one of the highest quality hospital systems in the southeastern United States one of the nation’s most respected physician-led practices have joined forces to provide exceptional care for the community The collaboration will be actualized in June 2026 with the opening of the Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital “By combining our respective strengths we are able to provide a level of care and service that expands both our capabilities while enhancing patient care,” said Carlos Carrasco “Watson Clinic is one of the region’s largest and most established healthcare providers with over 84 years of deeply rooted history in the community We’re excited about our alignment with Watson Clinic and the impact it will have on patient care across Florida’s heartland.” "Watson Clinic is honored to work alongside one of nation’s most respected healthcare organizations on this magnificent project," said Watson Clinic Chief Executive Officer Jason Hirsbrunner "This collaboration will provide our devoted patient base with expanded access to the doctors and care they trust most and it will ensure exceptional healthcare services in our community for generations to come." The affiliation will be evident in many areas throughout the hospital Experts from both organizations have been heavily involved in collaboratively designing the facility and planning the comprehensive services to be offered to serve the community’s needs the Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital will open with more than 300 inpatient beds four cardiac and interventional suites and 18 beds in an intensive care unit (ICU) that will serve 36 patients at full build-out Obstetric services and accommodations will also be prominent on opening day with eight labor and delivery rooms two special c-section operating rooms and more than 25 post-partum rooms A 12-bed neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) will debut shortly after the hospital opens “This is one of the largest hospital capital investments Orlando Health has made,” added Mr “It’s a big commitment to the community But it’s a big commitment because the community deserves it.” For more information on Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital visit orlandohealth.com/Watson-Clinic ER Wait Times are approximate and provided for informational purposes only Watson Clinic will be a partner with the Orlando Health hospital under construction in South Lakeland "Watson Clinic is honored to work alongside one of nation’s most respected healthcare organizations on this magnificent project," Watson Clinic Chief Executive Officer Jason Hirsbrunner said in the release four cardiac and interventional suites and 18 beds in an intensive care unit that will serve 36 patients at full build-out we are able to provide a level of care and service that expands both our capabilities while enhancing patient care,” Carlos Carrasco “Watson Clinic is one of the region’s largest and most established healthcare providers We’re excited about our alignment with Watson Clinic and the impact it will have on patient care across Florida’s heartland.” The hospital will offer obstetric services with eight labor and delivery rooms A 12-bed neonatal intensive care unit will debut shortly after the hospital opens when the plans were announced and approved by Lakeland an AdventHealth official estimated the chain intended to have it operational in 2026 or 2027 Promising the lowest prices possible, Aldi opened a third supermarket Thursday in Lakeland at 6902 S. Florida Ave inside a newly converted Winn-Dixie store A ribbon cutting occurred at 9 a.m. Thursday at the store, which is in a shopping center at Florida Avenue and Shepherd Road the first 100 customers received a gift bag filled with a sampling of Aldi-exclusive products and a gift card as part of the Aldi Golden Ticket giveaway program Shoppers can also enter a sweepstakes for a $500 Aldi gift card through opening weekend shoppers will find that every decision we make from our product selection to store layout is to provide our customers with the best products at the lowest possible prices of any national grocer," said Matt Thon "Our customers can save up to 36% on an average household’s shopping list As shoppers look for better ways to stretch their dollar ALDI is providing Lakeland with easier access to quality groceries at affordable prices," he said in the release The store opening brought Aldi another step closer to its goal of opening 800 stores nationwide by the end of 2028 That agreement includes approximately 170 grocery stores operating under the Winn-Dixie and Harveys banners in Florida as well as Winn-Dixie's existing liquor store business Aldi, which has already converted some Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores to the Aldi format, will continue with its plans to transform some 220 stores acquired in March 2024 Southeastern will also continue to operate the Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores identified for conversion until they are closed for conversion to the Aldi format which is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2027 Besides the store at Florida Avenue and Shepherd Road at least one other former Winn-Dixie is undergoing conversion an ALDI ― in a shopping center at Lakeland Highlands Road and Edgewood Drive South At the time that ALDI purchased Southeastern Grocers last year it operated nine stores and a large distribution center in Polk County Southeastern had seven Winn-Dixie stores and three Harveys It was unclear Friday how many of the remaining stores ― besides the two in Lakeland ― would be converted to ALDI and how many would revert back to the ownership of Southeastern Information from previous Ledger coverage as well as coverage from the USA TODAY Network-Florida's C Bridges and Alexandria Mansfield was used in this report LAKELAND — Tracy Boyette needed a tall pair of waders to trudge through her front yard without getting her feet wet Stepping over a pile of bags of potting soil arranged as a makeshift barrier protecting the front door Boyette still required the waders as she entered her home on Oakmont Lane Tea-colored water covered the floor in every room of the house to a depth of about four inches “Just walking in here just kills me,” Boyette said as she sloshed through her flooded living room I shouldn’t be here.’ It’s like something on TV.” For Boyette and neighbors living near Seward Lake in unincorporated southeast Lakeland the hurricane brought what one described as “slow-motion flooding.” Water levels continued to increase until Wednesday about 1,500 feet north of County Road 540A making it impossible for some residents to drive out unless they had high-clearance trucks the worst of the flooding had struck the home that Boyette and her husband also reported that he had water in his house 'We can't get no relief': On Lake Bonny in Lakeland, Milton brings unprecedented flooding Oakmont Lane runs along the east edge of a pasture that is usually dry — as indicated by a Google Maps satellite image the pasture was a lake whose shoreline encroached into the front yards of several homes pointed to a 25-foot tall barn near the back of his property where only the top two feet of the gable were visible above the water who have lived on Oakmont Lane for 28 years said they had never experienced such flooding before fluctuating water body just north of CR 540A water flows north into the bowl of Smith’s pasture The topography creates a “closed basin,” the residents said a terminus for a water flow from south to north built on a former citrus grove in the late 2010s the houses of Highlands Grace faced no risk of flooding standing well above the western edge of the temporary lake Smith said that developments to the south have narrowed the natural flow of groundwater across CR 540A Water passes through a pair of culverts under the road on its way north to Seward Lake “They're cutting off the surface area for the water to evaporate and drain and percolate into the ground by the development,” Smith said they're saying there's nothing you can do about it but there's something you can do about making it worse Oakmont Lane lies in what the Federal Emergency Management Agency has designated a Flood Zone AE That designation means the area has a projected 1% risk of flooding annually and a 26% risk of flooding over the course of a 30-year mortgage The residents who spoke to The Ledger said they had flood insurance The water continued to spread out from the pasture’s bowl in the days after Hurricane Milton pointed out household items she had placed in her yard to mark the water’s edge showing that it had advanced a few inches since Tuesday The tops of some mailboxes remained just above the water’s surface A pirate ship play area used by Sawtelle’s grandchildren had drifted a few houses down 'It was about thigh deep': Water slowly recedes in Rockridge area days after Hurricane Milton Boyette waded into the street with a yardstick and measured the depth at 19 inches Sawtelle warned about an 8-foot alligator she has seen in the water near her house Employees from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission came to catch and remove the alligator on Tuesday County considers relief planEric and Wanda Hedrick built a house on Oakmont Lane in 1999 He questioned whether Polk County conducted adequate hydrology studies before approving Highlands Trace and other nearby subdivisions The developers converted hundreds of acres of citrus groves and permeable ground and covered much of it with concrete and asphalt did they actually look at what that's going to do to all the people downstream from all this?” he asked Wanda said she plans to press the issue