Lake Wales Family Restaurant Goes Above and Beyond
Frank Papadopoulos, owner of the Lakes Wales Family Restaurant is a proud supporter of many local sports teams and likes to provide breakfast before a big game. He is also a big believer in supporting his community in times of need. He serves meals for Thanksgiving and just recently he provided the Lake Wales Care Center with free dinners for them to give out to the people in need.
For many years, the local diner has managed to succeed and thrive where previous establishments failed in the very same location, as his restaurant has consistently provided quality food and service, including a complimentary bowl of soup for every meal.
Owing
his success to the community of Lake Wales, Papadopoulos has dedicated himself
to giving back to the very small town that has allowed him to thrive for as
long as he has.
Thank you to Frank for continuing to support Lake Wales Community.
Brew Hounds Sports Lounge Hopes To Soon Be
“Always Among Friends” Again
by James Coulter
Nearly one year ago, Brew Hounds Sports Lounge in
Auburndale was crowded with dozens of people to celebrate the local sports
bar’s ten-year anniversary. Partygoers gathered in the parking lot to play corn
hole, eat fresh barbecue, and even watch as a local artist painted a portrait
of Elvis Presley to the song “Hound Dog.”
Now, since the stay-at-home order has forced it and
many other local bars to closed, the building remains vacant, its parking lot
empty. Occasionally, people passing by can hear music playing as the owner,
Skip Jacobs, works on renovations.
“We have people checking in when we have our
jukeboxes on because they know we are inside painting and they play
songs,” he said. “It is very inspirational and a good sense of
community. We miss seeing all the friendly faces that we consider our
family.”
While their bar has been closed and remains closed,
Jacobs and his staff have been busy at work renovating, cleaning, and most
importantly of all, sanitizing. Once the bar re-opens, patrons old and new can
come to expect a nicer, cleaner non-smoking establishment.
Unlike other similar establishments, Brew Hounds has not
been offering to-go drinks. It has been offering BOGO opportunities for gift
certificates, as well as novelty t-shirts with uplifting messages such
“You Can’t Keep A Good Hound Down.” All the proceeds have been going
to support their bartenders during these uncertain times.
“We have been patiently waiting for when we can
reopen,” Jacobs said.
Skip Jacobs, co-owner of Brew Hounds, moved down to
Florida from Atlanta. He eventually met his business partner, who had moved
from Palm Beach. Both of them started chatting with one another and discovered
that they both had a desire to open their own bar. They opened that bar ten
years ago in Auburndale, and the rest, they say, is history.
What has drawn patrons, both old and new, has been the
overall sense of camraderie and community. Like the bar from the television
show “Cheers”, it is a place where everybody knows your name–or as
the regulars put it, it is a place to be “Always Among Friends.”
Since the bar closed earlier this year due to the
stay-at-home order, patrons have been sharing their love for their favorite
hometown bar on social media, expressing their willingness to return once it
re-opens.
“I’m sure that your loyal clients will continue
to support you and your staff because you have always shown everyone love and
respect for their business,” one person wrote on Facebook. “I hope
that you and your staff are doing well and can’t wait to have a few drinks and
play darts again at Brew Hounds Sports Lounge!”
“Hope you guys are staying safe,” another
person wrote. “Can’t wait to go back to the BH life.”
Jacobs hopes to see his bar re-open eventually. He
anticipates seeing many people return to not only a place they call a home away
from home, but also a place that has been renovated and upgraded to their
liking.
“It has been fantastic watching people post
through social media about waiting to reopen, how they miss our staff, how the
camraderie and hanging out with patrons and missing their hometown bar,”
he said. “We hope to bring smiles to the people who walk through our doors,
experiencing a new environment smoke free and newly renovated.”
Brew Hounds Sports Lounge is located at 318 Havendale
Blvd, Auburndale, FL 33823. For more information, visit their Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/brewhounds863/
Recognize this subject?
She visited Staples, located at 470 Citi Centre St. and selected $840 worth of ink cartridges. She placed them in her handy basket that Staples provides and then proceeded to put them inside of a larger bag and out the door she went.
Anyone who recognizes her is asked to contact Detective Cobb at 863-291-5620. 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.
