Fish Hawk Spirits to leave Marion County following permit denial
Fish Hawk Spirits, a farm-to-bottle distillery that has operated in Marion County since 2012, announced plans to move its operations out of the county following a denial of its Special Use Permit by the Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 17. The decision came after a six-month continuance granted in...
State attorney’s office amends charges in hazing incident
Charges have been dropped against one former Marion County Fire Rescue employee and modified for the three others in connection with an alleged hazing incident that reportedly turned violent last November, according to the State Attorney’s Office. The defendants, Kaylee Bradley, 25; Edward Kenny III, and Seth Day,...
Villager to lose license after calling 911 to report hit-and-run crash
A Villager will lose her driver’s license after calling 911 to report a hit-and-run crash at a supermarket in The Villages. Jimita Gigi Massengill, 56, of the Village of Sunset Pointe, pleaded no contest this past week in Sumter County Court to a charge of driving under the influence. She will lose her driver’s...
Driver arrested after suspiciously parked for three hours at Circle K
A Center Hill man was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence after a Circle K employee reported he had been sitting in the parking lot for three hours. Officers responded to Circle K, located at 900 S 14th St., regarding a suspicious white vehicle at 11:55 p.m., Feb. 9, according to an arrest report from...
Villager jailed after admitting he slapped intoxicated daughter
A Villager was jailed after admitting he had slapped his intoxicated daughter during an argument. Officers were called at about 10:30 p.m. Monday to a domestic disturbance at a home on Craig Court in the Village of Oak Hollow, according to an arrest report from the Wildwood Police Department. A...
Here come the 80s, but Jack Frost looking to return to Florida. Here’s your...
ORLANDO, Fla. – Near record heat is building across Central Florida, but winter is preparing to make a comeback. Southerly winds will help temperatures surge into the low to mid-80s inland. Strong afternoon heating will allow a sea breeze to develop along the coast, keeping coastal communities slightly cooler.
Motorcyclist on way to job interview arrested in Eastport in The Villages
A motorcyclist who said he was on his way to a job interview was arrested in the Eastport area of The Villages. Randall Calvin Wise, 46, of Lady Lake, rode a blue motorcycle past an officer on Central Parkway around 9:35 a.m. Friday, according to an arrest report from the Wildwood Police Department. A check of the...
Villager’s son arrested when caught behind wheel of mother’s Lexus
A Villager’s son was arrested when he was caught behind the wheel of his mother’s Lexus. Brian Mark Krajewski, 51, who lives on the Historic Side of The Villages, was driving his mother’s silver Lexus at 7:45 p.m. Monday when a deputy noticed the vehicle had a faulty passenger side headlight. The vehicle was pulled...
Man convicted of fatal shooting outside Marion Oaks barbershop sentenced
A judge on Feb. 16 sentenced Melvin Arias to a 45-year prison term after a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder with a firearm. Through a Spanish interpreter, a handcuffed Arias, 35, wearing his jail uniform, told Circluit Judge Robert Hodges he was sorry. Arias' lawyer, Antonio Tomas, told the judge his...
WATCH: 3 steal thousands of dollars in merchandise from Florida smoke shop
OCALA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Marion County Sheriff’s office said it needs help identifying three people that broke into an Ocala smoke shop on Feb. 9 after they stole $2,000 worth of merchandise. These unidentified people broke into Smoke and Toke Tobacco and Vape Store on Highway 200 around 1:40 a.m., according to the...
