To answer numerous media inquiries, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office is currently looking for a homicide suspect in the Eloise area of Winter Haven, close to US 17 and Snively Avenue.
The suspect is 42-year old Robert Simmons, and he should be considered armed and dangerous.
If anyone has any information regarding Simmons’ whereabouts, please call the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 863-298-6200. Anonymous tips can be made to Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS.
This is all of the information available at this time.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office Searching Homicide Suspect In Winter Haven
Commission Approves Changes To Statewide Alligator Hunt
Plus, May is the start of the application process for alligator harvest permits
At their May 3-4 meeting, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Commissioners approved increasing hunting hours for the statewide alligator hunt and adding precharged pneumatic airbows to the legal methods of taking an alligator.
Increasing hunting hours from the current 17 hours a day to 24 hours a day on most areas will provide those with an alligator trapping license/alligator harvest permit seven more hours a day of hunting opportunity and more flexibility when scheduling hunting trips.
Adding precharged pneumatic airbows to the legal methods of take can assist hunters with mobility challenges and youth or smaller framed hunters who might have limited dexterity or strength. To be considered a legal take method, the airbow’s arrow needs to be attached to a restraining line, which allows the hunter to safely gain control of the animal.
These new rules will take effect in time for the 2022 statewide alligator harvest season. Visit MyFWC.com/Alligator for more information.
Applying for alligator harvest permits
This year, sustainable hunting opportunities will be offered at 128 AMUs (65 countywide AMUs and 63 specific AMUs). The FWC will be issuing over 7,300 alligator harvest permits through three random drawings and a final leftover phase.
The dates to apply for alligator harvest permits this year are as follows. Remember, all application periods start at 10 a.m. ET on the first day of the application period and run through 11:59 p.m. ET on the final day.
- Phase I Applications May 6 – 16
- Phase II Applications May 20 – 30
- Phase III Applications June 3 – 13
- Phase IV Leftovers June 16 – until filled or Oct. 14
Anyone who will be 18 years of age or older by Aug. 15 and has a valid credit card may apply for alligator harvest permits at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or in person at a license agent or tax collector’s office. Learn more about the alligator harvest permit application process by visiting MyFWC.com and clicking on “Limited Entry/Quota Hunts” under the “Buy and Apply” drop down menu and then clicking on “Statewide Alligator Hunt Permits.”
The FWC offers several tools to help you with the application process. Find application worksheets, a harvest unit map and listing, application tips and more by visiting MyFWC.com/Alligator and clicking on “Statewide Alligator Harvest Program.”
Polk County Public Schools Now Accepting Summer VPK Applications At Specific Schools
PCPS is now accepting applications for summer VPK.
The summer voluntary pre-kindergarten program is being held at the following sites: Davenport Elementary, Frostproof Ben Hill Griffin Jr. Elementary and Sleepy Hill Elementary.
Space is limited. Click here to apply now.
VPK acceptance notifications for the 2022-23 school year are being emailed this week. Some sites still have space available; please see this page for applications and more information.
For more information about VPK or any of PCPS’ preschool programs, please call 863-648-3051.
Writers On the Ridge: “Descent from Anwyn” by Lisa Chronister
Writers On the Ridge: “Descent from Anwyn” by Lisa Chronister
The following is a selection from “Descent from Anwyn”, the debut sci-fi novel by Lisa Chronister. To read the full story, check out her novel on Amazon in e-book and paperback. Follow the links below for more details.
Chapter One
Genève stood in the alley, pouting. She looked into Talon’s yellow eyes, trying to hold on to her resentment, but those damn eyes of his made it harder than it should have been. Talon leaned against a wooden fence. Taking a step forward, Genève adjusted his old leather jacket, and he placed a helmet over her hair with a sly smile. They were in the middle of a spirited argument, which was nothing new. She enjoyed how he got her blood boiling. Some would describe her as an eccentric person, yet few people understood her dark humor. That didn’t stop her, though; it encouraged her. She was always quick to laugh, joke, and have a good time.
There was another side to her. Although her father’s blood ran strong in her, she carried pieces of her mother. Cursed with a stereotypical redhead temper, her anger burned hot as fire.
Through clenched teeth, Genève said, “I still don’t see why I have to wear a helmet, and you don’t.”
