A man who traveled to Auburndale from far out of state, accused of giving a minor alcohol and attempting to have sex with them, was found out by the child’s mother and arrested during a crash investigation, according to police.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced $112 million in grants for water-quality improvements along the Gulf Coast and for some Central Florida utilities companies.
The suspect faces three counts of attempted second-degree murder and charges for discharging a firearm in a residential area.
Four boaters from Polk County, including one celebrating his birthday, were rescued Tuesday after going missing during a fishing trip near Clearwater, according to police.
Another nine eateries were forced to shut their doors over issues like cockroaches, droppings, and storage violations, state records show.
According to the Winter Haven Police Department, the girl was playing near the driveway when the Tesla began backing into the driveway, hitting the child.
Sheriff Grady Judd said the man claimed that the incident was part of a TikTok challenge, though he didn't even have a cell phone on him.
A six-year-old Lakeland boy may never walk again after sustaining severe spinal injuries when a vehicle driven by two teenagers collided with the sport utility vehicle he was riding in with his uncle, his father told News 6.
From markets to festivals to drive-through displays, the options are endless when it comes to holiday fun.
The high school football playoffs kicked off this week and a number of teams across Central Florida start a journey toward a state title.
Last week, over a dozen restaurants across Central Florida were forced to close their doors after receiving a visit from a health inspector, according to state records.
The opening date for a “prototype” Publix store in Central Florida has finally been revealed, with some interesting features on the way for local customers.
On a small plot of land in Polk County, a company is hard at work crafting a road out of radioactive materials.
While the threat of a recession seems to have abated, there’s another danger looming over Florida’s future, UCF economist Sean Snaith announced in his latest forecast.
A Winter Haven police vehicle was struck by a speeding car while an officer was responding to a call, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
As the government shutdown continues, federal employees are working without paychecks, and starting Nov. 1, federal SNAP benefits will not be available. If you or someone you know needs help with food donations, check out these websites to find programs near you.
Publix is opening its latest Central Florida supermarket in Palm Bay on Thursday morning, bringing yet another store to the region.
Dozens of swans descended from a pair gifted by Queen Elizabeth II to Lakeland, Florida, in the 1950s have been rounded up for their annual health checkup.
On select dates in December, families can enjoy a festive wonderland filled with twinkling lights, interactive entertainment, and holiday-themed LEGO décor, all included with park admission.
Raising the specter of not being able to meet future water needs, a Polk County agency is challenging a decision that would allow the neighboring Tampa Bay region to pull more water from the Alafia River.
The opening date for a “prototype” Publix store in Central Florida has finally been revealed, with some interesting features on the way for local customers.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and two deputies are now under fire as part of a lawsuit filed over a child rape case that happened nearly a decade ago, according to court records filed on Friday.
A two-vehicle crash involving a Polk County Fire Rescue battalion chief left five people hospitalized, according to the agency.
A 51-year-old man arrested in Polk County was taken to jail on drug charges, but what deputies found on a body scan inside of the suspect is something Sheriff Grady Judd described as “never seen it before.”
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was injured in a crash on Interstate 4 with a stolen vehicle reported out of Polk County, according to officials.
A 24-year-old Lakeland man riding a motorcycle through Lakeland Highlands died after striking an SUV that had turned into his path, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The new LEGO store has grown by 2,000 square feet and now features more than 700 different LEGO sets and over 1,200 unique products for fans of all ages.
Legoland Florida is designed to be a child’s first theme park, and its Brick-or-Treat event aims to be a child’s first Halloween experience.
Four Corners residents now have an easier way to determine which local government they fall under, thanks to a new online tool designed to help nearly 60,000 people living at the intersection of Polk, Orange, Lake and Osceola counties.
In a release, deputies said that the undercover investigation focused on human trafficking, child predators and illegal immigration.
A Winter Haven High School sophomore was arrested after making phone threats to two different schools, according to a news release.
Most of Central Florida sheriff’s offices say they will no longer enforce Florida’s ban on openly carrying guns after a state appeals court ruled the ban was unconstitutional.
