Ocala Gazette | March 18 - 24, 2022 by Magnolia Media Company

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 11

April show at Brick City Center for the Arts MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022

The “under the radar” tornado of March 12

Page B1

More opposition to the proposed northern turnpike extension

By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com

trong early morning storms and one confirmed tornado caused severe damage to some areas of Marion County on Saturday morning, March 12. Although a tornado watch was issued at 3:30 a.m. by the National Weather Service (NWS), many residents are asking why there were no warnings issued as the storm touched down in the area. According to the latest updated report by the NWS, the tornado started at 7:45 a.m. and traveled 26.67 miles from downtown Dunnellon, through SW Ocala before ending just past Baseline Road near SE 8th Street Road at 8:20 a.m. Julie Danoski, records custodian for the city of Dunnellon, said city staff estimates the tornado started around the old Rockwell cemetery, uprooting old trees and gravestones before damaging a large billboard nearby. The NWS report estimates the tornado grew to 65 yards wide and had up to 110-mph peak winds. Officials categorized it as an EF1 tornado. Many Marion County residents have since wondered why they did not receive an AlertMarion text warning of the impending tornado. Paul Bloom, spokesperson for the Marion County Sheriff ’s Office, explained there were a few factors at play. First, the radar at the Jacksonville NWS office was “off-line as part of a scheduled maintenance,” he said, leaving Marion County with “radar coverage from their station in the Tampa area and one in Valdosta, GA.” Pete Wolf, Science & Operations Officer for the Jacksonville NWS office, said the station’s Doppler radar was down for a scheduled 10day period for maintenance updates. According to Wolf, the radar was installed in the mid-90’s and undergoes maintenance updates about once a decade. He said officials there try to schedule the maintenance to avoid Florida’s hurricane season while coordinating with other Doppler radars that can cover the area. The problem is, Wolf explained, even if the Jacksonville radar had been working, it would likely not have detected the tornado because it of the storm’s relatively small width and because it wasn’t associated with a super cell, which are See March 12, page A4

Downtown and the Rainbow river in Dunnellon on February 2. [Alan Youngblood/Special to Ocala Gazette] 2022.

By Rosemarie Dowell Correspondent

he proposed northern extension of the Florida Turnpike has yet another opponent and this time it’s a government agency tasked with managing and protecting the state’s critical water resources– the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). Swiftmud, the district’s commonly known moniker, covers 16 counties in the southern half of the state, including all or parts of Citrus, Levy, Marion and Sumter counties, each of which would be impacted by at least one of the proposed routes. In a letter to Nicola Liquori, executive director of Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, an arm of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the District said it was aware that all four of the proposed extension routes traverse District-owned conservation lands. Two of the proposed routes cut north through portions of southwestern Marion County, while a third is just inside the county line south of Marion Oaks. The fourth route impacts portions of Citrus and Sumter counties. “Any option that would bisect Districtowned conservation lands or sever District lands from other existing conservation lands would be inconsistent with the original intent behind the use of taxpayer dollars to acquire those conservation lands,” Brian Starford, Swiftmud’s director of operations, lands, and resources monitoring division, said in the Feb. 14 letter. “Also, bisecting District-owned conservation lands would adversely impact the District’s ability to manage those properties,” Starford wrote. “Therefore, the District cannot support proposed routes that bisect District-owned conservation land or otherwise severs District-owned conservation lands from other existing conservation lands,” the letter said.

The District said the purpose of the letter was to maintain communication between FDOT and the District….as well as memorialize the District’s position. The major district conservation lands jeopardized by the proposed routes include the Halpata-Tastanaki-Preserve, Potts Preserve, Half Moon-Gum Slough and Two Mile Prairie, according to data provided by Susanna Martinez Tarokh, the district’s public information officer. Located in Dunnellon, Halpata-Tastanaki Preserve is an 8,000-plus acre conservation area along the Withlacoochee River and includes a variety of native fauna and flora, Scrub Jay habitats and floodplain forests. Also along the Withlacoochee, the 8,500acre Potts Preserve has wetlands that play a role in both the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes

and the Withlacoochee River systems, part of the Floridan aquifer’s recharge/discharge system. Additionally, the Inverness site provides habitat to wildlife, including a small population of threatened Florida scrub jays. Half Moon-Gum Slough is located in Lake Panasoffkee in Sumter County, the Withlacoochee River, Gum Slough and Gum Springs Run are located adjacent to the property and were designated Outstanding Florida Waters in 1989. In Hernando in Citrus County, the 2,900-acre Two-mile Prairie, lies along the southern bank of the Withlacoochee River at the northern end of the Tsala Apopka Lake system. There may also be other smaller See Opposition, page A2

The Rainbow River on February 1. [Alan Youngblood/Special to Ocala Gazette] 2022.

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Opposition to toll road extensions Continued from page A1 conservation easements that would be impacted by the current plan, Tarokh noted. The proposed turnpike extension is a result of Senate Bill 100, which repealed the 2019 M-CORES (Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance) toll road mandate that required FDOT to build three new turnpikes in 2023. However, the Bill still allowed FDOT to evaluate a new northern extension of the turnpike and directed it to commence a Project Development and Environmental (PD&E) Study with a report due to the governor, president of the Florida Senate and Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives by Dec. 31. The planning phase began in October when FDOT publicized the proposed routes and asked for community feedback. Swiftmud joins a growing chorus of robust opposition to the proposed extension from environmental groups such as Audubon Florida and Sierra Club Florida, grassroots campaigns including the No Roads to Ruin Coalition, as well as the City of Dunnellon and the Levy County Board of County Commissioners, among others. Marion County Commissioners, however, decided against opposing the extension and opted to send a Dec. 21 letter to FDOT reminding the agency of the County’s adopted comprehensive plan that prohibits the development of expressways or toll roads within the Farmland Preservation Area (FPA) instead. In a statement, the No Roads to Ruin group said: “If built, this extension would destroy large swaths of Florida’s last remaining rural lands, threaten waterways with pollution, endanger iconic wildlife, disrupt farmlands, and promote unsustainable sprawl.” Even so, FDOT said the new toll road

is needed to help alleviate congestion on I-75, manage future traffic increases due to Florida’s rapid growth and facilitate evacuations during hurricanes. The proposed northern turnpike extension would begin at its current end at I-75 in Wildwood and includes: • Route North A, almost double the length of the other proposed routes. would travel through north Sumter County, and run northwest through the northeast portion of Dunnellon into the City of Bronson in Levy County and end in Chiefland. • Route North B, meanwhile skims west of Marion Oaks, running near the intersection of SR 200 and County Road 484, before heading north, curving west across SR 40 and U.S. 41 and heading southwest to U.S. 19 just north of Yankeetown. • The 42-mile-long Central Route had a much wider potential path, traveling north into southwestern Marion County, then turning west and going across U.S. Highway 41 towards the Crystal River area. • The proposed South Route takes a direct westward path from Sumter County towards Inverness in Citrus County, then travels north to U.S. Highway 41. In the letter, Starford wrote the District understands that FDOT is continuing discussions with environmental groups and interested parties to consider an alternative corridor (s) that would minimize impacts to existing conservation lands to the greatest extent possible. “We appreciate FDOT’s willingness to consider an alternative option,” he said. “Accordingly, the District urges FDOT to take into consideration the District’s position regarding the routes being proposed for the Northern Turnpike Extension,” wrote Starford.

Dunnellon City Councilwoman, Jan Cubbage, called the proposed turnpike extension the “asphalt snake.” Cartoon by David Valejo

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MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

“The press was to serve the governed, not the governors.”

The cold case unit

- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black in New York Times Co. v. United States (1971) Publisher Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@magnoliamediaco.com Bruce Ackerman, Photography Editor bruce@ocalagazette.com James Blevins, Reporter james@ocalagazette.com Sadie Fitzpatrick, Columnist sadie@ocalagazette.com Susan Smiley-Height, Editor susan@magnoliamediaco.com Amy Harbert, Graphic Designer amy@magnoliamediaco.com Lisa Maliff, Graphic Designer lisa.maliff@magnoliamediaco.com Kristine Nolan, Editor kristine@magnoliamediaco.com

Members of of the Cold Case Volunteer Services pose together during their meeting at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in Ocala on March 8. Top, from left: Alva Kinsey, Mike Thompson, Harry Carlile, Ken Featherling, Garry Ferguson, retired Judge John Futch and Tim Richie. Bottom, from left: Jim Phillips, Francine Wolff, Karen Combs, Jerry Combs, Larry Kincaid and Marion County Sheriff’s Office Detective Daniel Pinder. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

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By Eadie Sickler Correspondent

arion County residents can be assured that police investigators are not putting so-called “cold cases” on the shelf or in storage somewhere, to be forgotten for eternity. A group of volunteer retired professionals and investigators, working under the auspices of the Marion County Sheriff ’s Office, spend hours each month trying to make sure criminals don’t get away with murder. The cases reviewed by the Cold Case Unit have been investigated to a point at which the detectives originally assigned to them have no remaining tangible leads. The unit works on the premise that a case is never unsolvable. The volunteers work use whatever means at their disposal to bring each case to completion. As more tools and new methodologies are developed, they are applied to the cases. The Cold Case Unit meets monthly to discuss assigned cases with one another in hopes of turning up any new leads or information. Detective Daniel Pinder, the liaison between the team and the sheriff ’s office, assigns the cases in groups not smaller than two to allow different perspectives to emerge. Cases are not assigned according to oldest cases first but by possible leads. An investigative team concept is used, meaning the cases are reviewed by all unit members for further suggestions. For example, a new method of analysis might

be available now to be applied to the evidence. Only if a case is solved, or if all of the persons involved in the case have passed away—including the alleged perpetrator, and no one else could reasonably be considered a suspect--will the case be considered closed. “The first concern of the unit after a case is solved is to inform the family…to bring closure to them,” said Jim Phillips, chairman of the CCU, and a retired Marion County prosecutor. Phillips has been with the unit since its inception in 2005. The Cold Case Unit are all retired law enforcement professionals who have previously worked in some area of government. Most are residents of Marion County, but others are from various other counties in Florida and other states. Gary Ferguson, formerly of the Sarasota County Sheriff ’s Office serves as co-chairman of the Cold Case Unit; and other members include Mike Thompson, formerly an investigator with the Alachua County Sheriff ’s Office in Gainesville; Harry Carlile, formerly an investigator with the FBI in Clarksburg, West Virginia; Tim Richie, deputy, Marion County Sheriff ’s Dept.; Karen Combs, State Attorney’s Office in Ocala; Gerry Combs, deputy, Marion County Sheriff ’s Dept.; Ken Featherline, police officer, Columbus, OH; Larry Kincaid, police officer and homicide detective, Dayton, OH, Police Dept.; Alva Kinsey, deputy, Marion County Sheriff ’s Dept., and John Futch, a retired

Marion County judge. Valerie Strong, public information officer with the Marion County Sheriff ’s Office, has created and maintains a “Unsolved Homicide” board for the Cold Case Unit. It has pictures of all cold cases in Marion County, along with brief pertinent information. There are 28 victims’ pictures on the board, including one of a case that has been solved (Ronnie Damon). Francine Wolff, who has been with the unit since its first meeting, is the group’s secretary. She is 95 and worked for the Marion County Sheriff ’s Office for many years. “I love the guys I work with,’’ she said. “When we can get closure on a case, to let people know what happened to their loved ones, it is a very good feeling.” “We are grateful to these

volunteers who help continue to investigate these cases and help bring closure to the victims and their families,” Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said, adding, “I am very proud of the success they have had so far, and look forward to more successful closures of these cold cases.” Editor’s note: The Ocala Gazette is embarking on a special project to shine new light on old cases in Marion County not only to keep the victims from being forgotten but also to perhaps jog memories among members of the public. Any small detail, no matter how seemingly insignificant, could prove to be the missing piece that completes the puzzle and brings a perpetrator to justice—and comfort to a grieving family.

