Banjo artist Mark Johnson’s “true miracle” Pg A4
School district brainstorms idea to build Vanguard High its own football stadium
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
After years of Vanguard High School’s football program using the offcampus Booster Stadium, the school district is brainstorming future plans to build a stadium on school property.
The property, which is about 30 acres, was donated to the school with the intention of building a stadium on it in the future. The school currently uses the field, adjacent to the school, to practice football.
“We’re actively beginning to talk about options. We have our half-cent sales tax on
See New, page A2
The State’s application of Brady rule disclosure isn’t straightforward
The policy can potentially unfairly impact officers’ rights and justice for defendants.
“There appears to be a lot of appetite to finally get Vanguard their own stadium.”
Nancy Thrower
Marion County School Board Chair
By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
While legal experts emphasize the critical importance of proper evidentiary disclosures in criminal cases, warning that violations can lead to miscarriages of justice and overturned convictions, a review of Fifth Circuit State Attorney William Gladson’s office’s current policy, or lack thereof, raises concerns.
The governing rule for handling evidence, established in 1963 by the U.S. Supreme Court in Brady v. Maryland, requires prosecutors to disclose any evidence favorable to the defendant that is material to guilt or punishment. This includes exculpatory evidence that could negate guilt, reduce a potential sentence, or impact witness credibility- even if the witness is law enforcement.
A recent high-profile national case brought this so-called Brady rule into the spotlight. When the charges of involuntary manslaughter against actor Alec Baldwin were dismissed, a defendant’s due process rights were at the core.
During Baldwin’s trial, his defense counsel asked the court to dismiss the case based on the prosecutors’ lack of disclosure about dummy ammunition that was related to the case but not disclosed to the defense. The judge granted the dismissal “to ensure the integrity of the judicial system and the efficient administration of justice.”
This national case has local echoes in how evidence beneficial to the defendant is shared, or not shared, with the defense team by Marion County law enforcement
and prosecutors. Specifically, local cases involve police officers and deputies whose credibility in court could be challenged by defendants because of documented concerns over their honesty in prior cases.
Despite decades of legal precedent, The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, described violations of the Brady rule to be “among the most pervasive forms of prosecutorial misconduct.”
Clearwater-based defense attorney Denis M. deVlaming explained obligations for complying with Brady principles in 2018 material still used by the criminal section of the Florida Bar: “That court holding along with United States v. Bagley and Kyles v. Whitley have predominately dictated the requirements of the prosecution to turn over all material that include the following: (1) all information that would exonerate the accused; (2) all exculpatory information; (3) all information that would lessen the punishment; (4) all material impeachment of the government’s evidence or witnesses; and (5) any evidence that would support a valid defense.”
In the training Brady training material deVlaming said the law implied upon a prosecutor the “duty to learn” of Brady material that needed disclosure.
“That duty to learn means that the government cannot just sit back and turn over whatever Brady material is given to them, but they must go out and affirmatively search for it. And perhaps the reasoning behind that stringent requirement can be found in United States v. Bagley: “By requiring the prosecutor to assist the defense in making its case, the
Brady rule represents a limited departure from a pure adversarial model. This is because the prosecutor’s role transcends that of an adversary. The prosecutor is the representative not of an ordinary party to a controversy, but of a sovereignty…Whose interest… in a criminal prosecution is not that it shall win a case but that justice shall be done,” according to deVlaming.
Local application of Brady Brady rules regarding disclosure are not limited to physical evidence; they also relate to information that could be used to impeach a witness, and this is where disclosure of information becomes murky.
For example, exculpatory evidence about law enforcement personnel who would be called to testify could diminish the credibility of their testimony.
Customarily, the state will disclose that information to defendants early on during the discovery stages, in writing, not at trial as in the case of Baldwin.
Who, then, is responsible for keeping lists of personnel who may have credibility issues with their testimony?
Across the country, states have placed the burden squarely on prosecutors. For example, in 2019, the State of California Supreme Court removed an exemption for deputies’ personnel records, ruling the Los Angeles County sheriff must give prosecutors the names of deputies who have committed misconduct, such as lying, tampering with evidence or using unreasonable force.
Walter Forgie, spokesperson for Gladson, said the office relies on law enforcement to
See Brady, page A3
Subscribers
‘Ocala Gazette’ files motion for reconsideration in lawsuit against MCSO
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
After viewing the footage of the death of Scott Whitley in the Marion County Jail, the “Ocala Gazette” has filed a motion for reconsideration with the judge in attempt to obtain the footage.
The Gazette believes its interest in publishing the video outweighs the Marion County Sheriff’s Office’s concerns for the security of the jail, and that the court should consider redaction of the footage to address the needs of both parties.
“The public is still hearing conflicting stories and the only way to resolve that conflict is to let the public see the video for themselves,” according to the motion.
Whitley died in custody on Nov. 25, 2022. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide.
“Gazette” staffers were allowed to view the footage on Sept. 23, but not to obtain a copy or publish the video footage pursuant to a court order granted by a Lake County Circuit Judge, James R. Baxley.
Contrary to initial reports from the sheriff’s office that claimed Whitley refused to comply with guards’ orders, the footage shows the inmate sitting as ordered and, when he sees the guards rush towards him, he raises his hands in defense and pleads “no” and “wait”—to no avail.
Whitley showed no physical violence toward jail staff at the time of the incident, only minutes earlier verbally refused to comply with deputies’ orders to be handcuffed at the door for a cell inspection that the sheriff’s office described as “routine.”
Whitley, a diagnosed schizophrenic, was being held in solitary confinement and was not allowed any clothing or bedding, a precaution often taken out of concern that those items could be used by an inmate to harm themselves or others or to attempt escape. Whitley was unmedicated for his mental disorder at the time
Based on an evidentiary hearing held on Aug. 12, Circuit Judge James Baxley found that
See Inmate, page A9
[Image created by Amy Crescenzo]
New stadium
Continued from page A1
the ballot, and we’ll be meeting as a school board our next work session to talk about some priorities and some tangibles that we want to share with the community that we hope to use,” said Marion County School Board Chair Nancy Thrower.
Based off the cost estimates of building a stadium for the new Southwest Marion County high school, the school district would need to spend about $10 million for a stadium on the land at Vanguard, said Director of Operations Barbara Dobbins.
“With a rubberized track and with turf, you’re looking at just over $10 million,” Dobbins said. “That’s with approximately a 3000-seat capacity, with 2000 on the home side and 1000 on the. visitor side.”
The school’s existing student parking would potentially be used as
parking for the stadium, Dobbins said.
“We broke apart the new high school site plan and worked with the construction company to break out what the field houses would cost, and the track and so forth. The parking lot was not included in that because the parking lot is the student parking,” Dobbins said.
Vanguard currently uses Booster Stadium to host its games, located offcampus at 3050 NE 36th Ave. in Ocala. Vanguard is the only Marion County high school without its own stadium, and the program must transport its players and gear back and forth from Booster Stadium whenever they host a game there.
The school district bought the Booster Stadium property in 1971 and paid it off in 1973. If a stadium was built on Vanguard’s campus, then the Booster Stadium property could be transferred back to the city
and utilized.
“Because the Booster Stadium was located in the city, we just wanted to let (the city) know that we would be open to thoughts and discussions about how we might be able to use that property together potentially in the future,” said Thrower to city of Ocala staff at the Sept. 13 technical working group meeting.
The school district has not yet identified a timeline in which they hope to begin the project, as they are currently beginning discussions on how building a stadium might be possible in the future.
“This is in its infancy,” Thrower said. “There appears to be a lot of appetite to finally get Vanguard their own stadium.”
School Board approves Kut Different mentorship program amid debate of costs
By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
The Marion County School Board voted 4-1 to approve a $220,000 contract with Kut Different, a mentorship program serving primarily 82 Black male students at five schools in the district at Horizon Academy at Marion Oaks, Howard Middle School, Lake Weir Middle School, Liberty Middle School and Oak Crest Elementary. The program aims to support at-risk students through academic assistance and character development. Under the contract, the participating schools would identify students at risk for the program as “a psychoeducational empowerment experience” which provides an opportunity “to spend quality educational time during the school day with men who serve as role models/mentors. The program
stresses the development of the motivation and skills necessary for academic success, the development of positive and responsible social behavior, building a sense of connectedness, and the modeling of positive male images. This program seeks to reduce the number of students’ discipline infractions as well as improve students’ attendance, self-confidence, engagement in academics, and sense of connectedness.”
The cost is $3,000 per student and funded from state funds meant for schools with economically disadvantaged students at underperforming schools. According to the Department of Education website, the ear marked money can be used to “provide additional teachers, professional development, extra time for teaching, parent involvement activities, and other activities designed to raise student achievement.”
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Board Member Allison Campbell cast the lone dissenting vote, citing concerns about the level of detail in the contract’s scope of work and the hourly rate. Campbell offered that she would prefer the contract have more details to justify the investment per student, acknowledging that the agreement may not fully reflect Kut Different’s actual involvement in schools.
“If you are providing way more services than what is included in this agreement, include it,” Campbell said. “Tell us what all you are doing to make the dollars make sense.”
Campbell calculated the contract’s hourly rate ranged from $103 to $139 per student, significantly higher than other district specialists.
Campbell felt that the district should work on establishing a standardized rate for mentorship services, similar to how the district
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Vanguard’s Nasir Allen (15) breaks a tackle from North Marion’s Jacob Zock (13) for a large gain during a football game at Booster Stadium in Ocala on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.
Rory Carter, Eddie Rocker and Jamie Gilmore, left to right, all of Kut Different, a youth mentoring program, pose for a photo as they welcome students as they arrive on the first day of school at Howard Middle School in Ocala on Monday, August 12, 2024. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.
Brady rule
Continued from page A1
disclose to prosecutors any officers who may have credibility issues.
After an incident in which an Ocala Police Department sergeant was allowed to resign following an incident with a juvenile during a neighborhood Halloween dispute, Gladson had written a letter to OPD stating that the officer had a history of being dishonest and was not a credible witness.
The “Gazette” asked Gladson’s office for the list of other law enforcement officers in Marion County who have been similarly identified as having credibility issues. Forgie initially told the “Gazette” that no such list existed.
When asked how the state attorney identified officers who may have credibility issues to meet the disclosure requirements, the “Gazette” was provided a policy that primarily related to adding Brady information to a database. No written criteria for how prosecutors would make such a determination was given.
The “Gazette” revised its request and asked for a list of officers in Marion County who had Brady notes in the state attorney’s directory for the last 10 years and received a list of 31 names. The “Gazette” cross-referenced those names against lists of employees who work at Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the OPD.
The “Gazette” identified a handful of officers still working locally who are on the state attorney’s list but also noticed that some officers who had been found to be dishonest through internal investigations were not on the list.
The “Gazette” asked Forgie for an interview so he could answer questions about or give context to the inconsistencies in the application of their policy. The interview request was denied.
What’s at stake for officers on the Brady list
The conversation about who ends up on a Brady list and what the criteria are for inclusion are also a matter of law enforcement officers’ rights.
In a 2019 article on Police1.com, it explained that being added to a Brady list can significantly impact an officer’s career, and it’s not always for the right reasons. The article listed a few of the reasons why some officers have alleged prosecutors have “Brady listed them:” Criticizing the district attorney in the newspaper; Supporting the wrong candidate in the district attorney’s race; Investigating corruption within the prosecutor’s staff; Providing testimony that is truthful, but unhelpful to the prosecution; Complaining to city officials about corruption in the police department; Failing to apologize to the prosecutor for some perceived slight.
“Officers have also contended their own command staff have colluded with prosecutors to use Brady listings to get around the “red tape” necessary to have an officer investigated, progressively disciplined and finally terminated. In some jurisdictions, once an officer is Brady listed, they can be deemed unfit for duty or unable to perform an essential job function (testify) and can be fired without internal disciplinary processes. An officer’s federal civil rights lawsuit making such a claim resulted in reinstatement and a $812,500 settlement,” the author wrote.
