A Lakeland man has died days after a severe motorcycle crash on South Florida Avenue Neel Patel, 28, died of injuries suffered on April 26 when he crashed while driving a motorcycle along the 4100 block of South Florida Avenue Lakeland Police officers responded to a report of a vehicle accident involving a motorcycle about 11:20 p.m Officers determined a gray Ford driven by 21-year-old Travis Maxwell of Lakeland was exiting the Bowlero at 4111 S As the Ford attempted to turn onto the roadway an unidentified vehicle in front of the Ford made a sudden U-turn causing Maxwell to bring the vehicle to a sudden stop At the same time, a Yamaha motorcycle driven south by Patel collided with the Ford's rear driver door and fender firefighters and Polk County Fire Rescue units responded and began life-saving measures Patel was taken to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center with life-threatening injuries The roadway was shut down for approximately four hours while the scene was processed The police department's investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about the crash is encouraged to contact Officer Camilo Almeida at camilo.almeida@lakelandgov.net 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 (This story was revised to make a clarification on pediatric physicians.) Lakeland Regional Health is preparing to open the doors to its first freestanding emergency department next week "The goal and vision is to provide emergency care for the community here in South Lakeland," said Dr LRH's medical director of emergency medicine "South Florida Avenue has gotten a little cumbersome to get up to the hospital on and access for that portion of the community." built at South Florida Avenue and County Road 540A will operate 24/7 and has capacity for 20 beds The number of available patient beds can be increased Lakeland Regional Health chose to build a number of advanced-care facilities Blind said arriving patients will have full access to diagnostic imaging The freestanding emergency department has a fully functional laboratory on site This allows physicians to run a full blood workup with a fully trained lab technician where Blind said many freestanding emergency rooms or departments utilize simpler point-of-care lab testing that is not as a thorough but they are not great in accuracy," he said Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center's staff will take turns rotating through providing care at the freestanding emergency department "We'll be able to handle anything you feel you need emergency care for same as if you went to the emergency department" he said The site is equipped with advanced airway tools including fiber optics typically only found in the operating room This will allow physicians to immediately assist anyone who may have breathing difficulty There's one exception: Blind said the freestanding emergency department is not best equipped to handle severe trauma patients such as those seriously injured from a gunshot wound Blind said Lakeland Regional will have a dedicated ambulance on site 24/7 to allow the emergency physicians to stabilize the patient then transfer them to the hospital for more extensive treatment Blind said the largest distinguishing factor is that patients who arrive at the South Lakeland site who need more intensive hospitalization can rest assured they will be transferred to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center rather than another healthcare provider's Tampa- or Orlando-based hospital "The problem there is continuity of care afterward," Blind said Individuals who visit other freestanding emergency rooms or departments may be transferred to the healthcare provider's main hospital in Tampa or Orlando if requiring intensive treatment follow-up appointments with specialists are also scheduled with doctors in Tampa or Orlando "A lot of our population has a difficult time traveling and hour hour-and-a-half for a follow-up appointment," he said AdventHealth: Lakeland approves plans for 400-bed hospital off Harden Boulevard despite traffic concerns Blind said the physicians treating individuals at the freestanding site will be the same who treat at the larger facility in North Lakeland It will also have emergency physicians specializing in pediatric care on site Lakeland residents are invited to attend an open house on Saturday from 10 a.m "It’s much needed for people on south side of Lakeland to have that level of care and continuity of car to see physicians they want to see and not travel out to Lakeland to do it," Dr A 67-year-old woman was struck and killed by a vehicle when attempted to cross South Florida Avenue in Lakeland on Saturday Lakeland Police are searching for the driver of a 2018-2022 Range Rover Sport who they think fatally struck a woman crossing South Florida Avenue early Saturday morning Lakeland police responded to a call of hit-and-run at 12:02 a.m Saturday near the 700 block of South Florida Avenue had been attempting to cross west over South Florida Avenue near Palmetto Street when she was fatally struck by an oncoming vehicle traveling south Polk County Fire Rescue and the Lakeland police and fire departments responded Brown was taken to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center thought to be a 2018-2022 Range Rover Sport Edition 2 continued traveling south on South Florida Avenue after the crash LPD's Traffic Homicide Unit responded to the scene of the crash and began an investigation South Florida Avenue was closed for approximately four and a half hours as the scene was processed Fatal Bartow crash: 24-year-old mother dies after crashing into tractor-trailer. 2-year-old survives Police are seeking any information related to the vehicle involved. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Officer Camilo Almeida at camilo.almedia@lakelandgov.net or Heartland Crime Stoppers All tips made to Heartland Crime Stoppers remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward if information provided leads to an arrest Four ways to contact Heartland Crime Stoppers is: as Hooters suddenly closed its South Lakeland location on Sunday Current employees and former staff took to social media to share the news "Like many restaurants under pressure from current market conditions Hooters has made the difficult decision to close a select number of underperforming stores including the Hooters of Lakeland located at 3437 South Florida Ave " We deeply regret that we were not able to give you notice Please trust we did everything we could to avoid closing this location and the decision was not made lightly We appreciate your hard work and dedication and support of the Hooters brand." The Ledger has reached out to Hooters for comment regarding the South Lakeland closure and in attempt to verify the letter shared via social media Its contents are similar to the media statement shared with Nation's Restaurant News The South Florida Avenue location has already been removed from the Hooters website and its Facebook page deactivated as of Monday Hooters is a sports bar started by six Clearwater investors in 1983 Many Lakeland locals recall the South Florida Avenue restaurant as being the chain's second location opening in 1984 From food truck to storefront: Lakeland couple find their niche in crafted beef jerky The Lakeland Fire Department responded to a fire at the Imperial Swan Hotel according to LFD spokeswoman Stephanie Lewis Firefighters arrived to find the hotel's alarm system sounding and automated sprinkler system had been activated A room on the second floor had heavy smoke coming from it and hotel guests were in process of evacuating The cause of the fire is under investigation by a state fire marshal Because the fire sprinklers were activated Lewis said firefighters had to cut the water main to the building and leave the hotel without a water supply Residents of the hotel are being asked to gather their belongings and seek other lodging It's just safe enough to have a roof to keep our head under," said Mariah Brooks was among many living at the hotel since Hurricane Milton through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Transitional Sheltering Assistance program "The fire alarms have been pulled at least once a week since November," said Heidi Evans Several hotel guests said they didn't believe the fire was real given the number of false alarms in recent weeks Pizza Connection: After popular downtown Auburndale pizzeria