A 68-year-old Polk County man known locally for portraying Santa Claus at community Christmas events was among 19 people arrested in Operation Child Protector VIII, a multi-agency undercover investigation targeting alleged child predators, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
According to a Polk County arrest affidavit, Thomas Allen Hicks of Lakeland was charged with human trafficking for commercial sexual activity involving a minor, traveling to meet a minor for unlawful sexual conduct, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, and using a computer to solicit a parent or guardian for access to a child.
Investigators allege Hicks responded to an undercover operation involving a detective posing as the father of a 13-year-old girl and continued communications after being told the purported child’s age.
According to the affidavit, Hicks allegedly arranged to meet at a Lakeland location and was taken into custody when he arrived. Deputies reported recovering cash investigators allege was connected to the arranged meeting.
Court records identify Hicks as employed in marketing with Tri-County Human Services, and the affidavit notes he plays Santa each year at major Christmas events in Polk County, a detail Sheriff Grady Judd referenced during Wednesday’s news conference when describing a “well-known” suspect.
That public role had recently been highlighted in a Spectrum Bay News 9 feature that profiled Hicks and his wife Cindy as beloved local figures who portrayed Santa and Mrs. Claus at events across Polk County, including the Lakeland Christmas Parade and community programs for children. The 2024 story noted Hicks attended Santa school in 2016 and described portraying Santa as a way to bring joy to families.
During Wednesday’s news conference, Judd announced Hicks was among 19 suspects arrested during the operation. According to the sheriff’s office, 16 suspects were charged with traveling to meet a minor for sex, while three, including Hicks, faced human trafficking-related charges.
As with all criminal cases, the allegations remain accusations unless and until proven in court.
Sheriff Grady Judd will hold press conference on sting at 2:30pm today.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies have arrested 22-year-old Justin Johnson following a grand theft investigation at the Ace Hardware store located at 1218 Finley Ave in Davenport.
On Monday, April 27, 2026, deputies were contacted by the store owner, who reported noticing a pattern of unusually high refund amounts occurring over the previous week. The suspicious transactions, which ranged from $400 to $1,500, took place between April 18 and April 26. The total amount of fraudulent charges was approximately $7897.81.
During the investigation, deputies reviewed surveillance footage and identified Johnson—who was employed as an assistant manager at the time—as the employee conducting each of the fraudulent returns. According to the evidence, Johnson was making false sales and then processing the returns at his register; at the payment terminal he used his phone to transfer the refunded money into his personal account.
The store owner also reported that Johnson unexpectedly quit his job on Sunday, April 26, 2026.
Deputies arrested Johnson and charged him with grand theft more than $5k less than $10k (F3), and defraud to obtain property less than $20k (F3).
“This was a clear case of an employee abusing his position for personal gain. I’m proud of the quick work by our deputies and grateful to the business owner who reported the suspicious activity. We will always stand with our local businesses and hold offenders accountable.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
Every year, doctors tell more than 5,000 Americans they have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS. It is a life-changing diagnosis.
Still, it’s hard to estimate the total number of ALS cases in the United States. No one knows what causes most cases of ALS, something the U.S.
National ALS Registry is working to change.
In honor of ALS Awareness Month, learn more about the registry, how the information is used and how to enroll if you have ALS.
What is ALS?
ALS is a disease that affects the nerve cells that make muscles work in the body. This disease makes the nerve cells stop working and die. The nerves lose the ability to trigger specific muscles, which causes the muscles to become weak and leads to paralysis.
What is the registry?
“The National ALS Registry is a program of, by and for those living with ALS,” said Dr. Paul Mehta, principal investigator of the Registry. “The program collects, manages and analyzes data about people with ALS in the United States. It includes data and information provided by individuals who choose to register and complete the risk factor surveys.”
What is its purpose?
The main purpose is to gather information that can be used in the fight against ALS. The information is used to:
-Estimate the number of new cases of ALS diagnosed each year
-Estimate the number of people who have ALS at any given point in time
-Better understand who gets ALS and what factors affect the disease
-Enhance research that could improve care for people with ALS
How do researchers use the data?
Researchers can use the data to look for disease pattern changes over time and try to identify whether there are common risk factors among people with ALS. Since 2010, the registry has funded more than a dozen studies exploring potential ALS risk factors.
