Eugenio Jesus Otero-Rojas November 30th, 1980 – August 18th, 2024
In Loving Memory of Eugenio Jesus Otero-Rojas
Eugenio Jesus Otero-Rojas, 43, of Winter Haven, Florida passed away August 18, 2024 in Jacksonville, FL . He was born on November 30, 1980 in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico to Eugenio Otero-Vasquez and Margarita Rojas-Sevilla.
Eugenio is survived by: son Joshua Otero-Agosto, daughter Shassary Otero, son Victor Otero, son Jhayden Otero, daughter Khalezya Otero, grandsons Nazareth Otero and Niahndiel Otero, sisters Maria Otero, Rosa Moore, Elizabeth Otero, Iris Otero and Yolanda Otero and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by: father Eugenio Otero-Vasquez, brothers Noel Otero and Victor Otero, sister Eugenia Otero and nephew Hector Montanez-Otero.
Eugenio loved to listen to and make music, loved animals and the ocean.
Marshall Scott Smith departed this earth to be with his Heavenly Father on the morning of Sunday, September 1st at his home.
Scott, as he was known by his family and friends, was born on February 10, 1934, at his family’s home in Lake Wales, Florida. He attended local schools where he was a natural athlete, excelling in many sports. He was also an avid water skier in his free time and was a member of the National Guard. At an early age, Scott met Carolyn Shelley, also of Lake Wales, and the two spent 63 wonderful years together while also raising their only child, Marshall “Scott” Smith, Jr., in the Lake Wales community.
Scott began his long career as an instrument technician for what is now The Mosaic Company, continuing to work in that field for 57 years. At the time of his retirement, he had the most seniority of any employee at the company and Mosaic honored him for this by naming a road after him. In his free time, Scott developed a keen skill for knife making and enjoyed this hobby for several decades. In 1975, he entered the Lake Wales Art Show and won the Award of Merit for his Bicentennial Knife. He also enjoyed hunting and shooting throughout his life. Later in life, he took up sporting clays where he competed in numerous tournaments throughout the state, including The Senior Games of Polk County, and was very successful.
Soctt is preceded in death by his parents, Chester “Scott” and Eddie Lou Smith, and his late sister, Grace McCann. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn, his son Marshall “Scott” Smith, Jr., daughter-in-law, Jill, and three grandchildren – Marshall “Scott” Smith III (wife, Kaitlyn), Julie Smith Sullivan (husband, Brian), and Jonathan David Smith.
A graveside service will be held at Lake WalesCemetery, Friday, September 6, at 11 AM.
Free Empowering Seniors Seminar coming up on September 20, 2024 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event will take place at Life Care Center of Winter Haven.
1510 Cypress Gardens Blvd
Winter Haven, FL 33880
There will be guest speakers and free lunch will also be provided.
On the afternoon of September 3, 2024 Winter Haven Police Department responded to a single vehicle crash in Winter Haven.
The crash occurred around 1:00 p.m. at 1004 Lake Howard Drive SW in Winter Haven.
We reached out to Jamie Brown, Winter Haven Police Department’s Public Information Officer (PIO) regarding the incident, and she advised that ultimately the truck (pictured) experienced equipment failure.
The driver was leaving the parking lot where Caribbean Bay is located and as the driver started to turn, the accelerator stuck and propelled him to the barrier where the truck landed.
There was very minimal damage to the truck and no injuries. There was no noticeable damage to the barrier either.
According to authorities, impairment doesn’t seem to be a factor.
The 2024 Lake Wales Ducks Unlimited dinner will be held at The Sugar Barn on Thursday, September 26.
The vision of Ducks Unlimited is wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever.
Ducks Unlimited plans to achieve its vision through diverse public and private partnerships to address the full range of factors that continue to erode waterfowl habitat across North America.
DU is a grassroots, volunteer-based organization. Its members are conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts who live primarily throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.
DU volunteers host more than 4,000 grassroots fundraising events annually, such as member and sponsor banquets, shooting and fishing tournaments, and golf outings. Event dollars represent some of DU’s most important sources of revenue. Since event dollars are typically unrestricted, DU is able to spend these funds in the highest priority areas and use them to leverage additional funds from other sources.
Corporate tables and single tickets are available in a variety of price ranges.
The Sugar Barn is located at 9505 Camp Mack Rd, Lake Wales. The event will be held from 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM. The event includes dinner and an auction/raffle.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office – Today’s #WarrantOfTheDay is 53 yo John Sturgeon of Winter Haven, caught on a victim’s dash camera during an attack.
