hen Greg Thompson was a child, he says he was always confused by the idea of falling in love at first sight.
“As a teenager, I became even more puzzled by the concept of falling in love altogether. I can’t imagine how much more complicated it would have been if I had to deal with the option of swiping left or right, perhaps without reading my potential love interest’s profile first,” he said.
For Thompson, it raises the question whether or not two people can fall in love without physically seeing one another, first. Thompson is the executive and artistic director of the Ocala Civic Theatre and has directed and/or choreographed dozens of shows. He has been a member of the Actor’s Equity Association, the Society of Directors and Choreographers and is SAG-AFTRA eligible. This month, he is serving as director and choreographer for an old-fashioned love story that may answer his question about love at first sight.
From Feb. 6-23, love is on stage with “Daddy Long Legs” live at OCT, where two local actors will play out a love story originally penned by American author Webster, the grandniece of Mark Twain, wrote “Daddy Long Legs” as a series that appeared from April to September 1912 in the “Ladies’ Home Journal.” It was published in book form in October 1912. The setting is New England, and the timeframe is 1908-1912. Jerusha Abbott, played by Megan Taylor, is introduced in the opening act as the oldest out of 97 orphans in the John Grier Home.
Being 18 years old with a gift for writing, Jerusha catches the attention of a wealthy benefactor of the home, Jervis Pendleton, played by James Ray Taylor. This mysterious benefactor is smitten by Jerusha’s writing and he decides to pay for her college education with one condition: She must regularly write him letters detailing her collegiate adventures and he will remain anonymously known as “John Smith.”
James Ray Taylor is returning to the OCT stage, where he previously played roles such as Sherlock Holmes in “Baskerville,” Joseph Pulitzer in “Newsies,” Dracula in “Dracula” and Lumiere in “Beauty and the Beast.”
See Daddy Long Legs, page A2
Whistleblower sues Marion County Sheri Billy Woods Lawsuit claims wrongful termination for advocating for humane inmate care
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
The former medical liaison for the Marion County Jail has sued the sheriff’s office, claiming she was retaliated against after pleading for better medical care for inmates, according to court documents.
Mary Coy, a certified jail auditor, worked at the jail from February 2018 until August 2024, when she claims she was wrongfully terminated from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office for bringing forward concerns about the quality of care provided by Heart of Florida Health Center, the agency contracted for all inmate medical care.
Coy is suing Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods under the Florida Whistleblower Act. She first claimed to be the target of retaliation while still employed by the agency in October 2023.
MCSO declined to comment on the pending lawsuit.
Coy was subject to an administrative review and disciplinary counseling during her employment, in response to Coy writing letters to jail executives claiming the facility was not complying with the law and not maintaining proper standards of medical care.
The operation of the county jail has come under scrutiny in recent months following the death of inmate Scott Whitley, a diagnosed schizophrenic. Whitley died on Nov. 25, 2022, after being forcibly removed from his cell by six deputies. The medical examiner ruled the cause of death was homicide. None of the deputies involved in the incident have faced criminal charges as a result.
Whitley’s family filed, and later settled, a wrongful death suit against the MCSO. The “Gazette” sued MCSO to be allowed to share surveillance video of the incident with the public amid its reporting on conditions at the facility. A judge ordered that the publication be allowed to view the footage and report on the findings.
See Whistleblower, page A9
Sarah Jacobs named 2025 MarionCounty Teacher of the Year
By Caroline Brauchler
caroline@ocalagazette.com
West Port High School’s Sarah Jacobs has been honored as Marion County’s 2025 Golden Apple Teacher of the Year.
Jacobs, who teaches ninth and 10th grade English, took home the award at the 35th annual Golden
Apple Gala, hosted Feb. 1 by the Public Education Foundation of Marion County.
“As an educator, you always know there’s something you can be doing better, or there’s something you can work on,” Jacobs said. “I’m constantly trying to improve my craft, and to know that I was able to receive that recognition is just such a huge honor.”
Jacobs thanked all the educators who inspired and molded her during her foundation in teaching, saying she wouldn’t be “half the teacher” without them.
“I wouldn’t be who I am without my parents, without my family,” Jacobs said. “That includes my mom, my sister, my dad, my family in general and my husband—but also all of
these other incredible educators I work with every day.”
Jacobs paid tribute to the five other finalists: Joel Kunz, Jennifer Aderholt, Kristen Wilson, Sarah Burfening and Joan Edwards.
“We’re still all in this together,” Jacobs said. “They still represent our district so well, and they’re incredible.”
As Teacher of the Year, Jacobs has been awarded a three-year
lease for a 2025 Acura from Jenkins Auto Group.
“I drove to work this morning in it, and honestly teared up a little, just because I don’t think it feels real yet,” she said.
Her students excitedly greeted her on her first day back in the classroom after the gala, she said.
See Teacher of the Year, page A6
Husband and wife duo, Megan Taylor and James R. Taylor III, seen during a dress rehearsal on Feb. 4, 2025, are the stars of the play “Daddy Long Legs” at the Ocala Civic Theatre in Ocala. [Photos by Thomas Cuevas/Ocala Gazette]
Daddy Long Legs
Continued from page A1
Megan Taylor has graced the OCT stage many times in roles such as Actress 1 in “Baskerville,” Katherine in “Newsies” and Renfield in “Dracula.”
In this two-person play, the actors have an advantage in “playing” out this love story. James and Megan are newlyweds and, when on stage together, there is hardly anything artificial about their acting.
Melody Murphy, the director of marketing for OCT, says the couple are perfectly suited for this performance.
“The most unique thing is that we have a newlywed married couple starring in this two-person show. They’re perfectly suited for it, and of course their chemistry will be unmatched,” she said, adding that the show is welltimed for Valentine season.
Thompson describes it as an unconventional love story.
“It’s a delightful and unconventional love story that reminds us how love can often surprise us in the most unexpected ways. Imagine ‘You’ve Got Mail’ meets Fitzgerald’s ‘This Side of Paradise,’ adding all the sincerity of ‘Annie Hall’ and the charm of ‘My Fair Lady,’” he noted.
Throughout the show’s two acts, Jerusha’s letters become the meat of the story. They ignite feelings of romance and yearning within Jervis, who himself is somewhat of a recluse.
Thompson’s question about love at first sight runs parallel to another question throughout this story.
“In the case of Jerusha Abbott and Jervis Pendleton, can we believe two people might fall in love just by writing letters to one another?” he asks.
In the first act, Jerusha gets the news that an anonymous benefactor is sending her to college. She is curious about what kind of man would want to educate her, an orphan. She calls her benefactor “Daddy Long Legs” as a pet name based on her brief view of his tall, spindly shadow at the start of the story when she sees him leaving the orphanage, moments before she discovers her good fortune.
After the opening, the dialogue begins between Megan and James as the story is told through letters and song. Jerusha never sees Daddy Long Legs up close, so she uses her imagination and paints him as an old man with either graying hair or a bald head.
“The characters speak through letters to each other, but directly to the audience, as if the person they’re writing letters to was you in the seats,” James said.
In her letters, she describes feeling lonely and outof-touch. The cultured conversations of her classmates about life experiences that she has never had make her insecure.
Jerusha feels ignorant to find that she is the only one in her class who has never heard of significant figures such as Florence Nightingale and Michaelangelo. She laments being so many years behind her classmates because she was not formally educated as an orphan. The value of education quickly becomes a subplot sprinkled throughout the play.
“At its heart, this story beautifully highlights the incredible value of education and how it can truly transform someone’s life and shape their future,” Thompson says.
While learning about the world for the first time, Jerusha shares her emotions with Daddy Long Legs in her letters which, in turn, breathe life into his bones.
“As Jerusha embarks on her journey of self-discovery through education, she generously shares her thoughts and feelings about the world that begins to unfold before her,” Thompson said. “In this exchange, she also opens Jervis’s eyes, who has been so focused on his serious quest for knowledge and excellence that he’s missed out on life’s joys.”
Jervis grows fond of her and her expressive letterwriting over the course of four years, but he does not write back nor give away his identity. He does, however, begin to fall in love with her.
This love story is largely sung and, according to Thompson, there are 13 trunks in the show and the two-person cast moves them constantly throughout to change the scenes. Moving the trunks is one challenge for the duo, but there are other challenges, too.
“Telling a story through letters proves difficult because conversations are done in an almost monologue format and going through emotions while telling a ‘onesided’ story can prove challenging,” James said.
“Also, not crying at the end of the play was rough at first,” he continued.
Megan says she has never had to learn so many lines in her life, and it was exhausting.
“There are times when I have three whole pages of dialogue and song, and James gets to chill in the back and drink his fake whiskey. I envy him,” Megan said. Megan’s voice is rich, commanding the stage. She does a darling job playing Jerusha, with the kind of zest and zeal that cannot be accredited to anything but the actor’s intuition.
James carries the role of Jervis with perfect poise. He graces the OCT stage with charming confidence and a voice that will leave the audience wanting more.
“Our two actors are exceptional at their craft. This has truly been a study in knowing, as a director, when to step back and get the heck out of the way as you realize everything you need is already in the room with you,” he said.
The stage is set with gorgeous props, including antique shelves dressed with antique books, globes, figurines and sculptures.
As the show concludes, Jerusha meets Daddy Long Legs in an unexpected, sentimental way. His identity is revealed after she graduates from college. To Jerusha’s surprise, he does not have gray hair and is not balding but is in fact handsome and young. Cupid’s arrow shoots across the stage towards the end as the two share a soft kiss.
According to Murphy, the play is very family friendly.
“The content and the language are both rated G, and it’s a lovely, relatable romance for all ages. You could bring anyone from your older children to your grandparents to see it, and they’d fall in love with the show,” she offered.
Being a lesser-known musical, there were some unique challenges in its promotion. For Murphy, the challenges were met with joy.
“There’s something fun about knowing we have a delightful surprise in store for our audiences, if we can just get them here to see the show right away. It feels like keeping a delightful secret. Lesser-known shows are often rare, hidden gems, and this one certainly is,” she said.
Murphy added that “Daddy Long Legs” is the kind of show that becomes a sleeper hit, once word of mouth travels.
For Thompson, directing the play has been a fun process.
“Thanks to a fantastic team, I think it’s beautiful,” he said.
“The press was to serve the governed, not the governors.”
- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black in New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)
Publisher Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
Bruce Ackerman Photography Editor bruce@ocalagazette.com
Chris D’Avonzo Marketing Specialist chris@magnoliamediaco.com
Dani Eskridge Director of Operations & Sales dani@magnoliamediaco.com
Andy Fillmore Reporter andy@ocalagazette.com
Greg Hamilton Editor greg@magnoliamediaco.com
Susan Smiley-Height Editor susan@magnoliamediaco.com
Belea Keeney Reporter belea@magnoliamediaco.com
Jane Lyons Account Executive jane@magnoliamediaco.com
Cheryl Specht Client Services Guru cheryl@magnoliamediaco.com
News tips tips@ocalagazette.com
Distribution Inquiries info@ocalagazette.com
Follow us @ocalagazette
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. We also strive to serve as a forum where all voices can be heard and to chronicle our community’s history.