burns, community rallies behind owners "I almost didn't get up this time," said Anna Steidham of Lakeland "I finally looked out the door and saw smoke down the hallway Imperial Swan Hotel has numerous fire code violations prior to Friday morning's fire Documents obtained from the Lakeland Fire Department list the hotel's violations as of Jan Lewis said it's standard procedure for the city to allow hotels and businesses to operate with existing fire code violations Security cameras: LDDA looks to add more downtown, saying they've helped Lakeland police solve crimes "It's not an immediate shutdown," she said "If it's something we think is going to be a life-safety concern then obviously that's going to get shutdown." The Ledger has attempted to reach the owner or manager of Imperial Swan Hotel without immediate success to answer questions about the code violations Displaced families unsure where to find shelterSeveral individuals taking shelter at the Imperial Swan were families who lost their homes during Hurricane Milton and were renting rooms under FEMA's Transitional Housing Assistance Evans of Tampa said that by the time she was approved for assistance on Oct 13 it was one of the few TSA-approved hotels that allowed pets with available rooms "They don't pick up the garbage," she said She said there was pet excrement "everywhere." Several residents said their individual rooms had visible mold and met resistance asking for basic supplies such as fresh wash cloths or additional toilet paper several residents stood out on the sidewalk still not granted permission to access their rooms to retrieve belongings Brooks said her family evacuated quickly during the fire but many housed there by FEMA's assistance said they were told they were not eligible for immediate aid Hurricane Milton refugees who contacted FEMA were told to visit the agency's website to find another TSA partner with available rooms Steidham said she wasn't having any success "I've tried calling around to find another place to go and there ain't any rooms," she said Brooks said she had paid the hotel for two nights and was not have success getting her money back to go elsewhere With her Lakeland home destroyed by Milton she was not sure where her family is sleeping tonight and what gave me a little bit of hope was thinking FEMA would put me and my kids in a good place for a temporary home," she said Lakeland officials are ready to forge ahead with finishing South Florida Avenue in hopes of getting rid of the Dixieland road diet's "ugly" concrete bunkers once and for all City commissioners will vote Monday on whether to enter negotiations with a top-ranked Bartow firm to design the final look of South Florida Avenue from Ariana Street north to Lime Street "The city has agreed to fund and manage the design phase for this Florida Department of Transportation project to reduce total project costs and expedite the construction," City Manager Shawn Sherrouse said The city put out a request for qualifications in August seeking those capable of designing the South Florida Avenue corridor It was viewed by more than 1,200 vendors and the city received five responses from companies interested in taking on the project The respondents were ranked by a selection committee and the commission's vote will determine whether the rankings are approved "We were very pleased with the responses we received," Ryan Lazenby "All of these firms are nationally recognized firms with a presence in Polk County or the City of Lakeland Commissioners previously decided they would like South Florida Avenue to have three 11-foot-wide lanes two travel lanes with a center left-turn lane The city would like to see 11.5-foot sidewalks on each side of the roadway city staff will enter negotiations with Patel Greene & Associates to do the engineering and design work for South Florida Avenue's final configuration staff will move on to the second-place bidder The city is moving forward with designing the roadway despite not having struck a financial agreement yet with the FDOT In March, commissioners learned the state expected the city to find the funds to complete South Florida Avenue's reconstruction despite it being part of the state highway system Nandam said the road diet was a "community centric" project meaning it was done at the request of Lakeland residents Lazenby said he hoped to have an agreement by the end of July 2024-25 budget: Lakeland officials' contentious debate tax rates leads in a new direction Lazenby told commissioners he has reviewed a drafted agreement along with Sherrouse and the city's Community and Economic Development department and financial offices He anticipates having a final agreement in hand by Oct The proposed financial agreement outlines that Lakeland will pay for "special items," Lazenby said The FDOT would be expected to pay for the roadway's physical construction and any required traffic devices along with any change orders that could increase the total cost of the project If all goes well, Lazenby said construction could be ready to begin in the fall 2026 ― more than nine years after the study was approved. 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 "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." 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 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.” The hospital will offer obstetric services 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 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 Lakeland police have arrested a man they say is responsible for the death of a 67-year-old woman crossing South Florida Avenue in November Daniel Kovacs was arrested around 1:45 p.m Wednesday and faces felony charges of leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death and tampering with physical evidence Lakeland police did not immediately provide an age or hometown for Kovacs On Nov. 22, police responded to reports of a hit-and-run in the 700 block of South Florida Avenue. Robin Brown was fatally struck while crossing the road near Palmetto Street by a vehicle traveling south detectives determined the vehicle was either a silver or gray Range Rover an employee of The Lakeland Body Shop Collision Repair told an officer that there was a vehicle dropped off for repairs that matched the description It was a 2022 silver Range Rover registered to Kovacs Lakeland investigators examined the car and found evidence of the crash The vehicle had been recently washed and attempts had been made to fix the damage with tape Detectives gathered video surveillance and other evidence that showed Kovacs spent a few hours in a downtown Lakeland restaurant enjoying alcoholic drinks with Miguel Rodriguez The videos show Kovacs left the downtown area with Rodriguez as his passenger in the Range Rover just prior to the crash at 12:02 a.m Video showed the Range Rover hitting Brown and leaving the scene without rendering any aid "This certainly is a heartbreaking case in which we are grateful for the cooperation of many Lakeland businesses who provided the evidence needed to ensure justice was served for Robin Brown," Chief Sam Taylor said in the release "Our investigators have poured many dedicated hours of their time into this case to ensure that as well Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Ms The case remains an active and ongoing investigation AdventHealth is the latest healthcare provider looking to build a major medical facility in South Lakeland Lakeland commissioners will hold the first hearing for a request to change existing development plans to allow for a hospital retail-commercial space and multi-family housing at 3838 Harden Blvd The undeveloped property is south of the Polk Parkway on the east side of Harden Boulevard AdventHealth is interested in building a hospital with a maximum size of 720,000 square feet on roughly 98 acres at the northwest corner of the property according to documents submitted to the city It would be limited to a maximum height of 135 feet Lakeland's business development and transportation manager The healthcare provider seeks approval to include features such as a helipad for medical transportation and a free-standing emergency department It proposes to build an adjacent medical office building up to 200,000 square feet There would also be a rehabilitation facility structured parking and its own central energy plant on site The Ledger reached out to AdventHealth to discuss the proposal