Jerry M. Carden, Sr., 69, of Babson Park, Florida, passed away on October 24, 2026, in Lake Wales, Florida. He was born on January 10, 1957, in Saginaw, Alabama.
Jerry was a high school graduate and went on to build a working life that included serving as a Supervisor for Strickland & Smith Grove Service in Frostproof from 1980-2000. He went on to work in the Pump Shop & Assembly at Chemical Container from 2000-2022, from which he later retired. He was also a man of Baptist faith, and that faith remained part of who he was throughout his life.
He found joy in simple and lasting pleasures. Jerry loved fishing and especially treasured time spent with his grandchildren, swimming with them and teaching each of them how to swim. He enjoyed singing on the back porch, creating the kind of memories that stay with a family for years to come. He also liked working on people’s lawnmowers, sharing his time and practical skill in a way that reflected his helpful nature.
Jerry is survived by his wife, Virginia “Jenny” Carden; his sons, Jerry Carden Jr. and wife Lisa of Babson Park, Christopher “Shawn” Carden and his fiancée, Nichole Clifton, of Babson Park; sisters, Barbara Stevenson of Nashville, Tennessee, Vivian Sharpe of Lake Wales; and his grandchildren Annabeth Carden, Christopher Carden, Miles Carden, Lilyian Smith, CJ Smith, and Kameron Smith. He will be remembered with love by his family and by all who shared in the warmth of his company, his songs, his stories, and the everyday kindnesses that marked his life.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Susie Carden of Indian Lake Estates; by his father, Erman Carden; his mother, Gladys Smith; his brothers, Bud Carden, Bill Carden, Wayne Carden, and Eddie Carden; and by his sisters, Daisy Lucas, and Dorothy Bailey.
Jerry will be remembered as a devoted family man whose happiest moments were often the simplest: time outdoors, time on the porch, and time with the people he loved most. His memory will remain a blessing to those who knew him.
Family will receive friends on Thursday, October 29, 2026, from 5:00 PM until the service time at 6:00 PM at the Marion Nelson Funeral Home & Crematory, (454 Buck Moore Road, Lake Wales, Florida 33853). The service will be officiated by Rev. Todd Rickman.
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned pursuant to the fictitious name statutes 865.09 Florida statues will register with the division of corporations of the state of Florida upon receipt of proof of publication of this notice the fictitious name Ridge Reverse, Located in Polk County, Florida that parties interested in said business enterprises are as follows Names or officers Richard McWhorter.
Central Avenue will be shut down between 2nd St W and 3rd St W November 2 to 20, 2026. Pedestrian access will be open the full length along the South side of the road. On the north side, access will remain from 3rd St NW to Union Taproom Pizza & Kitchen.
This closure is part of the SouthState Bank Downtown Office Building project to enable crews to connect to water infrastructure under the road. Please follow all posted signs and detours. For more information and to sign up for notifications of impacts to public infrastructure for the duration of the project, please visit the project page at https://ow.ly/wbiL5101vJC.
About the project
SouthState Bank is constructing a new five-story office building at 233 West Central Avenue in Downtown Winter Haven.
The approximately 40,000-square-foot building will serve as the company’s Winter Haven Operations Center and is expected to accommodate approximately 125 employees.
The project is being developed by Six/Ten, LLC on behalf of SouthState Bank, with Whitehead Construction serving as the construction contractor.
While this is a private development, the City is coordinating closely with the construction team on activities affecting public roads, sidewalks, and nearby businesses.
Trot or Treat Being Hosted at Hope Equine Rescue on Sat Oct. 31 by James Coulter
We’ve all gone trick-or-treating. Some have even gone trunk-or-treating. But have you ever gone trot-or-treating?
Instead of collecting candy from houses or decorated car trunks, participants visit horses in their stalls.
Hope Equine Rescue will host its annual Trot or Treat fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 31, beginning at 5 p.m.
