WINTER HAVEN ― It's expected that the farther a team goes in the regional beach volleyball playoffs That's exactly what happened in the Class 3A regional semifinals on Friday at Winter Haven The Rams took the momentum early before the Blue Devils recaptured its magical momentum that has been evident all year ultimately winning 3-1 and advancing to the regional finals "(I'm) proud of the team for getting one step closer — 100% The third one is going to be big for a regional championship and to advance to a final four But I'm so proud of them ― the fight that they showed today and the resolve playing against a better team and better competition where everything wasn't going our way all the time and the kids responded and answered that call All the credit to the girls for seeing better competition and stepping up to the plate," Winter Haven head volleyball coach Dylan Sechrest said 1 line of Sarasota won over Winter Haven's which comprises The Ledger's Player of the Year Rylee Tanner and Kylie Catrett 2 line comprised of Sophia Whitaker and Kindyl Goff was challenged as well but eventually came up victorious 2-0 Emily Drier and Addison Traina seized control the entire time in an effort to play much better than last week's performance 4 line of Hala Heath and Isabella Sumner fought tooth and nail down to the wire and would go on to go down 2-1 "...I got to give them their flowers: They fought a lot better But then the second set they came fighting back and took the second set from them a much better battle today (for)the 4 line especially seeing some better competition as well (They) just got to continue to do a little bit better of a job of following the game plan and making in-game adjustments." put on a dominate show from start to finish Sechrest said it will be all about honing skills putting the opposing team in compromising situations and minimizing errors — Officials said the smoke from a structure fire is causing traffic delays in Winter Haven The Winter Haven Fire Department is currently working the fire at Avenue L NE and E Lake Silver Drive NE Officials are asking the public to avoid the area if possible 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 ALTAMONTE SPRINGS — Ben Saltman lost three previous meetings to Palmettos’ Stefan Correa but that didn’t matter on Friday as the Winter Haven junior gave his school its third state champion of the school year and its first state champion in boys tennis in the overall boys singles final at the 2025 FHSAA Boys Tennis Championships at Sanlando Park Saltman teamed with Wiley Simpson to win a second state title in doubles Saltman became the first state champion in boys tennis from Polk County since George Jenkins’ Patrick Gaughan won in 1998 Lakeland had two state runner-ups since then Danny Mack in 2011 and Isaac Nortei in 2016 Girls Tournament Auburndale's Battilla falls in overall state semis after grueling state tournament “I knew my serve started like cranking up like toward the end of the first set and then that was really working for me well once I got going so it definitely feels great,” Saltman said ”The number one reason to play high school tennis was I wanted to get a state championship for Polk County I knew I was definitely a contender for it but there were going to be some tough matches to have to play.” This season was the opposite of last year when he had defeated his state semifinal opponent previously but lost at state “I knew if I could clean up a few things I'd have a really good chance,” Saltman said Correa did a good job early dictating points attacking Saltman’s backhand to set up winners “I just started trusting my shots more,” Saltman said not moving my feet as well just because I was nervous in the beginning then I definitely freed up and played pretty good the rest of the match.” Saltman is the first boys tennis state champion from Winter Haven and joined golfer Anthony Monteleone and the girls basketball team as state champions from Winter Haven in the ’24-’25 school year After transferring from Geneva Classical after the school dropped boys tennis Saltman and Simpson won four of the last five games to defeat Palmetto’s Correa and Beau Gibson “I couldn’t ask for a better senior year,” Simpson said I didn't even know at the beginning of this year if I was going to be playing (high school tennis) or not “It was a really good doubles match because there were only two breaks to serve “But it was just we had to play solid doubles and that's what we did so we could complete that match.” Saltman was determined to win at doubles so Simpson could also be a state champion “I think we both played in the whole high school season our best match in the finals,” Saltman said the closest Winter Haven came to crowing a state champion in singles or doubles for either the boys or the girls came in 1999 when Priscila Figuerido and Ashley Campbell finished state runners-up Winter Haven qualified for state as a team but lost in the first round to Lake Nona 1 doubles allowed Saltman and Simpson to continue on to eventually win the overall singles and doubles state titles The McKeel girls also qualified for state tournament as a team in Class 2A Winter Haven officials have approved an estimated $4.1 million in tax incentives for a new downtown apartment building The incentives were approved as part of the city's consent agenda without any public discussion Michigan-based DevMar Development is partnering with Six/Ten LLC to build a Flatiron-style rental apartment building on the southeast corner of Magnolia Avenue and 3rd St The complex is estimated to cost more than $26 million The Ledger has reached out to DevMar Development in an effort to discuss The Carl without success The complex will bring 81 apartments into the heart of the city's downtown area Apartment sizes will start at roughly 560 square feet for studios and from 927 to 1,083 square feet for two bedrooms The apartments will have features including balconies walk-in closets and appliances including a refrigerator Shared amenities planned for the complex include a clubhouse tentative rental rates for The Carl will start at $1,595 monthly for a studio up to $2,233 for a two-bedroom apartment The average unit will cost approximately $1,864 DevMar has constructed several apartment complexes in Winter Haven, including RainDance, which has 105 units and opened in 2022, and The Breeze a six-story apartment complex expected to finish construction later this year Under the developer's agreement approved Monday night The terms call for the city to refund 90% of all the project's generated tax increment for the first 10 years This would save the developer an estimated $4.1 million in property taxes paid over time The property's current assessed value is about $2.2 million It's projected the newly constructed building will have an assessed property value around $17.5 million The city has agreed to reimburse the developer for its water and wastewater connection fees over a four-year period This an expected reimbursement of about $523,000 Winter Haven officials have voted to stop adding fluoride to the city's drinking water out of concern for the potential negative health impact on young children's developing brains Commissioners voted 3-2 on Tuesday night to discontinue adding fluoride to the city's water supply by Jan or "as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter." Mayor Nathaniel Birdsong Jr and Commissioner Clifton Dollison were the two votes against The practice of adding fluoride to water has become a topic of debate after a federal court ruling in the case of Food and Water Watch versus the U.S Environmental Protection Agency in September The court called on the EPA to strengthen its regulation of fluoride in drinking water as it poses "unreasonable risk of injury to health or environment." I only have one brain," Winter Haven resident Hannah Bush said Commissioner Brad Dantzler said the court's decision was a key reason for asking the city to re-evaluate its practices I don't or any of us have any problems with fluoride on the teeth Our concern is what happens when fluoride gets in the gut and we don't know," he said "This is reminiscent of what happened with COVID were here during COVID and asked to make medical decisions on things that were very complicated had been named to a health care director position by President-Elect Donald Trump ― misinformation then repeated by multiple residents Kennedy has made it well known and publicly stated he wants fluoride out of the water across the entire country Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral in the soil. It can be found in groundwater and many foods, according to the National Institutes of Health The mineral can inhibit or reverse the initiation and progress of tooth decay and stimulate new bone formation Fluoridation of public drinking water started in Grand Rapids The City of Winter Haven took up the practice in September 1986 It is not mandated by the federal government or state but up to a municipality's elected officials to decide "We have natural fluoride in the Upper Floridian Aquifer," said Gary Hubbard Hubbard said the city's water has a naturally occurring fluoride level of 0.3 to 0.4 milligrams per liter. The city adds supplemental fluoride to bring the level up to 0.7 mg/L, which is the suggested recommendation of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The city's most recent 2023 Water Quality Report showed water sample fluoride levels from 0.13 to 1.1 mg/L was not considered a cause for action as it is well below the EPA's restriction of 4 mg/L The EPA has been instructed to reconsider this limitation by the federal court Michael Stavres said it could be two to three years before any further direction comes from the EPA on the matter More than a dozen individuals spoke against Winter Haven continuing to add fluoride to the city's drinking water on Tuesday night "I do ask that you remove or cease dispensing it via Winter Haven water supply they are certainly welcome to get that," said John Lynn chair of Polk County's Republican Liberty Caucus "It should not be something dispensed by this body to a host of people in this community without their full awareness." "A concern I have for our water: If it contains fluoride We can't control the dosage," said Pastor Johnathon Bush of Southside Baptist Church in Winter Haven Winter Haven resident Debbie Owens held up a box of toothpaste she brought to the commission's hearing Owens read a printed warning that if toothpaste with fluoride is swallowed users should contact the Poison Control Center Maria Keith of Winter Haven called fluoride a "toxic industrial waste" and "deadly poison." "Fluoride is the only chemical in our water that is not used to treat the water "We are being poisoned by fluoride as we get it everywhere." Keith said there are many other sources where residents who want fluoride can obtain it through food toothpaste and other dental hygienic items Fluoride can be naturally found in many foods Higher levels of the mineral are found in brewed tea and coffees according to the National Institutes of Health ranging from 0.07 to .22 milligrams per serving who teaches chemistry at Florida Polytechnic University said she is extremely concerned about the dose of fluoride residents are getting She said her daughter suffers from receiving too much fluoride an "overdose," resulting in fluorosis of several teeth "I ask is it worth it to potentially prevent some cavities while essentially reducing the IQ of our children Other residents questioned whether fluoride could be to blame for diseases ranging from Alzheimer's to Parkinson's to thyroid disease and increased sports injuries among children but they did not point to any scientific or medical evidence science communities push back on studiesSeveral members of Winter Haven and Polk County's medical community called into question that federal fluoride study and pleaded with commissioners to allow time for more research a former Winter Haven commissioner and University of South Florida professor raised red flags about the National Toxicology Program's study Freijo said the cited studies on fluoride's impact were done in foreign countries including Canada "The levels of fluoride that the children were ingesting was much larger than what is permitted according to regulations here in the United States and according to what you have in your own water supply here," he said Freijo said a 2023 meta-analysis of eight studies in the same year as the NTP study found fluoride exposure concentration like that used in fluoridated community drinking water is not associated with lower IQ scores "As I look at the information I've been able come across so far data suggesting substantive negative effects are relatively weak," he said I think there is considerable data that indicate there has been very positive results from the use of fluoride." a 33-year practicing dentist in Winter Haven said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cites tooth decay and cavities are the most common chronic disease for adults and children "It disrupts peoples' lives and undermines their success," he said Census Data that Winter Haven has a poverty rate over 15% meaning one in six city residents are living in poverty These individuals may not have access to regular dental care or dental insurance "Water fluoride levels the field for the haves and have nots," he said an orthodontist of 37 years in Winter Haven and Lakeland said Grand Rapids saw a 60% reduction in tooth decay and cavities in children when it first fluoridated its water we're going to see a huge increase I think in dental decay president of the Polk County Dental Society "I want the decision to be made in a manner where all the data is reviewed as it's been going on since the '80s," he said "If we could review the data and hold off any vote I would prefer to keep fluoride in the water as I think it will get worse in the future." Commissioner Brian Yates spoke strongly in favor of removing fluoride from the city's water supply and remained steadfast in his position "There is far greater access to