Ocala Gazette | November 18 - November 24, 2022

COMMUNITY COMES THROUGH FOR CUNNINGHAM

By Rosemarie Dowell rosemarie@ocalagazette.com

Home is where the heart is, the adage goes, and for 97-yearold Allean Cunningham her heart has been sweetly tucked inside a small home on Southeast 31st Street for the past six decades.

The Ocala native’s late husband, Lester, built the modest two-bedroom, one-bath home in 1963, and the couple eked out a living over the years while raising their 11 children. Two more bedrooms and another bathroom were later added.

“We worked hard. We picked peas,

tomatoes and peanuts to keep a roof over our head,” said Cunningham, who is legally blind and lost Lester in 1992. “Whatever work kids could do, our kids did it.”

Over the past 30 years, Cunningham did not have the means to keep up with the home’s maintenance, and time has taken its toll. It’s now in such dilapidated condition it was officially deemed beyond repair and unsafe to live in several months ago.

Soon, though, Cunningham will have another home to put her heart into, thanks to a unanimous vote Tuesday by the Marion County Board of County Commissioners approving Cunningham

for a new county program under the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program that will allow her to build a new home.

“It’ll be like heaven to me, I’m leaning on Jesus,” said Cunningham, a grandmother of 18, great-grandmother of 26 and great-great-grandmother of 12, after the vote.

She added: “I thank the county and the community for everything.”

For Cunningham’s family, the formal contract between her and the county comes after a five-year battle to get the beloved matriarch’s home either

Small local nonprofit wins big

By Rosemarie Dowell rosemarie@ocalagazette.com

It may have been an underdog in a North American competition, but a small, local non-profit organization still beat out some much bigger contestants to garner a big win recently.

Patriot Service Dogs (PSD), which trains and provides high-quality service dogs to deserving military veterans was notified earlier this week of its victory in the 2nd Annual Defender Service Awards, sponsored by Land Rover.

Winners were announced at a celebratory weekend event Nov. 12-13 in Saugerties, New York, according to a company press release.

The non-profit beat out four other organizations in the Veterans Outreach category in the contest that recognizes U.S. and Canadian non-profits and charities making a positive impact in their local communities.

“Oh my gosh, we were such underdogs,” said Victoria Sanderson, volunteer coordinator for PSD, which was cofounded by her mother, Julie Sanderson in 2009.” This is really a victory for the community; we had a lot of fervent supporters who pestered their friends and family to vote for us.”

she

“We

Northern Turnpike Extension remains in FDOT plans

Horse Farms Forever conservation summit hears update on controversial highway proposal

By Belea T. Keeney belea@magnoliamediaco.com

Across section of horse farm owners, developers, real estate agents, county residents, government staffers and elected officials convened at the Horse Farms Forever annual conservation summit held Nov. 14 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company. When guest speaker Jared Perdue, secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation, said the Northern Turnpike Extension is still in the agency’s plans, an audible response came from some audience members.

“We got a lot of feedback from communities,” said Perdue to muttering, groans and laughs from the audience, which he acknowledged. “We embrace our communities,” he said, but “we know we have to do something. We know it connects to I-75.”

In the face of determined opposition from environmentalists and other entities, the FDOT announced in August it was pumping the brakes on four proposed routes that would extend Florida’s Turnpike from its terminus at Interstate 75 in Wildwood northwest to U.S. 19 in Levy County. Instead, the agency would focus on improving Interstate 75.

Work on the proposed extension, Perdue said, will start up again in the “next year or so” with the agency re-engaging the potentially affected communities.

“We know we need to do something,’’ he said. “We want that something to preserve your farmland, to fit the growth patterns that are occurring. We want that something to continue to provide the needed transportation while embracing and maintaining the character of your community.”

The Northern Turnpike Extension project is not going away, Perdue confirmed.

“Is something needed between I-75 and the west coast?’’ he asked. “We believe something is needed for the future of Florida.”

He reminded the audience that Florida’s population and development will only continue to grow.

Perdue also acknowledged the congestion and other issues with I-75

File photo: Allean Cunningham, 96, center, gets hugs from her daughter-in-law, Audrey Cunningham, left, and her daughter, Erica Cunningham, right, at her home, which needs major repairs or rebuilding, on Southeast 31st Street in Ocala on Tuesday, May 24, 2022. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

Above: File photo: Allean Cunningham is shown in a portrait with her late husband, Lester, who passed away in 1992, at her home on Southeast 31st Street in Ocala.

Below: File photo: A memorial marker in front of Allean Cunningham’s damaged home.

Photos by Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette

“We even had supporters who went to farmer’s markets and got people to vote for us,”

added.

are so grateful for the support of everyone.”

PSD was the only Florida based organization out of 800 total entries to

Trooper, a 5-year-old Black Lab and Standard Poodle mixed-breed being trained by James Davis, lays down by a dropped credit card he has been trained to pick up during a training session for Patriot Service Dogs at Christ The King Anglican Church in Ocala on Monday, Oct. 24, 2022. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

See Patriot dogs,

Turnpike extension

Continued from page A1

through the Marion County area, noting that he drives it himself regularly and he never really knows how long his drive might be.

“I-75 is not a reliable facility now,’’ he said. “Even a vehicle just stalled on the shoulder can cause a five-, six-, 10-mile backup. I-75 is absolutely a priority for the local DOT district here, and we’ve been coordinating on what needs to be done.”

Perdue discussed two phases of the I-75 master plan that will affect Marion County: additional lanes on I-75 in each direction between State Road 44 and State Road 326, and interim modifications of the SR 326 and State Road 40 interchanges to help alleviate the regular congestion.

Moving from statewide to more local transportation issues, Assistant County Administrator Tracy Straub spoke about scheduled traffic projects coming up quickly in Marion County, including improvements needed to take some of the strain off of State Road 200.

“No one likes to drive State Road 200!” she said to audience approval.

Some of the major planned projects include:

A flyover from Marion Oaks via Marion Oaks Manor east over I-75, ending at SE Highway 42.

Making County Road 484 four lane east to SR 200.

Extending SW 49th Avenue from the Marion Oaks area to the SW 42nd Street flyover just east of the Market Street at Heath Brook shopping center on SR 200.

The expansion to four lanes of SW 80th Avenue from SW 95th Street Road to U.S. 27 going past On Top of the World, the new developments on SW 80th Avenue, Stone Creek, West Port High School and north over SR 40 and past the World Equestrian Center and Golden Ocala.

Extending the four lanes of NW 70th Avenue to the new NW 49th Street extension that will connect the east side of I-75 with its warehouse complexes (Chewy, AutoZone, Amazon, etc.) to the northwest side of the county with a new four-lane street. This new 49th Street will also meander eastward, curving to become NW 35th Street and ending at NE 58th Avenue.

Straub also showed a slide of the I-75 and County Road 318 area, the subject of extensive discussion at BOCC meetings in the past. Two major developments have been approved on CR 318: the WEC Jockey Club and the Sunny Oaks development. As of the summit’s date, Straub said, “The county has nothing going on at County Road 318,” she stated. “Nothing!”

No additional submittals have been received or nor any requests for permits from either project, she said. If the projects move forward with 100% build-out as currently proposed, the county has projected the need for traffic improvements at “well over $60 million.” One challenge, she said, is “We don’t know if both projects will come in at the same time.” The developers would be responsible for 98% of the road and intersection(s) costs.

Patriot dogs

Continued from page A1 contend for a top prize. Other categories in the contest besides Veterans Outreach included Search and Rescue, Environmental and Conservation, Community Service and Animal Welfare.

Winners in each category was determined by public vote Oct. 21-Nov. 6 and 220,000 votes were cast for the 25 finalists at landroverusa.com, according to the release.

PSD places trained service dogs with honorably discharged veterans with mobility, PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injuries, and other issues from any era, regardless of combat wound status, free of charge.

Since its founding, PSD has trained and provided service dogs to at least 53 veterans, mostly through its WOOF (Women Offering Obedience and Friendship) program at Lowell Correctional Institution in unincorporated Marion County.

The majority of dog breeds the organization trains are Labrador or Golden Retrievers, mainly due to their size and temperament. It takes two years for a dog to

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

Conservation award goes to John and Leslie Malone

In addition to transportation information, the HFF team also awarded their Acorn Conservation Award to John and Leslie Malone, owners of Bridlewood Farm, a thoroughbred breeding and training facility. The award is given to those who “have made a significant contribution to the preservation of horse farms in Marion County.” Bridlewood General Manager George Isaacs accepted the award.

Lonny Powell, CEO of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association, said, “It was great seeing a legacy farm like Bridlewood Farm accepting the Acorn Conservation Award today. It was equally rewarding to see the farm’s longtime general manager and FTBOA President George Isaacs onstage to accept the award on the Malones’ behalf. That farm and that land is meaningful to him.”

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complete training and get a final health clearance before being paired with a deserving veteran, most of which hail from Florida.

The average cost to train a dog is $20,000 to $25,000, but veterans pay nothing to receive one through PSD, said Sanderson. Sponsors pay $7,000, with donations helping to defray the rest of the cost. Shamrock Animal Hospital in Mount Dora donates veterinary services

Sanderson said her group will utilize the $25,000 check it’ll soon receive as top dog to train volunteers. PSD already garnered $5,000 as a finalist.

“We’re going to work on expanding our volunteer base and our ability to schedule classes and information sessions,” she said. “Our dogs are sponsored by donations, but we can’t train them without volunteers.”

As for its other winning prize, a custom wrapped and accessorized Land Rover Defender 130 SUV, Sanderson said that’s expected to be delivered sometime in February or March.

“We’ll have a celebration then,” she said.

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Bernie Little, the Horse Farms Forever president, left, give George Isaacs, the Horse Farms Forever director, right, the Acorn Conservation Award that was awarded to John and Leslie Malone of Bridlewood Farm during the Horse Farms Forever Conversations About Conservation Summit at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company in Ocala on Monday, Nov. 14, 2022. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

John and Leslie Malone of Bridlewood Farm speak virtually on a screen after receiving the Acorn Conservation Award.

James Davis works on training Trooper, a 5-year-old Black Lab and Standard Poodle mixed-breed that he is training by having him pick up a credit card during a training session for Patriot Service Dogs at Christ The King Anglican Church in Ocala on Monday, Oct. 24, 2022. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

Making her mark

By Eadie Sickler Correspondent

Brooke Griffey is making history in Marion County as the first female to earn the Eagle Scout rank in the Boy Scouts of America Scouts BSA division, which was created for girls to participate in the Boy Scouts of America in 2019.

Griffey, 18, is set to receive an Eagle Scout medal and neckerchief at a ceremony on Nov. 19 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Ocala, which is the charter organization sponsoring Troop 9692. The BSA website states that only about 6% of scouts, on average, attain scouting’s highest rank.

“I was taking ballet,” Griffey said, “and I had to choose between scouting and ballet, because both were quite time consuming and I couldn’t do both.”

She chose scouting.

Griffey’s award was earned in three years, Troop 9692 Scoutmaster Teresa Lanning said.

“It usually takes scouts a time span from joining the organization at age 12 until they are 18 years old to earn the rank of Eagle Scout and Brooke did it in three. We are very proud of her,” Lanning said. The assistant leader of the troop is Krystle Hance.

After Griffey had earned 31 merit badges for her work in the scouting group, her leaders realized how close she was to obtaining the Eagle Scout award and encouraged her to work to earn it. She completed her Eagle Scout Project in June of this year.

“Some of it was easy, and some of it was hard,” Griffey said, adding, “There were times when I felt like doing it, and times when I doubted myself. The paperwork was intense.”

For a project to earn the Eagle Scout award, a scout has to choose something that will benefit others or the community. Griffey chose the Children’s Home Society in Ocala to benefit from her supportive efforts, due to her love for children.

“I wanted to help children,” she said.

She said the Children’s Home

Society provides counseling and services for first-time pregnant women, often single or of lower income, and then helps to provide the baby’s needs, including diapers, formula, bottles, wipes and clothing for children from birth up to 4 or 5 years old, as needed, Griffey said.

Griffey logged more than 162 hours in completing her project and raised $2,364.40 for the organization. To gain funding, she held two garage sales at her home of goods donated by family members, troop members and friends, conducted a recycling project (collecting cans and aluminum) and wrote to Walmart and asked for donations for the home.

“Walmart donated four huge boxes of baby clothes and supplies,” Griffey exclaimed.

Also included in her effort was transporting the items to the organization. Thank you notes were written by Griffey to all who helped with the project.

Lanning said the steps involved in making her choice a reality involved “documenting every single thing she did and recording it” in a 32-page workbook that was later examined by a board of review to ascertain her award.

