CLOSE TO SHORE BY MICHAEL CAPUZZO The real-life inspiration behind the Jaws mythos— this gripping narrative of the 1916 Jersey Shore shark attacks reads like a thriller. Capuzzo paints a vivid picture of the period while building just the right amount of dread. If you’ve ever wondered how a single shark changed everything, this is the place to start. SHARK HEART BY EMILY HABECK A genre-bender: part magical realism, part quiet love story, told in prose, poetry, and script. A man slowly transforms into a great white shark. It’s weird, symbolic, and surprisingly moving—a deep dive into love, loss, and what it means to change when change is unavoidable. JAWS: MEMORIES FROM MARTHA’S VINEYARD BY MATT TAYLOR Packed with behind-thescenes photographs, local stories, and insider insight, this detailed account brings the summer of 1974 vividly to life. With newly added material and neverbefore-seen images, this is a heartfelt tribute to the islanders who helped shape movie history. THE SHARK CLUB BY ANN KIDD TAYLOR Bitten by a shark as a child, the main character grows up to be a marine biologist— and that early encounter shapes everything. There’s romance, mystery, and a strong sense of place (hello, Florida Keys). Less Jaws, more saltwater-soaked second chances. JAWS BY PETER BENCHLEY This is the classic. It’s lean, mean, and still delivers that creeping dread of something circling just out of sight. The book is pulpier than the movie—more brutal, more adult, and a bit more cynical. The shark’s scary, sure, but so are the humans. It’s a beach read that still bites. AN OCEAN LIFE BY T.R. COTWELL This one’s for readers looking for a twist. After a diver is attacked by a great white, he wakes to find himself seeing through the shark’s eyes. What unfolds is part survival story, part family drama, and part metaphysical puzzle—a fresh, visceral journey into the deep. MEG BY STEVE ALTEN Take Jaws, pump it full of prehistoric steroids, and drop it into the Mariana Trench. The Meg is overthe-top in all the best ways— perfect for readers who want their shark stories bigger, louder, and packed with bite. Just suspend disbelief and enjoy the chaos. SHARKS DON’T SINK BY JASMIN GRAHAM Marine biologist Jasmin Graham invites readers into the world of shark science, sharing fascinating insights into behavior, conservation, and the realities of fieldwork. As a woman of color in a space that hasn’t always welcomed her, she blends science with deeply personal reflection. Bold, clear-eyed, and essential. WHALEFALL BY DANIEL KRAUS A surreal survival story where a diver ends up trapped inside a sperm whale after a dive goes wrong. Yes, inside. Strange, poetic, and tense, this novel explores fear, grief, and awe in equal measure. Not a shark story exactly, but it swims in the same deep waters of wonder and terror.

We teamed up with the very talented James Huffstutler at the Central Florida Photo Club and invited our amazing readers to snap and share their best shots with the theme “People and Places of Polk County”— and wow, did you deliver. From February 28 to April 27, we received over 180 stunning submissions! Choosing which ones to feature in the magazine was no easy task (seriously, can we get more pages next time?!). If we could, we’d show off every single photo—because they were all that good. A huge THANK YOU to everyone who shared a slice of Polk through their lens. Keep clicking, keep capturing, and keep showing us the beauty all around you! “When in Doubt, Air It Out” by Whiskey Roller (chosen as cover of Haven Magazine) “Southgate Bug” by April Moser (chosen as cover of LKLD Magazine) “Hot Air Over Posner” Jenni Gregory “Dreams Slipped Away” Scott Audette “A Taste of Summer Love” Braylee Pardue “JJ from Lucille’s” Tyler Meadows “Sun and Field” Keith McCullough “Home Run Hitter” Cassidy Lovato “Market Day” Giovanna Favilli-Vigoreaux “Potting Bench” Tyler Meadows “Lady Bird” Valerie Morrow “On the Berm” David Stanick “Senior Games” Leticia Yglesias “Polk Princess” Natalie Stover “Hay Day Y’all!” Sally DC “Bone Valley Witness” Sarah Brewington Baarns “Imagine” Katy Walters “Ballet on Water” Lynn Novakowski “Scrub Scavengers” Garnet Bailey “Lake Wales Downtown” Keith McCullough “FLW at FSC” Kimberly C. Moore “The Last in Town” Alex Lawrence “Leedy” Austin Tharp “On the Corner of Super Way and Recker Hwy” Elaine Santibáñez “The Ascent” Jeremy McGuire “The Rotosphere” D. Buckner Photography “Harmony in Reflection” Heather Earl “Born on the Bayou” Amanda McCallister “Cruising Down Orange St.” Matt Fitz “Sandmine Road” Jenni Gregory “The Red Building” Levi Houston “Polk Theater Marquee” Alexander McLendon “Breaking Barriers” Andy Glowgower “Duck Tower” Julian Torres “Bovine Vista” Lisette Ramos “1, 2, 3, 4... I Declare a Thumb War” Susan Pasquale “Brew Pup at Grove Roots” Tyler Meadows “Lake Hollingsworth Otter” Echoes of Motion “Fleece Frame” Lisette Ramos “Lurking Gator” by Franky Porcaro

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF My name is James Huffstutler. I am a hobbyist photographer living in Winter Haven, Florida, with my wife and kids. My father was in the Air Force growing up, but we settled in Winter Haven around 2003. I graduated from Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School in 2011 and Florida Southern College in 2014. WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN PHOTOGRAPHY? I have been interested in photography since I was a young child. I remember spending hours poring over old family photos, asking my parents for a disposable camera any chance I got, and posing my toys in elaborate scenes and using our camera to take photos of them. In 2014, I picked up an old film camera at a yard sale and shot a roll of film. It really reignited my interest in photography, and I found a vibrant active community of other photographers still shooting film all over the world. WHAT WAS THE FIRST PHOTO YOU WERE REALLY PROUD OF? My most memorable photo was taking my daughter’s first photos in the hospital right after she was born. This was mid-2020 during the height of the COVID pandemic, which meant no one was allowed to visit the hospitals, including outside photographers. I packed up my medium format film camera and a few weeks later, when I developed the film, I was very happy to have beautiful, high-quality, and very precious photos of our newborn. SELF-TAUGHT, TUTORIALS, WORKSHOPS? Photography for me has mainly been self-taught with a lot of trial and error. I took a film class in high school that taught me a lot of the basics of visual language, but YouTube and online blogs have been my main source of technical photographic knowledge. I am always still learning. Every time I go out and take photos is an opportunity to learn and improve. WHAT KIND OF CAMERA DO YOU SHOOT WITH? I enjoy using a wide variety of cameras, both film and digital. I like the saying that the best camera is the one you have with you. My preference is for easy-to-carry mirrorless digital cameras, rangefinder film cameras and vintage twin lens reflex cameras. WHAT’S YOUR STYLE? INSPIRATION? I would describe my style as a mix of observational, documentary, and