Help Winter Haven Police Department Identify Walmart Backpack and Bike Thief

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December 26, 2019

Help Winter Haven Police Department Identify Walmart Backpack and Bike Thief

Release by Winter Haven Police Department:
You know those cameras in the health and beauty aisle at Walmart? They are prominently displayed and are extremely clear! Evidently this guy doesn’t or just doesn’t care!

He went to Walmart (355 Cypress Gardens Blvd) and picked out a nice buggy (guessing he got one that didn’t go clickity clack, clunk, clunk, kerthump, because he cruises up and down the aisles using only one hand. To push the cart that is. He uses both hands selecting items including a backpack to which he proceeds to place all of the items inside. He proceeds out of the doors with said backpack and hops on a brand new bike that he had waltzed out with earlier – you guessed it – without paying.
If you recognize him, contact the Winter Haven Police Department at 401-2256. Callers wishing to remain anonymous should call Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS (8477). Callers are guaranteed anonymity and could be eligible for a CASH reward!

Local Church Covers Student Lunch Debt At Lake Wales Schools

Lake Wales

Staff Reporter

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December 26, 2019

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Local Church Covers Student Lunch Debt At Lake Wales Schools

by James Coulter

Students at three Lake Wales schools received an early Christmas present last Friday when a local church covered their lunch debt.

On Friday, representatives of First Baptist Church (FBC) of Lake Wales presented checks to the principals of Lake Wales High School and Bok Academy North and South to completely erase the lunch debt of any and all students at those schools.

The pastoral leadership team of FBC became inspired toward this gesture of love after learning of a similar act of kindness carried out by another church in another town. As the pastoral team discussed this possibility, they looked carefully at their budget and calculated that they would have enough to cover the total lunch debt of every child in Lake Wales.

Initially, they considered waiting to do this in conjunction with a service emphasis their church is undertaking in February entitled “I Love Lake Wales.” However, the thought of giving this gift to all the families who had some lunch debt here at Christmastime was too compelling for them to wait.

In explaining why FBC would do this Dr. Scott Markley, senior pastor, stated, “We believe that Jesus Christ paid our sin debt and as we relieve this debt for these students and their families, we hope it will remind them of that grace of God. We wanted to remind them how God loves them.”

Their pastoral team did some research and found that no elementary school students at any school in Lake Wales has lunch debt because any in need receive free lunches through state or federal programs.

As they looked around further, they found that no students at McLaughlin Middle School or Frostproof have any lunch debt for the same reason. However, they did find lunch debt existed at three local schools: Bok Academy North and South, and the largest amount of debt existed at Lake Wales High School.

Due to the faithful giving of their congregation in 2019 and a special “love offering” they receive at Christmas, FBC church leadership determined they could pay all the lunch debt for every student which was in the hundreds of dollars at each school. The monetary gift to the schools covered debts ranging from less than $3 to more than $60, according to Dr. Markley.

Originally, Dr. Markley said, his church was only going to cover the costs of the larger debts. But after giving it much consideration, they decided to cover the small debts, as well.

“The sacrifice of Jesus Christ paid the debts of all sins, so we wanted to pay all of them,” he said. “The Lord gave people a fresh start in life, so we wanted to give these families a fresh start for the New Year to remind them of that.”

As Dr. Markley spoke of sharing about this decision with the FBC family on the coming Sunday, he stated, “Our church loves the community, so I think everyone will be so excited that we can do this by the grace of God. We love our city, and we are always looking for ways to show the love of Christ in our community.”

“Lake Wales High School has more than 1,600 students. Some of them are not able to pay their lunch in full, so gracious donations, such as this, certainly prove helpful,” explained Lake Wales High School Principal Donna Dunson.

She continued, “In anyone’s life, sometimes there is an ebb and flow with financial security. For some of our kids, this [will be] a real boost for them. It is huge! It is absolutley incredible and heartwarming and [reminds us of] the goodness that is the Lake Wales community. I am not surprised by this gesture [by FBC] because they reach out in so many ways, small ways and large ways, and it will help so many kids.”

Haines City Christmas Returns By Popular Demand

Haines City

Staff Reporter

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December 26, 2019

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Haines City Christmas Returns By Popular Demand

by James Coulter

Once again, Haines City came to life with Christmas cheer as locals lined the streets to watch dozens of holiday-themed floats passed by during the annual Haines City Christmas Parade.

