Hey LAL, Katelyn + Rilee here. Between the two of us, we get the privilege of sharing the news with 32,800 readers in LAL — both through our newsletter + social feeds.
We’ve got some new faces at LALtoday, so you can consider this our official meet-cute (no cinematic, albeit awkward, coffee spill bump-ins required). 😘 |
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Meet Katelyn 👋
Q: Hit us with your favorite piece of local trivia.
A: DYK that before Lakeland was “Lakeland” it shared its town border with the now-extinct town of “Acton”? The town was later absorbed by the City of Lakeland between Lake Parker and Lake Bonny + was referred to as Lakeland’s nemesis in the 19th century. Read more about Acton here.
Q: If you could only write about one Lakeland-specific topic for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A: The foodie scene. Hands down. Lakeland has elevated the restaurant market over the years with well-known local staples to mom and pop shops — It’s a never-ending conveyer belt of deliciousness.
Q: If you wrote a book about Lakeland, what would you label it?
A: “How the Queen's generosity sparked a small town's love for giant avians.”
Meet Rilee 👋
Q: If you could only write about one Lakeland-specific topic for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A: Our beautiful homes. Have you ever taken a drive down Beacon Hill or Camphor Drive? Lakeland is home to some of the most beautiful historic houses + buildings. I recommend the Paige Wagner Historic Home Tour, which features some of Lakeland’s best historic home flips along with local vendors.
Q: Describe Lakeland’s personality in three words.
A: I love Lakeland’s charm + character. Lakeland is a creative launching pad + very supportive — I always say, Lakeland loves Lakeland. If you have a new business idea, no one will rally behind you like LAL will. Finally, Lakeland is quirky. You probably know about our royal swans, but did you know Lakeland was almost named Rome City?
Q: Describe your perfect day in MKT in the length of a Tweet (240 characters).
A: Every good day starts with a good coffee. My perfect day starts with a Hillcrest Coffee (119 Hillcrest St.) cold brew + a walk around Lake Hollingsworth and ends with empanadas + filet mignon at Nineteen61 (215 E. Main St.).
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| We’re testing your local knowledge — for $25. |
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| We shared our #ProTips about LAL so it’s time to hear about yours. In the spirit of welcoming new faces, share something that you think Lakelanders should know when first moving to town. We’ll enter your name into a drawing + the winner will receive $25 to a local restaurant, on us. |
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| Who do you know that doesn't know us yet? Forward them this email so we can introduce ourselves.👇 |
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Weather
○ 89º | Sunny | 10% chance of rain
○ Last weekend just blew by, huh? In fact, a tornado may have touched down in Polk County over the weekend. The severe weather brought heavy rain + winds over 58 mph to the area, affecting some homes and buildings in Lakeland and Winter Haven.🌪️ (Fox 35 Orlando)
Deal
○ Several dining options downtown will offer discounts for those who attend the SUN n’ FUN Aerospace Expo. Just present your ticket or wristband for 10% off your tab at Pita Pit (127 S. Kentucky Ave.), Teriyaki Madness (304 N. Kentucky Ave.) + Tsunami Sushi (114 N. Tennessee Ave. #101). (The Ledger)
Gallery
○ This unique 1.68-acre property (920 Lake Cove Trl.) is making headlines due to its dodecagon great room (that’s 12 sides). It also sits on its own peninsula on Little Lake Victoria with an asking price of $695,000. You can find more pictures here. (Creative Loafing)
Cause
○ Legoland Florida is offering a four-year college scholarship worth about $28,000 to one Florida family. The scholarship is in partnership with Florida Prepaid as part of the theme park’s 10th birthday celebration. To learn more + apply, click here.🎓
Ranked
○ 3. That’s where Florida ranks nationally in the highest total amount of small-business loans per employee, according to WalletHub’s “States with the Most Pandemic-Proof Small Businesses.” (WalletHub)
ComingSoon
○ Construction is underway on Lake Gibson Village’s new Memory Care Unit — expected to open in Summer 2021. If you can see yourself or a family member loving life at Lake Gibson Village, call (863) 815-6195 or plan a visit. Ⓟ
Listen
○ Local podcast Florida Men on Florida Man has released their new bonus series “The Social” which aims to highlight the men + women who make FL so great. Listen to episode one to hear from Grammy Award-winning FL-native Cliff Brown. 🏆
Lakelander
○ Florida Southern College alumna, Beth Ann Baldry Nichols (class of ‘02), was recently elected into the Golf Writers Association of America as president — the first woman to receive such a title within the association.
Finance
○ This no annual fee cash back credit card has a $200 bonus offer, and 3% cash back on the category of your choice, like online shopping, dining, travel, or home improvement (hello, new deck for summer). Bonus: 0% interest for 15 months + a 75% bonus reward for qualified customers. Ⓟ
WaterCooler
○ Lakeland Magic player Robert Franks has been called up to play for the Orlando Magic. In 2020, Robert averaged 12.1 points in 14 games, promoting him to the NBA.
Coronavirus
○ On Monday, the Florida Department of Health announced 1,613 new cases of COVID-19 and 35 deaths in Florida. That brings FL's total number of cases to 2,125,846 + the total deaths to 34,720. See Lakeland + Polk numbers here.
○ Monitor the Florida Department of Health in Polk’s website for the latest information regarding vaccines. |
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Health
○ Yoga for Pain Relief | Tues., April 13 | 6 - 7 p.m. | Soul Tree Yoga Studio, 330 Doris Dr. | Virtual options available | $10 | Identify your areas of pain and learn appropriate restorative variations.
Cause
○ Mobile Food Pantry | Tues., April 13 | noon-1:30 p.m. | Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine, 600 W. Peachtree St. | Free | Registration begins at 11 a.m. 🥫
TryThis
○ Music Bingo | Tues., April 13 | 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. | Swan Brewing | Free | Mark your bingo card for the band and artist names you hear for a chance to win prizes.
○ Live Trivia | Tues., April 13 | 7 - 9 p.m. | The Brass Tap, 1515 Town Center Dr. | Free | Test your trivia knowledge for a chance to win a share of the prize pool.
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| 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.
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