TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Victims of alleged police violence gathered in Winter Haven on Sunday to share encounters they’ve had with the Lakeland Police Department. The gathering comes after several controversial arrests, as well as videos of some of the encounters circulation on social media. The families gathered in a local church to show what […]
LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA) — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said it arrested dozens of people in a multi-agency investigation into a fentanyl trafficking operation out of Lakeland. The sheriff’s office said “Operation Rooske,” which first began in January 2021, resulted in the arrests of 64 people and shut down two businesses that were used to […]
LAKELAND — As Randy K. Avent packed up items from the office he has occupied for nearly a decade, one piece of memorabilia still sat on a cabinet along a tall row of windows: a small, plastic bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey. The label had been covered with white paper bearing the message: “For those […]
Lakeland commissioners will consider a developer’s proposal that could help address the city’s “missing middle” in housing stock. The City Commission will hold two public hearing Monday for a change of zoning and modification of a Planned Unit Development to make way for 87 townhomes in the city’s Gladys Leggett neighborhood in the Northwest District. […]
LAKELAND, Fla. – They come from the Island of Madagascar, but this endangered primate can also be found on islands right here in Polk County. Safari Wilderness Ranch has its own lemurs. “We have lots of lemurs in social groups, troops they’re called,” shared Lex Salisbury, the owner of the ranch. “They live in these […]
Editor’s note: The video in this story may be disturbing for some viewers. The video’s audio has been muted due to profanity. This story contains reporting from Linnie Supall. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A video obtained by WFLA shows two Lakeland police officers punching a teenage boy and using a Taser on him as they […]
A second Lakeland Police Department chief is sounding the alarm about the need to get more officers on the street given the city’s explosive population growth. Lakeland Police Chief Sam Taylor, during a presentation at the city’s strategic planning retreat last week, said he estimates the city will need to hire about 35 additional officers […]
Lakeland officials chose a concept for Munn Park’s redesign on Tuesday afternoon that incorporates features requested by residents and businesses while maintaining it as a green space. City commissioners voted 5-1 to move forward with a park redesign whose central feature is an iconic metal shade pavilion at the north end of the park. Its […]
LAKELAND — The demand for apartments in Lakeland’s newest affordable housing development, Swan Landing, shows need is still outpacing available units. Lakeland officials gathered with Tampa Bay-based developer Blue Sky Communities on April 25 to celebrate the opening of Swan Landing and Swan Lake Village off Griffin Road in North Lakeland. There are approximately 1,700 […]
LAKELAND, Fla. – A Lakeland woman is now without more than $400,000 after she was targeted by two scammers. It all started when two men called her, saying she had won the “Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes.” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Michael Lawrence and co-defendant Max Richards told the victim that she won $3 million […]
LAKELAND — After more than a month of hunting, Lakeland officials have identified the source of a foul odor reported by Southwest residents. Now it’s got a messy cleanup ahead. Lakeland’s Wastewater Management Division identified a wastewater force main break in remote wetlands about 1,500 feet northeast of 5001 Gateway Boulevard. The area sits east […]
Township elections results in Washington County ranged from a nail-biter to a landslide on Tuesday night. In May Township, Town Board Supervisor Steve Magner held off a challenge from Mark Deissner and won by four votes. Magner received 240 votes; Deissner got 236 votes. Magner served on the township’s planning commission for 17 years before […]