Campbell wins reelection to Marion County School Board
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
Allison Campbell has been reelected to represent District 1 on the Marion County School Board after defeating challenger Beth McCall. Campbell received 29,836 votes, while McCall received 26,770. Campbell has served on the school board since she was first elected in 2020.
See Campbell, page A2
Marion County will get new circuit judge
By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
Marion County resident, Barbara Kissner Kwatkosky defeated Ben Boylston for Group 20 Circuit Judge seat 105,690 votes to 97,737.
Her term will begin Jan. 1 upon the retirement of Judge Gary Sanders at the end of the year.
The judicial race was nonpartisan and all voters in the 5th judicial circuit had the choice on their ballot.
See Circuit, page A7
Following the primary election, here’s what is next for the state House races
Staff report
Marion County is divided among five Florida House Districts: 20, 21, 23, 24, and 27, and two of those districts had candidates on the Aug. 20 primary ballots.
District 27 was the most crowded and contentious
primary race. Richard Gentry will next face Dennis M. Simpson Jr. (LPF) and Andy Ferrari (DEM) in the November general election. See related story in this edition.
Judson Sapp won District 20 against Jamie Watts, 14,917 votes to 8,070. Sapp will face Democrat Tony Connelly in the November election. District 20
encompasses portions of Clay, Marion, Putnam and St. Johns counties. Incumbent, Yvonne Hayes Hinson (DEM) did not draw an opponent for District 21, so she will enter a third term. This district includes parts of Alachua and Marion counties.
For Florida House District 24, incumbent Ryan Chamberlin, (REP), did not draw a primary opponent, and he will face newcomer Democrat Robert Shaw in the general election. This district includes part of Marion County. For Florida House District 23, all registered voters in this district will choose between Republican JJ Grow or Democrat Judith Vowels. This district includes Citrus and part of Marion counties.
Community members, neighbors respond following jury trial
Susan Lorincz was found guilty of manslaughter in the death of Ajike “AJ” Owens. The sentencing hearing is set for Nov. 6.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
The guilty verdict on Aug. 16 in the shooting death of 35-year-old mother of four Ajike “AJ” Owens in southwest Marion County by then 58-year-old Susan Lorincz took less than two hours of jury deliberations but capped 14 months of emotionally charged discussion about the case.
Although four additional charges were dropped or not pursued, Lorincz was found guilty of manslaughter with a firearm in the jury trial.
The case included an admission by Lorincz, who is white, that she used a racial slur against the children of the victim,
who was Black.
Lorincz first invoked the Florida statute known as the “stand your ground” law, or self-defense, in the shooting. The statute states that a person has “no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground” and can use “deadly force if he or she reasonably believes that using or threatening to use such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm.”
Owens was shot June 2, 2023, at 9 p.m. through Lorincz’s front door, which Lorincz stated she had locked, following a confrontation tied to a dispute that had been going on for about two years. The dispute centered on Lorincz’s claims that children,
See Guilty, page A4
Barbara Kissner Kwatkosky
Pamela Dias, the mother of Ajike “AJ” Shantrell Owens, center, becomes emotional as she sits with family attorney, Anthony Thomas, left, as Susan Lorincz was found guilty of manslaughter at the Marion County Judicial Center in Ocala on Friday, August 16, 2024. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.
Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette
Left: From left, Marion County Supervisor of Elections Wesley Wilcox and Cristi Cerra, candidate services representative for the supervisor’s office, watch results with Election Canvassing Board members Marion County Commissioner Kathy Bryant and Judge Robert Landt at the Marion County Election Center in Ocala on Tuesday, August 20, 2024. Below: Ballots are delivered from voting polls as 2024 Primary Election results come in.
Allison B Campbell
Campbell
Continued from page A1
Campbell has three children enrolled in Marion County Public Schools. She earned her doctorate in strategic communication from Regent University.
Campbell’s time on the school board has been marked with navigating the pandemic, updating the interlocal agreement among the school board, county and its municipalities, and reinstating impact fees to fund construction after a 13-year hiatus.
“I read where someone posted a few weeks back that ‘Allison’s only special interest is doing what’s in the best interest of children.’
I read that and really kept that close to my heart down the stretch, because it’s the truth,” Campbell said. “As my motto has been, I’m a parent not a politician, and I’m just grateful the whole county really resonated with that message.”
Just like any successful team, we’re only going to be better working together. I’m excited to continue working for the students and families of Marion County!
McCall served on the school board in the District 2 seat from 2016 until her resignation in June 2021. Since she has worked as the director of talent development at the Ocala Metro Chamber & Economic Partnership and served
on the board of a number of nonprofit organizations, including as executive director of the Marion County Children’s Alliance.
McCall earned a master’s degree in management and leadership from Webster University. She received a bachelor’s degree in education and music from Eastern New Mexico University.
McCall moved homes and now resides in District 1 where she is running for office.
McCall couldn’t be reached for comment at the time of publication.
The school board election is a nonpartisan race. School board members earn a salary of $48,774 in the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
Woods wins reelection for Marion County Sheriff
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
Billy Woods has been reelected as sheriff after defeating Republican opponent Milton Busby in the 2024 primary election.
Woods received 44,763 votes, while Busby received 14,620.
Woods was first elected in 2016, then reelected in 2020. He ran unopposed in the 2020 election. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration and business management from Columbia Southern University.
Woods raised over $171,000 in campaign contributions, $6,662 of which were in-kind. He spent over
$145,000 throughout the course of his campaign.
Woods could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.
Busby was an officer in the Florida Highway Patrol for 32 years and spent 32 years in the U.S. Army Reserves. He earned a doctorate in educational leadership and administration from Nova Southeastern University in 2016. Busby is a Marion County native and graduated from Vanguard High School.
“Thank you to all my family, close friends and classmates. I made one promise, to give our community an alternative. We met our mission. The community has decided. Congratulations to Woods’ victory. Thank you,” Busby told the “Gazette.”
As of Fiscal Year 2022-23, the Marion County Sheriff makes an annual salary of $204,618, according to Marion County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff serves a term of four years.
Gentry wins Republican nomination for Florida House District 27
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
Richard Gentry won the Republican nomination for Florida House of Representatives District 27 in the primary election and will be the candidate to face Democrat Andy Ferrari and Libertarian Dennis Simpson in the general election in November. Throughout the district, which encompasses parts of Lake, Marion, and Volusia Counties, Gentry received 6,331 votes, while opponents Steve Shives received 5,677 and Beckie Sirolli received 5,173.
In Marion County, Sirolli received 3,183 votes, while Shives earned 2,972 and Gentry earned 2,925.
Gentry spent 50 years of practicing law and lobbying throughout the state of Florida. When Gentry began practicing law, he worked for the state of Florida as a staff attorney and a private
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law firm for approximately six years before going to work for the Florida Home Builders Association, where he would ultimately spend almost half his career either as legislative counsel or general counsel.
After working for the FHBA, Gentry started his own private practice “doing legislative consulting in land use, local government, utilities, transportation and insurance fields” for 16 years. In 2021, Gentry was appointed by the Florida Legislature to represent the public through the Office of the Public Counsel, where he supervised a team that included six lawyers and four accountants.
Gentry has been endorsed by all three sheriffs of Marion, Lake and Volusia Counties, and by each of the fire unions in those counties.
Gentry could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.
Sirolli is a graduate of Vanguard High School, attended the Florida Law Enforcement Academy at the College of Central Florida and earned an associate degree from Columbia College. This is the first time she has run for office.
A law enforcement veteran, Sirolli worked at the Marion County Sherriff’s Office from 1996
to 2004 then served on patrol for the Leesburg Police Department from 2005 until 2009, and then served at the Fruitland Park Police Department until her 2015 retirement. Sirolli became the first female to earn the ranking of lieutenant in the Fruitland Park Police Department.
“I’m happy to have won my county. I’m thankful for all the people who supported me and came out to vote for me, but we just have to find a way to get the message out about the Primaries, because that’s where so many of the important races are decided,” Sirolli told the “Gazette.”
Shives grew up in Marion County and attended North Marion High School. From 1996 to 2007, he lived in South Carolina where he served as the pastor of Lighthouse Christian Ministries. Shives is now the owner of Runaway MiniCampers in Summerfield, an endeavor founded in 2012 by him and his father-in-law Robert Lane.
The uncle of District 24 State Rep. Ryan Chamberlin, this was the first time Shives ran for office.
“It was an incredible experience. Thank you to everyone that gave their support,” Shives told the Gazette.
The District 27 seat was previously held since 2016 by Republican Stan McClain, who reached his term limit.
Members of the Florida House of Representatives earn a starting salary of $29,697 a year, with the potential for annual increases.
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Sheriff Billy Woods
Richard Gentry [Supplied]
BOCC approves changes to multiple developments
A new Rural Activity Center, a change to the Adena Golf Club PUD and expansion of the Chi Institute complex in Reddick were approved.
By Belea T. Keeney belea@magnoliamediaco.com
The Marion County Board of County Commissioners gave the green light to several development projects in its Aug. 20 meeting including an expansion of a current Rural Activity Center (RAC) on U.S. 27; a revised Planned Unit Development Plan on State Road 326; and the addition of dormitories for students at the Chi Institute educational complex.
Fellowship RAC expansion at US 27 & NW 110th Avenue area
The board voted 5-0 to approve a change in land use and zoning from rural land and general agriculture for an expansion of the current RAC at the intersection of U.S. 27, NW 110th Avenue and County Road 464B. Currently, a gas station/ convenience store, a church and cemetery, and a feline rescue have operations at that intersection. The parcel is just over 34 acres and the request involved about 25 acres to be designated RAC.
Meridian Holdings LLC, the owner and applicant, owned by the Del Zotto family, have proposed a feed store for the corner that will provide “seed, feed, fertilizer, fencing posts, tack, equestrian hay, hardware, farm irrigation & plumbing, garden & landscape supplies, and farm equipment” per the application materials.
County staff recommended approval in its staff report on the application stating, “The proposed development looks to provide agriculture-related goods and services to the rural surrounding area, which will reduce drive time for residents in need of the supplies being sold, create new jobs to be filled, support the operation of farms and the rural nature of the area, and support the existing RAC.”
One letter of support was from Horse Farms Forever. The letter stated in part, “Horse Farms Forever® supports the application… to expand the Fellowship Rural Activity Center (RAC) by 19.2 acres for a farm supply store because it accomplishes the main goal of the RACs to allow small, mixed-use commercial islands within the rural areas to help residents and businesses meet some of their daily needs and to reduce trips to the urban areas.”
The feed store would be built on the basic footprint of the current barn on the property, applicant attorney Austin Dailey stated. The Del Zottos live nearby, he said, and want the project to fit into the equine nature of the area.
“This is spot-on for an equestrian and rural area,” Dailey stated. “This location is perfect for this. This is what a RAC is intended to be and intended to accomplish.”
Adena Golf Club duplexes and townhomes approved
The board voted 4-0 to modify a previously approved PUD from 236 single-family and condo/villa homes to duplex and townhouse style residences at the Adena Golf Club project located on NE 70th Street between U.S. 441 and West Anthony Road. The PUD is on four parcels totaling just under 660 acres with a golf course, clubhouse and other amenities planned.
Commissioner Kathy Bryant was absent from this vote due to election board responsibilities.
The board discussion lasted nearly an hour and focused almost entirely on traffic issues on West Anthony Road and not on the change to the residential units.
Nearby residents Brian Donnelly and Amy Agricola support the project itself but addressed the board regarding current and future traffic conditions on West Anthony Road.
Donnelly said that road is currently “totally over capacity.” He asked instead for the completed PUD to omit access onto West Anthony Road and that access be constructed to the north on NW 95th Street, to the south onto SR 326 and to the west on U.S. 441.
Agricola said the traffic study from 2010 was outdated.
“There’s been a huge change from Recessionville to Boomville” since then, she said, and traffic has increased considerably in the 14 years since the study. Dump trucks are using West Anthony Road to haul dirt from the owner’s northern parcel to the construction area within Adena. With all the dump truck traffic recently, residents sometimes wait three light cycles at the West Anthony Road and SR 326 intersection, she said.
Commissioner Craig Curry visited the area himself and repeatedly asked for changes to the West Anthony Road use for construction vehicles. He requested that traffic to go through the SR 326 southern entrance.
“It’s [West Anthony Road] being overused, in my estimation,” he said. “I don’t care what the numbers say. When I go out there it looks one way and studies show another.”
The board ultimately approved the
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
Students who are expelled, suspended or require accommodations will no longer attend the two alternative learning schools in Marion County, after the district dissolved the sites and instituted a new alternative learning plan.
The district’s previous alternative learning schools, New Leaf and Silver River Mentoring & Instruction, were dissolved over the summer after the expiration of the three-year long contract Marion County Public Schools had with the parent company.
