TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the arrest of seven individuals for their roles in a multi-county organized retail theft ring targeting beauty and fragrance products.
“This was a coordinated criminal enterprise that robbed retailers across Florida and turned stolen goods into illicit proceeds,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect Florida businesses, keep prices low for consumers, and quickly dismantle organized retail theft rings from the ground up.”
“Organized retail theft is not just about stolen merchandise, it is about coordinated criminal activity that impacts families, small businesses, and our entire community,” said Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz. “This investigation demonstrates the strength of our partnerships across jurisdictions and our shared commitment to holding those who engage in organized criminal enterprises accountable. In Miami-Dade County and throughout Florida, we will continue working with our state and local partners to identify these networks, disrupt their operations, and ensure they face the full consequences under the law.” Continue reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the arrest of Blake McKinniss, 37, of Sanford. McKinniss faces 53 Counts of possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), 46 counts of possessing AI-generated CSAM, and one count of possessing a child-like sex doll. During a search of his house, law enforcement found a bedroom decorated for a little girl, even though no children lived there.
“Law enforcement and prosecutors walked into a house of horrors upon executing this search warrant,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “This guy could spend the rest of his life in prison, and I’m grateful our team worked to ensure he never has access to our kids. I also thank Representative Plakon for supporting legislation to keep convicted predators away from children.”
“I am honored to work alongside my fellow legislators to protect Florida’s children from those who exploit them through harmful materials,” said Representative Rachel Plakon. “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Attorney General and our dedicated law enforcement agencies for their relentless efforts in enforcing these critical laws.” Continue reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier opened a civil investigation and subpoenaed Discord, a popular online chat platform. The subpoena demands documents and information related to the platform’s practices in marketing to children, enforcing age-verification requirements, content moderation, parental control features, and reporting of exploitative activity.
“Many of our criminal investigations into internet child predators lead to one place: Discord,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Groomers and predators seem to believe that they can get away with targeting children on Discord—and we are going to find out why. Discord owes us an explanation on the overwhelming use of its platform among predators, and what they are doing to protect children.”
“Investigations show that offenders are using platforms like Roblox and Discord as an access point to reach children. Parents should know we are taking this seriously,” said Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman. “My message is clear, we are committed to protecting our kids, and predators have no safe place in our community. If you exploit children, we will find you, arrest you, and hold you accountable.” Continue reading
Apr 01 Meditation in the Garden Series
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Discovery Gardens in Tavares4/14/154/299/2 Plus More
Free outdoor meditation classes include guided group meditation on the lawn or quiet, self-guided reflection in a peaceful garden space of your choosing…
Apr 02 Maundy Thursday-the Seven Last Words of Christ
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM First Presbyterian Church Mount Dora in Mount Dora
Join us for a powerful and reflective Maundy Thursday service as we remember Christ’s final words from the cross through dramatic readings, sacred music…
Apr 02 Lake County Farmers Market
8:00 AM – 1:00 PM Lake County Fairgrounds in Eustis4/24/30
Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to shop locally and support our amazing vendors!
Apr 03 Good Friday Chapel Open at First Presbyterian Mount Dora
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM First Presbyterian Church Mount Dora in Mount Dora
On Good Friday, the chapel at First Presbyterian Church of Mount Dora will be open for quiet prayer and personal reflection. Continue reading
Ocala, FL (March 2, 2026) – Fine Arts For Ocala (FAFO) invites the community to celebrate Mother’s Day at the annual Symphony Under the Stars on Sunday, May 10, 2026, at the Ocala Golf Club, 3130 E. Silver Springs Blvd. This beloved outdoor concert and community fundraiser promises an unforgettable evening of live music, food, and fireworks under the open sky.
Set against the scenic backdrop of the Ocala Golf Club, guests will enjoy a spectacular performance by the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Matthew Wardell, along with pre-concert entertainment, local food trucks, and a dazzling fireworks finale. Proceeds from the event support FAFO and its mission to present the Ocala Arts Festival and enrich the cultural life of Marion County.
