Ocala Gazette | April 19 - April 25, 2024

DeSantis signs book review, charter school changes

more than one material per month.”

During a media event Monday, DeSantis said that some people who filed mass objections to books made a “mockery” of the process.

After more than 1,200 objections were filed to school-library books and other materials last school year, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday signed a bill that will limit challenges by some people.

The wide-ranging bill (HB 1285) also includes making changes designed to ease the process of charter schools taking over operations at traditional public schools that lag in performance.

The part of the measure dealing with book challenges came after the Republicancontrolled Legislature and DeSantis in the past two

By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com

The film “Ocklawaha: Tales My Father Told” is billed as a “symphonic poem” by John Gottsch, who is the composer. The narrator is Peter Coyote and Ocala’s Emmy-winning Mark Emery is the director of photography. The author and producer is Steve Robitaille, also an Emmy-winner.

The film will be screened at 6:30 p.m. on April 22 at the Marion Theatre at 50 S. Magnolia Ave., Ocala, presented by the Florida Defenders of the Environment and the Marion Cultural Alliance.

A pre-screening VIP reception will be held at the MCA’s Brick City Center for the Arts at 23 SW Broadway St. from 5 to 6 p.m. with libations and light refreshments. Emery and Robitaille will be on hand for the reception.

“The childhood tales that Gottsch heard come to life in scenes filmed along the Ocklawaha River. Producer and writer Steve Robitaille collaborated with the composer on the narration, exploring the theme that both nature

years approved measures that ramped up scrutiny of library books and classroom materials. It also came after highly publicized disputes about removing books.

More than half of the 1,218 book objections during the 2022-2023 school year occurred in two counties, Clay and Escambia, according to a Senate staff analysis. The objections resulted in the removal of 186 books in the two counties.

The bill will require that any “resident of the county who is not the parent or guardian of a student with access to school district materials may not object to

“The idea that someone can use the parents’ rights and the curriculum transparency to start objecting to every single book, to try to make a mockery of this, is wrong. And you had examples where books were put under review that are just normal books that have been in education for many many years,” DeSantis said.

Using the example of Escambia County, DeSantis said the county “had a lot of books that should not have been under review” and said instances of mass book objections came “from all ends of the political spectrum.”

“There’s some people that really think all these books that have been in school are inappropriate. There’s other people

that know that they’re appropriate, but are trying to act like Florida does not want these books in,” DeSantis said.

Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. said Monday that the new limit on book challenges will help school districts in reviewing objections.

“That will make the process easier for the district to get through, because you can actually review the book in a timely manner,” Diaz said.

Meanwhile, parts of the bill related to underperforming public schools would “add some oomph” to the state’s process of allowing charter schools to take over operations, DeSantis said.

Under state law, if a school receives consecutive D or F grades based on various performance criteria, the school is given two years to improve to a C grade under what’s known as a “turnaround plan.” If the school’s grade See Book, page A2

DeSantis appoints four to McIntosh Town Council after mass resignations

By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com

Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed four people to the McIntosh Town Council on April 12 to fill the vacancies left by the mass resignations over the recent change in requirements for local officials’ financial disclosures.

Eva Callahan, William “Lee” Deadrick, Donald Medeiros and Richard Talbert were chosen by the governor to be the newest members of the town council.

Former councilmembers Mark Naworensky, Melinda Jones, Suzanne Sindledecker and Scott Mullikin resigned in December after the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 774, which requires mayors and governing elected officials to file Form 6, which requires disclosure of net worth and assets in greater detail.

Previously, the county commission members had to file Form 6 while city officials only had to file Form 1. The McIntosh Town Council members, along with officials from Reddick and Dunnellon, resigned citing privacy concerns over the increased requirement.

McIntosh Town Council Vice See McIntosh, page A2

SCREENING

and the humans residing along the river aspire to be free. The film’s diverse cast reflects the various cultures and histories conveyed by Gottsch’s father, including the Seminole Indians and their wars, as well as enslaved blacks and their subsequent freedom during the American Civil War. Emery’s exceptional nature cinematography, widely showcased on National Geographic and the BBC, complements the tales with an impressionistic representation of the mystical Ocklawaha,” noted the news release.

After the film screening, audience members can talk with the film’s production team.

Significant funding for “Ocklawaha: Tales My Father Told” was provided by Marion Cultural Arts/NEA, The Felburn Foundation, the LILAC Foundation, Duke Energy and contributions from Florida Defenders of the Environment members and sponsors, according to the release.

Tickets to the film screening and VIP reception are available at bit.ly/ocklawaha-tales

By Ryan Dailey Florida News Service

McIntosh

Continued from page A1

President Frank Ciotti, who has served since 2005, was on the board when appointees Callahan and Deadrick served their previous terms as council members. Ciotti and Mayor Marshall Roddy were the only elected officials left in McIntosh after mass resignations swept the county.

“It was such a great feeling to have a full council where we can pass legislation and continue the traditions of McIntosh,” Ciotti said.

Callahan rejoins the council after formerly serving as a member for 17 years. She is retired but formerly worked at the Florida Department of Health’s Administration and Medical Records Office. She has been a McIntosh resident for over 20 years and is currently the treasurer of the McIntosh Garden Club, according to the governor’s office. “(Callahan) is really a particularly detailed individual,” Ciotti said.

actually were born and raised in town.”

Deaderick is also a former member of the McIntosh Town Council. He also serves on the Micanopy Area Cooperative School Board of Directors. With a bachelor’s degree in food science from the University of Florida, Deaderick is the owner of Northwest Seafood Inc., according to the governor’s office.

“(Deaderick) was born in McIntosh,” Ciotti said. “There are few people who we have serving who

Book review

Continued from page A1

doesn’t make such an improvement, one option is for the school to close and reopen as a charter school.

The bill signed Tuesday will speed up the process of converting traditional public schools to charter schools under such circumstances, in part by giving districts a deadline to execute charter contracts. For schools reopening as charters, districts would have to execute contracts by Oct. 1 of the following school year, and charter organizations would assume “full operational control” by July.

Speaking Monday at a Pensacola school that was taken over by a charter operator after lagging in performance, DeSantis said the transition “took forever.”

“That’s not what we want to be happening, where this stuff takes forever and a day. I mean, if you have a school that is getting F grades, we need to remediate very

Medeiros, a U.S. Army veteran, is retired but formerly worked as a cross country coach and professor at the University of South Alabama. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Santa Clara and a doctorate in philosophy from Arizona State University, according to the governor’s office.

Talbert is the secretary of the city of Ocala Fire Museum Advisory Board and a part-time instructor at the Florida State Fire College. He is also a member of the McIntosh Lions Club. Talbert earned an associate degree from Eastern Florida State College. He was recognized as Florida Fire Chief of the Year by the Florida Cabinet in 2009, according

quickly. If you drag your feet for three or four years, those are three or four years of students that are not getting the type of education that they should be getting,” DeSantis said at Warrington Preparatory Academy.

Changes in the bill also include requiring charter operators that take over traditional public schools to serve the same grade levels as the traditional schools did, “at its current enrollment or higher,” but also give charters the option to offer additional grade levels.

The law also will direct state education officials to create a “classical education teaching certificate.” The certificates would only be valid at classical schools, and to obtain them applicants would have to meet most—but not all— requirements that traditional publicschool teachers would have to meet.

Applicants for classical education certificates would be exempt from meeting requirements that

to the governor’s office.

With a full council again, Ciotti said the board can finally act and has its priorities set on making needed repairs.

“We have some water issues, we need to replace some pipes,” Ciotti said. “We’ll get an engineer out here now. We’ll be able to pass appropriate legislation where we can fund repair projects.”

Ciotti said while he understood why the previous council members resigned after Form 6 became mandatory, he wanted to continue serving his town no matter what.