When the issue was raised of whether law enforcement could provide Brady information to the state prosecutors in California in 2019, the “Los Angeles Times” reported that union representatives argued the disclosure could be used by departments to retaliate against officers who were politically unpopular.
A review of the 31 officers on the Fifth Circuit State Attorney’s Brady list left questions for the “Gazette” because there were officers not on the list who had been investigated internally for dishonesty. Others were on the list, but internal investigation files reflected their errors were more mistakes than dishonesty.
The “Gazette” asked MCSO and OPD what their policy was about disclosing personnel who may have discipline histories that would undermine their credibility. Attorney for the sheriff’s office, Marissa Duquette, general counsel for MCSO emailed the sheriff’s policy and wrote by email, “The Commander who oversees the Office of Professional Standards is responsible for notifying the State Attorney’s Office. Our agency does not maintain a Brady list, as it is ultimately up to the prosecution to determine whether an individual’s conduct met the criteria.”
OPD said the agency maintains no Brady list but cited a policy “effective 7/1/2023 in accordance with F.S.S. 112.536, any sustained and finalized Internal Affairs Complaints for both sworn and non-sworn members relevant to truthfulness (F.S.S. 90.608. 90.609. or 90.610) will be forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office.”
Attorneys
When obtaining the Fifth Circuit State Attorney’s Brady list, the “Gazette” asked Fifth Circuit Public Defender Michael Graves if he had it. He did not, so the “Gazette” forwarded it to him. Graves said his office was aware of the fingerprint examiners on the list and that when he became aware, his office independently had specific fingerprints reexamined. However, Graves could not speak to what private defense attorneys knew about the situation.
Local criminal attorney Jack Maro told the “Gazette” his office was not aware of the list but said it would be a good practice to disclose the list and along with the reasons the law enforcement personnel were on the list so that no one could say they didn’t know.
Noting that other online sites like volusiaexposed.com were attempting to publish it, Maro added, “I could see how publishing the list could preempt Richardson hearings.” Richardson hearings can be requested to determine whether both parties have adequately and fairly shared information so that they can be prepared for trial.
WBAL-TV News in Baltimore reported that Baltimore prosecutor Ivan Bates has chosen to publish his list of “do not call as witness” police officers on a website. According to that report, Bates’s list included 11 officers who were currently employed and 49 former officers.
In that report, Bates explained his reasoning for establishing criteria for being on the list and why he was publishing it.
“The few in uniform who gamble with the credibility of the department and the integrity of my prosecutors’ cases must be identified for the sake of accountability,’’ he said. “This is critically important because of the history of Baltimore and the not-toodistant stain of corruption within our police department.”
In the report, Bates clarified that the criteria for police officers being placed on the list was due to more than simply making a mistake.
“Officers make mistakes all the time,’’ he noted. “We all do, we’re human.”
Example - not on the list
There is evidence of officers who have been allowed to resign and seek work at other departments who were investigated internally for dishonesty but who are not on the state attorney’s Brady list, even though Gladson’s office did the investigations.
As reported by the “Ocala Star-Banner” in 2015, two officers were investigated for making untrue statements. “In his report, (Detective Joseph) Tussey wrote that in going to (Matthew) Timm’s hotel room he announced himself as a MCSO deputy before he used a manager’s key to open the door. (Detective Edward) Tillis also wrote that Tussey said he was deputy before he opened the door. The body camera video, prosecutors said, clearly shows that Tussey did not announce himself as reported, which could raise questions about the legality of the entry.”
At the time of the incident, body cameras were new to the MCSO. Those body cameras reflected Tussey announcing: “Maintenance. I know you have a do not disturb but I need to come for maintenance, are you available? Hello. Maintenance,” before entering the hotel room that he said was omitting a strong odor of marijuana. In an affidavit, however, Tussey indicated he announced “Sheriff’s Office” more than once before entering.
“Tussey ended our conversation by stating that he knew the matter in regard to July 17th would eventually happen as a result of body cams and if not for them that situation would have never surfaced. He then added that he felt body cams are going to hurt the Sheriff’s Office more than help,” now-retired MCSO Internal Affairs Director Leo Smith wrote in a memo following a conversation with Tussey.
In a memo dated Nov. 13, 2015, prosecutor Richard Ridgway wrote in a memo to then-State Attorney Brad King that despite the findings of the sheriff’s office the state attorney’s office did not find “corrupt intent” and therefore filed no charges against the detectives.
Neither detective is on the state attorney’s database, and Tussey later went to work for OPD.
A review of cases where Tussey has been identified as a witness by the state attorney did not identify his negative discipline history to the defense.
Local example - finger print examiners
Two MCSO fingerprint examiners, Tiffany Nader and Jeana Starling, both of whom are still working at the agency, are on the state attorney’s Brady list. A review of their internal investigation files, which started with incidents from 2019 and 2020, found the two were “derelict in duty” but the department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement attributed the mistakes to broken systems within the MCSO for processing fingerprints.
MCSO asked the FDLE to review the fingerprint issue when it came up in 2019.
Inspector Sgt. Julie Vowinkel, of the Office of Professional Standards at MCSO, wrote in a 2021 report that FDLE encouraged ongoing and/ or additional training, identifying classes that would benefit the fingerprint examiners, but then seemed to accept FDLE’s conclusion that MCSO played a part in the errors due to faulty policy.
“The FDLE review also cited a lack of policies and procedures related to latent print examination and verification. Neither the Operations Directives nor the Forensics Internal Manual have procedures for latent examiners. Due to the aforementioned, I find there to be a policy failure. Policies and procedures from other agencies are currently being reviewed for
adaptation to our specific needs,” Vowinkel wrote.
Nearly three years later, on Dec. 22, 2022, Calhoun wrote the state attorney’s office this update by email: Mr. Forgie, I want to get you up to speed on what we’ve done since the bad identification by the latent examiners that came to light in 2019. This involved examiners Tiffany Nader and Jeana Starling.
Morgan Hays … came to MCSO to evaluate the case itself as well as our internal procedures. Members of the Tampa FDLE Latent Unit also conducted an audit of other cases.
After the review by Mr. Hays and the audit by the Tampa FDLE examiners, the following recommendations were made and implemented:
A) New written procedures were implemented and added to the forensic unit manual that lay out the ACE-V process and provide a verification form for each identification and documentation on each identification to simplify the review by another examiner.
B) The examiners have been pursuing training in the use of Adobe Photoshop for latent print enhancement and are scheduled for a photoshop training class in January. They have also started using automation within the AFIS system that reduces plotting time.
C) The examiners have attended 4 training classes, including one in Examinations of Simultaneous Impressions, the issue in the misidentification. The examiners also visited the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office to review their procedures and use of Adobe Photoshop and case workflow.
D) The section will take part in yearly proficiency/competency testing.
E) Procedures involving verifications now also include technical and administrative reviews.
In addition to these steps, we also hired Tiffany Hightower who completed over 700 hours of intensive latent examiner training at the Ron Smith and Associates Latent Print Examiner Academy. She completed supervised casework with Mrs. Starling and Ms. Nader, learned our office workflow and procedures and is now a solo examiner. All three examiners take part in the verifications which includes technical and administrative reviews. All three examiners also passed proficiency testing in November 2022 with perfect scores.
Though it was a difficult process, the misidentification and resulting reviews and recommendations resulted in the creation of new written procedures and forms which will enable the examiners to consistently arrive at correct and consistent conclusions in a methodical manner. Continuing education and training will continue to keep them up to date on any trends or improvements in the latent examination field and to ensure the ongoing interaction and case work review with other professionals in their field. Yearly proficiency testing will also test our examiners and our own verification procedures. I am confident that the steps we have already taken, and continuing to look for new ways to improve, will strengthen the performance and professional reputation of each of our latent examiners going forward.
Arguably, this type of exculpatory evidence about the two fingerprint examiners would be disclosed in the state’s discovery material to the defense since 2019. However, a review by the “Gazette” of numerous cases where both latent examiners are identified as witnesses since 2019 found multiple cases where the state’s discovery exhibit and supplemental discovery exhibits disclosed “none” for Brady material.
File photo: Bill Gladson speaks during a meeting of the Litter Task Force at Marion County Growth Services in Ocala on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.
A major milestone
Noted banjo artist Mark Johnson has earned numerous accolades and honors but recently experienced what he calls a “true miracle,” the restoration of sight in one eye.
By Carole Savage Hagans Correspondent
Grateful is a word that Mark Johnson is accustomed to saying. The highly acclaimed yet humble banjo player, who resides in Dunnellon, has created an international name for himself through the years with his unique clawhammer style. But in sitting down with the legend, his first concern is that everyone is comfortable. Then, his warm smile translates into words and he talks about his life’s journey, the breaks he’s had and the people who have helped him and how they have turned into friends. And a recent, major health change has him smiling even more broadly—the gaining of sight in an eye that hasn’t had vision for most of his life.
Johnson is probably best known for his style of playing music that has been dubbed clawgrass. The musician uses the clawhammer style, where the hand is placed in a claw-like position while hammering the strings. But he adds his own bluegrass and definitive touch with a 5-string Deering banjo, playing traditional and original music. In fact, Johnson endorses the high-end banjo the company produces, which is named the Deering/Mark Johnson Clawgrass Model. It’s a true testament to his talent.
Johnson’s musical career started when he was a teenager in New York state and his mom helped him attain lessons to play the banjo, a musical instrument he’d taken an interest in. Years later, he would write a song for his mom with love and gratitude for her. Eventually Johnson took lessons from Jay Unger, a well-known fiddler who was also interested in clawhammer banjo styles. Although Johnson was unaware of how accomplished Unger was, his lessons turned into a change-making friendship and career foundation.
“I give him high praise,” Johnson said, “I just had no idea at the time.”
Learning to listen
In 1981, Johnson moved to Florida and took on leadership of the Levy County Emergency Management Center. In this capacity, he met a lot of locals, including Tony, Larry, Wyatt and Ron Rice, also known as top bluegrass musicians The Rice Brothers, who lived in Crystal River. Larry and Tony Rice in particular took
Johnson in and they all worked together as he honed his talent.
“I can’t say enough about them,” Johnson said. “Tony really took me under his wing. He played in such a way that I had to sense his playing, and honor it. He taught me how to listen.”
As Johnson began to gain even more notoriety and acclaim, he heard actor and comedian Steve Martin play the banjo. Knowing that Martin loved the instrument, Johnson sent him a sample of his own musical performance, hoping the A-list actor might enjoy it. Johnson wasn’t sure Martin would even receive it. But Martin did receive it and called.
“He said, ‘How do you play so beautifully?’” Johnson recalled, adding with a laugh, “Then he said, ‘Do you travel?’”
The next thing he knew, Johnson was visiting Martin, playing a party with the actor’s famous friends in attendance and giving him lessons. Spending time with that level of celebrities can be overwhelming, but Johnson focused on the music and enjoyed his visits.
“They’re just people, and that’s I all care about,” he said with a smile, noting he was welcomed in Martin’s circle.
Honors and awards
There have been other celebrity elbowrubbing experiences, including a night on the “David Letterman Show” in 2012, when he was joined by acclaimed mandolin master Emory Lester, considered one of the finest American mandolinists and longtime friend of Johnson’s.
“It was like 51 degrees in the studio,” Johnson said with a laugh, noting that he and Lester were pretty chilled by their time on stage.
Some musicians Johnson has shared a stage with include Tony Rice, Bill Emerson, JD Crowe, Todd Phillips and the Steep Canyon Rangers, among many others. He has performed in several prestigious venues, including the Grand Old Opry. Johnson’s honors and awards are also impressive, including:
His recording “Acoustic Rising” with Emory Lester was nominated for Instrumental Album of the Year in 2007
His music was used in the 2012 Dodge Caravan television commercial
• He was the third recipient of the Steve Martin Prize for excellence in banjo and bluegrass music Award in 2012
and even saw some colors and lighting with his left eye. The entire team working with him at UF Health Shands Hospital was celebrating the unlikely level of success of this intricate and delicate surgery.
