Ocala Gazette | August 3 - 9, 2020 by Magnolia Media Company

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AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | TWO DOLLARS

VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 5

In pandemic, gun sales booming By Bill Thompson Deputy Editor

Kayakers paddle just off shore where the state has proposed a beach and swimming area near the Glass Bottom Boat dock at Silver Springs State Park in Silver Springs, Fla. on Monday, July 27, 2020. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Let’s go swimming! State plans to open Silver Springs for swimming

By Brad Rogers Executive Editor

ilver Springs is finally going to be opened for swimming. That is the word from the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, under which the Florida Parks Service operated. DEP Press Secretary Weesam Khoury said last week that plans are in the works to open a swimming beach on the spring’s eastern shore, where it was for years before being closed in the 1990s. “The Division of Recreation and Parks is in the process of designing a swimming area and paddle launch at Silver Springs State Park,” Khoury wrote in an email. “This project will include design, permitting, bidding and construction of the two features. Once the design is finalized, we will be happy to provide you a copy. Additionally, there

will be a public meeting to present the design and answer questions.” The idea of a swimming area at Silver Springs has been part of the Silver Springs State Park’s Unit Management Plan almost since the state took over the park in 2013. According to the UMP, which was finalized in 2014: “Research is needed to determine the recreational carrying capacity of the main headspring and river that would allow the maximum level of public access and recreational enjoyment while preventing damage to the river bottom and shoreline, impacts to wildlife or hindrances to wildlife access.” In other words, the park will have swimming, but like many of the Florida Park Service’s other springs, the number of people allowed in the spring at any one time will be limited. In its UMP, DEP noted See Silver Springs, page 3

andy Brygider has been in the gun business for 50 years. And in all that time, he’s never seen a moment like this. “It’s unprecedented,” said Brygider, owner of the Ocala Armory, a gun store on west State Road 40. He was referring to gun sales. Regardless of type of gun, Brygider said, the inventory is “virtually nonexistent.” “There are no more guns to be had,” he said. The same is true of ammunition, he added. “It’s flown off the shelves, and the prices have gone up,” said Brygider. The reason, to him at least is clear: fear. Brygider estimates that 80 percent of his sales have been weapons intended for self-defense, many by firsttime gun buyers. Collectors have purchased the rest and hunters, as of the moment, are not in the market, at least at the Ocala Armory. “People look around and see all the shenanigans going on with these liberal, Democratic-controlled cities and decide they need to protect themselves and their families,” he said. Gun sales are not tracked in America. But there are a couple of rough barometers by which they can be gauged: federal background checks and state concealed-carry license applications. Nationally, FBI background checks related to potential firearms purchases were up 38 percent for the first six months of 2020 compared to the same period last year. The FBI processed 19.2 million requests between Jan. 1 and June 30, which included setting a new monthly record, 3.9 million, in June. The previous monthly record – 3.7 million – had been set in March. See Gun Sales, page 5

Photo courtesy of Florida Memory

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AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Horse Fever 20/20 invites artists to apply By Lisa McGinnes Staff Writer

“D

o we have room for a horse in the house?” was one of artist Maggie Weakley’s first thoughts when she heard Horse Fever is making a comeback in Ocala. Artist Margaret Watts didn’t need to think about it; she already knows she can fit a life-size horse statue in her home studio, just like last time. Both artists participated in Marion Cultural Alliance’s (MCA) first public art project 20 years ago and are hoping to be selected for the new reboot, HF 20/20. Artists across the region are busy thinking “outside the canvas” with concepts and colors that can bring a 6-foot-tall fiberglass horse to life. MCA invites artists to submit up to three designs for consideration by a jury panel of regional art professionals, who will select artist designs to be placed in a portfolio and matched with patrons who purchase the 20 statues in

the new herd. Design submissions are due by August 14th. “We can’t wait to see all of our old and new artists submitting,” said Laurie Zink, who is reprising her role as Horse Fever chair. And the artists are just as enthusiastic. “I’m super excited,” Weakley said. “I have a couple ideas but I haven’t cemented anything down. There’s one I really like that’s kind of relevant right now. I’m thinking of doing something with the children of the world. I want to have something relevant to represent 2020.” Watts is also deciding what to submit. “I’m working on the designs right now,” she said. “I’ve gone through three different concepts so I’m still in the creation stage. But more than likely it will be toward a landscape because I’m a landscape painter.”

Diane Cahal, an Ocala artist who worked on both the original and the 10th anniversary Horse Fever projects, said she is currently brainstorming ideas. “I am most definitely submitting a design. I’m

While the original Horse Fever was a catalyst for public art and the growth of the vibrant arts scene Ocala enjoys today, more artists mean more competition for the Horse Capital of the World’s highest-profile public art exhibit. “We have an incredible amount of talent right now,” said Weakley, who has been the administrative coordinator for Fine Arts for Ocala (FAFO) since 2014. “It’s definitely going to be a lot more competitive than it was 20 years ago…artists can start becoming more competitive with each other which also elevates art. When you have competition then artists can say, ‘OK, I’ve got to bring my A game here.’” Zink said the jury intends to choose the artists by the end of August and they will be introduced to the public at the selected artists reception on October 1st. This time, patrons

Artists across the region are busy thinking “outside the canvas” with concepts and colors that can bring a 6-foot-tall fiberglass horse to life. thoroughly excited about the return of the highly successful project. It was an honor to participate in the original herd and the 10th anniversary herd. I would love to bring one more horse to life and earn the hat trick!”

purchasing a horse can either select a design from the portfolio or request to be matched with a certain artist, Zink explained, so they won’t have to bid at auction and hope they win their preferred design. “Don’t miss out this time,” Zink advised. “For those of you who never got to have a horse and always wished you’d be able to have one, this is your chance. You’ll be able to have your selection of the art you want. These horses are not going to auction; they’re being purchased straight up so as a patron you get to avoid some of the difficulties of getting one in the past.” Artists: Want to apply? Visit www.mcaocala.org/ calls-to-artists/ for details. Design submissions must be received at the Brick City Center for the Arts no later than 5pm on Friday, August 14th. Art patrons: Want to purchase a Horse Fever work of art? Call Marion Cultural Alliance at (352) 369-1500 for more information.

“Horse O’Plenty” by artist Elsie Ruiz is shown at the Ocala Civic Theate on East Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, July 28, 2020. Tne horse is one of the original Horse Fever horses. It was purchased by Leon J. Schmehl and loaned to the Ocala Civic Theatre so the public could “remember and enjoy” the 2001-2002 Horse Fever Project. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

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AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE From Silver Springs, page 1

“Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.” - Thomas Jefferson

Executive Editor Brad Rogers brad@ocalagazette.com Deputy Editor Bill Thompson bill@ocalagazette.com Photography Editor Bruce Ackerman bruce@ocalagazette.com

that it likely will limit the swimming season to Memorial Day to Labor Day to allow the aquatic vegetation to recover from human use. It further suggests there will be picnicking and a bathhouse, as well as a paddle launch for kayaks and canoes. “A floating dock and floating containment rope will demarcate the swimming area the spring,” the plan adds. Khoury could not provide a timeline for when the springs would be open to swimming. Nonetheless, the news was cheered by County Commissioner Carl Zalak, who has been a vocal advocate for opening the springs for swimming since the state took over management of the iconic

park. “At the end of the day, it’s an absolute jewel for our community,” he said. “It’s a shame that it hasn’t been available for recreational use. “The reality for me is there will be many more people at the springs. I think it will be an economic jump start. … I think swimming is a huge

economic driver. It also lets people dream and experience what it means to have Silver Springs in our community.” Zalak and others have long argued that opening the springs to swimming also will spur more advocacy for protecting and preserving the springs, which scientists say have been under assault

“At the end of the day, it’s an absolute jewel for our community.” -Carl Zalak

from over-pumping and over-pollution for decades, which has led DEP to declare Silver Springs “imperiled.” State Rep. Charlie Stone, R-Ocala, has made opening the springs to swimming a priority over the past few years. He said the project now has the support of DEP Secretary Noah Valentine. He also said it is overdue. “There’s really no reason not to have swimming there, because we have swimming in almost all the other springs around the state,” Stone said. In fact, of the 22 springs that are part of Florida State Parks system, 20 of them offer swimming. “It can add a lot to our community,” Stone added. “It can be a financial driver.”

Publisher Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@magnoliamediaco.com Staff Writers Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com Lisa McGinnes lisa@magnoliamediaco.com Graphic Designers Simon Mendoza simon@magnoliamediaco.com Brooke Pace brooke@magnoliamediaco.com Marketing Manager Kylie Swope kylie@magnoliamediaco.com Marketing Coordinator Sabrina Fissell sabrina@magnoliamediaco.com Director of Sales & Promotions Lee Kerr lee@magnoliamediaco.com Account Executives Sarah Belyeu sarah@magnoliamediaco.com Evelyn Anderson evelyn@magnoliamediaco.com Skip Linderman skip@magnoliamediaco.com Tammy Slay-Erker tammy@magnoliamediaco.com