“I’m not about to abandon the town for any reason, other than health or something more in depth,” Ciotti said. “I’m just going to keep trucking on.”

they “demonstrate mastery of general knowledge,” “demonstrate mastery of subject area knowledge,” or demonstrate “mastery of professional preparation” and education competence.

The state has 18 classical charter schools in nine districts, according to the bill analysis.

“We have such a growth in the classical space, and those classical teachers have to be different,” Diaz said. “And so, we want to be able to have certification for those teachers that are going into a classical model where the most important piece is, yes, they have a license, but what is the professional development attached to that?”

Speaking at a classical school in Jacksonville where DeSantis signed the bill Tuesday, Diaz added that education officials did not want classical certificates to carry the same requirements as school districts, “because classical schools do it very differently.”

New rescue for OFR

By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com

Ocala Fire Rescue inaugurated a brand-new fire rescue on Friday for Station 6 to serve the growing southwest Ocala area. Station 6, at 5220 SW 50th Ct., services the State Road 200 corridor and Interstate 75, including areas through the Fore Ranch community and West Port High School, said OFR

Ashley Lopez.

“Starting Monday, April 15, Rescue 6 will be operational and ready to respond to emergencies, bolstering OFR’s capacity to provide emergency services in a region experiencing rapid growth,”

according to an OFR press release. The station welcomed the new rescue with an inauguration “push-

in ceremony,” attended by a number of city officials, including Mayor Ben Marciano, City Manager Pete Lee, Councilmember Jim Hilty and Fire Chief Clint Wellborn.

A fire station’s need for additional apparatus is determined by type and volume of calls experienced in an area, Lopez said.

“In the case of Station 6, the projected increase in population resulting from new single and multi-family dwellings, as well as commercial structures, played a factor in the addition of a rescue,” Lopez said.

The cost for the new rescue was not yet given by OFR, but Lopez said that it was accounted for in the city’s regular budget for expenses such as these.

“The addition of Rescue 6 will further facilitate our delivery of rapid, life-saving interventions throughout Ocala,” said Wellborn in the press release.

spokesperson

From left, Ocala Mayor Ben Marciano, City Manager Pete Lee, Councilmember Jim Hilty and Fire Chief Clint Wellborn [Courtesy of Ocala Fire Rescue]

[Courtesy of Ocala Fire Rescue]

Ocala City Council refuses to hear further public comment after fifth meeting of protest over Gaza conflict

By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com

The Ocala City Council chose not to hear any further public comment Tuesday after councilmembers reaffirmed that they would not bring forward a resolution in support of a ceasefire between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters in Gaza.

Only one person was permitted to speak before council interrupted all public comment, regardless of the topic, to agree on not hearing any more. In total, 16 people registered for public comment for meeting.

Tuesday’s meeting was the fifth in which an abundance of citizens came to urge the city council to pass a resolution either in favor or not in favor of a ceasefire between the forces in war-ravaged Gaza.

Since the escalation of the IsraelPalestine conflict that occurred following a Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, citizens been discussing the conflict at length during city council meetings.

The attack by Hamas left about 1,200 citizens of Israel dead, according to Tel Aviv. In retaliation, Israel’s military has killed over 32,000 Palestinian citizens,

the majority of whom have been women and children, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has been ongoing for the past 75 years, due to both entities claiming control of the same region in the eastern Mediterranean. Palestine has been controlled by the Hamas militant group since 2007.

In the U.S., local governments nationwide have approved resolutions supporting a ceasefire in the hopes that state and federal elected officials will also support calling for a ceasefire. Over 70 U.S. cities have passed resolutions to this effect, including Chicago and Seattle, according to Reuters.

On Tuesday, city council members once again expressed that they would not support such a resolution and decided not to hear any further comment from the public on the matter.

Some dissenters in the audience called out that they believed this to be censorship.

“It has nothing to do with censorship, it’s a matter of hearing repetitive information,” Councilmember Jim Hilty responded.

CITY TO GET GRANT TO HELP FUND JULY 4TH DRONE SHOW

By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com

The city of Ocala is getting some help from the county’s Tourist Development Council to put on this year’s first-ever Fourth of July drone show at Tuscawilla Park.

A grant of $20,000 is going to be accepted by the city in May to fund the innovative show that is expected to dazzle. The city contracted Sky Elements Drone Shows to put on the show, which will in total cost $71,415.

The city decided in February to host a patriotic Fourth of July

drone show instead of a traditional fireworks show. The day’s celebrations at the park will include family-friendly activities, food trucks, live entertainment and a nighttime grand finale of the drone show.

The show will last a duration of about 15 minutes and display from 10 to 12 animations created by 300 drones in the sky.

Ocala Special Services Division Head Amy Casaletto said in February that the team hopes to have horse-related imagery included in the show to pay tribute to Ocala’s heritage.

The section for public comment at the end of each meeting is reserved for comments not related to any item on the agenda, according to the city, but the council’s reasoning for not continuing to hear public comment on Tuesday was because members said they have no interest in putting an item related to the Gaza conflict on the agenda.

Council President Barry Mansfield, members Kristin Dryer, Hilty and Jay Musleh agreed that the council should not pursue a resolution. Councilmember Ire Bethea could not be heard verbally agreeing or disagreeing.

“I think it’s entirely appropriate for council to say this is not an item up for consideration. We’ve heard you, thank you, and move onto more important business,” City Attorney William Sexton said.

Ocala City Clerk Angel Jacobs counted the 16 total forms submitted from individuals who wished to comment at a “Gazette” reporter’s request. The “Gazette” has requested these forms in the interest of determining whether all the people who signed up for public comment intended to speak on the conflict in Gaza.

“I appreciate comments from both sides, and some of the comments are

quite eloquent. But this is not a matter for city council to consider. It never should have been a matter for your city council,” Musleh said.

The city council did consider the issue, however, when the former Mayor Kent Guinn issued a proclamation in support of Israel and its right to defend itself.

In the proclamation given on Nov. 11, Guinn said, “The city of Ocala stands in unity with the Israeli people and Jewish communities everywhere, reaffirms its unwavering commitment to sovereignty and security, and condemns the unprovoked and barbaric attack by Hamas against Israel as citizens and Americans.”

After the five meetings in which citizens have come forward to demand that the council support ceasefire, demand the council vote against supporting ceasefire, express solidarity for Israel or express solidarity for Palestine, the council decided it would hear no more and that it was a “dead issue.”

“I don’t think we need to hear all the public comments,’’ Mansfield said. “We have already listened to everybody, and again we appreciate everybody’s opinion, but this is not the business of city council.”

OBS OFFICIAL ARRESTED OVER DISPUTE WITH PETA ACTIVIST

By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com

The director of Ocala Breeders’ Sales was arrested on April 10 for robbery after a dispute with an animal rights activist at a tack show. Director of Sales Tom Wojciechowski was arrested by the Ocala Police Department on a charge of robbery by sudden snatching after an altercation that began when Phillip Schein, an investigator for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), was recording a horse that had been injured during a tack show at the track at OBS, according to the arrest affidavit.

OBS shows for two-year-olds in training sales such as this one make up 70% of the sales in this category nationwide and 50% of the sales internationally. OBS has made $1 billion in sales over the past decade, averaging at more than $110 million per year, according to Horse Farms Forever.

In a video posted by PETA, the horse Frosted and its jockey can be seen crashing into the barriers during the April 10 under tack race and the horse is unable to move. Schein told authorities he walked around from the grandstands to an area that was open to the public to videotape staff and medical personnel tending to the horse.

