TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution is filing criminal charges against the owner of a Tampa-based pool company for stealing more than $1.5 million from Floridians and failing to complete customers’ pools. James Ivan Staten, Jr., owner and operator of Olympus Pools, faces charges of aggravated white-collar crime, organized scheme to defraud, grand theft and contractor fraud. Staten accepted large down payments and then left many consumers in Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco and Polk counties with no pools and destroyed yards. Attorney General Moody, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office announced the charges today in Tampa.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “For many people, finally saving enough money to buy a pool takes years of dreaming and hard work, but for the victimized customers of Olympus Pools, their dream turned into a nightmare. This defendant conned numerous Florida property owners by demanding large down payments on pools, then abandoning job sites—destroying backyards and leaving customers short of funds to try and fix the mess.” Continue reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is pushing Congress to pass legislation to protect veterans. In a bipartisan coalition of 44 attorneys general, Attorney General Moody is calling on congressional leaders to support the passage of legislative proposals included in Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding Veterans Affairs Benefits Act.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Our veterans sacrifice so much for our freedom, and they should be able to access the benefits they earned without being preyed upon by bad actors. We need Congress to help protect these brave Americans by passing the GUARD VA Benefits Act and reinstating criminal penalties for unlicensed individuals who may try to prey on our nation’s veterans.”
In a letter sent to congressional leaders, the coalition of attorneys general explained that the passing of the bipartisan legislation would hold unlicensed and unregulated actors accountable for targeting and preying upon veterans who apply for benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Continue reading
Date: 10/21/2023 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Downtown Square
1 SE Broadway St., Ocala, Florida 34471
A free and encouraging event full of music, the art of worship, art, baptism, and prayer. For details, please contact Chris Dolan of Chris Dolan Music, Inc. at 352.304.1659.
Date: 09/30/2023 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Fort King National Historic Landmark
3925 E Fort King St., Ocala, Florida 34470
Step back in time and explore Ocala’s history with a guided lantern tour at the fort. Meet the legends of Fort King’s past as they tell you of a time gone by. Enjoy pioneer games and food while you wait for your tour to start. Guests should arrive 30 minutes before their tour time starts to ensure prompt transportation to the fort. There will be no parking onsite, parking will be available at the Klein lot. $10 per person. For details, please contact Kathleen Ramirez, Outdoor Historical Resource Archaeologist, at Fort King National Historic Landmark, at 352.368.3355.
DINING WITH DIABETES
September 5, 2023 @ 6:00 PM
Eustis Women’s Club
227 North Center Street, Eustis
$40
Contact Lori Johnson at 352-343-4101 or email lorijohnson@ufl.edu.
https://eustis.recdesk.com/Community/Program
Led by Lori Johnson, Family & Consumer Sciences Agent Location: Eustis Women’s Club 227 North Center Street, Eustis Cost: $40 per person, space is limited This is a 4 week series with hands-on-cooking Class Dates are September 5, 19, 28 and Oct 3rd
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LET’S WALK FLORIDA
September 5, 2023 @ 8:00 AM
$30
Contact Lori Johnson at 352-343-4101 or email lorijohnson@ufl.edu.
6 week virtual physical activity education program. Sept. 5 through Oct. 15. Participants will be provided e-guides and asked to submit physical activity minutes weekly. Each participant will receive a smart watch to track steps. Continue reading
Dear Neighbor,
This week marks the first day of school for thousands of families across Florida’s Third Congressional District! We wish all of our students, teachers, and parents a productive and successful school year ahead, and we remind all of our area drivers and pedestrians to watch for school buses, put down electronic devices in the car, and pay attention to our young learners making their way to their classrooms. Continue reading
LADY LAKE – The Town of Lady Lake invited the public to celebrate the ribbon cutting of Snooky Park, a natural oasis in the heart of historic Lady Lake, named for U.S. Navy veteran Atticus “Snooky” Blanton, who was lost on the USS Arizona in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The event will be held on Thursday, June 29 at 10 a.m. at 120 W. Lady Lake Blvd., Lady Lake.
The new park is a natural preserve with a 2,000-foot walking trail, surrounded by a canopy of cedar, live oaks, water oaks and palm trees. It features amenities such as picnic shelters, water fountains and restrooms.
“Snooky Park is a long-awaited passive recreation facility in the Town of Lady Lake,” said Parks and Recreation Director Mike Burske. “We are fortunate to have the support of the Commission to help us preserve this beautiful and historic area of 
Lady Lake.”
Atticus “Snooky” Blanton was born on Dec. 20, 1920 in Fort Myers and grew up among family in Lady Lake. At age 18, during the Great Depression, he found himself without job experience and decided to join the Navy. In 1940, he enlisted and his early letters home talked about his good fortune in being assigned to the USS Arizona, which was docked in California. Continue reading
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine practice that helps align the body through meridians. Prior to getting ac-upuncture, the doctor will ask about your health history and may give you a physical exam. During your session, thin needles may be placed in specific areas to address your concern or condition.
As a practitioner from China, Dr. Ma brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to residents at his practice in Sum-merfield. As an herbalist, Dr. Ma may custom blend Chinese herbs exclusively for you as part of the session.
An acupuncture session usually takes 30 minutes, although some appointments may be longer. The number of treat-ments will depend on the condition being treated, however, you should feel improvement with each treatment.
These testimonials are from real recipients of acupuncture from Dr. Ma at the Acupuncture Xin Chinese Clinic.
“Dr. Ma is truly remarkable and his exceptional understanding of the functions of the human body is only exceeded by his heart and dedication to helping people live pain-free.” – Sue, The Villages Continue reading
