Ocala Gazette | September 4 - 10, 2020 by Magnolia Media Company

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SEPTEMBER 4 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 |

Logistics hub

VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 10

Black pastors question OPD policing methods By Brad Rogers Executive Editor

The Chewy Fulfillment warehouse is shown in the Ocala/Marion County Commerce Park in Ocala, Fla. on Monday, August 31, 2020. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Ocala emerges as distribution hot spot By Brad Rogers Executive Editor

t has been five years since FedEx broke ground on its Ocala facility with the promise that the project would springboard the area to being a major logistics hub. Since then, Ocala has become home to a long list of distribution and shipping facilities that have brought thousands of above-average-paying jobs to our community. So, promise kept. Not only has Ocala/Marion County seen an unending flurry of warehouse construction since FedEx started it all, the demand for distribution center space is continuing. In fact, Kevin Sheilley, CEO/president of the Ocala/Marion County Chamber & Economic Partnership, said demand for such facilities has become so great that in recent months two companies that wanted to locate here, that actively sought out Ocala, left for other locales because there were no suitable buildings ready to occupy in our community. “Right now, it’s all about buildings,” Sheilley said. “That’s really the key to our growth. Buildings are key to our continued growth.” Most recently, Dollar Tree, with a 1.8 million-square feet of space, and Amazon, with 617,000 square feet, have committed to opening facilities in Ocala. They join a long list of national companies that had existing or have located logistics operations in Ocala, including FedEx, Chewy, AutoZone, Cheney Brothers, R&L Trucking, Cone Distributing, McLane, National Parts Depot, Transformco and Tri-Eagle. In

addition, Sheilley said, there are dozens of smaller distribution operations that employ 15-20 people. What that translates into is J-O-B-S. In fact, the Ocala/Marion County Commerce Park, at the intersection of I-75 and U.S. 27, where FedEx, Chewy, AutoZone and Amazon are located, has a workforce of about 2,400. Countywide, distribution and warehouse employment totals 4,500, and that does not include Dollar Tree (240 jobs, going to 700) or Amazon (300 jobs). What makes Ocala so appealing to companies looking for a distribution site is simple: location, location, location. Sheilley noted that Ocala is strategically located halfway

Operating costs in Ocala are 28 percent lower than the rest of Florida and labor costs are 7 percent lower.

Kevin Sheilley

between Miami and Atlanta, midway between Tampa and Jacksonville and serves a driving distance population – 39 million – that is greater than the I-4 corridor through Central Florida. Moreover, he said, operating costs in Ocala are 28 percent lower than the rest of Florida and labor costs are 7 percent lower. Sheilley said there has been a reconfiguration in the U.S. supply chain as more people use e-commerce – a trend that has been accelerated by the pandemic. That has led many companies to decide “if we’re going to be (doing business) in Florida, then we need to be in Florida,” with its 22 million people. “For Florida right now, it’s really about Ocala and Lakeland” as emerging logistics centers,” he said. “Lakeland is at the top, but we’ve got to continue to try harder.” The latest lure to Ocala for companies looking to capitalize on its central location and web of highways going every direction is the Florida Crossroads Commerce Park on County Road 484, west of Marion Oaks, and being developed by Richard McGinley. This 1,000acre development – twice as big as the park holding FedEx and Chewy – already has Dollar Tree, with others negotiating deals to build more distribution centers. Sheilley said the projected employment at Florida Commerce at buildout is 5,000 workers. The county and CEP are also working with the Baldwin family, which owns the Baldwin Angus Ranch, just north of the Ocala/ Marion County Commerce Park, to acquire ranchland along I-75 to expand the commerce park northward. With Amazon now

group of black ministers showed up at Tuesday’s Ocala City Council meeting and raised questions about the policing methods of the police department as well why the council has no oversight or policy-making authority over the agency. “I’m here tonight to ask the City Council – because you’re the policy makers – that you consider reviewing, looking at how we police in Ocala,” said the Rev. Dr. Tommy Brooks of the New St. John Missionary Baptist Church, who spoke for the group of Black pastors. Among the other pastors in attendance were the Rev. Eric Cummins, chairman of the Marion County School Board, and Bishop J. David Stockton, president of the Marion County Chapter of the NAACP. Brooks told council members that he sees what amounts to “harassment” by OPD officers on the westside and asked the City Council to intervene and stop it. “I know what it’s like to be pulled over by an officer – racial profiling,” Brooks said. “I also know what it’s like to have an officer pull a gun on me and I haven’t done anything. This is what I’m worried about. This is what I’m concerned about. “Everything is fine. We don’t want anything to happen in our town. This is our town, this is where we live. “… I don’t know where you live, but how would you like to see a police officer on every block, on every corner? And as soon as you pull out of your garage or your driveway and head down the street, you get pulled over. … You know how long that would last? Before lunchtime that would stop. “On the westside this is what I see all day, every day. We ought to be in the business of deSee Pastors, page 3

See Logistics, page 4

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SEPTEMBER 4 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Marion County residents face a heightened exposure to radon – or maybe they don’t By Bill Thompson Deputy Editor

ates of lung cancer and deaths related to it have declined in Marion County in recent years. Still, the community records more incidents of each on a yearly basis than Florida as a whole, according to a recent report by the Florida Department of Health. And one reason is radon, state Health Department officials say. Citing National Research Council findings, they believe that 14 percent of lung cancer fatalities are attributable to this colorless, odorless, naturally occurring radioactive gas. Stated differently, the department estimates that radon likely caused 40 lung cancer deaths in Marion County last year and is responsible for hundreds more in recent years. Thus, despite the steady and ongoing decline in lung cancer rates and deaths, the Health Department is using the numbers to urge the county to do more to prevent possible radon poisoning. “It is our position that many of these deaths could be prevented if radonresistant construction is required in Marion County by all county and city governments,” Ferda Yilmaz, the Tallahasseebased environmental administrator for the agency’s Radon and Indoor Air Program, noted in the

report. Yet one critic says the county should avoid that step since there is no evidence to back the department’s position. “There are no epidemiological studies that link lung cancer to homes with detectable levels of radon,” said Steve Milloy, a lawyer and biostatistician who founded and edits a website called JunkScience. com. “The radon abatement industry loves keeping the scare going because it’s big money. The bureaucrats love it because it gives them something to do. But regular people who don’t know any better are the real victims.” The Health Department’s recent report to the County Commission stated that radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer deaths in the United States, and is its main cause among nonsmokers. And Marion County is reportedly a hotbed for it. Yilmaz noted in the report that one in three homes in Marion County has an “elevated” radon level. Comparatively, the state rate is one in five, while across the country it is one of every 15. According to agency officials in Tallahassee, the random formation of the Earth’s crust deposited more radium and uranium, which emit radon, in the geology of Marion County and some nearby counties. Consequently, Marion

County is one of about 30 counties in Florida that must undergo mandatory radon testing. The Health Department says that mandate applies to K-12 schools, daycares and 24hour care facilities, such as assisted living facilities and nursing homes, including those in residential buildings, if applicable. The business owner, not the building owner, if they are not the same person, is responsible for such testing. It must be done within a year of occupying the building with a second set of tests required after five years. Moreover, if the building undergoes any “significant” structural changes, it must be treated as brand new, with mandatory one- and fiveyear tests, officials said. Despite the prevalence of radon locally, both lung cancer incidents and deaths have steadily fallen in Marion County and throughout Florida in recent years. In 2005, for example, Marion County recorded 91 lung cancer cases per 100,000 residents, compared to 72 for the state, according to Health Department data. By 2017, the most recent year available, the county rate had dropped to 66 per 100,000, while the state reported 56. As for deaths, Marion County in 2005 recorded 68 lung cancer deaths per 100,000, compared to 52 for the state. By 2019, the local rate was 40 per 100,000,

while Florida’s was down to 33. Yilmaz attributed those declines to “prevention efforts surrounding the reduction or elimination of tobacco use and the mitigation of indoor radon exposure.” The Health Department says residents may air out their homes when the breeze is blowing to help reduce the radon effect. But that’s not a viable, long-term answer for a few reasons. Summer heat and humidity can elevate discomfort on the inside, and lead to higher power bills when the owner closes the house up, Yilmaz wrote. In addition, open windows can be an invitation to burglars. Meanwhile, open windows “is temporary, as once the windows are closed, radon levels will increase to previous levels within 12 hours,” according to Yilmaz. But there is another reason why opening windows may not work. Last November, during an appearance before the County Commission, other Health Department officials from Tallahassee observed that, depending on local weather patterns, the radon levels outside homes may be higher than levels inside them, minutes of the meeting show. Besides encouraging widespread testing for radon in Marion County homes, state public health authorities in person and in the report urged the County

Commission to amend the building code to incorporate radon-resistant standards for new construction. At their presentation last fall, Health Department representatives pointed out such measures during construction can run between $250 and $750, compared to postconstruction mitigation measures that can cost between $1,500 and $5,000. Yilmaz noted that both the Health Department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency concur in “supporting efforts to encourage people to test their homes for radon, mitigate elevated levels of radon, and build new homes with radon-resistant materials and features.” Milloy, however, cautioned against that. He said the arguments for radon mitigation – either by retrofitting homes or imposing new construction mandates – are rooted in studies that were conducted decades ago and that were skewed when they were released. “No one has rethought radon. It’s just accepted as an article of faith,” Milloy said. “It’s all junk science.” Still, for anyone who wants to check the radon level in their home, the Marion County Health Department has some free radon test kits available at its main office. To request one, call the agency’s Environmental Health unit at (352) 622-7744.