The alternative learning program will include expanding the current program at Marion Technical Institute, adding two elementary Positive Alternative to School Suspension (PASS) sites, and then also utilizing
the other existing PASS sites.
The existing secondary PASS sites are located at Dunnellon High School, Howard Middle School, West Port High School, Lake Weir High School, Forest High School and North Marion High School. There are 75 students who will be relocated to PASS sites, putting about 12 or 13 additional students at each location.
Students who need accommodations, who have an Individualized Education Program, will not be grouped in with students serving suspensions at PASS sites— they will be relocated to MTI to work with support facilitators and receive gradeappropriate instruction.
Students in alternative learning were previously served through a contract with SRMI, through two site locations, which served all of kindergarten through 5th grade students, and 6th grade through 12th grade students in the exceptional student education program, said Annie
PUD change with a stipulation in the developer’s agreement that the developer add a right turn lane addition to the SR 326 and West Anthony Road intersection and a new left turn lane at the entrance to the development on West Anthony Road. The board requested a six-month deadline to execute the new agreement.
Chi Institute to add student dormitories
The TCVM Ltd Corporation, owners of the Chi Institute in Reddick, requested amendment to its 2017 special use permit to “expand an educational center in a general agriculture (A-1) zone” on a 39.61 acre parcel on County Road 318.
The staff report stated the facility is “a veterinary education center which includes areas for teaching, clinical rooms, warehouse, shipping, storage, administration, and parking. A solar array area is located on the northeastern portion of the site adjacent to the proposed eastern entrance to the site. A pasture area and equine barns are also onsite. The currently approved Special Use Permit allows for a maximum of 50 employees and 200 students.”
The change to the special use permit is for “A modified
conceptual site plan … to move the 18,000 (square foot) student dormitories building from the northern portion of the parcel to the southwest portion of the property. Instead of one single building comprising the student dormitory facility, the relocated facility will consist of seven pre-fabricated modular dwellings that are 2,400 (square foot) each.”
The application was approved on the consent agenda with no discussion or requests for public comment received.
B. Adjacent and surrounding land uses. Figure 5 is a map based on the Marion County Property Appraisers data showing the existing, adjacent, and surrounding land uses. The subject property is currently designated as Non-Classified Acreage, with much of the western and southern properties being Agriculturally used The northeast and northwest are the areas where commercial uses are seen mixed in with some smaller parcel residential development.
Hembrook, senior executive director of student pathways.
The contract that Marion County Public School has had for the last three years expired on June the 30th, 2024. In the contract, the district paid a total of about $4.1 million per year for 140 seats at New Leaf at $11,102 per seat, 300 seats at SRMI at $6,124 per seat, and about $750,000 for transportation.
The district also provided speech language therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy, interpreters, social workers and psychologists for the New Leaf site.
“We have an incredible opportunity here to provide specific interventions and support and track these students,” Hembrook said.
“We’ll be able to track the completion of coursework to help students that who are deficient and help get them back on track to graduate on time.”
The expulsions that were recommended for the 2023-24 school year were 147 students to SRMI, 66 to New Leaf, 52 students to the alternative learning program at MTI, two students with no academic services, and one student recommended to return to their county of residence, Hembrook said.
JULY JOBLESS RATE UP SLIGHTLY
Several job fairs are slated, including later this month and in September and November.
Staff report
The jobless rate in the CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion region was 4.9% in July, up 0.4 percentage point over the month and 0.9 percentage point greater than the region’s 2023 rate of 4.1%. The labor force was 219,011, virtually unchanged over the year. There were 10,831 unemployed residents in the region, an increase of 887 compared to June and up 1,872 over the year.
According to data released by FloridaCommerce and shared in a news release from CareerSource CLM, there were 208,180 employed across the region, down 922 since June and 1,968 fewer than the same time last year.
Levy County continued to post the lowest jobless rate in the region at 4.4%, up 0.3 percentage point over the month and greater than the year ago rate of 3.9%. Marion County followed with 4.7%, also up 0.3 percentage point compared to June and greater than the year ago rate of 3.9%. Citrus County reported a 5.9% unemployment rate, an increase of 0.7 percentage point over the
month and up from the year ago rate of 4.8% over the year.
“This month’s report shows an expanding labor force in Marion and Levy counties, driven by workers who are newly entering the workforce or those re-entering the workforce,” said Rusty Skinner, CareerSource CLM’s chief executive officer in the release.
Skinner noted that last month more than 130 job seekers attended a Summer Job Fair in Ocala, along with 20 businesses. On Aug. 27, there will be a Citrus County Job Fair from 3-5 p.m. at the College of Central Florida’s campus in Lecanto. Additional events include the Marion County Fall Job Fair in September and the annual Paychecks for Patriots in November.
“These job fairs offer an array of opportunities and strong support by employers,” said Skinner, adding that all hiring events are free and open to anyone in the three-county region.
To learn more, go to careersourceclm.com or call 800-434-JOBS (5627).
Figure 4
Aerial Photograph
Aerial Photograph
Marion Technical Institute [Jennifer Hunt Murty/Ocala Gazette]
Guilty of manslaughter
Continued from page A1
including some of Owens’, who played in a large open grassy area in front of Lorincz’s quadraplex apartment, had a “lack of respect for her peace and privacy” and “Lorincz advised (an investigator) that the children of victim Owens have told her in the past they would kill her,” according to arrest documents.
The night of the shooting, deputies had already been called at 8:54 p.m. by Lorincz, who stated juveniles were “trespassing on her property” and one youth had “threatened to beat her up.”
An arrest document indicates that during the confrontation before the shooting, between Lorincz and some children, including Owens’ children, a tablet was picked up and a roller skate was allegedly thrown by Lorincz, but she denied both actions.
“Lorincz also admitted to swinging an umbrella while Owens’ juvenile children were standing nearby,” the arrest document states.
The arrest document states that Owens and her then 10-year-old child came to Lorincz’s residence and “demanded she come out.”
Lorincz claims she “felt like she was in mortal danger” when she fired the gun as Owens pounded on the outside of the locked door which, Lorincz told an investigator, “had been reinforced with an extra-long deadbolt that was in the locked position at the time victim Owens was beating on the door,” the arrest document stated.
Lorincz told an investigator that Owens was “just beating on the door” and did not indicate Owens was turning the door handle.
“You don’t talk to my sons, I’m going to …. kill you,” Lorincz claimed Owens said.
Lorincz said she “hit” high on the door
with the gunshot and “never intended to hit the victim.”
“Lorincz confirmed that she had several interactions with Owens in the past and while they were not friendly, there was never any threats of violence against her by Owens,” the arrest document states.
“Lorincz advised that she did not know who else was beyond the door when she fired the weapon,” the document indicates.
Community response
Rev. Jerone Gamble, president of the Ocala Chapter of the NAACP and moderator emeritus of the Second Bethlehem Baptist Association, said, “We are pleased with the verdict, which gives the family some sense of justice, and we await the sentencing, which we anticipate will be just” in light of the crime.
The hearing for Lorincz, scheduled for Nov. 6, could see her receive a penalty of up to 30 years imprisonment imposed, according to published reports.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said in a written statement that he was “pleased to hear that justice was served.”
“From the hard work of the deputies and detectives to the State Attorney Bill Gladson’s office and eventually to the jurors, everyone worked hard. It takes patience; detectives, along with forensics team members, took meticulous steps to ensure that all of the evidence was collected, and all witnesses were interviewed,” Woods stated.
“While justice ran its course, the sad truth remains that a life was lost. We hope that the family of A.J. Owens can take another step towards peace and closure,” he stated.
Local author and photographer Cynthia Wilson-Graham said she wasn’t surprised by the verdict.
“I was expecting a guilty verdict, but the outcome isn’t finalized until sentencing.
No one wins in these types of cases,” she wrote in a text.
An Ocklawaha woman who preferred not to be identified, said “self-defense is one thing but to shoot through a locked (solid) door, not even a screen door? There just too much hate out there.”
A retired Ocala area physician, who preferred anonymity, said the entire situation was apparently the “terrible outcome” of an ongoing dispute.
“I totally agree with the verdict. But my understanding was that bad blood had been brewing for a while and it is a shame that nothing was done to prevent this outcome,” he stated.
An east Marion County small business owner who also asked to not be named said he thought the charges should have been at the level of murder.
Neighborhood reflections Meanwhile, at Owens’ former neighborhood about 15 miles south of Ocala off County Road 475A, new residents are in Lorincz’s former apartment and also in at least one other nearby unit.
A number of white and Black children were playing outside there on Saturday.
A couple with young children who live near the site of the shooting, who preferred that their names not be released, shared their experience and thoughts on Saturday about Friday’s verdict. Although the man said he didn’t follow the trial, he said that, based on the facts he was aware of, he would’ve “thought the same thing,” that the verdict should be guilty. He called the incident “traumatic” and said he sought peace for his family and felt the verdict might bring some closure to the neighborhood. The woman said she knew of Lorincz scolding many of the young children in the neighborhood for playing in a large grassy field just outside Lorincz’s
Staff trial summary
The jury began deliberations at 12:07 p.m. and delivered a verdict at 2:53 p.m. The jurors asked to listen to the 911 calls made by Lorincz before and after the shooting while deliberating.
The shooting occurred after an argument between Lorincz and Owens’ children, who regularly played in a field nearby Lorincz’ apartment. The incident was a culmination of what neighbors and law enforcement described as a longrunning, racially tinged feud over where children in the Quail Run apartment complex played.
To prove Lorincz guilty of manslaughter, the state’s prosecutors, Assistant State Attorneys Adam Smith and Rich Buxman, had to prove that Lorincz committed acts that caused Owens’ death or committed those acts with culpable negligence, showing reckless disregard for the safety of others.
“Was it reasonable to shoot through a locked, deadbolted, secure door?” Buxman asked.
Five neighbors, including minors, were called Tuesday by the prosecution to testify about how a field adjacent to the quadruplex apartment where Lorincz lived was often used for children to play, much to the aggravation of Lorincz.
The neighbors testified they all knew Owens’ children Israel and Isaac, who lived across the street from Lorincz. Owens, 35, was the mother of four.
Neighbors acknowledged a dispute had been brewing for months between Owens and Lorincz over no trespassing signs on the property line between Lorincz’s apartment and the adjacent empty field the children played in. One neighbor said she saw Owens pull up the no trespassing sign and throw it toward the ground where Lorincz stood, possibly hitting her shin. However, deputies responding to the call said they found no evidence of any injury to Lorincz.
Lorincz’ landlord, Charles Gabbard, testified that “two or three months” before the fatal incident he had put up two signs for trespassing on the property line at the request of Lorincz. He’d also installed a deadbolt on her front door and repaired a broken door jamb that appeared to have been damaged when it was slammed six weeks earlier. The jury would later hear a recorded interview of Lorincz during which she accused Owens broke the door jamb by banging on it.
The issue of the prior damage to the door would later become a focal point of the jury’s deliberations, when the jurors asked asked for clarification for when the door was damaged, how it occurred and by whom. The judge provided the jury with the statement that “We cannot answer your question. You need to make your decision based on the evidence that was admitted.”
In a recorded interview with Marion County Sheriff’s Office detectives following the fatal incident, Lorincz told detectives she purchased a Remington 380 handgun
residence. The woman said she heard Lorincz use racial slurs including use of the “n” word.
Investigators “discussed with Lorincz the allegations of her making racial slurs towards children in the neighborhood and she admitted to having used the “n” word toward children out of anger in the past and also to calling children other derogatory terms,” the arrest document states.
The neighbor woman called the community, which is nestled in a wooded area, a diverse one.
A memorial birthday party was held for Owens in the neighborhood since her death, the woman said, adding that her kids gave her a connection to Owens.
The woman, who stated she administered CPR to Owens after the shooting, said she hopes the verdict brings closure to the family of the victim.
During a canvass of the immediate neighborhood, at least one other party was new to the area and had no knowledge of the incident.
A basket of weathered artificial flowers was still at a mailbox outside the site of the shooting.
Attorney statement
The shooting death saw well known civil rights attorney Ben Crump and activist Rev. Al Sharpton visit Ocala to support the victim’s family and join them at a memorial service at Meadowbrook Church.
Anthony Thomas of Ocala, attorney for the Owens’ family and co-counsel with Crump, stated in a press release following the verdict that he is looking ahead to the sentencing.
“We are pleased with today’s verdict and highly anticipate her (Lorincz) being sentenced to the full extent of the law,” Thomas stated.
at least a year before the fatal shooting “for self-protection,” and then months later bought a .22-caliber handgun so that she could practice at a shooting range using less-expensive bullets.
A ballistics expert from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement testified that the one casing found in Lorincz’ kitchen came from her Remington and confirmed that the bullet retrieved from Owens’ body by a forensic pathologist was shot using the Remington found by Lorincz’ bedside.
