Ocala Gazette January 10-16, 2025

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Honoring a “great statesman”

and family man

Buddy MacKay, who had a distinguished career in politics, and whose family has deep roots in Marion County, died at home at the age of 91 on Dec. 31, 2024.

Kenneth “Buddy” MacKay Jr.’s strong work ethic and compassion for his

County approves 158unit housing development in Silver Springs

Shores

Commissioners also approved a food truck park while a sand mine application was withdrawn.

The Marion County Board of County Commissioners approved plans for 158 new homes on Juniper Loop in Silver Springs Shores during their Dec. 17 meeting, after considerable discussion among the board and staff, and some public opposition.

In another vote, the board approved a food truck park. A sand mine operation application was withdrawn.

NEW PUD APPROVED

After more than an hour of contentious discussion, the board voted 3-2 to approve a change in land use and zoning from general agriculture to a planned unit development (PUD) for a new neighborhood of 158 singlefamily homes in the Silver Springs Shores area.

Chair Kathy Bryant and Commissioner Craig Curry voted against the item, citing incompatibility with the area, the use of “non-buildable” areas of the parcel counting toward the density count, and the unexplained change from medium to high density residential for an expired PUD application.

A previous PUD zoning change from agricultural to multifamily was approved in 2016 but expired in 2021. It allowed 123 multifamily units. The current property owner, GPD Ocala One LLC, requested the change to a single-family product for this new PUD.

See Housing development, page A9

fellow man was innate, as he was born into a family of high achievers who cared about others. He learned early and well from his father, who died tragically in a commercial airplane crash in 1964. That left a young Buddy

and his older brother George to take charge of their father’s businesses and land holdings, including citrus groves.

That dedication to hard work and service to others took Buddy MacKay, who was born in Marion

Pot Ruling Affects Police Searches

County on March 22, 1933, to the lofty halls of the state legislature, the office of lieutenant governor and even to the governor’s mansion for a brief time. MacKay gently passed away at his home on Lake Weir during an afternoon nap on Dec. 31, 2024, at the age of 91.

Following graduation from See Buddy MacKay, page A6

TALLAHASSEE — In what could be a first-of-its-kind ruling in Florida, an appeals court Tuesday said a drugsniffing dog’s alert did not justify police searching a car because the dog could not differentiate between medical marijuana and illegal pot.

The ruling by a three-judge panel of the 5th District Court of Appeal in a Lake County case could add complexity to police searching vehicles without obtaining warrants.

The case stemmed from a Groveland police officer in September 2020 stopping a Lyft car for speeding and tag lights that weren’t working. The officer subsequently called for a drug-sniffing dog, Polo, which alerted to the presence of drugs when it walked around the car.

Officers searched the car and found a bag that contained marijuana, crack cocaine, ecstasy and methamphetamine, leading to the arrest of a passenger, Stephon Ford, according to Tuesday’s ruling. Ford tried to get the evidence suppressed by arguing that the dog could not differentiate between illegal marijuana and medical marijuana or hemp.

A circuit judge refused to suppress the evidence, but the appeals court backed Ford’s argument. While other drugs were

also found, the appeals court said it is possible that Polo alerted to marijuana in the bag. The pot that was found was not medical marijuana.

“At the time when Polo alerted to a target substance in the Lyft vehicle, the police officers had no way of knowing whether Polo had detected an illegal substance (marijuana, cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamines) or a legal substance, namely the THC in hemp or medical marijuana that was properly prescribed and in the possession of a bona fide medical marijuana card holder.

… Whether the substance Polo smelled was legal or illegal was not readily apparent, and thus his alert, alone, could not provide the probable cause needed to justify a warrantless search,” said Tuesday’s main opinion, written by Chief Judge James Edwards.

Judge Jordan Pratt wrote a concurring opinion that said Tuesday’s ruling and a 2024 decision by the appeals court in a case about a police officer smelling marijuana show that “cannabis legalization carries collateral consequences.” Florida voters in 2016 approved a constitutional amendment that broadly allowed medical marijuana, though pot remains illegal under federal law and in other circumstances in Florida.

Pratt wrote that under Tuesday’s decision, “dogs trained to alert on cannabis can no longer provide the sole

basis for a stop or search.” Nevertheless, he said police could continue to use alerts by drug-sniffing dogs to provide a basis for searching cars.

“An alert by a dog trained not to alert to cannabis — or to alert to cannabis differently than it alerts to other drugs — can still on its own supply probable cause,” Pratt wrote. “And for another thing, even without such canine training, an undifferentiated alert can supply probable cause when combined with an officer’s questions ruling out the presence of lawful cannabis. Officers easily can be trained to ask such questions in conjunction with a dog’s undifferentiated alert.”

Judge John MacIver concurred with the result of the majority opinion, though he did not sign on.

Edwards described the case as being “of first impression,” which generally indicates it is the first time the issue has been decided. Tuesday’s ruling, however, cited an August ruling by the full 5th District Court of Appeal that said a police officer could not use smelling marijuana as the sole basis to search a car and arrest a man.

In the Groveland case, Ford pleaded no contest to drug charges and was sentenced to 68 months in prison after the circuit judge denied his motion to suppress the evidence, Tuesday’s main opinion said. Ford, however, reserved the right to appeal.

See Police Searches, page A4

Kenneth “Buddy” MacKay Jr. was a noted politician and devoted family man, and loved the great outdoors.

AdventHealth Ocala welcomes first baby of 2025

AdventHealth Ocala on Jan. 1 announced the arrival of the first baby born at the hospital in 2025. Baby Holly made her debut at 7:52 a.m., weighing 7 pounds, 11 ounces and measuring 20.5 inches long. Holly and her family are doing well, officials noted.

“Welcoming the first baby of the year is always a special moment,” said Dr. Rodrigo Torres, chief medical officer of AdventHealth Ocala. “Baby Holly’s arrival is a true blessing for her family and for our team, who are honored to provide care

during such a meaningful time. It’s a wonderful way to start the year.”

The Baby Place at AdventHealth Ocala offers comprehensive maternity care from pregnancy education to labor and delivery, and postpartum support. With nearly 2,500 births each year, The Baby Place provides expert care in a comfortable and personalized environment designed to nurture body, mind and spirit, the news release stated.

To learn more, visit adventhealth. com/hospital/adventhealthocala/our-services/mother-andbaby-care

Agencies coordinate services during cold weather extremes

Those who are homeless can seek shelter through the Salvation Army Ocala’s Center of Hope.

For the unsheltered homeless, weather extremes can become a struggle for survival.

Local agencies were working to coordinate shelter access as the National Weather Service forecasted wind chill factor temperatures in the mid-20s in Ocala early this month.

Dan, an 83-year-old man from Wilton Manors, looks more like a kindly grandfather than someone you would find sleeping at night on the side of a convenience store near Interstate 75 in Ocala, but that’s where he spent the night on Jan. 2.

“The Ocala police brought me to the Salvation Army,” Dan said.   Dan, who said he lost his home in South Florida, was traveling to Bunnell to link up with friends. He stayed at the Salvation Army Ocala’s Center of Hope the night of Jan. 3 because of the cold weather. He said the following day that he felt more secure knowing he could return to the center that night if the expected cold weather continued and became even more extreme.

Marion County Emergency Services coordinates daily with the Salvation Army during times of weather extremes and “together they decide when to open cold weather sheltering and at that time Salvation Army begins working under their parameters for this type of sheltering,” Marion County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Zach Moore stated.

Marion County Emergency Services Deputy Director Erin Miller issued two cold weather updates in the first week of January and provided shelter information in both announcements.

“The Salvation Army will have sheltering accommodations in place for the upcoming cold weather for those that need to seek refuge. Due to lower temperatures, the Salvation Army is prepared for a possible influx of individuals seeking shelter,” Miller wrote.

“The Marion County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management Division will be working with the Salvation Army and our other community partners to ensure the safety and well-being of those that require the need for cold weather sheltering,” she stated.  Salvation Army Social Program Coordinator Scott Lyles, who began serving at the Ocala center in October of 2024, said extra space is made available at the shelter on extreme weather nights.

“Our shelter houses 150 at maximum capacity for general population needs. Our family rooms are all occupied currently, but the men’s

and women’s dorms are currently at just over half capacity. We are also able to bring in an additional 80 or so during the cold weather nights.

We have the room if we need it,” Lyles said.

“The last few cold weather nights we’ve had about five extra clients come in, but we’re prepared for more, if necessary,” Lyles added.

Lyles indicated the county also will reach out in other weather extremes, for example hurricanes, to coordinate shelter for these in need.

Lyles explained the Salvation Army Center of Hope policies in an email response to the “Gazette.”

“Our policy for lifting restrictions and calling a weather night is generally as follows: if the temperature drops 40 or below in the evening hours, or if it rains for a sustained amount of time in the evening hours,” Lyles wrote.

“During a general weather night, as we are a family shelter and are responsible for everyone in our facility, our staff will do a brief background check on each potential intake. We simply check to make sure that there are no recent violent offenses that we need to be aware of, and no sex related offenses,” Lyles explained.

“During (an extreme weather night coordinated with the county) we do everything the same with the only exception being the extent of the background checks; we only check for sex related offenses,” he wrote.

“If a need arises that we’re not equipped to handle, we will work with some of our partner agencies and the OPD (Ocala Police Department) to address them as required. The general idea is to get everyone off the streets and to bring them in out of the elements,” he stated.

A man whose street name is “Rooster” was sitting behind a building in the 100 block of North Pine Avenue on a recent evening as frigid temperatures were soon expected. He said he would sleep outside in any weather. He said he’d been denied entry into a local shelter due to an issue tied to being from out of the area.

Lyles said as far as Salvation Army shelter entry, a “client’s address isn’t important.”

“We only ask for a valid

government issued ID. If they don’t have an ID, we can provide them with a voucher to go get one. Once we have an ID, we run a background check. Assuming they’re clear, we begin the intake procedures,” Lyles stated.

Lyles said steps are taken to aid people who don’t qualify to enter the shelter.

“If the shelter is full or if a person doesn’t qualify to enter the shelter, we will do our best to refer them to another agency or shelter that may be able to better help meet their needs. We are only able to help within our means,” Lyles wrote in his email.

Meanwhile, Karla Greenway, CEO of Interfaith Emergency Services, stated in an email that IES stands ready to assist unsheltered people if needed during a weather extreme.

“The Salvation Army has always been the only cold night emergency shelter available in our county. The county Emergency Operations Team has a back-up plan for over-flow if they ever reach capacity and at that point, they will partner with Interfaith to man a second facility. We have never had that occur,” Greenway wrote.

“The Salvation Army has never been at capacity and has always done a good job,” she stated.

Greenway said that an unsheltered homeless person might refuse to enter a shelter for various reasons, including they don’t want to leave their tent or belongings in an established camp, they don’t want to abandon pets or “they may have been trespassed from the property at Salvation Army for violent behaviors or drugs.”

