Leah Schwarting

Fruitland Park police officer Kaleigh Richetti, who has been with the department for two years, uses a handheld LIDAR to check the speed of a motorist along West Berckman Street on Nov. 26 in Fruitland Park. George Horsford, Daily Sun

Jonathan Stephens, of Lady Lake, holds his 1-year-old daughter, Violet Stephens, to see the lights during the Light Up Lady Lake event on Dec. 13. The town of Lady Lake hopes to build a sense of community and identity through such events. Other community events this year included a job fair and a family-friendly Halloween party. George Horsford, Daily Sun

Volunteers Dan Tarshus, from left, of the Village of Sanibel, Joe Shea, of the Village of Charlotte, Carol Larson, of the Village of Marsh Bend, Jennifer Boecker, of the Village of Pine Ridge, and Kathy Tarshus, of the Village of Sanibel, package to-go meals at the Wildwood Soup Kitchen, one of eight food aid agencies to get $1,000 from the VHA. Sophia Lucente, Daily Sun

Kind.

Visitors view a manatee as it floats to the surface at Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River. Due to depleted seagrass beds in the Indian River Lagoon, manatees began experiencing an Unusual Mortality Event in December 2020. Rachel Govola, Daily Sun

Summer is still months away but, when it does arrive, one family in The Villages won’t have to worry about keeping cool because of The Villages Homeowners Advocates. The VHA recently stepped in to help a family struggling to keep their home in compliance, and air conditioned, due to financial hardship.

Leesburg is looking at a transformation in the next 10 years.

Sumter County's new state committeewoman Dianne Olsen, of the Village of Bridgeport at Miona Shores, and committeeman Bob Greene, of the Village of Linden, will attend today's inauguration celebrations in Washington, D.C. Bill Mitchell, Daily Sun

Lady Lake Public Works Utilities Supervisor Butch Goodman, Lady Lake Mayor Ed Freeman and Public Works Director C.T. Eagle discuss the wastewater treatment plant Tuesday in Lady Lake. Bill Mitchell, Daily Sun

A manatee swims with her calf in Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River. Last year saw the highest calf death toll on record, possibly triggered by higher birth numbers. Rachel Govola, Daily Sun