Hotel Marion makeover
The historic downtown hotel is being restored, in part, to its original glory.
By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
The restoration of the historic Hotel Marion began in the spring of 2022 and the “Gazette’’ keeps popping over to see how the efforts to revive the landmark build are faring.
The project to renovate the hotel, built in 1927, is being co-managed by local business owner David Midgett and HDG Hotels.
The scaffolding came down recently, after a façade refresh that included stucco work, a new roof and new paint.
“We spent the time and money to determine the original colors of the building, decorative elements and windows, so the exterior now looks just like it did 98 years ago,” said Midgett.
Midgett told the “Gazette” that the façade required a significant amount of work to stabilize the stucco and decorative elements, which was expected.
He said the metal roof installed by the prior owners was not authentic historically, but it has now been replaced with a barrel tile roof as was originally installed.
Midgett said the biggest “unexpected” exterior expense came at the cost of $1 million when they decided to remove and repair all the “original cypress wood
Hotel Marion, page A2
DeSantis defends special session, says ‘action’ needed
By Jim Turner
Saying “a sense of urgency” exists, Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed back Wednesday against legislative leaders who called his decision to hold a special session on immigration enforcement and other issues “premature.”
With President-elect Donald Trump vowing to crack down on undocumented immigrants after he is inaugurated Monday, DeSantis said Florida won’t approach the issue in a “lackadaisical fashion.” He also said Republicans, who dominate the Legislature, campaigned on addressing illegal immigration.
“Don’t say you’ll get around to it in a few months. No, we need action, and we need action now,” DeSantis said during an appearance at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in Winter Haven.
DeSantis said the special session, which he called to start Jan. 27, is “about actually getting the policies right and delivering the results that we want to do.”
“So it’s certainly not premature,” DeSantis said. “I don’t know why you would want to wait months to be able to take action on an issue that is top drawer with voters.”
DeSantis also wants lawmakers to use the special session to address issues such as providing aid to hurricane victims; replenishing money for the My Safe Florida Home hardening program; revamping rules for ballot initiatives; and revising condominium-safety laws. DeSantis has not proposed specific legislation.
In describing DeSantis’ decision as premature Monday, House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, and Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, pointed to the March 4 start of the annual regular legislative session.
In a joint memo, the legislative leaders said they support Trump and “stand ready to follow his lead” on immigration. But the memo said that “at this time, we are not aware of any specific guidance provided to the states about actions state legislatures can take to support forthcoming federal action.”
“It is completely irresponsible to get out ahead of any announcements President Trump will make, especially
See Special Session, page A2
Veterans honored with memorial reading
The Jan. 11 event acknowledged the service of local military personnel who died between April and September of 2024.
By Andy Fillmore
andy@ocalagazette.com
The Winter Memorial Reading held Jan. 11 at the Marion County Commissioners Auditorium honored Marion
County veterans who honorably served and passed away between April and September of 2024. The group included a World War II veteran who led a squad that liberated a Nazi work camp and a former Marion County Commissioner.
Robert B. Anderson, 99, was the first American soldier to enter as his squad liberated Das K-2 Lager Kaufering III, a Nazi work camp tied to Dachau Prison, according to his son, Richard Anderson. Robert Anderson died Sept. 30, 2024. He was a native of Long
Island, New York, and moved here in 2021.According to a U.S. Army online database, he served as an infantryman and squad leader in the 63rd Division and entered World War II in December of 1944 at Marseilles, France, and fought through the
Maginot and Siegfried Lines. His squad advanced to south Germany and liberated the work camp in an area west of Munich. He was on the front lines through April of 1945, according to an email from his son.
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windows” rather than just replace them with new windows.
See
This closeup shows some of the details of the beautifully restored exterior of the historic Hotel Marion. [Photo by Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
The beautifully restored exterior of the historic Hotel Marion was revealed after The Collage Companies, the construction company overseeing the renovations, recently removed scaffolding from the building that is being renovated on North Magnolia Avenue in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. [Photo by Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
Letter to the editor
By Brooke Hamlin
In 1965, eight college women ranging in age from 18 to 20 arrived at the Chicago train station to join a group of “freedom riders” about to mount a train bound for Montgomery, Alabama. We were joining other groups, all from local colleges, who felt strongly about equal rights. We eight were committed to women’s rights as well as Black rights.
We were to join up with two seminary students who were designated as our “protectors.” They were very sweet, but we ladies immediately realized we were the strong ones.
The train left the station in the afternoon before the beginning of Martin Luther King Jr.’s march from Selma to Montgomery. We were off on an adventure with a limited idea of what we were heading into.
We settled in and began meeting our traveling companions. The nervous energy became more relaxed as we moved further into the South. When we pulled into Memphis, most of us were napping. We sat in the station longer than expected and then a conductor came through to explain they needed to change the engineer and crew but were having trouble finding anyone who was willing to take this train any further. It dawned on us that it would be a southern crew, and they wouldn’t want to be part of taking “us” to a march against “them.”
We were now in limbo. It was an hour or two later that they were able to assemble a crew to continue the trip. I don’t know but wonder if it wasn’t the same crew who started in Chicago. It was pre-dawn when we arrived in Montgomery. As we disembarked, we were met by groups of typically young Black men who spirited us out the back
Hotel Marion
Continued from page A1
The decision to restore the windows came by recommendation from the Florida Trust, “which holds and oversees the exterior conservation easement of the building” he explained.
Midgett said the window restoration did allow them to increase energy efficiency in some ways, however.
Now with the exterior renovation complete, the group is working on the interior, which also includes “small details” of preservation.
Midgett indicated that preservation has been helped along by “our federal historic tax credit consultants, Heritage Consulting Group.”
The new target date to open the Hotel Marion is the end of 2025.
doors, where a line of cars were waiting. They helped us in and asked us to sit on the back seat floor as we drove out of town toward Selma and the march. We drove past police and militia to and through the “Black” neighborhoods to the highway. We couldn’t see much until we got on the road.
Finally, we sensed a change, then saw the sea of marchers. All colors, all ages, all types, marching across the highway. It trailed on for what seemed miles. Because of our delays, we didn’t have to go all the way to Selma. We were able to stop, gather our group and join the line. Marchers were singing “We Shall Over Come” and other meaningful songs.
We talked among ourselves as well. We became acquainted with our “neighbors.” I was next to a Black teen boy who seemed to be alone and frightened. As we walked along, I focused on the state police, police and militia along the way, with guns drawn and pointed at the crowds of marchers. This just got real. I also realized we were holding hands across each line of 8 to10 people. Gripping was more like it.
The young boy next to me was even more terrified, so we surrounded him and by the time we
reached the edge of Montgomery he was calmer. He told me he was from a town nearby and just hoped he’d be okay after the march. I absorbed what he meant, and it all became even more real to me.
As the march moved on, we realized the sheer numbers of us. The crowd was huge, and we began to realize that these numbers were very intimidating to those who were threatening us.
When we reached the capital center where MLK was prepared to make his speech, our number swelled and filled every square inch in front of the capitol building.
Even with these numbers, the quiet during his speech (I have a dream) was palpable. It was like hearing one collective heartbeat.
At the end and as we were walking back to the train station, we still felt such a closeness. Once the train was underway, returning to Chicago, we knew we were changed and were filled with hope for the future of equal rights.
Though exhausted, we found it hard to sleep. We did arrive home safely and tried to relate our experiences to our peers. Suffice to say, life moved on.
Fast forward to April 4, 1968, and the assassination of MLK. By this time I was working and living in Chicago. That weekend I was heading home for a family event. I boarded the local commuter train after work. The first stop was on the west side of the city before heading into the suburbs. As we came to a stop, we could see the light of the fires that were burning everywhere. The doors opened and we could smell smoke. It was eye opening, saddening and much more emotionally.
These experiences, though life changing, became a 60-year frustration for me. I am more hopeful now, but am sure it will still take months and years to make meaningful change.
