08.07.2024

Today’s Forecast

93º | 36% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:53 a.m. | Sunset 8:12 p.m.

Allow me to reintroduce myself

The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art’s $8 million expansion + renovation

A construction site at the Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art.

The AGB is just a few months away from completing one of its biggest expansions to date. | Photo by LALtoday

The name is The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art, and its multimillion-dollar expansion is nearing the finish line.

In February 2022, news broke that the museum formerly known as The Polk Museum of Art would undergo a $6 million renovation and expansion to create more exhibition space + educational experiences. The project broke ground in November 2022 and was originally slated to be complete by the summer of 2024. Now, it’s totaling $8 million and is expected to wrap up in the fall.

Polk_Museum_of_Art_expansion_may_2023 — Renderings of the museum’s expansion showcase the renovated entryway and additional gallery space.
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Rendering via Straughn Trout Architects

The 14,000-sqft expansion to the 36-year-old building will feature a gallery, classroom, and art laboratory. The main building will get renovations to its facade, new flooring, updated galleries along the second floor, classrooms, and spaces for offices.

In the past, the museum was only able to feature a limited selection of pieces of art at any time. Upon the project’s completion, it will triple its exhibition space, allowing more room for additional exhibits and collections.

On top of the cosmetic updates, the museum will partner with Florida Southern College to offer opportunities for students like internships and volunteer opportunities to assist in professional development before graduation.

Museum curator speaks at a podium next to a model of the new Polk Museum of Art expansion — Dr. H. Alexander Rich with a model of the expansion at the groundbreaking.
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Photo by Straughn Trout Architects

Funding for the project has come from both state and private entities. Most recently, the museum received a monumental donation from the Nicholas and Ashley Barnett Foundation at the GiveWell Community Foundation, which led to the museum’s renaming to The Ashley Gibson Museum of Art at Florida Southern College — or, “The AGB” for short.

In addition to funding the expansion’s pre-existing plans, the gift from the Nicholas and Ashley Barnett Foundation will allow the museum to add new youth, adult, family, and senior programming like art therapy and art wellness — all while remaining free of charge to the public.

Events

Wednesday, Aug. 7

Line Dancing & Karaoke | Wednesday, Aug. 7 | 5-11:45 p.m. | Union Hall | Free entry | Cut loose with line dancing starting at 5 p.m., followed by karaoke at 8 p.m.
Back-to-School Trivia Night & School Supply Drive | Wednesday, Aug. 7 | 6:30 p.m. | Swan Brewing | Free entry | Show off your smarts with school-themed trivia + get bonus points for bringing school supply donations.

Thursday, Aug. 8

Candle Pour Workshop | Thursday, Aug. 8 | 11 a.m. | Tienda Studio | $45 | Sip, sniff, and socialize while learning how to make your own custom candle.
Polk County Bully Project Fundraiser at Crave | Thursday, Aug. 8 | 5-9 p.m. | Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ | Price of purchase | Rally your trivia team — a portion of all sales this evening will go to help Polk pups.

Friday, Aug. 9

Gallery Perspectives — Mally Khorasantchi | Friday, Aug. 9 | 12-1 p.m. | Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art | Free | Join Executive Director Dr. Alex Rich and artist Mally Khorasantchi for a conversation about her work on exhibit at the AGB.
Date Night Challenge - Paint Your Partner | Friday, Aug. 9 | 6-8 p.m. | Art Centric Studio | $50 | Grab your partner or your bestie to try out this viral TikTok trend.
Taylor Swift Skate Night | Friday, Aug. 9 | 7-10 p.m. | Skate World Lakeland | $10-$16 | Best believe you’ll feel bejeweled while skating to Taylor Swift’s greatest hits.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Learn

Ask an expert: Should young drivers get separate insurance policies?

A winding road in Lakeland on a sunny day.

Remember, you may be liable for any accidents caused by drivers on your policy. | Photo by LALtoday

Ready or not, back-to-school season is here.

As your young drivers return to the road for college or daily commutes, it’s worth considering the potential benefits of putting them on their own auto insurance policy.

According to local insurance expert James Boley, a separate policy likely makes sense if:

Your child is now 18+
They co-own one of your vehicles
You don’t want to be held liable for an accident your child causes
Your child is working on establishing credit

Save by separating

It can also be more cost-effective for young drivers to have their own policy. You’ve worked hard to keep your premium low, and an inexperienced addition could spike your payment for years to come.

