Ocala Gazette | February 24 - March 2, 2023

Negligence, without consequence

The end of a recent lawsuit brought about by the estate of Jared Forsyth, the only Ocala Police officer to be killed in the line of duty in 60 years, raises questions about the fairness of current state legislation and the city of Ocala.

By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com

Jared Forsyth and his Ocala Police Department partner Matt Sams were cleaning their service weapons after firearms training at a range adjacent to Lowell Correctional Institution when the unthinkable occurred.

A fellow officer who was cleaning his weapon nearby squeezed the trigger, sending a live round ricocheting around the area. The single slug from the Glock .40 caliber handgun struck the cleaning station surface and rebounded off several other objects before finding a gap between the panels of Forsyth’s vest and severing an artery on his right side.

Sams held his 33-yearold partner’s hand while first responders raced to help. Forsyth was taken to Ocala Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Nearly eight years after the April 6, 2015, tragic event, Forsyth’s mother, Amy Forsyth Juliano, continues to mourn her only child, who was unmarried with no children at the time of his death. Her heartache has been compounded, however, by a legal system that not only failed to provide her with any meaningful compensation for her loss, it targeted her as well

See Forsyth, page A2

Strawberry Festival

Mark your calendar March 4

Canine icon dies

Molly, the ambassador for the Marion County Animal Abuser Registry, succumbed to cancer.

By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com

One of—if not the— most loved canines in the history of this area died on Wednesday. Molly, a white mixed-breed canine who survived life-threatening wounds, later became the ambassador for Marion County’s animal abuse registry, known as Molly’s Law.

Molly died at age 15 at her forever home, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Ocala, with her longtime human companion Lilly Baron at her side, along with her canine companions Princess Lily and Sir Anthony. Molly had been being treated for cancer in recent months.

“The last two weeks were hard on her,” Baron said, with tears falling and her

voice breaking in a phone conversation. “She was great; she died really peacefully at home. She’s in a better place, but I’m in a million pieces.”

Molly was stabbed three times in the head and had her skull fractured with a baseball bat in early 2014. Her accused attacker, Steven Scott Fleming, served time in state prison on three counts of felony cruelty to animals.

The local registry, commonly known as Molly’s Law, requires that any offender convicted of an animal abuse crime be placed on the registry. The online database allows citizens, pet sellers and rescue organizations to verify that they are not placing an animal with an animal abuser, according to the Marion County website.

On April 24, 2022, the “Molly’s Law Documentary” premiered at the Marion

Theatre—and, of course, Molly was the star of the show, posing for photo ops before and after the event.

A massive photo of the happy snow-white canine projected across the big screen drew murmurs of adoration. Images of a bloodied and beaten Molly had people gasping in horror. The purpose of the documentary is to share Molly’s story and serve as a model for other communities to create similar programs.

A handful of other counties in Florida have adopted similar legislation, but Baron, and many others, want to see a statewide registry and, in turn, a national database.

Baron said at the time that the documentary and appeal for a broader registry came about because, “We had somebody who abuses animals go over the county line and it wasn’t effective in the next

county. And that continuously happens. So, I put my mind to it that we we’re going to do a statewide animal abuser registry so they couldn’t get away with this.”

The 24-minute film by Mark and Jackie Barrett details the abuse Molly suffered and how she was treated by Marion County Animal Services and later was adopted into the care of Baron.

Also featured in the documentary is Peggy Hoyt, an attorney and animal activist whose father, John A. Hoyt, was formerly CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. In the film, she talks about evidence supporting that many forms of violence start with the abuse of animals and makes an appeal for a national registry.

When news of Molly’s

See Molly’s, page A5

Three Ocala government positions are up for election this year

“no interest” in answering questions about it. Ben Marciano is the only one who has filed for the mayoral seat and reports $103,700 raised for his campaign.

Staff report

This year, the city of Ocala has three seats up for election: two city council seats and the mayor’s seat.

Incumbent Ire Bethea has already filed to run again for the District 2 city council seat and has drawn no opponents. He reports contributing $1,000 to his campaign account.

Incumbent Kristen Dryer has

indicated to the Gazette that she intends to run again for District 3 city council seat but has not formally filed for it.

Mayor Kent Guinn has not filed to run for his mayoral seat and told the Gazette he had

The city elections are nonpartisan and open to qualified candidates registered under the district they live in, regardless of their party affiliation. The city elections will be using new district boundary maps, redrawn after the 2020 census.

City Clerk Angel Jacobs oversees qualifying candidates, and interested candidates can reach out to her for more information about what that entails. Jacob’s email is ajacobs@ocalafl.org.

Jacobs said that the qualifying period for candidates begins at noon, on July 10, and ends at noon, on July 14. The general election is scheduled for Sept. 19. If needed, the runoff election is set for Nov. 21.

Kristen Dryer, Ire Bethea and Kent Guinn

Molly with Lilly Baron, president of SPCA of Ocala. [Supplied by SPCA of Ocala]

Molly enjoys a golf cart ride. [Supplied by SPCA of Ocala]

Forsyth case ends on a sad note

Continued from page A1 as her attorneys, one of whom was seen as a nemesis to the law firm representing Ocala.

A Shooting Review Board report in January 2016 found three range safety rules in OPD’s training policy were violated in the incident. It concluded that Forsyth’s death was preventable and that the violations “developed from a department-wide firearms training complacency and a training culture which lacked structure, control and accountability.’’

In March 2017, Forsyth’s divorced parents filed a lawsuit claiming gross negligence against the officer who fired the errant shot and the city of Ocala. A Marion County judge, however, dismissed the suit in July 2018, finding the city is immune under Florida’s sovereign immunity and worker’s compensation laws.

Since then, the case has gone through a legal wringer related to the city’s efforts to extract legal fees from the fallen officer’s mother in response to her filing suit for his estate.

On Nov. 11, 2022, the new judge on the case, Fifth Circuit Judge Gary Sanders, closed the book on the case, ruling against city attorney Pat Gilligan’s request to allow the city to pursue collections against the officer’s mother. This past month, after numerous inquiries from the “Gazette,” the new attorney for the city, William Sexton, told the “Gazette” the city has decided it would forego any further collection efforts against Juliano.

Just last week, pursuant to the Final Judgement, Juliano filed the estate’s inventory with the city and the court, reflecting Forsyth’s estate has no assets for the city to collect against.

As the legal aftershocks finally subside, transcripts of so-called shade meetings—government meetings that are exempt from Florida’s Sunshine Law—between Gilligan and the Ocala City Council have been released as a public record. There was only one meeting held on this case, and that transcript sheds light on the deliberations among city leaders over the way to protect Ocala in the wake of the officer’s death.

Attorney Bobi J. Frank who, along with attorney Jarrod King, represented Juliano in the lawsuit, did not mince words in expressing frustration over the resolution.

“When the city of Ocala chose to fight Amy’s quest for justice for the loss of her only child’s life, it eviscerated any hope that Amy has at healing, at finding peace,’’ she said. “This is the city’s legacy… choosing to be cruel and inhumane rather than honoring the life of the law enforcement officer who chose to serve and protect the same city that waged war against his heartbroken mother once his watch ended. Incomprehensible.”

Negligence was clear

In a letter dated Jan. 26, 2016, nine months after the incident but before the estate brought its lawsuit, thenOPD Chief Greg Graham wrote of the incident to Mayor Kent Guinn: “There are many violations of policy and safety protocols that led to this tragic accident. At any point in time during the chain of events on April 6, 2015 that led to the discharge of the firearm, one change or alteration of those events would have prevented this from occurring. It is abundantly clear that the death of Officer Jared Forsyth was preventable.”

In a transcript of a June 16, 2020, meeting, Gilligan told City Council members Jay Musleh, Ire Bethea, Justin Grabelle, Matthew Wardell and Brent Malever, and newly appointed City Manager Sandra Wilson, “The police department and the city were clearly, in my opinion, negligent in terms of the way they set up the training exercise, the way the people that monitored the

training exercise did it”

Gilligan further explained to the council members, “Officer Forsyth was killed in the line of duty, it was a compensable accident under the worker’s compensation laws. And so, in Florida, you do not have the right to bring a personal injury or a wrongful death lawsuit if you’ ve been compensated under the worker’s comp system.”

Gilligan told the council that compensation from workers’ compensation was all the officer was due.

“By statute, you cannot sue your employer if you receive comp benefits, even if it’s a death comp benefit. You have to take the comp benefit. And from there on, the employer is immune and not required to pay another penny,” he said.

Gilligan acknowledged to the council that “it may not be right or fair” but that the approximately $180,000 under the workers’ compensation death schedule was “what the Florida Legislature had decided” and “that’s just the way it goes.”

“Had it been a personal injury or wrongful death case, I can guarantee you it would be worth a lot more,” he pointed out.

Gilligan, however, omitted one key point in that meeting. Under the law, the workers’ compensation death benefit is only available to the decedent’s dependents. This does not include the officer’s parents.

The city’s workers’ compensation policy only paid for the fallen officer’s medical and funeral expenses. There would be no death benefit.

Current councilmembers Bethea and Musleh did not respond to the “Gazette’s” specific inquiry about what they understood about a workers’ compensation death benefit being paid to the officer’s family.

However, Wardell told the “Gazette” he thought that the workers’ compensation carrier for the city had paid a death benefit based on what Gilligan told the council.

As part of their compensation package, every city employee has a Life insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment policy. Juliano received a payment of $84,000 from the insurance company.

As for what Juliano received from the city of Ocala, spokesperson Ashley Dobbs said Forsyth’s mother was given his last paycheck, what he had accrued in his pension and “$1,166.74 for a Dedicated Memorial Ceremony.”

Despite accepting full liability for the incident due to sovereign immunity, the city attorney

maintained throughout the lawsuit the city of Ocala did not have to pay a penny in additional compensation.

Instead, the city paid approximately $200,000 in legal bills to defend against the lawsuit filed by Forsyths estate and when they prevailed, instituted post-judgment collection efforts against the officer’s mother individually when judgment was entered in 2022.

During the June 16, 2020, meeting, Musleh was in favor of pursuing attorney’s fees in the case.

“I‘m sorry Jared’s mother is going to be responsible for part of it,’’ he said. “I feel horrible about that. You got bad counsel, and maybe she gets out of it because she wasn’t properly advised.”

Wardell said, “If I knew that the pursuing the 79- or whatever thousand it is would come straight from (Juliano’s attorney) Bobi Frank, I would say no problem going for that, either. But I’m almost feeling, you know, uncomfortable in pursuing that.

Legal hurdles, and exceptions, emerge Jarrod King, one of the attorneys for the officer’s estate, acknowledged the case had a few obstacles.

“This case involved two separate immunities which under normal circumstances would have prevented suit against the city and the officer who made the accidental discharge,’’ he explained. “However, the first immunity, which states that a sovereign entity cannot be liable in excess of $200,000 and their employee cannot be sued at all, has an exception which we strongly believe was met because case law supported that the employee acted with willful and wanton disregard or with gross negligence.

“The second immunity is a little better known and is referred to as Florida’s Workers’ Compensation immunity,’’ King continued. “That immunity also would have prevented suit; however, as stated before, the facts of the case supported that the actions at play here exhibited wanton and willful disregard of human rights, safety or property.”

King explained that “wanton and willful conduct” is defined by Florida case law as “more egregious than mere negligence, but less than intentional conduct.”

The case went before Fifth Circuit Judge Edward Scott, who disagreed that the facts met the level of gross negligence and ruled that the city and officer were protected under sovereign immunity. He dismissed the suit in July 2018.

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Jared Forsyth and his mother Amy Forsyth Juliano [Supplied]

Continued from page A2

The verdict went further. Frank, King and Forsyths estate were penalized financially for bringing the suit.

Although the case ended with King and co-counsel paying out of pocket at least $18,000 apiece to the city of Ocala and no recovery for their client after five years of litigation, King maintained it was the right thing to do.

