Villages Community Development District Manager Janet Tutt is speaking out on the IRS dispute with The Villages.
The Internal Revenue Service has ruled that bonds sold by the community development district that issued $426 million of debt aren’t tax-exempt. Securities issued by Village Center Community Development District, created by developer Gary Morse, don’t provide tax-free income because the entity isn’t a political arm of the state, according to an IRS memo dated May 30.
“The IRS review is now in its sixth year and I am advising this long process may continue for some time as the district weighs its options and moves forward with the next step,” she said in a statement. “The District is still hopeful for a favorable conclusion.”
“I am committed to keeping our residents fully informed as this process moves forward. It’s been a long arduous road for all of us with a lot of twists and turns. My challenge is to share the facts and not get caught up in all of the misinformation, rumors, innuendos and hypothetical scenarios that fly around.”
Vera G. Murphy, 97, died Wednesday, June 12, 2013. She will join the love of her life, Frank J. Murphy, her husband of 52 years. Mrs. Murphy was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. She and her husband moved to what was then called Orange Blossom Gardens from Millbrook, AL in 1984. She was a member of St. Timothy Catholic Church. Vera was a homemaker who loved being with her family. She also enjoyed knitting, playing her organ, ceramics, line dancing, bowling, and volunteering at the Leesburg Regional Medical Center, which she did for 10 years. Vera and her husband were one of the twelve original couples who started the Orange Blossom Squares. She is survived by three children; Elaine (Fred) Junkofsky of The Villages, Randy (Flo) Murphy of Conception Bay South, Newfoundland, Canada, and David (Constance) Murphy of Hurst, TX, along with six grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Funeral services for Mrs. Murphy will be held on Monday, June 17, 2013 in the Page-Theus Funeral Home in Leesburg at 1:00 p.m. Visitation will be on Monday, in the funeral home, from Noon until the time of services. Burial will follow in the family plot in Hillcrest Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested memorials in Vera’s honor be directed to Cornerstone Hospice, 601 Casa Bella, The Villages, Fl 32749.
The Warwick Room in the Canal Street Recreation Center will be closed Thursday, June 20 and Friday, June 21 to recover the billiards tables. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Canal Street Recreation Center at 205-8571.
Roy Edward Luthardt , 87 , of Summerfield , Florida passed away June 9, 2013 at Munroe Regional Medical Center Ocala , Florida. A native of Cleveland Ohio, he moved to this area from Mentor, OH in 1996. He was of Catholic Faith, where he formerly served as a Eucharistic Minister. He was a veteran of World War II serving in the United States Army. Mr Luthardt was an Eagle Scout. He enjoyed golfing, and was a Cleveland Indians fan. He was a volunteer for Hospice of Marion County. Mr. Luthardt is survived by: Wife, Frances Luthardt; sons, Mark Luthardt, Gregg (Jan) Luthardt, Scott (Angela) Luthardt, Bryan (Adrienne) Luthardt; daughter Karen (James) Smith; 8 grandchildren, (Matthew, James, Sara, Joanna (Ross) Bellar, Jamie, Kierstin, Courtney (Nicholas) Kahn, Brianna) ; and 5 great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, Curt and Alma Luthardt and his sister Laverne Luthardt. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10am on Wednesday, June 12, 2013 at St Theresa Catholic Church with Monsignor James Lictenthal officiating. A visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 at Hiers- Baxley Funeral, The Villages from 5-7 pm. Memorial Contributions may be made to Hospice of Marion County, PO Box 4860 Ocala, FL 34470.
THE VILLAGES – Barbara Ann Bizzaro, 68, entered into eternal life, Saturday, June 8, 2013. Born in Peekskill, NY she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Emma (Mackey) Pagano. Barbara was a retired Licensed Practical Nurse. She enjoyed listening to Du-Wop music and was an avid golfer and bridge player. She found her most enjoyment in life in her family and grandchildren and was very proud of her nursing career. Barbara was of the Catholic faith and was a member of St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church of Summerfield. She was also a member of the Secular Order of St. Francis. Barbara and her husband Mickey came to The Villages from Wappingers Falls, NY in 2002. She leaves her husband of 25 years Michael “Mickey” Bizzaro, Jr., a son, Paul Lio, Jr. of Peekskill, NY, step daughter, Denise Bouderau (Greg) of Wappingers Falls, NY, step son Michael W. Bizzaro of Brewster, NY sisters, Nancy Brovarski and Katherine Pagano, of Peekskill, NY, brother, Joseph Pagano of Peekskill, NY and 2 grandchildren Vincent and Samantha Bouderau. A Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday June 12, 2013 at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, Summerfield, at 10 a.m. A Memorial Prayer Service of the Secular Order of St. Francis will be held prior to the Mass at 9:15 a.m. in the church narthex. Burial will be held in Cortlandt Manor, NY at a later date. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church 7165 SE Hwy 42, Summerfield, FL 34491. For on-line sentiments visit www.hiers-baxley.com. Arrangements by Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services, The Villages, FL
The Lake County-based charitable organization Deliver the Difference, which has enjoyed tremendous support from Villagers, has received a substantial contribution from Lake County government officials.