on Friday but did not receive an immediate response seeks zoning changes that would allow for up to 192,500 square feet of retail-commercial use The owner has requested residential medium zoning to the immediate east of the hospital which would allow up to 250 multifamily apartments to be built Lakeland city staff and the Planning Board have both recommended the proposed plans be approved by the commission it would eliminate prior developer entitlements to build either a hotel and restaurant or two hotels containing up to 225 rooms Hospital plans raise traffic concernsResidents have expressed concerns that the plans for a hospital could impact traffic on Harden Boulevard "This gives me great pause from a traffic management standpoint," Commissioner Sara Roberts McCarley said at Friday's agenda study "This is giving me a little bit of heartburn." McCarley said from her personal experience traveling south on Harden Boulevard traffic can become tight and congested as it approaches the Polk Parkway There are also multi-family developments under construction on South Parkway Frontage Road it's already really congested to get to Harden Boulevard then bang (turn) north or south at various times of the day," she said Barmby said about 80% of the traffic was anticipated based on Drummond's prior plans for the Oakbridge Development of Regional Impact the city outlined an extensive list of traffic mitigation requirements in the DRI and Barmby said many of these conditions have been completed These included improvements to Harden Boulevard the realignment of the Pipkin Road intersection and more Drummond Company has already paid more than $110,000 toward improvements to Harden Boulevard to help mitigate the proposed traffic impacts of its development based the 2018 plans These plans had already included 180 multifamily units 220 single-family homes and about 550,000 square feet of retail space Another big traffic mitigation requirement: The developer will be expected to dedicate land for the South Wabash Extension The South Wabash Extension would connect at Harden Boulevard at Beaker Road The city would also expect the developer to provide land for a future Beacon Road extension possibly serving more as a utility corridor and trail we need to work hand-in-hand with all our partners and make sure we are doing it right," McCarley said "I want to make sure we are doing it well." Commissioner Guy LaLonde said that he has similar concerns to McCarley and while he's not against the proposed project he has traffic concerns on Harden Boulevard "There will be a lot of additional strain there," he said "It's my hope we do due diligence as we approach this." The 'wild' factorResidents voiced concerns at the city's July 16 Planning and Zoning Board meetings that there are wild hogs in the area already being pushed into neighboring residential areas and causing property damage "The developer has taken those comments and will be looking to address it," Barmby said City commissioners questioned whether the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission may need to get involved in addressing the wild hogs An 80-year-old woman died Tuesday after a car crash on South Florida Avenue a little north of Shepherd Road that appeared to be have been caused by a medical episode The Toyota crashed into the front passenger side of a 2014 Toyota that was attempting to turn left over the southbound lanes to enter a business plaza there The woman's vehicle then crossed the grass shoulder of the road into the parking lot of the Pop-Shelf store hitting a parked and unoccupied car before coming to a stop Lake Wales: Police say business hit with Molotov cocktails, 'Civil War Trump' message There were no signs of evasive measures or braking by the Corolla, according to the Sheriff's Office as declared dead at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center Contrary to online rumors, PCSO spokeswoman Carrie Horstman said there were no pedestrians involved in the accident 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 In an email Monday, Jamin Smith, with Lakeland's communications department said the city estimates it will pick up 200,000 cubic yards of debris — including yard waste construction and demolition debris — when all is said and done The city expects to have its first pass completed by mid-December "with the largest logs and stumps being the final items collected Polk County didn't have an estimate but as of Tuesday morning it reported collecting 190,000 cubic yards of vegetative debris already It did not list a total for construction and demolition debris the county said it intended to have all Hurricane Milton debris removed by Nov Where is the focus?A Polk County heat map displaying the status of pickup on Tuesday showed high volumes of debris scattered throughout the county The densest areas of collection appeared to be in the areas east of Lakeland and into the Winter Haven area But high volumes were also picked up around the outskirts of Lakeland 'It's going take a while': Army Corps says it could take 25-30 days to lower flooded Lake Bonny There was also heavy pickup activity in the Fort Meade and Frostproof areas the city offered a snapshot of its pickup status across its many sectors 'He lost everything': 2 weeks after Milton, recovery is harsh on Lakeland's Pineville Lane Are pickup crews encountering common problems?According to Smith some pickups have been delayed by residents failing to separate debris by type Lakeland require debris to be separated into three piles: construction debris Residents should keep these three piles separate from their regularly collected garbage carts recycling carts and bagged or containerized small yard waste Polk County asks that debris be separated into five categories: vegetative debris (unbagged leaves 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 county offers locations for residents who wish to drop off their debris Where to call with questionsPolk County says debris haulers will sweep the entire county so residents do not have to call and report or request service residents may call the Residential Hurricane Milton Debris Hotline at 833-843-1920 with questions Staff can let callers know where debris haulers are currently working and explain the debris removal process Gone are the truck shows featuring lifted and extended pickups as well as fight nights on the wall-to-wall big screen TVs The Lakeland WingHouse Bar and Grill on South Florida Avenue has closed, just a few months after the South Lakeland Hooters also abruptly closed on a Sunday in June But while South Lakeland has lost two of the main competitors in the dining industry's "Breastaurant" segment Twin Peaks just a half-mile north of Lakeland's remaining Hooters restaurant No one answered the phone at the WingHouse on Thursday State records show Yannick Bastien is in charge of ARC WingHouse LLC 'A lot of upward mobility': Former servers at Hooters say it helped them launch careers But it remains unclear why the Lakeland location in the Alamo Plaza closed a news release about ARC Group Inc’s acquisition of WingHouse gave a positive impression of the organization behind the casual sports-themed restaurant while touting its storied history “WingHouse Bar & Grill first opened its doors over 25 years ago in Largo where the concept to blend the spirit and camaraderie of sports with the casual atmosphere of a full-service restaurant was brought to life by NFL alum The release said WingHouse had grown to 24 locations across Florida by 2018 which was based in Jacksonville but may have moved A media report in 2019 said ARC had paid $18 million to buy the WingHouse Bar & Grill restaurant concept from Tampa-based Soaring Wings LLC If ARC Group was thinking of converting the WingHouse to a Tilted Kilt a check with Lakeland's building department could not confirm this as no building permits have been issued for the address in Alamo Plaza A phone call message left with the plaza's management company was not immediately returned "Our restaurants are known for their fan-friendly atmosphere where people go to watch the big game socialize with friends – AND the World Famous WingHouse Girls who serve them With un-matched levels of attentive hospitality and contagious energy the WingHouse Girls are an extension of the party and our biggest brand ambassadors."  