Retired Air Force One pilot who flew on 9/11 helps raise $30K for Polk...
Mark Tillman, the 12th presidential pilot who flew Air Force One on 9/11, spoke at a JROTC scholarship fundraiser hosted by the Polk Education Foundation in Lakeland, Florida. An endowed scholarship was announced in Tillman’s name, with student Jolimar Rosario receiving the first $1,000 award to help pay for college.
Crash involving bicyclist briefly shuts down US-98 Southbound in Lakeland
A crash involving a bicyclist briefly shut down traffic along a major intersection in Lakeland Thursday.
Elderly Bicyclist Killed In Morning Collision On U.S. Highway 98 In Lakeland
Lakeland Police Department LAKELAND, Fla. – A 67-year-old Lakeland man died Thursday morning after being...
Trulieve to Open Lake Wales Dispensary, Marking 165th Florida Store and 236th Nationwide
Trulieve announced today that it will hold a grand opening this Friday for a new medical marijuana dispensary in Lake Wales, marking the company’s 165th location in Florida and its 236th nationwide. The new location, at 1341 State Road 60 E in Polk County, is set to host its...
Detectives seek information on Abbey Lane shooting
Winter Haven detectives are asking for information about a shooting that happened on January 30, 2026, around 9:50 p.m. at the Abbey Lane Apartments located at 604 Evergreen Place, Winter Haven. A group of about 13 people had gathered outside Building 6 when a man dressed in black pulled out a handgun, which...
Lake Wales Man On Felony Probation Arrested After Double Hit-And-Run Ends At Elementary School
POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A Lake Wales man on felony probation is back behind bars after a series of DUI-related hit-and-run crashes ended in a school parking lot on Tuesday evening. The chaos began around 7:10 p.m. on March 10 at the busy intersection of US Highway 27 and...
It’s an exceedingly rare epilepsy. Yet two Lakeland sisters have it
It was one of those landmark days for parents of a young child — a first trip to the beach. For William and Addison Smith, that excursion to Clearwater Beach in 2023 became a terrifying ordeal that radically altered the expected course of their lives. As the couple lolled on the sand, their 10-month-old daughter,...
Cross Creek Ranch closure leaves nearly 70 employees without jobs, dozens of weddings canceled
The sudden closure of Cross Creek Ranch has left nearly 70 employees out of work and forced dozens of couples to scramble to re-plan their weddings. A longtime wedding coordinator says the staff was blindsided by the shutdown, which owners attributed to "circumstances beyond our control and significant changes within...
Foundry Acquires Five Communities in Georgia, Florida
ORLANDO, Fla. — Foundry Commercial has acquired five communities located in Georgia and Florida. Totaling 320 units, the portfolio comprises two communities in Warner Robins and Boynton Ridge, Georgia — purchased in October 2025 — and three communities in Florida, which were acquired in February 2026. The Florida...
Teen rescued after golf cart accident
A teenager in Polk County is celebrating her birthday in the hospital after a serious accident that left her underneath a 900-pound golf cart. FOX 13's Carla Bayron reports.
