Ocala Gazette | January 5 - January 11, 2024

VOLUME 5 ISSUE 1

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024

Mass resignations at local municipalities

PADDOCK MALL SECURITY

By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com

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he new year has started with a lot of empty seats on city councils in the cities of Reddick, McIntosh and Dunnellon as more intensive financial reporting requirements took effect.

In 2023, after repeated attempts since 2015, the Florida Legislature passed SB774, requiring mayors and elected members of the governing body of a municipality to file more detailed financial disclosures.

Many communities across the state experienced mass resignations of elected officials before the start of 2024.

Here are the resignations so far in Marion County: • The entire town council and mayor of the city of Reddick.

• Four out of five town council members for McIntosh.

• Two city council members for Dunnellon.

According to officials at the city of Belleview and the city of Ocala, as of Jan. 2, those cities had no resignations.

Marion County Supervisor of Elections Wesley Wilcox told the “Gazette” he is working to set a special election to fill the vacated seats, likely in early April after the presidential primaries in March.

The website for Reddick indicates that an informational meeting will be held on Jan. 4 at 7 p.m. at the Community Center, 4345 NW 152nd St. In letters announcing their resignations, some of the officials pointed to SB774 as the reason for their action, while others remained silent.

Scott Mullikin, McIntosh’s prior city council president, wrote in his letter, “After researching the requirements for all elected officials, (paid or unpaid), to file the new Form 6 as voted into law recently by the State Legislature, I cannot in good faith disclose my financial information, (assets, liabilities and my financial institutions), to the general public, who has no reason to see my information. My own stepson has no idea what my liabilities and assets are. Why would I want to put that information out there for total strangers? I sincerely feel that this puts a target on my back for possible identity theft, scammers, thieves and other deceitful and dishonest people. I feel that I have been forced to choose to maintain my personal financial privacy.”

In her letter resigning from the McIntosh council, Melinda Jones wrote that it wasn’t only the disclosure, but the “intent of this form.”

“I cannot in good conscience expose that information for a non-paid position on our Town Council,’’ she wrote. “I believe that the Form 6 requirements are an intrusion into financial privacy, and something that See Mass, page A3

File photo: People shop in Paddock Mall as they search for bargains on Black Friday in Ocala on Friday, Nov. 27, 2020. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Paddock Mall workforce pleaded for more security long before fatal shooting

By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com

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urrent and former staffers and tenants say security at the Paddock Mall, the scene of a fatal shooting Dec. 23, is lax and that management has ignored repeated pleas for more guards and surveillance cameras for years, even after a 2021

parking lot shooting.

The employees and store owners who spoke with the “Gazette” expressed concerns that the few security guards who patrol the mall are unarmed, that management no longer hires off-duty police officers for added protection during busy periods, and that the mall has no security cameras other than those owned by individual stores.

The Ocala Police Department has confirmed neither the Paddock Mall onsite managers nor its corporate management, Washington Prime Group (WPG), requested any police presence for the busy shopping days before Christmas.

On Dec. 23, while the mall was packed with holiday shoppers, police say Albert Shell Jr., 39, entered the

mall and allegedly shot and killed Ocala tattoo artist David Nathaniel Barron, 40, and wounded a woman. The woman, who was shot in the leg, is believed by police to have been a bystander not connected to either man. Shell remained at large Monday, despite a $15,000 reward for information on his whereabouts.

Ashley Gerds, former See Mall, page A2

McCourt takes first day on the bench as judge

Former MCSO general counsel was appointed by governor

By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com

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he newest Fifth Circuit Court Judge Timothy McCourt took his first day on the bench in Lake County on Jan. 3 after being appointed to the position last month

by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

McCourt previously served as the general counsel for the Marion County Sheriff ’s Office since 2019 and was the most recent president of the Marion County Bar Association.

Before his time at the sheriff ’s office, McCourt served as an assistant state attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit for 10 years.

As a judge in Lake County, McCourt will oversee cases related to family law, guardianship, domestic violence injunctions and mental health, he said.

“I knew it would be a way to serve my community,” McCourt said. “My career has been dedicated to public service, and I think that this is a

way to give back to the people of the state and of the circuit in kind of a different, maybe more impactful way.”

His appointment fills the vacancy left from the July 15, 2023 retirement of former Circuit Judge Larry Metz.

“I’m definitely excited. I spent some time in Lake County in private practice, so it’ll kind of be like going home again,” McCourt said.

The applicants for the appointment were McCourt, Benjamin Boylston, Joy Goodyear, Charles Helm, Robert Kingsford, Harlan Derek Saltsman, George Singletary II, Christopher Small, Brian Toti and Lisa Yeager.

Out of all the applicants, the judicial nominating committee put the names of McCourt, Goodyear, Helm, Singletary, Toti and Yeager on a short list to recommend to the governor for appointment.

McCourt is not the only recent judicial appointee out of Ocala.

Former State Attorney Brad King was appointed to serve as a judge See Judge, page A4

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

Mall security concerns Continued from page A1 general manager of the Paddock Mall, served in the role from March 2019 until September of 2021. She said she worked to improve mall security through increased police presence during busy periods and unsuccessfully fought for there to be surveillance cameras in the common areas of the mall.

WPG has a contract with Allied Universal Security Services, Systems and Solutions for onsite security. The company, which bills itself as the world’s largest provider of security guards, hires unarmed guards to work at the mall. Any other protection must be requested from law enforcement.

“When I was there, I hired additional police officers through (OPD) to have officers on details starting Black Friday, going all the way through Christmas for peak hours and weekends in the week of Christmas to ensure the safety of patrons,” Gerds said.

OPD Chief Michael Balken said the department received neither a request for a special detail for the day of the shooting nor a request to schedule a detail for Christmas Eve. Gerds said on average, there were about 33,000 people going through the mall per month during her time there based on reports provided to every general manager through WPG. Gerds said she resigned from her position after two people were shot in the mall parking lot in August 2021. One victim fled into the Finish Line while the other collapsed outside the food court doors, and Gerds administered first aid to both.

After this incident, she orchestrated a meeting with corporate representatives, law enforcement officials and herself to discuss security measures. “(Balken and Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods) absolutely told WPG that there needed to be cameras, that they were needed to be able to solve crimes and to deter people. They needed to be able to see things that were going on, and not only did (WPG) not put in cameras, but they stopped the police detail,” Gerds said.

Both OPD and the Marion County Sheriff ’s Office declined to comment about previous efforts to increase security at the mall and the current security and surveillance protocols there.

Gerds said during her time there, the choice to install surveillance cameras is up to the discretion of individual stores and kiosks, and about 35% of the mall’s tenants choose to have cameras.

“I want to see the Paddock Mall thrive because it means that our community is thriving, but we have to keep our community safe,” she said.

A former security director for the mall—who asked the “Gazette” to only use his first name, Ryan—said he worked with Gerds to ask for the same security measures in the mall.

“For a time, my biggest concern was adding more hours for security because (management) always cut the hours,” Ryan said. “We had basically one person per shift for the whole mall.”

Ryan was employed by Allied Universal from May until July 2021 as a shift supervisor and from that July until October 2023 as the security director.

“Every tenant meeting, the tenants asked for more officer security and asked for cameras, and every meeting (management) always said, ‘We’re working on it, we’re working on it’ and they never worked on it,” he said.

For Allied Universal to provide more security for the mall, WPG would have to ask the vendor and change their contract. Ryan said he believes staff ’s requests for more security and surveillance cameras were never met because of efforts to cut costs and maintain the budget.

“By financially cutting costs and stuff, you’re actually putting people’s lives at risk,” he said.

Ryan said both he and Gerds asked for security cameras to be installed, and that he continued to ask after the 2021 shooting and after Gerds resigned. Ryan said that he knows there haven’t been any improvements since he left in October 2023, and that, “It actually might’ve gotten worse.”

“The only place that mall has security is in some of the stores, Victoria’s Secret, Bath and Body (Works), the big stores, the jewelry stores like Kay’s,” he said. “They have their own cameras, but there’s no cameras that are owned by the mall.”

A former tenant of the mall, Benjamin Burke, owner of Southern Scissor Works, said he also raised concerns about security, but that management cited budget concerns in response.

In an email thread Burke shared with the “Gazette,” he put seven of his concerns in writing, including security issues such as a reduction in security staff and prevalent theft, after bringing them up verbally at previous meetings.

“A few months ago, we had a meeting with the mall management team where several store managers expressed their security concerns.

Even after this, there has been a reduction in hours for security. And still the mall is having theft issues that are going unanswered,” Burke wrote in an email on July 12, 2022.

He addressed this initial email to mall management staff, including General Manager Jamie Zimbleman and Operations Director Ron Ashford, in addition to WPG corporate management members.

The meeting he referred to was on April 20, 2022.

Zimbleman responded to Burke’s claims by saying there had been no reduction in security hours since the April 20 meeting, adding that as Ocala grows and the mall’s traffic and sales increase, they would plan accordingly.

“While we will never be able to completely stop nefarious people from doing nefarious things, we will continue to make the safety of our customers, tenants, and employees our top priority,” said Zimbleman in his response.

The “Gazette” reached out to Zimbleman and Ashford via phone for comment and received a written response from a WPG spokesperson.

“The safety of our guests, retailers and employees is our top priority. For safety purposes, we do not publicly discuss security practices. We maintain a close partnership with the (OPD) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We strongly encourage everyone to report any suspicious activity. If you see something, say something,” said the spokesperson.

Burke said despite management’s assurance, he was certain that there had been a reduction in hours for security guards based on conversations with people close to the matter.

Burke also recalled that at a previous tenant meeting, when he and others brought up an increase in theft and break-ins and asked for cameras, management agreed to install cameras but reversed the decision at the next meeting.

“They told everyone at the

meeting that it was going to be too expensive, so they weren’t going to do it,” Burke said.

Burke said after continuous disagreements between himself and management, his lease for the barber shop was ended at the end of November 2022.

“I remember arguing with them, trying to get extra time (on the lease) for my staff, saying, ‘You’re about to put 12 barbers out of work a month before Christmas, at the busiest time of the year,’” Burke said.

Another former mall tenant, Debbie Machtel, owned the Chickfil-A in the food court from May 2019 until October 2023. Machtel said that she had concerns about the mall’s security after the 2021 shooting.

“We all knew that it could happen at any time,” Machtel said. “(The former shooting) was definitely a traumatic experience for everybody involved and I’m sure that (the shooting) this past week was even more traumatic with it actually happening inside the mall and having a death. Not to mention the chaos that ensued as a result of that.”

Machtel said security was not the only issue prevalent in the mall, but that it was also in need of several repairs. “WPG needs to make it a priority to fix those things, such as plumbing and to make sure that cleaning is a priority,” she said.

Machtel confirmed that as of October 2023 when she left the mall, there were still no cameras in any of the common areas.

Following the Dec. 23 shooting, the mall was closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, then reopened on Dec. 26. Many employees who were present at the time of the shooting were expected to return to work shortly after.

A current employee of a store in the mall, who asked the “Gazette” to withhold her name, has worked there for about five years.

“We’re still pretty shaken up. You don’t come into work thinking you’re going to die that day, and then you hear gunfire and it’s like, ‘Maybe today’s the day,’” the employee said.

She said she recalled law enforcement presence in the mall in the holiday seasons of 2019 and 2020 when Gerds was the general manager of the mall but she has rarely, if ever, seen that since.

“Security here is an absolute joke.

No. 1, they don’t have enough given the size of this facility and the fact that they also have to provide security for (Gaitway) Plaza,” she said.

As of Dec. 28, she said that management had not called for a tenant meeting or offered resources to employees following the shootings. Ocala Mayor Ben Marciano reached out to SMA Healthcare and was able to secure free counseling to anyone who was impacted by the shooting.

“I’m very upset that we have had very little security presence since the incident. In the last three days, I’ve probably seen security maybe half a dozen to a dozen times throughout the day,” she said.

The employee said she, along with many others who work in the mall, asked for increased security and surveillance multiple times at tenant meetings.

“Each time, we’re met with, ‘It’s not in our hands. It’s a corporate decision. It’s a financial issue,’” she said. “(The shooting) was an awful experience,’’ she said. “And what should have been a very joyous time for us, and a celebration of everything that we have worked so hard for all year, to be with our families. It really ruined it for us, and it’s never, ever going to be the same.”

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

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Mass resignations Continued from page A1

was not required when I qualified to run for Council 3 years ago. It is my belief that all currently serving elected officials should have to continue to fill out the Form 1 through the end of their existing terms, and then be able to make their decision to complete Form 6 when, or if, they choose to run. I have truly enjoyed being on Council and have learned so much during the little over 3 years I have served. I am sad because I feel like I am disappointing those residents that have supported me during my time on Council.”

The differences between the historical financial disclosure requirements for elected municipal officials and what started on Jan. 1, 2024 is found by comparing Form 1 and Form 6.