Greenway said a law is now in effect requiring police to remove people who are camped on public property, but the law does not apply to private property.

“If all of the (unsheltered) homeless tried to go into the cold night shelter, I’m pretty sure they would run out of room and this is why we still need a low barrier shelter (which typically has no entry requirement),” she wrote.

In a related issue, Greenway stated that Agape Park, a vacant lot on Northwest 2nd Street, Ocala, adjacent to the IES food warehouse, where many apparently homeless people had gathered daily, was closed and converted to a parking lot. She said the people who previously visited the park can now come to the IES Engagement Center at 108 N. Pine Ave. and access services for those in need in the community, with a focus on the homeless.

“We have encouraged those who used to stay in the park during the day to come into the Engagement Center… where there is access to phones, computers and other activities. No one is denied assistance if they want to come in,” she wrote.

For more information, go to ocala. salvationarmyflorida.org or call (352)629-2004 and iesmarion.org or call (352) 629-8868.

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Baby Holly is the first baby born in 2025 at AdventHealth Ocala. [Photo courtesy AdventHealth]
The Salvation Army’s Center for Hope in downtown Ocala includes space for cold weather shelter. [Photo by Andy Fillmore]

Doing (more) good for the community

The annual Concert for Good and new 5K for Good recently raised more than $47K for local nonprofits.

The inaugural 5K for Good had 171 people of all ages registered and more than 130 participants who actually turned out on race day, which was Dec. 28, 2024.

The misty morning ended with Eduardo Diaz, Luke Lombardo and Adam Truesdale capturing top honors for males and Ximena Diaz, Reese Cartwright and Kathryn Diaz bringing home the wins for females.

All in all, it was a pretty awesome gathering for a first-time event and meant that the organizers, brothers Luke and Caleb Lombardo, could add yet another accolade to their history of success in “doing good” for their community.

Luke, a student at West Port High School, is an avid runner. Caleb, a graduate

of the school, has been at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs for the past several months. Working together longdistance, they organized their annual Concert for Good and this year added the 5K. The concert took place at the Ocala Civic Theatre, also on Dec. 28. Both events were presented by Citizens First Bank.

The brothers initiated the fundraising concert as part of a family tradition of doing something for people or a cause they care about around the holidays. Since 2021, the concerts alone have raised $56,000 for local nonprofits

Brother’s Keeper and the Marion County Children’s Alliance. The goal for this year was $30,000.

“We raised over $47,000 this year, and it was amazing to be home and be reminded of how special this community is,” Caleb wrote via email after he was back in Colorado. “We are blown away by our community, from sponsors to eventgoers, and its willingness to support Brother’s Keeper and the Marion County Children’s Alliance year after year.”

To learn more, go to concertforgood.com

Appleton to present architectural photography exhibition

“Framing Tokyo” features 30 black-andwhite and color images by Joel Bustamante.

Staff report

The striking architectural photographs of Joel Bustamante will be on view Jan. 18-June 8 in “Framing Tokyo: Joel Bustamante’s Architectural Photography” at the Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida.

The exhibit, showcased in the Balcony Gallery for Florida Artists, features 30 black-andwhite and color photographs by the Venezuelan-born artist. Bustamante, born in 1949, enjoyed an international education early in his career.

“He graduated from The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale while working in the college’s photography department. Bustamante owned and operated an advertising agency in Caracas for a decade before graduating with a master’s degree in architectural photography from Tokyo-based Nihon University. During that time, he created a photo exposé of the amazing modern architecture in Japan from the 1970s-1980s, capped by the 1985 one-of-a kind structures erected for the World’s Fair in Tsukuba Science City, located north of Tokyo,” noted the news release.

Joel Bustamante, St. Mary’s Cathedral Interior by Kenzo Tange, 1984, gelatin silver print, 16 x 20 in., gift in memory of Akio Kawasumi.
Joel Bustamante, Japan Technology Expo, Tsukuba, Japan, 1985, gelatin silver print, 16 x 20 in., gift in memory of Akio Kawasumi.
Photos courtesy Appleton Museum of Art
Adam Pryor, Josiah Santiago, Karly Cupit, Luke Lombardo, Caleb Lombardo, Elizabeth Saul, Sam Oumarjeet and James Williams are shown at the Concert for Good on Dec. 28, 2024, at the Ocala Civic Theatre. The Lombardo brothers are the driving force behind the Concert for Good and, new this year, the 5K for Good. [Photo by Raymond Manaois]
Tannon Trias, Eduardo Diaz, Luke Lombardo, West Port High School teacher Jamesha Gilliam, Caleb Lombardo, Karly Cupit and Ximena Diaz are shown during the 5K for Good, held the morning of Dec. 28, 2024, at the Baseline Trailhead. [Photo by Esi Coffey]

Ocala native ‘Miss Florida’ wins third runner-up in ‘Miss America’ pageant

Ocala’s very own Casana Fink was honored Sunday as the third runner up of the “Miss America” competition, earning a finalist position representing the state of Florida and her hometown in Marion County.

Fresh from winning the “Miss Florida” crown in July, Fink advanced to the national stage and placed fourth out of 52 delegates from each of the United States, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. As the third runner up, Fink was awarded $10,000 in scholarship funds.

The competition began on Dec. 31 and culminated on Jan. 5 with the finals and coronation ceremony. In a preliminary event, Fink was chosen as a Gown Winner, earning a $3,000 scholarship from the Sherri Hill clothing company.

The “Miss America” crown was awarded to Abbie Stockard, representing the state of Alabama.

Before the rankings were announced in the finals, each finalist had the opportunity to answer one last question ahead of the crowning. Fink, 26, was asked about to describe what qualities make a good leader.

“As a business owner, I have learned that without the village around me, there is no way that I would have found success and

leaning into that has really made the biggest difference,” she said.

A graduate of Forest High School, Fink earned her bachelor’s degree in telecommunications from the University of Florida and is currently working toward a master’s degree in business administration at UF.

Fink is the CEO of More Transplants More Life, a group that advocates for organ donation. She also founded Give to Live, a nonprofit dedicated to education, advocacy, and access in organ donation, according to her website.

“As someone who owns two businesses, I’ve really had to learn how to be a good leader, and I think the heart of that is knowing what you’re good at and learning how to delegate tasks,” she said.

As an entrepreneur, Fink owns two businesses—her self-founded clothing brand The Unverified, in addition to an LED Christmas tree company.

“What’s also really important is authenticity and making sure that when you wake up every single day that you’re doing what you love and you’re putting your best foot forward,” she said.

Fink is also the author of the children’s book, “The Gift of Life,” which introduces children to the concept of organ donation.

The “Miss America” Organization awards over $5 million in tuition scholarships to women each year. The overall “Miss America” title winner is awarded a $50,000 tuition scholarship award.

After the finals competition, Fink posted a social media message to Stockard as she takes on the role of “Miss America,” and her fellow pageant queens.

“To my girls, you will forever be my best friends. The bond we

formed so quickly is something so special,” Fink wrote on Instagram. “Our new ‘Miss America 2025’ is our girl, Abbie Stockard. We love you and we are so insanely proud of you! We are with you every step of the way.”

Ocala Mayor Ben Marciano paid tribute to Fink, commending her for representing the city on a national stage.

“So very proud of Casana Fink and her placement as 3rd runner up in the iconic Miss America pageant,” Marciano wrote on Facebook. “Her hard work, perseverance, professionalism and poise are inspiring.”

OSO announces its 49th season of concerts and events

Staff report

The Ocala Symphony Orchestra has released its lineup of 2025 concerts and events, with something for all ages and interests.

The events include: Young Artist Competition Finals - Jan. 12: The recital will feature finalists from the 34th annual Young Artist Competition. Musicians from junior and senior divisions will perform their concerto with a pianist. The winners will perform as soloists with the OSO at “Youth, Tricksters, and Metamorphosis” on March 8 and 9.

“Vive la France!” - Jan. 25 and 26 (free open rehearsal Jan. 24): Principal guest conductor, Raymond Chobaz will lead a musical journey to France through works by Debussy, Saint-Saëns and Ravel. For the add-on dinner experience, La Cuisine will curate a menu of classic French dishes.

“Sound and Fury” – Feb. 15 and 16 (free open rehearsal Feb. 14): Embark on a journey from the Scottish coasts to the depths of human emotion and the heights of heroic triumph, with Mendelssohn’s “Hebrides Overture” and Beethoven’s

Police Searches

Continued from page A1

While the appeals court

“Eroica” Symphony. “Opera at the Reilly: Puccini Love and Laughter!” – Feb. 23: The University of

his conviction because of what is known as a “good faith” exception. It said the exception applied because the circuit judge followed what was legal precedent at the time.

Florida Opera Theatre and OSO present two of Giacomo Puccini’s greatest works, “Suor Angelica” and “Gianni

But Edwards wrote that Tuesday’s ruling will apply in the future in the 5th District, which is based in Daytona Beach and includes areas such as Jacksonville and Ocala.

“Is the undifferentiated

Schicchi.” Both are one-act operas with supertitles.

“Youth, Tricksters, and Metamorphosis” – March 8 and

alert behavior of a properly trained police drug-sniffing dog sufficient to supply the sole probable cause for a warrantless search of a car, when that K-9 officer, while trained to alert to THC among

9 (free open rehearsal March 7): Featuring performances by two young concerto competition winners, the night will showcase Richard Strauss’s “Till Eulenspiegel” and Paul Hindemith’s “Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber.”

“Ode to Joy: Beethoven’s 9th Symphony” – March 30: Immerse yourself in the grandeur of Beethoven’s “Ninth Symphony,” a masterpiece that continues to inspire and move audiences around the world. OSO Maestro Matthew Wardell, Ocala Symphony Orchestra, College of Central Florida Patriot Singers and Ocala Symphony Chorus, led by the Joshua Mazur, will join forces for the event.

“The West meets Scheherazade” (and Godzilla, too) – April 12 and 13 (free open rehearsal April 11): Experience the grand finale of the Ocala Symphony Orchestra’s 49th season with a concert that promises a blend of humor, fantasy and exotic tales.

The Reilly Arts Center is located at 500 NE 9th St. Ocala. Event tickets can be purchased at reillyartscenter.com or by calling the box office at (352) 351-1606 or visiting in person.

other substances, cannot distinguish between illegal pot and legal medical marijuana or hemp? In other words, is that sniff up to snuff?” Edwards wrote. “Going forward, that dog won’t hunt.”

“Miss Alabama” Abbie Stockard was crowned “Miss America” on Jan. 5. [Peyton Higgs]
“Miss Florida” Casana Fink [Photo courtesy Casana Fink]
Maestro Matthew Wardell, top right, will continue to lead the Ocala Symphony Orchestra in its new season. [Photo courtesy Reilly Arts Center]
agreed with Ford on the suppression issue, it upheld

Nonprofits team up to raise awareness and funds

The Sheltering Hands Cat Rescue’s Partners in Animal Welfare Chili Challenge and Hub-Cat Car Show event is described as fun, family friendly and educational.

