Ocala prayer vigil ruled unconstitutional
By Jim Saunders Florida News Service
Nearly a decade after the event was held amid a crime spree, a federal judge Wednesday ruled that the city of Ocala violated the U.S. Constitution in organizing and
School board divided on how to respond to bidding investigation findings
By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
After two independent law firms issued reports substantiating malfeasance by School Board
Member Sarah James and local construction firm Ausley Construction related to a bid to build a new high school, the school board remains divided on whether to refer the matter to the governor.
During the board’s June 25 meeting, Chair Nancy Thrower and Board Member Allison Campbell both indicated they felt obliged to encourage the board to refer the matter to Gov. Ron DeSanatis’ office as a possible ethical violation.
School Board members Lori Conrad and Eric Cummings both declined to support forwarding the investigative reports for further action but neither stated any reasons why despite urgings from Thrower, who
carrying out a prayer vigil.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan issued a 50-page decision that sided with atheists, who argued the prayer vigil in a town square violated the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. Corrigan wrote that the idea for the vigil came from a meeting at the Ocala Police Department
and was “advertised, and completed through the actions of the mayor, the chief of police and the Ocala Police Department, including its employees and staff.”
“If individuals or religious groups had organized a prayer vigil and gathered in the downtown square in the city of Ocala to pray for an end to violent crime (even
with law enforcement attending), the First Amendment to the United States Constitution would have protected the ‘free exercise’ of their religion,” Corrigan wrote. “But because the city conceived, organized, promoted, and conducted the prayer vigil, it violated the Establishment
How can the high school project move forward?
School board has three options to proceed in choosing a contractor for a new SW Marion high school.
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
After two months of heated standstill on the southwest Marion County high school project, the
school board must choose among three options on how to proceed with choosing a contractor—with the danger growing each day of failing to build and open the school in time for the 2026 school year as promised.
In April, a district selection committee chose Wharton Smith Inc. as the winning bidder for the $120 million contract to build a high school in Marion Oaks. In the days and weeks following, competing firm Ausley Construction and School Board Member Sarah James were accused of tampering with the procurement process by violating the “cone of silence” policy and issuing threats to school district staff, another board member, and Superintendent Diane Gullett. An external investigation by the GrayRobinson law firm substantiated the allegations. Before the school board resumed the process of deciding which contractor would build the high school, attorney Brian Williams and Jaime Torrens from Miami-Dade County Public Schools were brought in to conduct an external
review of Marion County Public Schools’ overall construction procurement policies, assessing the district’s compliance with state statutes on procurement, and compared the district’s procurement policies with those of other school districts and local governments in Florida. The review found MCPS’s policies were completely valid and legal, but the report recommended some improvement to the policies. They also found that MCPS deviated from its policy when it allowed James to serve on a selection committee for the project and to score bid submittals and conduct interviews with bidders.
On Tuesday, the board heard more details about the next steps. Gullett and staff outlined three options but after nearly two hours of discussion, the members could not reach a decision.
Let the races begin!
Here is an early look at who will be on the upcoming ballots and who will get to decide our local representatives.
The 2024 election season is chugging along, and now that the qualifying period has ended, here is a roundup of candidates who have been elected without opposition and those in the running for the primary election in August and the general election in November.
Greg Harrell, (REP), was reelected to a second term as Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller without drawing opposition.
Jimmy Cowan, (REP), was reelected to a second term as the Marion County Property Appraiser without drawing opposition.
George Albright, (REP), was reelected to a sixth term as the Marion County Tax Collector without drawing opposition.
Michelle Stone, (REP) drew three challengers, all of whom withdrew. Stone was thus reelected to her third term as a county commissioner for District 5.
County Judges Tommy Thompson and Robert Landt both are reelected to
their third terms unopposed.
Lori Conrad drew an opponent for Marion County School District 2. The challenger did not qualify, thus Conrad was reelected to a second term.
State Attorney William B Gladson was reelected without opposition for a second term.
Public Defender Michael Graves was reelected without opposition.
Florida State Rep. for district 21, Yvonne Hayes Hinson (DEM) was reelected without opposition.
To be decided in August
Sheriff Billy Woods, (REP), drew an opponent, Milton Simmons Busby Jr., (REP). Since both candidates are Republican, all registered Marion County voters, regardless of their party registration, can vote in the August primary, which will determine who will serve as sheriff.
School Board member Allison Beth Campbell drew an opponent, Beth McCall, a former school district member who resigned in 2021 after moving outside the district she
represented. The school district race is a nonpartisan; therefore, all registered Marion County voters will be able to participate.
District 1 County Commissioner Craig Curry, (REP), is seeking a second term and drew opponent, Sarah Almedia Dennis (REP). Both candidates are Republican, therefore all registered Marion County voters will have the opportunity to vote in this race.
District 3 County Commissioner Matt McClain, (REP), is being challenged by fellow Republican David Blackwell and write-in candidate Rich Brown. McClain was appointed last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis to fill the seat after Jeff Gold reigned. Because there is a write-in candidate, this race will be decided only by Marion County registered Republicans.
Encouraging a write-in candidate to run to close voting in races to only Republican voters when there are no Democratic candidates has become a popular move in recent years. McClain’s uncle, Bret Doster of
See Election, page A2
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Staff report
Superintendent Dr. Diane Gullett listens during a meeting of the Marion County School Board in Ocala on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. [Bruce Ackerman/ Ocala Gazette] 2024.
See High, page A7
See Vigil, page A8
Screenshot of Facebook post made by MCPS board
member Sarah James from the dais during a school district meeting held on Tuesday, June 25, 2024.
Election races
Continued from page A1
Front Line Agency, a campaign consulting firm that is managing McClain’s bid for county commission, actively walked a write-in candidate, Robert Fox, during the 2023 special election into the Department of Elections’ Tallahassee office to help Ryan Chamberlin then.
Doster also did not respond to the “Gazette” inquiry about whether or not his agency ‘helped’ Brown like he ‘helped’ Fox.
The “Gazette” reached out to McClain and Brown to ask about the circumstances of Brown filing as a write-in candidate just before the qualifying period ended. Brown didn’t respond but McClain told the “Gazette” he was happy it happened since he felt the loophole helped ensure that only republicans would be able to vote in a primary which he opined would help “the most conservative candidate.”
McClain said he didn’t know Brown, or his motivations for filing as a “write-in.”
Marion County is divided among five Florida House Districts: 20, 21, 23, 24, and 27. You can find out
which district you live in by using the Supervisor of Elections website: votemarion.gov/Voters/Find-MyElected-Officials. Candidates in only two of the districts, however, will be on the primary ballot: District 27 is by far the most crowded. Registered Republican voters who live in this district will get to choose from newcomers Richard Gentry, Steve Shives, and Beckie Sirolli. The winner of this primary will face Dennis M. Simpson Jr. (LPF) in the November general election.
Republican registered voters from District 20 will decide in August whether they’ll send Judson Sapp or Jamie Watts against Democrat Tony Connelly in the November election.
Marion County consists of two different congressional Districts: 3 and 6. Here are the candidates in those races.
Rep. Michael Waltz, (REP), who has represented District 6 since 2019, will face John Grow in the Republican primary in August.
Rep. Katherine “Kat” Cammack, (REP), who has represented District 3 since 2021, will face Alec Stevens in the August
GOP primary.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott has drawn two opponents in the Republican primary: John S. Columbus and Keith Gross. Democrats will chose whether Stanley Campbell, Rod Joseph, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell or Brian Rush will face the Republican primary winner in November.
Other races
For Florida House District 24, incumbent Ryan Chamberlin, (REP), did not draw a primary opponent and he will face newcomer Democrat Robert Shaw in the general election.
For Florida House District 23, all registered voters in this district will chose between Republican JJ Grow, or Democrat Judith Vowels.
Stan McClain, a longtime politician who has termed out as a State House Representative, is now vying for Marion County’s sole State Senate seat. His challenger is newcomer Democrat Sylvain Dore. Whoever wins the 6th Congressional District in the primary, will face local pastor James David Stockton, III (DEM) and write in candidate Richard Paul.
Action may be required if you want to vote by mail
By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
As the election season approaches, voters who have historically voted by mail will have to reapply to do so since all mail-in ballot requests expired at the end of 2022. This change may not have registered with voters yet because as of June 18, less than half of Marion County voters who requested mail-in ballots in the last general election have reapplied to do so in the coming election.
Vote-by-mail, formerly called “absentee voting,” allows a voter to receive and submit a paper ballot by mail, bypassing the need to visit polling stations in person to cast your vote.
However, due to recent state legislative changes, memorialized in Florida Statutes §101.62(a), the maximum amount of time your request for a vote-by-mail ballot will be honored is “[f]or all elections through the end of the calendar year of the next regularly scheduled general election.”
This translates into voters needing to reapply for a vote-bymail ballot at the beginning of each odd-numbered year. Election dates this year are Primary Elections on Tuesday, Aug. 20, and General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 5. In the 2022 general election, 69,670 Marion County residents requested mail-in ballots and 46,177 voted using that method. As of June 18, Marion County Elections Supervisor Wesley Wilcox reports 29,662, less than half of the mail-in
voters, have renewed their request. Voters who do not renew their request for a mail-in ballot may still vote in person.
Eligibility for Vote-by-Mail
In Florida, all registered voters are eligible to use vote-by-mail ballots. Unlike in the past, voters are no longer required to provide a reason for opting to vote by mail except when requesting a ballot on Election Day.
Receiving your Vote-by-Mail Ballot
Vote-by-mail ballots are not sent out automatically. To receive one, you must have an active request on file with the Marion County Election Center. You can check the status of your mail ballot request by contacting the Election Center at (352) 6203290 or using the Voter Registration Status Tool available online.
Request Deadlines
Your request for a vote-by-mail ballot must be received by the Marion County Election Center no later than 5 p.m. on the 12th day before the election. If you miss this deadline, you or your designee can still pick up a vote-by-mail ballot from the Election Center through Election Day. However, it is crucial that all vote-by-mail ballots are received by the Election Center by 7 p.m. on Election Night to be counted.
How to Request a Vote-byMail Ballot
You can request a vote-by-mail ballot for a specific election or for all elections through the end of the
calendar year of the next scheduled general election. Since vote-by-mail ballots cannot be forwarded, it is important to ensure the Election Center has your current mailing address or the specified address where you wish to receive your ballot. If you need the ballot sent to an address other than the one on file, the request must be in writing, signed by you, and include your Florida driver license number, Florida ID card number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number.
According to the Supervisor of Election’s website, Marion County voters have several options for requesting a vote-by-mail ballot:
- Online: Use the Online Vote-byMail Ballot Request Service, found at: votemarion.gov/mbrs
- By Phone or fax: Call (352) 620-3290.
- In Person: Visit the Marion County Election Center, 981 NE 16th St., Ocala.
- In Writing: Submit the Statewide Vote-by-Mail Ballot Request form that you can download here: bit.ly/vote-by-mail-fl
- Email: Send your request to VoteByMail@VoteMarion.Gov.
- Mail: Address your request to P.O. Box 289, Ocala, FL 34478-0289. Military and Overseas Voters can request a vote-by-mail ballot by submitting an Online Vote-by-Mail Ballot Application or by completing a Federal Post Card Application. More information is available at: votemarion.gov/ways-to-vote/ military-overseas
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By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
The city of Ocala, in partnership with the Marion County Board of County Commissioners and the Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention Bureau, has come up with a unique twist on the usual July festivities.
The inaugural Patriotic Skies: A Fourth of July Drone Experience will take place from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Tuscawilla Park, located at 800 NE Sanchez Ave. The drone light show by Sky Elements (recently seen on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent”) is expected to create a memorable celebration.
According to Gregory Davis, a public information office for the city, Ocala put out a bid for a drone performance and Sky Elements was one of the companies that responded. Davis said the drone show will run for an estimated 15 minutes.
“While the specific elements/images of the drone program are being withheld from the public for the surprise factor of the show, we can share that the drone show will focus on a patriotic theme for the Independence Day performance,” he shared in an email message.
The news release noted that the event is open to the public and free to attend, thanks to the generous support of our sponsors: The College of Central Florida, Elite Medical, Florida Blue, Fun 4 Ocala Kids, The Martial Arts Center, Ocala’s Classic Hits 104.7 - WITG, Ocala Electric Utility, R+L Global Logistics, Sunbelt Rentals and TJM Promotions.
At approximately 8:08 a.m. this morning, a pickup truck driven by a 25-year-old female Ocala resident traveling southbound ran a stop sign at SW 31st Avenue Road approaching Marion Oaks Trail, hitting a Marion County District Schools bus traveling westbound on Marion Oaks Trail approaching the SW 31st Avenue Road intersection, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Event schedule:
• 5 p.m. – Event starts
• 5:10 – 5:20 p.m. – Presentation of the colors by the Ocala Police Department Honor Guard
• 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. – Performance by Noah Hunton
• 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. – Performance by Chris McNeil
• 8:45 – 9:45 p.m. – Performance by the Ocala Symphony Orchestra
• 9:30 – 9:45 p.m. – Drone show by Sky Elements accompanied by music from the Ocala Symphony Orchestra All performances will be simulcast through Ocala’s Classic Hits – WITG Radio on 104.7 FM. Listeners can also download the WITG application at: apps.apple.com/us/app/witg-radio/ id1660016885 or play.google.com/store/ apps/details?id=com.radiofx.witg&pli=1
In addition, the event will feature:
• All-American Kids’ Zone: Free activities such as bouncy houses, a rock wall, and a mechanical alligator. Face painting will be available for a fee.
