PHOTO BY CHRISTINE ROSLOW

Bartow High School cheerleader Ben Johnson dances with Bartow Academy Elementary students Annalissia Green and Sam Lovette Friday during the school's annual walkathon to help raise money for the PTA program. Johnson who was a member fo the national champions cheerleading squad earned a scholarship to the University of Central Florida for cheerleading last year.

PHOTO BY JEFF ROSLOW

The Bartow High School cheerleading team performed a cheer at the Bartow City Commission meeting before receiving a proclamation for being crowned national champions at the Universal Cheerleaders Assocaiton competition.

PHOTO BY PEGGY KEHOE

Bartow varsity cheerleaders got fitted for rings after winning the 2012 National High School Cheerleading Championship in the Super Varsity Coed Division.

PHOTO BY JEFF ROSLOW

People who attended a Bartow City Commission meeting watched the Bartow High cheerleading team perform the cheer that earned them a national title.

PHOTO BY JEFF ROSLOW

Bartow AAA players hold up the second place trophy after they lost to South Carolina4-1 in the finals of the Dixie Youth Baseball World Series.

PHOTO BY JEFF ROSLOW

Bartow AAA teammates Tucker Wiltrout and Carlos Fernandez came up with a new type of pepper game waiting for their Dixie Youth Baseball World Series game using a paper cup. It providing diving and quick moves until Carlos crushed the cup.

PHOTO BY LARRY JEWETT

The 10 and under All-Star team that finished second in the Dixie Youth World Series this year.

Patrick Brett

PHOTO BY JEFF ROSLOW

The renovated Thompson Cigar Factory.

PHOTO BY MIKE CREECH

The Yellow Jackets gather before a playoff game this year against Plant City they won. Bartow fell one victory short of winning the state championship falling to Chamberlain 9-8 after a seventh-inning home run.

PHOTO BY LARRY JEWETT

Members of the Bartow High School softball team that finished second in the state. They won the Female Team of the Year at the Sports Hall of Fame banquet.

PHOTO BY PEGGY KEHOE

Ben Jackson, whose father also was a volunteer firefighter, cuts the ribbon at the dedication ceremony for a bronze statue honoring the 96-year history of the Bartow Volunteer Fire Dept. Taking part (from left) were Steve Earley, sculptor Harrison Covington, Chamber of Commerce President Rob Kincart, Fred Egli, Donnie Medders, Frank Smith, Wayne Whitehurst, Rock Wren, Jackson, Luther Langdale, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, Bronzart Foundry owner Rick Frignoca, City Manager George Long, Mayor Pat Huff, and Billy Simpson.

PHOTO BY JEFF ROSLOW

The statue of the volunteer fireman outside the Bartow Fire Department has the Christmas spirit.

John Hazelton

PHOTO BY DIANE NICHOLS

A bullet hole can be seen at Carver Village in the door at 1060 Golfview Ave. where John Hazelton was shot and killed.

PHOTO BY JEFF ROSLOW

Cliff Lewis, right, said L.B. Brown's willingness to work across racial lines and how he helped the community in Bartow while Deborah L. Mack, director of Community and Constituent Services for the Smithsonian, listens. The Brown House and his legacy will be featured at the museum's African-American Museum which will is scheduled to open in November 2015. Here they were sitting in a living room in the Brown House and with them was also LaFleur Paysour with the Smithsonian and Bartow resident Chuck Warren.

PHOTO BY JEFF ROSLOW

In a tribute to Jacob Summerlin, Lloyd Harris said the number one thing he wanted to remembered for was that he was the founder of the Summerlin Institute.

PHOTO BY MARY CANNADAY

Members of Summerlin Institute's class of '59' enjoy the great weather and good company as they participate in the Nov. 2 parade commemorating the celebration. Joining his former classmates on the float is S.L. Frisbie IV, longtime former publisher of The Polk County Democrat.

PHOTO BY STEVE STEINER


K-T Pharmacy technician Jamie Crawford explains to a client the pharmacy no longer is in business. Walgreeens came in Tuesday morning and removed all the prescription medications.

Troy DeDecker