Ocala Fire Rescue responded to a plane crash at the Ocala International Airport on Saturday, June 8, at 7:51 p.m. The initial dispatch included Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF), Engine 4, Squad 7, Battalion Chief 11, and a Safety Officer, following a distress call from a pilot who reported his aircraft had crashed.
Upon arrival at 1770 SW 60th Ave., crews discovered an experimental aircraft with its tail elevated, nestled against a tree line just outside the airport’s fence line. The pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, was alert but unable to exit the plane due to its precarious position and the surrounding trees.
Given the challenging offroad location, first responders utilized a smaller vehicle to reach and extricate the pilot. Once the pilot was assessed and stabilized by emergency personnel, he was carefully helped out of the wreckage and escorted to a waiting ambulance for transport to a medical facility. Continue reading
Babe it’s HOT outside! That means Rainbow Springs State Park is getting very, very busy. This news letter is going to be a reminder to everyone about the dos and don’ts of the park weather your new to our area or here year-round, it’s always good to review. The weekends are extremely busy and as most have seen Hwy.41 north and south bound lanes are backed up. This creates a very dangerous situation. Therefore, you will notice a Sherriff Officer monitoring the park, the park entrances and exits on the weekends to ensure safety .
To keep the traffic flowing, off of Hwy 41, you might be redirected out. So don’t be surprised when we have reached capacity and the park is closed that you are informed of this. Plan you day early as there are many times we reach capacity within 1-2 hours and may not reopen. We do this for safety reasons. In our swim area the water is very deep so be prepared with either a life vest, which MUST be worn, you cannot use it to float on top of. Styrofoam noodles not plastic noodles are the only floatation allowed in the water. No tubes, rafts, Kayaks or paddles boards are allowed in the swim area.
If you are on a vessel you can dock it at the boat ramp rental area and walk to the swim area to swim. No swimming is allowed outside of the swim area , no scuba diving is allowed in the State Park aquatic area. Please remember we are an aquatic preserve. If you swim outside the area you are disturbing the underwater life and growth. Infants can be in the 2 holed tube float and handicapped individuals can use their approved handicapped device. The swim dock is small so we ask that no chairs, strollers, tables and personnel belongings are on the dock , no sun bathing as well as this becomes a trip hazard. Leave you radios up on the lawn area and not on the swim dock.
Parents, please keep an eye on your children we do not have life guards and things can happen quickly. Lastly, do not hang on the rope lines, when you do this it wears away the coating on the ropes causing them to stretch, and then the ropes sink to the bottom. Do not climb on the big orange buoys. Boats that are powered by gas and trolling motors are not permitted in the River of the State Park. Trolling motors must be lifted and you must paddle into the aquatic area. Our Patrol Boat has an electric motor and that is how we are able to patrol the water. Rainbow Springs State Park welcomes you and we want you to have a great memorable time so please help us to keep you safe as well. We are looking for volunteers on our Boat Patrol, Wednesday crew , parking and gift shop. If you have just a few hours please contact Thea.M.Knott@FloridaDep.gov. Office:352-465-8518.
Laura Fronk
Volunteer Liaison
OCALA, Fla. (June 18, 2024) – The Ocala Symphony Orchestra is pleased to announce their 2024-2025 season with timeless masterworks, world premieres, and stellar soloists under the baton of Maestro Matthew Wardell. The season begins June 30, 2024, with Red, White, and Ocala Symphony Orchestra Blue, and subscription performances begin October 2024. The upcoming season will feature six subscription concerts and seven special concerts for guests of all ages. Unless otherwise indicated, events are held at the Reilly Arts Center located at 500 NE 9th St. Ocala, FL 34470.
LADY LAKE – For the second year, the Lady Lake Library is hosting its annual “School Supplies for Fines” drive to support area children. This program is a great way for patrons to pay off fines while giving back to the community. The library will waive overdue material fees in exchange for donations of school supplies.
Donations can include No. 2 pencils, colored pencils, markers, crayons and backpacks. Last year, the Lady Lake Library donated over 100 pounds of school supplies to The Villages Elementary of Lady Lake. In exchange for donations from the community, nearly $500 in library fines were forgiven. “Last year, The Villages Elementary of Lady Lake greatly appreciated the donations they received,” said Aly Herman, Library Director. “It’s truly a wonderful way to give back to our community while also providing an added benefit to library patrons.”
Donations will be accepted during regular business hours at the Lady Lake Library, located at 225 W. Guava Street, from July 1-31. For more information, visit www.ladylakefl.gov or facebook.com/ladylakelibrary225.
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