with Polk County commissioners and other authorities “If it costs billions to get this water out of here because then it wouldn't cause problems,” she said 'I'm getting the hell out of here': Milton's wrath is too much for some North Lakeland residents Polk County’s director of roads and drainage said that all developments are required to meet the rules and regulations of any relevant government agencies to gain approval “This location experienced this same type of flooding back in the 1990s and 2000s,” Jarvis said by email the County bought several flooded homes along Oakmont Lane through a FEMA program.” A pumping station for Seward Lake has been on Polk County’s list of unfunded projects since those flooding episodes The project was never given a priority when funding was available because so much time had passed and because the flooded homes had been bought and demolished unless a property owner chose not to allow the county to purchase it through the FEMA program “Currently the County is evaluating a temporary pumping operation,” Jarvis wrote “County staff is still determining the feasibility of the pumping operation and the potential impacts to those in the area where the County would propose to pump these flood waters.” Residents said they had received visits from Paul Womble Polk County’s emergency management director and Detective Rebecca Elliott of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office environmental division “It's not unknown to the county,” Bruce Davis said and I want to say people in emergency management Anticipating slow recoveryThe water had blocked the Hedricks from driving out on Oakmont Lane who allowed them to drive through his property after removing a section of fence in their back yard Sawtelle said the water had been creeping toward her home She and her husband were gradually packing up items in case they need to evacuate “This is going to be a long journey for us,” Sawtelle said “I think it (the water) is going to be here for over a year.” Bruce and Jill Davis said that their septic system is inundated which prevents them from using their toilets or even taking showers wearing brown waders with straps that fit over her shoulders volunteered to serve as tour guide for a reporter towing a kayak as she walked along the flooded street Water obscured a tennis court in Smith’s backyard The kayak allowed a reporter to float into her backyard where water rose about half the height of a shed and partly covered a small greenhouse a 10-foot-high bird feeder barely remained above the water’s surface a welcome mat reading “Home Grown Love” floated in the kitchen Some furniture and other possessions had been stacked upon couches and beds “We had no warning to take anything out; that’s the problem,” Boyette said Boyette has long been known for extravagant Yuletide decorations and she said the house contained 36 Christmas trees Boyette seemed to absorb the shock of the water inundation anew examining items in her husband’s work room he’s going to be so sick when he sees this.” The sodden floor gave way in some spots as Boyette walked upon it Danny and Tracy Boyette were taking shelter in the house of neighbors who have been traveling But Tracy said they needed to find a place to reside by Friday arrived Wednesday morning and asked how she might help Tracy Boyette said another neighbor had offered to let them park a recreational vehicle on his property Jennifer Canady came out to Oakmont Lane on Saturday and surveyed the flooding at her house She expressed frustration that she had not heard from anyone with FEMA which continues past Oakmont Lane to the edge of the flooded pasture a 32-foot Grand Design Imagine recreational vehicle sat partly submerged in the newly formed lake Conrad Imperial lives on eight acres at the end of Imperial Lane The lower section of his property holds water about eight months of the year typically ending about 300 feet from the front of his house the water had advanced within less than 100 feet of his front door and Imperial had a pump running to remove water from around his flooded septic tank A secondary driveway extending to CR 540A had disappeared under the water Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518 Polk County is coordinating with the Southwest Florida Water Management District to direct water away from Lake Seward in the Lakeland Highlands area The Lake Seward flood relief plan contains multiple elements Those include the installation of 12-inch pipes through an existing easement on the northwest edge of Lake Seward to a connection point on Tillery Road and the construction of temporary conveyance pipes to pump water north along Tillery Road to its intersection with Clubhouse Road Licensed contractors will carry out those tasks The county planned to connect a pump to move the water through the pipes The project will use additional pipes and existing conveyance systems to move the water to the county's holding basin near Elizabeth Place The water can then flow through a control structure northward into Banana Lake Rains from Hurricane Milton caused water to fill a natural bowl of pasture land just north of Lake Seward The water covered Oakmont Lane and intruded into at least two houses while preventing some residents from being able to drive on the flooded road (This story was updated to include new information.) Tornado warning issued for Polk as fierce storm speeds north toward Medulla, Lakeland LinderA tornado warning was issued for Polk County at 6:48 p.m "a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located 10 miles south of Medulla moving north at 60 mph." Weather radar indicated rotation in the storm Other areas included in the alert were Crystal Lake Polk County residents should brace for Hurricane Helene to bring stronger winds but potentially less rain than anticipated to the region Thursday While Helene has strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane moving north across the Gulf of Mexico in the past 24 hours its local impact will be more like a tropical storm according to meteorologist Matt Anderson of the National Weather Service's Tampa Bay office A tornado watch has been issued for Polk through 8 p.m Anderson said tropical storm force winds measured at more than 40 mph extend more than 300 miles from the eye of the storm A tornado watch means that the weather conditions are favorable for the formation of tornados as the rain bands passing over Polk could produce rotation It can be upgraded to a tornado warning quickly if forecasters spot something on radar that indicates a tornado is imminent There are some early reports of a tornado touching down near Fort Myers early Thursday morning and a few unconfirmed sightings farther south There were no reports any closer to Polk as of 9:45 a.m Polk residents were told to expect to see between 3 to 6 inches of rainfall Thursday as the storm passes through the region Latest forecasts predict the actual amount may be far less "We may not quite realize that amount," Anderson said " There are some gaps in the rain bands we are seeing." There is a current of dry air that is moving into the storm Polk will see bands of heavy rain interspaced with lengthy breaks throughout Thursday a Flood Watch does remain in effect for Polk Anderson said the region's rivers are anticipated to stay at or below a low flood stage Update: There's an increasing number of electrical outages across Polk County as Helene's strong winds bear down on the area Lakeland Electric: 1,996 outagesDuke Energy: 325 outagesTECO: More than 475 outagesSome of the large clusters of power outages reported by these electric provides include: Bus Service5 p.m update: The public transit system for Polk County will be running Friday on its regular schedule update: Electrical outages continue to grow across Polk County as winds pick up across the region The region's utility companies are reporting: Some of the large clusters of outages reported by the region's electric utilities include: "Our Sanitation collection crews did run today (Thursday) and have picked up all of the normally scheduled houses on their routes today without much interruption They did have to get out of the weather for a little bit this morning but once the rain subsided they were able to continue and got everything picked up safely."  