Alva Kinsey takes notes about unsolved homicides he is working on during a meeting of the Cold Case Volunteer Services at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in Ocala on March 8. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

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MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

March 12 tornado Continued from page A1 many miles wide with large updrafts. “Here in Florida, we generally do not get the big tornadoes seen elsewhere (Great Plains, Midwest, Gulf Coast). Most of our tornadoes are small and fairly short-lived, which is challenging for radar detection, even fairly close to the radar site,” Wolf wrote in an email to the Gazette. “Official NWS tornado warning verification stats point to the fact that 1/3 of all tornadoes are not detected, and these are generally the small EF0 or EF1 tornadoes. To counter this, the NWS depends on storm spotters to report these small occurrences to support warnings. Radar only tells us what’s happening thousands of feet above the ground, whereas spotters can tell us what’s actually occurring at the surface. Unfortunately, no reports were received to know a small tornado was ongoing,” Wolf wrote. He pointed to the Skywarn network the NWS has formed to have more active storm spotters. According to Skywarn’s website, the NWS trains this nationwide network of volunteers to report significant weather events and they are always looking for more people to volunteer. Classes are in person and virtual. Those interested in volunteering can visit https://www. weather.gov/jax/skywarn_schedule

The aftermath

Ashley Lopez, spokesperson for the Ocala Fire Rescue (OFR), indicated it was business as usual the morning of the storm and then, “Shortly after 8 a.m., calls concerning severe weather conditions began. Within a timespan of three hours, we responded to roughly 20 emergency calls attributed to weather effects. “A total of 37 OFR staff responded to numerous calls arising from the severe weather event in our area. Four staff were on-call personnel and 33 were on duty,” said Lopez. Jeff Walczak, spokesperson for the Ocala Police Department, said the agency had 117 calls attributed to the storm between 8 a.m. and noon on March 12. Bloom identified Saddleworth Green Apartments (previously Paddock Park) as having “around 200 of their 846 apartments damaged in some way.” “Those folks were evacuated initially until safety inspections could be completed. Many have been able to return to their apartments, but there are still several that cannot be occupied. The Red Cross is working with local charities like Interfaith to help those displaced.” As of March 15, Bloom said that the Property Appraisers office along with city and county officials were still in the field assessing complete damage so he could not give the total number of affected homes, but hoped to have that number compiled by the end of the week. The other two single-family residential neighborhoods most impacted by the tornado were Saddlewood Subdivision and the El Dorado Subdivision, according to Bloom. Thus far, emergency management has

handed out over 160 tarps. Assistant City Manager Ken Whitehead reported at the Ocala City Council’s March 15 meeting the city received notice of the tornado initially around 8:17 a.m. following a report of an overturned semitrailer on Interstate 75. According to Whitehead’s report, initially 3,500 Ocala Electric customers were without power following the storm. Only 116 remained without electricity due to structural damage that needed to be fixed before power could be restored. Most of those customers were in Saddleworth Green apartments. Whitehead told the council all but four of the units’ occupants had renters’ insurance. Some of the residents had moved to other apartment complexes, while others are staying with friends and family. Whitehead said that the shelter at the Central Christian Church initially housed four families following the storm but was now down to only one family. Whitehead said the city plans a meeting on April 18 to review what transpired during the storm “because there is always room for improvement.”

Marion County, Florida GIS, Esri, HERE, Garmin, USGS, NGA, EPA, USDA, NPS

The March 12 tornado track according to the National Weather Service.

Emergency Management’s role

According to Bloom, the county’s Emergency Management Department role following a storm is one of “organizer” for safety and relief efforts. “We do this by bringing our partners together and utilizing their abilities to coordinate the best approach to providing help. Our partners include local hospitals, American Red Cross, local utilities companies, Marion County Public Schools, Florida Dept. of Health, etc,” he explained. Usually, such as in the case of a hurricane, officials have much longer warning period and can coordinate preparedness with their partners. But even though there was not an extensive warning for the tornado, Bloom said the agency’s partners stepped up after the event. “The American Red Cross responded the day of the tornado. They partnered with us to coordinate helping the victims of the storm. We set up a community reception center at the Sheriff ’s Office where victims could come and get help and guidance on the next steps, along with tarps and even food,’’ he said. Acknowledging that the Emergency Management Department cannot fill every need following an emergency such as the one on March 12, Bloom said, “We like to couple the abilities of the Red Cross with our local partners in working to fulfill any unmet needs our storm victims may have. Food, shelter, healthcare and transportation are some of the basic needs that are addressed. I can’t understate the value of taking this team approach.” Despite this tornado “flying under the radar,” Bloom encourages citizens to make sure their smartphone alerts are turned on to receive emergency messages and encouraged everyone to sign up for AlertMarion.com to receive information directly from Marion County Emergency Management.

Large trees devastated many units in the Steeples apartment complex in Ocala on March 12. [Alan Youngblood/Special to the Ocala Gazette]

Rockwell Cemetary in Dunnellon may be where the tornado first started. [supplied by City of Dunnellon

HONORABLE MENTION

Captain Brad Hardy, 15 years with Ocala Fire Rescue By Ocala Gazette Staff

n March 15, Captain Brad Hardy was honored at the Ocala City Council meeting for 15 years of service. In 2007, Hardy joined the City of Ocala family as a meter reader. One year later, after learning about the possibility of a career with fire and rescue, he began his journey with Ocala Fire Rescue (OFR). During his time in OFR, Hardy has served in several capacities, including honor guard member for four years, union vice president for two years and is currently a captain for Fire Station #5.

Right: Captain Brad Hardy, center, with his children, accepts his 15-year-service award from Assistant City Manager Ken Whitehead, left, and Mayor Kent Guinn, right.[Photo supplied]

MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

Pair of seven-figure colts top opening session of OBS March Sale By Michael Compton Correspondent

cala Breeders’ Sales Company ushered in the always popular 2-year-olds in training sale season with a robust opening session of its annual March Sale on Tuesday, March 15. Replete with a strong catalog of top juvenile prospects, the sale attracted an international buying bench and showed dramatic across-the-board increases in key economic categories on the sale’s first day. The two-day auction began with fireworks as Hip 257, a bay colt by Into Mischief commanded $1,100,000 from Japanese trainer Hideyuki Mori late in the session. The colt, who breezed a swift eighth in :09 4/5 at the under tack preview, is out of the Not for Love mare Zapara and is a half-brother to stakesplaced Basso. Consigned by Eddie Woods, agent, the colt was bred in Kentucky by Brookstone Farm and Lee Mauberret. Just 20 hips later, Hip 277, another colt by Into Mischief—this one out of Chester and Mary Broman’s homebred Grade 1 winner Artemis Agrotera (by Roman Ruler)—sold to the partnership of Spendthrift Farm and BSW/Crow Colts Group, for $1 million. The Bromans, who bred the colt in New York, will remain involved with the horse as well as part owners. A half-brother to Chestertown (a record $2 million March sale purchase in 2019), the colt breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 at the under tack preview. “He is a big, beautiful Into Mischief,” said Ned Toffey, general manager of Spendthrift Farm, where the sire, Into Mischief, stands. “We thought he could be the sale topper. He’s a very nice horse. When you see a horse like him in the catalog, you just hope you aren’t disappointed when you come to the sale. He definitely did not disappoint.” Florida-bred 2-year-olds also proved popular with buyers at the sale. Hip 291, a Florida-bred colt from the initial crop of Bolt d’Oro, brought $600,000 from Kaleem Shah. Consigned by Top Line Sales, the colt worked an eighth in :09 4/5 at the under tack preview. Bred by Loren Nichols and out of the unraced Uncle Mo mare Beautissimo, the colt is from the family of Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Halfbridled, multiple stakes winner Ravi’s Song, and

Grade 1 winner and stallion Mshawish. A Florida-bred filly by first-crop sire Mendelssohn fetched $525,000 from Gracie Bloodstock as agent. Sold as Hip 125, the dark bay or brown filly is produced from the stakes-placed Candy Ride (ARG) mare Simply Confection, making her a half-sister to Kentucky Derby (G1) hopeful and recent Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) winner Simplification. Consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, the filly was bred in the Sunshine State by France and Irwin Weiner and breezed an eighth in a lively :10 at the sale’s under tack preview. The filly failed to meet her reserve when first offered at public auction last year as a yearling at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale—leaving the ring on that occasion on a final bid of $190,000—but she proved popular with prospective buyers on Tuesday. “We always felt like she was a pretty special filly,” consignor Niall Brennan noted ahead of the sale. “All fall and winter she has been the definition of class. She has so much balance. She is a filly that ticks all the boxes. She has a lovely pedigree, she is from a wonderful family, and she has a ton of class.” Ocala Stud had a strong day in the ring on Tuesday, selling a fleet-footed Florida-bred filly by their stallion Adios Charlie for $410,000 to West Point Thoroughbreds and Talla Racing. The filly, who breezed a blazing quarter-mile in :20 2/5 (the fastest time of the entire under tack preview), is out of the stakeswinning A.P. Jet mare Travelator and is a half-sister to recent stakes winner Hollywood Jet. She was bred by William J. Terrell and Frank De Savino. Total figures for the first day of the sale saw 188 horses change hands, generating gross receipts of $26,325,000, representing a 37.6 percent increase compared to 175 head sold for $19,125,000 in 2021. Average price was $140,027, a 28.1 percent increase over last year’s average of $109,289. The median price was $77,500; it was $55,000 in last year’s corresponding session. The buyback rate (horses not sold) inched a bit higher in the initial session, coming in at 16.8 percent compared to 13.8 percent last year. As of press time on Wednesday, the sale featured a new top horse as Hip 318, a Kentucky-bred colt by More Than

Hip #204, a bay colt by Mendelssohn and consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds, is sold for $350,000 on the first day of the OBS March 2-year-olds in training sale at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company in Ocala on March 15. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

Ready, sold for $1.2 million to Kaleem Shah early in the sale’s final session on March 16. The bay colt, who breezed an eighth in :09 4/5 at the under tack preview, was consigned by Ciaran and Amy Dunne’s Wavertree Stables, agent. The handsome colt is out of the unraced Indian Charlie mare Broad Spectrum, making the colt a half-brother to stakes

winner Broad Approval. The 2-year-olds in training sale scene shifts to South Florida later this month for the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach on March 30. Next up for OBS will be the Spring Sale April 19-22 with under tack previews slated for April 10-16.

Forensics Unit Building with DNA lab complete at MCSO complex

Kathleen Schmidt, the assistant Forensic Director for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, who is retiring, left, speaks as her replacement, Ashley Vidot, right, listens during a meeting of the Cold Case Volunteer Services at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in Ocala on March 8. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

By Eadie Sickler Correspondent

ll evidence on current and past criminal investigations must be stored somewhere, and a building

holding such items is now fully functional at the Marion County Sheriff ’s Office (MCSO) complex on Northwest 30th Ave. in Ocala. The Forensics Unit building features a DNA Laboratory, offices for Laboratory personnel,

as well as sensitive DNA equipment related to such cases, including articles of evidence that could be as large as vehicles and mattresses to things as small as a hairpin, and everything in between.

Evidence and DNA are being sought from each of these items in hopes of lending evidence to criminal investigations, current or older. Old cases are typically referred to as “cold” cases. Use of the term “DNA” is quite common in today’s vocabulary, but the history of it is little known. The acronym DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic Acid. First identified by Swiss chemist Friedrich Miescher in 1869, it wasn’t until 1953 that biologist James Watson and physicist Francis Crick recognized that DNA exists with other properties, allowing it to be used in many applications, including investigative, medical, etc. Since that time, DNA research has accelerated exponentially. Jim Phillips, chairman of the Cold Case Unit and a retired Marion County prosecutor, said that when DNA was first used in forensic testing, a spot of blood as big as a dime was necessary to be able to find useful clues. “Today, even being able to swipe a cord, for example, that may have been used to strangle a victim, might be able to produce sufficient evidence. Hair, skin or saliva are all used to gather DNA,” Phillips said. DNA is what is accessed by anyone who sends in a mail order

kit to trace his or her ancestry today. Seemingly on a daily basis, modern technology is producing miraculous tools and very sophisticated methodology, which helps to solve cases previously thought unsolvable. Phillips said that there is astounding technology available today, such as using a fine instrument to drill into dried skeletal remains to extract possible evidence linking a victim to criteria such as age, gender, race and geographical area of residence. That information would then be entered into a database to try to identify a family member. Construction of the Forensics building at the complex started in 2007. Today, all functions of the Forensics Unit have been successfully moved into the new facility. Kathleen Schmidt, assistant director of Forensics, who has been with the MCSO for nearly 29 years, has announced that she will resign soon, due to relocating to another county. DNA Technology Employee Ashley Vidot, who has worked for the department for almost 10 years, will replace Schmidt upon her resignation.

AERIAL MAP

Case Number: Parcel Number: Property Size: Land Use Designation: Zoning: Proposal:

P & Z Meeting: February 14, 2022 Location Map

ZON22-44645 23816-000-00 Approximately 15 acres MI-SD, Medium Intensity/Special District (City) No Zoning Request to change zoning to R-3, Multi-family Residential, for property located on the east side of SW 43rd Court in the 3600 block (across from Saddlewood Elementary).

MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

City Council postpones vote on planned development across from Saddlewood Elementary By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com

he Ocala City Council voted unanimously Tuesday, March 15 to postpone approval of a multifamily residential development located on the east side of Southwest 43rd Court in the 3600 block, across from Saddlewood Elementary, until April 19. Applicant Catalyst Development Partners II, LLC, a company based out of Georgia, wished to postpone a vote until council had voted on another planned development project on 44th Avenue, according to Fred Roberts, attorney for the applicant. “We’d like these two [developments] to run parallel or at least for this application to be heard after the other,” said Roberts at the March 15 city council meeting. Tuesday was the second of two public hearings. The first public hearing was held on March 1. Council was considering a development agreement that would approve the 26.63 acres of property for a zoning change to “R-3 Multi-family Residential,” specifically 15 acres to the south of the property, which allows a maximum of 12 units per acre. The remaining 11.63 acres not included in the sale contract will be reconsidered for zoning again in the future. The city had anticipated the future land use for this property to be “Medium Intensity/Special District,” which would allow for a minimum of five units per acre and a maximum of 30. City of Ocala staff expressed concerns about congestion in the area, according to city documents from a Feb. 14 P&Z Commission meeting. They cited concerns that the transportation infrastructure is not currently in place to accommodate the potential level of development, staff determined. The applicant’s representative suggested that the concerns could be worked out through a custom developer’s agreement that would allow the city to address future development of the property, and require traffic studies and the potential for roadway and intersection improvements such as adding signalization. A traffic study is required, said Tye Chighizola during the first public hearing on March 1. Development that creates 100 or more new PM peak hour trips will trigger that requirement. He also mentioned that a roadway must be constructed on approximately 15 of the 26 acres. “If that roadway is not constructed, then it would restrict the development of any of this property,” said Chighizola. Saddlewood Elementary, Liberty Middle School and West Port High School are zoned to serve students who

Aerial view of proposed property [City document]

Legend she said. “I have been living in Ocala wouldProperty live on the property. Although all since 1972, and I want Ocala to remain three schools are experiencing persistent Parcels beautiful. I know it’s going to continue to localized overcrowding, the city noted grow, but I want my property to maintain that the district has capacity to move its value and not put money in the students to among its other schools. David Herlihy, Marion County School Aerial 2020, Marion County. Acquisition Date: 12/15/2019 developer’s - 02/03/2020. pocket, who don’t really care about Ocala or its citizens.” Acquired Surdex Florida of Transportation. District,bysaid on Corporation. Feb. 14 that the Department school Resolution 0.5ft,not Bandhave R-G-B. Cover 0%to “Why not take all this money and district does theCloud funds ($20 build schools first and then roads?” $30 million project expense) to build Cindy asked the council to general public another school to remedy the capacity applause. “We need those first before we issues. can build anything further. We’re already The school districts capacity is packed to the gills.” 85.5% district wide, which is below the For Donna Rodriguez, who lives off state capacity of 87.5%, according to Southwest 50th Road in Ocala with city documents from the P&Z meeting. her husband and children, traffic was The school district is responsible for a major concern, particularly traffic on addressing localized overcrowding. State Road 200. First Public Hearing Comments “There are three developments going Kimberly Cindy, who lives in Country up right around us,” she said. “And it’s Oaks, said on March 1 that the addition insane. The traffic there between 200 of any planned development to that area and Sam’s Club…you can’t get in and out would burden Saddlewood Elementary of there as it is. We have trucks coming especially—a school, she said, that doesn’t through. The roads are not wide enough. have much room to spare. The schools are not big enough. There “We don’t even have enough teachers,”

[

0 295 590 Feet are not enough teachers. Now we’re going to put apartment buildings all around there?” Cynthia Gennero, who lives in Saddlewood Estates, said that recent growth in the city has made her very Prepared by the City of Ocala concerned. Growth Management Department “I understand growth is imminent, it needs to happen,” she said. “But it does not need to be consolidated to one tiny, little area. Our zip code is being inundated. We don’t have the infrastructure.” Gennero told the council that is must build the schools first, and then rezone. “To rezone beforehand is just irresponsible,” she added. “And we did vote all of you in. You said you would stick up for us. And we’re not happy about this. Nobody wants this building. We want to grow Ocala, but we want to do it properly. This is not the way.”

Florida manatee feeding program to wind down as temps warm By Curt Anderson Associated Press

he experimental program that has fed tons of lettuce to starving manatees in Florida will begin to wind down as the weather warms, wildlife officials said Wednesday. The feeding program at a power plant on Florida’s east coast so far has provided the slow-moving marine mammals with more than 128,000 pounds (58,000 kilograms) of food financed almost entirely by donations from across the U.S. and beyond. The federal-state effort is aimed at preventing, as much as possible, another die-off of manatees like Florida saw in 2021. Last year, more than 1,100 manatees died — far above the five-year average of about 202 annual deaths — mostly of starvation because their favored seagrass source of food is disappearing due to water pollution. This year, as of March 4, there have been 400 confirmed manatee deaths in Florida, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Last year at this time, the number of deaths was 430. Ron Mezich, who oversees the manatee provisioning effort for the Florida commission, said the feeding program will continue for another week or so until the manatees move away from the winter, warm-water foraging spots.

“We’re not finished with our operations this year. We’re still trying to finish this year and see how it worked,” Mezich said during an online news conference. In recent days, the manatee attendance at the Florida power plant where feeding takes place has fluctuated from a high of 95 on Tuesday to a low of about 40, officials said. “We are getting fewer animals at the feeding site,” said Brian Spears of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “We are monitoring what the animals do and how they react.” About 7,500 manatees, also known as sea cows, live in Florida waters. They are listed federally as a threatened species, although there are efforts to give them the heightened endangered designation. As of Wednesday, officials said about 83 manatees are being rehabilitated at aquariums and other facilities across the U.S., such as SeaWorld in Orlando. The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta recently took on two young orphaned manatees, part of a larger effort by similar facilities to care for them. The long-term solution is more difficult. Pollution from agriculture, septic tanks, urban runoff and other sources is killing the seagrass on which manatees and other creatures rely, but fixing that issue will require time and money. Florida legislators last year provided

$8 million for several seagrass restoration projects that will get off the ground this year, officials said. But it could take five years to get them done — meaning Florida’s manatees may need more lettuce next winter. “It’s likely we may have to do this again,” said Tom Reinert, FWC south

regional director. Wildlife officials stress that people should not feed manatees on their own because it could cause the animals to associate people with food. Anyone who sees a distressed or dead manatee should call FWC’s wildlife hotline at 888-404-3922.

FILE - An adult and young manatee swim together in a canal, Feb. 16, 2022, in Coral Gables. The experimental program to feed Florida manatees starving because water pollution is destroying their natural food has topped 55 tons of lettuce, wildlife officials said on March 9. [Rebecca Blackwell/Associated Press]

MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

Center January jobless rate for Dentistry inches up slightly

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Ocala metro information industry hits 20% job growth rate, third fastest in state By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com

he unemployment rate in the tri-county region consisting of Marion, Citrus and Levy counties was 4.3% in January 2022—0.2 percentage point higher than the previous month, and 2.2 percentage points lower than the region’s year ago rate of 6.5%, according to a CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion (CLM) press release on March 14. Across the region, the labor force was 207,742, up 3,276 over the year for an annual growth rate of 1.6%. The number of those with jobs was 198,841, an increase of 7,610 more than January 2021. The number of unemployed dropped by 1,187 in January 2022 compared to a year ago, for a total of 8,901. The January and subsequent February jobs reports reflect annual benchmarking conducted every March by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics and Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) to realign employment estimates as well as revise historical data. January 2022 employment data was released on Monday, March 14. February’s data will be released next Friday on March 25. Rusty Skinner, CEO of CareerSource CLM, noted that with the annual “recalibration” of data, it’s common to see shifts from numbers posted the previous December. “While unemployment numbers increased in all counties, undoubtedly due to seasonal retail reductions,” said Skinner, “the number and rate of unemployed has declined [overall] from January 2021.” “Despite these temporary blips,” he added, “our local economy is showing positive overall growth in employment.” Marion County had the 12th highest unemployment rate in the State of Florida, up from 13th in December of 2021. Ocala was again the fifth highest amongst metro areas. According to the March 14 release of preliminary employment numbers by the DEO, Marion County holds a jobless rate of 4.1%, up from 4.0% in December and down 2.2 percentage points from January 2021. Marion County’s labor force grew by 897 to 143,205; the number of those with jobs fell by 307 to 137,335; and the number of unemployed increased by 1,204 to 5,870. Compared to the same time last year, when the jobless rate was 6.3%, the labor force expanded by 2,335; the number of employed increased by 5,334; and the number of unemployed dropped to 2,999. Compared to all the metros across the state, the Ocala Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) posted the

third fastest annual job growth rate in information at 20%, growing faster in the metro area than statewide. Trade, transportation and utilities, at 6.3%, also grew faster than statewide over the year. In addition to information, which added 100 new jobs over the year, and trade, transportation and utilities, with 1,700 new jobs, industries gaining jobs over the year in the Ocala MSA were leisure and hospitality (+700 jobs); mining, logging and construction (+200 jobs); financial activities (+200 jobs); and other services (+100 jobs). Manufacturing and professional and business services industries were unchanged over the year. Industries losing jobs compared to January 2021 include government (-300) and education and health services (-100 jobs). With the release of revised historical data, the DEO said that the State of Florida surpassed pre-pandemic total nonagricultural job growth in October 2021 and that the state’s labor force exceeded the pre-pandemic level set in June 2021, one month earlier than previously reported. The state initially estimated a 4.4% unemployment rate for December but dropped it to 3.5% on March 14, largely because of benchmarking revisions, indicating resurgence in most job sectors despite lingering impacts from the pandemic and mounting inflation. More importantly, the figures indicate the state has recaptured all 1.28 million jobs lost in early 2020. Adrienne Johnson, chief economist at the DEO, said the federal-driven revisions showed the state recovered quicker than previously reported, with the state now below the federal unemployment rate for 14 consecutive months. “We continue to see positive growth across all industries,” Johnston said. “It seems like people are highly encouraged to engage back into the labor force. So, overall, things are very positive. The outlook is looking good for Florida.” Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.5% in January 2022, unchanged from the revised December 2021 rate, and down 2.5% points from a year ago. Florida’s seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment was 9,163,800, an increase of 25,300 jobs (+0.3%) over the month. Unemployment rates rose in all of Florida’s 67 counties. The state gained 504,000 jobs over the year, an increase of 5.8%. There was 364,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 10,448,000. Nationally, the number of jobs rose 4.7% over the year. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.0% in January. “News Service of Florida” contributed to this report.

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MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

State Lawmakers Pass $112.1 Billion Budget to End Session

A traditional hanky drop ended the 2022 regular legislative session. [Jim Turner/Florida News Service]

By Jim Saunders, Ryan Dailey and Jim Turner Florida News Service

lorida lawmakers passed a record $112.1 billion budget Monday to end a legislative session dominated by fierce debates about issues such as education, abortion and immigration. Only three lawmakers voted against the electionyear spending plan, which was pumped up by federal stimulus money and higher-than-expected state tax collections. It funnels money to myriad issues, including higher funding for public schools and pay raises for state employees, and is a 10.4 percent increase from a budget approved for the current year. “This is a good budget,” House Appropriations Chairman Jay Trumbull, R-Panama City, said before the House voted 105-3 to approve the budget (HB 5001).

“It’s a great budget for Florida and its long-term success. This budget has record funding for many important programs and creates record reserves to position our state to weather future storms.” The session was originally scheduled to end Friday, but a delay in finalizing the budget forced lawmakers to extend until Monday. The session adjourned at 1:03 p.m., after votes on the budget and a series of related bills. Gov. Ron DeSantis joined lawmakers during a “sine die” gathering on the Capitol’s fourth floor that included a traditional hanky drop marking the end of the session. DeSantis touted Florida as the “best law and order state in the entire country,” pointing to issues such as bonuses that will go to first responders and incentives to try to attract more law-enforcement officers from other states.

