Polk County's burn ban has been lifted due to recent heavy rains lowering the fire risk. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is down to 201 as of May 14. Residents are still urged to exercise ...

The next step is to sign up for Polk County public safety ... be a last resort since space is limited, county officials said. County officials said a map of public shelters that would open in ...

LAKELAND, Fla. — A Polk County park was ranked No. 1 on a list for the 10 best city parks in the United States for 2025. Bonnet Springs, located outside downtown Lakeland, is a 168-acre property ...

The Franklin County Democratic Party endorsed three candidates for the Columbus City Schools' Board of Education amid a debate about whether the party should even throw support behind any candidates.

POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA)– Bonnet Springs Park has been named USA Today’s “Best City Park” of 2025. This is a national recognition voted on by the community, according to a press release.

County officials say the ban was enacted because their drought scale, the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI), exceeded the maximum levels. The ban applies to all of Polk County, including ...

Haines City, Lakeland and Winter Haven. According to a news release, 55% of Polk County measured over the 500 on the Keetch-Byram Drought Index, a continuous reference scale from 0 to 800 used by ...

Polk County and the City of Bartow have partnered to build a $12 million joint-use fire station in North Bartow. The new station will serve nearly 12,000 residents in North Bartow, Highland City ...

In parts of Polk County, it was hard to tell that just a few miles north of Columbus, some of nearly 500 firefighters from North Carolina and other states were battling wildfires that spread to ...