Florida Department of Health Updates New COVID-19 Cases, Announces Seventy-Two Deaths Related to COVID-19~36,492 positive cases in Florida residents and 947 positive cases in non-Florida residents~
Overall from the number of active cases and total cases it appears that approximately 686 people have recovered. (This number has not be regularly updated so that number may not be accurate)
Polk County has 547 Confirmed Cases and 28 Confirmed deaths.
TALLAHASSEE —The Florida Department of Health, in order to provide more comprehensive data, releases a report on COVID-19 cases in Florida once per day. The Florida Department of Health COVID-19 dashboard is also providing updates once per day. The state also provides a report detailing surveillance data for every Florida county. Previously, this information was only available for select communities. The surveillance data report is available here.More than 23,800 test results were reported to the Department of Health on Monday, May 4. Today, as of 11 a.m., there are 542 new positive COVID-19 cases (523 Florida residents and 19 non-Florida residents) and seventy-two deaths related to COVID-19.While Florida’s testing has increased over the past week, the percent of those testing positive for COVID-19 overall is 8 percent. On May 4, 2.6 percent of new cases** tested positive.The Florida Department of Health also releases a list of long-term care facilities in Florida associated with COVID-19 cases with active cases and number of deaths in each facility in order to provide real-time data. The list of long-term care facilities with active COVID-19 cases is available here. The list of long-term care facilities with deaths in available here. To date, 534 individuals that were staff or residents of a long-term care facility have died. There are a total of 37,439 Florida cases** with 1,471 deaths related to COVID-19.Since 11 a.m. on May 4, seventy-two people have died who tested positive for COVID-19 in Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Dade, Escambia, Flagler, Hendry, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Suwannee and Volusia counties.Florida recently partnered with private laboratories around the state to expand COVID-19 laboratory testing capacity. This partnership will increase the number of tests conducted each day and ensure Floridians receive the critical health information they need in a timely manner.Expansion to private laboratories changes the COVID-19 testing landscape in Florida. Private laboratories are running tests as they receive swab samples from practitioners. Testing and reporting times vary among commercial and DOH laboratories. Demographic information may be updated during investigations. This daily report reflect the state’s efforts to accurately and transparently share information. More information on a case-by-case basis can also be found here.
For more detail on Florida resident cases, please visit the live DOH Dashboard here. * Florida residents that are diagnosed with COVID-19 and isolated out of state are not reflected on the Florida map.**This percentage is the number of people who test positive for the first time divided by all tests, excluding people who have previously tested positive.***Total cases overview includes positive cases in Florida residents and non-Florida residents tested in Florida.More Information on COVID-19 To find the most up-to-date information and guidance on COVID-19, please visit the Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage. For information and advisories from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), please visit the CDC COVID-19 website, this website is also available in Spanish and Creole. For more information about current travel advisories issued by the U.S. Department of State, please visit the travel advisory website. For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact the Department’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling 1-866-779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours per day. Inquiries may also be emailed to [email protected].About the Florida Department of HealthThe Florida Department of Health, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.
The Winter Haven Tennis Center opened Phase I on Friday May 1 at 8am. Please familiarize yourself on the Guidelines and Procedures to keep everyone safe.
MEMBERS of the Winter Haven Tennis Center. In order to create a safe Check-In environment, we have placed the Check-In key fob machine by the North side of the Pro Shop window. If you called in for a court reservation, when you arrive, go to the North side of the Pro Shop to swipe in at the machine. A staff member, at that time will show you a court number through the window, (see example). You will not have to enter the Pro Shop. PLEASE don’t forget your key fob. ALL MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THIS POLICY. DO NOT ARRIVE AND WALK ON TO A COURT BEFORE CHECKNG IN.
The Polk County Soil and Water Conservation District is seeking a Multi- County Conservation Technician to assist with the implementation of The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) adopted Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) program. This will include working with the producers to enroll agricultural property in the BMPs, assisting producers with the FDACS cost share program, Implementation Verification (IV) program and outreach efforts. The position will be based in Polk County, but will also require travel to surrounding counties. The applicant should be team oriented, independent and have an agricultural and/or natural resources background, with excellent computer and office management skills. This position is state funded, annually.
