02.01.2024

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Today’s Forecast

69º | Partly cloudy | 0% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:15 a.m. | Sunset 6:08 p.m.

Culture

Rilee’s favorite LALtoday moments

A girl with red hair wearing a jean jacket stands before a small propeller plane on the tarmac.

One of my favorite work memories is from the day I took to the skies and saw Lakeland from above. | Photo by LALtoday

Hey, Lakeland, Rilee here with a bittersweet message: My time as an LALtoday City Editor has come to an end. I’m not going far — moving forward I’ll be working with our parent company, 6AM City, to support City Editors in 25+ other markets.

LALtoday is in the best hands with my incredibly smart co-editor Connor Jacobson and a new City Editor — but I’ll let them introduce themselves soon. Before I go, let’s take a walk down memory lane.

👋 My most memorable material

I’ve experienced some pretty incredible things on the job — viewing Lakeland from the cockpit of a small plane, going on an SPCA doggie date, and letting readers plan my day were top-tier.

Of the hundreds of articles I’ve written in my time at LAL, stories about iconic people and places are always top of mind. The first piece I vividly remember writing is about Chalet Suzanne, a Lake Wales restaurant and inn that hosted locals + celebrities through 2014. While we’re talking about interesting characters and architecture, I must mention another favorite: The Wonder House.

🤝 Teamwork makes the dream work

LALtoday City Editors Connor Keith and Rilee Delgado — You could probably find Connor and I at any event if you looked for the two redheads.
|
Photo by LALtoday

I’ve had some truly amazing co-editors. Katelyn Lewis schooled me in Lakeland history with her series on Lakeland’s historic + long-gone hotels. If you like to stay in the know, keep a close eye on Connor Jacobson — she always has a finger on the pulse of Lakeland’s developments like the LAL airport and Downtown West, to name a few.

⭐️ Shoutouts

I’d love to give kudos to a few local partners:

The City of Lakeland Lakes and Stormwater division, which helped us put together one of my favorite pieces: The quintessential guide to Lakeland’s lakes.
The Lakeland Economic Development Council, which partnered with us to bring New to Lakeland, a resource for new Lakelanders, to life.

I couldn’t fit all my sentiments into the newsletter — click below for more of my favorite stories.

Stories written by you + history I love

Events

Thursday, Feb. 1

Discovering Bok Tower Gardens Guided Tour | Thursday, Feb. 1-Friday, Feb. 2 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Bok Tower Gardens, 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales | $5-$27 | Take a walking tour of the gardens to learn about their history and design.

Friday, Feb. 2

Lakeland Cruisers Cruise Night | Friday, Feb. 2 | 5-8:30 p.m. | Lakeside Village, 1479 Town Center Dr., Lakeland | Free | View modern and classic cars at this family-friendly car show.

Saturday, Feb. 3

The Evelyn Bryant Cultural Festival | Saturday, Feb. 3 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Badcock Commons Park, 205 NW 2nd St., Mulberry | Free | Celebrate Black History Month with live entertainment, an art show, and crafting contests.

Sunday, Feb. 4

Goat Yoga on the Farm! | Sunday, Feb. 4 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | The Cloven Hoof Farm, 6170 Robins Rd., Lakeland | $10-$25 | We’re not kidding around — try this beginner-friendly, 45-minute goat yoga class.

Monday, Feb. 5

After School Art | Monday, Feb. 5 | 4:30-5:30 p.m. | Polk Museum of Art, 800 E. Palmetto St., Lakeland | $0-$5 | Parents and children can learn a new art medium during each week of this series.

Wednesday, Feb. 7

Lakeland Regional Health Monthly Job Fair | Wednesday, Feb. 7 | 9-11 a.m. | Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, 1324 Lakeland Hills Blvd., Lakeland | Free | Meet with recruiters to learn about healthcare career opportunities during this monthly job fair.*

Friday, Feb. 9

Grills Gone Wild | Friday, Feb. 9-Saturday, Feb. 10 | Times vary | Tom Fellows Community Center, 207 North Blvd. W., Davenport | Free | See the pitmasters square off during the second leg of the Triple Crown of BBQ’s three-event barbecue competition — and enjoy live music, food trucks, select tastings + more.*

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Real Estate

Historic Lakeland Inc., the Lakeland Historic Preservation Board, and the city’s Community & Economic Development Department are looking for derelict properties with potential. So far, seven homes across Lakeland have been identified. Interested in historic preservation? Join Historic Lakeland Inc. to help. (LkldNow)

Legacy

The Lakeland High School girls’ soccer team remembered their classmate Julia Black, who died last October, at Tuesday’s district title game against George Jenkins. The Dreadnaughts claimed the title 2-1 — many players attributed the win to the team’s desire to play in Black’s honor. (The Ledger)

Number

$1.5 million. That’s what the Florida Department of Transportation District 1 has earmarked for the project development and environmental services phase of the potential SunRail expansion. Once the study is complete, design work could begin on the expansion that would bring in 315,000 riders. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Health

Mark your calendar for EmpowerHer Heart: A Women’s Wellness Affair, happening Saturday, Feb. 10, 9-11 a.m. at Bonnet Springs Park. Register for the free event to get complimentary heart health screenings, take a fitness class, and participate in other activities.

Sports

Boys and girls ages 5-12 are invited to register for the Evan Michael Chambers LOVE Foundation’s annual baseball camp this Saturday. Pro players will teach baseball skills to kids from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Peterson Park. Registration is free. (The Ledger)

Arts

Looking to swan dive into your new favorite art project? PicassoZ Art Cafe is hosting mosaic swan workshops throughout February. Stop by tonight, 6-8 p.m., or catch the next ones on Friday, Feb. 9 and Tuesday, Feb. 13.

Shop

Vintage Warehouse has moved down the road. Formerly located at 4308 Wallace Rd., Lakeland, the furniture warehouse is now located at 325 E. Van Fleet Dr., Bartow. Stop by 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily — the first 20 customers today will walk out with swag bags.

Home

This Valentine’s Day decor is making our hearts skip a beat and includes heart-shaped wreaths, neon “love” signs, heart-shaped felt garlands, and cozy red blankets.*

Feel Good

Culture

Our readers’ local love stories

A lake with buildings in the background and location points — featuring hearts inside — pointing to different spots around the lake.

As it turns out, Lakeland is the site of many a love story. | Image via LALtoday

Have you found love in Lakeland? We want to know about it.

This Valentine’s Day, we’re creating a map of places where our readers have made memories around the area. We want to hear about every kind of relationship. Tell us about your meet-cute stories, getting advice from a parent, learning to love yourself... we love love stories in all their forms. (But do keep it PG, please.)

Add a story to our map below by clicking the green “add point” button. You have until Friday, Feb. 9 to submit for a chance to be featured in our interactive map (and newsletter).

Tell your story

The Buy

The Buy 2.01.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

A gift from Six & Main’s Valentine’s Day collection for someone you love. There’s colorful chocolates, funny cards, games for couples, and lots and lots of pink.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Rilee

From the editor

My, how three years can fly by. I’ll miss greeting you in your morning inbox, but I’ll still be around. If you happen to spot me in town, feel free to say hi and let me know you’re a subscriber of LALtoday. The good news? We have an amazing new City Editor joining the team soon.

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