Levitt Amp concerts continue. Pg A7
Details into the 2023 death of an elderly veteran in the Marion County Jail
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
Dennis DiGenova was killed while in the custody of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
Was his death caused by a battering from deputies or a fight with his
cellmate? No determination was made, and no charges were filed.
DiGenova, a 73-year-old veteran from Ocala, died on July 28, 2023, from complications related to a cervical spine fracture sustained while he was being held in the Marion County Jail, according to the District 5 & 24
Medical Examiner’s Office. DiGenova was involved in two altercations while in custody. While his death has been ruled a homicide, no detention deputies nor inmates have been charged for their involvement in his death.
See Elderly veteran, page A6
Beer dreams can come true
Infinite Ale Works starts brewing at its new midtown location.
By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
The dream of transforming the old Ocala Fire Rescue Station No. 1, which overlooks Tuscawilla Park, into the new home of Infinite Ale Works was realized April 2 as the company brewed its first batch of beer at the location. The new brewing operation comes with the added perk of a full bar and independent food hall tenants offering multiple dining options, all under the
same roof and collectively called Midtown Station.
The eatery and bar opened in September of 2024, but it wasn’t until Wednesday that the company was ready to brew beer.
When Infinite Ale Works started out 11 years ago, they were a small-scale operation, borrowing equipment from another brewery.
“As we grew, we were able to buy our own fermenters and grow our brewing program. In 2018, we had grown so much that we were actually awarded Best Large-
Scale Brewery in the state of Florida by the Florida Brewers Association,” recalled co-owner Kristin McDonald on the recent momentous day.
McDonald and her husband, Tom, sat down with the “Gazette” to reminisce about the long road to this moment.
The couple said their dreams for the location began in 2017, when the city of Ocala issued a request for proposals for the property’s use. It would take years for them to refine their vision and secure the contract.
See Beer dreams, page A3
Trailblazing female captain dies in Ocala
Capt. Virginia Ferguson was the first female and first Black woman to hold a United States Coast Guard captain’s license in Florida and the first female glass-bottom boat captain at Silver Springs.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
One of Marion County’s most remarkable women, Capt. Virginia Ferguson, has passed away. Ferguson was born Sept. 11, 1941, in Donaldsonville, Georgia, and grew up in Homestead, Florida. Her family later moved to Ocala to join other family members who were already here. She died March 25, 2025, in Ocala. Ferguson was the first female and first Black woman to hold a United States Coast Guard captain’s license in Florida and
the first female glass-bottom boat captain at the Silver Springs Attraction.
She is survived by her children, Youlanda Green Jones, Robert “Rocky” Green and Jessica HadleyBrown. She was predeceased by her son Bobby Eugene Ferguson and grandson Kenyatta “Bear” Jones.
Pedestrian deaths rose
to
21 in Marion County in 2024
Ongoing pedestrian safety actions include road, crosswalk and sidewalk improvement projects.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
Last year was deadly for pedestrians and bicyclists on Marion County roadways. Twenty-one pedestrians were killed countywide in crashes in 2024, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
In comparison, Volusia County, with a 2024 U.S. Census population of 602,772 compared to 428,905 for Marion County, had 18 pedestrian fatalities in 2024. Lake County, with a population similar to that of Marion County, had eight pedestrian traffic deaths in 2024. One of the state’s largest counties, Miami-Dade, had 75 pedestrian fatalities in 2024, according to FHP data.
The ”Gazette” talked with city of Ocala, Marion County and state officials to learn more about the deaths and some pedestrian safety actions that are being implemented.
She has 30 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.
Hadley-Brown said her mother “loved the water.”
“She just had that aspiration of loving the water and would talk about, ‘navigating the current of the
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Infinite Ale Works owners Kristin and Tom McDonald pour a draught beer from a tap at the new location of Infinite Ale Works in the Midtown Station on Northeast Watula Avenue by Tuscawilla Park in Ocala, Fla. on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
Virginia Ferguson [Photo by Mark Emery]
Katina Jones of Ocklawaha was one of 21 pedestrians struck and killed in Marion County in 2024. Jones, 49, of Ocklawaha, was walking on County Road 464 (Maricamp Road) in Silver Springs Shores when she was struck on May 31. This roadside memorial marker has been placed near the site. [Photo by Andy Fillmore]
Dennis DiGenova [Submitted photo]
Female captain dies
Continued from page A1
river.’ In 1973, she began studying to receive her Coast Guard license,” Hadley-Brown stated.
She said family members would often visit Silver Springs to go on boat rides with Ferguson, and bring friends along.
“She had a zest for Silver Springs,” she said. “In the early ‘70s, you could go there and choose an oyster that might have a pearl in it. We enjoyed doing that. She loved her job, and she would make sure we knew her speech that she so graciously gave to the visiting families.”
“In 2018, her tenure was 46 years, as of June 6, 2018. After the death of her grandson, she had a stroke that ended her career there,” Hadley-Brown said. “But she maintained her Coast Guard license and her Homeland Security clearance; she was very proud of that clearance.”
She also noted that Ferguson was an avid bowler, a great cook and at one time had a florist business in Ocala.
As for life lessons imparted to her children, she said her mother would tell them, “Never to give up. She would say, ‘Your journey will not always be easy, however, as you approach the milestones you will see the victory at the end.’”
A column in the May 2021 issue of the “Gazette’s” sister publication, “Ocala Style” magazine, by Scott Mitchell, director of the Silver River Museum since 2004, called Ferguson a “trailblazer.”
“She is known for being capable and professional. Her demeanor is both tough and warm-hearted, and she was a fixture at Silver Springs for close to half a century. During the late 1960s, Ferguson was raising kids and working at Club Bali, a well-known African American night club in Ocala. Several of the Silver Springs glass-bottom boat captains encouraged her to apply for a job. She did—and made history. On June 6, 1973, Ferguson became the first female and the first Black woman to hold a United States Coast Guard captain’s license in Florida. This was no small feat given that the era of open racial and gender discrimination was not yet a thing of the past. By the time she retired, Ferguson had safely introduced tens of thousands of visitors to the beauty of the springs and opened the door for younger female captains to follow.”
One of those captains was Connie Mann.
“I met Capt. Virginia in early 2006, when I was hired as a glass-bottom boat captain at Silver Springs. Out of the 30 captains, there were only three ladies, so they sent me to train at the Pink Dock, also known as the Fort King River Cruise, under Capt. Virginia’s watchful eye. She was not only the first female captain ever hired at Silver Springs, she was the first African American woman in Florida to obtain a USCG-issued captain’s license. No small feat in 1973,” Mann recalled.
“Capt. Virginia had a warm smile, twinkling brown eyes, a wonderful laugh—and a spine of steel she showed when necessary. She never called herself a trailblazer or pioneer or mentor, but she was all of that and more, for me and so many other women. She not only trained me to handle a boat and deal with guests from around the world; she showed me how to step into the role of captain with skill, grace and confidence, despite those who didn’t welcome the idea of a woman at the helm. By her example, she taught me that humor can diffuse many a situation and a warm smile invites good conversation,” Mann added.
“I will never forget the first time she had me pull up to the main glass-bottom boat dock. As luck would have it, the park
manager and every single captain working that day stood and watched the new girl try to navigate those tricky currents. Talk about intimidating. Capt. Virginia lifted her chin, sent me her wide smile and kept murmuring, ‘Just do it like I taught you, Connie. Just do it like I taught you.’ I did and earned my place amongst the other captains that day,” Mann stated.
“Thank you for everything, Miss Ginny. For blazing a trail for other women to follow and for being an incredible mentor, encourager, example, sister and dear friend. Your encouragement to ‘do it like I taught you’ inspires me to do the same for the next generation. I’ll be looking for your bright smile when I reach heaven’s shore,” Mann continued.
Another Ocalan who knew Ferguson through Silver Springs is award winning cinematographer Mark Emery, who also was a glass-bottom boat captain for a time and who included Ferguson in his movie “The Silver River Story.”
“I knew Virginia mainly from working with her in the early 70’s at Silver Springs. Virginia was a wonderful lady, tough, smart and with a big heart. More important than that was her sense of self-deprecating humor. She injected humor often into her talks at Silver Springs. She would say in her talks as a glass-bottom boat driver, ‘We have over 30 species of fish here at Silver Springs. Now I can’t remember all 30,” and she would laugh a bit and then say, “we have catfish, bream, bowfin, largemouth bass, you catch a batch and I’ll cook them up and we’ll call them fried fish,’” Emery shared. “She loved her work at Silver Springs and in her many years of sharing the beauty and lovely surprises she saw on the Silver River, her excitement and joy was real. She said, ‘Silver Springs is my home; I spend more time here than I do at my house.’”
She was also observant of others who worked with her, regardless of race, Emery said.
“She admired Leon Cheatom, her manager, who recently passed as well, saying, ‘I have always admired Leon. If we were having trouble with too many people in line and not enough drivers, he would jump on the boat take folks out to help us out, I have always enjoyed working with him.’ She was the driving force in having a retirement party for Leon when he retired,” Emery offered.
“She shared her joy with folks who worked in the park. When manatees started coming back to Silver Springs, they would at times be in easy sight of the boat dock. She would go tell the workers in the restaurant to come down because the manatees were where they could see them. Virginia was a wise woman and expressed herself well on growing up with the segregation that divided us in her early days. She spoke to many hundreds of thousands of people about wildlife, spreading her own personal style of grace, joy and humor. We need more like Virginia Ferguson. She will be missed by all who knew her,” Emery shared.
Local photographer and businesswoman Cynthia Wilson-Graham remembered Ferguson as a devoted mother, grandmother and aunt.
““Miss Virginia cherished her children and family above all else. She was a straightforward and honest individual, always speaking her mind and meaning what she said. Her words were as reliable as her actions,” Wilson-Graham said.
“With the unwavering support of her family and additional training from Capt. Roosevelt Faison, Miss Virginia shattered the glass ceiling for women aspiring to become boat captains. Her strength and determination were evident in her pursuit of this goal when she obtained her license from the U. S. Coast Guard, becoming the first female boat captain at the WorldFamous as she Silver Springs, now Silver Springs State Park,” she added.
A life celebration for Ferguson will be held at 3 p.m. April 6 at Living Waters Church, 3801 N. US Highway 441, Ocala.
Publisher's note: The late Capt. Virginia Ferguson was a Marion County icon. Unfortunately, in last week's paper, her feature obituary contained a photo caption error. Out of respect for her family, and in commemoration of her remarkable life, we are reprinting the article.
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Capt. Virginia Ferguson [Photo by Mark Emery]
Capt. Virginia Ferguson, left, is shown with Capt. Connie Mann, with Mark Emery in the background at right. [Submitted photo]
Beer dreams
According to the agreement, the city sold the one-acre parcel to McDonald Properties & Investments for $1. The deal included reimbursement of up to $100,000 for roof repairs to the 1984 building during the first year. The city agreed to pay the company $25,000 per year for five years after that.
