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Hundreds turn out for Casino Night to benefit local schools

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Burned cross found in gay couple’s yard

E.T., it’s for you You can tell it’s a slow day for news when the lead headline on the Nation/ World section of a metropolitan newspaper reads: “Should humans call out for E.T.?”

For pure shock value, that one is right up with “Kardashian marriage is on the rocks,” or “Bucs lose another one.”

But a slow news day is better than no day at all, so I was drawn to this Associated Press story in The Tampa Tribune.

Several decades ago, I read an article that scientists were considering beaming a “To Whom It May Concern” signal into outer space, a message that any culture intelligent enough to receive it might understand.

The only possibility I remember being under consideration was the value of Pi, which is 3.14159 and as many more digits as you want to look up on the Internet. Pi, as the more gifted mathematical scholars among you may remember from high school geometry, has to do with finding the area or circumference of a circle.

At our Sunday family dinner table discussion this week, our daughters said this might work, but it would be advisable to transmit the value of Pi as a binary number, since we earthlings probably only use base 10 because we have 10 fingers.

I nodded as if I fully understood the rationale behind “binary numbers.”

It became clear to me that my initial plan to have two classes of third-graders take turns at a microphone asking “Can you hear me

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Women fear for their safety

By KATHY LEIGH BERKOWITZ klberkowitz@heartland newspapers.com

PHOTO BY KATHY LEIGH BERKOWITZ

Laura Tomayko and Ginger Austin believe they have been victims of a hate crime because they are lesbians. They discovered this burned cross in their yard last Saturday. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.

Detectives are investigating an incident in which a burnt cross was found in a lesbian couple’s yard in Saddlebag Lake Resort.

“What it amounts to is, they don’t want us in the park,” said homeowner Virginia Austin. “We are a gay couple.”

Austin and her companion, Laura Tomayko, both 70, moved to Saddlebag, a resort community, 10 miles outside Lake Wales, last year.

Tomayko found the burned cross in the early hours of Feb. 21, when she woke up to use the

bathroom and take a walk around the property. The couple said they were on edge after they believed someone had tried to break into their home the night before, so Tomayko had been watching their property carefully.

When she went outside she discovered a wooden cross, burnt with twisted newspaper around its center.

“I just could not believe my eyes that anyone would do that,” Austin said.

The case is under investigation by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

The cross burning took place

CROSS | 12

Chalet Suzanne will rise again, in a book

Hundreds bid for pieces of famed restaurant, inn

By KEVIN BRADY

kbrady@heartlandnewspapers.com

A day after an auction that drew more than 1,400 to Chalet Suzanne, the property’s former owners say they plan to write a cookbook featuring recipes from the famed restaurant.

While owners were hoping one buyer would buy the 130acre property, and deep-pocket bidders had expressed interest

in the property, the land went to around 30 different buyers disappointing owner Eric Hinshaw, whose family founded the central Florida icon in 1931.

Neither the auctioneer nor the owner would reveal how much the auction brought or who bought the individual lots, although one buyer is reportedly planning to turn a portion of the property

containing a small airstrip into a training center for parachute enthusiasts. Another buyer, a Lake Wales entrepreneur, did purchase the inn and restaurant, but it is unknown at this point what he plans to do with the property.

“The auction brought a small fraction of what I was hoping to get, but we are

PHOTO BY KEVIN BRADY

Just hours before the auction started Friday morning Eric Hinshaw stood silently in a prayer circle organized by the Business Civic and CHALET | 12 Ministry Coaltion of Lake Wales.

Frostproof shuffles planning board makeup

By JAMES COULTER

frostproofnews@heartland newspapers.com

Frostproof City Council members unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance to change the membership

of the Planning and Zoning Commission from five to seven members, and to allow its members to simultaneously serve on the Board of Zoning Appeals.

This ordinance was approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission at their meeting

earlier that evening, as they voted unanimously to forward it to the City Council with recommendation for approval.

The ordinance is being proposed as both committees currently have at least one vacant seat, which places them at

risk of failing to meet a quorum if at least one of their members is absent from a meeting.

The planning commission requires four or more present members to maintain a quorum.

BOARD | 12

THE NEWS: Viewpoint 4 | Opinion 5 | Calendar 8 | Police 10 | Obituaries 11, 13 | Sports 15 | Feeling Fit 25 | Home & Garden 35 | Pets 38

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Page 2 The News

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

New Hope Free Will Baptist Church Revival

Minister Ann Key opens the revival with songs of praise at New Hope Free Will Baptist Church Revival Feb. 22.

Minister Darius Stoudemire speaks at Sunday’s New Hope Free Will Baptist Church Revival.

PHOTOS BY ROBERT BLANCHARD

Minister Darius Stoudemire, Evangelist

Minister Rochelle Burrage feels the spirit as Minister and Evangelist Darius Stoudemire lays hands on her at the New Hope Free Will Baptist Church Revival on Sunday.

Melody Blocker is overcome with the holy spirit at Sunday’s Revival at New Hope Free Will Baptist Church in Lake Wales.

Schools the winner at Lake Ashton Casino Night A good night was had by all at last week’s Lake Ashton Casino Night.

The event supports local school teachers through grants for classroom equipment and support for music and art programs not funded through the school

system. Every penny raised during the event goes to local schools. This year’s event more than 250 guests.

Last year’s grants included a therapy dog for a local school with autistic children.

The Benefit Association, a 501(c)(3) charity, has

provided more than $251,000 over the years by soliciting sponsors and through the Casino Night party that includes a raffles, more than 75 door prizes and food and drinks. This year’s event is expected to bring anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000.

PHOTOS BY ROBERT BLANCHARD

The Lake Ashton ballroom was filled to capacity for Saturday’s Casino Night.

Carol Gillespie and Lowleen Read survey the many choices for the Basket Raffle at Saturday’s Lake Ashton Casino Night.

Sonja Munson (in black) throws the dice as she takes a round on the Craps Table.

Cynthia Rowland (yellow) tries to decide if she wants to hit or stay at one of the many Black Jack tables at Lake Ashton’s Casino Night.

The Silent Auction table is lined with prizes at Saturday’s Lake Ashton Casino Night.

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Wednesday, March 4, 2015

The News Page 3

Page 4

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

V iewpoint Land use planning, or unscrambling an egg

In the hierarchy of issues dealt with by local government — everything from property taxes to garbage collection schedules to noisy roosters — few topics come across as boring as planning and zoning.

But in reality, few, if any, areas of local governance are as important. Once a land use decision is made, it’s there in perpetuity.

And when the decision is wrong — or immensely unpopular — it creates a problem that can be impossible to solve. It’s like trying to unscramble an egg.

The City of Fort Meade currently is dealing with such an issue.

In 2011, the city issued a letter allowing the development of a facility by Environmental AG Products to process sewage sludge into fertilizer products on a piece of land on the north side of Fort Meade that is zoned for mining.

The city agreed to accept up to 100,000 gallons per day of wastewater discharge from the facility at its own sewage treatment plant, and Environmental AG Products agreed to accept 250,000 gallons of sludge from the city’s plant.

So far, so good; it had the appearance of a win-win situation, until odors from the operation (by then owned by another company, Biosolids Distribution

Our Viewpoint Services) became highly objectionable.

This is not a problem unique to Fort Meade.

The disposal of sewage (and to a lesser extent, garbage) eventually generates odors. The blame can be placed on the disposal process or excesses of nature.

The citizens who are exposed to the odors really don’t care why it stinks; they just want the smell gone.

In a nation that still has much progress to be made in the recycling or reuse and ultimately disposal of its more noxious wastes, such problems are predictable, and arguably unavoidable.

But they can be mitigated by sound land use practices, specifically by siting such uses in locations sufficiently remote from developed areas that odors and other objectionable features do not impact the day-to-day life of a community.

For years, Bartow fought development of a landfill within its city limits, abutting a high end subdivision.

As with the Fort Meade sludge disposal plant, the city allowed the development to take place on land zoned

for mining.

And as with the Fort Meade plant, the city administration acted in what it believed to be the best interests of its citizens, a conclusion not universally shared by the community.

The issue, once the troublesome land use is in place, becomes what to do about it. The analogy to unscrambling an egg is an apt one. The legal ramifications become complex and expensive.

At 5:30 p.m. March 10, the Fort Meade planning and zoning board will hold a public hearing on a measure to create a zoning classification for “biosolids treatment facilities.” The city commission will hold public hearings on the same proposal at 7 o’clock that evening and again on March 31.