Kissing the tip of her nose he replied, “My bike, my rules. Besides, I don’t want to mess up my hair.”
He took a step back. A look of fear replaced his silly, lopsided grin as two hands grabbed him from behind. He glanced over at Genève and realized the hands also had her. He just hoped she could keep her lip at bay and stay calm.
A deep voice growled, “We are the queen’s guards.”
Talon’s mouth hung open, and he prayed they wouldn’t hear Genève’s obscenities under her breath.
“Queen Chandi requires your immediate presence. You won’t be hurt if you don’t put up a fight.”
Genève and Talon both knew better than to disobey the monarch’s patrol. Their fathers were the top two in the hierarchy, and they had heard stories from infancy about what happened to those who tried to escape the ruler’s summons. Genève felt an icy chill run up her spine. Something must have gone terribly wrong, or their fathers would have been the ones ushering them before the queen.
The walk up the palace stairs and down the long corridor to the queen’s chambers only took moments, yet each second seemed like an eternity. Step after step, the fear ran colder and more intense. Genève imagined that if someone touched her face right then, their fingers would freeze to her skin.
They walked into the room where the court was held. The guardian of the realm was sitting down, with guards on all sides, her eyes brimming with tears. Genève’s mother, Oleander, Talon’s mother, Anise, and Talon’s father, Derik, were all chained on their knees in front of the ruler. Their faces were pale and covered with sweat. Genève’s father was nowhere to be seen.
Before registering what, she was doing, her body automatically dropped her down to her knee so she could formally bow to the queen. Talon did the same. Genève’s mother was not a kind woman, so Genève spent a lot of time with her father, who was the right hand of the monarch. She had always wished that the two of them were her parents. She knew that the queen secretly loved her father.
Her old friend smiled weakly and declared, “Rise my child. I’ve unpleasant news to deliver. Please, come closer.” She drew a breath and reached out for Genève’s long fingers.
Genève stumbled forward and grabbed her hand. “What has happened, My Queen?”
As her lip trembled, the queen answered, “My kingdom has been corrupted by lust and greed, and your father has paid the ultimate price for it. I am sorry to tell you, but your father has fallen. He sacrificed his life to save his queen.”
Genève fell to the ground. For a moment, the world started spinning, and she could not breathe.
All she could feel was despair as the pain settled like a boulder in the pit of her stomach.
Genève pictured her father. Just last night he had taken her to the carnival. His grin was so goofy, just like it always had been. The moment was just a regular moment in time. Genève had been trying to win a trinket at the target practice booth. As her father held her hand in his, she couldn’t help but notice how much rougher his hands were. He stood up, bowing deeply just to show off, and grabbed the bow. After winking at Genève, all three targets became memories in mere seconds. Just like him. Now he was just a memory too.
The memory wasn’t over, and Genève never wanted it to be. She kept her eyes closed and continued to reminisce. There had been a glint in his eyes when the man behind the booth grumpily handed over the toy. That glint meant more to her than all the treasures in all the worlds. She could not accept that she would never see her father’s smile again.
Barely holding it together, her eyes met the queen’s. “How could this be, My Queen? The realm has been at peace for many years.”
“That, my dear, was the first question I proposed. The next was, where was my second in command? If your father had not been guarding me alone, he would still live.”
Talon looked up and asked, “Father, where were you when the queen and the father of my beloved needed you most?”
Anise looked up and, between gritted teeth, said, “Yes, where were you? That is the important question, is it not?”
Derik looked up with regret in his eyes. “I will admit my part in this woman, but his death is on your hands.”
The queen stood and shouted, “Enough! I have had enough of this. Apparently, your father was too busy lying with Oleander to bother protecting his queen and his realm.”
The queen walked closer to Anise and slapped her. “Wipe that smirk off your face. Derik has gotten one thing right–the part you played in this was far worse than the act of infidelity that they committed.”
Genève looked at the monarch. “Please tell me what is happening. Why are they all in chains?” she asked.
The queen closed her eyes to regain her composure.
