Ocala Magazine June 2022 Digital Edition by ocalamag

Ocala’s City Magazine Since 1980 Serving the Horse Capital of the World® $5.95

OCALA MAGAZINE

JUN 2022

Gone Fishin’ Pro anglers’ message to the novices

Through the Roof Home prices soar in Marion County as demand reaches unseen levels

Freshly Caught Fish Tacos for

Father’s Day

An Ocala Magazine salute to Marion County’s class of 2022 Reagan Reese, Vanguard High School Graduate

Just Listed Properties

29 +/- Prestigious acres in NW Ocala on HWY 225. Home features 3 bedrooms 3.5 baths, Screen enclosed lanai area. Property is perfect for any breed or discipline or horses, this property offers room layout your dream farm. Minutes to WEC. $2,997,000

39.78 +/- Acres in NW Ocala — Located just 1 mile to HITS and 12 miles to WEC. 3 Large paddocks with run-in stalls. 2 additional paddocks. Workshop/equipment building completes this package. Green pastures to raise and train your horses. $1,389,700

Country Club Farms - 4.55 +/- acres - 4 Bedroom pool home features formal living, formal dining, media/theater, and open kitchen family room. Porta corche with bonus room perfect for guest or home office. Plus 4-Car detached garage. Equine friendly community. $1,450,000

10 +/- Acres located minutes to HITS and WEC — 3 Stall barn with 3 large lush paddocks awaits your horses. 3 Bedroom / 2 bath mobile home features 1,950 SF of living area. Property is perimeter fenced and graced with Granddaddy Oaks. $699,000

In 2022: $21,130,560 Sold • $31,513,040 Pending

Equestrian Properties ted Just Lis UCED Just RED

Location! Location! Location! — Possible Owner Financing! 39+/Acres in prestigious NW Ocala. 10 Minutes to WEC – 2 Minutes to HITS. 10-Stall barn with living space/lounge area. Two - 3 Bedroom/ 2 bath mobile homes on property. $2,611,750

13.75+/- Acre State-of-the-art equestrian sporting horse facility that has it all. 3 Bedroom/3.5 bath home, gourmet kitchen, split floor plan, and 3 car garage. 24 Stall show stable, lush paddocks, plus apartment makes this farm perfect for any breed. $1,600,000

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INVESTOR’S DREAM — 29+/- Acre equestrian farm. Frontage on HWY 27 across from HITS and convenient to the WEC. 4/3 Home with covered front porch. 22 Stall barn. Property offers 2 RV hookups. 2/2 mobile guest home. Income producing. $1,897,000

Lake Weir – 13+/- Acres – Bring the Horses! 2-Story home - 2 bedrooms plus bonus room, Utility workshop. 300’ of waterfront, 200’ feet of boardwalk and dock. $ 2,100,000

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R E A LTO R ®

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Winding scenic drive leads you to the 2-story home on 28+/- acres. 4 Bedrooms/ 3 baths, family room, brick fireplace plus extra-large windows to enjoy panoramic views. Barn/equipment building features guest quarters with full bath. City conveniences and County zoning.

New Construction! 4 Bedroom/4.5 bath home on 3.81+/- acres. Formal living, dining room, and office/library. Chef ’s kitchen and large owners suite with sitting area and walk-in closet. Recreation room with beverage area and fireplace that opens onto the pool and lanai. 3 -Car garage. $2,290,000

11.77 +/- Acres in equine friendly gated community of Spring Grove located between World Equestrian and Florida Horse Park. Custom built brick home w/4 Bedroom/ 3.5 bath. 3 Car garage w/upstairs bonus room. 77’ x 25’ Storage area with concrete floors. Storage building and carport. $1,397,500

Bellwether Estates - 5.64 +/- Acres of gently rolling land in gated community. This would make a perfect home site graced with Granddaddy Oaks. Bring your builder and plans. Deed restricted to 4,000 Minimum SF home. Great location close to shopping, medical and schools. $290,000

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R E A LTO R ®

Equestrian Properties Pending

Pending

14+/- Acre family compound on HWY 475. Paddocks with green pastures and beautiful Oaks. Driveway leads to the two architecturally designed homes. Main home features 3 bedrooms, 2 baths with office. Second home offers 2 bedrooms, 2 baths plus office. $1,199,000

Midwest Training Facility - State of the art training and rehabilitation center features cold water spa, expansive swim circle under roof, 3 barns with 120 s stalls, ¾+/- mile track, and equipment building. Main residence, pool house, plus 2 managers residences. $4,750,000

150 Acres of beautiful rolling acres in NW Ocala with frontage on Hwy 326. Property features lush green pastures and two barns. Land is perfect for horses or cattle. Close to HITS and The World Equestrian Center. Call today for additional Information. $4,000,000

50+/- Acres of gently rolling land. Bring your plans to build the perfect home or farm for you and your family. Property is perimeter fenced and ready for horses or cattle. This property offers room to ride, train horses, or raise cattle. Property is 12 miles to the World Equestrian Center. Deed Restricted. $795,000

R E A LTO R ® For these and other properties, visit JoanPletcher.com for information, videos, and more choices. 352.347.1777 | Cell: 352.266.9100 | Cell: 352.804.8989 | joan@joanpletcher.com Due to the privacy and at the discretion of my clients, there are additional training centers, estates, and land available that are not advertised.

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CELEBRATING OUR 42ND YEAR!

MAY • 2022 FEATURES 16 Through the Roof 22 Congrats Grads! 34 Gone Fishin’

DEPARTMENTS 10 Letter from the Publisher 12 Words of Wisdom 14 From the Mayor

Fresh Father's Day Fish Tacos — p. 40

ON THE COVER:

Ocala’s City Magazine Since 1980 Serving the Horse Capital of the World® $5.95

Reagan Reese OCALA MAGAZINE

PLAY Socially Speaking Anthology: Poetry in Motion

61 62

EQUINE Ride of a Lifetime

65 66 70 72

ETC Charity Spotlight: Marion County Children’s Alliance Health Journal: 6 steps to protect your vision State of the City: Music Moves Within Ocala State of the County: Who Needs Broadband Service in Marion County? Kiwanis Korner Rotary Circle Looking Back: History of the McPherson Complex

76 78 80

Pro anglers’ message to the novices

Through the Roof Home prices soar in Marion County as demand reaches unseen levels

Father’s Day

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

49 50 58

Gone Fishin’

EAT Tacos for Dados Dining Out

JUN 2022

Photographer: Ralph Demilio

Freshly Caught Fish Tacos for

43 44 48

An Ocala Magazine salute to Marion County’s class of 2022 Reagan Reese, Vanguard High School Graduate

Volume 41, Issue 12

JUNE 2022

OCALA’S #1 MOST AWARD-WINNING CITY MAGAZINE

CELEBRATING OUR 42ND YEAR! Philip Glassman, CCIM | Publisher philip@ocalamagazine.com

Penny Miller | VP/Corporate Development penny@ocalamagazine.com

EDITORIAL Carlton Reese | Editor carlton@ocalamagazine.com

ART Jessi Miller | Creative Director jessi@ocalamagazine.com

Brad Rogers | Contributing Writer + Editor brad@ocalamagazine.com Robin Fannon | Food + Lifestyle Editor robin@ocalamagazine.com

PHOTOGRAPHY Ralph Demilio | Chief Photographer ralph@ocalamagazine.com

Sharon Raye | Copy Editor

Ocala Magazine Wins Five 2021 Florida Magazine Association Awards! EDITORIAL OR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES 352.622.2995

www.ocalamagazine.com OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER HOPS — Historic Ocala Preservation Society MEDIA PARTNER & PRESENTING SPONSOR of the Tailgating Competition at Live Oak International OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR 2022 International Women's Day Celebration EXCLUSIVE MEDIA SPONSOR FOR George Albright Annual Golf Tournament OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR FINE ARTS FOR OCALA

THE OFFICIAL CITY MAGAZINE OF

TEDxOcala · HITS · Equiventure

OFFICE 743 E. Fort King St., Ocala, FL 34471 MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 4649, Ocala, FL 34478 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR by mail or email: editor@ocalamagazine.com SUBSCRIPTION One year - $49, Two years - $95, Single Issue - $5.95. COPYRIGHT ALL contents copyrighted © 2021 by Ocala Magazine Publications. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or advertising content in any manner without written permission is strictly prohibited. Horse Capital of the World® is a registered trademark of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ & Owners’ Association.

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

BE PREPARED. BE SAFE. Hurricane season is June 1 - November 30 • Make sure all contact information is current on your account. Providing us with an up-to-date phone number will allow you to report your power outage easier and faster.

• If your power is restored while crews are still working in the area, please leave a porch light or externally visible light on so they can see that you have power.

• To view a real-time map of current outages, visit severeweather.ocalafl.org.

• Generators should not be plugged directly into a home’s main electrical system. This could potentially send an electrical charge back to the power grid, which could create an electrocution hazard for utility workers.

• To report a power outage in your area, visit myusage.com, use myusage mobile app or call 352-351-6666. • Please do not report an outage more than once. • For real-time updates and outage information during a storm, please follow Ocala Electric Utility on Facebook.

/OcalaElectricUtility

@OEUinfo

ocalaelectric.org | 352-629-2489

• Generators should be set up outside the home in a well-ventilated area. Individual appliances can be plugged directly into the generator. • Visit severeweather.ocalafl.org to learn more about storm preparation and download your free storm preparation guide.

LETTER

from the publisher

A fond farewell IN OCTOBER OF 2018, I BOUGHT OCALA MAGAZINE and entered the world of publishing, a world of which I was not too familiar at the time. Not long after, through the advice of John Anastasia and our Vice President Penny Miller, I made the biggest decision for the magazine in hiring Jessi Miller as OM’s Creative Director. Sadly for us, this June issue marks the final one Jessi will put together as she is leaving us to pursue her other passions in art and elsewhere. Jessi’s creativity and vision for layout and design is unmatched by her peers in Ocala and beyond. She has been tireless in her efforts to make this magazine a visual and compelling force and has done so against some pretty long odds. That OM has been able to rack up so many awards the past few years is testimony to Jessi’s artistic vision and creative vault of ideas. Beyond her role as creative director, Jessi has also worn many different hats for the magazine in making it a profitable business, guiding its day-to-day operations so that the office can run like a well-oiled machine. Never receiving a byline or a photo credit, Jessi was someone mainly behind the scenes as far as our readers are concerned. Only on the masthead will you find Jessi’s name, a small measure of the credit she deserves. Beyond recognizing Jessi Miller for her creative role in OM, I want to say what an outstanding person she is, and this may be the most important aspect of her. She has always dealt with others in the most professional of ways and always with a kind hand, even when harsh sentiments were justified. As such, she has been more than an employee to me – I consider her a dear friend. Jessi Miller will be sorely missed at OM, but we will continue to find the best talent out there in order to produce a magazine for which this city can be proud. I want to thank Jessi for all she has done to help me navigate through the strange waters of the publishing world and to help make OM the comeback success it is. Mostly, I want to wish Jessi nothing but the best in her future endeavors – she has certainly earned it. JUNE MEANS FATHER’S DAY and, for me it’s one of my favorite days of the year. As a father of two beautiful children, it is a reminder of how important my duties are to them and is another means of bonding with them in the most positive and fun ways. This is a day to honor fathers, and I will certainly be doing that for my own, Jerry Glassman, as well as my uncle Dr. Paul Glassman who has always set an example for me to follow. I want to thank Sharon D. Raye, the mother of my daughter, and Brittany McMinn, the mother of my son, for without them I would not even have the blessings of being a father. I cannot think of a greater love that exists than from a parent to a child and on Father’s Day that love is on display and I plan to make the most of it. No matter what else happens in one’s life, be it triumph or tragedy, you can always count on the love of your family, and these days that is more important than ever. In a world where many children grow up without a father, or even a prominent father figure, we know the tragedies that can unfold. The lack of a father is a big “strike one” in the life a young boy or girl and can often lead to negative outcomes. I’m grateful that I had a father in my life and I am working every day to make sure that I am the best father I can be to my kids. So on this Father’s Day, I not only honor my own dad, but I take stock in the responsibility I have for my children and the love for them that helps pave a proper life’s path. Happy Father’s Day to all, and let's remember to count our blessings!