“We believe the facts supported our attempt to seek justice for Mr. Forsyths family, and although many attorneys may shy away from difficult cases it has never been my practice to turn away deserving clients just because they may have a difficult case.

King and Frank both expressed frustration that Gilligan categorized the mother’s claim against the city as “murder” Frank provided a letter she wrote to Gilligan at the beginning of the litigation asking him to stop using inflammatory language that violated the rules of professional conduct requiring attorneys to be truthful to the judge and fair to opposing counsel.

“No one ever said one officer murdered another,” said King.

Gilligan would not respond to requests from the “Gazette” to talk about the case.

Separate, but related - personal vendettas came into play

An undercurrent throughout the June 2020 meeting transcript was the animosity voiced against Bobi J. Frank, one of the attorneys for the estate Gilligan characterizing her work as “despicable”

Juliano acknowledged that her case might have been handled the way it was because Frank was one of her attorneys. “I chose Bobi because she was in no one’s pocket,” she said.

In hindsight, she said, she would still have hired Frank.

Musleh, speaking of Frank in the 2020 meeting, said, “I’m going to tell you, she’s going to keep coming down here and suing us until she gets handed back to her”

The angst between Frank and the city of Ocala had arisen from another incident that had occurred after the death of Forsyth. Frank would come to represent Rachel Magnum a/k/a Rachel Sams and Matt Sams, the main witnesses to Forsyth’s death, who along with a few other officers would bring claims of sexual harassment and retaliation against the Ocala Police Department.

Musleh may have been referring to the $500,000 settlement the city paid those officers after the Federal Equal Employment Commission weighed in on the merits of their claims just the year before.

Recently, the “Gazette” has learned that Frank had put the city on notice of a violation of that settlement agreement when Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn publicly disparaged Rachel Sams during her

reviewed by the “Gazette,” prohibits either party from disparaging the other or “taking any action that would be detrimental to business.”

OPD Chief Michael Balken declined to comment on Forsyth’s case, explaining he had no part in how the city council decided to handle the litigation.

Guinn told the “Gazette” he had “no interest” in commenting on the Forsyth case.

Forsyth’s gun

Another sign that the Forsyth case had become personal had to do with his service sidearm.

When an officer dies, it has become customary to deliver his or her service weapon to the fallen officer’s family.

Juliano told the “Gazette” that when Graham offered her the gun, she asked that it be held in the care of her son’s former partner, Matt Sams, because she did not have a concealed weapons permit and did not know how to return to New York with the gun without one.

Graham’s deposition testimony supported Juliano’s recollection of being offered the gun and her directing it to Sams.

“I left it with his partner, who held his hand while he died,” she said.

Sams told the “Gazette” that he held the gun for Juliano until Graham sent an officer to his home asking to retrieve Forsyth’s gun.

Juliano sent a letter to Graham asking for the return the gun when she got her concealed carry permit, but her response was a letter from Gilligan telling her not to further contact Graham.

Frank sent a letter to the attorney for Graham, Edward McClellan, that said Juliano “only asks that you now allow her to obtain said handgun as it is no longer being utilized in the line of duty by her son’s close friend and former brother in blue. The sentimental value that his mother places on Officer Forsyth’s handgun can’t be expressed in words.”

Graham, who according to Sams sometimes wore Forsyth’s pistol, died in an airplane crash in 2020. The whereabouts of Forsyth’s gun are unknown.

The litigation has taken a toll on Juliano, who lost her husband in 2021. But she wouldn’t stay on that topic for long.

Instead, she focused on her son.

Before his tragic death, Jared was “living his dream as a police officer,’’ she said. “Ever since he could talk, even before he could pronounce the word ‘police,’ he wanted to do that job.

“He treated everyone with dignity and respect,’’ she added. “Even the ones he had to arrest.”

At first, Juliano said, the city told her it was an accident that no one could have foreseen. But later, when she read investigative reports about what happened, she realized that was untrue and filed a suit.

“This all could have been avoided,” she said. “I wanted the officer that shot my son fired. Instead, the city gave him a promotion.”

Lake Bryant Bombing and Gunnery Range

Formerly Used Defense Site

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is conducting a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study of the Lake Bryant Bombing and Gunnery Range Formerly Used Defense Site. The 40,587-acre area is on the east side of the Ocala National Forest and does not include Lake Bryant. The military trained at the site during World War II. The purpose of the study is to determine what may be present as a result of past military activities.

It is important for the public to participate in the remedial process, so we are assessing interest in a Restoration Advisory Board. These boards include people from the community and government who review and comment on plans and technical documents related to environmental studies and restoration activities. Members serve as voluntary liaisons between the community and USACE and receive no compensation.

Please let us know if you are interested in serving on a Restoration Advisory Board by filling out a Community Interest form no later than February 23, 2023. The form is available at the project website, www.saj.usace.army.mil/LakeBryant, or you may request one by calling 800.710.5184 or emailing FUDS.Florida@usace.army.mil.

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 SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE 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 February 17, 2023.

THOMAS R. PEPPLER, ESQ. Florida Bar No.: 275271 Peppler Law, PA 3208 W. SR 426, Suite 1040 Oviedo, FL 32765

Tel (407) 792-2773

Primary: Tom@PepplerLaw.com

Secondary: Mel@PepplerLaw.com

Bird of the Week

Richard Nixon’s ascent to the presidency was in some small measure due to this stunning yellow bird. The rare(ish) prothonotary warbler is named for the yellow robes worn by papal clerks, called prothonotaries. During the 1950 perjury trial of communist spy Alger Hiss, Nixon corroborated a government witness by getting Hiss to brag about spotting a prothonotary warbler near the Potomac River. That trial put Nixon on the road to the White House. Prothonotary warblers visit Marion County between March and October. A great place to see them during that time is to kayak the Silver River, where they can sometimes be seen singing along the water’s edge.

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

IN RE: THE ESTATE OF ROBERT W. MOUNTAIN, JR.,Deceased.

CASE NO: 2023-CP-314 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

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: January 19, 2023

The date of first publication of this Notice is February 24, 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

Molly’s legacy

Continued from page A1 passing began to spread on social media, many of the comments were about her “legacy.”

“It so true,” Baron said. “She has a legacy and I am going to continue to work for a statewide registry. I won’t stop!”

And, she added, “I’ve been talking with senators and state representatives from both parties. It will come together. That’s Molly, bringing people together. It’s just who she is.”

A marble statue of Molly is being

created by South Florida artist Nilda Comas, who recently made history with her sculpture of Black educator and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune for the National Statuary Hall of the United States Capitol.

To view the “Molly’s Law Documentary,” go to spcaofocala.org

The county’s animal abuser registry is accessible at marioncountyfl.org/aar

To report animal abuse, within

unincorporated areas of Marion County or the city of Ocala, call Marion County Animal Control at (352) 671-8727. For emergencies after-hours or on weekends, contact the Marion County Sheriff’s Office at (352) 732-9111. Within the city of Belleview, contact the Belleview Police Department at (352) 245-7044. Within the city of Dunnellon, contact the Dunnellon Police Department at (352) 465-8510.

St. Matthew’s plans to give back during Lent

By Rosemarie Dowell rosemarie@ocalagazette.com

Asmall local church is giving back to the community during the Lenten season by offering free meals to area residents.

St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, 3453 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala will serve the hot and freshly made meals at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays beginning March 1 through March 29 in the church’s fellowship hall.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MARION COUNTY FLORIDA

IN RE: ESTATE OF Jon Riser Thompson, Deceased. CASE NUMBER: 23-CP-0346

/ NOTICE TO CREDITORS (summary administration)

TO ALL PERSONS HAVING CLAIMS OR DEMANDS AGAINST THE ABOVE ESTATE:

You are hereby notified that an Order of Summary Administration has been entered in the estate of Jon Riser Thompson, deceased, file number 23CP000346AX, by the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is P.O. Box 1030, Ocala, FL, 34478; that the decedent’s date of death was January 27, 2023; that the total value of the estate is $5,000.00, and that the names and addresses of those to whom it has been assigned by such order are:

Name Katherine Thompson Simon 539 Poincianna Drive Sarasota, FL 34243

James Thompson 24 Spring Drive Place Ocala, FL 34472

ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE NOTIFIED THAT:

All creditors of the estate of the decedent and person having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent other than those for whom provision for full payment was made in the Order of Summary Administration must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702. ALL CLAIMS AND DEMANDS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER APPLICABLE TIME PERIOD, 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 February 17, 2023.

Attorney for Person Giving Notice is: Person Giving Notice:

SYPRETT MESHAD, P.A. KATHERINE THOMPSON SIMON 1900 RINGLING BLVD. 539 POINCIANNA DRIVE SARASOTA, FL 34236 SARASOTA, FL 34243 (941)365-7171 TEL FLORIDA BAR NO. 180030 EMAIL: jdumbaugh@smrl.com

“It seems to me, during Lent, the focus has been on giving things up, like sweets and chocolate,” said the Rev. Gayle Nelson, senior pastor of the church since Sept. 2021. “But my thought was we are supposed to be of service to one another, so why not serve the community by providing a meal?”

Church leaders considered other ideas for the 40day season of Lent—which Christians traditionally observe through fasting, praying and almsgiving— giving food, money or other acts of charity to the less fortunate. But Nelson said they opted for hosting the community meals after careful thought.

“The church council had several options to consider, but this is the one we voted on to do,” said Nelson. Lent began Wednesday and will end April 6, and marks a period of preparation and reflection to celebrate Christ’s resurrection at Easter.

The church is surrounded by working families, the homeless and people experiencing food insecurity, said Melissa Hartfiel, a member of the church for the past 15 years.

“In our little area we have homeless people and folks that are struggling to put food on the table because of the economy,” she said. “We want to let them know we are here, what we do and that we care about them.”

Even so, the meal is open to everyone, regardless of their financial or housing situation.

“It doesn’t matter if you have a million bucks and every single bit of food that will last forever, you can still come,’’ Nelson said. “It’s more about having fellowship and serving the community. It’s our way of doing what God has called us to do.”

Each week, a different church committee will take over hosting duties for the meal.

“Our property maintenance committee is all men and they’ve come up with a garage theme for the meal and will serve pasta. It’ll be fun,” said Nelson, who started seminary in 1993, put her ministry aspirations on hold after having quintuplets and then completed her education in August of 2021.

“God was still calling me,” she said.

The meal will be served until all the food is gone, said Hartfiel, and the church will have a donation basket set up for those who want to contribute to the church’s community outreach projects, including its Ministry of Hope Food Pantry.

Meanwhile, the church also hosts a free meal at 5 p.m., the third Wednesday of each month.

St. Matthew‘s Lutheran Church is shown on East Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2023.

Notes from the Republican Executive Committee candidate forum

By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com

Marion County’s Republican Executive Committee on Feb. 20 hosted a packed-house forum featuring all five Republican candidates for the special election to fill the vacant Florida House District 24 seat.

Randy Osborne, state committeeman for Marion County Republicans, moderated the session, held in the assembly room at the Ocala Golf Club. The March 7 special election is to fill the seat vacated in December when State Rep. Joe Harding resigned after being indicted on federal fraud charges related to receiving small business loans using COVID-19 relief funds for two defunct companies.

Osborne called on each of the candidates—Justin Albright, Ryan Chamberlin, Jose Juarez, Dr. Stephen Pyles and Charlie Stone—to give opening and closing statements and asked each of the candidates two questions.

Pyles started things off by telling the audience the state needed another doctor in the House so that citizens could have the benefit of his medical expertise when considering certain issues.

Albright said “liberals are running our schools” and he intends to turn that around and expand parental rights.

Chamberlin spoke about having a successful career that earned him millions of dollars, adding he was proud to have home schooled his three “non-woke” adult sons. Chamberlin said he supports the “anti-woke” movement against transgender sports, exclaiming, “drag queen story hour has got to go!”

Juarez said no other candidate’s family in this race knew firsthand what it was like to lose their constitutional rights as his family did when they fled Cuba after communist leader Fidel Castro assumed power. “First, they took Cubans’ guns, then they took their rights,’’ he said. “You’ve got thousands of Cubans with no way to revolt.” Juarez said he’d fight to prevent that in Florida.