Ocala Gazette (USPS# 25590) (ISSN 27711595) is published weekly by Magnolia Media Company, LLC, PO BOX 188, OCALA, FL 34478. Periodicals postage paid at Ocala, FL. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Ocala Gazette, PO Box 188, Ocala, FL 34478.
The Ocala Civic Theatre is located at 4337 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. Tickets for “Daddy Long Legs” are $35 for adults and $17 for ages 18 and younger. This show is rated G. Buy tickets online at ocalacivictheatre. com. To get tickets through the OCT box office, call (352) 236-2274 or visit 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Share your news
The Ocala Gazette invites you to share your important news events with the community. Email your submissions to info@ocalagazette.com. Please include your name and contact information on the submission.
•Letters to the editor: 200 words or less.
•Honorable Mentions: 150 words or less about an individual or organization accomplishment in the business, education, community service, athletics or other area of endeavor. Attach a photo of the individual or group being honored, if available.
•Upcoming events: Are you holding a charitable or community event that is open to the public? Include the organization hosting the event as well as the time, date and a brief description of the event, along with registration information or other important instructions.
•News tips: Include whatever information you consider relevant.
Newlyweds in real life, James and Megan Taylor are starring in “Daddy Long Legs.”
Megan Taylor stars as Jerusha Abbott in “Daddy Long Legs.”
Photos by Thomas Cuevas Ocala Gazette
Sunshine and music make for a great day
The bands were the stars of the Brick City Bluegrass Festival, but the weather was a close second.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
The hundreds of people gathered on Feb. 1 for the second annual Brick City Bluegrass Festival at Citizens’ Circle were very appreciative of the five bands that came to entertain, but it was the gorgeous weather that nearly everyone was talking about.
Remarks from the audience ranged from, “This is why we live in Florida,” to “You couldn’t ask for a more beautiful day.”
The city of Ocala Recreation & Parks event featured the bands The Wandering Hours, Unspoken Tradition, East Nash Grass, Arkansauce and Pert Near Sandstone. Even the band members were commenting on the “chamber of commerce” blue skies and bright sunshine.
Attendees were seated all around the venue, many of them basking in the warmth while others sought out shade beneath the towering oaks. Food trucks offered refreshments and several sponsors offered information under small canopies.
When Julie Johnson, director of Recreation & Parks, was told that the event was “great,” she replied, “The staff did an excellent job!”
To learn more about similar special events, go to ocalafl.gov/ government/city-departments-i-z/ recreation-parks/special-events/
To see a video from the event, go to facebook.com/ocalagazette
THE GROUND UP
On View Through August 24 A
The band Unspoken Tradition of Ashville, N.C., performs during the Brick City Bluegrass Festival at Citizens’ Circle in Ocala on Saturday, February 1, 2025.
Paige Gilster and Jake Sumpter listen to bluegrass music with their dogs, Bella, 7, and Duke, 13, both German short-haired pointers.
Members of the band Unspoken Tradition of Ashville, N.C., perform during the Brick City Bluegrass Festival.
Luke Keene, 5, center, plays his toy banjo as his grandfather, Earle Keene, left, and father, Earle Keene III, right, look on.
People enjoyed the music and the sunshine during the Brick City Bluegrass Festival at Citizens’ Circle.
Photos by Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette
Black History Awards Gala is set for Feb. 28
The event will honor community leaders and school principals and assistant principals.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
This year’s Black History Awards Gala is themed a “Night of Stars.” The event will be held Feb. 28 at the Klein Center on the campus of the College of Central Florida.
The 2025 inductees into the Black History Archives are Daniel Banks and TiAnna Harris. Clint Hart will receive the Unsung Hero Award and Rosemary Roberts will be recognized as a Beacon of Light.
Banks is a member of the local NAACP branch and an elder at his church. He also is a recording artist and author.
Harris is a native of Ocala and former president of the Marion County Branch of the NAACP and is very active in the community.
Hart, a former professional football player, is the owner of Healthy Harts Fitness and head football coach at Trinity Catholic High School.
Roberts is retired from the U.S. military and the U.S. Post Office. She is very active with her church and community.
Additional honors will be accorded to area Black school principals Victoria Thomas, Dion Gary, Wade Martin, Shameka Murphy, Stacie Newmones, Lamar Rembert, Tracy Crawford, Jason Jacobs, Melicia Cooper, Ronald Jones, Anna StreaterMcAllister, and Diana Elysee. Also to be recognized are Black assistant principals Charnee Bryant, Lisa Coleman, Samuel
Bullock, Tara Willis, Bashannon Hinson, Kelley James, Karen Hall, Steven Powell, Carmen Smiley, Aisha Pete, Cynthia Jones, Jonathan Cannon, Tiffany Drummond and Terrell Davis. Entertainment for the event
will be provided by the KDC Line Dancers.
The Howard Academy Community Center at 306 NW 7th Ave., Ocala, a program of Marion County Public Schools, houses the Black History Museum of Marion County, home of the Black History Archives. In 2004, Hubert Dupree spearheaded the opening of the archives. The initial collection later expanded into the museum, which includes photographs, books and other items that chronicle prominent Blacks and their struggle and progress from the 1800s to the present.
Tickets to the Black History Awards Gala are $60 per person.
“The Black History Gala is not just a major fundraiser for Howard Academy Community Center, but it is a night to celebrate the accomplishments of community members who go above and beyond to help others. We enjoy hosting this event each year because it gives us an opportunity to spend an evening with so many wonderful people in our community; to share and celebrate each other,” said Davida Randolph, program
manager of the academy and community center.
To RSVP, go to marionschools. revtrak.net/HACC/hacc-blackhistory-award-gala/#/v/HACCBlack-History-Awards-GalaTickets
Katrina Colston Thomas, center, poses with Theresa Brooks, right, and Davida Randolph, left, during the Black History Awards Gala at the Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place in Ocala on Feb. 23, 2024. This year’s event will take place Feb. 28 at the
College of Central Florida. [Photo by Bruce Ackerman]
Rosemary Roberts [Photo courtesy Helping Hands Photography]
Daniel Banks [Photo courtesy Helping Hands Photography]
TiAnna Harris [Submitted photo]
CF’s AdventHealth Center for Nursing opens its doors
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
The long-awaited new nursing center at the College of Central Florida held its grand opening to the public on Jan. 30, launching a new era for the education of future healthcare professionals.
The state-of-the-art, $20 million facility bears the name AdventHealth Center for Nursing, located at the CF Ocala Campus at 3001 SW College Road.
“We are honored to support such a remarkable program in its ongoing efforts to train the next generation of healthcare professionals,” wrote AdventHealth.
AdventHealth gave an endowment of $3 million to the center, which will not only fund CF’s nursing program but go toward scholarships for students, said CF President Jim Henningsen.
“This is a game-changing gift that will ensure students now and in the future have the best instruction and opportunities as well as have a lasting impact on our community,” said Henningsen.
Attendees of the ribboncutting ceremony toured the two-story, 42,500-square-foot building with six classrooms, six exam simulation rooms, three skills labs and a testing lab. The facility will house 300 students.
“We look forward to watching this program continue to flourish in the many years to come,” CF wrote.
Through the facility and sponsorship, an AdventHealth Nursing Endowment and a Health Sciences Endowment was created so that CF may apply to grants from the Florida legislature to match AdventHealth’s donation.
“The health sciences endowment will support students in high-demand health care fields including dental assisting, dental hygiene, emergency medical services, physical therapist assistant, radiography and surgical services, plus new programs in cardiovascular technology, diagnostic medical sonography technology and respiratory care,” according to AdventHealth.
The facility is also sponsored by the Ocala Metro Chamber and Economic Partnership, the
has six classrooms, six
current
students
Marion County Hospital District and the Marion County Board of County Commissioners.
“It’s inspiring to see such a
dedicated team come together to offer high-quality care to our community,” wrote the CEP.
“This is a significant step forward
Ocala canine named Farm Dog of the Year
The award was bestowed by Farm Bureau during its recent convention in Texas.
By Susan Smiley-Height
susan@magnoliamediaco.com
The local herd of equines known as the Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses are protected by their human owners as well as a team of “guardian angels,” or Maremma sheepdogs. One of the latter, Sirius, recently was named the Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year.
Jorge and Debbie GarciaBengochea, owners of the nonprofit Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses, traveled to San Antonio, Texas, to accept the award on Jan. 26 during the American Farm Bureau Federation Convention.
Gentle Carousel’s teams of tiny horses bring love to thousands of adults and children each year inside hospitals, hospice programs, assisted living programs and with families, veterans and first responders who have experienced traumatic
events. The horses work with medical professionals in oncology units, intensive care units and with occupational, speech and physical therapists. The nonprofit will celebrate its 28th anniversary this year.
According to materials provided by Debbie GarciaBengochea, recognizing the vital role that four-legged friends often play on family farms and ranches, Farm Bureau launched the Farm Dog of the Year award seven years ago. Rounding up livestock, chasing off predators, opening gates, fetching or carrying tools/ buckets and greeting visitors are among the many tasks performed by farm dogs. The contest celebrates the diverse ways farm dogs support farmers and ranchers.
“Farm dogs often play a dual role as both working dogs and companions to farm and ranch families,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall, in
the release. “Farming is very rewarding but stressful at times. Farm dogs can help ease the burden. It has been a pleasure partnering with Purina for the seventh annual Farm Dog of the Year contest, providing the public a glimpse of daily life on the farm.”
“Guardian dogs are like having a 24-7 security system on the farm,” Jorge GarciaBengochea said. “I feel great about the farm being safe, and very proud of what Sirius is doing to protect the horses.”
A panel of judges with expertise in the pet care industry, veterinary medicine and communications selected the winning canine.
“With support from Nestlé Purina PetCare, he was awarded a $5,000 cash prize, a year’s supply of Purina ProPlan dog food, a trophy plate, a large Purina products basket and more. We also were able to watch the short film they made
about Sirius, with thousands of people in the audience,” Debbie shared.
Sirius is 6 years old. He is from a livestock guardian breed from Italy. The Gentle Carousel website notes that Maremma sheepdogs are usually solid white, but Sirius was born with spots. When he was 2 months old, Mercury, a blue-eyed miniature horse, was born on the farm. He also has spots and an unusual color pattern. The two are characters in the book “Mercury & Sirius,” which is featured during Gentle Carousel’s Reading With Horses literacy programs.