It is an issue on which the public deserves to be heard. We believe it is impossible for the city commission to arrive at a final decision that will make everyone happy. We do not intend to propose one.

The long-term lesson to be learned is that local governments — and particularly small communities which often are targeted for troublesome land uses — must be eternally vigilant in establishing and enforcing land use controls that protect the interests of their citizens.

Letters to the editor

Whatever happened to common sense?

I was reading the Scriptures this week, specifically the book of 1st Samuel, Chapter 8, and I noted how the Israelites turned from God (and common sense) and told God, “Give us a King, so we can be like every other country.” So, God gave them what they asked for, Saul, who turned out to be a very evil king, and the Israelites were extremely upset during his reign. Then this morning, February 25, I pick up The

Lake Wales News and what does your editorial say, but give us Obamacare so we can be like the 37 other states, (who will see their state finances go up drastically in just a few years when the Feds’ money runs out and they have to raise their taxes to pay for their foolish decision). By the way, where do you suppose these huge Obamacare

HILLIARD | 5

Private prisons: Scott’s endgame?

Generally when a crisis occurs in a large organization, the CEO is expected to acknowledge and address the problem, keep stakeholders up to date on progress and be held accountable for the problems that occurred.

Why is it, then, that Florida’s Gov. Rick Scott has been AWOL on the crisis within our prison system?

Here are some of the problems: a record number of inmate deaths, suspicious deaths not reported as such, claims of widespread prisoner abuse, drugs and contraband, investigator reports ignored, investigators intimidated and silenced, potential inspector general retaliation and cover-ups, four Department of Corrections (DOC) secretaries in as many years, crumbling buildings, leaky roofs, dilapidated vehicles, dangerously low staffing levels, excessive overtime costs, and questionable contracts for privatized services such as medical care.

And yet when disturbing reports started surfacing — about a mentally ill prisoner who was scalded to death at Dade Correctional or a nonviolent

told him that he needed to take a bullet for the governor.

Crews expressed frustration that the governor and his staff were more concerned with crafting news releases than with doing what needed to be done to keep the institutions safe and secure.

This behavior came from the very Paula Dockerycan be contacted at administration that touts accountabilipdockery@floridavoices.com ty, transparency and business acumen.

The DOC is responsible for the offender seeking medical treatment well-being of all inmates under its who was punished and gassed to death supervision. instead — there was a shocking lack of Its inmate population now stands concern from the governor. The silent at 102,000 and the budget more than indifference was so unsettling that $2 billion — more inmates, fewer staff former DOC chief Jim McDonough and less funding than when Scott took exclaimed, “Where is the outrage?” office.

To date, the governor has not directly For years the DOC has been underacknowledged the problems, answered staffed, underfunded and not properly any questions, nor communicated a maintained. Turnover is high, morale is plan of action. Instead he let his third low and persistent efforts to privatize DOC secretary, Mike Crews, take the prisons and prison functions have heat. Crews resigned amid the growing drained resources from DOC needs. scandal.

Even when Scott appointed Julie Crews admitted that during the Jones as Crews’ replacement — the re-election campaign, the governor’s fourth to attempt to run the underfundthen-chief of staff, Adam Hollingsworth, ed, understaffed, redheaded stepchild

Paula Dockery Political Ponderings

agency of the Scott administration — he failed to convey any outrage or plans to address the situation that had been festering in the public view for close to a year.

Jones made some promising remarks to the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, for which I bestowed kudos and premature optimism for the department.

However, that was short-lived. In short order, Jones retracted her brave comments on private prisons cherrypicking less expensive inmates and her staffing recommendations that were higher than what the governor included in his budget.

Oops.

Then in another disappointing move, she put a gag order on investigators to prevent them from discussing prison abuses.

With all due respect, I want to retract my kudos. Jones has not proved to be the independent leader needed to right the ship.

DOCKERY | 5

We welcome your letters Letters are welcome on virtually any subject, but we do have some rules. Please keep them to less than 250 words. Letters will be edited to length as well as grammar and spelling. All letters must be signed with full name — not initials. An address and telephone number must be included. The phone number and address are not for publication, but must be provided. The Letters to the Editor section is designed as a public forum for community discourse and the opinions and statements made in letters are solely those of the individual writers. Readers in the Lake Wales area can send letters and column submissions to letters@lakewalesnews.com or mail them to 140 E. Stuart Ave., Lake Wales, FL 33853.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Page 5

Slow down for Signs-of-Life

By KATHY LEIGH BERKOWITZ klberkowitz@heartlandnewspapers.com

account executive with Comcast, he took five months off work, only to find, he said, that he For the past three years, could no longer work in a corporate environment March 18 has been a with all the pressures. painful reminder to Nick Then he decided to start Fisher. It is the day his a mattress business, but 7-year-old son Matthew died after being struck by eventually found that he could not do that, either. a car speeding through Now he runs Signshis neighborhood in for-Life, an organization Avon Park. Matthew was dedicated to educating riding his bicycle from the public to “slow down” one friend’s house to another when he was hit. — especially when there are children present.

The car, Fisher said, was Fisher has found allies going twice the speed limit, although there were in Lake Wales to help get the word out, and no witnesses as to how to spread signs. At $10 exactly it happened. apiece, the remainder of His son’s death devasthe funds donated to each tated his family. sign goes to educational A former business

HILLIARD FROM PAGE 4 subsidies come from? Oh, well, our national debt has only grown to $18 trillion plus a few hundred billion and, if you can’t get the states to go along with this Democrat boondoggle foolishly called the Affordable Care Act, then bribe them with their own money.

Way to go, Lake Wales News.

And then, I read the column from

DOCKERY FROM PAGE 4

practice and want to do anything we can to support Nick’s efforts to honor the life of his son, and to hopefully prevent another such tragedy in our own community,” Lilly said.

The 100 signs from Lilly, O’Toole and Brown are for the yards of willing participants in Lake Wales who want to show support of the signs of life at no charge to them.

Fisher’s efforts have extended beyond signs, however. When Fisher went to the Lake Wales Care Center, he discovered bicycle helmets there, some at 50 cents apiece, others close to $5 each. He shared his story

and asked officials if he could buy them all for 50 cents. The Care Center gave him all the helmets they had, and he carried them home and painted them.

“I will be in Lake Wales giving away and placing our Signs-Of-Life drive safe yard signs and speaking with residents who have concerns about the dangers of motorists not obeying the posted speed limits in the residential areas,” Fisher said. He will also give the helmets to area children who need them.

To donate to Signs-ofLife, visit their website at signs-of-life.org or call 863-873-3754.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Hannah Fisher holds one of the signs that is offered to alert the public to slow down for children as they are driving.

the left’s favorite RINO politician, ops “columnist,” Paula Dockery. She is caught up in the same ridiculous nonsense, and her article reads, give us medical marijuana just like the other 23 states. Charlotte’s Web is already on the market in Florida, for those who actually need it. Only problem is, you can’t smoke it, and not every druggie can get a true professional to write them a prescription for it. Let me ask you: Do you want to see pot shops on every corner? I certainly don’t. Dockery needs to take a look at the state crime

statistics for the 23 states which have already made this error, and she will have seen the rapid increase in crime and vehicle accidents. But then, she would have missed a chance to take another shot at Governor Scott and the Republican Legislature.

So, I ask you what has happened to common sense? I thought “reporters” were supposed to be unbiased, just report the (true) facts, and let the readers make up their own minds. You might say the above articles are just the writer’s opinions, but it is these opinions

which affect how people feel about Obamacare and “medical marijuana,” and you have a reasonably large reader audience (25,000 plus). One only needs to read 1st Samuel, Chapter 8 to see the similarities of rejecting common sense and wanting to be like 38 or 27 other states, respectively, because you might get what you are asking for, and it isn’t always for the best.

proper care and supervision of all offenders under its jurisdiction while assisting their reentry into society.

By even the most generous of measures, DOC is failing that mission miserably.

Florida Senate leaders on the issue — Sens. Greg Evers, Rob Bradley and Jeff Clemens — have crafted meaningful policy changes to address the problems. They passed a bill out of committee creating an independent commission to oversee the troubled prisons. Jones and the Scott administration seem unsupportive even with

the U.S. Department of Justice looking over Florida’s shoulder.

Gov. Scott failed to fund the investigators former Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey requested before Scott’s minions forced him out. Perhaps his ouster had more to do with the prison mess than we originally thought. Did he have to take a bullet, too?

