Plus, 10 live music venues to check out.
 
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6AM City In-house

Today’s Forecast

90º | 20% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:47 a.m. | Sunset 8:02 p.m.
 

👑 She’s beauty and she’s grace

6 questions with Miss Lakeland USA, Karolyne Roberts
Two headshot-style photos of a Black female are displayed side by side.
Karolyne Roberts is a wife, mother, + entrepreneur who will compete for the title of Miss Florida USA this July. | Photos courtesy of Karolyne Roberts; Graphic by LALtoday
Karolyne Roberts is more than just a woman with a crown — she’s also an entrepreneur + fierce community advocate who is using her platform to make a difference across Lakeland and beyond.

We sat down with Roberts and asked her six questions about her journey to Miss Florida USA, her community service work, and what she loves about Lakeland.

A Black female stands in front of a storefront that says "Project Prom"

Karolyne recently volunteered with Project Prom, a project by InnerAct Alliance that donates free prom attire to teens in need.

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Photo courtesy of Karolyne Roberts

Q: Tell us about your platform — what it encompasses and what kinds of things you’re doing in the community.
A: The goal of my platform is to empower women, children, and small business owners to own and use their voices, not only to be leaders in their spheres of influence and communities, but to also walk in healing. So far, I’ve partnered on community service initiatives with organizations like Girls Inc., Camp Fire Sunshine, and One More Child, and I am also training to be a mentor for entrepreneurs through SCORE. I’ll also be one of the speakers at Lakeland Women’s Day on June 23.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about representing Lakeland?
A: My favorite thing about Lakeland is the family atmosphere and the community feel of the city. I love how the city has so much going on but also maintains a smaller town feel compared to bigger cities around us like Orlando or Tampa.

A Black female wearing a sash that says "Miss Lakeland USA" stands in front of a door labeled "Frescos"

Karolyne will host a women’s brunch + guided writing workshop at COhatch on June 22 — LALtoday readers get a $20 discount.

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Photo courtesy of Karolyne Roberts

Q: If you win Miss Florida USA, you would be the first married woman + the first woman with children to win the title. What does that mean to you?
A: It means so much — it would be making history and creating a legacy. Outside of me, I think it also inspires other women who feel like they have barriers or setbacks that dreams don’t die. It doesn’t matter what age you are or what your life circumstances are, you can still make a difference.
Glide on over to the rest of the interview
 
Events
Wednesday, May 1
  • Knit One, Crochet Too! | Wednesday, May 1 | 5-6:55 p.m. | Larry R. Jackson Branch Library, 1700 N. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Free | Bring your current knitting or crocheting project to work and chat with others.
  • Women’s Self-Defense Classes | Wednesday, May 1 | 6-7 p.m. | Simpson Park Community Center, 1725 Martin L. King Jr. Ave., Lakeland | $12-$38 | Enhance personal safety and learn self-defense techniques in this class for women ages 15 and up.
Thursday, May 2
  • The Reserve Book Club | Thursday, May 2 | 6:15-7:30 p.m. | Kelly Branch Library, 404 Imperial Blvd., Lakeland | Free | Meet with other readers to discuss “The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder” by David Grann.
  • A Paschal Moon | Thursday, May 2 | 7-9 p.m. | Painting with a Twist, 3670 Harden Blvd., Lakeland | $39 | Paint a seaside scene with step-by-step instruction.
Friday, May 3
  • First Friday: Tres De Mayo | Friday, May 3 | 6-9 p.m. | Downtown Lakeland | Free entry | Start the Cinco de Mayo party early with drinks, dancing in Munn Park, and later hours at downtown businesses.
  • Raising Emotionally Strong Kids | Friday, May 3 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Trinity Presbyterian Church, 301 N. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Free | Get parenting tips from nationally known child and family therapists, Sissy Goff + David Thomas.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
Edu