Stone, a former state representative, said that due to his long history of serving in an elected capacity, he’d be the best person to hit the ground running in Tallahassee.

Osborne asked the candidates how they

would improve upon the state’s efforts to secure election integrity.

Juarez responded that he would use the manner in which elections are conducted in Marion County as a model for the rest of Florida.

Chamberlin said he would offer the movie “2000 Mules” free for all to watch and look for ways to tighten up mail-in ballot security.

Albright said the subject is larger than any candidate’s efforts and requires “all hands on deck” lending their engagement, whether as a candidate or a voter.

Stone said election integrity is the most critical subject we face in our country besides the Second Amendment. He offered to sponsor a bill where all mail-in ballots had serial numbers that were recorded when they were sent and received.

Pyles suggested both parties should approve voting machines. He also suggested increased screening of poll workers. He emphasized the need for voters to produce ID’s when they vote, although that requirement already is in place in Florida.

Osborne asked the candidates about some of the claims made in their campaign mailers.

He asked Albright to comment on a mailer that attacked his finances. Albright declared the messaging untrue and denounced negative PAC mailers as being counterproductive with voters. “If your campaign has to resort to sending out negative mailers or PAC’s that send out negative mailers on your behalf, you have no business in Tallahassee representing the good people of Marion County,” he said.

Chamberlin was asked about his claim to want to exempt the elderly from property taxes given the fact that the majority of Marion County’s property would thus be excused from taxes and the burden would then fall on everyone else. Chamberlin explained he felt good budgeting could be implemented locally to pass savings on to the elderly.

Juarez was asked about his position on mask and vaccine mandates, to which he replied those should be left to the business operator or the individual patient.

Pyles was asked about allegations lodged during the campaign that he ran “a pill mill.” He dismissed the allegation and described his approach to pain management as “very strict, very stringent, and low dose.”

Stone was asked to explain whether his returning the House after terming out violated the spirit of term limits. Stone said Florida law sets term limits but those term limits do not prevent a candidate from running again. It happens all the time, he said.

Albright was asked about whether he was leaning too heavily on his family s name to run his campaign given the fact that his half-brother, Tax Collector George Albright, had endorsed another candidate in ther race. Albright asked anyone in the room who has not experienced family squabbles to raise their hand. He also pointed out that other family members, including his mother, who was in attendance, are supporting his election.

Chamberlin was asked about the high number of contributions his campaign has reported receiving from his political consultant. Osborne suggested that those contributions originated from a local Muslim family who he implied were related to a Palestinian terrorist organization and that the funds were filtered through the consultant s name so that the true donors names would not show up on Chamberlins financial reports. Chamberlin said he received no campaign contributions from the family Osborne was alluding to, adding that he is the most “pro-Israel” candidate in the race. For his part, Osborne has a lengthy history of delivering anti-Muslim rhetoric through his sermons at local churches. In 2017, he gained local notoriety following sermons warning congregants that the Gospel of Islam was infiltrating public schools. Osborne is also the school administrator for the Ocala Christian Academy.

Osborne’s meritless innuendo against the local Palestinian family, who are long-term residents of Marion County, bordered on slander to this reporter

Osborne asked Juarez why so many trial lawyers were contributing to his campaign. Juarez said that was not true. A review of the financial records by the Gazette found no basis for Osborne’s statement. Juarez said he recently put $20,000 of personal funds into his account to meet the future needs of his campaign.

Pyles was asked if elected if he’d feel pressured to go along with the demands of groups like the Florida Medical Association. Pyles said he expects he agrees with them

on some subjects. For example, Pyles feels the practice of medicine is under attack. “Everyone wants to be a doctor, but no one wants to go to school,” he said. Pyles thinks this needs stricter regulation.

Stone was asked about supporting an adoption bill that included homosexual adoption when he was the deputy whip for the House Speaker. Stone said he was performing his role trying to get support for a bill that supported adoptions when in the 11th hour, he claimed Democrats inserted a clause to the bill that allowed homosexuals to adopt. Stone said he voted to support the bill, feeling he had no choice but to do so, adding that he resigned his position as the deputy whip the following day.

In closing, Albright said his agenda was based solely on the needs of Marion County residents.

Chamberlin said he intended to go to Tallahassee to help Gov. Ron DeSantis. Chamberlin claimed he wanted to do away with medical and college tuition benefits going to illegal aliens. “Hey, there are only two genders. Two! We know that, right? We have got to teach the right things to our schools and address them in our school problem.”

Juarez said he felt he was a good communicator and good negotiator and felt compelled to run based on the lessons he’d learned throughout his life, particularly what he learned while navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. Juarez promised to serve and then go back to private life and vowed, “I will fight for you. No one owns me. No one will ever own me.”

Pyles said he wanted to fight inflation at the gas pump and in the grocery line and particularly emphasized battling personal injury lawsuit awards he claimed cause auto insurance rates to go up.

Stone said he is focused on getting money from the state for local infrastructure, and that his knowledge of the political system based on previous experience would make him most effective in helping Marion County.

Of the five, only Stone acknowledged having a political action committee (PAC). He told the crowd he’d used the PAC over the past 15 years to help candidates across Florida. The Florida Department of Elections lists Stone as the chairperson for a PAC called Leaders for a Better Florida.

OFFICIAL SAMPLE BALLOT / PAPELETA OFICIAL DE MUESTRA

March 7, 2023 Special Primary Election* • Republican Party • Marion County, Florida

7 de marzo de 2023, Elección Primaria Especial* • Partido Republicano • Condado de Marion, Florida

Florida is a Closed Primary State. In Primary Elections, only voters who are registered members of political parties may vote for respective party candidates or nominees. You must be registered with your party of choice 29 days before a Primary Election.

Florida es un Estado Primaria Cerrada.

En las Elecciones Primarias, solo los votantes que son miembros registrados de partidos políticos pueden votar por los candidatos o nominados de los respectivos partidos. Debe estar registrado con su partido de elección 29 días antes de una Elección Primaria.

Early Voting Sites / Sitios de Votación Anticipada 02/25/2023

4030Spruce Creek Preserve, Comm. Ctr. 11376 SW 136th Pl., Dunnellon

4040Florida Highlands Baptist Church 10891 SW 155th St., Dunnellon

4050Marion Oaks Comm Ctr., Bldg. B 294 Marion Oaks Ln., Ocala

4060Marion Oaks Comm Ctr, Aud. 294 Marion Oaks Ln., Ocala

4070SummerGlen Clubhouse 1474 SW 154th Street Rd., Ocala

4080Maranatha Baptist Church 525 Marion Oaks Trl., Ocala

4090Marion Oaks Assembly of God 13977 SW 32nd Terrace Rd., Ocala

4100Timber Ridge Comm. Church of Ocala 10260 SW 110th St., Dunnellon

4110Oak Run Orchid Clubhouse 8885 SW 110th St., Ocala

4120Oak Run Palm Grove Clubhouse 6951 SW 115th Street Rd., Ocala

4130Palm Cay Oasis Clubhouse 8063 SW 106th Pl., Ocala

4140Hebron Evangelical Church 125 Marion Oaks Trl., Ocala

4150OTOW Arbor Conference Ctr., Suite E 10070 SW 94th St., Ocala

4151OTOW Arbor Conference Ctr., Studio II & III 10070 SW 94th St., Ocala

4152OTOW Master the Possibilities, ClassRm. 1 8415 SW 80th St., Ocala

4153OTOW Master the Possibilities, ClassRm. 2 8415 SW 80th St., Ocala

4154Stone Creek Reunion Center 6111 SW 89th Court Rd., Ocala

4160Countryside Presbyterian Church 7768 SW HWY 200, Ocala

4170Christ's Church of Marion County 6768 SW 80th St., Ocala

4180Saddle Oak Club Clubhouse 5610 SW 60th St., Ocala

4190Marion Landing Lifestyle Ctr. 8601 SW 65th Avenue Rd., Ocala

4200Joy Evangelical Lutheran 7045 SW 83rd Pl., Ocala

On candidate endorsements from nonprofits and the IRS

irony. In a white paper published on the IRS website offering clarification on these rules, the question is asked- is the prohibition on nonprofits participating in elections absolute? The answer:

Yes, the prohibition is absolute.

In United States v. Dykema, 666 F.2d 1096, 1101 (7th Cir. 1981), the Seventh Circuit stated: “It should be noted that exemption is lost . . . by participation in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

By Ocala Gazette Editorial Board

When Ryan Chamberlin, a Republican candidate in the March 7 special election for the vacant State House District 24 seat, announced last week that he had launched “one of the largest faith coalitions in Marion County’s political history,” presumably he intended to convey that he’d have a lot of spiritual advisors if elected.

We could look past Chamberlin’s hyperbole and be happy for him. After all, Proverbs says, “In a multitude of counselors, there is safety.” So, good for him.

But then another email arrived, this one signed by 20 pastors who insist that Chamberlin is the only candidate for the job.

Cue the flashing red lights.

According to the IRS, religious organizations are “absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in any political campaign on behalf of a candidate for elective office. Further, public statements made on behalf of any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition.’’ The religious organizations risk losing their taxexempt status through such actions.

Although the IRS has been lax in recent years enforcing this rule against churches, it can do so. As an aside, the juxtaposition of the pastors’ disregard for this rule and Chamberlin’s campaign promises to fight against the Biden administration’s so-called “weaponization of the IRS” drips with

It need not form a substantial part of the organization’ s activities” The Second Circuit agreed with this position when it held that an organization did not qualify as an IRC 501(c)(3) organization because it rated judicial candidates as a very minor part of its total activities.

Association of the Bar of the City of New York v. Commissioner, 858 F.2d 876 (2d Cir. 1988), cert. denied, 490 U.S. 1030 (1989). The court rejected the organization’ s contention that the substantiality requirement from the lobbying activity limitations be applied to the political campaign activity prohibition. Citing United States v. Naftalin, 441 U.S 768, 773 (1979), the court stated: “The short answer [to this argument] is that Congress did not write the statute that way.” Id. at 881.

The court noted that the IRC 501(c) (3)prohibition against participation or intervention in political campaigns was added some twenty years after the statutory restriction on lobbying. Therefore, the court concluded: “Had Congress intended the added exception to apply only to those organizations that devote a substantial part of their activity to participate in political campaigns, it easily could have said so. It did not.”

Id. at 881. Furthermore, the court noted, both houses of Congress, in their Committee Reports on the Tax Reform Act of 1969, explicitly differentiated the scope of the two proscriptions:

“[A]lthough the present provisions of section 501(c)(3) permit some degree of influencing legislation by a section 501(c)(3) organization, it provides that

no degree of support for an individual’ s candidacy is permitted”

What are the consequences of nonprofits breaking this rule? In Branch Ministries v. Rossotti, 211 F.3d 137 (D.C. Cir. 2000), the court affirmed the revocation of the IRC 501(c)(3) status of a church after it published advertisements in newspapers urging people not to vote for then presidentialcandidate Bill Clinton.

When nonprofits go so far as to make financial expenditures for prohibited political activities, it can also come with financial consequences not just against the organization but the managers and directors of the organization.

Can churches host forums and encourage voting? Yes, so long as they walk the fine line of presenting information as an educational measure and not in the role of advocate.

The IRS says that caution must be exercised, and recommends that 501(c) (3) organizations hosting should state explicitly that it “does not support or oppose the candidate when the candidate is introduced and in any communications concerning the candidate’s attendance at the event.” Also, there must be no political fundraising at the event. Other factors the IRS considers are:

(A)Whether all legally qualified candidates were invited;

(B)Whether questions for the candidate were prepared and presented by an independent, nonpartisan panel;

(C)Whether the topics discussed by the candidates covered a broad range of issues of interest to the public;

(D)Whether each candidate was given an equal opportunity to present his or her views on the issues discussed; and

(E)Whether a moderator commented on the questions or otherwise made comments that implied approval or disapproval of any of the candidates.