During text and phone conversations, Lowe agreed to provide $80 for a 15-minute encounter, referred to as a “QV” or quick visit, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.
A strange, deadly hit-and-run crash led to six undocumented immigrants being arrested this week, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Debt collection calls are reaching new highs across the U.S. in 2025, with a significant number of those calls flagged as abusive or threatening.
A study released last month by the University of Florida has revealed exactly what’s responsible for the vast majority of alligator attacks.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd held a news conference to discuss the arrests of almost 30 people in an undercover investigation of illegal gambling houses.
On a warm morning in Polk County, heavy equipment hummed through rows of citrus as a mobile carbonizer known as a “Tigercat” converted trees and grove debris into biochar — a porous, charcoal-like material that project leaders say could help hold water and nutrients in sandy Florida soils, reduce greenhouse emissions from burning, and even filter polluted water.
A federal agent was attacked by an “illegal alien" on Tuesday morning, sparking an investigation into his whereabouts, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
A 24-year-old Lakeland woman was arrested in connection to a fatal hit-and-run crash that occurred four days earlier, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
In what could be the 12th execution this year in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a death warrant for a man convicted of killing three members of his estranged wife’s family in 1990 in Polk County.
Troy Cortez Walker, who has been held in Polk County Jail since last year, was indicted for first-degree murder related to a drug distribution case.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has announced it’s taken a man into custody who investigators suspect fatally shot someone before jumping into a getaway car.
Last week, over a dozen more Central Florida restaurants were forced to close — at least temporarily — over concerns brought by health inspectors, according to the Florida DBPR.
Best Buy shoppers in select markets, including four in Central Florida, will soon have access to a new in-store experience that blends appliances with home furnishings, thanks to a first-of-its-kind partnership between Best Buy and IKEA.
A 62-year-old man from the United Kingdom is facing charges of attempted second-degree murder and battery after he allegedly tried to drown his daughter-in-law at a Davenport vacation rental home, a news release stated.
After more than two years on the run, an attempted murder suspect was taken into custody, according to the Winter Haven Police Department.
Since 1995, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library — now with partners in five Central Florida counties — has distributed more than 280 million books to more than 3 million children from birth to age 5.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd will join Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and other officials to discuss the arrests of eight people in a multimillion-dollar fraud case.
A Lakeland officer was arrested on Friday after investigators said he falsely reported a crime after his vehicle was damaged, according to the police department.
Two out-of-state teens have been extradited to Polk County after the sheriff’s office said they swat called an area police department because they were mad at local online gamer..
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services removed more than 20,000 packages of illegal hemp products in Central Florida during the state’s ongoing operation to ensure new child-protection standards, officials told News 6.
Volusia and Flagler counties reported an almost 7% decrease in homeless people in the region. But one homeless expert in the region believes the numbers are actually much higher.
With 2024 all wrapped up, Florida officials have now released last year's statewide crash data. However, some might be surprised by which counties ranked among the deadliest.
A Polk County SWAT team shot and injured a man who fired his gun at his wife and a sheriff’s deputy Monday.
A traffic enforcement deputy with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office resigned after he was arrested for allegedly stealing cash during a traffic stop, officials said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced it is undertaking a large-scale, unprecedented $2.35 million restoration effort over the next two years to restore native plants in and around Lake Kissimmee.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd is set to speak on Tuesday morning about a groundbreaking fentanyl trafficking investigation, according to the sheriff’s office.
A Florida man was taken into custody after he was found getting ready for a bath in a stranger’s home, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, Zambrano took $14,950 in down payments from a Deltona customer for a kitchen remodel but never initiated any work.
Last week, five more restaurants in Central Florida were forced to shut down after a visit from a health inspector, according to the Florida DBPR.
Polk County deputies trying to handcuff somebody in Frostproof shot and killed a different person who hit one of them on the head with a two-by-four, according to Sheriff Grady Judd.
Polk County emergency management officials kick off their hurricane preparedness expo Tuesday in the Davenport area to better equip their folks for what may lie ahead.
