The Polk County Democrat

Karen Patrick has been a bus driver for the Polk County Schools for 30 years. “When I first started 30 years ago, bus driving was a good part-time job,” said Patrick, who learned of the position when her children brought home a letter from school seeking bus drivers. Driving the … read more.

LATEST LOCAL NEWS

Educational and fun
Wed Jun 19 2013 08:01AM

As part of the Medical Engineering & Robotics Innovation for Tomorrow (MERIT) four-week summer program for high school students from All Saints Academy, Bartow High School and Lake Wales High … read more.

Center of state doesn’t make you safe
Wed Jun 19 2013 08:01AM

Behind the constant hurricane awareness reminders and information distributed to homeowners and the public in Florida is a team of people devoted to keeping the people safe during and after … read more.

Robertson-Burnett installed
Wed Jun 19 2013 08:01AM

On July 1, George Robertson-Burnett will become the third Bartow Rotary member to become the District Governor of District 6890, which covers Central Florida. On Friday in a ceremony at … read more.

Juneteenth reminds all what was endured
Wed Jun 19 2013 08:01AM

It’s a national observance now but there is a move afoot to make Juneteenth a national holiday. Celebrated in all but eight states in the U.S. and in some countries … read more.

More Local News

Grave site mementos ‘getting out of control’
Wed Jun 19 2013 08:01AM

The rise in the number of items such as flowers, dolls, toys and similar objects left on grave sites at Bartow’s municipal cemetery appears to be getting out of control said Commissioner Pat Huff, who sits on the cemetery committee. … read more.

Construction work heavy at Winter Lake Road
Wed Jun 19 2013 08:01AM

Drivers should expect temporary northbound and/or southbound lane closures on U.S. 98 from County Road 540A to Winter Lake Road from 6:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. as work continues to six-lane the road. … Also on Winter Lake Road, from west … read more.

CSX driving engine for Patterson Park work
Wed Jun 19 2013 08:01AM

Patterson Park is getting a major makeover. Actually, much of the work has begun, while another major part of the spruce-up will come this Saturday, all thanks to CSX, which is working with Fort Meade Middle Senior High School to … read more.

Tyranny of the Or
Wed Jun 19 2013 08:01AM

In answering the question he was asked one night of why does the Rotary Club serve so many around the world when there’s plenty do at home, former District Governor and a current Rotary International Director John Smarge had the … read more.

31 months and started off running
Wed Jun 19 2013 08:01AM

In her first 31 months as a county commissioner, Chairwoman Melony Bell told the Bartow Kiwanis Club Friday it has been a learning experience and a lot more work than she anticipated it would be. Last week she said she … read more.

Three-year anniversary
Sat Jun 15 2013 08:00AM

On Father’s Day, the heart inside Phyllis Forest will be celebrating its third anniversary. And with the the life she has enjoyed since then, and the life she enjoyed before her 10-year journey toward getting her heart, she would like … read more.

Teacher charged with child porn
Sat Jun 15 2013 08:00AM

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd’s declared campaign against sexual predators, especially those who target children, continues unabated. On Thursday, June 13, PCSO detectives arrested Lawrence Douglas Hughes, 59, and charged him with 20 counts possessing child pornography. The announcement of … read more.

Raffle being held for national Youth Leadership Conference
Wed Jun 19 2013 08:01AM

Sarah and Hannah Githens are planning a raffle to raise money to attend the National Youth Leadership Conference in Boston, Mass., this summer. This meeting is the second annual meeting of the Conference that they attended in Washington, D.C., last … read more.

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State, National and World News

Actor James Gandolfini dies in Italy at age 51
Thu Jun 20 2013 01:19AM

LOS ANGELES — James Gandolfini, whose portrayal of a brutal, emotionally delicate mob boss in HBO’s “The Sopranos” helped create one of TV’s greatest drama series and turned the mobster stereotype on its head, died Wednesday in Italy. He was … read more.

