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COVID-19 Morning Update ~25,942 positive cases in Florida residents and 718 positive cases in non-Florida residents~

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Polk County now has 324 confirmed cases, and 12 deaths from Covid-19

Florida Department of Health Updates New COVID-19 Cases, Announces Fifteen Deaths Related to COVID-19, Morning Update~25,942 positive cases in Florida residents and 718 positive cases in non-Florida residents~TALLAHASSEE —To keep Florida residents and visitors safe, informed and aware about the status of the virus, the Florida Department of Health has launched a COVID-19 dashboard that is updated twice daily. Today, as of 11 a.m., there are 26,660 total** Florida cases.There are currently 307 long-term care facilities with positive cases of COVID-19. The Florida Department of Health has published the list hereThe twice daily COVID-19 report also includes information by county about deaths related to staff or residents in long-term care facilities. Of the 1,853 cases of residents or staff in long-term care facilities, 187 have died.While Florida’s testing has increased over the past week, the percent of those testing positive for COVID-19 overall is 10 percent. Of the 10,748 tests performed on April 19, there were 1,108 positive results, or 10 percent. Fifteen people have died who tested positive for COVID-19 Broward, Dade, Indian River and Sarasota counties. New Florida cases include:

  • 346 additional positive COVID-19 cases (344 Florida residents and 2 non-Florida residents) reported to the Florida Department of Health.
  • There are currently 25,942 positive cases in Florida residents and 718 positive cases in non-Florida residents.

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. These twice daily reports reflect the state’s efforts to accurately and transparently share information. More information on a case-by-case basis can also be found here.

4-20 am

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.**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. 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 FacebookInstagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.

Five Burglary Suspects Arrested in Polk County By FHP With Assistance From PCSO After Pursuit

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During the early morning hours of Sunday, April 19, 2020, PCSO deputies discovered a stolen vehicle traveling north on US Hwy 27 near I-4 in the Davenport area. Deputies followed the stolen car (a Kia confirmed stolen from the city of Tampa on April 17th) and initiated a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle refused to stop, and instead made an abrupt U-turn at Legacy Park Blvd, and proceeded south on US Hwy 27.
Deputies engaged in a pursuit of the stolen car, assisted by the PCSO Helicopter and deputies from surrounding agencies. The fleeing car then continued west onto I-4, and FHP troopers responded to assist.
As the car approached the Lakeland area, deputies assigned to the Northwest District deployed stop sticks, which were successful in deflating both front tires of the suspect vehicle. The vehicle came to a stop on Kathleen Road near the exit ramp, and the five suspects inside the car fled on foot.
Two FHP troopers immediately apprehended three of the five suspects; the other two ran into a nearby neighborhood. PCSO set up a perimeter, and successfully took the other two suspects into custody within minutes. Nobody was injured during the pursuit and apprehension.
Deputies found latex gloves and a headlamp inside the stolen car. The suspects were also wearing latex gloves and/or trying to discard them while being apprehended. It is believed the suspects were in Polk County to commit burglaries. Their criminal charges and criminal histories are listed below. The mugshots for the two adult suspects are below; we do not have the juveniles’ mugshots.
Just after midnight on Saturday night, we find this stolen car lurking in an area where we have worked burglaries being committed by groups of suspects who come to Polk from another county. Sure enough, thanks to our partnering agencies in Lake and Osceola and the FHP, a crime spree was thwarted. Not only are three of the suspects teenagers who shouldn’t be out this late at night, our Governor is asking for people to stay at home during this pandemic. This is pathetic.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
Arrested were:
19-year-old Daquan Sheppard (the driver), DOB 10/16/00, of Seminole, FL.
Sheppard was charged by PCSO with:

  • Conspiracy to commit burglary (F-3)
  • Possession of burglary tools (F-3)
  • Contributing to the delinquency of a minor (M-1)

Sheppard was charged by FHP with:

  • Grand theft of a motor vehicle (F-3)
  • Fleeing to elude at a high rate of speed (F-2)
  • Resisting arrest (M-1)
  • Conveyance burglary (F-3)

His criminal history includes 11 felonies and 8 misdemeanors, for charges such as grand theft of a motor vehicle, burglary, fleeing to elude, resisting arrest, loitering and prowling, marijuana possession, violation of probation, and failure to appear.
23-year-old Alex Mills, DOB 09/04/96, of St. Pete, FL.
Mills was charged by PCSO with:

  • Conspiracy to commit burglary (F-3)
  • Possession of burglary tools (F-3)
  • Contributing to the delinquency of a minor (M-1)

Mills was charged by FHP with:

  • Grand theft of a motor vehicle (F-3)
  • Fleeing to elude at a high rate of speed (F-2)
  • Resisting arrest (M-1)

His criminal history includes 16 felonies and 7 misdemeanors, for charges such as grand theft of a motor vehicle, burglary, dealing in stolen property, fleeing to elude, resisting arrest, giving false name to LEO, grand theft, no valid DL, and violation of probation.
17-year-old Jamerrius Church, DOB 11/05/02, of St. Pete, FL.
Church was charged by PCSO with:

  • Conspiracy to commit burglary (F-3)
  • Possession of burglary tools (F-3)

Church was charged by FHP with:

  • Grand theft of a motor vehicle (F-3)
  • Fleeing to elude at a high rate of speed (F-2)
  • Resisting arrest (M-1)

His criminal history includes 5 felonies and 6 misdemeanors, for charges such as grand theft of a motor vehicle, burglary, resisting arrest, petit theft, loitering and prowling, disorderly conduct, hit and run, and violation of probation.
17-year-old Amiri Price, DOB 11/11/02, of St. Pete, FL.
Price was charged by PCSO with:

  • Conspiracy to commit burglary (F-3)
  • Possession of burglary tools (F-3)

Price was charged by FHP with:

  • Grand theft of a motor vehicle (F-3)
  • Fleeing to elude at a high rate of speed (F-2)
  • Resisting arrest (M-1)

His criminal history includes 2 felonies and 4 misdemeanors, for charges such as grand theft of a motor vehicle, burglary, resisting arrest, and loitering and prowling.
14-year-old Quantez Beal, DOB 06/15/05, of St. Pete, FL.
Beal was charged by PCSO with:

  • Conspiracy to commit burglary (F-3)
  • Possession of burglary tools (F-3)

Beal was charged by FHP with:

  • Grand theft of a motor vehicle (F-3)
  • Fleeing to elude at a high rate of speed (F-2)
  • Resisting arrest (M-1)

His criminal history includes 3 felonies and 4 misdemeanors, for charges such at grand theft of a motor vehicle, burglary, resisting arrest, giving false info to LEO, loitering and prowling, and violation of probation.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch and Lake Wind Advisory

Info provided by Weather Channel:

Severe Thunderstorm Watch from MON 7:05 AM EDT until MON 3:00 PM EDT

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Action Recommended

Attend to information sources as described in the instructions

Issued By

Tampa Bay/Ruskin – FL, US, National Weather Service

Affected Area

Polk County

Description

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 127 IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS IN FLORIDA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 11 COUNTIES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA HARDEE POLK SUMTER IN NORTHERN FLORIDA LEVY IN WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA CITRUS HERNANDO HILLSBOROUGH MANATEE PASCO PINELLAS SARASOTA THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF BAYSHORE GARDENS, BEVERLY HILLS, BOWLING GREEN, BRADENTON, BRANDON, BRONSON, BROOKSVILLE, BUSHNELL, CEDAR KEY, CHIEFLAND, CITRUS SPRINGS, CLEARWATER, DADE CITY, ENGLEWOOD, FANNING SPRINGS, FLORAL CITY, HERNANDO, HOLIDAY, HOMOSASSA SPRINGS, HUDSON, INVERNESS, JASMINE ESTATES, LAKE PANASOFFKEE, LAKELAND, LAND O LAKES, LARGO, LECANTO, NEW PORT RICHEY, NORTH PORT, PALMETTO, SARASOTA, SOUTH VENICE, SPRING HILL, ST. PETERSBURG, TAMPA, THE VILLAGES, VENICE, WAUCHULA, WILDWOOD, WILLISTON, WINTER HAVEN, ZEPHYRHILLS, AND ZOLFO SPRINGS.

