True Romance

A Little BY R.J. JENKINS Romance

Local love stories... longer deck?

Tyla and Ale A Whirlwind Romance

BY TYLA KENNEDY ROA

Ten months ago, I met the love of my life! Right before the COVID pandemic hit, my husband-to-be came to Ocala to visit his uncle.

Leaving Publix one day, I noticed a leash-less dog walking the road and so I slowed down to investigate. The man walking behind the dog I figured to be the owner and I rolled down my window and said to him, “nice dog!” What I really meant to say was, “nice man!”

Without much thought, I drove off.

A week later I was looking for a new home and I called a number for a house and went to see it. When I pulled into the driveway, there was that same man with his dog washing a car – I was shocked to see him again! He pulled his phone out to translate his words to me: “Hello, my name is Ale; I’m visiting from Ocala. Can you show me Ocala?”

Without hesitation, I replied “Yes!”

After COVID hit two weeks later, Ale’s uncle left Ocala, but he made the decision to stay here with me. Colombia closed its borders and we did not know where our future would be. For the next three months we Google-translated every conversation and came to know each other. By July, we were married.

In February we will have known each other for a year and been married for seven months. Despite the troubles in the world, we managed to have our fairy tale come true!

Tyla Kennedy Roa and Miguel Alejandro Roa

Photography by Christin Hayes

Erica and Joe: The Mysterious Countdown to an Elaborate Proposal

The billboards in November of 2020 had many in Ocala scratching their heads while wondering what was at the end of this enigmatic public countdown.

6 DAYS, 59 MINUTES . . . 3 DAYS, 13 MINUTES . . . 1 MINUTE REMAINING . . .

Each billboard posted Erica Olstein’s name in big bold letters while a countdown timer kept everyone, including Erica herself, in bewildered anticipation. It was all part of Joe Borge’s adventure-filled engagement week for his soon-to-be fiancé.

On the day of her engagement, Erica was unknowingly swept away in a limousine and she found herself in the most extravagant scavenger hunt accompanied by a camera crew, a drone and her best friend. The limousine drove her all throughout Ocala, but not until she guessed where each stop was, hinted by envelopes adorned with custom wax seals that revealed playful rhyming poems.

Each stop was complete with a musical orchestra that played music of Joe’s choosing, music that was reminiscent of their relationship. Also at each stop was an activity and those included elaborate acrobatic performances, live magic in the middle of a beautiful vintage farm, enormous wooden puzzles scattered in a lawn for her to piece together, tiki torch-lined hills for her to hike, picnic blankets decorated in rose petals and candles, fermented mushroom teas for Erica to dunk her hands into to find clues, a dress in which to change, a quick stop in a warm sauna and more.

Starting it all off were the countdown billboards.

The last stop of the scavenger hunt was Ocala’s downtown square where the limousine dropped her off. There her best friend was able to hand her off to her husband-to-be. The downtown gazebo was adorned with beautiful balloon displays, a string quartet with a professional conductor, many close friends and family members and, of course, Joe waiting in the center of it all eagerly waiting to ask Erica to spend the rest of her life with him.

At 5 p.m. when the billboard’s timer ended, Joe proposed to Erica (at which point the billboards changed to read, “She Said Yes!”) Erica jokingly said was not sure and that Joe would have to wait a full week’s worth of another countdown to find out if she said ‘yes’ or ‘no.’

As they walked away from the square, people along the streets yelled out congratulations. Suddenly, Joe pulled Erica into an art gallery where she found all her friends and family waiting for her at a catered dinner party.

The wedding is planned to take place in early 2022. To view the engagement video on YouTube, one can type into the search bar, “The Erica & Joe Hallmark Special – An Engagement Extravaganza!”

My dear son Joseph was eager to propose to the love of his life, Marah…and The Engagementthe planning began for the perfect evening. Living/working in Orlando then,

