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Police searching for bearded lady

Lakeland, Florida -- Police in Lakeland are searching for a wanted woman with an unusual physical characteristic: she has facial hair.

Investigators say 61-year-old Gwendolyn Shack has active warrants for dealing in stolen property and trespassing.

Shack is 5'5" in height and wears glasses.  A photograph of her distributed by Lakeland Police shows Shack with a fully grown goattee.

Police ask for anyone who has information on Shack's whereabouts to call Lakeland PD at 863-834-6900 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-8477.

Lakeland man wanted by police

Lakeland man wanted by police

Cortez currently has outstanding warrants for a felony traffic offense and a misdemeanor possession of marijuana charge.

Evans is described as a 5'9", and weighs approximately 155 pounds.

Evans is also a suspect in an aggravated battery that occurred on June 6, 2011, at 1315 West 14th Street.

An altercation began over a card game.  Evans became agitated when he began losing at cards and shot one of the card players in the foot.

11 charged in prostitution sting

Lakeland, Florida - Eleven women have been arrested in a prostitution sweep along New Tampa Highway in Lakeland, the Polk County sheriff's office said.

Three other people were taken into custody on unrelated charges.

Mug Shot Roundup: Booking photos of the arrested suspects

The operation followed citizen complaints about prostitutes soliciting patrons and customers in the area. The vice unit and other undercover deputies began their roundup Tuesday afternoon.

Charged are:

Playing for Zoe

Lakeland, Florida - At McKeel academy cheers filled the gymnasium Wednesday afternoon as the skilled girls volleyball team took on a not-so-skilled team of teachers.

But there was also a serious side to all this fun; a young face is missing here-Zoe Gibbs. In April the teen was seriously injured in a personal watercraft accident. Her lower-left leg was severed.

One of Zoe's close friends Summer Colson remembers hearing the news. "I was really, really upset, but I knew that she'd be okay and she could get through this."

And while Zoe had surgery after surgery at Tampa General, her friends and community rallied. Wednesday's volleyball game was just the latest fundraiser to help the family with medical bills.

Zoe's older sister Whitney Gibbs says this kind of financial and emotional support is a game changer. "She's aware of everything that's going on for her and it makes her happy-keeps her fighting," said Whitney while watching the volleyball players.

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R. Bruce Wagner's "Rainbow of Hope" project benefits MDA

R. Bruce Wagner's "Rainbow of Hope" project benefits MDA

Students and staff at Lakeland’s R. Bruce Wagner Elementary raised $1,500 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) during the school’s 3rd Annual “Rainbow of Hope” Day. 

The event is part of a school-wide charity donation effort.

Students and staff made donations of a $1 and received a green shamrock or donated $5  to receive a gold shamrock.  Donors could print their names on the shamrocks and the shamrocks were used to decorate cafeteria walls.  Donors also received T-shirts.

The proceeds benefited local families with muscular dystrophy. This will assist with doctor appointments, wheelchair purchases and summer camps for children.

Why do they call it that? Lake Alfred

It's a Bay area city that's been through a whole slew of names. Which is your favorite? Is it Fargo? Maybe Chubb? You may like the name they finally settled on a bit better.

Why do they call it Lake Alfred? 

City Hall here is going through some changes. Construction crews are climbing all over the building, and a sign warns it's a hard hat area.

But change is nothing new for this Polk County town.

Some of the names for the city that were tried and tossed out over the years: New Armenia, Wahnetta, Bartow Junction, and Chubb.

You can even find an official city document that calls it an identity crisis.

A group of settlers from North Dakota were apparently happy with the heat here, but they weren't so hot on the town's name.

Man accused of Polk County Ponzi scheme

Lakeland, Florida -- If it had all gone according to James Risher's plan, he'd be relaxing on a beach somewhere in Bermuda by now.

Instead, the Sanibel resident is in federal custody, accused of bilking $16 million from more than 100 investors in a Ponzi scheme spanning the past four years.

Risher caught wind he was being investigated by the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the IRS and the State Office of Financial Regulation.

He was preparing to board a flight May 31 to Bermuda when he was arrested.

He is charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, committing mail and wire fraud and money laundering.  

"He had everyone believing he was a legitimate business manager," said Robert Rex, a Boca Raton attorney representing dozens of victims - 65 in Lakeland, one in Lee, one in Charlotte, five in California, two in Colorado and one each in Texas, Utah, Kentucky, Arkansas, Hawaii and Ontario, Canada.