City News

LAKELAND, FL (February 7, 2022) | City of Lakeland has been awarded a State Water Quality Assistance Grant in the amount of $280,000 from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for the Lake Bonny Stormwater Outfall Retrofit Project.  The FDEP’s Non-Point Source Management Program administers the initiative to provide local government funding for projects designed to control water pollution from non-point sources.  Non-point source pollution comes from a wide area and causes nutrient, sediment, and fertilizer contamination that enters stormwater runoff and then is carried to surface water bodies.

LAKELAND, FL (February 4, 2022) | The City of Lakeland Division of Solid Waste provides once per week residential service with automated garbage collection, automated recycling collection, and yard waste collection. Residents can also notify Solid Waste for larger bulk item pick-up. Residential customers can get four (4) bulk collections, up to 20 cubic yards each, per calendar year. The calendar year runs from January 1st through December 31st.  City of Lakeland residents that need to schedule a bulk pickup should email customer service at solidwastemanagment@lakelandgov.net with your address and the type of material you have for collection.  Customers can also call 863/834-8773 to schedule a pickup.

LAKELAND, FL (February 4, 2022) | As Queen Elizabeth II gets ready to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, the City’s swans will be celebrating their Blue Sapphire Jubilee. February 8^th will mark the 65^th Anniversary of Lakeland’s royal swans arriving on Lake Morton.  On this day in 1957, the two swans gifted by Queen Elizabeth II arrived on Lake Morton in downtown Lakeland. Since that time, Lakeland’s swans have become iconic figures in the community. It is almost a rite of passage for families to visit Lake Morton to feed our beloved swans. Swans can be found in freshwater lakes, ponds, and estuaries primarily in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. Their early migration to Florida came from seasonal residents wanting to have swans as pets on or near their winter homes. By 1926, Lakeland had a swan population of 20 and the City established a Swan Department to help oversee their care.

LAKELAND, FL (January 19, 2022) - Construction is wrapping up on Summit Consulting’s new eight story 135,000 square foot building located at 117 N. Massachusetts Avenue on Lake Mirror in downtown Lakeland. Beginning Monday, January 31^st at 7 a.m. paving contractors will resurface Massachusetts Avenue between East Main Street and Cedar Street.  Massachusetts Avenue will be resurfaced, striped, and painted with street markings on all four lanes. 

Big Brothers Big Sisters and City of Lakeland Celebrate the Importance of Mentoring during National Mentoring Month | Learn more about the LIFT Lakeland and School-to-Work mentoring partnership at an open house on Thursday, January 20th

LAKELAND, FL (January 13, 2022 | This free program allows citizens to gain insight into City services and the functions of local government through interactive, hands on activities. The 2022 Citizens Academy will start Thursday, February 24^th.  All sessions are from 6-8 p.m. and at least four sessions will meet away from City Hall. A light dinner is served at all sessions starting at 5:45 p.m. with the class beginning promptly at 6 p.m.

LAKELAND, FL (January 12, 2022) | On Thursday, January 20th starting at 8 a.m., a contractor working for the City of Lakeland Wastewater Collection Division will be completing work to repair a sewer main on Chiles Street. Unfortunately, the original contractor was unable to complete the repair in November 2021.  A new contractor will be onsite using a different technology desig ...

LAKELAND, FL  (January 7, 2022) Detectives with the Lakeland Police Department are seeking the public’s help in identifying an unidentified male in a death investigation case. On Monday, January 3, 2022, the decedent was found in an area near the 2000 block of Gib-Galloway Road in Lakeland. He is a middle-aged white male, approximately 5’10”, missing several teeth from his lowe ...

LAKELAND, FL (January 3, 2022) | The City of Lakeland is currently conducting the annual LKLD VIEW community survey designed for citizens to share their values on quality of life issues and services. The online survey can be accessed by visiting www.lkldview.com.

LAKELAND, FL (January 02, 2022) - On Saturday, January 1, 2022, at approximately 4:46 p.m., officers responded to a traffic crash near South Crystal Lake Drive and US Highway 98 South. Just prior to the crash, a Ford Mustang was attempting to turn left on to South Crystal Lake Drive from US Highway 98 South when it crossed into the path of a Hyundai SUV that was traveling north ...