The jury heard two 911 call recordings from the night of the incident. In the first call, at 8:54 p.m., Lorincz said children were trespassing and that she was afraid their mother will be angry at her for trespassing her children. She was on that first 911 call for approximately five minutes and was told that deputies were on the way.
About two minutes after hanging up, Lorincz called 911 again, this time saying she had shot Owens through the door because she was afraid for her life.
In recorded interviews with detectives, Lorincz accused Owens of banging on her door, screaming that Lorincz couldn’t talk to her children that way and that she was going to kill Lorincz. None of the neighbors who testified that they overheard the dispute, however, have corroborated Lorincz’ account of Owens verbally threating to kill her.
Neighbors who witnessed the incident said Owens had come to Lorincz’ home and angrily knocked on the front door yelling, “Bitch, come out.”
When Owens was shot, she backed away from the door and collapsed in the field where her children had previously played, with the no trespassing sign staked in the grass nearby.
Multiple videos from Lorincz’ security camera in the hours leading up to the incident showed children playing in a field on the other side of the no trespassing sign at Lorincz’ property line. None of the videos showed Owens or her children approaching Lorincz’ door.
Kids roller skates were introduced into evidence by a crime scene technician with the MCSO. During an excerpt of an interview of Lorincz with the lead Detective Ryan Stith, Lorincz said she threw the skates into the field to get them away from her property.
Deputies pressed Lorincz in the recorded interviews to explain why she was in fear for her life when she admitted to having an extended deadbolt in place and was standing on the other side of a
locked door. Lorincz replied she didn’t trust the security of the door because the landlord had rigged a fix to a broken door jamb just months earlier.
MCSO deputies testified that they did not find any damage to the door they could attribute to Owen’s “banging” on it, as alleged by Lorincz.
Lorincz also said in the interview she didn’t mean to shoot Owens, only scare her away from her door.
At the request of MCSO following the June 13, 2023 interview during which they informed her the State Attorney’s Office agreed she should be charged with manslaughter, Lorincz wrote a letter to Owens’ four children. She wrote that she was sorry for the children’s loss, and that she shot their mother only because she was afraid for her life.
Public Defenders Morris Carranza, Amanda Sizemore and Frances Watson attempted throughout cross-examination to support a claim of self-defense for Lorincz.
During cross examination of forensic pathologist Shandelle Nordord, M.D., who performed an autopsy on Owen, Carranza empathized the 5-foot-7 stature of Owens, weighing 293 pounds at the time of her death.
When prosecutors rested their case, Watson argued the state had not met its burden in presenting evidence that rebutted self-defense and asked Hodges to enter an acquittal for Lorincz. The judge denied the motion and the defense spent the rest of the day presenting their first witness.
The prosecution’s closing arguments were delivered by Buxman, who argued to the jury why Lorincz’ actions were not justified when she shot Owens through a closed, locked and deadbolted door on June 2, 2023. The prosecution brought forward 20 witnesses to testify.
On Wednesday afternoon, the defense presented its first witness, Rosalie Smith, a neighbor of Lorincz and Owens. She has lived in the neighborhood since 2021 and testified that she lives “about a football field” away from Lorincz’ apartment, where the shooting took place.
Smith testified that the apartment complex was lower income and felt it unsafe. When asked how she identified the sound of the gunshot when Owens’ was killed, Smith said that she had heard one before, saying she “knew what that sounded like.” Smith was one of the neighbors who called 911 after the shooting.
Smith testified that she couldn’t make
Susan Lorincz, left, stands with her defense attorneys, Amanda Sizemore, center, and Morris Carranza, right, during her manslaughter trial at the Marion County Judicial Center in Ocala on Wednesday, August 14, 2024.
[Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.
out the specific words that the woman was yelling, and that she never heard anyone say anything along the lines of “I’m going to kill you,” contrary to what Lorincz claimed Owens said to her.
The defense presented three expert witnesses to give opinion testimony on Thursday, two of which gave opinion on where and from what distance Lorincz may have shot from.
Joshua Wright, a former Florida Department of Law Enforcement forensic technologist, offered opinion testimony on firearm identification, crime scene deconstruction and ballistics.
Wright presented materials gathered from his research of the crime scene, physical evidence and reports from law enforcement. Based on the location and trajectory of the bullet’s entry and exit from Lorincz’ front door, the location of the shell casing on the kitchen countertop, Wright estimated that Lorincz was standing by her kitchen table, holding the gun near the top of her head with two hands when she fired the shot.
The state argued that if Lorincz was standing closer to the door, the gun could have been fired lower given the trajectory of the bullet. The state also asked Wright if there was any possibility that the shell casing had been moved by Lorincz or by law enforcement, and he said he did not examine that possibility because there was no mention of that circumstance in reports from law enforcement.
The next witness, Toby Terpstra, was a 3D forensic analyst who created an animated visualization of the crime scene through light and radar terrestrial scanning. Terpstra also created 3D scans of both Lorincz and Owens, by referencing photos, meeting Lorincz and using Owens’ autopsy report.
The defense presented a video to the jury of Terpstra’s animated visualization, which depicted Owens approaching Lorincz’ house, banging on the sliding glass door, then banging on the front door. The animation then showed Lorincz inside, standing 12 to 15 feet away from the front door next to her kitchen table, firing the gun nearly above her head, then showed the bullet striking Owens causing fatal injury. The video was based heavily on the account given by Lorincz to law enforcement.
The final witness, Roy Bedard, gave his opinion on educational psychology, specifically use of force decision-making and decision-making under stressful circumstances. Bedard trains and develops products for law enforcement and has a
doctorate in educational psychology with an emphasis on human performance but is not a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist.
Bedard described the decision-making process that happens while a person is under stress and must predict possible outcomes for circumstances where they are in danger. Bedard claimed that when there are high stakes and a short amount of time to make a decision, the human brain acts automatically rather than logically.
In this prediction process, Bedard said that there could be a high amount of error, meaning that you may believe someone is armed when they aren’t, or vice versa, causing you to decide to use deadly force.
“The best way to predict the future is to know the past,” Bedard said, meaning that if a person has had negative experiences with an opposing party in the past, that factor impacts the decisionmaking process.
The defense’s closing arguments were made by Sizemore, who argued that Lorincz acted in self-defense when she shot Owens through the door, making the killing justified out of fear for her life. The defense brought forward four witnesses to testify.
The defense instructed the jury that to find Lorincz guilty of manslaughter, they had to believe that she did not act in self-defense beyond any reasonable doubt.
“Even if you think this was probably not self-defense, you must find Susan Lorincz not guilty,” Sizemore said.
Sizemore asked the jury to put themselves in Lorincz’ position, to imagine the fear that the woman must have felt. In her interview with detectives after the shooting, Lorincz said she believed that Owens was about to break down the door to harm or kill her.
Whether or not the threat of harm was real or not, the defense emphasized that the issue was whether Lorincz truly believed there to be a threat of harm.
“She was almost 59 years old. She was in her home. She lived alone,” Sizemore said. “She was suffering from a multitude of medical conditions when she was startled by a barrage of screaming of profanities, and that her walls were shaking in this cement block house.”
The prosecution refuted Lorincz’ level of fear, claiming she was instead angry, as she expressed on the phone when she called 911 before the shooting to report the children yelling and trespassing inside.
circumstance, to which the jury decided they were not.
The family and friends of Owens paid tribute to her outside of the Marion County Courthouse after the verdict for Lorincz was delivered. The family expressed their gratitude for the guilty verdict but said that regardless of the victory in court, nothing can bring their loved one back.
Owens’ mother Pamela Dias spoke on behalf of her family and her grandchildren following the verdict. Dias and many other loved ones attended the entire trial and were subject to viewing evidence and testimony that hashed through the details of Owens’ final moments.
“Although my daughter is gone forever, and the children’s mom is gone forever, we’ve achieved some justice for Ajike,” Dias said.
Dias said the family and friends have a “long journey of healing ahead,” and asked the public to keep the family in their prayers.
Attorney Anthony Thomas, who represents the family, said their primary goal moving forward is getting Lorincz sentenced.
“We wish for Judge Hodges to do the best he can, which is the maximum penalty,” Thomas said.
“The children are coping the best they can. They are receiving counseling.”
Thomas spoke to the magnitude of the case, and how it has the potential to change how similar cases are tried in the future.
Lorincz’ defense argued that the woman shot her neighbor out of self-defense, based on the Florida Stand Your Ground
“Her actions are completely inconsistent with somebody being in fear for her life over the children,” Buxman said. Buxman emphasized that in order for Lorincz’ actions to be deemed justified out of self-defense, her behavior would have to align with any other person’s reasonable and prudent actions in the same
Law. The jury decided that Lorincz’ killing of Owens was not justified.
“Not only was Susan Lorincz on trial, but so was Stand Your Ground,” Thomas said. “The whole world was watching.”
State Attorney Bill Gladson, who charged Lorincz with manslaughter rather than second-degree murder after the shooting, issued a statement after the verdict was released.
“This case is undoubtedly a tragic reminder of the devastating consequences of gun violence. The defendant’s choices have left four young children without their mother, a loss that will be felt for the rest of their lives,” Gladson said. “While today’s verdict can’t bring AJ back, we hope it brings some measure of justice and peace to her family and friends.”
The family expressed their gratitude to the Assistant State Attorneys Buxman and Smith for their work in prosecuting the case against Lorincz.
When asked if she had anything to say to her daughter’s killer, Dias replied:
“I have nothing to say to her.”
Owens is survived by her four children; Isaac Williams,12; Israel Owens, 9; Afrika Williams, 8; and Titus Owens, 3.
Detective Ryan Stith of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office opens the evidence bag containing Susan Lorincz’
iPhone during the Susan Lorincz manslaughter trial at the Marion County Judicial Center in Ocala on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.
Dr. Shandelle Nordord, who was the forensic patholigist who did the autopsy on Ajike “AJ” Shantrell Owens at the coroner’s office, points to the place where the .380 bullet entered her body. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.
Assistant State Attorrney Rich Buxman listens during the trial. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.
HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD: Serve on a government advisory board
Staff report
As a citizen, taxpayer and voter, it can sometimes feel like government moves along without you. But, in addition to contacting your board and council members, you can also have a voice in local government by helping out on a volunteer board. Maybe you’re an expert in commercial real estate; maybe you know a lot about small business marketing. That expertise can help you, your fellow citizens and local government if you want to volunteer out on a board.
As of Aug. 15, here are the current vacancies for cities in Marion County and the county itself.
City of Belleview:
The city’s general link is here: belleviewfl.org/151/ Boards-Committees
The general application document is here: bit.ly/ belleview-board-application
Planning & Zoning Board
2 expired terms as of March 2024 for a city resident
Description: The Planning and Zoning Board acts as an advisory Board to the Commission for planning and zoning issues. They also hear and decide variance and special exception requests. The Planning and Zoning Board is subject to the Sunshine Regulations and must file financial disclosure forms upon appointment and annually thereafter.
Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month at 5:30pm.
City of Dunnellon:
Historic Preservation Board
1 vacancy for a 2nd alternate member; 2 terms ending in November
Description: The purpose of the Historic Preservation Board is to promote and preserve educational, cultural and economic welfare of the public. The Historic Preservation Board has established uniform procedures to preserve the City’s historic resources by enhancing public participation and involvement in the preservation and protection of such resources, including buildings, structures, monuments, and other historic resources. In keeping with its purpose, the Board has developed the Application for Historic Preservation Grant Facade Renovations. Interested person(s) should complete the application and submit to the Community Development Department for submission to the Board.
For more information, visit dunnellon.org/ government/boards-commissions/historic-preservationboard
Planning Commission
2 vacancies for members, 1 vacancy for a 2nd alternate member, terms ended for chair and vice-chair.
Description: The Planning Commission has an administrative review function whereby the Commission reviews all changes to the City’s Comprehensive Plan, by amendment, evaluation, addition and appraisal for consistency with the existing Comprehensive Plan, and reviews all land-related/zoning ordinances to determine consistency to the Comprehensive Plan. The Planning Commission holds quasi-judicial hearings with regards to land planning/zoning cases, site plan reviews, variances, special exceptions, and review/appeal of administrative orders, and forwards its findings/ recommendations to the City Council.
Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:30 pm. dunnellon.org/government/boards-commissions/ planning-commission
Police Officers & Firefighters Defined Benefit Plan
1 current vacancy for a city resident, 1 city resident term expiring September
Description: The duty of the Board of Trustees is to operate and administer the Fire and Police Pension Plan in accordance with the direction of the City Council. Duties include, but are not limited to, administration of the plan assets.
Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the second month of each quarter at 8:30 am.
For more information, visit dunnellon.org/ government/boards-commissions/police-officersfirefighters-pension-board
City of Ocala:
The City Council appoints individuals to serve on over 20 boards, advisory committees, and commissions. These volunteers are from all over Ocala, and their experience, knowledge and expertise help influence decisions affecting the City by providing advice and feedback to City leaders and Council.
