Ocala Gazette | April 14 - April 20, 2023

Humane Society expands footprint

By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com

The Humane Society of Marion County (HSMC), is expanding its footprint to offer low-cost veterinarian services such as vaccines and spay and neuter to the public.

The organization’s new 5,700-square-foot clinic was primarily paid for by donations. The building includes a spacious lobby, intake and treatment rooms, a pre-op room, surgical suite, ICU unit, offices, a kitchen for staffers and a multipurpose room.

The new building will house all of the shelter felines that are not available for adoption as well as those that are hospitalized, waiting on surgery or recovering from surgery. The clinic at the main shelter facility will “pretty much see to the needs of all the adoptable cats in the shelter and then all of the dogs we intake,” said Clinic Practice Manager Kim Bice.

Will Foxy make history?

The outspoken write-in candidate for the State House calls out local corruption, and a broken judicial system—particularly when it comes to addressing those lacking mental capacity.

By Julie Garisto julie@magnoliamediaco.com

“Downtown Julie Brown!” shouts Robert “Foxy” Fox when the “Gazette” called him to discuss his candidacy for the Florida House of Representatives.

The nickname assigned to this journalist, who has the same first name as a bubbly MTV personality from the late ’80s, instantly pegs Fox as a Gen-Xer, and one could argue that his irreverent approach to the political establishment does too.

Fox, a Republican, is running for the State House-District 24 seat in a special election to be held on May 16 to replace former Rep. Joe Harding, who resigned in December after he was indicted for numerous counts of fraud.

The candidate doesn’t fit neatly into one box. He does things his way while

holding fast to the traditions of God and family. Fox compared himself to most American voters, the non-extremists.

He’s running for the State House because he would lose his license as a bail bondsman if he runs for local office; he’s only permitted to run for state or federal office.

In conversation, the owner of the infamously pink Foxy Bail Bonds, private investigator and certified process server meanders from his main points and orates with preacher-like inflections, though he might resemble a colorful character in a Carl Hiaasen novel or a midwestern Danny McBride.

“If I win, I will make history,” Fox proclaimed, saying that he would be the first write-in candidate to win an election.

An everyman who wears a Guy Harvey T-shirt instead of a suit, Fox stresses the importance of bipartisan discourse and said more than once that he would refuse to toe the party line if an idea doesn’t make

Reporting on a 12-yearold’s murder confession

sense, causes harm to others, or comes from corrupt intentions and “kickbacks.”

“I am a Republican, but I am a person for all people,” Fox said. “I don’t care what your denomination is, if you’re an Independent or if you’re a Democrat. When you go and take office, you have to be almost like a judge, nonpartisan, you tackle the gray areas. The world isn’t black and white, but politics is a dirty game. This is why I want judicial reform. You don’t run for office to get rich. You run for office to make your community a better place.”

His backstory

Fox was born in Marysville, Ohio, in 1972, the son of the state’s aviation director. He said his family was fairly affluent, but he worked hard to prove himself to his parents and claimed that he held down several jobs at a time since the age of 14.

The youngest of three, one of his brothers called him “Mr. Goody Two

See Special, page A2

By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com

Following the horrific murder days before of two teenage girls and one teenage boy, all white, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods announced the arrest and confessions of two Black males, ages 12 and 17, and a manhunt for another Black male suspect during a press conference he held on April 7.

The third suspect, age 17, was apprehended by federal marshals two days later in Lake County.

During the press conference, photos of the suspects, their names and redacted arrest affidavits were supplied to the media in attendance and to the public watching the conference on the sheriff’s Facebook page.

Woods’ press conference made national headlines, not only for the teen tragedy but also for the sheriff’s at-times emotional commentary on the Second Amendment, “stupid” media who just want to “minimize” juvenile crime, and for placing the blame for the uptick in violent juvenile crime at the feet of another agency: the school district.

On the MCSO Facebook page, community reaction spanned a See Teen, page A5

Clean Up Marion! kickoff event set for April 21

The Marion County Litter Task Force will report on its program successes, with a guest appearance by Rubbish the Raccoon.

By Belea T. Keeney belea@magnoliamediaco.com

If you’ve ever wanted to see a raccoon dance to a rap song, here’s your chance. Rubbish the Raccoon, a mascot developed for the Marion County Litter Task Force, will be making a special guest appearance at the Clean Up Marion! kickoff event on Friday, April 21. The press conference begins at 8:30 a.m., and speakers will talk about the issues and successes Marion County has had recently in tackling the county’s litter problem.

The celebration is a nod to Earth Day and includes guest

speakers Sheriff Billy Woods; Litter Task Force Chair Beth McCall; Board of County Commissioners Chair Craig Curry; Robby Creech from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission; State Attorney Bill Gladson; Supervisor of Elections Wesley Wilcox; Greg Harrell, Clerk of the Court; Marion County Public Schools staffers; and the team from the Solid Waste Department.

“Rubbish will definitely be there dancing to the ‘Throw it Away’ rap song,” stated Bobbie Perez, Marion County Public Relations Director, via email. The first 100 people to attend will receive a No Horsin’ Around

T-shirt.

After the main speakers are done, and Rubbish shakes his booty, Adopt-A-Road groups will break out and go to assigned roadways to clean up litter. You don’t have to be a member of a group to join in the clean-up; all are welcome to help out.

Trash Means Dollars and Cents

The numbers say a lot about litter in Marion County—1.4 million pounds of litter collected in 2022; $900,000 spent collecting litter; 54,800 hours spent collecting litter; and 120,000 pounds of litter collected monthly. That’s a lot of litter. And time and money.

For Marion County Board of County Commissioner Chair, litter is a personal issue.

“This is my home. I was born and raised here,” Curry said in his soft Southern drawl. “When I ran for office, [litter] was one of the platforms I ran on. Beautification of the area, but particularly [getting rid of] the garbage.”

Being a lifelong resident and native made Curry eager to take up the reins of the Litter Task Force, a multi-department and multi-jurisdictional effort. The task force is comprised of employees of the sheriff’s office, solid waste, public schools, judicial court, the city police departments in Marion County

(Belleview, Dunnellon and Ocala), the state Fish & Wildlife team, plus the state attorney’s office.

The task force worked together on its mission: to create a plan to “educate and change the mindset of those negatively impacting our community.” Their work was multi-faceted, encompassing enforcement, deterrence, marketing and education.

Education is key, Curry said. By preventing litter in the first place, the county and taxpayers save money.

Marion County spends more than $900,000 annually dealing

See Litter, page A3

Kim Bice, the clinic practice manager, left, and Austin Burnett, the shelter operations manager, right, talk about some of the features in a pre-op area inside the new 5,700 square-foot clinic at the Humane Society of Marion County in Ocala on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. The new clinic, which will fill a void for low-cost veterinary care in Marion County, is expected to open to the public in June. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2023.

Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods speaks about the arrest of two juveniles for the murders of three teenagers in the Ocala National Forest during a press conference at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in Ocala on Friday, April 7, 2023.

After 60 years of serving homeless and neglected animals, the nonprofit organization is opening a new clinic with low-cost veterinary services to the general public.

Humane Society

Continued from page A1

“This has been a vision of our Executive Director Eddie Leedy for quite a while. He and the board of directors got together and planned this building out. This is going to fill a void for low-cost veterinarian care in Marion County. We want to offer services to the public of low-cost spay and neuter, wellness and sick appointments, vaccines, the whole nine yards,” said Bice.

“This will be 100% full service,” added Shelter Operations Manager Austin Burnett.

“We are extremely excited to be able to provide much-needed medical treatment for so many animals that otherwise may not see a veterinarian,” said Leedy. “And we are humbled by the generous donors that allowed us to make this dream a reality.”

“During the ribbon cutting on the 19th, at 10 a.m., we will have our donors who made this happen, along with staff and volunteers. At 1 p.m. we’ll have an open house for anyone in the public come in and tour and we’ll have hors ‘d’oeuvres,” Burnett said.

Bice said there will be a soft opening sometime in May and they hope to offer services to the public by the first of June. She estimated the clinic would be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and said that while there is no contingency at this time for emergency services, “we hope to offer that in the future.”

Bice said veterinarians Dr. Martha Zimmerman and Dr. Kate Papp, four technicians and an assistant from the main HSMC facility nearby will be moving to the clinic.

Bice has been a veterinarian technician for five years and came to the HSMC in 2021.

“I found a passion in shelter medicine. I came from GP (general practice) but I love working at the shelter and knowing we’re truly making a difference in the lives of animals that have no owner. It’s just a very rewarding experience,” she said.

While giving a tour of the new building, Bice and Burnett pointed out that the surgical unit, pre-op room and ICU/treatment areas are connected by large glass walls so the doctors and assistants can easily see from room to room.

Three of the largest rooms in the clinic will be used to house felines in various stages of care.

“We hope to have 20 kennels per room, each of which will have a specific purpose, such as a feline hospital, feline healthy room and housing/intake. We hope cats will stay no longer than up to 14 days here and then go to the shelter for adoption,” Bice outlined.

“There is an epidemic in Marion County of strays and colonized cats that are birthing multiple litters a year.

Special election

Continued from page A1

Shoes” and gave him his nickname, Foxy, which comes from their surname and a hometown strip joint, Foxy’s Lounge.

Working on lawns and training as a horticulturist at a young age, Fox said he landed a job with Walt Disney World and arrived in Florida around 1990. He moved back and forth a few times between Ohio and Florida. While working in pest control sales, a friend on a softball team encouraged him to try bail bonds.

These days, he lives with his wife, Jennifer George, and 6-year-old daughter, Skylar Belle, who attends Ocala Christian Academy. “She’s my pride and joy,” said Fox.

The upcoming election marks the second time Fox has filed to run for a seat in the Florida House. Last year, he filed to challenge Harding, only to withdraw in May at the request of elected officials. He declined to identify who he said called him to ask that he let Harding run unopposed.

No Democrat or third-party candidate filed for the primary earlier this spring, so the state election laws would have designated the election a universal primary open to all voters in District 24, which encompasses the portion of Marion County with the highest amount of registered voters.

That is, before a write-in candidate would enter the race.

Fox told the “Gazette” in January when he was approached to sign up to be a write-in candidate, by Brett Doster, he acquiesced, thinking it was only fair that only Republicans be able to vote since the other parties did not field their own candidate. He thought, at the time, he was fulfilling a request from the Republican Party, and admitted to hoping it would help facilitate his own political aspirations.

After he did, however, he learned Doster was a paid political consultant working for his opponent, Ryan Chamberlin, and that the supporter had donated money to Chamberlin’s campaign.

When Fox filed to run as a write-in candidate, he didn’t do it to serve the interests of his opponent.

“Damn it, I was duped!” Fox told the “Gazette” back in January.

If elected …

When asked how he most identifies with the Republican Party, Fox harked back to Republican heroes of yesteryear, to Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan, whom he considers the strongest leaders in the party’s history, presidents who weren’t morally perfect but spoke their minds and accomplished

These cats are giving birth as young as 7 months, which is why we also want to help with TNR (trap, neuter and release) in the future, as it is very much needed,” Bice said.

Veterinary services such as dental care, nail trims, ear cleaning, X-rays and much more will be offered in the new clinic.