He also alluded to some highly controversial issues, such as a bill that includes preventing instruction in early school grades about sexual orientation and gender identity — a measure that critics labeled the “don’t say gay” bill. “As the parent of three kids that are age 5 and under, thank you for letting me and my wife be able to send our kids to kindergarten without them being sexualized,” said DeSantis, whose comments at the ceremony were briefly interrupted by a protester who rained fake $100 bills on the gathering of lawmakers and onlookers. While almost all Democrats voted for the budget, they blasted Republicans for focusing during the session on issues designed to appeal to the Republican base. Among other things, lawmakers passed measures to prevent abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, increase immigration

enforcement and create a new state office to investigate alleged election irregularities. “This was a pure and simple culture war that we saw here,” House Minority Leader Evan Jenne, D-Dania Beach said. “So much emphasis being placed on things that really have little to no impact on people’s everyday lives. And, really, what we’re looking at is (an) erasure of certain communities. A demonizing and an otherizing of other communities. And, really, I’d have to say it’s been the most partisan and culturally driven session that I’ve ever been a part of, and that is not a good thing.” Democrats said the GOPdominated Legislature did not address issues such as the troubled property-insurance system, as homeowners face soaring premiums and lose policies. “People are concerned about workforce housing and the insurance crisis,” Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Plantation, said. “They have to make decisions about whether (to put) dinner on the table, paying for gas or getting to work on time, but we’re up here fighting culture wars.” But Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, said lawmakers got a lot done amid the controversies. “I think when everyone settles down, looks at what we got accomplished, those things will still be a discussion. But the overall product delivered in session was a very accomplished session,” said Stargel, who sponsored the abortion limit along with being the Senate’s chief budget writer. “We got a ton done. A lot of the rhetoric took a lot of priority. But I think after that’s all settled, it will have been a great year.”

The Senate voted 33-0 to pass the budget, while the House backed it in a 105-3 vote. The dissenters were Rep. Michael Grieco, D-Miami Beach, Rep. Dotie Joseph, D-North Miami, and Rep. Anthony Sabatini, R-Howey-in-the-Hills. DeSantis has line-item veto power, with the budget slated to take effect July 1. The budget includes a nearly $385 increase in per-student funding in the Florida Education Finance Program, the main formula for distributing money to public schools. Also, it includes increased money to continue an effort to boost minimum teacher salaries to $47,500. Other areas of the budget include a 5.38 percent across-theboard pay hike for state workers, money to provide a $15 minimum wage for workers at nursing homes and other Medicaid providers and $650 million to build a new prison. Meanwhile, a tax package, valued at $658 million, includes suspending state gas taxes for one month in October. Also, it includes a series of sales-tax “holidays,” such as for back-toschool shoppers and for people buying supplies in advance of hurricane season. Sen. Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, said when people look back at the session, they will see substantial tax cuts, increased parental choice and improvements to the environment, which are popular issues with his constituents. “We spent more on clean water projects this session than we ever have,” Rodrigues said. “The number one issue in my district, by the way, is water quality. I can go back and show them great work we’ve done.”

Oversight Board Opposes ‘Marsy’s Law’ for Police By Florida News Service

Miami police-oversight board Wednesday urged the Florida Supreme Court to reject arguments that a 2018 constitutional amendment known as “Marsy’s Law” applies to law-enforcement

officers. The Civilian Investigative Panel, which probes police misconduct in Miami, filed a friend-of-the-court brief in a Supreme Court case that has revealed divisions among law-enforcement agencies. Marsy’s Law included a series of protections for crime victims, and the case involves two Tallahassee police officers who invoked the law to prevent

their identities from being released after use-of-force shooting incidents in which they were threatened. The officers argued they were victims in the incidents. The 1st District Court of Appeal last year agreed with the officers, leading the city of Tallahassee to take the case to the Supreme Court. In the brief Wednesday, lawyers for the Miami police-oversight panel wrote that the appeals court “failed to interpret key provisions of Marsy’s Law in context” and that the ruling should be overturned. “Allowing police officers, whose sworn duty as public servants is to investigate and respond to crimes, to don the robe of ‘victim’ under Marsy’s Law and prevent the public from learning of their involvement in incidents

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MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

5 questions for Craig Waters

Craig Waters gained international fame as spokesman for the Florida Supreme Court during the 2000 presidential recount. [Photo supplied, Florida Supreme Court]

By Dara Kam Florida News Service

n iconic image of Craig Waters wielding a megaphone while addressing a crowd outside the Florida Supreme Court captured the essence of the state’s frenzied presidential recount in 2000. Waters, 65, the court’s longtime spokesman, retired last month. A Pensacola native and lawyer, he introduced the court to the internet and social media. The News Service of Florida has five questions for Craig Waters, with responses edited for length.

Q: You catapulted to fame with a megaphone while

addressing reporters on the steps of the Florida Supreme Court. What is your biggest takeaway from that chapter in U.S. history, which some people characterize as a circus? WATERS: Well, outside the building was definitely a circus. But my goal was to organize the circus as much as I could, to create an orderly appearance and also to create an orderly process that was fair to the press and to the public. That’s a real challenge. When Justice (Gerald) Kogan first asked me to start putting together a public information function here at the court, none had existed previously. He kind of gave me two things that he wanted me to keep in mind. The first was he was very, very concerned about the scandals that had happened here at the Supreme Court in the 1970s. … Justice Kogan firmly believed in that old saying of (the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis) Brandeis that sunshine is a great disinfectant. And he really wanted sunshine to come into the Florida Supreme Court, to keep it honest and to make sure that the court never ended up in the situation it was in in the 1970s. … But when Kogan was doing this, he also had in mind something that was very recent at that point in time, and that was the O.J. Simpson trial. The O.J. Simpson trial was almost the classic, modern version of a court turning into a circus. It created a black spot on the image of judges throughout the nation for quite a while. Judges were very concerned about the implications of it, or at least what they thought the implications were. After the O.J. Simpson trial, there were a lot of judges around the nation who felt that being so open with the press … was a mistake. They felt that if any judge tried to have that degree of openness, they would ultimately, in these extreme cases, very high-profile cases, they would end up with a runaway media circus that made the courts look foolish. Justice Kogan felt that we could have openness without the foolishness. The trick for me was to find the way to balance those two extremes to come up with openness and transparency but make it orderly enough so that it did not descend into a mob scene in which people questioned whether justice was achieved. … So when Bush v. Gore happened, to me it was like the ultimate test of whether I could meet the challenge Justice Kogan gave me. Could we have openness and transparency but avoid that mob circus scene that made justice itself look like an illusion. I think we achieved that in 2000. … Bush v. Gore was the time when this idea that Justice Kogan had was put to the test and it succeeded, succeeded beyond anybody’s wildest expectations.

Q: That’s a great historical perspective. Do you have a

favorite anecdote from that frenetic time? WATERS: The one people asked me the most about was the Aunt Ethel episode. It was right before

Thanksgiving, and I was out doing one of my daily q-and-a’s with the press, and the press was very anxious about the idea that they might have to work over Thanksgiving standing out in front of the Florida Supreme Court building here in Tallahassee. … I was getting frustrated trying to figure out a way to drive home the point to the press that we were going to do our best to make sure nothing happened on Thanksgiving. And while I was trying to find a way to say that, I spontaneously told the press that I had an interest in Thanksgiving, too, because I already had RSVP’d for my Aunt Ethel’s Thanksgiving family reunion in Alberta, Ala. I didn’t think about the implications of saying that on worldwide television when I said it, so within a few hours, the press was hunting down my Aunt Ethel in Alberta, Ala., to interview her. Several of them actually went to her home in Alberta, Ala., and did interview her. Then when Thanksgiving Day came, Gore filed something major that Thanksgiving morning so that I had to go into the court and prepare to make a statement to the press and missed my Aunt Ethel’s family reunion. … That’s probably the craziest episode, but there were so many others. The unusual people who showed up outside of the building. There was one woman who showed up with her pet skunk who could do backflips. So I was literally looking out my window here at the Supreme Court at this woman with a skunk that was entertaining people by doing backflips. We had other groups who had prayer circles form around the building. We had a group of people who I think called themselves “the simulcasters.” They showed up outside the building one day, dressed in these sort of tinfoil costumes with satellite dishes strapped to them. … I asked one of them, why do you have a satellite dish on your back? And he informed me that they were trying to channel positive energy toward the Supreme Court building. Well, I was all in favor of that because I was kind of running low on fuel by that point. … I also found it very unusual that so much attention ended up focused on me. … It reached the point where I finally could not go out in public without an armed security officer with me. … One of the strangest episodes about being recognized occurred on Christmas after it all was over. I was over visiting my mother in Beulah, Fla., which is a suburb of Pensacola, and she decided she wanted to go to the outlet mall in Foley, Ala., and my sister came along. … We were at this outlet mall in some store and I was standing over in a corner minding my own business, when the store manager came up and tapped me on the shoulder and told me that he thought I was gonna have to leave through the rear door of the building. And I said, why? And he pointed to a plate glass window and there was a mob forming. And they all were pointing at me. And this was not a happy mob. This was, of course, George W. Bush country, big Republican territory in Baldwin County, Ala. And they didn’t particularly like what the Florida Supreme Court had done, and I was the face of the Florida Supreme Court for that episode. But it was interesting because it just so happened that the chair of the county commission in Baldwin County was there and saw the whole scene. He came up and shook my hand and started talking with me for a little while, and he was a good Republican. So all these people seeing this local Republican talking to me and shaking my hand seemed to calm everybody down, and I actually was able to leave through the front door.

Q: How would things be different if at all, if Florida found

itself in a similar situation now? WATERS: Well, there were big changes that happened between 2000 and today. One of the biggest occurred only 10 months after Bush v. Gore --- that was the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. That changed the entire tenor of public events, and it certainly created a situation where the physical openness outside the courthouse that we allowed here in Tallahassee became a security problem after 9/11. In 2004, we actually sat down and planned with Capitol police, local law enforcement and others how we would handle it if it happened again in 2004. And during those meetings, it was decided that we did not want to do anything that would draw crowds, because crowds created a security risk that at that point in time was unacceptable. It was perfectly OK in 2000, but 2001 was a different world. So, we actually decided in 2004 that if it happened again, I was gonna make the same announcements that I had been making before about court decisions, but it would be done from inside of the Supreme Court

building with only a token press corps there to serve as a pool, and all of it would simply be broadcast on live television so that everybody would be getting it on television rather than standing outside the court building in person. By 2006, you began to see the emergence of social media, and social media again changed everything. By 2009, the Florida Supreme Court had authorized me to start using Twitter for the first time. We were one of the first courts in the world to do that. The great thing about Twitter is that everything I announced from the front steps in 2000, I can announce on Twitter today and I could achieve a better result. That’s how social media has changed things.

Q: What do you view as your greatest accomplishment

after three-and-a-half decades at the Florida Supreme Court? WATERS: I really think my biggest accomplishment was something that happened in 1994, because it laid the groundwork for everything that came after it. And that was my ability in 1994 to convince the Florida Supreme Court to start using the World Wide Web. … To say that today is almost like saying I breathe air and I drink water. But back then it was something incredibly unusual. The general view that I heard from so many judges back then was that the internet was a fad that was not going to last long. And judges, who are by their very nature conservative creatures, didn’t see any need to go with some newfangled invention that they just thought was a little too out of control. And for this young whippersnapper attorney, who wasn’t that long out of law school, to come to them and say, ‘We need to use this new thing called the World Wide Web,’ that was a step too far for many judges. But I was very lucky that we had justices here at the Florida Supreme Court who were very open to high tech. …But the most crucial person was another justice who happened to be the justice who was assigned to handle the court’s technology acquisitions and other technology issues. Even having computers back then was still relatively new. The justice was Justice Ben Overton. … Justice Overton listened to me, and I finally was able to convince him that the World Wide Web was here to stay and that it was something that the Florida Supreme Court really needed to start using. That was considered starry-eyed nonsense to most courts in the nation at the time. But the Florida Supreme Court let me do it.

Q: How else has the court evolved since you first started

working there? WATERS: There were other changes that were going alongside the technological changes. The court that had come in following the scandal of the 1970s was a reform-minded court. That really grew, especially as governors began to add people with diverse points of view. My first boss was Rosemary Barkett, who was the first woman on the court. I certainly got a chance to see, in her early days and the late 1980s, how difficult a position it was to be the first woman of an institution that was this old. I was really quite amazed at the kind of grief she took, simply because she was the first woman on the state’s highest court. … And I got a chance to work with some really great minds, including Justice Leander Shaw. Shaw was the second Black to serve on the court and he was only the first African American to serve as chief justice. … When I was working for Justice Kogan … he was the chair of the gender-bias study commission and he volunteered me to be the editor of the report that was issued by that commission. I got intimately involved in what they were doing. I got a chance to go through all the testimony they had heard, the many comments of lawyers about the gender bias that was rife in the court system back in those days. It was horrifying, what women lawyers went through. … My early involvement with the gender-bias commission led to further involvement with some of the other study commissions that came, including the racial and ethnic bias commission, and then eventually the creation of a more omnibus fairness commission that also began looking into some of these questions about how the courts had handled diversity issues. … It was a very eyeopening time for someone like me, who had come out of the Deep South as a child. I was born in Pensacola, which was still a segregated city into my childhood, and I remember the segregation in Pensacola. So to be here on the state’s highest court at a time when the court system really began to address the discrimination that had gone on for so long in Florida was an honor and it was a real privilege to see how these great judges handled that.