Public Information Officer, Christy Jergens, left, talks with Dan Dooley, the Environmental Administrator for the Florida Department of Health in Marion County, right, about radon gas test kits that are available for people for free at the Florida Department of Health in Marion County in Ocala, Fla. on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020. Any homeowner of mobile home owner can use the kit to test for radon at home for free and then mail the sample in to a lab to have it analyzed. The person will then be notified if their home tests positive for radon. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

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SEPTEMBER 4 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Commentary

Free the Ocklawaha and we’ll all benefit “Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.” - Thomas Jefferson

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

Publisher Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@magnoliamediaco.com Staff Writers Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com Lisa McGinnes lisa@magnoliamediaco.com Graphic Designers Simon Mendoza simon@magnoliamediaco.com Brooke Pace brooke@magnoliamediaco.com Marketing Manager Kylie Swope kylie@magnoliamediaco.com Marketing Coordinator Sabrina Fissell sabrina@magnoliamediaco.com Director of Sales & Promotions Lee Kerr lee@magnoliamediaco.com

By Brad Rogers Executive Editor

ovs. Bob Graham and Bob Martinez were for it. Govs. Lawton Chiles and Buddy MacKay were for it, too. So were Govs. Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist. Three Democrats, three Republicans. All in agreement. The U.S. Forestry Service has consistently been in agreement, as has the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation and the St. Johns River Water Management District. Environmental scientists? All on board. Rarely do we see such agreement on an environmental issue, any issue, really, as there is on the need to remove the Kirkpatrick Dam, aka the Rodman Dam, and allow the Ocklawaha Rover, recently named one of the nation’s 10 most endangered rivers, to flow free again. Oh, there has been no shortage of advocates for restoration. Environmental groups, politicians and local residents have all raised their voices time and again over the past 30 years pleading with the state to take down what Erika Ritter, a boat captain who traverses the Ocklawaha almost daily, called “the foot on the Ocklawaha’s throat.” But a vocal – and, yes, extremely effective – group of Putnam County fishing enthusiasts has managed to block all this political and environmental horsepower over the years in the name of economics. Early on, former state

Sen. George Kirkpatrick – the dam’s namesake – made keeping the dam, the Rodman Reservoir and the damaged river in place a priority for his entire political career. Though now deceased and gone from the halls of the state capitol, his legacy inexplicably lives on. But the fight goes on. Now comes a group called Free the Ocklawaha, with a bevy of new environmental and economic arguments. Led by Ocalan Margaret Spontak, Free the Ocklawaha is making a renewed push to remove the Kirkpatrick Dam, drain the Rodman Reservoir and, yes, free the Ocklawaha. The environmental arguments are clear-cut. The dam and flooding of the Rodman Reservoir – initially created as a staging pool for barges on the long-gone Cross-Florida Barge Canal -- has stymied wildlife and water movement. It has flooded some 20 natural springs along the Ocklawaha. Manatees and many species of fish have dwindled by more than 90 percent in the Ocklawaha and the Silver rivers since the dam was erected. It has not been friendly to Mother Nature. But three things Floridians value without argument are water, recreation and money. And according to a 2017 study by a team of University of Florida scientists, restoring the Ocklawaha to its original state, to its natural flow, would not only bring loads of fish back into the river, it would bring manatees, the big catch in terms of recreational dollars. In fact, an economic assessment by Free the Ocklawaha, based on

visitor headcounts and spending, found that freeing the Ocklawaha would more than double the tourism dollars and job creation that the Rodman generates today. The reason, those who have studied the economics of the Rodman and the Ocklawaha say, is that there is just so much more to do on a restored Ocklawaha than on the stump-filled Rodman Reservoir. Of course, they’re right. The Rodman is for fishing and little more. On a restored Ocklawaha, you have boating, paddling, the aforementioned 20 springs, diving and, yes, fishing on probably a grander scale. Why this debate is still going on is a testament to political and bureaucratic inertia. Everyone but the Rodman fisherman see the benefits and the beauty that restoring the Ocklawaha would bring to our region. Yet, Tallahassee can’t seem to pull the plug on a dam that, frankly, has lived its 50-year projected lifespan. When Gov. Ron DeSantis took office last year, he made a lot of promises about water protection and preservation. Maybe he’ll join the long list of his predecessors and finally move to remove the Rodman. Spontak is ready to make a pitch. The old argument that fishing would be lost, that fishing dollars would be lost, that tourists would be lost has been debunked. It’s time to free the Ocklawaha. It’s time to restore one of Florida’s most storied rivers and let it lift us economically and environmentally. Finally.

for review and renewal every two years.)”

Graham said his officers receive de-escalation training every two years and that every case involving the use of force is reviewed internally by five levels of command. The department has body cameras on every officer, he said, and 93 percent of internal affairs investigations at OPD are initiated internally. “We are as transparent as we can be,” Graham said. The police chief also challenged Brooks’ claims that there is more police presence on the westside than the eastside and that OPD was not replacing departing minority officers with other minorities. Graham noted that he meets the third Monday of each month with a group of pastors to ensure there is open dialogue, something Brooks acknowledged and said he appreciated. “The chief does more community relations than his officers do,” Brooks told the council. Yet, Brooks said he was surprised by the lack of control and input the City Council has regarding the police department. “I find it mind-boggling that this council has no control over the police,” he said. “How does the police govern themselves?” Mayor Kent Guinn responded that he believes the police and the city are listening to citizen concerns, adding that he has joined the NAACP. “We’re all in in working with the black community, there’s no doubt about that,” Guinn said.

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From Pastors, page 1 escalating, not escalating.” Brooks said there was a time when OPD and westside residents “did a lot of community relations,” but there is little of that on the westside now. “I am asking the City Council to take a look into this,” he said. “I watch it every day. I see it all day. … People are watching. People are coming to me complaining about being pulled over because they’re 2 inches over the white line. All kinds of crazy stuff.” Brooks called on the council to fund the police department, “not for more bullets, but for community policing.” City Council President Jay Musleh agreed with Brooks that more conversation between the police and westside residents is warranted. “I think the community probably does need the dialogue,” Musleh said. “I’m extremely proud that we haven’t had the kind of incidents here in Ocala/Marion County that have happened in other communities.” Yet, Musleh told Brooks he was unsure what the council could do, given that the city charter gives authority over the police to the elected mayor, not the elected City Council. “I’m not even sure what the council could do,” Musleh said. “Tommy brings up an interesting point. I mean, what can council do to direct any changes within the police department? I think the only thing we could do is budget and withhold the nomination of the police chief (whose contract is up

“I’m extremely proud that we haven’t had the kind of incidents here in Ocala/Marion County that have happened in other communities.” -Jay Musleh Police Chief Greg Graham came armed with a list of OPD statistics to respond to Brooks’ claims. Citing the compilation of five years’ worth of OPD statistics, the chief disputed there is any racial profiling. He noted racial breakdown of a number of routine actions by OPD: • Traffic stops: 69 percent white, 26 percent black • Citizen contact (talking or questioning): 71 percent white, 26 percent black • Incidents involving use of force: 48 percent white, 50 percent black • Arrests: 59 percent white, 42 percent black. • Percentage of cases involving use of force: 4 percent white, 6 percent black.