The clear conclusion is that Chamberlin’s “historic” coalition of supportive clergy exists because everyone else is dutifully following the law.

Altruism, or for profit?

Pastors who sent email endorsing Chamberlin

Pastor Daniel Autrey

Souls Harbor Dunnellon

Pastor Anthony Ballestero

New Destiny Worship Center

Pastor Timothy Bass

Life Tabernacle - Ocala

Pastor Joey Campetella

Christian Life Center

Pastor Ishmael Castillo

Marion County Puerto De Almas

Pastor Ryan Crossley

Iglesia De La Roca

Pastor Donnie Ellis

Souls Harbor Dade City

Pastor David Elms

Cathedral of Pentecost

Pastor Joe Guinta

Hope Center

Pastor Rodney Holmes

Mt. Carmel Baptist Church

Pastor Brian Kinsey

First Pentecostal Church of Pensacola

Doug Klinedinst International Evangelist

Pastor Rocki McKinley

Destiny Community Church

Pastor John Moody

Southern Baptist minister of 60 years

Andy Simpson, Th.D.

Chief Operating Officer, Macedonia Baptist College

Ronnie Simpson, Ph.D.

Pastor, Bright Light Baptist Church

Pastor Rick Sears

Apostolics of Arcadia

Pastor Aaron Sizemore

Cornerstone Church - Ocala

Bishop James E. Varnum

District Secretary for the United Pentecostal Church, 50 years in ministry

Pastor Jason E. Varnum

Souls Harbor First Pentecostal Church

Pastor Rodney Wicker

Kanai United Pentecostal Church

With such large self-funded contributions to campaigns, we can’t help but ask why?

By Ocala Gazette Editorial Board

When candidates who are not independently wealthy sink significant amounts of their own money and time into political campaigns for an elected position that only pays about $29,000 annually for two years, the obvious question is: Why?

Perhaps the answer involves a genuine desire to serve their community, in this case as a member of the Florida House of Representatives. The race for the open District 24 seat will be decided on March 7.

The incentives, however, can extend beyond such civic benevolence.

Certainly, the position of a state legislator comes with influence, whether real or perceived. Elected officials get their calls promptly returned, closed doors are opened. People they encounter wish to be in their good graces. And when it’s time to step down, relationships begun and nurtured during their time in office benefit them both personally and professionally for years to come.

Fair enough, perhaps, considering the sacrifice of time and energy it takes to serve.

Sometimes, though, the benefits are less subtle. And these connections bear watching.

Take, for example, State Rep. Brett Hage, a Republican who recently concluded his representation of District 33, which includes Sumter County and parts of Marion and Lake counties. That geographic region also happens to encompass the sprawling community of The Villages.

According to financial disclosures, Hage was hired by The Villages after he was elected in 2018. Hage, who lists his occupation as a residential developer, reported an income of $141,003 from The Villages in 2019. The following year, his income more than doubled to $350,000. In 2021, he received a whopping $925,096 from The Villages.

When it comes to constituent services, Hage has been a stalwart for his employer. In 2021, Hage co-sponsored a bill that limited the amount of impact fees local government can charge developers to offset the demands on public services brought on by new construction. The legislation arrived just in time to put an end to a dispute between the Sumter County Commission, The Villages and local taxpayers angry at having to subsidize the

developer’s impacts on infrastructure.

Another local legislator, Stan McClain, an Ocala Republican representing District 27, also co-sponsored that bill. According to McClain’s financial disclosures, his main income comes from the construction industry.

This brings us back to looking for instances in which political candidates might be motivated to run in order to be in position to shepherd along self-serving legislation or experience a financial windfall by virtue of being elected.

A good place to start is to examine what businesses pay their bills and how being in an elected position lot could improve their lot. After all, this may justify their heavy investments in their campaigns.

Thus far, the Republican candidates in the District 24 special election reporting the largest personal contributions to their own campaign accounts are Ryan Chamberlin at $75,000, Charlie Stone at $50,000, and Dr. Stephen Pyles at $60,000. It should be noted that Chamberlin has declined to provide proof he funded the $75,000 after the “Gazette” noted his financial disclosures did not support his access to that amount of money.

In the case of Chamberlin, who also has a real estate license but says he doesn’t use it, drawing the line to potential increased profits is easy because the bulk of his reported income comes from his company, True Patriot Network, which connects conservative politicians and organizations with donors through advertising on the online platform. If voters send Chamberlin to Tallahassee, which is filled to the brim with Republican lawmakers and political operatives, he’ll be nicely situated among a deep pool of potential clients.

When the “Gazette” asked Chamberlin if he felt this could be a conflict of interest, he replied, “No, I think it’s a good thing.”

As for the other candidates in the special election, Pyles’ medical practice could possibly suffer with him in Tallahassee for extended periods or performing other duties. However, there is a lot of state and federal funding available to fight opioid addiction and Pyles, who specializes in pain management, could conceivably be in position to steer those funds as a legislator.

Justin Albright, who has contributed only a few thousand dollars to his campaign, would certainly make new connections as a legislator, people who could enhance his real estate career. Candidate Jose Juarez, who makes

barbeque sauce and runs a niche customer service center catering to the needs of motorcycle dealers, would seemingly have a less-direct way of directly profiting from a seat in the Legislature.

Which brings us to Stone, a career politician who served as a county commissioner from 2004-2012 and a state representative from 2012-202.

He owns Stone Petroleum, which services businesses and local governments in and around the district. The Marion County government spent $218,919 with Stone Petroleum from the time he took office in 2004 through 2016. The city of Ocala did business with Stone Petroleum to the tune of $246,235.90 from 2018 through October 2022.

About five months ago, Stone withdrew his bid to continue servicing the city of Ocala, even though he gave the lowest bid. According to a city council agenda item, he withdrew it because of a “conflict with the escalation clause” in the city’s proposed contract. The contract, valued at over $500,000 went to Palmdale Oil Co. Inc.

When it comes to filing financial disclosures, Stone has chosen over the years to attach his federal tax return rather than provide the names of his business’ major sources of income. He has declined the “Gazette’s” requests to identify customers of Stone Petroleum located in Marion County in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

We wanted to see if any Stone Petroleum customers had come before the Marion County commission. This is relevant because his wife, Michelle Stone, is not only a member of the commission, she is also part owner of Stone Petroleum. She has been involved with negotiating with Ocala on interlocal agreements while Stone Petroleum was negotiating a significant contract with Ocala last year.

Clearly, the company could potentially benefit if the owners hold seats on both the Marion County commission and the Florida House of Representatives.

It is important to note that the type of business prospecting detailed here is technically legal. That means the only entities left to watch for self-serving deals are the voters and what remains of local news organizations. And Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is already increasing his attacks on the press in advance oif what is expected to be a presidential campaign. Maybe that is why DeSantis wants to remove the protections journalists report under.

Historic handover

A band tour bus restored by several local companies was presented on Saturday in Ocala to

By Andy Fillmore Correspondent

Country Music Hall of Famer

and former Johnny Cash band member Marty Stuart shared the spotlight with another country music veteran on Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Reilly Arts Center in Ocala—a gleaming red, black and white 1957 Flxible StarLiner bus dubbed “The Chief.”

The venerable bus, restored and

customized almost entirely by local craftsmen and technicians, was donate by the owners of a Marion County horse farm and was set to be shipped by flatbed trailer to Marty Stuart’s Congress of Country Music museum in Philadelphia, Mississippi, houses more than 33,000 cataloged items.

According to congressofcountrymusic. org, the $30 million project will create a 50,000-plus-square-foot campus featuring the historic and recently renovated

IHMC Lecture Series

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THE TALK: Lifestyle Approaches for Cellular Health

Ellis Theater, a museum, classrooms, a community hall, meeting and event space, and a rooftop performance venue.

The bus, which was located three years ago, was shipped to Ocala and painstakingly restored and customized in a project spearheaded by husband and wife, Dave and Boots Wright, owners of We Both Farms in northwest Marion County. The Wrights have been involved in several bus restorations, including ones used by the late NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt

and Cash.

When Stuart visited Ocala just over three years ago, Dave Wright showed him a “Private Coach” sign from a former Cash tour bus and the meeting led to the search for a bus to restore and install as a display at Stuart’s museum. The presentation Saturday was the culmination of the three-year project, although Wright said improvements will continue to be made on the bus.

“I was completely overwhelmed by such

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February 23rd, 2023

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The thesis of this talk is that we become healthier humans by exposing ourselves to small amounts of stress on a temporary basis. There are many examples of temporary challenges, such as exercise, intermittent fasting, or taking a sauna, being good for you. This describes the biological phenomenon of ‘hormesis’ which is the process our cells use to adapt to temporary stressors and become stronger. It’s true that being in a chronically stressed out state is not healthy and has been linked to many diseases and accelerated aging. However, stress in and of itself is not harmful. Rather, the latest research reveals that our bodies and minds need small to moderate amounts of temporary stress on a frequent basis in order to become more resilient and ‘anti-fragile.’ There are multiple aspects of our lifestyle can elicit the process of hormesis in our cells. This talk will cover some of the key lifestyle changes that recent research has found can improve cellular health and ultimately promote healthy aging through the process of hormesis.

Season Sponsors: Lecture Sponsors:

Mariano, Myra, David & Patricia Placencia, Gerardo Felix, Rick Norcross, Gary Romine, Chuck Partin, Marty Stuart, Boots & Dave Wright, Nicole & Jack Quintana, Ashley & Derrick Quesenberry, Levi Amerson, Ellen & Geet Faulkner [ElVideoCowboy]

unselfish generosity,” Stuart wrote in an email.

On Saturday, “The Chief ” served as the centerpiece for a gathering at the Reilly before Stuart s Feb. 18 evening performance where Stuart thanked those involved in the bus restoration project and met past owner Rick Norcross, bandleader of the Vermontbased Western swing band Rick and the AllStar Ramblers.

Norcross’ group used the bus from 1998 to 2020. Stuart provided an advance “thank you” VIP show for the group before his evening concert.

“All the stars came together. It was a wonderful day,” Wright said of the handoff to Stuart.

The name of the bus honors Chief Oliver Red Cloud, who was a supporter of education and “warrior of this century, looking out for the rights of the people…(who) cared deeply for the children and the families of the Lakota Nation,” according to RedCloud School.com, the website for the Red Cloud Indian School in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. Oliver Red Cloud died in 2013, at age 93. Stuart was friends with and was “adopted” by the chief and continues to support Oglala Lakota College in Kyle, South Dakota.

“The bus is an immeasurable gift from the hearts of Dave and Boots Wright. They paid for everything, including an endowment to cover maintenance and personnel to care for the bus in Philadelphia, Mississippi. They also donated two other incredible vehicles. The Congress of Country Music bought a building adjacent to our campus to house the fleet and the building will be named in Dave and Boots honor” Stuart stated.

Levi Amerson Jr., of Amerson Trucking LLC in Spring Hill, has transported the bus previously and will haul it to the museum on a flatbed.

Stuart called the 33-foot-long bus “a star” and said he has spent perhaps 51 years of his career traveling on buses like “The Chief.”

“It’s like seeing a painting going down the road. This bus brings back the idea of the artistry, craftsmanship and ingenuity this country was built upon. (This bus) is a portrait of old America,” Stuart said.

Stuart remarked on how buses historically have drawn people together to share experiences. He praised the work of those involved in the project which, he said, will preserve a part of country music history.

The Flxible StarLiner began its service life as a 29-passenger bus at Halifax Airport in Nova Scotia. By 1961, the bus was sent to Custom Coach Corporation in Columbus, Ohio, to be outfitted as a luxury ride. Norcross said he purchased the bus from a truck driver and used it for more than 20 years with his musical group.

The manufacturer’s name—Flxible, which is the correct spelling—harkens back to the Flxible Side Car Company of Loudonville, Ohio, which made motorcycle sidecars with a flexible connection circa 1912, according to Flxibleowners.org. The company made funeral cars, buses and more up until the 1970s, when the company was sold.

