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
Once again, my thanks to Carl Fish and the Daily Ridge for providing this opportunity for me to respond to questions and, hopefully, provide some helpful understanding to the citizens of Lake Wales.
I also hope these articles are helpful to those who call Lake Wales “home” but live outside the city limits. One source of frustration I encounter is this reality: the City Commission of Lake Wales has jurisdiction over the property and streets located within the city limits only. So, there are many who call Lake Wales home, but the day-to-day governmental decisions they deal with are more at a county level.
In this third article, I am going to cover some miscellaneous topics I received questions about.
Parks and Recreation
There were a few questions/concerns expressed about the plans for and condition of our parks and recreation in the city.There have been some good developments in this area and there are great plans moving forward.
Perhaps the biggest news of this last year was our city assumed control of what was the YMCA on Burns Ave. Lake Wales received abrupt notice from the national YMCA organization that they would be ending their day-to-day management of the location in the summer of 2023.
This presented the city with a real challenge that was turned into a great opportunity. At first, there was a debate about trying to find private, entities to occupy the building. There was even discussion of a possible sale. However, the citizens of Lake Wales expressed an overwhelming desire to maintain this location for the benefit of the city. In response, our Parks and Recreation Department-headed by Stephanie Lutton-went to work. The city invested a great deal of money and human resources into renovating, renewing, and reopening what is now The Lake Wales Family Recreation Center. This has become a great hub of community activity including regular “Parents Night Out” and “Flick and Floats.” Fitness classes, sporting events, swim lessons, and other activities are hosted there. Currently, well over 1000 citizens have purchased memberships.
A big investment has also been made in the linear park which runs between the Lake Wales Library and Scenic Hwy downtown. This past year, fencing was installed, and the city received a generous donation to create a sculpture garden in the park. The linear park has become the hub of many of the evening events which are hosted in downtown Lake Wales.
The City is also near completion of a long-range, master plan, for the improvement and upgrades for its seven parks which was begun in 2021. We have worked with Catalyst Design Group to put this plan together and sought a great deal of input from residents as to what things they would like to see become a part of our parks and trail network. We just hosted an open house for more input on the first, exciting, conceptual plans that propose up to a $28 million investment in these, important parts of our community.
Lakes
Some asked about the maintenance and condition of our lakes. In the last two years we have removed over 650 tons of invasive weeds from Lake Cooper, Lake Eva, and Lake Wailes. There were others who expressed a concern about shoreline clean up on Lake Wailes. However, that remains a point of contention with many opposing efforts to do that for fear it would disrupt the natural habitat.
The Walesbuilt
The City of Lake Wales is still involved in litigation over the control of this property. A judge recently granted a motion for summary judgement on the property however, the city does not own the property at this time.
Roads, streets, and highways
Traffic is an issue we receive the most complaints about. It is also the issue we, unfortunately, do not have much, direct, control over. Most of the roads you travel each day are not under the jurisdiction of the City of Lake Wales. We oversee and maintain only the residential streets within the city limits (I.E.-Johnson, Bullard, Polk Ave. etc)
Regarding those streets, for the last three years we have been able to fully fund and implement a street repaving program in our city. We have improved and repaved over seven miles of city streets in that time.
We also enacted a multi-modal fee on all new development which has brought funding to our city that has allowed us to develop trails, bike paths, and purchase golf carts for our downtown “Squeeze” route.
All other roads and highways are under the jurisdiction of the Polk County Commissioners. They work with the Transportation Planning Organization. The TPO monitors traffic conditions on over 425 roadway segments in the county. They keep track of traffic volume on these roads/highways and based upon “Annual Average Daily Traffic” assign each roadway a “Level of Service” grade of “A” which means free-flowing traffic, to “F” which means it is a parking lot.
This is all a part of the “concurrency” issue I wrote about in my first article for the Daily Ridge. When a developer submits a plan to the city that meets all city zoning requirements, that plan is then advanced to county and state for review to make judgments on the ability of infrastructure to handle the demands of the new development. “Level of service” on local roads and highways are a part of that estimate. While all our local roads are certainly busier than we have been used to, there are currently none that have grown beyond what is determined to be “adequate level of service” by the TPO. The greatest congestion on local roads is to the north of our city and the highest, near-term, priority will be on Thompson Nursery and Chalet-Suzanne Roads.
