Local Politics · Sumter County
Sumter County voters will consider two separate ballot questions in the November 3 General Election: statewide Amendment 3 and a local renewal of the fifth- and sixth-cent fuel tax. Amendment 3 would increase homestead exemptions and reduce assessment-growth caps, with county estimates suggesting potential property-tax revenue reductions of $24 million to $44 million in upcoming fiscal years. The local fuel tax question asks voters whether to continue the existing two-cent-per-gallon levy from January 1, 2028, through December 31, 2058. County officials emphasize that these are independent questions and provide planning scenarios for various voting outcomes.
Local Politics · The Villages, FL
Residents of The Villages are invited to a town hall meeting regarding proposed Amendment 3 on Thursday, Oct. 29, from 2 to 4 p.m. The event will be held in the Warnell Room at the Homestead Recreation Center. Florida State Rep. Ryan Chamberlain and Wildwood Commission member David Fountaine are scheduled as guest speakers, with resident Rafe Garcia serving as facilitator.
Community News · Sumter County
Early voting sites at five Sumter County recreation centers (Laurel Manor, Tierra Del Sol, Allamanda, Rohan, Everglades) plus Bushnell and the Wildwood service center are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Oct. 31. Marion County Villagers can vote at Mulberry Grove from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through the same date. No recreation-center voting is available on the Lake County side; residents there should use Lake County early voting sites, also open through Oct. 31. Mail ballots must be received by the supervisor of elections by 7 p.m. on Nov. 3.
Community News · Sumter County
Sumter County Public Works will host an Amnesty Day for household hazardous waste and electronics on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. The free collection event runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lake Okahumpka Park in Wildwood. Residents can dispose of items such as automotive fluids, batteries, propane tanks, and electronics without additional cost. Prohibited items include biological waste, explosives, radioactive materials, empty paint cans, and tires.
Crime · The Villages, FL
Karlene Jennifer Moncrieffe Boyer, a 67-year-old Stonecrest resident, was arrested Wednesday at Prima Steakhouse in The Villages. Wildwood police officers detained her based on an anonymous tip regarding an active Marion County warrant for bond revocation. The warrant stemmed from a July 22 incident where Boyer allegedly fled law enforcement across a golf course and resisted arrest. She is currently held without bond at the Sumter County Detention Center pending transfer to Marion County.
