The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is reporting road blockage on Hwy 27 in Davenport. According to PCSO 2 Southbound lanes are blocked due to 100’s of boxes of bottled pesticides on roadway.
Lake Wales Fire Department Working Crash At S.R. 60 & Buckmoore Rd.
Lake Wales , Florida – The Lake Wales Fire Department is currently working a crash with injuries at the intersection of S.R. 60 & Buckmoore Rd. The accident occurred at 4:33pm and involved a red or brown Jeep Cherokee and a large drilling truck.
An ambulance is transporting a patient, but specifics details are not available yet on injuries.
The traffic on the roadway appears to be getting through on the Westbound lanes and partially on the Eastbound lanes.
We will update if addition information is released.
Off Duty Polk County Fire Rescue Member Saves Childs Life At Havendale Christmas Parade
An off-duty Polk County Fire Rescue (PCFR) member saved a child’s life on Friday, Dec. 2.
While PCFR Driver/Engineer Dustin Bovill and his family were enjoying the Havendale Christmas Parade on Friday evening, Bovill observed that a child riding on a float was having a medical emergency near the intersection of Havendale Blvd NW and 34th St. NW. Bovill quickly jumped onto the moving parade float and began to render aid.
Bovill cleared the child’s airway, ultimately saving the child’s life. Bovill rode on the float with the patient and the patient’s family until the float reached the end of the parade route. Bovill was then able to transfer care to a PCFR Rescue Truck that was standing by. The patient was transported to a nearby hospital.
“While I was watching the float pass by, I saw the father’s expression as he looked up from the float and I knew that something was not right,” Bovill said. “After I saw the child’s father, I jumped onto the moving float in order to assist in anyway that I could.”
Bovill has worked for Polk County Fire Rescue since 2014. He began his career as a Firefighter/EMT before being promoted to a Driver/Engineer position in 2018. Bovill has also been a member of the division’s special operations team since 2015.
“Driver/Engineer Bovill’s instinct to jump in and assist a citizen in need demonstrates our member’s readiness to serve whether they are on and off-duty,” said Polk County Fire Rescue Chief Hezedean A. Smith, D.M. “Bovill’s actions and the care he provided to the child in need is something we are very proud of here at Polk County Fire Rescue.”
Former Detention Deputy arrested after stealing merchandise from Walmart on nine separate occasions
County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 44-year-old John Reed, who has been a detention deputy with the agency since 2005 but resigned immediately upon his arrest, for 8 counts petit theft (M2), and one count each obtaining property by fraud (F3), gross fraud (F3), and petit theft $100-$750 (M1).
Between November 4th and December 3rd, 2022, Reed went to the Walmart on Church Avenue North in Mulberry and on nine separate occasions, failed to pay for merchandise by intentionally not scanning it in the self-checkout lane. Each of the fraudulent transactions was captured by the store video surveillance system.
The thefts were discovered after a Walmart Loss Prevention Officer observed the most recent incident on December 3rd and confronted Reed while he was attempting to leave the store with two hover boards, two hover carts, and a Christmas projection light. The Officer observed Reed on the closed circuit television failing to scan the items and then passing all points of sale. Reed accompanied the Officer to the Loss Prevention Office, where the Officer used the store security system to review a history of Reed’s transactions. The Officer determined Reed committed similar thefts on eight prior occasions. The total loss to the store at this time is over $575.00.
Reed was booked into the Polk County Jail on December 3rd and released after posting bond in the amount of $4,500. Had he not resigned immediately upon his arrest, he would have been terminated.
The PCSO Organized Retail Crime Unit is conducting an investigation to determine if Reed has committed other crimes, and more charges are pending.
Welcome, World Travelers! Is Bob Chapek the Worst Disney CEO?
by James Coulter
Originally, I was going to write a review of Disenchanted, the new made-for-streaming sequel to the 2008 movie Enchanted; but, to paraphrase the Aragon meme: one does not simply dedicate a biweekly column to Disney and refuse to say anything about the resignation of its most infamous CEO.
Last Sunday, in a move that shocked the entertainment industry, the Walt Disney Company announced Bob Chapek would be stepping down from his role as CEO and that his predecessor, Bob Iger, will return to serve as his replacement with plans to head the company over the next two years.
I’m not giving a comprehensive history of Chapek’s career. TL;DR: After being appointed CEO in 2020, he made a series of very bad business decisions and public relations faux pas—the most infamous of which was his inaction towards Florida’s Don’t Say Gay Bill—and after his company experienced record low profits and stock earnings, which prompted him to suggest massive layoffs, hiring freezes, and other drastic cost-cutting measures, he was removed from his position and replaced by the very guy he replaced.
