In the last year, a housing crisis has swept the country as the cost of living continues to rise. Lack of affordable housing is not unique to the Sunshine State, but a new study found Florida is leading the country in rent increases.The latest numbers from Rent.com show Florida tops the list of rent increases in the last year, up 23.9%. While rent prices may be highest in places like Tampa and Miami, other parts of the state are seeing a great need for affordable housing as well.According to the most recent report from the U.S. Census Bureau, Polk County was the fastest-growing county in the U ..read more

POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Detectives arrested a 17-year-old boy for allegedly threatening to commit mass murder.The Polk County Sheriff's Office said the teenager made the violent and disturbing threats on the Discord text-chat app used by gamers.Detectives immediately began an investigation after the Sheriff's Office received multiple tips about the threats from other Discord users.RELATED: Florida man arrested for mass shooting threats saying "I'd wanna break a world record"Authorities said multiple on-line companies aided in the investigation, helping them identify the teenager who was staying wi ..read more

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Legoland Florida is hosting its annual "Brick or Treat" Halloween celebration every Saturday and Sunday in October.The safe, family friendly event is making changes this year due to the pandemic. Parents will notice socially distant trick-or-treating stations with cool tubes that shoot candy into guests bags."We are the theme park built for kids, so we do our trick-or-treating during the day," says the park's Kelly Hornick.The candy stations open at 1 p.m., although Halloween parties will be held throughout the park from open to close.The theme park also brings out once-a ..read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay area is yet again topping the charts when it comes to pedestrian deaths. A report from Smart Growth America analyzed what they call a pedestrian danger index, looking at the number of people struck and killed by drivers while walking in proportion to the number of people living in each metro area. They found more walkers are dying in Florida than anywhere else in the nation, and 8 of the top 10 worst metro areas are in Florida. FLORIDA NEWS | The latest headlines from FloridaNorth Port/Sarasota and Bradenton ranked 4th worst. Lakeland/Winter Haven ranked 5t ..read more

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — It’s rare for a baby born before 23 weeks to make it.According to Reuters Health most babies born at 22 weeks have just a 7.3 percent survival rate, that rate surges to 24 percent when sent to the NICU.Yet, one Polk County baby is beating the odds.“It is so amazing, we feel so blessed,” Jennifer Mason said as she was bringing her now 10-month-old son home for the first time.Kresten Mason was born at just 22 weeks, one day. POLK NEWS | The latest headlines from Polk CountyHis mother, Jennifer, tells ABC Action News she has had problems with an incompetent cervix in the past ..read more

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A Polk County community is on the lookout for a driver accused of following a boy home. On Monday night, an 11-year-old got off his bus stop on Struthers Road in Winter Haven and was on his three block walk home when he says a vehicle began following him.But it was what he did next which has gotten the attention of his parents, neighbors and even the sheriff. POLK NEWS | The latest headlines from Polk County“There was a little bit of screaming like 'help, help,' like knocking on the door,” said Maryel Lugones, who was eating dinner with her family when the frantic knocks c ..read more

The man accused of "pummeling" an elderly victim outside of a Winter Haven Publix on Saturday has turned himself in, police say.According to a Facebook post by the department, it happened outside of the Publix at SE Plaza on Cypress Gardens Boulevard around 2:20 p.m. As the 73-year-old victim exited the store and entered a crosswalk, police said a pewter-colored Ford F250 driven by 43-year-old Donald Walker "sped by faster than it should have" and came close to the elderly man. The victim yelled at the Walker and the truck slowed down, police said. The two men exchanged words as the truck cont ..read more

7AM SUNDAY UPDATE | Stalking suspect Randall Ogletree is scheduled to make a first appearance before a judge in Polk County at 8 a.m. Sunday on the charges that put him behind bars.Ogletree is being held at the Polk County Jail on one court of stalking, driving without an active driver's license and failure to appear. ORIGINAL STORY | WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Police in Winter Haven arrested a man early Saturday who is accused of following a teenage girl while she was walking home and repeatedly offering her a ride. Police said in a press release the 15-year-old was walking along Lake Elbert Drive ..read more

Winter Haven police are searching for two suspects caught on video breaking into several vehicles outside of an apartment complex early Monday morning. According to police, the two people arrived at the Lake Buckeye Apartments at 4:15 a.m. in a white newer model Ford Expedition or Explorer with chrome wheels. Video shows them get out of the vehicle and walk through the area looking for open vehicles. Police said the suspects broke the back door window in one truck to steal items inside. Police said the suspects even hid when a vehicle drove through the parking lot before they continued their ..read more

Standing poolside at Winter Haven’s palatial recreation fieldhouse on Cypress Gardens Boulevard brings back memories for Scott Eilers.“Being scared to death that first year,” Eilers remembered. “Being scared to death of that first assist or that first rescue.”He started his career with the City of Winter Haven as a part-time lifeguard in 1997. Now, he’s an assistant director over the city’s Parks, Recreation & Culture department and helps manage the athletics facilities at the AdventHealth Fieldhouse & Conference Center.Lately, much of his focus has been on a type of a pool different f ..read more