Similar “Stay at Home” orders issued by Orange County and Osceola County will go into effect at 11 p.m. this evening, March 26, and stay in effect until 11 p.m. on April 9.
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.
HAINES CITY — The Haines City Police Department announced March 26 that a third accuser has come forward and Joshua Ayers, who was arrested in late-February for sexually battering two young girls, is facing nine additional charges for being in possession of sexually-suggestive photos.
The volume of positive coronavirus cases in Florida continues to tick up and the number of respective cases in all four counties making up the Four Corners region — Lake, Orange, Osceola and Polk — is in double-digits.
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HAINES CITY – City staff and Florida Department of Environmental Protection staff formalized a contract on March 12 to begin the process of transforming a former fertilizer plant into a new park.
POLK COUNTY – Public school teachers represented by the Polk Education Association voted 1,717-670 on March 19 in favor of ratifying a contract negotiated between the union and the Polk County School Board.
POLK COUNTY — Registered voters in the cities of Bartow, Davenport, Haines City, Lake Hamilton, Lake Wales and Mulberry who plan to vote by mail in the April 7 municipal elections have limited time to do so.
With Floridians hunkered down to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Attorney General Ashley Moody and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried are trying to focus attention on scams and price gouging that stem from the crisis.
POLK COUNTY – Around 60,000 devices will be deployed to students once Polk County Public School’s Spring Break is over March 30, meaning that learning will continue in an online capacity as the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt the daily life of Polk residents and people around the world.
TALLAHASSEE — State lawmakers on March 19 approved a record $93.2 billion budget for next year, with attention already focused on a potential need to revisit the spending plan this summer as the novel coronavirus upends the economy.
Deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the Poinciana area of Kissimmee, in unincorporated Polk County, the morning of March 19 and learned that a man there had shot and killed his live-in girlfriend and then refused to exit the home.
Undercover detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and partnering agencies conducted a seven-day undercover operation, from March 16, during which detectives posed as girls and boys online — on social media platforms and online dating sites — to investigate those who prey upon and t…
Publix officials announced Thursday that the Polk-based supermarket company is designating Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, from 7 – 8 a.m., as “senior shopping hours” intended only for customers age 65-and-over.
The second presumptive positive coronavirus case in Polk County is a student who takes courses at Polk State College's Winter Haven Campus, per an announcement from the school last night.
On Tuesday, March 17, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that schools in Florida will remain closed until Wednesday, April 15 — but that districts are expected to begin some type of online or remote instruction on March 30.
On Tuesday, March 17, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that schools in Florida will remain closed until Wednesday, April 15 — but that districts are expected to begin some type of online or remote instruction on March 30.
HAINES CITY – Elected commissioners, city staff and residents participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for the city’s second aquatic facility on March 9.
In 2019, the Haines City Police Department had the lowest crime rate for as far back as records could be found.
The 9-1-1 emergency system has been around for many years now, but there are still many people who don’t know when it is appropriate to use.
POLK COUNTY — Drivers in northeast Polk will have to wait a few more years, but the widening of County Road 557, from Lake Alfred to its interchange with Interstate 4, will move ahead after the county commission last month okayed plans for the multi-laning of six miles of the overburdened tw…
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- 'Stay at Home' orders take effect at 11 p.m. March 26 in Osceola, Orange (March 26)
There’s no escaping it — precautions related to mitigating the spread of novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, have become the dominant force in daily life for the foreseeable future.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday took far-reaching actions to combat the coronavirus as he ordered bars and nightclubs to close for the next month and as state universities moved to hold online classes for the rest of the spring.
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Monday that Florida will begin a $50 million bridge-loan program for businesses hurt by the novel coronavirus and that he has directed the state’s revenue department to extend deadlines for businesses to pay corporate income taxes.
LAKE WALES — As the global pandemic precautions for COVID-19 continue to unfold, Bok Tower Gardens remains committed to the safety of our visitors, volunteers and staff.