In the video, the staffers inject the horse with two large syringes

filled with pink liquid, which PETA referred to as euthanasia. When euthanizing a horse, the animal is injected first with a sedative and then injected with the barbiturate for euthanasia for a humane and quick death, according to the Irongate equine clinic. The drug is often dyed a bright color, such as pink, to clearly differentiate it from other drugs to present a veterinarian mistake.

When Schein was videotaping the horse being given the injections, Wojciechowski and OBS President Tom Ventura began “screaming at him to shut the camera off and told him to get off the property,” according to the affidavit.

There were no charges brought against Ventura, said OPD spokesperson Jeffrey Walczak.

Schein told authorities that Wojciechowski, whom he didn’t recognize at the time, grabbed him by the arm, took his backpack and pulled it off him. The items in the backpack were valued at about $380 total.

When asked about the incident, OBS said they “have no comment.”

OPD said in the area that Schein was recording, there were no signs prohibiting taking photos or video.

Wojciechowski was arrested and taken into custody on April 12 at 4:07 p.m. and released at 7:36 p.m. that same day. Circuit Judge Lisa Herndon has been assigned to the case. No court dates have yet been scheduled.

Charlita Rae Whitehead

OCALA OPEN RAISES $100K FOR LOCAL CHARITIES, BRINGING 19-YEAR TOTAL TO MORE THAN $1M

The 19th annual Ocala Open hosted by Candler Hills Golf Club kicked off a three-day tournament on the par 72 championship course with a Charity Pro-Am on March 19 that paired three amateur golfers with one Ocala Open golf professional for a 18-hole competition.

The event raised $100,000 for Hospice of Marion County, Inc. and Interfaith Emergency Services, with each receiving $50,000. The Ocala Open has raised more than $1 million to date in charitable contributions, noted the news release.

“It’s truly remarkable to see the continuous support from our sponsors and the local community, enabling us to reach this milestone of over $1 million raised for local charities,” said Director of Golf Matt

Hibbs in the release. “Their generosity allows us to make a meaningful impact on organizations like Hospice of Marion County, Inc. and Interfaith Emergency Services, who provide invaluable assistance to our community and its residents.”

The Ocala Open golf tournament spanned three days, from March 2022. South Carolina’s Marcus Plunkett claimed the championship by coming in at -16 under-par, for a tournament total of 197. He received $16,000 for his victory, according to the release.

For more information, visit ocalaopen.com

he SECO Energy Foundation Directors approved $200,000

Karla

First quarter MCFR calls at a glance

Of all the public safety agencies in Marion County, MCFR has the largest territory to stage daily since it provides ambulance

MCFR has entry-level nonsupervisory positions open in their department. According to the county’s website, firefighter/EMT have a minimum hourly rate of $15.25 and firefighter/

have

marionfl.org/agencies-departments/ departments-facilities-offices/fire-rescue/aboutmcfr/fire-rescue-careers

State Graham remembered as ‘A friend and a consummate public servant’

By Jim Turner and Dara Kam Florida News Service

As recollections and praise pour in for former U.S. senator and two-term Florida governor Bob Graham, Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff.

“So, we mourn the passing of Bob Graham. He was a great Floridian. He’s served this state with honor and integrity and really made a great contribution,” DeSantis said while at a bill signing event in Hialeah Gardens on Wednesday.

Graham, a Democrat who spent three terms in the U.S. Senate after serving as the 38th governor of Florida from 1979 to 1987, died on Tuesday, his family announced. He was 87.

DeSantis ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff “until sunset on the date of internment,” which has not yet been announced.

Lowering of flags in Graham’s honor would be “very much appropriate,” DeSantis said.

“We’re really thankful for his service,” DeSantis added. “And he served very, very ably for this state for many, many years.”

Graham’s family announced the death in a statement posted by his daughter, former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, who is now an assistant secretary of education in the Biden Administration.

“We are deeply saddened to report the passing of a visionary leader, dedicated public servant, and even more

importantly, a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather,” the family’s statement said.

Graham drew bipartisan praise on social media and in statements issued by the White House, current and former party officials and dozens of elected officials.

Graham was a “colleague, friend, and devoted Floridian whose nearly 50 years of service to his beloved home state and to our country have made America a safer and stronger nation,” President Joe Biden said in a statement.

“He was full of humor and humanity, and I’m grateful for the support that he gave me over the years,” Biden said in a statement posted by the White House.

Biden noted that Graham was a cosponsor of the Violence Against Women Act, which the president said transformed “the way our nation responds to domestic abuse and sexual assault.”

“He was committed to education and to the environment, continuing work that he’d begun as governor to support public schools and universities, and to protect the water supply, wetlands, and wildlife of Florida’s iconic Everglades.”

Graham “loved people, and he knew that politics at its core is about learning from and serving others,” Biden added.

Graham grew up in Dade County “driving tractors, loading manure and raising livestock on a coral-rock homestead located deep within what at the time was a hot, disease-ridden

swamp,” a statement posted by the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida, which was founded by Graham, said.

Graham kicked off his career in politics as the president of Miami High’s student body and went on to serve as chancellor of the student honor court at the University of Florida before graduating from Harvard Law School.

He was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1966 as part of a group of young progressive Democrats who were sympathetic to civil rights, public education and the environment, the center’s website says.

Graham was elected governor in 1978 after undertaking “workdays,” where he performed a variety of jobs including picking tomatoes, bussing tables and patrolling the streets as a lawenforcement officer. Graham conducted more than 400 “workdays” across his political career.

Glenn Robertson, who served as a budget chief for Graham during his tenure as governor, told The News Service of Florida that the first comment Graham made to him was, “Glenn, you’re here to serve the people of Florida, not me.”

“He was a great leader who dedicated every waking moment to making sure all citizens and businesses were in a state with great job opportunities, a protected natural environment and a quality educational system, in particular,” Robertson said. “This was

quite challenging because Florida was experiencing record growth rates every year of his two terms.”

Graham also was widely known for his ubiquitous notebooks, where he meticulously recorded “almost everyone he met contained notes on their thoughts, issues and questions,” according to Robertson.

“This kept his and our feet on the ground,” Robertson said. “He truly was connected to Florida’s citizens and business interests.”

Robertson also highlighted Graham’s playful side, pointing to an iconic appearance at an annual event with lawmakers and the media in Tallahassee.

“His sense of humor and his natural hambone resulted in great entertainment for all in attendance,” Robertson said. “Once, he had the FAMU Marching 100 play on stage while he crowned himself ‘Governor for Life.’ That was never topped.”

Among Graham’s many accomplishments as governor was the establishment of the Save the Everglades program. He also joined with singer Jimmy Buffett, who died last year, to create the Save the Manatee Club.

Former President Barack Obama, who appointed Graham as co-chair of the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling, in a social media post Wednesday called Graham “a champion of the environment.” Graham’s appointment to the BP commission was aimed at preventing “a disaster of that magnitude from ever happening again,” Obama said.

“Bob Graham was a friend and a consummate public servant,” Obama said. “As a governor, senator, and legislator, he spent decades fighting for the people of Florida.”

Steve Vancore, a political consultant based in Tallahassee, told the News Service he first met Graham at a crowded fundraiser while working for former U.S. Rep. Pete Peterson in Washington, D.C. Vancore said Graham approached him as the senator was leaving the event.

“I was a little peon. … You don’t see that anymore. He came over to me, made me feel like a million dollars, remembered my name,” Vancore recalled. “That little thing really mattered and he went out of his way to do that. I found that to be, like wow.”

David Johnson, a former executive director of the Republican Party of Florida, helped prepare then-candidate Charlie Crist, a Republican trying to unseat Graham in 1998, for a debate. Crist, who is now a Democrat, lost the race to Graham but went on to serve as attorney general, governor and U.S. representative.

“I am entirely sure that we need more Bob Grahams in politics, and I am certain Florida will very much miss the one we had,” Johnson wrote in a column posted Wednesday on Florida Politics. “Legends do not pass our way often. Peace and comfort to his family and friends.”