fluoride today than there was 40 years ago or 80 years ago when introduced into systems," he said " The government should not be involved in health care or what goes into the body of citizens Those really should be left up to the patient and provider." Commissioner Tracy Mercer said the commission was presented with a lot of information and that she was inclined to err in favor of medical professionals' opinions But she then voted against the advice of those professionals and in favor of ending fluoride additives voted in favor of removing fluoride with a request to the city manager to see if the $48,000 currently spent on fluoridation could be redirected to a charity or program that helps low-income children receive fluoride toothpaste or education on dental care City spokesperson Katrina Hill said Stavres was already investigating what options there are for that as of Wednesday morning saying he did not grow up visiting a dentist and was informed fluoride in drinking water helped protect his teeth He called himself "a probable poster kid for fluoride." I want to err on the side of helping people who cannot necessarily help themselves and I want no harm to anyone," he said "Do you want to save their brains or save their teeth," an individual called in response 3 seed (comprised of Emily Drier and Addison Traina) also finished their match with a win — a 4-1 victory which also helped the undefeated Winter Haven beach volleyball program (16-0) These two lines helped Winter Haven to a third straight district championship last week “It always feels good to win a district championship,” Winter Haven head beach volleyball coach Dylan Sechrest said “We really do try not to take it for granted but I know for many other kids in our county a district championship for them would be huge I try to stress and emphasize to our players that it’s a really good accomplishment our players and I do want and expect more.” Prepping for a postseason run: Winter Haven beach volleyball is primed for a deep postseason run. First up, districts District title clinched: Winter Haven captures district title in beach volleyball, looks to take new road back to state which is a step closer to the ultimate goal — first a regional championship But this team contrasts with last year’s squad on the road to the promised land The biggest difference between the 2025 team and last year’s squad is that Winter Haven is just a deeper team and the Blue Devils don’t have any walk-through pairings It’s a big advantage to have five pairs of student-athletes that go out and battle The best part of all when it comes to these lines: Winter Haven currently has no injuries This healthy bunch will be up against outside competition that’s tough though it only accounted for just 25% of Winter Haven’s schedule But there is a reason the Blue Devils barely went and played teams outside the county “With all of our players playing club volleyball it’s hard for us to travel far distances throughout the week because all of the kids have club practices at night,” Sechrest said the close-knit group is preparing arduously ahead of the stiff competition Practicing and touching up some deep corner shots won’t be taken lightly 1 seed Winter Haven will finally play vs No today (Tuesday) at Winter Haven High School Ron DeSantis announced a $1.5 million grant to improve a Winter Haven industrial complex's shipping connections across the state and Eastern seaboard "We looked at it and think there's a high return on investment," the governor said "The rail extension will help businesses expand their operations in this area and we definitely see the potential for new jobs being created." Winter Haven officials in partnership with the Winter Haven Economic Development Council park owner Tratt Properties and "Project Ray" filed an application requesting $1.5 million from the state in December along property owned by Evansville Western Railway Inc The project's total estimated cost is $3 million "This marks an important milestone for our community," said Bruce Lyon it was contemplated having direct rail service to this park The logistics park is currently home to Coca-Cola and Florida Caribbean Distillers California-based Niagara Bottling LLC is breaking ground on a 1.2 million-square-foot facility shortly several potential businesses have considered expanding into the park but having rail access to easily ship and distribute their goods is a key consideration Ford said there is a current business deal for a 1.2-million-square-foot warehouse that Monday's news conference was held in as the governor said we can't announce quite yet "It's an opportunity that has to have freight rail to get to their building to distribute goods." Winter Haven's grant application states the rail spur will help connect to "Project Ray," a code name given to the incoming industrial business It has proposed construction of a 225,000-square-foot cold storage facility requiring a capital investment of $100 million The business is estimated to employ about 200 people with an estimated average wage of $65,000 Ford said there is still about 6.5 million square feet of land in the logistics park that are fully entitled and permitted for future development This potentially serves as a site for multiple companies and hundreds of jobs truly this park has been a dream come true It has been a long time in the making," Winter Haven Mayor Nathaniel J for the citizens of Winter Haven and the State of Florida this will have a tremendous economic impact." The city will provide approximately $100,000 of "in-kind services" in the form of grant and project management for the rail spur CSX and the property owner Evansville Western Railway will fund the remaining construction costs DeSantis and Birdsong said once the rail spur is completed it should help to significantly reduced truck traffic on Polk County's major roadways "Every one rail car we bring into the park replaced three to four trucks on the road," Ford said the economy and there are more positives that are out there." HAINES CITY — Winter Haven boys tennis coach Pat Miller was confident that Ben Saltman and Wiley Simpson would provide the Blue Devils with three point against George Jenkins in their region final match The question he had: where would Winter Haven get the fourth point Everett Whitehead gave his teammates and coach the answer at No Whitehead won five straight points to pull out the match over Grayson Abbott The win gave Winter Haven the 4-2 victory over George Jenkins in the Class 4A “We kind of rely on him if we’re going to to get that fourth win against a team like GJ.” Semifinals: Bartow girls on track to repeat last year's magical season plus all regional tennis results Whitehead needed to regroup on the fly to pull out the match after the one-sided loss in the second set then trailing in the tiebreaker I didn't know that I won until like a few seconds after the point,” Whitehead said “No one told me the (team) score,” Whitehead said “I was just kind of trying to stay focused.” Abbott was a surprise opponent for Whitehead At county and districts and the district tiebreaker but I think they're pretty close and level,” Whitehead said “I try not to think about who my opponent is I just try and think about how to play my game.” Whitehead has been a key addition to the Blue Devils this season along with Simpson at No 1 at Lake Region his first two years of high school “Everett’s done this all year,” Winter Haven coach Pat Miller said Saltman and Simpson gave Winter Haven its other wins The Winter Haven duo then clinched the match at No 1 doubles as they defeated Kumria and Mitchell Winter Haven will head to the state tournament as a team The Blue Devils most recently went as a team in 2014 and 2016 “The kids put in all the work,” Miller said I'm just happy after last year when we won the regional semifinals beat then we had to come back and play George Jenkins So to come back and pay them back and to beat them to be the best you got to beat the best and Jenkins was the best last year McKeel fallWinter Haven will be the only boys team headed to the state tournament is returning to the state tournament after defeating Tampa Holy Names Region 2 finals at the Beerman Family Tennis Center who had already qualified for state as a district champion at No was one of three McKeel players to win their singles match she dominated the second set and defeated Holy Names’ Ashleigh Carpenter and Katy Wilary defeated Ashley Operderbeck McKeel clinched the match when Hutto and Davis defeated Carr and Carpenter WINTER HAVEN — It was a glorious day for Winter Haven High School sports in a spirited The city of Winter Haven in the evening had police officers blocking off roads between Winter Haven’s Denison Stadium and Central Park allowing the six-time state champions in Winter Haven Girls Basketball and state golf champion Anthony Monteleone to roll through the city streets in vehicles with style as they dance in and on cars in the city streets and wave to Winter Haven High School supporters Winter Haven girls basketball just last month won the Class 7A state championship 45-42 over rival Dr avenging the last two years of shortcomings to that very same school Winter Haven head girls basketball coach Johnnie Lawson said he took in the moment I knew they deserved it just by how hard they worked You look at a national championship that UCONN just won And just to know that there’s only been six teams to win this thing There have been some great teams in Polk County POY: Meet The Ledger’s 2025 Girls Player of the Year Serenity Hardy All County: Meet The Ledger's 2024-25 All-County Girls Basketball Team Winter Haven girls assistant basketball coach Billy D who was the head coach for a state champion Lake Wales basketball team back in the early 2010s and who now assures Winter Haven’s defensive prowess is top notch This one means a lot more to me because of all the situations I been through But this has been like a three-year prophecy basically We knew we would have a chance with this team and I’m glad we were able to accomplish it You don’t have many celebrations like this We are going to make sure we celebrate our young ladies for this accomplishment And plus Johnnie needs to be placed in the Hall of Fame Whatever we need to do to get him in there we need to get him in there,” Washington said And The Ledger’s three-time Player of the Year didn’t take lightly the vibrant situation that was going on in Winter Haven on the sacred day the moment the clock ran out and we were state champs I knew that there was more to come and the celebration was just getting started we go back to why we wear hardhats and why we carry those as captains for our team And our reason for our hardhats is to give back to the community (in) Winter Haven Winter Haven High School is a very hardworking community and so were able to win state championships but it’s all a community effort thanking everybody for supporting was amazing because we knew our parents would come and show out But seeing people I’ve never seen before saying my name the city set up a stage in the park where folks could speak and receive the championship banner to eventually post in the high school’s gym Winter Haven head golf coach Charlie James spoke about Monteleone and his state title He’s playing at some tournament or he is playing on the golf course He really works on his craft — one reason he is a state champion Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of City Manager T Haven officials wish to focus next year's budget on public safety and growth but are uneasy about the funds they will have to do so Winter Haven Commissioners and city staff finished two days of strategic budget planning for fiscal year 2026 Among their top priorities are growing public safety staff to ensure safety of the city's growing population this is based upon guidance that you have all provided to me over the year that public safety is vital," City Manager T "We have to make sure above anything else we are providing safety for our residents and for our business community." Increasing public safetyWinter Haven added six full-time police officers to its ranks but Stavres said he believes the city needs more The six officers were previously hired under the umbrella of the city but served as school resource officers until the Polk County Sheriff's Office took over running the program Funding was appropriate to have them work full time for the city and they were turned into a specialized unit often doing community awareness campaigns "We still need additional manpower within our police department," Stavres said The city is expecting to have two new Publix stores a new Target shopping center and more businesses open within the next year or two said he would fully support adding more officers and firefighters Commissioner Clifton Dollison said he'd like to see a greater focus from the police department on reducing violent crimes One of the quickest developing areas is the city's southeast quadrant where hundreds of apartments and townhouses have popped up off eastern Cypress Garden Boulevard.Stavres said he suggests commissioners move forward with identifying and purchasing a piece of land to serve as a large recreational park "We have several thousands of new residents in southeast Winter Haven with no new recreational facilities," the city manager said Stavres saidhe would like to see the city purchase at least 25 acres aiming for more than 50 acres to serve as a large recreational facility with sports fields Commissioner Brad Dantzler said he'd like to see the city's mural program expanded bringing more artwork into downtown Winter Haven Dantzler suggested the city could expand its arts by installing more sculptures or having the city's bridges painted offering unique artwork for boaters and other visitors to the Chain of Lakes He believes it will help draw more visitors and businesses to the city "We have a lot of stuff going in the right direction I'd like to see more emphasis from a financial point of view," he said There's a deep-rooted uncertainty about what funds the city will have available