Courtesy of the Office of the Attorney General
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the Distinguished Victim Services Award recipients during the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Ceremony. Every year, the Florida Attorney General’s Office honors victim advocates and law enforcement officers who go above and beyond the call of duty to assist crime victims. Attorney General Uthmeier recognized the 2025 award winners during a ceremony in the Florida Cabinet Meeting Room this morning.
“These law enforcement officers and victim advocates meet victims on the worst days of their lives and make the choice to fight for them every day,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “It is an honor to recognize them for their service to our great state. We will stand together to ensure victims’ rights come first.”
The following law enforcement officers received the Attorney General’s Distinguished Victim Services Award:
- Corporal Amanda Baranowski, Tampa Police Department;
- Detective Stephen Buscemi, Palm Beach Police Department;
- Detective Cora Milliken, Green Cove Springs Police Department; and
- Commander Daniel Mosquera, Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.
The following victim advocates received the Attorney General’s Distinguished Victim Services Award: Continue reading
May 01 First Friday
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM Downtown Eustis in Eustis
Each month, the City of Eustis hosts a family-friendly street party, featuring a variety of food, vendors and live music.
May 02 25th Annual Mount Dora Taste
6:00 PM – 10:00 PM Sunset Park in Mount Dora
Celebrate the 25th Annual Mount Dora Taste at Sunset Park on May 2. Enjoy bites from 20+ local restaurants, live music, and vote in the People’s Choice …
May 02 Butterfly Release
10:15 AM – 12:00 PM W.T. Bland Public Library in Mount Dora
All ages are invited to our annual butterfly release, held in the Nunan Butterfly Garden. 10:15 AM – Refreshments for all in the Garden, 10:35 AM –
May 07 National Day of Prayer at First Presbyterian
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM First Presbyterian Church Mount Dora in Mount Dora
Join us for personal and guided prayer as we unite in seeking God for our nation, community, and future generations. All are welcome to come and pray Continue reading
May 3
6:00 PM
First Friday Art Walk
Downtown Square
6:30 PM
Sunset Songs Series: Perpetual Groove
Citizens’ Circle
May 10
7:00 PM
After Dark in the Park –Despicable Me 2
Tuscawilla
May 11
10:00 AM
Art Park Literary & Poetry Festival
Tuscawilla Art Park Continue reading
The log cabin was the Lady Lake Chamber for years. Actually it was named in history as its Chambers home. The Lady Lake Chamber needed something a little more modern, so they moved into a building that was available in Fruitland Park Florida. The Janet & Leslie are excited. I am also because I always felt that the building was stuffy, smelling and moldy.
I went to their ribbon cutting to take pictures to share with you and probably a hundred more members showed up., Plenty of parking, they had a food truck, a DJ, snacks, door prizes, I think it will be great, I would like it to be a little further north, but it is a nice building.
I am looking forward to the future of the Chambers Growth. If anyone can do it the ladies go the chamber and the members can! TomL said that! One last thing join the Chamber call 352-753-6029
The Parade of Senior Services was an over whelming success. Hundreds of seniors attended. The annual information fair hosted by Ocala Recreation and Parks, was held March 20th for adults aged 50+. It connects local seniors with over 45+ agencies offering health, social, and support services, featuring vendors, refreshments and
resources. There were free gifts from 49 vendors with information to take home with you. You learn something new every year. One of the things Ocala Recreation and Parks offer is line dancing, Chair exercises they were on display and entertaining. Keep and eye on this digital paper for the date next March. NEXT EVENT!
Senior Fishing Derby Monday 9 AM till noon April 27, 2026 Senior Fishing Derby at Tuscawilla Park. Catch and release for those who are 50 years and older.For those that are registered Lunch will one provided, prizes, bait and limited tackle. Look for the ad in this paper. Pictures will April in this paper next month.
Photos by CK Johnson.
The Lady Lake referral luncheon was a great success. In March it was at the Texas Roadhouse Grill and it was move earlier by one week to avoid conflict with Billy Berg Mac & Cheese event. As you can see by the pictures there was plenty of door prizes. Lot’s of business information and ideas were shared.
At the fifth annual Billy Berg Mac & Cheese Festival and business showcase.
By TomL
Who is Zohran Mandami? The New York Times says. He is the New York City mayor sworn into office in January 2026, was born in Kampala, Uganda, in 1991 to Indian parents. He is of Indian descent, spent part of his childhood in South Africa, moved to New York City at age 7, and became a U.S. citizen in 2018 while retaining Ugandan citizenship.
- Birthplace: Kampala, Uganda.
- Parents: He is the son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani.
- Background: He moved to South Africa at age 5 and later to New York City at age 7.
- Identity: He is the first African-born, South Asian, and Muslim mayor of New York.
Mamdami is a dual citizen of the United States and Uganda. Weeks after he was sworn in he is raising taxes on the middle class which he swore he would not do! The wealthy decided not to stay and be taxed to death so they left and went to another state. I say Bernie Sanders should have been smarter than this. He had to know Mandami was going to have to raise taxes. Sanders is a failed “want to be” Presidential candidate that has been misused by the Democratic Party for years. They are renaming the Democratic Party the Democratic Socialist Party of America. The democrats has lost their party and the socialist Communist have invaded it! Continue reading
Research on Standing in the Arena
Are you standing in the arena? Are you watching from the sidelines giving your opinion? Are you a doer or a doubter?
The Actors and the talk show host are entertainer’s trying to tell the working people who you should vote for, they should be entertaining you but they cross the line when they tell you their real life opinion, ,they are make believers! Remember they are entertaining you with make believe stories but yet they are voicing their opinion from from a news room making up stories. Headline hunter giving their opinion about Trump from a make believe world and if they say they back him they are black listed in their make believe world. I like to believe I’m standing in the arena and I am giving you a chance to voice your opinion in our newspaper without your name on it. In your letter don’t call people or organizations names state your opinion with facts to my email and and I will protect your name and email from anyone trying to find out whose opinion I printed and sent to our readers. I have been bless by some very influential good writers. I honor them with all my heart. I honor them and pray they have a special place in heaven. Writing the true is not always easy, facing someone who does not agree is not easy! Continue reading
Staff writer
What is the difference between a Good Ole Boy and a Hometown Boy!
Good ole Boys have tendency to group up have a popular head and be extremely kind to each other!.
The Home Town Boys will struggle finding something that will work in their town and try it!. They are extremely loyal to the young people they grew up with and will help them if they can.
They will support the town when they have events. They make money for their clubs and such. The Good Ole Boys will have planning meetings in the back room some where, only their group will be welcome and there always seems to be beer involved. Nothing seems to bother them outside of town. But don’t get in their way if it says their town on it. The Southeastern Youth Fair is a good example they really endorse that with their money. They support sports especially football they don’t usually care about sharing money with the band. If you are not part of their group when you move into town it will take 20 years to get excepted! Continue reading