(Photo by Paul J. Richards/AFP via Getty Images)

As a recipient of >$250,000 in FTA assistance, the City of Ocala must establish a DBE Program and Goal to continue to receive funding.

F TA Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program and Goal

The Federal Department of Transportation is required to ensure that at least 10% of the funds authorized for Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) assistance is spent with Diverse Business Enterprises (DBE)

18 FTA-assisted contracting opportunities are slated for Fiscal Years 2024 - 2026

$11,667,439

in anticipated contract expenditures 2024-2026

What is a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise?

A Disadvantaged Busine ss Enterprise (DBE) is a for-profit small business concern:

(1) That is at least 51% owned (or 51% of the stock is owned) by one or more individuals who are both socially and economically disadvantaged; and

(2) One or m ore of the socially and e conomically disadvantaged owners controls management and daily business operations .

2.55%

DBE Goal Public Comment Period: April 19 – May 19, 2024

Participate in the City of Ocala’s FTA DBE goal setting process

by providing input via the DBE Program Assessment Sur vey

DBE Program Webinar

Please join us for a webinar to discuss the FY 2024-2026 DBE goal setti ng process on May 10, 2024 at 2 p.m. EST. The webinar will include a brief presentation on the goal setting process followed by a Q&A session e

DeSantis signs communism history bill

By Ryan Dailey Florida News Service

Flanked by veterans who served in the Bay of Pigs invasion, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday signed a measure that will lead to the history of communism being taught in grades as low as kindergarten.

The governor, standing behind a placard that read “anti-communism education,” touted lessons that will be required under the bill.

“We’re going to tell the truth about communism in the state of Florida. We’re going to tell the truth about the evils of communism,” DeSantis said at the Hialeah Gardens bill-signing event.

State lawmakers overwhelmingly approved the measure (SB 1264) during the 2024 legislative session that ended last month. Under the bill, lessons on the history of communism will be added to required instruction in public schools starting in the 2026-27 school year.

The lessons would have to be “age appropriate and developmentally appropriate” and incorporate various topics related to communism, including the “history of communism in the United States and domestic communist movements” and “their histories and tactics.”

“Atrocities committed in foreign countries under the guidance of communism,” also would be required

as part of the lessons. Additionally, the curriculum would have to include a comparative “discussion of political ideologies, such as communism and totalitarianism, which conflict with the principles of freedom and democracy essential to the founding principles of the United States.”

State Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. acknowledged that the lessons would be “spread across” all grades. The state education department will be tasked with drawing up academic standards for the lessons.

“All of this will be spread across the curriculum, K (kindergarten) through 12 (twelfth grade). And it will be done in a manner that is ageappropriate, like we do with all of our standards,” Diaz said Wednesday.

DeSantis signed the bill on the 63rd anniversary of the Bay of Pigs Invasion, and was joined at the billsigning event by people who fought in the invasion in an attempt to overthrow the Fidel Castro regime.

Rafael Montalvo, president of Brigade 2506 Veterans Association, was among the people who addressed the crowd at the Hialeah Gardens Museum. The museum features a building funded through the Florida Department of State that was constructed to honor “the noble efforts of the 2506 Assault Brigade during the Bay of Pigs Invasion.”

“The most important fight against communism is the one that’s done in the schoolrooms,” Montalvo

said. “That’s where the battle is happening right now. And this is going to be a tool that’s going to give us the victory in that area.”

Florida’s public-school students currently can encounter lessons on communism in high-school social studies classes and in a seventhgrade civics and government course. A high-school U.S. government class that is a requirement for graduation also includes 45 minutes of instruction on “Victims of Communism Day.”

Florida also previously had a course titled “Americanism vs. Communism,” which was required for public high-school students between 1961 and 1991.

With the state set to bolster its communism history offerings in schools, Diaz highlighted how anticommunism sentiment is strong in South Florida.

The measure authorizes the education department to seek input from “any individual who was a victim of communism or any state or nationally recognized organization dedicated to the victims of communism,” as it crafts standards for the curriculum.

Diaz said he wants other students throughout the state to learn about the history of communism from people who experienced it directly.

“Unfortunately not everybody across the state has that opportunity from their family or from others who saw it firsthand, who fought it firsthand.” Diaz said.

DeSantis signs worker wage, heat bill

By Jim Turner Florida News Service

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed a controversial bill that will prevent local governments from imposing wage requirements on contractors and requiring heatexposure protections for workers. DeSantis’ office announced the signing of the bill (HB 433), along with nine other measures passed during this year’s legislative session, in a news release Thursday night.

The heat and wage restriction bill was backed by business groups and underwent a series of changes in the closing days of the session. It received final approval from the House and Senate on March 8, the final day of the session.

Bill Herrle, Florida director of the National Federation of Independent Business, issued a statement Thursday night that said the bill will help “create a stable environment where owners can grow their businesses.”

“Small business owners don’t have the time or the resources to navigate a confusing and contradictory array of local ordinances that go beyond (what) the state already mandates,” Herrle said.

But more than 90 organizations, such as the Center for Biological Diversity, Earthjustice, the League of Women Voters of Florida, the

Farmworker Association of Florida and the NAACP Florida State Conference signed on to letters to DeSantis opposing the bill and seeking a veto. The measure is known as a “preemption” bill, as it would take away authority from local governments.

“Floridians feel it getting hotter and understand how difficult and dangerous it is to labor in the sun and heat,” opponents said in an April 2 letter. “Preempting local governments’ ability to protect workers from climate-caused extreme heat is inhumane and will have enormous negative economic impacts when lost productivity is taken into account.”

The part of the bill dealing with heat restrictions came after the Miami-Dade County Commission last year considered a proposal to require construction and agriculture companies to take steps such as ensuring that workers have access to water and giving them 10-minute breaks in the shade every two hours when the heat index is at least 95 degrees, according to a House staff analysis.

Also, the bill would prevent local governments from directing wages paid by contractors. The statewide minimum wage is $12 an hour and will increase to $13 an hour on Sept. 30. Under a 2020 constitutional amendment, the minimum wage will continue to rise to $15 an hour in 2026 and be adjusted annually for

inflation starting in 2027.

During the legislative session, the bill’s opponents said preventing local governments from imposing higher wage requirements on contractors would effectively mean workers in some areas of the state will face pay cuts.

But House sponsor Tiffany Esposito, R-Fort Myers, argued that the bill would save tax dollars and that businesses should be able to determine the wages of workers. Supporters also pointed to the federal Occupational and Safety Health Administration being able to take actions against employers related to worker heat exposure.

“Employers have a vested interest in taking care of their employees, and we see that through the actions that they take,” Esposito said.

Among the other bills signed Thursday were a measure (HB 201) that will increase the amount of insulin that pharmacists can dispense in emergency refills to patients and a measure (SB 968) that will designate property at Tyndall Air Force Base in Bay County and property within the former boundaries of Homestead Air Force Base in Miami-Dade County as “spaceport” territory. Supporters said the spaceport bill could help boost the aerospace industry, make the state more attractive to supply-chain companies and insulate areas from federal decisions that could affect bases.

File photo

Suspended prosecutor launches campaign

By Dara Kam Florida News Service

Amid a high-profile legal battle about his suspension by Gov.

Ron DeSantis, Democrat

Andrew Warren on Tuesday announced he will run again this year for Hillsborough County state attorney.

Warren was elected state attorney twice before being suspended in August 2022 by DeSantis, who accused Warren of “incompetence and willful defiance of his duties.” Warren challenged the suspension in state and federal courts, with one case pending at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Warren “intends to be back on the ballot so voters can emphatically make it clear that they decide who represents them—not a governor who broke the law and abused his power for a political stunt,” Warren’s campaign said in an announcement Tuesday.

