Yeah, he’s masked up, gloved up and has a hat on. But hopefully someone will know who he is. This guy went to Walmart (7450 Cypress Gardens Blvd) on 9-3-2020 and switched bar codes on items to the tune of $244. When asked for a receipt by the associate, it was quickly determined that his basket full of items should be more than $15. He starts to walk back with the associate, however he turns and darts out of the door. He actually trips and falls face first just outside of the door, however manages to get back up and run to a red or burgundy Nissan Sentra. The man is reported to have a Caribbean accent. Know who he is? Contact Det. A.J. at 863-401-2256.
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the cancelation of the 2020 Havendale Christmas Parade. Please know that the safety of the residents of Winter Haven & Auburndale was at the forefront of this difficult decision.
While Santa may not drive down Havendale Blvd, he will still be coming to town to spread holiday cheer. Thank you for understanding.
PCSO investigates a fatal crash between a motorcycle and a semi-tractor and trailer
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit responded to a fatal crash that occurred around 8:18 pm on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, between a motorcycle and a semi-tractor and trailer.
The motorcyclist, 27-year-old Nicholas Jay Masse of Bartow, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the semi-tractor and trailer, 65-year-old David Cross of Lake Wales, suffered no injuries.
The crash occurred at the intersection of US 17 and County Road 640 in Homeland.
According witness statements and the detectives’ preliminary investigation, Cross was turning at the traffic light from northbound US 17 onto westbound County Road 640 with a green turn arrow. Masse was travelling southbound on US 17 and failed to stop for the red traffic signal. Masse’s motorcycle struck the trailer of the semi-truck, which was across both sides of the southbound lanes, causing extensive damage to the motorcycle and severe trauma to Masse.
Excessive speed is a possible factor in the crash. US 17 was closed in both directions for approximately 5 hours.
Lakeland, Florida – A morning crash on County Line road in Polk County leaves one man dead and another charged with DUI manslaughter.
According to reports the deadly 4 car crash occurred at 10:49am near the intersection of County Line Road and McElveen Avenue.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol a pickup truck and a sport utility vehicle were traveling northbound on County Line Road, North of McElveen Avenue, adjacent to one another. A sedan was traveling northbound on County Line Road, overtook and collided with the rear of pickup and sport utility vehicle. Post-impact, the pickup was redirected across the median and into the southbound lanes of County Line Road. The pickup then entered the path of semi tractor trailer which was traveling southbound on County Line Road. The semi collided with the passenger side of the pickup. The driver of the pickup suffered fatal injuries at the scene of the crash.
FHP Troopers later arrested the driver of the sedan for DUI Manslaughter.
No further information has been released regarding this crash at this time. We will update if more information is released.
Another great event cancelled due to Coronavirus. According to a facebook post by Ridge Scenic Highway Corridor Management Entity, administered by Polk County Transportation Organization, on Monday afternoon, the annual 39 Mile Yard Sale has been cancelled.
The event deemed the biggest yard sale around would have been in it’s 12th year.
Here is the exact post from the RSHCME:
“As many of our locations have decided not to participate in the Yard Sale this year the decision was officially made by the board today to cancel the 39-mile Yard Sale this year.
Hopefully things will be better next year and we can have our event on November 6, 2021″
Breaking News: Proposed Resolution 20-037 concerning masks/face coverings has been extended until October 5th, 2020. The measure was won by a 4-3 vote by City of Lakeland commissioners.
Several Scaly Scallywags Social Distance At Seventh Annual Repticon FIRexpo
by James Coulter
Despite the threat of COVID-19, countless lizards, snakes, turtles and other reptiles scampered and slithered over to the RP Funding Center in Lakeland last weekend for the seventh annual Repticon FIRexpo.
Several dozen vendors congregated within the convention center with cages filled with various reptiles, ranging from the common turtle or lizard, to the exotic bearded dragon. Other animals such as gerbils, hedgehogs, and even dogs and cats were also showcased. Also offered were reptile-related merchandise from cages to pet food.
