Lakeland FL

For the third time since December, a Polk County tax preparer has been sentenced to prison over fraudulent tax returns. U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday sentenced Timothy Smith of Winter Haven to six years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aiding and assisting in the...

On the morning of February 22, 1996, something remarkable happened in Lake Wales, Florida. Before the doors of the brand-new Eagle Ridge Mall had been open for 30 minutes, 3,700 people had already pushed through the entrance. By the time the lights dimmed that night, over 20,000 shoppers had walked...

TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Bay residents should prepare for a quick shift in the weather as a blustery system moves through the region today. While the morning started off mostly sunny with temperatures climbing toward 80 degrees, the calm won’t last. By late afternoon, south-southwest winds are expected...

TAMPA, Fla. – Residents across the Tampa Bay area can enjoy a bright start to the weekend before a shifting weather pattern brings rain and gusty winds for the holiday. Saturday is delivering ideal conditions with clear, sunny skies and a high near 81. A light breeze from the east-southeast at 5 to 7 mph will keep...

PLANT CITY, Fla. — Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Plant City has provided 140 years of faith and service. It was the first Black church and the first church of any denomination to be established in the community. It’s a place that provided a safe space for the Black...

A Polk County planning group on Thursday rejected a planned truck refueling stop at the location of a key wildlife corridor crossing over Interstate 4. The parcel was next to a wildlife underpass being built near what will become the state's first wildlife overpass, crossing I-4. It had been slated...

Florida lawmakers are considering legislation that could change how homeowners use their property by requiring local governments to allow smaller secondary housing units in single family neighborhoods.

POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced the takedown of dozens of alleged gang members involved in the trafficking of fentanyl and methamphetamine. He discussed Operation Bloodline and Operation Flatline where he said the drug trafficking organization was operating in several counties,...

Polk County is set to receive a major expansion in cancer care services. In a letter distributed to board and committee members ahead of a weekend gala, leadership with Moffitt Cancer Center announced plans to establish a presence in Polk County, beginning with the development of an outpatient clinic designed to...

LAKELAND, Fla. — Florida Polytechnic University is taking competitive video gaming a step further. On Friday, the university celebrated the opening of its new Esports Arena. Florida Polytechnic University opened the new $300,000 Esports Arena, which features 20 fully loaded gaming stations. Participation in eSports...