the ones that aren'tThe new Twin Peaks location in North Lakeland boasts 50 big-screen TVs and 29-degree beer A report in May noted Twin Peaks had opened three new restaurants in the first quarter of 2024 and had six more under construction including the one that opened in Lakeland on Sept also confidentially filed to take the Twin Peaks brand public this year Murphy at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida there are several factors contributing to the closures of older brands in this restaurant market segment He called Hooters and WingHouse “aging brands," founded in Florida in 1983 and 1994 “It is common for older brands to close underperforming stores because of changing market conditions "In the macro environment restaurants operate in today the conditions over the past four years with 20% inflation has caused labor cost to shoot up “All this has placed much greater operational pressure on individual units and squeezed profit margins," he said "This has accelerated the rate of closure for underperforming stores which closed hundreds of stores that were underperforming Although Red Lobster has a whole other set of circumstances that factor into play."  grew to be the largest seafood chain in the world with more than 700 restaurants After a bankruptcy filing and sale this year the chain will continue with about 540 restaurants The locations in Lakeland and Winter Haven survived the wave of closings When the White Lake Lakeland football team lost tailback Bo Bishop to an ACL injury in July that should've been catastrophic for assistant Steven Nicles' offense which thrives on having multiple dynamic athletes in the backfield The junior has been the perfect complement to dual-threat quarterback Carter Travis and speedster Trevor Tschudin who entered 2024 as arguably the best running back in the Lakes Valley Conference While Broome doesn't have the speed that Tschudin and Bishop rely on he is a hard-nosed runner capable of fighting for extra yards on each carry And that was on display in Friday's 28-21 comeback win at South Lyon He finished with 12 rushes for 78 yards and two TDs and was the one who truly ignited the comeback 5-1) score 28 unanswered points to spoil the Lions' homecoming "We did not take a step backward when we lost Bo," fourth-year coach Jim Calhoun said We didn't have to take anything out of the offense because he was ready to go The Eagles couldn't have asked for a worse start 3-3) a two-score advantage early in the second quarter Skylar McGlinch threw a slant pass to Rocko Arciero who took the quick-hitter 62 yards for the game's first touchdown Travis threw an interception to Owen McRoberts which set up Landon Fredericks for a 24-yard TD run and gave the Lions a 13-0 lead The next series saw him account for 33 yards as they marched down the field and got on the scoreboard following a 1-yard TD plunge from the junior the rest of the Eagles were running with the same relentlessness that he showed on that key drive That was evident during Lakeland's final series of the first half Its offense faced fourth and 1 from the 43-yard line but Travis churned out a first down on a tough 20-yard gain which set up the Eagles for a go-ahead touchdown moments later as Travis tossed a 23-yard TD to Tschudin over the middle with 27 seconds left in the half "It's really good having Sam back there," said Tschudin, a senior who's also a state qualifier as a sprinter on the track and field team "If we didn't have Bo and Sam hadn't stepped up it would've just been me and our quarterback and that'd be very difficult because everyone would just man on us and it'd be very hard for us to run the ball Broome kept fighting for yards in the second half including scoring from 15 yards out in the third quarter Tschudin iced the win by scoring on a 15-yard reverse play to open the fourth "We were really upset that Bo injured himself in the preseason decided to become a dog and run hard," added Tschudin who finished with 13 carries for 89 yards and caught four passes for 61 yards One person can't hit him and take him down who finished with 20 rushes for 69 yards and was 6 of 10 passing for 90 yards McGlinch tossed a 26-yard TD to Brayden Kneiper and the ensuing two-point attempt to Arciero to make it 28-21 with 8:40 left but the Eagles relied on their running game to eat some clock That included Broome gutting out a 15-yard run in the waning moments for a first down that allowed Travis to kneel out the remaining time "I've just stayed focus and have kept doing my job knowing my plays and always knowing every position so I can go into the game whenever my team needs me," Broome said Broome likely has his older brothers to thank for that attitude They're the ones who got him into football 11 years ago and he's grown up watching them play for the Eagles So he knows just how important it is for Lakeland to have several offensive playmakers and the other two brothers probably made Sam earn his licks growing up because that's what you see out of Sam," Calhoun said Broome's enjoyed watching some of the past playmakers come through the program whether that's been Michigan State University baseball player Tate Farquhar playing QB or Cornell University linebacker Nolin Thompson helping at fullback in recent history or older stars such as Robbie Tracy (2019 graduate) and Dakota Myers (2020) run the ball "So that (inspires me) to just keep playing hard I just want to do whatever I can to help the team because this happened during my freshman year I was just thinking I need to do my job and help them as best as I can so that when he comes back we can all ball out together."  he should return in time for baseball (the junior is an equally talented outfielder and lefthanded pitcher one the Eagles have relied on over the years) But Broome hasn't taken his opportunity for granted which should make Lakeland a tough team to slow down when the postseason begins in two weeks Brandon Folsom covers high school sports in metro Detroit for Hometown Life. Follow him on Twitter at @folsombrandonj looks to return to state championship glory and the Rockets will be led by quarterback Bekkam Kritza Lakeland may have the best high school football program in Florida The Dreadnaughts are led by junior linebacker Malik Morris Expect Kritza and Morris to get well acquainted in this one Stay with SBLive for live updates, big play highlights and analysis throughout the Lakeland vs. Miami Central game Central kicks off to two-time defending state championsh Lakeland Lakeland is down inside the Central 20-yard line with 8:41 remaining in the first quarter FIELD GOAL: Lakeland has a fourth-and-10 from the 11-yard line Dreadnaughts go up 3-0 on a 27-yard field goal by No Central gets its first possession and fouling a penalty will start at its own 11-yard line Lakeland forces Central to punt on fourth-and-15 from its own 12-yard line and there is a flag on the return After a huge run up the middle by Jadarius Dobie Lakeland is in Central territory at the 49-yard line with 3:11 left in the first quarter Lakeland punts leading 3-0 with 25 seconds left in the first quarter TOUCHDOWN: Central goes up 6-3 after a huge 56-yard touchdown pass from Bekkem Kritza to Nae'Shauun Montgomery Lakeland is forced to punt but Central coughs up the ball after a vicous hit Lakeland recovers the fumble get a first-and-10 after a quick timeout Lakeland is threating at the Central 7-yard line with 7 minutes left in the second quater FIELD GOAL: Lakeland knots the game 6-6 with a 26-yard field goal by Calum Muldoon with 5:25 left in the first half Lakeland is down to the Central 12-yard line with 2:00 left in the first half It's a very physical game wtih four personal fouls in the first half Lakeland goes up 9-6 with 12 seconds left in the first half on a 25-yard field goal by Calum Muldoon Central calls a timeout with 3 seconds left in the half That's the end of the first half with Lakeland leading 9-6 The third quarter is underway with the Central getting the ball at their own 20 Central picks up a parir of first downs and is out to their own 41 with 9:57 remaining LIGHTNING DELAY: Play is suspended with 8:47 left in the third quarter Central was driving down to the 44 when play was suspended Lakeland has scored its nine points on three first-half field goals by Calum Muldoon PLAY RESUMES: Lakeland and Central retake the field after the lightning delay has concluded Central calls a timeout on a fourth-and-1 from the 34-yard line with 6:25 remaining in the third quarter Lakeland's defense holds and the Dreadnaughts will