Wright found the 66-year-old bus on eBay and enlisted Gary Romine, of Edge Motorsports Racing & Restorations in Summerfield, to organize a host of local companies to handle the various tasks.

The StarLiner interior has two tables with tooled leather handiwork and upholstered seats in the front, a kitchen area and storage in the center, and a lounge/office layout in the rear area with etched glass tables and wraparound upholstery, a television and plaques commemorating both Stuart s (2020) and his wife Connie Smiths (2012) elections into the County Music Hall of Fame. Touches on the exterior include gold leaf striping, graphics and museum signage.

The 10-ton bus is powered by a Ford 535-cubic-inch V-8 industrial gasoline engine

and has an Allison five-speed transmission. It has original air brakes and air horns. It gets about five miles to a gallon of gas.

Derek Quesenberry, owner of Platinum Details of Ocala, did an initial clean-up of the bus, steam cleaning the interior and more, before restoration work began.

Wayne Green, with Raney’s Truck Center in Ocala, said the bus was at the center for several months and the work done there included exhaust system replacement, inhouse fabrication of brake shoes and updates including LED headlamps.

Jack and Nicole Quintana, owners of Lucky’s Upholstery in Belleview, were on hand for the bus handoff. The couple’s shop did the custom black leather, ostrich and suede upholstery with red stitch highlights. The new upholstery was done with a “nostalgic look, he said.

Chuck Partin, of Castaway Customs Northwest in Bronson, said his company installed new Sea Dek flooring usually used in marine applications and made modifications for a smooth floor. Partin said before work began, the floor was “pretty rough and had holes” Replacement took more than three weeks.

Geet Faulkner, of LN Signs of Ocala, said his company did “all lettering and graphics and stripes and the etched glass tabletops in the rear of the bus,” including 23 carat gold leaf designs. Special touches by LN Signs include Marty Stuart’s signature on the entry door and a message on the engine s cooling fan that reads “Marty’s Other Fan!”

Shift’n Gears Auto Body of Williston handled the multi-color paint on the bus.

Terry Lankford, of Lankford Made, based in Franklin, Tennessee, did all the hand-tooled leather highlights. Tabletops, the dashboard and several other areas are treated with the decorative leather work.

Also helping with the restoration project were Big John’s Customs, Butler Industries, IBP Industries, ElVideo Cowboy, Robert Martin, Raymond West, Mariano Placencia and Gerardo Felix.

Stuart, 65, a native of Philadelphia, Mississippi, began his career around age 13 when he joined fellow Country Music Hall of Fame artist Lester Flatt on the road. He called traveling with Flatt a “business arrangement” and when asked Saturday if his parents were agreeable, he joked that he wasn’t joining a heavy metal group.

“Buses were a big part of my life (and) the only constant on the road,” Stuart said about the ever-changing food and accommodations from town to town while on tour.

Norcross, a native of Vermont visiting currently in Tampa, worked as a music entertainment reporter with the “Tampa Times” during the 1960s and 1970s and interviewed music celebrities including Elvis Presley. He has lived in Florida and Vermont and toured with Rick and the All-Star Ramblers in New York, Massachusetts and Vermont.

Norcross decided to sell the bus, which at the time was painted green and was nicknamed “The Mighty Pickle ” because of “winding down” on tour dates.

He called selling the bus “bittersweet” but said he now is “thrilled” to see it will be on display at the museum. Norcross called Stuart one of his country music “heroes, like one of the Beatles” and said that seeing the bus was a “thrill.” He said the emotion connected to the event Saturday, “runs deep” Norcross presented Stuart with a vintage plaque from Columbia Records, which cited Johnny Horton for sales of his “Sink the Bismarck” recording.

Stuart, Wright and Norcross sat in the bus on Saturday afternoon reminiscing and discussing the two musicians’ careers and more before the show. Stuart noted that the same type of gatherings have occurred for years on tour buses.

“People visit,” he said with a smile.

[ElVideoCowboy]

Marty Stuart and Rick Norcross [ElVideoCowboy]

Signature on bus door [Andy Fillmore]

Dave Wright with Pickle sign which is in storage area of The Chief bus and harkens back to when the bus was painted green and used by Rick and the All-Star Ramblers. [ElVideoCowboy]

Engine fan [Andy Fillmore]

People, Places & Things

By Julie Garisto julie@magnoliamediaco.com

An intriguing meld of historical eloquence and present-day inspiration distinguishes Lisa Russo’s oil paintings from other realists of today.

The Summerfield-based artist earned her second master’s degree, a Master of Fine Arts in portraiture, in December 2021, after devoting a two-decade-plus career to refining her oil-painting expertise. Those 10,000 hours (and then some) included deep classical study, Renaissance/ Baroque master training, extensive European travel, a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of South Florida, and commissioned replications and restorations of old, often famous, paintings. Russo also holds a master’s in education.

And then there’s the invention she patented, an idea that came to her while she was painting a heavenly male figure.

“I’m a traditional painter, but I was trying to break up the format while working on a 6-foot angel,” she explained, describing “Ascension.”

Russo and her husband, John, discussed how to present the outsized winged hero.

“We were just thinking about how to present him, and then we realized the sections could be multi-dimensional. Or they could be twodimensional, flat on the wall. You can pull them from the wall where they protrude out, or they’ll actually go into the pyramid, three-dimensional form, too.”

Whether 2D or 3D, Russo’s original works delve into the recesses of her imagination, traveling back in time and sometimes slinking forward to the present, drawing on inspiration from her everyday life and the lives of her loved ones, sprinkling in judiciously placed details that spice up a rich narrative subtext.

Influenced by European masters, it comes as no surprise that the Italian Carnivale—the masquerade-themed Mardi Gras celebration made famous in Venice and celebrated around the world—would inspire her new retrospective, “Unmasked: the Revealing Works of Lisa Russo,” premiering Friday, March 3, at the Brick City Center for the Arts. The opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. coincides with downtown Ocala’s First Friday Artwalk.

A masquerade party the following evening, on Saturday, March 4, will celebrate Russo’s works and features food, libations, dance and music, all at the Brick from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $35.

This isn’t Russo’s first solo show or masquerade dance.

“I’ve had probably around four series, one being the masquerade, and that was 20 years ago when I traveled to Europe,” Russo recalled. “I was inspired by all the beautiful work and the Venetian masque. So, I put it in one of the paintings and it was very successful, so I started doing a theme around it. That theme ended up having me look for masquerade balls throughout Florida.”

Those parties included local nonprofit fundraisers and galas, such as the Transition Life Center’s annual masquerade party. They also inspired some of the more recent works in the retrospective.

Speaking of Italian inspirations, Russo was commissioned to paint the artwork for restaurants Milano Italian Grille and Napolinos.

These days, Russo teaches art at Lake Weir Middle School, a school she once attended. She taught art there for a short time earlier in her career and returned recently after a long absence.

On her return, she learned about the remodeling of the school’s gym, which necessitated painting over a mural of an eagle, a project led by Russo’s onetime art teacher, which she refurbished when she worked there the first time.

“I was devastated,” she said.

Russo perked up, however, when offered the opportunity to paint new eagles. The project enlists her students and is currently in progress.

“We’re going to paint two eagles on the side of the doors on the bottom,” she said. “I already lined it out for my students, and they’re going to complete it under my tutelage.”

The bodybuilder and mother of two teenagers—Victoria and John—has experienced joys and some heartaches and doesn’t shrink in the face of challenges. Her daughter’s health scare just after her birth inspired a painting that still hangs in a Gainesville pediatric ward. Victoria, thankfully, recovered after two weeks of an agonizing ordeal.

“When I decided to do the painting, everyone asked why I wanted to paint during such a difficult time, but I just felt compelled to paint it,” Russo said in an artist statement on her website. “As I began painting, I would feel my eyes well up with tears, but as it progressed it became very cathartic. I realized that although this was a very personal piece it could have a much higher purpose by giving others hope when it seems like there is none to be found.”

Based on a photo taken of Russo and newborn Victoria, the painting, “A Mother’s Love,” hangs in UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville.

A sibling spat between Victoria and John inspired “Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow,” a painting that takes inspiration from Romeo & Juliet.

“We were eating at Dunderbaks in Tampa around five years ago after the Renaissance Festival,” Russo reminisced. “My son hit my daughter in the head. She, of course, was gonna ham it up, and my son’s good friend James held her and consoled her.”

That friend (and the model of the Bardinspired painting), James Lattin, will be playing guitar at the March 4 masquerade event. The band Limestone will perform and Victoria’s friend, Rosalie Abdul, will dazzle the crowd with Eastern-inspired dances. She and her sisters are featured in one of the works, and another friend, Sky Lu, of the Great Wall Chinese restaurant family, which is catering the event, modeled for another of the works in the show.

Russo added with a hint of mischief: “I’m gonna have a fortune teller, too.”

For more information about “Unmasked” and the masquerade party at the MCA Brick City Center for the Arts, visit mcaocala. org. Note: This exhibit is suitable for mature audiences, as there is some nudity depicted in different artistic forms. All pieces are for sale, with a percentage of all sales to benefit the Marion Cultural Alliance.

An intimate look at the classically inspired contemporary painter.

Lisa Russo with her works [Supplied]

“Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow”

“A Mother’s Love”

“Soirée”

“I realized that although this was a very personal piece it could have a much higher purpose by giving others hope when it seems like there is none to be found. ”

Lisa Russo, on her painting “A Mother‘s Love.”

Greek Festival delivers the ‘opa’

The 23rd annual Greek Festival hosted by St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church in Belleview delivered once again on amazing food, dance, music and fellowship.

The event, held Feb. 17-19, drew hundreds of patrons of all ages who dined on Greek delicacies such as saganaki (flaming cheese), stuffed grape leaves and baklava. It also featured a taverna, cultural music and dance, and activities for youth. Vendors offered a variety of goods and there also were games, raffles and drawings for door prizes. Most of all, there were tables filled end to end with people enjoying the camaraderie, with frequent and enthusiastic shouts of “Opa!”

To learn more about the event and how it helps the community and church ministries, visit stmarksgoc.org or greekfestivalocala.com

Service dog group accepts top prizes

Patriot Service Dogs, a local nonprofit that trains and provides service dogs for military veterans, and the only Florida-based organization out of 800 entries to contend for a top prize, was the winner of the second annual Defender Service Awards in the Veterans Outreach category. The contest was sponsored by Land Rover.

On Feb. 18, at PRP Aviation at the Ocala International Airport, group members, accompanied by several service dogs of all breeds, received a customized 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 and $25,000.

Patriot Service Dogs places trained service dogs free of charge with honorably discharged veterans with mobility problems, PTSD, traumatic brain injuries and other issues, from any era, regardless of combat wound status. Since its founding, the organization has trained and provided service dogs to more than 50 veterans, primarily through its WOOF (Women Offering Obedience and Friendship) program at the Lowell Correctional Institution north of Ocala.

To learn more, go to patriotservicedogs.org

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

People eat authentic Greek food.

Kathy Zotos, right, says “Opa” as she make saganaki flame up with Irene Manos, left, during the 23rd annual Greek Festival at St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church in Belleview on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023.

Rilynn Oldaker, 1 1/2, takes a big bite of her Greek food, with her aunt, Davida Middlton.

Steve Tavelaris, left, on the bouzouki, plays Greek music with Nick Mouganis.

Shawn Treney, who was portraying the Spartan Soldier, Leonidas I, poses for a photo with event organizer Demetra Rucker.

Photos

The best of the bassets

Agorgeous day, friendly pups with great big eyes and long droopy ears, and a campus dotted with vendors made for a festive and fun event on Feb. 18 at the Greater Ocala Dog Club Show Grounds north of Ocala.

The Suncoast Basset Rescue’s 21st annual Sweetheart Waddle was a fundraiser that included a 50/50 raffle, a DJ, basset hound games, a longest ears contest, a hot dog toss and a lure course. The highlight of the day was the Waddle Parade, where the basset hounds strutted their stuff. The event also included adoptable dogs. To learn more about the organization, go to suncoastbassetrescue.org

Hello, Ocala!

