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Today’s Forecast

77º | Light thunderstorms and rain | 90% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:20 a.m. | Sunset 5:49 p.m.
 

🎉 Vamos a celebrar
A mariachi band takes the stage at sunset on the Frances Langford Promenade
Celebrate Lakeland’s different cultures at this year’s Hispanic Festival. | Photo by @flordlangeles
Or, let’s celebrate. Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off tomorrow and runs through Sunday, Oct. 15. Looking to join the festivities? Check out these events in + around Lakeland:

Mind, Body, Movement: Zumba | Saturday, Sept. 16 | 8-9 a.m. | Bonnet Springs Park, 400 Bonnet Springs Blvd., Lakeland | Free | Celebrate the start of Hispanic Heritage Month with a Zumba fitness class on the Allen & Company Family Lawn.

Hispanic Heritage Festival | Saturday, Sept. 16 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Lake Gwyn Park, 135 Ave. A E., Winter Haven | Free entry | Polk County Parks & Recreation hosts this family-friendly festival with live entertainment, art, and music.

Carrión Hispanic Leadership Center Lecture Series | Thursday, Sept. 21 | 9 a.m.-3 p.m. | Bush Chapel, Southeastern University, 1000 Longfellow Blvd., Lakeland | Free | Attend this day-long lecture series to learn about the contributions that the Hispanic community has made to theological education, ministry, and advocacy within the US.

2023 Annual Hispanic Festival of Lakeland | Saturday, Sept. 30 | 1-9 p.m. | Frances Langford Promenade, 121 S. Lake Ave., Lakeland | $15 | Enjoy vendors, entertainment, and more at this festival that will raise funds for local youth and mental health initiatives.

Bienvenido a BSP – Hispanic Heritage Celebration | Saturday, Oct. 7 | 12-8 p.m. | Bonnet Springs Park, 400 Bonnet Springs Blvd., Lakeland | Free entry | Shop from an artisan market, enjoy special offers from The Depot, Rooftop Bar, and food trucks, and listen to Selena tribute band Bidi Bidi Banda.

Is there an event we missed? Click below to add it to our events calendar — use these tips if you need help navigating our events platform.
Submit your event
Orlando International Airport
 
Events
Thursday, Sept. 14
  • Summer Cool Down Yoga | Thursday, Sept. 14 | 6-7 p.m. | The Hidden Gem Wellness Space, 6645 S. Florida Ave., Ste. 4, Lakeland | Price of donation | Join this donation-based class designed to calm the nervous system and mind.
  • Trivia Thursdays at The Back Nine! | Thursday, Sept. 14 | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | The Back Nine, 124 S. Tennessee Ave., Lakeland | Free entry | Test your knowledge with themed and general trivia — this week’s theme is “The Office.”
Friday, Sept. 15
  • The Legendary Jon Corneal and His Compadres Live | Friday, Sept. 15 | 12-2:30 p.m. | Hillcrest Coffee, 119 Hillcrest St., Lakeland | Free entry | Grab a coffee and enjoy live music by country musician Jon Corneal and his band every Friday.
  • Ektor Keys & Tito’s Latin Cuisine | Friday, Sept. 15 | 5-10 p.m. | The Yard on Mass, 802 N. Massachusetts Ave., Lakeland | Free entry | Kick off the weekend with live music and food truck eats.
Saturday, Sept. 16
  • Tour de Tow Cycling Event | Saturday, Sept. 16 | 8 a.m.-4 p.m. | Front Page Brewing, 190 S. Florida Ave., Bartow | $30-$70 | Bicycle through scenic Bartow while raising money for free bikes for kids.
  • Making Love Work: Couples Workshop | Saturday, Sept. 16 | 9 a.m.-3 p.m. | My Office & More, 122 E. Main St., Lakeland | $325 | Learn relationship tools and skills in this workshop.
Sunday, Sept. 17
  • Shoreline Sunday | Sunday, Sept. 17 | 2-5 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland | Free entry | Relax with acoustic tunes by John Frinzi and grab lunch from Mi Pizza PIU.
  • Rustic Retro Lemons | Sunday, Sept. 17 | 4-6 p.m. | Painting with a Twist, 3670 Harden Blvd., Lakeland | $41-$60 | Learn how to paint a citrusy canvas, plank board, or porch leaner.
Monday, Sept. 18
  • Free Child Development Screenings | Monday, Sept. 18 | 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. | Carol Jenkins Barnett United Way Children’s Resource Center, 650 Bonnet Springs Blvd., Lakeland | Free | Check your child’s development with a quick screening — appointments are recommended.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
Southeastern University
 
