Marion County armed robbery suspect identified
THE VILLAGES, Fla. (WCJB) - He said it would be the year everything changes. Those words might come back to haunt an armed robbery suspect that Marion County sheriff’s deputies are searching for. Investigators say witnesses identified Joseph Underwood as the suspect who brandished a knife at employees of...
Bankruptcy court approves sale of massive Leesburg development for $66 million
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Middle District of Florida has approved the sale of a massive Leesburg development, Whispering Hills, for $66 million. The purchaser is Sun Terra Communities which is based in Oviedo. The 1,088-acre Whispering Hills development was originally purchased by Marsan Real Estate Group for...
New Proceedings in Florida Firefighter Waterboarding Case
The fallout from the Marion County Fire and Rescue hazing incident continues with headlines indicating that the victim of the hazing plans to sue, and two of the ten fired firefighters have filed grievances challenging their dismissal. We covered the case last November when it broke. Here is that post....
Villages-News.com has gone off the rails with pro-MAGA letters
It looks like Villages-News.com has gone off the rails with the pro-MAGA letters to the editor. Have they disabled the comments again because so many of the posts were exposing the letters’ lies and misinformation? Just like Mr. Lynch’s letter, which is nothing more than biased opinions being presented as fact.
Tampa hunter unlawfully shoots two ducks at Emeralda Marsh in Leesburg
A Tampa man will appear in court for shooting two ducks on a day closed to hunters at Emeralda Marsh in Leesburg. An officer heard several gunshots at Emeralda Marsh at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, according to a resource citation from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. He was able to find the source...
Dementia patient in The Villages suffers hypothermia before found by police
The Lady Lake Police Department located a missing 88-year-old man with dementia using a departmental drone. Just before 7 a.m. Tuesday, Lady Lake police responded to the 1600 block of Magnolia Avenue on the Historic Side of The Villages after the man’s wife reported him missing. She said she awoke to find he had left...
Summerfield man caught with drugs following suspicious behavior at Wawa
A Summerfield man was arrested on several drug charges when his suspicous behavior at Wawa hinted at criminal activity. An officer noticed a woman parked at the air pumps at Wawa, located at 11770 N U.S.8 301, around 9:10 p.m. Monday, according to an arrest report from the Wildwood Police Department. She consistently...
Bodycam video shows man’s arrest in Sumter County woods
SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. – A chase in Wildwood ended with a man in custody earlier this month after investigators say he ran off because he had a suspended license. A post shared to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office’s social media states deputies and Wildwood police “spotted an individual driving with a suspended...
Horse Trainer Arrested by Marion County Sheriff’s Office for Animal Cruelty
MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – On January 16, 2026, Marion County Sheriff’s Office Agriculture Detective James Manning arrested 34-year-old Benito Cotto Colon for Animal Cruelty. On January 15, 2026, Agriculture Investigator Justin McClure received an email from a horse owner advising that she had a video of...
Woman attempts heist for $51 in tape and alcohol from Walmart in Leesburg
A Leesburg woman will appear in court for the attempted theft of $51 in merchandise from Walmart. An employee of Walmart, located at 2501 CItrus Blvd., saw 33-year-old Ashley Nicole Hutton in the hardware aisle at 9:05 a.m. Jan. 11, according to a case report from the Leesburg Police Department. She picked up items...
