PCSO deputies were dispatched at 1:54 a.m. to the crash on Commonwealth Avenue (State Road 33) approximately a quarter mile north of Green Pond Road First responders found the driver of a 2018 Dodge Durango of Lake Alfred was taken by Polk County Fire Rescue to a local hospital with serious injuries Detectives from the PCSO’s Traffic Homicide Unit have determined that the Dodge Durango had been traveling south on Commonwealth Avenue when it drifted onto the shoulder and the driver overcorrected and lost control The Durango hit multiple trees and eventually became engulfed in flames of Clermont arrived at the scene just after the crash and removed Armlin from the vehicle Neither occupant of the SUV appeared to have been wearing a seat belt The investigation of this crash remains ongoing Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More - The increasing traffic in Tampa Bay and Central Florida is a frustration for many Wayne Frey has enjoyed his walks through Lake Alfred those walks are a little bit more hectic.  the traffic volume has doubled since we moved in 10 years ago,” Frey said the highway that runs through town and splits into Shinn Boulevard and Lake Shore Way He says drivers are dealing with increased traffic in this area while pedestrians struggle to cross.  Sometimes it takes 10 minutes to get across there,” Frey said Fellow resident Sherri Parker shares similar concerns “We have tons of trucks coming through here What once took me 10 minutes to go someplace now takes me 30 or longer,” Parker said They don’t do the speed limit,” Parker said Residents say that traffic has increased due to the population growth in Lake Alfred a trend also seen in neighboring areas of Polk County City Manager Ryan Leavengood said that a lot of the traffic on that road is made up of drivers passing through town He acknowledges the residents' concerns but points out that US 17-92 is operated by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Leavengood stated that FDOT will conduct a study later this year for a proposed lane repurposing project in the area.  This initiative could ultimately help reduce speeds and enhance the walkability of downtown.  Frey hopes to see any changes that would improve road safety.  “They need to slow down the traffic somehow and put in pedestrian crosswalks,” Frey said — A 35-year-old man is behind bars after deputies said he set a house on fire while a 4-month-old baby and cat were inside Thursday afternoon in Lake Alfred the Polk County Sheriff's Office said that deputies arrived at the home on Sunset Circle Lake at around 2 p.m Authorities reportedly saw lots of smoke coming from inside the home and quickly began to remove everyone who was inside while evacuating neighboring homes Deputies tried to use fire extinguishers to put out the danger but the fire was too large to be contained Polk County Fire Rescue arrived shortly after and put out the fire and a woman got into an argument over his drug addiction and the woman locked herself in the bathroom with the baby to escape any fighting with the 35-year-old man broke into the bathroom but then ran outside the home after the woman threatened to call 911 Deputies said the woman locked the front door to protect herself but she then heard a loud noise coming from outside the home Witnesses told authorities that's when they saw the house on fire and yelled to the woman to get out of it exited the backyard of the home while telling the woman to get the baby from inside the house because he just set it on fire The sheriff's office said the woman was able to escape the home with the baby but her pet cat did not make it out of the house and was found dead after the fire was extinguished Law enforcement officials found Beasley Jr a few streets away from the home and arrested him Deputies said they are still investigating the incident and I feel like that's part of where the system failed" Henry Betsey Jr. is facing charges for marrying three Florida women in three different counties at the same time. Now saying the system that handles marriage licenses kept them in the dark Latest Polk County News from ABC Action News Report a typo (This story was revised to include updated information and a correction.) Seven Polk County municipalities will hold elections on April 1, Polk County Supervisor of Elections Melony Bell announced Candidate qualifying closed in the last slate of municipalities on Feb Lake Wales and Mulberry will head to the polls April 1 to cast their ballots according to a news release from Bell's office Frostproof had qualified candidates for an election but a candidate dropped out after qualifying Residents in the seven cities who are not yet registered to vote must do so by Monday early voting will start March 17 and runs through March 31 at the Elections Office Headquarters in Bartow and the Elections Office of Operations at 70 Florida Citrus Blvd. Applications to register to vote are available at the elections offices, libraries, post offices and other public service agencies, as well as online at PolkElections.gov The following candidates and Charter Amendment questions are expected to appear on municipal ballots:  Davenport voters will decide who will serve Seat 3 on the City Commission between qualified candidates Tom Fellows and Timothy “Scott” Woodlee The Davenport ballot will also contain four City Charter Amendment questions One would change the term limits of the office of mayor and commissioner the number of terms for the mayor and commissioners would increase from two to three terms The number of years of each term for the mayor and commissioners also would increase from three to four years which would modify the schedule of subsequent elections The second amendment would require a super majority vote of the commission before the removal of either the city manager or city clerk The third would increase from five to 10 the number of citizens needed to commence a Petitioner's Committee The fourth would repeal a prohibition on converting septic tanks to central sewer service to confirm the City Charter to state environmental requirements The Town of Dundee Commission Seat 2 will be a race between incumbent Alethea Pugh and challenger Annette Wilson Seat 4 will pit incumbent Mary Richardson against challenger Julia Hunt the Northeast Polk Chamber of Commerce is set to host the town’s first debate on March 6 at 6 p.m There will be no challengers this election in Frostproof Jamie Moser Smith qualified to run against Adam W Greenway for Seat 3 but dropped out of the election Seat 1 and Seat 3 had the potential to be races but the current commission incumbents all retained their seats. Mayor Mike Hutto will serve again in Seat 1 Commission Seat 5 is the only race in Haines City Incumbent Commissioner Anne Huffman has several challengers who qualified Lake Alfred The following individuals qualified as candidates for the Lake Alfred City Commission: Brenda Arnold Voters will mark their ballots for up to three candidates on the ballot The three candidates receiving the most votes will be elected to office – two for a four-year term and one for a two-year term The election will take place at Lake Alfred City Hall, 120 E. Pomelo St., from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit the Lake Alfred City website at mylakealfred.com and incumbent Robert Mathis will defend Seat 2 in a race against Larry Dale Tomlinson The only candidate to qualify for Seat 4 was Carmen Demanche so Demanche will take that seat without opposition Lake Wales will hold an election to determine its mayor Candidates who qualified were Curtis Gibson and incumbent Jack Hilligoss  Lake Wales voters will also be asked to decide on a City Charter amendment They will vote yes or no on whether they prefer candidates for mayor or the commission to receive a majority of the votes to be elected If no candidate gains a majority of more than 50% of the votes cast incumbent Commissioner Robert Knight will defend Seat 2 against challenger Kathryn Smith Barsotti Hatch retained his seat without a challenger Lake Wales Mayor Jack Hilligoss earned a second term Tuesday easily repelling a challenge from former City Commissioner Curtis Gibson Jr The election drew the involvement of Floridians for Senior Care a political action committee based in Tampa The group sent multiple mailers and text messages to Lake Wales voters either promoting Hilligoss or attacking Gibson Hilligoss said that he was not involved with the coordinated effort to help his campaign and did not know who was responsible is affiliated with Strategic Image Management a consulting firm known for using aggressive tactics to promote conservative and Republican legislative candidates The Lake Wales mayoral race is nonpartisan Lake Wales voters approved a City Charter amendment that will require runoff elections in any race when no candidate gains a majority of the votes cast Hilligoss captured the mayor’s position in 2022 with 43.8% of the vote in a three-way race Commissioner Daniel Williams won reelection by four votes over Brandon Alvarado taking 42.3% of the votes among three candidates Tom Fellows defeated Timothy “Scott” Woodlee for Seat 3 on the City Commission Davenport voters rejected three of four proposed city charter amendments The failing amendments would have changed the term limits for the mayor and city commissioners required a super-majority commission vote to remove the city manager or city clerk and increased the number of citizens needed to commence a Petitioner's Committee Voters approved a fourth proposal to repeal a prohibition on converting septic tanks to central sewer service That measure was needed to conform with state environmental requirements challenger Annette Wilson ousted recently appointed incumbent Alethea Pugh in the race for Commission Seat 2 incumbent Commissioner Mary Richardson defeated Julia Hunt 280 to 257 incumbent City Commissioner Anne Huffman led a four-way race for Seat 5 Lake Alfred held a multiple-choice election for three City Commission seats The three candidates receiving the most votes — Nancy Z The race included three other candidates: Michael Teague (14.9%) Brenda Arnold (13.3%) and Wanda Maultsby-Daley (12.6%) Lake Hamilton mayor is oustedChallenger Phyllis Hall easily ousted Lake Hamilton Mayor Marlene M Incumbent Robert Mathis fended off challenger Larry Dale Tomlinson by five votes winning 75-70 in the race for Seat 2 on the Town Council That translated to 51.7% for Mathis and 48.3% for Tomlinson Kathy Smith Barsotti unseated Mulberry City Commissioner Robert Knight in the race for District 2 Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on X @garywhite13 at the Spring Lake Rehabilitation Center in Winter Haven Wayne enlisted in the Army during the Korean Conflict He was a past Exalted Ruler of the Elks Lodge #182 and a longtime member of the Hope Hose Fire Company both located in his hometown of Lock Haven his loving wife of 67 years; and his brother will be officiated by Pastor Cathy Thacker a dear friend and former Pastor of the United Methodist Church of Lake Alfred a donation by be made to the Alzheimer’s Association Copyright © 2025 Ogden Publications of Pennsylvania McKenna Porter hopes that down the line this new technology will not just benefit growers in California or Mexico — that there’s an industry in Florida to save For recent Polk State College graduate Jackson Lord and Mathematics Professor Mike Long it was a love for Beaver Nuggets and pulled pork sandwiches that prompted a yearlong research project pinpointing the ideal location for the next Buc-ee’s in Florida Lord began his research during the Spring 2023 Semester and proximity to existing Buc-ee’s locations Lord presented his research to Polk State’s Mathematics Department and discussed the project during a session on undergraduate research at Polk State’s Professional Development Day in April “I really enjoyed the whole process,” Lord said “Finding a way to rate the data to find a suitable location was very fun.” Lord’s research determined that Polk County would be the ideal location for the next Buc-ee’s – off Interstate 4 exit 48 for Polk City and Lake Alfred The northeast side of the ramp heading west on State Road 557 had the most available land for development “There’s a lot of available land,” he said “It has a lot of traffic from Tampa to Orlando and vice versa Florida currently has Buc-ee’s locations in Daytona Beach and Saint Augustine but plans are in the works for Ocala and Fort Pierce Lord and Long’s affinity for the company played a role in launching the project “We talked about Buc-ee’s a lot,” Lord explained There are not that many locations in Florida It lightened the mood for this research project.” but Long said that wasn’t the only reason he chose Lord for the project “He sat in the