“And we will still provide X-rays to Marion County Animal Services as we do now. They come to us when they have animals in need of X-rays to help them make decisions or a diagnosis,” Bice said.

The “Ocala Gazette” reported in October 2019 that the Ocala City Council had unanimously approved to waiving the site plan review fee and related fees for the HSMC expansion. The report noted that the expansion was projected to cost around $1 million.

Tallen Builders, LLC, is the general contractor.

Since 2009, the HSMC, which is a no-kill shelter, has facilitated more than 24,000 adoptions of animals. Longstanding programs include a thrift store at 110 NW 10th St. in Ocala and educational outreaches such as the Magic Bark Bus and DogGone Good Reading Program. Many of the components involve volunteers.

Bice and Burnett said the new clinic could still use more volunteers, financial donations, and donations of goods such as towels, washcloths, bleach, paper towels and laundry soap.

“People can still support the clinic through our Raise The Woof program, or buy a brick in memory of someone or a lost pet, or in other ways,” Burnett said of monetary donations.

And people who can foster animals are in great need as well, Bice added.

“We always need fosters. Sometimes people don’t understand how important that is. It’s imperative that we have people who able to help get these animals get well after they are sick or get them to a healthy weight so we can perform surgery. Fosters are very, very important to us,” she noted.

And, she went on the say as she showed off the clinic’s large kitchen area, the people who work at and volunteer with HSMC are important to each other.

“We are very close at the Humane Society. We work together as a family and we spend more time with each other than we do our own family,” she said. “Our number one priority is taking care of the animals, but we also take care of each other.”

The Humane Society of Marion County is located at 701 NW 14th Road, Ocala. To learn more about ways to help or to adopt an animal, visit thehsmc.org or call (352) 873-7387.

“The press was to serve the governed, not the governors.”

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whatever they set out to do despite opposition.

He voted for President Donald Trump but called out his allegedly corrupt ways and use of “hush money.” He criticized President Joe Biden as a “do-nothing” commander-in-chief and said he supports Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

And while he believes in the spirit of the 2nd Amendment, he advocates for responsible gun ownership, training and screening, which contradicts the recent permitless carry bill the governor signed into law this month. He called the bill a mistake.

“It can’t be overlooked when the crime rate of shooting people goes up by 100 or 200 or 300 percent in Marion County, which I believe is going to happen,” Fox said. “I believe that the right to bear arms is very important. It’s a constitutional right, but I believe it’s going to bite DeSantis in the butt.”

Fox’s years of dealing directly with judicial systemrelated work bear credibility. Fox lamented the situation of a criminally charged defendant named Scottie. with Downs syndrome, and others with PTSD and serious addiction problems. He has also seen what he considers an inordinate amount of DUI arrests, what he considers in this state “a cash grab.”

Fox first got the idea to run for office at a Marion County Board of County Commissioners meeting last year when Sheriff Billy Woods requested $1.1 million of unspent funds from prior budget years to be used on a remodel and expansion of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office operations.

In a letter to MCBOCC Chair Cark Zalak III, Woods requested $1,098,486 from the Municipal Service Taxing Unit budget, $987,062 from the county-wide budget, and the remaining funds would be collected as part of the one-cent sales tax in order to fund the projects.

Funding a building seemed preposterous to Fox. He offered other ideas on how he would spend money allocated to local law enforcement.

“I would seek federal funding for the State of Florida,” Fox said, “and I’d want it to trickle down to every single county in the state for the simple fact that, realistically, there are only around five counties that I know of that have advocates for people with mental health challenges. They’re licensed and employed by the 911 system, which is usually the Sheriff’s Office. They listen to the phone calls, and they assess a phone call, if it sounds more like a mental-health or a criminal situation.”

And what about the mentally ill inmates shuffling through the state prison system?

“We need programs,” he said, “community programs that can help with mentally, mentally ill people that can’t work like the Scotties of the world.”

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Litter

Continued from page A1 with litter. Curry estimated the city of Ocala spends as much or more on litter control, and with Belleview and Dunnellon in the mix said, “This is a multi-million-dollar issue. If we could change hearts and minds—and not just focus on the picking up part—we could run it like a campaign. To change people’s minds and change their behaviors.”

Beyond just the ugliness of debris, litter and garbage in the county, for Curry, it’s also about saving tax dollars.

“One thing people ask politicians is for us to watch the tax dollars and try to conserve costs for the county to pick up litter,” he said. The typical tax bill for solid waste in Marion County is about $87, Curry says. “If we can save on litter control, that will help” save on taxes for residents.

The hope is that the task force’s “No Horsin’ Around” campaign, will help prevent litter from happening.

“We have a lot of dumping issues,” Curry said. “It’s not just things flying out of the bed of a pickup, but people actually dumping garbage and debris.”

Task Force Develops Mission and Message

To help engage the public in the campaign, the task force developed a new mascot, Rubbish, the Raccoon, to serve as a visual element that people, especially schoolchildren, could relate to. Rubbish makes special guest appearances at various county events to raise awareness about litter.

By implementing prevention programs in the school system, the hope is that the positive peer pressure from students to one another and from students to their parents will also help with the issue.

“A student can remind his dad to tie down that load,” in a truck, Curry said, and avoid debris in the roadway.

The Adopt a Road program has also been beefed up. Groups commit to a quarterly clean-up of litter from a specific one-mile section of roadway (both sides) for litter removal at least four times per year. The county acknowledges their work with a sign on the roadway. Groups work during daylight hours only, in good weather, and must use county provided safety vests, traffic control signs and litter bags. The group also provides a report of each clean-up, and the county picks up the collected bags.

In December of 2022, the BOCC recognized the Ocala Parrotheads Club for being long-time participants in the Adopt-A-Road program. The group “has shown years of dedication in this program and has acted as a model for other participants. Their dedication has had a major impact on helping keep Marion County roadways clean.”

Carrot vs. Stick Approach

“We’re not trying to put everybody in jail, we’re not trying to use the stick,” Curry said. The carrot is lower taxes, pride in the area and beautification of the community. But, Curry concedes, not all respond to the carrot, and some still need the stick.

The “stick” was the complete revamp of county littering ordinances, which now conform to state law. The fines were beefed up.

“The previous fines were meaningless,” Curry admitted. And jail time and public service was added. Judges are aware of new ordinance

IF

and can assign litter clean up as service hours, which seems especially appropriate for littering violations.

A first violation is a $150 fine; the second violation is a $300 and jail time for up to 10 days and/or community service. For repeat offenders, penalties are a $500 fine, up to 60 days of jail time and community service hours.

Solid Waste Supervisor Lacey Larramore pointed out that dumping can move a violation from a civil to a criminal offense with attendant fines and service.

“Dumping isn’t the same as a tossing a McDonald’s bag or a soda can,” she said.

Larramore and Curry discussed a big dumping offense currently ready to be charged by the state attorney’s office under the new ordinances.

Over 2 tons of “roofing materials and construction debris from a home re-do,” Curry described. “All of that was dumped in the national forest. The subcontractor lived in Duval County, came through Marion County and apparently decided not to bother with tipping fees or whatever and dumped the whole load in the forest. Little did they know they had dumped in a county that had just put a year into developing an anti-dumping ordinance with serious enforcement behind it.”

County and Fish & Wildlife staff went through the debris and found an address that was the site of the house down in Seminole County.

“At the house, they found a template for the countertop that matched the debris found. They then worked back through the contractor, the subs, etc,” Curry reported. The culprit was tracked down and the case is awaiting formal charges.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office now has a deputy on litter detail two days a week. In addition to sheriff’s deputies, the county also enlisted the aid of park rangers, animal control officers, three solid waste code officers, and code enforcement, trained already, which allows for these staffers to issue citations for littering and give warnings.

“That’s the best way to lower taxes and deliver services,” Curry said. Having multiple staffers able to report—and enforce— the ordinance costs less than a sole department.

Curry is proud of momentum of the program. The BOCC initially earmarked $150,000 to the program for advertising, billboards, TV, stickers for kids, and Rubbish the Raccoon costume.

Larramore agrees. “It helps to have the buy-in [to combat littering] and to have the commission on your side. They’re passionate, it’s something they care about. And that helps the voters and the employees” get more enthused about the issue.

“It’s almost like a perfect project,” Larramore said. “Because everyone knows it’s a problem. The vast majority think it’s a huge problem. And you can chip away at lowering taxes too.”

You’ll probably be seeing more of Marion, the No Horsin’ Around logo horse, and Rubbish the Raccoon in the next few months. Larramore said the department plans to wrap trash cans in parks with the logo, two Sun-Tran buses and also some solid waste trucks, in addition to social media postings, local TV ads and more.

For Curry, the goal in a perfect world would be, “As close to zero litter as we can get. The main thing is to change the minds of the population. If people don’t care and they like it the way it is, then it will stay the same.”

YOU GO:

What: Clean Up Marion! and press conference

When: 8:30 a.m., April 21

Where: Baseline Road Trailhead, 4255 SE 58th Ave.

For more info: environmental.marionfl.org/solid-waste/nohorsin-around/litter-task-force

File photo: Commissioner Craig Curry, right, talks about the Litter Task Force he was working on creating with Lacey Larramore of Marion County Environmental Services Solid Waste, left, at the McPherson Governmental Complex in Ocala on Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

Governor awards $4 million for new I-75 interchange in Ocala

Photos By Bruce Ackerman

Florida check was noted with the words “job growth grant fund” and was presented to several officials, including Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn.

Calling Florida a “probusiness state” Buc-ee’s founder and CEO Arch “Beaver” Aplin said I-75 is a “great location” and “our eyes were opened to the opportunities” here. Aplin said the governor “would like to do it faster” than the expected opening date, which Guinn said had a target date of “late 2025.”

Central Florida hub for freight-related traffic, noted a press release later in the day from the governor’s office.

During the press conference, Guinn called the new interchange and incoming Buc-ee’s “awesome” and said the travel center should employ about 225 people.

Union counties, said the interchange and accompanying business is “awesome and incredible.”

By Andy Fillmore Correspondent

The Southeastern Livestock Pavilion

was abuzz on Friday, April 7, for a press conference during which Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he was giving $4 million for a new I-75 interchange in Ocala and that the third Buc-ee’s location in the state would be built there. The governor even tossed out bags of Buc-ee’s beaver nuggets, which are a caramel coated corn pop snack, at the

end of the event. The $4 million was awarded to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to add a new interchange at I-75 and Northwest 49th Street in Marion County. The new intersection will be a “diverging diamond” style, which will facilitate traffic movement and access to the nearby industrial and commercial developments and the World Equestrian Center.

The over-sized State of

There are 47 Buc-ee’s locations, including two in Florida on Interstate 95 in Daytona Beach and St. Augustine. The Ocala site will be the first I-75 site in Florida. The new Buc-ee’s is expected to include an 80,000-square-foot travel center and have 120 fuel pumps and 720 parking spaces.

FDOT’s infrastructure project is expected to have an economic impact of $21 million and create 1,500 new jobs. The new interchange will further establish the city of Ocala as a strategic

According to the FDOT website cflroads.com, the “interchange will improve interstate and regional mobility within Marion County, accommodate future traffic growth and provide relief to existing surrounding interchanges.” The site puts the design cost at $4.9 million; right of way cost at $20 million and construction cost at $59.3 million.

