Jay Care Medical Center (web), a five-clinic practice based in Lakeland, and its affiliate, Parkview Medical Group, have been acquired by Palm Medical Centers (web), a Miami-based company associated with private equity firm MBF Healthcare Partners, Tampa Bay Business Journal reports. “Jay Care will serve as the foundation for our growth strategy in Central Florida as we […]
Author Archives: Barry Friedman
Barry Friedman founded Lkldnow.com in 2015 as the culmination of a career in print and digital journalism. Since 1982, he has used the tools of reporting, editing and content curation to help people in Lakeland understand their community better.
Posted inNews Roundup
Read It in the Morning Paper
MONUMENT: With donations to move the Confederate monument away from Munn Park hovering below $9,000, artist/author Fred Koehler is organizing creatives to donate their skills for a fund-raising auction | Facebook DINING: Nineteen61 owner Marcos Fernandez has scored a hit with his Latin-flavored, fast-casual Dixieland restaurant D’Lucas, says critic Eric Pera, who awards 4 1/2 stars […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Live Music in Lakeland This Weekend
So once again, other plans are keeping me from hearing live music in Lakeland this weekend, but if I could go I’d be looking forward to: Brian Sutherland‘s return from Nashville; he’ll be at Patio 850 Friday night and Hillcrest Coffee at noon Saturday. The explosive tunes of my youth at LkldLive’s “Revolution: A Tribute […]
Posted inNeighborhoods
Trapper Called to Remove Large Lizard
The tegu lizard was spotted under a house on Ollie Road northwest of Lakeland. Source: News Channel 8
Posted inActivism
Running Helps Homeless Men Reconnect
Matt Nipper, who works at First Baptist Church of the Mall, asked some homeless men at Lighthouse Ministries to go for a run with him. They did, and it led to a runners club that that’s helping them regain health and family connections. Major League pitcher Steve Pearce boosted the effort by making Nike shoes […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Passing Motorist Alerts Home’s Resident to Fire
A west Lakeland man and his two adult housemates are homeless today after fire damaged their house at 2027 W. Hunter St. to the tune of $20k. But he’s alive because an anonymous passing motorist noticed the smoke and woke him up around 8 a.m., the Lakeland Fire Department said. “This is a very important reminder […]
Posted inBusiness
‘Small Victories:’ Ledger Owner Budges on Pay Raises
After 10 years without pay raises under three owners, employees at The Ledger can expect some again, the Poynter Institute’s Rick Edmonds reports. GateHouse Media has agreed to a 1 percent raise for its unionized newsroom workers this September and another 1.7 percent a year later. Non-union employees will be eligible for a 2 percent […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Pedestrian Killed in Early-Morning Accident
A 46-year-old Lakeland woman died just before 3 a.m. today when she was hit by a car while walking her bicycle in a crosswalk across U.S. 98 North at Griffin Road. The car that hit her had a green light, police said.
Posted inBusiness
Xebec Plans Spec Logistics Facility at I-4 and SR 33
Add Xebec Realty, which specializes in logistics facilities, to the list of companies building large spec warehouses on a section of State Road 33 just north of Interstate 4. The company bought 60 acres at 8355 SR 33 (map) and plans to invest $39.3 million to build a 533,000-square-foot, Class A regional bulk logistics facility, Connect […]
Posted inNews Roundup
Read It In the Morning Paper, Evening Edition
CITY PAY: A consultant’s study of the competitiveness of city of Lakeland employee salaries resulted in raises for 44 percent of workers. City Manager Tony Delgado said most are in the lowest-pay jobs. No salaries were reduced | View a summary presented to city commissioners this morning. (City staff said more detailed documents should be […]