“Anise found out that Oleander and Derik had been having an affair for months.” She paced back and forth, trying not to let the despair seep into her voice. “She discovered when they would meet, and she realized that he would be late to his duties, which would leave us vulnerable. She hired a group of thugs to attack our entourage as I made my way to court. They shot your father through the heart with a poisoned arrow. He now resides with the gods in Platonia. Fortunately, last week, when the Elders of Beimeni came to pay their respects, they gifted me with the capacity to perceive the truth in any situation. Your father was the only person who knew that I now possess the ability to make people tell me their deepest secrets. So, Anise thought I would have Derik killed for breach of duty, and she would go free.”
Genève recognized all too well how these things were handled, so she asked, “My Queen, what will happen to all of us?”
Sadness overcame the queen. As much as she tried to stop it, her voice quivered. “If you only knew how many times, I wished I had met your father before he wed your mother. I treated you as a daughter because I have yearned for you to be mine. I would do anything to keep you here by my side in Anwyn, but I just cannot. It would send the wrong message and put the entire land in danger. I must kill Anise. Because of the affection I have for your father, I will spare your mother so that she can still tend to you. Because of the respect I will always bear for you, I will let Derik live to take care of your one genuine love. However, you may not stay in Anwyn. Everyone in both clans will be banished to the human realm.”
Genève was in shock. “Thank you, My Queen. I must ask, will we not lose our agelessness?”
A tear slid down the queen’s face. Still, she remained in control. “Yes, my dear. After one hundred years, you will begin to age. A human lifetime will pass, and so shall you. I wish I could give you your life, but I can’t. I can permit you time that no one else would have for this kind of treason.”
Genève watched as the ruler raised her sword, reciting the words for the banishment of two clans of high-ranking fae. That’s all they were–pretty, pretty words. The queen had always had a weakness for words. Genève kept staring as countless memories collided. She had spent so much of her life playing word games. Her father had always let the queen come out ahead–it didn’t matter what game. Although he never once let Genève win, he knew that, if caught, he would have been the victim of her fury. Nobody wanted that.
Genève’s thoughts shifted to how cozy her father’s rough hands felt. It occurred to her that this was goodbye. Genève wished she had been given this luxury with her father. She tried to remember her last words to him, it was only this morning I saw his face. I spoke to him, and now he’s gone.
Her mind wandered as she watched her twin flame, who stood helplessly, watching his mother’s execution. Genève couldn’t look away. She stared as his mother’s head hit the ground, never breaking eye contact as it stopped in a crimson puddle. Still, she looked on as the skull emerged.
About the Author
Lisa Chronister worked as an Administrative Assistant and Customer Service Representative for over twenty years. You could always find her sitting by herself with a book or plugging away at one of her stories. She is engaged to the love of her life, and they have been together eight years. Also, she is the mother of three beautiful, smart, young woman. Two silly dogs, and an adorable stuck-up cat have taken over her home and her heart. She spends more time with her animals than she does people, and she is perfectly content with that. Lisa is an avid outdoors person. She is happiest when she is in the woods or the water. Lisa spent many years, at many different campgrounds just enjoying the natural beauty. Fun fact, Lisa is inspired by nature, most of Descent from Anwyn was written when she was camping, or her Fiancé was fishing. To learn more about her novel, visit her website at: https://descentfromanwyncom.wordpress.com
Local Author Ascends with Debut Novel “Descent From Anwyn”
Local Author Ascends with Debut Novel “Descent From Anwyn”
by James Coulter
Banished to the mortal realm due to her mother’s treachery, the fae Geneve harnesses her desire for power and revenge by raising an army to invade the fairy realm. Meanwhile, in an alternate universe, the young lass Alizeh is summoned by a powerful warlock to claim her destiny as a heroine and overthrow Geneve and her army.
With the fate of the universe at hand, only one winner can rise victorious. Who will it be? The scorned fae and her dark army? Or the budding young heroine and her motley crew of witches and other misfits?
Descent From Anwyn is the debut sci-fi novel of Lisa Chronister, a local author from Auburndale. Over the past 11 years, she has worked tirelessly on her story, which started as a short story until evolving into the first novel in a planned three-part book series.
Chronister was born and raised in St. Petersburg. She moved to Tennessee in 2011, where she met her fiancée. She moved back to Florida in 2014 where she has been living back and forth between Lakeland and Auburndale.
Initally, she attended two years of college at University of Phoenix for a degree in English Literature, but she never completed her college education. For the past decade, she had been mulling away at her story that initially started as a short story before evolving into a full-fledged novel.