We saw the completion of a four-year improvement of the Hwy 27 and Hwy 60 interchange this year. This has made that section of highway much safer and more convenient for all traffic. We will also receive $900,000 of funding this year for two railway safety projects in our city, one at Johnson Avenue and the second on Hwy. 60.
A Huge Win
On Wednesday, June 26, it was announced at a City Commission Work Session that Lake Wales will receive a $22.9 million RAISE grant to continue the renovation of our historic downtown which we began in earnest on Park Ave.
I mention this here because, of course, it is exciting news and a big win for Lake Wales. It will help us come much closer to the full implementation of the exciting Lake Wales Connected plan.
Many strategic plans just become very expensive three-ring binders gathering dust on some city manager’s bookshelf. That has not been the case in Lake Wales. Every long-term plan we have invested in has been diligently and carefully pursued. This grant is the sort of reward that can come to a city when its leadership and administration do the hard work of innovative and visionary planning and, the even harder work of implementing the plan.
Our city staff has done that with “Lake Wales Connected”, we are also taking the necessary steps to codify the zoning changes necessary to implement “Lake Wales Envisioned”, and I believe we will see these sorts of things come our way as we also pursue the final plans for our parks and recreation department.
Thanks again to Carl and the Daily Ridge. My invitation for you to send me any questions or schedule an appointment to meet with me at the Mayor’s office stands.
Bartow, Fla. (July 1, 2024) – The North Central Landfill and North Central Transfer Station will be closed on Thursday, July 4 for Independence Day. The landfill and transfer station will re-open Friday, July 5.
Due to the landfill closure, there will be no Polk residential waste collection services. Normal scheduled services for Thursday, July 4, will take place on Friday;Friday services will take place on Saturday.
For holiday schedule information and closures visit https://www.polk-county.net/services/waste-and-recycling/
Harry Edward Erich of Haines City passed away Sunday, June 23, 2024 at Winter Haven Hospital.
He was born January 3, 1946 in Baltimore, Maryland to the late Harry and Ruth Erich; he moved to Haines City from Illinois in 1999. Harry served with the United States Coast Guard which lead him to travel to Antarctica. He was a field service technician and was good with woodworking. Harry was a fan of Mickey Mouse, Corvettes, and Harley’s. He loved the Gulf of Mexico and Bermuda.
Harry was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Ruth Erich; and son, Ray Houston. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Jean Erich; daughters, Renee Zimmerman, Tracey L. Schmidt, Kathy Ziglar, and Chris Michki; son, Mike Houston; sister, Georgann Srock; 11 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren.
A private celebration of life will be held at a later date.
Lake Wales, Fla. (June 26, 2024) – The City of Lake Wales was awarded a $22,930,000 grant to fund the redevelopment of four road segments in historic downtown Lake Wales. The funding was awarded by the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program.
First Street, Central Avenue, Lincoln Avenue and A Street will be redeveloped into complete streets according to the City’s award-wining Lake Wales Connected Plan.
The City’s project plan is one of 148 nationwide projects to be awarded funding by the RAISE program.
“This grant greatly impacts the core of historic Lake Wales, accelerating the revitalization of the downtown district and northwest neighborhood,” City Manager James Slaton said.
The plan comprises a road diet, separated cycle track, expanded ADA accessible sidewalks, safety enhancements at sidewalks and railroad crossings, increased shade tree canopy cover and raingardens, lighting, underground high-speed fiber and streetscaping.
“Lake Wales beat out other major cities throughout the nation,” Lee Hale, civil engineer and grant writer with Hale Innovation said.
Other projects within the Lake Wales Connected plan include the recently completed 3,000-foot multiuse Park Avenue Connector Trail that connects Lake Wailes Park to downtown, and the construction of an $18.5 million revitalization project on Park Avenue, scheduled to be completed this fall.
The RAISE program provides funding to projects of local and regional significance, such as multimodal and multijurisdictional road, rail, transit and port projects.