The teaching, working on music for the Florida tour and always planning a new adventure appear to keep Johnson energized. He’s sentimental at times but also pragmatic. He explained that his entire life has been full of accidents. Good accidents. That he met Unger when he was seeking lessons, that he had guidance from the Rice brothers when he moved to Florida, that he has worked with some of the most talented professional musicians in the music world and many have become friends, that he and Lester have formed such a strong bond through the years. And, most recently, that he literally has a new vision with his medical miracle. He emphasizes the positive impact each of these has had in his life. It’s his gratefulness showing through.
“Mark’s very inspired and he inspires others,” said Lester. “He’s planning to live. I hear a lot of people comparing bucket lists, and I wonder, is anyone planning to live? And there’s Mark, and he’s planning to play more. I think he’d play even if his fingers fell off,” he said with a laugh.
Offering that his friend Mark is also transparent and easy to read, Lester continued: “He’s generous, loyal and has a list of friends longer than the highway. He’s blessed with talent and knows it. He plays from the heart.”
To learn more, go to clawgrassbanjo.com
Mark Johnson, Emory Lester and Ken Taylor on tour
• Saturday, Oct. 19, at 5 p.m. - Pioneer Florida Museum and Village in Dade City, pioneerfloridamuseum.org/events
And he has been featured in numerous publications, on social media pages and on Sirius XM radio.
But for all the attention, Johnson still loves just playing with friends. Colleagues from the music world are known to stop by and have a jam session. He also enjoys seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones on tour. He and Lester have toured together often through the years, not only in the US but also in Europe. Lester, who has had eight music projects of his own, noted that the European tour they completed in 2015 is a particularly fun memory. He added that one of his favorite projects that the two musicians have collaborated on is the “1863” CD, celebrating music from the Civil War.
“I love history, as does Mark, and ‘1863’ bridges the gap between history and music,” Lester said.
Although Johnson retired from his emergency operations job in 2022, he and Lester created their music and that part of their lives outside of working hours. They recognized early on that day jobs kept the finances going and made the touring and performances go a little easier than trying to make that lifestyle full-time. These days, Johnson keeps a full schedule teaching banjo and Lester continues to fit his talent for music in his after-work hours as an engineer. They both love teaching and at the same time they are both looking forward to their upcoming tour in Florida.
A “true miracle”
That tour will be the first since Johnson experienced what he calls a true miracle—the return of sight for central vision in his left eye. At only 3 years of age, Johnson lost his sight in that eye to a benign blood vessel tumor. Earlier this year, the blood vessels began to grow again, creating blood and pressure within the eye. Johnson’s surgeon not only was able to stop the growth, but also to reattach the retina.
This incredibly complicated procedure took two hours, and when the eye covering was removed the next day, Johnson remembered his reaction exactly. “I said, ‘Oh, my god, I can see!’”
For the first time in 65 years, he had central peripheral vision,
• Friday, Oct. 24, 7:15 p.m. - Bryson Family Home House Concert-Potluck in Gainesville; text 301-351-8087 for details
Music by Mark Johnson Clawgrass Mark Johnson with the Rice Brothers and Friends
Mark Johnson and Clawgrass –Bridging the Gap
Mark Johnson and Emory Lester –Acoustic Campaign
• Mark Johnson and Emory Lester –Acoustic Rising
• Mark Johnson and Emory Lester –Acoustic Vision
• Mark Johnson and Emory Lester –1863
• Mark Johnson and Emory Lester –Acoustic Milestones (20 years) Mark Johnson teaches Clawgrass Banjo from Clawhammer to Bluegrass (DVD)
From top: An album titled “Acoustic Milestones” by Mark Johnson and Emory Lester is shown in Johnson’s Dunnellon home on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. Mark Johnson plays the Clawgrass Banjo. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.
Mark Johnson gets a kiss from his wife, Leslie, as he holds his Deering Clawgrass Banjo, as they pose together at their Dunnellon home on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. Johnson is an award winning Clawgrass banjo player and has produced several albums with Emory Lester. Johnson also performed with Emory Lester in Nashville and taught Steve Martin to play the clawhammer banjo. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.
Terrier reunion helps fund scholarships
By Janice Freimuth Ray
The Reddick High School
Reunion is set for Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at North Marion High School. This year the reunion will honor Terriers from the Class of 1954. That’s right. It has been 70 years since those seniors graduated from RHS. The motto of the senior class was, “If we can’t find a path, we will make one.”
What an era it was. Principal Charles “Charlie” Palmour was the leader, coach Jack Yearwood was the inspiration to many athletes and Carl Rehwinkel guided young men in the field of agriculture, just to name a few who led this great group of Terriers along their future paths.
North Marion High School is located on CR 329 in Citra and the celebration will take place in the school auditorium. Registration and visitation will begin at 10 a.m. and the meal will start at noon. The cost remains $25 per person for the meal/reunion expenses. You can’t beat that.
The special guest speaker will be Tavis Douglass from Citra, an associate professor and manager of agribusiness at the College of Central Florida.
“Mr. Terrier,” Jim Stroup will continue his reign as the master of ceremony. Believe it or not, he just keeps getting better with time.
The RHS Reunion Scholarship is an integral part of the yearly celebration. This past year, two worthy NMHS Seniors were awarded a $1,000 scholarship each. Cierra Jackson, an outstanding young woman who aspires to become a pediatric nurse, was involved in the National Honor Society and the school swim team. She is currently attending the College of Central Florida. Antwuan Hampton, a two-time state weightlifting champion, was the other recipient. He is attending the University of West Florida, where he is seeking a degree in physical therapy and plays on the football team. The RHS Reunion Scholarship keeps the “Terrier Spirit” alive while helping young people like Cierra and Antwuan succeed in their life goals.
Donations for the meal or scholarship fund can be made by mail or in person at the door. The mailing address is RHS Reunion P.O. Box 413, Reddick, FL 32686. Checks can be addressed to Janice Ray or Altha Wimberly. RSVP is vital to make sure there is enough delicious Sonny’s BBQ to serve all. Looking forward to seeing the Terrier Family on Nov. 2, 2024.
Those with questions may contact me at (352) 817-0662 or janiceraymustang@gmail.com or Altha Pulliam Wimberly at (352) 595-2491 or minnie215@windstream.net
Arrest made in shooting at Ocala park
Man faces charges of aggravated battery with a firearm, public firearm discharge from a vehicle, possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent and carrying a concealed firearm.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
The Ocala Police Department has announced the arrest of a teenager in connection with the shooting with injuries that happened Oct. 5 in a parking lot of a city park where a youth league football game was set to be played.
Ewonye Jyiell Pinkney, 18, was charged with aggravated battery with a firearm, public firearm discharge from a vehicle, possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent and carrying a concealed firearm, according to a post on the OPD Facebook page.
According to Marion County Jail online records, Pinkney, who has a Dunnellon address, was booked on Oct. 7 with no bond amount indicated.
According to the Facebook post, OPD officers responded to a parking lot at Jervey Gantt Park at 2200 S.E. 36th Ave. Saturday after a shooting was reported. Officers found a man with non-life-threatening injuries to his leg, according to the Facebook post.
OPD detective Grosso found that Pinkney was riding in a vehicle with a 19-year-old female when he “fired several shots toward a known subject” but an innocent bystander was struck, the post stated.
Are your smoke alarms working properly?
Ocala Fire Rescue offers tips and guidelines in support of Fire Prevention Week.
cala Fire Rescue teamed up with the National Fire Protection Association, the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week, which ran from Oct. 6 to 12, to promote this year’s FPW campaign, “Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!”
According to the NFPA, smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by more than half (54 percent). Meanwhile, roughly three out of five fire deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
“Smoke alarms serve as the first line of defense in a home fire, but they need to be working in order to protect people,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of outreach and advocacy at NFPA, in the news release.
Ocala Fire Rescue offers these key
smoke alarm safety tips and guidelines: Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area (like a hallway) and on each level of the home. Make sure smoke alarms meet the needs of all family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month by pushing the test button.
• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old.
To learn about Ocala Fire Rescues complimentary smoke alarm program, visit ocalafire.org/smokealarm
For more information about Fire Prevention Week and smoke alarms, visit fpw.org
Members of Ocala Fire Rescue Station 1 work during a National Fire Protection Association drill to practice their technique when entering a burning structure. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.
The Ocala Police Department is investigating a shooting in city park parking lot on the evening of Oct. 5. [Andy Fillmore]
Puppies on pizza boxes
Inspired partnership pairs the Silver Springs Pizza team with Humane Society of Marion County dogs in need of forever homes.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
Jace Tyler said that after Jami Harrer enjoyed a meal one day at his family-owned Silver Springs Pizza restaurant in Ocala, she approached him and his brother about forming a partnership to help local canines needing to be adopted.
Jace and his brother David own the eatery, located at 5545 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. Harrer is the outreach coordinator for the Humane Society of Marion County.
The Tyler brothers were born and raised in Reno, Nevada. David is a civil engineer who earned his degree from the University of Florida and works for the Florida Department of Transportation in Gainesville. Jace spent six years with the U.S. Navy in electronics/cyber security/Tomahawk cruise missiles onboard the USS Oscar Austin DDG 79, from 2008-2014.
David lived in Gainesville and Jace, who said he “discovered I had a passion for cooking,” moved from Nevada to Ocala to open the restaurant with his brother.
“When the building for Silver Springs Pizza came on the market, my brother and I decided it would be a great opportunity to invest in Ocala doing something we loved. We bought the business in 2021,” Jace said.
Now, on each out-going box of pizza, a “Rescue Me” flier is attached that shares information about a dog that is available for adoption. The eatery also hosted some Dine and Donate events.
“Jami from HSMC reached out and proposed working together after dining at our family-owned establishment one day and we decided to discuss some ideas on how we could work together to help the community, being an avid pet lover myself and the fact that we love to participate when we can in events to support our local area,” Jace noted.
“With Dine and Donate, we offer 15% off for veterans, 10% for teachers and 50% off for all first responders in uniform.”
Jace said they raised $297 for the humane society during the first Dine and Donate event and that a couple of dogs have been adopted via the pizza box fliers.
“Even if the featured dog isn’t adopted, it’s bringing people into the humane society and also sparking some discussions with the younger generations when they see the pictures on the pizza boxes. Another great result is the fact we have actually had other pizza restaurants in other states reach out to us to ask us the process and ask us how they can implement the same type of program in their states,” Jace shared.
“The ‘Puppies on a Pizza Box’ campaign started as a way to
Mail-in ballots are returning
highlight our long-term animals at the shelter and help find them forever homes. I was inspired by the concept of missing children on milk cartons and thought we could do something similar. I invited local business as our community is always so very generous in stepping up when needed to help the animals of Marion County. I approached Silver Springs Pizza, and the owner, Jace Tyler, immediately agreed to help with free advertising by placing our featured animals on their pizza boxes,” Harrer explained.
“Finding a sponsor to cover the printing of the ‘Rescue Me’ flyers took some time, but after a few months of asking, Chad Taylor, owner of Your Place Real Estate Team, generously stepped up. Not only did he print 1,000 flyers, but he also sponsored the adoption of each animal featured on the boxes,” Harrer shared.
And, she added, “The response has been amazing! We’ve had several rescues from across the U.S. reach out, asking how they can start their own version of the campaign. Most importantly, we’ve seen success with some of our longestterm residents. For example, Knuckles, who had been with us for 781 days, and Coco Mama, who was here for 856 days, have both been adopted.”
Jace Tyler said his team always asks for photos, reviews and shares on social media “to grow our community and engagement.”