Special Session
Continued from page A1
when uninformed or ill-timed state action could potentially impair or impede the success of President Trump’s forthcoming efforts to end illegal immigration, close our borders, and protect the sovereignty of our nation,” the memo said.
They added that while DeSantis “discussed fragments of ideas for a special session … he did not release any actual bill language or even meaningful details for legislators and our constituents to consider.”
Perez and Albritton also said “there are ample funds accessible and available to pay for the state’s ongoing disaster response efforts and additional funds do not have to wait until July 1,” which is the start of the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
“Condominium safety and ballot initiatives proposing constitutional amendments are complex subjects and should be considered during the regular session, not a truncated special session,” they added.
DeSantis on Wednesday said he was surprised by the response and that changes are “not premature, but overdue.”
“You’re basically saying, after four years of (President Joe) Biden’s really, really destructive immigration and border policies, that it’s somehow premature for us to act with a new president coming in. Are you kidding me?” DeSantis added.
“This is the time to act. We don’t have time to wait. And it’s never premature to do the right thing.”
DeSantis on Monday said lawmakers need to provide “tens of millions” of dollars to assist local governments with executive orders
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from Trump that are expected to include deportation directives.
On Wednesday, he said legislation should require local law-enforcement agencies to have “maximum participation” in assisting federal immigration officials. Joining DeSantis in Winter Haven were several lawmakers and county sheriffs, who highlighted crimes committed by undocumented immigrants.
“Illegal immigration doesn’t stop at the border,” Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said. “It filters into every community in this country.”
On Tuesday, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson rejected arguments that mass deportations would hinder the state’s agriculture industry. He said what is known as the H-2A visa program, which is designed to help bring in foreign workers to perform seasonal and temporary work, “needs to be simplified.”
Share your news
The Ocala Gazette invites you to share your important news events with the community. Email your submissions to info@ocalagazette.com. Please include your name and contact information on the submission.
• Letters to the editor: 200 words or less.
• Honorable Mentions: 150 words or less about an individual or organization accomplishment in the business, education, community service, athletics or other area of endeavor. Attach a photo of the individual or group being honored, if available.
Upcoming events: Are you holding a charitable or community event that is open to the public? Include the organization hosting the event as well as the time, date and a brief description of the event, along with registration information or other important instructions.
News tips: Include whatever information you consider relevant.
Brooke Hamlin, age 18 [submitted]
This image from the Facebook page of Mark Hammer, a noted local historian, shows a photo postcard postmarked 1927 of what was then called the Community Hotel, later the Marion Hotel (Sovereign Building), which is being renovated.
Veterans
Anderson was the recipient of a Bronze Star for risking his life to save a fellow soldier, the Purple Heart for combat wounds and the French Legion of Honor, according to the email. In civilian life, he worked in the dairy and optical trades.
“The memorial touched my heart and was another opportunity to honor my father and be in awe of his service,” Richard Anderson said.
Roy Abshier, former Belleview mayor and Marion County Commissioner, passed away July 7, 2024, at age 86. He was honored as a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
Ralph Mueller, served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War and was a regular presence at the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park. Muller died on Nov. 22, 2024, at age 91. He was affectionately known for his harmonica playing.
The quarterly memorial is a joint project of Marion County Veterans Services, the Ocala Chapter of National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Children of the American Revolution Ocali Chapter the Friends of Marion County Veterans Park, the Marion County Veterans Council and Empath Hospice of Marion County.
Retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief Don Kennedy noted in his keynote address: “Today we honor our veterans, not just for their service, but for the sacrifices, they and their families, endure.”
He also said, “Time away from home stretches endlessly and many family milestones are missed” and talked about the “profound emotions” of homecoming.
Marine Corps veteran David Bice rang a bell as each veteran’s name was announced. Marion County Veterans Service Office Director Jeffrey Askew was on hand to help host the event.
Donna George lost her husband, Rodney, 78, on July 25, 2024. He was a Vietnam War veteran who served as a medic and made the Army his career.
“The memorial meant a lot,” she said.
Army veteran Robert Lee Hyder, 74, a resident of Umatilla, passed away on Aug. 14, 2024. Hyder served as a medic during the Vietnam War. He went on to serve for more than three decades in the HVAC and refrigeration trade. He was known to put others first and was quick to offer help, according to a family friend at the memorial. Hyder is survived by his wife of 53 years, Carolyn, along with two daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
James Colvin, 89, a U.S. Air Force veteran, died on Sept. 29, 2024. He had decades of service with the Air Force and served during the Korean War and Vietnam War. His widow, Diana Colvin, attended the memorial.
Family members were welcome to take a small commemorative plaque honoring each service member, provided by the local DAR. The plaque could be kept by the family or be placed on the Wall of Heroes in the Veteran Education Center adjacent to the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park, according to the memorial program. Betty Hanlon attended to
honor her husband, Rodger Hanlon, an Air Force flight mechanic who passed away at age 84.
“It meant a lot to him to be in the military and he was very proud of being in the Air Force,” she said.
Susan Hanlon, the couple’s daughter, who was born when the family was stationed in Okinawa, attended the memorial.
“I’m proud of my dad,” she said.
To learn more, go to marionfl. org/agencies-departments/ departments-facilities-offices/ veterans-services
VETERANS WHO WERE HONORED
U.S. ARMY
Robert B. Anderson
Robert Branch
Daniel P. Clifford
Edwin C. Cluster
Richard J. Cody
Robert W. Daughtry
Herbert L. Dillard, Sr.
Allen Edie
Louis Fossaceca*
Kevin L. Geathers
John Geer
Rodney George
Nathan C. Gilman
John Gingery
George E. Gould
Gertrude E. Hutter
Irving Isicoff
John Kilnesmith
Kirby W. Manning
John Morrison Jr.
Joe W. Norris
Joseph B. Parker
Russel E. Poehlman
Charles Rhodes
Karl E. Richmond
Daniel Robin
Homer M. “Fuzz” Rothfusz
James Stanislawski
Norman E. Thibodeau
Alfred Weiss
U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS
Donald C. Lindsey
Opening January 18
U.S. NAVY
Richard G. “Rick” Ashman
Gerald Buscemi
Aubrey B. Campbell
Thomas A. Cambre
Joseph Carlucci
Charles Cirolo
Gary Cook
Sherry Creech
Vincent De Ceasare
Morris C. Foreman
John Horstman
Walter William Lane
Alfred L. Merrill
James P. Moellentine
Joseph E. O’Brien
Nelson Prentice
Leroy Thompson
Washburn W. “Tre” Wear III
U.S. MARINE CORPS
Roy E. Abshier
Charles Barrack Sr.
David Boncosky
Gary Bruso
Hubert L. Johnson Jr.
James Snelling
William L. “Bill” Steigner
U.S. AIR FORCE
Robert L. Bee
James Colvin
Louis Fossaceca*
Rodger Hanlon
Robert Hollingsworth
FRAMING TOKYO
Joel Bustamante’s Architectural Photography
Joel Bustamante, Japan Technology Expo, Tsukuba, Japan, 1985,
Kawasumi.
Donna George displays the commemorative plaque provided by the local chapter of the DAR, for her late husband and Army veteran, Rodney George, who was one of the local veterans honored at the Winter Memorial Reading held Jan .11, 2025. [Photo by Andy Fillmore]
Robert B. Anderson was a World War II veteran who led a squad that liberated a Nazi work camp. This photo is from 1946, according to his son, Richard. [Photo courtesy Richard Anderson]
IHMC kicks off 2025 evening lecture series on Jan 23
Dr. Johnathan Edwards will discuss the use of ketamine in treating mental health issues.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
The Institute for Human & Machine Cognition Ocala evening lecture series for this year will lead off with Dr. Johnathan Edwards discussing “Ketamine: From Anesthetic to Healer” on Jan. 23 in downtown Ocala.
Dr. Thomas Insel, former director of the National Institutes of Mental Health, believes that ketamine “is the most important breakthrough in mental health in 50 years,” according to materials provided by IHMC Ocala.