Cool Zone: Designated area to enjoy cooling mist to help regulate body temperatures.
Photo ops
Food trucks: A variety of food options, including Country Boyz BBQ, The Krafty Kettle, Best Food Ever, Junkie Fries, Brick & Ember, Royal Hibachi, Dancing Empanada, and Kona Ice.
Parking and shuttle information: Free shuttle rides will be available at four parking lots from 4 to 11 p.m.: E.D. Croskey Recreation Center (1510 NW Fourth St.) – The shuttle drops off at the Ocala Skate Park (517 NE Ninth St.) and runs every 20 minutes. Marion County parking facility (346 NW 2nd St.) – The shuttle drops off at the Ocala Skate Park (517 NE Ninth St.) and runs every 15 minutes.
• Marion Technical Institute (1614 SE Fort King St.) – The shuttle drops off at the intersection of NE Eighth Ave. and NE Fourth St. and runs every 40 minutes.
• Ocala City Hall (110 SE Watula Ave.) –The shuttle drops off at the intersection of NE Eighth Ave. and NE Fourth St. and runs every 15 minutes.
Shuttles from Marion Technical Institute and E.D. Croskey Recreation Center will be Americans with Disability Act (ADA) accessible. Additional ADA parking will be available at the Reilly Arts Center (500 NE Ninth St) on a first-come, first-served basis.
Guests are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets as seating will not be provided. Personal drones, tents, and alcohol are strictly prohibited.
For more information, contact the City of Ocala Recreation and Parks Department at (352) 368-5517 or visit ocalafl.gov/julyfourth
This image is from the Sky Elements website. It
Marion County Democrat running for FL House Seat 24 to “save democracy”
By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
Robert L. Shaw is something of a rarity in these parts, a Democrat seeking an elective office in a region dominated by Republican politicians. But the Air Force veteran and first-time candidate sums up his appeal to voters with this simple message: “It’s bigger than you.”
“A lot of people aren’t getting what they need,” the 61-year-old Shaw told the “Gazette” as to why he has decided to run for Florida House District 24 seat. “Politicians are just doing what their party says or what certain people [say], whether they’re far right or far left, and it’s getting out of hand. I want to get back to … being for the people.”
Shaw will face incumbent first-term State Rep. Ryan Chamberlin in the Nov. 5 general election. Neither candidate faced opposition from other members of their parties and thus avoided a primary election in August.
Despite being retired, Shaw said he’s never had a busier calendar in large part because he has become so immersed in his Stone Creek community. In fact, he pointed to the close kinship he felt with his community as motivation to seek office, so he could serve his Republican and Democratic neighbors alike.
Shaw’s most prominent campaign slogan is that he is “fighting for women’s reproductive rights.”
He explained that he chose women’s reproductive rights as a key issue for his campaign platform because of his decades of working in oil refineries, where he said he witnessed firsthand the challenges women faced working in a predominantly male-dominated industry.
The reasons why Shaw moved to Marion County echo those of many other newcomers.
“I’m originally from Philadelphia, and working in Philadelphia, I always knew I wanted to go somewhere warmer. We had an opportunity to go to a warmer southern climate, we went to Houston area I worked there from 2012 to 2022,” said Shaw of what would become his second career. He would spend 25 years working at an oil refinery and being heavily involved in the employee network, which he explained was like being in a union since it involved advocating for employees.
Shaw’s first career, right out of high school, was in the Air Force. He started out working for five years as a security policeman at the Volkel Air Base in the Netherlands and one year at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. Later, he worked as a crew chief on the U-2R/ TR-1 spy plane for four years at Beale Air Force Base in California and two years at the Royal Air Force Alconbury base in England. Altogether, he served in the Air Force for 12 years.
Shaw attributes his initial career path to his time in the JROTC and other practical considerations growing up.
“While in school, we were very poor when I was younger, and a lot of the students there started figuring out, ‘Hey, we can go in the military and get pretty much the same training, and they’ll pay us.’ I was like, ‘OK, so it’s a no-brainer,’’’ he recalled.
But when it came to choosing where he would retire, he said Florida was the most practical state for travel back and forth for his family in Philly, where his
four children, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild live.
However, when it came to deciding where in Florida he and his wife Gloriawould move, he said, “Ocala is a good area. It’s in the middle [of the state], you don’t have to worry as much with the hurricanes, it’s on high ground so you don’t have to worry about flooding, it’s still close enough to everything” and only an hour or two from larger cities when they crave a taste of city life.
Shaw has lived in Marion County for two years and expressed enthusiasm for the quality of life and active lifestyle he and his wife of 26 years enjoy as residents of Stone Creek, a retirement community. His wife hasn’t yet retired and currently works at Brookdale Assisted Living facility as a caregiver.
He said despite only living in Marion County for two years, he’s had moments where he’s felt concerned about the rapid growth and wondered, “Whoa, where are all these people coming from?”
“And it’s going to keep growing, unfortunately. What I want to do is make sure our infrastructure is right when we do grow that we have the right things,” he said.
Shaw said many Americans have fought for many decades to establish equal voting rights and female productive rights, yet he said, “It seems to me there’s a small minority of far-right people that are driving everybody else, and the other people are afraid to do anything because of what the backlash might be.”
Some of the issues he said people need help from their elected officials include homeowner’s insurance regulations that would impact rate hikes. If insurance companies are able to raise rates at “five times” the rate of inflation, Shaw thinks that legislative measures need to be put in place to curtail that.
Also, he lists improving school resources, particularly increasing funding, as a priority.
“Some of the neighborhoods that I’ve visited so far, they’re building a lot of homes but we’re not building schools,’’ he said. “So, what are we going to do? Where are these people going to go?”
Shaw said Florida needs to attract more quality teachers by making sure their salaries are competititve and making sure their schools are safer.
One of the things Shaw said he liked about the communities going up in the outskirts of the Houston area where he used to live, which he said was also growing rapidly, was that infrastructure seemed to pop up before neighborhoods were approved. He attributed poor planning at the state and local levels as a reason why Marion County’s roads are congested, and said this is another key focus area for him.
On the subject of guns, Shaw says he owns a gun that he keeps at home for protection but believes more training and background checks should be required.
He said realizes Democrats are in the minority in the Florida and Marion County. However, he said he’s cultivated friendships with moderate Republicans and is gaining confidence in their ability to navigate those conversations respectfully.
Shaw, who plays in his community’s softball team, chuckled at the paradox he created for himself prior to his campaign. “I’d go to softball games and the guys would be there and they would start talking politics and I’d walk away because I didn’t really want to hear it.” Then at a softball meeting, Shaw said he raised his hand, and said, “When we’re at the softball field that’s a neutral area (where) we need to not talk about politics.”
“A couple of guys got mad at me, but you know, we don’t talk politics,” Shaw reflected.
But now that Shaw is running for office, he feels he’d risk being accused of hypocrisy if he brought up politics with his teammates. Still, some of his teammates have noticed the campaign shirt he wears on in the neighborhood and have approached him positively with support.
“There are a lot of people that even though they’re Republican, just because they know me and what type of person I am, they said they’re going to vote for
First-term State Rep. Ryan Chamberlin runs unopposed in GOP primary Chamberlin will face a Democrat in the general election
By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
State Rep. Ryan Chamberlin is unopposed in the August Republican primary, but the incumbent will face Democrat Robert L. Shaw in the November general election for the District 24 seat.
This will be the first time Chamberlin, the self-proclaimed “red meat Republican,” will be in a contest that includes Democrat and Independent voters. Chamberlin won a special election in 2023 to fill the seat vacated by Republican Joe Harding.
Chamberlin’s role in the 2023 special election was controversial. It included a whistleblower who says he was tricked into running in the primary as a writein candidate by Chamberlin’s campaign manager Brent Doster of Front Line Agency. This move prevented any Democrat or Independent voters from having a voice in who represented them in Tallahassee.
Following Chamberlin’s win, local businessman Jose Juarez, who came in second in the primary, filed a defamation lawsuit against Front Line Agency and a ChamberlinsupportingPAC called Floridians for Ethics and Truth in politics. The suit was settled out of court. Part of the settlement was a public apology from the defendants that was published in the “Ocala Star-Banner” for claims against Juarez during the campaign.
Chamberlin’s uncle Stephen Shives is running for the House District 27 seat, one of the five seats representing parts of Marion County. Front Line Agency recently sent a press release indicating Chamberlin is endorsing Shives but makes no mention of their familial relationship.
Currently, the Florida House of Representatives’ website indicates Chamberlin was assigned to the following committees: Civil Justice Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee; Select Committee on Health Innovation; Education Quality Subcommittee; Regulatory Reform & Economic Development Subcommittee; and the State Administration & Technology Appropriations Subcommittee.
According to the website, during his first term in office, Chamberlin took the lead sponsoring the following bills:
HB1415 was the only bill that passed. It amends 111.09, F.S so that the term “first responder” would include correctional officers and correctional probation officers for the provision of peer support.
HJR 1369 died in committee. It proposed an “amendment to the State Constitution to create a $100,000 exemption from assessed value of real property for all levies & a $250,000 homestead exemption for residential property owned by someone 65 or older.”
HB313 died in committee. It sought to “remove requirements that the Florida Department of Health conduct examinations for clinical laboratory personnel licensure and register clinical laboratory trainees; remove requirement that the Board of Clinical Laboratory Personnel approve training
curricula for licensure of clinical laboratory personnel; repeal provisions relating to approval of laboratory personnel training programs; require applicants for licensure as technologist or technician who meet specified criteria be deemed to have satisfied minimum qualifications for licensure.”
HB955 died in committee. It was related to bringing claims against assisted living facilities. It sought to “provide requirements for exclusive cause of action for residents’ rights violations or negligence to be brought against specified individuals; provide immunity from liability for certain individuals; prohibit such action from being asserted against certain individuals or entities; revise requirements for recovery of damages and liability for such damages.”
HB1249 died in committee. It sought to allow a “condominium be created within a portion of a building or multiple parcel building; provide for common elements of such condominium; provide requirements for declaration of condominium; authorize association to inspect and copy books and records and receive annual budget; require specified statements and disclosures to purchasers of condominium units; provide that a multiple-parcel building is not a subdivision of land if land is not subdivided.”
HB 599 died in committee. It sought to specify “employment policy of the state relating to person’s sex; prohibit employees and contractors of certain employers from being required to use, from providing, and from being asked to provide certain titles and pronouns; prohibit employees and contractors from being penalized or subjected to certain actions for not providing certain titles and pronouns; prohibit adverse personnel action on the basis of deeply held religious or biology-based beliefs; provide administrative and civil remedies; provide that it is unlawful employment practice for nonprofit organization to require certain training, instruction, or activity.”
HB 597 died in committee. It sought to provide “mandatory minimum sentences for violations; provide for pretrial diversion for first-time offenders “fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement officers.”
Chamberlin’s financial disclosures as to assets and liabilities
Since Chamberlin’s first financial disclosures in 2022, a few things have changed. Chamberlin indicated on his 2023 financial disclosures that the value of his home, time share deed, and three vehicles has remained the same. He did not report any substantial checking, savings or investment accounts for both years.
However, from Dec. 31, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2023, Chamberlin seemingly shed his business ownership in several projects: the True Patriot Network that he valued at $500,000; Now You know Academy, valued at $250,000; $25,000 in Stops.com stock; and $5,000 Vanguard EXP holdings.
Robert Shaw [Supplied]
Florida House Representative for District 24, Ryan Chamberlin listens to presenter on Dec 13, 2023 [FL House of Represenatatives]
Shaw
Continued from page A4
me,” he said, adding that he hopes independent voters favor him on their ballot instead of the incumbent Chamberlin, whose platform is more “far right.”
“My plan is to try to get out in front of as many people as possible to just talk to them,’’ he said.
“If they talk to me, I think most of the time they are going to say, ‘Alright, this guy is gonna do the right thing because he understands it’s bigger than him and we can vote for him.”
Shaw reports a net worth of $1.2 million in a 2023 financial disclosure. The assets identified include primarily his homestead, which has an approximately $190,000 mortgage, and investment accounts. According to the disclosures, Shaw receives
almost $10,000 a year from those investment accounts.
Thus far, Shaw has reported $4,025 in campaign contributions from approximately 43 contributors, mostly locals and the Stone Creek Democratic Club. He’s received no PAC contributions thus far.
“A lot of people aren’t getting what they need.”
Robert L. Shaw, Candidate
Chamberlin
Continued from page A4
In 2023, he listed his assets as $2,500 in a credit union account; a new entity, Genesis Title Agency of Florida, started in 2023, that Chamberlin values at $250,000; and RJ Chamberlin, LLC/Consulting, valued at $500,000.
Chamberlin’s financial disclosures as to business and income
In January 2023, he valued his interest in a 2-year-old business called the True Patriot Network at $500,000 and indicated he received $312,000 annually from it in 2022. In his end-of-year financial disclosure for 2023, he indicated he no longer owned an interest in the True Patriot Network and did not receive at least $1,000 in compensation from it.
For 2022, he claimed $50,000 in annual income from “consulting” from “NYK.Academy.” There is no business entity known as NYK.Academy filed with the State of Florida. However, in a 2023 interview, he said “Now You Know Academy’’ is the catch-all phrase he uses to refer to his consulting/training work run through RJ Chamberlin, LLC, an active corporation since 2010.
In Chamberlin’s year-end 2023 financial disclosure, he indicates he received $110,000 from the entity.
