The LDDA stands for the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority. Essentially, it is the organization responsible for…
Category: Local
Polk County Burn Ban Repealed
Polk County is no longer under a burn ban. The burn ban, which went into effect…
Talbot House Announces Withdrawal From De Novo Hearing Scheduled for April 20
This withdrawal marks a major turning point in the years-long effort to relocate the city’s largest…
Ethics issues with two City Commissioners
Both Commissioners Ashley C. Troutman and Terry Coney have ethical issues with Monday’s vote about Talbot…
Lakeland Fire and Police Service calls on TALBOT HOUSE and the SURROUNDING AREA (½ MILE)
Sources: City of Lakeland, Lakeland PD, Lakeland Fire Department, Commissioner Agenda C-1-A, Current and Former Employees…
The federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Taylor Cadle against Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and two detectives is currently moving forward in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
The lawsuit, which gained significant attention following its filing in October 2025, centers on a 2016…
Please join us on May 19th
Please join us on May 19th. Speak at the BOCC meeting—you will have 3 minutes. We…
Talbot House Ministries needs to be more transparent
Maria Cruz, the executive director of Talbot House Ministries, refuses to be transparent when it comes…
Man dies in dirt-bike accident at Bone Valley ATV Park in Polk County
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a fatal dirt-bike accident that occurred yesterday, Monday,…
Citrus Connection Launches Bus Pass Program to Help Residents Get to Court
Citrus Connection just officially announced this partnership on April 13, 2026, with the pilot program set…
Talbot House and sex offenders and predators
Based on reports from a November 2019 Polk County Sheriff’s Office undercover operation regarding registered sex…
A Fading Florida grocery tradition, the Publix scales
The sight of a green Mettler Toledo 2830—the “People Weigher”—at the front of a Publix has…
The story of Virgil Robinson is a complex local saga centered on a tug-of-war between private property rights, humanitarian efforts, and municipal code enforcement.
Located off Memorial Boulevard (near the eastern edge of Lakeland’s city limits), Robinson’s property became a…
Following the tragic fatal mobile home fire earlier this week, the Lakeland Fire Department (LFD) and the American Red Cross have mobilized a major safety initiative to protect local residents.
Following the tragic fatal mobile home fire earlier this week, the Lakeland Fire Department (LFD) and…
Polk County Temporarily Suspends Countywide Burn Ban
Polk County is temporarily suspending the countywide burn ban, which went into effect on Nov. 25,…
Lakeland photographer Craig Collins is bringing a poignant new exhibit to Temple Emanuel in Lakeland, shifting his typical focus from nature and landscapes to a deeply moving historical subject
Lakeland photographer Craig Collins is bringing a poignant new exhibit to Temple Emanuel in Lakeland, shifting…
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd talks after deputy shoots armed veteran
On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd held a press conference detailing a…
BREAKING NEWS: City Commissioner Ashley Troutman received campaign donations from an employee and a contractor of the Talbot House Ministries
When Ashley Troutman was running for Lakeland City Commissioner, Maria Cruz, the Executive Director of Talbot…
Health officials have issued their annual spring warning as tussock moth caterpillars begin their peak season
It is officially that time of year in Florida. Florida Poison Control and health officials have…
Bojangles is coming to North Lakeland
Possibly coming soon to 5750 Highway 98 N in front of Wal-Mart, where Charley’s Cheesesteak was…
How many time has the police, fire and ems had to service Talbot House Ministries in Lakeland
As of April 6, 2026, the exact number of police and fire service calls to Talbot…
A 23-year-old Lakeland woman, Alexis McCants, was arrested and placed under a Baker Act following a high-speed crash on southbound I-275 in Tampa
A 23-year-old Lakeland woman, Alexis McCants, was arrested and placed under a Baker Act following a…
Florida Polytechnic University officially launched its autonomous meal delivery service on March 31, 2026, making it the first university in the country to use the full “Starship 360” suite
The school partnered with Starship Technologies to deploy a fleet of zero-emission, AI-powered robots that can…
In a 5-2 vote this morning, the Lakeland City Commission decided to reopen the Talbot House Ministries relocation case, giving the nonprofit a “de novo” hearing to present its proposal from scratch
The long-running debate over the Talbot House Ministries relocation took a major turn today. In a…
Lakeland Police joins DEA National Drug Take Back
The Lakeland Police Department is proud to join The Drug Enforcement Administration and its national and community…
The pushback against Talbot House Ministries’ proposed relocation to East Memorial Boulevard has reached a boiling point
The pushback against Talbot House Ministries’ proposed relocation to East Memorial Boulevard has reached a boiling…
Where Can Women Turn for Health Care in Polk County?
Polk County faces an ongoing shortage of health care providers, including primary care physicians and OB-GYNs. As…
City of Lakeland implements Phase 3 Water Shortage Restrictions
Due to lower-than-average water levels and ongoing dry conditions, beginning April 3, 2026, the City of…
Lakeland Couple Pleads Guilty to Committing String of Armed Robberies
Andres Correa (39, Lakeland) and Cassandra Kerr (46, Lakeland) have pleaded guilty to a string of…
On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, a fatal collision involving two semi-trucks occurred on US 98 North in Polk County
On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, a fatal collision involving two semi-trucks occurred on US 98 North…
Polk County Organ Donor Rate Falls to 36%
National Donate Life Month: LifeLink® Foundation Celebrates the Impact of Organ, Eye, and Tissue Donation LifeLink®…
Second rabies case confirmed in Polk County in less than 2 weeks
Health officials have indeed confirmed a second case of rabies in Polk County within a span…
National Vietnam War Veterans Day Ceremony
Thank you to the Polk County Veterans Council and City of Lakeland, FL – Government, for…
Who will be America’s Most Artistic Kid?
Which young artist will display their work in a museum, appear on The Joy of Painting,…
The hearing health supplement SonusZen (sometimes stylized as Sonus Zen) has recently come under significant scrutiny
The hearing health supplement SonusZen (sometimes stylized as Sonus Zen) has recently come under significant scrutiny.…
The recent opening of Polk Period Pantry marks a significant step in addressing period poverty in the local community
The recent opening of Polk Period Pantry marks a significant step in addressing period poverty in…