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Tropical Storm Debby continued gaining strength in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday and is expected to gain strength before making landfall in Florida's Big Bend area. Here is a look at the latest storm news from Lakeland and Polk County, as well as coverage from throughout the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida.

Tornado activity in Polk?

Polk County was among several counties up the center of the state included in a tornado watch for most of Sunday as Debby's outer bands sweep through the area. That watch was extended until 6 a.m. Monday for Polk County and many other counties to our north and east.

According to the National Weather Service and Tampa Bay-are TV stations, several short-lived tornado watches were issued Sunday afternoon as cells moving into Polk from Hardee County showed circulation that could spawn tornadoes. Funnel clouds were seen in the Wauchula and Fort Meade area Sunday afternoon, but they did not touch ground.

The National Weather Service said that two tornadoes were seen on the ground by spotters in or near Polk County. About 4:25, an NWS student volunteer spotter took a picture of a tornado on the ground in west Bowling Green just over the county line in Hardee County.

About 6 p.m., another NWS spotter took a video of a tornado on the ground for about 2 minutes southwest of Bartow.

According to the Lake Wales News, a funnel cloud appeared over Lake Wales Sunday afternoon but soon dissipated.

Lake Wales News.net | BREAKING NEWS: Funnel Cloud Passes Over Lake Wales, Area Remains Under Tornado Watch | Facebook

The forecast from the National Weather Service in Tampa. Lakeland is under a flood watch through Monday with 4 to 6 inches of rainfall possible.

Power outages in Polk County

Lakeland Electric's outage map at 7 p.m. showed a number of outages, most of them small, only affecting a few customers.

At 4 p.m. an outage in the Polk City area was affecting more than 1,500 customers. But 7 p.m., the number of customers affected by that outage was lowered to 52. The LE system said the cause was a "sub breaker operation

An outage in the Medulla area off Old 37 was affecting 122 people at 7 p.m. LE expected the outage to be restored quickly. And 297 customers were out in an area west of Kathleen on the Polk-Hillsborough line.

Tampa Electric's outage map showed 40 customers affected by an outage south of Shepherd Road in western Polk. at 7 p.m. Another five were out in Winter Haven. TECO serves areas of southwest Polk, Wahneta, Winter Haven, Auburndale, Lake Alfred and Polk City.

Duke Energy's outage map showed a few Polk County outages at 7 p.m. Sunday. An outage affecting 77 customers in the Four Corners area had been resolved by 7 p.m. But others had popped up, including 69 southeast of Lake Wales, 34 in Alturas and 50 in the Davenport area.

McKeel Academy postpones some orientations

The Schools of McKeel Academy has moved some of its Monday orientations to other days.

Kristine Fagan, the charter school system's communications director, said orientation for 11- and 12th-graders at McKeel Academy of Technology, previously scheduled for Monday at 10 a.m., would be moved to Tuesday at 11 a.m. Other orientations at the school were not changed. Seventh- and eighth-grade orientation is still scheduled at 2 p.m. Monday. Ninth- and 10th-grade orientation is Tuesday at 9 a.m.

At one of the system's elementary schools, South McKeel Academy, orientations schedule for Monday were moved to Tuesday. Those times are 8:30 a.m. for students with last names A-D; 9:30 a.m. for last names E-L; 10:30 a.m. for names M-R; and 11:30 a.m. for names S-Z.

"Due to the impending weather conditions associated with Tropical Storm Debby, the decision has been made to postpone tomorrow’s orientation," the school said in an email to parents. "The safety of our students and families is our top priority."

Fagan said orientation at McKeel Central, another elementary school, was not affected.

Forecast at Lakeland airport

This Afternoon: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 84. Windy, with a south southeast wind around 23 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Tonight: Tropical storm conditions possible. Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 76. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Monday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 84. Windy, with a south southwest wind around 21 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 2 and 3 inches possible.

Monday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 78. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 15 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Tuesday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 88. Windy, with a west southwest wind 16 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Tuesday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 78. Breezy, with a southwest wind 13 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Live video:See Tropical Storm Debby's effects on live cams from across the state

Forecast for Winter Haven

From the National Weather Service Tampa:

This Afternoon: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 87. Windy, with a south southeast wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

NWS Radar

Tonight: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 11 p.m., then scattered showers and thunderstorms between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 a.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 78. Windy, with a south southeast wind 18 to 24 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Monday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 87. Heat index values as high as 97. Windy, with a south wind 18 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Monday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 2 a.m., then scattered showers and thunderstorms after 2am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 78. Breezy, with a south wind around 17 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 8am. High near 91. Windy, with a southwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Tuesday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 8 p.m., then scattered showers and thunderstorms after 8 p.m. Low around 79. Breezy, with a southwest wind 14 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Have updates?