“Multiple studies have demonstrated the efficacy of ketamine to treat suicidality, depression and PTSD. Controversial psychedelics like ketamine save lives. Edwards’ discussion in Ocala will look at suicide’s devastating cost to society and how to prevent it, and how ketamine stops suicide in its tracks,” the material notes.
Edwards is a practicing anesthesiologist and visiting physician at IHMC. Through 20 years of experience, he has used ketamine extensively to treat mental health issues. He co-authored “The Revolutionary Ketamine” with Gavin de Becker to spread the message that ketamine can save lives. He also has published several other books.
Edwards grew up in the Mojave Desert in California, aspired to be a professional motocross racer and then decided to attend medical school. He received his A.S. at Victor Valley Community College, a B.S. in physiology at UC Davis, an M.D. at the Eastern Virginia Medical School, Internal Medicine at the University of Nevada, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of Utah, Neurology at the University of Claude Bernard in Lyon, France, and completed his anesthesiology residency in Tampa at the University of South Florida. After years in private practice, he returned to research and is now earning his Ph.D. in neurophysiology at the University of Paris.
To learn more about the doctor, the “Gazette” did an email question and answer session with him.
Q: It seems you’re a bit of a daredevil/ competitive athlete. When did that begin?
A: From a very young age, all I ever wanted to do was race motorcycles. Growing up in the desert in California, I rode my motorcycle every day. I was obsessed with racing motocross. My uncle raced off-road motorcycles and was very good at it, and my grandfather raced Porches on the SCCA circuit until he was 82. He was the oldest racer in the SCCA; only Paul Newman beat his record, I believe.
My mom wanted me to go to school and she gave me a choice: pay rent or go to school. I did achieve my dream of racing professionally, but I had a nearcareer-ending accident at 18. I was one of the best amateur motocross racers in the country and I broke my tibial plateau and needed a bone graft from my hip to repair it. I was attending college at the time to appease my mom, with no intention of finishing since racing was my priority. But, during that time, I had to recover
from my knee injury and a chemistry professor, Dr. Chimklis, took me under her wing. I made good grades and learned how to study. I returned to motocross, but it was becoming a financial burden. I was on the cusp of signing a sponsor when I nearly broke my knee again. When I went into the ER to have my knee evaluated, I made a deal with myself and God: if my knee was broken again, I would keep racing, even if I broke every bone in my body. But if my knee wasn’t broken, I would sell everything and go full-time to school to become a doctor. The ER physician showed me the X-ray and said my knee was fine and I could go home. I remember making the sign of the cross limping out of the ER and the rest is history!
Q:When did you know you wanted to be a scientist/doctor/researcher?
A: I thought about physical therapy, but when I saw that the top of sports medicine was being a doctor, I knew that was my aim. I worked very hard in VVC and did well. Then, I transferred to UC Davis and enrolled in biology. I had to step it up to get good grades. I remember many times people, counselors and others telling me I would never get into medical school since I didn’t have an academic history. That only made me want to work harder, and I knew I could do it since I had already built the determination from racing motorcycles. Basically, I applied that determination to my pre-med courses and also met the right people and studied hard. I earned the grades I needed and made the Dean’s List.
In my first interviews to get into medical school, there were doctors who told me that since I had not wanted to become a doctor since grade school, “I wasn’t made for it.” It wasn’t until a family doctor looked at me, my work ethic and my grades and told me I would make a great doctor that I was accepted into medical school.
Q: How did you become involved with ketamine/suicide?
A: My grandfather committed suicide when I was 7 years old. I remember the day vividly. My parents told me I was going to Grandma’s and I entered the house and all my relatives were crying, especially my
grandmother. It was a lot to take in, and I didn’t understand.
My grandfather was born on an Indian reservation and it was explained to me that when he was diagnosed with COPD and needed to be put on oxygen, he was not meant to be on earth any longer and had no hesitations about taking his life. He also was depressed and in pain from working all of his life. He was a person with alcoholism, which undoubtedly played a part.
Fast forward to medical school, I was very interested in why people committed suicide. It seemed unimaginable, but I saw so many patients in the psychiatric ward who had attempted suicide. I wondered why we didn’t have something to stop suicide. In the ‘90s, there was honestly nothing except electric shock therapy.
As an anesthesiologist, I became aware of ketamine. I always knew it was a great anesthetic and used it in many surgeries. I remember when the research came out about how ketamine could stop suicide in the 2000s. The use of ketamine for mental health was not considered standard, but I took notice. Although I didn’t find myself in a position to use ketamine to stop suicide until much later, I always read the literature and spoke with psychiatrists.
Then, when I met Gavin de Becker, he asked me: “Johnathan, what do you think about ketamine?” Gavin is brilliant, and I wondered why he asked me. I said it was a drug I had used in my anesthetic practice; I appreciated that it could stop suicide and treat depression. He said, “Johnathan, I am glad that you answered my question that way, and I just want to let you know that I was prepared if you were to answer the question the other way.” I was intrigued with what the “other way” was. Gavin had already been helping some women in a shelter he assisted with, providing ketamine treatments for suicide. and knew it helped. He had encountered much resistance to suggesting ketamine to people because they thought it was only a party drug and for use in animals.
He told me the book needed to be written and that if I wrote it, he would write the forward. I was taken aback because it’s not every day that the author of a bestseller, “The Gift of Fear,” offers to help you with a book. I had written two other books by this point, so I understood the value of his offer. So, I signed up for the adventure of my life. The first book was “Suicide, Covid-19, and Ketamine – How a little-known drug saves lives.” That book was pretty dark and covered the suicides that happened because of the lockdowns and pandemics, especially in children. I self-published that book and then Skyhorse Publishing offered to write a second edition, which we called “Revolutionary Ketamine.”
The “Revolutionary Ketamine” sold many copies, and I gave a talk on it in New York, called “SPEAK HEALTH,” which is a competitor to TED Talks and can be found on YouTube. Today, I have clinics where I give ketamine to people diagnosed with suicide and depression. I have seen ketamine stop suicide personally and believe in the treatment.
Q: Why would ketamine scare people?
A: For two reasons: it is known
as a party drug and a horse tranquilizer. Ketamine, as it is used as a party drug, has nothing to do with how it is used in hospitals or ketamine clinics. Street ketamine comes in a powder, is snorted like cocaine and is often laced with other drugs like fentanyl. Ketamine used in a clinic comes in a sterile vial, is inspected, given at a tenth of the dose and is entirely safe.
The vision of ketamine being used to put down large animals also gives the drug a bad name. Most people have no idea that ketamine is safely used in the hospital, especially in children. It is on the World Health Organization list of essential medications as it is still the most utilized anesthetic in the world. It can be used in rural medical settings and other countries without developed medical systems.
Q:
When did it become legal and more readily available?
A: Only recently did a form of ketamine get FDA approval to treat mental illness. Other than that, physicians use ketamine “off-label” to treat suicide and depression. It is important to realize that over 80 percent of all medications are used “offlabel” in one form or another. It was in the early 2000s that healthcare practitioners began using ketamine in a mental health setting. The studies are irrefutable, as are many anecdotal cases in which ketamine has saved lives. Today, there are over 500 ketamine clinics in the U.S., and in Europe as well. Providing ketamine to more people will hopefully make a difference in the more than 50,000 people who successfully take their own lives from suicide each year. Ketamine works because it changes the hope equation. Suicide is, by definition, isolation, burden, severe depression and hopelessness in a vulnerable situation with a lethal means. Once a person goes through a ketamine experience—and it is a journey—they come out with changed hope. The person always needs therapy to move forward, but ketamine can help the depression and give that person time to gather themselves and get the help they need.
Q:
How did you become involved with IHMC?
A: Through my interest in attending the IHMC lectures, I got to know Laurie Zink, who made it possible for me to meet Dr. Ken Ford. We hit it off during my visit to Pensacola and we have since worked together on other projects, such as my Ph.D. in France and the Bluesky project about dealing with Florida firefighters and suicide. Edwards lives in Port Orange with his wife, Mai Linh, daughter Charlotte, and a Boston Terrier. They also live part-time in Provence, France.