To help accommodate the event for these uncertain times, social distancing was enforced and face masks were required for entry into the event. Even with the threat of COVID-19 still looming, the three-day event drew in hundreds of visitors and vendors.
Family Reptiles, a local reptile shop in Lakeland, has been a sponsor of the event for many years. As with last year, they are excited to have the annual reptile show return to their hometown, especially despite the current pandemic.
“We were nervous that things may have been canceled, but due to a lot of safety precautions, we have animals and supplies for reptile lovers of Central Florida, and we are glad to be back,” said owner, Scott Wisneski. “Maybe we don’t have as many vendors or guests. But it is like reopening the community again. It will take time, and we are here to support those who came out.”
Their store, as with many local businesses, has also struggled through the recent months due to the COVID-19 crisis. They are glad that an event such as Repticon FIRexpo was able to be hosted again, and people were able to attend, despite current circumstances, as it is a sign that things are slightly improving.
“I have been locked down myself, so to get back into the shows and public has been good,” he said. “We appreciate everyone’s support and look good supporting the community.”
Pinellas County Reptiles, a vendor from Largo, also attended this weekend’s event. The reptile store attends many events hosted by Repticon every weekend in various cities.
Being able to attend these shows allows them to meet up with fellow reptile enthusiasts and showcase their reptiles, including their ball pythons. They were especially happy to attend the event in Lakeland, even despite current circumstances.
“We just enjoy meeting all the new customers,” said Angie Mellis, owner of Pinellas County Reptiles. “It is decent considering what is going on in the world right now. Sometimes it is slow, it is not quite what it used to be, but it is doing well.”
This year’s event more than met initial expectations, with countless guests and vendors arriving to share their love of reptiles. Summer Westmoreland, Show Manager, loves events such as this for their sense of camaraderie, and she loved how it managed to maintain their community this past weekend.
“Everybody is super happy to come out,” she said. “I love seeing people who have not seen anything in a while. [It’s] pretty hot because once everything calms down, we want to go back to the way things used to be, and we are expecting more growth out of it.”
For more information about Repticon, visit their website at: https://repticon.com/
Lakeland Regional Health PICU Celebrates Grand Opening
by James Coulter
Pediatric patients will no longer need to be transported to Tampa or Orlando for critical care now that Lakeland Regional Health has expanded its services with its new Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).
Lakeland Regional Health PICU celebrated its grand opening on Sept. 1 with a virtual ribbon cutting hosted by the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce. The 12-bed unit will provide high-quality care and services to pediatric patients under the age of 18 who may need a higher level of medical care in a general pediatric unit.
Such high-quality care will be provided to them through the care and assistance of pediatric board-certified trained physicians and a dedicated nursing team, all of whom have undergone countless hours of training and intense simulation to care for these patients. Each of the 12-bed units offers privacy for patients and their guardians, allowing families an opportunity to interact with the care team members and stay with their children at all times.
“Other aspects of the care team include physical therapy, respiratory therapists, pharmacy, and child life teams who support the families and parents during their hospitalization time,” explained Lori Shea, Assistant Vice President of Women and Children Services.
The new unit shares the same floor as the facility’s regular pediatric unit. Both units are set within the eight-story Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children constructed two years ago and opened in 2018.
“When we opened the pavilion, this was always part of the plan to provide pediatric intensive care unit,” said Shea. “It was always a vision of Lakeland Regional Health and the community to be able to provide a higher level of services to children and the community, so with that, it does entail a lot of planning to ensure we deliver the highest level and quality of care.”
As the only PICU in Polk County, their new unit allows Lakeland Regional machines and monitoring equipment as are normally available within adult ICU designated for our pediatric and adolescent patients. No longer will they be required to be transported to hospitals in other cities. Now they will be able to receive proper care in their community.
“I think our ability at Lakeland Regional Health to serve the community and families at Polk County is really what the mission of this new unit is,” Shea said. “This allows us the ability to serve the community and to keep patients and families local…[and] to go on to support the needs of the children who need a little higher medical care than previously being delivered here in the Lakeland and Polk County community.”
