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Every day, we write LALtoday with one goal: to help you feel more connected to your city. And we’re not alone — our friends across the US, from Seattle to Tampa Bay, do the same for our 6AM City communities.
We believe in the power of local media to keep the community informed, engaged, and excited about where they live. That’s why our newsletter is and will remain free.
How do we make it sustainable?
We partner with national brands and some of Lakeland’s best organizations + businesses that support our mission of bringing only good news to your inbox. But we also rely on reader support.
Over the next 10 days, we’re launching a reader-driven campaign to sustain what we do best:
Pack your bags. Avelo Airlines will add a second aircraft to its LAL base next year, plus two more routes. Flights to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) begin in February 2026. Tickets are now available.
Opening
Savage Tacos food truck is getting a permanent home, with plans to open a small brick-and-mortar east of downtown on Rose Street by February. Until then, keep up with its food truck pop-ups on Facebook. (LkldNow)
Outdoors
The northern lights rarely appear this far south, but thanks to a geomagnetic storm, the aurora borealis was visible in Central Florida this week. Were you one of the lucky Lakelanders who caught it on camera? Send in your photos.
Quoted
“Morehead was a place of strength, faith, and family,” City Manager Shawn Sherrouse said of Lakeland’s first Black neighborhood. Join the city in honoring its memory with the Morehead Community Plaza dedication and ribbon-cutting on Thursday, Nov. 20. It begins at 4:30 p.m. at the RP Funding Center.
Eat
Feasts of Persia, Spurzile’s Gourmet, and The Cultivated Pig have teamed up for a new collaborative food brand. Starting tomorrow, the businesses will sell ready-to-eat meals under the Three Forks brand name in the Marathon convenience store on US Highway 98 South, across from Wawa.
Biz
Military-inspired fitness studio Earn Your Stripes is now franchising, meaning you could own your own gym. Just looking to work out instead of going to work?Try a class.
Closed
Franklin Bread House has closed its outdoor cafe on South Florida Avenue, but don’t get your Bavarian pretzels in a twist. The bakery shared that it’s looking for a new space, so stay tuned for the next place to find its sourdough specialties.
Family
November is Native American Heritage Month, and kids can dive into Indigenous culture at Bonnet Springs Park this Saturday, Nov. 15. Join a storytelling session during Cultural Connections from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., then try your hand at basket-weaving from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Classroom Drop-In.
Edu
Southeastern University’s Homecoming is Friday, Nov. 14-Saturday, Nov. 15. We’re highlighting three alumni making waves in Lakeland and beyond, from the MLB to nonprofits + fashion lines. Read their stories.*
Health
Going to the emergency room can be a little scary, especially for kids. Did you know? Lakeland Regional Health has Polk County’s only dedicated Children’s Emergency Department that provides the same expert care as its nationally ranked ER, but with a focus on keeping kids comfortable and safe. Learn more.*
Take a break from high-interest debt with this versatile card that offers 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers. Plus, there’s no annual fee + you’ll earn cash back rewards on everyday purchases. Explore the perks.*
Category
Seasonal
Walking in a winter Wonder House
Some time slots are already almost full. | Photo by @merineitsi
Reservations are now open for Christmas tours of the Wonder House, a four-story, stone-and-steel structure built by Conrad Schuck and his nine children in the 1920s. Today, the house is known for its mysterious architecture and collections of unique trinkets, and its holiday decorations are hard to beat.
See it decked out for Christmas on a tour, available on select nights from Saturday, Nov. 29 to Sunday, Jan. 11. Act fast — these are likely to sell out.
Simplify holiday hosting with when you get everything you need at the click of a button from Omaha Steaks. Choose from dozens of top-rated options like slow-cooked ham, premium, ready-to-cook turkey, grass-fed beef, and delicious sides like scalloped potatoes, sausage and cranberry stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole to make your perfect holiday meal.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
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