“I did part of my studies in France and am a fluent French speaker. I am a competitive cyclist and tennis player and continue to write books. I also work part-time for Gavin de Becker and Associates as the medical director for the organization,” he shared.
The IHMC evening lectures begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. at 15 SE Osceola Ave., followed by the talk at 6 p.m. They are free to attend but seating is limited. To RSVP, go to ihmc.us/ lectures/20250123
Dr. Johnathan Edwards [Photo courtesy IHMC]
Football stadium light project delayed by over three months
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
The completion of lighting upgrades for high school football stadiums across the county has been delayed, in an effort to minimize disruption to football and soccer schedules.
Marion County Public Schools approved a $2.2 million project last June to replace the lighting for every football stadium across the county’s eight stadiums.
Originally anticipated to complete in December of 2024, the project has now been extended by 95 days and is anticipated to complete on Feb. 7.
“Marion County Public Schools is in the process of installing district-wide stadium lighting upgrades. Work needed to be paused to accommodate the schools’ football playoff and soccer schedules,” according to MCPS.
Construction is intended to take place from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
“The football stadium lighting systems around the district consist of metal halide and metal sulfide lamps which cannot be purchased anymore and therefore cannot be maintained,” according to MCPS.
Each light fixture will be replaced at each pole with the LED light fixtures, new ballasts and drivers, according to MCPS.
“This will allow a quicker start on the lights once turned on, will produce more lumens thus making the field brighter, and will result in a much longer life span of the lamps,” according to MCPS.
The district also said it intends to make the same improvements to the lighting at each baseball and softball field. Funding has not yet been secured for those fields, so the lighting replacements will be completed in a separate phase.
The work is being done
Ocala/Marion County authors to appear at event
BookExpo 2025 will take place Jan. 26 in The Villages.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
Local author Marian Rizzo, whose recent faithbased works in progress include the Bible-based “The Shepard’s Walk” and futuristic “Time Capsule,” will be one of several authors from Marion County on hand at BookExpo 2025, scheduled for Jan. 26 in The Villages.
“In Search of Felicity: In the Footsteps of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings,” one of her dozen-plus published works, is likely to draw questions at Rizzo’s table. The novel, in brief, features a news writer working on an assignment at the famous Rawlings home in Cross Creek, a short distance north of Ocala in Alachua County.
“People like to read about their own area,” Rizzo said.
Rizzo said the inspiration for her novels comes from sources including her thoughts and scripture. Her publications are available locally at Barnes & Noble and Gabriel’s Christian Book & Supply in Ocala. She said she has participated in the
BookExpo in past years and finds it “worthwhile” for writers and readers.
“I love to go to other author’s tables,” she said.
BookExpo 2025, presented by the Writers League of The Villages and The Villages Recreation Department, will offer attendees a chance to meet and chat with more than 90 award-winning authors.
The event will include talks by Gerry “Rock” Seader, a 40-year veteran of the music industry and leader of the band “Rocky and the Rollers,” and Mike Bowling, author, inspirational speaker and inventor of the Pound Puppies toys, according to writersleagueofthevillages.com
Ross Becker, a Marion County resident, is a 50-year veteran of network broadcast journalism and a non-fiction writer. He will have a table at BookExpo2025.
“The news and the media are such hot topics right now, I am looking forward to interacting with the attendees,” Becker wrote in an email.
Charlaine Martin of Marion County is an author, freelance writer and “Christian wellness
coach.” Her non-fiction genre includes titles such as “Snapshots of Hope & Heart” and “Renewed Christmas Blessings.”
“Readers often ask for personal stories, which are abundant in the compilations with some of my work. The responses I’ve received have helped me a lot as I work on two books due for release in late 2025 and 2026. Their input has shown me that I should use personal stories as I write about grief and moving on, but also using a storying format would help them relate to the Bible study I’m working on. This is my third year offering books and meeting great people at this incredible event. I’ve enjoyed learning what they love to read and getting to know them. I can’t wait to see them again this year,” Martin said via email.
Dave McKeon, a resident of The Villages, is a Vietnam War-era veteran who held a top-secret security clearance and has served as a professional advisor to organizations including the National Security Agency, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Navy
and professional sports teams. McKeon, an award-winning writer, will have a table to discuss his short stories and the “Lou Gualt Thriller” adventure series about a former commando turned outdoorsman.
“The author takes you places you have never been before. You will enjoy exploring these places while following
Lou Gault’s journey,” McKeon stated in part in a review of “Sabotage” on his website, avillagewriter.com
BookExpo2025 will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 26, at the Eisenhower Recreation Center, 3560 Buena Vista Blvd., The Villages. To learn more, go to writersleagueofthevillages.com
Ocala author Marian Rizzo, left, pets a lamb held by Cherokee Vadala, farm manager at the Fairmeadow Florida Cracker Sheep Farm on Aug. 8, 2024. Rizzo was visiting the farm to do research for her 11th novel, “The Shepherd’s Walk, from the Manger to the Cross.”
[Photo by Bruce Ackerman]
by Scorpio Corporation, the district’s annually contracted construction managers,
according to MCPS. The last stadium to be completed will be Dunnellon
High School, which is slated to start on Jan. 16 and finish on Feb. 5.
The Vanguard Knights run onto the field before a game against South Sumter at Booster Stadium in Ocala on Oct. 18, 2024. [Photo by Bruce Ackerman]
ocalagazette
County officials deliver their wish list to state elected officials
By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
Hundreds of local elected officials, nonprofit leaders, members of the public, and legislative support staff gathered at the College of Central Florida on Jan. 8 to remind locally elected state representatives of the needs of Marion County before they head to the 2025 state legislative session in Tallahassee.
The state delegation had three familiar faces: Yvonne Hinson, who is now serving her third term as a State House representative for District 21, which encompasses parts of Marion and Alachua counties; Ryan Chamberlin, who is serving his second House term for District 24, encompassing a swatch of central Marion County and much of the City of Ocala; and Marion County’s only state senator, Stan McClain.
McClain has a long history in Marion County. He sat on the Marion County Board of County Commissioners for 12 years and then termed out as a State House Representative for District 27 before being elected to the District 9 seat. McClain’s son Matthew McClain is a member of the Marion County Board of County Commissioners.
Newcomers were House representatives Judson Sapp for District 20, which encompasses Putnam County and parts of Clay, Marion and St. Johns counties; J. J. Grow for District 23, which includes Citrus County and part of Marion County; and Richard Gentry for House District 27, which encompasses parts of Lake, Marion, and Volusia counties.
MARION COUNTY CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS
Clerk of the Court and Comptroller for Marion County Greg Harrell told the delegation that he didn’t have any specific requests but offered data to the delegates should they need it during the session.
“Don’t be shy,” Harrell said, encouraging them to reach out.
George Albright, Marion County’s Tax Collector, asked the delegates to consider allowing the tax collector to offer the public the ability to round up when making payments and designate those funds to a charity trust.
Albright pointed out that many retailers are allowed to collect money for designated charities through this method and that the statewide network of tax collectors should be able to collect money for their respective local causes.
Albright also encouraged the delegates to value the network of tax collectors as a method of implementing new statewide measures since the departments were already staffed and had the infrastructure to take on more duties.
MARION COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Four of the five Marion County Board of Commissioners stood before the legislators, led by Chair Kathy Bryant, who started her presentation by welcoming the delegates to Marion County, “the best county out of Florida’s 67,” which brought laughter and clapping from the crowd.
“I also want to throw two things at you to remember as to this legislative [session]: home rule and no preemptions,” Bryant said to more laughter and hooting from the audience.
During the presentation, Bryant asked for appropriation requests for the following projects:
FUNDING THE LOWELL MUNICIPAL
DRINKING WATER PROJECT- $2,500,000
This area has contaminated soil, making it difficult for area residents who rely on wells. The county received $3.5 million in the last session for planning and designing a potable water system that would provide clean drinking water to the citizens within the area as well as the State Fire College and nearby state-run prisons. However, the county needs to install a 12-inch water line, a total of 6.73 miles, to deliver water, which comes at an additional cost.