Former TWA Flight 800 investigators want new probe
Thu Jun 20 2013 01:19AM

MINEOLA, N.Y. — Former investigators are pushing to reopen the probe into the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800 off the coast of New York, saying new evidence points to the often-discounted theory that a missile strike may have downed … read more.

Tech sullies new-car ratings
Thu Jun 20 2013 01:19AM

DETROIT — Car buyers increasingly want high-tech features like voice recognition and navigation. But they’re not very forgiving of the car company when those systems fail. The top complaints in J.D. Power’s closely-watched survey of new vehicle owners, released Wednesday, … read more.

Afghans pan Taliban talks
Thu Jun 20 2013 01:19AM

KABUL, Afghanistan — Hopes dimmed for talks aimed at ending the Afghan war when an angry President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday suspended security negotiations with the U.S. and scuttled a peace delegation to the Taliban, sending American officials scrambling to … read more.

‘Dead zones’ predicted for Gulf, Chesapeake Bay
Thu Jun 20 2013 01:19AM

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Scientists in Michigan and Louisiana are predicting a big summer “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico unless a tropical storm hits the area shortly before or during the annual measurement. In the Chesapeake Bay, scientists … read more.

Brazil officials reverse subway, bus fare hike
Thu Jun 20 2013 01:19AM

SAO PAULO (AP) — Leaders in Brazil’s two biggest cities said Wednesday that they reversed an increase in bus and subway fares that ignited anti-government protests that have spread across the nation in the past week. Many people doubted the … read more.

Country singer Slim Whitman dies at age 90
Thu Jun 20 2013 01:19AM

MIAMI (AP) — Country singer Slim Whitman, the high-pitched yodeler who sold millions of records through ever-present TV ads in the 1980s and 1990s and whose song saved the world in the film comedy “Mars Attacks!,” died Wednesday at a … read more.

Bill could reduce illegal immigration 25 percent
Thu Jun 20 2013 01:19AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — Illegal immigration into the United States would decrease by only 25 percent under a far-reaching Senate immigration bill, according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office that also finds the measure reduces federal deficits by billions. … read more.

Stocks slide as Fed says bond purchases could slow
Thu Jun 20 2013 01:19AM

NEW YORK (AP) — Financial markets shuddered Wednesday after the Federal Reserve said it could start scaling back its huge bond-buying program later this year and end it by the middle of 2014. The Fed’s $85 billion in monthly bond … read more.

US, Taliban to start talks
Wed Jun 19 2013 01:19AM

KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban and the U.S. said Tuesday they will hold talks on finding a political solution to ending nearly 12 years of war in Afghanistan, as the international coalition formally handed over control of the country’s security … read more.

Chrysler agrees to recall of 2.7M Jeeps
Wed Jun 19 2013 01:19AM

DETROIT — Chrysler abruptly agreed to recall 2.7 million older model Jeeps Tuesday, reversing a defiant stance and avoiding a possible public relations nightmare over fuel tanks that can rupture and cause fires in rear-end collisions. In deciding on the … read more.

NSA: Plot against Wall Street foiled
Wed Jun 19 2013 01:19AM

WASHINGTON — The U.S. foiled a plot to bomb the New York Stock Exchange because of the sweeping surveillance programs at the heart of a debate over national security and personal privacy, officials said Tuesday at a rare open hearing … read more.

House passes far-reaching anti-abortion bill
Wed Jun 19 2013 01:19AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-led House on Tuesday passed a far-reaching anti-abortion bill that conservatives saw as a milestone in their 40-year campaign against legalized abortion and Democrats condemned as yet another example of the GOP war on women. The … read more.

Lost city found in Cambodia
Wed Jun 19 2013 01:19AM

SYDNEY — Airborne laser technology has uncovered a network of roadways and canals, illustrating a bustling ancient city linking Cambodia’s famed Angkor Wat temples complex. The discovery was announced late Monday in a peer-reviewed paper released early by the journal … read more.