Applicant will be required to:
• Perform clerical and field work,
• Complete a pre-employment state/federal background check will be performed,
• Hold a valid Florida Driver License and
• Have a good driving record.
Although resumes are accepted an application form must be completed and sent to:
Polk Soil and Water Conservation District
1700 US Highway 17 South, Suite #2
Bartow, FL 33830-6654 [email protected]
(863) 439-6550
April 28, 2020
Conservation Technician
Position Description
Summary
This is a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) technical and professional team-oriented position under direction of the supervisor in the Office of Agricultural Water Policy’s (OAWP) in partnership with the Polk County Soil and Water Conservation District (PSWCD). The position will be assisting with the coordination and implementation of FDACS-adopted best management practices (BMPs) and assisting with agricultural related projects with the PSWCD. The primary office of the technician will be in Polk County. The primary area of the technician will be Polk County, but will travel to neighboring counties such as Hillsborough, Manatee, Sumter, Pasco and Highlands County. This position will involve travel to agricultural operations, meetings, and tradeshows/workshops and will include a vehicle. These are the primary responsibilities of the technician position:
• Assisting the OAWP team with implementation of BMPs and enrollment into the FDACS-adopted BMP Program by conducting on-site field evaluations of agricultural operations using BMP manuals, checklists and other tools to assist producers in enrolling by filing with the FDACS a Notice of Intent (NOI) to Implement BMPs.
• Coordinating with partner agencies, follow-up visits with agricultural operations, generating maps, data collection and analysis, and cross-checking parcel identification information.
• Conducting evaluations for the OAWP’s Implementation Assurance Program to assure implementation of FDACS-adopted BMPs.
• Assisting HSWCD and OAWP with administration, implementation and verification of the BMP cost-share program, such as the review of cost-share projects, invoices and deliverables documentation.
• Assisting partner agencies, such as the University of Florida’s Extension Service, in coordinating and conducting education and outreach regarding the BMP program.
• Assisting in education, outreach, and implementation of the FDACS’ responsibilities under the Florida Watershed Restoration Act/Total Maximum Daily Loads Program through producer enrollment in the FDACS-adopted BMP Programs.
** Deadline for applications will be Friday May 8th**
Last Month over 27,240,398 Malware Threats were discovered
in the wild. Over 94% of this Malware was delivered via email. Phishing attacks
account for more than 80% of all security incidents. While this data is
troublesome it only accounts for environments that are typically contained
within the four walls of Business Organizations. COVID-19 has changed the way
we work and now the majority of the workforce is working from home instead of a
centralized office.
In the past remote workers could be isolated or limited to
only access items like email. Now that the majority of the workforce is remote
there are new challenges as this remote workforce now needs more access to
Business systems in order to function. Sometimes this is accomplished via a
Company issued PC while others have been forced to improvise and utilize
Personal Computers to do their job.
Hackers have definitely taken noticed and are working
diligently to compromise remote workstations in order to obtain credentials
that would give them access to vital Business Systems. Office 360 access as
well and the Suite of Microsoft Cloud Offerings seem to be under the biggest
attack. All a hacker has to do is craft a believable phishing email, get a user
to click on what appears to be a word document or excel invoice embedded with
malware, and launch malware that harvest user credentials and provide hackers
unfettered access to vital Business Systems.
Armed with valid user credentials a hacker can now login to
a victims Office 360 account and do reconnaissance to plan and launch a
calculated attack. I have seen first-hand where an attacker has logged into a
cloud environment and gathered enough intel to send a real invoice to a real
client from the victim’s email account. The Hacker used the information to
craft an email and ask for an update on when payment would be made on an
outstanding invoice.
After reviewing the attack, it was discovered that the only
data that was manipulated on the invoice was the electronic Bank Transfer
Details. To prevent the victim from intercepting communications the hacker even
took additional steps to hide any email communications between the client and
the victim. The client in this case used the information contained in the email
to make payment on a legitimate invoice.