10 big issues in the 2022 legislative session By Jim Saunders Florida News Service

lorida lawmakers finished the regular legislative session Monday by passing a $112.1 billion budget for the fiscal year that will start July 1. Here are snapshots of 10 big issues from the session: — ABORTION: The Republicancontrolled House and Senate passed a proposal that would prevent physicians from providing abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The heavily debated proposal, which Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to sign, is similar to a Mississippi law under review by the U.S. Supreme Court. — BUDGET: Lawmakers passed a $112.1 billion budget and a tax package that were bolstered by federal stimulus money and higher-than-expected state tax collections. The budget includes such things as funding increases for public schools and pay raises for state employees,

while the state is slated to hold a series of sales-tax “holidays.” — EDUCATION: Perhaps the session’s most-controversial bills involved restrictions on teaching about race-related issues, sexual orientation and gender identity in schools. Lawmakers passed a bill that is an outgrowth of DeSantis’ effort to bar critical race theory and passed a measure that opponents called the “don’t say gay” bill. — ELECTIONS: In the latest round of battles over elections laws, the House and Senate passed a measure that would create a new office in the Department of State to investigate voting irregularities. The bill also would ratchet up penalties for violating elections laws, such as what has become known as “ballot harvesting,” — HEALTH CARE: Lawmakers passed a measure that would revamp staffing standards in nursing homes, as the industry says it faces worker shortages. Also, they passed — and DeSantis signed

— a measure that extends COVID-19 legal protections for hospitals, nursing homes and other health-care providers to June 1, 2023. — IMMIGRATION: Republican lawmakers backed DeSantis’ push to increase immigration enforcement. They passed a controversial bill that, in part, would penalize companies that transport undocumented immigrants into Florida. Also, the bill would expand a 2019 law that sought to ban so-called “sanctuary cities.” — INSURANCE: Lawmakers could not reach agreement on a plan to address problems in the property-insurance industry, as homeowners see large rate increases and lose policies. Also lawmakers scrapped proposals to repeal the state’s longstanding no-fault auto insurance system, after DeSantis vetoed a similar bill last year. — LOCAL GOVERNMENTS: In a closely watched issue for local governments, lawmakers passed a bill that

could lead to businesses filing lawsuits against cities and counties if ordinances cause lost profits of 15 percent or more. The measure would apply to businesses that have been in operation for at least three years. — REDISTRICTING: Lawmakers passed new maps for state House and Senate districts, but new congressional lines remain unresolved. DeSantis has vowed to veto a congressional plan passed by lawmakers, while pushing for changes that could be more favorable to Republicans. Lines need to be set by a June election qualifying period. — SOLAR POWER: After heavy opposition from the solar industry and environmental groups, lawmakers passed a measure that would revamp rules for rooftop solar energy. Backers said the bill, which involves “net metering,” would phase out subsidies from other utility customers to rooftop solar owners, while critics said it would hurt the industry.

A10

MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

DeSantis signs overhaul of student testing

Assistant Principal Sarah Dobbs works with Delilah Connelly, 7, in Barbara Godwin’s first grade classroom at Oakcrest Elementary School in Ocala on Dec. 10, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

By Ryan Dailey Florida News Service

his spring will mark the final time that public-school students will have to take tests known as the Florida Standards Assessments, as Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a measure Tuesday that will revamp the state’s testing system. The overhaul was a priority of DeSantis

during the 2022 legislative session that ended Monday, and lawmakers gave final approval to the bill (SB 1048) last week. “Today, we come not to praise the FSA (Florida Standards Assessments), but to bury it,” DeSantis said during a bill-signing event in St. Petersburg. The measure is designed to replace the current standardized testing system with “progress monitoring” tests, which will require that students be administered

exams at the beginning, middle and end of each school year. Progress-monitoring tests in Englishlanguage arts will be administered to students in grades 3 through 10 three times a year. Math assessments for grades 3 through 8 will be given to students on the same schedule. The first two progress-monitoring tests of the year will be used to “facilitate timely interventions and supports,” the bill said. Teachers will receive students’ results from the exams within one week after the tests, with parents receiving results within two weeks. The governor said the new system would provide results more rapidly than the current system, a change that he said will “bolster the conversations between parents and teachers.” Results from the final tests of the year will be used to determine accountability measures such as school grades and graduation for high-school students. To allow for a transition, data from the final exams’ results during the 2022-2023 school year will not be used to calculate school grades. Flanked by lawmakers, educators and parents at St. Petersburg Collegiate High School, DeSantis heralded the new testing plan before signing the bill with his customary Sharpie. “We think it will increase academic performance, we think it will be more accurate measurement, and we think it’s something that parents and teachers alike are going to be happy about,” DeSantis said. State Education Commissioner

Richard Corcoran, who last week announced he will step down from the position at the end of April, joined DeSantis at the event and said progress monitoring is “very diagnostic,” and “very specific” to each student. “Now you’re getting something that’s fairer to teachers. Because now the teachers are getting that real-time data throughout the year. It’s much more helpful to parents, and most importantly, it’s beneficial to students,” Corcoran said. But critics of the plan have repeatedly argued that it will not cut down on the time students spend taking standardized tests. The Florida Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, responded to the bill-signing Tuesday by saying the measure “fails to meet … expectations” of teachers and parents who hoped the bill would end the state’s “system of highstakes” testing. “When the governor said he was reducing testing, teachers and parents saw a real opportunity to fix what’s wrong with how Florida assesses students. We imagined better outcomes for kids,” union President Andrew Spar said in a statement. “This bill does not reduce testing but increases it. The bill does not focus on student learning or on providing teachers time to monitor and assess children’s progress. In fact, it probably will add more work for already overwhelmed teachers. Most basically, the bill fails students.” The law will formally take effect in July.

VISIT US DAILY ON THE WEB OUR MISSION IS TO INFORM AND UPLIFT OUR READERS BY REPORTING ON THE EVENTS, ISSUES AND STORIES THAT SHAPE OCALA WITH ACCURACY, FAIRNESS AND PASSION.

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MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

People, Places & Things

Completing

each other’spicture

Esta Mann & Rich Schleicher

Two artists revisit art and find inspiration through a novel collaborative show at the Brick.

““MM

By Julie Garisto Correspondent

ixed Messages,” a collaborative exhibit by Esta Mann and Richard Schleicher, shows us that art can be a fun bonding, creative experience, and a viable way of life at any time of our lives. Both of the artists exhibiting at the Marion Cultural Alliance’s Brick City Center for the Arts are over 50, transplants from the Northeast and retired from other professions. Schleicher, 57, a Saint Leo University grad, studied art growing up but veered in a more conventional business direction in college. He sold real estate and managed sales divisions in healthcare facilities. After moving here from the Tampa Bay area, he got involved in the arts community and now serves as a chair of the collection committee at the Appleton Museum of Art. Mann doesn’t reveal her age but calls herself “ancient.” She was born and raised in Manhattan and attended the Parsons School of Design. Her career has been highlighted by accessories design, and she retired as creative director for Ralph Lauren. Mann’s first post-retirement foray into fine arts involved pastel work that she exhibited in New York and New Jersey. When she moved to Ocala in 2013, she got involved with the Ocala Figurative Artists group. “After that, I started painting,” she recalled. “Because I was retired, I had the time to do it. And then I could put all my creativity into that. For many years, I didn’t paint because I put all my creative juices into being a designer and a design director. So, when I retired, I said I have to get back into it.” A thoroughbred she rescued in New Jersey brought her to Ocala when she retired. She wanted somewhere warm and spacious to provide for her horses and dogs. An encounter two years ago at an illustration class, presented by the Ocala Figurative Artists group, got the ball rolling for her collaboration with Schleicher. “We met at a sketch group, and we became friends,” Mann said. “I asked him if he was interested in having a show one of these days, and he said, ‘Sure.’ So, we decided to have one in two years, that was in 2020. The timing was perfect because you know, COVID hit. We had to hunker down. So, April 1st is the opening and it (“Mixed Messages”) runs the whole month

of April.” For the 10 years, Schleicher, originally from Cheshire, Connecticut, studied landscape painting at the Cape School of Art in Rhode Island during the summers. Always curious and seeking to evolve in his work, he would ask Mann for advice from time to time. “I would say we have more in common than not,” he said. Schleicher started painting again around 20 years ago. “MCA used to do a fundraiser and I was on the board for artists,” Schleicher said. “I was in a fundraising show called “The Artist Within,” which would pair a layperson with an artist, and you’d create something. I worked with Margaret Watts, one of the founders of the Ocala Art Group.” When Mann looked at Schleicher’s landscapes, she envisioned what it would be like to paint on them. “It’s interesting because nothing that Rich does is figurative,” Mann explained. “His is all landscapes and still life. I, on the other hand, always say I love to paint and draw things with eyes. I don’t care what it is, but it has to have eyes. So, it’s a nice combination.” Humor and a variety of moods infuse Schleicher and Mann’s collaborative works to be displayed in Mixed Messages. They also plan to present a talk that will involve young prospective artists. “I was thinking I’d love to help middle school kids because you know that time is the most difficult, or at least it was for me,” Mann said, adding that she had the opportunity to confront her bullies later on in life and she would like to invite pre-teens to come and listen to a talk and enlist Schleicher to lead some collaborative games. If you ask the duo, you’ll discover that the collaborative process is fun, which should inspire aspiring artists of all ages. “It kind of was like let’s try to do something different, and we have,” Schleicher effused. “You can see that we have such different styles. It was fun to put each of our takes on each other’s work, and sometimes we did go back and forth. … We’re very fortunate to do this. We love Ocala. We’ve been very lucky here.” “Mixed Messages” opens at the Brick City Center for the Arts on April 1. For more information about the show and MCA, visit mcaocala.org.

Harmony

Oil on Canvas - Esta Mann (with cat)

By Esta Mann

Cottages Oil on Board

By Esta Mann & Rich Schleicher

Palm Springs Mixed Media Collage

By Esta Mann & Rich Schleicher

MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

Poodles pop in popularity, but Labs still No. 1 US dog breed to them.” Poodles historically were water retrievers, and they remain athletic animals renowned for their smarts, not to mention their allergy-friendly coats. Hinds-Athan’s poodles have made therapy visits in hospitals and compete in obedience. Other poodles work as guide dogs for the blind, hunt or compete in agility or other dog sports. Their intelligence comes with some high expectations, Hinds-Athan says: In training, “if you’re going to fuss at them, you’d better be really right. Because if you’re not really fair with them, they remember it.”

AND DOODLES?

By Jennifer Peltz Associated Press

a pointer, #120). So we’ve rounded up (like a border collie, #31) some highlights:

Labrador retrievers are still tugging hardest on U.S. dog lovers’ heartstrings, but poodles just strutted back into the American Kennel Club’s top five most popular dog breeds for the first time in nearly a quarter-century. The club’s annual popularity rankings came out Tuesday, drawn from more than 800,000 purebred puppies and older pooches that joined the nation’s oldest canine registry last year. With 197 recognized breeds, the list ranges from such familiar furry faces as Labs — No. 1 for an unprecedented 31 straight years — to the newly added Biewer terrier (making a strong debut at #82) and unusual pups like the hairless Xoloitzcuintli (#119). For dog fans, there’s plenty to dig into (like a dachshund, #10) and point out (like

TOP 10

After Labs, the top 10 are: French bulldogs, golden retrievers, German shepherds, poodles, bulldogs, beagles, Rottweilers, German shorthaired pointers and dachshunds.

