Are you looking for a dynamic career with great opportunities for growth? The Winter Haven Police Department will hold a Job Fair on Saturday, April 13 from 11 am – 3 pm at the Police Department, located at 125 N. Lake Silver Dr., NW in Winter Haven. Both sworn law enforcement and civilian positions available.
The Winter Haven Police Department employs 92 Police Officers and 33 civilian support personnel. To maintain the highest level of efficiency, we incorporate state-of-the-art equipment with ongoing innovative in-house training programs.
If you feel you are a candidate who can support our mission, purpose, core values, and beliefs, a law enforcement career with the Winter Haven Police Department offers a challenging and exciting opportunity. We have a very active Reserve Unit as well.
Candidates for Police Officer are chosen from a competitive field of applicants based on test scores, assessments, and a rigorous background investigation.
For more information, visit https://ow.ly/aXlP50QIa9m
Winter Haven Celebrates 10 Years of Community Fun at 10th Annual CommunityFest
by James Coulter
Ten years ago, the Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce conceived of a community event that would allow residents and visitors an opportunity to connect over free games, food, and other activities. Last Saturday, CommunityFest celebrated a decade of bringing together the Winter Haven Community for fun and camaraderie.
Children could bounce around in inflatable houses and obstacle courses, play lawn games, and meet and greet costumed characters like Cinderella, Moana, and Spider-Man. Older attendees could peruse local vendors, grab a bite to eat from food trucks, and listen to live musical performances.
The annual event celebrated its tenth anniversary at Central Park in Downtown Winter Haven. More than 150 vendors offered attendees free treats, games, and other activities in the largest turnout ever, explained Ana Saavedra, Membership & Sponsorship Development for the Winter Haven Chamber.
“CommunityFest is doing great,” she said. “These are the most vendors that we have had for the event. That is exciting for the Chamber and the community to have this number of people coming out and giving back.”
While expectations are high every year, expectations for this year’s event were even more so due to it being the 10th annual event. Those expectations were more than exceeded through the turnout of both attendees and vendors.
“The expectations are always pretty high for this event,” Saavedra said. “I feel like every year we keep topping it. We have more vendors than we have ever had for this event. We have a very great group of characters over here. We have inflatable games. And it has been a very fun time. I think it keeps getting better and better.”
Ashley Conrad-Scanlan, Marketing Director for Bond Clinic, has been attending the event and representing her company there since the very first year. With Bond Clinic having recently celebrated its 75th anniversary, celebrating another milestone felt especially fitting.
“I think this [CommunityFest] is a crème de le crème event in our community,” Scanlan said. “We have a lot of great things, but this event has a special air about it, and we will keep coming out time and again. It keeps getting better and better every time, and we are grateful for the opportunity and all of the hard work the chamber puts in to make this happen.”
Not only does she love attending the event to help promote and market Bond Clinic, but she also loves being able to connect with other businesses and residents. Scanlan has been living in Winter Haven ever since she was born, and she loves being able to participate in it however she can.
“It is a Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce day,” she said. “It is beautiful weather. Over 150 vendors out here today. These are all the shining stars of Winter Haven. We have participated in all ten years of this event so we are proud to be here.”
Sue Fisher, a volunteer for Theatre Winter Haven, moved to the community five years ago. She began volunteering for Theatre Winter Haven and participating in CommunityFest through it. Her organization was involved in 39 events last month, and they hosted 27 shows in 29 days.
“We like to be involved in the community, and we are always signed up for it, so a lot of people know about the theatre and we encourage them to attend theatre productions,” she said. “With CommunityFest, I love being involved with people, getting to talk with them and spread the word.”
Join an exciting and interactive evening of dance in Eloise at our Latin Dance Nights! Led by instructor Al Lewis, this monthly class for adults 18 and older is an opportunity for dancers of all experience levels to learn different styles of latin dancing like bachata, merengue, cha-cha, salsa and more.
With a great community of enthusiastic dancers, this class is a welcoming environment for experienced dancers and newcomers alike. So come out, practice your steps and dance the night away!
Latin Dance Night will take place March 8 at 5:30 at the Eloise Resource Center.
