HAINES CITY – Of late, several developers building residential subdivisions near Haines City have applied for those subdivisions to be annexed into the city. Over the past year, the Haines City Commissioners have had a number of close votes on such matters, with Commissioner Jayne Hall often…

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 – Originally estimated to cost $84 million, Polk County Public Schools staff submitted an updated budget for the new high school being built near Davenport on May 12.

HAINES CITY – A settlement offer was made May 12 in reference to civil litigation associated with the Haines City municipal election that was held on April 7.

POLK COUNTY — On Tuesday, Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd announced her retirement, which will be effective Feb. 26, 2021.

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.

TALLAHASSEE — State university system Chancellor Marshall Criser next week will present guidelines for reopening university campuses in the fall, after students were sent home in March to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Bok Tower Gardens officials announced Monday morning that the popular destination for visitors near and far will reopen to the public on Monday, June 1.

POLK COUNTY – Local government officials in Davenport and Haines City are imploring their residents to participate in the 2020 United States Census and are continuing to try and communicate its importance to the municipalities in northeast Polk County.

POLK COUNTY – During an online town hall meeting May 5, U.S. Rep. Darren Soto (D-Kissimmee) — whose congressional district includes much of the Osceola and Polk portions of the Four Corners region — said Congress recently appropriated an additional $12 billion in CARES Act emergency relief f…

POLK COUNTY – On May 1, Polk County Board of County Commissioners Chair Bill Braswell announced on his personal social media account that the federal government had wired $126 million directly into the county’s bank account in late April without much prior notice.

After a month of providing drive-up COVID-19 testing as a community service in seven counties, AdventHealth announced last week it will begin phasing out the screening over the next two weeks as the state of Florida and local businesses reopen.

The federal government on May 7 awarded $28.6 million in grants to 47 Florida health centers to expand coronavirus-testing efforts.

Suncoast Credit Union, Florida’s largest credit union, announced May 4 that it will donate $25,000 to the Polk State College Foundation, with $20,000 of the generous gift designated for scholarships.

All Osceola County library branches that were not reopened last week are scheduled to open on Friday, May 15.

HAINES CITY – During a city commission meeting May 7, several area residents asked questions about the April 7 municipal election that is currently being contested in court.

HAINES CITY – City Clerk Linda Bourgeois asked for some work relief during a Haines City commission meeting May 7.

POLK COUNTY — On Thursday, Polk County Public Schools staff released details regarding the school district’s plans for graduation ceremonies in June.

On Tuesday, Polk County Commissioners outlined plans to spend $126 million in federal COVID-19 relief money.

POLK COUNTY – Due to the pandemic, the landscape of education has changed all over the world — including in northeast Polk County.

POLK COUNTY – Assuming students will be returning to school this fall, parents with a middle school-aged child may want to check and make sure which school that child will be zoned to attend.

POLK COUNTY – On April 28, Polk County Public Schools Attorney Wes Bridges announced a recent $20 million settlement offer from insurance companies providing hurricane coverage during Hurricane Irma in 2017.

HAINES CITY – The memories shared online by friends and family paint a picture of a man respected and admired.

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs, an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service, celebrated 126 years of volunteering on April 24. GFWC members volunteered over six million hours last year.

POLK COUNTY – The Haines City municipal election controversy has had a new development.

TALLAHASSEE — Restaurants and many retail stores outside of Southeast Florida can start reopening Monday with limited occupancy as part of the first phase of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ economic-recovery effort after the coronavirus caused massive shutdowns.

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 — With distance learning to continue through the end of this school year and possibly beyond, Polk County Public Schools has teamed up with Polk Vision in an effort to improve internet access for students.

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…

Polk County’s Class of 2020 seniors were recently asked for feedback regarding how their graduation might be handled in light of the pandemic and, at the outset of a school board work session April 28, Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd shared the results — and the dis…

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

AdventHealth announced April 22 that it is continuing to expand its community COVID-19 testing in Central Florida and announced new locations in Polk and Lake counties.

HAINES CITY – Tenth Circuit Court Judge Steven L. Selph recently granted a court petition to temporarily block Haines City Seat Four City Commission-Elect Claude E. Holmes, II from being sworn into office May 7.

When the couple pulled up to the emergency room entrance, a nurse was there to meet them.

The Polk Museum of Art is excited to announce its first online student exhibition, “Our Finest: Polk County High School Fine Art Competition.”

HAINES CITY – On April 16, the city commission discussed a proposal to build more than 700 new houses and a dog park at a site east of Power Line Road, between Johnson Avenue/Marion Creek Road and Baker Dairy Road.

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.

TALLAHASSEE — As of April 16, payments had been made to roughly 4 percent of the more than 800,000 people who have filed jobless claims since the novel coronavirus started closing businesses across the state.

POLK COUNTY – The Polk County Board of County Commissioners collectively signed and mailed a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis this week, seeking more control in determining how to restart the local economy.

The Florida Department of Health announced Tuesday that, as of 11 a.m. April 21, there are 27,495 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Florida.

The Florida Department of Health announced Thursday that, as of 11 a.m. April 16, there are 22,897 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Florida.

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.

The Florida Department of Health announced Wednesday that, as of 11 a.m. April 15, there are 22,081 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Florida.

HAINES CITY — Darren Joseph had a plan for his life.

Hi again friends, I’m Bailey!

The Florida Department of Health announced Tuesday that, as of 11 a.m. April 14, there are 21,367 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Florida.

POLK COUNTY — On Thursday afternoon, a video was posted to the YouTube channel for Polk County Public School in which Tami Dawson, a PCPS Regional Assistant Superintendent, updated high school seniors on the district’s options for graduation in light of the pandemic outbreak.

The Florida Department of Health announced Thursday that, as of 11 a.m. April 9, there are 16,364 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Florida.

Municipal elections were held in Polk County Tuesday, April 7, with voters from Bartow, Lake Wales, Davenport, Haines City, Lake Hamilton and Mulberry casting ballots.