front row and was really engaged in class,” the professor said “I could tell early on that Jackson had raw math talent waiting to be tapped.” Lord is heading to Florida Gulf Coast University to major in civil engineering he thought he wanted to major in construction management Lord came to the realization that a civil engineering major was more all-encompassing and expanded his possibilities he thought I was capable and we just ran with it and started right away,” Lord said “I realized I could be really involved with the planning process I can use this in civil engineering or a contracting field I’d like to do more research projects at my next school.” Entering his third academic year at Polk State Long said seeing his students be able to apply some of the concepts they learn in class to the real world is among the most rewarding parts of his job “It takes the education process to another level,” Long said “Research projects like this one are a challenge and to see people like Jackson meet that challenge and run with it takes my job to a new level 5.5.25 Polk State Music students learn from accomplished musician and professor 5.2.25 Polk State Nursing application open through May 15 5.2.25 Polk State collegiate high school student to graduate with AS in Aerospace Administration Winter Haven · Lakeland Bartow · Lake Wales © 2025 Polk State College. All Rights Reserved. Sitemap Privacy Policy Disclaimer College Catalog Polk State College is committed to equal access/equal opportunity in its programs, activities, and employment. For additional information, visit polk.edu/compliance Eleven Polk County municipalities have offices that are up for a vote during municipal elections on April 1 different cities have different qualifying schedules Four additional cities will hold their elections in the fall early voting is available March 17 through March 31 at the Elections Off Headquarters in Bartow and the Elections Office of Operations at 70 Florida Citrus Blvd. it's possible that not all of these 11 municipalities will have elections It depends on the number of seats that draw more than one candidate No election will be held for seats with only one candidate Here's a look at key information about the elections and qualifying for the ballot provided by city clerks and the Polk County Supervisor of Elections Office: Bartow Bartow will hold an election on April 1 for one City Commission seat to represent its north district Seat 3 is currently held by incumbent and current Mayor Trish Pfeiffer Pfeiffer was the only person to pick up a packet to run for the office as of Thursday the fee is $135.71 (1% of the position's annual salary) The salary for a Bartow commissioner is $1,130.88 per month The polls for Bartow's election will be open April 1 from 7 a.m a registered voter in Florida and in Polk County reside within the city limits continuously for 18 months prior to the date the term of office starts and hold no other public office Seat 3 is the only commission seat up for election and is held by Bobby Lynch He was appointed in 2002 to the position and has held the post consecutively for more than 22 years Davenport will start its candidate qualifying period on Feb The cost to apply is $65 (or 1% of a commissioner’s annual salary) Only registered voters who have been residents of the city for 12 months prior to their qualification for office shall be eligible there were three people pre-qualified as of Thursday including recently appointed Commissioner Alethea Pugh for Seat 2 challenger Annette Wilson for Seat 2 and Commissioner Mary Richardson for Seat 4 The commissioners serve for four-year terms Candidates can qualify by petition with not less than 15 signatures and pay an assessment fee of $48 Polk County Legislative Delegation Public meeting moved to Feb. 27. Here's how to sign up to speak The poll location for Precinct 416 is the Dundee Community Center at 603 Lake Marie Drive and votes can be cast from 7 a.m Candidates must be a registered voter in the Town of Dundee Qualifying for Eagle Lake’s General Election starts Monday at 9 a.m Eagle Lake Commission seats are for two-year terms; Seat 2 and Seat 4 are up for election on April 1 All Eagle Lake precincts vote at Precinct 338 in the Linda E Candidates must be an Eagle Lake resident to run for the City Commission The seats that are up for election are Seat 1 and Seat 3 who was the previous mayor but was elected last year to the Florida Legislature Seat 1 is a three-year term and Seat 3 is a one-year term no one has filled out the form to run for office The qualifying fee is $90 ($36 filing fee and $54 election assessment) or you can qualify by petition then a $12 election assessment would need to be turned in with petitions The poll location will be at the First Baptist Church Candidates are required to live inside city limits and are required to be registered voters The seat up for election in Haines City is Seat 5 There are currently three candidates who have filed their “intent to run.” They are Huffman which is 1% of the annual salary along with a $25 administrative fee The Lake Eva Community Center at 555 Ledwith Ave and the Oakland Neighborhood Center at 915 Ave E in Haines City are the two polling locations for the April 1 election Polling locations will be open on election day from 7 a.m Members of the City Commission must be a city resident for one year immediately prior to the date of the election and they must remain a resident throughout their four-year term The current Mayor Brandon McWhorter is expected to run again in Highland Park Candidate qualifying for the municipal election starts Feb The polling location is the Village of Highland Park Office The City of Lake Alfred conducts its elections at large Voters will be instructed to vote for up to three people Seats 3 and 4 are up for election for a term of four years in April Seat 2 was an appointment last year and will be up for election for a two-year term Polk Supervisor of Elections: Melony Bell's gamble pays off as she denies Lori Edwards 7th term as Polk elections supervisor Lindsey Weber and Ronnie Robinson have filed to run for the seats Seat 2 is currently an appointment held by Commissioner Albertus Maultsby Total cost to apply is a 3% qualifying fee ($150) and 1% of the annual salary ($50) for a total of $200 without petitions There is also an option to qualify by petition which is 1% of the electors or 47 petitions and the candidate also pays a fee of 1% of the annual salary — $50 Candidates must have resided within the city for at least one full calendar year before the first day for qualifying and they must maintain a legal residence in the city after election Lake Hamilton holds a municipal election on April 1 for the election of three Town Council members Candidates must have been a continuous resident and voter in Lake Hamilton for at least one year prior to qualifying there will be no election and the candidates will automatically receive the nomination to the seat for which they qualified Attempts to reach the Lake Hamilton clerk by email and phone were unsuccessful is the only seat up for election this year He was elected to that position in 2022 but was originally appointed to the commission in 2021 to fill a vacancy have been a resident for a year and be registered to vote So far three individuals have filed to run: Hilligoss The total filing fee is $161.08 ($25 city qualifying fee and $136.08 state election assessment There will be two polling locations: the City Administration Building The qualifying period for the Mulberry election will run for two weeks starting Monday and running until noon Feb The following have filed to run: Dawn McDonald Dawn McDonald had filed to run for the District 4 commission seat against incumbent Maria McClintock Candidates will pay an election assessment equal to 1% of the salary of the office the assessment and qualifying fees will be as follows: candidates for the commission pay $101.65 (1% of $10,164.84) plus $20 for a total of $121.65 Mayoral candidates pay $118.89 (1% of $11,888.88) plus $20 for a total of $138.89 As Hurricane Debby on shore near Steinhatchee in Florida's Big Bend area Monday morning thousands of people in Polk County awoke without power after a night of lashing wind and rain And despite radar showing rotation in the atmosphere Polk County Emergency Management Director Paul Womble said there had been no known tornadoes on the ground across the county as of 11 a.m "There has been numerous tornado warnings as the system moved through," Womble said there has been zero confirmation of any of them actually touching down." The National Weather Service and social media posts to Facebook included reports of twisters overhead in Bartow a tornado spotter reported a tornado on the ground for two minutes in southwest Bartow and the NWS said rotation was also detected by radar had not received any reports of significant damage or flooding by Monday morning Womble said the biggest threat was flooding which was much worse to the east in the coastal counties But Polk County also sustained some heavy flooding in certain areas especially in the western part of the county," he said He estimated the local flooding would take two to three days to be processed by the lakes he said normal policies and procedures will apply to Hurricane Debby most residents will be able to place fallen branches with their regular yard waste Womble said no injuries nor fatalities have been reported because of the weather event Hurricane Debby started to impact the area as a tropical storm centered about 100 miles from Polk County Monday on Florida's Big Bend as a Category 1 hurricane with 80 mph winds Even after its landfall hundreds of miles away bands of storms continued to swirl in from the Gulf coast and across Polk County Little damage could be seen in central and southern Lakeland on Monday morning Fronds littered the lanes of Cleveland Heights Boulevard near Lake Hollingsworth blown off the Washingtonia palms that line the median of the road The storm’s persistent rains caused flooding in the Citrus Center Colony mobile home park at 1111 W Water pooled at low points in several streets on the east side of the park a shallow pond formed in a sports practice area at Lakeland Christian School The water nearly reached the bodies of two yellow school buses parked in the field as wading birds roamed the shallows and frogs croaked loudly Buses appeared to be running normally at the Citrus Connection’s main terminal on North Florida Avenue Fort Meade postponed a City Commission budget workshop scheduled for Monday Lakeland Electric's outage map at 6:45 a.m showed more than 2,787 people without power in 47 separate outages the largest affecting more than 1,400 customers near Griffin and Kathleen roads Another 900 customers were without power in the area between Lake Hollingsworth and the Polk Parkway Lakeland Electric reported that 995 customers remained without service with 46 noted points of outage were in central Lakeland around the area of Lake Hollingsworth There was also a sizeable pocket of 100 outages in the southeast corner of Lakeland Electric's service area Tampa Electric Co.'s outage map showed more than 100 outages at 7 a.m Duke Energy showed only two outages affecting single customers in East Polk Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative reported Monday morning that its crews worked throughout the night to restore power to more than 30,000 homes and businesses The tornado watch that was scheduled to end at 6 a.m Polk County was also under a flood watch until 8 p.m none of the county was still under a tropical storm watch according to airport director Kris Hallstrand "We got our flight yesterday out just fine," she said We have no passenger airline flights till Thursday." Forecast for LakelandAccording to the National Weather Service Monday night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible Tuesday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm Tuesday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms Monday night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 2 a.m. then scattered showers and thunderstorms after 2am New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible Tuesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 8am Tuesday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm then scattered showers and thunderstorms after 8pm Are you seeing funnel clouds or significant flooding in your area? Let us know. Have pictures? Please send them to newstips@theledger.com Please include the time it was taken and the most detailed location possible WFLA Police are investigating an incident in which a man pointed a gun at a tow truck driver in Lake Alfred 'We've got to get this right': Attorney representing ferry crash survivors weighs in on case