SEPTEMBER 4 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

From Logistics, page 1 committed, the original 489 acres of that commerce park are full. Of course, with logistics companies comes support services for those companies. Sheilley said there are untold jobs and opportunities being created in this service sector – everything from the school system’s new commercial driver’s license training program to its high school Logistics Academies to cleaning services, vending companies and fleet maintenance operations. This, he said, is increasingly diversifying the local economy, which he said is driven by health care, manufacturing, equine, first responder services (think

E-One), and now, logistics. He said a new and growing spinoff sector is logistics technology, with companies like the Geospace Labs, developers of logistics software; iGlobal, which produces fleet tracking software; and Real Truck, a growing e-commerce truck parts company all finding success here. “We want to own all aspects of this industry,” Sheilley said. For now, though, Sheilley said his biggest challenge is meeting all the demand for distribution and warehouse space. “For the first time in my career,” he said, “the money people are calling us. ‘We want to invest in Ocala.’ So, right now, it’s all about buildings.”

Naturally reducing and removing pollutants from stormwater.

The AutoZone Distribution Center and FedEx Ground warehous are shown in the Ocala/Marion County Commerce Park in Ocala, Fla. on Monday, August 31, 2020. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

2105 NW 21st Street Ocala, FL | 352-351-6772 The Ocala Wetland Recharge Park incorporates treated wastewater and storm water from the Old City Yard a drainage retention area (DRA), that is located near the park, and has historically flooded during heavy rain events. Stormwater can contain many contaminants like: nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants from fertilizers and pet and yard waste, oil, grease, heavy metals, vehicle coolants, bacteria, and litter. These stormwater contaminants are the leading cause of water pollution. The park captures this polluted water, therefore reducing regional flooding. By sending this water to the Ocala Wetland Recharge Park, the total nitrogen can be reduced to nearly undetectable levels, and the total phosphorus will be greatly reduced. This freshly cleaned water will improve water quality and boost regional groundwater supplies.

City officials set to reopen Discovery Center in the fall, with COVID precautions in place Staff Report

cala city officials have announced that the Discovery Center will soon reopen to the public. The children’s museum, at 701 N.E. Sanchez Ave., is scheduled to be accessible to the public on Oct. 3. City officials also announced that the Discovery Center will feature a new exhibit, Astronaut Academy. That also opens Oct. 3. Still concerned about the effects of COVID-19, city officials say they will offer modified hours at the facility. On Tuesdays through Fridays, the Discovery Center will offer two sessions, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Saturdays, three sessions will be available: from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., or 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission prices apply per session. General admission to the Discovery Center is $8 per person, $7 for seniors or veterans, and free for children age two and under. A family-four

pass is $28. Memberships are available. Those include free admission as well as discounts on many programs. Saturday programming, like Sing-a-long Science, STEAM Saturday and Star Lab Planetarium, will be available at limited capacities for an additional fee. Information and pricing are available at www. mydiscoverycenter. org. In accordance with recommended health guidelines and in response to the coronavirus outbreak, all visitors over the age of six must wear a face covering. There will be limited occupancy to allow for proper social distancing. Accordingly, reservations are highly recommended. Food and beverages are not allowed in the exhibit hall. Personal water bottles are allowed on the first floor as the water fountain will not be available. Additionally, staff will be implementing increased cleaning

protocols for the facility. Hands-on manipulatives will be sanitized with appropriate cleaners during periods of high traffic and following each twohour session. The Discovery Center will close at 4 p.m. each day to undergo deep cleaning. Ultraviolet light will be implemented to sanitize the planetarium, and UV sanitization has been installed in Discovery Center air handlers. Items that are not easily sanitized have been removed or replaced. Hand sanitizer stations will be available in all areas of the facility. The Discovery Center of Ocala strives to provide community members of all ages an interactive, educational experience to stimulate a desire to expand personal knowledge. For more information about the Discovery Center and view the complete re-opening plan, visit www. mydiscoverycenter. org or call (352) 401-3900.

PROJECT AREA OVERVIEW FOR

Silver Springs 4 State Park SEPTEMBER - SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE Swimming Area

PROPOSED WATER ACCESS & ADDITIONS

ESTIMATED DIMENSIONS AREA OF SANDY BEACH: ±9,150 SQ. FT. AREA INSIDE BUOY LINE: ±8,250 SQ. FT. LENGTH OF SEA WALL: ±150 FT. LENGTH OF STEPS INTO SPRING: ±50 FT.

POTENTIAL RESTROOM PROPOSED SIDEWALK CONNECTION

Restroom is approx. 30'x30' = 900 sf Concrete sidewalk = 1,500 sf

Locate restroom near existing building

PROPOSED BEACH AREA & WATER ACCESS

PROPOSED SEAWALL

EXISTING SIDEWALK & SUN DECK

PROPOSED WATER ENTRY VIA STAIRS & ADA CHAIR LIFT

REMOVE & RESTORE TO NATURAL CONDITION

PROPOSED FLOATING DOCK

TOWN CENTER BOAT TERMINAL

Plans for Silver Springs swim area unveiled By Brad Rogers Executive Editor

he Florida Parks Service announced that a swimming area at Silver Springs State Park could be ready for public use in about 18 months. Marion County Parks and Recreation Director Jim Couillard released a timeline and a project rendering this week, showing that after years of waiting the Park Service

expects the project to begin moving forward in earnest in about two months. Parks Small, assistant director of the FPS, sent a letter to the county saying the plan for now is to seek construction bids in about two months. Permitting and design is expected to be completed in about five months, with construction getting under way in six months. The total project, Small wrote, should be completed in about 18 months, or early

2022. The FPS also released a conceptual design of what the new swimming area will look like. It will have a similar layout to the swimming beach and area that many native Ocalans remember from the days when the springs were open to swimming. The beach is proposed for the west side of the headspring adjacent to the glass-bottom boat docks. There is a seawall with steps leading into the water.

The plan also calls for a proposed floating dock out in the spring – again, a feature that harkens back to yesteryear. The conceptual plan was submitted to the Marion County Commission and Couillard as part of their preparation for a pre-application meeting with the Marion County Development Review Committee. Since the springs became a state park in 2014, the master plan has called

for a swimming area. But because of budget priorities and changing FPS administrations, the project has lagged. It is now, however, on track to get under way. State parks officials have said there will likely be a limit to the number of people who will have access to the swimming area once it is open in order to protect the springs from overuse and potential environmental damage.

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MISSING MEDICATIONS FAILING HEALTH [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

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declined, saying she had a hip condition. As they insisted that Weimar comply, she declared a mental health emergency, which would have brought an intervention by prison medical personnel. Four officers subsequently attacked her, the lawsuit stated. During the incident Weimar’s neck and spine were broken. Weimar’s husband sued the officers individually and the Department of Corrections last September. Last week the state settled the case for $4.65 million. The Tampa Bay

Times reports that it is possibly the largest settlement the state has ever made. Weimar, 52, has been held at the Florida Women’s Reception Center north of Ocala since undergoing surgery for the beating. She was due to be released from custody on Oct. 29, but has petitioned for early release. Florida Department of Corrections officials declined to comment on the settlement, noting that the alleged attack is still under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

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SEPTEMBER 4 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Falling COVID numbers lead local public health authorities to believe in-person voting is safe - at the moment By Bill Thompson Deputy Editor

or weeks we’ve heard prominent Democrats argue that universal mail-in voting is necessary for elections held amid COVID-19. Despite problems with logistics and potential fraud, congressional Democrats appropriated $3.6 billion for states to implement universal voting by mail – which is far different than individual voters requesting and submitting mail-in ballots. Last week House Speaker Nancy Pelosi even declared President Donald Trump and other Republicans who oppose universal voting by mail “enemies of the state.” Locally, topping the Marion County Democratic Party’s list of reasons to vote by mail: “No exposure to Coronavirus in public spaces.” Yet evidence is scant that voting in person is risky because of the coronavirus. Public health authorities say that the incubation period for COVID-19 runs between two days and two weeks. In Marion County between Aug. 1 and Aug. 17, during which a majority of the Ocala City Council cited rising COVID cases to justify an emergency mandatory mask ordinance for businesses, the local

