Ocala woman accuses former employer of discrimination over extended medical leave from surgery
An Ocala woman has filed a lawsuit against her former employer, alleging she was fired in retaliation for taking medical leave and requesting accommodations following major neck and spine surgery. Debra Kolthoff filed the complaint against McLane/Suneast, Inc. in the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court of Marion County on...
Bridge repairs on I-75 to cause detours, partially shut down highway in Marion County
Motorists traveling through northern Marion County will face detours starting Thursday as state officials close a bridge over Interstate 75 for repairs, a project that will also require overnight shutdowns of the interstate itself next week. The Florida Department of Transportation announced Wednesday that the...
Marion County Commission Chair Carl Zalak Delivers the State of The County Address
OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Marion County Board of County Commissioners Chair Carl Zalak, III, delivered the Marion County State of the County Address on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at the Ocala Metro CEP’s ExCEPtional Mornings at the Reilly Arts Center. The county will be celebrating the United States...
Eagle Scout who built Free Little Libraries at Ocala parks honored by county officials
A local student who earned his rank as Eagle Scout by designing, building, and installing Free Little Library kiosks at parks across Ocala was recognized by Marion County officials on Tuesday morning. William Alexander “Cash” Collins was honored by the Marion County Board of County Commissioners during its regular...
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...