At a Monday-morning press conference, Commissioner Sean Parks thanked the Lake County government, as well as the community, for goods donated during the Annual Backpack Food Drive. The Lake County Board of County Commissioners, in partnership with the Constitutional Officers, the Public Defender’s office and the State Attorney’s office, collected a total of 5,014.73 lbs. of food.
The Lake County Board of County Commissioners and their employees donate food items to the year-long food drive.
This year the food collections will be split between two organizations: Deliver the Difference, which services the north end of the county, and Buses n’ Backpacks, which services the south end of the county
Deliver the Difference provides backpacks to needy children that are filled with enough food to feed that child during the weekend. These backpacks are distributed throughout the school year based on need. During the summer, Deliver the Difference will distribute 2,500 meals per week to children in the community by providing a backpack filled with five breakfasts, five lunches, five dinners, five snacks, five juice boxes and shelf-stable milk. For more information, visit www.deliverthedifference.org.
Deliver the Difference also recently packed 50,000 meals for Oklahoma torando victims.
Members of the “Rock This Boat” dragon boat team take to the water at Lake Sumter on Monday, June 10, 2013.
While China is in the midst of celebrating its three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday, a half a world away “Duanwu” would also appear to be in spirit on Lake Sumter Landing.
Here out on the sparkling water on a sunny Monday morning, Villagers rhythmically dipped their paddles in the lake and rowed together.
Dragon boating began in earnest in The Villages about seven years ago. Groups like Team Leathernecks got on board and were soon dominating competitions far and wide including those against much-younger rowers.
But dragon boating in The Villages is not reserved only for the well seasoned.
For one group, the orange T-shirt says it all. “This Boat Rocks.”
The group is open to beginners.
Warning: After one trip in the boat, you might be hooked.
“I had my eye on this even before I moved down here,” said Linda Workman of the Village of Charlotte.
Wearing a life vest and with paddle in hand, Workman eagerly moved through the warmup exercises and listened intently to the morning’s safey briefing.
Villager Susan Chicoine mans the drum and is the heartbeat of the boat.
“We teach them the commands and techniques. But this group is all about exercise and fun,” Chicoine said.
She was in Montgomery, Ala. this past weekend competing in the Southeast Dueling Dragon Classic.
She vividly recounted for her Monday morning dragon boaters the little spill her team took this weekend in the water.
“Everybody did everything they were supposed to do. We got out fine,” she said.
Her team still managed to bring home second-place honors from the event.
Rich Huelsman of the Village of Poinciana takes many of the This Boat Rocks beginners under his wing. He makes sure they are outfitted properly and take seriously the motto, “Safety first.”
“We want to make sure everybody is practicing safety and we want them to have fun,” said Huelsman who added that in addition to growing in popularity in The Villages, dragon boating is also becoming more popular across the United States.
The atmosphere is friendly and encouraging.
The group started with about a dozen members this past June. Now it is up to 70 members.
“Out here on the water on a beautiful morning? You can’t beat it,” said Helen Cullen of the Village of Caroline.
Want to give it a try?
Call Chicoine ahead of time at (937) 602-1640. If you decide you want to paddle you must sign a waiver. You can paddle up to two times and then decide if you want to join the
Grand Masters Dragon Boat Club at a cost of $20 per year.
When you try it out, This Boat Rocks will provide a life vest and paddle.
James Joseph Sloane, 83, died Thursday, June 6, 2013.
Mr. Sloane was born in Detroit, Mich., and moved to The Villages from Spring Lake, Mich., in 1998. He was an Army veteran and a retired group leader in the Engineering Department for General Motors.
He was a member of St. Timothy Catholic Community and a member of The Villages Photography Club.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanne; daughter, Kathy Wortman, Jenison, Mich.; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 8:30 a.m on July 3 at St. Timothy Catholic Community, Lady Lake. A committal ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society.
Arrangements are by Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services, The Villages.