ROADWAY AND UTILITY
IMPROVEMENTS ON NW 49TH STREET FROM NW 70TH AVE TO NW 44TH AVE$2,000,000
The county said the estimated cost of a roadway improvement totals $30 million and that On Top of the World and the World Equestrian Center are both contributing their proportionate share of the funding for the four-lane corridor that would allow residents to move north and south without having to enter Interstate 75.
BRADFORD-MA BARKER HOUSE$950,000
A home where the most prolonged FBI shoot-out occurred was moved to Carney Island Recreation and Conservation Area after the county received it as a gift from new property owners who did not want to preserve it.
The county leaders are seeking help for infrastructure improvements and site preparation for additional buildings, including an interpretive center that complies with ADA requirements.
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
(MARIO) - BELLEVIEW CLINIC - $250,000
The county said the current modular building being used for the Florida
Department of Health-Marion clinic in Belleview is more than 25 years old and past its expected life cycle. Officials asked for help with design costs of a new site-built facility that is expected to provide space for health care workers. The county added that designing the facility to withstand 140 mph winds would aid in future post-hurricane recovery efforts.
As far as legislative change requests, the county officials asked the delegation to consider statutory changes as follows:
FLORIDA STATUTES 180.02 & 180.06
REGARDING MUNICIPAL UTILITIES
Municipalities, such as the cities of Dunnellon and Ocala, can run utilities outside their boundaries into unincorporated county areas.
The county said the “statutory scheme creates the possibility that customers in the unincorporated area will be paying higher rates to subsidize the lower rates of municipal customers, and the city’s elected officials have no political accountability to the customers in the unincorporated areas.”
The county asked that statutes be amended to “provide counties the same affordances as municipalities and private companies. Additionally, to enumerate that where a county has, by ordinance, established one or more utility service areas in the unincorporated area and where the county has the current ability or intent to provide service within 18 months, a municipality may not provide utility services within such county service area(s) without consent of county.”
FLORIDA STATUTE 553.80(7)(A)
–CLARIFICATION ON BUILDING FEES FOR ENFORCING FLORIDA’S BUILDING CODE
The county asked for this statute to be clarified so that the county can carry forward funds collected from inspections at its discretion rather than requiring them to use them specifically for the prior four fiscal years’ operating budgets.
FLORIDA STATUTE 287.055 –PROCUREMENT PROCESS UNDER THE COMPETITIVE CONSULTANT’S NEGOTIATION ACT (CCNA)
County officials said “restrictions set by the state regarding CCNA prohibit the county from bidding these types of services against each other, and also prohibit the county from asking for the price of a project upfront and require the county to shortlist for interviews/presentations” as it relates to “Architects, Engineers, Mappers, etc.”
Officials said the process under CCNA takes approximately three months to complete and that changes to the resulting contracts are cumbersome and cost the taxpayers due to time delays.
Officials indicated they would appreciate legislation that raises continuing contract study activity threshold for professional services from $500,000 to $1 million.
FLORIDA STATUTE 112.91 – FIREFIGHTER INSURANCE COVERAGE
Marion officials asked that legislation supporting families of firefighters injured or killed during official training exercises be allowed to continue to receive insurance benefits.
OTHER NOTABLE LOCAL PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED BY THE COUNTY
County officials also expressed support for allowing swimming again at Silver Springs, continued funding for septic to sewer conversion programs, and coordinating efforts to protect natural resources at Silver Glen Springs and the Rainbow River.
Additionally, they asked the legislators to support the efforts of the Ft.
King Heritage Foundation; Marion Senior Services; the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, and the Marion County Memorial Honor Guard and other veterans’ organizations.
From left, Rep. Yvonne Hinson, Rep. J..J. Grow, Rep. Ryan Chamberlin, Sen. Stan McClain, Rep. Judson Sapp and Rep. Richard Gentry, sit together during the Marion County Legislative Delegation at the Klein Conference Center at the College of Central Florida in Ocala, Fla. on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025.
Kathy Bryant, chair of the Marion County Commission, right, speaks to legislators as other members of the Marion County Commission, from left, Matt McClain, Craig Curry and Michelle Stone, applaud during the event.
Marion County Tax Collector George Albright makes a point.
Marion County Clerk of Court and Comptroller Greg Harrell speaks.
Photos by Bruce Ackerman
City of Ocala legislative priorities
City of Ocala Force Main Construction
Compiled
by
Jennifer Hunt Murty
Ocala City Manager Pete Lee addressed the delegation during the public meeting on behalf of the Ocala City Council regarding the city’s legislative priorities and appropriation requests.
CITY’S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES RE: HOUSING
Lee encouraged legislators to continue funding affordable housing initiatives including the Sadowski Trust Fund and the SHIP Program and to support programs for “affordable, entrylevel, workforce and veterans’ housing, including down payment and tenant-based assistance.”
One program Lee pointed to was the state’s Hometown Heroes Program, which ran out of money quickly due to high demand. The initiative provided down payment and closing cost assistance to first-time, income-qualified homebuyers to purchase a primary residence in the community where they work and serve as first responders.
Additionally, the city asked legislators to support housing for the unhoused.
PROTECT MUNICIPALITIES’ POWER
Lee echoed Marion County leaders’ opposition to “legislative measures limiting home rule, including those that result in unfunded mandates.”
Contrary to the county’s request for municipalities to seek the county’s approval before offering utility services in unincorporated Marion, the city asked legislators to “protect municipalities’ authority, per Florida Statute 180.02, to extend services upon request, up to five miles from the municipal limits.”
Ocala leaders oppose “legislation that would prohibit municipal electric utilities from using specified revenues to finance general government functions.”
PROPERTY INSURANCE
The city wants legislators to “continue supporting comprehensive reform to include: Promote and incentivize natural disaster mitigation strategies and community resilience projects” while requiring insurers to “clearly outline premium calculations and justify rate increases, allowing for greater oversight and accountability.”
Also, the city is asking them to consider expanding the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (FHCF) “by increasing its capacity to provide reinsurance to insurance companies at a lower cost, which can reduce premiums for homeowners; offer incentives or subsidies to encourage private reinsurers to operate in Florida, increasing competition and lowering costs.”
HEALTH AND SAFETY
In addition to asking legislators to continue supporting transportation and projects that improve water quality, the city’s written request to delegates asked for increased funding for “mental health services, dementia-related care, opioid-addiction treatment, and wrap-around services,” as well as to establish Florida as a “hands-free” state to improve public safety.
APPROPRIATION REQUESTS
CITY OF OCALA SEWER EXFILTRATION PROJECT
The city’s report to the delegation indicates funding would be used to “perform injection grouting and lining of the City of Ocala’s sewer pipes and maintenance holes that have degraded over time. During normal operations, the degraded sewer infrastructure allows sewage flows to leak into surrounding soils and flow to the water reclamation facility. This will not only reduce nutrient loading in the Silver Springs and Rainbow Springs Basins, but it will also lower the treatment of effluent at the water reclamation facilities and prevent sanitary sewer overflows during storm events.”
City of Ocala Force Main Construction
The city’s report to the delegation indicates the funding for this project “aims to install 1,150 linear feet of eight-inch force main that will connect to Lift Station 146 and install 3,000 linear feet of 12-inch (pipe) on SE 21st Avenue.” These improvements will increase capacity “necessary for current and future development of West Oak and prevent downstream pressure issues at Lift Station 85.”
The city noted in it’s appropriation request that it’s currently using an alternative route due to an out-of-service main at SE 21st Avenue that is “causing pressure and odor issues.”
Marion school officials lay out 2025 legislative priorities
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
The Marion County School Board has asked the Florida Legislature to prioritize several educational and facility issues in the upcoming 2025 legislative session, which begins March 4.