PHILIP GLASSMAN, PUBLISHER

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

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words of wisdom

These kids today

ust what is going to happen with these kids today? It’s a query as old as parenting itself, and with some 2,600 Class of 2022 graduates having just received their diplomas in Marion County, it seems like a good time to ponder an answer. Of course, times have changed. There was a time in the not too distant past when parents asked the question out of concern about whether their children would become mature, productive adults prepared to take their place in the world and make it a better place. Today, in a world too often defined by division and disillusion, pollution and pandemic, more and more parents are asking the question out of a different concern -- that baby boomers and Gen Xers are leaving their children and grandchildren a world in a mess. Alas, the question has become what kind of world are we leaving these kids today? Let me just say, relax, things will be OK. A few weeks back, I went to an engagement party for one of my son’s high school friends. They’re now established millennials, a decade out of high school. If you’re worried about the world, don’t be. Just meet this crew. What I encountered among the party-goers were educated, hard-working young adults with good jobs, big dreams and strong ethics. There was the concrete plant supervisor, the entrepreneur, the home builder and the insurance salesman, among others. They all want the American Dream and are working hard to achieve it because they believe they can. Believing is everything. They are cognizant of the many ills facing the country and the world. They have opinions, sometimes strong ones, but are much more civil when encountering a divergent view from someone else than some of their elders. They’re more interested in fixing things than fighting. They are worried about housing prices. They are worried about access to health care. They are worried about the quality of public education. (Sound familiar?) Yet, they think globally and, yes, digitally and see the world

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

much differently than their parents did at their age. Marion County’s most recent graduates seem to be following in similar footsteps. The school system has an initiative called “The 3 E’s: Enrollment, Employment and Enlistment.” Enrollment means they want to go to college. Employment, they want to get a job. Enlistment, of course, indicates they want to join the military. During their junior year they are asked to pick one of the 3 E’s. This year’s graduates, or at least 2,146 of them, chose their E’s as follows: Enrollment: 1,549, or 72 percent. Employment: 443, or 21 percent Enlistment: 154, or 7 percent Bottom line: Young people today are thoughtfully preparing for the future, their future. They’re getting ready to chase the American Dream in earnest. I look around and see the many wonders that have become everyday parts of life in my lifetime. I mean, we put a man on the moon, created a raft of home conveniences like microwaves and big-screen TVs and, lest we forget, invented the internet. And that’s just for starters. But I also see the dying springs and shorelines. I see the widening gap in eco-

BY BRAD ROGERS

nomic opportunity. I see a democracy teetering at times. I see unfathomable violence in our streets. Yet, I have faith. Faith in the next generation – yes, these kids today – that they will quit talking about what’s wrong with the world and start doing what it takes to fix it. Because they believe. No, they won’t solve every problem, maybe not even most of them. But I know they care what’s happening to the world. I know they want to own a house, raise a family and, in the end, have a fulfilling and successful life. They want to live in a world that is fair and clean and full of promise – just like their parents. So, just what is going to happen with these kids today? They’re going to work, raise families and, hopefully, clean up the mess we’re leaving for them.

MAYOR

from the

Marion County Shines Again at the Derby BY MAYOR KENT GUINN

he Kentucky Derby rarely disappoints, and the 2022 version certainly lived up to and even surpassed the hype. Once again, the Derby provided an opportunity for Marion County to add yet another feather to its cap as 80-1 longshot Rich Strike won the Run for the Roses and Ocala-bred Simplification placed fourth. First, we should all be proud of the performance Simplification put on – he beat 16 other horses in what is a field of the country’s top thoroughbreds. As the lone Florida-bred in the race, Simplification represented our area well and I’m looking forward to watching him run in the upcoming Preakness Stakes in Baltimore. Getting to spend time with Simplification’s owner, Tami Bobo, and her team at the Derby was an amazing experience, something the likes of which I’ve never enjoyed. This was my fourth trip to the Kentucky Derby, but this one topped all the others. With Tami’s entourage I was able to participate in the walkover to the barns before the race, which is a great tradition. To walk in front of all those people and look at the track from the other side was a once-in-alifetime experience, and I would love the chance to do it again. Tami is such a great ambassador for her sport and for Marion County – it was great to see Simplification engineer a high finish though not winning. She and her family are the nicest people in the world and I can’t think of a better person to represent the sport or our area. We were able to spend time with all sorts of people at the Derby, not just owners and dignitaries, but the people who really make the sport work: trainers, groomers and all the people working in the barns getting their hands dirty and working long hours. Without these people behind the scenes, there would be no Kentucky Derby, at least not as we know it. When we think of the Derby, we think of people dressed up in fancy outfits and hobnobbing with celebrities, and all that is true. But the real Derby is the back side of the track where all the hard work takes place, in the grit and grime. I think of those people hidden from the limelight who make the sport what it is and it makes me think of all those in Ocala who are involved in making this a multibillion-dollar industry here. Ocala is no longer a sleepy little factor in the horse racing industry. It is a major player and there was no doubting it when talking with many of the sport’s movers and shakers in Louisville. You tell them you’re the mayor of Ocala and nearly every one of them has a story of their connections there, horses they’ve sent to Marion County and second homes they’ve bought. In fact, it would be difficult to imagine the sport these days without Ocala’s influence. Even Rich Strike, though not bred in Florida, has strong enough connections to Marion County to claim as one of our own. Like so many Kentucky-breds, Rich Strike spent his formative years being trained in Marion County by April Mayberry. But Rich Strike’s journey is the norm and not the exception. At the recent Derby, 13 horses in the field had similar connections to Marion County. Everything that goes into preparing for a two-minute race is astounding, and much of it happens right here in our back yard. Much of the work is done by locals who are unsung but vital to the success of the industry here and are responsible for putting Ocala on the map. When one thinks equine, one may think Lexington, but these days around the world Ocala just as easily comes to mind. For proof, just look at the recent Kentucky Derby.

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

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Through W the Roof

hat’s happening in the Marion County housing market is tricky to define. If you’re a homebuilder, you’re in the midst of a boom. If you’re a real estate salesperson, it’s either feast or, more often than not, famine. If you’re a potential homebuyer, especially an average wage earner, it’s a crisis. Virginia Wright, president of the Ocala/Marion County Association of Realtors (OMCAR), says she’s seen a lot during her nearly quarter century in real estate, but nothing like the current housing phenomenon. “I was here for the bubble,” said Wright, who owns Hook & Ladder Realty of Central Florida. “I was here for the Great Recession. I was here for the recovery. But I’ve never seen anything like this.” What this is, is a wild housing market that is seeing prices soar at double-digit rates, while supply chain disruptions and rising materials costs, coupled with a shortage of available houses and surging population growth, slam homebuyers. The seeds of today’s

Home prices soar in Marion County as demand reaches unseen levels BY BRAD ROGERS

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

scorching housing market were sown a decade or more ago when during the Great Recession few homes were built here or elsewhere. “We didn’t really build any houses between 2008 and 2015,” said Stan McClain, executive director of the Marion County Building Industry Association. “And because of the backlog, there’s going to be this continued frenzied pace.” Kevin Sheilley, president/CEO of the Metro Ocala Chamber & Economic Partnership, echoed McClain’s assessment. “During the Great Recession, we effectively quit building houses,” he said. “We didn’t start building to meet demand until 2017.” Whatever the cause, the housing market is on fire, and almost everyone is affected. The most recent housing sales numbers show how much the housing landscape has changed in Marion County since the recession ended. In April, the latest housing sales numbers available, the median price of a home in Marion County was $280,000, 30 percent higher than April 2021. The April price is almost double what the median price of $142,000 in April 2019. The April 2015 median price of a house was $121,000. And while the soaring prices get most of the attention, every person and every group involved in the housing industry, from builders and real estate agents to policymakers and homebuyers, say the current market dynamic will be with us for a while, until more affordable housing can be built on a large scale. McClain said while the building industry is booming, it also is facing major supply and cost challenges. The supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic have left builders waiting longer and paying more – a lot more – for materials. For example, McClain said, framing lumber has gone up 30 percent in cost, while it now takes almost five months to get doors, windows and trusses. Plus, lot prices are skyrocketing, too, he said.

“It normally takes about 120 days to build a house,” said McClain, a builder himself. “Now it takes six to seven months.” With an estimated 190 people a week moving into Marion County, the inadequate housing inventory is causing major highs and lows in the real estate industry, Wright said. Consider: In April, there were 645 home sale closings. Well, Wright said, there are 2,300 real estate agents in Marion County. She said the Florida Realtor Association predicts one-fourth of real estate agents will be out of the business by year’s end. “There are a lot of Realtors who, emotionally, aren’t used to this,” she said. “We want to help our customers.” “The buyer’s agent is desperate,” she added. “We have buyers sitting ready to buy.” Sheilley said that

so far, the housing shortage in Marion County has not deterred businesses from coming here. “It’s a question every client asks us,” he said. “The thing that saves us is, it’s a national issue.” What it is costing the community in economic development terms is health care professionals, engineers and other white-collar professionals who are looking to take a job here but go elsewhere because they cannot find a home. And it is happening with increasing frequency, Sheilley said. “That’s going to have severe consequences for us,” he added. Also contributing to the rising cost and scarcity of homes is that many people moving into Marion County – again, an estimated 190 people a week – are paying cash. Over the past year, about one-third of home purchases have

190 new residents

are moving to Marion County every week...

...meaning there needs to be more than 4,000 new homes built this year to accommodate them.

There are more real estate agents than houses for them to sell. In April, there were more than 2,300 real estate agents in Marion County but only about 900 homes available for sale.

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

been for cash. When a buyer shows up with cash to cover the full price of a house, it effectively pushes the home buyer who has to go through financing out of the deal. Sheilley attributed much of the cash sales to more and more northerners and South Floridians selling their houses in even pricier markets and coming here with a pocket full of cash that they need and want to invest in a new home. Between the backlog of demand, the soaring materials prices, the cash buyers and the steady influx of new residents, market observers say Marion County has to build more affordable housing, starting with multi-family housing – that is, apartments and condominiums. “We need essential housing for our essential workers,” said County Commissioner Michelle Stone, who has been a vocal advocate for more affordable housing. Wright and Sheilley say that “more affordable” means more apartments and condos. “It’s so key for us, especially with young people,” said Sheilley, who pointed to CEP data which shows that for Marion County to get to where 6 percent of its housing units are multi-family units – lower than both state and national averages – it would require doubling the number of such units that we have now. “The (3-bedroom, 2-bath) was it for so long here; now we need a greater mix,” he said. Wright said home prices have reached the point that the average Marion County worker is being priced out of the market and more affordable options are needed -- now. Stone said more and more apartments and townhouses are being built, but not fast enough to meet the demand. “The pace has picked up significantly,” she said, adding that the county has set aside $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act money

‘I was here for the bubble. I was here for the Great Recession. And I was here for the recovery. I have never, ever seen anything like this.’ — Virginia Wright, President, Ocala/Marion County Association of Realtors

to help facilitate new affordable housing. Stone also said she expects lot sizes in the future to be much smaller. Right now, a 75-foot lot is the norm, she said. In the future, that is likely to be whittled down to 40 feet. “We’re hearing from the builders that this is what people can afford right now,” she said. The emphasis on more multi-family housing developments is written into the County Commission’s five-year strategic plan, said Cheryl Martin, director of Marion County Community Services. Martin said her agency is working to develop a series of “major subsidies” for builders to encourage them to build lower-priced housing. “We recognize we need more multi-family,” she said, adding that the local government’s job is to develop policies such as zoning and infrastructure incentives. Of course, it’s not like there isn’t a lot of building going on. In 2020, 3,674 new homes were built in Marion County. In 2021, that jumped to 5,485. So far this year through late May, 2,451 have been built. Any affordable housing effort will be concentrated in the Urban Service Area that encircles the city of Ocala – not in outlying rural areas, Stone, Sheilley and Martin all agreed. That will mean smaller lots for single-family homes and more densely populat-

ed multi-family developments in communities with sidewalks, parks and other amenities. Amy Davidson is a freelance writer/editor who has been looking for a home since the middle of the pandemic. She has money in the bank and good credit, she said. Prices, however, have become so high, she has shelved her plans to buy in Marion County. “Prices kept getting worse and worse,” she said. “So, I said ‘nope, not for me.’ I’m really petrified about the housing market.” Davidson said she would love to find a nice apartment or condo, but they are next to impossible to find or they are also becoming cost-prohibitive. “It was cheap here for so long, but now the corporations are buying up the rentals and

‘Because of the housing backlog, we’re going to continue to see this frenzied pace.’ — Stan, McClain, Marion County Building Industry Association

Single Family Homes Median Sale Price

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

‘During the Great Recession we effectively quit building houses, and didn’t start building to meet demand until 2017.’

