Blog
Tom Palmer
Department: Metro desk
Phone: (863) 802-7535
Email: tom.palmer@theledger.com
Beat/Position: Environment and Government Reporter
Tom Palmer, 64.is a reporter, columnist and blogger for The Ledger. He is a veteran, award-winning writer who has been honored by various journalistic organizations as well as by groups ranging from 1000 Friends of Florida to the Florida Lakes Management Society. He has worked at the Ledger since 1980.
He was born and raised in Sanford, Fla., He has been working and writing in Polk County since 1974. In his spare time, he enjoys birdwatching, butterfly surveys, kayaking, volunteering through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Ridge Rangers program with litter cleanup and land management. He also volunteers at Haines City Community Theater
He is a charter member of the Society of Environmental Journalists and is also a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, Florida Ornithological Society and North American Butterfly Association.
Palmer is a 1973 graduate of the University of South Florida and a U.S. Army veteran.
He is married and lives in Winter Haven.
Related Articles - Tom Palmer
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Head1
Published May 26, 2013
LAKELAND | Is your home or business ready for the 2013 hurricane season? In Polk and other interior areas of Central Florida, the main threat is wind damage rather than storm surge or river flooding. With the beginning of the annual Florida...
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The Nature of Things: Banish Word ‘Pristine' From Florida Landscape Descriptions
Published May 25, 2013
Many people have pet peeves about misused words. One that has bothered me for some time is the overuse of the word "pristine" to describe sections of the natural landscape.
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Recycling Center Trial Set for May 28
Published May 25, 2013
LAKELAND | Businessman Tom Mims wants to open a recycling center and landfill near Mulberry.
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Wind Is the Major Storm Threat for Polk Homes
Published May 24, 2013
In Polk and other interior areas of Central Florida, the main threat is wind damage rather than storm surge or river flooding.
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Avoid These Landscape Pitfalls
Published May 23, 2013
I hate to see new homes landscaped with tiny, widely spaced plants. Whether the landscaping is done by a subcontractor or homeowner, the sight of puny plants set too close to the home in a ridiculously slender and shallow ribbon of mulch is...
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The Insider: Woodstock of Geocaching This Weekend
Published May 23, 2013
Expect to see thousands of people from all over the world at Circle B Bar Reserve and at the Myrtle Street Sports Complex during Memorial Day weekend during a major geocaching event.
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Polk County Commissioners Approve Changes to Mining Regulations
Published May 21, 2013
Polk County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to approve changes in the county's development regulations covering mining.
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Polk Had Mixed Success With Legislature, Commission Told
Published May 21, 2013
BARTOW | Polk County had mixed success in getting measures passed and keeping damaging legislation from passing during this year's session of the Florida Legislature, its team of lobbyists told the County Commission Tuesday.
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Group Wants County Commission to be Single-Member Districts
Published May 21, 2013
LAKELAND | A grassroots organization announced Tuesday it is launching a petition drive to seek a charter amendment to implement single-member County Commission districts.
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Expansion is Planned for Saddle Creek Park in Lakeland
Published May 20, 2013
Saddle Creek Park is poised to expand a bit. On Tuesday, the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board will consider a proposal to purchase 37 acres east of the park.
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The Nature of Things: Birdwatcher Compiles State List, Life List
Published May 18, 2013
I saw my first rock wren outside one of the bathrooms at St. George Island State Park in the Florida Panhandle in November 1982.
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Polk Invited to Join Regional Transportation Group
Published May 17, 2013
BARTOW | Polk County officials were invited Friday to become part of a Tampa Bay area transportation organization.
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Unpaid Property Taxes To Cost More After June 1
Published May 14, 2013
Polk County Tax Collector Joe G. Tedder said Monday that all properties with unpaid taxes will be subject to tax certificate sale.
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Aid Available For Restoration of Grasslands or Wetlands of Private Lands
Published May 14, 2013
Landowners interested in seeking financial help to restore wetlands or grasslands on private lands have until May 28 to apply, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service.
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Tiger Bay Speaker Lauds Florida's New Ethics Reforms
Published May 14, 2013
The most significant improvements in government ethics reform in Florida in decades occurred this year, but the public needs to become more engaged to use the reforms to hold its elected officials accountable.