Around 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 22nd, we received information that a known wanted suspect, 45-year-old Matthew Bruce Coleman, was in the area of West Socrum Loop Road in Lakeland. In addition to his active warrant, he is well-known to law enforcement as a suspect in other crimes, and is considered to be armed and dangerous. The U.S. Marshals Service has been assisting PCSO in looking for him. The tip we received last night was that he was armed and threatening to injure any law enforcement officers who came looking for him.
When deputies arrived at the location, several witnesses reported that Coleman was possibly in a backyard shed. The deputies announced their presence, and were immediately confronted with several gunshots in their direction, coming out of the shed. Nobody was injured. Deputies established a perimeter and communications with Coleman, who repeatedly refused to surrender. The PCSO SWAT and Crisis Negotiations teams responded to the scene but eventually he ceased all communication with law enforcement. A chemical agent was introduced into the shed, after which time deputies made entry and found Coleman deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He had two loaded handguns in the shed with him, along with several spent shell casings.
At approximately 8:56 this morning, Polk County Fire Rescue received a call about a traffic collision on Hwy. 60 eastbound and Seventh Street in Lake Wales.
According to Troy Schultz, Deputy Chief of the Lake Wales Police Department, a vehicle turning onto Highway 60 eastbound from Seventh Street violated the right of way and entered the roadway on 60, causing the collision.
Two individuals have minor injuries, and are currently being assessed by EMS workers at the crash site. At least one eastbound lane is blocked at this time.
There is a backup of traffic in the area. Please proceed with caution as EMS and law-enforcement assesses the two patients and works to clear the scene.
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!
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is currently on scene of a barricaded suspect in the area of N Socrum Loop Rd.
According to Carrie Horstman, Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) Public Information Officer, deputies went to serve a warrant on suspect. He is now barricaded inside some type of structure (at this time PCSO has not clarified if it’s a house, garage or a shed type building). The incident began around 8:30pm according to Horstman.
The PCSO SWAT team is staging at near the scene. It was unclear if the suspect had shot at deputies, but details will be released shortly. Suspect is considered armed and very dangerous. The suspect does not have any hostage. He is believed to be barricaded by himself.
A large law enforcement presence is in the area and have a perimeter set up around the suspect.
This is a developing story and we will update as information becomes available!
Approximately 4:11 PM this evening, Polk County Fire Rescue received a call regarding the traffic collision at Highway 27 S. and Alturas Babson Park Cut-Off Rd.
The on-call Polk County Fire Rescue Public Information Officer advises that one patient was transported.
The on-call Polk County Sheriff’s Office PIO advises that southbound lane was obstructed at the time of the crash. Lake Wales Daily could not confirm how many vehicles were involved, or whether the scene has been cleared. Please continue to drive with caution.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a Firearms Safety Course/Concealed Weapons Class on Saturday, September 7th, from 8:00 am – Noon. If registration for the class fills up, a second afternoon class will be added for 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm.
RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW for September 7th – CALL 863-298-6242.
Cost of the class is $45; proceeds go to Polk Sheriff’s Charities, Inc., and the cost is non-refundable.
This class fulfills the requirements by the FL Department of Agriculture need to obtain a concealed weapons permit. Even though permitless-carry in Florida went into effect in 2023, there are still benefits to having a permit (reciprocity in states which don’t allow for concealed carry without a permit, and permit holders are exempt from the 3-day waiting period when purchasing new firearms).
Any questions about the CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, please call Sergeant Bennett or Sergeant Caratsole at the PCSO Training Section at 863-534-7200, during normal office hours.
YOU MUST CALL 863-298-6242, during normal business hours (Mon-Fri, 8-5) to reserve your seat. When you call, you will be given further instruction about where to go for the training.*
*we will have handguns available for the hands-on portion of the course, but we prefer you bring your own if possible.
The Bartow City Commission voted at their regular meeting on Monday to construct a new municipal aquatics center at the City’s Civic Center, located at
2250 S. Floral Ave. The decision followed a months-long process of information gathering that included multiple Commission Workshops, a Community meeting and survey of residents and business owners.
The Civic Center is the site of the City’s old pool, which was closed several years ago due to infrastructure and mechanical issues. That pool will be filled in to accommodate a more modern aquatics center design that will include additional amenities.
The more than 960 residents who responded to the survey and the 50 individuals who attended the Community meeting were overwhelmingly in favor of the Civic Center location.
Construction of the aquatics center, which will include a main pool with six 25-yard exercise lanes, a zero-depth entry children’s pool with play structures, a splash pad with interactive water features, a shaded event pavilion and the necessary pump and filter equipment, will cost approximately $3.93 million.
Annual operating expenses are expected to amount to nearly $500,000. The construction costs will be taken from the City’s reserve funds.
Construction is projected to begin next summer with the center opening to the public in July or August of 2026.
As the sun began to break the darkness on the rainy and windy morning of August 6, 2024, the winds of God ushered the spirit of Rev. Glen Barnes into Heaven.
Glen was born on May 9, 1943 in Binghamton, New York. In 1961 he graduated high school and went on to earn a degree in Religious Education from Practical Bible Training School in Johnson City, New York. It was during this time Glen met the love of his life, Mary Louise Kenneson and they married on August 9, 1969.