If you have questions, contact clerk@ocalafl.gov or call the Office of the City Clerk at (352) 629-8266. The main page is ocalafl.gov/government/city-departmentsa-h/city-clerk/boards-and-commissions and each board has its own page and application link.
All are welcome to submit an application for consideration to a board or commission. Many boards have specific requirements, such as living within the city limits, being a qualified city voter, or owning real property within the city limits. These requirements, if any, are detailed for each board on their page.
Board of Adjustment
Description: The Board of Adjustment considers applications for zoning variances and special exception considerations for business and residential construction projects within the Ocala City Limits. Hear and decide appeals where it is alleged there is error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the building official in the enforcement of the zoning code (chapter 122), authorize special exceptions as provided in the zoning code authorize variances as provided in the zoning code.
Vacancies: 3 current vacancies, one runs through Mar 1, 2025; two run from Mar 1, 2024 to Mar 1, 2028.
Size: 7 Members
Term Length: 4 years
Term Limit: n/a
Brownfields Advisory Committee
Description: The purpose of the advisory committee is to promote and receive public comment on the identification, rehabilitation and redevelopment of identified Brownfield sites. The purpose of the advisory committee is to promote and receive public comment on the identification, rehabilitation and redevelopment of identified Brownfield sites. The advisory committee shall provide guidance in areas such as land use, employment opportunities, development proposals, community safety and environmental justice. The committee consists of eleven members appointed by the Ocala City Council from boards, committees and organizations primarily representing West Ocala.
Vacancies: 1 vacancy
Size: 9 Members
Term Length: 4 years
Term Limit: n/a
Firefighters’ Retirement System Board of Trustees
Description: The sole and exclusive administration of, and the responsibility for the proper, effective operation of the Retirement Plan is vested in a Board of Trustees. The board of trustees shall consist of five persons; two firefighters elected by the firefighter members of the plan. Two trustees shall be residents of the City appointed by City Council. The fifth member of the board shall be chosen by a majority of the other four members of the Board and appointed by City Council as a ministerial act. Form 1 Financial Disclosures are required to be submitted annually to the Florida State Ethics Commission.
Vacancies: 1 term ending October 2024
Size: 5 Members
Term Length: 2 years
Term Limit: n/a
Historic Preservation Advisory Board
Description: The Ocala Historic Preservation Advisory Board oversees the historic resources of the City and advises City Council and City departments on matters relating to these resources, as well as manages Certificates of Appropriateness for properties located within the Tuscawilla Park and Ocala Historic Districts. Make recommendations to City council for matters relating to historic resources in the City changes to designated resources; attend pertinent informational or educational meetings, workshops and conferences; advise on development of goals, objectives and policies for historic preservation; advise city departments on matters relating to historic resources in the City; advise individuals on preservation of historic structures; educate public on economic benefits of same; and submit annual report to SHPO covering annual activities. The Board approves Certificates of Appropriateness for exterior alterations to properties located in the local Tuscawilla Park and Ocala Historic Districts.
Vacancies: 3 current vacancies with varying terms ending 2025-2027
Size: 9 Members
Term Length: 3 years
Term Limit: n/a
Municipal Code Enforcement Board
Description: The Code Enforcement Division enforces codes that pertain to zoning laws, nuisance abatement, contracting, and permitting requirements of the City of Ocala and the State of Florida, occupational licenses, sign codes, alcohol location permits, and many other local ordinances and State Statutes. The Municipal Code Enforcement Board hears cases relating to code violations. Examine code violation cases presented by City Code Enforcement Officers. Empowered to levy fines and place liens on property if, violation is not corrected.
Vacancies: 3 current vacancies
Size: 7 Members
Term Length: 3 years
Term Limit: n/a
North Magnolia Redevelopment Advisory Committee
Description: The committee shall advise the Community Redevelopment Agency on redevelopment efforts of the established subarea pursuant to Chapter 163, Part III, Florida Statutes.
Vacancies: 1 current vacancy
Size: 7 Members
Term Length: 4 years
Term Limit: n/a
Planning & Zoning Commission
Description: Make recommendations to City Council relating to zoning and land use and ensures that changes proposed are consistent with City’s Comprehensive Plan. Members must be qualified voters of the city. Form 1 Financial Disclosures are required to be submitted annually to the Florida State Ethics Commission.
Vacancies: 3 current vacancies
Size: 7 Members
Term Length: 4 years
Term Limit: n/a
Police Officers’ Retirement System Board of Trustees
Description: The Police Officers’ Retirement System Board of Trustees is responsible the administration and operation of the Retirement Plan for the City of Ocala Police Officers.
Vacancies: 1 citizen term expired/ending August 6, 2024
Size: 7 Members
Term Length: 2 years
Term Limit: n/a
Recreation Commission
Description: The Recreation Commission advises City Council on matters relating to parks, recreation,
and volunteer programs within the City of Ocala. The Commission shall advise and recommend to the City Council on the use of public facilities for recreational programs and shall act as liaison with the board of county commissioners and the county school board regarding availability and use of county and school facilities. The commission shall advise and recommend to the City Council on the use of public facilities for recreational programs. A majority of the members of the Recreation Commission shall be citizens of the City. Holders of other public or City office of employment shall be eligible for membership on the Recreation Commission.
Vacancies: 1 vacancy
Size: 7 Members
Term Length: 3 years
Term Limit: n/a
Utility Advisory Board
Description: The Ocala Utility Advisory Board advises and makes recommendations to City Council on matters relating to management of City-owned utilities, including Ocala Electric Utility and Ocala Water Resources. The Utility Advisory Board shall act in an advisory capacity to the city government in connection with the management of the City utilities. The City officials and officers and the staff of the city departments may consult with the board from time to time on matters coming within the scope of this division, and the board shall advise and consult with such officials, officers and staff of city departments in connection with the operation and management of city utilities.
Vacancies: 1 current vacancy, 4 terms ending November 2024
Size: 12 Members
Term Length: 4 years
Term Limit n/a
Marion County:
Marion County shows vacancies on the following: Board of Adjustment, Hills of Ocala MSTU, the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, and the Marion Oaks MSTU Recreation Committee. These are volunteer positions and have specific qualifications and criteria depending on the board’s focus. The county commission appoints members in regular BOCC meetings.
An online application can be downloaded here: marionfl.org/my-commissioners/advisory-boards and can be printed or saved as a PDF. Please email completed forms to commissionadmin@marionfl.org upon completion. Applications can also be obtained at the Marion County Board of County Commissioners’ Office located at 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala, Florida or by calling 352-438-2323.
Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (10 full members – Full Term Expires 09/2027)
Qualifications/restrictions: The committee shall include one of each member categories: a citizen who is actively engaged in the residential home building industry; banking or mortgage industry; home building in connection with affordable housing; an advocate for low income persons; for profit provider of affordable housing; not for profit provider of affordable housing; real estate professional; citizen residing within the jurisdiction of the local governing body; employer within jurisdiction; and a citizen who represents the essential services provided.
Responsibilities: Review the established policies and procedures, ordinances, land development regulations, and the county comprehensive plan. The committee recommends specific initiatives to encourage or facilitate affordable housing while protecting the ability of property to appreciate in value. Recommendations may include the modification or repeal of existing policies, procedures, ordinances, regulations, or comprehensive plan provisions; the creation of exceptions applicable to affordable housing; or the adoption of new policies, procedures, regulations, ordinances, or comprehensive plan provisions.
Board of Adjustment (1 full member – Full Term Expires 06/2026)
Qualifications/restrictions: No member of the Board of Adjustment shall hold any other public position or office in any municipality or county government in Marion County. Members of the Board of Adjustment shall be residents of the County and registered voters.
Responsibilities: Review and make decisions under the Marion County Land Development Code regarding citizen requests for variances or special exceptions. Hear and decide appeals concerning interpretations of the Land Development Code by the Zoning Department Manager. Alternate members may act in the temporary absence or disability of any regular member or may act when a regular member is otherwise disqualified in a particular case that may be presented to the Board of Adjustment.
Hills of Ocala MSTU (1 full member – Full Term 10/2028)
Qualifications/restrictions: Members shall reside within the boundaries of the district.
Responsibilities: Members shall participate in the preparation of the annual budget, review and comment on programs, activities, operations, goals and objectives of the district. As requested by the BCC, review all expenditures of district funds and provide comments thereon.
Marion Oaks MSTU for Recreation (1 full member –Full Term 07/2027)
Qualifications/restrictions: Members shall be residents of Marion Oaks MSTU.
Responsibilities: Members shall participate in the preparation of the annual budget, review and comment on programs, activities, operations, goals and objectives of the district and make recommendations on these and other issues to the BOCC.
County offers free adoptions of shelter animals
Circuit judge
Continued from page A1
The 5th judicial circuit consists of Marion, Sumter, Lake, Citrus, and Hernando counties.
Of all the judicial races on the ballot, this was the only seat currently assigned to Marion County. Kwatkosky, who has been practicing law since 2003 and has been a full-time magistrate in Marion & Sumter County since 2016. Prior to becoming a magistrate, Kwatkosky’s practice focused primarily on family law.
In 2018, while the general magistrate on the dependency drug docket, Kwatkosky restarted the specialty court known as Early Childhood Court (ECC) in Marion County and Sumter counties. “ECC focuses on babies in 0-3 year range with services to help them develop properly,” explained Kwatkosky by email.
Kwatkosky has also served on the faculty of the Florida Judicial College since 2017 helping newly elected and appointed judges and general magistrates prepare for
Staff report
Marion County Animal Services is reporting that the shelter is at critical capacity with more than 292 puppies/dogs and 300 kittens/cats in its care. Through Sept. 10, the organization is offering free adoptions for all canines, felines and other animals.
The endeavor is part of the Clear the Shelters nationwide initiative, hosted by NBCUniversal and dedicated to finding loving homes for shelter animals, according to materials from the county. More than 1 million pets have found forever homes because of this program since 2015. By participating in this event, Marion County Animal Services hopes to empty its kennels and create space for more animals in need of shelter.
“We encourage everyone to consider adopting a pet,” said Kyra Lynch, animal services director at Marion County Animal Services, in the news release.
their role on the bench.
According to the Florida Court Administrator, Circuit Court judges handle “civil disputes involving more than $50,000; controversies involving the estates of decedents, minors, and persons adjudicated as incapacitated; cases relating to juveniles; criminal prosecutions for all felonies; tax disputes; actions to determine the title and boundaries of real property; suits for declaratory judgments that is, to determine the legal rights or responsibilities of parties under the
Note: The judicial race was nonpartisan and all voters in the 5th judicial circuit had the choice on their ballot. The 5th judicial circuit consists of Marion, Sumter, Lake, Citrus, and Hernando counties.
Davis to retain circuit court seat 13
Incumbent Judge Heidi Davis won another term serving in circuit seat 13 against challenger Zack McCormick- 125,496 votes to 79,041.
This judicial seat is currently assigned to Lake County.
Davis started practicing law in 1998 and was appointed to the bench in 2010 by then-Gov. Charlie Crist. Davis was the first female judge to serve in Hernando County and is currently the first and only female circuit court judge in Lake County.
During candidate forums, Davis indicated she had received endorsements from both Fifth Circuit State Attorney William Gladson and Fifth Circuit Public Defender Michael Graves, proof that “it’s fairness you’ll get in my court.”
County Davis votes McCormick votes
Citrus 20,244 13,753
Hernando 17,972 11,044
Lake 33,403 17,745
Marion 32,814 21,778
Sumter 21,063 14,721
Total 125,496 79,041
DUNNELLON MAN DIES, PASSENGER INJURED IN SINGLE-VEHICLE CRASH
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
A61-year-old Dunnellon man died as the result of a single car crash in Levy County on the afternoon of Aug. 18, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The crash occurred around 3:50 p.m. as the sedan driven by the victim traveled east on Highway 40 at Southeast 115th Avenue.
“While attempting to negotiate a
left curve, (the sedan) left the roadway to the right, entering the south grass shoulder. (The sedan) began to overturn and collided with a fence” and came to rest on its roof,” according to the press release.
The driver, who was not identified, was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced deceased at the scene. A 65-year-old female passenger in the car, who was wearing a seat belt, was seriously injured and was transported to a local hospital, according to the release.
“Our shelter is filled with amazing animals that deserve a chance at a happy life and we hope to find loving homes for as many pets as possible during Clear the Shelters month. Even if you can’t commit permanently, you can foster or help in other ways.”
All adopted pets will be spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. Adoption specialists will be available to assist potential adopters in finding the perfect companion.