The board urges the legislators to prioritize the following issues:
Attendance and absenteeism
Give flexibility to local school districts by amending 1003.26(1) (b), which would eliminate the 90-day period requirement, allowing school districts to initiate chronic absenteeism strategies immediately upon the 10th student absence.
As of 2024, 25% of Marion County students are chronically absent, over 7% are nearly chronic and 17% are trending chronic. Statewide, 31% of students were chronically absent in the 2022-23 school year.
A student who is chronically absent misses 10% or more of the academic year, including excused and unexcused absences, suspensions and other time missed. This figure is based off a typical 180-day school year, according to AttendanceWorks.org
In the 2023-24 school year, Marion County Public Schools had 32 truancy cases, compared to 20 in the previous school year.
School safety
Increase the FEFP (Florida Education Finance Program) Safe Schools Allocation to include additional funding for school safety initiatives (including after school activities) and school safety officers.
Across all schools, MCPS currently has 41 Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies who work as School Resource Officers (SROs) to monitor and protect schools. The district also has contracts with the Ocala Police Department and the Belleview Police Department to station law enforcement at every school in the district.
Every SRO is stationed at their respective schools during class hours only, unless requested and paid to be present after school by a principal.
In May 2024, concerns were raised over the lack of SROs present at after-school events after a shooting took place in the parking lot of North Marion Middle School during an evening awards ceremony.
Mental health
Increase the FEFP mental health allocation and provide flexibility to school districts for recruitment and retention efforts of school social workers and guidance
counselors. Create high school career pathway for mental health certifications and programming.
In the 2022-23, Marion County’s rate of licensed mental health professionals was drastically lower than the state average, according to data from Florida Health.
Marion County has about 45 licensed mental health counselors per 100,000 people in the population, while the statewide average is about 65 per every 100,000.
Funding for Gifted Education
Allocate specific funding to meet the needs of students with Gifted Education Plans.
The statewide model for funding gifted education is combined with funding for Exceptional Student Education (ESE), which provides programs for students with disabilities. MCPS seeks to provide specific funding for students who have been classified as gifted.
Across MCPS, universal gifted screening is conducted in the second grade. In the 2023-24 school year, 3,289 students were screened, with 121 students referred for further evaluation.
In the state of Florida, a gifted education plan includes a statement of the student’s present levels of educational performance, including the student’s strengths and interests, needs beyond the general curriculum, results of the student’s performance on state and district assessments, and evaluation results. This allows teachers and students to establish goals and objectives for gifted students to work toward.
Funding for growing school districts
Correct capital funding disparities by calculating increased capital outlay FTE for districts with three years of growing enrollment.
Currently, the statewide standard for appropriating Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) funds is for school districts lacking sufficient resources to meet
Jay Allen to headline benefit weekend
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
The Pinnacle Cares 2025 Gala Weekend, from Jan. 25 to 27, will include a free concert by country artist Jay Allen, whose 2018 hit “Blank Stares” is a tribute to his mother, who suffered from early-onset Alzheimer’s.
Hosted by Pinnacle Retirement Advisors, proceeds from the concert, a golf tournament and a gala evening, will benefit the Nancy Renyhart Dementia Education Program and the mission of “full life care, helping families and patients in need across our community,” according to materials provided by Gary Crawford, with Pinnacle Retirement Advisors.
“All proceeds this year go directly to the remodeling of the Center at Hospice of Marion County/Empath Health, this is the future home of the Nancy Renyhart Dementia Education Program,” he wrote via email. The Nancy Renyhart Dementia Education Program’s mission is to help erase the stigma and misunderstanding of dementia by encouraging conversation about the disease, while advancing education and training that leads to compassionate care for individuals as well as support for caregivers and families, according to Empath Hospice of Marion County materials.
Renyhart, a former HOMC patient, passed away April 30, 2020. Her husband, John Renyhart established the Nancy Renyhart Endowment for Dementia Education at Hospice
of Marion County, which evolved into the Nancy Renyhart Center for Dementia Education.
Allen, who is originally from Iowa, has been an advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association, from which he has received numerous accolades. He recently was invited to the White House for a private screening of the documentary “Unconditional,” which features a song he wrote for the film. In his 2024 “Night of Hope Tour,” he performed across the country, sharing the story of losing his mother to early onset Alzheimer’s and continuing to raise awareness about the disease.
The Pinnacle Cares 2025 Gala Weekend will kick off Jan. 25 with an evening gala at Hilton Ocala. It will begin with a cocktail hour at 6 p.m. and include dinner, inspiring stories, an auction and Allen performing one song. The honoree of the evening will be
Dr. Segismundo “Picky” Pares, a local specialist in hospice and palliative care medicine.
On Jan. 26, Allen and his five-piece band The Stallions will perform a free concert at 7 p.m. at the Circle Square Cultural Center in southwest Ocala.
On Jan. 27, the gala weekend continues with a golf tournament at the Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club, with check-in at 8:30 a.m. and a shotgun start at 10 a.m. It will include lunch and awards, as well as a “mini” concert by Allen. “Pinnacle Cares 2025 is presented by my firm, Pinnacle Retirement Advisors. The net proceeds are being matched up to 500k this year by the foundation (hospiceofmarion. org/fundraisers). We are excited to announce the doors should be opened October of 2025,” Crawford noted via email.
urgent construction needs. The proposed projects must be deemed a critical need recommended for funding by the Special Facility Construction Committee. The school districts must adopt a resolution committing the value of three years of available local capital outlay revenue to the project.
MCPS urged the Legislature to adjust appropriations by calculating the increase in a school district’s continued growth over three years of the enrollment of full-time students. While the school district has enacted measures to generate revenue locally, it still has a shortfall of funding compared to the district’s need for new construction.
In the 2024 general election, Marion County voters approved the school district’s request for a half-cent sales tax increase. The increased revenue will be used to fund school facility construction and capital projects.
Due to the county’s population growth, school district staff has recommended five new schools and nine new wings to existing schools be constructed over the next 15 years. The cost for this new construction, in addition to necessary maintenance and renovations to other schools, is estimated to be about $1.8 billion, and the district is $1 billion short.
The school half-cent sales tax has been a revenue generator for the district in the past, from January 2005 through December 2009. Levying the tax generated over $111 million in revenue and helped to fund the construction of four schools: Horizon Academy at Marion Oaks, Legacy Elementary School, Liberty Middle School and Marion Oaks Elementary School, according to MCPS.
The Marion County Board of County Commissioners in 2024 approved the school district’s request to reinstate impact fees, which require home builders to pay one-time fees to help offset the cost of student population growth across MCPS.
For details about the Pinacle Cares 2025 weekend and to register for events, go to retirementwithpinnacle.com/ pinnacle-cares-2025-gala-weekend
To learn more about Empath Hospice of Marion County, go to hospiceofmarion.org
Superintendent of Marion County Public Schools Diane Gullett, right, speaks to legislators as other members of the School Board, from left, Sarah James, Nancy Thrower, Eric Cummings and Allison Campbell listen during the Marion County Legislative Delegation at the Klein Conference Center at the College of Central Florida in Ocala, Fla. on Jan. 8, 2025. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
Country artist Jay Allen will perform in Ocala in coming days. [Photo courtesy Fire River Management]
School construction projects see cost savings
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
The Marion County school district has amended contracts for construction managers on three school construction projects, resulting in over $14.2 million in savings on materials and labor costs.
At its Jan. 14 meeting, the school board approved three separate change orders for cost deductions on the Liberty Middle School addition, new Elementary School X and new High School CCC.
In December, the “Gazette” reported that the High School CCC project was more than $29 million over budget and that school district leaders were looking to save money in other places to offset the higher costs.
LIBERTY MIDDLE SCHOOL
ADDITION
The original contract for the construction manager was $9,269,197, to cover labor and materials costs for the construction of the 16-classroom wing at Liberty Middle.
At the meeting, the board approved a change order that reduced costs by $495,039, resulting in a new contract amount of $8,774,158.
This action will save the district approximately $28,162 in sales tax.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL X
The original contract for the construction manager’s contract was $30,729,187, to cover labor and materials for the interior construction of the new
and Marion Oaks Elementary School, according to MCPS.
