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LADY LAKE – The Lady Lake Town Commission unanimously approved a deal that would assist the Lady Lake Police Department to reach full staffing capacity and make it the highest paid department in Lake County. The new contract with the Florida Police Benevolent Association, the union representing the department, offers a 30% raise across the board and a starting salary of $62,000 per year.

“The recruitment of qualified and dedicated officers has been a challenge for police departments nationwide,” said Police Chief Steve Hunt. “We are grateful to the Town Commission for their unwavering support of the Lady Lake Police Department and for a community that wholeheartedly backs the blue.” Continue reading →

Coping with Dementia LLC and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office have announced that Jesse James Allen will be the keynote speaker for the day-long conference on dementia that will take place at the Savannah Center in The Villages on October 30, 2023.

Allen is an international award-winning multimedia creator whose work has included music, art, photography, video games, public speaking, and museum and theme park development.  At the beginning of 2021, Allen stepped away from his career to become a fulltime care partner for his late father who had been diagnosed with dementia.  It was an exhausting task further complicated by the COVID pandemic.

The Lady Lake Farmers and Crafts Market is held every Tuesday from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. through the spring at the Rolling Acres Sports Complex, located at 260 Rolling Acres Road. The location features ample parking and is accessible from The Villages via golf cart and motorized wheelchair.

The market features all your favorite vendors selling locally grown fruits and vegetables, pasta, fresh bread, honey, flowers, art, crafts and more! We are seeking quality vendors selling homemade items for the 2023/2024 season. Complete a vendor application online at Farmers and Crafts Market – Lady Lake and email it to market@ladylake.org.

Elisha Pappacoda Communications Director Town of Lady Lake.

The Quilting Guild of The Villages, composed of 24 chapters with more than 1,200 members, is currently making fidget mats that will be given away at the Coping with Dementia Conference at the Savannah Center at 1545 North Buena Vista Blvd. in The Villages on October 30, 2023.

A fidget mat – sometimes called a “sensory blanket” – is a lap quilt, usually the dimensions of an oversized placemat, that features a wide array of colors, textures, and interesting objects to keep hands busy.  They stimulate manual sensory activities for elderly people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia while providing comfort, entertainment, and enjoyment.  They can also keep an elderly person from picking at their skin.

The conference is being organized by Coping with Dementia LLC in partnership with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and is expected to draw more than 400 attendees for a day of educational discussion and events designed to make life better for individual and families living with dementia.   Continue reading →

Detectives assigned to the Lake County Sheriff’s Cyber Crimes Unit recently concluded a 4-day operation targeting subjects online attempting to meet children for sexual activity. The investigation, dubbed Operation: Nightcrawler, was conducted October 4-7 and resulted in five arrests for various sex-related crimes.

After unknowingly talking online with an undercover detective, the subjects traveled to a predetermined location with the intent to have sex with a child. All suspects were taken into custody upon arrival.  This operation would not have been possible without the cooperation and support from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, as well as the Clermont, Tavares, Eustis, Leesburg, Mount Dora, and Altamonte Springs Police Departments.  Continue reading →

On September 7, 2023, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a missing female juvenile, Aliyah Duncan, who has since been recovered. After the initial report was completed by deputies, extensive search efforts were performed. Detectives proceeded to interview multiple family members and people known to the missing juvenile. The interviews consisted of detectives meeting with the juvenile’s boyfriend, Damion Anderson, and his grandmother, Debbie Myers, with whom he resides.

Detectives interviewed both Anderson and Myers nearly twelve times over the course of three weeks. During that time, both parties provided little information, as they were adamant about having no knowledge of the juvenile’s whereabouts. Anderson and Myers were made aware of the multiple resources being utilized to locate the juvenile. In addition, they were both informed of the criminal charges they could face if they had knowledge of the juvenile’s location and chose to withhold that information from law enforcement. Myers response to that was that she believed the extensive search was becoming “ridiculous” and that whoever is responsible for assisting the juvenile should be charged. Continue reading →

LADY LAKE – The Lady Lake Library is inviting the community to participate in the Festival of Trees, a heartwarming holiday celebration that welcomes families, schools, non-profit organizations, and businesses to showcase their creativity.

The Festival of Trees is an opportunity for participants to decorate their very own Christmas trees, which will be prominently displayed at the Lady Lake Library throughout the holiday season. This event is open to all individuals and groups interested in spreading joy while showcasing their organization.

Space is limited, so interested participants are encouraged to apply online at ladylake.org. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to submit is Nov. 1, 2023. Trees must be decorated on Nov. 17 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Trees will be on display at the Lady Lake Library from Nov. 20, 2023 – Jan. 3, 2024. Residents will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite tree. Votes will be tallied with an award given for best design. Continue reading →