News
Sleep in Heavenly Peace campaign welcomes 10 new chapters across the U.S., including one in Polk County
The Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) campaign recently announced the addition of 10 new chapters across…
Upcoming public auction features 584± acres of land and citrus groves
An upcoming public auction features 584± acres of land and citrus groves along the scenic Lake…
Polk County Parks and Natural Resources staff conducted a 160-acre prescribed burn
Polk County Parks and Natural Resources staff conducted a 160-acre prescribed burn for land management purposes…
Stunning ‘Space Jellyfish’ Lights Up Florida Sky After Early Morning SpaceX Launch
Early risers and morning commuters across Lakeland and Central Florida were treated to a breathtaking celestial…
WAKE UP, GET UP, SPEAK UP!
By Van Yandell. Yandell is a retired Industrial Arts teacher, an ordained gospel evangelist, and missionary.…
TNVR stands for Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return
TNVR stands for Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return, which is the English acronym for Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return; in Spanish, it means Capture,…
Polk school district plans meetings on rezoning of middle schools
Polk County Public Schools (PCPS) has scheduled a series of regional in-person and virtual town hall…
Lakeland High School students’ art is coming to your mailbox soon!
Ivana Torres’ piece “Blossoms and Birdsong” will be printed onto the back of your property tax…
Gospel, Inc. Invites Lakeland to ‘Unlocking Hope Together’ at Gospel Village, Oct. 20-22
Hope for the Homeless 2026 offers guests a look at the future of the Gospel Village…
Understanding Rent Hikes at Manufactured Home Communities-Causes and Cures. Plus How Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) Gives Apparent Cover to ‘Predatory’ MHC Operators
By L. A. “Tony” Kovach Like it or not, the law of supply and demand is…
Lakeland Police Department is looking for a missing 84-year-old adult with dementia
*** UPDATE: MR. SEALEY HAS BEEN LOCATED AND IS SAFE. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SHARED…
BOA CONSTRICTORS, IGUANAS… AND CATS?!
By GRADY’S GRAVEYARD Sheriff Grady Judd compared free-roaming cats to boa constrictors and iguanas. His Sheriff’s…
How a Florida Lawsuit Forced Hershey to Change Its Reese’s Packaging
The terms of packaging disclaimers, though the actual physical candy was not altered. Florida residents filed…
Orangetheory Fitness Returning to Lakeland with New South Florida Avenue Location
Orangetheory already has a “coming soon” page live for the location, listed at 1065 S. Florida…
OP-ED: Grady’s Graveyard: The Commissioners’ Own Words
By Facebook Page Grady’s Graveyard On June 3, 2025, animal advocates stood before the Polk County…
Florida’s Dexter’s Law Creates Public Animal Abuse Registry
There’s a growing shift in how animal welfare gets handled, from reacting after harm happens to…
Movie Review – Other Mommy
By Bob Garver The title “Other Mommy” is misleading. The villainous demon haunting 8-year-old Bela…
Two Polk County Residents Arrested in Osceola Undercover Child Predator Sting
Two Polk County residents were among the individuals arrested as part of “Operation Cooked,” a multi-agency…
Loaded Handgun Found in Student Desk at Lakeland High School
Two 16-year-old students were arrested following an incident at Lakeland High School involving a firearm found…
Polk County produces the most rum in the United States
Florida Caribbean Distillers (FCD) Polk County is home to Florida Caribbean Distillers (also historically known as…
A new AI-powered helmet could transform firefighting
Recent field testing of smart helmet technology, such as the C-Thru system tested by the Oklahoma…
IMPORTANT UPDATE: POOCH-O-WEEN POSTPONED!
Due to the forecasted inclement weather this Saturday, October 10, we’ve made the decision to postpone…
Letter: I didn’t choose…
By Coalition for Animal Rights and Education in Polk County, Florida People entrusted with the care…
Letter: Sheriff Grady Judd, Two People Died. Must We Talk Politics Now?
By Billie Tucker Volpe Sheriff Grady Judd, what were you thinking? For years, you have been…
How about some good news for a change?
Here are some encouraging truths filled with spiritual hope and peace. May you enjoy the Lord’s…
Shoppers Slam Publix Over Shocking Price Hikes: ‘$20 for a Tub of Coffee?
By On Reddit u/Daveit4later Had to do a stop, drop, and roll when I saw this…
Is Crystal Lake Middle School Closing? What Polk Families Need to Know
Polk County Public Schools is currently evaluating facility usage and attendance boundaries, which includes reviewing options…
Letter: Cat Cadavers Sold
By Coalition for Animal Rights and Education in Polk County, Florida We have inquired about the…
Brightline Bankruptcy: Creditors Take Control From Fortress
The Chapter 11 restructuring of Brightline’s parent holding companies marks a massive shift for the high-profile…
Orlando Health ER North Lakeland Community Preview
Event by Orlando Health and Orlando Health Mid-Florida 963 Lakeland Park Center Dr, Lakeland, FL 33809-3839,…
Rep. Scott Franklin Tours Polk County Fire Rescue Center
Polk County leadership welcomed Congressman Scott Franklin to the Polk County Fire Rescue Training Center Thursday…
President Donald J. Trump Approves Emergency Declaration for Florida
FEMA announced today that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of Florida to supplement…
Lakeland Approves $22M Deal to Let AI Listen to Bodycams and Write Police Reports
Lakeland approves a $22M deal to use AI for drafting police reports from bodycam audio. Learn…