According to the FDOT, the divergent diamond design can significantly reduce traffic crashes.

Congresswoman Kat Cammack, serving Florida’s Third Congressional District, which includes Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Marion, Suwannee and

FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue and Laura DiBella, CEO of Enterprise Florida, also spoke at the press conference. The Florida Job

Growth Grant Fund is an economic development program designed to promote public infrastructure and workforce training across the state, according to the news release. For more information, visit FloridaJobs. org/JobGrowth.

Water Conservation Upgraded and Now at Your Fingertips City of Ocala celebrates Water Conservation Month with water conservation app, EyeOnWater® and community events.

2023 marks the 25th year and to help recognize this event, the City is looking to its customers for help saving water. The City consumes on average 13 million gallons of drinkable water a day. However, in hot, dry months like April and May, consumption can reach up to 21 million gallons a day. As the City grows, its daily water consumption will continue to rise. Since water conservation is a city-wide effort, the Water Resources Department has upgraded its technology to assist its customers.

visit the EyeOnWater® website or App, add their account number, and receive immediate water usage data and leak notifications.

By Gabriela Sullivan City of

Water Resources Conservation Coordinator

Every April, the City of Ocala (City) partners with St. Johns River and the Southwest Florida Water Management Districts to observe April Water Conservation Month.

For the City’s water customers, water conservation is now digital and is accessible by smartphone. Customers are encouraged to sign up for a free EyeOnWater® account, which connects customers to their smart water meter. Using EyeOnWater®, customers can access their daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly water usage, and receive potential leak notifications. Customers can go a step further and use the savings calculator to identify potential water saving actions like installing high-efficiency toilets.

In 2019, the City began replacing water meters with upgraded smart meters. These new smart meters no longer require manual water reads. The advantage of these smart meters is customers can

BRUNCH Buffet

“The EyeOnWater® App is a tremendous tool for conserving water,” says Water Resources assistant director, Rusella BowesJohnson “In 2020, my family and I used 158,848 gallons of water per year. We made a concerted effort to conserve water by turning the water off when brushing our teeth, taking shorter showers, cutting down the irrigation zone times, and turning off our irrigation during the rainy season. By 2021 we went to 81,147 gallons per year and 2022 our usage dropped to 53,103 gallons per year.”

Additionally, Bowes-Johnson shared that by signing up for the EyeOnWater® App in late 2019, she reduced her consumption by almost two-thirds.

Customers who are interested in EyeOnWater® can sign up at https:// eyeonwater.com/signup or download the

EyeOnWater® app in the App Store or Google Play Store. To sign up, customers will have to enter their ZIP code and account number, found on the upper right side of their City of Ocala monthly municipal service bill.

The Water Resources Department will host “Conservation and Cookies,” two community events on Wednesday April 19, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday, April 29, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Mary Sue Rich Center at Reed Place, 1821 NW 21st Ave Ocala. Customers can stop by and celebrate Water Conservation Month with free cookies, water conservation kits, stickers, and giveaways, and receive assistance signing up for their EyeOnWater® account.

Ocala Gazette

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tosses Beaver Nuggets from Buc-ee’s to people in the crowd as he talks about the future construction of a new Buc-ee’s and the new, planned Diverging Diamond Interchange at I-75 and Northwest 49th Street in Ocala during a press conference in the auditorium at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion in Ocala on Friday, April 7, 2023.

“Beaver,” the mascot of Buc-ee’s arrives with a member of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ staff.

Ocala

Continued from page A1 spectrum of emotions.

Sandra Woodson wrote, “These young people kill so easily it’s so awful, it’s so heartbreaking on every level.”

Dara Lyn Morrow wrote, “I fully agree with you Sheriff Woods! The gun is not the problem. The one behind it is. Raising children in today’s world is horrible and parents need all our prayers. Yes, even juveniles need to be accountable for their actions!”

Mandy Colon-Estremera wrote, “Check their phones, the company they keep and keep them away from this. Stop being your kid’s friends and be the parent. They will thank you.”

“Until we get Christianity and prayer back in all of these children’s lives, they have little hope. Prayers for all involved,” wrote Margaret McDonald Ballew.

The MCSO also released video footage of two of the suspects walking in handcuffs

TEEN TRAGEDY COVERAGE

from the sheriff’s office. The video was taken at 3:15 a.m., several hours before Woods’ press conference. The boys were visibly dazed. Some remarked on the video posted to the MCSO Facebook page that the suspects seemed unremorseful.

In the video, the handcuffed 12-year-old was not wearing a shirt. The 17-year-old asked a deputy about the camera recording them. To which the deputy replied, “News.”

However, the camera did not belong to any news outlet but is the property of the sheriff’s office. The agency was recording the event and soon shared it with the media.

The release of the footage posed ethical concerns for media outlets, given the ages of the suspects- particularly the 12 year old. Some embedded the footage of the walk on their own news sites. Most, including the “Gazette,’’ followed the lead set by the Associated Press and refrained from posting minors’ photos and names, waiting to see whether the minors are

charged as an adult. Chair of the Ethics Committee for the Society of Professional Journalists Fred Brown told the “Gazette” the journalists generally speaking “use heightened sensitivity when dealing with juveniles, victims of sex crimes and sources or subjects who are inexperienced.”

The video of the minors on the MCSO Facebook page has been shared 1,600 times and has received more than 2,700 reactions from viewers.

While much is still unknown about this community nightmare, which has devastated at least six local families, the arrest affidavit for the 12-year-old suspect offers a significant detail. The boy who, along with his mother, waived his right to legal representation, told detectives he was ordered by one of the older suspects to shoot one of the victims “or his family would be killed.”

The “Gazette” has asked the sheriff’s office to share the circumstances

Details emerge in teen deaths

Staff report

As Marion County continues to reel two weeks after being stunned by the murder of three teens allegedly at the hands of three other youngsters, more details are emerging about the hours leading up to the deadly shooting spree.

Layla Silvernail, 16, died April 4 after being shot and critically injured March 30 on SE 183rd Avenue near Forest Lakes Park, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. A 17-year-old male was found shot to death on March 31 along SE 188th Court, and Camille Quarles, a 16-year-old girl was found dead from gunshot wounds in the trunk of a partially submerged vehicle near Malauka Loop Trace.

Authorities say they are withholding the names of the one male victim based on the family’s request under Marsy’s Law, which provides protections for crime victims and their families.

Three males, ages 17, 16 and 12, are being held on charges of first-degree murder in connection to the case. The MCSO said that “at this time, the homicide investigation is ongoing and additional charges are forthcoming.”

While the investigation continues, information from arrest affidavits is shedding some light on the hours leading to the tragedy.

Thursday, March 30

An unidentified female witness told authorities she was with the teen victims as they drove around Marion County in Silvernail’s 2015 Chevrolet Cruz. They stopped at various locations, including the homes of the 12- and 17-year-old male suspects, “rapping and listening to music.”

The female friend, who would later identify the suspects and their homes to investigators, said she was dropped off at her home around 6 p.m. by the victims, who had plans to meet up again with at least two of the suspects.

The father of the unidentified male victim said that around 6 p.m. he saw his son at The Moose Lodge in Ocklawaha with Layla Silvernail and another female teen in the Chevrolet Cruz. It would be the last time the man saw his son alive.

Meanwhile, an unidentified male, who deputies say knew at least one of the victims, met around 6:30 p.m. with the 12- and 17-year-old suspects to get a gun he had arranged to buy via the social media site Snapchat. Once in the backseat of Silvernail’s vehicle, one of the suspects pistol-whipped the teen on the left cheek and then shot at him as he fled the vehicle. Nearby home surveillance video records one shot and neighbors report a white sedan leaving the area at a high speed.

At approximately 10:30 p.m., deputies responded to a call from neighbors who said they found a teenage girl bleeding on the side of the road. The teen, later identified as Silvernail, was still breathing when Marion County Fire Rescue transported her to HCA Hospital.

Neighbors reported hearing four or five pops that they believed were gunshots and then seeing a sedan speed away after hitting one of their garbage bins. A search is initiated for Silvernail’s Chevrolet Cruz.

Friday, March 31

At 8 a.m., MCSO receives a report of a dead 17-year-old male found a quarter mile from where Silvernail was found. The victim is wearing gloves, a ski mask and a hoodie covering his head and tied under his chin. The father of the teen arrives, identifies his son and tells authorities about the last time he saw his son alive.

Meanwhile, using a photographic lineup with an unidentified male who investigators say was trying to purchase guns, deputies identify two suspects: a Black male, age 12, and another Black male, age 17.

Saturday, April 1

Deputies receive a tip around 12:30 p.m. that Silvernail’s Cruz has been found partially submerged in a pond in Ocklawaha, east of Lake Weir, about 9 miles, or an 18-minute drive, from where Silvernail was found. The location also is also about a half mile from the home of the 17-year-old suspect.

After a tow company pulls the vehicle from the water, the body of a white female, age 16, is found in the trunk. Deputies move the sedan to the sheriff’s office for evidence preservation and processing. Included in the vehicle is one cell phone.

Sunday, April 2

The MCSO underwater recovery team returns to the pond body and locates two cell phones and several spent shells. Meanwhile, the female friend of the victims who was with them prior to their deaths identified the 12- and 17-yearold suspects through a photo lineup. Investigators found the 12-year-old at his home. The affidavit said the investigators did not ask the minor questions because no adult relative was present.

Tuesday, April 4

An MCSO digital forensic technician extracts data from one of the victim’s cellphones to ascertain the dates, times and locations of the victims’ travels. Included are photos and videos from previous weeks during which at least one of the female victims is shown posing with the suspects and with firearms and ammunition.

Tuesday, April 4

Sheriff Woods holds a press conference to share that Layla Silvernail has succumbed to her injuries.

Thursday, April 6

MCSO transports the 17-year-old suspect to the sheriff’s office from a juvenile detention center, where he was being held for another incident after the murders. His mother is called to the sheriff’s office, waives their right to legal counsel and the suspect reportedly confesses.

Later that day, MCSO executed a search warrant on the 12-year-old suspect’s home and found a gun. The suspect is taken to the sheriff’s office. At around 10:30 p.m., investigators say they have obtained a confession from the minor after his mother waived his right to legal representation. The boy tells authorities he was coerced into shooting one of the victims by an older suspect who threatened

to harm the 12-year-old’s family.

Friday, April 7

Woods holds an emotional press conference announcing the arrests and requesting help from the public in locating the third suspect. “At some point, these three individuals turned on our three victims and murdered them,’’ he said.

At the press conference, Woods indicates that all six of the teens knew each other and said they all were associated with gangs. “You know you’ve got three victims that are all juveniles. You already know that we are suspecting that it will be gang related,’’ Woods said. He added the weapon used in the shootings was obtained “from car burglaries.”

Saturday, April 8

The third suspect, a 16-year-old male, was arrested in Lake County by U.S. Marshals and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. He is being held on outstanding warrants including charges of carjacking with a firearm, aggravated assault, grand theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement and tampering with an electronic monitoring device. He had eluded authorities after removing an ankle bracelet he was on wearing on house arrest.

The community mourns

While the investigation continues, the families of the six teens involved struggle to comprehend how so much could go so wrong in such a short span of time.

Lisa Windsor, the grandmother of Layla Silvernail, described her as a generous and good-hearted young lady.

