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Today’s Forecast

88º | 50% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:17 a.m. | Sunset 7:20 p.m.
 

🗑️ Let’s talk trash

Polk County will end curbside recycling pickup service in October
A Polk County Waste & Recycling truck drives on a one-lane road surrounded by grass and trees
Learn what’s driving these changes starting Tuesday, Oct. 1. | Photo via Polk County Government
...Or, more specifically, recyclables. Polk County will end curbside recycling pickups on Tuesday, Oct. 1, leaving many to wonder what it will mean for their waste (and their wallets). We found the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

Why is Polk County ending pickups?

The county announced the change last year, citing that the costs of fueling trucks and sorting collections outweighed the benefits. It’s expected to save the county $5.5 million per year.

Will waste collection fees change?

Annual county waste collection charges will increase by 63% from $206 to $337 next fiscal year. Charges will also increase incrementally over the next five years to keep up with rising disposal costs.

A graphic showing the City of Lakeland's green and blue waste bins compared to Polk County's gray and black bins.

Just check the color of your carts to see if your recycling is good to go.

|

Image by the City of Lakeland

I live in Lakeland — will my recycling service end?

Those within city limits will still have their recycling picked up as usual. Wondering if yours is picked up by the city or county? Check for Lakeland’s blue bins or Polk County’s black bins with yellow lids.

What do I do with my recycling cart?

If you’re a county resident, the good news is you now have an extra garbage cart. You can keep the black recycling cart for trash or yard waste, or you can call the Solid Waste Division to have it picked up.

Where can I recycle now?

The city + county do not offer dropoff centers, so find a centralized recycling point near you to give your recyclables new life. Pro tip: Auburndale offers one at its Public Works Department. You can also subscribe to curbside pickups from a private company.

What else is Polk County doing to stay green?

Polk will open a Leachate Treatment Facility where contaminated water from landfills will be filtered, as well as a Renewable Gas Plant to convert landfill gases into compressed natural gas to fuel waste collection trucks.
Asked

What are your recycling plans once county pickup ends?
A. I won’t recycle anymore.
B. I’ll subscribe to a private pickup service.
C. I’ll drop off my recyclables somewhere.
D. I live in city limits, so I won’t worry about it.
Throw your answer here
 