To learn more about the nonprofit, go to gentlecarouseltherapyhorses. com and find them on social media.
in ensuring better healthcare is more accessible, and we’re excited to see the positive impact you’ll have on so many lives.”
Clues sought in animal abuse case
The canine was wounded by an
arrow and had be euthanized.
By Andy Fillm ore andy@ocalagazette.com
arion County Sheriff’s Office and Marion County Animal Services officials are seeking the public’s help to find the person or persons responsible for fatally shooting a family dog with an arrow in southeast Marion County. According to a county press release, the owner found the family dog on a porch with an arrow lodged in her body on Jan. 26. The dog’s owners rushed the injured dog to a UF Veterinary Hospital in Ocala but, due to the severity of the injuries, she had to be euthanized, the press release stated.
A witness near the intersection of Southeast 2nd Place and Southeast 170th Avenue reported seeing “two men leaving the area on Jan. 26, in a brown, 1970s-‘80s Ford F-150 with wooden boards along the truck bed,” the release noted.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (352) 368-7867 and leave an anonymous message.
Have a legal ad you need to publish?
ocalagazette.column.us/place
Alissha McKenna, left, and Tanner Gronlund, right, who are both Level 2 nursing students, work with a Laerdal Nursing Anne simulator mannequin, during tours after the ribbon cutting and o cial opening of the AdventHealth Center for Nursing at the College of Central Florida in Ocala, Fla. on Thursday, January 30, 2025. The new, $20 million, two-story, 42,500 square foot building
exam simulation rooms, three skills labs and a testing lab. The state-of-the art simulation labs give
practice on
medical equipment and procedures. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2025.
Sirius, the Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year, poses with his equine friend Mercury.
Jorge Garcia-Bengochea, executive director of Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses, holds the book written by his wife Debbie Garcia-Bengochea about Sirius and Mercury.
“We definitely spent a few minutes at the beginning of class hugging and high-fiving and being excited together,” Jacobs said.
For her English students, Jacobs turns preparing for standardized testing and reading Shakespeare into an interactive, hands-on experience.
“We do a lot of historical documents and older texts that might not necessarily be the most exciting thing they’re going to sit down and read,” Jacobs said. “So, making them want to push
themselves and want to interact with those texts is obviously a challenge, but it’s one that I try to have fun with.”
Many of the people in Jacobs’ support system are also teachers, including her mother, sister, sisterin-law and best friend—all of whom she hopes she’s made proud with the recognition as Teacher of the Year.
Next, Jacobs will advance on to the statelevel competition for Teacher of the Year. Last year, Marion County’s 2024 Golden Apple Teacher of the Year
Jennifer Brown advanced as a finalist of the statewide competition.
Jacobs said regardless of who’s watching and observing her teaching style, her time in the classroom will remain true and focused on what’s best for the students.
“We have this expression in teaching, ‘Don’t put on the dog and pony show.’ If somebody’s coming through your room, it’s not about making it a huge spectacle. Do what you do every day,” she said.
“I really put my students first, and I’m just going to showcase that and showcase what we do here at West Port, and I’m hoping that that’ll lead to good things.”
Planetary scientist to lecture at IHMC in Ocala
Dr. Pascal Lee will talk about the US Space Program and establishing a base on the Moon.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
Dr. Pascal Lee is a planetary scientist with the SETI Institute, Mars Institute and NASA Ames Research Center in California. He also is a professor of planetary sciences at Kepler Space University. Lee will be the guest lecturer at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, or IHMC, in downtown Ocala on Feb. 11.
Lee noted that when he first arrived at NASA Ames to start his postdoctoral research, Ken Ford, the future founder and director of IHMC, was there.
“He expressed early interest and support for my research and, a few years later, invited me to participate in a NASA Blue Sky think tank meeting he was organizing at IHMC. Since then, I have been so impressed to see IHMC grow. The place is like a time machine. When you step in, you step right into the future,” Lee said of his connection to IHMC, which is headquartered in Pensacola.
Lee is a member of the US National Academies’ steering committee on “A Science Strategy for the Human Exploration of Mars.” He is a recipient of the United States Antarctica Service Medal, the National Space Society Space Pioneer Award for Science and Engineering, the Space Frontier Foundation’s Vision to Reality Award and the Sagan Prize for the Popularization of Science.
Lee offered that his interest in space came at an early age.
During his talk at the Ocala campus, Lee said he will “be talking about the strategic importance for the US Space Program to establish a base on the Moon as soon as possible. And I will discuss good locations to set it up, in particular Clavius crater. Historically, Clavius is the location of the Moon base in the movie and book “2001: A Space Odyssey.” In hindsight, the site is actually exceptionally interesting, so setting up a base there could be an amazing case of fiction turning into reality.”
Lee studied physics at the University of Paris-Sorbonne and holds an M.E. in engineering geology and geophysics from Polytech-Sorbonne. He earned master’s and doctorate degrees in astronomy and space sciences from Cornell University, where he was Carl Sagan’s last teacher assistant, according to materials provided by IHMC. His research focuses on the Moon and Mars, in particular the history of water and ice, and planning future human exploration of these worlds. He and his student Sourabh Shubham recently announced the discovery of a previously unrecognized giant volcano on Mars, the Noctis Volcano.
Pascal has led more than 30 expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica to study Mars by comparison with Earth. He wintered-over for 402 days at the French Antarctic base, Dumont d’Urville, and led the Northwest Passage Drive Expedition, a record-setting vehicular drive across the Arctic along the Northwest Passage, which is now the subject of the awardwinning motion picture documentary film, “Passage To Mars.”
“As a kid, I was fascinated by space travel. I watched a lot (too much) of TV, mostly science fiction series’ like ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Lost In Space.’ I also loved bicycling, which is probably where I got the bug for motorcycling and riding ATVs. The latter is at the heart of the remote fieldwork we now do in the Arctic in preparation for future human missions to the Moon and Mars,” he shared.
“When I was an early teenager, I knew I wanted to work in space, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be an engineer working on rockets or a scientist working on planets. After reading Carl Sagan’s wonderful book ‘The Cosmic Connection,’ I decided I wanted to become a planetary scientist,” Lee added.
In his free time, Pascal likes to be walked by his dog Apollo, fly and paint. He is an FAA-certified helicopter commercial pilot and flight instructor. His oil paintings on Mars exploration and spacetime travel are in collections worldwide.
IHMC is located at 15 SE Osceola Ave., Ocala. The evening lectures are free to attend and begin with a reception. Seating is limited, however, so attendees are urged to RSVP in advance.
To register, go to https://ihmc20250211.eventbrite.com
John Caird
Dr. Pascal Lee
West Port High School’s Sarah Jacobs was awarded the 2025 Teacher of the Year [Public Education Foundation of Marion County].
Ocalans earn honors from Florida Press Club
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
The Florida Press Club hosted its 2023-24 Excellence in Journalism recognition ceremony on Feb. 1 at Hilton Ocala.
Among those honored was the “Gazette’s” Bruce Ackerman, who earned six awards for photography, including:
•Feature Photo Essay Class B-C: Second place, Live Oak International
•Sports Action Class C: First place, Vanguard vs. Miami Central football game: second place, Trinity Catholic girls’ volleyball; and third place, Forest vs. North Marion football game.
•General News Class C: Second place, Fatal migrant farm worker bus crash; and third place, Kissing K-9 Leo goodbye
“The Sports Action category was a clean sweep for me, winning first, second and third places,” Ackerman said with pride.
“This was the 33rd year in a row that I brought home at least one award, most of them first places,” he added.
“I’m so proud the ‘Gazette’ has such an esteemed photojournalist on staff. I believe Bruce is currently the only photojournalist in Marion County working full-time in this capacity, which is alarming in many ways but also emphasizes how special it is that we have him,” said “Ocala Gazette” newspaper and “Ocala Style” magazine publisher Jennifer Hunt Murty.
“Bruce has been capturing
our community’s history in his photographs for more than three decades. All that experience, combined with his commitment to record accurate photographic history in the making, is a true blessing to this community, and not just now but for generations to come,” Murty added.
Ocala’s John Sotomayor, the former publisher of “Embrace Magazine,” who also has worked with “Coral Springs Talk,” earned awards during the event as well, including:
•Multimedia Presentation: John Sotomayor, Alexander Sotomayor and Sharon Aron Baron, “Coral Springs Talk”
•Writing, Arts News, Class A-C: first place, John Sotomayor, “Embrace Magazine”
•Headline Writing, Class A-C: second place, John Sotomayor and Rheya Tanner, “Embrace Magazine”
The ‘Gazette’s’ Bruce Ackerman brought home six awards for photography, including a clean sweep in one category.
•Travel and Tourism
Writing, Class A-C: first place, John Sotomayor and Mark Chesnut, “Embrace Magazine”
•Lucy Morgan Award for InDepth Reporting, Class C: third place, John Sotomayor and Sharon Aron Baron, “Coral Springs Talk”
“Embrace Magazine,” which is no longer in existence, also earned these awards:
•Artist Illustration, Class A-C: first place, Josh Clark
•Editorial Cartooning, Class A-C: third place, Bryan Steel and Simon Steel,
•Front Page Design, Class C: first place, Jamie Mark, Rheya Tanner, Wendy Mak and Josh Clark
•Feature Photo Essay, Class
B-C: first place, Magnus Hastings General News, Class C: first place, “Ghost Edits”
•Portrait/Personality, Class B-C: first place, Magnus Hastings
“I ended ‘Embrace Magazine’ in July 2024. Launched in July 2019, it was an incredible five-year run. I will always look back at our achievements at ‘Embrace Magazine, something I created from nothing, as a highlight of my life,” Sotomayor noted in part on social media.
In a press release about the FPC event, Sotomayor noted that he tied the record with Joe Capozzi for most first place awards by a writer in one year.
“He accomplished his in 2022, breaking Mark Howell’s long-standing record of five, which he accomplished in 2007,” Sotomayor said of Capozzi. “I tied Capozzi in 2023 with my six. That makes me a tied state record holder in journalism, and I represent Ocala.”
The “Villages Daily Sun” was honored with the Florida Press Club’s top award, the Frances DeVore Award for Public Service, for its coverage of the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. The award is named after the press club’s foundress, DeVore, who was an award-winning and trailblazing journalist with the “Ocala StarBanner” for nearly 60 years.
The Saturday night event also marked the 75th anniversary of the club’s founding as the Florida Women’s Press Club, which got its start thanks to women journalists who were not eligible for membership in the existing press club, according to the FPC website.
