32-year-old Ashauntie Cox (DOB 2/15/1991) of Orlando, who caused serious bodily harm to two children in her vehicle while fleeing from two crashes and driving under the influence, was arrested in Polk County on Friday, May 19, 2023, and charged with several felonies.
According to witnesses and information developed during the investigation, the first crash occurred around 8:00 p.m. on US Hwy 27 at the intersection with US Hwy 98 near Frostproof. Cox was driving a blue Kia southbound on Hwy 27 when she struck a grey Chevy Silverado pickup truck and then fled at a high rate of speed. As she continued to recklessly speed south down Hwy 27, weaving in and out of slower moving traffic, she rear-ended a 2016 Honda CRV while trying to pass between that SUV and the vehicle next to it which were both also going southbound. The victim driving the CRV was taken to Sebring Hospital, where he was treated and released with minor injuries.
The collision caused Cox’s vehicle to flip several times, ejecting two Orlando children, ages 5 and 8 years old. Both sustained significant injuries, and they were taken to Tampa General Hospital where they are both in critical condition. A 27-year-old female passenger was also seriously injured along her spinal cord, hip, and back. She remains at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center in stable condition.
When deputies arrived at the scene of the crash, they detected the odor of marijuana and located a bottle of tequila in Cox’s vehicle. Cox was transported to the hospital and interview by deputies. Cox told deputies they were driving from Orlando to Avon Park to celebrate the 5-year-old’s kindergarten graduation. She admitted to smoking marijuana earlier in the day, and to having four shots of tequila. Her blood was drawn for further analysis, and she displayed several signs of impairment.
She was booked into the Polk County Jail and is being charged with:
· Three counts DUI with serious bodily injury (F3)
· Two counts negligent child abuse with great bodily harm (F2)
· Reckless driving (F3)
· One count DUI with property damage (M1)
· One count DUI (M2)
Further charges are pending the outcome of the investigation.
“This woman had no regard for anyone’s life when she got behind the wheel intoxicated and then drove recklessly down a major highway, but what’s worse is the blatant disregard she had for the lives of the innocent children in her car. I expect a successful prosecution to hold her accountable—and let’s hope she loses her driving privileges if she’s released from jail or prison. Please keep these babies and their families in your prayers.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
Several residents questioned whether requiring city commission candidates to verify their residency with a driver’s license or other identification would be effective.
At a recent meeting on Wed., Sept. 9, 2026, Lake Wales city commissioners voted unanimously to approve an ordinance establishing new residency verification requirements for city commission candidates.
The ordinance amends the city’s Code of Ordinances to create a formal document-verification process during candidate qualification. The process intends to ensure candidates meet the city’s existing requirement to have lived within the municipality for at least one year.
Under the new requirements, candidates must submit at least two approved documents to verify their residency. Acceptable documents would include a driver’s license, voter registration card, vehicle registration, property deed or lease, or homestead exemption filing.
The new requirements were proposed because the city’s Code of Ordinances outlines the candidate qualifying process but does not explicitly require candidates to provide documents proving they have met the one-year residency requirement.
“Recent discussions at the Commission level highlighted the need to establish clear, objective qualifying standards for the City Clerk’s office to verify candidate eligibility,” wrote Albert C. Galloway, Jr., City Attorney.
However, several residents raised concerns about the proposed requirements during public comment. One resident, Howard Davies, questioned whether the city clerk has the authority, ability, or resources to verify the documents independently. He said the process would still rely heavily on candidates’ sworn statements and oaths.
“My concern is that we have only created the appearance of greater accountability without creating a mechanism that actually delivers it,” he said. “While it may appear to strengthen the eligibility requirements for candidates seeking office, it ultimately changes very little in practice…In other words, we added paperwork, but we didn’t necessarily add meaningful verification.”
Another resident, Danny Kreuger, questioned whether commissioners who had already been elected and sworn in should keep their positions if it later became clear that they did not meet the eligibility requirements.
Kreuger urged the commission to convene an independent review to verify whether last cycle’s candidates met the new eligibility requirements, saying a confirmed finding should settle the issue.
“If it proves to be confirmed, then there is no doubt: it erases all doubt about eligibility,” he said. “But if it proves to be faulty, do we simply accept it because at the time, we really didn’t know what to do?”
Commissioner Carol Gillespie pushed back against applying the new requirements retroactively, arguing that any concerns about the last election were “water under the bridge.”