The News Channel 8 Team presents the latest information on the events of the day and timely updates on local sports Rebecca's forecast for Monday night- increasing chances for rain this week 'People want answers': Attorney for family in Clearwater ferry crash voices concern A non-profit started by a small group right here in Tampa Bay are now making a big impact in providing resources for neglected children Chairperson for Joshua's House Annual Child Abuse Awareness Benefit the host of the nationally syndicated health and wellness show Bloom to share more details about the work they do in the community and how they create awareness El Dalí Museum festeja el nacimiento del genio surrealista este 11 de mayo con arte regalos y una promoción especial para toda la familia We know some are you are still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s storms For Floridians who’ve faced repeated flooding the state offered a possible solution: make their homes more storm-resistant with financial help from the new Elevate Florida program But how likely are some of those hurricane-stricken homeowners to get the help they need A man and his dog were found dead in what officials are referring to as a "bear encounter" near Jerome according to the Collier County Sheriff's Office Voters may get the chance to weigh in on eliminating property taxes in the 2026 election State lawmakers met for the first time in a new select committee to discuss property tax relief 'It will take time': Search for answers in deadly Clearwater ferry crash Early voting continues through Saturday in Polk County Do you know the candidates?Lakeland LedgerSaturday is the final day for early voting in Polk County’s primary elections for voting in person at your assigned precinct mail-in ballots must be received at the Polk County Supervisor of Elections Office by 7 p.m Ballots received after that will not be counted each day through Saturday at 10 locations: Here's a look at The Ledger's election coverage School Board District 1School Board elections are non-partisan and open to all voters Story: First-term incumbent William Allen faces challenge from Bernnie Brandt In their words: Candidates' answers to Ledger questionnaire School Board elections are non-partisan and open to all voters Story: Travis Keyes two candidates for open Polk County School Board seat Answers to Ledger questionnaire: Neither candidate submitted answers Story: Two-term incumbent Sara Beth Wyatt faces home-school advocate Rebekah Ricks In their words: Candidates' answers to Ledger questionnaire Story: Meet the Republican candidates for District 1 (The winner of the primary faces a Democrat and a write-in candidate Nov so this primary is for Republican voters only.) County Commission District 5Story: Three Republicans (The primary will determine the winner of the seat and is open to voters of all party affiliations) Story: Usually quiet the Property Appraiser race between Neil Combee and Gow Fields has gotten hot (This race is open to all voters of any party affiliation.) Story: Election foul Neil Combee says Gow Fields' visit with Property Appraiser violated the law Story: Circuit Judge Catherine Combee faces challenger Greg Abaray in 10th Judicial Ciruit Public DefenderStory: Blair Allen and Christopher Desrochers compete to replace retiring Public Defender Rex Dimmig Story: Four Republicans — Jennifer Kincart Jonsson Shawn McDonough and Randy Wilkinson compete in primary Story: Republicans Jon Albert Amilee Stuckey and Benny Valentin compete to replace Rep Story: Rivals seek investigation into Jon Albert's mailers and campaign funds Story: U.S Laurel Lee faces two challengers in District 15 primary Districts 9 and 11Story: Three Republicans are competing to face Democratic U.S And one Republican is challenging Republican U.S (These races are open to Republicans only.) A Lake Alfred commissioner was arrested Thursday afternoon and faces charges of possessing roughly 300 images of child pornography was arrested by Polk County Sheriff's Office and faces 300 second-degree felony enhanced counts of possession of child pornography Lake is being held in jail without bond until his first court appearance "I do not know how much child porn I possess but I have been looking at it since I lived in New Jersey (prior to 2008)," Lake told detectives Last November, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received information from Adobe Inc via its CyberTipline indicating an individual internet service provider address The photos showed the girl in varying stages of undress and "exposed in a lewd manner," according to a police affidavit The analyst assigned to the CyberTipline report traced the ISP address to somewhere in Lake Alfred A subpoena was filed with the State Attorney's Office to determine who owned the ISP from Spectrum information from Spectrum showed the ISP address belonged to Lake a database of drivers and registered motor vehicle information a search warrant was approved by Assistant State Attorney Monica Smith to search Lake's home Polk County detectives began their search about 1 p.m Lake told detectives he had child porn on his computer most of which was saved to an external thumb drive in his office A search of Lake's office found a silver Patriot thumb drive labeled with "XXX" on the underside of the USB Detectives said they found 300 images and videos of pre-teenage children, male and female, on the thumb drive. In the affidavit, detectives describe young children posed in a lewd manner or engaged in sexual activity According to the affidavit, Lake told detectives he became fascinated with child porn and how it came to exist while working as a journalist, and he developed an interest in where it originated and why such young children are involved. Lake had a 50-year career in magazine publishing in New York City, according to his biography on the City of Lake Alfred's website. Child porn charges: Grady Judd, ex-deputy sued over arrest of Polk County man in 2020 Lake told detectives he only began saving child pornography on his devices within the past two years child pornography charges can be enhanced when an individual possesses 10 or more images the content includes a child younger than 5 or any movies Lake's term serving in Seat 2 on the Lake Alfred Commission is scheduled to run through April 2027 Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545 The strip of red plastic stretched out at Hilochee Wildlife Management Area on Wednesday morning a flimsy obstacle that wouldn’t stop the scrawniest fawn signified the removal of an insurmountable barrier for animals A group of elected officials and state agency leaders watched as Jared Perdue, secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation snipped the ribbon to commemorate completion of a four-year project to replace the interchange at Interstate 4 and County Road 557 The ceremony took place just yards away from the southern mouth of a wildlife crossing under a raised section of I-4 the first such passage to be built in Polk County “The addition of the wildlife crossing will provide safe passage for animals to proceed to lands and safeguard drivers from potential negative interactions on the highway keeping both our wildlife and our people safe,” said Roger Young executive director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Transportation leaders approved the $72.5 million project primarily with human safety in mind a remnant of the era when I-4 had only four lanes tightly curved exit ramps and an overpass not high enough for modern standards one year behind the original predicted date Contractors removed a two-lane bridge over I-4 The figure-eight exit ramps have given way to a pair of diamond-shaped double roundabouts The ambitious project provided an opportunity to build the wildlife underpass which added an estimated $10 million to the overall cost The 61-foot-wide passage under two spans of I-4 connects the northern and southern tracts of Hilochee Wildlife Management Area’s Osprey Unit The state-owned parcel lies within one prong of the Florida Wildlife Corridor a swath of connected lands stretching from the Everglades toward the Big Bend and the state’s western border the corridor has become a cause for elected officials who have devoted millions in recent budgets toward land conservation projects seeking to keep the ribbon intact But wild animals encounter many human-made barriers With the construction of the wildlife crossing Florida black bears and other animals are no longer blocked from moving north or south through the Green Swamp During a gathering studded with elected officials secretary of FDOT’s District One office in Bartow also called attention to two lesser-known residents The conservationist couple began calling for a wildlife passageway under I-4 in 1992 Marian joined the better-known officials in posing for photos before the crossing “I'm going to be 70 (Thursday),” Ryan said later John Ryan chaired the League of Environmental Organizations which conducted a study on barriers to wildlife migration in the early 1990s Marian Rayn was and remains a leader with the Sierra Club’s Ancient Islands Group it’s a relief to know they’re able to travel again,” Ryan said referring to the large mammals previously blocked by the deadly expanse of I-4 who recently left for a private-sector job Bailey helped coordinate local elements of the massive project Bailey pointed out that large animals need to roam across vast areas in order to maintain health gene pools The crossing occupies a gap where the bottoms of the two spans of I-4 stand about 12 feet above the ground Tall chain-link fences running along both sides of the highway are intended to funnel animals to the opening and fences create walls in the space between the two spans prints from tires and shoes covered much of the dirt though some bird tracks could be discerned Ron DeSantis and state legislators for providing the funds to make projects such as the 557 interchange a reality Nandam acknowledged some of the elected officials in the audience Daley and City Commissioner Jack Dearmin; Auburndale Mayor Dorothea Taylor Bogert; Lakeland Mayor Bill Mutz and City Commissioner Guy LaLonde; and Davenport City Commissioner Linda Robinson The drone of vehicles whizzing past in the background amid the speeches emphasized the nonstop quality of traffic on Florida’s congested highways 'Grand hotel' passagePolk County Commissioner Neil Combee the same year that the first section of Interstate 4 opened in Polk County He also talked of his ancestors migrating from South Carolina to what is now Polk County in the 1840s a time when people were generally unconcerned about the fates of “critters.” a property just to the east of Hilochee now protected by a conservation easement through Florida’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program The property straddles I-4 and is connected by a narrow cattle crossing “They’ve got photographs of (animals) going through there FDOT has placed cameras around the crossing affixed solar-powered cameras to columns on the bridges Display boards set up beside the ceremony’s tent presented images of a panther though those photos had been taken elsewhere in Florida Polk to Collier County: FDOT is planning a 210-mile walking and biking trail Panthers with GPS collars and bears have been documented in Hilochee Cameras at the new crossing have already snapped photos of an opossum and an armadillo district drainage design engineer for FDOT’s District 1 office considering the project is still under construction and there has been a lot of human traffic.” Images captured by the cameras at the new crossing will be posted to the websites of FDOT and the fStop Foundation Construction of the wildlife crossing enabled FDOT to shift lanes wider apart providing space in the median for the construction of express lanes and a high-speed rail at an unspecified future date Perdue drew attention to the pair of double-roundabouts designed into the new overpass Those elements keep traffic moving and allow drivers to enter the ramps to I-4 without crossing traffic from the opposite direction we have a target of zero fatalities on the transportation system,” Perdue said “There is no greater tool to reduce fatalities at intersections than roundabouts I'm very grateful that Polk County has embraced them as a tool They truly reduce fatalities — almost eliminate them completely — in intersections.” Grand opening of Northeast Government Center in Lake Alfred set for SaturdayThe LedgerA grand opening will be held Saturday from 9 to 11:30 a.m for the Northeast Government Center in Lake Alfred A ribbon-cutting event will take place at 9 a.m The new facility at 200 Government Center Blvd replaces the county’s offices that have been in the Gil Jones Building in Winter