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis, while contending that many Florida residents are not at risk of getting the coronavirus, announced on March 14 a 30-day ban on visits to nursing homes as he acknowledged that the virus is spreading through some communities.
HAINES CITY — One Sandhill Elementary School second grader’s parents were pleasantly surprised at the student’s Spanish speaking ability during a recent missionary trip.
POLK COUNTY — Luck must be in the air in east Polk County.
HAINES CITY — Edgar Arnold has everyone’s attention.
Polk County has agreed to spend $1 million to help officials representing Lakeland Linder International Airport lure commercial passenger service to the growing west-county airport.
Staff for the Early Learning Coalition of Polk County put out a statement last week encouraging parents to help prepare their preschoolers for kindergarten by signing them up for VPK — or Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten.
TALLAHASSEE — A short-lived, yet high-profile, fight to merge Lakeland’s Florida Polytechnic University into the University of Florida died March 6 in the state House.
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday declared a state of emergency that would broaden his powers to respond to the novel coronavirus, including allowing him to deploy National Guard troops if necessary.
LAKELAND – Gov. Ron DeSantis was the keynote speaker at the SVN | Saunders Ralston Dantzler Real Estate 2020 Lay of the Land Florida Land Conference at the RP Funding Center Friday, Feb. 29.
DAVENPORT – Central Florida’s Visitor Information Center (CFVIC) will celebrate its 13th anniversary with a “Birthday Bash” event on Saturday, March 14.
Orlando Science Center is hosting one of the neatest events I’ve ever heard of this Saturday!
POLK COUNTY – Municipal elections are set to take place in Bartow, Davenport, Lake Wales, Haines City, Lake Hamilton and Mulberry on April 7.
FOUR CORNERS — So far, donations raised by individual bike riders for the upcoming MS Bike Ride: Citrus Tour have been impressive, with the top two riders totaling over $15,000 each.
OSCEOLA COUNTY – Osceola County District 1 Commissioner Peggy Choudhry awarded $6,000 in Community Betterment Grant dollars to a variety of community partners during a live announcement on Feb. 17
LAKELAND – Renowned Florida entrepreneur Tom E. Wallace has been named commencement speaker for Florida Polytechnic University’s spring 2020 graduation on May 3.
POLK COUNTY – Donald Pruessman, of Winter Haven, became the first member of Knights of Columbus Council 7091 of Cypress Gardens to achieve First, Second and Third degree status in the Knight of Columbus through a new ceremony known as the Exemplification of Charity Unity and Fraternity.
Can we all agree that dog people are better than cat people? I’m totally kidding! If you said yes, though, you’re going to want to zip over to Celebration this Saturday for its “Posh Pooch” event!
FOUR CORNERS — The stretch of U.S. 192 that spans from U.S. 27, where its westernmost point ends, and its interchange with State Road 429 to the east is, roughly, about three-and-a-half miles.
HAINES CITY — A member of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for nearly 30 years, Loyd Stewart was named deputy chief of the Haines City Police Department and started his tenure this month.
HAINES CITY — The Haines City industrial property, constructed in 1918 and commonly referred to by locals as the “old fertilizer plant,” is set for demolition. City officials announced the news Feb. 13.
DAVENPORT – More than a decade ago, Pete and Harriet Rust were browsing around at a Florida League of Cities event in Tampa.
LAKE COUNTY — Lake County has now integrated texting into its 911 answering system, allowing residents in need of emergency services to reach a first responder via text when calling is not an option.
You might have heard in the news that the father of pop singer Taylor Swift recently thwarted a burglar in his St. Petersburg home when he came home during the crime.
Vote by Mail ballots are now available for eligible voters who wish to vote by mail in Florida’s Presidential Preference Primary Election. The March 17 contest is open only to registered Democrats or registered Republicans wishing to choose their presidential nominee.
Event staff say new features and patron events look to make the 49th Annual CB&T Lake Wales Arts Festival the best one to date.
HAINES CITY — The name Ribs on the Ridge can be a bit deceiving, since it only reflects the barbecue portion of the popular event.
