Ocala Gazette | April 30 - May 6, 2021 by Magnolia Media Company

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 44

Kentucky Derby May 1

APRIL 30- MAY 6, 2021

Brewery set to move into vacant fire station By Ainslie Lee ainslie@ocalagazette.com

An overhead view of SW 66th Street with Heath Brook community on the left and Winding Oaks Farm on the right. [Dave Miller/Special to the Ocala Gazette]

Striking a Balance

County weighs need for development verses preserving agriculture By Carlos Medina carlos@ocalagazette.com

new boom of development projects in Marion County is rekindling decades old arguments about how to strike a balance between the county’s growth and preserving agricultural land. Recently, the county denied one project that proposed building more than 200 units in the northwest area of the county and approved a scaled back project originally seeking 680 units near Summerfield. The northwest project would have been surrounded by agricultural land off Northwest 60th Avenue. Just to the east of the proposed development is the expansive Ocala Palms Golf & County Club. Northwest 60th Avenue served as a boundary between residential

and agricultural land. But a few years ago, the county moved that boundary west to Northwest 80th Avenue. Kimberleigh Dinkins, a senior planner with the county’s growth services, said the project generally fit the area, though there were concerns about open spaces and traffic access in the proposed plan. “It’s an area we’re looking at specifically for additional employment opportunities. We know that the area is going to grow in the near future, and we need to be able to provide a number of housing types here,” Dinkins said. But at least three county commissioners didn’t feel the area was ready for development citing the lack of services available. Commissioner Craig Curry, however, had simpler reasons for not supporting the plan. “It makes sense to develop it, but not yet,” Curry said. “I am not anti-growth but there are parts of

it (the county), to me, we have to wrap our arms around and save for as long as we can.” Commissioner Kathy Bryant, however, said the plan would start to fill in the gap of development between Ocala Palms and the Worth Equestrian Center off Northwest 80th Avenue. But Commissioner Carl Zalak preferred the county take a closer look at growth options for the area to better identify an overall development plan. In the end, the commission voted 3-2 to deny the development. Commissioner Jeff Gold joined Curry and Zalak in voting against, while Commissioner Michelle Stone and Bryant voted for the plan. The commission also faced another development plan calling for 680-unit residential development called Carissa Oaks

The former fire station building overlooking Lake Tuscawilla just north of Silver Springs Boulevard has sat empty for years. But that will soon change as a local brewery plans to relocate to the firehouse. Infinite Ale Works, currently housed at 304 S. Magnolia Ave., will relocate to the former fire station at 410 NE 3rd St. once renovations are complete. On April 20, the Ocala City Council unanimously approved the agreement with McDonald Properties & Investments, LLC. The company is owned by Tom McDonald and Mike Owen, who own Infinite as well as Pi on Broadway. While the city hopes the project will be done by February 2024, McDonald has more ambitious plans. He hopes to open in early 2022. “I think it’s an interesting property,” McDonald said. “The city was really motivated for activation over there.” The city sold the one-acre parcel that houses the old Ocala Fire Rescue Station No. 1 to McDonald Properties & Investments for one dollar. The property is valued at $360,000, according to the Marion County property appraiser. The city also committed to making improvements to water, sanitary sewer, electric and internet utilities on the boundary of the property. The city will also install parking spaces, sidewalks, bicycle racks and streetlights. The deal includes reimbursement of up to $100,000 for roof repairs to the 1984 building during the first year. The city will then pay $25,000

See Development, page A2

See Brewery, page A2

Ocala boasts a dozen in this year’s Kentucky Derby By Carlos Medina carlos@ocalagazette.com At least a dozen of the 20 horses set to start in this year’s Kentucky Derby have strong ties to Ocala and Marion County. On Saturday, all will vie for a shot at one of horseracing’s signature events at Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. Among those with local ties, Soup and Sandwich may be the most connected. The 3-year-old colt was born and raised in Ocala at Live Oak Stud and his dam, Souper Scoop, is also a Live Oak product. “He’s the hometown boy,” said Mark Casse, who trains the son of Into Mischief for Charlotte Weber, owner of Live Oak. But Casse, also based in Ocala, adds yet another layer of local flavor. Raised in Marion County,

Casse learned the business from his father, Norman, who helped establish Marion County as an international thoroughbred center. Last May, Mark Casse was selected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, but he is still looking for his first Kentucky Derby win. In 2019, Casse won both the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes with War of Will and Sir Winston, respectively. But that same year, the Kentucky Derby was tantalizingly close. War of Will was running second, set for a final push to the finish when the leader, Maximum Security, drifted into his path, causing War of Will’s jockey to pull on the reins and break the horse’s momentum. While Maximum Security was disqualified, War of Will finished seventh, and the Derby crown went to another. See Derby, page A4

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Soup and Sandwich is shown winning a race at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 24. with jockey Antonio Gallardo aboard. The colt was bred in Ocala and will start in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. [SV Photography]

Inside: Puppy Power............................ A2 H.S. Culinary Winners.......... A7 State News................................ A8 Sports........................................ B1 Creatives Corner..................... B3 Calendar................................... B6

APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Puppy Power Injured pooch using wheelchair to recover By Ainslie Lee ainslie@ocalagazette.com Hotwheels has no speed limit. The moment the pooch is strapped into his wheelchair, he’s off to the races – bumping into and running over anything in his path. But it was a different story when the six-monthold Labrador retriever mix first arrived at the Marion County Humane Society on March 30. “He was found on the side of the road with a blanket on him,” said Joyce Trzaska, the lead veterinary

technician with the Humane Society. “He had Demodex, and it looks like someone hit him the way his back is broken.” Demodex, a type of mange caused by an infestation of mites, was the least of Hotwheels’ worries. Instead, he had fractures between his tenth and twelfth vertebrae that left his hind legs paralyzed. Veterinarians and other staff members speculate he was struck with a baseball bat or other similar object. A week after arriving, Hotwheels was introduced to the wheelchair. And he quickly took to his ticket to freedom.

Hotwheels runs in his wheelchair with Thais Eisenbrown, a veterinary technician, as he plays outside at the Humane Society of Marion County. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

Hotwheels was brought into the Humane Society with a broken back by someone on March 30. He doesn’t have any use of his back legs, but the staff came up with the idea of giving him the wheelchair so that he can still run around and have fun. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

“As many dogs we’ve had in a wheelchair, he took to it the quickest,” said Eddie Leedy, executive director of the Humane Society. Leedy said Hotwheels quickly became accustomed to the width of the wheelchair and learned how to navigate tighter spaces. But he still likes to go fast. Hotwheels was originally named “little Angus,” paying homage to his tendencies to bump and ram into things – especially other dogs. But he grew into the name Hotwheels. “We said, ‘This is so fitting for him.’,” Trzaska said. “Especially that he goes like a demon.” While Hotwheels quickly took to the wheelchair, the goal is to get him out. Shelter veterinarian Jami McGregor said it’s too early to tell if that will happen. But Trzaska and Leedy said the dog is improving

daily. Recently, he started to pull his back legs away from the constraints of the wheelchair. Eventually, Hotwheels will go up for adoption. While it will still take a while before the dog is ready, many have already inquired about the charming dog whose story was featured on the Humane Society’s Facebook page. “I mean a dog like him wouldn’t be good for a younger couple that works all the time,” Leedy said.

“He wouldn’t have to have constant care, but somebody would need to be there with him.” But until he’s adopted, Hotwheels has the Humane Society’s staff to swoon over him. He’s kept comfortable in a Publix shopping cart filled with blankets and enjoys his trips outside, where he rips through the parking lot and into the garden. “He doesn’t even know his back is broken,” Trzaska said. “He doesn’t know.”

Hotwheels’ x-ray showing his broken back between the T-10 and T-12 vertebrae. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

From Development, page A1 on property adjacent to mostly rural property near Summerfield. While the 82 acres near Summerfield was already zoned for industrial, commercial and professional offices, the property sat undeveloped for more than 15 years. The plan for 62 two-story quadplexes and nine threestory apartment buildings faced objections from some in the area who worried about the concentration of homes and the effect on traffic, schools and other resources.

The commission eventually voted 3-2 to approve development of 66 acres. The approval came after the property owner withdrew plans to build 136 units on 16 acres on Southeast 135th Street. This time it was Stone and Bryant who voted against the plan, with Bryant citing her concern of school overcrowding and overburdening the Belleview water system. Planning for future growth is a constant moving target. The county plans a

strategic workshop in July to discuss the latest 5-year comprehensive plan. Years ago, the debate revolved around the development along State Road 200. With a few exceptions, little open land remains and most of those have development plans in place. The former Winding Oaks farm, which once included Tartan Farms, at the corner of Southwest 60th Avenue and SR 200 was the last working horse farm. It closed in 2014. Recently, an amended plan to build about 3,000 homes

on the 980 acres of Winding Oaks was approved by the city. In an attempt to preserve other horse farms, the county established the Farmland Preservation Area in 2005, which covers about 190,000 acres of land in northwest Marion County. But in 2017, the commission moved the FPA boundary west to accommodate about 1,000 acres of the WEC project. Last year, WEC developer, RLR Investments, wanted to chip away at the FPA with plans to develop 280 acres

in the boundary. That plan was turned down, but the challenge to the boundary keeps groups like Horse Farms Forever busy. “It’s important that we balance economic development with protecting the very thing that makes Ocala unique – its horse farms and open spaces... There is already ample land in Marion County for economic development as over 55 square miles is permitted for development,” said Busy Shires, director of conservation strategies for HFF.

said. “There was that concern for the business, and if the business wasn’t successful, it wouldn’t help activate the area.” The city has been trying to attract a business to take over the property since 2018 after it released its Ocala Vision Plan that targeted

certain properties in the area. The city received two proposals from developers, including one from Pine Gap Investment Group, LLC. However, after that deal fell through in late 2019, McDonald’s group slid in a day later.