Legislation pending in Tallahassee could significantly affect the ability to raise ad valorem taxes and revenue needed to fund any long-term changes and all of them are under attack right now in one way or another," Commissioner Tracy Mercer said Ron DeSantis has proposed reducing or potentially eliminating Florida's property taxes While such a proposal would be unlikely to affect Winter Haven's fiscal year 2026 it is a major concern when planning for the future The city received roughly $28 million in property taxes this year While that's a little less than 10% of Winter Haven's total revenue there's debate over other sources such as the state sale tax being lowered — which would reduce the city's amount of state shared revenue Yates asked Stavres and city staff to consider how Winter Haven may collect revenue if the property tax is eliminated an exercise the city manager said is already happening Alternatives are being mapped out and considered by a number of municipalities across the state said he has concerns about the city's future financial obligations including its participation in the Polk Regional Water Cooperative's well fields and fees coming due with that given the number of potential revenue changes (This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.) Winter Haven issues boil water notice for all customers after disruption of serviceLakeland LedgerWinter Haven has issued a precautionary boil water notice for all water customers the city’s water utility system experienced a temporary disruption to its water service operations because of a technological system interruption affecting water plant controls Water service has since been restored citywide The precautionary boil water notice was issued in keeping with Florida Department of Health requirements A disruption in control systems caused water plant pumps to shut down about midnight leading to a drop in system pressure in parts of the service area While power outages as a cause of the technology disruption have been ruled out the exact cause is still under investigation The city’s staff manually restarted all plants and service was restored to most areas shortly after 7:30 a.m water service was back online and operating normally throughout the city System pressure is steadily returning to normal and water storage tanks are actively refilling So why boil water?City crews are on site at all plants to monitor operations and the city has initiated water quality testing through the entire system there is a risk of backflow or contaminants entering the system That is why all customers are advised to boil water intended for drinking Bring water to a rolling boil for at least one to two minutes The notice will remain in effect for 48 hours or until bacteriological testing confirms that the water is safe to consume Customers will receive automated calls if a number is on file and updates will be shared via the city website social media channels and local media outlets This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page WINTER HAVEN — History repeated itself on Tuesday when George Jenkins and Winter Haven finish tied at the Class 4A District 6 boys tennis tournament to force a tiebreaker match like last year Winter Haven avenged last season’s tiebreaker loss by defeating defending champion Jenkins Both team will advance to the regional tournament and could meet again in the region finals like last year “It's amazing,” Winter Haven’s Ben Saltman said I knew we had a chance today because yesterday both Layton (Kemp) and Everett (Whitehead) won against their team So I knew one of them could probably win again and then me and Wiley (Simpson) just had to do our job like we've been able to in the past.” Tennis: Hutto's 3-peat leads McKeel girls to team title plus more districts results George Jenkins returned players at all five singles positions while Winter Haven returned three of five players who qualified for the state tournament with his No 1 player for General Classical last season transferred after Geneva dropped boys tennis came over after Lake Region dropped boys tennis “Wiley is the third-best player in the county after Ben and Nico (Kumria),” Winter Haven coach Pat Miller said As expected Saltman continued his dominance at No 1 singles final on Tuesday to qualify for the state tournament for the second year in a row 1 singles was the only Winter Haven win in the district tiebreaker match Those there wins gave the Blue Devils a 3-2 lead after the singles matches and needing to win just one of the two doubles matches Logan Bright avenged his loss in the district finals by defeating Kemp 2 doubles finished first with Bright and Brayden Mitchell defeating Kemp and Chalwe The Blue Devils clinched the match when Saltman and Simpson defeated Kumria and Dylan Mitchell Saltman and Simpson have qualified the state tournament with their victory in the district finals on Tuesday Saltman also played doubles at state with Colin Lopez This will be Simpson’s first trip to the state tournament as Geneva didn’t play in the FHSAA postseason “It was really great opportunity to play at school that can go to state and districts and stuff like that and Ben's a great partner and it's a great team,” Simpson said Both Winter Haven and George Jenkins will advance to the regional semifinals and will play on Tuesday The Auburndale boys tennis team had little trouble in its district tiebreaker as the Bloodhounds won four singles matches to defeat Lakeland Kyle Fox  defeated Zachary Kossen 8-7 (7-5) at No and Trevor Petterec defeated Liam Gillespie Auburndale’s Orrin Kitchen led Mathew Fuentes Frostproof sisters Hannah Windham and Abigail Windham are headed to the state tournament after winning district titles at No 1 singles final to qualify for state tournament in singles Abigail defeated Orlando First Academy's Arden Guffin Abigail will join her sister at the state tournament as she and Hannah defeated First Academy’s Kylie Lindstrom and Nikki Grady This is the first trip to the state tournament for both players and the first girls tennis players from Frostproof to qualify for the state tournament The sisters will play in the Class 1A individuals bracket beginning April 28 at Sylvan Lake Park in Sanford Winter Haven rescinds boil water notice after testing finds no contaminationLakeland LedgerWinter Haven has rescinded a precautionary boil water notice that was issued Thursday Following a thorough bacteriological survey and testing results confirm that the water is safe to drink City staff collected and analyzed two sets of samples from all 90 designated sampling points across the system The city’s water utility system experienced a temporary disruption to its water service operations Thursday morning because of a technological system interruption affecting water plant controls Monroe admitted the video shared in multiple social media groups Wednesday has raised concerns and paints the police department in a negative light "I truly wish this child was not exposed to this." The viral video and photos appear to show a Winter Haven officer with his firearm drawn as the woman and child are lying face down on the ground Another officer works on handcuffing the mother I wish there was something we could do to change how this young lady engaged with us or how we engaged with her," Monroe said we will be looking at ways and other avenues we can safely and effectively engage with our citizens in situations like this." Media were invited to a news conference hosted by Winter Haven Police Department on Thursday morning, though roughly a dozen community members who showed up with questions were barred from entering. They were instructed to watch the Facebook livestream of the event the first thing your mind goes to is that baby sitting on the ground I'm sorry we can't get away from it," Monroe said "Everything else that happened in this particular incident means absolutely nothing to me The chief said he was thankful to see local community members immediately raise concerns about what was depicted in the video Four different perspectives on the eventThe Winter Haven Police Department released four videos of incident that started about 1:30 p.m Camera footage obtained from above the front entrance of the market shows Mariah Banks stepping out from under patio umbrellas to put her daughter in the car before walking around to get in the front passenger seat a verbal fight appears to break out between Godfrey Hercules II The fight escalates as Hercules moves from standing near the Nissan's driver door walking back toward the market trying to separate and calm Hercules as other employees also try to stop the incident Hercules reaches into his pocket and pumped a firearm twice as the Perez circled the car several times attempting to reach Hercules as others stepped between them Hercules and Banks climb back into the vehicle and leave The daughter had been sitting in the vehicle the entire time Winter Haven Police received several 911 calls about the fight including a Santiago's employee who reported a Black man with a firearm The dispatcher coded the call as a an armed robbery told officers to find a red Nissan Altima with a Black man driving Officers later found the car outside the American Legion Video footage from the American Legion shows that as the first marked police car rolls in Hercules walks away from Banks and her daughter heading toward the opposite end of the building Banks and Hercules discussed that they observed law enforcement and 'We don't want this to happen in front of our child'," Monroe said "That's why you see him walking to the other side of the building A second police car pull into the American Legion moments later video shows Banks pull out her cell phone and begin walking quickly the same direction as Hercules A Winter Haven police officer quickly orders her to "get down." "Her daughter just went to the ground with her," WHPD chief said "We did not order her daughter to the ground." Monroe said body camera footage from responding officer shows he had his firearm drawn and aimed over the top of the red Nissan Altima Once the officer came far enough around the vehicle to realize the child was there with the mother the chief said the officer lowered his gun into a "compressed low ready position" pointing the barrel toward the ground and finger clearly off the trigger A responding officer's body camera footage released by the department Thursday shows Banks and her daughter were lying flat on the ground with arms outstretched in front of them at 55-second mark One officer provides cover with a firearm drawn while another handcuffs Banks and quickly searches her Banks is helped to her feet by the officer at the 1 minute in the video during which time her 3-year-old daughter has remained lying face down on the ground next to her Monroe said officers acted in accordance with the police department's policy focusing on arresting the alleged armed suspect and ensuring community safety The chief said there was no one else on the scene who could have taken custody of the child at that time Monroe said no officer would have verbally told the girl to stand up as there was no one to take responsibility for her I'm not sitting up here trying to defend anything and maybe we have to look at something different looking at our policies in a different way," he said before shifting I think we have to look at how we will address these situations moving forward." Monroe said this arrest is not the first time that an adult is arrested while a child is with them do you think we are going to stop and say we are not going to arrest you because you have a child with you We are going to do it the best way we can with care." he wishes officers moved more swiftly toward Banks and her child to get them off the ground quickly Body cam footage from the police officer on scene makes clear the events' impact on the young child involved Banks' daughter bursts into tears upon standing up as her mother is helped up The Winter Haven officer spots a container of candy that has fallen to the ground and immediately offers it to the child Monroe said this is the first sign that the officers did "a fantastic job transitioning" to providing care and support for the young girl "You see officers immediately transition to care for the child and Ms "I know there's been many things said that we are letting the kid stay out there The officer's body camera footage does lend perspective on the child's fear during her mother's arrest The officer immediately verbally assures the child he will not but despite repeated reassurance the child repeatedly cries Mayor Nathaniel Birdsong said his first reaction was to be "appalled" when he first saw the viral video circulating online Birdsong said he was "relieved" to learn all the facts that the incident was handled with integrity What's next?Monroe said he plans to continue reviewing all the video footage in detail go over what was done well and then consider where his officers might need more training The chief said the issue runs much deeper than simply Winter Haven Police Department is a larger societal issue that needs to be addressed It starts when parents tease their children that a cop is going to take them to jail for not listening to their parents "I still have a problem with a child on the ground," Birdsong said "That goes far beyond Winter Haven Police Department it's a societal problem." It's also the responsibility of law enforcement to work with the community and discourage that behavior We have to stop playing this blame game all the time," he said We fortunately have a community in Winter Haven that is looking for those solutions." Monroe said he recognized the video may cause certain community members to lose trust or faith in the police department and that his officers will have to work to gain it back The chief said he has spoken to Banks since the incident "We can do our job and still be compassionate," he said Police said Wednesday that Hercules and Banks were released because Crespo Perez declined to press charges The department filed a complaint affidavit with the State Attorney's Office