“I’m running to protect our values, for a woman’s right to choose, for a fair and just system, and—above all—for freedom and democracy,” Warren said in a video accompanying the announcement. “I’m running to do what’s right. It’s what I’ve always done, as a former federal prosecutor, as a father, and as your state attorney. I’m Andrew Warren, and together, it’s time we reclaim the future of this community—our community. Join us in this fight.”

DeSantis frequently touted his suspension of Warren while campaigning for president, before dropping out after losing the Iowa Republican caucus in January. The governor pointed to the suspension as part of a “tough-on-crime” approach to politics.

Warren filed a federal lawsuit challenging his suspension, arguing it violated his First Amendment rights. U.S.

District Judge Robert Hinkle in January 2023 found that the First Amendment protected Warren on two factors—his political affiliations and advocacy for criminal-justice reform. But the judge concluded that DeSantis would have suspended Warren based on other factors that were not protected by the First Amendment and that he lacked the authority to reinstate the prosecutor.

The Florida Supreme Court in January also rejected Warren’s attempt to be reinstated, and Warren announced he would not run in the November election.

But days later, a three-judge panel of the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered Hinkle to reconsider Warren’s lawsuit and vacated the district judge’s decision. DeSantis has asked the full appellate court to take up the case.

Warren, who was first elected as state attorney in the 13th Judicial Circuit in 2016 and re-elected in 2020, has contended that DeSantis targeted the “reform prosecutor” to score political points in the runup to the failed presidential bid.

“On August 4, 2022, Ron DeSantis threw out your vote. He illegally forced me from office under armed guard,” Warren said in Tuesday’s video. “My late son. My beautiful daughters. My strong wife. They inspire me to serve others—to do good. That’s why I took DeSantis to court.”

Warren said he is “running for election as state attorney to serve the people—all the people—of Hillsborough County. I’m running to keep our neighborhoods safe. I’m running to fight for victims and to make our criminal justice system better.”

The video also pointed to Hinkle’s January 2023 ruling, which found that Warren “was diligently and competently performing the job he was elected to perform.”

Dr. Larson will discuss some of the historical uses of sensory stimulation to alter various aspects of human physiology (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure, stress levels, and pain perception) to achieve therapeutic outcomes. Recent advancements in understanding human anatomy and physiology, especially the brain and nervous system, along with progress in medical sensing technologies, have created new possibilities in this field. He will introduce a framework for leveraging intelligent sensory stimulation to prompt desirable bodily responses, potentially serving as complementary or alternative therapies to conventional medical treatments. Dr. Larson will discuss an example of applying this approach from his ongoing research into using structured sounds to enhance sleep.

Michael Larson earned his PhD from MIT in 1992. After a stint in the U.S. Air Force, he spent over 30 years as a university professor, holding positions as the El Pomar Endowed Chair of Engineering and Innovation, and as Associate Chancellor for Research at the University of Colorado along the way. With funding totaling more than $8M from a variety of agencies, Michael has tackled a wide range of research projects from assessing the fracture and failure of advanced materials to creating novel surgical devices.

Michael has a passion for creativity and innovation. He has cofounded four tech start-up companies. While on the faculty at Tulane University, New Orleans’ City Business magazine named him “Entrepreneur of the Year”. He received the “Inventor of the Year” award from the University of Colorado on two separate occasions. Dr. Larson provides engineering design services for many clients and serves as an expert in legal cases. He has been the plaintiff in a patent infringement suit before

A year later, the appellate panel also appeared to vindicate Warren.

“The First Amendment prevents DeSantis from identifying a reform prosecutor and then suspending him to garner political benefit,” the panel’s 48page main opinion, written by Judge Jill Pryor and joined by Judge Anne Conway, said. “On remand, DeSantis must prove that unprotected activity, such as Warren’s actual performance or his policies, motivated him to suspend Warren.”

Judge Kevin Newsom wrote a concurring opinion that quoted DeSantis referring to the suspension during a presidential debate. He said a statement that Warren signed about abortion laws—one of the issues DeSantis cited in suspending Warren—was protected speech.

“Bottom line: The Supreme Court has made clear—for reasons that cut to the core of our representative democracy— that the First Amendment safeguards elected officials’ right to express their views on salient political issues,” Newsom wrote. “Whatever one thinks of Warren’s particular views about abortion, he is no less entitled to that protection.”

Warren’s announcement Tuesday came less than a week before the start of a qualifying period for candidates for state attorney. That period will start Monday and end April 26.

State Attorney Suzy Lopez, a Republican who was appointed by DeSantis to replace Warren, is running for the post and had raised $288,265 for her campaign as of March 31, according to a finance report. Democrat Elizabeth Martinez Strauss in February also announced her candidacy.

Tuesday’s announcement highlighted what Warren listed as accomplishments during his tenure as Hillsborough County’s top prosecutor. As an example, Warren said

he reduced crime by 30 percent and made Hillsborough “the safest large county in Florida, according to state statistics.”

Warren also hailed his creation and expansion of civil citation programs aimed at “disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline,” establishment of a community council and a “Racial Justice Work Group,” and targeting of child predators.

DeSantis’ suspension order, in part, pointed to Warren signing a national organization’s statement about avoiding enforcement of laws preventing abortions.

Abortion will be one of the mostcontroversial topics of this year’s elections. The Florida Supreme Court this month paved the way for a law restricting abortions after six weeks of pregnancy to go into effect May 1. Justices also decided that a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at ensuring abortion rights can go before voters in November.

Appearing on the News Service of Florida’s “Deeper Dive with Dara Kam” podcast shortly after Hinkle’s ruling last year, Warren acknowledged that he and other prosecutors and law-enforcement officials around the country had signed onto statements “basically speaking out on issues of public importance” affecting the criminal justice system, such as abortion, LGBTQ rights and the death penalty.

“Not only do we have a right to speak out on, but we shouldn’t want our elected officials to speak out? I mean, isn’t that what transparency is all about? Do you want elected officials to hide their views on things, especially as a prosecutor? As the judge said, not only was it illegal to be suspended for doing these things, but this is what a prosecutor should be doing. I did exactly what I told people to do when they elected me twice in Hillsborough County. I stood up for things that I believed in and I was transparent about it,” he said.

People, Places & Things

Sweet success

A Cheesecake Battle on April 16 raised money to support the Alzheimer’s Walk in Ocala later this year.

By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com

What do you get when you pair celebrity judges with 31 mouth-watering cheesecake entries in a competition? A sweet way to raise money for a nonprofit event.

The Senior Health Advisors group hosted a Cheesecake Battle fundraiser on April 16 at the Ocala Downtown Market, with proceeds to benefit the Walk to End Alzheimer’s that will take place Sept. 28 at Citizens’ Circle in downtown Ocala. Celebrity judges for the event included radio personality Lewis Stokes, 93.7 K-Country; Sheriff Billy Woods; Dr. Tina Chandra, Chandra Smile Designs; Tom James, Ocala Metro Chamber & Economic Partnership; First Finds Farm owner Tami Bobo; and Christine Blum, Right At Home.

There were 31 entries in the competition. The winners were: Grand Champion, TimberRidge Health and Rehabilitation; second place, Aspire at Arbor Springs; third place, Wolfy’s Restaurant; Best Homemade Cheesecake, Avante of Ocala; Most Creative Booth, Superior Residence of Cala Hills; and People’s Choice, Senior Helpers.

Kerry Eck, who is with Gentiva Hospice, was a lead organizer of the battle and is executive chair of the 2024 Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Ocala. He said all proceeds from the event, from ticket sales to entry fees, would go to the Alzheimer’s Association. The day after the event, he reported that, “Monies are still coming in and as of now it looks like $10,348.”