The workbook included obtaining approval from the organization to be helped and approval from the troop’s committee chairperson. The BSA District Eagle Representative also had to approve the project. All had to sign for their approval of the project and everyone who helped had to be listed.

“I’m glad that I was able to help a whole bunch of people,” Griffey said, and added, “I’m glad the paperwork is done.”

Lanning, who has been leader of the troop for 12 years and scoutmaster for three years of that time, added “the award is regarded highly on applications to colleges and if a scout were to pursue a military career. It shows the scout has developed leadership skills.”

The BSA website quotes Roger Mosby, president and CEO, as saying, “Eagle Scout is a designation widely valued by universities, employers, and other respected institutions around

the world. In earning this rank, young people gain new skills, learn to overcome obstacles, and demonstrate leadership among their peers and in their communities. Scouting’s benefits are invaluable, and we are elated that the opportunity to become an Eagle Scout is now available to young men and young women alike.” The website states the Eagle Scout rank “is synonymous with leadership, service and excellence.”

Lanning further explained that since February 2019, when the Boy Scouts of America Scouts BSA division was formed, the boys and girls troops are still separate but the girls are now afforded the same atmosphere for experiences that are not included in the Girl Scouts of America organization, which has retained the original structure for girls. For example, she said, this new group takes part in the same adventures and survival skills as the boys, allowing girls to work to obtain the Eagle Scout award.

Asked what activities she enjoyed participating in with her troop, Griffey said she loved the summer camps. Two of her favorites were at Fort Clinch State Park at Fernandina Beach and Manatee Springs State Park in Chiefland.

“I loved seeing the manatees,” she enthused.

Some of her merit awards were earned while at the camps.

Griffey’s parents are Amy and Jimmy Sain, and Richard Griffey Sr. She has a sister, Alonnah Anderson, who is 21, and a brother, Richard Griffey Jr., who is 16. She is a senior at Lake Weir High School, set to graduate in 2023. She is also a student at Marion Technical Institute, working toward Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) certification. She explained that this certification will enable her to work at a daycare or school.

After graduation, Griffey plans to apply to the College of Central Florida and enroll in Early Childhood Development programs, with the longterm goal of teaching children.

“I just love kids,” she said.

Brooke Griffey is Marion County’s first female Eagle Scout

Brooke Griffey

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

Brooke Griffey, 18, of Scouts BSA Troop 9692, left, looks through her Eagle Scout Project folder with her Scout Master, Teresa Lanning, right, in the Fellowship Hall at St Paul’s United Methodist Church in Ocala on Monday, Nov. 14, 2022. Griffey is the first female to receive an Eagle Scout in Marion County for her Eagle Scout Project that helped the Children’s Home Society of Florida in Ocala, where she delivered numerous supplies they needed such as diapers, clothes, cribs, blankets, baby bottles and other many other items. Griffey completed her Eagle Scout Project in June 2022 in the Boy Scouts Of America Scouts BSA division, which was created for girls to participate in the Boy Scouts of America in 2019.

“I’m glad that I was able to help a whole bunch of people.”

Brooke Griffey, 18, of Scouts BSA Troop 9692, describes her Eagle Scout Project as she looks through her Eagle Scout Project folder.

Brooke Griffey, 18, of Scouts BSA Troop 9692, points out a yard sale flier in her Eagle Scout Project folder.

Seek and ye shall find

The Lost and Found Club provides a welcoming meeting space for survivors of life’s challenges. Their upcoming dinner theater event will raise funds for a bigger venue and operating costs.

board of directors scoped out the current location at Pine Plaza during the COVID-19 lockdown. The 1,500-squarefoot space accommodates a meeting hall decorated with strung lights and rows of long tables and chairs donated by the University of Florida.

“You are not alone now,” reads a wooden sign above the TV and riser.

A salon in its past life, the building was a fixer-upper.

“It was a wreck, full of broken mirrors and glass and stuff all over the walls,” Dice said. We “transformed it.”

“It is as clean as a pin!” chimed in Rita Singer, club supporter and co-director of the upcoming production of “Bill W. and Dr. Bob,” a play about the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Singer works with co-director Kim Sandstrom, who’s a board member at the Lost and Found Club, and is, herself, in recovery. She attends meetings at the space and produces shows through her theater company, Unboxed Productions.

Unboxed is staging “Bill W. and Dr. Bob” as a dinner theater presentation on Dec. 10. Billed as a “holiday gift from your recovery community.” The biographical drama follows the founders of AA, and the event’s proceeds will go to the Lost and Found Club. The play can be streamed online, too, by accessing the EventBrite link to purchase tickets. The dinner theater event requests a $25 donation and the live stream costs $15.

“We’ve struggled,” Dice said of the organization’s fiscal challenges. “Especially now with inflation, it’s been very difficult. People are having to put gasoline in their cars and food on their tables, and, yet here we are. Our doors are still open.”

Dice said she’s committed to bringing stability and growth to the nonprofit. As someone who’s been in recovery herself, she said she feels spiritually connected to those who step through the club’s doors. She wants to find a bigger home, so multiple activities can occur at once.

The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) from recoverycentersofamerica.com

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His Will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the results of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

By Julie Garisto julie@magnoliamediaco.com

Spiritual, nondenominational and inclusive are words that come up often while discussing the gatherings that take place at the Lost and Found Club.

Located east of downtown Ocala at 616 South Pine Ave., the nonprofit offers a welcoming space for 12-step meetings focused on the recovery process. You don’t have to have a substance-abuse addiction to attend a club meeting; “Even cellphones have become addictive,” said manager Victoria Dice.

Whether someone grew up in a dysfunctional family with a loved one who was an alcoholic or who battled drug addiction or endured PTSD, the Lost

and Found Club presents meetings that benefit virtually everyone. When it comes to addiction, Dice said, “All of these things are interrelated.”

The club itself is in recovery. The nonprofit has endured trials and upheavals since it was founded in 1995. The 501 (c) (3) organization occupied a building on Sanchez Avenue and then the old CocaCola factory. The club closed for around eight years before reopening on Aug. 1, 2020.

“When the club was disbanded, it had a very small pot of money left over, which the then-board carried over for 10 years,” Dice explained. “This very small group of people sold candy bars in the parking lots of meetings and held car washes to raise money.”

Two years ago, she and an all-new

“We are not a glum lot,” says the club’s website. “Recovery is more than going to meetings. It’s about learning how to have fun without our self-defeating behaviors, and substances is scary business. We’re here to support you through that, too.”

In the back of its meeting space, members and visitors access Wi-Fi or purchase chips and a sandwich at the club’s snack bar, or procure pins and literature related to the recovery process in an adjacent shop. On the wall behind the cafe, a whiteboard details a meeting schedule of gatherings titled “Red Eye,” “Step Yoga” and “Saturday Night Live.”

The Church at The Springs live streams a nondenominational service at the club on Sunday mornings and donated the TV that carries the service. The widescreen beauty replaced the much smaller model that previously occupied its spot over the riser.

The Lost and Found Club doesn’t have enough hands on deck to keep

doors open at all times. Volunteers can help make that happen, and space can be rented for events for a modest fee.

Those interested in donating can sign up for a monthly or annual membership at the club’s website, landfclub.com.

Donations go to the club’s ongoing need to have a safe, substance-free zone for 12step meetings and fellowship.

And, of course, purchasing tickets for the upcoming dinner-theater extravaganza, “Bill W. and Dr. Bob,” will help, too.

“This fundraiser is the first thing we’ve ever done like this,” Sandstrom said. “So, we’re kind of putting all of our eggs in this basket for Dec. 10 and just praying for a great, big miracle that would really sustain the program and then get us into their building.”

For more information about the Lost and Found Club, visit landfclub.com.

Ricky

Ricky may be an older guy, but he is a staff and volunteer favorite. An explorer at heart, Ricky is tired of being in the confines of a shelter–he wants to see the world! This nine-year-old loves to go for walks and is well-mannered, not like some of the young pups he knows. Adopt Ricky and give him a life that matters.

O’Malley and Berlioz

These brothers are cute, snuggly kittens. At three-months-old, they are the perfect combination of innocent and feisty; fun for anyone who appreciates the value of a cat.

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

Adoption fees are waived this month in exchange for a donation of nonperishables to #BringTheHarvestHome, an effort to restock local food pantries. For more information about adoptions please visit MarionFL.org/Animal

Left to right: Rita Singer, co-director of “Bill W. and Dr. Bob,” fundraiser/volunteer for Unboxed and The Lost and Found; Kim Sandstrom, co-founder/co-producer at Unboxed Productions, and co-director of “Bill W. and Dr. Bob,” a play about the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous; Victoria Dice, manager of The Lost and Found and co-founder of the nonprofit’s “version 2.0.”

from page A1

renovated or replaced due to a crumbling foundation, rotten floors, and cracked interior walls, among other issues.

Her children have tried to get her to leave her home and live with them over the years, but Cunningham has steadfastly refused; there are just too many cherished memories of raising her family on the homestead for her to pack up and move.

“We are elated; we’re incredibly happy and very pleased the board agreed and voted to allow replacement funding for my mother-in-law,” said Audrey Cunningham, wife of Walter Cunningham, the fifth of Allean and Lester’s children.

The couple, who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting, began contacting numerous housing agencies, government officials and nonprofit organizations in 2017 on behalf of Cunningham. Since her home was in such disrepair, which was confirmed via an independent certified inspection, she did not qualify for any funding or grants to fix it.

“I’m just trying to do the right thing before she leaves us,” Walter Cunningham told commissioners during the meeting.

Earlier this year, Marion County Community Services produced a solution to help extremely low-income residents in situations like Cunningham’s.

Under the leadership of Director Cheryl Martin, the county agency developed a pilot housing replacement program for homeowners whose home has been determined to be beyond repair and unsafe to live in by a licensed official such as a fire marshal, engineer, or building official.

The program is for those who are income eligible, and their housing needs must be considered an emergency.

Cunningham is the second homeowner to qualify for the referral-based replacement housing, said Martin.

“We have a lot of need as a general rule

with housing,” she said. Because it has a population of more than 250,000, Marion County is considered an entitlement community and receives a funding allotment through the state for its SHIP program every year, she explained.

“The SHIP program serves incomeeligible residents,” she said. Florida allows the use of SHIP , Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), and HOME Initiative Partnership (HOME) funding to be used for the new housing replacement program.

To qualify for a replacement, the home deemed beyond repair must be owneroccupied and homesteaded, Martin said.

The county commission vote means Cunningham will receive a SHIP loan up to a maximum of $150,000 to build a new home on the same lot her current home sits on. In addition, her family raised more than $40,000 through a GoFundMe account to help with construction costs.

A SHIP Mortgage and Note will be recorded with the Marion County Clerk of Court in the amount of the assistance. Cunningham will be required to pay $364 each month, representing 30% of her monthly income. Upon ownership transfer, the mortgage will be immediately due to the county.

“I think it’s the right thing to do, and obviously trying to keep it affordable and keep people in their homes,” said Commissioner Carl Zalak III before the vote. “It’s a good thing for us and our community.”

Audrey Cunningham said her motherin-law’s new home will have 1,350 square feet of living space, along with a porch. It will also feature handicapped-accessible bathrooms to meet her needs.

The family is waiting on the last of three bids from area contractors and once it is received, the information will be forwarded to Community Services, which is assisting the family in choosing the construction company to build the home.

Martin said Cunningham will be allowed to stay in her current home while

the new one is being built. When it is finished, her old home will be demolished.

As for Allean Cunningham, she is just happy her new home will be located on land that contains memories of growing children, love and laughter, homecooked meals and family gatherings.

She is also looking forward to creating new ones.

“I’m on cloud nine,” said Cunningham.

File photo: Walter Cunningham, Allean Cunningham’s son, shows the structural damage to the back of his mother’s home on Southeast 31st Street in Ocala on Tuesday, May 24, 2022. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

School tax referendum passes, but now it’s time for setting goals

By Stan Hanson

The campaign opposing the school tax referendum was unconvincing to a large segment of November voters. However, that will not deter the opponents from continuing to pursue ensuring parents receive a better education for their children and a more productive use of a huge property tax allocation to public schools.

Some residents and organizations are joining together to become “watchdogs” of local school board accountability and transparency. Importantly, also expanding communications with parents and taxpayers about the “realities” of local education.

Additionally, the recent elections have assured a state legislature with education as a major plank in next year’s legislative session agenda. With a supermajority in the house and senate, for the first time in a decade, it paves the way for some actions that will expedite and improve the legislative process.

Two areas of legislative education concentration will be: (1) 100% universal school choice and (2) increasing the budget accountability of school boards. Both will be very important in the quest to improve the quality and effectiveness of education that local parents and taxpayers pay for and deserve.

