Friends of recent Lake Gibson High School graduate Stephanie Carroll describe her as bubbly and likable and say they were devastated to learn she died in a roll-over crash on I-4 Saturday that injured four others | GoFundMe page
Lakeland is represented by at least a dozen business leaders in Florida Trend’s new Florida 500 list of business executives whom the magazine’s editors deem “most influential.” Organizations represented include AgAmerica Lending, Florida Polytechnic University, Lakeland Regional Health, Publix Super Markets, Saunders Real Estate, The Ruthvens and Watson Clinic. More
Random acts of kindness were reported as evacuees from Florida’s east coast filled the Hilton Garden Inn at Lakeland Linder Airport and other area lodgings.
Nicole Travis, the city of Lakeland’s community and economic development director, tells Tampa Bay Business Journal that she is motivated by her family: her mother’s success as a government minister in the Virgin Islands inspires her, as well as her desire to be a role model for her daughters. She also reveals the not-well-known info that she can play steel drums. Travis is one of the newspaper’s 2019 BusinessWoman of the Year honorees.
Lakeland native Tanner Halbert, a 22-year-old groundskeeper for the city, won championships in televised competitions in Pennsylvania and Las Vegas for the bag toss game known as cornhole.
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 new mural by a Lakeland-born painter at the RP Funding Center pays overt tribute to the Lakeland Magic and subtle homage to the city’s many lakes. More
Top honorees tonight at Lakeland’s inaugural Athena Awards included Ana Wood (leadership award), Laura Lear (young professional) and Top Buttons (organization).
The Athena Awards, a collaboration between the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce and the Junior League of Greater Lakeland, recognize women leaders who have made significant accomplishments and enhanced the community. More
Danny Baggish, 35, of Lakeland, is readying for the darts-throwing world championship in London this December after defeating the defending North American champion in the US Darts Masters leg of the World Series last month | Background
Now that the story of the Lakeland couple who took their engagement photos at Publix has gone viral — Fox News picked it up yesterday — the Tampa Bay Times has gotten the story behind the pictures. Alexandra Darch and Dylan Smith were hoping for bucolic, sunset photos at Circle B Bar Reserve, but a rainstorm washed out those plans. Photographer Jennifer Goodlet suggested a backup plan — a late-evening shoot at Oakbridge Publix, where the couple met — and all are thrilled with the results.
