Ocala Gazette | July 28 - August 3, 2023

Ocala loses domestic violence and sexual assault resources

By Kristine Crane kristine@ocalagazette.com

After nearly five decades of providing services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, Creative Services, Inc., an Ocalabased not-for-profit, is closing its operations, a move the agency’s founder said is being driven by “personal vendettas.’’

The closure, effective Aug. 1, comes after a year of investigations by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, United Way of Marion County, and the Florida Department of Children and Families. Ultimately, suspended funding from both United Way and a string of private donors forced the closure, said Dr. Judy Wilson, who founded both services in 1975.

“As of August, the outreach staff will be laid off,” Wilson said, adding, “’We will pay the staff until all the women have been relocated.”

Wilson said 10 women have already been successfully relocated, and that she is working with DCF to relocate the 29 who remain, either locally or to their families in other parts of the country. “I’m not going to abandon the women at the shelter,” she said.

Wilson, 79, had been executive director of the Mental Health Association in Marion County in the 1970s and she created CSI because the association needed a new project to provide services that had been lacking in the community. While she said CSI has had its ups and downs over the decades, the past couple of years have been particularly challenging.

In late October 2022, Robert Haight, the CEO of United Way of Marion County, performed a site visit at the CSI shelters. This led United Way to suspend funding, based on safety and accounting concerns.

“I personally did not believe that the facilities as I saw them that day were appropriate,” Haight said. According to a Marion County Sheriff’s Office Incident Report from Nov. 1, 2022, Haight said he had stopped receiving CSI reports in June 2022, and that CSI said this was because of “staff turnover and COVID-19.”

In mid-February, a special investigations team from DCF performed its own site visit, and a month later threatened a “hostile takeover.” In March, an independent reviewer hired by the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence to perform an annual review of CSI’s sexual assault services recommended decertification of that program based on findings that the board was not following its own bylaws and annual operational reviews, specifically of a financial nature, were not taking place.

CSI had appealed FCASV’s

See Domestic, page A3

Area nonprofits welcome generous donations

checks in various amounts, sometimes presented in an oversized format, in memory of his mom. Among the stops were Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection, Hospice of Marion County and the Humane Society of Marion County, along with a visit to the Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County, where they made a presentation to the Royal Dames for Cancer Research, Inc., of which she was a member for 17 years.

Other local beneficiaries included the Voices for Change Animal League (VOCAL), Marion Therapeutic Riding Association, Final Furlong, Horse Farms Forever, Interfaith Emergency Services, Sheltering Hands and the Junior League of Ocala. Donations also are going to the Duke University Brain Tumor Cancer Center, Florida Thoroughbred Charities, Thoroughbred Charities of America and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Foundation, among others.

Family history

According to Brandon, his father worked for a feed business in Ohio called the Weisheimer Company, which had been around since 1910.

By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com

Cathy D. Perry always had an affinity for dogs, especially West Highland Terriers and Scottish Terriers, or, more familiarly, Westies and Scotties. She loved all kinds of animals, as well as traveling

and gardening. She and her husband, Roger, owned pet food supply stores, with their only child, son Brandon, growing up in the industry. Cathy also loved moving to Ocala and beginning a new chapter in life.

Now, three years after her passing on Feb. 1, 2020, many nonprofit organizations in

the community she adored are receiving donations through the Cathy D. Perry Trust. According to Brandon Perry, 29 charities locally and nationally are receiving grants totaling in excess $5 million.

Brandon and his wife, Diannah, were visiting many of the area nonprofits last week and this week to deliver

“It was mainly wholesale, with a tiny retail spot. He worked there through college in the late ‘60s all the way through the ‘70s. The owner was elderly, and an opportunity came up to buy him out. My mother and father, with the help of a couple of

See Generous, page A2

Married Ocala couple plead guilty to Jan. 6 crimes

By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com

Amarried couple from Ocala, the last two Marion County residents to be charged with crimes relating to the 2021 Capitol riot, pleaded guilty to their crimes on Monday, according to the Department of Justice.

Jamie and Jennifer Buteau, 50 and 46, are two of six people from Marion County who were arrested for their involvement in the riot, when a mob of protestors forcefully entered the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. in an attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election.

Jamie Buteau pleaded guilty to assaulting, resisting or impeding officers, which is a felony. His wife, Jennifer Buteau, pleaded guilty to parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, which is a misdemeanor, according to the DOJ.

On the day of Jan. 6, the Buteaus were captured on video surveillance entering the Capitol building at about 2:25 p.m. through a broken door in the Senate Wing, according to United States District Court documents for the District of Columbia.

About five minutes later, Jamie Buteau threw a chair at Capitol police officers who were retreating from the rioters. He was captured on CCTV carrying the chair, then pulling his arm back to throw the chair, then the chair is seen on video bouncing off a wall and striking an officer, according to court documents.

The pair were partly identified to the FBI by a tipster who recognized the pair from an HBO documentary titled “QAnon: Into the Storm,” where both Jamie and Jennifer Buteau appeared on camera and identified themselves.

An anonymous tipster who said they were a family member of Jennifer Buteau testified that she was involved with QAnon, saying that Buteau had been interviewed on the news as a QAnon member before, according to court documents.

The four other Marion County

residents involved in the riot have either already been sentenced or have entered pleas and are awaiting sentencing.

Kelly Meggs, a 54-year-old from Dunnellon, was the leader of the Florida chapter of the Oath Keepers, a far-right anti-government militia group. Meggs was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for seditious conspiracy, according to the DOJ. His wife, Connie Meggs, 60, was found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, plus two other felonies. She is awaiting sentencing.

Several local charities are the beneficiaries of more than $5 million from the Cathy D. Perry Trust.

Diannah Perry is greeted by shelter dog, Squirrel, as she and her husband, Brandon Perry donate a check for $740,120.50 for the new Animal Center in honor of Cathy Perry at the Humane Society of Marion County in Ocala on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2023.

Generous legacy

to Duke every other month and meeting with specialists there. The median mortality rate is 15 months once diagnosed. She doubled that,” Brandon noted.

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

- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black in New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)

Continued from page A1 other people, were able to buy him out in the early ‘80s. They slowly transitioned to phasing out wholesale and expanding the retail portion. In the mid-‘80s, my dad took a trip to Las Vegas because, at that time, PetSmart had just opened the first large, what we would now call big box stores. So, he went out there to see how they were doing it and in ’86 they opened their first Pet Food Superstore,” Brandon said.

Over the next few years, he said, they opened more stores in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Pennsylvania, and then Chicago.

“When they got big enough, they were trying to trademark Pet Food Superstore, but it was too generic, so they changed the name to Petzazz in the early ‘90s. By this time, they had 20 to 25 superstores, a corporate office, a large distribution center and well over 1,000 employees. We had our own semi-trucks and delivered from the central distribution center to all of our stores. In ’93, we went into Chicago,” he recalled.

“PetSmart was entering Chicago at the same time, and we tried to compete against each other and, at that time, our schtick was, we can beat anyone’s prices. At the time we could, because we didn’t have a middleman, a wholesaler. It was kind of a new concept then; everyone does that nowadays,” Brandon continued. “The big turning point came as we were going to go public in ’93, ’94. PetSmart came to them, and they ended up selling to PetSmart. Then, in ’94, they moved to Ocala.”

Calling Ocala home Brandon said his dad had grown up on a farm and always liked horses and “wanted to be a cowboy.”

“They looked at many places across the United States—Texas, New Mexico, Arizona… When they came to Ocala, they loved the live oaks, loved the Horse Capital of the World. They settled here because of the land. They bought Classic Acres, which was one of the prettiest farms there was. They owned 250 acres and did a lot of work, built a lot of barns. They had quarter horses, appaloosas, and paints,” he shared.

Brandon, who was in college at Ohio State University, took a position with PetSmart and moved to the corporate office in Phoenix, Arizona. After graduating from Arizona State University with a degree in business management, he also moved to Ocala, in 1996.

“After they retired in ’94, my dad got right back into business and called me and said, ‘Hey, I’ve got 200 horses and a breeding operation, and I need help.’ I did enjoy Arizona and was doing well and moving up the corporate ladder there, but I did move here and helped them

with that for four or five years until we got out of the quarter horses, appaloosas, and paints,” he said.

Brandon and Diannah, a native of Ponte Vedra Beach, met in 2000. She had grown up with thoroughbreds and she and Brandon soon discovered a common interest in the breed. They bought a piece of the Classic Acres operation and lived there until 2003 when they started their own Paragon Farms. By this time, Cathy and Roger had divorced and she had purchased the Hearthside estate on Fifth Street in Ocala, the former home of the Ray family, best known for helping develop the Silver Springs Attraction.

In late 2003, Brandon and Diannah moved their thoroughbred operation to Lexington, Kentucky, and bought Newgate Stud.

Back in Ocala, Cathy was enjoying renovating and refurbishing Hearthside, and traveling with her good friend Connie Brown, a fellow member of the Royal Dames group.

“She built this haven at Hearthside, and she would get up every morning and work out in her gym on the property and then she’d garden. She had her little routines every day. She loved to shop. I think she really enjoyed her time with the Royal Dames ladies and spending a lot of time with her best friend Connie, like Thelma and Louise,” Diannah shared.

“We had a lot of good times together. I was in banking, in trusts and investments, and she became one of my customers. We became good friends,” said Brown. “We went to a lot of places. We loved the West—went to Montana, Colorado, Washington State, we did the coastline into Oregon. We went to England. If we had a notion to go somewhere, we took off and went. Or we’d sit on her front porch and watch traffic go by and talk about anything and everything.”

Brown said her friend was “a very beautiful person and was very loving and giving to family and community. If someone was in need, she was there.”

At the end of 2014, Brandon and Diannah moved back to Ocala and opened Newgate Realty. They also transitioned from owning a horse farm to having a partial interest in some thoroughbreds, including at least one that raced in the Kentucky Derby.

Giving back

In 2017, Cathy was diagnosed with glioblastoma, “which is a brain cancer,” Brandon offered, to which Diannah added, “a very aggressive cancer.”

“Duke University is one of the leading researchers in glioblastomas. When she was diagnosed, she ended up going

He said his mother had stipulated that a portion of her estate be given to charity but did not cite specific entities. When he and Diannah and the trustee began to talk about dispersing the funds, he said the fact that his parents had made their money in the pet food industry played a role.

“And one of the caveats, my parents in the mid-’80 were, I believe, the first to do adoption centers in the stores. They had humane societies come in the stores in Columbus, Cincinnati, Akron, Canton, all over … and do adoption days. Now that is common, but back then it was cutting edge. And pets were always allowed in our stores. She always had dogs, had animals, so a lot of the charities we chose, not all of them, but a lot of them, had something to do with animals,” he said.

Brandon said that not long after his mother passed away, they met with Eddie Leedy, executive director of the Humane Society of Marion County, and that Leedy talked about a need to expand and to open a clinic accessible to the public, which would have a long-term impact for the community.

On Tuesday, July 25, the Perrys gave the organization a check for $740,120.50.

“We are very humbled and blessed to receive such a generous donation from the Perry family,” Leedy said.

In the early days of researching local nonprofits, Brandon and Diannah both said they were “blown away” by the work being done by Interfaith Emergency Services and Kimberly’s Center.

Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection received a donation of $188,166.23.

“We are so grateful and moved by the generous spirit of the Perry Family for entrusting their donation to support our work to help our children heal from the trauma of abuse and neglect. Gifts such as this are an inspiration to all who work in the nonprofit sector,” said Executive Director Dawn Westgate in a prepared statement.

The decision to make Hospice of Marion County a beneficiary was because of the care his mom received through the agency, Brandon noted.

“Most people don’t know what they do until you go through it,” he said.

Two family gathering spaces in the new Grace Davis Hall Hospice House are named Morgan’s Room in Memory of Cathy D. Perry and Madison’ Room in Memory of Cathy D. Perry. Morgan and Madison were two of Cathy’s canines.

What really matters at the end of each day, Brandon said, is not “necessarily things.”

“We have been through a lot, not only with my mother, but in Lexington there was a gentleman who passed away who we were close to, and he kind of rerouted our thoughts about life a little bit. We had the most amazing farm, it was unbelieveably gorgeous, but all we did was work. Our daughter was raised on the farm. Looking back, we probably missed out on a lot of stuff because all we did was work,” he said. “I think that working and being productive to society is important, but being happy and healthy and with your family is what’s most important.”

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Roseann Morton, second from right, receives a check for $740,120.50 from Brandon Perry, right, as other members of the Humane Society of Marion County look on, from left, Monteen Daniel, Bill Steward, Patti Lumpkin and Eddie Leedy, as Brandon and Diannah Perry donate the money for the new Animal Center in honor of Cathy Perry at the Humane Society of Marion County in Ocala on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2023.

“My parents in the mid-’80s ... had humane societies come in ... and do adoption days. And pets were always allowed in our stores. She always had dogs, had animals, so a lot of the charities we chose, not all of them, but a lot of them, had something to do with animals.”

Brandon Perry

Cathy Perry [Supplied]

Take action to ensure quality local reporting in Ocala/Marion County.

By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com

Although in-depth local journalism is declining nationwide, it must not decline in Marion County.