for Hercules for affray and improper display of a weapon It also filed a complaint for Crespo Perez for affray Community members not allowed to ask questions at Thursday's press conference have called for concerned residents to show up at the Winter Haven City Commission meeting at 6 p.m Monday in John Fuller Auditorium at City Hall LAKELAND — The district title was clinched 5 line of Camilla DeJesus and Leah Robles had just won their match to give the Blue Devils their match-clinching third win With Lakeland wanting to continue at the No Winter Haven’s duo of Emily Drier and Addison Trainer weren’t backing down and were determined to complete their comeback Drier and Trainer rallied and defeated Lakeland’s Kirra Lindsey and Sofia Burke give Winter Haven the overall 4-1 win ver Lakeland in the championship game of the Class 3A More: Winter Haven beach volleyball is primed for a deep postseason run. First up, districts More: Lakeland high school beach volleyball prepares for FHSAA District 10 semifinals Winter Haven (16-0) will host a regional quarterfinal match on Tuesday This was the Blue Devils’ second victory of the season over Lakeland (13-2) and a district title is kind of like a standard we like to set for ourselves,” senior Rylee Tanner said “We knew this was something we were going to accomplish but we like to go and be humble and still like make sure we put in a good fight.” That fight was never more evident than the battle at No Drier and Trainer dominated the second set and went back and forth in the third set before prevailing They defeated the Lakeland duo in the early-season match in three sets and was hoping this one would go just two “We had already played them so we knew it’s our hardest game of the season,” Drier said Traina is a new partner for Drier as she attended Titusville as a freshman where she played indoor volleyball so I feel like the hardest part wasn't us jelling,” Drier said “It was her getting used to the court being so much smaller and having two people on the court instead of all 6 We jelled pretty instantly and then it kind of probably took us like maybe 3 weeks at the most for us to actually start playing well together and clicking.” their teammates charged the court to celebrate their win “It definitely brings us all together,” Tanner said but it's so different when it's the real situation against a rival school So it definitely just brings everyone together puts more pressure on the girls on the court but it makes them feel like we're all here together.” After the first slate of matches where the No Winter Haven’s Kindyl Goff and Sophia Whitaker defeated Kamryn Massey and Naomi Hart 4 in the only other match that went three sets as Mya Lindsey and Isabella Burke defeated Isabella Sumner and Hala Heath Tanner and Kylie Catrett defeated Megan Rine and Caleigh Sladek at No 1 and DeJesus and Robles defeated Kara Marshall and Mia Crawford Now the real battles begin as Winter Haven is looking to return to the state tournament although this year the format is different there were two rounds of playoffs to reach the state tournament where there were four rounds — first round the format is like the rest of the team sports where there are three rounds of regionals to get through to reach the final four who lost in the first round at state last year “I feel like we're better than last year,” Drier said Riley and Kylie are way better this year than they were last year We're just like strong at every position.” Winter Haven has a multiple player of the year volleyball winning both indoors once and outdoors twice She and Catrett have played two seasons together “She’s a very scrappy player and very hardworking and determined like myself,” Tanner said “People call us just as similar and I definitely like enjoy playing with someone who wants it as bad as I do.” Tanner is confident that Winter Haven enters the postseason stronger than last year “Kindyl and Sophia are doing an amazing job,” Tanners said “They're kind of like the silent but deadly the goal to reach the state tournament remains the same “I get chills thinking about it,” Tanner said “Obviously a state championship is anyone's dream but making it in the Final Four would be a like a goal checked off the list for all of us It would be amazing to experience that as a team.” “I think our potential is there,” Winter Haven coach Dylan Sechrest said “We have to have everybody buy in on the same day and believe that we can really get the job done At some point we'll probably see Venice in the regional championship is what I'm kind of assuming I don't want to make any predictions except that we're going to work our butts off I do think we have a very strong chance to win our regional and make it to the Final Four.” All Joann stores, including both of the chain's Polk County locations are set to close after the fabric and craft retailer was auctioned off to a new ownership group After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time within a year Joann's remaining assets were put up for auction Retail liquidator GA Group and Joann's term lenders won the bidding for the struggling company on Saturday In collaboration with the new ownership group, the Hudson, Ohio-based retailer announced it will shut down operations at all stores after conducting going-out-of-business sales at each location ➤ Is Hooters closing? What to know about the dining chain's potential bankruptcy the auction results are expected to be formally approved during a hearing on Wednesday in the U.S Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware The company had previously announced the closures of "approximately 500" of its more than 800 locations across the U.S advisors and legal partners made every possible effort to pursue a more favorable outcome that would keep the company in business," the company statement reads "We are committed to working constructively with the winning bidder to ensure an orderly wind-down of operations that minimizes the impact on all our stakeholders." "We deeply appreciate our dedicated Team Members our customers and communities across the nation for their unwavering support for more than 80 years," the statement continues Last week, Joann began its going-out-of-business sales at the roughly 500 stores that were already set to close the sales are set to be rolled out across all locations Here is what to know about Joann's incoming owners and the fabric retailer's looming closures Polk County has two Joann stores: 4241 U.S The Lakeland location, in the shopping center with Bealls and Best Buy on U.S. 98 North, was on the original list of closures, according to the company's website The Winter Haven store, however, was not on the original list of closures. It occupied a shopping center at 3rd Street and Avenue O Southwest along with Big Lots. That chain began going-out-of-business sales in December Carpenter said the GA Group has a decades-long history with Joann Their past work includes assisting Joann in buying former competitor in the late 1990s and helping increase the retailer's store footprints from 2006 to 2016 Carpenter said the new ownership group is planning to roll out a "multimillion-dollar retention plan" for Joann's around 19,000 employees that includes organizing job fairs and granting workers time off so they can interview for other jobs "We will help (Joann) close these stores with empathy professionalism and efficiency," Carpenter said GA Joann Retail Partnership competed with stalking horse bidder Gordon Brothers Retail Partners for ownership of the fabric and crafts retailer over the weekend sales: What to knowJoann's going-out-of-business sales began at closing locations on Saturday “Only inventory available on-site at those stores will be part of the closing sales,” the company said in a news release No information about specific discounts is available online some Joann stores said that base discounts ranged between 10-20% with some Christmas items being discounted as high as 75% According to Joann’s restructuring website the retailer said it is not accepting gift cards The company also said item returns are not being accepted at the closing locations A 27-year-old Winter Haven man is dead after a fight between two friends on Monday night ended in gunfire Winter Haven police said they arrested Andre Sequan Harris shooting into a dwelling and discharge of a firearm in a residential area Harris is being held at Polk County jail with no bond At 4:37 p.m. Monday, Winter Haven police responded to a 911 call of a shooting on Avenue H Northwest in Winter Haven Harris called 911 and said he "had to shoot my friend," according to police responded to the scene to a find a 27-year-old man lying on the ground with gunshot wounds Lakeland police: 6-year-old boy in critical condition after accidentally shooting himself A witness told officers the two men had been arguing in the parking lot of the backside of the Avenue H Northwest duplexes prior to the shooting Harris left the scene in a black Ford F-150 The man then walked to the front of the duplex Harris asked the witness where the man had gone Harris got out of his truck and retrieved an AK-47 rifle then walked around to the back of the vehicle Harris told officers he knew the man regularly carried a K-bar knife in his sleeve and that the man had started to approach him with the knife extended Harris fired his rifle and hit the man five times said they heard a spray of gunshots and two bullets entered the residence "It is a miracle that innocent bystanders were not injured or worse with this reckless behavior," Police Chief Vance Monroe said in a statement "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim's family as they face the future without their loved one." Winter Have detectives found seven bullet shells scattered across the roadway The man who was shot was lying on the sidewalk Harris told officers he and the man had argued over money and items he had lent the man officers said the deceased man still had the knife tucked into his sleeve and not extended as Harris claimed Polk State College will host a ribbon cutting for the newly renovated Winter Haven Fine Arts Building which will include a reception and special performance by renowned R&B group Uptown The newly revamped facility marks a significant milestone in the College’s commitment to enhancing student experiences and supporting the arts The ribbon cutting also serves as the second public celebration of Polk State’s 60th anniversary Polk State College Winter Haven Fine Arts Building Ribbon Cutting Tuesday, January 21, 2025 999 Ave. H N.E., Winter Haven | Winter Haven Fine Arts Theatre Ribbon Cutting – 5:30 p.m. Reception – 6:15 p.m. Performance – 7:30 p.m. Members of the public can RSVP to tinyurl.com/WFAticket   Members of the media can RSVP to mfantozzi@polk.edu  The ribbon cutting will begin promptly at 5:30 p.m The reception and special performance will follow Attendees can RSVP for the ribbon cutting or the ribbon cutting and special performance combined to ensure seating for both portions of the event The Legislature allocated $16.2 million in Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) funds in 2021 to renovate the 65,000-square-foot facility that opened in 1978 with the building closing in phases to lessen potential impacts on classes The building officially reopened on schedule for the Spring 2025 Semester The renovation project was led by Rowe Architects with AD Morgan Corporation and DuCon serving as the construction managers Enhancements include a new roof and bricks to the exterior as well as upgrades to the band and music rooms The renovations will allow Polk State to expand the quality of programming and meet the growing technology needs of students and the many community members who utilize the Winter Haven Fine Arts Building 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 A new Winter Haven "jungle pub" is inviting residents to take a sip on the wild side Wellie Liao and her partner, Stephen Vallette, have opened Sauvage, serving up small batch eco-spirits with an eclectic blend of Polynesian-inspired food thanks to a bold mural of a lion and a zebra sharing cocktails in suits but it also is used in winemaking to indicate a wine made through spontaneous fermentation with natural or indigenous yeast "It's our inspiration of being able to be free and wild in our choice of spirits and our food program," she said "I really wanted to do a full concept and mingle the two," she said Vallette has experience in the restaurant industry having worked for Chef Jim Shirley Enterprises in Destin before more recently opening two locations with the No Reservations Restaurant Group "This is a dream come true for both of us," Liao said Sauvage is the first bar in Polk County to serve up eco-spirits or super small-batch liquors made from ethically sourced fruit or grains and stored in sustainably made packaging "From every aspect from production to delivery it's complete transparency where everything comes from and who has had their hands on it," she said "That's not always the case for all spirits." The couple said they've made a point of learning the story behind each wine and spirit purchased for the pub They have avoided those with artificial flavors saying they can distort the taste of a final cocktail Drinks on the cocktail menu incorporate a variety of tropical fruit is a twist on an Old Fashioned featuring brown butter-washed Doc Swinson bourbon Sauvage even boasts a selection of frozen tiki drinks served up in tiki bars There are no waiters or waitresses coming around to take food orders customers are expected to order from the bar Liao said it was inspired by the Japanese pub Tori Tori in Orlando She understands it might take some getting used to "It's a foreign concept to go to the bar to ask for food but we are so comfortable with it when it comes to drinks," she said offering Sauvage customers more control over their dining experience Hakucho: A new Japanese-inspired 'swan' coming to Downtown Lakeland this spring Sauvage's menu is an eclectic mix of island-meets-Asia with a playfulness in name titles or