architectural. I enjoy taking photos around downtown historic districts or urban environments. One of my favorite subjects is the Frank Lloyd Wright architecture at my alma mater Florida Southern College. More recently, I have been enjoying photographing around the Disney World theme parks. I enjoy taking photos anywhere there is interesting light and subjects. One of my main sources of inspiration is the photographic community and my photographer friends who are doing incredible work all the time. They inspire me to keep getting out there, making more work, and pushing myself to become a better photographer. TELL US ABOUT THE CENTRAL FLORIDA PHOTO CLUB Central Florida Photo Club was born out of my desire to attend local photography meetups and events. For a long time, I would see these events happening in cities all around the world, but when I looked for anything similar happening locally, I came up empty. Three years ago, I decided to start my own group to host meetups and try to grow a community here in Central Florida. With a little bit of optimism, I called it Central Florida Photo Club. It started out small, but now we get photographers and creatives from all over Central Florida. My goal with the club is to organize relaxed events where local creatives can come out, share ideas, and create together. One of my favorite things about the photographic community is the number of experienced photographers willing to share their knowledge and advice to those just starting the hobby without charge or expectation of anything in return. WHAT’S YOUR EDITING STYLE? My editing style is pretty simple, with usually only some minor exposure adjustments, cropping, and color grading. I enjoy shooting black and white film, and I find myself gravitating toward monochrome for certain subjects even when shooting digital. For select shots, I will get into more advanced lighting and masking techniques in Lightroom. Whether dealing with film or digital files, my thought is that each negative, positive, or raw image is the starting point that will require post-processing to reach the desired final image ready to share. BIGGEST CHALLENGE? BIGGEST REWARD? What I always struggle with is finding the time to get out and take photos. With a family and a full-time job, photography often takes a back seat to the rest of life. However, I try to keep a camera with me almost always, and that way, I’m able to make time for it when possible. One of the most rewarding parts of photography recently has been seeing the photography community in Central Florida growing. Being even a small part of that is highly rewarding. CURRENT WORK? DREAM PROJECTS? Lately, I’ve been putting out some long-form videos exploring my photography process. For me, it’s a new way to share my work. Social media can put a lot of pressure on photographers to keep creating and putting out content, so having a variety of projects that are more than just making a social media post is important for me. One of my current long-term goals is to produce a new photography book within the next couple of years. ANY ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS? Get out and take photos. There is a lot of advice out there, and not all of it is good. Find what works for you and your workflow. And be sure to consume the work of others, including photographers currently active as well as influential photographers from the past. Study the looks and styles of others while you work to develop your own unique voice. Don’t get caught up on what is the best gear; use what you have and practice a lot. Also, bring a camera with you everywhere. If you see something that catches your eye, take a photo. Every bad photo is an opportunity to learn. THANK YOU I would like to thank my wife Amy and my kids for putting up with me every time I stop to take photos when we are out. Central Florida Photo Club centralflorida.photo IG @centralfloridaphoto

Two weeks before the championship game, there is room to reminisce. The Winter Haven Senior High Lady Blue Devils (LBD) of 2023 and 2024 made it to the finals. The conditioning was the same. The practices went as structured. The goal was set. But both years, they lost. Now the 2025 team was headed back with the same goal… on the same floor they graced twice, with the same conditioning, the same amount of practices, and facing the same team that previously beat them. “I went and had a practice with the girls by myself. I saw a lot of good things in them. I felt like the pieces were there and they put in the work... I told them what they needed to do to become that championship team…” remarks Winter Haven Senior High’s Athletic Director, LeDawn Gibson. Former head coach of the LBD, current icon in Polk County basketball, and the reason the legacy of LBD began, Gibson’s assessment of the team is crucial. If anyone can eye the blueprint of a winner, it would be the woman who led the team to be ranked No.1 for nine straight seasons. She believed in this group of girls, and in the man she handed her reins to. Coach Johnnie Lawson is, by many accounts, an incredible head coach, but by more accounts, an incredible person. His LBD career spans nearly three decades, 17 years at the helm, 10 years as assistant to then-Coach Gibson. He is thoughtful, encouraging, and dependable, and according to his senior girls, he is a second dad. “I run my team like I run my house-- discipline, order, and structure.” Coach Johnnie has garnered the respect of all who play for him by offering a consistent work ethic; he has gained adoration as he cultivates a loving and inspiring program. Amaya Shaw, senior power forward, describes the team as “definitely a family.” Senior guard, Azzariah Styles adds, “It’s more than basketball bonds. The coaches are just as close with the players as we are with each other.” “Playing here is different. Everybody can’t play here. Even though we love them hard, we coach them hard,” 11-year assistant coach Billy Washington discloses how the reputation of the LBD is anchored. While endearing, the team runs on toughness. And while Coach Billy doesn’t see himself as the “tough coach” but the “balance to Coach Johnnie,” he prepares the girls to push more than ever as they will engage with an above-average schedule of workouts, conditioning, and teams. Two weeks before the final game, Coach Johnnie doesn’t sleep well. The idea of meeting the standard that LBD teams are held to becomes an “up all-night” engagement. What will he tell his girls if their stringent regimen leaves them without the trophy for a third year in a row? This is where Coach Johnnie admits the weight of legacy, “Is it more pressure to start a program fresh, take it from scratch, or is it tougher following a legend? It’s tougher following a legend… the pressure mounts up.” When you aren’t new to winning, the effort it takes to accomplish the accolade can be ignored. The LBD are not new to winning. They have gone to the finals 24 times, more than any basketball team in the county. The effort has yielded multiple district and regional titles, five state titles. Now, LBD ‘25 wants their effort to make it six. Two weeks before the game the energy has yet to stall. It vibrates amongst the girls one would assume should be nervous, but are instead concentrating on what has been engrained. The girls recalled what that looked like: Dashanique Henry, senior forward asserts “I was feeling good. I felt like we would win off the start of the season. Everybody had a position we needed, everybody had a part.” “Every time we came in the gym, it was ‘practice and play like a champ.’ Our intensity was different than our regular season games,” Dariasia Pitts, a senior power forward, excitedly boasts. “It’s not nerves. The entire team is locked in, focused on the main goal… there’s no playing around, no slacking in practice… we’re excited to play Dr. Phillips to get our get back,” point guard Jaeden Williams imparts with an assured smirk. Team captain and shooting guard, Serenity Hardy, acknowledges her motivation, “Looking at those pictures in the gym it’s also a [reminder] this is the legacy, this is who we’re playing for, this is who is across our chest.” The last practice before the final game… everyone was fully immersed, driven by a collective aspiration. After basic drills and fundamentals to sharpen what was already there, it was time to play each other. The hustle was apparent, the determination is resolute. Coach Billy refused to call fouls, mimicking what the girls may have to play through in the finals. At different points in the scrimmage, juniors Serenity Hardy and Quin’Nya Gray de Sanders were bleeding, then center Victoria Hall’s knee started bothering her. They would have continued to play, but the gym fell silent as the girls were stunned when Coach Johnnie called it a day. They had done enough, and while they were willing to give more, Coach Johnnie knew there was nothing else to do. But win… “Man, I can’t believe I cried…” with a soft laugh and sigh, Coach Johnnie unveils what the masses can easily dismiss. The portions of their life that coaches sacrifice to be present for their team. The portions of life that make girls decide to move counties, cities, schools, all to find environments that accept them, teams that help them grow as a player and a person. Those outside of the locker room do not see the portions of life that include headache and heartbreak, where loss and grief can break you, because the team and staff still show up on game night, to afternoon workouts, and the team meetings. “I cried… when you put everything in [this]… there’s so much that you’re thinking,” Coach Johnnie continues about the moment the final game is done, “a lot came out, a lot of emotions, everything these years have put us through, me and Billy, big grown men, fell into each other’s arms.” The two LBD coaches hugged each other for every trial they and their team experienced and shed tears for a win that felt promised and earned. Legacies only last if the work does, if the love does. Legacies are built in the present steps, not just the end summary of acts. LBD ‘25 forged their legacy with intentional steps. With fervor. In unison. With love and their set goal. And they won the state championship.

Did you know I have heterochromatic eyes? My left eye is a stunning blue, and my right eye is a beautiful brown. My most favorite, best, drool-worthy thing to eat is freeze-dried chicken treats. I also love living the lake life and boating on the Winter Haven Chain to our favorite places like Tanners, Harborside, and the Twisted Prop!! I just love the wind in my fur as we zoom around the lakes. My Mom is named Amanda, and she’s the most fun and best human in my life. She always says that I could be a model when I grow up because she thinks I’m gorgeous. I just love her. #Lakynlife I love doing tricks! In fact, I know over 85 tricks & have my AKC Performer Trick dog title! Some of my favorite foods are chicken, whipped cream, bully sticks, and soft and jerky-style treats. I like to stay pretty active, I love playing frisbee, swimming, chasing airplanes (I am so close to catching one), practicing agility, learning new tricks, and meeting new people. My most favorite human is my Mommy, and her name is Heidy. She’s the best. I’m hoping to one day be a professional frisbee athlete, or an Olympic gymnast or swimmer (Once they allow dogs to enter!) or an actress, a stunt girl, or a model, I just can’t decide. One interesting thing about me is that people request a Christmas card from me every year, and the list keeps getting longer. It’s quite flattering really, but they don’t quite understand the level of sophistication I bring to the table. I am a connoisseur of fine foods. I love steak, but only the prime cuts, no cheap stuff. I have very deep and philosophical thoughts that I often ponder while lounging. My favorite person is the one who brings me the fluffy blanket, they know exactly how to keep me warm and comfortable so I can really think. One day I hope to become a food journalist, sharing my discerning opinions on all things culinary. I’m the fluffiest little orange puffball you’ll ever meet—my mom was rescued and had five of us, but I’m the only one who came out with this purrfectly sunshine fur. I absolutely love kitten kibble (yum!), and my most favorite thing in the whole wide world is snuggling up with my dog bestie— he’s big and warm and lets me nap. My human Mom is my favorite human ever, I love her so much. If I had a job, I’d be a model, paws down. I mean, have you seen my whiskers? I’m a galloping girl who loves belly scratches! My all-time favorite snack? Juicy apple treats... crunchy, sweet, and totally neigh-licious. Nothing gets my hooves flying like running barrels— speed, turns, and feeling the wind in my mane! As for my favorite human? Well, if you’ve got treats, you’re instantly my best friend (no questions asked). And if I had a job? I’d be a swimmer, of course—just imagine me splashing around with my mane flowing. Giddy-up! I’m a big ol’ lovable goofball and proud winner of the “A Face Only a Mother Could Love” award—can you believe it?! I came from the awesome people at the Polk County Bully Project, and surprise! I grew into a 75-pound lap dog (yes, laps are for all sizes, thank you very much). My favorite food? Oh, paws down—anything and everything! If it smells edible, I’m your taste tester. I’m basically a living, drooling weighted blanket who loves to flop on top of my people for snuggles. My favorite human? My Dad, of course! And if I had a job, I’d be a therapist, no doubt—just look into my smooshy face and tell me your troubles. I’m all ears… and jowls! I’m the fluffiest little bunbun around, and my absolute favorite thing to do is snuggle up with my big husky brother and sister—they’re so cozy and warm, like giant fuzzy clouds! When I’m not cuddling, I’m munching on my most favorite treat in the world: fresh, yummy cilantro—mmm, so leafy and delicious! My human Mama is my very favorite person ever; she gives the best cuddles and always knows when I need a snack. One day, I’d like to be the best pet sitter— because who better to take care of furry friends than a sweet little bunny like me? Thank you to everyone that submitted a photo and voted!