Lake Wind Advisory from MON 10:00 AM EDT until MON 7:00 PM EDT

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Action Recommended

Execute a pre-planned activity identified in the instructions

Issued By

Tampa Bay/Ruskin – FL, US, National Weather Service

Affected Area

West central and southwest Florida

Description

…LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 7 PM EDT MONDAY… WHAT…Southwest winds increasing to 20 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph expected. WHERE…West central and southwest Florida. WHEN…From 10 AM to 7 PM EDT Monday. IMPACTS…Strong winds and rough waves on area lakes will create hazardous conditions for small craft operators PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… Boaters on area lakes should use extra caution since strong winds and rough waves can overturn small craft. A Lake Wind Advisory indicates that winds will cause rough chop on area lakes. Small boats will be especially prone to capsizing.

Significant Weather Advisory

Weather Channel Weather Advisory:

Action Recommended

Avoid the subject event as per the instructions

Issued By

Tampa Bay/Ruskin – FL, US, National Weather Service

Affected Area

Polk County

Description

…SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN PASCO…NORTHWESTERN HARDEE…MANATEE…CENTRAL PINELLAS…HILLSBOROUGH AND POLK COUNTIES… At 1114 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from 7 miles north of Combee Settlement to 6 miles west of Fort Desoto Park. Movement was east at 45 mph. Wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with these storms. Locations impacted include… Tampa, Clearwater, Lakeland, Largo, Bradenton, Pinellas Park, Plant City, Winter Haven, Temple Terrace, Haines City, Bartow, Seminole, Lake Wales, Auburndale, Zephyrhills, Palmetto, Downtown Saint Petersburg, Fort Desoto Park, Fish Hawk and Saint Petersburg. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.

Scammers Posing as Home Depot Employees Offering Residents $25 Gift Cards

Release by Winter Haven Police Department:

WARNING WARNING WARNING
We have been alerted there are two females going around Polk County claiming to be from Home Depot and offering a $25 gift card if residents allow their water to be tested. DON’T DO IT!
Home Depot does not send door-to-door solicitations. If you encounter them, don’t engage them and call for your local law enforcement to provide as much information as possible. (Clothing, hair color, vehicle type, color, tag if at all possible) They are two white females and have been seen wearing blue polo shirts, jeans and have what appears to be an official ID card. They have been seen in a red Toyota and a white SUV style vehicle.

Kitchen Fire at Spring Haven Retirement Displaces Residents

Release by Winter Haven Police Department:

Kitchen fire at Spring Haven Retirement displaces residents. There were no injuries to residents, staff or firefighters. 
On April 17, 2020 at approximately 7:22 a.m., the Winter Haven Fire Department responded to a kitchen fire at Spring Haven Retirement, located at 1225 Havendale Blvd. NW in Winter Haven.

When members arrived they located the initial apartment where the fire started on the third floor and determined that the sprinkler system had successfully extinguished the fire. The location of the apartment is in the independent living five-story building of the complex. The resident in the unit, an 87 year-old female, had already been evacuated from the room after Spring Haven staff member Jackie Rowell responded immediately to the alarm and entered the room to assist the resident and her cat to safety.
Six fire engines with 19 members from the Winter Haven Fire Department responded to evacuate residents from the building. Moving room-to-room, fire personnel safely escorted residents outside and made certain there were no units that showed signs of smoke or fire. Fans were brought in to clear the haze from the building and an evaluation of all units determined that at least seven units below the third floor residence suffered significant water damage. At 8:35 a.m., residents of units that were not affected were allowed to start returning to their residence. Those residents who had units with damage are being relocated to vacant units on Spring Haven property.
“The quick response of our firefighters ensured that all residents in the building were evacuated quickly and without any injuries,” said Public Safety Director Charlie Bird. “The coordination of all involved to include the temporary relocation of residents by the facility is what makes our community so great.”

Water Safety- Take Extra Precautions to Prevent A Water Tragedy

Winter Haven Police Department:

THIS! Focusing on work, conference calls, kids schoolwork – all things most people have not been accustomed to during their daily time at home. Those distractions can spell disaster. Take extra precautions to prevent a water tragedy. Stay Safe!

Local Nurse Traveling To New York To Help Hospitals In COVID-19 Efforts

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Local Nurse Traveling To New York To Help Hospitals In COVID-19 Efforts

by James Coulter

Samantha Motis, 27, always wanted to be a nurse when she grew up. She wanted to help people; and yet the recent pandemic has forced her, like many others, to remain at home and sit out the current crisis under lockdown.

So, when she learned that many hospitals in New York City were short on nurses and other medical staff members, she jumped at the opportunity to volunteer her skills to aid the efforts up North.

