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Two People Died When Their Gyrocopter Crashed into a Mobile Home Park in Sebring

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UPDATE:

Highlands County Sheriff’s Office Release:

SEBRING — Two men were killed and another person on the ground was injured when an experimental gyrocopter crashed into a mobile home in Sebring Tuesday, Oct. 30.

The crash happened just before 2:50 p.m. and claimed the life of pilot Christopher Lord, 45, and passenger Christopher Brugger, 52. Lord was flying Brugger to an airport in Manatee County after taking off from the Sebring Regional Airport. Both men were killed on impact.

Lord was the owner of Gyroplaneguy, Inc., which is based at the Sebring Regional Airport. According to the company website, Lord was a “pilot, instructor, examiner, test pilot. Chris has flown many aircraft to include fixed wing, helicopter, powered parachute, weight shift trike, and thousands of hours in over 34 models of gyroplanes. Chris has trained and examined hundreds of students and has touched nearly every state traveling across the USA, Chris is the CEO of Pictaio, Inc. ( Mobile scanning LiDAR solutions), director of Pictaio Aerospace, LLC (Gyroplane training), and CEO of Gyroplaneguy Inc.”

Witnesses said the aircraft was in some kind of distress before it clipped a power line and crashed into a mobile home at 2003 Caribbean Road in the Sebring Falls Retirement Subdivision. Luckily, nobody was home at the time. A man working on a home next door suffered burns to his arm and leg and was transported to the hospital. One of the adjacent homes suffered heavy damage to one side, while the home on the other side had cosmetic damage. Other than the workman, both of the adjacent homes were unoccupied at the time of the crash.

The first unit, an ambulance, arrived on scene three minutes after being dispatched, and a DeSoto City Volunteer Fire Department truck was on scene two minutes after that, but by then the home was engulfed in heavy flames.

The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office will handle the death investigations, while the investigation of the crash will be conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. Both of those federal agencies will be on scene on Wednesday, Oct. 31.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or saw the aircraft in distress before the crash is asked to call Det. David Pearlman 863-402-7250, email [email protected] or leave a tip with Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS or www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com.

 

Two people died when their gyrocopter crashed into a mobile home park in Sebring earlier this afternoon.

According to the sheriff’s office, another person on the ground was injured and it appeared that no one was home at the time of the crash in the mobile home in the Sebring Falls Mobile Home Park.

Two homes are on fire and Firefighters are on the scene, putting out the flames.

Deputies are advising residents to use caution in the area of Flare Rd and Ryant Blvd, off US 27.

More Than 1,000 BBQ Meals Provided At 11th Annual CarBQ

More Than 1,000 BBQ Meals Provided At 11th Annual CarBQ

by James Coulter

More than 1,000 barbecue meals—1988, to be exact—were sold to local businesses and customers at the 11th Annual CarBQ by the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce on Friday.

For the past 11 years, the Lakeland Chamber, along with local partners and sponsors, has been organizing the fundraiser, with proceeds going towards many of its educational programs.

Dinner plates were sold for $10 and included a full-course barbecue meal with pulled pork, barbecue sauce, baked beans, corn souffle, dinner roll, pickle spear, and a cookie.

These dinners were pre-ordered in advance by many local businesses and organizations, and which were then either delivered or offered for pick up at Two Men and a Truck along US Highway 27.

“It is like an employee appreciation,” explained Stephanie Colon, Vice President of Business Development at Citizens Bank and Trust.

The meat was donated by Gordon Food Services, with the food prepared and cooked by Fred’s Market and Johnson Barbecue. Also sponsoring the event was Publix, Bank of Central Florida, Saddlecreek Logistics, and Two Men In A Truck.

More than 30 to 50 volunteers helped package the meals and deliver them to local customers and businesses. The deliveries especially require a lot of logistics and effort to be done well, but everything is worth it at the very end, Colon said.

“The volunteers who are coming together, they love doing it once a year,” she said. “[The event offers] a lot of opportunities to meet new people [and] network with others. It is an awesome assembly line of people working together and putting together meals.”