As the healthcare community learns more about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and how to improve healthcare for autistic individuals, an Autism Spectrum Community Education Series was launched this spring, via a partnership between the Winter Haven Hospital Foundation, the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) School of Behavior Science Analysis, and Rockin’ On The Chain. Three FIT professors are teaching the series. We caught up with one of the busy professors to get a bird’s eye view of how Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) concepts and techniques, used in a clinical setting, may benefit ASD individuals. Dr. Jonathan Fernand, Assistant Professor with the School of Behavior Analysis at Florida Institute of Technology’s College of Psychology and Liberal Arts, is heavily involved in providing therapy and resources to the autistic community through his work at The Scott Center for Autism Treatment. For the healthcare community who provides care for those with ASD, Dr. Fernand says that understanding has grown beyond the “simple awareness” of the definition of autism, to applied behavior approaches that facilitate a more comfortable clinical experience. “I learn from each and every single patient and family,” says Dr. Fernand. It is his hope that the Autism Spectrum Community Education Series is just the beginning of a long-term partnership to help those in the Autism community advocate for themselves, as well as equip medical facilities and teams with the tools necessary to foster that growth. He says every individual’s needs are unique. Those in the world of behavior analysis look at the environment and how that can either help or hinder experiences for autistic individuals. “So we can arrange the environment in such a way that fulfills the needs for those people,” he says. Those who attend the series, which comprises both caregivers as well as healthcare professionals, learn more about ASD and other intellectual and developmental abilities, the basics of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) concepts and techniques, communication strategies, sensory challenges, and creating a sensory-friendly environment. ABA techniques can be useful to equip ASD individuals with skills to better articulate pain and discomfort, voice preferences, and improve tolerance for medical procedures, Dr. Fernand notes. Other takeaway nuggets include managing aggression and increasing patient safety during medical procedures such as exams or vaccinations. The discussion of what creates a therapeutic environment, says Dr. Fernand, is “assisting somebody to be successful in their natural environment.” BARRIERS FACED The Scott Center offers behavioral health assistance to those autistic children who need it. Families face great challenges when it comes to healthcare – as well as accessing and navigating those services. Waiting lists are long for treatment, and the necessary appointments to get the initial diagnosis can be difficult, according to Dr. Fernand. Parents may forgo the needed doctor’s checkups because they are afraid of how the child is going to act out while they are there. That doesn’t stop at adulthood. Adult ASD individuals may avoid appointments out of fear of the medical environment. “Families often feel they don’t know what to do,” Fernand says. “It’s not common knowledge.” He adds there is a “knowledge learning curve,” for example, when a person is not only learning what it means to be a new parent, but also the complexities of having a child on the spectrum. “Most behavior analysts are working with individuals who need substantial support,” Fernand says. Some ASD individuals do not engage in any communication at all, whether vocally or by sign language. The deficits in communication then display in behaviors such as selfinjuring, tantrums, or disruption, he notes. Parents may say, “Now I have an atypical development occurring that I need assistance for,” he says, and find that they now must learn how to advocate for their child to be seen at a healthcare facility. Fernand adds that not every person with ASD needs services to help them communicate or navigate. However, as ASD individuals age, services tend to decline. Services for all individuals with autism beyond age 23 drop off, due to availability. Quality of life becomes an issue, and both caregivers and healthcare advocates are hopeful that as the individual with ASD grows, they can learn to “fulfill a quality of life for themselves.” Tying the behavior analyst into the healthcare team for ASD individuals is growing, Fernand says, adding that many hospitals keep one on staff as they collaborate their understanding with other medical disciplines. The hope is that by altering the clinical environment, it may assist the ASD individuals gain helpful skills so they can navigate their world in a productive way for them, Dr. Fernand adds. A GREAT PARTNERSHIP Florida Institute of Technology Dean Lisa Steelman notes that the partnership started when Florida Tech, assisted by Winter Haven Hospital Foundation and its president and CEO Joel Thomas, began offering mental health services to patients at Winter Haven Hospital. “Florida Tech clinical psychologists in training work in collaboration with the hospital residents to help treat the whole patient, in this case through psychological services. We have now partnered in this way for five years and provided needed mental health services to a multitude of patients,” Steelman said. “Helping children with ASD and their families through the health care system (health check-ups, vaccines, etc.) was a logical next step.” Dr. Fernand is teaching the last series meeting. Dr. David Wilder and Dr. Kimberly Sloman facilitated the first two meetings. A strong supporter of the program is Rockin’ On The Chain, which holds an annual fundraiser to help with autism awareness, and the Winter Haven Hospital Foundation is the recipient of it. “It has been very well received,” says John Straughn, founder of Rockin’ On The Chain. “Our goal is to have a fundraising event to help raise awareness to the autism and special needs community and I think the hospital is doing a great job by helping to promote that,” he adds. HISTORY In 2020, the Winter Haven Hospital Foundation started the FIT Clinical Psychology Training Program. The Florida State University (FSU) College of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program and BayCare Health System are likewise intertwined to provide mental health care services. Benefitting patients at Winter Haven Hospital’s Outpatient Neuro Rehabilitation Clinic and BayCare Medical Group’s Family Health Center in Winter Haven, the program hopes to draw more students to both train and remain in the Winter Haven community. The series, which began May 29, will see two more meetings on Thursday June 5 and June 12, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 1201 1st Street South, Suite 100A, Winter Haven. For more information, email whhfoundation@baycare.org .