The cynic in me is starting to believe that the Scott administration doesn’t want to fix the problems at the department and doesn’t want to fully investigate the abuse that has been and still is

occurring.

In the meantime, people in state supervision are dying and the state is exposed to costly litigation and liability.

Perhaps this is the means to an end and Scott’s true mission is to fully privatize Florida’s prisons — at any cost.

RICHARD HILLIARD Lake Wales

Paula Dockery is a syndicated columnist who served in the Florida Legislature for 16 years as a Republican from Lakeland. She can be reached at PBDockery@gmail.com.

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She needs to encourage investigators to seek out abuse, to fix the problems (and not continue the pattern of covering them up) and to fight for the funding and staffing levels to meet the mission of the department.

The corrections department’s website defines its mission quite simply: to protect the public safety, to ensure the safety of its personnel, and to provide

materials and safety equipment, he says.

Lilly, O’Toole & Brown donated 100 signs to be placed in Lake Wales.

“It’s not just a cliché that speed kills — it really does. Not only due to the impact, but especially in terms of being able to avoid an impact in the first place,” said Kent Lilly. “It’s common sense, but it’s also a scientific fact. A car traveling 40 mph takes about 20 feet more in stopping distance than a car going 25 mph, and that 20 feet can easily be the difference between life and death.

“We see far too much tragedy in our law

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Page 6 The News

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Empty Bowls filled at auction

By TANNER SCOTT

limited to water and coffee. This reflected that those struggling with hunger often have a limited diet, sometimes consisting Members of the community gathered of little more than soup and water. at First Presbyterian Church last Friday Toward the end of the event, three evening for “Soup-er Bowls for Hunger,” bowls were live-auctioned by guest aucan event designed to raise awareness tioneers. The first bowl, painted by Tom about hunger in Lake Wales. The evening Seitz, featured an image of Jesus taking showcased beautiful bowls created by the bread and fish from a small boy to local artists, hot soups prepared by feed the 5000. The bowl was auctioned local restaurants and the hunger relief off by Mayor Eugene Fultz and was won programs run by Lake Wales Care Center. by John Motis. The second bowl, painted The night began with a silent auction by Jayne Crews-Linton, depicted clusters of oranges. That bowl was auctioned of about 70 empty bowls. The bowls off by Pastor Chad Reynolds of First were handpainted by local artists, Presbyterian Church and was won by business owners, members of the community, and staff and volunteers of Laura Hunt. The final bowl, painted by Char Revera-Leipply, displayed a beauLake Wales Care Center, which hosted tiful scene of Bok Tower. The bowl was the event. This was the ninth year Care auctioned off by John Motis, President Center has hosted this event. of Chemical Containers and current Throughout the auctions, people of chairman of the Care Center board, and the community had the opportunity to was won by Judy Williams. taste small cups of soups provided by Entertainment for the evening was eight local restaurants: Lake Wales Family provided by Back Porch Revival, a Lake Restaurant, Lake Wales Medical Center, Wales-based folk. All proceeds from Pedro’s Downtown Deli, L’Incontro, the event went toward Lake Wales Care Crazy Fish, Bob Evans, Lincoln Café, Center’s hunger relief programs, includand the Arcade Coffee and Sandwich ing its Food Pantry, Holiday Assistance, Shop. Attendees could try one or all of and Meals on Wheels. the soups. The beverages offered were Special To The lake WaleS NeWS

PHOTO PROVIDED

Artist Char Revera-Leipply painted the highest bidding bowl, a stunning portrayal of Bok Tower, at the recent Lake Wales Care Center Empty Bowls auction. With her, on the right is Judy Williams, who bought the bowl for $950. Williams is also a driver for Meals on Wheels. All proceeds went to help feed the hungry in Lake Wales.

Stay At Home Work Camp PHOTO PROVIDED

Stay At Home Work campers on a roof, one of the projects they tackled in years past.

By TANNER SCOTT

begun and will continue until the week before camps begin. Several camps are available and all students who have If you drive down a residential completed sixth grade are welcome to street in Lake Wales during the sumattend. Campers can expect to work mer, you might encounter an unusual hard, enjoy down time with each other, sight — a dozen teenagers on top of and grow together during worship and a roof. The first thought most people devotion. Registration forms can be might have is that they are goofing found on Care Center’s website, lakeoff, yet there is no mischief in these walescarecenter.com, or in print form at young people’s mission. They are part the Park Avenue office. of a camp hosted by Lake Wales Care This is not the only time Care Center Center called Stay At Home Work facilitates home repair projects.

Camp (SAHWC).

Qualified homeowners can receive This will be the 30th year Care Center home repair help throughout the year has hosted SAHWC. It started in 1985 for everything from leaky faucets to with just a handful of individuals wheelchair ramps. Small repairs are completing yard work for their neighcompleted by skilled volunteers, while bors. The goal back then was to provide large projects are reserved for groups services to homeowners who ordinarily and camps. could not afford such services. It has Dates for the 2015 camps: since evolved into four week-long • June 21-27: Completed 9th-12th sessions, each with approximately 100 grades. $175 for campers and $100 for campers and counselors, yet the goal leaders. remains the same. The campers stay • July 5-9: Completed 6th-8th grades. at a Lake Wales facility, either Camp $125 for campers and $75 for leaders.

Endeavor or the H.E.A.R.T. Village.

• Aug. 2-7: Completed 8th-12th During the day, campers visit local grades. $125 for campers and $75 for homeowners and complete various leaders. home repairs, including painting, Interested individuals should call yard maintenance, and yes, even roof Brian Kistner at 863-676-6678 for more repair. information.

Registration for the camps has already

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Special To The lake WaleS NeWS

The News Page 7

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Best show ever!

Lake Wales Arts Festival succeeds

By CASSIE JACOBY

cjacoby@heartlandnewspapers.com

Artists and art lovers called the Lake Wales Arts Festival the best ever, despite chilly downpours on Saturday, Feb. 28 and warm, muggy weather on Sunday, March 1.

“We had so many compliments on the diversity of this year’s quality artwork,” says Pirjo Restina, Arts Festival vice chair and jurying co-chair. “Each artist is carefully considered by a jury before being invited to attend, which is why we have a reputation for one of the finest shows in the Southeast.”

Keeping the show to 100 artists resulted in more opportunities and purchases, and Restina said most were happy with their sales. First time exhibitor Blair Updike, who sold 75 percent of her artwork, said she wished she had painted more artwork. Internationally acclaimed artist David Price, president of Bok Tower Gardens, sold five of his prized bronze sculptures. Several artists have exhibited at the show for more than 20 of its 44 years.

Two professional judges, Jennifer McInnes Coolidge and David Lee Cumbie, along with a support team of volunteers, reviewed all the artwork before selecting the winners to receive cash awards. At noon on Sunday, Arts Council leaders, CB&T, local officials and dignitaries, judges and a 9-ft. tall puppet, led an awards ribbon distribution parade heralded

by Charlie “Topp” Hines on trumpet to deliver the awards to each winner.

Glass artist Richard Ryan won the $4,000 Best of Show with two $2,500 Awards for Exceptional Work presented

to Patricia Karnes and James Nemnich.

Carol Napoli, Rolly Ray Reel, Marilyn Vaillancourt, and Mark & Wendy Zoschke each won $1,000 Awards of Excellence. Five Awards of Distinction were presented with $500 to Carolyn Cohen, Timothy Hall, David Hunter, Gregory Jones and Molly Strader.

Robert Amoruso, Jinsong Kim, Laurie Landry, Peggy Miller and Zhiyong Ye each won $300 Awards of Merit. Nick Alexiades won the $500 People’s Choice Award and Jody Queen won the $400 Helen Aufford Award.

Although several artists from Cape Cod, North Carolina and other northern locations were not able to attend due to cold weather, spirits were not dampened by the rain and blustery conditions. Children’s activities were packed with kids of all ages who made puppets and enjoyed the Bits ‘N Pieces Puppet Theater marionette performances. Audiences in tents enjoyed musical entertainment performed both days by Bryan Rivers from 10 to noon and Free Time Jazz Band from 12:30 to 4 p.m. With only a few shrimp and fries left at Tallulahs By the Sea, hungry patrons worked up an appetite and inundated all the food trucks.

Winners of the Lake Wales Student Art Show were on display at the Arts Festival and the entire exhibit will be at the Polk State Lake Wales Arts Center through March 10.

Plans are underway for the 45th annual Arts Festival that will return to the shores of Lake Wailes in 2016. Visit www.lakewalesartscouncil.org or www. facebook.com/lakewalesartscouncil for more information.

