Lakeland Gazette

04/07/2025

Did you know that every Monday and Tuesday at 10:00 AM throughout the summer you can attend StoryTime for FREE at the Florida Air Museum? Choose the day that works best for you—Monday and Tuesday sessions feature the same content each week. Access to the Florida Air Museum and the Jerry Holland Destination: Aviation Playground is also included! Questions? Email [email protected] Details at www.aceedu.org > Events Photo Credit: Florida Air Museum

https://lakelandgazette.info/news/2025/07/04/summer-storytime-at-the-florida-air-museum-continues/

04/07/2025

There were no raindrops at Lake Mirror on a pleasant Thursday night. Instead, there were thousands of smiles and just as many oohs and ahs, as a huge fireworks show lit up Lakeland. Leading up to the city’s annual Red, White & Kaboom, the weather looked dicey. Plenty strategized hours before the show at Lake Mirror by snagging covered spots and bringing plenty of rain gear....

https://lakelandgazette.info/news/2025/07/04/rain-spares-lakelands-annual-red-white-kaboom-celebration/

04/07/2025

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made a shocking claim on Tuesday, stating that a detained undocumented immigrant “began eating himself” mid-flight while being deported. The startling allegation came during a visit to Florida’s controversial migrant detention facility, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” alongside President Donald Trump, according to the New York Post. “We’re dealing with some of the most dangerous, deranged individuals out there,” Noem said, recounting the incident during a press briefing at the Everglades-based camp....

https://lakelandgazette.info/news/2025/07/04/he-started-eating-himself-noem-describes-shocking-cannibal-incident-on-deportation-flight/

04/07/2025

Winter Haven, Fla.-based Bond Clinic, a 90-provider physician group, has been acquired by AdventHealth. Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth purchased the group’s 28 specialty assets and care sites throughout Polk County. “We are excited to welcome the providers and team members of Bond Clinic to the AdventHealth network,” Jennifer Snider, president and CEO for AdventHealth Medical Group West Florida Division, said in a July 2 news release....

https://lakelandgazette.info/news/2025/07/04/florida-physician-group-acquired-by-adventhealth/

04/07/2025

By Bob Garver After three “Jurassic Park” movies and three “Jurassic World” movies, it seems the time has come to kickstart the “Jurassic” franchise again with “Jurassic World: Rebirth.” I’ll give the franchise credit for recognizing that there was no need to continue with the Chris Pratt or Bryce Dallas Howard characters from the last three movies, who were widely seen as uninteresting....

https://lakelandgazette.info/news/2025/07/04/jurassic-world-rebirth-movie-review/

03/07/2025

What is the Point? So, what is the point? That is the ultimate question, right? The ultimate worldview question: what is the point? Ultimately, there must be a point to it all rather than not. We humans possess the attributes that we do for some reason. Consider the human qualities that have nothing to do with “survival of the fittest,” like the human soul and all it entails....

https://lakelandgazette.info/news/2025/07/03/is-god-dead-8/

03/07/2025

Bad news out of Florida – three major factories are shutting down within just a few months, leaving hundreds of workers suddenly out of a job. We’re talking big names, and long-running, locally important factories that are suddenly…gone. Florida’s known for being business-friendly, but I guess even the Sunshine State isn’t safe from the economic pressures hitting the rest of the country....

https://lakelandgazette.info/news/2025/07/03/florida-abruptly-loses-3-factories-as-job-exodus-escalates/

03/07/2025

The Lakeland Fire Department is preparing to launch its annual fundraiser for some of its beloved furry friends. The fire department will host its 7 Days of Giving from July 7 to 14 aiming to collect 7,000 pounds of pet food and $7,000 in donations to help support SPCA Florida. "When we show up to help, we’re there for every life—human or animal,” Fire Chief Doug Riley said....

https://lakelandgazette.info/news/2025/07/03/lakeland-fire-department-will-begin-fundraiser-for-pet-supplies-and-spca-donations-on-july-7/

02/07/2025

The latest results on an annual census of people experiencing homelessness in a region have shown mixed results for Volusia, Flagler, and Polk counties. The federal process, known as the Point-In-Time Count, provides a snapshot of the total number of unhoused persons on a given night. For Polk County, the reported total of individuals battling homelessness is now 804 — this is a more than 7% increase from last year....

https://lakelandgazette.info/news/2025/07/02/latest-homelessness-count-in-volusia-flagler-polk-shows-mixed-results/

02/07/2025

Polk County Fire Rescue (PCFR) Battalion Chiefs Ramon Gonzalez and Charles True will be moving up the ranks to Deputy Chief positions effective next week. Gonzalez, who has been with PCFR since August 2010, will be the Deputy Chief of Training/Professional Standards, and True, who has been with PCFR since November 2006, will be the Deputy Chief of Emergency Medical Services....

https://lakelandgazette.info/news/2025/07/02/polk-county-fire-rescue-to-promote-two-polk-county-fire-rescue-to-promote-two-deputy-chiefs/

02/07/2025

02/07/2025