MONTHLY MARKET DETAIL — APRIL 2022

Single Family Homes Ocala/Marion County Association of REALTORS®

— Kevin Shelley CEO/President Ocala Metro Chamber & Economic Partnership

charging whatever they want because they can.” Davidson said the problem is housing prices are outpacing wages, even though Sheilley said Marion County has seen the average household income jump to $66,000 a year. When asked how she would describe the current housing market from her perspective, she called it “a housing crisis.” Gwendolyn Dawson, executive director of the Ocala Housing Authority, said if people with good jobs are struggling to find affordable housing, lower-income residents are facing a “dismal” situation. While her agency provides housing vouchers to area residents as well as some public housing, she said rents are going up as fast as house prices. She said she is seeing rents for the agency’s Housing Choice Voucher program (formerly Section 8) jump 50-75 percent, sometimes as much as 100 percent. HCV clients receive between $425 and $575 a month for two years. Despite their escalating rents, those who have HCV housing are the lucky ones, Dawson said. The waiting list to get into one of the nearly 1,500 HCV units in Ocala is 3,100 names long. As for the Housing Authority’s 186 public housing units, the waiting list has 1,200 names on it. “I have families calling, crying, saying they have no place to live,” she said. “What do I do? It’s sad. “We need apartments desperately.” Dawson said her $7 million budget for the HCV program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is no longer enough and the feds have had to

boost it to cover rising housing costs. She has also hired a “housing navigator” to help her clients find housing. Sheilley believes there will need to be a culture change within the community if Marion County is going to solve its housing shortage and affordability issues. He said the days of big lots and sprawling neighborhoods with single-family homes will be rarer in the future. “The idea that people say, ‘I got mine, and I don’t want anyone else around me’ just isn’t going to work going forward,” he said. “The opportunity exists for people who are working, who have a good job, but can’t afford a $300,000 home.” Sheilley noted that two-thirds of Marion County is preservation lands – the national forest, the Cross-Florida Greenway and the Farmland Preservation Area being

the largest set-asides. Martin, the Community Services chief, agrees that providing more affordable housing will require smaller lots and she envisions builders getting “density bonuses” for building on smaller lots and, in the case of multi-family housing, more condensed development. But McClain said there is no quick fix. “There is no silver bullet,” he said. “ … It’s about affordability at the end of the day.” And while interest rates going up will exacerbate the impact of high housing prices and likely slow the frenzy some, he does not believe it will stop home prices from going up because there is still too much demand. “Because of the backlog, there’s going to be this continued frenzied pace,” he said. Or, as Stone put it, “Right now, the market is saying if you build it, you’ll sell it.”

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

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The End of a Wild Ride BY CARLTON REESE

Reagan Reese Vanguard PHOTO: RALPH DEMILIO

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

s freshmen they had little reason to believe their four years of prep schooling would be anything but “normal.” Four years later, as graduating seniors, they can all look back on their high school years as an enigma, most easily explained as a world turned upside down, reducing their middle two years to societal lockdowns, mask mandates and virtual everything. It was March 2020 when COVID-19 burrowed its way into the everyday lexicon of Americans and invoked a panic-stricken populace into cowering to demands of lockdowns and quarantines. Their sophomore year would be cut short right as Spring Break kicked in. The final three months as sophomores would be spent at home, cut off from friends and teachers while matters such as education would have to wait for CDC bureaucrats to green light the future of young people. Masked up like surgeons and bandits upon returning for their junior years, the Class of 2022 scratched and clawed for any sense of “normalcy” and managed to achieve a small measure of such thanks to their own resolve, willing and courageous local faculties, and parents and administrators who eventually chose to prioritize proper education over hyper-reactive solutions to an ill-defined virus. And now, as graduating seniors, this class can now look back with a clear vision as to what their high school years wrought. “The pandemic was tragic for so many,” said Catherine McCall, a Forest grad heading to Ole Miss in the fall. “For me, it turned out to be a blessing. I dove deep into my relationship with Christ and not going to school gave more of an appreciation of school.” McCall said before the pandemic hit, she had been a dancer her whole life but was experiencing some burnout – she even contemplated quitting. But forced to sit at home during lockdowns, she realized how much she missed dancing and it actually reinvigorated her love for it. For Ryan MacMurray, a Vanguard grad who will attend Rice University, whining about how COVID affected their high school years is not an option. “It’s tough to call being in a global pandemic as being cheated out of something because there was nothing you could do about it,” MacMurray said. “It stinks that we didn’t

Janareia Suggs Vanguard PHOTO: WAYNEHOPKINS

Aubrey O'Cull Forest PHOTO: PURE JOY PHOTOGRAPHY

Their sophomore year would be cut short right as Spring Break kicked in.

Evan Robert Williams College of Central Florida PHOTO: GRAD IMAGES

Tyler Jones Belleview High School EIGHTEENTH HOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

Izaiah Guy Vanguard

Jocelyn Boynton Lake Weir

G5PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: ANALILIA PHOTOGRAPHY

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

get a normal high school experience, but it was weird for everyone, not just us.” McCall and MacMurray are among over 2,700 high school seniors in Marion County making their final walks across the stage. Ceremonies took place throughout the county starting in mid-May and continued through early June. When this senior class embarked on its high school career, the world was already morphing in plain view. The #MeToo movement took off in the U.S. and with it one of the more bizarre and contentious hearings of a Supreme Court nominee. The price of gas hovered around $2.70 per gallon and the United States had emerged from 67 years as a net energy importer to a net energy exporter. Over the next few years, up to graduation, these students would undergo several changes in how they would receive their education. The first switch would be to virtual classrooms at the end of their sophomore years and continuing into their junior years. In their junior years, many would return to their classrooms, but forced into donning face coverings and social distancing at lunch. Finally, for their senior years, the masks were allowed to come off and life seemed a bit more normal. “The world has gone through a lot of changes, but I’m not sure it’s as noticeable for us, because since we were kids the world has always been changing pretty quickly because of technology,” MacMurray said. “I feel kind of normalized to (change) because this is what we’ve always known.” “Forest made it great,” McCall said. “I loved coming to school. Our junior year made me grateful. It was interesting being in a mask all day long, but a lot of people complied because we wanted so much to be with each other.” McCall looks back on the classes of students behind her and how they nearly missed out completely on some of the high school rituals that she enjoyed her freshman and most of her sophomore years. “This year after homecoming, we had our first pep rally in the gym,” McCall remembered. “The freshmen and sophomores didn’t even know what a pep rally was like. We were pushing for student events, for prom, and it increased morale.” Said Vanguard’s Reagan Reese, headed

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Brianna Lynn Smith Lake Weir PHOTO: CADY STUDIO

“We were kind of shafted out of some memories, but thankfully we got some of that back for our senior year.”

Michala Hanson Vanguard MORGAN WATERS PHOTOGRAPHY

Aubrey Amidei Lake Weir

Alyssa Morrow Belleview

PHOTO: ALLURING GRACE

SWI PHOTOGRAPHY

Kinley MacDonald Celeste Quitoriano-Zamora Redeemer Christian Belleview PHOTO: WILDALYS PAGAN

Aarin Leavitt Belleview

Josh Olwagen Ambleside

PHOTO: SWI

PHOTO: GRACE ELIZABETH PHOTOGRAPHY

Seth Owens Forest Sean Alan Williams St. John Lutheran PHOTO: CHRISTINA SPRADLEY-EVERY LAST DETAIL

PHOTO: M. E. DUNNQUITORIANO

Brooke K Fitzgerald St. John Lutheran PHOTO: BRIAN SUMNER

Mackenzie Heise Forest Barrett Patton Belleview

Jackie Tuggerson, II The Villages High School PHOTO: WAYNE HOPKINS, G5 PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: CYNTHIA LEE

JUNOCALAMAGAZINE.COM 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

Jadah Kingcade Vanguard PHOTO: WAYNE HOPKINS

Emma Grace Andrews Vanguard JENNY E PHOTOGRAPHY

Rain Smith Vanguard PHOTO: RALPH DEMILIO

Colleen Duell Lake Weir

SWI PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: GRACE ELIZABETH PHOTOGRAPHY

George F. Galloway, III lake Weir

PHOTO: CADY STUDIO

Hailey Buford Belleview

Seth Romine Ambleside

Annie and Elizabeth Hill Lake Weir

Carson J Cooper St. John Lutheran School PHOTO: CHRISTINA SPRADLEY, EVERY.LAST.DETAIL

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Andrew Works Ambleside Sofie Hawke GRACE COLLEY : GRACE Vanguard ELIZABETH PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: KRISTIE GRIGGS

Heaven Ferrell Lake Weir PHOTO: CADY STUDIO

Delainey Savino Meadowbrook Academy Gavin Savino West Port HART2HART PHOTOGRAPHY

Michael Harrison Carroll Belleview

Jasheria Thomas Lake Weir

SWI PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: CADY STUDIO

Sophie Zedler Ambleside

Lanina Murillo Meadowborok Academy

to the University of Pennsylvania in August: “We were kind of shafted out of some memories, but thankfully we got some of that back for our senior year. It was more unfair for last year’s senior class – there was no ‘Senior Walk’ and no Grad Bash, not even an early last day of school. They didn’t get to enjoy all the senior-only stuff.” Now at graduation, the world has

GRACE COLLEY-GRACE ELIZABETH PHOTOGRAPHY

Brookelyn Peterson Westport PHOTO: JAKE PETERSON

changed. The #MeToo movement has lost traction as its dragnet covered an area too unfathomably large for even die-hard believers to stomach. Those Supreme Court justices now find protesters at their very homes. Gas prices have gone over $4.50 per gallon. Through it all, though, the largest cloud hanging over this class was COVID-19. In spite of what else was happening in the world, the pandemic trumped everything else and

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

created the most lasting of memories. “Overall, I feel like our freshman and senior years were most memorable,” MacMurray said. “We really couldn’t go to many events for our middle years, but I’ll remember how this year we finally got them back.” “Everyone knows life is not going be like High School Musical, but there is a piece of you that hopes it might,” Reese said. “I wish everything was nice like in a movie and I hoped things would be more romanticized.” The next step for the Class of 2022 is either college, the military or the workforce. Either way, the hope is that the nuisance of the pandemic resides squarely in the rearview mirror. “I have no idea what would have happened if we didn’t have COVID and had a normal high school experience,” MacMurray said. “I know I did the best I could with the COVID stuff, and I’m excited to go on to a new thing with less effects from COVID.” “After having those normal experiences this year, I’m hopeful for college and feel like we’re past the pandemic stuff,” Reese said. “Most people wanting that I think will help make it a reality.” The expressionless world of masked or quarantined humans gripped with paranoia and fear is not the world this year’s graduating class would like to enter. It is a world it hopes to leave behind forever.

Sergio Gray Lake Weir PHOTO: EMMA NORCROSS

Alexis Hardesty St. John Lutheran PHOTO: ALLURING GRACE

Becca DiBlasi Redeemer Christian WILDALYS PHOTOGRAPHY

Emma Truluck Forest

Kelsey Lopp Vanguard PHOTO: SWI

Ella Bray Forest

Kathryn (Katie) Joy Tagliaferro St. John Lutheran

Annabelle Zedler Ambleside

PHOTO: KRISTIE GRIGGS, PURE JOY PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: CHARLES TAGLIAFERRO

GRACE COLLEY, GRACE ELIZABETH PHOTOGRAPHY

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Briana L. McCauley Lake Weir

Hope Elizabeth Bennett Lake Weir PHOTO: WENDY BENNETT

Katelyn Rentz Lake Weir

McKenna Bhavsar Belleview Kinsey Lynn Bogart Forest

Dillan and Austin Wilkins St. John Lutheran

Kyleigh Jean Bishop Vanguard

EIGHTEENTH HOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

Madeleine Meadows West Port PHOTO: CAPTURES BY KAY

Lacey Mollett Belleview High School

Luke Wilkerson Trinity Catholic

PHOTO: BAREFOOTIMAGES

PHOTO: NANCY DITTY

Justin Tanner Byrd Lake Weir UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY APPOINTEE PHOTO: CADY STUDIO

Hailee Amerson WestPort

Logan Wilemon St. John Lutheran

PHOTO: LUIS CASTAÑEDA

PHOTO: ASHLEY CRONMILLER

Braelyn Engle St. John Lutheran PHOTO: ASHLEY NICOLE JOHNSON

Faith Broersma Home School

Amaryon Williams Lake Weir

Jaelen Melbourne Facey St. John Lutheran

PHOTO: AL DENMARK

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

Zaniyah Samone Williams Vanguard Janie Barton St. John Lutheran

SWI PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: CHRISTINA BARTON

Savannah Boutwell Xavier Alexander Vanguard Vanguard

Zachary Reagan Lake Weir

PHOTO: KRISTIEGRIGGS PHOTO: NEIL ALEXANDER

Tamia Hope Tanaya McAllister Belleview High School Lake Weir

PHOTO: CADY STUDIO

PHOTO: SWI PHOTO: CADY STUDIO

Marion County Graduations Quick Facts

Dylan Kennard and Autumn Kennard Belleview ASHLEY ROBINSON PHOTOGRAPHY

AMBLESIDE HIGH SCHOOL Graduates: 5 Commencement Speaker: Dr. Leo Sandgren, former Ambleside and UF instructor

OCALA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY Graduates: 19 Valedictorian Speaker: Zakkary Hileman Commencement Speaker: Jamie Jackson

BELLEVIEW HIGH SCHOOL Graduates: 380 Valedictorian Speaker: Emma McElveen Commencement Speaker: Heather Guest, BHS principal

REDEEMER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Graduates: 22 Valedictorian Speakers: Sadi Wilke and Rebecca DiBlasi Commencement Speaker: Kyle Sligh, RCS instructor

DUNNELLON HIGH SCHOOL Graduates: 240 Valedictorian Speaker: Giselle Cardoso-Leanos Commencement Speaker: Wade Martin, DHS principal

ST. JOHN LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL Graduates: 29 Valedictorian Speaker: Anastacia Phipps Commencement Speaker: Steve Mennicke

FOREST HIGH SCHOOL Graduates: 500 Valedictorian Speaker: Sarah McGinley Commencement Speaker: Elizabeth Brown, FHA principal LAKE WEIR HIGH SCHOOL Graduates: 275 Valedictorian Speakers: Ana Sofia Bruno, Justin Tanner Byrd, Alexandra Hernandez-Florex Commencement Speaker: Colleen Wade, LWHS principal

Rebecca Eatmon Belleview

NORTH MARION HIGH SCHOOL Graduates: 240 Valedictorian Speaker: Jacob Ridinger Commencement Speaker: Carol Sales, NMHS principal

TRINITY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL Graduates: 113 Valedictorian Speaker: Isabel Martinez Commencement Speaker: Father Pat Sheedy VANGUARD HIGH SCHOOL Graduates: 320 Valedictorian Speaker: Reagan Reese Commencement Speaker: Christopher Carlisle, VHS principal WEST PORT HIGH SCHOOL Graduates: 700 Valedictorian Speakers: Kimberly Nirmal and Angela Trinh Commencement Speaker: Ginger Cruze, WPHS principal

PHOTO: SWS

Mathew Grosselfinger Belleview PHOTO: SWI

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Raina Khanna Vanguard

William Tanner Gronlund Lake Weir High School

Reagan Jones Forest

PHOTO: TAMMY PORTRAIT ARTIST

PHOTO: CADY STUDIO

SAVANNAH BATES PHOTOGRAPHY

2022

Valedictorians The ones to watch Congratulations to these remarkable students for graduating at the top of their class.

