The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has arrested four teens for their part in a brutal beating of a 35-year old Mulberry man on Monday, May 5, 2025.
The victim was hospitalized in an intensive care unit with serious injuries to his face, to include a broken nose, broken jaw, multiple lacerations, and swelling.
“The video of the beating is hard to watch. The victim was knocked down with the first punch and rendered defenseless. The suspects continued to attack the man—they pummeled him repeatedly with a sickening rage.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
The attack was initially reported at around 11:40 pm Monday night by the victim’s wife, but the victim was initially uncooperative with the investigation.
PCSO detectives continued to follow-up with the victim, and on May 8th, he discussed details with the investigating deputy. He said that he was talking to a male at a Mulberry car wash (3800 N. Church Avenue), and he was then confronted by four juveniles and beaten. He said that when he woke up, he walked back home.
As the investigation progressed, detectives were able to identify a witness and four suspects, and a cell phone video was obtained that showed the beating.
The suspects were all arrested on Thursday, May 8th.
· Eathan Ryne Simmons, 18, from Mulberry: charged with attempted 2nddegree murder (F2), aggravated battery with bodily harm (F2), rioting (F3), and contributing to the delinquency of a minor (M1).
· Westlee Austin Davis II, 18, from Mulberry: charged with attempted 2nddegree murder (F2), aggravated battery with bodily harm (F2), rioting (F3), and contributing to the delinquency of a minor (M1).
· Robert Frerichs, 17, from Mulberry: charged with attempted 2nd degree murder (F2), aggravated battery with bodily harm (F2), and rioting (F3).
· Dalton Ivory Creach, 19, from Lakeland: charged with rioting (F3) and contributing to the delinquency of a minor (M1).
While being interviewed by detectives, suspects said that they confronted the victim for bothering an autistic friend, and they were protective of him.
The unknown autistic friend who was with another male were not participants in the attack, but detectives are still working to identify these two males.
Earlier in April, not only did I have the opportunity to return to Florida to cover the Rockin on the Chain Benefiting Special Needs fundraiser, but I also had the privilege of giving a small speech discussing my life and career as a person with Autism. The following is a transcript of that speech.
Hey, everyone! J.C. here in the flesh.
As you all just heard, I am a person with Autism. And as a person with Autism, one question I usually get is: “What is it like to have Autism?”
That’s a hard question for me to answer. Not because I don’t know what it’s like to have Autism, but because I don’t know what it’s like NOT to have it.
Asking someone like me what it’s like to have Autism is a lot like asking a person who was born blind what it’s like not being able to see, or a person born deaf what it’s like not to hear. That assumes they know what it’s like to see or hear, which they don’t.
After all, how can a person born with blindness know what sight is? Or a person born deaf know what sound is? Or a person born with Autism under what social intelligence is?
I may not know what life without Autism is like. But I do know what living life as an Autistic person is like. And if I had to sum it up in one word, it’s “awkward.”
The animated PBS show Arthur once made an excellent analogy for life as an Autistic person:
Imagine you crash landed on an alien planet. It looks like Earth, but there are a lot of differences.
For one, a lot of people seem to talk extremely loudly. And their eyes shine bright beams of light that force you to avert your gaze. And even though you speak the same language, you sometimes have a hard time understanding what they mean. And things that seem hilarious to you aren’t funny at all to them.
You wish the scientists on Earth had given you a guide book to this strange planet, but they forgot to pack one. So you have to try to learn things all on your own. Maybe there’s one thing in particular that captures your interest, and you study just that.
Hopefully, the people on the planet get to understand you a little better. And you might even learn to fit in, but you will always feel a little bit different.
That has been my life with Autism. I have lived in this world for nearly 40 years, and yet, even with everything I have learned, I still feel like I’m still getting a handle on living here. And even then, I still don’t feel like I’m totally in sync with everyone else.
I was diagnosed with Autism at age 11. But there were many times during my childhood that I knew something was different about me. My aversion to sudden loud noises. My inability to look anyone in the eyes. My rocking back and forth in my chair, zoning out when I should be paying attention. And me not understanding the clear instructions that adults would give me.
For the longest time, my Autism was a source of shame for me. Between my emotionally abusive mother telling me I used it as a crutch, and a physically abusive college roommate telling me he wished I didn’t have Autism, my diagnosis was something I kept to myself and God. I even stopped going to therapy and taking medication.
For the longest time, I was in denial of my Autism. But no more. Now that more and more neurodivergent people are becoming more open about being on the spectrum, so am I.
