ReportWire

Tag: Polk County

  • Community rallies to help Haines City family after weekend house fire

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    HAINES CITY, Fla. — A community is coming together to help a family of five after a house fire over the weekend.

    What You Need To Know

    • A family of five in Haines City lost their pets and all of their belongings in a house fire Saturday that officials say was likely caused by an electrical issue

    • Fire personnel, police and the city have rallied together to support the family, providing toys, holiday decorations and more than $700 in combined donations

    • The family’s longtime landlord is continuing donation and rebuilding efforts, including temporary housing and plans to restore the home


    The fire happened last Saturday on Lake Brown Drive. The Haines City Fire Department says it was likely caused by an electrical issue. Residents Hector and Norma Dedois, who rent the home, were not there with their three children at the time of the fire, but they lost their pets and all of their belongings.

    On Monday, fire personnel and the Haines City Police Department teamed up to gift the Dedois toys, Christmas decorations and more than $700 total, including the city’s contribution.

    “I feel so blessed. They’ve helped a lot,” Hector said. “I have no words to say but to say thanks to everybody.”

    Firefighters hugging the Dedois family after they gave them donations. (Spectrum News)

    In addition, donations for the family are piling up inside the lobby of Stacey Towns Realty. Owner Stacey Towns Friend says the Dedois first moved into her rental property more than 10 years ago. She says the couple raised their children there and quickly became family to her and her husband, Shawn Friend.

    Stacey shared photos with Spectrum Bay News 9 showing the inside of the home after the fire. Since then, she and her husband have been working to help restore what was lost. They are collecting and purchasing clothes, household items and furniture — something Hector says he is grateful for.

    Inside the Dedois' family home after the fire. (Courtesy: Stacey Towns Friend)

    Inside the Dedois’ family home after the fire. (Courtesy: Stacey Towns Friend)

    “Thank you, man. Thanks. Thank you,” he said over the phone to Shawn.

    “Everyone has stepped up and gone above and beyond for this family,” Stacey said.

    Hector says his family has been able to find another place to stay. In the meantime, the Friends say they are paying for the family’s hotel and plan to rebuild their home.

    “Because we’ve promised them that house to go back to,” she said. “They want to go back to that house, and hopefully it will be completely renewed once we get through insurance. It will be a much better home.”

    Those who would like to help can drop off donations at the Stacey Towns Realty office on North 10th Street in Haines City.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Tracey Stephens helps kids learn to read with her big dog Teddy

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A Polk County woman is helping some little students learn how to read.

    Tracey Stephens is doing it with the help of a great big dog.

    Each Monday, Stephens takes her big black Newfoundland named Teddy to Sikes Elementary School where she goes to the library to volunteer as a reading coach. Stephens has set up a huge dog bed in the corner of the library for Teddy.

    What You Need To Know

    • Tracey Stephens takes her Newfoundland dog Teddy to Sikes Elementary School each Monday

    • Stephens says Teddy provides a calm, fun environment while she works with students on their reading skills

    • The students usually pet Teddy while they read

    • Principal Lindsey Leskis says Stephens has a caring approach with the students


    Each Monday, Stephens takes her big black Newfoundland named Teddy to Sikes Elementary School, where she goes to the library to volunteer as a reading coach. Stephens has set up a huge dog bed in the corner of the library for Teddy.

    “Not to do a product placement,” said Stephens. “But you need a big barker.” As soon as Stephens spread out a blanket on the bed, Teddy got right on it to lie down. “He was like oh, this is where the bed is. So exciting,” Stephens said.

    Stephens works with the students one at a time. The reason for having Teddy there is to make it a fun, relaxing environment. Teddy always stays very calm, and the students sit on the dog bed with Teddy and Stephens while they work on their reading skills.

    Sometimes the students pet Teddy while they read. “I think he just brings down the temperature a little bit because he’s not overly excited. Ha, ha, ha,” said Stephens.

    Helping the children with their reading skills is a rewarding experience for Stephens. “I think it’s great fun. I love to hear them use their voice and get stronger and more confident in their reading,” she said.

    Principal Lindsey Leskis appreciates Stephens’ gentle approach with the students. “She spends the time to talk to them and learn their interests and really get them excited about reading and they just love Teddy,” she said.

    Stephens sometimes provides the students with small gifts for their hard work. On a recent Monday, she had a gift-wrapped book for student Kaydence James that said it was from Teddy.

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    Rick Elmhorst

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  • Lakeland approves additional homes for Wedgewood golf course

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — One of Lakeland’s oldest golf courses will soon be home to new development.

    What You Need To Know

    • Lakeland commissioners approved more housing units on the former Wedgewood Golf Course

    • Neighbors say the development could worsen traffic and flooding, blaming poor maintenance of the property

    • SJD Development says its latest plan will add a second access point, realign a street and upgrade the site’s outdated drainage system


    City commissioners recently approved 973 housing units to be built on the former Wedgewood Golf Course. That’s an increase from the 954 homes included in the developer’s previous plan — a proposal that faced pushback from the start.

    Like many first-time homebuyers, Joshuah and Garion Wolverton put in hours to make their house a home. But since moving to Rockingham Road in October, the two say they’ve learned their efforts could soon be in vain. The planned development would sit close to their property, with the former golf course connecting directly to their backyard.

    “Which is a shame, because if you look at it, we have kind of a nice, expansive hill back there,” Joshuah said.

    Besides changing their view, the couple worries the planned multifamily, single-family and townhouse developments will bring more traffic to an already busy neighborhood.

    “Especially with my commute, I work at Tampa Bay International Airport and it takes about 45 minutes, but if we have more people here, that commute is going to be longer because a lot of people are going to be leaving  in and out of the place,” Garion said.

