Good day Lake Wales! We're here again with what you need to know today. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☕️️
🎃 Hosting a Halloween event in Lake Wales? Let Patch get the word out for you. Post it to the Patch calendar.
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Free Bra Fittings to Support Breast Cancer Awareness and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: What is clean when it is black and dirty when it is white? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Lake Wales Charter Schools names new principal at Bok Academy North (bradenton.com) — Families in Lake Wales' charter system have a new leader at Edward W. Bok Academy North, as Lake Wales Charter Schools has appointed Polk County native and Lake Wales High graduate Marte Wilson as principal. Wilson, an experienced educator and former assistant principal in Winter Haven, steps in after the previous hire resigned early in the school year, aiming to bring stability and a clear vision for students and staff.
2. Tax Deed 193-2026 (midfloridanewspapers.com) — A Lake Wales property at 523 1st Ave is headed for a tax deed auction on November 19 if unpaid 2024 taxes aren't cleared with the Polk County Tax Collector. If you have any ownership or legal interest in this parcel, you're urged to act quickly or risk the property being sold online to the highest bidder.
3. Man charged with stealing nearly $39K down payment in real estate scheme (clickorlando.com) — Lake Wales police traced nearly $39,000 in stolen home-buying funds after a Central Florida couple was duped by a spoofed email that mimicked their title company's address. Investigators say the money was wired in 2025 to a North Carolina bank account tied to a Maryland man, who now faces multiple felony fraud and grand theft charges while awaiting trial from his home state.
4. It's Banned Books Week. Florida schools removed nearly 3,200 last year. (tampabay.com) — Florida's latest Banned Books Week report shows the state now ranks second behind Texas for school book removals, as officials push districts to pull more titles deemed age-inappropriate. Buried in the statewide education roundup is a note that a Lake Wales charter school has already installed its second new principal this year after the first hire resigned, signaling leadership churn local families may notice.
5. Florida football Super 10 poll: Columbia back at No. 1; Raines closes gap (heraldtribune.com) — Lake Wales High's football team is ranked No. 2 in Florida's Class 4A poll and even picked up two first-place votes after briefly holding the top spot. The Highlanders, now 5-1, travel to face Jones on October 8 in a key matchup that could shake up the statewide rankings again.
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Ok Lake Wales! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "What is clean when it is black and dirty when it is white?" — A chalk board (Thank you Charlie H. for sending it in!)
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