🌱 Patch AM: Why Munn Park’s big makeover is stalled for years

Hey there, Lakeland! Let's get started with what's happening in and around town. Read on and stay in the loop. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• Why Munn Park’s big makeover is stalled for years
• How a fiery 1932 mishap created Lakeland’s floating Christmas tree tradition
• How a Lakeland tax pro turned fake gambling wins into prison time

Today's riddle: I used to work in a doughnut shop. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Wednesday: Plenty of sun, with a high of 82 and low of 55 degrees.
• Thursday: Sunny, temps: high: 82, low: 55.
• Friday: Sunny to partly cloudy, with a high of 82 and low of 55 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. What's happening with Munn Park renovations? A dream deferred or dead end? (theledger.com) — Lakeland’s long-discussed makeover of Munn Park is on hold, with no money budgeted for renovations through 2030 despite a detailed redesign approved in 2024. City leaders have prioritized public safety and transportation, leaving the park’s benches, bathrooms, and new features like a dog park and water play area in limbo for now.
   

2. Lkld Lore: Lake Morton's Floating Christmas Tree (lkldnow.com) — Lakeland’s beloved floating Christmas tree on Lake Morton has a surprisingly chaotic origin, from capsizing rafts to exploding bulbs that once blacked out South Lakeland. This piece traces how a Boy Scout experiment in the 1930s evolved into today’s Parks and Recreation–maintained display, and remembers Eagle Scout and pharmacist Wilfred “Willy” Wolfson, whose childhood efforts helped create a uniquely Lakeland holiday tradition.
   

3. Florida Tax Preparer Gets Seven Years for $60m Gambling Fraud Scheme (vegasslotsonline.com) — A Lakeland tax preparer has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for a long-running scheme that used fake gambling winnings to claim improper IRS refunds. Prosecutors say the plan sought nearly $60 million in fraudulent tax benefits, with over $15 million actually paid out and more than $1.3 million personally pocketed, money that helped fund a lavish lifestyle.
   

4. Lakeland woman dead, 13-year-old shot in the face after man is enraged by request to change the TV channel (snntv.com) — A Lakeland family was shattered Monday night when an argument over changing a TV channel ended in a murder-suicide, leaving a woman dead and her 13-year-old daughter critically wounded. Authorities say the suspect later killed himself in Lake Wales, while three surviving children are now in the care of relatives as investigators piece together what happened.
   

5. MSUM's Strand + NDSU's Kpeenu accept invites to American Bowl (am1100theflag.com) — Two standout Midwest college football players are heading to Lakeland as Minnesota State Moorhead quarterback Jack Strand and North Dakota State running back Barika Kpeenu suit up for the American Bowl at Southeastern University on January 22, 2026. Local fans can catch a nationally televised all-star game in their backyard, with kickoff on NFL Network at 7 p.m. CT.
   

📸 Around Lakeland

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🗓 Events Nearby

Wednesday December 24

• ALPI Office Closure- Christmas Holidays
  ALPI Corporate , 300 Lynchburg Road , Lake Alfred
  8:00 am
• Business Builders Roundtable Networking
  OnPoint CoWork Solutions , 1805 James L Redman Pkwy , Plant City
  8:15 am
• Seniors on the Move
  Bartow, FL Calendar Bartow, FL 33830
  2:00 pm

Thursday December 25

• Christmas Day
  Bartow, FL Calendar
• Plant City Toastmasters
  Wesley Centre , 202 W. Reynolds St. , Plant City
  7:30 am
• Entrepreneur/Small Business Consulting Services
  Plant City Chamber of Commerce , 118 W. Reynolds St. , Plant City
  9:00 am
• Planning and Zoning Board Meeting
  Lake Alfred City Hall , 120 E Pomelo St , Lake Alfred
  6:00 pm

Friday December 26

• Last Friday
  Downtown Plant City
  9:00 am
• Parent's Night Out - Plant City, FL 2025
  Plant City Family YMCA , 1507 YMCA Pl , Plant City
  4:00 pm

Saturday December 27

• Pokémon Club
  Bartow, FL Calendar , 2150 S Broadway Ave. , Bartow
  11:00 am
• Teen Anime Club
  Bartow, FL Calendar , 2150 S Broadway Ave. , Bartow
  1:00 pm
• The Silent Nightcap — 21+ Holiday Speakeasy Bar
  Camp Margaritaville Auburndale , 361 Denton Ave , Auburndale
  6:00 pm

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

• Is there anyone who traps cats in Lakeland?
  There’s two (maybe more) kittens at the North side Lowe’s outside the garden department. They’re very skittish but probably hungry. (Nextdoor Mikasuki)
• Does anyone know of any places to rent in south Lakeland?
  Preferably a private landlord. Our landlord is going to have to sell her house and has left us in a really tough situation letting us know 2 days… (Nextdoor Lakeland Highlands)

• Hut American Group, LLC posted a job opening for Team Member in Lakeland. Apply here.
• Florida Polytechnic University posted a job opening for Adjunct Faculty – Chemist 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: I got tired of the hole business.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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