not." Signature dishes include Auntie's wings slow roasted wings that are then flash-fried with a unique island sauce a twist on the American classic cheeseburger made with prime rib and homemade sauces Liao said none of the pub's food is fried in seed oils "It makes everything taste better and satiates your appetite," she said Sauvage celebrated its grand opening on Jan Liao said she plans to launch a sustainable coffee hour featuring the pub's eco-spirits A live DJ plays music on Thursday to Saturday nights and Sunday brunch Winter Haven head beach volleyball coach Dylan Sechrest and the squad's mindset is always to compete at the highest level There is never a moment when the Winter Haven program is worried about what others are saying the focus is on being the best the team can be achieving more than it ever has in beach volleyball as a program That's led to the Blue Devils finishing the regular season with a perfect 14-0 record ― the third straight season the team has won 14 games or more — and the postseason is on the horizon Sechrest said his favorite moment of this season was the 5-0 sweep win over Kissimmee Osceola 1 line had a great battle in that match that came down to the wire and Winter Haven was able to pull off the win against a solid team while keeping their composure and staying focused but I will say we feel like our work is just getting started," Sechrest said and state is the time that as a team we have been working towards and looking forward to We have a great opportunity next week to start it off strong and bring home another district championship." Sadie McIntee and Morgan Giles are all student-athletes who have been in the program's top 10 in years past and are doing a seminal job keeping Winter Haven where the program wants to be Staate: 'I was proud': Winter Haven beach volleyball shows viable effort at state to end year Tanner: Winter Haven volleyball's Rylee Tanner is The Ledger's Player of the Year "It's been bittersweet for sure," Tanner said "I'm proud I am able to say I played on the first-ever Winter Haven High School FHSAA beach team I got to experience so much along the way with the growth and process of our team but I am so excited for the future of this team and the program as each season we continue to grow and build I have had a great high school season because of my teammates my school and how much the community has supported us." Winter Haven has had a plethora of newcomers hitting the ground running to help this program Leah Robles and Camila DeJesus have made the Blue Devils a complete team Regular Winter Haven beach supporters know that they don't actually play like newcomers "I am thrilled with their progression over this year," Sechrest said Looking around the Polk County beach landscape Lakeland has had the best season in Polk outside of Winter Haven with the only loss against Winter Haven by a score of 4-1 It is very likely that the Blue Devils will play the Dreadnaughts once more this upcoming Wednesday for the district championship the level of competition will likely heat up for Winter Haven after districts the Dreadnaughts may have a chance to win a regional game this year though it’s likely going to be a tough and tight match 1 teams in each of their respective regions as of now and all four of those teams should be incredibly solid For Winter Haven it's pretty simple: to push as hard as possible and advance back to the state tournament at Florida State to have a chance to win it all "There is work to be done before we can achieve that huge goal but that’s what we want and that’s what we’re working towards," Sechrest said (we want) to begin a heavy 'ramp up' to playing our best volleyball of the season entering regionals and the state tournament I will likely be playing against the kids a decent amount in practice these next couple weeks just to try to give them tougher looks at opponents and what they can expect to see as the competition continues to improve Our strategy is to hit our shots and outwork our opponents," Sechrest said Winter Haven's district semifinal is set for Tuesday at Winter Haven High School More than 400 people took in the soothing sounds and wondrous new sights of Polk State College’s Winter Haven Fine Arts Building (WFA) during a ribbon cutting on Tuesday The state-of-the-art upgrades will expand the quality of programming and meet the growing technological needs of students and the many community members who patronize the College’s performances and exhibitions that take place in WFA “This ribbon cutting marks more than just the reopening of a renovated building—it represents a powerful and meaningful investment in the future of our students and world-class art education and entertainment for Polk County,” said Cindy Hartley Ross Chair of the Polk State District Board of Trustees it is essential that we continue to provide access to high-quality higher education and workforce training This investment in infrastructure—whether it is state-of-the-art classrooms or first-rate performance and exhibition spaces—ensures that our students have the resources they need to thrive artistically and professionally.” Entertainment for the formal grand opening also the second public celebration of Polk State’s 60th anniversary included renowned R&B group Uptown and Polk State Professor of Humanities Ben Pila the only classical guitarist to be named a presidential scholar in the arts “What’s happening here today is a testament to us to all the people who have been involved in trying to bring the best facility this side of heaven to little old Winter Haven and to Polk County,” Winter Haven Mayor Nat Birdsong remarked newly renovated facility and it’s going to serve us well for generations to come.” First opened in 1978, the 65,000-square-foot facility was reconstructed through a collaborative effort between Polk State faculty, staff, and administrators, as well as engineers, architects, and construction crews “Collaboration is the truth of architecture,” added Rick Rowe “No single person or vision could have brought this remarkable building back to life like this Architecture is not just about buildings—it’s about people and a shared commitment to creating something greater than the sum of its parts.” The renovations were possible thanks to a $16.2 million allocation of the Florida State Legislature in Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) funds in 2021 “Today marks the culmination of years of planning and collaboration,” Polk State President Dr “…with our College submitting this project to be considered for Public Education Capital Outlay funding since 2008—marking 13 years of requests Our students and community will now reap the benefits of this longstanding priority of our College “The arts are not only a vital expression of culture but also an essential element in preparing students for success,” shared Dr Polk County Commissioner and former Polk State DBOT member and later Provost for the Winter Haven Campus “Polk State has long been committed to fostering talent and providing students with the skills to thrive in both artistic careers and the broader workforce.” Construction began in May 2023, with the building closing in phases to lessen potential impacts on classes, students, and employees was infused with additional thoughts and ideas,” exclaimed Rebecca Smith “Every dynamic and every movement was just an amazing process to watch The collaboration is represented at every turn Among the enhancements is the Winter Haven Fine Arts Gallery members of the College and greater community can experience the inaugural exhibit titled “Canvas of Community: Celebrating Visual Artists” with work displayed by local artists including Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd The exhibit also features work from Polk State faculty members “This will be the place where students like me will make their dreams come true where students will learn from their mistakes and where passions will be expanded into realities.” “The arts are not only a creative outlet,” Falconetti continued “They are a transformative force that cultivates critical thinking and innovation—essential skills that empower individuals to excel in any field fostering a community where imagination and adaptability drive progress across all sectors of the workforce.” The final speaker prior to the cutting of the ribbon was Music student Kevin Ramirez who is on track to graduate with his Associate in Arts degree in May He explained how the College helped him overcome challenges such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and struggles in his studies early on He also noted how the enhanced space will benefit students like himself “The first time I was in the arts building here at Polk State I felt like this was the place I belonged,” Ramirez contended “I was here during the whole renovation process—from the demolition to the rebuild I will enjoy being part of the new classrooms Even the atmosphere of the building feels different—clearer and more welcoming This will be the place where students like me will make their dreams come true 5.1.25 Gateway student to earn Polk State degree at just 15 Ron DeSantis delivers grant to Winter Haven for key rail spur to intermodal center | photos17 PHOTOSWinter Haven Mayor Nathaniel Birdsong is escorted with Florida Gov Ron DeSantis carrying a $1.5 million check for a private group photo after a news conference in a new 1.2 million-square-foot warehouse facility Monday The governor traveled to Winter Haven to announce a state grant that will help fund a rail spur connecting CSX's Intermodal Terminal to the Central Florida Integrated Logistics Park Ron DeSantis speaks during a news conference in a new 1.2 million-square-foot warehouse facility Monday in Winter Haven Winter Haven Mayor Nathaniel Birdsong greets Gov Ron DeSantis after a press conference in a new 1.2 million-square-foot warehouse facility Monday "It has been a long time in the making," Birdsong said during the event Ron DeSantis and Ashley Bell Barnett walk to a private photo gathering after a press conference in a new 1.2 million-square-foot warehouse facility Monday Ron DeSantis joins Florida Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly and Bruce Lyon president of the Winter Haven Economic Development Council for a check presentation Monday in Winter Haven Guests walk around the massive warehouse after a news conference Monday which owns the Central Florida Integrated Logistics Park said there is a business deal in place for the 1.2-million-square-foot warehouse that Monday's press conference was held in has proposed construction of a 225,000-square-foot Ron DeSantis greets Ashley Bell Barnett after a press conference in a new 1.2 million-square-foot warehouse facility Monday in Winter Haven Ron DeSantis speaks during a news conference announcing a state grant that will pay for roughly half of a new rail spur connecting the CSX Intermodal Terminal to the Central Florida Integrated Logistics Park in Winter Haven The project's total estimated cost is $3 million Florida Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly speaks during a news conference announcing a state grant that will pay for roughly half of a new rail spur connecting the CSX Intermodal Terminal to the Central Florida Integrated Logistics Park in Winter Haven Officials argue once the rail spur is completed it should help to significantly reduced truck traffic on Polk County's major roadways "Every one rail car we bring into the park replaced three to four trucks on the road," said Jim Ford of Tratt Properties Winter Haven Mayor Nathaniel Birdsong and Gov Ron DeSantis are whisked away by handlers after a news conference Monday in Winter Haven speaks during a news conference Monday in Winter Haven "This marks an important milestone for our community," he said Ron DeSantis speaking during a news conference Monday in Winter Haven of Winter Haven was arrested Tuesday and faces felony charges including second-degree murder robbery with a firearm and unlawful use of a two-way communication device On Monday, Winter Haven police received a call about 1 p.m reporting a shooting at the Abbey Lane Apartments in the city's southwest off Recker Highway were at the apartment when an 18-year-old driver pulled up in a Kia Soul Washington and the 17-year-old entered the Kia Soul to purchase a cell phone from the driver A physical fight broke out and the 17-year-old began striking the Kia's driver with the butt of a gun The driver exited the Kia and got into the backseat The driver pushed the teenager out of the vehicle and left the area The 17-year-old later died of the gunshot wounds Washington got out of the vehicle and fled on foot running through the apartment complex and adjacent neighborhood Detectives later tracked down Washington and identified him as one of the two individuals who had been in the car Washington told officers he arranged the sale of a cell phone and his deceased friend was "probably" going to rob the victim Police determined based on this statement that Washington knew an armed robbery was going to occur Winter Haven Police Department is not identifying the name of the Kia Soul driver saying he is a crime victim under Marsy's Law Brown said she is not aware of any charges pending against the driver at this time Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — Florida Polytechnic University is taking on a research project to solve a smelly issue that has plagued Central Florida for decades: stinky tap water “They are doing an analysis using the samples from the plant,” said Dr who is the assistant professor of environmental engineering at Florida Polytechnic University. Kim is leading a research team of four undergraduate research assistants who are tasked with getting to the bottom of a stinky problem “What we heard so far is that during short periods of time at higher temperatures with higher moisture it’s basically aggravating the condition so that some of the limited area will still get a rotten egg smell from their tap water,” he said Kim says the rotten egg smell in the tap water has been an issue for all of Central Florida since the 1970s and while the water is safe to drink and meets all EPA regulations the smell can be pretty bad at times due to hydrogen sulfide This team is working on a better treatment process to eliminate it then we can provide a better solution so we can also go with a pilot testing next year and a better solution for water soon,” he said they’re collecting samples from the city’s water treatment plants weekly and collecting data Kim says they’ll likely launch a pilot test with Winter Haven for a new treatment process next year.  