The parade started at Live Oak Avenue and C Street, traveled along Ledwith Avenue, and ended at 6th Street and Wood Avenue near the Lake Eva Aquatic Center parking lot.

The parade featured several dozen entries from various local organizations, businesses, churches, and schools, including floats, marching bands, and dance performances.

Attending for the first time this year were congregation members from St. Ann Catholic Church, who participated in the parade with a traveling nativity, featuring everything from traveling wise men, shepherds, and angels.

“Our parish marched in the Haines City Christmas Parade for the First time,” they wrote on Facebook. “We had so much fun and represented our parish proudly. Thank you to all that helped and participated. God bless you.”

Also participating in the parade were several local city and county officials and representatives from local offices, including the city council and town hall, fire and rescue services, and, of course, the Polk County Sheriff’s Department—including the honorable Sheriff Grady Judd himself!

Several other local businesses and organizations participated within the parade, including Max 98.3, Kids Academy Learning Center, and Haines City Relay for Life.

Local dance schools and groups, marching bands, and cheerleading squads also participated this year to help rally attendees with Christmas cheer. The Northeast Rattlers conducted several cheers and stunts, while the Studio C School Of Dance performed a lively dance number to “Hot Chocolate” from the animated movie “Polar Express.”

27-year-old Amazon Driver Arrested For Theft Caught On Camera, Despite No Cooperation From Amazon

Poinciana

Staff Reporter

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December 26, 2019

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27-year-old Amazon Driver Arrested For Theft Caught On Camera, Despite No Cooperation From Amazon

For video, go here: http://bit.ly/34X3kRV

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the Watersong Resort development near Davenport where the homeowner reported that a package from Amazon was stolen from his front porch. The package was delivered on December 19, 2019 according to his Amazon account information, but there was no package when he got home. The homeowner pulled up his surveillance video covering the front door and saw the Amazon delivery driver deliver the package, take a delivery confirmation photo, and then remove the package.

Because this porch pirate was an employee of Amazon, detectives believed, this would be easy to solve—good for the Sheriff’s Office, the homeowner, and Amazon—getting a dishonest employee off the road.

Not so fast. When detectives contacted Amazon in person at their logistics center, Amazon employees would not cooperate.

“You need a subpoena,” multiple Amazon managers told Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives. Even Amazon’s loss prevention manager told a detective to get a subpoena—that Amazon would not cooperate with law enforcement and identify their driver unless the Sheriff’s Office served a subpoena for their records at their corporate headquarters in Delaware. This is despite detectives having video, pictures, and the date, time, and the address of the delivery and crime.

The homeowner and the community’s security team were the only reason why detectives were able to identify and arrest 27-year-old Jose Campos of 3240 Ibis Ct., Kissimmee. The homeowner provided the video which recorded the theft and security at Watersong Resort provided the tag of the Amazon driver’s vehicle. Detectives ran the tag and it came back to Campos’ girlfriend in Kissimmee. Detectives contacted her and she told them her boyfriend uses the car to deliver packages for Amazon. We then interviewed Jose Campos. He confirmed he was delivering for Amazon at the time. He also said that yes, it was him in the video. Campos was arrested and charged with burglary and theft.

“I’m not surprised by much anymore, but this lack of cooperation from Amazon floors me. All we needed was a name—they knew who committed this crime in Polk County, and they would not tell us without us serving legal process to their corporate headquarters in Delaware. This is just irresponsible on their part. They apparently don’t care about the ongoing safe and secure delivery of their packages to their customers and exposing other customers to burglary and theft. It is impossible to believe this was this guy’s only theft.” –Grady Judd, Sheriff

Lakeland Police Department is Investigating a Murder Suicide in Lakeland

Lakeland

Staff Reporter

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December 26, 2019

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Lakeland Police Department is Investigating a Murder Suicide in Lakeland

LAKELAND, FL (December 25, 2019) – On Tuesday, December 24, 2019, at approximately 5:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to a residence on Atlanta Avenue in reference to shots fired. Once on scene, officers found three adult victims with gunshot wounds. All three victims were declared deceased at the scene by responding emergency medical professionals.

The preliminary investigation indicates that Leighton Josephs, age 30, was armed with a handgun when he entered the home and shot the male and female inside. It is believed that after shooting the two victims, Josephs then committed suicide. The female victim was 30 years old, and the male victim, 27 years old. Detectives believe that both victims are known to Josephs.

