Polk County has completed the Imperial Lakes Boulevard Drainage Improvements Project, a major infrastructure effort designed to reduce roadway flooding and improve stormwater management within the Imperial Lakes community in Mulberry.
The $8.17 million project focused on a section of Imperial Lakes Boulevard near Country Club Lane, where roadway flooding has regularly occurred after significant rainfall. Imperial Lakes Boulevard serves as the only access route for several neighborhoods within the Imperial Lakes community. The completed improvements now protect the roadway from flooding impacts up to a 100-year-storm event.
The Polk County Roads and Drainage Division project included raising a 0.25-mile section of Imperial Lakes Boulevard, upgrading the existing storm sewer system and constructing wet detention ponds on the former golf course property to better manage and reduce stormwater runoff.
Additional improvements included a pipe replacement on Old Colony Road and the replacement of the Misty Lake outfall pipe to improve water flow from the lake. Construction on the project began on Feb. 17, 2025 and was completed on April 20, 2026.
The project was funded using $7,118,649.93 in American Rescue Plan Funds.
The improvements are expected to enhance public safety, improve roadway reliability during severe weather events and strengthen stormwater infrastructure resilience within the Imperial Lakes community.
Info and photo courtesy of Polk County Govt Florida
Fatal Plane Crash Reported Near Lakeland; Federal Investigation Expected
LAKELAND, Fla. — A fatal plane crash is under investigation after a small aircraft went down Monday evening in a remote area near the 11000 block of Moore Road in north Lakeland.
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Emergency crews from Polk County Fire Rescue were dispatched at approximately 7:54 p.m. for an aircraft emergency. Multiple fire rescue units, command staff, and specialized resources responded to the scene as crews worked to locate the downed aircraft.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has since confirmed that the crash resulted in at least one fatality.
Information from emergency dispatch traffic and aviation monitoring sources indicated that another pilot may have witnessed the aircraft experience a catastrophic failure before it crashed. However, those details have not yet been officially confirmed by investigators.
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the deceased individual, nor have they confirmed how many occupants were aboard the aircraft at the time of the crash.
The aircraft reportedly came down in a rural area north of Lakeland, prompting a significant emergency response. Detectives and aviation investigators were called to the scene as authorities began documenting the wreckage and gathering evidence.
The cause of the crash remains unknown.
Aircraft crash investigations are typically handled by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which are expected to take the lead in determining what caused the aircraft to go down.
The Sheriff’s Office has not yet released additional information regarding the victim or the aircraft involved.
This remains an active and ongoing investigation. Daily Ridge will continue to update this story as more information becomes available from official sources.
Two people have been confirmed dead and a search remains underway for a third missing victim following a tragic airboat accident Monday in Highlands County.
According to an update provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), emergency responders were dispatched on June 15 after an airboat carrying seven people capsized near the Kissimmee River.
Preliminary information indicates the group was traveling toward the Kissimmee River when the airboat approached from the Istokpoga Canal. Investigators say the vessel made a turn into a deeper section of water and began taking on water before ultimately capsizing.
Photo Provided By HCSO
All seven occupants were thrown into the water.
Four of the occupants were able to safely make it back to shore. Search efforts for the remaining three individuals began immediately with assistance from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, and Highlands County Fire Rescue.
Authorities have since recovered two of the three missing occupants, both deceased. The search for the third missing victim remains ongoing.
The FWC is leading the investigation into the incident and has not yet released the identities of the victims. Officials say additional information will be released as it becomes available.
“This is an active investigation,” the agency stated. “A full report will be available once the investigation is complete.”
The FWC expressed its deepest condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims.
The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office also offered prayers to all those affected by the tragedy.
During the first week of June 2026, Polk County Animal Control received reports from residents in the Glen Road area of north Lakeland regarding a stray cat that had attacked and bitten several people. The cat was one of many cats being fed by 31-year-old Angelica Perez, who told investigators she names and feeds stray cats that roam in the area.
The rabid cat is known to have attacked five known people and one puppy. Perez was not a victim of the bites. The following is the victim breakdown:
Victim one: A 29 year old man was bitten while at Perez’s home. The attack occurred unprovoked when the animal attacked his legs.
Victim two: A 33 year old woman was attacked while at a neighbor’s house (not Perez’s). The cat jumped into the victim’s lap and the cat bit her finger. When she went to get up to use the water hose to wash the wound the cat then ran from under the home and attacked her legs. The victim had to use a baseball bat to defend herself.
Victim three: A 16 year old girl attempted to play with the cat when it bit her knee.
Victim four: A 9 year old girl was outside her home when she was approached by the cat and it bit her on the leg.
Victim five: A 13 year old boy was taking out the trash and was at the end of the driveway when the cat ran from across the street and attacked him.
Dog victim: A 4 month old puppy was outside Perez’s home when a neighbor observed the cat attacking the dog.
