Grinch-like club leaders in The Villages turning retirees into lemmings
It’s Christmas time again in The Villages. Houses decorated inside and out and abundance of food and drink to be shared by all. A time when Villagers laugh and sing with fun had by all. Well, almost all. There appears to be The Village Grinches, sad and nasty people that take great joy in sucking the life out of...
Ocala courthouse: Three defendants testify at their murder trials.
Three men standing trial for murder this week testified in their own defense on Dec. 10. Melvin Arias and Henry Jonathan Valencia told their juries they had no choice but to defend themselves. Michael Rene Montgomery Jr. admitted he had a role in the victim's death. However, he told his jury he never meant for the...
Residents shocked after brazen bandits rob boxes at postal stations in The Villages
Claudia Crepeau uses a walker these days, but she faithfully visits the postal station in the Village of Piedmont to retrieve her mail. The former Rhode Island resident, like many of her neighbors, was shocked to learn that brazen bandits destroyed the utility collection box at the postal station and stole checks...
ICE slaps hold on Guatemalan arrested at shopping plaza in The Villages
U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement placed a hold on a Guatemalan who was arrested for driving without a license at a busy shopping plaza in The Villages. A deputy observed 28-year-old Brayan Adrian Guevara driving a white Ford pickup truck east on County Road 466 in The Villages around 8:30 a.m. Thursday,...
Buc-ee’s is coming to Ocala in 2028
Ocala and Marion County fans of Buc-ee’s who had hoped to try the gas station chain’s famous foods and amenities soon will have to wait at least two years for the company to open its new location. Over the weekend, USA Today reported that the company has announced...
Walmart to open 4 new Florida locations in early 2026, here’s where
Did you know Walmart has more stores in Florida than (almost) any other state? Four more are coming in the next few months, the company said. Another location is coming to West Central Florida in January, with more slated in the early part of 2026, the company confirmed to USA TODAY on Dec. 8. Walmart previously said...
Ocala shopping center sells for $42.25 million
Ocala's Gaitway Plaza has been sold for $42.25 million to a Chicago area real estate company, according to corporate records and a deed on file with the court clerk. The seller is Gaitway Fee Owner LLC, a company affiliated with mall owner Washington Prime Group, according to the deed, which was recorded Dec. 11, and...
Please install a traffic light at this ‘extremely dangerous’ intersection on U.S. 301
In the past year, a new Dollar General popped up across U.S. Highway 301 from NE 175th Street Road. Since then, there have been multiple vehicle collisions at this intersection, just as there were prior to this new building. I was told there would be a survey crew looking at...
86-year-old driver who ignored red light arrested at Southern Trace Plaza
An 86-year-old Oxford man who ignored a red light was arrested near Southern Trace Plaza in The Villages. A deputy observed 86-year-old James Robert Chapman driving a gold Pontiac eastbound on County Road 466 in The Villages at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
Marion officials issuing final decision on new simulated weapons training facility
The Marion County Board of County Commissioners is set to issue a final decision on a proposed simulated munitions facility that would offer non-lethal simulations and training focused on personal protection. The request will be presented during the board’s monthly planning and zoning meeting on Monday, December 15....
