Leadership Lakeland, a Lakeland Chamber of Commerce program to develop community leaders, tonight introduced the 30 members of its 37th class. The members will devote one day each month for the next nine months to learning about different segments of community life, such as government, health care, education, economy, human services, criminal justice, art and media. More
A company that melts old aluminum wheels into ingots is moving into a long-vacant industrial building a few blocks west of the entrance to the upcoming Bonnet Springs Park. More
A 710,962-square-foot warehouse planned for property that was once part of the Lakeland Drag Strip could grow to more than 1 million square feet, as a result of City Commission action today. That would make it one of the five largest warehouses in Lakeland. More
Hunt Brothers Construction has received a permit for the $3.5 million job to lay the foundation for Amazon Service Inc.’s $100 million air cargo facility at Lakeland Linder Airport, Tampa Bay Business Journal reports. The newspaper also reported this week (here) that Amazon is reported to be a top contender for a 1.078-million-square-foot warehouse being built near I-4 and Berkley Road in the Auburndale area.
Dissent Craft Brewing, which runs a popular taproom in a St. Petersburg strip mall, is planning to expand to downtown Lakeland. If approved by the city, it would be the fourth in a cluster of bars on South Kentucky Avenue and potentially one of eight alcohol-only establishments downtown. More
“You just have to look at what has happened at the Lakeland Ledger to see how GateHouse runs its company.” So said FSU communications professor Jennifer Proffitt in a Tampa Bay Times article about the likely effects of the planned merger between Ledger owner GateHouse Media and Gannett.
After GateHouse purchases Gannett, 20 daily newspapers in Florida will fall under the same owner, and only five will remain in the hands of three other owners. Reporter Rick Danielson cites a reduction in Ledger news staff from 99 to 15 since 1999, resulting in “a newspaper where aggressive corporate cost-cutting has undermined the ability of reporters on the ground to report on the public’s business and to hold those in power to account.” Read more
Visitors to Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market have nothing to worry about come the end of August — or beginning of September — when Honeycomb Bread Bakers opens its brick-and-mortar shop at 213 E. Bay Street.
Customers will still find the bakery at the markets on Saturdays, along with their favorite wild Maine blueberry muffins, cinnamon rolls and sourdough bread. Owner Benjamin Vickers said it was important to him that fervent market-goers continue to find him — he hopes to return to his spot in front of the State Office Building. And the location comes with advantages: More
A former Navy cryptologist who runs motorcycle training courses in Lakeland, Tampa and Ocala has joined with two partners to form a nonprofit organization (registration) and open a thrift store, Helping Single Parents Outlet and Auction Center (website), at 1100 Griffin Road.
The release of estimated costs to build a city-owned internet service utility brought millions of dollars of good news for Commissioner Justin Troller and other “gigabit city” advocates Friday.
The new $80 million estimate to build a network that covers the area within the city limits cuts $30 million from a 2016 ballpark estimate prepared by Magellan Advisors, the city’s broadband consultant. The Colorado-based company was hired by the city this year to create a business plan for a proposed retail internet service. More
