TRAFFIC ALERT
Northbound First St at Cypress Gardens Blvd is shut down due to downed power lines. This is wind related with the high gusts currently being experienced.
Drivers on Cypress Gardens Blvd should expect delays and those normally taking NB First St should find alternate routes.
Detectives with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office are trying to identify two males and a female involved in a burglary and theft at Bok Academy School at 13901 US Hwy 27 in Lake Wales.
Security video from the school showed the suspects going from room-to-room on Sunday, January 19th at about 7:00 pm.
The suspects took eight Apple Macbook Air laptops and an Angle Ultra Bluetooth speaker and charger.
If you recognize any or all of the suspects, or have any information helpful to this investigation, please contact Detective Gaylord at 863-678-4115, or if you wish to remain anonymous, contact Heartland Crime Stoppers – call 1-800-226 TIPS (8477), visit the website www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com and click on “Submit A Tip,” or download the free “P3tips” app on your smartphone or tablet. You will always remain anonymous and you may be eligible for a cash reward if your information leads to an arrest. Your information will be forwarded to law enforcement for follow up. If an arrest is made based on your tip, you are eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000.
The research study is open to ministry leaders of all faiths across the state of Florida.
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla., Feb. 5, 2020 – Across all faith groups, clergy members are often called upon to provide support for parishioners, as well as the general public, experiencing spiritual, mental and emotional issues. But recent highly publicized resignations and reports of distress and burnout among pastors and faith leaders have raised concerns about the mental and emotional health of those who serve in ministry. A new study led by AdventHealth University, in conjunction with Altamonte Springs, Florida-based AdventHealth, one of the nation’s largest faith-based health systems, aims to better understand the health and well-being of clergy.
“Inside and outside places of worship, faith leaders play a significant role in the lives of so many people, whether as a shoulder to cry on or a source of inspiration,” said Orlando Jay Perez, vice president of institutional ministries for AdventHealth. “It is also important that their mental, spiritual and emotional needs are addressed, and we hope this study brings more understanding of those needs.”
The research study is open to clergy and faith leaders across the state of Florida, where AdventHealth has 30 hospitals, including congregational and ministry leaders representing all faith groups and religious contexts. The survey consists of questions about the respondents’ social support and occupational distress as well as their emotional and spiritual health.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five U.S. adults experience mental illness each year. NAMI also notes that 43 percent of adults with mental illness received treatment in 2018.
“Conditions of mental and emotional despair are on the rise and touch so many people,” said Martin Shaw, lead researcher for the study. “While clergy is a somewhat understudied group, it is critical that we gain greater insight about their mental and emotional well-being and ways to mitigate issues where present. Our ultimate goal is to better understand how best to care for and support our clergy and the communities they serve.”
AdventHealth University is a regionally accredited, Seventh-day Adventist institution that specializes in health care education in a faith-affirming environment. AdventHealth, which has 50 hospitals across nine states and provides chaplaincy services at each of those facilities, is the corporate sponsor of the university.
Clergy interested in learning more and participating in the research study can do so confidentially by visiting https://clergywholenessstudy.wordpress.com.
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease as we learned in the column titled, “What is an autoimmune disease,” rheumatoid arthritis operates by our immune system attacking healthy tissues that surround joints causing joint damage. Much the same as lupus, we are not entirely sure what triggers this response of the immune system. However, we do know that genetics play an important role, as well as environmental factors
Diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis or (RA) for short can be a challenge. There are certain characteristics of RA that can lead a rheumatologist in the right direction when trying to make a diagnosis. Before I get into that I would like to take the opportunity to list the symptoms of RA. Which include joint pain, muscle pain, stiffness, red swollen joints, fatigue, and RA can also affect the eyes, lungs, and heart. It is typical to have symmetry in which joints are affected. Simply put if you have pain in your finger joints it is usually on both hands. This is the same with the joints throughout the body, what is inflamed on the left side of the body will also be inflamed on the right side of the body.
