07.17.2023

Today’s Forecast

90º | Scattered thunderstorms | 50% chance of rain | Sunrise 6:42 a.m. | Sunset 8:25 p.m.

🎧 What we’re listening to

Podcasts for Lakelanders to listen to + learn from

Three men sit in a colorfully decorated room recording a podcast

Hear what these Florida men think about the latest “Florida man” story. | Photo by @fmofmpodcast

Headphones on. We’re rounding up five podcasts involving the city of Lakeland and its creative + talented residents. We picked from a variety of genres, so there’s something anyone can listen to.

Pro tip: While some of these may be linked to Spotify, you can also find many of them on Apple Podcasts and other platforms.

Florida Men on Florida Man
Laugh along to this weekly comedy podcast sharing wild but true stories from across our state. A recent episode featured another Florida man: Artist Bump Galletta.

Listen Lakeland
This monthly podcast and radio program highlights positive community stories, featuring segments on the arts, community member profiles, recreational activities, education, and services. The latest episode is “Preparing for Hurricanes & Storms in Florida” with Lakeland Electric

The LKLDlense Podcast
You may know Emily Mort from her blog or stunning Lakeland photography. Now she’s breaking into the audio scene with this podcast, showcasing her stories about Lakeland’s hidden gems.

Realtor Nikki Cash poses holding a vintage microphone — Lakelanders like Nikki Cash are letting you in on local secrets in their podcasts.
|
Photo by @realestatenikki_

The Local Lakeland Show
Realtor Nikki Cash sits down with Lakeland business owners and people of interest to discuss what it means to be a true local. Recent guests include Sheriff Grady Judd and Little Bus Books.

Growing Pains: The Unheard Stories of Lakeland’s Business Owners
Local media company Lakeland Business Owners sits down with Swan City entrepreneurs to hear stories of their successes and failures along the way. Lakelanders like Mayor Bill Mutz, Wesley Beck, and Amy Wiggins have shared their stories.

Did we miss your favorite local podcast? Tell us in our survey — we love listening to Lakelanders.

Asked

What type of podcast do you listen to most?

A. Business
B. Lifestyle
C. Comedy
D. Something else

Press play on the survey

Events

Monday, July 17

Yoga for Beginners | Monday, July 17 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Coleman Bush Building, 1104 Martin L. King Jr. Ave., Lakeland | $5 | Bring your mat and water to this class for all levels of yogis 16 or older — class meets in a temporary location from June 12-July 26.
Alzheimer’s Association’s In-Person Caregiver Support Group | Monday, July 17 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Schalamar Creek Clubhouse, Garden Room, 4500 US Hwy. 92, Lakeland | Free | Connect with other caregivers at this group that meets on the third Monday of each month.

Tuesday, July 18

B-I-N-G-O | Tuesday, July 18 | 6:30-8 p.m. | The Joinery, 640 E. Main St., Lakeland | Free entry | Join this weekly game to play for prizes while sipping on drinks from the bar at happy hour prices.
Graphic Novel Talk — “I Kill Giants” | Tuesday, July 18 | 7-8:15 p.m. | Revival, 119 S. Kentucky Ave., Lakeland | Free entry | Join this book club to discuss the graphic novel “I Kill Giants” with other readers.

Wednesday, July 19

Knit One, Crochet Too! | Wednesday, July 19 | 5:30-7 p.m. | Lakeland Public Library, Larry R. Jackson Branch, 1700 N. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Free | Bring your current knitting or crocheting project to share tips and tricks with other crafters.
Trivia Night | Wednesday, July 19 | 7-9 p.m. | Union Taproom, 245 W. Central Ave., Ste. 102, Winter Haven | Free entry | Pour your own drinks and enjoy fresh pizzas at Union Taproom while showing off your general trivia knowledge.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Number

3.5%. That’s the new base rate Lakeland Electric hopes to introduce in October, up from the planned rate increase of 2.25%. The utility says the average customer’s bill would increase by $2.73 — if fuel rates are lowered, it would offset the cost. (The Ledger)

Development

Polk County will purchase four acres from Lakeland Regional Health for $475,000 to build a fire station in north Bartow. The new station on Smith Lane will replace the current one on Clubhouse Road in Highland City. (The Ledger)

Traffic

Starting this morning, CSX Transportation will close its rail crossing on State Road 60 near the Polk/Hillsborough county line for seven days. Traffic delays are expected in southwest Lakeland — keep an eye out for detours or plan an alternate route.

