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.

WINTER HAVEN — Don Simon has been competing in barefoot water ski tournaments for more than 30 years and still gets out on the water several times each week.

In 2020, Lakeland Fire Department Firefighter and Paramedic Clay Geiger was diagnosed with T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Chat and Chew is a local health study group that advocates for a healthy, plant-based diet.

During a Winter Haven City Commission meeting Jan. 11, Winter Haven Mayor Brad Dantzler asked Polk State College President Dr. Angela Garcia Falconetti if she was planning to fight for line item funding for the college’s JD Alexander Center once again this year.

Illustrated is the Realty Commerce Building, as designed to be built during the land boom of the 1920s.

A group of citizens has been chosen to help narrow down the possible candidates for the next top leader of Polk County Public Schools, officials announced last week.

State lawmakers, advised last week about limited tax dollars amid the COVID-19 pandemic, have already proposed 43 hometown projects worth more than $45 million.

Ripon College has announced its Dean's List for the fall 2020 semester, recognizing academic excellence. To qualify for the Dean's List at Ripon College, students must achieve a 3.40 grade point average or higher on a 4.00 scale and complete at least 12 credits of regular letter-graded works.

Polk County Public Schools announced its student winners in its 20th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Challenge on Jan. 15.

HAINES CITY — On Jan. 7, the Haines City Commission voted against placing any of the proposed amendments to the Haines City Charter on the ballot for the city’s April 6 municipal election.

A flock of fledgling Blue Jays is about to land in Mulberry when school starts in the fall.

HAINES CITY – The Northeast Polk County Chamber of Commerce will hold its 42nd Annual Awards Banquet Jan. 28.

HAINES CITY — Keith Baon planned a romantic trip to Orlando for his girlfriend.

Polk County officials announced today that the Florida Department of Health Polk County’s COVID-19 vaccination registration portal is now open for online reservations for those 65 years old and older, who wish to be inoculated once more vaccines become available.

Haines City Police have announced an arrest made Tuesday, Jan. 12, of a local man for making threatening remarks about carrying out violence on the nation’s capital.

WINTER HAVEN — The Winter Haven City Commission voted for Brad Dantzler and Nathaniel J. Birdsong, Jr. to remain mayor and mayor pro tem of Winter Haven, respectively, during a city commission meeting Jan. 11.

The Winter Haven Planning Commission passed two Special Use Approval requests Jan. 5 — and fans of fresh-brewed coffee and baked goods may be much obliged.

A recent foreclosure has temporarily stalled city plans to build a new nature park on the south side of Lake Lulu, a new trail connecting the south side of the city to the AdventHealth Fieldhouse and some additional city infrastructure.

Polk County commissioners last week okayed paying part of the cost of the engineering to determine where the City of Winter Haven can locate ball fields at its Chain O' Lakes Complex.

On Jan. 5, the Winter Haven Planning Commission recommended that the city commission approve a Planned Use Development including up to 553 houses on 190 acres located just south of the Lake Ashton community, near the intersection of County Road 653 and Old Bartow Lake Wales Road.

City staff are seeking to amend the Winter Haven Code of Ordinances to allow certain types of chicken coops within city limits.

Connor Rupp, of Winter Haven, was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi — the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Rupp was initiated at the University of Florida.

WINTER HAVEN — City Manager Mike Herr recently said that Florida Department of Economic Opportunity staff will be in Winter Haven Jan. 26 to further analyze a $45 million grant application to purchase four tracts of wetlands around the city over the coming years.

Florida lawmakers have gotten a well-timed budget break thanks to a decision by the federal government to extend the nation’s public-health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During a city commission meeting last week, Haines City Mayor Morris West said that he, the city manager, the city police chief and the city attorney were all planning to meet with the owner of a grocery store many have described as a public nuisance.

Polk County Public Schools’ graduation rate jumped to 86.5 percent last year — a record high — even as seniors faced unprecedented challenges due to the pandemic.

With the spring semester fast approaching, Polk County Public Schools is ready to welcome students back to in-person instruction, as well as continue offering online learning.

MOUNT DORA — Deputies with the Polk County Sheriff's Office arrested two men who are accused of robbing a cemetery in Lake County and taking the skulls from four different graves to use in religious practices.

Pictured is the view overlooking Central Park to Fifth Street, NW, in the 1920s.

Land donations from Orlando Health and the Sanlan RV & Golf Resort will provide a clear path to an extension of the Fort Fraser Trail, county officials announced Jan. 6.

On Jan. 5, Winter Haven-based microbrewery Grove Roots Brewing Co. announced it would soon be offering canned, ready-to-go beer for patrons.

Commercial fishing permits for Saddle Creek Park are now available through Polk County’s Parks and Natural Resources Division.

After the COVID-19 pandemic caused millions of people to lose jobs in 2020, a Senate Democrat on Jan. 6 filed a proposal that would increase the amount and duration of state unemployment benefits.

HAINES CITY – Once, it was a neglected area that most tried to ignore.

Polk State College welcomed students to the Spring 2021 Semester last week and enrollment continues to take place for 12-week and eight-week Fastrack 2 sessions, beginning February 3 and March 8, respectively.

Dr. Ajeet Kaushik, assistant professor of chemistry at Florida Polytechnic University, joined scientists around the world in shifting his attention in 2020 toward addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Florida Department of Health’s Polk County COVID-19 vaccine hotline opened to the public the morning of Jan. 8 and, by 1 p.m., officials say all reservations for this week’s vaccine event were filled.

Winter Haven Hospital Bostick Structural Heart doctors, nurses and staff recently accomplished their latest milestone – completing their first MitraClip procedure.

WINTER HAVEN – It was 1970 — 50 years ago — that Dan Johnson became a barber.

Winter Haven Hospital staff working on New Year’s Eve into New Year’s Day rang in 2021 by welcoming Eli Miller into the world.

Florida Polytechnic University professor Dr. Muhammad Rashid has been listed among the top 2% of scientists in a global list compiled by Stanford University. At number 617, Rashid was ranked in the top 1% of the 87,611 scientists in his field of electronics and electrical engineering in the study.

With ice and snow impacting other areas of the nation on New Year's Eve, Winter Haven area residents enjoyed 80-degree weather — including several area children who enjoyed the City of Winter Haven Splash Pad that afternoon.

K-Ville Avenue (County Road 542) at Recker Highway (State Road 655) will be closed for the 90 days to build an eastbound right-turn lane onto southbound Recker Highway.

Winter Haven residents Ora H. Greene and Walter Covington Jr. were recognized as 2020 Polk Pioneers during a recent virtual Polk County Historical Association ceremony.

Pictured is the Winter Haven Chamber Commerce’s 1929 membership drive. Members are pictured at the intersection of Sixth Street and Avenue B, NW.

HAINES CITY – The taste of Jersey has come to town.

For more than 40 years, the Winter Haven Youth Soccer Association has been serving the children of the community and helping to prepare them for the competitive sport that is life.

Former Polk County Parks and Natural Resources Director Jeff Spence has been working on his photography skills and volunteering his time since his retirement in 2018.