The Sheltering Hands Cat Rescue’s Partners in Animal Welfare Chili Challenge and Hub-Cat Car Show fundraiser on Jan. 11 at the McPherson Governmental Complex at 601 S.E. 25th Ave., Ocala, promises to be the cat’s meow.  Sheltering Hands members will be joined by local animal welfare organizations including Marion County Animal Services, Quality of Life Rehab & Foster, the Williston Animal Group (WAG) and Melissa Bell’s Rescue in trying to cook up a batch of chili to garner a winning paw of approval and a $500 prize to be donated to the winning nonprofit.

Rachel Perez, a Sheltering Hands board member, and Leeann Frank, a cat care specialist with the outreach, met recently and discussed the upcoming event.

“The Partners in Animal Welfare Chili Challenge and Hub-Cat Car Show is a fun event and family friendly,” Perez said, while Frank added that the event is “fun for kids” and educational.

The event also is an opportunity for area animal outreaches to team build and gather with other organizations, according to Sheltering Hands

members.

This is the sixth year for the Chili Challenge competition and marks the second year with a collectible car show featuring Best of Show, People’s Choice and additional trophy categories, according to a Facebook post about the event.

Jerry and Linda Paradise took top honors in last year’s car show, which drew about 100 entries, with their pristine 1987 copper metallic finish Chevrolet Corvette Roadster. The Vette is powered by an L-98 series V-8 engine, which motortrend.com has called the “last of the classic small block Chevys.” The V-8 sounds strong through a Borla exhaust system. The Chevy is a limited edition, with a combination of a convertible top and a special Doug Nash transmission and shifter.

This year, Jerry Paradise plans to enter his 2000 Cadillac El Dorado, which was customized into a unique convertible by a company in High Springs. The car show entry fee is $20.

The Paradises’ Tuxedo Farm in northwest Marion County is home to eight cats that were spayed and neutered at Sheltering Hands.

Sheltering Hands has partnered with Marion County to present the event “to connect

and celebrate the individuals who fight every day for the wellness of Marion County’s animal populations,” according to sheltering hands.org. The website indicates that the outreach, which opened in 2007, averages about 4,000 spay/ neuter surgeries a year and finds homes for about 300 cats and kittens annually. The nonprofit organization offers low-cost spaying and neutering, vaccine clinics and adoptions, with a typical population of 70 cats in house and caring for about 30 feral cats, according to members.

The chili cookoff will include three participant categories: an open category; a category for animal rescue members; and a category for competitors in the PAW Challenge, which is sanctioned by the Chili Appreciation Society International. CASI sanctions more than 400 chili cookoff events held by nonprofits annually.  Last year, the Williston Animal Group (WAG) garnered first place with their White Chicken Chili, according to Sheltering Hands media director, Branson Mosley.

Event attendees can purchase a chili tasting ticket in advance for $7.50. Chili tasting armbands on the day of the show will be $8. There is no fee for spectators. If

you go, be sure to look out for the Sheltering Hands mascot, George Fasting, in the cat suit. Mosley said members of Marion County Fire Rescue will be on hand at the event selling the 2025 Rescues and Rescuers of Marion County calendar, sponsored by PETS of Marion County and featuring members of MCFR with dogs from Marion County Animal Services. The calendars also are available for purchase at animalservices. marionfl.org/animal-center/ animal-center-services

For more information about the event, go to shelteringhands.org/ pawshow/

January is Animal Abuser Registry Awareness Month in Marion County

The database helps shelters, rescues, pet sellers and the community identify and avoid enabling known abusers.

The beautiful face of Molly, the longtime former ambassador of the Marion County Animal Abuser Registry, also known as “Molly’s Law,” continues to shine awareness on animal abuse.

This law, which was launched in 2017, was named after Molly, an American boxer mix who survived a brutal attack in 2014. Molly was stabbed three times in the head and had her skull fractured with a baseball bat. Her accused attacker, Steven Scott Fleming, served time in state prison on three counts of felony cruelty to animals.

Molly died in 2023, at the age 15. She had been adopted by Lilly Baron, director of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Ocala, years earlier.

The Marion County Board of County Commissioners declared January as Marion County Animal Abuser Registry Awareness Month. A media release noted that the registry is a publicly

accessible database that is maintained by Marion County Animal Services. It lists individuals convicted of criminal animal abuse in Marion County. It helps shelters, rescues, pet sellers and the community identify and avoid enabling known abusers.

The materials noted that anyone who has been criminally convicted of animal abuse in Marion County is required to be placed on the registry. For a first conviction of a misdemeanor animal abuse crime, the abuser is mandated on the registry for a period of three years; for a first conviction of a felony animal abuse crime a period of five years and for a subsequent conviction of either a misdemeanor or felony animal abuse crime, a period of 10 years. This applies to crimes such as neglect, torture, abandonment or unlawful confinement of animals.

Baron said 11 other Florida counties have similar registries, but anyone wanting to know if someone is listed would have to look through all 11 to gain information.

expected to introduce a bill in support of a statewide animal abuser database.

She has long been a proponent of having a statewide database.

“If we can get a statewide registry, then it would be a much easier process to learn if someone has been adjudicated guilty of animal cruelty,” she noted.

In the coming state legislative sessions,

Anyone who suspects animal cruelty can call Marion County Animal Services at (352) 671-8727 or the Marion County Sheriff’s Office at (352) 732-9111 or Crime Stoppers at (352) 368-7867.

To access the registry, go to animalservices.marionfl.org/animalcontrol/animal-control-and-pet-laws/ animal-abuser-registry

The Sheltering Hands cat mascot, George Fasting, joins Jerry Paradise in showing off his award-winning1987 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster. Paradise will show a Cadillac in this year’s Sheltering Hands Cat Rescue’s Partners in Animal Welfare Chili Challenge and HubCat Car Show. [Photo by Andy Fillmore]
Sen. Stan McClain of Marion County is
Photos by Bruce Ackerman
Hannah Harper pets Molly during the “Molly’s Law Documentary” premiere at the Marion Theatre on April 24, 2022. The Marion County Animal Abuse Registry also is known as Molly’s Law, in honor of the canine, who was brutally beaten in 2014.
This frame grab from the “Molly’s Law Documentary” shows the wounds
2014. Her attacker later served time in prison.

Buddy MacKay

Continued from page A1

Ocala High School, he attended Davidson College and the University of Florida. He served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force from 1955 to 1958. MacKay had a law practice in Ocala. He threw his hat into the political ring and served as a state representative, state senator, congressman, lieutenant governor and as the 42nd governor of Florida for a few weeks. He also was a special envoy to the Americas for President Bill Clinton. He was a devoted family man and he and his wife Anne have four sons, 10 grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren.

“They were both from families that had lived in Ocala for at least one generation,” recalled his eldest son, Ken MacKay, 64, of how the couple met. “My mom was four years younger than my dad. They met at First Presbyterian Church, where my dad was teaching Sunday school, and my mom was in the class. They celebrated their 65th anniversary this past June.”

The MacKay clan was always a close bunch and enjoyed spending time at their home on 8th Street in Ocala, at the family farm in Weirsdale and at the house on Lake Weir that was built by Buddy’s grandfather. That home is where Buddy and Anne moved when he retired from politics.

“This was an old home that was built by my greatgrandfather at the very end of the century, in the late 1800s, early 1900s. I think he owned it up until the ‘20s or so and then it went out of our family for 10 years or so and then my dad’s father purchased it back and it’s been in the family ever since then. My dad and mom renovated it when he retired. That’s where he passed away,” said Ken, who lives next door.

POLITICAL CAREER

During his political career, Buddy MacKay focused on many of the challenges facing Florida in the ‘60s and ‘70s, from education to racial justice to the environment.

“He was known for his honesty and sincerity but was not afraid to step into controversial issues,” noted a news release on behalf of the family.

MacKay said in his memoir, “How Florida Happened: The Political Education of Buddy MacKay,” that, “In my view, standing for something and joining the dialogue is the best way to participate and a lot more satisfying than standing for nothing or simply dodging tough decisions in order to gain or hold office.”

Notes on the website for the book state that, “When Florida governor Lawton Chiles died unexpectedly on December 12, 1998, less than one month before Jeb Bush was to assume the office, it was left to Chiles’s lieutenant governor, Buddy MacKay, to step in for twentythree days and run the state. ‘I take no great pleasure in this,’ MacKay stated at his initial news conference, with good reason. Roughly one month prior, he had lost a brutal gubernatorial campaign as the Democratic nominee to Bush, meaning he now had to officiate over the investiture of a political opponent.”

The memoir “details his experiences in and influences upon Florida and national politics. As an officeholder in the Florida Legislature, the United States Congress, and at the highest levels of the executive branch of state government, he was a much sought-after source, frequently quoted by members of the press because of his ability to explain issues and enlighten the public in short, easily understandable terms.” The materials released by

his family state that MacKay said, “We were largely successful in reforming and modernizing Florida’s outmoded government.”

Although he was disappointed that Gov. Chiles and he were unable to enact needed conservation measures with unprecedented statewide growth, MacKay led a commission to improve public schools, helped transform the Department of Commerce to Enterprise Florida and oversaw disaster recovery after Hurricane Andrew, the document noted.

A Florida News Service article stated that Ron Sachs, who served as communications director in the Chiles administration, said, “Gov. MacKay was one of Florida’s greatest leaders and statesmen, with a career of service that benefited all the people of Florida.”

The statement issued by the MacKay family noted that, at the national level, “possibly his biggest environmental triumph during his first term in Congress was the deauthorization of the Cross Florida Barge Canal west of Palatka. That action laid the groundwork for what is now the 70,000-acre protected greenbelt known as the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway. Into his 90s, MacKay actively supported a critical action to further strengthen this region of the Florida Wildlife Corridor to restore the Ocklawaha River and Silver Springs by breaching the Rodman/Kirkpatrick Dam. He and his wife hosted a front porch summit in 2019 that reinvigorated efforts to free the Ocklawaha River.”

Cliff Stearns, a former congressman and longtime Ocalan, offered these words about MacKay: “My family and I offer our respect and prayers with the loss of this genuine leader and great family man. Although we were from different political parties, we were friends, and I admired his many accomplishments and his entire family. He had a humbleness about him that was

so authentic as a leader and a great sense of humor, with that sparkle in his eye that made him so likeable.”

Donna Blanton, of Tallahassee, is a retired attorney with experience in civil litigation, government and administrative law.

“I knew Buddy mainly in the ‘80s and spent most of my time with him when he was running for the U.S. Senate in 1988. I was a reporter for the ‘Orlando Sentinel’ at the time, based in Tallahassee. He was the most well-intentioned politician I ever met while covering politics for the ‘Sentinel’ from 19781989. He genuinely wanted to serve the people of Florida and make our state a better place to live for all of its citizens. They don’t make them like that anymore,” Blanton offered.

Deborah “Debby” Kearney was the deputy general counsel in the executive office of the governor during most of MacKay’s tenure as lieutenant governor.