I know I wrote the title of this column as a question. I often do that to maintain objectivity by posing an open-ended question to help prompt discussion and encourage readers to draw their own conclusions and come up with their own opinions. But believe me when I say that the question to this column is purely rhetorical. Because there is no doubt about it: Bob Chapek is the worst CEO in the history of the Walt Disney Company.
Many Disney fans love to joke how Michael Eisner was the worst Disney CEO, but give Eisner some credit: the man managed to turn the company around for the better in the 1980s during a time when the Disney brand was not doing well financially or publicly, to the point where many executives conspired hostile takeovers of the company. (Yes, that really did happen!)
Yes, Eisner was infamous for saying Disney was in the business of making money not art, but at least his shrewd yet savvy business-making decisions did not prevent the company from creating some of the best-animated movies of all time, and it wasn’t until the tragic passing of the company’s then president and his closest colleague Frank Wells and the financial failure of Disneyland Paris that led Eisner to his series of bad decisions that utterly tarnished his legacy.
Say what you want about Eisner: the man ended his career with a simpering whimper, but at least he started his career with a bang—at least he made contributions that were overall net positives to the company, achieving accomplishments that both he and others could be proud of. Chapek, on the other hand, has contributed nothing of value to the company, and everything he did was a net negative.
Does that sound hyperbolic? Sure. But it’s hard to look back at the man’s legacy as Disney CEO and deduce that his career was a positive one. Again, I’m not rehashing history, but Mickey Blog recently wrote a comprehensive blog post highlighting “The Worst Mistakes Bob Chapek Made As Disney CEO.” These mistakes, according to Mickey Blog, include:
· Breaking ties with Iger, especially during the onset of the pandemic, when Chapek could have utilized Iger’s experience and counsel for guidance.
· Promoted many of his “closest confidants to positions of power” within the company out of pure nepotism, friends who served as “the perceived yes men [who] couldn’t be honest with their boss about his more questionable decisions.”
· Making the Disney theme park experience more expensive and less “magical” by raising park prices, eliminating programs like Magical Express, and replacing the free FastPass system with the pay-as-you-go Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lanes.
· Changing Disney’s base of operations from California to Florida, which “forced its California employees to commit to moving to Florida to keep their jobs” and “effectively forced out many longtime Imagineers.”
· Refusing to consult with Scarlett Johansson in the decision to release her movie Black Widow simultaneously in theaters and onto Disney Plus, a move that violated her contract by affecting the percentage she earned from box office receipts, and worse, “arrogantly called her out for wanting her money.”
· Refusing to say or do anything when Florida was passing the infamous “Don’t Say Gay Bill”, which had been created by politicians whom Disney had financed, only to decide too little too late to freeze political contributions to Florida lawmakers after they passed the bill into law.
As David Mumpower wrote in his blog: “In totality, all these singular mistakes add up to one glaring issue Chapek could never overcome. He didn’t care enough about people and was too fixated on the bottom line.”
So, yes, calling Chapek the worst CEO is over-the-top hyperbole, but considering his many blunders, it’s also not untrue. After all, it does say something when a man messes up so badly that his predecessor had to come out of retirement just to fix the mess he made. All I can say is goodbye and good riddance to Chapek!
What do you think? Do you think Iger can fix the mess Chapek created? Do you think the Disney company can recover from his blunders? Leave your comments on Facebook.
32 Yr Old Winter Haven Woman Killed In Polk City Crash
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit investigated a two-vehicle crash in Polk City on Sunday that resulted in a fatality. Here are the preliminary details:
Around 2:53 a.m. on December 4, 2022, the PCSO ECC received a 911 call from the area of S.R. 33 south of Mount Olive Road regarding the crash. When first responders arrived, they found 32-year-old Britney O’Neal of Winter Haven unresponsive. They performed CPR while she was transported to a local hospital, but she ultimately succumbed to her injuries. O’Neal was driving a red 2011 Chevy Malibu northbound on SR 33 when a grey 2012 Hyundai Genesis being driven by 30-year-old Kurtis Holzapfel southbound crossed the center line and entered into the northbound lane apparently to enter into the Best Buy warehouse.
O’Neal attempted to avoid striking the Hyundai but the cars collided nearly head-on. Airbags deployed in both vehicles. Holzapfel was wearing a seatbelt, but O’Neal was not. The investigation is ongoing.
FHP Searching For Hit & Run Driver Who Killed Pedestrian In Winter Haven
Winter Haven, Florida – The Florida Highway Patrol is searching for a hit & run driver who killed a pedestrian In Winter Haven. According to an FHP report the suspect vehicle was traveling eastbound on Lake Howard Drive, east of 15th Street NW, where the pedestrian was on foot crossing the roadway. The suspect vehicle collided with the pedestrian who suffered fatal injuries at the scene of the crash.