All Auburndale city offices were open Thursday The city did close all of its outdoor athletic facilities for the day Lakeland Electric sees pocket of power outagesUpdate 1:25 p.m.: Lakeland Electric is reporting it has one power outage affecting 59 customers as of 1:20 p.m. Thursday, according to the utility's Power Outage Map The loss of power is impacting an area in Lakeland Highlands The posted estimate for restoration of power is by 8:45 p.m Update 1 p.m.: The Bartow Commission issued an emergency declaration on Wednesday evening that will run until the next commission meeting in October including Avenue T and the Peace River Mobile Home Park Those areas and others saw flooding in 2022 when Hurricane Ian hit Bartow with high rainfall amounts the commission heard from city department heads about potential public services delays a deluge upstream from Bartow could mean higher Peace River water levels by the weekend and into early next week the water level of the Peace River is currently lower at 6.7 feet compared with conditions during prior storms The city has minor flooding when the river reaches 8 feet and major flooding at 9 feet an emergency declaration was issued after minor flooding had already started and levels were already more than 8 feet high but city parks remain open for normal hours of operation The top of the golf course is likely to reopen Friday but city staff are monitoring the lower half of the course to determine if that portion of the course needs to remain close or can be reopened City trash collection is continuing but delays on Friday are possible depending on how severe weather conditions get government offices are closed Thursday and Friday with just City Manager Rick Johnson and public works and utilities staffs working during the storm is reporting over 1,300 customers are without power in Polk as of 10:45 a.m There are 21 active power outages largely along the east side of the county with more than 1,000 outages in the Dundee-Lake Hamilton area Duke's website reads that repairs and damage assessment is underway More than 2,500 TECO customers without power in PolkTampa Electric Co is reporting over 2,500 customers without electricity in east Polk in an area ranging from Auburndale south to the Inwood area of Winter Haven as of 10:10 a.m Avelo Airlines has canceled its passenger flights out of Lakeland Linder airport on Thursday because of the weather according to Airport Director Kris Hallstrand For Gulf Coast residents and some inland areas, it's too late to go to Publix for groceries and hurricane supplies. It’s the same for Walmart According to the Publix Super Markets Inc. website stores within the predicted path of Hurricane Helene are closed including Panhandle stores in all of Tallahassee and Panama City The closures extend inland as far north as Albany The Publix store closures start just north of Sarasota along the Gulf Coast to the Hernando Beach-Pine Island areas Grocer Winn-Dixie showed more than a dozen closings on Thursday A similar pattern on Walmart’s website showed Thursday morning that 35 of its stores and Sam’s Club locations were closed Trash collection According to Polk County Solid Waste Director Dale Henderson “Polk County is continuing to provide normal collection and disposal services today (Thursday) we will continue to monitor weather conditions,” he said “In the event that conditions for whatever reason become unsafe we will pause operations until all clear.”  Polk County collection and disposal of refuse is currently by the county and two other vendors Trash collection and curbside recycling remained normal on Thursday in the cities of Bartow Polk County opened several shelters Tuesday and a new shelter of last resort will be opening at the LifeScience Logistics building at 310 N The county released some tips for residents who might need to use the shelters Polk County’s public and pet-friendly shelters will open at noon on Tuesday Live updates for Monday: Milton quickly becomes Category 5. Still on track to hit Polk County Here are the locations of the public shelters to open at noon on Tuesday: Polk County residents: Sign up for text message updates and info on Hurricane Milton Emergency Public SheltersShelters are an option for those unable to remain in place Here’s what you need to know if you go to any Polk County public shelter: alcoholic beverages and perishable food items are not allowed.Pack a list of medications and a seven-day supply of all medications Bring documentation of medical information including provider contact information.Meals are normally provided at shelters bring special dietary foods if you require them as well as snacks and other comfort foods (non-perishable).Cots are not provided at the shelters Bring items to help you sleep comfortably.If you will have a baby with you medications and toys.Electricity to charge cell phones or other electronics may not always be available.Bring personal items such deodorant extra clothing and an ID with current address and important papers.The shelters are sometimes cold Bring blankets and sweatshirts to keep warm.Pet-Friendly SheltersThree pet-friendly shelters will open at noon on Tuesday birds and their owners will be allowed to shelter in Polk County’s pet-friendly shelters Pet owners must bring shot records for their pets an airline-approved carrying case or crate and pet food Proof of up-to-date vaccinations must be presented at the shelter on Tuesday for residents with special and medical needs Special needs shelters are temporary emergency facilities capable of providing care to residents whose medical condition may require the use of electrical equipment cognitive or medical conditions who may require assistance from medical professionals Although special needs shelters provide more care than a general shelter (such as cots) they do not provide the level of care found in a medical facility The Special Needs shelters are located at: For more Polk County Emergency Management information, please continue to monitor your local news media or call the Citizen’s Information Line at 863-298-7500 (locally) or toll-free 866-661-0228. Updated information also is posted at www.polk-county.net You can view Polk County Emergency Management’s daily live press briefings at 10 a.m It’s a collaboration bringing together one of Central Florida’s most renowned and respected hospitals and top physician-led practices to offer specialized care is a multispecialty community clinic with comprehensive primary and specialty care which began as Orange General Hospital in 1918 is a nonprofit healthcare system known for its trauma care When the new hospital in Lakeland opens next year, it will be called the Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital the opening of the hospital is scheduled for June 2026 The seven-story hospital will be on Lakeland Highlands Road we are able to provide a level of care and service that expands both our capabilities while enhancing patient care,” says Carlos Carrasco “We’re excited about…the impact it will have on patient care across Florida’s heartland.” Orlando Health officials say the new medical-care affiliation will affect areas throughout the new facility Throughout the design and building process Orlando Health and Watson Clinic’s staff have been working on the facility’s design getting current medical technologies and working on the comprehensive services that will be available the Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital will have more than 300 inpatient beds four cardiac and interventional suites and 18 beds in an intensive care unit that will serve 36 patients at full buildout obstetric services will have eight labor and delivery rooms Lakeland City Manager Shawn Sherrouse says the clinic’s partnership with Orlando Health will help expand healthcare and economic benefits and “is a great indicator of Lakeland’s future in high-quality and advanced healthcare services.” “This collaboration is a major component of the more than $2 billion planned healthcare developments in the Lakeland community and the more than 5,500 high-wage jobs that will result from those developments,” he says and we are thrilled to have Orlando Health joining our Lakeland community.” Watson Clinic Chief Executive Officer Jason Hirsbrunner says the collaboration will provide patients with expanded access to doctors and “care they trust most and it will ensure exceptional healthcare services in our community for generations to come.” “A hospital here in our community means choice and it means choice to Watson Clinic providers.”  Watson’s partnership is one of the largest hospital capital investments Orlando Health has ever made.  Lakeland Mayor Bill Mutz says the medical partnership “marks a pivotal advancement in expanding healthcare access and enhancing care quality in the region.”  “A new hospital will help ease the strain on existing providers all while offering a wider range of services to meet diverse healthcare needs,” he says “The addition of a new hospital in Lakeland will not only benefit local residents but also create new jobs and provide essential resources to address the area’s future healthcare requirements.” Central Florida Media Group56 Fourth Street NW FL 33881(863) 248-7537info@centralfloridamediagroup.com Privacy Policy Copyright © 2025 Central Florida Health News A Polk County Veterans Service officer will be stationed on the second floor in office 2049 from 8 a.m the Florida Department of Veteran Affairs will staff the office from 8:30 a.m Appointments will be done on a walk-in basis and veterans will be able to receive free VA benefit assistance located within the government complex in Bartow has not had a Lakeland presence since before the COVID-19 pandemic Franklin’s office worked with the VA to secure additional operating space expanding access to services and providing more options for local veterans The Veterans Administration opened the outpatient clinic in May at 2080 Meadowland Park Blvd. The clinic increases access to primary care Hurricane Milton has left Polk County a soggy downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph It was expected to briefly regain hurricane strength before fizzling out to a tropical depression by Sunday as it heads father out in the Atlantic Milton entered Polk County near the southwest corner passed south of Mulberry and Bartow then hit Lake Wales as a Category 2 storm before exiting the county at Port Hatchineha on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakestore a path through south central Polk County even passing through Lake Wales as a Category 2 hurricane near midnight Live updates: Hurricane Milton leaves destruction across storm-weary Florida "If that sounds familiar in hurricane Florida lore, it’s because Lake Wales was the infamous triple point where the paths of Charley, Frances, and Jeanne crossed 20 years ago in the brutal 2004 hurricane season," " said Ryan Truchelut, Chief Meteorologist at WeatherTiger a Tallahassee-based weather newsletter and consulting company that works with USA TODAY Network-Florida newspapers nearly 200,000 people without power and at