“She was a loving, caring person and she was my world,” Windsor said, her voice breaking with emotion. “Layla was an allaround good kid; she was never in a gang.”

Windsor said the other kids may “have used (Layla) because of her car.”

Windsor pointed to Silvernail’s passion for playing softball, noting that two weeks before she was murdered, Layla had asked Windsor to help her find a team she could join because she missed playing softball.

Silvernail, a Florida native, was living with Windsor. She was being home schooled and had completed 10th grade, with plans to complete her 11th grade studies this summer.

“Layla wanted to be an attorney,’’ Windsor said.

surrounding the confession of the 12-yearold, and this is what they provided:

At 7:13 p.m., the boy was placed in an interview room.

At 9:05 p.m., the detectives and the suspect’s mother entered the interview room and the boy was provided with a suit jacket to wear, which he continued to wear until he was transported to the jail later in the night. The interview then began.

At 10:16 p.m., the interview concluded. The detectives then began to prepare 12-year-old’s arrest paperwork.

At 1:02 a.m., the suspect was provided with food to eat from McDonald’s.

At 3:15 a.m., suspect was escorted out of the interview room and transported to the Marion County Jail and the jacket he was wearing was removed immediately before he left the interview room.

The juveniles are being held while the state attorney investigates and decides how to charge them.

“She absolutely would’ve been a good one. She was a good talker.’’ Windsor said she was overwhelmed by the large crowd who gathered at a vigil for her granddaughter.

Pastor David Houck, who has ministered to residents of the Ocala National Forest since 1993, knows members of at least two of the victims’ families, and spoke at the memorial.

“Layla was not a ‘gangster.’ She was a giving and generous young lady who was very involved in baseball,” he said.

Houck said Layla’s donated organs will be a great lifesaving gift to someone. He said that will be her “legacy” of generosity and a comfort to the family.

As for the reaction within the community, Houck said, “(The death of the teens) is a very sensitive issue here. There are so many stories floating around.’’

Houck operates the HELP Agency of the Forest, which provides food, clothing and other assistance to the needy, and SOZO Kids, a camp where youth can come for meals, sports, and mentoring.

“The Ocala National Forest is an amazing place with hundreds of lakes, alligators and bears,’’ he said. “Some amazing people have come out of here, but like any area, it has it’s bad neighborhoods,” he said, noting a gas station where the “meth heads come out after dark.”

Houck said he sees a heavy influence of social media among teens in the Forest area. “It’s an Instagram and TikTok type of world out here,” he said.

Houck said he sees posts of some kids “holding guns” on social media, but “they’re not in gangs.”

“They must prove themselves and it makes them the most dangerous,” he said.

Houck said his SOZO Kids (sozokids. org) is about “prevention.”

SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM

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.

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We at Titan are very proud and excited about being part of the solar stimulus program and in helping the environment.

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Multitasking event at new venue

A grand opening of the Ocala Mall included an induction ceremony for a record-setting scuba diver.

Record for Deep Air Dive to 390 feet and World Record Deep Air Cave Dive at 415 feet. His dives have involved ventures to historic sunken ships including the Andrea Doria and the Lusitania.

Watts, CEO and founder of the Professional Scuba Association International, has operated a chain of dive shops and served as a pioneer trainer and examiner in the industry. Over the years, he has spent time diving at various locations in the area, including with manatees in Crystal River and at Zuber Sink, also known as 40 Fathoms, in northwest Marion County.

Members of the Silver Springs Professional Dive Team, who regularly volunteer to clean the famous glass-bottom boats and the statues in the main spring at Silver Springs State Park, were on hand to honor Watts. Divers Joe Wallace, Mark Emery, Alan Youngblood, Scott Jacob, Courtland Richards and Tasha Briggs, owner of Dive Patches International, all congratulated Watts for a distinguished career.

themed merchandise in her Nautical Cowgirl booth.

Vendor Jo’Carms carries handbags, jewelry and more, while Allen’s Etching and Engraving and National Home Craft have vendor booths.

Mark and Tammy Houle were on a return visit Saturday after touring the mall during an earlier “soft opening.” Me said having the vendors in an indoor rather than outdoor venue was a good idea, while she said she liked the variety of vendors.

The husband-and-wife team of Lizzy Harrison and Curt Kreuz operate separate businesses, Lizzy Loo Doo Stickers and Vinyl Explosion, in one shared vendor booth. Customers can select from an array of stickers, while Vinyl Explosion offers a choice from 12,000 records, CDs and DVDs from the 1920s to 1990s including artists like Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles.

By Andy Fillmore

Correspondent

Customers, vendors, and Ocala officials gathered Saturday for the grand opening and ribbon-cutting for the Ocala Mall, which is breathing new life into the former Kmart store on Silver Springs Boulevard.

Among those on hand for the festivities was someone who has taken breathing to new heights, or in his case depths, during a record-setting career: 87-yearold scuba diving pioneer Hal “Mr. Scuba’’ Watts, who was there to help celebrate the opening of a scuba-themed booth.

The several hundred visitors also bore witness to something unseen for several years: a packed parking lot at the 112,650-square-foot former Kmart at 3711 E. Silver Springs Blvd.

Ocala City Council President James Hilty Jr. cut the ribbon as many of the assembled organizers, led by Jess Schultz with the Ocala/Marion County Chamber

& Economic Partnership (CEP), shouted “success” and threw their arms upward.

“This is a wonderful start for businesses with brick-and-mortar dreams,” Hilty said of the small businesses and service providers who may one day open their own independent location. He added the mall was a great “repurposing” of the empty building.

Ocala Mall co-owners Greg Park and Leslie Hill joined mall manager Autumn Horn for the event.

Horn said the 160 vendors in the climate-controlled mall offer customers a variety of goods and services, from freezedried candy to custom apparel.

Vendors at one of the booths, Dive Patches International, which sells certification level, group logos and location patches, held a ceremony to induct Watts as an honorary life member of the Silver Springs Professional Dive Team.

Team members presented a plaque to Watts recognizing him as a “legend” whose legacy includes a Guinness World

IHMC Lecture Series

Powered by:

Morgan L. Cable

THE TALK: Exploring Ocean Worlds

www.ihmc.com

15 S.E. Osceola Avenue Downtown Ocala

Co-hosted by:

April 20, 2023

Reception:

Begins at 5:30 p.m.

Talk:

Begins at 6:00 p.m.

Seating is limited RSVP to ihmc-20230223.eventbrite.com or call 352-387-3050

Season Sponsors:

Our solar system is host to multiple ocean worlds - planets and moons that contain oceans of liquid, usually water, either on their surfaces or underneath icy crusts. These worlds are prime targets of exploration due to NASA’s quest to ‘follow the water’ and may contain all three ingredients for life as we know it - water, chemistry, and energy. Could life exist in the oceans of Enceladus or Europa? Could even stranger life have emerged in the liquid methane lakes of Titan? Dr. Cable will cover our current state of knowledge of these ocean worlds, and discuss some current missions and future mission concepts to explore their plumes, surfaces, and ocean depths.

Morgan L. Cable is the Co-Deputy PI of the Planetary Instrument for X-Ray Lithochemistry (PIXL) Instrument aboard the Mars 2020 (Perseverance) rover and the Science Lead for the Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor (EELS) Project. She has worked on the Cassini Mission, is a Co-Investigator of the Dragonfly mission to Titan, and is serving multiple roles on the Europa Clipper mission. Currently Dr. Cable performs laboratory experiments to study the unique organic chemistry of Titan. She and colleagues were the first to discover minerals made exclusively of organics that may exist on Titan’s surface. Morgan also conducts fieldwork in extreme environments on Earth, searching for life in places such as the Atacama Desert, ice fields at the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, nutrient-limited lakes at the base of Wind Cave (the densest cave system in the world) in South Dakota, fumarole-generated ice caves of the Mount Meager stratovolcano in Canada, and lava fields of Iceland.

Lecture Sponsors:

“Hal Watts is a legend in the technical diving industry,” said Richards.

The team previously honored another legendary diver with local connections. The late Ricou Browning, who played the starring role in water scenes of the 1954 movie, “Creature from the Black Lagoon,” was made an honorary member of the dive team in 2019. A mock-up of the creature’s head and torso was display at the event on Saturday.

Meanwhile, customers were busy exploring the dozens of booths in the new mall.

Betty Ramirez browsed in Unique Glass Design by Jose Rico Studio, which offers water feature glass design art, and said she liked it so far.

Yvon Louis and Cody Arnold ran a booth offering the services of Ocala Bath while vendor Chelsea Tucker showed customers a selection of cowboy- and nautical-

Kreuz produced an original LP, “Snoopy and his Friends the Royal Guardsmen,” featuring the Ocala-based group well-known for their Snoopy versus the Red Baron-themed songs.

However, there can only be one king of sales.

“Elvis is the most popular,” he noted.

Hilty of the Ocala City Council, center, cuts the ribbon for the new Ocala Mall, which formerly was the location of KMART, with other people and new vendors on East Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala on Saturday, April 8, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

659.87 feet to the Southeast corner of said West 1/2 of the NW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4; thence South 4 degrees 02 minutes 46 seconds West 611.10 feet; thence South 89 degrees 35 minutes 31 seconds East 270.83 feet; thence South 0 degrees 10 minutes 03 seconds West 50.00 feet to the South line of the SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4, and the end of this description.

Also subject to and together with a 30 foot Easement for ingress and egress and utilities over and across the North 30 feet of the West 1/3 of the East 3/4 of the NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 and also subject to 40 foot easement for ingress and egress and utilities over and across the North 40 feet of the East 1/2 of the NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4, all being in Section 36, Township 17 South, Range 26 East, Marion County, Florida.

Parcel 2: Tract No. C-2182;

Part of the NW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 36, Township

The date of first publication of this notice is April

April 14 , 2023

LEGAL NOTICE (F.S. 98.075)

Notice is hereby given:

BROWN, TIMOTHY C 10787 SE 129TH ST

BELLEVIEW, FL 34420

CLEVENGER, MICHAEL A 4248 NW 100TH PL OCALA, FL 34482

CRUZ-IRIZARRY, MANUEL A 4731 SW 138TH LOOP OCALA, FL 34473

GOLDWIRE, ELIZABETH M 1501 SE 24TH RD OCALA, FL 34471 HOWARD, MELAKIE L 3407 NE 11TH ST OCALA, FL 34470

MCCORMACK, CHAD M 4001 SE 22ND AVE OCALA, FL 34480

MCLAUGHLIN, DAVID C 3150 NE 36TH AVE OCALA, FL 34479

MILLS, ELBERT J 2005 SE 110TH ST OCALA, FL 34480 PARKER III, JAMES E 830 NE 28TH ST OCALA, FL 34470

PENLAND, JEFFREY L 3181 SE 38TH ST OCALA, FL 34480

ROBINSON, DARRICK M 9 REDWOOD RUN TRAK OCALA, FL 34472

RODRIGUEZ JR, RAFAEL A 9040 SW 32ND CT OCALA, FL 34476

THOMPSON, GARSHAUN N 8497 SW 133RD LANE RD OCALA, FL 34473

You are hereby notified that your eligibility to vote is in question. You are required to contact the Supervisor of Elections, in Ocala, Florida, no later than thirty (30) days after the date of this publishing. Failure to respond will result in a determination of ineligibility by the Supervisor and your name will be removed from the statewide voter registration system.