The ticketed event gives attendees the opportunity to visit the rescue’s horses and other equines in Halloween-themed stalls. Some of the animals will even be dressed in costume.
In addition to collecting candy and interacting with the animals, visitors can vote for their favorite decorated stall and costumed equine through donations.
Proceeds from the event support Hope Equine Rescue’s mission of caring for rescued and neglected equines.
Founded in 2008 by Dani Horton and her family, the nonprofit traces its roots back to its first rescue, a horse they named Hope.
“Hope was tied to a tree with a dog chain and left to starve in a neighborhood where neighbors drove by her every day and never did anything to help,” the organization’s website states.
Today, Hope Equine Rescue cares for as many as 50 equines, including horses, donkeys, and two zonkies, rare donkey-zebra hybrids. The organization operates entirely through donations and volunteer support.
One of those volunteers is Pamela Denton, a board member for two years and Equine Studies Director at Webber International University in Lake Wales.
By day, Denton oversees the university’s Equine Studies program. Outside of work, she helps coordinate volunteer efforts at Hope Equine Rescue.
“We have volunteers who come weekly to do chores, take care of the horses, even train the horses,” she said. “We have students who come to learn how to work with the horses and eventually train them. So there is something for everybody.”
Another volunteer, Christy McCullough, is a professor at Polk State Chain of Lakes Collegiate and a lifelong horse enthusiast. When she is not teaching, she cares for two horses alongside her husband and daughter.
McCullough serves Hope Equine Rescue as both a volunteer barn leader and board member. One of the most rewarding aspects of her work, she said, is watching neglected horses recover and thrive.
“It’s awful the way they come in, what’s been done to them, [so] seeing them change is amazing,” she said.
Just as meaningful, however, is seeing volunteers grow through their experiences with the animals. Whether they arrive with years of equine experience or have never touched a horse, McCullough said the confidence and skills they develop are remarkable to witness.
“I think seeing people, seeing my students, the confidence they have, the focus they have…seeing the kids learn to work with someone else, to learn to work with a thousand-pound animal…seeing the volunteers accomplish something and that moment of pride, I think that’s really neat,” she said.
Because Hope Equine Rescue receives no state or government funding, volunteers remain essential to its operation.
“We need you,” McCullough said. “Whether you love horses and are experienced, whether you never touched a horse, from high school age up, we need volunteers.”
Hope Equine Rescue is located at 3805 High Street in Winter Haven. To learn more about upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, or ways to donate, visit the organization’s Facebook page or website at hopeequinerescue.com.
Lakeland Harley-Davidson will host a Trike or Treat event on Saturday, Oct. 31, offering families an afternoon of Halloween fun, food, drinks and decorated trikes.
The event is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lakeland Harley-Davidson, located at 4202 Lakeland Hills Blvd. in Lakeland. All trikes are welcome, and families are encouraged to bring their children to enjoy the festivities.
Attendees can enjoy free food and drinks.
The event will also feature several trike contests, with prizes awarded to the winners. Categories include best-decorated trike, best costume for riders and passengers, scariest trike, funniest trike and the People’s Choice award.
Organizers are asking participants to RSVP their trikes in advance to help estimate attendance and prepare for the event.
For more information or to RSVP, call 863-802-1971 or visit LakelandHD.com.
The event promises an afternoon of trikes, costumes, food and family fun, with everyone welcome to join in the Halloween celebration.
Polk County Parks & Rec – Join the adventure at The Hunt for Sasquatch race on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2027, at Bone Valley ATV Park, 10427 County Road 630 W., Mulberry.
A 57-year-old Lakeland man died Friday after his SUV left Longfellow Boulevard, struck a signpost and continued downhill to the shoreline of Lake Bonny, according to the Lakeland Police Department.
Officers responded to the single-vehicle crash in the 1000 block of Longfellow Boulevard at approximately 12:13 p.m. on October 23, 2026.
Police said the man was driving a gray GMC SUV southbound when, for reasons still under investigation, it left the roadway and struck a traffic control signpost. The SUV continued downhill before coming to rest at the lake’s shoreline.