The old Ocala Fire Rescue Headquarters is shown by Tuscawilla Park. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

From Brewery, page A1 per year for five years after that. “There were some concerns with the building and whether or not it was relevant and make sure the business had an opportunity to really flourish and activate the area,” McDonald said. “And

I think that’s the key factors that played into that deal structure.” According to Ashley Dobbs, spokeswoman for the City of Ocala, the project includes a micro-brewery and restaurant. A microdistillery is also possible. Despite his background

in the bar business, McDonald said the project has its challenges. “It is kinda a big risk to move from the south side of 40, where everything seems to be exploding, over to an area that is going to be depending on creating a destination,” McDonald

APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

“Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.” - Thomas Jefferson Publisher Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@magnoliamediaco.com Carlos Medina, Managing Editor carlos@ocalagazette.com Bruce Ackerman, Photography Editor bruce@ocalagazette.com Ainslie Lee, Associate Editor ainslie@ocalagazette.com Brendan Farrell, Reporter brendan@ocalagazette.com Sadie Fitzpatrick, Columnist sadie@ocalagazette.com Lisa McGinnes, Editor lisa@magnoliamediaco.com Susan Smiley-Height, Editor susan@magnoliamediaco.com

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Our mission is to inform and uplift our readers by reporting on the events, issues and stories that shape Ocala with accuracy, fairness and passion. We also strive to serve as a forum where all voices can be heard and to chronicle our community’s history.

County plans Ma Barker house recreation area By Ainslie Lee ainslie@ocalagazette.com

that it all makes sense. And also, by starting in the interpretive center, you’re putting less wear and tear on the house and original furniture.” Albright, who grew up around Lake Weir, has spearheaded several preservation efforts for the home, in addition to digging into its history. Albright’s great

The house most famous for a noisy, six-hour gun battle in 1935 has sat quiet for close to a year. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, curators at the infamous Bradford-Ma Barker house stopped tours of the two-story home that still shows scars of the bullet holes inflicted by G-men in a shootout with gangsters Ma and Fred Barker all those years ago. But soon, the house, now located at Carney Island Recreation and Conservation area on the west shore of Lake Weir, will have plans drawn up to make it the centerpiece of a recreation area. During its regularly scheduled meeting on April 20, the Marion County Board of County Commissioners approved a restoration site design from civil engineering consulting firm Causseaux, Hewett and Walpole, Inc. That design work will focus on developing the site. According to paperwork filed with the county, the Marion County parks and Kate “Ma” Barker [Submitted] recreation department sought to create a historic and cultural grandfather witnessed part of center around the house that the shootout. The story has been recreates the original site of the passed down from generation to house. In 2016, the house was generation. floated to its current site from According to Albright, the the north side of the lake aboard continued interest in the home and several barges. its story fascinates him. The project is slated to feature “It’s interesting in this country, two new buildings, an entry road, there’s always been a fascination parking, walkways and other with the gangster movement,” elements to emulate the original Albright said. “And it surprises home site. The plans will cost me – a lot of younger people know $54,000 to prepare. It’s not clear this and that about it. You wouldn’t how much the construction will believe how well known the name cost. Ma Barker is... it’s an American “I’m very excited for the icon.” interpretive center because you Ma Barker and her four sons need to lay out the story because were responsible for a string there are film footage snippets of robberies and killings in the of it here and there,” said George Midwest that reaped over $2 Albright, chairman of Friends of million and claimed the lives of 10 the Bradford-Ma Barker House, people, including a police officer, in Inc. “But the story needs to be told the 1930s. prior to walking in the house so But when J. Edgar Hoover, the

first director of the FBI, set his sights on eliminating gangsters and mobsters, Barker and her boys decided to lay low off the shores of Lake Weir in the quaint town of Ocklawaha. Eventually, federal agents zeroed in on the Barker’s location, where the longest gun battle in FBI history ensued. Barker and her son Fred were killed in the shootout. According to Albright, once the build-out is complete, the FBI plans a formal dedication denoting the gun battle and installation of a bronze plaque. “They’re quite proud of the fact that they were involved in such a watershed moment of dismantling the mob and gangster movement in America,” Albright said. “It was clearly a death nail in the movement.” Months before the Ma Barker shootout, the notorious John Dillinger was killed by authorities on the streets of Chicago. But there’s no relic left of Dillinger’s death, which is what makes the Bradford-Ma Barker Home so special, Albright says. Though most of the bullet holes are patched, Albright says you can still see where bullets punctured the walls of the house. Much of the original furniture is left in the house as well. “You literally are able to walk back into time in every room you walk into,” Albright said. “It has tremendous impact on you when you do that. Because all of a sudden you go, ‘You know, this ain’t made up. This really happened here.’” Albright says that the house is still closed to the public but should reopen for tours soon. “We’re slowly but surely assembling a wonderful map of destinations for historic tourism in Marion County,” Albright said citing the Fort King National Historic Landmark and the Silver River Museum. “Adding this to it, again, makes for a destination, which is something we always like is good, clean tourism.” For information about the home, visit mabarkerhouse.org.

