Lakeland FL

Brittany Keller, a fifth-grade teacher at Lake Alfred Elementary, has been chosen as a National Life Group LifeChanger of the Year Award winner. LifeChanger honored Keller in a surprise ceremony Feb. 24 at the school. Keller was selected from more than 1,000 teachers, administrators and school employees nationwide,...

Since the 1920s, the Paul A. Diggs neighborhood has been central to Lakeland’s Black community. It’s one of only three in the city named after a person. Within the neighborhood, Jackson Park is a focal point for events like the city’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade and the Black History Festival.

On Feb. 24, the end of the month City Commission meeting took place. All City Commissioners were present. Commissioner Mary Mathis led the room in prayer before the Pledge of Allegiance. Before the agendas began, City Manager Bill McDaniel brought Chief Mills and some of his deputies to the podium...

A Florida woman will spend the rest of her life behind bars after killing her sister and burying the body in their backyard. Debra Patton, 72, smiled and laughed Feb. 16 inside a Hillsborough County courtroom as a judge handed down the life sentence, according Fox 13, finally providing resolution to the years-long...

A Broadway fan might recognize that question as one of the numbers from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical “Jesus Christ Superstar.” But it’s also a thought that might have crossed the minds of a few actors and audience members when a blackout affecting most of downtown Lakeland halted a performance of the classic...

A Lakeland man was arrested for reckless driving after speeding past a deputy at 106 mph. A deputy observed 68-year-old Ron Carey Lestourgeon speeding in a 60-mph zone on State Road 471 in Webster around 12:20 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Radar showed...

National Strawberry Day happens annually on February 27 and is a great way to celebrate the fruit and flavor, especially with these freebies and deals. Make sure you check out all of our National Day posts so you don’t miss any of the fun. I always joke and say...

A Lakeland woman is behind bars after federal agents intercepted a shipment of veterinary sedatives from India, uncovering what Polk County detectives describe as a black-market surgical operation for dogs. The investigation began when U.S. Customs officials in New York flagged a package addressed to a home on North...

They can cost a lot in damage, especially when people go without being able to proactively treat them. Experts issue warning as homeowners see surge in pest activity: '[They] cause thousands and thousands of dollars in damage' first appeared on The Cool Down .

Video: Catch up on recent top stories in Tampa Bay TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A California man was recently sentenced to over 24 years in prison after U.S. Attorney Greg Kehoe said he attempted to move 132 lbs. of methamphetamine through the Tampa International Airport. The case against Jacob Paul Arjona, 32, of...