“MacKay was warm, likeable and fun.  At the same time, he was a hard worker and very results oriented. He was a pleasure to work with. My memories include participating in meetings with large numbers of people and observing Mr. MacKay work the room and build consensus. When he accepted a task, he got the job done. And he accepted a lot of tasks. I can’t recall any lieutenant governor before or since taking on as much responsibility as Buddy MacKay did.

“His service harkens back to a time when the art of politics involved consensus building and negotiation and therefore the government was able to accomplish so much more. He was very good at that. To me, his legacy is that negotiation matters. And also that smart, hardworking, caring, honest politicians do exist and can make very important differences in our lives.”

ACTIVISM IN MARION COUNTY

In Ocala and Marion County, MacKay was known for his work for racial justice, an interest that

started during his University of Florida law school days. In the 1960s he and his law partner helped get two school board members elected, who, along with Superintendent Mac Dunwoody, led Marion County to become one of north Florida’s first integrated school districts. The effort went smoothly without any community violence, the material from the family noted.

“MacKay’s work did not stop with the school system. He was bothered that the black side of the city of Ocala was not treated equally to white taxpayers. He spearheaded a successful annexation project with former City Councilman Lorenzo Edwards to bring public services and infrastructure to west Ocala, a large minority community,” it stated.

At First Presbyterian Church, he and a small study group helped launch Fort King Presbyterian Church, which “became the first integrated protestant church in Marion County and is actively involved in racial justice issues today.”

FAMILY MEMORIES

Ken MacKay owned a title insurance business, then worked for a national underwriter. John is a family practice physician in Tallahassee. Ben is an educator and teaches advanced placement history to 11th and 12th grade students in Jacksonville. Andy is a hardware/software engineer in California.

Ken retired in 2017 and continues to run the family farm in Weirsdale, where they raise cattle and grow about 60 acres of citrus. He recalled that he was about 8 years old when he got his first taste of politics, tagging along as his dad hit the campaign trail.

“He got into politics in 1968 and ran for a state representative race. Back then, it was about trying to get publicity any way you could—going to county fairs and standing on street corners, doing Kiwanis Club and Rotary Club events—and he took me to a lot of those. His primary motivation was racial equality and integration,” he remembered.

He recalled that when his dad had his law practice in Ocala and worked “part-time” in politics, he “would be home every night and then be gone two or three months out of the year, but generally he would leave on Monday and be home on Thursday afternoon. In those early years, he was very involved, but Mom had more of the duties of getting the homework done and the day in and day out types of things.”

He said his father loved being outdoors and had a great affinity for gardening, particularly with the camellias at their home in Ocala, as well as for quail hunting and water sports such as boating and skiing on Lake Weir.

His father, he noted, was not a picky eater but did insist on ice cream pretty much every night and liked to wear plaid shirts.

“I think that started before he met Lawton Chiles because they both did that. I think it was an easy way to not have to worry about whether things matched or not, but also a folksy way of dressing where you could mix in with most anybody and they both wanted that. I think it was more genuine than political, because my dad really just loved people and probably had more of a liking for people who were trying really hard but weren’t necessarily there yet,” he shared.

As for advice from his father, Ken said he told him when they were speaking about someone’s death, “To always remember it’s nice to say words but when you really want to convey something with someone, you’ve just got to make the time to be there.”

He recalled with humor that his father never really embraced technology.

“He grew up as a lawyer, so he almost always had a legal secretary and someone to type things out or address things or answer the phone so you knew who was calling. When cellphones came out, he saw that as something for him to make out-bound calls on. He would carry it with him and turn it off. I was like, ‘Dad, what if we want to reach you?’ He was like, ‘Well, you come find me.’

“He was almost always smiling or listening. He was pretty quiet by nature,” Ken added.

He said that in the last 10 or 15 years, if you asked his father how he was doing, “He would almost always say, ‘Life is good, man, life is good.’”

He said of the day his dad father passed away at home, “If Dad wrote a script for the way he would like to leave this life, this went according to that script. Everybody had gathered on Sunday for a Christmas dinner because we couldn’t do it on the actual day. All of the grandchildren except one were there. He had a great time and on Monday spent some time at our family farm and loved that. Tuesday, he had lunch with everybody who was still around, and he went back to take a nap, which he did every day since I can remember, and just didn’t wake up.”

Buddy MacKay was predeceased by his parents, Kenneth and Julia, younger brother Alfred and daughterin-law Juliette MacKay. He is survived by brother George, sister Elizabeth, wife Anne, sons Ken (Cindy), John (Kym), Ben (Michele) and Andy, grandchildren Mac (Maddie), Ted, Lilli, Sally, Nate, Shelby, Emily, Genevieve, Leander and Vivienne, and greatgrandchildren Kodah, Kai, Annie and Grace.

A celebration life will be held at 1 p.m. Jan. 15 Fort King Presbyterian Church at 13 NE 36th Ave., Ocala. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Buddy’s honor to the Florida Wildflower Foundation, Interfaith Emergency Services or the church.

Photos courtesy MacKay family
Vanguard’s Dylan Harris (0) makes a move toward the basket during Friday night’s game against North Marion in the Kingdom of the Sun Tournament.
Buddy and Anne MacKay were married for more than six decades before his death on Dec. 31, 2024.
The MacKay family has always remained close to their roots in Marion County.

Rotarians gear up for duck derby in Ocala

If it

The sixth annual Marion Rotary Duck Derby will take place Jan. 18 at Tuscawilla Park. That will be

when 5,000 of the bobbing plastic waterfowl will be plopped into the lake and make their way to the finish line, where their adopters could potentially win cash prizes. The festivities will begin at 11 a.m., with the duck race at 2 p.m. You can adopt one duck for $5, or adopt five and get one free. Each adoption comes with a free hot dog and drink.

Ocala.

The derby is hosted by Marion County Rotary Clubs. Rotarian Tim Dean helps coordinate the event, along with several others, all of whom are volunteers.

“Our Rotary Club of Ocala is the lead club, but we get support from the other four clubs too.

The city of Ocala supports us. It’s been a nice public, private partnership,” Dean said.

The funds from the Duck Derby will support the Discovery Center, a family-friendly science center that promotes interactive learning and encourages individuals to expand their knowledge, and other charities supported by the Marion County Rotary Clubs. The Discovery Center is located in Tuscawilla Park, at 800 NE Sanchez Ave.,

Over the past few years, Duck Derby events have raised more than $90,000 and, including grants and sponsorships, over $200,000 for the Discovery Center, noted Mollie Miranda in a media release.

The derby prize money is substantial: $2,000 for the firstplace duck, $1,500 for second place, $750 for third place, $450 for fourth place and $250 each awarded in three drawings. The “Gazette” asked Dean, “After the prize money is awarded, how much do you typically donate to the Discovery Center?”

“Usually, around $12,000 to $15,000 per year to help them with exhibits,” he stated. “We also helped them revitalize the upstairs originally and install an elevator. The Discovery Center is a cool place, inspiring for kids. It’s nice to be able to help.”

According to the FAQ section on the derby website, everyone who adopts a duck—whether online, in the mail, at a Duck Race booth the day of the event or at a sponsoring business— is entered into the E-Quack database. The tag range is entered, and the numbers are shuffled. E-Quack automatically assigns the number of ducks you have adopted next to tag numbers. So, if you adopted five ducks, your name will be placed next to five different tag numbers. You must be at least 18 years old to adopt a duck. You may be able to adopt a duck up to an hour before the event, as long as it does not sell out before that. You do not need to be present to win prizes.

For details and to adopt what might me be your lucky duck, go to duckrace.com/ocala

Photos by Bruce Ackerman
These are some of the 5,000 rubber ducks in the Marion Rotary Duck Derby on Feb. 12, 2022. The next derby will be held Jan. 18.
Jonine Dale holds her daughter, Noelle, during the Marion Rotary Duck Derby at Tuscawilla Park on Feb. 12, 2022.

Circuit Judge Sanders retires from the bench

Marion County Circuit Judge Gary Sanders has left the bench and is retiring after nine years of serving the Fifth Judicial Circuit.

After spending time presiding over felony drug court and adoption proceedings since becoming a judge in 2016, Sanders is retiring with the goal of spending more time with his family.

“I’m going to take time to enjoy my family,” he said. “I have a granddaughter who’s 3 up in Connecticut, and one on the way in a couple of weeks.”

Sanders’ last day on the bench was Jan. 6, and his second granddaughter is due to be born about a week later, he said.

He and his wife, Sandy, hope to spend more time traveling, camping, hiking and going to the beach in his retirement. With his newly found free time, he said he hopes to enjoy reading, writing, cooking and bike riding.

Sanders, 62, previously worked in private practice for 29 years. He was appointed to the Fifth Judicial Circuit by former Gov. Rick Scott to fill the vacancy left by Circuit Judge David Eddy.

Sanders worked at the Bice Cole Law Firm, P.L. from 2000 to 2016; Pattillo, McKeever & Bice from 1993 to 2000; and Pattillo & McKeever in 1987.

Sanders will be replaced by Circuit Judge-Elect Barbara Kissner-Kwatkosky, who defeated Ben Boylston for the Group 20 Circuit Court seat in the August election. Kwatkosky has been practicing law since 2003 and has been a full-time magistrate in Marion and Sumter counties since 2016.

Over the past five years, Sanders

presided over the felony drug court docket.

“It’s very rewarding for me that court is focused more on restorative justice, as opposed to penalties or prosecuting people,” Sanders said. “It’s about second chances and getting people the help that they need for their addictions.”

Sanders said serving in this capacity gave him a new perspective on his community and the opportunity to help

Dunnellon debates future of police department

The city of Dunnellon continues to debate the fate of the Dunnellon Police Department after the resignation of its police chief and is considering relinquishing its law enforcement to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

In December, former Chief Chris Scaglione resigned in good standing from the force, after being placed on paid administrative leave by the Dunnellon City Council in November. Scaglione was placed on leave after a council member brought forward several issues of concern with Scaglione’s performance and the performance of the department.

Scaglione was appointed as chief of police in June of 2023 after the resignation of former Chief Mike McQuaid. Since Scaglione’s resignation, Capt. Ron Bray has been in charge of leading the department.

At its Jan. 6 meeting, the city council debated several options for the department’s future, including advertising the police chief job to

applicants or instead allowing the MCSO to absorb DPD.

Scaglione was unanimously appointed police chief in June 2023 after former Chief Mike McQuaig resigned in April.

Dunnellon Mayor Walter Green and other council members have been in communication with Sheriff Billy Woods, who is working to advise the city on its possible options for law enforcement.

“(Woods) has requested one thing in our conversation, which I thought was important, if we decide to advertise the chief of police job we do it over an extended period of time to allow access to as many applicants as possible that may have been interested to apply for that position,” Green said.

Councilmember Valerie Hanchar agreed with the mayor, saying that if they were to hire a new police chief the city should accept all applications rather than exclusively hiring internally, in the interest of transparency.