Cory Skeates, Lakeland Chamber President, has been personally participating within the event for the past four years, helping to put the meals together and deliver them to investors such as Clark, Campbell, Lancaster, & Munson Law Firm, MaxPack, and Crystal Lake Elementary School.

He considers this particular fundraiser to be the most successful, community-supportive event of the year, allowing him and other volunteers the opportunity to support local investors and otherwise have a good time doing so.

“We just enjoy doing it,” he said. ” I think it is the fact that our investors have bought into this. They see it as a way to give back to our employees and clients and donate to local non-profits, so it is a great way to give back to the community.”

Successful Season for Lake Wales High School Varsity Girls Golf Team

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Successful Season for Lake Wales High School Varsity Girls Golf Team

By Allison Williams

Photo provided by Stacey Butcher

The Lake Wales High School Varsity Girls Golf team is on a roll this year. They went 8-0 for the regular season and won the District Title for the first time in over 12 years. They also placed second at the regionals competition, which earned them a spot in the upcoming State Championships. This is the first time the team has made it to the State Championships.

Stacey Butcher became head coach mid-summer.

To say it has been a great season would be an understatement,” Butcher said. “We started the year with our first win over Mulberry and defeated every team after that to go a perfect 8-0 on the regular season.”

The team consists of 10 players. The golf team is the second largest girls’ teams in the county.

Team members:

  • Led by Sophomore Reeya Patel, who has played in the #1 spot most of the year
  • Jasmine Harris – Senior #2
  • Ria Patel – Sophomore #3
  • Sydney Deary – Freshman #4
  • Amelia Ingley – Freshman #5
  • Sara Deary – Junior #6
  • Taylor Woods – Freshman #7
  • Alyssa Balliett – Freshman #8
  • Crissann Thompson – Junior #9
  • Erica Revelo – Junior #10

“We have an extremely young squad, so it is exciting to know that we will only get better from here,” Butcher said. “To take the regional runner up with mostly underclassmen is a feat in itself, as the winning school had three seniors on it.”

Golf is an important part of Butcher’s life. She was previously Sports Information Director at Warner University. Being close friends with a golfer on campus, her interest in golfing continued to grow.

“I coach because I want to make sure that every player I come in contact with knows by the end of our season that they have worth and value inside and more importantly outside of the sports world, and that they matter regardless of the score at the end of match play or the scores on their report cards,” Butcher said. “I feel coaching is an avenue in which I can have a direct impact on students’ lives, for Christ (with God’s help).  I coach to build relationships with my players and to foster a sense of community within our team by modeling leadership and servant hood to them as best as I can.”

The team is thankful for the Lake Wales Country Club. The club has been their home course for the season.

“They have been one big reason for our success, as having a consistent place to practice and host matches is invaluable for any team,” Butcher said.

The State Championships are set for November 1 and 2 at Mission Inn.

 

Crickette Parade And Carnival Kicks Off Halloween In Bartow

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Crickette Parade And Carnival Kicks Off Halloween In Bartow

by James Coulter

The merry old land of Oz may lie “somewhere over the rainbow”, but last week, the Emerald City and its citizens appeared in Downtown Bartow during the annual Crickette Parade and Carnival.

This year’s parade included a marvelous float based on the “Wizard of Oz”, with a balloon rainbow leading to the towering spires of the Emerald City and away from Dorothy’s cottage, with the legs of the Wicked Witch still sprawled underneath it.

Wendy’s Dance Company created the float, with several of their student dancers appearing as characters from the movie, including several Munchkins, the Good Witch Glenda, and even Dorothy and her friends.

This year had the dance studio open up a second location in Bartow, with their original studio in Fort Meade. To help showcase themselves to their new community, they decided to enter a float in this year’s annual parade.

“It took a lot of people, a lot of families, [and] a lot of kids to put it all together,” said owner Wendy Attix. “We all came together and got it done…[and] it was a lot of fun.”

Having been in business for more than 20 years, the dance studio offers a variety of dance classes on different dance styles ranging from ballet to hip hop.

For their efforts in creating the float, they managed to win first place with “best original float” during the awards ceremony following the parade at the carnival in Mosaic Park.