Belleview High School

Miranda Guse Hannah Cook Seth Griffin Payton Davis Viviana Burgos Melendez Aubree Robinson Joel Jarquin Katelyn Bates Riley Fraunfelter Emily Alfonso Emma McElveen

Dunnellon High School

Giselle Cardoso-Leanos

Forest High School Sarah McGinley

Lake Weir High School

Ana Sofia Bruno Justin Tanner Byrd Alexandra Hernandez-Florex

North Marion High School Jacob Ridinger

Ocala Christian Academy Zakkary Hileman

Redeemer Christian School Sadi Wilke Rebecca DiBlasi

St. John Lutheran High School Anastacia Phipps

Trinity Catholic High School Isabel Martinez

West Port High School Kimberly Nirmal Angela Trinh

Vanguard High School

Mohammad-Kareem Omar Abdul-Jawad Sofia Fatima Ahumada Kate Alexandra Bass Kyleigh Jean Bishop Austin James Cornell Bryanna Jean Curry Peyton Ashley Dorman Avery Perl Gladson Grace Leigh Gloger Nathan Mark Hamby Sofie Grace Hawke Lauren Elizabeth Hellwege Sarah Jade Joree Marcus Mohan Khanna Raina Rebecca Khanna Emmalene Keira Labonte Michael Constantine Lavdas Kelsey Margaret Lopp Ryan Robert MacMurray Andrew John Marquette Grayson Alexander Moore Carlos Sebastian Paez Harsh Panchal Tristan Alexander Pank Ryan Andrew Park Rushi Patel Firouze Pyaley Rahman Reagan Carly Reese Leela Rumalla Ethan Daniel Russell Rileigh Nicole Swift Ana Sofia Trias-Labellarte Horacio Alejandro Vega Jody Zhu

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Gone fis Pro anglers’ message to the novices

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

fishin’

Summer time means fishing in Florida, inland or offshore BY CARLTON REESE

ong before the state of Florida became famous for golf links or cartoon mice, sportsmen enjoyed a veritable paradise of fisheries in its coastal waters and inland lakes and rivers – and thankfully still do. Perhaps Ernest Hemingway made the state synonymous with big-game angling and helped nurture Florida’s reputation as the “Fishing Capital of the World,” but that only describes a small part of its allure. For much of the population born and raised as Floridians, nary a molecule of oxygen can work its way to the lungs without the accompanying sulphury smell wedded to the coastal regions. The same can be said for those addicted to the humming sound of an outboard motor or the dewy chill felt in the early morning as a ghostly fog rests quietly on the still, glass surface of a lake. With a bloated populace of newbies and first generationers, Florida is home to many who aren’t exactly Floridians. You want to be a Floridian? Then, you had better become familiar with some certain terms. Anyone who can’t tell you what the “flats” are, is likely more familiar with the corner of Waveland and Sheffield than anything that

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

could be classified as Floridian. One who has no experience tying a uni knot need not even pretend to be local. With over 7,700 lakes and 2,276 miles of shoreline, not to mention nearly 11,000 miles of rivers, the state of Florida makes it impossible for one to call this place home and not carry at least a rudimentary knowledge of piscine matters. With that in mind, it’s important for those new arrivals to the Sunshine State to take to the water, drop in a line and at least do so in a way that allows them to blend in. What better way to do so than heeding the advice of some local professionals who make their living pulling fish out of the local waterways. Heeding these tips can fool anyone into thinking you may have grown up commuting on Carolina Skiffs as opposed to musty L trains.

Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic off Florida’s coast, one is more than likely to set his sights on grouper. Most true Floridians would agree that grouper is the best tasting fish and is also fun to catch, making it an unofficial state fish of sorts. Capt. Miranda Adams can attest to the draw of grouper. She grew up in Ocala and has fished the local lakes and coastal waters her whole life. She now takes charters onto those lakes and out of Crystal River into the Gulf and has a few insights she would like to share. “June 1st is when grouper (season) opens up,” Miranda says. “We have one of the best inshore grouper fisheries there is.” Of course, when saltwater fishing, the options are nearly endless. In the Gulf waters around Crystal River, mangroves are plentiful and that means the great-tasting snapper among others. Here, the mangroves and the tides are key. “When I’m going for the big redfish or snook, I kind of look for the mangroves this time of year,” Adams said. “When the water starts heating up, they start pushing out into the mangrove. They’re eating live bait like pinfish, mud minnows, even shrimp.”

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Robbie Crosnoe and his son Brantley with three fresh bass catches

Recognizing where bass tend to hang out is important, and for that, look no further than grass lines, lily pad fields or any matted vegetation such as hydrilla or floating pennywort grass.

Photo by LeeAnna Crosnoe

Saltwater

TIDE CHARTS AND MOON PHASES During incoming tide, Adams recommends you cast your line as close to the mangroves as possible, “because they’re just waiting there to eat everything that’s in there.” And during outgoing tide, you want to cast just a few feet off the mangroves as everything is being pulled out. “They’re just sitting there like in a feeding trough, just attacking everything that pops out.” Of course, during a full moon, “you have the highest highs and the lowest lows” in terms of the tides and this is important to when the fish feed, which is mainly during high tide and low tide. “For whatever reason, the day before a full moon you throw a shrimp on anything and a mangrove snapper will get it,” Adams said. DROPPING OR TROLLING? Adams has no preference for dropping a line or trolling, saying it depends on the wind. When the water is choppy, that is a good time to find an underwater structure and drop a line, and that’s where you will most likely haul in a big grouper. “If I have somebody that’s more of a laid back person or it’s really hot and the wind’s laid down,” Adams says, “I have no problem trolling. We’ll be cruising, hanging out with friends and I’ll keep an eye on the rods, and it’s more social.” When trolling, Adams runs Manns Plugs like the Stretch Magnum and has also enjoyed a lot of success with the Rapala Firetiger crankbait.

Captain Miranda Adams Photo by Ralph Demilio

SHARKS ON THE MENU? Adams claims to have many clients during the summer hoping to catch sharks. “A lot of people from up north want to see ‘Jaws,’” Adams claims. “They just want to see a big shark and take a picture with it.” In the gulf waters, one will generally come across nurse sharks, black tips, tigers and hammerheads. For Adams, it’s the hammerheads that incite the most fear – they average 13 feet in length and have been known to approach 20 feet. “Everyone thinks about great whites and tigers and how crazy they are, but hammerheads have some bad attitudes,” she said. “They don’t care, and they’re very smart.” Adams even recalls a recent client haul-

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

ing in a 4½-foot black tip shark, which when about to be brought into the boat was devoured by an enormous hammerhead. “It was uncomfortably large and uncomfortably close,” Adams recalls. “It came up from the bottom of the boat where I couldn’t see him and ate half the black tip out of my hand.”

Freshwater

WHERE TO LOCATE THE FISH According to Crosnoe, recognizing where bass tend to hang out is important, and for that, look no further than grass lines, lily pad fields or any matted vegetation such as hydrilla or floating pennywort grass. Especially as the summer nears, bass are looking for the shade provided by these elements. There are several techniques used in fishing these areas, but find them and you are likely to find a large bass. “The pennywort floats on the water and grows so fast it makes a mat that’s basically shade,” Crosnoe said. “That’s my go-to, 100 percent any time I go to a lake anywhere across the country. That’s where I’ve won almost all my money.” Crosnoe’s favorite technique for fishing in the matted floating vegetation is called “flipping,” in which heavy line is used to quietly toss the bait into the middle of that shady patch. The bait goes down to the bottom then lifted back up again so it can return a second time to the bottom. If there isn’t a hit, you reel it in and try it again. Flipping

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Photo courtesy of Robbie Crosnoe

When it comes to freshwater fishing, bass is king. In fact, the large-mouth bass is Florida’s official state freshwater fish. And who better to ask for tips on catching bass than someone who has competed in Major League Fishing for 15 years? Robbie Crosnoe is a Citrus County native who is currently seventh in the MLF Southern Toyota Series and will compete in the Phoenix All-American in Hot Springs, Arkansas, June 2-4. When it comes to pulling out the biggest lunkers from our local lakes and rivers, Crosnoe knows more than a thing or two, and he has some simple advice that even the novice angler can use to success.

Robbie Crosnoe

actually describes the two-handed technique of throwing the lure underhand so it lands softly and accurately. “I might get only 14 bites a day, but that’s how you catch your big ones, especially in the summer when it’s so hot,” he said. Flipping may be more for the expert angler, but Crosnoe has some advice for the novice – use a topwater lure such as a Zoom Horny Toad. “It’s very easy to fish and blows bubbles across the surface.” He also recommends a weightless worm, such as a Senko, which is “the best bait still used by most every pro in the country.” When your boat is open water and the fish are hiding under vegetation, Crosnoe prefers a Reaction Innovation Beaver-style bait, which mimics a small baitfish such as bluegill.

LIVE BAIT Of course, one would never see a professional bass angler throwing out a live shiner with a bobber, but Crosnoe embraces the idea for the novice. “It’s the best way for novice anglers to catch giant bass,” he says. One would use the live shiners the same way one would the artificial lures: throwing them up toward the matted or submerged grass. Bluegill, bream and shiners are perfect live bait for this type of fishing, but Crosnoe said, “A shiner would be the best way in the state of Florida to catch a 10-pounder for a novice angler.” WHICH BODIES OF WATER In Marion County, Crosnoe has an affinity for Lake Rousseau in the summer. There, he

During incoming tide, Adams recommends you cast your line as close to the mangroves as possible, “because they’re just waiting there to eat everything that’s in there.”

says he would incorporate his flipping stick all day and never use anything else. Lake Weir also has his attention due to it being surrounded by Kissimmee grass and deep water brush piles. “You basically throw a Senko or a worm on – very simple fishing,” he said. “One of the best patterns on Lake Weir is finding brush piles and basically throwing a crank bait out over them or a 10-inch Ribbontail worm.”

Captain Miranda Adams cleaning a catch Photos by Ralph Demilio

IN GENERAL “Freshwater is more about food sources and times of year,” Crosnoe said. One of the bass’ main food sources is bluegill, so if you know when and where they are spawning, you will likely find some big bass there as well. Right now, shellcrackers are spawning and may provide a fun and tasty respite from chasing the big bass. Crosnoe recommends a bobber and a cricket or wigglers to haul in shellcrackers. “They’re probably my favorite freshwater fish to eat,” Crosnoe said. “They spawn by the thousands and sometimes they’re so thick you can smell them.” Florida is home to some of the best saltwater and freshwater angling there is and familiarizing yourself, even in the most rudimentary ways, can make you more of a genuine local. If not, it can at least help you fool someone in conversation.

