April Renee Varney, 47, of Winter Haven, FL passed away on Friday, October 11, 2024, at Winter Haven Hospital.
Born April 1, 1977, in Fort Myers, FL, she has been a lifelong resident of the area.
She had worked as an office manager.
She is survived by her husband of 20 years, Michael Varney; her father, John Albritton of Fort Meade; a brother, John Albritton; and a sister, Melissa Pigg.
The family will receive friends from 10:00am until 11:00am, Wednesday, October 23, 2024, followed immediately by services at Oak Ridge Funeral Care in Winter Haven.
Hayleigh Rodgers has won more than 16 buckles, along with halters, saddles, and cash, at horse racing tournaments across the nation and state. She’s set to win yet another award at her next competition later this month.
Rodgers will be traveling to Perry, GA at the end of the month for the 2024 National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) Open World Championship. She plans on competing in the first two rounds, and if she qualifies, she will be able to compete in the finals.
Last year, she won the 2023 NBHA 3D Youth World Championship. She plans to win again this year. She has been practicing with her horse three times a week, competing in smaller shows across the state, and taking her horse to medical checkups with the veterinarian, dentist, and chiropractor.
Rodgers was inspired to get involved with barrel racing after attending a barrel race with her grandmother to watch a friend compete. “I knew right when I watched the first girl run that it was something I was interested in,” she said. “Ever since then, I was interested in riding and I never quit.”
As for her upcoming competition, Rodgers is a mix of excited and nervous. She owes her success to her support system, including her mother and grandmother, her coach, Holly Calhoun, and her sponsors including the Daily Ridge.
“None of this would be possible without them,” she boasted.
The 2024 NBHA Open World Championship will be hosted on Tue. Oct. 27 – to Sat. Nov. 2, at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter in Perry, GA.
To learn how to support Hayleigh Rodgers and her family, please contact her or her mother Stephanie Randall on Facebook.
Hayleigh Rodgers recently appeared on the Chattin on the Ridge podcast to discuss her upcoming trip and her preparations. Listen to the episode on Acast: https://shows.acast.com/chattin-on-the-ridge/episodes/ep-45-haunted-jails-barrel-racing
This Local Pilot Lost Her Life in a Plane Crash. Her Mother is Honoring Her with a 5K.
by James Coulter
Faith Baker was a local woman of many talents, from being able to play almost any musical instrument to earning all four major pilot licenses.
Unfortunately, even with her superb piloting skills, Faith sadly lost her life in a mid-air plane collision last year.
Faith, along with three other people, lost their lives in a plane crash near the Winter Haven Regional Airport.
She was instructing a student pilot when a seaplane with two other people crashed into her plane. She had recently become a trained flight instructor.
Her mother, Ann Baker, remembers that tragic day all too well. She recalls receiving the phone call about the crash only hours after saying goodbye, and telling her that she loved her.
Unfortunately, the seaplane (that hit the plane Faith and her student pilot were in) was operating contrary to the known traffic pattern with no electrical system, radio or ADSB when the collision happened. Ann hopes to remedy that by raising funds and awareness in an upcoming 5K race.
The Fly with Faith 5K will be hosted on Sat. Oct. 26 at 7 AM at Winter Haven Regional Airport, located at 2073 US-92 in Winter Haven, FL.
Proceeds from the event will go toward the Zachary Mace and Faith Baker Rowe Memorial Scholarship at Polk State College and “Lady Aviators Inc.”
In life, Faith was an adventurous young woman who loved living on the edge, from hiking and camping to skateboarding and biking. To honor her life, her mother, Ann, wanted to host this race.
“[We are] living life the best way we can and just pushing through to honor our daughter however we can,” she said. “I want my daughter to be remembered, and with her death and her students, that changes will be made in a big way because she would be had there been changes.”
5k non profit run to raise funds for Zachary Mace and Faith Baker Rowe Memorial Scholarship at Polk State College and “Lady Aviators Inc” as well as furthering education of aviation safety.
