Orlando Stone, 71, passed away on July 12, 2024. He was born on September 12, 1952. He attended Virden High School in Virden, Illinois. Orlando married Diana on July 4, 1990. He enjoyed cruising, fishing, and riding his bike which included taking his beloved dog Winston for a ride.
In loving memory of Orlando Stone
Orlando is survived by his daughters, Diana Spencer whose husband Terry has passed away, RayAnna Tell (Darrin), Heather Brown (fiancé Ian Croker), all of Winter Haven, Florida, and Linda Brown (fiancé Jeff Perry) of Palm Coast, FL; eight grandchildren: Joshua Brown and Deion Brown (Tiffany) of Winter Haven, FL, Austin Brown (Kelli) of Chimacum, WA, Kyle Brown (Amber) of Taylorville, IL, Traci Spencer-Pedigo (OakLee), DezaRay McHugh (Bracken), Alexis Tell, all of Winter Haven, FL, and Dylan Landrey (Elisha) of Polk City, Florida, four sisters, Martha Stone, Lucille Johnson, Marguriete Sheffrin, and Phyllis Baker, several nieces and nephews, four great grandsons, and five great granddaughters. He was preceded in death by his wife, Diana Stone, mother, Margaret Miller, brothers, Albert, Omar, and Homer Stone, sister, Helen Stone, daughter, Shela Zimmerman, son in law, Terry Spencer, and granddaughter ShyAnn Landrey.
A Celebration of Life for Orlando will be held on Saturday, August 3rd at 11:00 a.m. at Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home in Winter Haven, FL.
The Lake Wales Police Department arrested Angela Crawford (DOB 5/13/1979), of Lakeland, on July 8 and she was charged with one count of petit theft. The alleged crime took place at the Lake Wales Rural King, located at 1970 Hwy. 60 E. When questioned by law enforcement, Crawford advised that a camera found in her purse belonged to a “friend.”
Below is the arrest affidavit:
It should be noted that this is an unedited and redacted report of facts by the LWPD. These facts are up for question and everyone is entitled to question the validity of facts by law enforcement in a court of law. The Lake Wales Daily does not rewrite these facts as some meanings or interpretations could be in error and change context. We hope readers appreciate being able to read the information and come to their own understanding and conclusions:
On July 8, 2024, I responded to the Rural King located at the above address in reference to an occurring retail theft.
Upon arrival, I made contact with the reporting person, REDACTED. REDACTED advised the female subiect actively stealing was located inside the store near the footwear aisle. REDACTED escorted me to the area, where I located the female subject bolding a tote with several items inside of it. I made contact with the female subject and asked her to identity herself. She identified herself as, Angela Crawford. I advised Crawford the reason why law Enforcement was present, was due to her actively stealing items. Crawford stated she was not stealing from the store and placed the tote on the floor. I detained Crawford in handcuffs and escorted her to my marked patrol vehicle.
As I placed Crawford into my marked vehicle, I read Crawford her Miranda Rights off of my agency issued Miranda Rights Card. Post-Miranda, Crawford denied of stealing any items and advised she was attempting to purchase them. Prior to handcuffing Crawford, I observed in her purse, several items which appeared to be brand new with no tags on them. Crawford was asked about the items in her purse and denied to stealing the items. Crawford stated those items were recently brought and left inside of her purse.
I returned inside the store to make contact with REDACTED and a possible witness of the retail theft. REDACTED stated she was notified of Crawford from another associate who was REDACTED. REDACTED stated she observed Crawford inside the store and recognized her from an “in-house” bulletin. Due to the recent retail thefts that occurred. REDACTED notified REDACTED and was proceeding to maintain visual of Crawford throughout the store. REDACTED stated she observed the black purse Crawford possessed and advised the purse appeared to be empty and weightless.
REDACTED advised she observed Crawford enter the restroom with items in her possession and as Crawford exited Crawford did not have the items and the purse she possessed appeared to be full. At this point, law enforcement arrived and was able to detain Crawford.
With the information I obtained, I returned to Crawford to further interview her about the incident. Crawford continued to deny taking any items from Rural King and advised she obtained those items prior to entering the store. I took possession of the purse and obtained the items inside. I requested inventory information from REDACTED from the items inside of the purse.