The school district has a $330 million certificate of participation loan to pay for two new elementary schools, the new high school, the new Lake Weir Middle School, a wing at Liberty Middle School, a wing at Hammett Bowen Elementary, a wing at Marion Oaks Elementary, a wing at Horizon Academy, and the replacement of the Osceola gym. The debt service will be paid by the capital outlay budget, which is now being supplemented by school impact fees and the half-cent sales tax.
The savings from the recent change orders will help offset the rising costs of the new high school project, which was projected to have gone over $29 million over budget in December.
to the need to relocate gopher tortoises—a protected species in Florida–that live on the property, the accelerated timeline for opening, the construction of a shelter and projected regional and national material cost escalation.
The delay in choosing contractor for the high school caused a cost escalation of about $5 million. The accelerated timeline for opening the school, considering subcontractor overtime, costs about $9.3 million. The construction of a shelter at the school is estimated to cost about $2 million.
elementary school. Since the original agreement, there have been seven cost reductions and additional change orders resulting in a total savings of $2,662,429.
These change orders lowered costs by $652,707, resulting in a new contract amount of $27,414,51. This action will save the district approximately $37,040 in sales tax.
HIGH SCHOOL CCC
The construction manager’s contract was originally $65,624,563, to complete early equipment procurement, building foundations, shell and site work for the new high school.
The board approved a change order that lowered the cost by $13,125,000, resulting in a new contract amount of $52,499,563.
This action will save the district approximately $743,255 in sales tax.
Across all three projects, the school district is saving over $800,000 in sales tax funds with these new agreements.
Voters approved the school district’s half-cent sales tax measure during the general election in 2024, in addition to approving an extension of the county’s penny sales tax to fund infrastructure and public safety.
The school half-cent sales tax has been a revenue generator for the district in the past, from January 2005 through December 2009. Levying the tax generated over $111 million in revenue and helped to fund the construction of four schools: Horizon Academy at Marion Oaks, Legacy Elementary School, Liberty Middle School
The total anticipated costs for High School “CCC” racked up to $164,777,011, $153,930,244 of which consists of construction costs, said Ivonne Bumbach, interim director of facilities for Marion County Public Schools.
The available funds for the project are $135,585,439, leaving the district over $29 million short after changes to the school’s design, delays in starting construction, and cost escalations.
The school was originally planned to be smaller, but now has increased by 35,000 square feet for a total 310,000 square feet with the intention of housing more students. Adding square footage to the school cost a price increase of $14 million.
In addition to adding square footage to the school, cost increases are being attributed
Thursday
January 23, 2025
Reception: Begins at 5:30 p.m.
Talk: Begins at 6:00 p.m.
Seating is limited RSVP to ihmc-20250123.eventbrite.com or call 352-387-3050
Ketamine is the most important breakthrough in mental health in 50 years, says Thomas Insel, MD, former director of the National Institutes of Mental Health. The science and application of treating mental health is developing rapidly. Multiple studies have demonstrated the efficacy of ketamine to treat suicidality, depression, and PTSD. Controversial psychedelics like ketamine save lives.
Suicide, a tragic event often preceded by significant pain, has been on the rise in recent years despite increased psychiatric treatment.
However, what may surprise many is that there is a treatment that often brings immediate relief and reduces suicidality: Ketamine. Imagine if your loved one is determined to end their life, and you could get them help. Ketamine, a treatment that is not new but legal and readily available, could be the answer.
What exactly is it? Is it safe? Is it right for you or your loved one? After this lecture, you will understand:
• Suicide’s devastating cost to society and how to prevent it
• How ketamine stops suicide in its tracks
Meet Dr. Edwards, a practicing anesthesiologist and visiting physician at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC). With 20 years of experience, he has used ketamine extensively to treat mental health issues.
He co-authored The Revolutionary Ketamine with famed author Gavin de Becker to spread the message that ketamine can save lives.
Dr. Edwards grew up in the Mojave desert in California, aspired to be a professional motocross racer, and then decided to attend medical school.
Dr. Edwards received his A.S. at Victor Valley Community College, a B.S. in physiology at UC Davis, an M.D. at the Eastern Virginia Medical School, Internal Medicine at the University of Nevada, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of Utah, Neurology at the University of Claude Bernard in Lyon, France, and completed his Anesthesiology residency in Tampa at the University of South Florida.
After years in private practice, Dr. Edwards decided to return to research and is currently a PhD student in Neurophysiology at the University of Paris.
Dr. Edwards has also published several books, including Stopping Pain, about a procedure to treat chronic pain, Suicide, COVID-19, and Ketamine, The Art & Science of the Marathon with Dr. Veronique Billat. Dr. Edwards is an accomplished cyclist aspiring to a professional level He’s been the team doctor for several professional
and
In an effort to save costs, school district staff suggested that the third floor of the new high school be constructed but not built out. This gives the district the option to save money now, while having the option to expand the school to house more students later.
The new high school is anticipated to open in August 2026 with a capacity of 2,011 students but could eventually house 2,711 students once the third floor is completed.
The school will house 61 classrooms, 20 labs, three building complexes, enhanced security features and minimal entry points, an administrative building, first-floor office areas, a second-story media center, a full-service cafeteria, art and music suites, a performing arts auditorium, 867 parking spaces, a gymnasium, an athletic stadium for football and track and field; and playing fields for baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, soccer, softball, and tennis.
Lori Conrad of the Marion County Public School Board speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony for a new elementary school that will be built at Winding Oaks Farm off Southwest 49th Avenue Road in southwest Ocala, Fla. on Thursday, March 21, 2024.
The new school, which is not yet named, is expected to be completed in 2025. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.
New Recreational Pot Proposal Emerges
By Dara Kam Florida News Service
ALLAHASSEE —
TTwo months after a similar measure failed to garner enough voter support to pass, a political committee bankrolled by the state’s largest medicalmarijuana company has launched a new effort to allow recreational pot in Florida.
The revamped proposal, filed Tuesday at the state Division of Elections by the Smart & Safe Florida committee, would go on the 2026 ballot. It seeks to address a number of issues raised by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who led a drive to defeat last year’s proposed constitutional amendment.
A majority of voters backed what appeared on the Nov. 5 ballot as Amendment 3, but the recreational-marijuana proposal fell shy of the 60 percent approval required for passage. DeSantis’ chief of staff, James Uthmeier, chaired two political committees that campaigned against the pot measure and a separate ballot initiative that would have enshrined abortion rights in the state Constitution.
The revamped recreationalmarijuana measure, like its predecessor, would allow adults ages 21 and older to purchase and possess marijuana. But it differs from the 2024 proposal in some ways.
“It appears that the sponsors of the amendment have attempted to address in this new language concerns
raised by those opposed to the amendment,” Jim McKee, an attorney who represents medical-marijuana companies, told The News Service of Florida.
As an example, DeSantis repeatedly argued that the 2024 initiative would have prohibited the Legislature from regulating where marijuana could be used, an argument disputed by proponents of the measure.
The new version says that “smoking and vaping of marijuana in any public place is prohibited.” The proposal also would prohibit “marketing and packaging of marijuana in a manner attractive to children,” another of DeSantis’ concerns.
“I think this is good news,” Paula Savchenko, an attorney who specializes in cannabis law, said Wednesday during a phone interview with the News Service.
“I think it’s really smart that they did address the issues that he did have, and so hopefully he’s more receptive to something like this in the future.”
Florida voters in 2016 approved a constitutional amendment that broadly allowed medical marijuana. But the amendment did not allow recreational use.
Quincy-based Trulieve, the state’s largest medicalmarijuana company, pumped more than $144 million into last year’s recreational-pot effort. It contributed more than 94 percent of the overall total of $152.27 million in cash raised by the Smart & Safe Florida committee.
The proposal filed Tuesday seeks to dispel the governor’s critique of part of the 2024 proposal that would have allowed Trulieve and the state’s other medical-marijuana companies to start selling euphoria-inducing cannabis to anyone in Florida, including tourists, ages 21 and older.