I mentioned it to my banking colleagues seeking suggestions/ideas…and my Joseph Amy and Nana Rose’s engagement ring, a romantic candlelit dinner…the stage was set…with a little help from a wonderful friend and colleague…and Disney! friend and fellow banker Mary said… ”I have it”! Her spouse worked for Disney’s Animal Kingdom and after confirming with Joe, one call later, and Marah KevinMy dear son Joseph was eager to propose to the love of his life, Marah…and the planning began for the perfect evening. Living/working in Orlando then, I mentioned it to my banking colleagues seeking suggestions/ideas…and my reservations were made for dinner at the Contemporary’s beautiful rooftop restaurant overlooking CINDERELLA’S CASTLE and through their “engagement department” all was arranged for the proposal - the ring A Proposal Fit A Christmas friend and fellow banker Mary said… ”I have it”! Her spouse worked for Disney’s Animal Kingdom and after confirming with Joe, one call later, cushioned in a rosebud within a GLASS SLIPPER to be delivered under a silver dome timed just as the fireworks began over the Castle…WOW! And for a Princess Surprisereservations were made for dinner at the Contemporary’s beautiful rooftop restaurant overlooking CINDERELLA’S CASTLE and through their Mary insisted on being there to video it all…her experience… a tale for another day! But thanks to her we have this cherished moment captured. BY BARBARA FITOS BY AMY BRADFORD “engagement department” all was arranged for the proposal - the ring cushioned in a rosebud within a GLASS SLIPPER to be delivered under a Needless to say, Joseph and Marah were beyond thrilled and everything went flawlessly…almost…except in his nervousness, Joseph forgot his wallet, My dear son Joseph was eager to propose to the love of his life, Marah, and this required the perfect setting for the perfect evening. I lived in Orlando at the time and was fortunate to have a banking colleague, Mary, whose silver dome timed just as the fireworks began over the Castle…WOW! And Mary insisted on being there to video it all…her experience… a tale for another day! But thanks to her we have this cherished moment captured. so Marah paid for dinner after she said YES!!! And 20 years and four beautiful children later, they lived happily ever after… husband worked for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. One call later, reservations were made for dinner at the Contemporary Hotel’s beautiful restaurant overlooking Cinderella’s Castle. Through the Contemporary’s engagement department, all was arranged for the proposal: the Needless to say, Joseph and Marah were beyond thrilled and everything went flawlessly…almost…except in his nervousness, Joseph forgot his wallet, so Marah paid for dinner after she said YES!!! And 20 years and four Barbara Robinson Fitos ring cushioned in a rosebud within a glass slipper to be delivered beautiful children later, they lived happily ever after… under a silver dome and timed just as fireworks began over the castle. Needless to say, Joseph and Marah were beyond thrilled and everything went flawlessly . . . almost. In his nervousness, Joseph had forgotten his wallet, leaving Marah to pay for dinner after she had said ‘Yes!’ Twenty years and four beautiful children later, they lived Barbara Robinson Fitos Iwas working at Disney World when Kevin and I started dating and since he was living in Alabama at the time, it was a long-distance relationship. I am narcoleptic and have always had a tough time with very early shifts, but Kevin decided he would call me happily ever after! every morning – sometimes 19 to 20 times – until I heard the phone ring and woke up. This was 3 a.m. for him in Alabama! Once in the car driving to the Magic Kingdom, I would call him back and he would talk to me the entire 45-minute commute so that I stayed awake and made it to work safely – now that’s true love! One Christmas day after multiple parades and character events, Kevin called as I was driving home late that evening and I began to cry. I said that all I wanted for Christmas was to see him. After I arrived at my apartment that night, a motion on the sidewalk spooked me. I screamed, threw my phone and keys in the bushes and started running back to my car when I heard a voice: “Anya, it’s me! Merry Christmas!” Sure enough, my love stood there in front of me after driving eight hours to make my Christmas wish come true. I promptly wrapped him in a hug, getting tears (and mascara) all over his white hoodie!

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Naturally reducing & removing pollutants from stormwater

The Ocala Wetland Recharge Park incorporates treated wastewater and stormwater from the Old City Yard, a drainage retention area (DRA), that is located near the park and has historically flooded during heavy rain events. The park captures this water, therefore rereduducincing g regional flooding. Stormwater can contain many contaminants like nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers, pet and yard waste, oil, grease, heavy metals, vehicle coolants, bacteria and litter. These stormwater contaminants are the leading cause of water pollution. By sensending this water to the Ocala Wetland Recharge Park, the total nitrogen can be reduced to nearly undetectable levels, and the total phosphorus will be greatly reduced. This freshly cleaned water will improve water quality and boost regional groundwater supplies.

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This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement C9.994515617 to the city of Ocala through an agreement/ contract with the Nonpoint Source Management Program of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the viewsviews andand policiespolicies ofof t the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does the EPA endorse trade names or recommended the use of commercial productions mentioned in this document.