take over on downs at the 35 Lakeland is foreced to punt and Central takes over on their own 35-yard line with 4:55 left in the third quarter Central fumbled and then recovered on a wild hot-potato exchange There was also a facemask flag on the play Kritza hooks up with Montgomery on a big first down pass but there was a flag on the play against Central The penalty backed Central up to its own 48 Central is forced to punt and Lakeland blocks the punt The Dreadnaughts will take over at the Central 38 Lakeland sets up at the Central 34 and Zander Smith hits Shannard Clower with a huge pass down to the 4-yard TOUCHDOWN: Lakeland scored on 2-yard run by Malik Morris The Dreadnaughts are called for an unsportsmanlike conduct in the end zone but Calum Muldoon boots the PAT and Lakeland leads 16-6 with 10:15 left in the game Central starts at its own 23-yard line trailing 16-6 Central punts and Lakeland will take over at their own 35 leading 16-6 with 8:58 left The Dreadnaughts are forced to punt and Central downs it and will begin their own drive at the 30 with 7:12 left in the game Central quarterback Bekkem Kritza hits Nae'Shaun Montgomery with a 25-yard pass to the Lakeland 20-yard line Central picks up a safety and narrows the Lakeland lead to 16-8 with 3:10 remaining in the game Central crosses midfield and is now down to the Lakeland 48 with 2:45 left in the game Bekkem Kritza hits Nae'Shaun Montgomery with a pass down to the 36 the Lakeland defense holds on the 26-yard line and Central calls timeout Bekkem Kritz's pass is batted down at the line of scrimmage and Lakeland takes over on downs at their own 26 leading 16-8 with 1:27 left in the game takes a knee and runs the clock out to win 16-8 © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Two people visiting from Massachusetts were struck and killed while crossing a street in Lakeland Wednesday night just a few feet away from their 7-year-old daughter Police said Rexyanna Honors, 22, of Lakeland, was driving a Toyota Yaris through a green light on South Florida Ave. just before 11 p.m. when she crossed the intersection of Imperial Blvd. as Ronald Jeanbaptiste, 54, and Yanique Pierre, 46, both of Everett, Massachusetts, attempted to cross the street, according to a Lakeland Police Department release The couple's daughter was nearby but was not hurt in the crash Despite the response from emergency crews from the city and Polk County Jeanbaptiste and Pierre were pronounced dead on the scene The child has been placed in the care of family members Honors was driving southbound on South Florida Ave and had a green light at the intersection according to preliminary evidence and witness statements eastbound in the crosswalk at approximately 10:49 p.m. and were both struck by the front of the car Honors remained on the scene and did not exhibit any "obvious indications of impairment," police said No charges have been filed and no citations have been issued although it remains an open and active investigation Anyone with information regarding the crash is asked to contact Traffic Crash Investigator Officer Travis Payne at travis.payne@lakelandgov.net The incident occurred at 3437 South Florida Avenue in Lakeland — A 67-year-old woman is dead after police say she was killed in a hit-and-run crash Saturday around midnight in Lakeland The Lakeland Police Department (LPD) said in a news release that at around 12:02 a.m was trying to cross South Florida Avenue in a westbound direction from Palmetto Avenue That's when Brown was hit by a vehicle heading south on South Florida Avenue After the driver hit Brown with his vehicle they continued to drive away from the area and the Lakeland Fire Department arrived at the scene to help save Brown's life He was taken to Lakeland Regional Health but later died due to her injuries police said the suspect vehicle involved in the hit-and-run crash is believed to be a 2018-2022 Range Rover 2 that is possibly gray or silver in color Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact LPD or Heartland Crime Stoppers Florida and I feel like that's part of where the system failed" Henry Betsey Jr. is facing charges for marrying three Florida women in three different counties at the same time. Now saying the system that handles marriage licenses kept them in the dark Latest Polk County News from ABC Action News Report a typo Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More WEDNESDAY AM UPDATE:  Alfredo Casanova turned himself in at the Polk County Jail early Wednesday according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office He faces felony burglary and grand theft charges — Two black swans that were stolen from a Lakeland home last week are back The Polk County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday that the swans named "Luna" and "Sturling," were reported missing last week and that they were taken from a home in the Highland Village neighborhood Detectives got a tip that led them to Miami-Dade County The birds and their eggs are now back in Lakeland Deputies have issued arrest warrants for two people Anyone with information about them can call 863-534-7205 or email tips@polksheriff.org WFLA The goal is to provide life-saving care to more Polk County residents by building closer to where they live 'Criminal Minds: Evolution' cast | Daytime (Full Episode 5/7/25) Derrame de diésel tras volcadura de camión obliga cierre total en la I-75 al sur en Brooksville; autoridades trabajan en limpieza Pinellas commission reviews final plan for $800 million in hurricane aid A Polk County man was sentenced to life in prison for a double murder in 2020 It will be warm and a bit muggy Tuesday morning with temperatures in the upper 60s to mid 70s across the Bay Area It stays sunny along the coast with inland showers this afternoon and evening as highs warm to around 90 degrees TampaHoy.com es la división en español de WFLA - News Channel 8 On Your Side ofreciendo las noticias más importantes de la Bahía de Tampa Encuentra información actualizada sobre sucesos además de ser la casa oficial de los Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mantente informado con lo que sucede en tu comunidad cars were lining a portion of Harbor Drive S Indian Rocks Beach heard a loud boom followed by a pink plume of smoke Lee Hughes was arrested Thursday and has since been fired from Pinellas Preparatory Academy Tampa Fire Rescue said crews were battling a fire at a mechanic shop and scrap yard facility on West Osborne Avenue Monday evening AdventHealth has announced that its land use application with the City of Lakeland proposing a new hospital at 3838 Harden Blvd was recently unanimously recommended for approval by the City’s zoning board and discussed by the City Commission at the first reading of the entitlement ordinances The last entitlement step is a final public hearing and final approval by the City Commission at its meeting Sept regional CEO of the AdventHealth West Florida Division the vision for the 218-acre site includes a full-service hospital with the potential to expand up to 400 beds as the health care needs of Polk County grow The proposal also features a free-standing emergency department a medical office building and designated areas for future residential and commercial development “A key element of our design is the incorporation of a significant conservation area This protected land will remain undeveloped preserving a peaceful environment for our neighbors,” Wandersleben says AdventHealth has served the Polk County community since 2019 beginning with the acquisition of AdventHealth Heart of Florida in Davenport the opening of the AdventHealth Winter Haven ER which will eventually expand into a full-service hospital “Our goal is to create new jobs and better access to high-quality whole-person care throughout Polk County,” says Wandersleben “We deeply value our ongoing partnership with the City of Lakeland and look forward to continuing to collaborate with the City as AdventHealth completes the entitlement process and begins the development of the Emergency Department and medical campus to serve the residents of Lakeland and west Polk County.” Central Florida Media Group56 Fourth Street NW FL 33881(863) 248-7537info@centralfloridamediagroup.com Privacy Policy Copyright © 2025 Central Florida Health News 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 Lakeland officials are aware the South Florida Avenue "road diet," or realignment is quickly