PREP FOOTBALL: Lakeland plays at Lake Gibson Friday in the state 7A-2 quarterfinals. Other Lakeland teams in the playoffs: Tenoroc, Lakeland Christian and Victory Christian. | Schedules MENTAL HEALTH: A multi-part series by reporter Kimberly Moore kicked off this weekend with reports on the findings of a statewide grand jury (subscribers only), Polk Vision’s 250-page […]
Category: News Roundup
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Read It in the Morning Paper
BASKETBALL: The Lakeland Royals, a new semipro team affiliated with the Florida Basketball Association, holds tryouts Nov. 13. Its owner is Amy Rhodes, a Southeastern University student in her early 20s. | Royals on Instagram | Florida Basketball Association CHAMBER: Chuck McDanal, owner of the Studio C Solutions business coaching and analytics firm, has been […]
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Read It in the Morning Paper: Airport Restaurant, Stevin Newsletter
AIRPORT RESTAURANT: City commissioners are set to approve a contract Monday for restaurateur and aircraft company CEO Sven Lepschy to open a restaurant, Waco Kitchen, on the mezzanine at Lakeland Linder Airport. Lepschy’s company, DiMor Eats LLC, plans to invest $3 million to enlarge and renovate the existing restaurant space, which has been vacant for […]
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Read It in the Morning Paper: Downtown, COVID
DOWNTOWN: Onicx Construction of Tampa wants to turn the city-owned Oak Street parking lot into a parking garage and five-story apartment building with retail. City officials will negotiate with the company on property purchase, development details and incentives after city commissioners selected it between two companies that submitted proposals. The city plans to lease 150 […]
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Read It in the Morning Paper: Unemployment, Monument, Strader
UNEMPLOYMENT in Polk dropped to 5% in September from 5.6% the previous month and 7.8% last September. Florida’s unemployment rate is 4.9%, and the national rate is 4.8% | Detailed Florida numbers MONUMENT: After failing to persuade federal district and appeals courts that the city of Lakeland erred in relocating a Confederate monument from the […]
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Read It in the Morning Paper: Mayor, Qgiv
MAYOR: Polk Sheriff Grady Judd clarified that he does not endorse candidates in municipal elections. His statement came after questions were raised about whether a photo of Judd and mayoral candidate Saga Stevin on her campaign literature implied his endorsement. “I know both candidates and, of course, I am a longtime friend of Mayor Bill […]
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Read It in the Morning Paper: Apartments, Election
APARTMENTS: Developer Jason Lewis has gotten the go-ahead to construct a four story, 48-unit apartment building one block from Lake Morton at the southwest corner of Lime Street and Indiana Avenue. Previously, Baylis Consulting had received approval to build apartments on the property but the project did not materialize. ELECTION: In the race for the […]
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Read It in the Morning Paper: Plant Nursery, KHS, GiveWell
NURSERY: Chris Rumph, the owner of Mid Florida Nurseries, has sold his County Line Road property to a warehouse developer and is moving the plant operation to a larger parcel he purchased in Polk City. KHS: Four students were added to the 15 previously arrested in connection with a Monday protest at Kathleen High School. […]
Posted inNeighborhoods, News Roundup
Read It in the Morning Paper: Historic House, Election
HISTORIC HOUSE: Michael and Annalee Mutz are restoring the long-neglected 1908 Queen Anne house at 1022 Success Ave. Michael buys, restores and sells distressed houses for a living, but this is where the young couple plans to raise their family. ELECTION: One race on the Nov. 2 city ballot is a reprise of last spring’s […]
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Read It in the Morning Paper: Carillon Lakes, Cannabis
CARILLON LAKES: Negotiations between an apartment developer and nearby homeowners have yielded an agreement that both sides believe will relieve traffic pressure at the Carillon Lakes Boulevard exit onto Airport Road. Developer Matcon Construction has agreed to build a right-turn lane onto Airport Road and has received a verbal go-ahead from the Florida Department of […]