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Florida Department of Health Updates New COVID-19 Cases, Announces Two New Deaths Related to COVID-19, 6 p.m. Update ~1,379 positive cases in Florida Residents and 88 positive cases in non-Florida residents~

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Florida Department of Health Updates New COVID-19 Cases, Announces Two New Deaths Related to COVID-19, 6 p.m. Update ~1,379 positive cases in Florida Residents and 88 positive cases in non-Florida residents~
Florida Department of Health Updates New COVID-19 Cases, Announces Two New Deaths Related to COVID-19, 6 p.m. Update
~1,379 positive cases in Florida Residents and 88 positive cases in non-Florida residents~
 
TALLAHASSEE — To keep Florida residents and visitors safe, informed and aware about the status of the virus, The Florida Department of Health has launched a COVID-19 dashboard that will be updated twice daily. Today, as of 6 p.m., there are 1,467 total** Florida cases.
Two people have died who tested positive for COVID-19 in Pinellas and Lee counties.
New Florida cases include:
  • 55 additional positive COVID-19 cases (49 Florida residents and 6 non-Florida residents) reported to the Florida Department of Health.
  • There are currently 1,379 positive cases in Florida residents and 88 positive cases in non-Florida residents.
Florida recently partnered with private laboratories around the state to expand COVID-19 laboratory testing capacity. This partnership will increase the number of tests conducted each day and ensure Floridians receive the critical health information they need in a timely manner.
Expansion to private laboratories changes the COVID-19 testing landscape in Florida. Private laboratories are running tests as they receive swab samples from practitioners. Testing and reporting times vary among commercial and DOH laboratories. Demographic information may be updated during investigations. These twice daily reports reflect the state’s efforts to accurately and transparently share information. 
More information on a case-by-case basis can also be found here.
6 pm 3-24
For more detail on Florida resident cases, please visit the live DOH Dashboard here. 
* Florida residents that are diagnosed with COVID-19 and isolated out of state are not reflected on the Florida map.
**Total cases overview includes positive cases in Florida residents and non-Florida residents tested in Florida.
More Information on COVID-19
 
To find the most up-to-date information and guidance on COVID-19, please visit the Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage. For information and advisories from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), please visit the CDC COVID-19 website. For more information about current travel advisories issued by the U.S. Department of State, please visit the travel advisory website.
 
For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact the Department’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling 1-866-779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours per day. Inquiries may also be emailed to [email protected].
About the Florida Department of Health
The Florida Department of Health, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.

Remembering Kaity Kinard: She Supported Her Local Community, Now The Community Is Supporting Her Family After Her Death

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Remembering Kaity Kinard: She Supported Her Local Community, Now The Community Is Supporting Her Family After Her Death

Remembering Kaity Kinard: She Supported Her Local Community, Now The Community Is Supporting Her Family After Her Death

by James Coulter

She was a caring soul willing to help anyone including complete strangers. Now her community is helping her family place her to rest following her untimely passing.

Kaity Kinard, 22, passed away following a car accident on Mar. 22. Her boyfriend, Landon Chance, who was in the car with her during the accident, remains at Lawnwood Medical Center following his first surgery.

A time, place, and date for her memorial service has yet to be scheduled. Her family plans on transporting her body to South Carolina to be buried on her family’s farm near her father’s grave.

To help provide her family with the sufficient funds, a GoFundMe page was created by three close friends of the family: Jessica Garrett, Lynn Robarts, and Regena Lawrence.

“Kaity Kinard was a beautiful soul with the sweetest smile, kindest voice, biggest personality and a light that shined every time she walked into a room,” the mission statement on her page reads. “As one can expect, Kaity’s family was not prepared to bury their 22 year old daughter.”

The GoFundMe goal was set for $10,000. Within less than 24 hours, their goal was more than exceeded with $13,300 raised by 193 donors, with her page receiving more than 3,000 shares and 193 followers.

Most of the funds will be primarily used to help transport her to her final resting place in South Carolina. Any remaining funds will go towards a scholarship in her honor.

Her GoFundMe wall features posts from donors who offered their condolences for her family, as well as their fond memories of the young woman named Kaity Kinard and her “celebration of life.”