Ann Baker recently appeared on the Chattin on the Ridge podcast to discuss the fundraiser and the tragic death of her daughter which inspired it. Listen to the full episode when it releases on Acast.
Convicted Felon Captured in Winter Haven After Escaping From Facility in Kissimmee.
On September 14, 2024, 35 year-old Erich P. Mueller (DOB 4-24-89) escaped from The Transition House in Kissimmee. Mueller had been in prison since 2020 serving a five-year sentence for Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon, Possession of Methamphetamine, Carry Concealed Firearm, and Grand Theft Motor Vehicle.
On October 17, 2024, Winter Haven Police received a Crime Stoppers tip that Mueller might be hiding out at a residence located at 680 Ave. N SE. Winter Haven detectives conducted surveillance on the residence, ultimately spotting Mueller leaving the residence on foot towards 6th St SE. Mueller was stopped and placed under arrest for the active warrant for escape.
Thirty-two year-old Alexandria J. Orrick (DOB 7-29-91), who is Mueller’s girlfriend and lived at the residence, was seen entering her vehicle and starting to back out of the garage. She was stopped and during an interview, she told detectives that she knew Mueller had escaped and she was allowing him to stay at her residence without letting law enforcement know.
Orrick was arrested for Harboring an Escaped Prisoner (F3).
Both Mueller and Orrick were transported to the Polk county Jail.
Join us at Calvary Baptist Church in Winter Haven for our Fall Festival Trunk or Treat! This is a free admission event. We’ll have games, activities, and plenty of candy for the kids. Don’t forget to sign up for our chili contest featuring first, second, and third place prizes!
At approximately 8:37 AM on October, 19, 2024, a crash occurred on Scenic Highway North in Babson Park. One person was killed and one other is in critical condition.
A pick-up truck (1999 Mazda) and a motorcycle (2018 Harley Davidson), each with two occupants collided head on in the north-bound lanes of Scenic Highway North. The crash occurred in front of the Babson Park Polk County Fire Rescue Station.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Polk County Fire Rescue responded to the scene. Upon their arrival, the driver of the motorcycle, 53-year old Kenneth Ellefson of Fort Meyers was determined to be deceased and his passenger was severely injured. The passenger was transported to the hospital, and is in critical condition.
The driver and passenger of the pick-up truck were treated by PCFR at the scene and released.
The passenger of the motorcycle was wearing a helmet but the driver was not, and no additional helmet was located at the scene. The driver and passenger of the pick-up truck appear to have been wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash.
The PCSO’s Traffic Homicide Unit is investigating the crash. The investigation is still ongoing.
1. Oscar is expected to bring tropical storm conditions to portions of the southeastern Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, and eastern Cuba during the next day or so. A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for those locations.
2. Locally heavy rainfall is possible across the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas later today and tonight. These rains are expected to spread to eastern Cuba on Sunday.
A partially overturned semi-truck is causing serious traffic delays at the intersection of Thornhill Road and Winter Lake Road in Winter Haven.
At 1:30 PM on October 18, 2024, a semi-truck carrying a large concrete barrier lost its load while making a right turn. The barrier is currently in the roadway, blocking traffic. The east-bound side of the road is now completely closed to allow a crane to remove the barrier blocking the road.
Drivers are looking at delays of up to 5 hours or more for the road to be clear. We encourage everyone to seek alternate routes at this time, until the blockage can be cleared.
Grove Roots: Saturday, October 26th from 6-11pm we’re throwing the biggest, most wicked Halloween party, complete with spooky graveyards, costumes, and a Halloween Dance Party! Escape from reality & join us for a terrifyingly fun night of costumes & beer! The night will be TOXIC and full of ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and witches haunting the brewery!
The Brewery will be turning into a Spooktacular Party complete with DJ Thombly spinning all the great beats!! Break out your costumes & dancing shoes! Stay tuned for fun hints of what’s to come…Its going to be a dangerously good time! We will have multiple food trucks, beer releases (think candy beer), fun vendors, and more!