“I went from being in the hospital every day of the week for 8 to 12 hours a day, talking and treating patients, from that being taken away and not able to do anything,” Samantha said. “It has been hard sitting at home, on the sidelines…sitting around, waiting, knowing that I could be working using my skills helping people and doing what I can to save lives.”

Samantha left Wednesday to travel to New York City. She signed up to volunteer for a month straight of twelve-hour shifts. She does not yet know which hospital she will be working at, but she will be staying until the beginning of May. Afterward, she will return home and remain under quarantine for 14 days.

New York has experienced the most coronavirus cases in the country, with 202,208 confirmed cases and 10,834 deaths, according to figures from Google. Such a surge in overall cases have left state hospitals suffering shortages in medical staff and supplies.

Last month, New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo called for medical workers across the county to come to his state and volunteer their time and efforts at their hospitals. Since then, more than 90,000 people have heeded the call, as reported by the New York Times. Samantha was one of those many volunteers who responded.

“The nurses up there are struggling, they have a lot of patients, [and] some nurses are getting sick,” she said. “So, at least I will be able to get up there and work for the time being. It is nice to say I had a helping hand.”

Born and raised in Lake Wales, Samantha has been a Registered Nurse since 2015. Her nursing background is in Critical Care where she served as an ICU (Intensive Care Unit) nurse for three and a half years. She soon began attending graduate school to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) at the University of South Florida. She is on track to graduate this December.

Since August 2019, Samantha has been in full-time clinical residency to complete her CRNA degree. However, due to the current crisis, many clinical hospitals have temporarily removed students such as her from coming to hospitals. This downtime has left her at home without many ways to help in this crisis, she explained.

Samantha inquired her program director if students such as herself were allowed to take nursing contracts at hospitals like those in New York, since she is a Registered Nurse. When she was informed that they could, she jumped at the opportunity to sign up and volunteer for a nursing crisis contract.

COVID-19 has created a situation unlike any other in recent history, and something the medical community has not treated extensively before. The disease has caused many patients respiratory failure, and it can be highly contagious, especially among many other patients and medical staff, Samantha said.

Having watched news stories about the chaos and trauma permeating New York City hospitals, Samantha knows that she is stepping into a situation unlike any she has experienced before. She knows the work will be trying, and that many necessities, including food and medical supplies, may be scarce; and yet like many other brave souls before, she’s choosing to step forward into these circumstances and do the best that she can.

“It is extremely intimidating,” she said. “I am preparing myself for the worst. I am prepared to encounter some trying situations and possibly death. Hoping I will have a hand in helping prevent that from happening with my background and knowledge. I know from what I have seen, it will be exhausting, trying to remain positive with an open mindset.”

Prior to her trip, she has ensured that she has packed a suitcase full of all the provisions that she will need, including food and toiletries. She does not know how scarce supplies will be up north, so she is preparing as best as she can.

“Obviously, I know this is a crisis. I know the working conditions will not be ideal. I am trying to be as prepared as I can,” she said. “I have the skills and knowledge to where I can go and make a difference and work hard, hopefully to impact these patients for the better.”

Even During These Slow Times, Local Business Continues To Speed Along

Even During These Slow Times, Local Business Continues To Speed Along
by Kevin J. Kieft, President/CEO Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council

Every Tuesday, I host a call with the city leaders, both in the private and public sector, where we discuss the various happenings and developments in the city limits. The main takeaway from our latest meeting was that Lake Wales has always been a place that helps its businesses in its good times and its bad, and you can definitely see it during this time.

There’s no doubt the current COVID-19 crisis has had a significant effect on business, especially with the safer at home order from our state governor. Non-essential businesses have closed, schools are dismissed. Public events have been postponed and canceled. Countless employees have either been furloughed or laid off. Even major theme parks like LEGOLAND and Disney World have shut down indefinitely.

The coronavirus pandemic has hit the Florida business sector like “an economic hurricane,” as described by Robert Stern, veteran Tampa attorney at Trenam Law, in the Tampa Bay Times. He specifically mentioned the economic damage to the real estate and construction industry, claiming that it’s worse than a hurricane “because hurricanes usually strike only part of the state.”

However, no matter how grim or grave the current situation, I choose to remain optimistic. My outlook for the area is still strong. Florida’s economy will come back quickly; I do not doubt that. People want to be here, businesses want to be here, so I am optimistic that things will improve following the pandemic.

