Florida’s second Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday of the year begins tomorrow! The tax holiday will run from August 26, 2023, to September 8, 2023.
This is the perfect time to get disaster preparedness kits ready for your home and to gather supplies so that you are prepared in case of extreme weather events.
Tax-free items include: Self-powered light sources Batteries Portable power banks Portable radios Tarpaulins or other flexible waterproof sheeting Pet food and pet safety items Common household consumable items with a sales price of $30
For more information about which items are included in the tax exemption, visit: floridarevenue.com/DisasterPrep
For disaster preparedness tips, visit Polk County Emergency Management.
We are excited to announce the hire of Dr. Elaine C. Thompson as our distinguished professor of professional practice effective August 7, 2023. Dr. Thompson most recently served as the CEO of the YMCA of West Central Florida and spent 10 years as the president and CEO of Lakeland Regional Health (LRH).
About the Role
Dr. Thompson will be serving across the university in a variety of capacities through the creation and instruction of courses relating to bias and worldview, leadership development of SEU staff and faculty, and community education.
“What really called me to SEU was its focus on students and its efforts to create an environment where every person in the community is equally valued. I would love to be able to help the students, staff and faculty be the very best they can be, and through that, make our surrounding community even stronger,” said Dr. Thompson.
Dr. Thompson will design and implement a curriculum that highlights the acknowledgement of biases and centers on social harmony, as well as prepares and equips students to fulfill the needs of underserved communities.
She will also work with SEU to develop various seminars and presentations that will be available to local community members on health and workplace-related topics.
“Dr. Thompson is truly a gift to our university — she’s joining us with a wealth of occupational knowledge and experience,” said Executive Vice President Dr. Chris Owen. “I’m honored to work alongside her, and I’m confident that she will make a significant impact in the reputation and quality of graduates we produce.”
Get to Know Dr. Thompson
Before coming to SEU, Dr. Thompson worked with the YMCA of West Central Florida to stabilize its finances and accomplish a campus transformation project. She currently serves on the YMCA of West Central Florida Board of Directors.
During her time at LRH, Dr. Thompson oversaw the $850 million revenue health system, which includes the LRH Medical Center — the fifth largest hospital in Florida — in addition to the free-standing Hollis Cancer Center, an employed physician group of 220 providers, and the ambulatory surgery center and radiology centers. She was also the president of the LRH Foundation.
Despite operating in the sixth poorest suburban county in the nation, Dr. Thompson obtained a favorable reconfirmation of fixed debt rating of A2 stable by Moody’s in 2018. She also invested $350 million into key facility improvements, improved the average age of plant from 14.3 years to 11.2 years, and operated the busiest single-site emergency department in the United States with a top 10% throughput efficiency ranking in the country since 2013.
Dr. Thompson has served as the president of Main Line Health’s Lankenau Hospital, in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, and the executive vice president and network chief operating officer of St. Luke’s Hospital and Health Network in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Thompson received a Ph.D. in Biomedical Science from Drexel University, a Master of Science in Physical Therapy from Temple University, and a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania
Polk County School Board Votes to Discontinue Proclamations, Sparks Controversy
by James Coulter
A proposal by the Polk County Florida Public School (PCFPS) Board to discontinue the practice of issuing proclamations caused quite the uproar at their most recent meeting, with members of the public decrying the decision as “divisive” and “regressive.”
At their board meeting on Tuesday evening, Polk County School Board Members voted to discontinue issuing proclamations recognizing individuals, groups, events, and achievements. The decision was motioned by Rick Nolte, seconded by WilliamAllen, and passed with a vote of 5-2.
Nolte had requested discontinuing the issuing of such proclamations at the board’s work session on July 23. (Nolte had recently been fined for violating campaign-finance law, with one of the violations, a $5200 cash donation to his own campaign, being a felony, The Ledger reported.)
The proposal for the board to cease issuing proclamations received public backlash, with many people decrying the decision as flying in the face of diversity and equality and potentially violating the constitutional rights of residents.
Before their vote, for nearly two hours, teachers, students, and other local community members took to the stand during public comments either condemning the school board for considering the proposal and urging them not to discontinue proclamations, or praising them for the decision and encouraging them to make it.
Kai Moore, an LGBT activist who had spoken at the previous board meeting on the issue, insisted that proclamations were meant to honor, celebrate, and uplift different groups of people, and refusing to make these proclamations would only cater to “neo-Nazi groups” and “hate groups” like Moms for Liberty.
“Demands like this have the goal of silencing and erasing minority groups,” Moore said. “Do not recognize the demands of people who seek to hurt others.”
Raine Johnson, a local 10th-grader who had left class early to speak at the meeting, asked five questions: One, are you stupid? Two, what made you think this was a good idea? Three, why? Four, why can we open with prayer, but not acknowledge gay people? And, five, why was this ever a good idea?
She called out the hypocrisy of the board members, pointing out how they had no qualms with proclamations about national holidays like Memorial Day and President’s Day but felt hesitant about recognizing months like LGBT Pride Month that recognized marginalized groups. She accused the members of being “homophobic” and “transphobic” and said they had the collective intelligence of a “cell missing a nucleolus.”