State of Florida Department of
OBS June sale recap
The Ocala Breeders’ Sales June sale of two-yearolds-in-training and horses of racing age galloped to a close on June 14, netting $22.3 million in profit.
The sale took place from June 12-14 and resulted in 609 heads sold at an average price of $36,652. The profits decreased slightly from the sale the year before, which netted over $24.1 million for 645 heads sold.
Day one of the sale started off strong, netting over $8 million for the sale of 212 horses. The session was topped by a dark bay filly for $400,00. Hip No. 187, a daughter of Tiz the Law, was cosigned to agent Tom McCrocklin and sold to Bill Childs.
“The dark bay or brown filly, whose quarter in :20 2/5 at Wednesday’s under tack session was the sale’s co-fastest at the distance, is a half-sister to grade one stakes placed stakes winner Esplanande, out of Southern Silence, by Dixie Union,” according to OBS.
The second day’s sale netted over $7.4 million for the sale of 206 horses. The session was topped by a bay filly which also sold for $400,000 to Resolute Bloodstock. Brown Sugar, Hip No. 509, is a daughter of Twirling Candy and cosigned by agent Tom McCrocklin.
“The bay filly, whose under tack quarter in :20 2/5 on Thursday was the sale’s co-fastest, is a full sister to Preakness (G1) winner Rombauer, out of Cashmere, by Cowboy Cal,” according to OBS.
Day three netted over $6.5 million for the sale of 177 horses. The session was topped by a bay colt, which sold to Marc Tacher for $375,000. Hip No. 1021, a son of Uncle Mo, was cosigned by agent Julie Davies LLC.
“The bay colt, that galloped at Sunday’s under tack session is out of Kim K, by Will Take Charge, a daughter of graded stakes placed stakes winner Trip for A.J.,” according to OBS.
The sale of horses of racing age was also hosted on the last day, netting $343,500 for 14 heads.
Corporations also show Chamberlin was part of a new business filing in 2023 called Genesis Title Agency of Florida, LLC. However, Chamberlin did not identify it as a business he had a specified interest in at the close of 2023 nor did he report receiving at least $1,000 from it.
Chamberlin’s financial disclosures as to debt
Chamberlin’s debt increased from $506,129.33 at the close of 2022 to $625,082.88 at the close of 2023. New creditors included Barclays, Goldman Sachs, Larissa Verville, We Florida Financial, and Sallie Mae.
Chamberlin’s current campaign finance & expenditures
Chamberlin’s campaign reports indicate he’s raised $60,504.31 in contributions and has $26,896.18 in expenditures. Expenditures include payments to his old campaign managers, Front Line Agency and Doster Accounting, as well as “campaign consultant” Benjamin Rembaum, who was a legislative aide for Chamberlin during his first year, according to a Linkdin post by Rembaum.
Additionally, Chamberlin reported paying rent for a campaign office owned by a company BB Properties 13 LLC, which owns commercial property at 5036 SE 110th St. in Belleview.
Hip No. 187 – by Tiz the Law – Southern Silence – Tom McCrocklin, Agent VII [OBS]
New lights coming to brighten up Marion County high school football stadiums
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
Friday night lights are about to get much brighter, as the project to replace the lighting in every football stadium of Marion County’s public high schools is in motion.
The undertaking will cost over $2.2 million dollars to install the new LED lights across the eight football stadiums. The Marion County School Board approved the project on June 25. Construction is intended to last 133 days and take place from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
“The football stadium lighting systems around the district consist of metal halide and metal sulfide lamps which cannot be purchased anymore and therefore cannot be
maintained,” according to MCPS. Each light fixture will be replaced at each pole with the LED light fixtures, new ballasts and drivers, according to MCPS.
“This will allow a quicker start on the lights once turned on, will produce more lumens thus making the field brighter, and will result in a much longer life span of the lamps,” according to MCPS.
This is only the beginning of the lighting projects to come, as the district also said it intends to make the same improvements to the lighting at each baseball and softball field. Funding has not yet been secured for those fields, so the lighting replacements will be completed in a separate phase.
The work will be done by Scorpio Corporation, the district’s annually contracted construction managers, according to MCPS.
Labor force, employment and jobless numbers down across region
By CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion
The jobless rate in the CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion region was 3.8% in May, down 0.4 percentage point over the month and 0.3 percentage point greater than the region’s year ago rate of 3.5%. The labor force was 217,695, down 1,570 (-0.7%) over the year. There were 8,370 unemployed residents in the region, a drop pf 825 compared to April and up 652 over the year.
According to preliminary employment data recently released by FloridaCommerce, there were 209,325 employed across the region, a drop of 615 since April and 2,222 fewer than the same time last year. Levy County continued to
post the lowest jobless rate in the region at 3.6%, down from 4.0% over the month; followed by Marion County with 3.7%, also down from 4.0%. Citrus County reported a 4.5% unemployment rate, down from 4.9% in April, according to materials provided by CareerSource CLM.
Marion County’s labor force was 150,710, down 947 over the month and 699 over the year. There were 145,197 employed, a decrease of 386 compared to April and down 1,065 compared to the same time last year. The county had 5,513 unemployed in May, 561 fewer than the previous month and 366 more than in May 2023.
Rusty Skinner, CareerSource CLM’s chief executive officer, noted that labor force and employment numbers were
down for all three counties in the region both in May and over the year. Because the data is not seasonally adjusted, Skinner said it could be school related.
“Historically, we see contraction of the labor force and adjustments to the number of those employed as school support personnel leave for the summer,” he said in the news release. “At this time of year, there seems to be a bit of a tug-of-war between those temporarily stepping away from the labor force in late spring and early summer and those seeking seasonal employment, such as college students, or returning to the labor force full time.”
In May, nonfarm employment in the Ocala Metropolitan Area, which covers all of Marion County, was 121,300 in March, an increase of 1,200 jobs over the year for
a 1.0% growth rate over the year. With a 3% growth rate, the Education and Health Services industry grew faster in the metro area than statewide over the year. Industries gaining jobs were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+700 jobs); Education and Health Services (+600 jobs); Mining, Logging, and Construction (+300 jobs); Leisure and Hospitality (+300 jobs); Government (+100 jobs); and Other Services (+100 jobs). Industries losing jobs were Manufacturing (-400 jobs): Professional and Business Services (-300 jobs); Information (-100 jobs) and Financial Activities (-100 jobs).
CareerSource CLM offers fee-free business and candidate services. To learn more, go to careersourceclm.com or call 800-434-JOBS (5627).
OPD SEARCHING FOR INFORMATION IN NORTH OCALA HOMICIDE
By Florida Department of Transportation
The Florida Department of Transportation advises motorists that overnight Interstate 75 ramp closures are scheduled to occur at the State Road 200 interchange for resurfacing work as follows:
The I-75 southbound on-ramp from SR 200 will be closed from 8 p.m. Monday, July 1, through 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 2, and 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 2, through 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 3. Motorists traveling southwest on SR 200 wishing to get on southbound I-75 will turn left on Southwest 60th Avenue, left on Southwest 95th Street, right
on Southwest 49th Avenue Road, left on Marion Oaks Trail and left on CR 484 before reaching I-75. Motorists traveling northeast on SR 200 wishing to get on southbound I-75 will turn right on Southwest 43rd Street Road, continue east onto Southwest 42nd Street, continue east onto Southwest 32nd Street, turn right on CR 475, and right on CR 484 before reaching I-75. The work schedule is subject to change due to weather or unforeseen circumstances, noted the FDOT news release.
To learn more, visit cflroads.com/project/443170-1
Staff report
Ocala Police Department detectives are investigating a shooting that killed one person in north Ocala on Sunday evening.
OPD responded to the 2800 block of Northeast 8th Terrace at about 11:25 p.m. on Sunday, where they found the victim, 24-year-old Derrick Brown Jr., suffering from a gunshot wound.
Brown was transported to HCA hospital, where he died from his injuries. The incident is being investigated as a homicide, according to OPD.
“At this time, we do not have any additional information that we can
release. Our detectives are actively working on the case, and as soon as we have more information that can be shared with the public, we will provide an update,” said OPD spokesperson Jeff Walczak.
OPD asks the public to bring forward any information they may have to aid the investigation by calling OPD at 352-369-7000, calling Crime Stoppers of Marion County anonymously by dialing 352-368-7867 or **TIPS, or submitting information online at OcalaCrimeStoppers.com.
“If anyone has information that may help our detectives in their investigation, we’re asking them to come forward,” Walczak said.
Cat services halted at Marion County Animal Services after spike in feline disease
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
Cat intakes, adoptions and shelter-neuter-release services have been halted at Marion County Animal Services after a spike in a feline disease.
Animal Services announced on Tuesday that many services for cats would be immediately suspended for a week after a Feline Panleukopenia outbreak. Feline Panleukopenia, or Panleuk, is a highly infectious and potentially fatal disease in cats that most severely affects kittens.
“Unfortunately, Panleuk is common in animal shelters, especially during kitten season, which is in full swing. This virus mostly impacts the gastrointestinal system and symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, and anorexia,” according to Animal Services.
The disease is not contagious to humans or dogs.
“The most common symptom is sudden death and MCAS is sadly seeing a sharp increase in these cases. Fosters have reported kittens behaving completely normal the previous day and being found deceased or near death the following morning. Some kittens can be incubating or shedding the virus and not show symptoms, making this virus challenging to isolate,” according to Animal Services.
While Animal Services monitors feline populations for exposure and illness, all intakes, adoptions and spayneuter-release services for cats in Marion County will be on pause in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus.
For the community to help stop the spread, the county encourages citizens to practice “Don’t Kitnap” and “Wait ‘Til
8” procedures. If a kitten is less than six weeks old, the best way to ensure its survival is to leave kittens where they are so they can remain with their mother.
For kittens over six weeks old, citizens are encouraged to use social media or reach out to people to find a suitable home for the kitten, in addition to checking with local shelters for spaying and neutering options.
“’Wait ‘Til 8’ means to wait until kittens are eight weeks old before rehoming, taking them away from their mother, sterilizing them or turning them in to a shelter,” according to Animal Services.
Animal Services also asks for the community’s help to foster kittens to avoid exposure to the Panleuk virus.
Marion County will announce when the suspension of cat services is lifted online at animalservices.marionfl.org
File photo: Forest players run onto the field before their game against West Port during a football game at Forest High School in Ocala on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2023.
High school
Continued from page A1
The board will have a workshop on July 11 to discuss the options, and a special school board meeting will take place immediately after the workshop so that the board may hold a vote.
Option 1:
The school board would restart the entire interview and scoring process by posting a new invitation for bid, using the same scoring criteria with an updated procedure the district finds appropriate.
“This would give us the ability to open the main buildings for the 2026-27 school year, which is what the estimate was to begin with. However, some aspects of the project, such as the auditorium, gymnasium and athletic fields would likely not be completed in time for the first day of school,” Gullett said.
Once the GrayRobinson investigation concluded, Ausley Construction said it would not submit a new bid for the project. So, if the school board moves forward with Option 1 and decides to restart the process, Ausley would not be in contention for the contract.
Option 2:
The board would proceed with the results of the selection committee and award Wharton Smith the contract to build the high school. In both investigations that were conducted, the procurement process and the selection of Wharton Smith were found to be legal and without fault.
This option offers the best chance for the entire school to be completed and ready for opening by the promised date, Gullett said.
Option 3:
The implementation of policy changes and the convening of a committee for local stakeholders to provide input would
happen before any decision is made on the high school contract. The committee would provide recommendations on another review of the scoring criteria and processes.
“If the board prefers this option, understand that the school would be further delayed and certainly will not open in the 2026-2027 school year, and we will be looking at an opening in 2027-2028,” said Gullett.
Divided opinions:
Regardless of the option that the school board chooses, there is a plan in place to convene a committee to include local stakeholders moving forward.
Gullett, School Board Chair Nancy Thrower, School Board Member Allison Campbell and Executive Director of Operations Barbara Dobbins all voiced strong support for Option 2.
During the procurement process, Dobbins faced criticism over the validity of the procurement process and the selection of Wharton Smith. The GrayRobinson investigation found Dobbins’ actions to be without fault and disproved any wrongdoing by her or the Facilities Department staff.
“Since April 23, I have been under attack by community members (and) by staff about these processes. I have had to answer many, many records request and answer many questions,” Dobbins said.
“My answer today stands no different than my answer on April 23, and it’s that the process is valid, and the process is legal.”
Dobbins reminded the board of why Wharton Smith received the most points during the selection process in the first place, reinforcing that decision given that both investigations backed up MCPS’ decisions and policies when selecting the winner.
“Wharton Smith had the most points. Wharton Smith has built this prototype
six times. The person and the company that continues to attack and question the facilities department has not built anything close to that,” Dobbins said. “I stand by a selection committee of a principal, our superintendent, facility staff and a community member who selected Wharton Smith… If we want to do the right decision for our students, it is to go with (Option 2), get going, get moving, and get the high school built as much as possible for the August 2026 opening.”
School Board Members Lori Conrad and Eric Cummings expressed concerns about how the options were presented to them, saying they would like to have the choices in writing in order to take time to think about them privately before making a decision.
“To be given three scenarios tonight, and to say this is what we have to do tonight, that puts me in a very bad situation,” Cummings said. “When I look at this whole report, both reports, there is room for growth.”
Conrad said she didn’t feel the board should move forward with the selection and construction process until the appropriate policy changes are made.
