THIS WEEK’S TOP NEWS
Only 38% of Polk County children were considered ready for kindergarten in 2024. Kayla Borg looked into what that statistic actually means and what resources exist to help prepare students for the first year of school.
The parents of Capt. Cody Khork, Khork’s best friend Abbas Jaffer, and Florida Southern College announced a scholarship to honor the Army reservist who was killed in the Iran war.
The fatal shooting of Michael Mcgee rocked the Wally’s Pool Hall community and devastated family and friends. Witnesses said that Mcgee attempted to deescalate the situation before the suspect pulled a gun and shot him.
Lakeland Man Fatally Shot Outside Wally’s Pool Hall
March 6, 2026
The Lakeland Symphony Orchestra honored its Young Artist Award winner, Kennedy Davenport, at last Saturday’s performance “Rhapsody and Radiance.” Davenport, a senior at Harrison School for the Arts, is not only a talented vocalist but also an accomplished softball player. She has committed to playing college ball at Edward Waters University in Jacksonville.
The construction and manufacturing industry is booming across Florida and in Polk Country. GMF Steel spent $18,000 to bus over 800 students from 18 high schools across Polk and Hillsborough counties to their annual career fair. Industry leaders say introducing students to skilled trades early is key to building a future workforce.
Reader Poll
Last week, Cindy Glover covered Lakeland Electric’s new customer service AI chatbot, so we asked: “Do you trust an AI agent for customer service?”
0.5% said Yes
99.5% said No
HAPPENING AROUND TOWN
Author Bob Kealing and musician and WMNF presenter Billy C. Wirtz will host a screening of their film “The Florida Chitlin’ Circuit” at Florida Southern College tonight, Thursday, March 12, at 7 p.m.
Polk County Taco Week continues through the weekend with local restaurants offering specials and discounts.
For more than 15 years, the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational and THE Spring Games have attracted hundreds of high school and college teams to the area. Catch a game before the tournaments end.
Polk County Taco Week Begins Today, Friday, March 6
March 6, 2026
PLANNING YOUR WEEKEND?
TOP LAKELAND NEWS FROM AROUND THE WEB
When there’s more news than our small (but mighty) team can cover, we curate from the best and most accessible sources we can find, avoiding paywalls when possible.
Lakeland Mom has released their annual summer camp guide for Lakeland and Polk County | Lakeland Mom
Florida Poly to add intercollegiate sports programs | The Ledger (Paywall)
Beth Cummings named interim director at Polk Arts and Cultural Alliance | The Ledger (paywall)
The CRA’s Restore the Core hosted a Dixieland Open House on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Midtown will meet on March 24, and Downtown on April 2. | Anna Toms, LkldNow.
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Anna Toms
Newsroom Lead, LkldNow
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