Health Department reported 2,382 new COVID cases. Yet from Aug. 18, which was primary election day, through Sept. 1, the Health Department reported 1,206 new cases – a drop of 49 percent. But it wasn’t just Marion County. The state Health Department in Tallahassee noted a similar trend throughout Florida. Prior to Election Day, the agency recorded 100,523 new COVID cases statewide. But from Election Day to Sept. 1, that number fell by half, to 49,392. Still, COVID fear did seem to spark more interest in voting by mail locally. According to Elections Supervisor Wesley Wilcox, the 2020 primary was a record for mail-in voting, as nearly 56 percent of voters cast ballots that way. Wilcox has said that the coronavirus was partly responsible. But so was a major Democratic Party push to promote voting by mail. Still, Wilcox noted that 24,507 people voted in person on primary day -- and as the Health Department indicates, that turnout did not drive an increase in COVID cases. By comparison, 30,573 voters cast ballots on primary election day in 2016. Meanwhile, researchers

recently released a study of Wisconsin’s primary, held in April as the coronavirus swept across the country. Published in the August edition of the American Journal of Public Health, the study noted that just 71 Wisconsin residents contracted COVID after an election that drew more than 413,000 in-person voters. Researchers found that

The 2020 primary was a record for mail-in voting, as nearly 56 percent of voters cast ballots that way. in the worst case scenario voting in person equated to a “fatality risk of driving an automobile approximately 140 miles.” “There is no evidence to date that there was a surge of infections attributable to the April 7, 2020 election in Wisconsin,” the study stated. “It appears that voting in Wisconsin on

April 7 was a low-risk activity.” It is possible that things may change dramatically in the two months before the general election. But it seems election officials and voters also can heed the advice of Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the federal government’s infectious diseases agency, who recently likened voting to a trip to the grocery store. “If you go and wear a mask, if you observe the physical distancing and don’t have a crowded situation, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to do that,” Fauci told national Geographic last month. “There’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to vote in person.” Local public health officials, who urge people to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people, also do not see a reason to forgo inperson voting at this point. “Increased mask wearing is likely playing a part in reducing the spread of the illness,” county Health Department spokeswoman Christy Jergens said in an email. Therefore, voting in person wouldn’t necessarily be any riskier than going to the grocery store or a similar errand, she added. With voting, as with a grocery store visit, it’s important for people to practice mitigation measures that help prevent the spread of the virus

-- such as mask wearing and social distancing -- to reduce chances of spreading the virus or becoming ill with it, Jergens said. “What could make something like voting riskier would be if there were long lines at the polls,” she said. Accordingly, some people who limit “outside excursions” right now could consider early voting or voting by mail to reduce the chance that they would need to wait in line at the polls, Jergens said. “Similarly, individuals could look at filling prescriptions at their pharmacy’s drive-thru or through mail order (as opposed to going to the pharmacy department inside a building).” Jergens suggested people should follow the same guidelines health experts use to assess risk levels of a particular event: Outdoors is better than indoors. Poorly ventilated areas pose a greater risk. More people, the riskier the event is. Singing or yelling would be riskier, particularly in a confined space, as would close conversations in a confined area without good ventilation. The more densely people are situated, the riskier the event is. Sustained exposure is riskier. If fewer people in a crowd are practicing mitigation, the riskier the situation is.

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SEPTEMBER 4 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

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SEPTEMBER 4 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Photos courtesy of Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks.

Creating a Florida scrub-jay conservation safe haven in the Greenway By JoAnn Guidry Guest Columnist

hile the mockingbird is the official Florida state bird, a good argument can be made for the Florida scrubjay to be awarded honorary status. Most notably, the distinctivelymarked blue and gray crestless jay is the only bird species that is endemic to the state. Unfortunately, due to the continuing loss of its scrub-oak specific habitat to development, Florida’s unique jay is also a Federally-designated threatened species. But there is some local good news on that front. Tucked away deep in the Ocala/Marion County section of the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway is a thriving Florida scrub-jay habitat, 16 years in the making. The Cross Florida Greenway (CFG), commonly known as the Greenway, became a Florida state park in 2012. It is operated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks. “In 2001, the state through the Florida Forever program purchased 446 acres that was adjacent to the Greenway. At the time of the purchase, we were not even aware there were Florida scrub-jays living on that land,” said CFG Manager Mickey Thomason. “In 2004, we contracted the Florida Natural Areas Inventory to conduct a Greenway-wide natural community study. Based on that report, we began the process of scrub areas restoration by removing sand pines. In 2006, a CFG employee spotted scrub-jays on the site. A followup preliminary survey by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

found eight birds, which were banded for identification purposes. And that’s how the Greenway’s Florida scrub-jay habitat officially began.” As more overgrown scrub-oak areas were restored over the years, the Greenway’s Florida scrub-jay habitat has grown to nearly 900 acres. From those initial eight birds, this August’s annual banding count has the scrub-jay population now at 144. Laurie Dolan, a Florida DEP Environmental Specialist II, has been involved with the Florida scrub-jay habitat project on the Greenway from the beginning. “When we started the habitat project, I knew nothing about the Florida scrub-jay other than what I had learned in school and from other land managers,” said Dolan, who has a master’s degree in forestry from the University of Florida and has worked on various Greenway projects since 1999. “But the more I learned about these birds and the more time that I spent around them, I became passionate about our conservation efforts. Florida scrub-jays are such a unique bird with a distinctive personality. They are not an easy bird to manage, but they are so worth the effort.” The biggest issue with the Florida scrub-jay is that they are such a habitat-specific bird, requiring sandy, scrubby areas with 3-10-foot tall acorn-producing scrub oaks to thrive. They do eat such creatures as insects, mice, lizards, frogs, but the scrub oaks provide their main food source of acorns in the fall and winter. Scrubjay families consist of a breeding pair and up to six non-breeding relatives. Homebodies, scrub-jay families establish permanent lifetime territories of 22 to 24 acres. They breed from March to June, building nests from twigs and palmetto fibers 3-10 feet off the ground in the scrub oaks; average clutch size is two to five

eggs per nesting. The youngsters typically remain with their family as helpers for a year or more. Young females eventually leave to search for unattached males to establish new territories. “Unlike most other birds, the adult male and female Florida scrub-jays look exactly alike in color and are of comparable size. The baby birds have brown-feathered heads that turn blue as they mature,” said Dolan. “Full grown, they are about the size of a robin and their scratchy screech sounds like a cross between a blue jay and a crow. The only way to identify a female is by her unique hiccing call, which you have to be very lucky to actually hear.” Dolan also noted that “scrubjays are low-flying birds that spend a lot of time on the ground, hopping around looking for insects and acorns.” Natural predators of the Florida scrub-jay include Cooper’s hawks, snakes, bobcats and coyotes. But the biggest threat to the birds is the loss of their scrub-oak habitat to development. The 2001 Florida Natural Areas Inventory reported that the Florida scrubjay population had declined 90 percent in the past century with a then estimated population of 4,000. Today, it is estimated that the state’s scrub-jay population is 7,700 to 9,300. Key to maintaining a thriving Florida scrub-jay habitat is careful management. “Prescribed burning is the go-to for habitat management, but our Greenway habitat doesn’t lend itself well to that because of its location. We primarily use targeted mowing and patch removal of sand pines to not give predator birds a perch. I call the sweet spot of scrub-jay habitat management—always having usable habitat that’s neither too tall nor too short,” said Dolan. “And we are also very fortunate to have a great team of collaborators to help us with the habitat management.” Dolan was quick to credit Monica Folk, an independent banding contractor, and the Florida Audubon Society’s Jay Watch volunteers for their invaluable service. Other partners involved in the Greenway’s Florida scrubjay habitat include experts from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Forest Service. “Looking back, I could not have imagined how much time and effort it would take to reach this success level. Nor could I have imagined how much pure joy has come from this project,” said Dolan. “The ultimate goal is to keep attracting more Florida scrubjays to our habitat until we reach capacity. Then, hopefully, we can be considered a donor site to help other habitat locations increase their population.”