Being able to participate within the parade was excellent for Attix and her students, and they expect to do the same thing again next year.

“We had a lot of fun,” she said, explaining that the best part was “probably all the families coming together and us having a good time walking and fellowshipping together.”

This award-winning float was one of 55 other entries within this year’s parade for the 76th annual Crickette Club Parade and Carnival in Bartow last Thursday evening.

The parade and carnival are both hosted by the local Crickette Club, which, according to its website, is an organization “whose members are Bartow area women involved in business and the community since 1941.”

The event started promptly at 4 p.m. as the parade proceeded along Main Street in Downtown Bartow and made its way along Broadway Avenue towards the carnival at Mosaic Park.

Aside from the many colorful floats created by local businesses and organizations, the parade also included apperance by the local police and fire department, as well as more than 100 students dressed in military uniform from local ROTC chapters.

Taking advantage of the parade’s publicity by marching within it were several local politicans ranging from Republicans like County Commissioner Mellony Bell to Democrats like Florida Senate Candidate Bob Doyel.

Especially prominent among the canidates running for office was the “Cool Bus” advertising many local Democratic canidates, including Democratic Candidate for Governor Andrew Guillum.

The parade ended at Mosaic Park, where the remainder of the evening’s activities continued with the annual carnival. There, children of all ages dressed in their Halloween best had the opportunity to win free candy from more than a dozen carnival games including ring toss, catch the fish, and basketball hoops.

While children were able to play games to win candy, adults had the opportunity to either play bingo to win various prizes or walk the cake walk to win various sweet treats.

When not busy winning games, children and their parents also had the opportunity to enjoy the fun zone as provided by Lakeland Moonwalk, with fun activities such as bounce houses, rock climbing walls, ride-along trains, laser tag, and even a spinning ride.

This year had more food vendors than previous years, according to Event Chairwoman, Karen Boswell. They lined the outskirts of the festival, allowing local businesses and organizations to offer carnival food options ranging from corn dogs to funnel cakes and lemonade.

The American Legion Post made its first apperance at the event by selling roasted corn and steak kabobs. The proceeds would go towards their centennial celebration next year, explained their leader, Wally Edwards.

Though this was the first time his post participated within the event, Edwards has been attending since its very early beginnings.

“I have been to this event ever since it started,” he said. “I just like to watch the kids and how much fun they are having.”

This year was also the first for Stephanie Shultz, Outreach Director for Main Street Baptist Church, and her congregation, as they participated by offering free treats and selling sweet tea.

“We just wanted to get out and meet new people and talk to people and fellowship,” she said. “Everyone is having a really nice time.”

Chief Charlie Bird Seeking Winter Haven Residents to Participate in the 2019 Winter Haven Police Leadership Council

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Chief Charlie Bird Seeking Winter Haven Residents to Participate in the
2019 Winter Haven Police Leadership Council

Winter Haven Police Chief Charlie Bird is seeking residents of Winter Haven, who are over the age of 18, to participate in the Winter Haven Police Leadership Council.  The dates for the council will be held every other Tuesday beginning in January until the end of April 2019.

The Council will consist of approximately 20 members who will serve voluntarily and meet every other Tuesday from 6 – 9 p.m. with Chief Bird and agency members for a total of eight meetings. The Council will begin on January 22, 2019. Participants will be asked to complete assignments and provide feedback on Department operations.

Members of the Council will experience hands-on activities over the course of the eight weeks while gaining a much better understanding of what it takes to operate a Municipal Police Department.  Council members will participate in tours at the Polk County Jail book-in, Central County Jail and the Courthouse. Participants will be required to serve specified time frames at the Sheriff’s Emergency Communications Center and complete a Ride-A-Long with an officer. Participants will be a valuable community resource in advising on topics that affect the agency.

Those interested in serving on the Police Leadership Council can request an application by calling 863-291-5858, ext. 2351. Applications can also be obtained by going to the Department website at www.WinterHavenPD.com  and clicking the Community Services link on the homepage.  Applications must be submitted no later than December 1, 2018 to be considered for the upcoming council that will begin on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. Citizens awarded the opportunity to serve will be notified no later than December 15 in order to make plans for the meeting dates. A listing of meeting dates will be sent along with the application.

