Supporters of the Central Florida Development Council celebrated more than $700 million in various capital investments in Polk County over the course of the past few years during the organization's annual meeting Oct. 15, held at the Polk State College Center for Public Safety in Winter Haven.

WINTER HAVEN – One of the city’s best-kept secrets, Mann Lake-Stromberg’s is tucked away among warehouses and commercial buildings in an industrial park on Lucerne Park Road.

HAINES CITY – The 38th Annual Pig Roast & Political Rally, hosted by the Northeast Polk Chamber of Commerce, will be held Friday, Sept. 25, at 6 p.m. at Balmoral Resort.

Over the last six months, COVID-19 has been life-changing for many business owners at the Cagan Crossings Town Center, located in Clermont in the Four Corners region of Lake County.

Staff for AdventHealth say the healthcare provider invested $1.2 billion in Central Florida in 2019, furthering its commitment to caring for the region’s most vulnerable and addressing key issues like food insecurity, mental health and overall access to care.

HAINES CITY – A proposed partnership between the City of Haines City and the Feltrim Group to redevelop three parcels of city-owned property downtown took another step toward reality Sept. 3.

POSNER PARK — A new First Watch restaurant opened in Posner Village on August 31.

LAKE COUNTY — On August 11, the Lake County Board of County Commissioners unanimously proclaimed September 8, 2020 as “Orlando Cat Café Day” in Lake County. September 8 also marks the fourth anniversary for this unique concept, which is located in the Cagans Crossing Town Center in southeast…

CLERMONT – When the opportunity to open an Irish pub presented itself, it seemed like fate. After all, the couple had been in the restaurant business for most of their adult lives and both sides of the family could be traced back to the Emerald Isle.

Florida’s vital tourism industry suffered an estimated 60.5 percent drop in visitors as the COVID-19 pandemic hit hard during the year’s second quarter, with international travel off more than 90 percent.

Did you know there’s a local dynamic duo that has morphed owning a food truck and a bakery all into one?

Citing the economic reality created by the ongoing pandemic, the executive director of the Central Florida Development Council told the Polk County Commission last week he had to slash his annual budget by nearly $200,000 — but also that the agency still plans on spending more than $1 millio…

WINTER HAVEN – Each year, as a little girl from a small town near Cincinnati, Jennifer Garula anticipated the family’s summer vacations.

HAINES CITY – Although there will not be one of the company’s famous car vending machines at the location, the construction of the new Carvana Auto Inspection and Reconditioning Center in Haines City is well underway. It is expected to open late this year, perhaps in October.

In celebration of last week’s launch of NASA’s 2020 Mars Perseverance rover, an out-of-this-world display has landed at Legoland Florida Resort.

HAINES CITY — Garrett Kenny is ready to bet big on downtown Haines City.

WINTER HAVEN — Kris Dehnert’s colleagues affectionately call him “Promo.”

Officials for Publix announced Thursday that, effective July 21, the company will require customers to wear face coverings while shopping in its stores.

When the Paycheck Protection Program went into effect, 73 local companies in the immediate coverage area of the Four Corners News-Sun signed up — not to mention dozens of neighboring companies with mailing addresses in Kissimmee or Clermont.

Buying alcohol will remain a to-go-only option at Florida bars for the foreseeable future as coronavirus cases continue to spike.

AdventHealth facilities across Central Florida have surge plans in effect and officials say they have sufficient capacity to care for patients, including those with COVID-19.

HAINES CITY – After moving to the area from Miami, R.J. Grimsley says he found it difficult to find fun activities for kids. As the father of five boys and the coach of a youth football team, transporting them to Orlando or Tampa for something to do was just not feasible.

The Florida Polytechnic University Board of Trustees has a new chair.

HAINES CITY – Lowes’ recently donated approximately 2,000 N-95 masks and four cases of face shields to the fire and police departments in Haines City and Davenport.

Florida’s ban on serving alcohol to people in bars will be reevaluated daily, the state’s top business regulator said in a series of tweets over the weekend that also offered apologies for the crackdown.

DAVENPORT – In 1845, Florida became the 27th state admitted to the Union.

With heart disease the leading cause of death in the United States and in Florida, cardiac care is a priority at AdventHealth Heart of Florida and a guiding force behind the new Heart Success Center.

State and local tax revenues from hotels will drop an estimated $1.3 billion this year in Florida because of the coronavirus-driven reduction in travel, according to a study released June 18 by the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

WINTER HAVEN – When Lou Delco noticed the three pickup trucks backed into his restaurant’s parking spaces so the passengers inside could enjoy the music, he knew he’d found the solution he’d been looking for.

On Wednesday, May 27, Polk County joined a growing number of counties in Florida in having vacation rentals allowed to reopen for business.

WINTER HAVEN – Rex Jackson, the general manager at Legoland Florida Resort, met with Vice President Mike Pence, Gov. Ron DeSantis and other leaders within the state’s tourism industry at Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando on Wednesday, May 20.

DAVENPORT – The owners of the Ovation Bistros’ three locations are used to serving more than 20,000 guests a month at their restaurants.

POLK COUNTY — Today marks the first day that applications can be submitted by Polk residents, families and small businesses for financial assistance through the county’s share of money awarded via the federal CARES Act.

FOUR CORNERS — “In this together” is the mantra adopted by many Americans concerning COVID-19 and it seems to be the same for local chambers of commerce and their members.

POLK COUNTY – During the “Weathering the Storm” webinar hosted April 16 by SVN Saunders Ralston Dantzler, Managing Partner Gary Ralston explained that — according to data he has collected — around half of all retail tenants and around a third of all residential tenants have sought rent relie…

Publix announced last week a new initiative to purchase fresh produce and milk to assist farmers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

WINTER HAVEN – Since the onset of the pandemic, Marilyn Lacey, the owner of Home Remedy Winter Haven, has manufactured and donated more than a thousand bottles of hand sanitizer to assisted living facilities, post offices and clinics in the area.

DAVENPORT — Carolyn Drumm, the owner of Wood and Stain DIY Wood Shop, is attempting to turn the current “safer-at-home” order into a positive for her business and some residents trying to navigate the unique situation.

FOUR CORNERS — Congressman Darren Soto (D-Kissimmee), whose district includes much of the Osceola and Polk portions of Four Corners, led a town hall conference call to area small business owners about the health crisis April 1.

A spokesperson for Lakeland-based Publix Super Markets, Inc., confirmed on March 26 that the grocery store chain would be installing plexiglass partitions on a companywide basis as part of the response to the spread of COVID-19.

POLK COUNTY — On Jan. 23, officials from Orlando Health hosted a community meeting and information session at Sanlan Golf Course near Lakeland.

DAVENPORT – Aldi just held a grand opening for its sixth Polk County store.

BARTOW - Staff for The Mosaic Company announced last week that they have found the source of a water seepage that dates back to Oct. 23 and that repairs will begin soon.

Orlando Health, a not-for-profit health care organization and network of community-based hospitals, last week announced it has a contract to purchase approximately 80 acres of unincorporated land on the south side of Lakeland for a potential future medical campus.

WINTER HAVEN – By now, many residents have learned that a local developer is planning to build a hotel, an apartment complex and a yet-to-be-announced big box store at the corner of U.S. Highway 27 and Cypress Gardens Boulevard.

Are you in the market for some sweet pics of your pup? AGoldPhoto Pet Photography, a husband and wife team, has hosted pet photo fundraisers all around the country. Since 2016, they have raised more than $150,000 for upward of 60 animal charities and this weekend they come to Orlando!

DAVENPORT – Crafting businesses, especially those centered around a DIY (do it yourself) theme, are popping up all over the country.