PHOTOS BY CASSIE JACOBY

Glass artist Richard Ryan won the $4,000 Best of Show at the Lake Wales Arts Festival Feb. 28-March 1.

Lake Wales Arts Festival co-chair Pirjo Restina (left) presents one of two $2,500 Awards for Exceptional Work to Patricia Karnes.

Fifteen-month old Damon Thornberg frolics with the 9-foot tall Bits ’N Pieces puppet at the Lake Wales Arts Festival on Sunday, March 1.

James Nemnich won the $2,500 Award for Exceptional Work at the Lake Wales Arts Festival Feb. 28-March 1.

Page 8 The News

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

EVENTS

CALENDAR

WELCOME TO YOUR COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Want to see your event on this page? Call us at 863-676-3467 or email news@lakewalesnews.com.

and

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4

Polk State College-Lake Wales will host a lunchtime concert by Corrine Olivia at 12:30 p.m., March 4 at the Polk State JD Alexander Center, 152 E. Central Ave. Event is free and open to the public.

Italian buffet with music, 5-7 p.m., Lake Wales American Legion Memorial Post 71, 43 W. Park Ave. Call 863-589-5689.

Wednesday, noon-2 p.m.; Saturday: 10-2 p.m., Florida’s Natural Grove House Visitor Center, Lake Wales. Workshops

and events. Free. Call: 863-676-1411.

THURSDAY, MARCH 5

Lake Wales Woman’s Club, 10:30 a.m., First Thursday every month.

Unity in Community meeting, B Street Center, 8-9 a.m.

Lake Wales Breakfast Rotary, 7 a.m., weekly hour-long meeting, Bok Tower Gardens Blue Palmetto Cafe. Free breakfast for first-timers.

FRIDAY, MARCH 6

Chamber member cookout,

New doctor in town

11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., front lawn of the chamber offices, 340 W. Central Ave. RSVP by Wednesday, March 4.

Call: 863-676-3445, or email charlotte@ lakewaleschamber.com.

Lake Wales Ghost Tours, 8 p.m., Arcade Coffee and Sandwich Shoppe on Market St. Also, Saturday. Call: www. facebook.com/lakewalesghosttoursllc.

SATURDAY, MARCH 7

Lake Wales Arts Council presents Lake Wales Student Art Show awards ceremony; Polk State Lake Wales Arts Center; 1099 State Rd. 60 E., Lake Wales; free; www.lakewalesartscouncil.org; www.facebook/lakewalesartscouncil; 863-676-8426.

St. Patrick’s Day Party, noon-3 p.m.

Eagle Ridge Mall, U.S. 27, Lake Wales.

Free family entertianment including live DJ, face painting, balloon artist, stilt walker, games, prizes.

Nalcrest Art Show, 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, March 7, at the Nalcrest Auditorium. Nalcrest is located 10 miles east of Lake Wales, off State Road 60.

There will be art for sale from local residents in mixed media, oil, watercolor, acrylic and photography. Free admission, complementary food, art raffle and a chance of meet local artists from Nalcrest. Call: 765-860-5239.

Village Green will hold its annual Community Yard Sale 8 a.m.-noon.

Village Green is located off Doherty Drive State Road 60 East (Lakeshore/Nalcrest) about 10 miles east of Lake Wales. Follow

PHOTO BY DEBRA GOUVELLIS

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Dr. Sergio Martinez D.O. Orthopedic Surgery, is the newest member of the Medical Staff at Lake Wales Medical Center. Martinez has been practicing in Lake Wales since July 1. The ribbon cutting ceremony for his new practice was held Thursday at his office. “ We will be bringing the level of care to new heights for our Orthopedic patients which include hip and knee joint replacements as well as fracture care, sports injuries and treatment of arthritis, tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome,” said Martinez. The office of Dr. Martinez is at 1255 SR 60 E. Suite 300 in Lake Wales. For more information visit their website at www.orthopedicsurgeryofpolk.com or call (863) 676-8358.

FREE BREAKFAST There is a free breakfast at B Street Community Center, on the first and third Saturday of every month, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. For more information, or to make donations, contact the Rev. Alton Norwood at 863-618-7641 or stop by his address at 114 W. Crystal Ave., Lake Wales. The Rev. Norwood has been doing free breakfasts for the community since 2005. Visit his website at http://sites.google. com/site/cbmoinclakewalesfl/ for details. signs or call Janet 863-696-4841.

Rodeo, 7:30 p.m., Westgate Resort River Ranch. Call: 863-692-1321 Chess for Kids, Lake Wales Library, 290 Cypress Garden Lane. Noon to 3 p.m.

50’s - 60’s Show Band, Ramon Theater, 15 E. Wall St., Frostproof. Call: 863-635-7222.

SUNDAY, MARCH 8

Breakfast buffet, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m., American Legion Lake Wales Memorial Post 71, 43 W. Park Ave. Call: 863-589-5689.

MONDAY, MARCH 9

Recovery for Life program for addictions, 7 p.m., 530 N. Scenic Hwy., Frostproof. Thursday, noon, Lake Wales Care Center. Call: 863-676-6678.

TUESDAY, MARCH 10

Lake Wales City Commission meeting, 6 p.m., first and third Tuesday, City Municipal Building, 201 W. Central Ave. Comments limited to five minutes per person.

The News Page 9

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Curious Kids meet ‘Crackers’

PHOTOS BY DEBRA GOUVELLIS

Nancy Slater is a Two Star Parelli Professional and horsemanship coach. These are her two rescued “Cracker Horses” that she brought to the Lake Wales Public Library for their Curious Kids program on Wednesday. “There are only 1,000 Cracker Horses left and these are two of them, Graziana and Remington,” said Slater.

Nancy Slater (center), Graziana and Remington share a biscuit!

Nancy Slater and her two Cracker Horses, Graziana and Remington, share their abilities for children at the Lake Wales Public Library program Curious Kids.

Nancy Slater, the owner and two-star Parelli Professional, prepares the horses to run in a circle for the children to marvel at.

Hotel sides get a good cleaning

By KATHY LEIGH BERKOWITZ

klberkowitz@heartlandnewspapers.com

Work at the Dixie Walesbilt Hotel continued this week. Thursday found a crew on the scaffolding outside the building, running what appears to be a pressure washer and other such equipment to clean the side before it is painted.

According to Reid Hardman, Friends of the Hotel, the prep work is “painstaking.”

PHOTO BY KATHY LEIGH BERKOWITZ

Hotel workers are busy cleaning the side of the building so more painting can get underway.

This took place on Thursday this week, under overcast skies.

Children at the Curious Kids Program at the Lake Wales Library had a chance to pet and feed local Cracker Horses Graziana and Remington. The horses were rescued as tiny foals and their owner, Nancy Slater, has been training/coaching them for the past two years.

Page 10 The News

POLICE

BEAT

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

The information is gathered from police, sheriff’s office, Florida Highway Patrol, jail and fire records. Not every arrest leads to a conviction and guilt or innocence is determined by the court system.

Copper wire stolen from train engine Early morning

Driver hits crosswalk sign A vehicle traveling on Lakeshore Boulevard in the area of North 7th Street was stopped for driving on a damaged/ flat tire on Feb. 27. After further investigation, the vehicle, driven by Brenda Miller, was determined to have struck a pedestrian crosswalk sign and landscape rock near the baseball field. Miller admitted to striking the rock and said she could have

struck the sign also. Miller stated she was trying to pull off the road to look for her phone when she struck the sign and the rock. Miller was issued a criminal citation with a court date for leaving the scene of a crash with property damage and released.

the railroad tracks Feb. 28. During the contact, Nicholas Snyder denied consent to search his person; however informed Officer Hampton he had a bong used to smoke marijuana. The bong was field tested with positive results for marijuana. Snyder was arrested and transported Driving with suspended license to the police dept. Snyder was released Officer Waldron conducted a traffic with a court date and charged with stop Feb. 28 on a gray Nissan Xterra after possession of drug paraphernalia. the vehicle ran the stop sign on Burns Avenue. The driver, Nichole Clifford, Playstation and Xbox stolen stated her driver’s license was suspendOfficer Daniels went to 32 W. Seminole ed for failure to pay traffic fines. Clifford Ave. Apt B regarding a burglary to a was arrested and issued a citation for residence Feb. 28. Once there he met failure to obey traffic control sign. with the complainant who reported her apartment had been burglarized Possession of marijuana arrest and entry was possibly made through Officer Hampton made contact with an open window. She reported four Nicholas Snyder who was walking down watches, a Playstation and Xbox stolen.

| LAKE WALES AND FROSTPROOF ARRESTS Lake Wales Feb. 16th Bradley Keefer, 37, 2819 Old Bartow Road, Lake Wales. Resist officer, DUI. Alex Rogers, 22, 2441 Carriage Drive, Lake Wales. Out-Of-County Warrant.