She has a son, who lives in Ocala.

The family acquired a “weekend place” on five acres in Inverness on the Withlacoochee River, which has become a retreat for family birthdays, holidays and other parties.

“We all love it there,” Julie said, reminiscing that her husband had done an excellent job of making the facility into the comforting and lovely place it is now.

“We have made good memories there, and continue doing so,” she said with a smile, adding that it was Sam’s wish that the property would remain in the family.

Meet your neighbor: Julie Guess

By Eadie Sickler Correspondent

Julie and Sam Guess married when she was 18 years old. They lived in Alliance, Ohio, for about two years then moved to Tampa after a friend invited Sam there on a fishing trip.

“He just loved Florida and returned to tell me we were going to move there,” Julie said.

The couple moved to Florida from Ohio in 1956 and spent more than 50 years in Tampa before they moved to southwest Ocala in 2009 to be near their son, Sam, and his family, which includes a grandson and granddaughter.

They loved the “open spaces, farmland, pastoral scenery and friendly people in Ocala,” Julie shared.

For about five years, they traveled between Ocala and Tampa because Sam’s business, Sam Guess Paint and Body Shop and Wrecker Service, was in Tampa. He was associated with the Tampa Police Department for 30 years with the wrecker service.

Sam and Julie are the parents of three children. They were married 63 years when Sam began experiencing health issues. He has since passed away, as has one of their daughters. In addition to their son, Sam, they have a daughter, Delores, who lives in Maitland, with her husband.

Julie was born in a small town in Hungary, near Budapest, where she lived with her parents and two sisters. Her grandmother had emigrated to America as a young woman and her father decided to move the family to America, too, to escape the war in Europe at the time. It was just before World War II broke out there. He left Hungary in 1938, before the rest of the family, and stayed with his mother in America. Just after he left the country, officials came to look for him to induct him into the Hungarian Army, Julie recalled. In 1940, when Julie was 4 years old and in kindergarten, she, her mother and sisters left Hungary to go to America to be reunited with her father. They sailed on the last ship allowed to leave Le Havre, France, for America. She said the area in Hungary where they lived is now nonexistent, “and we escaped being there.”

“God had His hand on us to save us,” Julie said.

The trip to America was a difficult and frightful one for Julie, she remembered, as there were daily raids, or drills on the ship, with air raid sirens to instruct the passengers how to exit the ship if it were bombed. They had to go from the bottom of the ship to the top deck and the steps were difficult for a small 4-year-old and the other children to navigate. The “mother” ship was surrounded by 15 other ships during the excursion, she explained, so if it were necessary, the others would be able to rescue the passengers.

The trip was successful, and they

arrived at Ellis Island in the United States and then settled in Atwater, Ohio, where her grandparents owned a dairy farm. They were able to work on the farm. While in Atwater, Julie’s parents had a son, Alex, and he still lives at and manages the dairy farm. Julie’s oldest sister is 92 and lives in Alliance, Ohio. Her other sister has passed away.

In 2000, Julie and a friend traveled to Europe and Budapest, and she was able to cross the Danube River into where the town had been when she was a little girl. She can still speak Hungarian.

“It was a wonderful thing to step on that soil where I was born,” she said.

On another trip the same year, the women traveled to Scotland, Ireland and England. It was springtime and she said the country was “just beautiful.” She has traveled to Alaska twice.

Julie recalled that when her mother came to the kindergarten to get her when they had to leave for America, her teacher invited them into her living quarters. On a chair sat a big, beautiful doll and Julie was immediately attracted to it. The image of that doll stayed with her and, in 1972, she began collecting dolls. This was during a difficult time in her life following great personal loss and she feels God put the teacher and her doll in her memory as a diversion to help her through the time because she began to research dolls. Julie said she focused on the history of the dolls she collected, as well as others. Her favorite dolls are Kewpies.

“And I also love all the holidays,” Julie said, noting that she has some holidaythemed dolls and memorabilia.

Some of Julie’s dolls, toys and decorations have been loaned every Christmas season for the past 25 years to the Henry B. Plant Museum in Tampa. The curator from the museum comes each year before the holidays and transports her choices to Tampa.

“I enjoy that so much,” Julie remarked, “because I can share my collections with others to enjoy.”

Julie Guess poses by her large collection of antique Kewpie dolls that are part of her large antique doll collection at her home in southwest Ocala on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2023.

Shawna

Makenna Leasure, 9, celebrates with her basset hound, Morgan, 2, after placing first in their heat of the Groovy Race. Dustin Gilley, 8, races with his basset hound, Junior, 9, in the Groovy Race.

DJ, 10, Champion, 12, and Barley, 3, left to right, all basset hounds owned by Windy Collins of Apopka, relax on their beds.

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

San Sebastián: Shimmering pearl of the Basque country

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.

By Rick Steves

Jostling with enthusiastic eaters at the bar, I munch on my last spider crab open-face sandwich. A tiny plate of toothpicks is all that’s left of my meal. I keep them because this allows the bartender to tally the bill. After paying, he insists I drink one more glass of txakolí (cha-koh-LEE) – the local sparkling white wine. It’s on the house … and falls nearly from the ceiling as he theatrically pours from as high as he can reach. No one but me marvels as the house wine highdives expertly into my glass. Watching the bartender’s face – proudly set off by a red neckerchief, surrounded by a happy commotion of black berets – I think it’s no wonder these Basque people are so stubborn when it comes to independence.

In Basque country, bright white chalet-style homes with patriotic red-andgreen shutters dot lush rolling hills. The Pyrénées mountains soar high above the Atlantic. And surfers and sardines share the waves. Insulated from mainstream Europe for centuries, this plucky region has maintained its spirit while split between Spain and France.

The beach resort of San Sebastián, just over the French border in Spain, is the best single stop in Basque country. Shimmering above the breathtaking bay of La Concha, elegant and prosperous San Sebastián (or “Donostia” in the local Euskara language) has a favored location with golden beaches book-ended by twin peaks (Monte Urgull on the east end of the bay, and Monte Igueldo to the west), and a cute little island just offshore.

A delightful beachfront promenade runs the length of the bay, with an intriguing Old Town at one end and a smart shopping district in the center. The city has 186,000 residents and almost that many tourists in summer. With a romantic setting, a soaring statue of Christ gazing over the city, and a late-night lively Old Town, San Sebastián has a Rio de Janeiro aura and provides a scenic and fun-loving introduction to Spain’s Basque country.

In 1845, the doctor of Spain’s Queen Isabel II recommended she treat her skin problems by bathing here in the sea. Her visit caught the attention of Spain’s aristocracy, and soon the city was on the map as a seaside resort. By the turn of the 20th century, Donostia was the toast of the belle époque, and a leading resort for Europe’s beautiful people. Before World War I, Spain’s Queen María Cristina summered here and held court in her Miramar Palace overlooking the crescent beach. Hotels, casinos, and theaters

flourished. Later, the Spanish dictator Franco, who worked so hard to suppress Basque culture, overlooked his politics to enjoy 35 summers here. (You can bet he called it San Sebastián, not Donostia.)

The shell-shaped bay of La Concha, the pride of San Sebastián, has one of Europe’s loveliest stretches of sand. Lined with a two-mile-long promenade, it allows even backpackers to feel aristocratic. While pretty empty off-season, sunbathers pack its shores in summer. But year-round, the beach is surprisingly devoid of eateries and money-grubbing businesses. There are free showers, and cabinas provide lockers, showers, and shade for a fee. For a century, the lovingly painted wrought-iron balustrade that stretches the length of the promenade has been a symbol of the city; it shows up on everything from jewelry to headboards. It’s shaded by tamarisk trees, with branches carefully pruned into knotty bulbs each winter that burst into leafy shade-giving canopies in the summer – another symbol of the city.

San Sebastián was born about 1,000 years ago. Its Old Town hides heavy Baroque and Gothic churches, surprise plazas, and fun little shops, including venerable pastry stores, rugged produce markets, Basque-independence souvenir stands, and seafood-to-go delis. The Old Town’s main square, Plaza de la Constitución (the numbered balconies recall bullfights once held here) features café tables spilling from all corners. The highlight of the Old Town is its incredibly busy and colorful tapas bars –though here, these snacks are called pintxos (PEEN-chohs).

Txikiteo (chih-kee-TAY-oh) is the word for hopping from bar to bar, enjoying small sandwiches and tiny snacks and glasses of wine. Local competition drives bars to lay out the most appealing array of pintxos. The selection is amazing. Just wander the streets (Calle Fermín Calbetón is best) and belly up to the bar at whichever spot appeals. For top-end tapas, seek out Bar Goiz Argi, Ganbara Bar, and La Cuchara de San Telmo. You’ll enjoy a can-can of petite gourmet snacks: heaps of peppers, mushrooms, and seafood. Don’t miss the tartaleta de txangurro – that’s spider-crab spread on bread. One word you’re sure to learn in Euskara is gustagarri (delicious).

(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.)

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OUR MISSION IS TO INFORM AND UPLIFT OUR READERS BY REPORTING ON THE EVENTS, ISSUES AND STORIES THAT SHAPE OCALA WITH ACCURACY, FAIRNESS AND PASSION.

31 Beast of burden in many fables

32 Support for a proposal?

33 Hi-__ graphics

36 Tres __ cake: dairy-soaked dessert

39 Sea plea, briefly

40 Took care of

42 Really hot

45 In a fitting way

47 Set up

50 Smidge

51 Weightlifting move

52 Reverse

53 “Eso Beso” singer

54 Sprinkler attachment

55 “Awesome, dude!”

56 Pipe problem

57 Tattered cloth

58 Blow away

59 Big name in laptops and lipstick

The golden sands of San Sebastián welcome visitors to the spirited Basque country. [Cameron Hewitt]

community

FEBRUARY 24

Park After Dark: “Soul”

Webb Field, 1501 W Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala

7pm

The city of Ocala continues its outdoor movie tradition, this month showing the PG-rated film “Soul.” It’s free to attend. Food and drink options will be available, or bring your own snacks, along with chairs and blankets. For more info, ocalafl.org

FEBRUARY 24

Black History Museum Awards and Inductee Gala

Mary Sue Rich Center, 1812 NW 21st Ave., Ocala

7pm

The Black History Museum of Marion County is sponsoring several events during Black History Month, including an awards gala and induction ceremony that will begin at 7 p.m. at the Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place, 1812 N.W. 21st Ave., Ocala. It will honor a number of people for their leadership, distinguished work, special achievement or for pioneering as the first Black in a particular field. Tickets are $50 per person. To learn more, call (352) 671-4175.

FEBRUARY 24

Polo Ball for Wounded Warriors

World Equestrian Center Grand Hotel, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala

7pm

This fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project, which provides support and medical assistance for wounded veterans, includes dinner, drinks and a silent auction. Tickets start at $250. For info, see ocalapolo.com/store/p56/thepoloballtickets.html

FEBRUARY 24

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; recurs every Friday.

FEBRUARY 24

Fessenden Reunion

Fessenden Elementary School Cafeteria, 4200 NW 89th Place, Ocala

11am-2pm

The reunion will include a fish fry, speaker Sami Atif, the revealing of a plaque and honors for members of graduating classes of Fessenden High School. The cost of $75 includes the meal, refreshments, music and a booklet. To learn more, call Fessenden School Alumni Association

President Johnny Grimes at (352) 299-6985.

FEBRUARY 24

Voices of Change Animal League (VOCAL) Furball

World Equestrian Center, Expo Center 1, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala

6pm

This gala is a fundraiser for local pet rescue VOCAL, which provides spaying and neutering services, medical care and food drives for homeless pets. The evening includes dinner, cocktail hour, music from The Stagers, dancing, a silent auction and info on the organization’s mission and accomplishments. Tickets are $150; for more info, vocalforpets.org

FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 4

Southeastern Youth Fair

Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, 2232 NE Jacksonville Road Ocala

Hours vary

See farm animals, rodeo competitions, exhibitions and more at this annual youth fair, which helps educate people, especially youth, about agriculture.

