A 16-year-old car passenger died early Wednesday after the Honda Accord he was in veered into oncoming traffic on East Memorial Boulevard and was hit by a Jeep Compass three lanes away, according to the Lakeland Police Department. More
City commissioners are holding a special meeting at 3 p.m. today to reconsider the pending re-opening of some city parks and discuss potential penalties. More
A city staff proposal to reword a fire-safety ordinance on sprinklers met a firewall of commissioner opposition Friday morning.
After a lengthy discussion about cost impediments the city may be erecting that prevent renovations to historic downtown buildings, commissioners decided to delay acting until staff provides more information. 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
Christopher Jones, 16, of Lakeland, was severely injured when he was hit by a Ford F-150 while crossing South Florida Avenue at Imperial Boulevard just after midnight a week ago Wednesday. His six surgeries have included removal of the lower part of a leg.
Note to Lake Hollingsworth walkers and joggers: “There’s nothing to see here. Move along.” That was the gist of a pair of city of Lakeland Facebook posts (here and here) after a city resident’s post (here) warned of dangerous snakes nested along the lake near the roundabout. City lakes expert inspected the area in question and found only non-lethal Florida water snakes gathered in a tree to mate, but they conceded on that they can’t rule out other species being in the area. Yellow caution tape will mark the area until mating season ends.
Deputies on Monday filed reckless driving charges against an 18-year-old and 17-year-old who they say were racing on Cherry Lane before they ran the stop sign at Lunn Road, crashing into a pickup truck and a tree. Nine people were hospitalized in the Christmas night crash.
A 42-year-old Orlando land surveyor died around lunchtime Monday after he was struck by a pickup truck as he worked in the roadway on Lakeland Highlands Road near the Polk Parkway, according to Lakeland police. More
A south Lakeland teen is being treated for possible rabies after an otter fought her family’s French bulldog, chased it into the house and bit the girl before her mother tackled it and threw it out the back door. Casina and Gwyn Ewert re-enact the scene for News Channel 8.
Hans Lehman, now on the doorstep of becoming a Lakeland Police assistant chief, was conflicted 30 years ago during his last few years at Kathleen High School.
Lehman didn’t know what he wanted to do for his life’s work. Maybe it’s more accurate to say there were too many things he wanted to do: More