“I feel just as strongly that having these procedures in place and available for the public to view are also equally important, and it does break my heart that we are going to be behind on the timeline,” she said. “But I can’t in good conscience move on when we’re feeling like that we have not done everything that we need to do.”
She added, “I don’t want to go through this process again, and we have 10 or 12 recommendations on how we need to improve our process. I want these procedures fixed and corrected before we do it again.”
James, the subject of much of the bid controversy, had limited comments to offer during the meeting. She suggested bringing in more public opinion and spoke
in support of the half-cent sales tax going on the general election ballot to generate additional revenue sources to the district.
“As a board member, what I want to see here is, ‘What does our community want to see us do in our process to represent our community’s needs?’” James said.
The debate lasted more than an hour and a half, with the board ultimately unable to come to any consensus except to bring back the topic to discuss at the soonest opportunity.
“I’m not sure what more reassurance we need, when we’ve already spent $23,000 on reassurance that our process was sound and passes muster,” Thrower said. That price tag encompasses the cost of both the GrayRobinson and the Williams/Torrens investigations.
Thrower noted the community already has had plenty of opportunities to comment on the procurement and construction process at the many school board meetings on the high school project.
Campbell echoed Thrower’s statements.
“I’ve heard comments about needing to wait and hear what the community has to say about this decision. We didn’t involve the community in the selection of them in the first place, and to Chair Thrower’s comment, we’ve had this on our agenda a couple of different times, and no one has ever come and spoken about any of our construction (policies) when we have special board meetings,” Campbell said. If the board on July 11 agrees on Option 2, the members may vote to approve Wharton Smith as the contractor for the new high school and begin negotiating a contract.
“We should not still be debating this and pushing this off. We are here. We need a decision,” Dobbins said. “Facilities stands ready to work with whatever company we select, but we have to move, and we have no more time to waste.”
School board divided Second review upholds school district’s
Continued from page A1
encountered resistance when she encouraged public conversation to address the findings.
James remained silent during the exchange, but her Facebook posts made during the meeting show her attention was elsewhere. A post that would have been made around 8 p.m., when this matter was being considered, contains praise for her child care company, Kid City USA, for receiving accreditation.
Cummings told the “Gazette” on Wednesday that his hesitancy to move the matter to the governor’s office was based on his experience of Don Browning being appointed. Cummings said he would rather work with a school board member he knows than a “wildcard” appointed by DeSantis.
Cummings also said that as a pastor, he feels compelled to lean toward forgiveness.
Conrad answered the “Gazette” with, “I’m tired of entertaining that conversation.”
Referring to the conversation during which James threatened Superintendent Diane Gullett over how the high school bid was handled, Conrad said she felt the heated exchange was a private matter between James and Gullett and that it did not rise to the level of filing an ethics complaint.
Conrad told the “Gazette” that she would share more of her thoughts about the situation during the July 11 school board workshop to decide on what option to pursue for the new high school project.
James James has not responded to phone calls or emails from the “Gazette” to discuss the situation.
Records show James, who was elected to the school board in August 2022, has had a checkered employment history in local school districts.
Employment records for James obtained by the “Gazette” from Levy County and Marion County schools reflect many short-term
placements, lasting no more than a year or two while working as a teacher or school assistant principal.
During her employment as an assistant principal at Chiefland Elementary School, records show her contract was not renewed due to unsatisfactory performance. She told to immediately turn in her school key, phone and laptop with the help of staff to load personal items into her vehicle.
When James was working at Belleview High School in January 2021, she resigned with a one-day notice that gave no reason other than it was in her “best interest” to do so.
Records with the State of Florida indicate around that time, James filed articles of incorporation for James Early Education Enterprises, Inc., which operates a daycare facility. She has operated the facility for approximately three years as KIDS City USA.
James also recently ran into problems with her Pennies for Playgrounds project. According to records recently obtained from the Marion County Hospital District, trustees approved $60,000 for a playground at Belleview-Santos Elementary School. They thought they were answering a request from the school district. However, James directed them to send the money to the Public Education Foundation instead, and later disclosed it was a project she was doing as a private citizen.
The hospital district said they will only tender the grant to the school district.
Ausley Construction
There was no discussion by the board about action toward Ausley Construction, which is building an elementary school for the district.
The district’s “Cone of Silence” policy states: “Any person, whether employed by the District or not, who knowingly violates a provision of this policy shall be prohibited from serving on a District competitive selection committee. “Violation of this policy by
a particular bidder, proposer, respondent, and/or representative may, at the discretion of the district, result in the rejection of said bidder, proposer, respondent, and/ or representative’s bid, proposal, or offer and may render any contract award to said bidder, proposer, or respondent voidable.
“In addition to any other penalty provided by law, violation of this policy by a district employee shall subject said employee to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from service.’’
Ken Ausley, a principal of the company, chairs on the Marion County Public Schools Independent Citizens Referendum Oversight Committee, after being nominated to the position by James.
Another Ausley Construction principal, Todd Duffy, serves on the Public Education Foundation.
As previously reported, an investigation by the GrayRobinson law firm substantiated allegations of tampering with the procurement process against James and members of Ausley Construction for misconduct involving threats James and Ausley Construction made toward district employees, another school board member and Gullett.
Attorneys Brian Williams and Jaime Torrens, who did an external review of the district’s overall construction procurement policies and investigation findings, wrote in their report that MCPS needs to implement a procedure to bar vendors who violate federal, state or school board policy from entering into future contracts with the district.
Ausley Construction officials have denied wrongdoing and have maintained that the school district’s procurement policies are flawed.
Williams and Torrens found the district’s procurement policies comply with Florida statutes; however, they also found MCPS deviated from its policy when it allowed James to serve on a selection committee for the high school project, to review bids, to score submittals and to conduct interviews.
procurement policies in high school construction bid
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
After the selection process by which a construction company was chosen to build a high school in southwest Marion County, a separate investigation into the district’s overall procurement policies has found no fault in the district’s selection criteria while recommending several policy adjustments.
As previously reported, an investigation by the GrayRobinson law firm substantiated allegations of tampering with the procurement process against School Board Member Sarah James and members of Ausley Construction for misconduct involving threats James and Ausley Construction made toward school district employees, another school board member and Superintendent Diane Gullett.
Both James and Ausley Construction have denied wrongdoing and have maintained that the school district’s procurement policies are flawed.
After the GrayRobinson report was made public, attorney Brian Williams and Jaime Torrens from Miami-Dade Public Schools were brought in to conduct an external review of Marion County Public Schools’ overall construction procurement policies, assessing the district’s compliance with state statutes
on procurement, and compared the district’s procurement policies with those of other school districts and local governments in Florida.
The review found MCPS’s policy complied with Florida statutes; however, they also found MCPS deviated from its policy when it allowed James to serve on a selection committee for the high school project, to review bids, to score submittals and to conduct interviews.
The findings were presented to the school board at its Tuesday meeting. School Board Chair Nancy Thrower said at a previous meeting that the board would decide whether to send the findings of the GrayRobinson investigation to the governor’s office for further review, as it has done in the past with similar investigations, after the board members reviewed the findings of the second review.
On Tuesday, the board could not to come to a consensus on further action, so the findings from the GrayRobinson and Williams/Torrens investigations will not be sent to the governor’s office.
The policy analysis backed up the findings of the GrayRobinson investigation into claims regarding violations of the district’s “cone of silence policy” during the procurement process for See Procurement, page A8
Procurement
Continued from page A7
awarding the bid for the high school project. As for the policies on scoring for the procurement process, the analysis found no fault in MCPS’ criteria.
“The procurement selection criteria developed by MCPS is consistent with processes utilized throughout the State of Florida by others who procure similar services,” according to the analysis. “At the time of our review, there was nothing to indicate that MCPS’ processes were arbitrary, capricious, clearly erroneous, or contrary to competition.”
The review, however, suggested several changes for the school district.
Based on MCPS policies and the language included in the invitation for bid, the selection committee was advertised to include six members and include a facilities department supervisor, facilities department design or construction coordinator, depending on the type of firm being selected; a district office administrator; a curriculum administrator, maintenance administrator or foreman (depending on project scope); and a member of the business community.
The report indicated that having a member of the school board on the selection committee was a stray in policy and could cause complications in the selection process.
“Noticeably absent from both the Facilities Department Policies and Procedures Manual and the language contained in (the invitation to bid) is any mention of a School Board member being part of the selection committee for the procurement of professional services for a construction project and more specifically, New High School CCC,” according to the analysis.
The report recommended MCPS prohibit school board members from serving on any procurement selection or evaluation committees, intervening with the activities of those committees or intervening on any school district staff members from performing duties related to selection.
And if MCPS were to deviate from that policy, it was recommended the district seek an attorney’s advice and an advisory opinion from the Florida Commission on Ethics before the commencement of a solicitation process.
The analysis also gave an opinion on the claims made by attorney Robert Batsel, who wrote to School Board Attorney Jeremy Powers on behalf of Ausley Construction. Batsel urged MCPS to reject all bids due to the “defective and improper application of the evaluation criteria” and begin re-procurement, according to the investigation.
“Facilities staff were neither arbitrary or capricious (that is, an abuse of discretion), clearly erroneous, or contrary to competition as stated in the correspondence (from Batsel to Powers),” according to the analysis.
Batsel has not responded to a request for comment from the “Gazette.”
Williams and Torrens also recommended the district implement a procedure to bar vendors who violate federal, state or school board policy from entering into future contracts with MCPS. If the school board decides to implement such a policy, it could prevent contractors that have violated school board policy, like Ausley did, from being awarded future contracts.
The report included additional disclosure measures for MCPS to use to prevent future bid disputes such as including specific references to the “cone of silence policy” in all invitations for bids, requests for proposals, and invitations to negotiate.
The district’s “cone of silence policy” prohibits any involved parties from discussing the selection process to protect the integrity of the procurement process and to shield it from influence before the recommendation for the contract award is given. Ausley Construction was found to have violated this policy through its contact with school district staff during the procurement process.
Additionally, the analysis recommended MCPS add language to its requests for qualifications that specifically delineates all scoring and evaluation criteria that will be used to evaluate proposals submitted.
“Creatively, counsel for Ausley attempts to argue that the language contained in (the invitation to bid) was ambiguous even though the investigation report makes it clear that Ausley was aware of the scoring criteria,” according to the analysis. “As a secondary argument, Ausley through their counsel, suggests that the criteria used by MCPS appears contrary to the process of competitive selection. However, MCPS’ procurement selection process for construction management firms is clearly supported by CCNA.”
The CCNA is the Consultant’s Competitive Negotiation Act, which was designed to provide procedures for state and local governmental agencies to follow the employment of professional service consultants to make the contracting for professional services, according to the Attorney General of the State of Florida.
DeSantis signs bear bill, vetoes left-lane crackdown
By Jim Turner Florida News Service
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a controversial measure that will bolster self-defense arguments for people who kill bears on their property, while vetoing a bill that would have prevented motorists from cruising in the left lanes of highways.
DeSantis’ office announced Friday night that he had signed 14 bills from this year’s legislative session and vetoed three. Among the other bills he signed was a measure (SB 7014) that revamped ethics laws.
The bill about bears (HB 87) provides a sort of stand-your-ground defense for people who shoot bears to defend themselves or property. But with bear hunting long a controversial issue in Florida, opponents of the bill said it would lead to increased deaths of the once-threatened animals. Opponents said they will consider legal action to try to halt the law, which is scheduled to take effect July 1. Under the bill, shooters will have to notify the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission within 24 hours of bears being killed. They also will be prohibited from possessing or selling bear carcasses.
Legal immunity will not be available to people who provoke or lure bears.
Similar bills were filed in past years but did not pass the Legislature. This year, however, the proposal sponsored by Rep. Jason Shoaf, R-Port St. Joe, and Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, gained traction in September after Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Smith said his rural community was “being inundated and overrun by the bear
population.”
Shoaf and Simon represent Franklin County as part of sprawling, largely rural districts.
But animal-rights activists argued the bill will create an “open season” on bears.
“Increasing the killing of Florida’s iconic black bears under the guise of self-defense––without requiring proof of actual danger—poses serious public safety risks and undermines responsible wildlife management,” Kate MacFall, Florida state director at the Humane Society of the United States, said in a prepared statement.
MacFall said the bill conflicts with regulations of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which has the constitutional authority to manage wildlife. She added her organization “will continue to explore our options moving forward to ensure Florida’s bears are protected.”
Opponents of the bill said the state and communities should focus on securing garbage so bears will not be attracted to homes. The commission’s BearWise program outlines steps such as telling people not to feed bears, to clear grills, to make trash less accessible, to remove bird feeders when bears are active and to not leave pet food outside.
Sierra Club Florida, which has also argued the bill usurps the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s constitutional authority, said it is “a dangerous solution to an imaginary problem.”
Under current law, people are prohibited from possessing, injuring or shooting bears but can use nonlethal means to scare away bears that may be on the people’s property or rifling through trash.
As the state’s number of residents
has grown, human-bear conflicts have increased. The commission euthanized an average of 38 bears annually between 2009 and 2018 because of public-safety risks, mostly as bears sought out unsecured garbage or other food.
The Senate voted 24-12 to approve the bill, while the House passed it in an 83-28 vote. Rep. Allison Tant, D-Tallahassee, said bears threaten farmers’ livestock in her district, which includes rural Madison and Jefferson counties.
“We do have bear-proof garbage cans,” Tant said in March. “And you know what, oftentimes, after the garbage is picked up, the tops are not secured again. So, the bears come back and come back and come back.”
