Plus, aquarium in the works.
 
September 19, 2024 6AM-Top banner logo-small.png

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Today’s Forecast

89º | 20% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:15 a.m. | Sunset 7:27 p.m.

 

Mulberry has our mouths watering
Foodies will recognize familiar faces at The Depot 303, Mulberry’s future food hall. The City of Mulberry teased three vendors that will be setting up shop when the new spot opens soon. When we asked readers what types of cuisine they wanted to see there, the most popular answers included seafood, tacos, burgers, and Asian food. It looks like a few of those wishes will be granted.

Before we dig into the options, let’s recap what The Depot 303 is. Located in downtown Mulberry just south of Lakeland, this new dining destination will include seven food vendors, a bar, and indoor + outdoor seating. It’s a $3-4 million project by the Mulberry Community Redevelopment Agency.

Surely by now you’ve worked up an appetite. The first three vendors announced are (drumroll, please) Pinoy Cravings, Fat Maggie’s, and Ling’s Dumplings.

A side-by-side collage of a lunch tray with beef and rice from Pinoy Cravings, and a basket of loaded mac and cheese from Fat Maggie's food truck.

You don’t have to wait until The Depot 303 opens to enjoy these local eats.

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Photos by @pinoycravingsfl + LALtoday

Recognize a few of those names? Pinoy Cravings is a Catapult Kitchen member you’ve probably seen serving up “sweet and savory Filipino fusion” street food at events + markets around town. Fat Maggie’s has been in the local restaurant game for several years, first with a Dixieland brick-and-mortar and now around town as a food truck. Find its next pop-up for twists on American fare.

You’ll have to travel over to Tampa’s Armature Works food hall to find Ling’s Dumplings. Majestic Restaurant Group owns this concept, as well as Ato, the sushi bowl + burrito stall in The Joinery. Expect — you guessed it — dumplings, as well as noodles and boba tea.

Hungry for more? We’ll be watching for the next few vendors to be announced.
 
Asked
 

Which vendor has you ready to chow down?
A. Pinoy Cravings
B. Fat Maggie’s
C. Ling’s Dumplings
D. I can’t be stopped at just one
E. I’ll wait to hear more
 
 
Events
 
Thursday, Sept. 19
  • Backyard Night Market | Thursday, Sept. 19 | 4-7 p.m. | The Green House Garden Store | Free entry | Find food trucks, local vendors, and photo ops in the backyard each month.
Friday, Sept. 20
  • Senior Social Paint Party | Friday, Sept. 20 | 2-4 p.m. | Wabash Community Center | Free | Reserve a spot to paint and win prizes alongside other older adults.
  • Harvest Holler Corn Maze | Friday, Sept. 20-Sunday, Sept. 22 | Times vary | Harvest Holler Corn Maze, Polk City | $14+ | It’s opening weekend for this fall farm with a corn maze, pumpkin patch, and hayrides.
  • A Tribute to No Doubt & Gwen Stefani | Friday, Sept. 20 | 7 p.m. | Union Hall | $13+ | Don’t speak — just grab tickets to this B-A-N-A-N-A-S concert performed by Subliminal Doubt.
Saturday, Sept. 21
  • Tour de Tow Cycling Event | Saturday, Sept. 21 | 7 a.m.-12 p.m. | Front Page Brewing, Bartow | $25+ | Hop on your bike for a tour of Polk County’s scenic back roads.
  • 17th Annual Hispanic Heritage Festival | Saturday, Sept. 21 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Lake Gywn Park, Wahneta | Free entry | Celebrate Hispanic culture with food trucks, creation stations, and informational vendors.
  • Library Plant Swap | Saturday, Sept. 21 | 10-11:30 a.m. | Larry R. Jackson Branch Library | Free | Swap plants, cuttings, or seeds with fellow phytophiles.
Click here to have your event featured.
 
