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Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shark, stingrays, fish arrive as Sea Life Florida at Legoland plans June 6 opening
The first marine animals have arrived at Sea Life Florida at Legoland Florida Resort in Winter Haven as the aquarium prepares for its grand opening June 6. The resort posted images of a reef shark imported from Germany, now residing in its main oceanarium, called a Theme Park Under the Sea. The new residents include clownfish, cownose stingrays and unicorn tangs, Legoland Florida said in a news release. 'This moment marks the shift from construction site to conservation site,' Sarah McMahon, curator at Sea Life Florida, said in the release. 'From building walls to building connections between people and the ocean. Every fish, ray, and shark that arrives is a chance to spark curiosity and inspire care for our planet.' Sea Life Florida will have more than 25 interactive exhibits, including a stingray bay, hands-on rockpools, and 10 underwater-themed galleries. The aquarium will be fully ADA accessible, and Sea Life Florida aspires to earn a designation as a Certified Autism Center, a resort-wide initiative, the release said. Annual passholders will be given exclusive early access on May 23, ahead of the official grand opening. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Marine animals arrive as Sea Life Florida plans June 6 opening
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Black Business Expo planned for June 6 at The Well in Lakeland
The Central Florida Diversity Business Council will present the Black Business Expo on June 6 at The Well, 114 E. Parker St., in Lakeland. Presentations and panel discussions will cover building business credit, AI innovation and applications, wealth generation, effective community partnerships and going green with solar energy. A VIP breakfast starts at 8 a.m., followed by a welcome and the expo at 9 a.m. A luncheon with keynote speaker is scheduled for 1 p.m. The vendor marketplace starts at 4 p.m. Advertising, vendor and sponsorship opportunities are available at For more information, call 863-513-0416 or 863-668-1541. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Black Business Expo planned for June 6 at The Well in Lakeland Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
April 17 is deadline to request mail ballot for Haines City Commission runoff election. More detail
Haines City will hold a runoff election April 29 for a City Commission seat. The candidates who advanced to the runoff are Anne Huffman and Horace West. Registered voters in Haines City who wish to vote by mail must request ballots by April 17 at All mail ballots must be returned to the Supervisor of Elections Office by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Walk-in voting will take place April 21 through April 28 weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Bartow Election Headquarters, 250 S. Broadway Ave., and the Winter Haven Election Operations Center, 70 Florida Citrus Blvd. Polling locations will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on April 29. Incumbent Commissioner Huffman, seeking election to her third term, faces former Commissioner West in the runoff. In the April 1 municipal election, Huffman led the voting in a four-way race with 46.9% of the vote, falling short of the majority needed to avoid a runoff. West received 36.9%. Edwin Perez took 14.1% and Alisa Romero 2.1%. Huffman, 64, was first elected to office in May 2017, winning a runoff election against Kenneth Kipp. She became the first Black female elected official in the city's history. In 2021, Huffman beat Kipp after a runoff again to keep her seat. She was selected to serve a one-year term as the city's mayor in 2022. Huffman told The Ledger she's "accessible to residents" and has a "no-nonsense leadership style." She said she has been advocating for Haines City to spend $3.4 million on housing rehabilitation through its community redevelopment agency. She said she wants to ensure large-scale businesses moving into Haines City are employing local residents, creating local jobs, particularly if they are asking for incentives from the city. Huffman said she wants to work with Citrus Connection to bring more public transport into the city. Previous report: Haines City's Seat 5 up for grabs West, the brother of current Haines City commissioner Morris West, previously served more than 20 years on the commission. He opted not to run again in 2022, when he filed to run for the state House of Representatives in District 51. He failed to qualify, seemingly because of an error on a check he wrote to cover the qualifying fees. according to a previous Ledger report. The lifelong Haines City resident has a background in underwriting for State Farm, and he holds a bachelor's degree in public administration from Bethune Cookman University. His 2025 campaign motto is "Hope, Belief, Change." He has promised to tackle the city's ongoing traffic issues and create new opportunities for citizens, on his campaign's Facebook website. Information from a previous report by The Ledger's Sara-Megan Walsh was used in this report. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: April 17 is deadline to request mail ballot for Haines City runoff
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Going to Sun 'n Fun for the first time? Here are some tips for the best experience
There are military jets flying overhead, thousands of people and planes as far as the eye can see at the 51st annual Sun 'N Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland this week. From April 1 to 6, thousands of aviation enthusiasts descend on the grounds of Lakeland Linder International Airport. For the uninitiated who might be able to tell the difference between a passenger jet and a helicopter, it can feel a little bit intimidating. The purpose of Sun 'N Fun is to serve as annual fundraiser for the Aerospace Center for Excellence, commonly called ACE, whose missing is to engage, education and accelerate the next generation of aerospace professionals. It's aimed at being child- and family-friendly. The Ledger compiled this list of tricks and tips to help you get the most out of your visit to Sun 'n Fun this year: Sun 'N Fun is working harder than ever to make sure that it's affordable for the average family to attend. This year, children ages 12 and younger are free to attend. Two years ago, free admission was capped at age 6. Tickets for youth ages 13 to 17 are $20 for a single day versus adults at $50. Florida residents looking to make the most of the expo's weekend events can purchase Florida resident weekend special tickets. For the same price as a one-day ticket, $50 per adult and $20 for youth, the weekend special allows admission both Saturday and