Florida Polytechnic is working with the director of Winter Haven’s water department on the project who says while the city’s water supply is well below levels of concern and is constantly monitored to ensure its safety any reduction in disinfection byproducts by Florida Poly’s team will help the city improve the quality of water even beyond what is required A Polk County jury found Beloni Petit-Frere guilty on Tuesday of the brutal 2020 stabbing deaths of a former girlfriend and the man who was with her at a Winter Haven motel The jury will start hearing evidence Monday The prosecution argues there were aggravating circumstances behind the murders Those claims must outweigh mitigating factors to be presented by the defense When filing its intent to pursue the death penalty the State Attorney’s Office said the following aggravating circumstances existed:   The defendant was previously convicted of another capital felony or one involving the use or threat of violence to the person.The capital felony was committed while the defendant was engaged in the commission of or flight after committing or attempting to commit robbery resulting in great bodily harm.The capital felony was especially heinous the capital felony was a homicide committed in a cold without moral or legal justification.Records filed with the 10th Judicial Circuit Clerk of Courts show the defense has hired a mitigation specialist to counter the prosecution’s claims The specialist gathers information about a defendant’s mental health life circumstances and other relevant factors to build a case for an alternative sentence during the death penalty phase of such a trial the 12-member jury will deliberate on whether to recommend the judge imposes a death penalty at Petit-Frere's sentencing only eight of the 12 jurors need to vote in favor of a death sentence in order for the judge to impose one And it's rare for a judge to go against a jury recommendation During the trial, Assistant State Attorney Bonde Johnson told the jury that DNA evidence surveillance video and statements by the defendant proved beyond a reasonable doubt the defendant carried out the murders said police and investigators focused on the wrong man and went for the usual suspect in the killings the state’s case had too little DNA evidence and it relied on several “conflicts in the evidence.”  Court records show Petit-Frere claimed he was with a new girlfriend at the time of the murders and was not involved He also claimed the girlfriend could “clear his name.”   A laborer, Petit-Frere, 42, of Winter Haven was charged with the double homicides at the Rose Motel within days after Anderson’s mother called police for a wellness check and a well-being check was conducted by officers about 3:20 p.m The gruesome homicides were discovered in room 112 Her son was found dead of stab wounds on a bed near the door and Umpleby was found stabbed to death in the bathroom Petit-Frere was charged with two counts of first-degree capital murder on Oct 16 while being held in the Polk County Jail on unrelated charges Police said they applied the double murder charges after DNA collected at the scene was confirmed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement laboratory to belong to Petit-Frere He was also charged with armed burglary and tampering with evidence A grand jury later added three counts of burglary of an occupied dwelling with battery or assault The jury found him guilty of all seven charges Court records documented the abusive end to the relationship between Petit-Frere and Umpleby The defendant and Umpleby had previously been in a dating relationship for about a year prior to the homicides Umpleby reported during a 911 call on May 7 Umpleby called a friend to help her move out of the residence where she and the defendant had lived The friend told investigators that she had heard Petit-Frere say to Umpleby Umpleby broke off the relationship with the defendant and moved into the Rose Motel She then met Anderson and they began a romantic relationship Petit-Frere heard she was living with another man and forced his way into her room and beat her He left the premises before law enforcement arrived she stated that she feared for her life and that Petit-Frere had “hunted her down at the motel.” In a text Umpleby and Anderson were murdered in their shared motel room on Oct Winter Haven Public Safety Director and Police Chief Charlie Bird said the homicides were a domestic violence crime "about ego and possession" after Umpleby announced she was leaving Petit-Frere Bird added that just prior to the homicides Petit-Frere had allegedly been on the porch with a roommate smoking marijuana laced with ecstasy and talking about how upset he was about the breakup A charging affidavit prepared by Winter Haven Police also described a prolonged and violent relationship between Petit-Frere and Umpleby which included a restraining order that had expired days before the slayings and after she missed a hearing (This article was changed because a previous version contained an inaccuracy.) known for Spessard Holland and Lawton Chiles Ana Maria Ruiz Perea, a senior at Winter Haven High School, gained election to that post during the annual Girls State gathering in Tallahassee a mock-government program sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary appeared before the Winter Haven City Commission last month as the city recognized her with a proclamation The Polk County School Board also honored her at its meeting on Jan introduced Ruiz before the student spoke at the meeting “I was telling some of my colleagues earlier ‘You're going to remember this girl,’” Wyatt said “She's the one that asked a lot of questions at Leadership Winter Haven because she is so inquisitive and always represents not only Winter Haven High School really well but Polk County as a whole.” While Wyatt suggested Ruiz was the first student from Polk County to be elected governor at Girls State at least one former student achieved that feat — Fentrice Driskell of Lake Gibson High School The American Legion Auxiliary created the Girls State program in 1937 as a way of introducing high school students to the mechanics of government along with a parallel tradition of Boys State Students entering their senior years are competitively selected and sponsored by American Legion Auxiliary units — in Ruiz’s case Ruiz said she learned about the program from Nancy Bachman a student success coach at Winter Haven High Bachman told her that other teachers and counselors had recommended her “And then after searching online and stuff I saw that it was actually a big deal,” Ruiz said and that's one of the things I mainly want to do in life later on.” The school selects students to be interviewed by leaders of the American Legion Auxiliary from Post 8 Ruiz was joined by Winter Haven High students Katherine Plavetzky and Faith Chichetto Ruiz said she attended a school that emphasized the English language She first came to the United States in eighth grade received an assignment with the United Nations headquarters The family lived in New Jersey for about a year Ruiz moved to Winter Haven with her parents midway through her sophomore year of high school She has since immersed herself in activities Future Business Leaders of America and DECA while also competing in flag football and weightlifting and joining the school’s dance squad She became an advanced international Certificate of Education Cambridge scholar gaining her diploma with merit in one year The program takes some students as long as four years Poinciana area Polk School Board approves moving forward with proposal for high school Ruiz participated in the Congressional Classroom program of the Randy Roberts Foundation a nonprofit that takes high school seniors to Washington to meet government officials and learn about the democratic process She also joined the Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Winter Haven program completed an internship with a local business and compiled more than 180 hours of community service a Christian nonprofit that supports people facing hunger and homelessness Girls State takes place over 10 days in Tallahassee over the summer bringing together about 300 students from across the state Students reside on the Florida State University campus and travel to the Florida Capitol for activities Participants are assigned to one of two political parties receiving lessons on governmental operations Students are expected to draft a bill for consideration by the mock Legislature Each student can pursue a mock office based on Florida’s government structure and at first Ruiz planned to run for a House of Representatives seat in the Legislature But she learned that House members are only allotted short speeches while the governor can provide a longer address Ruiz discussed her options during a phone call with her mother “And then she told me that I should go big or go home,” Ruiz said “And that kind of really motivated me to say ‘Maybe I should actually risk it.’ And I risked it.” made the rounds of other fellow students to campaign I would actually never tell anybody to vote for me because I felt like we tried to be the most humble campaign – no ego And we just actually heard about everybody's bill.” Having gained the nomination of the Federalist Party Ruiz said she had to control her nerves when speaking to all 300 girls before the main election she discussed the proposed legislation her fellow students had created Her reaction after winning the election for governor but I really tried to keep myself calm because I wanted to demonstrate that it was never really about me,” she said “I didn't want to be mean to the other girl and I didn't want to be mean to the people who voted for her I have never felt the peace that I felt in that moment because I genuinely thought that was my calling that I was here to help and be the voice for others.” Ruiz will return to Tallahassee to attend Florida State University where she plans to study finance before pursuing law school and a career as a commercial lawyer she talked of one day running to be Florida’s actual governor the position she briefly held at a symbolic level Acknowledging that the aspiration might seem “a crazy idea,” Ruiz said Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on X @garywhite13 Publix plans to build a new 50,300-square-foot grocery store south of Winter Haven at the northeastern corner of West Lake Ruby and Thompson Nursery Road according to the city’s planning department Orlando-based Windercrest Development Group Inc submitted construction plans two weeks ago with Winter Haven for the new Publix location The plans for the 10.02 acres include a grocery store with a drive-thru pharmacy and a separate liquor store The land is part of the Traditions Phase 1 subdivision The site plan also shows two outparcels along Thompson Nursery Road The Publix and its liquor store will occupy a total of 52,425 square feet in addition to 8,400 square feet of adjacent retail space said that while he cannot speculate on an individual retailer's strategy recent growth in the city can play a factor in companies expanding their locations "I suspect recent residential growth in Winter Haven has reached a threshold where a retailer believes there is market-demand to open new locations," he said Winter Haven has permitted about 5,800 residential units within the city limits with a significant percentage of those units being developed in the southeastern portion of the city The Traditions site will be the fifth Publix store inside the city Byers said the nearest existing Publix stores to the Traditions location are approximately 3 miles to the east at U.S 27 and 3.5 miles to the northwest on Cypress Gardens Boulevard Election 2024: Publix shows might with political donations, leaning toward Republicans in Florida we do not have any plans for future Aldi or Walmart stores locating in Winter Haven." Nor has Sprouts Farmers Market and The Fresh Market made any inquiries The newest plans for a Publix store were first reported by Growth Spotter which said the Winter Haven store is larger than the typical Publix prototype store from a historical basis stores have averaged between 46,000 and 48,000 square feet But recently the grocer has expanded to 52,000 square feet at Loughman Crossing across from the Providence golf community in Davenport and has another large format store planned at U.S 55,000-square-foot prototype at 890 Jersey Road there are three Publix stores in operation in Winter Haven and a fourth is set to break ground soon off Dundee Road in the city's northeast is the largest employee-owned company in the United States with 255,000 workers and 1,383 stores throughout its eight states operating area within the Southeast WINTER HAVEN — Winter Haven coach Johnnie Lawson was pondering the question of what makes a dynasty The Blue Devils have been to the state tournament more than 20 times since LeDawn Gibson first took the team to the state tournament in 2000 and they had won five state titles coming into the season but Lawson felt one more title was needed to solidlify that description There shouldn’t be any questions about the dynasty tag anymore Winter Haven’s six-season drought ended. The Blue Devils avenged two Final Four losses to Orlando Dr. Phillips in nail-biting fashion with a 45-42 victory on Saturday in the title game of the 2025 FHSAA Class 7A Girls Basketball Championships at The Lakeland Center From 2024: Winter Haven fights, loses close one to Dr. Phillips in girls basketball state semifinals State