Eck noted that “Senior Health Advisors is a group of like-minded healthcare professionals from the whole spectrum of healthcare in Marion County.”

Michelle Decker, Senior Director, Walk to End Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's Association-Central and North Florida, said the walk is the world's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research and that it has been taking place in Ocala/Marion County for more than 12 years.

“According to a recent report from the Alzheimer's Association, Florida ranks #2 in the U.S. for the number or people living with Alzheimer's. In Marion County alone, more than 12,000 residents age 65+ are estimated to be living with the disease,” she stated.

To register a team for the walk, go to alz.org/ocalawalk or email kerry.eck@gentivahs.com

To learn more about the Alzheimer’s Association, go to alz.org or call the 24/7 Helpline at (800) 272-3900.

Clockwise from above: Cherylanne Hall, left, and Anna Hollett, right, who were both dressed as Oompa Loompas, help Chris Bauer, dressed as Willy Wonka, pour cheesecake martinis at their Charlie and the Chocolate Factory themed booth for Hawthorne Rehabilitation and Independent Living during the Senior Health Advisors “Cheesecake Battle” at the Ocala Downtown Market in Ocala on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. A cheesecake is shown. Celebrity judges Dr. Tina Chandra, right, and Lewis Stokes, left, judge cheesecakes. Carissa Meadows, left, and Cara Fitzgerald, right, both of Senior Health Advisors, set up cheesecakes for judging.

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

Hadley Counts, 5, left, and her sister, Brecken, 7, right, sample cheesecake during the Senior Health Advisors “Cheesecake Battle” at the Ocala Downtown Market in Ocala. on Tuesday, April 16, 2024.

Right: A couple of the cheesecakes are shown.

Agricultural awareness

The annual Farmland Preservation Festival offers a look at many facets of rural Marion County.

By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com

This is the perfect time of year to roll down the windows and take a drive through the Horse Capital of the World. Our rolling hills, dotted with grandaddy oaks and horses and cattle idly grazing, is one reason people love living here.

The nonprofit Save Our Rural Areas (SORA) group, which opposes urban sprawl on farmland, especially within the county’s designated Farmland Preservation Area, wants residents and visitors to know more about the importance of agriculture and rural beauty both economically and for quality of life.

That is why the group holds its annual Farmland Preservation Festival. This year’s event, the 16th annual, took place April 13 at the sprawling Majestic Oaks Ocala venue located in north Marion County at 17500 N U.S. Highway 441, Reddick.

The event included a farmer’s market, traditional farm and cottage crafts, farm animals, a petting zoo, hayrides and a horse and tractor parade.

“Today’s Farmland Preservation Festival was a resounding success. Great weather, great crowd, great vendors, great entertainment and great food. And of course, a great host, Majestic Oaks Ocala Farm,” said Jerome Feaster, a founder of the festival and of SORA.

Majestic Oaks Ocala, which spans 100 acres, has been the site of the Majestic Oaks Three-Phase Schooling Shows and the Majestic Oaks Horse Trials since January 2018. The venue offers yearround equestrian activities such as cross country and show jumping and serves as a multi-purpose site for other events.

To learn more, go to farmlandfestival.org and majesticoaksocala.com

Menopause and sex

By Juliana (Jewel) Kling, M.D. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am a 64-year-old woman, happily married for over 30 years. My husband and I have always had a healthy sex life. However, a few years ago, I began experiencing pain during intercourse. My doctor said I am postmenopausal and in excellent health otherwise. The pain makes me want to avoid intimacy. Is pain during sex a normal part of getting older? What can I do, as I still want to enjoy this part of our life together?

ANSWER: I am so glad you’re asking this question. Many people, including clinicians, don’t always connect menopause and sexual health. So many women I see think pain with intercourse is normal for aging. I’m here to tell you that is not the case. You should not have pain with intercourse. Due to the changes in hormones, however, postmenopausal women are at risk of developing something called genitourinary syndrome of menopause, or GSM. Typically, GSM symptoms start about two years after the final menstrual period, so they lag behind other menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. GSM is where there are changes to the skin of the vagina and the vulva that can result in dryness and then pain with intercourse due to a lack of lubrication. These symptoms are typically the result of falling estrogen levels. GSM also can increase your risk of urinary urgency, as well as your risk of urinary tract infections. Your clinician can diagnose GSM with an exam of the vulva and vagina. It is essential to undergo an examination by a trained clinician because sometimes other things can cause vulvovaginal symptoms and pain with intercourse, and your clinician can diagnose them.

The great news is that there are many safe and effective treatments for GSM. Low-dose vaginal estrogens work exceptionally well for women with vaginal symptoms such as dryness and urgency. These are very effective and safe despite what you may have read. Many patients ask about the risk of estrogen since the Food and Drug Administration includes a warning for all estrogen products, including low-dose vaginal estrogen. However, published research studies indicate that these products will not increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, blood clot or breast cancer.

Older women even can consider starting a low-dose vaginal estrogen and continue using it indefinitely, unlike systemic hormone therapy, which is not recommended to begin after age 60.

The FDA-approved low-dose estrogen options for GSM are:

Estrace (estradiol) or Premarin (conjugated equine estrogen): A vaginal cream that you insert into your vagina with an applicator.

Estring: A vaginal ring that treats vaginal dryness for three months at a time.

Vagifem: A suppository tablet that’s routinely inserted into the vagina.

Imvexxy: A capsule that you insert into the vagina twice weekly with your finger.

Another option is intravaginal DHEA (prasterone), which is more similar to an androgenlike testosterone, which can be helpful with vaginal atrophy. This product is available in a vaginal tablet and is inserted with an applicator nightly. Oral ospemifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, can also be used to treat GSM.

Recognizing your desire to remain intimate, I recommend investing in a good quality over-the-counter

lubricant, which can help relieve discomfort caused by vaginal dryness during sexual intercourse. Also, a nonhormonal, over-the-counter vaginal moisturizer can be used regularly outside of intercourse to help with comfort and provide moisturizer.

You may consider using a vibrator to help restore the blood and nerve supply that can be impacted due to GSM changes. If you are not sure where to start as far as shopping, reach out to a women’s health specialist who can guide you to safe, quality products that can be purchased online via a medical supply store.

Avoid douching as this can worsen dryness and irritation. And make sure you stay hydrated.

Lastly, you may need to consider seeking out a pelvic floor therapist. Often, those who experience pain with intercourse find that their pelvic floor muscles are influenced, so pelvic floor therapy can be beneficial. Your clinician can evaluate this on exam and provide recommendations. Some couples also benefit from sex therapy with a trained psychologist if GSM has significantly impacted their sex life.

Getting older and going through menopause does not have to be the end of your sex life. Once you find the right treatment, you should be able to resume a satisfying sex life free of pain. Talk to your primary health clinician, gynecologist, or women’s health specialist to learn about available options. And if you do not find the information you seek, do not hesitate to ask for a second opinion.— Juliana (Jewel) Kling, M.D., Women’s Health Center, Mayo Clinic in Arizona

(Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.org.)

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

Left to right: People check out some of the booths that were set up during the Farmland Preservation Festival at Majestic Oaks Farm in Reddick on Saturday, April 13, 2024. Bryson Gebhardt, 4, struggles with the weight of a decoration as he helps his grandfather, John Gebhardt, carry items they bought. Tim Ray raises his arms for people watching as he rides on a piece of farming history, a 1947 McCormick Farmall A tractor, in the horse and tractor parade.

Vivian Pesek, 2, is held by her father, Matt Pesek as she pets Spirit, one of the Florida Mounted horses ridden by Anne Hanley during the Farmland Preservation Festival at Majestic Oaks Farm in Reddick on Saturday, April 13, 2024.

