Polk commissioners expand alcohol sale hours on Sundays

Residents in Polk County can start purchasing beer and wine earlier than usual on Sundays.

Starting August 12, businesses in unincorporated parts of the county can sell packages of the alcoholic beverages from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Before county commissioners approved of it on Tuesday, beer and wine were sold from noon to midnight.

Other portions of the county -- such as within the city limits of Lake Wales and Lakeland -- allowed people to purchase beer and wine earlier than noon, creating an advantage for those business owners, and a disadvantage for businesses in unincorporated Polk County. 

The county law does not include liquor.