On the morning of February 26, 2024, Taina Dawes-Santiago, 47, passed away after a sudden decline in her health. She left us far too soon yet as she always wished- at home, peacefully, on a beautiful day, with the family she loved endlessly and who loves her endlessly by her side until the very end.
Born June 25, 1976 in Bronx, NY, she met her husband Robert Santiago on August 28, 1992, and together created the family she dreamed of and devoted her life to. Her children consist of her sons Christian Robert Santiago, Bryant Lee Santiago, Maximus Aurelius Santiago, Lucian Alexander Santiago, and her daughter Harvey Santiago. Alongside her husband and children, she forever remains near and dear to her siblings Cheronica Dawes, Omar Dawes, and Hector Rivera, as well as her granddaughter Jocelyn Santiago, and several more nieces and nephews. She now joins her mother in heaven, Rosa Gracias.
Taina was tougher, wiser, and more loving than us all. Despite everything life threw at her, she fought back hard and stood strong and left with a smile on her face and a story we could talk about for years to come. And she would tell her stories and laugh and liven up any room she stepped in. But with how vibrant a woman she was she knew exactly who she could wholly trust and kept her circle small and close. Still, though she put her full trust in a few she touched the hearts of so many from Florida to New York, Pennsylvania to Rhode Island, and then some in between. She kept music in her heart and home and love in every meal she cooked. Every holiday was memorable with her around to celebrate and commemorate with a few dozen more photos for us all to reminisce upon now.
We cannot overstate how overwhelming and devastating a loss it is to no longer have her by our side, but never will she ever leave our lives. In fact, it would be an injustice to say the world is lesser without her in it because she will always remain in it through the impact she had on us all as a beloved mother, a beautiful wife, a compassionate sister, a true friend. Taina Dawes-Santiago, you are our sunshine, always and forever. We love you, and we’ll see you again.
City of Winter Haven Agrees to Transfer Ownership of Three Parcels of City-Owned Property to Private Individuals
by James Coulter
Believing that the properties would be better off in private hands, Winter Haven City Commissioners voted unanimously to transfer three parcels of city-owned land, each to a private individual.
At their recent city meeting, Winter Haven City Commissioners voted unanimously to pass two resolutions, each for the disposition of property within their city’s Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs).
The first resolution was for a .06-acre parcel located at the northeast corner of 1st Street and Ave. P NE. The property will be transferred from the City of Winter Haven to Terry Dewdney, who had offered $4,000 for the property.
Dewdney expressed interest in obtaining the property after the city published a Notice of Public Hearing in the Winter Haven Sun on Jan. 17. On Feb. 12, 2024, he offered a written, hand-delivered proposal saying that he was interested in purchasing the property.
Dewdney wrote that the property was adjacent to his business, Dewdney Plaza, and would be utilized to expand it. He planned to construct two buildings: a single-story building to house Cheryl Cakes, and a two-story residential apartment building to offer affordable housing “with an emphasis and outreach to fire and public safety families.”
“I believe the plans I provided will make good use of the property,” Dewdney wrote. “I am asking for your consideration in donating this property to me so I can continue the vision of improving Winter Haven and the Florence Villa area.”
Commissioner Brian Yates emphasized that Dewdney will pay all costs associated with transferring the property to hisownership. Also, on the off-chance Dewdney does not keep his end of the bargain by maintaining the upkeep of the property and utilizing it as part of the contemplated redevelopment, the lot will also revert to City ownership.
The other property considered that evening included two adjacent parcels with a combined size of .18 acres, both located south of the intersection of US Highway 17 and 6th Street SW. The property will be transferred to Bob Cameron, who had offered $25,000 for the parcel.
Cameron sent a written proposal via e-mail on Jan. 12 expressing his intent to purchase the property, which the city offered in a Notice of Public Hearing in the Winter Haven Sun on Jan. 17.
Cameron, who has offered to purchase the property for $25,000 intends to use the property to construct a small retail building with limited parking for bike sales and rentals. Also, per the agreement associated with this transaction, the property can be purchased back by the city at the same price if the owner does not develop it.