Try This

🧑‍⚕️ Go behind the scenes of Lakeland Regional Health’s new GME program

Try This: Go behind the scenes of Lakeland Regional Health’s new GME program
Presented by a LALtoday Partner
An exterior view of Lakeland Regional Medical Center with a glass building, brick building, and a grassy median with a fountain.
GME residents go through rigorous interviews to be matched with Lakeland Regional Health for their residency — maybe it’s because of the Florida sunshine or LRH’s reputation. | Photo by LALtoday
City Editor Connor here. Have you heard of Lakeland Regional Health’s new Graduate Medical Education (GME) program? Spoiler alert: It’s nothing like “Grey’s Anatomy.” I went behind the scenes of this exciting program to learn what it takes to become a physician and how the GME is good for Lakeland.

What we tried:

Dr. Nancy Finnigan, DO, and GME Internal Medicine Program Director Dr. Luis Daniel Lugo Rosado, MD, were my tour guides as we followed 70 residents through a day of training.

Resident physicians come to LRH for a hands-on approach to training. They learn in classrooms and simulation labs, but they’re also in rooms with patients, working alongside experienced attending physicians. Read: You could meet residents in some of LRH’s facilities.

The GME program includes internal medicine, family medicine, emergency medicine, psychiatry, general surgery, surgical critical care, or a transitional year.

Keep reading to see what impressed me about the program.
See the residents in action
News Notes
Traffic
  • A signalization study for the intersection of North Crystal Lake Drive and Longfellow Boulevard, near Southeastern University’s entrance, is scheduled to begin soon. Nearby residents have expressed concerns after two recent high-speed vehicle crashes into homes in the area. (LkldNow)
Ranked
  • No. 6. That’s what Publix ranked on Fortune’s Best Workplaces in Retail list for 2023. Workplaces were selected using 1.3 million survey responses. Publix employees reportedly name the company’s familial atmosphere, customer service, and how it cares for workers as their favorite attributes. (WFLA)
Travel
  • Lakeland Linder International Airport is holding TSA PreCheck appointments in early October. Stop by from Monday, Oct. 2 to Friday, Oct. 6 for an appointment — register online.
Cause
  • Head to Thunder Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Bartow on Saturday, Oct. 21 for Jeepin’ for a Cure, an event hosted by the Breast Cancer Foundation of Central Florida. The event will feature live music, a “Dress your Jeep in pink” parade, raffles, food trucks, and more.
Outdoors
  • Florida’s citrus crop has been adversely affected by citrus greening and hurricanes. Despite Florida’s 2023 yield sitting at 16 million boxes (down from 244 million in 1998), there is hope for growers. Lake Wales’ Kyle Story is treating groves for greening for the first time this year + expects ~1 million boxes. (WFLA)
Family
  • Looking for a family outing? LEGOLAND Florida has new ticket options, including unlimited admission to LEGOLAND Florida through Christmas Day for $119 and a three-month unlimited pass to Peppa Pig Theme Park for $67.99. View other seasonal ticket offers. (WFLA)
Featured Home
  • Experience luxury living in a tranquil environment with Grasslands West, a high-end single family gated rental community that caters to your every need. The community is pet-friendly, and boasts lawn maintenance, pest control + internet services all included. Take your pick from three different floor plans.*
 
Active

Get those legs pumping

Get those legs pumping: Here’s what you need to know about running in Lakeland
A silhouetted runner on Lake Hollingsworth at sunset
There’s nothing like a sunset run around Lake Hollingsworth to get the blood pumping. | Photo by @bigmanadventures72
Planning your autumn runs? Here are a few running must-haves to ensure every run is a safe one:

Proper attire
Have you ever tried running in the wrong shoes? Get your running fit right at one of these stores:
A safe route
Lake Hollingsworth is a classic, but if you’re looking for a fresh spot, use Lakeland Runners Club’s interactive map to find routes near restrooms, water fountains, parking lots, and dog parks.

Running buddies
Lakeland Runners Club has multiple running groups that meet regularly for free. Keep reading for a few groups that meet weekly to get their legs pumping.
Find your running pals
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The Wrap
 
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Today’s edition by:
Rilee
From the editor
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