Marion County Animal Services is located at 5701 SE 66th St., Ocala. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
To learn more, including seeing the animals available for adoption, go to marionfl.org/animalservices
For information about the FIDO program, go to animalservices.marionfl.org/animalcenter/fido-project
terms of written instruments, laws, or regulations before a dispute arises and leads to litigation; and requests for injunctions to prevent persons or entities from acting in a manner that is asserted to be unlawful.” Circuit Court judges serve four-year terms and receive an annual salary of $196,898.
Daly wins Circuit Court Judge seat 7
Erin Daly wins Group 7 Circuit Court seat, currently assigned to Hernando County, with 142,175 votes to Derek Saltsman’s 60,819.
This is a second career for Daly, who has been practicing law since 2007. She started as a bailiff at Brooklyn Supreme Court, where she served for 17 years, rising to sergeant. Right out of law school she went to work at the 5th circuit state attorney’s office for 17 years before entering private practice a year ago to practice law in the areas of criminal defense, family, and probate.
County Daly votes Saltsman votes
Citrus 22,667 11,091
Hernando 19,892 9,545
Lake 35,529
Since 1983, Hospice of Marion County has provided abundant compassion and expert care along with the power of choice and a promise that,
“You are not alone.”
HMC is an affiliate member of Empath Health, a nonprofit, integrated network of care serving more than 26,000 individuals in hospice care, home health, elder care and more. We are ready to serve the community whenever you need us.
Ocala Gazette publisher Jennifer Hunt Murty recently adopted a 10-month-old canine through the FIDO Program, a partnership between Marion County Animal Services and the Marion Correctional Institution Work Camp. [Photo by Jennifer Hunt Murty]
The categories of “victimization”—and “other”—are checkboxes included on a draft application that will pave the way for survivors of abuse decades ago at two state-run reform schools to prove they’re eligible for shares in a $20 million compensation program approved this year by the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Nearly two dozen men, most of them elderly, inspected draft copies of the proposed applications during a Monday meeting in downtown Tallahassee, peppering some of Attorney General Ashley Moody’s aides with questions about reparations for the brutality they endured as children and adolescents at the notorious Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in Marianna and Okeechobee School in South Florida.
The program, years in the making, will compensate people who were at the reform schools between 1940 and 1975 and “who were subjected
to mental, physical or sexual abuse perpetrated by school personnel.” The plan requires Moody’s office to set up a process to “accept, review, and approve or deny applications for the payment of compensation.” The money will be divided evenly between eligible applicants.
In addition to checkboxes indicating the type of abuse they suffered, the threepage application includes a blank space to provide a “brief description of the physical, mental, or sexual abuse you were forced to endure while confined” at the reform schools. That mirrors part of the new law creating the compensation program and outlining eligibility for compensation. Applicants also have to provide records proving they attended the schools during the relevant years, and the applications must be notarized.
The law gave people until Dec. 31 to apply. The money must be distributed by the end of June, said Joe Spataro, an associate deputy attorney general who led Monday’s meeting.
Many of the men who attended the meeting expressed concern about potential delays in finalizing the application process, in part because only survivors—not their heirs or estates—are eligible to apply for compensation.
“This is time sensitive. You take a look
at us folks. We’re old people. Numerous have died already. If this doesn’t get through, there’s no telling how many people will die over the next six months,” said Charles Fudge, a 76-year-old who traveled from Homosassa to attend the meeting. “I don’t have much left in my life unless God has plans that I don’t know about.”
Fudge is one of the leaders of a group of Dozier men known as the “White House Boys,” a moniker derived from the white concrete building where boys were beaten and raped by school workers. Members of the White House Boys have traveled to Tallahassee for more than a decade to share their traumas with state lawmakers.
Cecil Gardner, 80, also urged Moody’s staff to expedite the application process.
“I’ve been diagnosed with cancer, and I don’t know how long I’ve got to live. And if I die today or tomorrow, my wife don’t have anything, and she’s 79 years old. So this has been really an uphill battle, really, that I’ve lost,” said Gardner, who was raped at age 14 by a Dozier employee.
Fudge asked Spataro if former students of the reform schools who are incarcerated are eligible for the compensation.
“The statute is silent on that issue. We’re going to review each application on an individual basis to determine who is eligible under the new state law,” the lawyer said.
Spataro also was asked what would happen if an applicant dies after submitting an application but before receiving a payout.
“Good question,” he initially said before conferring with Ed Tellechea, chief assistant attorney general.
“Our reading of the statute is that the application is what you have to be alive to make,” Spataro said.
His response offered reassurance among the attendees but also drew follow-up questions about how the process would work for families or estates of deceased applicants. Spataro tried to assuage their concerns.
“I know you guys have been dealing with this for your whole lives, and you have medical issues and feel elderly although you’re all quite sprightly and
UNIONS, STATE TO SQUARE OFF IN OCTOBER
Education unions and the state are slated to go to trial in October in a lawsuit challenging restrictions that Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Legislature placed on public-employee unions.
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker on Friday scheduled an Oct. 25 trial in the lawsuit filed last year by unions representing public-school and university employees.
The law, passed in 2023 and revised this year, prevented government agencies from continuing a decades-old practice of deducting union dues from workers’ paychecks.
Lawmakers also made changes related to
“membership authorization” forms and rules affecting recertification of unions.
Walker last month issued an 80-page decision that largely sided with the state Public Employees Relations Commission, which is in charge of carrying out the controversial restrictions.
But Walker ruled that a trial should be held on one count that alleges the ban on dues deductions from paychecks violates what is known as the Contracts Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
That allegation stems from existing collective bargaining agreements that included agencies deducting union dues from paychecks.
TRIAL SET IN SOCIAL MEDIA LAW FIGHT
Afederal judge Wednesday scheduled a trial next year in a battle about a 2021 Florida law that placed restrictions on social-media platforms.
U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle issued an order scheduling the trial during a two-week period that will start June 16.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday sent the case back to Hinkle, who in 2021 issued a preliminary injunction to block the law on First Amendment grounds. The Atlanta-based appeals court in 2022 upheld most of Hinkle’s decision. But on July 1, the Supreme Court vacated the appeals-court ruling and said the lawsuit needed further consideration.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Legislature approved the law after Facebook and Twitter, now known as X, blocked former President Donald Trump from their platforms after Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
The law, for example, prevented platforms from banning political candidates from their sites and required companies to publish—and apply consistently—standards about issues such as banning users or blocking their content.
The law applied to social-media platforms that have annual gross revenue of over $100 million or more than 100 million monthly active users.
Companies could face steep penalties for violating the restrictions.
The industry groups NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association challenged the constitutionality of the law.
In its July ruling, the Supreme Court did not resolve the constitutional issues but said the 11th Circuit and another appeals court in a similar Texas case did not properly consider the “facial nature” of challenges to the laws, a critical element in deciding whether they met constitutional muster.
lively today, fortunately,” he said. “That’s obviously not what we’re hoping for … We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
Fudge said the discussion “gave him great confidence” about the process.
“You know, at our age, if we get ours filled out, get them in early and get them approved and we pass away, then, yeah, it’ll be nice for our family to receive that,” he told The News Service of Florida after the meeting.
Katherine Blair, an attorney with the U.S. Public Defender’s Office for the Northern District of Florida who requested Monday’s hearing about the proposed application, asked if the forms could be amended to address concerns about victims who might lack documentation of their time at the schools or be unable to complete a narrative detailing their abuse.
But Spataro said any changes would delay finalizing the forms and slow down the application process. He said Moody’s office “will be working with applicants that need to supplement” their submissions.
“We tried to make this … really as easy as possible for the folks that are applying. The goal here isn’t to make this a difficult process. It’s our feeling that the rule and the application as they’re crafted are the most streamlined, user friendly,” Spataro said.
James Anderson, 73, of Floral City, was 14 when he attended the Okeechobee School. He told the News Service he suffered beatings from staff members, who also “turned a blind eye” to bullying from other boys.
“I wish I could say, and I can’t say this, I wish I could say that what they did to me, then, is responsible for all the failures in my life. I can’t say that. I can say this. I went there a very angry young person, and I left there full of rage. It was like pouring gasoline on the fire. That’s what they did,” Anderson said.
State parks plan includes golf, pickleball
By Jim Turner Florida News Service
Future visits to some of Florida’s state parks could include getting in 18 holes of golf or playing pickleball.
The state Department of Environmental Protection this week announced what it has dubbed a “Great Outdoors Initiative” aimed at expanding public access to state parks. The announcement included such things as adding campsites and cabins and increasing “the number of outdoor recreation opportunities available at Florida’s state parks, including pickleball, disc golf, golf and paddling.”
“The initiative will work to expand public access, increase outdoor activities
and provide new lodging options across Florida’s state parks—reinforcing the state’s dedication to conservation, the outdoor recreation economy and a high quality of life for Floridians,” the department said in a news release.
The department didn’t immediately respond to questions about the plan. But a series of meetings are scheduled Aug. 27 to review management plans for Honeymoon Island State Park in Pinellas County, Hillsborough River State Park in Hillsborough County, Oleta River State Park in Miami-Dade County, Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County, Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Broward County, Anastasia State Park in St. Johns County, Camp Helen State Park in Bay County and Topsail Hill Preserve and
Grayton Beach State Park in Walton County.
Audubon Florida Executive Director Julie Wraithmell said Florida’s state parks are awardwinning because of their natural beauty and protecting “real Florida.”
“Golf courses at treasures like Jonathan Dickinson and pickleball courts at Honeymoon Island would be travesties,” Wraithmell said in an online post.
The Florida Springs Council described the proposal as “commodifying & developing our public lands.”
Golf has been considered in the past at parks such as Jonathan Dickinson State Park.
In 2011, a bill would have allowed legendary golfer and golfcourse designer Jack Nicklaus to build courses in state parks.
The measure arose out of
talks between Nicklaus and then-Gov. Rick Scott about promoting tourism. The idea was to create a Florida version of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama, which offers golf courses at 11 sites.
Then-Rep. Patrick Rooney, a West Palm Beach Republican who sponsored the bill, said at the time his intention was economic development, but he withdrew the measure as “Floridians spoke very clearly” about the proposal.
Rooney’s proposal called for hiring Nicklaus to create a Jack Nicklaus Golf Trail “in an environmentally sensitive manner.” The proposal also suggested accompanying hotels.
In its news release
Tuesday, the Department of Environmental Protection said state parks attracted nearly 30
million visitors during the 20222023 fiscal year.
According to the Florida Sports Foundation, the state has more than 1,100 golf courses, with out-of-state visitors playing one-third of the nearly 48 million annual rounds. Visit Florida, the state’s tourism-marketing agency, put the number of public golf courses in the state at over 1,400. The website Pickleheads lists 1,160 pickleball locations in Florida, the most of any state for the growing sport. Jacksonville, Tampa and Orlando have the most courts.
The state also is buying land to create the Florida Wildlife Corridor, which is planned to include nearly 18 million acres of habitat from the Everglades to the Panhandle. It already includes more than 6,000 acres of recreational trails.
Supreme Court OKs revised abortion ‘statement’
By Dara Kam Florida News Service
In a defeat for supporters of a proposal aimed at enshrining abortion rights in the state Constitution, the Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared the way for a revised “financial impact statement” to appear on the November ballot.
Financial impact statements, which usually draw little attention, provide estimated effects of proposed constitutional amendments on government revenues and the state budget. But the revised statement for the abortion amendment has drawn controversy because Floridians Protecting Freedom, a political committee backing the proposed amendment, contends it is politicized and misleading.
The committee filed a lawsuit alleging that House Speaker Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, and House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, lacked the power to direct a panel of economists, known as the Financial Impact Estimating Conference, to revise the statement. The legislative leaders made the move amid legal wrangling after a circuit judge’s decision that an initial statement needed to be rewritten.
But Wednesday’s 6-1 ruling authored by Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz, rejected the committee’s arguments.
Representatives of Floridians Protecting Freedom “actively participated in the estimating conference process that they now challenge, without questioning or objecting to the conference’s authority to issue a revised financial impact statement on its own initiative. For that basic reason, the petitioners waived or forfeited any reasonable claim to extraordinary relief from this court,” the chief justice wrote
in the opinion joined by Justices Charles Canady, John Couriel, Jamie Grosshans and Meredith Sasso. Justice Renatha Francis agreed and wrote a concurring opinion. Justice Jorge Labarga dissented.
Backers of the proposed amendment, which will appear on the ballot as Amendment 4, said Wednesday the revised statement is designed to confuse voters.
“Despite today’s decision, a ‘yes’ on Amendment 4 still means getting politicians out of our exam rooms so that women are free to make their own health care decisions with their doctors. Adding a deceptive financial impact statement to deliberately confuse voters is a shameful attempt to hide the fact that Florida law currently bans abortion before many women know they are pregnant with no exceptions for rape, incest or a woman’s health,” Lauren Brenzel, director of the political committee, said in a statement.