Dick and Julie Pope are remembered (respectively) by many Havenites as the flamboyant and gracious founders of Cypress Gardens. Their story and its impact on our community are both rich and colorful. This month we take a look at Dick Pope long before he created Cypress Gardens ... up to the time that he met his lifelong personal and professional partner, Julie Downing. Richard Pope was born April 19, 1900, in Des Moines, Iowa, the son of J. Walker Pope and his wife, Lily May. The family would relocate to Winter Haven in 1910. Richard D. Pope & Julie Downing Pope c. 1920s At the age of 12, he joined his father at his Winter Haven real estate office and learned to help out when Richard D. Pope c. 1920s Julie Downing Pope c. 1920s J. Walker Pope was out of town. Following one particular trip, his father returned to learn that young Richard had shown a property and arranged the deal for the sale. It was definitely a sign of things to come and “an idea a minute” became his trademark. While other youngsters were involved with traditional childhood pursuits, Dick Pope was beginning a career in sales and promotion. As a teenager, Pope enjoyed golf, skiing, and photography. He also served as vice president of the 1918 graduating class of Winter Haven High School. Following a brief attempt at college, he returned to Winter Haven. He managed to find plenty of time to play golf ... fast becoming Florida’s Amateur Champion. He traveled the country for tournaments. Ultimately, in North Carolina for the National Amateur Championship, he accomplished two major feats: he came in second in the tournament, and he met the perfect business partner ... his future wife, Julie Downing. Dick and Julie married and by 1931 found themselves living in New York City as he worked in public relations. As young parents, they evaluated the potential for success if they remained in New York. Dick felt “you could make more money” there, but didn’t enjoy what you had to endure to do it. Both longed to return to the south. Dick and Julie continued to refine their idea of a garden so beautiful, that people would pay admission to see it. Due to his boating expertise, Dick was asked to serve on the Canal Commission. He believed the canals connecting Winter Haven’s lakes were the community’s greatest asset. Times were very tough in Florida. The stock market crash came directly on the devastating collapse of the Florida land boom. The Florida Emergency Relief Association (FERA) paid a dollar a day to many who otherwise would have no work. The work involved odd jobs such as raking leaves. Soon, Pope advanced an idea to use FERA funds and financial support from the Canal District to build a garden that would be owned publicly but charge an admission fee. He would serve as administrator (and promoter). He sold the idea to the Chamber of Commerce, and before long, excitement was growing throughout Winter Haven. This photo of the young Dick and Julie Pope family on an early Garden’s bridge was taken at or before the park’s opening. Left to right Dick, Adrienne, Dick Jr., and Julie. Pope picked the location for Cypress Gardens based on his memories of camping there as a boy of 13, having traveled to the site by a horse drawn wagon. During the land boom, a country club was built on the site overlooking Lake Eloise. In the early 30s, it sat boarded up. Citrus grower John Snively, Sr., agreed to permit the use of this building for ticket sales and a small gift shop. His greatest challenge at the time was convincing others to join in the mission. He needed $1200 or more from several sources ... a lot of money for the time. John Snively, Sr., George Andrews (Haven Hotel), M.M. “Dad” Lee (Florida Chief) and George Burr (Winter Haven Herald) ultimately believed in Pope’s dream enough to provide some backing. In addition, the Canal Commission had spent $6500 in an arrangement worked out by Pope and Ray Bice. With a budget of 3500 “man-days” at a dollar a day, FERA crews started digging canals and working on the property in September of 1932. It didn’t look particularly good as a work in progress, and doubts began to surface. City and canal officials began to doubt its viability. FERA representatives visited the site and announced they were pulling out of the process. The Canal Commission insisted that they be relieved of the responsibility of the “disaster.” Pope and John Snively decided to take over the project and struck a deal with the Canal Commission to repay the money invested. They would pay $500 down and the balance over a period of three years. It was 1933, and Pope would eventually be derided as “Swami of the Swamp.” Julie and Dick formed “Florida Cypress Gardens Association, Inc.” and both were owners. Pope later noted, “It was a little rough going for a while because 30 men worked six days a week for $1 a day and when I didn’t have the money I’d call (Publix Founder) George Jenkins - the Pope family grocer - tell him I was a little short and ask to give out chits for $1.25 each to the workers.” Jenkins agreed, and Pope reportedly offered him stock, but Jenkins replied, “No, I’ll stay in the business I know best.” Early photo of the Eloise Woods Country Club built during the 1920s Florida Boom. John Snively would make an agreement with Dick Pope for its use as the Cypress Garden’s entrance and gift shop. Julie Pope brought her “green thumb” to the initial landscaping for the Gardens. She and friends traveled the area gathering plants that residents were willing to share. From bougainvillea to flame vines and azaleas to camellias, those first sprigs and sprouts brought the Gardens to life. Pope was a master promoter. As he and Julie designed the Gardens, he developed a plan to make every path beautiful and photogenic from every angle. Each plant, flower, and tree that was added was placed in position after Pope had viewed the location through a camera viewfinder. Composition, color, beauty, and lighting were important considerations for each pathway. Working with his good friend and legendary photographer, Robert “Bob” Dahlgren, Cypress Gardens was planned to photographic perfection. On January 2, 1936, Cypress Gardens officially opened to the public. In the midst of the Great Depression, the Popes had created the foundation of a park that would eventually welcome 45 million visitors with Winter Haven tagging along for the ride. Next month: The “Swami of the Swamp” has the Last Laugh

