As Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd’s star rose during the 2000s, so did his political cachet. He has spent time in Washington, D.C., at The White House and at local campaign stops with several presidents. Those meetings stretch back to the early 1980s, when President Jimmy Carter came to Polk County to fish and shook […]
Author Archives: Kimberly C. Moore
Kimberly C. Moore, who grew up in Lakeland, has been a print, broadcast and multimedia journalist for more than 30 years. Before coming to LkldNow in the spring of 2022, she was a reporter for four years with The Ledger, first covering Lakeland City Hall and then Polk County schools. She is the author of “Star Crossed: The Story of Astronaut Lisa Nowak," published by University Press of Florida. Reach her at kimberly@lkldnow.com or 863-272-9250.
Posted inPeople
Part 3: Sheriff Grady Judd Has Faced Controversies, Protected Children
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd’s career has had its share of controversies that made him a sometimes polarizing figure. One sticking point with some residents has been his adamant opposition to equipping his deputies or their patrol cars with cameras, saying it’s an invasion of privacy, costs too much, and that most people in the […]
Posted inPeople
Part 2: Sheriff Grady Judd Based a Career on ‘Doing What’s Right’
One of Deputy Grady Judd’s early arrests came the night of the sheriff’s office Christmas party in the mid-1970s, when he saved the Baby Jesus.
Posted inPeople
Part 1: Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd Marks 50 Years in Law Enforcement
On the sweltering summer evening of July 21, 1972, a tall, skinny, 18-year-old – sporting a mustache because it “made him look older” — walked into the Bartow headquarters of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on Broadway Avenue and started his first official night shift in the communications office, answering emergency calls for help as […]
Posted inSchools
Overall Polk Schools Grade Slips; Griffin Elementary Improves
Polk County Public Schools’ overall district grade dropped to a C this year from a B in 2018-2019, according to school grades released Thursday by the Florida Department of Education. These grades are based on the 2021-2022 academic year.
Posted inSchools
School Test Scores Show Polk Students Are Struggling
The latest Florida test scores show Polk is struggling, with students scoring below the state average.
Posted inA & E, People
LSO Names New Executive Director: Lakeland Native Ashley Miller
Ashley Metts Miller, a Lakeland native, has been named executive director of the Lakeland Symphony Orchestra.
Posted inActivism, Politics
Lakeland Reacts to Supreme Court Abortion Ruling
As black clouds threatened rain, about 20 pro-choice protesters lined Florida Avenue in front of Southgate Shopping Plaza Friday evening.
Posted inNews, Schools
Polk School District Considers Hiring-Policy Changes After Scrutiny of Teacher Charged with Sexual Battery
Polk County Public Schools is proposing a major change in its hiring practices after a special education teacher and basketball coach was hired at Haines City High School more than a year after he was found not guilty of sending a sexually explicit image to and kissing a student at Poinciana High School.
Posted inSchools, Sports
Polk Schools Consider Offering More Sports, Especially for Girls
Polk County Public Schools is considering adding four sports to its lineup to stem a decline in girls sports participation.