Mt. Gilboa Missionary Baptist Church Celebrates First Fall Vendor Fest by James Coulter From cupcakes to jewelry, to toys and bounce houses, Bartow children and their families were able to peruse nearly a dozen vendors and engage in fun activities during the first public Fall Vendor Fest, hosted by Mt. Gilboa Youth for Christ on Saturday — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

Saturday 8am Tampa Bay Water Ski Team kicks off the tournament,Carolina Show Ski Team follows Tampa. Individual events continue through the day Sunday 8am Cypress Gardens Water Ski Team will ski followed by Sarasota Ski-A-Rees. Individual events continue through the day, ending with awards! This event is FREE! Bring your chair, grab a bite to — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

VISTEBall Hosts 15th Annual Fundraiser by James Coulter Nearly 15 years ago, Steve Madden, a board member for Volunteers in Service to the Elderly (VISTE), traveled to Denver and visited a local fundraiser. So enthralled was he at the very prospect that, when he returned to Florida, he proposed something similar as a signature fundraiser — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

Peace, Love, And Harmony Reigned Over Earthdance Florida by James Coulter Friday afternoon. Rain poured from the sky over Triple Canopy Ranch in Lake Wales. Two women sat amidst the downpour praying for it to stop. They sat cross-legged in front of a makeshift fountain. Within it, lotus flowers floated among the rocky cliffs and — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

City of Winter Haven The newly constructed single-lane roundabout at the intersection of CR 653, Old Lake Wales Rd., and Old Bartow Lake Wales Rd. is now open to the public. Some minor construction activities are still pending, but traffic can now move in all directions through this intersection. — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

Polk County Government Florida Polk County is always looking for some awesome volunteers to help within our organizations and communities. Want to get involved?Visit polk-county.net/volunteer-polk and click the “Apply Now” button. — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

The 2024 recreational bay scallop season in the Fenholloway – Suwannee River Zone opens June 15 and will remain open through Labor Day (Sept. 2). This includes all state waters in Dixie County, a portion of Taylor County including the towns of Keaton Beach and Steinhatchee, and a portion of Levy County. The daily bag limit from June 15-30 in this — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

Blue Thumb Pool Care Services Lake Wales, Frostproof, Babson Park, Indian Lake Estates, and Surrounding Areas! Customers want more from a pool service than just a clean pool. They want the assurance of knowing that all their pool equipment is working properly and that their calls with any questions or concerns will be returned promptly. — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

by James Coulter Students and their parents enjoyed a wunderbar time on Friday during the German Fall Fest hosted at Janie Howard Wilson Elementary. All day, students were able to learn about Germany and its culture and traditions with various activities on the school playground. The festivities were kicked off at the start of the — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

Winter Haven Public Library The Library Card Design Contest is back! The theme for this year's 8th annual competition is Florida Wildlife! All ages are encouraged to submit original artwork. The deadline to submit is Saturday, September 9. Visit our website for official entry form and template https://ow.ly/nK6n50Ppa8x — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

by James Coulter Originally, I was going to write a review of Disenchanted, the new made-for-streaming sequel to the 2008 movie Enchanted; but, to paraphrase the Aragon meme: one does not simply dedicate a biweekly column to Disney and refuse to say anything about the resignation of its most infamous CEO. Last Sunday, in a — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

The Light Prince: Grail – Tyler’s Journey by J.C. Alexandre Tyler doesn’t have an easy life living in a family of success stories. His mother is a doctor. His father is a lawyer. His older brother went to college on an athletic scholarship. And his younger brother always makes the honor roll. Yet the only — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

Update to traffic crash on SR 60 in Lake Wales this morning: The drivers' names are as follows: Semi 1: 36 yr old Omar Almestian of Davenport Semi 2: (jackknifed with the oj barrels): 55 yr old George Buzzutto of Fort Pierce Saab SUV (the crumpled vehicle in the photo I sent out): 46 yr — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

Loughman, Florida - The Polk County Sheriff's Office has confirmed they are investigating a shooting which took place Sunday evening in the North East corner of Polk County. According to the PCSO public information officer the shooting was domestic in nature. The PIO advised it appears the person shot was the aggressor. The Polk County — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

Lakeland, Florida -On October 8, 2016, at 8:30 a.m., the Lakeland Police Department was requested by Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) to respond to the McDonalds located at 5325 S. Frontage Road. HCSO was attempting to apprehend three suspects who had committed an armed carjacking in the Brandon area. The stolen vehicle was spotted on — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

UDPATE: Polk County Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Nathaniel Gale has confirmed that two patients were transported. Neither were trauma alert patients. The vehicles involved are a Ford Ranger and a Toyota Tundra. ————— On April 21, 2025 Polk County Fire Rescue responded to a vehicle crash at Overlook Dr SE and Dundee Rd in — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

Sun N Fun Continues To Fly High Into Wild Blue Yonder by James Coulter Everyone loves a good air show like the ones performed at the annual SUN 'n FUN International Fly-In and Expo last week in Lakeland. However, while the demand in air travel is expected to double within the next two decades, the — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

OBITUARY OF CECELIA THERESA CASTRO-HAYE Cecelia Theresa Castro-Haye, 78, passed away on March 22, 2024, at the Select Specialty Hospital, Orlando, Florida. Cecelia was born on March 18, 1946, in Kingston, Jamaica. Her life’s journey led her to the United States in the early 1960s, where she embarked on a lifelong mission of care and — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.

AdventHealth has completed the purchase of Bond Clinic, a longtime physician group based in Winter Haven, marking another step in the health system’s steady expansion across Polk County. Bond Clinic has been a fixture in the Winter Haven community since 1948, making it one of the city’s oldest and most recognized medical practices. What started — Local reporting from Polk County, Florida.