1515 NE 22nd Ave. Ocala, FL 34470 352.732.0073 PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID AT INVERNESS, FL SECOND CLASS PERMIT #114280 Left: A photo shows the aftermath in one of the bedrooms after the 1935 shootout in Ocklawaha that killed Ma Barker and her son, Fred.

Share your news The Ocala Gazette invites you to share your important news events with the community. Email your submissions to info@ocalagazette. com. Please include your name and contact information on the submission. • Letters to the editor: 200 words or less. • Honorable Mentions: 150 words or less about an individual or organization accomplishment in the business, education, community service, athletics or other area of endeavor. Attach a photo of the individual or group being honored, if available. • Upcoming events: Are you holding a charitable or community event that is open to the public? Include the organization hosting the event as well as the time, date and a brief description of the event, along with registration information or other important instructions. • News tips: Include whatever information you consider relevant.

Right: An FBI photo shows some of the weapons recovered after the shootout that killed Ma Barker and her son, Fred, on Jan. 16, 1935. [Submitted]

Left: A photo shows the Bradford-Ma Barker house at its original location on Lake Weir. In 2016, the house was moved, via barge, across the lake to the Carney Island Recreation and Conservation area. [Submitted]

APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

From Derby, page A1

Medina Spirit works out on April 27 at Churchill Downs in Louisville Kentucky in preparation for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. [Coady Photography]

Casse said the disappointment faded not long after the race, and he is focusing on Soup and Sandwich and his other Derby entry Helium. Both horses have only raced three times each, with most others in the field having five or six starts each. Casse said while the horses may be light on experience, the quality of their wins is impressive. “Helium won the Tampa Bay Derby while overcoming the most obstacles of any other horse I have ever trained before. I was extremely impressed by his performance,” he said. He feels both horses have a chance to win in a field with no overwhelming standout. “I am excited about both colts. There have been times when I felt a horse would have to run the race of his life (to win the Derby), but I don’t feel that way about these two. They have legitimate chances,” he said. Despite his confidence, the oddsmakers made Soup and Sandwich a 30-1 choice and will break from the No. 19 position. Helium enters at even longer odds of 50-1 and will start from the No. 12 spot. There is a second locally-bred horse in the Derby. Medina Spirit, who was bred by Gail Rice, opens at odds of 15-1. He will start from the No. 8 post position. The son of Protonico sold for $35,000 at the OBS July sale in 2020. “I kept telling people, ‘This horse can run!’ Just his body and his leg, and the intelligent attitude he had, I always thought he was special,” Rice recently told the Paulickreport.com. The colt has won more than $300,000 in his career. The Favorite The early 2-1 favorite is Essential Quality, a son of Tapit. He also boasts an Ocala connection, having gone through Niall Brennan’s program locally. The colt is one of three

Derby contenders that Brennan helped train. “It’s exciting for the farm and all the staff because you’re part of the Triple Crown experience,” Brennan said. The horse was bred and is owned by Godolphin, the thoroughbred operation led by Dubai’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. While the operation has captured some of the biggest races in the world, the Kentucky Derby remains elusive. “He drew pretty well. I think he is the horse to beat. The horse is a seasoned professional. If he gets a good trip, he’ll have a good chance,” Brennan said. Essential Quality will start from the No. 14

Highly Motivated and Essential Quality, which dueled down the stretch in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 3. Highly Motivated led the race until Essential Quality nipped him late to win by a neck. Brennan’s third horse is one he bought as a yearling and sold as a two-year-old. Sainthood was bred to run on turf but developed into a solid dirt horse. The son of Mshawish starts from the No. 5 hole and opens at odds of 50-1. The year’s biggest bargain in the Derby field also got his early training in Marion County. Brooklyn Strong sold for $5,000 as a 2-year-old during the Ocala Breeders Sales 2020 April sale. The colt was consigned by Jesse Hoppel’s 2021 Kentucky Derby horses Coastal Equine of and local connections: Anthony. So far, his earnings Essential Quality – Niall stand at $225,000. He Brennan Stable starts from the No. 3 Like the King – The Acorn post and is at odds of Farm. Sold as a yearling at the 50-1. OBS October 2019 sale for $170,000. Back to (near) normal Known Agenda – Eddie Woods The 147th Derby also Stables marks the return to Rock Your World – Mayberry its traditional running Farm on the first Saturday Bourbonic – Lynnwood Stable in May. In 2020, the Medina Spirit – Bred by Gail COVID-19 pandemic Rice. Sold as a 2-year-old at the postponed the race OBS July 2020 sale for $35,000. until September, when Highly Motivated – Niall it ran in front of just Brennan Stable 23,000 spectators. The Helium – Mark Casse trained race usually attracts at Soup and Sandwich – Bred least 160,000 fans to by Live Oak Stud. Mark Casse Churchill Downs. trained This year, the track Sainthood – Niall Brennan will allow closer to Stable 50,000 fans. Keepmeinmind – Paul Sharp “Obviously, it’s a Training Center return to a feeling of Brooklyn Strong – Coastal normalcy. Having the Equine. Sold as a 2-year-old at Derby back in May OBS April sales for $5,000. gives you that sense,” said Brennan. Post time for the Derby is 6:57 p.m. position. NBC starts coverage of the Another of Brennan’s event, including several graduates is Highly graded stakes races on the Motivated, also a son of undercard at 2:30 p.m. on Into Mischief. He is listed Saturday. at odds of 10-1 and starts The Kentucky Derby is from the No. 17 post. the first jewel of the Triple “He is a big strong Crown in horseracing. The horse. He carries his weight other jewels include the very well. Into Mischiefs Preakness Stakes on May 15 are very determined horses. at Pimlico Race Course in Honest and durable,” Baltimore and the Belmont Brennan said. Stakes on June 5 at Belmont The race could be a Park in New York. rematch between the A horse must win all

