MINNEOLA

Thom Battisto started his nonprofit Read to Sydney to help students read more confidently by providing them with a therapy dog.

A Minneola convenience store customer reported a suspicious incident to Lake County deputies Friday night allegedly involving a female screaming in the rear of a truck.

Education Avenue from US Highway 27 to Grassy Lane Road in Minneola is temporarily closed due to a hole in the road, according to a tweet from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

One person was killed in a Lake County crash, troopers say.

Brandon Erving was working in the medical field as a phlebotomist when he realized he wanted to venture out into the coffee industry.

MINNEOLA, Fla. — A family moving to Central Florida said they felt violated when they were told their moving bill was going to be 5x the original estimate. What was supposed to be a new start has been a trying time for the family of four. “I didn’t even have a reason to question that they weren’t the actual company,” Bowie said. “It felt totally like a shakedown,” Bowie said. FMCSA received 10 complaints in 3 years about Golden Van Lines from consumers claiming they had issues with over billing and goods being held hostage.

Authorities said that after getting angry with her while they sat together during her lunch break, the man followed her back towards her workplace and strangled her into unconsciousness. MINNEOLA An Altamonte Springs man was arrested in Minneola Monday afternoon for strangling his long-time partner. In an arrest affidavit sent out Tuesday, Lake County Sheriffs deputies said Miguel Angel Barajas Villa, 30, attacked the woman during her lunch break, during which they were both sitting in his truck. Barajas Villa allegedly followed her and began strangling her when she turned around to see him approach. Barajas Villa was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail on a $15,000 bond.

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – Deputies with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office are searching for a missing 15-year-old girl and her 1-year-old daughter. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Niviyana Pagan and her 12-month-old daughter, Milani, were last seen around 1 a.m. Monday at the girl’s home in Minneola. Deputies said Niviyana has a history of running away and could be in the areas of Clermont or Mascotte. Niviyana has brown hair, brown eyes and a nose ring, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 352-343-2102.

MINNEOLA The Leesburg High School boys basketball team got 27 points from Dandre Seward and 21 from Akiem Nickerson on Tuesday in a 73-54 win against Lake Minneola in a battle of Class 5A-District 5 rivals. With the win, Leesburg improved to 9-4 overall and 1-0 in district play, while Lake Minneola fell to 6-9 overall and 0-1 in the district. The Yellow Jackets built their first-half advantage largely from the free throw line, where they outscored Lake Minneola 13-3. Lake Minneola will host Eustis at 7 p.m. on Friday. Val Belvu added 14 points, seven rebounds, seven steals and four assists.

Lake County commissioners and other area dignitaries will formally open Citrus Grove Road Phase I to the public during a ribbon cutting at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Citrus Grove and Hancock roads. It involves widening the road from two lanes to four lanes and extending it from Grassy Lake Road to Hancock Road, which has access to the Turnpike. Parks' district is south Lake County and includes the Citrus Grove Road project. This new highway will have a tremendous impact on our local road network.The next phase of the project will begin later this year, when crews will begin widening the portion of Citrus Grove Road from Grassy Lake Road west to U.S. 27. Immediately following the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Citrus Grove Road Phase I will open to traffic.

After a four-hour rain delay, the Leesburg Lightning got a strong pitching effort and flexed their muscles at the plate with five home runs in a 10-0 win over Winter Garden on Thursday at Lake Minneola High School. Cage Cox led the offensive onslaught with two home runs, giving him eight for the season. In the third, Parker Pillsbury hit a laser over the center field wall for a leadoff home run that gave the Lightning a 4-0 lead. Tate Mathis tried to make it back-to-back home runs, but Winter Garden centerfielder Justin Holmes made an outstanding catch to rob Mathis of a home run. The Lightning are scheduled to wrap up the series against Winter Garden at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Pat Thomas Stadium and then host the Sanford River Rats on Sunday at 5 p.m.

MINNEOLA, Fla. – The Lake Minneola Hawks rebounded from their first loss of the season with a convincing 34-6 victory over rival Mount Dora. [VIDEO: 6-Yard Line]Blake Lescault-Fleming hauled in three touchdown passes from Lake Minneola quarterback Jesse Fiske. The Hawks improved to 5-1 and travel to Edgewater next. Mount Dora, which dropped to 4-3, has a bye week.