An outbreak of COVID-19 traced to a high school wrestling tournament in Lakeland earlier this month spread to athletes in other sports and led to Tuesday’s announcement that Polk public schools are suspending athletic practices and competitions for 20 days, News Channel 8 reports. “It’s just a pause. We will be practicing and starting back […]
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 inHealth
Polk Schools Suspend Athletics as COVID Numbers Rise
With COVID-19 cases in Polk County rising, all athletics practices and competitions at Polk public schools are being suspended from today until Jan. 4, the school district announced this morning.
Posted inEvents
Messages on Floating Lanterns Memorialize David and Edie Henderson
Friends gathered at Lake Mirror Monday night to celebrate the lives of David and Edie Yates Henderson by writing their memories of the couple on glowing, floating lanterns placed lakeside, News Channel 8 reports. David, a lawyer-turned-developer, and Edie, a CPA and three-term city commissioner, were murdered in their Lake Morton home on Nov. 10. […]
Posted inNews Roundup
Read It in the Morning Paper: Teacher Pay, Rural Development
TEACHER PAY will be a key issue in mediations next week between the school district and the union representing teachers. At issue is whether a state law raising starting teacher salaries gives school districts flexibility in using part of the funding to increase pay for current teachers to the new base. RURAL DEVELOPMENT: A housing […]
Posted inNews Roundup
Read It in the Morning Paper: Mural, Covid
MURAL: A Lakeland artist who has painted large murals elsewhere in Florida but not in her hometown has launched a Kickstarter to fund a 100-foot-wide crepe myrtle mural in Dixieland. | Kickstarter COVID: Thursday’s COVID-19 update pushed Polk’s total cases above 30,000 and reported 427 new infections here, the third largest daily number since the […]
Posted inBusiness
PETA Protests Publix Purchases at Downtown Office
Members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals dressed in monkey suits dumped wheelbarrows full of coconuts outside the Publix IT center on Kentucky Avenue today. They said they were protesting Publix’ business dealings with a Thai company that uses monkeys to harvest coconuts, News Channel 8 reports. Publix responded to reporters that a […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Live Music in Lakeland This Weekend
Performers at local venues this weekend include Brett Foster, Melissa Lee, Z Street Trio, Roxx Revolt & The Velvets, Izzi Starz, Lydia Rose, Subharmonic, AV Project, Running Reckless, Dust2Dust, Blue Collar Band, Micah Shane Duo, Smokepoint, Micah Madore & Kate Agner, 32 Trees, and Rob Hazen. Keep scrolling for times and places.
Posted inFood & Dining
Adler’s Bringing Its Burgers to The Poor Porker
Visitors to The Poor Porker will soon be able to order burgers in addition to the Lake Mirror establishment’s well-known beignets, The Ledger reports. Adler’s, known for the classic burger it serves at its restaurants in Davenport and Winter Haven, will base its food truck at The Poor Porker on weekends starting in January (with […]
Posted inActivism
Carolers Will Honor Edie Yates and Raise Funds for a Charity She Helped
A childhood friend of the late City Commissioner Edie Yates Henderson is organizing Christmas caroling in the South Lake Morton neighborhood in memory of Henderson and her husband, David, who were murdered in their home last month, News Channel 8 reports. The carolers will sing at 5 p.m. Dec. 18 on the 800 block of […]
Posted inConsumer
Lakeland Electric Fuel Charge Rising in January
With Lakeland Electric officials forecasting higher natural gas prices this winter, the City Commission is raising the fuel charge portion of electric bills, which was kept artificially low at the start of the pandemic.