Helium is shown after winning the Tampa Bay Derby on March 6. Jockey Jose Ferrer smiles as he leads the colt to the winners’ circle. [SV Photography]

[Coady Photography]

three races to claim the Triple Crown. Justify was the last to accomplish the feat in 2018. The accomplishment was tarnished after a New York Times report showed the horse failed a drug test in California nearly a month before that year’s Kentucky Derby. California racing officials reportedly held

off on sanctions before dropping the inquiry all together. In 2015, American Pharoah, who received his early training at McKathan Bros. in Marion County also won the Triple Crown. Before that, however, the last horse to sweep the three races was Ocala-bred Affirmed in 1978.

APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Ocala Symphony Orchestra releases season schedule By Susan Smiley-Height Ocala Gazette During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Reilly Arts Center and Ocala Symphony Orchestra (OSO) still found ways to engage the community, such as hosting live online broadcasts, until they could begin to once again welcome guests for concerts and special events. They also committed to a near 16,000-squarefoot expansion planned long before COVID-19. Soon, the OSO’s 20212022 season will bring live performances to the renovated center showcasing an expanded lobby and a new multipurpose black box theater space. On Nov. 20 and 21, the orchestra kicks off its new season showcasing worldrenowned guest artists, multi-media performances, timeless masterpieces and works by new composers. Since opening in the fall of 2015, the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., has become an entertainment destination. Besides serving as the home of the OSO, it is a community resource for other groups. “There were some bright musical moments in the last year: rare live concert experiences here and there, the opportunity to connect with our audiences in new and innovative ways, and the time to reflect on each of

our own individual reasons for making and appreciating music,” said Matthew Wardell, OSO music director and conductor. “For me though, absence certainly did make the heart grow fonder. The time away confirmed my feeling that there is an innate importance to experiencing live music together. Whether the music is 200 years old, or still warm to the touch, it just feels plain good to experience it together. I know I speak for the entire orchestra when I say we dearly missed performing for our regular audiences.” Wardell noted that the new season will include established masterworks such as Rachmaninoff ’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,” “The Unfinished” Symphony No. 7 in B-Minor by Schubert and Elgar’s “Enigma Variations.” “We’re going to showcase some often-overlooked works like Carl Nielsen’s Symphony No. 2 ‘The Four Temperaments’ and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s ‘Ballade.’ Along the way, you’ll hear other great American works by Charles Ives and Missy Mazzoli, and we’re going to pay tribute to John Williams’ 90th birthday,” he said. The season’s offerings will include “Pops! Goes the Holidays” in December with Howard Blake’s music from “The Snowman” played along with the animated

film. In the spring, by popular request, there will be an encore performance of the music of David Bowie and Philip Glass combined with orchestra and rock band, and the OSO Chorus will perform Handel’s “Messiah.” “It’s a season that truly shows the tremendous possibilities inherent in orchestral music, the depth of emotion and power it can project, the fun and beauty that brings all of us together, and the wonder and exploration in life that the greatest composers and musicians have shared with one another for generations,” Wardell stated. The Reilly Arts Center is named in honor of Robert Reilly, a local philanthropist

and patron of the arts who donated $700,000 toward the initial renovation of the former city auditorium in memory of his late wife, Bonnie. The venue, built in the late 1930s, is a cornerstone of the city of Ocala’s Tuscawilla Park. “The Reilly’s expansion heightens the guest experience from the moment they walk in the door,” said Pamela Calero Wardell, Reilly executive director. “Our new lobby is spacious and features floor-to-ceiling glass, classic chandeliers and a modern box office. This is an update that will give concert-goers a comfortable atmosphere to enjoy a cocktail and spend time with friends before the show.” She noted that the

expansion features a black box theater that can accommodate many different performances including an intimate jazz session, theater in the round or even a standup comedy act. The additions also include an expanded catering kitchen, classrooms and rehearsal rooms. The additions were paid for through donations, including a generous gift from The David and Lisa Midgett Foundation, Calero Wardell said. The OSO is a nonprofit group founded in 1975. Wardell has been conductor since 2009. To learn more about OSO events and the new season, visit reillyartscenter.com/ symphony/orchestra/.