Councilmember Tim Inskeep brought up the option of contracting Dunnellon’s law enforcement to the sheriff’s office,

as he has met with officials from both Inverness and Crystal River, both municipalities that turned over their law enforcement to the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office.

Inskeep presented data, provided by the sheriff’s office, that outlines a program in which Dunnellon could make a similar move.

“The sheriff is proposing for six deputies that would give us around-the-clock coverage, seven days a week, 24 hours a day,” Inskeep said.

Each deputy would cost Dunnellon $128,000 per year, at a total of about $675,000. This would save the city over $620,000 per year in comparison to its current costs, Inskeep said.

“I believe it’s time to seriously consider if contracting done all in law enforcement to Marion County Sheriff’s Office is the appropriate thing to do,” Inskeep said.

Green expanded on this, reminding the council that city of Dunnellon’s fire department was previously absorbed into Marion County Fire Rescue to serve within the city’s limits, so a move to absorb the police department

send people on the right path.

“No matter what my decision ultimately is, they feel like they were heard, that I listened to them and that I thought their case mattered,” he said.

He also spent three years presiding over the juvenile dependency and delinquency dockets, presiding over family reunification.

“Terminating parental rights was one of the hardest things I had to do,” Sanders said. “But when I was able to reunite kids with their families, because their parents were able to complete their case plans and become better parents, that was great.”

In circumstances where he ruled that children must be removed from their homes, he was often able to see their cases come full circle and end in adoption proceedings, Sanders said.

“I was able to preside over adoption proceedings and get those kids into permanent loving situations for the most part, and that was really meaningful for me, too,” he said.

Sanders said he has no intention of returning to private practice in his retirement but has thought about working in mediation. But for now, he’ll spend his time with those he loves.

“Time is a precious commodity, and I want to spend more time with my family,” he said.

would not be unprecedented.

“We have been through a similar situation with the fire department, and we were in a dire situation then, and it has worked out,” Green said. “It has worked out to the advantage to our community. That was one example of working with the county-wide system.”

Some council members and citizens share the desire, however, to see the police department remain within the city’s control, given that is has historical importance.

“The nostalgia is it’s something that belonged to our city. For many years, it was very difficult to talk about getting rid

Opening January 18

of it or making a change, but there were serious negotiations with the county and with emergency response emergency management, and we were able to determine a better solution for Dunnellon,” Green said.

Green said that the council will continue to research both options, as well as any potential others, and provide many opportunities for the public to weigh in on how law enforcement is conducted.

“We’re here to serve the citizens, that’s our job, and to make decisions in the best interest of our community and our businesses and our citizens,” Green said.

Joel Bustamante’s Architectural Photography

Opening in the museum’s Balcony Gallery for Florida Artists, explore 30 captivating black-and-white and color photographs by Joel Bustamente that showcase the bold modern architecture of Japan in the 1970s and 1980s. On view January 18-June 8, 2025.

Joel Bustamante, Japan Technology Expo, Tsukuba, Japan, 1985, Gelatin silver print, 16 x 20 in., Gift in memory of Akio Kawasumi.
Circuit Judge Gary Sanders, second from right, and his family. [Photo courtesy Gary Sanders/Facebook]
File photo: Former Dunnellon Police Chief Mike McQuaig [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

County Growth Services staff recommended approval in its staff report on the application, asking for one additional home be added, stating, “… recommends that at least 158 dwelling units be developed to be consistent with the Marion County Comprehensive Plan. The overall proposed density for the PUD, with 157 detached singlefamily units, is 3.9 dwelling units per acre, which is below the minimum of 4 dwelling units per acre.”

Opposition came from neighbors to the north with higher elevations who would overlook the new community. Critics also questioned the project’s compatibility with the larger parcels in the area and said most are at least five acres. The homes in the proposed development would have small lot lines. Some also pointed out that the area supports cattle, goats and other livestock.

Bryant agreed with opponents, saying, “I don’t feel like it’s compatible with the surrounding area. I’m talking about the lot size in Silver Spring Shores with quarter-acre and half-acre lots.”

Bryant asked the owner’s agent, David Tillman, how to solve the view problem for those neighbors.

“There’s nothing to do immediately to prevent a viewshed change,” Tillman responded. “By law, we’re not given the right to a viewshed of somebody else’s property.”

The board suggested the developers plant fast-growing trees on the north side to help alleviate the issue.

FOOD TRUCK PARK

In other hearings, commissioners approved a special-use permit for a food truck park just south of the Ocala Sun RV Park on Southwest County Road 484. The vote was 4-1, with Curry dissenting.

The discussion went on for more than an hour and focused on potential code violations, connecting to sewer when available, limiting the site to 20 trucks, signage, no alcohol on site and adding permanent restrooms.

MINE OPERATION

WITHDRAWN

A special use permit for a sand mine operation on 166 acres southeast of Marion Oaks and south of Summer Glen and the new high school planned for that area was withdrawn after board opinion showed a vote would result in a denial. The application had proposed the removal of 3.4 million cubic yards of sand and an estimated 60 trucks would be in and out of the mine daily, which would negatively impact local traffic.

“This is not the right time (for this project),” Commissioner Carl Zalak stated.

State Takes Aim at Senate Redistricting Case

The Florida Senate and Secretary of State Cord Byrd last week urged a panel of federal judges to reject a lawsuit alleging that part of a 2022 Senate redistricting plan is unconstitutional because two Tampa Bay-area districts were racially gerrymandered.

Attorneys for Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, and Byrd filed motions for summary judgment that, if approved, would end the case.

The lawsuit, filed in April on behalf of five residents of Tampa and St. Petersburg, focuses on Senate District 16 and Senate District 18. Sen. Darryl Rouson, a Black Democrat from St. Petersburg, represents District 16, which crosses Tampa Bay to include parts of Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. White Republican Nick DiCeglie of Indian Rocks Beach represents District 18, which is made up of part of Pinellas County.

The lawsuit alleges that the Legislature’s plan to connect Black populations in the two counties in District 16 “sacrificed genuine communities of interest” and that “racial gerrymandering unjustifiably packed Black voters into District 16, stripping them from adjacent District 18 and reducing their influence there.” It contends the plan violated equalprotection rights.

But the motions filed last week disputed the arguments, with Byrd’s attorneys writing that lawmakers have created bay-crossing districts similar to

the current District 16 since at least 1992. Byrd’s motion also suggested that the plaintiffs want to redraw the map in a way that would add a Democratic district.

“The alternative maps they offer aren’t meaningfully better when it comes to BVAP (Black voting age population), compactness or adherence to political and geographic boundaries,” Byrd’s motion said, referring to criteria used in redistricting. “The one meaningful difference is this: Plaintiffs’ alternatives create an extra Democratic seat. That difference can’t upend the state’s choices.”

Lawmakers gave final approval to the redistricting plan in February 2022, and the districts were used in the 2022 elections. Rouson received 63.9 percent of the vote in District 16, while DiCeglie received 56.9 percent in District 18. Neither seat was on the 2024 ballot.

At least part of the way the districts were drawn is tied to a 2010 “Fair Districts” state constitutional amendment that set standards for redistricting. Part of the amendment said new maps cannot “diminish” the ability of racial minorities “to elect representatives of their choice.”

But the lawsuit alleges that lawmakers did not “narrowly tailor” its use of race to comply with the state constitutional requirement. As a result, it alleges that the plan violated federal equal-protection rights.

“The state drew these districts purportedly to avoid diminishing Black voters’ ability to elect representatives of their choice in District 16, but the state unnecessarily used race to disregard

traditional, race-neutral redistricting considerations,” the lawsuit said. “And far from advancing representation, the enacted districts dilute Black voters’ power. The state could have drawn these districts to both avoid the diminishment of Black voting power and respect traditional redistricting criteria. Instead, the state engaged in racial gerrymandering that unconstitutionally abridges plaintiffs’ rights to the equal protection of the laws.”

But the Senate motion last week said race was “considered only to the extent required by law and as one of multiple factors influencing District 16’s configuration.”

“The undisputed material facts here establish that the Florida Senate permissibly considered race as required by the Florida Constitution, but that race did not predominate over non-racial factors such as compactness, contiguity, population equality, and boundary usage in the development of the enacted plan,” the Senate’s lawyers wrote.

Unlike typical lawsuits, three-judge panels hear redistricting cases. The case has been assigned to Andrew Brasher, a judge on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals, and Charlene Edwards Honeywell and Thomas Barber, judges in the federal Middle District of Florida.

Meanwhile, a separate lawsuit is pending in federal court in Miami challenging some state House districts. Also, the Florida Supreme Court is considering a challenge to a congressional redistricting plan, with that case focused on a North Florida district that was overhauled.

Pronoun Debate Could Shift to Cities, Counties

Two years after Republican lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved a controversial measure restricting the use of personal pronouns in schools, legislative debate about the gender-related issue could shift to cities and counties.

John Labriola, a lobbyist for Christian Family Coalition Florida, told Marion County lawmakers Wednesday that his organization would like to see restrictions in the 2023 education law extended to city and county governments.

Labriola said he hopes the issue will be considered during

this year’s legislative session, which will start March 4. As of Wednesday afternoon, such legislation had not been filed, according to the House and Senate websites.

“We’re asking for that (the 2023 law) to be extended to the county and the city governments, as well, because this is an area where individuals who work for city and county governments, their religious liberties and also their freedom of speech is being curtailed by employers who impose gender ideology,” Labriola said during a Marion County delegation meeting.

The 2023 law said, in part, that school employees and students “may not be required,

as a condition of employment or enrollment or participation in any program, to refer to another person using that person’s preferred personal title or pronouns if such personal title or pronouns do not correspond to that person’s sex.” The state defines sex as what was assigned at birth.

Also, the law said that school employees “may not provide to a student his or her preferred personal title or pronouns if such preferred personal title or pronouns do not correspond to his or her sex.”

Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker issued a preliminary injunction that blocked enforcement of the 2023 law

against transgender Hillsborough County teacher Katie Wood, who challenged its constitutionality. The lawsuit contends that Wood should be able to use her preferred pronouns while at work.

The state appealed Walker’s ruling, and a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments in September. The panel has not issued an opinion.

Labriola said Wednesday that some counties have adopted policies on gender-identity issues, such as on the use of pronouns. Under the potential legislation, if an employee is “not comfortable using a preferred pronoun and would rather use the person’s actual pronoun, that they would not be punished or fired for using that pronoun,” he said.

Rep. Ryan Chamberlin, a Belleview Republican who is part of the Marion County delegation, and Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, filed such legislation for the 2024 session, but it did not get heard.

Minutes

Home & Garden

Is there such a thing as an objectively beautiful building? Here’s the science

Some people assume that there’s a type of beauty that everyone can agree on. But did early humans really admire slender bodies the way we do today? After all, fashions come and go – there’s been plenty of fads throughout history that we find hard to understand today.