Event Schedule
- Gates Open: 3:00 PM
- Opening Act: 5:00 PM
- Ocala Symphony Orchestra: 7:15 PM
- Fireworks Finale: 9:00 PM
Ticket Information Continue reading
Scammers take every opportunity to trick you into believing their lies are legitimate offers, wins, and even emergency requests from friends and family. Now, with the prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI), scammers are using this new method to personalize their tricks and cons to make them appear even more real, legitimate, and believable—from AI-generated photos and voice clones that mimic a real person to wording that builds a relationship with a victim over weeks. But a fake is still a fake. As in any other scam, these fakes are created to separate you from your hard-earned money or property.
AI fakes are used in many types of long-running scams, from romance to investment scams, cryptocurrency scams, and even scams claiming to be tech support. Whatever the scam, they all involve impostors looking for their next victim, but it doesn’t have to be you. Continue reading
(NAPSI)—While most people think of parks as just scenery, they are also a silent powerhouse of public health, says the TurfMutt Foundation, which advocates for outdoor living and the care and stewardship of yards and parks.
“From backyard sanctuaries to sprawling community commons, green spaces are engines that fuel our mental health, physical well-being, public safety, and economic development,” explains Kris Kiser, President of the TurfMutt Foundation.
Parks are environmental superheroes, too. They support pollinators, produce oxygen, reduce carbon, capture and filter rainwater, and mitigate urban heat islands.
According to research conducted for the TurfMutt Foundation by The Harris Poll, the data is clear. Americans aren’t just visiting parks; they are prioritizing them. Continue reading
LADY LAKE — The Lady Lake Police Department has charged a man with attempted murder and aggravated battery following a stabbing that occurred Friday evening near Veterans Memorial Park in The Villages.
On March 7, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office notified the Lady Lake Department of a stabbing victim facing life threatening injuries being treated at UF Health Spanish Plaines in Sumter County. He was later airlifted to UF Health Shands in Gainesville where he underwent surgery and survived. Investigators determined the incident occurred in a parking lot near Veterans Memorial Park on Paige Place in Lady Lake (The Villages) at around 8 p.m.
According to investigators, the altercation involved the victim, a 39-year-old male, and the suspect, William Tyler Warren, 42, and reportedly stemmed from a dispute involving a female acquaintance. Continue reading
LADY LAKE — The Lady Lake Police Department has made its first arrest using the department’s new license plate reader (LPR) camera system, demonstrating how technology can assist officers in identifying stolen vehicles and apprehending suspects.
On March 10 at around 3:30 p.m., Lady Lake officers were alerted by the department’s Safety LPR system that a stolen vehicle was traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 27/441 near Avenida Central. The car had been entered into the National Crime Information Center database as stolen through the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Officers conducted a search of the area and found the car in the parking lot of Publix on Bichara Boulevard. Sgt. Heather Couch located and arrested the vehicle’s driver, later identified as suspect Stephanie Lynn Barbee, 37.
During the investigation, officers determined Barbee had been in possession of the car for two days. A search of the vehicle uncovered a bag containing a crystal-like substance that tested presumptively positive for methamphetamine and weighed 1.29 grams. Officers also recovered pills later identified as benzodiazepine. Continue reading
LADY LAKE – The Lady Lake Police Department, in partnership with American Legion Post #347, are hosting the second annual “Shred it and Forget it,” a free drive-through shredding event to help protect seniors from scams.
The event will take place on Saturday, April 25 from 9 – 11:30 a.m. (or until capacity is met) at Post 347, located at 699 W. Lady Lake Blvd. Residents are invited to drive through with a limit of two banker boxes of documents to be shredded, free of charge. The event is open to all area residents and will be held rain or shine. Last year, approximately 1,000 people attended, successfully shredding 20,000 pounds of documents.
The event is another opportunity offered by the Town in its ongoing efforts to help residents avoid scams and fraud.
“This shredding event gives residents a simple, secure way to dispose of sensitive documents and protect their personal information – especially during tax season,” said Lady Lake Police Chief Steve Hunt. “Properly shredding old financial records, medical paperwork and other confidential materials helps prevent identity theft and keeps private information out of the wrong hands.” Continue reading