My life has not always been perfect. In fact, I would hardly say it’s been perfect at all. But I have accomplished a lot in that time. I graduated college with a degree in English and a minor in Journalism. I have been a freelance journalist for more than a decade. I won two awards for my feature articles. I pen regular columns for both Daily Ridge and Today and Tonight Magazine. I host and edit a bimonthly podcast. And, perhaps my proudest achievement, I self-published a novel and a series of novellas.
My Autism is not a source of shame for me. It is who I am. And if anyone has a problem with that, well, that should be a source of their shame.
At the May 5th city commission meeting, Davenport officials proclaimed new holidays for the month and weeks of May related to several pertinent issues for the city. These proclamations were approved prior to the meeting so their presence was merely ceremonial, but no less important.
First on the docket was to declare May as Mental Health Month. Davenport recognized that mental health can affect anyone and that effective treatment can nurse them to peace of mind. The Peace River Center also works with patients struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues through multiple programs, including a 24-hour crisis hotline. The city’s police department has also partnered with Peace River Center to assist with the city’s mental health needs. The proclamation aims to help Davenport citizens discuss mental health freely and reduce the stigma surrounding it.
The week of May 17th – May 23rd 2025 was declared National Safe Boating Week. As Florida is considered the “recreational boating capital of the world”, safety for boat owners will obviously be a recurring concern. The hope of this declaration is to encourage boat owners to follow State and Federal safety standards and raise awareness for the personal watercraft safety courses offered in Polk County. A secondary aim is to thank contributors to boat safety, including the Coast Guard Auxiliary unit that provides the safety courses in the first place.
In a similar vein, the month of May 2025 was declared National Water Safety Month. Drowning incidents can occur for a wide variety of reasons and it is the leading cause of death for Polk County children under the age of five. It can even occur in depths as small as two inches. The proclamation hopes to raise awareness about best practices when swimming, for citizens and owners of private swimming facilities. The city has partnered with different agencies including the Safe Kids Suncoast Coalition to assist in this process. As swimming is a common occurrence in Florida, the city believes this issue needs attention.
Finally, the week of May 4th – May 10th was declared Municipal Clerks Week to honor those who link citizens with their local government, and their local government with other levels of authority. Their neutrality, role as an information center on local government, and their constant drive for administrative improvement was particularly pointed out and praised. Municipal clerk Raquel Castillo Young specifically was shown appreciation.
The proclamations went through with no opposition.
The Center Crest retirement community has fought to replace its deteriorating sewage system
The city of Davenport has been aiming for a grant from Florida Commerce to replace the old sewage system of the Center Crest residential community and connect it to that of Davenport’s. The grant is known as a Community Development Block Grant (or CDBG) and 70% of it must benefit low-income or moderate-income communities. As Center Crest is a community mostly comprised of retirees, this most certainly applies.
The city itself approved $50,000 dollars from its own budget for the project, but it needs a lot more than that to get off the ground. Hence, Davenport is requesting $3,316,000 in CDBG funds to complete the replacement. Despite this, the project is aiming to be efficient. All pre-existing land for the sewer line will be reused, and the city doesn’t expect this project to displace any residents.
The application for this grant is due on May 16th, 2025 and the project is expected to take 18 months should funding be approved. While city utilities director Mike Stripling says they wouldn’t be applying if there wasn’t a good chance of approval, he notes that the process is “very competitive” and frankly states, “if this grant doesn’t go through, the project doesn’t go through.”
The fate of the grant will be known in August, which will then begin the design phase of the project. The hearing for the application and the $50,000 leverage from the city went on without controversy and both items were readily approved.
Harold Tittle, 33, of Lakeland, was arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on April 26 and charged with unlawful use of a 2-way communication device (F3), transmitting material harmful to a minor (F3) and four counts of possession of child pornography (F3). Tittle was an assistant coach for the team “Bat Intentions” of the Lakeland Girls Softball League.
On 04/25/2025, deputies were told by a relative of a teenaged girl that a 33 year old man known to the family was having inappropriate sexual conversations with the girl and that explicit nude photos and videos were exchanged between the two.
Detectives learned that Tittle solicited via snapchat nude pictures from the then 16-year-old girl. He asked for naked pictures of her buttocks and breasts. The solicitation and grooming led to more sexually explicit images and videos being exchanged. Tittle also sent nude pictures of himself to the girl.
A PCSO detective made contact with Tittle. He told the deputy he knew exactly why the detective was speaking with him as soon as Snapchat was mentioned. Tittle proceeded to confess that he sent a nude image of himself to the victim and that he asked the victim to send nude photos to him. Tittle told detectives that he used another device to take pictures of and recorded at least one video of the victim while the images were on Snapchat. Detectives recovered these images from Tittle’s cell phone.
