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Auburndale High School Student Arrested After Bringing Loaded Gun To School

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Auburndale High School Student Arrested After Bringing Loaded Gun To School

 

Auburndale High School Student Arrested After Bringing Loaded Gun to School
On Monday August 26,2019, an Auburndale High School student informed school staff that a 9th grade student, Erick Vasquez, brought a loaded handgun to school and currently had the handgun in his backpack. The Auburndale High School Resource Officer, Officer Feagle, along with additional Auburndale Police Officers made contact with 14-year old Vasquez and located a Glock 40 caliber handgun loaded with target rounds in the Vasquez’s backpack. Vasquez was arrested and transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center in Bartow, Florida.

The Auburndale Police Department commends the student for coming forth and alerting school staff in turn the police on this matter. Our Department encourages everyone, if you “See Something, Say Something”.

 

Athena Awards 2019 Honors Local Women And Organizations In Lakeland

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Athena Awards 2019 Honors Local Women And Organizations In Lakeland

Athena Awards 2019 Honors Local Women And Organizations In Lakeland

by James Coulter

When Perianne Boring, Founder and President of the Chamber of Digital Commerce, founded her organization five years ago, the blockchain-based technologies it specialized in was still a relatively new innovation. As of now, the technology is less than ten years old.

However, Boring and her company have accomplished big things within the past year to further their mission to promote the acceptance and use of blockchain-based technologies and other digital assets. To date, they work with some of the world’s leading innovators, including Microsoft, IBM, and NASDAQ.

Her accomplishments have allowed Boring the honor of being named one of America’s Top 50 Women in Tech by Forbes and one of the 10 Most Influential People in Blockchain by CoinDesk. Through it all, she has realized that there is no dream too big that a small person such as herself cannot accomplish.

“Don’t let anyone tell you that you cannot achieve your goal. Who is anyone in this world to tell you what you can or cannot do, or to stand in your way?” she said. “It is the people who are crazy enough to believe they can change the world who do.”

Boring shared her life story and accomplishments, along with her words of wisdom, during her keynote speech at the 2019 ATHENA Awards, hosted by the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.

The annual awards ceremony was hosted at Haus 820 in Downtown Lakeland. The awards honor local women and women-led businesses and organizations for their accomplishments in their community through service, entrepreneurship, and their support of other women.

Started in 1982 by the Lansing, Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the ATHENA Awards program have been hosted in more than 375 US cities. Since their inception, the awards have honored more than 8,500 women and men for their services.

This year’s awards and recipients honored that evening were as follows:

Athena Organizational Leadership Award: Top Buttons

Like most women interested in the fashion industry, Sarah Powers wants other women to look and appear the best that they can be; however, her organization seeks to allow them to do that without having to sacrifice their personal values to meet worldly standards.

Powers brings with her 18 years of experience teaching young people, both men and women, the importance of self-worth and purpose through mentoring, teaching, and management and leadership skills.

Using that experience, in 2012 she created Top Buttons, a faith-based non-profit organization dedicated to empowering young women with leadership skills and values while allowing them to gain experience in fashion.

She founded her organization, according to the awards program, “with a passion to encourage young women to know their value in Christ and to present it to the world without compromise,” providing them with fashion resources that “filter out the unnecessary sexually-related material that is commonly associated with the fashion industry.”

Athena Young Proffesional Leadership Award: Laura Lear

Laura Lear has a big heart towards helping people within her local community, whether it’s through her day job as a financial advisor for Edward Jones, or as a volunteer through several local organizations.

She moved to Lakeland in 2011 after being transferred from her original work location outside of Chicago. Since then, she has been heavily involved with her local community. To date, she has served within SPCA Florida, Hospice Women of Giving through Good Shepherd, and Estate Planning Council of Polk County.

As honored as she was to receive this award, she humbly confessed how she felt that there were many more women in the room more deserving of it than her, and that each and every one should be honored just as much.

“I truly get up and go to work every day and give back to the community and supporting other women and developing other women, and it is not because I won an award, it is just because of who I am,” she said. “I truly want to say thank you to everyone in this room and this community, and I just want to say that you all are just as deserving as me.”