For a complete list of winners and to learn more, go to floridapressclub.org
A man is silhouetted on May 17, 2024, by a large Mexican ag as he looked for donations from passing motorists during a candlelight vigil for the eight migrant farm workers killed in the May 14, 2024, bus crash on Highway 40 near Dunnellon. This photo took second place in General News Class C. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.
Earning third place in General News Class C was this shot of Tynlee Tortora, 14 months, the daughter of K-9 Cpl. Justin Tortora, the handler of K-9 Leo, kissing a photo of the canine as she is held by her grandmother, Sangi Blair, during a memorial service on March 4, 2024. Leo was shot in the line of duty on Feb. 17, 2024, and passed away from his injuries on Feb. 20. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
In Sports Action Class C, this photo of Vanguard’s Matthew Dial (16) fumbling the ball against Miami Central during a preseason football game at Booster Stadium in Ocala on Aug. 18, 2023, won rst place. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
Taking second place in Sports Action Class C was Trinity Catholic’s Hope Willis (6) battling at the net with Father Lopez’ Cate McNamara (7) and Bella Bosinski (12) during a volleyball match at Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala on Oct. 18, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
In third place in Sports Action Class C was this photo of Forest’s Matt Hart (6) breaking up a pass intended for North Marion’s Derrick Perry (8) during a football game at Forest High School in Ocala on Aug. 25, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
Other local winner - John Sotomayor of Ocala, left, is shown with Joe Capozzi at the recent awards event. The two are tied for most rst place FPC awards by a writer in one year. [Photo courtesy John Sotomayor]
This image of Chester Weber coming out of the Couture Lifestyle Homes Water Hazard and sticking his tongue out at people in the VIP tent during the Live Oak International marathon event on March 16, 2024, won second place in the Feature Photo Essay category. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
Hammett Bowen Jr. Elementary honored with Purple Star Distinction
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
Hammett Bowen Jr. Elementary School has been awarded with the Florida Purple Star of Distinction for its efforts to support military children.
The Florida Purple Star of Distinction is honored to schools that support the unique needs of military families, help military connected students navigate critical challenges and provide resources for military connected students when transitioning to a new school environment.
The school has a number of services available to military children, facilitated by Lisa Bevers, the family engagement liaison and purple star military point of contact at Hammett Bowen. For the entire month of April, the school will celebrate Military Children’s Month
“While military members serve around the world, we often forget the challenges faced by their children. Military families move, on average, every two to three years, impacting military children through changing schools and support networks
each year,” Bevers said. The school also has a student-led transition program to assist military students coming into the school, to create a support system for students, familiarize them with the campus and introduce them to their peers, Bevers said.
Hammett Bowen Jr. himself was a military hero, who served as a staff sergeant in the Army during the Vietnam War, said the school’s Principal Traci Crawford.
While performing a recognizance mission in 1969, Bowen sacrificed himself for his platoon.
“An enemy grenade was thrown amid Staff Sergeant Bowen and three of his men, sensing the danger of his comrades, he shouted a warning to his men and hurled himself on the grenade,” Crawford said. Bowen was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.
“Bowen’s extraordinary courage and concern for his men at the cost of his life, served as an inspiration to his comrades and are in the highest traditions of the military service and the U.S. Army,” Crawford said.
Local cadets honor the ‘four chaplains’ during ceremony
Four military clergymen gave up their lifejackets, and their lives, on a WWII ship hit by a German torpedo.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
The Four Chaplains Remembrance Service held Feb.1 at the Marion County Commissioners Auditorium paid tribute to four military clergymen who perished on a sinking ship in World War II after calming and assisting those on board and giving up their lifejackets to save shipmates.
The service included four local high school Air Force JROTC cadets representing the four chaplains. The cadets, Maj. Savannah Ramsdell, 17; Lt. Alexia Goisein, 16; Lt. Christian Reese, 18; and TSgt. Ashlyn Watson, 16; presented the biographies of U.S. Army chaplains Lt. G.L. Fox, Lt. A.D. Goode, Lt. C.V. Poling and Lt. J.P. Washington, respectively, giving personal details about each man.
“They wanted to do it,” said Jennifer Richardson, NMHS AFJROTC leader, who has served 20 plus years with the U. S. Air Force, of the cadets.
After the remembrance service, Savannah commented on “how courageous the four chaplains really were” and Alexia spoke about the “amount of selflessness” shown. Christian said it was “God’s grace” to represent one of the four chaplains and Ashlyn said she took away an awareness of the chaplains’ sacrifice.
According to fourchaplains.org, Fox, a Methodist; Goode, of the Jewish faith; Poling, of the Dutch Reformed faith; and Washington, a Roman Catholic; were aboard the troop ship USAT Dorchester,
survivors in nearby rafts could see the four chaplains–arms linked and braced against the slanting deck. Their voices could also be heard offering prayers.”
which carried 902 soldiers, merchant marine sailors and civilians. The ship was torpedoed by a German submarine at 12:55 a.m. on Feb. 3, 1943, and began to sink. The website states that 672 people died and 230 survived.
“Quickly and quietly, the four chaplains spread out among the soldiers. There they tried to calm the frightened, tend the wounded and guide the disoriented toward safety. When there were no more lifejackets in the storage room, the chaplains removed theirs and gave them to four frightened young men,” the website notes. “As the ship went down,
“It was the finest thing I have seen or hope to see this side of heaven,” said John Ladd, a survivor who saw the chaplains’ selfless act, according to the site.
The remembrance ceremony included a ceremonial wreath laying for each of the four chaplains by Marion County Memorial Honor Guard members Steve Petty, retired Army; and Army veterans Don Poulin, Ed Sobolewski and Kathy Henderson.
The honor guard also posted and retired the colors, and provided a rifle salute and taps. John Earl provided a bagpipe rendition of “Amazing Grace.”
Carolyn Smith, Marion County Veterans Council chaplain, offered an
invocation and benediction while Mary Proctor sang the national anthem.
The keynote speaker, the Rev. Donald Curran of Christ the King Anglican Church, spoke of the sacrifice of the four chaplains.
Curran said they were “other centered” and selflessly gave their lifejackets away without concern for the recipient’s religious denomination.
“The four chaplains passed the ultimate test,” he said, adding that they were seen with “linked arms” and “knew they had eternity ahead of them.”
Curran referred to a scriptural passage at John 15:13, which also was printed in the program: “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”
To learn more, go to fourchaplains.org
Hammett Bowen Jr. Elementary School is shown in Ocala, Fla. on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022. [Ocala Gazette/ Photo Courtesy Thomas Fletcher]
North Marion High School Air Force JROTC Cadet TSgt. Ashlyn Watson is seen as Marion County Memorial Honor Guard member Ed Sobolewski prepares to place a ceremonial wreath.
North Marion High School Air Force JROTC cadets, from left, Maj. Savannah Ramsdell, Lt. Alexia Gosein, Lt. Christian Reese and TSgt. Ashlyn Watson presented the biographies of the four chaplains, with keynote speaker Rev. Donald Curran in the background.
Photos by Andy Fillmore
Benefit concert draws enthusiastic crowd
The Never Give Up On Country event will help provide programs for wounded veterans.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
According to one post on social media, the Sheltair hangar at the Ocala International Airport was the “perfect venue” for the Never Give Up On Country concert that took place the evening of Jan. 31. Country artist Chris Janson headlined the concert, with local entertainer Chris McNeil also performing. The event was organized by the Travis Mills Foundation and was the fourth benefit concert held in Ocala.
Founded by retired U.S. Army SSgt. Travis Mills, one of only five quadruple amputees from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive his injuries, the foundation provides programs that focus on overcoming physical and emotional challenges. Located in Maine, the veterans retreat offers a space for rest, recovery and connection. A few Ocala-area veterans have been guests at the retreat.
Mills has been in attendance at each of the concerts in Ocala. Also, on May 16, 2024, he was the guest of honor for “a hero’s welcome” event and screening of “Travis: A Soldier’s Story” at the Circle Square Cultural Center. The Marion County Board of County Commissioners declared May 17, 2024, as Travis Mills Day in Marion County.
Janson, who is known for his chart-topping hits such as “Buy Me a Boat” and “Good Vibes,” said before the concert that he has, “Always been passionate about giving back to the men and women who’ve served our country. Partnering with the Travis Mills Foundation, an organization that does so much for our veterans, is an honor. I’m excited to do my part and help support the heroes who’ve sacrificed so much.”
To learn more, go to travismillsfoundation.org
Whistleblower
Continued from page A1
Within the past five years, 29 people have died within the custody of MCSO. Five of those deaths have occurred from August 2024 until the present.
Coy has been licensed as a registered nurse since 1985, according to the Florida Department of Health. Throughout her employment as the jail’s medical liaison, she consistently met and exceeded standards and was rated highly on performance evaluations, as obtained in her employee file.
Originally, it was part of Coy’s job description and duties to investigate and resolve inmate medical complaints. When Coy expressed concerns over inmates being neglected, the jail’s administration took away her ability to perform this part of her duties, as documented in her employee file.
In November 2022, Coy wrote a letter to HR Director Monica Chrisholm and Woods saying she felt a responsibility to bring forward her concerns about inmates not receiving appropriate treatment in accordance with the laws and standards she was hired to uphold.
In response to this letter, rather than investigating her concerns, the Office of Professional Standards opened an administrative investigation into Coy’s job performance, conducted by Capt. Brian Spivey.
“The conclusion of Capt. Spivey’s administrative review resulted in a change in Liaison Coy’s job duties, specifically her no longer having the responsibility to investigate and resolve inmate complaints,” according to the administrative review.
A clause was also added to her job description to prevent her from being directly involved in inmate care. Coy accused the agency of illegal workplace retaliation in November 2022 for doing so. An internal MCSO investigation found her allegations to be unsubstantiated.
The head of the jail, Chief Deputy Clint Bowen, and Heart of Florida administration, including Chief Healthcare Administrator John Pearson, claimed that Coy bringing forward these concerns about inmate care was outside of her job description, and that she was not authorized to give medical advice.
Bowen is now set to retire as head of the jail and will be replaced by Charles McIntosh.
“She routinely provides her medical opinions and treatment plan suggestions to the clinical staff and that is not in the scope of her purview or responsibility as the medical services liaison,” Pearson wrote to Bowen.
Records of the job description from 2007 on, however, included responsibilities for investigating and resolving inmate medical complaints, in addition to monitoring the status and delivery of the health care being provided to inmates.
It was only after Coy filed her first complaint about the quality of medical care being administered by Heart of Florida that the administrative review was conducted, and her responsibilities were amended to only include “monitoring” rather than “investigating and resolving.”
Coy implored to MCSO’s Office of
Professional Standards that she did not sign up to only monitor without being able to do something to intervene and ensure that inmates receive the care they are entitled to.