Previously, city officials were required to only fill out a Form 1 and deliver it to their county’s supervisor of elections every year. Other elected officials, such as county commissioners, were required to fill out Form 6, which requires more information, and file it with the state.

According to the League of Cities, which opposed the measure, this is the difference in disclosure requirements:

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Disclosure of Liabilities Filers must disclose liabilities over $1,000, with limited exclusions.

Form 1 Liabilities over $10,000 Owed at any point in the year Creditor name/address Exclusions for:

Form 6 Liabilities over $1,000 Owed on the date chosen Creditor name/address, amount Same as form 1

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

New Year’s Eve chase ends in bizarre building collision

A photo of the front of an office building after a Dodge truck driven by Kyle Last, 33, crashed into business offices at the intersection of 22nd Avenue and East Fort King Street on New Years Eve. No one was in the building at the time the truck drove through it. Last was pronounced deceased on the scene. [Ocala Gazette]

By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com

L

ate at night on New Year’s Eve, while many were reveling and welcoming in 2024, a Dodge truck driven

by Kyle Last, 33, crashed into business offices at the intersection of 22nd Avenue and East Fort King Street.

No one was in the building at the time the truck drove through it.

Last was pronounced deceased on the scene.

According to spokesperson for the Marion County Sheriff ’s Office, the truck driven by Last was being pursued as he was a person of interest in a burglary. The call also involved Marion County Fire Rescue, the Florida Highway Patrol and the Ocala Police Department.

During MCSO’s pursuit, Last allegedly

Judge McCourt Continued from page A1 in Marion County for the Fifth Judicial Circuit in September, replacing the retired Judge Richard Singletary. After retiring from the state attorney’s office in 2020, King worked as an Ocala Police Department reserve officer until rejoining the Fifth Circuit this year.

McCourt had also previously applied for the appointment that Circuit Judge Gregg Jerald received in 2018 in addition to the appointment King received. Jerald also served as the general counsel to the MCSO before being appointed to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge Jonathan Ohlman.

McCourt said the amount of varied experience he gained while working for the sheriff ’s office will provide him background as he steps into this new role.

“As the legal adviser for the sheriff, you deal with a lot of different areas of law—situations that are new and novel all the time,” he said. “And as a judge, my job is going to be to take cases that come before me, figure out what the facts are and apply the law to them.”

In switching from his role as an attorney to serving as a judge, McCourt said he is no stranger to acting as a neutral party.

“I’ve been a prosecutor, I’ve worked (at the sheriff ’s office), I’ve been in private practice and had private clients. Switching to the role of a neutral party, to me, it won’t be much different,” he said.

McCourt said he is looking forward to serving in this capacity and grateful for the opportunity to give back.

“I want to do good for the citizens of this circuit, and the people who come before me,” he said. “My goal is to rule on the cases that come before me in an efficient manner, so people can get back to living their lives.”

rammed his truck into a deputy’s vehicle, disabling it and rendering the vehicle inoperable to continue the chase.

“He [the deputy] could only give out the last known direction of travel. Ocala Police Department units later located where the suspect had driven through the building,” explained the MCSO spokesperson.

“Pretty significant damage to our vehicle from what I

Back of building [Ocala Gazette]

understand. Not sure if it will be totaled.”

A search of Marion County court records found one prior criminal matter for Last, a misdemeanor domestic battery charge that was dropped with this note by State Attorney William Gladson’s office: “Although there was probable cause to arrest, given the facts and circumstances of the case, as well as the fact

that the victim does not desire prosecution, the likelihood of conviction is slight.”

The office building was home to Edward Jones financial advisors Justin Yancey and Brian Wakefield and Berkshire Hathaway Real Estate, with at least 35 real estate agents.

Bob Kennedy, owner of the building and the real estate firm expressed

gratefulness that no one was in the building at the time of collision. Kennedy was still waiting to fully understand the cost of repairing the building.

Kennedy told the “Gazette” it was business as usual despite agents being displaced from office due to the accident.

“We are Berkshire Hathaway—we have contingencies for everything.”

FHP veteran files to run for sheriff Milton Busby to challenge Sheriff Billy Woods as he attempts to win third term “I feel there needs to be a certain amount of unity between the law enforcement and the community, and I’m not sure if we are there in Marion County.”

Milton Busby

By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com

M

ilton Simmons Busby Jr. has filed candidacy papers to enter the race for Marion County sheriff, opposing the incumbent Sheriff Billy Woods in the 2024 election.

Busby, a Republican, was an officer in the Florida Highway Patrol for 32 years and spent 32 years in the U.S. Army Reserves.

“I feel that the people of Marion County deserve to look at options for a candidate as sheriff,” Busby said. “I’m a progressive guy, well-educated and versed in different systems and different methods of law enforcement.”

Busby, 61, earned a doctorate in educational leadership and administration from Nova Southeastern University in 2016. Busby is also a Marion County native and graduated from Vanguard High School.

Woods, also a Republican, was first elected in 2016, then reelected after running unopposed in 2020. If he wins the 2024 election, it will be his third term in office. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration and business management from Columbia Southern University.

“I feel there needs to be a certain amount of unity between the law enforcement and the community, and I’m not sure if we are there in Marion County,” Busby said.

In the FHP, Busby said he served as a motorcycle sergeant for the last 10 years he

OCALA TO HOST INAUGURAL BRICK CITY BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

T

he city of Ocala is set to host the first Brick City Bluegrass Festival from 2 to 8 p.m. on Jan. 20 at Citizens’ Circle.

Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers will headline the all-ages, outdoor music festival at 151 SE Osceola Ave. The event will feature live music and entertainment, with food, beer and wine available for purchase. Guests can bring their own lawn chairs and blankets.

Tickets are $20 before Jan. 19, $25 at the gate, and veterans and kids ages 8 and under will be admitted for free. Tickets can be purchased at bit.ly/3H2fuyD

spent as an officer but had to end his career with the department due to a motorcycle accident that left him with severe injuries.

Busby said he has since recovered and that his experiences have made him sensitive to the mental health needs of others.

“I’m not looking to put policing in the mental health business, but we as law enforcement officers need to recognize very quickly when we have a (citizen with a mental health) problem,” he said. “You just don’t know what will tick people off in certain situations, and you’ve just got to be sensitive.”

Busby said he has never held office, adding that is a strength of his so that policing can refrain from being political.

“You have to maintain balance. Too much politics is not good. Too much law enforcement and not enough politics isn’t good,” he said. “I will be responsive to the people in Marion County.”

As for Busby’s bottom line, he says, “Treat people right. Treat people with respect, run the jail with decency. Do what needs to be done to keep people safe.”

As of Fiscal Year 2022-23, the Marion County Sheriff makes an annual salary of $204,618, according to Marion County Sheriff ’s Office.

HONEY HOUNDS BAND TO BE NEXT PERFORMERS AT OCALA’S SUNSET SONGS SERIES

T

he Honey Hounds are set to perform from 6 to 8 p.m.

Jan. 10 at the new monthly Sunset Songs Series presented by the city of Ocala.

The series offers a free show of live music in the Downtown Square at 1 SE Broadway St.

The concerts will be held from January to May. All guests need to bring is a lawn chair or blanket to sit on.

The Honey Hounds is a soulful band that plays renditions of blues songs with influences of rock, funk and pop.

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

CLERK OF COURT OFFICE EARNS CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT

T

he Marion County Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s Office has been awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2022.

The report was judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report, according to GFOA. The certificate of achievement is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting.

This is the 38th consecutive year the Marion County Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s Office has received this award and the fourth year in a row for Clerk Gregory C. Harrell.

“I commend Finance Director Jennifer Cole and her team for helping us again achieve this significant certification,” Harrell said in the news release. “The full and accurate reporting of Marion County’s finances is an arduous but important and necessary task that the citizens of Marion County deserve and can take great pride in knowing is being done with excellence.”

GFOA advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources and practical research for more than 21,000 members and the communities they serve.

To view Marion County’s ACFR, visit bit.ly/marion-county-financial-report.

OBITUARY

David H. O’Donnell

September 20, 1947 - October 24, 2023 David H. O’Donnell, 76, passed away on October 24th, 2023 in Ocala, Florida. Born September 20, 1947 to Joyce and William, Dave shared his childhood in Black River, NY with his older brother, John, and twin brother, Dan. Dave attended Carthage High School where he excelled at sports.

Dave earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Syracuse University and remained in the area where he eventually established his family. Dave was an avid tennis player and well-known figure at many tennis clubs. He also enjoyed spending time on the golf course perfecting his game. Dave loved his son and daughter very much and took great pride in their accomplishments. He beamed when talking about his grandchildren and delighted in the details of every sporting event played by his two grandsons, Carter and Rowen. He was equally proud of their academic achievements. He adored his granddaughter, Ella, who was the light of his life.

Dave had an enormous heart and wonderful sense of humor. He was clever and witty, and had an amazing ability to remember details. He was a gifted storyteller who especially enjoyed sharing tales of his many business adventures and numerous tennis accomplishments.

He will be remembered for his generosity, quick wit, and kind nature. He carried himself with dignity and strength and will be missed dearly.

As Dave would wish there are no services at this time. A celebration of life will occur at a future date. Condolences for the O’Donnell family may be left at www.michaelebrownfuneralservices.com

MARION COUNTY RESUMES NEUTER COMMUTER PROGRAM

Staff report

H

ere is some great news for those seeking low-cost spay or neuter surgeries for their feline and canine

friends. Marion County Animal Services has resumed its Neuter Commuter Program. The fees include the animal’s surgical sterilization, rabies vaccination, county license and microchip implant.

The fees are $75 for the package and a $20 low-income pet owner rate is available for those who qualify. This service is only available to Marion County residents and proof of residency is required.

Neuter Commuter services are offered at the animal shelter, at 5701 SE 66th St., Ocala. Only cash or credit card payments will be accepted for payment, which is required at the time of drop-off.

All appointments are at 8:30 a.m. for drop off and 3 p.m. for pick up. All dogs must be on a leash and all cats must be in a carrier. Dogs weighing more than 65 pounds will not be accepted.

Appointments are currently available on Jan. 11 and 25, and Feb. 1. To fill out a request form, go to bit.ly/NeuterCommuter.

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

COMMENTARY

Thoughts eleven days later

By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com

O

n Dec. 23, I was at the Paddock Mall wrapping presents with a few other happy folks whom I had just met, helping to raise money to support local victims of domestic violence. I don’t remember all their names; we were too busy folding colorful wrapping paper and making bows to make more than obligatory small talk.

I do remember that when I arrived at the mall, I was thinking about the future. The year 2023 was very tough personally and professionally. Yet, a new beginning was on the horizon, and I was hopeful for 2024.

At 3:39 p.m., within an hour of my arrival, I was standing at the wrapping tables immediately in front of Starbucks when I heard a gunshot. Just as I turned toward the sound, I saw a man fire a second round.

After hearing that shot and seeing the sea of holiday shoppers scatter in fear, all of us gift wrappers realized we had nowhere to run and simply dropped to the floor.

It’s now been 11 days since the shooting, and I continue to process what I witnessed. While others who were there that day may be trying to walk away from the memory of those terrifying moments, I’ve returned to the mall multiple times.

My intention each time has been to obtain security videos, talk to people and try to help the “Gazette” team report on the aftershocks that still linger: Namely, a dangerous suspect who is still at large while numerous business owners at the mall tally their financial losses from the violent incident.

We are trying to shed light on why this dangerous repeat offender– identified by the Ocala Police Department as Albert Shell Jr., 39–was at the mall rather than in jail on Dec. 23.

Shell is accused of killing Ocala tattoo artist Davis Nathaniel Barron, 40, and wounding a woman bystander in the leg. Shell remains free despite a $15,000 reward offered for information about his whereabouts.

It was at least 8 minutes from when I heard the first shot to when I saw a lone police officer arrive on the scene; and 11 minutes before paramedics arrived.

A lot happened during that time.

For me, it included a flashback to an equally terrifying moment: Seven years ago, I walked into my home to find an armed intruder.

At that time, I lived in Laurel Run, a gated community with a staffed guard house. It took six minutes for law enforcement to arrive at my home. That is a good response time, but it was a long six minutes to try to calmly chat with the intruder. He mostly begged me to let him go before OPD showed up. I asked him questions about his background while I waited for help.

That may sound strange to some, but asking questions is sort of my fall-back move, even in a crisis.

This experience led to me taking a gun safety course and getting my carry permit. Both situations could have turned out very differently for me. I’m extremely grateful to be alive today to share a few of my takeaways at this juncture.

Response times are critical to public safety

Even with all the reporting we have done on public safety response times,

The U.S. Constitution provides Americans with freedoms, rights, and protections including the “freedom of the press.”

The Ocala Gazette delivers in-depth local news you want to read.

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“In a crisis, all you can count on is yourself and the people who are nearby.” it may be hard to grasp how long those minutes feel as you wait and how much can be lost in those minutes.

As a community, we must invest more money in improving public safety.