William Spring, 55, 2405 S.R. 60 E, Lake Wales. Failure to register motor vehicle.

William Tucker, 45, 522 Washington Ave., Apt 2, Lake Wales. Burglary, burglary tools possession intent to use.

Feb. 17th Damon Hunt, 33, 509 Greenview Terrace, Apt B, Lake Wales. Driving while license suspended.

Richard Oliver, 43, 2528 Stumprocker Drive, Lake Wales. Driving while license suspended, probation violation.

Maurice Owens, 35, 2307 Lisa St., Lake Wales. Driving while license suspended.

Feb. 18th Lonyshia Reynolds, 24, 3216 Carrillon Place, Lake Wales. Two counts larcenypetit theft.

Brandon Wheeler, 22, 132 Plantation Lane, Lake Wales. Battery.

Feb. 19th Ty Ligon, 47, 314 Frodens Rd, Lake Wales. Battery.

Dontavia Scott, 21, W 132 Orange Ave Apt 2, Lake Wales. Probation violation.

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Feb. 20th Haley Garey, 18, 1837 Shady Lane, Lake Wales. Possession of marijuana, three counts possession of drug equipment, cruelty toward child-aggravated child abuse.

Kareem Jackson, 25, 334 Jewel St., Lake Wales. Aggravated battery.

Richard Levasseur, 42, N. 3706 Scenic

Hwy., No. 2, Lake Wales. Driving while license suspended, possession of drugs without prescription, possession of marijuana, possession of drug equipment.

Susan Levasseur, 41, N 3706 Scenic Hwy., No. 2, Lake Wales. Possession of drugs without prescription, possession of marijuana, possession of drug equipment.

William Meeks, 19, 738 Cohassett #B, Lake Wales. Probation violation.

Van Sims, 45, 2317 Mammoth Grove Road, Lake Wales. Driving while license suspended, flee/elude police, resist officer, trespassing.

Feb. 21st Cameron Brimlow, 22, 1212 St Anne Shrine Road, Lake Wales. Weapon offense, resist officer.

Heather Ellzey, 35, 155 Highland Drive, Lake Wales. Battery, aggravated assault.

Donovan Gray, 26, 959 Old Scenic Hwy., Lake Wales. Possession of marijuana, possession of drug equipment, driving while license suspended.

Stephanie Hastings, 48, 2407 Rolling Hills Loop, Lake Wales. Resist officer, obstruct criminal.

Jose Lopez, 51, N/A, at-Large, Lake Wales. Public order crimes.

hit and run

The Lake Wales Police Department is working a hit and run traffic crash which occurred this morning in the intersection of SR 60 and Hunt Brothers Road at 5:56 Polly Swindel, a 68-yearold Lake Wales resident, was traveling northbound on Hunt Brothers Road.

Swindel, who was driving a 2004 Suzuki Aerio, had a red traffic signal and preceded into the intersection of SR 60 and Hunt Brothers Road without stopping, according to police. As she entered the intersection, she collided into the side of an unknown make and model semi-truck and trailer. The semi, which police say had a green traffic signal, was traveling eastbound on SR 60.

The driver of the semi never stopped and continued eastbound on SR 60 leaving the scene of the crash. Swindel’s Frostproof vehicle impacted the side of the trailer causing major damage to her vehicle Feb. 19th and causing damage to the passenger James Williams, 22, N. 859 Scenic side of the semi trailer.

Hwy., Frostproof. Hit and Run. The only description provided of the semi is it and the trailer are white in Feb. 20th color.

Bradley Shahan, 20, 55 Herndon, Swindel was transported to Lakeland Frostproof. Two counts possession of marRegional Medical Center where she ijuana, three counts possession of drug is in critical stable condition. Anyone equipment, cruelty toward child abuse. who witnessed this crash or who has additional information about this Feb. 21st crash is asked to contact Officer David Arnulfo Martinez, 38, 201 Lake St., Hernandez at 863-678-4223, ext.

Frostproof. Battery.

580 or Heartland Crime Stoppers at Ernesto Martinez, 36, 215 Spurlock Road, Frostproof. Battery.

800-226-8477.

Feb. 22nd Stephen Chomas, 49, N 835 Lakeshore Blvd., Lake Wales. Possession of marijuana, possession of drug equipment.

Takeria Johnson, 19, 2336 Lily St., Lake Wales. Driving without a valid driver license.

Feb. 23rd Felix Martinez, 22, S 625 Scenic Hwy, Lake Wales. Five counts probation violation.

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On Feb. 27, a complainant reported someone stole copper wire from a train engine on the property at 2 Seaboard Ave. Officer Worley and Officer Holden processed the scene with negative results, however a hat, a pair of pliers, and a pair of cutters were collected.

There are no witnesses, no video and no suspect leads.

The News Page 11

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

OBITUARIES Horace Freeman Herndon served as director of Farm Bureau of Polk County, served as interim Polk County Commissioner from May 1982 through November 1982, served as Trustee of Polk County General Hospital from November 1982 through February 1984, served as member of Governing Board of Southwest Florida Water Management District from August 1985 through July 1988, served on Polk County Comprehensive Plan Committee in 1989 and 1990 and was Director of Farm Credit Service of Central Florida Feb. 29, 1991, to 1995.

He served in the U.S. Army Field Artillery from 1943 to 1946, separated from service with rank of Captain.

Horace Freeman Herndon known to family and friends as “H” was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. He led within his community, but was a humble servant as well. His business and community achievements were many, but it was his love and devotion to his family which was his greatest pride. He had a spirit for adventure as he trekked to the Amazon in hopes of catching peacock bass. On many of his travels, his wife Jinny was by his side as well as his children and grandchildren.

This past December he celebrated 70 years of marriage, a lifetime of love with his best friend and partner Jinny.

He was so proud of that milestone that he was glowing as if it was the first day they met.

His devotion to God was evident

with the choices he made and the life that he lived. He will be missed tremendously by the ones he left behind, but his legacy and memories will continue to shape our lives. We love you so very much Grandaddy, my Daddy. He was preceded in death by his son, Phillip L. Herndon, brother, Sherrod L. Herndon and sister, Gwendolyn H. Burr. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Virginia C. Herndon; daughters, Ann Adkinson and husband Bill of Lake Wales, Jane H. Goff and husband Ken of Lake Wales; daughter-in-law, Patricia S. Herndon of Winter Haven; 6 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.

Memorial services were scheduled for Monday, March 2 at the First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Chad Reynolds officiating. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, 16 North 3rd St., Lake Wales, FL 33853.

Marion Nelson Funeral Home handling arrangements.

Kenny Skinner of Winter Haven, Fla., passed away Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015, at his residence. He was 79. Marion Nelson Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Roy V. White Roy V. White, 79, passed away Sunday, March 1, 2015. Visitation will be Friday, March 6 at Wildwood Baptist Church in Bartow from 1 to 2 p.m. Funeral services will follow at 2 p.m. at the church.

Dorothy Anne Hamilton-Stahl Dorothy Anne “Dottie” HamiltonStahl of Frostproof, Fla., passed away Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015, at her residence.

She was 80. Marion Nelson Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

For more Words of Comfort, go to www.wordsofcomfort.net

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Horace Freeman Herndon, 95 of Lake Wales, Fla., passed away Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, at his residence.

He was born April 29, 1919, in Capps, Ala., to A.C. and Tommie Horace Freeman (Sessions) Herndon Herndon and moved to Polk County in 1923. He was a retired secretary/treasurer for Alcoma Citrus Company. Horace attended all 12 years of public school in Lake Wales. He graduated from Lake Wales High School in 1937 and worked two years before going to college.

He graduated from the University of Florida in 1943 with a degree in accounting. He worked two years in public accounting.

He joined Updike Family citrus business in 1948 and served as Treasurer and Secretary of Alcoma Companies.

He also was a member of the Board of Directors, served on Session of the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Wales as Elder, also served as Deacon, Treasurer and Clerk of Session. He was founding director and served 30 years for Sun First National Bank of Polk County, served as Commissioner and Mayor of the Village of Highland Park.

