Villages/Lady Lake
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
The Orange Blossom Lions Club of Lady Lake recently donated $5,500 to fully fund the Lady Lake Library’s 2026 Children’s Summer Reading Program. Their generous support will help inspire thousands of children in the community to keep reading and learning all summer long.
Pictured: (Left) Barbara Crewel, president of the Lions Club of Orange Blossom Gardens/Lady Lake and (right) Aly Herman, Lady Lake Library director.
Lady Lake to host second cybersecurity training focused on phone safety
The Town of Lady Lake will host the second installment in its cybersecurity training series on March 26 at 2 p.m. at the Lady Lake Library. The session will again be led by Howard Davis, the Town’s IT cybersecurity expert.
Based on feedback from the previous training, this presentation will focus specifically on phone cybersecurity, providing residents with practical tools to protect their personal information while using smartphones and mobile devices. Davis will cover common phone-based scams, suspicious text messages, malicious apps, and ways cybercriminals attempt to gain access to sensitive data through mobile platforms.
Attendees will also learn best practices for securing their devices, identifying red flags, and reducing the risk of identity theft or fraud.
The training is free and open to the public and is designed for users of all experience levels. Registration is not required.
For more information, contact Howard Davis at ladylake.cybersec@gmail.com.
The Town of Lady Lake has been recognized as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for the 21st consecutive year, continuing a long-standing commitment to urban forestry, environmental stewardship and community beautification.
To earn the designation, communities must meet four core standards established by the Arbor Day Foundation: maintaining a tree board or department, adopting a tree care ordinance, investing at least $2 per capita in a community forestry program, and observing Arbor Day annually.
The Town of Lady Lake celebrates Arbor Day each April with community tree plantings. Over the last several years, the Town has planted trees in public spaces such as Lake County Fire Station 52 and Lady Lake Town Hall. This year, Parks and Recreation joined Public Works in a large-scale landscaping project along County Road 466, planting palm trees, crepe myrtles and zoysia grass, as well as updating the irrigation system.
On April 23 at 9:30 a.m., the Town invites the public to a tree planting ceremony outside the grounds of The Villages Elementary of Lady Lake. Continue reading
Wendy Netherclift, a long time employee of TomL publishing and Bob Irwin, Owner of Bobs Coins and Jewelry, after 14 years has finally made it official!
A medieval wedding, complete with jousting, ax throwing, archery and ring toss was held on their 10 acre farm February 28, 2026.
The “King And Queen” Out riders were none other than Kailah and Skyler Netherclift. Wendy’s children of whom both also worked for TomL Publishing for a number of years.
It was an amazing fun filled event for all that attended and will be remembered for many as a “first time I’ve EVER been to a wedding like that!!”
Bob and Wendy thoroughly enjoyed a cruise to 9 different Caribbean islands on their honeymoon.
Mar 01
Annual Italian American Street Festival at The Plantation
11:00 AM – 4:00 PM The Plantation at Leesburg in Leesburg
Come enjoy a fun day. We have vendors, food trucks, entertainment, games, Basket Raffles other Raffles. Parking is free, free trolley to festival from parking lot. Inside & Outside Spaces avail. Message for info debboyleiac@yahoo.com
Mar 01
Gary Sinise Foundation Concert for Veterans Fundraiser
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM Highland Lakes Clubhouse in Leesburg
Highland Lakes will honor all veterans with a fundraiser for disabled veterans in this area. Las Vegas singer Jonny Bird brings his energetic, patriotic show to our stage to support the Gary Sinise Foundation. Food trucks on site. Great entertainment
Mar 04
Scrub Ecosystems
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Pine Forest Park in Deland
The scrub, scrubby flatwoods and ephemeral pond of Pine Forest Park are home to many native plant and animal species. Explore the ecology of the site https://www.lakecountyfl.gov/parks-and-trails
Mar 07
Love of Life Festival
12:00 PM – 8:00 PM Grand Oak Resort in Weirsdale
Indulge in delicious fare from various food trucks & refreshments available for purchase, while admiring beautiful works of art, & soaking in the sounds of live music. Bring your own seating & get ready to groove the day away at this exciting event! Continue reading
About the Media Relations Unit
The goal of the Media Relations Unit is to keep our citizens informed regarding significant investigations, important safety information, and other law enforcement events and activities that impact our community. This is accomplished by working very closely with our media partners to maintain transparency and deliver timely and accurate information across several different mediums and platforms on a regular basis. The public information officers, while speaking on behalf of the Sheriff, routinely disseminate press releases, provide news interviews, respond to various media requests, and update the agency’s social media sites as part of their normal duties. Relaying important information clearly and accurately is critical and can even save lives in certain situations. This is a responsibility the members of this unit take very seriously. Continue reading
The Town of Lady Lake will celebrate Easter with a day of family-friendly activities and competitive fun for adults on Saturday, March 28, at Snooky Park.
The day begins at 9 a.m. with the Town’s popular Adult Easter Scavenger Hunt, “An Eggstraordinary Adventure,” followed by the annual Easter Eggstravaganza at 11 a.m. for children, presented by the Town of Lady Lake and sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Lady Lake.
Both events will take place at Snooky Park, offering residents and visitors an opportunity to enjoy a day of community celebration in the heart of Lady Lake.
The Adult Easter Scavenger Hunt will kick off at 9 a.m. at Snooky Park, 120 W. Lady Lake Blvd. Teams of two will follow clues to multiple locations throughout town, collecting eggs and competing for more than 20 prizes, including a 75-inch smart TV, Meta sunglasses, a smart home system and a $250 Visa gift card. Continue reading
The Town of Lady Lake is again presenting the annual Sounds of Spring Concert Series, a lineup of free live music bringing the community together for an unforgettable season of fun, food, and live entertainment. Held under the oak trees of Snooky Park, located 120 Lady Lake Blvd., this three-part concert series will feature talented tribute and cover bands, food trucks, and beverages for all to enjoy.
Location: Snooky Park,120 W. Lady Lake Blvd.
Time: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Dates:
- March 7: Decade of Soul
- March 21: Peace of Woodstock
- April 18: Think Big
New this year, the Town is offering 7 levels of VIP service to include at minimum a picnic blanket rental, 2 chairs rental, picnic basket (to keep) with snacks for two and water. Beer and wine is available for purchase and is part of upgraded VIP packages.
To learn more, contact Amy Alicea at 352-205-3826.
To stay up to date on these events, text SpringConcerts26 to 38276. The Town’s Spring Concert Series is sponsored by Seacoast Bank.