Events
Wednesday, Sept. 25
  • Fall Prevention Presentation | Wednesday, Sept. 25 | 10-11:30 a.m. | First Presbyterian Church of Lakeland | Free | Dr. Tonya LaLonde of Central Florida Speech & Hearing will speak about preventing falls for older adults.
  • JEEP Night | Wednesday, Sept. 25 | 6-9 p.m. | Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ | Free entry | Jeep drivers can show off their rides, and all guests can enjoy food, drink + axe-throwing deals.
Thursday, Sept. 26
Friday, Sept. 27
  • Joinery After Dark | Friday, Sept. 27 | 8-11 p.m. | The Joinery | Free entry | Dance your worries away on the patio with tunes by DJ Barca and guest DJs.
Saturday, Sept. 28
  • Leading Edge Take Heart 5K | Saturday, Sept. 28 | 7:30-10 a.m. | Lake Hollingsworth | $45+ | Run to raise funds for Take Heart’s entrepreneurship + education initiatives in Kenya.
  • Bienvenido A BSP: Hispanic Heritage Celebration | Saturday, Sept. 28 | 2-9 p.m. | Bonnet Springs Park | Free entry | Celebrate Hispanic and Latino cultures with performances + vendors across the park.
Thursday, Oct. 31
  • 14th Annual Mayors Roundtable | Thursday, Oct. 31 | 9-11:30 a.m. | Polk State College Center for Public Safety, Winter Haven | Free | This public discussion between Polk County’s mayors has been rescheduled for next month due to weather.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
News Notes
Weather
  • Polk County is under a tropical storm warning, with heavy rain + wind expected from Tropical Storm Helene. The storm is likely to make landfall tomorrow. Polk Schools will be closed Thursday and Friday, and sandbag sites are open again today. (The Ledger)
Real Estate
  • Home sweet (town)home. Lakeland condo + townhome sales saw a year-over-year increase of 6.8% last month, while sales statewide decreased nearly 15%. The Lakeland/Winter Haven metro tied for the highest sales increase with the Crestview/Fort Walton Beach area. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
Award
  • A cup of the country’s best coffee can be found just one town over. Haven Coffee Roasters won the Overall Champion award at this weekend’s Golden Bean national coffee roasting competition. The team earned 15 total medals to bring home to Winter Haven.
Traffic
  • Work at CSX Transportation’s rail crossing on Saddle Creek Road is stopped in its tracks. The project, slated to start today, is paused due to weather concerns. Another notice will be released when work is rescheduled.
Ranked
  • Florida Poly is raking in top rankings from U.S. News & World Report. The publication ranked the school as the Southeast’s No. 1 public college for the fourth year in a row, the No. 2 best among public + private schools, and the top Southeast school for veterans.
Development
  • FDOT will reconstruct Lakeland Hills Boulevard from Parkview Place to Griffin Road, starting Monday, Oct. 7. The $27.6 million project is expected to finish in late 2026 + will include new medians, updated crosswalks, and traffic lights.
Edu
  • Say hi to ACEs High, an educational achievement program by the Aerospace Center for Excellence. Participating students can get rewards for earning good grades, including airplane flights, a personalized flight suit, and SUN ‘n FUN tickets. Applications are now open.
Feel Good
  • Korean War veteran Hakim Rasheed is serving his community again — this time a little closer to home. Rasheed purchased half a block in the Winter Haven neighborhood he grew up in, and he’s now building 16 apartment units for veterans and other residents in need. (WFTS)
Family
  • Talk about working on your child’s pose. Little Lake Play is hosting Mommy and Me yoga classes the next three Sundays, with separate classes to enjoy with babies or toddlers. Registration also includes an hour of playtime.
Pets
  • Pack up your pets for a trip to Lakeside Village next month. The Second Sunday Market on Sunday, Oct. 13 will include the Pooch-O-Ween Pet Parade & Costume Contest from 2 to 4 p.m. Bring $10 cash to walk the parade and compete for prizes.
Health
  • Fall flu season has arrived. Protect yourself by getting a seasonal flu vaccine at one of Watson Clinic’s multiple Flu Clinic locations, offering convenient and flexible scheduling throughout the community. See locations + hours.*
Finance
  • Did you know some credit cards can actually help you get out of debt faster? (Yes, it sounds pumpkin-spice bananas. But it’s true.) The secret: Find a credit card with a “0% intro APR” period for balance transfers. Here are hands down some of the best.*
Number
 
Seasonal

The spice of life

Where to find all things pumpkin spice in Lakeland
Hands holding pumpkin coffee in front of a sign that reads "It's Gilmore Girls season."
Pressed has the perfect beverage pairing for fall binge watching. | Photo by LALtoday
Pumpkin lovers, rejoice — it’s time to spice things up with fall-flavored food + drink. How many of these local treats will you try this season?

Andrew’s Coffee | Go for a classic PSL or add flavors like cookie butter + salted caramel to your pumpkin — the options are endless.

Pressed Books & Coffee | The “Gilmore Girls"-themed fall menu includes the Luke and Lorelai pumpkin cold brew.

Kimmy’s Fudge | Find this booth at the farmers market to bring home a carton of homemade fudge that tastes just like biting into a pumpkin pie.

Meraki Bakehouse | The It’s Fall Y’all Pumpkin Spice Supreme pastry is literally and figuratively a delicious mouthful.

Dissent Brewing | Don’t lose your head — IchaGOURD Crane pumpkin amber is flowing in the taproom this season.
Keep the pumpkin comin'
The Buy
Shop the best shoes to pair with your fall wedding guest look, from Nordstrom’s “Wedding Guest” selection:

🥿 Save your ankles with sparkly Betsey Johnson flats.
👡 Choose champagne or silver for this five-star rated sandal.
💎 Add a touch of sparkle to your outfit with jeweled slingbacks.
👠 Go for style + function with a kitten heel on pointy-toe pumps.
More worth The Buy
 
The Wrap
 
Connor Jacobson

Today’s edition by:
Connor
From the editor
If I could get my cats to wear a costume (and walk on a leash), you can bet we’d be entering Lakeside Village’s pet parade. Instead, I’ll just be there to watch the action and do my shopping during the Second Sunday Market.
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