As for whether he has a dog, he replied, “Yes, one family dog named Penny we all look after. She’s a basset hound mix herself and was a rescue, too”
So, the next time you’re hungry for a pizza and want to help some local doggies, consider a stop at Silver Springs Pizza.
In the meantime, there are many ways to help all of the animals at the HSMC.
“We’re always in need of volunteers, donations and exposure for our animals. Whether it’s sharing our posts on social media, coming out to volunteer at events or helping sponsor an adoption, any support goes a long way in helping the animals in our care,” Harrer said.
To learn more, go to fb.com/SilverSpringsPizza and thehsmc.org
With Florida entering the final month before the Nov. 5 election, the number of voters casting mail-in ballots has started to accelerate.
Data posted Friday on the state Division of Elections website showed that 76,587 mail-in ballots had been received by elections super visors, up from 42,573 on Thursday. The Friday total included 32,688 ballots cast by Democrats and 28,216 cast by Republicans. Also, 13,928 unaffiliated voters and 1,755 third-party voters had cast ballots, according to the data.
Marion County Supervisor of Elections, Wesley Wilcox, said 45,068 ballots were mailed out for the general election consisting of 19,041 registered Democrats, 18,165 Republicans, and 7,862 other party affiliations.
The morning of Oct. 9, Wilcox reported 8,804 returned ballots from 3,781 registered Democrats, 3,551 Republicans, and 1,472 other party affiliations.
But that number was growing. “We should be close to 10,000 before we close today,” wrote Wilcox.
In 2020, during the last general election, 205,754 Marion County residents participated.
Marion County voter participation has increased significantly since then, with 257,729 recently participating in the 2024 Primary Election.
Jace Tyler of Silver Springs Pizza, left, and Jami Harrer, the outreach coordinator for the Humane Society of Marion County, spend some time with Penny, an 8-year-old beagle/basset hound belonging to the pizzeria owners and show a flier for an adoptable dog on a pizza box at Silver Springs Pizza on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.
[Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.
A Humane Society of Marion County flier for an adoptable dog is shown on a pizza box at Silver Springs Pizza in Silver Springs on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.
[Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.
Staff report
File Photo: Teri Darnell, left, and Cristi Zaharias, who are both deputy Supervisors of Elections, operate the Vote By Mail inserter to prepare Vote By Mail ballots at the Marion County Election Center in Ocala on Monday, June 29, 2020. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.
Mentorship program
Continued from page A2
handles other specialists, “it does appear that the team is working very diligently on creating a base rate, or like a flat rate to pay for mentorship services around the district, similar to what we have with speech language pathologists or other specialty services that we have where those are.”
She expressed frustration that similar questions arose during last year’s contract approval.
Board Member Eric Cummings questioned why the program faced repeated scrutiny.
“I don’t recall us getting involved with any other vendor and asking the vendor to modify their base rate of what they charge for services,” Cummings said. “I don’t think we ought to ask them to amend anything.”
“Finally, we said we want to be innovative in this district we want to do things that were groundbreaking. I think Kut Different has brought something to our district that has been innovative and groundbreaking,” Cummings said.
Campbell indicated that Marion County district personnel could find no comparable program in other districts to compare costs with.
Board Member Sarah James emphasized the program’s unique value, stating, “Kut Different is meeting the need of students in a gap that was not represented prior to Kut Different coming into our organization.”
Lori Conrad agreed. “I would agree with what board member James has shared, and I also just want to remind the board that there are levels of service and the level that Kut Different provides to our students surpasses any kind of mentorship that I have either been a part of or witnessed,” she said.
Principals from participating schools praised Kut Different’s effectiveness in reducing disciplinary issues and improving student confidence. Chris Sandy, principal of Oak Crest Elementary, shared success stories of two students who benefited from the program.
“I cannot do that service. I don’t speak ‘10-year-old boy’ and Kut Different does,” Chris Sandy said. “Kut Different speaks to them that he’s there every morning, during
specials, at lunch, during their recess time, and they mentor and support them in ways that we as their administrators cannot do.”
Jamie Gilmore, representing Kut Different, expressed frustration at the recurring questions about the program’s contract. He highlighted recent incidents of violence at local schools and emphasized the program’s potential to address such issues.
“If we can get ahold of those young men, we can minimize the times that these things are happening in our community,” Gilmore said.
Board Chair Nancy Thrower acknowledged the program’s value while also emphasizing the board’s fiscal responsibility. She called for more comprehensive documentation of Kut Different’s services in future contracts to avoid similar debates.
“We want to make sure that whatever comes before us is accurate and passes legal muster,” Thrower said. “What I look forward to is getting to a place where this doesn’t have to be questioned every single time.”
The approved contract allows Kut Different to continue its services for the current school year.
Despite acknowledging the need for programing, Campbell told Gilmore during the meeting, “I implore you so we don’t have to continue to have these questions and conversations every year, because until the scope of work gets to where it actually shows what you’re doing and how many hours you really are providing of service to these students, I’m going to continue to ask the questions because right now the dollars add up to an hourly rate we don’t pay any of our specialists.”
As the meeting concluded, board members and Kut Different representatives expressed hope for improved communication and documentation to streamline future contract approvals.
“We love the partnership with you all. That’s why we, when we made our first business plan, we knew we had to make a partnership with the Marion County Public Schools because we had to meet kids where they’re at. A kid may not never have the luxury to play on a football team, go to church or go to our rec centers, but most of them end up at our schools,” Gilmore told the district board, thanking them for the contract.
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Team members as they appear from left to right: David Hooper, Lisa Miller, Kathryn Thomas, Joe Vorwerk, Nick Blaser, Tom Ingram, Nataya Foerster, Patty Ingram, Josh Radeker
From above: Eddie Rocker of Kut Different, a youth mentoring program, right, welcomes Courtney Smith, 12, a 7th grade student, on the first day of school at Howard Middle School in Ocala on Monday, August 12, 2024. Jamie Gilmore of Kut Different, a youth mentoring program, right, talks with Dorian Washington, 12, a 7th grade student.
[Bruce Ackerman/ Ocala Gazette] 2024.
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH
JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
CASE NUMBER: 24CP002296AX
IN RE THE ESTATE OF:
KENNETH BRANDENBURG, DECEASED.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Kenneth Brandenburg, deceased, whose date of death was July 9, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is PO Box 1030, Ocala, Florida 34478. 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. The personal representative 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 ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. 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: October 4, 2024
Attorney for Personal Representative:
/s/ Johnnie B. Byrd, Jr. Johnnie B. Byrd, Jr. FBN 227269 206 N COLLINS ST, Plant City, FL Telephone: (813) 759-1224 Fax: (813) 759-1101 E-Mail: johnnie@byrd-barnhill.com
NOTICE OF INDEPENDENT CITIZENS REFERENDUM OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING
The Marion County School Board announces a public meeting of the Independent Citizens Referendum Oversight Committee (ICROC) members on October 24, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the MTI Auditorium, at 1614 E. Ft. King Street, Ocala, Florida 34471. An agenda for the meeting is available at the School Board Office, 1614 E. Ft. King Street, Ocala, Florida 34471.
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA
IN RE: THE ESTATE OF PROBATE DIVISION
CLARENCE R. MITCHELL, a/k/a, Case No.: 2204CP-2205 CLARENCE RAY MITCHELL, deceased. /
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of CLARENCE R. MITCHELL, a/k/a
CLARENCE RAY MITCHELL, deceased, whose date of death was May 25, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 110 NW 1 st Ave., Room 202, Ocala, Florida 34475. The name and address 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 the first publication of this Notice is October 4, 2024.
Freda M. Hale, Personal Representative 12560 New Cut Rd., NE Palmyra, IN 47164
David B. Smitherman, Esquire
David B. Smitherman, P.A. 600 Bypass Drive, Suite 106 Clearwater, FL 33764 (727) 466-1456 David@dbsmithermanlaw.com FBN 346659 Attorney for Personal Representative
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA, FIFTH CIRCUIT, PROBATE DIVISION
IN RE: ESTATE OF Ardyce Marie Blades a/k/a Ardyce M. Blades, Deceased. UCN: 422024CP002066CPAXMX/REF# 42-2024-CP-002066
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Ardyce
Marie Blades a/k/a Ardyce M. Blades, deceased, whose date of death was February 21, 2024; UCN:422024CP002066CPAXMX REF#: 42-2024-CP-00206616 is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division; the address of which is 110 NW 1st Avenue, Suite 301, 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 has been served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE 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 SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIOD 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 October 4, 2024.
Attorney for Personal Representative: s/ Deborah A. Bushnell, Esq.
Email address: debbie@dbushnell.net 204 Scotland Street Dunedin, Florida 34698 Telephone: (727) 733-9064 FBN: 304441/SPN NO. 117974
Personal Representative: s/ Darren Blades 13137 215th Avenue Big Rapids, MI 49037
Notice of SWFWMD Application
Notice is hereby given that the Southwest Florida Water Management District has received Environmental Resource Permit Application Number 901167 from Florida Hospital Ocala, Inc., whose address 1500 SW 1 st Avenue, Ocala. Application received August 20, 2024.
The proposed activity includes constructing a new 13,600 square foot off-site emergency department (OSED) with additions to an existing stormwater system which does not discharge from the property.
Project name: AH Heathbrook OSED
Project size: +/- 3.16 acres.
Location: 3949 SW College Rd., Ocala, Florida 34474
Section 34, Township 15S, Range 21E in Marion County.
Outstanding Florida Water: No.
Aquatic preserve: No.
The application is available for public inspection Monday through Friday at the Tampa Service Office, 7601 U.S. 301 North, Tampa, FL 33637. Interested persons may inspect a copy of the application and submit written comments concerning the application. Comments must include the permit application number and be received within 14 days from the days of this notice. If you wish to be notified of intended agency action or an opportunity to request an administrative hearing regarding the application, you must send a written request referencing the permit application number to the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Regulation Performance Management Department, 2379 Broad Street, Brooksville, FL 34604-6899 or submit your request through the District’s website at www.watermatters.org
The District does not discriminate based on disability. Anyone requiring accommodation under the ADA should contact the Regulation Performance Management Department at (352) 7967211 or 1 (800) 423-1475. TDD only 1 (800) 231-6103.
Attorney for Personal Representative
Gerald W. Weedon E-mail Addresses: gweedon@marksgray.com, breeves@marksgray.com
NOTICE UNDER FICTITIOUS NAME LAW PURSUANT TO SECTION 865.09, FLORIDA STATUTES NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Shamekia Hill will engage in business under the fictitious name THE PONY EXPRESS NOTARY, with a physical address 4241 Ne 32nd Pl Ocala, FL 34470, with a mailing address 4241 Ne 32nd Pl Ocala, FL 34470, and already registered the name mentioned above with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations.
IN THE PROBATE COURT FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF HORRY CASE NO 2024-GC-26-00040 Ashley Bines, Petitioner Vs Shariyah Lisbon, Gloria Lisbon SUMMONS & PETITION APPOINTMENT OF CONSERVATOR To: Gloria Lisbon You are hereby summoned and required To answer this Petition, a copy of which Is hereby served upon you, and to serve a Copy of your answer to the said Petition on the attorney for the Petitioner At 1121 Third Avenue, Conway, South Carolina, 29526 and file an Original with the Horry County Probate Court, PO Box 288, Conway, SC 29528, Within thirty (30) days after the service Thereof, exclusive of the day of such Service; and if you fail to do so, the Petitioner will apply to the court For the relief demanded in the Petition. LAW OFFICES L. MORGAN MARTIN, P.A. Mary Ashley Martin, Esq. 1121 Third Avenue Conway, SC 29526 Telephone: 843-248-3177
Public Notice
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 October 22, 2024 12:00PM (352) 663.9555
Charles (Chuck) Bono - Household Goods
Shanetia Graham - Household Goods
Jaime Salcedo - Household goods
Stacy Monteith - Household Goods
Stacy Monteith - Household Goods
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 until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
NOTICE OF SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
Notice is hereby given that the School Board of Marion County, Florida, will meet on October 22, 2024, at 5:30 p.m., at the School Board Administration Office, 1614 E. Ft. King Street, Ocala, Florida, 34471. An agenda will be published seven days prior to the meeting. The agenda may be obtained at the Administration Office between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The agenda is also available from a link on the District’s website: www.marion. k12.fl.us.