At the local level, we should insist the

school board and superintendent deliver on specific goals that are reasonable with the district having sufficient funding from the tax referendum. Additionally, the employment in 2020 of a well-paid ($210,000 plus bonuses) chief executive officer caliber superintendent the board promised would improve the district.

The goals are straight forward, realistic, and easily measured:

1. A state grade of “A” for our district for two continuous years of the next four.

2. Restore the Florida school district rating to at least 31st (our 2007-08 rating) out of 67 districts versus the current 58th by the end of 2026. Rating determined by the independent and comprehensive “School Digger.Com” (Florida District School Ratings) that has been the standard for the district over the years.

3. A budget that increases annually no more than the average percentage increase in the budgets overseen by the County Commission and Ocala City Council.

The city and county units are like the school district in budget size and complexity. They should be the gold standard of good budget management for what is about to be, with two new members, a relatively financially inexperienced school board.

The 12 years, ending with the recently renewed referendum, should be long enough to affect a significant improvement in the performance/quality of our local education system.

IN THE FIFTH CIRCUIT COURT FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA IN RE: ESTATE OF PROBATE DIVISION

CORNELIA PERRY File No. 2022CP2642 Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

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

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

ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE PERIOD SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702, FLORIDA STATUTES, WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.

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

The case number and decedent's name are: CORNELIA PERRY , File Number 22 CP- 2642 .

The address of the court where this probate is pending is: Circuit Court for MARION County, Florida 14565 SE 80th Ave., Summerfield, Florida 34491 .

Date of death of the decedent is: August 28th, 2022 .

The date of first publication of this notice is: November 18, 2022

The second week of publication is: November 25, 2022.

Personal Representative(s): KEVIN PERRY

Attorney for the representative By: _/s/Matthew T. Morrison Matthew T. Morrison, Esquire Florida Bar No. 1005203 5121 S. Lakeland Dr, Suite 2 Lakeland, Florida 33813 Telephone: (863) 273-2094

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

IN RE: THE ESTATE OF BRIAN THOMAS LEWIS, Deceased. CASE NO: 2022-CP-2637

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

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

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

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

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

The date of death of the decedent is: September 30, 2022

The date of first publication of this Notice is November 18, 2022.

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

Primary Email: Josh@RMProbate.com

Personal Representative: MARIA WAGNER 5085 S.W. 40th Place Ocala, FL 34474

BACON, JOHN D 12100 SE 103RD CT

BELLEVIEW, FL 34420

BIVINS, SHANTEA L 2105 NE 182ND PL CITRA, FL 32113

BORCHARDT, ERIC D 3015 NE 146TH CT

SILVER SPRINGS, FL 34488

BRIGGS, ZACARY I 49 PINE RUN OCALA, FL 34472

BRIGHT, TRISTIAN D 45 SE 58TH TER OCALA, FL 34480

BROWN, CURTAVIOUS L 2600 SW 10TH ST OCALA, FL 34471

BRUNO, ANGEL L 982 NE 18TH ST OCALA, FL 34470

CALDERON-RIVERA, WILBERTO J 11153 SW 151ST PL

DUNNELLON, FL 34432

CRUZ, DANIEL L 6584 SW 62ND CT

OCALA, FL 34474

DICKS, WILLIAM Z 10631 SW 110TH ST

DUNNELLON, FL 34432 EVANS JR, CURTIS L 16618 SW 31ST CIR OCALA, FL 34473

FARR, DAVID W 4605 SE 137TH PL

SUMMERFIELD, FL 34491

GILLESPIE II, ALAN E 15560 NW 43RD CT

REDDICK, FL 32686

HARMONIC, WILLIAM J 8901 SE 142ND LN

SUMMERFIELD, FL 34491

HARRIS, DAMONTA J 2825 NE 8TH TER OCALA, FL 34470

HENDRICKS, DAMIAN D 6639 SW 87TH ST OCALA, FL 34476

HERNANDEZ III, JUAN B 10381 SW 74TH CT OCALA, FL 34476

HERRING, TOBIAS N 8331 SE 126TH PL BELLEVIEW, FL 34420 JENSEN, STANLEY A 2871 SE 59TH ST OCALA, FL 34480

JOHNSON, THADIOUS L 2322 NW 17TH ST OCALA, FL 34475

KIDD, KASH H 15681 N HWY 301 CITRA, FL 32113

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA. IN RE: THE ESTATE OF ANNE M. ARAYA, Deceased. CASE NO: 2022-CP-2501

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

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

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

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

ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.

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

The date of death of the decedent is: August 30, 2022

The date of first publication of this Notice is November 11, 2022.

Attorney for Personal Representative: JOSHUA L. MOSES Richard & Moses, LLC Florida Bar No. 119304

808 E Fort King Street Ocala, FL 34471 (352) 369-1300

Primary Email: Josh@RMProbate.com

Personal Representative:

TERRI NISBET 150 Shoal Creek Drive Roswell, GA 30075

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA. IN RE: THE ESTATE OF GEORGIANN POND, Deceased. CASE NO: 2022-CP-2586

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

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

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

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

ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.

EVEN IF A CLAIM IS NOT BARRED BY THE LIMITATIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE, ALL CLAIMS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN FILED WILL BE BARRED TWO YEARS AFTER DECEDENT’S DEATH. The date of death of the decedent is: April 10, 2021 The date of first publication of this Notice is November 18, 2022.

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

Primary Email: Josh@RMProbate.com

Personal Representative: HAROLD POND, SR. 10251 SE 159th Lane Summerfield, FL 34491

LINDSEY, ANQUETTE S 5235 SE 31ST ST OCALA, FL 34480

LODEN IV, GEORGE BM 15045 NE 148TH CT FORT MC COY, FL 32134

MACK, RONALD T 5225 SW 181ST CT DUNNELLON, FL 34432 MASON, TRAVIS R 1933 SW 9TH RD OCALA, FL 34471

MATHERLY, RICHARD L 10963 SW 78TH AVE OCALA, FL 34476

MCCRANIE, JEREMY E 15681 N HWY 301 CITRA, FL 32113

MERCHANT II, DON E 1111 NE 32ND TER OCALA, FL 34470

MITCHELL, KHALI T 603 WATER RD OCALA, FL 34472

NORMAN, MATTHEW T 11316 NW 15TH ST OCALA, FL 34482

PACKARD, TAMMIE M 13715 SE 88TH CT

SUMMERFIELD, FL 34491

PHILLIP, ALEXANDER W 1508 NE 29TH ST OCALA, FL 34479

SHAH, ALI K 72 HEMLOCK DR OCALA, FL 34472

SHIFFLETT, ERIC L 676 N HWY 314A

SILVER SPRINGS, FL 34488 SOUCEY, REGINA L 3618 NE 17TH LN OCALA, FL 34470

STEINKAMP, MELODY A 1843 SE 175TH TERRACE RD SILVER SPRINGS, FL 34488

TERRY, KELLY S 12096 SW 232ND CT

DUNNELLON, FL 34431

VIGUERAS, ROBERTA H 6455 SW HWY 200

OCALA, FL 34476

WAGERS, BILLY J 8580 SW 27TH AVE OCALA, FL 34476

WASHINGTON, ALEXIS J 5200 SE 31ST ST OCALA, FL 34480

WEEMS, RICARDO A 35 NW 21ST PL OCALA, FL 34475

WELLS, SHANE L 1411 NW 110TH CT OCALA, FL 34482

WHITLOCK, REMY A 3560 SE 56TH TER OCALA, FL 34480

WILKINS, JOHN P 316 SE ALVAREZ AVE OCALA, FL 34471

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the un dersigned, desiring to engage in business under the Fictitious Name of "Twotees. org" located at 10954 SW 89th Avenue, in the City of Ocala, FL 34481, intends to register the said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida and/or the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Marion County.

Go to: ocalagazette.column.us/place

Name: William Rudolph 10954 SW 89th Avenue Ocala FL 34481

Signed: William Rudolph, Sole Proprietor Date: 15th November 2022

WRIGHT, MICHAEL K 4725 SW 166TH COURT RD OCALA, FL 34481

You are hereby notified that your eligibility to vote is in question. You are required to contact the Supervisor of Elections, in Oc ala, Florida, no later than thirty (30) days after the date of this publishing. Failure to respond will result in a determination of in eligibility by the Supervisor and your name will be removed from the statewide voter registration system.

Wesley Wilcox Marion County Supervisor of Elections 981 NE 16 th Street Ocala, Florida 34470

Have a legal ad you need to publish?

Marion County continues to look after unclaimed bodies

By Morgan Ryan morgan@ocalagazette.com

Roberts of Ocala Funerals and Cremations will continue to handle unclaimed bodies in Marion County under a revised agreement unanimously approved recently by the Marion County Board of County Commissioners.

Roberts oversees the disposition process as part of a longstanding service offered by the county. This service includes pickup, storage and disposal of all unclaimed bodies in Marion County, as well as all legal documentation.

In most cases, unclaimed bodies are the result of the county being unable to find any relatives or friends of the deceased to take charge of the funeral arrangements.

Roberts Funeral Home makes sure they are properly laid to rest.

The board renewed the annual contract with Roberts with several

revisions, one of which involved the search for assets the deceased may have had, such as property or bank accounts.

The revised agreement calls for the funeral home to perform an asset search on the deceased. If any assets are located that could be used to cover the costs of cremation and other disposition services, the funeral home first notifies the county of the assets. The county now has the option of seeking reimbursement of its costs through liens, in lieu of Roberts doing so.

The agreement also now includes additional services for veterans at the request of the Marion County Veterans Council. The council has requested that veterans’ remains be made available for a Military Funeral Honors Ceremony.

Marion County has allocated $720 per body to fund the disposition process, and there is an estimated $46,000 to fund the service in the 20222023 budget.

SIX EASY WAYS TO SAVE WATER AND MONEY DURING THE HOLIDAYS

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is offering six easy ways to prepare for your holiday meals and parties without running up your water bill.

During the holidays, water plays a role in everything from food preparation to the cleanup process. Here’s how to incorporate water conservation into your holiday preparations: Defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator or the microwave instead of running hot water over them.

• Rinse vegetables and fruits in a sink or pan filled with water instead of under running water. This water can then be reused to water houseplants. A running faucet can use up to 4 gallons per minute.

When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink

or basin with soapy water and fill the rinsing sink one-third to one-half full. Avoid letting the water run continuously in the rinsing sink.

Select the proper size pans for cooking. Large pans require more cooking water than may be necessary.

• Scrape food scraps into the garbage can or a composting bin, rather than rinsing them into the sink’s garbage disposal. A garbage disposal uses up to 4.5 gallons of water per minute.

• Run your dishwasher only when you have a full load. Dishwashers use between 7 and 12 gallons per load.

For more water conservation tips, visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/Conservation.

CITY OF OCALA TO HOST COOKING OIL RECYCLING

By the City of Ocala

The City of Ocala Water Resources Department is hosting a cooking oil recycling day Tuesday, Nov. 29 at two locations:

Water Reclamation Facility #2, 4200 SE 24th Street, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Ocala Wetland Recharge Park, 2105 NW 21st Street, noon to 5 p.m. Collection will be for cooking oil only and must be in a sealed container.

Due to the increased popularity of frying turkeys for Thanksgiving, the City of Ocala encourages residents to plan for how they will dispose of their cooking oil. Recycling cooking oil is a way to eliminate the amount of oil being poured down the drain, reduce waste and provide a positive impact on the environment.

Steps to recycling cooking oils:

Obtain a plastic container or jug with a lid Pour used vegetable oil, fats, and grease (F.O.G.) into the container and store in a safe place Bring the full container to the recycling location Pouring F.O.G. down a drain will coat the inside of pipes and solidify, which will restrict the flow of wastewater and cause backups.

This event is part of the Water Resources Department’s “Protect Your Pipes” campaign that focuses on educating Ocala’s residents to not pour fats, oils, and grease (F.O.G.) down their drains and dispose of it properly in the trash can or through a recycling program.

For more information, please call the City of Ocala Water Resources Department at 352-351-6772.

THE COMMISSION APPROVED ADDITIONAL SERVICES FOR UNCLAIMED DECEASED MARION COUNTY RESIDENTS.

By Southwest Florida Water Management District

Tee up for a good cause

The Ocala Lions Club-Jerry Cullison Memorial Golf Tournament is celebrating its 29th year.

By Lion Kathleen Snyder

Dec. 3, 2022, will mark the 29th anniversary of one of the oldest charity events in Ocala. The Ocala Lions Club-Jerry Cullison Memorial Golf Tournament will tee off with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. at the Ocala Golf Club (locally known as “Muni”) on Silver Springs Boulevard.