Athena Leadership Award: Anna Wood

Anna Wood has dedicated her life to the pursuit of knowledge and the utilization of that knowledge to help her fellow man and woman within her local community.

She received her education in international business through her bachelors from Lynn University and her masters from the University of Miami, as well as executive studies from Harvard University, University of Florida, Florida State University, and Disney University.

Through the education she has received, as well as the values tempered into her through her family, Wood has shared her knowledge with others through teaching and mentoring STEM. She has even served on several national committees to help develop debris management protocols post 9/11.

“Wood’s success is a beautiful blend of her parent’s well-calibrated, guiding, moral compass, her late husband’s wisdom, and industry knowledge illuminating her path, and the support of friends and colleagues,” the program states.

Upon receiving her award, Wood mentioned how speechless she was to receive it, holding back tears as she did so. She mentioned how she managed to reach this far in her life because of the help and support of her family, including her late husband.

“My life has been a mosaic of many, many people, experiences,” she said. “My husband helped me a great deal. He was my mentor, my lover, my friend, my everything, and thanks to him, I was able to penetrate the industry. It was very difficult to do as a female. I never saw boundaries, I only saw opportunities.”

Haines City High School Student Arrested for Setting Bathroom On Fire

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Haines City High School Student Arrested for Setting Bathroom On Fire

 

Haines City Police Department Press Release:

HAINES CITY, FL – A 16-year-old Haines City High School student was arrested Thursday and taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center for starting a fire at a school bathroom Wednesday afternoon.

Justin Darnell Williams is being charged with arson and disruption of a school function after setting a portion of the boys’ bathroom on fire about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday – a half-hour before dismissal. The fire alarm was activated and students were evacuated.

School administrators used extinguishers to put out the fire. The Haines City Fire Department assisted.

There were no injuries.

During the investigation, it was learned that Williams was skipping class at the time of the incident and was in the boys’ bathroom for about eight minutes before evacuating during the fire. Williams told detectives that he started the fire as a prank and had no intentions of harming anyone.

“We’re grateful that no one was hurt, but this so-called prank could have had serious ramifications,” Chief Jim Elensky said. “Any incident that endangers the lives of our students, educators and school staff will be fully investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I applaud our officers and detectives for their quick work in this case.”

 

Only Minor Injuries In Crash Involving Police Officer and Landing a Truck in Lake Silver

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Only Minor Injuries In Crash Involving Police Officer and Landing a Truck in Lake Silver

Only Minor Injuries In Crash Landing a Truck in Lake Silver

On 8-22-19 at approximately 8:23 p.m., Winter Haven Police Officer DeJesus (D.J.) Martinez was traveling in his 2013 marked Chevy Impala heading northbound on Lake Silver Dr. NE.  As Officer Martinez approached Ave. K NE, a 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche, driven by 71 year-old James McGee of Winter Haven turned south onto Lk Silver Dr. from Ave. K NE directly into Officer Martinez’s path. Both drivers sustained minor injuries.

Officer Martinez was unable to avoid the truck and hit the driver’s side of McGee’s vehicle causing both vehicles to travel over the southbound lanes towards the lake. McGee’s truck continued over the sidewalk traveling down the embankment and into the lake. A passerby ran over and assisted McGee out of the truck before it completely submerged into the water. Officer Martinez’s vehicle stopped on the sidewalk before entering the lake. Both vehicles sustained heavy damage.

McGee was cited for Failure to Yield at an Intersection.

