Lakeland FL

As Polk County experiences unseasonably dry weather conditions due to a prolonged lack of rainfall throughout the summer and into the fall, Polk County officials issued a burn ban effective Nov. 25. The ban includes unincorporated Polk County and the following municipalities: Auburndale, Bartow, Davenport, Dundee,...

TAMPA, Fla. — Taking a shower can seem like a simple task for many, but for the homeless community it can be a difficult one. That’s why one Plant City man is on a mission to help provide free showers to the homeless with his Give Back Showers bus.

A 52-year-old scooter driver was killed in a Christmas Day crash with a sedan on U.S. 27 in Davenport, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

DAVENPORT, Fla. – A manhunt is underway in Central Florida for a 25-year-old man accused of turning a holiday getaway into a nightmare for multiple tourists. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) says Shamar Lee Buggs committed a spree of break-ins at occupied vacation homes, only to be identified after pawning a...

TAMPA - Christmas 2025 is officially in the books, and now it’s time for the cleanup. Solid waste officials say don’t recycle artificial trees. Most municipalities ask for them to be disassembled and put into the garbage bin. In Polk County, you can set it out on your furniture and appliance collection day as well.

Meteorologist Valerie Mills says it will remain warm through the weekend before cooling down next week.

LAKELAND, Fla. – A state health inspection at a popular Lakeland steakhouse last week resulted in a warning after officials discovered roaches near food preparation areas. Inspectors with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation visited the Texas Roadhouse in Lakeland on December 16, 2025....

On Christmas Day, a Washington State Patrol lieutenant encountered a carjacking during an attempt to stop the car in Seattle. The terrible incident was photographed by one of the eyewitnesses, and it went viral later. The event occurred during shop time in broad daylight and this prompted an immediate reaction from...

Soprano Renée Fleming is coming to the Tampa Bay area to perform “Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene.”. She said the project was born out of the COVID-19 pandemic, when she had just moved to Virginia. That’s when she realized that being outside was the best thing for her well-being.

STUART — A Pomeranian puppy valued at nearly $2,900 was stolen from a Stuart pet store earlier this month but was later recovered following an investigation that led police to Polk County, authorities said. Stuart Police responded Dec. 6 to a report of the theft after a suspect concealed...