Inside the home, officers found four children, all under the age of 10 years old. The children were not injured and were safely removed from the residence. Officers immediately began working to make arrangements for the safe care of the children.

We will not be releasing the names of the victims or children in accordance with Marsy’s law.

This remains an open and active investigation. If anyone as any additional information related to this case, please contact Detective Laura Dunn at [email protected] or 863.834.6974.

Our agency has received a number of inquiries from the community, requesting to make donations for the children. Detectives will be working with the families to establish a means for the community to assist the children in the coming days. That information will be distributed as soon as we have additional details.

Around 7:30 p.m. on December 25, 2019, the PCSO Traffic Unit Responded To A Three-Vehicle Crash On Lunn Road in Lakeland

Lakeland

Staff Reporter

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December 26, 2019

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Around 7:30 p.m. on December 25, 2019, the PCSO Traffic Unit responded to a three-vehicle crash on Lunn Road in Lakeland, near Cherry Lane. One suspect was arrested for DUI.

Preliminary details are as follows:

A grey 2018 Dodge Journey SUV and a grey 2013 Dodge Charger were both heading westbound on Cherry Lane. The Journey was behind the Charger. The Journey moved over into the eastbound lane in an attempt to pass the Charger when for unknown reasons, the Charger sped up, impeding the Journey’s ability to pass. Both vehicles were then side-by-side traveling at high rates of speed as they approached the intersection with Lunn Road, which has a stop sign.

As they approached the stop sign, the Journey braked hard and the Charger decelerated. The Journey entered into the intersection, and into the path of a red 2013 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, which was heading southbound on Lunn Road. The truck collided with the passenger door of the Journey, then struck a tree. The Journey struck a telephone pole, then a tree.

Occupants of all three vehicles were wearing their seatbelts. The driver of the Silverado, George Nipper, was arrested for DUI.

Driver of the Journey:

18-year-old Alexis (male) Madrigal of Lakeland; treated and released from LRHMC

Passengers in the Journey:

17-year-old Austin Beck of Lakeland; non-life-threatening injuries at LRHMC

16-year-old Dayton Smith of Plant City; non-life-threatening injuries at LRHMC

16-year-old (he’ll be 17 on 12/30) Diego Torres of Plant City; non-life-threatening injuries at LRHMC

17-year-old Marvin Giron of Mulberry; non-life-threatening injuries at LRHMC

17-year-old Jeremy Garcia of Mulberry; critical injuries at LRHMC

Driver of the Charger:

17-year-old Alex Quiroz of Plant City; treated and released from LRHMC

Passenger in the Charger:

14-year-old Luis Quiroz of Plant City; treated and released from LRHMC

Passenger in Nipper’s truck:

30-year-old Barbara Lambert of Lakeland; non-life-threatening injuries at LRHMC

Excessive speed appears to be a factor – the investigation is ongoing and more charges are pending against the two other drivers. The roadway was closed for approximately 5 hours.

Individual Attempts to Open Coin Machine at Dexter’s Coin Laundry

Staff Reporter

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December 24, 2019

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Individual Attempts to Open Coin Machine at Dexter’s Coin Laundry

Release by Winter Haven Police Department

Anyone recognize either of these two?
While inside of Dexter’s Coin Laundry (834 6th St NW), the male entered the bathroom and proceeded to bust through the wall entering the office area. He attempted to open the coin machine, but the coin machine outsmarted him and wouldn’t let him in! He certainly caused significant damage to the wall and the machine. The male is wearing a camouflage ensemble with crocks and a ball cap.
Anyone who recognizes either of these subjects, please contact Detective Bharratt at 863-837-5784.

Hope Equine Rescue Celebrates Christmas Of Hope

Staff Reporter

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December 23, 2019

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Hope Equine Rescue Celebrates Christmas Of Hope

by James Coulter

Young Chloe loves to read. Every month, she and her family visit someplace special where this kindergartener can read aloud to special guests. It’s not a library. It’s not a nursing home. It’s actually Hope Equine Rescue, and the special “guests” she reads to are horses.

As part of the Reading With Rescues program, 5-year-old Chloe is one of many young children who reads to horses that are being sheltered and trained within the Winter Haven rescue facility.

