Marion man who ‘doesn’t like walking’ accused of stealing truck
A 28-year-old Marion County man is behind bars after allegedly stealing a pickup truck because he “does not like walking.”. On Thursday, January 1, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a residence in Ocklawaha after receiving reports of a stolen vehicle. A male victim told the deputy that his...
Ocala Man on Pretrial Release in Gainesville Arrested in Texas on Marion County Warrant
A man on pretrial release for misdemeanor domestic battery in Alachua County has been arrested in Texas on a Marion County warrant for charges of larceny and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Darian Gonzalez-Maldonado, 21, was arrested by the Carrollton Police Department and booked into jail on...
McIntosh 1890s Festival, a Beloved 352 Annual Tradition, is Discontinued
MCINTOSH, FL (352today.com) – The local organization Friends of McIntosh, which mounts the cherished McIntosh 1890s Festival every year, announced on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, that it had collectively decided to cancel the annual tradition. “It is with a heavy heart that we must share that at the Friends...
Trial by fire station: when public safety officials and media forget due process
The recent violent hazing incident involving firefighters at Marion County Fire Rescue Station 21 is more than a local crime story — it is a high-profile example of the breakdown of due process in the court of public opinion. When public safety officials and the media converge to create...
PWAC isn’t listening to the residents they are supposed to serve
So … let me get this straight, the Project Wide Advisory Committee (PWAC) is a resident-led group that advises on issues relating to community infrastructure and amenities. Sounds great. PWAC has gotten involved in the pool usage issue pertaining to outsiders (non-residents) using The Villages pools. Sounds like they...
Possibly armed, missing 12-year-old in Lady Lake finally found
LADY LAKE, Fla. – A 12-year-old girl was reported missing in Lady Lake on Wednesday, and deputies warned residents to stay away from her, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. In a release on Wednesday evening, deputies said there was a heavy law enforcement presence near Curve...
Daughter’s scary stalker makes unwelcome visits to parents’ home in The Villages
A couple in The Villages had some unnerving visits from a man charged with stalking their daughter. The suspect, 55-year-old Gary Alan Richey of Remington, Va. was being held without bond at the Sumter County Detention Center following his arrest Tuesday on a charge of aggravated stalking. Richey had begun...
Leesburg Student’s Simple Act of Kindness Eases Local Mother’s Pain
In a moment of profound vulnerability amid her husband’s battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, Alyssa Healy found unexpected comfort from a local high school student who paused his lunch to offer kindness at the UF Health Leesburg Hospital. Alyssa’s husband, Tom, 42, an analyst at State Street Fund,...
Leesburg man arrested after bar brawl sends woman to hospital
A Leesburg man was arrested for battery after throwing glasses and shoving a fellow customer during a bar brawl. The altercation at the Golden Ox, located at 305 E Burleigh Blvd., began when a female bartender saw 50-year-old Stacey Allen Hatch arguing with a woman on the night of Friday, Jan. 9 according to an...
Bob Evans permanently closes Ocala restaurant on State Road 200
A Bob Evans location along State Road 200 in Ocala has permanently closed its doors. The Bob Evans restaurant located at 3535 SW College Road/SR 200 has officially closed for business. A call to the restaurant on Thursday morning confirmed the closure. “This site has been permanently closed,” says a...