There also are blood tests that can be performed to help the rheumatologist determine if in fact it is RA. The most common blood test for RA is the rheumatoid factor (RF) this measures antibodies in the blood. A positive result could indicate that you have RA. The rheumatologist will most likely order these common blood tests (CPR) C- reactive protein, and (ESR) erythrocyte sedimentation rate to determine the amount of inflammation in the body. While these blood tests are not to be the only tools used, they can aide the rheumatologist in making the correct diagnosis.
Many people have rheumatoid arthritis and don’t have positive rheumatoid factors. I am one of them; this is referred to as seronegative RA. This can make it tricky for the rheumatologist to make a diagnosis as they will have to rely on your explanation of symptoms and a physical examination of your joints over a period of months. This can lead to patients being misdiagnosed with other diseases that follow the same pattern of joint pain, like fibromyalgia just to give an example.
This happened to me and I was misdiagnosed, and it took years for me to find out exactly what I had in order to receive the correct treatment. It is very important that we be our own health advocates, because doctors are human, and mistakes can be made. I got three second opinions before I finally got the correct diagnosis. Don’t give up if you are still struggling to get a diagnosis, it can be frustrating knowing something is wrong, but not having a medical name for it. Sometimes it just takes time for all your symptoms to appear in the right sequence for the rheumatologist to be able to put all the pieces together.
I am very grateful that there are dedicated doctors that really take their time making sure patients receive the correct diagnosis for their disease. I am hopeful that with more research advancements will be made and those suffering can get treatment sooner. Thank you for taking time to read this article. Please keep in mind I am not a medical professional just a fellow RA warrior. Continue to follow my column as we keep diving into autoimmune diseases.
Signed a fellow warrior,
Amy Archibald
Fatal 3-Vehicle Crash on Tuesday Being Investigated by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Three vehicles were involved in a crash in Polk County early Tuesday evening, resulting in the death of 49-year-old Harold Toney of Polk City, and injuries to two others.
Deputies responded to Deen Still Road, about a quarter-mile west of Brown Shinn Road in the Polk City area, at around 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 4, 2020, to find two pickup trucks and a semi-tractor with a flatbed trailer.
Toney, who had extensive body trauma, was entrapped in a red/gray 1998 Dodge 1500 Ram pickup truck. After being freed from the wreckage, Toney was transported to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center by Polk Fire Rescue, but succumbed to his injuries.
Also transported for treatment were 34-year-old Justin Bowen of Eagle Lake, the driver of a black 2011 Ford F-150 pickup, and his two passengers: 22-year-old Kobe Bell and 4-month-old Mason Bowen, both of Lake Wales. It was determined that the child suffered no injuries, while the other two were listed in stable condition.
61-year-old Eugene Henderson of Dundee was the driver of a white 2013 Peterbilt tractor with flatbed trailer. He was not injured in the crash.
According to the preliminary investigation, the semi-truck and Ford were both traveling eastbound on Deen Still Road, and the Dodge was travelling westbound. For reasons undetermined at this time, the Dodge crossed the center line of the road and sideswiped the semi-truck, then struck the driver’s side of the Ford.
The Ford overturned and came to a rest in a ditch on the south side of the road, and the Dodge came to a stop facing south in the eastbound lane.
All involved in the crash were determined to have been properly secured in their seats.
Deen Still Road was closed for approximately five hours, and the crash remains under investigation.
24th Annual Lakeland Pigfest Gets Its Pig On
by James Coulter
For the past three years, Jason Singletary has been attending the Lakeland Pigfest with his barbecue team, Smokey Central BBQ. Each and every year had them get closer to winning Grand Champion in the Pro Barbecue Division. This year, they finally won!
Jason loves to cook different pork products, especially ribs. Most would attribute their success to the way they smoke their food. Others to the wood they use. And others to their rub and seasoning. But Jason attributes his win to one thing: luck.
“It was awesome,” he said. “So we were getting closer every year, and we finally made it [this year].”
He has won six grand champions and several other awards from other barbecue competition across the state. What keeps him coming back, time and again, to the Lakeland Pigfest is the overall camraderie.
“I have friends who cook in the contest, so it is good to see them when they get here,” he said. “So many people come out and support this event.”
His team was one of more than 150 competition barbecue teams that arrived for a weekend of good food and good times at the 24th Annual Lakeland Pigfest over the weekend.