Jerry Cullison was an Ocala native and longtime member of the Ocala Lions Club, among many other community organizations. He formed Cullison Builders in 1962 and, in 1973, CullisonWright Construction Corp. Cullison passed away in 2019 at the age of 86.

This scramble format tournament, presented by Cullison-Wright Construction, is looking for 25 amateur foursomes, with an entry fee of $75 per player. In addition to helping fund the club’s charities for the coming year, the entry includes a continental breakfast, catered lunch, goody bag, range balls and greens and cart fees.

There will be Hole In One prizes on the line, including a car (Phillips Chrysler Jeep Dodge and Ram), a golf cart (STM Golf Carts), maybe a boat (Miller’s Marine) or $10,000 in cash (Palermo Medicare and Boar’s Nest Farm, LLC.)

There also will be a raffle for a 60+ inch television. Prizes will be awarded to the top teams and for the longest drive and closest-to-the-pin.

In understanding which local charities will benefit from Ocala Lions Club efforts, part of the answer goes back to 1925, when Helen Keller spoke at a Lions Clubs International Convention and challenged Lions to become, “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.” Lions accepted that challenge and for nearly 100 years sight and hearing programs have been a major focus of their work.

The Ocala Lions Club supports nine vision/hearing charities yearly, including The Florida Foundation for the Blind,

Florida School for the Deaf/Blind, Florida Lions Eye Bank, North East Florida Hearing Aid Bank, Inc. and Southeastern Guide Dogs. Every dollar raised by the Ocala Lions Club goes directly to support our various programs.

The club also funds more than seven other worthy causes that support Marion County children. The KidSight Eye Screening program for pre-schoolers scans children’s eyes, looking for anomalies that might lead to amblyopia, a brain/eye disorder that can result in loss of vision. Each year, the Silent Santa program

provides gifts to more than 600 needy children in Marion County families. Club members also support Take Stock in Children, which seeks to help underserved children excel in school and break the cycle of poverty through education, and helping Boy Scouts earn their Eagle Scout badge. The club also awards several yearly scholarships at the College of Central Florida in the areas of nursing or vision. And their helping hands are not limited to Marion County; they routinely donate money to disaster relief wherever they see the need and know they can help.

And all this help depends on proceeds from the 29th Ocala Lions Club-Jerry Cullison Memorial Golf Tournament on Dec. 3.

Here’s your chance to get some exercise, hang out with friends on a Saturday morning and do good in the world all at one time. Get your foursome together or come on down and join a team.

For more information, call Garry Adel at (352) 895-1084 or Barry Fies at (352) 362-7713.

File photo: Charles Hitchcox casts a long shadow as he putts on the practice putting green at the Ocala Golf Club on East Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala on Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

Citizens boosts Ian cost estimate to $3.8B

By Jim Saunders Florida News Service

The state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. on Tuesday substantially increased its estimated costs from Hurricane Ian, with the tab now expected to reach $3.8 billion.

Citizens last month projected its expenses at $2.3 billion to $2.6 billion from the Category 4 hurricane, which made landfall Sept. 28 in Lee and Charlotte counties and swept across the state.

But in a news release Tuesday, the insurer said its initial projection was based on one hurricane model. The new estimate used a second model, along with factoring actual claims data, litigation costs and inflation.

Citizens also said it is in the “early stages” of evaluating

HURRICANE IAN DEATHS

UP TO 137

By Florida News Service

Medical examiners have confirmed 137 deaths from Hurricane Ian, while at least five people died from Hurricane Nicole, according to information posted on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement website.

The number of Ian deaths has gradually increased since the Category 4 storm made landfall Sept. 28 in Southwest Florida and crossed the state. The total was at 134 last week.

A news release posted Wednesday on the FDLE website said Ian deaths have been reported in 19 counties, with Lee County accounting for 61 deaths. Also, Collier and Sarasota counties have each had 10 confirmed deaths, while Charlotte County has had eight and Monroe County and Volusia County have each had seven.

Nicole made landfall early Thursday near Vero Beach as a Category 1 storm and moved up the state as a tropical storm. A news release posted Monday on the FDLE website said four Nicole-related deaths had been confirmed in Orange County, while one had been confirmed in Duval County.

damages from Hurricane Nicole, which hit the East Coast last week before moving up the state as a tropical storm. But the news release said Nicole, which made landfall south of Vero Beach as a Category 1 storm, is not expected to have a major financial impact on Citizens.

“We will continue to update the market and other stakeholders as we gather additional information from actual losses,” Jennifer Montero, Citizens’ chief financial officer, said in a prepared statement.

Citizens has estimated it will receive 100,000 claims from Ian, which devastated some coastal areas of Southwest Florida.

Spokesman Michael Peltier said Citizens had received 55,843 claims as of Tuesday morning.

Citizens expects that it will cover $2.4 billion of the costs from its surplus, which

is essentially cash built up to prepare for paying claims. The other $1.4 billion will be covered through reinsurance, backup coverage that Citizens buys from private reinsurers and the state-run Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund.

While projections have varied, the overall insurance industry is expected to pay tens of billions of dollars in claims from Ian. As of Wednesday, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation said it had received reports of $8.7 billion in estimated insured losses — a number that includes property claims, along with such things as auto-damage claims. The total is updated weekly.

Citizens, which was created as an insurer of last resort, has seen its number of policies more than double during the past two years as private insurers have dropped customers and, in some

cases, gone insolvent because of financial problems. As of Friday, Citizens had grown to more than 1.12 million policies.

State leaders have long worried that a major hurricane or multiple hurricanes could force to Citizens to seek “assessments” to cover claims. Such assessments could lead to extra charges for policyholders across the state. But that does not appear likely with Ian claims, as Citizens cited its surplus and reinsurance coverage.

In addition to covering damage to homes, Ian also brought other costs for Citizens.

As an example, the Claims Committee of the Citizens Board of Governors on Thursday will consider a proposal that would authorize $136.3 million for adjusting services because of the storm.

The proposal said Citizens

went through contracting processes in 2017 and 2018 that resulted in $343.9 million in contracts for adjusting services.

As of Oct. 14, it had paid $247.5 million under those contracts and had $96.4 million remaining. But the proposal said Citizens officials are seeking approval of the additional $136.3 million to cover the Ian adjusting services and to make sure Citizens has money for other adjusting needs.

“The additional spend approval is requested to ensure that Citizens has sufficient contract spend for the Hurricane Ian response, while also retaining sufficient spend for adjusting services for other non-litigated claims as Citizens’ policies in force count continues to grow,” the proposal said.

State targets ruling on workplace training law

By Jim Saunders Florida News Service

Disputing that the measure violates the First Amendment, the state this week urged a federal appeals court to toss out an injunction against a new law that placed restrictions on how racerelated issues can be addressed in workplace training.

Lawyers for Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody filed a 65-page brief at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after a district judge in August agreed with three businesses and a consultant that the workplacetraining restrictions violated speech rights.

The Republican-controlled Legislature passed the measure — which DeSantis dubbed the “Stop WOKE Act” — this year. The law also has drawn at least three other federalcourt challenges because of restrictions it placed on how race-related issues can be addressed in public schools and in higher education.

The brief filed Monday deals only with Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker’s August decision granting a preliminary injunction against the business-

related part of the law. That part of the law lists eight racerelated concepts and says that a required training program or other activity that “espouses, promotes, advances, inculcates, or compels such individual (an employee) to believe any of the following concepts constitutes discrimination based on race, color, sex, or national origin.”

As an example of the concepts, the law targets compelling employees to believe that an “individual, by virtue of his or her race, color, sex, or national origin, bears personal responsibility for and must feel guilt, anguish, or other forms of psychological distress because of actions, in which the individual played no part, committed in the past by other members of the same race, color, sex, or national origin.”

The state brief said the law protects “Florida’s workers from being conscripted into a captive audience and forced to listen to speech they do not want to hear” and protects the “workplace from speech that invidiously discriminates on the basis of race, color, sex, or national origin.”

In disputing the the law violates the First Amendment, the brief said employers could still address the targeted

concepts in workplace training — but couldn’t force workers to take part

“(The) employment provisions regulate pure conduct: an employer’s nonexpressive, commercial action of imposing ‘a condition of employment’ that requires its employees to attend, on pain of termination or other sanction, certain instruction or training activities,” the brief said. “Defendants do not dispute that the instruction and discussion that occurs during workplace training sessions constitutes speech. But that speech remains as free and unrestrained as it was before the passage of the act (the law); all the act says is that employers cannot engage in the action of forcing their employees to attend such sessions and sanctioning them if they disobey.”

But in his Aug. 18 decision granting the preliminary injunction, Walker wrote that the law “targets speech.”

“If Florida truly believes we live in a post-racial society, then let it make its case,” Walker wrote. “But it cannot win the argument by muzzling its opponents. Because, without justification, the (law) attacks ideas, not conduct, plaintiffs are substantially likely to succeed

on the merits of this lawsuit.”

The plaintiffs are Primo Tampa, LLC, a Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream franchisee; Honeyfund.com, Inc., a Clearwater-based technology company that provides wedding registries; and Chevara Orrin and her company, Collective Concepts, LLC. Orrin and her company provide consulting and training to employers about issues such as diversity, equity and inclusion.

They contend the law violates their ability to discuss issues such as racism and implicit bias with employees. They have pointed to the need for such things as diversity training for employees.

“The act silences speech aimed at combating racism and sexism — speech that is vital to the plaintiffs’ operation of their businesses,” a June 30 request for the preliminary injunction said. “The governor, and the Florida Legislature acting at his behest, has repeatedly sought to punish companies who have engaged in speech that displeases him, in flagrant violation of the First Amendment. Because Governor DeSantis is not a monarch, but rather a democratically elected official, the Stop WOKE Act cannot stand.”

Thousands of students committed under Baker Act Subpoenas to seek redistricting documents

By Ryan Dailey Florida News Service

Florida had 5,077 incidents of students being involuntarily committed under a mental-health law known as the Baker Act during the past school year, data presented Wednesday to a school-safety commission showed.

The Baker Act is a roughly 50-year-old state law that allows courts, law enforcement officers and certain medical workers to order people who could be a harm to themselves or others to be taken to facilities for up to 72 hours.

People taken to facilities involuntarily under the law must receive initial examinations by physicians or clinical psychologists, according to the Florida Department of Children and Families. They also can’t be released within the 72-hour period without documented approval from physicians or psychologists.

School districts are required to report Baker Act data under a law approved last year by the Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis. Districts report numbers of students who are taken to facilities because of incidents initiated on campuses, school transportation or schoolsponsored activities.

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission, which was created after the 2018 Parkland highschool massacre, reviewed the Baker Act data Wednesday along with discussing other schoolsafety issues. The report marked the first schools-specific look at the number of Baker Act incidents statewide.

The data indicated 4,844 individual students were taken from campuses for involuntary psychiatric examinations under the Baker Act during the past school year.

“That means that there were 233 duplicates,” said Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, who is chairman of the commission. “But because the data is without personally identifiable information, we don’t know if one student was Baker acted 10 times or 233 students were Baker acted twice. But regardless, what it shows is the majority of the (campus) Baker acts are one-time events.”

The data also did not take into account school-age children who were subject to the

Baker Act outside of school environments.

The University of South Florida College of Behavioral and Community Sciences has a Baker Act Reporting Center, which collects data on Baker Act incidents for the Department of Children and Families.

The center’s most-recent data said that during the 2019-2020 fiscal year, children ages 18 or younger accounted for 17.74 percent of Florida’s 128,193 people who were subject to the Baker Act involuntarily.

Because the reporting requirement is new for school districts, school-safety officials have not been able to analyze trends of involuntary examinations that start in schools.

“It’s probably going to take a couple years of data, and then looking at it, to provide any context,” Gualtieri said.

But Florida lawmakers in recent years have considered various pieces of legislation dealing with use of the Baker Act, with some characterizing it as being increasingly overused in schools and on younger children.

State Department of Education Senior Chancellor Jacob Oliva pointed to a separate new requirement that schools designate mentalhealth coordinators. That requirement, included in legislation this year, could help officials better understand the data going forward.

“When we’re having our convenings and meeting with folks regionally … is there a lack of resources, and we’re just Baker acting kids because we don’t have anybody else to call? Where do we start taking this data, then formulating some strategic plans around that? Those conversations are starting to happen at a much deeper level,” Oliva said.

Meanwhile, commission member Douglas Dodd called for more granular data reporting about the grade levels of students who are being taken for mental-health examinations.

“As a school-board member what concerns me greatly is when I see these younger children, these elementary school children, being Baker acted. And I would wonder if there is a way that we could identify elementary, middle, high school, what school it is. Because we have seen an increased number of younger students that are being Baker acted,” said Dodd, who is a Citrus County School Board member and a former school-resource officer.