becoming the area's equivalent of the I-4 eyesore Love it or hate it, Dixieland residents have repeatedly complained about the roadway's coffin-shaped concrete bunkers. These once "temporary" curbs put in to constrain the once five-land roadway down to three-lanes were promised for a a year-long pilot that's now stretched on for nearly four years with no clear end in sight "Where I get more complaints than anywhere is Dixieland the road diet – either do it or don’t do it Forget about it or get it done," Commissioner Bill Read said Lakeland officials will be meeting with Florida Department of Transportation staff and jointly with Lakeland Chamber of Commerce at 1:30 p.m Monday in Lakeland Electric's conference room to discuss the future of South Florida Avenue The meeting is open to the public to attend "We have to show some things people can see I understand why people are frustrated —there's a standstill and we’re not sure who pays for what," Commissioner Chad McLeod said How do we move this ahead faster than we have been able to do so far." In June 2022, city staff were informed the FDOT's funding to finish transforming South Florida Avenue into a full streetscape with widened sidewalks or bicycle lanes could be five years out FDOT staff time was needed to compile public feedback on the South Florida Avenue's changes and the state's analysis The city's consultant, Ayres Associates, presented 10 possible final designs for the full redesign of South Florida Avenue based on whether there was a center median versus central turning lane Lakeland commissioners recommended to FDOT they were in favor of South Florida Avenue having three lanes one travel lane each direction with a central turning lane and extended sidewalks measuring 11 to 12 feet on each side  This decision kicked started the project's design phase where Lakeland and the state will work to create plans for the final look and feel of the one-mile stretch of South Florida Avenue Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545 2024) | The City of Lakeland Wastewater Division will repair a broken sewer connection in the 1800 Block of South Florida Avenue The work will begin Sunday evening on March 31 Wastewater Crews will work through the night to make the repair and expect to have the roadway open for vehicular traffic by Monday morning The roadway will be closed again that evening at 7 p.m Crews are scheduled to have the entire job completed for normal traffic flows by Tuesday morning the two southbound travel lanes of South Florida Avenue will merge into one lane and shift into the center turn lane The two northbound travel lanes will remain open The project is being done during evening hours to least impact vehicular traffic    Kevin CookDirector of CommunicationsCity of Lakeland863.834.6264Kevin.Cook@LakelandGov.net 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 Lakeland continues to grow 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 115 years ago For additional information about the City of Lakeland, please visit www.lakelandgov.net Citizens are also invited to follow the City on Facebook Citizens can find the City of Lakeland on these social media platforms by searching lakelandgov 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 Fla — Drivers in Lakeland are voicing frustrations about South Florida Avenue but it could be several years before they see any changes Drivers in the area describe the road as frustrating and messy We spoke to the owner of Levys Imperial Tire Shop She said they have a front-row seat to the chaos South Florida Avenue is causing “The ones that have to replace their tires are not happy I just had one complain how long it took him to get here,” Gloria Harrison said She explained many drivers hit their tires on the concrete barriers that are on the side of the road They come into her tire shop to get them fixed That is one of the main frustrations we heard from drivers in the area and they hit it and bust a tire,” Harrison said The Florida Department of Transportation said those concrete barriers were supposed to be temporary “It was a temporary solution to try out the reduced lane structure and to give the city an opportunity to decide what they wanted to roadway to look like Four years later many drivers are wondering It could be another few years before we see any changes implemented on this road “This project is not going as smoothly or as quickly as anybody would like dot and the city are talking on a continual basis,” Pichette said The City of Lakeland and FDOT are working together on this project The city said the concrete barriers will be replaced with wider sidewalks and bike paths They will begin the design phase in the fall and hope to start construction by 2027 Lakeland drivers should expect to keep navigating Dixieland's "ugly" concrete bunkers for at least another three years Lakeland officials learned Monday that the state expects the city to find the funds necessary to complete South Florida Avenue's redesign better known as the "road diet," according to a Florida Department of Transportation official District One Secretary L.K. Nandam said the road's narrowing from five lanes to three was a "community centric" project — done at the request of Lakeland residents. "Whether we misunderstood in the beginning .. that this was a community endeavor that really wouldn't have any funding programmed for a decade I don't know if anyone would have said yes," Commissioner Stephanie Madden said "I feel like our citizens are frustrated because they thought it was a year-long test then we could remove the barricade to go back to how it was before it's really only temporary till we are funded to go to whatever we design In December 2022, the City Commission voted 4 to 1 to recommend to FDOT that the mile-long corridor be left as three lanes one travel lane each direction with a central turn lane and extended sidewalks measuring 11 to 12 feet on each side design work was anticipated to take 12 to 18 months Nandam said he understood the city was now ready to start the design work to convert South Florida Avenue to its final configuration said the final design is a minimum 18 to 24 months out as engineers are discovering "extremely old" infrastructure underneath the street "The problem is we really haven't done anything for 24 months That's really the problem," Mayor Bill Mutz said "While everyone was feeling like things were progressing the city needs to determine who will do what between the city and the state Then the parties should determine what the scope of the project is what the cost will be and what the financial partnership will look like That last part will require the city to reach a memorandum of understanding in which a funding agreement between the city FDOT and any potential funding partners is clearly laid out The FDOT has set aside $1.5 million this budget year and next year toward South Florida Avenue's reconstruction with a larger sum of $6 million budgeted in 2026-27 The roughly $9 million in funding from the FDOT is not anticipated to be anywhere near enough to completely redesign the Dixieland corridor The cost of asphalt alone has increased by about 50% in recent years because of inflation we know the project will cost more than what we included in the project's budget," he said "What we need from the city is what kind of investment can you bring toward construction." Nandam pointed out that the reconstruction of the Interstate 4 interchange at State Road 33 starts later this year He suggested the city could take its roughly $3 million commitment to the interchange and reallocate it to South Florida Avenue But Lazenby said there are restrictions on those funds including that part of the money came from the city's Northern District impact fees The South Florida Avenue segment falls within the city's Southern District for impact fee allotment Lakeland was encouraged to look for potential funding partners who might be interested in seeing the road's redesign hastened The city could also choose to fund the project upfront and attempt to work out a reimbursement agreement with FDOT "It requires creative thinking as partners between the two agencies and the community," Nandam said "A partnership will be critical for us to enhance this project." It will not be possible for Lakeland to seek federal money to help refurbish the Dixieland corridor He said using even $1 on the project would require it meet a more complex set of