Marion County deserves robust award winning journalism that serves only the interests of citizens. The kind of journalism that serves as an extra check and balance to both the government’s power and the type of power that naturally goes to those who have power and resources to wield influence.

Last week, during the 2023 Florida Media Conference, the “Ocala Gazette” was honored to receive recognition from the Florida Press Association (FPA) for that type of reporting. Here are a few highlights:

First place- City’s fire fee case reporting. Remember the $80 million final judgment the city got hit with for refunds of an illegal tax? When the city attorneys erroneously advised the city council after the third appellate court decision that the city was entitled to another trial and then spent at least $100,000 preparing for it, we reported early on that the right to a second trial was questionable.

We spent months scouring transcripts and 10 years worth of records and shade

minutes to explain how the city got to that position.

The FPA judges said of this reporting, “This rose to the top of many quality entries. The work done to dig into the closed-door transcripts and pull back the curtain on illegal fee was impressive. Well written stories that delved into what took place and the consequences to the rate payers. Journalism at its finest.”

First place- Turnpike extension reporting. Remember that toll road the local chambers of commerce were pushing to make happen last year? No other news outlet besides the “Ocala Gazette” read all the project’s fine print to report on the impact of each route to Marion County residents.

Third place- Conflicts of interest. Remember when the Gazette reported that worrisome conflict of interest waiver that got placed in the city’s contract for legal services, but flew under the radar of city council and city management? The Gazette was the first and only news source to point it out and explain why it was contrary to the public’s interest. Only the Gazette challenged the city to do what was in the best interest of the public, not their “friends.” But when measuring the

Other accolades from the Florida Media Conference (Division B

Circulation between 4,000 and 15,000):

Our photojournalist Bruce Ackerman received third place for this spot news photo from Ocali Days of a cannon firing. and second place for this fun feature photo from Grandpa Joe’s candy store.

Local contributor, Joann Guidry took second place for her feature about a local who conquered the Mongol Derby.

Rosemarie Dowell, took second place in the investigative reporting category for her story about Fort Drane.

The Gazette took second place in education reporting for numerous reports about school capacity as it relates to local development policy.

impact of this reporting, Ocala received an even greater return- an in-house legal department, hopefully, free of conflicts of interest.

For all three of these essential subjects, we ask—What other local news outlets delivered this type of in-depth reporting? Only the “Gazette.” The public needed to know the truth, so we worked hard to gather it for you.

And it was not only our reporting that has been recognized, but also our advocacy on behalf of the public’s right to know.

The FPA judges also bestowed upon the Gazette the Jon A. Roosenraad Award for our efforts to promote open government policies. We submitted multiple articles in defense of the First Amendment. For example, the policy we implemented informs the public every time we encounter resistance to gathering information for the public.

While we are proud of this recognition from the Florida Press Association and we believe whole-heartedly in our mission to support the First Amendment, this type of local reporting can’t operate on its own merits, however well-recognized. The Gazette’s greatest challenge to continuing to deliver on this type of in-depth reporting is sustaining it financially. We need your support to keep a robust reporting presence- fearless in

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Domestic Violence shelter closes

Continued from page A1 subsequent decertification but revoked its appeal earlier this month, according to Jennifer Dritt, FCASV executive director.

“We never feel good about situations like this,” Dritt said. “It’s sad, and never a happy day for us.” Haven of Lake and Sumter counties is currently covering the sexual assault services in Marion County.

CSI Board President Mike Staley said CSI decided to relieve itself of the financial burdens the sexual assault center had become in an effort to save the domestic violence shelter. Both Staley and Wilson believe that people interested in starting their own domestic violence shelter were behind some of these investigations and suspended funding.

Additionally, Wilson said the shelter has always faced the threat of retaliation. “We have offended a couple of wealthy abusers by working with their wives and ex-wives in domestic

violence situations,” Wilson noted, adding that it’s a common trend that abusers try to sabotage the efforts of those whom they abuse by threatening, ‘If you leave, I will destroy you and anyone who helps you.’ Wealth, power and social injustice kind of go together.”

Beth McCall, the executive director of the Marion County Children’s Alliance, refrained from commenting on CSI but said inadequate capacity for victims of domestic violence has been a longstanding issue in Marion County, especially in the past few years, with significant population growth. McCall was asked by Sheriff Billy Woods to chair a task force on domestic violence a few months ago, “This is a community issue, and we need to be sure that victims of domestic violence have a safe haven,” McCall said. She added the task force itself is “still in the planning and research phase. We have made some progress.”

Second place photo from Grandpa Joe’s candy store.

Third place photo from Ocali Days.

Navigating life “in a positive way”

By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com

J-Gerrard Williams climbed a mountain while behind bars.

Williams was sentenced to prison in 2002 for several crimes with a firearm and has a current release date in 2037.

On July 21, he was one of 43 inmates at the Marion Correctional Institute (MCI) who gathered for a graduation ceremony to mark their completion of the three-year Xtreme Soulutions prison ministry and life skills program.

The theme of the graduation ceremony at MCI, a Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) facility in Lowell, about 15 miles north of Ocala, was “Speak to the Mountain 2023” and finishing the course was likened to reaching a mountain top.

The Xtreme Soulutions course has been offered inside MCI since 2005 by the Ocala based 501(c) (3) nonprofit outreach and was accredited as state curriculum in 2018. The organization has two paid staffers and more than two dozen volunteer class instructors.

“Participation in our program is entirely voluntary and is open to men of all faiths who agree to adhere to our standards and fully participate in the activities. The prison administration has designated a dorm to house our participants in one place, enabling us to establish ‘families’ within the housing area, each family consisting of 4-5 men with a family coach,” shared Xtreme Solutions Administrator Shirley Beattie in an email.

“Together the men learn to navigate life in a positive way, helping each other problem-solve, holding one another accountable, with prayer and encouragement. Their commitment to the

program includes attending at least three classes per week,” Beattie stated.

“Our results have been praised by the FDC administration, with a recidivism rate of 4% versus an average of 28% in Florida. We have many success stories of men who have rebuilt their family relationships, began new careers and even established businesses” Beattie wrote.

Attendees at the graduation included family members, friends and FDOC and political dignitaries. Two family members traveled from Houston, Texas, for the ceremony.

Williams, fellow inmate students, several family members and guests participated in a skit at the graduation ceremony dubbed “The Journey.” Williams made an imaginary phone call in which he portrayed an inmate “before and after” the program. The “before” inmate feels “life is empty” and is concerned only about getting money from his family for his own desires. The “after” inmate is focused mainly on his family. The skills learned in the course enabled the released inmate to “get into society,” according to lines in the skit.

“There’s nothing like it,” Williams, 44, said about the Xtreme Soulutions ministry. He said his crimes were committed as a gang member and that anger and alcohol were part of his gang world.

Williams has participated in the course multiple times and has become an “elder” or an inmate who assists with the course and instructs classes.

“I teach (a) Dave Ramsey financial matters class,” he said.

Koi Wilson, Williams’ girlfriend, said at the graduation ceremony that Williams’ “leadership” qualities were enhanced since he completed the course.

“I have a plan,” Williams

said about employment after his release. He aims to work in the cosmetology industry and also is a rap artist.

A five-man musical group, Xtreme Worship, provided music for the graduation ceremony including the song “The Blesssing.”

The Christian faith based Xtreme Soulutions course has 21, two-hour core classes that run for 12 weeks. Classes in the course include Family Relationships, Effective Communication, Money Management, Anger Management and Business Development, according to Beattie.

Food Handling and Manager’s Certification and Commercial Driver’s License special programs are available, according to the website.

The website indicates that more than 50 food handlers and 10 managers have been certified through Xtreme Soulutions and were “ready to go to work” and 300 students have received their CDLs through the program.

The founder of Xtreme Soulutions, Blaine Whitt, a native of south Florida, moved his construction company to Marion County in 1982 and, after accepting Christianity in 1986, began a worldwide ministry with his wife, Connie and eldest daughter, the program website states.

Connie Whitt passed away in 2017 and about two years later Blaine Whitt married Kimberly Whitt, who serves as chief executive officer for the program, the website indicates.

Volunteer instructors include Cicc Ferrentino, who instructs students in entrepreneurial skills for almost any service-based employment, and Bruce Seaman who teaches a “life mapping” class. Seaman, with Xtreme

Soulutions for 10 “rewarding” years, said over the three years, many inmates are filtered out and by the third year, students are serious about their goals. He said one of the students developed an interest in logistics and is “ready to work” upon release.

Vicky Dunstan, an Xtreme Soulutions volunteer for 10 years, along with her husband, Curt, said providing a game of bingo brings enjoyment to the men in MCI.

Blaine and Kimberly Whitt were part of the graduation ceremony. He said the program helps inmates find the “husband and father that God intended them to be.”

Dignitaries on hand included Florida State Senators Dennis Baxley and Keith Perry, several FDOC officials, MCI Warden Paul Kish and Col. Mikel Anne Heard of the MCI Staff.

Local minister Darryl Tolbert gave a rousing talk of encouragement saying, “God is in the jailhouse.”

(“These graduates) were part of the problem now they are part of the solution,” he said.

Speaker Trim Kane, jailed at age 14 in 1992, spoke of his prison ministry.

Visiting family members included Alicia Evalle, 27, and her sister, Gianna Evalle, 24, who came to support their father, George Evalle, who has been incarcerated for 13 years.

Alicia Evalle said her father seemed more “positive” since finishing the course.

Local pastor Myra Sherman came to support her “god brother” who was in the graduating class. She commented on his “very positive” outlook since taking the class.

Kish, a 33-year veteran of the FDOC and at MCI for eight months, said programs like Xtreme Soulutions “absolutely help.”

“For years we focused on the inmates’ (vocational) skills (and they) may have left prison with the hard skills for employment (but) without a spiritual component,” Kish said.

He indicated programs like Xtreme Soulutions provide inmates with a “moral compass.”

Kish said the roughly 200 inmates involved in the Xtreme Soulutions program have a designated dorm and they give “no problem.”

Kish attends baptisms, ceremonies and events related to the Xtreme Soulutions program. The Xtreme Soulutions website states a garden project was started in 2022 with 58 participants growing vegetables, which were donated to the MCI kitchen, local homeless shelters and community outreaches. The garden project continues a lesson in “preparing, storing and serving,” the website states.

The Xtreme Soulutions website indicates cooperation with “community partners” has allowed the program to supply air conditioners for the participants’ dorm, art supplies for murals, 140 chairs for the institution and more. Community partners include the Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County; Salt Life Church; Sonny’s BBQ; Christ’s Church of Marion County and Pay It Forward.

A 30-year-old inmate participant in the Xtreme Soulutions program who was sentenced to prison for a DUI involving a death in the Jacksonville area, said he used to be a “non-believer” about prison ministries.

The inmate said he once felt the ministries were meaningless, but now he is an active member of the Xtreme Soulutions program and performs vocals in the Xtreme Worship band.

Ally

Three-month-old Ally may be young, but she is already a polite little lady. This slender kitten already knows the difference between gentle playtime and time to let loose. She would be an ideal first pet for a cat-loving kid who is ready to learn responsibility and animal care.

For more information about adoptions please visit MarionFL.org/Animal

Ken

Six-year-old Ken wants you to know he’s not just a good-looking guy–he has opinions, thoughts, and a life story. In exchange for a nice, safe home, he’ll show you he’s also a great listener and loyal sidekick.

Current Adoption Specials: “Ocala Gazette” regularly brings you two furry friends that are available for adoption from local animal rescue organizations.

Pet adoptions are free this month in exchange for a donation of school supplies for local kids.

Xtreme Soulutions program helps incarcerated men with anger and money management challenges, relationships, effective communication and more.

Graduates are seen at a ceremony marking their completion and graduation from the three year Xtreme Soulutions course on July 21, 2023 at Marion Correctional Institute In Lowell, Florida. The ceremony saw 43 graduates receive a certificate for the faith based course which includes personal and business skills. Classes are also available for food handling and management certification and Commercial Driver’s Licenses. The course is open to all inmates and about 200 of 1,400 at facility are enrolled. [Courtesy Florida Department of Corrections]

Graduates are seen celebrating at a ceremony marking their completion and graduation from the three year Xtreme Soulutions course. [Courtesy Florida Department of Corrections]

A graduate receives a certificate for completing the three year Xtreme Soulutions course at a graduation ceremony July 21, 2023 at Marion Correctional Institute. [Courtesy Florida Department of Corrections]

The future of Silver Springs starts now

By

Silver Springs State Park is my respite from the world, my peace in uncertain and chaotic times, and my beautiful outdoor laboratory and classroom. You see, I’m a scientist fortunate to call Marion County home for over five decades.

Passion for my homeland prompted me to study the complex beauty surrounding us and join groups like the Friends of Silver Springs State Park. I enjoy meeting residents and visitors at our state park and discussing the complex ecosystems, the connection of land to water, and sharing ideas of how we may better appreciate and preserve the

natural resources.