[Submitted]

2021-2022 Ocala Symphony Orchestra Concert Season: Variations on Opening Night Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m.; Nov. 21, 3 p.m. Pianist Jasmin Arakawa joins the full orchestra for Rachmaninoff ’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” and the variation theme continues with music from Ives and Elgar’s “Enigma Variations.” Pops! Goes the Holidays Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 5, 3 p.m. OSO brings Howard Blake’s score to the animated short film, “The Snowman,” to life. Along with the film, expect sleigh rides and sing-alongs, and, possibly, a reading of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” The Four Temperaments Jan. 29, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 30, 3 p.m. Raymond Chobaz leads the orchestra through Nielsen’s Symphony No. 2 “The Four

Temperaments,” a new work by award-winning composer Paul Richards and Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with special guest Kevin Sharpe. 90 Years of John Williams Feb. 19, 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 20, 3 p.m. Celebrating John Williams’ 90th birthday with a review of his extensive film catalogue including scores from “Star Wars,” “Harry Potter,” “The Patriot,” “Superman,” “Memoirs of a Geisha,” “Indiana Jones,” “Jaws” and more. The Unfinished March 19, 7:30 p.m.; March 20, 3 p.m. Winners of the Young Artist Competition take the stage with the OSO, along with Samuel ColeridgeTaylor’s “Ballade” and Schubert’s B minor symphony “The Unfinished.”

21st Century Anthology April 9, 7:30 p.m.; April 10, 3 p.m. Wardell’s selection of future classics features Missy Mazzoli’s tribute to the city of Detroit, “River Rouge Transfiguration”; Michael Daugherty’s piece in memory of his father, “Reflections on the Mississippi for Tuba and Orchestra”; and Mason Bates’ “The Anthology of Fantastic Zoology,” which will showcase every section of the orchestra musically illustrating the fantastical creatures of Jorge Luis Borges’ 1957 “Book of Imaginary Beings.” Special Events Symphony Under the Lights Dec. 3, 7 p.m. The OSO and Ocala Youth Symphony offer a joyful annual concert that is free and open to

the public. Enjoy hot chocolate under the ancient oaks of Tuscawilla Park and bring a blanket or chair. Bowie and Glass Return March 5, 7:30 p.m. The OSO and Voltron Collective bring you Philip Glass’ Symphony No. 4 “Heroes” juxtaposed with the David Bowie songs that inspired it. Originally presented in spring of 2019, this has been the OSO’s most requested repeat concert. Handel’s “Messiah” April 24, 3 p.m. Choir master and conductor Joshua Mazur returns to lead the combined orchestra and choir through “Messiah” and selections from “Water Music.”

Spring a Shelter Pet Special: Half oﬀ adoption fees in April View more adoptable pets at www.marioncountyﬂ.org/animal Adoption price includes up-to-date vaccinations, county license, microchip and spay/neuter surgery.

Branch

Mike

Playful Partner Energetic 1-year-old mixed breed male dog seeks his activity partner. This inquisitive and determined guy enjoys playing fetch and would love to join an active family.

Puppy at Heart Fun loving 3-year-old male dog seeks a family that wants an adult dog with the spirit of a puppy. Mike loves to play, roll around and act silly.

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APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

McKenzie’s Moment Ryan and Kait Gray of Ocala hosted the third-annual McKenzie’s Moment celebrity golf tournament at the Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club on April 26. McKenzie, their daughter, died at three days old after she was born at 29 weeks after Kait suffered a placenta abruption. Both avid golfers, Ryan and Kait decided a charitable golf tournament was the best way to honor her memory. Ryan Gray is the director of golf at Golden Ocala. In the past two years they have raised $235,000 for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of North Central Florida. This year, all proceeds will be donated to four Ocala area organizations: Project Hope, Never Say Never, Kimberly’s Center and AdventHealth. Thirty-one teams of foursomes and one team of five played in the golf tournament including several celebrities that included Florida Gators football head coach Dan Mullen and MLB Hall of Famer, Ken Griffey Jr. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

Ryan Gray, left, laughs with his wife, Kait, after he landed his tee shot on the 11th hole.

Former MLB baseball player and Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., left, poses for photos with Kait Gray, right, and Tyson, a a nine-week-old pit bull owned by ESPN’s Michael Collins.

Florida Gators head football coach Dan Mullen reacts to his missed putt on the first hole during the tournament

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APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Forest High students cook up top awards Students earn gold, silver and bronze medals in SkillsUSA state event By Susan Smiley-Height Ocala Gazette The judges in the SkillsUSA Florida Culinary Arts and Restaurant Service competitions had to make their assessments via Zoom because of the pandemic. And even though they could not taste the dishes prepared by Cane Fernandez and Cody Blaire, or actually be seated at a table by Walter Hoffman, they still picked out the Forest High School students as some of the best in the state. Cane took the gold medal, and Cody earned the silver in the culinary arts division; Walter won bronze in the restaurant service category. Patrick Stanley, the school’s culinary instructor, said it was the first time Forest High took the top two spots in culinary arts. SkillsUSA is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Labor as a model of workforce development. It is a partnership of students, teachers and industry personnel and serves middleand high-school and college/ postsecondary students preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. The state competition, held virtually from April 13-22, included more than 1,500 students and instructors, with more than 100 competition categories. For the culinary arts competition, contestants were judged on organization,