OODLES OF POODLES

Poodles reigned as top dog from 1960 to 1982 before falling off somewhat in popularity. But in the new statistics, they reclaimed the fifth spot for the first time since 1997. (The standard, miniature and toy sizes are all counted as one breed.) With their proud stance and elaborate cut in the show ring, “they do have a reputation, in some circles, as just being froufrou,” says longtime poodle owner and sometime breeder Page Hinds-Athan of Roswell, Georgia. “There’s definitely more

SECOND VOLUME OF COOK COLUMNS RELEASED

[supplied]

By Ocala Gazette staff

or many years, veteran journalist David Cook educated and entertained readers through his “The Way It Was” columns in the “Ocala Star-Banner.” It was through these writings that many newcomers came to learn about the community and longtime residents remembered events from the past. The columns included historic photographs to add depth and context to the narrative. In 2019, Cook published “The Way It Was: A Trek Through Marion County’s Past,” with some help from his friends at the Historic Ocala Preservation Society (HOPS), who underwrote the publication costs and noted local artist Margaret “Peggy” Watts, whose artwork adorned the cover. The book of his columns

quickly sold out. Cook died in 2020 and his family followed his notes to select more than 60 columns and photographs to create “The Way It Was: A Trek Through Marion County’s Past, Volume 2.” The new book is available at Your Hearts Desire, 1915 E. Silver Springs Blvd.; the Shannon Roth Collection, 22 S. Magnolia Ave.; and HOPS headquarters, 712 SE Fort King St., all in Ocala. The cost is $25. HOPS and Watts also provided support and cover art for the second volume. Cook’s family is once again donating proceeds from book sales to HOPS. Cook began working at the “StarBanner” in 1953. In 1967, he left the area to serve as associate editor of the “Tallahassee Democrat.” He returned to the “Star-Banner” in 1979. During his years there, he served in positions including executive editor and editorial page editor. He retired in 1997 but continued to write “The Way It Was” columns until 2014. All of Cook’s columns and their background material have been digitized by the Marion County Clerk of the Court’s office and can be found at www. marioncountyclerk.org/david-cook. “His work and local knowledge continue to be invaluable reference points for news and personal research,” noted public relations professional Toni James in a news release. For more information, contact James at (352) 875-5780 or tonijames@cox.net.

ON THE RARE SIDE

The rarest breed last year was the Norwegian lundehund, consistently sparse in the U.S. The smallish dogs boast extra toes and unusual flexibility that once helped them climb Norwegian cliffs to hunt puffins nesting in narrow crevices.

BREEDS ON THE RISE

The standings often don’t change a lot from year to year, but they do over time. Eight breeds, from the low-lying Pembroke Welsh corgi (#11) to the towering great Dane (#17), have entered the top 25 since the start of the century. Some have made Olympian leaps in popularity. French bulldogs, now #2 and

DOG BREEDING DEBATED

Some animal-rights advocates say dog breeding itself is a problem. They argue that fanciers focus more on dogs’ appearance than their health and that promoting purebreds ends up fueling puppy mills and stranding other dogs in shelters. The AKC says it and its affiliated breed clubs champion and invest in dog health, including through an AKC-affiliated foundation. The club also maintains that properly done breeding has a purpose: to produce dogs with known traits, from size to sniffing ability, that fit different human needs and lifestyles. New purebred registrations, which are voluntary, have increased by 45% in a decade, the club says.

Take a mysterious journey Take awith mysterious journey the play with the play UNDERNE ATH THE LINTEL UNDERNE ATH THE LINTEL baedeker's travel guide

baedeker's batravel edekguide er's travel guide

A long-overdue book. A long-overdue life. A long-overdue book. long-overdue NotAall who wanderbook. are lost. A long-overdue life. A long-overdue life. Not all who wander are lost. Not all who wander are lost.

FILE - Memo, a Labrador retriever, competes in the sporting group during the 142nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, at Madison Square Garden in New York, Feb. 13, 2018. The American Kennel Club’s annual popularity rankings come out Tuesday, March 15, 2022, and Labrador retrievers are the top dog. [Mary Altaffer/Associated Press]

Poodles also make up part of several popular hybrids, such as Labradoodles, maltipoos and sheepadoodles. The AKC, a governing body for many dog shows, doesn’t currently recognize any of those as breeds. But AKC spokesperson Brandi Hunter says poodle-mix fans have made some inquiries about what recognition would involve. One key requirement is articulating an ideal for the breed, in order to attain some consistency. “The predictability is one of the things that draws people to purebred dogs,” Hunter explains.

a common sight from TV commercials to cosmopolitan streets, ranked a distant 71st in 2000. The cane corso, which wasn’t recognized until 2010, has since climbed from 51st to 21st. The imposing, mastiff-style cane corso goes back many centuries in rural Italy as a farm guardian that also pulled small carts and hunted wild boar. Its versatility endures, says Anthony Simonski, who has owned or bred corsi (that’s the proper plural) that compete in agility, dock diving and other sports and have appeared in TV shows and music videos. While the dogs are protective, “it’s not about being mean — it’s about understanding its job,” says Simonski, of Acworth, Georgia. Simonski has owned corsi since 1998 and is married to Cane Corso Association of America President Rebecca Simonski. He has mixed feelings about their growing popularity, feeling that it draws questionable breeders. “There’s a side of you going, ‘Oh, my God, the cat’s out of the bag.’ But the real problem is what people are doing with that cat once it’s out of the bag,” he says.

Live on stage Live onLive stage on stage

march 3a-r20ch m m3a-r20ch 3 -at20 at at

Volume 1 Volume 1 Volume 1

Tickets $30 for adults $15 for 18 and younger Tickets $30 for adults Tickets $30 for adults $15 for 18 and younger $15 for 18 and younger

(352) 236-2274 ocalacivictheatre.com (352) 236-2274 (352) 236-2274 4337 E. Silver Springs blvd. ocalacivictheatre.com ocalacivictheatre.com Ocala, FL 33470 4337 E. Silver Springs blvd. 4337 E. Silver Springs blvd. Ocala, FL 33470 Ocala, FL 33470

MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

OCT’s upcoming season ‘aspires’ to greatness

The drive to do and be better is at the heart of the eclectic productions scheduled for 2022-23. By Julie Garisto Correspondent

n 2020, Ocala Civic Theater focused on the concept of home as we sequestered in our houses during the onset of COVID-19. In 2021, the theater’s plays set out on fantastic voyages as we scrambled to get a change of scenery. For the 2022-23 season, OCT is zeroing on our desperation to find new solutions to old problems, how we’re transcending the status quo and aspiring to be greater. Whether we’re cutting the carbs to shed “the quarantine 15” or finally launching that long-sought-after project, many of us seem to be wanting something better. This aspirational overtone is palpable to Artistic Director Katrina Ploof. Even in the face of war, crazy inflation and other dreary events, the desire to overcome is precisely why she and her crew are paying homage to the human virtue of striving during the upcoming season. “The characters in these plays are not stuck,” she said. “These characters are moving forward. And so, I really wanted this idea that after being sort of sitting very still and being careful the last couple of years, we had characters who were taking risks that were reaching for something bigger for themselves.” The season opens with Hands on a Hard Body, Sept. 1-18, a

musical that OCT describes as “a tale of pluck, luck and a shiny red truck.” In the play, aspiring truck owners battle it out in a literally hands-on endurance contest in Longview, Texas. The last contestant with their sweaty palms still attached to a coveted Nissan “hardbody” pickup truck gets to drive it home. Meanwhile, entertainers on the scene lighten the load with song and dance. While Hands on a Hardbody might seem a bit zany, it’s actually based on a 1997 documentary of the same name. Amanda Green (Mr. Saturday Night, High Fidelity) wrote the lyrics, and its tunes mix blues, gospel and honky-tonk, composed by Phish frontman Trey Anastasio. The Associated Press proclaimed, “The whole thing is a pleasing, tuneful, heart-filled ode to small towns and American dreams.” Just in time for Halloween, Oct. 20-Nov. 6, Dracula will have us undead to rights. The 1924 play follows Abraham Van Helsing as he investigates the mysterious illness of a young woman, Lucy Seward, with the help of her father and fiancé. He discovers she is the victim of Count Dracula, the titular bloodsucker. Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston adapted the story from Bram Stoker’s novel of the same name. How does Count Dracula fit in with the theme of aspiration (other than causing his victims to

aspirate)? “Dracula is so interesting because he’s going to live his whole life in eternity alone unless he finds someone to live it with him,” Ploof explained. Coming Back Like a Song isn’t a musical per se but features some of America’s most beloved standards. In this fab holiday tribute, which premiered in 2018, Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen and Jimmy Van Heusen catch up and take turns performing snippets and entire versions of their hit songs, including Berlin’s “Cheek to Cheek,” Arlen’s “Over the Rainbow” Van Heusen’s “All the Way.” Emmy Award-winning playwright and a Tony-nominated director Lee Kalcheim (The Paper Chase, All in the Family) brings his wit to the script. Between numbers, the songsmiths reminisce, knock back martinis and ponder rock ‘n’ roll’s influence on American music. Though a holiday-themed show, Coming Back Like a Song is spiked with some racy language. It runs Dec. 1-18. Set in World War II, Into the Breeches imagines a different kind of “Rosie the Riveter” moxie and inspirational tale of intrepid women supporting the boys at war. George Brandt’s dramedy runs Jan. 19-Feb. 5 and follows a local theatrical troupe -- really local; as in Ocala circa 1942 -- led by director Maggie Dalton. The fearless gals decide to take on

the Bard while their husbands, brothers and sons take on the Nazis. As they put on an allfemale production of Henry IV & V, they exhibit the perseverance of “a valiant flea that dare eat his breakfast on the lip of a lion.” Touted by OCT as a charming romance, Outside Mullingar runs March 2-19. The rom-com set in rural Ireland centers on bachelor Anthony Reilly and spinster Rosemary Muldoon, who exchange meaningful glances after Mass on Sunday. Unfortunately, not all is peachy on the heath. The star-crossed lovebirds live on feuding farms, a mini-war that complicates their path toward a rosy “I do.” Tony winner Charles Isherwood (Doubt) wrote this nominee for two 2014 Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk awards. Newsies may be the most familiar of the season’s offerings. Inspired by the 1992 American musical film, the 2011 theatrical Newsies is set in New York and borrows from the real-life Newsboys’ Strike of 1899. The musical (later repurposed by Disney) caps off the season May 4-21, bringing Ploof ’s striving season to a spirited finale. It’s got all the exuberance that’s fit to print, backed by a trio of theater’s biggest powerhouse writers/composers: Harvey Fierstein wrote the book; lyrics are by Jack Feldman with music by Alan Menken. “This is gonna sound

ridiculous, but I probably read 80 to 100 plays over the course of the summer,” Ploof said, adding that “it’s really not as hard as it sounds. Some of them I know already. So, I pick it back up and I’m like, ‘Oh yeah!’” Each year, Ploof gathers a group of readers to help narrow down her choices. “I start banging on the doors of the folks who are on the play-reading committee,” she said. “My vote is in there if we need it; although, we never usually do.” The confab members meet to whittle the list. “We’ll curate this big list down to maybe 35 or 40 and very, very quickly that group of people takes it from 40 to like 20. Then that list gets curated because people get favorites real fast and then we bang it out.” About the season’s aspirational theme, Ploof says she’s sure that theatergoers of all types will relate to the characters in each play, especially with regard to their determination and hope. “They’re all characters who want something more,” she explained. “They either want companionship for themselves or the people they love,” she added. “They want something more for the world, and that’s a wonderful theme because, from the first line of these plays, they’re fighting to get it right.” For season tickets and other information, visit ocalacivictheatre.com.

MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

FLORIDA TOWNS AT THE

Florida

FACTOIDS

Sudoku is played on a grid of 9 x 9 spaces. Within the rows and columns are 9 “squares” (made up of 3 x 3 spaces). Each row, column and square (9 spaces each) needs to be filled out with the numbers 1-9, without repeating any numbers within the same row, column or square.

END OF THE ROAD

Noted author and travel writer Mike Miller of nearby Mt. Dora likes to explore out-of-the-way backroad locales around our state. One of his more intriguing pieces recently focused on a couple of dozen coastal Florida towns located at the end of the road, i.e. one way in and one way out. Today, with appropriate thanks to Mr. Miller, I’ve picked out ten of these unique places to put on your 2022 travel baedeker. But, be careful, you’ve gone too far if your hat floats.

