Police make arrest in Lakeland double homicide
On Thursday, police arrested Felix Noel Molina, 42, who will be charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with two bodies discovered by Lakeland police following a wellness check on Sunday.
Sheriff ups rewards, vows to solve Polk County's only two unsolved homicides
The families of Shay Collins and Alphonsa Payne have two of the worst things imaginable in common: They know the trauma of a loved one being murdered and they know the continued pain of knowing the killer is still out there.
Wrong-way driver in stolen vehicle crashes into car carrying mother, infant, police say
Three people -- the driver of a stolen vehicle, a mother and her infant -- were seriously injured following a crash in Lakeland early Tuesday morning.
Violinist's mystery project becomes part of Lakeland recording studio's folklore
A violinist and the crew at a music studio in Lakeland were recently called upon to create music for a top-secret project. They were finally told what it was all about on July 24, 2020 -- mere hours before the rest of the world hit play on "Folklore," the eighth studio album by superstar singer-songwriter Taylor Swift.
Tampa woman arrested for DUI after leaving crash that injured two people, deputies say
A 41-year-old woman from Tampa was arrested for DUI following a crash in Polk County, deputies say.
Hardee County Sheriff's Office asking for help locating missing, endangered woman
The Hardee County Sheriff’s Office says they have located a missing woman who was last seen in Bartow Friday evening.
Teen dies following Lakeland crash, police say
Three teenagers were injured in a single-vehicle crash Saturday night, with one of the teens passing away from her injuries the following morning, police say.
Lakeland police investigating double homicide after discovering 2 bodies during wellness check
Lakeland police are investigating a double homicide after discovering two bodies inside a home near the 1500 block of West Highland Street.
Eating outside, picking up food at drop-off sites; lunchtime will be different for Polk County students
COVID-19 is changing the way kids are going to eat when the new school year begins. The Polk County School District just unveiled its new procedures aimed at stopping the spread of the coronavirus.
McKeel Academy among the first to reopen schools during the pandemic
It was back to school Thursday for thousands of kids at McKeel Academy in Lakeland. The charter school system, with three campuses for K through 12, is one of the first school to re-open in the state amid a COVID-19 pandemic.
Lake Wales suspends school sports indefinitely
The board of trustees for the Lake Wales charter school system voted unanimously Wednesday to cancel school sports until further notice because of COVID-19.
De-escalation class helps workers at Lakeland business deal with customers who don't follow mask rules
Employees at a business in downtown Lakeland are now trained in de-escalation tactics so they can deal with customers who refuse to wear a mask.
Polk mom writes book to help kids cope with COVID-19
Lyndsay Gendreau, a fourth-grade teacher, wrote a self-published book to ease her 3-year-old son’s fears and confusion over COVID-19.
Lakeland city commissioners extend mask mandate into September
City leaders in Lakeland voted Monday to extend their mandatory indoor mask resolution, which was set to expire at 5 p.m.
Corrections officer driving wrong way in Haines City arrested for DUI
Florida Department of Corrections Officer Amber Reeves, 27, of Winter Haven, was arrested early Sunday morning for DUI after driving the wrong way on a major highway, according to the Haines City Police Department.
FHP: 2 killed, 1 seriously injured in multi-vehicle crash on I-4 that closed highway for five hours
A 37-year-old man from Orlando and a 37-year-old woman from Davenport were killed Friday morning in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 4 in Lakeland, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Landlords lay off staff, run late on mortgage payments after months without rental income
Many landlords are cringing after Florida’s governor again extended the moratorium on evictions and foreclosures.
I-4 in Polk County reopens hours after deadly crash
Florida Highway Patrol troopers say one person is dead following a crash on Interstate 4.
Polk County offering sandbags to residents ahead of Isaias
County officials are offering a maximum of 10 sandbags to Polk County residents in preparation of any potential storm threat from Isaias.
Some state-run testing sites will remain open as Isaias' track shifts east
As Florida gets a clearer picture of where Hurricane Isaias is headed, some Bay Area counties have decided not to close state-run testing sites.