On Monday, she and her family were able to visit the horses for a special Christmas party. She brought along her favorite Christmas story, “Five Busy Elves” by Patricia Hegarty, to read that evening.

When asked what she loves most about the Reading with Rescues program, Chloe replied, “I get to see all of the beautiful horses.”

That evening, she was joined by her parents, Katherine and Steve Gaymont, and her brother, Soren, 3. The Gaymonts enjoy being able to frequent the horse rescue facility. Chloe loves it especially, as it combines her love of horses with reading.

“For our children, it has given them a real love of reading as emerging leaders themselves,” Katherine said. “They are always talking about how excited they are to read to the horses…So it has been cool to see her grow in the program. It helps them get energized about being appreciative and helping animals.”

Afterward, they were able to enjoy other holiday festivities with the other guests such as eating Christmas cookies, drinking hot cocoa, riding a horse-drawn carriage, and especially visiting Santa Claus himself.

Leigh Ann Webb, Volunteer Director for Hope Equine, attended that evening to allow guests the opportunity to meet one of their therapy horses, Batman. Webb adopted the little pony a year ago to train him for therapy.

Training him has required the horse to dress up in costumes as well as wear a diaper bag so that he can remain indoors. His calm demeanor made him the perfect candidate to become a therapy pony, Webb said.

“Overall, I picked him because he is nice and calm…and he really, really loves to be petted,” she said. “So I did not have to train him much. He already came like that.”

Webb enjoys being able to participate and volunteer within Hope Equine Rescue, as it allows her to interact with both children and horses. Being able to see both happy and healthy makes her involvement all the worthwhile to her.

“I think the thing I enjoy the most is being able to interact with the kids,” she said. “They do a lot for rescue horses and [other] horses that are neglected. It is amazing the things they can do to help save these horses.”

The “Hope For Christmas” event that evening proved successful. More than 40 children participated to not only celebrate the holiday season, but also the Reading With Rescues Program.

Mary Shields, director of the reading program, explains that the program not only allows their rescue horses to receive love and attention but also allows children to practice reading aloud within a judgment-free environment.

“[Our program] promotes confidence building, teaching them how to speak out loud to a group without any kind of judgment,” she said. “Then the horses benefit from the fact that they are introduced to children.”

Hope Equine Rescue has been in operation for more than a decade. The non-profit organization recently relocated to its new location in Northeast Winter Haven. The work they do to help assist neglected and abandoned horses they could not do without the assistance of the Sheriff’s Department and their team of more than 200 volunteers, Shields said.

Aside from their Reading With Rescues program, Hope Equine hopes to introduce other programs and events, including for handicapped individuals, children with disabilities, and Wounded Warriors.

Hope Equine Rescue is located at 3805 High Street NE, Winter Haven, FL 33881. For more information, visit https://hopeequinerescue.com, or call 863-287-7503.

The Grinch Visits Gourmet Goodies For Christmas

Staff Reporter

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December 23, 2019

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The Grinch Visits Gourmet Goodies For Christmas

by James Coulter

Every person in Winter Haven loves Christmas a lot. And the Grinch came from Whoville to visit this spot. The Grinch now loves Christmas, the whole Christmas season! He came over to Winter Haven to celebrate that reason.

On Sunday afternoon, many locals were elated, for once again Grinchmas at Gourmet Goodies was celebrated. This special event had a sight to be seen of everyone’s favorite “Santa Claus” dressed in red and green.

Over to Gourmet Goodies, he visited the store, to remind us that Christmas means a little bit more. The young and the old he met with a cheer, for Christmas is coming, it’s practically here!

By the hundreds they gathered, perhaps a thousand more. They all waited in line outside of that store. They waited nearly an hour for him just to meet. They waited around the corner. They waited along the street.

And as they were patient for their next turn to meet, they could listen to a DJ’s very hot beats. There were games to play, and prizes to win, as they all waited patiently to finally go in.

Once they passed through the door, oh what a sight they could see, of all the baked goodies within that bakery. There were green Grinch cupcakes and cookies galore that parents could buy within that festive store. And decking the halls were paintings of the Grinch that local artist, Brittany Ellerbe, had painted in a cinch.

This year’s Grichmas proved especially grand. It drew a large turnout, nearly a thousand. It looked bigger that last year’s, perhaps even a bit more. So said Carissa Hughes, the owner of the store.