What does participation look like?
Individuals with ALS are encouraged to share their stories, enhancing ALS data and supporting research efforts. People living with ALS can help the National ALS Registry by completing up to 18 risk factor surveys, covering topics such as occupational history and environmental exposures, which help create a more complete picture of their ALS story.
How can someone join?
Anyone living with ALS can enroll. By joining and taking the risk factor surveys, individuals living with ALS can help future generations.
The Sebring Police Department has completed an extensive investigation involving a potential drowning on Lake Jackson.
On Sunday, April 26th, 2026, the Sebring Police Department received a call from dispatch at approximately 8:17 p.m. in reference to two potential swimmers in destress on Lake Jackson. Sebring Police Department, Sebring Fire Department and Highlands County Fire Rescue arrived on scene of a residence on Lakeview Drive and immediately made contact with the homeowner to identify the last known location of the swimmers.
The homeowner identified two individuals who appeared to be diving or snorkeling, due to the way they were moving through the water. Due to the lack of daylight, first responders were only able to have a slight visual of individuals in the water until all visibility was quickly lost. Rescue Boat 15 from Sebring Fire Department was immediately launched at the Veterans Beach Boat Ramp and proceeded to the last known area they were seen swimming on the east side of Lake Jackson.
Highlands County Sheriff’s Office – Sheriff Paul Blackman and Highlands County Emergency Management responded to the scene to provide assistance with drone support. Sebring Fire Department, MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife, Highlands County Fire Rescue, Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Frostproof Volunteer Fire Department all launched search and rescue boats in order to provide assistance with search efforts throughout the nearly 21-hour search.
Throughout the extensive search, no evidence was found of any missing swimmers. The search and rescue boats on Lake Jackson used high-tech sonar and underwater imaging along with extensive search patterns throughout the search, though they never recorded anything indicating anyone had drowned.
Detectives were made aware of a caller that saw the news reports of the search efforts and felt that they may be the potential swimmer in question. This individual discussed with detectives that they had been swimming in the area identified and once boats began to arrive on scene, they swam to the area of the Elks Lodge and exited the water. Detectives with Sebring Police Department were able to verify their account using security footage of nearby locations. Video ultimately showed that the person exited Lake Jackson at 9:11 p.m., which correlates with the last known visual of someone swimming at the time the call was reported.
Due to the swimmer reporting that they were alone, along with no evidence to support any other swimmers missing at this time, the Sebring Police Department has suspended any further search efforts.
We extend our gratitude and heartfelt appreciation to the many agencies that assisted with this search. Further, we appreciate all the assistance that the community provided by sharing information and helping with this incident. We are relieved that this outcome resulted in everyone returning home safe!
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4/27/26 at 11:26am Update – First responders remain on the water searching. There are no new updates to the active investigation.
We want to emphasize, if you were in the area swimming or diving last night, please call the Non-Emergent Central Dispatch at 863-402-7200. You are NOT in any trouble, our first responders only want to ensure that if these individuals left the water, that they are safe.
4/27/26 at 7:50am Update – First Responders are still on Lake Jackson continuing in search efforts. Sebring Fire Department, MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife and Highlands County Sheriff’s Office – Sheriff Paul Blackman have been on the lake searching since the initial call last night.
Initial reports were that eye witnesses saw two swimmers who appeared to be diving/snorkeling and looked to be in distress in the area south of City Pier Beach.
First Responders will remain on scene and continue search efforts.
If you were on the east side of Lake Jackson between the Sebring Elks Lodge and the City of Sebring Pier, within the hours of 6:00pm and 8:00pm (swimming or diving) and have since exited the lake; please notify the Non-Emergent Central Dispatch at 863-402-7200.
You can help by checking in on your family and friends. If your roommate or significant other was expected to return home but didn’t, or your coworker did not show up for work this morning, please contact us!
4/26/26 at 11:53pm (Update) – Search efforts are still ongoing in the area of City Pier Beach. Agencies aiding in search efforts are Sebring Police Department, Sebring Fire Department, Highlands County Sheriff’s Office – Sheriff Paul Blackman, Highlands County Emergency Management, MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife and Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Please avoid the area as first responders remain on scene. We will continue with updates as the investigation continues.