Haven The opening culminates a two-year construction project The $40 million facility will include offices for the Polk Clerk of Court courtrooms and offices for the 10th Judicial Circuit Florida Department of Health Vital Statistics the Polk County Building and Permitting Division and Healthy Families and the Polk Supervisor of Elections during voting months Clerk of Court Resource shortage forces temporarily closing of Lakeland office on May 8 Election law violations FEC fines former Polk Rep. Ross Spano $30,000 'Informal, artsy gastropub' Red Door in Lakeland announces it's permanently closing The site will also have a driving test track Representatives from other Polk County departments will be available at the grand opening Indigent Healthcare (with mobile bus services) UF/IFAS Extension programs and Veteran and Volunteer Services "Charles Lake is a public official with a dark twisted involvement with the exploitative child pornography trade," Sheriff Grady Judd said in a press statement he has done photography for the city and local schools and has assisted people with their computers." A search of Lake's home led deputies to find a silver external thumb drive labeled with "XXX" that deputies said contained 300 images and videos of pre-teenage children posed in a lewd manner or engaging in sexual activity Polk deputies seized other electronic storage devices from Lake's home A PCSO forensic technician examined all these devices and recovered 2,896 additional video and image files depicting pornographic sexual images of children ranging in age from six months to 12 years old Lake had a "compartmentalized" system of organizing and categorizing thousands of pornographic images and video The images found included child sexual abuse Polk County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone who may be aware or witnessed any inappropriate interactions images or involvement of Lake to contact them at 863-298-6200 Lake currently remains in custody at the South County jail, according to Polk County Sheriff's Office Jail Inmate Lookup. LAKE ALFRED — About two years into his tenure as a police officer Art Bodenheimer applied for a job with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office He wasn’t selected and hasn’t looked for another job since “Even though there are things that look bigger the ability to have a relationship with your citizens happens in a place like Lake Alfred,” said Bodenheimer “You build great friendships over the years.” was honored at a City Commission meeting for spending 30 years with the Lake Alfred Police Department “My philosophy has been that we present professional law enforcement to our citizens regardless of the situation,” Bodenheimer said Even with criminals — if you treat them with respect — they’ve come back and they said that they’ve turned their life around and they thank us for it.” Bodenheimer drove a frozen foods truck and owned his own landscaping business Bodenheimer said he sat in on a few ride-alongs and enjoyed it Never did he envision he would become a staple of the community “He can’t walk into a restaurant without five or six people coming up to him,” City Manager Ryan Leavengood said but he knows how to do the administrative side and do it well When Bodenheimer first started in Lake Alfred it has 12 sworn officers with the chief included “A lot of people don’t realize how big Lake Alfred is,” Bodenheimer said “The biggest challenges today are keeping up with training keeping up with the new laws and staying ahead of the curve with technology we’ve increased salaries and we’ve implemented educational benefits to stay competitive.” Lake Alfred is one of only three municipalities in Polk County with a population under 10,000 that still maintains its own police department The other two are Davenport and Lake Hamilton six small municipalities have contracted with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for policing services but Bodenheimer credits the administration for Lake Alfred not having to take that course of action “I think the city of Lake Alfred has been very frugal with finances,” the chief said “I believe that some of the other cities that went with the Sheriff’s Office had some serious issues and had to We’ve always had a commission that’s been supportive of our departments and that makes a big difference.” In addition to knowing the department’s budget inside and out “Lake Alfred has always prided itself on being a full-service city,” Leavengood said “Chief knows every nook and cranny to the city He’s chased suspects through the groves and while others get lost Bodenheimer said that’s something he’s made a conscious effort to know since being a young officer He recalled being in a vehicle pursuit in the pitch dark of night before chasing a suspect through woods and not really knowing where the chase might end up “I knew then that I would make an effort to know everything in Lake Alfred and the surrounding cities,” Bodenheimer said I was a K-9 officer and there was a time that not every agency had one Bodenheimer was also responsible for catching the suspect later indicted for killing Haines City Officer Christopher Horner was one of the prouder ones of his law enforcement career “He’s a working chief; he doesn’t put himself on a high step and say do what I tell you to,” Mayor Charlie Lake said of Bodenheimer he’d be the police commissioner and Batman would come looking for him Bodenheimer said he doesn’t anticipate going anywhere anytime soon that he and his wife have raised in the city “Growing up in Lakeland and looking at the size of that city now it’s nice to have a place like this where you feel like a whole town,” Bodenheimer said I think I still have a good number of years with this city There’s enough new things where you have to continually educate yourself and stay up to par While Bodenheimer has spent more than half of his life working for the city of Lake Alfred he said the city has given plenty back in return He serves as the chairman of Highway Safety Committee with the Florida Police Chiefs Association Polk County Community Traffic Safety and Seniors and Law Enforcement Together (SALT) Committee “This city and this agency have allowed me to be involved in state organizations like the Florida Police Chiefs,” Bodenheimer said “Our law enforcement in Polk County probably is one of the best working county groups of anywhere I know We’ve been able to take successes to other parts of the state and bring successes elsewhere back to the city.” he’s been an assistant softball coach at Auburndale High School is to help people in need,” Bodenheimer said we’ve picked out five families each year to deliver food to and to help out I think the only regret when I look back at my career here is there were probably people I was involved with here where I could have done a little more to help.” Mike Ferguson can be reached at Mike.Ferguson@theledger.com or 863-401-6981. Follow Mike on Twitter@MikeWFerguson POLK COUNTY — Residents in Dundee and Lake Alfred will cast votes for three open commission seats next Tuesday.  Town Commissioner Seat 4 is up for grabs with two contenders Lake Alfred residents will elect commissioners at large with two available seats and three candidates running Other elections: Haines City incumbent Anne Huffman faces four challengers in April election More: Drop boxes will continue for municipal elections Incumbent Rukhsana Harper will face pastor Mary Richardson in the battle to keep her seat on the Dundee Town Commission.  is registered to vote in Polk County but is not attached to a specific political party She was originally appointed by the commission to her seat in 2017 and later won a runoff election to secure her place.  "If I am allowed to do four more years of it Harper pointed to some of her accomplishments on the commission such as supporting the transformation of regular schools into IB magnet schools annexing land for Dundee and fostering economic and community development.  she'd like to increasingly focus on growing the town especially as it pertains to new restaurants Her main focus is to "make sure that people moving into Florida are moving into spaces that are nice and quiet and still not too far from the highways." Harper also served as president of Friends of the Library Dundee Harper said she had to dissolve the organization last year because COVID-19 restrictions made typical library events impossible.  is also in the running for the commission seat Richardson is registered to vote in Polk County and affiliated with the Democratic Party.  Richardson is the founder and senior pastor at New Hope Empowerment Apostolic Training Center in Haines City.  Richardson said she "received a visitation from the Holy Spirit in a dream" in which she was told she had the attributes of a philanthropist.  as I researched it fits my personality perfectly..Let's do this together...Vote April 6...A Voice in Government for the People," Richardson wrote.  According to her biography on the New Hope Empowerment website Richardson struggled with a drug addiction until she "had a spiritual encounter with the Lord" in 1993 She has since dedicated her life to religious purposes.  Richardson will "keep Dundee growing" and be "a voice for the people," according to campaign materials Richardson has shared on Facebook.  Incumbent Commissioner Nancy Daley will face Mac Fuller and Joseph Hults Jr for two open seats on the Lake Alfred City Commission is a registered Polk County voter affiliated with the Democratic Party She is both the current occupant of the commission's third seat and mayor of Lake Alfred.  According to Daley's city commission biography she has served on the commission for 10 years including four mayoral terms and four terms as vice mayor.  the city was in dismal financial shape," the biography reads we reorganized the city management and finances and have had near perfect audits for the past three years."  Daley considers "convincing the FDOT to reinstate a road widening project through town" one of her greatest accomplishments as mayor is a Polk County voter registered with the Republican party Fuller worked in insurance for over 40 years and specialized in risk management and loss control.  Mail in ballots: Saturday deadline to request a mail-in ballot for city elections Fuller has relocated "10 times in 41 years" but is now retired in Lake Alfred where he serves on the Board for the Lake Alfred Parks and Recreation Department.  "Mac is an energetic and responsible person that gives his undivided attention to the support of our city government and looks forward to the opportunity to serve this community for the next term if elected," a campaign poster reads is also registered to vote in Polk County and affiliated with the Republican party Hults is a retired Navy veteran who has lived in Florida for more than 25 years Hults already has experience serving in local government as chairperson of the City of Lake Alfred Planning Board He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Lake Alfred Chamber of Commerce and the Historical Society Lakeland election: Q&A: Lakeland's Southeast candidates tackle key city issues, polls open Monday Hults will prioritize preventing tax increases through economic revitalization as well as building strong community infrastructure "through the maintenance of roadways storm drains and other facilities/services."  "Any plan to raise revenue should manage growth to continue to preserve the small town atmosphere that our residents appreciate," a campaign flyer reads.  Lake Alfred residents will also vote on four citywide amendments All of the amendments are procedural in nature which would give a governor-appointed interim city commission 180 days rather than 90 to hold special elections when replacing city commissioners "after a catastrophic loss or removal."  Opinion: Anderson: Florida's voting system isn't broken, so why fix it? All four amendments in full can be found on the sample ballot.  Dundee residents can vote at the Dundee Community Center located at 603 Lake Marie Drive Lake Alfred residents can vote at City Hall located at 120 East Pomelo Street.  