Wesley Wilcox Marion County Supervisor of Elections 981 NE 16th Street Ocala, Florida 34470

Sidhu Petitioner, and Puneet Thind, Respondent NOTICE OF ACTION FOR Supplimental Petition to modify TO- Puneet Thind, 4628 NE 60Ter, Silver Springs FL 34488 YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for modification of child custody has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to Gurpreet Sidhu whose address is 4628 NE 60 ter Silver springs FL 34488 on or before 04/25/2023 and file the original with the clerk of court. If you fail to do so, a

by mining the 9.37-acre reservoir will be offset by the creation of the post-reclamation lake. No mitigation is required or proposed for this permit. The project is in the Hawthorne Prairie Outlet and Reddick Slough basins, Class III waters, Marion County, Section: 14 & 15, Township: 13 South, Range: 21 East.

The Department will issue the environmental resource permit, unless a timely petition for an administrative proceeding is filed pursuant to the provisions of Sections 120.569 and 120.57, Florida Statutes (F.S.). On the filing of a timely and sufficient petition, this action will not be final and effective until further order of the Department. Because the administrative hearing process is designed to formulate final agency action, the hearing process may result in a modification of the agency action or even denial of the application.

The permit file is available online and can be accessed through the Department’s Information Portal at: https://depedms.dep.state.fl.us:443/Oculus/servlet/ shell?command=getEntity&[guid=26.107538.1]&[profile=Permitting_Authorization ]

If you have any questions or are experiencing difficulty viewing the electronic permit, please email to MiningAndMitigation@dep.state.fl.us or call 850.245.8634.

A person whose substantial interests are affected by the Department’s action may petition for an administrative proceeding (hearing) under Sections 120.569 and 120.57,

F.S. Pursuant to Rule 28-106.201, F.A.C., a petition for an administrative hearing must contain the following information:

a) the name and address of each agency affected and each agency’s file or identification number, if known;

b) the name, address, and telephone number of the petitioner; the name, address, and telephone number of the petitioner’s representative, if any, which shall be the address for service purposes during the course of the proceeding; and an explanation of how the petitioner’s substantial interests are or will be affected by the agency determination;

c) a statement of when and how the petitioner received notice of the agency decision;

d) a statement of all disputed issues of material fact. If there are none, the petition must so indicate;

e) a concise statement of the ultimate facts alleged, including the specific facts that the petitioner contends warrant reversal or modification of the agency’s proposed action;

f) a statement of the specific rules or statutes that the petitioner contends require reversal or modification of the agency’s proposed action, including an explanation of how the alleged facts relate to the specific rules or statutes; and

g) a statement of the relief sought by the petitioner, stating precisely the action that the petitioner wishes the agency to take with respect to the agency’s proposed action.

The petition must be filed (received by the Clerk) in the Office of General Counsel of the Department at 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, Mail Station 35, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000, or via the agency clerk email address at, Agency_Clerk@dep.state.fl.us.

Also, a copy of the petition shall be mailed to the applicant at the address indicated above at the time of filing.

In accordance with Rule 62-110.106(3), F.A.C., petitions for an administrative hearing by the applicant must be filed within 21 days of receipt of this written notice. Petitions filed by any persons other than the applicant, and other than those entitled to written notice under Section 120.60(3), F.S., must be filed within 21 days of publication of the notice or within 21 days of receipt of the written notice, whichever occurs first. Under Section 120.60(3), F.S., however, any person who has asked the Department for notice of agency action may file a petition within 21 days of receipt of such notice, regardless of the date of publication. The failure to file a petition within the appropriate time period shall constitute a waiver of that person's right to request an administrative determination (hearing) under Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S., or to intervene in this proceeding and participate as a party to it. Any subsequent intervention (in a proceeding initiated by another party) will be only at the discretion of the presiding officer upon the filing of a motion in compliance with Rule 28-106.205, F.A.C.

Under Rule 62-110.106(4), F.A.C., a person whose substantial interests are affected by the Department’s action may also request an extension of time to file a petition for an administrative hearing. The Department may, for good cause shown, grant the request for an extension of time. Requests for extension of time must be filed with the Office of General Counsel of the

People, Places & Things

By Julie Garisto julie@magnoliamediaco.com

Expanding the intersection of art and service has become a life mission for Aaron Thomas. The Army combat veteran has experienced the front lines of Middle East war zones and has devoted his civilian life to serving the community and his creativity, most recently as an instructor of the recurring free class “Painting for Veterans” at the Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place, 1821 NW 21st Ave., Ocala.

The next session convenes Wednesday, May 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. and continues every Wednesday until Aug. 30. Participants will learn basic painting skills and techniques for making their own one-of-a-kind artwork. Workshops are free but limited to 20 adults. All supplies are included.

“We keep it loose and fun,” Thomas said of the workshop. “At the beginning of the class, usually we make introductions. We don’t necessarily focus on any of our trauma or anything, but participants are more than welcome to talk about it. …. We just pick a subject or something to paint for that day and just basically hang out with like-minded people, fellowshipping.”

Born and raised in the Ocala National Forest, Thomas grew up “way out” on the outer edge of Marion County by County Road 42 and Forest Road 8, near the Lake County line and Umatilla.

His talents as an artist emerged in his teens at Lake Weir High School. After graduation, he served as an infantry team leader in the initial invasion by the U.S. Army, in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Over the years, Thomas has worked hard on acquiring coping skills to deal with his post-traumatic stress disorder from the loud explosions and perilous situations encroaching on him while in battle.

Painting, he said, is his happiness and therapy. He tried attending college after his deployments but dealing with being in a roomful of strangers and trying to focus on his studies presented challenges caused by his PTSD.

In the past decade, Thomas has immersed himself in the arts community, which has helped him deal with his trauma-related agoraphobia. He made supportive, lasting friendships. As an artist, he’s constantly experimenting with styles, from abstract to figurative, and considers himself “prolific.”

“Teddy Sykes gave me my first easel,” he said of the artist who was just named the festival chair for Fine Arts For Ocala. “I now have work all across town. (I have) paintings at the Literary Council, the Keep, the Mutiny, and in galleries.”

Thomas’s workshops for vets started as an idea a couple of years ago by longtime friend and arts supporter Lisa Midgett, who encouraged him to share his empathy and talents with other veterans in the community.

The benefactor/NOMA Gallery owner had been workshopping an art-meet-health nonprofit and knew Thomas had the right stuff to help veterans harness their creativity as a coping mechanism and a pleasant, fun way to relieve stress.

Fast forward to today, and Midgett’s vision has been realized as Arts in Health Ocala Metro, a community resource populated by artistic talent across the genre spectrum.

Arts in Health Ocala Metro (AIHOM) began as an initiative of the David and Lisa Midgett Foundation in partnership with the University of Florida Arts in Medicine Program. AIHOM seeks to bring artists and community members together to experience the positive effects of the arts on well-being.

Thomas, who has trained at UF for the program, considers creating art a potential lifeline for vets and wants to help others learn how therapeutic painting and making art can be while dealing with debilitating stressors.

“The training itself was fun,” Thomas said. “I learned about the actual impact and numbers, statistics on how art can impact our wellness, how powerful art is in healing people.”

According to the Art Therapy Association, visual arts offer veterans suffering from PTSD a nonthreatening alternative to compose, in images, what is inexpressible to them with words.

“It’s also just really about your approach to it,” Thomas said. “From what I’ve gotten back thus far, everyone has been really happy and pleased with it.”

If one could find an upside to trauma and how it hardwires our brain, providing support to others in dire circumstances can often come easier to people with PTSD than dealing with anonymous crowds of strangers. Thomas concedes that helping others in crisis, in many ways, comes easier to him partly because of his innate drive to help others, of course, and partly due to his combat experience. He has worked in jails and with law enforcement and spent the past seven years working in child protection, around four of those years as a family advocate for Kids Central.

“I was in a high-risk unit, so I dealt with a lot of child molestation cases, like the really, really heinous things, child deaths, severe abuse. I spent a lot of my time at the police department, sheriff’s office with the detectives, with Kimberly’s Center. You know, we’re back in the interview rooms while they’re interviewing the kids and, yeah, I help put away a lot of bad folks.”

Two decades after his tours of duty, Thomas is healing now as a busy, prolific artist. He wants to pay his fulfillment forward and one day take his services on the road so he can reach veterans in need where they live.

“I’ve always wanted a mobile art studio,” he shared, “something that hopefully we can do one day.”

For more information, visit aihocala.org.

”Untitled” by Aaron Thomas

Artist

Aaron Thomas (right) celebrates completed works by participants in his recent “Painting for Veterans” workshop. [Supplied]

“Ringpop” by Aaron Thomas reflects the artist’s recent exploration of darker imagery.

“Cheers” to supporting nonprofits

There were endless toasts, and much clinking of glasses of beer and wine on April 8 during the Brick City Beer and Wine Festival.

The event, held at Citizens’ Circle in downtown Ocala, drew a large crowd of thirsty and hungry patrons to check out the libations, food trucks and entertainment.

In the Wind FM “Battle of the Bands,” the winners, first through third place respectively, were the R.E.L Band, The Horde of Culture and Bag O’ Bones, which donated its third-place winnings back to the beneficiaries.

The Ocala Silver Springs and Ocala Sunset Rotary Clubs sponsor the event, with proceeds going to benefit Interfaith Emergency Services, the Marion County Literacy Council and Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection.

For more info, see brickcitybeerandwinefest.com

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

Sandra Duarte and Juan Pena of Professional Realty of Ocala dance and sing in their booth during the Brick City Beer and Wine Festival at Citizens’ Circle in Ocala on Saturday, April 8, 2023.

Anya Bryniarski, 11, center, and her brother, Lachlan, 12, right, sample their root beer floats, as their brother, Callum, 7, left, looks on at the Interfaith Emergency Services booth.

Left: The R.E.L Band from Ocklawaha celebrate their win in the Wind-FM Battle of the Bands.

Mandy Daley, Melissa Robbins and Laura Jones, left to right, toast each other.

Rob Reed of Tri-Eagle Sales pours a beer from First Magnitude Brewing Company for Katy Owen.

Bill Pharmer gives his granddaughter, Desi Wade, 1 1/2, a piggy-back ride.

Hundreds of people socialize with each other by some of the beer tents.

Hello, Ocala!

World Airlines in a ground operations administrative position. Through their 30year marriage, the couple had four children. Because of work promotions, the family lived in many areas of the world, including Paris; Guadeloupe, in the French West Indies; and the French Polynesian island of Tahiti. He also traveled to Liberia for a time.

Some of those places were pleasant, although challenging because of language and customs barriers, and it meant raising small children in sometimes scary situations with no relatives or friends nearby. Kane-Crawford estimates the family moved 14 or 15 times for her husband’s job transfers, first within the United States and then to foreign outposts.

He was usually busy and occupied at his job, while she was often isolated and caring for their children. In that time frame, government rules, languages, ways of life, schools, and foods were all very different cultures from the United States.

“I learned much in the different cultures. I like people and have an instinct with people,” she said.

Meet your neighbor: Amalia Kane-Crawford

By Eadie Sickler Correspondent

Adventure, thrills, terror, challenges, and drama are some of the words that might begin to describe the life of Amalia Kane-Crawford. Add to those words, world traveler, educated, creative, innovative, and accomplished and you will have a small insight into her life.

“God has literally saved my life so many times and gives me spiritual lessons,” Kane-Crawford said, then added, “Nothing happens by accident. There are supreme messages and purposes (in life) many of us don’t recognize or don’t understand.”

The southwest Ocala resident was born in Baltimore on Jan. 9, 1938, “on President Nixon’s birthday.” Her parents are of Sardinian and German descent. Her mother was an accomplished musician who taught in public schools. Her father was a volunteer fireman in addition to being a teacher in vocational schools and

principal in the public school system.

Kane-Crawford’s parents had four children, all of whom are well-educated. Her brother Paul has a doctorate degree in forestry and is a retired colonel in the Army Reserves living in Buffalo, Wyoming. Her younger sister Gloria Albrecht, who lives in Detroit, holds a doctor of theology degree. Kane-Crawford has a twin sister, Roberta (Bobbie) Conti, who holds a nursing doctorate degree. She lives in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Kane-Crawford is a registered nurse, having graduated from the Bon Se Cours School of Nursing in Baltimore. She earned a master’s degree in health administration and has spent 69 years as a nurse, she proudly noted. She has held several prestigious positions in the nursing field over the years.

Kane-Crawford lived next door to and went to school with Richard Kane from the time she was 11 years old. They grew up and married and began a life of adventure. He was employed with Pan American

Their four children include Julie O’Keefe, who lives in Newnan, Georgia, with her husband, Robert, and their two children, daughter Shannon, who lives in Colorado, and son Nicholas, who is a history teacher in Arkansas.

Son Sean Kane lives in Plantation, Florida, and is employed as a home inspector. His wife, Josephine, works for American Express. They have a daughter Kristina, who is an RN and lives in Plantation, and a son Matthew Kane, who lives in Hollywood, Florida and works for the U.S. Postal Service.

Son Paul Kane lives in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and is a manager for Federal Express (FedEx). His wife, Karolyn, is a manager for Wegman Foods. They have three children: daughter Lilliene Caskey of Myrtle Beach, North Carolina; son Logan of Philadelphia, and son Liam of Mechanicsburg.

Daughter Cynthia Provin, of Lighthouse Point, Florida, is married to Scott, who was on the University of Miami football team and now works as a bank recruiter. The couple has two boys, Zachary who works in technology in Boston, and Sean, who will graduate in May from Florida State University. Cindy, as she is called, was the only Kane offspring to be born outside of the United States, in Guadeloupe.

Rounding out the family are two great-grandchildren.

In Guadeloupe, the couple and their children were the only Americans on the island, where the inhabitants spoke French Creole. Kane-Crawford said she became aware of the dark world of the voodoo culture and said she was bodily threatened by the gardener, who screamed at and cursed at her, and threatened her life with a machete and that of the baby (Cindy) she carried. She said she was afraid for herself and her children and went to a library and took out a book on voodoo and studied it. Finally, out of desperation, she said, while he stuck his machete under her chin, she confronted the gardener to his face with a cross, a Bible, and the name of Jesus, and he fled. They were in that country four years and at one time were without electricity for nine months following a hurricane. It was not an easy life in that locale.

After 30 years of marriage, the two divorced.

Amalia married Allen Crawford, and they had a 28-year marriage until his death in 2017. He had been employed as a special agent for the U.S. Department of Justice, investigating fraud in home nursing care in Florida within Medicaid and Medicare, and met Amalia, who at the time was employed as the director of nurses in a home care agency. They talked occasionally on the telephone about business for about 10 years during his investigations.

“He had a wonderful voice,” she said with a smile. They worked together professionally for nine years before dating, and then married.

Kane-Crawford moved to Ocala in 2019. Her children told her to pick a place she liked that would be central to all of them, and within easy travel to all.

“Ocala people are friendly,” she said. She stays active in the community as an ambassador for the Elder Options program and is the recording secretary for the Oak Run Democratic Club.

“I want to help keep America a democracy,” she said. “There is more to living in America than party affiliations. I want to do what’s best for America.”

Kane-Crawford has written a book highlighting her exciting life stories and experiences, “Living in Multiple Worlds: My Reality,” which can be found on Amazon.com.

Honoring agricultural traditions

The Farmland Preservation Festival on April 8 celebrated time-honored traditions and the area’s rich agricultural history.

The festival was created by the nonprofit Save Our Rural Areas (SORA), which opposes urban sprawl within the county’s designated Farmland Preservation Area. The 15th annual event was held at the Majestic Oaks equine property in Reddick.

Threats of rain did not deter visitors who perused the rows of vendors, listened to live music and oohed and aahed over farm animals such as baby goats, piglets and chicks. There was a tractor and horse parade, and several booths offering information about farming, ranching, the equine industry and conservation.

“I’ve had a few sleepless nights,” said festival chairman Jerome Feaster, who stopped his golf cart for a moment to chat. “But just look around. It’s all good. It’s all about preservation, that’s the main thing.”

To learn more about SORA, go to saveourruralarea.org

Amalia Kane-Crawford at her Oak Run home in Ocala on Monday, April 3, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2023.

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

Andrea and Ken Cleland and Teresa Gaglio, left to right, look over plants that were for sale in the Homegrown Plants booth during the Farmland Preservation Festival at Majestic Oaks Farm in Reddick on Saturday, April 8, 2023.

Dave Guynn, left, and Rodney Guynn, who are Tom Petty’s first cousins, perform.

Nigerian Dwarf Goats peek out of their cage at the Homegrown Plants booth.

Jeff Lovelady of Briar Patch Farm in Micanopy drives his team of “Clyde Lights,” which are a smaller breed of Clydesdales, as his children, David, 2 1/2 and Claire, 10, ride on the cart with him in the parade.

Robert Graber of Ironhide Creations forge in Zephyrhills, stokes a fire as he forges a hook for a piece of jewelry.

Jolene Spencer, 11, Isaac Spencer, 5, and Ronan Orlov, 3, left to right, play with newborn chicks.

Evan Reddick drives a 1947 McCormick Farmall HV tractor in the parade.

Bird of the Week

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

By Michael Warren

Sometimes in spring, especially in the hardwood forests along the Silver River, the woods come alive with a buzzy song from high up in the canopy. Northern parulas are tiny warblers dressed up in blue-gray and yellow. They’re often difficult to spot. Try Cornell University’s Merlin app to identify their distinctive song. And when you hear it, look up!

Northern parula [MichaelWarren.com]

APRIL 14

Levitt Amp Music Series

Webb Field at Martin Luther King Recreation Complex, 1510 NW 4th St, Ocala

7-9pm

This music series returns to Ocala with free weekly concerts sponsored by the city of Ocala and Marion Cultural Alliance. This week’s artist is Veronica Lewis. Admission is free. Food and drink vendors will be onsite. Bring chairs and blankets. The Ocala Recreation Mobile will present activities for youth. For more info, ocalafl.org/levittamp

APRIL 14 & 21

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.

APRIL 15

CF Foundation Estate Planning

Seminar College of Central Florida, Webber Center, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala

11:30am

Attorney Samantha Shealy Rauba of McGraw, Rauba & Mutarelli will discuss how to protect assets, maintain control of an estate and strategies to fulfill philanthropic desires. Reservations are required by email to Traci Mason at masont@cf.edu. To learn more, visit CF.edu/foundation.

APRIL 15

Boomtown Days

Historic District at Pennsylvania Ave. and Cedar St.,

Dunnellon 9am-5pm

With food options, arts and crafts, vendors and live entertainment, this annual festival celebrates the charm of historic Dunnellon. This year’s festival includes a car show, beauty pageant, cowboy shoot-out and pie-eating contest. For info, see dunnellonchamber.com

APRIL 15

Pinwheels for Prevention

Paddock Mall, 3100 SW College Road, Ocala

11am-2pm

The Early Learning Coalition of Marion County is hosting a free Pinwheels for Prevention family event that will include resources for parents plus a children’s activity area with face painting, live entertainment and children’s books while supplies last. April is National Child Abuse Prevention month. The Pinwheels for Prevention campaign promotes working together to strengthen families to prevent child abuse and neglect. See elc-marion.org for more info.

APRIL 15

Hot Cars and Cool Cats Car Show

Nassivera Farm, 2250 NE 70th St., Ocala

10am-3pm

This biannual car show benefits the Endangered Animal Rescue Sanctuary (EARS) in Citra. Free to attend; $10 for show entry. Vendors, music, raffles, trophies for winners and food options. For more info, facebook.com/HotCarsAndCoolCatsCarShow

APRIL 15 & 22

Ocala Farmers Market

Ocala Downtown Market, 310 SE Third St., Ocala

9am-2pm

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

APRIL 15 & 22

Farmers Swap Meet

Rural King, 2999 NW 10th St., Ocala

9am-2pm

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

APRIL 20

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

APRIL 20

IHMC Lecture: Morgan Cable

IHMC, 15 SE Osceola Ave., Ocala

5:30pm

NASA astrobiologist Morgan Cable knows much about water, both here on Earth and on other planets and celestial bodies, and will share her insights at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC)

Evening Lecture Series in Ocala. Free to attend. Register at bit.ly/3UpRTh6

APRIL 20

Medicare Classes

Online

10am

The SHINE organization offers free classes about Medicare, available by computer or phone. Classes cover navigating Medicare, Parts A, B and D, and long-term care. For more info, shine@agingresources.org or call (352) 692-5209.

critters & equine

APRIL 14-16

Ocala Springs Premier Horse Show Florida Horse Park, 11851 SW 16th Ave. (west entrance), Ocala

All day

These hunter/jumper shows feature all kinds of classes from lead line to Grand Prix show jumping. Included are options to watch and ride in green hunters, novice, adult amateur, pony and walk/trot offerings. For more info, classiccompany.com

APRIL 20

SPCA Meeting

Friendship Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, 9510 SW 105th St., Ocala

1pm

This animal rescues group invites potential new members to find out how they help animals throughout Marion County. They man a booth at the OTOW Farmer’s Market, collect donations of pet food and supplies, rescue animals, offer fostering services and place pets in new homes. For more info, spcaofmarioncounty.weebly.com

APRIL 14 & 21

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.

APRIL 21

DEMENTIA 101

Senior Learners, College of Central Florida, Room 107, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala

1:30pm-3pm D.J. Ryan, RN, with Hospice of Marion County, will give a presentation covering many aspects of dementia, with time for questions and discussion. The class is available in person and online. For info and to register, go to seniorlearners.org/

APRIL 21

LEAF Series: Be Inspired

Sholom Park, 7110 SW 80th Ave., Ocala

10:30am College of Central Florida Professor Zackery Cote leads a discussion on poetry and its benefits for mindfulness and creativity. $5 registration fee in advance. See sholompark.org for more info.