Lakeland Regional Health PICU is located at 1324 Lakeland Hills Blvd, Lakeland, FL 33805. For more information, visit their website at: https://mylrh.org/pavilion/
After several months of being cooped up at home due to the COVID-19 stay-at-home order, and with the school year having recently started, what better way to enjoy the last moments of summer than splashing in the lake by engaging in tubing, kayaking, and other water activities?
Several dozen children and their families enjoyed Labor Day weekend by participating in Lake Day at The Rock Of Winter Haven. On Saturday and Sunday, attendees were able to go out on the water while being towed on inflatable tubes by several boats. Saturday had a handful of guests attend, while Sunday drew in more attendees.
The Rock Of Winter Haven was planted 20 years ago when Mike Jarrett and his family moved to Winter Haven in 2000. What started as a former barn sitting upon 25 acres of lakeside property has since been converted into a church focused on drawing young people to its scenic shores for both fun and fellowship.
“You get the idea, when you look at our property, [that] we went through a great deal to have a property where we can minister to families, and we work at it very hard,” said Pastor Jarrett.
Though The Rock of Winter Haven is affiliated as Southern Baptist, the church considers itself “non-denominational”, reaching out to believers and non-believers alike with the Gospel of Christ regardless of affiliation.
Young people ranging from children to teenagers and young adults are their main priority. Over the past several weeks this summer, they have hosted a youth outreach each Wednesday with dinner, Bible study, and an evening of lakeside fun until sundown.
Since opening its doors 20 years, the church draws in 150 to 200 people on Sunday morning. Its youth summer camp, Life Camp, a staple for young people every summer, had drawn in more than 2,000 to 3,000 children and teenagers over the past two decades, Pastor Jarrett said.
The key to their success has been their appeal to young people. Turns out that offering children an opportunity to have a fun time with fishing, swimming, kayaking, and tubing, draws in children and their friends as potential congregation members.
“When you are reaching kids and teenagers, you have to capture their imagination,” Pastor Jarrett said. “If you capture their imagination, then you have the opportunity to share inspiration with them.”
Lake Days such as those hosted on Labor Day weekend are especially phenomenal. After all, when children have been cooped up at home due to social distancing during the pandemic, nothing feels more liberating to them than playing on the water before school starts again.
“With a Lake Day like this, we consider it a bridge event,” Pastor Jarrett said. “It’s an opportunity for them to bring their friends, our kids to come, and build a stronger relationship with them and to help them grow in their spiritual maturity, come to Christ for salvation and to help them grow and become the people that God wants them to come.”
On Sat., Sept. 19, The Rock of Winter Haven will be hosting an event with other churched within the Ridge Baptist Association. As with Lake Day on Labor Day weekend, it will be an opportunity for people to enjoy fellowship and fun with barbecue and water activities from kayaking to tubing.
Pastor Jarett hopes that he and his congregation will continue to grow and expand their outreach, as well as attend to the needs of their current members, whether it’s providing them a safe place to worship or congregate, especially following a harrowing pandemic.
“We are trying to provide some safe opportunities for kids and families to be involved in where they can get together safely,” he said. “I think that is great, and we have folks that will be at our church, and we still need opportunities for fellowship and fun, so from that expectation, I am excited about what our church is able to provide.”
Unfiltered Coffee: Come For The Coffee, Stay For The Creativity
by James Coulter
A fern growing out of a saxophone. A deer head wearing a feathered crown. A rhino pulling a cart. These are only a few of the curious sites you can find on both floors of Bartow’s new coffee shop and art venue.
“Eclectic” is the most apropos word to describe Unfiltered Coffee.Connect.Create, the newest “hipster” coffee shop/art studio and gallery that opened in Downtown Bartow. Every nook and cranny contains something new to discover. A trinket here. An antique there. An art piece hanging from the wall. It’s a place where you can visit endlessly and still uncover something new.