Cross state awareness walks

Lauren Book’s ‘Walk In My Shoes’ campaign will cover 1,500 miles during National Sexual Assault Prevention Month.

By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com

Several volunteers, including “Badd Bob” and members of Bikers Against Child Abuse, put boots and wheels on the ground April 15 for the Ocala leg of the 2024 Lauren’s Kids Foundation “Walk In My Shoes” campaign.

The campaign aims to “raise awareness, educate communities and empower survivors,” according to a handout at the event.

State Sen. Lauren Book, Democratic Minority Leader, whose district covers part of Broward County, is spearheading 3-mile-plus walks in 24 cities in a 1,500 mile path from Key West to Panama City during April.

Book’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Lauren’s Kids, works to prevent child abuse and encourage healing. Lauren’s Kids literature states that, nationwide, one in three girls and one in five boys are sexually abused before age 18.

According to handouts at the walk, April is National Sexual

Assault Prevention Month and National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

“I’m a survivor of sexual abuse from age 10 to 16,” Book said before the walk.

Her book, “It’s OK to Tell,” relates how she was subjected to “daily sexual and physical abuse” from a family nanny for a six-year period, according to cover notes. Book eventually told a therapist about the abuse and the nanny was arrested, the notes state, and she went on to mount “a legislative onslaught against sexual predators” as a lawmaker.

Book said she used the experience to “help turn a negative into a positive” and work to “keep other kids safe.”

The Ocala walk was staged in the Grand Oaks Plaza near Blessed Trinity Catholic High School and headed west on Southwest 42nd Street for 3 miles, with an extension for hardy walkers.

Dawn Westgate, executive director and Kristina Donahue, development director, with the Kimberly’s Center for Child

Protection, joined the walk. Kimberly’s Center is a “primary source for healing” for children who have suffered “unimaginable, abuse, and neglect,” according to the agency’s website.

Donahue said the center helps about 1,400 victimized Marion County children annually.

“Child abuse is a crime that happens to far too many children in our community, and it is a crime that thrives in darkness and in secrecy. Events like Lauren’s Walk shine a light in the darkness and helps our children find their voices and their courage to tell,” Donahue wrote in a text.

“Badd Bob,” the sergeantat-arms for the Paynes Prairie Chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse, an international group that works with state and local child protective agencies, marshaled 10 members to accompany the group on motorcycles and three-wheelers. He said members use only “road names” to help protect identities and that background checks and training are required for BACA

vest patch wearing members.

Book spoke to the assembled walkers as they were ready to set out in 86 degree weather and hailed the work by BACA to “protect kids” and be a protective presence, for example, outside a victim’s home or at court.

Dennis Baxley, Florida Senate President Pro Tempore, joined the gathering as the walk prepared to kick off.

“We can never pay too much attention to kids in danger,” Baxley said.

College of Central Florida student Jessi Crall, 24, said a member of her family was affected by abuse and that the walk was meaningful to her.

CF was also represented by Associate Professor of Social Sciences Julee McCammon and Professor of Teacher Education Renae Robinson.

Ben Kampschorer, a grant manager with Jessie’s Place, a child advocacy nonprofit in Citrus County, traveled to Ocala with board members Gary Lopez and Linda Chuckman to support the campaign .

Cindy Harper, assistant state attorney with the Marion County Office of the Fifth Judicial District, and Fifth Judicial District Victim Services Director Racheal Franklin also attended the walk. Franklin is also involved with the Marion County Sexual Assault Center.

Additional walkers included Alyssa Weber and Joslyn Lopez.

Evelyne Baillergeau and Ron Holden with Lauren’s Kids helped with walk arrangements and the Ocala Police Department and Florida Highway Patrol provided an escort for the group. The walk campaign was last held here about five years ago. There also is a Lauren’s Kids specialty Florida license plate and each sale provides a $25 donation toward “abuse prevention education and survivor support.”

To learn more about Laurens’ Kids, go to laurenskids.org. For information about the Bikers Against Child Abuse, visit bacaworld.org

Numerous participants were on hand for the April 15, 2024, “Walk In My Shoes” event in Ocala. [Photo by Andy Fillmore]

Lauren Book strikes a fun pose as she leads walkers on the Ocala leg of the 2024 “Walk In My Shoes” cross state campaign on April 15, 2024. To the left of Book are Ben Kampschorer, Gary Lopez and Linda Chuckman, with the Jesse’s Place child advocacy nonprofit in Citrus County.

Right: Lauren Book (wearing hat in center) poses with members of Bikers Against Child Abuse during the 2024 “Walk In My Shoes” cross state campaign on April 15, 2024, in southwest Ocala.

[Photos by Andy Fillmore]

Bird of the week

Chimney swift

By Michael Warren

These boomerang-like birds begin to appear in late March, announcing themselves with a chittering call as they flit about erratically overhead. They feed, mate and even sleep while flying. They stop so seldom that it was once supposed they had no feet. The feet they do have are suitable for clinging to walls but not perching. Before the arrival of Europeans, chimney swifts nested in hollow trees. Now they nest almost entirely in chimneys and similar manmade structures.

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Marion County, FL.

Have the Talk, Give the Gift

April is National Healthcare Decisions Month

Make your end-of-life decisions known to your family, caregivers and physicians. It's a gift to your loved ones if you are unable to speak for yourself during a medical emergency.

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.

Chimney swift [MichaelWarren.com]

APRIL 22

On Top of the World Rezoning Application Public Hearing

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

9am

This meeting, originally scheduled for March, was rescheduled to accommodate for an expected large, public crowd. According to a press release from Marion County, the meeting will determine a possible zoning change near the On Top of the World community, “from B-2 (commercial business) to PUD (planned unit development)”.

APRIL 22, 29

Marion County Development Review

Office of County Engineer, 412 SE 25th Ave., Building 1, Ocala 9am

The first step for new development projects, the committee reviews and votes on waiver requests to the Land Development Code, major site plans and subdivision plans. The committee meets weekly on Mondays. See marionfl.legistar.com/calendar.aspx for agenda and minutes.

community

APRIL 27

Historic Ocala Preservation Society Walking Tour

712 E. Fort King St., Ocala 10am Walk through time with HOPS on a tour that will take you through six historic homes in Ocala’s Southeast Historic District, starting at the Bryant House. Tickets are available at bit.ly/a-walk-through-time.

APRIL 27

Pop-Up Shop

E.D. Croskey Recreation Center, 1510 NW 4th St., Ocala 10am Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Eta Tau Omega Chapter, will host a Pop-Up Shop featuring local entrepreneurs and organizations that provide products, services and resources for the community. Admission is free. For more information, call (352) 857-3035.

MAY 4

Connecting Y(our) Water with Gabi Sullivan Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 11am to 12pm Gabi Sullivan, Water Resource Coordinator for the city of Ocala, leads a presentation on the importance of water conservation. This event is free to attend as part of Free First Saturday activities. For more information, visit appletonmuseum.org/events/connecting-your-water

MAY 11

DEC Marion County Annual Fundraiser

Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, 2232 NE Jacksonville Road, Ocala

4 to 7pm Festivities include speakers, silent auction, live music, and dinner and dessert. Entrees will feature meat and vegan options. Individual tickets are $100. Additional details can be found at mariondems.org/fundraiser.

things to do

APRIL 19

Travis Ledoyt: Sun the Stars Concert Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th Avenue, Ocala 6pm to 9pm Travis Ledoyt has been dubbed “The World’s Best Young Elvis” by many who knew “The King” personally. See him live in concert at the Reilly Arts Center, performing songs by Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and others. Visit reillyartscenter.com/events/travis-ledoytssun-the-stars-tour for more information and for tickets.