Lakeland Police Department patrol officers, Polk County Fire Rescue, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Lakeland Fire Department responded and provided lifesaving assistance. The driver was transported to Lakeland Regional Health, where he was pronounced deceased.
According to police, preliminary evidence indicates the driver may have been experiencing a medical episode. The cause of the crash has not been determined.
Members of the Lakeland Police Department’s Traffic Homicide Unit responded and took over the investigation. The roadway was closed for approximately two hours while investigators processed the scene.
Police identified the driver only as a 57-year-old Lakeland man. His name was not released.
The investigation remains open and active. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact investigating Officer Justin Claxon at [email protected].
UPDATE: According to Bartow Police Department a suspect has been apprehended in connection to this afternoon’s stabbing. No further details were released at this time.
BARTOW, Florida – A victim suffered multiple stab wounds during an incident on Laurel Circle in Bartow Saturday afternoon, according to information provided to the Daily Ridge by Bartow Police Sergeant Driesler.
Bartow Police Department and Bartow Fire Rescue responded to the call around 1:30 p.m. Saturday, October 24.
Sergeant Driesler said the victim’s injuries were not life-threatening and there is no danger to the public. He could not elaborate at this time.
Additional details about the circumstances surrounding the stabbing are expected to be released Monday, October 26.
The Daily Ridge will provide an update as more information becomes available.
Polk County jail records list 27 DUI-related bookings between October 8 and October 14, 2026, including felony repeat-offense charges, refusals to submit to alcohol testing and charges involving damage to another person or property.
Several of those booked also had drug, license or resisting charges listed, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Jail Inquiry.
Among the records were fourth-or-subsequent felony DUI charges listed for Michael Anthony Harper and Kenyartta Arrington, both 47. Matthew M Gonzalez, 23, had charges listed for leaving the scene of a crash involving injury, DUI involving damage to another person or property, and DUI with a blood-alcohol level over .15.
The bookings include entries from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Lakeland Police Department, Lake Wales Police Department, Haines City Police Department and Florida Highway Patrol. The dates below reflect when each person was booked, rather than necessarily when the alleged offense occurred.
Uriel L Aguilar, 23: Booked October 8 on a listed misdemeanor DUI charge described as involving a blood-alcohol level of .08 or more. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Anthony Kaleel Williams, 26: Booked October 8 on a listed DUI charge involving alcohol or drugs. Agency listed: Lakeland Police Department.
Akim Sincere Ferguson, 26: Booked October 9 on a listed DUI charge described as involving a blood-alcohol level of .15 or higher. Agency listed: Lake Wales Police Department.
Cody Fike, 20: Booked October 9 on a listed DUI charge involving alcohol or drugs. Agency listed: Lakeland Police Department.
Michael Anthony Harper, 47: Booked October 9. Listed charges include fourth-or-subsequent felony DUI, refusal to submit to an alcohol test and third-offense felony driving with a suspended, canceled or revoked license. The booking also contains probation-violation entries related to prior DUI and license cases, including Hillsborough County matters, an out-of-county warrant entry and a Hillsborough County hold. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Daniel Martinez, 27: Booked October 9. Listed charges include misdemeanor DUI, possession of cannabis over 20 grams, felony cannabis-resin possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Ladaizha Yamina Bradley, 29: Booked October 10. Listed charges include DUI involving damage to another person or property and resisting an officer without violence. The DUI entry includes a notation referencing a bicycle. Agency listed: Florida Highway Patrol.
Vereniz Cervantes, 33: Booked October 10. The record lists misdemeanor DUI, DUI involving damage to another person or property and refusal to submit to an alcohol test. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Antwan Lamar Collins, 35: Booked October 10. Listed charges include DUI involving alcohol or drugs, failure to register a motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle without a valid license listed as a second conviction, and operating a motorcycle without the required license. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Alejandro Ismael Lopez, 28: Booked October 10 on a listed misdemeanor DUI charge. The booking also includes Monroe County probation-violation entries related to burglary involving an assault, possession of burglary tools and witness intimidation, along with a Monroe County hold. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Bjorn Lopez, 35: Booked October 10 on a listed DUI charge involving alcohol or drugs. Agency listed: Lakeland Police Department.