“I can not imagine the sadness and pain you must be in,” wrote Chris Castner, who donated $50. “I do not know if any words will help. You and Trent are in my thoughts and prayers. She will always be with you in your memories.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss, wish I could do more,” wrote Leona Adams, who donated $10. “I will be praying for you and your family!”

Regena Lawrence decided to create the GoFundMe page to help support Kaity’s family during their time of need. She was more than impressed, though not necessarily surprised, to see that their fundraiser more than exceeded expectations.

“The community has really come together,” she said. “Between her family and her work, a lot of people knew her….Kaity made a huge impact on many people’s lives, and just a very bright person, and it is a tragedy.”

Known affectionately as “K.T. Bug” by friends and family, Kaity was born in South Carolina and raised in Frostproof. To close family and friends, she was considered a genuinely caring individual, someone who would help anyone regardless of whether or not she knew them personally.

“She really, genuinely, was such a good person,” said Paige Castle, her aunt. “She never met a stranger [she didn’t like]. She cared for every person she had ever met.”

Her empathy and compassion for others inspired her to be a nurse. After receiving her associate’s degree from Florida State University in Tallahassee, she transferred to Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers to attend its nursing program. She would have graduated with her bachelor’s degree in nursing in December.

“She was really excited about her next chapter in life, she was passionate about nursing and caring for others,” Paige said. “She went into nursing because she cared. She wanted to care about people.”

Kaity worked alongside her mother, Ginny Marie Castle, at The COOP in Babson Park. She often went above and beyond to help with many charity events and fundraisers, both at her family’s business and in other places across the county.

Recently, she assisted her family with their krewe at Lake Wales Mardi Gras, helping organize the float and to distribute raffle tickets. She also helped her family provide deliveries and take out during the current coronavirus pandemic.

Her very last Facebook post on Mar. 20 at 6:26 p.m. expressed her gratitude for her family and urged her community to support their local businesses such as their own.

“Proud of my mom for handling all of this with grace,” she wrote. “Don’t forget to continue to support your local businesses instead of large corporations [because] we are hurting.”

Following her daughter’s death, her mother, Ginny, wrote how much she missed her daughter and how much she appreciated the community supporting them during their darkest hour through donations and social media comments.

“My baby girl was one of a kind,” she wrote. “There will never be another K.T. Bugg, my heart is broken and I am having a hard time even making it hour to hour. I am very[,] very thankful for each of you!”

Regena, following the outpouring of support on GoFundMe, wrote on Ginny’s Facebook wall, telling her how much Kaity meant to them and how much of a great mother she was.

“I know somedays are going to be hard but we both know KT was an amazing, smart, beautiful, strong young lady that loved her momma with her whole heart and she will always be your baby,” she wrote.

To donate to her family and their cause, visit her GoFundMe page at: www.gofundme.com/celebration-of-life-for-kaity-kinard

To donate to Landon for finanical, Medical and emotional support: https://www.gofundme.com/f/financial-support-for-the-chance039s

Florida Department of Health Updates New COVID-19 Cases, Announces One New Death Related to COVID-19, 11 a.m. Update ~1,330 positive cases in Florida Residents and 82 positive cases in non-Florida residents~

Staff Reporter
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Florida Department of Health Updates New COVID-19 Cases, Announces One New Death Related to COVID-19, 11 a.m. Update ~1,330 positive cases in Florida Residents and 82 positive cases in non-Florida residents~
Florida Department of Health Updates New COVID-19 Cases, Announces One New Death Related to COVID-19, 11 a.m. Update
~1,330 positive cases in Florida Residents and 82 positive cases in non-Florida residents~
 
