Today marks 20 years since the passing of our dear friend and colleague Firefighter/EMT Ben Lang. On this day in 2004, Polk County Fire Rescue not only suffered a great loss, but his family and friends were left devastated by this very tragic event. FF/EMT Lang was a son, grandson, friend, brother and hero.
Firefighter/EMT Lang lost his life while doing what he loved and that was helping others. He was in the back of an ambulance assisting with patient care while responding to Winter Haven Hospital. As the ambulance proceeded through the intersection of Dundee Road and Carl Floyd Road in Winter Haven, the ambulance was involved in a serious crash that immediately took the life of a fellow PCFR brother and left an everlasting scar on the hearts of many of PCFR’s members.
Today we honor the legacy of Ben, the impact he had on the Polk County community. We proudly remember Firefighter/EMT Lang’s incredible life.
We’ve got the scoop: Friday night fun and games coming up at the Medulla Resource Center in Lakeland!
For youth and families, Scoops and Scores at the Medulla Resource Center is your night to show off your skills with games and challenges for a chance to win free prizes to take home. Kids and adults can enjoy free ice cream sundaes at our ice cream bar (first come, first served) while proving they’re the best in competitive, family-themed activities.
Scoops and Scores will be Friday, Aug. 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, reach out to the Medulla Resource Center at (863) 647-4035.
Scoops and Scores Friday, Aug. 23, 6 to 8 p.m. Medulla Resource Center 1049 Parker Road, Lakeland, FL 33811
Polk County Sheriff’s Office- On this day, August 23, 2021
Deputy Sheriff Christopher Broadhead passed away as a result from Covid-19. It was determined that he likely caught the virus in the line of duty.
The Covid-19 pandemic personally touched a lot of people across the world, including our PCSO family.
While many people were able to continue their work from home, law enforcement officers didn’t have that option.
After becoming infected with the virus, Deputy Broadhead was hospitalized. Unfortunately, he never recovered.
Deputy Sheriff Christopher Broadhead was only 32-years old, and had been a deputy at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for almost ten years. He was married and was a father to two children and three stepchildren.
The start of the 2024 football season was last week and the Lake Wales Highlanders didn’t disappoint! Led by phenomenal playmakers the Highlanders dispatched the Treasure Coast Titans 23-14.
Head Coach TaVaris Johnson is going into his 11th year with the Highlanders. He has had a great run with the Highlanders and this year shouldn’t be any different. Last year the team went 12-1 with its only loss coming in the playoffs to Vanguard.
Here are a couple of highlights from last week’s game:
Winter Haven Head Coach Carl White and the Blue Devils had a bit of an up and down 2023 season going 7-4. They had blow out wins and losses early in the season before calming around October and going on a 5 game winning streak. They ultimately lost to Bartow (7-0) in the playoffs. Unfortunately they lost over 20 players from last years team including most of their playmakers, according to an article by the Lakeland Ledger.
Winter Haven will rely on Senior QB John Kustuch and a host of new receivers:
Some players to keep an eye on tonight are RB Xavier Morris and WR Anthony Smith.
We don’t do projections on Lake Wales Daily, but we will share PC Gridirons thoughts:
🏈Week 1 Forecast🏈 Lake Wales-Winter Haven ✅The trend has turned downward since the end of the 2023 season for the Devils and we don't have the answer yet as to why. ✅LW is still LW 24th straight regular season W✍️@lwhs_f@PrepRedzoneFL@football305407@Andy_Villamarzo
Once upon a time, video game adaptations were considered box office poison. From the 1993 live-action Super Mario Brosmovie to Street Fighter and BloodRayne, films based on video games were consistently never good. Not only did they fail to accurately reflect the games they were adapting, but they also failed to be proper movies in and of themselves.
However, recently, video game adaptations, both big screen and small, have seen a significant shift in quality. Both Mario and Sonic have experienced box office success with their respective movies, and Fallout has proven to be one of the best series streaming on Amazon Prime.
So, with this recent wave of video game adaptations that are actually good, one would assume the Borderlands movie, based upon the popular sci-fi first-person open-world shooter, would also be good. But does this movie live up to the hype of the AAA game it’s based upon? Or do fans need to hunt for more loot boxes until they find the treasure they’re searching for?
Borderlands is set in space within a dystopian future—specifically, on the planet Pandora. (No, not the planet from Avatar!) Legend has it that the ultimate power of the universe, created by an ancient alien species, is hidden somewhere on that planet in a location known as the Vault. An evil corporation (is there any other?) called Atlas is dead set on finding this ancient power and claiming it for itself—because money!