federal highway and roadway standards Lazenby said Lakeland should have a better idea of the project's total costs as design and engineering work advances The FDOT should be able to work with the city on a funding agreement while the design work is underway Restaurant inspections: 10 Polk food vendors failed to meet standards and two had 13 violations each. See why We're not sure where we are going to get the money," Commissioner Bill Read said "Everyone out here is experiencing everything we are Florida Avenue is being inundated with traffic people are shooting off into smaller roads and we're having to get speed bumps on every street Read asked whether it was possible for the city to remove the concrete barriers The FDOT would allow the concrete barriers to be removed but it was always understood that would be at the city's cost South Florida Avenue would not be allowed to return to five lanes the roadway could be made four 10-foot lanes across The state would be willing to restripe the roadway What is the vision for the surrounding area," he asked Lakeland's planning and transportation manager said he felt there's been significant progress in the South Florida Avenue since December 2022 Barmby said Belvedere Street had been restored to its original brick there were improvements on Hillcrest Street and speed bumps on Missouri Avenue to slow down crossing traffic from either direction Barmby said the city continues to discuss improvements to U.S an important arterial road that could help alleviate traffic on South Florida Avenue he said construction of South Florida Avenue would have to be delayed at this point given a number of major road construction projects getting underway in Lakeland "It will take time with South Florida Avenue," he said "We are probably looking at a few years before permanent three-lane configuration is done because of the complexity of the corridor There need to be other routes to handle traffic."That puts the earliest date for the state of reconstruction in approximately 2027 'Witnesses heard some sputtering': Pilot dies in ultralight aircraft crash in MulberryLakeland LedgerA 76-year-old man died Tuesday near Mulberry in the crash of an experimental airplane at the South Lakeland Airstrip shortly after takeoff The small airplane hit the ground near the end of a grass runway at 10:38 a.m according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd The runway is adjacent to homes along Coronet Road where the airplane could be seen with its fuselage covered It lay in such a position that its wings were on the ground and its tail up in the air “He taxied down to the northwest end of the airstrip and he began to take off," Judd said at an afternoon news conference from the site the wing dropped and he crashed directly into the ground.” who could be seen beyond the yellow tape around a perimeter encircling the wreckage The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration were expected to respond to the crash scene by Tuesday night to conduct an official investigation Winter Haven crash in 2023: Polk State College creates scholarship to honor student, graduate killed in plane crash The airplane was new and had gained a certificate of airworthiness in October “We were told he was a pilot and has flown ultralights for 10 years The new airplane came as a kit that needed some assembly Judd said Canning had only just started to fly the plane on Saturday and the fatal flight was its third flight “I don’t know if the engine quit on him or if he was doing a crow hop.” He described the crow hop as a short flight to an altitude of about 100 to 200 feet to test a new plane before attempting longer flights Beyer estimated the crashed plane was moving between 35 to 50 miles per hour He said a strong headwind might have been a factor during a turn the aircraft attempted before it dropped to the ground Canning had been was working on the experimental aircraft in a nearby hangar since the weekend The airfield does not have a control tower and pilots rely on sight to navigate takeoffs and landings along its runway Many of the residents near the strip park their airplanes in oversized garages and taxi across the roads to get to the grass runway LAKELAND — Lakeland commissioners aren't thrilled with the South Florida Avenue "road diet" as the pilot study comes to an end The unanswered question is what comes next Florida Department of Transportation has finished its extended data collection on the roughly mile-long stretch of South Florida Avenue from Lime Street to Ariana Street that was reduced from five lanes to three Traffic experts are still analyzing the results but city officials are already forming opinions I hate it," Commissioner Stephanie Madden said last week Dixieland data: FDOT says South Florida Avenue is safer with the 'road diet.' Numbers don't add up One year ago: Accidents up, travel delayed in early stages of Dixieland road diet What's Downtown West anyway?: Lakeland wants a vision for 3 fast-changing areas The trial period was slated to run for a year FDOT extended the study into 2022 at the request of city commissioners last summer Commissioners expressed concerns COVID might have reduced the number of vehicles on the road 'We were concerned about making a decision too quickly," Barmby said "We wanted to get through this peak season to see on South Florida Avenue what travel looked like." FDOT officials estimated that COVID had reduced the number of vehicles traveling along the Dixieland corridor by 5% to 10% during the first five months of the trial The state agency anticipates holding a public forum in April to allow Lakeland residents to give their feedback on the road diet according to FDOT spokeswoman Tricia Pichette An exact date or location has yet to be determined residents' comments will be combined with the agency's traffic data analysis into a report for the city The commission will then be asked to draft and approve a recommendation for the state roadway's future to be sent up to FDOT Commissioner Chad McLeod has asked for one vital piece of information What are the alternatives?" he said at the city's Strategic Planning Retreat last week "That's an important part of the decision-making process." South Florida Avenue reverting back to its five-lane configuration is not likely FDOT and Lakeland officials agree that South Florida Avenue's previous layout is far from ideal: two travel lanes going north two lanes going south and a center turning lane "The road as it existed before was not acceptable," Barmby said "It doesn’t mean the road diet is the permanent solution." The Dixieland corridor measured about 46 feet from curb to curb This often resulted in sideswipes between vehicles particularly the larger mirrors of box trucks and vehicles passing dangerously close to pedestrians on the sidewalk there were a number of cars that crashed into businesses the Oates Building were hit and sustained damage "It doesn't conform to any of the current design standards," Pichette said FDOT told Lakeland residents the concrete curb extensions installed on both sides of South Florida Avenue could be later removed if the road diet was not approved it's not the preferable thing to do," FDOT head spokesman Andy Orell told The Ledger "We don't like building things then knocking it down."  