Animal Control Officers placed several traps in order to capture the diseased cat and in the process trapped 10 stray cats – none of which were the one that had attacked and bit the victims in the neighborhood. Those 10 stray cats were placed in kennels and segregated at Animal Control. AC Officers continued their search for the cat that attacked the victims.
On June 11, 2026, a resident on Glen Road detected the odor of a deceased animal coming from under their home, and reported it. AC Officers responded and found the cat that officers believed had attacked and bitten 5 people – its body was sent to the state laboratory in Tampa to be tested. On June 12th, the state confirmed that the cat was positive for rabies. All of the victims were urged to seek medical treatment.
Perez was cited for having roaming cats, not vaccinating the cat, and for injury to a person as a result of her negligence. She also owns a dog that now has been quarantined due to being exposed to a rabid animal. The rabid cat was never vaccinated for rabies.
Animal Control continues to work closely with the Health Department regarding the multiple rabies exposures. Animal Control Officers have placed more traps in the area to reduce the stray and feral cat population roaming in the neighborhood.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office reminds citizens that unless they know for certain that an at-large, roaming cat is vaccinated and spayed or neutered, they should not feed or interact with the animal. By doing so they are contributing to the serious problem of unvaccinated feral and roaming cat overpopulation, which leads to exposure to multiple diseases to animals and humans. Individuals who wish to take responsibility for a cat should humanely trap the cat, have it spayed or neutered and vaccinated, provide ongoing protection from parasites, register the animal with Animal Control, and ideally have the cat microchipped.
Feral and outdoor free-ranging un-owned domestic cats (“Felis catus) are considered an invasive species, and they pose an increased risk of disease for cats and for other animals and humans, including toxoplasmosis (toxoplasma gondii), bartonellosis, salmonellosis, feline viral rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus, feline panleukopenia, feline leukemia virus, rabies and other illnesses that can negatively affect wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. Zoonotic diseases (transmissible to humans) from cats include common infections like Toxoplasmosis, Ringworm, and parasitic issues (roundworms, hookworms, Giardia), often spread via feces or direct contact, alongside bacterial infections like Cat Scratch Disease (Bartonella), Salmonella, Campylobacter, and even rabies or plague caused by Yersinia pestis (bacterium), often via infected fleas, bites, scratches, or contact with infected rodents/fluids, posing risks like bubonic, septicemic, or pneumonic plague.
This rabid cat attack is another example of what happens when people encourage and enable non-owned free-roaming and feral cats.
“This unvaccinated roaming stray cat with rabies attacked and bit five people, and that speaks for itself.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
The PCSO Traffic Homicide Investigations Unit is investigating a two‑vehicle crash that resulted in the death of one of the drivers. The crash occurred on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at approximately 2:24 p.m.at the intersection of Hwy 17/92 and Sunny Acres Rd.
Evidence and witness statements indicate that a 37‑year‑old man driving a semi‑truck was traveling southbound when he observed a Toyota Corolla, driven by a 38‑year‑old man, traveling northbound and failing to maintain its lane by drifting across the center line multiple times. The Toyota Corolla eventually crossed fully out of the northbound lane and entered the southbound lane directly into the semi‑truck’s path of travel. The semi‑truck driver attempted to brake and avoid the collision, causing him to lose control of the vehicle. The impact caused severe front‑end damage to both vehicles.
Both drivers were wearing seatbelts. Upon the arrival of first responders, the driver of the Toyota was pronounced deceased. A phone was found in his hand, indicating that distracted driving likely played a role in the crash.
HAINES CITY, Fla. — Haines City Police are investigating an early morning shooting near Harbor Court Apartments off Peninsular Drive that left one man hospitalized with a gunshot wound.
According to Haines City Police Department Public Information Officer Brooke Hart, one adult male was shot and remains in critical but stable condition.
Police have not released the identities of those involved or details regarding what led to the shooting.
Investigators have confirmed that a traffic stop involving the same individuals occurred several hours before the shooting, although police say that incident is separate from the shooting investigation.
“One adult male with a gunshot wound is in critical but stable condition,” Hart told Daily Ridge. “Charges are expected.”
Hart also stated there is “no threat to the public” but declined to provide additional information because the investigation remains active.
Daily Ridge has learned from sources familiar with the investigation that detectives are examining the circumstances leading up to the shooting and that charges may ultimately be filed against one or more of the individuals involved. However, police have not publicly identified any suspects or announced what specific charges may be forthcoming.
The shooting occurred near Harbor Court Apartments in Haines City during the early morning hours Friday.
Additional information regarding the incident, including whether anyone has been taken into custody, has not yet been released.
This Fourth of July marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence– America’s bold announcement that “all men are created equal” and endowed with the right to freedom.
But in 1776, that promise was painfully incomplete, as millions of black Americans were still enslaved, denied both freedom and equality. It would take another 87 years and a Civil War before the Emancipation Proclamation extended that long‑delayed promise, declaring the end of slavery in the United States.
