Editor’s Note: Long-time Ledger journalist Cary McMullen most recently wrote a column for Florida Voices. In a special column for Lakeland Local, McMullen gives a thumbs-up to the handling of the Kiera Wilmot case. Or is it a thumbs-down? One of the clichés of Hollywood films about the Roman Empire is that the fate of [...]

This is not a news article. This is commentary. There’s a “church” in this country that wants to spread a message of hate. Tonight this group of people made an announcement that they planned to disrupt the Lakeland High School Graduation on June 1st. Since they don’t want to take the trouble to send a [...]

Reversing the pointless, idiotic ruin of a young girl is rightly the top priority of most people following the Kiera Wilmot case. But put that aside just a second. Of all the grotesque aspects of this case — and they are difficult to fully count — one sticks most in my craw Explaining the expulsion, Polk [...]

…well, I’ll get to that in a minute I think I have a local perspective on the controversial decision to start charging for online access to the Ledger. I’ve stood on both sides of this digital media divide. Growing up, there was nothing greater than my local paper. The men and women who covered local [...]

April 4, 2013 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Frances Langford. Today’s commentary isn’t about the notable Lakelander, it’s about the history of our community. Lakelanders are rightfully proud of our history. With every walk through Hollis Garden; with every child’s laugh at Barnett Family Park; with every crack of the bat at [...]

I have been going about this the wrong way. There’s a faster, more decisive way to end our endlessly stupid, tribal, and destructive Drug War: simply dare our brave law enforcement policy makers to put their money where their cheap quotes are. You may have seen the big medical marijuana think piece that Matt Pleasant [...]