Make a cat happy by opening your heart and home to a loving feline during Happy Cat Month in September. If you’re looking to adopt a cat, be sure to visit the Cat Protection Society in Eustis and/or the Lake County Animal Shelter in Tavares. Both agencies will help you give a cat a fur-ever home. 

Luna Azul, a new Mexican restaurant in Leesburg (91341 S. 14th St.), celebrated its June 24 grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, mariachis, a mechanical bull, a DJ, discounts, and more. Fans of San Jose’s, the Mexican restaurant Luna Azul replaced, will be happy to know that the two eateries are technically one in the same. The name change is due to new ownership, but the menu still contains San Jose’s most popular dishes. For more information about Luna Azul’s hours and offerings, please call 352.805.4174.

Floor & Décor, which recently opened its doors in Clermont, offers an extensive selection of flooring, including tile, wood, stone, laminate and more, plus related accessories, shower tiles, installation tools and supplies. The massive store is located at 5800 Collina Terrace in the Plaza Collina Shopping Center off State Road 50.

Sabrina Ciceri shows us how to embrace the life we truly desire without fear, guilt, or shame in her new book, ‘If It’s Not One Thing, It’s a Mother.’ Through her own challenging experience with her mother, Sabrina explores how the choices our mothers made raising us can dramatically impact our lives and the ways we can transform negativity into ambition, self-care, and an unshakable tenacity to do it better. The book can be purchased on Amazon.

September is also Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these healthy eating tips parents can follow to ensure their children remain healthy:

• Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grain products
• Include low-fat or non-fat milk or dairy products
• Serve reasonably sized portions
• Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils, and beans for protein
• Encourage your children to drink lots of water
• Limit or eliminate sugar-sweetened beverages
• Limit consumption of sugar and saturated fat

Charles Broadway, Clermont’s Chief of Police since December 2012, was recently named President of the Florida Police Chiefs Association, making him the first Lake County police chief to hold the coveted title. He accepted the position at a special conference in Bonita Springs on August 1. Among those in attendance were some of Chief Broadway’s family, friends, peers, and community leaders, including Clermont Mayor Tim Murry. 

 College football kicks off this month. Here’s where Florida teams rank according to College Football News:

• #7 Florida State
• #29 Florida 
• #33 Miami
• #46 University of Central Florida
• #99 Florida Atlantic
• #116 University of South Florida

Twenty-five years ago this month, the Lake County Historic Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The four-story building was constructed in 1922 and features colossal columns and keystone-arched windows. The stately building is now home to the Lake County Historical Museum. Visit www.lakecountyhistoricalmuseum.org for more information. 

All the best to staff and students of the newest area schools as they embark on their inaugural 2023-’24 school year! In Clermont, the long-awaited Aurelia M. Cole Academy, a beautiful K-8 school dedicated in honor of the beloved educator, includes a performing arts program and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) curriculum. It replaces Clermont Middle School and Clermont Elementary, which is being converted into Lincoln Park Education Center. In Middleton, a new family community in The Villages®, the massive Villages Charter School campus includes a new elementary, middle, and high school with state-of-the-art facilities. The previous Villages High School will become the north Villages Junior High School.