Semifinals: Winter Haven girls basketball turns up the heat in second half to beat Ocoee in FHSAA semifinals The title is Lawson’s fourth state title as head coach — he has two more rings as Gibson’s assistant — and he ties Lakeland Christian girls soccer coach Jason Streets for the most state titles by an active Polk County coach Lake Gibson’s Danny Walker has 10 titles combine in wresting (6 duals team title and Bartow softball coach Glenn Rutenbar has eight Winter Haven won titles in '05 and '07 under Gibson and won three in a row under Lawson from '16 to '18 and it was especially sweet for senior guard Serenity Hardy Rolijah and Derajah won in football at Lakeland and Trinity won in girls basketball at Winter Haven when will you get one?” Hardy said laughing Phillips made it especially sweet as Winter Haven had been eliminated by Dr including a heartbreaking 47-43 loss in the 7A title game in 2023 so we knew what it was coming in and we got the job done,” senior point guard Jaeden Williams said Winter Haven leaned heavily on Hardy offensively to get the job done Her 22 points were just about half her team’s total points She had 17 field goal attempt while six teammates combined for 20 In the third quarter she had eight of Winter Haven’s nine field goal attempts “I wanted to get her in the post,” Lawson said “But then the big girl starte coming over a little bit and I thought maybe Serenity was forcing a little bit So I was just telling Jaeden to just run the play.” Hardy knew a lot was expected from her but she also knew she had the support of her teammates “I'm the offensive threat for the team with the backup of Jaeden but my mindset coming into this game is we need revenge Winter Haven trailed after the first quarter but opened the second quarter with a 12-0 run to go up by nine points The Blue Devils made defensive stops and had a few possessions where they had the chance to extend their lead to double digits and really take control of the game But turnovers or missed shots kept Winter Haven’s lead under 10 points and Dr making it the only quarter it outscored the Braves Lake Gibson stayed within striking distance the entire game who played at Lake Gibson as a freshman before transferring to Dr He shot 7 of 15 from the field and finished with 18 points and eight rebounds she missed nearly the entire season as she rehabbed a knee injury and saw very limited action against Winter Haven Williams made two free throws to give Winter Haven a seven-point lead with under five minutes to play but the Blue Devils did not score against until Quin’Nya Gray de Sanders made a free throw with 5.3 seconds to play Phillips had cut the lead to two points but missed two shots in the final minute with Winter Haven getting the rebound each time They each has six rebounds to lead Winter Haven Celebrate the winter season in the natural beauty and serenity of Wave Hill From seasonal displays and self-guided activities to special programming and workshops there’s something for everyone of all ages And it all begins on the first weekend of December highlighting its seasonal décor and history The gardens will be open late on Saturday, December 7! Stay for sunset and our Bronx Beer Hall and Food Truck Party from 3-8:30pm Celebrate the season with family and friends at one of our evening programs throughout December: Family Pajama Party and Winter Solstice Wishes; and a Winter Solstice Walk and Pub Night Or simply come for a stroll and savor the serene magic of the gardens at night Our tips help you navigate our grounds and protect our living collection—and we have guidelines in place to keep us all safe and well © Wave Hill 2025 Olympian and Solheim Cup participant Matilda Castren to win the 2025 Central Florida Championship Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInUPDATE: The body of the missing swimmer has been found (WWSB) - The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has recovered the body of the child missing earlier today from Lake Roy “Sheriff (Grady) Judd will brief the media here at the scene after 5 p.m Please keep this family in your prayers,” she sheriff’s office posted on social media at about 5:40 p.m Rescuers combed on and under a Winter Haven lake for a juvenile who disappeared while swimming Thursday and our drones and helicopter overhead,” the sheriff’s office posted on social media “Polk County Fire Rescue has boats on the water as well The Winter Haven Police Department also assisting in the search Spectrum is Winter Haven's top internet provider affordable plans and speeds up to 1 gigabit for residents across the city According to the FCC fiber internet is available to over 48% of households in Winter Haven If you're wanting fiber service at your home Frontier Fiber will be your best bet for connection The average starting cost for home internet in Winter Haven is $45 a month but a few providers offer plans cheaper than that Spectrum offers the most affordable service in the area costing only $25 monthly for speeds up to 50Mbps Frontier Fiber is the fastest ISP in Winter Haven, and it's also the only provider that offers multi-gigabit plans Customers can choose between 2 gigabits for $100 or 5 gigabits for $155 a month CNET experts recommend Spectrum as the best internet service provider in Winter Haven This is largely thanks to its expansive coverage and affordable plans With unlimited data and complimentary equipment Spectrum eliminates hidden fees and caters to various needs and budgets you can get a reliable connection at 50 Mbps Their $30 plan offers 100 Mbps if you need more bandwidth perfect for multiple users or frequent high-definition streaming But if you're not in the area to have Spectrum, don't fret. There are other alternatives. Frontier and T-Mobile are also available and each ISP has a decent price and speedy plans making them worth checking out if they are available at your address Winter Havenites looking for high-speed internet should consider checking out Frontier Fiber They offer a 5-gigabit plan for $155 per month with no data caps and a 2-gigabit plan for $100 per month The best internet deals and top promotions in Winter Haven depend on what discounts are available during that period but we look frequently for the latest offers.  may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time run the same standard pricing year-round.  For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.  Photo by Carl & Ann Purcell/Getty Images Note that these are only guidelines and that internet speed service and performance vary by connection type For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need It doesn’t end there: We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page Spectrum is Winter Haven's top internet provider According to the FCC If you're wanting fiber service at your home Frontier Fiber is the fastest ISP in Winter Haven, and it's also the only provider that offers multi-gigabit plans The City of Winter Haven confirmed a big box store is planned along U.S 17 across the street from the Chain of Lakes Athletic Complex The plans submitted so far are typical of Super Target store “We have received a site plan submittal indicating a big box store from engineering firm VHB who was hired by the property owner V3 Commercial,” city spokesperson Katrina Hill said via email Thursday “We can confirm it is a national big box store but no specific company is confirmed on applications to the City.”   The largest of the multiple land parcels that will comprise the Haven Square project has an address of 1500 3rd St The 147,000-square-feet big box retail store a parking lot and retention pond on a site plan submitted to the city shows the project would cover 20 acres at 3rd Street/U.S Polk County records lists V 3 Haven Square Retail LLC as the owner According to a report Tuesday by GrowthSpotter the closest Target stores are in Lakeland and Posner City Center in Davenport The report also said V3 CEO Trey Vick would not confirm Target as the occupant but told GrowthSpotter that it would be “a large box-format national retailer that’s not in that market.” No building plans have been submitted as of this morning (Thursday) she gave the following statement neither confirming nor denying the new store was being planned: "We are continually evaluating potential store locations to serve new guests but I don’t have any new-store news to share at this time," the spokeswoman said Target posts its latest information about upcoming stores at https://corporate.target.com/about/locations/upcoming-stores. The list includes six new upcoming Target stores in Florida the Minneapolis-based RSP architectural firm has submitted an application with the Southwest Florida Water Management District The firm has designed more than 1,000 Target stores A search for the Water Management District permit shows the application is under review for the owner-developer V 3 Haven Square Retail LLC A fertilizer company had occupied the land previously County records show V3 Haven Square Retail LLC purchased the land in 2021 and parcels had been previously held by Vigoro Acquisition Corp The site has a brownfield designation and will come with mitigation requirements overseen by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Target has 1,963 stores in the United States and 62 supply chain facilities nationwide The company also has two corporate campuses in Minneapolis and Brooklyn Park a black sport coat and buttoned-down shirt convicted murderer Beloni Petit-Frere exhaled loudly in court Thursday as a judge read a jury’s recommendation that he spend the rest of his life behind bars instead awaiting execution on Florida’s death row This week they were to decide whether he should die by lethal injection or of natural causes in state prison The jury of five men and seven woman took about two hours to reach their recommendation of life in prison without the possibility of parole at the Bartow Courthouse The jury left the courtroom for lunch about 11:30 a.m and gave a bailiff notice they had reached a decision about 1:30 p.m The jury did find the prosecution had proved beyond a reasonable doubt that at least one aggravating circumstance existed during the commission of the two murders that determination was necessary by unanimous decision to recommend death But they ultimately decided mitigating circumstances outweighed the aggravating circumstances former Winter Haven Public Safety Director and Police Chief Charlie Bird said Umpleby had recently broken off a romantic relationship with Petit-Frere and was seeking solace with Anderson the homicides were a domestic violence crime "about ego and possession" after Umpleby announced she was leaving Petit-Frere he said she did him wrong and that he was going to kill his old lady," Bird said Petit-Frere requested and received a ride from a neighbor to Orlando The neighbor informed investigators that Petit-Frere was very agitated and was going from emotion to emotion "He even said she was talking about leaving him and at one point he began laughing and said ‘She won’t be talking anymore,'" Bird said Anderson was found dead on a bed lying on his back with nine stab wounds including four in his back lung and spleen were perforated by a knife Umpleby was found dead in the bathroom naked with defensive wounds to her body in an apparent attempt to fight for her life The most severe of her eight wounds were to the left side of her shoulder Her injuries included knife wounds to her carotid artery The stabbings left blood splattered on the walls of the motel room and copious amounts of blood on the floor as the victims died of blood loss Judge imposes sentence After hearing Circuit Judge J. Kevin Abdoney read the penalty recommendation for the first murder Petit-Frere exhaled and started to left and right on his shackled legs as the judge continued to read the same decision by the jury for the second murder Neither had he taken the witness stand in his own defense during the trial In addition to life without the possibly of parole for the first-degree murder charges he also received life sentences for burglary with an assault and battery and two counts of burglary of a dwelling with assault He was sentenced to more than 151 months for tampering with physical evidence and time served for trespassing “The jury gave meaningful consideration to mitigation presented," defense attorney Willengy Ramos Wicks said outside the courtroom after the decision the defense team presented as many as 19 mitigating factors for the jury to weigh against the prosecution's four aggravators Mitigating and aggravating factors were written down in the jury instructions and read aloud by Abdoney before the panel weighed them during deliberations In her closing statement Thursday to the jury Ramos Wicks said life in prison would be similar to a death sentence because Petit-Frere would die of natural causes behind “razor wire and cold concrete” until his body left prison in a “pine coffin.”  “this is the last day Beloni will wear a suit and buttoned-down shirt” and for the remainder of his life he will be wearing a “state of Florida issued uniform” during “a life where choices are gone.”  The defense did not deny the murders were intentional and premeditated the defense’s mitigation does not justify murder The time surrounding the murders was one of the most difficult chapters in her client’s life He had just been released from state prison after serving a sentence of 15 years for drug offenses with little or no support upon release “It was like stepping into another world.”  