James Whale (Left) - Boris Karloff (Right) The Motion Picture Production Code—enforced from 1930 and reaching its most stringent application from 1934 until its decline in the late 1960s—represented one of the most aggressive regulatory frameworks in American cinematic history. Known commonly as the Hays Code, it functioned as both a moral compass and a tool of censorship, explicitly forbidding depictions of what it termed “sexual perversion.” The Hays Code was never just about censorship— it was about erasure. It imposed not only moral strictures on American cinema but sought to dictate what could be seen, said, and even imagined. For those of us who grew up watching films that came long after the Code’s collapse, it is easy to forget how effectively it rewrote the representation within what was already seen as one of the most powerful tools in cultural messaging—especially for queer people. Of course, queerness never truly disappeared from the screen. It lived within allegory, in genre, in monsters, and metaphors. The Code tried to shut the door, but filmmakers—bold, passionate, imaginative—stepped into shadow to be seen. They invented new languages, new symbols, and new ways to tell stories lived, feared, and dreamed. This is not only a snapshot of cinema under suppression but also of innovation, resistance, and connections across decades. GOLDEN AGE OF HORROR In the 1930s and 1940s, the horror genre functioned as a critical space for the exploration of otherness, desire, and identity under the regulatory pressures of the Production Code. James Whale, operating as one of the few openly gay directors within the studio system, leveraged the figure of the monster as both a mirror for societal exclusion and a vessel for nuanced expressions of alienation and longing. His films, “Frankenstein” (1931) and “Bride of Frankenstein” (1935), reconceptualize the creature not as a simplistic embodiment of terror, but as a figure of complex humanity, whose constructed body becomes a site of empathy rather than fear. Whale’s personal experiences of marginalization inform his aesthetic choices—his use of camp, excess, and gothic spectacle destabilizes conventional horror narratives. Nowhere is this more apparent than in “Bride of Frankenstein,” where the flamboyant Dr. Pretorius transforms scenes into carnivalesque celebrations of perversity and theatricality, highlighting the film’s defiance of traditional genre expectations. The Old Dark House (1932) - Directed by James Whale “The Old Dark House” (1932) further reveals Whale’s distinct capacity to blend horror, satire, and camp into a gleefully subversive critique of societal and familial repression. Often overshadowed by his Frankenstein films, “The Old Dark House” stands as perhaps his most overtly comedic and anarchic work—a film in which the gothic trappings of haunted houses and decaying aristocracy are gleefully undercut by absurdity, wit, and knowing exaggeration. Whale populates the isolated Femm household with a gallery of grotesques and misfits, their exaggerated performances exposing the thin veneer of civility that masks dysfunction and desire. Whale transforms the haunted house into a carnival of social breakdown. “The Old Dark House” may masquerade as a tale of horror, but beneath its creaking doors and flickering candles lies a mischievous celebration of theatricality, with characters twice as engaging as they appear at first glance and three times as funny—I mean it—still very funny. At RKO, producer Val Lewton pioneered a more introspective and psychological form of horror that foregrounded atmosphere, ambiguity, and internalized fear. Rejecting the visual bombast of earlier Universal horror cycles, Lewton’s productions emphasized restraint, minimalism, and suggestion— deploying darkness, off-screen space, and sound to activate the viewer’s imagination. Nowhere is this approach more fully realized than in “Cat People” (1942), directed by Jacques Tourneur. Rather than offering audiences a visible monster, the film immerses them in a carefully constructed world of shadows, ambiguity, and suppressed tension, where the line between human and monster, desire and danger, remains deliberately blurred. The narrative follows Irena, a woman whose fear of sexual awakening is intricately tied to an inherited curse, which may—or may not—transform her into a predatory cat. Lewton’s insistence on withholding the spectacle of transformation is itself a radical gesture, forcing the horror to reside within psychological suggestion and the dread of uncertainty. Through the manipulation of cinematic form—lighting, sound design, and framing—Lewton and Tourneur created an atmosphere of repression, where fear becomes internalized, and the monstrous exists as much within the character’s psyche as in any external threat. This aesthetic choice allowed for a more nuanced engagement with themes of identity, desire, and repression, transforming Cat People into a meditation on the instability of self and the psychological consequences of living within a society that demands containment, control, and conformity. Lewton built horror from what was unseen, from the dread of what might live inside us, creating cinematic worlds capable of visceral connection despite time passed and lives lived—a connection between the leopard man, the cat people. Night Tide (1961) THE AGE OF EXPERIMENT Curtis Harrington’s “Night Tide” (1961) stands as a liminal work, bridging the gothic studio horror aesthetics of James Whale and Val Lewton with the emerging queer underground cinema of the 1960s. Harrington was a key figure in the West Coast experimental scene and one of the few openly gay directors to navigate the Hollywood system. He began his career in the avant-garde, creating trance films that explored desire, identity, and psychological fragmentation—modes of storytelling that would carry into his later studio work. In “Night Tide,” Harrington infuses these sensibilities into a deceptively conventional horror narrative. His young sailor drifts through fog, carnival lights, and shadowy piers, entering the orbit of Mora, a woman who performs as a sideshow mermaid—her presence tinged with the ambiguous allure of a siren hiding in plain sight. The film refuses to clarify whether Mora is truly a creature of myth or simply a woman burdened by longing, grief, and outsider status. This ambiguity is essential. Rather than indulging in spectacle, “Night Tide” weaves its uncanny elements into the everyday, creating a form of cinematic magic realism where the strange and the real coexist, indistinguishable from one another. In his youth, Harrington found a mentor in James Whale—a figure of mythic proportions in his personal pantheon. Years later, fate allowed him to return the gift. Harrington was instrumental in recovering and restoring Whale’s long-lost “The Old Dark House,” using his position within the studio system to ensure its preservation at the George Eastman House. His legacy, then, is not only as director but as guardian of what once inspired him. It’s stories like these that remind me why I linger in the yellowed pages of old film journals—where no imagined secondhand account rivals the quiet glow of someone stepping fully into the history they once only dreamed of. Val Lewton- novelist, film producer and screenwriter PRIDE By the time the 1960s faded, the world had changed. The collapse of the studio system was nigh, and the wheels of cinema could turn with a little more speed. The New Queer Cinema of the 1990s did not forget. Its filmmakers carried the ghosts of Whale, Lewton, and Harrington with them, weaving their coded legacies into multifaceted new tapestries. Yet more than fifty years after the fall of the Hays Code, cinema remains an incomplete archive. Our screens continue to wait—for stories still untold, identities still marginalized, and futures that reject tokenism and assimilation, that move beyond visibility alone, that challenge cinema’s complicity in erasure, and demand stories that reflect lived complexity while opening space for narratives where the shadows are optional, never mandatory.

