With a short drive time to the proposed Ford Motor Co. campus, suburbs like Arlington and Lakeland are at a crossroads of how to address possible growth.

Arlington, Bartlett and Lakeland could emerge as the suburban municipalities that benefit most from Blue Oval City given its proximity to the Haywood County site. Arlington and Lakeland also seem prime for more growth in both housing and retail development before Ford’s announcement, this may only accelerate that process.

District unanimously approves a new director of assessment, accountability, and data position.

Lakeland Mayor Mike Cunningham updated some major projects in his State of the City address to the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce.

The Lakeland Board of Commissioners has adopted a plan for a proposed 100-acre park with numerous amenities from athletic fields to a disc golf course.

Lakeland School System (LSS) Superintendent Ted Horrell is the 2022 Tennessee Superintendent of the Year, the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents announced.

The opening of schools in Lakeland has brought about the COVID-19 headaches suffered by every district, but also a shortage of bus drivers.

A long-awaited realignment of Canada Road in Lakeland is moving closer to reality.

City Attorney Will Patterson says an anchor store is interested in a parcel on the north side of U.S. 64 at Berryhill Road.

The Lake District continues to announce new tenants as the massive mixed-use development off the main junction for Interstate 40 at Lakeland takes shape.

The approval is the second for an outparcel in The Lake District.

Schools saw COVID-19 even when universal masking was required. The numbers from the first week of school, prior to Gov. Bill Lee’s order, provide a baseline.

Suburban districts shared the number of students opting out following Gov. Bill Lee’s order. However, most students continue to mask.

While Shelby County’s population only grew by 1%, the suburbs reflected much higher percentages of population growth across the board.

Lakeland has seen a growing use of unauthorized motor vehicles, such as golf cars, on city streets and want to concentrate on enforcing the laws against it.

Five of the Shelby County suburban districts saw some of the top achievements in results for TCAP, the state-mandated testing.

More than three years ago, the United States Postal Service mandated cluster mailboxes be installed in every new project, from apartments to single-family developments. And that’s causing problems for area developers. 

Some of the key players in Lakeland’s economic development met this week to start establishing a plan for the suburb’s future, particularly along prominent roads.

The sites are for future schools, looking 15 to 20 years down the road, Superintendent Ted Horrell said. 

According to Lakeland’s economic development specialist, a Downtown Memphis business owner who resides in Lakeland wants to bring a venue like Railgarten or Carolina Watershed to the suburb.

Lakeland’s Municipal Planning/Design Review Commission recommended Thursday evening, July 15, denial of the $150 million Chapel Lakes residential project. The Board of Commissioners will have the final say.

Record low inventory levels have continued across the Mid-South since the second half of last year, while pricing is also steadily climbing higher both for existing and newly built homes.

Lakeland’s Board of Commissioners approved unanimously a preliminary development plan for the 80-acre Heathfield on Scott’s Creek residential project between Old Brownsville and Seed Tick roads north of U.S. 70.

The Lakeland School System is on track to open the district’s first high school, filling a void as the only one of the six suburban systems without one.

After welcoming new member Brian Sullivan, the Lakeland planning commission approves businesses and discusses new regulations.