TALLAHASSEE — To keep Florida residents and visitors safe, informed and aware about the status of the virus, The Florida Department of Health has launched a COVID-19 dashboard that will be updated twice daily. Today, as of 11 a.m., there are 1,412 total** Florida cases.
One person has died who tested positive for COVID-19 in St. Johns County.
New Florida cases include:
  • 185 additional positive COVID-19 cases (183 Florida residents and 2 non-Florida residents) reported to the Florida Department of Health.
  • There are currently 1,330 positive cases in Florida residents and 82 positive cases in non-Florida residents.
Florida recently partnered with private laboratories around the state to expand COVID-19 laboratory testing capacity. This partnership will increase the number of tests conducted each day and ensure Floridians receive the critical health information they need in a timely manner.
Expansion to private laboratories changes the COVID-19 testing landscape in Florida. Private laboratories are running tests as they receive swab samples from practitioners. Testing and reporting times vary among commercial and DOH laboratories. Demographic information may be updated during investigations. These twice daily reports reflect the state’s efforts to accurately and transparently share information. 
More information on a case-by-case basis can also be found here.
3-24 11 am
For more detail on Florida resident cases, please visit the live DOH Dashboard here. 
* Florida residents that are diagnosed with COVID-19 and isolated out of state are not reflected on the Florida map.
**Total cases overview includes positive cases in Florida residents and non-Florida residents tested in Florida.
More Information on COVID-19
 
To find the most up-to-date information and guidance on COVID-19, please visit the Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage. For information and advisories from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), please visit the CDC COVID-19 website. For more information about current travel advisories issued by the U.S. Department of State, please visit the travel advisory website.
 
For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact the Department’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling 1-866-779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours per day. Inquiries may also be emailed to [email protected].
About the Florida Department of Health
The Florida Department of Health, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.

Traffic Crash at Highway 27 South of Washington Avenue in front of Florida’s Natural Results in Death

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Traffic Crash at Highway 27 South of Washington Avenue in front of Florida’s Natural Results in Death

Traffic Crash at Highway 27 South of Washington Avenue in front of Florida’s Natural Results in Death

On Tuesday March 24, 2020 at approximately 12:02am emergency personnel, including Lake Wales Police, responded to a vehicle versus pedestrian traffic crash on Highway 27 South of Washington Avenue in front of Florida’s Natural.

Officers arrived and located an adult male subject laying on the roadway who was pronounced deceased at the scene. Officers met with 41 year old Melissa Copeland of Lake Wales who had been driving South on Highway 27 in a 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis. According to Copeland and her passenger, Patrick Mcadorey of Lake Wales, as she traveled south the male stepped into her path of travel. She was unable to avoid the male, striking him with the front of her vehicle.

The deceased male has been identified but his name is not being released pending the notification of next of kin.

Anyone who has information regarding this crash is asked to contact Traffic Officer Sean Robertson or Traffic Officer Andrew Elrod at the Lake Wales Police Department at (863) 678-4223.

 

If Criminals Think They Can Get Away With Crime In Polk County During Covid-19 Crisis, Think Again!!!

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If Criminals Think They Can Get Away With Crime In Polk County During Covid-19 Crisis, Think Again!!!
Just before 6:00 p.m. on Monday, March 23, 2020, loss prevention officers working at the Walmart store located on Church Avenue North in Mulberry caught two shoplifters in the act of stealing over $600 worth of clothing and footwear, and alerted PCSO.
“If criminals like these think they’re going to take advantage of stores and merchants while they might otherwise be distracted dealing with COVID-19 related issues, they can think again. We aren’t going to tolerate any crime, big or small, and we will continue putting those who commit crimes in jail.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
The man and woman were observed by the loss prevention officers selecting clothing and shoes and placing them into their shopping cart, and then attempting to walk out the door with the stolen merchandise. When confronted, the man said he was trying to find his girlfriend so they could pay for the items – he then took off running and jumped into a waiting SUV, being driven by his girlfriend.
Deputies quickly caught up to them and conducted a traffic stop on South Florida Avenue, and detained both suspects. They found several stolen hand-baskets inside the vehicle from Walmart and Publix.
Cleveland Car, DOB 2/22/79, was arrested and charged with:
  • Dealing in stolen property (F2)
  • Petit theft, 2nd offense (M1)
  • 2 counts unlawful possession of shopping cart (M1)
  • Giving false information to pawn dealer (F3) (warrant)
  • Grand theft (F3) (warrant)
His criminal history includes arrests in Tennessee for grand theft and failure to appear, and a warrant for VOP in West Virginia. He also had a previous failure to appear in Florida in 2017.
Carr’s live-in girlfriend, Jolene Parlett, DOB 5/12/98, was arrested and charged with:
  • Petit theft, 1st offense (M2) ($250 bond)
  • 2 counts unlawful possession of shopping cart (M1) ($500 bond each count)
Carr had two Polk County warrants for his arrest for dealing in stolen property and giving false info to a pawn dealer, and remains in jail on no bond. Parlett is being held in lieu of $1,250.00 bond.