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

SETTING A NEW STANDARD OF CARE FOR CANCER TREATMENT

Advanced treatment options offer faster, more precise radiation therapy If you are diagnosed with cancer, it’s important to learn about all of your treatment options. Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) is at the forefront of science and research, providing the most up-to-date treatments personalized for your unique needs. Shorter courses of radiation treatment are quickly becoming the standard of care for prostate, lung, breast, bone and brain cancers. These advanced options are available from FCS, many offered exclusively in Marion County. Targeting tumors with greater precision Successful radiation therapy depends on delivering the proper amount of radiation to the cancer in the best and most effective way, destroying cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. A treatment technique known as hypofractionation delivers the total dose of radiation more precisely and in fewer sessions, compared to standard radiation therapy. Patients can complete their course of radiation therapy much faster with optimal outcomes and a better overall experience. Shorter treatments for prostate and lung cancer One in six American men can expect to develop prostate cancer in their lifetime; the average age at diagnosis is 66. The good news is that the survival rate is extremely high, thanks to a range of advanced treatment options.

Traditional prostate treatments are time intensive (typically requiring daily treatment for nine weeks). Recent clinical trials have demonstrated that the use of shorter treatment schedules (daily treatment for five weeks) results in similar positive outcomes, no increase in side effects, fewer trips and less expense. In select cases, another emerging treatment — stereotactic body radiotherapy — can be delivered in as few as five treatments as an alternative to surgery for patients with prostate cancer and early-stage lung cancer. Advanced technology [to better target tumors] offered exclusively in Ocala Advanced techniques use SpaceOAR gel to reduce the risk of rectal damage during prostate radiotherapy. FCS is the only provider in Ocala offering SpaceOAR to protect healthy rectal tissue. Breast Cancer FCS is the only cancer center in the area to provide two modern treatment techniques that protect the heart during radiation treatment for breast cancer. Traditional methods of blocking the heart may place patients at higher risk for a heart attack. Deep inspiration Breath Hold creates more separation between cancer and the heart, making treatment more precise. This video demonstrates the specialized deep inspiration breath hold technique.

See the technology in action:

FLCancer.com

OCALA FAMILY MEDICAL CENTER OFMC Welcomes Lourdes-Varela Batista, MD - Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation! Dr. Varela-Batista joins Eduardo Cruz, MD and Matt Ota, PA-C in our Physical Medicine department. She is Board Certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Dr. Varela-Batista's focus is creating personalized treatment plans to meet the specific needs of her patients by utilizing various therapies and procedures. OFMC's Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation team diagnoses and treats a variety of medical conditions that improve the quality of life for our patients. Dr. Cruz, Dr. Varela-Batista and Matt Ota, PA-C have extensive knowledge of musculoskeletal disorders and injuries. They specialize in the diagnosis and non-surgical treatment of musculoskeletal disorders including ultrasound guided injections, electrodiagnostic testing and interventional spine procedures. Their goal is to improve the quality of life for their patients using the latest treatments, procedures and therapies. The following are the conditions that they treat: • Failed Back Syndrome • Botox® for Spasticity Mgmt. • Concussions in Athletes • Cervical Radiculitis • Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction • Peripheral Neuropathy • Tendinosis • Back/Neck Pain • Degenerative Disc Disease • Spinal Stenosis • Arthritis • Facet Joint Pain • Herniated Discs • Tennis/Golfer's Elbow • Ulnar Neuropathy • Hip/Knee/Shoulder Pain • Sciatica/Lumbar Radiculitis • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Lourd e s-V��e la Batista, sical Med1cme & Rehabilitation

Platelet Rich Plasma {PRP) Therapy now available!

Matt Ota, PA-C Physical Medi ine � & Rehabilitation

Everything you need for your best healthcare, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW - Ocala Family Medical Center

Call 352-368-1340 for more information or to schedule an appointment! 2135 SW 19th Avenue Road Ocala, FL 34471 www.ocalafmc.com

We provide food to over 148 agencies

We provide emergency aide

We deliver everywhere

We pick up fresh food for our Marion County family daily across Florida

We provide food handouts and food event deliveries an average of 58 times per month throughout Marion County

We work hard to get food to those in need

We stock food for Marion County Emergencies

We start work at 3am and ride buses to get the food to you

We get the freshest foods

We provide in-date food to area restaurants for free

We go everywhere to get food

We even work with clowns

We pick peaches, harvest cucumbers, and glean fields

We are HIS Compassion

FOOD BANK To donate, volunteer, help raise food, or hold a drive, visit

www.HISCompassionFlorida.org

PICK UP FREE FOOD ON TUES & THURS MORNINGS (COME EARLY!) at 2000 NE 78th St, Ocala, FL 34479

352-351-0732

eat

Vietnamese Pho Bowl Prepared and Photographed By Robin Fannon

Fresh Fish Tacos For Father’s Day p44 | Dining Out p48

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

Tacos for Dados BY ROBIN FANNON

or Father’s Day last year we went all out for landlubbers, specifically, steak. This year we went in the opposite direction and went all out for seafood aficionados with fish! Hopefully after a day out on the water fishing, dad will come home with some treasures (no pressure here!). Not to worry if nothing is caught – these recipes work just as well with store-bought fish. Very good results can be obtained with the flash frozen varieties that are readily available in your local grocery store. This is a very basic approach, but feel free to explore and experiment with a rub or spice mixture. You might just find a new favorite for dad that will become a family tradition! Fish tacos can make just about any dad emerge from his man cave, at least long enough to fill up his hungry belly! Happy Father’s Day to all you wonderful dads out there!

Instagram @RSVP_ROBIN

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

Cantaloupe, Cucumber and Fresh Mint Salad This is a refreshing, healthy and hydrating salad that is perfect for warm weather. The combination of flavors is surprising and delicious

INGREDIENTS

Basic Fish Tacos If you are using a firm fish then by all means use the outdoor grill. Fish filets cook very rapidly and fall apart easily so pan frying on the cooktop works very well.

INGREDIENTS » » » » » » » » » » » » » »

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil Juice of 1 lime 2 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. paprika 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper 1 1/2 lb. mahi-mahi or grouper (or other flaky white fish) 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil Kosher salt freshly ground black pepper 8 corn and/or flour tortillas 1 avocado, diced lime wedges, for serving sour cream, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a medium shallow bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, paprika, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne. • Add fish filets, tossing until evenly coated and marinate 15 minutes. • In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil. Remove filets from marinade and season both sides with salt and pepper. Add fish flesh-side down. Cook until opaque and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Let rest 5 minutes before flaking with a fork. • Assemble tacos: Serve fish over grilled tortillas and top with slaw, avocado or a combination of your favorite toppings. Squeeze lime juice on top and garnish with sour cream.

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

» » » » » »

fresh cantaloupe (or your favorite melon) mini cucumbers (peeled if you prefer) fresh mint, roughly chopped salt and pepper extra virgin olive oil apple cider vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

• Slice the melon and cucumber and arrange on a platter. • Sprinkle with chopped mint. • Drizzle with olive oil and apple cider vinegar.

Mexican Corn Salad

There are many variations of this delicious side dish. You can add black beans if you like. Canned or frozen corn can be used if fresh corn is not available.

INGREDIENTS » » » » » » » » »

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil 5 ears fresh corn, shucked and kernels removed 1 clove garlic (pressed or grated on microplane) ¼ tsp. Kosher Salt ¼ tsp. pepper 1 red bell pepper, diced ½ cup (packed) cilantro, chopped ¼ cup red onion, diced 1 jalapeño seeded, diced

DRESSING » » » » » » » » » »

2 Tbsp. mayonnaise 2 Tbsp. sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt) 1 Tbsp. lime juice (or more to taste) 1 clove garlic (pressed or grated on microplane) ¼ tsp. chili powder ¼ tsp. cumin ¼ tsp. smoked paprika ¼ tsp. Kosher salt ¼ tsp. pepper ½ cup Cotija cheese, (or feta) crumbled

GARNISH (OPTIONAL) » » » »

2 green onions, chopped cilantro avocado Cotija or feta cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

• Grill your corn, then cut the kernels from the cobs. If you are not able to grill it, heat a large skillet and add the olive oil. Then add the corn, ¼ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper, and 1 garlic clove (pressed). Cook the corn kernels until you get a little bit of browning on them. Add corn to a large bowl. • Chop all of the veggies and cilantro. Then press/grate the garlic. Add to the bowl. • Mix the dressing ingredients together. Stir the dressing into the salad until well combined. Serve with your choice of garnishes.

Classic Cole Slaw This is a basic recipe that can be adapted to suit your family’s tastes. There are many delicious pre-mixed blends on the market if you want to save some steps.

INGREDIENTS » » » » » » » »

4 cups thinly sliced cabbage (green or purple, or a mix) 1 carrot, grated on the large holes of a box grater 2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal 4 tbsp. mayonnaise 1 tsp. yellow mustard 2 tsp. cider vinegar or wine vinegar 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste Kosher salt, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place the cabbage, carrot, and onions in a large bowl. Add the dressing ingredients and gently mix so that all of the shredded cabbage is coated with the dressing.

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

dining out

EAT

Ocala is going out!

Advertise with us to connect with our hungry readers. Call 352.622.2995 and reserve your space.

Ivy On The Square Whether gathering with friends or family for lunch or a night out, you’ll enjoy fresh salads, mouthwatering comfort food, late-night tapas and drinks. Specials include our Pecan Salmon, Southern Fried Lobster and famous baked Krispy Chicken. After dining enjoy a stroll in our boutique where we oﬀer a variety of gifts, jewelry, home decor and clothing. Looking to host a special event or dinner? Call and talk to one of our staﬀ members on the options we have available.

Stop by our new speakeasy bar and enjoy our specialty drinks! Gift certificates available.

53 S. Magnolia Ave., Ocala | (352) 622-5550 Closed Mon, Tues 11am-2pm, Wed 11am-9pm, Thurs 11am-9pm 106 NW Main St., Williston | (352) 528-5410 Sun-Wed 11am-2pm, Thurs-Sat 11am-8pm | ivyhousefl.com

West 82° Bar and Grill From wild, locally caught seafood to regionally grown produce and beef sourced within Florida, West 82⁰ Bar & Grill brings delectable farm-to-table plates while guests overlook the beautiful Kings Bay and Crystal River. Bring your own catch of the day, and the restaurant will prepare it for you ﬂawlessly. Join us for Sunday Brunch featuring hot and cold stations, a carving station, an omelet station, and an assorted dessert display.

Call for reservations and weekly specials. Breakfast, Daily: 6:00am-10:30am | Sunday Brunch: 11:30am - 2:00pm Lunch, Daily: 11:00am - 2:30pm | Dinner, Daily: 5:00pm - 9:00pm For reservations, call 1.800.632.6262 9301 West Fort Island Trail, Crystal River, FL 34429 | (352) 795-4211 www.plantationoncrystalriver.com

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

9301 West Fort Island Trail Crystal River, FL 34429 (352) 795-4211 plantationoncrystalriver.com

play

“Neon Waters” by Mel Fiorentino 18” x 18” | Oil and cold wax on wood panel | From the “Summer in the Sun 2” exhibit at NOMA Gallery Opening Reception June 11, 12-2pm | On display June 7 - August 27 Society p50 | Anthology—Poetry in Motion p58

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

EVENTS

society

MAX Art Heist PHOTOS BY ROBIN FANNON

rt burgling came back by popular demand! The Magnolia Art Xchange (Ocala's first art incubator) held their third Art Heist on Friday, the 13th of May. The event is a fundraiser benefitting MAX's studio artists. The heist game involves a chance drawing format where winners choose a piece of art to take home, but the next winner called might steal it for a small fee. Matthew Wardell hosted the game, deftly managing the crowd's plundering antics. Fun and fundraising go together perfectly in this interactive event. Thanks go out to sponsors TJM Promotions, Angie Lewis State Farm, The David and Lisa Midgett Foundation, Rising Sun Import Car Service, Neighborhood Storage, and Mutiny Ocala.

Holly Yocum and Patricia Tomlinson

Jesse James and Barbara Fitos

Howard and Linda Bindler

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Carol and artist Marisa Griffin

Jessi Miller, Matthew Wardell and Pamela Calero Wardell

Olivia and Anthony Ortiz

Miriam Bode and Andrea Reynolds

Leslie Hammond, Justin Alsedek and Sarah Tamar Klitenick

Paul and Ruth Reilly

Beth Ortiz and James Leonard

Tom Dobbins

Amanda Lyon

Brie Edwards and Peter Steinmetz

Brendon Wade

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

EVENTS

society

Stonecliff Farm Derby Party STORY + PHOTOS BY ROBIN FANNON

ill and Cindy Nassal hosted their annual Kentucky Derby fete at their picturesque Stonecliff Farm. Friends and family gathered in their best Derby attire to partake in mint juleps and delicious Kentucky inspired fare. The race did not disappoint with the exciting finish of the 80 to 1 long shot colt, Rich Strike, who surged ahead of the field to win the 148th running of the roses!

Matt Brown, Jeanette, Jenna and Bill Nassal, Jr.