“I am seen as the ‘bad’ guy for trying to help human beings receive basic humane treatment. I have read in documentation many horrific things that I have reported and outlined in detail. Now my hands are tied, and I am not able to petition for inmates with obvious documented disabilities to receive priorly allowed walking aides due to their disability,” Coy wrote.
Coy also described a lack of medications administered, even “something as basic as Tylenol or ibuprofen” to help inmates who are in pain.
Upon being hired for the job, Coy was required to sign a code of ethics to adhere to abide by during the course of her employment. Every employee, deputy and corrections officer signs paperwork adhering to the pledge.
In part, it reads: “I shall not engage in nor condone brutal, cruel, or inhumane treatment of others, including inmates in my care and custody.”
The code of ethics outlines a “fundamental duty to serve mankind; to safeguard lives and property, to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder.”
During her time as the jail’s medical liaison, Coy filed monthly quality assurance reports to Bowen detailing compliance, or lack of compliance, with the jail’s policies for timely medical care. As a certified jail auditor, Coy was qualified to do so.
In October 2022, shortly before her first complaint of inadequate medical care, the quality assurance report obtained by the “Gazette” shows that medical calls were far below compliance in according to the state standard of being received within 24 hours and then triaged and assessed within 72 hours.
From a random medical sick call audit of 30 files, only 24% of calls were met within the time requirements. To meet compliance,
85% of calls need to be met within the outlined time frame, according to the October 2022 quality assurance report.
In that same October, Heart of Florida’s contract with MCSO was amended to increase the medical staff with two more medical advanced nurse practitioners, five registered nurses, two practical nurses and three medical assistants. The increase in staff was necessary due to an increase in the inmate population, according to the contract.
This increased the cost of the contract to more than $9.1 million—over a $1 million increase from what the agency agreed to originally pay for the 2022-23 fiscal year.
From the time of the internal investigation into Coy’s claims of retaliation in 2022 until July 2024, Coy complied with her new job description to only monitor inmate care, even though she continued to have serious concerns about inmate neglect.
“Then, in July 2024, (Coy) reported the sheriff’s deliberate indifference to the serious medical needs of an inmate,” according to the lawsuit. “Despite her efforts to highlight deficiencies, corrective actions were continually disregarded.”
Coy’s attorney claims that during that time, Coy uncovered falsified medical records for mental health inmates, including documented assessments for inmates who had never been seen or treated, according to the lawsuit.
Coy reported this to Bowen, high ranking MCSO officials, jail administration and medical staff.
The next month, Coy was terminated from her position as jail medical liaison and escorted off the premises, according to her employment file.
Once Coy was fired, no quality assurance reports were conducted from August 2024 until the present. MCSO recently hired a new jail medical liaison, Meghan Taylor, to fill Coy’s place.
Coy’s case has been assigned to Marion County Judge Lisa Herndon. Coy has requested a trial by jury.
Travis Mills speaks during the Never Give Up On Country concert. Mills was injured in Afghanistan by an IED and lost portions of both legs and both arms. The Travis Mills Foundation, a veteran support organization, emphasizes the term “Never Give Up Never Quit.”
Jeremy Taylor dances with Marilyn Bray during the Never Give Up On Country concert for the Travis Mills Foundation, which has raised more than $1 million in support of “recalibrated” veterans.
Chris McNeil performs at the concert, hosted by the Travis Mills Foundation in Ocala.
Photos by Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette
Chris Janson performs during the fourth-annual Never Give Up On Country concert for the Travis Mills Foundation on Jan. 31, 2025. The concert, along with its sponsors and the community, has raised more than $1 million for the foundation, which supports “recalibrated” veterans.
File photo: Marion County Sheri Billy Woods [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette].
Home & Garden
Botanical gardens nearby
These special venues offer respite and inspiration as they showcase local flora and fauna.
By Belea T. Keeney belea@magnoliamediaco.com
With the recent gorgeous weather in our area, this might be a good time to shake off the winter blahs and take a stroll in one of three nearby botanical gardens. While some plants may still be recovering from recent cold snaps, others will have weathered the winter months. No matter what is or isn’t in blossom, these gardens still offer respite in very beautiful settings.
Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens – This gem is a 40-minute drive west of Ocala, on U.S. 27, just the other side of Williston. It’s an enchanting place, created from an abandoned limestone quarry and transformed into a lush garden with multiple levels, a waterfall feature and steppingstones through the main quarry pond.
The ecosystem created by the quarry allows for subtropical plants to survive in a humid, warmer environment. Ferns, bromeliads and orchids surround koi ponds and other water features. Wildlife abounds in the
garden—hawks hover overhead, owls glide through the tree branches and songbirds zip about. The ponds support fish, turtles, swans and geese.
Light snacks and drinks are available, and you can bring food and drink for the picnic area. This attraction is not totally accessible by wheelchair or scooter. See cedarlakeswoodsandgarden.com for more information.
Kanapaha Botanical Gardens - Just a 30-minute drive north from Ocala, off Archer Road in Gainesville, you will find 24 garden collections spread over 68 acres. A 1 ½--mile paved walkway
meanders through the gardens, which include a labyrinth, azalea and camellia collections, a butterfly garden and a sinkhole with a scenic overlook.
The venue sells basic drinks and snacks, and you’re welcome to bring food and drink to eat at the picnic areas. Visit kanapaha. org for details.
Nature Coast Botanical Gardens and Nursery – This is a bit further, in Spring Hill, about a two-hour drive via State Road 200 through Hernando and Inverness, through the Withlacoochee State Forest on U.S. 41 before turning west toward U.S. 19.
There are 22 themed garden “rooms” on 4.5 acres, tucked away in a residential neighborhood. The site is peaceful and soothing. The themed gardens include Wildflowers and Native Plants, the Rose and Poinsettia Garden, the Asian Room, the Bromeliad Garden, a Butterfly Garden and a Water and Railroad Garden. Artwork pieces and sculptures are set among the various plants. Paved pathways meander throughout the garden. Visit naturecoastgardens.com for more information.
Florida real estate market perked up at year’s end
Ocala/Marion County reported 695 closings of single-family homes in December, a 7.41% increase from December 2024.
The Florida Realtors agents’ association December 2024 market report shows that, statewide, the median single-family home sale price in Florida rose to $415,000, a 1.2% year over year increase. The townhouses and condo median sales price was $315,000, a decrease of 4.5% from last December.
The Ocala/Marion County’s December median sale price reported for single-family homes was $289,500, a.2% increase from 2024. Ocala/Marion County reported 695 closings of single-family homes in December, a 7.41% increase from December 2024.
In general, activity from listings and pending sales is up, said Brad O’Connor, senior economist for the association.
“Closed sales of single-family homes were up nearly 13% year over year, easily the largest year-over-year increase in single-family closed sales that we saw for any month in 2024. That strong performance put us at nearly 253,000 statewide singlefamily closed sales for the year overall, which is just less than 2% below 2023’s total of nearly 258,000 sales, but also the fewest annual sales we’ve seen since 2014. There was little variation across the state in 2024, as most counties only saw small year-overyear declines,” O’Connor said.
“In the single-family category, the number of new listings in December was up for the second straight month on a year-over-year basis, this time rising by over 13.5%. In all, we saw over 360,000 single-family homes come onto the market in 2024, which is a 9.5% increase relative to 2023. But 2023
was characterized by abnormally low levels of new listings relative to recent years. The number of single-family new listings in 2024 was much more comparable to the numbers we saw from 2018 to 2022,” he added.
O’Connor went on to say: “With new listings growing and sales declining, inventory levels for both the single-family category and the condo and townhouse category ended the year slightly above the typical levels we saw during the pre-pandemic period of 2014 to 2019. We’re still far below the levels we observed during the Great Recession, however. That said, inventory is still largely moving along an upward trajectory so we should continue to watch it as we move into the spring buying season.”
SINGLEFAMILY MARKET SECTOR
Statewide, single family home sales in December were up 12.8% compared to a year ago, with 20,784 total sales reported. The active listing inventory for single-family homes is at 98,429, an increase of 27% over last December.
The association reported the supply of single-family existing homes statewide increased to a 4.7-months’ supply, a 30.6% increase from last December.
“Months’ supply inventory is a useful indicator of market conditions,” the report stated. “The benchmark for a balanced market (favoring neither buyer nor seller) is 5.5 months of inventory. Anything higher is traditionally a buyers’ market, and anything lower is a sellers’ market.”
Statewide, the number of cash sales for single-family homes increased by 7.1% with a total of 5,853 throughout Florida. These accounted for 28.1% of all sales, just over
one-quarter of the overall market, which has been typical throughout the 2024 year.
“Cash sales can be a useful indicator,” the report stated, “of the extent to which investors are participating in the market. Investors are far more likely to have the funds to purchase a home available up front, whereas the typical homebuyer requires a mortgage or some other form of financing.”
TOWNHOMES/CONDOS MARKET SECTOR
Locally, the market area of Ocala/Marion
County townhouses and condos median sales prices came in at $226,990, an increase of 29.8% from December 2024. A total of 57 closed sales were reported.
Statewide, townhouses and condos median price was $315,000, a decrease of 4.5% from last December. The active inventory is 64,283, a 42.8% increase from December 2024. Overall, this segment of the real estate market is moving toward less activity.
“In the condo and townhouse category, monthly closed sales failed to rise year over year in December for what would only have been the second time this year. Still, it’s clear
this property type category underperformed compared to single-family homes in terms of sales throughout 2024. Annual closed sales in the condo and townhouse category came in at more than 94,000 for 2024, a 10.5% decline compared to the prior year,” O’Connor said.
“Multiple factors were responsible for the underperformance of this category throughout the year, including concerns about insurance coverage and reserve requirement compliance giving some prospective buyers cold feet. The result was the lowest number of condo and townhouse sales we’ve seen for any year in Florida since 2010. Declines were most prominent in coastal counties along both the Atlantic and the Gulf. The lone bright spot was in the I-4 Corridor in the exurban areas between Tampa and Orlando, and further north into The Villages and Ocala. These areas actually saw condo and townhouse sales grow in 2024 compared to 2023,” he added.
Existing townhouse and condo properties statewide were at 8.2-months’ supply, an increase of 60.8% over December of 2024. For townhomes and condos, the number of cash sales statewide was 3,505, a decrease of 8.6% from December 2024. Those sales represented just over 48% of the total market.
The Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens is in nearby Williston. [Photo courtesy Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens]
The Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in Gainesville o er a wide variety of plants, many with showy blossoms. [Photo by Leslie Height]
The Nature Coast Botanical Gardens and Nursery is about two hours from Ocala. [Photo courtesy Nature Coast Botanical Gardens and Nursery]
Visit these new home models
CALESA TOWNSHIP
855-927-4104
Cypress - Inventory Home Available Now! –
6194 SW 78th Circle Ocala, FL 34474
2,876 a/c sq. ft. single family home priced at $518,810
Featuring 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3 car split garage, great room, gourmet kitchen, ex room, breakfast area, nest, laundry suite, covered lanai, and pre-installed white window blinds.