Following the collision, which appears to have occurred around 6:50pm Saturday evening, the suspect vehicle fled the scene and was described as possibly a silver Dodge Caliber with Virginia plates.
Anyone with information regarding this crash is asked to call *FHP or Crime Stoppers at **TIPS
Fatal Crash On S.R. 60 East Of Lake Wales
Lake Wales, Florida – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has advised the Daily Ridge that they are investigating a crash that occurred around 6:30pm Saturday night on SR 60 east of Capps Road in Lake Wales, and involved a motorcycle and two other vehicles.
According to the investigation so far, a blue 2010 Kawasaki motorcycle being operated by a Winter Haven man was heading eastbound on SR 60 in the left (inside) lane, while 21-year-old Pablo Molina of Lake Wales was traveling behind him in a white 2015 GMC truck. Just east of Capps Road, the motorcyclist moved into the right (outside) lane and ended up behind another vehicle. Molina proceeded in the left lane to move past the motorcycle, at which time the motorcyclist abruptly pulled back into the left lane, presumably to go around the car in front of him. As he did so, he struck Molina’s truck on the right passenger side, lost control, and was ejected. He was not wearing a helmet, and was declared deceased on-scene.
Molina also lost control of his truck after the impact and slid off onto the shoulder. He was not injured. The motorcycle slid into the right lane and became lodged under a grey 2022 Dodge Ram truck being driven by 31-year-old Brandi Johnson of Lakeland. She also slid off onto the shoulder. Neither she nor her passenger were injured.
The investigation is ongoing, but it does not appear at this time that either of the vehicle drivers were impaired or distracted. We have not yet notified the motorcyclist’s next of kin
S.R. 60 Westbound Shutdown West Of Lake Wales Due To Crash
Update 10:34am Sunday –
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office a Virginia man and woman were killed in an early morning crash. The accident occurred in the westbound lanes of SR 60 just west of West Lake Wales Road in Lake Wales, and involved three vehicles: a silver 2008 Dodge Caravan, a red 2013 Harley-Davidson “trike” motorcycle, and a yellow 2014 Fiat.
According to the investigation so far, the man and woman on the Harley were traveling in a group of motorcyclists west on SR 60. They are from Virginia and we are still attempting to locate their next of kin. They were at the back of the pack of bikers, who were all behind the Dodge Caravan in the right (outside) lane, being driven by 54-year-old Eduardo Trujillo of Lake Wales.
Trujillo pulled into the right turn lane to turn into a business parking lot. Three of the four motorcycles in the group went past him. Trujillo then abruptly turned left, back out onto SR 60 and into the path of the last motorcycle, the trike with the couple from Virginia. Their trike struck the left rear driver’s side door of the minivan, and the man and woman were ejected. The man was driving, and was not wearing a helmet. They were both declared deceased on-scene. Trujillo continued moving left across 60 and struck the Fiat, which was in the left (inside) westbound lane, causing the Fiat to flip several times. It came to a rest in the median. That driver, 56-year-old Eddie Palmer of Lake Wales, was taken to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, along with his passenger, who was treated and released.
Trujillo was not injured, and none of his passengers were injured. The roadway was closed for several hours during the on-scene investigation. This crash is still under investigation.
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Lake Wales, Florida- The Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Polk County Fire Rescue are on scene of a horrible crash on S.R. 60 West of Lake Wales. The accident occurred at approximately 7:55am and took place about a mile West of West Lake Wales Rd.
It appears to involve a trike motorcycle, mini van and Fiat.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is advising fatalities.
Westbound lanes are currently blocked with up to 4 ambulances and two fire trucks. Roadway may be shutdown for hours.
We will update as more information is available.
Tennessee Man Apparently Drowns in Crystal Lake
On Friday, December 2, 2022, Lake Wales Police Officers located Christopher Shoemaker deceased in Crystal Lake from an apparent drowning. Mr. Shoemaker was 31 years of age from Greenville, Tennessee. Friends last saw Mr. Shoemaker on Wednesday night, November 30, 2022 swimming in the lake. The friends did not know for certain if Mr. Shoemaker had left the lake or experienced a problem while in the water. Officers and Polk County Deputies searched Lake Wailes and Crystal Lake as well as the surrounding area. They were unable to locate Mr. Shoemaker. However, they did locate some of his clothing where it appeared he had changed clothes after swimming and left the area. There is no apparent foul play and the investigation is pending results from the Medical Examiner.
If you have any information regarding this incident,please contact Detective Sittnick at the Lake Wales Police Department at 863-678-4223 or anonymously at Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS (8477).