Northern lights seen in parts of the Tampa Bay area
TAMPA, Fla. — The northern lights lit up skies across the U.S. on Tuesday night, and some Tampa Bay area locals even got a glimpse of the colorful spectacle. Forecasters issued a G4 geomagnetic watch after a coronal mass ejection, which is an eruption of solar material and magnetic fields from the sun, was set to hit...
Lake Wales family rebuilding after apartment fire destroys everything
LAKE WALES, Fla. - It has been two and a half weeks since an apartment fire in Lake Wales was called a total loss for a single mom and her three kids. Rana Harb is just thankful that she still has her kids, and she credits her 12-year-old son for saving his two siblings when the fire got out of control.
Two Davenport Residents Arrested After Attempted Car Burglary in Atlantica Town Center
On November 11, 2025, Polk County deputies responded to an attempted car burglary in the Atlantica Town Center neighborhood in Davenport. The suspects tried to run away but were found with help from the Aviation Unit and K-9 team.
Deadly Ybor City crash sparks debate over police pursuits
A police chase that ended in a deadly Ybor City crash has sparked a community debate over police pursuit practices. The driver, 22-year-old Silas Kenneth Sampson of Dade City, has been charged with vehicular homicide and aggravated fleeing or eluding with serious bodily injury or death. Four people were killed and at...
Teens Turn the Page: Lakeland’s Banned Book Club Gives Youth a Voice
On a cloudy November day, two teens, Matthew and Charlotte, both 14, stand outside the Lakeland Public Library. They’re not here for a study group or a test prep session on a Sunday afternoon. In Florida, where book access has become a flashpoint, and teachers are increasingly cautious about what can be discussed in...
Polk Sheriff’s Charities To Give Away Up To 1,200 Turkeys In Annual Event
POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Polk Sheriff’s Charities, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization, is set to hold its 8th annual free turkey giveaway this month, ensuring hundreds of Polk County families have a centerpiece for their holiday table. The event, sponsored by Polk Sheriff’s Charities and held in...
Barnes & Noble returns to Lakeland after 16 years with new store
Barnes & Noble is opening a new store in Lakeland next week, the second local shop to open in the region in a month and a week following the 50th its opened this year. The bookseller’s new 13,000-square-foot Lakeland location is in a former Party City space in the Merchants Walk shopping center at 3615 S Florida Ave.
Tampa Bay breaks 132-year-old record low temperature Tuesday morning
TAMPA - Tampa Bay broke a 132-year-old record low temperature on Tuesday morning. Back in 1892, 40 degrees registered as the lowest temperature on record. On Tuesday morning, we broke that record, clocking in at 39 degrees. Freeze Warning Issued. The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for...
Polk County, FL, popular local eatery, Keke’s Breakfast Cafe was cited for 20 violations
Keke's Breakfast Cafe at 2015 Aegean Way in Davenport, Polk County, Florida, received a warning after state inspectors documented 20 violations during a routine food inspection on October 27, 2025, according to the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation.
Tampa man wanted for raping minor, detectives say
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is looking for a suspect in a sexual battery investigation.