By Jim Saunders Florida News Service

Plaintiffs challenging the constitutionality of Florida’s new congressional redistricting plan will subpoena documents from a consultant and a lawyer who played roles in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts to pass the plan this spring.

A court filing last week said plaintiffs will seek a wide range of documents from consultant Adam Foltz and Robert Popper, a senior attorney with the conservative group Judicial Watch.

Among other things, the subpoenas will seek any documents involving communications between the men and DeSantis, the Republican National Committee, the Republican Party of Florida and the National Republican Congressional Committee and any draft or partial redistricting plans.

Foltz also has worked in the past on Republican-led redistricting efforts in states such as Wisconsin and Texas, according to media reports. Popper, a former U.S. Department of Justice official, testified on behalf of DeSantis as lawmakers worked on redistricting early this year.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs, including groups such as the League of Women Voters of Florida, filed a notice Thursday that is a step toward serving the subpoenas on Foltz and Popper.

The subpoenas are part of a broader effort to dig into behindthe-scenes discussions that led to the Legislature in April passing a redistricting plan sought by DeSantis. In last week’s elections, the redistricting plan played a large role in Republicans picking up four seats in Florida’s

congressional delegation — and potentially helping the GOP take narrow control of the U.S. House.

Leon County Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh last month sided with requests from the plaintiffs and ruled that key state lawmakers and J. Alex Kelly, a deputy chief of staff to DeSantis, could be questioned about the redistricting plan.

The plaintiffs filed the lawsuit in April, alleging that the redistricting plan violates a 2010 “Fair Districts” constitutional amendment that set guidelines for reapportionment.

The case focuses heavily on Congressional District 5, which in recent years stretched from Jacksonville to west of Tallahassee and elected U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, a Black Democrat. The plan put District 5 in the Jacksonville area and diminished the chances that it would elect a black candidate — a change that critics have contended violated a “nondiminishment” standard in the Fair Districts amendment.

Lawson ended up running last week in another North Florida district and lost to U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla.

Information about the roles that outside consultants or lawyers played in drawing up the redistricting plan could play an important part in the legal battle. In litigation after the 2012 redistricting process, information emerged about behind-the-scenes roles that Republican political operatives played in helping draw maps.

That litigation ultimately forced the Legislature to redraw congressional and state Senate maps. Districts ordinarily are redrawn every 10 years after the U.S. census.

As a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery, our surgical team has a proven commitment to high-quality surgical care and exceptional patient outcomes. Robotic-assisted surgery helps surgeons perform complicated and delicate procedures with more precision, control, and flexibility than traditional techniques allow. Join us to hear from our panel of experts and interact live with five unique robots currently used at AdventHealth Ocala.

Robotics Symposium

Thursday, December 8, 2022 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Harvey R. Klein Conference Center College of Central Florida 3001 SW College Road, Ocala, FL

FEATURING THE LEADING EXPERTS:

Karl Siebuhr, MD Orthopedic Surgeon

Raj Karunakara, MD Pulmonologist

Saravanan Karuppiah, MD Neurologic Surgeon

Christopher Manseau, MD Orthopedic Surgeon

Edwin Menor, MD General Surgeon

People, Places & Things

Metal mania

Bo Woods, an Ocklawaha-based metal sculptor, grew up building and fixing things. Now, he’s building himself a professional art career.

By Julie Garisto julie@magnoliamediaco.com

Awhiz with a welding torch, Bo Woods creates original hand-shaped metal art and décor. He also offers metal repair, design and fabrication services.

The certified heavy equipment mechanic and mixed media artist was born in Radford, Virginia, “above Charlottesville, way up in the mountains.” He split his childhood between Virginia and Florida, spending a good deal of it surfing the Atlantic Ocean waves off Cocoa Beach.

Now 58, Woods works for himself and knows how to build a motorcycle by hand, a skill that has garnered him national awards.

“I won Renegade Classic in 2015, first place People’s Choice,” he said.

During his youth, Woods listened to punk and heavy metal. The counter-culture music of the surfer-skater scene might have had more of an influence on his art than the art scene itself.

“I’m a more extreme-type person than I am a culture person like that,” he said. “I still ride a BMX bicycle almost every day.”

Woods said he became a professional artist by accident, though he drew pictures his entire life. As a welder and mechanic for John Deere, he learned how to avoid flaws.

“The flaws that you would have to go rework on a job in the industry are exactly what I use to create my art,” he said.

Of his art training, “no one’s ever taught me to do this side of it,” he said. “Everything that I do now is exactly what I was taught not to do as a professional in the industry.”

His Instagram account, @Broken_Face_ Fabricator, gets its name from a scar that resulted from the removal of a birth defect on the side of his mouth. The scar also inspired the cartoony self-portrait on his business card.

“My whole life, I was teased for it and got into lots of fights,” he shared. “But being a fabricator with a broken face seems right.”

Woods has been creating metal/mixed media for five years. During that time, he has created a variety of creatures and figures. His giant bass firepit sculpture illuminates the campgrounds of Camp Mack, the Guy Harvey fishing lodge, RV campground and recreation event venue along the Kissimmee River in Lake Wales. He recently showed his work locally at Fine Arts For Ocala’s (FAFO) Ocala Arts Festival.

While many of his pieces just have clearcoat, others have color. He often uses heat to create iridescence.

“It looks like gasoline floating on top of water. … It’s purple, it’s gold, it’s blue. I heat the steel ‘til it turns colors and then I seal it with a clearcoat so it almost looks like it’s under glass.”

Navigating the professional art world has been a learning process. Woods expressed his disenchantment with curators and festival organizers who harp on commissions. He prefers the spirit of community-run art events, and said, “That we support towns and help them put on events.”

Recently remarried, Woods and his wife, Nicola, live on 8 acres in Ocklawaha.

“It’s pretty secluded and we’re in the very back of the property,” he said. “I absolutely love it.

The father of a 15-year-old daughter, twin boys that are 25 and a 29-year-old daughter beams about his children and assured that they have all been supportive of his sculpturemaking routine.

“All of them have some of it,” he said, “and I think building motorcycles, always building and doing the things I did while they were growing up, I don’t think they look at the art like it’s just a different thing that I’ve done because they’ve seen me do a lot with what I used to before. They would say, ‘Dad, will fix it. There’s nothing he can’t fix.’ So, I was, you know, that guy.”

All of Woods’ kids grew up riding BMX motorcycles.

“I believe that when you keep the family together and do things that they’re interested in, kids don’t venture and do stuff they shouldn’t. … I’m blessed. I have incredible children. My oldest daughter just gave me my second grandchild!”

To see Woods’ metal art and sculptures, visit instagram.com/broken_face_fabricator.

Bo Woods with The Viking, a work made from two 55-gallon drums. Its buyer asked him not to apply a finish to it. “He wanted patina to consume it.”

The Viking as it looks now — “it does look that it’s been through war,” Woods said.

Cedar Reef Crab includes 18-gauge flat steel cut by hand with a plasma cutter. The base includes raw-cut cedar, stainless steel strapping and a cable hanger on the back. “With all my art, I use my handmade hammers and dyes to shape the metal, and weld for design and heat for color,” Woods says.

Garden Perch By Bo Woods was created from 20-gauge flat steel, a quarter-inch solid rod and a repurposed piece of 2-inch plumbing pipe scrap pieces used for a leaf on the stem. Scrap metal from a 55-gallon drum was used for the base as well as drive sprockets from a skid steer.

Giant Bass firepit sculpture.

“The flaws that you would have to go rework on a job in the industry are exactly what I use to create my art.”

Bo Woods

Light Up Ocala 101

Here is some “need to know” info about Ocala’s beloved holiday kickoff event.

By Ocala Gazette Staff

If you have ever attended a Light Up Ocala event, you know that a slew of others will be there with you, eager to check out all the activities while everyone waits for the flip of the switch that will illuminate thousands of sparkling lights.

You also know that some city streets will be closed and that while you might have to walk a little way after parking, the trek will be worth it. You also can catch a shuttle ride from one of four locations, making it even easier to get there.

This will be the 38th annual event. It takes place all around the downtown square on Saturday, Nov. 19. Here are some basics for taking part in this beloved annual holiday tradition:

JUNIOR SUNSHINE PARADE

The parade begins at 4 p.m. at the corner of South Magnolia Avenue and East Fort King Street. It will make its way through downtown, going past the gazebo, up to Northeast First Street, then returning to Southeast First Avenue and East Fort King Street. The parade will include performances from local dance studios, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and a special appearance by Santa.

MAIN EVENT

The theme for this year’s event is “Jingle all the Way.” There will be activities beginning at 4 p.m. at three entertainment zones throughout the downtown area with

live music and performers and more than 100 vendors. Stage One, on the downtown square, is sponsored by HCA Florida Hospital and offer music by Audio Exchange from 4 to 8:30 p.m. There will be photo ops by the big holiday tree.

Stage Two, at Citizens’ Circle, is sponsored by AdventHealth and will feature a variety of local dance and performance groups from 4 to 8:30 p.m. There will be photo ops with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

• The Midtown Street Party, sponsored by Wawa, will be at the corner of Northeast First Street and Northeast First Avenue and will feature a DJ, acrobatic variety show and Powerskip Shows from 4 to 8:45 p.m.

Additional entertainment throughout the night includes the Punch and Judy puppet show at the corner of Fort King Street and Magnolia Avenue, Living Angels at Fort King Street and Southeast First Avenue, photo ops and kids’ zone at the parking lot on Northeast First Street between North Magnolia and Northeast First Avenue.

FLIPPING THE SWITCH

The event culminates with a special guest or two doing the honors of flipping a switch to turn on the thousands of strands of lights, many of which are draped overhead, which always elicits audible “oohs” and “aahs” from the audience. This happens, of course, when it gets good and dark so the sparkly show has even more of a crowdpleasing impact.

Inspiring speakers

PARKING

Guests are encouraged to utilize four parking lots that will offer free shuttle rides:

A shuttle will pick up guests at the Marion Technical Institute parking lot, 1614 SE Fort King St., and drop guests off at the intersection of Southeast Watula Avenue and Southeast Third Street. This shuttle will run approximately every 20 minutes between 3:30 and 9:30 p.m.

• A shuttle will pick up guests at the E.D. Croskey Recreation Center, 1510 NW Fourth St., and will drop guests off at the intersection of North Magnolia Avenue and Northeast Third Street. This shuttle will run approximately every 20 minutes between 3:30 and 9:30 p.m.

A shuttle will pick up guests at the Ocala Skate Park, 517 NE Ninth St., and will drop guests off at the intersection of Northeast Watula Avenue and State Road 40. This shuttle will run approximately every 10 minutes between 3:30 and 9:30 p.m.

A shuttle will pick up guests at the Discovery Center parking lot, 701 NE Sanchez Ave., and will drop guests off at the intersection of Northeast Watula Avenue and State Road 40. This shuttle will run approximately every 10 minutes between 3:30 and 9:30 p.m.

ROAD CLOSURES

For a complete list of event road closures, visit ocalafl.org/lightup or call 352-368-5517.

TEDxOcala offered a number of outlooks on the theme “The Power Of…”

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

TEDxOcala brings together ideas and interesting people from around the world and around the corner.

TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of powerful talks of 18 minutes or less in length. TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged and covers almost all topics in more than 100 languages. The local program is licensed by the TED organization but is independently organized.

TEDxOcala, held Nov. 12 at the College of Central Florida, included international and local speakers such as a business leader, a metaverse enthusiast, a speaking coach, a physician and an attorney, all touching on the topic of “The Power Of…”

“When you believe and love something, it’s easy to pour your heart into it,” said TEDxOcala President and CEO Dr. Manal Fakhoury. “Every year the completely volunteer TEDxOcala team strives to create one of the best TEDx events in the world. We are grateful to our sponsors, partners, speakers, team and audience for giving from their heart to create a magical experience where great ideas are shared.

TEDxOcala carries an important global position on this platform.” To learn more, visit tedxocala.com

Friends and family enjoy the grass under the lights during Light Up Ocala in the downtown Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, in Ocala. [Alan Youngblood/

Special to the Ocala Gazette]

Jesse Greer and Hazel Greer, 1, enjoy the lights during Light Up Ocala in the downtown Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, in Ocala. [Alan Youngblood/Special to the Ocala Gazette]

Dr. India White gives her speech during TEDxOcala in the Dassance Fine Arts Auditorium at the College of Central Florida in Ocala on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022.

Naveah Morales, left, pedals her own smoothie as she gets some help from Tyla Roa of Good For U Nutrition, right.

Manal Fakhoury, right, gets a hug from Raiyan Ashique, left.

A booming success

Crowds at the Ocali Country Days festival traveled back in time.