least one death Polk Emergency Management updateIn Paul Womble’s Emergency Management update 4:30 p.m he said the county had between 12 and16 inches of rain during the passage overnight of Hurricane Milton which brought “historic” flooding to some parts of the county Womble said maximum wind gusts were recorded at 103 mph in Mulberry and 94 mph in Bartow Teneroc High School at 4905 Saddle Creek Road would continue to operate as a shelter for residents without a safe place to stay the county had 20 shelters in operation housing 6,500 people during the worst of the storm He said about 50% of the county had been without electric power Thursday morning and by 3 p.m about 45% of the county remained without power With many traffic signals at intersections not functioning he remined residents to treat the intersections as a four-way stops the recommendation is to continue to stay off the roads another night Polk County residents with questions regarding hurricane debris are advised to call the Hurricane Milton Residential Debris Hotline at (833) 843-1920 This is the only number that will be able to provide answers for hurricane-related debris questions from 7 a.m There are also procedures for placing debris ready for pickup residents should separate debris by the following categories:  plants and tree branches) • Construction and demolition debris (building materials etc.) • Appliances and white goods (A/C units etc.) • Household hazardous waste (cleaning supplies The debris Hotline is for residential hurricane debris recovery only It is not intended for residential household waste the hurricane debris hotline will not address hurricane-related debris for businesses or commercial entities In a short video on Facebook Polk Sheriff Grady Judd said the county’s PUSH teams rescued 10 people and a dog from a house along Shady Oaks Drive in North Lakeland “The water is unbelievable here,” Judd said standing on what appeared to be a boat or high-water rescue vehicle Duke Energy Florida reported there were at least 63,000 customer outages throughout its service area in Polk County on Thursday afternoon Duke Energy reported approximately 850,000 power outages the company said it expects outage numbers to continue to increase Duke Energy Florida is conducting damage assessments as weather and road conditions allow and will soon begin what is anticipated to be a lengthy restoration process “Hurricane Milton barreled through our state with a devastating intensity leaving behind a trail of destruction that we can’t yet fully comprehend," said Todd Fountain “Our crews will continue to assess the damage to our infrastructure and equipment which is a critical first step in the overall power restoration process,” he said we encourage our customers to prepare for extended outages Regarding Lakeland Electric power restoration the utility reported significant progress in reconnecting homes and businesses to the grid “We have restored 20,000 customers so far,” Cathryn Lacy utilities marketing manager for Lakeland Utilities the number of customers had dropped to about 51,000 Lacy said the company "sustained substantial damage to our electric grid following Hurricane Milton She said more than 400 utility personnel were in the field restoring power Thursday Lacy said customers should call 863-834-9535 to report electric emergencies and downed lines The smart meter system automatically reports power outages to Lakeland Electric Customers can monitor their outage by visiting our Outage Map. https://lakelandelectric.com/outagemap  The Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative also sent out a news release Thursday “The safety and well-being of our community are our top priorities and we are committed to bringing electricity back as quickly and safely as possible,” said Brent Kirves “Hurricane Milton left behind catastrophic damage the worst our service territories have experienced so please be prepared to be without power for several days,” he said “There are widespread reports of downed trees we cannot provide an estimated time of restoration at this moment,” Kirves said At 4:45 p.m. Thursday, the cooperative's outage map still said all 584 of its Polk County customers were without power Polk County has announced the following shelters are now closed: Milton fatality reported and water rescues ongoingThe Polk County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed one death related to Hurricane Milton in a traffic accident in the southern half of the county Further details will be available once next of kin have been contacted A Ledger reporter observed ongoing airboat rescues by the Sheriff’s Office at the Melody Acres mobile home park on New Tampa Highway near Galloway Road Facebook posts also reported additional water rescues at the Twin Palms mobile home park another community on New Tampa Highway where residents ages 55 and over live Sheriff’s Office public information officer Meghan Petty confirmed the agency had PCSO PUSH teams in the area and was working with Polk County Fire Rescue The deployment is capable of water rescues and had taken a high-water truck with them public information officer for Polk County government it’s important that you remain indoors and avoid any unnecessary travel,”   The county has been assessing impacts from Milton and has begun the recovery process “Polk County is assessing the roadways and county for safety hazards,” he said “You can help your fellow Polk County residents by staying off the roads We will keep you informed as conditions improve and recovery efforts begin.”  37% of Polk County was without electricity,” Foley said “Hundreds of people are working to restore power.”  Peace River in Bartow risingAccording to Bartow Mayor Trish Pfeiffer the Peace River water level was at 8.1 feet after Milton passed on Thursday morning City crews will continue to monitor the water levels in the river several times a day The river is anticipated to rise to 9 feet by Friday and 9.6 feet by Sunday the National Weather Service predicted the river would reach 10.1 feet by Sunday which is considered major flood stage and a foot away from its record high The NWS now shows the highest water level at SR 60 in Bartow will reach 9.8 by 8 p.m That level stays below a major flood level but could still result in moderate flooding Major flooding starts at 10 feet in Bartow There was some flooding along Tee Circle and in the Peace River Mobile Home Park but the water had receded before noon Friday which serves 534 customers in the northwestern corner of Polk showed 100% of those customers were dark Thursday morning Roads blocked by trees or waterThe Polk County Sheriff's Office sent a news release shortly before 1 a.m listing several roads it said were flooded or blocked by trees or power lines Facing an emergency during Milton? Here are some Polk County emergency contacts to keep close the storm was still sending hurricane gusts throughout the county and the Sheriff's Office said it couldn't send units to clear the hazards until conditions calmed down It was unclear whether any of the streets were cleared at 6 a.m It said the following intersections have confirmed flooding Wednesday's recap: See important notes on closures in Polk County, other news from Wednesday The following intersections had power lines down The Sheriff's Office said to avoid all downed power lines Highway 630 and East Walk in Water Road (Frostproof)Cherry Lane and Dunn Road (Lakeland)Hillside Drive and Phillips Street (Mulberry)Gordon Street (Mulberry)Kokomo Road and 5400 (Haines City)Crest Lane (Highlands City)French Avenue North (Fort Meade)Georgia Avenue (Highlands City)The following intersections have partial or total blockages of travel lanes because of trees asked all residents to stay off the roads except in emergencies Customers had posted on social media this week a notice posted at the store that it would be closing soon for a remodel Many speculated that it might be converting to the Aldi format "We can confirm the Winn-Dixie located at 6902 South Florida Ave will be closed for renovations in late-July," the Aldi media relations department said Friday in response to a request from The Ledger "The store will reopen to the community as an ALDI over the next several months we continue to proudly serve the residents in the Lakeland area at our other nearby stores We thank our customers for their years of loyalty at this location and look forward to seeing them soon as a new ALDI."  