But just throwing money at this problem won’t solve anything; we need to invest in infrastructure to meet our needs so that we can responsibly address the strain growth places on social services and public safety- particularly when it comes to addressing violent crime. And, boy, has it brought a lot. I’d love to back up this statement with statistics, but we are still waiting on FDLE to correct crime statistics from 2021, while we wait on 2022 and 2023.

Trust me when I say if you ever find yourself in a crisis, you will want ambulances, patrol cars and fire stations ready at a moment’s notice. You don’t want to wait your turn.

If we can all accept this reality, we can take personal responsibility and be better prepared to either respond to or avoid a crisis.

In a crisis, all you can count on is yourself and the people who are nearby.

You must instantly decide how you will protect yourself and others. Often, the best option is to flee.

But sometimes, you can’t. That was the situation those us at the mall found ourselves in that afternoon.

I know it’s a controversial subject, and this admission may be surprising to some, but I own a handgun. I usually have it with me, but I did not that day. Instead, I was lying on the ground looking at my purse and

wishing I had a chance to defend myself and others.

My editor challenged me with this: What would I, could I, should I have done if I had my gun? Good questions. I would like to believe that had there been someone randomly spraying bullets into the crowd, I would have had the courage to try to use the laser sight on my revolver to aim at the shooter.

As we hid and listened to the shooter move around the space for more than 30 seconds, we had no way of knowing if we were targets. But when I saw him shoot the second shot, I could see he was definitely aiming at someone.

And, arguably, there were other people in the mall that day who were armed. But if so, should they have started shooting into a hysterical crowd running everywhere?

So, no, having a gun isn’t always the solution.

The conversation now should not be about living in fear or vigilante behavior. We should be talking about being proactive and controlling the things we can. Gun ownership may be controversial, but a person’s right to have everything necessary to defend themselves is, and should remain, undeniable because if the bad guys have guns, I want one, too.

But with these commonsense caveats: I have a carry permit, I have taken a class on gun safety, I have passed background checks, I have practiced with my weapon and I am extremely mindful of keeping my gun safe at all times.

And, most importantly, I don’t have diagnosed mental health issues. If any

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

one of those elements were missing, then I, or anyone else, should not be carrying a loaded gun, despite what Florida’s constitution currently allows.

Do we know the basics of first aid to help others?

In a crisis, you may be the only person who can help the stranger standing next to you survive, and vice versa. Let’s plan to be a good Samaritan now by educating ourselves in the basics of first aid.

It’s a New Year’s resolution that I’ve made with my best friend. We’ll learn together, which goes back to my point of accepting the reality of who is going to be there in a moment of crisis. It’s just you, and the people around you.

Reactions to crisis are so varied

When the mall shooting happened, people, including children, were pushed over in the rush to get out. Watching security footage later, I took note of one little girl left alone to find cover as the rest of her family ran. She was looking at candy at that moment when the shooter fired for the first time no more than five feet from her, while older kids, students from Vanguard, played holiday music nearby.

But there was also bravery. While shots rang out over more than 30 seconds and people rushed everywhere, a few tried to keep an eye on the shooter, looking for any opportunity to intercede.

The man who died on the scene, Barron, a 40-year-old Black man, within seconds of being shot had strangers trying to help him even when they didn’t know if it was safe to assist.

I know sometimes it’s uncomfortable or inappropriate to point out a person’s race. But in reflecting after the fact, I recall it was white bystanders trying their hardest to keep Barron alive. At

“So, no, having a gun isn’t always the solution.” that moment, there was no skin color.

The blood that ran at their knees was the same color as their own.

The young woman who was wounded, whose name we are not releasing at OPD’s request, was an innocent bystander. It was not appropriate at the time for me to ask her questions, but her face seemed so innocent, and she didn’t cry.

One of the people helping the victims chastised me for taking a photo of the scene, likely mistaking me for a social media gawker. The “Gazette” would never publish such a photo; I took it only for the purpose of texting it to OPD Chief Michael Balken so he knew the situation and so that I could be able to recall details later and report on them accurately.

I was disappointed to see other photos of Barron on social media later by bystanders. The photos weren’t respectful of what his friends and family were likely experiencing in the aftermath. That is the difference between a journalist and a layperson wielding a camera: we try to handle such sensitive information as ethically as possible, always with the intent to inform while minimizing harm.

A renewed commitment to report on public safety

It’s probably no surprise for regular readers of the “Gazette’’ for me to

acknowledge Balken isn’t exactly a fan of mine or of this newspaper. We’ve had our disagreements over what each of us thinks the citizens of Ocala have a right to know. But at that moment, Balken was the first person I reached out to, mainly because I trusted that he would respond quickly and do his job.

Had I not been an eyewitness to the crime, I’m certain the “Gazette’’ would have had a much harder time independently reporting crucial information the public needed to know.

And that is our job.

This experience has caused me to rethink how I allocate the “Gazette’s” resources for reporting. Despite extensive reporting on response times, budget concerns, questions involving mugshots of teenage suspects and other matters involving the OPD, the Marion County Sheriff ’s Office and other law enforcement agencies, we have not focused enough on public safety issues.

We haven’t provided the public with enough information so they can protect themselves and their families better.

There is information the public needs to support policies and the people who keep us safe. The public needs to understand why we have this horrible uptick in violent crime and what is needed to combat it.

I hope the OPD, MCSO, and the State Attorney’s office will welcome our soon-to-be increased records requests

and questions along with our promise to deliver reporting that is fair and accurate, always favoring the public’s right to know.

We may need the public’s help paying for public records because these agencies charge the most for records.

Which leads me to my final thought.

Journalists you can count on

After reaching out to law enforcement and before they or paramedics arrived, I called two people. The first was Caroline Brauchler, who in June started working full time as a reporter for the “Gazette’’ after interning with us for almost a year while finishing her degree at the University of Central Florida; and next, our award-winning photojournalist Bruce Ackerman, who has decades of experience.

Caroline has worked every day since the shooting, through Christmas and New Year’s Day and beyond, to gather information the public needs to know. She’s been persistent, encouraging witnesses to come forward while navigating public information roadblocks. It has not been easy for her.

And our readers can always count on reporter Andy Filmore to humanize the impact of crime by connecting us with details about the victims of it.

His immediate reaction was to remind us that part of our community was grieving, and so he started tracking down family and friends.

Filmore has knocked on doors seeking information about the suspect that some people would be afraid to approach. For those of you who only know Filmore as a kind and wellmannered man, I’m here to tell you he’s also fearless.

And, brave journalists make for a brave newspaper.

Mall murder suspect Shell has a history of domestic violence

By Andy Filmore andy@ocalagazette.com

A

lbert Shell Jr., the suspect in the Dec. 23 Paddock Mall shootings that claimed the life of one person and injured another, was no stranger to law enforcement.

According to the Marion County Sheriff ’s Office, the agency had 30 calls for service in 2023 to the last known address for Shell, a single-family residence in Ocala Park Estates.

Shell remained at large Wednesday evening despite a $15,000 reward for information about his whereabouts.

The arrest warrant tied to the mall shootings lists one count of premeditated first-degree murder in the death of David Barron, 40, of Ocala and one count of attempted premeditated first-degree murder in the wounding of a woman who police said was a bystander. The “Gazette’’ is withholding the identity of the woman, whose wound police said was not life-threatening.

The “Gazette” found the Ocala Park Estates house identified on the warrant to be well-maintained.

There were no vehicles on the property, and no one answered the door on Friday Dec. 29.

An arrest document for an alleged case of felony domestic battery on July 17, 2023 included charges of: felony harassing, tampering or interfering with communication by a witness or victim. The address on that incident is redacted, but the report says that Shell lived at the incident location “with the (female victim whom the “Gazette” is not identifying) off and on in an intimate relationship for over a year.”

The arrest document states the victim said Shell believed she was “on the phone with another man and was cheating on him.”

According to the document, Shell allegedly “kicked the front door of the residence” and “followed (the victim) grabbed her by the hair and dragged her” into a bathroom and “backed her into a corner.” When the victim tried to

get away, Shell allegedly “grabbed her by the hair” and caused her to “slam her head on the tile” and soon “grabbed her throat impeding her ability to breathe.”

A deputy noted a “large swollen knot” and red discoloration on the victim’s throat.

The arrest documents state two unidentified children—at least one of whom called Shell ‘daddy’—were in the residence during the incident.

One child was listed as 11 years old; there was no age provided for the second child.

At one point during the altercation, the two children were described as banging on the closed bathroom door where the suspect and victim were located. The suspect allegedly interfered with attempts by one of the children to call 911, the document states.

An air unit and a K-9 unit responded to locate Shell in the July 17, 2023 incident, but the attempt had negative results.

The arrest document states the suspect had a prior conviction for battery in July, 2012.

The MCSO Public Information Coordinator stated records indicate “(t)hree of the last four (responses to the address) were field-initiated calls, our civil department was attempting to serve civil documents.

The last call was a circumstances/ suspicious incident call, the caller reported that the blinds in the home have been down and that is abnormal. The house was checked by deputies and appears to be vacant.”

Marion County Jail records indicate Shell was booked on Sept.

27, 2023 and held on a warrant in the July 17, 2023 case including the two related to the July 17, 2023 incident, and was released on bail on Sept. 28, 2023.

As previously reported, Shell had two warrants for arrest outstanding, both misdemeanors at the time of the shooting. One, dated Oct. 26, 2023 that listed the address of the July 17, 2023 incident, is for contempt of court; another, dated Oct. 27, 2023, is for failure of the defendant on bail to appear and has an address in the city of Ocala.

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

State Court to weigh patient drug dispute

By Jim Saunders Florida News Service

A

n appeals court this month will hear arguments in a longrunning battle pitting the Publix supermarket chain and insurers against a state agency and doctors over rules for dispensing medications to injured workers.

The case involves whether workers’ compensation insurers should be required to reimburse physicians who dispense medications to people injured on the job. Publix and the insurers say drugs should be dispensed at pharmacies.

While the issue might appear esoteric to the public, it has drawn interest from major insurance and medical groups.

Publix, which self-insures its huge workforce, and six insurance companies have been backed in the case by the Florida Insurance Council and the American Property Casualty Insurance Association. On the other side, the Florida Medical Association, the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association and the Florida Orthopaedic Society intervened to support the Florida Department of Financial Services.

Publix and the insurers went to the 1st District Court of Appeal in April after Administrative Law Judge Darren Schwartz upheld proposed rules issued by the Department of Financial Services, which oversees the workers’ compensation system.

The proposed rules, issued in December 2022 after more than two years of wrangling about the issue, said physicians and other types of health-care providers, such as physician assistants and advanced registered nurse practitioners, could dispense medications to workers’

compensation patients.

While many physicians dispense medications to other types of patients, the workers’ compensation system gives insurers power to authorize treatment for injured workers.

Publix and the insurers contend that the Department of Financial Services overstepped its legal authority in the proposed rules and that medications for workers’ compensation patients can only be dispensed by pharmacies.

“A dispensing practitioner is neither pharmacy nor pharmacist,” Publix and the insurers said in a July brief. “To conclude otherwise is to simply ignore the plain language of the statute, which is precisely what the department did by implementing the challenged rules.”

But the department, in an August brief, disputed the arguments and cited a law that gives injured workers “free, full, and absolute choice in the selection of the pharmacy or pharmacist dispensing and filling prescriptions for medicines.”

Also, it said insurers would still have power to sign off on the doctors who treat injured workers and medications.

“The rules do not change anything about the right of the employer/carrier to choose the doctor who treats the injured worker or determine what treatment is authorized because the employer/carrier still authorizes (or does not authorize) the medication,” the department brief said. “The rules simply confirm for the purposes of billing and reimbursement that Florida law does not permit the employer/ carrier to interfere with an injured worker’s right to choose where to obtain their medication.”

In a friend-of-the-court brief filed in August, the Florida

Insurance Council and the American Property and Casualty Insurance Association contended that physician dispensing of medication can drive up costs and pose health risks.

“Circumventing the checks provided by a pharmacist reviewing contraindications and/ or dosages removes a valuable safety net provided by pharmacies to injured workers,” the insurance industry groups said. “There is an increased risk of adverse medical outcomes when a practitioner, who is typically not the injured worker’s primary doctor, dispenses medication without a second check by a pharmacist for potential drug interactions.”

But the Florida Medical Association, the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association, the Florida Orthopaedic Society and another intervenor, Prescription Partners, LLC, argued in a brief that “there is no evidentiary basis for any finding” by the appeals court on such issues. Also, they said issues about cost and safety are policy decisions that should be made by the Legislature.

“The question of whether the physician-dispensing of medication is a wise policy decision is outside this court’s authority in this proceeding, and must be taken before the Legislature, the branch of government tasked with making such policy decisions,” the intervenors’ brief said.

A three-judge panel of the appeals court is scheduled to hear arguments Jan. 16. The insurers in the case are Normandy Insurance Co., Zenith Insurance Co., Bridgefield Employers Insurance Co., Bridgefield Casualty Insurance Co., BusinessFirst Insurance Co. and RetailFirst Insurance Co.

