“Chloe Elizabeth Goodwin, 33 days old passed away in the arms of her family at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital on July 6, 2024. Born to Casey and Melinda Goodwin on June 3, 2024. Chloe had weight in this world…4lbs and 3 oz to be exact. She brought immense joy and purpose to every life she touched during her brief time here on earth.
Chloe is the baby sister to Caleb, Sarah, Jacob and Hannah. She is celebrated by paternal grandparents Michael and Sheba Goodwin and maternal grandparents Mary (David) Stieglbauer. She is preceded in death by maternal grandfather Mitchell Harvey. Chloe is also celebrated by several aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
A celebration of life service will be held at The Haven Church of God Monday July 15, 2024. Family and Friends will gather at 10am and Service will be at 11am. Intermet will follow with a butterfly release at Glen Abbey Memorial Gardens.
Chloe gave us a lifetime of love and she will be missed by all who knew and loved her.”
A registered sex offender who was convicted in Hardee County in 1991 for a sex offense against a child was arrested yesterday by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit for lewd molestation of two young victims in Polk County.
The investigation began when one victim disclosed to a family member that 58-year-old Jessie Valdez (DOB 11/30/1965) of Bartow had touched the victim’s private parts numerous times under and over her clothing when she was as young as seven and eight years old and that the sexual abuse continued over the years. The victim stated that the abuse sometimes took place in Valdez’s vehicle while Valdez played pornographic videos on his phone, and exposed himself to her.
During the investigation, another victim was discovered. She told detectives Valdez touched her numerous times under her clothing. Both victims were young girls that Valdez had access to. When a family member confronted Valdez he made incriminating statements and apologized for the abuse. Upon his arrest, he told his girlfriend to “sell everything because she was probably not going to see him for a long time.” He refused to cooperate with detectives.
Valdez was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with:
Lewd molestation on a victim under 12 years old (FL)
Lewd and lascivious molestation (F2)
Lewd and lascivious exhibition (F2)
Valdez’s cell phone was seized and a forensic examination of the device is ongoing. Further charges are pending the discovery of any other crimes.
“It takes a lot of courage for a young child, a victim of a sex crime, to come forward and we are so proud of these children for doing just that. We need to know if there are any other victims of this pedophile out there. Please contact us if you have any information about Jessie Valdez sexually abusing children.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
At 11:40 AM a call was reported to Polk County Fire Rescue that a dump truck overturned on Masterpiece Rd. near Lake Starr Blvd. S., spilling sand across the roadway. The roadway was subsequently closed in both directions.
Details were not immediately available regarding how the truck ended up on its side.
The driver of the truck was transported as a precaution, for minor injuries. The roadway should be opened shortly.
BARTOW, Fla. (July 11, 2024) – Polk County Fire Rescue responded to a two-alarm commercial structure fire today at 9:50 a.m. on State Road 60 in Bartow.
PCFR Ladder 15 arrived within six minutes of being dispatched. Upon PCFR’s arrival, it was determined that the structure involved was an old phosphate warehouse located on the property. Crews quickly began working to extinguish the fire and the scene was deemed under control by 10:13 a.m.
Photo Provided By PCFR
29 PCFR units responded to the scene in addition to one Bartow Fire Department unit that provided mutual aid.
There were no injuries reported or patients transported. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Photo Provided By PCFR
“Our Polk County Fire Rescue capabilities are multifaceted as we are prepared for all hazards present within the county,” said Fire Chief Hezedean A. Smith, D.M.
Water Quality of Winter Haven Lakes Have Increased Dramatically, Annual Lakes Report Finds
by James Coulter
Since the Lakes Advisory Committee (LAC) was established in 1986, the water quality of local lakes has increased dramatically, according to a recent report by the city government.
Recently, the City of Winter Haven’s Natural Resources Division, under LAC’s guidance, released its Annual Lakes Report. The annual report provides an analysis of local lakes. Water quality is assessed using metrics based on the amount of nutrients such as chlorophyll-a, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and water clarity.
Dustin Everitt, Natural Resources Manager, offered a presentation of this year’s report at the regular city commission meeting on Mon. July 8 at Winter Haven City Hall.
“The Annual Lakes Report provides a comprehensive outlook on the health of Winter Haven’s lakes,” he explained. “The report evaluates water quality, hydrology, and ecology to prioritize management practices and ensure sustainable use of these natural resources.”
This year’s report reveals that overall water quality has not only improved since the inception of the LAC, but also quite dramatically within the past year alone. The report finds that, within the past year, 54 percent of lakes met regulatory water quality targets, showing improvement from previous years.
According to the staff memo on the report: “Of the 37 lakes monitored in 2023, over half (or 54%) were meeting State regulatory impairment guidelines for chlorophyll-a, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus concentrations, an increase from 51% in 2022.”
Lake Buckeye had the best overall water quality, according to the report, thanks to its excellent water quality metrics and healthy vegetation community, with Lake Daisy and Lake Winterset following close behind. In contrast, Lake Idyl had the lowest lake health score, with Lake Blue and Lake Smart being nearly as bad.
“With your continued support, our natural resources division will continue to monitor our lakes and implement ways to improve water quality,” Everitt stated.
The Annual Lakes Report was officially adopted by the City Commission through a unanimous vote of approval. The 200-page report can be accessed and read on the City of Winter Haven’s website
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit was called to investigate a traffic crash last evening, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, around 9:30 p.m. in the Bradley Junction area south of Mulberry, during which a man was struck and fatally injured.