 
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Watch
 

Wright this way: Tune in to the first episode of “Greater Lakeland”

Two buildings, Annie Pfeiffer Chapel and Danforth Chapel, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
Never toured Wright’s works? Now’s your chance to see behind the scenes. | Photo by LALtoday
We all know Frank Lloyd Wright iconically designed 13 Florida Southern College buildings — but did you know that students primarily built them (including many female students during World War II)?

The personal stories behind the world’s largest collection of Wright buildings is the topic of the first episode of “Greater Lakeland” — a new Lakeland-focused series debuting on WEDU PBS today.

Stream anytime or tune in at 8:30 p.m. tonight to learn how Florida Southern became a lasting tribute to the famous architect.
 
News Notes
 
Development
  • Traffic congestion was top of mind in Monday’s City Commission meeting when an AdventHealth hospital was approved for Harden Boulevard. To help, the city is planning a new traffic study with FDOT, as well as an extension of Wabash Avenue to Harden. (LkldNow)
Award
Sports
  • Caroline DeKalb, a junior at McKeel Academy, will play golf with the pros in this weekend’s PGA Tour Champions Tournament at Pebble Beach. DeKalb was selected by the First Tee organization after honing her skills with its Lakeland programs. (The Ledger)
Stat
  • ~40%. That’s the percentage of Polk residents that are registered organ donors (slightly higher than Florida’s overall percentage of 38%). The Lakeland South Rotary Club will celebrate local donors + encourage registration at its meeting tomorrow. (WFTS)
Coming Soon
  • You can steel a look at Legoland Florida’s forthcoming SEA Life Florida Aquarium. Visit the construction site Saturday, Sept. 21-Wednesday, Sept. 25 to sign the final steel beam of the project. The aquarium is set to open early next year. (WFTV)
Open
  • We sea something new off of Drane Field Road. Tropic Star Seafood has opened a retail market in its wholesale warehouse with 100+ seafood products. Stop by Monday-Saturday to catch something fresh, live, or frozen.
Seasonal
  • Look out for little ones on Halloween by reporting streetlight outages now. Lakeland Electric is asking residents to report malfunctioning or burned-out streetlights in advance of the holiday to keep trick-or-treaters safe.
Plan Ahead
  • Tickets are now on sale for Bok Tower Gardens’ popular Fall Wine Walk on Saturday, Nov. 2. Admission includes samples of 12 wines, plus small bites and a souvenir cup to remember your walk through Bok.
Trending
 
Lakeland Christian School
 
Civic
 

Polk’s budget, by the numbers
An exterior view of the Polk County Administration Building. A sign sits outside the front walkway, along with flagpoles and small trees.
Find the BoCC meetings on the first floor of the County Administration Building. | Screenshot via Google Maps
Polk County officials unanimously passed the budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year this week, with a grand total of $2.985 billion. Here’s what to know about the next year, by the numbers.
  • 6.6348 — The county millage rate, down 1% from last year’s rate
  • 11.39% — How much property values increased over the past year
  • 81 — The net number of new jobs the county will create.
  • $337.21 — The new annual waste collection fee, up more than 63% from years prior
  • $281 — The new annual fire fee to fund fire rescue services, up 5% from last year
  • $695.1 million — The amount budgeted for capital projects to improve infrastructure
  • 848,278 — Polk County’s population in 2024, which is expected to reach ~1 million in the next five years
Got a thing for numbers? Dig into the documentation from the county.
 
The Buy
 
L.L. Bean’s customer-favorite flannel blanket — perfect for camping trips, picnics, and staying cozy this autumn.
 
 
The Wrap
 
Connor Jacobson

Today’s edition by:
Connor
From the editor
I’m so proud of Lakeland businesses finding a permanent home, and I’m excited to see the bites Pinoy Cravings and Fat Maggie’s will be serving up soon. If you’re too hungry to wait, you can place a preorder for one of Pinoy Cravings lunch boxes available for pickup at Catapult each Wednesday.
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