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Pedestrian Hit and Run Lakeland
Haloween Harvest in Auburndale
Coming Soon!!! Mark your calendars, invite your friends this is going to be a great evening of fun in our Beautiful Auburndale Park and downtown areas.
Winter Haven Mother Charged with Aggravated Manslaughter
Polk County deputies charge Winter Haven mother with aggravated manslaughter for the death of her 8-month-old baby
Thursday, October 19, 2017 at 1:45 p.m., Jada LeBoeuf, 19-years old, was arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child (F-1). Her eight-month-old daughter Journey LeBeouf died of suffocation on the morning of February 13, 2017 after LeBoeuf left her unattended for nearly five hours.
According to the arrest affidavit, Journey lived with her mother, aunt, and maternal grandparents, at 3240 Ave Q NW in Winter Haven. Family members last saw Journey alive in the evening as they went to bed. Jada would typically sleep on a couch in the living room, and Journey would sleep in a car seat near her mother.
The following morning at around 4:40 a.m., family members did not see Jada or Journey; they only saw Journey’s empty car seat, and Jada’s blanket on the couch, and assumed they left together. Shortly after Jada returned home sometime around 5:30 a.m. (between 5:25 a.m. and 5:39 a.m.), she found Journey on the couch, tangled in the blanket, and unresponsive.
An autopsy conducted by the Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the cause of death was suffocation.
Initially, Jada told detectives that she left the house at about 3:00 a.m. to ride with a friend to get something to eat. She said, at the time she left Journey on the couch, and did not want to awaken anyone. She went onto say that they stopped off at a McDonald’s in Auburndale, but then encountered some car trouble. Detectives later learned that she had lied about her early morning activities.
Through the investigation, the detectives learned that Jada left the house with a friend at about 12:45 a.m., and first went to a hookah bar in Lakeland, which was closed. Jada then went to a hookah bar in Orlando, before stopping at a McDonald’s in Kissimmee.
Jada failed to tell her family members that she was leaving, without her daughter. Even when Jada’s mother texted her at around 4:45 a.m., asking where she was, Jada did not ask her mother to check on Journey. No one in the family had realized that Journey was in the home, tangled in the blanket.
Based upon the investigation, deputies determined that Jada LeBoeuf failed to provide her eight-month-old daughter Journey with the care and supervision necessary to maintain the victim’s physical health. This failure to provide care and supervision resulted in the victim’s death.
“This terrible tragedy was 100% preventable. It is beyond comprehension how a mother could leave her child alone for five hours. That beautiful little baby girl should be alive today.” Grady Judd, Sheriff
LeBeouf has not been taken to the Booking Center; she is at the Sheriff’s Operation Center. When we have a booking photo, we will send it.
Downtown Farmers Club Market Lakeland
The Downtown Farmers Curb Market is a key component of a vibrant, diverse and exciting Downtown. It is designed to serve and bring together all segments of our community. It is a positive force in bringing people Downtown to purchase fresh produce, plants and local handcrafted items. The 11-month Market (closed in August) is a showcase for the talents and the work of local artisans and local growers. The Downtown Farmers Curb Market is a project of the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority (LDDA).
One Person Killed & Others Injured In Hwy 27 Crash
Polk County Sheriff’s Office Press Release
Early Friday morning, October 20, 2017, around 3:35 a.m., PCSO traffic homicide unit responded to a single-vehicle crash involving a 2000 white Mercury Grand Marquis, on U.S. 27 at the intersection of Southwood Lane in Frostproof.
Preliminary information suggests:
The Mercury Grand Marquis, driven by Jose Candenas Jr., was traveling southbound on U.S. 27, just north of Southwood Lane, when he traveled off the inside (east) shoulder of the roadway. It appears that he over-corrected at which time the car continued in a southwest direction across both lanes of southbound U.S. 27. The vehicle traveled off the west side of the roadway, after exiting onto the shoulder, Cardenas over-corrected again, at which time the car lost traction and began to rotate counter-clockwise.
