A domestic altercation in Paisley was in danger of turning deadly on Saturday, October 30, before Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived to quell the incident.  Amanda Foster, 33, of Paisley was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after reportedly hitting her live-in boyfriend, Leslie Jenkins, with a variety of items including a 2x4, and brandishing a rifle at him over him drinking the last of her beer.
    Sheriff's office reports state deputies arrived at 43425 Loudermilk Drive around 12:15 a.m. to find both peo  More...

    Eustis native Sydney Bakich has parlayed a life-long love of acting into a starring role in her first feature-length film. ‘The Wedding Trip’ is out on Amazon Prime, and features Bakich in the romantic comedy as one of two strangers who carpool to a mutual friend’s wedding.
    “They really start off on the wrong foot, which leads to several bumps along their journey together,” Bakich said this week.
    Bakich’s path to the big screen started on the stage at Eustis’ Bay Street Theat  More...

    The Umatilla High School Bulldog Boosters is no more, at least in the sense of how the group has operated for decades.  Members of the volunteer group on Monday voted to embrace a new mission and name, and will in the future operate less independently as the high school itself takes a larger role in how money is spent on athletics.
    The group has been in flux in recent times, and has even seen its non-profit tax status expire.  The group’s officers resigned in the last month amid membership strife regarding how money should be sp  More...

    The biggest weekend of the year is set to descend on the community of Barberville, when the Barberville Pioneer Settlement hosts the 45th Annual Fall Country Jamboree.  Slated for November 6 and 7, the weekend looks to bring history alive on the grounds of the living history settlement.
    Six stages of folk music, living history demonstrations, an arts and crafts show, and much more are all part of the two-day event.  Visit a train layout of the historic line running through the Barberville area and west Volusia County, tour the histori  More...

    Taxpayers in the North Lake County area will see a reduction in their tax bills when they arrive in early November.  The savings come via a vote by the North Lake County Hospital District, which moved to zero out its millage for the year.
    The board, which operates to oversee setting tax rates on North Lake County property owners to fund healthcare for the poor, voted on September 9 to not collect any taxes in the coming year.  An estimated $4.8 million it currently holds will be given to clinics and hospitals as a ‘wind down&rsq  More...

    A Paisley man was shot and killed on Saturday night after a domestic disturbance at 27631 Veva Avenue in the Lake Kathryn area. 
    Lake County Sheriff’s Office officials reported that the shooting occurred at approximately 9 p.m., and when deputies arrived they found Chris Smith, 31, deceased from an apparent single gunshot wound.
    An interview with Smith’s wife, Marina McDonald, resulted in her reporting she and Smith had been in a physical altercation, during which Smith pointed a gun at her.
 More...

    Vet Fest Lake County is a family-friendly, 3-day event to pay tribute to active Military, Veterans, First Responders, and the families and friends who support them.  Proceeds raised will help two Lake County not-for-profit organizations, The Last Ride and One Team One Fight 4 PTSD.
    October 29-October 31, the City of Eustis will host both the traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall and the War on Terrorism Wall in Downtown Eustis.  Additional Vet Fest activities include a Gala Dinner, 5K Run/Walk in Umatilla, and Bed Races hosted by Gator Harle  More...

This Florida Black Bear was found dead next to SR 19 in Umatilla on Monday morning.  The bear, estimated at 200 pounds and two years old, was reportedly struck on Sunday night when it ran into the road in front of a Chevrolet pickup truck driven by John David Edwards of Umatilla, who was southbound.  Edwards reported to Umatilla Police that he struck the bear just before 9 p.m. after being unable to avoid the animal as it ran across the road.  The bear was removed on Monday.

    Dentists favorite holiday of the year arrives this Sunday, as children from all over North Lake County are expected to hit the ground running for an evening of candy collecting as part of celebrating Halloween.  Events are scheduled throughout the area to mark the dress-up day, with groups inviting the public to join the fun.
    The party actually starts on Saturday, October 30, when Sunsational Farms in Umatilla hosts its annual Tent or treat from 3-6 p.m.  Family fun and tents providing treats are all expected to be part of this event.  More...

    Birds were released, prayers were spoken, and the dirt was flung on Sunday evening, marking the official beginning of a nearly $14 million expansion of the First Baptist Church of Umatilla.  An estimated 500 church and community members gathered at the facility for ceremonies led by lead pastor Brooks Braswell.
    The 1,270 seat facility will be located on the northeast side of the church's facility, which is bordered by Hatfield Drive, CR 450NE, and Orange Avenue in Umatilla.  The 17-acre facility has grown in several phases since the ch  More...

    In the fall, there are a few favorites in the garden that we always look forward to seeing. Florida doesn’t have a riot of color like the northern states, but we do have some signs of fall here, too. One of these signs is the Cassia bush loaded with yellow blossoms and bees. The bees are busy gathering nectar to the point that the whole bush is humming. Yellow sulfur butterflies use the plant as a host bush, so they are frequent flyers as the nectar buffet as well.
    Another friend of fall is the American beautyberry. The branches that are l  More...

    Two people are in custody following a bank robbery that occurred Tuesday afternoon at the Insight Credit Union located at 15120 US Highway 441 in Eustis.
    The Lake County Sheriffi’s Office reported that shortly after 1 p.m. on Tuesday a male suspect entered the bank wearing a surgical-type face mask and presented a bank employee with a note, the contents of which was not made public Tuesday. The bank employee gave the suspect cash, at which time he ran from the bank and jumped in the bed of an awaiting pick-up truck and fled the scene. <  More...

    Lake County Schools officials on Monday said there was no evidence that a school shooting was imminent, despite a social media posting that intoned such a threat may exist. 
    Parents of students in the school system received emails on Monday letting them know of the situation, and that it isn’t believed there was any credible threat to a Lake County school.
    “A photo circulated on Snapchat among students in Lake and neighboring counties. Law enforcement investigated and found no evidence to suggest the  More...

    It’s Homecoming week at Umatilla High School, with students and faculty enjoying a week of activities leading up to special events later this week.  It’s Tame The Toros this week, with Tocoi Creek High School of St. Augustine coming to town for a Friday night game that will feature the crowning of the Homecoming Queen and King, as well as see the initiation of the first three people in Umatilla High’s Legacy Hall hall of fame.
    School-based activities give way to public events beginning on Thursday, October 21, when the an  More...

    Decades after it was first conceived, and years in current planning, Sunday will usher in the formal groundbreaking of a new, 45,000 square foot sanctuary at the First Baptist Church of Umatilla.  A formal ceremony will be held this coming Sunday evening, October 16, on the east side of the church campus, located at 550 Hatfield Drive in Umatilla. The $13.5 million project will feature a 1,270 seat sanctuary and other amenities.
    “God is sovereign in his timing,” said Brooks Braswell, lead pastor at the church on Monday.  &  More...

    Rancorous times within the Umatilla High School Athletic Boosters came to a head-on Monday night, with three of the group's four officers resigning.  President Sandy Gamble, Treasurer Kristen McCall, and Secretary Jennifer Brown all vacated their posts at the end of a meeting that showcased philosophical differences about how the organization should run.    
    The meeting was attended by an estimated 35 people.
    "James wants it.  He can have it," Gamble said of vice president James Roac  More...

    “It’s hard, but I’m tired.”
    This Thursday afternoon, October 14, the doors will roll down for the final time at Altoona's Hartman's Garage.  Owner Rick Hartman will close his shop after 51 years of operation, closing the book on Altoona's only full-service car care center.
    “I’ll miss my customers,” Hartman said this week in between finishing repairs.  “They are like family.”
    The garage, which Hartman ran with his father, spent  More...

    “Still under review.”
    Officials with the State Attorney's Office in Tavares on Monday indicated there was no change in the status of the investigation into a shooting that occurred on the St. Johns River in late August.  The incident, which saw individuals on a boat and a group on jet skis near the SR 40 bridge escalated to a shooting event, with the groups reportedly exchanging shots.
    Two people were injured in the incident, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at the time reported two people  More...

By Holly Newby
    Happy accidents. That is the starting point for many a gardening enthusiast. You get a plant from someone, leave it to dehydrate, and instead it grows like wildfire and all of a sudden you are a gardener.
    We have had that experience with an ornamental sweet potato this year. The one little plant we planted last year, sat quietly until a few months ago, then it kicked into overdrive. It has filled in an area of the garden that is 10x10 feet square.
    We didn’t just want to prune and pitch the  More...

The Eustis City Commission on Thursday night voted unanimously to appoint Tom Carrino, the City’s Economic Development Director, as Interim City Manager.  Carrino has been the Economic Development Director for the City since 2014. He also serves as the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Administrator.  <  More...

    The Lake County Sheriff’s Office recently concluded a year-long investigation that resulted in 14 individuals being charged with various crimes related to introducing illegal items into a detention facility.
    The sheriff’s office launched the investigation in December 2019 when information was developed that indicated there were several inmates in the Lake County Detention Center who were working with people on the outside to bring narcotics and tobacco items into the facility to be sold to other inmates.
    Th  More...

    The annual Florida Alligator Harvest continues until November 1, with hunters taking to the water for several weeks now in search of that prized ‘gator.  But nearly a quarter of a century after the state alligator harvest was founded, it is getting harder and harder to find the types of huge alligators of years gone by.
    “We’re not running out of alligators, we’re running out of the monsters,” said Curtis Lucas of Astor this week.  Lucas, who operates an alligator processing business that takes in around 1  More...

    The fall carnival season kicks off this Saturday, with two Umatilla-area events designed to bring the fun to children of all ages.  The two events, one at Sunsational Farms and the other at Cadwell Park, are just the beginning of a month of activities being held from Astor to Cassia and beyond, as communities throughout North Lake County take their turns in the spotlight.
    This Saturday, October 9, will see the Umatilla Chamber of Commerce host Kids Fun Day at Cadwell Park downtown.  From 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. the public is invited to c  More...

    Umatilla's Sunsational Farms has a new fall attraction this year, arriving just in time to provide some Halloween frights.  It's Dr. Grimleys Haunted Trail, and it is located inside the farm's orange crate maze.
    The open-air maze includes animated props, scare actors, computer-controlled lights and audio, scents, and other high-tech scare equipment.
    The haunted trail is being held in conjunction with Epic Eagle Studios.
    The trail is open Friday and Saturday most weeks during the month o  More...

    “Ag is alive and well in Lake.”
    University of Florida IFAS Extension Director Megan Brew this week noted that Lake County is still a farming community, “even if it does look a little different than it did 20-30 years ago.”
    Longtime residents have no doubt taken note of the large amount of former citrus acreage that is now being farmed for hay.  As citrus continues to decline due to citrus greening-a condition that slowly kills trees, along with high production costs and low prices for fru  More...

    Not everyone is in favor of the City of Umatilla’s plan to close the intersection of Cassady Street and Lakeside Avenue behind city hall.  The plan, several years in the discussion and recently approved for conceptual design, involves closing the street behind city hall and creating a new road that would run east and west just north of the Fox Den Country Inn and connecting to SR 19.
    The closure would allow for an expansion of green space between Umatilla City Hall and Cadwell Park, and according to city officials create a safer inte  More...

    The Lake County Commission on Tuesday approved an ordinance that when finalized will prohibit the placement of surveillance cameras on county rights of way.  The new law comes after a recent incident where a private company through a partnership with the Lake County Sheriff's Office installed nearly 100 license tag reading cameras throughout the county without proper permitting.
    The new ordinance, brought forward by commissioner Josh Blake, prohibits cameras on any county-maintained right of way, with certain exceptions.  One is for F  More...

    Divers with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office were in Paisley on Monday to assist the Lake County Sheriff’s Office with an ongoing missing person investigation.  Deputies spent most of the day diving in Lake LuLu, just off Fisherman’s Road, trying to locate Keith Lebby, a man who has been missing since December 2020.
    At nearly 5 p.m. on Monday, the divers had not found a body.
    Lake County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant John Herrell said the Pasco dive team came to assist Lake County, which is  More...

By Holly Newby
    This is the week where gardening intersects with practical. Why did the first Floridians begin to cultivate gardens? Because they liked to eat.
    Gardening in its most basic form is about growing enough food to survive. Today, we live in the land of plenty with a grocery store on every corner, but that hasn’t always been the case.
    Early Floridians had to be self-sufficient, and that meant growing food at home. Many a homestead in Florida would have a fruit orchard including things like figs,  More...

    Emergency response continues to be a topic within the Lake County government, as efforts to attract new paramedics have so far been fruitless.
    The Lake County Commission last month agreed to an $8,000 hiring bonus and other incentives to build staffing in its ambulance service, but emergency management director Tommy Carpenter on Tuesday said that results have been disappointing.
    “We’ve not been able to recruit any paramedics successfully,” Carpenter said.
    In recent weeks  More...

    This is the week where gardening intersects with practical. Why did the first Floridians begin to cultivate gardens? Because they liked to eat.
    Gardening in its most basic form is about growing enough food to survive. Today, we live in the land of plenty with a grocery store on every corner, but that hasn’t always been the case.
    Early Floridians had to be self-sufficient, and that meant growing food at home. Many a homestead in Florida would have a fruit orchard including things like figs, pomegranates, kumquats,  More...

    Fall is approaching and that means Florida black bears are traveling and searching for food.  The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reminds you to help protect both people and bears by securing garbage and other items that could attract these animals to your yard or neighborhood.
    Each fall, bears begin eating a lot more calories to pack on fat they will need during the winter.  Throughout the fall, bears require around 20,000 calories per day and will eat anything that’s convenient, including items in your g  More...

On Thursday, the Eustis City Commission and Eustis City Manager Ron Neibert parted ways.  Neibert has resigned as part of a mutual agreement with the Eustis City Commission. The commission approved the separation agreement at its September 23 meeting.

The separation agreement include  More...

    Two people were hospitalized, and three more taken into custody.  But nearly a month after a gunfight erupted on the St. Johns River in Astor, no charges have been announced and officials remain mum on details surrounding the case.
    But that could change as soon as later this week.
    Jonathan Olson, prosecutor with the Office of the State Attorney, Fifth Judicial Circuit, said on Tuesday that the investigation remains active.
    “The case is still under investigation,” Olson said  More...

    Umatilla Drug Store, Umatilla’s locally owned and operated pharmacy, spent last week celebrating 15 years of service to the community.  Operated by the Greer family, Umatilla Drug Store provides a full service of pharmaceutical services with a personal touch.
    “We feel blessed,” said Claudia Greer of the occasion, describing the drug store as a ‘ministry’ effort of the family, dedicated to bringing a Christ-centered pharmaceutical experience to the store’s customers.  “It has allowed us to mini  More...

    Hope that the worst of the current COVID 19 pandemic wave is over grew this week, as Lake County reported a decline in new cases for the third week in a row.  Data indicated Lake County posted 1,464 new cases in the week running from September 17-24, a decline of 275 from the week previous, and a decline of 784 from two weeks ago.
    Data from the Centers for Disease Control on Monday indicated Lake County has had a total of 50,713 positive COVID cases, and 1,028 deaths from the virus.  
    Lake County Schools con  More...

    The 6th Annual Rocking 4 Awareness Hops for Vets celebration will convene this Saturday, September 18, at Gator Harley Davidson.  From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the public is invited to come celebrate those who served in the military with live music, food, vendors, a live auction, and more.
    This year, the event is dedicating its proceeds to the Warriors to Farmers project.
    The fun starts at 8 a.m. at the 1745 US Hwy 441 business, with a morning ruck march with Florida4Warriors.  When the main event gets underway a  More...

By Dalton Yancey

    As an extension of the reopening of the Umatilla Museum under the leadership of new manager, Mary Nichols, a program concerning the award-winning Carr Family Cabin, located in the Ocala National Forest will be presented.  The program is scheduled for Thursday, September 30, at 2 p.m., in the Old School House at 299 North Trowel Avenue in Umatilla.  Light refreshments will be served.
    Dalton Yancey, president of the Friends of Carr Family Cabin, and Carrie Sekerak, Deputy Ranger of the Seminole Ranger Di  More...

    Area state representative Keith Truenow was in Umatilla on Monday, addressing a meeting of the Umatilla Kiwanis Club.  With an estimated 40 people from the Umatilla and Mount Dora clubs in attendance, Truenow provided a legislative update with special focus on the upcoming effort to remake the Lake County Water Authority.
    Entering his second year serving district 31, which encompasses North Lake County and parts of northwest orange county, Truenow said his goal remains the same as when he first decided to run for office.
 &nb  More...

    After extended debates, the Lake County School board is expected to vote on a school mask policy at a meeting scheduled for this Thursday, September 9.  The meeting will be held beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the chambers of the Lake County Commission, located at 315 West Main Street in Tavares.
    The meeting is expected to be a culmination of several weeks of on and off again discussion about the school system’s policy toward masking in its schools.  Currently, masks are optional on Lake County Schools campuses, but that could change  More...

By Ed Lisle - The Sandspur Cracker

    Continuing from last week’s story, here is the rest of the story about the Altoona Packing Company as told by E.H. Webb.
    “Lawton Long was one of the truck drivers, Noel F. Harbison was another, and Wallace Kight was one of the ‘goat’ drivers.  ‘Goat’ trucks were used mostly to get field boxes of fruit out of close, difficult groves.  Many had steep, sandy hills.
    “Inside the packing house:  Bill Collins acted as house for  More...

By June Perry

    I normally write an article celebrating this week in our American History, however, history is nothing if not personal.  As a Daughter of the American Revolution, I take great pride in the sacrifices my patriot ancestors made so that I could enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  On September 11, 2001, that freedom was attacked.
    September 11, 2001 was an average Tuesday morning.  I was working for a telecommunications company and had a meeting scheduled to go over a custome  More...

    For just $20, you could soon be the owner of a new Henry .22 rifle and 100 rounds of ammunition to go with it.  The Umatilla High School Athletic Boosters this week announced the raffle, with just 300 tickets being sold in the program.
    The gun, with an estimated retail value of $400, is on display at the Jolly Rogers gold and pawn shop in Umatilla, which is co-sponsoring the fundraiser for the group that funds the majority of UHS athletics.  The raffle will remain open until October 8. 
    Proceeds will g  More...

    Two people were transported from a Thursday morning crash northwest of Umatilla.  The incident, reported around 9:30 a.m. on August 26, occurred on Peru Road just east of the Keene Road intersection.
    The couple was westbound on Peru Road when the SUV they were in went off the road’s south shoulder.  The vehicle struck a small palm tree and overturned, coming to rest upside down in the lake’s edge.
    The vehicle’s cabin didn’t totally submerge in the crash, but was partially underwater.  More...

    The proposed North Lake Trail, running from Astor to Umatilla, is getting a big shot in the arm that will bring it, at least partly, to reality.  News broke this week that Lake County is poised to allocate nearly $4 million toward the trail, enough money to conduct a full study of the section and to partially fund construction.
    “The plan is to do the study with $2.2 million, and use the other $1.7 million for construction,” said Lake County Commissioner Josh Blake on Monday.  Blake, whose district covers the area in and ar  More...

    A confrontation on the St. Johns River turned violent this past Saturday afternoon.  Two people were shot and another was transported from the scene with a medical issue after the 4:30 p.m. incident near downtown in the area of the former Midway Marine.
    “Three suspects are in custody,” said John Herrell of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.  Although as of Tuesday, there were no charges filed in the incident.
    Few details have been officially released.  What is known is that the conflict  More...

    The ticking time bomb that has been St. Johns River violence finally exploded over the weekend, with two people shot after a confrontation on the water.  For people who have followed activity on the river and its social gathering spots in recent years, there couldn’t have been any surprise upon hearing the news.
    Details of exactly what caused the confrontation are either unknown or as-yet-unreleased by law enforcement officials, but locals have been talking plenty.  And have been for months on end about problems on the water.  More...

    Injuries were avoided, but property was damaged on Thursday, August 26, when a driver in the parking lot at the Woodlands Publix reversed through a parking spot, striking an adjoining vehicle and additional property.
    Eustis Police Department reports state that around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, a Hyundai driven by Lyndon Foley, 87, of Eustis was in a parking space next to a Toyota driven by Betty Asklof, 87, of Umatilla.  Foley reversed, striking the Toyota in the right passenger side before jumping the curb at the back of the parking lot and t  More...

    An observant neighbor and fast-acting resident were able to stop a robbery in Astor this week, and also helped law enforcement out by detaining the suspect until deputies could arrive.  Michael Emerson of Astor is facing a variety of charges after he broke into a shed at an Armadillo Road residence and attempted to steal guns.
    Lake County Sheriff’s Office reports stated William Lightfoot was on his way home from work around 6:45 p.m. and driving past 23902 Armadillo Road when he saw a man jumping over his neighbor’s fence, and  More...

    Lake County could be on the cusp of combining its fire and EMS services.  The Lake County Commission on Tuesday voiced support for a study that could begin as soon as next month and lead to the eventual melding of the two county emergency response agencies to one.
    The prospect of merging emergency systems was part of a broader discussion held by the commission on Tuesday.  Facing shortages of staffing in its ambulance services, the commission is eyeing sign-on bonuses, extra pay, and more to increase response levels in the county.  More...

    Umatilla’s Citrus History was celebrated on Monday, as two locations in town became the first sites to unveil large placards as part of a new Lake County Citrus Label Tour.  Designed to showcase the county’s rich citrus past, the two sites will join at least ten others from around the county in drawing people to learn more about how citrus shaped Lake County over the last 100 years.
    “These are portals,” said program organizer John Jackson on Monday.  Jackson, a retired Lake County extension agent, organized the  More...

    The Florida Department of Health in Lake County (DOH-Lake) on Monday issued a Health Caution for the presence of harmful blue-green algal toxins in the northwest corner of Lake Eustis. The move was taken in response to a water sample taken on Monday, August 16.
    The public should exercise caution in and around Lake Eustis.
    Blue-green algae are a type of bacteria that is common in Florida’s freshwater environments. A bloom occurs when rapid growth of algae leads to an accumulation of individual cells that discolo  More...

    A staffing shortage and increased call load has resulted in Lake EMS calling on agencies from around the state to offer support to its operations. EMS announced the move on Monday, through social media post stating the move was made to ‘relieve our first responders who have worked tirelessly to serve our community.’
    Responders from Sarasota County and City of North Port have come to Lake with their trucks and equipment to support Lake EMS’ normal operations.  “We can’t thank the Florida Division of Emergency M  More...

    A short chase on SR 19 in Umatilla ended when the suspect struck a power pole, breaking it in two.  Shameel Bradberry, 37, of Orlando is facing a variety of charges after the incident, which occurred shortly after 2 a.m. on Sunday, August 15.
    Umatilla Police reports indicate Bradberry fled a traffic stop that was initiated in the area of SR 19 and Cassady Street in downtown Umatilla around 2:06 a.m.  Heading south, the suspect - who was driving a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu - traveled on SR 19 to the area of Ballpark Road, where he crossed t  More...

    The Fellowship of Christian Athletes movement continues to grow in Lake County, and the organization this week is announcing the addition of its newest director, Bobby Rowe.
    Rowe, who lives in Mount Dora, will oversee the FCA’s North Lake unit, which includes the Golden Triangle high schools, Umatilla High School, and the Leesburg area.
    Rowe comes to the position after volunteering at Mount Dora High School in recent years.
    "We want to expand, increase disciples," Rowe said  More...

    As soon as this coming fall, the First Baptist Church of Umatilla is expected to break ground on a $13.5 million expansion project.  Church members on Sunday voted to proceed with the construction of a new sanctuary and classroom space, culminating years of fundraising, planning, and preliminary site work.
    "We are very excited as a church family," said Brooks Braswell, lead pastor at the church.  "This is a historic moment in the almost 157-year history of First Baptist Church Umatilla."
     More...

Ed. Note:  The below story appears in our print edition this week, and in  More...