Glen was ordained into ministry in 1988 with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Glen and Mary’s love was a testament to their deep abiding faith, as was evident in their nightly prayers, serving as a pastoral couple for 28 years. Pastor Glen and Mary gave themselves to the church, family, friends, and community. None more than God. Even after he “retired” from serving as lead pastor, he served as the hands and feet of Jesus for 14 years in the Polk County Sheriff’s Office as a Detention Support Specialist, where he was recognized for his loyal and dedicated service. He also volunteered with Youth for Christ Juvenile Jail Ministries.
Glen is survived by his loving wife of almost 55 years, Mary Louise (Kenneson) Barnes; daughter Debby (Barnes) Gerl and her husband Mark, grandsons Nathan Gerl and Daniel Gerl, step-sister Linda Johnson and her family, half brothers Michael Barnes, David Barnes and their families, half sister Patti Barnes and her family, as well as several nieces and nephews, other family members, and friends. He was preceded in death by his biological mother and father, Mae and Wilbur Barnes, step mother Lina Barnes, adoptive mother and father Anna and Arthur Faulkner, two brothers, and three sisters.
A memorial service is being held on Friday, August 30th, at 6:00 p.m. at Winter Haven Nazarene Church. Contributions in Glen’s memory may be made to Winter Haven Nazarene Church or Youth for Christ
JC Reviews: Harold and the Purple Crayon is Creatively Uncreative
by James Coulter
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Confession time: I never read Harold and the Purple Crayon. However, from what I can glean from it, the story is a classic tale of a young boy with a big imagination and a small purple crayon that can bring his big ideas to life.
With this classic children’s storybook selling nearly 10,000 copies since its publication in 1955, adaptations for the big and small screen seemed inevitable. Most notably, an animated children’s series was created for HBO Family in the early 2000s.
A proper big-screen adaptation had been in production hell since the 1990s. Sony Pictures had originally planned on adapting the story into an animated film in the 2010s. However, that movie was inevitably shelved.
Now, nearly a decade later, Sony has finally released a live-action film starring Zachary Levi. But was this theatrical adaptation of a beloved children’s storybook worth the wait? Or should we have waited for a better movie? (Spoiler: it’s the latter!)
Harold and the Purple Crayon, as the title suggests, is about a young boy named Harold who has a purple crayon that can bring any drawing to life. With it, he creates his friends, Moose and Porcupine, along with an entire world of pure purple imagination, with his life story narrated by someone affectionately known as the “old man.”
Years pass, the young boy grows up into a man, and the “old man” narrating his story eventually stops. Curious as to why, Harold and his friends venture into the real world to find his “old man.” Hijinks ensue! Will his hijinks lead Harold to his old man? Or will it lead him into a world of trouble?
Again, I never read the original story. However, from what I can tell, it’s a beloved children’s storybook about the boundless potential of imagination and creativity. Sadly, its film adaptation lacks both.
Stop me if you’ve heard this story before: a man grows up living a magical yet sheltered lifestyle. He ventures into the real world. His childlike innocence and naivety make him both awe-struck by this “new world” yet also incapable of navigating its many complexities. He fools around in a department store. He falls in love with a woman. And he helps a young boy overcome his bullies.
If this plot synopsis reminds you of 2003’s Elf, congrats on having watched a much better movie than this one. By all means, just watch Elf and you’ll have a much better time than watching Harold and the Purple Crayon.
Again, for a film based on a children’s story about creativity, this movie evidently lacks it. This is a story about a boy with a crayon who can draw anything. It could have been a ground-breaking movie about the limitless power of imagination and what it’s capable of (something akin to The Lego Movie). Instead, what we got was a movie that rehashes tired tropes and plots from better movies.
Even Zachary Levi’s casting as the titular adult Harold seems to lean heavily on his previous performance as Shazam. As one review on The Movie Cricket wrote: “Levi relies on the same shtick he used in two Shazam movies, playing the clueless man-child with incredible powers, but the routine is getting old.”
Actually, having brought up Elf earlier, that’s another bugbear for me. The problem isn’t even that this movie is about a grown man with the mind of a child. Both Elf and 1988’s Big used that concept. The problem is, both of those movies used that concept well.
Both Elf and Big used the adult man’s childlike innocence to help bring life to a boring adult world. Buddy helped revitalize the Christmas spirit for people who had lost it. Josh helped bring child-like wonder to a toy industry that had lost it.
Ideally, Harold should have been a movie about a man whose boundless creativity and imagination bring life to a boring, modern world that had all but lost it. And the film certainly thinks it’s about that. It does the bare minimum by helping a boy defeat his bullies and his mother drop her dead-end job to fulfill her lost dream of playing piano. But overall, the movie fails to live up to either its promise or its premise.
Honestly, this movie was cringe and bad enough and would have easily been a middling two stars. However, what ruined the movie for me was one thing: the villain.
Apparently, the ideal antagonist for a movie based on a story about imagination and creativity is the author of a fantasy story. Oh, but it’s okay because he’s a “failed author” whose work is highly derivative of Tolkien and other fantasy stories. Oh, and he’s a librarian, too! (Again, an ideal villain for this movie based on a book.)
So, yeah, as both a writer and a self-published fantasy author, the movie’s villain being a failed fantasy author whose story gets constantly rejected by publishers…that rubbed me the wrong way. And made me give this a failing one star.
In short, don’t watch Harold and the Purple Crayon. Read the book it’s based on. And if you want to watch a movie about a man-child navigating the real world, watch Elf or Big instead.