Renderings courtesy of Ina A. Colen Academy

Ina A. Colen Academy given the go ahead

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By Brad Rogers Executive Editor

fter more than a year of planning, a new K-8 charter school that will emphasize “social emotional” learning as part of its core projectbased curriculum has won unanimous approval from the Marion County School Board. The Ina A. Colen Academy, which is being built by the family that developed On Top of the World, is expected to open in the fall of 2022. The school, which will initially have 215 students and add more each year, will be located on Southwest 80th Avenue south of 38th Street and be part of a new OTOW community called Calesa Township. The 1,500-acre, 5,000home neighborhood will be a departure for OTOW in that it will welcome residents of all ages, rather than just 55-plus. In a press release, Robert Colen, nephew of Ina A. Colen and chairman of the new charter school’s governing board, hailed the School Board action, saying, “Today is a

great day for Marion County and those of us with the Ina A. Colen Academy. … (W)e have made a substantial step forward in providing a transformational educational experience for our future students.” Charter schools in Florida are often described as “public schools of choice.” While they are funded with tax dollars and must adhere to state academic and diversity regulatiions, they are given significant leeway to innovate and experiment. Charter schools are governed by their own independent board, which has a charter with the local school board. Ken Colen, Ina Colen’s son and president of OTOW Communities, said the academy’s instruction will encourage handson learning and group engagement. He said the goal will be to teach children “the basics” in the early grades then give them projects in later grades so they can see how what they learned earlier applies to life. “It’s not that it is terribly original, but we wanted to make it core to our approach,” he said. Rebecca Rogers,

executive director of the Colen Family Charitable Trust, which is building the school, said that “sharp minds and kind hearts” will be an omnipresent theme for students, and will shape “how they relate to one another and even themselves.” Among the things students will be taught will be how to handle conflict, how to have civil dialogue. “You don’t have to agree, but you can be kind,” Rogers said. Ina A. Colen was a social studies teacher who, Rogers said, “loved education and cared deeply about her students.” “A reflection of the Colen family’s values, the academy was founded to honor her memory and carry on her legacy of creating passionate learners capable of making the best decisions for themselves and for the society in which they live,” the press release states. The Colen Charitable Trust has worked with the Collaborative Educational Network, a consulting firm, to create a curriculum unique to the Colen Academy. “The program will entail high quality standards-based

instruction, project-based learning, incorporating social emotional learning and physical health and well-being of students and staff. The program is designed to meet the needs of all types of learners,” the press release states. The new charter school received a 15-year charter from the School Board, an unusually long lease for a charter school. Ken Colen said they requested the longer lease to allow their unique curriculum to work. Rogers said the school will expand to a K-8 school over time and would eventually have 1,480 students when built out. Ken Colen and Rogers both said the social emotional component of the Colen Academy’s approach “will permeate everything we do,” including in the hiring or teachers. “When our scholars walk through the door – and we call our students scholars – we want them to know we believe in them … and at the end of the day, they will have a strong mind and a kind heart,” Rogers said.

AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

SNAP geared to youth and families The free program to address behavioral challenges is offered locally by Arnette House, Inc.

By Susan Smiley-Height Staff Writer

he ages-old challenge of children and parents achieving mutual respect and working together on solutions to challenges has been compounded by the ongoing pandemic. In Ocala, one local agency is offering a free program to help youth and parents navigate these increasingly tumultuous times. The mission of Arnette House, Inc., a nonprofit founded in 1981, is to provide safe and effective programs to strengthen youth and families. One of those programs is SNAP (Stop Now And Plan) for boys and girls, and the partner SNAPP for parents and SNAP in School programs. The programs address, for example, problematic, aggressive and antisocial behaviors. The early intervention programs are offered free to families in Marion and Lake counties, with services currently being delivered virtually. SNAP facilitator Toshiko Brown, who is part of the Arnette House team, along

with Nilda Sessler and Donna Norman, said the program originated in 1985 in Toronto and has been actively researched through the Child Development Institute. “One could say that origins of the program are even older as it is based on cognitive behavioral therapy,” Brown stated. “The Arnette House has been providing SNAP program services to Marion County youth and their families since 2018. Our team provides case management, referrals, individual support and facilitating youth and parent groups. Youth and their parents learn and practice behavior management skills, problem solving and how to hold themselves accountable for their actions. We love this program and believe it can effect positive changes.” Brown outlined ways the pandemic has affected families the program is intended to serve. “We have parents who’ve lost their income and have struggled to pay rent and buy food or obtain medical and mental health services,” she explained. “SNAP is continuing to offer virtual

group sessions and individual support and counseling in recognition of the stress and sense of isolation that stay-in-place orders are causing.” Brown went on to say that despite technological challenges, economic uncertainty and not knowing what to expect, SNAP participants are working to learn self-management skills, problem solve, share honestly and appreciate the support the SNAP team is providing. “While each family referred is learning SNAP strategies that help non-compliant/aggressive youth behave in more socially acceptable ways, we also refer families for needed resources to any number of our many community partners. SNAP also serves families of all types because many SNAP youth live with relative and non-relative care givers,” Brown noted. “There is a great need for this kind of programming in every community. It is the only program of its kind that teaches problem solving and continues to be extensively researched for effectiveness and fidelity to best practices recom-

mended for non-compliant, aggressive and antisocial youth. It also helps parents learn with much needed child management and selfcare skills that make all the difference,” Brown added. The SNAP boys and girls programs are for those ages 6 to 11, with a gender-specific focus. Components include a 13-week structured group meeting, concurrent parent group, one-on-one family counseling, individual counseling and school advocacy and teacher support. The SNAP in School program teaches elementary school students to use SNAP strategies to practice self-control, problem solve and make better choices. Brown said the program goal is to serve a minimum of 25 families per fiscal year. In the fiscal year 20182019, 33 families participated in group sessions. In the fiscal year 2019-2020, 28 families participated in group sessions. According to materials provided by Arnett House officials, SNAP is the result of three decades of research, program development and evaluation by the Child Development Institute and

found to be effective by the National Institutes of Health. SNAP received the 2018 International Society of Crime Prevention Practitioner’s Community Based Program of the Year award. The Arnette House also offers residential services for ages 10-17 and group homes for ages 13-17. The agency was created after Gary Arnette, the son of Vernon and Sara Arnette, died of a drug overdose in 1979. In lieu of flowers, they requested that money be donated in his memory to the Marion County Mental Health Association. This became the seed money for the Arnette House Project. Arnette House has since expanded into a three-building complex on 4.8 acres in Northeast Marion County. The organization receives funding from state, federal and local grants and relies on contributions from businesses, private donors and fundraising. Services are offered at no charge. To learn more about SNAP, call (352) 622-4432 or email:snap@arnettehouse.org. For information about Arnette House, call (352) 622-6135 or visit www.arenttehouse.org

Photos courtesy of Arnette House

County Commission opts for homeownerfriendly policy for home improvements By Bill Thompson Deputy Editor

arion County’s Building Safety Department will be more hands off for those who like to be hands on around the house. The County Commission recently revised permitting rules to empower owners of single-family homes to hire contractors to handle small to moderate improvement projects without government oversight. “It was huge,” Keith Poole, a general contractor in Ocala and board member of the Marion County Building Industry Association, said of the vote, which ended a yearlong discussion about permitting with local contractors. “The County Commission did a good thing.” Commissioners decreed that homeowners can hire licensed contractors to

complete up to $5,000 worth of projects in a year without obtaining a permit beforehand or an inspection once the work is done. A caveat applies if a single project costs $2,500 or more. In such cases, homeowners may seek an exemption from permitting by filing an affidavit with the county. In either case, though, the new local law does away with permitting or inspection requirements so long as homeowners hire licensed contractors, and the work meets the standards of the state building code. Additionally, do-it-yourselfers are excused from obtaining a permit and have no dollar cap on the amount of work they may do. But, like those who hire contractors, they are required to request the permit waiver if the job exceeds $2,500, and they must declare they will do the work themselves. State Rep. Stan McClain,

who doubles as the builders’ association’s executive director, called the commission’s decision a win for homeowners. It will make smaller projects flow more efficiently and in less time, he said. But, he added, contractors will also benefit by saving time usually spent pulling permits for small jobs, and the Building Safety Department’s personnel is freed up to focus on other tasks, McClain said. Commissioners stood firm on requiring permits for several types of projects. Those include: • Installing residential inground or above-ground pools; • Demolishing or removing mobile homes; • Converting water heaters from natural gas or propane to electric, or vice versa; • Installing irrigation systems up to the back-flow device;

• Performing residential electric work, including repairing outlets, switches, lights or fans up to 25 amps. Replacing an electric water heater with another electric water heater is exempt from this provision; • Installing low voltage wiring and security alarms • Replacing HVAC units of more than $2,500, including materials and labor; • Erecting a pre-fabricated shed larger than 160 square feet; • And any changes in structural beams Homeowners do spend a significant amount of money dealing with the county on smaller projects now exempted by the ordinance. At a recent County Commission workshop on next year’s budget, Building Safety Department Director Mike Savage said 44 percent

of permitting revenues are derived from such projects. In 2019, the department reaped $6 million in permitting fees. Which means, that, based on Savage’s figure, the new ordinance, had it been in effect at the time, would have saved homeowners $2.7 million. In an email, Savage said the 44 percent figure was based on an earlier version of the ordinance. But he acknowledged that fee revenues will decrease under the new law. Staffers are still analyzing its potential effects, he added. Yet it seems the department can absorb that cost, at last in the short term. At that workshop, Budget Director Michael Tomich noted the department had banked an “excessive” amount of revenue above its expenses – some $10.5 million as of June 30. That was enough, Tomich said, to run the department for 2½ years.

AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Marion Health Department changes COVID testing system to reduce ‘no-shows’ By Bill Thompson Deputy Editor

he Marion County Health Department is altering its COVID-19 testing service. Those interested in being tested will no longer need an appointment. Instead, beginning Aug. 11, the department will conduct drive-through testing at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion on a first-come, first-served basis. Medical personnel will be at the site from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Department staff recommend that those seeking tests can arrive as early as 7:30 a.m. on testing days.

The tests will last until 10 a.m. or until the day’s available samples are gone, whichever comes first. At a recent County Commission meeting, department Administrator Mark Lander said he expected 250 to 300 people to participate each day at the start. But he hoped to eventually reach 500 a day. To be tested, individuals should bring a valid photo identification. Minors will only be tested if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. In addition, test recipients should be prepared to remain in their vehicles while waiting for their turn. Restroom facilities will not be available. Only people who are be-

ing tested should be in the vehicle, unless they are parents, guardians, or caregivers. No pets are permitted in vehicles during tests. Lander told commissioners the shift from the department’s headquarters to the Livestock Pavilion was driven by “no-shows.” “We’re going to get away from taking the appointments because what we found scheduling the appointments, even when we tell individuals to call back the next day to see if anything has opened up, we’re still getting a high number of no-shows,” Lander told the County Commission at the board’s July 21 meeting. Lander said the department may have booked over 300 people for testing, and

yet 50 to 75 of them will not show up. “We’re going to move to more of a same-day appointment strategy,” he added. “Obviously, we’ll have zero no-shows because we won’t have appointments, and we’ll get more people that need to be tested,” he said. “We really feel this is going to be better for the community, getting more people through that drive-thru,” Lander added. “We cannot keep having 40, 50, 60 noshows. When we schedule them, we want to do 300 to 350 a day.” In later comments, Lander said the appointment-based process shortened wait times for those who came to the Health

Department. But the large ratio of noshows wasted resources as the department had to subsequently cancel that many lab orders each day. The absences also were robbing people who wanted testing of the opportunity to obtain that in a timely manner, Lander added. The Southeastern Livestock Pavilion’s address is 2232 N.E. Jacksonville Rd. in Ocala. Marion County, including local private labs, has conducted nearly 41,000 tests as of July 28. For more information, call the Marion County COVID-19 Hotline at 352644-2590.