Arguments set in February on abortion measure

By Jim Saunders Florida News Service

W

ith the measure’s supporters getting close to meeting a petition-signature requirement, the Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will hear arguments Feb. 7 about a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at ensuring abortion rights in the state.

The arguments will center on whether the Supreme Court should approve the wording of the proposed constitutional amendment and allow it to go on the November ballot.

The political committee Floridians Protecting Freedom, which launched the amendment drive in May, needs to submit 891,523 valid petition signatures before a Feb. 1 deadline to be eligible for the ballot. As of Wednesday morning, the state Division of Elections website showed 863,876 valid signatures had been tallied.

But along with meeting the signature requirement, Floridians Protecting Freedom needs Supreme Court approval of the proposed ballot wording—and faces opposition from Attorney General Ashley Moody.

The Supreme Court is not supposed to consider the merits

of proposed constitutional amendments but weighs issues such as whether they would be clear to voters. Justices look at ballot titles and summaries, the parts of proposed amendments that voters see when they go to the polls.

The ballot summary of the abortion measure says, in part: “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”

Moody and other opponents have raised a series of objections to the proposal’s wording, including contending that the word “viability” can have multiple meanings.

In an October brief, Moody described the measure as an effort to “hoodwink” voters and said the ballot summary is part of an “overall design to lay ticking time bombs that will enable abortion proponents later to argue that the amendment has a much broader meaning than voters would ever have thought.”

But Floridians Protecting Freedom fired back in a November brief, saying the meaning of the word “viability” in the context of abortion has long been understood and that voters “can be trusted to know what it

would mean to live in a world limiting government interference with abortion before viability.”

“Lacking colorable legal arguments against the proposed amendment’s fitness for the ballot, the attorney general argues the term ‘viability’ has lost its meaning in the abortion context, notwithstanding the countless sources consistently defining it in line with common understanding,” the brief said.

Floridians Protecting Freedom announced its initiative after the Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis this spring approved a law that could prevent abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. The six-week limit is contingent on the outcome of a legal battle about a 15-week abortion limit that DeSantis and lawmakers passed in 2022. The 15-week case also is pending at the Florida Supreme Court.

The proposed constitutional amendment has come amid the backdrop of ballot fights in other states after the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion-rights decision. The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling left abortion decisions to states.

If the Florida proposal reaches the ballot, it would need approval of 60 percent of voters to pass.

FLORIDA NEWS SERVICE BRIEFS

TAX COLLECTIONS TOP PROJECTION

F

lorida’s general-revenue tax collections in November topped a forecast by 6.9 percent, as lawmakers get ready to draw up a budget during the legislative session that will start next week.

The Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research posted a report Tuesday that said net general revenue for the month totaled $3.74 billion, $242.6 million over a projection issued in August.

The higher-than-expected collections were mostly attributed to sales taxes, corporate income taxes and insurance taxes.

But among the areas that did not meet projections were documentary-stamp taxes, which are collected on real-estate transactions.

Those taxes came in $4.3

million below the projection of $104.6 million.

The report also repeated earlier cautions about lagging consumer savings.

The office has used the 2018-2019 fiscal year as a benchmark because it was the last full year before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the economy.

During that year, 7.9 percent of personal income went into savings. By comparison, a “subpar” 4.1 percent of income went into savings in November, slightly up from 4 percent in October.

General revenue collections are closely watched because they play a key role in funding education, health-care and prison programs. The legislative session will start Jan. 9.

PROGRAM SAVED $470M FOR TOLL USERS

F

requent toll-road users in Florida saved about $470 million in a recently completed, year-long program that provided credits on their bills.

The Florida Department of Transportation said about 1.2 million Floridians benefited from the program, which provided 50 percent credits to motorists who made 35 or more toll-road trips a month. Credits were issued monthly.

The program was approved during a special legislative session in December 2022, and the state shifted money from general revenue to the department to cover lost toll revenue. The program ended Sunday.

FLORIDA GAS PRICES DIP

F

lorida motorists Tuesday paid an average of $3.06 for a gallon for regular unleaded gas, 20 cents less than a year earlier.

The AAA auto club also said gas prices were down 6 cents a gallon from a week earlier and 10 cents from a month earlier.

Florida’s average was 4 cents lower than the $3.10 national average. The lowest average prices continued to be in the Panhandle, including $2.81 a gallon in the CrestviewFort Walton Beach area, $2.84 in the Pensacola area and $2.86 in the Panama City area, according to AAA. The highest average Tuesday was in the West Palm Beach-Boca Raton area at $3.22 a gallon.

Last week, GasBuddy, a firm that tracks fuel prices, predicted Florida would see the cost of gas in 2024 average between $3.19 and $3.51 a gallon, with a peak of $3.67 in May.

Ben Arnold Notary Public Servicing Marion County Mobile Cell: 954.234.7027 BenArnoldJr@yahoo.com

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

State seeks end to redistricting fight

T

he state has urged the Florida Supreme Court to decline to take up a challenge to the constitutionality of a congressional redistricting plan that Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed through the Legislature in 2022.

Attorneys for Secretary of State Cord Byrd and the Legislature, in filings late Friday, said the Supreme Court should let stand a Dec. 1 ruling by the 1st District Court of Appeal that backed the plan. The filings also pointed to a time crunch as the legislative session starts next week and the 2024 elections near.

“The First District’s decision is correct, these facts (in the case) are unlikely to recur, and review at this late stage would leave state election officials uncertain as they prepare for the 2024 primaries,” attorneys for Byrd, the state’s chief elections official, wrote.

Voting-rights groups and other plaintiffs last month asked the Supreme Court to take up the case, which centers on a North Florida district that in the past elected Black Democrat Al Lawson but was overhauled during an April 2022 special legislative session. The overhaul put the district, Congressional District 5, in the Jacksonville area, and white Republicans won all North Florida congressional seats in the November 2022 elections.

The plaintiffs argued the overhaul violated part of a 2010 constitutional amendment, known as the Fair Districts Amendment, that barred drawing districts that would “diminish” the ability of minorities to “elect representatives of their choice.” While a Leon County circuit judge agreed with the plaintiffs, the 1st District Court of Appeal overturned that decision and ruled in favor of the state.

In a Dec. 13 brief asking the Supreme Court to hear the case, lawyers for

up to 60 MONTHS FINANCING SEE ASSOCIATE FOR DETAILS

that Benchmark CD-5 contained a compact and naturally occurring black community with shared interests, or that the district was reasonably configured.”

If the Supreme Court decides to take up the case, both sides would file more-detailed briefs and possibly appear before the court for arguments. The candidate-qualifying period for 2024 congressional races is scheduled from April 22 to April 26.

After Leon County Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh sided with the plaintiffs in September, attorneys for both sides requested that the case be fast-tracked to the Supreme Court through a process known as “certification.” That would have effectively led to the 1st District Court of Appeal not hearing arguments and issuing a ruling.

The request was aimed at receiving a Supreme Court decision before the Jan. 9 start of the legislative session. That would

have allowed lawmakers to redraw the map, if needed, during the session, which is scheduled to end March 8.

But the Tallahassee-based appeals court rejected the request, ultimately resulting in the Dec. 1 ruling. The Supreme Court typically takes months to issue opinions in major cases.

“Given the current legislative and elections calendars, a second round of appellate review (before the Supreme Court) would revive uncertainty over the validity of the enacted plan,” attorneys for the House and Senate wrote Friday.

“Even expedited proceedings before this (Supreme) Court would likely extend deep into the Legislature’s regular session, which is scheduled to conclude on March 8, 2024, or beyond.”

A separate challenge to the redistricting plan is pending in federal court. That case involves federal constitutional issues.

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the plaintiffs contended the appeals court’s decision violated Supreme Court precedents in redistricting cases, including a case that led to the former design of Congressional District 5.

“In sum, the First DCA (District Court of Appeal) expressly contravened and cast aside this (Supreme) Court’s decisions interpreting the Fair Districts Amendments and established a new test that cannot be reconciled with multiple decisions of this court,” the brief said.

“The court should assert jurisdiction to correct the First DCA’s brazen attempt to ignore this court’s precedent.”

The brief also asked justices to “decide this appeal no later than March 2024 such that a remedy, if necessary, may be implemented in time for the 2024 elections.” If the Supreme Court finds the plan unconstitutional, it likely would require the Legislature to redraw congressional districts.

A key issue in the 1st District Court of Appeal’s ruling was the sprawling shape of the former Congressional District 5.

The district stretched from Jacksonville to Gadsden County, west of Tallahassee, incorporating areas with significant numbers of Black voters.

The appeals court’s main opinion said the protection offered by what is known as the “non-diminishment” clause of the Fair Districts Amendment and the federal Voting Rights Act “is of the voting power of ‘a politically cohesive, geographically insular minority group.’”

It said linking voters across a large stretch of North Florida did not meet such a definition of cohesiveness.

In the filings late Friday, attorneys for Byrd and the Legislature disputed that the appeals-court ruling violated Supreme Court precedents and cited the sprawling nature of the former district, known in the case as “Benchmark CD-5.”

“The First District rightly rejected petitioners’ (the plaintiffs’) nondiminishment claim,” attorneys for Byrd wrote. “Petitioners failed to prove

For even more

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A10

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

People, Places & Things She’s found her inner artist through the teachings of America’s favorite TV painter.

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

Tanya Purdy poses with some of the Bob Ross paintings she created as she poses at the Chelsea Art Center on East Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023.

Her paintings are titled, “Fisherman’s Trail,” left, and an untitled painting of a snowy mountain scene, right.

By Lisa McGinnes lisa@magnoliamediaco.com

could make a painting and leave class with a finished painting,” she said. “And it’s their masterpiece and they can be proud of it. Everybody walks away at the end of the class and they’ve got huge smiles on their faces. My classes are very supportive for anybody. It’s a very safe place to let your hair down and have fun.”

Purdy, who is originally from Connecticut and moved to Ocala in 1998, remembers watching Ross on television as a child, and believes people responded to his soft voice and encouraging manner.

“A lot of my students grew up watching Bob,” she said. “It’s got good memories, so that’s what draws them to my classes. It was Bob’s dream to have people paint just like him, and I can actually keep Bob’s dream alive.”

In every three-hour class, Purdy walks her students through replicating one of Ross’ colorful oil landscapes, step by step. She teaches the important skills of how to load paint onto the brush and how to hold the brush and angle it to create trees, clouds and mountains.

“Each painting may be different, but you’re using the same technique,” she explained. “You’re using the brush in the same way to get different results. So the technique never changes, but your paintings always do. You can make whatever you want as long as you know how he makes a tree, how you make the little smiley faces by pushing up on the fan brush, how to make the happy little evergreen trees. By holding the brushes in certain ways, as long as you get that part down, you could paint anything.”

Purdy will teach two “Paint Like Bob Ross” classes in Ocala in January: “Mountain Oval” at Chelsea Art Center on Jan. 10, and “Purple Haze” at the Silver Springs Shores Community Center on Jan. 25. For more information about the artist and her upcoming classes, visit happylittlepainter.com.

anya Purdy doesn’t mind telling you she “can’t draw.” But she can paint—and she believes anyone can, with a little Bob Ross-style encouragement. Purdy is a Certified Ross Instructor, meaning she is trained to teach the unique style made famous in the iconic PBS series “The Joy of Painting” by the late Bob Ross, who believed “there’s an artist hidden at the bottom of every single one of us.”

“I’ve always wanted to do something artistic, but I didn’t have the talent for it,” said Purdy, who works at an Ocala tattoo parlor as a body piercer. “I’ve been working around tattoo artists, and I always wanted to draw or paint with them, but I couldn’t—I wasn’t good at it.

And the thing I like about the Bob Ross technique is anybody can do it.”

Just a few years ago, Purdy took her first class at the Bob Ross Art Workshop & Gallery, opened by Ross in 1993 in New Smyrna Beach. She enjoyed it so much she registered for the three-week instructor course in March 2022. After that, she couldn’t get enough of the wet-on-wet technique that allows her to paint the “happy little trees” and “almighty mountains” that have made people smile since “The Joy of Painting” aired from 1983-1994.

“I locked myself in my ‘she shed’ and practiced for hours,” Purdy said.

“I would practice clouds and scrape them off … practice mountains, a whole canvas of mountains, and scrape them off … practice trees and scrape them off. I practiced for months. I paint along with Bob on my TV, and I’ll pause it, play it, pause it and play it.”

In November 2022, Purdy taught her first class and realized that what was even more fun than painting along with Ross was empowering others to find that joy in painting, too.

“I love teaching people,” she said. “I love when you teach somebody and you show them something and it clicks and they ‘get it.’ That’s what really makes me enjoy painting—what drives me to practice so I can be a better teacher for my students.”

Purdy said her favorite students are people who have never painted before.

Like Ross, she tells her students, “I believe in you.”

