NEW LIFE OUTREACH Ministry, which provides men with housing , employment assistance and substance abuse treatment, will use an expected $500,000+ in American Rescue Act funds to upgrade its shelters, expanding the number of people who can be served. INSANITY DEFENSE: The assistant public defender representing Bryan James Riley in a murder case involving the […]
Category: News Roundup
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Read It in the Morning Paper: Growth Plans, County Garbage Pickup
GROWTH PLANS: The city of Lakeland is spending $280,000 to hire three consulting groups to draft strategic plans for three fast-growing areas: South Florida Avenue in Dixieland, the Main Street gateway to downtown, and Downtown West. GARBAGE: Polk County is suspending recycling collection in March for homes in unincorporated areas served by FCC Environmental, freeing […]
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Read It in the Morning Paper: Lakeland Christian School, Florida Highwaymen
LAKELAND CHRISTIAN SCHOOL plans to construct a three-story high school classroom building on the part of its campus near the intersection of Harden Boulevard and Ariana Street. The site plan for the project is under review by the city of Lakeland, and a Florida drainage permit is needed. Enrollment at the school is capped, so […]
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Read It in the Morning Paper: Book Ban, COVID-19
BOOK BAN: The effort to remove 16 books from Polk school libraries is an initiative of the Florida Citizens Alliance, The Ledger reports in a subscribers-only story. The non-profit organization has worked to ban certain books in schools throughout Florida for five years and prompted the state law that allows any citizen, not just parents […]
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Read It in the Morning Paper: Duck Hunting, The King’s Church
DUCK HUNTING: Residents along Lake Parker are appealing to government agencies to halt the currently legal practice of duck hunting on the lake, citing danger and pre-dawn noise in their residential setting. (Subscribers-only story) THE KING’S CHURCH, a five-year-old congregation that held services in a school lunchroom until 2020, is growing and recently bought the […]
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Read It in the Morning Paper: County Garbage, Volunteers
COUNTY GARBAGE: FCC Environmental has improved service and can keep hauling garbage in unincorporated western Polk, county commissioners decided Tuesday. But the company, which had been put on notice last month that its contract was in jeopardy, must submit monthly progress reports to the county until the contract ends in 2024. VOLUNTEERS Larry Rankin, a […]
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Read It in the Morning Paper: Restaurant Edition
BORN & BREAD BAKEHOUSE in Dixieland is serving customers indoors again starting Wednesday after the pandemic prompted outdoor pickups only for nearly two years. Hours will be 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. | Menus & preorders HOMECOURT, the Merchants Walk restaurant/sports bar founded by retired […]
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Read It in the Morning Paper: Home Health, Teacher Awards
HOME HEALTH PARTNERSHIP: Lakeland Regional Health has bought a minor interest in BayCare Home Health in order to increase access to at-home care for patients released from the hospital. | ALSO: News release TEACHER OF THE YEAR for Polk County Public Schools is Ashley Brannon, curriculum coach at Karen M. Siegel Academy. School-related employee of […]
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Read It in the Morning Paper: County Garbage, Rancho Bonito
COUNTY GARBAGE: The company that hauls garbage in Lakeland’s unincorporated suburbs has responded to Polk County’s written threat to sever its contract. FCC Environmental says the county has not proven the company defaulted on its agreement and that missed pickups account for fewer than 1% of customers. RANCHO BONITO: Polk County’s wish list for the […]
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Read It in the Morning Paper: Teacher Salaries, COVID Hospitalizations, Ledger Cutbacks
TEACHER SALARIES: The Polk School Board has ratified retroactive teacher pay increases negotiated between administrators and union reps. Among the raises: Teachers hired before July 1, 2014, get an extra $210; those hired later get an extra $315. COVID HOSPITALIZATIONS in Polk were up 74% last week over the prior week, according to the CDC. […]