The Silver River is formed by water flowing from more than 25 spring vents. This complex of flowing spring vents forms a world class wonder that should be protected with all the might, energy and passion we can muster. Historically, an average of over 800 cubic feet of water flows forth from those springs EVERY

SECOND! Imagine holding a 1-foot x 1-foot x 1-foot box— now imagine 800 of those boxes filled with water erupting every second! That equates to over 500 million gallons of water every day, creating the Silver River, which flows north to join the Oklawaha and St. Johns rivers. Every mile of the Silver River depends on that flow and is critical to the health and sustainability of the Oklawaha and St. Johns.

Ever wonder where all that water comes from? The spring vents are basically just cracks in an amazing underground system of rain filled rocks, the Floridan aquifer. The Floridan underlies all of Florida and parts of South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, and extends below the salt water into the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. It is the source of not only our springs, but also precious and vital drinking water for over 90% of Floridians. The aquifer is filled with vast quantities of groundwater held in tiny little holes and great big caverns of limestone rock beneath land surface. In some places it is deep beneath the ground but in North Central Florida it is close to land surface and unconfined, creating one of the highest density areas of springs in the world. This close proximity makes our area exceedingly beautiful, but also very fragile.

The aquifer bursts forth majestically but can be easily contaminated by activities on land. Contaminants from nonpoint sources include the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus, low levels of pesticides, chemical solvents, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, plastics, plastic breakdown products, pharmaceuticals, and other manmade chemicals. The vast majority of Marion County’s potable water data meets state and federal standards— levels of detection are low and have not been deemed to pose widespread drinking water health concerns. However, levels of some contaminants,

such as nutrients, need to be much lower than drinking water standards to sustain healthy natural ecosystems. Currently the concentration of nitrate (nitrogen) in Silver Springs discharge water is three times higher than the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s guiding Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requires. Exceeding nutrient TMDL values for springs is a leading cause of algae growth. When combined with lower spring flows due to drought and overpumping, the problem worsens.

Rain is the sole source of water continually recharging the Floridan aquifer but only a very small portion of rain hitting land surface percolates down into the aquifer. The majority evaporates or is diverted—especially as we pave over and develop our recharge areas. When we over-pump the

aquifer beyond amounts rainfall can replenish, we impact spring flow and may push our drinking water wells to stop delivering the high-quality groundwater we’ve all come to expect.

It is easy to take a resource for granted when we believe it to be inexpensively available forever, but our actions directly impact the quantity and quality of water. Future generations will be affected by the decisions we make today. Perhaps we should start referring to Silver Springs less as the beginning of the Silver River and more as the end of the aquifer? Collectively, we must own the choices we make—for better or for worse.

To learn how to support, protect and enhance Silver Springs State Park through donation, membership or volunteerism, visit thefriendsofsilversprings.org

Touring drama asks tough questions at Reilly black box

Described by “Broadway World” as a “heart-warming, gut-wrenching, soul-deep experience that can open a lot of eyes and, more importantly, a lot of hearts,” “Dissonance” introduces us to two friends who have shared sundry life experiences but must now have a difficult conversation.

Staged at the NOMA Black Box Theatre at the Reilly Arts Center at 3 and 7 p.m. on Aug. 5, the touring drama by Tallahassee-based Three Cord Production centers on Angela and Lauren, who met in graduate school, became godmothers to each other’s children and, more recently,

started a new business.

The 90-minute two-person play asks the question: Can a Black woman and white woman—who have been friends for over 20 years—have an open, honest conversation about race and have their friendship survive?

Set in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder and the summer of 2020, “Dissonance” ponders if allowing yourself to be vulnerable is worth the risk of ending a friendship.

“This play is an evenhanded fight that leads to forgiveness, healing and greater understanding, and we’ve been honored to share this story with communities throughout the country,” said director James

Webb, who will lead a talkback with the actors/writers after the 3 p.m. performance.

Speaking of the actor/writers, “Dissonance” co-stars and is cowritten by Marci J. Duncan, an acting and directing instructor at the University of West Florida, where she is the director of the acting program, and Kerry Sandell, who holds a bachelor’s degree in theater performance and a master’s degree in strategic communication from the University of West Florida.

To learn more and for tickets, go to reillyartscenter.com/events/ dissonance-stage-play

Lisa Saupp Marion County resident, Friends of Silver Springs State Park member.

Silver Springs State Park [Jon Barber]

Little blue heron at Silver Springs [Mark Emery]

Rising tide of students

Long-range estimates for Marion County growth envision the need for possibly 10 new schools.

By Lauren Morrish lauren@ocalagazette.com

Marion County may need to add between six and 10 new schools over the next 15 years to accommodate the current and projected student population growth, according to a school district committee.

Looking at current Marion County population growth projections, the committee found the county can expect housing units to increase between 2,800 and 3,500 annually for the next 15 years. The school district, already struggling to meet the challenges of rapid population growth, is looking for ways to find spaces for these new students.

The Marion County Public Schools (MCPS) Growth and Development Task Force Committee was created last fall by Superintendent Diane Gullett to study population growth in the county and bring options to the school board on how to accommodate the growth. The committee includes business leaders who examined the district as well as projected housing developments in Marion County.

The findings in the Long-Range School Plan include facility recommendations through 2038.

“The rapid growth that we are experiencing and our responsibility to move forward and address all of these items is complicated, but we are committed to doing what is best for our students,” Gullett said during the school board’s May 18 work session.

Nilgun Kamp, an employee of the consulting firm Alfred Benesch & Company, which worked with the district

committee, presented data to the board at a May 30 special work session. The study found Marion County is 19th in population out of 67 counties in Florida and is continuing to grow above the state average. The county also is 21st in projected population growth rate and 19th in absolute growth in the state.

District enrollment in 2022-2023 was the highest ever, at 43,199 students.

Kamp explained the firm estimated the increase in housing units with an accompanying rise in residents. After ascertaining the number of incoming families, and the generations of students stemming from these newcomers, the firm created its estimates for the numbers of elementary, middle, and high school students the district can anticipate over the next 15 years.

Using statistics from Marion County Residential Permitting, the experts said the county will average between 3,500 and 2,800 housing units annually.

If 3,500 housing units are added per year for the next 15 years, seven to 10 schools would need to be built. Whereas 2,800 housing units, in that same time period, would require six to nine new schools. The need for more elementary school spaces exceeds that of middle and high schools.

The Long-Range Plan identified potentially developable land in the county where six future schools could be built.

School Site A could be built in Winding Oaks, Site B in Northwest Marion Oaks, Site C in Soythwest Marion Oaks, Site D in Southeast Marion Oaks, Site E in East Marion Oaks, and Site F could replace Lake Weir Middle School. Site F

is included in a list of unfunded ongoing school projects. The replacement of Lake Weir Middle is accompanied by five new classroom buildings and two new cafeteria projects districtwide.

The committee also examined the cost of this new construction. With 3,500 units, the evaluated high-end cost is $652 million and the low-end cost is $413 million. The high-end cost for accommodating 2,800 new units of housing is between $369 million and $592 million.

The district has 21.64 acres of land as well as offices and warehouses potentially available as assets to help fund these costs. Another funding resource is the Capital Outlay Millage, a property tax utilized by school boards, allowing 75% of dollars to be legally levied and applied for lease payments from a maximum of 1.5 mills. These borrowed funds can cover

construction, technology, transportation, and more necessities to complete school expansions, but take 15 years to pay off.

Additional revenue sources considered for MCPS are reinstating school impact fees, a local government infrastructure surtax, and a school capital outlay surtax. The impact fees are suspended currently and are pending discussion by the school board and the Marion County commission, while the surtaxes require countywide voter approval.

At the moment, the district is making do with portable classrooms to handle the overflow of students. At the elementary school level, there arere 848 students in portables outside of the permanent classrooms. At the middle school level, 604 students are in portables, while 1,028 high school students are in portables.

Longtime Mount Moriah pastor honored

By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com

Sunday, July 23, was “Rev. Dr. Lorenzo S. Edwards Day” at Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, near the Ocala downtown square.

Edwards, 85, joined a Sunday service accompanied by his wife, Barbara, and they were greeted and congratulated by a congregation of at least 100 attendees.

Edwards served as pastor for 50 years at the church, beginning in 1968, as a “young man … new to the ministry” according to the church history. He is now pastor emeritus.

The current pastor, Rev. Dr. Jerry B. Alexander Jr., called Edwards a “Godly servant” and “our living legend.”

Edwards has a bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Florida and an honorary doctorate degree from the international Interdenominational Seminary, according to the history. He served for 10 years as an Ocala City Councilman, on the executive boards of several local organizations and as a program

director and dean at the College of Central Florida.

“Under the leadership of Reverend Edwards, an additional five pieces of property have been purchased. These properties were renovated into a multi-purpose facility with classrooms for Sunday school, Bible study, academic tutoring, dining and multi-media resources” according to the church history.

“The facility also houses the Mount Moriah Community Center, where food, clothing and referral information are provided to those in need”

Deacon Marion Lenon, a member of the church for about 50 years, was on hand to greet the Edwards. He praised their tireless work on behalf of the church and said he enjoyed Rev. Edwards’ sermons over the years.

Edwards said he was happy he “passed this way on his journey” and thanked God for his time with the church.

Regis Boatwright, a lifelong congregation member, attended the service with her grandson T.J. Stumon, 11. When asked his thoughts about Edwards, T.J. said “he speaks very well.”

Mount Moriah MBC is located at 55 S.W. 3rd St., Ocala. The “Gazette” has previously reported that the city of Ocala purchased the church site for $2 million and that a parking garage will be built there, with an expected opening in 2024.

A prior “Gazette” article noted that the church has planned a move for several decades. The congregation purchased a four-acre property at Southwest Fifth Street and Southwest 24th Avenue in the 1980s and has already started the process of building a new church on the site, Alexander said in that report.

Alexander said he wanted to “stand next to” Edwards when Edwards cuts the ribbon for a new building.

To learn more, go to mtmoriahocala1.org

CITY OF OCALA ANNOUNCES NEW WEBSITE DOMAIN NAME

The city of Ocala has transitioned to DotGov, a top-level domain (TLD), which is available solely to U.S. government organizations and publicly controlled entities. The new domain name is ocalafl.gov. According to the news release, DotGov domain names cannot be purchased and are only provided after extensive authentication through Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

(CISA), making it impossible to spoof or mirror a web or email address for fraudulent activities. DotGov domains cannot be used to distribute or promote advertisements benefitting private entities or individuals. Citizens can rest assured knowing they are on a secure site when interacting with the city, understanding communications received from any ocalafl.gov email address are legitimate.

King provides comprehensive and exceptional urology services here in the local Ocala area. He is board certified and has over 30 years of experience in male and female urology.

File photo: Portable classrooms are shown at College Park Elementary School in Ocala on Tuesday, August 23, 2022. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

Rev. Dr. Lorenzo S. Edwards [Andy Fillmore]

Texas case eyed in fight over Florida gun law

By Jim Saunders Florida News Service

Apending U.S. Supreme Court case could help decide the fate of a Florida law that prevents sales of rifles and other long guns to people under age 21.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday told attorneys for the National Rifle Association and the state that they should wait to file briefs about the constitutionality of the Florida law until after the U.S. Supreme Court rules in a Texas gun case.

At a minimum, that means the Atlanta-based appeals court likely will not rule on the Florida law until at least sometime in 2024—more than six years after the age restriction was passed following the February 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

The underlying details of the Florida and Texas cases are different: The Texas case involves a challenge to the constitutionality of a federal law that has barred gun possession by people under domestic-violence restraining orders. The U.S. Department of Justice took the case to the Supreme Court in March after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the law violated Second Amendment rights.

But the Texas and Florida cases share key questions about how to carry out a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court opinion in a case known as New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which said gun laws must be “consistent with this nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.”

The Supreme Court on June 30 agreed to hear the Texas case, though it has not scheduled arguments. The full 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said July 14 it would hear the Florida case, after a three-judge panel had earlier upheld the age restriction.

Florida lawmakers passed the restriction after Nikolas Cruz, who was 19 at the time, used an AR-15 rifle to kill 17 students and staff members and injure 17 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Federal law already prohibited the sale of handguns to people under 21.

The NRA quickly challenged the Florida law, arguing it violated the Second Amendment. Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker rejected the challenge in 2021, ruling that previous court opinions have given states leeway to impose Second Amendment restrictions in some instances.

The case then went to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where the three-

Judge refuses to halt Kids Care ruling

judge panel on March 9 upheld the law and said it is consistent with the historical tradition of firearm regulation. In part, the panel pointed to age restrictions since the Reconstruction era. It also said the law allows people under 21 to possess or use guns, such as guns they receive as gifts.

“To begin with, the act is no more restrictive than its forebearers: While the act burdens 18-to-20-year-olds’ rights to buy firearms, unlike its Reconstruction era analogues, it still leaves 18-to-20-yearolds free to acquire any type of firearm— including ‘the quintessential self-defense weapon,’ the handgun … in legal ways, as long as they don’t buy the weapons,” Judge Robin Rosenbaum wrote in an opinion joined fully by Judge Anne Conway. Judge Charles Wilson wrote a short concurring opinion.

The full appeals court this month did not explain its decision to take up the case—a move known as hearing the case “en banc.” But in doing so, it vacated the panel ruling.

The one-page document issued to attorneys Friday indicated the appeals court wants to see how the Supreme Court rules in the Texas case. The document said the NRA’s brief for en banc consideration is due 40 days after the Supreme Court rules, with the state then given 30 days to file its brief.