The Financial Impact Estimating Conference released an initial statement about the proposed amendment in November 2023. But legal wrangling about the statement began after an April 1 Supreme Court decision that broke with decades of judicial precedent and allowed a 2023 law to take effect that prevented abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
Floridians Protecting Freedom filed a lawsuit on April 5 arguing that the November financial-impact statement needed to be revised because it was outdated after the Supreme Court ruling. Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper agreed in June and ordered the Financial Impact Estimating Conference to draft a new version.
Amid a state appeal of Cooper’s ruling, Passidomo and Renner directed the conference to meet. The conference held three meetings in July before issuing the revised version, with the controversial
changes driven by economists representing Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state House.
Supporters of the amendment “never questioned” the panel’s authority to “voluntarily adopt” a revised statement, Muniz wrote Wednesday.
“Instead, they actively participated in every step of the revision process without objection. They offered oral and written presentations at each of the estimating conference’s three July meetings, thoroughly and forcefully advocating their position on what the revised financial impact statement should say,” he added.
The ruling denied a request that the court order another impact statement “without expressing any views on the substantive legality of the revised statement itself.”
But Labarga, one of two justices on the seven-member court who was not appointed by DeSantis, said the court should decide “the legitimate questions” raised in the lawsuit about whether the legislative leaders had the authority to order a revised statement.
“As the majority describes, this case involves an extremely fluid procedural history … It is not an overstatement to say that the circumstances of this case are quite convoluted,” Labarga wrote, noting the timeline leading up to Wednesday’s decision. “All of these circumstances led to a legal quagmire, one that does not lend itself to today’s outcome. This case, involving unique facts, untested legal issues, and a time-sensitive matter of statewide importance, calls for more.”
The revised statement that will appear on the ballot says, in part, that there is “uncertainty about whether the amendment will require the state to subsidize abortions with public funds. Litigation to resolve those and other uncertainties will result in additional
costs to the state government and state courts that will negatively impact the state budget. An increase in abortions may negatively affect the growth of state and local revenues over time. Because the fiscal impact of increased abortions on state and local revenues and costs cannot be estimated with precision, the total impact of the proposed amendment is indeterminate.”
Critics of Amendment 4, including DeSantis, contend that it would do away with the state’s abortion restrictions except a previous amendment that required parental notification before minors can receive abortions. DeSantis’ chief of staff, James Uthmeier, is heading two political committees gathering millions of dollars to fight the abortion measure and another proposed constitutional amendment that would allow adults to use recreational marijuana.
Lawyers for the American Civil Liberty Union of Florida called Wednesday’s ruling a “direct affront to the rights of Florida voters, who deserve accurate and lawful information” when deciding on constitutional amendments.
“The politicization of these financial impact statements erodes public trust in our institutions and threatens the integrity of every future ballot measure. The implications of this decision are dire—the court has effectively granted the state unchecked authority to manipulate voter information without any meaningful oversight, setting the stage for future abuses of power where state officials can sidestep the courts and the law with impunity,” Michelle Morton, staff attorney for the ACLU of Florida, said in a statement.
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People, Places & Things
Drivable Destinations: Follow That Dream tour and more
Marion’s neighboring Levy and Citrus counties offer a wealth of opportunities for outdoor adventures, tasty dining options, unique lodging experiences and the chance to visit the historic places that were key elements in the filming of Elvis Presley’s ninth motion picture.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
Just a short drive from Ocala, you can step back in time to visit historic locations in Citrus and Levy counties that are tied to Elvis Presley, the singer, actor and entertainer who remains a cultural icon today. It was in the summer of 1961 that Presley was in the area to film his ninth motion picture, “Follow That Dream.”
Some of the scenes were filmed in a bank in downtown Ocala, but that venue is now privately owned and is not open to enthusiasts. In our neighboring counties, however, fans are warmly welcomed at the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum in downtown Inverness, where the movie’s climatic courthouse scenes were shot. The beautifully restored venue houses numerous displays on the bottom floor, but it is the top floor that appeals to those eager to be on the “Follow That Dream” trail. And, of special note, scenes from the movie were used to help restore the courthouse to its original splendor during renovations.
During a recent tour, Steve Hrycaj, chair of the Inverness Cultural Heritage Council of the Citrus County Historical Society, regaled our group of visitors with anecdotes about the weeks that Elvis and company basically took over the town, such as that it was so hot the actor had to continually keep changing shirts, which one intrepid local boy took to his mother for laundering day after day.
Across the street from the courthouse museum is the equally historic Valerie Theatre, where Elvis and the cast would review daily takes. The tour group was treated to a viewing of the film there on a Thursday night, which was opened to the public and sold out all the seats.
“Follow That Dream” is a fun, yet heartwarming and inspiring movie, with a story line about a ragtag “family” of vagabonds who set up lean-tos and other “facilities” (a cantankerous outhouse) on a Florida “beach.” You can still visit that beach area, but it looks far different nowadays as all the white beach sand that was hauled in is now covered up by native palms, palmettos and scrub oaks.
That’s where the “Follow That Dream”
Parkway comes in. Opening scenes in the film show the family driving into a treeshaded lane, where they are stopped by a log across the road. You can still visit that site, on US Highway 19 and North Basswood Avenue, north of Crystal River, where the family trespasses onto the movie version of an unopened new highway.
A little further north, in the Inglis/ Yankeetown area, the parkway leads you to the Bird Creek Bridge and Pumpkin Island, where the artificial beach set was built in 1961. As you begin that journey, stop at the Withlacoochee Gulf Area Chamber of Commerce, where a statue of Elvis and an interactive kiosk await you. Plus, you can sit for a photo op on a piece of the guardrail the actor sat on in the film.
According to a blog post on the Discover Crystal River website, Bird Creek is one of 11 locations in or near Citrus County that Elvis fans have on their must-see list. Among the sites is the Port Paradise Hotel in Crystal River, where he and members of his entourage stayed during the filming.
Area historian Kathy Turner Thompson recalls that Elvis bought a boat and enjoyed being on the water in Kings Bay, which is world famous for its manatee encounter experiences. She shared information to the tour group about colorful characters at the time, such as the then-Sheriff Francis “Cowboy” Williams, and his teenage daughter Katie and her friends Ann and Emily. A narrative provided by Thompson notes that Elvis had his eye on young Katie, which met with disapproval from her famous father.
Thompson also shares that while Elvis was in the area, he was surrounded by people wanting autographs and photos and that “he took the time to give an autograph, he greeted people and smiled, he didn’t shut people out the whole time he was here.”
The movie, which also starred Arthur O’Connell, Anne Helm, Joanna Moore and Roland Winters, had its debut at the Marion Theatre in Ocala. According to the March 19, 1962 issue of the “Ocala StarBanner,” the premiere was scheduled for April 10 that year. The star did not attend, but the dignitaries on hand did include the wife of then-Florida Gov. Farris Bryant. Stroll, Shop and Dine
recommend starting your day at Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters, with the Cali Toast breakfast sandwich. It is served with side of fruit and when you add a cup of freshly roasted and brewed dark, rich coffee, you just can’t go wrong.
Inverness is surrounded by Lake Henderson and Lake Tsala Apopka. For a lunch treat, check out The Cove Resort and Pub, which offers RV sites, spacious cabins and quirky small cottages for rent, all perched on the edge of the waterways. The pub is a huge venue with a big menu. Try the Oinkers, their homemade potato chips loaded with tasty pulled pork and a special sauce. My take-home portion of the jumbo wings slathered with Sergeant Major sauce had me happily knoshing late one night in my hotel room!
For a fine dining experience, you must visit Oscar Penn’s. This landmark (a historic home near downtown) is under the careful guidance of owner and executive chef Jason Counsel. He and his team create some outstanding dishes, such as the Golden Tile Fish special enjoyed by a few members of our tour and hand-cut steaks that are fork-tender and extremely tasty.
Downtown Inverness is a very walkable area and lives up to the town motto of “Small Town Done Right.” You can start by booking a stay the WoodSprings Suites Inverness hotel, which is within a block of a number of shops, stores, breweries and eateries. I
For fun, visit The Depot District, where you can rent bikes and take off to explore the Withlacoochee State Trail and Liberty and Wallace Brooks parks. While there, stop at the historic Train Station, where you can chow down on handhelds, pizzas and more. And you can do some Duckpin Bowling, which is a mini version of the traditional sport. And be sure to keep an eye for a number of colorful murals painted on buildings all around downtown.
Swim, Paddle and Chill
Crystal River is the Manatee Capital of the World and home to the only National Wildlife Refuge in the United States created to protect habitats for Florida’s beloved official marine animal. This is where you can swim with the legendary sea cows, under the careful watch of volunteer rangers and tour operators, for a truly thrilling experience.
During the summer, you can also go “scalloping” to haul in a catch of tasty bay scallops, which many area eateries will
prepare to your liking. For a special treat, visit the Waterfront Social restaurant and tiki bar, at the old site of the Port Hotel and Marina, which offers amazing food and drinks (try the Grand Floridian!) and mesmerizing views of Kings Bay and the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, where kayaking is a popular activity. There is a whole lot more to do, see, eat and enjoy in these areas of our beautiful state. So, the next time you want some adventure close to home, or want to “Follow That Dream,” just head south.
To learn more, visit discovercrystalriverfl.com, cccourthouse.org and inglisyankeetownchamber.com
Left to right: Inverness features colorful murals. An old photo of Elvis on set [Courtesy of Discover Crystal River]
[Courtesy of Discover Crystal River]
Clocktower of the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum [Courtesy of Discover Crystal River]
Amboise offers delights and Leonardo da Vinci sights in France’s Loire Valley
By Rick Steves
As the Loire River glides gently east to west, officially separating northern from southern France, it has come to define one of France’s most popular tourist regions.
Because of its history, this region is home to hundreds of castles and palaces in all shapes and sizes. When a “valley address” became a must-have among 16th-century hunting-crazy royalty, rich Renaissance palaces replaced outdated medieval castles.
Straddling the widest stretch of the river is the city of Amboise, an inviting town with a fine old quarter below its hilltop château. A castle has overlooked the Loire from here since Roman times. Leonardo da Vinci retired here…just one more of his many brilliant ideas.
The Italian genius came here in 1516 because it was the royal residence of French King François I. Leonardo packed his bags (and several of his favorite paintings, including the Mona Lisa ) and
left a chaotic Rome for better wine and working conditions. Imagine his résumé and cover letter: “I can help your armies by designing tanks, flying machines, wind-up cars, gear systems, extending ladders, and water pumps.”
The king set Leonardo up in the Château du Clos-Lucé, a plush palace where he spent his last three years. (He died May 2, 1519.) The house is a kind of fortified château of its own with a rampart walk and 16th-century chapel. The place survived the French Revolution because the quick-talking noble who owned it was sympathetic to the cause – and convinced revolutionaries that Leonardo was philosophically on their side.
While today’s owners keep part of the château to themselves, two floors of finely decorated and furnished rooms are open to the public. The château thoughtfully re-creates (with a good English brochure and Renaissance music) the everyday atmosphere Leonardo enjoyed while he lived here--pursuing his passions to the very end.
Cleft lip and palate repair
By Samir Mardini, M.D., and Waleed Gibreel, M.B.B.S., Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’m pregnant with my second child. During the 20-week anatomy scan, my obstetrician detected my baby has a cleft lip. Does this mean my baby also has a cleft palate? How and when is a cleft lip or cleft palate corrected?
ANSWER: Cleft lip and cleft palate are openings or splits in the upper lip, the roof of the mouth—called the palate—or both. Cleft lip and cleft palate occur when the facial structures that are developing in an unborn baby don’t close completely. While a cleft lip can form independently, it’s more commonly found in combination with a cleft palate.
These are among the most common birth defects. Typically, cleft lip and palate happen in isolation, but occasionally, it is part of a genetic syndrome that includes cleft lip or cleft palate as one of its signs. Cleft lip and palate also can be associated with heart conditions, which often can be screened for and identified prenatally. It is important to be assessed by a genetic counselor to rule out any inherited diseases.
Generally, a cleft lip is repaired around the time when a child is 10 to 12 weeks old to ensure your child has established their feeding pattern and shows good weight gain. To close the separation in your child’s lip, the surgeon makes incisions on both sides of the cleft and creates flaps of tissue. The flaps and lip muscles are then stitched together. This approach improves the lip’s appearance, structure and function.
For a cleft palate, the repair is usually planned when the child is between 10 and 12 months old. The wait from birth to surgery for a cleft palate is longer because it allows more time for the mouth to grow. To close and rebuild the roof of the mouth requires access to a small space in the littlest of patients.
Children diagnosed with cleft palate are monitored closely for ear infections. A cleft palate can affect the function of the eustachian tube, a small tube connecting your middle ear down to your throat. The muscles of your palate help open and close your eustachian tubes. Babies are assessed for the development of chronic fluid in the middle ear and a hearing test is performed to assess your child’s ability to hear. Ear tubes may be placed at the time of the cleft lip surgery or, if present, at the time of the cleft palate surgery. Sometimes ear tubes can be placed in an office setting under no anesthesia.