Most casual visitors will come for coffee. As typical with most “hipster” coffee shops, their cups of Joe are brewed from beans organically grown and ethically sourced from a local craft roastery, Ethos Roasters in Lakeland. As their website states, their coffee is “committed to product excellence and ethical sourcing and their definition of coffee ‘greatness’ goes well beyond taste and freshness – and extends to the story and impact behind each bean, to their scientific approach to roasting.”
And as with any good coffee shop, there’s always a fresh-baked pastry or well-crafted quiche or breakfast sandwich to wash down with their cup of Joe. Most of their menu items are prepared by local chefs and bakers, so you know that both your drink and your food are prepared by local hands.
However, their coffee shop is only a small part of their two-floor location, consisting of equal parts artisan retail boutique, bookstore, pottery barn, photo and art gallery, artist studio, and event venue. Unfiltered Coffee truly is a place where you come for the coffee, stay for the atmosphere, and come again for the company.
“From our house to yours we intend on providing you a unique experience from the moment you walk through our door,” their website states. “Our mission is to offer a space where you can come as you are, be who you are and create from within.”
Geanie Folder is the proud owner of the coffee shop/art studio hybrid. Originally working at a nursing home, she served as a clothing designer on the side. As with many artists, she was searching for a place to sell her craft and to connect with other local artists.
She decided to kill two birds with one stone by starting the Beatnik Exchange from her family’s farm. The vintage market worked well for some time, but Folder wanted to expand her outreach further with a bigger, better venue. That’s when she was inspired to start Unfiltered with her artist friends.
“I typically surrounded myself with artists and we have a hard time selling our merchandise and getting our names out here,” she said. “When my last child left home, I knew we would start down this road [to opening out new place]…[so] we walked through the universe and went through the doors as they opened.”
She and her friends found a quaint two-floor location in Downtown Bartow along Broadway Avenue and near Main Street. After 22 months of hard work and elbow grease, they transformed it into a unique and chic business that proved to be an amalgamation of every creative art from under the sun, from furniture painting and sewing, to yoga and belly dancing.
Even in the middle of a pandemic, the sheer fact that they not only succeeded in creating their space, but drawing in people to visit it proves how much support they received from their local community.
“Bartow has always met our expectations and beyond,” Folder said. “I could have never ever opened in the middle of a pandemic and been more supportive of our community in Bartow.”
Linda Cassels-Hoffmann, who runs her art boutique Castles In The Air, is one of the many in-house artists who use Unfiltered Coffee to create and sell their art, as well as to host art classes. As a painter for 40 years, she uses her expertise to not only assist the new shop, but she also used it to help decorate the venue.
“We look at a lot of pics and put things together,” she said. “We have a mind that never stops. We don’t sleep. We wake up tired because we dream all night.”
She joined Folder when they first encountered the space that would become Unfiltered. Even as they stepped inside, they knew what they wanted to transform it into, and through their hard work, made it what it is today. Even amidst a pandemic, they were surprised by the progress they made during that time.
“It is a happy place,” she said, explaining how they want people “to see something they haven’t seen every day. This is a wonderful place that is ever-changing, something different here every day.”
Cassie Bock, the proprietor of Silver StoneWorks, is another artist in-house. True to her business’ name, she creates jewelry,mostly from sterling silver. She has been beading jewelry ever since she could remember, and silver-smithing for the past eight years.
As with most of the artists who create in the venue, they receive inspiration for the smallest of places, from flowers to leaves. Every little trinket, every small detail, hidden in the shop is another point of inspiration waiting to manifest itself into the latest creation.
“This is a very inspirational place,” she said. “It is where I get my inspiration myself…I love being with all my friends and being able to be creative. I sell jewelry and people doing classes….[I love] the serenity you feel when you come in here. It is a place to stay and hang out.”
Unfiltered Coffee.Connect.Create is located at 160 S Broadway Ave, Bartow, FL 33830. For more information, call 813-481-1234, or visit their website at: https://www.unfilteredbartow.com
