Mountain View
Lakeland Gazette
SEU to Hold Free Faculty Gala Performance
Southeastern University’s (SEU) School of Music will hold a Faculty Gala on Tuesday, September 24, at 7 p.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church (202 S. Massachusetts Ave., Lakeland, FL 33801). The concert is free and open to the public. Several School of Music faculty members will be performing a...
Lee County Sheriff spending detailed amid possible FBI investigation
LAKELAND GAZETTE has uncovered new documents that reveal tens of thousands of tax dollars going to consulting fees inside the Lee County Sheriff’s office each month. This is after allegations of money laundering and claims that Sheriff Carmine Marceno is under investigation by the FBI. The contract for former...
Florida Southern College unveils $8.2 million Adams Athletic Performance Center
Florida Southern athletes and coaches were beaming Wednesday during the dedication of the Adams Athletic Performance Center. The college invited donors and supporters for the gathering, which included a ribbon cutting in the spacious weight room, serving for one day as a banquet facility. School backers sat at tables bedecked...
SEU to Receive $5.6 Million Scholarship Endowment
Southeastern University (SEU) has announced that it will be receiving funds for student scholarships through a $5.6 million endowment known as the Graper Family Scholarship Endowment. The funds were established as a gift from the late Robert and Sandra Graper. As requested by the Grapers, the endowment will be providing...
Lakeland Regional Health and Ruthven Family Honor Dr. James Melton with Emergency Department Lobby Renovation
Lakeland Regional Health worked closely with Greg and Kim Ruthven to honor long-time and well-known emergency department physician, Dr. James (Jim) Melton of Lakeland Regional Health. As the resident population grows rapidly in Polk County, Lakeland Regional Health is expanding its vital emergency services to meet the community’s needs. The...
24 Polk County students have been arrested for written threats since the start of the 2024 school year
Since the start of the 2024-2025 school year in Polk County, 24 students have been arrested for written or online threats, Superintendent Fred Heid announced on Thursday. Heid held a press conference with Sheriff Grady Judd on the recent surge in threats since the fatal shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia earlier this month.
EMERGENCY SEWER REPAIR – 140 LAKE MORTON DRIVE
The City of Lakeland Wastewater Division is working on a sanitary sewer emergency repair on the Southside of Lake Morton at 140 Lake Morton Drive between South Boulevard and Orange Park Avenue. The impacted area of Lake Morton Drive will be closed so crews can dig down to the broken sewer pipe. Much of the sewer system in the Lake Morton area is older clay pipe. At this point, crews do not have an estimate of how long the repair will take. Detours with signage will be in place directing vehicle traffic around the construction area.
This Summer Will Be Different
This Summer Will Be Different follows two friends through almost a decade of friendship leading up to one of their weddings. What started as a fast friendship between coworkers shifts into a love for new family-friends and accepting one another with all their flaws. Early on in their friendship Bee visits Beatrice’s family on Prince Edward Island and has 3 rules to follow: eat you weight in oysters, leave the city behind, and don’t fall in love with her brother. Bee, however, has difficulty sticking to some of these rules, though she tries to deny it. This is a beautiful love story, and I love the growth she experiences throughout the chapters, from someone who relies on others to drive her happiness to someone who is strong enough to be on her own if she chooses to do so. I love the progression of the story and there is nothing I would change. I would love to see this book turned into a movie showcasing the beautiful views that Prince Edward Island has to offer.
Shaq kicks Tim Walz out of restaurant: ‘You’re a disappointment, don’t come back here!’
In what can only be described as a cross between a reality TV show and a political roast, NBA legend and restaurateur Shaquille O’Neal reportedly threw Minnesota Governor and Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz out of his Atlanta restaurant, Big Chicken, with the booming declaration, “Don’t come back here, you’re a disappointment!”
Art Crawl 2024
Join us for a FREE festival celebrating the arts with over 60 local artists selling artwork alongside live performances, art demonstrations, a LIVE ART making competition, and MORE!. Art Crawl is in its 11th year as a family and pet friendly venue for art collection, entertainment, hands-on activities, and FUN!...
Polk County Animal Services is still out of control
Natalie Scott took this picture from the stray holding room. These kittens were screaming. In filth. Look at their bowl. Filth. Kittens filthy. Desperate. No food. I asked how long they had been there. The guy said oh they just got here. I pulled out the paper. It said TWO...
Lee County Sheriff’s Office releases alleged “ghost employee” contract with jeweler who claims kickback scheme involving the sheriff
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno put Ken Romano on the public payroll as a consultant in 2022 at $5,700 a month to provide “guidance regarding public relations” and social media at the agency. The consulting agreement, released by LCSO Tuesday, claimed the 55-year-old Romano possessed the “ability, certifications and experience” to do the job and was “duly qualified.”
Florida Strawberry Festival announces 2025 theme
The stage is set for the 2025 Florida Strawberry Festival. Event organizers say the theme for the 90th annual event will be ‘The Stage is Set.”. A new theme is created each year to give festivalgoers a sneak peek at what they can expect during the 11-day event. The...
Tupperware lifts the lid on its financial problems with bankruptcy filing
Tupperware Brands, the Orlando, Florida-based consumer goods company that produces the iconic line of containers, said it was seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after struggling to revitalize its core business and failing to secure a tenable takeover offer. Despite enjoying the same cultural ubiquity as Kleenex, Teflon, and other brands...
Polk County passes a nearly $3 billion budget for 2024-25 with increases in property taxes, fire and trash fees
The nearly $3 billion Polk County spending plan that passed on Monday will raise property taxes and eliminate curbside recycling while tackling demand for public services for a county that saw an average of 85 people per day move in during 2023. Tax bills will rise slightly for most homeowners...
Update Your Voter Record
Polk County voters who have moved or changed their name are encouraged to update their record with the Elections Office before the November 5th General Election. It’s also important to notify the Elections Office if your signature has changed. Many changes can be made by calling the Elections Office...
𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗟𝗘𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗣𝗜𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗧
On September 6, 2024, the victim had his cell phone and wallet stolen while playing pickleball at Kelly Recreation Complex on Imperial Boulevard. A little over an hour after the theft, the victim’s credit cards had been used at five different locations. Through their investigation, officers and detectives learned...
Should my Husband File and then Suspend His Benefits?
My financial advisor used a computer program which told my husband to take his SS at age 68, then suspend it after a few months. What I understood was if my husband started and then stopped taking distributions, he would earn delayed retirement credits and thus get more at age 70. I know waiting increases SS amounts, by 8% a year, but does purposely starting and then stopping SS increase distributions even more? Signed: Confused.
Polk County Commission approves much higher fees for new construction
A super majority was needed to go beyond state limits; nearly $20K in new fees could be passed on to buyers. Buying a home in Polk County could soon get more expensive after commissioners approved a plan to nearly double fees on new construction. Some argue it’s necessary to accommodate one of the fastest-growing counties in the country. But others worry it will price out families.
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