Polk County, FL -- Bring your tiny ghouls, goblins, superheroes and princesses to Polk County’s 15th Annual Haunted Halloween Hayride and Happenings.

A safe alternative to trick-or-treating, this family event will take place 5 - 10 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22 at Loyce E. Harpe Park. 

For just $5 per person, families will enjoy carnival games, prizes, “Rescue Road,” costume and pie eating contests (ages 12 and up), inflatable games, Trick-or-Treat Village, a haunted train ride, live entertainment, popcorn and more. Children two and younger are FREE with a paid adult.

Lakeland, Florida -- A customer at a Lakeland restaurant took dine and dashing to the next level when he also robbed the business on his way out.

According to police, 42-year-old Kevin Featherston ate a full meal at the Peking House Chinese Restaurant on Thursday afternoon. He then waited for the last customer to leave and robbed the place of $384 at gunpoint. There were seven employees inside at the time. 

Featherston ran from the scene, leaving his girlfriend's car in the parking lot while he raced back to her home on Beacon Road. He reportedly told her he had fled from his bill, and then changed clothes and ran from the home.

Two schools in the area were put on lockdown while police searched for Featherston. He was later found by officers patrolling the area looking for him. Featherston was positively identified by the restaurant's employees and several citizens. Detectives say he admitted to the robbery.

Bartow, FL -- A new memorial dedicated to Polk County’s fallen firefighters and EMS workers is being unveiled in Hero’s Park on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 3 p.m.

The memorial is designed with three intersecting pieces constructed of deep-hued red and black granite with firefighter and EMS insignias engraved at the top. Between the two main pivotal pieces is a smaller pedestal which holds a bell to ring in memory of those who gave all in service to the Polk County community.

The memorial was designed and sponsored by the Polk County Professional Firefighters Local 3531, Inc., Lakeland Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, and Century Granite of Elberton, Georgia.