After the contract was in place, it would take almost three and a half years to open the project’s door to the public—an expensive endeavor that came with many surprises, from determining which walls were load bearing to figuring out how to convince the birds that occupied the structure to leave.
“We tried to get them to leave using a machine that would make noises randomly,” Tom explained with a chuckle, remembering a “huge hawk” that would hang out at the back door with an eye to get in.
But when that didn’t work, they had to hire out-of-town professionals to “humanely” remove them, Kristin explained.
Looking back on the three and a half years it took to open the place, Kristin and Tom both said they wished they had understood that they needed to be more hands-on, moving things along rather than relying on others.
“Time is money,” Tom acknowledged in hindsight.
“I probably spent in interest the cost of a new sports car,” he added.
The neighborhood for Midtown Station is a mixture of residential and commercial, and the McDonalds say their new neighbors have been great and welcomed them.
“I think it helps that we try to be careful about noise and keep the live music inside,” Tom said.
Eventually, the couple would like to host concerts in the backyard of Midtown Station, which can fit around 700 people.
The McDonalds acknowledged they too have noticed the trend, nationally reported, that Americans are drinking less alcohol.
“There are trends in this market. We just have to stay on
top of it,” Kristin said.
The couple acknowledged that another trend, including THC or CBD in cocktails, is one they’ll likely pass on.
“Usually, we have around 30 of our own beers on draft, as well as a handful of our own cocktails,” Kristin said.
With so many options,
“We like to say that we have
something for everyone. That being said, our flagship beer is the West Floridian, a Belgain quad. It’s one of the first beers we brewed and it’s also an awardwinning beer,” she added.
Their IPA, Into the Haze has taken over the top spot as far as distribution goes.
“Everyone these days loves a good hazy IPA and we have
perfected ours; it’s a good one,” Tom offered.
Beer drinkers can visit the brewery to stock up on the local brew or find it at their favorite bars and restaurants. Additionally, the beer is distributed throughout Florida at local grocery stores or bottle shops.
“If you can’t find it, ask for it. Almost any place in Florida can get it for you,” Tom said.
The Infinite Ale Works site on Magnolia in downtown Ocala will remain open and Tom and Kristin said they have ideas for adding more fun activities, as well as introducing new, unique drink options beyond beer, at that location.
To learn more about hours, offerings and the live music schedule for the brewery and food hall, visit midtownstationocala.com
To learn more about Infinite Ale Works, visit infinitealeworks.com
Photos by Bruce Ackerman
Scarpetta,
Zanatta,
Tuscawilla Park
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
Graduating high school seniors who paint, tap dance, play the flugelhorn or write sonnets are encouraged to apply for two $1,500 scholarships from Rainbow Springs Art in Dunnellon.
“The nonprofit gallery is sponsoring scholarships for area students who want to study the creative arts in college, including visual art, music, dance, writing, theater or even such things as culinary arts,” said Margo Wilson.
Students will need to show they have been accepted by a college, have a letter of recommendation from an arts teacher or counselor and meet some other requirements. The
deadline to apply is April 30.
In the meantime, the gallery is hosting the “There Is Only One Dunnellon Community Art Show,” running through April 16.
Wilson said 27 area artists have interpreted what Dunnellon means to them in the exhibit, including “Kathy Sage’s whimsical portrayal of the Dunnellon Train Depot, circa 1908, which depicts the circus coming to town, including two giraffes, poking their heads out of train cars and surveying the bustle at the station.”
A sketch of a rustic bench in “Blue Run of Dunnellon Park” by Kristine Aldret Pearson is complemented by a photo of “Dunnellon Pond” by Jinny Kelly and a moody abstract landscape by Rowena Murillo, Wilson noted.
Rainbow Springs Art offers scholarships,
“But a collage of found items by Gayle Dans is perhaps the most unusual piece in the show. Dans has assembled
metal and stone fish, as well as a metal palm tree, cowboy hat and flowers. There’s a shell, a rainbow pin and beads spelling
out the names of the American Indian tribes that once lived here. There are metal starfish, a turtle and a gator. There are pink, blue, and amethyst beads. And yes, there’s the corporate seal of the Dunnellon Phosphate Company,” Wilson shared.
Those visiting the exhibit can vote for their favorite piece of art as the Best in Show in the People’s Choice Award competition. The winner will receive $100. The exhibit will be on display when the city hosts its Boomtown Days and Art Show on April 12 in Dunnellon’s historic downtown. The Rainbow Springs gallery, at 20804 W. Pennsylvania Ave., is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday during the winter/ spring season.
To learn more and find the application for the scholarships, go to rainbowspringsart.com or call (352) 445-8547.
“The Jewels of Dunnellon” by Gayle Dans is a collage of items, like metal fish and shells that refer to Dunnellon. The work is in the “There Is Only One Dunnellon Community Art Show” running through April 16 at the Rainbow Springs Art gallery. [Submitted photo]
17th annual Farmland Preservation Festival
set for April 12
This year’s event will take place as Senate and House bills propose new laws that would supersede local zones of protection, including Marion County’s Farmland Preservation Area.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
The 17th annual Farmland Preservation Festival will take place April 12 at the Stirrups ‘n Strides Therapeutic Riding Center at 4246 W Highway 318, between Orange Lake and Citra.
The event is organized by the nonprofit Save Our Rural Areas group, or SORA. It will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will include family-friendly fun, cottage and traditional farm crafts, farm animals, tractors and farm equipment, food vendors, live music and plants for sale.
“SORA has organized the annual festival each year since 2006. SORA is a 501(c)(3) organization that is concerned about the future of Marion County’s farmland and its future land uses. April is proclaimed Farmland Preservation Month by the Marion County Board of County Commissioners and is the reason for the festival being held in April,” said Jerome Feaster, the longtime lead organizer of the event.
The festival may hold particular relevance this year as there currently are bills in the Senate and House that would wrest local control of development from cities and counties across the state and open up agricultural areas to developers without review from local governments. If passed, the new laws would supersede any local overlay zones of protection, including Marion County’s revered Farmland Preservation Area.
The bills were filed by State
Sen. Stan McClain, R-Marion, and Rep. Kevin Steele, R-Pasco.
The bills propose no restrictions on minimum lot size and assume that maximum densities per any current land development code would be automatically put into effect. The city of Ocala and the Marion County Board of County Commissioners would lose their authority to restrict the number of units per acre in a housing project. (ocalagazette.com/ florida-legislature-bills-wouldlikely-remove-fpa-protections-inmarion-county)
“The current Senate Bill 1118 and its companion bill in the House are bad in that it strips the power of home rule from the county level and gives it to the state. Local land use has traditionally been decided by local elected officials with input from citizens and not by decree from a distant bureaucracy. This lessens input from citizens groups and is the antithesis of democracy. For this reason, Save Our Rural Areas stands in opposition to this and similar bills,” said SORA President Tim Gant via email.
Admission to the Farmland Preservation Festival is free but there is a $5 charge for parking, which will give the paying guest a raffle ticket they can take to the SORA booth for a chance on a selection of items.
“The Stirrups ‘n Strides Therapeutic Riding Center will provide a covered arena for many arts and crafts vendors as well other nonprofit groups. There will be a shady ‘fun for
kids’ area that will have farm animals, a corn tub to play in and a trailer slide. There also will be a corn hole game, a stick horse obstacle course and barrel races.
On the food menu this year will be barbecue, pizza and ice cream. Visitors can sit at picnic tables to eat as they listen to Americana and fiddle music,” Feaster shared.
“Unfortunately, there will not be a tractor parade this year,” he added.
“It is an honor to host this festival that wants to help people to keep their farms,” said Betty Gray, executive director of Stirrups ‘n Strides.
“Please, everyone, come out and visit our vendors. We will have lots of animals, lots of good food and lots of things going on. Stirrups ‘n Strides will be having a tack sale for those who have horses.
To learn more about the event, go to farmlandfestival.org For information about Stirrups ‘n Strides, go to stirrupsnstrides.com
For the status of SB 1118 and other bills, go to flsenate.gov/ Session/Bill/2025/1118/
March 20 – April 6, 2025
From left, Jaxon Miller, Dade Markham and Raelyn Hoff man play in a large bin of corn during the 14th annual Marion County Farmland Preservation Festival on April 9, 2022. This year’s event is April 12.
Dave Guynn, left, and Rodney Guynn, who are first cousins of Tom Petty, perform during the Farmland Preservation Festival on April 8, 2023.
Photos by Bruce Ackerman
Letter to the Editor:
By
John and Linda Susan Dunn
My wife and I are long-time Ocala residents, and we are concerned about the clear cutting going on at the Silver Springs Forest Conservation Area in Marion County. For us to see a hardwood forest and a habitat of countless creatures being ripped out of the ground and turned into sawdust is shocking. (www.ocalagazette.com/ entities-at-odds-over-land-clearing/)
Long leaf pine planting does have advantages, and we do understand that state biologists say removing shade cast by oaks on the forest floor helps to restore an understory and the argument that hardwood shade is counterproductive for some species, such as gopher tortoises.
We’ve recently received a letter from an official at the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD)—which is the agency responsible for the tree cutting—and appreciate learning their goal for this land is “to improve the habitat for the native flora and fauna and protection of the adjacent water resources.” The district also is tasked with managing fire prevention. We also know that SJRWMD is filled with dedicated responsible professionals.
Clear cutting, however, is not the only solution. Girdling, as it is practiced across Florida to remove laurel oaks and other hardwood, allows the process to evolve over years and not minutes. Another possibility is selective cutting, as is used in Germany, which relies on alternating spokes of tree harvesting that radiates from a common center and is less destructive. (SJRWMD says it will use selective cutting on part of the tract.)
The district also says its goal “whenever possible, to return the lands we acquire to, or as close to, their historic community type. These communities were not supposed to become climax forests, such as hardwood hammocks.”
Harvesting takes place once the pine trees reach market maturity and the subsequent clear cutting and replanting of only pines means the area is never allowed to become a climax forest, that is one with hardwoods and other trees. This allows
the state to function as a tree farmer (using a public natural resource) for the private sector. It seems strange to us that a climax forest (one that occurs naturally without human intervention) is “not supposed to exist” but a pine plantation is.
Pine tree monoculture made possible by clear cutting may be a boon for local timber companies, but it destroys flora and fauna diversity and could allow pests to quickly move through a single species (we remember the regional pine beetle infestation a few years ago).
There are other values to consider. For one thing, more shade may be desirable as the climate warms. Recent research in Frontiers in Forests and Global Change (frontiersin.org/ journals/forests-and-global-change/ articles/10.3389/ffgc.2023.1226514/ full) indicates that hardwood forests are up to 70% more effective as carbon sinks than monoculture tree farms.