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It is the goal of the City of Lake Wales to ensure that the services we provide are as accessible for individuals with disabilities as they are for individuals without disabilities. If this correspondence or any attachments provided do not address your specific needs, please email us and we will work to provide the information to you via alternative means. If you have questions or require additional information, please contact the City Clerk at [email protected].
City of Lake Wales e-mail and web site domain name have changed to Lakewalesfl.gov. E-mails to cityoflakewales.com addresses will no longer be delivered.
NOTICE: Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public-records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this department by phone or in writing.
Robin Lynn Cappert of Lake Wales passed away Monday, June 24, 2024 at her residence.
She was born September 30, 1971 in Port Heron, Michigan to the late H. Wesley and Michal Sunderman; she was previously a resident of Frostproof. Robin was a Gas Station Manager. She was a faithful Christian woman who helped lead her son to Christ. She loved art, painting, fishing, going to the beach, and her children.
Robin is survived by her daughter, Cynthia-Anne Tabor of Greenville, South Carolina; sons, Marcus Cappert of Winneconne, Wisconsin, William Tabor (Yamaris Valentin) of Menasha, Wisconsin, and Nicolas Cappert of Winneconne, Wisconsin; brother, Sean Sunderman of Muncie, Indiana; and grandson, Miles Liam Tabor-Valentin.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, June 27, 2024 at Marion Nelson Funeral Home in Lake Wales with Mr. William Tabor officiating.
The Lake Wales Police Department has arrested Glenn Skinner, DOB: 11/22/1969 on multiple charges, included attempted murder and arson, after he allegedly poured gasoline on a homeless man and his dog. The incident occurred in the early morning hours of June 16th. According to the report Skinner doused the man and his dog with gas and allegedly threatened to light him on fire. The incident occurred at the old McDonald’s near the Orangemont Plaza.
Here is a long excerpt of the arrest affidavit (It should be noted that this is an unedited report of facts by the Lake Wales Police Department. These facts are up for question and everyone is entitled to question the validity of facts by law enforcement in a court of law. The Lake Wales Daily does not rewrite these facts as some meanings or interpretations could be in error and change context. We hope readers appreciate being able to read the information and come to their own understanding and conclusions):
LWPD Arrest Affidavit
“On June 16, 2024 at approximately 0600 hours, I was dispatched to the area of Highway 60 east and 11th Street in Lake Wales in reference to a disturbance.
The reportee, REDACTED, advised dispatch that another subject, later identified as Glenn Skinner, threatened REDACTED with a “claw hammer”, poured gasoline on him and his dog, and threatened to set them on fire.
When I arrived in the area of the incident location near 1450 Highway 60 East. REDACTED waved me down in the parking lot area near Subway washing his dog using a hose located between the businesses. When I pulled my agency issued, marked patrol unit next to REDACTED, he immediately said, “he’s on a green bike”, and described Skinner’s clothing and description. REDACTED also warned that Skinner had a claw hammer in his possession. I asked REDACTED if he knew the suspect by name and said he knows his first name is “Glenn”. REDACTED said he did not know his last name.
At the same time, officers made contact with Skinner who was riding a green bicycle, headed East on Highway 60 near RaceTrac gas station. Ofc. Blaser attempted to stop Skinner, by illuminating the overhead lights on his agency issued patrol car and ordering him to stop, at which point, Skinner refused Ofc. Blaser’s lawful commands to stop by continuing to ride his bicycle East on Hwy 60. Skinner was ultimately placed under arrest and a silver “Zippo” style lighter was removed from his possession.
Suspect Glenn Skinner
Because Skinner knowingly and willfully resisted Ofc. Blaser, who at the time was engaged in the execution of his legal duty as a uniformed law enforcement officer, probable cause existed to charge Skinner with resisting without violence as outlined in Florida Statute 843.02. Please review Ofc. Blaser’s supplement for further details on his involvement.
I asked REDACTED the details of incident. REDACTED said he went to get cigarettes at the 7/11 gas station at around 0400 hours. REDACTED said he saw Skinner with a “claw hammer” in his hand. REDACTED said Skinner was waving the hammer and saying something to him but he had headphones in his ears and could not hear Skinner
I asked REDACTED how he knows Skinner!” REDACTED advised LONG REDACTED SENTENCE said Skinner had been “stalking her” for approximately “eight days” by driving around her house.