    During Monday’s commission meeting, residents also shared concerns about flooding, pointing to the property owner’s failure to maintain the course.

    However, SJD Development’s new plan will add a second access point and realign a street to improve traffic flow. Founder and President Scott House said he also plans to work with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, known as SWFWMD, to fix the land’s outdated drainage system once building permits are approved.

    “It’s not a lack of wanting to do it. It’s a lack of not being able to do it,” House said. “Just can’t get a permit. So as soon as we can get approval and get into January and I can get my development agreement approved, I’m ready to go.”

    As for Joshuah and Garion, they question whether the project is still the right decision for the community.

    “I mean, we have our main road here, which is nice, but there’s no telling what is going to go behind us. I don’t exactly know what’s going to go behind us,” Joshuah said.

    Commissioners must approve a development agreement before construction can begin. The first hearing is scheduled for Jan. 5, with a vote expected Jan. 20.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Haines City police begin using body cameras again

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    TAMPA — A Spectrum News investigation has found information that gives insight into what caused Haines City police officers to stop using body cameras for more than two months.

    City documents show that officers stopped wearing cameras on Oct. 1, due to “numerous and ongoing equipment and performance issues.”

    What You Need To Know

    • City emails show Haines City police have had problems with their LensLock bodycams since January 2025

    • It wasn’t until October 1 that the department pulled the cameras from the field

    • In late October, Haines City officer Ryan Hamilton shot and killed Louivens Ceus without a body cam rolling


    The department has since replaced the cameras with devices from a different company.

    HCPD started using cameras provided by LensLock in 2022 after Haines City Commissioners approved a $176,245 per-year, five-year contract with the company.

    “Body cameras were things that a lot of the public wanted to see, and a lot of law enforcement wanted to see them as well,” Haines City’s Deputy City Manager Loyd Stewart said. “It obviously captures both sides of any interaction that happens.”

    One incident that has come into the spotlight happened a few weeks after the department stopped using the LensLock cameras — a deadly incident involving a Haines City officer who shot and killed 24-year-old Louivens Ceus.

    Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd has said the shooting was justified, because Ceus allegedly drove at an officer during a traffic stop, and the officer opened fire.

    But because the department had stopped using the LensLock cameras, and had not yet replaced them, the incident wasn’t captured by body cameras, leaving investigators to use other clues in determining what took place.

    City documents show the company promised 75 cameras for officers to wear, as well as 45 in-car cameras and accessories. Lenslock also agreed to blur out sensitive video on demand for the department, in a process called “redaction.”

    But emails uncovered by Spectrum News show problems popped up as early as January 2025, prompting meetings between police, city officials and representatives of LensLock

    “Had a lot of good discussions on both sides of that, and we were trying to work towards making a resolution to that,” said Stewart. “Unfortunately, we were not able to resolve all the concerns we had with LensLock.”

    Stewart declined to disclose the concerns officials had, but the police department said the devices wouldn’t hold a charge for an entire shift, had repeated upload failures and that the in-car cameras and some accessories never worked.

    This fall, Haines City pulled the body cams from the field and stopped paying LensLock. By Oct. 1, HCPD officers were no longer wearing cameras.

    “Certainly not the only agency that does not have body cameras, although we are fully in support of having body cameras and will have them very soon,” Stewart said of the gap in camera usage. “But the fact that (the incident involving Ceus) happened when we didn’t have one is something that is in the hands of God.”

    When the city stopped using the company’s cameras, it also meant LensLock stopped redacting or blurring video for the department, and, city emails show, police refused to release video to the public without redaction.

    Spectrum News reviewed 575 city emails concerning the LensLock contract, and some documents revealed that the redaction issue caused some court cases to be delayed, and prompted judges to write orders to the Haines City Police Department demanding answers.

    Internal emails show that the issue caused months-long waits for public records, even for prosecutors and public defenders.

    An assistant state attorney complained to her bosses in June about not getting body cam video she asked for months earlier in March

    Documents show that the issue delayed a criminal trial twice.

    Police eventually provided the evidence and apologized.

    Emails show members of the police department blame LensLock for the delays.

    When contacted, officials at LensLock declined to provide an interview or comment for this story.

    One internal email to the city from LensLock suggested Haines City was being too “proactive” with their redaction requests, that they were asking for more than any other city they work with.

    A police captain wrote back that prosecutors were having, “To specifically request unredacted videos because they didn’t want the case to be dismissed by the judge due to not getting the redacted videos in time for trial.”

    “We are working on a solution with that, and hopefully we’ll have that in place very soon,” said Stewart, when asked about the delays.

    But former Miami-Dade County Judge Jeffrey Swartz believes Haines City police should have found a different solution a lot faster.

    “It bothers me, and I am concerned and I am suspicious that the city has not found another way,” said Swartz, who’s also professor emeritus at Tampa’s Cooley Law School.

    “The city has options, OK? It has the ability to gain relief, but they’re not doing it,” Swartz added. “The question is, how long did it take them to find a new provider? How long did they wait to terminate the contract? How long did they accept the excuses that they should not have accepted? And that’s the city’s fault. That’s the department’s fault.”

    In October, the city formed a new partnership with Axon for body cams at a cost of $358,809.80 per year. This new deal is also a five-year contract and includes the same number of body cameras.

    Former Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan said he knows Axon and its products well. He led the expansion of Axon-branded cameras to his hundreds of patrol officers.

    “They’re a proven company with a proven product,” said Dugan. “Some of the critics will say it’s expensive — it’s very similar to Apple computers. Once you get an iPhone, an iPad, you end up (in that environment). It’s proprietary, where the software works with each other. But they’re not amateurs, they know what they’re doing.”