In the Texas case, Zackey Rahimi challenged a 1994 federal law that prevented gun possession by people under domestic-violence restraining orders. Pointing to the Supreme Court’s New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen decision, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the law was unconstitutional.

“The government fails to demonstrate that (the law’s) restriction of the Second Amendment right fits within our nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation,” the ruling said.

In a brief asking the Supreme Court to take up the case, Justice Department attorneys pointed to what they called the 5th Circuit’s “misinterpretation” of the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen decision.

“The Fifth Circuit treated even minor and immaterial distinctions between historical laws and their modern counterparts as a sufficient reason to find the modern laws unconstitutional,” the brief said. “If that approach were applied across the board, few modern statutes would survive judicial review; most modern gun regulations, after all, differ from their historical forbears in at least some ways.”

By Jim Saunders Florida News Service

Warning against “footdragging,” a federal judge has rejected a request by the state to put on hold a ruling that requires Florida’s Medicaid program to make changes aimed at keeping children with complex medical conditions out of nursing homes.

U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks issued a seven-page order Tuesday denying the state’s request for a stay of a ruling and an accompanying injunction that he issued July 14. The state wanted the stay while it appeals the ruling to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

A key part of the ruling and injunction ordered the state to increase the availability of privateduty nursing that would allow children to receive care in their family homes and communities instead of in nursing homes. In seeking the stay, attorneys for the state argued that carrying out the requirement would be “impossible” amid a nationwide shortage of nurses.

Middlebrooks wrote Tuesday that he is “not persuaded that Florida will suffer irreparable damage without a stay, but I am firmly convinced that if compliance with the injunction is delayed, the institutionalized children, and those at risk of imminent institutionalization, will suffer substantial harm. The public interest would not be served by issuing the stay.”

The South Florida-based judge also wrote that the case, which has lasted more than a decade, “has devolved into obstruction for obstruction’s sake, without regard to the consequences for these children with medical complexity and their families.”

“There is no basis or reason for a stay,” Middlebrooks wrote. “These children deserve better, as do those whose taxes are already paying for these services. I caution the state against foot-dragging in complying with the injunction. This issue is too important. And for the families involved, the stakes are too high.”

Middlebrooks’ July 14 ruling came in a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice, which alleged the state Medicaid program was improperly institutionalizing children. The case involves children with conditions that often require round-the-clock care involving such needs as ventilators, feeding tubes and breathing tubes. The judge wrote that the Americans with Disabilities Act requires the state to provide services in the most “integrated setting appropriate” to meet the needs of

people with disabilities. He also cited a major 1999 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said “undue institutionalization” of people with disabilities is a form of discrimination.

Attorneys for the state on July 17 filed a notice of appealing Middlebrooks’ ruling to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. They followed Friday by filing the motion for a stay.

The motion focused heavily on part of Middlebrooks’ ruling that required the Medicaid program to provide 90 percent of the private-duty nursing hours that are authorized for the children—a requirement the state said is not feasible. While about 140 children with complex medical conditions are in nursing homes, the case also involves children considered at risk of being institutionalized. The state’s motion said the private-duty nursing requirement could apply to about 2,750 children.

“Beyond the shadow of a doubt, the state will violate the injunction through no fault of its own, and despite its best efforts, because the provision of 90% of PDN (privateduty nursing) hours to 2,750 children in the midst of a nursing shortage is simply impossible,” the motion said. “If there is one fact that the parties, the court, and the witnesses all agreed upon at trial, it is that a critical nursing shortage currently exists across the country. The order and injunction do not deal with the undisputable nursing shortage that renders the 90% utilization rate flatly unachievable.”

But in his order Tuesday, Middlebrooks wrote that the state had a “full and fair opportunity” during the case to raise issues about being unable to comply with increased requirements for private-duty nursing. He wrote that the state “chose not to put on such a defense.”

“Despite its suggestions to the contrary, the state was not blindsided,” the judge wrote. “Indeed, the state’s failure to provide adequate PDN was the cornerstone of this case from its inception. It was certainly foreseeable that a finding of liability would necessitate a plan for the state to fix that problem, i.e., provide more PDN, and likely significantly more. That the state did not know what precise percentage of PDN hours it would eventually be ordered to deliver is irrelevant. It knew that some threshold amount would be set, and it was.”

In the motion asking Middlebrooks for a stay, attorneys for the state also indicated they would seek a stay at the Atlanta-based appeals court. An online docket did not indicate Wednesday morning that a motion had been filed at the appeals court.

City cites debt worries in utility fight

SWEEP NABS HEMP PRODUCTS AIMED AT CHILDREN

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said Tuesday that a week-long inspection sweep of businesses uncovered 68,689 packages of hemp-extract products—some with euphoric, high-potency THC—marketed toward children. The sweep, dubbed “Operation Kandy Krush,” was conducted at 475 businesses in 37 counties.

Packages marketed toward children were found at 134 establishments, said Aaron Keller, a department spokesman. A state law (SB 1676) that went into effect July 1 includes prohibiting sale of

hemp-extract products intended for human ingestion to anyone under age 21. The sale of hempextract products that could be inhaled was already prohibited. The new law also requires that packaging not be considered attractive to children. That means products can’t be shaped like humans, cartoons or animals or manufactured in a way that leads to them looking like popular candy. Selling such products can lead to seconddegree misdemeanor charges. Second violations within a year can draw first-degree misdemeanor charges.

By Jim Saunders Florida News Service

The city of Gainesville has launched a wide-ranging constitutional challenge to a new state law that overhauled control of the region’s municipal utility, including saying it could violate bond agreements.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in Leon County circuit court, seeks to block a law that created the Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority to direct the utility system, known as Gainesville Regional Utilities. While the law says the authority will “operate as a unit of city government,” its board will be appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and will not be under the city commission.

Among the major arguments in the lawsuit is that the changes could affect $1.8 billion in bonds and other debt that the city has issued to pay for Gainesville Regional Utilities projects. Also, it said the law (HB 1645) could damage the city’s credit rating.

The lawsuit said that under the changes, “elected officials, otherwise constitutionally charged with running the city, are barred and prohibited by this state law from exerting any control over the electric system. Such does not comport with ownership and violates the bond covenants. As is typical, there is shortterm debt that will need to be re-issued, but which presently cannot be.”

“In short, severing the control over revenues and the utility system generating those revenues, and leaving the city and its lenders without any rights bargained for and agreed upon, requires the city, under the terms of its bond ordinance, to challenge HB 1645 in good faith, which it clearly is doing,” the lawsuit also said.

The lawsuit named as defendants DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody and Secretary of State Cord Byrd. It came a little more than two weeks after a non-profit group and Alachua County residents filed a federal-court challenge to the utility overhaul. The federal case, which includes arguments that the law will improperly restrict

speech rights, is pending. It named the city, DeSantis, Moody and Byrd as defendants.

The overhaul emerged during this spring’s legislative session after Republican lawmakers repeatedly questioned transfers of money from municipal utilities to bolster city budgets. Those questions stemmed, at least in part, from many utility customers living outside the boundaries of the cities.

The House considered a bill that would have applied to municipal utilities throughout the state, but lawmakers ultimately passed the narrower measure focused on Gainesville. Rep. Chuck Clemons, a Newberry Republican who played a key role in the debate, is House speaker pro tempore, making him a top lieutenant of Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast.

Gainesville Regional Utilities provides electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water and sewer services, and its rates have been set by the city commission, according to the lawsuit.

The new law said the authority is being created for the “express purpose of managing, operating, controlling, and otherwise having broad authority with respect to the utilities owned by the city of Gainesville.” That includes authority to set rates, buy property and authorize issuing bonds.

DeSantis will appoint five board members, whose terms are slated to start Oct. 1. The board will appoint a CEO or general manager for the utility.

In targeting potential effects on bonds and other debt, the lawsuit alleges a violation of part of the Florida Constitution that bars impairment of contracts. But the case also alleges violations of other parts of the Constitution, including due-process rights.

The lawsuit said the law is ambiguous and “unconstitutionally vague, so as to deny the city due process.”

“For example, HB 1645 appoints five members of the board by the governor, but states it is a ‘municipal unit.’ The term ‘municipal unit’ has no definition in law that negates the role of the municipal elected legislative body,” the lawsuit said.

HARRIS BLASTS FLORIDA EDUCATION STANDARDS

New state academic standards guiding schools’ instruction about African American history have ignited heated debate nationally, bringing Vice President Kamala Harris to Florida to condemn the guidelines and prompting a defense from Gov. Ron DeSantis. Backlash over the standards, approved Wednesday by the state Board of Education, centers largely on a part of the middle-school curriculum.

The standards include a provision that requires instruction to include “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” The standards, designed to guide lessons from kindergarten through high-school grades, cover a wide range of topics. For example, early-grade standards require items such as students identifying African American inventors and explorers, artists, and people who demonstrated civil service.

After the standards were approved, Harris joined numerous Black leaders throughout the country in criticizing state officials for signing off on the curriculum changes. “These extremist so-called leaders should model what we know to be the correct and right approach, if we really

are invested in the wellbeing of our children. Instead, they dare to push propaganda to our children. This is the United States of America. We’re not supposed to do that,” Harris said during an appearance in Jacksonville Friday afternoon.

“It is a reasonable expectation that our children will not be misled and that’s what’s so outrageous, happening right now.”

The governor, who frequently clashes with the White House over a range of issues as he pursues a 2024 presidential bid, pushed back on Harris’ statements in a statement released by DeSantis’ campaign Friday. “Democrats like Kamala Harris have to lie about Florida’s educational standards to cover for their agenda of indoctrinating students and pushing sexual topics onto children. Florida stands in their way and we will continue to expose their agenda and their lies,” DeSantis said.

State Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. defended the standards prior to their approval Wednesday, and Paul Burns, chancellor of the Department of Education’s Division of K-12 Public Schools, accused critics of “peddling really a false narrative” about the guidelines.

Rep. Chuck Clemons, R-Newberry, played a key role in passing a law that created a new authority to direct Gainesville Regional Utilities. [Colin Hackley/File]

Trans adults seek to block new law

By Dara Kam Florida News Service

Citing a “crisis of availability” of care, transgender people are asking a federal judge to block a new state law making it more difficult for trans adults to access hormone-replacement therapy and surgery.

The law, passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature this spring and championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, requires patients diagnosed with gender dysphoria to sign informed-consent forms crafted by state medical boards.

Under the law, only medical doctors and osteopathic physicians—not nurse practitioners—are allowed to order hormone therapy. The law also requires transgender people seeking gender-affirming care to undergo lifelong mental-health exams by state board-licensed psychiatrists or psychologists.

The new restrictions have erected “unnecessary barriers” to care and “impose medically unsupported requirements” on trans people, plaintiffs argued in a revised version of a lawsuit filed Friday.

The law (SB 254) also banned doctors from ordering genderaffirming care for children but allowed minors already receiving such treatment to continue, under certain conditions.

Parents of transgender children filed a lawsuit challenging the restrictions, and U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle last month blocked a ban

on the use of puberty blockers and hormones to treat children diagnosed with gender dysphoria, calling the prohibition “an exercise in politics, not good medicine.” The state is appealing Hinkle’s ruling.

The lawsuit was revised Friday to add several adults as plaintiffs.

“One overall effect of the transgender medical restrictions has been to create a crisis of availability for transition-related care in Florida, with demand for that care vastly outstripping the supply of physicians authorized and willing to supply it. This has created extremely long wait times for treatment that leaves patients without their medications or access to other forms of care for prolonged periods, risking significant harm to their physical and mental health while they remain untreated,” the revised lawsuit said.

In a motion for a preliminary injunction filed Monday, the plaintiffs’ lawyers asked Hinkle to block parts of the law dealing with adults.

The law “singles out transgender individuals and creates arbitrary, harmful and medically unjustified restrictions that deter them from obtaining needed medical care,” the motion said.

The motion also argued that the “restrictions on transgender adults’ ability to obtain care, and those in the informed consent forms, are not even rational. Rather than fostering any interests in health or safety, they undermine them.”

Adult plaintiffs who joined the

FLORIDA NEWS SERVICE BRIEFS

CHARTER SCHOOL FUNDING CHANGE PROPOSED

The Florida Department of Education has started moving forward with a proposed change that would affect charter schools’ eligibility to receive money for such things as building facilities and buying property.

The department published a proposed rule Friday that involves “capital outlay” money and stems from a law (HB 1537) approved this year by the Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis.The proposed rule deals, in part, with school grades, which are based on factors such as students’ results on standardized tests.

Current Department of

lawsuit alleged they have been unable to find treatment or have had long-scheduled surgeries canceled since DeSantis signed the law in May.

A declaration filed by plaintiff Lucien Hamel, a 27-year-old transgender man who lives in Indian River County, said he “was incorrectly assigned the sex female at birth,” began dressing as a male as a child and started receiving “transition-related medical care” four years ago.

Hamel said he had been receiving testosterone from a nurse practitioner at a clinic in Melbourne until the new law went into effect, but he’s now unable to find a health-care provider who is authorized to prescribe testosterone and is taking new patients.

