City News

LAKELAND, FL (February 16, 2026) | Lakeland City Manager Shawn Sherrouse is pleased to announce the appointment of Larry Little as Director of Communications, effective February 9, 2026.

LAKELAND, FL (February 9, 2026) | The City of Lakeland is excited to announce the 5th annual Plantae-Palooza Garden Festival, returning to Hollis Garden on Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This FREE community favorite celebrates five years of connecting residents with nature and will feature a diverse selection of vendors offering a wide variety of plants:

• Orchids, Bromeliads, Tillandsias, Aroids, Desert Roses, Plumerias, Tropical Plants
• Annual & Perennial Flowers, House Plants, String of Plants, Caladiums, Amaryllis, Camellias
• Ferns, Roses, Grasses, Exotic Fruit Trees, Native Plants, Succulents, Caudiciforms, Carnivorous Plants
• Butterfly Attractants, Bamboo, Spices, Herbs, Rare Flowering Trees, Palms, Cycads, and more!

LAKELAND, FL (February 6, 2026) - The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board has declared a Modified Phase II “Severe” Water Shortage due to ongoing dry conditions throughout the region. As a result, all property owners, including those on private wells, are required to follow one-day-per-week outdoor watering restrictions from February 8, 2026, through July 1, 2026. These restrictions apply to Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, and Sumter counties; portions of Charlotte, Highlands, and Lake counties; the City of Dunnellon and The Villages in Marion County; and the portion of Gasparilla Island in Charlotte County.

LAKELAND, FL (February 5, 2026) | The City of Lakeland will begin milling and resurfacing several collector streets as part of its roadway preventative maintenance program on Monday, February 9, 2026. The work will involve removing approximately 1.5 inches of existing asphalt (milling) and replacing it with 1.5 inches of new asphalt. This milling process is a standard practice that helps maintain consistent driveway and ADA ramp elevations, preventing the need for adjustments due to changes in pavement height. Below are the start and completion dates for each project. Please note that weather conditions and equipment issues may cause slight delays.

LAKELAND, FL (February 3, 2026) | The City of Lakeland’s Division of Solid Waste, in partnership with the Polk County Solid Waste Division, will host a FREE Household Hazardous Waste and End-of-Life Electronics Collection Event on Saturday, February 7, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. This event will be held at the City of Lakeland’s Solid Waste Division Office, located at 605 Evelyn Avenue (off Parker Street). The goal of this mobile collection event is to provide a convenient and safe way for residents to dispose of hazardous household materials and electronic waste.

LAKELAND, FL (January 29, 2026)| Today, the League of American Bicyclists honored the efforts of the City of Lakeland to build better places for people to bike with a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) award. Lakeland joins over 400 communities across the country in the movement for safer streets and better bicycling for everyone. The award recognizes the city for its commitment to creating transportation and recreational resources that benefit its residents of all ages and abilities while encouraging healthier and more sustainable transportation choices.

Lakeland, FL - (January 29, 2026) - This summer, the Lakeland Police Department is proud to partner with the Polk County School Board and the Polk County Sheriff's Office to offer a FREE camp with industry professionals to teach skills needed in vocational job markets. Students will have hands-on sessions to learn more about:   CARPENTRY ELECTRICAL PLUMBING ROOFING DRYW ...

LAKELAND, FL (January 26, 2026) – The City of Lakeland Wastewater Collection Division will close Pine Street between N. Florida Avenue and N. Tennessee Avenue beginning Wednesday, January 28, 2026, to repair a broken sewer service that serves multiple businesses.