REDACTED was able to advise inventory information of the items and further explained the camera inside of Crawford’s purse was last sold on June 4, 2022. In addition, the camera she possessed in the purse was the camera in stock and was missing from the shelves inside of the store. I questioned Crawford about the camera and she continued to deny the theft of the camera. Crawford stated the camera was given to her prior to entering Rural King by a friend. When I questioned Crawford about the friend. Crawford could not provide any information.
I was able to obtain the totals for the items recovered, which was a brown big game camera valued at $159.93, a screwdriver bit set valued at $2.59, and a Milwaukie charger valued at $59.00. Those items were seized from Crawford and returned to REDACTED at Rural King. I contacted the Crime Information Center (CIC) to obtain a further criminal history on Crawford. CIC contacted back and advised Crawford possessed a prior theft conviction dated back on October 7, 2008 for petit theft which The Polk County Sheriff’s Office worked (CF0800534701XX).
Based on the facts in this investigation, Angela Crawford took possession of or carried away merchandise from a merchant and altered/removed a label from merchandise. Crawford did so with the intent to deprive the merchant of possession, use, benefit, or full retal value of the merchandise. Crawford was criminally charged with one count of petit theft.
Here is the latest update in the tropics this Wednesday July 31, 2024 near the Greater Antilles and the Bahamas:
A large tropical wave located near the Lesser Antilles continues to produce a broad area of disorganized shower and thunderstorm activity. Environmental conditions are forecast to gradually become more conducive for development while the system moves generally west-northwestward over the Greater Antilles and towards the Bahamas. A tropical depression could form by this weekend while the system is in the vicinity of the Greater Antilles, Bahamas, or near Florida. Interests in the Greater Antilles, the Bahamas, and the southeastern U.S. should monitor the progress of this system. It has a near zero chance of formation in the next 48 hours and a medium (60 percent) chance in the next 7 days.
Monday, July 29 2024: Near the Leeward Islands and Greater Antilles:
An area of disturbed weather over the central tropical Atlantic Ocean is expected to interact with an approaching tropical wave during the next couple of days. Environmental conditions are forecast to become conducive for some development thereafter, and a tropical depression could form later this week while the system is in the vicinity of the Greater Antilles or the Bahamas. It has a near-zero chance of development in the next 48 hours and a medium (50 percent) chance in the next 7 days.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office: A PCSO deputy conducted a stop on a suspicious man being suspicious on a suspicious vehicle.
It was just after noon on a Wednesday, near the Dunkin Donuts on US 98 in north Lakeland. Deputies pursued Troy as he attempted his getaway on a stolen electric Walmart scooter.
Troy hit speeds of about 2mph on the scooter before deputies caught up to him. Not exactly a high speed chase.
Upon stopping Troy and the scooter, deputies found several packages of jewelry and hand-held game devices.
The investigation showed that Troy had just stolen all of the items from the nearby Walmart – including the scooter.
Troy was arrested and deputies scooted him off to the Polk Pokey where he was charged with Grand Theft, Felony Petit Theft (due to prior theft convictions), and Unlawful Possession of a Shopping Cart. Yes, we avoided the temptation to charge Fleeing To Elude.
It’s time to make plans for a spirited evening of craft beer and enjoy a heritage celebration.
The Lake Wales History Museum proudly presents Beers with Pioneers, an event that seamlessly blends the rich history of Lake Wales, our downtown small businesses, and local craft beers. In partnership with Lake Wales Main Street and Lake Wales Live, this brew crawl invites you to explore downtown Lake Wales on the evening of October 25th to savor exceptional beers and raise a glass to our pioneering past and future.
Event Highlights:
Craft Beer Crawl: Embark on a delightful journey through downtown Lake Wales, where historic landmarks and local businesses await. Sample a curated selection of specialty and craft beers from various breweries.
Live Music: Groove to live tunes by Lake Wales Live as you sip your way through the heart of the city. Their talented musicians will keep the energy high and bring the best vibes.
Complimentary Tasting Cup: Each participant will receive a keepsake cup to commemorate the evening.
Vintage Photo Station by werlostboys: Capture the spirit of the past with a fun photo session at the museum.
Food and Wine: Alongside the brews, indulge in delectable bites from local businesses. And for those who prefer wine, don’t worry, you’re covered!
Tickets can be purchased in advance from centralfloridatix.com or in-person on October 25th until 8pm.
Redeem your ticket and pick-up your wristband, cup, and virtual map from the Lake Wales History Museum to start your crawl.
Beers for Pioneers will be held at 325 S. Scenic Hwy., Lake Wales, from 6-9 p.m.