Are you seeing funnel clouds or significant flooding in your area? Let us know. Have pictures? Please send them to newstips@theledger.com. Please include the time it was taken and the most detailed location possible.

If you’re looking for a quick bite, authentic sit-down restaurant or a sweet treat, then Bowen Yard in downtown Winter Haven is where you need to be. The new food hall has six dining options on-site. Ripples, a handcrafted ice cream shop, is one of them. "Making from-scratch ice cream, from-scratch cones from a few simple ingredients. You can literally see in our facility; you can watch a strawberry turn into strawberry sorbet,” said Benjamin Vickers, co-founder of Ripples.

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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — If you’re looking for a quick bite, authentic sit-down restaurant or a sweet treat, then Bowen Yard in downtown Winter Haven is where you need to be.

The new food hall has six dining options on-site. Ripples, a handcrafted ice cream shop, is one of them.

"Making from-scratch ice cream, from-scratch cones from a few simple ingredients. You can literally see in our facility; you can watch a strawberry turn into strawberry sorbet,” said Benjamin Vickers, co-founder of Ripples.

At the north end of the venue is SoCe Market, a garage that has been transformed into a corner market. Maritime, a full-scale restaurant, is the anchor for Bowen Yard.

“Predominantly seafood, we do have plenty of items that are not seafood as well for those that may not get into it. We're heavily focused on our raw bar program, oyster, ceviche,” said Jason Ellis, managing partner of Maritime.

Census data shows that Winter Haven is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. Developers have taken note of the rapid growth and see it as an opportunity to revitalize downtown.

“Downtown Winter Haven is going through a huge revival. A food hall community where there is a lot of density and a lot of activity, there’s a lot of reason for people to come to one place, especially with some of the upcoming events like live music and outdoor events. It is very highly anticipated,” Vickers said.

Bowen Yard also features a large recreational yard with lots of outdoor seating. The concept is similar to The Joinery in Lakeland and Armature Works in Tampa.

The hope is that the food and event venue will become winter haven’s new hotspot.

“Before a lot of people were going to The Joinery in Lakeland and now, we have some Lakelander that are making the trip to see us. So, it’s a great feeling,” Vickers said.

The storm surge brought by Tropical Storm Debby washed away almost 100 sea turtle nests on Anna Maria Island. ABC Action News Reporter Jessica De Leon spoke to the team from Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch, which has been assessing the nests to determine if they're still viable.

Copyright 2024 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AdventHealth celebrated the grand opening of its new Winter Haven ER on Wednesday, providing a new emergency medical treatment center in Southeast Winter Haven.

The Winter Haven ER at 6945 Cypress Garden Blvd. is a nearly 20,000-square-foot building that has 24 exam rooms for patients. It contains specialty care rooms for resuscitation, bariatrics, isolation with specific obstetrics- and pediatrics-friendly rooms.

"We've closely listened to the needs of Winter Haven's community, recognizing their desire for convenient, whole-person care in this fast-growing community,” said Tim Clark, president and CEO of the AdventHealth Polk Market in a press statement.

The facility contains two triage rooms near the lobby to help expedite patients' care. Laboratory services are available on site along with X-rays, CT scans and ultrasounds. A helipad has been constructed behind the ER to help support transfers of critical patients.

Inside the facility, AdventHealth has created a LegoLand patient room as it serves as the official medical partner of Legoland Florida Resort. The new ER is about 2.5 miles from the theme parks, or less than a 5-minute travel time.

Overall, the facility was designed by architects HuntonBrady and its nearly $37 million construction was managed by Robins & Morton. The Winter Haven ER is anticipated to create approximately 30 new jobs.

The Winter Haven ER's opening signals completion of the first construction phase for the 42-acre site, which also has room for a hospital and medical office buildings.

“At AdventHealth, we're ready to provide these essential services, meeting people where they live, work and play. The AdventHealth Winter Haven ER marks the first phase of our commitment to expanding emergency care in Winter Haven. We're thrilled to take this initial step and further grow our footprint here.”