Meanwhile Friday, DeSantis vetoed a bill (HB 317) that would have prevented drivers from cruising in left lanes of highways with at least two lanes and speed limits of at least 65 mph. The bill included exemptions for drivers passing other motorists, preparing to exit, turning from left lanes or being directed to left lanes by officers or traffic-control devices.
In a veto letter, DeSantis said the bill was “too broad” and that it could result in motorists “being pulled over, ticketed, and fined for driving in the furthest left lane even if they are not impeding the flow of traffic of if there are few or no other cars in the immediate area.”
DeSantis added that the measure, which was unanimously approved by the Senate and drew only three dissenting votes in the House, could “potentially increase congestion in Florida’s urban areas as drivers may decide to not utilize the furthest left-hand lane at all for fear of being ticketed.”
Continued from page A1 Clause of the First Amendment.”
Corrigan in 2018 also ruled that the vigil was unconstitutional, but the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2022 directed him to reconsider the case. That directive came after a U.S. Supreme Court opinion supported a Bremerton, Wash., highschool football coach who lost his job after praying on the field following games. But in Wednesday’s ruling, Corrigan said the facts of the case involving the football coach are “far different from those here.”
Corrigan wrote that Ocala argued the prayer vigil was “permissible because it fits in with other historical examples dating back to George Washington of government and prayer being intertwined, including legislative prayer and proclamations of National Day of Prayer.” But he rejected such arguments.
“Unlike legislative prayer, the prayer vigil was directed at the public and asked for public participation. … Moreover, the prayer vigil was the event and dissimilar to legislative prayers because it did not involve prayers that were tangential to or meant
to solemnize other public business,” the Jacksonvillebased judge wrote.
The vigil was held Sept. 24, 2014, amid a spate of shootings in the Ocala area. Plaintiffs Art Rojas, Lucinda Hale, Daniel Hale and Frances Jean Porgal, represented by the American Humanist Association, filed the lawsuit in November 2014 after attending the vigil, according to court documents. It named as defendants the city, thenOcala Mayor Kent Guinn and then-Police Chief Greg Graham, who died in 2020.
In addition to the idea for the vigil originating
from a meeting in Graham’s office, Corrigan wrote that the police department promoted the event in a letter posted on Facebook and with a flyer that included an image or praying hands. He also wrote that uniformed Ocala Police Department chaplains were among the people on the stage during the vigil.
A footnote in the ruling said Daniel Hale and Porgas died in the course of the case. Corrigan awarded “nominal” damages of $1 to each plaintiff but also said the plaintiffs could file a motion to recover attorney fees from the city.
File photo: This still from a video security camera was captured by Chris and Wendy Davy and shows a Florida Black Bear going into a bait tank in their
backyard at their home on Southeast 16th Street in Ocala on Monday, June 10, 2024. [Courtesy Chris and Wendy Davy]
‘Freedom Month’ tax breaks to start
By Jim Turner Florida News Service
Retailers hope outdoor enthusiasts planning to buy canoes, fishing gear or tickets to ball games have become more aware of an upcoming tax-free shopping period that lawmakers have dubbed “Freedom Month.”
The tax “holiday” will allow shoppers to avoid paying sales taxes on a wide range of recreational items and activities throughout July. It was part of a tax package (HB 7073) that the Legislature passed in March and Gov. Ron DeSantis signed in May.
As examples, sales taxes won’t be collected in July on many supplies for boating, fishing and camping and tickets purchased for live music events, sporting events, fairs, festivals, theater performances and movies. Last year, the state offered the tax holiday for three months, but it will be limited to July this year.
Florida Retail Federation President Scott Shalley expressed optimism that “this more narrowed focus” will increase consumer awareness and provide a summer boost to retailers. The state this year also is offering separate tax holidays linked to back-to-school purchases and hurricane-preparedness supplies.
“I think the idea of paring it (the Freedom Holiday) down to a month is helpful. I think it definitely makes people focus more on that opportunity,” Shalley said. “It gives our retailers an opportunity to plan their marketing and put things in place that are more focused. And that has certainly been a benefit of the backto-school, the disaster-preparedness (holidays), and I think that follows suit here with the summer (holiday).”
The Freedom Holiday is expected to reduce state and local tax revenues by
$91.8 million.
When he signed the tax package, DeSantis said the holiday is intended to “get people outdoors” and “have fun.”
“No tax on recreational items. No tax on things, fishing supplies, boating supplies, athletic equipment, you name it, tax free for the month of July,” DeSantis said. “That is really, really significant.”
The Washington, D.C.-based Tax Foundation, however, said that while salestax holidays have broad support, they are “political gimmicks” that distract from “genuine, permanent tax relief.”
“They do not promote economic growth or significantly increase consumer purchases, but instead shift the timing of purchases,” the Tax Foundation said. “Some retailers even raise prices during these holidays, reducing consumer savings.”
People can buy tax-free tickets in July for events that will occur before the end of the year. But Ticketmaster’s website noted that changes such as upgrades made after July will be subject to taxes. Ticketmaster also advised people that additional services tied to live events, such as parking and memorabilia purchases, might be taxed.
The tax holiday also doesn’t cover
rentals of such things as fishing gear and kayaks and doesn’t include purchases at places such as theme parks and airports.
Shalley said he understands the exclusion of rental items, as “the holiday is designed to provide relief for Floridians.”
“If you’re looking at certain markets, that (rental items) may apply more to visitors,” Shalley said.
The state began holding the Freedom Holiday in 2021 for a one-week period around Independence Day. It was repeated as a one-week event in 2022 before being expanded to three months last year.
It is among the largest portions of the new tax package, which is projected to reduce revenue by $439.6 million during the fiscal year that will begin Monday.
Meanwhile, the start of the new 20242025 fiscal year means two tax holidays that were in effect throughout the current fiscal year will go away.
Taxes will return to Energy Star appliances such as washing machines that cost $1,500 or less, clothes dryers that cost $1,500 or less, water heaters that cost $1,500 or less and refrigerators that cost $4,500 or less. They also will apply to gas ranges and cooktops.
Here is a partial list of what people can buy in July without paying sales taxes:
--- Tickets to concerts, sporting events, cultural events, theater performances and movies scheduled before Dec. 31.
--- Season tickets to ballets, plays, music events and musical theater performances.
--- Gym memberships.
--- Bait and fishing tackle that costs $5 or less.
--- Sunscreen and insect repellant that costs $15 or less.
--- Snorkels, goggles and swimming masks that cost $25 or less.
--- Camping lanterns, flashlights and tackle boxes that cost $30 or less.
--- Water bottles that cost $30 or less.
--- Pool floats, inflatable chairs, and pool toys that cost $35 or less.
--- Sleeping bags, portable hammocks, camping stoves and collapsible camping chairs that cost $50 or less.
--- Bicycle helmets that cost $50 or less.
--- Life jackets, coolers, paddles, and oars that cost $75 or less.
--- Fishing rods and reels that cost $75 or less.
--- Sunglasses that cost $100 or less.
--- Residential pool and spa filters, lights and covers that cost $100 or less.
--- Water skis, wakeboards and kneeboards that cost $150 or less.
--- Residential pool and spa chemicals that cost $150 or less.
— Tents that cost $200 or less.
--- Binoculars that cost $200 or less.
--- Gas or charcoal grills that cost $250 or less.
--- Paddleboards and surfboards that cost $300 or less.
--- Canoes and kayaks that cost $500 or less.
--- Bicycles that cost $500 or less.
RECORD HOLIDAY TRAVEL EXPECTED
By Florida News Service
Arecord number of travelers are expected to hit Florida roads and crowd airports during the July 4 holiday period.
The AAA auto club has forecast 4.5 million Floridians will travel more than 50 miles between Saturday and July 7.
That would be a 7 percent increase from last year. Orlando, Miami and Fort Lauderdale are expected to be among the top U.S. destinations around the holiday. “Even with the various inflationary pressures that are out there, people are still making travel a top priority,” AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said in a prepared statement. “They are budgeting for it. In some cases, people are willing to slap down their credit card and maybe even go into a little bit of debt to do it.”
Nationally, 70.9 million people are expected to travel for the holiday, about a 5 percent increase from last year.
DESANTIS VETOES BILL ON WATER CLOSURES
By Florida News Service
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday vetoed a bill that would have required the Florida Department of Health to take steps—including possibly preventing people from swimming in water off beaches—if water quality did not meet standards.
DeSantis’ office announced Wednesday night that he had vetoed four bills, including the waterquality measure (HB 165), which was unanimously approved by the Legislature in March.
The bill, in part, would have required the department to issue health advisories if water quality off beaches and in other water bodies, such as lakes and rivers, did not meet standards, according
to a House staff analysis.
It would have required the department to close access to such waters if deemed necessary “to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.”
But DeSantis, in a veto letter, objected to the amount of authority that would have been given to the Department of Health.
“Health departments like DOH can serve a valuable function, but they should not be vested with the power to supersede local jurisdictions regarding the operation of beaches,” the veto letter said.
“I have made water quality and protecting Florida’s natural resources a priority and my administration will continue to do so, but this grant of power to DOH over Florida beaches is ill-advised.”
SUWANNEE SNAPPING TURTLES GET PROTECTION
By Florida News Service
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has decided to designate Suwannee alligator snapping turtles, large turtles that live in the Suwannee River in North Florida and South Georgia, as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
The designation, which is slated to be published Thursday in the Federal Register, will provide additional protections for the turtles.
The Center for Biological Diversity, which petitioned for protecting the species, said Wednesday that the Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed a
rule that will prohibit “taking” the turtles, such as harassing, harming, killing or capturing them.
The center said the federal agency is not pursuing “critical habitat” protections.
“There’s no question turtle trapping is a threat, but so too is habitat destruction,” Elise Bennett, Florida and Caribbean director at the center, said in a prepared statement.
“The (Fish and Wildlife) Service could have designated long enough stretches of river as critical habitat in a way that wouldn’t have provided location information while also protecting the turtles’ homes.”
Business leaders look to boost economic development
By Jim Turner Florida News Service
Awell-connected group of Florida business leaders thinks its members can help fill a void that opened last year when lawmakers broke up the businessrecruitment agency Enterprise Florida.
The Florida Council of 100 on Wednesday released a report about types of businesses and industries that different areas of the state should work to attract, while offering its more than 150 members to help link businesses with regional economic-development organizations.
The report—“Beyond Sunshine: Advancing Florida’s World Class Economy for the Next Generation”—breaks Florida into six major regions and three rural areas of opportunity. Different industries are identified for each region based on issues such as existing economic clusters. Council of 100 President and CEO Mike Simas said council members can help drive private-sector activity as they travel globally.
“We’re not going to be an economic development organization, ever,” Simas said. “Our role is to convene leaders from around the state, particularly private-sector thought leadership, to help solve publicsector problems.”
The group’s board includes people such as Todd Jones, executive chairman of Publix Super Markets; Joe York, president of Florida and gulf states for AT&T; former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, chairman of the Gunster law firm; and former state House Speaker Will Weatherford, managing partner of Weatherford Capital. The board’s chairman is former Florida
Power & Light CEO Eric Silagy. “Cost issues and job growth are areas where our members are experts,” Simas said. “They’re running the businesses in these regions that are driving a lot of this growth.
And really, our goal is to help coordinate with the regional economic development organizations who have been doing this work remarkably well for a long time.”
The report includes some overlap in proposing what different regions of the state should focus on for business recruitment or expansion. The overlap occurs in industries such as
PROJECTS TO GET ‘JOB GROWTH’ MONEY
By Florida News Service
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday directed more than $10.3 million from the state’s Job Growth Grant Fund to help provide infrastructure for an industrial park in Umatilla and a commercial development project in Plant City.
The Umatilla funding, $4.87 million, is tied to an effort to convert land that was part of the city’s wastewater operations into the Lake Fern Industrial Park, which
will be used for such things as a manufacturing facility.
The $5.5 million going to Plant City will help build an access road and provide water and electric utility services for a commercial development.
DeSantis, who announced the grant awards during an appearance in Lake County, has discretion to use the Job Growth Grant Fund for infrastructure and job-training projects and programs.
The state budget for the fiscal year that will start July 1 includes $75 million for the fund.
distribution and e-commerce, aviation and defense, health services and information technologies.
But the report also calls for an emphasis on specific clusters, such as biopharmaceutical fields in South Florida and semiconductor manufacturing in Central Florida.
Simas said the report was already underway before state lawmakers in 2023 dismantled Enterprise Florida, which as a private-public organization helped guide Florida’s economic development. Lawmakers made the decision after years of debate about state business incentives. About 20 Enterprise Florida employees and more than 20 businessrecruitment responsibilities were shifted to the Department of Commerce. The agency’s overseas operations were revamped under the banner of the new non-profit Select Florida.
In a Council of 100 news release that accompanied the new report, Florida Department of Commerce Secretary Alex Kelly is quoted as saying he looks “forward to partnering with the council.”
OFFICIAL SUSPENDED AFTER INDICTMENT
By Florida News Service
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday suspended a Hialeah City Council member who was indicted last week by a federal grand jury on health-care fraud and wirefraud charges.
DeSantis issued an executive order suspending Angelica Pacheco, who faces fraud allegations related to an addiction-treatment facility that
she operated. The executive order said it is “in the best interests of the residents of the city of Hialeah, and the citizens of the state of Florida, that Angelica Pacheco be immediately suspended from the public office which she now holds.” Pacheco was indicted on a charge of conspiracy to commit health-care fraud and wire fraud, five counts of health-care fraud and two counts of wire fraud.
