Polk County homeowner shoots, kills burglary suspect

A Polk County homeowner shot and killed Joshua Mathieu, 34, who was breaking into her home, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

Lack of funding may end program that provides free rides to Lakeland seniors

Elderpoint Ministries provides 700 rides a month to seniors, but it lost major funding earlier this year that could put an end to the free services.

Safety is top of mind as Polk County teachers, students head back to school amid pandemic

When students and teachers in Polk, Pinellas and Pasco Counties go back to school on Monday, it is will be a very different place than the one they left a few months ago.

Polk County opening sandbag fill sites for residents

With the potential chance of a tropical storm impacting Florida next week, Polk County officials are opening sandbag fill sites this weekend.

Teachers become independent online educators, give families options for schooling at home

The start of the school year has been filled with tough decisions for parents, as well as teachers, leading many to search for new ways to make sure students are still learning.

Florida Polytech's largest class begins arriving, mindful of 'Golden Rules of COVID'

It’s back to the books at Florida Polytechnic University. On Tuesday, cars with students and parents periodically drove into the parking lots of the university’s dorms, but it was not the usual frenzy.

Voters may still cast ballot in person, even after voting by mail

Polls open bright and early Tuesday morning for the Florida Primary Election Day. Hundreds of thousands cast their votes early and there has been a massive increase in votes cast by mail.

Students protest Florida Southern College's single-student dorm room policy

Almost half of the students who attend Florida Southern College will not be going back to campus when classes resume in a few weeks, but for many, staying off-campus is not their preference.

Gun violence rising in the US; Bay Area law enforcement see impacts locally

Even though the country has seen a drop in crime overall, experts say the number of shootings nationwide in the last five months has gone up.

Polk deputies arrest 2 Orlando teens for burglarizing cars

Polk deputies have arrested Tahj Lee Scott, 19, along with a 17-year-old, both of Orlando, for multiple car burglaries in Lake Wales.