This is a theme puzzle with the subject stated below. Find the listed words in the grid. (They may run in any

In tiny Taylor County, this town (pop. 782) is known for its abundance of Spanish moss, a gazillion herons and the Sea Hag Marina. It is: A. Bagdad B. Cross City C. Steinhatchee D. Bronson Beach

There’s an historic lighthouse at the end of Route 59 in Citrus County on Florida’s “Forgotten Coast.” It is: A. Osceola B. Ozello C. Okahumpka D. Odessa

Take Miami’s Rickenbacker Causeway to Bill Baggs State Park and you’ll dead-end into this unique garden spot at the end of the road where Nixon hung out with Rebozo. It is: A. Key West B. Flamingo C. Dade City D. Key Biscayne

At the western terminus of Florida’s first railroad (and SR 24), it’s home of the Hideaway Tiki Bar famous for its walls made of beer and wine bottles. It is: A. Anna Maria B. Sanibel C. Crystal River D. Cedar Key

At the end of SR 363 twenty miles south of Tallahassee, you’ll get your feet wet in this town and river of the same name in Wakulla County. It is: A. Apalachee Bay B. St. Mark’s C. Suwannee D. Inglis

Elvis stayed in this town on State Road 40, Florida’s coast-to-coast highway, while filming “Follow That Dream” in 1961. It is: A. Yankeetown B. Horseshoe Beach C. Homossasa D. Weeki Wachee

10.

This quintessentially quirky town at the end of the road (and the end of this quiz) “seceded” from the Union in 1982. It is: A. Mayport B, Everglades C. Key Largo D. Key West

You’ll scale 203 steps to the top of Florida’s largest lighthouse at the end of the road in this tiny Volusia county town. It is: A. Ponce Inlet B. New Smyrna Beach C. Ormond Beach D. South Peninsula

Jimmy Buffet and Hank Williams, Jr. were neighbors on this 28 mile long island just off U.S. 98 in the panhandle that is named for a holy dragon slayer. It is: A. St. Mark’s B. St. George C. St. Lucie D. St. Johns

For decades dozens of truly lawless always in a straight line. Some letters are used more than once.) Ring each word as you find it and when yo outlaws ruled this town at the pleted the puzzle, there will be 22 letters left over. They spell out the alternative theme of the puzzle. southernmost Everglades outpost in sprawling Monroe County. It is: A. Flamingo B. Loxahatchee C. Chassawitzka D. Eagle Point Solution: 22 Letters

A night at the opera

WORD FIND

Aida Aria Bass Bennelong Point Cahill Choir Clap Comic Concert Cough

Curtain Dining Drama Dress circle Drinks Duet Encore Excitement Famous Figaro Finale

Horns Libretto Lift Melba Mezzo Mozart Music Note Opera Australia Piano

Pits Saga Sails Soloists Stage Steps Studio Tenor

Answers are on page B7

COMING APRIL 1: An April Fool Florida Montage.

ion: A real treat for the senses

Contact Bob Hauck: bobhauck39@gmail.com

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

Your Hometown HospiceTM

A resorce for our community in providing:

of Marion County

Grief Support - before, during and after loss

Since 1983

arch is national Social Work Month. Our social workers effect positive change with those facing the end-of-life or that of a loved one.

from generation to generation...

They meet with bereaved families and the community, individually and in group settings. They are are available before, during and after a loss.

Social Workers make a world of difference. Hospice of Marion County — your local not-for-profit hospice since 1983 3231 SW 34th Ave | Ocala, Fl 34474 | (352) 873-7400 www.hospiceofmarion.com ANSWERS TO PUZZLES ON PAGE B7

Date: 3/18/2

MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

CF Patriots split a double-header with the Hillsborough CC

The College of Central Florida’s catcher Hannah Meyer (23) looks for the out as Hillsborough Community College’s Mariah Mayuga (2) score.s

he College of Central Florida (CF) Lady Patriots softball team won the early game of a home doubleheader against the Hillsborough Community College Lady Hawks 8-0 on Monday, March 14 at the CF Softball Complex, but dropped the second game 1-9. Pitcher Savannah Barnett (11-3 record) earned the win in game one, while pitcher Katey Pierce (5-2) took the loss in game two. Katie Hogue and Hannah Meyer both recorded two hits with three trips to the plate in the early-game win; Kamaya Cohen had a solo homerun.

The College of Central Florida’s Gabbie Haas (24) scores as she slides past the tag of Hillsborough Community College’s catcher Drew Pope (23) at the plate.

Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

Hillsborough Community College’s Emily Longoria (15) slides safely into second base as the College of Central Florida’s Gabbie Haas (24) loses the ball in the dirt.

The College of Central Florida’s Emily Konz (3) slides safely into second base as Hillsborough Community College’s Olivia Davis (00) looks for the out.

MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

Investing in their future

Photos By Annabelle Leitner Special to the Gazette

North Marion High School alumni form a scholarship fund that keeps giving By Beth Whitehead Correspondent

he sun was shining brightly in the crisp air the morning of March 5 as 80 golfers teed off at the Ocala National Golf Club to help raise funds for the North Marion Winners Circle Scholarship fund. Of the past few years that North Marion High School (NMHS) alumni have hosted the golf scramble to support the Winners Circle Scholarship fund (WCS), this month’s event was by far the most successful. The tournament raised around $12,000. WCS was founded a few years ago by a committee of NMHS alumni, one of whom, George Keep, was in the first class to graduate North Marion in 1958. Keep later served the school as a teacher, athletics coach, vice principal and principal. The goal in establishing the scholarship fund was that monies would be invested with the interest providing future scholarships to seniors graduating NMHS and applying to state-accredited

universities, colleges and trade schools. According to Keep, the liaison between the WCS committee and the Public Education Foundation, the committee wanted to “start a scholarship where we weren’t dependent on how much money we got every year.” They sought to achieve this through setting up an endowment fund. WCS places donations into the endowment fund, which is in turn invested by the foundation. “They service it for us,” Keep said. “They handle all the finances—investment, taxes and all that.” The scholarships WCS has awarded since its birth in 2020 are due entirely to fundraisers Keep and fellow alumni have

organized. A large number of alumni and community members turned out at the March 5 golf scramble in support of this year’s endeavor, including around 30 sponsors such as Sonny’s BBQ, Advanced Electric and Cordwin Tree Service. The fundraisers allowed NMWC to grant $2,000 in scholarships in 2020 and $4,000 in 2021. According to Keep, they aim to award $6,000 this year, with the money raised from the golf scramble being divided between the endowment fund and the scholarships, which are awarded in the amount of $1,000. “I hope that it would give some of the kids a chance to further their education,”

The Four Diamond, World Equestrian Center Ocala. THE ULTIMATE KENTUCKY DERBY PARTY. Friday, May 6th 8:00 pm-10:30 pm Guests will enjoy a display of exotic & classic cars, festive cocktails, fine culinary offerings, scotch & bourbon tastings, luxury brand displays, great music, best derby hat contest & more MOTORSPORTS GATHERING Saturday, May 7th 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. 200+ exotic, classic & muscle cars will be on display at this Four Diamond resort. Join the fun and display your car with us! After the car show watch the Kentucky Derby on 100 ft Jumbo-Tron’s. For sponsor details, tickets or to register a show car: www.festivalsofspeed.com / 352-406-9325

Keep said. “It’s not a lot of money but sometimes can be the thing that decides whether they go or not.” “We encourage students to apply who want to learn a trade, not only those who want to go to college, Keep said. Plumbers, welders, nurses, doctors—we need them all.” “We emphasize need-based,” said he added. “If one student has thousands of dollars in scholarships already and another doesn’t have any or has a small amount, they’re going to try to make it possible for the latter to get to college.” Students may apply through the Public Education Foundation, where the Winners Circle Scholarship is listed among other scholarships. All scholarships awarded are placed with the school the student will attend. Contributions to the Winners Circle Scholarship fund may be sent to: Public Education Foundation of Marion County, 1239 NW 4th St., Ocala, FL 34475, or online at . www.PEFMC.org, where you can click on “donate” and scroll down to select Winners Circle Scholarship.

MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

LOCAL CALENDAR LISTINGS

community MAR. 16-20 & 23-27

World Equestrian Center Ocala Winter Spectacular Weeks 11 and 12 World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala The last of this 12-week hunter/jumper competition ends with Saturday night Grand Prix show jumping in the Grand Arena. Shops, full-service and fastcasual restaurants and pubs are available on site. Parking is free; leashed dogs are permitted.

MAR. 18

Leaf Series: Backyard Butterflies

Sholom Park: 7110 SW 80th Ave., Ocala 10:30am Master gardener Patricia Burns has a talent for raising Monarch butterflies and she’ll share her expertise on how to attract and help these delicate pollinators in your own yard. $5 registration fee. More info at sholompark.org

MAR. 18 & 25

food trucks and the occasional guest entertainer. Rain or shine; recurs every Saturday. Visit ocaladowntownmarket.com for more information.

Marion County Friday Market

McPherson Government Campus Field, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala 9am-2pm Shop locally fresh fruits and veggies, cinnamon buns, jerky, freeze dried treats, olive oils and seafood; recurs every Friday.

MAR. 19-20

Kanapaha Botanical Gardens Spring Garden Festival

4700 SW 58th Dr., Gainesville 9am-5pm This premiere spring festival offers more than 100 vendors featuring plants, seedlings, garden décor and accessories, arts and crafts, and food. Live music and kids’ activities, along with educational events about plants and gardening. No pets allowed. Bring your own wagon for plant purchases. For more info and tickets, kanapaha.org/spring-garden-festival

MAR. 19 & 26

Yoga in the Park

Sholom Park, 7110 SW 80th Ave., Ocala 9am Get your downward dog going. Stretch out by the Sholom Park stage; recurs every Saturday morning. Visit sholompark.org for details.

Ocala Polo Club Winter Games

Florida Horse Park, 11008 S Highway 475, Ocala 1pm Get up close and personal with the equine athletes and their riders at this unique sporting event. Tailgating at polo is the perfect venue to enjoy an afternoon out with your family and friends. Chairs are suggested, food and drink are welcome, tents are available for rent. Leashed dogs are welcome. For more information, visit ocalapolo.com.

MAR. 23-27

Ocala Downtown Market

310 SE 3rd St., Ocala 9am-2pm A variety of vendors offer local fruits and vegetables, meats and seafood, fresh pasta, honey and arts and crafts. Check out some local

After Dark in the Park Movie Series: “Dreamgirls”

Tuscawilla Art Park, 213 NE 5th St., Ocala 8-10pm This rags to riches story of three Black female singers in the ‘60s and ‘70s highlights spirited songs, some social commentary and the Academy Awardwinning performance of Jennifer Hudson. Bring your own chairs or blankets; snack concessions will be available for purchase. No registration required. For more information, call (352) 368-5517.

MAR. 26

Marion County Day

Spectrum International Paso Fino Horse Show

World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 8am-5pm High-stepping Paso Finos will strut their stuff at this international show for this historic Spanish breed of horse. Free parking, vendors and food options onsite. Well-behaved leashed dogs are welcome. Visit floridapfha.org

McPherson Government Campus Field, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala 10am-2pm This free family-friendly event celebrates the history of Marion County and features kids’ activities, a petting zoo, food trucks, storytellers, vendor booth, live music and more. Visit marionfl.org for more info.

MAR. 26

GospelFest

MAR. 24

Farmers Market

MAR. 19 & 26

Monarch butterfly [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

MAR. 20 & 27

MAR. 25

The Town Square at Circle Square Commons, 8405 SW 80th St., Ocala 9am-1pm Large selection of fresh seasonal produce from local growers as well as baked goods, plants, handmade soaps and more; recurs every Thursday. Visit circlesquarecommons.com for more info.

Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, 5000 SW College Road, Ocala 12-6pm Music, children’s activities and food are on tap at the free event, which will raise funds for improvements to the building and to expand programs. Bring a chair or a blanket and your appetite. For more information or to make a donation, contact Gus Gray at (352) 598-6832.

government MAR. 21 & 28

Marion County Development Review Committee McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala 4pm The DRC ensures compliance with the county’s Land Development Code and votes on items such as waiver requests, major site plans and subdivision master plans, preliminary plats, improvement plans and final plats.

MAR. 22

MAR. 23

Ocala/Marion County Transportation Planning Organization Board

City of Belleview Site Plan Committee Meeting

THROUGH MARCH 20

THROUGH APRIL 24

McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala 9am Meets the fourth Tuesday of each month to review area transportation needs and issues.