People, Places & Things
Kut Different field trip
Twenty-four youths being mentored by Kut Different went on the field trip to WEC to get a behindthe-scenes tour of some of the professional kitchens and were taught about culinary skills in the workshop hosted by some of the elite chefs and cooks. The youths were also taught about how to possiblly choose culinary arts as a career in their future.
Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette
Executive Chef Bryan Thoman teaches youth members of Kut Different how to cook pasta for the Mac ‘N’ Cheese dish he was preparing and demonstrating for them during the culinary workshop for Kut Different in Arena 3 at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala on Thursday, June 20, 2024. Twenty-four youths being mentored by Kut Different went on the field trip to WEC to get a behind-the-scenes tour of some of the professional kitchens and were taught about culinary skills in the workshop hosted by some of the elite chefs and cooks. The youths were also taught about how
Aaron Glover, 10, left, and Prince Wooden, 10, right, separate their ingredients for the Mac ‘N’ Cheese dish that was being prepared for them.
Kari Howard, a pastry chef, prepares spiced chocolate tarts as youth members of Kut Different get a tour of the kitchen in Expo 1.
Youth members of Kut Different get a tour of the kitchen in Expo 1 as cooks and chefs work on preparing their pastries.
Deron Reese, 19, center, talks to members of Kut Different about how he got his start working as a chef at WEC, as Complex
Executive Pastry Chef Yohann Le Bescond, left, and Executive Chef Bryan Thoman, right, listen.
Across the air waves
Local ham radio operators made 851 contacts during the 2024 Amateur Radio Relay League Field Day event in Ocala.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
Members of the Silver Springs Radio Club chalked up radio contacts with fellow ham radio operators in all 50 states and eight of Canada’s 10 provinces in a recent nationwide 24-hour exercise aimed at disaster preparedness.
SSRC Director Andy Allen said the club’s participation in the 2024 Amateur Radio Relay League Field Day event, which ran for 24 hours staring at 2 p.m. July 22, netted 851 contacts across the U.S. and Canada, including voice and digital signal modes on four ham radio stations set up on a temporary basis at Green Clover Hall in the McPherson Governmental Complex.
Allen said the operators can use various power sources for their stations during field day, including portable solar options, and that an antenna must be erected just for the event, simulating emergency conditions such as a power interruption during a natural disaster. A wire antenna was strung between two trees for the event.
Allen said the event went well and the radio operators were “engaged” in the exercise. The number of radio contacts made during Field Day 2024 was a dramatic increase from 2023.
“That’s up from just over 300 contacts last year,” he said. About 30 of the local club’s 100 members participated in Field Day 2024.
Allen said some sparsely populated states present a challenge to make a radio contact and some states are divided into regions, like north Florida, requiring an extra contact within the same state.
Allen, retired from the music industry, and his wife, Annie, are both ham operators and participated in the event. He said he was able to put his ham operator experience to practical use once when he helped relay messages to rescue a sailboat that had gone aground in the Bahamas. He said as far as equipment, a person could find a used entry level rig for perhaps $300.
The ARRL’s annual Field Day, held since 1933, “is ham radio’s open house,” according to arrl.org
“Every June, more than 40,000 hams throughout North America set up temporary transmitting stations in public places to demonstrate ham radio’s science, skill and service to our communities and our nation. It combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills all in a single event,” the website states.
SSRC member Hayden Kaufman is an emergency contact for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management/Marion Emergency Radio Team (MERT).
According to marionso.com, the “MERT program is designed to provide communications support to areas such as shelters, healthcare facilities, point of distributions, and more during times of disaster.”
Club member Roger Ackley, a ham operator since 1962, operated a station during the exercise on Saturday afternoon. Ackley is part of the Marion County Hospital Emergency Communications Team. He was involved in emergency communication during a natural disaster on the Susquehanna River in the 1980s. Tracy Lauderslager, a local service manager, sat in with Ackley at the station.
Club member Tim Trombley, with Dixie Metals, was operating a digital set up on Saturday afternoon while Chris Kennell and Jonathan Kadegis operated a voice mode radio and made contacts in areas including North Carolina and Nova Scotia.
Club member and medical technician John Norman also operated a digital set up. Tim Connell, retired from the correctional system in Boston, sat in. He recently joined the local radio club.
Club member Bill Gillespie said the club has provided instructions for a local Boy Scout troop and that at least two scouts are now licensed ham technicians.
SSRC President Adam Parker worked through Saturday night and said about 35 club members were involved in making the radio contacts which, he stated in a text, “might simulate urgent information relays.”
Scott Seaman, a former Broward County Sheriff’s Office deputy and paramedic, and Greg Wilemon were among the visitors who have an interest in ham radio operation.
Fred and Nan Lopez visited Green Clover Hall Saturday to observe the group. Fred is a licensed ham operator and Nan intends to pursue ham licensing.
“Cool,” Fred Lopez said about ham radio operation as the four stations were busy at work.
To learn more about the Silver Springs Radio Club, go to fb.com/k4gso
Andy Allen of the Silver Springs Radio Club points out Ham Radio contacts that were made in other states and in Canada on the status board during the Silver Springs Radio Club ARRL Field Day at Green Clover Hall in the McPherson Governmental Complex in Ocala on Saturday, June 22, 2024.
Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette
Andy Allen, left, and Roger Ackley, right, both of the Silver Springs Radio Club try to contact another Ham radio station in the United States or in Canada.
The display on an amateur Ham radio.
Jonathan Kadegis, right, and Wayne Peterson, left, both of the Silver Springs Radio Club try to contact another Ham radio.
A special place
The College of Central Florida and the city of Ocala honored longtime community advocate Lorenzo Edwards by naming the CF Hampton Center Community Room after him.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
The Community Room in the College of Central Florida Hampton Center was named in honor of retired pastor and community advocate Rev. Dr. Lorenzo Edwards during a ceremony Thursday, June 20.
“I wasn’t expecting it (but) I appreciate it,” said Edwards, 86, just prior to the ceremony.
A plaque mounted adjacent to the room’s entrance reads: “The Dr. Lorenzo Edwards Community Room Dedicated in Honor of Lifelong Service to the College of Central Florida and The City of Ocala.”
The city of Ocala and CF partnered to hold the ceremony, which included several city dignitaries and CF President James Henningsen, who opened the celebration at CF’s Hampton Center, located at 1501 W. Silver Springs Blvd.
“Dr. Edwards made a lasting impact on CF and the city. He is the pinnacle of success
in helping all students with a focus on making sure minority and handicapped students had the resources to succeed. He rocked it,” Henningsen said.
Materials provided by CF press announcing the ceremony stated that Edwards began working with the college in 1989 as Coordinator of Project Success and Minority Recruitment.
“In 1990, Edwards advanced to the role of Dean of Minority Affairs and Handicapped Services, contributing to the inclusivity and support for all students until 1998. He then became the director of the Hampton Center, where he continued to influence and shape the community until his retirement in 2003,” the release stated.
The CF Hampton Center “holds a special place in CF’s history as the location where CF first began as Hampton Junior College in 1958. As the college evolved
over the years, the Hampton Center remains a key location in Ocala for dental education and community outreach,” according to cf.edu
Ocala Mayor Ben Marciano signed the proclamation, which stated the “community applauds (Edwards) as a pastor, educator, statesman, and decisionmaker” and noted his “remarkable service” to the community.
Edwards, who was active in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, served as a city councilman from 1986 to 1996.
Ocala City Council member Ire Bethea and City Manager Pete Lee presented the proclamation and award to Edwards, along with a mantle award. Bethea said Edwards was responsible for improvements at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Complex, including a regulation type football field. Lee said Edwards “blazed a trail where there wasn’t one” during his career of advocacy.
Edwards’ sons, Richard, 66, Stanley, 61, and Brian,48, joined their father at the celebration. They, along with friends, members of Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church and community members who packed the room, stood and applauded for Edwards during the ceremony.
Edwards was born in Ocala in 1938 and graduated from Howard High School in 1955. He attended Florida A&M University and earned an associate of arts degree from Central Florida Community College (now CF), bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Florida and a doctorate in divinity from InterDenominational Theological Seminary, the proclamation stated. He and his wife Barbara were married in 1957 and he said in a later interview they “are still together and holding hands.”
He served as president of the Ocala Chapter of the NAACP and was pastor of Mount Moriah for 50 years. Regis Boatwright, who said she has attended the church for 70 years, called Edwards a dynamic preacher and teacher.
Frank Washington, a long-time deacon at Mount Moriah MBC, was on hand to celebrate his friend of over 50 years. Shiyann Washington, Frank Washington’s’ daughter, called Edwards a “great role model.”
As the ceremony closed, Edwards recited a few lines from an inspirational poem and then thanked the group.
“Thank God for all of you,” he said.
“Dr. Edwards made a lasting impact on CF and the city. He is the pinnacle of success in helping all students with a focus on making sure minority and handicapped students had the resources to succeed. He rocked it.”
James Henningsen CF President
Rev. Dr. Lorenzo Edwards, foreground center, is shown with sons, from left, Stanley, Richard and Brian, during a Thursday, June 20, 2024, ceremony at the College of Central Florida Hampton Center to name the Community Room in honor of Edwards. [Andy Fillmore]
Rev. Dr. Lorenzo Edwards, foreground center, holds a city of Ocala proclamation presented to him during a ceremony naming the Community Room at the College of Central Florida Hampton Center in his honor on Thursday, June 20, 2024. Behind Edwards, are, from left, Ocala City Manager Pete Lee, city council members Jim Hilty Sr. and Ire Bethea, and CF President James Henningsen. [Andy Fillmore]
By Michael Warren
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.
government
JULY 1, 8, 15, 22
Marion County Development Review
Office of County Engineer, 412 SE 25th Ave., Building 1, Ocala
9am
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 marion. fl.legistar.com/calendar.aspx for agenda and minutes.
JULY 2, 16
Marion County Board of County Commissioners
McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala
9am
The commission meets in the morning of the first and third Tuesday of the month. Agendas, minutes and video are available at marionfl.legistar.com/calendar.aspx.
JULY 2, 16
Ocala City Council
Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave., Ocala
4pm
The council meets in the afternoon each first and third Tuesday of the month. Ocala government agendas and minutes are available at ocala.legistar.com/calendar.aspx.
JULY 2, 16
Belleview City Commission
Belleview City Hall, 5343 SE Abshier Blvd, Belleview 6pm Meets in the evening on the first and third Tuesday of the month; Belleview agendas, minutes and video available at belleviewfl.org/200/agendas-minutes.
JULY 8
Ocala Planning & Zoning Commission
Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave., Ocala
5:30pm Typically meets on the second Monday of the month, with agendas are usually posted the Thursday prior. Agendas, minutes, and video available from ocala.legistar.com/calendar.aspx
JULY 10
Dunnellon City Council Meeting
Dunnellon City Hall, 20750 River, Dunnellon
5:30pm Meets the second Wednesday of the month; Dunnellon agendas, minutes, and video available at dunnellon.org/89/agendas-minutes
community
JULY 13
Chef’s 100 Food Pantry Benefit and Bake Sale
Forest United Methodist Church, 17635 E State Road 40, Silver Springs
11am to 3pm Support the church and Project Hope with this benefit and bake sale. Tickets are on sale to enjoy a dinner of Polynesian pork with pineapple red pepper fried rice, with a drink included. Guests can opt to instead donate their entrée value to Project Hope to help women and children experiencing homelessness. Baked goods will be available for purchase on-site, with proceeds going to support the church’s food pantry. Go to square.link/u/wbg5m0pp for tickets and more information.
JULY 27-28
Hot Dogs A-Jumping
Ocala Dog Ranch, 440 SW 110th Ave, Ocala 11am to 3pm This tournament is an officially sanctioned event by International Dog Sports. Dogs compete in a series of dock jumping events measuring agility, distance, and catching ability. Day-of event signups will be available. Go to bit.ly/4bn2q4t to learn more.
AUGUST 3
4th Annual Chad Smith Benefit Xtreme Rodeo Florida Horse Park, 11008 S. Highway 475, Ocala
12 to 7pm The event will include some of the best riders and wranglers from all over the world, of all ages, as well as majestic bulls from multiple southeastern stock contractors. It will include live music, a cornhole tournament, food and a full bar for guests 21 and older. Tickets start at $15 for presale. Call (352) 857-6716 or visit bit.ly/XtremeRodeo2024 for tickets.
arts
THROUGH JULY 3
“MidSummer Dreams” exhibit
Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 SW Broadway St., Ocala
Tuesdays-Fridays, 10am to 5pm; Saturdays, 11am to 4pm
This exhibit features artwork from 64 Marion Cultural Alliance member artists who were selected to display pieces that depict the enchanting ambiance of the summer season. The exhibit includes a diverse range of art forms, from colorful landscapes to dreamy beach scenes, capturing the essence of the season. Learn more at mcaocala.org
JULY 6
Free First Saturday
Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
10am to 5pm
Admission is free to all guests on the first Saturday of each month. Screenings of the documentary film “Audubon” will be at 11am and 2pm. The Donut Express and Grilled Cheese Emporium food trucks will be on site until 3pm. Learn more at appletonmuseum.org
JULY 9 & JULY 23
Museum & Me Pre-K Program
Appleton Museum of Art, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
10:30 to 11:30am
Bring your toddler to the museum and introduce them to the wonderful world of art. This one-hour class begins with story time in the lobby and then branches out into the galleries, wrapping up with an opportunity for kids to create their own works of art. Registration is now open. Visit appletonmuseum.org/education to learn more.