Persons wishing to address the Board should register with the Chairman prior to 5:40 p.m.
Any person deciding to appeal any decision made by the Board at the meeting will need a record of the proceedings and, for such purpose, may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence on which the appeal is to be based.
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA
IN RE: ESTATE OF
JOSEPH ANDREW LOUIS TARZIA, SR. A/K/A JOSEPH ANDREW LOUIS TARZIA
PROBATE DIVISION File No. 24-CP-2344 Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of JOSEPH ANDREW LOUIS TARZIA, SR. a/k/a
JOSEPH ANDREW LOUIS TARZIA, deceased, whose date of death was July 12, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 110 NW 1st Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons 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.
The personal representative 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 ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. 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 October 11,
Inmate death
Continued from page A1
the “Gazette” had proven that it was in the public’s best interest for the footage to be released, but in order to protect the security of the jail facility in accordance with Florida Statute 119.071(3), the “Gazette” would only be allowed to view the footage and not publish it or release it to the public.
“The ‘Gazette’ desires to show the public what happened to Scotty Whitley, so that they understand how detainees with mental illnesses are treated at the jail. But to faithfully do that, the public needs to see what the ‘Gazette’ staff have seen. For this reason, the court should consider redaction of the video footage so that the public can see for themselves what happened to Scotty Whitley,” according to the motion.
The “Gazette” seeks a rehearing on the singular issue of whether or not the footage could or should have been redacted in order to allow its release, as argued at the evidentiary hearing.
The sheriff’s office witness, Detective McLain, described the risk of releasing the footage is that it could allow inmates or outsiders to determine the blind spots and capabilities of the camera lenses in the security system of the jail.
“These concerns are easily addressed. For instance, the court could
order the footage to be redacted to create a fisheye, so that a viewer cannot determine the full capabilities of the lenses. That is exactly what the Brevard County Sheriff did in a consent final judgment based on a settlement with Florida Today,” according to the motion.
The footage from Whitley’s cell was captured on a single fixed camera so there is no reason why the implementation of these simple redaction measures could not be implemented here on the sole video recording at issue, according to the motion.
“Because the court did not consider redaction in its order, and because the defendants have not raised sufficient argument to establish that redaction would not diminish their security concerns, the court should either require defendants to redact the footage for public disclosure or hold further proceedings on the issue of redaction,” according to the motion.
As the “Gazette” seeks to shine a light on the mentally ill vulnerable population, and in this case Whitley who can no longer speak for himself, the newspaper maintains its stance that the footage must be released to the public for viewing, even if it must be altered to address the sheriff’s concerns.
Judge Baxley has requested both parties submit their written argument, with case law supporting their position, by Oct. 14.
File photo: Scott Whitley was being held in solitary confinement in the Alpha Pod of the Marion County Jail, where he was killed after nine involved deputies deployed Tasers 27 times and used pepper foam and physical force to subdue him. [Source Florida Department of Law Enforcement]
Citizens to shed policies in December
By Jim Saunders Florida News Service
Florida regulators have approved proposals by private insurers to take more than 300,000 policies in December from Citizens Property Insurance Corp., as the state continues to try to shrink the size --- and risks --- of its insurer of last resort.
A series of orders signed Friday by Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky would allow private insurers to assume up to 310,022 policies from Citizens. That comes after earlier approvals for private insurers to assume hundreds of thousands of policies later this month and in November.
Yaworsky’s orders also came just days before Citizens could face a costly hit from Hurricane Milton, which is expected to make landfall on the state’s Gulf Coast late Wednesday or early Thursday. As of Sept. 20, for example, Citizens had 227,708 policies in Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota counties, which could be in the bullseye of the powerful storm.
State leaders have long sought to move policies out of Citizens into the private market, at least in part because of the financial risks if Florida gets hit by a major hurricane or multiple hurricanes. If Citizens wouldn’t have enough money to cover claims, policyholders across the state—including possibly non-Citizens policyholders—could face paying
ASSISTED LIVING DEATH CASE MOVES FORWARD
By Florida News Service
An appeals court
Tuesday cleared the way for a lawsuit stemming from the death of a resident of a Sumter County assisted-living facility after an altercation with another resident in a memory-care unit.
A three-judge panel of the 5th District Court of Appeal ruled that a Sumter County circuit judge improperly dismissed the lawsuit filed
by the estate of Maria Mosher.
The ruling said Mosher was a resident of the memory-care unit of Sumter Place in the Villages in 2019, when an altercation with another resident caused her to fall and hit her head.
Mosher died four days later, the ruling said.
A representative of Mosher’s estate filed a lawsuit against the assisted-living facility and other defendants
responsible for the facility’s operation.
A circuit judge dismissed the lawsuit, which included allegations such as negligence and wrongful death.
But the appeals-court ruling, written by Judge Joe Boatwright and joined by Judges Adrian Soud and John MacIver, said the lawsuit “clearly alleged ultimate facts to support the underlying causes of action.”
“assessments” to make up shortfalls.
In recent years, Citizens grew to become Florida’s largest insurer as private carriers faced financial problems. As of Friday, Citizens had 1.265 million policies.
A key part of the state’s strategy to shrink Citizens is what is known as a “depopulation” program in which private insurers can seek approval from the state Office of Insurance Regulation to assume Citizens policies.
The orders issued Friday were part of that program. Six insurers submitted proposals in August and, after approval, will be able to take Citizens policies in mid-December. While a maximum of 310,022 policies could be assumed, the actual number likely won’t be that high,
based on past depopulation rounds. American Integrity Insurance Company of Florida was approved Friday to assume up to 102,923 policies, while Slide Insurance Co. was approved to assume up to 75,000 and Southern Oak Insurance Co. was approved to assume up to 50,000. In addition, Manatee Insurance Exchange was approved to assume up to 39,000 policies, Trident Reciprocal Exchange was approved for up to 23,099 and Florida Peninsula Insurance Co. was approved for up to 20,000 policies.
Insurers earlier were approved to assume up to 414,258 policies this month and 235,035 policies in November, according to an Office of Insurance Regulation summary.
ABORTION INITIATIVE TOPS $2.22M
By Florida News Service
Apolitical committee leading efforts to pass a proposed constitutional amendment on abortion rights raised about $2.226 million from Sept. 21 through Sept. 27, while it spent about $11.255 million, according to a newly filed finance report.
The Floridians Protecting Freedom committee had about $3 million in cash on hand as of Sept. 27.
In all, it had raised nearly $60 million since being formed last year.
Contributions during the week-long period included $2 million from the New York-based Open Society Fund, the report posted on the state Division of Elections website shows.
A large part of the spending during
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the period went for advertising.
As an example, Floridians Protecting Freedom sent $5.8 million to Washington, D.C.-based GMMB Inc. for what the report described as “TV media buy/streaming.”
The proposed constitutional amendment, which will appear on the November ballot as Amendment 4, says, in part, that no “law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”
Floridians Protecting Freedom started the drive to pass the amendment last year, after Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Legislature approved a bill that prevents abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
University of Florida Health provides some of the most advanced and nationally recognized quality care for you and your family. So, as open enrollment approaches, check with your health plan to ensure UF Health physicians, hospitals, and services are included on their provider list.
Having UF Health in your plan provides you and your family with access to 12 hospitals, more than 115 physician practice locations, six distinguished health colleges, and 10 major research institutes. As an academic health center, you benefit from leading-edge research advances that translate to better treatments — with over 4,000 clinical trials initiated in the last four years, more than any other hospital or health system in Florida. And we’re focused on caring for everyone in our communities, including those with limited or no insurance, while striving to solve the most complex problems in health care.
People, Places & Things
Acclaimed actor to present workshop and one-man show
‘Lot o’ Shakespeare,’ starring Tim Mooney, comes to the Ocala Civic Theatre on Oct. 19.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
Acclaimed actor and writer Tim Mooney will bring his one-man show “Lot o’ Shakespeare” to the Ocala Civic Theatre on Oct. 19.
Mooney, author of the award-winning “Breakneck Shakespeare” play series, has memorized a monologue from every one of Shakespeare’s comedies, tragedies and histories. In “Lot o’ Shakespeare,” he will perform the best of the bard’s stirring speeches, soliloquies and sonnets.
“Lot o’ Shakespeare” might best be described as “Shakespeare, but make it bingo,” notes the press release. “Tim’s material includes 38 monologues and six sonnets, drawn at random through audience participation, with as many as two dozen monologues in a single hour-long performance. The lines and laughs come lightning-fast in this highly interactive show as the audience plays along in a bingo game. Prizes include T-shirts, coffee mugs, books and stickers for the lucky winners.”
An ideal excursion for students exploring Shakespeare’s works, this show is both educational and entertaining, OCT officials noted. Students ages 16 and older can register for Mooney’s “All the World’s a Stage” workshop from 1-3 p.m. on Oct. 19. He will lead students through an exploration of voice, movement and acting techniques to help them develop rehearsal practice and strengthen their actor’s toolkit. The workshop will provide a collaborative environment, offering insights into the cornerstones of classical actor training.
For the on-stage performance later that day, the news release notes: “Brought to life by this lithe and athletic chameleon of an actor, the words of Shakespeare jump and play with fresh relevance. Tim is energetic, engaging, and electrifying as he makes the oftenchallenging classics of centuries ago accessible for modern audiences. It’s a joy to watch the work come alive through his enunciation and expressions, making Shakespeare far funnier than you ever thought it could be.”
“Lot o’ Shakespeare” is live on stage at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at OCT. Tickets are $35 for adults and $17 for ages 18 and younger. Tuition is $15 for the workshop only. Tuition bundled with a discounted show ticket is $30 for students ages 16-18 or $40 for adults. Register for the workshop at ocalacivictheatre.com. Buy tickets at ocalacivictheatre.com or through the OCT box office by calling (352) 236-2274 or by visiting in person Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Ocalan celebrates 104th birthday
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
Mae Ola Johnson summed up her feelings last week about celebrating her 104th birthday on Sept. 24.
“I feel good,” she said. Johnson reads a newspaper daily and keeps in-depth notes of her activities and interests on a pad she keeps at the ready. She is a person of deep faith and has been a member of Greater Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church for perhaps 89 years, according to a family member. Her activities there have included teaching Sunday School for juniors, being secretary for the praise band and also for the Pastor’s Aid program.
“My mother used to walk to church with her father-inlaw, who was blind,” said her daughter, Sandra Johnson Brown, who lives with her mother in southwest Ocala.
Johnson lived completely independently until around age 100. She discussed her biography recently surrounded by her daughter, family friend and “adopted daughter” Joan Hall and longtime church friends Thomas Harper and his wife Edith.
Johnson was born in Ellaville, Georgia, to parents who operated a farm. She was the 13th child in a family of 17 siblings. She moved to Ocala and met and married Willie James Johnson Sr. around 1942. The couple had six children. Johnson worked for a time in the post-World War II years as an elevator operator at the Marion Hotel at 108 N. Magnolia Ave. in downtown Ocala.
According to Ocala Main Street, with research references credited to the Historic Ocala Preservation Society, the hotel was built in 1927 and financed by the sale of stock certificates sold by the Community
Hotel Corporation. The seven-story, 100-room hotel was built to accommodate Ocala’s growing tourism and business. It remains one of Ocala’s tallest buildings. The building is under renovation with plans by the developer to open a boutique hotel.
