KidsPACK, which provides meals for 1,800 food-insecure children in Polk County, is reaching out to the community for donations of food and other assistance, saying their bulk suppliers are hampered by grocery hoarding | KidsPACK website
Lakeland has lost one of its matriarchs. Nancye Thornberry, who founded the Polk Senior Games and helped start Mayfaire-by-the-Lake when she led the Polk Museum of Art, died Tuesday night after a long illness, She was 89. More
The United Way of Central Florida and GiveWell Community Foundation have formed a United Community Relief Fund at unitedcommunityrelief.org to “support local nonprofit organizations serving those most vulnerable to the economic and health-related impacts triggered by a community crisis.” More
Tracy Moore, the widow of a Lakeland Electric lineman who died in a work-related accident, started a foundation devoted to helping lineworker families through crises and educating about safety. She is a WFLA Remarkable Women finalist | Highline Hero Foundation Facebook page
This story is so uncommon that you might one day see it on TV — or a bigger screen. It’s a most unusual combination: 15 or 20 homeless men running for miles on the streets of Lakeland.
Begun about three years ago, it was the hope and prayer of Matt Nipper, a 40-year old young adult coordinator at Lakes Church, formerly Church at the Mall. More
Supporters of the Cleveland Heights Golf Course and Lakeland Community Theater took to Facebook recently to rally public sentiment behind the two long-time institutions. They were spurred to action by comments made Jan 17 to the City Commission by Steve Scruggs, head of the Lakeland Economic Development Council; he floated several wide-ranging ideas to increase city revenue, including selling the golf course and land around Lake Mirror (where LCT is housed) for development. The city insists no such plans are under consideration, and Scruggs says he’s disappointed his suggestions caused distress.
LINKS: Ledger article | Scruggs’ presentation and video | Save the Heights 27 Facebook group | LCT ending its petition drive | City statement re the golf course and theater building
Pastor H.B. Holmes spoke of bridging the digital divide at Lakeland’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast, disclosing he is using his background as a communications entrepreneur to bring free wifi to residents near his church, Word of Faith International on Skyview Drive. He also said he’s talking with the city of Lakeland about tapping into the city’s fiber network to expand free Internet to low-income residents.
Because they were warned not to attend, Polk teachers were cheered when their buses arrived in Tallahassee for a rally supporting public education Monday. The 600+ on the buses plus several hundred more who carpooled made Polk’s probably the largest delegation at a statewide rally whose size was estimated at 4,500 by Tallahassee police.
More than 500 people gathered in Munn Park at 4:30 p.m. today for a rally to support increased state funding for public education. After that, they walked to Florida Avenue to wave signs encouraging support from passing drivers. Speakers in the video, in order, are: More
Around 700 teachers and supporters boarded charter buses at the RP Funding Center early this morning to ride to Tallahassee for a rally in support of public education that’s expected to attract thousands.
In Lakeland, a large crowd is expected at Munn Park at 4:30 today for a companion rally and march to support higher state funding for education. Speakers include Jennifer Sabin, an advocate of education reform. LkldNow plans to live-stream the rally on our Facebook page. More