Alan Campbell, right, talks to Tom Meyer, a customer, left, about some of the features of a Poly Witness 9 mm handgun at the Ocala Armory on West Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala, Fla. on Monday, July 13, 2020. Sandy Brygider, the owner of Ocala Armory, said that gun and ammunition sales have skyrocketed in recent months amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the George Floyd protests. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

From Gun Sales, page 1 FBI records show that seven of the top 10 weeks historically for such inquires have occurred during 2020, as did five of the top 10 individual days. The agency handled more than 1 million requests during the weeks of March 16 and June 1. Within Florida, the FBI handled 873,391 background checks for the first six months of the year. That was up 50 percent over the first half of 2019. Florida records concealed carry license applications in accordance with its fiscal year, which runs from July 1 through June 30. Statewide, for the first half of fiscal year 2020, which ended on June 30, total applications for those permits outpaced the total during the second half – 85,114 to 78,820. But requests for renewed licenses raged during the latter half of the year. Applications to continue a license soared to 92,210 for the first six months of this year, compared to 62,677 such requests over the first half of last year. The trend for Marion County, however, was more licenses all the way around. Between July 2019 through December 2019, 1,802 county residents applied for a new concealed-weapon permit. Between January and June that jumped 33 percent, to 2,420. Not surprisingly the biggest chunk of those submitted during 2020 occurred in March, when coronavirus shutdown restrictions tightened, and in June, after the riots and

looting following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. In just those two months alone, 1,153 county residents petitioned for a license to carry a weapon. And much like the state trend, local renewals picked up considerably during the first six months of this year. Between Jan 1 and June 30, 2,019 county residents sought renewed concealed-carry licenses, compared to 1,251 for the period of July 1, 2019, through Dec. 31, an increase of 61 percent. Erich Pratt, senior vice president for the Gun Owners of America, concurred that fear is a motivating factor right now. “People are buying guns in record numbers because they’re scared of what’s happening across the country. They are scared of looters and rioters; they are worried that police may not be able to protect them,” Pratt said in an email. He added that some estimates indicate 2 million Americans became new gun owners in 2020, which would represent 40 percent of this year’s total sales thus far. Many of these buyers are purchasing semi-automatic handguns, shotguns, and modern rifles like the AR-15 -- firearms tailored for self- and home-defense roles. “These new gun owners, including some who were previously anti-gun, are taking their safety into their own hands,” said Pratt.

AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Habitat for Humanity Hard at Work Habitat For Humanity is currently building three homes in Ocala and Marion County.

Dave Wright, left, and Ehsun Quamar, right, lift a piece of plywood up onto the roof for Mark Seymour as the crew works on a Habitat For Humanity home that is under construction on Northwest 2nd Place in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, July 28, 2020. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Maurice Grafe, left, and Denis Moeder work on the roof of a Habitat For Humanity home that is under construction on Northwest 2nd Place in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, July 28, 2020. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Mark Seymour works on the roof of a Habitat For Humanity home that is under construction on Northwest 2nd Place in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, July 28, 2020. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Sawdust flies up as Dave Wright cuts through plywood for a roof of a Habitat For Humanity home that is under construction on Northwest 2nd Place in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, July 28, 2020. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Keeping Cool

The splash pad at Citizens’ Circle is a great place to cool off during the hot and humid summer weather.

Clementine Adkins, 5, second from right, tries to coax her little brother, Lane,1 into the cold water jets shooting up on the splash pad as her brother and sister, Landon, 15, and Kayden, 14, look on at Citizens’ Circle in Ocala, Fla. on Wednesday, July 29, 2020. The siblings came to the splash pad with their family. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Clementine Adkins, 5, and her brother, Landon, 12, play together in the cold water jets shooting up on the splash pad at Citizens’ Circle in Ocala, Fla. on Wednesday, July 29, 2020. The siblings came to the splash pad with their family. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Honorable Mentions Breast Imaging Specialist Joins Ocala Team

r. Ridgely Meyers, a board certified breast imaging specialist with a personal interest in helping women survive breast cancer, is now caring for patients at Radiology Associates of Ocala’s Women’s Imaging Center. “I am committed to doing my part to prevent women from dying of breast cancer,” Meyers said. “For the woman anxiously awaiting the results of her mammogram, I want to provide a timely and accurate interpretation, with helpful and appropriate recommendations for follow-up.”

Dr. Ridgely Meyers

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arion County Court Judge Tommy Thompson was sworn in on July 15th as president of the Conference of County Court Judges of Florida for 2020-2021. The outgoing president called Thompson “well positioned and ready for conference leadership.” Thompson’s welcome message highlighted positivity and meeting challenges going forward.

Tommy Thompson

Realtors Honored as Rookies of the Year

hree first-year realtors at Ocala-based Showcase Properties of Central Florida have been recognized by Ocala Marion County Association of Realtors (OMCAR) as 2019 Rookies of the Year. Ria Colledge, Erin Freel Mann and Patsy Mildner each achieved a sales volume of at least $1,000,000 in their first year in real estate.

Patsy Mildner

Erin Freel Mann

Ria Colledge

Answers for page 12

CPA Firm Announces Retirement, Promotions

fter winning the Powerball jackpot this spring, partner Sheryll Goedert has retired from Collier, Jernigan & Goedert, P.A. Certified Public Accountants. Jacquelyn Eastman and Jayme Zublick have been promoted to partner. Together they have more than 30 years of experience with the firm in accounting, tax and business consulting.

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AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

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Medicare 101

Biz Promoters Networks Group 11:30am-12:30pm Email tom@ocalacep.com for more information.

SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) - virtual 2-3pm Learn more about Medicare in this free Zoom workshop offered online or by phone. Call (352) 692-5262 or email shine@agingresources.org for more information.

8/5

South Marion NetWorks Group

8/5

1 Million Cups Ocala

8/56 8/5

8/729

The Art of Purpose: An Applied Arts Exhibit

8/7

Levitt AMP Virtual Music Series

8/8

Levitt AMP Virtual Music Series

8/8

Appleton Museum of Art Youth Kit Pickup

Farmhouse Restaurant, 11077 SE 57th Ct., Belleview 7:30-8:30am Contact Faith Wilt at (352) 602-5695 or ccandkbookkeeping@ gmail.com for more information.

Power Plant Business Incubator, 405 SE Osceola Ave. 9:30-10:30am Two local startups present their business idea to an audience of community entrepreneurs. Email ryan@ocalacep.com for more information.

Executive Transitions

Community Foundation Ocala Marion County - virtual August 5, Part 1; August 6, Part 2 | 1-3pm This workshop is part of the Nonprofit Academic Series by the Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership at the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College. Register with lauren@ocalafoundation.org to receive a Zoom invitation.

Medicare Financial Assistance Programs

Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 S. Broadway Monday-Friday 10am-4pm; Sunday 11am-4pm This new exhibit, sponsored by Angie Lewis State Farm, celebrates applied arts, which integrate design and decoration into everyday and practical objects in order to make them aesthetically pleasing. Visitors to the gallery are asked to please social distance and wear a mask. Email Ashley.justiano@ mcaocala.org or call (352) 369-1500 for more information. www.mcaocala.org

Online via www.levitt.org 8pm This online concert features Americana husband and wife duo Amy LaVere & Will Sexton in Houston, Mississippi. Ocala was awarded the Levitt Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free concert series for a fourth year in 2020, but live shows have been postponed until 2021. www.levitt.org

Online via www.levitt.org 8pm This online concert features G Street Revolution and Valley Wolf in Merced, California. www.levitt.org

CF Hampton Center, 1501 W. Silver Springs Blvd. 10:30am-12pm Drive through to pick up a free youth art supplies kit from the Appleton Museum. One per family. Call (352) 291-4455 for more information. www.appletonmuseum.org

Government

8/3

City of Ocala Investment Committee

8/3

Marion County Development Review Committee

Online via https://zoom.us/j/567161037 9am Call (352) 629-8371 for more information.

Office of the County Engineer, 412 SE 25th Ave. 9am The DRC votes on waiver requests, drainage/site plans, subdivision master plans, preliminary plats, improvement plans and final plats. Call (352) 671-8686 for more information.

8/6

CEP 75 West Networkers

8/6

Summer Sweat Series

8/3

Marion County Board of Adjustment Variances

8/6

Farm Share Food Distribution

8/4

Marion County Board of Commissioners

8/6

Be Scam Smart

8/4

Marion County Public Hearing

8/4

Marion County Public Hearing

8/4

Ocala City Council

8/4

Belleview City Commission Meeting

8/5

Marion County Commission Workshop

8/5

Marion County Commission Workshop

8/6

Marion County Development Review Committee Staff Meeting

8/6

Ocala Municipal Arts Commission

Bank of the Ozarks, 8375 SW State Rd. 200 8-9:30am Contact Randy Ziemann at (847) 302-2400 or laurelzfinwise@ gmail.com for more information.

Paddock Mall, 3100 SW College Rd. 9-10am Free community yoga classes with local instructors, limited to 15 participants. Advance registration required; call (352) 2371223. www.paddockmall.com.

College of Central Florida, 3001 SW College Rd. 10am Farm Share volunteers will distribute fresh food to Marion County families in a drive-through, first-come, first-served format. Must show ID. Call Suzy McGuire at (352) 732-1249 for more information.

SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) - virtual 10-11:30am A free Zoom workshop for seniors offered online or by phone. Call (352) 692-5262 or email shine@agingresources.org for more information.

8/6

Brick City Farmers Market

8/7

Ribbon Cutting

8/7 8/8

8/8

8/7

Beautiful Moments, 3400 SW 60th Ave. 4-8pm Farmers and artisan vendors offer fresh produce, herbs, pasta, eggs, and baked goods as well as locally crafted soaps and jewelry. Masks required. www.brickcityfarmersmarket.com

The Cornerstone School, 2313 SE Lake Weir Ave. 10am A celebration of The Cornerstone Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new building, which will house an art studio and gallery, an early childhood center and early learning lab along with state-of-the-art technology and classrooms. Contact Matthew Young at myoung@ thecornerstoneschool.org for more information.

Marion County Friday Market

McPherson Government Complex, 601 SE 25th Ave. 9am-2pm Shop locally fresh fruits and veggies, cinnamon buns, jerky, freeze dried treats, olive oils and seafood.

Back to School Fest

Paddock Mall, 3100 SW College Rd. 8am-12pm Families are invited to enjoy live entertainment, vendors and fun, socially distanced activities. AdventHealth Ocala will have giveaways and health information and Chick-fil-A will be open for refreshments. Register for the backpack and school supply giveaway online at www.paddockmall.com. Call (352) 2371223 for more information.

Ocala Downtown Market

SE 3rd Street and SE 3rd Avenue 9am-2pm A variety of vendors offer local fruits and vegetables, meats and seafood, fresh pasta, honey, arts and crafts, rain or shine. www. ocaladowntownmarket.com

Arts The Art of Purpose - Opening Reception

Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 S. Broadway 5-6:30pm The Art of Purpose: An Applied Arts Exhibit showcases the original objects local artists have created with both aesthetics and function in mind. Artist awards will be presented at the opening reception. Please wear a mask. Email ashley. justiniano@mcaocala.com or call (352) 369-1500 for more information.

Growth Services Training Room, 2710 E. Silver Springs Blvd. 2pm The Board of Adjustment Variances hears potential variances to code regulations and challenges to zoning code interpretations. Call (352) 438-2600 for more information.

McPherson Governmental Complex, 601 SE 25th Ave. 9am All meetings are open to the public. Call (352) 438-2323 for more information and visit https://www.marioncountyfl.org/ about/board-of-county-commissioners/agendas-and-minutes for minutes and agendas.

McPherson Government Complex Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave. 2pm Hearing for Leonardo Estates, Northeast 52nd Avenue improvement area. Call (352) 438-2650 for more information.

McPherson Government Complex Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave. 2:30pm Hearing for Northwest 165th Court Road, Classic Farms II/ Classic Farms III/High Cotton Farms/High Cotton Farms II, unrecorded improvement area. Call (352) 438-2650 for more information.

Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave. and online 5pm Email citycouncil@ocalafl.org to submit questions or get more information. Visit https://www.ocalafl.org/government/publicnotices to participate online via Zoom.

Belleview City Hall, 5343 SE Abshier Blvd., Belleview 6-8pm Call (352) 245-7021 for more information.

McPherson Government Complex Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave. 1:30pm Workshop to discuss Bluefields road assessment project under the new pavement condition index-based process outlined within policy 20-01; Bluefields. Call (352) 438-2650 for more information.

McPherson Government Complex Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave. 2pm Workshop to discuss Emil-Marr road assessment project under the new pavement condition index-based process outlined within policy 20-01; Emil-Marr. Call (352) 438-2650 for more information.

Office of the County Engineer Bldg 1 Conference Room, 412 SE 25th Ave. 8:30am Applicants may discuss proposed or current projects with county review staff prior to meeting formally with the Development Review Committee. Call (352) 671-8686 for more information.

Online via https://zoom.us/j/94036198722 3:30-4:30pm Call (352) 629-8447 for more information.

AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

5pm Gilly & the Girl Bank Street Patio Bar

6:30-9:30pm Warren McCullough Brooklyn’s Backyard

2-6pm Jeff Jarrett Eaton’s Beach Sandbar & Grill

7:30-11:30pm Grass Campers Bank Street Patio Bar

5-9pm Conrad Marcum Bank Street Patio Bar

7pm Friday Night Live Orange Blossom Opry

4pm Gilly & the Girl Gator Joe’s Beach Bar & Grill

8-11pm Conrad Marcum The Black Sheep on Broadway

6-8pm Jeff Jarrett Ocala Downtown Square

7-11pm Good2Go Good Time Bar & Grill

6-8pm Stephen Perry Ocala Downtown Square

12-4pm Stephen Perry Bank Street Patio Bar

7pm Orange Blossom Showcase Orange Blossom Opry

9pm-12am Stephen Perry The Lodge

7pm Orange Blossom Opry Band CD Release Party Orange Blossom Opry

1-4pm Heather Lynne The Lodge

4-8pm Conrad Marcum Eaton’s Beach Sandbar & Grill

9pm-12am DJ Karim Martin Pi on Broadway

7-11pm Good2Go Good Time Bar & Grill

Cabinet of Curiosities The Princess sails the Ocklawaha

his is a hand-colored photo postcard of the steamboat “Princess” on the Ocklawaha River by William Henry Jackson (18431942). Jackson was a famous American painter, explorer, Civil War veteran and photographer. In 1899, Jackson visited the Ocklawaha River and Silver Springs aboard the small steamboat Princess and produced a series of photographs. Some photos were used for handcolored postcards like this one, which was later mailed in May 1907 from Deland, Florida, to a Mrs. D.L. Slough in Greensburg,

Pennsylvania. Interestingly, Jackson was the great-great nephew of Samuel Wilson, who served in both the American Revolution and the War of 1812, and was the inspiration for the character “Uncle Sam.” The Silver River Museum is a program of Marion County Public Schools. Learn more at www. SilverRiverMuseum.com

Photo and text provided by Scott Mitchell, director of the Silver River Museum

AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Carolyn King, a teacher, works with fourth and fifth grade students in her classroom where social distancing was being observed during the last week of a three-week summer enrichment program for students at South Ocala Elementary School in Ocala, Fla. on Wednesday, July 29, 2020. Classes are scheduled to begin on August 24 for students in the Marion County Public School System amid the COVID-19 pandemic. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

The shutdown plan in the re-opening plan By Brad Rogers Executive Editor

hen planning how to go about re-opening Marion County Public Schools this fall got under way, a task force made up of administrators, teachers and parents examined health and safety issues, changes in instructional delivery and scheduling. They also looked at something called “a Second Interruption,” or, put more simply, another shutdown of the schools. As School Board Chairman Eric Cummings noted during Tuesday’s board meeting, “We can’t just think it’s not going to touch Marion County Public Schools. It already has. So, we have to do everything we can to mitigate it.” The plan crafted by the aptly named Re-opening School Task Force has plenty of directives and recommendations for reopening Marion County’s 51 public schools. There is a mask mandate whenever as student cannot social distance – you know, in classrooms, in hallways, in the cafeteria, on the bus. There are recommendations for how to minimize the risk of spreading the coronavirus for students and teach-

ers. There are plans for daily sanitizing of classrooms and other school facilities. Custodian schedules are being rearranged to enhance cleaning. There are assurances of hand sanitizer, face masks and face shields for every student and teacher. But while the plan tries to address every potential risk so schools can function at something close to normal, task force members also are realistic enough to recognize there is a chance that re-opening schools may cause new coronavirus cases, too many new cases. Hence, the section in their report called “Second Interruption.” “This school district, and school districts across the country, got a pass in the spring,” said Deputy Superintendent of Schools Mark Vianello, who headed the re-opening task force. “We may not get that pass next time. We have to be ready.” What Vianello is referring to is that state and district officials essentially relaxed standards and expectations when the school district was forced, in basically a week’s time, to switch from in-person classroom instruction to online distance learning. While most observers, including Vianello, praise how well teachers handle to abrupt change, the reality

Kaili Marshall, 10, wears her mask as she works with a Walking Rainbow experiment.

is too many students lost academic ground over the last couple months of the school year. “We wanted to know how we could improve on what happened in the spring,” Vianello said, adding “we went from traditional education to the entire system delivering education virtually almost overnight.” At least some of the problem can be attributed to technology issues. About one-third of public school students do not own a computer. One in 10 do not have internet service. There are also teachers who are not technologically adept. When teachers return to school on Monday (Aug. 3) a good part of their three weeks before students return to campuses will be spent in staff training, part of it geared to health and safety measures and part of it dedicated to training teachers on new technology, on more effective virtual teaching. In addition to training teachers to use new platforms for engaging students and parents, the school district will also use some of its $13.8 million in state Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grant money to pay for technology. The expectations for online students will also change dramatically.

Noah Klein, 6, wears his face shield and mask as he works on an activity in Kristen Givens’ classroom.

They will be expected to follow a class schedule just like those students attending brick-and-mortar schools. In other words, they will start school at the same time as inschool students and change classes at the end of each period just like traditional students. “There won’t be a forgiveness policy,” Vianello said. “There will be accountability.” Parents and students are being given the option of attending either traditional school or virtual school online. But, if the pandemic should worsen and, as some fear, too many teachers become sick or students start coming down with the virus in large numbers, the schools could again opt to go to go fully online. If that is the case, Vianello said, the district expects to be prepared with the hardware, software and training necessary for everyone involved to switch over to virtual education and succeed and meet the academic standards that are in place for traditional schools. So, in the plan to re-open schools is also a plan to shut them down again, if necessary.

Bonnie Chen, a teacher, left, talks with fifth graders, Isabella Kalil, 10, right, and Kaili Marshall, 10, center, about their Walking Rainbow experiments.

AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Art in the Attic

Marion Cultural Alliance’s y-ART Sale was a fundraising event that featured previously enjoyed art at yard sale prices.

