As mentioned from time to time over the years, my classmates in the Summerlin Institute Class of 1958 awarded me — with ample justification — the title of “Least Athletic.”
If you’ve lived in Polk County for any length of time, you know that when it comes to keeping people safe, our city and county departments are committed to working together across jurisdictional and bureaucratic boundaries.
Last week, we noted the 1980s were a mixed blessing for Winter Haven, as the city marked its founding some 100 years earlier.
I’m sure everyone is familiar with the case where an actor reported to the Chicago Police Department that he had been physically attacked and called some pretty nasty things. We know how that turned out, but the case did shed some light on a big problem.
Over the past several years, this column has been fortunate to grow a dedicated readership base.
A few days ago, a friend of mine got a call from a former co-worker asking his help with a possible crisis.
Our deputies patrol over 2,000 square miles every day, and as you can imagine, that means we work a lot of traffic crashes.
In the spring of 1976, Oscar and Jane Marable had just published the second issue of a small, tourism-focused magazine they named “Here Abouts.”
One of the most remarkable crimes in Polk County’s history, my Dad always maintained, was the robbery of a Fort Meade bank in 1957 by two men — both drunk — who utilized two airplanes (one of them stolen) and a kidnapped law enforcement officer’s patrol car for transportation.
This is mainly for those of you with children. When was the last time you took a look at his or her internet activity?
The 5th Annual Jeepin’ with Judd is almost here.
In retrospect, the experience taught me a couple of valuable lessons.
In 1945, John B. Thornhill, son of Columbus Thornhill, told the local newspaper of his family’s arrival in the area. Columbus Thornhill was one of the area’s earliest residents, having come to the area from Georgia in 1865.
It seems hard to believe — almost impossible to believe — that little more than 100 years ago the women of this country did not have the right to vote. The 19th Amendment to the Constitution will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its passage on August 18, 2020, and the general election that…
When a call comes in to our house phone (rather than one of our cell phones), odds are it is a junk call or a scam.
You’ve probably hear me say once or twice that I’ve been in the law enforcement business for a long, long time — four decades, as a matter of fact. I started out in what was called the “radio room” and my dad had to buy the bullets when I became a deputy, because I was too young. If you need…
Over the past several years there has been a very public discussion about the future of downtown’s historic Ritz Theatre. After a group of concerned local business leaders offered to serve on the struggling theatre’s Board and were rebuffed, a “Friends of the Ritz Theatre” group formed and t…
A civic club program presented by the American Cancer Society last week brought back memories of smoking — from a standpoint of both etiquette and health — memories that date back couple of generations.
Crimes can happen in the blink of an eye — or a quick “smash” to your car window.
The late Bob Swift had enjoyed a highly successful career as a newspaper reporter. While ending his career at the Miami Herald, his early work included stints with both the News Chief and The (Lakeland) Ledger.
Our deputies patrol over 2,000 square miles every day, and as you can imagine, that means we work a lot of traffic crashes.
In the spring of 1976, Oscar and Jane Marable had just published the second issue of a small, tourism-focused magazine they named “Here Abouts.”
One of the most remarkable crimes in Polk County’s history, my Dad always maintained, was the robbery of a Fort Meade bank in 1957 by two men — both drunk — who utilized two airplanes (one of them stolen) and a kidnapped law enforcement officer’s patrol car for transportation.
This is mainly for those of you with children. When was the last time you took a look at his or her internet activity?
The 5th Annual Jeepin’ with Judd is almost here.
In retrospect, the experience taught me a couple of valuable lessons.
In 1945, John B. Thornhill, son of Columbus Thornhill, told the local newspaper of his family’s arrival in the area. Columbus Thornhill was one of the area’s earliest residents, having come to the area from Georgia in 1865.
It seems hard to believe — almost impossible to believe — that little more than 100 years ago the women of this country did not have the right to vote. The 19th Amendment to the Constitution will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its passage on August 18, 2020, and the general election that…
When a call comes in to our house phone (rather than one of our cell phones), odds are it is a junk call or a scam.
You’ve probably hear me say once or twice that I’ve been in the law enforcement business for a long, long time — four decades, as a matter of fact. I started out in what was called the “radio room” and my dad had to buy the bullets when I became a deputy, because I was too young. If you need…
Over the past several years there has been a very public discussion about the future of downtown’s historic Ritz Theatre. After a group of concerned local business leaders offered to serve on the struggling theatre’s Board and were rebuffed, a “Friends of the Ritz Theatre” group formed and t…
A civic club program presented by the American Cancer Society last week brought back memories of smoking — from a standpoint of both etiquette and health — memories that date back couple of generations.
Crimes can happen in the blink of an eye — or a quick “smash” to your car window.
The late Bob Swift had enjoyed a highly successful career as a newspaper reporter. While ending his career at the Miami Herald, his early work included stints with both the News Chief and The (Lakeland) Ledger.
What’s the difference between Little League Baseball and the federal government?
Tax-filing season is coming. According to the Internal Revenue Service, it begins on Monday, January 28th, when the IRS starts accepting and processing paper and electronic tax returns.
The Herald, a Winter Haven weekly newspaper, ceased publication some years ago. Published by George and Josephine Burr, the paper often chronicled events from Winter Haven's early history. Here are a few excerpts from May 27, 1955.
They’re the men and women behind the scenes helping keep Polk County clean and beautiful, polishing up their tarnished records by paying for their crime working in the community, not sitting in jail.
My career in community journalism began on July 26, 1964, a date I can remember because it was the day after I was discharged from two years in the Active Army.
“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?’”