“Being forced to go without testosterone has had, and will continue to have, devastating consequences for me physically, emotionally and psychologically. Because of being unable to obtain care, I experience debilitating fear, anxiety, self-loathing and despair,” Hamel said..

Hamel, the father of a 7-yearold son, said he can’t afford to relocate to another state.

“Thus, I am trapped in a state that is denying me access to critical medical care that I need to live and thrive,” he added.

Plaintiffs on Monday also filed declarations from doctors who specialize in treating people diagnosed with gender dysphoria. The doctors said the state’s approach is contrary to widely accepted medical standards and pointed, in part, to the informed-

consent forms approved last month by the state Board of Medicine and the state Board of Osteopathic Medicine.

The consent forms say “medical treatment of people with gender dysphoria is based on very limited, poorquality research with only subtle improvements seen in some patients’ psychological functioning in some, but not all, research studies.”

Dan Karasik, a professor emeritus of psychiatry at the University of California-San Francisco, said the forms are “riddled with false and misleading statements” and thereby “undermine informed consent.”

Daniel Shumer, a pediatric endocrinologist and professor who serves as the medical director of the Comprehensive Gender Services Program at Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, also criticized the forms.

“When a regulatory agency interferes with the informed consent process to require doctors to misstate information, impose medically unsupported requirements and create unnecessary barriers to ongoing care, the process is corrupted and patient autonomy is undermined. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the consent form itself …,” Shumer said.

Kenneth Goodman, founder and director of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Institute for Bioethics and Health Policy, said in a declaration that the stateapproved forms “depart from well-established principles of

medical ethics” and undermine physicians’ decisions about how best to serve their patients.

The “doctor-patient relationship is of fundamental importance and therefore should be free from legislative or regulatory interference that does not serve a medical justification,” Goodman said. “These principles apply as a matter of professional ethics notwithstanding any individual’s personal viewpoint on gender identity or whether gender transition care should be legally accessible.”

Debate about the bill restricting gender-affirming care focused largely on children during the legislative session that ended in May.

“We cannot speak something into existence that doesn’t exist. We cannot change our sex,” Rep. Ralph Massullo, a Lecanto Republican who is a dermatologist, said in May before the House gave final approval to the measure. “And for those children that this bill addresses, they cannot change their sex, and they need to learn that fact.”

Florida is among a number of Republican-led states that have approved measures to curb or prohibit gender-affirming care for transgender children and adults. DeSantis, who is running for president, has made the issue one of his priorities.

In a separate lawsuit, Hinkle on June 22 blocked a state ban of Medicaid coverage for transgender children and adults, saying the effort was “invidious discrimination.” The state also is appealing that decision.

Education guidelines say that charter schools that receive an “F” grade under the state’s accountability system, or two consecutive grades below a “C,” are not eligible for capital-outlay money. The proposal would change the rule so that charter schools that receive two consecutive “F” grades or three consecutive grades lower than a “C” would not be eligible for the funding.

Lawmakers also during this year’s legislative session passed a separate measure (HB 1259) that requires school districts to share local property-tax revenues with charter schools.

DESANTIS EYES BEER COMPANY

Pointing to concerns about a hit to Florida’s pension fund, Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to know if the state can take legal action against beer company AB InBev, which has been embroiled in a controversy involving transgender social-media influencer

Dylan Mulvaney. DeSantis on Thursday directed State Board of Administration Interim Director Lamar Taylor to examine how AB InBev’s conduct has affected the value of state holdings in the company. The State Board of Administration oversees money in the Florida Retirement System and other state funds.

“It appears to me that AB InBev may have breached legal duties owed to its shareholders, and that a shareholder action may be both appropriate and necessary,” DeSantis wrote in a letter to Taylor. The letter came as AB InBev continues to face conservative backlash over a

promotional effort with Mulvaney.

The backlash began when Anheuser-Busch, which is part of AB InBev, sent Mulvaney a special can of Bud Light that included a message on the top of the can that said, “Cheers to 365 Days of Being a Woman.” As of February, the State Board of Administration handled $235 billion in assets, including $180.4 billion in the Florida Retirement System pension plan. Included in the holdings were at least 682,000 shares in AB InBev, with a value of roughly $46 million.

AB InBev stock price stood at $58.73 on Friday morning. That was up from $54.41 a year ago, but down from $66.73 at the start of April. In May, Bud Light lost its top spot in the U.S. beer market.

Anheuser-Busch U.S. CEO Brendan Whitworth in late June defended the company, saying the brand is about “bringing people together.”

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People, Places & Things

A Florida classic from page to screen

By Julie Garisto julie@magnoliamediaco.com

Anew documentary rambles through “the Big Scrub” to uncover the stories that inspired the classic north Florida-set novel “The Yearling” and the real-life locals who lent authenticity to the Oscar-willing film adaptation, shot in the mid1940s on location in the Ocala National Forest.

“From Novel to Movie: The Yearling in Florida,” produced and directed by Donna Green Townsend, includes stunning home movie footage provided by the Gregory Peck estate and interviews with the families of locals who lived in the Scrub before, during and after Rawlings put the story to page.

The home movies of the late star of the film include shots of Silver Springs herpetologist Ross Allen training the crew on how to handle snakes and actor Peck swimming in what appears to be Juniper Springs.

The documentary goes beyond the standard passel of behind-the-scenes shots and trivia—for instance, did you know that famed actor/ mosquito-complainer Spencer Tracy was the original lead in a locally shot production that was canceled in 1941 during the leadup to World War II?

More importantly, “The Yearling in Florida” celebrates the intrepid souls of the people who inspired Rawlings’ 1938 Pulitzer Prize-winning coming-of-age novel and the Oscar-nominated 1946 movie adaptation starring Peck, Claude Jarman Jr. and Jane Wyman. Their performances poignantly conveyed why Rawlings wrote once that she was “astonished by the utter lack of bleakness and despair in a group living momentarily on the very edge of starvation and danger.”

The 1946 film garnered seven Academy Award nominations and won three Academy Awards for art direction and cinematography as well as a Juvenile Best Actor statue, presented by Shirley Temple, for young Jarman, who made a heart-rending acting debut as the 12-year-old protagonist who adopts an orphaned fawn he names Flag.

Three quarters of a century later, on Dec. 12, 2021, Jarman visited the Marion Theatre in downtown Ocala to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the film and participate in a Q&A with Townsend. A video of the event is available on YouTube.

“Our documentary not only spotlights the Oscar-winning child actor who played Jody but many of the Florida folks who worked on the film in the Ocala National Forest of Florida in the 1940s,” Townsend shared.

Local musicians have a hand in it too. Mickey Abraham, Sue Cunningham, David Dean, Scott Jackson and several others contribute sparkly banjo picking and folk stylings to “The Yearling in Florida” soundtrack.

As Jarman said in one of his many Zoomed snippets in the documentary, “The Yearling” would have never been made if it weren’t for the magically descriptive but concisely journalistic author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, whose tales of the Big Scrub tales immortalized the Ocala National Forest.

“Rawlings uses every object at her disposal,” said Kathlyne “Kathy” Walkup Sheppard, the documentary’s associate

producer and a relative of Yearling film crew members. “When Rawlings writes about the forest, the beauty of it, the magical quality of it, the sounds of the pines, the feel of the hot sand under her feet, the water, the springs, the beauty, the animal life, the sounds of it is all right there in her language.”

A staple in American middle and high school curricula, the book chronicles a year in the life of a 19th-century family homesteading in the Ocala National Forest in the aftermath of the Civil War. As they encounter losses of lives and crops through tragedy and devastating storms, young Jody devotedly nurtures Flag and comes of age learning painful lessons about attachment and letting go as his father lovingly counsels him on the transience of life.

Associate producer Sheppard, interviewed in the film and co-coordinator of the 75h anniversary event in 2021, shares stories of her family’s hardscrabble existence and death to disease during the time of the Long family, whose members inspired the novel’s fictionalized Baxters and whose property and cemetery still attracts visitors to The Yearling Trail in the Ocala National Forest. Their struggles, she said, shaped her character and generations to come.

“My brother-in-law, Jack Owen, caught all the fawns in the film,” Sheppard said. “My sister’s husband was 14 years old at the time, and MGM paid him $25 for each fawn (around $424 today, adjusted for inflation). He received his Social Security card at that time from MGM, too.”

Jarman’s stunt double, Bobby Randall, is among the several family members of Sheppard. His down-home conversational manner adds a special spice to the documentary footage.

“He and Claude (Jarman Jr.) had not seen each other since the film was made,” Sheppard said of the Marion Theatre celebration. “Their reunion was quite an experience.”

Director/producer Townsend met Sheppard through colleagues of her husband, Lee, a former park ranger and tour guide at the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park, which comprises the homestead and citrus groves of the author. They are now close friends.

Townsend moved to the Gainesville area from Missouri in the 1980s and since then has enjoyed a prolific career as a broadcast journalist in public television, garnering an Edward Murrow award for documentary filmmaking.

She connected to the Rawlings’ legacy while researching a real estate development protest in Cross Creek, fell in love with the town and moved there. These days, she keeps the Rawlings legacy alive as the president of the state park’s Citizen Support Organization (CSO), Friends of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ Farm.

Lee’s family inspired a chapter in Rawlings’ novel “Cross Creek” titled “The Pound Party.” “His dad and all his siblings moved here the same year as Marjorie,” Donna explained. “They catfished for a living, and she gave them all a lot of jobs and sewed clothes for the kids to go to school and would go to look for medicine when she thought they needed it. She also hired them all to pick her pecans and beans and do odd jobs. They stayed good friends.”

Author Rawlings showed up

a couple of times on the movie set to check things out and lend guidance. The film is, for the most part, a faithful adaptation with just a few omissions (the film’s original length was around 3 hours before cuts were made).

In one segment, Townsend reveals that after “The Yearling” was released in movie theaters, Rawlings wrote a letter to Peck proclaiming that no one could have done a better job portraying the Baxter family patriarch, praising Peck for his “beautiful tenderness, his right whimsical humor and, above all, a certain quiet.”

Also featured are interviews with Richard Mills, a beloved local storyteller and U.S. Forestry Service employee who died in 2021 at the age of 101. Mills, in faint health, talks about when he was chosen to work on the set. He shared that he thought he was too short, but his enthusiastic hand-waving got him hired.

After the film was shot, the forest raconteur gave tours of the filming locations and the Pat’s Island homestead. His son-inlaw, Johnnie Pohlers, helped establish The Yearling Trai and was instrumental in blazing the Lake Eaton Sink Hole trails. Like his mentor, he led many interpretive forest walks.

Mills’ anecdotes include encounters between Rawlings and the bootlegger who introduced her to the Long family and the time Rawlings and “Gone With the Wind” author Margaret Mitchell visited the movie set together.

Peppered with fascinating, funny and tragic oral histories and snippets of preciously rare footage, “The Yearling in Florida” acquaints literature, film and Florida history enthusiasts to the people, places and encounters that inspired the Baxters, Foresters and other colorful characters, as well as their descendants such as Jennifer Pohlers, a media specialist at Forest High School.

Locals romped and stomped as stunt doubles; rustled bears, bear-hunting dogs and deer; labored in extreme weather to build fences and cabins and planted temporary crops only to have to dig them up again, and performed other strange and arduous tasks.

Speaking of difficult work, the documentary itself took three years to make because of obstacles put up by copyright representatives of MGM Studios. Townsend insists that she did not try to get the footage for free and even hired lawyers to negotiate a purchase. The Peck family got involved, and so did famed documentarian Ken Burns, but MGM wouldn’t budge, forcing Townsend to reedit the entire film.

“We wound up having to buy $1,500 worth of still shots,” Sheppard lamented, “and Donna completely redid the whole documentary using stills. When I say that it’s been arduous and tedious, I would say it with all boldface caps underlined and in italics.”

No matter, the footage from Peck’s home movies, provided by the lead actor’s daughter, Cecelia Peck, more than made up for any absence of footage.

“It was really a feather in Marion County’s cap, and I think it is underappreciated,” Sheppard said of “The Yearling” book and film.

“I know that the Scrub folks who contributed have never been recognized for their part of it and they made it so authentic.”

“My brother-in-law, Jack Owen, caught all the fawns in the film. My sister’s husband was 14 years old at the time, and MGM paid him $25 for each fawn (around $424 today, adjusted for inflation).

Kathlyne Walkup Sheppard

“From Novel to Movie: The Yearling in Florida” airs at 9 p.m. Aug. 8, in commemoration of author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ 127th birthday. Visit wuft.org for information.

A birthday celebration will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 5 at Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park, 18700 S. County Road 325, Cross Creek. For more information, visit marjoriekinnanrawlings.org

“From Novel to Movie: The Yearling in Florida” takes an inside look at a classic movie, the novel that inspired the film and the people who lived the story.

From left, Oscar-winning cinematropher Leonard Smith and director Clarence Brown on the set of “The Yearling.”

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, author of “The Yearling.”

From left, “Yearling” star Claude Jarman Jr. and his stunt double Bobby Randall reunited 75 years later in 2021 at the Ocala anniversary celebration.

Award-winning filmmaker, producer of the documentary “From Novel to Movie: The Yearling in Florida” Donna Green Townsend and “The Yearling” star Claude Jarman Jr. in 2021.