Free for spectators. Contact seyfair@gmail.com for more info.

FEBRUARY 24-26

Marion County Fair

I-75 Flea Market, 4121 NW 44th Ave., Ocala

Hours vary, check website

The event includes carnival rides, food, magic shows, petting zoo, music and more. Tickets can be purchased as a wristband package for $35 for unlimited rides or single tickets at $1.50 each. Free parking and admission. For more info, marioncountyfairfl.com

FEBRUARY 25

Plantastic Exhibit Opens

Discovery Center, 701 NE Sanchez Ave., Ocala

10am

The center’s newest exhibit, Plantastic, opens to the public and will be on display 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays through May 6. Follow Bobbi the Botanist on an adventure to see all the ways plants power our world. Check out a mini hedge maze and be the insect in the largerthan-life flower garden. The exhibit is sponsored by Marion Rotary Duck Derby, Ocala Electric Utilities and the Discovery Center Foundation. Admission is $8 per person or $28 for a family of four. Annual memberships are available. Additional opportunities include StarLab Planetarium shows Saturdays, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., and STEAM Saturdays at 2 p.m. for a $3 add-on to the price of admission. For more information, call (352) 401-3900 or visit the Discovery Center page at ocalafl.org.

FEBRUARY 25

Gnome & Fairy Festival

Sholom Park, 7110 SW 80th Ave., Ocala

1pm-4pm

This annual festival kicks off spring with a magical assortment of entertainment for kids of all ages. Music this year is from the O’Possums and the Irish Echoes. Trek into the Enchanted Forest and spot gnomes and fairies hidden in the leaves; enter the Whimsical World to meet unicorns and Skippy the Dragon. Vendor booths, food options and more. $5 cash-only parking fee. Visit sholompark.org for details.

FEBRUARY 25 & MARCH 4

Ocala Farmers Market

Ocala Downtown Market, 310 SE Third St., Ocala

9am-2pm

A variety of vendors offer local fruits and vegetables, meats and seafood, fresh pasta, honey, jewelry, baked goodies, and arts and crafts. Check out some local food trucks and the occasional guest entertainer. Rain or shine; recurs every Saturday. Visit ocaladowntownmarket.com for more info.

FEBRUARY 25 & MARCH 4

Farmers Swap Meet Rural King, 2999 NW 10th St., Ocala

9am-2pm

A true farmers swap meet where chickens, ducks, quail, geese, goats, turkeys, rabbits and sometimes even ponies are available along with horse tack, home-grown plants, produce and hand-crafted items. Booth types vary with occasional meat vendors, food trucks and other goods. Saturdays, weather permitting.

FEBRUARY 25

PAWS Ice Cream Social

Letty Towles Dog Parkk,2299 SE 32nd Ave., Ocala

10am-1pm

The Humane Society of Marion County puts on a party for the pooches, with ice cream and fun activities. For more info, facebook.com/@HumaneMarion

government

FEBRUARY 27 & MARCH 6

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. Meets weekly on Mondays; agendas are usually posted the Friday prior. Agendas, minutes and video available at marionfl.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

FEBRUARY 24 & MARCH 3

Chess Club at Freedom Library Freedom Public Library, 5870 SW 95th St., Ocala 10am-12pm

Meets weekly on Fridays; new members welcome. Please bring your own chess set. For more info, Walt Lamp at (352) 854-9378.

FEBRUARY 27

FEBRUARY 26

Pack Walk Silver Springs State Park, 5656 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala

9am-10:30am Help Marion County Animal Shelter dogs get out and about by assisting staffers as they walk homeless dogs. Park entry is $2. Recurs monthly on the fourth Sunday. For more info, animalservices.manrionfl.org

FEBRUARY 26

Ziggy’s Haven Bird Sanctuary 20th Anniversary Open House 80 N. Florida Ave., Inverness

11am-4pm

This sanctuary celebrates its 20th year of helping homeless and neglected birds with an all-day party. Speakers include Branson Ritchie from the University of Georgia, and other talks on nutrition, enrichment and bird training will be offered. Pizza, hotdogs, Kona Ice and other vendors, along with raffles and tours. $5 per ticket; free ages 5 and younger. For more info, bit.ly/3ZdP6Zk

FEBRUARY 26 & MARCH 5

Ocala Polo Club Winter Games Florida Horse Park, 11008 South Highway 475, Ocala

1pm Free polo matches takes place every Sunday through March. Bring your chairs, blankets and snacks. Tents are available for rent. Decorate your tent/tailgate area and you might win a prize. Leashed dogs are welcome. For more information, visit ocalapolo.com

FEBRUARY 28

“Tolton - From Slave to Priest”

Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, 5 SE 17th St., Ocala

6pm

The national tour of this one-man production tells the story of Fr. Augustine Tolton, the first Black priest in the United States. The multi-media presentation is free to attend and a love offering will be accepted. For more info, call the church at (352) 629-8092.

FEBRUARY 28

Garden Groupies - Organic

Vegetable Gardening

Grumble’s House Antiques & Garden Shop, 20799 Walnut St., Dunnellon

10:30am

The Master Gardeners from UF put on this free monthly talk, this time focused on organic vegetable gardening in North Central Florida. Gardening expert Jo Leyvl Vidal will talk about soil, amendments, pest control and more. For more info, grumbleshouseantiques.com/

MARCH 2

OTOW Farmers Market

The Town Square at Circle Square Commons, 8405 SW 80th St., Ocala

9am-1pm

Large selection of fresh seasonal produce from local growers as well as baked goods, plants, handmade soaps and more; recurs every Thursday. Visit circlesquarecommons.com for more info.

MARCH 2-5

Ocala RV Show

Florida Horse Park, 11008 S Highway 475, Ocala

All day

If hitting the road in an RV is on your to-do list, check out the variety of RVs and accessories at this show. Admission is $5. More info at flhorsepark.com

MARCH 3

First Friday Art Walk

Downtown Ocala Square, 1 SE Broadway St., Ocala

6pm-9pm

The monthly event features artists, performers

Marion County Planning & Zoning Commission

Meeting McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala

5:30pm Meets on the last Monday of the month. Agendas are usually posted the Thursday prior. Agendas, minutes and video available at marionfl. legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

FEBRUARY 24 & MARCH 3

Kiwanis Club of Ocala Knights of Columbus Building at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, 1510 SE 3rd Ave., Ocala

MARCH 1

VFW

and craftspeople, food and snacks, plus live entertainment. Stores are open late for shopping. Free to attend. For more info, ocalafl.org

MARCH 3-5

Horsemanship Simplified: Wild Horse Tamings

World Equestrian Center Ocala, Arena 5, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala

9am-4:30pm

Mustang taming sessions will show elements of Parelli Natural Horsemanship methods while working with wild horses. Morning and afternoon sessions. Tickets start at $180; see worldequestriancenter.com for more info.

MARCH 3-5

All for the Horses Expo

World Equestrian Center, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala

9am-6pm

Held in conjunction with the 2023 Winter Spectacular Show Series, vendors from all aspects of the equine industry will show wares. Free for the public. See worldequestriancenter.com for more info.

MARCH 4

Night at the Farm CF Vintage Farm Campus, 4020 SE Third Ave. Ocala 6pm This annual fundraiser supports College of Central Florida students. The event will include Cajuninspired small bites, live music and more. Tickets are $125 per person or $200 per couple. For more information, visit NightAtTheFarm.org.

MARCH 4

Engineering Day at the Discovery Center

Discovery Center, 701 Sanchez Ave., Ocala

10am-2:30pm

Kids ages 5 to 15 are encouraged to jump into engineering by planning and building an engineering project in this educational workshop hosted by the Ocala Electric Utility and the Florida Engineering Society. Admission is free and includes lunch for the adults and children. Preregistration is required at mydiscovercenter.org; the deadline to register is Friday, Feb. 24.

MARCH 4

Habitat For Humanity Strawberry Festival

McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala

All day

Expect to find strawberry shortcakes, strawberry pies and fresh strawberries. The festival includes a car show, entertainment, food options, vendor booths and activities for kids. The Petty Experience and the BXM Trickstars will be on hand. The festival is free to attend. Parking is a $5 donation. Proceeds will be split between Habitat for Humanity of Marion County and the Marion Therapeutic Riding Association. See habitatocala.org for more info.

MARCH 4-5

Florida SpringsFest

Silver Springs State Park, 5656 E Silver Springs Blvd., Silver Springs

10am-4pm

For a fun day out in nature, trek out and enjoy educational exhibits and learn about history, science and sustainability. Live music and food trucks. Admission is $2 and gives you access to the main park, the Silver River Museum and the option for glass-bottom boat rides for an additional fee. For more info, bit.ly/FLSpringsfest

FEBRUARY 28

Transportation Planning Organization

McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala

4pm Meets fourth Tuesday of the month and covers Belleview, Dunnellon, Ocala and Marion County.

MARCH 2

arts

FEBRUARY 25-26

The Sounds of Hollywood

Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala

Saturday 7:30 pm; Sunday 3pm

The Ocala Symphony Orchestra features some of the most recognizable and beloved film scores that helped create decades of movie magic. Music from “The Wizard of Oz,” “Casablanca,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Out of Africa” and more. Tickets are $15-$40 from reaillyartscenter.com

FEBRUARY 26

Bad Moon Rising - The Sounds of CCR

Ocala-Marion County Veterans Park, 2720 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala

5pm

This tribute band performs Creedence Clearwater Revival tunes. Bring lawn chairs, picnic baskets and blankets. The fundraiser benefits the park. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the gate, and ages 17 and younger are admitted free. Free parking in the library lot. For more info, marionvetpark.com

FEBRUARY 28

Ira Holmes International Film Series: “Neptune Frost” College of Central Florida, Bldg. 8, Room 110, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala

7pm

This movie has been touted as a “sci-fi punk musical” and set in near-future Burundi. An intersex runaway and miner form a computer hacker collective and fall in love during their travails. The movie is part of an ongoing series of international films. Free to the public. For more info, CF.edu/filmseries

MARCH 3

The Return of the Global Jazz Collective

NOMA Black Box at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala 7:30 pm

This renowned group includes UF Director of Jazz Studies Scott Wilson and the UF Director of Music Business and Entrepreneurship Jose Valentino. The group showcases a combination of jazz, funk and bebop in a multicultural setting. Tickets start at $25 and VIP table packages are available. Check out reillyartscenter.com for more info.

MARCH 4

The Art of Lisa Russo Masquerade

Soiree Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 SW Broadway St., Ocala

6pm

This celebration includes viewing of new works from artist Lisa Russo, along with live music from Limestone and James Lattin, catered hors d’oeuvres and wine options. Masks and evening wear are encouraged; tickets are $35. See mcaocala.org for more info.

THROUGH MARCH 31

Long Legs & Fragility by Cara Van Leuven City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave., Ocala

Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm

Part of the Art in City Spaces program, Van Leuven paints horses full-time and uses her experience as a carriage driver for inspiration.

&music nightlife

FEBRUARY 24 & MARCH 3

Courtyard Jams

MCA Courtyard

23 W Broadway St., Ocala

6-9pm Music, dancing, drumming, poetry and limbo. Free to all, Friday nights weekly.

FEBRUARY 24

Houston Keen

Homestead Park

1050 NE 6th Blvd., Williston

6-9pm Live music, line dancing, food and drink.

FEBRUARY 24

Raging Woody

Charlie Horse

2426 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala

7pm Live music, DJ Bingo, trivia games and karaoke.

FEBRUARY 24

Fareeza

Crazy Cucumber Market Street at Heath Brook, 4414 SW College Road, Ocala

6:30pm-9:30pm Live acoustic music, food and drink.

FEBRUARY 24

Miranda Madison

The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala

6-9pm Dinner, drinks and entertainment.