Even with many local businesses closed, the Lake Wales area continues to thrive with economic development. Many local projects are moving forward and making significant progress. Along Chalet Suzanne Road off of US Highway 27, 50 acres of land is being developed by Equinox of Florida LLC to construct 335 new residential units. Other notable developments include Alsim, Pamlico Air, and the newly built Dyer Kia and the other advancements near that location.

As someone who also works in real estate, I have yet to see many projects halted. There might be a slowing of progress, especially if there are large scale development projects, which might push timelines back by several months, but I have not seen the cancellation of any projects.

Furthermore, even if the real estate market has slowed, people are still buying homes, and banks and mortgage companies are still loaning money and re-financing. The economy is still moving along despite all the challenges. I think that is a good sign of how we will come out of this eventually.

While many areas of the economy have slowed down, other divisions have picked up steam. Most notably, our agricultural and food sector is thriving. Florida’s Natural shared recently that their business is doing exceptionally well. As healthy food and drink demand has increased, they have reacted accordingly by continually hiring for production and management.

What we see right now are businesses shifting and adapting. While one part of the economy may be slowing down, another is proliferating. Non-essential businesses that are still in operation have adapted to these changes, allowing employees and employers alike to work remotely through technological innovations.

I am remaining optimistic that once we have a vaccine for COVID-19, or at least once we mitigate it, the economy will come roaring back. Obviously, there will be bumps along the way. I don’t have a crystal ball or a premonition of what things will look like, but we can certainly plan for the near future, and we here at the Chamber and EDC are doing as much planning as possible.

We at the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council have been aiding local businesses through these hard times by compiling vital information, especially about business loans and relief funds. To learn more, visit our website at https://lakewaleschamber.com.

Sylvan Learning of Lakeland Offers Virtual On-Line Tutoring Services

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Sylvan Learning of Lakeland Offers Virtual On-Line Tutoring Services

by James Coulter

With the current COVID-19 crisis forcing the state under lockdown until the end of the month, parents have been seeking innovative ways to allow their children to continue receiving their education at home. Fortunately, a local tutoring facility is helping parents and students meet their supplemental educational needs during this time.

Sylvan Learning of Lakeland, a leading provider of personal learning for students in grades K-12, has pivoted their business delivery to be exclusively online to continue providing solutions to families in need of educational support during Coronavirus (COVID-19).

“It’s been a difficult time for families, in particular those with school-age children. The families who rely on Sylvan for their children’s supplemental education have had their educational lives turned upside down with the closure of many schools,” said Annette Miller of Sylvan Learning of Lakeland.

“These families are looking for solutions that allow them to continue to learn at home and to also continue to receive the supplemental education they were receiving from Sylvan. We’ve quickly pivoted to online delivery and providing support to families and students to continue learning during this uncertain time.”

By utilizing new innovative technology, Sylvan has been able to offer its curriculum on-line through remote virtual learning. Last year, Sylvan Learning launched “a free online education portal” called Sylvan Nation, which offers “educational support tips, worksheets, a teacher resource section and educational videos,” according to a press release. The website also provides access to countless children’s e-books from Random House.

Sylvan has been providing students with quality tutoring services and supplemental educational support through teacher-led, individualized instruction by focusing on the educational skill gaps of students. Now though the development and implementation of new technology, Sylvan is able to provide that same service virtually on-line, explained Miller.

A New York native, Miller had lived in Florida for 35 years since receiving her education from Southeastern University. She had taught in Polk County Schools for the past 10 years, and joined Sylvan learning center to continue her passion for teaching. She now helps operate learning centers in Winter Haven, Lakeland, Kissimmee, and Brandon.

While some of the students who attend their centers are struggling, others are there for further enrichment. Either way, through teacher-led instruction provided to groups of two to three, Sylvan helps fill in the skill gaps of their students to better advance their education.

“That is how Sylvan works so well,” she said.

As the COVID-19 crisis has forced many parents to take up the mantle of guardian and teacher, Sylvan, through their new virtual learning platform, is giving parent the tools to help their children learning during these trying times, Miller said.

“Right now, parents are trying to teach their children at home, and it is tough because…not every parent can do that,” she said. “I want to make sure that we are there for our schools…It is hard. We want to make sure that our children are ready, that they are strong, and they make it through this progress.”

To learn more, visit their website at: https://cities.sylvanlearning.com/us/florida/lakeland