APRIL 22

Americana Tribute to Vets Concert

Ocala/Marion County Veterans Memorial Park, 2601

E. Fort King St., Ocala

12pm

This free concert is a tribute to American veterans and features the Shady Hill Harmony team. Event organizers welcome lawn chairs, picnic baskets and coolers, but no alcohol. The Marion County Veterans Exhibit and Education Center will be open for tours. To learn more, go to marionvetpark.com/americana-tribute-toveterans

APRIL 22

Earthfest: Celebrate Arbor Day

Tuscawilla Park, 800 NE Sanchez Ave., Ocala

10am-2pm

In honor of Arbor Day, the city of Ocala will offer free tree giveaways, a youth fishing derby, rock wall climbing, live butterflies, eco-friendly vendors, live music and food trucks. The park has playgrounds, ball courts, ponds and shaded walking trails. Free to all; for more info, ocalafl.org

APRIL 22

Central Florida Bigfoot Convention

World Equestrian Center, Expo Center 1, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 9am-6pm Presentations, Q&A, speaker panels with Bigfoot experts, vendor booths and more, all focused on Florida’s own Skunk Ape. Tickets start at $25. For info, gatherupevents.com/ florida-bigfoot-conference

APRIL 22-23

Reddick BBQ & Friendship Festival

Friendship Baptist Church, 15115 NW Gainesville Road, Reddick

8am-4pm Barbecue with all the fixins’, food trucks and

APRIL 21-23

PacWest Barrel Race

Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, 2232 NE Jacksonville Road, Ocala

All day

Explosive starts, quick turns and all-out gallops make this a different kind of race as horses run the barrels. Multiple races with great prizes and exciting action, all free to spectators with food and drink options onsite. For more info, see selp.marionfl.org/home

APRIL 22

Gypsy Live! Horse Show

World Equestrian Center, Arena 3, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala

8am-8pm

Gypsy Vanners are some of the most gorgeous and exotic looking horses on the planet, with feathered legs, long manes and tails, and striking color combinations. This show will feature English equestrian, Western pleasure, trail/ranch and dressage, plus halter, liberty and driving classes. Food and drink options onsite; some parking fees may apply. More info at worldequestriancenter.com

APRIL 14 & 21

Kiwanis Club of Ocala

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

12pm

Meets weekly on Fridays. Supports Camp Kiwanis, children’s literacy and Habitat for Humanity. More info at ocalakiwanis.org

APRIL 22

Project FIDO Meet N’ Greet (at Earthfest)

Tuscawilla Park, 800 NE Sanchez Ave., Ocala

10am-2pm

The Super Mario Puppers are part of the Florida Inmates & Dog Obedience (FIDO) dogs that have been trained and are living at the Marion Correctional Institution. Meet Luma, Mario, Toad, Daisy and Peach; all are available

vendors with crafts, plants, candles, herbs, home-made products and more. Live music from Christian musicians. For more info, friendshipbaptistreddick.com/FriendshipFestival

APRIL 22

Grace School Annual Auction:

Havana Nights

Circle Square Cultural Center, 8395 SW 80th St., Ocala

5:30pm

Celebrating its 65th anniversary as a school and the 35th Annual Auction, Grace School is raising funds to build new classrooms. Silent and live auctions include a student day shadowing the Ocala police chief and mayor, and the Marion County Sheriff. Music by Orquesta Infinidad from Tampa, plus a buffet from Latino Y Mas. Tickets start at $75; see gcsocala.com/

APRIL 22

Tom Muff Memorial Car Show

Holy Family Catholic Church, 17353 NE Hwy 27 Alt., Williston

Registration 8am-10am; show 10am-3pm

The event includes a car show, door prizes, 50/50 raffles, food and drink for purchase, Sounds by Big D, awards for Best of Show and People’s Choice, a bake sale and other activities. Free to attend; car entry is $20.

APRIL 22

DOH Family Fun Wellness Fair

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

10am-2pm

Offering immunizations, health education, family planning and health screening, along with music, food and youth activities, the Marion County Department of Health invites everyone to attend this free day of fun and education. For more information, contact Monica Dasilva at (352) 644-2679 or Monica.Dasilva@FLHealth.gov.

APRIL 23

Making It Your Day Bridal Expo

Protea Weddings & Events, 12088 S. Highway 475, Ocala

11am-3pm

This wedding expo offers vendor booths, venue tours, samples, giveaways, a runway show and more. For info, Courtney@proteaweddings.com

THROUGH MAY 17

DOH Diabetes Education Program

Belleview Community Center, 5615 SE 110th Place, Belleview

5pm-7pm

The Department of Health is offering free weekly classes to help people learn about and handle diabetes with topics like balanced diets, meal planning, physical activity, prevention and more. Free clinical screenings will be available. Attendance is free but space is limited; reservations should be made by contacting Melissa Marino at (352) 644-2624 or Melissa.marino@FLHealth.gov

APRIL 23

Pack Walk Silver Springs State Park, 5656 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 9am-10:30am

Help Marion County Animal Shelter staffers walk shelter dogs. Park entry is $2 and you’re welcome to stay in the park after the walk. Recurs monthly on the fourth Sunday. For more info, animalservices.manrionfl.org

APRIL 24

75th Anniversary Champions

Diamond Gala

Circle Square Cultural Center, 8395 SW 80th St., Ocala

5:30pm

Presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ & Owners’ Association, this party features the accomplishments of Marion County’s horse trainers, owners, breeders and, of course, the horses themselves. Tickets start at $150 and include dinner, cocktail reception and awards ceremony. Get more info from ftboa.com

APRIL 19

VFW Wednesday Dinners

Angela S. Santos FVW Post 4781, 9401 SW 110th St., Ocala

4:30pm-6:30pm The post offers weekly dinners for about $5-$7 with a variable menu. The dining room is open to the public, meals are prepped by VFW Auxiliary volunteers and proceeds benefit veterans in Marion County. For the menu, call (352) 873-4781.

APRIL 20

Ocala Lions Club

Ocala Golf Club, 3130 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 12pm Meets weekly on Thursdays; newcomers welcome. The club supports vision health and diabetes prevention. More info at e-clubhouse.org/sites/ocalafl

government

APRIL 17 & 24

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

APRIL 18

City of Ocala City Council

City Hall, 110 SE Watula Avenue, Ocala

4pm

Meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. Agendas are usually posted the Thursday prior; agendas, minutes and video available from ocala.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

APRIL 18

Marion County Board of County Commissioners

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

9am & 2pm

Meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. The Planning & Zoning portion is scheduled for the 2pm meeting. Agendas are usually posted the Thursday prior. Agendas, minutes and video available at marionfl.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

arts

APRIL 15

Spring Strings: Classern Quartet

Sholom Park, 7110 SW 80th Ave., Ocala

5pm-7pm

The eclectic mix of classical and pop/ rock tunes from this string quartet is a unique entertainment for a spring evening. Spectators can bring lawn chairs, blankets and coolers; but no pets. Tickets are $25 from sholompark.org

APRIL 15

Let’s Hang On (Frankie Valli

Tribute)

Orange Blossom Opry, 16439 SE 138th Terrace, Weirsdale

2:30 pm and 7pm

The Four Seasons and Frankie Valli sound is recreated with music, dance and stellar harmonies. Tickets are $33-$48 from obopry. com

APRIL 16

Celtic Visions

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

3pm

The Ocala Symphony Orchestra and Chorus present a concert focused on Celtic music with soloists Matthew Christoff, Hannah J. Stucky and Hannah J. Mazur. Tickets are $15$40, from reillyartscenter.com

APRIL 17

Ocala Civic Theatre Season

Reveal Party

Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala

6pm-8pm

Kicking off its 73rd season, the Ocala Civic Theatre is hosting a party to share the shows that will be produced in its upcoming season. Snacks, drinks and fun are on the marquee for this evening. Reservations requested by April 14; $10 to attend. See ocalacivictheatre.com to register.

APRIL 22

Art Show: Lillian Hart

NEHS Galleries, 1523 NE 8th Ave., Ocala

6pm-8pm

Ocala artist Lillian Hart, 16, presents her first art show at the artists collective. Hart works in acrylics and Sharpies on canvas. She will speak at about 6:15pm and plans to have about 25 works for presentation. A giveaway for the first 100 people is planned. See bit.ly/ LillianHart for more info.

THROUGH MAY 4

College of Central Florida

Student Art Exhibition

CF Webber Gallery, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala

10am-4pm Monday-Thursday

CF’s Visual Arts and Digital Media students present their works. Free to the public. For more info, CF.edu

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

APRIL 18

City of Belleview City Commission

City Hall, 5343 SE Abshier Blvd., Belleview

6pm-8pm

Meets the first and third Tuesdays; Belleview agendas, minutes and video available at belleviewfl.org/200/ Agendas-Minutes

APRIL 18

City of Dunnellon Planning Commission

City Hall, 20750 River Drive, Dunnellon

5:30pm Dunnellon agendas, minutes and video available at Dunnellon.org/89/Agendas

APRIL 19

Marion County Land Development Regulation Commission

Growth Services Training Room, 2710 E. Silver Springs Blvd, Ocala

5:30 pm

Workshops held on the third Wednesday of the month.

APRIL 24

Marion County Planning & Zoning Commission

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

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, 1821 NW 21st Ave., Ocala

Daily when center is open

Artist Ingrid Humphrey, a native Floridian, displays her handmade dolls and tapestries, which portray the sisterhood of women of color all over the world. 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 17

“Secrets” Art Show Opening South State Bank, 1632 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala

Daily during business hours

Abstract artist Kayla Moffatt takes over the second floor community gallery space of the bank. Moffatt’s technique includes writing a secret on the canvas before painting then using color and marking to connect with viewers. See kaylamoffattart.com for more info.

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 youths. For more info, appletonmuseum.org

THROUGH JUNE 20

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, local artist Maggie Weakley shares her oceanthemed collection. Weakley’s series in her Water collection is comprised of multiple painting techniques, including acrylics, spray paints, glitter, mica powder, plaster and more. Free to the public. Visit ocalafl.org/ artincityspaces and maggieweakley.com

& &music nightlife

APRIL 14 & 21

Courtyard Jams

MCA Courtyard 23 W Broadway St., Ocala

6-9pm

APRIL 14

Second Slice Charlie Horse 2426 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala

7pm

APRIL 14

Stephen Lopez

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

6:30pm-9:30pm

APRIL 14

Cam Wheaton Homestead Park 1050 NE 6th Blvd., Williston 6pm-12pm

APRIL 14

Palomino Blonde

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

6-9pm

APRIL 15

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

6:30pm-9:30pm

APRIL 15 One Flite Up Charlie Horse 2426 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 7pm

APRIL 15

Noah

APRIL

1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 6-9pm

APRIL 21

Reggie Crazy Cucumber Market Street at Heath Brook, 4414 SW College Road, Ocala 6:30pm-9:30pm

APRIL 21

Houston Keen Homestead Park 1050 NE 6th Blvd., Williston 6pm-12pm

APRIL 21

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

APRIL 21

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

APRIL 22

Allison Asarch

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

APRIL 22

Brent Jackson Homestead Park 1050 NE 6th Blvd., Williston 6pm-12pm

APRIL 22

Michelle Ingrham

Crazy Cucumber Market Street at Heath Brook, 4414 SW College Road, Ocala 6:30pm-9:30pm

APRIL 22

West 27 Charlie Horse 2426 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 7pm

APRIL 23

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

APRIL 23

Kenna Dee Flying Boat Tap Room 9672 SE 58th Ave, Belleview, FL 11am-2pm

Vanguard clobbers Forest with patience and small ball

By Allen Barney allen@ocalagazette.com

The Vanguard Knights (12-5) rode the arm of Bobby Blanco and a group effort at the plate to beat the Forest Wildcats (8-9) 15-8 on April 5.