FEBRUARY 25

Cali McCord

The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 6-9pm

FEBRUARY 25

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

FEBRUARY 26

John Johnson Crazy Cucumber Market Street at Heath Brook, 4414 SW College Road, Ocala 1pm-4pm

FEBRUARY 26

Houston Keen Charlie Horse 2426 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 2pm

MARCH 1

Palomino Blonde The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala

MARCH 2

Mark Smythe The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala

6-9pm

MARCH 3

Conrad Marcum The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 6-9pm

MARCH 3

Reggie Stacy Homestead Park 1050 NE 6th Blvd., Williston 6-9pm

MARCH 4

The Mudds The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 6-9pm

MARCH 4

Ecliff Farrar Homestead Park 1050 NE 6th Blvd., Williston

6-9pm

Free to the public during business hours. For more info, see ocalafl.org/artincityspaces

THROUGH APRIL 9

Focus on the Essence

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala

Tues-Sat; 10am-5pm; Sunday 12pm-5pm

The photography of Anne Noggle came from a donation to the museum and highlights self-portraits and those of her friends and family. Her photos are known for their composition and exquisite lighting. For more info, appletonmuseum.org

THROUGH MAY 21

Big & Bold

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala

Tues-Sat; 10am-5pm; Sunday 12pm-5pm

The museum goes big with large pieces of art in this collection, including historical, modern and contemporary art pieces. Works include a 10’ x 4’ painting by Valenkamph and Snyder’s “Florida Pink Ignition,” which is almost 7’ x 7’. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $5 for youths. For more info, appletonmuseum.org

THROUGH MAY 25

Revolutionized Textile & Fiber

Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place, 1821 NW 21st Ave., Ocala

Daily when center is open

Artist Ingrid Humphrey, a native Floridian, exhibits handmade dolls and tapestries that portray the sisterhood of women of color all

over the world. Free to the public. For more info, ocalafl.org/artincityspaces

THROUGH JUNE 9

Blessed Be the Birds Clerk’s Office, 110 SE Watula Ave., Ocala Mon-Fri; 8am-5pm

Part of the Art in City Spaces program, Courtney Kravig-McGuire is a local artist with a special interest in showing the connection between nature and spirituality in her works. Her medium of choice is printmaking. Visit ocalafl.org/artincityspaces

THROUGH JUNE 13

Aerial Dream Views of Land and Sea

Ocala International Airport, 1770 SW 60th Ave., Ocala Airport hours

Part of the Art in City Spaces program, artist Maggie Weakly shares her ocean-themed collection. Free to the public. Visit ocalafl.org/artincityspaces

THROUGH JUNE 18

Paper Thin & Shadow Deep Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala

Tues-Sat; 10am-5pm; Sunday 12pm-5pm

The artworks from Hiromi Mizugai Moneyhun are three-dimensional cut paper pieces that feel both lighthearted and alive. Moneyhun’s style combines traditional Japanese art forms along with modern elements from today’s Japan. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $5 for youth. For more info, appletonmuseum.org

By Matthew Fairman America’s Test Kitchen

Making these candied jalapeños is as easy as heating the sliced fresh chiles in a seasoned simple syrup and then letting them cool. Yet for such a seemingly basic recipe with so few ingredients and steps, the end product is extraordinarily versatile. The key to their versatility (and to the success of this recipe) proved to be in the balance of flavors and textures.

Ample sweetness — from 3/4 cup of sugar — helped keep the potent heat of the chiles in check. Fruity, tart cider vinegar complemented the vegetal flavor of the fresh chiles and balanced the sugar’s sweetness, and a generous amount of salt accentuated all the flavors.

Whole coriander seeds contributed vibrant pops of complexity and a welcome textural contrast. Finally, using both red and green jalapeños not only provided a pretty contrast between emerald green and ruby red but also ensured a balanced, assertive level of heat, since the ripened red variety tends to be spicier than the green.

Candied Jalapeños

Serves 12; makes about 1 cup

4 green jalapeño chiles, stemmed and sliced ¼ inch thick (about 1 cup)

4 red jalapeño chiles, stemmed and sliced ¼ inch thick (about 1 cup)

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons table salt

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients (including turmeric, if using) in a small saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until jalapeños just soften, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely, about 1 hour.

2. Using a fork or tongs, transfer jalapeños to an 8-ounce jar. Pour syrup over jalapeños to fill the jar, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Affix jar lid and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. (Candied jalapeños can be refrigerated for up to one month.)

(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, Cook’s Country, and America’s Test Kitchen Kids — offers reliable recipes for cooks of all ages and skill levels. See more online at www.americastestkitchen.com/TCA.)

VISIT OUR EVENTS CALENDAR ONLINE

YOU’LL WANT THESE JEWELS OF SWEET HEAT ON EVERYTHING YOU EAT

Candied jalapenos. [TNS]

Sudoku

ANSWERS FOR PAGE B4

Crossword Jumble

CONGA

MUNCH

OUTAGE

ELDEST

The individual digits that make up the number 11 are -ONE AND THE SAME

Sports

Dominant second half pushes North Marion to regional semi-final

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala

By Allen Barney allen@ocalagazette.com

Sammie Yeanay scored 23 points and three more players scored in double figures to lead the North Marion Colts (21-6) to a 74-37 win over the Umatilla Bulldogs (21-6) in the Class 4A Region 2 Quarterfinal on Feb. 16.

Yeanay got the Colts going early with two layups in the opening three minutes to give them a 4-0 lead. North Marion’s Caleb Rollerson knocked down a three-pointer from the right corner and Jermaine Jackson added a triple from the left side to stretch the Colts lead to 10-2 with just over two minutes remaining in the opening period.

Both teams struggled to make shots in the first quarter as North Marion carried a 12-4 lead into the second quarter. Yeanay and Umatilla’s Deric Hutto traded baskets for most of the second stanza as they combined for nine points. A pair of free throws from Rollerson in the last few seconds of the first half gave North Marion a 22-11 lead at the break.

North Marion head coach Tim Yarn noted the playoff stage may have played a role in the first half struggles for his team.

“I think we were a little nervous and we just didn’t handle the moment well,” Yarn said.

Umatilla came out firing in the third quarter and went on a 14-6 run in the first five minutes of the period, which

included a 10-0 run at one point. Umatilla shifted to half-court pressure defense and forced turnovers that led to easy transition points via layups from Hutto, Brian Jefferson and Mekhi Benn.

With North Marion’s lead shrinking down to three, Yarn had to find a way to turn momentum back to his side.

“It’s playoff basketball and we know basketball is a game of runs. I challenged the guys to lock back in defensively, take care of the ball and let our defense turn into offense,” Yarn said.

“He told us we had to lock in, calm things down and mentally focus. Once we figured that out, we started getting open looks and finding each other,” Yeanay said.

Rollerson ended the run with a tough layup and Yeanay followed with a smooth 11foot jumper to bring North Marion’s lead back to seven. Following a pair of missed free throws from Elija Walton, Yeanay nabbed the rebound and sank a triple from the left side to extend the lead to 10.

Walton, Yeanay and Rollerson all scored one more time before the end of the third quarter to give North Marion a 43-28 heading into the final period.

Umatilla’s Tyler Demetski hit a pair of layups to sink the deficit to 11 but North Marion took control from there as Jackson hit two free throws and a triple from the right side to go up by 16 with seven minutes left to go.

North Marion finished the game on a 20-5 run that was capped off on a three-pointer from senior Malachi McCray in the final minute. A few possessions prior, Walton came up with the highlight of the night on a right-handed slam dunk that brought the packed gymnasium to its feet.

For Umatilla head coach Pat Todd, the fantastic season coming to a bittersweet end was tough, but he felt it was just the beginning for his program.

“This is my third year here and we have had a winning record each year and now we have made the playoffs. We have a chance to build on it and sustain it moving forward. There are a lot of great things from tonight we can build on for the future,” Todd said.

As far as what he told his players, Todd said he leaned on lessons learned from the loss.

“We’re always trying to teach life lessons through the game. Sometimes, those lessons can be difficult, but the collective effort all year was great. Our kids played hard; we just didn’t have a great game. Life has a lot of ups and downs. If you work hard and play for each other, then great things will happen,” Todd said.

Hutto and Jefferson finished with a team-high 10 points each while Benn scored nine points for Umatilla.

Yeanay had a game-high 23 points and Rollerson finished second on North Marion with 14 points. Jackson added 13 points and Walton finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

The College of Central Florida corner

Gazette

team Umatilla’s Jeric Hutto (23) as they try

ball away

him.

Marion’s Caleb Rollerson (1) takes a loose ball away from Umatilla’s Tyler Demetski (32).

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

BOYS’ BASKETBALL SCORES

BASEBALL SCORES

Forest tops Lake Weir in preseason baseball

By Mark Pinson Special to Ocala Gazette

Forest junior Kaden Smith tossed three scoreless innings and lined a two-run double to key an eight-run outburst to lead the Wildcats to a 9-1 win over Lake Weir in a preseason game on Feb. 15.

Smith combined with three relievers on a no-hitter as Class 6A Forest broke a 1-1 tie with eight runs in the top of the seventh inning to open the season on a positive note.

“I felt like we weren’t focused and that’s what we just talked about,” said Wildcats first-year coach Mark Streit. “We need to show up with a chip on our shoulder like other teams do. Forest has a great tradition, but that doesn’t win you baseball games. What wins you games is what you do between the lines. Kaden pitched well, had a big hit and is going to be good for us the next two years. His work ethic is good, he just needs to dial it in and be a bulldog and a competitor every single pitch.”

Lake Weir loaded the bases

and had an opportunity to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Class 4A Hurricanes failed to score in falling to the Wildcats.

“I thought the game went well and the guys competed,” said Lake Weir coach Colby Wisdom. “A lot of new faces for us and getting them an opportunity to play together was good. We struggled with the bats a little bit, but it’s early and I’m just happy to see us play hard.”

Lake Weir starter Manuel Geisel was in fine form, as the senior right-hander allowed one run and struck out six in his four innings of work.

Forest’s Smith, a hard-throwing right-hander who has committed to Texas Christian University, allowed no runs and struck out eight in his three innings.

The Wildcats, who had four hits, took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning on a pair of walks, a stolen base and a sacrifice fly by Kohl Kilcrease.

Lake Weir answered in the bottom of the frame off Forest right-hander Jonathan Rubin, as a walk, a hit batter and an error

allowed Easton Turner to cross the plate to tie the score at 1.

Rubin hurled two innings, Ben Baines pitched a scoreless sixth inning and Mike Mellucci closed out the game for the Wildcats.

Lake Weir’s Chris Adleburg tossed two scoreless innings of relief before running into trouble in the top of the seventh inning.

Andrew Smith led off with a walk, stole second base, moved to third base on a single by Porter Craig and scored on a double by Brock White. Kaden Smith followed with a two-run double and Robert Kohler lined a runscoring single. When the dust had settled, Forest had scored eight runs and led 9-1.

“Kohler is a sophomore and came up last year and played a big role for us in the playoffs,” coach Streit said. “He’s consistent and you get the same thing every day.”

Baines earned the win for the Wildcats, while Mellucci preserved the shutout and combined no-hitter by retiring Lake Weir in order in the bottom of the inning.

Tyler Demetski (32) during a regional playoff basketball game at North Marion High School in Citra on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023.

Results were compiled by Allen Barney

Photos By Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette

Lake Weir’s Dominic Toste (7) loses his hat and the ball as Forest’s Jayden Williar (10) collides with him and slides safely into second base during a preseason baseball game at Lake Weir High School in Candler on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023.

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

Forest’s Michael Mellucci (20) looks for the out as Lake Weir’s Chance Wilkins (8) slides safely back to first base during a preseason baseball game at Lake Weir High School in Candler on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023.

Forest’s catcher Porter Craig (14) tags out Lake Weir’s Manny Geisel (13) at the plate.

Lake Weir’s Easton Turner (23) and Angel Padilla (3) converge to get an out on a Forest hit in centerfield.

Forest’s Keagan Princinsky (5) catches a Lake Weir fly ball in right field for an out.