Abdulkareem Lateef Saleh, 32: Booked October 10. The listed DUI wording references a blood-alcohol level over .15 or a passenger under 18. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Cidney Salitore, 28: Booked October 10. Listed charges include misdemeanor DUI and refusal to submit to an alcohol test. Agency listed: Lakeland Police Department.
Kenyartta Arrington, 47: Booked October 11. Listed charges include fourth-or-subsequent felony DUI, refusal to submit to an alcohol test and knowingly driving with a suspended or revoked license as a habitual traffic offender. The record also contains a probation-violation entry related to battery. Agency listed: Lakeland Police Department.
Junior Cajuste, 37: Booked October 11. The record lists an enhanced DUI provision described as a blood-alcohol level of .15 or higher or a person under 18 in the vehicle. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
John Edward Dalton, 67: Booked October 11 on a listed DUI charge described as involving a blood-alcohol level over .15. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Jonathan Encarnacion Colon, 23: Booked October 11. Listed charges include misdemeanor DUI and operating a motorcycle without the required license. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Matthew M Gonzalez, 23: Booked October 11. Listed charges include leaving the scene of a crash involving injury without rendering aid, misdemeanor DUI involving damage to another person or property, and DUI with a blood-alcohol level over .15. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Arianna Selene Jones, 37: Booked October 11. Listed charges include DUI involving alcohol or drugs, methamphetamine possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Uliceh Lopez, 32: Booked October 11. The record contains a DUI entry involving alcohol or drugs and a separate enhanced DUI entry described as an alcohol level of .15 or higher or a person under 18 in the vehicle, listed as a first offense. Agency listed: Lakeland Police Department.
Sharice Kellie Ward, 24: Booked October 11. Listed charges include DUI involving alcohol or drugs and refusal to submit to a DUI test. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
German Alfredo White, 37: Booked October 11. Listed charges include misdemeanor DUI, possession of no more than 20 grams of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Carol Denise Sanford, 64: Booked October 12. Listed charges include misdemeanor DUI and knowingly driving with a suspended or revoked license, listed as a first conviction. The booking also includes probation-violation entries related to resisting an officer without violence, an unassigned license plate, vehicle insurance and vehicle registration. Agency listed: Lake Wales Police Department.
Rogelio Solorio, 42: Booked October 12. The record lists misdemeanor DUI and misdemeanor DUI involving damage to another person or property under the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. A charge described as driving without ever having been issued a valid license is listed under Haines City Police Department.
Wanda Franco-Colon, 37: Booked October 13. Listed charges include misdemeanor DUI and DUI involving damage to another person or property. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Michael Joseph Greene, 40: Booked October 13. Listed charges include misdemeanor DUI and refusal to submit to an alcohol test. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Kenia Berenice Rivas, 41: Booked October 14 on a listed DUI charge involving alcohol or drugs. Agency listed: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Information and booking photographs used for this report were obtained from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office’s public Jail Inquiry records. An arrest or booking does not establish guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Charges, custody information and case outcomes can change.
Some DUI descriptions in the jail database combine alternative circumstances, such as an alcohol level of .15 or higher or a passenger under 18. That wording alone does not establish that a child was present. Similarly, combined damage-to-property-or-person descriptions do not, by themselves, establish that someone was injured.
If you believe information in this article is incorrect, please contact Daily Ridge with the person’s name, the disputed information and any supporting records. We will review requests for corrections and amend verified errors. Concerns about the underlying jail records should also be directed to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
POLK COUNTY – DUI BOOKINGS Bookings between October 8 – October 14, 2026 All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Charges, custody information and case outcomes can change.