As avid hikers, we are chagrined at the fact that much of the recreational value of the forest to our local community is all but taken away. Who will be able to walk or bike, for example in a ripped up, demolished “forest” with only 3-foot-tall pine trees planted in rows?
We seriously doubt that the intent of the people who funded the purchase of this property from the original logging company owners was to make this property inaccessible to the public for their enjoyment. Were these groups made aware of the plans to destroy the landscape for future mulch? Were there shareholder meetings held to explain what was going to happen?
We have seen the destruction going on right now on this property and it is astounding. Managed natural forests provide resources for all of us, but citizen enjoyment is also important. Naked, boring, hot, logged tree farms have their values, but they also are an impediment to those seeking recreation and spiritual renewal in the natural world.
John M. Dunn is the author of “Drying Up: The Fresh Water Crisis in Florida”
Scrubfest
Homegrown 2025
The plant festival will take place April 12 in Fort McCoy, with speakers, food trucks and more.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@maganoliamediaco.com
According to Sam Singleton of Scrubland Farmz Nursery, Scrubfest Homegrown 2025 will be a “food forest expo made up of local to North Central Florida businesses discussing the importance of also learning local.”
The plant festival will focus on edible, medicinal and native plants with a dozen presentations, plants for sale, food trucks, an artisan market and a kids’ zone.
The topics for the educational presentations will include: Homegrown Healing; Food Over Pharma; Farm to Table and the Importance of Carbon in Your Soil; Feed the Soul, Feed the Soil; Cutting the BS Out of Mushrooms; How the Ag Extension Office Can Help You; What’s so Great About Moringa?; Benefit From Good Herbs; Why Regionally Appropriate Seeds Are Important; Syntropic Gardening; Micro/Macronutrients and Building Herbal Immunity; and Why Kombucha is Amazing.
“With social media, people are asking the world what they should do instead of asking their neighbors. We’re just getting the folks connected to the right resources. This also gives the businesses the support they deserve.
Elderly veteran
Continued from page A1
The MCSO’s Major Crimes Unit investigated the case and deemed that allegations of deputies’ use of force as the cause of DiGenova’s spinal fracture and subsequent death were unsubstantiated.
Upon reviewing MCSO’s internal investigation, the State Attorney’s Office on Feb. 1, 2023, issued a letter stating no criminal laws were violated, and no further action will be taken.
DiGenova served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He was buried in the Florida National Cemetery at Bushnell for military and veterans.
The “Gazette” obtained extensive medical records, bodycam footage, interview recordings, photos and other records from the law office of Robert Rush, of Rush & Frisco Law. Surviving family members of DiGenova intend to file suit against the sheriff ’s office for wrongful death.
DiGenova was being held at the Marion County Jail on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill after a dispute with his roommate. DiGenova died before he went to trial for the charge, and the case was closed after his death, according to court records.
After spending two days in the jail, DiGenova was sent to AdventHealth Ocala emergency room on July 20, 2023, due to a drop in blood pressure. Medical staff in the jail called 911 after they noticed that DiGenova had not eaten or moved in two days.
In a sworn deposition from a nurse in the jail, DiGenova was described as combative with jail staff when being transported and said DiGenova was vocally accusing jail staff of causing his injuries, the nurse told investigators.
Upon examination at the hospital, he was conscious but was noted to have a difficult time communicating with hospital staff, as he “appeared to be in pain and was speaking very quietly.”
“When asked if he has pain or what happened, patient reports that he was beaten by police,” according to AdventHealth hospital records.
Hospital staff confirmed that DiGenova had a break in his neck. Staffers believed that the injury was causing paralysis to his legs, if not more of his body. DiGenova also needed to be intubated.
He was transported to HCA Ocala Hospital, where he died on July 28, 2023. His medical history included diagnoses of COPD, diabetes and myocardial infraction. He had previously had a surgery to insert a pacemaker, according to medical records.
The use of force incident involved Deputy Justin Douglas, Detention Deputy Jason Lester and Detention Deputy Charles Cicci. There was no video captured of the use of force incident, as it occurred in the change-out room during booking. Deputies used both Tasers and pepper spray on DiGenova during the altercation, according to the investigation conducted by MCSO’s Major Crimes Unit after his death.
Upon his arrival in bookings at about 12:02 a.m. on July 18, DiGenova “appeared to be yelling at staff and acted uncooperatively” during the pat search, so Lester “quickly placed DiGenova
Everyone wins. Kids under 18 are admitted free, plus we’ll have a Kidz Workshop and play zone while the parents are getting educated. It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Singleton offered. Scrubfest Homegrown 2025 will take place at Scrubland Farmz, 22505 NE 130th Court, Fort McCoy, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost for adults is $20 in advance or $25 the day of the event. To learn more and get advance
against the wall and gained physical control of him,” according to the investigation report.
Then, DiGenova was escorted to the changeout room for intake.
“Corporal Lester and Corporal Cicci took Inmate DiGenova to the floor and ordered him to place his hands behind his back. Inmate DiGenova continued to refuse orders. Corporal Lester advised Inmate DiGenova that if he did not comply, he would utilize his Electronic Disabling Device (EDD),” according to the Green Team use of force report filed on July 18.
The investigation found the allegations against MCSO detention deputies as unsubstantiated because it could not be proven whether DiGenova’s neck was broken during the use of force incident or during an altercation with another inmate, both of which occurred on July 18.
“The investigation revealed several other mechanisms and factors which could have caused or contributed to Inmate DiGenova’s injuries which ultimately led to his death,” according to the report.
DiGenova was also involved in an altercation with his cellmate, Philip Boyer, at about 6:42 a.m. on July 18. Both men were housed in the Medical Pod. The two men were arguing when Boyer stepped over DiGenova, who was lying on the ground, to get to the toilet. Boyer said DiGenova was verbally bothering him and hit him on the leg. Boyer then kicked DiGenova four times; investigators reported the kicks were directed toward DiGenova’s head and neck area.
During this incident, DiGenova’s body and positioning were obscured from the cameras, so exactly where Boyer kicked is not recorded on video, according to the investigation report.
Boyer testified to jail investigators that he “lightly kicked” DiGenova four times, not with intent to harm DiGenova but to “shut him up.”
Throughout his interview, however, Boyer went back and forth about whether he kicked DiGenova. By the end of the interview, Boyer and the detective agreed that he did kick DiGenova lightly four times.
On July 20, a nurse from AdventHealth made a third-party complaint, alleging that DiGenova told her his injuries of a broken neck, bruises and lacerations were caused by detention deputies.
MCSO filed a Death in Custody Questionnaire with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement that listed DiGenova’s cause of death as a homicide. No other information was provided to FDLE at the time of filing, and DiGenova’s death was listed as still under investigation as of Dec. 8, 2023—five months after he died. The investigation was closed in February of 2024.
Deaths while in custody of the MCSO are reported to the FDLE, as required when the agency applies for grants for state funding. The federal Death in Custody Reporting Act law requires all local agencies to report deaths in custody to the state level, but Florida has no state law enforcing DCRA reporting except if the agency applies for grants.
Editor’s Note: Investigate This! at The Marshall Project provided guidance to the Ocala Gazette team on how to navigate obtaining information under the federal Death In Custody Reporting Act.
One of the educational presentations during Scrubfest Homegrown 2025 will be about moringa, sometimes described as a “miracle tree.”
“We are a law-and-order state”
DeSantis holds press conference at MCSO to tout bonuses and also discusses HOPE Florida program.
By Jennifer Hunt Murty
Gov. Ron DeSantis held a press conference at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office on April 2 to hand out recruitment bonuses to new deputies.
“We are a law-and-order state,” the governor said of Florida, pointing to strong laws that protect law enforcement and make it harder for people to disrupt Florida communities.
The governor claims that, as a result, Florida crime is down, but as previously reported, there is no way to independently fact-check the claim due to changes in reporting crime data across the country.
Additionally, the governor noted that the financial incentives have helped them recruit law enforcement officers from other states.
The Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program, launched in 2022, provides a onetime $5,000 bonus—after taxes—to newly employed officers “as a show of appreciation and incentive for choosing to serve in Florida,” said the governor.
According to a media statement issued by the governor’s office, “more than 1,700 law enforcement officers from 49 other states and two territories have relocated to Florida, with more than 500 coming from anti-police states like California, Illinois, and New York. Each of the 7,800 newly recruited officers has received a $5,000 bonus after taxes, with the program distributing more than $53 million to date.”
The “Gazette” asked the governor during the press conference if the state had plans to provide solutions to address the mentally
ill, whom law enforcement must encounter regularly without sufficient resources.
The governor indicated that his office on April 1 expanded the HOPE Florida program, to provide support, with each sheriff’s office now being assigned a HOPE Florida liaison in each respective office. The initiative by First Lady Casey DeSantis was initially put in place to help children, and is being expanded according to the governor.
“Just simply having a government program and having a bureaucrat find a program for people to get on and stay on is not expanding that person's horizons,that's not helping them achieve a pathway of self-sufficiency,” he said.
“Her insight was that's more of a great society war on poverty, LGB, left approach. Our approach needs to embrace the faith community, embrace our charities, embrace businesses that want to be philanthropic, embrace individuals who want to lend a helping hand in their community,” the governor said.
“So she created HOPE Florida to transform those bureaucrats into navigators, so when someone comes in need, their job is not to try to get on a government program, but to navigate them to all the resources that are already available in their community,” he stated.
“We’ve got all these churches that are connected, we’ve got synagogues and
Levitt Amp music series continues
The free concerts take place on Friday nights in northwest Ocala.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
The weather is cooperating quite nicely with this year’s Levitt
Amp Ocala Music Series lineup so far. On March 28, attendees basked in the soft glow of the setting sun as they enjoyed nice spring evening temperatures. The series kicked off March 14 and will run through May 16. The free concerts take place at Webb Field, in the MLK Recreation Complex at 1510 NW 4th St.,
Ocala. They begin at 6 p.m. Each event features an opening act and a main act, along with food trucks, interactive activities and a spotlight on a local nonprofit.
The program is organized by the Marion Cultural Alliance, with the city of Ocala, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Commission of Marion County and Juneteenth Celebration Commission.
The rest of the 2025 lineup includes: April 4 – The Sweet Lillies (bluegrass/Americana)
April 11 – The Dollyrots (pop rock/punk) April 18 – Larry McCray (blues)
• April 25 – BettySoo (country)
• May 2 – Nattali Rize (reggae)
• May 9 – Larry & Joe (Venezuelan Joropo & Appalachian folk)
• May 16 – McCrary Sisters (gospel)
For details, go to ocalafl. gov/levittamp or follow @ LevittAMPOcala on Facebook and Instagram.
charities that are part of HOPE Florida network. People’s needs can be put into a portal and then it goes out to all these great stakeholders in the community. And guess what? If someone is in need and a church answers the call,the chance is that person is going to have stability and a pathway to be productive more than just dealing with a bureaucrat,” said the governor.