Around 5:45 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024*, the victim was heading westbound on Tindel Camp Road approaching Scenic Hwy in the Dundee/Lake Wales area, behind Sturgeon (who the victim did not know) when Sturgeon stopped a distance away from the stop sign and aggressively approached the victim’s car. Sturgeon grabbed the victim’s hands and then punched the victim in the face.
When deputies asked what might have provoked the victim, the victim said he had waved at the suspect and commented that he had a nice car.
When deputies went to Sturgeon’s home in Terranova, Winter Haven, he was not there. We have issued a warrant for his arrest for battery. He is a white male with tattoos, 5’9″ tall, 260 lbs., with dark hair and eyes.
If you have information on John Sturgeon’s whereabouts, please contact PCSO at 863-298-6200.
If you wish to remain anonymous, contact Heartland Crime Stoppers in one of four ways:
*CALL 1-888-400 TIPS (8477) *DIAL **TIPS from your cell phone *VISIT the website www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com and click on “Submit A Tip,” *DOWNLOAD the free “P3tips” app on your smartphone or tablet.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office – Today’s #WarrantOfTheDay is 53-year-old John Sturgeon of Winter Haven, caught on a victim’s dash camera during an attack.
Around 5:45 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024*, the victim was heading westbound on Tindel Camp Road approaching Scenic Hwy in the Dundee/Lake Wales area, behind Sturgeon (who the victim did not know) when Sturgeon stopped a distance away from the stop sign and aggressively approached the victim’s car. Sturgeon grabbed the victim’s hands and then punched the victim in the face.
When deputies asked what might have provoked the victim, the victim said he had waved at the suspect and commented that he had a nice car.
When deputies went to Sturgeon’s home in Terranova, Winter Haven, he was not there. We have issued a warrant for his arrest for battery. He is a white male with tattoos, 5’9″ tall, 260 lbs., with dark hair and eyes.
John Sturgeon/ PCSO video
If you have information on John Sturgeon’s whereabouts, please contact PCSO at 863-298-6200.
If you wish to remain anonymous, contact Heartland Crime Stoppers in one of four ways:
*CALL 1-888-400 TIPS (8477) *DIAL **TIPS from your cell phone *VISIT the website www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com and click on “Submit A Tip,” *DOWNLOAD the free “P3tips” app on your smartphone or tablet.
A bigger city budget with an emphasis on revitalization through Lake Wales Connected will be on the table for review with its first reading this evening at 6pm.
Lake Wales City Commissioners will be voting on the first reading of next fiscal year’s budget at their regular meeting and budget workshop tonight. They previously reviewed the proposed budget during their CRA and city commission workshops last week.
The budget is projected to have a millage rate of 7.0462 mills, which is the current year rolled-back rate, and a total balance of $107,822,344.
The general fund revenue is estimated to see an increase of $2,912,842. This increase is due to an increase in ad valorem tax ($209,537) and sales tax ($581,000), as well as an increase in licenses, permits, intergovernmental revenues, and other miscellaneous revenue.
Meanwhile, general fund expenditures are estimated to be $22,807,877, which is $2,152,788 more than last year’s budget. This increase is due to an increase in various governmental services.
Most notably, the city has experienced an increase in public safety expenses of $1,270,893 mainly due to personnel costs for police ($745,899) fire, ($192,550), and code enforcement ($31,085).
Finance Director Dorothy Abbott wrote that next year’s budget will include various projects with an emphasis on implementing the “award-winning” Lake Wales Connected plan, which will “include affordable housing construction, housing rehabilitation, development incentives, and capital construction.”
Several significant projects include $750,000 for city street resurfacing, $150,000 for streetlight improvements, and $150,000 for restriping designated city streets.
Other notable projects include:
• $896,593 for the T Hangar and Taxi Lane B rehabilitation at the city’s airport.
• $200,000 toward road rehabilitation in the Lake Wales Cemetery.
• Extensions to the water transmission mains to newly developed areas of the city.
• Construction of the Crystal Lake Park North Trail segment, which will tie into the Park Avenue Connector Trail and create a full recreational trail loop around Crystal Lake.
• $400,000 to complete the athletic field lighting at the soccer complex in addition to other improvements.
The Lake Wales City Commission will be hosting its budget workshop and regular meeting this evening on Wed. Sep. 3 at 6 PM at City Hall, located at 201 W. Central Ave., Lake Wales, FL 33853.
Anne Louise Venter of Lake Wales passed away Friday, September 2, 2024, at her residence.
She was born May 27, 1954 in Indianapolis, Indiana to the late Virgil and Sarah Venter, and was a loving daughter who looked after her parents for many years in Frostproof.
Anne moved to Lake Wales from Frostproof in 1996. She was a market research analyst and was of the Lutheran faith. Anne is survived by her brother, Paul Venter.