    Haines City Police said that officers have completed training on their new Axon body cameras and started wearing them on Dec. 19.

    He said the city is hoping to avoid litigation with LensLock and reach some sort of settlement.

    The investigation into the shooting that killed Ceus remains ongoing. The officer who killed him, identified as Ryan Hamilton, is back on the force.

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    Andy Cole

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  • Tampa Bay paintball team giving players purpose beyond the field

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — One Tampa Bay paintball team is doing more than just competing — it’s helping change lives.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Tampa Bay Rejects are a world-champion paintball team that practices in Lakeland

    • Players say the team’s focus on discipline and camaraderie fuels both personal growth and competitive success

    • Founders say the team provides a positive alternative for players who might otherwise face risky or violent situations


    To some, paintball is just a game. But at Legacy Sports Park in Lakeland, it’s how champions are made.

    Hunter Nasrallah first stepped onto the field with members of the Tampa Bay Rejects five years ago. What started as a simple escape for him and his three friends ended up saving his life.

    “It just got to a point where it felt like … it felt like I was better off not being here. Like, if I wasn’t here, it wouldn’t matter. It got really serious at one point, and paintball is what got me out of that mindset. It gave me that purpose in life,” Nasrallah said.

    He says it’s not just the game itself, but the camaraderie it brings.

    “They’re the ones that when I wake up in the morning, I wake up to text messages from them saying, ‘Yo, we locked in.’ Like, ‘Have you gone to the gym yet? Have you ran your mile yet?’ You know, we hold each other accountable, and it just gave me that purpose where these guys need me and I need them,” he said.

    Motivation like that, Nasrallah says, leads to the team’s success. That mentality has also helped cultivate talent like three-time world champion Andreina Blanco.

    “It feels amazing to have that support, and it goes around for all the guys too, so it’s great. It’s great to have that feeling, that family-type of vibe,” Blanco said.

    Brandon Johnson, co-founder of the Tampa Bay Rejects, says the goal is to provide a safe place for everyone.

    “It’s a lot deeper than just shooting each other with paintball guns,” Johnson said.

    Sometimes, Johnson and Nasrallah say, it means being an outlet for someone who might otherwise pick up a real gun.

    “All the stuff you learn through paintball or even in other sports equates to real life,” Nasrallah said. “You’re going to have hardship in life. It’s how you respond. If you get pushed over, are you going to get back up, or are you going to stay down? And every single one of those guys over there, they stand up. They stand back up.”

    Those who would like to be part of the Tampa Bay Rejects can sign up to try out for the team on Legacy Sports Park’s website. 

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Polk County mother decorates car for children in need

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — If you’ve driven through Polk County lately, you may have noticed a black Nissan Altima wrapped in Christmas lights and blue tape.

    What You Need To Know

    • Rebecca Brown wrapped her car with Christmas lights and QR codes to raise donations for children and families in need

    • Brown says the goal is to help families struggling with necessities, especially in an underserved mobile home community in Lakeland

    • Brown plans to deliver donations before Christmas
    • Follow Rebecca on TikTok


    But if you take a closer look, it’s not your typical holiday decoration.

    “So basically, there will be QR codes on the car, and if you take your phone and go to the QR code, a Linktree will pop up,” driver Rebecca Brown said.

    Brown says she updates those QR codes often. Once people reach the landing page, they can donate money or a gift to a child in need. That includes children living on Third Street Southeast in Lakeland, an underserved mobile home community where Brown used to live.

    Though toys are a plus, Brown says the goal is to make sure each family has basic necessities. She says she and her daughter, Skylar, decided to use their car as a fun way to grow community support to relieve parents of their financial burden.

    “I know for a fact that one of the families, she has like six kids, and she’s just struggling day to day to pay bills. And I feel like she deserves that help. She deserves to see her kids happy,” Brown said.

    As a mother of two, Brown knows firsthand how difficult the holidays can be. While she works to provide for her own kids this month, she says she plans to donate to the cause too.

    “I’m willing to do that because I feel like they deserve it. Regardless of their past or their situation, no kid deserves to go without,” she said.

    For Brown, that spirit of giving is something she carries year-round. She says not only does it take a village to raise a child, but it also takes one to keep them happy.

    Brown plans to drop off donations to families before Christmas.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Holiday shipping deadlines quickly approaching

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    TAMPA, Fla. — The holiday shipping rush is officially underway as USPS, UPS, and other carriers announce their final deadlines to ensure packages arrive on time for Christmas.

    Postal and shipping offices are already seeing longer lines as those cutoff dates approach, so waiting much longer could mean delayed gifts.

    USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines

    If you’re using the United States Postal Service, the most affordable options have the earliest deadlines:

    • Today is the last day to ship First-Class Mail and USPS Ground Advantage for Christmas delivery.
    • Thursday, December 18 is the deadline for USPS Priority Mail.
    • Saturday, December 20 is the final day to ship using Priority Mail Express to guarantee on-time arrival.
    •  

    UPS Offers a Few Extra Days

    If you need more time, UPS may be the better option, as their deadlines extend a few days later than USPS.

    At a UPS location in St. Petersburg, manager Tony Morcos says stores are busy, with trucks picking up packages nightly after 6 p.m. UPS locations are also operating with extended holiday hours.

    “The UPS Store is very convenient. We have 5,400 locations, and one of the biggest aspects of our stores is extended hours during the holidays. For example, we’re open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, and we’re open Saturday and Sunday,” Morcos said.