The governor claimed that Hope Florida has already helped 30,000 people get off welfare and saved the state $100 million dollars.
The governor feels like law enforcement can funnel the public to HOPE Florida to find help when they cross paths.
“Now, not every county in Florida has the same amount of resources in terms of what churches are offering, or private organizations, but we have a lot, a lot to offer in the state of Florida,” the governor said without providing any explanation of how those needs would be met.
Besides providing a hub for the public to find resources, the governor acknowledged, “And of course we want to save taxpayer money, but more importantly, those other ways [faith based] are more likely to work and help people.”
The “Gazette” was not allowed to ask follow-up questions about how churches and nonprofits would be able to address the needs of individuals who had become a danger to themselves and law enforcement due to a lack of treatment.
For more information about the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment, visit floridajobs.org/ recognition-and-recruitment
Randy Fine wins District 6 seat in Congress
DeSantis slams Fine’s character, says race was too close for comfort.
By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
Republican State Sen.
Randy Fine defeated Democrat Josh Weil in the April 1 special election for the District 6 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Fine, the candidate from Melbourne Beach endorsed by President Donald Trump, will join Congress to fill the vacancy left after the appointment of Michael Waltz as National Security Adviser.
“Today, voters reminded the
world that Florida is Trump Country. I won because of (Trump’s) endorsement and his call for voters to send me to be a warrior for his America First agenda,” Fine wrote in a statement after his win.
His opponent, Weil, made strong headway by generating over $9 million in campaign funds despite running in a predominantly Republican district. Fine, on the other hand, raised less than $1 million in funds for his campaign, according to the Federal Elections Commission.
Fine won with over 110,000 votes, in comparison to Weil’s 83,000.
“In my visits to the polls today, I spoke to voters who waited for more than an hour because they wanted the country to know they still stand
with President Trump,” Fine wrote.
“They are demanding Washington follow his bold leadership to secure our border, demand fair trade, and restore America as a leader on the world stage.”
During a press conference at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office on April 2, Gov. Ron DeSantis was critical of Fine and the margins by which he won.
“He’s a squish, okay? He supported restrictions on Second Amendment rights back in 2018. He tried to defeat my immigration proposal to help President Trump enforce immigration laws…” DeSantis told reporters.
DeSantis credited Fine’s win to Trump, saying that without the president’s push for the voters to get
to the polls, then Fine likely wouldn’t have been so successful.
“The way he conducts himself, he’s somebody who repels people. He’s repelled people in the legislature. They wanted to get him out of the legislature, so they asked me to put him up for Florida Atlantic University president,” DeSantis said. “I did, and the whole board would have resigned rather than make him president. So now he’s going to be in Congress.” Fine is one of two Republicans who won their special elections, maintaining the slim majority for Republicans the House of Representatives.
“To President Trump and my new Republican colleagues in Congress— reinforcements are coming. I’m on my way,” Fine wrote.
Photos by Bruce Ackerman
Tessa Hollon, 7, right, helps Arianna Leon Uberti of Ari Uberti Illustration, paint artwork during the concert.
Jeff and June Empfield brought Boo Boo, a 4-year-old Norwich terrier, to the Levitt Amp Ocala concert.
Carol Stec and Daryl Champine dance to the music of the Grupo Feroz Musikal.
Diana Herrera, 2 1/2, wears her sunglasses as she listens to the band.
A member of the band Grupo Feroz Musikal plays the accordion during the Levitt Amp Ocala concert at Webb Field in Ocala, Fla. on Friday, March 28, 2025. The concert series features a different band every Friday evening.
Grupo Feroz Musikal performs during the Levitt Amp Ocala concert at Webb Field on March 28.
One of the educational presentations during Scrubfest Homegrown 2025 will be about moringa, sometimes described as a “miracle tree.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis holds press conference at Marion County Sheriff’s Office on April 2, 2025. [Jennifer Hunt Murty]
Historic church hosts Gospel Fest
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist is one of the oldest churches in Marion County, tracing its roots back to the 1870s. The church grounds, shaded by ages-old grandaddy oak trees, was the scene on March 29 of a Gospel Fest that drew hundreds of people. The festival included musical performances, food and fellowship on the grounds. There were many
other church groups in attendance, with some guests traveling from as far away as Montgomery, AL.
The church is located at 5000 SW College Road, Ocala. It got its start when a group of free slaves started having services under a brush arbor, or shelter made from tree branches and brush, according to church and historical records. The church was officially chartered in 1900.
To learn more, find the church on social media at fb.com/OcalaMtCalvaryMBC/
Public Notice Public Notice
Vanessa Bryant-Rose, center, Shirley Hamilton, left, and Shanisha Johnson, right, of the Mook and the Sistas gospel group, perform during Gospel Fest at Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Ocala on March 29, 2025.
People gather under a large live oak during the Gospel Fest at Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church.
Hattie Brown raises her arms as she listens to gospel music on March 29, 2025.
Kanesha Carnegie, bottom, with Sierra White and her daughter, Gracelyn, 2, enjoyed the event.
From left, Chaplain Bob Miller of Ocala Farm Ministry, talks with J. T. Coleman, longtime church member Gus Gray and Fred Dickerson.
Ann Sinclair-Curtis serves fried whitefish during the Gospel Fest.
Musicians play gospel music on March 29, 2025, during the historic Ocala church’s festival.
Photos by Bruce Ackerman
CITY OF OCALA
Ocala Police Department Public Information Officer Jeffrey Walczak confirmed that six people walking and two bicyclists were killed in collisions in Ocala city limits in 2024. In 2023, two pedestrians were struck and killed within city limits and four died in 2022. In 2020, 10 pedestrians died in the city limits.
OPD is continuing to look into the case of Mariano Raymundo, 28, who was found deceased near a retention pond in the 4400 block of College Road (State Road 200) around 7 a.m. on Nov. 20, 2024.
“(An OPD) investigation suggests he was crossing SR 200 northbound on an e-bike when a westbound vehicle struck him at an unknown time,” an OPD release stated.
The OPD Traffic Homicide Unit is asking that anyone with information call them at (352) 368-7000.
OPD Traffic Sgt. Justin Arnold stated in a message forwarded by Walczak that the pedestrian is often at fault in many collisions.
“Most of these incidents are pedestrian at-fault—usually people crossing roads outside of crosswalks or not using the signals and yielding to traffic. We run state-funded pedestrian safety operations every year, reaching thousands of people with warnings about the risks, but sadly, it’s still a problem that costs lives,” according to Arnold.
“The city’s growth and rising traffic, especially from non-locals, also contribute. As the county’s biggest hub, we see a lot of nonresident traffic flowing through,” Arnold stated.
A state trooper on duty in the local FHP office recently remarked that visibility, or lack thereof, is a common denominator in Marion County pedestrian traffic deaths and said impairment can be an issue in vehicle versus pedestrian collisions.
MARION COUNTY
Among the 2024 fatalities in Marion County was Raymond Martinez, 84.
On March 2, 2024, at 11:05 p.m., the driver of a Chevrolet Silverado traveling west struck a motorized scooter that was being towed east “along the roadway, against traffic in or adjacent to travel lane” by a “pedalcyclist” on a “dark non-lighted” area of Spring Road, according to an FHP crash report. Martinez, riding on the scooter, was killed in the crash. He was described in the report as “not visible” and wearing “dark clothing.” He was pronounced deceased at the scene at 11:10 p.m.
The driver of the truck, Mary Pate Wise, 40, at the time, was found in the neighborhood of the crash by Marion County Sheriff ’s Office personnel and was positively identified by parts found at the scene and video footage from a residence, the crash report states. Wise was charged with violations related to leaving the scene of a crash with a fatality, injuries and property damage.
On May 31, 2024, Katina Jones of Ocklawaha was struck and killed while walking on County Road 464 (Maricamp Road) in Silver Springs Shores. A round roadside memorial marker placed near the site where she was struck admonishes drivers to “Drive Safely/In Memory of Katina Jones.” Jones, 49, was struck by an eastbound 2023 Ford Transit van while standing on CR 464, in the 9400 block about 3.5 miles east of Baseline Road, around 5:36 a.m. and was pronounced deceased at the crash scene at 5:42 a.m. by Marion County
Fire Rescue, according to an FHP crash report.
The report described the conditions as “dark, not lighted” but “clear” and stated that Jones was “not visible” and wore “dark clothing.”
The 36-year-old van driver told a trooper he swerved to the left to avoid to another pedestrian in the roadway and that’s when the van struck Jones “standing on the yellow line” of the turn lane in the center of roadway, according to the crash report.
No charges were listed in the report, which noted the driver was “not distracted.”
The stretch of Maricamp Road where Jones was struck, between Water Road and Emerald Road, sees a lot of pedestrian traffic with a convenience store and service station on the north side of Maricamp Road and a residential subdivision on the south side.
Stan Schneider lives in east Marion County and operates Schneider Lawn Care. He frequently drives on Maricamp Road, including the 9400 block where Jones was struck.
The nearest observed speed limit sign is 50 mph.
Schneider said he has seen drivers failing to stop for red lights, traveling at an excessive speed and making excessive lane changes.
“People drive like maniacs I’d like to see increased (traffic law) enforcement,” Schneider said.
Marion County Public Relations Manager Stacie Causey stated in an email that the county was awarded the state’s largest federal road grant in 2024 to make improvements on a stretch of Maricamp Road under the U.S Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program.
According to the U.S. DOT website, transportation.gov, Marion County was awarded $19,020,640 to enhance safety on Maricamp Road from near Southeast 53rd Court (west of Southeast 58th Avenue/Baseline Road) to just east of Southeast 108th Terrace Road.
Marion County Board of County Commissioners meeting notes forwarded by Causey discuss the project.
“With these funds, the county will be able to enhance multimodal connectivity, providing safer facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians to mitigate crash involvement for these groups. Specifically, we will look to reduce conflict points using raised medians to provide access management, designated U-turns, dedicated right-turn lanes, bicycle and pedestrian pathways with crosswalk enhancements, traffic signal improvements, and much more to improve safety and
roadway operations for all users,” the notes state.
Causey highlighted additional pedestrian safety projects planned or ongoing in the county:
The Best Foot Forward is a nonprofit that has worked with the Traffic Division of the Office of the County Engineer to identify 10 crosswalks in Belleview, Dunnellon and Ocala and unincorporated Marion County, maintained by Marion County, to make “low cost” improvements including signs and pavement markings
The Florida Department of Transportation program Safe Routes to Schools, which centers on “enhancing safety along sidewalks and for pedestrians near schools.” Projects are ongoing or are set for schools including Legacy Elementary School and Marion Oaks Horizon.
STATE PROJECTS
Britney Jones, Communications Manager for Florida Department of Transportation District Five, which covers nine Central Florida counties including Marion, stated in an email that all FDOT projects for Marion County can be found at cflroads.com. Twelve projects are currently listed under the construction heading for Marion County.