Lapis - Inventory Home Available Now! –5886 SW 78th Avenue Road Ocala, FL 34474
2,337 a/c sq. ft. single family home priced at $398,520. Featuring 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2 car garage, great room, gourmet kitchen, breakfast area, laundry suite, patio, and pre-installed white window blinds.
Garnet Model – 6416 SW 78th Court Ocala, FL 34474
1,921 a/c sq. ft. single family home starting at $333,990. Featuring 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garage, great room, breakfast area, laundry suite, and patio.
Sable Model – 6428 SW 78th Court Ocala, FL 34474
2,420 a/c sq. ft. single family home starting at $358,990. Featuring 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2 car garage, great room, living room, game room, breakfast area, laundry suite, and patio.
Gardenia Model – 6440 SW 78th Court Ocala, FL 34474
2,671 a/c sq. ft. single family home starting at $411,990. Featuring 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3 car tandem garage, great room, dining room, nest, laundry suite, and covered lanai.
Larkspur Model – 6464 SW 78th Court Ocala, FL 34474
3,089 a/c sq. ft. single family home starting at $431,990. Featuring 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3 car tandem garage, great room, dining room, ex room, nest, laundry suite, and covered lanai.
Marigold Model – 6476 SW 78th Court Ocala, FL 34474
3,374 a/c sq. ft. single family home starting at $448,990 Featuring 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 3 car tandem garage, great room, dining room, nest, loft, laundry suite, and covered lanai.
LENNAR
Heath Preserve
Brio II Model - 4828 NW 11TH Street, Ocala, FL. • 352-415-3851
2,360 a/c sq. ft., move in ready, two-story single family home starting at $360,635 featuring 5 beds, 2.5 baths, and 2 car garage.
2,503 a/c Sq. Ft. Single-family home starting at $398,990 featuring 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3-car garage, quartz countertops, versatile ex room, and covered lanai.
2,230 a/c Sq. Ft. Single-family home starting at $370,990 featuring 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2-car garage, quartz countertops, versatile ex room, and covered lanai.
2,223 a/c Sq. Ft. Single-family home starting at $374,990 featuring 3-4 bedrooms, 2.5-3 bathrooms, 3-car garage, quartz countertops, versatile ex room, and covered lanai.
1,580 a/c Sq. Ff. Single-family home starting at $297,990 featuring 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2-car garage, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and covered lanai.
ON TOP OF THE WORLD 352-619-9645
Sun ower Model - 8891 SW 75th Loop, Ocala, FL 34481
1,967 a/c sq. ft., single-family home starting at $334,990 featuring 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garage, great room, breakfast nook, laundry suite, and covered lanai.
Wisteria Model - 8895 SW 75th Loop, Ocala, FL 34481
2,126 a/c sq. ft., single-family home starting at $342,990 featuring 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garage, great room, laundry suite, and covered lanai.
Beaumont Model - 10458 SW 96th Loop, Ocala, FL 34481
2,202 a/c sq. ft., single-family home starting at $394,490 featuring 2 bedrooms, 2 baths,
2 car garage with workshop space, great room, breakfast area, ex room, laundry suite, and covered lanai.
Magnolia Model - 10446 SW 96th Loop, Ocala, FL 34481
2,493 a/c sq. ft., single-family home starting at $413,490 featuring 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths,
2 car garage with golf cart space, great room, breakfast area, ex room, den, laundry suite, and covered lanai.
Arlington Model - 9584 SW 82nd Street Road, Ocala, FL 34481
2,211 a/c sq. ft., single-family home starting at $455,490, featuring 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3 car garage, great room, breakfast area, workshop space, laundry suite, and a covered lanai.
Northampton Model - 9572 SW 82nd Street Road, Ocala, FL 34481
2,678 a/c sq. ft., single-family home starting at $463,490, featuring 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 3 car garage, great room, breakfast area, library, ex room, laundry suite, and a covered lanai.
Aberdeen Model - 9564 SW 82nd Street Road, Ocala, FL 34481
2,907 a/c sq. ft., single-family home starting at $491,490 featuring 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3 car garage, great room, 2nd master suite, breakfast area, ex room, laundry suite, and a covered lanai.
Brighton- Inventory Home Available Now! - 9725 SW 108th Terrace Road
DEL WEBB 352-453-8010
Stone Creek Stardom Model - 9296 SW 60th Lane Road, Ocala, FL 34481
2,269 a/c Sq. Ft. Single-family home starting at $404,990 featuring 2-3 bedrooms, 2.5-3.5 bathrooms, 2-3-car garage, quartz countertops, versatile ex room, and oversized covered lanai.
Stellar Model - 9312 SW 60th Lane Road, Ocala, FL 34481
2,483 a/c Sq. Ft. Single-family home starting at $419,990 featuring 3 bedrooms, 3-4 bathrooms, 2-car garage, versatile ex room, stainless steel appliances, and covered lanai.
Prestige Model - 9294 SW 60th Lane Road, Ocala, FL 34481
2,080 a/c Sq. Ft. Single-family home starting at $360,990 featuring 2-3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, 2-car garage, Owner’s walk-in closet, quartz countertops, and covered lanai.
Mainstay Model - 9290 SW 60th Lane Road, Ocala, FL 34481
1,948 a/c Sq. Ft. Single-family home starting at $354,990 featuring 2-3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2-car garage, luxury vinyl plank ooring, stainless steel appliances, and extended covered lanai.
Compass Model - 9291 SW 60th Lane Road, Ocala, FL 34481
Reddick
McIntosh
Dunnellon
Ocala Belleview
Who got to work remotely in 2024 and who didn’t, according to data
By Kathleen Caulderwood
Remote work has transformed how millions of Americans approach their jobs.
While many workplaces adopted telework out of necessity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the trend has evolved from a rare exception to common practice. It’s impacted everything from public transportation patterns to housing markets to such a degree that some have called it a “revolution.”
Between 2019 and 2021, the rate of people working remotely tripled to 17.9% of the workforce, according to the Census Bureau. By the end of 2024, roughly 1 in 5 American workers were still signing in from home, with 1 in 10 working remotely full-time, according to a Stacker analysis of federal survey data.
Most of these workers are happy with the situation. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found that 71% of people who log in from home said it helped balance work and personal life, while 56% said it improved their productivity. A third of respondents working from home most or some of the time said they’d like to be fully remote.
Pew’s research also found that certain groups, like parents of children under 18, were more likely than others to work from home, citing work-life balance as one of the perks.
But not everyone has equal access to these benefits. To better understand who’s working remotely, accessiBe analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine how access to a remote schedule varies by a worker’s ability, job type, and demographics.
WHICH INDUSTRIES
LEND
THEMSELVES MORE TO REMOTE WORK?
While the overall rate of remote work has increased, not all industries offer the same opportunities for employees.
White-collar roles have the highest rates of people signing in from home. BLS data shows that more than half of employees in tech, business, and legal professions telecommute, with workers in computer- and mathrelated fields leading the way at a rate of 68.5%. Managers have also embraced remote work, with nearly 40% leading their teams from home at least some of the time.
By contrast, some jobs are less likely to be done remotely. During the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control classified food service workers as “essential” and hailed them as heroes because they had to physically go to their places of work. Today, this category of workers has the lowest rate of remote work, at just 1.4%. Transportation and construction follow, with only 2% and 2.7% of workers, respectively, able to telework. Other fields fall somewhere in the middle. Educators, for example, experienced significant changes during the pandemic. In the spring of 2020, 77% of public schools had transitioned to online learning, and 84% of college students reported at least some virtual instruction, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. While those numbers have since declined, 15% of educators and library workers still worked remotely in 2024, according to BLS.
Even health care—an industry known for hands-on work—has adapted. Today, 13.5% of health care professionals perform their duties remotely, often through
telehealth or by handling administrative tasks from home. Working remotely can help address burnout, which was reported by nearly half of health care workers in 2022, according to the CDC.
WHO COULD TELECOMMUTE
AND WHY THEY MIGHT PREFER IT THAT WAY?
Teleworking rates vary significantly depending on a worker’s gender or racial and ethnic background. BLS data shows that Asian workers are typically most likely to telework, with 34.3% of Asian men and 32.5% of Asian women saying they worked remotely some or all of the time. Hispanic or Latino workers had the lowest rates,
with 15.2% of women and only 9.6% of men doing the same.
It’s important to note that people identifying as Asian made up the smallest surveyed group, with nearly 11 million respondents compared to 120 million identifying as white, 30 million as Hispanic or Latino, and 20 million as Black. Asian workers were also unique in that men were more likely to telework than women. Among white and Black workers, women were more likely than men to work remotely.
Remote work can have a unique appeal for employees who experience workplace discrimination. As far back as 2021, Black “knowledge workers” were more enthusiastic about working from home than their white colleagues, according to a survey from Future Forum. Their
research found that one reason for this preference was that remote work reduces the need for code-switching and creates fewer opportunities for bias.
“I’m Black. Remote work has been great for my mental health,” writer and network engineer LeRon Barton wrote for Slate in 2022. “How many racist scenarios, comments and situations would I have avoided enduring if I didn’t need to come into the office?”
EMPLOYEES WITH DISABILITIES
REPORT RECORD WORKFORCE
PARTICIPATION
Among workers with disabilities, 37.4% were employed in management and professional jobs in areas such
as business, finance, law, and education, according to the 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Service occupations followed next with 19.4% of workers with disabilities performing work in industries such as health care, food preparation, and building support. For individuals with impairments that affect mobility, vision, hearing, or other daily functions, remote work can be more than a convenience in any industry— it’s a lifeline for meaningful employment.
Of BLS survey respondents who reported having a disability, 25% said they typically worked from home in some capacity in 2024, slightly higher than the 23% of respondents who said they didn’t have disabilities.
“It is no coincidence that the rise of remote work has coincided with the highest employment rates for disabled individuals in 15 years,” Economic Innovation Group analysts noted in 2023. Their research showed that remote schedules eliminate the daily commutes and office environments that can present significant barriers for employees with disabilities. Working from home also allows employees with disabilities to take breaks as needed or use assistive technology at home that is not accessible in a traditional workplace.
As the remote work revolution evolves, it’s critical that employers address existing disparities by ensuring accessibility for all employees regardless of where they’re working. This offers a more effective work environment and an inclusive and productive future for all workers.
Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Elisa Huang. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. This story originally appeared on accessiBe and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
Editor’s note: BLS survey respondents were limited to binary gender classifications, excluding those identifying as nonbinary. We also recognize that Hispanic and Latino are not interchangeable terms. The usage of Hispanic and Latino in this story is based on the language used by the BLS.
government
FEBRUARY 10, 17, 24
Marion County Development Review
O ce of County Engineer, 412 SE 25th Ave., Building 1, Ocala
9am
The committee meets each Monday to review and vote on waiver requests to the Land Development Code, major site plans and subdivision plans. See marion. .legistar.com/calendar. aspx for agenda and minutes.
FEBRUARY 18
Marion County Board of County Commissioners
McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala
9am
The commission meets in the morning of the rst and third Tuesday of the month. Agendas, minutes and video are available at marion .legistar.com/calendar.aspx
Ocala City Council
Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave., Ocala
4pm
The council meets each rst and third Tuesday of the month. Agendas and minutes are available at ocala.legistar.com/calendar.aspx
Belleview City Commission
Belleview City Hall, 5343 SE Abshier Blvd., Belleview 6pm
Meets the rst and third Tuesday of the month. Agendas, minutes and video available at belleview .org/200/agendas-minutes
FEBRUARY 12
Dunnellon City Council
Dunnellon City Hall, 20750 River Dr.
5:30pm
The council generally meets the second Wednesday of the month. Agendas, minutes and video are available at dunnellon.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=1
things to do arts
FEBRUARY 623
“Daddy Long Legs”
Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
Showtimes vary Based on the 1955 lm with Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron, this clever two-person musical reveals the secret of happiness. Visit ocalacivictheatre.com for all the details.
FEBRUARY 7
Vivacity
Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala
7:30pm to 9pm Vivacity is a high-energy group of musicians and the original dance band instrument, the xylophone. Based in Orlando, the band formed in 2007 to perform for swing dances and resort entertainment and o ers a unique neo-vaudeville sound with strong roots in New Orleans music. Learn more at reillyartscenter.com
FEBRUARY 1516
Sound and Fury Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala
7:30pm & 3pm Embark on a journey from the Scottish coasts to the depths of human emotion and the heights of heroic triumph, with Mendelssohn’s “Hebrides Overture” and Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony. Learn more at reillyartscenter.com
FEBRUARY 23
Opera at the Reilly: Puccini Love and Laughter
Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala
3pm The University of Florida Opera Theatre and OSO present two of Giacomo Puccini’s greatest works, “Suor Angelica” and “Gianni Schicchi.” Both are one-act operas with supertitles. Find out more at reillyartscenter.com
FEBRUARY 11
Ira Holmes International Film Series: “Hit The Road” Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala / 3001 SW College Road, Ocala 2pm to 3:30pm at Appleton; 7pm to 9pm at CF
The 2021 lm from Iran is about a family of four, three adults and a child, on a road trip across Iran. Entry at the Appleton is free for members, while non-members pay admission. Entry at CF is free for all patrons. For more information, visit cf.edu/student-life/arts-and-culture/international- lm-series
FEBRUARY 1516
Silver River Knap-in
Prehistoric Arts Festival
Silver Springs State Park, 1445 NE 58th Ave., Ocala 9am to 4pm Guests will be able to watch as int knappers make stone tools, meet archaeologists, see shell carvers, potters, hide tanners, bow makers and dugout canoe carvers, and other specialists in native skills. The event will o er handson activities such as archery and pottery making. Vendors will o er crafts and food for sale. Visitors also can tour the Silver River Museum, hike or bike the trails of the state park, or canoe and kayak on the Silver River. Free entry to the park and free parking. Admission to the festival is $10 per person; those ages 5 and younger will be admitted free. Pay by cash or mobile pay by phone at the entry gate. Visit silverrivermuseum.org for more information.
FEBRUARY 17MARCH 12
“Michael Mallard: Recent Works Exhibit”
CF Webber Gallery, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala Mallard is an associate professor of visual arts at Albany State University, with a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Illinois. His artistic style focuses on the colorful expression of Southern culture in its various forms. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and admission is free.
For more information, go to www.cf.edu/webber visit or call (352) 854-2322, ext. 1664.
ONGOING
Winter Classes at OCT
Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala Times vary
“The Studio: Stage Combat” is for students ages 13 to 17 and will go over the fundamentals of stage fighting, from slaps and punches to headlocks and hair-pulls slaps, in a way that is safe and repeatable. “PIVOT! IMPROV” is for adults ages 18+, teaching the basics and core principles of improv, such as “yes, and” and other games and activities. Visit ocalacivictheatre.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Academybrochure-Season-74.pdf to learn more.
community
FEBRUARY 2223
Kingdom of the Sun Concert Band Anniversary Concert
Marion Technical Institute, 1614 NE Fort King St., Ocala Sat at 2pm; Sun at 3pm
The Kingdom of the Sun Concert Band celebrates 35 years with a pair of shows. Directed by J. Craig Lilly, the concerts will highlight the past, present and future of the band. The opening act will be Uniqulele, an “a capella instrumental” ensemble of ve. Entry to the concerts is free. Learn more at kingdomofthesunband.org
FEBRUARY 23
National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors: Chapter 156 Meeting
VFW Building, 9401 SW 110th St., Ocala
9am to 12pm
Meeting on the fourth Sunday of each month, NAWCC members come together to share a set of antique clocks and watches, some on display and some for sale. These meetings are also open to the public, with an opportunity to buy and sell their own clocks as well. For more information, call Skip Carter at (352) 789-8198.
These types of stone points will be featured during the Silver River Knap-in Prehistoric Arts Festival on Feb. 15 and 16 at Silver Springs State Park. [Submitted photo]
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Understanding colorectal cancer
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I recently read that more and more young people are getting diagnosed with colorectal cancer. I’m in my 30s, am I at risk? What does colorectal mean?
ANSWER: The term colorectal cancer combines colon and rectal cancer, two parts of the intestine. The first part of the large intestine is called the colon, and the last part refers to the rectum. These two divisions of colorectal cancer are important because they’re often treated differently. Cancers of the colon, for example, may initially be treated through surgery. With cancers of the rectum, we may do treatment long before someone goes to surgery.
Symptoms of both cancers are similar and can include unintentional weight loss, overall changes in bowel characteristics such as more frequent diarrhea, blood from the rectum or in the stool and ongoing abdominal pain, cramps or gas. These symptoms can be embarrassing for some people to talk about, and that is normal. However, it is extremely important if you have any of those symptoms to share it with your healthcare team. Early diagnosis of colorectal cancer increases your chance of survival.
People of all ages are at risk for colorectal cancer. It is true that there have been increased rates of colon and rectal cancer in younger patients, which has led to a shift in screening recommendations. We used to start screening average-risk individuals at age 50, but because of this new trend, we’re now encouraging average-risk individuals to start screening at age 45. Through screening, we can prevent the development of cancer and capture polyps (precancerous growths) even before symptoms start.
It is unknown what has caused this increase among young people. Findings show that it may be an environmental factor. Over the last 50 years, we’ve seen major changes in diet. Ultraprocessed foods and higher quantities of red meats have potentially led to some negative
changes to the bacteria that are normally in our gut, making it not as protective as it once was. A decrease in exercise and an increase in obesity also could be contributing factors. Living a healthy lifestyle is critical — exercise and a well-rounded diet can help protect you.
We typically divide people into two groups: those who are at average risk and those who are at high risk for colorectal cancer. Average-risk individuals are people who don’t have any associated symptoms that would be linked to colorectal cancer or have any of the factors that would place them at high risk.
For those who are at high risk, there tends to be at least one of three variables:
• A medical condition that places them at higher risk.
• A genetic condition that increases their risk.
A family history that places them at higher risk. For example, a first-degree family member such as parents or siblings who have a diagnosis of colorectal cancer or advanced polyps.
Any of those three components would place you at higher risk, and therefore, you should start screening sooner and possibly more often than average-risk individuals.
When it comes to cancer care, we try to make our efforts personalized, particularly with rectal cancer. The treatment team consists of a gastroenterologist, an oncologist, a surgeon and a radiation oncologist who help direct what the next best step would be for you, whether that’s chemotherapy, immunotherapies, surgery or radiation.
Any delay in sharing information translates to a delay in diagnosis, which can lead to later-stage cancer. It is the later-stage cancers that can be a bit more challenging to treat. Don’t delay in making an appointment. — Derek Ebner, M.D., Gastroenterology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN
Busy weeknights call for quick recipes
We love scalloped potatoes, but most recipes call for more than an hour of oven time to soften the potatoes, so we wanted a streamlined recipe that could be made any night of the week.
We started by parboiling sliced russet potatoes in a combination of heavy cream and chicken broth on the stovetop. Then we stirred in some sharp cheddar cheese and transferred the gooey, cheesy potato mixture to a baking dish to finish cooking in the oven.
Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes
Serves 6
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1 Adjust oven rack to uppermiddle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Bring potatoes, cream, broth, salt, and pepper to simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH
JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION
File No. 2024-CP-1415
IN RE: ESTATE OF RON PATRICK JAMIAN
Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of RON PATRICK JAMIAN, deceased, whose date of death was November 17, 2023, is pending in the Circuit Court for MARION County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 110 N.W. 1st Avenue, #1, Ocala, Florida 34471. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS
AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERI-
ODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE
AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The date of first publication of this notice is January 31, 2024.
Personal Representative: JESSICA HERNANDEZ
Attorney for Personal Representative: SHANTA MATTHEWS, Attorney
Florida Bar Number: 69935
814 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Suite D OCALA, FL 34470
Telephone: (352) 421-8722
Fax: (352) 306-3759
E-Mail: shanta@smatthewslaw.com
Secondary: lori@smatthewslaw.com
Special School Board Meeting
Notice is hereby given that the School Board of Marion County, Florida, will meet on February 20, 2025, at 7:00 a.m., at the School Board Administration Office, 1614 E. Fort King Street, Ocala, Florida 34471. An agenda will be published seven days prior to the meeting. The agenda may be obtained at the Administration Office between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The agenda is also available from a link on the District’s website: www.marion. k12.fl.us.
Persons wishing to address the Board should register with the Chairman prior to 7:10 a.m.
Any person deciding to appeal any decision made by the Board at the meeting will need a record of the proceedings, and, for such purpose, may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence on which the appeal is to be based.
Dean Lombardo, DC INC has closed on 12-31-24. Patients can obtain a copy of their records by emailing: drdeanlombardo@gmail.com
NOTICE OF A SCHOOL BOARD
ADMINISTRATIVE BRIEFING AND WORK SESSION
NOTICE OF A SCHOOL BOARD
ADMINISTRATIVE BRIEFING AND WORK SESSION
Notice is hereby given that the School Board of Marion County, Florida, will meet in a work session on February 20, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. The meeting will be held at the MTI Auditorium, 1614 E. Ft. King Street, Ocala, Florida, 34471. An agenda will be published seven days prior to the meeting and may be obtained at the Administration Office between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The agenda is also available from a link on the District’s website: www. marionschools.net.