Maya Lora can best be reached at mlora@gannett.com or 863-802-7558 The Florida Department of Health in Polk County will operate its Office of Vital Statistics in the new Northeast Government Center in Lake Alfred beginning July 24 The Vital Statistics office in Bartow will close permanently on July 21 The office maintains records of births and deaths that occur in Florida The office issues Florida death certificates from 2009 to the present as well as birth certificates 'Enough is enough' Polk rescinds $6.5 million pledge for Fort Meade equestrian center The Northeast Government Center is located at 200 Government Center Blvd. Business hours will be Monday through Friday from 8 a.m LAKE ALFRED — One Polk County city is fishing up an idea to add some art and branding to its limits Lake Alfred City Commissioners will have the choice to purchase six fiberglass bass to be placed around the city The purchase would be made from FAST Corporation in Wisconsin “The mayor and commission have been talking about this on and off,” City Manager Ryan Leavengood said Each fish stands between 5 and 6 feet tall Leavengood sees this as an endeavor similar to what Lakeland has done with swans Winter Haven is in the early stages of exploring making sandhill cranes its city symbol “We could do different artistic styles for each bass,” Leavengood said “We could do kids' hands or different landscapes but I could see one on our trail and throughout different parts of the city We may have a competition or select a school to decorate them.” Leavengood noted that the bass has long been a city symbol The fishing tournament hosted by Ron's Tackle Box around July 4 is a signature event “It's always been a theme for us,” the city manager said “It was prominently displayed during our centennial celebration.” city staff and commissioners have been trying to create more vibrancy downtown Leavengood said this coincides with that effort “It's part of our downtown improvement and investment effort,” he said We want a good downtown with quality shops and good aesthetics.” Commissioners will meet Monday at 7:30 p.m commissioners are scheduled to discuss funding options for adding a second fire station or expanding the existing facility The commission is also set to consider naming the proposed community center in honor of late Mayor Pete Rust the Central Florida Regional Planning Council will go over changes in the city's land development regulations During last week's Town Commission meeting commissioners voted 3-0 to contract with Casselberry-based Raftelis Consulting to conduct a utility rate study for an amount not to exceed $25,000 The commission also recognized Dundee Ridge Middle School on becoming an A school Mayor Sam Pennant and Commissioner Steve Glenn were absent Monday's scheduled City Commission meeting is canceled The City Council will consider approving the second reading of an ordinance that cracks down on “aggressive panhandling.” It will also consider the first reading of an ordinance that amends the city's land code to allow for tiny homes Mike Ferguson can be reached at Mike.Ferguson@theledger.com or 863-802-7445 Warning: Graphic conduct depicted may be hard for viewers to read LAKE ALFRED, Fla. — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office filed an additional 2,896 counts of enhanced possession of child pornography against a former Lake Alfred City Commissioner on Tuesday is now facing a total of 3,196 felony charges a Polk County Sheriff’s Office technician examined all of his electronic storage devices that were seized as evidence during a search of his residence and recovered 2,896 video and image files depicting pornographic sexual abuse images of children between the ages of 6 months to 12-years-old and engaged in graphic sexual conduct with adults The report stated that Lake “had a very compartmentalized system of organizing and categorizing the thousands of child sex abuse images he had.” The sheriff’s office said detectives found on his computers and electronic storage devices: “child rape images and videos with adults sexually abusing children children engaged in graphic sexual conduct with other children and child pornography that displayed children in lewd and sexually explicit situations.” Lake had other “adult,” pornographic images and videos that included transgenderism and bestiality The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public if anyone is aware of or witnessed any inappropriate behavior from Lake to contact the sheriff’s office at 863-298-6200 “Charles Lake is a public official with a dark twisted involvement with the exploitative child pornography trade and has assisted people with their computers We are asking if anyone is aware of or witnessed any inappropriate interactions or involvement associated with Charles Lake to contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 863-298-6200,” Sheriff Grady Judd said in the arrest report Per Florida State Statutes, possession of child pornography is reclassified to the next higher degree (enhanced) if the offender possesses 10 or more images of any form of child pornography regardless of content; and the content of at least one image contains one or more of the following: a child younger than the age of 5 2024While researching wedding venues with my daughter-in-law we came across several unique estates that early Florida settlers built as homes Many of those settlers played important roles in establishing Florida as we know it today They also had the forethought to leave their properties for future residents to appreciate Bay profiled four of these historic old Florida homes that now serve as backdrops for modern-day weddings Eve Bass used to jump off the dock into Lake Alfred and hunt for Native American arrowheads in her grandfather’s citrus groves settled in the 1930s was the foundation of her family “It was a great place to be a kid,” said Bass she and her three brothers wanted to keep the house in the family it became the favorite place for the Adams’ great-grandchildren to get married That’s what prompted them to transform the estate permanently let’s give this wedding venue a whirl,” said Bass the third generation of descendants opened the Adams Estate on more than 24 acres along Lake Alfred two lakefront terraces and a glass-enclosed climate-controlled luxury tent for receptions The first floor of the estate house and its kitchen are available for parties and bar service A boathouse loft was renovated into a gathering space for grooms and groomsmen with a bar The ground floor of the boathouse is available for rehearsal dinners and up to 54 wedding guests can stay on-site in one of the cottages or suites “Our lodging is one of the things that I think really sets us apart,” said Bass who became general manager of the estate in 2020 designed by her architect brother Max Strang It still really is family-owned and -run,” said Bass Adams Estate, 2222 W. Pierce St., Lake Alfred, FL 33850. 863-450-9201. info@adamsestate.com. adamsestate.com. Today, engaged couples and their guests can host their weddings on the property now known as the Chinsegut Hill Retreat and Conference Center. [ Photo by Angelina Grande, @AngelinaGrandePhotography ]Chinsegut Hill Retreat and Conference CenterWhen South Carolina lawyer Col. Bird Pearson originally settled on 160 acres in Brooksville in 1847, he named the area “Mount Airy” for its high elevation and surrounding old Florida charm. Today, engaged couples and their guests can enjoy that ambience for their weddings on the property now known as the Chinsegut Hill Retreat and Conference Center. Subscribe to our free Do & Dine newsletter You’re all signed up!Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started. when it was purchased by Elizabeth Robins and her brother Raymond Robins The antebellum home was the scene of many society gatherings Thomas Edison and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings It was leased for a time as a retreat center by the University of Florida and the University of South Florida and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003 Hernando County leases the property and subleases it to the Tampa Bay History Center which operates the Manor House as a museum which oversees everything outside the Manor House The Chinsegut Hill Retreat and Conference Center was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003 [ Photo courtesy of the Chinsegut Hill Retreat and Conference Center ]“There is a peaceful feeling you get the moment you pull onto the property,” said Christie Williams “Our retreat offers a glimpse of what life may have been like in a simpler time: sitting on the porch in a rocking chair Wedding guests can enjoy the Manor House porches The main dining hall seats 65 people and the conference center can hold 75 guests Up to 250 guests can enjoy events on the front and back lawns “While it has been traditional to host weddings on the lawn of the Manor House I am not always a traditionalist,” allowed Williams “I discovered the most amazing grandmother oak that welcomes couples under her sprawling majestic wings.” She said the location is now called the “I Do” tree “From the relaxed atmosphere of the Retreat Center to the old-world charm of the historic Manor House tours if you are looking for a scenic backdrop where Spanish moss sways through the canopied oaks and a chance glimpse of deer or turkey all while having just the right amount of amenities to accommodate the needs of (your) guests Chinsegut Hill Retreat and Conference Center, 22495 Chinsegut Hill Road, Brooksville, FL 34601. 352-238-9186. chinseguthillretreat.com Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 the Bourroughs Home has inspired many themed weddings and parties [ Photo courtesy of the Burroughs Home and Gardens ]Burroughs Home and GardensWhen she directs weddings at the Burroughs Home and Gardens in Fort Myers Melissa Coon said she is transported back to the 1920s when the home’s last inhabitants held dance parties on its porches “Many of the notables of society enjoyed parties at the home Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh,” said Coon The Georgian Revival-style mansion was built in 1901 for Montana cattle rancher John Murphy The property changed hands a few times and in 1920 Midwesterners Nelson and Adeline Burroughs and their two daughters she donated the property to the city of Fort Myers under the condition that it be made available to the public and used for parties (The Burroughs sisters were musical and regularly hosted friends to sing and dance on the home’s porches.) Coon organizes up to 75 events a year in the home The property along the Caloosahatchee River includes the mansion up to 75 events a year - mostly weddings - are held at the Burroughs Home and Gardens [ Photo by Lianis Cruz Photography ]“We can accommodate up to 200 guests in our pavilion,” she said “Our waterside gazebo is located across the gardens from our pavilion and (is) used for cocktail hours the city of Fort Myers contracted with the Uncommon Friends Foundation to preserve the property and manage daily operations of the home the home has inspired many themed weddings and parties as well as romantic vintage vibes as the ideal backdrop to ‘The Great Gatsby’ and ‘Downton Abbey’-themed weddings we’ve hosted Victorian themes have become really popular and this venue is perfect for those,” Coon said All rental fees for the venue go toward the preservation of the estate Several hotels are also located within walking distance from the home the city of Fort Myers approved a $2.2-million renovation project for the property The renovations will include a new roof and improvements to the main porch “I know that Mona would be very happy that we are still using the dancing porch,” Coon said Burroughs Home and Gardens, 2505 First St., Fort Myers, FL 33901. 239-337-9505. burroughshome.com the Powel Crosley Estate was placed on the National Register of Historic Places [ Photo courtesy of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau ]The Powel Crosley EstateWhen inventor Powel Crosley Jr built his 11,000-square-foot estate in 1929 he likely was drawn to the property for the same reason couples gravitate there today the Powel Crosley Estate was once a winter home for Crosley’s wife up to 1,000 guests at a time can enjoy the sprawling 16.5-acre grounds a 10,000-square foot lawn and a 200-foot dock where couples can arrive by boat Up to 100 guests can enjoy a ceremony on the Bayside Lawn while both floors of the two-story estate are also available to rent Crosley was a native of Cincinnati who amassed a fortune in automobile parts and as an entrepreneur in the radio business He also owned the Cincinnati Reds baseball team the estate was placed on the National Register of Historic Places The property is owned and maintained by Manatee County and estate reservations are managed by bradentongulfislands.com in partnership with Visit Florida the executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau was there for the first event at the estate in 1996 “It (has) Mediterranean-style architecture that is hard to find in the state of Florida and it feeds (tourism in) the Bradenton/Sarasota region from $8 million to $10 million a year.” He books upwards of 180 weddings a year at the estate “Couples use the bay side of the mansion as their wedding backdrop it (is) almost like Crosley and his wife designed it for future theatre,” Falcione said He also oversaw the renovation of the Bradenton Area Convention Center where the 252-room Palmetto Marriott Resort & Spa opened in May The waterfront hotel is about a half-hour drive from the Powel Crosley Estate The Powel Crosley Estate, 8374 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34243. 