Lakeland FL

When it comes to barbecue, Florida’s small towns know how to put on a show. Each year, locals mark their calendars for festivals that blend smoky ribs, inventive bacon bites, and a genuine sense of community. Some are KCBS-sanctioned competitions that draw serious pitmasters, while others feel more like backyard...

LAKELAND, Fla. – A traffic stop in Lakeland early Tuesday morning led to the arrest of a Winter Haven man and a Lakeland woman after a passenger was observed throwing a baggie of fentanyl from the moving vehicle. At approximately 3:09 a.m. on Tuesday, a Polk County Sheriff’s Office...

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WFLA) — A 16-year-old has been charged with five felonies after making threats to two high schools in Polk County, the sheriff’s office said. At around 11:05 a.m. on Monday, Auburndale High School received a phone call in which the caller said that he was hearing voices in his head and was […]

Gun instructors are encouraging residents to understand the law before openly carrying firearms in Florida

State inspectors conducted 506 restaurant inspections in Hillsborough County during August 2025, with 378 establishments passing on their first visit, while 128 failed initial inspections. More than 80 local restaurants and chains were highlighted for having the most inspection violations, with 12 facilities ordered...

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is investigating a double homicide that happened in Wimauma Tuesday evening.

Good evening, Tampa Bay. We're wrapping up the day for you with the most important stories you need to know and your weather outlook. It will be partly sunny on Tuesday with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s. It will be mainly dry, but a stray shower or...

POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A Winter Haven man, Nikos Natsis, 36, was arrested Saturday night after being caught driving 104 mph on US 27, nearly twice the posted speed limit. According to a report from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Giroux was patrolling US 27 near Waverly when he observed a 2010 Hyundai Sonata,...

A Florida man is facing felony and misdemeanor charges after allegedly following a law enforcement officer on the Howard Frankland Bridge, claiming he thought the patrol vehicle was fake.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A Florida man swerved toward deputies during a warrant attempt, then fled — only to be caught with guns, drugs, and cash at a nearby gas station. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) said the incident happened on September 13, just before 10...