The man, 48-year-old Rafael Bubaire of Tampa, was driving a Trans-Phos semi-truck hauling a dump trailer when he stopped his rig in the northbound lane of Old Hwy 37 near Jamison Road, presumably due to a mechanical issue (deputies who arrived at the scene later noted that one of the right tires was flat). Bubaire got out of the semi to inspect it.
The driver of a 2020 white Chevy truck, 19-year-old Christopher Braswell of Tampa, was heading south on Old Hwy 37 when he saw the stopped semi in the northbound lane, then heard a loud noise. At that time, Bubaire suddenly appeared in front of Braswell’s truck from the area of the rear semi axles. Braswell was unable to avoid striking Bubaire, and he ultimately died at the scene. Braswell immediately stopped and cooperated with law enforcement. He was not injured.
It was dark in the rural area at the time of the crash. Braswell was evaluated and did not appear to be impaired or distracted. The roadway in that area was shut down for several hours during the investigation.
Inside Out—along with The Incredibles and Toy Story 3—is among my top three favorite Pixar films. The film is truly a masterpiece. Through its creative portrayal of the inner workings of the human mind as a corporate bureaucracy, the film conveys complex psychological concepts into a simple story that can be enjoyed by all ages. Inside Out is truly a smart movie for both children and adults that delves deep into the human psyche and has fun doing it.
With Inside Out being one of Pixar’s most acclaimed movies, and with the film providing plenty of potential topics to explore, it was only a matter of time until a sequel was made. But will the second movie offer a deeper delve to show what makes us all tick? Or does this franchise need to visit more therapy sessions to unpack its emotional baggage?
Inside Out 2 continues to follow the inner workings of the mind of 13-year-old Riley. Upon becoming a teenager, she finds herself experiencing new emotions: Embarrassment, Envy, Ennui, and—most prominently—Anxiety. Unfortunately, during a hockey camping trip, her new emotions enact a hostile takeover of her mind, not only placing extreme emotional pressure on her but also making her lose her sense of self. Can the old emotions, led by Joy, regain control? Or will Riley end up becoming an emotional wreck?
Inside Out 2 builds upon the scenario and ideas set up in the first film. Inside Out established the conceit of our minds being controlled by five main emotions: Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust. It also established the concept of core memories, which serve to build our overall personalities, forming us into who we are. The first film utilized this conceit to explore the emotional state of a young girl feeling depressed following a big move to a new city/ Through that story, it conveyed the important message that, sometimes, it’s okay to not be okay, and that you shouldn’t feign joy to stifle your sadness.
Inside Out 2 expands upon all of that and more with the introduction of beliefs, which are rooted in our core memories to form our overall sense of self. For example, in this movie, Riley’s memories help form her belief that she is a good person and a good friend. However, while struggling to make new friends and keep her old friends, her sense of self is disrupted, which is all the more instigated by the introduction of her new emotions, especially anxiety.
Speaking of which, the character of Anxiety, while clearly an antagonist, never comes across as a straight-up villain. While she certainly exacerbates Riley’s emotional state by making her—well, anxious, Anxiety’s motivation is strictly to help Riley consider her life in the long term and figure out the best outcome for it. No spoilers, but the message ends up being that we shouldn’t allow anxiety to control our lives and that we ought not to be anxious over the things we cannot control.
Overall, Inside Out 2, while not as great as the first movie, still offers a creative, insightful, and entertaining look at concepts like adolescence, anxiety, and repressed emotions. As with the first film, it manifests into living color the abstract of the psychological in a way that even children
can understand and enjoy. If you loved the first film, you certainly want to check out the second one in theaters.
Please Join us Lakeside at the Tiki Bar and help raise money for a good ”Paws”
Sunday, August 25 from 2-6
Tanners: 1006 Lake Howard Dr SW in Winter Haven
50/50 Raffle Baskets Crossed Paws T-Shirts for Sale Live Music with Acoustic Duos Pet Friendly Food/ Drinks Bounce House for Kids
Bing any dog item (Collar, Leash, Harness, Treats, Food) and receive 10 FREE RAFFLE TICKETS. Crossed Paws is currently using Wholesome White Fish&Rice OR Energy Mix & Science Diet Puppy or Sensitive Skin&Stomach for Food
As part of a series of events on the same day, the Eagle Ridge Mall in Lake Wales will play host to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Back To School Bash on Saturday, July 13, from 9 AM through 12 PM.
This event is supported by Polk Sheriff’s Charities, Inc. as well as by private donors. Essential supplies and book bags will be provided. Children must be present to receive the supplies. The community is encouraged to attend.
The event will be held concurrently at the Northwest District in Lakeland, 1045 Wedgewood Estates Blvd., as well as at the Central District in Winter Haven, 3635 Avenue G Northwest.
Promotional Flyer for the event
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd recently shared his excitement of bringing this event to the community on the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Instagram account.
“Every child that shows up will receive a book bag complete with all kinds of school stuff,” says Judd.
The event will be held at Eagle Ridge Mall, 301 Eagle Ridge Dr., Lake Wales, behind Chili’s restaurant. 
Auburndale Public Library – GiGi and Friends are going to bring the fun Thursday, July 11, 2024, at the Auburndale Civic Center, starting at 2:00 P.M.
This will be an exciting event for the whole family. GiGi and her dog Super Zeus will perform an entertaining show filled with magic, comedy, juggling, and dog tricks!
This event is part of the Auburndale Library’s Summer Program. For more information, please call 863-965-5548.