Ramos Wicks said Petit-Frere's childhood was marred by drug abuse and he endured the tough and harsh discipline of a strict father figure in the household She said he and his sister ― the children of a Haitian immigrant ― endured taunts at school in Winter Haven such as accusing them of eating cats and dogs Experts had testified to his low but average IQ and that he had used drugs to cope with childhood abuse and later after the death of his mother the drugs interfered with his brain development during his teens and he had an intense fear of rejection and was emotionally scattered Ramos Wicks also explained to the jury Petit-Frere's ability to nurture others and to be a father to his son wrote letters and mailed birthday cards and drawings to them “He was trying to be a father,” she said of his outreach to his son Petit-Frere aspired to open a tattoo parlor to take advantage of his artistic talents he taught a sister to ride a bike on a frame with no wheels Assistant State Attorney Bonde Johnson told the jury Petit-Frere committed murders that were cold premeditated and cruel as he displayed crime scene photos showing the victims' bodies on a large-screen TV for the jury The defendant had “a substantial period of reflection” prior to stabbing the victims to death the prosecutor used Petit-Frere's own words in texts to his former love interest The murders occurred at least three days later Johnson honed in on Anderson’s final minutes of life A witness at the trial presented evidence that Anderson had moved from side to side on the bed to try to avoid the attacker’s knife “He felt every single stab wound into his body,” he said because he bled out over several minutes “She didn’t die immediately either.” Her most serious wounds were to her neck He also said Petit-Frere's siblings were working in successful jobs and endured the same poverty as their brother he was capable of earning A and B grades at school but started taking drugs at age 13 “He went down the wrong path,” Johnson said In a photograph of a proud Petit-Frere with a girlfriend following his release from prison the prosecutor pointed out the Pittsburgh Pirates hat he was wearing nice clothes and shoes with a Haitian flag in the background He chose to do that,” Johnson said pointing to a crime scene photo on the TV “He chose to destroy the lives of two people He chose to destroy the lives of two families.”   Winter Haven police faced an fiery backlash Wednesday after pictures emerged on social media of an arrest that included a young girl lying face down on the ground with her hands behind her back an officer facing the girl and her mother with his firearm drawn as the picture exploded quickly on social platforms the department released body camera footage of the arrest and said that the young girl was mimicking her mother as police ordered the woman to the ground The mother and daughter were in a car with a man police were seeking in connection with a disturbance involving a firearm police said the officers' weapons were drawn out of caution because of the likelihood of a firearm and "at no point was the officer's weapon pointed at the child as confirmed by multiple cameras." the incident happened Tuesday when officers received a report of a disturbance involving a firearm at Santiago's Market was in an altercation with a store employee in the parking lot and was observed with a gun Hercules left the parking lot heading south on U.S Police put out a be-on-the-lookout alert for a red Nissan Altima with Hercules as the driver a female passenger and a small child passenger Officers found the vehicle at the American Legion the woman and the child had gotten out of the car Police said Hercules was found on the side of the building and was quickly apprehended and the young child mimicked the mother's actions Police said a Diamondback 9mm semiautomatic pistol was found in the vehicle "Officers responded with an appropriate level of caution with the understanding there was a weapon involved seeking to resolve the situation," the department said in the release officers could not have known who was in possession of the firearm As soon as the officer approaching Banks became aware of the presence of the child he immediately pointed his firearm towards the ground at a low-ready position "At no point was the officer's weapon pointed at the child as confirmed by multiple cameras," the release said Backlash on social media to the image of the girl lying on the ground next to her mother was intense Much of it centered on the belief that the officer was pointing his gun at the child or that the child had been handcuffed A Facebook post for Black Lives Matter Restoration Polk Inc. "Winter Haven Police got 24 hours to apologize for allowing that little girl to be on the ground or it’s going down about that black child." "Y'all got 24 hours to issue a public apology to that little girl and the family And I want to know why she's on the ground if she's in handcuffs and why she got her hands behind her back who didn't pick that baby up off that ground." "Winter Haven Police Department with German Shepard Another post juxtaposed an image of the statue out in front of Winter Haven police headquarters with the image of the girl on the ground "This statue is named 'The Protector' and it sits dead center of WHPD It's modeled after a young African American girl and a police officer The young girl was never handcuffed in the police body cam footage or a video from social media one officer can be seen handcuffing banks while the other stands back his gun clearly pointed at the ground and finger off the trigger as officers move around a vehicle with their guns drawn and pointed in Banks' direction The officer whose body camera is shown has his gun drawn As the officer clears the vehicle and Banks comes into the picture she drops to the ground and the little girl the video appears to show the barrel of the officer's weapon because store employee declined to press charges It also filed a complaint for the store employee for affray Police said the Department of Children and Families was notified of the incident "because it was a violent crime committed in the presence of a child." The department said it would hold a news conference Thursday at 10 a.m at the Police Department with Police Chief Vance Monroe Assistant City Manager for Public Safety Charlie Bird and City Manager T — Fluoridation of the City of Winter Haven’s water supply started in 1986 but that is about to change City commissioners voted 3-2 to stop adding fluoride to the water “It seemed to me like there was a potential that this was a health hazard for us to take a step back and pause and remove this,” said Winter Haven Commissioner Brad Dantzler A federal court's decision was Dantzler’s reason for asking the City to reconsider its practices In September the court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must strengthen its regulation of fluoride in drinking water as it poses an unreasonable risk of injury to health “This fluoride had a potential to lower IQ in children had a potential to have problems in brains for people had potential to potentially mess with immune systems but that’s what the concerns were of all the people that we heard from,” Dantzler said more than a dozen residents spoke against Winter Haven continuing to add fluoride to the drinking water “As a mother of six who has actively pursued good health for my family; fighting inflammatory diseases in my loved ones I have wished for a long time that our water could have as little toxins in it as possible,” said Hannah Bush According to the American Dental Association fluoride reduces tooth decay in children and adults by around 25% Some Winter Haven medical professionals voiced concerns that low-income families will not have access to fluoride “When you take the one source that is available to everyone out of the supply then you’re going to have kids that are at an upper economic level who have other ways to get the fluoride The ones at the bottom economic level it’s going to be taken away from them,” said Tom Freijo Dantzler suggested giving the $48,000 currently spent on fluoridation to charities that help low-income children receive fluoride products “We don't begrudge anybody for having fluoride on their teeth I just don't want it in my stomach,” said Dantzler Winter Haven residents can expect the fluoride to be removed from the water by January 1 A Lake Wales man has been arrested Tuesday on charges of driving while intoxicated in connection with a fatal Winter Haven crash in January Sergio Nino Ramirez, 27, faces two felony charges of driving while intoxicated causing death and homicide, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office Ramirez is being held at the processing center until his first appearance on Wednesday 35-year-old Orli Dagoberto Argueta Sanchez of Honduras was killed in a head-on crash on State Road 60 at Logistics Parkway Sanchez was driving his 2004 Nissan Sentra when he was hit by a 2022 Hyundai Sonata driven by Ramirez that was traveling west in the eastbound lanes The Sheriff's Office said a sample of Ramirez's blood was taken at the hospital following the fatal crash It was sent to the toxicology lab at the University of Florida for processing Murder case: Bartow man pleads guilty to killing father, wounding mother after they told him to get a job The lab results showed Ramirez had a blood alcohol level of 0.12 % at the time he was admitted to the hospital following the crash Polk detectives examined the crash data from Ramirez's car There was no indication of braking or other driver input immediately prior to the collision attorneys for the prosecution and defense in the capital murder trial of Beloni Petit-Frere began Monday with opening statements and the examination of evidence Petit-Frere could face the death penalty if found guilty of the brutal stabbing deaths of Timothy Anderson A charging affidavit prepared by the Winter Haven Police Department described a prolonged and violent relationship between Petit-Frere and Umpleby Assistant State Attorney Bonde Johnson told the jury that DNA evidence surveillance video and statements by the defendant will be among the evidence presented to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the defendant carried out the murders But his defense lawyer said police and investigators focused on the wrong man and went for the usual suspect in the killings the state’s case had too little DNA evidence and it relies on several “conflicts in the evidence.” A laborer, Petit-Frere, 42, of Winter Haven was charged with the double homicide at the Rose Motel within days after Anderson’s mother called police for a wellness check but she had not been able to contact him for more than 24 hours Petit-Frere was charged with two counts of first-degree capital murder on Oct Police applied the double murder charges after DNA collected at the scene was confirmed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement laboratory to belong to Petit-Frere In the State Attorney’s Office's intent to pursue the death penalty it listed four aggravating factors that could be deliberated on if there is a penalty phase: without moral or legal justification.Petit-Frere's arrestAt a news conference the week of the killings "Our detectives worked day and night following this horrific crime investigating every lead possible and with the DNA results we at least have closure for the families," Bird said in an emailed statement Jury hears gruesome details Both sides in the case gave opening statements with Johnson going first She probably locked the bathroom door behind her because investigators found the button on the doorknob had been pushed inward The outside of the door had fresh markings indicating the attacker had pried at the door to gain entry Petit-Frere's DNA was later found on the bathroom door Anderson was likely surprised by the knife attack The stabbings left blood splattered on the walls and copious amounts of blood on the floor as the victims died of blood loss Just one wall and the shower floor remained unsplattered Their dinner was still in the motel microwave Johnson also said evidence would show the defendant arrived at his neighbor’s home shirtless and dropped a plastic bag and blue towel which contained Anderson’s and Petit-Frere's DNA Petit-Frere was later seen on video with his neighbor at a Wawa gas station before she dropped him off in the Pine Hills area of Orlando between 2 and 3 a.m. He later texted his job supervisor to call off sick That and other texts were later traced to cell towers the prosecution intends to use to tie Petit-Frere to the homicides his defense lawyer said her client was not guilty because a “flawed investigation led to wrongful accusations.” Because the crime scene contained a large volume of blood she urged the jury to consider the potential for cross-contamination of the evidence collected and to listen for efforts to preserve the evidence she also urged the jury to consider that the horseshoe layout of the motel around three sides of a parking lot gives the public access to the property and anyone could walk up to the motel rooms from the street “there were multiple individuals on the property,” she said but investigators did not look for other people “They didn’t tug on those threads,” she said And no one can place the defendant at the scene Nor did a “dark figure” in surveillance video move toward Petit-Frere's home; the individual moved in the opposite direction Petit-Frere was also well-known for riding a silver and purple bicycle only 2% of the blood on the blue towel could be matched with the defendant’s DNA Umpleby’s DNA was not recovered from under the defendant’s fingernails who arrived shirtless the day of the murders at his neighbor’s house Nor did he ask her if he could take a shower In Auburndale: Jury finds Port Charlotte teen not guilty in his mother's stabbing death That’s “another conflict in evidence,” she said Petit-Frere and Umpleby had both moved on from their relationship and both had new friends they were seeing “They had moved on.” But the investigators’ approach to the case was flawed by “tunnel vision.”   Another neighbor who claimed Petit-Frere said he wanted to kill Umpleby was not his friend and they did not get along and during the alleged conversation the pair were under the influence of two different substances Johnson called the police officers who responded for the wellness check and a crime scene technician and an investigator who had collected copies of video surveillance from the Rose Motel and other surrounding businesses The trial in Bartow is expected to continue Tuesday morning with Circuit Judge J