Jordan Shapot, a local artist, sets up some of his artwork in the courtyard during the Sip and Shop VIP event of the Art In The Attic art show and sale hosted by the Marion Cultural Alliance at the Brick City Center For The Arts on Broadway Street in Ocala, Fla. on Friday, July 24, 2020. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Artwork is shown for sale during the Sip and Shop VIP event of the Art In The Attic art show.

Ashley Justiniano, the gallery manager, left, and artist/photographer Jonathan Burnette, right, toast each other during the Sip and Shop VIP event of the Art In The Attic art show and sale.

Artist Carol A. Hirsch describes some of her poured acrylic artwork that was for sale, including Pray For The Souls of the Departed, center.

People look over art for sale during the Sip and Shop VIP event of the Art In The Attic art show and sale.

Sheriff’s Office, county Fire Rescue move toward launching a joint training facility, but much still depends on voters By Bill Thompson Deputy Editor The Marion County Sheriff ’s Office recently moved closer to having its own one-stop training facility with a gun range and driving course. But bringing it to fruition still may hinge on voters green-lighting the renewal of a local 1-cent sales tax in November. In July, the County Commission unanimously approved a special-use zoning permit that would allow the Sheriff ’s Office to set up a gun range on the grounds of the Martel Recycling Center, at 296 S.W. 67th Ave. Rd. The Sheriff ’s Office’s plan calls for putting the gun range in the southwest corner of the 132-acre site, according to county documents. The northwest quadrant would contain an asphalt driving “pad.” The facility would be dual use, however. Marion County Fire Rescue also could use the site to train drivers for emergency vehicles and a section would be dedicated for firefighters to

practice on structure blazes. Sheriff Billy Woods added the facility to his wish list of projects to be funded by the sales tax, which voters first adopted in 2016 but is set to expire at the end of the year. Those plans show the $1.6 million range would be built in 2021. Voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether to renew the tax. Sheriff ’s Office spokesman Sgt. Paul Bloom said if the tax is not approved for a second go-round deputies could still conduct firearms qualification at Lowell Correctional Institution, where the state operates a gun range. But that option is restricted somewhat by having to coordinate with the state for using its facility. As for driver training, Bloom explained that the Sheriff ’s Office now uses Ocala Regional Sportsplex, when necessary. Prior to that, the Sheriff ’s Office conducted that at the Dunnellon-Marion County Airport. The driving pad is expected to cost $2.2 million and would be built in 2022, according to the proposed project list for the sales tax. “This has been a long-held desire

for us. Ideally, a training site set up just for local law enforcement would help provide even more training and remove the limited time slots and availability that we currently work around,” Bloom said in an email. “Driving, firearms and first-aid are considered by the FDLE (Florida Department of Law Enforcement) to be ‘high liability’ skills that must be continually trained on and re-certified annually. Our trainers attempt to provide the most realistic training scenarios as they can. We find that we are sometimes limited as to what we can do in Lowell as other agencies, law enforcement academy students and Marion Correctional (Institution) officers are using the site simultaneously.” With 800 employees at the Sheriff ’s Office, and 300 more at the Ocala Police Department, which also would have access to the proposed range, “just having the extra breathing room is essential. I guess a good analogy would be needing to buy a three- bedroom, two-bath home because your family has outgrown the one-bedroom, one-bath apartment.” Fire Rescue spokesman James

Lucas said the driving pad would help new firefighters to learn how to maneuver those vehicles, as well as those who need refresher training. The paved area would also improve firefighters’ skill at extracting trapped drivers. For one thing, county firefighters would no longer need to travel to local junkyards to find cars to work on rescuing drivers, and the paved surface at the Martel campus would be more realistic than the gravel area at the department’s operations center, since most accidents occur on asphalt, Lucas said. Meanwhile, firefighters also could move live-fire training exercises away from the operations center, said Lucas. And a joint facility, he added, could help improve collaboration between firefighters and law enforcement. The current sales tax passed with 55 percent of the vote in 2016. An estimated 30 percent of its proceeds are generated by visitors to Marion County.

WORD FIND

This is a theme puzzle with the subject stated below. Find the listed words in the grid. (They may run in any direction but always in a straight line. Some letters are used more than once.) Ring each word as you find it and when you have completed the puzzle, there will be 16 letters left over. They spell out the alternative theme of the puzzle.

AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Time to paint

Solution: 16 Letters

Abut Agent Angle Aspect Attic Beam Beds Brick Cosy Desk Divan Duplex

Eaves Enamel Extras Fence Finial Flat Floor Glue Grout Hearth Huge Inlay Interior

Jamb Lamp Loan Mitre Neighbours Primer Refrigerator Roof Rugs Sale Seller Semi

Sheen Sill Soap Space Style Tidy Tiles Truck Unit Vendor View Washing machine

Solution: Renovation rescue

Creators Syndicate

737 3rd Street • Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310-337-7003 • info@creators.com

Date: 8/3/20

Questions arise over Conrad’s residency By Bill Thompson Deputy Editor

arion County School Board candidate Lori Conrad faced a challenge beyond the two women competing against in the election for the District 1 seat. At the Republican Women of Ocala candidate forum on Tuesday night, Conrad faced a question about whether she complied with state laws governing candidate residency. But the county’s top election official said, as far as he and the law are concerned, Conrad is in the clear. At the event, moderator Kearsten Angel suggested Conrad did not meet the requirement to live in the district she wants to represent. Under state law, school board candidates must live in the district they run for when the qualifying period ends. Candidates for other state and local offices throughout Florida must meet that mandate “upon election.” Angel said that her research indicated that Conrad lived “very close” to the district she would represent if elected, but that the southeast Ocala address Conrad filed in election paperwork as her residence when qualifying end in mid-June was just “vacant” land with only a “shack” on it that no one could live in. Conrad disputed that. She told the audience that she made the effort to comply after discussing the situation with Elections

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Supervisor Wesley Wilcox. According to election records, Conrad’s initial filing in January did include a southeast Ocala address that was outside District 1. Yet after learning about the discrepancy, Conrad on March 30 changed her voter registration address to the current site. Wilcox said that was sufficient to meet state law. A residency affidavit Conrad filed on June 5 -- a week before qualifying ended -- attests that the address in her voter registration is her “legal residence” and that she will maintain residency in that district while in office. At the candidate forum, Conrad described the building as a “cabin” that is livable on what she called “the farm.” County property records indicate the 27-acre site contains a 1,320-square-foot “lean to.” “I do spend part of my time there, and it is in District 1,” she told the forum audience. Conrad also noted her family has owned the property longer than their house “in town.” “I am there over half of the week, each and every week,” she added. Wilcox said based on her paperwork and when she changed her registration information, Conrad is “perfectly legal,” and that the current address she goes by is “well within” District 1. Wilcox added that there is neither a requirement nor any legal authority for officials to verify whether candidates live where they claim to reside.

AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

In GOP primary for North Florida congressional seat, guns play a central role for most candidates By Bill Thompson Deputy Editor

epublican voters in the 3rd Congressional District, including more than 43,000 of them in Marion County, have plenty of homework to do ahead of the Aug. 18 primary. Ten GOP candidates are vying for their votes in seeking to take over for Rep. Ted Yoho, the Gainesville Republican who leaves Congress in January to fulfill a pledge to serve just four terms. But those voters will have no doubt about where anyone in the field stands on one issue: guns. Nine of the 10 feature an ad or other campaign promotional material extolling their position on guns, often with them carrying or firing guns. For example, Kat Cammack, who managed Yoho’s 2012 upset campaign over longtime Republican Congressman Cliff Stearns of Ocala, recently released her first video ad. The 30-second spot ends with Cammack, who also had been a longtime senior aide to Yoho, holding a shotgun on her right shoulder. Ryan Chamberlin, an author and business consultant, ended his first video ad with him knotting his tie. As he draws it tight, Chamberlin says, “And they (liberals) think every one of us is carrying a gun.” Chamberlin’s wife then enters the screen, and says, “Here’s you gun, honey,” as she hands him a pistol, to which he adds, “I don’t know why.” Todd Chase, a retired U.S. Navy pilot and former Gainesville city commissioner, posted under the “priorities” section of his website his position on the Second Amendment. The photo shows Chase aiming a bolt-action rifle in a gun store, while the text notes his weapons training in the Navy and that he is a member of the National Rifle Association. Bill Engelbrecht, owner of Florida First Care, which provides senior citizens with nursing and rehabilitation services, first describes his background in an 84-second post on his campaign’s Facebook page. Then, the first issue-related image to appear is a photo of an AR-15 and a pistol, plus ammunition for each. Engelbrecht then says, “In this Republican primary every candidate is pro-gun.” Joe Dallas Millado, a business consultant who spent seven years as a legislative aide for Stearns and also GOP Congressman Gus Bilirakis, offers the Second Amendment as the first issue on his campaign website. That section features a photo of a suit-clad Millado at an event aiming what appears to be a vintage M-1 rifle that the U.S. military used primarily during World War II and the Korean War. Gavin Rollins, a Clay County commissioner and a captain in the Florida Army National Guard, features on his campaign website a 30-second video in which he carries a rifle that resembles the M-4 model used by the military. At the end of the ad, he slaps the magazine into the weapon and unleashes a burst that utterly obliterates an unseen target. Judson Sapp, CEO of a family-owned company offering services to railroad companies, is shown in his campaign video ad carrying a single-barrel shotgun as he strolls alongside another man through a wooded area. The image is similar to one on his campaign website. In the ad, the announcer notes that Sapp, is “A-rated by the NRA.” James St. George, a doctor who specializes in radiology and vas-