Mirroring the 2024 proposal, the revised measure would allow the state’s current operators, known as medical-marijuana treatment centers, to sell recreational pot.
But the initiative also would require lawmakers to “adopt legislation for the licensure and regulation of Licensed Marijuana Entities” that don’t sell medical cannabis. The proposal also says that the new entities “shall not” be required to comply with a state law that requires medical-marijuana companies to handle all aspects of the cannabis trade, a process known as “vertical integration,” requiring companies to grow, process and sell marijuana and cannabis-derived products.
The proposal would open the door to wholesaling marijuana to the new entities, according to Savchenko.
“We’re one of really the only established markets in the country that doesn’t have a wholesale market. So I think it would be really, really good for the industry and for patients and customers to be able to reap the benefits of a wholesale market, because then we’ll have other groups coming in and have a
better variety of products,” she said.
With more than 150 retail locations throughout Florida, Trulieve sells more than a third of all medical-marijuana products in the state. The company did not comment when contacted by the News Service on Wednesday.
DeSantis targeted contributions by Trulieve, which is publicly traded on the Canadian stock market, as he fought the proposed amendment. He argued that the proposal’s passage would cement the company’s “monopoly” on the cannabis market in Florida.
“I don’t think there’s ever been one company that’s put in this much money for one ballot measure in all of American history. And so the only way they can justify that is because this amendment is going to guarantee them a massive profit stream,”
DeSantis said at a rally-style event days before the November election.
DeSantis took unprecedented steps to shoot down the pot proposal and the abortionrights measure, blitzing the state and the airwaves and using taxpayer funds on public-service announcements.
The governor on Monday called a special legislative session that could include making changes in laws about the process for gathering and submitting petitions to get proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot.
DeSantis contends that the
process has included fraud.
While DeSantis hasn’t proposed legislation, changes could make it harder for Smart & Safe Florida to amass the hundreds of thousands of petition signatures that would be needed to get on the ballot. The special session is scheduled to start Jan. 27, though legislative leaders have balked at holding it.
Nearly 900,000 patients are enrolled in the state’s medicalmarijuana system.
The revived recreationalpot effort comes as state health regulators are poised to nearly double the number of licensed medical-marijuana companies, currently at 27. The Department of Health last year issued letters of intent to award licenses to 22 applicants, which would bring the total number of operators to 49. The new licenses are on hold amid legal and administrative challenges to the state’s selections.
The new proposed constitutional amendment would allow companies to “acquire, cultivate, process, transport, and sell marijuana to adults for personal use” at any of their dispensaries existing as of Jan. 1, 2025, “and at any dispensing facilities thereafter approved by the Department.”
The plan also would allow adults over age 21 to possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana, an ounce less than what would have been permitted under last year’s proposal.
“I think that this is positive for the industry, and I do hope that this passes,” Savchenko said.
Possible Changes Eyed for Condo Laws
By Dara Kam Florida News Service
ALLAHASSEE — A
Tkey senator on Tuesday signaled willingness to make further changes to safety laws that require inspections of older condominium buildings and adequate reserves for repairs, saying more-urgent structural needs should be prioritized.
Senate Regulated Industries Chairwoman Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, also indicated that lawmakers need to “clarify” some requirements included in measures passed after the 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside that killed 98 people.
A panel of experts — including engineers, accountants and attorneys — gave the Regulated Industries Committee an update on how the laws requiring inspections and adequate reserves have affected the condo industry
Bradley said she wanted to help “smooth the transition” for condominium associations to come into compliance with the laws, which many residents say are causing soaring costs..
“We’re here to find solutions. The condo market will be stronger. Floridians will be safer,” she said.
The laws require “milestone inspections” of older buildings and “structural integrity reserve” studies to determine how much money should be set aside for future major repairs. Any “substantial structural
deterioration” found by engineers or architects require moredetailed inspections.
The initial law passed in 2022, was tweaked in 2023, and the Legislature last year passed a measure that targeted wrongdoing by members of association boards.
Milestone inspections were supposed to be completed by Dec. 31 for certain older buildings that are three stories or higher. Some condo associations have hit owners with whopping assessments in the race to comply with the deadline.
Bradley indicated Tuesday that the reserve studies may include items — such as landscaping or ornamental improvements — not required by the state. She also said state law does not require condo boards to immediately collect amounts identified in the studies.
“A milestone inspection does not require that the building be brought up to code. … It is what is the actual condition of the building. … It is a visual inspection to make sure that it is safe for the people to continue to live there,” Bradley said.
The Senate committee met a day after Gov. Ron DeSantis called a special legislative session starting Jan. 27 to address a series of issues, including fallout from the condo reforms. The Senate meeting was scheduled at least a week before DeSantis made his special-session announcement, which focused heavily on taking steps to help carry out President Donald Trump’s planned crackdown on
illegal immigration.
DeSantis didn’t provide specifics about legislation to tackle the condo issues. But a proclamation ordering the special session said the state’s condo market “continues to face challenges including soaring costs related to assessments, repairs, and inspections.”
In addition, DeSantis’ proclamation said “it is necessary for the Legislature to address these challenges to ensure that Florida residents can continue to afford to live in their homes.”
Lawmakers have been inundated by complaints from condo residents about significant increases in assessments, which are in addition to homeowners association fees. At least some of the higher costs are related to the laws passed after the 2021 collapse of the Surfside building.
Legislative leaders have argued that many condo buildings are in need of critical upgrades but that associations had inadequate reserves to cover repairs.
“This is not a new crisis. This is a crisis that has existed. Surfside pulled back the curtain on that crisis. It’s a reality no one wanted to exist, but it’s one that the system undeniably allowed to exist,” Bradley said during Tuesday’s meeting.
Tara Stone, CEO of Stone Building Solutions, said evaluations of condos by her company found problems at buildings throughout the state. The problems were due to “wear and tear” that went unattended mainly on aging stairways,
balconies and roofs.
“It’s all due to lack of maintenance,” Stone said.
Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo, D-Sunny Isles Beach, asked Stone if the studies found “conditions that are a legitimate, possibly imminent, direct threat to public safety.”
“Yes,” Stone said.
Bradley and Pizzo have held a series of town halls across the state to take input from condo owners and boards. She pointed to some “misconceptions” about the law that are driving up costs for residents.
As an example, Bradley referred to a milestone study of a 100-unit Jacksonville Beach condo that is more than 30 years old.
“They’re a block from the beach. The building was not adequately reserved. The milestone came back, there was $12 million worth of damage,” Bradley said, adding the condo board was prepared to assess each unit owner about $120,000.
The company that wanted the contract for the project was the same company that completed the milestone study, according to Bradley.
The law gives condo boards 365 days to begin work and allows them to create a remediation plan.
“But there’s no requirement to do an assessment within 60 days and get all the work done at top dollar in 10 months. That’s just not the law,” she added. “A lot of the panic is not required. Those Jax Beach owners are not required to pay $120,000 next month.”
Bradley told The News Service of Florida that condo boards are having more problems with the reserve studies than the milestone evaluations. She said she wants to make sure “highpriority items get addressed first” and that lawmakers should clarify the level of funding of reserves required under the law.
“Answering that question can mean a 30 percent difference in reserve levels. Is it possible to allow associations to hold off on reserving for items that don’t need to be replaced for 10 years and focus on more immediate needs first? And that’s what I’m looking at,” she said after the meeting.
Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, and House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, balked Monday at DeSantis calling a special session, describing it as premature.
Bradley said she did not know if the condo issue would be addressed during a special session. She said the committee intended to hold a series of workshops to examine what changes should be made to the post-Surfside requirements.
Jonathan Alfonso, a MiamiDade County Realtor who is an attorney and who was one of the experts Tuesday, said that the laws mostly have had an impact on the sales of older condos. He said studies can be difficult for buyers to obtain or to digest.
“At the end of the day what prospective purchasers want to know is, is it safe, and how much is it going to cost me,” he said.
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