Ask an agent

Policy decisions are case-specific and will vary from family to family. Explore your options for free with your Local GEICO Office on South Florida Avenue to find the best savings + coverage for your family.

Get a free policy review

News Notes

Health

Central Florida Health Care is hoping to significantly expand its Lakeland operations by building a 34,000-sqft clinic next to its existing two-story building. Before that can happen, city commissioners must approve a zoning change for the land. (LkldNow)

Number

$408,435. That’s how much it will cost the City of Lakeland to install a new liner for the Simpson Park Pool. The pool has been closed since mid-June after the existing liner separated from the pool wall. The pool is now expected to reopen in October. (LkldNow)

Weather

Tropical Storm Debby has made its way out of Florida, but Lakelanders continue to feel its impacts. Several west Lakeland residences were evacuated for flooding on Monday, and state officials said flooding is still possible for another 5-10 days. (Fox 13 News + The Ledger)

Cause

Since 2003, Lakeland Kiwanis has collected more than $1 million in school supplies through its Stuff the Bus campaign. Head to Hall Communications today from 7 to 9 a.m. to drop off last-minute supplies + assist with sorting and delivery. (LkldNow)

Listen

Speaking of Hall Communications, the broadcasting company recently launched Fox Sports Lakeland. Sports fans can now tune into 107.1/1230AM for coverage of Florida Gator football and men’s basketball games, as well as the Tampa Bay Bucs. (RAMP)

Coming Soon

If you’re an all-day breakfast enthusiast, your time is coming. Metro Diner, an eatery known for allowing customers “to order anything, any time of day” is coming to Lakeland this winter at Sumo Sushi’s former spot. An opening date is TBD.

Try This

Unleash your inner creative at The Mothership Imprint’s next Poetry Salon on Thursday, Sept. 12 at Union Hall. The night kicks off with a silent reading party, followed by dancing + drinks, and an open mic. Secure your spot to share your stuff.

Edu

Florida Southern College just welcomed its eighteenth president, Dr. Jeremy P. Martin, who recently shared his vision to build “an environment where innovation and tradition thrive side by side.” Dr. Martin was preceded by longtime (and newly retired) president Dr. Anne B. Kerr.*

Home

Even if you’re a seasoned Lakelander, it’s good to double-check the latest Hurricane Guide from Lakeland Electric, featuring pet tips, emergency evacuation plans + up-to-date contact info. Download for free.*

Travel

Traveling through Orlando International Airport (MCO) just got better. Starting Aug. 1, the airport is rewarding travelers just for eating, shopping, or parking. Introducing MCO Rewards — a free program that allows customers to earn valuable rewards like airline miles, gift cards + cash-back. Learn more + sign up.*

Wellness

Focused on staying hydrated? Most hydration products contain more sodium than you need. Enter: Native Hydrate’s essential amino acids, branched-chain amino acids, and electrolytes for hydration and health.*

Show

📣 Say it with us

“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” bus spotted in Lakeland

Shoutout to our eagle-eyed reader who snagged this picture of the infamous “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” bus for us in north Lakeland — do you think the show will film an episode in Swan City? | Photo courtesy of Caron Mabry Radachy

“Bus driver, move that bus.” If you watched ABC in the early 2000s, you’re likely familiar with this signature tagline from the show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”

Originally hosted by Ty Pennington of “Trading Spaces” fame, the show followed a team who renovated homes — sometimes from the ground up — in less than one week for families across the US.

Now, 12 years after its original end date, ABC is bringing the show back for the 2024-2025 season with hosts Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin from Netflix’s “The Home Edit.”

When one of our readers shared with us that the famous bus had been spotted in the Copper Ridge subdivision in north Lakeland, you know our interest got piqued. After all, it was announced the show would be casting in the Lakeland area back in May.

Details about the new season’s premiere are TBA — until then, we’ll be waiting with bated breath to “move that bus.”

Asked

What year did the original “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” premiere?

A. 2003
B. 2004
C. 2005
D. 2006

Demolish this trivia

The Buy

The Buy 8.07.24 (Affiliate)

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Amelia

From the editor

I absolutely loved watching “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” growing up — my mom even volunteered on one of the crews when they came through New Hampshire back in the day. If you’re reading ABC, I know a couple City Editors who’d be down to jump on set for a day.

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