Jones detailed a resurfacing project on State Road 464 (Maricamp Road) from Southwest 2nd Avenue to State Road 35 (Baseline Road) with sidewalks, bicycle lanes and other safety improvements, plus a resurfacing project on State Road 200 from east of Interstate 75 to South Pine Avenue, which will include three pedestrian hybrid beacons at three southwest Ocala intersections with overhead warnings. Jones stated that FDOT works closely with the Ocala/Marion County Transportation Planning Office “to share the safety message widely through community outreach and educational campaigns.”
The Ocala/Marion County TPO has a “robust” action plan for safer local streets, which can be found at ocalamariontpo.org
TIPS FOR DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS:
Pedestrians:
• Walk on sidewalks whenever they are available. If one isn’t available, walk facing traffic and as far from traffic as possible.
• Pay attention and keep alert at all times. Avoid wearing headphones so you can hear the traffic and pedestrians around you. Never text or look at your
cellphone when crossing the street.
• Whenever possible, cross streets at crosswalks or intersections, where drivers expect pedestrians, and look for cars in all directions, including those turning. If neither are available, locate a well-lit area where you have the best view of traffic. Wait for a gap in traffic that allows enough time to cross safely and watch for traffic as you cross.
• Never enter the street from between parked cars. If crossing mid-block cannot be avoided, pedestrians must yield the right of way to vehicles on the roadway.
• Do not cross an intersection diagonally except where and when crossing is authorized by official traffic control devices.
• Watch for cars entering or exiting driveways or backing up in parking lots.
• Be visible at all times. Wear bright clothing during the day and wear reflective materials or use a flashlight at night. Never assume a driver sees you. Make eye contact with drivers as they approach to make sure you are seen. Motorists:
• Look out for pedestrians everywhere, at all times. Use extra caution when driving in hard-to-see conditions, such as nighttime or bad weather.
• Slow down and be prepared to stop when turning or otherwise entering a crosswalk. Never pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk. There may be people crossing that you can’t see.
• Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and stop well back from the crosswalk to give other vehicles an opportunity to see and stop for the crossing pedestrians.
• Follow the speed limit, especially around people on the street. Follow slower speed limits in school zones and in neighborhoods where children are present. Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and stop well back from the crosswalk to give other vehicles an opportunity to see the crossing pedestrians so they can stop too.
• A vehicle approaching a pedestrian legally crossing the street at an intersection must yield or stop to allow the person to cross. This applies to bicyclists as well as motor vehicle drivers.
• If motorists fail to yield, they face a minimum citation of $164 and three points on their driver’s license. Worse, they can severely injure someone, even taking their life.
• All sides of the intersection are crosswalks, marked or not, regardless of whether the sidewalk is paved or not. The only exception is where a state or local government has explicitly closed a particular crosswalk and a sign must be placed at such a crossing to indicate that it is closed.
• As drivers, you must be prepared to slow or stop at any time for emergency vehicles, buses, bicyclists, animals, other motorists slowing to turn and other situations.
• Be extra cautious when backing up as pedestrians can move into your path.
Source: The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, at flhsmv.gov A “Safety Matters” bicycle and pedestrian safety video may be seen at youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ZNLWgIfN90
Motorists drive on Southeast Maricamp Road east of the intersection of Southeast 25th Avenue in Ocala on April 6, 2021. Marion County was awarded a federal road grant in 2024 to make improvements on a stretch of the road.
[File photo by Bruce Ackerman]
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The history of Blue Star Markers and garden clubs
The Pioneer Garden Club recently led the restoration of a memorial marker in Dunnellon.
By Jacqua Ballas president, Pioneer Garden Club
Springtime weather encourages people to travel and explore outdoors and perhaps take a drive around the state. On your drive, you may see a roadside marker with a Blue Star near the highway and have some questions about its meaning. These markers are found throughout the United States.
When World War II ended, national garden clubs were seeking a suitable means of honoring the WWII service men and women.
Garden club members visualized a living memorial that would beautify the country. The program began with the planting of 8,000 dogwood trees by the New Jersey Council of Garden Clubs in 1944 as a living memorial to veterans of World War II.
In 1945, the National Council of State Garden Clubs adopted the Blue Star Memorial Highway Program and began a highway system that covers thousands of miles across the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii. In 1947, a beautiful roadside marker was designed to identify the highway and provide continuity. Garden clubs would purchase the markers, plant materials and find a place for it in their communities. Highway departments would plant and maintain the area.
The Blue Star Marker program was the first project undertaken by garden clubs on a national scale. In 1951 the program expanded to honor all men and women who serve in the United States armed services.
Why the Blue Star? The Blue Star was adopted because it was an icon in World War II and was seen on flags and banners in homes for sons and daughters away at war as well as in churches and businesses.
The program expanded to include a smaller Blue Star By-Way Marker, to be placed in areas such as parks and civic and historical grounds. This tribute line, “A tribute to the
Armed Forces who have defended the United States of America,” appears on all Blue Star Highway and memorial markers.
There are 211 Blue Star Markers and Blue Star ByWay Markers in various counties in Florida. In Marion County, there are four Blue Star Markers in Dunnellon, Belleview, McIntosh and Micanopy. Gainesville has two Blue Star Markers at the VA Medical Center and at Paynes Prairie.
Members of the Pioneer Garden Club knew the Dunnellon Blue Star Marker on U.S. Highway 41 near the entrance to Rainbow Springs State Park needed to be restored. The marker was installed on Jan. 21, 1971, and had seen more than 50 years of sun, wind and rain. A complete restoration was needed.
The work was done by Tom Stelling of Historical Markers Restorations in Daytona Beach. Stelling, a veteran, has
restored close to 500 Blue Star markers across the United States. The restoration was funded by Dr. Bryn McGhee in honor of her father, a Vietnam veteran, and her grandfathers, who served in both the Korean War and World War II, as well as the veterans she has cared for as a physician at the VA. The Pioneer Garden Club will host a dedication ceremony later in the year to celebrate the restoration.
Wherever your spring break travels take you, keep a lookout for roadside Blue Star Markers that honor the men and women of the armed services and the local sponsorships of the garden clubs in that area.
To find a list of all Florida Blue Star Markers and Blue Star ByWay Markers, visit the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs at ffgc.org
To learn more about National Garden Clubs, Inc., go to gardenclub.org
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The Blue Star Marker in Dunnellon has been restored through an initiative of the Pioneer Garden Club.
This is also a Blue Star By-Way Marker.
This is what the Dunnellon Blue Star Marker looked like before restoration
This is an example of a Blue Star By-Way Marker. Photos courtesy Pioneer Garden Club
Tips to make a bedroom a more relaxing space
Homes are often characterized as sanctuaries. A home’s interior spaces can provide a respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life, regardless of what’s happening in the outside world.
Perhaps no space inside a home should be more relaxing than a bedroom. But bedrooms are not impervious to the hectic pace of life unless homeowners make a concerted effort to transform these spaces into relaxing respites. By implementing a variety of strategies, homeowners can ensure bedrooms embody the notion that homes are sanctuaries for their residents. Install new window treatments. Blinds, curtains, shades, and other window treatments come in a variety of styles and colors, ensuring there’s at least one that can match an existing design scheme in a bedroom. Window treatments
can be utilized to create a cozy vibe in a bedroom, blocking out lights from outside, including natural light from the sun and moon but also street lamps and decorative lights from neighboring properties. This can ensure bedrooms are a peaceful and welcoming respite when homeowners and residents return home each night. Make the room a devicefree zone. If escapism is an end goal, then turning a bedroom into a device-free zone is a must. Televisions, tablets and smartphones ensure the distractions and stressors of everyday life are never too far away, so removing these devices from bedrooms can help to establish a more peaceful bedroom environment. In addition, the National Sleep Foundation reports that using devices in a bedroom tends to reduce sleep duration by delaying the time users go to sleep. Reconsider the lighting
Bedroom lighting is another variable that merits consideration when trying to transform the space into a more relaxing room. Ambient lighting can be utilized to create a soft and welcoming atmosphere in the room. Dimmable lights also allow residents to adjust the amount of light depending on the time of day. Lights can be bright when getting dressed in the morning, and then turned down when
Learn the right ways to clean lawn and patio furniture
Once the days begin to grow a little bit longer and the numbers on the thermometer creep a tad higher, outdoor entertaining season is right around the corner. Homeowners may be anxious to once again return to the comforts of their backyards. However, their patio furniture may not be ready for lounging just yet.
Some simple cleaning strategies make it easy to brighten outdoor furniture made of metal, glass, wood, and plastic. Before homeowners know it, their backyards will be ready for outdoor entertaining season.
PROPER STORAGE
Storing outdoor furniture during the colder months of the year is a great way to protect items from the elements. This may involve careful shrink-wrapping and keeping items outdoors, or by moving furniture indoors to a shed or garage. Cleaning the furniture one last time before storing it also can be handy.
REMOVE
STUCK-ON DEBRIS
Inspect furniture and be prepared to remove any stuck-on debris, such as bird droppings, sticky food residue or even cobwebs and insect nests. Be sure to use a cleaning tool that is safe for the material you are cleaning. Test an inconspicuous area of the furniture first to ensure your tools don t damage the furniture. For example, many scrub brushes can scratch glass or aluminum.
MAKE A THOROUGH CLEANSER
Clean stains off of furniture with a versatile cleanser. A mild cleaner
can be made by mixing 1/2 cup baking soda with 1 gallon of warm water, according to the experts at Better Homes & Gardens. Regular dishwashing detergent also can be mixed with water, as it has a mild bleaching agent. This cleanser can be used on plastic resin furniture or metal furniture, which are popular patio furniture materials.
PATIO FABRICS
Check the cleaning instructions of outdoor fabrics, as there might be specific instructions on the tags. In some cases, fabric may be removed and washed in a washing machine on a gentle setting. A solution of dish soap and warm water also is a gentle way to clean outdoor fabrics. Once items are clean, HGTV advises applying a water-repellent fabric protector to minimize staining and maintenance.
STRIP OR SAND
Wood furniture may need specialized care. If stains cannot be removed with a mild cleanser, then hard woods like teak can be surfacesanded to restore items original look. Pressure washers can often do more harm than good to patio furniture, so it s best to look for an alternative way to clean them. Usually a bit of elbow grease and a cleanser is all that s needed. Give the cleaning product time to work.
Wipe down and dry the furniture thoroughly to prevent the growth of mildew.
residents are going to bed and want to unwind before closing their eyes. Clear out clutter. A cluttered bedroom is more than an eyesore. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners notes that clutter can contribute to anxiety and adversely affect an individual’s ability to sleep and focus. Examine bedrooms to see if there is any unnecessary or overly bulky furnishings that
make the spaces feel cramped and cluttered. Remove those items when possible, or consider working with a contractor to expand the room if budget and space allows.
