June is National Camping Month, a time to roast some marshmallows under the stars. Lake County has several worthy destinations: Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont, Powell’s Campground in Astor, Wekiva Falls RV Resort in Sorrento, Alexander Springs Recreation Area in Altoona, and Clearwater Lake Recreation Area in Paisley.

The Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County is the nation’s largest federal prison. The prison has a low-security facility, medium-security facility, and two high-security penitentiaries. The facility houses more than 7,000 inmates. 

Groveland Mayor Evelyn Wilson declared April 1 as Kim Kahana Day to coincide with the debut of a docudrama portraying the legendary stuntman’s real-life story titled “Kim Kahana: The Man Who Changed Hollywood” at Epic Theatres Clermont. During a Groveland city council meeting, Kim — with wife Sandra Kahana by his side and family and friends in attendance — was presented with an official proclamation forever preserving the day in Groveland history. The proclamation recognizes Kim’s many Hollywood roles and contributions to the entertainment/stunt industry, his internationally renowned Kahana’s Stunt & Film School in Groveland since 1972, and his service to the country as a paratrooper in the Korean War.    

The Ocala-based Sipping Grounds coffee shop recently opened its second location at 201 W. Main Street in downtown Leesburg. People can sit and relax inside or outside of the recently revamped venue and choose from multiple varieties of coffees, lattes, cappuccinos, espressos, teas, and more. The menu also includes goodies like avocado toast, sandwiches, baked goods, bombs, and features homemade pop tarts in a plethora of rotating flavors, including brown sugar cinnamon, Nutella, fig with pistachio, lemon, raspberry, and many others. For more information, call 352.435.7749.

As the smell of popcorn and hot dogs wafts through Pat Thomas Stadium, loud cheers and thunderous applause erupt when the boys of summer officially take the field. The Leesburg Lightning begin play this month. For fans, coaches, and players of the Leesburg Lightning, few things could be more exciting. Visit leesburglightning.com to see
this year’s schedule. 

Lake County is the 22nd-healthiest county in Florida according to 2023 research by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. The rankings are based on health behaviors such as smoking, adult obesity, physical inactivity, and sexually transmitted infections. Lake ranked higher than neighboring counties, including Sumter (ranked 26th), Polk (29th), and Marion (53rd).

Mascotte resident Tony Rosado was recently awarded the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for “lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service.” Tony, a former councilman and three-term mayor of Mascotte, is a certified EMT, volunteer firefighter, and a volunteer with Florida’s chapter of the American Volunteer Emergency Response Team (AVERT), a self-funded grassroots organization that deploys members from all over the nation willing to offer aid in relief efforts to places devastated by disaster.

Father’s Day, which falls on June 18, is a holiday to honor dads, grandfathers, and all other father figures for their contributions and influences on children whose lives they are a part of. Make sure to celebrate the special men in your life with a kind gesture, favorite meal, or a gift that expresses your love and gratitude for all they do.

One simple turn off U.S. Hwy 441 in Fruitland Park will lead you to Florida’s second-oldest oak tree. The tree, in Lake Griffin State Park, is estimated to be between 300 and 500 years old. The tree is home to several species of birds, and historians speculate the tree may have been a landmark for Timucua Native Americans who frequented the area before settlement.