Two Men Arrested for Aiming a Laser-Light into a PSCO Helicopter Flying Overhead

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Two Men Arrested for Aiming a Laser-Light into a PSCO Helicopter Flying Overhead
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested two men early Thursday morning, August 22, 2019, after one of the men aimed a laser-light into a PCSO helicopter that was flying overhead.
At about 3:55 a.m., the helicopter was flying over Recker Highway in Auburndale when a laser light shined into the cockpit twelve times, including one time where the light directly struck the pilot’s eyes.
“If a pilot is wearing night vision assistance while flying, the laser light gets magnified, and can seriously injure his or her eyes. Aiming lasers at aircraft is reckless and dangerous. Not only does it put the lives of everyone in the aircraft in danger, it also endangers people on the ground should that aircraft crash. Fortunately, our pilot was not injured” – Grady Judd, Sheriff.
A flight observer riding in the helicopter was able to see the man who was shining the light and relayed a description and location to patrol units on the ground.
Deputies located the man and his companion at 340 Recker Highway.
33-year-old John Marsh of Auburndale was arrested and charged withUnlawful Use of a Laser Light Device (F3). Marsh also had an active warrant for Violation of Probation for Petit Theft.
Marsh has a prior criminal history consisting of nine felonies and ten misdemeanors to include: Grand Theft, Carjacking, Aggravated Assault, Battery (3), Possession of Methamphetamine (6), Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Paraphernalia (2).
Marsh’s companion, 33-year-old David Dade of Tampa, was arrested on a warrant out of Hillsborough County for Failure to Appear for Possession of Controlled Substance.

Bank Of Central Florida Opens New South Florida Avenue Location With Ribbon Cutting

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Bank Of Central Florida Opens New South Florida Avenue Location With Ribbon Cutting

Bank Of Central Florida Opens New South Florida Avenue Location With Ribbon Cutting

by James Coulter

Both old and new clients will have an easier time parking and making deposits thanks to the amenities provided at the new facility for Bank of Central Florida in Lakeland.

Located along Main Street and South Florida Avenue, Bank of Central Florida’s new facility provides a more spacious parking area, providing more parking opportunities for its clients.

The new facility also offers a convenient drive-through area where clients can make deposits and withdrawals easily without having to leave the comfort of their vehicle, and they can more easily pull out of the facility through the back entrance.

Paul Noris, Chairman, CEO, and President of Bank of Central Florida in Lakeland, mentioned how he and his team had selected their new location due to its convenient location along South Florida Avenue, along with the additional amenities for parking and drive-through banking.

“The reason that we did this was because of dedicated parking, drive-through facility, so we think it would be a great opportunity for our clients to get service even better,” Noris said.

Since opening in 2007, the bank has been in growth mode, which made their expansion and relocation all the more convenient. Their growth over the past decade he attributes to their loyal customers, and he expects his business to continue growing and serving customers into the near future.

“We do a good job taking care of our clients,” he said. “That is our primary focus, that is why we exist, and so we are doing a great job of that and the bank is earning money.”

Bank of Central Florida celebrated the grand opening of their new facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday afternoon.

Mayor Bill Mutz, who, as always, cut the ribbon for the ceremony, mentioned how the new building provided a convenient location downtown for local residents, especially through its parking.

“When we think of cornerstone entities in our city, this is one of them. Both the ownership as well as the board…so we are very grateful for the city for this expansion, as well as to be able to park downtown,” he said.

Will Link, Vice Chair of the Chamber Board, commended the bank for its service to both its customers and to the local community, all of which had allowed the business to thrive for as long as it has.

“You provide your clients with customer service, you provide them also to your community through your financial support of programs and initiatives,” he said. “I cannot think of a board in this town that isn’t meaningfully supported by your bank, and thank you so much for that.”

Bank of Central Florida is located at 724 Florida Ave S, Lakeland, FL 33801. For more information, call 863-682-7100, https://www.bankofcentralflorida.com/

Humane Society Of Polk County Clears The Shelter For Fifth Year

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Humane Society Of Polk County Clears The Shelter For Fifth Year

Humane Society Of Polk County Clears The Shelter For Fifth Year

by James Coulter

Sharon Cox, a Winter Haven resident, is a foster parent. She wanted to give her foster children a dog as a pet. Since they are young and rambunctious, she wanted an older dog that could better adapt to children.

On Saturday, she was able to find the perfect animal that was just right for them during the fifth annual Clear the Shelter adoption event at the Humane Society of Polk County.