He was also Past President of Taxpayers League of Polk County and

Kenny Skinner

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Page 12 The News

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Two officers shot

CROSS FROM PAGE 1

By KATHY LEIGH BERKOWITZ and KEVIN BRADY klberkowitz@heartlandnewspapers.com Two officers were shot Tuesday evening between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. as multiple gunshots were heard in the area of 7th Street and Hillside Avenue in Lake Wales.

Lake Wales Police Chief Chris Velasquez and Lake Wales Fire Chief Joe Jenkins ran out of the Lake Wales City Commission meeting during the report of the Economic Development Council.

David Clemons, in attendance at the meeting, ran out of the municipal building several times on his phone, returning to advise the commission a shooting had occurred.

City Manager Ken Fields interrupted the meeting to advise commissioners of what he received from the chief regarding the incident.

The shooting happened on Hillside

Avenue near Lake Wailes, where Little League practice was to take place. “I heard a couple of gunshots and started running,” said a local resident who was out walking his dog near the lake when the shooting occurred. Little League officials immediately posted on Facebook that the practice for the evening was cancelled.

Law enforcement officials immediately flooded the area with units from the Lake Wales police department and Polk County Sheriff’s office blocking streets and patrolling the nearby area. The Sheriff’s office also employed a helicopter during the incident.

The suspect, whose name was not available by press time Tuesday, was taken is in custody. Two officers were involved.

One officer received a non life threatening wound. One officer took a shot in the belt. More details will be posted as they become available.

against a backdrop of tension between the couple and management at the mobile home park. In just the last 12 months, police reports and civil suits have been filed against the couple who have also counter sued.

The pair wintered at Saddlebag Lake Resort for three years before moving there permanently last fall. They purchased the land on which their mobile home sits, as well as the mobile home itself. Austin noted that they also received approval for their home and a porch.

The couple said they were then told by management that they were going to have to reconfigure their porch and put it on the rear of the trailer. Austin said that was not acceptable, as the porch would have led to the couple’s bedroom.

“We don’t invite people into the master bedroom,” Austin said. “There was a whole lot of conflict going on.”

CHALET

things will go well for them and the city, that someone will come in with something that will bless the area.”

Auctioneer Scott Oglesby said he also had hoped the property would go for a higher price, but the sale “reflected the condition of the real estate economy and comparable with real estate parcels in the area.”

On a positive note, the personal property auction, extended until Sunday, brought in “two times our expected value. That went very well,” Oglesby said.

“Buyers who appreciated the history of Chalet Suzanne paid a very nice premium to buy anything that was made at Chalet Suzanne or marked Chalet Suzanne.”

Duke Bledsoe was one of those who wanted to own a little of Chalet Suzanne’s history. “I’m here out of curiosity. I am always interested in antiques and history,” Bledsoe said.

“I just want to see what the real estate at such a historical place goes for,” said Jessica Haad who drove from Winter Haven for the auction.

The Hinshaw family tried for years to keep the restaurant in the black, fighting a losing battle against glitzier attractions in Orlando and chain restaurants. They finally decided to sell the property last year.

Home delivery conflict

FROM PAGE 1 going to be OK. We should be able to pay our debts,” Hinshaw said. “We were trying to get a big bidder in, someone who would buy the whole property, but a bunch of people broke it up into little pieces.

“It’s just a shame 130 acres of land zoned tourist commercial couldn’t be held together by one buyer,” said Hinshaw, who also thanked those who turned out to support his family. “We had an amazing turnout with a ton of people here supporting us.”

Just hours before the auction that started Friday morning, Feb. 27, Hinshaw stood silently in a prayer circle organized by the Business Civic and Ministry Coalition of Lake Wales. “(Chalet Suzanne) has been a pillar of this community for many years,” said Jim Way, president of Capernaum Ministries who led the prayer. “For years, the Hinshaw family (owners of the property) reached out and blessed people and in the latter years didn’t even make money, but they continued to do it. They have committed this land to the Lord and we are praying that God will bless it and that

KEVIN BRADY

More than 1,000 turned out for the auction which was extended over three days.

FRISBIE FROM PAGE 1 now? Can you hear me now?” probably would not pass muster in the intergalactic space community E.T., the world’s most famous extraterrestrial, a pudgy little dude with a long neck and a glowing right index finger, did, in fact, have 10 fingers in the 1982 movie which bears his name. But it would be intellectually risky as well as politically incorrect to speculate on the digital features of all

extraterrestrials based on the only one with whom I am familiar.

If whoever/whatever is out there is as nice as E.T., I figure we would be glad to welcome them as our guests, as long as they remember the prime rule of Southern culture: We really don’t care how you did it on Gork.

But what if interstellar space is populated with beings like those depicted in “Independence Day” or “War of the Worlds,” or even some of the seedier characters encountered by Captain Kirk and Spock and Mr. Sulu as the Starship Enterprise dared “to boldly go where no man has gone before.” That mission,

When their home, which arrived in sections, was delivered, management would not allow workers in for more than a month, the couple said.

“So there it sat, the weather was getting in. All kinds of damage was occurring,” Austin said.

Tomayko then met with the State Attorney’s Office over the issue and was otld they have a right to protect their property. In a letter to the 10th Judicial Circuit Court, Jon Futrell of Custom Homes, the company that delivered the home to the couple, said Saddlebag Lake manager Melanie Kremkau had met with he and his crew at the gate on Feb. 18, 2014, “as they have in the past” when Custom Homes delivered homes to the resort.

Kremkau viewed the home and allowed it on the premises, but two days later, when Futrell’s crew came to set up the home they were denied access to

BOARD FROM PAGE 1 Ironically enough, the commission nearly failed to meet its quorum for their meeting had one of their members been absent that evening.

This problem has been a concern for many communities within the county, and as such, they have adopted or considered adopting similar changes to their own city code to allow such flexibility among the members of their planning and zoning boards, said Ron Borchers, Senior Planner for the Central Florida Regional Planning Council, who was present that evening to answer questions regarding the proposed change.

One concern was whether or not allowing one of its members to jointly serve on both committees would create a conflict of interest between the two. Borchers replied that there would be no such conflict of interest as both committees bear different responsibilities. incidentally, is possibly the most famous split infinitive of modern times.

The Star Fleet good guys generally set their phasers to stun, but what if the bad guys never saw Star Trek and don’t understand that intergalactic warfare should be conducted under the genteel rules of Laser Tag? America actually has a Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute, or SETI for short. According to the AP, SETI mainly just sits in Mountain View, Calif., and listens.

But now scientists are wondering if we should engage in sending out messages, perhaps like that Pi thing

the property, Futrell said. Futrell’s crew tried to enter Saddlebag at a later date, and once again were “denied entry,” Futrell stated.

Finally, on March 17 and 19, Futrell’s crews were allowed to “enclose and protect the home from further damage.”

Futrell further stated in his letter that afterwards, he, Kremkau and several Saddlebag Lakes Owners Association board members met and Kremkau allegedly threatened to keep him and his company “from ever doing business again at Saddlebag Lake Resort.”

“I have delivered many homes to many HOAs and have never encountered this abrasiveness and hostility toward contractors and home owners,” Futrell wrote.

Repeated calls to the resort board and management at Saddlebag were not returned.

Couple alleges harassment The couple also claim they have been the victims of harassment by other resort residents, former board members and a volunteer security guard.

Last May, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call made by the women claiming the battery charger wires and lug nuts on the wheels of their golf cart had been tampered with.

Another time, wires that ran a fan in their shed had been cut, the women said, and a sign posted saying that electric service to the shed was only temporary.

Tomayko also claimed someone tried to run her over while she was taking a walk last October. Detectives could not find enough evidence to pursue that case.

In February, the couple were at a homeowner’s association meeting with about 300 other people when, according to reports, an argument erupted between Austin and another resident.

Austin was charged with battery for allegedly grabbing the woman by her shoulders and shaking her. Austin said the charges have since been dropped.

The planning and zoning commission hears cases concerning changes to the city code with zoning or land use, whereas the board of zoning appeals hears variances and requests. As neither committee makes recommendations for one another, there would be no conflict of interest having one member serve on both committees, Borchers explained.

“It is a little bit more complicated, but it makes it a little bit more flexible,” Borchers said.

Mayor Ann Dickinson inquired whether or not this ordinance has been adopted within other communities. Borchers replied that it has, but that it did not contain the specific language of the ordinance being proposed tonight, and thus further changes were being proposed to the city codes in which these changes had already been implemented.