Forest came out swinging in the top of the first when Trevor Murray launched a two-run home run to center field to give the Wildcats an early lead. Following a hit by pitch and a single, Porter Craig drove in the third run of the inning with a base hit to right field.

Forest starting pitcher Kaden Smith kept the momentum going in the bottom of the first when he struck out Adam Oxendine, Jake Wells and CT Antonucci in order. The Forest offense continued its hot start with back-to-back singles from Jayden Williar and Robert Kohler.

Williar scored after an errant throw by the catcher on a stolen base attempt from Kohler. Forest would stretch the lead to 5-0 when Vanguard left fielder Luke Oxendine could not hang to a line drive hit his way.

The Vanguard offense chipped away at the lead in the bottom of the second when Kylin Carter grounded out to first base and drove in Luke Oxendine.

Blanco, who came in to pitch during the top of the second inning, fired a scoreless top of the third inning.

Forest appeared to be in complete control with a 5-1 lead and Smith striking out Kevin Campbell to start the bottom of the third inning.

Things fell apart for Smith and Forest after the leadoff strikeout as the senior right hander walked the next four hitters to drive in a run. Smith was pulled from the game and Jonathan Rubin came in to pitch for Forest.

Rubin immediately gave up a two-run single to Jordan Volker and a run-scoring hit to Carter to tie the game at five. Rubin experienced major control issues like Smith and walked the next three hitters to bring in two more runs and give Vanguard a 7-5 lead.

A throwing error by Murray and a sacrifice fly by Wells brought in three more runs for the Knights and, when the dust settled, Vanguard took a 10-5 lead into the fourth inning.

Blanco worked around a leadoff single from Aren Smith by inducing a double play from Murray and a flyout in the top of the fourth inning.

Vanguard’s offense stayed on the attack in the bottom of the fourth as Andrew Oxendine drove in two runs with a single to left and a throwing

error brought in Oxendine to stretch the Knights lead to 13-5.

Forest pushed across a run in the top of the fifth on a run-scoring single to left field from Kohler but Blanco persevered and kept it to one run.

Luke Oxendine put the proverbial exclamation point on the win with a mammoth two-run home run to left field to give Vanguard a 15-6 lead.

Forest scored a run in the sixth inning on a run-scoring single from Smith and a run in the seventh on a base hit from Murray but it was too little, too late.

Blanco pitched the sixth inning and it would be the last inning of the outing as he finished with five innings, two earned runs and three strikeouts. The sophomore is just now getting into a groove after dealing with a back injury during the first half of the season.

“I pitched well, and it gives me confidence going into my next outing. My team has been dealing with injuries, so I need to pull through on nights like this,” Blanco said.

“He attacked the zone and made the other team get themselves out. He just throws strikes, attacks the zone and trusts the defense. He embraced the moment and that was a big moment for Bobby,” Vanguard head coach Scott Schaub said.

Forest head coach Mark Streit was not beating around the bush after the game and stressed the importance of throwing strikes and playing clean baseball each night. Forest pitching walked 12 and hit two batters while the defense made two errors that cost the team three runs.

“We got to execute, throw strikes and play catch to win baseball games,” Streit said.

Streit, first year as head coach at Forest, knows the team can learn a lot about themselves in losses and hopes this defeat will serve as a good lesson in the long run.

“Everybody wants to beat them, and they have to want to beat everybody else. It’s one of those things where you have to bring your ‘A’ game every time and you are playing against yourself. You have to control what you can control, and things will go into your favor because the minute you don’t control your side, you give things away. Credit to Vanguard for having a plan and making the plays to win,” Streit said.

Murray led the Forest offense with three hits and three runs batted in. Kohler, Craig and Kohl

in three runs.

Wednesday was an important step in the right direction for Schaub and his program as they used an 18-3 loss at the hands of Forest last season as motivation during the offseason.

Carter, a senior, spoke about the mindset of the team after falling behind 5-0 early and what was said in the dugout.

“We knew we were facing a plus arm, being out on the field as a team just talking about keeping our head down and working as a team is what we have to do each game,” Carter said.

The message of revenge and respect for the program was not lost on Schaub as the team has three more wins than all of last season with eight games still to play.

“The dugout was phenomenal; I think that was a difference maker. By cheering for our teammates and staying engaged in the ball game. Assistant coach Matt Rodriguez gave them a message before coming to hit in the second inning about just chipping away and passing the baton to the next guy,” Schaub said.

Schaub attributed the team’s attitude and culture to being a huge part of the success for the season.

“It’s exciting to see what these guys are doing. These kids bought in and have gelled 10 times better than previous years. It’s unbelievable what can happen when we get that right fit and the kids are following each other by doing what they’re supposed to do to create that good culture,” Schaub added.

The Vanguard offense was a group effort with Carter reaching base four times, driving in three runs and scoring three times. Andrew and Luke Oxendine each drove in two runs and scored twice. Blanco, Campbell and Wells each added an RBI and a run scored in the win.

ANSWERS FOR PAGE B4

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

“It’s exciting to see what these guys are doing. These kids bought in and have gelled 10 times better than previous years.”

Scott Schaub Vanguard head coach

Vanguard’s Adam Oxendine (3) looks for the double play after sending Forest’s Michael Mellucci (20) out at second base during a baseball game at Vanguard High School in Ocala on Wednesday, April 5, 2023.

Vanguard’s Luke Oxendine (11) crosses the plate to score a run as Forest’s catcher Porter Craig (14) waits on the throw.

Vanguard’s Jake Wells (2) and Andrew Oxendine (21) converge to make an out on a Forest hit in right field.

The Vanguard dugout celebrates with Jordan Volker (8) after he scored a run.

Knights edge Rattlers on the softball diamond

Photos By Bruce Ackerman

By Mark Pinson Special to Ocala Gazette

Vanguard scored four runs in the fourth inning with Kaylee Myers and Hannah Davis delivering run-scoring hits, and Davis struck out 13 Belleview batters and scattered eight hits in a complete-game effort as the Knights beat the Rattlers by a score of 4-3 on a rainy and windy night on April 10.

The win improved Class 4A Vanguard to 12-4 on the season.

“Hannah was on fire tonight,” said Knights coach Carrie Vance. “She had it all working and has gotten better as the season has progressed. The game was closer than it should have been, but we like to make it interesting.”

Class 5A Belleview, which had the tying run thrown out at the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning, dropped to 8-10 overall.

“The girls fought hard and I’m very proud of them for battling the entire game,” said long-time Rattlers coach Gary Greer. “My decision to send the runner home the last

inning is going to stick with me for a couple of hours and then it’s time to move on. We’re a young team with only one senior and we hung tough with a good Vanguard squad.”

Pitching dominated the first two innings as Vanguard’s Davis and Belleview freshman right-hander Randi O’Cull kept the game scoreless.

Vanguard, which banged out eight hits, broke through in the top of the fourth inning against O’Cull by taking advantage of a pair of walks, a wild pitch and a runscoring single by Myers and an RBI double to right-center field by Davis, who went 2 for 2 at the plate, to take a 4-0 lead.

Belleview brought Gianni Santiago on in relief of O’Cull with a runner on second base and two outs and Santiago induced a fly ball to left field to end the inning.

The Rattlers managed to put a runner on base in the first four innings against Davis, but the sophomore right-hander managed to wiggle out of trouble each time to keep the Knights on top, 4-0.

Belleview got on the scoreboard with the aid of a pair of Vanguard errors in

the bottom of the fifth inning. Jordan McLaughlin lined a one-out single to right field, stole second base and scored when the Vanguard first baseman misplayed a throw from Davis on a comebacker to the pitcher.

The ball was chased down, but another throwing error by the Knights allowed Santiago to score to pull the Rattlers within 4-2. Davis bore down to strike out the next hitter to end the threat.

Vanguard had an opportunity to score some insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning with the bases loaded and only one out, but Santiago, who tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, retired the next two hitters to keep the game close.

Belleview rallied in the bottom of the frame as McLaughlin reached on a fielder’s choice ground out and scored on a booming one-out double off the centerfield fence by Lynnay Howard. The Rattlers brought in a pinch runner for Howard and Santiago singled to right field, but the runner was thrown out at the plate fairly easily.

Davis got a ground ball to second base for the final out in the hard-fought 4-3 victory.

SOFTBALL SCORES

By Allen Barney allen@ocalagazette.com

The Seven Rivers Christian Warriors (8-7) pounded out 11 hits and did not allow a hit in a 21-0 win over the Ocala Christian Crusaders (3-10) on April 11.

It was a beautiful 70 degrees at first pitch as the Crusaders held their senior night ceremony for Cian Bloom and Daniel Young.

Seven Rivers did not hold back and got to work at the plate in the first inning when Timothy Nott and Nate Tidwell reached base via a walk. After Hayden Pillsbury was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Mikey Lemar socked a single to left field to drive in two runs and give the Warriors the lead.

A bases-loaded walk by Logan Moore drove in the third run. The Warriors batted around in the top of the first and their ninerun inning was capped off with a two-run double by Palmer Looper.

Ocala Christian hitters Julieus Phillips, Amari Gordan and William Hicks were struck out in order by Pillsbury, the starting pitcher for Seven Rivers.

The Seven Rivers offense continued to be a menace in the top of the second as Moore picked up his second RBI on a single to left. Looper and Nott both drove in a run with a single and walk before Tidwell cleared the bases with a three-run double down the left field line to extend the lead to 16-0.

Haddon Sullivan came in to pitch the bottom of the second for Seven Rivers. Sullivan allowed a leadoff walk to Skyler Forella before inducing a double play and striking out Cooper Gloege to end the inning.

BASEBALL SCORES

Seven Rivers poured in five more runs in the top of the third on base hits from Nott, Lemar and Sullivan. Sophomore Trey Sheffield avoided trouble after hitting two batters to seal the win for Seven Rivers.

It was a group effort for Seven Rivers as all nine starters collected at least one hit and one run scored. Tidwell drove in three runs and scored three times, while Looper picked up two runs batted in and three runs scored.

“We just came out and played well, threw strikes and put forth a great effort,” Seven Rivers head coach Eddie Looper said.

Tuesday’s win put the Warriors over .500 and wanting more with the Sunshine State Athletic Conference tournament on deck this weekend.

“It’s at our place and we just want to keep moving forward by playing good baseball and hopefully peaking at the end of the season by getting our hitting, pitching and fielding going on a good note,” Looper added.

For Ocala Christian head coach Ron Carpenter (who earned his 300th career win at OCA on March 21), the struggles from Tuesday’s loss will be a lesson for a young team that features three sophomores, two freshman, three eighth graders and three seventh graders.

“They’re young and they are learning that they will get better. They are putting in the effort, enjoying the game and sticking together by encouraging one another,” Carpenter said. “As a coach, my job is to teach them the game and that you can improve. They will grow together and start getting wins with experience.”

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

“It’s at our place and we just want to keep moving forward by playing good baseball and hopefully peaking at the end of the season by getting our hitting, pitching and fielding going on a good note,”

Looper

Seven Rivers’ Hayden Pillsbury (44) throws a pitch.