As her story evolved and grew, her life and outlook, in turn, transformed along with it. She initially wrote one character as the main protagonist and another as a background character, but she so identified with the minor character that their role was promoted to main character, Chronister explained.
“I identified with her [Geneve] so much, and with everything that has happened through the life,” she said. “I identified more with the villian than the good guy, so I grew her as a character, and now she is the real character, and the main character is now the secondary character. She is still a main character, but not the main character.”
Many people who have pre-read her story have compared it to Maleficent with bits and pieces of Guardians of the Galaxy. Chronister did not consider this allusion to be intentional, yet she does see the similarities. She owes her main inspiration to Game of Thrones.
“I just enjoy being able to escape into the characters and story when writing it,” she said. “I lived the story when I was writing it, and I enjoyed it…It is looking at a different point-of-view than a normal story. It is showing growth, it is showing passion, it is showing pain, it is an emotional book with a beautiful story and if you hold on and read the whole thing, you will be swept up in a whole new world, and it will be feeling that you do not normally feel when you are reading a book.”
Chronister self-published her book on Amazon last month. Finally being able to get her book out to the public felt amazing. The only feeling that felt more overwhelmingly joyous was the birth of her own children, she said.
“Aside from having my children, I never had so much pride in myself once I held that book in my hand,” she said. “I cannot even describe how happy I was.”
Marketing has proven to be the hardest part thus far. Writing the book and publishing it was one thing. Actually getting the word out about it and having people buy a copy has proven to be much more challenging, she admitted.
“When I wrote the book, I assumed you only wrote the book and you were done with it,” she said. “You have the market the book. I am an introvert to the core, there is no extrovert in me. So going out and meeting people has changed things for me and now it is something I enjoy now and I am looking forward to in the future.”
Descent From Anwyn is planned as the first book in a three-part series. Chronister is currently chugging away at writing the next installment, though the overall process proves slower than initially expected. She is currently writing at least 1,000 words per day, and hopes to have the next book out within the year.
Here is an exclusive first look at Descent From Anwyn (click)
Descent From Anwyn is available on Amazon in e-book and paperback. For more information, visit the author’s website at: https://descentfromanwyncom.wordpress.com. Or follow her on her social media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisaWil45693444
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-williams-22aaa599/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100073666057517
Backyard Bros Win Pro Grand Champ at 5th Annual Grills Gone Wild
Backyard Bros Win Pro Grand Champ at 5th Annual Grills Gone Wild
by James Coulter
Michael Brown has been attending too many barbecue competitions to count, and that includes Davenport’s Grills Gone Wild. What keeps him coming back time and again has been the overall camaraderie.
Brown and his teammates with Backyard Bros won the honorable title of grand champion in the professional division at this year’s event. He owes their success in their consistency, as well as to his partner, Tim, who comes up with all of the recipesand rubs. His favorite dish to prepare, by far, is his brisket.
“It feels awesome,” he said upon winning. “It is very fulfilling.”
More than 47 teams from across the state and country convened in Davenport on Friday and Saturday for the 5th Annual Grills Gone Wild barbecue competition, hosted by the City of Davenport. Teams competed in either the backyard or professional division for prizes awarded in categories such as brisket, chicken, ribs, and pork.
Normally hosted along Main Street in Downtown Davenport, this year’s event was hosted at the new Tom Fellows Community Center. The facility opened last October, and its extra space facilitated more teams and vendors than in previous years, explained Director Parks and Recreation, Danny McClain.
“It is a center we are tremendously grateful to have for the City of Davenport residents, and as you can see, this is our first event here,” he said. As for their turnout this year, he owed that to: “Mostly the amount of space we have considering last year where we were at. Our expectations, we are always striving to be better every year. Every event we do is a great event.”
Driver Facing DUI With Serious Injury Charge After Passenger Falls From Vehicle In Babson Park
Polk County Sheriff’s Office Arrest Affidavit
On 04/29/2022, at approximately 0326 hours, I responded to the area of Cody Villa Rd and Scenic Hwy S in reference to a vehicle crash involving a possibly impaired driver and serious bodily injury.