In preparation for their cleft lip or palate repair surgery, your child may be a candidate for nasoalveolar molding, a nonsurgical option that helps reduce the gap in the upper lip and cleft on the roof of the mouth. It also can reshape your child’s nostrils. Surgery is performed after the molding is complete at around 3 to 4 months. Nasoalveolar molding can significantly improve your child’s outcomes and reduce their need for additional corrective operations as they grow.
Having a baby born with a cleft lip or palate can be concerning, but these conditions can be corrected. Advancements in operations result in better outcomes for your child by improving function and reducing scarring. However, it is important to seek treatment from centers such as Mayo Clinic, which specializes in treating cleft lip and palate. Mayo’s team at the Cleft and Craniofacial Clinic in Minnesota employs a multispecialty approach to address each patient’s individualized needs. Directed by plastic surgeons, the team may include specialists in ear, nose and throat (ENT), oral surgery, orthodontics, lactation, speech, hearing, psychology, genetics, social services and others. Together, this team treats hundreds of children each year who have cleft lip and palate.—Samir Mardini, M.D., Plastic Surgery and Waleed Gibreel, M.B.B.S., Plastic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
(Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.org.)
Another Leonardo sight is the Château d’Amboise – the historic royal residence partially designed by the brilliant Italian. The king who did most of the building –Charles VIII – is famous for accidentally killing himself by walking into a door lintel on his way to a tennis match (seriously).
Inside you’ll find a lacy, petite chapel where Leonardo supposedly is buried. This flamboyant little Gothic chapel comes with two fireplaces “to comfort the king” and two plaques “evoking the final resting place” of Leonardo (one in French, the other in Italian). Where he’s actually buried, no one seems to know.
Though grand, the château was much bigger in the 16th century. Wandering through its halls, you travel chronologically from Gothic-style rooms to those of the early Renaissance and on to the 19th century. Climb to the top of the Minimes Tower for panoramic views. The bulky tower climbs 130 feet in five spirals – designed for a soldier in a hurry. From here the strategic value of this site is clear: The visibility is great, and the river below
provides a natural defense.
From the tower you can see the halfmile-long “Golden Island,” the only island in the Loire substantial enough to be floodproof and to have permanent buildings (including a soccer stadium, a hostel, and a 13th-century church). It was important historically as the place where northern and southern France, divided by the longest river in the country, came together. Truces were made here. The Loire marked the farthest point north that the Moors conquered as they pushed into Europe from Morocco.
After touring the château, take a lazy walk through Amboise’s pleasant, pedestrian-only commercial zone. The city once wielded far more importance than you’d imagine. In fact, its 14,000 residents are still quite conservative today, giving the town an attitude--as if no one told them they’re no longer the second capital of France. The locals keep their wealth to themselves; consequently, many grand mansions hide behind nondescript facades.
When travelers ask me where to stay in the Loire Valley, I tell them Amboise is the best home base for first-timers. It offers handy access to important châteaux such as Chenonceau, Blois, Chambord, and Cheverny. It also has good train connections and public transportation options, making it the preferable choice if you don’t want to rent a car or bike. Those transportation links also put it under some development pressure. The TGV bullet trains can get you to Paris in under two hours, and cheap flights to England make it a prime second-home spot for many Brits, including Sir Michael Philip “Mick” Jagger. What makes Amboise so attractive to ancient nobles and modern commuters makes it appealing to tourists, too. If you have a passion for anything French –philosophy, history, elegant architecture, food, wine--you’ll find it here.
(Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European guidebooks, hosts travel shows on public TV and radio, and organizes European tours. This column revisits some of Rick’s favorite places over the past two decades. You can email Rick at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.)
NONPROFITS IN THE NEWS
Rotary Club of IMPACT
Ocala
is chartered with 12 members
Staff report
The Rotary Club of IMPACT Ocala officially chartered on Aug. 13 with a dinner event to welcome 12 new chapter members into the Rotary International family.
The Rotary Club of IMPACT Ocala is a service-driven organization dedicated to making a significant impact through small-scale, manageable service projects that collectively bring about meaningful change in the local community. With the motto of “Get In. Serve. Go Home,” the club emphasizes action-oriented service, where members participate in projects that align with their passions and interests, contributing to the betterment of Ocala and beyond, noted the news release.
Attending the event at Ocala District 6970 were Rotary Governor Mickey Ulmer, Rotary Assistant Governor Karla Greenway and District Membership Chair Mary Stutts. Ulmer urged the new members to actively participate in Rotary by engaging in club activities, strengthening their leadership and communication skills, and finding opportunities to serve locally and globally. He encouraged them to
follow their passions and bring new ideas to their club to enhance its service efforts.
During the event, Ulmer inducted new members Wanda Adams, Jorge Caravasi, Shawn Derrick, Dan Eckhard, Barbara Fitos, Mike Miller, Tony Park, Andrea Proeber, Aidan Ryan, Herb Silverman, Phyllis Silverman and Jack Ward.
As a companion club, the Rotary Club of IMPACT Ocala is connected to a parent club, IMPACT by Rotary Club of the Foothills in North Carolina, District 7670, the release noted.
Rotary International is a global network of 1.4 million people. It was founded in 1905 and has a mission to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through business, professional and community leaders. Rotary’s commitment to service is expressed through initiatives such as fighting disease, providing clean water, supporting education and promoting peace.
For more information about the Rotary Club of IMPACT Ocala, visit impactocalarc.com or email Herb Silverman at impactocalarc@gmail.com.
The Château d’Amboise, home to several French kings, was built on a strategic site next to the Loire River. [Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli/Rick Steves’ Europe]
From left, Rotary District 6970 Governor Mickey Ulmer, Wanda Adams, Dan Eckhard, Mike Miller and Phyllis Silverman. [Courtesy Rotary Club of IMPACT Ocala]
Appleton Museum of Art offers studio art classes
The courses are designed for participants of all ages and skill levels.
Staff report
The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, has announced a new schedule of studio art classes for artists of all ages and skill levels. From abstract painting and clay to options for homeschoolers and early learners, the classes will be led by experienced artists and seasoned art educators.
Classes for adults will include a six-week wheel throwing class on Saturdays, Sept. 28-Nov.
2. For those interested in painting, there are two workshops led by Ocala artists; both to meet on consecutive Saturdays from 1-5 p.m. Lisa Russo will teach sunflower still-life acrylic painting on Sept. 28 and Oct. 5, and Heather Dawn Batchelor will teach an abstract painting workshop on Nov. 9 and 16.
On Sept. 21, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., adults 21 and up can take a special Pints and Prints workshop. Led by instructors
E. Marie Fielding and Vanessa ZumbaGonzalez, participants will experiment with three printmaking techniques while enjoying a personal charcuterie box from La Casella and a trio of craft
beers. Those enrolled will take home a block print, gel print and dry point etching.
The Museum & Me program for ages 2-5 will be offered 10:30-11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays, Sept. 3, Oct. 1 and Nov. 5. The Museum Happenings program is designed for independent and homeschool students ages 6-9 to explore the museum. Including an educator-led visit to the galleries and artmaking activity, the program is scheduled for Tuesdays, Sept. 24 and Oct. 29, 10:30 a.m.-noon.
Multi-week classes for children will focus on developing students’ interest in art while learning new skills and techniques. Art Adventures for ages 5-7 will meet 10:30 a.m.-noon on three consecutive Saturdays, Oct. 5-19. For ages 8-12, the Art Explorations program will offer a three-week session in September exploring the wildlife of Florida using a variety of materials. This class will be offered on Wednesdays, 3:30-5 p.m., or Saturdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Clay classes for children will include a six-week Clay Explorations class for ages 8-12 on Wednesdays, Oct. 2-Nov. 6, and a six-week session in wheel throwing for teens on Saturdays, Sept. 28-Nov. 2.
For more details and to register for classes, visit AppletonMuseum.org
Current Adoption Specials: “Ocala Gazette” regularly brings you three furry friends that are available for adoption from local animal rescue organizations.
The Clear the Shelters campaign is happening now! Adoption fees are waived until September 10.
MarionFL.org/Animal
Ocala artist Heather Dawn Batchelor will teach a two-part abstract painting workshop for adults.
Ages 5-7 explore a variety of media in the three-week Art Adventures class.
Six-week sessions in wheel throwing are available this fall for teens and adults.
Museum Happenings are designed for independent and homeschool students to explore the Appleton.
Sudoku is played on a grid of 9 x 9 spaces. Within the rows and columns are 9 “squares” (made up of 3 x 3 spaces). Each row, column and square (9 spaces each) needs to be filled out with the numbers 1-9, without repeating any numbers within the same row, column or square.
By Michael Warren
Tufted titmouse [MichaelWarren.com]
LOCAL CALENDAR LISTINGS
government
AUGUST 26
Marion County Development Review
Office of County Engineer, 412 SE 25th Ave., Building 1, Ocala
9am
The committee reviews and votes on waiver requests to the Land Development Code, major site plans and subdivision plans. The committee meets weekly on Mondays. See marion.fl.legistar.com/calendar.aspx for agenda and minutes.
SEPTEMBER 3
Marion County Board of County Commissioners
McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala
9am
The commission meets in the morning of the first and third Tuesday of the month. Agendas, minutes and video are available at marionfl.legistar.com/calendar.aspx
SEPTEMBER 3
Ocala City Council
Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave., Ocala
4pm
The council meets the first and third Tuesday of the month. Ocala government agendas and minutes are available at ocala.legistar.com/calendar.aspx
SEPTEMBER 3
Belleview City Commission
Belleview City Hall, 5343 SE Abshier Blvd., Belleview
6pm Meets the first and third Tuesday of the month; agendas, minutes and video available at belleviewfl.org/200/agendas-minutes
community
AUGUST 23-25
Ocala Dog Ranch & EPIC Rehab Center Pet Expo
Equine Performance Innovation Center, 5590 NW Hwy 225, Ocala Times vary each day. This event will feature a mobile dock for dog jumping games, rescue group vendors with information on services and animals available for adoption, food and beverages available on site, and more. EPIC Rehab features rehabilitation facilities for horses, such as boarding, swimming pools and hyperbaric recovery chambers. Visit epcrehab.com for more information.
AUGUST 24
Marion County’s Democratic Women’s Club “Equalitea” Day Event Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
12:30pm to 3pm Hear keynote speakers, headlined by Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a former United States Representative, and other guests from the Florida legislature. The club requests that guests wear white to honor the Suffragist Movement. Proceeds raised will go toward providing scholarships to deserving high school students. Visit bit.ly/3A1LP89 for more information and tickets.
Mark your calendar
SEPTEMBER 16
Stearns Speaker Series: “Election 2024: Generational Change in Florida”
College of Central Florida, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala
12:30pm to 1:30pm
The College of Central Florida Stearns Speaker Series returns with a discussion headlined by Susan MacManus examining the delicate balance of voting power between younger and older generations. Examples of trends in certain key areas among younger voters might be able to predict larger shifts in voting over time. MacManus is a retired distinguished professor of political science at the University of South Florida, with a Ph.D. from Florida State University. To register, visit cf.edu/event/stearns-speaker-series-election-2024-generational-change-inflorida
OCTOBER 5
Gentiva Ocala Metro India Fest
Ocala Citizens’ Circle, 151 SE Osceola Ave., Ocala
11:30am to 6pm
This is a free community-wide cross-cultural experience of India, brought to you by the Strategic Community Alliance, featuring a cultural celebration in Downtown Ocala, including a flash-dance mob at the downtown square, trivia competitions, a fashion show, Indian food and beverages, art on display, and activities for kids. This event is free to attend. For more information, visit scacommunities.org/events-news-and-activities
AUGUST 24
Michael Warren Photo Exhibit Reception
Friends of Silver Springs State Park Welcome Center, 5656 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
2pm
Noted avian photographer Michael Warren has a gallery of his favorite bird photos on display through early September at the Friends of Silver Springs State Park Welcome Center inside the park. Many of the images have appeared in his weekly “Bird of the Week” feature for the “Ocala Gazette.” Entry to the park is $2 per person. Learn more at fb.com/thefriendsofsilverspringsstatepark
The classic fairy tale has been adapted many times in film, television, literature and more. OCT’s production is based on the 1957 re-imagining of the tale in the musical by Rodgers & Hammerstein. Tickets are $35 for adults/$17 for ages 18 and under and can be purchased online or at the OCT Box Office. Visit bit. ly/oct_cinderella for more information.
things to do arts
SEPTEMBER 13
Sit Down for Stand-up
Marion Theatre, 50 S Magnolia Ave., Ocala 7:30pm
Sit Down for Stand-Up returns to the Marion Theatre for an oft-kilter, uncensored, adults only hour-anda-half of comedy. The theme of this week is “big.” Headlined by Nik Macik, featuring Caroline Post and hosted by Big Joe Murray. Tickets are $15. For more information, visit reillyartscenter.com/events/sit-downfor-stand-up-sep
SEPTEMBER 14-15
Kingdom of the Sun Concert Band: The Musical World of Disney
Marion Technical Institute, 1614 Fort King St., Ocala
2pm on Sat., 3pm on Sun.