Bedrooms can be respites within the larger sanctuary that homes are meant to be. That’s especially so when residents implement strategies to transform bedrooms into more relaxing spaces.
Features to consider for a peaceful backyard retreat
Backyards have undergone quite a transformation over the last decade-plus. The days when patios and decks were all a backyard living space had to offer are largely a thing of the past, as homeowners have realized just how valuable it can be to commit to a stunning backyard.
The real estate experts at Zillow estimate that homes with backyard features such as outdoor televisions, outdoor showers and outdoor kitchens command 3.1 percent more than expected upon reaching the market. If 3.1 percent doesn’t sound like a lot, it actually equates to nearly $11,000 on a typical home. However, there’s more to gain than money when converting a backyard space into a relaxing retreat. Such spaces can provide a welcoming escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life, all the while giving homeowners and residents a comfortable space to soak in the great outdoors. With that in mind, homeowners can take the following steps to establish a peaceful backyard retreat.
Refresh the landscape. Even if your vision is centered on outdoor furniture and a space that accommodates movie nights under the stars, its still best to refresh the existing landscape if it needs a little upkeep. Overgrown trees, hedges and bushes can create the same cluttered vibe that dominates interior spaces overrun with items. If necessary, work with a local tree service or landscape architect to trim, or even remove, trees and hedges that are crowding the backyard and making it feel claustrophobic or giving it an unkempt look. Aim for a landscape that affords a balance of sun and shade so the space is as comfortable as possible throughout the day.
Set up multiple gathering spaces,
if possible. Once a backyard retreat is established, everyone who calls the property home might find the space hard to resist. Keep this in mind when planning the space and aim to set up multiple gathering spaces. An outdoor kitchen with a nearby dinner table can be a great space to enjoy al fresco dining, but a separate area to read a book or watch a movie or ballgame can make the space more versatile. Some may want to relax away from the noise of the grill area, and multiple gathering spaces ensures thereÕs always a peaceful spot to unwind out back. Add a water feature. Running water has a way of calming the nerves, and thatÕs good to keep in mind when planning a backyard retreat. Water features run the gamut from garden ponds to koi ponds to fountains to hot tubs. Homeowners can identify which feature best aligns with their idea of relaxation and then work with a landscape architect to ensure itÕs installed in their backyard oasis.
Don’t forget shade. Temperatures are rising in many areas of the globe, and thatÕs worth noting when planning a backyard retreat. Even the most ardent sun worshippers likely wonÕt want to be exposed to the sun at all times when relaxing in their backyards. Strategically chosen means of providing shade can make spaces enjoyable all day long. Consider umbrellas, gazebos, pergolas, and even retractable awnings to cover patios and decks when the sun is at its highest each afternoon. If you plan to spend ample time in the grass, make that more enjoyable by planting shade trees, which also can protect the grass from drought and make it more comfortable underfoot.
A relaxing backyard retreat can make for an ideal space to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Fun and innovative modern kitchen features
Kitchens are the hub of many homes. Perhaps due to their popularity as gathering spaces, kitchens are popular rooms to renovate to ensure they remain functional and attractive through the years.
Online resources such as Houzz and Fixr indicate kitchens are consistently ranked among the most popular rooms to renovate. In 2022, 42 percent of homeowners were motivated to remodel their kitchens, according to data from Statista. Homeowners looking to enhance the functionality and look of their kitchens can consider these fun and innovative features as they plan their renovations.
CONCEALED COUNTERTOP APPLIANCES
The latest small appliances and gadgets can make easy work of preparing food, but these devices can add to kitchen clutter. A roll-down door appliance garage will conceal appliances kept on counters.
CLEVERLY PLACED STORAGE
Additional storage also can give kitchens a cleaner look. Narrow, pullout drawers can be nestled in between cabinets or appliances to make the most of tight spaces. These spots are perfect for utensils or spice containers.
MIXER LIFT
Baking enthusiasts will cheer if they don’t have to lift a heavy stand mixer when preparing foods. A mixer lift is an innovative feature that enables homeowners to raise and lower the mixer from a dedicated cabinet any time it’s
MICROWAVE DRAWER A microwave drawer maximizes space and boasts a sleek design. Instead of installing a microwave above a stove, homeowners can enjoy a beautiful range hood.
WINE REFRIGERATOR
Available in a variety of sizes, wine refrigerators offer stylish storage for any wine
DOUBLE OVENS
Double
POT FILLER
A
Home sale prices remain steady
The median single-family price statewide in February was $415,000 and rose to $290,000 in Marion County.
Staff report
The Florida Realtors Association’s February 2025 market report shows that, statewide, the median single-family home sale price rose to $415,000, a 0% change from February 2024. Townhouses and condo median sales price were $315,000, a 3.1% year over year decrease from last year. The statewide active listing inventory for single-family homes was 111,827, a large increase of 31.6% from last year.
SINGLE-FAMILY MARKET: SLIGHTLY RISING PRICES
Ocala/Marion County’s February median sale price reported for single-family homes was $290,000, a 0.7% increase from 2024.
There was the “usual increase in closed sales from January to February,” said Brad O’Connor, senior economist for the Florida Realtors, a statewide agents’ reporting and professional trade association. “But we didn’t see as much of a bump as we did last year. So, while single family home sales were actually up year over year in January by a little over 3.5%, they fell by about 7% year over year in February.”
More inventory also affects the market, he said.
“We are still tracking a bit above the level of new singlefamily home listings we are accustomed to seeing at this time of year. Over the past three years, the number of single-family homes coming onto the market each month has generally exceeded the number of homes either selling or being withdrawn from the market each month,” O’Connor said.
“So that means that the number of active listings for sale as of the end of each month, what we call active inventory, has generally been on the rise, with new listings still higher than recent levels and sales trending below recent levels. We should expect that trend to continue into the spring buying season here in Florida. At the end of February, we had an inventory of close to 112,000 active single-family home listings. That’s about 32% more active listings than we had at the end of last February and about 14% more than the average February inventory level from the pre-pandemic years of 2014 through 2019,” he stated.
The association reported that the supply of single-family existing homes statewide increased to a 5.3-months’ supply.
“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 decreased by 2.2% with a total of 5,467 throughout Florida, which was just over 30% of all sales, nearly one-third of the overall market.
“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.”
Ocala/Marion County saw a decrease in single-family home closings from last year, down to 576 sales, a 13.4% change.
TOWNHOUSES
AND CONDOS: SALES SLUGGISH
Ocala/Marion County townhouse and condo median sales prices came in at $185,000, a 28.2% decrease from last February. A total of 39 closed sales were reported.
“At the statewide level, this
side of the market continues to be weaker than that of the single family home side of the market for multiple reasons, including, but not limited to, buyer concerns about condo reserve requirements, higher concentrations in some of the weaker markets in the state, and waning levels of interest from out of state buyers, as well as disproportionate economic impacts to buyers most sensitive to housing affordability,”
O’Connor said.
“Closed sales of condos and townhouses were down 13% year over year in February, a more substantial decrease than we saw in January when we were only down by 3.7%. New pending sales of condos and townhouses, meanwhile, were down almost 15% in February, so we’re not likely to see much improvement in closed sales in the March statistics either. New listings of condos and townhouses were up by 6.7% year over year in January, but in February they were actually down by half a percent,” he added.
Existing condo-townhouse properties were at a 9.7-months’ supply in February, an increase of 56.9% from February 2024 and total active listings of 75,051. For the sector, the number of cash sales decreased by 13.6% and represented 53.1% of the market.
A home is shown for sale on Northeast 43rd Street in Ocala on Feb. 11, 2025. [File photo by Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
Just peachy
The Academy at Ocala Civic Theatre’s youth production of “James and the Giant Peach” comes alive from April 11-13.
Staff report
Richard R. George’s creative dramatization of the beloved book “James and the Giant Peach,” by Roald Dahl, is full of fantasy, whimsical imagination and colorful characters. The Academy at Ocala Civic Theatre will offer its youth production of “James and the Giant Peach” from April 11-13 at the Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place, at 1821 NW 21st Ave., Ocala.
A narrator (Alex Barlow) tells the tale of young James Trotter (Leif Bouker), who is left an orphan after his mother (Jordyn Tingler) and father (Grace Taylor) are swallowed by an escaped rhinoceros. Poor James has a sad and unhappy life with his two cruel aunts, Aunt Sponge (Liam Ortiz) and Aunt Spiker (Leighton Lightbody), until a Little Old Man (Summer Pineau) gives him a bag of magical “little green
things,” according to the news release.
When James accidentally drops the bag in his yard, the magic gets into the roots of an old tree and suddenly a peach on it starts growing bigger and bigger, until it’s big enough for James to climb inside. Within the giant peach, James discovers a quirky gang of insects: the Old Green Grasshopper (Cadence Czarny), the Centipede (Caeryn Golden), the Spider (Layla Torres Perez), the Ladybug (River Head), the Earthworm (Thomas Hill) and the Glow-Worm (Kinsley Bowman).
The peach falls off the tree and rolls into the ocean, where it begins a journey of delicious dangers and delights as James and his new friends set sail from England on an amazing adventure. Aided by seagulls, the magical peach takes flight and is sighted by the crew of the Queen Mary.
The captain (Amelia Edsall), the first officer (Grace Otero) and the second officer (Yovanni Borrego) think they surely
Yes, it’s possible
Cast-iron seared rib-eye steaks.
With beefy rib-eye steaks, a solid cast-iron skillet, and a few simple techniques, you can make a truly superlative main course. Spoon an easy browned butter sauce with garlic and herbs over the top, and your diners might start addressing you as “Chef.”
Dry-brining (salting in advance) these thick steaks not only seasoned their interiors but also resulted in more tender, juicy beef. Drying the steaks on a rack and thoroughly heating the heavy cast-iron skillet removed any potential for cold zones and ensured that the steaks built a flavorful, seared-on crust. Flipping them often in the skillet and reducing the heat after the first two flips reduced any overcooked gray band, leaving the rib eyes’ interior pink and juicy.
Finally, sizzling butter,
whole herb sprigs, garlic cloves, and shallots together in the fat left in the skillet created a deeply aromatic sauce that we poured over the steaks as they rested.
Cast-Iron Seared Rib-Eye Steaks
Serves 4 to 6
2 (1- to 1 1/2-pound) boneless rib-eye steaks, about 1 1/2 inches thick, trimmed
2 to 3 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small shallots, peeled and quartered through root end
3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled
5 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon flake sea salt
1Sprinkle steaks evenly on both sides with kosher salt and place on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate,
must be dreaming. But it’s no dream when James and friends fly through the clouds and find themselves across the Atlantic, in New York City.
“James and the Giant Peach” is directed by Dani Moreno-Fuentes and performed by a cast of students ages 11 to 17. The stage manager is Cheyenne Dever and the junior stage manager is Collin Blakley. The set designer is Nikki Bonfiglio, costume designer is Stephen Menard, lighting designer is Cheyenne Dever and sound
designer is Jazmine Whipple. The performances will take place at 7 p.m. April 11 and 12 and 2 p.m. April 13. The show is rated G. The run time is 50 minutes.