knife skills, cooking techniques, creative presentation and sanitation food safety techniques. For restaurant service, the competition tested skills required in the “front of the house” of a fine dining restaurant, including table set up, greeting guests, description of menu and specials of the day, taking orders and serving and clearing each course. Even the presentation of the check was judged. Stanley said he was proud of the students, especially since there was a misunderstanding before the competition. “They created their dishes a week before, and I went out and brought all the product. The day before the competition, we found out that wasn’t it, and they had to come up with other dishes,” Stanley said. “They worked out the recipes and assembled the items in less than 24 hours. That’s the kind of pressure they were under, and they really, really came out swinging and did a marvelous job.” Cane’s creation was a Spanish-style chicken with handmade pasta and blistered tomatoes, with a side dish of pasta salad. The entree was served as a meal for two in a cast iron skillet. “Since it was online, most of it was judged on presentation, but I definitely think the judges looked at what spices you were using and how much you were using as that would affect the flavor of the dish,” he said. “They did have us cut

the chicken to see if it was cooked correctly.” Cody prepared a carrot puree braised chicken with a side of broccoli with cheese sauce. “Since they couldn’t taste the dish itself, I was going for something new, something creative,” he said. “It was different because you usually braise chicken in a broth, so braising in carrot puree was not something people usually do.” Cane Fernandez, 15, left, and Cody Blaire, 16, pose in the culinary arts kitchen at Forest High Stanley said School. Fernandez placed first in the Florida Skills U.S.A. culinary competition last Tuesday, Cane’s and Cody’s April 20 and Blaire placed second in the competition. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] performances were economy. two restaurants in Ocala, even more impressive, given “We believe in the CTE one in Belleview and one they are sophomores. program’s three E’s, which in Leesburg, as well as a “They beat out seniors are employment, enrollment catering operation. that have been doing it for or enlistment because after “I am super proud of three or four years. These you get out of high school, that young man. And I two sophomores are going after senior year, there’s think he got his foundation to be the ones to beat in the no such thing as summer from us, but he likes to be next couple of years, so that’s break. We want to get them his own person,” Fernandez exciting for them and for the going right away, and those said. “He won a scholarship program too,” he said. certifications certainly do in wrestling. In fact, he’s Stanley said Marion help,” Stanley said. also the county champ in County’s culinary program is Among the certifications wrestling.” one of the largest in Central available is food Cane said he hopes Florida, with more than management, which Cody to pursue a career as a 350 students. Belleview, earned in eighth grade. forensic scientist or medical Dunnellon and Lake Weir “In a restaurant, there has examiner. Cody plans to high schools and Belleview to be someone who has that work in the culinary field and Osceola middle schools certification,” Stanley said. until he can join the military. also have culinary programs. “It’s a very difficult test. Cane As the gold medal winner The Florida Department is working on his now.” for the state, Cane will of Education’s Career & Cane, who is the son of advance to the SkillsUSA Technical Education (CTE) Ocala restaurateur Ron National Competition in programs and certifications “Rondo” Fernandez, is no mid-June, which will also be can help prepare middle stranger to a kitchen. His held virtually. school, high school, technical father launched the Mojo’s To learn more about school and college students chain that now includes SkillsUSA, visit skillsusafl.org. to be successful in today’s

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APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

State News Seminole gaming compact to bring sports betting, roulette

By Dara Kam News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE – Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe are set to sign off on a sweeping gambling deal that would bring sports betting to Florida and rake at least $2.5 billion into state coffers over the next five years, according to sources in the governor’s office. Under the agreement, the Seminoles would serve as the state’s hub for online sports betting, with pari-mutuel operators contracting with the tribe, the governor’s aides told The News Service of Florida in an interview Thursday. The deal also would allow pari-mutuel operators to continue conducting lucrative “designated player” games offered at many card rooms throughout Florida. The card games were at the heart of the tribe’s decision in 2019 to stop annual payments of about $350 million to the state under an earlier gambling agreement. Discussions about the new deal, known as a “compact,” have been ongoing for months, but high-level negotiations heated up over the past few weeks, with DeSantis taking a personal role in the talks. The governor’s representatives and tribal leaders are polishing final details on the deal, which could be signed as early as Friday, sources close to the talks said. The sources spoke on the condition that their names not be used. The 30-year revenue-

sharing agreement would allow the Seminoles to start offering craps and roulette at each of the tribe’s seven casinos in Florida and would require the tribe to pay the state at least $500 million a year for the next five years, the sources said. Pari-mutuel operators, professional sports leagues and gambling fans have been eager for sports betting to be authorized in Florida, the nation’s third mostpopulous state and a tourist destination for tens of millions of visitors a year. The compact under consideration would allow pari-mutuels that contract with the Seminoles to keep 60 percent of sports-betting revenue, with 40 percent going to the tribe. The tribe would pay to the state 10 percent of pari-mutuel operators’ net winnings and 13.75 percent of the tribe’s own sports-betting net revenues. The pending agreement also would incentivize the tribe to contract with pari-mutuels to market the games. The Seminoles’ sports-betting payments to the state would be increased by 2 percent if they do not contract with three parimutuel operators within three months after sports betting goes live. The compact would require the tribe to contract with an unlimited number of “willing and qualified” pari-mutuels, according to a source outside of the governor’s office who is familiar with the negotiations. In a prepared statement provided Thursday to the News Service, Seminole Tribe of Florida Chairman