2nd Annual Beer With Pioneers Hosted At Lake Wales Pioneer Days

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2nd Annual Beer With Pioneers Hosted At Lake Wales Pioneer Days

by James Coulter

The early settlers of Polk County probably didn’t brew craft beer, but if they did, they would have most certainly cracked open a cold one during the 2nd Annual Beer With Pioneers in Lake Wales on Saturday evening.

For its second year, this annual fundraiser for the Lake Wales Museum allowed attendees to sample nearly a dozen craft beers and enjoy live music while taking in the scenic view of Lake Wailes.

The inaugural event was hosted last year at the Lake Wales Depot Museum and Cultural Center. This year’s event was moved directly to Lake Wailes Park to coincide with the annual Lake Wales Pioneer Days over the weekend.

More than a dozen craft beers were available to be sampled with the purchase of admission, which included a wristband and sample glass. Most of these beers were from breweries outside of the county, as most of the local breweries were preoccupied with Octoberfest, one volunteer claimed.

While sampling these beers, attendees could take up a chair, relax and chat with other attendees and friends, and enjoy some live music as performed by the local band, Mountain Brew.

Enhancing the overall atmosphere of the event was the surrounding lake and park, as the event helped accentuate the corresponding Pioneers Day festival.

“It is great having it here at the Pioneer Days festival grounds and having all of the food trucks available,” said Robert Connors, Chairman of the Lake Wales Museum Association.

“I think that has been a plus, that people can hang around, enjoy the cool evening, and enjoy the great food and all the great flavors and all the great music,” he said.

The annual event is one of many fundraisers for the local museum, which had recently undergone several renovations over the past few years while under new management.

The Lake Wales Museum Association was incorporated by the city four years ago to help assist with these refurbishments. Since then, the museum has undergone leaps and bounds in overall improvements, especially now that it is receiving major funding from the city, Connors said.

“We do our fundraising event to provide enhancements and make the museum a better place,” he said. “It [the museum] has made phenomenal strides in the last few years, and we are very proud of our projects and of our museum director.”

Jennifer D’Hollander, Lake Wales Museum Director, felt that this year’s event has exceeded expectations with the overall turnout and experience, especially since it has moved to its new location at the park alongside Pioneer Days.

“The beautiful thing about being down here is that you are with the whole festival with all the activities and food and everything,” she said. “We have a big crowd and we are just having a wonderful time. it is a very laid back and relaxing Saturday night.”

Lake Wales Pioneer Days is an annual two-day event hosted every year at the park that celebrates the local history and heritage of the Lake Wales area.

Most prominent within the event is the signature pioneer village, where guests can witness historical demonstrations of arts and crafts such as blacksmithing.

Aside from learning about local history, guests can also enjoy food from local vendors, as well as purchase merchandise and learn about services as provided by local businesses and organizations.

Preforming at this year’s event, specifically for Beer With Pioneers, is Mountain Brew, a local band from Orlando that plays old-timey music, as well as a few classic rock and roll and pop songs.

Andy Burr—guitarist, vocalist, and harmonica player—initially attended Pioneer Days with his music partner, Sarah, as a musical duo ten years ago.

He loves the local flavor of the annual event, and he appreciated being able to perform with his bandmates during the second annual Beer with Pioneers.

“It is one of the best events around,” he said. “Perfect place to meet your neighbors, have some fun, and support the museum.”

Polk County Sheriff’s Office Investigating Suspicious Package Near Avenue G.

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Polk County Sheriff’s Office Press Release

Update: Suspicious Package Update:

The scene is now secure at the Polk County Central District office. The PCSO bomb detection K9 did not alert to anything suspicious with the envelope.  The package was opened and we confirmed the item inside was ordered by the Winter Haven woman. She thought the package looked suspicious following recent incidents reported across the country.

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The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a “suspicious package” delivered to a Winter Haven woman. A woman received it in her mailbox and it was address to her. To her, it appeared suspicious, because of the multiple stamps and because it did not have a return address. The package is a commercial-type padded style manila envelope. She drove it to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Central District office located at 3635 Avenue G NW, Winter Haven, FL.