SEPTEMBER 4 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

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SEPTEMBER 4 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Jewish community changes to cope with pandemic By Ben Baugh Correspondent

iming is everything. However, sometimes life’s vagaries can cause their own series of repercussions with its ripples extending farther than we’d like. For the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish Center of Ocala, The Villages and the Tri-County, the pandemic hit at an inopportune time, right before Passover, a major Jewish holiday. “We were left with the conundrum of what are we going to do as far as the Jewish community goes,” said Rabbi Yossi Hecht of the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish Center. “We’re used to having a Seder here of over 100 people. At that point, we decided to do a Seder to go.” The Chabad’s effort found them sending out hundreds of Seders throughout the community they serve, with packages going out to The Villages, Ocala, Citrus County and other communities in the region. “We had volunteers going and delivering these packages, and people were able to celebrate Passover at home,” said Hecht. “It also came with steps, guides and directions, on how to do that. And then, we continued to do that for the next few months (delivering packages).” Plans also have been made for the High Holidays, providing people with an option of how they can celebrate Rosh Hashanah, Hecht said. The rabbi found that there are a variety of viewpoints when it comes to the pandemic. “We wanted to make

available options to anyone, however they feel comfortable to celebrate,” Hecht said. “Option No. 1 is for those who are afraid to attend socially connected services at all. So, for those who don’t want to be socially near anyone, we have Rosh Hashanah to go. Basically, what that is is that we’ll have a Rosh Hashanah dinner -all of the traditional things, apples, honey, brisket, honey cake and round challah, things of that nature -and they’ll be able to have their own traditional Rosh Hashanah dinner at home.” The dinner will also include a book with guidelines, step by step, showing them how to celebrate, Hecht said. There’s also an option where people can purchase a full Mahzor of prayer for the High Holidays, as well as a shofar, a ram’s horn, which is also traditional to blow on Rosh Hashanah. “People should know that they have everything they need. They don’t have to be afraid to go out for whatever reason,” Hecht said. The second option is an outdoor service, and it will be offered each day during the High Holidays. Rosh Hashanah is three days, and services will be held Friday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m., and on Sept. 19 and Sept. 20 at 5 p.m. each day. After the services, there will prepackaged food, so there won’t be any sharing, and people can take it with them to go or eat it at the Chabad, said Hecht. “We expect to have a nice crowd for that,” said Hecht. “We’re going to do it out here, hoping the weather will be nice. We’re going to try to put up some tents. Some people don’t want to

“I want them to know if they have a friend or neighbor or someone who needs help, we’re there for them.” -Rabbi Yossi Hecht

sit under a tent, so we have the option that you can be out of the tent. Again, it’s about us offering what we can, and allowing people to do whatever is comfortable to them. That’s what we’re trying to do.” Connection and Sense of Belonging The Pandemic has been a time of transformation, changing the way we live, but that was felt more acutely in certain communities, where interaction and engagement is very much part of one’s way of life. “As a Jew, we live a very social life as a community, and though here it’s a much smaller community, it’s very much part of our culture,” Hecht said. “You go and pray every morning with a Minyan, and that means people come together to pray. During the pandemic, all synagogues were closed. On Shabbos, on holidays, you get together. You have dinners together. You celebrate together, but everyone had to be separated.” Globally, Jewish

communities faced many of the same challenges with being locked down, having to stay at home during Passover and other holidays. People found themselves having to do things on their own, without having a rabbi leading them and guiding them, Hecht said. “For me, it’s very different as a leader of a community,” Hecht said. “Now, we’re suddenly challenged with how do we reach people in a way that’s different? How do we connect with people in a way that’s different?” The Chabad has been working diligently to make sure they stay in touch with the community and has been offering a few classes online for months. Every Friday, they have online services at 6 p.m., which is before the Shabbat. They had been delivering packages to people for months prior to the pandemic, but that has increased over the past few months. Hecht’s daughter hosts a Kosher baking show every Thursday night, which has been well-embraced by the community. “She teaches women how to bake,” Hecht said. “We tell them before what ingredients to get. They go out and get the ingredients, and they bake them along with her on the computer. She’s showing them what to do. We’ll probably have a few of those before the High Holidays. We’ll teach people how to make challah and honey cake and things like that.” The pandemic has been life-transforming in many ways, with people adjusting to a rapidly changing environment. “This was the first time since we moved, in over 10

years, that we had Passover Seder with just our family,” Hecht said. “We’re used to having a big Seder with the whole community. For us to go weeks on end without having people come be with us, be part of our community, it’s a real change and you have to adapt to it. There are modern ways of connecting -- Zoom, Facebook Live, which we do all that stuff --but it’s not the same as being in person, and even now we’re still going to be socially distanced with masks and things of that nature.” However, adults weren’t the only ones affected by the pandemic, with COVID-19 changing the way we worship, do business, interact and the way we live. “Our children weren’t able to go to school, but now our schools are opening,” Hecht said. “They have to adapt to not being with other peers, not being in a classroom setting, even though you had something to offer online, but it’s not the same. It brought about to our children such a chaos in their life, and they’re trying to thread that all back together again.” The Chabad plays in an important role in the lives of those in Jewish community and is there to help those who are in need. “We’ve been trying to reach out the best way possible,” Hecht said. “I want them to know if they have a friend or neighbor or someone who needs help, we’re there for them. Whatever we’re able to do that’s what we’re here for, especially when it comes to the High Holidays, which is a time that people desperately need others in their life to be with them.”

Rabbi Yossi Hecht prays as he prepares for the High Holidays. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Rabbi Yossi Hecht blows the Shofar with two of his sons, Mendy, 10, left, and Shimshon, 9, center,. [Bruce Ackerman/ Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Tila Hecht, 7, and her brother, Shimshon, 9, slice an apple to eat with honey as they prepare for the High Holidays. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Rabbi Yossi Hecht holds the crown of a Torah in front of two Torahs as he prepares for the High Holidays at Chabad of Ocala and The Villages in Oxford, Fla. Rabbi Hecht and Chabad of Ocala and The Villages have had to reschedule many of their traditional Jewish events because of the coronavirus pandemic. Chabad of Ocala and The Villages will be dedicating their third Torah on Sunday, Sept. 13 before the start of the High Holidays. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

SEPTEMBER 4 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

County officials use new equipment to turn the (UV) lights out on COVID-19 By Bill Thompson Deputy Editor

n the relatively early days of the COVID-19 outbreak, President Donald Trump once drew jeers and eye rolls when he suggested that the virus could be treated with ultraviolet light. Then it slowly leaked out that researchers were looking into UV light as potential COVID remedy. In July, three months after Trump’s initial remark, The Washington Times reported that “evidence shows that germ-killing UV light can inactivate airborne microbes that transmit tuberculosis, measles, influenza and SARS-CoV-1, the coronavirus responsible for the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak.” That sparked thinking among scientists about whether UV rays could be COVID killers. Yet that also was about the time that Marion County

officials bet, and bet big, on UV light to eradicate the threat of the coronavirus in county offices. Using federal funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act, the county purchased three MoonBeam3 portable disinfecting units made by Diversey, a South Carolina-based maker of hygiene products. The total cost: $66,000. Mike Bates, operations manager for the county’s Facilities Management Department, which is responsible for maintaining nearly 300 public buildings around Marion County, said the county plans to buy at least a dozen more. “It’s like a tanning bed on steroids,” said Alex Aubuchon, a county public information officer, during a demonstration of the MoonBeam at the McPherson Governmental Complex. “It can kill any sort

of virus, bacteria, or germ that happens to be living in the environment.” The tool features three high-powered UV lights jutting from a shaft about five feet tall. Each bulb projects ultraviolet-C light, or UVC, the most powerful form of UV radiation, over an area of nearly 80 square feet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends against direct exposure to UVC light because it can “cause severe burns of the skin and eye injuries.” “Avoid direct skin exposure to UVC radiation and never look directly into a UVC light source, even briefly,” the FDA says. The light stand is powered by controls on a 3-foot-high canister that operates the bulbs via Bluetooth. That allows operators to be up to 40 feet away when using the MoonBeam. Bates said the system can disinfect the targeted area in just three minutes.

