Thank you 474 times!
Barry Friedman
Founder & Editor-at-large
I was astounded and truly gratified last week when I compiled a list of all the people who donated to LkldNow in 2023. There were 474 of you — almost twice as many as the year before!
As founder of LkldNow, I am truly thankful to see our community increase its support for our nonprofit newsroom as we ramp up staffing and boost our capacity to report news about Lakeland and quality of life in our city.
I knew pretty much everybody who donated on our earliest years. There were just 14 of you in 2016 and again in 2017, 179 in 2018, 158 in 2019, 200 in 2020, 222 in 2021, and 240 in 2022.
But the list of 471 who donated last year expanded well beyond my circle of friends and acquaintances. It shows me that we are reaching a much larger audience of people who understand that their support can sustain our efforts to provide meaningful community journalism that is available to all without regard to financial circumstance.
Thank you. It is because of this support that we can keep saying that LkldNow is “always free, community supported.”
Life or Death: Penalty Phase for Lakeland Commissioner’s Killer Set To Begin Monday
Marcelle Jerill Waldon, 39, was convicted Wednesday of murdering David and Edie Yates Henderson in their Lake Morton home.
Longtime Lakeland Pastor Rev. Alex Harper Dies at 88
Visitation is this evening, with the funeral set for Friday morning.
Historic ‘Watch List’ Identifies Seven Blighted Lakeland Properties Worth Saving
Four of the distinctive homes are not in historic districts.
Spate of Violent Juvenile Gang Crimes Shocked Lakeland in 2023
The judicial circuit that handles Polk County cases is the toughest in the state for prosecuting juveniles.
Contractor Michael Folsom Sentenced to Prison for Failing to Pay $1.4M to Subcontractors
The Ruthvens company paid some or all of what was owed so no one would go out of business.
Book Challenges May Cost Polk County Public Schools $25,000 This Year
Two Lakeland women have challenged at least five books in 10 Polk County high schools.
CURATED LAKELAND NEWS
Higher Learning Achievement Academy, a private school, blames state-backed nonprofit Step Up for Students for its financial woes | News Channel 8
Canadians flocked to RP Funding Center as Snowbird Extravaganza returned after a three-year absence | Fox 13 News
Prosecution, defense rest in trial of double murder in a Lake Morton home | The Ledger
Ten days after sinkhole opened, Highland City family still unable to return home | 10 Tampa Bay
Downtown dog park will be named ‘On Dog Time’ and have a 10-foot retro steel sign and three canine sculptures | The Ledger
Lakeland police, victims disagree on encounter that left a man severely injured and unable to feed himself | NBC News
Lakeland tech company Qgiv acquired by Bloomerang, which also provides software for nonprofits | The NonProfit Times
Lincoln Avenue Academy assistant principal arrested in I-4 wrong-way DUI incident | Fox 13 News
Dining in Lakeland: what’s new and what’s coming soon | LALtoday
Preserving Lakeland’s history: Library and preservation company restore city records from 1885-1890 | The Ledger
360-degree cameras will be installed downtown to deter unwanted behaviors | The Ledger
Summary: Week one of the trial of Marcelle Waldon in a double murder inside a Lake Morton house | The Ledger
First Friday: Mardi Gras | Friday | 6-9 p.m. | Downtown
Mardi Gras is the theme for February’s First Friday. As always, vendors and makers will line Kentucky Avenue, and a Classy Car Show takes place on Tennessee Avenue. Free.
African American Heritage Celebration | Saturday | 1-3 p.m. | Florida Children’s Museum at Bonnet Springs Park
Live performances, arts & crafts, and community resource vendors are included in museum admission of $15. Check discounts.
VISTEball | Saturday | 6-9:30 p.m. | Sun ’n Fun Expo Campus
The golf-themed event features a variety of games, food and drinks, and prizes, and raises funds to support the work of VISTE, Volunteers in Service to the Elderly. Tickets: $75.
Did a friend forward this newsletter to you?
If you want to get our weekly updates, subscribe here.
You are receiving this email at *|EMAIL|* because you opted in at LkldNow.com.
Unsubscribe | Update your profile | Forward to a friend
Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* All rights reserved.
*|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS|**|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*
latest news
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