Notice is hereby given that the School Board of Marion County, Florida, will meet in a work session on February 20, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. The meeting will be held at the MTI Auditorium, 1614 E. Ft. King Street, Ocala, Florida, 34471. An agenda will be published seven days prior to the meeting and may be obtained at the Administration Office between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The agenda is also available from a link on the District’s website: www. marionschools.net.
2Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until a paring knife can be slipped in and out of potatoes with no resistance, about 8 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain gentle simmer. Off heat, gently stir in 1 cup cheddar.
3Transfer potato mixture to a 13-by 9-inch baking dish, spread into an even layer, and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheddar. Bake until bubbling around edges and top is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve.
The Ocala City Council has introduced the following ordinance(s) and will consider its adoption at the regular meeting to be held on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. in City Hall, 2nd Floor, Council Chamber, 110 SE Watula Avenue, Ocala, Florida. Interested parties are invited to appear at the meeting and be heard with respect to the proposed legislation. Copies of the proposed documents may be inspected in advance at the office of the City Clerk, Ocala City Hall.
Any person who decides to appeal any decision of the Ocala City Council with respect to any matter considered at this meeting will need a record of the proceedings, and for such purposes, may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made.
If reasonable accommodations are needed for you to participate in this meeting, please call 48 hours in advance so arrangements can be made through the City Clerk’s office at 352-629-8266.
ORDINANCE 2025-16
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF OCALA, FLORIDA, CHANGING FROM M-1, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL, O-1, OFFICE, MH, MOBILE HOME PARK, AND RO, RESIDENTIAL OFFICE, TO INST, INSTITUTIONAL, FOR PROPERTIES LOCATED AT 2211 NORTHEAST 14TH STREET AND 1409 NORTHEAST 22ND AVENUE (PARCEL 26394-000-00 AND 26392-000-00), APPROXIMATELY 5.57 ACRES (CASE NO. ZON24-0007); PROVIDING DIRECTION TO STAFF; REPEALING INCONSISTENT AND/ OR CONFLICTING PROVISIONS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY OF ORDINANCE PROVISIONS; PROVIDING FOR MODIFICATIONS ARISING FROM CONSIDERATIONS AT A PUBLIC HEARING; PROVIDING DIRECTION TO THE CODIFIER; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE
ORDINANCE 2025-17
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF OCALA, FLORIDA, CHANGING FROM RO, RESIDENTIAL OFFICE, R-1, SINGLEFAMILY RESIDENTIAL, AND R-2, TWOFAMILY RESIDENTIAL, TO PD, PLANNED DEVELOPMENT, FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET NORTH OF THE INTERSECTION OF NE 28TH STREET AND NE 23RD AVENUE (PARCEL 24278000-01), APPROXIMATELY 16.43 ACRES (CASE NO. PD24-45765); PROVIDING DIRECTION TO STAFF; REPEALING INCONSISTENT AND/ OR CONFLICTING PROVISIONS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY OF ORDINANCE PROVISIONS; PROVIDING FOR MODIFICATIONS ARISING FROM CONSIDERATIONS AT A PUBLIC HEARING; PROVIDING DIRECTION TO THE CODIFIER; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No. 2025-CP-263 IN RE: ESTATE OF ELIZABETH A. PALLESEN, Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of ELIZABETH A. PALLESEN, deceased, whose date of death was September 8, 2024, is pending in the
TO MAKE AHEAD: At the end of Step 2, transfer potato mixture to a 13-by 9-inch baking dish and let cool completely. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. To serve, keep covered with foil and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheddar, and continue to bake, uncovered, until bubbling around edges and top is spotty brown, about 20 minutes longer.
IN RE: THE ESTATE OF DEBORAH ANN LAW, a/k/a DEBORAH A. LAW, Deceased. / NOTICE TO CREDITORS FORMAL ADMINISTRATION The administration of the estate of DEBORAH ANN LAW, a/k/a DEBORAH A. LAW, deceased, Case Number 25CP159, is pending in the Circuit Court of the Fifth Judicial Circuit in and for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is Clerk of the Circuit Court, Probate Division, 110 NW First Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34475. The name and address of the person publishing this notice is: JENNIFER BAKER, Personal Representative, 4963 Rothschild Drive, Coral Springs, Florida 33067 by and through her below named attorney.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, on whom a copy of this notice is served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. The date of first publication of this Notice is January 31, 2025.
Forest squeaks past North Marion Wildcats top Colts in regular season finale.
By Mark Pinson
Special to the Ocala Gazette
In a game between two of the best teams in Marion County, it was Forest that came away with a 54-50 win over North Marion on Jan. 31.
The victory in a very physical game, which was the final regular season finale for both squads, improved the Class 6A Wildcats to an impressive 20-4 on the season and avenged an earlyseason loss to the Colts.
“It’s always a battle, whether it’s Forest and North Marion or Forest and Vanguard,” said Forest coach Mike Hoffman. “It turned into an all-out battle and our guys stepped up to the challenge and competed. We’re a much different team than we were in the first month of the season and that’s the sign of a good group. This is the best winning percentage since 2009 and I’m really proud of this team to be able to put up 20 wins after the graduations and kids that left. A lot of people doubted us and didn’t think we were going to be any good, but here we are, and I love it for these guys.”
North Marion, which dropped to 16-7 overall, battled back from an 11-point halftime deficit to tie the game in the fourth quarter, only to come up short in the closing minutes against the Wildcats. Colts coach Tim Yarn bemoaned the foul disparity in the close loss.
“Forest had no fouls in the second quarter and the fourth
quarter and that’s tough to deal with in a physical, hard-fought, defensive game,” the North Marion coach said. “They only had six fouls the whole game and that made for a large disparity that was hard to overcome on the road against a quality opponent.”
North Marion held a lead midway through the first period as forward Lamont Sweeting Jr. scored five of his 13 points. Forest rallied behind Trey Chisolm who scored five points and forward
Isaac Timmons added six of his team-high 14 points to give the Wildcats a 13-9 lead heading to the second quarter.
Forest extended its lead as junior guard Chandler Davison splashed back-to-back 3-pointers, Sean Curry chipped in with four points and Timmons had two baskets in the paint to give the Wildcats a 29-18 lead at the half.
North Marion found its shooting touch in the third quarter as Jerdarrius Jackson, who finished
with a game-high 18 points, scored eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers and Toure James added four points to pull the Class 4A Colts within two points heading to the final eight minutes.
The teams traded baskets until Sweeting powered his way for a layup to tie the score at 47 with under three minutes left in the game.
Forest answered as Curry scored on a putback and Tico Smith made one of two free throws to give the Wildcats a 50-47 lead with 34.8 seconds
remaining to play.
North Marion had a couple of good looks at the basket but couldn’t get a shot to fall. Forest came down with the rebound and a full-court pass to a wideopen Timmons led to a layup that sealed the victory.
North Marion heads to the Class 4A-District 5 tournament while Forest goes to the Class 6A-District 3 tournament.
Lecanto edges Belleview in overtime
Panthers beat Rattlers in district quarterfinals.
By Mark Pinson
Special to the Ocala Gazette
Lecanto junior guard
Bryleigh Florio made two clutch free throws to send the game to overtime and the Panthers held Belleview scoreless in the extra period to earn a 49-41 win over the Rattlers in the Feb. 4 Class 5A-District 5 quarterfinals.
The win improves Lecanto to 14-10 overall and earns the Panthers a district semifinal game against No. 1 seed Leesburg. Belleview, which started the game slowly but led by two points with 7.2 seconds left in regulation, ends the season with a record of 16-5.
“We started out really nervous and made some unforced errors, but I thought we did a good job of getting ourselves together and coming back,” said Rattlers coach Gary Greer. “We had every opportunity to win in regulation and that was a tough break on the last shot where the foul was called. We fought hard and did a lot of good things, but we started losing bodies in the overtime.”
Belleview struggled to put the ball in the basket in the opening stanza and Lecanto took advantage as sophomore Adrianna Miller scored five of her 13 points and Aleena Borgus buried a 3-pointer from the right wing to give the Panthers a 13-6 lead heading to
the second period.
Belleview rallied behind junior guard Briyanna Miles, who knocked down a trey and scored five of her team-high 15 points.
Lecanto freshman forward Sophie Barbieri scored five of her gamehigh 17 points and Kasidee Florio added a long 3-pointer as the Panthers enjoyed a 25-20 lead at halftime.
Lecanto, the No. 5 seed, went ice cold in the third quarter and Belleview, the No. 4 seed, roared back as sophomore forward Albanis Mogollon poured in seven of her 14 points and sophomore center Haleigh Irwin had a putback to give the Rattlers a tenuous 30-29 lead heading to the fourth period.
The teams traded baskets until Miles hit a floater in the lane to give Belleview a 41-39 lead with 7.2 seconds left in regulation. Lecanto hurried the ball up the court and Bryleigh Florio threw up a prayer from the right corner against tight defense and a foul was called. Florio missed the first free throw but calmly swished the next two to send the game to overtime.
Lecanto jumped in front in the four-minute extra period as Barbieri drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key and made a pair of free throws. Belleview, which lost a player to cramps and another to fouls, had good looks at the basket but couldn’t get the shots
to fall. The Panthers ran time off the clock with each possession and made their free throws to seal the victory.
Despite the disappointing loss, Belleview has a lot to look forward to on the hardwood in the years to come.
“I’m really proud of the girls because 16-5 is a pretty good season,” coach Greer said. “We’ll learn from this, grow as a team and take it to the next level next year. I’m excited for the future because we don’t have any seniors and we’re just going to get better.”
Belleview's Cami Satter eld (2) and Lecanto's Aleena Borgus (11) battle for a rebound during a basketball game at Belleview High School in Belleview, Fla. on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. Lecanto won the game 49-41 in overtime.
Lecanto's Aleena Borgus (11) takes a loose ball away from Belleview's Cami Satter eld (2) during a basketball game at Belleview High School in Belleview, Fla. on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. Lecanto won the game 49-41 in overtime.
Belleview's Briyanna Miles (23) loses the ball under pressure from Lecanto's Sophie Barbieri (4) during a basketball game at Belleview High School in Belleview, Fla. on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. Lecanto won the game 49-41 in overtime.
Forest guard Tico Smith (0) brings the ball up the court as North Marion’s Toure James defends during Friday night’s game.
North Marion’s Lamont Sweeting Jr. scores over Forest’s Isaac Timmons during Friday night’s game.