cular care, does more than carry his single-barrel shotgun in his campaign commercial. The video opens with St. George saying he’s “a doctor, not a politician,” and then that he is an “NRA-certified marksman.” He then proceeds to blow from the sky several skeets representing liberal policies he opposes. David Theus, a financial services consultant to owners of small businesses, prefers relaying his message through long-form videos, lasting between 10 minutes and 44 minutes, on his campaign Facebook page. He doesn’t pose with a firearm in these videos, but his literature notes that he believes in the Second Amendment. On his campaign’s Facebook site, Theus includes a photo of a man holding a pistol with a quote from him: “Our Founders knew firsthand that Tyranny stood ready outside their door - only to steal their Persons, Property, and Liberty at the end of a barrel.” The exception to the thread lacing these candidates together on this issue is Amy Pope Wells, a former critical care nurse and now a business owner. Wells directly counters her gun-toting rivals. On her website she places support for the Second Amendment at the top of her issues. But in an 86-second campaign video on YouTube she takes direct aim at some of the other candidates who promote guns. “You’re not going to see me walking slowly, draping a gun over my shoulder, in a desperate effort to make you think I’m pro Second Amendment,” Wells says in the video. “I live in the country. Guns are an everyday part of life for us. It’s not an act.” Aubrey Jewett, a political science professor at the University of Central Florida, suggested that by and large Republicans are the pro-Second Amendment party, while Democrats are the gun-control party. And while most Republican primary voters would expect their candidates to back the Second Amendment, those who fail to demonstrate it risk being labeled as “soft,” Jewett said. Thus, guns remain a potent issue in many Republican primaries. Additionally, the gun issue has now taken on even more importance for many GOP voters. Gun sales have soared across the country and in Florida over the past few months, Jewett noted, as many people feel very anxious about their personal safety due to the pandemic, the Black Lives Matter protests and the upcoming election. “Most Republican candidates in more rural conservative districts will fight to get an endorsement from the NRA and heavily publicize their pro-Second Amendment views. If a GOP candidate fails to make it clear that they are strongly supportive of gun rights, then they may sink their own chance of winning the race. Thus, during the primary, running an ad carrying or even discharging a weapon is a quick visual to remind those conservative Republican voters that the GOP candidates are in sync with their views on guns,” Jewett said in an email. Jewett said it remains to be seen if Wells’ play pans out. “It will be a risky strategy not running ads showcasing her support for guns. Although, with so many candidates running, perhaps the other nine will split the vote among the large number of pro-gun voters and she will be able to assemble a winning coalition from a much smaller pool of Republican voters who do not care as much about the gun issue.”

O.G. Toons

Illustration by David Vallejo

ASPEN OLMSTEAD TO INSTALL SUSPENDED SCULPTURE, DRAGONFLY

he City of Ocala, through its Cultural Arts and Sciences Division and Water Resources Department, announces the installation of a new suspended sculpture Dragonfly in the Tuscawilla Art Park, 213 NE Fifth St., Thursday, July 30. Based on the concept “water is life,” locally-based artist Aspen Olmstead found inspiration from the idea of and need for clean water in the life cycle of aquatic animals and insects. The sculpture is created using all recycled materials, with the wings comprised of glass pieces found in the park.

Dragonfly will be suspended and help collect water that will feed into a planter underneath. “The City of Ocala Water Resources Department is very excited to sponsor the sculpture, Dragonfly. It is a great representation of the importance of preserving and protecting our valuable water resources,” said Rachel Slocumb, Conservation Coordinator, Water Resources Department. “Dragonflies are slightly intolerant to pollution, so by reducing pollution we will be able to provide not only dragonflies, but all living things a healthier environment.”

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AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

We encourage our readers to share their opinions through letters to the editor. All letters are subject to editing for clarity, length, taste and libel. Letters should contain the writer’s full name, address and phone number. Letters should be 200 words or less. To give as many readers as possible an opportunity, we publish only one letter every 30 days per writer. Submit your letter to letters@ocalagazette.com.

Deplorable inaction by local leadership endangers us By John M. Green Guest Columnist

our paper’s recent commentary, “It’s in our DNA to resist a mandate,” completely misses the point. In a vacuum, the decision as to whether you want to expose yourself to a life-threatening danger should be yours. That is, unless your risktaking subjects others to the same dangers without their consent. Not only is your decision in such event selfish, but if you are a virus carrier, that decision can grievously impact others. Most of our laws are not designed to keep people from acting stupid. That is your right as long as you do not harm others in the process. An example is that DUI laws are not designed to prevent you from drinking but prevent you from getting on a highway and killing

others while exercising your right to drink. The actions of our governor, County Commission and City Council are deplorable. We are now one of the epicenters of increased COVID-19 activity throughout the world. Never in my memory have we had over 500 of our local medical professionals ask for a local ordinance that creates such minimal inconvenience to the public with proven scientific reduction in the spread of COVID-19 and have the request ignored by local government. While many governors have taken decisive action, Florida’s has largely left it up to local government and merely provided platitudes. Locally, that leaves us with our county and municipal government to protect us. The county has not even addressed the problem and the city declined action following the mayor’s expression of vague uneasiness about

enforcement, the president of the City Council having problems with a mandate and a third City Council member being concerned that a $25 fine for the second willful violation of an ordinance was too much. Our governmental representatives do not have the courage to handle a fullscale emergency. There is no recognized scientist that does not agree that until there is a vaccine, social distancing and the wearing of face masks is the only way to limit the spread of this virus. With the exception of medical quality masks, most are designed to protect others from the wearer’s discharged fluids transmitted through the air to others and not to totally prevent the virus from getting through the masks as you inhale. Social distancing can be voluntary or enforced through mandate of law. A quick trip through our community demonstrates that asking

voluntary compliance is failing. Absent compulsory compliance, the spread will continue. The easiest way to afford protection is through the required use of face masks when people are in public along with requiring merchants to enforce their use upon penalties of closure by code enforcement. Other communities have done this successfully and seen positive results. We are rapidly giving out of time to effectively reduce the spread of COVID-19. My optimism says that we will finally see local government enact emergency laws to protect its citizens. Sadly, a lifetime of experience in Ocala suggests we will have politics as usual.

John M. Green Jr. is a lawyer and lives in Ocala.

Letters to the Editor Vote ‘em out

hile all the doctors and medical professionals recommend wearing a mask, we have some people in the community who are against it. Rock Gibboney is one. City Council President

Jay Musleh is another, as is the Marion County Commission. Those who have voted against the mandate to wear masks should be voted out of office. The same goes for Sheriff Billy Woods and Mayor Kent Guinn.

How on earth do we get people in office that are smarter than the medical professionals? Let’s get together and get them out of office. Jack Keeler Ocala

Watching the death toll rise

s a citizen of Ocala, I am appalled that our City Council members did not unanimously vote for mandatory masks in a city where we are seeing rises in cases and deaths every day. Ocala is ranked 10th in the nation as highest death rate per capita. Our City Council is elected to keep Ocala citizens safe, not to attach themselves to one party in a time of a pandemic and ignore what is best for our community. We are seeing businesses close and, for me, I do not feel safe. Therefore, I am not venturing out to places of business because many are not wearing a mask to keep me safe. This current policy will cause our county’s and city’s

economy to see another major recession because many in this community see the repercussions of what this deadly pandemic is doing as our political leaders ignore our local and national doctors and immunologists. Florida has the highest rate of cases now in the world. Florida alone has 33,000 cases and almost 6,000 deaths. Ocala has 3,426 cases and 49 deaths … and rising. Our elected officials are not working to make our city safe. I find this irresponsible and sadly, too political. The time has come to put individual politics aside and do what is right for all citizens. Ocala has many senior 55-plus communities and sadly, this will send out a negative signal to not

move here because our city is ignoring what is happening in the world. Additionally, our children are at risk as well as all adults who work in stores to feed us and serve us during this dangerous and deadly time. Publix alone reported six cases this past week because they did not mandate masks until last Tuesday. I hope the two City Council members, Brent Malever and Jay Musleh, who did not vote for a mandatory mask policy will change their mind before we see even more deaths in our city.

City Councilman Brent Malever [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Karen Herzog Ocala

Rock Gibboney [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Listen to the docs

s an Ocala resident who lovingly adopted the “Horse Capital of The World” as his retirement community, I’m bewildered at the Ocala’s City Council’s response to 700 local health care professionals’ request to mandate the wearing of masks within the city. I’ve watched as the United States has progressed to lead the world with 4.3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, along with 148,000 deaths. Some 860,000 of those cases have

been realized in the last two weeks, along with 11,500 deaths. The great State of Florida now leads the U.S., surpassing New York’s compiled number of positive cases along with 200 deaths occurring just today. It would seem far more prudent to me for the City Council to listen more closely to those risking their lives in an attempt to curtail this pandemic than surrendering to those individuals selfishly demanding that there be no infringement “to their

rights” to expose others to whatever maladies they may be transmitting. As long as we continue to ignore the advice of our health care professionals and side with those unwilling to put in the effort to try and diminish the spread of this dread disease, we shall continue to lead the world in corona virus infections and, regrettably the suffering and deaths that come at its expense. John R. Green Ocala

City Council President Jay Musleh [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Yoho’s ‘misunderstanding’

take issue with the characterization of the puff piece by Bill Thompson, who seemed to support Rep. Ted Yoho’s non-apology apology to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez concerning his disgusting comments that he denied were about her. For one thing, the piece starts out “according to media reports” the two bickered. Then it goes on to say Yoho “allegedly” didn’t make the disgusting remarks about AOC, even though the reporter from The Hill, Mike Lillis, heard him call her a “fu----ng bi—ch.” Then, again, according to media reports, [the comment] “was not specific to anyone.” So, which is it? Did the media

reports confirm the remarks by Yoho, or did they deny he meant them for AOC? Fact is, he said what he said, and there were no other females around -- so who, exactly, was he talking about? In any case, Thompson’s observation that Yoho was “appearing to become emotional” on the House floor is a bit presumptuous, wouldn’t you think, unless Thompson actually knew Yoho’s state of mind as he spoke? Was this an effort to evoke sympathy, and are the readers supposed to feel sorry for him because he was on food stamps at one time in his life? If so, I’ll see if I can find my tiny violin! The piece notes that Yoho did apologize “for any

misunderstanding,” but he did not “sort of ” apologize to AOC at all, as Thompson’s headline falsely claims. She -- and many of her colleagues in the House -- all agreed that whatever he said in his speech, it wasn’t an apology. Of course, Ocasio-Cortez was having none of it because his comments obviously were demeaning. Who could blame her? Women, especially women of color, are continually dehumanized by powerful white guys in this country. Thompson’s article mentioned that AOC is “the darling of the progressive movement.” So, as such, yes, I’m happy AOC stood up to him! Dan Dildy Ocala