Hosts Bill and Cindy Nassal

Kay Dennis, Marla Shelton Watts, Susan Guililand and Richard Watts

Melissa and Debra Bianculli

Linda Shelnutt, Charlene McMartin and Ann Admonius

Denise and Nancy Bulle

Julie the Bookmaker

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Jessica Lee, Trevis Brown, Holly Morgan and Judy Ballenger

Marianne Howanitz and Greg Allen

2022 Sportsman’s Dinner and Auction August 25th, 2022 | 6-9:30pm Palm Grove Club at Oak Run Benefitting Marion County’s Children Casual Dress | BBQ Dinner | Full Bar Included Live and Silent Auctions of Hunting and Fishing Gear Plus items for the Ladies, Door Prizes and Raffle items, too! $500 - Table of 8 (save $100) or $75 Per Person

www.ocalakiwanis.org for tickets or sponsorships

facebook.com/KiwanisClubOfOcala

EVENTS

society

Women In Fellowship & Service BY PENNY MILLER PHOTOS BY ROBIN FANNON

n May 4, the Women in Fellowship and Service held its second annual luncheon at the community center on Old Jacksonville Road. WIFS’ mission statement is “to uplift and encourage each other through Godly fellowship and service to our community.” The guest of honor and special speaker for the event was Alicia Gilligan, pastor at Meadow Brook Church. Her inspirational and uplifting message related to all in attendance as she spoke on moving forward in life no matter the past or current circumstances incurred and how to best do so, while relating God’s scriptures of truth and peace in synchronizing with her powerful and motivational words. Sponsors of the luncheon were Project Hope, Mainstreet Community Bank of Florida, County Commissioners Michelle Stone and Kathy Bryant, State Rep. Stan McClain, Elizabeth Fairbanks, Florida Express Environmental, Community Foundation, Lemieux Diamond Company, The Boyd Group, Ivy on the Square and many volunteers who ensured the event was a great success. Proceeds of the event went to Project Hope, which helps families and children in crisis.

Lea Marie Lord, Evelyn Nussell, Jenn Adams and Cathy Bryant

Guest Speaker Pastor Alicia Gilligan

Jennifer Treiber, Haylee Austin, Tamara Fleishhaker, Sharon Nehring,Jessica McClain, Natalie Carroll and Brianna Carroll

Michelle Stone, Lana Cretul and Kathy Clark

Waica Micheletti, Mimi Hale, Evelyn Nussell, Alicia Gilligan, Aggie Albright and Michelle Stone

Amber Nardino, Melissa Castro and Renee Arnett

Jessica McClain, Angie Lester and Judge Lori Cotton

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Penny Miller and Jessi Miller

Jackie and Aggie Albright

Pastor Alicia Gilligan and Robin Fannon

Matthew Wardell, Music Director

RED, WHITE AND OCALA SYMPHONY BLUE: A SALUTE TO OUR TROOPS July 3 | 3 PM | Reilly Arts Center Celebrate our nation’s 246th birthday with the Ocala Symphony as we present your favorite music that reverberates red, white and blue. Patriotic marches, film music from The Patriot, and a special salute to our troops are just the beginning! Supported by:

COMMUNITY MUSIC CONSERVATORY REGISTER FOR CLASSES TODAY REILLYARTSCENTER.COM/ COMMUNITY-CONSERVATORY/

Media Support provided by:

Tickets at ReillyArtsCenter.com | 352-351-1606 | 500 NE 9th Street

AMERICA’S HOME PLACE

CUSTOM HOMES BUILT ON YOUR LAND SINCE 1972

Gainesville Building Center

9200 NW 39th Ave Ste 190 Gainesville, FL 32606

(352) 244-8442

AmericasHomePlace.com FL # CR-C1330787

OFMC

OCALAFAMILYOCALA FAMILY MEDICAL CENTER Ocala's ORIGINAL One-Stop Medical Center! PROUD TO BE LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS

OCALA FAMILY MEDICAL CENTER

2230 SW 19th Ave Rd Ocala, FL 34471

Office Direct: 352-237-4133

Robert \\/llllams, MD FAMILY PRACTICE

Stacey Graham,APRN-C FAMILY PRACTICE

Mimi Balch, MD FAMILY PRACTICE

Allen Winston, DO FAMILY PRACTICE

Laurel Bryant,APRN-C FAMILY PRACTICE

Karen Larsen,APRN-C FAMILY PRACTICE

Brittani Lucin, APRN-C FAMILY PRACTICE

Tyler Lindsey,PA-C FAMILY PRACTICE

Corey West, APRN-C FAMILY PRACTICE

Melissa Formella, APRN-C FAMILY PRACTICE

Samantha Weston,PA-C FAMILY PRACTICE

Cheryl Seefeldt, APRN-C FAMILY PRACTICE

Shekeita Perry, APRN-C FAMILY PRACTICE

Andrev..r Cushenbery, APRN-C FAMILY PRACTICE

Rikki Lee McCroskey, APRN-BC FAMILY PRACTICE

Jennifer Sinquefield, APRN-BC FAMILY PRACTICE

IJ Alexis Nibe, PA-C FAMILY PRACTICE

James London, MD, FACC CARDIOLOGY

Jorge Fernandez, MD, FACC CARDIOLOGY

Family Practice• Internal Medicine• Cardiology• Preventive Medicine• Geriatrics• Auto Accidents Full Service Lab• Digital X-Ray• Ultrasound• 64 Slice CT• 1.5 Open Bore MRI• Stress Testing

OFMCPLAZA

2135 SW 19th Ave Rd Ocala, FL 34471 Office Direct: 352-368-1340 Office Direct: 352-368-1360

(Dr. Carrion, Dr. Sanchez, Dr. Johnson, Evette Hearn, APRN & Natesha Vaillancourt, APRN, CNM)

Carly Carrion Olmeda, MD ENDOCRINOLOGY

Kamal Mody, DPT PHYSICAL THERAPY

(Dr. Cruz, Dr. Varela-Batista, Matt Ota, PA-C & Physical Therapy)

Ana Sanchez Ferreras, MD INTERNAL MEDICINE

Philip Johnson, MD WOMEN'S HEALTH

Natesha Vaillancourt,APRN, CNM WOMEN'S HEALTH

Eduardo Cruz, MD PHYSICAL MEDICINE

Lourdes-Varela Batista, MD PHYSICAL MEDICINE

Matt Ota,PA-C PHYSICAL MEDICINE

Joseph Javier, DPT PHYSICAL THERAPY

Kevin Lagnemmo, PTA PHYSICAL THERAPY

OFMCPODIATRY

OFMC DERMATOLOGY & AESTHETIC CENTER

Office Direct: 352-368-1370

Office Direct: 352-368-1350

2135 SW 19th Ave Rd Ocala, FL 34471

Valentina Bradley Kalbaugh, MD DERMATOLOGY MOHS' SURGERY

www.ocalafmc.com

Amber Starling, APRN-C DERMATOLOGY

PLAY

anthology — poetry in motion

Sounds

of Nature

BY JERRY GLASSMAN

Mother Nature is talking to us every day through the various climate changes she is experiencing, and the alarming effects the climate is causing. Wildfires burning thousands of acres and homes. Hurricanes and tornadoes funneling down at 100 to 200 MPH. Earthquakes devastating communities. Volcanoes oozing lava. Glaciers melting, displacing polar bears and people. Plastics in the ocean are throwing off microscopic particles into the air causing humans to breathe them into their lungs. Toxic waste dumps pose a threat to people and marine life. We need to clean them up. Coral reefs are disappearing. The greenhouse gas affect is heating up the earth which will cause rising seas, floods, and droughts. Human behavior has to change to reverse some of the damage that has been done worldwide. Wake up to the climate now! Lets change our bad habits. We will all breathe better, especially Mother Nature!

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Ocala’s Chocolate & Confections • 104 E. Fort King St., Ocala, Florida 34471 • (352) 789-6882

OCALA’S #1 STOP FOR ALL THINGS CHOCOLATE!

You can have your delight for a one stop shop for your gourmet, exotic, and everyday chocolate needs. If we don’t have your desires on the shelf, simply make an order in advance and we can customize it specifically for you. We are a neighborhood store in a neighborly community, see you at Ocala’s Chocolate & Confections! We also offer many chocolate fruits, other chocolate products, and ice creams at our shop!

THE PRINTERS

PLUS !

Beautiful wholesale printing to the trade

2681 West McNab Road • Pompano Beach, FL 33069

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More room to roam...

ELITE EQUESTRIAN

Celebrating The Equestrian Lifestyle

We are America’s Favorite Equestrian Lifestyle Magazine, Published Since 2008.

ELITE

EQUESTRIAN

Celebrating The Equestrian Lifestyle

CURO- Diagnostics “Revealing the Unseen”

NIC ROLDAN Peek Inside His Life SPRING Fashion

AIKEN, SC Highlight

Volume 21 Issue 2 Complimentary

TRAILER SAVING A TREASURE Maintenance Persano Breed www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

is not a gentle hobby, Ridingto bea horse picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. I t is a grand passion. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

ELITE EQUESTRIAN Magazine RANKED 7TH WORLD WIDE Equine Magazines to watch -according to Feedspot Blog

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com To request on-line subscriptions and for media kit inquiries, email info@eliteequestrian.us

equine

Gracious Living in the Horse Capital of the World® Photo by Ralph Demilio Everything Equine p62

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

EQUINE

everything equine

Ride of a Lifetime Long shot Rich Strike takes us all on the ride of our lives! › BY LOUISA BARTON

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Chatting to Eddie back at Mayberry Farm recently, he shared with me that listening to the horse is always most important to him and how Mayberry, his employer, had always told him to go slow and be patient with every horse. He said sometimes Richie might try to play a little on the way to the track, but once on the track, he was always so focused and professional. He said he loved the horse’s huge stride and how strong and businesslike he always was once they arrived at the track. Mayberry believes a horse will tell you what he is ready for, and if you are patient and pay attention, the horse will respond well and have a good experience. She also believes all horses mature at different times, and if you know your horses and give them the time they need, they can all excel. Perhaps this is why each year, Mayberry’s grads make it to the top races in the country and often around the world.

Richie proved that he had the right start with Mayberry and Herrera and he even took veteran track announcer Larry Collmus by surprise with his sudden appearance at the end of the race. The crowd roared, and suddenly Eddie’s daughter’s dream had come true. A horse her dad started had won the Kentucky Derby, right in front of her eyes. After all, the unlikely winner only made it into the race on the first Saturday in May, thirty seconds before the deadline, when Ethereal Road scratched from the race. Stories like this warm the heart, as does the story of the struggle back for the Reed family, who experienced a terrible barn fire in Lexington back in 2016. Eric Reed had been ready to give up after such a great loss, but he had faith and refused to give up. When the phone rang the day before the big race and Reed answered to hear a voice telling him one horse had scratched and his train-

Photography: EquussCeptional Media

lisson Herrera may only be 10 years of age, but she certainly understands the significance of the big race in which her father played a huge role. Alisson accompanied her father, exercise rider Eddie Herrera, to the 148th “Run for the Roses” where she was very excited, knowing that her father had sold White Abarrio and that he was the first person to saddle and ride this horse. They traveled to the race from their home in Ocala, with the current track trainer, to watch and cheer this horse on. Alisson hoped this horse would win the Kentucky Derby as it was her first and she was so excited for her dad. As is almost an annual tradition, more than two-thirds of the horses in the starting gate for the 2022 Kentucky Derby had strong ties to Ocala/Marion County, “The Horse Capital of the World.” One of the horses, Simplification, was a Florida-bred and a number of others had their basic training here. One of those was Rich Strike, aka Richie, started here at Mayberry Farm. April Mayberry refers to that as kindergarten for horses, but it is so important, and it is the foundation that helps them succeed on the race track and beyond. Eddie Herrera and his daughter were hoping to at least see White Abarrio “hit the board,” meaning making it among the first four horses to cross the wire in the two most exciting minutes in sports. When Alisson realized White Abarrio would not win and had fallen close to the back of the pack, her face dropped, and she began to cry. Alisson was so sad the horse her father had trained and sold would not make it into the history books. Little did she know that her dad had also started the now history-making long shot, Rich Strike (Richie), at Mayberry Farm for April Mayberry. Alisson was so surprised when her dad told her that he had also started Rich Strike, but it suddenly made her first Kentucky Derby a very happy one.