As this first reading was a public hearing, the floor was open for public comments, but none were made. The second reading and public hearing for the proposed ordinance will be held at 6 p.m. March 16. that apparently never got launched.

If the extra-terrestrial bad guys are capable of whuppin’ our earth-bound backsides, they caution, do we really want them to know where we are?

(S. L Frisbie is retired. He sort of figures that if there is an intergalactic force out there somewhere that is smart enough to find us when we consider ourselves fortunate to locate a Wi-Fi signal, and to reach us when we can’t even fly across the Atlantic in relative comfort, the aforesaid force probably already knows about us. And probably doesn’t care.)

The News Page 13

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

OBITUARIES Curtis Dee Ammons Roletta of Hernando, Miss.; daughters, Karen Danford and husband Mike of Statesboro, Ga., Kathryn Vest of Lake Wales; sisters, Sara Steger and husband Richard of Winter Haven, Nell Melton and husband Dub of Lake Wales, Lula Haines of Lake Wales, Selma Carruth of Bartow, Alvine Walker and husband Erskin of Winter Haven, Margaret Trammell of Lake Wales, Marie Harper of St. Petersburg, Peggy Howell of Lake Wales, Winona Pitts of Bartow, Kay Herndon of Winter Haven; four grandchildren, Deeann Finnell and husband Scott, Candice McElhaney, Curtis Dee Ammons IV, and Erika Brennan and husband Brian; 4 great-grandchildren, Delanna Ammons, Carter Finnell, Maggie McElhaney and Blakely Brennan.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, March 5, at Marion Nelson Funeral Home with the Rev. Stephen Bolden officiating. Interment will be held at the Lake Wales Cemetery. Family will receive friends on Thursday from 2 p.m. until service time. Those who wish may make contributions to West Side Baptist Church Memorial Fund, 333 Lime St., Lake Wales, FL 33853. Condolences may be sent to the family at www. marionnelsonfuneralhome.com.

Marion Nelson Funeral Home 454 South Buck Moore Road, Lake Wales.

Ruth Johnston, 87, died at home Feb. 25. The daughter of Ernest and Hazel Prine Collins, she was born in Crewsville, Fla., on Nov. 30, 1927. Ruth was a fourth generation Floridian whose family settled in the Florida Territory in 1836, nine years before Florida became the 27th state.

Her great-great-grandfather fought in the Seminole Indian Wars and was among the first permanent residents of Polk County. After attending high school in Wauchula, she fell in love and married Louie Johnston, a career military man. Upon his retirement from the Air Force in 1959 they moved to Frostproof with their three children.

Known for her love of flowers, longtime physician and avid rose grower, Kenneth Dunham, convinced Ruth to become his floral designer.

Many patients enjoyed the bounty of beautiful roses at his office. Later, Ruth also did floral arrangements for Four Seasons Florist in Frostproof.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Louie Johnston, who passed away three months ago, son David Johnston and two grandchildren, Jason Plair and Julie Marie Johnston, her parents, Ernest and Hazel Collins, brothers Warren and Lynn Collins, and sisters Helen Milton and Ernestine Leavitt. Survivors are sister Lottie (Babe) Tindell of Okeechobee, daughters Beverly (Bob) Malmquist of Frostproof,

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Curtis Dee Ammons Jr., 84, of Lake Wales, Fla., passed away, Sunday, March 1, 2015, at the Winter Haven Hospital.

He was born Oct. 22, 1930, in Lake Wales, where he was Curtis Dee Ammons a long-time resident, to Curtis Dee Ammons Sr. and Mattie Wilkinson Ammons-Bunch. He was a retired Senior Manufacturing Process Engineer for Lockheed Martin for over 40 years. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Lake Wales, member of the Lake Wales Airport Authority Board where the Airport Authority Board, by unanimous vote, recommended that The New Lake Wales Fixed Based Operator Building, be named “The Lake Wales Municipal Airport, Curtis D. Ammons Jr. Center for Aviation.”

He was a member of the West Side Baptist Church where he served as a Deacon and a Sunday school teacher. Curtis was a veteran of the Korean Conflict serving in the U.S. Air Force.

He is preceded in death by his wife of 59 ½ years, Betty Lou Ammons, in February. He is survived by his son, Curtis Dee Ammons III and wife

Ruth Johnston Fla., and Debra (Larry) Plair of Rossville, Ga., nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held at Silver Hill Cemetery in Frostproof, Saturday, Feb. 28 at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice.

Marion Nelson Funeral Home is in charge of local arrangements.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.marionnelsonfuneral home.com.

For more Words of Comfort, go to www.wordsofcomfort.net

Page 14 The News

NEWS

FROSTPROOF

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Hoping to hit all the right notes

(From left) Percussionists Jeremiah Galati, Jasmine Nava and Jeffrey Rogers receive some last minute instructions from director Alex Belliveau.

All eyes are on Band Director Alex Belliveau as Frostproof performs their Pre-MPA Band Concert.

Simon Crawford has an important euphonium part to bring out in Rough Riders March.

(Back row, from left): Cory Baker, Kasey Renshaw, Tristan Quinn, Ian Flynn, Jeremy Olivera, Zachariah Crawford and Landon Chance receive help from retired band director and judge Rob Raabe.

PHOTOS BY CHARLES A. BAKER III

Sidney Brown plays his trombone part loud and proud.

Band students from four area schools performed a Pre-Music Performance Assessment Concert at Frostproof High School Thursday night. Judges provided tips to the students in preparation for the high school portion of the county-wide MPA Concert March 7 at Kathleen High School. Here, Frostproof percussionist Shawn Hadden concentrates on his xylophone part.

The News Page 15

FROSTPROOF

NEWS

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Bulldogs jump at the chance at track event

(From left) Members of Frostproof’s long jump women’s team include Jordan Snell, Mary Metheney and Angelica Ramirez.

Frostproof’s Jerimiah Salaam reaches a 15’-5” on this jump

Mary Metheney’s jump of 15’-5” to land a first place for the Lady Bulldogs and Frostproof’s Jordan Snell placed third with a jump of 14’-7”.

Frostproof, McKeel and Lake Wales participated in a track meet in Frostproof last week. Here, Frostproof’s Zachary Homuth gets a strong launch in the long jump.

The 110 hurdles was very competitive, but Frostproof’s Michael Hutchison is barely over this barrier first, and held on to win the event in a time of 17:10 while Dushay Ware of McKeel finished second in 17:62.

Page 16 The News

SPORTS

EXTRA

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Highlanders open district baseball slate with wins

By DENNIS LATTA

SportS CorreSpondent This has been a season of absolutes for the Lake Wales High School baseball team.

After six games, the Highlanders, at 3-0, had not lost a Class 6A, District 8 baseball game at 3-0. But they also had not won a non-district game.

More importantly to them, they had not played a home game in the first three weeks of the 2015 season.

That is about to change. LWHS will have three home games this week. In district games, Auburndale will have visited the ball field on the hill Tuesday night and Lake Gibson stops by on Wednesday night. The Highlanders play host to Celebration on Thursday in a non-district game.

“We are happy to be home,” said Lake

Wales coach Dave Andress. “We’re very excited. We’ve started district 3-0 and all three were on the road.”

The Highlanders were tied with pre-season favorite Winter Haven at 3-0 in the district to start the week. The Blue Devils are 7-0 overall; Lake Wales plays at Winter Haven next Tuesday in a early-season showdown.

Andress was working to keep his team from looking forward to that game and overlooking the games this week.

“What I try to preach is that it isn’t even one game at a time, it is one pitch at a time. We’re trying to stay focused,” he said.

The Highlanders needed to concentrate on this week because Lake Gibson, tonight’s opponent, was in third place in the district at 2-1 and had a better overall record at 4-2. Tenoroc is 2-2 with Auburndale 1-3, Lake Region 0-3 and

Poinciana 0-4.

Last week, Lake Wales beat Lake Region, 5-2, and Poinciana, 5-4, around a 7-3 non-district loss to Fort Meade.

With six games gone in the season, Andress is settling into a pitching rotation.

Russell Klingler and Bryan Roecker will be the aces of the staff.

“It’ll be definitely be those two guys but I’m not positive now in what order,” he said.

He has a welcome surprise for a third starter. Sophomore Bryce Hulett went six innings and got his first varsity win against Poinciana last week.

“We should have a little bit better record,” Andress admitted. “We just have to focus on what is ahead. Our district has a lot of balance. Last year, Lake Gibson and Winter Haven were strong. It is looking the same this year.

