The Lakeland Ledger

THE LEDGER LAKELAND | Lakeland police are asking for help in identifying the driver of a vehicle who is suspected of shooting a Florida Southern College student walking around Lake Hollingsworth. Full Story »

By SARAH STEGALL LEDGER CORRESPONDENT Three Florida Southern College students were hit by a vehicle this afternoon, and two have been taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center with minor injuries, according to Bay News 9. Full Story »

The Winter Haven Police Department reported these criminal activities from Nov. 29 through Dec. 3. Full Story »

The Lake Alfred Police Department reported these criminal activities from Nov. 30 through Dec. 4: BURGLARY School burglary was reported Dec. 2 at the Hartridge First Academy, 1400 U.S. 92 W. DRUG POSSESSION No reports were filed. THEFT Full Story »

Downtown merchants will have a holiday open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The shops and restaurants will be offering discounts, specials and refreshments. Main Street Winter Haven held a holiday window-decorating campaign to showcase the historic charm of the downtown district. Full Story »

The Air Force Thunderbirds will be at Sun 'n' Fun Fly-in in 2010. The Fly-in will be April 13 to 18 at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport. The Thunderbirds will arrive during the second half of the six-day event, with performances scheduled for April 17 and 18. Full Story »

If you ask nicely, maybe local lawyer Jonnie Hutchinson will give you a ride in his new car. Hutchinson won a 1986 Mercedes 560 Convertible in a city-sponsored raffle to raise $10,000 to buy a new police dog. Full Story »

The Lake Hamilton Woman's Club is offering a free breakfast with Santa Claus from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday at 85 S. Omaha St. Children 12 years old and younger will be able to have breakfast, receive a holiday gift and meet Santa before going to the Dundee Christmas parade. The cost for older children and adults is $2 per person. Full Story »

An open hour and tour of the Polk County Sheriff's Office's new Northeast District Command facility will be held from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. today. The facility is at 1100 Dunson Road. Full Story »

By MERISSA GREEN THE LEDGER WINTER HAVEN | Winter Haven police are looking for two men who robbed a motorist after one of the men pretended to be hurt by lying in the road. Full Story »

By BILL THOMPSON NYT REGIONAL MEDIA OCALA | The St. Johns River Water Management District has hired a private Tampa company to patrol neighborhoods in five of its 18 counties in the hunt for watering scofflaws. The district's Governing Board approved the contract with Techstaff in May through the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. Full Story »

The Winter Haven Police Department reported these criminal activities from Nov. 29 through Dec. 3: BURGLARY Residential burglary was reported Nov. 29 in the 1900 block of Avenue O Southwest. Car burglary was reported Nov. 30 at the Wal-Mart Supercenter, 355 Cypress Gardens Blvd. Full Story »

THE LEDGER A 23-year-old Winter Haven man was killed Monday night when the car he was driving flipped over, the Polk County Sheriff's Office is reporting. Full Story »

By JEREMY MAREADY THE LEDGER A Tenoroc High School student died of his injuries Tuesday evening after being hit by a car while walking home after school, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said. Full Story »

By JEREMY MAREADY THE LEDGER A 14-year-old will face adult charges in a burglary case in which he is accused of stabbing a Lakeland man 43 times last month, the State Attorney's Office decided Tuesday. Full Story »

By RICK ROUSOS THE LEDGER For the first time in 17 years, the city will have a new mayor: Gow Fields. And the veteran Lakeland city commissioner did it rather handily in Tuesday's election, winning with 53 percent of the vote. Full Story »

By RICK ROUSOS THE LEDGER Phillip Walker on Tuesday picked up where he left off in November: He swamped his opponent, Clarence Grier to win his bid to replace Mayor-elect Gow Fields as the city commissioner representing the Northwest District. Full Story »

Judge Carolyn Fulmer, the first woman to sit on the bench of the Second District Court of Appeal, announced she will retire from the court Dec. 31. Full Story »

By MERISSA GREEN THE LEDGER The family of missing 29-year-old Ronkeya Holmes and her 3 1/2-year-old daughter have set up a $2,000 reward for their return. Full Story »

By Lloyd Dunkelberger Ledger Tallahassee Bureau Ending a struggle that stretched over two years, Florida lawmakers Tuesday endorsed a commuter train for Central Florida, agreed to pay more for commuter rail service in South Florida Full Story »

By JOHN CHAMBLISS The Ledger The Polk County School District could receive as much as $18.8 million from President Obama's Race to the Top funds that require states and districts to make big changes. Full Story »

By TOM PALMER THE LEDGER BARTOW | Polk County planning commissioners voted Tuesday to approve changes to the Polk Commerce Centre development of regional impact near Auburndale. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the revised DRI, but split 6-1, with Commissioner Sue Nelson dissenting, to revise the section of the county growth plan governing this area. Full Story »

The Ledger Osceola County Sheriff's deputies today have found debris south of Kissimmee that may be the small plane that was reported missing by Orlandio International Airport officials. Full Story »

BY TOM PALMER THE LEDGER BARTOW | Technical problems with the county's computer network have been resolved and the Polk County Planning Commission meeting resumed at 1 this afternoon. The day-long meeting was temporarily adjourned shortly after 11 a.m. because of the problems. Full Story »

BY JOHN CHAMBLISS THE LEDGER BARTOW | Paulette Bruno, the assistant principal at Lake Marion Creek Elementary in Poinciana, will be the school's new principal in January. Bruno, 39, has worked in the Polk County School District since 1999. She taught elementary school at Inwood Elementary before transferring to Boone Middle School where she became a dean in 2006. Full Story »