REDACTED said he left the gas station and headed West on Highway 60 towards the shopping plaza at 1450 Highway 60 where he has a homeless tent camp. REDACTED said Skinner followed and when they got near the Tractor Supply store in the plaza, Skinner threatened him again. REDACTED said he armed himself with a baseball bat he had in his possession when Skinner came within approximately 10 feet of him. REDACTED addressed Skinner and confronted him, not to provoke Skinner, but in an effort to defend himself. REDACTED said Skinner left the area so he went to his camp in the dumpster area of the old McDonalds which is located at 1110 Hwy 60 E.
REDACTED said he went to sleep and woke up shortly after to the smell of gasoline. REDACTED said he got up and walked out of his camp and observed Skinner with a “Mountain Dew bottle” of gasoline standing outside his camp area.
REDACTED said Skinner squeezed the gasoline from the bottle towards him pouring some gasoline on to his socks. REDACTED said Skinner was running up to him and backing off. REDACTED’s dog came out of the camp area. Skinner poured gasoline from the bottle onto the dog’s head and face.
REDACTED said Skinner had a “gray, Zippo lighter” in his hand and told him, “I’m going to light you up, it just takes a second”. REDACTED said he responded with “light me up then” but also said he was in fear that Skinner was going to light the gasoline and set him and his dog on fire.
I went to REDACTED’s camp area. I observed a plastic bottle laying near the entrance to the dumpster area where REDACTED says he sleeps. The bottle was clear and had a green label. The bottle also had a yellowish liquid in the bottle. I also smelled the strong odor of gasoline in the area and around the bottle in particular. I took photographs of the scene before moving the bottle to see if the liquid was gasoline. I picked up the bottle and could tell by the odor, the liquid was gasoline. It should be noted, the bottle was actually a Sprite bottle However, REDACTED could have mistaken the green label on the bottle as Mountain Dew.
I asked REDACTED if he was in fear that Skinner might actually set him on fire. He advised he was in fear and he thought Skinner was about to light the fire.
We conducted a show up in which REDACTED positively identified Skinner as the suspect.
I obtained a sworn recorded statement from REDACTED regarding the incident. The statement was downloaded to Evidence.com and also e-filed to be attached to this report.
Ofc. Blaser advised Skinner of his Miranda Rights by reading from his agency issued, waiver of rights card. Post Miranda, Skinner denied the allegations of the incident. He stated he was only riding his bike through the area.
Ofc. Blaser transported Skinner to the Lake Wales Police Department. Once I arrived at the police department to take custody or Skinner, Ofc. Blaser went to interview REDACTED.
In his interview, REDACTED told Ofc. Blaser she saw Skinner yesterday (June 15. 2024). She said Skinner told her he planned to kill REDACTED. REDACTED said Skinner advised he would kill REDACTED by beating him with an axe handle he had in his possession at the time. Ofc. Blaser obtained a sworn recorded from REDACTED. Please refer to Ofc. Blasers supplement report for further information.
Based on REDACTED’s statements, there is reason to believe Skinner intended to commit the crime of First-Degree Premeditated Murder.
Skinner committed an overt act toward the commission of First-Degree Premeditated Murder that went beyond mere preparation, by putting gasoline in a bottle, following REDACTED to his camp, and pouring the gasoline on REDACTED and his dog. Because Skinner failed to complete the First-Degree Premeditated murder. probable cause existed to charged him with Attempted First-Degree Murder as outlined in Florida Statute 782.04*.
Because Skinner willfully and unlawfully, while engaged in the commission of Attempted First Degree Murder, also attempted to cause a fire in a structure where Skinner knew, or had reasonable grounds to believe, would be occupied by REDACTED, probable cause existed to charge Skinner with Attempted Arson as outlined in Florida Statute 777.04(1).
Because Skinner unnecessarily poured gasoline on the face and head of REDACTED dog, in a cruel and inhuman manner, in an attempt to set the dog on fire, probable cause existed to charge Skinner with Animal Cruelty as outlined in 828.12(1).
Because Skinner knowingly and intentionally poured gasoline on REDACTED’s feet, probable cause existed to charge Skinner with simple battery as outlined in Florida Statute 784.03(1)(A)1.