The road diet pilot cost approximately $1.7 million to construct over a period of about six months It was paid for by the FDOT and the Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency Barmby said there would still be the cost to resurface South Florida Avenue The original road diet plans call for the lane reconfiguration to be extended further north from Lime to Pine Street Orell said the FDOT does not have any alternative plans drafted for South Florida Avenue The City of Lakeland's Public Works Department drafted a number of possible alternative solutions to modify South Florida Avenue back in 2002-03 Many of them were rejected at the time but could be re-examined moving forward One option was to remove the middle turn lane from South Florida Avenue modifying it to a four-lane highway with two travel lanes in each direction This could transform it into something similar to Lakeland Hills Boulevard It was feared vehicles slowing to turn from South Florida Avenue onto a side street or business parking lot would be rear-ended by an oncoming vehicle It would also be difficult to expect people to walk across four lanes of fast-moving traffic "We looked at it as the worst of all worlds," he said Another proposal was to install medians along South Florida Avenue widening the travel lanes and hopefully forcing drivers to slow down A key issue was how the median would potentially block easy access to some businesses and side streets by restricting where vehicles could turn "What does that do to the objective of creating a walkable A third option considered by city staff was to introduce on-street parking in the Dixieland corridor during evenings and weekends increasing the number of available parking slots and calming traffic when people were most likely to be out and about The problem seen with this plan was the sheer number of driveways and curbs along South Florida Avenue that would conflict with parking spaces Barmby said it was questionable how easy it would be to enforce time-restricted parking "It becomes too cumbersome for a limited impact," he said One potential measure still on that table would be for Lakeland to work with the FDOT to restrict truck traffic on the roadway The concept was pitched to the Lakeland Police Department which did not object to enforcing the regulation if supported by city commissioners A truck restriction was not further pursued at the time but there's no reason it couldn't be brought up again in the future He wasn't in favor of returning South Florida Avenue to a a five-lane highway but I don’t think it's off the table," Barmby said Commissioner Bill Read made clear he's not a fan of the road diet giving his own vision for the corridor's future "I think DOT missed the boat in this particular area," he said Read is the sole owner of Harper-Read Realty Group Inc. specializing in commercial land acquisitions Drawing on his expertise and the city's aim of improving safety he proposed a radically different approach to the Dixieland corridor He suggested the FDOT should look at turning South Florida Avenue into a one-way two- or three-lane roadway directing traffic north into the city New York and Missouri avenues could be networked together to create a paired one-direction road for vehicles heading south Lakeland survey: What good is a city survey with a 3% response rate? Lakeland commissioners want to know Will a new plan help?: More than 1,200 homes were approved in 2007, but Ewell and Pipkin roads are near failure Emergency services: Lakeland fire, police departments ask for more than $9.5M to keep pace with growth Read said he believes the residential land between the two roadways would be better off rezoned for office or retail use He said this could create a walkable pedestrian corridor filled with boutiques bed-and-breakfasts and other local businesses Read likened his vision to Tampa's Hyde Park neighborhood It would simultaneously create higher property values Barmby said based on his 29 years of transportation experience "A one-way [road] pair system in a walkable neighborhood or district Most of Lakeland's Downtown streets were one-direction until the early 2000s It lead to drivers flying down the roadways The higher speed traffic was detrimental to creating a safe Barmby said residents had many of the same complaints about converting the downtown's one-way streets to move cars both directions Frequent concerns were the city would wind up in gridlock and how it would impact downtown business development "It completely transformed downtown," Barmby said improving pedestrian safety and encouraging economic activity and growth in Dixieland will remain at the forefront of any changes in the South Florida Avenue corridor "This is truly a test period to figure out what the best option is for the area Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545 Tips & Tricks To Plan The Best Lake Tahoe Vacation Ever If there’s one place that fits everyone’s needs for a destination If you’re looking to create unforgettable memories or simply escape the everyday South Lake Tahoe in May offers the perfect retreat Make a reservation at a lakeside restaurant.. 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Entertainment & Live Music in South Lake Tahoe Looking for some live music in South Lake Tahoe If your dream vacation includes entertainment venues and bars with live music Protect the Awe - Learn the Rules To Lake By Protect the Awe Let’s look out for the Lake Lake Tahoe is mother nature showing off at her best–it’s awe and then some Lakeland Village Resort offers 19 acres of mountainside woodlands and stunning views of the lake and the Sierras All The Amenities of Home — Vacation Rentals in Lakeland Village – Perfect for Families and Budgets of All Sizes How to Spend a Day in South Lake Tahoe with your Dog Two Perfect Winter Days in South Lake Tahoe 5 Winter Activities in South Lake Tahoe beyond Skiing and Snowboarding Make planning easy with this guide to all the must-see vistas must-eat dishes and must-experience attractions Receive helpful tips and updates to plan your next vacation Tahoe Knight Monsters Hockey Playoff Games Tahoe Blue Event Center LAKELAND — Lakeland officials approved two housing developments that will bring 540 apartments to the city's Southwest District.  The commission unanimously approved changes Monday requested by Hillpointe LLC acting on behalf of Tampa-based GG III Investments to increase the number of multifamily units from 188 to 288 in a proposed development off Parkway Frontage Road South It will be built on 26.8 acres of vacant land between Lockheed-Martin and the Villas III.  New commissioner selected: Samuel Simmons named interim Lakeland commissioner for Northwest District Denied: Polk planning board rejects zoning change for HCA hospital in South Lakeland. What's next? three-story buildings at a maximum height of 45 feet Each building will have 24 or 36 two-bedroom units for a total of 288 apartments with 562 parking spots.  Commissioner Bill Read asked why the developer was coming back to the city looking to increase the number of apartments.  it will stay vacant like it has been for decades," Wilson said.  Wilson said the developer increased the distance between the development and neighboring Villas from 119 feet up to 197 feet in spots The developer will be expected to erect a six-foot tall fence and plant mature trees along the border.  the city's planning and transportation manager said the housing site will share a driveway with Lockheed-Martin Barmby said he believes that retiming the traffic signal at Harden Boulevard and North Parkway Frontage Road should improve travel in the area.  In other news: Lakeland CRA wants to make Dixieland 'road diet' permanent despite negative feedback Health care center coming: Lakeland Regional Health gets approval for ER, urgent care facility City officials also approved a major modification to the Planned Unit Development LLC. This multifamily development will feature three-story buildings containing 252 units on nearly 30 acres near West Pipkin and Yates Road.  Attorney Tim Campbell said the development is significantly different than the original proposal for 356 units in four-story buildings The revised plans feature three-story buildings with a mix of roughly 50% one-bedroom The buildings will be limited to three stories.  Polk County is currently in the middle of a Pipkin Road widening project that includes major improvements to Yates Roads which should benefit future residents of this development.  "A lot of work is happening right now to provide additional capacity and improve traffic operations of this area," Barmby said.  If the property were developed for single-family homes Barmby said it would actually be expected to generate more traffic He said Lakeland officials should also consider land once designated for a future industrial business park had been purchased by the city for a park reducing the future traffic impact of that nearby property.  In effort to keep traffic under control Barmby said the developer should work with Polk County to have a southbound right-turn lane and a northbound left-turn lane installed The city will require the developer to perform a traffic study at Yates Road and Towne Park Boulevard to see if the intersection needs a traffic signal in the future after the development is completed.  The city has required the developer to install a raised pedestrian crosswalk over Towne Park Boulevard, estimated to cost $50,000 The aim is to reduce the speed of vehicles traveling along the road.  Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545