Alex Aubuchon, the Public Information Officer for the Marion County Commission, left, and Mike Bates, the Marion County Operations Manager,. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

Bates is the county’s resident expert on the equipment. He said he deeply researched the MoonBeam in evaluating several types of anti-COVID products, and came away convinced it is perhaps the most effective tool in the county arsenal for coronavirus. His confidence level was bolstered after learning numerous hospitals had used the MoonBeam over the last couple of years, he said. “It fit our need to combat COVID,” he said. The system, which Bates said has been used about two dozen times so far, has several advantages, especially for county offices with considerable public interaction. One is speed. According to county spokeswoman Stacie Causey, 10 county staffers on average are tested and sent home to quarantine each week due to any one, or a combination, of COVID symptoms. When county officials believe it

necessary to bring in the MoonBeam, the workspace is zapped, and in just minutes, staffers can return to work in the nowdisinfected area. That saves from having to shut down an office for hours, if not an entire day, in order to be sanitized, said Bates. There is no follow-up method for ensuring it worked, Bates acknowledged. But he said, based on his research, he has faith the MoonBeam does what its makers say it does. Another advantage is that a work area can be cleaned by a small crew. And in the affected area neither the clean-up team nor the staff there are using or being exposed to harsh chemicals. The county’s three current MoonBeam systems are housed at the Facilities Management headquarters, the county jail and the courthouse. Once the next dozen units arrive, Bates said, they will be deployed to other high-traffic,

The MoonBeam3 Disinfection Technology made by Diversey unit is shown disinfecting a table. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

heavily populated work areas. Those include, for instance, a couple of county libraries, the county clerk’s office, the Sheriff ’s Office and the county jail. Given the current price, those units will cost the county $264,000. Yet, Bates noted, the manufacturer knocked more than a third off the regular $36,000 per-unit price because Marion County agreed to buy in bulk. And the MoonBeam stands to be a lasting value. The company says on its website that changing light bulbs is the only required maintenance. Bates said the units should last for the foreseeable future, since the bulbs have an 8,000-hour lifespan and are used only minutes at a time. Aubuchon, the county spokesman, noted the MoonBeams will come in handy for “public-facing” county offices during the upcoming flu season. “We’ll get a lot of value out of this equipment,” he said.

Mike Bates, the Marion County Operations Manager. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

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SEPTEMBER 4 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

County Commission informally backs deal to add life to garbage contract By Bill Thompson Deputy Editor

arion County commissioners have moved closer to revamping their garbage disposal deal to extend the life of the original contract -- and will raise dumping rates locally to do it. The board met Tuesday to discuss adding capacity – or “airspace” in the lingo of the solid waste industry – to its existing contract. In 2011, the county reached a deal with the operator of a private landfill in Sumter County to pay $8 a ton to drop up to 2.5 million tons of garbage over 30 years. That amounted to $20 million total. Marion County could dump until it maxed out the tonnage or the contract expired, whichever came first, once it started using the landfill, which occurred last year. But just over a year into trucking trash south, county officials believe an unanticipated increase in waste generated by businesses is eating up the available airspace. County Environmental Services Director Jody Kirkman estimates his department will ship 142,000 tons to Sumter County this fiscal year, which is about 11 percent more than the county handled when the deal was signed. Analyzing the trend, Kirkman projected that Marion County would be out of airspace by 2034 — seven years ahead of the expiration of the contract. At a workshop

on Tuesday, commissioners tentatively backed a supplemental sevenyear contract that allows for another 140,000 tons over that time. The cost: $3.3 million. Based on current trends, that buys the county an additional eight months or so. Under the proposed agreement, the per-ton rate would triple the county’s original charge. To help offset this cost, the board is entertaining raising its “gate rate,” or what it charges people to dump at Baseline Landfill. The plan is to raise that from $42 a ton to $45. Commissioners expressed support on Tuesday for implementing that by Oct. 1. The change does not affect the $87 yearly assessment charged to county homeowners for garbage disposal. Nor does it affect residents or businesses within the city of Ocala, which uses an Ocala-based private transfer station for disposal service. But the increase might affect rates the county’s franchise haulers charge to business customers that appear to be driving the surge in commercial waste. Despite the significantly higher per-ton cost, Kirkman said this was the best the county could do for the moment. The landfill operators in Sumter County, Heart of Florida Environmental, are reluctant to commit beyond seven years because of uncertainty about the future. Commissioner Carl

Answer for page 8

Zalak advocated for ratifying the deal. “You get the best deal you can right now,” he said. “It’s not just the best time to negotiate with them because they can’t see what their costs are in two, three, five, 10 years.” The board believes this supplemental contract will be a placeholder. Commissioners expect to revisit this agreement in two years or so in the hope of cementing a longerterm deal with Heart of Florida. The board, however, anticipates saving money on garbage disposal by rebidding the contract for hauling garbage to Sumter County. The hauling contractor, Merrell Brothers, charges about $12 a ton. County staff indicated that a better rate likely awaits when a new contract is awarded. The current one expires in 2022, but commissioners encouraged staff to start looking for a better deal now. While it’s unclear where the increase in commercial waste is coming from, the county’s transfer station at Baseline Landfill seemed a more attractive option for companies that handle commercial waste. Its gate rate was $3 per ton less than its main competitor, a private dump in Ocala owned by Advanced Disposal. The higher gate rate may reduce the volume of commercial trash at Baseline Landfill. But that would benefit county homeowners by slowing the pace of business refuse filling the county’s airspace at the Sumter County dump.

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SEPTEMBER 4 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

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Nonprofit CEO Roundtable

Ocala Downtown Market

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

Cars and Coffee

War Horse Harley-Davidson, 5331 N Hwy 441 7:30am-12pm Auto enthusiasts of all types are invited to this family friendly car, truck and motorcycle event with beverages by Oasis Tropical Cafe and live music by Jeff and the Jarretts. Call (352) 301-3225 for more information.

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Networks CEMG

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Florida-Friendly Landscaping

Power Plant Business Incubator, 405 SE Osceola Ave. 8:15-9:15am Email tom@ocalacep.com for more information.

Virtual 10am Learn the first principle of Florida-Friendly Landscaping— Right Plant, Right Place—with IFAS Marion County Master Gardeners. Registration via https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/marion is required for this free online workshop.

SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) - virtual 2-3:30pm Learn more about Medicare in this free Zoom workshop offered online or by phone. Call (352) 692-5262 or email shine@agingresources.org for more information. www.floridashine.org

CenterState Bank, 1632 E. Silver Springs Blvd. 4-5pm Please wear a mask. Email April Savarese at asavarese@ bgcofmarion.com for more information.

Ed Croskey Center, 1510 NW 4th St. 6-8pm Marion County Supervisor of Elections Wesley Wilcox and Ocala City Manager Sandra Wilson will present. Email gwonrc@outlook.com for more information.

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

Infinite Ale Works, 304 SE Magnolia Ext. 5:30pm Young Leaders is an industry-specific networking group of the Ocala/Marion County Chamber and Economic Partnership. Email tom@ocalacep.com for more information.

Community Foundation Ocala/Marion County – virtual 11:30am-1pm The Nonprofit Business Council invites nonprofit CEOs and executive directors to share best practices, network and find camaraderie. Registration via www.ocalafoundation.org is required.

Has your business been negatively impacted by COVID-19?

Loan, Grant, and Training Funds for Marion County Businesses Marion County wants to ensure that every business continues to grow through the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to an allocation of the County’s CARES Act Fund, assistance programs are now available for businesses of all sizes. Every business should be committed to keeping employees safe.

Bridge to Recovery Program The Small Business Assistance Program seeks to assist businesses with 25 or fewer employees who have been experiencing continuing negative impacts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The business will need to submit an online application demonstrating the negative impact of COVID-19 and will be able to receive up to $15,000. The business will be expected to maintain the same number of employees. The company will report quarterly on their status for a period of 1-year.

Moving Forward Program The Business Assistance Program seeks to assist businesses with 26-100 employees who have been experiencing continuing negative impacts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The business will need to submit an online application demonstrating the negative impact of COVID-19 and will be able to receive up to $40,000. The business will be expected to maintain the same number of employees. The company will report quarterly on their status for a period of 1-year.

Testing Capacity Enhancement Reimbursement Grant Private labs, clinics, and physician offices can apply to be reimbursed for the purchase of equipment, testing supplies, additional space, etc. to expand their testing capabilities.

Project Operating Safely (PPE Reimbursement Program) Project Operating Safely will provide up to $3,000 in reimbursements to local businesses with fewer than 100 employees and up to $10,000 for businesses with more than 100 employees for the purchase of necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) and other health and safety-related items and services. Businesses may apply once for a reimbursement and funds will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis.

Find out how your business can access funds and submit an application at

MovingBizForward.com

SEPTEMBER 4 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

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Brick City Farmers Market

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

Arts

Marion Oaks MSTU for General Services Advisory Board

9/8

Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District Board

9/8

Marion County License Review Board

9/8

City of Belleview Planning & Zoning Board

9/8

City of Dunnellon Historic Preservation Board

9/9

Marion County Code Enforcement Board

9/9

Marion County Public Hearing

9/9

Marion County Public Hearing

9/9

Dunnellon City Council Workshop

9/9

Belleview City Commission

9/10

Marion County Development Review Committee Staff Meeting

9/10

Marion County Tourist Development Council

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City of Ocala Recreation Commission

Marion Oaks Community Center annex, 280 Marion Oaks Ln. 10:30am For more information, call (352) 307-1037.