Kathlyne Walkup Sheppard, pictured here with a Big Scrub centerpiece, contributes local oral histories to the documentary “From Novel to Movie: The Yearling in Florida.”

From left, Claude Jarman Jr., Jane Wyman and Gregory Peck in “The Yearling.”

Program pairs youth and canines

Sometimes on Saturdays at the Humane Society of Marion County’s animal shelter, kids read to canines and felines as they learn about proper animal care and the humane treatment of animals.

And the dogs and cats get something out of it as well—companionship.

The DogGone Good Reading Program is for youth in grades one through five. It runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on select Saturdays. There is a maximum of 12 children per session and each participant must be registered in advance. A parent or guardian must accompany the child and stay at the shelter (in a separate area) while the child reads.

According to the society’s webpage, children do better when reading to a non-judgmental dog with no outside criticism.

To learn more, visit thehsmc.org/doggone-good-reading-program

‘Peter Pan Jr.’ showcases OCT theater program participants

The timeless play stars junior and senior casts, and students of all skill levels.

By Julie Garisto julie@magnoliamediaco.com

An enduring classic and the culmination of the Ocala Civic Theatre’s Education & Enrichment’s Summerstage youth program premieres this weekend.

The classic musical Peter Pan Jr. is live on stage July 28-30 at Ocala Civic Theatre. The story goes to a Victorian-era starry night in London, where the Darling children: eldest Wendy (Cora Taylor), proper John (Peyton Greenbaum) and little Michael (Caroline Overly) are getting ready for bed.

As their parents, Mr. Darling (Zorah Poole) and gentle Mrs. Darling (Jalis Redmond) go out for the evening, Peter Pan (Charlie Overly) flies in through their window. The legendary boy who refuses to grow up, along with his sparkly fairy sidekick Tinker Bell, has flown to London in search of his lost shadow.

“I arrived in 2018, and the kids had been asking to do ‘Peter Pan’ since my arrival,” said Terry LeCompte, OCT’s director of education. “It’s just that kind of story that everybody connects to and relates to, and it’s iconic, which I think is fun because it surprises me that a musical that was written in the 1950s is still something that kids today are still asking to do.”

Students in OCT’s educational program have been working year-round in junior and senior productions, and some have enlisted for the summer.

“All of our days are split between

skill-building activities and rehearsal,” LeCompte explained about the theater classes. “We run this program like a musical theater conservatory. They’ve got notebooks with worksheets and paperwork.”

Most of all, they learn through play, LeCompte added, an approach Peter Pan himself would deem A-Okay.

“Charlie (Overly), who plays Peter Pan, came out for the Christmas cabaret and singing was still like pulling her teeth at every rehearsal,” Le Compte shared about the play’s lead.

“She showed up for auditions and knocked it out of the park, and when I talked to her afterward, she said, ‘I wanna be Peter Pan. And I was like, are you sure? Because, all through the fall, I couldn’t get you to sing. … I think she’s one of the youngest members of the senior cast. I think that she is, I don’t know, maybe 12 or 13.”

Peter’s carefree tribe of Lost Boys includes Curley (Sofia Ahearn), Nibs (Liam Ortiz), Tootles (Lauryn Montgomery), and the twins (Bentley Johnson and Leighton Lightbody), with plenty of other lads to round out the gang (Trinity Gori, Preston Greenbaum, Sarayah Hendricks, Harper Nieb, Walter Oathouse, Felix Popca, Scarlett Reynolds, Ashlyn Shannon, and Greyson Sweet).

Then there’s fearless Tiger Lily (Alessandra Mastroserio) with her fierce band of Brave Girls (Sara Boutwell, River Head, Bentley Johnson, Leighton Lightbody, Kailyn Nast, Zorah Poole, and Tessa Reed) and the Little Brave Girl (Violet Hunt).

Grace DeClerk, who plays the villainous Captain Hook, is a senior and has won a scholarship to study theater at Eckerd College.

Peter’s pirate crew features first mate Smee (Ben Burnette), Cecco (Rebecca Andrews), Jukes (Zoe Cox), Noodler (Liam Sylvester), Slightly (Trinity Gori), Starkey (Lily Gonzalez), and many other bumbling buccaneers (Sara Boutwell, Trinity Gori, Rayme Head, Sarayah Hendricks, Zorah Poole, Jalis Redmond, Dash Reed, Sarah Roy, and Liam Shannon).

Peter Pan is Hook’s mortal enemy since the boy cut off Hook’s hand in a duel and threw it to a crocodile (Sara Boutwell).

Dani Moreno-Fuentes directs a junior version of the show, and music director Greg Doss supplies the tunes. Madeleine Meadows takes on the choreography. Senior cast stage manager Megan Brown and junior cast stage manager Cheyenne Dever handle all the details.

Katherine “Jack” Foust provides the fanciful scenic design, and costume designer Amanda Jones dresses everyone up. Lighting designer Jim Foster, sound designer Jazmine Whipple and props designer Cheyenne Dever work together to recreate that exhilarating feeling of the timeless classic tale.

Familiar tunes such as “I’m Flying,” “I Won’t Grow Up,” “I Gotta Crow,” and many more are featured in the abbreviated retelling, what OCT calls “the perfect summer flight into fantasy for Lost Boys and Brave Girls, pirates and pixies, kids and kids-at-heart.”

“Peter Pan Jr.” is live on stage July 28-30 for three performances: Friday, July 28, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 29, at 2 p.m.; and Sunday, July 30, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for ages 18 and younger. Visit ocalacivictheatre.com for more information.

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

Nixon Rodgers, 8, shows the book “Paw Prints In Heaven” that she read to shelter dogs.

Esther Risley, 6, reads her book to shelter dog Prada.

James Tromley, 10, reads his book to shelter dog Sawyer during the DogGone Good Reading Program for elementary school kids at the Humane Society of Marion County in Ocala on Saturday, July 22, 2023.

Ryder Clough, 7, shows a picture in his book to shelter dog Cookie.

Esther Risley, 6, Ryder Clough, 7, and Robert Blackmer, 10, left to right, pet Sawyer after reading to dogs.

Photos of rehearsal [Courtesy of Melody Murphy]

FHP cruiser photo in competition that ends July 31

By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com

What’s black and tan and a welcome sight in times of emergency?

It’s the familiar Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Dodge Charger cruiser—in the same recognizable colors the FHP has used on agency vehicles since 1939—and now you can vote for it in the America’s Best-Looking Cruiser Contest.

The FHP recently entered a photo of a sleek FHP 2019 Dodge Charger cruiser with a front bumper guard and low silhouette rooftop light bar—along with a big alligator in the foreground—in the annual American Association of State Troopers (AAST) competition. The photo was taken by retired FHP Lt. Jeff Frost at Gatorland in Orlando.

More than 40 states have entered photos of their state trooper vehicles, many backdropped by scenes representative of their home state. The competition ends at noon on Monday, July 31.

The winning state cruiser will be featured as the cover vehicle on the 2024 AAST calendar, which benefits the AAST Foundation to provide educational scholarships, the press release stated.

To view the entries and vote, visit flhsmv.gov/votefhp or surveymonkey.com/r/ bestlookingcruiser2023

Ocala Electric Utility celebrates its 125th anniversary

By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com

In the early days of the Ocala Electric Utility company, the provider served only about 600 customers. Now, as it celebrates its 125th anniversary, OEU serves more than 50,000 homes and businesses across Marion County and beyond.

In 1898, the city of Ocala purchased the Ocala Light & Power company for less than $15,000 and formed OEU, which would go on to provide electric service to residents for the next century and a quarter.

“Citizens and leaders of Ocala recognized the need for infrastructure to drive growth and development in the community,” according to OEU.

Since 2016, OEU has been a Reliable Public Power Provider, a distinction given to companies that excel in reliability, safety, workforce development and system improvement, according to the American Public Power Association.

OEU provides solar power in collaboration with 15 other public power companies in Florida in an effort to provide clean, emission free energy, according to the Florida Municipal Solar Project.

OEU kicked off its 125th anniversary with a celebration on July 14, which included a ribbon cutting, live music, games and an appearance from its mascot, Theodore the Electric Bear, at the downtown square.

To learn more, go to ocalafl.gov/ government/electric-utility

Photo by retired FHP Lt. Jeff Frost at Gatorland in Orlando.

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

Jordan Shapot paints a scene from historic downtown Ocala.

Left On Broadway performs.

Riley Wallace, 10, left, reacts as he gets a ride in the bucket of a bucket truck from Joshua Earhart of the Ocala Electric Utility during the Ocala Electric Utility 125th Anniversary celebration and ribbon cutting on the Ocala Downtown Square in Ocala on Friday, July 14, 2023.

Bird of the Week

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

Sandhill crane [MichaelWarren.com]

By Michael Warren

The sandhill crane is one of our area’s most striking birds. They can be found year-round, and one good place to see them is in the pastures near Evinston, just south of Paynes Prairie. Their deep bugling call carries an extraordinary distance. In the right conditions, they can be heard more than two miles away.

Try turmeric for a healthier diet, pain relief

By Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.N Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am a breast cancer survivor who still suffers from various aches and pains, including arthritis. A friend told me that her arthritis pain improved after she started taking turmeric. I’m committed to making this new year a healthier one, and I want to improve my overall health and diet. Can you tell me more about this supplement? Is it something I can add into my diet to feel better?

ANSWER: Turmeric is becoming a common spice in many home pantries, especially since people are hearing of its many purported health effects, including reducing inflammation.

Turmeric, which is a plant related to ginger, is grown in many Asian countries, as well as other tropical areas. It’s a major ingredient in curry powders—common in many Indian and Asian dishes—and is often used as a coloring for foods, fabrics and cosmetics. The underground portions of the plant can be dried and made into capsules, tablets, extracts, powders or teas. Or they may be made into a paste to apply to the skin.

Turmeric’s main active component—curcumin—is what gives the spice its yellow color. Curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties, making it a potential treatment for a number of health conditions, including pain, asthma and decreased movement in people with osteoarthritis.

Other research suggests that curcumin may reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels. In addition, it may lessen some of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, such as joint swelling and morning stiffness. Other areas of investigation include curcumin’s effect on Crohn’s disease, certain cancers, depression, diabetes, joint pain and irritable bowel syndrome.

There are various studies looking at the benefits of turmeric, i ncluding several that showed turmeric to be just as effective as ibuprofen for re ducing inflammation, swelling and pain. However, more research is necessary to confirm these effects.

Although there are supplements available, the data is not conclusive and supplements are not regulated. Additionally, like many plants, it is not just one component that may have beneficial effect. Noncurcumin compounds, such as turmerin, turmerone, elemene, furanodiene, curdione, bisacurone, cyclocurcumin, calebin A and germacrone, also have been shown in animals to possess antiinflammatory properties.

When taken by mouth or applied to the skin, turmeric—and the curcumin it contains—appears to be generally safe when limited to less than 8 grams a day. That said, different amounts often are recommended depending on the he alth condition being addressed, and higher doses have been used for limited periods of time. High doses or long-term use may cause gastrointestinal upset for some people—even damage to the liver.

Turmeric, or curcumin, may be a complementary therapy that is valuable for you. I would recommend that you discuss with your medical team using it as a complement to mainstream medical treatment. You also should talk to your health care team about turmeric if you take an anticlotting medication or at any point require additional chemotherapy, as the supplement may interact with your medication.—Katherine

Zeratsky, R.D.N., Endocrinology/Nutrition, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

(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.)

character with a horse

55 Love, in arias 56 Apples, pears, etc.

LOCAL CALENDAR LISTINGS community

JULY 28, 29 & AUGUST 5 & 8

Back to School Community Giveback

10 Locations, see website

Times vary, see website

The giveback, presented by the Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County, AdventHealth

Ocala and Marion County Public Schools, in partnership with the Bullard Family Foundation and Skanska, will take place around Marion County at multiple locations. Students must register under their own name and for one location only. RSVP through bit.ly/Marion_Back2School

JULY 28

Friday Foodie Fest

Lake Lillian Park, Belleview

5pm-9pm

Food trucks, live music, kids’ crafts and activities, face painting and local vendors. Held the fourth Friday of each month. For more info, see ocalamarion.com or belleviewfl.org

JULY 28 & AUGUST 4

Marion County Friday Market

McPherson Governmental Campus Field, 601 SE 25th

Ave., Ocala

9am-2pm

Shop locally fresh fruits and veggies, baked goods, jerky, freeze-dried treats, olive oils, seafood and more; recurs every Friday.