Boom!!! That was a prominent and lingering sound during the Ocali Country Days festival on Nov. 12 and 13, when historical re-enactors fired off a massive cannon several times during the two-day event. The sound reverberated all over the sprawling Silver Springs State Park campus that houses the Silver River Museum & Environmental Education Center and Pioneer Village, to the alternating delight and dismay of many guests.

The festival featured living history exhibits highlighting life during the 1800s, such as the making of sugar cane syrup, the tanning of leather, pottery making and weaving on a loom.

Volunteers in period costumes greeted visitors to the authentic and replica pioneer cabins and homes, groups such as the Front Porch Backsteppers entertained and a number of vendors presented information, goods and food for sale.

The venue is a program of Marion County Public Schools and is open to the public on weekends. To learn more, visit silverrivermuseum.com

Members of the 1st New Jersey Light Artillery Battery B fire a 3-inch Ordinance Rifle cannon during Ocali Country Days near the Pioneer Village at the Silver River Museum in Silver Springs State Park on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022.

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

Betty-Lou Seager spins silk on a spinning wheel in the Spinning Shop.

Calley Bamberg, 6, left, gets her hands washed at the well by Liam Lapointe, 12,

center, as her brother, Carson Bamberg, 3, right, watches.

Annmarie DeMattia, left, and Steve Zdawczynski, right, play violins on the porch of the Godwin Family Cracker House.

Nicole Lewis, left, and Emily DeBary, right, walk through the Pioneer Village in period dress with their children.

Kylee Voisine, 8, rings the schoolhouse bell.

Chuck Stegall scoops scalding hot cane syrup at 417 degrees Fahrenheit out of a large vat where it had been cooking all day.

Don Kraemer heats up a nail he was forging in the Blacksmith Shop.

thanksgiving

NOVEMBER 24

YMCA Turkey Trot

Frank DeLuca YMCA Family Center, 3200 SE 17th St., Ocala 7am-9:30am

Get your metabolism revved up and ready to take on the holiday eating with this walk/run 5K and 10K race to benefit the Frank DeLuca YMCA and annual support campaign. Two group exercise classes will be available and indoor games for kids will be offered. The event will include food and beverages from vendors, giveaways and entertainment. To register, go to runsignup.com/Race/FL/Ocala/ymcaocalaturkeytrot

NOVEMBER 24

Kindred Spirits Sanctuary Potluck Meal

Kindred Spirits, 1411 E Highway 329, Citra 1:45pm gates open; 2:30 meal

This is a sanctuary for disabled, abused and neglected farm animals and organizers ask that guests bring vegan foods (free of all animal products) to serve 8 to 10 people for this ThanksLiving celebration. The turkeys on the farm will get a special celebration of their own. Donations gratefully accepted. For more info, kssfl.org

community

NOVEMBER 18

Bids and Bites Fundraiser

Downtown Ocala Market, 403 SE Osceola Ave., Ocala 6pm-8:30pm

Interfaith Emergency Services hosts this fundraiser, along with Tri Eagles Sales, which features a catered dinner from La Casella and music by Warren McCullough. Silent auction and raffle items such as kayaks, TVs, jewelry, watches, gift baskets and more. Tickets are $35 in advance; $40 day of event. For more info, see iesmarion.org/events/bidsandbites

NOVEMBER 18

Florida Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service & Prayer Breakfast

Florida State Fire College, 11655 NW Gainesville Road, Ocala 8:30 am

This annual service honors firefighters lost in the line of duty and features a prayer breakfast and memorial ceremony with honor guards. For more info, email MaryAnn.Benson@myfloridacfo.com

NOVEMBER 18

LEAF Series: The Roots & Branches of Zen Sholom Park, 7110 SW 80th Ave., Ocala 10:30 am

Mario Poceski gives a presentation on the practices of Zen Buddhism that intertwine spirituality, nature and culture. Get a virtual glimpse of a new Zen Garden coming to Sholom. Registration is $5, in advance only, and includes a chance to win an orchid. Limited space available; see sholompark. org/events for more info.

NOVEMBER 18

Marion County Friday Market

McPherson Governmental Campus Field, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala

9am-2pm Shop locally fresh fruits and veggies, baked goods, flowers, jerky, freeze-dried treats, olive oils, seafood and more; recurs every Friday.

NOVEMBER 18-20

Ocala Dog Club Specialty Dog Shows

Greater Ocala Dog Club Show Grounds, 10205 NW Gainesville Road, Ocala

All day

Multiple specialty shows and dog rally along with junior and obedience classes, hosted by the Seminole Dog Fanciers and the Greater Ocala Dog Club. For more info, greaterocaladogclub.org/

NOVEMBER 18-20 (RESCHEDULED)

Just Between Friends Kids’ Consignment Sale

World Equestrian Center, Expo 1, 1750 NW 80th St., Ocala

Friday, 10am-7pm; Saturday 10am-3pm; Sunday 10am-2pm

This event has moved to WEC with a huge selection of kids’ clothing, toys, school supplies and more, all at bargain prices. For more info, FB.com/events/1529583394136468

NOVEMBER 19-20

Sunshine State Open Pleasure Horse Show

Florida Horse Park, 11008 South Highway 475, Ocala

All day English and Western classes, including halter, showmanship, junior classes, ranch horse and trail. Food trucks Cora’s Kitchen and Squeezy Lemonade will be onsite. See flhorsepark.com for more info.

NOVEMBER 19

Hot

Cars & Cool Cats

Nassivera Farm, 2250 NE 70th St. (Highway 326) Ocala 10am-3pm

Check out show cars and help out EARS (Endangered Animal Rescue Sanctuary), which houses lions, tigers, lemurs, primates and more. There will be raffles, vendors, music and food to enjoy while strolling among the show cars, trucks and motorcycles. Sponsored by Burnyzz American Classic Horsepower. For more info, FB.com/ HotCarsAndCoolCatsCarShow/

NOVEMBER 19

Light Up Ocala

Downtown Square, 1 SE Broadway St., Ocala 4pm-9pm

Light Up Ocala kicks off the holidays with more than 100 vendors with arts, crafts, jewelry, home décor and more. There will be plenty of food options, live entertainment, a kids’ activities zone and a holiday parade will bring in Santa. The celebration culminates when the thousands of lights over the square and the tree light up. Familyfriendly, fun and festive. More info at ocalafl.org/ government/city-departments-i-z/recreationparks/events/light-up-ocala

NOVEMBER 19 & 26

Yoga in the Park

Sholom Park, 7110 SW 80th Ave., Ocala 9am

Stretch out by the Sholom Park stage; recurs every Saturday morning. Visit sholompark.org for details.

NOV 19 & 26

Ocala Farmers Market

Ocala Downtown Market, 310 SE Third St., Ocala 9am-2pm

A variety of vendors offer local fruits and

government

NOVEMBER 21

& 28

Marion County Development Review Committee

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

9am

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

NOVEMBER 23

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

NOVEMBER 19 & 26

Farmers Swap Meet

Rural King, 2999 NW 10th St., Ocala 9am-2pm

A true farmers swap meet where chickens, ducks, quail, goats, turkeys, rabbits and sometimes even ponies are available along with horse tack, home-grown plants, produce and hand-crafted items. Booth types vary with occasional meat vendors, food trucks and other goods. Saturdays, weather permitting.

NOVEMBER 24-27

Arabian Horse Show

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

A multi-day show for Arabian and half-Arabian horses with classes in halter, sport horse, dressage, Western trail, Western dressage and more. The always-fun costume classes take place on Sunday. For more info, ahaflorida.org

NOVEMBER 25-27

Winter Wonderland

World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 5pm-9pm

An outdoor winter holiday celebration takes place Thursday through Sunday nights at the Grand Plaza. There will be photo ops, holiday décor, carolers, balloon artists, face painting, entertainment and Santa. Note: this is a paid

parking event and some select experiences require purchase. See wecwinterwonderland for more.

NOVEMBER 25-DECEMBER 30

Christmas Light Spectacular

Florida Horse Park, 11008 South Highway 475, Ocala 6pm-10pm

This is a drive-thru show. Ticket prices are per carload and also include kids’ activities, live music, train ride, slides and inflatables and a visit with Santa. Food trucks will be onsite for the walkaround area and, new this year, ice skating. For more info, see ocalamarion.com/events/ocalachristmas-light-spectacular/

NOVEMBER 26

MTRA 4TH annual Arts & Crafts Market

MTRA Farm, 6850 SE 41st Court, Ocala 10am-3pm

This free, family-friendly event benefits the MTRA, which provides equine assisted therapy and riding programs for foster and at-risk children, veterans and the differently abled. The market will host over 40 vendors and include live music, dancers, a car show, pony rides, food options and pie eating contests. More info on ocalamarion.com/ events/4th-annual-mtra-holiday-market-car-show/

NOVEMBER 26

Small Business Saturday

Downtown Square, 1 SE Broadway St., Ocala 9:30am-3pm

Part of the national movement to support local, small businesses. The first 100 attendees to visit on the square will receive a goodie bag. Other events will be cookie decorating, a photo booth and more. For more info, call Jessica Fieldhouse of Ocala Main Street at (352) 454-8793.

NOVEMBER 28

City of Belleview Site Plan Committee Meeting

City Hall, 5343 SE Abshier Blvd., Belleview 9am-10am

Meets the second and fourth Wednesdays; Belleview agendas, minutes and video available at belleviewfl.org/200/Agendas-Minutes

Marion County Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting

McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala 5:30pm

Meets on the last Monday of the month. Agendas are usually posted the Thursday prior. Agendas, minutes and video available at marionfl.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

civicNOVEMBER 23 & 30

VFW Wednesday Dinners

Angela S. Santos FVW Post 4781, 9401 SW 110th St., Ocala

4:30pm-6:30pm

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

arts

NOVEMBER 18

Classic Albums Live - U2 “The Joshua Tree”

Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala 7:30pm

The groundbreaking album from one of rock’s iconic bands is played note-for-note in this unique concert experiences. Tickets are $20-$55. See reillyartscenter.com for more info.

NOVEMBER 19

Live & Let Die - The Music of Paul McCartney

Orange Blossom Opry, 16439 SE 138th Terrace, Weirsdale 7pm

Tony Kishman, veteran of the Broadway smash hit musical “Beatlemania,” celebrates the music of Paul McCartney in his solo and Beatle eras. Tickets are $36-$49. See obopry.com

NOVEMBER 19

Little River Band

Circle Square Cultural Center, 8395 SW 80th Ave., Ocala 7 pm With several terrific vocalists, this band is known for their stellar harmonies and mellow vibe. Tickets are $65-$120. See csculturalcenter.com/ events/little-river-band/ for more info.

NOVEMBER 20

Coronation, Messiah and More Concert

Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala 3pm

The combined Ocala Symphony Orchestra and Chorus team up for this holiday themed celebration with music from Handel’s “Music for Royal Fireworks” and “Messiah” along with Mozart’s “Coronation Mass in C Major.” Tickets are $15-$40. See reillyartscenter.com for more info.

NOVEMBER 26

Let’s Hang On - Frankie Valli Tribute Show

Orange Blossom Opry, 16439 SE 138th Terrace, Weirsdale 2:30pm & 7pm The music of Frankie Valli with the Four Seasons and solo tunes. Tickets are $33-$49. See obopry.com

NOVEMBER 25

Chess Club at Freedom Library Freedom Public Library, 5870 SW 95th St., Ocala 10am-12pm

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

NOVEMBER 25

Kiwanis Club of Ocala

Knights of Columbus Building at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, 1510 SE 3rd Ave., Ocala 12pm

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

THROUGH DECEMBER 9

A Floral Retrospective by Gregory Dirr

Ocala City Hall, Clerk’s Office, 110 SE Watula Ave., Ocala Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm

Dirr emphasizes environmental conservation in his interdisciplinary artworks. For more info, visit ocalafl.org/artincityspaces

THROUGH DECEMBER 11

BLOW UP II: Inflatable

Contemporary Art

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 10am-5pm

Eight internationally renowned artists have work on display. For more info, appletonmuseum.org

THROUGH JANUARY 8

A Dickens Christmas: The Urban Family’s Holiday Exhibition

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

Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm; Sunday 12pm-5pm

The Urban family’s premiere collection of Christmas decorations includes beautiful trees, the popular miniature Dickens Village, plus nutcrackers, handmade caroler dolls and Santa dolls. A second floor display offers trees decorated by area community groups and businesses. For more info, appletonmuseum.org

THROUGH JANUARY 9

Looking on the Brighter Side by Jennifer Weigel

Recreation and Parks Building, 828 NE Eighth Ave., Ocala Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm Weigel’s multi-media artwork includes drawings, fibers, installation, paint, video and more to explore themes of beauty, identity and memory. For more info, ocalafl.org/artincityspaces

THROUGH JANUARY 2023

Colorful Pleasures by Christine Dozier Ocala International Airport, 5770 SW 60th Ave., Ocala Hours vary per airport operations Dozier exhibits a variety of work including landscapes, abstracts, still life and animal portraits. This is part of the City of Ocala Art in City Spaces program. For more info, visit ocalafl.org/artincityspaces

& &music nightlife

NOVEMBER 18

& 25

Courtyard Jams MCA Courtyard 23 W Broadway St., Ocala 6-9pm Music, dancing, drumming, poetry and limbo. Free to all, Friday nights weekly.