Closed

The Polk Theatre has temporarily closed to fix a burst pipe that caused basement flooding. Pro tip: Check the theater’s social media to see when movies will start showing again. (LkldNow)

Community

If you didn’t get to attend the public meeting on the Downtown West Action Plan, there’s still time to make your voice heard. Share your feedback in this survey through Tuesday, July 25.

Coming Soon

Sushi Masa will soon open a Lakeland location at 5700 S. Florida Ave. (the former site of Louie Mack’s Steakhouse). An opening date is still TBA, but the new restaurant will offer Japanese cuisine and all-you-can-eat sushi deals.

Sports

Former Lakeland High School football player Larry Jones is gearing up for his first college football season after winning the high school championship. He now plays defensive end for the Liberty University Flames — his first game is on Saturday, Sept. 2 versus Bowling Green. (The Ledger)

Ranked

No. 7. That’s where Longboat Key ranked on “Travel + Leisure” magazine’s list of the best islands in the US. Luckily for you, we’ve got a guide to the island with the top places to eat, stay, and play. (WFLA)

Family

Does your kiddo have a need for speed? If their head is up in the clouds (flying, of course), encourage their imagination with the Florida Air Museum’s free Stuffed Animal Flight School. Orientation, a new pilot certificate, a log book, a set of wings + a photo are included with admission. Register here.*

Biz

We’re still in the middle of the great remote work experiment — and studies are showing that some employees struggle with feeling socially isolated (or, heck, just in need of a change of scenery). One solution: Remote work with other remote workers. See the Coworking Workspace at Catapult.*

Job

Lakeland Christian School is hiring Substitute Teachers for the 2023-2024 school year. Substitute Teachers are a valuable and important part of the school’s staff — allowing instruction to continue when a teacher is ill or away. If selected, individuals will be added to a pool of available substitutes. Learn more + apply.*

Finance

Refinance rates are skyrocketing. But home equity rates remain relatively low — which means that now is a great time to borrow against your home. Calculate your payment.*

Lakelander

The story behind the family business

How Gianna Rahmani and her family started a full-time food truck

The Rahmani family poses together in matching Feasts of Persia t-shirts in front of their food truck.

Catch the Feasts of Persia food truck in and around Lakeland. | Photo by Bethany May Photography

You may have tried the delicious Feasts of Persia food truck, but the story behind how Farhad and Gianna Rahmani started the business is just as interesting.

Gianna’s dream of owning a business became a real possibility when she began angel employment through Day Hustle. The company offers a salary and benefits to those who want to make their side hustle a full-time gig (think: Investors giving money to people instead of businesses).

Gianna was able to quit her full-time job to pursue her passion for writing. The family also took this opportunity to pursue Farhad’s passion for feeding people by starting Feasts of Persia. Since then, Gianna wrote a book about the process called “Day Hustle” to help others achieve a similar outcome.

Grab a copy of her book and sample Feasts of Persia at tomorrow’s Author Spotlight Night at Pressed. Authors Sofia Simpson and Kayla Tirrell will also be present for a free Q+A and book signing at 6:30 p.m — 15% of sales will go to kidsPACK.

Can’t make it? You can also purchase the book online.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Connor

From the editor

Since City Editor Rilee shared her Great Escapes guide to South Dakota last week, I’m feeling inspired to share mine, too. Here’s how I would plan a summer getaway to Key West (another Florida spot that made the list of top islands in our News Notes).

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