Chamber Blog

LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Polytechnic University is paving the way for ambitious, patriotic students to earn their STEM degree before continuing to serve their county in a notable career as high-tech officer in the U.S. Navy. The Florida Poly Nuclear Propulsion Pipeline Program is the first of its kind in the nation, and provides science-minded…

“Hi there, We here at Zoom believe it is important to pause, give thanks, and recognize who and what we are grateful for. This Thanksgiving, we are thankful for Zoomers, our amazing customers that have inspired and delighted us in 2020. To show our appreciation, we will be lifting the 40-minute time limit starting at…

Davenport, FL (Nov. 23, 2020) – To spread holiday cheer, Central Florida’s Visitor Information Center (CFVIC) in Davenport is giving away a free gift every day (while supplies last), between Dec. 1 and Dec. 12, to the first 50 guests who mention the giveaway to a front desk staff member. The free gift will vary…

Lakeland FL – SPCA Florida and the Lakeland Fire Department have a partnership that is dedicated to saving and protecting the lives of Polk County animals. Tis the Season of Saving Lives, and over the last few weeks Lakeland Fire Department has come to the rescue of two special kittens. While on a fire inspecting…

Twenty-four years ago, VISTE (Volunteers in Service to the Elderly) leadership saw a need within its client base and reached out to volunteers to help meet that need. Thanks to the kindness of those volunteers, 100 VISTE clients received a hot Thanksgiving meal that year. This year, VISTE will deliver 1,800 Thanksgiving dinners with all…

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has arrested Polk County Public Schools teacher Shawn Fitzgerald on charges of possessing child pornography. Shawn Fitzgerald taught special needs students at Lakeland High School. He also coached tennis and soccer. His annual salary is $49,969. The school district is in the process of terminating Mr. Fitzgerald’s employment. Mr. Fitzgerald…

Lakeland, FL – Lakeland Regional Health is pleased to share that it is now treating COVID-19 patients with bamlanivimab, the monoclonal antibody treatment shown to reduce the severity of the virus and decrease the need for hospitalization by as much as 70 percent. “This new COVID-19 drug therapy has great promise,” said Timothy J. Regan,…

The Polk County School Board will hold a special work session on Monday, Nov. 30. The work session will begin at 1 p.m. and will take place at the Jim Miles Professional Development Center, 4270 Wallace Road in Lakeland. The purpose of the work session is to discuss the school district’s superintendent search. The work…

Lakeland, FL – The volume of COVID-19 patients at the Medical Center saw a small uptick in the last week. Right now, we have 59 COVID-19 positive patients in our Medical Center and 9 COVID-19 patients awaiting testing results. As our state begins to see COVID-19 cases rise to the levels we saw during the…