Tittle further admitted that he knew the victim was 16 and 17 during the time of these image exchanges. He told detectives he used “bad judgement.”
Tittle denied that he victimized any other girls, including girls he had contact with on the softball team he coached.
Based on the information, admissions, and evidence collected (child pornography), Tittle was arrested and booked into the Polk County Jail.
“Tittle’s actions are reprehensible. He groomed this girl to provide sexually explicit content. Though he has denied victimizing other girls, we ask anyone—parents or kids—to talk to us if they know of any inappropriate contact from Harold Tittle with any underage child or teen.” Grady Judd, Sheriff
Avon Park, FL – A wildfire that sparked within the Avon Park Bombing Range earlier this week prompted a swift response from the fire crews and a continued effort today to manage the flames through controlled burnouts. The Florida Forest Service, in coordination with local fire crews, confirmed that no structures are currently threatened by the wildfire.
Crews have been actively conducting burnout operations—an intentional fire set to remove vegetation that could fuel the wildfire—in an effort to contain the blaze and protect surrounding areas. Despite the lack of threat to buildings or residences, officials are urging the public to remain vigilant, especially while traveling near the impacted zones.
According to updates from the Florida Forest Service, smoke from the wildfire could significantly affect visibility on nearby roadways, including S.R. 60 and C.R. 630. Residents and drivers in the River Ranch and Indian Lake Estates areas are especially advised to proceed with caution due to lingering smoke that may settle during the evening and early morning hours.
S.R. 60 Headed East Near Indian Lake Estates
“Smoke can dramatically reduce visibility, especially overnight and during the early morning when it tends to linger closer to the ground,” said a spokesperson for the Florida Forest Service. “We encourage motorists to slow down and use headlights if they encounter smoke on the roads.”
The Avon Park Bombing Range is a large, federally owned tract of land frequently used for military training exercises. Wildfires in the area, while not uncommon, are taken seriously due to the complex terrain and potential hazards.
Here is a message Tuesday from the Avon Park Air Force Range:
“A wildfire of approximately 3,000 acres is burning on Avon Park Air Force Range. The fire was Started by lightning yesterday evening and increased by Storms and erratic winds today.
APAFR Wildland Fire crew and AF burn crew are expecting 100% containment on Thursday. The area is isolated and of no danger to the public.”
Updates will continue to be provided by fire officials and local authorities as the situation evolves.
On Wed. Apr. 16, 2025, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, hosted a press conference discussing the findings of a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That study revealed autism rates in children have increased exponentially in recent years, from 1 in 36 children in 2020 to 1 in 31 in 2022.
RFK Jr. referred to this increase in autism rates as an “epidemic.” That phraseology would be problematic in and of itself, but his description of people with autism proved to be far more alarming:
“These are kids who will never pay taxes. They’ll never hold a job. They’ll never play baseball. They’ll never write a poem. They’ll never go on a date. [And] many of them will never use a toilet unassisted.”
As a person with autism, I know from my personal experience that everything he said is total nonsense. I pay taxes. I hold a job. I’ve written poetry. I’ve played baseball in my backyard as a kid. And I’ve been on a few dates. (Oh, and last time I checked, I can use the bathroom unassisted.)
Grated, I say all of this as someone with high-functioning autism. I know plenty of people with low-functioning autism most likely struggle with all those things. Even then, so what? Even people who are unable to take care of themselves are worthy of dignity and respect. If anything, we should care more for those types of people, not less.
And that’s the most concerning aspect of his comments. RFK Jr. may have shared them out of what he assumed was sympathy for people with autism. But many other people have shared similar sentiments out of contempt, claiming autistic people or other people with special needs are “worthless” or a “burden on society” because they cannot do the same things “normal” people can.
These dangerous sentiments were common in Nazi Germany, where many people with special needs and disabilities were dismissed as “empty human shells” and “life unworthy of life.” They were decried as “burdens on society” because they were often confined to public institutions where they were accused of “wasting tax dollars.” So, the Nazis decided to get rid of them. In fact, people with special needs and disabilities were one of the first victims of the Holocaust.
RFK Jr. later stated that his agency would conduct “a massive testing and research effort” to determine the causes of autism with plans to have those findings available by September later this year. Perhaps even more concerning, he has also expressed his intent to accomplish his goal by amassing the medical records of people diagnosed with autism into a registry, raising concerns about potential violations of privacy rights.*
And what does RFK Jr. think is the most likely culprit for the recent uptick in autism diagnoses? Well, aside from blaming “environmental factors”, the HHS Secretary has previously shared his controversial belief in the conspiracy theory that vaccines cause autism.