Get schooled: 3 ways SEU makes your career goals happen
an outside photo of the southeastern university campus with buildings and palm trees
SEU has been helping Lakelanders realize their potential + jump into their career fields for nearly 90 years. | Photo provided by Southeastern University
Not everyone’s story is the same — that’s why Southeastern University offers a range of educational options as diverse as everyone’s individual life circumstances and goals, including:
Explore degrees + programs
News Notes
Award
  • PCPS announced five districtwide Volunteers of the Year, including a secondary-level winner from Lakeland. Congratulations to Gwendolyn Diaz, the PCPS Senior Volunteer of the Year from Lakeland High School.
Community
  • Don’t be alarmed. Polk County Fire Rescue Battalions 1-7 will Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters this week. One battalion will turn on its emergency lights + sirens for a minute at 8 p.m. each night through Sunday, May 5.
Opening
  • Charmed, we’re sure. Pandora will open a new location at 1456 Town Center Dr. E. in Lakeside Village this summer. The jewelry store will take over the former location of Anna’s.
Civic
  • The City of Bartow aims to improve blighted areas through this summer’s Capital City Clean-up initiative. Bartow will collect trash + debris and ask residents to remove code violations in hopes of boosting quality of life. (The Ledger)
Pets
  • Find a new pet at the “May the Four Paws Be with You” event at Polk County Animal Control (7115 De Castro Rd., Winter Haven) this Saturday, May 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All pets will be spayed/neutered and free to adopt. (WTSP)
Answered
  • This week, we asked you where you prefer to work remotely in Lakeland. The homebodies came out on top, with 66% saying they prefer to work from the comfort of home. Only 10% said they enjoy working outdoors — maybe these spots will change your mind.
Travel
  • Who doesn’t want to save time on airport travel? Get to where you want to go faster with Orlando International Airport’s MCO Reserve — offering free, reservable timeslots for quicker security checks through an exclusive shorter lane. Bonus: Timeslots can now be booked seven days in advance.*
Job
  • We want you. Yes, you: The curious-about-the-world person who is a creative thinker, passionate writer, big reader, hard worker, and organized desk-haver. If these traits describe you, see if you’d be a fit for our Junior Branded Copywriter role. We’re hiring now.
Correction
  • Talk about a blast from the past. Yesterday we shared our summer events guide, and we accidentally included a link to 2023’s Wawa Summer Fun Days at Bok Tower Gardens. Check out this year’s free entry days happening May through August.
 
Try This
 

🎶 Sit back, relax + enjoy the show
Screen Shot 2019-07-22 at 2.33.19 PM
Live musicians, DJs, and open mics — oh my. You can find all those performances + more at spots around town like Union Hall. | Photo by @unionhallevents
Hear that? It’s the scintillating sound of Lakeland’s live music venues beckoning you to a performance you’ll never forget. So put your hands in the air, wave ‘em like you just don’t care, then lay your eyes (and ears) on our recommendations.

Polk Theatre | 121 S. Florida Ave.
This Mediterranean-themed theater has been around since 1928. While it’s known for showing films, you can also catch concerts or other live performances.

Music Ranch | 1920 Banana Rd.
This is the place to find Southern rock. BYOB and jam out with the rest of the regulars at an upcoming show — tickets are generally $25 per person.

The Pink Piano | 1015 S. Florida Ave.
You can expect a live show at this intimate destination Wednesday through Saturday. Enjoy a variety of wine, beer, and cocktails while you listen, or join the open mic nights on Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m.
 
The Buy
A summer sip. Prepare for a summer by the pool or on the porch with these iced coffee and sparkling tea options.
 
The Wrap
 
Amelia Herring.jpg

Today’s edition by:
Amelia
From the editor
ICYMI, the sun is now setting after 8 p.m. and will each night until mid-August. Connor’s favorite way to enjoy the sunset is on a patio with live music (thus inspiring one of our articles today) and mine is walking around one of Swan City’s many lakes.
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