The UK’s deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, recently suggested “beautiful” needs to be removed from the government’s housing policy on the grounds it is too subjective. She said in an interview that “beautiful means nothing really, it means one thing to one person and another thing to another”.

She isn’t alone. Many people support the notion, first stated by the Irish novellist Margeret Wolfe Hungerford, that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”.

But is this true? The current state of our knowledge on aesthetics, and specifically what we consider beautiful, is a mosaic of empirical discoveries. For over 150 years, psychologists have run carefully controlled experiments to determine whether an attribute, such as a particular colour, shape or melody is beautiful.

Some rules have emerged, but none are universal: for instance, the golden rectangle ratio in geometry, which denotes a rectangle with the height to width being 1:1.6. Although considered beautiful by some in objects such as buildings or windows, these dimensions are an uncommon choice for bathroom tiles or books.

Research has shown that our experiences of finding things visually appealing are an integral, and often unconscious, part of the way we perceive objects in the world around us. It takes approximately 50 milliseconds, the blink of an eye, to reliably decide whether or not we think an object is beautiful. Familiarity is an important factor. When something is seen or heard often, it is easier for our nervous system (our vision and hearing) to process it. And this ease can be misattributed as beauty. This also explains how trends in beauty emerge – if we keep seeing and celebrating a certain type of face, it becomes familiar.

Beauty comes about in different ways, and whether something is considered beautiful can depend on attributes of the person doing the looking, such as their prior experiences, expertise and attitudes; whether it hangs in a museum or along a hospital corridor; as well as attributes of the object itself, such as its shape, colour, proportions or size.

Beauty can therefore arise from good design. When people deal with an easyto-use object or interface, they like it more than hard-to-use counterparts. Easy-to-use objects often have visual characteristics such as clear balance, clarity and good contrast.

DOES BEAUTY MATTER IN HOUSING POLICY?

Discussions about beauty are a healthy state of affairs, until they start coming into discussions about housing policy.

A beautiful building can bring joy and contentment in everyday life. Beautiful, well-designed homes can significantly enhance the mental health of the inhabitants. Attractive, well-built surroundings can reduce stress, increase feelings of happiness, and contribute to a sense of peace and contentment.

This may be why there’s increasing evidence that taking small doses of psychedelics in a controlled environment such as a clinic, which produce intense experiences of beauty, can help treat depression.

A beautiful building means that someone cared to do that little bit extra. This may be meaningful to the kid growing up in social housing, offering a sense of pride and belonging. Aesthetic appeal in housing and neighbourhoods may lead to civic pride, where residents take collective responsibility for

maintaining and improving their environment.

Pride may lead to stronger, more vibrant communities, and idea that came to life in modern times by the “city beautiful movement” in the US (1890–1920). “Mean streets make mean people,” wrote the movement’s leading theorist, Charles Mulford Robinson.

Beauty in housing is not just about aesthetics; it often coincides with functionality. Good design considers the usability and comfort of spaces, ensuring that they are both beautiful and practical. This balance can improve the quality of life for residents by making spaces more efficient and pleasant to live in.

Beauty can also boost perseverance. When searching for information on a website, perseverance – the amount of time users keep searching for difficult to find information – increases when the website is independently rated as aesthetically pleasing.

Similarly, when dealing with an electronic device, people try for longer to make it work if they find it aesthetically pleasing.

People are also willing to work harder to continue viewing a face they find beautiful, even it isn’t accompanied with any other reward.

Beauty also demands copies of itself. Historically, in art and design, thoughtto-be beautiful landscapes, faces, or vases

have been copied in different forms. The act of drawing, sculpting, writing about, composing about a beautiful object is to make a copy of it.

DON’T DIS-INVEST FROM BEAUTY

The subjectivity of beauty does not necessitate disinvestment from it. Beauty does mean something, even if it isn’t totally objective. Attempting to bring beauty into our everyday lives, no matter that we each have a unique perspective, as in the case of housing, would mean investing in the human experience for all.

So while beauty is to some extent subjective, artful design can play a crucial role in various aspects of our lives, from psychological well-being to social cohesion and even economic value. Industry giants such as Ikea and Apple have been reaping the benefits of applying this knowledge to their business model for decades.

Why build beautiful homes in the first place? Having the human experience in mind when building houses and neighbourhoods, remembering the immense impact that something well designed and decorated can have is a worthwhile investment in humanity.

If removing the term beautiful from housing policy helps build more homes, then that’s great. But, when it comes to actually building them – whether the term “beautiful” occurs in policy or not – it is certainly worth to consider investing in beauty.

show and sale coming up soon

The event will take place Jan. 25 and 26 and anyone can enter blossoms

As you drive around Marion County these days, just about the only things blooming are camellias. If you have some blossoms you would like to show off, this year’s Ocala Camellia show will take place Jan. 25 and 26. Show entries will be accepted from 7 to 10 a.m. on Jan. 25 and you do not need to be an Ocala Camellia Society member to enter flowers for judging.

The society hosts the annual event to showcase the hardy, evergreen shrubs that do well in this region. This time of year, you can find camellias blossoming in, for example, the downtown historic district and Sholom Park in southwest Ocala. Visit the Bob Wines Camellia Gardens plant nursery on Southeast 38 th Street and you’ll be tempted to buy a few. If you want to learn more about these lovely seasonal flowers, the Ocala Camellia Society meets September

through March, with a guest speaker, snacks and a Q&A session. This year’s Ocala Camellia show will take place at Fort King Presbyterian Church at 13 NE 36 th Ave., Ocala. Attendance is free, and the society will have plants for sale. The show will be open to the public from 1 to 5 p.m. on Jan. 25 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 26.

To learn more, go to fb.com/ Ocala-Camellia-Society100719056688048/?fref=nf

Beautiful blossoms can be seen on the hundreds of camellia plants at the Bob Wines
Camellia Gardens and Nursery in Ocala. [Photo by Bruce Ackerman]

Jumps in listings and sales for Florida real estate

Ocala/Marion County’s

Staff Report

The Florida Realtors agents’ association released its November 2024 market report, which shows that statewide the median singlefamily home sale price in Florida dropped to $410,000, a .6% year over year decrease. Townhouses and condo median sales price decreased to $311,000, a 5.8% decrease from November 2023.

The Ocala/Marion County’s November median sale price reported for single-family homes was $300,000, a 4.9% increase from 2023. Ocala/Marion County reported 618 closings of single-family homes in November, a decrease of 3.1% from November 2023.

In general, activity from listings and pending sales is up, said Brad O’Connor, senior economist for the Florida Realtors, a statewide agents’ reporting and professional trade association.

“New listings of single-family homes in November were up over 7% compared to a year ago, their largest year-over-year increase in percentage terms since July,” O’Connor said. “Meanwhile, new listings of condos and townhouses saw their largest year-over-year increase since July, as well, rising by roughly 5.5%.”

Regarding pending sales, “which is the count of how many listings that went under contract during the month—were up big on the single-family home side in November, rising by more than 12.5% year over year. That’s the first double-digit percentage increase we’ve seen in single-family new pending sales since April of 2021,” he said.

Additionally, the decrease in mortgage interest rates offers reasons for optimism.

“These statistics give us some reason to be optimistic about the housing market in Florida. Mortgage rates hit their recent lows in late September, but predominantly increased throughout October and remained

relatively high throughout November—and yet we saw a renewed level of listing and sales activity. Many markets elsewhere in the country have been showing signs of bottoming out on sales—is Florida next?” O’Connor offered.

O’Connor said some of the market activity from November was the effect from the hurricanes in October.

“It’s certainly possible, but there’s one thing we shouldn’t overlook here, which is that housing market activity in Florida was slowed down throughout much of the state in October due to Hurricane Milton and the aftermath of Hurricane Helene,” he said. “In fact, the local markets that experienced the most disruption from the two hurricanes were largely also among those that saw the strongest year-over-year increases in new pending sales and new listings in November. This suggests that our increase in market activity in November was largely a result of unrealized activity from October getting pushed into November by the hurricanes.”

SINGLE-FAMILY MARKET SECTOR

Statewide, single family home sales in November were down 3.5% compared to a year ago, with 17,095 total sales reported.

The active listing inventory for singlefamily homes is at 100,788, an increase of 26.9% over last November.

The association reported the supply of single-family existing homes statewide increased to a 4.8-months’ supply, a 29.7% increase from last November.

“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 16.2% with a total of 4,696 throughout Florida. These accounted for 27.4% of all sales, just over one-quarter 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.”

TOWNHOMES/CONDOS MARKET SECTOR

Locally, the market area of Ocala/ Marion County townhouses and condos median sales prices came in at $200,000, an increase of 24.8% from November 2023. A total of 49 closed sales were reported.

Statewide, townhouses and condos median price was $311,000, a decrease of 5.8% from last November. The active inventory is 64,477, a 46.1% increase from November 2023. Overall, this segment of the real estate market is moving toward less activity.

“Over in the condo and townhouse category,” O’Connor said, “where demand has been weaker relative to single-family homes over the last couple of years, new pending sales were down by almost 5% compared to a year ago. That said, this was the smallest year-over-year decline in new pending sales for condos and townhouses since April. From May through October, they had been down by double-digit percentages each month compared to the year prior.”

Existing townhouse and condo properties statewide were at 8.2-months’ supply, an increase of 364% over November of 2023.

For townhomes and condos, the number of cash sales statewide was 2,881, a decrease of 25.9% from November 2023. Those sales represented just over 48% of the total market.

Sudoku By The Mepham Group

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

or square.

CITIZENS STARTS YEAR WITH 935K POLICIES

Amid efforts to shift customers into the private market, the state’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp. started 2025 with more than 935,000 policies.

Data posted on the Citizens website showed it had 935,576 policies as of Friday. That was down slightly from 936,203 policies a week earlier. Citizens was created as an insurer of last resort but grew to become the state’s largest insurer in recent years because of financial problems among private carriers.

After reaching as many as 1.412 million policies in 2023, Citizens

has used what is known as a “depopulation” program to shift policies to private insurers. It dipped below 1 million policies in November.

State leaders want to minimize the number of policies in Citizens, at least in part because of financial risks if the state gets hit by a major hurricane or multiple hurricanes. If Citizens wouldn’t have enough money to pay claims, policyholders throughout the state — including possibly non-Citizens policyholders — could have to pay what are known as “assessments” to cover the costs.

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN

Lan Lam

Refreshing

SENATORS EYE CONDO ISSUES

ASenate committee next week will hold a panel discussion about issues affecting condominium owners and associations, as many residents grapple with increased costs. The Senate Regulated Industries Committee will hold the discussion Jan. 14, according to a Senate calendar.

The committee’s chairwoman, Fleming Island Republican Jennifer Bradley, and vice chairman, Sunny Isles Beach Democrat Jason Pizzo, have been key players in recent years on condominium

issues. Lawmakers during a 2022 special legislative session passed a measure aimed at requiring condominium associations to have adequate financial reserves to pay for needed repairs to buildings.

