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fox13news.com

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Polk County to close convenient dump site after illegal trash piles grow

A Polk County convenience center in Haines City is shutting down after the pilot program failed to stop illegal dumping. Officials say the Bannon Island Road site averaged only 20 vehicles a day while illegal dumping in the area spiked. Residents have until December 31 to use the dump before...

Polk County, FL · 2d
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LkldNow

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Polk Schools Weigh Crystal Lake Closure as Parents Raise Concerns

As part of its Central Region rezoning process, Polk County Public Schools (PCPS) is proposing to close Crystal Lake Middle School and reassign students. Over 100 community members turned out to the meeting to learn more and voice concerns over the proposal. District leaders said the proposed closure is due...

Lakeland, FL · 22h
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The Ledger

partner publisher · 23.8K followers
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Jon Corneal, a largely forgotten founder of country-rock, dies at 80

Jon Corneal, a drummer from Auburndale who helped birth the genre of country-rock, has died at age 80. Corneal’s death on Nov. 6 came just eight days before his teenage bandmate, Winter Haven native Gram Parsons, will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 14. “Jon Corneal was at Ground Zero of country rock as evidenced in his collaborations with Gram Parsons, Gene Clark and Doug Dillard, and his own solo work,” said Bob Kealing, author of “Calling Me Home: Gram Parsons and the Roots of Country Rock.” “I’ll miss his stories of those formative days whenever I attend Gram Parsons Derry Down shows. He was a Polk County country rock original.” In recent years, Corneal performed regularly with a small band on Friday afternoons at Hillcrest Coffee in Lakeland, singing and playing guitar and working a percussion setup with his feet. Corneal played a final show on Oct. 30, exactly one week before his death, said his friend of 50 years, Gene Owen. The influential website AllMusic.com has described Corneal as the first drummer in country-rock "down to a virtual certainty." Corneal decided to become a drummer after his mother took him to see

Auburndale, FL · 2d

wusf.org

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Voters approve school taxes across the state amid sweeping Amendment 3 property tax cut

Voters in 26 out of 27 counties said yes to increasing or renewing sales or property taxes that will fund their public schools. At the same time, people overwhelmingly approved Amendment 3, which will significantly cut property taxes, and likely reduce local government services. The amendment raises the homestead exemption...

Florida · 1d
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traveldreamsmagazine.com

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Mountain Lake Reopens Historic Golf Course After Extensive Multi-Million Dollar Restoration

(LAKE WALES, Fla.) — Mountain Lake, the prestigious gated community nestled in Central Florida’s lake district, has officially reopened its historic golf course following an extensive, multi-million-dollar restoration project led by renowned course architect Tyler Rae. The ambitious project, which commenced on April 20, centered on three primary...

Lake Wales, FL · 2d

WINKNEWS.com

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Enjoy the 80s while they last: big cooldown ahead in SWFL

It's going to be a cloudy day today! That's going to provide us with the benefit of seeing less warmth building up once the sun tries to come out. We won't be without sunshine altogether, so expect high temps in the low 80s for many of us. We're also closely watching our moisture being pumped straight out of the Gulf primarily across the southern half of our viewing area.

Florida · 1d

fox13news.com

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Painting across Lakeland

Blank walls across Downtown Lakeland are turning into colorful masterpieces as the new Color Wave Walls mural festival brings nearly a dozen artists from across the country and around the world to transform the Swan City into an open-air art gallery. FOX 13's Carla Bayron reports.

Lakeland, FL · 17h

uncoveringflorida.com

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10 Florida Diners Where You Can Still Order a Proper Open-Faced Roast Beef Sandwich

One Florida diner pours brown gravy over its roast beef sandwich and then keeps going, right over the fries. I love that kind of commitment. It tells you the kitchen still takes gravy seriously. Another spot on this list has been feeding its neighborhood since 1939. A third pours coffee...

Florida · 1d

The Ledger

partner publisher · 23.8K followers

A developer's long-sought Downtown Lakeland plan may soon be revived

There will be a second chance for Lakeland officials and a local developer to reach a deal that could revive a desolate stretch of downtown, if past disagreements don't get in the way. Lakeland officials will consider approving a redevelopment agreement between Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency and two entities, FURC1 LLC and Thelma Project LLC, both affiliated with Lakeland developer Gregory Fancelli. If approved, the deal could radically change Massachusetts Avenue north of Lakeland Police Department to U.S. 98/Bartow Road. "I consider this a very significant project that I'm honored to be asked to be a part of," attorney Bart Allen said at the Nov. 5 CRA meeting. "As someone who lives in the downtown area, I see this as something that's transformational for the City of Lakeland." Fancelli previously told The Ledger he has been working on ambitious plans to develop North Massachusetts Avenue since 2016. The redevelopment deal, up for a vote Nov. 16, revives a deal with the city pre-COVID in 2020. The Ledger reached out to Fancelli and Brooke Agnini, who represented FURC1 and Thelma Project at the Lakeland CRA meeting held Nov. 5. Agnini declined to comment on the proposed agreement until after the Nov.

Lakeland, FL · 1d

wpgxfox28.com

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Cheapest gas stations in Lakeland

Stacker compiled a list of the cheapest gas stations in Lakeland using data from Gas Buddy. Gas stations are ranked by the lowest regular fuel price.