“Everybody had a great time, it was a really great day,” is what the proud owner had to say. And why she hosts this event? She replied, to wit: “It was a way for us to give back to our community, we always enjoy doing it.”

Everyone expressed their satisfaction through their Facebook and tweets. One person wrote: “We had a great time seeing the Grinch and having some yummy treats!”

While some kids loved the Grinch, others were more shy. One pair of twins were even driven to cry. Their mother on Facebook expressed her regret: “Oh my gosh! I felt so bad that they got so upset.” But in the end, she said it was okay: “I can’t wait to show them this picture one day!”

Overall, the event was hosted with glory as folks could see their favorite character from their favorite story. So Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart and hand in hand.

Feltrim Sports Village Celebrates Grand Opening

Haines City

Staff Reporter

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December 23, 2019

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Feltrim Sports Village Celebrates Grand Opening

by James Coulter

What do football, soccer, and quidditch all have in common? They’re all games and sports that will be played at the new Feltrim Sports Village at Balmoral Resort in Haines City.

Costing $4 million, the 5-acre sports facility includes a large playing field for sports such as soccer and football. The facility also includes practice fields for soccer and lacrosse, as well as a fieldhouse with locker rooms and a concession stand.

More facilities are expected in the near future. In 2021, an indoor sports arena is planned to be constructed. This 65,000 square foot indoor sports arena will include two basketball courts and six volleyball courts. Also planned is an event center, which will be planned for construction in 2020. This center will serve as a venue for large events such as weddings and receptions.

Feltrim Sports Village is located in the Balmoral Resort, a 100-acre vacation-home community located off of Highway 27 in Haines City. Since opening in 2016, the resort has added more than 100 new homes, with even more being constructed.

The new sports village will host various sports and games, from traditional sports such as football and soccer, to unique games such as quidditch, the magical broomstick game from the Harry Potter book series.

The very first event was hosted on Sunday with the AAU Football National Championships, as reported by the Winter Haven Sun. More events are planned for the near future, with the next four months having already been booked, explained Garrett Kenny, CEO and Owner of Feltrim Sports Complex.

“We are hoping to bring in locals in Haines City and Polk County and also out of state,” Kenny said. “I think the northeast section of the county has been ignored for the last couple of years. There is a hell of a lot of activity in Winter Haven and Lakeland. So I think this will help put Haines City on the map.”

Feltrim Sports Village celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday afternoon hosted by the Northeast Polk County Chamber of Commerce. The ribbon was cut on the main field by local delegates from the city and community, with fireworks being launched shortly after. The marching band from Haines City High School performed live music.

Darren Soto, U.S. Representative for Florida’s 9th District, lauded the village as an investment within the northeast section of the county, an area that has been lagging behind as compared to others such as Winter Haven and Lakeland.

The new facility will help provide a boost in the economy by attracting tourism dollars to Haines City and the surrounding area. Such economic development is what inspires him to help pass bills such as a recent state program that he recently helped to reauthorize, which helps to facilitate local parks and local tourism excursions, he said.

“We appreciate the local funding and the investment to make sure we are maintaining that prosperity that the rest of central Florida has had the benefit of enjoying,” he said. “So we will continue to have your back, and we appreciate the hard work and investment.”

Martha Santiago, Polk County City Commissioner for District 4, also lauded the facility as a great addition to the county, not only as an economic investment, but also as an investment for local children.

“This sports facility compliments…your resort area and it is going to serve as special need in Haines City with our students,” she said. “Education is real important. Our students need to have facilities such as this and participate in facilities like this.”

When she first encountered the facility, she was awe-struck by its sheer size and scope. Not only will it potentially attract tourism by hosting various sporting events, but also impact the local community by stimulating the economy.

“I sincerely believe that this is definitely a game-changer not only for Haines City, Northeast of Polk County, but also for all of Polk County, so we are excited to have this here,” she said.

Deric Feacher, City Manager for Haines City, likewise praised the facility for transforming the city, local area, and the entire county as a whole. This new venue will host major events that will draw in plenty of tourists, and hopefully, potential residents, he said.

“We know that this will be synergy for our community,” he said. “I encourage all of you to engage in dialogue with your friends and family about what will be taking place here because what they are doing here in our community is going to transform everything dealing with sports…and also impact lives, provide educational opportunities for the students.”

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