In November 2022, AdventHealth announced plans to construct a 192-bed hospital on the site along with medical offices and ancillary facilities. The hospital will eventually offer primary care, cardiology, gastroenterology, orthopedic and urological specialty medical services.

AdventHealth has not announced a date when construction will begin.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-75454.

May 09, 2024 — WINTER HAVEN, Fla.-- Hospital leaders, local government officials and members of the business community took the next step in bringing better access to high-quality emergency care to Winter Haven with the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new AdventHealth Winter Haven ER on Thursday, May 9, 2024.

The AdventHealth Winter Haven ER will create around 30 new jobs in the Polk County community, one of the fastest-growing areas in Florida.

The AdventHealth Winter Haven ER has 24 exam rooms, including a resuscitation room, a bariatric room, an isolation room, obstetrics-friendly room and pediatric-friendly rooms. There will also be two triage rooms near the lobby to help get patients seen and into treatment quickly. The ER will also offer lab services, X-ray, CT and ultrasound scans. A helipad was also constructed behind the ER, helping support critical patient transfers.

"We've closely listened to the needs of Winter Haven's community, recognizing their desire for convenient, whole-person care in this fast-growing community," said Tim Clark, president and CEO of the AdventHealth Polk Market. "At AdventHealth, we're ready to provide these essential services, meeting people where they live, work and play. The AdventHealth Winter Haven ER marks the first phase of our commitment to expanding emergency care in Winter Haven. We're thrilled to take this initial step and further grow our footprint here."

AdventHealth continues to invest dollars right back into the communities we serve. The nearly 20,000 square-foot, 24-bed freestanding (offsite) emergency department is the first phase to be built on the 42-acre site, which includes space for a full-service hospital and medical office building. Along with investing nearly $37M in the construction, the AdventHealth Winter Haven ER will also create more than 30 new jobs.

HuntonBrady is the architecture firm chosen for the project and Robins & Morton managed the construction. The AdventHealth Winter Haven project is just the latest in the longtime partnership between AdventHealth and Robins & Morton.

During the construction phase, Robins & Morton team members completed more than 2,200 work hours, with around 100 people on-site during the busiest period. In addition, Robins & Morton worked with more than 30 local trade contractors and vendors, supporting the Polk County region.

"Robins & Morton is thrilled to complete this important emergency health care facility, which will have a lasting, positive impact on our Winter Haven community," Robins & Morton Division Manager Todd Watson said. "We are grateful to AdventHealth for their continued trust in us to deliver quality health care construction that supports their mission."

The new offsite emergency department is located at 6945 Cypress Gardens Boulevard, just 2.5 miles and less than five minutes away from the LEGOLAND Florida Resort. AdventHealth is the official medical partner of LEGOLAND Florida Resort.

The AdventHealth Winter Haven ER, a department of AdventHealth Heart of Florida, will open to new patients by the end of May 2024.

What is the best internet provider in Winter Haven?

Offering wide coverage and low costs for residential broadband, Spectrum is CNET's top pick for internet service in Winter Haven, Florida. Spectrum also comes with simple service details, including unlimited data and free equipment, meaning you won't have to worry about added fees. That being said, Frontier and T-Mobile also serve select Winter Havenites and are worth checking out if they're available at your address.

If you're looking for the most affordable service in Winter Haven, Spectrum offers two cheap plans that won't break your budget: $25 for 50 megabits per second and $30 for 100Mbps. The $25 plan is available to qualifying low-income households, while everyone serviceable for Spectrum in Winter Haven can take advantage of the provider's $30, 100Mbps deal.

Have a need for speed? Frontier Fiber leaves competition in the dust with its 5-gigabit plan, which costs $155 a month with no data caps or equipment fees. Frontier also offers a 2-gigabit plan for $100 if 5,000Mbps is more speed than you need.

Best internet in Winter Haven, Florida, in 2024

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Winter Haven

The best internet deals and top promotions in Winter Haven depend on what discounts are available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.

Take our quiz

How Fast Should Your Home Internet Be?

Answer 3 easy questions to discover our recommended speed for your household.

Winter Haven internet providers, such as Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, such as Frontier and Verizon, run the same standard pricing year-round.

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you're looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here's an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines -- and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Winter Haven

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and also consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.