Many homeowners in Central Florida turn to native wildflowers as an option for seasonal color in their landscapes. Summer-blooming wildflowers are colorful, eye-catching, and a great way to enhance your summer landscape. With proper selection and placement, summer wildflowers can thrive in your Central Florida yard. Native wildflowers are well-adapted to the sandy soils, high humidity, and frequent rainfall associated with summers in central Florida. Many native species are drought-tolerant once established and require little maintenance, making them ideal for low-maintenance landscapes. Native wildflowers contribute to ecosystem health by supporting pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, while also offering habitat and food sources for beneficial insects and birds. SELECTING THE RIGHT WILDFLOWER FOR THE RIGHT PLACE When selecting wildflowers for your yard, it’s important to follow the right plant, right place principle of Florida-Friendly Landscaping™. This means selecting a plant based on the conditions of your landscape. Consider sun exposure, soil moisture, available space, and desired bloom times. Summerblooming varieties can fill in gaps left by spring flowers and provide color throughout the hottest months. WILDFLOWERS FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA: There are many native wildflowers that thrive in central Florida. Utilize local plant nurseries, plant lists, and the UF/ IFAS Extension Service for information on local plants. Here are a few that grow well in most central Florida yards: • Coreopsis spp. (Tickseed): Florida’s state wildflower, Coreopsis, is a cheerful and prolific bloomer. Species like Coreopsis lanceolata and Coreopsis leavenworthii produce small, yellow, daisy-like flowers that attract butterflies and bees. They thrive in full sun and tolerate drought once established. These happy summer-bloomers will pop up and spread in the landscape. • Salvia coccinea (Scarlet Sage): This wildflower produces bright red tubular flowers that are attractive to hummingbirds. Scarlet Sage can grow in both sun and partial shade and readily reseed, making them easy pass-along plants for friends interested in starting wildflowers in their own yards. • Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan): With its yellow petals and dark centers, Black-eyed Susan offers a classic look. It does well in full sun and tolerates a range of soil conditions. For maximum impact, plant in masses. • Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed): A native milkweed with vibrant orange flowers, this is the milkweed that we promote for anyone interested in attracting monarch butterflies to their yards. It is one of the most popular native milkweed species and is attractive to many types of pollinators. ESTABLISHING WILDFLOWERS IN THE LANDSCAPE Site preparation is key to the successful establishment of wildflowers—particularly if you are starting from seed. While some wildflowers can be started from transplants, many species are readily available as seed. Sow seeds for summer wildflowers in October or November for summer blooms. Water new plantings regularly until established. After establishment, most native wildflowers will not need supplemental irrigation (in fact, some may not thrive with additional irrigation). Avoid using broad-spectrum pesticides in or near wildflowers, as these can harm pollinators. If pest control is needed, contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Service for management options. MAINTENANCE AND LONG-TERM CARE Once established, wildflowers require less maintenance. Occasional deadheading or trimming can encourage additional blooms and prevent aggressive reseeding by certain species. Mulch should be maintained at 2-3 inches in landscape beds, with mulch pulled away from the base of the plants. For a natural look, group wildflowers with other native perennials, ornamental grasses, and groundcovers. This layered approach mimics Florida’s native ecosystems and fosters greater habitat diversity. Additionally, you can just substitute any colorful perennial or annual plant for native wildflowers for a colorful impact in the landscape. With so many bloom colors and plant sizes, there are sure to be wildflowers to fit your landscape aesthetic. For more information on summer wildflowers, contact UF/IFAS Extension Polk County at 863-519-1041 or visit us online at sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/polk . The Plant Clinic is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to answer your gardening and landscaping questions. If you are not in Polk County, contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Plant Clinic.. To learn more about gardening and landscaping in central Florida, listen to the “Your Central Florida Yard” podcast. The June episode is all about summer wildflowers. Find more information here: centralfloridayard.substack.com . An Equal Opportunity Institution. Anne Yasalonis is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent and Master Gardener Volunteer Program Coordinator for UF/ IFAS Extension Polk County. Please contact her at anneanne@ufl.ed

MOOTOWN SCOOPS Mootown Scoops offers premium ice cream, including a couple of dairy-free choices, milkshakes, floats, affogatos, ice cream flights, croque glaces, and some very classic toppings. We tried the croque glace, which is a brioche bun filled with your choice of ice cream and topping and then cooked in a little machine that looks like a waffle maker. The outside is warm and a little crispy, but the ice cream is still cold in the middle. We also tried a scoop of the Gator Trail ice cream with hot fudge swirls & peanut butter cups. It was so good in one of the house-made waffle cones. The chocolate milkshake was very good, such a classic, and topped with a cherry. We loved everything we ordered and will definitely be back! The Grand Opening was May 8. MOOTOWN SCOOPS 723 E Palmetto St, Lakeland IG @mootownscoops See more posts at Goodfoodpolk.com