The largest KCBS-sanctioned event in Florida, the annual event allowed proffesionals and amateurs to compete in various categories such as chicken, brisket, ribs, and pork and in two main divisions: backyard and proffesional.
The Grand Champion for the Backyard Division was Wicked Oaks. Felix Flores has been attending for the past four years. This year, his team not only won first place, but they won with a perfect score.
“Coming into a competition this size and thinking about winning is hard, and so finally we got [first place],” he said.
As to what he owes his success to, he attributes it all to practice. Winning an event like this took a lot of hard work and effort, and this year, it all paid off for them. Having fun made it all worthwhile, he said.
“It is fun,” he said. “It is a party, man. It is in the love. We love what you do, it ain’t work.”
Since 1997, the Lakeland Pigfest has been drawing in barbecue teams from across the state. The event also serves as a fundraiser for several local organizations. Over the years, it has raised “over 2 million dollars in charitable donations that have been disbursed to the Lakeland Community through various community partnerships,” as reported by Visit Central Florida.
Each year has the event grow bigger and better. This year proved to be bigger and better than ever, and that was mostly due to the overall good weather, explained Bill Tinsley, Event Coordinator.
“This year’s Pigfest was absolutley the best one,” he said. “It had the best weather we ever had…and this is one of the biggest and best in the southeast. You are dependent on the quality of weather, and this year was the best.”
Lakeland Pigfest brings people together from all over the state. The best part are all the individual stories each team has to tell and offer.
One team in particular had an especially moving story about family unity. The father-son team was brought together through a recent family passing, and their involvement in the event allowed them to heal, Tinsley said.
“He [the team leader] came here because of a tragic family loss,” Tinsley explained. “He came here to heal. He and his father came to this event and cooked at an event that was a perfect score, That rarely happens. That happens by magic. That happens with being in the right place and having the right atmosphere at a family event. His life changed today and it was helped and improved.”
Such a lively family atmosphere has allowed the event to thrive and grow for as long as it has. Hopefully, the event will continue to do so for another 24 years.
“There are things that happened that are [about] healing,” he said. “It develops family, this is a family atmosphere, where we see people’s lives changed.”
U.S. Army Reserve Captain Reads To Preschool Students Upon Returning Home
by James Coulter
Once upon a time, there was a rooster. He wanted to take a trip around the world. Along the way, he befriended other animals including birds, frogs, and fish who decided to join him.
Unfortunately, the rooster soon realized that he had not prepared for his journey around the world. He forgot to bring food or water or shelter. So one by one, his new friends left to return home.
Later that evening, he fell asleep and dreamed that he did, indeed take a trip around the world. He may not have made the journey in real life, but he did so in his dreams.
U.S. Army Reserve Captain Alexander Vacha read this story to preschool students at the Lake Wales Family YMCA shortly after arriving home from his military tour in the Middle East.
Dressed in his army uniform, Cap. Vacha arrived at the YMCA on Wednesday morning to read the book, “Rooster’s Off to See the World”, by Eric Carle. The reading session helped kick off the YMCA’s participation within the statewide 2020 Celebrate Literacy Week.
Cap. Vacha read the story to more than a dozen curious preschool-aged children, all of whom had more than their fair share of questions, ranging from what is his favorite thing to do in the world to whether or not he ever performed a loop-de-loop in a helicopter. (The answers to both questions are “reading” and “no.”)
He chose the book he read that morning because the experience of the main character reflected his own feelings when traveling abroad in the military. He, too, also wanted to see the world, but he also loved returning home after his travels abroad.
“When we [my troop] came back after being away for nine months, [we realized] how great it is to be home, live in Florida, live in this wonderful state with our family and friends,” he said. “So I wanted to share this book with you because it is a lot like that. So you guys get to go into all the world, bring whoever you like with you, have fun, but remember that you always have your home to come home to and your family and friends here.”
Cap. Vacha enlisted in the United States Army Reserve as a UH60 Black Hawk pilot. He had been assigned to G Company, 5th battalion of the 159th Aviation Regiment in Clearwater. He had been deployed twice during his military career: once to Kosovo in 2014, and again to Iran.