JULY 28-29

Professional Firefighters Big 3 Lift

Competition

EGH Fitness Center, 2730 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala

9am The Professional Fire Fighters of Marion County

and Marion County Fire Rescue are partnering to bring awareness to mental health issues that first responders deal with regularly. “Bear the Burden” is a weightlifting competition and fundraiser. The entry fee is $20 and competitors will get a T-shirt. Registration is suggested, but not required. For more info, mcfbf.org and firerescuesupport.com

JULY 28-30 & AUGUST 4-6

Market of Marion Market of Marion, 12888 SE US Highway 441, Belleview

8am-4pm

A classic farmer’s market with lots of vendor shops. Fruits, vegetables, critters, jewelry, soaps, handcrafted items and more. Open every weekend, with monthly special events. See themarketofmarion.com

JULY 29 & AUGUST 5

Ocala Downtown Farmers Market

Ocala Downtown Market, 310 SE Third St., Ocala

9am-2pm

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

JULY 29 & AUGUST 5

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

9am-2pm

A true farmers market where chickens, ducks, quail, geese, goats, turkeys, rabbits and sometimes ponies are available, along with horse tack, home-

critters & equine

JULY 28-30 & AUGUST 3-6

Summer Series: Hunter/Jumper Shows

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

8am-4pm

FEI CSI3* competitions. Food and drink options onsite; some events have a parking fee. See worldequestriancenter.com for more info.

JULY 28-30

All-Star Reining Stakes

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

All day

This weekend wraps us this high-energy horse show. Novice, youth, pro and amateur classes. Spectators welcome. Free to attend. See allstarreiningstakes.com/all-star-show for more info and schedule.

JULY 28-30

Riders of the Wind Florida Horse Park, 11008 South Highway 475, Ocala

Times vary, see website

Created by a Kazakhstan family with a history in show business, the performances and costumes were inspired by the Genghis Khan era and Russian cavalry. The show features horses, two camels, a poodle act and daredevil performances. Tickets are $10 for children, $25 for adults. See theridersofthewind.com for more info.

JULY 29 & AUGUST 5

Summer Sunset Polo

grown plants, produce and hand-crafted items. Saturdays, weather permitting.

JULY 29

Aviators’ Playground Dedication

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

10am

A new and unique kids’ playground opens as the aviation community honors Edwin Martin. The playground has ropes and ladders, a play gym, spring riders and aviation history panels, all overlooking the airport apron. Free to attend. For more info, call (352) 629-8377.

JULY 29 - AUGUST 5

Cal Ripken Youth World Series

Ocala Rotary Sportsplex, 5220 SE Maricamp Road, Ocala Times vary

Dozens of youth baseball teams will visit Marion County for the annual youth World Series competitions. A kick-off event is July 29 at the World Equestrian Center and a parade at the downtown Ocala square is on July 30. Games start July 31 and all are free and open to the public. For more info, ocalamarion.com or jessica.heller@marionfl.org

AUGUST 1

Master Gardeners Plant Clinic

Dunnellon Public Library, 20351 Robinson Road, Dunnellon

10am-12pm Bring your plant questions to the experts at this clinic from the Marion County Master Gardeners. Free to attend.

Florida Horse Park, 11008 South Highway 475, Ocala

6pm

Free to the public, tailgate right next to the polo field and enjoy a unique evening out. Saturday evenings through September. Check out ocalapolo.com for more info.

AUGUST 2

Wildlife Wednesdays

Heritage Nature Conservancy, 2205 NE Third St., Ocala

5pm-6pm

Weekly topics vary and often cover turtles, tortoises, snakes, bears, bats, owls and more. Free to attend. For more info, ocalafl.gov/recpark

AUGUST 5-6

August Barn Burner Dog Dock Diving

Ocala Dog Ranch, 440 SW 110th Ave., Ocala

9am-5pm

This International Dog Sports event will have multiple jump opportunities. Jumping rounds for dogs start at $20 in advance and $25 day of. For more info, check out ocaladogranch.com

government

JULY 31 & AUGUST 7

Marion County Development

Review Committee

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

9am

The first step for new development projects, the committee reviews and votes on waiver requests to the Land Development Code, major site plans, and subdivision plans. Meets weekly on Mondays; agendas are usually posted the Friday prior. Agendas, minutes and video available at marionfl.legistar.com/ calendar.aspx

AUGUST 1

Marion County Board of County Commissioners

Meeting McPherson Governmental Campus

Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala 9am & 2pm

Meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. The Planning & Zoning

AUGUST 3

OTOW Farmers Market

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

9am-1pm

On Top of the World hosts this market with a selection of fresh seasonal produce from local growers as well as baked goods, plants, handmade soaps and more; recurs every Thursday. Visit circlesquarecommons.com for more info.

AUGUST 3

Summer Night Lecture Series

Fort King National Historic Landmark, 3925 E. Fort King St., Ocala

6pm-8pm

Topics cover state and local history. This week, Bruce McFadden talks about the prehistoric waters of Florida and its fossil history. Recurs every Thursday night through Aug. 17. Check out ocalafl. gov/recpark for more info.

AUGUST 5

Friends of the Library Book Sale

Headquarters Public Library, 2720 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala

10am-2pm

This quarterly sale of paperback, hardbacks, books on tape and more benefits the Friends of the Library programs and local branches. Free admission. Prices start at 25 cents. See friendsoftheocalalibrary.org for more info.

civic

JULY 28 & AUGUST 4

portion is scheduled for the 2pm meeting. Agendas are usually posted the Thursday prior. Agendas, minutes and video available at marionfl.legistar.com/calendar.aspx

AUGUST 1

Ocala City Council Meeting City Hall, 110 SE Watula Avenue, Ocala 4pm Meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. Agendas are usually posted the Thursday prior; agendas, minutes and video available from ocala.legistar.com/calendar.aspx

AUGUST 1

Belleview City Commission

Meeting City Hall, 5343 SE Abshier Blvd., Belleview 6pm

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

South Ocala Chess Club at Freedom Library Freedom Public Library, 5870 SW 95th St., Ocala

10am-12pm

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

JULY 28 & AUGUST 4

Kiwanis Club of Ocala Central Christian Church, 3010 NE 14th St., Ocala 12pm

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

JULY 29 & AUGUST 5

Ocala Chess Club at Headquarters Library Headquarters Library, 2720 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 11am-3pm

Meets weekly on Saturdays; new members welcome. Please bring your own chess set. For more info, facebook.com/ groups/53070499106

AUGUST 2

VFW Wednesday Dinners Angela S. Santos FVW Post 4781, 9401 SW 110th St., Ocala 4:30pm-6:30pm

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

AUGUST 3

Ocala Lions Club

Ocala Golf Club, 3130 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 12pm

Meets weekly on Thursdays; newcomers welcome. The club supports vision health and diabetes prevention. More info at e-clubhouse.org/sites/ocalafl

File photo: Lauren Proctor-Brown of the Resolute team, left, battles for the ball with Guillermo Jeime of the Piccin and Glynn team, second from left, as players, from left: Sissy Sugarman, Sherry Wegmuller and Katie Glynn play along during a Sunset Polo Match at the Florida Agriculture Center and Horse Park south of Ocala on Saturday, July 30, 2022. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

arts

JULY 28-AUGUST 25

Painting and More Workshops

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

10am

Arts in Health Ocala hosts a variety of visual artists to teach free art workshops on Fridays. All supplies are included. Beginners are welcome. See aihocala.org/ painting-and-more for more info.

JULY 28

Sit Down for Stand Up!

Marion Theatre, 50 S Magnolia Ave., Ocala

8pm

Comics Matt Fernandez, Kye Saunders and James Hollinsworth are ready to entertain you with this special show. Tickets are $15 from reillyartscenter.com. Note: this is a 21+ show.

JULY 29

One Sweet Season

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

10am

The Ocala Civic Theatre hosts a meet-and-greet session to preview its 2023-24 season with shows like “Sweeney Todd” and “Peter Pan Jr.” slated for production. Executive and Artistic Director Greg Thompson will share news about the shows, along with coffee and donuts. RSVP to (352) 236-2274 or email info@ocalacivictheatre.com

JULY 30

First Friday Art Walk Applications

Due Applications are open for participating artists, arts organizations, downtown businesses and business sponsorships for the September 2023-May 2024 season. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Aug. 1 and are available at ocalafl.gov/artwalk

AUGUST 2-SEPTEMBER 6

Regal Summer Movie Express

Regal Hollywood Theaters, 2801 SW 27th Ave., Ocala

10am Tickets are $2; check the theater website for exact show times. For more info, bit.ly/43k01DC

AUGUST 2

Summer Kid’s Film Series

Marion Theater, 50 S Magnolia Ave., Ocala

Times vary, check website

Kids age 12 and under can enjoy movies for $5 (includes a snack pack). Visit reillyartscenter.com/ mariontickets for more info.

AUGUST 2

Kids Summer Show Series

Epic Theatre, 4414 SW College Road, Ocala

Times vary, check website Tickets for kids are only $1. See bit.ly/3MEX4Go

AUGUST 2-30

Painting for Veterans

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

6pm-8pm

Hosted by the Arts in Health Ocala Metro group and veteran Aaron Thomas. Beginners welcome. Supplies are included. Free to attend. Register at ocalafl.gov/recpark

AUGUST 3

Coffee and Cake NOMA Art Gallery, 939 N. Magnolia Ave., Ocala

1pm-4pm Weekly coffee (and cake) klatches bring together gallery guests, artists, patrons, creative types and more. Every Thursday afternoon. All are welcome. See nomaocala.com/events for more info.

AUGUST 5

Free First Saturday Appleton Museum, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 10am-5pm View museum works, regular and special collections, and create art in the interactive Artspace. This month, artist Charles Eady will give tours of his solo exhibition, “The Unscene South,” at 11am and 2 pm. Scuba Steve’s Snack Shack will be onsite. See appletonmuseum.org for more info.

THROUGH AUGUST 30

Deadline: Ocala Outdoor Sculpture

Competition Call for entries for the Seventh Biennial Ocala Outdoor Sculpture Competition is now open. Ten works will be selected for a two-year outdoor exhibition in Tuscawilla Park and Tuscawilla Art Park. This competition is open to artists currently working and residing in North America with experience in large outdoor public art. Each artist selected for the exhibition will receive a $2,000 honorarium. For submission guidelines and event information, visit www.ocalafl.gov/sculpture

THROUGH DECEMBER 12

“Patternz” by Kelsey Mahoney

Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave., Ocala

Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm

The city continues its Art in City Spaces program with this exhibit by emerging artist Kelsey Mahoney. Her abstract work is filled with vibrant colors and mosaic themes. Free to the public. For more info, ocalafl.gov/artincityspaces

THROUGH JANUARY 4

“Bold and Inspired: Native American Regalia” and “Abstract Island Expressions”

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

Community center hours

Married couple Diana and William Lee are exhibiting their work in side-by-side exhibitions, each with its own distinctive style and theme reflecting each artist and their different approaches. Diana shows colorful acrylic paintings are inspired by her Cherokee ancestry and experiences visiting Native American sites in Kentucky. William revisits his childhood growing up in Nassau with his vibrant abstract expressionist paintings. The exhibit is part of the Ocala Art in City Spaces program. See ocalaflo.org/artincityspaces for more info.

THROUGH JANUARY 8

The Beauty of Nature and Recyclable Refuse

Recreation and Parks Administration Building and Adult Activity Center, 828/830 NE Eighth Ave., Ocala

8am-5pm

Florida artist Albert Bevilacqua focuses this exhibit on recyclable items and has turned them into artistic statements about protecting the environment. Free to the public, this is part of the Art in City Spaces program by the city of Ocala. See ocalafl.gov/artincityspaces for more info.

THROUGH JANUARY 9

Tony A. Blue, American Painter Ocala International Airport, 1770 SW 60th Ave., Ocala Airport hours Blue’s exhibits includes work in acrylics, mixed media and photographs, and his colorful, abstract paintings are inspired by Florida’s tropical natural landscape. Free and open to the public during airport hours. For more info, ocalafl.gov/ artincityspaces

THROUGH JANUARY

28

“The Unscene South” by Charles Eady

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

10am-5pm, Tuesday-Saturday

This new exhibit focuses on the daily lives of “free Blacks” from the Civil War era. Eady is a contemporary mixed-media artist and author. Check out appletonmuseum.org for more info.

THROUGH JANUARY 28

“Caught Up in History and Captured on Film” by Randy Batista

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

10am-5pm, Tuesday-Saturday

Batista’s work focuses on Florida and Cuba, two places that had profound impact on the artist. This exhibit features club members of The Spanish Center of Tampa and their daily lives. Check out appletonmuseum.org for more info.

Phoenix Rising YouthBuild celebrates grads, hosts open house, recruits new students

Humanity of Marion County. Recruiting and supervision of students, who receive weekly participation payments, as well as career counseling and several other aspects of the program, are coordinated by CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion’s youth services provider, Eckerd Connects Workforce Development, according to the release.

“YouthBuild is more than just building a home for a deserving family and working towards a high school diploma; it is about building the next generation of our workforce,” said Heaven Colon, Eckerd Youth program manager in the release. “It is a humbling experience watching each YouthBuild participant overcome personal challenges and grow throughout their journey, witnessing that moment when they know how it feels to finish something. To see their sense of pride, accomplishment, and achievement.”

Marion County Board of County Commissioners, College of Central Florida (Hampton Center), Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Neighborhood Housing and Development Corporation, Florida State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) and Equal Housing Opportunity, and United Healthcare Community Plan.

Colon noted in the release that a “large part of the success of the last two cohorts was our amazing partnership with United Healthcare, which provided additional support to provide mental health counseling services for our young adults.”

Trading hard hats and hammers for caps and diplomas, students from two Phoenix Rising YouthBuild classes will graduate together at 11 a.m. Aug. 3 at the College of Central Florida’s Webber Center.