Join The Kingdom of the Sun Concert Band for “The Musical World of Disney,” a family-friendly concert performance of Disney classics. Children are encouraged to wear Disney costumes and join the parade during the “Mickey Mouse March.” Featuring UNIQULELE, the opening act, performing 45 minutes prior to each concert. In partnership with Once Upon a Party, LLC. The event is free to attend. Visit kingdomofthesunband.org to learn more.
Mark your calendar
OCTOBER 3
Silent Disco at the NOMA Black Box
NOMA Black Box Theatre, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala 7 to 10pm
Dance to the beat of your own headphones. This event benefits Arts in Health Ocala Metro and the LILAC Foundation. Dance in a glow in the dark setup with shirt graffiti and facepainting, all to the tune of hits from the ‘70s to today. For more information, visit reillyartscenter.com/events/silent-disco
OCTOBER 11-13
27th Annual Jeeptober Fest
Florida Horse Park, 11851 SW 16th Ave., Ocala
Starts at 8am
This annual get together is one of the largest Jeep-only meets anywhere in the United States. Each day features a full itinerary of special events, from guided tours of the Ocala National Forest to off-roading, along with block parties and vendors. $70 for pre-registration and $80 for day-of. Admission for spectators is $10 per carload, cash only, and a portion of the admission proceeds will be donated to local charities. Visit ocalajeepclub.com/jeeptoberfest for more information.
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IFTHESHOE FITS....
Crossword
Jumble
AFOOT
KIOSK
RITUAL
ANSWERS
Sudoku
Gasoline Alley
Broom Hilda
Middletons
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II New Book by Douglas Carter Beane Original Book by Oscar Hammerstein II
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 5TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO. 24CA000744AX
RAINBOW SPRINGS PROPERTY
OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., a Florida non-profit Corporation, Plaintiff,
vs. LAURA OLIVERO; UNKNOWN SPOUSE OF LAURA OLIVERO, et al., Defendant(s). / NOTICE OF SALE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 45 ( To be published in The Ocala Gazette) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated August 7, 2024, entered in Case No. 24CA000744AX in the Circuit Court in and for Marion County, Florida wherein RAINBOW SPRINGS PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., is Plaintiff, and LAURA OLIVERO; UNKNOWN SPOUSE OF LAURA OLIVERO, et al, is the Defendant, I will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash online on: OCTOBER 8, 2024 at www. marion.realforeclose.com the Clerk’s website for online auctions at 11:00 AM ET in accordance with section 45.031, Florida Statutes, the following described real property as set forth in the Final Judgment, to wit: LOT 40, BLOCK L, RAINBOW SPRINGS COUNTRY CLUB ESTATES, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF, AS RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK S, PAGES 106 THORUGH 116, INCLUSIVE, OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA.
A/K/A: 8963 SW 191ST CIRCLE, DUNNELLON, FL 34432
ANY PERSON CLAIMING AN INTEREST IN THE SURPLUS FROM THE SALE, IF ANY, OTHER THAN THE PROPERTY OWNER AS OF THE DATE OF THE LIS PENDENS MUST FILE A CLAIM BEFORE THE CLERK REPORTS THE SURPLUS AS UNCLAIMED.
Dated this ________ day of 2024. Gregory C Harrell As Clerk of Court
UNKNOWN SPOUSE OF LAURA OLIVERO 8963 SW 191ST CIRCLE
DUNNELLON, FL 34432
PUBLISH IN: THE OCALA GAZETTE
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION IN RE: ESTATE
LINDA HUNTER a/k/a LINDA ROSE HUNTER, File No. 2024-CP1573 Division PROBATE
Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of LINDA HUNTER a/k/a LINDA ROSE HUNTER, deceased, whose date of death was May 4, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which 110 NW 1 st Ave. Ocala, Florida 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is July 12, 2024.
SAMANTHA SHEALY RAUBA LAURA L. KING
Attorney for Personal Representative Personal Representative Florida Bar Number: 59503 3 Westview Drive McGraw Rauba & Mutarelli, PA Derry, New Hampshire 03038 P.O. Box 4440
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA. IN RE: THE ESTATE OF ANDREW J. RUEN, Deceased. CASE NO: 2024-CP-1975 NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The name of the decedent, the designation of the court in which the administration of this estate is pending, and the file number are indicated above. The address of the court is 110 N.W. 1st Avenue, Ocala, FL 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are indicated below. If you have been served with a copy of this notice and you have any claim or demand against the decedent’s estate, even if that claim is unmatured, contingent or unliquidated, you must file your claim with the court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF A DATE THAT IS 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER YOU RECEIVE A COPY OF THIS NOTICE.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons who have claims or demands against the decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with the court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. EVEN IF A CLAIM IS NOT BARRED BY THE LIMITATIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE, ALL CLAIMS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN FILED WILL BE BARRED TWO YEARS AFTER DECEDENT’S DEATH.
The date of death of the decedent is: July 10, 2024. The date of first publication of this Notice is August 23, 2024.
Attorney for Personal Representative: JOSHUA L. MOSES Richard & Moses, LLC Florida Bar No. 119304 808 E Fort King Street Ocala, FL 34471 (352) 369-1300
Primary Email: Josh@RMProbate.com
Personal Representative: MAUREEN DENISON 12587 Wilson Street Leavenworth, WA 98826
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH
JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No. 2024-CP-1924 IN RE: ESTATE OF ARTHUR GOLDSMITH
Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA IN RE: ESTATE OF HELEN PEARL JOHNSON a/k/a
HELEN J. JOHNSON PROBATE DIVISION, Deceased.
File No. 24-CP-001932AX NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Helen Pearl Johnson a/k/a Helen J. Johnson, deceased, whose date of death was May 9, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for MARION County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 110 NW 1st Ave. Ocala, Florida 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is August 23, 2024. SAMANTHA SHEALY
A personal representative or curator has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in sections 732.216-732.228, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under section 732.2211. The date of first publication of this notice is August 23, 2024.
Attorney for Personal Representative: Nathan L. Townsend
Attorney Florida Bar Number: 0095885
1000 Legion Place, Ste. 1200 Orlando, FL 32801
Telephone: (407) 792-6100
Fax: (407) 982-1314
E-Mail: nathan@nltlaw.com
Secondary E-Mail: service@nltlaw.com
Personal Representative: Daniel Charleston 118 West Chicago Avenue Westmont, Illinois 60559
The administration of the estate of ARTHUR GOLDSMITH, deceased, whose date of death was June 1, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for MARION County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 110 N.W. 1st Avenue, #1, Ocala, Florida 34471. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is August 16, 2024.
Personal Representative: VIRGINIA GOLDSMITH
Attorney for Personal Representative: SHANTA MATTHEWS, Attorney
Florida Bar Number: 69935
814 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Suite D OCALA, FL 34470
Telephone: (352) 421-8722
Fax: (352) 306-3759
E-Mail: shanta@smatthewslaw.com
Secondary: lori@smatthewslaw.com
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA IN RE: ESTATE OF AUSTIN MONROE CHURCH PROBATE DIVISION File No. 24CP002058AX
Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of Austin Monroe Church, deceased, whose date of death was May 6, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 110 NW 1st Ave., Ocala, Florida 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA.
IN RE: THE ESTATE OF CLEMENT JOHN DEABREU, Deceased. CASE NO: 2024-CP-2016 NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The name of the decedent, the designation of the court in which the administration of this estate is pending, and the file number are indicated above. The address of the court is 110 N.W. 1st Avenue, Ocala, FL 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are indicated below.
If you have been served with a copy of this notice and you have any claim or demand against the decedent’s estate, even if that claim is unmatured, contingent or unliquidated, you must file your claim with the court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF A DATE THAT IS 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER YOU RECEIVE A COPY OF THIS NOTICE. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons who have claims or demands against the decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with the court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. EVEN IF A CLAIM IS NOT BARRED BY THE LIMITATIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE, ALL CLAIMS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN FILED WILL BE BARRED TWO YEARS AFTER DECEDENT’S DEATH. The date of death of the decedent is: July 23, 2023. The date of first publication of this Notice is August 23, 2024.
Attorney for Personal Representative: JOSHUA L. MOSES Richard & Moses, LLC Florida Bar No. 119304 808 E Fort King Street Ocala, FL 34471 (352) 369-1300 Primary Email: Josh@RMProbate.com
Notice is hereby given that the School Board of Marion County, Florida, will meet on September 5, 2024, at 7:30 a.m., at the School Board Administration Office, 1614 E. Ft. King Street, Ocala, Florida, 34471. An agenda will be published seven days prior to the meeting. The agenda may be obtained at the Administration Office between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The agenda is also available from a link on the District’s website: www. marion.k12.fl.us.
Persons wishing to address the Board should register with the Chairman prior to 7:40 a.m.
Any person deciding to appeal any decision made by the Board at the meeting will need a record of the proceedings and, for such purpose, may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence on which the appeal is to be based.
Vertex Development, LLC proposes to build a 194-foot monopole at the approx. vicinity of 15733 SE 182nd Avenue Road, Umatilla, Marion County, FL, 32784. Public comments regarding potential effects from this site on historic properties may be submitted within 30 days from the date of this publication to: Trileaf Corp, Shae Carroll, s.carroll@trileaf.com, 1051 Winderley Place, Suite 201, Maitland, FL 34761, 407-660-7840.
NOTICE OF FORFEITURE PROCEEDINGS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTHJUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA Case Number: 2024CA-1313 IN RE:
FORFEITURE OF: $6,436.93 (Six Thousand, Four Hundred Thirty-Six Dollars and Ninety-Three Cents) in U. S. Currency ALL PERSONS who claim an interest in the following property: $6,436.93 (Six Thousand, Four Hundred Thirty-Six Dollars and Ninety-Three Cents) which was seized because said property is alleged to be contraband as defined by Sections 932.701 (2)(a)(1-6), Florida Statutes, by the City of Ocala, Division of Ocala Police Department, on or about June 29, 2024, in Marion County, Florida. Any owner, entity, bona fide lienholder, or person in possession of the property when seized has the right to request an adversarial preliminary hearing for a probable cause determination within fifteen (15) days from the date of receipt of notice, by providing such request to Kristi Van Vleet, Assistant City Atorney's Office, 110 S.E. Watula Ave, Ocala, FL 34471, by certified mail return receipt requested. A complaint for forfeiture has been filed in the above styled court.
Extra Space Storage will hold a public auc tion to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 2020 SW 57th Ave, Ocala FL, 34474 on September 10, 2024 12:00PM (352) 663.9555 David Burdick - Furniture Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above facility to complete the transaction. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures. com. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up un til the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
Location Marion County, Florida NOTICE UNDER FICTITIOUS NAME LAW PURSUANT TO SECTION 865.09, FLORIDA STATUTES NOTICE IS HERE BY GIVEN that Greenleaf, LLC will en gage in business under the fictitious name DR. AI CONSULTING, with a physical ad dress c/o 3330 NW 2ND avenue, Ocala, Florida [34475], with a mailing address c/o 3330 NW 2nd avenue, Ocala, Florida [34475], and already registered the name mentioned above with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned desiring to engage in business under fictitious name of Star Cat Inc. located at 10915 SW 153rd Ln in the County of Marion in Dunnellon, Florida 34432, intends to register the said name with the Division of Corporations of The Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida. Dated at Dunnellon, Florida, this 14th, day of August, 2024. Owner, Deanna Christian Publication Dates L00000000
NOTICE OF A SCHOOL BOARD ADMINISTRATIVE BRIEFING AND WORK SESSION
Notice is hereby given that the School Board of Marion County, Florida, will meet in a work session on September 5, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. The meeting will be held at the MTI Auditorium, 1614 E. Ft. King Street, Ocala, Florida, 34471. An agenda will be published seven days prior to the meeting and may be obtained at the Administration Office between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The agenda is also available from a link on the District’s website: www.marionschools.net.
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION IN RE: ESTATE OF File No. 24CP001708AX ANDREW M. WILSON A/K/A ANDREW MARSH WILSON Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of ANDRW M. WILSON A/K/A ANDREW MARSH WILSON deceased whose date of death was April 30, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, 110 NW 1 st Ave. Ocala Florida 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons, who have claims or demands against decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, and who have been served a copy of this notice, must file their claims with this Court WITHIN THE LATER OF THREE (3) MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF
