HAINES CITY – The Haines City Police Department announced last week it has again been recognized as a nationally-accredited law enforcement agency.

The Boy Scouts of America’s Greater Tampa Bay Area Council held a record-shattering Scouting for Food Drive in February, with scouts assembling more than 45,000 pounds of food for local pantries across their nine-county territory.

HAINES CITY — The city manager of Haines City, Deric Feacher, has been chosen to become the next city manager of Daytona Beach, pending contract approval.

NORTHEAST POLK — On March 15, the Davenport City Commission initiated the process of annexing another 138 acres of land into its city limits.

The George W. Harris Youth Shelter in Bartow is the only emergency shelter for children in Polk County.

Polk County Commissioners recently learned that proposed improvements to both Cypress Parkway and Marigold Avenue, in the northeast area of the county, will cost about $45 million — and they also learned that the project has fallen about six months behind its original schedule.

HAINES CITY — Plans for transforming a former industrial fertilizer plant into a new public park in Haines City were potentially set back following a Florida Department of Environmental Protection study, the findings of which were recently released.

On March 15, the Davenport City Commission authorized city staff to hire Tantrums Lakeside Grill staff to sell alcohol at the city’s “Grills Gone Wild” BBQ competition, which is scheduled for April 23 and 24.

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 26, the Lake Wales Police Department published a press release and a 197-page document detailing the Polk County Sheriff's Office independent investigation regarding the arrest of Lake Wales resident Chris Cordero. PCSO staff concluded that two LWPD officers had done nothing crimina…

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced that all Floridians ages 40 and older will be able to receive COVID-19 vaccinations starting Monday and that all adults will be eligible on April 5.

The Haines City Historical Museum is continuing its mission of preserving the city’s history and heritage even as complications from COVID-19 have made operations more challenging.

On March 16, the City of Davenport posted an update to its official Facebook page on its new community center, which is under construction.

A major talking point for the Florida High School Athletic Association – reclassification – gained some clarity this month and that included new districts and regions for the 2021 varsity football season.

The Polk County School Board held an emergency meeting to discuss pay raises for some teachers, paraprofessionals and support staff on March 16.

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

Registered voters in the municipalities of Bartow, Dundee, Haines City, Lake Alfred, Lake Wales and Lakeland who are planning to participate in the April 6 Municipal Elections have three easy ways to vote, according to Polk Supervisor of Elections Lori Edwards.

On Friday evening, March 19, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested three PCSO deputies and charged them with felonies related to evidence tampering.

From shooting hoops to creating jobs in Polk County, one star-studded athlete is part of a new sports-themed restaurant concept that is open for business.

Last week, Polk County Commissioners approved the beginning of construction for the new Northeast Government Center in Lake Alfred.

The weather was absolutely perfect for the 43rd Annual Victor Smith Law Group Central Park Art Festival this past weekend in downtown Winter Haven, hosted by the Ridge Art Association.

Bobby Williams grew up around Eloise and says he never even set foot inside a church until he was 32.

Residents living in some areas southwest of Winter Haven argued to the Polk Board of County Commissioners last week against the development of Spirit Landings, a planned development of about 65 homes on a triangular parcel of land bounded by Spirit Lake Road, Old Bartow Eagle Lake Road and L…

During a Polk County School Board work session March 9, staff told members of the board that the amount of money spent on obesity-related healthcare for insured teachers, school administrators and their families far exceeded money spent on any other health care claims in 2020.

Offering one of the most picturesque race routes around, the Carillon Classic 5K presented by AdventHealth returns to Bok Tower Gardens on Saturday, May 1, at 7:30 a.m.

The Early Learning Coalition of Polk County wants to help parents in need with their childcare expenses.

Lake Wales Mardi Gras supporters recently made their first donation of 2021 to KT's Sunshine Foundation.

Portions of trails at Circle B Bar Reserve will be temporarily closed for management purposes beginning March 15. There will still be trails available for nature-based types of recreation.

Seven candidates are moving forward as semifinalists for the role of Superintendent of Polk County Public Schools and they include education professionals from neighboring school districts as well as from different states.

On Feb. 4, a post on the Facebook page for Polk County Public Schools read, “We're not exactly sure what's happening in the digital media class at Ridge Community High, but it always seems really, really cool.”

Haines City Commissioner Roy Tyler expressed concern about roadside signs Feb. 18, saying staff should not return signs that were placed illegally.

More construction permits for single family homes were issued in Haines City than were issued in Winter Haven or Lakeland in 2020.

The Haines City Rotary Club’s “Chili On The Ridge” chili cookoff is scheduled March 6 at Lake Eva Events Center between noon and 3 p.m.

The staff for the athletics department at soon-to-be-opened Davenport High School continues to take shape.

Haines City Attorney Fred Reilly recently negotiated a donation agreement between the city and AdventHealth for 3.7 acres of land for a new emergency operations center to be built adjacent to AdventHealth Heart of Florida Hospital.

HAINES CITY — The new, $7 million location for McMaster Concrete Products — a concrete and paver manufacturing plant — is ahead of schedule for completion, officials say.

The City of Davenport has a trio of events upcoming.

On Thursday, Feb. 25, Ridge Community High School Principal Angela Clark announced that Ladona Brigman, an English teacher at the school, has died of heart-related issues. Her death was not related to COVID-19, per the statement.

Coach Olin Gee and his wife, Linda Gee, are retiring after a combined 62 years teaching in public schools in Polk County.

On Feb. 18, the Haines City Commission passed an ordinance to approve naming the meeting rooms at the Lake Eva Event Center as the Joanna Wilkinson Banquet Hall.

LAKE WALES – Geert D’hollander, the carillonneur at Bok Tower Gardens, was one of four musicians selected out of 347 entrants recently to receive The King’s Singers inaugural New Music Prize.

Growth seems inevitable in northeast Polk and on Feb. 8, City of Haines City staff shared some of the municipality’s growth statistics on the city’s official Facebook page.

On March 16, a team of assessors from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA) will start examining all aspects of the Davenport Police Department’s policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services.

For artist Victoria Ross, her first step is to hear from the Lord — she says she doesn’t pick up a brush, choose a color or plan a painting until she feels it in her spirit.

Last week, the Four Corners Area Council announced that it had received a Certificate of Registration for its “Four Corners, One Vision” initiative from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division has dropped slightly, described as a “plateau” in the most recent surge, said Dr. Rebecca Gomez, a hospitalist and the chair of the internal medicine department at AdventHealth Orlando.

HAINES CITY – When a Haines City High School staff member saw a need, she acted.

City of Haines City staff announced last week that residents — and their four-legged companions — would soon be able to enjoy a municipal dog park.

DAVENPORT — A land owner wanting to build a subdivision of homes on land surrounded by cow fields east of Davenport was denied Jan. 19.

Polk County's COVID-19 relief funds jumped up another $21 million last week when the county received an additional $21.8 million to provide rent and utility relief to families affected by the pandemic.