Lindsy Reed and Louisa Barton

April Mayberry at her training center with Eddie Herrera

ee had made it into the Kentucky Derby, he was speechless. This was his chance, and he was ready to take it on. This small group of lesser-known owners and trainers began to prepare for the biggest day of their lives. After the race, which I watched from the backside of the track, I texted April Mayberry. She had commented a few weeks back on a social media post of mine, that if Richie made it in, I should put some money on him, because he was a horse to watch out for. Mayberry knows her horses, so as I placed my bet, I thought of her comment. As I was texting her a huge congratulations, I was running, running to Barn 17. I stood in the stall of the 148th Kentucky Derby winner, took a photo with his stall guard and waited eagerly for his return from the winner’s circle and the testing barn. I chatted with Richie’s track exercise rider, who shared stories with me about the way they took care of every detail with this horse. Richie’s daily exercise rider at the track was Gabriel Lagunes, who drove two hours each day at the request of Reed to ride Richie, and he too had an understanding with the colt. I watched Richie, now a champion Derby winner, led back to the barn by his groom, who also clearly loved this horse, which was followed by an entourage of family, friends and media. I looked on as Eric’s daughter, top hunter jumper rider Lindsy Reed, helped to wash him, and his groom held his face gently in his hands and rested on him. I watched his groom walk the shed row leading the now history-making

champion quietly around, allowing him to stop and nibble at some hay. I watched them put him into his very comfortably-bedded stall before they turned out the lights to allow him the rest he had certainly earned. As Richie looked out over the stall door at the diminishing light and the crowd of fans, he had no idea what all the commotion was about or how he had suddenly changed the course of not only his life, but so many

others. Claimed for $30,000 by this team in a claiming race that he won by over 17 lengths, he had changed his journey and the journey of so many others. He had made the Derby dream come back to life again this year. This is more of the stuff of which books and movies are made. Richie didn’t know his odds on Derby Day and Sonny Leon, his brave jockey who had never won a major stakes race, didn’t let that convince him that

it could not be done. Resting during the Preakness What will be next for Richie? Bypassing the Preakness for the Belmont Stakes, because he likes a long-distance race and that’s the longest one of them all. He certainly acted like he could do it all over again after the Derby. The thrill of a potential Triple Crown is always exciting, but the horse’s well-being is of utmost importance and this team cares. Giving Richie longevity and the chance to be the best horse he can be is most important. Every person who has worked with this horse, from his start here in Ocala, to the winner’s circle of the most exciting race in the world, has been patient and has done what is best for the horse. We often think that only the jockey is on the ride, but horses with stories like this touch us all. Richie is taking us all on the ride of our lives as we live vicariously through the great stories, the losses and triumphs, and when we can see it all through the excited eyes of a child, the tears of a proud daughter and the love of a groom, we have seen the real story of horse racing. Perhaps we will see Richie in the winner’s circle again in a couple of weeks, but one thing I am sure of, he won’t go off on the morning line at 80-1 odds ever again. Louisa Barton is the Equine Initiative Director at the Ocala Metro Chamber and Economic Partnership, Showcase Properties of Central Florida Farm Realtor and host of the Horse Talk Show on the Sky 97.3, Audacy.com and Equus Television

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

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Broadway’s Grant Norman gives a workshop at the Ocala Civic Theatre Photo by Ralph Demilio

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

ETC

charity

The Children’s Voice Marion County Children’s Alliance brings together advocates for the most vulnerable BY BRAD ROGERS

ne-fourth of all children in Marion County live in poverty. Nearly 39 percent of the county’s youngsters are overweight or obese. One in five have had contact with the juvenile justice system. Those are some of the numbers the Marion County Children’s Alliance tracks as it pursues its mission “to be the voice of Marion County children.” Established in 2001 by former Sheriff Ed Dean and former longtime MCCA executive director Dr. Mike Jordan, the Alliance initially aimed to serve as a convener of the community’s various public and private children’s service businesses and organizations, from day care centers to the schools to the Florida Department of Children and Families. The goal was to share knowledge and find strength — and solutions — in numbers. “We are the voice for children,” said Beth McCall, the Alliance’s executive director. “The Children’s Alliance has the ability to convene organizations that can solve children’s issues.” Over the years the Alliance has made

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

it a priority to bring children’s advocates together in common cause, meeting monthly to discuss the issues and problems facing children and those who work to serve them in Marion County. But the nonprofit Alliance has evolved over the years and has become a service agency as well as an advocacy organization with active roles in addressing some of the most vexing problems facing children and their families across Marion County — among them substance abuse, domestic violence, strengthening families and stemming the number of substance-abused newborns. “People know the things we do,” McCall said, “but they don’t know that we do them.” Here is a look at some of the programs the Children’s Alliance leads through its various “work groups.” SUBSTANCE ABUSE The Alliance is home to the Community Council on Substance Abuse. Through this program, the Alliance educates young people on the dangers of sub-

stance abuse and self-destructive behavior through its SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) clubs at 11 local schools and growing. SADD is a mentoring program that puts heavy emphasis on teaching responsibility and accountability. The Alliance also is the point agency for the Ocala Opioid and Addiction Task Force, formerly the Heroin/Opioid Task Force. The task force was created by the Alliance in response to growing opioid deaths in our community and has established itself as a leader not only locally but nationally on community response to the opioid crisis. Hillary Jackson, who oversees the Alliance’s substance abuse programs, said a new and growing problem is vaping by youth, and she calls it “a huge problem.” The kids aren’t just vaping nicotine,” she said. “They’re vaping marijuana and other things and they’re doing it all over campus (at our schools).” FAMILY VIOLENCE While Ocala has a shelter for abused wom-

The nonprofit Alliance has evolved over the years and has become a service agency as well as an advocacy organization with active roles in addressing some of the most vexing problems facing children and their families across Marion County.

Teen gun and gang violence prevention curriculum— Chief Balken came to SRMI to answer questions and listen to concerns from our youth.

After school tutoring at Oakcrest Elementary (Ashley Dries)

en and children, it is typically full, so the Alliance, through its Family Violence Prevention Work Group, provides assistance to women and children who are fleeing an abusive situation and have no place to go. The Family Violence group has helped hundreds of families and has an apartment it uses to provide temporary housing to those escaping violence. Besides providing shelter and living essentials to those fleeing abuse, the group also distributes nearly 1,000 backpacks at backto-school time, provides toys to more than 500 families each year at Christmas and distributes Thanksgiving meals to 200 families. SKIP (SUPPORTING KIDS INVOLVING PARENTS) SKIP is a program that works with parents and children to provide families the mentoring and resources “to become more involved, invested and committed to their children’s future.” Through a number of community outreach initiatives, including so-called Barbershop Talks, where SKIP mentors meet with fathers in the community at local barber shops, the Alliance aims to give support to “at-promise” youth and their parents so they can become stronger families.

Dominic McDonald playing basketball with one of MCCA's mentees

One of MCCA's mentees at Emerald Shores Elementary expressing what she wants in a friend

SUBSTANCE-EXPOSED NEWBORNS A startling 22 percent of newborns in Marion County come into the world having been exposed to illicit substances during the mother’s pregnancy. The Alliance’s Substance Abused Newborn Work Group works with the county Health Department, the Heart of Florida Health Center and Kids Central Inc., the area’s child welfare agency, to provide education and assistance to young mothers. “We try to get pregnant women who are

using (drugs) to get into treatment and get prenatal care,” McCall said, adding “the community is beginning to realize it’s a big problem.” Now in its 21st year, the Children’s Alliance continues to grow in reach and influence, fulfilling its goal to be a vehicle through which to create a coalition of children’s advocates who identify and seek solutions to the big issues facing children in Marion County. Said McCall: “The opioid problem. The substance abused newborns. The human trafficking. All of these horrible things were not being talked about as a community. Now, because of the Alliance and its work groups, they’re being talked about. “We can brush it all under the carpet and pretend it doesn’t exist, but it does. So, how can we work together to find solutions?” Disclosure: The author of this article is chairman of the Marion Children’s Alliance Board of Directors.

The Marion County Children’s Alliance is located at 3482 NW 10th St., Ocala, and can be reached at 352/438-5993 or online at mcchildrensalliance.org.

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health journal

steps to help you protect your vision

BRANDPOINT

hen improving your health and wellness, it’s essential to take care of your eyes, too. For African Americans, this is especially important because of increased risk factors for eye disease and vision loss. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, glaucoma – a disease that damages the optic nerve and causes vision loss – is three times more likely to occur in African Americans. The risks of glaucoma are magnified further when you consider that the disease strikes, on average, 10 years earlier and progresses faster among African Americans, according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation. The good news is that with early detection and treatments, including a wide range of eye drop medications, laser treatments

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

and several types of incisional surgery, the majority of patients with glaucoma maintain their vision. By becoming aware of your risk factors and taking preventive steps, you can help protect your eyes. FINDING ANSWERS IN YOUR GENES While the risk factors for eye disease continue to be studied, the ophthalmology community believes genetics can play a role. “Aside from the access to care challenges that confront members of minority populations, African Americans have a range of genetic predispositions that make them more susceptible to eye diseases such as glaucoma,” says Dr. Eydie Miller-Ellis, professor of clinical ophthalmology and director of the Glaucoma Service at the Scheie Eye Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the

University of Pennsylvania. “This includes an increased risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and other serious medical conditions that can also contribute to poor eye health.” DON’T DISMISS A LACK OF SYMPTOMS Since glaucoma often develops without symptoms and you can lose vision without noticing it, Miller-Ellis stresses that early action is vital for African Americans to help prevent glaucoma and other eye diseases. “The increased risk of early onset glaucoma makes it critical for African Americans to take steps to protect their eye health at a young age,” says Miller-Ellis. “Many people are lulled into a sense of complacency when it comes to their vision because they believe they see fine. But a lot of asymptomatic dis-

orders like glaucoma can be damaging your eyesight without you realizing it.” SCHEDULE AN EYE EXAM Understanding that you are at greater risk for eye disease and vision loss is the starting point toward protecting your eyesight. Begin a routine of yearly dilated eye exams with an ophthalmologist so that vision problems can be detected early. The Glaucoma Research Foundation recommends African Americans get a comprehensive exam to check for glaucoma starting at age 35. NO VISION PLAN? NO WORRIES Don’t let the lack of a vision plan hold you back from scheduling a screening for glaucoma. Medical eye exams and treatments for eye diseases, including glaucoma, are typically covered by regular health insurance. Check with your healthcare provider for specifics on your level of coverage. In addition, EyeCare America offers medical eye exams with volunteer ophthalmologists across the U.S., often for free.

KNOW YOUR FAMILY HISTORY Some eye diseases, such as glaucoma, can be hereditary. And for African Americans, the risk of glaucoma is 20% higher if it’s already in your family. “To prioritize healthy vision, it’s important to have a complete understanding of your family’s history of eye disease,” says Dr. Mildred M.G. Olivier, founding regional dean at the School of Medicine, Ponce Health Sciences University, St. Louis campus. “That’s why I encourage African American families to not only discuss their individual history of eye disease, but also ensure that everyone in the family goes for an annual eye exam.” EMPOWER YOURSELF Olivier also encourages people to be their own advocates in breaking down the health inequity barriers for minorities that may stand in the way of better eye health. “It’s important to ask your primary care physician to refer you to an ophthalmologist for an annual medical eye exam,” says Olivier. “When you are at the eye doctor’s office,

“Aside from the access to care challenges that confront members of minority populations, African Americans have a range of genetic predispositions that make them more susceptible to eye diseases such as glaucoma.”

make sure you are getting all the information you need and understand all of your options concerning your eyesight and any problems that arise.” Olivier and Miller-Ellis are working to improve access to eye care among minority populations as leaders of the Rabb-Venable Excellence in Ophthalmology Program, which supports minority medical students, residents and fellows in ophthalmology. The Rabb-Venable program is part of the National Medical Association - Ophthalmology Section and supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Eye Institute. The Glaucoma Research Foundation offers resources for African Americans to help build a plan for better eye health, including the guide “Understanding and Living with Glaucoma.” This free booklet, supported by Aerie Pharmaceuticals, is available at www.glaucoma.org/booklet.

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUN 2022 |

ETC

state of the city

Music Moves Within Ocala BY ASHLEY DOBBS

usic is powerful. It can change your outlook, your mood and your mind. It ranges from light-hearted to heart-thumping to creating a social consciousness and everything in between. No matter what your definition is, we can all agree that music unites us in a small way. For the past seven years, the musical experience known as the Levitt AMP Ocala Concert Series has transformed our Friday nights in Ocala into a cultural and musical journey over the course of ten weeks. Beginning in 2015, the City of Ocala, in partnership with the Marion Cultural Alliance (MCA), has been one of the only Florida recipients to be awarded the grant from the foundation. Designed to help elevate underutilized areas within a community, the free concert series has quickly become a citywide staple that residents have come to know and love each year. The diverse line-up of talent has spanned every musical genre possible and allows concert-goers to experience music they may have never heard before. It also helps showcase the diverse recreational areas within the city limits and encourages residents to experience a new location (metaphorically) within their back yard. Each year the music series features every kind of music, including jazz, salsa, Celtic, blues, rock, soul, and patriotic. To further enhance the musical celebration this year, the series will highlight Black Music Month in June, a nationally established event that began in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter. This month is an opportunity for music lovers to discover new black musicians or revisit their favorites from throughout history. The Levitt AMP Ocala Music Series will celebrate these musicians who have contribut-

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

ed their talents and sounds to the movement by partnering with Ocala’s Juneteenth Celebration. Usher in the holiday weekend by enjoying the sights and sounds of the University of Florida (UF) Afropop Ensemble Friday, June 17 beginning at 7 p.m. This group will be the opening act for the evening concert and specializes in the popular music of the African continent, focusing on Afrobeat, highlife, soukous, and African jazz. Founded in 2021, the musical group will perform a variety of Afrocentric music that will highlight the Black Music experience. Headlining artist Natu Camara will round out the night by bringing her influential style of West African heritage and music to the Ocala stage. Just as June signifies the importance of Black Music, it also brings to light the Juneteenth holiday. Nationally recognized as a federal holiday in June 2021, this annual holiday celebrates the freedom of enslaved people in the United States at the end of the Civil War. The second annual Juneteenth

celebration will take place the same weekend at Webb Field and is organized by the Ocala Juneteenth Celebration Commission. Recently, the Ocala City Council implemented this as a holiday, with business offices being closed June 20 in observance. Ocala residents and visitors are encouraged to take part in the weekly Levitt AMP concerts and experience the variety of music available within our community. As a city, we are proud to coordinate and implement music and cultural experiences that our citizens can enjoy, especially events that are at no cost. Being able to partake in shared experiences helps shape and grow our community. Please come out and support this concert series throughout the month of June, every Friday night from 7 to 9 p.m. For more information about upcoming events within our community, visit www.ocalafl.org. Ashley Dobbs is the Marketing and Communications Manager for the City Of Ocala.