For the record, vaccines do not cause autism. There is no evidence, nor has there ever been evidence, that autism rates are linked to vaccination. The only “evidence” suggesting otherwise was a study published by former doctor Andrew Wakefield in The Lancet in 1999, and not only was that dubious study retracted, but the “doctor” was struck off the medical register for “serious misconduct.”
So, what’s the real reason autism rates have been increasing? It’s not because of vaccines or “environmental factors.” It’s because the diagnosis criteria for autism have been broadened over the past several decades. And the reason scientists and other researchers have broadened those criteria is because they have learned more and more about autism.
Since his press conference, RFK Jr.’s comments have raised concerns from people with autism and autism advocacy groups. Aside from infantilizing (potentially even dehumanizing) people with autism, he is also spreading misinformation about medical science and proposing measures that could violate the constitutional rights of American citizens.
*An HHS official has since released a statement claiming that the department will not be creating an autism registry.
Mainstream religious films are hard to come by. In recent years, Hollywood has released a few good films like Prince of Egypt, Passion of the Christ, and Noah. Otherwise, most Christian flicks serve a rather niche audience, especially with such controversial films as the God’s Not Dead franchise.
Enter Angel Studios, a faith-based company with the aspiration to push faith-based films and shows into the mainstream. Their most popular and successful property has been The Chosen television series. Now, the studio has released its first animated film, King of Kings. But will this animated film about Jesus live up to its royal name? Or, unlike Christ, will it remain dead and buried?
King of Kings begins in Victorian England. Charles Dickens is giving a dramatic reading of A Christmas Carol when his performance is interrupted by his rambunctious King Arthur-obsessed son. Charles snaps at him, but quickly relents his harsh reaction. To cheer his son up, Charles shares with him a story that he has been working on: an adaptation of the Gospel story. Through it all, father and son both learn the importance of grace and forgiveness.
King of Kings is a very basic adaptation of the Gospel story, telling the story of Jesus Christ from his birth to his resurrection. If you’re a Christian or are familiar with the Christian story, you pretty much know what to expect.
The only unique aspect about this adaptation is the framing device of Charles Dickens telling the story to his son. Essentially, it allows Charles to serve as the narrator. And sometimes it also involves his son imagining himself in the story.
This telling of the story emphasizes the theme of forgiveness, focusing on Jesus’ teachings forgiveness, as well as him exemplifying the virtue like when he defended a woman from being stoned for adultery. And, of course, there’s the fact that Jesus died to forgive humanity of its sins.
One scene I found particularly enthralling was Baby Jesus and his family fleeing from Herod. Most telling of this story have Mary and Joseph flee to Egypt before Herod orders all newborns to be killed. But in this movie, Herod’s soldiers are literally banging down the doors to the stable. It’s a real tense scene, and how Jesus’ family escapes proves to be quite surprising.
I also loved how Charles would occasionally deviate from the main narrative to share other Bible stories like the first Passover and the Garden of Eden to help explain the main Gospel story. I especially love how the Genesis story is conveyed through classic Gustave Doré illustrations. (Any children’s movie that exposes kids to fine art like Doré is a plus in my book.)
Otherwise, this film is rather unremarkable. The animation is decent, and it manages to tell the story of the Christian Gospel in one-and-a-half hours. But the condensed run time essentially forces the story to focus on hitting every plot point of the Jesus story without really doing anything to flesh out Jesus and the other characters.
Here’s a good example of what I’m talking about: there’s a scene in the movie where Charles names the twelve apostles, all of whom walk across the screen after being introduced. But aside from maybe Peter, none of them are given any real character development in the film, and you’d be forgiven if you forgot which character was supposed to be who.
It’s ironic this movie mentions King Arthur. Because it reminds me of Excalibur, the 1981 King Arthur movie by John Boorman. That movie also focuses more on telling the barebones story of King Arthur and less on developing its characters, who merely exist to act out the roles they are meant to play in the narrative. The result is a film with plenty of style but no real substance.
Overall, this movie does a basic job recounting the story of Jesus Christ. If you want to use this movie to introduce your children to the Gospel, they’re sure to find it somewhat entertaining.
However, if you want to watch a better adaptation of the Gospel, better movies exist like the 1979 Jesus film or even Passion of the Christ. And, of course, Angel Studios also distributes The Chosen, which, as a television series, has enough time to tell a proper story and develop its characters. As for children, shows like the Superbook cartoon or even Veggietales provide more entertaining and engaging adaptations of Bible stories.
As for this film? I’d recommend watching it once it comes out on DVD and streaming. Otherwise, I’d save your tickets for a better animated film.
Auburndale, FL – On Tuesday afternoon, May 6th, around 4:05 p.m., Polk County deputies made a surprise pickup at a familiar spot in Auburndale: the Dollar General on Lake Ariana Boulevard.
The driver of a blue 2007 KIA Optima caught their attention. Behind the wheel was 28-year-old Brodrick Fields, originally from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. While that’s his current listed address, Brodrick has been something of a Central Florida nomad in recent years — spending time in Waverly, Winter Haven, Bartow, and Orlando.
He’s also no stranger to local law enforcement, having made several extended visits to what some jokingly call Grady Judd’s Bed & Breakfast.
This time, however, his stay may be longer than usual.
Deputies conducted a traffic stop at the Dollar General, and Fields was quickly and quietly taken into custody. No drama, no foot chase — just a smooth arrest.
Why were deputies so eager to greet him? Well, Brodrick Fields was wanted out of Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The charge? Attempted murder.
Yes, you read that correctly.
According to the Chambersburg Police Department
“On 4-19-25 at approximately 02:23 hrs, CPD responded to a shots fired call near the 100 block of Central Ave. Upon arrival, officers located a victim suffering from a gunshot wound. During the course of the investigation, the suspect that shot the victim was identified as Broderick Fields who is now wanted for Attempted Homicide and several other offenses.”
Now sitting in a Polk County jail cell, Fields awaits extradition back to Pennsylvania to answer for the serious charges.
Let this be another reminder: if you’re wanted for a violent crime, hiding out in Polk County might not be your best plan
What you see is a smiling young boy being given a ride in a fire truck. At a glance, you would never guess that this boy is suffering from a debilitating condition, his spirit won’t let you.
Four-year old Mateo suffers from a condition called neutropenia, where the body has a deficit of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that fights off germs and infections. Anyone with this condition is incredibly susceptible to serious illnesses. The impact on the young boy’s life, his mother says, is profound, “The onset of any fever requires prompt hospitalization, often resulting in hospital admissions. Even a common cold virus can potentially develop into sepsis, a scenario that has previously occurred…Mateo undergoes regular Neupogen injections every other day, which help increase his neutrophil count and reduce the risk of illness.”
Mateo was given a ride in a sports car by the group Dream Cars 4 Kids, he was even given some Hot Wheels to match!
Mateo was first diagnosed with the condition at only one-and-a-half years old, though the illness plagued him since birth. Constant sickness and scarier symptoms like mouth ulcers, ear infections, and abscesses informed his mother that something wasn’t quite right. When the diagnosis came, a journey of persistence and advocacy would begin for the two. His mother recalls, “I immediately undertook an exhaustive research effort, which remains an ongoing priority, as I seek to continually enhance my knowledge. As I adapted and gained valuable insights from multiple hospital stays, I investigated various resources and support networks, pursuing innovative solutions to enhance his care.”
These efforts have blossomed into a social media presence that could bring hope to even the most jaded of folks. Through the screen-name @ChuloStrong, Mateo’s journey is documented on Facebook and Instagram to help bring more awareness to neutropenia. The ups and the downs are there for the world to see, but one theme remains constant: Mateo’s strength. “There’s something special about Mateo – a pure, infectious joy that touches everyone around him.” his mother elaborates, “His compassion shows in the smallest moments, like when he stands in his hospital room doorway during isolation, waving to nurses and spreading smiles throughout the floor. He also loves sitting in the window, eyes lighting up at every sports car that zooms past. Finding joy in the little things.”
A Polk County firefighter shows Mateo how a fire hose works.
Mateo’s persistence has paid off too, as he steps unafraid into a new phase of life: school. As of now, Mateo is enrolled at The Morgan Center, a preschool specializing in educating kids with cancer, but after he turns five, he is planned to transition to a regular school. The risks are not gone however, his doctors have warned that his condition could cause him to miss most of his first year, but Mateo wants to be with his peers; he is incredibly eager to learn.
Mateo around his dream cars.
In the meantime, Mateo and his mother keep busy. The social media is only the tip of the iceberg moving forward: A charity to help families in a similar situation is planned, Mateo himself is a junior ambassador for the National Neutropenia Network, and his mother is always looking for ways to optimize his health. For hose parents struggling in the same way she had, Mateo’s mother had this to say, “Every child and every journey is unique. As a parent, you will progressively learn what benefits your child and what is best for them. It is not easy and there will be difficult days. If you require assistance, support, or simply someone to talk to, don’t hesitate to reach out.”