The only saving grace was the fact the clients bank flagged
the transaction and stopped the transfer of over $33,000 because the
destination account was new and needed verified. To be honest the fact the bank
stopped the transaction is amazing.
While many believe it will not happen to them the fact is
small and medium businesses are the biggest targets for Cyber Criminals. Many
of the cyber-attacks against small and medium businesses go unreported or
announced. These businesses fear reporting an incident affecting their business
in fear will result in a larger loss of clients and bad publicity. Many choose
instead to pay the ransom or pay the cost to recover and sweep the details
under the rug.
So what can you do to help protect your business from
attack? Well first you must implement some type of endpoint security such as
application whitelisting. Second you need to have some type of email protection
and filtering service. Most of all you need to have access to a team of
Security Experts who can augment your existing Cyber Security Program or Help
you build a new Cyber Security program from the ground up.
If you or your organization need help deploying some type of Endpoint Protection, Email Filtering Service, or building your Cyber Security Program, please reach out and I will be glad to setup a call to discuss your needs and challenges. [email protected] or 863-734-8060
Recognize this guy? If you do, let us know. On May 1, 2020 around 2:20 p.m., he visited the Family Dollar Store on MLK Blvd. in Winter Haven. He filled his canvas shopping bag with merchandise and walked out with no attempt to pay. Just because you bring the bag doesn’t mean you fill it for free! If you know who he is, contact Detective Bharratt at 863-837-5784.
With the news that over the next several weeks, certain public spaces/facilities are open and reopening in Winter Haven, city employees have been doing their part to keep our city beautiful!
City of Winter Haven:
City employees are on the job to prepare for the reopening of public spaces. Here are a few shots of Landscape Maintenance Crews making sure Winter Haven remains beautiful! (Remember, though certain public spaces are opening, it’s up to each of us to decide when to venture out and where to go. Respect the 6-feet or more social distancing guideline, don’t gather in groups, and consider wearing a face mask or covering.) Stay safe and be well.
Apple Lounge Bar & Grill Hosting Bartender Benefit
On Saturday
by James Coulter
Has the stay-at-home order made you hungry for some
good old-fashioned barbecue? Then come on down to Apple Lounge in Winter Haven
this Saturday.
On May 9, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., you can pull up to
the parking lot and order a $7 barbecue meal of a pulled pork sandwich, cole
slaw, and baked beans. Not only will you be served good old-fashioned barbecue,
but you’ll be served by friendly familiar faces.
“We will have the bartenders out there serving
the food, because we know a lot of their customers will really, really miss
them,” said Melinda Ross, General Manager of Apple Lounge. “It has
been a long time, very loyal customers. We decided to get it started and help
them out.”
As with most other bars, the Apple Lounge Bar &
Grill has been forced to keep its main dining room closed in accordance with
the stay-at-home order passed on May 1. Even while many other local businesses
are re-opening, bars such as theirs remain closed.
As such, their staff, especially their bartenders,
have been struggling financially. In an effort to help them out, this bartender
benefit was started, not only offering them an opportunity to serve people, but
also allow them to make some money.
“The reason we wanted to do this is because we
have long time employees, and this outbreak has really, really hurt them,”
Ross said. “So I ask the owner if we could put together a fundraiser for
them to try to help them out because we are uncertain about when we will be
able to open again.”
During the COVID-19 outbreak, Apple Lounge, like other
local establishments, have been seeking creative ways to generate revenue such
as offering take-out orders and to-go drinks.
They have especially benefited from The Rally Around
Your Resturaunts, a local initiative encouraging people to patronize local
eateries with take out and deliveries.
“We are getting customers from Lakeland and Polk
City and different areas that didn’t know we had food,” Ross said.
Expectations remain high for the upcoming bartender
benefit. Apple Lounge has fostered a close sense of community, and they hope
that their community comes together to support them.
“We have had some of the same customers from 20
years ago,” Ross said. “We are like a tight-knit. So I would hope
that they come out and support them and try to help them give them a little
boost.”
Apple Lounge Bar & Grill is located at 2803 Recker
Hwy, Winter Haven, FL 33880. For more information, visit their website at:
https://www.facebook.com/appleloungewinterhaven/?rf=706812399447116