USDA Ocala Service Center, 2441 NE Third St. 12:30pm For more information, call (352) 622-3971, ext. 3.

First Friday Art Walk

Downtown Ocala 6-9pm Socially distanced festivities will include more than 30 artist displays and free family hands-on art activities. Contact City of Ocala Cultural Arts at (352) 629-8447 for more information. www.ocalafl.org/artwalk

Growth Services Training Room, 2710 E. Silver Springs Blvd. 5:30pm The License Review Board hears and investigate complaints regarding competency of licensed contractors. Call (352) 4382428 for more information.

Broadway Under the Stars

Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E. Silver Springs Blvd. 8pm An intimate cabaret on the new outdoor stage. Seating is limited at safely distanced tables of four on the patio around the stage and patrons may purchase outdoor concessions. www.ocalacivictheatre.com

City Hall Commission Room, 5343 SE Abshier Blvd., Belleview 5:30-6:30pm Call (352) 245-7021 for more information.

The Auntie Network

The Sharon – virtual 7pm Streamed online, this staged play reading is the story of Anne, a desperate, pregnant young woman facing the realities of making choices for a baby as an adolescent. www.thesharon.com

9/5

Back to the Future Movie Marathon

9/4

Pleasures 2.0 – Opening Reception

9/4 -26

Pleasures 2.0

9/6

Rockin the Ocala Drive-In

9/8

Marion Theatre, 50 S. Magnolia Ave. Great Scott! See the original blockbuster film Back to the Future at 11am; Part II at 2pm; and Part III at 7pm. Visit www.mariontheatre.org for tickets and more information.

Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 S. Broadway 5pm Meet the artists at the exhibit’s opening reception; please wear a mask. Email ashley.justiniano@mcaocala.com or call (352) 369-1500 for more information.

Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 S. Broadway Monday-Friday 10am-4pm; Sunday 11am-4pm Marion Cultural Alliance’s annual art competition and exhibit is back by popular demand. Artists were invited to create works inspired the simple pleasures we all enjoy. www.mcaocala.org

Ocala Drive-In 12-11:30pm This live music festival offers all-day tailgating and socially distanced fun by the carload with a lineup of favorite local musical acts including Amusia, Arctic Red, Adam Rountree, Chris Ryals band, Ecliff Farrar, Life in Water, Left on Broadway and Friends, Peaches and Karim, Heather Lynne and Jeff and the Jarretts. Details and tickets available at www.eventbrite.com.

Teaching Tuesday: Salt Dough

Appleton Museum – virtual 10-10:30am The Appleton Museum presents a live streaming art project that the whole family can make at home with basic art and craft supplies. Online at www.facebook.com/appletonmuseum.

Government

9/8

Marion Oaks MSTU for Recreation Services and Facilities Advisory Board

9/8

Ocala/Marion County TPO Technical Advisory Committee

Marion Oaks Community Center annex, 280 Marion Oaks Ln. 9:30am The Marion Oaks Municipal Taxing Service Unit for recreation services and facilities advisory board helps determine the budget and projects for the Marion Oaks Community Center. For more information, call 352-438-2828.

Dunnellon City Hall, 20750 River Dr., Dunnellon 5:30pm Call (352) 465-8500 for more information.

Growth Services Training Room, 2710 E. Silver Springs Blvd. 9am The Code Enforcement Board hears and resolves cases in which there is a code violation dispute. Call (352) 671-8901 for more information.

McPherson Government Complex Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave. 2pm Continuation of public hearing on rate resolution associated with Kingsland Country Estates. Call Judy Smith at (352) 4382650 for more information.

McPherson Government Complex Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave. 2pm Public hearing on non-ad valorem assessments. Call (352) 4382300 for more information.

Dunnellon City Hall, 20750 River Dr., Dunnellon 5:30pm Call (352) 465-8500 for more information.

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

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

Visitors and Convention Bureau, 109 W. Silver Springs Blvd. 9am The Tourist Development Council recommends use of tourist development tax revenue to enhance, promote, advertise and develop tourism in Ocala/Marion County. Call (352) 438-2800 for more information.

virtual 4:30pm Visit www.ocalafl.org to participate online via Zoom. Call Michele Bond at (352) 368-5517 for more information.

Marion County Public Library, 2720 E. Silver Springs Blvd. 10:30am For more information, contact the Transportation Planning Organization at (352) 438-2630.

ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

7pm Jeff Jarrett Terry’s Place

5-9pm Jeff Jarrett Gator Joe’s

5pm Gilly & the Girl Bank Street Patio Bar

12-4pm Rob Hazen Bank Street Patio Bar

5pm The Big Bad Bank Street Patio Bar

7pm The Big Bad The Crazy Cucumber

SEPTEMBER 4 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Cabinet of Curiosities Steamboat Hiawatha at Silver Springs

T We encourage our readers to share their opinions through letters to the editor. All letters are subject to editing for clarity, length, taste and libel. Letters should contain the writer’s full name, address and phone number. Letters should be 200 words or less. To give as many readers as possible an opportunity, we publish only one letter every 30 days per writer. Submit your letter to letters@ocalagazette.com.

Stop Nestle’s water raid

estle should never have gotten the first permit to take our water, and I pray they never get a renewal for their greedy project. No one seems to know how they slid their permit through without oversight or why it was even approved. We the people of Florida do not want Nestle stealing our water at any price. If you feel the same, please email the St. Johns River Water Management District board members and state your opinion on this matter. Time is of the essence. The board members and

his is a picture postcard of the steamboat Hiawatha at night at Silver Springs. The steam-powered paddle-wheeler Hiawatha was built in Palatka in 1904 by Hubbard L. Hart and transported tourists from Palatka to Silver Springs up until about 1920. At 89 feet in length, the Hiawatha was the largest boat in the Hart Line and could carry up to 90 passengers. Tourism was already big business in Florida by the early 20th century and steamboat owners vied to attract customers. Timing a voyage to enter Silver Springs at night for added dramatic effect was made possible by a large fire basket on

the roof of the boat to illuminate the river. This experience would have been an amazing adventure for visitors to Florida and is described on the back of the postcard as, “No scene so weird was ever found elsewhere or even imagined.” The Silver River Museum is a program of Marion County Public Schools. Learn more at www. SilverRiverMuseum.com.

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

their addresses: Virginia.Johns@SRWMD.org Donald.Quincey@SRWMD.org Richard.Schwab@SRWMD.org Virginia.Sanchez@SRWMD.org Charles.Keith@SRWMD.org, Gary.Jones@SRWMD.org Per the Florida Springs Council, our springs have declined way below the minimum flow level. We need the springs to recover, not be used by a greedy for-profit company. It is our water! Lynn Miller Ocala

City holds line on property tax rate again By Brad Rogers Executive Editor

or the fifth straight year, the Ocala City Council has held the line on its millage rate of 6.6 mills, although the tax rate is expected to generate more revenue than in the past due to growth and rising property values. Among the big line items in the budget are the Ocala Electric Utility, the city’s power provider, which has a budget of $176 million, while Water Resources has a budget of $39 million and the Sanitation Department is in line for $20 million. City residents will see slight increases in water, stormwater and garbage fees, all of which are part of planned long-term, incremental increases in

rates. The total city budget is $817 million. That includes the utilities, fire and police, pension funds, as well as the cost of daily operation of the city and long-term capital improvement projects. City Manager Sandra Wilson said the loss of the city fire assessment, which a court recently ruled unconstitutional, will not affect the current budget, and the city is appealing the court ruling. The fee had generated more than $150 million since 2007 for Ocala Fire Rescue operations. Of the $118 million General Fund, which funds city operations that are not enterprise funds – utilities, the airport and golf services – Ocala police get the largest chunk of every dollar, about 29 cents. Fire gets 17 cents of every dollar, while

Parks and Recreation get 9 cents of every dollar. The rest is divided up between various administrative and regulatory departments. The budget calls for $23 million for the city’s Capital Improvement Program. Among the line items in this section of the budget are $8 million for electric system upgrades, $4 million for the ongoing Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program (TRIP), $1.6 million for expanding the Ocala Fiber Network and $2 million for water system improvements. There is $185,000 set aside for a “feasible route study and continued load studies” for a major electric transmission line planned to run along Southeast and Southwest 42 Street. The seven-year project is estimated to cost $35

million to $40 million when completed and is intended to expand the power load capacity of the OEU’s existing transmission lines. The police department budget of $33.8 million was $6 million more than the $27.3 million from last year. The fire rescue budget, meanwhile, held steady at just under $20 million. About three-fourths of both agencies’ budgets go to salaries and benefits, according to the budget. The city has $216 million in reserves – an amount required by law. These funds are kept on hand to help the city in moments of emergency, like a hurricane, and to ensure the city can function at the beginning of the budget year before tax revenues begin coming in. Some of the city’s priority projects, while receiving

funds, did not take major steps forward. Affordable housing continued to get minor funding, $300,000, to help move the Tucker Hill development forward as well as the West Oaks project, which is part of the old Pine Oaks Golf Course. Both are on the city’s westside. The city also continued to fund its Office of Homeless Prevention to the tune of $339,000. The city is working on homelessness jointly with Marion County. Wilson declared the city is in good financial shape. “The financial condition of the city remains strong and sustainable,” she said. The City Council has been presented the proposed budget and will hold public hearings on it on Sept. 15 and Sept. 22, at 5:15 p.m. on both dates.

