Eagle Lake Man Awaiting Trial for Leon County Deaths Arrested by Polk County Sheriff’s...
On December 10, 2025, detectives from the Polk County Sheriff's Office arrested Jha'Kari Martin-Sugrin, 23, in Eagle Lake, Florida. Martin-Sugrin was out on bond from Leon County, where he is charged in connection with the 2024 deaths of his pregnant girlfriend and her unborn child. Detectives located him after...
Small Farm, Big Impact: ‘My Tiny Greens’ Adapts to Polk’s Shifting Ag Landscape
A Lakeland micro-farm, My Tiny Greens started as a pandemic survival experiment. Founder and self-described “prepper” Patsy Rogers asked herself a simple question, “If all we had were rice and beans, what could we grow quickly that was actually good for us?”. Her answer — microgreens —...
The economic impact of the Fed’s latest rate cut on Tampa Bay
The Fed’s quarter-point rate cut is already shaping Tampa Bay’s housing market, consumer spending and local business activity. Many residents want to know if lower rates will bring relief from high borrowing costs. To break down the Tampa Bay economic impact rate cut, TBBW spoke with Dave Germann,...
‘Left For Dead’: Plant City Man Convicted After Clerk ID’d Masked Shooter By His...
TAMPA, Fla. – A federal jury has handed down a guilty verdict for a Plant City man accused of a brutal 2020 gas station robbery where the clerk was shot in the face despite cooperating with the gunman’s demands. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced that Emarjai...
‘Rare and Extreme’: Business Leader Criticizes Lakeland’s Proposed Stormwater Rate Hike
Lakeland commissioners are expected to vote Monday, Dec. 15, on a major increase to the stormwater fee charged on city utility bills. The fee, currently $9.72 per month for a single-family home, would rise to $17.47 over five years. The first phase of the rate increase would begin March 1, raising the rate for a...
Plant City Daycare Settles Federal Case After Rejecting Child With Feeding Tube
PLANT CITY, Fla. – A private day care center in Hillsborough County has reached an agreement with federal prosecutors following allegations that it illegally denied enrollment to a child with Down syndrome. The settlement, announced by United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe, resolves an investigation into Autumn...
Urgent need to fill food pantry at Plant City elementary school, staff say
PLANT CITY, Fla. — There’s an urgent need for food for families at Burney Elementary School in Plant City, staff say. The school is a community school, meaning it serves as a hub for the entire community, working with community partners to provide not only food but also help with healthcare and housing.
Historic Polk County home open for tours
AUBURNDALE, Fla. — Step back to the turn of the 20th century at the Ephraim Baynard Home in Auburndale. Ephraim Baynard came to Polk County with money from his family’s South Carolina rice plantation. He built the home in 1894. The city of Auburndale purchased the home, and...
Another letter to Polk County officials with no response back
𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲
Missing Hillsborough County Resident Demiah Archie Found Safe, Sheriff’s Office Announces Relief in Community
The Hillsborough County community breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office announced that Demiah Archie, previously reported missing, was found safe. The update, shared on the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Facebook page, provided no further details on the circumstances...

