Currently, the package is at our Central District office. Out of an abundance of caution, the office has been evacuated, and Avenue G from 42nd to 34th Street has been closed. Polk County Hazmat has been called to the scene and the Hillsborough County Bomb Squad is responding to assist with the investigation.

Polk Theater In Lakeland Defending Itself After Friday’s Show Depicted Mock Assassination Of President Donald Trump

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Lakeland, Florida – The Polk Theater in Lakeland is having to defend itself and distance itself from players in a skit. The incident occurred on Friday night’s annual Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The news source Creative Loafing has the exclusive story: An onstage, pre-show skit at Polk Theatre has the historic Lakeland theatre apologizing to its friends and followers.

According to accounts on social media, the skit at Friday night’s annual Rocky Horror Picture Show fundraiser showed a mock assassination of the nation’s seated president, Donald J. Trump.

Some theatergoers were horrified while others defended the act, citing the sanctity of the theater and the Trump administration’s recent desire to roll back protections for transgender Americans, and possibly legally invalidate their existence, by narrowly defining gender as based on sex assignment at birth (many fans flock to Rocky Horror Picture Show for the cult classic’s embrace of LGBTQ culture). Complete Article Here: Lakeland’s Polk Theatre apologizes after onstage, mock assassination of Trump

Two Arrested for Armed Robbery on Tennessee Ave in Lakeland

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LAKELAND, FL – On October 17, 2018 at approximately 11:56 P.M., the Lakeland Police Department (LPD) responded to the area of 130 S. Tennessee Avenue in reference to an armed robbery. The victim, whom wishes to remain anonymous and will be identified by her last name only, Jenkins, left Mojo Federal – BBQ with two of her friends. Jenkins was standing across the street with her friends when two black male subjects walked up behind her with their shirts over their head covering their faces. The two subjects began beating Jenkins on the back of her head and face with their fists. Jenkins fell to the ground and a physical altercation ensued as the subjects were trying to steal her purse. The subjects managed to get her purse and they fled on foot in a northwest direction. Jenkins’ purse contained assorted items to include credit cards. Jenkins had several small lacerations to her forehead and a small contusion to the back of her head as a result of the robbery.

Jenkins’ two friends observed the robbery and heard what sounded like 3 “pop” sounds and one of them observed a handgun. An officer later located a small black magazine which appeared to be from a “bb gun” behind one of the witness’s vehicles.

Ten minutes after the robbery, a credit card from Jenkins purse was swiped at the Circle K located at 1410 N. Florida Avenue. Approximately 10 minutes later, $500.00 was transferred into an account belonging to one of the suspects, Dejon Armstrong, 18-years old.

On October 18th, at approximately 11:30 A.M., the suspects attempted to use another credit card at the Sunoco located at 2905 Reynolds Road in Lakeland.

LPD Detective Scott Weech was assigned to the case and on October 25th, he provided the Lakeland Police Street Crimes Unit (SCU) Armstrong’s information for a surveillance to be conducted. On October 26th at approximately 2:15 A.M., the SCU observed Armstrong in his vehicle with Kejuan Harris, 17 years old. They were in the area of Mann Road outside the city limits of Lakeland. The SCU later observed what appeared to be a burglary to a motor vehicle in progress on Saddlehorn Drive by the two suspects. The SCU called the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) to assist. For additional information on this case and charges, please contact the PCSO. The two suspects left the area and the SCU followed while waiting on additional back-up units.

The Lakeland Police Department utilizing marked police cars initiated a traffic stop on the suspects at 100 East Parker Street. The suspects were taken into custody without incident and transported to the LPD. Two firearms were located in the vehicle and Jenkins’ purse was located in the trunk.

Armstrong and Harris were interviewed and admitted to the armed robbery on October 17th at 130 S. Tennessee Avenue. They both stated a “BB gun” was used in that robbery and has since been disposed of.

Arrested:

Dejuan Armstrong, 18 years old of Lakeland is charged with Armed Robbery, Fraudulent use of a Credit Card and Destruction of Evidence.