    UPS Shipping Deadlines

    • December 19: Deadline for 3-Day Select
    • December 22: Deadline for 2nd Day Air
    • December 23: Final deadline for Next Day Air deliveries

    Skip the Lines by Shipping Online

    More customers are choosing to set up shipping online, which can help avoid long lines at local post offices and shipping centers.

    For a full breakdown of holiday shipping options and deadlines, visit United States Postal Service or UPS Holiday Schedule.

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    Jason Lanning

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  • 19-year-old charged with fatally stabbing retired nurse in Davenport

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    DAVENPORT, Fla. — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the fatal stabbing of a 67-year-old man in Davenport.

    What You Need To Know

    • Concerned neighbors discovered 67-year-old John Torneo dead in his bathroom at the Polo Park 55-plus community

    • Investigators say 19-year-old Julian Trevino admitted to breaking into the home, stabbing Torneo multiple times and hitting him with a wine bottle in an attempt to steal money

    • A barking dog, Torneo’s missing car and unusual text messages prompted a neighbor to request a welfare check that led to the discovery


    Sheriff Grady Judd stated the incident happened at the Polo Park 55-plus community. Concerned neighbors found retired nurse John Torneo dead in his bathroom Sunday afternoon.

    After further investigation, Judd says Torneo’s former roommate, 19-year-old Julian Trevino, admitted to breaking into the home, stabbing him multiple times and hitting him over the head with a wine bottle. Investigators say Trevino told them the goal was to steal money.

    Longtime resident Louise Jutras says Torneo recently changed the locks at his home because Trevino was no longer allowed to live there.

    Jutras says she and her husband, Dan, first met Torneo three years ago when he moved across the street. Since then, she says they grew closer. They often helped care for Torneo’s beloved dog, Ashley. She says that’s when she knew something was wrong Sunday when the dog was barking inside, and Torneo’s car was gone.

    “It just didn’t seem like him to jump in the car and go,” Jutras said.

    She called Torneo’s phone multiple times before receiving strange text messages from an unknown number.

    “The first (message) said, ‘Ashley is all good,’ and then the second message said, ‘Yes, I’m good. And Jay is going to take care of her he’s coming by now to do it.’ John would have never said that. So, I’m like, OK, this is clue number three,” she said.

    She eventually called 911 for a wellness check. A Polk County sheriff’s deputy gave Jutras’ husband and other neighbors permission to search inside the home. They later found Torneo’s body in the bathroom.

    “And he said, ‘Oh my God, they killed him! They killed him!’ And when he came out, he said it was just so awful,” she said.

    Jutras says no one would have ever imagined this would happen to Torneo. She says he was a good man who always helped others, including Trevino.

    “He will be missed. He’ll be missed,” she said.

    Judd says Trevino got rid of the knife he used to kill Torneo and stole his vehicle, bank card and phone. He was captured after a short foot pursuit and now faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder.

    Here is the list of charges he is facing, according to the sheriff’s office:

    • 1st Degree Murder (FC)
    • Armed Robbery (FL)
    • Tampering with Evidence in a Felony (FL, 3-counts)
    • Armed Burglary of a Dwelling (F1)
    • Burglary of an Occupied Dwelling (F1)
    • Obtain Property by Force (F3)
    • Criminal Use of Personal Identification (F3)
    • Tampering with a Victim (F3)
    • Grand Theft from a Dwelling (F3)
    • Grand Theft Motor Vehicle (F3)
    • Fleeing to Elude (F3)
    • Theft of Bank Card (M1)
    • Fraudulent Use of a Bank Card (M1)
    • Resisting without Violence (M1)
    • Petit Theft (M2)
    • Driving without a Valid License (M2)

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Neighborhood newspaper created by two siblings

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — Two siblings are putting College Avenue on the map in Lakeland. They’ve banded together to create College Ave-News, a neighborhood paper focused on sharing the stories of the locals.

    What You Need To Know

    • Elliott and Henry Hall created College Ave-News to share neighborhood stories
    • They saw a need to focus on local stories because they didn’t see anything about their community
    • The paper has released two editions so far
    • The siblings have also recruited the help of kids in the neighborhood


    As the saying goes, “two heads are better than one.” And in this sibling duo, Elliott and Henry Hall are putting their heads together to share their hobbies in a unique way.

    “I love writing, it’s awesome,“ said Elliott.

    “Also I love taking pictures,” Henry said.

    A few months ago, they created College Ave-News, a paper focused solely on the stories right in their neighborhood.

    “I just thought the idea of making a newspaper would be fun, and I already had a name, it just popped into my head: College Ave-News,“ said Elliott.

    The first edition was about the cats in the area, and the second provided an inside look into a library associate’s job.

    Elliott oversees writing, and Henry is behind the camera.

    Henry says it provides an image in the minds of readers. “Like the saying, a picture is worth a thousand words. If you have pictures, it kind of helps you tell the story of what’s happening.”

    But they’re not doing it on their own. After the first edition, they’ve recruited other kids in the neighborhood to help, like Anthem Sargeant, who oversees the comic strips. “It brings joy to everybody, it’s cool and I just like it,” he says.

    And Luna Velasquez, who shares neighborhood recipes. “So other people can try it out and see if they like it.”

    It’s a kid-led newsroom turning their hobbies into valuable information for neighbors.

    Elliott hopes this is just the beginning. “Hoping to add games and stuff, we haven’t added them yet, and also I want to do it for a while, for a really long time.”

    It’s all building a strong community through the stories they share.

    The third edition of the newspaper will be released in January. They will also be including ads for $10 which will then be donated to a local charity.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Florida Polytechnic turns to Lakeland Police Department after staffing losses

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — As state leaders push to keep public university campuses safe, Florida Polytechnic University is now leaning on local law enforcement for help.