As the vehicle continued south, traveling approximately 730 feet, it struck the culvert at Southwood lane and became airborne. The car struck the ground and began to roll sideways until it came to rest on its roof in a shallow water-filled ditch along the west shoulder. The car traveled 170 feet from the point it went airborne until final rest.
All the occupants wear seat belted at the time of the crash. The front driver and passenger airbags both deployed. All occupants were transported to LRHMC:
Driver: 19-year-old Jose Cardenas Jr. of Lantana, FL – treated and released
Right Front passenger: 19-year-old Elynette Cancel of Plantation, FL – Stable
Right Rear passenger: 40-year-old Caridad Abreu of Boyton Beach, FL – Stable
Left Rear passenger: 29-year-old Fabiola Fleurima of Boyton Beach, FL – deceased on scene
Cardenas told deputies that they were traveling back home after being at Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando and he fell asleep behind the wheel.
U.S. 27 southbound was closed for approximately 4 hours during the investigation.
POLK MUGSHOT OF THE DAY – OCTOBER 18, 2017
POLK MUGSHOT OF THE DAY –
OCTOBER 18, 2017
JAMES TAYLOR
Race: W Sex: M DOB: 5/15/1973 Height: 507 Weight: 230
Charge Number 1
Statute: 893.147(1) Poss./Use Narcotic Paraphernalia
Charge on Arrest Docket: Poss./Use Narcotic P
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Charge Number 2
Statute: 893.135 (1)(F)1******* ARMED TRAFFICKING IN AMPHETAMINE >= 200 GR
Charge on Arrest Docket: ARMED TRAFFICKING IN
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Charge Number 3
Statute: 893.1351(2) Possess Structure VEH Know Traffic Drugs
Charge on Arrest Docket: Possess Structure VE
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Free and Open to the Public: United States Constitution and the Second Amendment
Free and Open to the Public
Lecture / Presentation by
Constitutional Attorney, Author and Educator KrisAnne Hall
Topic: United States Constitution and the Second Amendment
Location: Chain O’ Lakes Complex – in the Club Room
210 Cypress Gardens Boulevard
Winter Haven, Florida
Presentation – 7:00 PM
KrisAnne Hall is a constitutional attorney and former prosecutor who travels around the country teaching the Constitution and the history that gave us our founding documents. KrisAnne does not just teach the Constitution, she lays the foundations that show how relevant our founding documents are today. She will connect the dots for you like no one else can! A disabled veteran, a Russian linguist, a mom, a pastor’s wife, and host of “The KrisAnne Hall Radio Show,”Admission is FREE with advanced issued ticket.Tickets can be obtained online through Eventbrite – In-GaugeSeating is limited. Admission by Eventbrite issued ticket only.
In-Gauge of Polk County, Inc.
6039 Cypress Gardens Boulevard
Winter Haven, Florida 33884
Update Your Voter Record to Avoid Delays on Election Day
Update Your Voter Record to Avoid Delays on Election Day
POLK COUNTY, FL (October 18, 2017) – Registered voters in the cities of Auburndale, Lakeland and Winter Haven who have moved or had a name change are encouraged to update their record with the Elections Office before the November 7th Municipal Elections. It’s also important to notify the Elections Office if your signature has changed.
“An address change may mean a voter has moved into or out of the city limits – an important detail in a city election,” explained Supervisor of Elections Lori Edwards. “If a voter updates their record before the election, we can eliminate inconvenience on Election Day.”
Many changes can be made by calling the Elections Office at 863-534-5888, Monday – Friday, 8 am – 5 pm. Changes can also be made online at PolkElections.com.
For more information visit PolkElections.com, or call the Elections Office at 863-534-5888.
Victory Ridge Academy Receives Grant from Duke Energy through the Polk Education Foundation
Victory Ridge Academy Receives Grant
from Duke Energy through the Polk Education Foundation
Lake Wales, Florida – On October 16, 2017, Victory Ridge Academy was awarded funding from Duke Energy through the Polk Education Foundation. All funding received will go towards purchasing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) materials and equipment for our school’s Science Builders Club, which will serve our students with special needs in 2nd-12th grade.
