Happy New Year and Thank You!

Trinity Laurino

Executive Director

Happy 2024! We are grateful to have another year of local independent journalism under our belts and another NewsMatch done. Thank you to the 465 donors and our matching funds partners who supported our work in 2023. More than half of you gave for the first time ever! 

You made this NewsMatch our best ever with roughly $86,000 raised to help fund the free flow of news and information in our community. You are proving that our model for a people-powered and community-centric newsroom is possible. 

Thank you, too, to Steve-O and the whole Glover family (dogs included) for giving so freely of themselves to create an unforgettable night of candid conversation and amazing story-telling. I like to imagine Steve-O’s local legion of fans now know more about local news in Lakeland than they expected, and those who came mainly to support LkldNow discovered an engaging and witty entertainer in Steve-O — while also finding out more about Cindy, the editor now at the helm of our small-but-mighty newsroom. It was an incredible evening at the Polk Theatre. I’m not sure how we’ll top it this year, but ideas are already flowing.

Most important, on behalf of the whole LkldNow team, thank you, dear reader, for trusting us to do this work — work that we love (Barry so much so, his semi-retirement is far more “semi” than retired). We can’t wait to see what 2024 brings.

LaLonde Joins City Commission, Madden Becomes Mayor Pro Tem

Lakeland’s City Commission convened without minority representation for the first time in more than 50 years.

Born & Bread Bakehouse to Open Four Days a Week Starting Jan. 17

The artisan bakery on S. Florida Avenue will be open Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Downtown’s Nineteen61 Adding an Enclosed Rooftop Bar

Indoor and outdoor seating is planned. Chef Marcos Fernandez is aiming to open the expansion in April.

Polk Theatre to Restore Marquee and Upgrade Sound System with $141,500 Grant From Publix Charities

The nonprofit organization that owns the historic Polk Theatre will use the funds for renovations.

CURATED LAKELAND NEWS

Work starts soon to complete the final leg of the Three Parks Trail along Cleveland Heights Boulevard | The Ledger

2023 was Lakeland’s hottest year with an average temp of 76.2, a half-degree higher than previous apex in 2020 | ABC Action News

COVID-19 and flu cases double at Lakeland Regional, while rate of hospitalizations remains low | News Channel 8

Lakeland-raised Christian pop singer Jonny Diaz achieves a gold record with his 2015 song ‘Breathe’ | The Ledger

Ballet: Cinderella | Thursday | 7:30 p.m. | RP Funding Center
The State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine presents “Cinderella,” set to Prokofiev’s classic score and featuring new choreography by Andrey Litvinov. Tickets: $53 to $97

First Friday: Three Kings Celebration | Friday | 6-9 p.m. | Downtown
Enjoy live music and family-friendly activities like pictures with the Three Kings. As always, shops are open late, vendors and artisans will line Kentucky Avenue, and classic cars will be displayed on Tennessee Avenue. This month’s event is sponsored by Just Cares Inc.

Comedy | Friday and Saturday | three locations
Comedy abounds this weekend with four events at three venues. Swan City continues its First Friday series at the Rec Room with a 7:30 p.m. family-friendly show and a 9:30 p.m. 21+ performance. Tickets are $10 per show or $15 for both. Meanwhile, Yard on Mass hosts Stand-Up Friday with Lakeland Comedy on Friday at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $15. And on Saturday, Swan City Improv presents “Wet Cigarettes” at Union Hall at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.

Check our full calendar
Phyllis and George Carr’s century-old house at 1927 Seminole Trail in the Beacon Hills neighborhood won the city of Lakeland’s residential beautification award for January. City horticulturist Bill Koen praised its Florida-friendly landscaping when presenting the award at Monday’s City Commission meeting. The winner of the commercial beautification award was the recently completed Parker Pointe Apartments at 900 E. Bella Vista St. near Tigertown. The developers planted around 100 trees on the property as well as others nearby, Koen said. The beautification awards honor properties that enhance their surroundings. | Barry Friedman, LkldNow

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Barry Friedman founded Lkldnow.com in 2015 as the culmination of a career in print and digital journalism. Since 1982, he has used the tools of reporting, editing and content curation to help people in Lakeland understand their community better.