    The university started using the Lakeland Police Department for security after a major staffing shortage in its campus police force.

    At least eight officers have left the department since May, including the chief and deputy chief.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida Polytechnic University’s campus police force has seen significant turnover, with at least eight officers — including the chief and deputy chief — leaving since May

    • The university is relying on the Lakeland Police Department for security support as it works to rebuild
    • Former leadership accuses the university of budget cuts, while university officials deny defunding


    Retired Deputy Chief Danny Houser was with the department from the very beginning. Starting in 2014, Houser says he and former Chief Rickard Holland helped build the police force from the ground up. They hired staff, brought in gear and equipment, and wrote the policies the department still uses today.

    “We prided ourselves on providing professional police service to our community, and our job was to give the best service to our students because they really were our customer base. That and the parents,” Houser said.

    But Houser says the dynamic shifted under new leadership, which he says led to resignations and early retirements.

    “They cut our funding by $84,000. Then they started talking about the officers, taking their take-home cars away from them,” he said. “And they wanted to cut out my position as the assistant chief, and they wanted to cut out the accreditation department.”

    Holland, who put in his two weeks’ notice in July, backed Houser’s claims in an email to Bay News 9.

    However, Florida Poly’s chief information officer, Cole Allen, denies any defunding. He says that while the university is relying on Lakeland Police for support, they’ve increased starting pay, boosted the police department’s budget, and invested in the school’s new public safety center.

    “This is going to give our officers the space they need, the facility they need, and everything they’re going to need to move into the next phase of our growing campus,” Allen said.

    Allen says the university has already begun hiring new officers and is looking to fill even more positions. As for Houser, he says he’s concerned about the department’s future without the people who helped build it.

    “It hurts. This wasn’t the way I wanted to go out,” Houser said.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Lakeland students create a banned book club

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — There are more than 700 books that are banned in public schools in Florida. It might not sound like a lot, but for two students in Polk County, the list has sparked a desire to learn why.

    So much so that they created a “banned book club.”

    What You Need To Know

    • Two Polk County students created a banned book club | View their page on Instagram

    • The book club dives into why the books are banned and brings people together to share their perspectives on the books

    • The first book they are starting with is “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”


    With every turn of a page, Matthew is diving into the pages of a book. “I really wanted to choose this book because I thought it was something everybody could relate to,” he said.

    He and Charlotte, who asked that their last names not be shared, are the founders of the club.

    They say it started with curiosity and a Facebook post to see if there was any interest. For Matthew, it’s about expanding his love for reading.

    “One of the points of starting this book club in general was to learn more about these books and the content of them and even their authors and stuff and how it impacts us,” he said.

    The first meeting was comprised of only four people.

    But Charlotte says it led to a good conversation about the state of banned books. “We talked about our opinions on banned books and kind of what we think what it means to have a book banned,” she said.

    The book they’re starting with is “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” It’s one of the more than 700 books currently removed or discontinued by the Florida Department of Education. The latest list was released for the 2023 to 2024 school year.

    Charlotte says the club gives students like herself the freedom to learn about topics she might not otherwise learn.

    “Banned doesn’t mean we can’t access it, it just means we can’t read it in school, and it’s not free,” she said.

    Matthew is hoping this creates a space where the younger generation can feel motivated to learn more about and connect with the pages in each book.

    “I’ve gotten so many perspectives and the books that I have read so far are so important,” he said. “So when I heard there were books I couldn’t read, I was intrigued.”

    They’re cracking open the books their schools have closed to them so that they light a fire in others to read.

    You can view the club’s page on Instagram.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Lakeland nonprofit helping seniors stay fed among increasing food insecurity

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — Imagine having to make the tough decision to pay your bills or buy groceries. Advocates say that’s the harsh reality for many seniors who are navigating not having enough money for food.

    It’s leading some seniors to seek help from nonprofits like Volunteers in Service to the Elderly in Lakeland.

    What You Need To Know

    • Volunteers in Service to the Elderly, or VISTE, is a nonprofit organization that serves at-risk seniors in Lakeland

    • Its supplemental groceries program started over 20 years ago and has since continued to increase the number of people it serves

    • The nonprofit serves people 70 and older


    While most of us get in our cars to head to the grocery store, for seniors in Lakeland, their drive is to VISTE to pick up their monthly groceries free of charge.

    When one cart comes in, another one goes out — it’s a cycle that Welton Morris knows all too well.

    “Every month, once a month,” he said.

    He is one of more than 4,000 seniors who visit the nonprofit to pick up groceries.

    A line forms and volunteers pack each car with the month’s assortment of goods.

    Recently, Welton said he’s found himself relying on this service even more to stock his fridge.

    “The grocery store is so expensive when you go in the store, very expensive, and it’s hard, especially when you’re on a fixed income. It’s hard,” he said.

    Steve Bissonnette is the president of VISTE and said the number of seniors they serve is increasing.

    “We’re averaging about 130 clients each day during the week, almost a 30% increase just in the past few months,” he said.

    The nonprofit’s impact report from last year shows a 9.5% increase in clients. Its supplemental groceries program increased 6.2%, providing groceries to more than a thousand households.

    Bissonnette said that need has increased again in the last few months.

    “We can only attribute that to the environmental circumstances that people are uncertain about and fearful of, and we want to make sure that they at least get basic food to remain in their own home,” he said.

    Most of the food comes from Feeding Tampa Bay, the United States Department of Agriculture and items they purchase.

    Groceries that will go a long way for seniors, like Yoleida Cardona.

    “From an economic standpoint, my husband receives a small amount of money, and this helps us move forward,” she said. “There is also a lot of people in need, and there are those who live on their own that need this.”

