Polk County School Board member Billy Townsend provides his take on school safety and the long-term issues that face the school district. Notably, he says, the real power of a local school board in the face of state education policy supremacy is to take a stand and refuse to follow through on orders he says will hurt schools.

A political-action committee supporting Josie Tomkow has sent six flyers this month to Republican voters in District 39, including some that describe her opponent as a fan of Hillary Clinton who was soft on crime as a prosecutor.

Democrats are pushing to flip District 22 in a race that pits retired Circuit Court Judge Bob Doyel against Kelli Stargel, the Republican who has held the seat since 2012.

John Chambliss

Lakeland City Commission agrees not to move Confederate monument in Munn Park