NOVEMBER 18

Tim McCaig

The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 6-9pm Dinner, drinks and entertainment.

NOVEMBER 18

Side Piece Charlie Horse 2426 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 7pm Live music, DJ Bingo, trivia games and karaoke.

NOVEMBER 18

Zack Maruniak Homestead Park 1050 NE 6th Blvd., Williston 6-9pm Live music, line dancing, food and drink.

NOVEMBER 19

The Adrienne Show The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 6-9pm

NOVEMBER 19

Firecreek Charlie Horse 2426 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 7pm

NOVEMBER 20

Creek Charlie Horse 2426 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 2pm

NOVEMBER 23

Zach Maruniak

The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 6-9pm

NOVEMBER 25

Sandra & Alex Lekid

The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 6-9pm

NOVEMBER 25

REL Charlie Horse 2426 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 7pm

NOVEMBER 25

DJ Nathan Cox Homestead Park 1050 NE 6th Blvd., Williston 6-9pm

NOVEMBER 26

Justin Lee Partin

The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 6-9pm

NOVEMBER 26

Reggie Stacy Homestead Park 1050 NE 6th Blvd., Williston 6-9pm

NOVEMBER 26

44 West Charlie Horse 2426 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 7pm

NOVEMBER 27

Doug Adams Charlie Horse 2426 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 2pm

A nasal implant may be considered to treat a obstruction

By David Valencia, M.D. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My nose always feels stuffed up, and I have a hard time breathing through my nose. It is especially bad at night when I lie down. I thought it was because of allergies, but medications do not help. The condition seems to be getting worse every year. My doctor thinks I may have a nasal valve collapse, and an implant can help. What is that, and will it change the shape of my nose?

ANSWER: Nasal obstruction happens when the airflow through the nose is blocked in some way. In some people, it is caused by swelling of the nasal passages due to a cold; allergies; or exposure to irritants, such as smoke or dust. In others like yourself, a structural issue, like an internal nasal valve collapse, could cause the nasal obstruction.

The internal nasal valve is the narrowest part of the nasal passageway and is about 1 centimeter inside the nostrils. Internal nasal valve collapse can be caused by poorly positioned or weak cartilage. Just a small amount of narrowing can significantly restrict your airflow.

Most of the time, nasal valve collapse is simply an anatomical variant. It can worsen or cause more symptoms with age due to the weakening of connective tissue. This could explain why you were less bothered by symptoms when you were younger. People also can develop a nasal valve collapse if they have a deviated septum, or have had a nasal injury or facial paralysis.As you have discovered, nasal valve collapse can cause many uncomfortable symptoms, like feeling as if your nose is blocked or stuffed up all the time. It can lead to chronic headaches, dental decay, bad breath, difficulty breathing while exercising and poor sleep quality. It also can exacerbate snoring.

People often believe their symptoms are due to allergies, viral illness or sinusitis. Unlike those conditions, nasal valve collapse doesn’t resolve after the illness is over or change during the seasons. It also is easily overlooked during a nasal exam, as other factors frequently contribute to the nasal obstruction, and looking in the nose with a speculum or otoscope bypasses the internal nasal valve.

An absorbable nasal implant known as Latera is a new minimally invasive treatment option for nasal obstruction caused by internal nasal valve collapse. It uses a 2-centimeter absorbable implant to increase airflow and relieve symptoms.

The first step is to schedule a consultation with an otorhinolaryngologist to determine if you would benefit from the procedure. People who have found exterior nasal strips beneficial in reducing symptoms are likely good candidates for an absorbable nasal implant.

During the procedure, you will sit in an examination chair, and the inside of your nose will be numbed with a local anesthetic. A hollow tube containing the implant is inserted into the outside wall of the nose. When the tube’s tip reaches its target -- typically the area just below where eyeglasses rest -- the implant is released in its suppor ting position. Then the tube is removed. The implant is made of polydioxanone, which has been used in absorbable sutures and other medical applications for decades.

During the treatment, you will feel some pressure and minor discomfort. You can resume regular activities the next day. You may have mild bruising and inflammation, but these issues should resolve quickly.

The implant will not change the shape of your nose. You and others will not be able to see it through your skin.

Over the next 18 months, the implant is absorbed by your body and replaced with naturally occurring collagen in your body. This results in continued support of the lateral nasal wall and airflow.

An absorbable nasal implant is not appropriate for everyone with nasal obstruction. A consultation with an otorhinolaryngologist will help determine the best treatment option to address the causes of your obstruction. For example, if you have a deviated septum and nasal valve collapse, both issues may need to be treated to resolve the obstruction.

Overall, people who had a nasal implant report experiencing less nasal congestion and less trouble breathing through the nose. They had improvements in getting enough air through the nose during exercise or exertion and higher quality sleep.

Talk with your primary care provider or otorhinolaryngologist if you have nasal obstruction and think an implant can help. -- David Valencia, M.D., Otorhinolaryngology, Mayo Clinic Health System, La Crosse, Onalaska and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin

(Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.org.)

Smith brings leadership and determination as new head coach for Lake Weir High girls basketball program

Smith attended Kenwood High School and played varsity basketball all four years and tennis during her junior year. After graduating from Kenwood in 2009, she moved on to Morgan State University in Baltimore.

Smith graduated from Morgan State in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in

and what helps them connect different things together.”

The same strategies apply to the court.

“It’s no different in basketball, you have to know what they are good at and what they need work on,’’ she said. “It breaks down to building a relationship and being around them enough to be able to pick up on those strengths and weaknesses. There are a lot of parallels between the classroom and coaching.”

Smith, a U.S. and World History teacher at Lake Weir High School, is now interacting with older kids. She finds value in building those relationships early to get buy-in from her players.

“I was hired in late April or early May of the school year (2021-2022) and thankfully I was able to be around for summer workouts with the team and get to know some of the returners and see where they are at skill-wise,” she said.

has taught her that communication is key with children, no matter what age.

“Communication is everything,’’ she said. “My daughter is 3 and she is starting to make sense of different things and processes things differently. Being able to communicate things in a way where she can understand it and grasp whatever I’m trying to get her to understand has been a huge lesson I can take with me to the classroom and the court.”

The Lake Weir girls basketball team has finished with a winning record in two of the last three years, and Smith is looking to keep the ball rolling on the court. Off the court, Smith wants her players to become well-rounded individuals who can be successful in life.

By Allen Barney allen@ocalagazette.com

Basketball has been a huge part of Briana Smith’s life for as long as she can remember, and now it is her turn to teach the game as she takes over the head coaching job for the Lake Weir High School Hurricanes girls varsity basketball team.

Smith, 31, grew up in Clarksville, Tennessee with her parents and younger brother. Early on, she was into ballet and tap dancing. Then she tried basketball and immediately found a passion for the game.

“Once I started playing basketball, I fell in love with that,” Smith said.

Smith and her younger brother were like most kids before the rise of social media, spending most of their free time outside playing sports and other activities. Smith recalls middle school being the time when she started to take basketball seriously.

“My dad would be working with me outside,’’ she said. “Once I got into middle school, I was doing full-time training outside of practice to improve my skills.”

psychology. A year later, she got a master’s degree in health and human performance. Coaching became a path soon after college graduation when she was helping at development camps for middle and high schoolers in Tennessee.

“I was able to help younger kids develop a skill and develop different fundamentals by putting two-and-two together to figure out the why behind doing things,” she said.

Smith got her first official coaching job as an assistant at West Creek High School in Clarksville from 2016-2018. She became pregnant with her daughter Trinity, which led her to step away from coaching and move with her family to Ocala in 2019.

Smith soon was hired as the coach of the Lake Weir Middle School girls team and as a teacher at the school. The Tennessee native said her experience in the classroom has helped her become a better coach on the court.

“It’s honestly about getting to know your students’ strengths in the classroom,’’ she said. “It’s knowing what helps them to learn and understand different concepts

School Board, UF to create pipeline of new athletic trainers area for high schools

By Allen Barney allen@ocalagazette.com

The University of Florida and the Marion County School Board have agreed to a deal to begin hiring UFtrained professional athletic trainers for future job openings at the high schools in the county.

The board voted unanimously for the agreement, which is retroactive to Aug. 1.

Board member Don Browning, who was taking part in his last school board meeting before retirement, spoke with excitement about the partnership.

“They are such a powerful organization, and we’re so close,’’ he said. “It’s a great asset to our educational and athletic efforts. I’m very pleased with this.”

Currently, North Marion High and West Port High each need a new athletic trainer and will be hiring from the university’s field of professionals. If Belleview, Forest, Lake Weir, Dunnellon or Vanguard high schools have an opening at the position, the new hire will come from UF also

According to a 12-page document on the school board meeting agenda, the new hire at North Marion will work 25 hours per week and earn a salary of $43,990. At West Port, it will be 30 hours per week with a salary of $52,786.

The median salary for an athletic trainer in the United States is $48,420, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The website says the annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a “year-round, full-time” hours figure of 2,080 hours.

Board member Kelly King expressed concern over whether the athletic trainers are getting paid enough and wants the issue to be discussed by the board in the future.

“There is a question about the pay,’’ she said. “Maybe there could be some

follow up with that because they may not be making what the beginning teachers are making.”

With the responsibility of maintaining the health of high school athletes, the agreement contains the qualifications for applicants of the position. The applicant must have a baccalaureate degree, be board-certified or certified eligible, hold an athletic training license or be eligible to obtain the license, be enrolled at UF and/ or be employed by or a leased employee of the UF College of Medicine and must have academic achievement and be in good standing with the university.

The document also laid out the goals for the new trainers. Some of their major duties include:

• Maintain athletic training room facilities.

Develop a budget for medical supplies and equipment to be submitted to the athletic director yearly or on request, so that appropriate injury protection and management will be possible.

Participate in the evaluation and treatment of minor injuries.

Participate in the application of first aid and other medical assistance as is reasonable and possible under the circumstances pending the arrival of ambulance services in the case of major injuries.

• Provide recommendation for exercise or other physical measures for minor injuries under the directions, supervision, and review of a physician.

Monitor records to assure all athletes comply with the school’s insurance coverage and program.

Maintain current inventory records of athletic training room supplies and equipment.

Conduct clinics for the coaching staff on the management and treatment of athletic injuries.

“Coming into a program where there’s been a new coach every season, I wanted to build a relationship with the upperclassmen and get them to understand how I am as a coach,’’ Smith said. “I wanted them to get an understanding of what I expect with effort, work ethic and character.”

As Smith continues to build the players’ trust and get them prepared for the season, one person who she knows she can count on is her husband of six years, Micah.

“My husband is super supportive,’’ she said. “We have a system of how we take care of our daughter because we both work, and she is in daycare. He will come and help at times with the team, he has crowned himself ‘team dad’. He’s extremely supportive and it’s much appreciated because I could not imagine juggling having a toddler, working and preparing for another child.”

Smith said she and her husband are expecting their second child in February.

Parenting, like teaching, has parallels to coaching and the lessons that can be learned. For Smith, raising her daughter

“I want them to grow as people. I have a lot of upperclassmen and there are so many different leadership and communication skills that I want them to pick up on. I want them to be successful in whatever they choose to do, whether that’s involving basketball or not,” she said.

Smith has the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the coaches who played a part in molding her to become the dedicated, determined leader she is now.

“I want to leave an impact of expecting maximum effort but also supporting them in anything outside of basketball,’’ she said. “They are so many different things these kids have to deal with now, and I don’t want them only to think of me as a nononsense coach.

“I am truly in their corner,’’ she said. “If they need someone to vent to or they are having a difficult time processing a situation and don’t know how to deal with it, I can hopefully present a different angle looking at it where they are not reacting impulsively but being able to take time and think about what options there are in a situation.”

Smith and her team opened their season on Nov. 14 with a 49-40 win on the road against Springstead High School (Spring Hill).

File photo

Briana Smith, the new girls basketball coach at Lake Weir High School, poses for a photo in the gym at Lake Weir High School in Candler on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

Forest swamps Lake Weir in Preseason Basketball Classic at Belleview

By Allen Barney allen@ocalagazette.com

The Forest Wildcats and Lake Weir Hurricanes

boys’ basketball teams squared off in the MCIAL Preseason Classic on Tuesday night.