Aldi said at the time the acquisition was announced that it would convert "a significant amount" of Winn-Dixie and Harvey's stores to its Aldi brand a meaningful amount of Winn-Dixie stores will continue to operate under their respective banners," it said during the day of the announcement and as of the time of the closing in March it still had not released a comprehensive list of conversions the media department hinted that more former Southeastern Grocers stores in Polk County would be converted "Associates at this location have the opportunity to be the first to apply to newly converted ALDI stores," the company said ALDI is committed to doing its best to minimize the impact and provide support and opportunities to associates at converting stores including the option to remain with Winn-Dixie and transfer to a neighboring store there are six other Winn-Dixie supermarkets in Polk County: There are also three Harvey's supermarkets: Publix: Lake Miriam store is scheduled to close this summer for demolition and remodel The acquisition gives Aldi 19 stores in Polk County. By comparison, Publix has at least 30 stores in Polk Its GreenWise market on South Florida Avenue was recently converted to a traditional store That's in addition to the company's headquarters in Lakeland and multiple production and warehouse facilities In March, Aldi announced plans to add 800 stores nationwide by the end of 2028 through a combination of new openings and store conversions The five-year expansion plan is focused on bringing "even more Florida communities quality EVACUATION ZONES: How to find out if you're in an evacuation zone Evacuations are taking place across the Tampa Bay area as Hurricane Milton heads toward Florida’s west coast Hillsborough has issued a mandatory evacuation order for zones A and B and for all mobile homes and manufactured housing throughout the county starting at 2:30 p.m The special-needs shelters are only for residents with medical issues that require electricity assistance or who have cognitive issues that would not be supported in a general population shelter Pinellas has issued evacuation orders for health care facilities in zones A assisted living facilities and hospitals in those zones 25 nursing homes and 44 assisted living facilities The county is encouraging voluntary evacuation for residents in Zone A B and C and mobile homes in advance of possible mandatory orders Monday Sarasota County is calling for evacuations of zones A as well as all those living in manufactured communities or a mobile or boat home Manatee has called for evacuations of zones A and B — and all residents or visitors in RVs or mobile Homes Pasco has ordered mandatory evacuations for everyone in zones A,B and C as well as those who live in manufactured or mobile homes or RVs and anyone who is in a low lying area prone to flooding The county is opening hurricane shelters ahead of Milton The following shelters will open Monday at noon: Hernando is issuing mandatory evacuations starting Tuesday at 8 a.m Residents should seek safe shelter by Wednesday at noon All residents living in coastal and low-lying areas Shelters should be utilized as a last resort Residents are advised to seek shelter with family or friends that reside in a safe structure pet-friendly public shelter will open Tuesday at 8 a.m The following public shelters will be open at noon on Tuesday across Polk County: Florida's west coast, where Hurricane Milton roared ashore Wednesday night, prepared for the worst and was spared some of the predicted catastrophic storm surge But the storm tore through the rest of the state on its way to the Atlantic driving winds that toppled trees and pushed heavy rains inland and toward the east coast In central and eastern Florida, Milton triggered tornadoes that officials believe killed several people Milton's winds also toppled trees that killed people in their homes but still dealt with power outages and some blocked roads which includes Ocala about 100 miles northeast of Tampa Bay officials said Thursday there were downed powerlines "A lot of prayers were answered," said Richard McKendrick and his family were cleaning up debris around their property on Thursday their 14-year-old son and a cat named Juno hunkered down overnight but didn't see much damage when they drove around the neighborhood Thursday morning aside from some fallen tree branches and missing roof shingles This could've been a lot worse," McKendrick told USA TODAY The power went on and off throughout the night he said Milton wasn't as bad as some previous hurricanes despite some strong wind gusts that hit around 1:30 a.m He was prepared for the worst but said the scariest part of the hurricane was the unknown There were downed trees, damaged houses and flooded roads throughout Polk County, which includes Lakeland. One person died in a traffic accident related to the storm, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said. The Lakeland Ledger reported airboat rescues were performed at the Melody Acres mobile home park While the state's western coast bore the brunt of Hurricane Milton, the storm also left inland counties like Polk a soggy, wind-battered and dark mess The center of the storm worked its way through the heart of Polk County Wednesday and sent wind gusts nearly 100 miles per hour whipping through the area the county’s emergency management director The storm also dumped more than a foot of rain on the county big section of our county that is basically underwater,” said Womble who arrived at the emergency operations center at 5 a.m the Polk County Sheriff's Office said units couldn’t clear hazards but Womble said officials encouraged anyone living in mobile homes RVs and areas that typically flood to seek shelter elsewhere rode out the storm in the county’s 20 emergency shelters but they’ve already begun leaving rapidly Thursday As officials began to assess the damage, nearly half of the area’s electric customers remained without power Thursday, according to a statewide power outage tracker from USA TODAY Network-Florida Womble said search-and-rescue operations are one of the primary focuses of recovery efforts Thursday and officials are also working to restore power and cell service And in Lake County, flooding from Milton caused nearly 2 million gallons of sewage water to spill out of a wastewater treatment plant in Leesburg Floodwaters caused a backup generator power to short out Roads have been washed out by flooding and blocked by trees and in some areas wind conditions are still too dangerous for crews to restore power to the more that 100,000 customers experiencing outages Public schools will be closed the rest of the week Police Chief Terry Holland said Thursday that some roads in his city are blocked with fallen trees Dunnellon Mayor Walter Green said power outages affected most city residents since Wednesday evening A tree fell on a home and a woman was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries A suspected tornado that blew through Cocoa Beach in Brevard County destroyed several homes and buildings The roof blew off a Wells Fargo and a Supercuts was destroyed A hotel in Grant flooded and had to be evacuated Streets from Satellite Beach to Rockledge were flooded In St. Lucie, Nancy Larson and her grandson drove Thursday morning to see how their area looked after the hurricane When she arrived at Lakewood Park Church in Fort Pierce The church she's been attending for more than a year The church is just down the road from Spanish Lakes Country Club Village where four people were killed when a tornado A large section of the sanctuary roof was ripped off several large trees were uprooted and thrown around the property including one that was lodged in the windshield of a Lexus that had been left in the parking lot "It's devastating," Larson told Treasure Coast Newspapers Contributing from the USA TODAY Network: Blake Fontenay Treasure Coast Newspapers; Jim Ross and Austin L Florida Today; the Lakeland Ledger; Julie Garisto Get your quarters ready. Your local Winn-Dixie might be hanging an Aldi sign soon following an acquisition by the Germany-based company The company expects to convert about 50 of its new stores by the end of the year The newly converted stores will be smaller — Aldi grocery stores are generally about half the size of the average Winn-Dixie or Publix supermarket — and stocked with "only the items customers need" for "a quick easy shopping experience with great products at the lowest possible prices," Aldi said these locations have either started conversions or are suspected to begin social media posts and signs spotted at some locations Few of them have been confirmed by Aldi and this should not be considered an official list Not all Winn-Dixies will become Aldis"We intend that a meaningful amount of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets will continue to operate under their current banners," Aldi said mirroring what CEO Jason Hart said in a release nearly a year ago Winn-Dixie employees in the Tallahassee store who asked not to be named have said that conversions are only for those areas without an existing Aldi (The Tallahassee Winn-Dixie is staying a Winn-Dixie Most of the new store locations are likely to be in the rest of the country with nearly 330 planned for the Northeast and Midwest and more stores in Southern California But buying Southeastern Grocers gave them a huge jump in the South with about 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket locations in Alabama William Milton Davis and his sons opened several grocery stores in Miami in the 1920s and began buying and absorbing other stores they acquired hundreds of other stores and chains including the Winn & Lovett chain in the 1930s and the 117-store Dixie Home chain in the 1950s They rebranded as Winn-Dixie and became widespread all over Florida and the South Winn-Dixie kept expanding until the company ran into financial problems that forced it to close 120 stores in 2004 and file for bankruptcy in 2005 Winn-Dixie was bought by Bi-Lo Holdings for $530 million The new company became Southeastern Grocers which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018 to reorganize The company also embarked on a plan to upgrade all of its locations "Over 70% of Winn-Dixie locations have been refreshed with the rest on the way by 2024," the Winn-Dixie website says Winn-Dixie Stores is headquartered in Jacksonville Aldi is an international chain of no-frills grocery stores with no coupons and few if any big-name brand products You pay a quarter to get a shopping cart (you get it back when you return it) and you bag your own groceries with empty boxes from the store bags you bought there or containers from home the population of the United States) to get the same low prices they offer anyway The Aldi chain was founded by Karl and Theo Albrecht in 1946 (Aldi is an abbreviated form of "Albrecht Diskont") After the brothers got into an argument over whether the stores should sell cigarettes in 1960 they split the company into Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd which both operate stores internationally in different regions including the new Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores Since the 1920s, Winn-Dixie has been known as "The Beef People," although they have used multiple slogans in recent years with "It's a Winn Win Winn-Dixe vs. Aldi: Some Florida Winn-Dixie stores are converting to Aldi stores. 