Each year on June 19th, we commemorate that moment through Juneteenth, a celebration often described as America’s “second Independence Day.”
If July 4th marks freedom from tyranny, Juneteenth marks freedom from bondage, completing the story of American liberty.
Haines City is one of many cities across Polk County hosting Juneteenth celebrations. The city is hosting a week of events organized by the Haines City Juneteenth Heritage Coalition.
The weeklong celebration will conclude with two major events: the Black Tie Gala at the Lake Eva Event Center on Friday, June 19, at 7 p.m., and the Music Festival at Lake Eva Park on Saturday, June 20, beginning at 4 p.m. The Black Tie Gala will be a formal evening featuring live music, motivational words from guest speaker Dr. Marvin Pits, and an array of food, art, and cultural showcases.
The following day’s Music Festival will bring the celebration outdoors with performances from several local bands and artists, capped by a headlining set from Koffie, an international performer born and raised in Haines City. Festivalgoers can also enjoy food trucks, arts and crafts vendors, and a fireworks finale to close out the night. Haines City’s Juneteenth celebration was spearheaded by several local non-profits coming together to form the Haines City Juneteenth Heritage Coalition in 2021. Since then, the event has expanded with new festivities added every year, including parades, music festivals, and essay writing contests.
President and CEO Cynthia Downing has been with the coalition since its inception and has seen the overall event grow every year. She appreciates being able to help organize an event that brings the community together to celebrate unity and diversity.
“We bring people together to learn about Juneteenth, as well as unity about the culture, and different festivities to bring the community together,” she said.
Her favorite aspect is the Black Tie Gala, being able to see everyone, especially local officials, in their best formal attire to enjoy an evening of art, culture, music, and food.
As with previous events, her expectation for this year is to see the celebration continue to expand with more festivities and even more attendees.
“Our expectation is for it to be bigger and better,” she said. “Each year builds upon itself, and so this year, we have a full coalition involved, and we did a little differently, so we are looking for it to be bigger and better and to educate the community about Juneteenth and unity.”
Recently, Cynthia Downing appeared on the Chattin on the Ridge podcast to discuss this year’s Juneteenth celebration.
Listen to the full episode on Acast: https://shows.acast.com/chattin-onthe-ridge/episodes/ep-86-haines-city-juneteenth-2026-wcynthia-downin
LAKELAND, FL (June 11, 2026) – On Thursday, June 11, 2026, at 2:11 a.m., Lakeland Police received a call of a vehicle which drove into a retention pond on the property at 2600 County Line Road. Just prior to the call, a grey Toyota Prius was traveling eastbound on the grassy shoulder of the roadway which led to the entrance of the property. For unknown reasons, the vehicle slowly backed into a concrete Lakeland Electric pole, then began traveling forward, drove down an embankment and into a pond.
The Lakeland Police Department Patrol Units, Polk County Fire Rescue, and the Lakeland Fire Department all arrived on scene to find the vehicle was fully submerged under the water. The LPD dive team was called to retrieve the vehicle and found one adult male deceased inside. Detectives also responded to assist with the investigation. Based on preliminary evidence, no foul play is suspected.
This remains an open and active investigation. If anyone has additional information regarding the crash, please contact investigating Officer Matthew Hermann at [email protected].
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the loss of 32-year-old Jonathan Morales Pabon, who died in a vehicle crash while off-duty on June 9, 2026, on I-4 in Haines City.
Jonathan Morales Pabon
Jonathan was hired as a detention deputy in March 2021, and was sworn in during an oath of office ceremony on May 17, 2021. He was assigned to the South County Jail in Frostproof. Jonathan lived in Davenport. He is originally from New York, NY. He was a state corrections officer prior to being hired at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office – he served with the Florida Department of Corrections from 2018 until 2021. In addition to his Florida corrections certification, he had an associate’s degree in HVAC from the Technical Career Institute in New York.
“We are all grieving at the loss of this great young deputy who has well and faithfully served with our agency for the past five years, and was a public servant for several years prior to that. He will be greatly missed. Please keep his family in your prayers.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Investigations Unit is investigating the traffic crash, which occurred around 10:30 p.m. last evening. Jonathan was the front seat passenger in a red Nissan Rogue being driven eastbound on Interstate 4 by a 21-year-old Lake Wales woman. Jonathan was reclined back in his seat. The driver of the Nissan, after going under the U.S. Hwy 27 overpass, suddenly braked and then traveled across several lanes in order to quickly exit the interstate; the Nissan went into the path of and was struck by a Ford F350 that was also heading eastbound in the far right lane at highway speed. The impact caused Jonathan to slide into the rear of the SUV where he struck his head, which was a fatal injury. The driver of the Nissan suffered a minor injury and was transported to a local hospital. The driver of the Ford truck, a 38-year-old Orlando man, was not injured.