Lakeland, FL · 3d

The Ledger

partner publisher · 23.8K followers

Dozens of speakers convey ardent opposition to Auburndale data center

AUBURNDALE — It was a familiar scene in Polk County. Speaking to an overflow audience, city officials explained that approvals were already in place for a planned data center. A representative of the developer provided details on the project intended to reassure the public that the project would yield economic benefits without causing environmental harm. And a boisterous group of citizens mostly expressed skepticism shading at times into anger. The Auburndale City Commission held a special workshop the evening of Nov. 10 to discuss the Auburndale Technology Center, a data facility planned for two existing buildings at 810 Pace Road. The meeting came less than a week after Hillwood Development Company filed a building permit following about a year of rumors regarding a data center in Auburndale. Rather than holding the meeting in the City Hall commission chamber, which seats about 50, Auburndale hosted it in the Ariana Suite of the Ariana Civic Center. Citizens filled all of the roughly 250 seats, with another 150 or so standing at the sides and back of the room. Nearly all the spectators waited through about 100 minutes of presentations and discussion among city commissioners before getting the chance to speak during the

Auburndale, FL · 1d

The Ledger

partner publisher · 23.8K followers

Lakeland linebacker Charles Calhoun aims to make statement in playoffs

LAKELAND — If defense indeeds wins titles, Lakeland senior linebacker Charles Calhoun couldn’t be happier with that responsibility. He certainly knows what it’s going to take on his part and his defensive teammates as the postseason run begins, especially beginning against Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas on Friday. “We got to come out, dominate,” Calhoun said. “We got to hit them in their mouth first. You can't let them hit us in the mouth. This whole week we've been practicing hard, you know what I'm saying, working hard, getting it in, so we got to come out, hit them in the mouth first, play 48 minutes of tough football.” Lakeland renews its rivalry against St. Thomas Aquinas in the first round of the Open Division playoffs at 7 p.m. in Fort Lauderdale. Lakeland has the overall edge in postseason matchups, but the Raiders have won the last two meetings with shutout wins in the championship game. For Calhoun, it’s his first time facing the Raiders as he transferred from Auburndale to Lakeland for his senior season. With Lakeland graduating its top three linebackers from last season, there was a void to be filled at that position, and Calhoun stepped into

Lakeland, FL · 1d

decorhint.com

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7 Florida Dollar-Stretching Grocery Outlets Where Brand-Name Pantry Staples Fill A Whole Cart

My favorite grocery fact this year involves a Florida salvage store that once sold bikes. Not bike baskets, actual bikes, at up to 60 percent off, a few aisles from the canned beans. That’s the energy of the stores on this list. They buy overstock, closeouts, and reclaimed goods, then...

Florida · 2d

hoodline.com

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Iron Oak Social Targets Early 2027 Opening in Winter Haven

David Braswell is targeting a February or March 2027 opening for Iron Oak Social at 355 5th Street in Winter Haven. The planned country-club-style indoor golf lounge would start with four simulator bays, an outdoor patio, a food menu and a full bar. Braswell also owns Golden Petal Designs, a...

Winter Haven, FL · 1d

longeviquest.com

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Florida Woman Lenore Costello Turns 110

Lenore Costello, a resident of Lake Alfred, Florida, USA, is celebrating her 110th birthday today. Lenore Costello was born in Sycamore, Ohio, on 12 November 1916. She was the third of five daughters. She earned a one-year scholarship to Heidelberg University, where she studied sociology and biology. To cover her expenses, she also participated in a youth work program. At the university, she became known as “Gundy,” a nickname she would carry throughout her life. Soon after graduating, she secured a position as executive director of the American Red Cross in Wyandot County, Ohio. In that role, she met her future husband, George Costello, who was a member of the organization’s national staff.

Lake Alfred, FL · 21h

Extended Reach USA

partner publisher · 241 followers

Publix Expands in Polk County: New Shopping Center Signals More Commercial Real Estate Opportunities in Central Florida

Publix Super Markets is making another move in Central Florida’s commercial real estate market, with the Lakeland-based grocery giant set to anchor a new shopping center in Polk County, Florida. The development, reported by the Tampa Bay Business Journal on November 9, 2026, adds to a growing list of grocery-anchored retail projects reshaping one of …

Polk County, FL · 4d

Tampa Bay 28

partner publisher · 109.6K followers

Packed house, big questions over Auburndale data center proposal

Roughly 500 people packed an Auburndale meeting Tuesday night to hear more about a proposed data center, with hundreds more watching online.

Auburndale, FL · 2d

winterhavenchamber.com

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Polk County Public Schools Announces 2026-27 Teacher and School-Related Employee of the Year

​Polk County Public Schools is proud to announce our Teacher and School-Related Employee of the Year!. Elvin Hanna Jr., a music teacher and band director at Fort Meade Middle-Senior High, is the 2026-27 Polk County Teacher of the Year. Barbara Aourik, a paraeducator at Dundee Elementary Academy, is the district’s...

Polk County, FL · 2d

LkldNow

publisher · 6.0K followers

Polk County Sees Increased Voter Turnout, Signs of a Shifting Political Landscape

Lakeland voters cast their ballots on Tuesday, Nov. 3, under cloudy skies and scattered thunderstorms, but the less-than-ideal weather conditions did little to dampen voter turnout. Voter participation in Polk County increased by 12.8% overall, with ballots rising from 230,726 in the 2022 midterm election to 260,235 in the 2026...

Polk County, FL · 2d

WSVN-TV

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Skydivers aim to break vertical diving stack world record above Florida’s Lake Wales

LAKE WALES, Fla. (WSVN) — More than two dozen skydivers from around the world are hoping to make history in Central Florida. The 26 skydivers plan to jump out of planes over Lake Wales and move close enough to connect, one on top of the other. The goal is...

Lake Wales, FL · 1d