JULY 13
“En Pointe: Expressions of Dance in Art” Exhibit Reception
Appleton Museum of Art, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
5:30 to 7:30pm
Appleton members are invited to attend a special reception event to celebrate the opening of a new art exhibit, “En Pointe: Expressions of Dance in Art,” which features more than 60 pieces and will be on display from June 29-Oct. 6. Visit appletonmuseum.org for more information.
THROUGH AUGUST 2
2024 Summer Art Camp
Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala Times may vary Half day camps are available throughout the summer for aspiring young artists ages 5 to 17. Professional artists and educators will introduce kids to unique styles and techniques, art history, and the collections of works on display at the Appleton. Supplies and materials are included. Visit appletonmuseum.org/2024-summer-art-camp for more.
THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2
Free Museum Entry for Veterans Appleton Museum of Art, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
All day—register for time slot online As part of the Blue Star Museums initiative, free entry into the museum is available to all U.S. military active-duty and veterans, as well as up to five members of their family. Find details at appletonmuseum.org
education
THROUGH AUGUST 2
The Morris Center Summer Brain Camp
3019 SW 27th Ave Suite 202, Ocala Times may vary
This summer 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 bit.ly/3VgMnhy or call (352) 332-2629.
JUNE 30
JULY 4
Fourth of July
Also known as Independence Day, the holiday celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the beginning of the United States as a country. Traditional celebrations include fireworks, cookouts and get-togethers with family and friends.
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JUNE 24 - JUNE 28, 2024
Brick City Odyssey Summer Camp Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 7:30am to 6pm Hosted by Marion County Parks & Recreation, this camp is called a “modern twist on traditional fun” for children of all ages. The last two weeks of the camp will feature field days, trips to Easy Street, indoor skydiving at SkyZone and other activities for kids and teens. Visit bit.ly/3yO7iRB to learn more.
Red, White, and OSO Blue: A Salute to Independence
Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala
Concert begins at 3pm
Celebrate the Fourth of July with a patriotic-themed show by the Ocala Symphony Orchestra. A tribute to veterans, the show will feature classic American music and the stylings of John Phillip Sousa, composer of many American military marches. Visit bit.ly/salute-to-independence to learn more.
JULY 14
Classic Albums Live: Wish You Were Here
Reilly Arts Center, 1750 NW 80th Ave., Ocala
5pm to 7pm
Fans of classic rock will have the chance to see the Pink Floyd album “Wish You Were Here” performed live in concert. Visit reillyartscenter.com/events/classic-albums-live-pink-floyd-wish-you-were-here for tickets and more information.
JULY 19
Taylor Shines—The Laser Spectacular
Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala
Two shows—beginning at 5 pm & 8pm
This laser light show will feature DJ Tiff and DJ JC playing the best of Taylor Swift. Swifties and non-Swifites alike can jam out at this two-hour special presentation of music and the visual portion will feature video projection and 3-D special effects. Tickets can be purchased in-person, at reillyartscenter.com, or by contacting the Reilly Arts Center box office at (352) 351-1606. Box office hours are 10am-2pm, Tuesday through Friday.
THROUGH AUGUST 2
Summer Kids Film Series
Marion Theatre, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala
Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at various times
Tickets are only $5 for children and adults. Children 12 and under will receive a free summer snack pack with their ticket, which includes small popcorn, gummy snacks and a Capri Sun. Film showings will be 10am, 11am, 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm. Titles include “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, “Moana, Kung Fu Panda” and “Rio,” as well as others. Visit reillyartscenter.com/summer-kids-film-series to see the full list of upcoming movies and dates and times.
Ocala Symphony Orchestra kicks off new season on June 30 with Red, White and OSO Blue
Staff report
The Ocala Symphony Orchestra will usher in a new season with a Red, White and Ocala Symphony Orchestra Blue concert on Sunday, June 30, at the Reilly Arts Center, in a special concert salute to veterans.
The OSO’s Special Concert series also will include a unique live performance of the 1927 sci-fi silent film “Metropolis,” a community “Messiah” sing along and a grand performance of Beethoven’s “9th Symphony.”
Maestro Matthew Wardell, music director and conductor of the OSO, will lead the lineup of timeless masterworks and world premieres. The season will feature six subscription concerts and seven special concerts.
“This 49th season features incredible collaborations between the orchestra, the Ocala Symphony Chorus, CF’s Patriot Singers, and renowned soloists—those collaborations will reach their zenith with Beethoven’s monumental ‘9th
Symphony,’ an ode to joy and brotherhood that promises to be a transcendent experience next April. Our subscription concerts will be some of the best yet, including works by Mason Bates, Tchaikovsky, Anna Clyne, Beethoven, Dvořák, Leanna Primiani, Strauss, RimskyKorsakov and more. Also not to be missed is our ‘Messiah’ sing along, inviting you to lend your voice to Handel’s immortal masterpiece in a celebration of community and music” said Wardell in the news release.
Subscription concerts:
“Fate, Goblins, and the Mothership” Oct. 19 and 20 (free open rehearsal Oct. 18)
Mason Bates’ “Mothership” invites you on an interstellar journey combining electronica with the orchestra. The adventure continues with Dvořák’s “Water Goblin,” which weaves a tale of love, tragedy, and a supernatural world beneath the waves. Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony
No. 4” rounds out this performance.
“Pops! Goes the Holidays” Dec. 7 and 8
Featuring your favorite music from Mannheim Steamroller, “Home Alone,” the “Nutcracker” and more, with vocalists from the Ocala Symphony Choir.
“Vive la France!”
Jan. 25 and 26 (free open rehearsal Jan. 24)
Join principal guest conductor Raymond Chobaz on a musical journey to France with Debussy’s “Trois Nocturnes” and Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Africa” with Kevin Sharpe on piano. OSO concertmaster Stewart Kitts will play “Introduction” and “Rondo Capriccioso,” culminating in Maurice Ravel’s “Daphnis and Chloe Suite No. 2” and the Ocala Symphony Chorus.
“Sound and Fury”
Feb. 15 and 16 (free open rehearsal Feb. 14)
Set off with Mendelssohn’s “Hebrides Overture” before delving into the contemporary
narrative and emotion of Anna Clyne’s “Sound and Fury,” featuring Ocala Civic Theatre Artistic Director, Greg Thompson. The tour ends with Beethoven’s “Eroica” symphony.
“Youth, Tricksters, and Metamorphosis”
March 8 and 9 (free open rehearsal March 7)
Featuring performances by two young concerto competition winners, the night will showcase Richard Strauss’s “Till Eulenspiegel” and Paul Hindemith’s “Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes” by Carl Maria von Weber.”
“The West meets Scheherazade (and Godzilla, too)”
April 12 and 13 (free open rehearsal April 11)
The grand finale begins with Michael Daugherty’s “Rio Grande,” with a glimpse at the world of Scheherazade told through Leanna Primiani’s “1,001.” Eric Whitacre’s “Godzilla Eats Las Vegas” will feature Joshua Mazur and the OSO. After intermission, the orchestra will transport you to the world of “Scheherazade” in RimskyKorsakov’s four movements.
Special concerts:
“METROPOLIS: Silent Film + Orchestra”
Oct. 26
The OSO continues its tradition of performing live with film in concert: Fritz Lang’s classic science fiction drama, “Metropolis.”
“Messiah Community SingAlong” Nov. 24
The inaugural Handel’s “Messiah” sing-along is for seasoned singers, enthusiastic newcomers and listeners who simply wish to bask in
Madrid’s outdoor delights
By Rick Steves
Spain’s capital, like its population, is relatively young. In medieval times, Madrid was just another village, but under several successive kings it transformed to a European capital. Today the country’s hub is the upbeat, vibrant home of more than 3 million people.
As the city grew, it made room for its newcomers with a sprawl of modern districts (of little interest to tourists) surrounding its fascinating, easy-tonavigate historic core. Today, Madrid feels orderly and welcoming. Massive urban-improvement projects—new parks, pedestrianized streets, and revamped transit—continue to transform the city. Madrid has worked hard to make itself more livable—especially for pedestrians. You’ll find wonderful car-free areas crossing the city from the Prado Museum to the Royal Palace. Strolling along the
pedestrianized Calle de las Huertas or Calle del Arenal, you can see how the investment turned once-ramshackle zones into trendy ones. Posts were installed to keep cars off sidewalks, making the streets safer after dark, and old buildings were restored, helping to preserve the city’s grandeur and intimate charm.
Simply walking these car-free streets seems to be the way the Madrileños spend their evenings. Anyone can join the paseo. On hot summer nights, entire families stroll the streets even past midnight— licking ice cream, greeting their neighbors, and enjoying beer and tapas in a series of bars. To join them, wander from Puerta del Sol, the lively central square, to the historic cobbled Plaza Mayor, or along the Calle de las Huertas, the pedestrianized street leading to the Prado.
For maximum fun, keep walking and go mobile for dinner: Do the tapeo, going from one bar to the next, munching, drinking, and socializing. You can
find tapas bars almost everywhere in Madrid, but areas in the city center are particularly rewarding for a bar-crawl meal: The two-block stretch on Calle de Jesús (near the Prado) is the easiest, with several wonderful and diverse places. I never tire of this edible scavenger hunt, where I collect small portions of seafood, salads, meat-filled pastries, and deepfried tasties, and piece them together for a light evening meal.
Spain has a reputation for partying very late, with night spots not closing until offices open in the morning. If you’re people-watching early in the morning, it can be hard to know who is finishing their day and who’s just starting it. Even if you’re not a party animal after midnight, make a point to be out with the happy masses, luxuriating in the cool evening air.
One reason people stay out late, especially in summer, is to escape the heat of the day. I often think people who talk about the weather and traffic have nothing else of greater interest on their minds. But here, with the impact of climate change, in the lofty and overheated interior of Spain, even people with plenty to say talk about the weather. The last time I was here in summer, I caught myself assessing restaurants by the quality of their air-conditioning. I saw poor locals, refugees from the heat, lying like lizards in the shade.
When it’s sizzling, Madrileños head to Retiro Park to take a shady siesta in a 300-acre green-and-breezy escape. It’s a place where you can hopscotch through a mosaic of lovers, families, skateboarders, expert bench-sitters, and pets walking their masters.
Once the private domain of royalty, this majestic park has been a favorite of Madrid’s commoners since King Charles
hundreds of voices at once.
“Symphony Under the Lights”
Dec. 6 (free admission)
Hot chocolate, family, friends, and festive music from the OSO and members of the Ocala Youth Symphony.
Young Artist Competition Finals
Jan. 12, 2025
This recital features finalists from the 34th annual Young Artist Competition.
“Opera at the Reilly: Puccini Love and Laughter!”
Feb. 23
The University of Florida Opera Theatre and OSO present Giacomo Puccini’s “Suor Angelica” and “Gianni Schicchi.”
“Ode to Joy: Beethoven’s 9th Symphony”
March 30
The OSO, with the College of Central Florida Patriot Singers and Ocala Symphony Chorus, led by Joshua Mazur, will join with four world-class soloists. The concert will open with Beethoven’s “Egmont Overture,” lead to his “Ninth Symphony” and culminate with “Ode to Joy.”
Coffee & Cocktails with the Conductor
These free, educational and engaging sessions give audiences the opportunity to learn more about each concert repertoire, the history behind the pieces and composers, and participate in an informal Q&A with Wardell. Dates and locations vary.
To learn about season subscriptions, individual tickets and more, go to reillyartscenter.com
III decided to share it with his subjects in the late 18th century. In its center is a big lake (El Estanque), where you can rent a rowboat. At midday on Saturday and Sunday, the area around the lake becomes a street carnival, with jugglers, puppeteers, and lots of local color.
Another green oasis is the Royal Botanical Garden (Real Jardín Botánico), just south of the Prado. Here you can take a lush and fragrant break in a sculpted setting, wandering among trees from around the world. It’s actually more than a park—it’s a museum of plants.
For great views and an ancient temple, head to the Parque de la Montaña. In 1968, the Egyptian government was grateful for Spain’s help in rescuing monuments threatened by rising waters above the Aswan Dam, so it gave its Temple de Debod to Madrid. Consequently, Madrid is the only place I can think of in Europe where you can actually wander through an intact original Egyptian temple—complete with fine carved reliefs from 200 BC. It’s in a romantic park that locals love for its memorable panoramas— especially at sunset.
Throughout Europe, energetic governments are renewing green space and turning formerly car-congested wastelands into public spaces. To experience today’s Madrid, take time away from indoor attractions and relish the exterior of this livable city.
(Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European guidebooks, hosts travel shows on public TV and radio, and organizes European tours. This column revisits some of Rick’s favorite places over the past two decades. You can email Rick at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.)
Maestro Matthew Wardell leads the Ocala Symphony Orchestra. [Courtesy of Reilly Arts Center]
Car-free streets in Madrid, such as the Calle del Arenal, helped turn worn-out areas into trendy zones. [Rick Steves]
CLERK OF COURT AND COMPTROLLER’S OFFICE AWARDED FOR BEST PRACTICES
By Marion County Clerk of Court
and
Comptroller’s Office
The Marion County Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s Office has been awarded 10 Certificates in Recognition of Excellence for Best Practices by Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers in the areas of Appeals, Civil Contraband Forfeiture, Court Record Retention and Destruction, Department of Revenue Parenting Plan Fee Waivers, Determination of Indigency,
Marriage License, Public Records Requests, Risk Protection Orders, Service of Documents by Clerks for Pro Se Litigants, and Vexatious Litigants.