Sharon adopted Zoey, a mix between a Labrador retriever and German shepherd. As Zoey was a much older dog, Sharon felt that she would be able to live with children better, she said.

“It is a good experience,” she said of the event. “I think it is a very good event. They were great, no complaints.”

The Humane Society of Polk County joined other shelters nationwide in celebrating their annual Clear The Shelter adoption event. Sponsored in part by Telemundo/NBC, the event helps provide their animals with good homes with adoption fees at reduced rates on Saturday.

The event that day drew in a large crowd earlier in the morning, with the shelter being packed with potential adoptees. So many people arrived earlier that morning that vehicles had to be directed towards the overflow parking area behind their building, explained Lisa Baker, Humane Society Executive Director.

By noon that day, the shelter had facilitated countless adoptions, especially of cats. All of their kittens had been adopted that day, leaving only a few adults cats and dogs, Baker said.

“I love seeing the animals go home to a good home,” she said.

Since 2015, The Humane Society of Polk County has been operating from their facility along Dundee Road in Winter Haven. Their eco-friendly building includes solar panels that power the LED lighting, which in turn cuts down on their heat and electricity usage.

Their eco-friendly building also utilizes a well-water system that provides potable water for their bathrooms and for cleaning their animal areas. Overall, their water system uses one-quarter of the water used in their old facility.

“We are trying to reduce the cost that we have running the facility,” Baker said. “So when you donate, that money is going back to animals, rather than to run the facility.”

Paige Arnold, a care technician at the facility, loves events such as this, as it helps them to give good homes to the animals they take care of there. She herself was happy to see one particular dog, a dachshund named Ford, find a good home. The little pup had been shy and attached when he arrived at the shelter. Now he finally has a good home to go to, Arnold said.

“So I am super thrilled with that,” she said. “One of my favorite dogs got adopted, so I am super pleased with that…[a]nd we were able to get him to go home with the best lady ever to love, adore, and spoil him. That is what he needed.”

As the care technician and veterinary assistant at the shelter, it is her job to help the animals there get adjusted to shelter life, to ensure that their stay there as comfortable as possible. There is nothing that she loves more than to see these animals finally receive a good home.

“I just love my job,” she said. “I love helping animals, and I love helping people find that perfect fit for their family, and seeing the animal and people as they get to leave.”

Their new facility there helps facilitate their stay, as they are able to be contained in more comfortable holding areas with larger space. This allows them to be happier, which makes potential adoptees happier to see them, she said.

“There is more space, and it also feels homier, and also help people feel that these animals look happier so that people can adopt a happier looking animal,” she said.

Brew Hounds Sports Lounge Celebrates 10 Years “Always Among Friends”

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Brew Hounds Sports Lounge Celebrates 10 Years “Always Among Friends”

Brew Hounds Sports Lounge Celebrates 10 Years “Always Among Friends”

by James Coulter

Brew Hounds Sports Lounge in Auburndale has been open for 10 years. Tony Trotti, a local artist, has been speed painting for 30 years. So what better way for both to celebrate their respective anniversaries than for Trotti to speed paint a portrait of Elvis Presley?

In the time it took to play Presley’s hit song “Hound Dog”—two minutes and 25 seconds exactly!—Trotti speed painted a portrait of the King himself during the anniversary celebration at Brew Hounds in Auburndale on Saturday afternoon.

The most interesting part? He did all of this painting upside down.

“Normally, when I come out to do events, I do them upside down to keep people in suspense, because they guess them too quick if I do them right-side up,” he explained.

Brew Hounds has been a long-time supporter of Trotti and his art; while Trotti has long enjoyed the quaint atmosphere of the local sports bar. So it only made sense that the two would celebrate their respective anniversaries together, and all while raising funds and awareness for the Humane Society of Polk County.

“I love the atmosphere,” he said. “It has been a while since I have been involved with this event where my paintings are a feature for celebrating anniversaries, so [it is] a great community involvement…[and] it is a great community atmosphere painting for several good causes.”