Tickets $18 for adults and $12 for ages 18 and younger and can be purchased at the OCT box office or over the phone at (352) 236-2274, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, and online at ocalacivictheatre.com
uncovered, for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
2Pat steaks dry with paper towels and sprinkle with pepper. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add oil to skillet and heat until just smoking. Place steaks in skillet and cook, pressing on tops with tongs occasionally to ensure even contact with pan, until lightly browned on first side, about 2 minutes. Flip steaks and cook until lightly browned on second side, about
MAYO CLINIC
3Flip steaks again, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, flipping every 2 minutes, until steaks are well browned and meat registers 115 to 120 degrees (for medium-rare), 7 to 12 minutes. Transfer steaks to a 13-by 9-inch baking dish and tent with aluminum foil.
4 Add butter to fat left in skillet and melt over medium heat.
Add shallots, garlic, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprigs and cook, stirring often, until browned butter solids cling to edges of garlic and shallots are deep
golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and spoon butter sauce and aromatics over steak; tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes (do not wash skillet; set skillet on cool heatproof surface).
5Transfer steaks to a cutting board, then return sauce and aromatics, along with any accumulated juices, to now-empty skillet. Slice steaks on slight bias. Return steaks to skillet, arranging aromatics around slices. Sprinkle steaks with lemon zest and flake sea salt. Serve.
Consider TIME when dealing with sepsis
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My 86-year-old father was recently hospitalized with a severe infection. We were told he’s at an increased risk for sepsis because of his age and medical history. What are the signs of sepsis to watch for now that he’s returned home?
ANSWER: Nearly 270,000 people in the U.S. die annually because of sepsis — more than the number of people who die from prostate cancer, breast cancer and AIDS combined. Yet more than 40% of adults are unfamiliar with the danger of sepsis.
Sepsis occurs from an infection and can quickly become life-threatening. When your body has an infection, the natural response is for the immune system to fight the infection. If the body creates too much of a response to the infection, inflammation can develop, triggering sepsis.
Any type of infection that occurs anywhere in the body can lead to sepsis.
Infections that lead to sepsis most commonly occur in these parts of the body:
Bladder and urinary tract
Gallbladder and biliary tract, which includes organs and ducts that make and store bile
• Lungs
• Skin
• Soft tissues like fat or muscles
There is a myth that only people who have been hospitalized are at risk of developing sepsis. In fact, 87% of cases originate outside of the hospital setting. Another myth is that sepsis is rare and only affects people with preexisting conditions.
Anyone can develop sepsis, but those at higher risk are:
Adults 65 or older.
• Children under 12 months.
• People with weakened immune systems.
• People with chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, lung disease, cancer and kidney disease.
• People who have had a recent hospitalization.
People who previously have had sepsis.
Symptoms of early sepsis can appear similar to other conditions, and survival depends on pinpointing the source of infection. Blood and urine tests and imaging scans may help identify the type and location of infection.
People at risk of sepsis or who previously have had sepsis should be proactive in talking with their healthcare team about the possibility of sepsis when they are feeling ill.
The acronym TIME is a helpful tool for recognizing and remembering the signs and symptoms of sepsis:
T: Temperature — higher or lower than usual
• I: Infection — signs and symptoms of an infection
• M: Mental decline — sleepy, difficult to rouse, confused
• E: Extremely ill — severe pain, discomfort, shortness of breath
Suspected sepsis should
be handled as an emergency by calling 911 and going to a hospital, like you would do with a suspected heart attack or stroke. Urgent response and rapid, aggressive treatment increase the rate of survival.
Treating sepsis as early as possible is crucial to prevent it from worsening. Determining where the infection is and eliminating it is vital to keeping sepsis from progressing to severe sepsis or septic shock. Even with treatment, sepsis can progress to severe sepsis or septic shock, causing organ damage.
Close monitoring and treatment for sepsis occur in the hospital setting, typically with a combination of antibiotics, intravenous fluids and other medications, including vasopressors, corticosteroids or pain relievers. Supportive therapy, such as oxygen, kidney dialysis or mechanical ventilation and surgery may be needed to drain or remove the infection. Many people who recover
from sepsis return to the same level of activity they had before their bout with sepsis. Some people, especially those with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses, may experience long-term effects.
Talk with your primary care clinician to determine if you’re at increased risk of developing sepsis.
Take these steps to reduce your risk: Prevent infections. If you have chronic conditions, follow your healthcare team’s directions to manage the conditions. Get recommended vaccines. Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water or an alcoholbased hand sanitizer. Clean and cover cuts until they’re entirely healed.
• Know the signs and symptoms. Temperature, infection, mental decline and an extremely ill feeling — TIME — are reasons to suspect sepsis and get help fast.
Careful technique and your trusty skillet produce extraordinary results. CREDIT: (Steve Klise/TCA).
The Academy at Ocala Civic Theatre’s youth production of “James and the Giant Peach” is being directed by Dani Moreno-Fuentes. [Photo courtesy The Civic]
Visit These New Home Models
Visit These New Home Models
CALESA TOWNSHIP
855-927-4104
Larkspur – Inventory Home Available Now!
5714 SW 75th Avenue Ocala, FL 34474
3,089 a/c sq. ft. single family home priced at $498,730.
Featuring 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3 car tandem garage, great room, gourmet kitchen, dining room, flex room, nest, laundry suite, and screened covered lanai.
Cypress – Inventory Home Available Now!
7781 SW 59th Lane Ocala, FL 34474
2,876 a/c sq. ft. single family home priced at $469,990. Featuring 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3 car split garage, great room, gourmet kitchen, flex room, breakfast area, nest, laundry suite, covered lanai, 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, flex 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.
Heath Preserve
Abby Model - 4795 NW 11th St, Ocala, FL • 352-415-3851
1,263 a/c sq. Ft., move in ready, one-story single-family home starting at $260,440, featuring 3 beds, 2 baths, and 2 car garage.
Celeste Model - 1283 NW 44th Court Rd, Ocala, FL • 352-415-3851
1,821 a/c sq. Ft., move in ready, single-family home starting at $284,440, featuring 4 beds, 2 baths, and 2 car garage.
Marion Ranch
Truman Model - 4947 SW 81ST Loop, Ocala, FL. • 352-261-0096
1,782 a/c sq. ft., two-story low maintenance townhome starting at $250,440 featuring 3 beds, 2.5 baths, and 1 car garage. Move in ready.
Eclipse Model - 4753 SW 83rd Loop, Ocala, FL • 352-415-3851
2,449 a/c sq. Ft., move in ready, spacious two-story single-family home starting at $305,440, featuring 5 beds, 3 baths, and 2 car garage.
Millwood
Chloe Model - 4034 NE 30th Terr, Ocala, FL • 352-415-3851
2,260 a/c sq. Ft., move in ready, two-story single-family home w/ downstairs owner’s suite starting at $385,485, featuring 4 beds, 3.5 baths, and 2 car garage.
Belmont Model - 3106 NE 36th Place, Ocala, FL • 352-415-3851
1,428 a/c sq. Ft., move in ready, low-maintenance one-story single-family home starting at $238,440, featuring 3 beds, 2 baths, and 2 car garage.
Oak Hammock Townhomes
Lincoln Model - 3534 SE 37th Ct. , Ocala, FL. 352-562-7154
1, 707 a/c sq. ft. single-family open concept townhome with screened in lanai starting at $211,985 featuring 3 beds, 2.5 baths and 1 car garage.
Pioneer Ranch
Halle II Model - 6645 SW 89th Lane, Ocala, FL. • 352-505-9032
1,703 a/c sq. ft., single-story residence starting at $292,680 featuring 3 beds, 2 bath and 2 car garage. Move in ready.
Princeton II Model - 6645 SW 89th Loop, Ocala, FL • 352-415-3851
2,226 a/c sq. Ft., move in ready, single-family home w/screened porch starting at $328,480, featuring 4 beds, 3 baths, and 3 car garage.
Marion Ranch
Bloomfield Model - 8316 SW 46th Ave, Ocala, FL 34476 • 352-677-2262
2,503 a/c Sq. Ft. Single-family home starting at $393,990 featuring 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3-car garage, quartz countertops, versatile flex room, and covered lanai.
Medina Model - 8322 SW 46th Ave, Ocala, FL 34476 • 352-677-2262
2,230 a/c Sq. Ft. Single-family home starting at $345,990 featuring 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2-car garage, quartz countertops, versatile flex room, and covered lanai.
Pioneer Ranch
Astoria Model - 6866 SW 90th Loop, Ocala, FL 34476 • 813-547-5335
2,223 a/c Sq. Ft. Single-family home starting at $369,990 featuring 3-4 bedrooms, 2.5-3 bathrooms, 3-car garage, quartz countertops, versatile flex room, and covered lanai.
Heston Model - 6862 SW 90th Loop, Ocala, FL 34476 • 813-547-5335
1,850 a/c Sq. Ft. Single-family home starting at $314,990 featuring 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2-car garage, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and covered lanai.
Daylen Model - 6858 SW 90th Loop, Ocala, FL 34476 • 813-547-5335
1,580 a/c
Sunflower 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,
and
lanai. Arlington Model - 9584 SW 82nd Street Road, Ocala, FL 34481
Stone Creek
Stellar Model - 9312 SW 60th Lane Road, Ocala, FL 34481
2,483 a/c Sq. Ft. Single-family home starting at $421,990 featuring 3 bedrooms, 3-4 bathrooms, 2-car garage, versatile flex room, stainless steel appliances, and covered lanai.
Stardom Model - 9296 SW 60th Lane Road, Ocala, FL 34481
2,269 a/c Sq. Ft. Single-family home starting at $406,990 featuring 2-3 bedrooms, 2.5-3.5 bathrooms, 2-3-car garage, quartz countertops, versatile flex room, and oversized 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 flooring, stainless steel appliances, and extended covered lanai.
Compass Model - 9291 SW 60th Lane Road, Ocala, FL 34481
1,471 a/c Sq. Ft. Single-family home starting at $292,990 featuring 2-3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2-car garage, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and covered lanai.
PULTE HOMES
Reddick
McIntosh
Dunnellon
Ocala
Belleview
LENNAR
Government
APRIL 7 AND 14
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.fl.legistar.com/ calendar.aspx for agenda and minutes.
APRIL 15
Marion County Board of County Commissioners
McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala
9am
The commission meets in the morning of the first and third Tuesday of the month. Agendas, minutes and video are available at marionfl. legistar.com/calendar.aspx
Ocala City Council
Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave., Ocala 4pm
The council meets each first 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 first and third Tuesday of the month. Agendas, minutes and video available at belleviewfl.org/200/agendas-minutes
APRIL 8 AND 15
Marion County School Board
1614 E Fort King St.
5:30pm
The board meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. Agendas and minutes are available at go.boarddocs.com/fl/marion/ Board.nsf/Public
Arts
APRIL 9
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
City of Ocala public meetings
Marion Cultural Alliance (MCA), 23 SW Broadway St. Noon and 5:30 p.m.