4/26/26 at 9:10pm (Update) – If you were on the east side of Lake Jackson between the Sebring Elks Lodge and the City of Sebring Pier, within the last 2 hours, swimming or diving and have exited the lake; please notify the Non-Emergent Central Dispatch at 863-402-7200.
4/26/26 at 8:50pm (Original Post) – Sebring Police Department and Sebring Fire Department are currently on scene of Lake Jackson due to reports of missing divers in the water.
Please avoid the lake as first responders search the area. We have drones in the air searching, we ask that the public DOES NOT operate a drone at this time
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday announced sweeping actions to strengthen the federal death penalty, including restoring a previously used pentobarbital lethal injection protocol and authorizing firing squads as an execution method in federal cases.
The changes were outlined in a Justice Department report titled Restoring and Strengthening the Federal Death Penalty, which officials say is intended to streamline capital punishment procedures and reinforce the federal government’s authority to carry out death sentences.
According to the Justice Department, the move reinstates the single-drug pentobarbital protocol used during President Donald Trump’s first administration, when 13 federal executions were carried out after a nearly two-decade pause. Officials also announced federal protocols will be expanded to include firing squads, and potentially other execution methods permitted under certain state laws.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the policy changes are aimed at ensuring federal death sentences are carried out and that victims’ families receive justice. The department also signaled it intends to speed up reviews in capital cases and continue pursuing the death penalty in dozens of pending cases. Reports indicate federal prosecutors have been authorized to seek capital punishment in 44 cases, with several already approved.
The move marks a dramatic shift from the Biden administration, which imposed a moratorium on federal executions and commuted most federal death row sentences to life without parole. Only three inmates remain on federal death row following those commutations, according to reports.
Supporters say the changes restore tools needed to punish the most heinous crimes, while critics are expected to challenge the policy on constitutional and humanitarian grounds, particularly regarding firing squads and other alternative methods of execution.
The announcement is likely to intensify national debate over capital punishment, federal authority, and the limits of punishment under the Eighth Amendment.
More legal and political challenges surrounding the policy are expected in the weeks ahead.
On April 24, 1982, Oscar-winning actress, anti-war activist and Hollywood royalty Jane Fonda adds a new title—exercise guru—as she extends her reach into the home-video market with the first release of her bestselling aerobic workout tapes.
Photo source Getty Images Paul Popper
Daughter of the celebrated actor Henry Fonda (star of 1940’s The Grapes of Wrath), Jane worked as a model before joining Lee Strasberg’s famed Actors Studio. She broke out in 1960 with a Tony-nominated performance in Broadway’s There Was a Little Girl and a starring role in the big-screen comedy Tall Story. She soon established a reputation as both sexpot (1968’s Barbarella) and serious actress, earning her first Oscar nomination for 1969’s They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? and taking home the Best Actress statuette two years later for Klute. As an outspoken member of the opposition to the U.S. war in Vietnam, Fonda was famously photographed behind enemy lines next to an anti-aircraft gun during a visit to North Vietnam in 1972. (She later expressed regret about posing for the photograph.)
Fonda won her second Best Actress Oscar in 1979 for Coming Home. That same year, she opened her first workout studio, breaking into a gym industry previously dominated by male boxers and bodybuilders. A former ballet enthusiast, Fonda had begun practicing aerobics with her future business partner, Leni Cazden, to keep fit. In 1981, Fonda published Jane Fonda’s Workout Book, which remained at No. 1 on the nonfiction bestseller’s list for more than six months and in the top five for more than 16 months. The cover showed a grinning Fonda striking a pose in black tights and leg warmers.
With the phenomenal success of her exercise studios, books and videos, Fonda not only sparked the aerobics trend of the late 1970s and 1980s–she also popularized the concept of working out for women in general. Other instructors soon capitalized on the workout movement, including Richard Simmons and Judi Missett, creator of the aerobics spin-off known as Jazzercise. For the first time, millions of women (and a few men) were exercising together in groups, doing leg lifts, side bends and lifting dumbbells to the beat of peppy music. Aerobics also launched a fashion craze, with neon spandex, leg warmers and leotards becoming ubiquitous among health-conscious women. Fonda’s videos remained top sellers into the latter half of the 1980s, including Jane Fonda’s New Workout (1986) and Jane Fonda’s Low-Impact Aerobic Workout (1987).