Tech Tuesday : Third Step to Mitigate Cyber Risks In Your Environment NIST Detect

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Tech Tuesday : Third Step to Mitigate Cyber Risks In Your Environment NIST Detect

The Detect Function of NIST enables timely discovery of cybersecurity events. Examples of outcome Categories within this Function include: Anomalies and Events; Security Continuous Monitoring; and Detection Processes.

In order to detect cyber security events in your environment you should deploy a SIEM.

A SIEM or Security information and event management software platform gives enterprise security professionals both insight into logs and events. A SIEM will also retain a historical track record of the activities within their IT environment.

The SIEM software platform will identify and categorize incidents and events. Once categorized the SIEM will analyze the information and flag based on cyber threat.

The SIEM software delivers on two main objectives

  • provide reports on security-related incidents and events, such as successful and failed logins, malware activity and other possible malicious cyber-criminal activities
  • send alerts if analysis shows that an activity runs against predetermined rulesets and thus indicates a potential security issue.

SIEM’s will provide the business a roadmap of how an exploit was delivered, how a system was exploited, and where it spread throughout your environment. Using a SIEM organizations are able to respond to cyber security events with confidence and up to 20x faster than not using a SIEM.

While having a SIEM will greatly help an organization Detect and Respond to cyber-security events it has been proven in the industry that many organizations continue to struggle in their abilities to maximize the benefits of the SIEM and often times do not get enough value out of existing systems.

For today’s resource-strapped IT teams, the time and expense required to deploy or maintain a SIEM seriously delays their time to detect threats or threat hunt, and thus, return on investment.

If you or your organization would like to implement a SIEM or need assistance tuning and fully utilizing your SIEM implementation, please reach out. We would love work with you to provide additional value and save you costs.

 

Kip Kirchberg is an International Cyber Security Expert who has experience building Cyber Security Teams and working with fortune 500 organizations. Experience includes but is not limited to Building SIEM platforms, Endpoint Security, 3rd Party Remote Access, Industrial Control Systems, NextGen Firewall’s, Helping Organizations Identify Cyber security Risks Generating Reports that lead to actionable data, Build and maintain Incident Response Team, Draft and Adopt Corporate Cyber Security Governance, Internal and External Pen Testing plus much more….

For a personalized Cyber Security Consultation call 863-734-8060 or email [email protected]

Frostproof Restaurant and Store Hours of Operation

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Frostproof Restaurant and Store Hours of Operation

We have put together a list of the Stores and Restaurants that are still available to you during Covid-19 Epidemic.

If you would like to see your business listed please email us the information to [email protected].

 

Winter Haven Police Department To Close Lobby To Walk In Traffic

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Winter Haven Police Department To Close Lobby To Walk In Traffic

Winter Haven Police Department To Close Lobby To Walk In Traffic

The Winter Haven Police Department is dedicated to provide continued professional emergency services to the public as we deal with the ever-changing COVID-19 situation. To further limit exposure of both personnel and the public, the Records Division located inside of the Department lobby at 125 N. Lake Silver Dr., NW will close to all walk-in customers as of today, Monday, March 23, 2020. Police reports and other records requests can still be obtained by calling 863-291-5858 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Reports can be mailed, emailed or faxed to customers.

For customers needing to pay a downtown parking ticket, online payment options are available by logging on the website at www.winterhavenpd.com. Scroll to the “Online Services” area and the link for payment is on the page. For those who choose to not utilize the online payment option, a payment extension will be in place with customers being notified of payment due once the lobby opens back up to the public.