Habitat Ocala building homes, building hope, building community

n Thursday, Habitat for Humanity celebrated a house blessing for one of our very special family partners, Carey Hamilton and his two children. Festivities began at 9 a.m. at the home located at 15 Pine Course Place in Ocala. Habitat officials passed the keys to the Hamilton family and witnessed them opening the door to their home for the first time. Also, everyone present put a hand on the home as they said a blessing for Hamilton and his family.

“This is the reason why we do what we do here at Habitat and is the purpose of our mission of everyone being able to afford their own home,” said Tyler Starr, a Habitat spokesperson. “We understand what owning a home can mean for these families. We want to give our family partners a chance at a better life and we will continue to work toward a community where everyone has a decent place to live, and where measurable improvements in health, education, security and

wealth generation are enjoyed by more and more homeowners. The benefits of decent and affordable homeownership are indisputable, and it’s truly gratifying to help these families have a place to call home.” This home has been a long time coming for Hamilton and his family. He’s had to endure a lot of personal hardship while going through this journey. But for him to go through everything and come out with this home really means everything. Hamilton has

been a huge blessing to have in the Habitat program, Starr said. “He’s a very quiet and laid-back guy, but is a hard worker and great listener, and we’ve loved having him in our program. We hope this home serves him and his family well for years to come and provides them the safety and stability they need. “ To celebrate the House Blessing’s, Dave Layman, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity, along with the organization’s sponsors and

dignitaries, stood side by side to pass the door key to the family, completing their final step of their long-awaited journey to homeownership. This home was funded by Marion County Community Services, Well Fargo, & SelfHelp Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP), so we want to extend our thanks for their support and helping us make the dream of homeownership a reality for this family.

SEPTEMBER 4 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 | OCALA GAZETTE

Marion County hopes to retool program Despite changing vendors for handling unclaimed bodies, county officials will continue to ensure those who die alone aren’t forgotten

By Bill Thompson Deputy Editor

n a typical year, 100 or so people in Marion County die with no one to ensure they receive a proper send-off from this realm. Many are homeless, but not all. Many are elderly, but not all. Many are people of some means, but not all. The one thing they have in common, however, is that at the end of the road no one noticed, cared or had the resources to see they were appropriately handled. That is, except for Dana Ammann, who, some may think, might have one of the more unenviable jobs in county government. For the past four years, Ammann, a client services specialist with the Community Services Department, oversees the county’s Unclaimed Decedent Program. They are defined as such because they die and leave no relatives, friends, or directions for their final arrangements. This program has been one of the county’s least recognized services for years. Yet county staffers see it as vital in trying to bring dignity and closure to those who left nothing else behind them in leaving this life. The unclaimed become so after a hospital, hospice, funeral home or the medical examiner’s office is unable to identify someone who can take charge of the remains. By Florida law, the first step in such circumstances is to notify the state Anatomical Board at the University of Florida to see if the remains can be used for medical research. The board frequently declines the offer, however, because too much time has passed for them to be of scientific value, officials said. Thus, the disposition burden is then passed to the county. County officials do not actually take possession of the bodies. Rather, those holding the remains request Ammann to step in. She then spends up to 30 days trying to locate survivors. The deceased go unclaimed for various

reasons, Ammann said. Sometimes she must deal with homeless people, who simply die alone. Or a family will be embroiled in conflict and survivors distance themselves from the deceased. Occasionally, survivors simply cannot afford a funeral service, even cremation, which is considerably cheaper, or they choose to not pay for it. Ammann said she sees an increasing number of people who forgo funerals because the cultural significance of such services is evaporating. At times, people die without family or leaving guidance on contacting family elsewhere or their own arrangements. And Ammann’s workload has grown in recent years. One measurement of that is the amount taxpayers spend on this program. In 2016, the county spent $37,471 to dispose of unclaimed remains, according to records. A year later that amount was up to $42,835, and then $46,472 in 2018. Last year, that expense reached $50,560, up 35 percent from 2016. In the current budget, the county expects to spend $53,560, a 9 percent increase from last year. That is also the most the county has spent on this program since 2013. Department Director Cheryl Martin has proposed spending less for next year,

setting aside $46,000 in the proposed budget for 2021. Still, beyond attempting to find next of kin, part of Ammann’s duties include finding someone to pay the expenses. That could include an insurance company if an unclaimed person dies in an accident. Or a victims’ fund if the deceased was a crime victim. Or if the person owned property, the county could place a lien on their land. If the search for either survivors or a funding source is fruitless after 30 days, the issue becomes where to put them following a cremation service. The unclaimed remains of a military veteran find a final resting place in the Florida National Cemetery

Dana Ammann photo courtesy of Marion County

in Bushnell, Ammann said. Per the county’s policy, funeral directors keep the other remains for four months just in case someone willing to make and pay for the final arrangements comes forward. Ammann said after that time, the funeral home decides where they end up. Said Martin: “We can’t force them to claim them. Once they choose not to claim them, they’ve given up their rights to any of the remains.” In that vein, Martin emphasized that this program is not intended to aid or subsidize survivors who cannot afford funeral costs – in other words, they cannot avoid making a claim in order to allow the county to handle the bulk of the expense. “That’s not something we encourage,” Martin said. The county soon hopes to expand the role of the private sector with this task by consolidating some aspects of the program under one funeral home. Martin said the County Commission will soon consider a contract with Roberts Funeral Home in Ocala to take care of the remains and handle many of Ammann’s current administrative duties. That contract could be approved as early as Sept. 15. Many may see Ammann’s efforts to write the ending for people who die alone

as a morose chore. But she takes solace in trying to bring them peace. This year, for instance, the county has received 109 unclaimed remains, and she has been able to locate survivors for 27 of them. Martin praised Ammann for her persistence. “Dana takes it to a whole other level in what she does,” Martin said. “She’s been very successful in getting a lot of families to claim their loved ones, or lost ones. There’ve been stories where people have lost touch and they didn’t know where their family member landed…. There is a little reward when that happens.” Along those lines, one case sticks with Ammann. She recalled a young man who had driven here from Washington state and killed himself in the Ocala National Forest. He obviously had no one in Marion County, she said, and had changed his name. She learned that he was divorced, and his ex-wife also had a different name. Ammann said she took a chance and contacted his former wife. She, in turn, reached out to his uncle who then contacted his mother, who lived in the Middle East. The family subsequently contacted Ammann, who eventually linked them to the funeral home. The family halted the process, which was critical because the family was Muslim, she said, and they opposed cremation on religious grounds. “They were very grateful that they had discovered where he was and they could properly take care of his body,” she said. Many of her stories do not contain such a satisfying ending. Yet Ammann said she still can find some satisfaction even if she is the only one who grieves. “Personally, I feel I’m actually doing a service for these people,” Ammann said. “I always feel a little bit of sadness, especially when I’m researching. But I also feel that everybody that dies deserves someone that feels sad about their death. And I feel like if there’s nobody else, then at least I’m that someone that feels sad about this person dying.”

Adoptions are only $30 throughout the month of September! View more adoptable pets at www.marioncountyﬂ.org/animal. Adoption price includes up-todate vaccinations, county license, microchip and spay/neuter surgery.

Memphis

Grayson and Asher

Playful Partner Handsome 2-year-old mixed breed male dog seeks high-energy human for active adventures. He loves to run and play then splash around in a cool pool.

Two Cute Pair of 3-month-old kittens seeks loving home. Pet parents, get double the fun with these adorable boys! Asher loves playtime and Grayson can’t get enough snuggles.

352.671.8700

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