Everybody will be beating up on each other again this year.”

AT GRAPE HAMMOCK ON LAKE KISSIMMEE

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Bryce Hullett provides the Highlanders with a little pitching depth this spring.

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25 MILES EAST OF LAKE WALES

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Page 18 The News

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Highlanders stumble in key district softball matchup But two unearned runs in the top of the sixth undid what was an otherwise stellar pitching performance from Alona Harris.

“She did very, very well,” Coach Nancy Denton said.

“She’s developed a drop ball that keeps hitters off balance.”

In three other games last week, Lake Wales topped Haines City, 14-4, Tenoroc, 17-1, and Poinciana 19-1.

The last two were district wins that moved the Lady Highlanders to 3-2 in league play.

Auburndale is on top, undefeated, and is actually

ranked No. 6 in the state in the latest Class 6A softball rankings.

The Lady Bloodhounds will see Lake Wales again, at Auburndale, on March 13.

Prior to that, Lake Wales will have another key home game, this one on Highlander Hill Friday when they host Lake Region. The Thunder took a 9-1 win earlier in the season in a game that was closer than the final score might indicated, and it is a district game.

Tomorrow, Lake Wales is at Haines City.

Lake Wales is currently 6-2 on the season.

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The Lake Wales Lady Highlanders didn’t figure to have a lot of trouble putting runs on the board this season.

In fact, in their last six wins, they haven’t scored less than 13 runs in any of the triumphs.

But in a key district showdown last week against Auburndale, the bats were largely silent, as the Highlanders fell 2-1.

Lake Wales got the first run of the game, in the bottom of the first, as leadoff batter Kaley Hinds walked, stole second, and eventually came around to score.

PHOTOS BY ROBERT BLANCHARD

Lake Wales head coach Nancy Denton strategizes with a player in a game against Haines City last week.

Highlander catcher Alexis Cables and Hornet runner P. Ogden go head-to-head as Ogden dives into home plate safely.

Highlander coach Mike Settle and runner Quynn Reddick chat at first base as Haines City visited Lake Wales last week, with the Lady Highlanders taking a 14-4 win.

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Highlander runners get set to run while waiting for the pitch as Lake Wales hosted Haines City last Thursday.

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Bulldogs battle back to get over .500

Frostproof’s McKenzye Bobb holds still as players wait for the call at second as the Lady Bulldogs fell to Winter Haven, 5-4. Bobb, however, drove in three in the team’s next game,a 10-0 win over Avon Park.

With a two-game win streak, Frostproof is now 6-5 on the spring, and will be at Ridge Community tonight, and on the road Thursday against Mulberry before returning to the Frostproof Sports Complex next Monday to host Lakeland.

PHOTOS BY K.M. THORNTON

Right: The Frostproof Lady Bulldogs are back over the .500 mark, following up a loss against Winter Haven with wins over Avon Park and Lake Placid. Here, Karissa Aultman makes a hard charge to first in a 5-4 loss to the Blue Devils.

However, Aultman and her teammates would rally with a 10-0 decision over Avon Park and 12-8 against Lake Placid.

Aultman had three hits in a 13-hit attack against the Green Dragons.

Massey Rodriguez-Salva drove in four runs in the win, after plating three in the shutout against Avon Park.

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Left: Frostproof’s Moriah McCullers needed a full stretch, and with it, just barely nipped this Winter Have runner during action last week against the Lady Blue Devils. The Bulldogs fell to the much larger school, 5-4.

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Carnesha cranking at FAU

Carnesha Thompson is batting .321 with 11 RBIs through 18 games for Florida Atlantic University. The Lake Wales High alumna has been starting at third base.

The Owls are having an excellent year, currently sitting with a record of 16-3.

She is in her junior year and rebounding nicely from a tough sophomore season, when she hit just .224 in 54 games. As a freshman, she hit .312 with

five homers and 23 RBI. On the base paths, she has five stolen bases in seven tries this spring.

Tashayla Irvis, also from Lake Wales High, hit .255 in 20 games, all starts, for Florida A&M University. That is the second best batting average on the team. She also has five stolen bases in six attempts.

She is in her second season with the Mocs, who are 2-18 thus far this season.

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Third baseman Carnesha Thompson is having a good year at Florida Atlantic. The former Highlander is a junior.

The News Page 21

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Bulldogs start win streak after tough loss

Frostproof’s Juan Flores gets ready to make a tag at second base during a game last week against Santa Fe. The Bulldogs are 4-3 on the season, winners in three of their last four games, and will be back in action Friday night when they host Avon Park.

PHOTOS BY K.M. THORNTON SR.

Cory Franks tries to make a scoop at the plate during a loss last week to Santa Fe. The Bulldogs, after falling, went on later in the week to defeat rival Frostproof, 7-5, and Mulberry, 11-4.

Ja’Darius Hawthorne dives for home to score a run against Santa Fe last week. It wasn’t enough, however, as the Bulldogs fell 15-4. They came back later in the week with wins over Fort Meade and Mulberry. Corey Leech had a strong outing on the hill for Frostproof in the win over Mulberry, fanning eight in five innings of work. Corey Franks had four RBI.

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Frostproof’s William Miller dives back to first base ahead of this pick off throw in a game last week against Santa Fe.

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Kissimmee Ramblins: It came in bucketfuls

By CAPTAIN RON DENTON OutdOOr Writer

high school division last summer. In fact, one of them was a 9 year old kid named Riley Williams.

The next event for the high school Three things came in bucketfuls this kids is this weekend in Punta Gorda, out weekend at Camp Mack, rain and fish of Laishley Park. It is sanctioned by the and boats.

Student Angler Federation, a division It’s always great when fishing gets of TBF, The Bass Federation. This is hooked up with a good cause, so the only group that we will fish under, hopefully people won’t let a little rain discourage them from another “Rockin’ except Bartow High. They have invited us to fish Mosaic phosphate pits with on the River” benefit for autism. them.

Bob Eddy was there and had a small Our students voted unanimously to army of young ladies going around with fish with TBF over BASS. I am calling blue five-gallon buckets. I asked her all you big salt water guys out on this what the bucket was for and she said one. It ain’t no big deal to get to Punta “I’m trying to fill it up with money.” I put all I had in the bucket, and my little Gorda, I have been there several times to football games, and worked there brother Jackie kicked in too.

Andy kicked in, although he and Ben several times out in the orange groves looking for canker and greening.

Hill Griffin, Inc. were the major sponGo down to Avon Park, and then over sors for the event. Andy is Alligator Cove to U.S. 17. Turn south and go to Arcadia, Airboat tours and Ben Hill was there and you be there in about an hour. I’m wearing his trademark Stetson hat. He not fishing this one, but I’ll be there for was very well attired, as it rained hard the weigh in. To register, be at the park for the entire event. in Punta Gorda on Saturday, March 7, Ben Hill has always been good about at 5 p.m. As members of TBF, there is charities for children. He gave a milno entry fee. On Sunday, March 8, cast lion dollars last year to Our Children’s off at 6:30 a.m., and I will see you at the Academy in Lake Wales. Hey Ben, if 2 p.m. weigh in. you out there, you can cut a check to With the weather and all, we ended Highlander Booster, for benefit of bass up passing on the Lake Toho event for team!!

Our team is mostly 9th and 10 graders students this past weekend.

On Sunday, we fished the Gambler and we have children in line to fish. We Lures free fishing tournament out of have children from Frostproof wanting Camp Mack. I was boat number 219 out to fish. In fact some of them fished of 237. This was easily the largest numunder Lake Wales banner last summer. ber of boats I ever saw in Camp Mack.

That was for the Bass Nation Florida

PHOTOS BY ROBERT BLANCHARD

A steady downpour of rain couldn’t stop Saturday’s Rockin’ on the River at Camp Mack. These folks gather under one of many tents at the resort.

Here are the final results: first to Josh Wolf and Leah Smith with a stringer at 29.6 pounds. Runners up were Jason Gwynn and Dan Thompson at 26.7, and third went to Tyler Woolcott and Garret

The steady rain couldn’t keep these couples from two-stepping at Saturday’s Autism Awareness Rockin’ on the River Fundraiser benefiting Central Florida Autism Institute.

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The Red Hot Roosters Band take the stage for Saturday’s Rockin’ on the River event at Camp Mack.

Rocamora who were just one-tenth of a pound out of second. Jake Simmons and John Baker were fourth at 24.6, but took home “big bass” honors with their 11.1 pound beauty.

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