However, a few other community members encouraged the board members to discontinue issuing proclamations. Royal Brown, a Winter Haven resident, claimed that such proclamations played into “identity politics” and pitted people of different values against each other.
Harry Pickle, a local father and grandfather with grandchildren still in school, felt that such proclamations attempted “to promote or espouse an agenda”, which missed the mark about the true purpose of education, which, quoting Noah Webster, was to instill the values and principles of liberty and virtue in children.
Kay Fields, one of the two only board members to vote against the proposal, claimed she learned so much about local issues from the proclamations they made.
“I have learned so much from these proclamations,” she said. “There are so many ways to embrace our differences. We are supposed to be a reflection of every student in our school district. I do not understand how making a proclamation takes away from learning. If anything, it gives students an opportunity to learn.”
Nolte, on the other hand, who had proposed discontinuing proclamations, and voted for the measure to do so, insisted that such proclamations diverted from the school board’s main goal of furthering education, “Let’s put our children first, their education,” he said.
Prior to the meeting, The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), one of the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organizations, issued a press release condemning the decision and accusing it of violating equal constitutional rights.
“LULAC firmly believes that the planned actions to eliminate selective proclamations will compromise the protection of equal constitutional rights for all residents,” the press release stated. “The League of United Latin American Citizens stands united against any measures undermining inclusivity and equal recognition of all community members.”
Lydia Medrano, LULAC National Vice-President for the Southeast, was quoted in the press release, calling the decision “regressive” and claiming it was the duty of the school board and other government bodies to recognize the diversity and equality of their communities rather than shun them.
“LULAC urges Polk County Public Schools officials to act in the interest of all its residents and stakeholders. We must unify in acknowledging the many contributions of people representing all areas of our community. To do anything less is regressive and will only return our state to the past, something LULAC will not allow silently to happen.”
On Tuesday, August 22nd at around 10:22pm, PCSO deputies were dispatched to a home in the Loughman area, north of Davenport in reference to a bear.
According to our patrol Sergeant, a resident within the Tanglewood Preserve subdivision (just off of Osceola-Polk Line Road) reported that a bear had broken through her vinyl fence and attempted to get the woman’s pet pig.
The bear’s attempted pignapping was thwarted by the resident, and by the time deputies arrived, the bear was gone.
While the resident repaired the fence, deputies stood by to protect the resident in case the bear decided to make a second attempt to poach the pig.
After the fence was repaired, deputies made contact with several other residents to alert them to the bear’s activity.
This serves as a good reminder to all. Due to increased land development encroaching upon the habitat of wild animals, their habitat is being altered, including their food supply (black bears have been known to prey upon feral pigs in the wild).
Please make sure your garbage is secured in an area where wild animals cannot get to them, and be cautious with your pets (dogs, cats, and yes, even pigs) in your yard.
Polk County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 20-year-old Coleden Snowden of Babson Park, charging him with vehicular manslaughter, a second degree felony, after an extensive investigation and reconstruction of the crash indicated he operated his vehicle in willful wanton disregard for human life, causing the death of a Frostproof woman.
Around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, 53-year-old Patricia Robarts had just left The Coop restaurant on Waverly Road where she worked, and began turning left onto Scenic Hwy. Snowden was traveling west in a Chevy Tahoe, and attempted to brake and swerve to avoid striking her car, but was unsuccessful. Upon impact on the driver’s side door of Robarts’ Kia, the car caught fire, and she was declared deceased at the scene.
A download of the Tahoe’s Airbag Control Module (ACM) revealed that the Tahoe was traveling 112 MPH with no braking five seconds before striking the Kia. Braking began at four seconds prior to collision, at 112 MPH; at three seconds prior, at 104 MPH; at two seconds prior, at 94 MPH; and at one second prior to impact, at 65 MPH. The crash also took place just past a “hidden driveway” sign on the highway.
It is clear from the evidence that had the Tahoe been traveling at or near the posted speed limit of 55 MPH, the crash either would not have occurred, or would have been drastically reduced, with non-fatal injuries.
According to the evidence and investigation, Snowden was operating his vehicle at 112 MPH, which is 57 MPH over the posted speed limit, and intentionally drove up a hill after passing a warning sign regarding a hidden driveway, on a dark and unlit rural roadway.
“The tragic death of Ms. Robarts was completely avoidable, if only Coleden Snowden had obeyed the posted speed limit and not driven so recklessly. He is now facing a serious felony, and we hope that his arrest serves as an example to others about the importance of traffic safety. Ms. Robarts’ friends and family members are in our prayers.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
On August 22, 2023, at around 2:55 a.m. the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Missing Persons Unit began searching for 3-year-old Thomas Owen Santos who was reported missing in the Acorn Court area of unincorporated Davenport.
Thomas’ family was visiting from out of town. Family members last heard and checked on Thomas at around 1:00 a.m. A family member noticed the front door of the residence wide open at approximately 2:45 a.m., and the child was not found to be in the home. The family called the Sheriff’s Office to report the child missing.
