Davenport Resident Thomas Campo Recognized for His Service To Country
Davenport resident Thomas Campo was recognized for his service to country on Friday, March 24th. Volunteers with Cornerstone Hospice and Palliative Care held a Cornerstone SALUTES! ceremony for the U.S. Army veteran and Army Boxing Champion. Cornerstone SALUTES! is a comprehensive hospice program respectfully celebrating veterans’ service to our country, at home and abroad, and providing care that recognizes the challenges unique to military families.
Pictured left to right. Cornerstone Hospice volunteers Jim Uhl, a US Navy Veteran, Debra LaBelle, a US Air Force veteran and Ian Inrig, a Canadian Army Veteran (far right) presents Army veteran Thomas Campo with a certificate of honor for his service to nation.
Evidentiary Hearing date set for BS Ranch & Farm
Evidentiary Hearing date set for BS Ranch & Farm
Bartow, Fla. (April 12, 2017) — The Tenth Judicial Circuit Court has set the date and time for a hearing to consider the County’s Motion for Temporary injunction temporarily restricting BS Ranch and Farm, and the property owner, WHS Visions of Lakeland, from continuing operation of its soil manufacturing facility until such time as they have fully and lawfully complied with the county’s ordinances, regulations and orders.
BS Ranch and Farm recycles human waste, out-of-date foods and mulch from waste producers located throughout the Florida into soil, which it sells to growers. The county has received numerous complaints concerning obnoxious odors created by this operation.
The hearing is scheduled before the Hon. Judge Keith Peter Spoto on Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at 2:45 p.m. in Courtroom 5A2 of the Polk County Courthouse in Bartow. The Notice of Hearing was prepared and filed on behalf of the county by de la Parte & Gilbert, P.A., a Tampa law firm representing Polk County, and county attorney Michael Craig.
Polk County’s Motion for Temporary Injunction was necessitated because the operators of BS Ranch and Farm failed to comply with the county’s ordinances, regulations and orders.
County staff has observed and verified that trucks are continuing to deliver new waste to the soil manufacturing facility and that offensive off-site odors arising from the soil manufacturing facility still exist.
In addition to this hearing, BS Ranch and Farm will still have a hearing before a special magistrate regarding the Board of County Commissioner’s cease and desist letter and Amended Notice of Violation on Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. in the boardroom of the Neil Combee Administration Building, 330 W. Church St. in Bartow. The special magistrate will begin hearing code enforcement cases at 9:00 a.m.
Be bat aware: Maternity season starts April 16
Be bat aware: Maternity season starts April 16
Florida’s four-month bat maternity season starts April 16 and lasts through Aug. 14. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is reminding the public that they cannot do exclusions to remove bats from buildings during this time when bats are giving birth and raising their young.
Florida is home to 13 species of native bats, including rare and threatened species. Many bats roost in natural sites such as trees with cavities and peeling bark. However, homeowners and building managers who need to exclude bats roosting in houses or other structures can do so as long as it is not done during maternity season.
In south Florida, additional precautions are needed to ensure Florida bonneted bats, an endangered species, are not roosting in a structure because they may give birth to pups outside of the April 16 to Aug. 14 bat maternity season.
The FWC provides guidelines on how to safely and effectively exclude bats without harming them or people. Go to MyFWC.com/Bats for more information.
“Maternity season begins in mid-April when groups of bats gather to give birth and raise young, and continues through mid-August when young bats are able to fly and feed themselves,” said Melissa Tucker of the FWC’s Species Conservation Planning Section. “Bats are beneficial to Florida, since they consume many insects, including pests that can significantly damage agricultural crops.”
FWC staff are working to learn more about Florida’s bats, including the Florida bonneted bat. Biologists are collaborating with University of Florida researchers on a study of a bonneted bat population on the FWC’s Fred C. Babcock-Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area. FWC staff also are working with the Florida Forest Service to conserve bats at the FWC’s new Withlacoochee Caves Critical Wildlife Area.
There are several ways that Florida residents and visitors can help bats:
- Preserve natural roost sites, including trees with cavities and peeling bark. Dead fronds left on palms can also provide roosting spots for bats.
- Put up a bat house.
- Report unusual bat behavior to: MyFWC.com/BatMortality.
You also can watch a video to learn more about conducting a bat exclusion: How to Get Bats out of a Building. More bat exclusion information can be found at Batcon.org.