Brew Hounds Sports Lounge in Auburndale celebrated 10 years “Always Among Friends” during its anniversary celebration on Saturday.

Hundreds of attendees arrived during the celebration throughout the afternoon, with the festivities starting at 1 p.m. and continuing on until the wee hours of 1 a.m.

For this special event, the indoors area of the bar remained a smoke-free environment, where attendees could listen to live music from performers such as Acoustic Dose and Almost There.

Outside, attendees could engage in fun activities such as cornhole and Jenga, as well as enjoy freshly-cooked barbecue as prepared by the award-winning barbecue team, Kickin Your Butt BBQ.

Ray Conlon, Owner of Kickin Your Butt BBQ, has been running his team for the past nine years, and will be opening their first takeout service later this year.

As a frequent visitor of Brew Hounds, Conlon loves the local establishment, and was more than honored to serve barbecue for the big anniversary celebration. Their brisket especially proved popular that day.

“I hope everyone eats well, fills up, and enjoys their time,” he said. “We are just going to go for the gusto, enjoy ourselves, and live life, living the dream. This is my favorite home bar, it is the only place I go, I go here all the time, the atmosphere is really comfortable, friendly.”

Skip Jacobs, co-owner of Brew Hounds, received the idea to open his own bar after moving from Atlanta. As someone who worked in advertising, he was having a hard time looking for a job within his industry.

His business partner, who moved from Palm Beach, was likewise looking for something to do. The two of them eventually met up, expressed their desire for a local bar where they could strike up a conversation, and the rest, they say, was history.

On August 20, 2009, they opened Brew Hounds in Auburndale. They had chosen the city for their location, as their hometown of Winter Haven was already oversaturated with bars. In two and a half years, they quickly outgrew their original location, and opened up their new one along Havendale Boulevard.

For the past ten years, their local clientele and customer base have allowed them to remain popular and successful over the past decade. Jacobs himself knows many people who have been with the bar since the first year, the first week, and even the very first day.

“Even today we had someone here with a one-year anniversary shirt that I autographed ten years ago; and as of today, I signed it again for our ten-year anniversary,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs remains more than confident that his establishment will continue on for another ten years. If they have to relocate to meet their growing demand, so be it. But they plan on staying where they are for as long as they can, he said.

“We love Auburndale, we don’t want to change our vicinity at all, we love the people here, and we love the loyalty,” he said. “The quote, ‘always around friends’ has come out of the mouth of those who come in here, and they are connected with the friends that they have made, and they have been with us for many years, for creating an establishment where they can all get along and have a good time.”

Brew Hounds Sports Lounge is located at 318 Havendale Blvd, Auburndale, FL 33823. For more information, call 863-967-2739, or visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/brewhounds863/

8th Positive Case of Rabies for Polk County Found in Frostproof

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8th Positive Case of Rabies for Polk County Found in Frostproof
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Section confirmed this week the 8th positive rabies case in Polk County for the year.
 
On Sunday, August 18, 2019, a resident on CR 630 West in Frostproof reported she found a bat in her family’s yard. Polk County Animal Control impounded the bat and sent it for rabies testing. It was confirmed positive for rabies on August 20, 2019. This is the 8th positive rabies case for Polk County this year.
“Please call Polk County Animal Control immediately if you find a diseased or injured animal such as a bat, fox, or raccoon, in your neighborhood. Do not interact with it. Luckily it doesn’t appear this family actually touched this diseased bat, but they are in contact with the Department of Health due to their exposure, as a precaution.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

Gas Leak in Area of Crossroads BLVD Just Off Crump Rd Near Country Club Rd Winter Haven

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Gas Leak in Area of Crossroads BLVD Just Off Crump Rd Near Country Club Rd Winter Haven

Residents in the area of Crossroads Blvd. just off Crump Rd near Country Club Rd are asked to stay inside of their homes due to a gas leak in the area of 1810 Crossroads Blvd.
Central Florida Gas is enroute and further information will be released as it becomes available.
Right now, roadways in the area are shut down out of an abundance of caution.

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