941-722-3244. bradentongulfislands.com/venues/powel-crosley. Kathy SaundersBay Editor LAKE ALFRED — "Lake Alfred Polytech Academy" has a sense of place and pride — something Lake Alfred-Addair Middle has lacked for years community members agreed when finalizing the proposed name change for the turnaround school that is transitioning into a magnet program They met Wednesday in the school's newly furnished fabrication lab which is already adorned with laser-cut letters from a computer-numeric-controlled ShopBot that spell out "Polytech." The magnet program will focus on science Lake Alfred Lions Club and City Commission decided on the name they hope will improve the perception of the chronically failing school "When people hear 'Addair' they automatically think something negative and I want to get rid of that," Mayor Charlie Lake said Rita Fawcett with the Lions Club argued that when parents hear "Lake Alfred," they think "I'm not sending my kid there."  She proposed renaming the school Polytech Academy of Lake Alfred so that "Lake Alfred" isn't the first thing people hear or shorten the name to "But representing our community is very important to us," Principal Julie Grice said "That's why we want to go in the direction of Lake Alfred Polytech Academy." "It says this is Lake Alfred — it tells us where it is," Lake added without getting it mixed up with (Florida Polytechnic University)." Florida Polytechnic came into the conversation early on about Lake Alfred-Addair's restructuring with an initial idea being that the Polytech Academy would qualify ninth- and 10th-graders to enroll in a Polytechnic High on the middle school's campus and 11th- and 12th-graders to enroll in classes on Florida Polytechnic's campus director of the district's office of acceleration and innovation with the change needing approval from the Polk County School Board The board is expected to review the recommendation Tuesday and vote on it in an Aug But changes other than the name are well underway at the school "This is like starting a new school — creating those processes and rebuilding the culture," Grice said "We've talked a lot about the perception of our school and how we want to communicate to our community all of the wonderful things going on within these walls "We made great gains this year," she added "That may not have been reflected in our school grade but everyone within these walls will agree that great things happened and we are moving forward." Lake Alfred-Addair is one of the five Polk middle schools State Board of Education members threatened to close if its grade didn't improve to a C this year received another D and its grade dropped 2 percentage points from 36 percent to 34 percent It earned 17 less total points toward its score this year than last year based on student testing and academic gains Boone and Westwood middle schools improved from D's to C's and Kathleen Middle improved its D to be 1 percentage point away from a C Grice said Florida Department of Education officials visited the school Wednesday and the district is working with them on the school's turnaround plan SAC member Loretta Vittorio asked Grice what some of the visible changes at the school will be this year so students aren't "bogged down" and remain focused • A full staff with teachers undergoing 60 hours of extra training • Daily student participation in an elective course focused on STEM and computer science in the school's fab lab • Physical improvements to the school that are still being planned "The school grade — are we going to get it up?" Lake asked The magnet program is implemented through a U.S Department of Education Magnet School Assistance Program grant the district was awarded last fall three-year grant is being paid at the rate of $4 million a year through the 2018-19 school year The district is using that money to pay for changes to two existing magnet programs and to create three new ones Brigham Academy's STEM magnet program is becoming an International Baccalaureate program while Rochelle School of the Arts magnet program will start incorporating STEM and Daniel Jenkins Academy of Technology is becoming a STEM magnet program Combee Elementary is becoming a design and engineering magnet Combee's proposed name change to Combee Academy of Design and Engineering is also on the School Board agenda with Lake Alfred-Addair Grice said she plans to name Lake Alfred-Addair's administration building after Homer K He was superintendent of Polk schools from 1972 to 1980 Madison Fantozzi can be reached at madison.fantozzi@theledger.com some people haven’t figured out what they want to do with their lives yet He’s already served as city manager of Lake Alfred for five years and assistant city manager in Auburndale for three years before that All that was after the second-generation Floridian who was born and raised in St Petersburg interned in the city of Largo’s Planning Department and City Manager’s Office and Clearwater’s Economic Development and Housing departments "Ryan is one of the most dedicated young managers I know in the profession," said his former supervisor because he will tell you he enjoys his job." In nominating Leavengood for the ICMA Early Career Leadership Award Green wrote — and 14 other managers in Polk County signed: "I can personally attest that Ryan Leavengood is one of the best in pulling together representatives from government academia and non-profit organizations to seek integrated solutions to the issues facing local government." Green also wrote he was impressed with Leavengood "would travel more than 140 miles round-trip to visit and learn more about the city of Auburndale." Leavengood received his bachelor of science in Environmental Policy and Science and master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of South Florida He’s the chairman of the Polk County Managers’ Group and serves on the board of directors for the Florida City/County Management Association a kindergarten teacher at Polk City Elementary School The Ledger caught up with Leavengood to talk about Lake Alfred for this Five Questions With … What’s your biggest accomplishment in Lake Alfred The establishment of the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency is right up there at the top of the list for me it will have the ability to be a major engine for the implementation of our downtown and parks and recreation master plans quality-of-life and aesthetic improvements at their core so their implementation will have major positive impacts on the look and feel of Lake Alfred for decades to come You’re already seeing the first stages of these efforts with the improved landscaping and downtown wayfinding signage These improvements will combine with others the pieces of the puzzle will start to come together How do you stay connected with residents to know what they’re thinking One of the benefits of managing a smaller city and living in the community you work in is the greater sense of connectedness it brings You get a real opportunity to get to know the people in your town and to connect with some of the key members from the different businesses community groups and neighborhoods who represent the larger whole Having an open door and staying engaged with these groups have built relationships over the years that have provided valuable insight to me and the City Commission as we work together to establish the priorities and achieve the goals of the city The biggest challenge for me is meeting our current needs as efficiently as possible to maximize our remaining time energy and funding to implement the city’s vision The City Commission’s clear objectives — combined with the cost-saving efforts of the department heads and staff — have made our organization both efficient and effective in meeting our service needs “We’ve got everyone rowing in the same direction.” Unfortunately our efforts are being undermined by the cumulative effects of unfunded mandates The largest and most visible of these is the pending increase to the homestead exemption but other issues — such as the increased cost share of transit services — remain sapping momentum and creating additional barriers that must be overcome to achieve our goals I would have to say our size and our location From an organizational and a community perspective we’re in that goldilocks size of a city We’re big enough to be a full-service city with a professional staff and enough resources that we can get things done but small enough to know everyone you’re working with and who your neighbors are It gives you a great sense of ownership and pride to know that your efforts will benefit the people you see every day we have a unique blend of small-town charm and natural beauty with our lakes and the open space of the Green Swamp while at the same time having convenient access to much larger regional markets like Orlando What do the next five years look like for you and your city The next five years for the city look bright We will continue to experience the positive effects of growth because of our proximity to the Interstate 4 corridor and Florida Polytechnic University but without the risk of expansive growth and sprawl because of our physical location of being adjacent to three cities and the Green Swamp This will allow us to focus on the quality rather than the quantity of services and development within the city As we and the surrounding region continue to grow I expect the vacant commercial parcels in the downtown area will begin developing Long term this will lead to a snowball effect — the remaining vacant parcels will be developed and existing sites will be redeveloped as they begin as they increase in value combined with increased economies of scale in service delivery will fuel and accelerate the implementation of the city’s vision of a vibrant downtown with quality recreational facilities and public spaces I don’t see myself leaving Lake Alfred anytime soon I’m heavily invested in the groundwork we’ve laid these past five years and I want to follow through on that and be here when it comes to fruition “The rolling stone gathers no moss,” and I think there is merit to that here I really meant it when I said we have the best of both worlds The small-town atmosphere is a great environment to raise a family Petersburg or going to Disney is just a short drive away We’ve got a professional staff with a forward-thinking City Commission and a community that is supportive of the organization and our efforts When you add it all up you realize just how blessed you are; we’re very fortunate to have the opportunities and the quality of life that we have here in Lake Alfred and in Polk County a tin-roofed building on the family ranch in rural Polk County Ednamay Wales opened The Barn Antiques for business and the Lake Alfred institution opened for its 43rd season "It's like coming back to school," said Ansley Wales who helps run the antique business with her parents The Back Porch Restaurant and The Back Yard Garden Shop are open year-round Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m The antiques store closes in the summer for the family to travel to England where they hand pick furniture and collectibles The tradition was started by matriarch Ednamay Wales because she loved to travel as well She worked at The Barn Antiques until a month before her death at 90 in 2003 The Barn Antiques is open through the last weekend in May Richard Wales also travels to England about every six weeks during the season to pick out more English furniture to restock the shelves Three generations of the Wales family have helped antique enthusiasts choose their selections The family started to expand the business in 1969 and the property now includes The Stable Home Decor The Back Porch Restaurant and The Back Yard Garden Shop At The Stable Home Decor and The Seasons Gift Shop patrons may purchase modern home decorations seasonal items and holiday wares from Ednamay Wales' grandson they also serve lunch in a wooden picnic basket at The Back Porch Restaurant sandwich and dessert basket along with a drink and tax cost $9.99 Don't tell any of these Gator graduates to stock Seminoles merchandise This side of the family bleeds orange and blue Multiple University of Florida graduates mean plenty of Gator knickknacks for sale and not much in the form of garnet and gold The family of shops draws bus tours and locals alike to spend a day exploring the grounds Some visitors have been coming for decades Orlando resident Shannon Cloud started her relationship with The Barn Antiques before she