Bill Threatens Florida Poly's Independent Status
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
POLK NEWS-SUN VOL. 90 NO. 8 Wednesday, February 19, 2020 www.polknewssun.com $1.00 The Lake Wales News INSIDE THIS EDITION Dancing The Night Away PCPS, teachers union reach tentative agreement Games transcend stereotypes By STEVEN RYZEWSKI The Polk Senior Games Editor begin Feb. 29 and POLK COUNTY — Polk County include events not Public Schools officials and always associated with representatives for the Polk Education senior citizens, such as Association, the county’s public school powerlifting. teachers union, announced Feb. PG 3 14 that the two sides have reached a tentative agreement on teacher contracts for the 2019-20 school year. Couple killed in Teachers still will need to vote to plane crash ratify the agreement, after which the A man and a woman from Polk School Board would need to give Port Orange are deceased it final approval, but the agreement PHOTO BY CHARLES A. BAKER III nonetheless represents a breakthrough following a crash near the Chris and Alicia Melhorn of Frostproof, right, have been together for 19 years and in a stalemate highlighted by a tied Bartow Airport last week. vote in December on previous terms PG 6 their 17th anniversary is coming up in July. Around 100 couples and their children enjoyed the Frostproof Valentine's Street Dance Saturday, Feb. 15. The corner of Wall that did not pass. Street and Scenic Highway was shut down early Saturday morning for the O'Hara Under the terms of last week’s Ribs on the Ridge Restorations Orange Blossom Festival. Both events featured the music of Cory agreement, various changes will be The annual event in Haines Greenway and the Outta Hand Band. PAGE 2. made with a focus on improving working conditions for teachers — City is this weekend and with lesson planning functioning as a will be headlined by Sister particular point of emphasis. Hazel. Bill threatens Florida Poly’s “I’m proud of the hard-fought PG 7 independent status PCPS | 4 Jackets are region's By STEVEN RYZEWSKI A STEM-focused institution, Florida Poly top seed Editor is located just off Interstate 4, in northeast The Bartow boys Lakeland. basketball team is the POLK COUNTY — A bill filed in the The bill, sponsored by Rep. Randy Fine top seed in the Class Florida House of Representatives recently (R-Palm Bay), would move Florida Poly under has taken aback the Florida Polytechnic the University of Florida, as a satellite campus. 6A-Region 2 Playoffs, University community. It would also fold New College of Florida, in which begin Thursday. The legislation takes aim at the independent Sarasota, under Florida State University. PG 16 status of Florida Poly and New College of According to a News Service of Florida PHOTO BY CHARLES A. BAKER III Florida — the two youngest members of the report, Fine said he has been in contact Polk Education Association representatives listen to a Polk County Public Schools staff member state’s university system. with officials at FSU and UF regarding the during teacher work contract negotiations in POLY | 4 Bartow earlier this month. DONèT MISS THIS BLOCKBUSTER, TRAVELING EXHIBIT ON DISPLAY NOW THRU MARCH 14 863.676.1759 lakewalesfl.gov/museum Page 2 February 19, 2020 Frostproof offers residents full day of fun Bartow takes first steps toward water conservation FROSTPROOF — The fun began with a 5K run, sponsored by Rotary Club members. ordinance, recognizes The 18th Annual O'Hara's Orange Blossom Festival and Classic Car Show followed featuring vendors, deputy city clerk sunshine and fellowship. The festival is named for Bob O’Hara, who began hosting car shows in town after By CATHY PALMER moving from Massachusetts in 1984. Contributing Writer Frostproof City Councilman Austin Gravely and BARTOW — Bartow commissioners took the first Interim City Manager Nicole McDowell organized the steps toward conserving more water in the future with Frostproof Valentine's Street Dance. the first reading of an ordinance that places restrictions PHOTOS BY CHARLES A. BAKER III on plumbing, appliances and lawn irrigation for all new Staff from Mobile Music And More Dj Service Entertainment got the Charles A. Baker III kids dancing this past Saturday evening. development. The city commission also honored one of its city workers at its Feb. 3 meeting. Deputy City Clerk Donna Clark, who just received the master clerk designation from the state organization of municipal clerks. The water measure, primarily aimed at landscaping water usage, was developed in concert with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, with whom the city began discussions about it about a month ago. City Manager George Long earlier told commissioners that the water management district wanted cities within the region to adopt standards restricting irrigation