LOCAL NEWS

WORDS Barry Friedman/LkldNow.com

POLK REACTS AS A NEW COVID SPIKE DWARFS PREVIOUS ONES

There’s no way to sugarcoat it. The delta variant of COVID-19 drove the fourth spike in Polk County that dwarfs the previous three. Polk has now exceeded 100,000 infections while setting records for new infections and testing positivity for four weeks in a row. In response, the state of Florida has opened up a large testing site at the RP Funding Center and a center for monoclonal antibody treatment at Lakes Church. For links to register, go to lkldnow.com/covid19.

HOSPITAL COPES BY GETTING CREATIVE ABOUT RESOURCES

Lakeland Regional Health has had to get creative about finding space and staff to treat a rapidly rising number of COVID-19 patients. The number of patients testing positive for the virus has exceeded 400 on some days, more than double the previous high. On Aug. 23, half of the hospital’s licensed beds held patients who tested positive for the virus. As a result, the hospital has temporarily postponed elective surgeries; also the county fire chief is asking residents to reserve 911 calls for true emergencies.

ROUND HERE: EMERGING EATERIES FEATURE DONUTS, BISCUITS, BAGELS

Lakeland is getting several new eateries specializing in round bakery treats. In the donut arena, a shiny, new Krispy Kreme on U.S. 98 North has replaced the now-closed location on South Florida Avenue. In Dixieland, Biscuits and Benedicts is moving forward with plans to open for breakfast and lunch by November. Bagel lovers are looking forward to next spring’s target date for Mary’s Bagels coming to North Florida Avenue a few blocks north of Memorial Boulevard.

NEW RESTAURANTS BRING FLAVORS OF MEXICO AND LOUISIANA

Two new restaurants are bringing more tastes of Mexico and Louisiana to Lakeland. A pair of sisters converted a former sandwich shop on Lakeland Hills Boulevard into Sweet Cup Cafe, whose Mexican breakfasts, lunches, and pastries are generating a lot of positive buzz on Facebook. Farther north, Baton Rouge-based Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux has opened in a new building where Toys ‘R Us once stood. Fan favorites include fried gator and Krispy Kreme bread pudding, its co-owner said.

ELECTION SEASON: FOUR CITY OFFICIALS FACE OPPOSITION

Lakeland city elections come up in November. We won’t know the final candidates until the middle of September, but as of this issue’s deadline, there will be four races on the ballot, and each one involves an incumbent and a challenger. Mayor Bill Mutz faces Saga Stevin, a health products entrepreneur. At-large Commissioner Stephanie Madden faces Jarvis Washington, who leads Black Lives Matter Restoration Polk. Southwest Commissioner Sara Roberts McCarley faces community activist Allyson Lewis. And the race for the Southeast District City Commission seat reprises this spring’s contest between now-incumbent Mike Musick and educator Shandale Terrell.

‘ROAD DIET’ UPDATE MIXED OPTIMISM WITH COLD, HARD FACTS

There are few issues in Lakeland more contentious than the South Florida Avenue lane reduction test in Dixieland. A recent update on the project by the Florida Department of Transportation gave ammo to both supporters and detractors. Fans probably appreciated FDOT’s optimism that safety will improve as drivers become acclimated to the changes. Detractors will note that even though monthly accidents have come down since the start of the oneyear test, numbers were still higher at the five-month mark than the average number of accidents for the five years immediately preceding the test.

CENSUS: LATINOS MAKE UP A QUARTER OF POLK’S POPULATION

The U.S. Census has started releasing local data from the 2020 count, and there’s a lot to unpack for Lakeland and Polk County. One finding: People identifying as Hispanic or Latino now constitute 25.9% of the county’s population, up from 17.7% 10 years earlier. Some other Polk demographic shifts from 2010 to 2020: Blacks went from 14.8% of the population to 14.6%. Those claiming two or more races or ethnicities went from 2.4% to 12.9%. Consequently, those claiming white only went from 75.2% to 60.6%.

NEW SEASON BRINGS NEW/OLD NAME TO LOCAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

What was once new becomes new again. A group of local musicians dedicated to performing classical music formed in 1965 and called themselves the Lakeland Symphony Orchestra. They grew and 22 years later became the Imperial Symphony Orchestra, based on a now-abandoned motto for Polk County. This year, the organization’s board of directors voted to return to the original name as the symphony diversifies its programming. “Most orchestras are named after the city where they’re located. Lakeland Symphony Orchestra just makes more sense,” board member Greg Sales says.

SPLIT DECISION: POLK APPROVES HOUSES, REJECTS APARTMENTS

Polk County commissioners recently made two very different decisions on land-use issues that both faced major opposition from neighbors. Commissioners unanimously approved rezoning land at the Imperial Lakes Golf Course for 188 homes. At the same meeting, they voted 4-1 to reject a request involving 200+ apartments that front U.S. 98 North just south of Marcum Road and back up to single-family residences, saying apartments are incompatible with the nearby houses.

CITY OFFICIALS STILL PONDERING BODY CAMS FOR POLICE

There’s little time left for Lakeland city commissioners to decide whether to buy body cameras for police officers in the coming year. Commissioners are scheduled to adopt a 2021-22 budget later this month after holding public hearings on spending and taxes on Sept. 9 and 23. Commissioners have fluctuated on whether to buy the cameras. At a recent meeting, they debated whether to keep the property tax rate at the same level as this year or to reduce it slightly; either decision will result in more revenue because of growth in the tax roll.