graduated from Samford University in Birmingham They were shopping for clothes and I was buying antique furniture," she said "I loved The Barn because I could get quality furniture from people that I really trust." the Florida native still stops in to fill her home with Wales family finds my whole family creates an event of (opening day) You definitely want to get there early and get in the long line of people," she said [ Margarita Cambest reports on Lake Alfred and Davenport She can be reached at margarita.cambest@newschief.com or at 863-401-6969 LAKE ALFRED — Lake Alfred Elementary School art teacher Chanique Davis is an internet sensation shared more than 40,000 times including on several popular Instagram pages “It's been viewed by millions of people,” Davis said Wednesday The photo shows Davis' door — decorated by her and her art club students — as a black woman with dreadlocks traditional African kente cloth robe and wearing a queen's crown “Jennifer Labit is the owner of a children's clothing company — she reposted and she created an Amazon wish list,” Davis said Labit wrote on her shared page that she researched Davis and Lake Alfred Elementary School and saw that the Title I school with a high population of students receiving free or reduced price breakfast and lunch could use “some love” with school supplies “I'm personally sending this teacher some of that love today in the form of school supplies that she can decide how to share in her school,” Labit wrote It would be nice to have Lake Alfred Elementary School not have to think about where their markers or other school supplies are going to come from for the rest of this year.” along with a chance for Davis to win a $1,000 Teacher's Scholarship at the end of the school year Davis said she wanted to depict a black woman with dreadlocks to show appreciation for that style “I wanted to show kids who have that style that it's OK to be different and it's OK to have locks — just to show appreciation for that part of our culture,” Davis said is a fifth-grader in the art club at Lake Alfred Elementary who helped work on the door “We had the black paper and we ripped it up into small little rectangles and then twisted it to make a dreadlock,” Braelyn said “It inspires me because it shows even little kids can do stuff — kids in general can do what they want to do involving art and really anything.” As a Lake Gibson High School student in the mid-2000s she was a Ledger Silver Garland winner in the foreign language category She also was homeless for three years during high school “A family member messed up some things for us financially,” Davis said about how they lost their apartment “And I still made straight A's all through high school I persevered through all that and graduated with a 4.0 (grade-point average).” She was in the news again in 2017 for creating a program for homeless people to participate in art therapy setting up canvases in downtown Lakeland's Munn Park for them to draw and paint on “I wanted to offer therapeutic art for homeless people .. they have outlets through other things but art is therapeutic,” Davis said “We want to give back with our artistic gifts.” Moore can be reached at kmoore@theledger.com or 863-802-7514 Located inside the city limits of Lake Alfred Gary's Oyster Bar has been a prime destination for visitors who come to the area from all across the world visitors have included singers Jimmy Buffett along with Wade Boggs that's the place to go,” says Mayor Charlie Lake “People come from all over to go there and the place is always packed.” it was a separate location for Orlando-based Lee and Rick's and then it was purchased by Gary Gossett in 1980 The bar and tables have wooden tops and the walls are neatly decorated with local team sports memorabilia “We've kept the place basically the same since the day we opened,” Gossett says “We probably still got some dust up there somewhere that's been here 36 years.” Gary's Oyster Bar is the oldest business in Lake Alfred and one of the oldest in the Winter Haven area “It's truly a staple of Lake Alfred,” says Lake great service and we're glad to have them here.” The business has gone through an estimated 20 million oysters 10 million crackers and 35,000 gallons of cocktail sauce All-you-can-eat catfish is a popular menu item which come almost exclusively from the Gulf of Mexico “We shuck oysters right in front of people so you actually get to sit down with your shucker,” says the restaurant's manager “Some people – the first thing they do when they get off the airplane is they come to Gary's It's definitely a must-see if you've never been.” Hampton says it's the friendly atmosphere that keeps the customers coming Gary's Oyster Bar helped say goodbye to the Boston Red Sox by throwing a going away party as the team got set to leave its spring training home in Winter Haven for Fort Myers A number of bats from famous Red Sox players such as Boggs and Mike Greenwell still hang on the wall Although famous musicians and legendary baseball players have stopped by to enjoy a meal at Gary's Oyster Bar the restaurant has more than its fair share of longtime regulars says he's made personal friendships and watched children grow up “We have kids who have been coming here for years who were in a booster seat and now they're 30-something years old,” Hampton says “You're telling them what's on the kids' menu and the next thing you know Hampton says there's a lot that goes in to making daily operations happen Members of the staff are usually there hours before the restaurant opens and sometimes hours after it closes The restaurant employs 12 people and all have been there at least three years Gossett and Hampton said they're not bosses a dish that needs to be washed or something that needs to be picked up Gossett says it's important to him that everyone who stops in enjoys their experience “We want people to have a good time,” he says “The tourists and the snowbirds when they come down they come here the first or second night and the last night before they go home you take and spend your hard-earned dollars and we want to make sure they get their money's worth.” LAKE ALFRED — The hidden gem of Lake Alfred is being brought back to life A nearly $52,000 era-specific renovation is currently taking place on the second floor of the historic Mackay House on Lake Rochelle was built in 1915 and is the former home of Alexander Mackay the family's citrus and cattle holdings in Florida The city purchased the home from the Mackay family in 2004 for $2.6 million Work on the second floor began March 29 and completion is expected within the next two weeks according to Parks and Recreation Manager Richard Weed "My feeling on this has always been that this is a historic building and I want to see more emphasis put on the home itself," said Mayor Charles Lake At least now when we begin to do tours in the home people can see how the Mackay family lived and what it looked like during that time The city has $30,000 budgeted in this fiscal budget for capital improvements at the home and a $50,000 historic preservation grant was received in 2015 from the state to restore the west upper balcony The city's $30,000 is the 50-percent match required to receive the grant "Anytime we can go after those resources that leverage our dollars with the grant which includes the Mackay House," said City Manager Ryan Leavengood "It's really turning into a big draw in our community and in Polk County We are booked out six months for weddings." Vice Mayor Nancy Daley said once the renovation is complete it will open the door to more options as to what the space can be used for "We have been using the house for a lot of different things and we have always been working to restore the home to its natural beauty We do have plans someday to have a museum on the second floor that educates people about both environmental and citrus history just so we can keep the history of the whole property alive The upstairs rooms will give us a lot more leeway in achieving that goal plus this renovation will restore the home back to its original condition." The last renovation was completed in the 1970s This year's project will give the home a look that is reminiscent of what it resembled when first constructed in 1915 "When we looked at the bids as a city commission one of the biggest considerations was making sure that company was sensitive to the history of the home and not wanting to change things because we want to keep it as accurate as possible," said Daley Daley and Lake mentioned that they would like to see some era-specific furniture placed on the second floor Currently the city is relying on donations to make this happen A fact-finding committee has been working with the city on finding the right pieces One reason for renovating the second floor is to create more usable space in the home which in turn creates more opportunities for extra revenue to be used for more projects at the home and on the property The biggest draws to the home right now are weddings as well as educational workshops integrating both the gardens and the trails the renovations do not include making the second floor compliant with the American with Disabilities Act Lake said if funds become available it would be nice to put an elevator in the home One alternative option includes putting a video screen on the first floor of the home that displays what is upstairs "We will continue to make efforts to improve the home," said Weed beautiful space that will be more aesthetically pleasing especially once those shutters on the second floor balconies are removed Next the construction crew will replace all second floor balcony railings and paint — Mark Cavitt can be reached at mark.cavitt@theledger.com or 863-401-6969 LAKE ALFRED — The two candidates running for City Commission Seat 5 were afforded a venue to talk about themselves and give their visions for the future of Lake Alfred At a “Meet the Candidates” forum sponsored by the Lake Alfred Chamber of Commerce incumbent Jack Dearmin and challenger Brent Eden took questions from moderator Joey Foley and members of the public Wednesday night at the Lake Alfred Lions Club has been a member of the commission since 2007 and a resident of Lake Alfred since 1986 Dearmin came to Lake Alfred from Tennessee where he spent some time at Austin Peay University He’s a husband to Mellonee and works as a manager at the Legoland Hotel Dearmin is a member of First Baptist Church of Lake Alfred and served on city and chamber boards before running for commission a husband to Yevette and a father to three children ages 2 has been a resident of Lake Alfred for 10 years He owns a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of South Florida and master’s in public administration from Webster University A part of the management team for Specialist Doctor’s Group in Lakeland Eden has been involved in youth sports in the city His wife’s family founded the Lake Alfred Raiders youth football program and a recreational summer program at Bethel Baptist Church in Lakeland Both candidates were asked about putting the time in to be a City Commissioner “It’s very important what we do in our city,” Dearmin said We take time to do the things we need to do.” Eden was asked by one member of the audience if he would have the time to put into being a commissioner given his young children and full-time job in Lakeland “I maybe have a little more energy than some of the other members of the commission,” he said “I have the weekends and there’s plenty of time after work I plan on not just doing the bare minimum.” Dearmin championed the city’s financial turnaround and recent business growth when asked what he brought to the table but has come out of that in recent years and is starting to see business growth “I feel like I can make a positive impact,” Eden said “Our city is growing every day with new businesses and new schools I think the City Commission could use a new set of eyes When asked about their vision moving forward Dearmin said he wanted to keep the city’s finances in order and bring growth that residents would value “We’re on the cusp of building our downtown core,” Dearmin said “With our downtown development that’s coming real soon The city of Lake Alfred’s residents love what we do here.” Eden said some residents have expressed otherwise “A lot of people do not feel that funds are being allocated to all areas,” Eden said Lake Alfred used to have a baseball league When it came to bigger businesses aside from the small businesses downtown and dollar stores “We’re getting a Dunkin’ Donuts,” Dearmin said We have 20,000 people who drive through Lake Alfred (daily) Eden said he would like to see the city reach out to new sectors like health care and grocery chains while preserving the small businesses “We don’t