City Commissioners motioned and seconded to pass each resolution, and voted unanimously to approve them.
One resident approached the commission for public comment concerning the transfer of the first parcel from the City within the Florence Villa CRA. He asked why the city would give away City-owned (and, by extension, taxpayer-owned) property to private individuals rather than selling it to them.
City Commissioner Bradley T. Dantzler replied that they were giving away the first parcel because the adjoining street hadchanged from two to four lanes, thus “gutting a lot of properties” and leaving them with “zero value to the city.”
He argued that giving the land to Dewdney would allow it to be better utilized and that its use would help generate potential tax revenue for the city.
Mayor Nathanial Birdsong added that the property in its current ownership and state was costing the taxpayer money through its continued maintenance by the City with no associated taxable revenue.
“The property is actually costing taxpayer money because we have to tend to it by having it mowed because nobody does it for free,” he said.
City of Winter Haven Gives Away Two Parcels of City-Owned Property to Private Individuals
by James Coulter
Believing that the properties would be better off in private hands, Winter Haven City Commissioners voted unanimously to transfer two parcels of city-owned land, each to a private individual.
At their recent city meeting, Winter Haven City Commissioners voted unanimously to pass two resolutions, each for the disposition of property within their city’s Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs).
The first resolution was for a .06-acre parcel located at the northeast corner of 1st Street and Ave. P NE. The property will be transferred from the Florence Villa CRA to Terry Dewdney, who had offered $4,000 for the property.
Dewdney expressed interest in obtaining the property after the city published a Notice of Public Hearing in the Winter Haven Sun on Jan. 17. On Feb. 12, 2024, he offered a written, hand-delivered proposal saying that he was interested in purchasing the property.
Dewdney wrote that the property was adjacent to his business, Dewdney Plaza, and would be utilized to expand it. He planned to construct two buildings: a single-story building to house Cheryl Cakes, and a two-story residential apartment building to offer affordable housing “with an emphasis and outreach to fire and public safety families.”
“I believe the plans I provided will make good use of the property,” Dewdney wrote. “I am asking for your consideration in donating this property to me so I can continue the vision of improving Winter Haven and the Florence Villa area.”
The other property considered that evening included two parcels with a combined size of .18 acres, both located south of the intersection of US Highway 17 and 6th Street SW. The property will be transferred to Bob Cameron, who had offered $25,000 for the parcel.
Cameron sent a written proposal via e-mail on Jan. 12 expressing his intent to purchase the property, which the city offered in a Notice of Public Hearing in the Winter Haven Sun on Jan. 17. Cameron intends to use the property to construct a small retail building with limited parking for bike sales and rentals.
City Commissioners motioned and seconded to pass each resolution, and voted unanimously to approve them.
One resident approached the commission for public comment concerning the transfer of the first parcel from the Florence Villa CRA. He asked why the city would give away city-owned (and, by extension, taxpayer-owned) property to private individuals rather than selling it to them.
City Commissioner Bradley T. Dantzler replied that they were giving away the first parcel because the adjoining street hadchanged from two to four lanes, thus “gutting a lot of properties” and leaving them with “zero value to the city.”
He argued that giving the land to Dewdney would allow it to be better utilized and that its use would help generate potential tax revenue for the city.
Mayor Pro Tiem Nathanial Birdsong added that the property in its current ownership and state was costing the taxpayer money through its continued maintenance by the city.
“The property is actually costing taxpayer money because we have to tend to it by having it mowed because nobody does it for free,” he said.
————— Full Service Real Estate Team – Cheryl Brewer has a property available for sale at Lake Ashton in Lake Wales! Details:
2 bed 2 bath
$490,000
Come see the breathtaking views from this well-maintained home on the 18th Fairway at Beautiful Lake Ashton. The RV garage has central heat and air as well as a dehumidifier to keep your RV in tip top shape. RV Garage opening 11 ft 9 1/2 ft Wide X 13 ft 9 inches High. Total RV Garage depth is 55ft, but 49 ft to a ledge. This awesome home features a gourmet kitchen with Granite Counter-Tops, all appliances including a Wine Cooler, with comfy breakfast bar. Plantation Shutters are both pleasing to the eyes but also very functional and easy to open and close. The interior laundry room/flex room is large enough to be used as an office. You will also find a spacious Florida Room with a built-in grill for inside cookouts, also features an incredible view. Windows have been upgraded with solar shield to keep the heat out and save you money! No worries if the electric goes out with the Whole House Generator System already installed. The Lake Ashton community has 2 amazing clubhouses, with multiple swimming pools, restaurants, bowling alley, theater, ballroom, library, media center, workout facility, and more so you’ll never be out of things to do. Great location just 40 minutes to Disney. Call today for a private showing.