“It wasn’t safe serving his country over 6,800 miles away,” a press release about him stated. “He was deployed to the Anbar Province in Iraq last February logging 126 combat flight hours, completing 27 MEDEVAC missions. Six days after returning from the Anbar Province the news broke that his base, Al Asad had been bombed.”
Cap. Vacha grew up in Indian Rocks Beach. He later attended and graduated from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. Now that he has returned from the military, he plans on returning to his old position at the Winter Haven Airport and working there fulltime.
Having recently returned to America after spending nearly a year abroad, Cap. Vacha is still getting reacquainted to civilian life. Most everyday tasks that ordinary people take for granted he is now starting to do again for the first time in a long time, he said.
“Now that I am back, I am getting my life back in track,” he said. “I have everything back [in order] as far as my car and my grocery shopping. All the things that you take for granted, I am getting to do all that first again. My wife and I are taking some much–needed vacation time and so slowly but surely I am getting my life back on track.”
As a certified teacher, Cap. Vacha has been trained to educate children. Even then, this was the first time in a long time that he had been able to read and interact with children like this on a personal level, he said.
“So when I had this opportunity placed in front of me, I was absolutely pleased,” he said. “I haven’t been in a classroom for a few years, and I was excited about the opportunity to get in front of students. That is one of my passions, and today it was an amazing day to get involved with the students.”
Dr. Marc Hutek, CEO of the Early Learning Coalition of Polk County, who helped organize this special reading session,expressed his gratitude of having a member of the armed forces reading to children that morning.
“We’re so glad to be able to have such an outstanding individual take time out to come and read to our children,” he was quoted as saying in a press release. “Captain Vacha is a great example of a true American hero.”
Renee Camper, YMCA Executive Branch Director, also expressed her gratitude for the Captain taking time during his leave to spend time with local children, especially since many of their parents are also service members.
“He did a great job,” she said. “We support our heroes…We liked that he shared his story and his traveling around the world, his experience in the Air Force and that he did come back home. That touched a lot of them.”
Frostproof Fire Department Purchases New Golf Cart For Emergencies
by James Coulter
During the Youth Fair in Bartow over the weekend, one man, while attending to a calf, was head-butted to the ground by a heifer. The incident left him with some injuries that required him to be transported out.
The fair draws in crowds with students from schools all across the county. With so many people there, the event is extremely packed and nearly impossible to navigate through, explained Jerry Riner, Frostproof Fire Chief.
“Every school in Polk County is here,” he explained. “Any one time, it is very tough for an ambulance to get in and out to where they have the livestock and pigs, so it is hard to get them here.”
As such, for incidents such as these, a smaller vehicle like a golf cart or an all-terrain vehicle comes in handy to help transport patients out of such situations and towards an awaiting ambulance.
Fortunately, for the Frostproof Volunteer Fire Department, they had such a vehicle at the ready in the form of a golf cart, which had recently been purchased for them by the City of Frostproof.Riner had been with the Frostproof Fire Department for the past 30 years. He had recently been appointed as the Fire Chief when their former chief stepped down.
Their former chief had established a program that would allow them to obtain a small vehicle such as a golf cart or ATV to use in such situations, making it easier for them to carry patients to an awaiting ambulance.
“I thought it would be a good tool to use to get to the patient and get them out as quickly as possible,” Riner said. “We could go out on the field in case there was an injury and get to the patient as fast as possible and get them removed with ease of causing them no more pain or injury than necessary.”
The need for such a vehicle arose last year during a local football game. A football player had sustained significant injuries that required him to be transported via ambulance. However, moving him using a stretcher proved extremely cumbersome, Riner said.
“We could loose our footing, it was not the safest way to take someone off the field that was injured,” he said.
Following that incident, the fire department members formed a committee and discussed the possibility of obtaining a smaller vehicle. They approached the City Manager and City Council about the matter, and they all agreed to procure the funds to obtain such a vehicle.
The department purchased a golf cart from Victory Golf Carts in Avon Park and retrofitted to add a backboard, which would allow the medical personnel to better attend to the patient being transported to an ambulance.