need another dollar store,” he said “We need businesses that will fund our programs and our parks I believe we need to get out and actively recruit.” Both candidates were asked the traffic on County Road 557 and road improvements Eden said the increase in traffic was the sign of a growing city and that the city had to do what it could to stay “ahead of the curve” “557 is going to be moving up on the radar for being improved from (Interstate) 4 to Lake Alfred,” the commissioner said fighting tooth and nail to get that improved.” When it came to interacting with constituents both candidates agreed that it would be an important part of the job “I believe it’s truly important to interact with people in the city,” Eden said “I think Lake Alfred is a special city and I don’t think Jack would have been here all these years if he didn’t believe that is something the commission has made an effort to do “The commission meeting is a time for residents to give the concerns,” Dearmin said one resident asked Dearmin what his biggest achievements as a commissioner were “The greatest achievements – one I’m honored to say – is we have a commission that has lowered taxes while preserving our services,” Dearmin said asked Eden if he had attended meetings before qualifying for the City Commission Eden said that while he hadn’t been engaged in city politics “What I’ve been doing is building a family the last 10 years,” he said My background makes me as qualified if not more qualified as anyone else on the commission.” Eden’s website is www.VoteEden.com while the incumbent’s is DearminForCommission.com The election takes place on April 3 with polls open from 7 a.m City Commissioners in Lake Alfred serve four-year terms and are paid $5,000 per year Mike Ferguson can be reached at Mike.Ferguson@theledger.com or 863-401-6981 BARTOW | A 66-year-old Lake Alfred woman was found guilty Thursday of killing her husband and burying his body in the backyard herb garden of their home Circuit Judge Donald Jacobsen sentenced Barbara Scott to a mandatory punishment of life in prison without parole for the murder of 77-year-old Benny Scott She was also sentenced to five years in prison for tampering with evidence by burying his body which will run concurrently with her life imprisonment Scott's jaw trembled slightly as a bailiff escorted her to be fingerprinted She looked over at her daughter crying in the courtroom argued that Benny Scott fatally shot himself and their client buried his body because she couldn't cope with the grief and panic of discovering his suicide Jurors spent about 90 minutes deliberating Thursday afternoon before reaching a verdict They found Scott guilty as charged of first-degree premeditated murder and tampering with physical evidence Lawyers debated whether Scott had a motive to kill her husband Assistant State Attorney Paul Wallace suggested Scott might have been overwhelmed with the frustrations of being a caretaker for her husband as well as her elderly mother who suffers from "severe dementia" and her young grandson He argued that the stress took a toll on Scott and she decided sometime after Jan that it was "time for Ben to be out of the picture." Wallace said Scott shot her husband and stashed his body in the garden because the burial — complete with herbs over his remains — wouldn't look suspicious "It just looks very natural and very normal," Wallace said she crafted various convincing stories to account for her husband's disappearance when others asked her about him She told some people that Benny Scott was in Oklahoma and others that he couldn't talk because he had a throat ailment Scott's lawyers dismissed the theory that she was stressed about the demands of caring for others and she resorted to killing her husband to avoid having to take care of him "They both had families that would take care of them," Williamson said "Barbara had absolutely no reason to kill this man." She argued that Scott's various false stories about her husband's whereabouts demonstrate that she wasn't following some cover-up plan "She wasn't hiding a homicide," Williamson said She insisted Scott discovered her husband dead in the shower after he shot himself and she held him and she cried," Williamson said But she argued that Scott wasn't thinking straight because she was overcome with emotion after his suicide "She didn't want to give him up," Williamson said She finally revealed the location of his body after being confronted and questioned by her daughter Wallace told jurors that Braudway recalled her mother appeared nervous but was not crying during the conversation Scott wanted to go home to drop off her jewelry before heading to the police station The prosecutor argued Scott had a guilty conscience and wanted to leave her jewelry at home because she figured authorities would arrest her "She knew she had done wrong," Wallace said investigators found Benny Scott's body under about 2 feet of soil near the garden's parsley He was covered in a silver-colored tarp secured with tape and his feet and hands were bound by ropes The .22-caliber revolver recovered from Scott's dresser was later determined to have been taken from the garage of a relative's home in Oklahoma where Barbara and Benny Scott had stayed during a trip in December 2011 "We have no evidence of who brought that gun back to Florida," Williamson said She argued Benny Scott's health was deteriorating and he took the weapon and used it on himself so he wouldn't be a burden to his family Wallace disputed the notion that Benny Scott was suicidal saying he "embraced" life had close relationships with family and friends "He was looking forward to the future," Wallace said The lawyers also debated the findings of two expert witnesses testified that Benny Scott's death was a homicide Benny Scott was shot in the back of the head Nelson testified that the gunshot wound was in a "very unusual place" for someone to commit suicide He also testified that the gun's muzzle wasn't pressed against Benny Scott's head but was 2 feet or more away when the weapon was fired "I don't buy this as a suicide," Nelson told jurors a former deputy chief medical examiner in Orange and Osceola counties was hired as an expert witness for the defense Anderson testified that he couldn't tell how far away the gun's muzzle was when the weapon was fired into Benny Scott's head because of the body's extensive decomposition He said it wasn't possible to say whether the death was a homicide or suicide [ Jason Geary can be reached at jason.geary@theledger.com or 863-802-7536 BARTOW — In a brief opening statement to jurors Wednesday a lawyer for murder defendant Alfred Jenkins repeatedly stated his client had nothing to do with Terry Yelvington's death in August 2015 a terrible event occurred,” said defense lawyer Christopher Boldt but Al Jenkins isn't responsible for that loss of life because Mr is charged with first-degree murder and faces mandatory life imprisonment if convicted He's also charged with robbery with a firearm and tampering with evidence a lawyer with the state's Office of Regional Conflict Counsel said he will present evidence during the trial challenging the prosecution's assertion that cellphone technology places Jenkins' phone at the murder scene and ballistics testing links the bullet casings from the scene with ammunition found among Jenkins' belongings was gunned down in the garage of his Lake Alfred home about 5:30 a.m Only his wallet was missing when he was found and the gun used to kill him remains missing Detectives began investigating Jenkins after learning of a dispute between the two men related to their labor union The two men had worked together at Packaging Corp of America in Auburndale until Jenkins was fired in April 2009 Assistant State Attorney Paul Wallace told jurors Wednesday When the United Steelworkers Union Local 475 voted not to challenge Jenkins' termination Jenkins had been the local union's treasurer until he lost his job the group's officers discovered money was missing from the union's accounts Jenkins was arrested for grand theft on allegations he had taken more than $4,000 in part because Jenkins had repaid the money “It was very apparent the great degree of animosity that Mr Jenkins held toward Terry as a result — not of the crime because Terry was not the one who did the crime that was management — but for not standing up for him,” Wallace told jurors Wallace said cellphone data will show that Jenkins' phone was in Yelvington's neighborhood within minutes of the shooting He also said that Jenkins' former girlfriend will testify to statements Jenkins made in the weeks following the shooting questioned the credibility of her testimony “She will admit to you that her memory is unreliable,” he said “Her memory is impaired because of medication which directly impacts her ability to recall events clearly.” He said witnesses initially told authorities they had seen a pickup truck with a topper leaving the scene after the shooting — not the Chevrolet Blazer that Jenkins owned Boldt also questioned the reliability of the state's cellphone evidence and the use of transmission towers to identify a phone's location He said his expert will challenge that testimony “You will hear that many of these estimates generated by the experts are just that,” he said “They are things subject to great fluctuation.” Defense experts also will challenge the ballistics testing and whether the shell casings found at the scene and the live rounds discovered later can be linked The trial is expected to continue into next week Suzie Schottelkotte can be reached at suzie.schottelkotte@theledger.com or 863-533-9070 LAKE ALFRED — A new historical venue was unveiled to the public Friday as the city of Lake Alfred allowed locals and residents to view the Gardner House The City Commission voted to buy the house in July 2017 for $225,000 It had hoped for Historic Preservation Grants to purchase the home but they were cut by the state that fiscal year The city had already put a non-refundable $15,000 deposit toward the purchase “We're trying to preserve our history,” Mayor Charlie Lake said “Knowing someone could come in and knock it down This house belonged to the guy who basically started Lake Alfred.” president of the Lake Alfred Historical Society During a bad winter that devastated Gardner's citrus crops he and several other men began traveling across the state and found Lake Alfred — then Chubb — and noticed that the devastation to the citrus wasn't nearly as bad especially to me,” White said of the city's acquisition of the home “We think of the Gardner family as our founding fathers He's really the one that got Lake Alfred to where it is today.” White said Gardner built his first home in what's currently Lake Alfred in 1911 Disparities in current records indicate that the recently purchased Gardner House was built in either 1913 or 1915 The city also acquired a cottage next door that served as Gardner's “Florida Fruitlands Company." we actually have two historical sites — the Gardner House and the original Florida Fruitlands Company,” White said “The possibilities are endless and I'm just glad we have a city manager and City Commission with the foresight to recognize that.” City Manager Ryan Leavengood said the building is far from ready for regular use but the city has finished some minor renovations to the house's porch Leavengood said the city will continue to pursue grant funding for renovations is still to be determined but could be used for meeting space for an entity like a homeowner's association board “We can see this being similar to the Baynard House in Auburndale,” Leavengood said “I can see us trying to incorporate it into other events like our Christmas parade The predominant goal was to preserve the house.” Acquiring grants would expedite the process but Leavengood said he envisions the property being fully operational by the 2020-21 or 2021-22 fiscal years An engineering firm estimated that the total amount needed for full rehabilitation is $600,000 — a number the city manager considers more of a maximum total “I've already had people ask about renting it out,” Lake said “We have Mackay on one side of the city and now Gardner on the other This might not be a wedding venue like Mackay but it could be a place for birthday parties and meetings.” White said while going through old storage a journal was found that belonged to Gardner's wife Inside the journal was a makeshift book registry indicating that she likely ran a library out of her home “In this book is the names of Lake Alfred residents at the time,” she said “That's just a neat little artifact for us to find Gardner lived here until they died in the 1960s They were truly pillars of this community.” Mike Ferguson can be reached at Mike.Ferguson@theledger.com or 863-802-7545