Also, the bill set requirements for inspections of condominium buildings that are three stories or higher. Any “substantial structural deterioration” found by engineers or architects would require more-detailed inspections. Association boards were also required to have “structural integrity

reserve” studies to determine how much money should be set aside.

The law was tweaked in 2023, and the Legislature in 2024 passed a measure that targeted wrongdoing by members of association boards. The laws, along with higher property-insurance premiums for condominium associations, have led to residents facing increased costs. Lawmakers passed the changes after the 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside that killed 98 people.

Tcozy Vietnamese braise

zaps of ginger punctuate tender, savory pieces of chicken in this simple,

his classic of Vietnamese home cooking derives its flavors primarily from the combination of fish sauce and a burnt caramel syrup called nu’oâ’c mâu. We made a small batch of the syrup by cooking sugar in oil until the sugar bubbled and darkened to the color of soy sauce.

We stopped the cooking by adding the aromatics ginger, shallot and garlic and cooking them until they had softened. We deboned chicken thighs and cut them into small pieces to make the dish easy to eat, and we preserved the skin to infuse the sauce with collagen.

Braising the chicken in fish sauce, the nu’oâ’c mâu, and coconut water seasons it thoroughly and renders it tender. We used taste to determine when the braise was finished: The

thin sauce should taste heavily seasoned by itself but perfectly calibrated for drizzling on rice.

Gâ  Kho Gừng (Vietnamese Caramel-Braised Chicken with Ginger)

Serves 4

1 (2 3/4-inch) piece ginger, peeled, divided 1 shallot, sliced thin

2 garlic cloves, sliced thin

2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs

4 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut water

2 tablespoons fish sauce

Coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1. Slice 2 inches ginger into matchsticks. Smash remaining 3/4 inch ginger. Place all ginger in a bowl with shallot and garlic.

2. Place one chicken thigh skin

side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp paring knife, trim excess skin and fat, leaving enough skin to cover meat. Cut a slit along the length of the thigh bone to expose the bone. Using the tip of the knife, cut/scrape meat from bone. Slip knife under bone to separate bone from meat. Discard bone and trim any remaining cartilage from thigh. Keeping thigh skin side down, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces, leaving as much skin attached as possible. Repeat with remaining thighs.

3. Place sugar in a medium saucepan and shake to spread

into an even layer. Add oil and cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, until sugar begins to change color, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is the color of honey, 15 to 30 seconds. (Oil will begin to smoke.) Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar bubbles vigorously and is the color of soy sauce, about 1 minute longer.

4. Immediately add ginger mixture and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring

constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Add coconut water and fish sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces by half, 25 to 30 minutes. (Sauce should taste heavily seasoned, suitable for serving with rice.) Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with cilantro, if using. Serve.

Braising the chicken creates ample flavor and tenderness. CREDIT: (Beth Fuller/TCA).

Ketamine is the most important breakthrough in mental health in 50 years, says Thomas Insel, MD, former director of the National Institutes of Mental Health. The science and application of treating mental health is developing rapidly. Multiple studies have demonstrated the efficacy of ketamine to treat suicidality, depression, and PTSD. Controversial psychedelics like ketamine save lives.

Suicide, a tragic event often preceded by significant pain, has been on the rise in recent years despite increased psychiatric treatment.

However, what may surprise many is that there is a treatment that often brings immediate relief and reduces suicidality: Ketamine. Imagine if your loved one is determined to end their life, and you could get them help. Ketamine, a treatment that is not new but legal and readily available, could be the answer.

What exactly is it? Is it safe? Is it right for you or your loved one? After this lecture, you will understand:

• Suicide’s devastating cost to society and how to prevent it

• How ketamine stops suicide in its tracks

Meet Dr. Edwards, a practicing anesthesiologist and visiting physician at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC). With 20 years of experience, he has used ketamine extensively to treat mental health issues.

He co-authored The Revolutionary Ketamine with famed author Gavin de Becker to spread the message that ketamine can save lives.

Dr. Edwards grew up in the Mojave desert in California, aspired to be a professional motocross racer, and then decided to attend medical school.

Dr. Edwards received his A.S. at Victor Valley Community College, a B.S. in physiology at UC Davis, an M.D. at the Eastern Virginia Medical School, Internal Medicine at the University of Nevada, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of Utah, Neurology at the University of Claude Bernard in Lyon, France, and completed his Anesthesiology residency in Tampa at the University of South Florida.

After years in private practice, Dr. Edwards decided to return to research and is currently a PhD student in Neurophysiology at the University of Paris.

Dr. Edwards has also published several books, including Stopping Pain, about a procedure to treat chronic pain, Suicide, COVID-19, and Ketamine, The Art & Science of the Marathon with Dr. Veronique Billat. Dr. Edwards is an accomplished cyclist aspiring to a professional level He’s been the team

Sudoku By The Mepham Group
Gasoline Alley
Broom Hilda
Middletons

government

MONTH OF JANUARY

Marion County School Board meetings

Marion County Board of County Commission chambers, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala

Public activities conducted by the Marion County School Board will temporarily move to a new home in January because of renovations inside the MTI Auditorium.

The meetings include Jan. 14, 5:30 p.m., board meeting; Jan. 23, 9 a.m., work session; Jan. 23, 4 p.m., quarterly meeting of the Independent Citizens Referendum Oversight Committee; Jan. 28, 5:30 p.m., board meeting. See marionschools.net/ school_board for more information.

JANUARY 13, 20, 27

Marion County Development Review

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

9am

The committee meets each Monday to review and vote on waiver requests to the Land Development Code, major site plans and subdivision plans. See marion. fl.legistar.com/calendar.aspx for agenda and minutes.

JANUARY 21

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. Ocala government 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

JANUARY 22

Dunnellon City Council

Dunnellon City Hall, 20750 River Dr., Dunnellon

5:30pm Agendas, minutes and video are available at dunnellon.granicus.com/ ViewPublisher.php?view_id=1

community

JANUARY 18

6th Annual Marion Rotary Duck Derby

Tuscawilla Park

Begins 11am; race at 2pm

The sixth annual Marion Rotary Duck Derby, hosted by Marion County Rotary Clubs, will feature 5,000 rubber ducks. The first few ducks across the finish line will win cash prizes for their adopters. Proceeds support the Discovery Center. Adopt a duck for $5 or adopt five and get one free. For details, go to duckrace. com/ocala

JANUARY 18-19

Ocala MLK Day Events

Various Locations

8am to 10am

Celebrate Martin Luther King Day with a series of events in Ocala. Starting on Jan. 18 at 9am, the annual Prayer Breakfast will take place at the Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place, 1812 NW 21st Ave., featuring speakers and food for guests, with Youth Day activities beginning at 1pm. Meanwhile, at noon, people will gather at Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Park at 500 SW Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. for the annual laying of a ceremonial wreath. On Jan. 19, ecumenical services will be held at New St. John Baptist Church, 2251 NW 2nd St., at 5pm. To learn more about each of these events, visit ocalagazette.com/ call-for-volunteers-vendors-and-more-for-mlk-events-in-ocala/

JANUARY 20

MLK Historic March and Day In The Park

Downtown to MLK Recreational Complex, 1510 NW 4th St., Ocala

8am to 10am

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Commemorative Commission will host the annual march in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and in support of Dr. King’s legacy against injustice and inequality. Participants will first arrive at the MLK Recreational Complex and take shuttles to downtown. Line up begins at 8 a.m., with the march back to the MLK Recreational Complex scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. There also will be activities in the park after the march ends there. For more information, visit bit.ly/mlkday2025

JANUARY 31

“Never Give Up on Country” Concert

Sheltair Aviation, 1770 SW 60th Ave., Ocala

7:30pm to 9pm

The Travis Mills Foundation will host its fourth “Never Give Up On Country” concert in Marion County. Headlining the concert will be country music artist Chris Janson, known for his chart-topping hits such as “Buy Me a Boat” and “Good Vibes.” Chris McNeil also will perform. The “Never Give Up On Country” concert, along with its sponsors and the community, has raised more than $1 million in support of the foundation, which supports “recalibrated” veterans. Tickets are $50, with the option to purchase a meal from Mission BBQ, and can be purchased at nevergiveuponcountry.eventbrite.com

JANUARY 12

Young Artist Competition: Honors Recital

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

1pm to 4pm The Ocala Symphony Orchestra’s annual recital will feature finalists in junior and senior divisions. The winners will return in March to perform as soloists at the OSO’s “Youth, Tricksters, and Metamorphosis” concert. Visit reillyartscenter.com to learn more.

JANUARY 26

OTrak Chalk Walk

Tuscawilla Park, 829 NE Sanchez Ave., Ocala

10am to 5pm

Part of the Tuscawilla Art Park series, this event put on by Ocala Cultural Arts, celebrates public art and expression with the timeless activity of drawing on the sidewalk with chalk. Designated areas will be made into canvases for children and adults. The theme is “Natural Wonders, Great and Small,” with cash prizes for top artists. There will be live music performances, artisans and food trucks. Attendance is free; chalk drawing costs $10. For more information, visit ocalafl.gov/chalkwalk

FEBRUARY 1

Ocala Art Group’s 75th Anniversary Reception, Painting Demo and Exhibition

Chelsea Art Center, 3305 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala

11am to 3pm

The Ocala Art Group will host a reception to commemorate its 75th anniversary and to open a new exhibition by one of the members. The reception will feature live art and music, an auction and information about 2025 classes and live events. For more information, visit ocalaartgroup.org

things to do arts

JANUARY 17

Theatre Rock: A Celebration of Broadway Musicals

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

7:30pm Theatre Rock performs live concert versions of songs from hit Broadway shows, such as “Wicked,” “Hamilton,” “Jersey Boys” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Tickets are available at reillyartscenter.com/events/theatre-rock

a new genre. [Photo courtesy dixonsviolin.com]

Dixon’s Violin

Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala

7:30 to 9pm Dixon is a world-renowned violinist. With the help of electric looping, Dixon is able to perform as an entire orchestra. Go to ocalacivictheatre. com for tickets.

JANUARY 18

Sounds of Simon & Garfunkel

Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala

2pm and 7:30pm Jeff Jablonski and Jeff Radi are a pair of musicians with a shared passion for classic rock, folk and the music of Simon and Garfunkel. Together, they form a collaboration worthy of their namesake duo. Tickets are available at ocalacivictheatre.com/event/ sounds-of-simon-garfunkel/ Hypnotist Show

Marion Theatre, 50 S Magnolia Ave., Ocala

7:30pm to 9pm

The “Aliens Are Among Us and They’re Hilarious” show will feature Flip Orley’s unique act of comedy and hypnosis. For tickets, go to reillyartscenter.com

JANUARY 25-26

Viva la France!

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

7:30pm & 3pm Guest conductor Raymond Chobaz will lead the Ocala Symphony Orchestra through a medley of great French composers, including Debussy’s “Trois Nocturnes,” Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Africa: Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra” and Maurice Ravel’s “Daphnis and Chloe Suite No. 2.” For details go to reillyartscenter.com/events/vivela-france/

FEBRUARY 6-23

“Daddy Long Legs” Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala Showtimes vary Based on the 1955 film with Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron, this clever two-person musical reveals the secret of happiness. Visit ocalacivictheatre.com for all the details.