    It’s a program that has become a lifeline for many seniors to keep their pantries stocked.

    The nonprofit also has a hot meal program for seniors who are unable to attend the grocery pick-up or cook for themselves.

    Those meals are provided twice a week with the help of Florida Southern College.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Lakeland pastor recounts surviving 2011 church shooting

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — A pastor who survived a shooting inside his church in 2011 is now sharing his story with the world.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pastor William Boss survived a 2011 shooting inside his Lakeland church.

    • He credits his survival and recovery to his faith, saying he was able to walk out of the hospital just three days after the shooting.

    • Boss is now sharing his story in a new book, While on Bended Knees, hoping his testimony will inspire others.


    Prayer is how Pastor William Boss begins each day, kneeling at the altar just as he remembers doing on Sept. 18, 2011. That morning, Pastor Boss called members of Greater Faith Christian Center Church to join him ahead of Sunday service. Just as he finished praying, a gunman entered the sanctuary and fired at the back of Boss’ head.

    “I rolled over screaming, ‘God, what happened?’” he said. “Blood running down my head, back, shoulders, everywhere. And at that moment, I was able, only by the grace of God, to get up and walk from the place from which I was shot exactly through that door.”

    After dialing 911 himself, Boss was rushed to the hospital, where the prognosis wasn’t good. He says doctors didn’t expect him to survive, let alone lead a normal life.

    “But nevertheless, the third day at exactly 7 o’clock, I was released from Lakeland Regional Medical Center. Not in a wheelchair but walked out and I’m so grateful,” he said.

    With the bullet still lodged in his head, Pastor Boss decided last year it was time to share his miracle beyond his congregation. Now, his story is spread across 127 pages of his new book, While on Bended Knees.

    A passage from the book reads: “The bullet that entered my head was meant to silence my voice, push me off my path and lead me astray, but instead it became the very mark that God used to amplify his testimony through my life.”

    It’s a testimony Pastor Boss prays will help inspire others, because he says through God, he’s found the strength to kneel once again.

    “It’s about revealing how strong God is,” he said.

    Copies of Boss’ book, While on Bended Knees, are available on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Community rebuilds home for 73-year-old retired nurse after devastating fire

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    FROSTPROOF, Fla. — A Frostproof woman who spent more than three decades caring for others is now receiving support of her own after a fire destroyed her home a few months ago.

    Valerie Hall, 73, says she lost everything in the blaze — including her clothing, personal belongings, and the home she lived in for nearly a decade.

    “I didn’t have any clothes left,” Hall said, recalling the moment she sifted through the remains of the fire.

    Hall is a retired civil service nurse who served Navy families in Guantánamo Bay, Jamaica, and Lake Wales before spending 10 years working with Native American communities in Alaska. She moved to Frostproof nine years ago to care for her mother and has remained an active part of the community ever since.

    What You Need To Know

    • A Frostproof woman who spent more than three decades caring for others is now receiving support of her own after a fire destroyed her home a few months ago

    • After learning about Hall’s situation, Tim Williams — owner of S&W Supply — stepped in to help

    • Valerie Hall was selected as this year’s recipient for their Kitchen for Christmas program, an annual tradition that surprises one homeowner with a holiday home makeover

    • This is the 20th year local partners have gifted a homeowner with a holiday renovation through the Kitchen for Christmas program


    But when a fire tore through her home and triggered a propane explosion, Hall says she’s lucky to be alive.

    “I just kept saying thank you Jesus, because when the gas and the propane blew… it blew through my bedroom wall,” she said.

    Local businesses step in with a Christmas surprise

    After learning about Hall’s situation, Tim Williams — owner of S&W Supply — stepped in to help. Williams and a team of partners, including Hulbert Homes and Right Way Plumbing, selected Hall as this year’s recipient for their Kitchen for Christmas program, an annual tradition that surprises one homeowner with a holiday home makeover.

    But Hall is receiving far more than a kitchen.

    When Williams arrived to surprise her, he announced that crews would be remodeling her entire home — including a new bedroom, patio, garden, an accessibility ramp, and central heating.

    “It’s ready for us to make her home complete,” Williams said.
    “Our first goal is to get you some central heat now.”

    Hall, who is still recovering from hip surgery, burst into tears when crews delivered the news.

    Volunteers, contractors, and neighbors have rallied around Hall, donating materials, time, and labor. Many had never met her before the fire — but say her lifetime of service inspired them to get involved.

    Hall calls the volunteers “angels.”

    “They are all angels,” she said. “It’s looking way up. It’s the star at the top of the tree.”

    A Christmas she won’t forget

    Hall says this season will be one of gratitude, healing, and hope as she watches her new home take shape.

    This is the 20th year local partners have gifted a homeowner with a holiday renovation through the Kitchen for Christmas program.

    For Hall, it’s a blessing she says she’ll never forget.

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    Fadia Patterson

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  • Chad Davis wins runoff election for Winter Haven City Council seat

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Chad Davis won Tuesday’s runoff election for Winter Haven’s City Council Seat 4.  

    Chad Davis got 53.4 percent of the vote while Matthew Crowley garnered 46.6 percent. Of the 3,211 votes cast, Davis received 1,714 while Crowley got 1,497.


    Crowley is a lifelong Winter Haven resident, small business owner and community advocate. According to his campaign website, he is focused on transparency, public safety, affordable housing and economic opportunity for all.

    “Winter Haven deserves honesty and accountability, not backroom self-dealing,” Crowley said in a previous statement.

    Meanwhile, Davis is a fourth-generation Winter Haven resident and he holds a master’s of public policy and a law degree from Pepperdine University in California and is a staff attorney for Polk County Public Schools.