On Aug. 4, those interested in the program are invited to an open house from 1-4 p.m. at

the Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place at 1821 NW 21st Ave., Ocala. Now in its 12th year, the award-winning initiative helps revitalize economically challenged neighborhoods while making a positive difference in the lives of those ages 18-24 who are willing to work, in need of a high school diploma, and

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR NURSING SCHOLARSHIP

The Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County is accepting applications for the Angelica G. Muns Nursing Scholarship for the Fall 2023 semester.

The scholarship is part of the Angelica G. Muns Nursing Scholarship Fund, a legacy scholarship established in 2016 to sponsor local nursing students. In January and August of each year, respectively, $2,000 is awarded to each recipient.

Muns was a registered nurse and United States Air Force Lt. Colonel who served in World War II. Her background as a nurse, combined with the healthcare she and her husband received in Marion County, led to her desire to establish a

interested in employment and/ or postsecondary education or training, noted the news release. Students receive handson training and classroom instruction designed to develop workforce skills that lead to employment. A key feature of the program involves construction of homes in partnership with Habitat for

legacy scholarship to ensure nursing students would have the opportunity to pursue their dream in the field of nursing, noted the news release. Receiving students must adhere to the following criteria: Letter of reference from nursing clinical instructor, personal reference, must be pursuing a BSN or ADN degree, minimum of 3.0 GPA for the duration of their nursing education, two-page essay and commitment to work in a Marion County acute healthcare facility.

The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 4. For details, go to ocalafoundation.org/ scholarships

The open house event on Aug. 4 is designed to introduce the YouthBuild program to potential participants and their family members as well as community partners. Prospective students will be invited to try out for enrollment in the program by participating in mental toughness and team building exercises from Aug. 16-23. Student selection will be made Aug. 24-25, with classroom training kicking off Sept. 6 and construction slated to start later that month, according to the press release.

Additional YouthBuild partners are the city of Ocala,

Major funding for the program comes from a grant obtained by CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion from the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration. Current federal funding for YouthBuild is $844,712. The two-year grant, awarded last year and the fourth obtained for the program, covers training for 48 students and construction of four homes, according to the release.

Phoenix Rising YouthBuild has become a national model and has earned recognition from the Florida League of Cities, National League of Cities and Harvard’s School of Business. Phoenix Rising also received the Clarence E. Jordan Award, which is Habitat for Humanity International’s highest honor for creativity and innovation in building homes and communities. For more information, call (352) 291-9550, ext.1215.

JUNE UNEMPLOYMENT RISE MATCHES 2022 RATE

The jobless rate in the CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion region was 3.9% in June, up 0.5 percentage point over the month but the same as the region’s rate from the previous year. The labor force expanded to 221,863, an increase of 6,527 individuals over the year.

Rusty Skinner, CareerSource CLM’s chief executive officer, said in the news release that the report shows the region’s unemployment rates are returning to more normal levels.

“What we are witnessing is the impact of new entrants into the workforce,” he said in the release. “There are many

graduates who are injecting our region with talent but have not secured a job yet. With the strong growth of open positions, the prospect for these new entrants is very positive.”

Skinner said CareerSource CLM offers a variety of ways to help new jobseekers transition into gainful employment, including paid internships or work experience, and hiring events and job fairs, such as the Citrus County Job Fair set for Aug. 31 at the Realtor’s Association of Citrus County.

To learn more, visit careersourceclm.com

ANSWERS FOR PAGE B4

Sudoku

Jumble

Crossword

SWOON

OZONE

HINDER

KNOTTY

How high is Mount Everest? She replied with 29,032 feet, which was -ON THE “KNOWS”

File photo: People help raise a wall during the Habitat For Humanity Phoenix Rising YouthBuild Wall Raising ceremony on Pecan Road in Silver Springs Shores on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

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 July 28, 2023.

Attorney for Personal Representative:

MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITH THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this Notice is July 28, 2023.

Attorney and Personal

Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34475. An Order of Summary Administration was entered on July 14, 2023, and the name and address of the person assigned control of the asset is KAREN BOWEN, 1010 S.E. 28th Road, Ocala, Florida 34471, the daughter of the decedent, and her attorney is R. William Futch, R. William Futch, P.A., 2201 S.E. 30th Avenue, Suite 202, Ocala, Florida 34471. The total value of the nonexempt assets of the estate is less than $6,050.00.

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 NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED 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 JULY 21, 2023.

ESTATE OF GRETA IDA SHERMAN, Deceased.

FILE NO.: 2023-CP-1128

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of GRETA IDA SHERMAN, deceased, whose date of death was March 2, 2023; is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division; File Number 2023-CP-1128; the address of which is 110 N.W. 1st 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, who have claims or demands against decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, and who have been served a copy of this Note, must file their claims with this Court

All other creditors of the decedent and other persons who have claims or demands against the decedent’s

YOU

THE FIRST

All other creditors of the decedent and other persons who have claims or demands against the decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with the court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. EVEN IF A CLAIM IS NOT BARRED BY THE LIMITATIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE, ALL CLAIMS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN FILED WILL BE BARRED TWO YEARS AFTER DECEDENT’S

Personal Representative:

_ /s/ John H. Haswell _ /s/ Linda M. Gordon John H. Haswell Linda M. Gordon Florida Bar No. 0162536 4368 NE 13 th Street Chandler, Lang, Haswell & Cole, P.A.

Ocala, Florida 34471

P.O. Box 5877 Gainesville, FL 32627-5877

Email addresses: clhpalaw@aol.com and barrieh@bellsouth.net

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

IN RE: THE ESTATE OF DOROTHY MARIE GRIFFIN, Deceased.

CASE NO: 2023-CP-1700

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The name of the decedent, the designation of the court in which the administration of this estate is pending, and the file number are indicated above. The address of the court is 110 N.W. 1st Avenue, Ocala, FL 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are indicated below.

If you have been served with a copy of this notice and you have any claim or demand against the decedent’s estate, even if that claim is unmatured, contingent or unliquidated, you must file your claim with the court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF A DATE THAT IS 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER YOU RECEIVE A COPY OF THIS NOTICE.

All other creditors of the decedent and other persons who have claims or demands against the decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with the court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. EVEN IF A CLAIM IS NOT BARRED BY THE LIMITATIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE, ALL CLAIMS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN FILED WILL BE BARRED TWO YEARS AFTER DECEDENT’S DEATH.

The date of death of the decedent is: June 16, 2023. The date of first publication of this Notice is July 21, 2023.

Attorney for Personal Representative:

JOSHUA L. MOSES

Richard & Moses, LLC

Florida Bar No. 119304

808 E Fort King Street Ocala, FL 34471

(352) 369-1300

Primary Email: Josh@RMProbate.com

Personal Representative:

MARIA L. PERRY

3770 Hinman Settler Road

Brownington, VT 05860

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

IN RE: THE ESTATE OF NANCY E. DELL, Deceased.

CASE NO: 2023-CP-1737 NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The name of the decedent, the designation of the court in which the administration of this estate is pending, and the file number are indicated above. The address of the court is 110 N.W. 1st Avenue, Ocala, FL 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are indicated below.

If you have been served with a copy of this notice and you have any claim or demand against the decedent’s estate, even if that claim is unmatured, contingent or unliquidated, you must file your claim with the court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF A DATE THAT IS 3 MONTHS

AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER YOU RECEIVE A COPY OF THIS NOTICE.

All other creditors of the decedent and other persons who have claims or demands against the decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with the court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.

ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.

EVEN IF A CLAIM IS NOT BARRED BY THE LIMITATIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE, ALL CLAIMS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN FILED WILL BE BARRED TWO YEARS AFTER DECEDENT’S DEATH.

The date of death of the decedent is: February 23, 2023. The date of first publication of this Notice is July 21, 2023.

Attorney for Personal Representative: JOSHUA L. MOSES Richard & Moses, LLC Florida Bar No. 119304 808 E Fort King Street Ocala, FL 34471 (352) 369-1300 Primary Email: Josh@RMProbate.com

Personal Representative: LINDA

COUNTY INVITES BUSINESSES TO HELP FIGHT LITTER

Over the past two years the Litter Task Force, headed by Craig Curry, chairman of the Marion County Board of County Commissioners (MCBOCC), has helped to determine problem areas within the county and helped to find ways to eradicate litter.

The task force has helped to change laws, develop litter clean-up crews and developed a mascot, Rubbish the Racoon, who helps teach children the importance of keeping Marion beautiful, the news release noted.

The MCBOCC recently introduced a partnership program that local businesses are invited to join. The partnership is to help raise funds and bring awareness to litter within Marion County. The first partner in the program is Cone Distributing, Inc.

For more information about the Litter Task Force, Litter Campaign Partnerships or taking the Litter Free Pledge, visit marionfl.org/nohorsinaround

MARION COUNTY RECEIVES INNOVATION AWARD

Notice is hereby given that the School Board of Marion County, Florida, will meet in a work session on Thursday, August 9, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. The meeting will be held at the MTI Auditorium, 1614 E. Ft. King Street, Ocala, Florida, 34471. An agenda will be published seven days prior to the meeting and 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.marionschools.net.

Marion County Community Services was recently presented with the Innovation award from the Florida Association of County Human Service Administrators (FACSHA). The award is given to counties that create innovative programs and resources to help and assist those who need it most in their communities. Marion County received the award for the creation of the Emergency Housing Replacement Program.

According to the news release, the inspiration behind the program was Dave Damron, a long-ime resident of Fort McCoy and an employee of the Marion County Public Schools for nearly 35 years. Damron lost his home due to a structure fire in 2021 just after the passing of his wife. The program is designed to help homeowners like Damron, who have experienced major damage to their home, making the structure unsafe to live in.

For more information about Marion County Community Services or the Emergency Replacement Program, go to marionfl.org/ communityservices

By America’s Test Kitchen

When you want to make a scrumptious dessert for your summer soiree, these stuffed red velvet cookies are the perfect grab-and-go sweet for your guests. And while you might not find these ingredients in a red velvet c ake, the lemon zest pecans and white chocolate chips used in this recipe enhan ce the flavor of the cookie dough, blending harmoniously with the classic red ve lvet and tangy cream cheese.

Quick tips

Adding some whole-wheat flour to the dough contributes added structure, making it easier to shape when raw and less fragile after fully baked and cooled.

Making a relatively stiff cream cheese filling (keeping the ratio of sugar to cream cheese and softened butter low) ensures a neat, sturdy stuffed cookie.

Freezing portions of the filling for a minimum of two hours firms it up, making it easy to handle and wrap up in disks of cookie dough.

Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies

Makes 12 cookies

Making a splash

There are two fun ways to beat the summer heat in Ocala: Lily’s Splash Pad, at 2200 NW 17th Place, and the Citizens’ Circle Splash Pad at 151 SE Osceola Ave.

The city of Ocala’s splash pads are open from sunrise to sunset and access is free and open to the public. The season runs generally from March until November.

To learn more about the splash pads and the city’s two aquatic centers, go to bit.ly/ocala-aquatic-fun

For the filling:

1/2 cup (2 ounces) powdered sugar

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Pinch table salt

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cookies:

2 2/3 cups (13 1/3 ounces) all-purpose flour

2/3 cup (3 2/3 ounces) whole-wheat flour

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 teaspoons table salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

16 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup packed (7 ounces) light brown sugar

1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon red food coloring

1 cup (6 ounces) white chocolate chips

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

For the filling:

1. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat all ingredients on low speed until sugar is mostly moistened, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.

2. Line a rimmed baking sheet or a large, flat plate with parchment paper. Using a tablespoon measure and a small spoon (or a No. 60 scoop), divide filling into 12 equal portions on the prepared plate. Use the back of the spoon to lightly flatten each portion into a rough disk shape (no greater than 1 1/2 inches in diameter). Freeze until solid, at least 2 hours. (Filling can be frozen for up to one week.)

For the cookies:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl.

2. Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a second large bowl until smooth. Whisk in eggs, lemon zest, vanilla, and food coloring until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Stir in half of the flour mixture with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Stir in chocolate chips, pecans and remaining flour mixture. (Mixture will be stiff; once dough begins to stiffen, you can mix with your hands until dough is evenly combined.)

3. Divide dough into 12 equal portions (about 31/2 ounces or 1/3 cup each). Flatten each dough portion into disk shape, about 3 inches in diameter. Working quickly, place one disk of frozen filling in the center of each dough disk. Wrap edges of dough up and around filling, seal dough, and shape into smooth disk shape (about 3 1/2 inches in diameter and 1/2-inch thick), taking care to ensure filling remains in the center of each cookie. Space cookies evenly on prepared sheets, six cookies per sheet.

4. Bake cookies, one sheet at a time, until edges of cookies are beginning to puff and crack, 7 to 8 minutes. Let cookies cool completely on sheets, about 2 hours. Serve.

(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.)

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

Lia Santana, 4, runs through the cold jets of water.

Gaelin Johnson, 3, exults in the cold jets of water shooting out of a frog.

Amelia Garth, 5, stands on a frog that was spraying cold water as she stays cool at Lily’s Pad splash pad at Lillian Bryant Park in Ocala on Saturday, July 22, 2023.