Johnson recalled the former Marion County Courthouse being located on the property that now encompasses the downtown square.
Johnson also has served as a domestic worker and provided child daycare for working mothers.
Brown said her mother gave her guidance when she, as a toddler, encountered segregated “white and colored“ water fountains in the downtown square area. She affectionately called her mother a “strict disciplinarian.”
“She didn’t spare the rod,” Brown said.
To which Johnson said with a smile: “Had to.”
Actor and writer Tim Mooney has memorized a monologue from every one of Shakespeare’s comedies, tragedies and histories. [Photo courtesy Ocala Civic Theatre]
Acclaimed actor and writer Tim Mooney will bring his one-man show “Lot o’ Shakespeare” to the Ocala Civic Theatre on Oct. 19. [Photos courtesy Ocala Civic Theatre]
Mae Ola Johnson, who celebrated her 104th birthday on Sept. 24, 2024, poses in her southwest Ocala home with her daughter Sandra Johnson Brown. Left: Mae Ola Johnson celebrated her 104th birthday on Sept. 24, 2024. [Andy Fillmore]
Mae Ola Johnson recalls working at the Marion Hotel and when the courthouse sat on what is now the downtown square.
Maintaining essential habitat
What’s good for pollinators in Florida
By Jerald Pinson Florida Museum of Natural History
Electric power companies dedicate significant resources to clearing overgrown plants and debris from the area surrounding power lines. These areas are known as electric rights-of-way, and anything that obstructs access to them can threaten power outages, hinder public safety and make it harder for utility crews to perform necessary maintenance and repairs.
A new paper shows that appropriate vegetation management is beneficial not only to utility companies but to pollinating insects as well. In the largest scale study of its kind, covering the greatest number of sites and species, researchers from the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville surveyed 18 rights-of-way managed by Duke Energy. They found that sites being maintained on schedule, which kept woody vegetation to a minimum, had a greater quantity and diversity of flowering plants and pollinating insects.
“It’s a win-win,” said Chase Kimmel, insect conservation biologist at the museum and first author of the study. “It’s exciting that the goals of promoting pollinator habitats are in line with how Duke Energy would like to manage that land.”
Many of Florida’s insect pollinators thrive in early successional habitats, which are created by occasional disturbances, such as fire. Historically, the Florida landscape was a patchwork of different habitat types. As fields grew into forests, the resulting wood provided kindling for fires that ignited naturally, often from lightning strikes. The blaze cleared the understory and opened the canopy, allowing sunlight to reach the newly bare forest floor and creating the perfect environment for wildflowers.
Human development, however, has disrupted this cycle. Wildfires are quickly put out, and many areas are too close to homes and businesses for prescribed burns to be safely conducted.
“It’s getting rare to find early successional habitats,” said Ivone de Bem Oliveira, a postdoctoral researcher at the Florida Museum and co-author of the paper. “So, under the electric transmission lines, we can mimic that environment.”
Utility crews use mechanical and chemical interventions to maintain a safe corridor for energy transmission. Such maintenance activities can act as proxies for the wildfires that historically created successional habitats in Florida. This combination of management tools allows for easier, safer access to electric lines for repairs, improves transmission reliability, reduces longterm vegetation management costs and ensures safety for the habitat and energy consumer.
Methods include mowing, using selective herbicide applications to kill woody vegetation and using equipment to prune trees that get too tall or thick. This is particularly important in Florida, where weather events such as severe thunderstorms and hurricanes may briefly knock out power.
Although Duke Energy prefers to keep its rights-of-way free from coarse, woody debris, sites sometimes fall behind schedule. Curious about how this affected plant and insect diversity,
the research team sorted their survey areas by classifying sites based upon measurements of bare ground and coarse, woody debris.
“In the higher intensity management locations, you could easily walk under the powerline, while at mid-intensity sites, one might find shrubs and various raspberry bushes, so you can’t walk in a straight line. In low-intensity sites, it’s hard to even get through the area,” Kimmel explained.
The researchers define the intensity of management not by how often the site is managed, but by what kind of habitat develops as a result. Some rights-of-way were considered high intensity while being managed only every year or two.
Across these sites, the researchers set a total of 2,376 pan traps to collect pollinating insects. These bowls, commonly used in insect diversity studies, are filled with soapy water and often come in bright blue, yellow and white colors. To insects, these colorful pan traps resemble flowers.
The researchers collected 11,361 flower-visiting insects in all, representing 33 families. Nearly half were bees, and a quarter were beetles. Flies, wasps, butterflies and moths made up most of the remainder.
Rights-of-way with high-intensity management had the highest abundance and diversity of these insects. These sites also had the greatest number and variety of flowering plants.
“In some of these environments, you often see a rich herbaceous understory because of regular disturbance,” said Jaret Daniels, senior author on the paper and curator at the museum’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity. “This also helps support rare plant communities.”
“The public might have a perception that a hands-off approach and letting nature do its thing is best,” Kimmel said. “But that’s not always the case.”
To support a rich and abundant pollinator community, the authors recommend high-intensity management in rights-of-way. This does not mean, as the name may suggest, constant mowing or indiscriminate herbicide applications, but a combination of strategies that target specific plants with the goal of maintaining a successional habitat.
Throughout much of North America, utility rights-of-way connect and bisect every type of landscape, from urban to rural. There are 180 million power lines in the U.S. alone and 5.5 million line-miles of land set aside for them.
Using these areas as pollinator habitat could be a conservation game changer.
The long corridors can also help migrating species move more easily. They can help foraging insects travel large distances as they look for food, potentially bringing important pollination activity to neighboring conservation and agricultural lands.
The authors published their study in the journal “PLOS ONE.” Joshua Campbell, Emily Khazan, Jonathan Bremer, Kristin Rossetti, Matthew Standridge, Tyler Shaw, Samm Epstein and Alexandra Tsalickis of the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity are also authors on the paper. Funding for the study was provided in part by the Duke Energy Foundation.
To learn more, go to floridamuseum.ufl.edu
Fishing tourney rescheduled due to hurricane
Staff report
The Fishing for Freedom Tournament, originally scheduled for Saturday, October 5th, has been postponed due to Hurricane Helene and rescheduled for Saturday, November 9th, according to an announcement by the Friends of Marion County Veterans Memorial Park, Inc.
The tournament, a fundraiser for the park, will take place from 5 am to 4 pm, with fishing locations anywhere off Citrus and Levy Counties in the Gulf of Mexico. Anglers can compete for prizes up to $1,500 in various categories.
Proceeds from the tournament will be used to beautify and update the park, as well as install new monuments honoring veterans from all eras. State Farm agent Bonnie Wlasiuk sponsors the event.
Those interested in registering or learning more about the tournament can find registration details and rules online at marionvetpark.com.
The Friends of Marion County Veterans Memorial Park, Inc., a non-profit, volunteerstaffed foundation, maintains the park located in the center of Ocala. The park serves as a memorial to all veterans and their families, fostering an educational venue for current and future generations.
Ageniella salti is a native wasp that creates its home using mud. It’s one of the many obscure but critically important pollinators in Florida. [Photo courtesy of Jonathan Bremer]
Researchers collected insects to help determine which environments supported the most diversity. [Florida Museum photo by Jeff Gage]
Cross-cultural experience
The Gentiva Ocala Metro India Fest brought the sights, sounds and scents of India to Ocala.
On Oct. 5, the Citizens’ Circle campus in downtown Ocala was awash in the colors, sounds and aromas of India. The free cross-cultural experience of India was presented by the Strategic Community Alliance. Among the varied activities were face painting, a flash-dance mob, trivia competitions, a fashion show, Indian food and beverages, art, activities for kids, and classical, folk and Bollywood dance and music.
To learn more about the host organization, go to scacommunities.org
Your morning coffee could help you live to 100.
Here’s how longevity experts drink theirs
By Rebekah Harding
Coffee is controversial in the world of longevity. Some experts like cell biologist Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D., say morning brew is okay for intermittent fasters, but also point out we’re lacking the research to confirm if the benefits of intermittent fasting might be even greater without coffee. Others, like Peter Attia, M.D., can’t start their day without a cup of joe.
Research on the topic is, generally, pro-coffee. People who drink coffee in moderation may reap longevity benefits like reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, dementia, and all-cause mortality, according to Johns Hopkins. And a 2018 study that followed 500,000 participants’ daily coffee habits found that drinking a few cups of decaf or caffeinated coffee each day greatly reduced the risk of death.
Hone Health shares the exact brews that longevity experts opt for.
Peter Attia: French Press Coffee
Top longevity doctor and Outlive author
Peter Attia, M.D., has changed his mind on several of his protocols like intermittent fasting and heat therapy. But there’s one thing he won’t budge on: his daily French press coffee.
Research suggests that compounds like kahweol and cafestol exist only in unfiltered varieties of coffee, like French press coffee and espresso. These compounds may have neuroprotective benefits against conditions like dementia and Parkinson’s.
“Animal studies comparing coffee to caffeine indicate that caffeine in isolation cannot replicate all of the neurological benefits of the whole beverage,” Attia writes in a blog. “Many of these compounds demonstrate antiinflammatory, antioxidant, antifibrotic, and antimicrobial properties, each of which may contribute to enhancing neurocognitive function.”
David Sinclair: Sugar-Free Coffee
While biologist and Lifespan podcast host David Sinclair, Ph.D., is a big fan of matcha green tea, he still opts for a daily morning sugar-free black coffee to boost his energy.
Sinclair eschews sweeteners, but adds a splash of milk to his brew. Some research suggests this may increase the antiinflammatory properties in coffee because the amino acids in milk improve the bioavailability of coffee’s polyphenols.
Mark Hyman: Dalgona Coffee
Got a major sweet tooth? Unlike Sinclair, longevity doctor Mark Hyman, M.D., doesn’t skimp on the sugar. Instead, he enjoys his own healthier rendition of frothy, Dalgona coffee (a milk-based beverage topped with coffee foam) every morning.
He uses Four Sigmatic’s Instant Coffee with Lion’s Mane, a mushroom which a study in the Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research suggests may support cognitive function and mental clarity.
“I love that the combination of coffee and lion’s mane gives me energy that is much longer-lasting, along with a better sense of focus and calm,” Hyman writes in a blog. “Instead of that jittery feeling and without the late-morning caffeine crash.”
Hyman’s Dalgona Coffee Recipe:
2 packets Four Sigmatic Instant Coffee with Lion’s Mane
1 tablespoon monk fruit sweetener
1 tablespoon hot or cold water
6 to 8 ounces non-dairy milk
Use a mixer to whip together coffee, sweetener, and water until frothy. Pour milk into a glass, and dollop the froth on top. Mix and enjoy.
Dave Asprey: Danger Coffee
The self-professed Father of Biohacking, Dave Asprey, launched his own mineral-
boosted and toxin-free coffee brand, Danger Coffee, in 2022. The beans claim to be lab-tested and mold-free, and contain electrolytes that may boost healthy cell function. Asprey takes his favorite—medium roast coffee—to the next level by only using filtered water to brew to further filter out potential toxins.
Dan Buettner: Ikarian Coffee
Italy is known for its fragrant cappuccinos, but a coffee recipe from a neighboring Mediterranean island may boost longevity, per Blue Zones author Dan Buettner.
He starts his day with a cup of Ikarian coffee, which is also commonly referred to as Turkish or Greek coffee. Ikarian coffee is boiled instead of brewed and filtered like most American-style beans.
“The fine grind delivers more concentrated antioxidants, which is one key health benefit,” Buettner told Well+Good. “Ikarian coffee is also boiled instead of getting brewed and filtered, which extracts more of the healthy compounds in the coffee. And finally, the resulting cup of coffee will contain less caffeine than a typical American cup of coffee.”
These product recommendations are selected by editors, tested first-hand, or expert-approved.