10 ways they'll be different a much smaller selection with few duplicates of item brands The goal of all of these is to keep prices low It remains to be seen what Aldi will do with the substantially larger space that will come with a Winn-Dixie or a Harveys store at each location. According to the Jacksonville Daily Record a permit under review for a local Harveys conversion shows plans to convert a 46,189-square-foot space into a 21,839-square-foot Aldi store (This story was updated with new information.) 2022) – When the Orlando Health Lakeland Highlands Hospital opens in 2026 That’s more than double the originally announced opening bed count of 136 beds Orlando Health determined that it can best meet the healthcare needs of the Lakeland and greater Polk County communities by opening a hospital with more inpatient capacity than we originally announced,” said Jamal Hakim “As one of the state’s fastest growing communities Orlando Health recognizes that it needs to accelerate its delivery of high-quality outcomes-based healthcare to these communities We are excited about our revised plan and its many benefits for the community.” the hospital will also feature nearly 30 ICU/progressive care rooms 16 patient rooms to support a women’s birthing program shelled space for a future neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) a 48-bed emergency department and additional medical and support services including imaging “Located at the southeast corner where the Polk Parkway meets Lakeland Highlands Road the Orlando Health Lakeland Highlands Hospital will be a stunning 7-story facility set on an attractive senior vice president of asset strategy for Orlando Health “Our goal is to always provide convenient access to the healthcare services so greatly needed by the community on a campus our patients and visitors can easily navigate and use.” not-for-profit healthcare organization with $8 billion of assets under management that serves the southeastern United States While Hurricane Debby didn't pack much wind for Polk County The storm, which hit the Florida Gulf Coast near Steinhatchee on Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane was making its way through Georgia on Tuesday and expected to dump more than 20 inches on Atlantic cities like Savannah and Charleston several parts of Polk County were experiencing various levels of flooding Just how much rain fell throughout the county As predicted the west side of Polk took the brunt and rain numbers got lower heading east Here are numbers measured by weather stations throughout Polk County used by the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay All measurements came between midnight and 1 a.m recalled greeting a woman who showed up at what was then called Highland Park Church asking for an employee with whom she had been communicating Rodgers eventually realized that the visitor had been talking to an employee of a Highland Park Church in another state The story illustrates one of various reasons that church leaders decided on a name change for one of Lakeland’s most prominent congregations Highland Park Church became Church for the One plans to open a second location soon on the north side of town Lead Pastor Kevin Jack said it would have been geographically confusing to use the “Highland Park” name for the new site It will not be the first name change for the church founded in 1953 as Florida Heights Nazarene Church at a location off South Florida Avenue After moving to its current site on Lakeland Highlands Road the congregation adopted the name Highland Park Church of the Nazarene in 1987 While the prepositional object in the new name Jack said the name reflects the congregation’s philosophy having been a guest preacher there for a few years he launched a six-month “vision process” to clarify the congregation’s values resulting in a four-paragraph vision statement The declaration describes the church as “obsessed with the one,” meaning it seeks to reach “those who are doubting we say we're a church that's about the one,” Jack said “And we are proud of the fact that we are a church – like Jack said church leaders also wanted a name that would be unique for Google searches which occupies about 31 acres straddling Lakeland Highlands Road is certainly not the first long-established church in Lakeland to rebrand itself one of the largest congregations in Polk County Church for the One remains part of the Church of the Nazarene, a Protestant evangelical denomination headquartered in Kansas. The denomination, which emerged from Methodism in the late 1800s has more than 30,000 congregations across the globe The church plans to begin holding Sunday services in the fall at Sleepy Hill Elementary School and 130 people have committed to attending that site Church leaders plan eventually to purchase a site for a permanent building in North Lakeland That is only the beginning of the church’s aspirations of growth “We do plan on expanding into other locations “Some of that information is kind of more under the radar for our congregation we have plans in place already in other states and other venues.” 'We're here to stay': Lakeland's Grace City Church will build new campus on 50-acre site The name change followed a redefinition of the church we wanted a vision that would compel and repel — that some people would say ‘That's absolutely what I want to give my life to,’” Jack said no interest.’ And so that happened as part of it The exciting thing is the response to the name has been overwhelmingly positive within the congregation itself because it is true to our identity and everyone understands that.” Jack acknowledges that some congregants departed in response to the new vision but he said overall attendance has risen dramatically Sunday services drew about 1,100 people two years ago and now attract about 2,400 Jack wore a black T-shirt over matching pants on a recent morning at the church office He said congregants are welcome to dress casually and services feature a praise band employing electric instruments to serve up energetic But Jack said his church follows the example of Jesus in embracing a muscular and demanding form of faith The vision statement includes the sentence “A lot of churches that try to create an environment for people who don't know God Aiming for diversityChurch for the One holds three Sunday services — 9 a.m. That contrasts with some churches that hold traditional and contemporary services Rodgers said that services have become more diverse “I'm watching a lot more of the older congregants become more willing to change their — many of them but many are embracing the idea that we can create a shared worship space where we could have a 19-year-old worshiping side by side with a 70-year-old,” she said The involvement of younger congregants was apparent on a recent morning as a group of college-aged volunteers gathered at a table in one room of the church offices “Everything that I've seen Kevin do as our leader and as a boss he is respectfully known for showing all his cards as he's making a decision,” Rodgers said He does a really good job at bringing a variety of voices into rooms where decisions are made.” who headed the children’s ministry for years and now supervises systems and operations noted that her 19-year-old daughter recently participated in a meeting to which she was not even invited A small sign posted on the wall of a conference room bore the message “Obsessed with the 3571,” with the final digit circled Jack explained that Polk County contains 357,100 people who claim no religious affiliation and his church has set a goal of baptizing 1% of them — or 3,571 — by the year 2030 Baptisms have become the rule during services at Church for the One and those going into the water range from young children to seniors “We started doing baptisms every single week and now we've seen 65 straight weeks of someone getting baptized “So this has been a really cool thing that's happened within the community as part of that.” He added: “I don't know of that happening anywhere Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13 LAKELAND — Orlando Health is officially moving forward on the construction of its Lakeland Highlands Hospital located on 80 acres south of the Polk Parkway at Lakeland Highlands Road and the Winter Lake Extension Road construction on the South Lakeland facility is slated to begin in late spring 2022 for an expected hospital opening date in fall 2024.  "With the extraordinary growth we see in Lakeland and Polk County the need for this hospital is clear and we are so excited that Orlando Health is here to help meet this need," Orlando Health CEO Dr Jamal Hakim said in the press release.  'They work so hard': Even best efforts can't always prevent COVID-19 deaths 'The toll that it's taking': COVID-19 skepticism compounds fatigue for hospital nurses New medical center: GuideWell opens medical office in Winter Haven, paired with an insurance office Orlando Health purchased the land for the hospital from Edward Holloway in November 2020 for an undisclosed amount.  