Lakeland FL

TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. (WSVN) — After a two-year hiatus, a beloved beach event has returned to the Tampa Bay area. The popular sand sculpture festival Sanding Ovations took place on Treasure Island, Thursday through Sunday. The event was canceled after hurricanes Helene and Milton impacted the area. Now, spectators...

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (Gray News) - A 2-year-old girl was hit and killed on her birthday by a Tesla driver who was backing into the driveway in Florida. According to the Winter Haven Public Safety Department, the child was playing near her home’s driveway Sunday afternoon when a visitor started backing into it.

MULBERRY, Fla. - Two weeks ago, a bomb shelter from the Cold War era was discovered off Route 60 in Mulberry. The new Mulberry City Museum will be relocated to a site on E Canal St., bringing with it a collection of historical artifacts. Yet, what many people didn't realize was that a significant piece of history was...

Ruth Ann Dittman, of Winter Haven, said her 85-year-old mother recently picked up the phone because her caller ID displayed Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Charter school operators are seeking to share building space with dozens of public schools in Tampa Bay. Why it matters: It's the latest charter school expansion that public education advocates worry will come at the expense of traditional schools. Under the state law setting the framework for campus colocation,...

Plans for a Polk County tollway drew criticism earlier this year from nature lovers who worried the road could knock out native plant populations in a one-two punch to an endangered Florida mint and longtime native plant nursery. About 870 people submitted comments criticizing the proposed routes or encouraging a...

Abandoned pets feel confused and scared when they realize that they are all alone. Heartbreakingly, many animals are left in places where they have no chance of fending for themselves. All they can do is wait and hope that someone will notice them soon. A tiny, helpless animal hidden in...

Haines City Parks & Recreation, in partnership with Miracle Toyota, will host the annual Christmas Parade in December 2025. The parade will begin at 6:00 p.m. and proceed to Lake Eva Park. The park will feature holiday lights and a 31-foot Christmas tree.

Located in Bartow, Florida, Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant does the most business during hurricanes. Connie Wu recalls her parents’ restaurant was still taking orders during Hurricane Irma in 2017, even as the lights went out and the army rolled up to their door. “They had to order food,” Wu says. But Christmas was...

The University of South Florida’s Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) program offers free weekly physical education classes to K–5 homeschool students in the Tampa Bay area. Now in its third year, the program provides homeschooled children with a structured environment to learn and play sports. It also gives...