The PCSO Aviation Unit, Drone Unit, Marine Unit, and K-9 Unit (with a bloodhound) also responded and assisted in the search.
Thankfully, at around 7:20 a.m., detectives located Thomas, who was safe and sleeping on a neighbor’s porch less than a half-mile from where the family was staying.
A Florida Highway Patrol Trooper pulled over man for speeding past his marked patrol vehicle. Troopers would find Marijuana along with a scale and extra baggies, hallucinogenic psilocybin mushroom, Alprazolam, Amphetamine and Dextroamphetamine and Buprenorphine Hydrochloride. The stop resulted in the suspect being arrested for the multiple drug offenses.
On 8/17/2023 at approximately 6:48 am an FHP trooper was traveling westbound on I-4 in the left lane when he observed a white in color SUV traveling too closely behind him. The trooper then switched lanes into the center westbound lane and the white SUV passed him in the left lane. The SUV then changed lanes into the right lane and the trooper got behind the vehicle. While he was traveling behind the vehicle, the trooper pace clocked the SUV in his marked Florida Highway Patrol vehicle traveling 68mp in a posted 60 mph zone.
The trooper then conducted the stop and while speaking to the driver, Geoffrey Coffman of Casselberry, Florida, he smelled a strong odor of fresh marijuana coming from inside of the vehicle. He asked the driver if he had any mariuana inside of the vehicle and the suspect stated that he did have marijuana inside the vehicle. He then asked if the suspect had a medical marijuana identification card and the suspect stated he did. He then asked the driver if the Marijuana was in the original containers and the suspect advised it wasn’t. The trooper asked if could search the car and the suspect allegedly agreed to the search. During the search Marijuana in multiple forms was found, multiple different pills were found, mushrooms were found along with extra baggies and a scale with Marijuana residue found on it.
Coffman was read his Miranda Rights and taken into custody. According to the affidavit the trooper asked him why did he have all that Marijuana inside of the vehicle and the suspect allegedly stated “just take me to jail man”.
On 08-02-2023 the Polk County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into Unlawful Sexual Activity at a home in Lake Hamilton. The investigation resulted in the arrest of Alberto Carreno, 30, of Lake Alfred.
According to the arrest affidavit a female victim told deputies she had consensual sex with Carreno multiple (10) times after she turned 16. The offenses allegedly started in October of 2022.
On 8-17-2023 a recorded interview was conducted with Alberto Carreno at his residence in Lake Alfred. According to the affidavit Carreno stated he knew the victim was underage, possibly 17. He allegedly admitted to engaging in sexual intercourse with the victim on two occasions and possibly up to four times. The sex was consensual according to Carreno.
Based on the investigation, it was determined probable cause exists that Alberto Carreno violated the following Florida State Statutes: 794.05 – Unlawful Sexual Activity with Certain Minors
A hold was also put on the release of Carreno for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Man Convicted and Sentenced to Life in Prison for Second-Degree Murder
According to HCPD, On January 1, 2022, Jeffery Jerome Bouiye, 42 fatally shot Michael Andre Jackson, 47, near North 12th Street and Avenue I near New Beulah Missionary Baptist about 12:20 a.m.
According to witnesses, Bouiye was angry with Jackson because he believed Jackson was involved with a female Bouiye had been dating. Jackson did not want to be involved in the argument and began to walk away. Bouiye pulled out a handgun and shot Jackson multiple times. Jackson was transported to the hospital where he was declared deceased. Bouiye was convicted by a Polk County Jury of Second-Degree Murder and sentenced to Life in Florida State Prison.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks Assistant State Attorney William Beaver and the Haines City Police Department for seeking justice in this case.
Last night (August 18, 2023) around 7:15 p.m. the PCSO received a 911 call from the area near 3655 U.S. 17 North in unincorporated Bartow. 18-year-old David Watson of Winter Haven was driving a 2004 white GMC Canyon south on U.S. 17 in the outside lane. At the same time, 48-year-old James Shaw of Orlando was driving a 2014 black Dodge 3500 pulling an enclosed trailer north on U.S. 17.
Mr. Watson traveled into the inside lane to pass another vehicle, when he entered the grass median and lost control of the truck. The GMC Canyon slid through the grass median and rotated counter-clockwise. Mr. Shaw attempted to avoid the crash, but the GMC Canyon continued into the northbound lanes and struck the front of the Dodge.
Upon impact, Mr. Watson was ejected from his vehicle, and his truck again entered into the grass median where it stopped. The Dodge stopped on the east shoulder of the roadway.
Mr. Watson was transported to an area hospital, where he was declared deceased. He was not wearing his seatbelt. Mr. Watson was a student attending Travis Technical College.
Mr. Shaw was transported to an area hospital where he was treated and released for minor injuries. His passenger was uninjured. Mr. Shaw showed no signs of impairment and speed does not appear to be a factor.
The northbound lanes of U.S. 17 in the area of the crash were closed for approximately four hours during the investigation, which is on-going.
