Discounted Admission Tickets for BerryFest26 on Sale at Publix Super Markets
The Florida Strawberry Festival is pleased to announce that discounted admission tickets for the 2026 Festival will be available for purchase starting in February at participating Publix Super Market stores throughout Central Florida. Advance discounted tickets will be sold at Publix from February 1 through March 8,...
DOJ: Polk County tax preparer sentenced for defrauding the IRS for nearly $13 million
LAKELAND, Fla. — A Polk County tax preparer is facing nearly five years in prison for falsifying tax returns for himself and other people he was assisting, according to officials. A federal judge sentenced Jeffrey Dixon of Lakeland to four years and nine months in federal prison while ordering...
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Seeks Public’s Help to Find Suspect Accused of Domestic Violence
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has turned to the community in a public appeal posted on their social media to aid in locating a man wanted on serious charges. Angel Montanez Jr., a 31-year-old individual, is at the center of this police search detailed in the most recent post by #teamHCSO. The charges against...
Lakeland Man Faces Felony Charges After Dislodged Car Hood Leads To Traffic Stop
LAKELAND, Fla. – What began as a mechanical failure on a Lakeland roadway ended in a series of criminal charges for 28-year-old Billy Wayne Dunn Jr. on Wednesday night. The incident occurred around 9:07 pm on February 4th, when Dunn was driving his black Mercedes along New Tampa Highway.
Polk County buys land for a new northwest government center. Here’s where
Renewing vehicle registrations or obtaining a marriage license should become more convenient in the future for residents of Polk County’s northwest region. A new government center, which would replace the current center in Lakeland, took a giant leap forward with a vote Feb. 3 to buy the land for the project at $5.5...
Jury finds former Polk County deputy guilty in manslaughter trial
A former Polk County deputy who was arrested in Colombia was found guilty of all charges in a DUI manslaughter trial, for which he appeared in court on Tuesday. Joshua Roelofs was charged with DUI manslaughter in a crash that killed two people on the Courtney Campbell Causeway in 2022.
Dry Stretch Prompts Once-a-Week Watering Limits in Polk County Starting Feb. 8
The Southwest Florida Water Management District voted January 27, to limit lawn irrigation to one day a week from Feb. 8 through July 1. The rule applies countywide, including to homes on private wells. The restrictions are part of the board’s decision to declare a modified Phase II “Severe” water...
Teen on ‘homemade’ motorbike arrested after Mulberry residents complain of neighborhood nuisance
A teen on a homemade motorbike was arrested after a pursuit through the streets of Mulberry on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The pursuit snaked through residential neighborhoods and came to an end at 411 3rd Ave SW after troopers say his tires, with no tread, lost traction on the grass.
Local love: LALtoday’s guide to reader-recommended small businesses
Put your money where your community is and help us create a guide to small businesses by submitting your favorite local spots and sharing this page with a friend.
Lakeland Electric Launches Rate Study to See if Power Bills Add Up
Officials stressed that the study doesn’t automatically mean higher rates — it means taking a fresh look at how Lakeland Electric pays its bills, plans for the future, and balances costs across its customer base. Lakeland Electric typically does a base rate study every four years. The last...
