Polk County’s Sheriff Grady Judd made history this week as he was sworn in to begin his fifth term as sheriff. This will be the first time in 160 years of Polk’s history that a sheriff would remain in service for that long. Grady’s win came about in 2020 when his race for another term of sheriffdom was unopposed. His fifth term will run through 2024,when the next election takes place.
Sheriff this news with all of your record-breaking besties. 📰
NEWS NOTES
Weather ○68º | Mostly Sunny |5% chance of rain
Community ○Alumni from the Leadership Lakeland Class 30 have joined together to help the community in response to COVID-19’s impact. Matt Mucci, the Regional Director of External Affairs at AT&T, led an effort that provided resources to Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine(LVIM) (600 W. Peachtree St.) + Peace River Center(PRC) (1835 Gilmore Ave.). AT&T gifted $10,000 to both organizations, which has been used to help LVIM continue providing medication, as well as giving staff at PRC new laptops for remote therapy sessions. 💻
Edu ○A teacher atLake Region High School(1995 Thunder Rd.) is using her expertise to help other students around the world learn different languages. Maria Boyer teaches English for Speakers of Other Languages and has students in countries such as Cuba, India, Bangladesh. Maria is this week’s A+ Teacher, an award given by Bay News 9,+ she is also currently the Teacher of the Year on campus. 🍎 (Bay News 9) ○Open enrollment for Cambridge AICE, Choice Schools, Career Academies, International Baccalaureate, and Magnet Schools will close on Jan. 12. These applications are for the 2021-2022 school year and must be accessed from the online parent portal. Before starting the application process, make sure all info is listed correctly. 📚
Biz ○Save a Lot, a discount grocer, recently sold 51 of its Greater Tampa Bay area locations toFresh Encounter, a small group of family-owned grocery stores, and a “retail partner licensee” of Save a Lot. The partner has 61 locations in the Midwest and will continue to operate the new stores under the original banner design. Save a Lot has over 1,000 stores with three in Lakeland. At this time, it’s unsure which locations will be sold. (Business Observer)
State ○ Still haven’t received your second stimulus check? While millions of Floridians have received their second round of government assistance to help offset the COVID-19 financial crisis, some have not. If that’s you, fret not –– direct deposits are still being administered to residents through Jan. 15. To check on the status of your stimulus click here. (Bay News 9) ○2020 proved to be a deadly year for Florida manatees. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissionreported 619 manatees died between Jan. 1, 2020-Dec. 25, 2020, which is a 27 count increase since 2019. Causes of death partially include boating and watercraft accidents, floodgates and canal locks + natural causes. (Miami New Times)
Dish ○ Looking to switch up your charcuterie board routine? Add a vegan twist with plant-based items like nut cheeses and organic ingredients from GreenWise Market. Ask a FINDS specialist to help you create the perfect pairings. Ⓟ
WaterCooler ○The NCAA has granted an extra year of eligibility to student-athletes in undergraduate programs and master’s degree programs. Michael Wiggs, a Lakelander pursuing a master’s degree atUSF, has taken advantage of the opportunity. Eight other students from Polk County have utilized this option as well. 🏈 (The Ledger)
Deal ○ Calling all of LAL’s Mouseketeers, if you’re itching to head back to the Mouse, now’s your chance. A new ticket deal was released by Walt Disney World offering a four-day pass for $199. The Florida Resident Discover Disney Ticket gives ticket holders access to all four theme parks through June 18 and includes one park per day. 🐭 (Orlando Sentinel)
TheBuy ○Start looking luxurious this New Year with a mascara that has over11,800 five-star reviews.Thrive Causemetics’ Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara ($24) and all other Thrive products are 15% off today. Snag yours here.Ⓟ
Coronavirus ○ On Tuesday, the Florida Department of Health announced 15,431 new cases of COVID-19 and98 additional deaths in Florida. That brings the total number of cases in FL of COVID-19 to 1,392,123 + the total deaths to 22,188. ○ You can find more updates concerning COVID-19 case numbers on the Florida Department of Health dashboard. See Lakeland + Polk numbers here.
If you didn’t already know, we love a good piece of art every now and then and this recent piece by @gabysartgallery really caught our eye. The drawing features Ax-Calibur, the one and only ax-throwing venue in Polk County that doubles as a coffee house.
And, in case you missed it, they serve up a whole slew of eats for breakfast, lunch, and dinner – whenever your ax-throwing hunger strikes. Have you had a chance to chuck an ax or two here? Tell us what you thought. 🪓
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#MUSTDO
TryThis ○ Trivia Wednesday: General Knowledge| Wed. Jan. 6 | 6:30-9 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St. | Free | Teams must have six people or less. 🍻 ○ Open Mic| Wed., Jan. 6 | 6-9 p.m. | The Yard on Mass, 802 N. Massachusetts Ave. | Free | Come on out for music, food trucks, craft brews, and more. 🎤
Learn ○ Intuitive Life Coaching | Wed., Jan. 6 | 6-8 p.m. | Virtual | Free, RSVP | Take that first step towards finding happiness in your life. 🌿
Network ○ Free Training Webinar| Wed., Jan. 6 | 4-5 p.m. | AllProWebTools, Online | Free | Make sure to visit the website for the webinar password. 💻 ○ Master Networks| Wed., Jan. 6 | 12-1 p.m. | OnPoint CoWork Solutions, 1805 James L Redman Pkwy. | Free | Bring flyers and business cards for 30-50 people.
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.
Lakeland Christian School offers academic excellence, award-winning fine arts and championship athletics to students from four years old to 12th grade | Photo via Mike Potthast, Potthast Studios
Looking for a more challenging, excellence-driven school for your child?Lakeland Christian School is hosting Welcome Wednesday Admissions Open Houses on Jan. 13, Feb. 10, March 10 and April 7 with sessions from 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Lakeland Christian School offers a seamless approach to education by preparing students K-12 in the classroom, on the playing field + through leadership opportunities and extracurricular activities. Schedule a virtual tour or in-person visit below. Ⓟ