designs, establish efficient plumbing standards and take other measures to conserve water. The new ordinance also provides standards for irrigation system maintenance and enforcement. Frostproof area children party the night away during the Frostproof Cory Greenway of the Outta Hand Band entertained inside O'Hara Valentine's Street Dance Saturday, Feb. 15. Restorations during the 2020 Orange Blossom Festival in downtown The Feb. 3 presentation was the first reading of the Frostproof. ordinance which will be open to public comment at the commission's session on Feb. 18, which took place after the time of press. The water savings could also lead to a rebate from the Polk Regional Water Cooperative, to the tune of about $700, according to district officials. This youngster got to ride in style while checking out some of the classic A couple dances on Scenic Highway in Frostproof during the 2020 Orange cars on display during the 2020 Orange Blossom Festival in downtown Blossom Festival. Frostproof. PHOTO BY CATHY PALMER Bartow Deputy City Clerk Donna Clark receives her Master Municipal Like us on Facebook! | facebook.com/WinterHavenSun | facebook.com/PolkNewsSun Clerk's pin from Dade City City Clerk Angie Guy during a ceremony held Feb. 3 at Bartow City Hall Grand Opening Garrison Companiesompanies of our new additional location tDog grooming, Certified and Licensed Pest Control Firm t Dog baths and Haircut, tBlow Dry by Hand, t1FTU$POUSPM1 U $ U M t#VTI)PHHJOH# I ) J tNails Trimmed/Ground, t:BSE4QSBZ t-BOE$MFBSJOH 38%/,&127,&( tEars Cleaned/Plucked, t'FSUJMJ[FS t-BXO$BSF Notice is hereby given that the City of Bartow is tFoot Pads Cleaned/ t*SSJHBUJPO t-BOETDBQJOH accepting applications for the following voluntary Trimmed advisory board(s): tTeeth Brushed t5SFF5SJNNJOH t1SPQFSUZ.HNU and Glands Expressed. t5SFF3FNPWBM t)PNF0XOFST"TTPD ¾ Citizen’s Advisory Committee ¾ Zoning Board of Adjustment (alternate) Celebrating 16 years Call For Home Rentals in business. To obtain an application or board description contact Award winning dog groomers. 863-439-655086633 44339 6550 the City Clerk’s Office at (863) 534-0100 ext. 1256 XXXHBSSJTPOMBOEDPNtXXXHBSSJTPOQSPQFSUZTFSWJDFTDPN or visit the City Clerk section on the City’s website: t$MBTTZQFUTQBDPN 28609 Hwy. 27 N., Dundee, FL www.cityofbartow.net $ZQSFTT(BSEFOT#MWE 8JOUFS)BWFO'- February 19, 2020 Page 3 Polk Senior Games, set to begin Feb. 29, attract wide range of competitors By CHARLES A. BAKER III breathe while competing. Staff Writer Since then, Fox and Lamb say they have met POLK COUNTY – The words “senior games” may call many other inspirational to mind images of lawn bowling, shuffleboard, scrabble, senior athletes. golf, euchre or bocce. Last year, for instance, And, in fact, all of those competitions will be offered a woman in her 90s at this year’s Polk Senior Games. But they're not all that competed in powerlifting. is offered, either. Another woman, in her Yvette Fox, for instance, is busy preparing for this year’s early 60s, benched 285 games, but the Winter Haven resident isn't training for pounds in 2019. any of those sports. “It's pretty neat,” Lamb A year ago, Fox, who is 61, woke up early to run the Bok said, reflecting on the feats Tower 5K in Lake Wales as a “warm up.” After the race, of the senior athletes. “I she drove to Winter Haven for the opening ceremonies think it's awesome.” of the Polk Senior Games, after which she placed first Last year Lamb in the Games’ 100-meter dash event in the 60-64 age convinced his mother, group. After winning the race the morning of Feb. 23, Carol, to compete in 2019, Fox drove to Lakeland and set two Polk Senior powerlifting for the first Games powerlifting records – a bench press record of time. Carol Lamb is 100 pounds and a new deadlift record of 295 pounds. PHOTOS BY CHARLES A. BAKER III competing in powerlifting Winter Haven resident Yvette Fox trains for the 28th Annual Polk Senior Games on Feb. 12. Beginning later this month, Fox and around 2,500 again this year and Scott area seniors will be competing in the 28th Annual Polk Lamb says he is just as there is a table tennis competition in Haines City, starting Senior Games at various locations — and in various ruthless training his mother as he is with other clients. at 9 a.m. competitions — from Feb. 29 to March 16. The games Over the years, the Polk Senior Games have become The closing ceremony for the 2020 Polk Senior Games, include powerlifting, track, archery and a 5K road race known as something that can be fun to watch, as well as as well as a health fair, is to be held at the RP Funding among their many offerings. a place to network with some inspirational individuals. Center in Lakeland on Monday, March 16, beginning When she is not working out, Fox is studying for her On March 3, there will be a horseshoes competition in at 12:30 p.m.