The Lakeland Ledger

By TOM PALMER THE LEDGER BARTOW | Polk County Planning Commissioners voted Tuesday to approve two future office complexes along County Road 540A in the Lakeland Highlands. One case involves a three-acre site near the intersection of CR 540A and Lakeland Highlands Road. The other case involves a five-acre site west of Yarborough Lane. Full Story »

By JASON GEARY THE LEDGER Fighting isn't anything new for Emmanuel Mejia. The 20-year-old amateur boxer maintains a positive outlook despite losing both of his legs and enduring weeks of pain. Full Story »

BY JEREMY MAREADY The Ledger Traffic on U.S. 92 has reopened at the scene of a traffic crash that killed one man and injured another near the entrance to Saddle Creek Park in Lakeland this afternoon. Full Story »

By ROBIN WILLIAMS ADAMS THE LEDGER Veterans entering college with help from the Post 9/11 GI bill are a significant part of the enrollment boom at public colleges nationwide. Full Story »

By MIKE GROGAN LEDGER CORRESPONDENT Davenport city commissioners are looking at big increases in development review fees. Full Story »

LAKELAND | A 73-year-old Lakeland man's death has been ruled a suicide, according to the Polk County Medical Examiner's Office. Tony R. Wilkerson was found dead Oct. 13 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home at 1114 Fountainview Lake Drive. Full Story »

The Winter Haven City Commission on Monday night agreed to hold a goal and direction-setting retreat in December. One of the primary purposes of the retreat will be to update new commissioners on projects the city is working on and discuss goals from a retreat held in July. Full Story »

The Auburndale Police Department reported these criminal activities from Oct. 28 through Nov. 3: BURGLARY Residential burglary was reported Oct. 28 in the 1300 block of Windward Oaks Loop. Two incidents of residential burglary were reported Oct. 30 at addresses in the 200 block of Pine Shadow Lane. Full Story »

An 18-year-old woman who was shot in the chest Nov. 1 remains at Lakeland Regional Medical Center as authorities continue to search for her assailant, Polk County sheriff's officials said Monday. Full Story »

An 11-year-old boy was struck by a vehicle and airlifted to Tampa General Hospital on Monday evening, officials said. The boy, whose name was not immediately known, was hit near Lake Mattie Road and Flint Drive in Auburndale about 7:30 p.m., according to Polk County Public Safety officials. Full Story »

By MARK SHERMAN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS A seemingly divided Supreme Court wrestled Monday with whether teenagers can be locked away forever for their crimes. Full Story »

By JEREMY MAREADY THE LEDGER Aaron Peterman is going down in the Lakeland Police Department's history books as the highest-scoring K-9 handler in the agency's history and ranked second in the nation. Full Story »

By JASON GEARY THE LEDGER BARTOW | Fighting isn't anything new for Emmanuel Mejia. The 20-year-old amateur boxer maintains a positive outlook despite losing both of his legs and enduring weeks of pain. "I thank God that I am still alive and well," he said. Full Story »

By Suzie Schottelkotte THE LEDGER Bartow's Church Service Center, which lost its stockpile of holiday donations to fire last month, is searching for 35 families whose approvals for holiday assistance were lost in the blaze. Full Story »

The Associated Press LITHIA | Crews have contained a brush fire in Alafia River State Park that burned through about 500 acres of land in eastern Hillsborough County. Full Story »

The Ledger An accident blocking the road on Interstate 4 East near mile marker 55 close to Davenport was reported about 12:30 this afternoon, the Florida Highway Patrol said. There was no report about how many lanes were blocked. There was no report about injuries. Full Story »

REPUBLICAN HISPANIC CLUB The newly formed Republican Hispanic Club of Polk County will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday at Elena's Cuban Cafe on Robin Road in Lakeland. Guests are welcome. For more information, call the club's president, Pedro Almazon, at 863-533-2333. RANDY WILKINSON MEET AND GREET Full Story »

MONDAY WINTER HAVEN CITY COMMISSION TIME: 7:30 p.m. LOCATION: City Hall, 451 Third St. N.W. DAVENPORT CITY COMMISSION TIME: 7 p.m. LOCATION: City Hall, 1 S. Allapaha Ave. TUESDAY DUNDEE TOWN COUNCIL TIME: 6:30 p.m. LOCATION: Town Hall, 105 Center St. N.E. FORT MEADE CITY COMMISSION Full Story »

The deadline to apply to Harrison School for the Arts in Lakeland is Jan. 15. Harrison will hold two meetings for students and parents interested in auditioning for the 2010-2011 school year. The first meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Nov. 30 at Harrison. Full Story »

Interstate 4 and County Road 54: Full Story »

In-person registration for Polk State College's spring term starts today at PSC's locations in Winter Haven, Lakeland and Lake Wales. Registration will beheld Mondays through Thursdays, from 8:30a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will end at 5 p.m. Dec. 15. Full Story »

By DONNA KELLY NYT REGIONAL MEDIA GROUP When members of the builders' foundation read a newspaper story about Robinson, they offered to help him bring the property into compliance with city codes while providing a sheltered area for the park. Full Story »

Roads and sidewalks are not the only places prone to wear and tear. Polk County boaters may be sad to learn that a boat ramp at an Alturas lake has been closed. Full Story »

By JEREMY MAREADY THE LEDGER LAKELAND | An altercation outside a nightclub Saturday morning left a Lakeland man in critical condition at Lakeland Regional Medical Center after another man hit him with his truck, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Full Story »

LAKE WALES | A traffic stop over window tinting in Lake Wales on Saturday escalated into an incident that drew an unruly crowd of up to 100 people and officers from three agencies. Two men are in jail and three others are being sought, officials said Sunday. Full Story »