    On his Facebook page, Davis expressed a platform of infrastructure for development, support and protection for law enforcement and government efficiency and transparency.

    “Winter Haven is my home,” Davis said in a campaign post. “I love this city and every decision I make will be based on what’s best for our residents and our city’s long-term future. I believe we can maintain what’s special about Winter Haven while wisely managing the growth around us.”

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Haines City breaks ground on $30 million affordable senior housing

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    HAINES CITY, Fla. — City and church leaders celebrated the groundbreaking of a new affordable senior housing community on Tuesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Haines City and Trinity Worship Center broke ground on Trinity Village, a nearly $30 million affordable senior housing community

    • Rents will range from about $300 to $1,400, aiming to serve residents earning $17,000 to $55,000 a year

    • Trinity Village is expected to open by the end of next year


    The future Trinity Village will sit just behind Trinity Worship Center Church. Bishop Charles Anderson says the facility has been in the works for about 10 years. Despite obstacles along the way, he says he and his wife, Dr. Judith Anderson, continued to hold on to their faith.

    “I believed and knew that God had given us a vision to do it. And I just kept going back and kept going back, and here we are today,” Bishop Anderson said.

    With the help of community partners, the couple broke ground on the 102-unit facility. Anderson says the complex is designed to support seniors’ needs, featuring a pool, clubhouse and a range of on-site services.

    “We want them to be able to retire in dignity and live in a place they can be safe and proud of,” he said. “And I believe we owe it to those who have invested in our country and our communities to give back.”

    Mitchell Rosenstein, principal developer with Green Mills Group, says that belief is reflected in the community’s rent, which will range from about $300 to about $1,400. Leaders say more than 50% of Haines City residents pay more than 30% of their income for housing.

    “Those rents that are actually affordable — actually affordable for people earning 17,000 to 55,000 dollars,” Rosenstein said.

    Bishop Anderson says none of this would have been possible without city and federal contributions. Now, he and his wife are looking forward to building the nearly $30 million development on the same soil where they planted their church.

    “Pursuing the dream,” Dr. Anderson said.

    Trinity Village is expected to open by the end of next year. The Andersons say they plan to start accepting applications next June.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Lu Sells starts No Limits Social Club for special needs adults

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — A Lakeland woman saw a need and decided to do something about it. Lu Sells saw the need for special needs adults to have social and volunteer activities and started an organization to provide those things.

    What You Need To Know

    • Lu Sells started the No Limits Social Club for special needs adults

    • Sells saw the need for social activities after her son finished his schooling

    • The No Limits Social Club meets regularly for lunches and crafts

    • Club members also participate in volunteer opportunities


    On a recent morning, Sells was giving out lots of hugs and greeting the arriving members of the No Limits Social Club at the First United Methodist Church. About 150 of the clubs’ members were getting together for a Thanksgiving-style meal, some crafting and a celebration of their friendship.

    “Why are we thankful for friendship? What does friendship bring in our life?” said Sells to the group from a podium. Sells first saw the need for the club because her special needs son Tyler lacked social opportunities after he completed his schooling. She spoke with some of her friends with adult special needs children and they felt the same way about the situation faced by their children.

    “It started because one of the boys said to me, Miss Lu, I might talk funny and my legs might not work. But I need a purpose. That night I went home, and I called two of my friends and we came up with No Limits,” said Sells.

    The group started with a handful of members a few years ago but has grown to about 150 who show up for regular events. There are several hundred members of the organization’s Facebook group.

    Providing the members with volunteer opportunities is also a priority. “It’s growing because they want to give back to the community,” said Sells. “They want a chance just like everybody else.”

    Sells says running the organization fills her with joy. “I mean this is an awesome feeling. This is why I do it. I get a million hugs, a million smiles. It’s just the best feeling ever,” she said while looking at the church facility filled with group members.

    The No Limits Social Club members all think the world of Lu Sells.

    “She just has so much love, and it is contagious. She spreads it around with everybody around us,” said member Tori Hogg.

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    Rick Elmhorst

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  • Father and son recount ordeal they faced after boat capsized

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    CLEARWATER, Fla. — On Thanksgiving Day, a Polk County father and son said they were thankful to be alive after a 20-hour ordeal that left them stranded in the gulf. It happened after their boat capsized Monday. 

    “You’re thinking, ‘Is this it?’” said Cris Harding, Sr. “And to have your son on the boat with you is the worst feeling in the world.”

    What You Need To Know

    •  Cris Harding, Sr. and Jr. were two of the men rescued by the Coast Guard from a capsized boat this week

    •  Eighteen-year-old Cris Jr. was released from the hospital Wednesday, one day after his father. They say the two other family members on the boat, Clarence Woods, 90, and Dennis Woods, 70, were still hospitalized but expected to be okay.

    •  The Hardings said enduring wind, waves, and the cold overnight was the hardest part of the ordeal, with both questioning if they would survive

    • Father and son praised the Coast Guard and said they were grateful they all made it back to land


    Eighteen-year-old Cris Harding, Jr. was released from the hospital Wednesday. He and his father said they were doing well and that two other family members on the boat, great uncle Clarence Woods, 90, and father-in-law and grandfather Dennis Woods, 70, were still hospitalized but expected to be okay.

    Cris Sr. said Monday started out as the perfect day, not unlike many of his family’s past fishing trips.

    “We got out there, started catching some big fish,” he said. “I caught a shark. I landed the shark, and literally not even ten, 15 minutes after, the boat flipped.

    The Hardings said by the time they noticed the boat was taking on water, it was too late. They tried using a pump, but the boat ended up capsizing. The four men climbed on top of the overturned boat, surrounded by water, with no land in sight.