The Best Practices Excellence Program was established in 2020-2021 by FCCC as an opportunity for Clerks to receive Recognition of Excellence certificates for completing assessments that evaluate acceptance of and adherence to certain best practices. The 2023-2024 Best Practices Excellence Program evaluated
and recognized Clerks for compliance in 10 areas and the certificates were presented during FCCC’s Summer Conference in Orlando, Florida on Wednesday, June 19.
“I am consistently impressed by our team’s commitment to excellence,” said Gregory C. Harrell, Marion County Clerk of Court and Comptroller. “Their work to accomplish certifications in all eligible areas is a testament to their hard work on behalf of the people of Marion County.”
Since the Best Practices Excellence
Program launched, the Marion County Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s Office has been recognized in 36 areas.
For more information on services provided by the Marion County Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s Office, visit marioncountyclerk.org
To learn more about FCCC, visit flclerks.com
K. POSNER, 905 S.E. 87th Street, Ocala, Florida 34480, the surviving spouse of the decedent and Successor Trustee of the decedent’s Trust, and her attorney is R. William Futch, R. William Futch, P.A., 2201 S.E. 30th Avenue, Suite 202, Ocala, Florida 34471. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, on whom a copy of this notice is served must file their claims with this Court WITHIN THE LATER OF THREE MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons who have claims or demands against the decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with this court, WITHIN THREE (3) MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No. 2024-CP- 1158 IN RE: ESTATE OF HANS PAUL DRUSKAT Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of HANS PAUL DRUSKAT, deceased, whose date of death was March 6, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for MARION County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 110 N.W. 1st Avenue, #1, Ocala, Florida 34471. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is June 28, 2024.
Personal Representative: MARK DRUSKAT
Attorney for Personal Representative: SHANTA MATTHEWS, Attorney Florida Bar Number: 69935 814 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Suite D OCALA, FL 34470 Telephone: (352) 421-8722 Fax: (352) 306-3759 E-Mail: shanta@smatthewslaw.com Secondary: lori@smatthewslaw.com
NOTICE OF SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
Notice is hereby given that the School Board of Marion County, Florida, will meet on July 9, 2024, at 1:30 p.m., at the School Board Administration Office, 1614 E. Ft. King Street, Ocala, Florida, 34471. An agenda will be published seven days prior to the meeting. The agenda may be obtained at the Administration Office between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The agenda is also available from a link on the District’s website: www.marion. k12.fl.us.
Persons wishing to address the Board should register with the Chairman prior to 1:40 p.m.
Any person deciding to appeal any decision made by the Board at the meeting will need a record of the proceedings and, for such purpose, may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence on which the appeal is to be based.
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No. 2024-CP- 1372 IN RE: ESTATE OF AMY JEAN KURVERS Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of AMY JEAN KURVERS, deceased, whose date of death was May 16, 2023, is pending in the Circuit Court for MARION County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 110 N.W. 1st Avenue, #1, Ocala, Florida 34471. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS
AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is June 28 2024.
Personal Representative: CLAYTON BADER
Attorney for Personal Representative: SHANTA MATTHEWS, Attorney Florida Bar Number: 69935
814 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Suite D OCALA, FL 34470 Telephone: (352) 421-8722 Fax: (352) 306-3759
E-Mail: shanta@smatthewslaw.com Secondary: lori@smatthewslaw.com
Notice
between
the
of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The agenda is also available from a link on the District’s website: www.marion. k12.fl.us.
Persons wishing to address the Board should register with the Chairman prior to 5:40 p.m.
Any person deciding to appeal any decision made by the Board at the meeting will need a record of the proceedings and, for such purpose, may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence on which the appeal is to be based.
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MARION
COUNTY, FLORIDA
Probate Division IN RE: ESTATE OF GERALDINE M. SCHWANKE, DECEASED. File No. 2024-CP-1470
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Geraldine M. Schwanke, deceased, whose date of death was May 13, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 110 NW First Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
A personal representative or curator has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in sections 732.216-732.228, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under section 732.2211. The date of first publication of this notice is June 21, 2024. Attorney for Personal Representative: COLLEEN M. DURIS, B.C.S. Florida
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No. 42-2024CP-1436 IN RE: ESTATE OF DIANE M. MCDONALD Deceased NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of DIANE M. MCDONALD, deceased, whose date of death was June 8, 2023, is pending in the Circuit Court for MARION County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 110 NW 1st Ave, Ocala, Florida 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice June 21, 2024.
Ted A. Lasseigne, Esquire Florida Bar No. 163202 Lasseigne & Ladner, PA Attorney for Personal Representative P.O. BOX 2238 HAINES CITY, FL 33845 Telephone: 8634222216 Email addresses: tlasseignelaw@gmail. com JERRIE MCDONALD SCOTT 109 JUNIPER
TURN A DINNER OF ROASTED CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES INTO A SIMPLE YET FLAVORFUL SKILLET STANDBY
By Rachel Toomey Kelsey America’s Test Kitchen
T
he chicken achieves a perfectly roasted hue and crispy skin from cooking first in the skillet, and once the chicken is moved to another dish to finish cooking in the oven (a must for bone-in chicken breasts to cook evenly), the skillet is left with a savory fond that is ideal for either making a rich pan sauce or flavoring pan-roasted vegetables, like artichokes.
Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts with Artichokes and Cherry Tomatoes Serves 4
18 ounces frozen artichoke hearts
Salt and pepper
4 (10- to 12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed, brined if desired
5 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
Pinch red pepper flakes
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Toss artichokes with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pinch pepper in a bowl. Microwave, covered, until artichokes begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.
3. Meanwhile, pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Carefully lay chicken, skin side down, in the skillet and cook until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip chicken and continue to brown lightly on the second side, about 3 minutes.
4. Transfer chicken, skin side up, to a baking dish and bake until thickest part of chicken registers 160 to 165 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes.
5. While the chicken bakes, drain microwaved artichokes well. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and return to medium-high heat until shimmering. Add drained artichokes and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and capers and cook until tomatoes are lightly wilted, about 2 minutes.
6. Transfer artichoke mixture and chicken to a large serving platter. Whisk remaining 3 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes together Drizzle over chicken and vegetables before serving.
(For 25 years, home cooks have relied on America’s Test Kitchen for rigorously tested recipes developed by professional test cooks and vetted by 60,000 at-home recipe testers. The family of brands—which includes Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country—offers reliable recipes for cooks of all skill levels. See more online at www.americastestkitchen.com/TCA.)
How to diagnose and support someone with post-traumatic stress disorder
By Jackie Richter Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’m reaching out because I’m in a tough spot. A close friend rode out Hurricane Ian in Florida last year and it seems to me that he’s struggling now. He’s angry and jumpy, while being numb to what’s happening around him. He told me that he’s not sleeping well, especially when another hurricane is in the news. Is it possible that he has PTSD from the hurricane? I’m not sure how to offer support without making him feel uncomfortable.
ANSWER: Post-traumatic stress disorder, also called PTSD, doesn’t just happen to characters on the screen. It’s a normal, natural response to trauma and happens when the nervous system, which is designed to protect you from danger, gets stuck in the fight-or-flight response.
People may develop PTSD when they experience, see or learn about a shocking experience or event involving harm, threatened death or serious injury. Natural disasters, like experiencing the power and devastation of Hurricane Ian, can trigger PTSD.
In addition to natural disasters, other common events that cause PTSD symptoms include accidents, being threatened with a weapon, combat exposure, abuse or receiving a life-threatening medical diagnosis.
PTSD symptoms
Some people experience distressing symptoms for a short period after a traumatic event but get better with time and self-care. For others, the symptoms worsen over time and begin to interfere with daily activities and relationships.
Overall, PTSD symptoms usually are grouped into four categories:
Intrusive thoughts. Recurrent and unwanted memories of the traumatic event can cause significant emotional distress or physical reactions. The person may experience nightmares or flashbacks, which is reliving the traumatic event again.
Avoidance. People with PTSD may avoid talking about the event or steer clear of places, activities or people that remind them of the event.
Mood and thought disturbances. This category of PTSD symptoms can mirror depression, with people experiencing hopelessness, negative thoughts about themselves or others, detachment from loved ones, lack of interest in activities, emotional numbness and relationship difficulties.
Reactivity. These symptoms may include being easily startled, always on guard for danger and overwhelming feelings of guilt or shame. The person may be irritable or have angry outbursts. They could have trouble sleeping or concentrating and engage in self-destructive behaviors such as drinking too much or taking illicit drugs. It’s important to note that some people may have a few PTSD symptoms but not enough for an official diagnosis of the condition. In these cases, treatment still can be helpful and can guide people toward self-care strategies and coping mechanisms.
PTSD treatment
The good news for you and your friend is that PTSD is treatable, and many people manage it well or recover from their symptoms. Some protective factors are especially helpful during recovery, including having positive social support from friends like you.
PTSD treatment involves addressing both the physical and mental aspects of the condition. Treatment plans developed by a healthcare professional are tailored to meet the needs of each person.
Certain treatments calm the nervous system and help people regain control over their physical responses to triggers. These tactics help the person have an automatic physical response to tell their body that a perceived threat isn’t accurate. Examples include grounding techniques, breath awareness and body-focused interventions. For example, short and shallow breaths can be signs of the nervous system reacting to a trigger. Through treatment, people can identify this reaction and learn to take slow breaths, which can calm the physical reactions.
Cognitive processing therapy can help your friend identify and challenge negative thoughts and beliefs related to the hurricane. Other treatments, such as exposure therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing can help as well. Finally, medications may be helpful when used in combination with other treatment options.
Positive support
I encourage you to discuss your concerns with your friend. Focus on your observations of his behaviors before and after the hurricane. Listen without judgment and don’t minimize his feelings. Suggest that he seek professional help to undergo a thorough exam and have his symptoms evaluated.
Finally, I recommend that you learn more about PTSD to get a grasp of what he is going through and why he may react the way he does. Remember that each person’s reaction to a traumatic event is valid, and his trauma shouldn’t be compared to another person’s trauma as “better” or “worse.”
PTSD isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a normal response to traumatic events, like a hurricane in your community. With a combination of interventions and professional help, your friend can learn to manage his symptoms and regain control.—Jackie Richter, Psychiatry & Psychology, Mayo Clinic Health System, La Crosse, Wisconsin
(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.)
LABOR FORCE, EMPLOYMENT, AND JOBLESS NUMBERS DOWN ACROSS REGION
By CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion
The jobless rate in the CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion region was 3.8% in May, down 0.4 percentage point over the month and 0.3 percentage point greater than the region’s year ago rate of 3.5%. The labor force was 217,695, down 1,570 (-0.7%) over the year. There were 8,370 unemployed residents in the region, a drop pf 825 compared to April and up of 652 over the year.
According to preliminary employment data released today by FloridaCommerce, there were 209,325 employed across the region, a drop of 615 since April and 2,222 fewer than the same time last year.
Levy County continued to post the lowest jobless rate in the region at 3.6%, down from 4.0% over the month; followed by Marion County with 3.7%, also down from 4.0%. Citrus County reported a 4.5% unemployment rate, down from 4.9% in April.
Citrus County’s labor force in May was 49,598, down 320 over the month and down 737 over the year. The county had 47,364 employed, a decrease of 127 compared to April and 940 fewer than the same time last year. There were 2,234 unemployed, a drop of 193 over the month and 203 more than in May 2023.
Levy County had a labor force of 17,387 which was a decrease of 173 over the previous month and 134 less than
the same time last year. There was 16,764 employed in May, a drop of 102 over the month and down 134 compared to May 2023. There were 623 unemployed, a decrease of 71 compared to April and 83 more over the year.
Marion County’s labor force was 150,710, down 947 over the month and 699 over the year. There were145,197 employed, a decrease of 386 compared to April and down 1,065 compared to the same time last year. The county had 5,513 unemployed in May, 561 fewer than the previous month and 366 more than in May 2023.
Rusty Skinner, CareerSource CLM’s chief executive officer, noted that labor force and employment numbers were down for all three counties in the region both in May and over the year.
Because the data is not seasonally adjusted, Skinner said it could be school related.
“Historically, we see contraction of the labor force and adjustments to the number of those employed as school support personnel leave for the summer,” he said. “At this time of year, there seems to be a bit of a tug-ofwar between those temporarily stepping away from the labor force in late spring and early summer and those seeking seasonal employment, such as college students, or returning to the labor force full time.”
In May, nonfarm employment in the Ocala Metropolitan Area, which covers all of Marion County,
was 121,300 in March, an increase of 1,200 jobs over the year for a 1.0% growth rate over the year.
With a 3% growth rate, the Education and Health Services industry grew faster in the metro area than statewide over the year.
Industries gaining jobs were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+700 jobs); Education and Health Services (+600 jobs); Mining, Logging, and Construction (+300 jobs); Leisure and Hospitality (+300 jobs); Government (+100 jobs); and Other Services (+100 jobs).
Industries losing jobs were Manufacturing (-400 jobs): Professional and Business Services (-300 jobs); Information (-100 jobs) and Financial Activities (-100 jobs).
The Homosassa Springs Metro Area, which includes all Citrus County, held steady over the year with 35,900 nonagricultural jobs. The Government sector gained 100 jobs over the year.
Skinner said that CareerSource CLM continues to help meet the needs of businesses and candidates by offering a variety of fee-free business and candidate services.
Information about fee-free job fairs, hiring events and other job seeker and employer services are available at careersourceclm.com or by calling 800-434-JOBS (5627). State and local employment reports for June 2024 are scheduled for release on July 19.
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