Upon arrival, I made contact with Polk County Sheriff’s Office Southeast District Patrol deputies who had secured the scene and separated the involved parties. I was advised that a female victim, VICTIM, had fallen from a moving vehicle and suffered injuries. I was advised the driver of the single vehicle involved, a 2016 Honda Pilot (FL Tag: 359NUD), in the incident was possibly impaired by drugs and or alcohol.
I made contact with witness, Wanda Pope, who advised she did not witness VICTIM fall from a vehicle, but did locate her lying down on the east shoulder of Scenic Hwy S. She advised the suspect, Ross Windom, and his passengers, Philip Scopano and Luke Pallone, arrived on scene shortly after she discovered VICTIM on the side of the roadway. She advised Windom was the driver of the involved vehicle when it arrived on scene. Pope stated that she noticed Windom and his passengers to be possibly under the influence of drugs and or alcohol.
I made contact with Scopano who advised he was in the vehicle when the incident occurred. Scopano advised Windom was the driver of the vehicle during this time.
Passenger, Luke Pallone, reported that the suspect was the driver of the Honda during this incident. He further reported that at the time of this incident the victim was sitting on the right rear window ledge of the vehicle, with her upper body outside of the vehicle, when she fell out.
I then made contact with Windom, I advised Windom I was transitioning from a civil crash investigation to a criminal DUI investigation. Windom was provided with his Miranda Warnings via agency issued Miranda Warnings card, to which he advised he understood. I asked Windom if he was driving when VICTIM fell from the vehicle, he stated yes. I asked where he was coming from and where he was headed. He stated he was coming from P&J Recreation in Frostproof, FL and was heading back to Webber University. He advised as he drove, the windows to the vehicle were down and music was playing at a high volume.
While speaking with Windom, I detected the scent of an alcoholic beverage to emanate from his breath. I noticed his eyes to be bloodshot and watery and he demonstrated a side to side sway while standing.. When asked if he had consumed any alcoholic beverages he initially stated no, but when asked again later, he advised he did have 3 Natural Light beers.
Based on these indicators, I asked Windom to submit to a series of Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST’s), to which he consented to participating in the SFST’s.
The following are the results of the SFST’s.
1. Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus – Observed 4 out of 6 clues, 4 or more clues is an indicator of impairment.
2. Walk and Turn- Observed 8 out of 8 clues, 2 or more clues is an indicator of impairment.
3. One Leg Stand – Observed 2 out of 4 clues, 2 or more clues is an indicator of impairment.
Based on my observations, I determined probable cause existed to believe Windom was driving a vehicle in Polk County, Florida and based on my training and experience, I determined Windom was under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol to the point his normal faculties were impaired which resulted in serious injury to victim, VICTIM.
Windom was transported to the Polk County Sheriff’s Processing Center where I began a 20 minute observation period on him. Prior to conducting this observation, Windom’s mouth was checked to be clear of any foreign material. Windom was placed in a temporary holding cell #3 which was checked to be clear of any foreign material. During the 20 minute observation, Windom did not regurgitate and did not put anything in his mouth during the 20 minute observation period.
At the conclusion of the 20-minute observation period, I requested Windom to provide a minimum of two lawful breath samples to determine his breath alcohol content, Windom consented to the breath test.
The breath samples showed the Windom’s breath alcohol content to be 0.098g/210L and 0.092g/210L.
Windom was issued Florida DUI citations for DUI-Serious Bodily Injury
Lake Wales Police Trying To Identify Finders Keepers Losers Weepers Suspect
On May 1, 2022, a theft occurred at 306 Hwy 60 E (Dollar General), Lake Wales, Florida. Upon arrival, officers learned the victim left his wallet on the counter after paying for his items. The wallet contained cash money, which was taken from the wallet.
Officers reviewed the surveillance video and found an unknown black female wearing a black Nike shirt, black shorts and black flip flops, grabbed the wallet, looked around and placed the wallet in her back pocket. The wallet was later found inside the store minus the cash.
The Lake Wales Police Department is seeking assistance with identifying this person.
If you have information pertaining to this case or the identity of this person, please contact Officer
Ludlow at the Lake Wales Police Department at 863-678-4223. Or, if you would like to remain
anonymous and be eligible for a CASH REWARD through Heartland Crime Stoppers: call 1-800-226-
TIPS (8477) or 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.
Welcome, World Travelers! Would You Pay to Live at Disney World?