    “I was never put in a position like that before, so it didn’t really feel real because I’d never been in a life-threatening situation like that where I was alive but had no way to actually know that I was gonna live,” said Cris Jr.

     


     

    But father and son said they weren’t thinking about that at first. In fact, they told Spectrum News that after they all climbed on top of the boat, Cris Jr. joked about it happening on a big day for his grandfather, Dennis Woods.

    “I think my son said something about, ‘And it’s your birthday,’ and he said, ‘I didn’t get no birthday cake or nobody sing me happy birthday.’ So, we all just started singing him happy birthday on the boat,” said Cris Sr.

    They said the hard part came after dark.

    “It was pretty brutal,” said Cris Jr. “I mean, right before the sun started setting, the water was really calm, and then night came. It just got really rough.”

    “It was freezing, and the waves were just knocking us all over. We kept slipping and falling and trying to hold on,” said Cris Sr. 

     


    They said it was a huge relief to see that a Coast Guard plane spotted them the next morning.

     

    “It was like, ‘Thank you, God.’ Happy to know you’re going home to see your loved ones again, and you know your son and your father-in-law and everybody’s gonna be okay,” said Cris Sr.

    “I felt unbelievable relief,” said Cris Jr. “I was really happy. I kind of enjoyed it for a second, being out on the boat. It was refreshing to realize that I was going to be home, safe, with my family.”

    The men were hospitalized, with Cris Sr. telling Spectrum News he and his son suffered from injuries and hypothermia. He said an experience like theirs puts things into perspective.

    “You tend to forget about the little things until something like that happens. You appreciate everything – especially land,” he said.

    The Coast Guard ended up finding the men 26 miles offshore from Clearwater. They credit their faith with helping them make it through, saying they talked about their favorite Bible verses. Cris Jr. said as he searched the sky for a plane or helicopter searching for them, he saw something else that gave him hope.

    “I saw a perfect cloud, shaped like an angel. It was amazing. I don’t know if that was God trying to tell me that I’m going to be fine, we’re all gonna make it through,” he said.

    Cris Sr. said he’s not sure what went wrong with the boat but is grateful that it didn’t sink after capsizing. He said that’s something that could’ve led to a different outcome for his family. 

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    Sarah Blazonis

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  • Burn bans issued for multiple Polk County communities

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A burn ban has been issued for multiple communities in Polk County.

    On Tuesday, Polk officials issued burn bans for Auburndale, Bartow, Davenport, Dundee, Fort Meade, Frostproof, Haines City, Lake Alfred, Lake Wales, Lakeland and Winter Haven.

    The burn ban prohibits:

    • Campfires 
    • Bonfires
    • Unpermitted controlled burns
    • Burning of yard and household trash
    • Burning of organic debris
    • Igniting of fireworks
    • Noncommercial burning of materials, other than for religious or ceremonial purposes, which is not contained in a barbecue grill or barbecue pit, and the total fuel area cannot exceed 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height.

    The burn ban is determined using the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI). The KBDI is a continuous reference scale, ranging from 0 to 800. It assesses the moisture content from no moisture deficiency (0) to maximum drought conditions (800) of the soil. This helps predict the potential for wildfires.

    Utilizing the KBDI, the process of a burn ban begins once more than 50% of the county reaches over 500 on the index. Polk County’s current daily reading is 53% over the 500 benchmark with a countywide average of 507.

    ”After examining the latest KBDI data, we are issuing a burn ban. This ban is a preventative measure to make sure we can keep the community and our members as safe as possible,” said Fire Chief Shawn Smith. “This is an unusual time of the year for a burn ban, but due to the abnormal lack of rainfall this summer and fall, it is necessary. PCFR asks for your help in keeping Polk County safe by not burning until the end of the ban.”

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Lakeland nonprofit trains coaches in youth mental health

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — A local nonprofit teamed up with a Bay area hospital to help coaches and guardians better address youth mental health.

    What You Need To Know

    • R2Cares partnered with a local hospital to train coaches and guardians in Youth Mental Health First Aid

    • Coach Antwan Brown says the training is personal, sharing that his own experience with depression shaped how he supports young athletes

    • Participants left with a mental-health first aid certification, which R2Cares founder Ronnie Richardson says equips adults with tools and resources that can make a difference

    R2Cares hosted a series of trainings and events over the weekend. Its first was a Youth Mental Health First Aid class with Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital.

    For attendee Antwan Brown, the true impact goes far beyond winning a game.

    “Winning is important, but if you’re not reaching the person, what good is it to be a coach?” he said.

    Brown recently started as the assistant baseball coach for Edward Waters University. While his coaching career stretches back nearly 11 years, he says the role didn’t become more than just a title until his own battle with depression.

    “It’s very, very dear to my heart to be the person that I needed and give back to the kids because I’m with them every single day,” he said. “And my role as a coach is to be the person they can come to about anything, no judgment, and help them overcome adversity.”

    Learning how to better support youth is why Brown decided to attend the Youth Mental Health First Aid class. The goal was to teach adults who are routinely around children to recognize warning signs.

    “And if there’s anything going on, giving them the resources to help find the help that they need,” Ronnie Richardson, founder of R2Cares, said.

    Richardson, who’s also a coach for the Tampa Bay Rays’ minor league, says equipping adults with these tools can make all the difference. Each participant left with a first aid certification, which Brown says does more than just fill a spot on a résumé.

    “It’s good to be amongst people and see their side and different stories, you know? So that’s why I have to be here to continue to learn because I’m a student of the game,” he said.

    If you would like to join R2Cares’ future events or trainings, visit the organization’s website.

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    Alexis Jones

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