This is where our protagonist steps in. Lilith, a bounty hunter, is hired by Atlas to track down a young girl, Tiny Tina, who is suspected of being “the key” to locating and finding The Vault. However, rather than return Tina to the Atlas Corporation, Lilith instead decides to protect the child and track down The Vault herself.
Lilith is joined on her quest by an eclectic band of equally eccentric characters, including the robot ClapTrap, a renegade solider named Roland, and a mad scientist named Dr. Patricia Tannis. Will this ragtag group of ruffians be able to find the Vault before the evil corporation does? And in doing so, become the guardians of their galaxy?
Confession time: I have never played the Borderlands games.(I’m more of a classic gamer than a modern gamer!) The only thing I know about them is that they are a first-person shooter set in a dystopian future in space. (So, essentially, Fallout meets Mass Effect.) Also, one of the characters, Tiny Tina, is voiced by Ashly Burch, who also voices Molly McGee in Disney’s The Ghost and Molly McGee.
So, as such, I will only be reviewing this movie as a movie and not as a video game adaptation. From what I have heard from fans through online discourse, this movie is nothing like the video games. So, I will take their word for it that this is not a good adaptation of the Borderlands games.
So, how does the movie stand on its own? Eh, not great. On the one hand, the entire movie reeks of, “We have Guardians of the Galaxy at home!” But on the other hand, the movie still has some charm despite being a discount Guardians.
Let’s not kid ourselves. This movie has some real A-list actors. Cate Blanchett. Jamie Lee Curtis. Kevin Hart. Even Jack Black as the eccentric robot ClapTrap. Say what you want about their performances in this movie. But even when they’re not at their best, they’re still pretty good actors.
My personal favorite is Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina. She is a real Chaotic Neutral hell gremlin with manic pixie nightmare girl energy, a spunky little brat who can throw insults as hard as she can her own homemade explosives. She gives me real Nimona energy. (Ariana also claimed she modeled her character after Margot Robbie, so, at the very least, she makes for a good discount Harley Quinn.)
Cate Blanchett as Lilith was also a fun character. From what I could glean, while she didn’t look exactly like the video game character she was based on, she still did an excellent job playing a world-weary yet still kickass bounty hunter. Watching her pack heat and pull off some really badass moves almost made me forget this was the same woman who played Galadriel and Hela. (From what I could glean from interviews, she said she chose that role to test her limits and versatility as an actress. And, well, while not perfect, she did a good enough job.)
Of course, most of the action scenes were pretty decent, but where the movie really shined was the comedy. I didn’t make the comparison to Guardians lightly. Where this movie really works is the overall camaraderie of a reluctant ragtag team of ruffians and how they comedically bounce off of each otherthrough their witty banter and retorts. My favorite scene is where ClapTrap has to distract a mob of armed thugs, and as he does so, he blurts out a string of curse words—that he’s being told to say by Tiny Tina. (Sorry, that’s hilarious!)
Unfortunately, where the movie fails is the story. Again, I didn’t make the Guardians comparison lightly. I never played Borderlands, but the overall plot does feel like it was trying to copy Guardians’ homework, what with an evil villain trying to hunt down a cosmic McGuffin and a ragtag group of misfits trying to stop him. (Also, no spoilers, but one of the key plot points is that one of the characters is the “key” to unlocking the cosmic McGuffin. There’s a twist about that character and plot point you can see coming a mile away!)
Overall, while I cannot determine whether or not the movie does the game justice, I will take fans’ word that it doesn’t. But while the film is evidently imperfect, there’s still a sliver of good acting, witty comedy, and bombastic action scenes that will, at the very least, keep you entertained for nearly two hours. I wouldn’t recommend watching this movie in theaters, but I would say give it a chance once it comes out on streaming and rental. At the worst, it’s so bad it’s good!
Once upon a time, video game adaptations were considered box office poison. From the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros movie to Street Fighter and BloodRayne, films based on video games were consistently never good. Not only did they fail to accurately reflect the games they were adapting, but they also failed to be proper movies in and of themselves.
However, recently, video game adaptations, both big screen and small, have seen a significant shift in quality. Both Mario and Sonic have experienced box office success with their respective movies, and Fallout has proven to be one of the best series streaming on Amazon Prime.