What do Lucy van Pelt from Peanuts, Broly from Dragon Ball Z, and Non from Superman II all have in common?
Aside from the fact they’re all fictional characters you don’t want to cross in real life, the actors who play them will be appearing as guest stars at this year’s Bartow Con.
The second annual Bartow Con will be hosted on Sat. Aug. 3 at the Bartow Convention Center from 10 AM to 5 PM.
Guest stars will include Vic Mignogna, the voice actor for popular anime characters including Edward Elric from Full Metal Alchemist and Broly from Dragon Ball Z.
Jack O’Halloran, who played General Zod’s henchman Non in Superman II, will also be making an appearance.
Other notable guests include Melanie Kohn, the voice actress for Lucy from Peanuts, and Philo Barnhart, the artist and animator who helped create Disney’s The Little Mermaid and other animated features.
The indoor sci-fi convention will also offer music and other entertainment including vendors, food trucks, a live game show, a gaming room for tabletop and video games, and a costume contest.
Bartow Con is the brainchild of Sean L. Serdynski, who is also responsible for starting Syfy Bartow, the city’s most famous and long-running outdoor sci-fi convention hosted annually in Downtown Bartow.
Initially, Sean wanted to create Bartow Con long before Syfy Bartow. However, he had to place his plans on the shelf when he was asked to create an outdoor event for Downtown Bartow, an event that would become Syfy Bartow.
A few years ago, he was able to take those plans off the shelf and dust them off when the opportunity arrived to create an indoor event for the Bartow Convention Center.
“We came up with the idea 14 years ago, but we did not have our timing or our finances together to pull it off,” Sean explained. “It did pretty good. It was a big money maker for us. People came and enjoyed it, and I had a good time.”
Sean recently appeared on the Chattin on the Ridge podcast to discuss this year’s Bartow Con. Listen to his interview on the full podcast on Acast: https://shows.acast.com/chattin-on-the-ridge/episodes/ep-40-glam-pantry-bartow-con-wsimone-mcfarlane-tucker-sean-s
On Saturday morning (July 27th) Deputy Lofton and Deputy Sookhoo began an investigation of a stolen bicycle in the area of Timbercreek Loop and Saddle Creek Road in Lakeland.
The bicycle was a girl’s light purple Huffy, and it had been stolen from the victim’s front porch.
During the investigation, deputies found a neighbor whose security camera captured the theft occurring at around 11pm the night before.
One of the deputies looked at the video and recognized the suspect as 35-year old James Calhoun. They showed the video to two other deputies who also recognized the suspect as James Calhoun.
Deputies soon located James Calhoun and showed him the video. James denied it was him in the video, but James was in possession of the girl’s light purple Huffy bicycle. The bike had freshly painted yellow handlebars. James said he painted them because he liked the colors of the Los Angels Lakers.
James denied stealing the bicycle. He claimed he traded his old bike for the girl’s bike earlier in the day with “some random person.”
James was arrested and charged with burglary and theft.
The bicycle was returned to the victim, who we’ve been told celebrated her 12th birthday that very same day.
Alvin Madden, Jr. of Lake Wales passed away Thursday, July 25, 2024, at his daughter’s home in Wauchula.
He was born August 29, 1954, in Lake Wales to the late Alvin and Hazle Madden; he was a lifelong resident of Lake Wales. He was a retired mechanic from Alcoma Packing and was of the Baptist faith. He loved his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and fishing.
Alvin was preceded in death by his daughter, April Hernandez. Survivors include his daughters, Angel J. Ayala (Nicolas) of Wauchula and Amanda & Derick of Georgia; sisters, Clare Alavene Hall of Lake Hamilton and Annie Laura “Peggie” Copley (Robert) of Davenport; 13 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until the funeral service at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 30, 2024, at Marion Nelson Funeral Home of Lake Wales with Rev. Thomas Presley officiating. Interment will follow at Lake Wales Cemetery.
Photo from Melanie Brown Culpepper Beilke on Facebook
HCA Florida Brandon Hospital Received an AED from Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation. They Returned The Favor by Donating an AED to The Brandon Veterans Hall.
by James Coulter
Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) Florida Brandon Hospital received an automated external defibrillator (AED) from a local non-profit organization. Now, the hospital has returned the favor by paying it forward to donate an AED to Brandon Veterans Hall.
