Around Florida

Florida ended the year Thursday with the biggest spike in COVID-19 cases since the pandemic first hit the Sunshine State in the spring. Read more: Florida ends 2020 with biggest spike in COVID-19 cases since pandemic first reported

A Silver Springs man was jailed Tuesday night after going on a rampage when his lady friend confronted him about a phone conversation he was having. Read more: Berserk Silver Springs man behind bars after victim reports rampage

As the number of COVID-19 cases soars locally, Villagers are feeling frustrated as they try to secure a spot in line for the coveted vaccine. Read more: Villagers frustrated as they try to secure spot in line for COVID-19 vaccine

A Silver Springs man who has been in and out of the Marion County Jail more than a dozen times over the past 20 years was arrested after he reportedly strangled and threatened to kill a woman early Monday. Read more: Oft-arrested Silver Springs man accused of threatening and strangling woman

Florida is starting off the new year with a law in place aimed at battling the hiring of illegal immigrants – a measure that was once touted by Gov. Ron DeSantis during a visit to The Villages. Read more: E-Verify law once pushed by Gov. DeSantis in The Villages goes into effect

The Ocala Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating four people who may have witnessed a recent violent crime. Read more: Ocala Police seeking four males who may have witnessed violent crime

A wife was arrested after an alleged attack on her husband at 7-Eleven at Colony Plaza in The Villages. Read more: Wife arrested after alleged attack on husband at 7-Eleven at Colony Plaza in The Villages

Florida ended the year Thursday with the biggest spike in COVID-19 cases since the pandemic first hit the Sunshine State in the spring. Read more: Florida ends 2020 with biggest spike in COVID-19 cases since pandemic first reported

Police are looking for a suspect who stole three iPhones from a store at Brownwood Paddock Square in The Villages. Read more: Police looking for suspect who stole three iPhones from Brownwood store

Florida is starting off the new year with a law in place aimed at battling the hiring of illegal immigrants – a measure that was once touted by Gov. Ron DeSantis during a visit to The Villages. Read more: E-Verify law once pushed by DeSantis in mega-retirement community goes into effect

A woman was arrested after allegedly switching UPC codes on merchandise at Wal-Mart at Buffalo Ridge Plaza in The Villages. Read more: Woman arrested after allegedly switching UPC codes at Wal-Mart at Buffalo Ridge

A Summerfield man was jailed Wednesday after his lady friend said they got into a scuffle and he grabbed her arms, neck and shirt to restrain her. Read more: Agitated Summerfield man behind bars after battling gal pal as she called 911

A Summerfield man found himself behind bars early Monday morning after he was caught driving a vehicle with the wrong license tag attached to it. Read more: License-less Summerfield man jailed after caught switching tags on vehicles

A Wildwood man was arrested at the Sumter County Courthouse after he dropped a bag of fentanyl at a security checkpoint. Read more: Wildwood man nabbed at courthouse with bag of fentanyl at security checkpoint

Baylee, an 11-year-old Maltese, has enjoyed a fantastic holiday season in the Village of Polo Ridge with Charles and Lisa Ragans. Did your pet enjoy the holidays? Share a photo with us at [email protected] Read more: Baylee enjoys merry holiday season in the Village of Polo Ridge

A popular fast-food restaurant located inside an Ocala Wal-Mart was shut down two days before Christmas after a health inspector found heavy roach activity in the eatery. Read more: Health inspector shuts fast-food restaurant inside Wal-Mart for heavy roach activity

COVID-19 roared into the tri-county area in the spring and instilled incredible fear in Villagers and area residents. Not surprisingly, the fast-spreading pandemic was the No. 1 story of 2020 in The Villages. Read more: COVID-19 pandemic No. 1 story of 2020 in The Villages

The seeds of the revolution were sown in September 2019 when Sumter County Commissioners sat stonefaced when residents decried a planned 25 percent tax hike. The result of that revolution was the No. 2 story in The Villages in 2020. Read more: 2. Trio of Villagers trounce incumbent commissioners who hiked taxes 25 percent

For the first time in league history, the elite Professional Bull Riders Unleash The Beast will travel to Ocala to open its 2021 season at Southeastern Livestock Pavilion. Read more: Prestigious Professional Bull Riders event making first-ever stop in Ocala

An Ocala man with a violent history was arrested for the third time in 2020 after he allegedly busted a man’s lip during an argument on Sunday. Read more: Troubled Ocala man arrested for third time in 2020

It's hard to believe a visit from President Trump would rank No. 3 in the list of the biggest stories from 2020 in The Villages, but it's a reflection on the dramatic year we experienced. Read more: 3. President Trump wows enthusiastic crowd at The Villages Polo Fields

A Villages-News.com video that was at the center of a controversy surrounding President Trump in June ranks as the No. 4 story of the year in The Villages. Read more: 4. Trump’s controversial tweet of Villages-News.com video shocks nation

Seven more local residents have died of COVID-19 as Florida surpassed 1.3 million cumulative cases of the deadly virus on Wednesday. Read more: 7 more local residents succumb to COVID-19 as state tops 1.3 million cases

Residents were aghast when they learned about plans for apartments in The Villages and further angered when their concerns fell on the deaf ears of their elected leaders. Read more: 5. Residents aghast and angered about apartments in The Villages

A 23-year-old Ocala man was charged with simple domestic battery after he allegedly grabbed a woman and pulled her out of the way when she blocked a door to keep him from leaving. Read more: Ocala man jailed after moving woman who blocked door

Elected officials in 2020 finally stood up to “the trolls,” those making complaints about deed restriction violations in The Villages. Read more: 6. CDD supervisors in The Villages stand up to the trolls

Curbside recycling ended in The Villages in 2020 as a new era in waste disposal began here. Read more: 7. Curbside recycling ends in The Villages as new era in disposal begins

A highly controversial anti-Trump protester who traveled throughout The Villages with a sign-laden golf cart and made national headlines following a clash with a female resident ranks as the No. 8 story of the year. Read more: 8. Antics of highly controversial Trump protester grabbed headlines

A vehicle crash that left four people injured – two critically – at the Southern Trace Plaza ranks as the No. 9 story of 2020 in The Villages. Read more: 9. Southern Trace Plaza crash critically injured shoppers

Two hit-and-run crashes in a single week seriously injured bicyclists in The Villages, horrifying the large tight-knit cycling community in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown. Read more: 10. Drivers flee pair of hit-and-run crashes injuring cyclists in The Villages

The Sumter County Health Department will begin offering signup for the extremely limited number of doses it has received for vaccination against the Coronavirus. We've got the number to call for an appointment. Read more: Sumter County to offer signup for limited doses of COVID-19 vaccine

Villagers who are desperate for the COVID-19 vaccine are angry about the lack of information about when the vaccine will be made available to them. Read more: Desperate Villagers angry about lack of information about COVID-19 vaccine

A Belleview woman was arrested after she allegedly charged into a man and pushed him onto a bed during a domestic dispute on Sunday morning. Read more: Belleview woman accused of charging into man during spat

A juvenile male has been arrested after a 12-year-old Villages Charter School student confided in her coach about alleged sexual abuse. Read more: 12-year-old Villages Charter School student confides in coach about sex abuse

A sex offender was arrested after camping out on a bench outside the Emergency Room at UF Health The Villages Hospital. Read more: Sex offender arrested after camping out on bench at The Villages hospital ER

A 28-year-old Ocala man spent Sunday night in the Marion County Jail after admitting to choking and slapping a woman in the face. Read more: Ocala man admits he choked and slapped woman

Three more local residents have lost their battle with COVID-19 as new cases of the virus across Florida made a significant jump Tuesday. Read more: 3 more local COVID-19 deaths as Florida shows significant spike in new cases

A 48-year-old Ocala man was charged with driving with a suspended license and possession of drug paraphernalia after he was pulled over for having an expired license tag Sunday night. Read more: Ocala man caught with drug pipe and suspended license in traffic stop

Three more local residents have lost their battle with COVID-19 as new cases of the virus across Florida made a significant jump Tuesday. Read more: 3 more local COVID-19 deaths as Florida shows significant spike in new cases

A man with a stolen gun was arrested at an apartment complex in Lady Lake. The gun had been reported stolen in Sumter County. Read more: Man with stolen gun arrested at apartment complex in Lady Lake

The New Year's holiday will impact trash collection schedules in The Villages. We've got details. Read more: New Year’s holiday will impact trash collection schedules in The Villages

Discarded Christmas trees will be collected curbside in The Villages. Don't miss your pickup date. Read more: Discarded Christmas trees will be collected curbside in The Villages

A 45-year-old Summerfield man was jailed Monday afternoon after a Marion County sheriff’s deputy spotted him driving erratically, swerving and traveling at 36 mph in a 55-mph zone. Read more: Summerfield man blames COVID-19 for failing to register pickup truck

The First Friday Art Walk will take place in downtown Ocala on Friday, Jan. 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. Read more: Ocala’s First Friday Art Walk moved to Jan. 8

A Coleman man tried to chew and swallow marijuana to avoid an arrest during a traffic stop in Wildwood. Read more: Coleman man tries to chew and swallow marijuana to avoid arrest in Wildwood

Buddy Bear was relaxing on the back of sofa a after a fun-filled Christmas day. Share a photo of your holiday pet with us at [email protected] Read more: Buddy Bear enjoys a Merry Christmas in the Village of Pinellas

An adult son who lives with his mother and stepfather in the Village of Marsh Bend was arrested after he allegedly drove around drinking beer. Read more: Villager’s adult son arrested after drinking beer and wandering up north

Five more local residents have died and new cases of COVID-19 continued to be reported across Florida on Monday as the nation’s top infectious disease expert predicted a possible “surge upon a surge” of positive results because of the back-to-back holidays. Read more: Fauci warns of dark days ahead as COVID-19 continues to hammer Florida

Marion County residents ages 65 and older will soon be able to get their first COVID-19 vaccination. Read more: Marion County residents 65 and older can sign up for COVID-19 vaccination

Sumter County sheriff’s deputies nabbed a man driving a stolen golf cart. Read more: Sumter County sheriff’s deputies nab man driving stolen golf cart