Lakeland FL

FLORIDA — A classic sea breeze pattern is setting up across the Tampa Bay region today, creating a noticeable temperature split between the coast and inland communities. According to the latest high-temperature map for the area, communities along the immediate Gulf Coast will stay in the upper 70s to near 80 degrees,...

POLK COUNTY, Fla. — New changes are coming to Polk County commission meetings. Commissioners recently voted to limit the number of people who can speak during public comment for non-agenda items. The resolution passed unanimously on a consent agenda, without public input. Being a voice for change has become...

Known for healthy, low-sugar, high-protein smoothies, Better Blend is gearing up to make its debut in the state of Florida. The brand recently announced a franchise agreement that will bring three locations to the Tampa Bay area. “We’re looking to have our first location in the Brandon area this year,”...

POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – Firefighters in Polk County reminded residents Friday of the countywide burn ban after a recent uptick of brush fires. According to Polk County Fire Rescue (PCFR), the county sits at an average of 530 on the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) with 66% of the county above the 500 marks.

For the third time since December, a Polk County tax preparer has been sentenced to prison over fraudulent tax returns. U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday sentenced Timothy Smith of Winter Haven to six years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aiding and assisting in the...

On the morning of February 22, 1996, something remarkable happened in Lake Wales, Florida. Before the doors of the brand-new Eagle Ridge Mall had been open for 30 minutes, 3,700 people had already pushed through the entrance. By the time the lights dimmed that night, over 20,000 shoppers had walked...

TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Bay residents should prepare for a quick shift in the weather as a blustery system moves through the region today. While the morning started off mostly sunny with temperatures climbing toward 80 degrees, the calm won’t last. By late afternoon, south-southwest winds are expected...

TAMPA, Fla. – Residents across the Tampa Bay area can enjoy a bright start to the weekend before a shifting weather pattern brings rain and gusty winds for the holiday. Saturday is delivering ideal conditions with clear, sunny skies and a high near 81. A light breeze from the east-southeast at 5 to 7 mph will keep...

PLANT CITY, Fla. — Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Plant City has provided 140 years of faith and service. It was the first Black church and the first church of any denomination to be established in the community. It’s a place that provided a safe space for the Black...

A Polk County planning group on Thursday rejected a planned truck refueling stop at the location of a key wildlife corridor crossing over Interstate 4. The parcel was next to a wildlife underpass being built near what will become the state's first wildlife overpass, crossing I-4. It had been slated...