Get to know more about Florida bats by going to MyFWC.com/Bats. Contact your closest FWC regional office to speak with a regional wildlife assistance biologist if you have questions about bats in buildings.
This year, the FWC is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Florida’s Wildlife Management Areas, which conserve bats and many other wildlife species. Go to MyFWC.com/WMA 75 to find out about WMAs near you and special events and activities during 2017.
Man Airlifted After Snakebite
Man Airlifted After Snakebite
A man was bitten on Sunday, April 9, by a five and a half foot rattlesnake. Polk County Fire Rescue crews were dispatched to the River Ranch hunting grounds around 6:30 p.m.
When fire rescue crews arrived, the man needed advanced medical care. He was airlifted to Osceola Regional Medical Center so antivenom could be administered.
Fire rescue crews were told someone shot the snake in the midsection and he thought it was dead; but when he picked it up, the snake bit him on his hand. “You have to be extremely careful with wildlife. Leave snake handling to the professionals,” said Battalion Chief Bobby Bohn. “We all know there are a lot of rattlesnakes in the River Ranch/Indian Lake Estates area. Just last month our crews were extinguishing a brush fire when one slithered by.”
Thankfully crews saw it and no one was injured by the snake.
If you are interested in learning more about treating snakebites, envenomation care will be explored at the Polk County Fire Rescue’s EMS Symposium on Tuesday, May 23. Registration is free. Visit www.polk-county.net/EMS-Symposium to register.
Junior Anglers Bring Home 3rd Place and Team of Year Award at State Championship
Lake Wales Sammyjay Acree is a junior Angler and fishes for Bassmasters High School Series.
Sammyjay and his partner Fisher Cusic of Lakeland fished the state championship this past weekend on Lake Harris in Lake County with a 3rd place finish and TEAM OF YEAR !!
With this title they have won a spot at Nationals representing Florida in the Costa Bassmaster High School Series on Kentucky Lake in Tennessee in June!
Sammyjay will represent Lake Wales High School fishing next year.
He is sponsored by Bridgemaster and Fishin Wizard.
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Fishing Tournament for Brandy Szanyi – Old Lake Shipp Boat Ramp Saturday
Looking For Something To Do Saturday For A Great Cause? Check Out the *** On Shore Event *** Fishing Tournament for Brandy Szanyi – There will be an on-shore event going on at the Old Lake Shipp Boat Ramp from 10am-6pm.
So, even if you are not fishing in the tournament, you can still come and join us for some fun!
We will have BBQ, live music from Chris Poindexter, Al Enzian, Southerndipity & The Nathan Baldwin Band with Joey Foley, cornhole, activities for kids, raffles galore (prizes, baskets, lottery & 50/50) and best of all, great company. Fun for the entire family!
If you don’t know Brandy’s Story Here Is A Link To Brandy’s Story Done By Ryan Raiche Of ABC Action News http://www.abcactionnews.com/…/lakeland-teen-visited-by-cou…
For more information contact:
Ricci Golden Woods – 863-307-9101
Melanie Brown – 863-662-2694
Emilie NEEDS OUR HELP!!
Emilie NEEDS OUR HELP!!
COME GET SWABBED to see if you’re a Match to help Emilie or many others out there like her.
Emilie was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia when she was 10 months old. We have learned the chemo alone will not cure her. She has one more month to receive a bone marrow transplant.
As of now, there are ZERO donor matches in the database for her. Please join us to swab your mouth to see if you are a match for Emilie or others in need.
Donating for bone marrow is as simple as giving blood. To volunteer or for more info contact Jennifer Winters 863-292-5184
Landing Gear Malfunction Casuses a Rough Landing at Sun N’ Fun
Aircraft Incident at Sun ‘n Fun
LAKELAND, FL – On Saturday, April 8, 2017 at approximately 11:53 a.m. a 1976 Cessna 310R twin-engine experienced difficulty while attempting to land at the Sun ‘n Fun Air Show. The airplane’s landing gear collapsed, causing it to skid off Runway 27L into a safety area. Onboard the plane were pilot, Juan G. Villanueva, age 68 of Miramar, FL and one passenger. Both of the occupants were not injured.
The runway was closed down for approximately one hour as emergency personnel responded to the scene. The airplane was moved to a secure location and FAA personnel responded to the scene for a preliminary investigation.