“People look at their painting and say, ‘I can’t believe I did that!’ They With her Bob Ross tattoo visible on her wrist, Tanya Purdy paints a Bob Ross didn’t think that they painting titled “Golden Sunset” at the Chelsea Art Center.

“You’re using the brush in the same way to get different results. So the technique never changes, but your paintings always do.”

Tanya Purdy

“Golden Pines”

“Golden Sunset”

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

Winter in the Florida garden: A feast of color and berries for birds

By Judy Greenberg Daffodil Circle Pioneer Garden Club

R

esearchers estimate that most humans can see around 1 million different colors.

In a state best known for its unfailing sunshine and moderate winter temperatures, Florida winter gardens provide visual pleasure for outdoor living and a feast for the birds.

Sir Isaac Newton influenced our understanding about color when he discovered that white light combines all colors of the visible spectrum.

Sunlight is composed of the visible colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. This magical mixture of colors is known as white light. When white light strikes a white object, it appears white to the human eye. A red object absorbs all other colors from the sunlight and reflects only red.

Shades of red are traditional colors used for winter decorating and poinsettia and amaryllis are the most popular. Although not native to Florida, the traditional bright red poinsettia can easily thrive in the Florida garden. University of Florida researchers began experimenting with poinsettia plants in 1996 as part of their annual Poinsettia Variety Trial. The variety of colors and textures from these trials are not always found at your big box retailer and when the plants are offered for sale, it helps continue the research by horticulture students.

The Pioneer Garden Club of Ocala sells the traditional red poinsettia as a fundraiser for annual scholarships awarded to the College of Central Florida through the Marge Hendon Scholarship Fund. This also supports local students who are interested in further studies of horticulture and environmental sciences.

Amaryllis are a common holiday gift that keeps on giving in the garden year after year. The Victorians attributed strength and determination to the plant due to its tall height and sturdiness. The plant is a living symbol of love; an ideal gift for those you love and care for. Amaryllis performs best in the Florida garden if planted in a location with well-draining soil and partial sun. The trumpet shaped flowers can be found in a variety of reds, orange, pink and white; striped and multi-colored are available but not as common. The natural bloom time for Amaryllis is between December and March.

Birds see four colors: Ultraviolet,

blue, green and red. The majority of birds avoid white. The Florida landscape around Marion County offers a multitude of berries for birds during the winter. The blue colored berries of the Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) are a favorite winter food for birds, especially cedar waxwing, bluebirds and turkeys.

People flock to Florida in patterns similar to birds. Florida’s population growth, according to the 2020 Census, is mostly attributed to migration from other states in recent years.

Hollies in Florida say welcome to our state because of their wide range as a native around the United States and the world. The American holly (Ilex opaca) is native to the eastern and south-central United States, from coastal Massachusetts south to central Florida and west to southeastern Missouri and eastern Texas. Florida native hollies, like all of the hollies, are generally dioecious, with male and female flowers of separate trees and can be grown in a wide range of light and soil conditions. The foliage can be used for indoor arrangements and the bright red berries attract resident and migrating winter birds. Florida boasts four natives that are evergreen with red berries: American, yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) the source of the wonderful, caffeinated yaupon tea, dahoon holly (Ilex casino) and a hybrid of the American and dahoon called “East Palatka” (Ilex attenuate) that was discovered growing in the wild east of Palatka Florida in 1927.

The ripening of Florida native persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) during the fall and early winter brings the color orange to the garden and attracts wildlife. The plum sized fruit is sweet and slightly tangy and relished by children and small animals. The cultural significance, brilliant burnt orange or brick red fall leaves and food source for wildlife makes it an excellent addition to any garden.

Sources: University of Florida/IFAS, Florida Native Plant Society, National Audubon Society and Pioneer Garden Club Members; with additions by Deborah Curry.

Amaryllis Poinsettia

Dahoon holly

Persimmon

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

For the good of the community The Dec. 29 Concert for Good raised $26,000 to help children and the less fortunate in Ocala and Marion County.

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

Caleb Lombardo, 18, left, and his brother, Luke, 15, right, get a hug from their mother, Lisa, center, as they get ready backstage.

Members of the Concert for Good band perform on stage at the Ocala Civic Theatre in Ocala on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023.

By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com

Y

ou could feel the goodness in the air at the Ocala Civic Theatre on the evening of Dec. 29. And in addition to a wonderful performance, the Concert for Good raised money and donated items for three local nonprofits.

A late-night post on the event’s Facebook page noted: “Thank you!

300 plus tickets accounted for. $26,000 for good causes Brother’s Keeper and Marion County Children’s Alliance and over 1,500 items for The Rock Program.”

The Concert for Good was cofounded in 2021 by brothers Caleb and Luke Lombardo as a part of a family tradition to do something good for something or someone they care about around the holidays. In its first two years, the event raised $28,000 for local charities.

Luke Lombardo serves as emcee for the show and is an occasional vocalist.

Caleb Lombardo takes the lead on

event organization and plays piano and sings.

“It’s my senior year and I think that puts a different sense of meaning on a lot of things—especially time,” Caleb said in a prepared statement before the concert. “The concert is a family project. We spend time together working on making this all come together, and I am so thankful for more reasons to be together. That also applies to friends and fellow musicians.

When rehearsals start, it brings together people who do not always get to see one another or even know one another, but music, faith and good causes bring us together.”

“The Marion County Children’s Alliance is so grateful to Caleb and Luke Lombardo and their family for the continued support,” said MCCA Executive Director Beth McCall in a news release. “Caleb and Luke are outstanding young men who have servant hearts that not only talk about giving to their community but are dedicated to action and making it

happen.”

“Brother’s Keeper is so grateful and excited to be a part of this year’s Concert for Good. The demand for the services we provide has grown over the last few years, and thankfully, so has the Concert for Good,” added Jason Halstead, executive director of Brother’s Keeper.

Hosting the event at OCT connected the young men to Greg Thompson, executive and artistic director.

“One of the best parts of being a community theatre is being a place where we can all gather, create and support one another—the very essence of community. And we could not be happier to have these gifted young leaders in the arts bringing their hearts and talents to our stage to lift of the community and bring visibility and support to organizations that work to make us all better and stronger,” Thompson said in the release.

To learn more, go to concertforgood.com

All around town Staff report

T

he festivities of the Ocala Main Street First Night event on Dec. 31 spanned multiple city blocks, from midtown to downtown.

The event started at 6 p.m. at the Tuscawilla Art Park, with a magic show and dance performances,

Luke Lombardo, 15, left, who was the emcee, talks to Greg Thompson, the Executive and Artistic Director of the Ocala Civic Theatre, right.

Members of the Concert for Good band perform.

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

then moved along the OTrak with LED Jumping Robots, musical entertainment and a light tunnel.

Around the downtown square, activities included performers from the Ocala Civic Theatre, fire dancers, vendors, a disc jockey and live entertainment.

To learn more about the purpose and vision of Ocala Main Street, visit ocalamainstreet.org

Bella Dipesa, 13, of the Synergy Dance Force - Footprints In Motion dance troupe performs for people at Tuscawilla Art Park.

Lizzie Tirado, left, and Danielle Clark, right, perform for people as the Lights On Disco Dancers in the Light Tunnel on the OTrak during the Ocala Main Street First Night New Year’s Eve event in downtown Ocala on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023.

The Hwy 40 Band performs for people on the OTrak stage.

B4

JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

Bird of the week

Sudoku is played on a grid of 9 x 9 spaces. Within the rows and columns are 9 “squares” (made up of 3 x 3 spaces). Each row, column and square (9 spaces each) needs to be filled out with the numbers 1-9, without repeating any numbers within the same row, column or square.

Yellow-bellied sapsucker

Yellow-bellied sapsucker [MichaelWarren.com]

By Michael Warren

“B

ird Names for Birds” is the idea behind a move by the American Ornithological Society this year to rename several dozen birds named after people, including many associated with slavery and racism. Alas, the yellow-bellied sapsucker (one of our less frequent woodpeckers) will retain its descriptive but not very flattering moniker. This one was photographed on the Sandhill Trail at Silver Springs State Park.

&

music nightlife nig ghtlife JANUARY 5

JANUARY 11

Kenna Dee

Mike Smithson

JANUARY 5

JANUARY 12

The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 8510 NW 17th Lane, Ocala 6pm

Palmetto Kickers

Charlie Horse 2426 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 7pm

JANUARY 6

Charlie Horse 2426 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 6pm

Charity Cox

The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 8510 NW 17th Lane, Ocala 6pm

JANUARY 12

Live on the Square: Halfway Hippie

Kenny & the Heads

JANUARY 6

JANUARY 13

Downtown Square 1 SE Broadway St., Ocala 6pm

Charlie Horse 2426 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 7pm

Shelby Sakalo

The Mudds

JANUARY 6

JANUARY 13

The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 8510 NW 17th Lane, Ocala 6pm

The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 8510 NW 17th Lane, Ocala 6pm

Storey’s

Still Kickin

JANUARY 10

JANUARY 14

Charlie Horse 2426 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 7pm

Charlie Horse 2426 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 7pm

Houston Keen

KennaDee

JANUARY 11

JANUARY 14

The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 8510 NW 17th Lane, Ocala 6pm

Jeff Jarrett

The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 8510 NW 17th Lane, Ocala 6pm

Horse & Hounds 6998 N US Hwy 27, Ocala 1pm

Doug Adams & Friends Charlie Horse 2426 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 7pm

Across

1 Concern when merging 10 Texas river diverted into the Red Bluff Reservoir 15 Museum download 16 Dippy 17 Stranger in many a family holiday photo 18 Cake made from ground nuts 19 “While I Was Gone” novelist Miller 20 Becomes, finally 22 “High Anxiety” actress 23 Say further 24 Corps member 26 Metered fleet 29 Treatment plant input 32 “The Cube” network 34 Delighted toddler’s demand 36 “Jinkies!”

37 Time worth studying 38 Gruff prescription for a minor injury 41 “Glad to hear it!”

42 Aspect 43 Branch of Islam 44 Org. whose members take hikes?

45 Mets slugger Pete who holds the record for most home runs by a rookie 47 Benefit 48 Irredeemable 50 Word of invitation 52 Cheese paired with kalamata olives 53 Do more than listen 56 __ diavolo sauce 59 #LiveUplifted sneakers brand 61 Arthroscopic procedure that may follow an MRI of the knee 63 McNairy of “Halt and Catch Fire” 64 Ride between runs 65 Buttonlike flower 66 Setting for some unboxing videos

Down

1 Some carpentry noises 2 Party with poke 3 Between jobs 4 Bupkis 5 Gave a shot, say 6 Efforts at resistance 7 Spot for a koi or a decoy 8 Ballpark figure 9 Emergency gear 10 Depression 11 Miso soup mushroom 12 Road show necessity?

13 Flirting with 14 Camille Pagán’s “Woman Last __ in Her Thirties” 21 “Your table’s ready” device 23 Warts and all 25 Relies (on) 26 Whoopi’s birth name 27 Drink often flavored with hibiscus 28 Aveeno product 30 Peer-to-peer sharing?

31 Add capacity to, in a way 33 French composer who influenced Ravel 35 Diet food choice 39 Some mechanical connectors 40 Dethrone 46 Egyptian god invoked in “The Magic Flute” 49 __ al pastor 51 Disinclined to form compounds 52 Media __: unplugged period 54 Sign of hollowness 55 “Proof” or “Doubt” 56 “Point taken” 57 Abounding (with) 58 Review-heavy newspaper section 60 Trough spot 62 Gp. central to the 1993 Oslo Accords

ANSWERS TO PUZZLES ON PAGE B7

B5

JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

LOCAL CALENDAR LISTINGS

martin luther king JANUARY 13

Prayer Breakfast & Youth Day

Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place, 1821 NW 21st St., Ocala 9am & 1pm To honor Martin Luther King Jr., a prayer breakfast will begin at 9am, and a ticket is required; free youth activities are slated to start at 1pm. Call Dwanette Dilworth at (352) 207-6036 for more information.

JANUARY 13

Wreath Laying

Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 500 SW Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Ocala.

Noon A wreath-laying ceremony will honor the legacy of Dr. King. The event is free and open to the public.

JANUARY 13

Martin Luther King Parade

Heritage Park, 116 N Main St., Williston 12pm The parade will start at the Heritage Park pavilion

adjacent to Williston City Hall and end at Cornelius Williams Park, with other activities. For further information, go to the MLK Celebration-Levy County page at fb.com/groups/335697230479047

JANUARY 14

Ecumenical Church Service

Fort King Presbyterian Church, 13 NE 26th Ave., Ocala 5pm All are welcome at this service to celebrate Dr. King.

JANUARY 15

Martin Luther King Day March and Day in the Park

Downtown Ocala square and MLK Jr. Recreation Complex 8am-2pm Participants will gather at the downtown square and the march will end at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Complex at 1510 NW 4th St. After the march, there will be a Day in the Park event, featuring food, vendors and entertainment. To learn more, call Kelvin Richardson at (352) 207-9558.