So, with this recent wave of video game adaptations that are actually good, one would assume the Borderlands movie, based upon the popular sci-fi first-person open-world shooter, would also be good. But does this movie live up to the hype of the AAA game it’s based upon? Or do fans need to hunt for more loot boxes until they find the treasure they’re searching for?
Borderlands is set in space within a dystopian future—specifically, on the planet Pandora. (No, not the planet from Avatar!) Legend has it that the ultimate power of the universe, created by an ancient alien species, is hidden somewhere on that planet in a location known as the Vault. An evil corporation (is there any other?) called Atlas is dead set on finding this ancient power and claiming it for itself—because money!
This is where our protagonist steps in. Lilith, a bounty hunter, is hired by Atlas to track down a young girl, Tiny Tina, who is suspected of being “the key” to locating and finding The Vault. However, rather than return Tina to the Atlas Corporation, Lilith instead decides to protect the child and track down The Vault herself.
Lilith is joined on her quest by an eclectic band of equally eccentric characters, including the robot ClapTrap, a renegade solider named Roland, and a mad scientist named Dr. Patricia Tannis. Will this ragtag group of ruffians be able to find the Vault before the evil corporation does? And in doing so, become the guardians of their galaxy?
Confession time: I have never played the Borderlands games. (I’m more of a classic gamer than a modern gamer!) The only thing I know about them is that they are a first-person shooter set in a dystopian future in space. (So, essentially, Fallout meets Mass Effect.) Also, one of the characters, Tiny Tina, is voiced by Ashly Burch, who also voices Molly McGee in Disney’s The Ghost and Molly McGee.
So, as such, I will only be reviewing this movie as a movie and not as a video game adaptation. From what I have heard from fans through online discourse, this movie is nothing like the video games. So, I will take their word for it that this is not a good adaptation of the Borderlands games.
So, how does the movie stand on its own? Eh, not great. On the one hand, the entire movie reeks of, “We have Guardians of the Galaxy at home!” But on the other hand, the movie still has some charm despite being a discount Guardians.
Let’s not kid ourselves. This movie has some real A-list actors. Cate Blanchett. Jamie Lee Curtis. Kevin Hart. Even Jack Black as the eccentric robot ClapTrap. Say what you want about their performances in this movie. But even when they’re not at their best, they’re still pretty good actors.
My personal favorite is Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina. She is a real Chaotic Neutral hell gremlin with manic pixie nightmare girl energy, a spunky little brat who can throw insults as hard as she can her own homemade explosives. She gives me real Nimona energy. (Ariana also claimed she modeled her character after Margot Robbie, so, at the very least, she makes for a good discount Harley Quinn.)
Cate Blanchett as Lilith was also a fun character. From what I could glean, while she didn’t look exactly like the video game character she was based on, she still did an excellent job playing a world-weary yet still kickass bounty hunter. Watching her pack heat and pull off some really badass moves almost made me forget this was the same woman who played Galadriel and Hela. (From what I could glean from interviews, she said she chose that role to test her limits and versatility as an actress. And, well, while not perfect, she did a good enough job.)
Of course, most of the action scenes were pretty decent, but where the movie really shined was the comedy. I didn’t make the comparison to Guardians lightly. Where this movie really works is the overall camaraderie of a reluctant ragtag team of ruffians and how they comedically bounce off of each other through their witty banter and retorts. My favorite scene is where ClapTrap has to distract a mob of armed thugs, and as he does so, he blurts out a string of curse words—that he’s being told to say by Tiny Tina. (Sorry, that’s hilarious!)
Unfortunately, where the movie fails is the story. Again, I didn’t make the Guardians comparison lightly. I never played Borderlands, but the overall plot does feel like it was trying to copy Guardians’ homework, what with an evil villain trying to hunt down a cosmic McGuffin and a ragtag group of misfits trying to stop him. (Also, no spoilers, but one of the key plot points is that one of the characters is the “key” to unlocking the cosmic McGuffin. There’s a twist about that character and plot point you can see coming a mile away!)
Overall, while I cannot determine whether or not the movie does the game justice, I will take fans’ word that it doesn’t. But while the film is evidently imperfect, there’s still a sliver of good acting, witty comedy, and bombastic action scenes that will, at the very least, keep you entertained for nearly two hours. I wouldn’t recommend watching this movie in theaters, but I would say give it a chance once it comes out on streaming and rental. At the worst, it’s so bad it’s good!
Here on Cooking on the Ridge, I’ve been experimenting with various elaborate recipes, from cream cheese and bacon stuffed chicken breasts to pickle marinated ranch chicken.
