Potential Election Could Pose Tricky Issues for Charles and Jennifer Canady

Aug 12, 2021 at 10:34 am News Service of Florida

News Service of Florida reporter Dara Kam explores some tricky issues that could face Florida Chief Justice Charles Canady if his wife of 24 years, Jennifer Canady of Lakeland, succeeds Colleen Burton in the Florida House of Representatives. The Canadys respond that they will follow all rules and laws. “My husband has spent his entire career in public service meticulously following the law,” Jennifer Canady said. Florida News Service has allowed LkldNow to publish the full article: More

Activism/ People

White House Recognizes Teen’s Project to Cheer Up Kids at LRH

Aug 12, 2021 at 8:08 am Fox 13 News

Zack Kirkland, a teen who started a project 4 1/2 years ago to bring cheer to children at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, has received a letter from the White House praising his work. His Silly Sock Saturdays, now a nonprofit organization, delivers bags with colorful socks, coloring books and other fun items monthly, Fox 13 News reports. MORE: Silly Sock Saturdays website

People/ Politics

Dennis Ross Will Lead College to Congress Internship Program

Aug 9, 2021 at 5:09 pm

Former U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross of Lakeland is taking on a new role working with young adults in addition to his position at Southeastern University. He has been named interim CEO of College to Congress, a non-profit organization that provides financial support for low-income students who are placed in congressional internships. More

People/ Public Safety

Silver Alert Canceled After Woman Reunites With Family

Jul 27, 2021 at 1:40 pm

Lakeland police have canceled a Silver Alert that was issued this morning for Sherri Carpenter, 56, saying she has been located and is being reunited with her family. More

People

Dale Snodgrass, Draken’s Chief Pilot, Dies in an Idaho Plane Crash

Jul 26, 2021 at 1:47 pm The Aviationist

Dale “Snort” Snodgrass, chief pilot at Lakeland’s Draken International, died Saturday when the Italian-built SIAI Marchetti SM.1019 he was flying solo crashed and caught fire shortly after taking off from Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport in Idaho, The Aviationist reported. Snodgrass, 72, who retired as a captain after 26 years as a U.S. Navy pilot, was the original demonstration pilot for the F-14 Tomcat and flew more than 850 airshows during the last 20 years. | ALSO: A personal remembrance in The War Zone

A & E/ People

Couple Shares Their Journeys with ‘Spirits’ Gallery at Polk Museum

Jul 23, 2021 at 10:57 am

Dr. Alan “Rico” Rich points to his favorite object in the collection of African and Oceanic art that he and his wife, Linda, acquired over the years. It is an imposing 4-foot tall wooden figure, carved from a single piece of wood, painted and embellished with woven grass and shells, given to him by the chief of the Iatmul people of New Guinea. It represents the ancestors of the tribe, bearing both male and female characteristics, and its face is marked in a distinctive design that displays the tribal or family name. More

People

A&E’s ‘Dirty Rotten Cleaners’ Features a Lakeland Company

Jul 23, 2021 at 7:49 am Fox 13 News

Mike and Missy Dalton thought it was a prank when they received a call about their cleaning company appearing on a new A&E reality show. It wasn’t a joke; the Lakeland company is one of three spotlighted on “Dirty Rotten Cleaners,” which shows them taking care of huge messes, Fox 13 News reports. | ALSO: News Channel 8

People/ Politics

Franklin Raised a ‘Modest’ $82k in Campaign Funds in Recent Quarter

Jul 17, 2021 at 8:10 am Florida Politics

Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Franklin of Lakeland has raised a “modest” $81,627 toward his re-election in the most recent quarter and has $153,244 cash on hand, while his two Democratic challengers have reported no funds yet in the current cycle, Florida Politics reports. A little more than half of second-quarter contributions came from individuals; the rest came from political action committees representing developers, agriculture and aerospace, among others. | MORE: Campaign finance reports

Business/ People

Born & Bread Founder Makes Forbes ‘Next 1,000’ List

Jul 12, 2021 at 6:42 am The Ledger

Jennifer Smurr, the 33-year-old founder of Born & Bread Bakehouse, was named to the Forbes list of “Next 1,000” emerging entrepreneurs. As the pandemic spread, she kept the business growing by pivoting to a pre-order system, and in the subscribers-only Ledger article she hints at coming changes: “I’ll leave it with we want to be more consistent than what we are doing now.” MORE: Born & Bread | Forbes Next 1,000 | Smurr’s listing

People

LkldNow In View: Nedra Butler

Jul 7, 2021 at 7:05 pm

Nedra Butler, a business owner and minister, discusses overcoming a difficult childhood in Lakeland and her passion for finding beauty outside and in.