News

Polk CARES: Small Business, Residents May Apply for CARES Act Assistance

May 19, 2020 News

The Polk County Board of County Commissioners has debuted a new program to assist businesses and residents during the coronavirus pandemic. The website offers links and information on how small businesses and residents in Polk County can apply for part of the $126 million the county received as part of the federal government’s Coronavirus Aid, […]

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Residents Get Back to Nature as Polk County Green Spaces Reopen

May 14, 2020 News

Reopening parks and recreational facilities that were closed as the coronavirus crept into Polk County is helping people cope during the crisis. “Keep in mind that the whole concept of public recreation in America started from an understanding that being outdoors and engaging in recreation and leisure has tremendous benefits for health (physical and mental) […]

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Schools, Community Continue to Help Improve High School Graduation Rate 

May 8, 2020 News, Talent Pipeline

Local school officials and community leaders continue working with students and encouraging them to graduate high school, a premise at the heart of improving the graduation rate in Polk County. That number increased from 86.5 percent to 88.8 percent in 2018-19 among Polk County’s 14 traditional public high schools. “Improving the graduation rate equates to […]

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Focus on Education Helps More Polk County Residents Attain Degrees

May 7, 2020 News, Talent Pipeline

As Polk County continues to focus on education, it’s seeing results: More teenagers are graduating from high school, and more residents have college degrees. The Florida College Access Network, an organization of community leaders that Polk County joined to improve talent development, and the Talent Pipeline Committee, formed by Polk Vision and the Central Florida […]

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Polk County’s Colleges Adapt to Keep Students Learning During Covid-19

May 4, 2020 News

Just as the show must go on, so must teaching and learning. Polk County’s seven universities and colleges are ensuring they do just that, adapting quickly with creative solutions to finish the spring semester and prepare for the summer and fall. Learn more about how each institution is moving ahead in the time of the […]

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Growth at Lakeland Linder Airport Diversifies Revenue, Brings Stability

April 29, 2020 News

Aviation and aerospace remain a critical component to Polk County’s economy, and Lakeland Linder International Airport continues to add to that cluster. On the heels of landing Amazon Air in late 2019, Lakeland Linder will now continue its expansion with the announcement that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will add more employees and three […]

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SBA South Florida Webinars

April 27, 2020 News

  The SBA South Florida District Office will host a series of Small Business Recovery webinars to provide the latest information on how the SBA is helping small businesses with their economic recovery from the effects of COVID-19. You may join the conference 10 minutes prior. Limited to the first 500 callers, unless otherwise noted. Date […]

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Focused on Polk’s Recovery and Economic Resiliency

April 27, 2020 News

This op-ed by CFDC President and CEO Sean Malott was originally shared by The Ledger.  Polk County was a hotbed of activity before all this started, and it’s our job, mission and responsibility to continue to build upon the solid foundation that still exists. When 2020 started, the economy was riding high, unemployment in Polk […]

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Five Polk County Universities Give Back During Pandemic

April 23, 2020 News

In the midst of their transitions to online learning, five local institutions of higher learning have found ways to give back to the community it serves. Florida Southern College When news of a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) started hitting the airwaves, professors at Florida Southern College were quick to act on Dr. Brittany […]

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Citrus Sees Promising Season Ahead

April 23, 2020 News

Advances in growing and favorable Florida weather offer bright future for citrus season. As growers harvest late-season Valencia oranges, the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture projects a slight decrease in orange and grapefruit production from March: About 70 million boxes for oranges, down 1 million boxes. About 5.2 million boxes […]

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