Family talks after man arrested in crash that killed beloved Ocala radio hosts
OCALA, Fla. – A man is behind bars after being arrested and accused for a deadly crash that killed two beloved Ocala radio hosts. On July 17, Lawrence “Larry” Whitler and Robin MacBlane died in a car crash on State Road 200 near Southwest 103rd Street Road.
Trooper stops habitual traffic offender for speeding on Florida Turnpike
An Ocala man was arrested after for driving with a revoked license after being stopped for speeding on the Florida Turnpike. A trooper observed 31-year-old Joseph Borrero Colon speeding a silver Hyundai Elantra on the Florida Turnpike at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, according to an arrest report from the Florida Highway...
Driver who lost license after DUI caught driving vehicle without license plate
A Leesburg man was arrested for driving with a suspended license after being stopped in a vehicle with no license plate. An officer observed 24-year-old Joshua Mathew Pierr Simpson driving a silver passenger car with no license plate around 12:20 a.m. Monday, Sept. 22, according to an arrest report from the Mount...
Enrollment in Central Florida public schools is down. Sumter County is an outlier
Sumter County Schools has bucked a trend of decreasing public school enrollment in Central Florida. Enrollment in that district increased by 375 students. According to an analysis of enrollment data by Central Florida Public Media, public schools in the region collectively lost more than 18,000 students this fall....
Customer sues Ocala Lowe’s over door purchase gone awry
A local man claims he was struck and injured by a door that he was trying to purchase at a Lowe’s in Ocala after an employee allegedly dropped it while retrieving it on his behalf. Bernardo Medina filed the lawsuit against Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC, in the Fifth Judicial...
American bald eagle landing on the shore of a pond in The Villages
This magnificent bald eagle recently landed on the shore of a pond in The Villages, an arrival not entirely unlike another famous landing back in 1492. Thanks to Julie Walfield for sharing!. Share your local photos with us at https://villages-news.com/contact-us!
Kentucky ‘child killer’ found living near Marion Oaks elementary school, deputies say
A convicted felon, who was previously charged in the stabbing death of a six-year-old child in Kentucky, has been arrested by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office for failing to register as a felon in Marion County after he was found living near an elementary school in Marion Oaks. On...
Suspect tracked down in 2024 attempted theft at Walmart in The Villages
A suspect has been tracked down in a 2024 attempted theft at a Walmart store in The Villages. Carlos Markee Tillman, 42, of Ocala, was arrested this past week on a warrant charging him with theft. He and a woman entered the Walmart at Buffalo Ridge Plaza in The Villages...
Ocala high school student to sing at Carnegie Hall in New York
OCALA, Fla. (WCJB) - An Ocala high school student will take center stage at Carnegie Hall next year. Avani Chitumalla, from Vanguard High School, will be singing at the High School Honors Performance Series in New York. She’s the school jazz band’s lead vocalist and will perform from Feb. 6...
Ocala’s Rev. Leroy Johnson Featured in British Documentary on Black History
OCALA, Fl (352today.com) – A podcast (and a two-part series in a local Ocala publication) led to a man whose influence can still be felt in the community today being featured in a segment in a documentary that aired in the United Kingdom. Rev. Leroy Johnson’s impact continues to...
