Lady Lake’s Junior Baseball Field at the Guava Street Athletic Complex was named in honor of Mike Spradlin, who has served Lady Lake Youth Baseball & Youth Softball (formerly Little League) for nearly 30 years. On Feb. 21, the Town Commission unanimously approved the naming for Spradlin, the League’s treasurer since its inception in 1995. Mike Spradlin has helped secure the League’s financial longevity and made sure there were always funds available for children who could not afford registration. His dedication has touched thousands of community children, and we are proud to offer this small but fitting tribute!
Elisha Pappacoda
On March 12, 2024, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team and detectives with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Bureau executed a lawful search warrant at the residence of 2519 Myer Avenue Leesburg, Lake County, Florida. Agents with Homeland Security and detectives from the Mount Dora, Eustis, Leesburg, and Clermont Police departments assisted with the investigation. As the SWAT Team secured the residence, 13 individuals were located at the residence. As detectives began searching the residence, large amounts of various narcotics and firearms were located within the residence. The total combined weight of narcotics seized from the residence was:
Approximately 1 pound of cocaine.
Approximately 6 oz of methamphetamine.
15 grams of fentanyl (in powder form and pill capsules).
40 grams of MDMA.
A small amount of marijuana.
Drug paraphernalia. Continue reading
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office recently requested funding for a RAPID DNA system for our jail that will help identify suspects who may be connected to multiple crimes in a more timely manner. Recently, Congressman Daniel Webster voted to approve bill H.R. 4366, which included funding specifically for this resource, and the bill passed. “I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to Congressman Webster for his diligence and unwavering support for law enforcement. Because of his efforts, we will be able to apply for the funding for this project through the Department of Justice’s Justice Assistance Grant,” remarked Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell.
Thank you, Congressman Webster!
Winning artwork will be launched into space on an upcoming mission
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez announced the launch of the 2024 Florida Space Art Contest. Students in grades K–5 are encouraged to create an art piece inspired by the theme: Suit Up! Florida’s Space Suit of the Future.
“I am thrilled to announce the launch of the Third Annual Lieutenant Governor’s Space Art Contest. Over the last two years, with more than 4,000 original art submissions, Florida’s students have shown their overwhelming support and excitement for this art contest,” said Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez. “This year’s theme gives students creative control to engineer the space suit of tomorrow. I am excited to see the innovative and futuristic designs our young artists will bring to life.”
Space Florida, a sponsor of the Lieutenant Governor’s Space Art Contest, believes supporting Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) education initiatives is an integral part of its mission. Continue reading
ORLANDO, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 621, which protects property rights, provides homeowners remedies against squatting, and increases penalties on squatters.
“We are putting an end to the squatters scam in Florida,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “While other states are siding with the squatters, we are protecting property owners and punishing criminals looking to game the system.”
“Florida is once again leading the nation, this time in securing our state against squatters,” said Attorney General Ashley Moody. “Biden has allowed millions of illegal immigrants to flood across the border. After video evidence of their plan to take over homes emerged, we’re ensuring Floridians are protected from this egregious and brazen scheme. I’m grateful to Governor DeSantis for signing this important legislation into law, and to Representative Kevin Steele for carrying this bill through Session.” Continue reading
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Cammack applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development’s (RD) announcement to invest $317,400,000 to strengthen rural Florida’s power grid and ensure that 32,000 people have access to reliable electricity.
This investment comes from USDA RD’s Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program, which makes insured loans and loan guarantees to help rural cooperatives and utilities build and improve rural electric infrastructure and increase electric grid reliability and security.
In central Florida, Sumter Electric Cooperative Inc. will use $317 million to build and improve more than 1,000 miles of power lines and connect 32,000 customers to reliable electricity. Nearly $5 million from this investment will be used to help the cooperative advance its smart grid technologies and install 38.4 miles of fiber line.
Sumter Electric Coop is headquartered in Sumterville, Florida, and provides electricity to an average of 226,501 consumers over 13,330 miles of distribution line in the counties of Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Levy, Marion, Pasco, and Sumter.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Kat Cammack’s Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act (H.R. 2706) passed the House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee markup by voice vote this afternoon.
The bill is named for Charlotte Woodward, an adult with Down syndrome who received a lifesaving transplant over a decade ago. It prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in the organ transplant system and upholds, clarifies, and builds upon rights established in the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act.
Additionally, the bill prohibits covered entities from determining than an individual is ineligible to receive a transplant, deny an organ transplant or related service, refuse to refer the individual to an organ transplant center, refuse to place an individual on a waiting list, or decline insurance coverage for a transplant or related service based solely on the fact that the individual has a disability.
The bill’s next step is to be marked up before the whole House Energy & Commerce Committee.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—As spring breakers continue flocking to the state, Attorney General Ashley Moody is warning students about the dangers of fentanyl. At a news conference in Daytona Beach, Attorney General Moody urged spring breakers to never use illicit drugs, since more fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills now contain a lethal dose than ever before.
Flanked by Volusia County first responders, Attorney General Moody also announced that the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the police departments of Daytona Beach, Deland, Ormond Beach, Ponce-Inlet and South Daytona, as well as the Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue team, are now participating in Attorney General Moody’s Helping Heroes program. The program provides free access to life-saving naloxone for first responders. Continue reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody filed an amicus brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in support of Intervenor States seeking to keep the Biden administration from using shadowy gamesmanship to manipulate the president’s most vulnerable political liability in an election year: the border crisis. The Biden administration, on multiple occasions, used these tactics in an attempt to provide cover from his historical outright failure to protect the sovereignty of the nation. In this case, the Biden administration appears to have abandoned its defense of the “Circumvention of Lawful Pathways” rule, a rule that allows the Department of Homeland Security to turn away some asylum seekers, seeking instead a settlement agreement with pro-illegal immigration organizations, such as the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, an immigration-services nonprofit based in California.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “This administration has repeatedly shown that it cannot be trusted, especially as it relates to defending the sovereignty of our nation and safety of our citizens. This president has turned every state in the country into a border state by allowing millions of unvetted and undocumented aliens into the interior. States have a right to be party to any settlement negotiations that will dictate border policy because we have an interest in protecting the safety of our citizens and the resources of our communities.” Continue reading
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