new or used instruments to donate. Open seating. Doors open 30 minutes ahead of the concert.
Photograph of Battleship Row taken from a Japanese plane at the beginning of the attack. The explosion in the center is a torpedo strike on USS West Virginia. Two attacking Japanese planes can be seen: one over USS Neosho and one over the Naval Yard. Source: Wikipedia
Just before 8:00 a.m. local time on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a surprise military strike on Pearl Harbor, the now infamous American naval base in Honolulu, Hawaii, changed the course of history.
At the time of the attack, the United States was a neutral country in World War ll. The attack on Pearl Harbor (which ended the lives of over 2,300 American service members and civilians), and other U.S. territories led the United States to formally enter World War II on the side of the Allies. Our country waited until the day following the attack, on December 8, 1941, to take our place in the war.
When the war ended in 1945, a new world evolved, one that has only continued to change.
Today, on the 83rd anniversary of the attack that started the war for the United States, we take pause to remember the loss of the American lives sacrificed at Pearl Harbor.
Grinchmas is Coming Again to Gourmet Goodies This Year. Grinchmas is Coming, It’s Practically Here!
by James Coulter
Now we all know the story, of how the Grinch tried to take Christmas from the Whos, but he learned his mistake.
And if you ever wondered what the Grinch does nowadays,
You’ll be happy to learn he mended his ways.
He now pays special visits to other small towns,
To share the holiday spirit, and turn upside frowns.
He’s coming to Winter Haven, quite soon, you’ll see,
And he’ll be paying a visit to the Gourmet Goodies Bakery.
Yes, he’s actually been perusing that bakery each year,
To help ring in the season with holiday cheer.
With its annual Grinchmas, and it’s happening again
On Saturday, December 7, starting at 10.
Yes, he’s coming that day, and he’s ready to greet,
All the good girls and boys, who will be waiting to meet.
And be sure to have Mom and Dad grab a sugary treat,
One for the whole family to happily eat.
Carissa Hughes, owner of Gourmet Goodies Bakery, has been hosting this annual Christmas event for the past five years. While other local businesses may host meet-and-greets with Santa Claus, Hughes wanted to do something a little different. So, she’s been inviting the Grinch to meet and greet customers old and young.
“We went from our first year with 30 to 40 people, but every year we have had it now, it has run a turnout of over 1,000 people,” Hughes said. “We have them lined up usually around the block, but we try to make it so the line goes as quickly as possible.”
Grinchmas will be hosted on Sat. Dec. 7 from 10 AM at Gourmet Goodies, located at 68 4th St NW in Winter Haven. For more information, visit their website at ggcupcake.com.
On December 5, 2024, a 911 call came in at 4:43 p.m. for a motorcycle crash at Hamilton Pointe Blvd & Inverness Way in Winter Haven. Polk County Fire Rescue and Winter Haven Police Department responded to the call.
Polk County Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Nathaniel Gale confirmed one helicopter was called in for patient transport.
We also reached out to Winter Haven Public Safety Department’s Public Information Officer Jamie Brown, and she advised that it was a single motorcycle crash and the driver was issued a citation for careless driving.
On the evening of December 5, 2024 at 7:34 p.m., Polk County Fire Rescue, Auburndale Fire Department, Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Highway Patrol responded to a vehicle crash at Polk Pkwy and Hwy 92 W in Auburndale.
The initial call was for a school bus and a silver Toyota Corolla crash at this location.
We reached out to Polk County Sheriff’s Office and they advised that it was actually a school van involved in the crash, not a bus.
It was confirmed that the students in the school van were from Central Pointe Christian High School in Kissimmee.
Nathaniel Gale, Polk County Fire Rescue Public Information Officer confirmed they transported three patients from the scene via ground to assist with Auburndale Fire. A fourth patient was transported, and there was a possible fifth patient, but PCSO was advised the student’s parents wanted to transport themselves.
None of the injuries appeared to be life threatening.
Meghan Petty, PCSO Public Information Officer advised that the driver of the school van was issued a citation for the crash.
Both the school van and the Camry had a solid green light, and the bus van turned left in front of Camry, which caused the crash.