However, sometimes you don’t want to prepare a meal that’s fancy, complicated, or over-the-top. Sometimes you want to make something simple and easy. (And sometimes, you want to cook something other than chicken!)
Sometimes, you don’t want to make something with a lot of flavor or fancy ingredients. Sometimes, you simply want a nice warm meal. Sometimes, you crave simple comfort food, something to make you feel better when you’re feeling down or having a bad day. (Like, for instance, your faithful dog of 11 years eventually passes away!)
So, for this week’s recipe, I opted to prepare a meal that was simple, easy to make, and overall comforting–a meal that brings back warm and happy memories of better days gone by, especially one’s childhood.
To me, two meals come to mind when I think of childhood comfort food. First, macaroni and cheese. And second, Hamburger Helper.
I loved Hamburger Helper as a kid. I loved the noodles and sauce mixed with the various seasonings to make something like spaghetti only fancier–or, at least fancy by the standards of a single-digit-old child.
Obviously, Hamburger Helper isn’t so much a recipe as it is something you make from a box. But for this article, I chose a recipe that’s close enough: American goulash.
If you think about it, American goulash is essentially a fancier version of Hamburger Helper: ground beef browned and mixed with tomato sauce, pasta, and seasoning. It’s a simple and filling meal that makes for a real emotional picker-upper.
Even better: this recipe is prepared using a slow cooker. So, all you need to do is brown the beef and dump it in along with the other ingredients into the crockpot, then set it and forget it for the rest of the day until dinner rolls around.
I admit, this recipe, while simple, managed to offer simple comfort, especially during a time when I wasn’t feeling all that comfortable. It’s a delectable form of emotional support that’s great for a rainy day–or even a not-so-rainy day!
The following recipe is from The Cookie Rookie:
Ingredients
· 2 pounds ground beef
· 1 large onion diced
· 4 garlic cloves minced
· 4 cups water
· 4 beef bouillon cubes
· 28 ounces crushed tomatoes 1 standard can
· 30 ounces petite diced tomatoes 2 15-ounce cans
· 2 tbsps Worcestershire sauce
· 3 bay leaves
· 2 tbsps Italian Seasoning
· 1 tsp salt
· 4 cups elbow macaroni
· 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
1. In a nonstick pan over medium heat, cook the ground beef until it’s no longer pink, about 7-10 minutes. Drain and add to the crockpot.
2. Add the onion, garlic, water, bouillon cubes, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, and salt. Stir well.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2 hours.
4. 30 minutes prior to serving, stir in the macaroni. Cover and cook just until the noodles are tender.
5. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the cheddar cheese.
6. Serve immediately so that the pasta does not turn mushy.
A lawyer representing Jason Penrod, whose practice at Family Elder Law closed its doors suddenly in recent weeks, has filed a petition in The Supreme Court of Florida to have Penrod’s licence to practice revoked by The Florida Bar.
The document, executed on August 8, 2024 by attorney Richard Adam Greenberg, in Tallahassee, shows Penrod as the Petitioner.
A call to The Florida Bar in July confirmed an active investigation of Penrod due to complaints.
If Penrod’s license to practice law is revoked, even at his own request, it could end the investigation by The Florida Bar as he would no longer be active and practicing attorney.
Item 5 on the petition specifically addresses, the disciplinary charges that are pending against Penrod.
“The following disciplinary charges are currently pending against the petitioner: In The Florida Bar File Nos. 2024-30, 054 (10A) and 2025-30, 066(10A), petitioner’s former associate, and an attorney representing the beneficiaries of a living trust reported that petitioner has misappropriated funds from the living trust. Petitioner also self reported that he misappropriated funds from two trusts in which he was the trustee.”
The petition also states that Penrod agrees to reimburse the Client Security Fund (CSF) for any and all funds CSF has paid or may pay out for claims resulting from the petitioners misconduct.
The document shows that Penrod also agrees to reimburse The Florida Bar $1250 for the cost incurred in his disciplinary cases.
Penrod must also submit a complete audit of any trust account or accounts, or any other accounts, in which he has the petitioner has placed client funds, if The Florida Bar requests it.
Item 13 on the petition states the following:
“Petitioner understands that the granting of this petition by The Supreme Court of Florida shall serve to dismiss all pending disciplinary cases.”
Earlier this month, the Lake Wales City Commissioners expressed an interest in purchasing the Family Elder Law building, located at 122 Tillman Ave., that was vacated by the group.
This is the document filed on August 8 as it appears:
