The Hit List

One year later

“From January 21 through February 23, 2020, U.S. public health agencies detected 14 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), all related to travel from China,” according to cdc.gov. The first non-travel-related case in the U.S. was confirmed on Feb. 26,…

Fun fact

For 119 years, the City of Eustis has displayed patriotic spirit with its popular GeorgeFest celebration, which today attracts thousands of visitors. Longevity-wise, Georgefest is the second oldest Washington celebration — by a meager four years — only to Laredo,…

Did you know?

Ninety years ago this month, President Calvin Coolidge and his wife, Grace, were staying at the Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora for a month-long vacation. The county’s numerous lakes served as a recreational playground for the president and First Lady,…

First Miss Leesburg gave pageant of life her best shot

Leesburg resident Kay Hallgren can proudly lay claim to being the city’s first Miss Leesburg more than six decades ago. Leesburg didn’t have an actual pageant in the 1950s; however, Kay was selected by local civic clubs to represent Leesburg…

Happy anniversary, NTC

The National Training Center in Clermont has hosted hundreds of athletes seeking Olympic glory since it opened 20 years ago. Tori Bowie and Justin Gatlin are among the most notable athletes who trained at the state-of-the-art facility featuring a 400-meter…

Flower power

Some love how they look on a dining room table, others sneeze at the sight. Are you a flower person on holidays? Or do you think they’re a waste of money? The most popular flowers to give on Valentine’s Day…

Thank a lineman, help a LSSC student

A new specialty license plate thanking lineworkers has Lake-Sumter State College students giving thanks. Proceeds from the Thank a Lineman plate recently established when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 1135 into law will go to scholarships for students in the…

Did you know?

Grantland Rice, an early 20th-century American sportswriter, referred to the Dora Canal as the “most beautiful half-mile of water in the world” when he cruised down the subtropical waterway in the 1930s. One can only imagine how awestruck he was…

80% off for college students affected by pandemic

Kudos to Lake Technical College for partnering with Lake County to provide what school officials call an “amazing” opportunity: Elevate to Essential scholarships for students enrolled in the spring 2021 term, which starts this month. Individuals who lost their jobs…

Soup’s on!

Spend your Saturdays in cozy slippers and pajamas while you whip up a batch of soup to last the whole week. No old family recipes? Soup recipes and ideas are plentiful on the internet. Enjoy a hearty minestrone, black bean…