The new hospital will have 136 inpatient beds and 24 Emergency Department beds Approved plans pave the way for more than double that amount of beds as well as a 20,000 square foot ambulatory surgical center 240,000 square feet of medical office space 20,000 square feet of retail space and a 150-room hotel Orlando Health has not yet announced plans on how to facilitate that eventual growth.  Opinion: Healthcare providers deserve respect and admiration, not hostility Lakeland Highlands Hospital "will provide a broad range of healthcare services," including emergency and inpatient care diagnostic services and access to Orlando Health's primary and specialty care providers Orlando Health entered into a short-lived merger agreement with Lakeland Regional Health in 2017 that dissolved a year later when the two health care providers were unable to reach an agreement regarding handling key functions This new hospital will be within approximately five miles of the 100 acres owned by Lakeland Regional Health off U.S which is marked for a future expansion of its services It will also be near Bartow Regional Medical Center Matt Taylor, Orlando Health's vice president of asset management, told The Ledger in January 2020 that the organization was excited about extending its network to care for Lakeland and Polk County "Serving Polk County has been part of our long-term growth plan for years," Taylor said Orlando Health is a nonprofit organization founded more than 100 years ago The network currently has 16 medical operations with 3,100 beds serving as a variety of facilities rehabilitation centers and wound care centers.   Maya Lora can be reached with tips or questions at mlora@gannett.com LAKELAND — Orlando Health announced plans Tuesday to build a second facility in Lakeland because of the city's rapid population growth The health system, which is building a larger medical center off Lakeland Highlands Road just south of the Polk Parkway in South Lakeland says it will construct a freestanding emergency room at Lakeland Park Center The 20,800-square-foot facility will have 24 exam rooms with an ambulance bay "Lakeland has experienced strong population growth over the last few decades,” said Matt Taylor Orlando Health's senior vice present of asset strategy the demand for accessible and high-quality health care continues to grow in this area Orlando Health is pleased to expand its presence and maintain its commitment to delivering exceptional care for the communities we serve." According to Becker's Hospital Review, a medical trade industry magazine, Lakeland Regional Health has the second busiest emergency room in the nation This is the third freestanding emergency room planned north of I-4 in a little over a year The three proposed facilities are all located within approximately 2.7 miles of each over Lakeland Regional Health received approval from Lakeland commissioners to add a freestanding hybrid emergency department and urgent care center to its Kathleen Campus HCA Healthcare received approval to build a 11,570-square-foot freestanding emergency department off the northeast corner of Carpenters Way and U.S. Highway 98. The healthcare provider plans to demolish the former bank building and construct a new facility including ambulance bays Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545 2020) -|The City of Lakeland will be milling and then resurfacing Lakeland Highlands Road from the Polk Parkway to Glendale Street starting Monday There will be lane closures during the project Motorists traveling on Lakeland Highlands in the impacted area should expect delays during the project The road resurfacing project is expected to take one week to complete The first step of the project is milling when the top coat of asphalt is scraped off to the roadbed Paving is expected to start around December 10th when the milling is complete The impacted area will be clearly marked with signage and there will be flaggers to assist with vehicular traffic lane closures The City of Lakeland was incorporated in January 1885 and has grown to become one of the largest inland communities in Florida With a current population of over 100,000 It has been designated a Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area by the US Census Bureau for over 30 years With tourist attractions and gulf beaches only an hour away Lakeland continues to capitalize on its ideal central Florida location along the I-4 corridor The City owns and operates Lakeland Electric the third-largest publicly owned utility in Florida and it was one of the first to offer power in the Sunshine State over 110 years ago For additional information about the City of Lakeland, please explore LakelandGov.net.Citizens are also invited to follow the City on social media.  Our Website will be reviewed and tested on an ongoing basis utilizing assistive technologies by users who have knowledge of and depend on the performance of these technologies LAKELAND — A new Arby's is headed to the Lakeland Highlands Road Sam's Club shopping center The new Arby's will be the third restaurant option in the area joining Wendy's and Mellow Mushroom across the street in the Lakeland Marketplace shopping mall in front of Lowe's The restaurant will also be located near a self-storage facility in front of the future Veteran's Affairs clinic.  Previously: Maya Lora: Six potential fast food restaurants heading to Lakeland, including Culver’s 'I know my worth': Local business owner builds legacy at SB&B Seafood Bar and Grille Mosaic Red Hat Group had to conduct a traffic study that incorporated traffic counts from the Veteran's Affairs clinic and the upcoming Orlando Health facility ahead of Tuesday's meeting.  To mitigate any potential traffic concerns stemming from growth in the corridor the developer will have to install a three-way stop at the Meadowland Park Boulevard and Sam's Club West driveway intersection.  At the intersection of Lakeland Highlands Road and Meadowland Park Boulevard north or coming out of the self-storage facility will have to stop at the stop sign drivers coming from Lakeland Highlands Road won't have to stop said Lakeland Transportation and Development Review Manager Chuck Barmby.  Growth: Initial green light given to 244 apartments near Lake Miriam Square Shopping Center "Our issues here weren't necessarily concurrency related but it was more operational related," Barmby said "It's a very typical type of configuration that you find in a retail environment — feel comfortable that that would work here."  The applicant's Director of Construction Justin Polk told board members at their January meeting that traffic shouldn't be a concern because Arby's generates lower numbers than other popular fast food restaurants.  But as a person that designed McDonald's for 20 years we're not near what the volume they do," Polk said "We average about 300 transactions a day and only open 13 hours of business The drive-thru lane for the Arby's has been designed so the speaker and pick-up window are located away from Lakeland Highlands Road The parcel that will host the Arby's is a part of the overall Sam's Club Planned Unit Development (PUD) Fast-food restaurants are a prohibited use for that PUD said Lakeland Senior Planner Todd Vargo.  "You may look at Lakeland Highlands Road and just say I can't believe we prohibit very high turn-over restaurants there it's got a lot of traffic on it,'" Vargo said.  Expanding her business: Lakeland cupcake shop grows from a mall table to storefront, has ambitious future plans Vargo said the city widened Lakeland Highlands Road to four lanes in the mid-2000s followed by a similar county widening project on the road to the south The widening led to development along the corridor changing the landscape of Lakeland Highlands and making fast food restaurants a more appropriate use.  Vargas told board members that a concept plan for another fast food restaurant on the parcel south of the future Arby's went before the city's development review team last week.  Chief Planner Matt Lyons told The Ledger that the applicant has been "very secretive" about what fast food provider may slide into that spot.  Lakeland's veterans clinic will begin moving into its new building off Lakeland Highlands Road next month chief medical officer of the Lakeland VA Clinic gave a presentation on the new site to Lakeland Economic Development Council members on Tuesday afternoon Osting said staff will move into the new facility at 2080 Meadowland Park Blvd. The new Lakeland VA Administration building will consolidate the area's primary care and mental health facilities into an approximately 120,000-square-foot building It's about five times larger than their current South Pipkin Road facility "It's a sardine can," Osting said about the current site Department of Veterans Affairs awarded a contract on Jan doing business as The Molasky Group of Cos It was designed by Tennessee-based Gresham Smith before a groundbreaking was held in April 2021 The new building will have about 100,000 square feet of usable space and its construction cost will end up about $57 million The larger building will allow for hiring of additional medical professionals and expansion of locally available health care services for veterans Osting said she anticipates the clinic's current staff of 133 employees to nearly double to 235 to help serve approximately 12,000 patients that visit the Lakeland clinic each year with two floater physicians to provide additional coverage The clinic will also expand its mental health department to 10 psychologists and nine psychiatrists The new site will allow the VA clinic to bring in several new departments hiring one ophthalmologist and two optometrists to conduct eye exams It will also offer an optics shop to provide eyeglasses Veterans who currently travel to Riverview or Tampa clinics for physical therapy may be able to receive onsite