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state of the county

Who Needs Broadband Service in Marion County?

BY MARK ANDERSON

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

during the current five-year strategic plan. A steering committee made up of local leaders is helping guide the study and focus on local priorities. The committee meets once a month during the six-month study period and includes members from the Marion County Board of County Commissioners, United Way, Next Era Energy, Lumen/Centurylink, Ocala Metro CEP, Raney’s, Cattlemen/Southeastern Youth Fair, the Florida Department of Health, the City of Ocala and the Marion County School Board. Prior to the surveys, Televate conducted research on internet services throughout the county. The company traveled to all corners of the county and used equipment and specialized software to determine where internet and/or cell service was weak or nonexistent. Televate will combine the results of these tests with the surveys for a better overall picture of internet services in Marion County. The final results will be shared with internet and mobile phone service providers, and the county will work closely with these providers to implement incentives for more service in populated areas that need it most. There are several state-level and federal-level grants available once these tests are complete, and we will work with local organizations to bring these grants to Marion County. The Broadband Feasibility Study in Marion County also is part of a larger internet initiative at the state level. The Florida Office of Broadband was established in the summer of 2020 under the state Department

Two surveys are available on the Marion County website, so please pick the survey that fits best for you and complete it as soon as possible! of Economic Opportunity (DEO). This office works with local and state government agencies, community organizations, and private businesses to increase the availability and effectiveness of broadband internet throughout Florida, specifically in small and rural communities. These initiatives look to increase broadband coverage both at the county and state level, and we are excited to continue the Broadband Feasibility Study over the summer. The two surveys are available on the Marion County website, so please pick the survey that fits best for you and complete it as soon as possible! By completing this survey, you are helping expand broadband service and doing your part to bring the internet to more homes and businesses in Marion County. Marion County Broadband eCheckup: marionfl.org/broadband Mark Anderson is a public relations specialist for the Marion County Government.

Photos courtesy of Marion County

et’s face it, connecting to the internet in this day and age is almost a necessity. Whether you’re paying bills, doing some online shopping, updating your social media, or simply browsing the web, the internet is an incredibly useful tool that allows us to do many things. So, when we can’t connect or our internet service is slow, it’s very frustrating. We’ve all said some choice words to our devices whenever that annoying spinning wheel stays on the screen after clicking a link. That’s a problem Marion County government is looking to help address. Recently, we began the Broadband Feasibility Study to find areas in Marion County where new or improved broadband internet services would make the most impact. We’re working with Televate, an information technology and engineering consultancy with years of experience in the field, to conduct this study – and we need your help! A significant part of the study is two surveys — the Household eCheckup for home service and the Business eCheckup for commercial service. We’re asking everyone to take the time to fully answer these surveys so we get as much data as possible, which will help us better determine where new/improved internet service is needed throughout the county. Each survey is around 20-25 minutes, which may be a bit longer than the average survey, but all of the questions are important to give us a better map of internet services throughout Marion. Once the survey period is complete and Televate compiles all the data, it will be publicly available on the Marion County website. And don’t worry — no identifying information will be included in the survey results, only broad data that highlights internet connectivity around Marion. This Broadband Feasibility Study is funded by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and is just one part of several planned projects throughout the county

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Kiwanis

Korner

Serving the Children of Marion County Kiwanis Month of May and Special Eagle Scout Presentation Tammy Hoff, president, announced upcoming events highlighting the annual Kiwanis Sportsman’s Dinner in August. A special thank you to NC Sizemore for all of his continued works and as the photographer and program chair.

Kiwanis of Ocala hosted several guest speakers during May.

One special presentation was The Eagle Scout Award earned by Stephen Lightbody, presented by past president Joe Voge. This was made possible by the Kiwanis Club of Ocala and fellow Kiwanian, Sandy Clardy. Sandy has given many years of service above self in working closely with and mentoring the Boy Scouts. Through his leadership and inspiration, these great young boys become greater young men and future leaders for our community. Kiwanis gave a special thank you to the Randolph Family Catering Company for providing Kiwanis with home cooked meals each Friday without fail. They credit their mother’s special recipes for their wonderful cooking. Wesley Wilcox, Supervisor of Elections for both Marion County and State Supervisor in leading all of Florida’s Supervisors, reminded members of upcoming election cycles and the importance of voting, via the mail and at the polls. A special happy birthday was sung to long-time member and club pianist, Tommy Ball and his precious pup, Pongo. Happy Bucks for given by Marlene Hatch, Karen Daily, Shelley Sizemore, Sandy Clardy, and the most happy bucks were given by Phil Olstein in announcing his daughter Erica’s special wedding. All were happy to see Wes Wheeler, return after an illness, who shared his thankfulness for everyone’s concern and prayers for him. Membership Chair, Paul Conley, inducted new member, Tammy Slaughter, into the Club. Tammy has served the Marion County Community for many years in being the difference to help our families and children. facebook.com/KiwanisClubOfOcala

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

NC Seizemore

Phil Olstein

Karen Daily

Randolf Family Caterers

Joe Voge and Stephen Lightbody

Tommy Ball

Tammy Slaughter

Wesley Wilcox

Sandy Clardy

Marlene Hatch

Wes Wheeler

Tammy Hoff

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Kiwanis International is a global community of clubs, members, and partners, dedicated to improving the lives of children one community at a time. Today, with more than 550,000 members in 80 Countries, Kiwanis empowers members to pursue creative ways to serve the needs of our children, such as fighting hunger, improving literacy and being a mentor. Kiwanis Clubs host over 150,000 service projects per year.

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State of the County Veterans Benefits

The Rotary Clubs of Marion County:

Giving Back Through Service Rotary’s 2 official mottoes are:

The Rotary Clubs of Marion County Support Many Charitable Causes. Some of those include:

• Service Above Self • He Profits Most Who Serves Best

• Interfaith Emergency Services • Discovery Science Center • Annual Rotary Discover Fest Fundraiser

Rotary International serves to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian services and to advance goodwill and peace not only in their own communities, but around the world. There are over 35,000 member clubs worldwide and over 1.2 million individuals known as Rotarians.

• Boys & Girls Club of Marion County • Wear Gloves • Kimberly's Center • Marion County Literacy Council • Domestic Violence Center of Marion County • Honey Packs, Inc. • Pace Center For Girls

To learn more about joining Rotary, please visit: www.RotaryInternational.com Follow Rotary On Facebook

HOPS Now Available

The sequel to David Cook’s book, with new articles and history. $25.

Available at Your Hearts Desire in Ocala Shopping Center and Shannon Roth Collection on downtown square. Proceeds benefit preservation efforts in our community.

Rebecca Dallman, Pamela Stafford, Dr. Sol Anker, Linda Anker, Michael Grunther, Jena Butler, Andrew Grunther, Holly Yocum, Caryl Lucas

Thank You

Andrew Grunther, Brian Stoothoff, Clay Walkup, Rhoda Walkup and Emily Irving Photo credit: Holly Yocum

to all community and member sponsors and volunteers for our most successful Annual Historic and Art Tour!

Set amid the ambience of the city’s oldest historic district and through the generosity of the homeowners, H.O.P.S. is pleased to showcase some of Ocala’s distinctive architecture, history, and culture. Since 1992, these home tours have provided a rare opportunity for guests to go inside some of our community’s most beautiful private residences.

2022 Historic Ocala Preservation Society Board Members

Dr. Lela Kerley — President Rhoda Walkup — Vice-President Rick Perry — Secretary Dennis Phillips — Treasuer Brian Stoothoff — Past President, 2021 Pamela Stafford Linda Anker Daniel Banks Giorgio Berry Bryan Caracciolo Sean Gallaway Leon Geller Andrew Grunther Trish Kilgore Sarah Kirk Caryl Lucas Leslie McCullough Penny Miller Bonnie Rodriguez Suzanne Thomas Diana Williams Link Wilson Holly Yocum

712 S.E. Fort King St. Ocala, FL 34471 | (352) 351-1861 | www.HistoricOcala.org Follow us on Facebook

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looking back

History of the McPherson Complex The county government complex sits where a school for delinquent girls resided for 67 years.

BY CARLTON REESE | WITH THE HISTORIC OCALA PRESERVATION SOCIETY

| JUN 2022 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Photo: floridamemory.com

here today people stand in line to register their automobiles or view historical local artifacts, there once was the home of the Florida Industrial School for Girls. The current McPherson Government Complex, located south of Fort King Street on Southeast 25th Avenue, gets its name from the longtime superintendent of that school, Alyce D. McPherson. The building in which the Marion County Museum of History and Archaeology currently resides was once known as East Hall, built in 1935 as a dormitory for girls and was called the “Isolation Building.” The Florida Industrial School for Girls was established by the state of Florida in 1915 and opened in 1917. It was a reclamation school for delinquent females, at first for girls ages 9-17 then later limited to ages 12-17. With training in home economics as well as traditional curricula, the school brought in girls mostly from broken homes and underprivileged families. According to McPherson herself, 2 percent of the girls were sent to the school as a result of auto theft. “We get a lot of mentally disturbed children,” McPherson once said, “but don’t have enough personnel to devote the proper time to them. They have four counselors plus staff that try to rehabilitate the girls and try to change their outlook on life.” The school was known to have housed 290 students with an average age of 15. According to the 1955 directory of the Public Training Schools for Delinquent Children, a capacity of 95 students is listed, with McPherson noted as superintendent of it, as well as the Forest Hill School for Negro Girls in Laurel with a capacity of 140. At the school, girls were expected to do all the work at the facility with the exception of electrical and plumbing repairs.

McPherson circa 1955

Duties included all yard work, painting, and even making clothes. Some of the older girls worked in a beauty shop on site. Before the girls school existed, the property was part of what was known as Mayo Park. That land included the area north of Silver Springs Boulevard and east of 25th Avenue and was part of a large state prison farm. In the 1960s, the area north of the boulevard was sold to Sears, which built a large retail store on the site in 1965. The prison farm was shut down, but the girls’ school remained and would then take on the namesake of McPherson. As time passed, the school slowly worked its way into disfavor with members of the surrounding community, who complained of student inmates escaping and stealing from residents along the way. In

1984, the school was closed after 67 years and the next phase of the property’s use would fall into the hands of the county. The county bought the property for government use, and among the conditions of the purchase was the preservation of East Hall. By 1987, East Hall had deteriorated beyond practical use, but a $63,000 grant from the state Division of Historical Resources in 1988 helped in its rehabilitation. Subsequent grants and contributions from the county brought the structure back to life. As for McPherson, she passed away in 1979 at the age of 79 and is buried in Ocala at Highland Memorial Park. The school she administered no longer exists, but the government facility and historical museum there pays daily homage to her with its namesake, the McPherson Government Complex.

Chandra Wellness Center Women’s Expo Saturday, June 25th | 10-3pm Strong and Healthy is the NEW SEXY

Come see the new Technology to Burn Fat and Build Muscle (EMSculpt NEO) and treatment for incontinance and Bladder Leakage (EMSella) Chandra Wellness Center

352-861-0224

1920 SW 20th Place, Suite 202, Ocala (Office of Dr. Tina Chandra in Cala Hills)

Ocala Magazine June 2022 Digital Edition

Articles inside

Looking Back History of the McPherson Complex

Rotary Circle

State of the City Music Moves Within Ocala

Kiwanis Korner

Health Journal: 6 steps to protect your vision

State of the County Who Needs Broadband Service in Marion County?

Charity Spotlight: Marion County Children’s Alliance

ETC

Ride of a Lifetime

Gone Fishin’

Words of Wisdom

Tacos for Dados

From the Mayor

Letter from the Publisher

PLAY

Anthology: Poetry in Motion

Dining Out