The revenues from Fonda’s exercise empire financed the Campaign for Economic Democracy, a leftist political organization founded by her then-husband, the leading 1960s radical Tom Hayden. After divorcing Hayden in 1989, Fonda largely withdrew from the spotlight. She announced her retirement from acting in 1992, explaining her desire to spend more time with her third husband, the media mogul Ted Turner. The couple divorced in 2001. Fonda returned to the big screen in several movies, including Monster-In-Law (2005), Georgia Rule (2007), This is Where I Leave You (2014), Our Souls at Night (2017), and Book Club (2018).
Hurricane Milton Damage Repair Approved for Circle B Bar Reserve
by James Coulter
To restore the site to pre-Hurricane Milton conditions, repairs have been approved for Circle B Bar Reserve near Lakeland.
At their regular meeting on Tues. Apr. 7, the Polk County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve an agreement for engineering services for repairs at Circle B Bar Reserve.
The proposed project will include “repairs to historic berms constructed in the early 1900s and improvements to drainage infrastructure along the existing trail system,” wrote Brad Howard, Sr. Procurement Analyst.
“The scope also includes investigating opportunities to enhance the functionality of the wetland system and its hydraulic capacity to improve water conveyance to Lake Hancock and ultimately the Peace River,” he wrote.
The agreement is with Dewberry Engineers, Inc. to provide engineering services for the repairs. The duration of the agreement will be either until the project’s completion or until Dec. 31, 2027.
The project is expected not to exceed $1,149,927.44. Funding is budgeted and available in the 5-year Parks and Natural Resources CIP within the Environmental Lands Acquisition Fund.
Circle B Bar Reserve, a wildlife reserve consisting of 1,267 acres near Lakeland, received significant storm damage from Hurricane Milton in 2024. The park was completely closed after the storm because major portions of the property were underwater, as reported by Fox 13 Tampa Bay.
Specifically, “the trail leading to Alligator Alley and the driveway approaching the visitor center was underwater a week after the hurricane,” wrote Carla Bayron on Fox 13 Tampa Bay. Furthermore, sections of the Alligator Alley trail were “undermined or washed away” during Hurricane Milton, requiring county crews to repair them, as reported by the Fighting Irish Wire.
The damage was exacerbated due to Circle B Bar Reserve sitting on a marsh and floodplain connected to Lake Hancock. As such, stormwater from Milton continued draining into the reserve long after the hurricane passed. The County is seeking planning, design, environmental permitting, and construction specifically to repair Hurricane Milton damage, as reported by BidNet Direct.
The damage most likely to be addressed through this agreement will include washed-out and undermined trails (especially along Alligator Alley and possibly Marsh Rabbit Run), along with flood-damaged infrastructure like boardwalks and foot bridges, impacted access roads and parking areas, and storm debris and vegetation damage.
A Polk City man was killed early Thursday morning, April 23, 2026, after crashing his Polaris Sportsman 400 All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV).
At approximately 3:01 am, deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the crash on Fussell Road, about a ¼ mile east of Commonwealth Avenue, and about two miles north of Polk City.
Upon the arrival of first responders, the lone victim, 39-year-old Brandon Roy Moran of Polk City was found deceased, with severe head trauma.
From the preliminary investigation, the PCSO’s Traffic Homicide investigators believe the ATV driver lost control of the vehicle and was ejected, causing him to impact his head on the pavement.
The victim remained on the ground for an unknown period of time before his head was struck by an unknown passing vehicle.
The driver of the second vehicle did not stop, and may not have known the vehicle struck the victim.
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 to House of Friends LLC the fictitious name The Greenhouse Collective in Polk County, Florida that parties interested in said business enterprises are as follows Names or officers Keri Grant & Noah Grant
Notice is hereby given that Lake Wales Storage intends to sell the property described below to enforce a lien under the Florida Self Storage Facility Act, Statutes (section 83.80-83.809). The owner will sell at public auction on or after May 13th at 10:00 am at storageauctions.com
Units belonging to the following:
Bridget Maddox Unit 1076
Ashley Bane Unit 303
This sale will be continued on such succeeding sale days thereafter as may be necessary to be completed. Unless otherwise noted units contain household items.