Left to right: Dr. Sheni Meghani introduces performers on stage during the Gentiva Ocala Metro India Festival at Citizens’ Circle in Ocala, Fla. on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. Women with the India Cultural and Education Center in Gainesville perform.
Left to right: Dancers with the Devotions Dance Company perform. Vedant Bhuskute, 5, gets a piggy-back ride from his father, Vaibhav, as they watch performers.
Photos by Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette
By Michael Warren
Sudoku is played on a grid of 9 x 9 spaces. Within the rows and columns are 9 “squares” (made up of 3 x 3 spaces). Each row, column and square (9 spaces each) needs to be filled out with the numbers 1-9, without repeating any numbers within the same row, column or square.
Eastern phoebe [MichaelWarren.com]
LOCAL CALENDAR LISTINGS
government
OCTOBER 14, 21, 28
Marion County Development Review
Office of County Engineer, 412 SE 25th Ave., Building 1, Ocala
9am
The committee meets each Monday to review and vote on waiver requests to the Land Development Code, major site plans and subdivision plans. See marion.fl.legistar.com/calendar.aspx for agenda and minutes.
OCTOBER 15
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
OCTOBER 15
Ocala City Council
Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave., Ocala
4pm
The council meets each first and third Tuesday of the month. Ocala government agendas and minutes are available at ocala.legistar.com/calendar.aspx
OCTOBER 15
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
OCTOBER 16
Dunnellon City Council
Dunnellon City Hall, 20750 S. River Road, Dunnellon 5:30 to 7:30pm Agendas, minutes and video are available at dunnellon.org/government/agendas-minutes
community
OCTOBER 11 – OCTOBER 31
Ocala Pumpkin Patch
Ocala First United Methodist Church, 1126 E Silver Springs Blvd, Ocala, FL 34470
4 to 8pm
Gear up for Halloween by picking out your favorite future Jack-o-lantern. The annual Ocala Pumpkin Patch at Ocala First United Methodist Church is a fundraiser benefitting local organizations Compassion United Methodist Church and the Helping Hands Ministry of Ocala at First United Methodist. The 2024 edition will kick-off with a grand opening on Oct. 11, subject to change due to inclement weather. The Pumpkin Patch will be open daily; weekdays from 4pm to 8pm, Saturdays from 9am to 8pm, and Sundays from 11am to 8pm, through October 31, unless it sells out.
OCTOBER 21
Night Of Hope: Honoring the Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence College of Central Florida, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala
5:30 to 8pm
Rescheduled due to Hurricane Helene. This event features keynote speaker Michael Neely, the senior pastor at New Millennium Community Church, an advocate for abuse victims, and even a survivor of domestic violence himself. Neely is the author of the book “Black Eyes and Sweet Talk: A Biblical Perspective on Domestic Violence,” which discusses coping techniques for victims based on scripture, from the perspective of a real survivor. Visit bit.ly/og-event-night-of-hope to learn more.
OCTOBER 30
College of Central Florida Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Anniversary Event College of Central Florida Dassance Fine Arts Center, 3001 SW College Rd., Ocala
6 to 8pm
Join the team at CF as they celebrate the 10th anniversary of the school’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program. Guest Carolyn Jones, an award-winning photographer and documentary filmmaker, will lead a presentation titled “The American Nurse: Moving the Needle on the Most Important Issues of Our Time,” expanding on the concepts discussed in her film “The American Nurse.”
Guests can RSVP at cf.edu/nurse
NOVEMBER 7-8
77th Annual Holiday Bazaar
Grace Episcopal Church, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala
Fri from 5-7pm; Sat from 9am-2pm
Get into the holiday spirit with the 2024 edition of the Holiday Bazaar. A variety of items will be on sale, such as fall and Christmas decorations, handmade arts and crafts and homemade baked goods, and there will be raffle drawings for prizes. On Friday, wine and cheese will be available for patrons at the special event preview, while on Saturday, vendors will be on-site for the morning and afternoon.
OCTOBER 12
Candlelight Concerts at OCT Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 3:30pm, 6pm, and 8:30pm
things to do arts
The Listeso String Quartet performs not one, not two, but three concerts on Saturday, playing Halloween classics and other songs. At 3:30 and 8:30 pm, the “A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics” concert will feature a number of spooky staples, such as “Thriller” and the themes from “Stranger Things,” “The Addams Family,” “Psycho,” “Ghostbusters” and more. At 6 pm, “A Tribute to Adele” will offer some of Adele’s greatest hits, like “Hello,” “Rumour Has It,” “Make You Feel My Love,” “Water Under the Bridge,” “Someone Like You,” “Skyfall” and “Rolling in the Deep.” Tickets are available at feverup.com/en/ocala/candlelight
OCTOBER 19
“All The World’s a Stage” Shakespeare Workshop Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
1 to 3pm Tim Mooney, the creator of “Breakneck Shakespeare” and performing “Lot o’ Shakespeare” at OCT, will lead an afternoon workshop for people ages 16-and-up. The session will cover the use of voice and physical movement by actors, as well as rehearsal techniques and other insights from Mooney as a classically trained performer. Tickets are available for the session only, as well as a bundle for both the session and the show. For more information, visit app. arts-people.com/index.php?class=ocal
OCTOBER 19
“Lot o’ Shakespeare”
Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
7:30pm “Lot o’ Shakespeare” is a one-man show written by and starring Tim Mooney, the creator of the “Breakneck Shakespeare” series of plays, which are designed to “crack the code” on Shakespeare and make the work more accessible for modern audiences. Mooney tours the nation performing as part of his company The Timothy Mooney Repertory Theatre. This show will be on stage at OCT for one night only. Tickets can be purchased at ocalacivictheatre.com/ event/lot-oshakespeare
OCTOBER 22
CF Ira Holmes Film Series Presents “Psycho” Appleton Museum of Art and Marion Theatre 2pm at Appleton, 7:30pm at Marion Theatre
Starring Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh, the 1960 film remains as haunting as it was when it was first reached theaters and to this day is a standard for the horror and thriller genres. This event will be presented by Matthew Wardell, conductor of the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, who will talk about the film’s musical score, and the collaborations between Alfred Hitchcock and composer Bernard Herrmann. Films at the Appleton are free to all museum and film series members; nonmembers pay museum admission. Only the 7:30 p.m. screening will include the film talk and admission is free. Learn more at cf.edu/filmseries
MONTH OF OCTOBER
“Equine Impressions” Exhibit College of Central Florida, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala
“Equine Impressions” has opened in the College of Central Florida’s Webber Gallery. Curated by 24 Hands Printmaking Collective, prints of all kinds will be on display highlighting the natural splendor of the equine world. To learn more, go to cf.edu
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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.
OCTOBER 12
Denim & Pearls Gala
Immaculate Heart of Mary Social Hall, 10670 SE Maricamp Road, Ocala
7 p.m.
The Eta Tau Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., will host an evening of food, dancing and fellowship to support scholarships for senior girls graduating high school and various community programs. The evening will include dinner, live music, a DJ, a silent auction and door prizes. Tickets are $75 per person, available by calling event co-chair Wantanisha Morant at (352) 208-8514.
OCTOBER 12
“Aliens Are Among Us and They’re Hilarious” Hypnotist Show
Marion Theatre, 50 S Magnolia Ave., Ocala
7:30 to 9pm
Hypnotist Flip Orley brings his unique act of comedy and hypnosis, featuring audience members being convinced of extreme and wild illusions. Flip’s background comes from studying clinical psychology at the University of Arizona, where he learned the practical and medical benefits of hypnotizing patients. Since then, he’s developed into one of the nation’s top hypnotist performers. For more information and for tickets, go to reillyartscenter.com/events/aliens-are-among-us-and-theyre-hilarious
OCTOBER 17
Fairways, Flamingos & Fun
Stone Creek Golf Club, 11851 SW 16th Ave., Ocala
Check-in at 11am; tee time 12:30pm
Stone Creek Golf Club will host a charity invitational tournament for women golfers benefitting the Susan G. Koman Foundation for breast cancer research. Teams of four compete in a best ball style tournament, wearing pink “flamingo” color golf attire to represent the fight against breast cancer. Teams of four or single players can register. A silent auction, door prizes and other on the course events will raise money to support this cause. To register, go to s5.goeshow.com/dps/FFF2024/index.cfm
OCTOBER 17
Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters
Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala
7:30 to 9pm
Actor and musician Billy Bob Thornton has been performing with long-time friend and collaborator J.D. Andrew as part of The Boxmasters since 2007. Their latest release “Love & Hate In Desperate Places” dropped on Aug. 30 and now the band kicks off a nationwide tour, which includes a stop in Ocala. The band plays a mix of rock and blues, drawing inspiration from the classic folk-rock sound of the 60s. For more information and for tickets, visit bit.ly/billy-bob-thornton
OCTOBER 26
Fall Maker’s Market Cedar Street Boutique, 11875 Cedar St., Dunnellon 9am to 4pm
Fossils from the Adriatic Sea show a worrying reversal of fortunes
Research findings add to a growing body of evidence that shows human activity has dangerously destabilized marine environments in the region.
By Jerald Pinson Florida Museum of Natural History
If you’d stopped monitoring the Adriatic Sea’s marine life in the mid-20th century, the outlook would have been promising. Snails and the clams they hunt for food increased in abundance for several decades during the late 1800s and early 1900s, evidence of a vibrant and healthy ecosystem.
Then, a threshold was crossed. Populations of both predator and prey abruptly plummeted and in some cases disappeared entirely. They were replaced by the common corbulid clam (Varicorbula gibba), which has the ability to slow down its metabolism in unfavorable conditions. Whenever paleontologists find an abundance of this species in the marine fossil record, it often means the environment they inhabited was challenging and unsuitable for other organisms.
“This species became more abundant and grows much larger than it did previously because there are fewer predators and less competition from other species,” said Martin Zuschin, a paleontology professor at the University of Vienna. He and colleagues from Slovakia, New Zealand, Austria, Italy and the United States have published a new study documenting the decline of predator/prey interactions in the Adriatic Sea.
The findings add to a growing body of evidence that shows human activity has dangerously destabilized marine environments in the region. The rapid increase in fishing, bottomtrawling, nutrient runoff, the introduction of invasive species, and warming water temperatures caused by climate change have radically altered marine animal communities along parts of the Italian peninsula.
“From our research in the northern Adriatic Sea, we can say that species composition in these environments is much simpler than it used to be. In many places today, we’re lacking predators, grazers and organisms that live on top of the sediment, while other species, like deposit feeders and animals that live in the sediment, have become more abundant,” Zuschin said.
For a more familiar landbased analog, the northern Adriatic has essentially become the marine equivalent of a golf course, with low biodiversity and excess nutrients. Zuschin and his colleagues have studied the Adriatic’s deterioration for several years by comparing the organisms that currently live there with fossils from those
that existed before the arrival of humans in the region.
This type of research, called conservation paleobiology, allows scientists to measure declines in biodiversity and make informed recommendations on how to restore natural areas.
The authors of the current study had the rare opportunity to go a step further. Instead of looking only at declines in the number of individuals and species, they could determine whether the interactions between species were affected as well. This task is virtually impossible with most types of fossils. Physical damage, like bite marks, can be used to study ancient scuffles between predator and prey, but paleontologists seldom find such fossils, and when they do, it can be extraordinarily difficult to determine the type of animal that inflicted the wound.
Seafloor environments are one of the only exceptions to this rule. For as long as there have been marine invertebrates that produce protective outer shells, there have been predators with the ability to bore through them. A variety of marine snails, worms and even octopi have evolved structures to grind and pulverize shells.
“Some snails have specialized organs that secrete acid to soften the calcium carbonate in shells. This makes the drilling process more efficient,” said coauthor Michal Kowalewski, the Thompson chair of invertebrate paleontology at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville.
The circular holes left behind are a calling card, which scientists use to quantify predation.