A woman was arrested following a domestic disturbance in Lake Wales Monday afternoon, June 24, 2024, in which she intentionally drove over a man who was holding an infant, injuring them both.
Detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office authored an arrest warrant for 27-year old Aaliyah Ross of Lake Wales, and located her in Orlando where she was arrested. She is currently being held in the Orange County Jail.
The 25-year old male victim was treated and released from the hospital, having suffered bruising to his body and lungs.
The 16-month old boy remains hospitalized with a broken left shoulder and collar bone, multiple broken ribs, a partially collapsed lung, and abrasions and bruising on his body.
As the argument escalated between Ross and the man, she placed two other small children (4 years old, and 6 months old) into her car, and got into the driver’s seat of a Toyota Corolla. The man picked up the infant and began to run away as Ross accelerated directly at the two victims, and ran over them before she crashed the vehicle into a trailer.
At approximately 12:22pm, Ross returned to the now unoccupied residence and put the infant inside, leaving him alone there while she left again.
Following her arrest, Ross told a detective that there have been several times in the past that she has acted as if she was going to run over the man, but she would swerve at the last second to avoid hitting him. She said she assumed that because of that, he would have moved out of the way in this instance, but he did not.
“Aaliyah Ross made a series of incredibly unthinkable choices Monday: running over a man and a baby with a car, leaving the baby alone, and failing to get medical treatment for the obviously injured baby. Someone who does this to a baby will do this to anyone—her uncontrollable rage is a threat to the public.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff.
The other two children were located and the Florida Department of Children and Families is currently evaluating their plan of custody.
Ross will be transferred from the Orange County Jail to the Polk County Jail.
She is being charged with: Aggravated Child Abuse (F1), Aggravated Battery-Domestic (F2), Negligent Child Abuse (F3), Battery-Domestic (M1), and Leaving the Scene of a Crash with Property Damage (M2).
Summer vacation is finally upon us. The kids are out of school. Everyone wants to watch a movie. But ticket prices are insanely high. And so are streaming service subscriptions.
So, what are you and the kids going to do to get your family flick fix this summer? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could watch a family feature film for only $1? Well, good news! You can do just that at Regal Theaters during their Summer Movie Express.
Yes! All summer long, you and the kids can go to the movies for only $1 per ticket. Just visit on Tues. and Wed. at 11 AM at participating Regal Theaters, including Regal Eagle Ridge Mall in Lake Wales and Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas in Davenport.
From June 11 through Aug. 7, you and the family can enjoy quality family entertainment, whether you want a paw-some time with the Paw Patrol, spider-slinging action with Spider-Man, or go fast with Sonic the Hedgehog. Best of all, with these movies mostly being rated G and PG, you can know for certain these films are suitable for all ages.
And what’s a trip to the movies without a popcorn and drink? But don’t worry! You won’t have to burn a hole in your pocket. With the $5 Snack Pack, your little one can enjoy junior-sized drink, snack-sized popcorn, and fruit snacks.
A movie and refreshments for only $6? What deal could be better? Well, if you join the Regal Crown Club, you can get 50 percent off popcorn every Tuesday! Even better, regular movie tickets are only $5 on that day, too! Wow! What a deal!
Here are the dates and times for upcoming movies within the Regal Summer Movie Express (please contact theaters to confirm showtimes and movie lineup):
Tues. June 25: Despicable Me 3
Wed. June 26: Migration
Tues. July 2: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Wed. July 3: Paw Patrol: The Movie
Tues. July 9: Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
Wed. July 10: Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie
Tues. July 16: Sonic The Hedgehog
Wed. July 17: Clifford the Big Red Dog
Tues. July 23: Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Wed. July 24: Trolls Band Together
Tues. July 30: Kung Fu Panda 3
Wed. July 31: Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile
Tues. Aug. 6: Sing 2
Wed. Aug. 7: Minions: The Rise of Gru
Regal Theaters is located at Eagle Ridge Mall, located at 51 Eagle Ridge Dr, Lake Wales, FL 33859. For more information, call 844-462-7342, or visit https://www.regmovies.com/theatres/regal-eagle-ridge-mall-0466
Americans are more politically divided than ever before. Nearly 86 percent of Americans claim both parties are more focused on fighting each other than on solving problems, according to the Pew Research Center.
