House of Hope dedicates new facility to help addicts in recovery
More than 200 people gathered in the rain Sunday afternoon to celebrate the grand opening of the new House of Hope facility in Wildwood. The House of Hope is a faith-based residential recovery center for men battling addiction in Sumter County. The new facility, located at 4168 County Road 126, Wildwood, will serve...
Who is Susan Lorincz? Florida woman is focus of Netflix’s ‘Perfect Neighbor’
A new documentary sheds light on an infamous shooting death in Florida . Netflix's "The Perfect Neighbor" tells the story of Ocala resident Susan Lorincz, who was convicted of manslaughter after shooting and killing her neighbor, Ajike "AJ" Shantrell Owens in 2023. The documentary showcases a timeline of the...
Stolen Cadillac tires lead to Ocala man’s arrest
A 53-year-old Ocala man was arrested for grand theft after he was accused of stealing three tires from another man’s Cadillac. On Wednesday, October 8, at around 6:15 p.m., a male victim contacted the Ocala Police Department and reported that a man, later identified as Paxton Andrew Quirk, had removed three tires...
25 years later, cats still get friendly care at Ocala health facility built just...
Naysayers told Brick City Cat Hospital founder Dr. Jenny Salpeter 25 years ago that a cat-only facility wouldn’t last here.But Practice Manager Valerie Brown said the cat hospital, 702 S. Magnolia Ave., Ocala, which touts “tip of nose to tip of tail” care, including surgical and dental treatment, currently sees an...
LIVE RADAR: More rain expected across Central Florida
ORLANDO, Fla. – More rain is in the forecast for Central Florida on Monday. A day after more than 19 inches of rain fell in parts of the region, another 2-4 inches is possible. Brevard and Lake counties were hit the hardest, with Eustis recording over 19 inches of...
Slow-moving storm dumps as much rain as a hurricane in parts of Central Florida
Florida Flooding Orlando Sentinel Intense rains that stalled over Central Florida unleashed nearly 20 inches (508 millimeters) of rain in 24 hours, triggering dangerous flash floods that stranded cars and inundated roadways, leaving some closed to traffic into Monday. Forecasters said the colossal amount of rain...
Wildwood students work with Habitat for Humanity to construct their first home
WILDWOOD, Fla. — Students in Sumter County are building their first home. Students from Wildwood Middle High School are working with Habitat for Humanity to construct a home that will be located on Oxford Road. This is part of Habitat for Humanity's Youth Construction Academy, designed to provide on-site,...
Here’s an easy way to cut down on ‘outsiders’ coming into The Villages
Yes, we have more crime in The Villages than we all expected when we moved here. Some of the criminals are Villagers and some are their children or grandchildren. While many outsiders are law abiding and spend money at our restaurants and shops, many don’t. Both the number of...
Georgia man sentenced in 2024 road rage attack in The Villages
A Georgia man has been sentenced in the wake of a 2024 road rage attack in The Villages. Byron Scott West, 64, of Vienna, Ga., pleaded no contest earlier this month in Sumter County Court to charges of throwing a deadly missile and criminal mischief. He has been placed on probation for 18 months and has been ordered...
Long-term Villagers are treated like second-class citizens
When I moved here 10 years ago there wasn’t the populous surrounding The Villages. The people that think the outsiders support the restaurants and bars are nuts! Every restaurant and bars were full every day and night. They were not hurting for business. We who have lived here 10+ years now have to go to dinner at...