Attendees will hear a presentation about the latest updates for the second parking garage and the concurrent construction schedule for the Downtown Ocala AC Hotel by Marriott. Both meetings will present the same information. To learn more, call (352) 629-8404 or go to ocalafl. gov/growthmanagement
APRIL 11
Deadline to apply for city academy
The city of Ocala is accepting applications for the 2025 Ocala Future Leaders Academy, a summer youth employment program to provide onthe-job training and professional development for future careers within the organization. The program is open to Ocala residents ages 16-19 who are enrolled in a Marion County high school. Participants will work 20-25 hours per week at an hourly rate of $16.06. The application deadline is 5 p.m. April 11. Applications must be submitted online through the “Employment” section at ocalafl.gov
APRIL 18
Deadline for county photo contest
Marion County’s Stormwater Program announces its 22nd annual photo contest for the 2026 Stormwater calendar. This year’s calendar theme, Wildflower Waters, will showcase the range of hues emanating from waterbodies found in Marion County. Entries are due by 5 p.m. April 18. For details and to submit online, go to marionfl.org/stormwater. High-resolution photo entries can also be delivered to Bibi Larson at the O ce of the County Engineer, 412 SE 25th Ave., Ocala. For more information, call (352) 671-8686.
APRIL 4 (FRIDAYS THROUGH MAY 16)
Levitt Amp Ocala Music Series
Webb Field, MLK Recreation Complex, 1510 NW 4th St., Ocala 6pm The Marion Cultural Alliance, with the city of Ocala, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Commission of Marion County and Juneteenth Celebration Commission, host the 2025 Levitt AMP Ocala Music Series, with free music every Friday from 6 to 8 pm. Next up is The Sweet Lillies (bluegrass/Americana) Each event features food trucks, interactive activities and a spotlight on a local nonprofit. Find details at ocala .gov
APRIL 3-6
“Murder On the Orient Express” Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala Times vary Agatha Christie’s classic murder mystery is live on stage. In 1934, the famed Orient Express is hurtling from Istanbul through wintry western Europe, with the iconic Belgian detective Hercule Poirot among the international passengers. The train becomes stuck overnight in a snowdrift in Yugoslavia, but morning reveals an American tycoon is found stabbed to death in his locked compartment. Every passenger raises questions in Poirot’s mind. Performances are Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $35 for adults and $17 for ages 18 and younger. Learn more at ocalacivictheatre.com
APRIL 3-6
Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka College of Central Florida, Dassance Fine Arts Center, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala April 3-5, 7:30pm; April 6, 3pm
This imaginative student performance captures all the nostalgia of the classic children’s novel and the whimsical tunes of the 1971 film with a fantastical, futuristic steampunk aesthetic. A cast of 30 students will entertain audiences with bold, colorfully adorned costumes, high-energy choreography, daring stunts and enchanting songs. Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for non-CF students and can be purchased at cf.universitytickets.com or by calling (352) 873-5810. Tickets are free for CF students, faculty and staff. For more information, visit cf.edu/theatre
Community
APRIL 4
Marion County Go Red for Women Circle Square Cultural Center, 8395 SW 80th St., Ocala
10:30am-1pm
The event focuses on connection and engagement, fostering an atmosphere of interaction and networking. It will include education and experiences that can help improve health and well-being. For details, email centralflcommunities@heart.org or call (386) 2922734.
APRIL 8
Healthy Weight Forum Webber Center, College of Central Florida, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala 10am-noon Elder Options, the National Council on Aging and the Marion County Hospital District offer a free and open discussion about healthy weight for older adults. Hear from experts and learn from personal experiences about navigating healthy weight treatment options and your rights to care. Seating is limited. To reserve a spot, go to agingresources. org/event/hwf/ or call (352) 692-522.
APRIL 10
Dual Enrollment Discovery Night CF Ewers Century Center, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala
4:30-6:45pm
The College of Central Florida invites middle and high school students and their parents to learn how to earn college credits through the CF Dual Enrollment program. Attendees are invited to come early for a campus tour and pizza. Registration is requested at cf.edu/desessions
APRIL 12
Scrubfest Homegrown 2025
Scrubland Farmz, 22505 NE 130th Court, Fort McCoy 8am-3pm
This plant festival focuses on edible, medicinal and native plants with a dozen presentations about mushrooms, healing plants, moringa trees, plants for sale and more. Food trucks, an artisan market and a kids’ zone. $20 in advance, $25 day of event. For more info, go to scrublandfarmznursery.com
APRIL 14 (MONDAYS THROUGH JUNE 9)
Free Diabetes Self-Management Class
Rainbow Lakes Estates Community Center, 4030 SW Deepwater Court, Dunnellon 6pm-8pm
The Marion County Hospital District, in collaboration with Marion County Parks and Recreation, is offering a program to those 18 and older who are living with diabetes, are prediabetic or are providing care or support for someone with diabetes. Participants will take part in the Diabetes Education Empowerment Program (DEEP), an eight-week curriculum designed to provide practical knowledge and tools for enhancing diabetes self-care. For more information or to register, call (352) 622-3662 or email amp@mchdt. org.
APRIL 17
Fair Housing Act celebration
Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place, 1821 NW 21st Ave., Ocala
5:30-7:30pm
The city of Ocala’s Community Development Services’ public event will celebrate the 57th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act. Signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on April 11, 1968, the Fair Housing Act is a federal law that prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status. It also mandates that federal housing programs actively promote fair housing and establishes procedures for addressing discrimination complaints. This free event is made possible through partnerships with Community Legal Services, the Housing Finance Authority and the Ocala Housing Authority. Guests will hear from featured speakers and enjoy a complimentary dinner. RSVP by Friday, April 11, at eventbrite. com/e/2025-fair-housing-event-city-of-ocalatickets-1261163065679?aff=oddtdtcreator
APRIL 4
Dueling Pianos
NOMA Black Box, Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala 6pm; uncensored version 9pm Sing along for soft rock and pop, and more. Guests will be seated at tables of four or six. Get details at reillyartscenter.com
APRIL 5
Free First Saturday Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala Every first Saturday of the month offers free admission to the College of Central Florida Appleton Museum of Art. Many times, special guest lectures or other events are part of the day. Guests can explore the permanent collection, special exhibitions and enjoy familyfriendly artmaking activities in the Artspace. Free First Saturdays are supported in part by CAMPUS USA Credit Union, Marion Cultural Alliance and National Endowment for the Arts. To learn more, go to appletonmuseum.org
APRIL 5
Veronica Swift
NOMA Black Box, Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala
7:30pm Swift will perform selections from her new album, blending jazz, opera, rock, bossa nova and more, while showcasing her extraordinary versatility. Get tickets at reillyartscenter.com
APRIL 5 AND 12
StoryWalk: Elements at Play
April 5, 11:30am and 1:30 pm, Scott Springs Park, Ocala
April 12, 2pm, Marion County Library Headquarters, Ocala Community Stages’ ODDBITS Trunk & Trek Troupe returns with an immersive outdoor theatre experience featuring international folktales. Audience members will journey through Scott Springs Park as actors bring stories from Ireland, Niger, the Seminole people and Mexico to life in an interactive and family-friendly performance. The event are presented in partnership with Ocala Recreation and Parks. This year’s event introduces a ArtiFacts TR3, Community Stages’ first adult troupe, made up of parents of CS students. To learn more, go to communitystages.org
APRIL 11
John Jorgenson Quintet
NOMA Black Box, Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala
7:30pm Jorgenson is one of the world’s top gypsy jazz guitarists. Mastering the jazz swing pioneered by Django Reinhardt, the quintet will captivate you with soulful melodies, lightning-fast solos and worldclass musicianship. Learn more at reillyartscenter.com
APRIL 12-13
The West Meets Scheherazade
April 12, 7:30pm – April 13, 3pm Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala
The Ocala Symphony Orchestra celebrates the finale of its 49th season. Featuring Michael Daugherty’s vibrant “Rio Grande,” Leanna Primiani’s emotional “1,001” and Eric Whitacre’s playful “Godzilla Eats Las Vegas,” the concert promises a journey through exotic tales and thrilling moments. After intermission, sail with Sinbad and fall in love with Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade.” Learn more at reillyartscenter.com
Jason Steuber, director of the Appleton Museum of Art, and Victoria Billig, assistant director, pose during First Free Saturday at the Appleton Museum of Art in Ocala, Fla. on July 1, 2023. [File photo by Bruce Ackerman]
Sudoku is played on a grid of 9 x 9 spaces. Within the rows and columns are 9 “squares” (made up of 3 x 3 spaces). Each row, column and square (9 spaces each) needs to be filled out with the numbers 1-9, without repeating any numbers within the same row, column or square.
Public Notice
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.
The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent’s death by the decedent or the decedent’s surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss.
Public Notice IN THE COUNTY COURT FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA LIVE OAK VILLAGE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC., A FLORIDA NOT FOR PROFIT CORPORATION Plaintiff, vs. KENNETH COLLINS, Defendants.
/ NOTICE OF SALE Notice is given that pursuant to a final judgment in Case Number 42 2022 CC 68 of the County Court of the Fifth Judicial Circuit in and for Marion County, Florida, in which Live Oak Village Condominium Association, Inc., is the Plaintiff and Kenneth Collins, is the Defendant, Gregory C. Harrell, the Marion County Clerk of the Court, will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash online at www. marion.realforeclose.com, at 11:00 a.m. on May 21, 2025, the following described property set forth in the Final Judgment of Foreclosure:
The following described lands in Marion County, Florida: Unit No. 102-C, Building R, Live Oak Village Condominium, according to Declaration of Condominium dated January 12, 1973, filed January 22, 1973, and recorded in Official Records Book 546, Page 162 through 27 4, and Amended in Official Records Book 558, Page 260, filed April 3, 1973 and Amended in Official Records Book 908, Page 463 and in Official Records Book 1002, Page 0955, and Amended in Official Records Book 1063, Page 1749, and in Official Records Book 1090, Page 1530, and in Official Records Book 1133, Page 1940, and in Official Records Book 1197, Page 1381, and in Official Records Book 1257, Page 121, and in Official Records Book 1272, Page 1859, and in Official Records Book 1340, Page 1323, and in Official Records Book 1651, Page 1445, and in Official Records Book 1651, Page 1446, and in Official Records Book 1701, Page 1987, and in
Answers: When the author answered every question asked, she was being AN OPEN BOOK ANSWERS FOR PAGE B7
Crossword
Jumble CHUNK ONION BEHOLD PARDON
Gasoline Alley
Broom Hilda
Middletons