Forest returns plenty of experience and talent from an 18-win team that made the playoffs in 2021. Lake Weir begins anew with new head coach Freddie Riley and a young team missing key pieces to begin the season.

Forest sophomore Xavier Fitzpatrick came out of the gates on fire with nine points in the first quarter to give his team a 13-8 lead. After a slow start with the two teams combining for 21 points in the opening segment, Forest and Lake Weir got their offenses going and scored a combined 46 points in the second quarter.

Leading the way for Forest was junior Zay McCoy as he collected six points and five other Forest players scored in the second quarter to give them a 39-28 lead at halftime.

Despite the 11-point lead at the half, McCoy and his teammates were not thrilled with the caliber of play from the team.

“We were sloppy in the first half and we knew we had to way better because we practice too hard to play like this,” McCoy said.

Whatever Forest head coach Mike Hoffmann said to his team in the locker room worked as his team went into full court defense and started forcing Lake Weir to make mistakes on offense. McCoy, Fitzpatrick, Tae Floyd and Braiden North all scored during a 20-point third quarter for Forest to extend the lead to 59-41.

The highlight of the game came during the last couple

minutes of the third quarter when McCoy stole the ball and assisted a dunk to Floyd on a pass off the backboard.

The pace of the fourth quarter was slower compared to the previous two periods as Forest outscored Lake Weir 15-12 and cap off a win by the final score of 74-53.

Five different players scored a basket for Forest during the final eight minutes.

Fitzpatrick and McCoy led the way in scoring for Forest with 19 and 14 points respectively. McCoy led the team seven assists and four steals, Fitzpatrick added five rebounds, two steals and two assists. Marion county football sacks leader Tae Floyd collected nine points and a team-high eight rebounds.

For Coach Hoffmann, having multiple players who can score at will on offense is a luxury he is looking forward to using this season.

“That’s what we try to take pride on, a big part of our team is sharing the ball. We don’t want guys to be selfish and we have to share the basketball because that’s when we are going to be at our best,” Hoffmann said.

Lake Weir is beginning a new era with Riley and having to replace multiple injured starters with experience is going to take time but the first-year head coach is looking forward to the season.

“I think tonight went well, we didn’t the outcome that we wanted but we learned a lot. We have a chance to be pretty good and were still adjusting to things but overall, I feel we can have a good year,” he said.

Both teams will play again the MCIAL preseason classic on Wednesday night. Lake Weir will face off against Redeemer Christian and Forest will play Belleview.

Redeemer Christian looks ready for regular season during impressive win against Belleview in preseason classic

By Allen Barney allen@ocalagazette.com

The second half of the opening night for the MCIAL preseason classic at Belleview High School pitted the Redeemer Christian Lions against Belleview.

Redeemer Christian comes into the 2022 season looking to build off a 17-9 regular season record and a playoff win from the 2021 season. Belleview enters the new season with a ton of youth and inexperience after a 4-win season in 2021.

Tuesday’s matchup between the two teams got off to a frenetic start as they were tied at 5 after three minutes. Redeemer Christian seniors Andrew Powers and Grant Phillips would team up to score the next six points in the game to give their team an 11-5 lead.

Belleview answered back with field goals from senior Cori Johnson and Zion Jackson to make it 11-9 before Powers responded with two three-pointers and carry his team to a 19-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was a defensive clinic from both teams as they combined for just 14 points. Redeemer Christian senior Jonah Harrelson picked up two of his three blocks and scored four points during the period.

Redeemer carried a 28-14

lead out of the locker room and the third quarter was another defensive grind as Belleview outscored them 10-8. Redeemer scored five points in the last minute to avoid being held to just three points in the quarter.

Redeemer picked up the pace on defense in the fourth quarter and led to a heap of easy layups as they notched four steals. Powers led the way with eight points in the final quarter and Belleview’s Johnson did everything he could to keep his team in the game with seven points of his own.

Despite Johnson’s efforts, it was tough sledding for the Belleview offense as they passed the ball well but had too many missed shots and free throws. Head coach Jason Hasson was pleased with the defensive effort but couldn’t look past the poor night on offense.

“We struggled a lot offensively and we couldn’t put the ball in. We couldn’t make layups, open threes or foul shots, very disappointing offensive performance and it’s difficult to beat a team like Redeemer when they are making a lot of those shots,” Hasson said.

The tough night shooting the ball is an aspect that can be worked on and Hasson said it will just take more time in practice to get his players more comfortable and confident.

“We have a lot of young guys and it was their first time playing in front of a crowd. It’s going to take skill development in practice by getting more shots up, more free throws and just more reps overall,” he said.

For Johnson, a senior, its all about positive leadership and keeping a good team morale.

“Over the years I’ve learned to keep my head up and it’s always about the next play. I just have to stay efficient as a leader, being vocal in practice and pushing guys to improve,” he said. The point guard led the team with 17 points and four assists.

Redeemer Christian had a balanced attack as five players scored seven points or more, Powers had a team-high 19 points. Having more than one weapon on offense is beneficial for any team trying to make a playoff run and Redeemer head coach David Miller said the depth is the biggest strength of the team.

“We have a lot of unselfish guys who are willing to make the extra pass. A couple of guys didn’t have it tonight but other guys stepped up and I think that’s what’s going to be the key to our success throughout the season,” Miller said.

Both team will be back in

Preseason

action for the MCIAL

Classic on Wednesday as Belleview will play Forest and Redeemer will go against Lake Weir.

File photo: Belleview’s coach, Jason Hasson, looks on as his team loses to Williston during a basketball game at Belleview High School in Belleview on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022. [Bruce Ackerman/ Ocala Gazette] 2022.

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

Forest’s Xavier Kirkpatrick (10) drives to the basket past Lake Weir’s Leo Young (20) during a basketball game at Belleview High School in Belleview on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022.

Forest’s Xavier Kirkpatrick (10) drives to the basket past Lake Weir’s #40 (not on roster).

Forest’s Vimel Poole (3) battles for a loose ball with Lake Weir’s #42 (not on roster).

Forest’s Tae Floyd (4) battles for a loose ball under the basket with Lake Weir’s #50 (not on roster).

Vanguard bombards River Ridge in shutout win to start the playoffs

By Allen Barney allen@ocalagazette.com

It was the opening round of the Class 3-Suburban football playoffs as the Vanguard Knights hosted the River Ridge Royal Knights at Booster Stadium on Friday night.

Both teams came into the game on winning streaks and were looking to extend their season another week with a win.

River Ridge started on offense and gained a first down on third-and-four after a six-yard run by quarterback Logan Howard.

The Vanguard defense would step up for the remainder of the drive as defensive lineman Kendarius Lee sacked Howard and defensive end Chris Allen would force a punt following a tackle-forloss on third down.

Quarterback Fred Gaskin and the Vanguard offense went to work on their first drive as they went 60 yards on 10 plays, mostly run plays, before running back Ja’Varien Salter scored from 19 yards out. Following a pass completion to defensive end Riley Smith on the two-point conversion, Vanguard had an 8-0 lead with four minutes left in the first quarter.

Smith would pick up his first sack of the night on the ensuing drive for the River Ridge offense to force another punt but Gaskin mishandled the snap on the first play of the Vanguard drive, giving the ball back to River Ridge.

River Ridge would quickly go threeand-out and Salter would scamper for a 54-yard touchdown run on the second play of the second quarter to give Vanguard a 15-0 lead.

Friday was a big opportunity for Salter to take the spotlight with wide receiver Dallen Ponder out with an injury and fellow wide receiver Josh Rembert not feeling 100 percent.

“It was the first time I’ve had to step up and I had to step into the role to show what I can do,” Salter said.

The 54-yard touchdown run is the longest run of the junior running back’s career and he knew he was bound for the endzone after making it past the first level of the defense.

“I saw the safety with his heels back and when I cut up, I saw nothing but green grass and I knew the two safeties could not catch me,” Salter added. Unofficially, he finished the game with 10 carries, 141 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

The Vanguard defense continued to bring consistent pressure to Howard and forced another punt. Vanguard would start at the River Ridge 30-yard line and after a 12-yard run by Salter, Gaskin would link up with a wide-open Rembert for an 18-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 22-0 with just under 10 minutes before halftime.

On the following drive for the River Ridge offense, Vanguard’s defense stepped up with sacks from Leonard Hill and Jewmaris Jones to get the ball back to the offense. With a three touchdown lead midway through the second quarter, Vanguard head coach Ed Farmer brought in Jamil Watkins to play quarterback.

Watkins had a nice 10-yard run for a first down and the offense drove deep into River Ridge territory before Salter lost a fumble into the endzone.

The River Ridge offense could not take advantage and had to punt. Fortunately, Vanguard gave away another fumble as Hill lost the ball at the end of a 25-yard run into the redzone. On the following play, Howard hit running back DeAnthony Patterson in stride for a 53yard completion.

The big play to Patterson would be the longest play of the night for River Ridge and the only time they got within the Vanguard 30-yard line for the entire game. On the final play of the first half, Howard lofted a pass up for the endzone but Gaskin came down with the interception.

Vanguard’s offense came out firing to start the third quarter as Watkins had a 30-yard run and wide receiver Tay Leslie had a 10-yard run to put the Vanguard

offense into River Ridge territory. The drive stalled and Vanguard had to punt for the first time but River Ridge could not get anything going on offense despite a 15-yard run by Howard.

Following a turnover on downs from River Ridge, Vanguard methodically drove down the field using the legs of Salter as he gained 21 yards on three carries before Watkins connected with a wide-open Cam’Ron King for a 36-yard touchdown pass to give Vanguard a 29-0 lead with three minutes left in the third quarter.

Seeing younger players such as King and Watkins have success in a playoff game gives Farmer confidence about his depth moving forward as each matchup gets tougher.

“We got guys who are going to step up and make plays. We got two or three other guys that can come into play when someone is hurt,” Farmer said.

The blowout was on when Gaskin got his second interception of the night and returned it 65 yards for a touchdown with 10 minutes left in the game. The quarterback/defensive back was quiet on offense after his touchdown pass but his made presence known on defense, playing both ways and performing at a high level is something that Gaskin takes pride in doing.

“I have to be an impact player at all times, I have to make plays and make myself known,” Gaskin said. On the interception returned for a touchdown, Gaskin made the read early and had his sights set on the endzone as soon as he caught the ball.

“I was playing high-low, so either I had the out route, or the top route and I saw him break on the shorter route and he just threw it right to me, so I took it back to the house,” Gaskin said.

The last nine minutes and change of the game was on a running clock and both offenses had a drive stall and would punt to finish off Vanguard’s win by a final score of 35-0.

Coach Farmer was happy with the win but wants the team to clean up the mistakes as they will face an undefeated Lake Wales team next week. Three lost fumbles and multiple penalties that negated touchdowns on offense kept them from scoring 50-plus points.

“We got to make sure to clean up our mistakes, we can’t go into big playoff games and makes mistakes. We got to eliminate those mistakes, that has to happen, and I thought we did better as the night went on but there is still room for improvement,” Farmer said.

Gaskin echoed his coaches sentiment and thought the team handled the mistakes with maturity and did not let it snowball into more mistakes.

“Nobody got discouraged, everybody stayed on task. We weren’t fazed by it and I was happy about that because everybody stayed focused so that we could go back out and keep doing what we were doing,” Gaskin said.

The story of the game was the Vanguard defense as they racked up five sacks and a bucketful of tackles for loss.

“We played defensive assignment football, I thought they came up with a great game plan. Our plan tonight was to keep them off the scoreboard and they did it. Everybody played together and the coaches did a good job pushing them up and getting them ready,” Farmer said.

The playoffs only get tougher from here as Vanguard faces a Lake Wales defense that has given up a total of 51 points over 11 games.

Even with a two-hour road trip ahead, Farmer is confident his team will be ready for battle.

“Definitely going to be a good football game. I’m sure they’re hungry for us because we came out on top last time we played. We are used to going on the road and traveling does not bother us,” he said.

He continued: “We’re going to be ready to go, our kids just have to go play good football. It’s going to be loud and a different atmosphere but we just have to go and play good football.”

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

“We got guys who are going to step up and make plays.”

Ed Farmer Vanguard head coach

Left: Vanguard’s Ja’varien Salter (3) celebrates his touchdown on River Ridge with Leonard Hill (11) as the Vanguard Knights defeat River Ridge 35-0 in a regional quarterfinal game at Booster Stadium in Ocala on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022.

Vanguard’s Joshua Rembert (1) eludes River Ridge’s Makhi Thomas (21).

Vanguard’s Jamil Watkins (7) forces a fumble on River Ridge’s wide receiver Justin Hennessy (4). River Ridge’s