With the next presidential election on the horizon, political tensions continue to rise–along with the blood pressure of most Americans. About 65 percent say they feel exhausted thinking about politics, Pew reports.
Fortunately, one local college student believes he can heal our nation’s political divide, and he claims his new book has the answers!
With a highly-contentious presidential election right around the corner, Southeastern University student Antonio Ancaya has published “Awaken: The Rise of the Populist,” in which he addresses America’s growing political divide and proposes suggestions on how to heal it.
“When you look at our world today, you see that it is very politically polarized,” Ancaya said. “I truly believe the polarization that we see in the world is because there is not enough balance showing both sides…The only way for our country to heal from this polarization is by showing both sides and emphasizing what [they are] presenting.”
Ancaya graduated from the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Lake Wales High School. As an avid runner, he received an athletic scholarship to run cross country and track at Southeastern University in Lakeland.
The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns during his sophomore year in high school awakened him to the many political problems currently plaguing our country. He noticed how the lockdowns left many people, especially young people like himself, feeling isolated and thus disconnected from others.
“When everything started shutting down. I could not help but think to myself that we will have an entire generation of students who are unable to think critically. He said. “They have their education, but it is being squandered because of all of these lockdowns. Online learning does not really help anybody, to be honest. I knew a lot of people personally who did not have access to computers or reliable Wi-Fi, and those people, they could not finish. So, I really wanted to change that, and I wanted to make sure something like that never happens again in our country.”
As a conservative, one of his core beliefs is an America First national and economic policy. In his book, he argues that most of America’s current political problems began in the 1980s with most industries being outsourced to other countries like China, Mexico, and India. He firmly believes in preserving and creating American jobs for American workers.
“Everyone talks about unemployment, but we do not emphasize enough about underemployment,” he said. “It is not just blue-collar labor work. It is upper management positions as well. The upper management level. Because these jobs are going to India and China, we have the most college graduates who are working in service jobs that are lower paying.”
Ancaya is currently studying international business with a minor in political science. Upon graduation, he aspires either starting his career in public policy either in Washington D.C. or in a political think tank like the Heritage Foundation or the Leadership Institute.
As for the upcoming election and how it affects political polarization, he claims the biggest challenge will be for both political parties to accept the results no matter who is elected president. Our political institutions are only as strong as our collective faith in them, he states.
“I think that the biggest challenge will be on both sides,” he said. “I do not think either side will accept the results of the elections. And it is a real shame. It will only lead to further divide and to further polarization. I discuss that we are heading to civil war because that is where this political division is headed.”
Dr. Rich Swier, political columnist and former talk radio host, recently reviewed Ancaya’s book on his blog. He called it a “thought-provoking journey” on America’s ever-changing collective identity and how that identity change has affected its people.
“[It] is more than a book—it’s a call to action. A reflection on the past, a stark analysis of the present, and a hopeful vision for tomorrow,” Dr. Swier wrote. “It challenges readers to reconsider their assumptions, confront their fears, and embrace the potential of a brighter tomorrow. This is the time to make a difference, to stand firm against the liberal establishment’s narrative, and to champion cherished civil rights for all Americans.”
“Awaken: The Rise of the Populist” is currently available on Amazon in paperback and e-book: https://a.co/d/0d5Txtnn
On June 12, more than 50 Lake Wales residents gathered to race purple ducks for a cause. Water’s Edge at Lake Wales hosted the event for the Alzheimer’s Association’s The Longest Day initiative. Attendees raced purple ducks, raising more than $700 for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disease that impacts thinking, memory and behavior. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, nearly 18,000 Polk County residents are estimated to be living with the disease. Florida has the second highest number of individuals living with Alzheimer’s in the U.S.
Age is the greatest risk factor, with the risk for Alzheimer’s doubling every five years after age 65. Other risk factors include family history, genetics and lifestyle.
A dramatic increase in research funding over the last decade through events like The Longest Day has resulted in new treatments for Alzheimer’s that have been shown to slow the progression of the disease. Additional treatments are expected to receive FDA approval in 2024.
For more information, visit alz.org/TLD or call the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.
