Winter Haven
Politics
Memorial Day in Polk County: 8 events to pay tribute to our country's fallen heroes
Memorial Day is often marked as the unofficial start of summer, as Polk's high school seniors have graduated and there's only a few days left for younger students. Temperatures have soared, and it's time to hit the beach. But there's a much more solemn meaning to the national holiday that...
Sheriff Grady Judd could do better but doesn’t want to, why?
Judd controls Animal services and the numbers do not lie …… Why can’t you fix the issues, Grady Judd?. Polk County Animal Control January through April and they are pretty sad. 64% live release for dogs and 52% live release for cats. So basically 50% of the cats brought into animal control, 1 of every 2 cats, are killed.
Historic Preservation Awards Recognize Building Owners Protecting the Past
The city and Historic Lakeland Inc. recognized nearly a dozen home and business owners this week for saving pieces of the past or creating structures to blend in with an existing neighborhood. One special award recognized those who made the Lakeland History and Culture Center a reality. The event was...
2 more Polk County food vendors fall short of standards. Four are perfect. See the reports
Two more Polk County restaurants fell short of standards during inspections recently, according to state reports for May 13-19. One of the restaurants was inspected on May 10, but its report didn’t appear in the state database until later. Among the two restaurants that fell short, there were eight...
Could Southwest Lakeland see another fire station? Station 9 in 2027
During the city’s strategic planning retreat on May 14, Lakeland Fire Chief Doug Riley announced that the Lakeland Fire Department has worked out a deal with Lakeland International Airport to secure land for the future Fire Station 9 in the city’s southwest district. “We do have some good...
Haines City's Paul Senft, former commissioner, longtime GOP activist, dies at 84
Paul Senft, a former Polk County commissioner and longtime leader in Republican Party politics, died Tuesday at age 84. Senft, a resident of Haines City for nearly five decades, helped create the city’s Economic Development Council and served as its executive director for several years. “He really took me...
Lakeland’s Cemetery Stewards Try to Keep Up with Burial Demands
Lakeland Parks and Recreation Deputy Director Pam Page told city commissioners last week that the largest city-run cemetery actually has a lifespan. “Oak Hill Cemetery has 35 years left of lot sales at the current rate of sale, which is an average of 500 spaces per year,” Page said.
Power Line Road extension is Polk County's largest developer-constructed road project
With the groundbreaking in Davenport of the Power Line Road northern extension project last month, motorists rejoiced at the potential for quicker commutes. Of many private-public, developer-constructed road projects, Power Line Road is possibly the largest in Polk County history, according to Polk County land development director John Bohde, at least during his time with the county. ...
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