Merry Market Night 2024 is happening at the Warner University courtyard, 13895 US 27, Lake Wales, on Friday, December 6, 2024, from 5:30 pm to 8:30pm.
Enjoy an evening of supporting local crafters, enjoying performances from local schools, and of course, indulging in delicious treats from food trucks! It’s the perfect event to prepare for the approaching Christmas season!
The holiday season is upon us. And if you’re family is anything like mine, that means ham is on the menu. In fact, my family served both turkey and ham for Thanksgiving.
Of course, this leads to the dilemma of what to do with the leftover ham. And ham sandwiches can only take you so far.
If you looking for a good way to make use of your leftover holiday ham and to warm yourself up from the cold weather, then there’s no better way to do so than with a piping-hot bowl of ham and potato soup.
Every holiday, I’ve been preparing this soup using the ham left over from the big holiday dinner. With hearty chunks of potatoes, veggies, and diced hams served in a savory cheesy broth, this soup is sure to warm you to the bone when the weather outside is frightful—especially with the warmth being so delightful.
This recipe is cooked on a stovetop. However, this year, I once again used my slow cooker—yes, that handy-dandy cooking utensil for when you want to cook a meal without slaving over a hot stove. Just dump in the ingredients, set it, and forget it until dinner rolls around.
And for most soups, I like to dice up my veggies and meats into itty bitty pieces. Some people love their soups with big old chunks that require several bites to eat, but, personally, I like being able to eat everything in a single spoon without much chewing, almost swallowing it all.
Again, if you’re looking for something to make with your leftover holiday ham and to warm you up on a cold winter evening, this warm hearty soup is your best choice. I highly recommend it on a chilly day.
***
Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup
(recipe from Food.com)
Ingredients
3 1⁄2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced (I keep mine with the peel)
1⁄3 cup celery, diced
1⁄3 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup chopped carrot
1 -2 cup ham, diced and cooked
3 1/4 cups chicken broth or 3 1/4 cups ham stock
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules (omit if using chicken broth)
salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon pepper
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions
1. Combine potatoes, celery, carrots, onion, ham, and water/broth in a stockpot and bring to a boil.
2. Then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
3. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt (if using), and pepper.
4. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook stirring constantly until thick.
5. Slowly stir in milk so as not to allow lumps to form and all milk is added. Turn up to medium heat. Continue to stir until thick (4-5 minutes).
6. Add in cheese and stir until melted.
7. Stir the cheese mixture into the stockpot and cook until heated through. (I also will break up some of the potatoes for thickness. It gets thicker as it cools and the next day).
The quick response by Winter Haven officers lands a man behind bars when he is found inside of a residence holding a carpet cleaner.
On Dec. 5, 2024 at approximately 1:36 a.m., occupants inside of a home on 6th St SW in Winter Haven were suddenly awakened to a loud bang at the front door. They found 23 year-old Austin Alexander Smith (DOB 4-19-01, LKA 102 2nd St, Winter Haven) in the living room appearing to be wearing only a shirt with no pants or shoes holding the victim’s carpet cleaner in his hand.
The resident yelled at Smith who immediately ran out of the home dropping the carpet cleaner. Within 10 minutes, officers located a subject matching the description of Smith walking in the area of Ave. M and 5th St. SW. They detained the subject, and he was ultimately identified by the resident as the subject who broke into his residence by kicking in the door.
Smith told officers that he didn’t recall what he was doing because he was high on Methamphetamine. Smith was ultimately transported and booked into the Polk County Jail for Burglary of Occupied Dwelling (F2).
Bok Academy, located at 13901 US Hwy. 27 was placed on heightened security earlier today, December 6, 2024, after an off-campus situation, made it necessary to do so.
The school’s Facebook page offered the following message just after 11:30 this morning:
Meghan Petty, Public Information Officer for Polk County Sheriff’s Office, has advised on the cause of the increase in security:
“Bok Academy in Lake Wales was put on heightened security for about 20 minutes. The heightened security level was activated out of an abundance of caution, because we got a call that someone thought they heard gunshots in the area. The students are in no immediate danger. Deputies are checking the area out as we speak.”
The heightened security level has been released and students have resumed a normal schedule as PCSO continues to patrol the area.
