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Today’s Forecast

77º | 66% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:25 a.m. | Sunset 7:02 p.m.
 

📲 Call me, beep me

Save these numbers + resources for help after Hurricane Milton
A stormy sky with palm trees blowing in the wind and buildings in the background.
We’re all in this together, Lakeland. | Photo by LALtoday
Florida might not be a stranger to hurricane season, but Hurricane Milton has certainly kept us on our toes. While we aren’t sure exactly what the full extent of the storm’s impact will be overall (follow the current track here), keep these resources in your back pocket for when the air is clear.

For those who need help cleaning up

The City of Lakeland has contracted debris haulers to assist Lakelanders with removing tree and lawn debris following the storm. If you live within city limits, call 863-834-8773 to get on the removal list. Those who live outside of city limits can call Polk County’s Hurricane Milton Residential Debris Hotline at 833-843-1920.

For those who need support with their health

Teladoc Health, a partner of the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, is offering free medical appointments for non-emergency needs. Call 855-225-5032 to get set up — for life-threatening emergencies, call 911.

Individuals seeking mental or emotional support can utilize one of the following services:

For those needing clean water

Storms like Hurricane Milton can often make tap water unsafe to drink — check the City of Lakeland’s current boil water notices to see if your area was impacted.

Swan Brewing shared that it has emptied its tanks of beer and refilled them with 2,000 gallons of filtered water. It’ll be offering it to Lakelanders at no cost as soon as it can safely open.

For small business owners

The US Small Business Administration is offering low-interest recovery loans to businesses whose assets were damaged in the storm. See if your biz qualifies.

Do you know of any other local organizations who are offering support following Hurricane Milton? Let us know.
 
Events
Friday, Oct. 11
  • Pumpkin Painting | Friday, Oct. 11 | 6-8 p.m. | Pressed | $5 | Register to paint your own pumpkin alongside Lakeland Girls Who Walk while sipping on seasonal beverages.
  • Wonder House Halloween Night Tour | Friday, Oct. 11-Saturday, Nov. 2 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Wonder House, Bartow | $15+ | Take a family-friendly Halloween-themed tour of this historic home — tickets are cash-only.
Saturday, Oct. 12
  • Oktoberfest 2024 | Saturday, Oct. 12 | 12-11 p.m. | Front Page Brewing, Bartow | Free+ | Seasonal beers will be on tap, stein hoisting competitions will take place throughout the day, and the SOFA Kings will be on hand with live music.
  • Zombie Killer Ax Throwing Tournament | Saturday, Oct. 12 | 2 p.m. | Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ | $15 | Sixteen contestants will enter this competition, but only one will win first place.
Sunday, Oct. 13
  • Lakeland Record Fair, Volume IV | Sunday, Oct. 13 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Rec Room | Free+ | Shop vinyl records + music from Jesse Carl Vinyl and more vendors — a DJ and food vendors will also be on site.
Friday, Oct. 18
  • Silvermoon Halloween Marathon | Friday, Oct. 18 | 7:30 p.m. | Silvermoon Drive-In | $35 | Stay up late with a marathon of classic or newly released movies — this event is rescheduled from Oct. 11.
With Milton on the move, please note events are subject to be postponed or canceled. Be sure to check in with event hosts and businesses via social media to be aware of any cancelations or event updates.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
News Notes
Civic
  • We know this can be an uncertain time, Lakelanders, but remember to only call 911 in life-threatening emergencies. Do your part and use these numbers instead for non-emergency instances, like reporting downed power lines.
Tech
  • NOAA temporarily relocated aircraft from its home base at Lakeland International Airport ahead of Hurricane Milton’s flight through Swan City. The three aircraft that have been used for Milton missions will be at a facility outside the hurricane’s cone of concern. One aircraft under repair will remain at LAL. (Fox Weather)
Community
  • ICYMI, there will be no curbside collection for neither Polk County Solid Waste nor City of Lakeland customers today. PCSW plans to resume residential curbside collection tomorrow, while City of Lakeland services will remain suspended through Friday to focus on hurricane recovery.
Lakelander
  • Fred Koehler and Sarah McGuire are writing a new chapter with their startup Ready Chapter 1. The Lakeland duo’s platform for independent authors has partnered with Barnes & Noble Press + will be promoted regularly to the publisher’s community of writers going forward. (Business Observer)
Biz
  • Hold on to your Cheddar Bay biscuits. Red Lobster has officially exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and the seafood chain’s new CEO has big plans to turn the restaurant around. Read up on the Lakeland-founded biz’s history. (CNN)
 
Answered
 
Downed trees and a woman walking her dog

Many Lakelanders saw downed trees and storm debris following Hurricane Ian — will we see the same level of impact with Hurricane Milton?

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Photo by @emilyplank

Yesterday, we asked about your hurricane plans and whether you opted to stay here in Swan City to ride out the storm, or made the choice to evacuate elsewhere.
  • 87% shared that they’re sheltering in place at home
  • 11% shared that they left town
  • 2% shared that they chose to go to a shelter or another safe location
No matter what you chose to do, we’re hoping you’re all staying safe out there. As we navigate the aftermath of Milton together, feel free to share your storm photos + videos with us. You can also tag or DM us on Instagram, @thelaltoday. We love you, Lakeland.
 
 
The Wrap
 
Amelia Herring.jpg

Today’s edition by:
Amelia
From the editor
Sending love to all who have already been + will be impacted by Hurricane Milton this week. As the great Denis Phillips says, “We will get through this together. It’s what we do.”
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