Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: What you’ll find at Grace City Church’s big Aug. 30 opening
Coming up: Pours & Punchlines on the Lakeland Patch calendar
Good morning to you Lakeland! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- What you'll find at Grace City Church's big Aug. 30 opening
- Why Lakeland home sales fell while much of Florida kept climbing
- Deputies arrest Lakeland woman after she runs into home during check
Also on today's calendar: Pours & Punchlines.
Today's riddle: What did the wall say to the other wall. 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Wednesday: A stray afternoon t-storm, with a high of 94 and low of 73 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
- Thursday: Humid; a stray p.m. t-storm, temps: high: 92, low: 74.
- Friday: Humid with a thunderstorm, with a high of 91 and low of 75 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Grace City Church Hosts Aug. 30 Grand Opening (lkldnow.com) — Grace City Church is inviting Lakeland residents to a grand opening of its new 74,000-square-foot campus on Exploration Avenue this Saturday, Aug. 30, with tours, food trucks, kids' activities, and multiple worship services. Pastors say they're investing in Lakeland with expanded worship space and future plans for athletic fields, trails, and a Banana Lake fishing dock open to the community. The church is also moving to three Sunday services to handle growing attendance. 
2. How July home sales, prices fared in your part of Florida (palmbeachpost.com) — If you own or are shopping for a home in Lakeland, July's numbers show single-family sales in the Lakeland–Winter Haven area slipped 6.1%, even as prices inched up to a $325,000 median. Condo and townhouse sales also fell 11.3% with a slight price dip, while many other Florida metros saw rising sales, underscoring how local this market shift is.
3. Lakeland Woman Arrested After Fleeing Into Home During Warrant Check (tampafp.com) — A 30-year-old Lakeland woman was arrested Monday on Nokonis Avenue after a deputy recognized her as having an active Polk County warrant and followed her into a home when she ran inside. She was booked on the warrant plus a new resisting charge. Deputies say her prior record includes theft and fraud-related offenses.
4. Florida utility regulators will decide if Duke Energy's data center tariff protects residents (wusf.org) — Lakeland residents should know state regulators are weighing whether Duke Energy's plan for powering massive data centers could still shift costs onto regular customers' bills. The hearing follows Lakeland's own one-year moratorium on new data centers and a new state law meant to shield ratepayers, with consumer advocates arguing Duke's proposal doesn't yet go far enough.
📸 Around Lakeland
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🗓 Upcoming Events in Lakeland
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
- Pours & Punchlines →
Pink Piano, 1015 Florida Ave S, Lakeland
9:00 pm
Saturday September 5
📣 Lakeland Shout Outs!
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🗓 Events Nearby
- Mulberry_Swan City Improv Storytime
Auburndale Public Library 100 West Bridgers Avenue, Auburndale, FL 33823
10:00 am - Fort Meade - Potluck Club - Adults
Auburndale Public Library Fort Meade Public Library, 75 E Broadway St, Fort Meade, FL 338
10:00 am - Auburndale - Storytime
Auburndale Public Library 100 W Bridgers Ave, Auburndale, FL 33823, USA
10:30 am - Mulberry_Peter Pan Board Games
Auburndale Public Library 100 West Bridgers Avenue, Auburndale, FL 33823
2:30 pm - Winter Haven Main_Chess Meet-Up
Auburndale Public Library 100 West Bridgers Avenue, Auburndale, FL 33823
3:30 pm - 2026 Chamber Membership 101: August
Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce 510 N Broadway Ave, Bartow, FL 33830
4:00 pm - Bartow - Lego Club
Auburndale Public Library 2150 S Broadway Ave, Bartow, FL 33830, USA
4:30 pm - Mulberry_Peter Pan Coloring Sheets and Word Puzzles
Auburndale Public Library 100 West Bridgers Avenue, Auburndale, FL 33823 - Winter Haven Main_Homeschool Lego Club
Auburndale Public Library 100 West Bridgers Avenue, Auburndale, FL 33823
10:00 am - Fort Meade - Drawn to Adventure Art Class - All Ages
Auburndale Public Library Fort Meade Public Library, 75 E Broadway St, Fort Meade, FL 338
10:00 am - Winter Haven_(Virtual) Author Talk
Auburndale Public Library 100 West Bridgers Avenue, Auburndale, FL 33823
2:00 pm
Wednesday August 26
Thursday August 27
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
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💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- No excuses
A double aputee becomes the final finisher of the NYC Marathon, crossing the line in the middle of the night after 15+ grueling hours (Nextdoor Fairlington) - Batman is looking for his forever home!
Looking for someone to take on a young male tuxedo. He was dumped a few weeks ago at my job; not sure how he wound up inside the building, but he… (Nextdoor Winston Church)
- Quikrete Holdings, Inc. posted a job opening for Machine Operator in Lakeland. Apply here.
- Saddle Creek Corporation posted a job opening for Forklift Operator (Sat. - Mon. 4:30A-4:30P) in Lakeland. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Lakeland here.
Ok Lakeland! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Meet me at the corner. (Thank you Earlene M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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