FEBRUARY 15-16

“Sound and Fury” Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala 7:30pm & 3pm Embark on a journey from the Scottish coasts to the depths of human emotion and the heights of heroic triumph, with Mendelssohn’s “Hebrides Overture” and Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony. Learn more at reillyartscenter.com

FEBRUARY 23

“Opera at the Reilly: Puccini Love and Laughter” Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala 3pm The University of Florida Opera Theatre and OSO present two of Giacomo Puccini’s greatest works, “Suor Angelica” and “Gianni Schicchi.” Both are one-act operas with supertitles. Find details at reillyartscenter.com

Dixon, a former technology leader and symphony violinist, walked away from a distinguished career to follow his dream full-time and invented

Color your world

Check out the 2025 Sherwin-Williams “Color Capsule”

This year’s Color Capsule choices are:

1. Grounded SW 6089

Sherwin Williams described this color as a “versatile brown” meant to envelop spaces in the comfort of its eternally calming nature, imparting “richness and the stability of a refined earthen tone.”

4. Rain Cloud SW 9639

Part of the Designer Color Collection’s Rustic + Refined palette, these colors are “renowned for colors that bridge classic design and contemporary updates, like this stormy and deep gray-blue hue.”

Staff report

Every year, the design team at Sherwin-Williams shares what they describe as “data-driven insights” into “color forecasting” to “anticipate the trends of tomorrow and shape a more vibrant, harmonious, and responsive world—one shade at a time.”

“Our Color Capsule of the Year can be curated to stand out with any style. We wanted a modern, fresh take on color, with a balanced and usable assortment of shades,” wrote Sue Wadden, director of color marketing, for Sherwin-Williams.

2. Sunbleached SW 9585

“This Designer Color Collection pick is poised between warm and cool, an adaptable and airy light neutral that is deeper than white, not quite gray, and ventures beyond beige or taupe.”

SW 9605

a depth of tone that’s

7. Malabar SW 9110 “This sandy beige neutral can turn any environment into a soft, inviting haven. It’s ideal for layering with delicate, warm hues to create serenity in an abundance of design aesthetics.”

8. Bosc Pear SW 6390 “This golden hue embodies the shift toward luxe organic tones and styles that hearken back to bygone eras.”

9. White Snow SW 9541 “A designer favorite.”

Learn more about complimentary color themes for this year’s capsule by visiting sherwin-williams.com/en-us/color/colorcollections/colormix-forecast/2025 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9

RICK STEVES’ EUROPE

One great day in Madrid

I’m standing on a tiny balcony overlooking the Times Square of all of Spain Madrid’s Puerta del Sol.

Within a 10-minute walk I can visit one of the greatest palaces in Europe Madrid’s Royal Palace, the ultimate town square ‘Plaza Mayor, or my favorite collection of paintings under any single roof in Europe the Prado Museum.

Just like in New York’s Times Square, crowds in Madrid fill Puerta del Sol on New Year’s Eve while the rest of Spain watches the action on TV. As Spain’s ‘Big Ben’ atop the governor’s office chimes 12 times, Madrileãos eat one grape for each ring to bring good luck through each of the next 12 months.

But unlike New York’s famous gathering space, this square ‘ like so many in Europe ‘ has gone from a traffic nightmare to a more park-like people zone. It’s what makes Madrid livable. Car traffic has been limited (made possible by the excellent public transportation system), letting the fine old buildings show off their original elegance in an inviting, wide-open setting.

From Puerta del Sol, I’m

going to do a blitz tour of three major sights. I start by strolling toward the Royal Palace (www. patrimonio nacional.es), which I consider Europe’s thirdgreatest palace (after Versailles, near Paris, and Schãnbrunn in Vienna). Over the years, I’ve visited it at least 10 times and I always learn more fascinating facts to include in my guidebook.

It’s big more than 2,000 rooms, with tons of luxurious tapestries, a king’s ransom of chandeliers, priceless porcelain, and bronze decor covered in gold leaf. While these days the royal family lives in a mansion a few miles away, this place still functions as a royal palace and is used for formal state receptions, royal weddings, and tourists’ daydreams.

One highlight is the throne room, where red velvet walls, lions, and frescoes of Spanish scenes symbolize the monarchy in a Rococo riot. Another eyestopper is the dining room, where the king can entertain as many as 144 guests at a bowling-lane size table. The ceiling fresco depicts Christopher Columbus kneeling before King Ferdinand and

3. Chartreuse SW 0073

A “vibrant yellow-green” that “brings a joyful, tropical brightness that is both eclectic and versatile.”

This subdued, sophisticated mauve has “a dreamy quality that adorns spaces with refreshing appeal as a wall color or an accent.”

Queen Isabel, presenting exotic souvenirs and his New World “friends” to the royal couple.

My next stop is Plaza Mayora stately, traffic-free chunk of 17th-century Spain. Each side of the square is uniform, as if a grand palace were turned insideout. Whether hanging out with old friends, enjoying a cup of coffee, or finding a treasure at the weekly stamp-and-coin market, it’s an appealing place where people gather.

Bronze reliefs under the lampposts show how, upon this stage, much of Spanish history was played out. The square once hosted bullfights. It was the scene of generations of pre-Lent carnival gaiety. And during the Inquisition, many suspected heretics were tried here and

punished by being strangled or burned at the stake. Thankfully, the brutality of the Inquisition is long gone.

My last stop is the Prado Museum, which holds my favorite collection of paintings anywhere (www.museo del prado.es). These artworks give an eye-pleasing overview of Spain’s rich history, from its golden age through its slow fade.

The Prado is the place to enjoy the great Spanish painter Francisco de Goya. You can follow this complex man through the stages of his life ‘from dutiful court painter, to political rebel and scandalmaker, to the disillusioned genius of his ‘black paintings.’ It’s also the home of Diego Velázquez’s Las Meninas, considered by some to be the world’s finest painting, period.

In addition to Spanish works, you’ll find paintings by Italian and Flemish masters, including Hieronymus Bosch’s fantastical Garden of Earthly Delights altarpiece.

With thousands of canvases, including entire rooms of masterpieces by superstar painters, the Prado can be overwhelming. A $215 million expansion, completed in 2007, made this museum more visitor friendly. A wing holds a modern cafã, auditorium, and gift shop ‘freeing up exhibition space in the original building for more art. But it still gets crowded’ do what you can to avoid the hordes. It’s always crowded on evenings, when it’s free after 6 p.m., and on weekends; it’s worth paying the entry price on other days to have your space.

As I walk back to my hotel on the Puerta del Sol, I reflect on this bustling capital Europe’s highest, at 2,000 feet. Despite the economic uncertainty, today’s Madrid is vibrant. Even the living-statue street performers have a twinkle in their eyes. Lively Madrid has enough streetsinging, bar-hopping, and peoplewatching vitality to give any visitor a boost. After every trip to this exciting city, the impression I take home is that of a thriving people with an enduring culture and an irresistible love of life.

Madrid’s cobbled Plaza Mayor has seen centuries of history, from bullfights to carnival celebrations to gruesome events of the Inquisition. CREDIT: (Cameron Hewitt, Rick Steves’ Europe).
5. Mauve Finery SW 6282
6. Clove
“With
nearly black, this entrancing brown is at home” as a cozy neutral.

Sports

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Trinity Catholic overwhelms Dunnellon

A balanced offense paced the Celtics over the Tigers in the night game.

Trinity Catholic placed three players in double figures, led by freshman point guard Ja’Niya Corbin’s game-high 13 points, and the Celtics’ defense forced 23 Dunnellon turnovers in a 59-21 win over the Tigers on the evening of Jan. 7.

The convincing win improved Class 2A Trinity Catholic to 9-5 on the season.

“We’ve been working hard at both ends of the floor trying to get out in transition and putting up 70 to 80 shots a game,” said Celtics first-year coach Adam Boomhower. “We set the tone with our defense, which is a staple for us. We want to be balanced on offense with guards that can handle and shoot the ball, and a couple of players that can run the floor.”

The loss was the fifth in a row for Class 4A Dunnellon, which dropped to 7-6 overall.

“They (Trinity Catholic) hit shots and we didn’t,” said Tigers coach Melissa Mosby. “The more shots they hit, the more our energy started leaving us. Once we get some things worked out, we’ll be all right.”

Trinity Catholic started slowly to open the game but picked up the pace thanks to a swarming defense that forced several Dunnellon turnovers that were converted into baskets. Junior guard Alessa Washington scored four of her 12 points, Corbin added three and senior forward Angelina Nunez buried a 3-pointer from the right baseline to give the Celtics a 14-2 lead heading to the second quarter.

Dunnellon fought hard to stay close as Joseleen Malave scored in the paint for two of her five points and forward Myah Roof added four of her team-high six points. Trinity Catholic answered with a run sparked by junior center Lilliana Rosario’s four points in the paint, Washington’s six points and a 3-pointer from the right wing by Destiny Lewis to give the Celtics a commanding 35-10 lead at the half.

Trinity Catholic extended its lead in the third period as Corbin exploded for

10 points, including a pair of treys from behind the arc, and Sadie Garrett powered her way to the basket on a strong drive as the Celtics took a 35-point lead midway through the quarter, which initiated a running clock for the remainder of the contest.

Both teams went to their bench in the final eight minutes. Trinity Catholic’s Brionie Leahmon scored four of her 10 points and Jayhanna Owusu added a putback as the Celtics eased to the victory.

Trinity Catholic, which has played a demanding schedule, was set to be back on the hardwood on Jan. 9 with a home game against Oak Hall.

“We’ve played one of the toughest schedules in the county, so we’re prepared for any situation in the postseason,” coach Boomhower said. “Everything we’re doing is getting us ready for the playoffs.”

Dunnellon

Fivay

was slated to host
High on Jan. 10.
Trinity Catholic's Ja'Niya Corbin (0) looks for a way to the basket as she is defended by Dunnellon's Tonyah Boggs (5) during a basketball game at Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Trinity Catholic won the game 59-21.
Dunnellon's Tonyah Boggs (5) looks for a way to the hoop as she is defended by Trinity Catholic's Sadie Garrett (33) during a basketball game at Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Trinity Catholic won the game 59-21. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2025.
Trinity Catholic's head coach Adam Boomhower works with his players as they play Dunnellon during a basketball game at Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Trinity Catholic won the game 59-21.
Trinity Catholic's Sadie Garrett (33) drives to the hoop past Dunnellon's Joseleen Malave (20) during a basketball game at Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Trinity Catholic won the game 59-21.
Trinity Catholic's Alessa Washington (11) drives past Dunnellon defenders Mia Burns (4) and Myah Roof (32) as she looks for a way to the basket during a basketball game at Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Trinity Catholic won the game 59-21.
Photos by Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette

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