5343 SE Abshier Blvd., Belleview 9-10am Regular meeting of this committee to review area site plans and business entities.

arts MAR. 18

Ocala Symphony Open Rehearsal

Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala 7-8:30pm See a professional rehearsal as the OSO preps for their performance of “The Unfinished.” Hear from the conductor and enjoy this insight into musicianship and art. Free but must RSVP to info@reillyartscenter.com

MAR. 18

Rock Meets Reggae

Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala 7:30pm More than just listening, this interactive evening encourages guests to drum and dance. Jam with musicians to hip hop, rap, blues, funk and more. $15, tickets available at the box office or reillyartscenter.com/events

MAR. 19-20

Rainbow Springs Art Festival

20804 W Pennsylvania Ave., Dunnellon 10am-5pm Browse sculptures, paintings, metalworks, stained glass, jewelry, photographs and more. Food vendors will be on site and Kenny & the Heads band will perform at noon, Mar. 19. For more info, rainbowspringsart.com

“Underneath the Lintel”

Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala Performance times vary An eccentric librarian (Alex Dagg) finds a battered travel guide in the library’s return bin – 113 years over due. The book has notes in every language scrawled in the margins and a puzzling clue – a Chinese laundry ticket from London in 1913 – hidden in its pages. Both captivated by the mystery and irritated by the late return, the librarian embarks on a quest to seek the borrower’s identity. Buy tickets by phone at (352) 236-2274 or at the box office Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Masks are recommended. For more info or to buy tickets online, visit www.ocalacivictheatre.com.

Garden Party: Botanical Paintings by Susan Martin

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm Florida artist Susan Martin’s photorealistic canvasses explore the botanical world by concentrating on small portions of plant life. Her detailed explorations, influenced by the photographs of Russell Lee, can be observed in her sharp, clean examination of the subject, her preference for strong contrast that reveals surface quality and detail, and an emphasis on composition that comes from years of work in black-and-white. Visit appletonmuseum.org for details.

THROUGH JULY 31

THROUGH APRIL 24

Heart of the Horse: Photographs by Juliet van Otteren

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm The beauty and complexity of horses is revealed through 40 blackand-white photographs by Juliet van Otteren. Visit appletonmuseum. org for more information.

A Strange and Picturesque Country: Etchings by Earl H. Reed

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm Prints from the permanent collection by Earl Howell Reed. Although a largely self-taught artist, Reed’s work can be viewed in the collections of the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago. Visit appletonmuseum.org for details.

MAR. 19-20

“The Unfinished”

Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala Sat. 7:30 pm; Sun. 3pm This concert includes winners of the Young Artist Competition, Kye Richardson and Elisabeth Thomashoff, performing with the orchestra. Classical works from Schubert, Paganini and Shostakovich included. For more info and tickets, reillyartscenter.com

MAR. 20

ANSWERS FOR PAGE B4 1. C Steinhatchee

Florida

FACTOIDS

ART 4 ALL

13 NE 36th Ave., Ocala 3 to 5 p.m. Fort King Presbyterian will resume ART 4 ALL creative gatherings. Projects will include tissue paper sunflowers, children’s paper crafts for spring and slow stitch mini fabric art basics. There is no charge, but donations of cereal, soup, peanut butter and other canned goods for the St. Paul AME food pantry are appreciated. To learn more, go to ftkingchurch.org or call (352) 694-4121.

2. B Ozello 3. D Key Biscayne 4. A Ponce Inlet 5. B St. George

COMING APLRIL 1:

6. A Flamingo

An April Fool Florida Montage. Contact Bob Hauck:

8. C Suwannee

bobhauck39@gmail.com

10. D Key West

7. D Cedar Key 9. A Yankeetown

Sudoku

Newsday Crossword

MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

music nig ghtlife nightlife

MAR. 18

Noah Hunton

The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 6-9pm Dinner, drinks, and entertainment. For details, visit worldequestriancenter.com/events.

MAR. 18

Humans in Disguise Charlie Horse 2426 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 7pm Live music. Also, karaoke Wed.-Sat.

MAR. 18

Paradigm Party Band The Town Square at Circle Square Commons 8405 SW 80th St., Ocala 6-9pm Free and open to the public. Visit circlesquarecommons.com for details.

MAR. 19

Rebel Soul Charlie Horse 2426 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 7pm Live music. Also, karaoke Wed.-Sat.

MAR. 19

CF’s International Film Series concludes with ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ on March 29 By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com

he College of Central Florida (CF) Ira Holmes International Film Series concludes its 60th anniversary season with the classic coming-of-age drama “To Kill a Mockingbird,” on Tuesday, March 29. Released in 1962 and starring Gregory Peck in an Oscar-winning performance as Atticus Finch, “To Kill a Mockingbird” is the film adaptation of the titular novel by Harper Lee. The book, first published in 1960, focuses on racial injustice in the segregated South and is widely considered a classic of modern American literature, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961. Directed by Robert Mulligan, the motion picture was nominated for eight Academy Awards in 1963, winning three—Best Actor for Peck, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Art Direction-Black and White. It features supporting performances from Mary Badham, Phillip Alford, Estelle Evans and Robert Duvall in his first film role as Arthur “Boo” Radley. “To Kill a Mockingbird” will be shown at 2 p.m. at the Appleton Museum of Art, located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., and at 7 p.m.

at the CF Ocala Campus, located at 3001 S.W. College Road, Building 8, Room 110. On Wednesday, March 30, at 12:30 p.m., university professor, author and book editor Dr. Gilbert B. Rodman will host an online film talk and Q&A session on Zoom. A bonus film shorts festival, featuring Chris Marker’s “La Jetée,” Louis Malle’s “Vive le Tour” and more, all films from 1962 when Professor Holmes first began the

long-running program, is scheduled for April 12. Films at the Ocala campus are free and open to the public, while films at the Appleton are free to all museum and film series members. Nonmembers must pay museum admission. Be advised that some films in the series may contain mature content. For more details on the series or how to join the film talk and Q&A session, visit CF.edu/filmseries.

Bad Kitty Band The Town Square at Circle Square Commons 8405 SW 80th St., Ocala 6-9pm Free and open to the public. Visit circlesquarecommons.com for details.

TIPS TO SAFELY “COEXIST” WITH OUR STATE REPTILE

MAR. 23

JR Lewis

The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 6-9pm Dinner, drinks, and entertainment. For details, visit worldequestriancenter.com/events.

MAR. 23

Ray of Life Charlie Horse 2426 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 6pm Live music. Also, karaoke Wed.-Sat.

MAR. 24

Sandra & Alex Lekid The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 6-9pm Dinner, drinks, and entertainment. For details, visit worldequestriancenter.com/events.

MAR. 24

Brandon Dull Charlie Horse 2426 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 6pm Live music. Also, karaoke Wed.-Sat.

MAR. 25

File photo: Alligators at Silver Springs State Park, July 2018

By Ocala Gazette Staff

n February 22, Florida wildlife officials announced they killed a male alligator measuring 11 feet, 10 inches long, after it swam within inches of a paddleboarder at Silver Springs State Park last fall. They suspect the alligator had been illegally fed and probably started associating people with food. Although the American alligator can be found in freshwater lakes,

CF STUDENT NAMED FLORIDA’S TOP WORKFORCE-BOUND SCHOLAR

Justin Lee Partin The Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala, 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala 6-9pm Dinner, drinks, and entertainment. For details, visit worldequestriancenter.com/events.

MAR. 25

Second Slice Charlie Horse 2426 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 7pm Live music. Also, karaoke Wed.-Sat.

MAR.26

Torn

Charlie Horse 2426 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 7pm Live music. Also, karaoke Wed.-Sat.

MAR. 26

TC & Sass

The Town Square at Circle Square Commons 8405 SW 80th St., Ocala 6-9pm Free and open to the public. Visit circlesquarecommons.com for details.

ponds, swamps and slow-moving rivers in all 67 counties in Florida, serious injuries are rare. As things start to warm up throughout Florida, alligators become more active and visible, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is issuing tips for residents to safely “coexist” with the animals: • Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator and never feed one. When fed, alligators can lose their

natural wariness and instead learn to associate people with the availability of food. • Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn. • Keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge and never let them swim in fresh or brackish water. Pets often resemble alligators’ natural prey. • Call the FWC’s Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866392-4286) if you believe an alligator poses a threat to people, pets or property and the FWC will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation. The FWC places the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) to proactively address alligator threats in developed areas, while conserving alligators in areas where they naturally occur. Florida has a healthy and stable alligator population, which is estimated at 1.3 million alligators of every size. Find more resources about living with alligators at MyFWC.com/Alligator.

Makayla Cox [supplied]

By Ocala Gazette Staff

akayla Cox of Ocala, a nursing student at the College of Central Florida (CF), has been recognized as

Florida’s top workforce-bound college scholar by Phi Theta Kappa honor society, according to a March 10 CF press release. Named the New Century Workforce Pathway Scholar, Cox will receive a $1,250 scholarship sponsored by the Coca-Cola Foundation. She is one of seven CF students recently named to the AllFlorida Academic Team. Cox was also the state’s top-scoring student in the All-USA Academic Team competition, which drew more than 2,000 applicants. “We are so proud of Makayla,” said Dr. Allan Danuff, associate vice president of Arts and Sciences and Phi Theta Kappa advisor. “She’s excelling in CF’s rigorous Associate Degree Nursing program and is a Phi Theta Kappa honor society student, which requires at least at 3.5 GPA.” “She was selected for the New

Century Workforce Pathway Scholarship and the All-Florida Academic Team not just for her academic performance,” Danuff added, “but for [her] leadership and community service as well.” New Century Workforce Pathway Scholarship applicants must be planning to enter the workforce after graduating with an associate degree or certificate. To be eligible, students must submit an application for the All-USA Academic Team and be selected as a nominee by their college. The program annually recognizes 104 scholars. For more information about CF, visit CF.edu. For more information on the New Century Pathway Scholarship, visit PTK.org.

MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

SCORE BOARD SELECTED MARION COUNTY

HIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE

SPORTS RESULTS MAR. 8 - 14

Results were gathered from MaxPreps.com and compiled by James Blevins

West Port High School’s Rodney Sesler (13) gets thrown out at second as Belleview High School takes on West Port High School in Belleview on March 8. [Alan Youngblood/ Special to the Ocala Gazette]

PREP BASEBALL SCORES

March 14 Belleview Leon St. Augustine Lake Weir

March 8 West Port Belleview

3 9

Trinity Catholic Lake Minneola

Chiefland Dunnellon

0 3

Vanguard North Marion

Gainesville Lake Weir

13 2

Trinity Catholic Williston

18 7

Ocala Christian Academy Seven Rivers Christian

5 20

0 9 13 0 2 6 2 12

COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCORES

PREP SOFTBALL (FAST PITCH) SCORES March 8 North Marion Belleview

9 3

Columbia Lake Weir

14 3

The Villages Charter Trinity Catholic

12 0

Redeemer Christian Ocala Christian Academy

21 2

Ocala Christian Academy Seven Rivers Christian

2 5

March 11

Lake Weir West Port

0 12

Crystal River Trinity Catholic

March 9 State College of Florida, M-S College of Central Florida

1 9

State College of Florida, M-S College of Central Florida

3 5

March 14 Hillsborough Comm. College College of Central Florida

0 8

Hillsborough Comm. College College of Central Florida

9 1

0 1

COLLEGE BASEBALL SCORES March 8 Lincoln Land Comm. College College of Central Florida

6 7

March 11

March 11 6 1

2 3

5 15

12 3

Dunnellon Belleview

Trinity Catholic Mount Dora Christian Acad.

Dunnellon The Villages Charter

March 9 Trinity Catholic Eustis

North Marion’s Jake Tompkins (22) slides safely into second base as Vanguard’s Jake Wells (3) looks for the throw during a game at North Marion High School in Citra on March 14. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

Daytona State College College of Central Florida

2 12

March 13 Daytona State College College of Central Florida

2 10

March 14 Daytona State College College of Central Florida Belleview High School’s Brendan Ness (23) pitches on March 8. [Alan Youngblood/ Special to the Ocala Gazette]

5 16 Vanguard’s CT Antonucci (5) throws a pitch against North Marion on Monday, March 14. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

Belleview High School’s Eric McLaughlin (11) dives back to first base as West Port High School’s Kyle Kitchen (44) reaches for the catch on March 8. [Alan Youngblood/Special to the Ocala Gazette] North Marion’s Sam Cauthen (10) slides safely back to first base as Vanguard’s Michael Long (16) looks for the out on March 14. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

Belleview’s Tyler Jones (18) gets by West Port’s Felix Fraticelli Sanchez (42) on March 8. [Alan Youngblood/Special to the Ocala Gazette]

The Belleview outfield can’t hang on to the fly ball on March 8. [Alan Youngblood/ Special to the Ocala Gazette]

North Marion’s Ross Ray (7) slides safely back to first base as Vanguard’s Michael Long (16) looks for the out on March 14. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

B10

MARCH 18 - MARCH 24, 2022 | OCALA GAZETTE

#Dadication

fatherhood.gov