Kejuan Harris, 17 years old of Lakeland is charged with Armed Robbery, Fraudulent use of a Credit Card, Dealing in Stolen Property, Possession of a Firearm and Destruction of Evidence.

Stone Cabin Coffee And Cheesecake Offers Fresh In-House Flavor

Stone Cabin Coffee And Cheesecake Offers Fresh In-House Flavor

by James Coulter

What’s better than eating a decadent slice of melts-in-your-mouth soft yet firm cheesecake? How about being able to wash down that cheesecake with a fresh cup of in-house brewed coffee?

Winter Haven’s newest bakery and cafe offers both made daily from fresh in-house ingredients.

Stone Cabin Coffee And Cheesecake, true to its name, offers both coffee and cheesecake, as well as other fresh-baked items including bagels, cupcakes, and Danishes.

Regardless of what you order, be it a slice of delectable cheesecake or a fresh cup of coffee, you’re guaranteed to enjoy something made in-house from the freshest ingredients with nothing frozen or pre-made.

“It is all made fresh in house every day,” said manager Eva Butler. “There are not that many places that can say that they do that.”

Located near the corner of The Shoppes at Miller’s Landing, entering the rustic cafe feels as though you are stepping out of the Florida heat and into the coziness of a mountain cabin.

The only thing cozier is being able to enjoy the overall rustic mountain cabin decor with either a slice of fresh cheesecake or a cup of fresh coffee.

All of the cheesecakes are made from original recipies made by the staff daily. Every week showcases a different “cheesecake tour” with three unique slices of cheesecake offered in a bundle deal special.

Recently, their cheesecake tour provided three slices of S’mores, Key Lime, and Butterfinger flavor, allowing customers to try their taste buds sampling three distinct yet flavorful slices for a sweeter deal.

“Everybody has a sweet tooth,” Butler said. “That’s why they love us.”

As for the coffee, their in-house brew offers a fresh flavor without the bitter aftertaste, thus offering customers a unique blend distinct from most other coffee houses and cafes.

“The people who come in and drink the coffee, we have had multiple reviews from people that say that our coffee tastes different and better than everywhere else,” Butler said.

Even Butler herself admits that she only drinks the coffee sold at her eatery, refusing to buy coffee from anyplace else, including big name chains.

“I might have a biased opinion, but I would say our coffee is better than Starbucks,” she said. “I won’t drink Starbucks or Dunkin Doughnuts anymore. I come here for my coffee.”

Stone Cabin Coffee And Cheesecake originally started with several cafes in Tennessee and has since made its way down to Florida with its first store in Winter Haven.

The owner lives in both Tennessee and Florida, which is why they planned on opening locations in both state, with plans to further expand into Florida with six new locations throughout Polk, Hillsborough, and Orange County.

Since opening their store nearly one month ago, the cafe has already received glowing reviews from new customers, many of whom have since become regulars.

One Facebook reviewer mentioned how she arrived at the cafe for the first time with her family. She enjoyed her coffee and her cinnamon raisin bagel, which she described as “out of this world”, and her young son also enjoy his chocolate-flavored frozen dessert.

“Stone Cabin is such a cute little café!” she wrote. “The staff was helpful and very friendly, as well! We will definitely be back and recommending it to our friends!”

Slowly yet steadily business has picked up naturally without any formal advertising, with their only marketing being word of mouth and social media.

“[We did that] just so we could pick it up slowly so we could see that the baker can meet up with the needs and that everything is set and ready to go,” Butler said. “It has been pretty good thus far, we have been picking up with a steady pace.”

Having worked in several smaller businesses before, Butler enjoys being able to oversee a small, local business and organically growing a close-knit network of customers, thus keeping true to the café’s motto “where friends become family.”

She expects that this organic growth will continue on in the future with more customers arriving and more locations expanding in the area.

“I like that general idea where this is a close knit smaller resturants that focus on the customers and make everything homemade, and not on the big corporate picture,” she said.

Stone Cabin Coffee And Cheesecake is located within The Shoppes at Miller’s Landing at 7000 Cypress Gardens Boulevard in Winter Haven.

For more information, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/stonecabinco/, or their website at http://www.stonecabin.com/