On Monday evening, Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation (CCF) donated its 47th AED to Disabled American Veterans Chapter 83 in Brandon, FL. Melanie Brown Culpepper Bielke, founder of the non-profit, appeared with her team to install the emergency medical device and offer a brief presentation and demonstration.
Laura Stauter, Director of Communication and Community Engagement at HCA Healthcare, felt the donation was appropriate, as her hospital serves many veterans within thecommunity.
“HCA Florida Brandon Hospital is committed to being a part of our community,” she said. “We are a hospital and community with a large veteran and active duty population. When we think of the things we are most thankful for, we know we wouldn’thave any of them if it weren’t for those who have served. Paying it forward to our veterans is truly an honor.”
Photo from Melanie Brown Culpepper Beilke on Facebook
Herbert L. Lester Jr., the director assigned to The Disabled American Veterans (DAV), was grateful for the donation. His career of service included 20 years as a master sergeant security policeman of 20 years and an Air Force security policeman and an Air Force recruiter for four years in Ocala, FL. Currently, he serves as the acting president of the Brandon Post and Parks.
“We are extremely honored to have The Culpeper Foundation and Brandon Hospital donate a much-needed defibrillator to The Brandon Veterans Hall for unexpected emergencies to assist Veterans and Visiting personnel,” he said.
Gloria Golson, Commander of Auxiliary, had been a member of the Brandon Veterans Hall for 19 years. Her deceased husband had served in the Army and spent the last years of his life volunteering at this hall helping Veterans.
She had contacted CCF to have an AED donated to her organization’s facility, especially since they were unable to afford one themselves. She hopes it will be put to good use protecting the lives of veterans like her late husband who dedicated their lives to protecting the lives of others.
“We greatly appreciate Brandon Hospital for thinking of us when the AED machines became available to Brandon,” she said. “We were not able to afford one on our own…[So] I am thrilled, it feels wonderful. I had tried so many organizations and then I prayed.”
Anthony Adams, a proud member of Brandon Veterans Hall for the past year, feels exceptionally honored to have the AED donated to the veteran’s hall through CCF and the HCA Brandon Hospital.
Photo from Melanie Brown Culpepper Beilke on Facebook
“I pray we don’t need to use however it is better to have it and need it than to need it and not have it,” he said. She [Melanie] is a selfless diamond in the rough. She is also a consummate professional in presentation and actions. Often you hear people talking about doing. She walks the talk.”
Melanie started CCF three years ago following the untimely death of her late fiancée Michael Culpepper, who passed away from cardiac arrest. Not wanting anyone else to suffer a similar fate, she started CCF to raise proceeds to donate AEDs across Polk County.
Her latest AED at the Brandon Veteran’s Hall was her organization’s 47th AED. Previously, she had donated to local businesses and establishments including Tanner’s Lakeside, The Mission of Winter Haven, and the Winter Haven Boxing Club.
This October, CCF will be hosting its annual Saving Lives Matter fundraiser at Tanner’s Lakeside in Winter Haven. Proceeds will help fund more AEDs to be installed throughout the county and state.
For more information, visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/honoringculpepper/
** UPDATE ** Heartland Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest in this case. Come forward – anyone who knows anything, even if you think it is insignificant, call the tip in. You just may have the key to solving this case and bringing justice to this victim and her family.
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Original post:
Winter Haven Police investigators are asking the public for any information involving the stabbing and ultimate death of a 26 year-old female late Friday night.
On July 26, 2024 just before midnight, officers responded to a call involving a stabbing in the construction area behind the old Banyon Beach motel located at 1630 6th St NW (Hwy 17) in Winter Haven. According to a witness who was with the victim, the female was involved in an argument with an unknown male a distance away from where the witness was standing. The witness heard the argument and saw the male strike the victim numerous times.
The victim started screaming that she had been stabbed and the witness ran to the victim as the suspect fled southbound. The witness ran to find someone to call 9-1-1 and authorities arrived within three minutes, starting life-saving measures on the victim. EMS personnel arrived transporting the victim to the hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.
Anyone who has information regarding this case is asked to call Detective Moore at 863-837-9754. Callers wishing to remain anonymous and could be eligible for a CASH reward are asked to contact Heartland Crime Stoppers. * Call 1-888-400-TIPS (8477) * From your cell phone, dial **TIPS * Or visit the website www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com and click on “Submit A Tip,” * Or download the free “P3tips” app on your smartphone or tablet. You will always remain anonymous when you send a tip through Crime Stoppers and you are eligible for a cash reward if your information leads to an arrest.