We also want to remind citizens of the online reporting option for non-emergency calls that include Lost/Stolen Bicycle, Criminal Mischief, Fraud/Identity Theft/Forgery, Lost/Stolen Cell Phone and Lost/Stolen Vehicle Tag or Decal. Those options are available on the website as well as the Department’s smart phone app. Of course, anyone who has an emergency should not hesitate to call 9-1-1 immediately. For other non-emergency situations, call 863-401-2256.

“Our mission has always been and we will continue to provide the most professional public safety services to our citizens while ensuring the safety of the citizens and our members,” said Public Safety Director Charlie Bird.

Winter Haven Fire Department Announces That All Three Fire Stations Have Suspended All Public Education Programs, Station Tours and Car Seat Installations Until Further Notice

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Winter Haven Fire Department Announces That All Three Fire Stations Have Suspended All Public Education Programs, Station Tours and Car Seat Installations Until Further Notice

 

The Winter Haven Fire Department announces that all three fire stations have suspended all public education programs along with station tours and car seat installations until further notice. These steps are being taken as additional precautionary measures are in place due to the COVID-19 situation.

Additionally, fire inspections that are considered non-essential will be suspended in order to limit the risk of exposure to fire personnel as well as the public.

Winter Haven firefighters continue to respond to all 9-1-1 calls and the level of service is not compromised. Fire personnel are taking extra precautionary measures wearing additional protective gear to limit the exposure risk to themselves as well as the public.

To further ensure the safety of personnel and the public, medical surveillance is being conducted for all on-duty staff every 12 hours to make certain personnel on duty are not displaying any symptoms of sickness.

Anyone with questions is urged to call the Fire Department Administrative line at 863-291-5677.

Florida Department of Health Updates New COVID-19 Cases, Announces Three New Deaths Related to COVID-19 ~1,147 positive cases in Florida Residents and 80 positive cases in non-Florida residents~

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Florida Department of Health Updates New COVID-19 Cases, Announces Three New Deaths Related to COVID-19 ~1,147 positive cases in Florida Residents and 80 positive cases in non-Florida residents~
Florida Department of Health Updates New COVID-19 Cases, Announces Three New Deaths Related to COVID-19
~1,147 positive cases in Florida Residents and 80 positive cases in non-Florida residents~
 
TALLAHASSEE — To keep Florida residents and visitors safe, informed and aware about the status of the virus, The Florida Department of Health has launched a COVID-19 dashboard that will be updated twice daily. Today, as of 6 p.m., there are 1,227 total** Florida cases. Data in released reports are provisional and subject to change. In this release, we are correcting the number of COVID-19 related deaths from information previously released on the COVID-19 dashboard.
Three people have died who tested positive for COVID-19 in Clay, Duval and Palm Beach counties.
New Florida cases include:
  • 56 additional positive COVID-19 cases (51 Florida residents and 5 non-Florida residents) reported to the Florida Department of Health.
  • There are currently 1,147 positive cases in Florida residents and 80 positive cases in non-Florida residents.
Florida recently partnered with private laboratories around the state to expand COVID-19 laboratory testing capacity. This partnership will increase the number of tests conducted each day and ensure Floridians receive the critical health information they need in a timely manner.
Expansion to private laboratories changes the COVID-19 testing landscape in Florida. Private laboratories are running tests as they receive swab samples from practitioners. Testing and reporting times vary among commercial and DOH laboratories. Demographic information may be updated during investigations. These twice daily reports reflect the state’s efforts to accurately and transparently share information. 
More information on a case-by-case basis can also be found here. The Joint Information Center for COVID-19 is working to provide the latest report from this evening. 
3.23 pm table
For more detail on Florida resident cases, please visit the live DOH Dashboard here. 
* Florida residents that are diagnosed with COVID-19 and isolated out of state are not reflected on the Florida map.
**Total cases overview includes positive cases in Florida residents and non-Florida residents tested in Florida.
More Information on COVID-19
 
To find the most up-to-date information and guidance on COVID-19, please visit the Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage. For information and advisories from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), please visit the CDC COVID-19 website. For more information about current travel advisories issued by the U.S. Department of State, please visit the travel advisory website.
 
For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact the Department’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling 1-866-779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours per day. Inquiries may also be emailed to [email protected].
About the Florida Department of Health
The Florida Department of Health, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.
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