treatment at the new clinic which will have its own physical therapy and prosthetics departments not just for amputees but anything you can strap to the body," she said Osting said the Lakeland clinic will offer audiology home oxygen services and a dispensing pharmacy to provide medications for veterans It will expand its medical lab diagnostic services from ultrasounds and X-ray services to include CT scans and MRIs though samples will still be shuttled to Tampa for processing so there will be no immediate results Osting said the Lakeland VA clinic will not offer walk-in urgent care or emergency room services which has been a point of confusion at other locations The Lakeland VA clinic does work with contracted providers including Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center and Winter Haven Hospital locally covering up to three eligible urgent care or emergency room visits per year under the VA Mission Act The clinic will also have a home-based primary care service for veterans who are homebound and need medical services brought to them "We're incredibly excited about having this facility," LEDC President Steve Scruggs said Near Carillon Lakes: Lakeland finds source of foul odor in city's southwest. Now cleanup begins Scruggs said veteran-run businesses can be great employers to have within the Lakeland community but it's hard to attract them to come and live in the area without nearby medical facilities high-wage infrastructure project for Lakeland," he said "Maybe that's stretching it for some of you Osting said she has seen an explosion of economic growth and development near the New Port Richey clinic and she's already anticipating the clinic's opening to have the same affect in Lakeland A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new VA clinic is scheduled for July 26 LAKELAND — The new Lakeland veterans' clinic is officially on its way Lakeland Highland Road In a press release last week, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that the Government Services Administration had awarded a contract to PH LLC to construct the new Lakeland clinic. PH LLC is "doing business as Molasky Group of Cos. Inc., based in Las Vegas," according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal.  Haley Veterans' Hospital and Clinics.  the new clinic will be located close to 3550 Lakeland Highland Road but the address has not yet been finalized.   chairman of the Polk County Veterans Council said that's roughly five times bigger than the clinic currently in use at South Pipkin Road And he added that it's sorely needed.  It's just taken forever to get it," Clark said "The population of veterans in Polk County has never been well-served."  The clinic was approved in 2017. The lot near Sam's Club was one of three locations considered in addition to a location on Kathleen Road near I-4 and one off the Polk Parkway near Florida Polytechnic University Clark said the South Pipkin clinic is severely overwhelmed with patients which is why he's disappointed the new clinic won't start taking patients until 2024 The existing clinic currently serves 23,000 veterans Clark said the lag in getting the clinic open stems from a larger federal attitude "There's an arrogance there and they really don't give a damn about veterans," Clark said.  Rodriguz said the hospital is considering ways to deal with overcrowding before the new clinic opens we're working on a decompression plan that would allow us a little more breathing room as we continue to provide care for these veterans." Did you know?: Gasoline prices in Florida soar. Here's a look at the Lakeland-Winter Haven metro area And: HUD awards $2.3 million to four nonprofits operating homeless programs in Polk County Rodriguez said they're looking for space outside of the clinic to see more patients as the new clinic is built.  he said he is particularly excited for Lake Wales veterans who can now drive to Lakeland for care rather than traveling all the way to Tampa.  the new clinic will "consolidate and expand the VA's current Lakeland leases which include primary care and mental health clinics."  mental health and radiology will be expanded And prosthetics and an eye clinic will be new services added at the facility.  Maya Lora can best be reached with tips or questions at mlora@gannett.com or 863-802-7558 The mission of Polk County Public Schools is to provide a high-quality education for all students from 5 PM – 9 PM for "Noah’s Ark" Spirit Night hosted by Lakeland Ice Cream Company (SOUTH) Please mention "NOAH'S ARK" for "SPIRIT NIGHT" at the checkout counter; Noah’s Ark will receive 10% of the proceeds and we look forward to seeing you and your families come together for a fun-filled social event Learn More LAKELAND —  Orlando Health has plans to significantly increase the size of its future Lakeland Highlands Hospital to keep pace with the region's fast-growing population.  Orlando Health announced Thursday that its new facility will have 302 inpatient bed, more than double the 136 beds originally proposed in November 2021 It plans to increase the size of the hospital's Emergency Department from 24 to 48 beds.  Lakeland Regional Health opening South Florida Avenue facility to increase emergency care Denied: Polk planning board rejects zoning change for HCA hospital in South Lakeland “Following additional review, Orlando Health determined that it can best meet the healthcare needs of the Lakeland and greater Polk County communities by opening a hospital with more inpatient capacity than we originally announced,” said Jamal Hakim chief operating officer of Orlando Health in a press statement. “As one of the state’s fastest growing communities, Orlando Health recognizes that it needs to accelerate its delivery of high-quality outcomes-based healthcare to these communities." Polk is the fastest-growing county in Florida, according to the latest U.S and the seventh fastest growing county in the nation the county population grew by more than 24,000 people to 753,320.  Orlando Health is constructing a seven-story facility on roughly 80 acres of undeveloped land in southeast Lakeland The facility will be south of the Polk Parkway immediately east of Lakeland Highlands Road.  'Next great step': Lakeland Regional Health unveils its new behavioral health center. Take a tour The hospital will have 16 patient rooms to serve as a women's birthing program and a designated space for a future neonatal intensive care unit Orlando Health plans to offer medical imaging “Our goal is to always provide convenient access to the healthcare services so greatly needed by the community on a campus our patients and visitors can easily navigate and use," said Matt Taylor Orlando Health's senior vice president of asset strategy The not-for-profit healthcare provider previously received the city's approval to construct and operate facility with up to 360 beds.  The hospital is tentatively slated for a summer 2026 opening the hospital lies within five miles of the 100-acre parcel purchased by Lakeland Regional Health off U.S 98 and County Road 540A for its future expansion LRH has not announced any specific plans for the land.  Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545 LAKELAND | Students and faculty at Lakeland Highlands Middle School were reeling Friday following news of a student suicide on Wednesday Lakeland Highlands Principal Donna Drisdom said the death of 12-year-old Alexander Gonzalez sent shockwaves through her 1,300 student population and spurred the Polk County School District to send several grief counselors to the school to speak with students one-on-one While it remained unclear to school officials what reasons lay at the root of the suicide several of Gonzalez' classmates took to Facebook to memorialize him A handful used the social networking website to speak out against school bullying and vowed to wear black on Friday to honor his memory "We don't know what caused it," said Drisdom "I have had my deans double-check everything he never made a complaint about bullying." Polk County authorities Wednesday were called to Gonzalez' home at Ron Circle in North Lakeland at about 8:30 p.m they found firefighters performing CPR on the boy told deputies she had scolded her son earlier and then sent him to shower and go to his room while she prepared dinner he didn't come out of his room," said Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Carrie Eleazer Thompson found her son hanging in his closet The Medical Examiner's Officer later ruled the death a suicide Eleazer said there were no signs Gonzalez left behind a suicide note Attempts to reach Thompson were unsuccessful At Lakeland Highlands Middle School on Friday Drisdom said she could see sadness set plainly in the eyes of her students as they walked through the school halls She said she's meeting with students by grade level to talk about the death and how to move forward They've never witnessed the death of a friend They're hinging on every word that they've ever said." Some students made small ribbons to express their distress many more have asked about an opportunity to attend a memorial service should Thompson allow them "School is not just a place where you learn the concepts of math and science … you learn about life," Drisdom said and how do we respond to that loss is the most important thing Polk County Schools defines bullying as the systematic or chronic infliction of physical or psychological hurt on a person School policy strictly prohibits all forms of bullying Students updated Facebook throughout the morning sharing thoughtful comments about Gonzalez in addition to making inquiries about the funeral service [ Chase Purdy can be reached at chase.purdy@theledger.com or 863-802-7516