METALLICA M72 TOUR June 6 & 8 at Raymond James Stadium. Two different setlists with two different bands opening each night. Played in the round on the 50-yard line. Purchase a one-day or two-day ticket. June 6 with Limp Bizkit and Ice Nine Kills. June 8 with Pantera and Suicidal Tendencies. raymondjamesstadium.com 2ND SATURDAY ARTWALK June 14 from 5 – 9 p.m. On the second Saturday of every month, the Central Arts District, Grand Central District, Warehouse Arts District, Uptown Arts District, Deuces Live District, Edge District, and Waterfront Arts District come together as one arts destination with many venues hosting their latest exhibit. stpeteartsalliance.org SHUCKED June 3 – 8 at the Straz Center. This musical comedy follows Maizy, a young woman who leaves Cob County to find help to save her hometown’s corn. She encounters a “corn doctor” in the big city who has a plan to exploit the desperate farmers. “Shucked” is the Tony Award–winning musical comedy that The Wall Street Journal calls, “flat out hilarious!” strazcenter.org WU-TANG CLAN With Run The Jewels on June 10, 8 p.m. at Amalie Arena. This is the “Wu-Tang Forever – The Final Chamber” tour. The band developed East Coast hip hop and hardcore hip hop styles. Their lyrics “contain a mix of kung fu, comic book, and mafioso pop culture references, along with a dose of mystical 5% teachings.” amaliearena.com GIANTS, DRAGONS, & UNICORNS Throughout June at MOSI. Through amazing displays and interactive experiences, you’ll discover how narwhal tusks became unicorn horns and how dinosaur fossils inspired the creation of griffins. You’ll also uncover the mysteries of sea serpents, fire-breathing dragons, and towering giants from cultures across the globe. mosi.org SURREAL PET PORTRAITS June 10, 6 – 9 p.m. at the Dali Museum. Memorialize your furry friend with a colorful portrait. Learn how to use a value scale and “paint by numbers” to create a unique and colorful pet portrait. Tickets must be purchased in advance along with pet photos sent to the instructor before class. thedali.org LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR & GRILL June 6 – 29 at Stageworks Theatre. This show will make you feel like you’re front and center, witnessing Billie Holiday, the jazz legend herself. The play takes place in March of 1959 at a run-down bar in South Philadelphia, where Holiday performs her songs while charming the audience. stageworkstheatre.org JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL June 21, 3 – 9 p.m. at Raymond James Stadium. This festival is a family-friendly, educational, and empowering experience for the community! Enjoy live DJs, dance performances, musical guests, a KidZone, and so much more! Shop from retail vendors, community resource booths, and a variety of food vendors. roctheblockinc.com PAINTING WITH ORANGUTANS Sundays in June at 8:30 a.m. at ZooTampa. This behind-the-scenes experience features the iconic Bornean Orangutan. Collaborate on a painting with an orangutan and take home your one-of-a-kind masterpiece. Open to ages five and up. All participants require a ticket, Zoo admission is included. zootampa.org ST. PETE PRIDE PARADE & FESTIVAL June 28, North & South Straub Park. The largest Pride Festival in Florida brings together members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies to enjoy the parade, national and local entertainers on the main stage, and hundreds of local vendors, food purveyors, artists, and community partners. stpetepride.org

LATE NIGHT THURSDAYS Visit Leu Gardens 5 – 8 p.m. Bring a picnic, seating, and wine if you’d like! June 5 hear John Olearchick, a solo jazz, classical, and pop pianist. June 12 will be Tony Wynn and Cameron Brown, a saxophone and trumpet smooth jazz duo. Finally, on June 19 you can hear the Cigano Swing Duo, with gypsy jazz guitar. $15 admission. leugardens.org JAZZ & JUBILEE June 19, 5 – 10 p.m. in Shady Park in Winter Park. This is the Third Annual “A Night Under the Stars: Jazz & Jubilee.” An evening celebrating Juneteenth with live jazz, incredible food, and a vibrant night of community under the stars. This event honors history, culture, and community in a spectacular way. equitycouncilcorp.org BOB ROSS + METAL Every Sunday at 8 p.m. at The Falcon, drink & draw with Bob Ross on the screen! Unleash your inner demons and create your own happy little trees masterpiece. No cover charge, art supplies provided. Reserve your spot and find more information at linktr.ee/thefalconbar . FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP June 17, 6 p.m. Ulsan HD v. Mamelodi Sundowns FC at Inter&Co Stadium. June 20, noon, SL Benfica v. Auckland City FC at Inter&Co Stadium. June 24, 9 p.m. Club Leon v. CR Flamengo at Camping World Stadium. June 26, 3 p.m. Juventus FC v. Manchester City at Camping World Stadium. fifa.com BITE30 June 1 – July 13. Participating restaurants throughout Orlando will offer special prix fixe menus that have multi-course dinners set at a low price. Diners get the opportunity to try multiple restaurants without emptying their bank account. Visit bite30.com to see participating restaurants. THE RETURN OF THE KING June 13 & 14 at Dr. Phillips Center. Voyage to Middle-earth as the final chapter of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic saga comes alive in symphonic sound. In this special film in concert, watch “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” on the big screen while a symphony orchestra, chorus and soloists perform Howard Shore’s award-winning score live. drphillipscenter.org AQUATICA AQUAGLOW Most Fridays & Saturdays in June at Aquatica. A nighttime splash party with high-energy dance parties, laser light shows, neon foam party, and low wait times during this exclusive, limited-capacity, family-friendly event. For an additional cost, add a cabana rental or the meal service. Purchase tickets in advance at aquatica.com . TWILIGHT: THE ULTIMATE FINALE June 24, 8 p.m. at Enzian Theater. A one-night-only double feature event. Watch Breaking Dawn – Part 1 and Breaking Dawn – Part 2 back-to-back, as Bella and Edward’s love story reaches its unforgettable climax. Experience the epic conclusion of The Twilight Saga like never before. enzian.org PANCAKES & BOOZE June 7, 8 p.m. at The Abbey. This LA-based event originated in 2009 and has since popped up more than 500 times in 35+ cities around the world. This show features up-andcoming artists, a DJ, drinks, and unlimited pancakes. Yes, pancakes, art, and booze, hence the name. More info and tickets online at pancakesandbooze.com . SUNSET AT THE ZOO June 27, 5 – 8 p.m. at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride. Guests are invited to explore the zoo at night with live music, DJs, food trucks, vendors, fun activities, and more until the sun goes down! Online exclusive: Purchase a $44 Family 4-Pack and get four tickets, four hot dogs, and four sodas. centralfloridazoo.org