Contact Cheryl Brewer at Full Service Real Estate Team today!
Polk County Parks and Recreation is excited to host Bunnyville Bash at Poinciana Community Park!
Feeling adventurous? Visit the egg-venture obstacle course and test out your balance, coordination and skills. Hop to the music on fun inflatables, bring the family together for a sit-down photo with the Easter Bunny and enjoy a day of exciting activities.
Admission is free!
Date: March 30, 2024 from 10-2
Poinciana Community Park 5109 Allegheny Road Poinciana, FL 34759
A Local Technician Passed Away from Cardiac Arrest. Auburndale Speedway Paid Tribute to Him by Raising Proceeds from an AED.
by James Coulter
Jeff Warren and Brandon Duchscherer had been involved in racing for the past 20 years. Their first venture together was in 2002. Since then, they had worked closely with each other at the Auburndale Speedway.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck when Jeff passed away from cardiac arrest. To pay tribute to his long-lost friend, Brandon changed the number of his car, 23, to that of Jeff’s car, 78, and raced in his honor last Saturday evening.
“It feels good that we are honoring him, but I feel bad that we lost him,” Brandon said. ‘I am going to race tonight to win one for him.”
Last Saturday, Auburndale Speedway paid tribute to Jeff by raising proceeds for an AED to be installed in their community. The race included a moment of silence for Jeff as well as a presentation by Melanie Brown Culpepper of Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation, who had donated an AED to the Speedway last year.
Last Saturday was Melanie’s first time attending a race, especially at Auburndale Speedway. She had never been to a race or to the speedway before, despite living in the area most of her life. She and her grandchildren had a great time attending.
Since starting Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation three years ago, Melanie and her non-profit organization have donated and installed more than 30 AEDs at local businesses and other establishments across the county, including Auburndale Speedway in November
.
“It was absolutely great to be here,” Melanie said. “It is making me happy that the places that I am placing them [AEDs] at are paying it forward to other places in our community to get them to all these locations to save lives.”
Kim Narramore, General Manager at Auburndale Speedway, was honored for her workplace to raise proceeds for another AED to be placed in the community and took great inspiration from Melanie and her organization.
“We love having Melanie here,” Kim said. “We feel that what she is doing is a helpful thing for our community. So, we are very good to have her here.”
A Winter Haven man is facing third-degree felony charges after his temper got the best of him and he pointed a gun at another vehicle.
On February 27, 2024 at approximately 4:35 p.m., 27 year-old Brandon Williams (DOB 6-30-96, LNA 732 7th St NE, Winter Haven) was pulling into the Burger King parking lot, located at 205 Cypress Gardens Blvd. in Winter Haven. As he pulled his white Dodge Durango into the parking area, another vehicle occupied by a male and female, was backing out of a parking spot.
Williams honked his horn and the driver of the other vehicle started pulling away. Williams began yelling at the couple in the vehicle and pulled up beside them pointing a gun directly at them. Williams then proceeded to the drive-thru lane and the victims contacted law enforcement.
The victims stayed on the line with dispatchers until Williams left the drive-thru. The victims reported the direction of travel and responding officers located a vehicle matching the description of Williams’ Durango in the area of the Murphy Gas Station on Hwy 17 across from Lowes at Citi Center.
A lawful traffic stop was conducted and Williams was detained without incident. A firearm matching the description given by the victims was located in the center console of the Durango. Williams was identified as the suspect who was at Burger King and who pointed the gun at the victims.
Williams was booked into the Polk County Jail for two counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon W/O (F3).