File photo: Members of the NAACP Marion County Youth Council, front, from left, Jordan Brown, 12, Jamya Perry, 14, Timmy Curry, 19, and Audrianna Harvey, 18, carry a banner as they march together with hundreds of other people during the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative March on West Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2023.

community JANUARY 5

First Friday Art Walk

Downtown Ocala 6pm-9pm The season continues with artists, performers and craftspeople. The square’s main stage will host music and there will be other entertainment on city streets. Food and drink will be available from vendors and restaurants. The event is free to attend. For more info, visit ocalafl.gov

JANUARY 5

Senior Learners Summer Kickoff Party

College of Central Florida, Bldg. 20, Room 107, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala 1:30pm-3:30pm The Senior Learners team hosts a kickoff party for its Spring term with a chance to meet instructors and find out about classes. Subjects include history, art, health, travel, music and more. For more info, go to seniorlearners.org

JANUARY 5 & 12

Marion County Friday Market

McPherson Governmental Campus Field, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala 9am-2pm Shop locally fresh fruits and veggies, baked goods, jerky, freeze-dried treats, olive oils, seafood and more. The market recurs every Friday.

JANUARY 5-7 & 12-14

Market of Marion

Market of Marion, 12888 SE US Highway 441, Belleview 8am-4pm This is a classic farmers market with lots of vendors.

The market is open every weekend, with monthly special events like car shows on the fourth Saturday.

See themarketofmarion.com for more information.

JANUARY 6

Brown’s Junk in the Trunk

Brown’s Country Market, 13940 N US 301, Oxford 8am-1pm This monthly yard sale involves dozens of private vendors. Visit brownandbrownfarms.com/ attractions/junk-in-the-trunk for more information.

JANUARY 6 & 13

Ocala Downtown Farmers Market

Ocala Downtown Market, 310 SE Third St., Ocala 9am-2pm Vendors offer local fruits and vegetables, meats and seafood, fresh pasta, honey, jewelry, baked goodies, clothes, and arts and crafts. Check out local food trucks and the occasional guest entertainer. The market recurs every Saturday. Visit ocaladowntownmarket.com for more information.

JANUARY 6 & 13

Farmers Swap Meet

Rural King, 2999 NW 10th St., Ocala 9am-2pm A true farmers market where chickens, ducks, quail, geese, goats, turkeys, rabbits and sometimes even ponies are available, along with horse tack, homegrown plants, produce and hand-crafted items. This event recurs on Saturdays, weather permitting.

JANUARY 6

Red Sand Project

Downtown square, 1 E Broadway St., Ocala 6pm-9pm The Marion County Human Trafficking Task Force,

critters & equine JANUARY 6

Kindred Spirits Sanctuary Tours

Kindred Spirits Sanctuary, 1411 E Highway 329, Citra 10am This animal sanctuary has more than 200 residents saved from factory farming and offers tours twice a month. The suggested donation is $15 per person.

No dogs or snacks allowed for the residents. For more information, visit kssfl.org/get-involved

JANUARY 7 & 14

Winter Polo Games

Florida Horse Park, 11008 South Highway 475, Ocala 1pm Free to the public, you can tailgate right next to

the polo field and enjoy a unique afternoon out with food trucks, vendors and more. For more information, visit ocalapolo.com

JANUARY 10-14

Hunter/Jumper Show Series

World Equestrian Center Ocala, Grand Arena, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 8am-4pm This winter series continues with a variety of classes for amateurs and professionals. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit worldequestriancenter.com

in partnership with the Lisa Irwin Legacy for Arts and Culture (LILAC) and Grace Episcopal Church, will host the Red Sand Project, a participatory art project bringing people together to raise awareness about human trafficking. The seams in the sidewalks will be filled with red sand in recognition of the millions of men, women and children trapped in modern-day slavery. For more information, contact Rev. Mary Delancey at Grace Episcopal Church at (352) 622-7881.

JANUARY 10 & 11

Online Medicare Classes

JANUARY 6

First Saturdays Market in the Park

Ernie Mills Park, 11899 Bostick St., Dunnellon 10am-2pm A variety of vendors set up their booths at Ernie Mills Park. Many Dunnellon stores also offer Saturday Specials. See dunnellonchamber.com/event/firstsaturday-market-in-the-park/ for more information.

Online only Times vary, see website Topics are: Medicare Basics on Jan. 10 at 2pm; Medicare Part C on Jan. 11 at 10am; and Prescription Drug Coverage on Jan 11 at 12:30 pm.

Visit agingresources.org or call (352) 692-5209 to register.

JANUARY 11

OTOW Farmers Market

JANUARY 7

Jubilee Program NAACP

Mount Zion AME Church, 623 S Magnolia Ave., Ocala 5pm The Marion County NAACP hosts Bishop Frank Madison III, who will speak to recognize the signing of the proclamation to end slavery. Donations are welcome. Email marioncountyflnaacp@gmail.com for more information.

The Ranch Fitness Center northeast parking lot, 8405 SW 80th St., Ocala 9am-1pm Note the new temporary location for this month. Browse local farmers’ goods with fresh seasonal produce as well as baked goods, plants, handmade soaps and more. The market recurs every Thursday. Visit circlesquarecommons.com for more information.

JANUARY 11

JANUARY 7

Compassion Hills United Methodist Church Block Party 729 SE 18th St., Ocala 11am-2pm The church celebrates its opening block party with guest speakers including Ocala Mayor Ben Marciano, Mark Imes, June Edwards, Rondo

JANUARY 13

Beginner Bird Walk

Fernandez, Kendall Lane, Betti Jefferson and others. A bounce house, food trucks, games, face painters and pony rides will be part of the festivities. The church plans a holistic residential housing program for women and donations are welcomed. The party is free and open to all. Visit compassionocala.org for more information.

Tuscawilla Park, 829 NE Sanchez Ave., Ocala 10am-11:30am Join Marion Audubon on a free bird walk. This location is ideal for birders of all levels, especially for beginners and wildlife

Tyke Hikes in the Parks

Tuscawilla Park, 800 NE Sanchez Ave., Ocala 9am-10am The topics and locations vary; this week is all about fish. Designed for kids ages 4 and younger, these hikes enrich and educate children about the environments in our city parks. Visit ocalafl.gov/ recpark for details, dates and locations.

photographers. Bring binoculars if you have them. RSVP (not required but preferred) at meetu.ps/e/ML67S/zncng/I For more information, visit marionaudubon.org/events

JANUARY 13-14

US Mounted Games Southern Series Florida Horse Park, 11008 S Highway 475, Ocala All day Playing games on horseback is the event, with relay races, pole bending, balloon popping and more. Free to the public. Vendors for food and drink onsite. For more information, visit usmga.us

government JANUARY 8 & 15

Marion County Development Review Committee

Office of the County Engineer, 412 SE 25th Ave., Building 1, Ocala 9am The first step for new development projects, the committee reviews and votes on waiver requests to the Land Development Code, major site plans and subdivision plans. The committee meets weekly on Mondays. See marionfl.legistar.com/calendar.aspx for agendas and minutes.

JANUARY 9

Dunnellon Planning Commission Meeting City Hall, 20750 River Drive, Dunnellon 5:30pm Agendas, minutes and video are available at dunnellon.org/government/agendas-minutes

JANUARY 10

Marion County Board of County Commissioners

McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala 9am This is the only BOCC meeting this month. Agendas, minutes and video are available at marionfl.legistar.com/calendar.aspx

JANUARY 10

Dunnellon City Council Workshop & Meeting City Hall, 20750 River Drive, Dunnellon 5:30pm Agendas, minutes and video are available at dunnellon.org/government/agendas-minutes

JANUARY 11

Brownfields Advisory Committee & West Ocala Redevelopment Advisory Committee City Hall, 110 SE Watula Avenue, Ocala 2:30pm, 3pm

JANUARY 16

Belleview City Commission

City Hall, 5343 SE Abshier Blvd., Belleview 6pm The commission meets the first and third Tuesday of the month.

Agendas, minutes and video are available at belleviewfl.org/200/Agendas-Minutes

JANUARY 16

Ocala City Council

City Hall, 110 SE Watula Avenue, Ocala 4pm The council meets the first and third Tuesday of the month. Agendas and minutes are available at ocala.legistar.com/calendar.aspx

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

civic JANUARY 5 & 10

JANUARY 6

VFW Lunches & Dinners

Angela S. Santos FVW Post 4781, 9401 SW 110th St., Ocala Lunches 11am-2pm; dinners 4pm-6pm The post offers weekly lunches on Wednesdays and dinners on Fridays for about $5-$7 with a variable menu. The dining room is open to the public, meals are prepped by VFW Auxiliary volunteers and proceeds benefit veterans in Marion County. For the menu, call (352) 873-4781.

JANUARY 5 & 12

Blooming Violets of Marion County Marion County Sheriff’s District Office, 9048 SW State Road 200 Ocala 10:30-12:30 The group meets the first Saturday of the month for refreshments, a raffle and a program. Guests are welcome.

JANUARY 5 & 12

Kiwanis Club of Ocala

Elks Club, 702 NE 25th Ave., Ocala 12pm The club meets weekly on Fridays and supports Camp Kiwanis, children’s literacy and Habitat for Humanity. More information is available at ocalakiwanis.org.

arts JANUARY 5

Ocala Chess Club at Headquarters Library

Headquarters Library, 2720 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 11am-3pm The club meets weekly on Saturdays and new members are welcome. Bring your own chess set. For more information, visit fb.com/groups/53070499106

Webber Gallery, College of Central Florida, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala 10am-4pm; Monday-Thursdays The exhibition features 18 original etchings, lithographs and wood engravings. Admission is free. For more information, visit cf.edu/ student-life/arts-and-culture/webber-gallery

JANUARY 6

JANUARY 11

First Saturday Art Studio Creative Workshop

Coffee, Cake & Community

Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 SW Broadway St., Ocala 10am-2pm Free monthly art activities will inspire the muses.

You can bring your own supplies. For more information, contact the Marion Cultural Alliance at (352) 369-1500 or go to mcaocala.org/workshops

NOMA Art Gallery, 939 N Magnolia Ave., Ocala 1pm-4pm These weekly coffee (and cake) klatches bring together gallery guests, artists, patrons, creative types and more. All are welcome. See nomaocala.com/events for more information.

JANUARY 11-MARCH 5

“A Cracker at the Ritz”

JANUARY 6

Free First Saturday

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 10am-5pm Continuing its Free First Saturday series, this month visitors can enjoy all of the regular exhibitions plus artist Charles Eady gives a talk about his exhibition, “The Unscene South.” Food trucks are onsite throughout the day. Learn more at appletonuseum.org

JANUARY 8-FEBRUARY 5

Deadline: Florida Springsfest Photography Contest

Online submission From Jan. 8-Feb. 5, photos taken of Silver Springs State Park using any camera or mobile device can be submitted to this contest.

The contest is open to all ages and each participant may submit one photo per category: Color; Flora and Fauna; and People.

Entries must be unpublished and submitted via email to appletoneducation@cf.edu

Marion County Sheriff’s Office South Station, 3260 SE 80th St., Ocala 2pm This club meets on the first Sunday of the month for educational speakers about gardening, especially camellias, general plant advice and refreshments. Free to attend and newcomers are welcome. For more info, fb.com/people/Ocala-Camellia-Society/100064745886741

JANUARY 6 & 13

“Seeing Christ in the Darkness: Georges Rouault as Graphic Artist” Exhibit

Arts in Health Ocala Metro Headquarters, 507 NE 8th Ave., Ocala 10am-11:30am On Friday mornings, the organization is offering free art programs with Carmen Rojas Gines. All arts and crafts supplies are included. Register at aihocala.org/arts-and-crafts-for-adults.

Marion County Literacy Council, 120 SW 5th St., Ocala 8am Newcomers are welcome. Learn to feel comfortable with public speaking and improve leadership skills. This club meets Saturday mornings for practice. Contact toastmaster.sherrivaughn@gmail.com or 6938954.toastmastersclubs.org for more information.

Ocala Camellia Society

JANUARY 8-MARCH 17

Arts and Crafts for Adults

Toastmasters Early Bird Ocala

JANUARY 7

South Ocala Chess Club at Freedom Library

Freedom Public Library, 5870 SW 95th St., Ocala 10am-12pm The club meets weekly on Fridays and new members are welcome.

Bring your own chess set. For more information, contact Walt Lamp at (352) 854-9378.

JANUARY 6 & 13

Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th Ave., Ocala 7:30pm The two-act social satire skewers Florida living when Earlene, a true Florida cracker, rants, raves and sings about living in this crazy state. Tickets are $35, and the play runs every other Tuesday until March.

See reillyartscenter.com for more information.

JANUARY 13

The Grass Roots

Orange Blossom Opry, 16439 SE 138th Terrace, Weirsdale 2:30pm & 7pm Dive back into the ‘60s. Tickets are $34-$49. Check out obopry.com for more information.

