Well, well, well. Lakeland, you have really outdone yourselves.
A little over a month ago, we asked you to share your favorite service providers (dentists, mechanics, landscapers, etc.) for anyone who might be new in town — which these days, is quite a few folks. And y’all delivered.
We received 230+ responses, and we want to share the top recommendation for each category. (You can also view all the recommendations for each category on our website).Thank you again for all of your participation.
A class at The Balance Culture | Photo courtesy of @ruthietait
Gym • The Balance Culture | 1035 Florida Ave. S. #200 | “BC creates an empowering and encouraging community of women who all have different levels of fitness experience but all share the same goal: to do their best. Women of all ages, fitness levels, and experience levels should absolutely come to try this studio for pilates, barre, spin, or yoga class! Plus, your first class is free!”— Rebekah Dentist •Midtown Dental| 607 S. Missouri Ave. | “They have hours that accommodate people with inflexible work schedules. They are professional, helpful, caring, and do so many things to give their customers a good experience.” — Marcella
Disclaimer: This was our first time ever conducting a crowdsourcing initiative like this, so if you have any feedback for the future, please let us know. These recommendations do not necessarily reflect the views of LALtoday or 6AMCity and were gathered via audience participation. LALtoday did not place any restrictions on participation (i.e. some businesses might have offered discounts or deals to clients who submitted recommendations). Finally, for categories that have more than one top recommendation, we were unable to select a clear winner based on the entries we received.
Now for a service that you could provide us — sharing this morning’s news with your favorite electricians, hairstylists, and doctors. 😉
NEWS NOTES
Weather ○83º | Mostly Sunny | 10% chance of rain
Announced ○ Lakeland’s City Commission announced that their Monday meetings will switch from 3 p.m. to 9 a.m.Commissioners used to meet in the mornings and moved meetings to the afternoon in an effort to boost attendance. However, no change was detected. Meetings will take place at 9 a.m. beginning on Mon., June 7. (LkldNow)
Community ○ A 6,000-unit housing development near Lake Wales willseek final approvalat Wednesday’sPolk County Planning Commission meeting. The project, covering over 2,300 acres, is facing heavy opposition from residents concerned about water supply + increased threats to local endangered species. (The Ledger)
Number ○$37,500. The total amount awardedto five Lakeland entrepreneurs at Catapult’s LAUNCH Pitch Nightin March.Learn more about the award winners + the micro-grant funding program here.Ⓟ
Health ○ Expert care appointments are nowavailable on Saturdays atWatson Clinic South (1033 N. Parkway Frontage Rd.). Dr. Guillermo Vasquez and his team will be open from 7-11 a.m. every Saturday, offering bilingual service + flexibility for those who cannot make time during the week. Appointments can be scheduled here. 🏥 (Tampa Bay News Wire)
WaterCooler ○ Polk County knows how to play ball. The 2021 MLB season got underway last weekend with seven big leaguers fromlittle ol’ Polk. There is one MVP, one Cy Young Award winner + two World Series champions among the group. Meet the ballers here. ⚾ (The Ledger)
Dish ○ Cob and Pen posted their new menu on their Instagram story yesterday with updated snacks, handhelds + plates, fries, salads, sides, and sweets. Take a sneak peek at a new menu item, their Scotch Egghere.
Coronavirus ○On Monday, the Florida Department of Health announced 3,480 new cases of COVID-19 and 36 deaths in Florida. That brings FL’s total number of cases to 2,085,306+ the total deaths to 33,710. See Lakeland + Polk numbers here. ○Monitorthe Florida Department of Health in Polk’s websitefor the latest information regarding vaccines.
Finance ○Looking for a better cash-back card so you can start planning your first big post-vaccine vacation? 🙋 Meet2021’s highest paying cash back card, which offers up to 3% cashback, a $200 bonus offer, 0% interest for 15 months + no annual fee. Expert Greg Go says it’s “the best deal I’ve seen.” Ⓟ
You can check out Charley + his latest visit to Lakeland from Monday’s segment here.
#DYK that your photo could be featured in our newsletter? Just use #LALtoday on social media.
#MUSTDO
Civic ○ City of Lakeland Special Election| Tues., April 6 | 7 a.m-7 p.m. | Find your precinct here | Free | Vote for the temporary vacant seat on the City Commission.
ForKids ○ Girl Scouts: Animal Dance Party| Tues., April 6 | 6 p.m. | Girl Scouts Little House, 355 N. Wilson Ave. | Free, register here | Animal-themed crafts, games + a dance party for any girls interested in learning about the Girl Scouts. 🎉
PlanAhead ○ Couples Cooking: Mexican BBQ| Thurs., April 15 | 6-9 p.m. | Publix Aprons Cooking School, 4730 S. Florida Ave. | $100 | One ticket covers each couple in this hands-on cooking class of Mexican dishes. ○ Spring Pop-Up Series: Fritango| Fri., April 16 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Catapult Lakeland | Free, register here | Fritango will serve authentic Nicaraguan cuisine on Catapult’s outdoor patio. 😋
Disclaimer: It is up to readers’ discretion to determine whether they feel comfortable participating in any mentioned events based on COVID-19 protocols and precautions. If you have questions, please contact the event’s organizers directly.