Mask it or casket

ill Thompson’s commentary (July 27) supported the businesses that choose to mandate masks while praising Georgia Gov. Kemp for preventing local officials from imposing mask mandates. Mr. Thompson questioned the established science behind the efficacy of masks by citing the Northeast states with mandatory mask orders, forgetting to mention that their new cases continue to increase at a slower rate than most of the nation. And yes, a sparsely populated state like South Dakota is going to have fewer cases with or without a mask order. Former Vice President Joe Biden said in a CNN

interview, “I would do everything possible to make it required that people had to wear masks in public.” It is not clear if this would be accomplished with an executive order, which Mr. Thompson characterized as “Barack Obama’s weapon of choice.” Mr. Thompson omitted that President Obama’s 276 executive orders were 15 fewer than George W. Bush’s. Trump has signed 172 executive orders so far and he’s on track to have signed 393 executive orders if he continues at the same rate for two full terms. Whose weapon of choice, Mr. Thompson? The Supreme Court ruled in 1905 that, “… a

community has the right to protect itself against an epidemic of disease which threatens the safety of its members.” Children are vaccinated in order to attend school. Governments have quarantined populations in the past and they are shutting down businesses now. Wouldn’t it make more sense to mandate masks so that the U.S. can be open for business and education like most of the other countries in the world which do require masks? We do not dispute seat belt laws, agreeing to “Click it or ticket.” How about, “Mask it or casket.”

Sidestepping enforcement

hen was the last time, if ever, the city of Ocala was faced with a request from some 700 Ocala doctors, nurses and other health care professionals, as were the Marion County Commission and the Belleview City Commission, about a public health issue that was of immediate concern? I was shocked and dismayed that Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said one of his reasons for opposing the ordinance was he did not believe there is any evidence that masks help reduce the spread of the virus. All he needs to do is read scientific reports and studies from the C.D.C., Mayo Clinic, Stanford School of Medicine, N.I.H., Harvard Global Health Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, etc. Additionally, both he and Ocala Police Chief Greg Graham said enacting such an

ordinance requiring police to issue tickets would increase the number of calls for police service and called it “an overburden for us to enforce.” I trust we can all agree that COVID-19 is an unprecedented national emergency and the spread of this virus is having specific deleterious impact on the State of Florida and Marion County at this time. I would therefore hope that our law enforcement leadership could recalibrate their enforcement priorities to deal with this proposed mandate, if ultimately enacted. They have done that in the past to enforce seat belt laws, hands-free cell phone laws and DUI laws, which by the way were all opposed at one time. Henry DeGeneste, retired Director of Public Safety & Superintendent of Police Port Authority Police of New York & New Jersey Ocala

Daniel Lack Ocala Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Underlying conditions present in most COVID-19 deaths By Bill Thompson Deputy Editor

s of Wednesday, 51 Marion County residents had died of COVID-19. Besides being members of this community, almost all of them had one other thing in common. They had other health issues – “underlying conditions” or “comorbidities,” as the medical community refers to them -that played a significant role in their deaths. According to the Marion County Health Department, 48 of those locals – or 94 percent – had a condition that made them more vulnerable to coronavirus. It’s been known for some time that the elderly and those with additional health challenges were at greater risk. In early April, for example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study that found nearly 90 percent of people hospitalized for COVID-19 had at least one underlying condition. But Marion County’s experience helps underscore the need for greater vigilance by those suffering from underlying health conditions and those who care for them. At the time of its study, the CDC noted the conditions that landed COVID-19 patients in the hospital most often were

obesity, hypertension, chronic lung disease, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Today, the CDC has expanded that list of things heighten the risk of “severe” illness to include cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, a compromised immune system from an organ transplant and sickle cell disease. Atop those are a host of conditions that the CDC is less sure about. The agency says a person “might be at an increased risk” for a “severe” case of COVID-19 if they have moderate to severe asthma, cystic fibrosis, high blood pressure, neurological conditions such as dementia, liver disease, are pregnant or a smoker. “What we see in Marion is what has been occurring nationwide – heart disease, diabetes and hypertension are the primary underlying health conditions,” said county Health Department spokeswoman Christy Jergens. The question of identifying who is most at risk is taking on greater significance as Marion County, and the rest of the nation, debate how or whether to reopen schools and lift restrictions on businesses and gatherings amid escalating positive cases. A subset of that discussion concerns whether a COVID-19 victim dies from the virus or with the

virus. For example, in midJuly Washington state subtracted 65 deaths from its overall coronavirus fatality count because they were later deemed to have died from natural causes or, in nine of them, homicide, suicide or an accident. The state’s health department acknowledged that it had “counted all people who died that tested positive for COVID-19. This method identifies people who had the virus, but fails to tell us whether COVID-19 caused their death.” Colorado in May deducted nearly 300 COVID-19 deaths from its tally because they passed away with the illness but not due to it. In Marion County, said Jergens, “It can be difficult to determine.” “We are seeing that COVID-19 affects both pulmonary and cardiovascular systems, for example. So, if someone has a heart attack, underlying heart disease could have been a factor, but increased stress and inflammation placed on the heart and cardiovascular symptoms by COVID-19 could also be a factor,” she said in an email. “Similarly, with COVID-19, some reports have noticed blood clotting issues that occur when someone has the virus. If someone is COVID-19 positive and has a stroke, it could be difficult to say if that clot that led to the stroke would have happened

if the person had not contracted COVID-19.” Lindsey Bayer, operations director for the state medical examiner’s office in Leesburg, which serves a six-county region including Marion, said the decisionmaking process can walk a “fine line.” “There is still so much people, including us, don’t know about this virus,” she said. The medical examiner’s office is not conducting autopsies of coronavirus patients, unless they die in a prison or jail, for fear of staff contracting the disease. But the agency reviews the decedent’s medical records and signs off on the death certificates, which has the final word on cause of death. Bayer said the medical examiners look at the victim’s health situation prior to testing positive or being hospitalized. Essentially, the examiner looks for a “progression of symptoms” attributable to COVID-19, said Bayer. “They have to be sick before we can determine that” is the cause of death. For example, Bayer noted that a person can lead a normal active life with hypertension and diabetes for many years, but if they suddenly become ill with fever, or respiratory symptoms, or a positive test and are hospitalized with no recovery, the cause of death will generally be listed as COVID-19 pneumonia and their underlying conditions

identified as contributing factors. On the other hand, someone who has been in their usual state of health and has a history of heart disease (or some other condition) and who goes to the emergency room with chest pain and dies, a COVID-19 positive test will not be included on the death certificate. In a few cases, Bayer said, the outcome was “complications” of COVID-19, which signals the person was in poor health and the virus exacerbated the problem, thus shortening his or her life. On a few other occasions, the attending physician at the hospital has declared coronavirus the cause only to be later overruled by the medical examiner, who identified an underlying cause. Then, in some instances, there is no signal at all to a COVID-19 death. “We do get a few where the person had no underlying conditions because they weren’t aware of it, their families weren’t aware of it and we weren’t aware of it,” she said. Ultimately, however, the bottom line is that underlying health issues are severely problematic. Bayer noted that Marion County’s ratio of fatal coronavirus victims with underlying conditions aligns with in other counties who die aligns with that from Marion County, she said.

AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Broadway Under the Stars

On July 23rd, Ocala Civic theater opened Broadway Under the Stars on their newly renovated outdoor stage behind the theater. The 90 minute show ran through August 1st. Plans were made to keep audience size minimal for each performance. Guests were able to reserve small tables up to four people. There was also limited bleacher seating. Photography by Dave Schlenker

Backpack Fever

In honor of Bob Kuperberg’s 90th birthday, his family organized an online auction of artist decorated backpacks. The online auction called “Backpack Fever” was hosted by the Marion Cultural Alliance and raised more than $6,000 by the time it ended on Thursday. In an effort to give back to the community, Kuperberg decided to donate all of the money raised in the auction. The money raised in the auction will be equally divided between the Marion Cultural Alliance and Interfaith Emergency Services.

Backpacks decorated by local artists are shown during Bob Kuperberg’s 90th birthday celebration. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Bob Kuperberg, a local artist, right, watches as his grandson, Sam, second from left, sings happy birthday to him, as Karla Grimsley, the CEO of Interfaith Emergency Services, second from right, sings to him as well during Kuperberg’s 90th birthday celebration at the Brick City For The Arts in Ocala, Fla. on Thursday, July 23, 2020. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Bob Kuperberg, poses with some of the artwork he created [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Bob Kuperberg, center, poses for a photo with Ana Dunwoody, left, and Paulette Millhorn, right. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 9, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Equine event rescheduled By Susan Smiley-Height Staff Writer

s events around the world continue to be impacted by COVID-19, a signature equestrian competition in Marion County also has fallen victim to the pandemic. The Ocala Jockey Club’s 2020 3-Day Event, originally set for Nov. 1215 on the rolling hills of northwest Marion County, has been rescheduled to Nov. 11-14, 2021. The Ocala Jockey Club (OJC) property spans more than 900 acres and is located between Irvine and Flemington, on County Road 318. The picturesque campus, with its sprawling pastures, ancient moss-laden oaks, barns, paddocks and homes, offers one of the best sunset views in all of Marion County, which is larger in size than the state of Rhode Island. It offers a perfect site for equine eventing competitions, which include dressage, cross country and show jumping. The United States Equestrian Federation

(USEF) holds Eventing National Championships annually at the CCI5*-L, Advanced, CCI4*-L, CCI3*-L and CCI2*-L levels. The OJC 3-Day Event was designated as the CCI4*-L National Championships. And, due to the rescheduled Tokyo Olympic Games reset for the summer of 2021, it also was to serve as an important Olympic qualifier. “As a number of 4* and 5* events have cancelled across the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, OJC recognized the importance of the OJC event to Team USA and the USEF High Performance program and worked diligently to plan the event. However, COVID-19 concerns have become significant enough that the hard decision to cancel needed to be made,” OJC officials stated in news release. “It was clear that COVID-19 would not make it possible to conduct the 2020 event as the highprofile community and spectator-friendly event of the past four years that has created over $1 million of annual economic impact to the community.”

