CHAMPIONSGATE — Like so much else during the pandemic, the work of the Four Corners Area Council and the "Four Corners, One Vision" initiative it is spearheading had to pause and adapt.

An entrepreneurial team of Florida Polytechnic University students has earned thousands of dollars in funding for the development of an innovative gesture-control device for electric longboards.

WINTER HAVEN – Imagine having 1,000 employees — but every year 500 of them resign.

WINTER HAVEN – Last year, an incredible 798 dogs got a second chance with forever homes thanks to Stefanie Badillo and her Crossed Paws Pet Rescue.

Legoland Florida Resort staff recently applied for a permit to build a shade structure that is more than an acre in size. The shade will be used to cover a portion of the theme park called “Miniland USA.”

On March 11, United States International Trade Commission staff announced that phosphate fertilizers from Morocco and Russia are subsidized by their respective governments, and as such, harm corporations such as the Mosaic Company.

Publix pharmacies have administered 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to people across the state, the grocery chain announced March 18.

On March 11, the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Front Page Brewing Co. — albeit a bit belatedly.

The Polk State Clear Springs Advanced Technology Center, located off of State Road 60 in Bartow, will soon see some new innovative farming techniques deployed within the corporate center's property, following action last week by the Bartow City Commission.

Like any city, Winter Haven has its fair share of chain restaurants — but something longtime locals can probably agree on is that part of the city’s charm comes from its locally-owned eateries.

Randy Haffner has been named president and CEO for AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division, effective Feb. 1.

On Feb. 12, world-renowned daredevil Nik Wallenda will “walk the plank” as he walks across a high wire five stories — or 60 feet — above park guests to celebrate the debut of Legoland Florida Resort’s all-new Brickbeard’s Watersports Stunt Show and PirateFest Weekends.

Production of Florida oranges is now forecast to be about 17 percent below last season’s output, while the industry has seen a surge in demand linked to people staying home during the COVID-19 pandemic and rediscovering breakfast.

Florida’s vital tourism industry could start to experience an uptick midway through 2021, although foreign travel will continue to lag for several years, according to information posted online Nov. 24 by state analysts.

The private passenger-rail service Brightline announced an agreement Nov. 23 with Walt Disney World to build a station at Disney Springs as part of expansion plans from South Florida to Central Florida.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has extended a September executive order aimed at preventing business shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Legoland Florida Resort is hiring!

The Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council announced its 2020 Chamber Award Winners earlier this week.

A public hearing to determine whether to expand the industrial park surrounding the CSX Intermodal rail yard is scheduled to take place during a Winter Haven City Commission meeting on Dec. 14.

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.

Planet Fitness opened its newest location this past Saturday, Oct. 17, in Lake Wales. The new fitness center is located at 9 Eagle Ridge Drive.

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.

WINTER HAVEN – In October, every day will also be a “yay” of celebration in Winter Haven’s honor.

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.

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…

The Polk County Sheriff's Office is investigating a fatal shooting that occurred in the unincorporated area of Auburndale.

A brand new kitchen incubator in Lakeland is helping innovative foodies turn their dreams into realities.

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

WINTER HAVEN – The Downtown CRA Advisory Committee voted Aug. 10 to recommend a few key projects for approval. A final vote on the Fiscal Year 2021 CRA budget will take place in September.

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.

Front Page Brewing, an upstart brewery in historic downtown Bartow, announced last week that it would reopen its taproom thanks to a partnership with Top Dog Concessions, a local food truck.

During her 30 years at Wauchula State Bank, Christy Page has served in a variety of positions in the bank’s major markets of Hardee, Highlands and Polk counties.

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.

BARTOW – For at least the fourth time since December 2018, Mosaic staff have been mandated to report industrial waste leaks at the Mosaic Bartow Facility, located west of Bartow on the south side of State Road 60.

No matter how you slice it, Winter Haven’s newest pizza joint isn’t new to serving the community.

WINTER HAVEN – Jessie Skubna, the owner of Jensen's Corner Bar and Jessie's Lounge, has seen her two downtown bars closed for the past 16 weeks “with no end in sight.”