Riner thanks the members of the City Council, along with the City Manager, for supporting their endeavors and allowing them to purchase a valuable piece of equipment, which he hopes his department will make good use of.
“My expectations have already been met,” Riner said. “It is helping our community, especially when we are in Bartow. It is not just Frostproof, it is the whole county. So that right there has beat my expectations. It has been received very well.”
This Team Won First Place At The Winter Haven Hospital Foundation Shooter Showdown For The Past Four Years
by James Coulter
Clay Watkins and his friends and co-workers from Peace Valley Groves has been attending the Winter Haven Hospital Foundation Shooter Showdown for the past five years. Since then, he and his team have won first place within the past four consecutive years, including this year.
The secret to their four-year-long consecutive winning streak has been three things: practice, practice, and more practice. Watkins loves firearms, he loves shooting, and he loves being able to participate in events where he can do all of those things and more, he said.
His company has been a huge supporter of the Winter Haven Hospital Foundation. As someone who participates in various shooting tournaments and events throughout the state, Watkins especially enjoys being able to participate in this event as to help support a great local organization.
“It is a good foundation and cause,” he said. “They help a lot of people and it is a fun event.”
For more than eight years, the Winter Haven Hospital Foundation has been hosting their annual Shooter Showdown. This year’s event, as with previous events, was hosted at the Future Farmers of America Training Facility in Haines City.
Proceeds raised during this year’s event will be utilized locally to support the Foundation’s new Mobile Medical Clinic Project. The new project will provide primary care and access to under-served areas within the county, explained Holly Worrell, Executive Director of the Foundation.
This year’s event experienced massive success with more teams, community involvement, and sponsors than last year. The overall casual atmosphere, allowing participants to spend a day shooting clay targets in the great outdoors, has allowed the event to remain as successful and relevant as it has been these past few year, Worrell explained.
“It is a lot of fun, it is different from your normal golf tournament, and offers a unique experience,” she said. “We are grateful to the community for their continued support over the years. Our volunteers we are grateful.”
VISTEBall Hosts 15th Annual Fundraiser
by James Coulter
Nearly 15 years ago, Steve Madden, a board member for Volunteers in Service to the Elderly (VISTE), traveled to Denver and visited a local fundraiser. So enthralled was he at the very prospect that, when he returned to Florida, he proposed something similar as a signature fundraiser for their own organization.
For the past 15 years, VISTE has been hosting VISTEBall, its annual fundraiser featuring golf-themed games, buffet and bar, and silent and live auctions. Hosted at the Skylight Hangar at the Sun N’ Fun Campus in Lakeland, the fundraising event provides a casual atmosphere unlike any other.
As a board member for the past 16 years, Madden loves being able to attend VISTEBall and in turn serve an organization that serves the local community as well as it does, he said.
“It is pretty satisfying to work with selfless people who want to service the elderly,” he said. “We owe it all to the volunteer base. It is a privilege to work for one of the best non-profits in the area.”
Since 1983, VISTE has remained true to its mission statement, which, according to its website, is “to enable frail elderly persons to continue living independently and safely in their own home. Learn more about us or get in touch if you want to volunteer.”
VISTEBall is its main fundraiser. Every year has new and interesting items for attendees to bid on through live and silent auctions. This year, attendees could even download a special app that allowed them to bid on such items even if they did not attend the event in person.
As with every year, the event continues to grow, drawing in around 700 to 800 attendees. The proceeds go towards helping local seniors that are in need of help to stay in their own home safely and independently.
“VISTE is no place else on the planet,” said Steve Bisonnette, VISTE President. “We are a non-profit in our local community and no place else. It is fully supported by local community, businesses, and individuals. We are excited to see the entire community come out and support this.”
Alice O’Reilly was the former president for 20 years. She retired five years ago. Even then, she continues to attend the event. This year she had the honor of standing at the front and greeting guests as they arrived.
When she first started at VISTE 20 years ago, they had an annual budget of $100,000. They had since grown to 400 clients with nearly a million–dollar budget.
“I think it is the greatest event in Lakeland,” she said. “It is a very laid back casual fun evening that we have been very blessed to be successful these past 15 years.”
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