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A microscopic parasite making waves across the country has now been identified in Florida, according to public health officials

Cyclospora cayetanensis, a microscopic parasite causing an outbreak of the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis across at least 17 states, including Florida. As of early July 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health officials are tracking hundreds of cases nationwide. What to Know About the Outbreak The Cause: Cyclosporiasis is a gastrointestinal illness caused…

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Movie Review - Minions & Monsters

By Bob Garver “Minions & Monsters” is the seventh cinematic outing for the Minions, and the third where they take center stage, as opposed to playing backup for former supervillain Gru. The jellybean-like animated gibberish-spewers all voiced by Pierre Coffin are once again taking the prequel route, as their story is told by a modern-day movie studio tour guide (Allison Janney),…

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The Florida Department of Transportation will close a section of State Road 60 between Bartow and Lake Wales for two weeks starting July 27

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and CSX Transportation have scheduled a full two-week closure of State Road 60 at the railroad crossing between Bartow and Lake Wales. The closure begins Monday, July 27, 2026. It is expected to last until Monday, August 10, 2026, to allow CSX to fully rebuild the foundation and track structure across all four lanes, followed by structural…

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Publix Super Markets Charities Donates $250,000 for Earthquake Relief Efforts in Venezuela

Publix Super Markets Charities (PSMC) is donating $250,000 to the Global Empowerment Mission to help support relief efforts following the recent earthquakes in Venezuela. John Doran, Executive Director, Publix Charities (Photo credit: Publix) “We extend our sympathies to the families who have been devastated by the loss of life and destruction caused by the recent earthquakes in Venezuela,”…

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Mystery Mailers Spark New Questions About Lake Miriam Apartments?

The local buzz is true: anonymous postcards claiming “Lake Miriam Apartments back for another round” have been showing up in the mailboxes of residents around the Lake Miriam neighborhood. However, the city of Lakeland has stepped in to clarify that the mailers are causing unnecessary panic. Here is what is actually going on: No New Proposal: The city of Lakeland has not received any new…

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Lakeland Commissioners set July 6 public hearing on data center moratorium

The upcoming public hearing scheduled for Monday, July 6, at 9:00 AM at City Hall marks a major milestone in the community’s pushback against massive computing facilities. Following the intense neighborhood resistance to the proposed 550,000-to-600,000-square-foot Project Swan near Old Tampa Highway and Wilkinson Road, the City Commission is moving forward with a proposed 12-month temporary…

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Saddle Creek Logistics Services Names Grady Martin Chief Executive Officer

Saddle Creek Logistics Services, a leading third-party logistics (3PL) provider offering warehousing, fulfillment and transportation solutions, today named Grady Martin Chief Executive Officer, effective today, as part of a planned leadership transition. Martin succeeds Mark Cabrera, who is retiring after serving as CEO since 2015. Martin has decades of logistics and supply chain leadership and…

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How One Outsider Has Turned The Tables On A Usually Quiet Florida Statewide Race

Without major PAC funding or political office, Matt The Welder has drawn hundreds of thousands of followers and unprecedented attention to Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner race. In an election year filled with high-profile races, one of the biggest surprises has been the growing attention surrounding Florida’s race for Commissioner of Agriculture. Matt the Welder Appearing on the ballot as…

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DiOGi Dog Park at Loyce E. Harpe Park to Close Temporarily For Renovation

The DiOGi Dog Park at Loyce E. Harpe Park, located at 500 W. Carter Road in Mulberry, will be closed for renovation from July 12 to Sept. 4. The remaining facilities at Loyce E. Harpe Park will remain open. Polk County Parks and Natural Resources staff maintain three other dog parks in the county: Simmers-Young Park, located at 339 American Spirit Road, Winter Haven Northeast Regional Park,…

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We are pleased to share that PCPS maintained its B grade and improved it for the 2025-2026 school year! Read all about it in the District's latest press release below.

“Polk County Public Schools had another momentous year in 2025-26, and it showed up on our report card. PCPS maintained and improved its B grade, as many schools throughout the district earned higher marks, according to data released today by the Florida Department of Education. “Two years ago we recaptured our B grade, and we’ve continued to build upon that success,” said PCPS Superintendent…

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Will rain disrupt Lakeland fireworks shows? What to expect

It looks like typical Florida summer weather is trying to crash the party, but it shouldn’t completely ruin your holiday plans. The National Weather Service is forecasting a high chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms for both Friday, July 3rd, and Saturday, July 4th. Here is exactly what you can expect for Lakeland’s major shows and how the rain might impact them: 1. Red, White & Kaboom…

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Fast-growing hot-chicken chain eyes its first Lakeland location

It sounds like the Nashville hot chicken craze is finally knocking on Lakeland’s door with a major national player, which is going to make the local food scene very interesting. While the headline hints at a fast-growing regional or national powerhouse expanding into Polk County, Lakeland already has a beloved local heavyweight holding down the spicy chicken crown: LoveBird Almost Famous Chicken…

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Is God Dead? The Evil of Others

This week, we continue looking at five biblical reasons why God may allow evil to exist. As part of our survey to better understand the Christian perspective on suffering, we began last week to look at the biblical concept of suffering and evil as punishment for sin. Undoubtedly, suffering and evil as punishment for sin is far and away the most common reason given for God allowing evil and…

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DeSantis Vetoes Three of Lakeland’s Four Budget Requests

Governor Ron DeSantis signed the state’s $117.6 billion budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year, slashing nearly $810 million in line-item vetoes. Lakeland’s targeted list of municipal priorities took a significant hit. The city requested $4.115 million across four projects. State lawmakers originally approved $3.115 million of that during the legislative session, but the governor’s veto pen cut all…

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Modified Watering Hours to Remain in Effect Through Oct. 1

Polk County Utilities customers will remain under the current one-day-per-week irrigation with modified watering hours guidelines through Oct. 1 in order to comply with the extension to the Modified Phase III “Extreme” Water Shortage Order issued by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) on June 23. SWFWMD’s Governing Board voted to extend the water shortage order due to…

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LEGO® POKÉMON™ TRAINERS AT THE READY!

LEGO® POKÉMON™ ANNOUNCED AS LEGO® FESTIVAL 2026 PLAY ZONE HEADLINER AT LEGOLAND® FLORIDA RESORT LEGOLAND® Florida Resort has revealed that LEGO® Pokémon™ will be joining this year’s LEGO® Festival as the headliner for the Play Zone, levelling up the game for this year’s family summer event in Florida. Guests can expect hands-on activities and creative interactive play, including the newly…

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