Sunday. For those looking to see the Nighttime Airshow Spectacular on Wednesday and Saturday nights, there's an After 5 ticket available at the gate for $20 per person ages 13 and older. To purchase tickets in advance, go to No driver wants to sit in a long line to pay for parking then find a space at an event. Sun 'N Fun's website offers a discount to drivers who purchase their parking online. Buying your parking pass online is $12 per day, versus $20 at the gate. A weekly parking pass is $60 online, $80 at the gate. To purchase parking passes online, go to Set your GPS for 3875 Pipkin Road to get directed to the lot. The expo is held on the grounds of Lakeland Linder International Airport: a large, flat grassy field with tarmac taxiways. Exhibitors, activities, displays and vendors cover more than 200 acres. Here are a few things on our recommended packing list: Wear a comfortable, well broken-in pair of sneakers for walking. You'll do a lot of it. Slather on the sunscreen and bring the bottle to reapply. Wear a hat of your choice and a pair of sunglasses. The sun can be harsh and bright, even brighter when reflecting off metal from a row of parked planes. Or daunting when looking up to watch the daily afternoon airshow. Pack a refillable water bottle. Water fountains and stations can be found across the grounds. Consider bringing a camp chair to sit in and watch the afternoon airshow if not purchasing preferred seating. It's four hours long. Small wagons are permitted if you need one to help carry your chairs. Despite your best intentions, it can be easy to leave an essential item at home. For those already at the expo, Sun 'N Fun's Island Store near The Island offers personal hygiene items for sale, including sunscreen, Chapstick, paper plates and assorted beverages, hot and cold. There are certain items that are prohibited at the Sun 'N Fun Aerospace Expo to ensure the safety and comfort of all guests. According to Sun 'n Fun's website, make sure you don't bring: No pets are permitted at the fly-in expo or airside. Qualified service animals are allowed on leashes. E-bikes are not allowed on site. Bicycles are allowed in the campground area only. No rollerblades, roller skates, skateboards, hoverboards, Segways or other self-propelled transportation devices are allowed. Single-person electric handicapped convenience vehicles, such as motorized wheelchairs, are allowed when operated in safe manner. Leave coolers at home, unless you are camping. Coolers are restricted to the campground area and may be subject to search at any time. No offsite food and drinks, except for those staying in the campground area. For a more extensive list, visit Sun 'n Fun's FAQ for attendees at Spending hours in the Florida sun on an airfield, it can be easy to get hot, sweaty and potentially overheated. There are plenty of locations around the Sun 'N Fun to get a moment of relief from the heat: The Florida Air Museum is open daily from from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Duck inside the air-conditioned building and check out the exhibits. There are several oases and welcome areas set up throughout the expo to allow visitors to sit down, get out of the sun and rest. There's the Family Oasis set up specially for families with young children, open daily starting at 9 a.m. There are comfort stations, nursing areas, picnic tables and an area with air conditioning. There are other oases around for adults, including the International Oasis for attendees from overseas. There's also a Pilot Welcome Tent near The Island and a Veterans Welcome Tent near Veterans Plaza. The Island, located in the heart of the aircraft camping areas, offers a variety of vendors providing breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks and snacks. There are also restrooms and plenty of places to sit in the shade or near large fans. New this year is The Sandbar, a spot near the light planes in Paradise City, that has a shaded tent area, picnic tables and benches to sit down and get off your feet for a bit. Better yet, sound from the daily airshows will be broadcast so you can watch from a distance. Everyone's excited to see the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels return to Sun 'n Fun this year. The Blue Angels will arrive on Thursday morning. The Blue Angels will practice Thursday afternoon, a practice run-through of their show visible to all Sun 'n Fun attendees. The U.S. Navy will bring its F-35C Lightning II demonstration team out to Sun 'n Fun for the first time this year, and they will appear for the first time Thursday afternoon alongside the Blue Angels and the Navy's EA-18G Growlers two-ship team. The Blue Angels will appear in Friday and Saturday afternoon airshows, but don't show up on Saturday night hoping to see them in action. The Blue Angels squadron members will engage with Sun 'n Fun attendees on Saturday night from 7:30 to 8 p.m. in a short presentation at The Hangar. They are not scheduled to fly in Saturday's night airshow. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Insider's guide to 2025 Sun 'n Fun: Tips for attending Lakeland's expo
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
As Polk ends Hurricane Milton debris hotline, call Roads & Drainage Division for pickups
As the amount of debris left by Hurricane Milton dwindles, the debris hotline number for residents to call for pick up will be discontinued Monday, Feb. 24. Unincorporated residents with any remaining debris needing to be removed can call the Polk County Roads and Drainage Division at 863-535-2200 to arrange pickup, a county news release said. Polk County haulers remain dedicated to debris removal recovery efforts and appreciates the community's support as teams continue clearing debris, the county said. 'It's been an extensive operation with crews working diligently to pick up any remaining debris,'' said Deputy County Manager John Bohde. He added that if residents have small piles of debris remaining, putting it in garbage bags and placing them curbside makes it easier for crews to pick up. Bohde said crews have cleared approximately 95% of all roads. In total, Polk County has collected 24,415 loads of debris totaling 911,341 cubic yards with daily collections continuing at a steady pace, the county said. Restaurant inspections: See why these 17 Polk County food vendors fell short of inspection standards 'When you look at the total amount of debris collected, you really get a feel for just how hard-hit Polk County was by Hurricane Milton,'' Bohde said. Bohde said he appreciated all the hard work haulers have put in working seven days a week during the more than four months of clearing debris left behind from Hurricane Milton. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk ends Hurricane Milton debris hotline with road dept to finish job