Staff and students at Victory Ridge Academy would like to thank both Duke Energy and the Polk Education Foundation for their generous donation and continued support over the years!
Victory Ridge Academy is a Title 1, 501 (c)(3) non-profit public charter school that exclusively serves children with special needs. Victory Ridge Academy is based on the belief of the administration, staff and Board of Trustees that early intervention is crucial to helping children and young adults with special needs to cultivate healthy lifestyles and grow into well-adjusted persons. It is the school’s belief that students need a safe, positive and nurturing learning environment to develop communication skills, social skills, academic and technical skills in order to build their self-confidence and become productive members of society.
For more information about Victory Ridge Academy, please visit the Academy’s website at www.victoryridge.org
HEART OF FLORIDA, LAKE WALES DONATE TO AID HURRICANE RELIEF EFFORTS
HEART OF FLORIDA, LAKE WALES DONATE TO AID HURRICANE RELIEF EFFORTS
Lake Wales, FL – Continuing a longstanding tradition of being good community partners, Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center and Lake Wales Medical Center recently donated a total of $30,000 to two agencies to assist with relief efforts after Hurricane Irma struck Polk County in September.
Heart of Florida CEO Ann Barnhart presented a check for $15,000 to the Frostproof Care Center, and Lake Wales CEO Rebecca Brewer presented a check for $15,000 to Lake Wales Care Center.
“As large organizations, it’s important to us to partner with our community to assist those who were on the front lines of hurricane cleanup and restoration,” Barnhart said. “Our hospitals sheltered large numbers of special needs evacuees, and we know that there were many in the community who were helping get the damage cleared and making people’s homes safe for them to return.”
Brewer added, “Right after the storm, the hospitals were the only places that had hot food, so we set up and served our community until power began being restored at area restaurants and in neighborhoods. We also had lobbies full of people charging their cell phones and other devices so they could stay in communication with family members.”
Rob Quam, Executive Director at Care Center, said his agency was active in helping people clear storm debris, patch and cover roofs, and other needed repairs in the days immediately after the storm. Lake Wales Care Center also has provided financial assistance to people to help fund repairs, make up for loss of income, and cover bills and other expenses.
Frostproof was hit hard by the storm, with many residents out of power close to two weeks. Two of them, who are dependent on supplemental oxygen, couldn’t return home because they were still without power. Frostproof Care Center Executive Director Christie Sitek volunteered to put them up in a hotel; she personally picked them up from the special needs shelter and transported them to the hotel in Lake Wales. Frostproof Care Center not only provided their hotel expenses, but also ensured they had food throughout their stay. Frostproof Care Center also checked on them regularly and kept tabs on the progress with the house and power to ensure their homes were safe to return to. That case was just one example of how Frostproof Care Center responded to help those in need in their community after the storm.
“We are proud of our tradition of always being a good community partner, and we are appreciative of the support of our corporate office that enables us to continue giving back to the communities we serve,” Brewer said.
Lake Wales Medical Center is a 160-bed acute care hospital accredited by the Joint Commission. With more than 500 employees and 60+ active staff physicians, the hospital has been serving the medical needs of the community since 1928.
Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center is a 193-bed acute care hospital accredited by the Joint Commission and an accredited Chest Pain Center by the Society for Cardiovascular Patient Care, Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center puts quality health care front and center.
Info: Two sister hospitals donated $30,000 to the Lake Wales and Frostproof Care Centers in October to assist them with the costs of the services and relief efforts they provided to the community after Hurricane Irma. Pictured are, from left, Ann Barnhart, CEO of Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center, Frostproof Care Center Executive Director Christie Sitek, Lake Wales Medical Center CEO Rebecca Brewer, and Lake Wales Care Center Executive Director Rob Quam. Photo Credit: Charles A. Baker, III