Zimmerman trial attorneys pick 40 potential jurors
Wed Jun 19 2013 01:19AM

G-8 advances on Syrian peace talks, tax evasion
Wed Jun 19 2013 01:19AM

ENNISKILLEN, Northern Ireland (AP) — President Barack Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other G-8 leaders took a united stance Tuesday on seeking a negotiated Syrian peace settlement to forge a “united, inclusive and democratic” government — but couldn’t agree … read more.

Turkey’s ‘standing man’ launches new protest wave
Wed Jun 19 2013 01:19AM

ISTANBUL (AP) — After weeks of sometimes violent confrontation with police, protesters in Turkey have found what could be a more potent form of resistance: standing still. The trend was launched by performance artist Erdem Gunduz, who stood silently for … read more.

Governor Scott’s job approval up to 43 percent
Wed Jun 19 2013 01:19AM

TALLAHASSEE (AP) — Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s approval rating is improving, a poll released Tuesday shows, though not to the point that it’s likely to deter any potential challengers in 2014. The Quinnipiac University poll shows 43 percent of voters … read more.

Citizenship proof law illegal
Tue Jun 18 2013 01:19AM

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled Monday that states cannot on their own require would-be voters to prove they are U.S. citizens before using a federal registration system designed to make signing up easier. The justices voted 7-2 to throw … read more.

Food companies work to make it look natural
Tue Jun 18 2013 01:19AM

NEW YORK (AP) — Here’s the latest goal for food makers: Perfect the art of imperfection. When stretching out the dough for its premium “Artisan Pizzas,” Domino’s workers are instructed not to worry about making the rectangles too perfect: The … read more.

EU, US agree to start free-trade talks at G-8
Tue Jun 18 2013 01:19AM

ENNISKILLEN, Northern Ireland — The European Union and the United States will open negotiations next month on a long-sought deal to create free trade between the world’s two mightiest economic regions — an effort that could create millions of jobs … read more.

Women get combat-ready
Tue Jun 18 2013 01:19AM

WASHINGTON — Women may be able to start training as Army Rangers by mid-2015 and as Navy SEALs a year later under plans set to be announced by the Pentagon that would slowly bring women into thousands of combat jobs, … read more.

Growing human organs
Tue Jun 18 2013 01:19AM

NEW YORK — By the time 10-year-old Sarah Murnaghan finally got a lung transplant last week, she’d been waiting for months, and her parents had sued to give her a better shot at surgery. Her cystic fibrosis was threatening her … read more.

Rowhani’s ‘path of moderation’ also shows limits
Tue Jun 18 2013 01:19AM

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s newly elected president showcased his reform-leaning image Monday by promising a “path of moderation” that includes greater openness on Tehran’s nuclear program and overtures to Washington. He also made clear where he draws the line: … read more.

Iraq no-fly zone viewed as symbol for one in Syria
Mon Jun 17 2013 01:19AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration, trying to avoid getting drawn deeper into Syria’s civil war, has pointed to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 as a symbol of what can go wrong when America’s military wades into Middle … read more.

Affirmative action ruling contest: race vs. class
Mon Jun 17 2013 01:19AM

(AP) — In post-Great Recession America, which is the bigger barrier to opportunity — race or class? A decade ago, the U.S. Supreme Court kept the focus on race as a barrier, upholding the right of colleges to make limited … read more.

Beyond NYC: Other places adapting to climate, too
Mon Jun 17 2013 01:19AM

BONN, Germany (AP) — From Bangkok to Miami, cities and coastal areas across the globe are already building or planning defenses to protect millions of people and key infrastructure from more powerful storm surges and other effects of global warming. … read more.

Glasnost on the Potomac under Obama? Not quite
Mon Jun 17 2013 01:19AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s as if the United States has two governments, one open and one very much not. President Barack Obama leads both, trying not to butt heads with himself. Since becoming president, Obama has churned out an impressive … read more.

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