DAVENPORT – The Davenport Police Department recently welcomed four new full-time officers, bringing the total number in the department to 16.

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 – Planning is underway for the annual Haines City High School Faculty and Staff “Lamazing” Kickoff Breakfast for the new school year.

Polk County Public Schools officials say new protocols for bus transportation of students to and from campuses should help protect both students and drivers when school opens on Aug. 24.

POLK COUNTY – Dan Mann has been delivering meals to seniors for more than two decades.

POLK COUNTY – During a Polk County School Board work session July 28, several board members expressed opposition to the “no mask, no class” concept.

HAINES CITY – The Northeast Polk Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class X has been learning leadership traits even during these unprecedented times.

POLK COUNTY – For weeks, Polk County Public Schools students, their families and staff were encouraged to participate in a survey assessing their preferences regarding whether to return to brick and mortar schooling or some form of virtual schooling.

POLK COUNTY – Since 2008, U.S. Marine Toys for Tots Literacy Program supporters have teamed up with participating staff nationwide from The UPS Store to raise more than $5.3 million. That money has been used to purchase more than 41 million books for distribution in schools which serve a hig…

POLK COUNTY – Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested Polk County Commission candidate Martin Grenfell July 29 on charges that he falsified his candidate oath form — an oath stating he was eligible to hold elected office.

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis on July 30 backed the efforts of the state’s elections chief and county elections supervisors after President Donald Trump suggested the possibility of postponing the November general election because of his aversion to “mail-in” ballots.

On Wednesday, Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Martin Grenfell, a candidate for a seat on the Polk County Board of Commissioners, on charges of false swearing with regard to voting — a third-degree felony by state law.

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

HAINES CITY – For retired Army Colonel Ken McGraw, serving in the military was a given and, also, a life-changing honor.

DAVENPORT – During a Davenport City Commission meeting July 20, Commissioner Brandon N. Kneeld said that he would be voluntarily resigning from office effective Aug. 3, citing a family decision to move out of Polk County.

DAVENPORT – The Davenport Fire and Police Departments have taken an additional step in maintaining the safety of staff members and residents during the pandemic.

HAINES CITY — Robin Dewitt, Bethune Academy’s new principal, says she plans to turn up the heat to 212 degrees for the 2020-21 school year.

An election issue that plagued Haines City earlier this year has struck Polk County Board of County Commissioners, as well.

Osceola County Commissioners added a penalty to an existing requirement to wear a face covering in public by a 4-1 vote on July 20 in response to the continued spike in the number COVID-19 cases and the threat to public health.

FROSTPROOF – Ben Hill Griffin III, 78, died peacefully at his Frostproof home on Saturday.

POLK COUNTY – On July 24, Polk County Commission candidate Martin Grenfell filed an ethics complaint to The Florida Bar against Polk County Attorney Michael Craig and petitioned the Florida Commission on Ethics to investigate his election competitor, incumbent Polk County Commissioner George…

POLK COUNTY – The Southwest-Central Florida Connector Task Force met for the sixth time July 23.

POLK COUNTY – Lawyers representing the Florida Education Association filed litigation against Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida Department of Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran and others on July 20 in an attempt to block the reopening of public schools in August statewide.

POLK COUNTY – A Leadership Lakeland Alumni Association Zoom meeting with Polk County Public Schools Deputy Superintendent John Hill July 23 was disrupted by a hacker who somehow managed to take control of the Zoom meeting to post pornographic images.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has made three arrests in relation to the triple homicide that occurred in unincorporated Frostproof July 17.

CLERMONT – Pastors Michael and Christine Hopewell would seem to be appropriately named as they have been providing a well of hope — both figuratively and literally — for years to those in need.

DAVENPORT – It was 2005 and Joel Rodriguez had recently fulfilled a five-year enlistment in the United States Army and was back home at his parents’ house in Haines City.

HAINES CITY – During a private ceremony, Haines City Commissioner H.L. “Roy” Tyler was sworn into office July 15 – more than three months after losing to Claude E. Holmes II in the April 7 municipal election.

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

POLK COUNTY – Polk County Regional Water Cooperative board members are expected to select a mediator to resolve their differences during an emergency meeting July 29.

As if a month-long shutdown related to the pandemic wasn't enough, Polk County Tax Collector Joe Tedder recently had to close up shop for another two weeks for a different sort of virus — one that may have made available the driver’s license information of some county residents.

Although it won't be official until September, the Polk County Commission last week informally approved a budget of more than $1 billion for next year, representing a slight uptick from last year's budget.

Effective Monday, July 27, Citrus Connection will close all pass sales customer service locations for the health and safety of customers and employees. 

TALLAHASSEE — First came the damage to Florida’s tourism industry and all sorts of other businesses. And now, the state’s growth engine?

Gov. Ron DeSantis on July 17 said he is not closing gyms because he thinks people who go to them are “even less at risk for the coronavirus” because they are staying healthy and working out.

A fire in the Oakland community of Haines City claimed the life of a single victim on Sunday night.

FROSTPROOF — A night of “catfishing” ended in the tragic murders of three “best buddies” at Lake Streety on Friday night, said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd during a press conference Saturday morning.

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

DAVENPORT – On July 2, the City of Davenport held its long-awaited ribbon cuttings and grand openings of Davenport Fire Station No. 2 and the Building Annex Addition.

Polk County Commissioners last week stopped short of mandating the wearing of face masks to stem the recent escalating spike in COVID-19 cases and instead opted to purchase a million masks to help promote the board's “strong” recommendation that residents wear masks while out and about.

Polk County Public Schools officials announced Tuesday that the 2020-21 school year will be delayed by two weeks.

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.

POLK COUNTY — The United States Marine Corps is regularly associated with its motto of Semper Fi — short for Semper Fidelis, the latin phrase for “always faithful” – as well as honor, courage and commitment.

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

LAKE WALES — With regard to the health environment in Polk County, the Lake Wales History Museum has cancelled the Pioneer Days Festival, originally scheduled to take place on October 24-25.

LAKELAND – What started out as a way to eliminate the overabundance of furniture she’d been painting has, over the years, turned into a much-loved and anticipated five times a year event attended by buyers from around the country.

POLK COUNTY – To those who enjoy a thick, green, regularly irrigated lawn, consider yourself warned.

Polk County Public Schools Senior Coordinator of Athletics Dan Talbot said that some details about the start of high school football season were still unknown during a PCPS Reopening Task Force meeting held July 8.

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.

POLK COUNTY – Coinciding with the announcement by Gov. Ron DeSantis that he intends for public schools to open at full capacity in the fall, a few dozen local leaders have been meeting to discuss the safest ways for Polk County Public Schools to accomplish that goal during a pandemic.