The Lady Lake Library participated in the Lake County Library System’s annual Food for Fines initiative in May, which forgives $1 of overdue fees for every food item donated.
The Library collected over 1,000 items for its local food bank, the Lady Lake Christian Food Pantry, which feeds 350 families each month. Started in 1998, the Food Pantry is an off-campus ministry of North Lake Presbyterian Church that provides supplemental groceries for families in need in Lady Lake, The Villages, Summerfield and Weirsdale.
Front, left to right: Lady Lake Library Director Aly Herman, Pantry Director Carrol Neal and Library Youth Services Assistant Kourtney Fehr
Back, left to right: Pantry volunteers Jaime Rotger and Steve Krick
Join us for The Big Bang!, the Town of Lady Lake’s premier Independence Day celebration, set to light up the sky at the Guava Street Athletic Complex on Saturday, June 29. This unforgettable event will feature family-friendly fun and activities beginning at 6 p.m., culminating in one of the largest fireworks shows in the area at 9:15 p.m., generously sponsored by The Benchmark Group, The Orange Blossom Gardens Lions Club, and American Legion Post 347.
Special event features include:
Live Music: Dance the night away with the Groove Slayers band, nominated the best cover band in Central Florida by Orlando Weekly
Watermelon Eating Contest: Deliciously fun for kids and adults, sponsored by Jeannette McIntosh Realtor
Arts and Crafts Table: Sponsored by The Orange Blossom Gardens Lions Club
Food Trucks and Vendors: Enjoy a wide variety of delicious food and dessert options Continue reading
LADY LAKE – The Lady Lake Police Department is seeking leads in the murder of 20-year-old Bryson Leverette. The department recently assigned a new detective with a fresh perspective hoping to solve this nearly one-year-old homicide case.
Leverette was one of two victims shot at 104 Caroline Ave. on June 30, 2023. Lady Lake Police responded within minutes and performed life-saving measures, however Leverette was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
The initial investigation revealed that both victims were leaving the home in the Skyline Hills area of Lady Lake at around 12:44 a.m. when they were attacked by a group of armed suspects using several different firearms. The suspects fled the area in unknown vehicles and the ensuing investigation did not produce any arrests. Continue reading
“The Big Cheese”: United Southern Bank (Lady Lake Branch) Winner of The Best Decorated Booth
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“Peoples Choice”: Carrabba’s Italian Grill of Lady Lake
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“Judges Choice”: Mission BBQ of Lady Lake
MARATHON, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis highlighted Florida’s investments in coral reef protection and announced enhancements to the 2024 Lionfish Challenge and 2024 Lobster Mini-Season. Through the FY 2024-2025 Focus on Florida’s Future Budget, the Governor invested a historic $57 million for coral reef restoration and coastal protection, bringing the total investment in these efforts in the Governor’s second term to over $114 million.
The Governor also highlighted $5 million in funding to create additional artificial reef habitats through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). This funding will support the establishment of an innovative framework for installing, overseeing, and preserving artificial reef habitats in the Florida Keys. Continue reading
HIALEAH, Fla. —Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced his commitment to approving a historic teacher salary funding increase of $1.25 billion in the budget for Fiscal Year 2024–25. Since 2019, Florida has invested over $4 billion in teacher pay increases and has raised starting teacher pay by nearly $10,000. To learn more, click here.
“Florida’s education system is number one in the nation, and we want to make sure good educators are attracted to Florida with attractive compensation,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I am proud to have invested more than $4 billion for teacher pay increases since the beginning of my time in office, and I will continue to push for increased funding for Florida’s teachers.” Continue reading
This week marked the last week in Washington for the month. Next week we celebrate Independence Day with events throughout the district, and I look forward to seeing many of you at parades and July 4th celebrations next weekend.
This week was another busy one in Washington, with many groups from Florida’s Third in town, from FFA students to the winner of our 2024 Art Competition. We showed some students from Bronson FFA around the Capitol and attended the celebration for our top artist as the 2024 art pieces were hung in the tunnel to the U.S. Capitol. You can see photos from those visits below.
On Tuesday, Olympic legends Michael Phelps and Allison Schmitt testified before the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations about how other nations aren’t held to the same standard by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). As the Olympic Games in Paris approach next month, it’s important that the athletic competitions are fair. You can take a look at the remarks from the hearing below. Continue reading
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Early this morning, the House Agriculture Committee completed its full committee markup of the 2024 Farm Bill, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024. Congresswoman Cammack voted to pass the bill, joining her colleagues for a final bipartisan vote of 33 to 21.
Congresswoman Cammack spoke during the opening remarks for Members during the markup, lauding the bill’s provisions that will support Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and producers. View her full comments here.
Included in the bill are several wins for Florida’s specialty crop producers, including the establishment of a specialty crop committee, funding for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, more funding for specialty crop mechanization and automation research. Additionally, the bill ensures AGI (adjusted gross income) waivers for disasters and eliminates the AGI limitation for farmers who make more than 75 percent of their income from agriculture. Continue reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—As the deadline for award nominations rapidly approaches, Attorney General Ashley Moody is urging Floridians to submit applications and sign up to attend the 2024 Human Trafficking Summit. Friday, June 28, is the final day to submit nominations. Awards will be presented at the summit to individuals who made a difference in the past year to fight human trafficking in the state of Florida.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Each year, we recognize outstanding Floridians for their extraordinary work in the fight to end human trafficking. The deadline to submit award nominations is rapidly approaching, so don’t delay! You can learn more about each award and submit nominations, as well as reserve your spot for our virtual event, by visiting HumanTraffickingSummit.com.” Continue reading
TALLLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution today secured a strong prison sentence against a woman operating a million-dollar pool contracting scheme. The Honorable Judge Dan L. Vaughn sentenced Chrystal Washburn, owner of Amore Pools, to 30 years in prison for defrauding Florida homeowners. Chrystal, alongside husband and co-defendant Brian Washburn, took deposits and payments for pools—often leaving dangerous debris piles and gaping holes in victims’ backyards. In total, the duo stole more than $1.2 million in unaccounted-for cash.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “This couple promised to deliver dream pools, but left holes in Floridians’ hearts and backyards, by abandoning pool projects and stealing more than $1.2 million in cash. Thanks to our Statewide Prosecutors, Chrystal Washburn, the owner of this pool company, will now serve 30 years in prison for operating this scheme.” Continue reading