“What we are trying to do is make the requirements more clear for future elections,” she said. “So, the suggestion that there should be some retroactive effect of this amendment, I think it is not appropriate, and I would be opposed to that.”
Commissioner Terri Miller pushed back on the residency concerns, arguing that a “piece of paper” doesn’t determine where someone lives and that residency itself “isn’t definitive.”
She questioned whether staying at a different location overnight would truly change a person’s residence, even if their official address remained tied to their voter ID or utility bills.
Mayor Jack Hilligoss acknowledged the concerns raised during public comment and maintained that he and the commissioners worked to ensure the new requirements align with state statute.
“So, I think we have done what we can do,” he said. “To me, this is a step we have taken that gives us a definition of what we are looking for.”
Commissioner Keith Thompson noted that the discussion underscored the tension between the “letter” and the “spirit” of the law, while maintaining that the commission was doing its best to craft a workable definition.
“I think we have done all that we can do under the law,” he said. “Do I think it is perfect? By no means. Do I think our election system is perfect? By no means. There is a lot of vulnerabilities. But it is the best we got.”
Commissioners will vote on the second and final reading of the ordinance at their next meeting scheduled for Tues. Sept. 22 at 6 PM at the City Administration Building.
Lake Wales Renews Annual Micro-Transit Service Agreement for “The Squeeze”
by James Coulter
Residents who enjoy parking their cars, hopping on a shuttle, and riding into Downtown Lake Wales for food, drinks, and shopping can expect that convenience to continue: the City has renewed its agreement to keep the micro-transit service running.
At their regular meeting on Tues. Aug. 12, the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board voted unanimously to approve a micro-transit service agreement with Lakeland Area Mass Transit District.
The renewed agreement keeps the City’s hop‑on, hop‑off shuttle service, “The Squeeze,” running for another year at $61,380.80. The contract covers service from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027.
“The Squeeze” is a free, eight‑passenger, open‑air golf‑cart shuttle that loops through the historic downtown district. The Lake Wales CRA approved the pilot program on Feb. 13, 2026, with the purchase of two carts using the City’s multimodal impact fee.
The free shuttle service launched on Mon. May 13, 2026. Since then, it has operated on a 12-minute loop on weekdays between 11 am and 2 pm. Key stops include Polk State College Alexander Campos, Lake Wales Police Department, and the intersections of Park Avenue and Market Street/Stuart Avenue.
Since its inception, the service has logged 1,801 rides within the past year, according to figures from a presentation by Citrus Connection during a city commission work session on July 15, 2026.
Commissioner Carol Gillespie asked whether any changes had been made to the agreement. Assistant City Manager Deena Drumgo responded that the document remained essentially the same, noting only a slight cost reduction.
Drumgo said the original agreement was approximately $63,000, to which Commissioner Keith Thompson quipped, “So we squeezed a little bit out of The Squeeze?”
Commissioner Terri Miller asked if the service has benefited the city. Drumgo replied that it has and it proved especially beneficial during construction on Park Avenue.
Citing a recent parking study, Thompson asked how the service would help ease parking issues in the downtown area. City Manager James Slaton answered the city would incorporate it through its strategic plan.
“We already started,” Slaton said. “And I would hopefully like to get to the point where we have terminal parking lots where folks just know that they can park here, and it is just off-site a couple blocks away, but the Squeeze will come by every six minutes and pick them up, and that will help alleviate traffic and parking issues downtown.”
Thompson commended the shuttle for providing a valuable service to residents and visitors to the downtown area: “I think this is such a net positive for us, and it can only get better…I think ridership will probably go up.”
Drumgo mentioned that Lake Wales has been approached by other cities inquiring about implementing similar services. The Lake Wales Squeeze is one of two other similar micro-transit services in the county, with the other being the Lakeland Squeeze.
Lake Wales Man Charged With Attempted Murder After Alleged Clothes-Iron Attack on Roommate
Polk County deputies say a 46-year-old Lake Wales man attacked his roommate early Monday morning, leaving the victim hospitalized with injuries to his face and head.
By Daily Ridge Staff
LAKE WALES, Fla. — Sept. 8, 2026
A Lake Wales man is facing an attempted murder charge after Polk County deputies say he attacked his roommate with a clothes iron early Monday morning.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as Christopher Lewis Boudreaux, 46, of Lake Wales. Boudreaux was charged with attempted second-degree murder, a first-degree felony. According to PCSO, the incident began around 5:40 a.m. Monday, Sept. 7, inside a Lake Wales residence shared by Boudreaux and the victim.
Investigators said Boudreaux entered the room where the victim was sleeping on a couch and began yelling at him. About nine minutes later, deputies say Boudreaux returned and punched the victim in the head while he was still lying down.A short time later, Boudreaux allegedly threw a glass of water at the victim before approaching him with a clothes iron.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Boudreaux struck the victim repeatedly with the iron with enough force that the appliance broke into pieces.
The victim then picked up the glass that had been thrown at him and struck Boudreaux with it, investigators said.
Boudreaux then left the room and went to his bedroom.
PCSO detectives responded to the residence and interviewed other people who were inside the home. Forensic investigators also collected evidence from the scene.
Both Boudreaux and the victim were transported to a hospital.
The victim suffered multiple contusions to his face and head and remained hospitalized in stable condition, according to PCSO.
After Boudreaux was released from the hospital, deputies arrested him and transported him to the Sheriff’s Processing Center.The Sheriff’s Office described the attack as unprovoked. A possible motive was not released.
The victim’s identity was not made public.
Daily Ridge will provide additional information if new details become available through the Polk County Sheriff’s Office or court records.
Leslie W. Dunson, Jr. was a successful businessman, citrus grower, devoted family man, and a cherished friend everywhere he went, from Polk County to the Abaco islands. He spent countless hours in the orange groves of Polk County, where his love for the land and the citrus industry became an important part of his life and legacy.
Bubba was born in Winter Haven, attended Florida Southern College where he received a degree in Citrus and made life-long friends at Pi Kappa Alpha.
Bubba gave back to his community by sharing his time and talents in service to numerous organizations. Among his civic commitments, he served on the Board of Trustees of Winter Haven Hospital and the Board of Trustees of Polk Community College. He was also a longtime member of Parkland Baptist Church.
Outside of his work and community service, he enjoyed boating, hunting and fishing. More than anything, however, he treasured the time he spent with his family and his many wonderful friends. His generosity, easy friendship, and love for those around him will be remembered by all who knew him.
He was preceded in death by his parents, L.W. Dunson, Sr. and Eva Plant Dunson; and his first wife, Barbara Jill Berthy Dunson.
He is survived by his loving wife, Kathy Curtis Dunson; son, Les Dunson III and his wife Ginny; daughters, Lisa Dunson and Laura Barben and her husband, John; step-daughter, Katy Pyle and her late husband Will, step-daughter, Stephanie Cox and husband Kyle; beloved grandchildren, Ashley Foster and her husband Will, Emily Mayers and her husband Brantley, Leslie Jack Barben, Mark Barben, Ashleigh Barben, Gary Cox, Tripp Pyle, Austin Pyle, and one great-granddaughter, Jill Foster.
There will be a private family service. A reception celebrating his life will be held at Venue 650, 650 Sixth Street SW, Winter Haven, on Thursday, September 10, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Developer Credit Agreement Approved for Planned 300‑Unit Bok Estates Community by James Coulter
To support the construction of alley‑loaded streets for a proposed 300‑unit residential community, city commissioners have approved an agreement granting the developer credit against impact fees.
At their regular meeting last month, Lake Wales city commissioners voted unanimously to approve their consent agenda, which included a developer credit agreement with Bok Estates, LLC.
The agreement applies to Bok Estates (also known as Ridge Luxury Townhomes), a residential project planned for a 30‑acre site off Old Scenic Highway, southwest of Bok Tower Gardens.
The proposed development is expected to include approximately 300 townhouse units spread across 55 multi‑family buildings, along with a 2,000‑square‑foot amenity center, all overlooking nearby Lake Caroline.
The agreement provides a 50 percent reduction on the applicable impact fees. Based on the total estimated extra expenses of $1,284,589.68, the developer is expected to receive a credit of $642,294.84.
Impact fees are one‑time charges assessed on new development to help cities pay for the expanded infrastructure, such as roads, water systems, and public facilities, that are needed to serve additional residents.
Under city policy, developers can earn credits toward those fees if they construct certain public improvements themselves. This means a developer may reduce the amount owed by building infrastructure the city would otherwise have to fund.
For Bok Estates, this credit applies specifically to the construction of alley‑loaded streets. These streets are designed to meet the city’s Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND) standards, which require rear‑alley access for residential lots narrower than 55 feet.
These standards are part of the city’s overall strategic vision outlined in Lake Wales Envisioned, a strategy created to “guide growth and conservation throughout the city and its surrounding utility service area for decades to come,” according to its website.
These standards aim to promote “interconnected networks of walkable, bikeable, tree-lined streets,” where “buildings face public spaces,” and narrow parcels include alleys “to reduce curb cuts that interrupt the sidewalk.”
The strategy seeks to move the city away from “new neighborhoods that look more like habitats for cars than for people,” instead encouraging development patterns that support walkability, infill growth, and traditional urban design.
By approving the agreement, commissioners signaled support for both the project and the city’s broader planning goals. The credit allows the developer to move forward with a design that aligns with Lake Wales’ vision for walkable neighborhoods while reducing the financial burden typically associated with new residential construction.
One Movie Later: The Odyssey is an Objectively Good Movie—That I Didn’t Like!
by James Coulter
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has remained the center of controversy ever since its announcement. Some folks complained that the armor isn’t “historically accurate.” Others bemoaned that the dialogue sounded “too modern” for a classical epic. And many more voiced their outrage over certain casting choices for…reasons!
And yet, despite the discourse, not only did the movie gross $931 million worldwide (rapidly approaching $1 billion), but it has also become the fifth-highest-grossing film of the year and helped Universal become the first studio to cross $4 billion in 2026. (Then again, Nolan could film a three-hour movie about paint drying, and it would still make bank because he’s Christopher Nolan!)
But does this tale of a man fighting to get home earn a triumphant theatrical homecoming? Or did it drift so far off course that even Odysseus would struggle to spot Ithaca on the horizon?
The Odyssey is an all-too-familiar classic tale. Most of us read it in high school, and it’s been performed by everyone from cartoon aardvarks to talking dogs. A man gets lost at sea on his way home from the Trojan War. Along the way, he and his crew must brave many perils, including a man-eating cyclops, a boat-destroying whirlpool, sirens who lure men to their doom, and a witch who turns men into pigs. Will Odysseus return home safe…is a question no one needs to ask because everyone already knows the story at this point.
The Odyssey is a well-made film. The cinematography offers an audiovisual spectacle, especially since it is the first feature film shot entirely on IMAX film. The movie features a star-studded cast of A-list actors whose performances prove they earned their roles. And Christopher Nolan, as always, proves himself to be a masterful director. By all accounts, this movie is objectively good.
And yet, I don’t like it!
To be sure, the film delivers several standout moments, especially when it reimagines familiar myth with fresh artistic flair. The cyclops encounter unfolds in near-total darkness, rendering the creature a hulking silhouette that stalks the shadows. Circe’s transformations play as full-on body horror, twisting men into beasts with grotesque physicality, like a potter molding clay. And the sirens’ sequence uses muffled audio to mimic wax-stuffed ears, leaving only Odysseus’s frantic screams barely audible as he begs to be freed from his restraints.
And then there’s the third act, when Odysseus finally returns home and unleashes vengeance on the suitors freeloading in his home. After watching them act like cartoonishly awful human beings for the first two-thirds of the movie, including attacking a blind man and a dog, seeing them mowed down by Odysseus and his allies in the final third is undeniably cathartic.
Yet even with these undeniably interesting moments, the rest of the film feels surprisingly bland. Like so many modern productions, it leans heavily on muted, almost grayish tones that drain the color from what should be a lush, colorful world. And its insistence on gritty realism flattens the mythic grandeur of gods and monsters, making a story built on the fantastic feel oddly ordinary. All of this makes every passing second of this nearly three-hour movie drag on.
And then there’s the acting. As I mentioned earlier, these are A‑list performers who turn in solid work…at least mostly. But if this were your first time seeing Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, or Zendaya on screen, you’d be forgiven for wondering how they ever earned their reputations. Because their performances here are as dry and lifeless as the film’s washed‑out aesthetic. In other words, not their best work.
If you’re a fan of Christopher Nolan or Greek mythology, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy this movie. But if you’re looking for a better adaptation of The Odyssey, I’d highly recommend watching the 1997 mini-series. Not only is it a more entertaining watch, but it’s also streaming for free on Tubi. And while I haven’t seen Epic: The Musical, I’ll take everyone else’s word that it’s a better take on The Odyssey than this film.
See this movie if you want…to be sure, it’s a great movie!…but as for me, I might consider eating some lotus to forget the three hours I wasted watching it in theaters.
Planning to run for public office in Lake Wales? Make sure you have your driver’s license or another form of official documentation ready. Soon, candidates will need to show proof that they’ve lived within the city limits for more than a year.
At their regular meeting on Tues. Aug. 18, 2026, Lake Wales commissioners voted unanimously to approve the first reading of an ordinance amending the City Charter to formalize a documentary verification process for commission candidates.
The proposed amendment would require anyone seeking a commission seat to submit at least two forms of documentation confirming they have met the one‑year residency requirement. Acceptable records include a driver’s license, voter registration card, vehicle registration, property deed or lease, or a homestead exemption filing.
The City Charter already mandates that candidates must have lived within the city limits for at least one year prior to the election. The Code of Ordinances outlines a qualifying checklist that includes candidate oath, loyalty oath, financial disclosure, and campaign treasurer designation.
However, City Attorney Albert C. Galloway, Jr. noted that it “does not explicitly require candidates to submit objective documentary proof verifying their duration of residency within the City limits or specific Commission district/seat.”
Discussion about specifying residency verification surfaced earlier this year after a resident, during public comment at the Apr. 21, 2026 meeting, questioned whether Commissioner Terri Miller had met the one‑year residency requirement during her campaign.
However, at the recent commission meeting, one resident pushed back on the proposed verification process, arguing that the new requirement, rather than adding clarity, introduces a “dangerous ambiguity” to the process.
During public comments, resident Howard Davies questioned the “flawed mechanism” behind the proposed requirements, claiming that the listed proofs of verification “do not prove continuous residency for a full year” and thus forced the city clerk to act like an “unauthorized judge of fact.”
“We shouldn’t place our city clerk in the position of disputed factual determinations about a candidate’s eligibility within a clear defensible framework,” he said. “The cleanest approach is to rely on the candidate’s sworn oath, leaving complex legal disputes to the courts.”
Mayor Jack Hilligoss, citing guidance from the City Attorney, said the city has the authority to require evidentiary proof of residency, including the forms of documentation listed in the amendment. He also emphasized that the ordinance would not alter the ministerial role of the city clerk in the qualifying process.
“Florida statute grants municipalities a lot of latitude on this, as long as what we enact doesn’t directly conflict with Florida statutes, is my understanding,” he said. “So other municipalities in Florida have done these sorts of things.”
Commissioner Carol Gillespie raised a concern about a potential inconsistency, noting that the amendment referred to one year before qualification, while the City Charter specifies one year before the election.
City Attorney Galloway clarified that the Charter explicitly sets the requirement at one year before the election. He added that the Code of Ordinances addresses the timing questions involved, meaning there is no conflict between the two provisions.
LAKE WALES – Lake Wales came within a yard of knocking off one of the best high school football teams in Florida Friday night.
In the end, Head Coach Tavaris Johnson had a decision to make: play for overtime or play to win.
He chose to go for the win.
The Highlanders came up just short on the two-point conversion, allowing DeLand to escape Legion Field with a 35-34 victory in a wild season opener that may have told Lake Wales far more about its football team than an easy opening-night victory would have.
DeLand entered the matchup ranked No. 1 in Class 6A and figures to be one of the most difficult opponents Lake Wales will see all season. Johnson deliberately scheduled a difficult opponent early, and his Highlanders showed they could stand toe-to-toe with one of the state’s top programs.
It didn’t look that way at first.
DeLand jumped out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead before Lake Wales answered with 14 points in the second quarter. The Bulldogs took a 21-14 advantage into halftime.
Both teams scored twice in the third quarter, and DeLand eventually built a 35-21 advantage in the fourth.
Lake Wales could have folded.
Instead, the Highlanders made a furious comeback.
Lake Wales scored to cut the deficit to seven and then recovered an onside kick, giving the Highlanders another opportunity. They found the end zone again, pulling within 35-34 late in the fourth quarter.
That left Johnson with the biggest decision of the night.
Kick the extra point and potentially send the game to overtime, or put the game in the hands of his offense and try to beat the No. 1-ranked Bulldogs right then.
Johnson went for two.
Quarterback Kingston Loydd took the ball up the middle but was stopped just short of the goal line, leaving DeLand with the one-point advantage and ultimately the victory.
Despite the loss, Lake Wales showed plenty offensively.
According to statistics posted to MaxPreps, Loydd completed 14 of 21 passes for 235 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Kamari Smith rushed 16 times for 86 yards, while Kaneilius Purdy had a huge night through the air, catching nine passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns.
The performance was particularly encouraging considering the level of competition.
DeLand isn’t the type of opponent most teams would choose when looking for an easy way to begin a season. For Johnson and the Highlanders, however, Friday night’s game provided an early measuring stick. Lake Wales walked away 0-1, but also walked away knowing it was only inches away from beating one of Florida’s top-ranked teams.
Unfortunately, the football wasn’t the only thing people were talking about following the game.
An apparent disagreement between a Lake Wales assistant football coach and the Lake Wales High School band resulted in the band leaving Legion Field before the game was over.
Multiple people in attendance told Daily Ridge they witnessed the incident or noticed the band leaving the stadium early.
A message reportedly written by Lake Wales band director Meagan Delacerda and shared with band parents Saturday provides her account of what happened.
In the message, Delacerda reportedly wrote that the band did not leave because it lacked school spirit or support for the football team, but because she believed her students were being treated disrespectfully.
According to the message, Delacerda alleges the disagreement between members of the football coaching staff and the band is not new. She claimed assistant coaches have attempted to get the band to stop playing or play quieter during games over the past three years.
She reportedly wrote that she had previously warned that if it happened again, the band would pack up and leave.
Importantly, the message attributed to Delacerda does not place the blame on Head Coach Tavaris Johnson or the football players.
In fact, Delacerda reportedly praised Johnson’s relationship with the band, writing, “Coach Johnson has said how much he loves us and supports us numerous times.”
She also urged parents not to turn the situation into a football-versus-band dispute, saying the students support one another and characterizing the issue as involving only a small number of assistant coaches.
Delacerda reportedly told parents she is scheduled to meet Monday with school administration and members of the coaching staff regarding the situation.
The decision to leave the stadium, however, also drew criticism from some parents who became aware of Delacerda’s explanation.
“It made us look like sore losers,” one parent said of the band leaving before the game had ended.
Another parent, who does not have a student involved in either the football program or the band but was aware of the message attributed to Delacerda, felt there was plenty of blame to go around.
The parent said that if tensions between members of the football coaching staff and the band have been an ongoing problem, they should have been addressed long before Friday night and in a much more professional manner. In the parent’s view, neither the actions of the assistant coach nor the decision to pull the band from the stadium sent the right message to students.
Daily Ridge has not independently verified the claims regarding previous incidents described in the message, and there may be additional context surrounding Friday night’s exchange. What is clear is that the disagreement became visible enough that spectators noticed the band leaving Legion Field before one of the most dramatic Lake Wales football games in recent memory had ended.
Hopefully, Monday’s meeting provides an opportunity for those involved to address the issue away from the sidelines. Both the football program and band are made up primarily of students who spend countless hours preparing to represent Lake Wales High School, and neither should become caught in the middle of a disagreement between adults.
For the Highlanders on the field, the season moves forward.
Lake Wales will travel to Sebring next Friday for another non-district matchup. Sebring enters that game following a 21-0 victory over Ridge Community.
If Friday night was the measuring stick Johnson wanted for his football team, the Highlanders showed they aren’t far away.
Preliminary Approval Given to Annexation of 193 Acres of Land West of Lake Wales
by James Coulter
Amid a wave of commercial, industrial, and residential annexations along State Road 60, Lake Wales commissioners gave preliminary approval to several ordinances involving 193 acres of land west of the city.
At their recent meeting on Tues. Aug. 18, 2026, city commissioners unanimously approved four ordinances involving the annexation, future land use, and zoning of 193 acres, as well as specific conditions governing development of the property.
According to Autumn Cochella, Growth Management Director, the site is located “on the western edge of town, south of State Road 60, and west of the Stoneridge MDP and Industrial, and of the Lake Wales Municipal Airport. The Florida Midland Railroad extends along the southeast portion of the site.”
The ordinances would annex the property into the city limits, change its future land use and zoning designation to Industrial, and apply special conditions specific to that parcel and its future development.