JANUARY 14

The Amazzing Steel Drums

Countryside Presbyterian Church, 7768 SW Highway 200, Ocala 3pm A free concert celebrates the new year with the “happiest music on earth.” Love offerings accepted.

For more information, call (352) 237-4633.

JANUARY 14

33rd Annual Young Artist Competition: Honors Recital

Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th Ave., Ocala 3pm The junior division features students who haven’t

Ocala Golf Club, 3130 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 12pm The club meets every Thursday. Newcomers are welcome; call Membership Chairperson Libby Marks de Martino at (352) 441-0073.

THROUGH JANUARY 7

“A Dickens Christmas: The Urban Family’s Holiday Exhibition”

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 10am-5pm The Urban family’s remarkable Christmas exhibition includes extravagantly decorated trees, a Dickens Village display and a nutcracker collection. See appletonmuseum.org for more information.

THROUGH JANUARY 8

The Beauty of Nature and Recyclable Refuse

Recreation and Parks Administration Building and Adult Activity Center, 828/830 NE Eighth Ave., Ocala 8am-5pm Florida artist Albert Bevilacqua focuses this exhibit on recyclable items and has turned them into an artistic statement about protecting the environment. Free to the public, this is part of the Art in City Spaces program by the City of Ocala. See ocalafl.gov/artincityspaces for more information.

THROUGH JANUARY 9

Tony A. Blue, American Painter

Ocala International Airport, 1770 SW 60th Ave., Ocala Airport hours Blue’s exhibits include work in acrylics, mixed media and photographs. His colorful, abstract paintings are inspired by Florida’s tropical natural landscape. The exhibit is free and open to the public during airport hours. For more information, visit ocalafl.gov/artincityspaces

THROUGH JANUARY 14

“Skylines to Hemlines: Art Deco Design”

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala Tuesday-Saturdays 10am-5pm This exhibit from the museum’s permanent collections brings together an overview of 20th Century art, design, fashion, jewelry and more, focused on the unique movement of Art Deco. The

Saturday, January 6, 11 a.m.

Join Charles Eady in the Appleton auditorium for a new talk on his solo exhibition, “The Unscene South.” This event is free as part of Free First Saturday; no reservation needed.

Free First Saturdays are sponsored in part by Marion Cultural Alliance, National Endowment for the Arts and CAMPUS USA Credit Union.

Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd. | AppletonMuseum.org

Ocala Lions Club

completed high school; the senior division has artists who have. Instrumental and voice artists will perform, and finalists each receive a $200 cash award. Two winners will go on and perform in March with the Ocala Symphony Orchestra. Tickets are $10 from reillyartscenter.com

FREE FIRST SATURDAY + EXHIBITION TALK

Appleton Museum, Artspace and Store

JANUARY 11

collections include antique clothing, designed items, sculpture, posters, photographs and other artwork.

For more information, see appletonmuseum.org

THROUGH JANUARY 28

“The Unscene South” by Charles Eady

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 10am-5pm, Tuesday-Saturday This exhibit focuses on the daily lives of “free Blacks” from the Civil War era. Visit appletonmuseum.org for more information.

THROUGH JANUARY 28

“Caught Up in History and Captured on Film” by Randy Batista

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 10am-5pm, Tuesday-Saturday Batista’s work focuses on Florida and Cuba, two places that had profound impact on the artist. Visit appletonmuseum.org for more information.

THROUGH MARCH 17

Call to Artists: Student and Emerging Artist Competition

Online application The city of Ocala hosts its annual competition, which has three divisions: high school students, artists with one to three years active experience and those with four to six years. Entries must have been completed in the past two years. The deadline is March 17.

Entries can be submitted online at ocalafl.gov/ StudentAndEmergingArtistExhibit, via email to artinfo@ocalafl.gov or mailed to City of Ocala Cultural Arts, 201 SE Third Street, second floor, Ocala, FL 34471. For more information, visit ocalafl.gov/culturalarts.

THROUGH JUNE 11, 2024

“Bodies of Water” Exhibit

Clerk’s Office Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave., Ocala Mondays-Fridays, 8am-5pm Artist Rebecca Pujals-Jones exhibits this collection focused on the waterways of Florida, including Crystal River, the Chassahowitzka River and the Tsala Apopka Lakes. Visit or visit ocalafl.gov/ artincityspaces for more information.

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

WHETHER YOU WANT TO SPLURGE OR SAVE, HERE’S HOW TO MAKE A COCKTAIL THAT SPARKLES

This cocktail evolves from sip to sip. [TNS]

By Lan Lam America’s Test Kitchen

W

e started our Champagne cocktail with an Angostura bitters-soaked sugar cube in the bottom of a chilled flute.

Then we filled the glass with Champagne and garnished it with a lemon twist. These four ingredients interacted to form a cocktail that evolved from sip to sip.

Bursting bubbles aromatized lemon oils

from the twist to make the first sip bright and citrusy. Then the Champagne’s flavors and aromas took over, with whispers of warm spices and orange hinting at what was to come. As the sugar cube dissolved, it created a bitters-infused syrup. Because this syrup was denser than the wine, it stayed at the bottom of the flute.

The final sips delivered the flavors of the Angostura and balanced the bitters with the wine’s acidity and the sugar’s sweetness.

Champagne Cocktail Makes 1 cocktail

1 sugar cube 1/4 teaspoon Angostura bitters 5 1/2 fluid ounces (1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons) Champagne, chilled 1 lemon twist 1. Place sugar cube in a small bowl. Add bitters to the sugar cube.

Transfer soaked sugar cube to a chilled champagne flute. Add Champagne and garnish with lemon twist. Serve.

(For 25 years, home cooks have relied on America’s Test Kitchen for rigorously tested recipes developed by professional test cooks and vetted by 60,000 at-home recipe testers. The family of brands—which includes Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country—offers reliable recipes for cooks of all skill levels. See more online at www.americastestkitchen.com/TCA.) Animal Crackers

Broom Hilda

ANSWERS FOR PAGE B4 Sudoku Middletons

Jumble

Crossword CROAK

Gasoline Alley

DIRTY DOUBLE PRETTY He used to comb his hair to one side before his hair -DEPARTED

B8

JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE Public Notice

Public Notice

Public Notice

Filing # 188603244 E-Filed 12/22/2023 03:18:32 PM JOHNNY PAUL WOODS and BILLY L WOODS, VS. Plaintiffs, IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA EDWARD COCHRANE, JR, Defendant.

NOTICE OF ACTION; CONSTRUCTIVE SERVICE OF PROCESS - PROPERTY NOTICE OF ACTION TO EDWARD COCHRANE, JR; whose residence is known but is evading service.

CASE NO.: 2023-CC-1549 YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that an action to quiet title has been commenced on the following property in Marion County, Florida: Lots 83, 84, 86, 87 and 88, Block 9, Ocala Ridge, Unit No. 13, according to the map or plat thereof as recorded in Plat Book G, Page 94, Public Records of Marion County, Florida.

Parcel ID: 2313-009-083 Property Address: 5971 NW 11th Place, Ocala, FL 34482 And has been filed against you and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on ALEXANDRA M. SCALES, ESQ., the Plaintiff's attorney, whose address is McGraw, Rauba & Mutarelli, P.A., 35 SE 1st Avenue, Suite 102, Ocala, Florida 34471, on or before FEBRUARY 5, 2024 and file the original with the clerk of this court either before Dated on service on Plaintiff's attorney or immediately thereafter, otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint or petition.

DECEMBER 22 Alexandra M. Scales, Esq. Mcgraw, Rauba, & Mutarelli, P.A. 35 SE 1st Avenue, Suite 102 Ocala, FL 34471 352-789-6520 2023.

GREGGORY C. HARRELL As Clerk of the Court n.

BY As Deputy Clerk Electronically Filed Marion Case # 23CC001549AX 12/15/2023 10:27:35 AM CLERK MARION TO BE T AND COUNTY COMPTROL FR... VIHOTE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION IN RE: ESTATE OF CASE NO.: 23-CP-2965AX DENNIS JOSEPH FOUNTAIN, deceased NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the Estate of DENNIS JOSEPH FOUNTAIN, deceased, whose date of death was December 4, 2023; is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, Case No.: 23-CP-2965AX, the address of which is 110 NW 1st Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34475. The name and address of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF THREE (3) MONTHS AFTER TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN THREE (3) MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BEFOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. THE FIRST PUBLICATION DATE OF THIS NOTICE IS: Personal Representative: s/David S. Romanik David S. Romanik 2355 SE 5th Steet Ocala, Fl 34471 Attorney for Personal Representative: s/David S. Romanik David S. Romanik FBN: 212199 P.O. Box 993 Ocala, Fl 34478 954-610-4441 davidromanik@mac.com 2024.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA IN RE: ESTATE OF JOHN PURSELL HUGHES Deceased.

File No. 2023 CP 002779 PROBATE DIVISION NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of John Pursell Hughes, deceased, whose date of death was February 22, 2023, is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 110 NW 1st Avenue, Ocala, FL 34475. The names and addresses of the Personal Representative and the Personal Representative's attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the Decedent and other persons having claims or demands against Decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the Decedent and other persons having claims or demands against Decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is January 5, 2024.

Lisa Finn, Esq., LLM Florida Bar. No. 5472263 The Estate Plan 135 San Lorenzo Avenue, Suite 750 Coral Gables, FL 33146 Telephone: (305) 665-8888 Fax: (305) 665-3939 E-Mail: thefirm@tepfl.com Secondary E-Mail: Ifinn@tepfl.com Personal Representative: Jean West 575 SE 131st St Ocala, Florida 34880

NOTICE UNDER FICTITIOUS NAME LAW PURSUANT TO SECTION 865.09, FLORIDA STATUTES NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that James Farris will engage in business under the fictitious name ALL PRO HOME SERVICES, with a physical address 13354 SW 78th Circle , PO BOX 671 Ocala, FL 34474, with a mailing address 13354 SW 78th Circle , PO BOX 671 Ocala, FL 34474, and already registered the name mentioned above with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations.

Case No.: 2022-CA-589 Division: WILLIAM GREENSTEIN and ANGELA GREENSTEIN, Plaintiffs, and ESTATE OF SHERILL E. DEES, UNKNOWN HEIRS OF SHERILL E. DEES, ALL UNKNOWN TENANTS, RUTH MCCOLLUM, and CHRISTIAN MICHAEL DEES Defendants. / NOTICE OF SALE UNDER F.S. CHAPTER 45 NOTICE IS GIVEN that, in accordance with the Summary Judgment of Foreclosure dated November 15, 2023 and Order Cancelling and Rescheduling Foreclosure Sale dated December 5, 2023, in the above-styled cause, the Marion County Clerk of Court will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, at www.marion.realforclose.com at 11:00 a.m. on January 17, 2023 , the following described property: Lots 26, 27, 28 and 29, Block 50, Rainbow Park Unit 8, according to the map or plat thereof as recorded in Plat Book K, Page 25, Public Records of Marion County, Florida.

Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the lis pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale.

Dated: December 26, 2023 Bullock Law Firm, PLLC By: /s/ Walker W. Bullock Walker W. Bullock, Esq. Florida Bar No. 1002694 1000 NE 6 th Blvd.

Williston, FL 32696 Tel. (352) 528-4060 Fax (352) 354-8115 E-Mail: Walker@BullLawFlorida.com Attorney for Plaintiff

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA. IN RE: THE ESTATE OF DORIS K. D. HOFF, Deceased.

CASE NO: 2023-CP-2907 NOTICE TO CREDITORS The name of the decedent, the designation of the court in which the administration of this estate is pending, and the file number are indicated above. The address of the court is 110 N.W. 1st Avenue, Ocala, FL 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are indicated below.

If you have been served with a copy of this notice and you have any claim or demand against the decedent’s estate, even if that claim is unmatured, contingent or unliquidated, you must file your claim with the court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF A DATE THAT IS 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER YOU RECEIVE A COPY OF THIS NOTICE. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons who have claims or demands against the decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with the court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. EVEN IF A CLAIM IS NOT BARRED BY THE LIMITATIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE, ALL CLAIMS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN FILED WILL BE BARRED TWO YEARS AFTER DECEDENT’S DEATH. The date of death of the decedent is: November 14, 2023.

The date of first publication of this Notice is December 29, 2023.

Attorney for Personal Representative: JOSHUA L. MOSES Richard & Moses, LLC Florida Bar No. 119304 808 E Fort King Street Ocala, FL 34471 (352) 369-1300 Primary Email: Josh@RMProbate.com Personal Representative: MANUELA HENDERKES Bennigsenstr, 19 Berlin, 12159, Germany

Location Marion County, Florida NOTICE UNDER FICTITIOUS NAME LAW PURSUANT TO SECTION 865.09, FLORIDA STATUTES NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Paul LaFrance Electric, LLC will engage in business under the fictitious name LaFrance Home Inspections, with a physical address 3733 NE 4th Street, Ocala FL 34470, and already registered the name mentioned above with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations.