Given that this was a tough decision, we asked OJC President Pavla Nygaard her final impetus for canceling the event. “We were always going to put our assessment of safety first, regardless of when the decision to go or not would be made,” she stated via email on Wednesday. “OJC would have preferred to make decisions closer to the event date. The pandemic impacts may still improve or get worse, either way affecting the ultimate wisdom of running this type of event when the scheduled date actually arrives. The impetus for the timing of the decision was due to the sport’s internal political and planning considerations affecting competitors and officials, requiring decisions to be made far out in advance.” Nygaard noted in the release that she felt the OJC team had a responsibility to study trends and project the likely impacts on a competition four months in the future. “I have read hundreds of articles and scientific studies about the virus’ behavior,

transmission, prevention, available therapeutics, screening apps, wearable technology, mitigation effectiveness and otherwise,” she stated. “In addition to USEF and FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale) guidelines, I have followed the design, effectiveness and limitations of protocols of major sports such as NFL, NBA, MLB and horse racing. I have spoken to organizers and competitors of other equestrian competitions regarding protocols, compliance and factors affecting decisions of when and how to run. OJC has worked on designing protocols including health and other feasibility metrics that would assist us with pre-event and onsite decisions and processes. While most 5* and 4* Eventing competitions around the world have cancelled months ago, until recently we have felt that our intended strategies were feasible to employ even in a very uncertain environment. However, with recent spikes in infections and changes in the demographics affected, available public health metrics no longer give us the same comfort that the strategies within our control would reliably overcome the elements outside of OJC’s control.” She said there is no one-size-fits all to making decisions in these times, “but our perspective is to focus on our values and go from there.” “For us, those values were safety and quality, first and foremost,” she remarked via email. “The more people there are involved, and the more communities they need to come from, the more complex and resourceintensive these values can become to implement. Risk assessment and management depends on a large number of factors. There were many aspects of the event that would have presented low risk

even in a pandemic, due to the outdoor nature of the event and the fact that this is an individual sport where crowds and face-to-face contact can be minimized fairly well. However, there were other high-risk aspects, such as officials’ overseas travel or protocol compliance concerns, that we found challenging to mitigate with sufficient certainty.” OJC officials also said their event relies on noncompetition income, such as sponsorships, VIP hospitality, spectator and tailgating ticket sales, vendors and advertising, to offset expenses. “Due to social distancing requirements, these noncompetition aspects are currently not allowed or limited under USEF Covid-19 mitigation rules,” the release indicated. “Our conversations with select sponsors and other event organizers point to a clear need to understand supporters’ economic challenges in these times. We understand everyone has been affected differently in this pandemic, and feel it necessary for our supporters to be able to regroup their own lives and operations. However important this event may be, we feel this is not the year to ask people for increased support.” When asked about the impact to individuals, Nygaard said that eventing competitors are used to taking risks on their horses each time they jump over large obstacles at high speed. “But this situation is different, where the person taking the risk and the one affected by it may not be the same person,” she offered. “With this virus, we defeat it when we care about each other and it defeats us when we don’t.” Event updates will be available at www.OJC3de. com. For more information about the Ocala Jockey Club, visit www.ocalajc.com.

Photos courtesy of Ocala Jockey Club

Record $651 million schools budget unveiled By Brad Rogers Executive Editor

he Marion County School Board paused from talking about how to safely reopen schools amid a pandemic long enough Tuesday evening to receive the school district’s proposed 2020-21 budget, a record $651 million spending package. There is a lot of good news in the tentative budget presented by school system Chief Financial Officer Theresa Boston-Ellis. For example: • The proposed budget is 9.8 percent bigger than last year. BostonEllis attributed some of that to savings to the schools being closed for three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. • While the budget is

going up, the proposed millage rate – 7.018 mills – is .166 mills lower than last year. Meanwhile, property values in Marion County went up 8.14 percent, which Boston-Ellis said resulted in $7.7 million in new funding. • Local property taxes account for $152 million of the total school budget. The 1-mill special school tax approved by voters accounted for almost $22 million in the budget and is responsible for about 400 jobs. • The Legislature earlier this year approved funding to raise teacher salaries to a minimum of $47,500. While the funding was approved, Boston -Ellis said the $7.2 million Marion County received will not

be enough to reach that target, although raises are still likely. • About $15.5 million comes from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The School Board now begins the process of finalizing a budget and is planning two workshop meetings on Aug. 6 and 13, respectively. A public hearing on the final proposal is slated for Sept. 8. Boston-Ellis, who said Marion County Public Schools is anticipating 425 more students this year, told the board there were several steep challenges facing the School Board and the schools in the coming year. The most obvious, of course, is reopening schools during a pandemic. In addition to the health and safety concerns, the schools

will also test the district’s ability to provide essential items for classrooms and schools, including teachers, cleaning supplies and enough personnel to ensure schools and busses are clean and students are obeying the rules. Another challenge is the lack of any Public Education Capital Outlay, or PECO, funds. PECO funds are collected by the state from utility bill taxes. For the past several years, the Legislature has voted to pump all of the state’s PECO into charter schools, as it did this year, so public schools have no help from the state for school building repairs. BostonEllis estimated Marion County faces $350 million in repairs, upgrades and renovations in the next five years alone. Buying new technology and hardware and software

will also be a challenge with more children taking online classes. More than one-third of Marion County students lack computers and/or hot spots so they can take online classes at home, and the board has said it will provide a computer to any student who needs one to do schoolwork. Continuing to modernize Marion County’s ever-aging school bus fleet also remains a goal that Boston-Ellis said may be hard to address this year. She also warned the School Board about lingering Safe Schools mandates – resulting from school and other mass shootings -- that have been overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic but remain mandates from the state, nonetheless. The School Board voted 5-0 to accept the tentative budget with no comment.

Faith over fear? Yes, but the fear is still real By Brad Rogers Executive Editor

ack in April when our lives were just beginning to change because of the coronavirus, my neighbor Nancy Bierma stopped by one day with a gift. It was one of those signs that have become common in yards across the community and the country. “Faith over Fear,” it reads. We were grateful for the comforting gesture, and it’s been displayed in our front flower bed ever since. It seems like a lot longer than four months since that day. Phrases like social distancing and mask mandates and positivity rates that we didn’t have a clue about at the outset of 2020 are now part of our everyday lexicon, part of our everyday routine. My face mask is as much a part of my daily attire now as my shoes or my shirt. Who knew that just going out to dinner would become a potentially risky proposition? Any outside seats available? So here we are. August is upon us, and we’re no better off. If anything, the virus has gained ground. We’re seeing more cases of coronavirus pretty much everywhere. I know four couples in my immediate circle of friends who have contracted the virus. They all say the same thing. This IS NOT the flu. And, they’ve never had anything like it. They’ve been bedridden and visited the ER. They’re recovering, but it’s been a long, horrible slog to recovery. Faith over fear. Despite the recent spike in cases here in Marion County,

across Florida and across the nation, I think most of us have faith there will be a vaccine, hopefully sooner than later. I think most of us have faith that if we contract the virus we will survive. (We have to think that, don’t we?) But this week teachers go back to work getting ready to re-open our schools. They’ll have three weeks to figure out how to maintain social distancing and keep masks on our children in classrooms and hallways where doing either will be a challenge, to say the least. Oh, and they also have to keep kids focused on learning in the midst of a global crisis. Disclosure: I’m married to a 20-year veteran of Marion County Public Schools. While she is a woman of faith – as, I suspect, are most of her colleagues – make no mistake, there is genuine fear about what they are about to undertake. There are about 43,000 students enrolled in Marion County’s Public Schools. About three-fourths of them, give or take, are expected to show up at brick-andmortar schools on Aug. 23, the first day of school. There are so many questions. Will there be enough soap and hand sanitizer? Can custodial staffs actually keep the schools clean enough? Will students adhere to social distancing and face mask rules? What happens if a student turns up positive for the virus? What happens if the virus begins running through our teaching corps, about onethird of whom are over the age of 50? What about the buses where there is no way

[Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

to social distance? Yes, there is fear, whether anyone is expressing it publicly. Gov. Ron DeSantis had this to offer: He would have no problem sending his children to public schools when they reopen … if they were school-aged, that is. Pretty safe pronouncement, don’t you think? The School Board is doing what it can – or at least saying what it must -- to make teachers and students feel safe returning to schools. But let’s face it, when over the past several months have there been large congregations of people that didn’t end up in outbreaks of COVID-19? Spring break partying in South Florida? Outbreak. Funerals in Georgia? Outbreak. Political rallies? Outbreak. Recent history suggests our schools could be a ticking time bomb

if everyone doesn’t do their part. Of course, because we don’t know what the virus can do to children gathered in large numbers, opening the schools is a gamble our leaders think is necessary to reboot the economy. But rest assured, there is fear enveloping the prospect of hundreds of children packed into the neighborhood school for six hours a day. Would you want to be in that cafeteria at lunchtime? That fear is evident in the voices and on the faces of our school leaders. Because, as new Superintendent of Schools Diane Gullet told me, “We just don’t know what we don’t know.” The big fear, at this point, is that teachers will contract the virus from asymptomatic youngsters, who might also carry it home to parents and grandparents. If too many

teachers get sick, or just test positive, they will be quarantined -- and who is going to teach our children? Just like the hundreds of local doctors, who beseeched the Ocala City Council and Marion County Commission to enact a mask mandate, warned: if too many health care workers get sick, if too many teachers get sick, who is going to nurse us back to health and who is going to teach our children – in person or virtually? That’s the fear. So, I’ve got faith we’ll get through this pandemic. What I fear is that my wife and her colleagues, packed into schools with hundreds of youngsters who think they’re invincible and immune, will get sick or worse. Yeah, faith over fear. I have faith. But the fear is undeniable and more real than ever.

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