“The special conditions applied to the site will ensure that, at such time development plans are submitted to the City, additional regulations in conjunction with the underlying zoning standards will be required,” Cochella wrote. “Particular consideration is given to the existing residential to the west within unincorporated Polk County along the CSX Railroad and accessed by West Lake Wales Alturas Road.”
These standards will require industrial structures to be at least 200 feet from adjacent residential parcels east of Lake Wales Road and establish 20-foot-wide buffers comprising a mix of trees, shrubs, and fencing along the southwestern boundary and State Road 60.
Sheldon Rice, representing the applicant, said the special conditions intend to keep the property consistent with the surrounding area while providing flexibility for future development.
Rice said similar buffering measures are used in projects throughout the county and described them as both a “tool in the city’s toolbox” and a “guinea pig” for the annexation. He said the measures could help facilitate compatible economic growth and development.
“We have tried to maintain as much flexibility for this project as we could while also committing to certain things above and beyond the code standard that would make sure this is compatible with the surrounding uses no matter what ultimately is developed,” he said. “That is really the overarching concept of this project.”
Rice noted that the property is adjacent to several major developments, including Lake Wales Commons to the north and the Stoneridge community to the east and south. He said the proposed annexation and land-use changes would make the site compatible with the surrounding mix of industrial, commercial, and residential development.
“So, this is kind of along the corridor of Highway 60 where the city has recently approved other projects encouraging economic growth and development,” he said. “From a future land use perspective, this is right in line with everything around it…So we feel this fits well in the area and is compatible.”
LAKE WALES — The preseason work is finished. Friday night, the games start counting.
Lake Wales opens its 2026 regular season Friday night at home against DeLand in what should provide an immediate measuring stick for a Highlanders team that brings back a significant amount of talent from last season.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Lake Wales.
The Highlanders got their first opportunity to line up against another team last week in a preseason matchup against Auburndale. While the preseason contest did not count toward the regular-season record, it gave Lake Wales an opportunity to evaluate a roster that includes a number of players who played major roles during last year’s 10-3 season.
Now the difficulty increases.
DeLand comes to Polk County with considerable expectations. The Bulldogs enter the season highly regarded in Florida’s Class 6A, while Lake Wales is also ranked among the top teams in Class 4A.
DeLand is coached by Rick Darlington and brings a roster with size and experience in several key spots. One player to watch is senior quarterback Gardner Nordman, listed at 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds. The Bulldogs also have senior defensive end Leighton Hill at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, along with senior offensive linemen Tucker Wilson and Justin Burns.
For Lake Wales, many of the names to watch Friday night will already be familiar.
Senior running back Kamari Smith returns after averaging 121 rushing yards per game last season and scoring 18 rushing touchdowns. Smith gives Lake Wales a proven option in the backfield and will be one of the players DeLand’s defense will have to account for throughout the night.
Sophomore Kingston Loydd also returns after being thrown into a major role as a freshman. Loydd completed 62 percent of his passes and threw 20 touchdown passes last season while also contributing on the ground. He is listed on this year’s roster as a quarterback, free safety and athlete.
Senior Kaneilius Purdy gives the Highlanders another experienced offensive weapon. Purdy caught 11 touchdown passes last season and averaged more than 87 receiving yards per game. Lake Wales lists him at quarterback and running back this season, providing the Highlanders with another player capable of being used in several ways.
There is experience on the defensive side as well.
Senior Raeshaun Pugh averaged 9.2 tackles per game last season and caused four fumbles, while senior Loobensky Lafortune recorded 4.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hurries. Senior A’Quayvion Herring had four interceptions. All three return on the 2026 roster.
That returning production is part of what makes Friday night’s matchup intriguing.
Lake Wales isn’t easing into its schedule. DeLand represents a significant opening-night challenge, particularly as a highly regarded program competing in the larger Class 6A classification.
For the Highlanders, Friday begins another challenging schedule of their own. Lake Wales travels to Sebring next week, visits Winter Haven on Sept. 4 and begins district play at Lake Region on Sept. 11. Later games include Osceola, Jones, Kathleen and Bartow.
But those games can wait.
Friday night gives Lake Wales an opportunity to find out immediately where it stands against a talented DeLand team.
DeLand at Lake Wales Friday, Aug. 21 Kickoff: 7 p.m.