COMMEMORATIVE CELEBRATIONS TO HONOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

I

n honor of the late Martin Luther King Jr., celebrations and commemorations will take place around Ocala on Jan. 6 and from Jan. 13 through 15.

The annual food drive will take place starting at 9 a.m. on Jan. 6, at the Second Bethlehem Baptist Association at NW Fourth Ave. For more information, contact Ire Bethea at (352) 208-0819 or Eric Cummings at (352) 804-6871.

A prayer breakfast will begin at 9 a.m. on Jan. 13 at the Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place, 1812 NW 21st Ave. For more information, contact Loretta Jenkins at (352) 3510824.

The MLK Youth Day will start at 1 p.m. on Jan 13 at the Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place. For more information, contact Dwanette Dilworth at (352) 207-6036.

A wreath-laying ceremony will take begin at noon on Jan. 13 at Martin L. King Jr. Park, 500 SW MLK Jr. Ave. For more information, contact Cassandra Boston at (352) 209-2973.

Ecumenical services will start at 5 p.m. on Jan. 14 at Fort King Presbyterian Church, at 13 NE 36th Ave. For more information, contact Shirley Wright at (352) 732-0097.

The Historic March take place on Jan. 15. Those participating may line up downtown at 8 a.m. The march will start at 9 a.m. For more information, contact Ire Bethea at (352) 208-0819.

Transportation will be available from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. at the racquetball court at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Complex, 1510 NW Fourth St. For more information, contact Kevin B. Richardson at (352) 207-9558.

A Day in the Park will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 15. For more information about activities and vendors, contact Dwanette Dilworth at (352) 207-6036. For more information about performance space, contact Derek Ponder at (352) 857-4118 and Te’Sha Jackson at (352) 426-086.

For performance applications for the Day in the Park, email Te’Sha Jackson at entconsultantbyteshaj@gmail.com.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA. IN RE: THE ESTATE OF ROBERT T. KNOUFF, JR., Deceased.

CASE NO: 2023-CP-2969 NOTICE TO CREDITORS The name of the decedent, the designation of the court in which the administration of this estate is pending, and the file number are indicated above. The address of the court is 110 N.W. 1st Avenue, Ocala, FL 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are indicated below.

If you have been served with a copy of this notice and you have any claim or demand against the decedent’s estate, even if that claim is unmatured, contingent or unliquidated, you must file your claim with the court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF A DATE THAT IS 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER YOU RECEIVE A COPY OF THIS NOTICE. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons who have claims or demands against the decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with the court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. EVEN IF A CLAIM IS NOT BARRED BY THE LIMITATIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE, ALL CLAIMS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN FILED WILL BE BARRED TWO YEARS AFTER DECEDENT’S DEATH. The date of death of the decedent is: November 18, 2023.

The date of first publication of this Notice is January 5, 2024.

Attorney for Personal Representative: JOSHUA L. MOSES Richard & Moses, LLC Florida Bar No. 119304 808 E Fort King Street Ocala, FL 34471 (352) 369-1300 Primary Email: Josh@RMProbate.com Personal Representative: MICHAEL O'CONNOR 1202 SW 17th Street 201-164 Ocala, FL 34471

Public Notice IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION IN RE: ESTATE OF File No. 2023-CP-2895

EDWARD A. ANTABLIN,

Division PROBATE

Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE UNDER FICTITIOUS NAME LAW PURSUANT TO SECTION 865.09, FLORIDA STATUTES NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Margaret Proulx will engage in business under the fictitious name MARGARET PROULX LMHC, with a physical address 11100 SW 93rd Court Road , STE 10-304 Ocala, FL 34481, with a mailing address 11100 SW 93rd Court Road , STE 10-304 Ocala, FL 34481, and already registered the name mentioned above with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations.

Have a legal ad you need to publish?

Go to:

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The administration of the estate of EDWARD A. ANTABLIN, deceased, whose date of death was September 14, 2014, is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which 110 NW 1 st Ave. Ocala, Florida 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is January 5, 2024.

SAMANTHA SHEALY RAUBA Attorney for Personal Representative Florida Bar Number: 59503 McGraw Rauba & Mutarelli, PA P.O. Box 4440 Ocala, Florida 34478 Telephone: (352) 789-6520 E-Mail: Samantha@LawMRM.com Secondary E-Mail: Gina@LawMRM.com

CHRISTA A. ANTABLIN Personal Representative 3110 N. Newport Street Visalia, CA 93291

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE

Three short trips from Prague offer fascinating history

A trip to Konopiště Castle is like visiting a turn-of-the-20th-century time capsule. [Rick Steves]

By Rick Steves

F

rom its colorful Old Town square to its sumptuous Art Nouveau facades, Prague offers plenty to see and do. But if you’re willing to leave the city and explore the nearby Bohemian countryside, you’ll be rewarded with extraordinary scenery, moving sights, and one very bone-chilling church.

Thirty miles south of Prague is Konopiště Castle, the lavish residence of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Habsburg throne. The castle’s interior dates from about 1900, when Franz Ferdinand moved in. Money was no object as the archduke turned his castle into a palace with all the latest comforts: As one of the first castles in Europe to have an elevator, a shower with hot and cold running water, and even a newfangled flush toilet, Konopiště shows “modern” living around the year 1900.

The archduke had lots of time on his hands because his uncle, Emperor Franz

Josef, held on to power from 1848 until 1916. While he waited, Franz Ferdinand amassed one of the best collections of weaponry in the world. Guns were more than showpieces for him. Obsessed with hunting, he traveled around the world, shooting at anything with four legs: deer, bears, tigers, elephants, and Polish buffalo.

He actually recorded over 200,000 kills in his log. Keep in mind that royal hunting was a kind of massacre game with his aides sweeping doomed animals into the archduke’s eager sights. A few thousand of these trophies decorate the walls and halls of his castle.

Franz Ferdinand did way more than his share of shooting. But in 1914, he himself was shot, with his beloved wife Sophie, in Sarajevo. His assassination sparked World War I, which ultimately ended the rule of the Habsburg family – whose crown he had waited so long to inherit.

Another compelling sight near Prague is Terezín, a town built in the 1780s with state-of-the-art walls designed to keep

out German enemies. In 1941, the Nazis evicted its 7,000 inhabitants and packed in nearly 60,000 Jews, creating the Terezín Concentration Camp. The town’s historic walls, originally meant to keep Germans out, were now used by Germans to keep the Jews in. But this was a camp with a devious twist.

Terezín was the Nazis’ model “Jewish town” – in reality a concentration camp dolled up for propaganda purposes. Here in what the Nazis called a “self-governing Jewish resettlement area,” Jewish culture seemed to thrive, as “citizens” put on plays and concerts, published a magazine, and raised their families in ways that impressed Red Cross inspectors.

The Germans wanted the Jews to accept this new reality – harsh, but at least life would go on. Children made dolls of their friends “in transport” – as if relocating was just the start of the next stage of their lives. They drew carefree memories of life before incarceration and made scrapbooks about life in the

camp. The museum comes with a recreated barracks with actual belongings of Terezín inmates.

Sinks were installed – looking good for Red Cross inspectors from the outside world – but never actually plumbed with functioning pipes. Tolerable as this sham Jewish town seemed, virtually all of Terezín’s Jews ended up dying either here or at the extermination camps farther east. As you explore the camp, ponder the message of all such memorials: Forgive, but never forget.

About 40 miles east of Prague lies the refreshingly authentic town of Kutná Hora. The town sits upon what was Europe’s largest silver mine. Today, visitors play miner and climb down 200 yards below the town to explore the medieval mine shafts that honeycombed the ground under Kutná Hora. Centuries of mining in these narrow, wet shafts made the ground under Kutná Hora resemble a giant anthill. The mine was so productive that the standard coinage of much of Europe was minted right here.

Kutná Hora’s famous Bone Church looks like a normal church on the outside, but inside, the bones of 40,000 people decorate the walls and ceilings.

Fourteenth-century plagues and 15thcentury wars provided all the raw material necessary for the creepily creative monks who made these designs. Those who first placed these bones 400 years ago wanted viewers to remember that the earthly church is a community of both the living and the dead, a countless multitude that will one day stand before God. Later bone-stackers were more interested in design than theology...as evidenced by the chandelier that famously includes every bone in the human body.

Whether you’re in the mood for castles, sobering WWII history, or a quirky church, Prague’s day trips offer something for everyone. You can explore and even get back to the city in time for an evening concert.

(Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European guidebooks, hosts travel shows on public TV and radio, and organizes European tours. This column revisits some of Rick’s favorite places over the past two decades. You can email Rick at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.)

Breast density reporting and supplemental testing

By Lauren Cornell, M.D. and Kristin Robinson, M.D. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

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EAR MAYO CLINIC: I recently had my annual screening mammogram and was told everything was normal. However, I just read an article that said health care professionals must inform patients if they have dense breasts. My clinician did not share anything. Why is this information important? How do I know if I have dense breasts? What additional screening is required?

ANSWER: Breasts come in all shapes and sizes.

Breast density is not determined by how a breast looks or feels. Breast density refers to the amount of fibroglandular tissue in a woman’s breast compared to fatty tissue.

Fibrous connective tissue gives the breast shape, and glandular tissue responds to hormonal influences, produces milk and is where breast cancer forms at the cellular level. Fat in the breast is, well, just fat. On a mammogram, the fibroglandular tissue looks white, while the fat looks black. The whiter the breast appears on a mammogram, the denser it is considered.

Dense breast tissue by itself does not need to cause alarm. Approximately 40% to 50% of women have dense tissue. But women with dense breast tissue are at a higher risk for breast cancer compared to women without dense breasts. In addition, dense tissue can mask abnormalities on the mammogram, making it harder to detect small cancers.

Generally speaking, mammograms can detect approximately 80% of breast cancers in women without dense tissue, but that number decreases to below 60% in women with dense breast tissue. The more dense the breast tissue appears on a mammogram, the further the detection rate falls. That is one of the reasons for the most recent ruling by the Food and Drug Administration that aims to help further standardize information that health care organizations share. In 2009, Connecticut enacted the first breast density reporting law requiring

facilities performing screening mammograms to inform patients about breast density, and this more recent ruling will standardize reporting at the federal level.

Mayo Clinic has been providing women with information about breast density for years.

Data show us that mammograms consistently reduce breast cancer mortality by detecting breast cancer at smaller sizes and earlier stages compared to women who do not have mammograms, regardless of breast density.

Mammograms still detect microcalcifications and areas of abnormal tissue that might indicate cancer is hiding.

But women who have dense breast tissue should discuss the option of supplemental screening in addition to undergoing a yearly mammogram.

Breast density is only one factor that contributes to someone’s overall risk of developing breast cancer. The decision to undergo additional imaging may depend on your age, exactly how dense your tissue is, your personal preferences and whether you have additional risk factors for breast cancer, including family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer, prior breast biopsies, or exposure to hormones.

Today, there are several options for breast imaging that may be used in conjunction with the mammogram for women with dense breast tissue, including: • Tomosynthesis, or a 3D mammogram. This is performed at the same time as the traditional 2D mammogram. Tomosynthesis only increases cancer detection slightly, but it does reduce the likelihood of false positive findings. This translates to a lower recall rate—getting the dreaded phone call to return for an additional imaging.

• Whole breast ultrasound. This technique has been used historically for women with dense tissue, although the added cancer detection rate is relatively low compared to using mammography alone. The major downside is that whole breast ultrasound has a fairly high false positive rate.

• Contrast-enhanced digital mammography. This can be done at the same time as the traditional

screening mammogram, but uses an iodine-based contrast, delivered through an IV prior to the test. This is a newer imaging strategy, but initial research studies have been very promising.

• Molecular breast imaging (MBI). MBI is a test that uses a radioactive tracer and a special camera that looks at the energy level of cells. Cells that are growing quickly take up more of the tracer than do slowly growing cells. Cancer cells often grow quickly, so the idea is that they will take up more of the tracer. MBI is a great option for women with dense tissue who do not have a lot of other risk factors for breast cancer.

• MRI. This test has the highest cancer detection rate, finding significantly more cancers than mammograms alone. MRI is the costliest test to image breast tissue, and current guidelines recommend MRI only for women at the highest risk for breast cancer—women whose lifetime risk exceeds 20% to 25% based on several factors. MRI also is beneficial for women previously diagnosed with breast cancer and who have dense breast tissue, or if diagnosis occurred before age 50.

The decision to pursue any of these options should be made based on several factors, including which tests are accessible in your area, your insurance coverage, the pros and cons of each test, and your individual cancer risk.

Your primary care clinician is a good person to have conversations with, but you also can ask for a referral to a breast health specialist who can help guide you further to ensure you have the most appropriate imaging based on your breast density and overall cancer risk.—Lauren Cornell, M.D., Hematology/Oncology, and Kristin Robinson, M.D., Radiology-Diagnostic, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida (Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.org.)

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JANUARY 5 - JANUARY 11, 2024 | OCALA GAZETTE