APRIL 28

Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville Block Party Downtown Ocala, intersection of SW Broadway & SW 1st Ave 3pm to 7pm Visit downtown for changes in latitude and attitude as the Ocala Civic Theatre presents this block party. General admission tickets are $60. VIP tickets are $85 and include a front row section for the concert, separate bar and restrooms, and a special VIP location. Purchase tickets over the phone at (352) 236-2274, at the box office or at ocalacivictheatre.com

MAY 2

An Evening with Kenny G Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala 8 to 9:30pm The prolific jazz musician will play a medley of hit songs and tracks from his new album “Innocence,” his 20th studio album. In addition to original music, Kenny brings unique reworks of many recognizable songs, among them: “Rock-a-Bye Baby”, “Over the Rainbow”, and Frederic Chopin’s “Nocturne Op. 9.” For tickets, visit reillyartscenter.com/ events/an-evening-with-kenny-g

MAY 2-19

Jimmy Buffett’s “Escape to Margaritaville” Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala Showtimes vary Expect changes in latitude and attitude as the Ocala Civic Theatre presents this show live on stage. Tickets are on sale now at $30 for adults and $15 for ages 18 and younger, and can be purchased online at ocalacivictheatre.com, or by calling the box office at (352) 236-2274.

arts

THROUGH APRIL 27

Dig into Clay: Wheel Throwing Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 SW Broadway St., Ocala 10am to 1pm

This six-week session offers potters of all skill levels a chance to practice and develop new skills and techniques in wheel throwing through fun and functional ceramic projects such as serving sets, vases, or your own creative expressions. Visit bit.ly/dig-into-clay to sign up.

MAY 3

First Friday Art Walk

Downtown Ocala

The last First Friday until September. Check out art displays, local creators, arts and crafts, family activities, live music and more. Free and open to the public. Visit ocalamarion.com/events/first-friday-art-walk for more information.

MAY 4

Free First Saturday at Appleton Museum

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 10am to 5pm

Entry to the museum is free for all patrons on the first Saturday of each month.

MAY 7, 21

Museum & Me Class at Appleton Museum

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 10:30 to 11:30am

Bring your preschoolers and introduce them to the world of art in this special class for toddlers and parents, with a short, guided tour of the museum and fun arts-and-crafts activities. To register, visit appletonmuseum.org/education/museum-me-pre-k-program-6.

education

MAY 3

Senior Learners Summer Term Kick-Off

College of Central Florida, Bld. 20, Room 107, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala

1:30-3:30pm

Learn from the instructors about summer classes at this free kick-off event. Guests will have the option to attend on Zoom or in-person at the college, where there will be refreshments. For more information, visit seniorlearners.org or call (352) 239-8780.

MAY 24

End of 2023-24 MCPS School Year

Kids and teachers go on summer break after school lets out on May 24. The new school year will begin Aug. 12.

MAY 28 - AUGUST 2

The Morris Center Summer Brain Camp

3019 SW 27th Ave., Ste. 202, Ocala Times may vary

This program is designed to help children who struggle with learning disabilities, such as slow reading, dyslexia, ADHD/ADD and more. Pricing begins at $200 per week for half-day sessions and $250 per week for full-day sessions. For more information, visit themorriscenter.com/services/summer-camp/ocala or call (352) 332-2629.

MAY 4

Festivals of Speed-Derby

Edition

World Equestrian Center

World Equestrian Center, 1750 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 11am to 3pm Join Festivals of Speed to celebrate the 150th Running of the Kentucky Derby, with 200+ exotic, classic, muscle cars, motorcycles and luxury brands. The WEC hotel features retail space, restaurants, craft cocktail bars and more. Cars will be displayed in front of the hotel on pavers in the grand plaza. Join the fun and wear your best Derby attire. Get tickets at festivalsofspeed.com/events/ derby-edition-ocala.

MAY 12

Symphony Under the Stars

Ocala Golf Club, 3130 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala Gates open at 3pm; Concert begins at 7pm Celebrate Mother’s Day with Fine Arts for Ocala as

Expert ER Care

When does the human spirit show up? When minutes matter? In moments of bravery? In an expert’s hands? Maybe there’s no way to measure the human spirit, but we see it every day in our AdventHealth Emergency Rooms. If you or a loved one are injured or experience chest pain, stroke symptoms or severe stomach pain, go to your closest ER in Marion County. We’re here 24/7 to help you feel whole.

In case of a medical emergency, call 911. TheERExperts.com

Never stop learning

The nonprofit Senior Learners offers a wide range of classes for those 50 and older.

By Chris D’Avanzo chris@magnoliamediaco.com

Who says education has to end at graduation? For people 50 and over, it doesn’t have to. Senior Learners is a nonprofit organization here in Ocala that offers fun, adult education courses at the College of Central Florida. Subjects range from history to anthropology, science to economics, health and wellness to finance and travel, and much more.

With the summer approaching, Senior Learners is offering seniors the chance to participate in their upcoming summer session with a free kickoff event on Friday, May 3. This event is available in-person and on Zoom and will showcase the upcoming offerings as well as how to get involved.

Classes are considered “non-credit,” meaning they are not eligible for academic credit or professional certification. Rather, these courses are designed as an opportunity to engage in learning for learning’s sake. In other words, learning just for fun. But students will definitely learn, whether the topic is something that already interests them or something new entirely. With many instructors either retired professors/teachers, or current faculty at CF, Senior Learners aims to provide their students with the highest quality of education possible.

Interested participants can visit seniorlearners.org or call (352) 239-8780 for more information on the upcoming classes. They can also register for the May 3 event on the website.

Elvis and other legends

Travis Ledoyt will bring his “Sun and the Stars” concert to the Reilly Arts Center on April 19.

By Chris D’Avanzo chris@magnoliamediaco.com

From Vegas to Graceland and everywhere in between, the world is full of Elvis tribute artists. One of those who best captures the essence of the “King of Rock & Roll” is Travis Ledoyt. He has been called “The World’s Best Young Elvis” by many who knew Elvis Presley personally. Since debuting in 2001, Ledoyt’s musical repertoire has expanded to include hits from the King as well as Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins and others from the country-western genre.

For fans of these late music legends who may never have had the chance to see them perform in concert, Ledoyt aims to be the next best thing. With songs ranging from “Folsom Prison” to “Great Balls of Fire,” and from “Hound Dog” to “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” the greatest hits are brought together in a single show.

Ledoyt’s latest tour is called “Sun and the Stars” and comes to Central Florida this week for shows in Ocala and Inverness. The spring tour also has stops in Georgia and Nashville for a series of Elvis celebration concerts before going on to play throughout the U.S. and Canada during the summer.

For more information about the show at 7 p.m. on April 19 at the Reilly Arts Center, visit reillyartscenter.com/events/travis-ledoyts-sun-the-stars-tour

Phyllis Craggs, Joyce Beers and Pat Nevard, left to right, of Senior Learners, pose together during the Excellent Adventures For Active Seniors expo in the Klein Conference Center at the College of Central Florida on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2023.

Sunday, April 28 3-7 p.m. presents

Featuring Legendary Jimmy Buffett tribute band

Gary Roland and the Commemorative cup included with ticket and availableatallparticipating establishments

Downtown Ocala at the intersection of SW Broadway & SW 1st Ave.

Then, join us for the musical

LOOT ON SALE

Margaritas, cheeseburgers in paradise, and more!

GENERAL TICKETS: $45

VIP TICKETS: $65

VIP tickets include secured VIP Zone directly in front of the bandstand and access to VIP lounge at The Black Sheep On Broadway (separate bar & restrooms, first margarita FREE, $5 Cheeseburger in Paradise slider)

(352) 236-2274 • OCALACIVICTHEATRE.COM

RAFFLES: Custom guitar autographed by Jimmy Buffett • Margaritaville getaway vacation