The researchers took samples from two regions, one in the northwest Adriatic along the mouth of the Po River and another in the northeast Gulf of Trieste. At each site, they extracted sediment cores from the seafloor using long, cylindrical tubes. Sediment near the top was younger and had settled onto the seafloor more recently than sediment at the bottom of the tube.
Both locations showed the same pattern. The abundance of predators and prey along with the frequency of drill holes remained consistent until the mid-19th century, when all three spiked. Zuschin says this brief window of frenetic activity is a signature from the early days of Italian industrialization.
“A moderate increase in nutrient input is good for the ecosystem,” he said.
But this grace period didn’t last long. Excess nutrients in the
Adriatic fueled the growth of algae, which sank to the seafloor when they died. Bacteria that degraded the dead algae used up much of the dissolved oxygen in the water, which suffocated nearby marine organisms.
“It simply became too much, and the whole system crashed,” Zuschin said.
These periods of low oxygen, called eutrophication, weren’t detrimental to everything, though. They may have been beneficial for the common corbulid clam, Kowalewski said. “They’re less vulnerable to lower oxygen levels than some of
their competitors, and they can proliferate quickly.”
Corbulid clams also don’t seem to be a favored food source for drilling predators. Their shells are occasionally found with telltale holes in them, but at a lower frequency than other species. With their only limitation being how much they can eat, corbulid clams have thrived in the denuded waters of the northern Adriatic.
And there’s another problem lurking on the horizon. Climate change is heating up the Adriatic, which means its water is becoming more stratified. This happens when increasingly warmer water on top mixes less with the colder water below, impeding the flow of oxygen from the surface to lower depths. In areas where eutrophication is already a problem, things are likely going to get worse.
Still, Zuschin says, there’s reason to be optimistic. Efforts are underway to reduce the amount of pollution that makes its way into Italy’s rivers, and samples from one location in the Po River Delta even show a small uptick in drill-hole frequency. Zuschin also warns that restoration won’t be easy and
will only get harder the longer it gets put off.
“Environmental degradation is extremely expensive. You cannot even quantify it, because something that is gone that had a tremendous impact on the quality of life cannot be accounted for in terms of money.”
The authors published their study in the “Proceedings of the Royal Society B.”
Rafał Nawrot, Alexandra Haselmair and Sandra Wurzer of the University of Vienna, Markus Dengg of the Otago Regional Council, Ivo Gallmetzer of the Natural History Museum Vienna, Daniele Scarponi of the University of Bologna and Adam Tomašových of the Slovak Academy of Sciences are also coauthors of the study.
Funding for the study was provided in part by the Austrian Science Fund, the Italian Ministry of University and Research, the Slovak Agency for Research and Development and Slovak Scientific Grant Agency and by the US National Science Foundation grants.
To learn more, go to floridamuseum.ufl.edu
Mollusks with serrated tongues and a specialized organ that secretes acid can drill through tough shells to get at the soft clams inside.
[Florida Museum photo by Roger Portell] The
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Vanguard’s running game defeats North Marion 41-12
Officials ended the game in the middle of the fourth quarter because of a mysterious blue laser light pointed on the field.
More dogs, fewer babies: What’s guiding the shifts in pet ownership and parenting in American households?
By Colleen Kilday
Amid shrinking households and declining birth rates, one family member is increasingly taking center stage: the pet. In fact, half of Americans consider their pets to be as much a part of their family as human members, according to research from the Pew Research Center. Alongside their elevated status, pets are enjoying elevated living: American Pet Products Association data shows the American pet industry has surged from $90.5 billion in 2018 to an estimated $150.6 billion in 2024.
Part of this growth is attributable to the overall increase in pets. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found that approximately 23 million households adopted a cat or dog during the COVID-19 pandemic, partly due to the shift to work from home that enabled many remote workers to trade commute time for puppy playtime. Plus, thanks to advances in pet nutrition and veterinary science, both cats and dogs are living longer on average.
Pew found that roughly 3 in 4 (74%) Americans are on board with this increasing focus on pets in daily life. Additionally, nearly half (48%) of adults say there is a proper amount of emphasis on pets’ well-being. In comparison, 1 in 4 (26%) believe there could be more, though just as many said there was too much.
Interestingly, the generation most likely to consider their pets as equal members of the family, counterintuitively, also spends the least money on them.
To explore this dynamic and others, Ollie used Bureau of Labor Statistics time use data and news reports to analyze the evolving dynamic between parenting children and owning pets in the U.S., particularly among younger adults.
Since 2021, more adults have been taking care of pets than children For those who may have avoided pet ownership due to scheduling or cost hesitations, the COVID-19-induced shift to remote work allowed them to reconsider their capacity for pet care. In fact, 2021 was the first year in at least the last two decades that more adults looked after pets than children—the same year that 1 in 5 American households adopted a pet. As of 2024, there are now 82 million households with at least one pet, according to the APPA national pet owners survey.
Now, there are more multipet owners than single-pet owners in America. Pew found that 35% of American households have multiple pets, and 27% have one pet, totaling 62% of Americans who share their home with another species.
Adding to the disparity in households without children is the increasing number of baby boomer-led households. Their children are most likely living
independently from their parents. While pets have shorter life spans than humans, they remain consistently dependent on caretakers throughout their lives— unlike children, who generally develop independence and require fewer hours of direct caretaking as they age.
Younger adults shifting care from kids to pets
The fastest-growing generation of pet parents are those aged 25 to 34, which include millennials and Gen Zers. This age group, though, still has more households caring for kids (30.8%) than households watching over pets (22.9%), though the gap has narrowed in the last two decades. For those aged 45 to 54, the ratio evens out: They are as likely to take care of children as they are to care for pets. At 55, the odds shift the other way: By then, this age group is more likely to care for pets, coinciding with the transition into retirement.
In the U.S., 4 in 5 (82%) millennials are also most likely to view their pets as children, according to May 2024 data from the Statista Research Department. Still, they spend the least on their pets based on BLS data. (The dataset did not compare Gen Z figures due to a reporting error.)
This counterintuitive relationship may reveal some insights about the decline in households with children. Because wage growth has not kept pace with increasing housing costs, based on BLS and Federal
Housing Finance Agency data, many adults must now prioritize developing their careers for years before they can afford to establish and care for families. According to a study by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, the home price-toincome ratio reached an all-time high in many metros in 2022, the latest year measured. Additionally, the percentage of young workers with employers who provide health insurance has plummeted since 1989, further challenging those in need of maternal care or health insurance for their children.
While it is true that birth rates for millennials and Gen Zers taken together have declined, this is still subject to change. As of 2024, about 1 in 5 Americans are choosing to have their first child after age 35, and the average age of first-time mothers is at a record high of 27.5 and climbing, according to 2021 data from the CDC, the latest available. But no matter how family structures and dynamics continue to evolve, pets appear to be along for the ride for the foreseeable future. As animal shelter populations continue to increase, hopefully the households welcoming multiple species will too.
Vanguard’s Jermaine White (2) celebrates his touchdown on North Marion with Brenden Barber (4) during a football game at Booster Stadium in Ocala on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024.
Left: Vanguard’s Jermaine White (2) eludes North Marion’s Jacob Zock (13) as he runs for a touchdown.
Left to right: Vanguard’s Jermaine White (2) eludes North Marion defenders as he runs for a touchdown during a football game at Booster Stadium in Ocala on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. Vanguard’s Nasir Allen (15) breaks a tackle from North Marion’s Jacob Zock (13) for a large gain. Vanguard’s Terrance Lewis (18) eludes a host of North Marion defenders for a large gain.
Photos by Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette
Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick.
Honoring youth leadership and achievement
Marion County joins other communities to celebrate National 4-H Week.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
Marion County joined communities across the nation in celebrating Oct. 7-12 as National 4-H Week with the recent reading of the national proclamation in front of a large group of local participants gathered in the Marion County Board of County Commissioners chambers.
As America’s largest youth development organization, 4-H has supported nearly 6 million young people across the United States, helping them develop the skills, confidence and compassion needed to thrive as leaders in their communities. Here in Marion County, approximately 1,800 youth participate in 4-H each year, engaging in hands-on learning experiences that foster independence, resilience, and a sense of purpose, noted the press release.
This year, Marion County 4-H participants brought home top honors in forestry, horticulture, poultry, meats and shotgun at state competitions and advanced to national contests. Marion County’s livestock judging team qualified for the National Western Stock Show Livestock Judging Contest, while eight 4-Hers competed at the Southern Region Horse Show.
Local 4-H members serve as the District VII President, Florida 4-H Executive Board members and have been selected as state delegates to the National 4-H Congress, further demonstrating their commitment to leadership and civic engagement. Crystal McCazzio, an extension agent
III with UF/IFAS Extension 4-H Youth Development Program, shared these milestones:
Judging teams and competitions:
• Horse Judging - Third hippology and horse judging for the state, both senior and intermediate teams; one senior division youth qualified for the state of Florida “All-Star” horse judging team and will participate in November in Louisville, KY
Forestry Team - Senior team first place state of Florida, placed fourth at the national contest in West Virginia this summer. Marion County team placed first at nationals the previous year.
• Horticulture - Senior team A first place for state and will represent us in Lincoln, Nebraska, this fall; senior team B and intermediate team placed second
• Poultry - Senior team first place for state and will represent us in Kentucky this fall
Meat - Senior team first place for state and will represent us in Kansas/ Missouri this fall
Livestock - Second place senior team, will represent us in Denver, CO in January 2025
Shotgun - Three youth qualified from Marion County to represent Florida in Nebraska this summer at the Shooting Sports National Championship
• Horse Show - Thirteen youth qualified at the Area West horse show in April and represented Marion County at the state horse show in June at the Tampa Fairgrounds, from there eight youth
qualified for the Southern Regional Horse Show in Perry, GA, in July
Leadership events:
• 4-H Legislature Week June 10th14th - Eight youth (seniors ages 14-18) had the opportunity to attend 4-H Legislature Week in Tallahassee, where they had the chance to experience state government through a “mock” style experience.
I-LEAD- June 23rd- 25th - Eight intermediate-aged youth participated in learning leadership skills and
building relationships with other youth across the state of Florida at the University of Florida.
4-H U at the University of Florida July 29th-August 1st - 12-15 youth attended this event; activities included award recognition for state champions (first place individuals and teams), state event participation where one of our very own took first place in Share the Fun with his rope tricks act and three youth took first place with their demonstrations at the state level in their respective categories, as well as various workshops.
“These are all things happening above the 4-H club level, which is the grassroots of our organization. 4-H clubs are organized and supported to provide community-based, positive, structured learning opportunities for youth to empower them with skills they need to lead for a lifetime. Marion County has one of the largest 4-H programs in the state, with a vast variety of project areas ranging from robotics to traditional agricultural projects,” McCazzio stated.
4-H empowers youth through a wide range of projects and activities, from health and science to agriculture and citizenship. These experiences are made possible through a partnership with the Cooperative Extension, a network of more than 100 public universities dedicated to providing young people with practical, real-world learning opportunities. Across the country, 600,000 volunteers and 3,500 professionals support 4-Hers, guiding them as they grow into leaders, entrepreneurs and visionaries.
“Whether through volunteering, mentorship or simply supporting local 4-H activities, there are countless ways to be a part of this life-changing program,” noted the release.
For more information about Marion County 4-H and how to get involved, visit sfyl.ifas.UFL.edu/ Marion/Marion-County-4-H
Left to right: Javon Dowdy, Lane Taylor, and Hannah Varnado speak about the importance of 4-H during a Marion County Board of County Commissioners meeting.
The Marion County Board of County Commissioners are joined by several local 4-H members and leadership representatives during the reading of the National 4-H Week proclamation. [Photo courtesy Marion County]
Minutes matter when you or a loved one has an illness, injury, chest pain or symptoms of a stroke. With three locations in Marion County, the emergency experts at AdventHealth are nearby to provide the care you need to help you feel whole.