Welcome, World Travelers! Would You Pay to Live at Disney World?
by James Coulter
Would you want to live at Walt Disney World? Some people dream of living at the Happiest Place on Earth, but Disney could soon turn that dream into a reality with future developments.
Last month, Disney announced it will be earmarking nearly 80 acres of its resort property near southwest Orange County for an affordable housing development. According to the Disney Parks Blog, the development will include more than 1,300 units to be constructed by a third-party affordable housing developer, and will offer “a variety of home choices that are affordable and attainable, in a great part of town near schools and the new and expanding Flamingo Crossings Town Center retail and dining complex.”
Meanwhile, on the west coast, Disney will be developing Storyliving by Disney, residential communities with affordable housing and shopping and entertainment opportunities, all “infused with our special brand of magic.” The first of these planned communities will be Cotino, which will be built in the heart of the Coachella Valley in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
As Disney Parks Blog reports: “These master-planned, new home communities are intended to inspire residents to foster new friendships, pursue their interests and write the next exciting chapter in their lives —all while enjoying the attention to detail and special touches that are Disney hallmarks.”
Disney is no stranger to real estate. Currently, Walt Disney World offers housing on resort property in its Golden Oaks community. Unfortunately, with its luxury homes ranging in price from $1.5 to $8 million, living at Disney is currently only a privilege for the ultra-wealthy. However, its new housing development is expected to provide affordable housing to select Central Florida residents, including cast members.
This is also not the first time Disney attempted to build its own community. In 1996, Disney founded Celebration, Florida, located near the northside of Osceola County. As with its recent announced developments, Celebration was envisioned as an ideal community designed by Disney and fashioned after an “all-American small town” where people could live, work, and play near the theme park.
Initally, when Celebration was announced, demand to live there was so high that potential residents were selected via lottery. The community was planned to offer a variety of affordable housing; however, as Midway To Main Street details in their YouTube video essay on the topic, various compounding factors led to many houses being priced “at almost 20% over the county average at the time.”
As Midway To Main Street explained: “The result, was a town that served as an example of the growing socioeconomic divide. Celebration, Florida was over 80% white, and had a median income that was nearly double the country’s. There were people working at shops and restaurants in the town center who couldn’t afford to live there.”
The very idea of living near the Happiest Place on Earth soon proved not to be very happy, and by 2003, Disney had divested itself from the community and sold the town center to a private investment firm called Lexin Capital for an estimated $42 million dollars.
Nearly 20 years after selling Celebration, has Walt Disney World learned from its past mistakes? Will the company endeavor to do better with its new residential developments in Florida and California? Only time will tell. However, as Midway to Main Street elaborates in their video, while the idea of living at Disney sounds great, some dreams don’t always live up to reality, and for good reason:
“For many people, the promise of escaping reality to a perfectly designed and maintained fantasy world is an appealing one. It’s a way to shed the stresses of daily life and embrace your inner child. But for plenty of other people, the idea is unsettling. They find the artificial nature of everything and the perceived forced happiness as creepy.
Celebration was no exception. Some argued that while striving to create a nicer and more communal town was a noble goal, trying to force it through design regulations and the appearance of perfection was going too far. And while that level of control and escapism worked when it came to a day or two at Disney World, what would it mean to live it 24/7?”
Q&A with County Judicial Candidate Tara Wheat
Q&A with County Judicial Candidate Tara Wheat
by James Coulter
Tara Wheat is currently running for County Judge in Polk County. An attorney for almost a decade, she has been an assistant public defender for the past six years, and she currently practices in the juvenile division, protecting the rights of children who are undergoing delinquency proceedings. Prior to becoming a member of the Florida Bar, she was an educator for ten years at the secondary level, teaching English and legal classes.
“I am committed to bringing an equitable and unbiased perspective to the bench,” she told the Daily Ridge via e-mail. “My belief in a balanced judicial approach stems from my background as an educator and attorney, which taught me to approach difficult decisions with logic and objectivity. I appreciate the importance of thorough examination of facts and legal precedence, which allow a judge to evaluate each case with sound, objective reasoning.”
We recently sat down with Wheat and asked her a few questions about her qualifications and positions. This is what she had to say:
Q: What qualifies you to be a judge beyond a law degree?
A: My qualifications to be Polk’s next County Judge go beyond my legal education. I am a fourth-generation Polk County native and have spent my adult life in public service to my community, first as an educator, then as an attorney, and hopefully next as a judge. I am dedicated to our community and hope that, as a judge, I can further serve Polk’s citizens with the right balance of principle and reason.
As an educator for ten years, I taught English language and literature for several years, as well as various legal courses, including college-level courses, to secondary students, which required that I be well-versed in all areas of the law. I am very familiar with the tenets of many practice areas. Furthering education and the pursuit of knowledge are important to me, and as a judge, continuing research and study of the law will enable the litigants in my courtroom to feel confident that the judge presiding over their case has the knowledge and qualifications necessary to handle their matter.
As an assistant public defender, my job has been to defend the Constitution and the rights of the people living under our Constitution. A public defender’s work is irrevocably tied to the 5th, 6th, 8th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution. Due process, a fair trial with assistance of counsel, and equal protection of the laws are all rights guaranteed by the Constitution and safeguarded by the work of public defenders. Additionally, unlike a private attorney, I cannot choose the citizens I represent, but serve any and all clients that are assigned to me. This gives me the ability to handle every personality or issue that arises out of that representation, which will serve me well as a judge, where I will be responsible for any citizen who appears before me in the courtroom.
As a judge, I feel my role would be another way to protect the Constitution of the United States. A county judge’s role is to decide matters brought before the court by applying the laws set forth
by the Constitution of the United States, the Florida Constitution and Florida Statutes, and the precedent case law.
Q: How will you balance being an independent judge and an elected official?
A: A judge’s role is fairly limited in scope: to decide cases based upon the facts and applicable law. As a judge, I will decide cases neutrally, fairly, and in a balanced manner by evaluating the facts and interpreting the law to the facts of the case before me. There should be no reason for a conflict to exist between my role as a judge and as an elected official, if I do that which I have been elected to do – follow the law. There is a quote from Socrates that is appropriate: “Four things belong to a judge: to hear courteously, to answer wisely, to consider soberly, and to decide impartially.” I would like the parties and their counsel who appear before me on a matter, to feel that I have heard them out completely, considered their arguments fully, and decided fairly based upon the facts and law presented. If I can foster a reputation of deciding cases fairly, based on the law, I believe the citizens and voters of Polk County will have faith in my role as an independent judge.
Q: What are the biggest changes you think we need to make to our justice system?
A: In general, changes in the justice system that may be within the control, or at least the scope, of a trial judge include issues with the length of time it takes to resolve a case, access to the court system for some users due to lack of technology or transportation, and any appearance of inappropriate judicial bias for or against particular parties to a cause.
Justice still moves slowly, partly due to backlog caused by Covid-19, even despite all the ways court administration has tried to increase efficiency. Trial judges are able, in some instances, to help move cases forward toward a resolution, within the confines of the procedural rules, by not allowing inappropriate or frivolous delays or continuances.
Trial judges are able to use discretion in determining whether parties are able to make use of technology to appear in court virtually versus appearing in person. While this can help increase access to court for some citizens who may otherwise have been unable to appear in court due to transportation issues, there are still others who will still be unable to appropriately handle their matters in this manner. This is an issue that may require further changes as the role of technology continues to grow in a post-Covid-19 world.
Another issue that can arise is the perception by citizens that some judges are inappropriately biased for or against certain types of parties or attorneys. Judges should strive in all matters to act without bias or showing partiality to any particular party to a cause. For this reason, I have decided against seeking endorsements in this election, as I feel this can cloud the issue of judicial impartiality.
Q: What reforms do you support to increase access to justice for all? Will you fight for them?
A: The National Center for State Courts recommends the following as part of their Justice for All initiative:
• “self-help centers providing unrepresented litigants legal information and standardized forms;
• language access initiatives for court users with limited English proficiency;
• accommodations for court users with disabilities;
• judicial and court staff education efforts to address the needs of self-represented litigants with procedural fairness and compassion;
• the adoption of technologies that reduce trips to the courthouse and enable court users to find legal help and resolve their disputes online;
• and, in certain jurisdictions, efforts to simplify court processes to meet the needs of the unrepresented users.”
I support all of these ideas and would be willing to support methods or technology that would further these initiatives in our own county court.