Marcellus Osceola Jr. said the tribe is “committed to a mutually beneficial gaming compact” with the state and looks forward to its approval by the Legislature, the Seminole Tribal Council and the U.S. Department of the Interior. The federal agency has the final say-so on tribal compacts. “The Tribe wants to express our sincere thanks to Governor DeSantis, Senate President (Wilton) Simpson, House Speaker (Chris) Sprowls and many others who have worked hard to negotiate a historic agreement that cements our partnership with the state for decades to come,” Osceola said. The potential deal comes after years of state and tribal leaders being unable to reach an agreement. Parimutuels are an important factor in the discussions, as they have operated for decades across the state and have large financial stakes in any changes to gambling laws. A key to the latest deal is that pari-mutuel operators would be allowed to continue offering designated player games, a longcontroversial issue in the industry. Siding with the Seminoles, a federal judge in 2016 ruled that the card games violated a 2010 compact, which gave the tribe “exclusivity” over operating banked card games, such as blackjack. Under a settlement with former Gov. Rick Scott, the tribe continued to pay about $350 million a year to the state. But in 2019, the Seminoles made good on threats and quit the

longstanding revenuesharing agreement. The agreement now being finalized would resolve “a situation that’s been tense for years” by providing clarity and moving forward in a “way that protects Florida businesses but also gives the tribe some comfort” about the designated player games, one of the governor’s aides said Thursday. The potential compact “recognizes that designated player games do not breach the tribe’s exclusivity, but it constrains” the card games “to their current footprint” and does not accommodate any significant expansion of the games, he said. Settling the designated player controversy is a “Sisyphean task,” Tallahassee attorney George Levesque, who served as the Florida House’s general counsel during negotiations with the tribe over the 2010 compact, said in a phone interview. “If the governor and the Legislature have managed to reach an agreement that allows the pari-mutuels to keep the player-banked games and provide more money to the state, then they’ve achieved something that I didn’t think was possible,” Levesque said. The potential compact also addresses whether pari-mutuel operators can relocate, an issue known as “portability.” The agreement would allow pari-mutuel permits to be transferred but would require the tribe’s permission if a permit is transferred within 100 miles of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, one of the nation’s

most lucrative gambling operations. The Seminoles also would need to sign off on permits transferred to Broward or Miami-Dade counties within 15 miles of their Hollywood casino. Any compact would have to be authorized by lawmakers, who are scheduled to end their annual session April 30. Lawmakers have started considering two gamblingrelated bills unrelated to the compact. One would create a governor-appointed gaming commission. The other would allow most horse tracks and jai alai operators to discontinue conducting live races or games but continue to offer more lucrative card games and, in some places, slot machines, a process known as “decoupling.” Simpson and Sprowls have indicated that lawmakers most likely would need to return to the Capitol for a special session to address any compact and ancillary pari-mutuel issues. The potential compact authorizing sports betting could face legal challenges because of a 2018 constitutional amendment that required statewide voter approval for future expansions of gambling. The amendment allows the Legislature to negotiate gaming compacts pursuant to the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act “for the conduct of casino gambling on tribal lands.” Having sports-betting servers on tribal property while people use mobile apps throughout the state would violate the amendment, said John Sowinski, who was the campaign manager of the political committee behind what appeared on the ballot as Amendment 3. “I don’t think it even passes the sniff test. The file server being on tribal land does not make the gambling on tribal land. If you accept that premise, then the tribe could operate casinos all over the state as long as the random-number generators in the slot machines were on tribal lands,” he said. Levesque called the sports-betting approach “a creative solution to address the Amendment 3 conundrum.” “Now, whether that’s constitutional or not, I wouldn’t hazard to guess,” he said. “I would say that everything is constitutional until the court says it’s not.”

House backs three tax holidays, including ‘Freedom Week’ News Service of Florida Without comment, the House on Friday backed a tax package that would lead to holding salestax “holidays” on backto-school supplies and hurricane gear and a “freedom week” related to entertainment and outdoor activities.

The House voted 1093 to approve the package (HB 7061), which would cut revenue by at least $61.5 million next fiscal year. It also would address several policy issues, such as repealing an unused pool of state money approved in 2014 to help build and renovate professional sports stadiums. To most Floridians, the

key features of the package would likely be the three proposed sales-tax holidays. They include a seven-day back-to-school tax holiday in August, with shoppers able to avoid paying sales taxes on clothes costing $60 or less, school supplies costing $15 or less and personal computers costing less than $1,000. During a disaster-

preparedness holiday over seven days around the June 1 start of hurricane season, shoppers would be able to avoid paying sales taxes on items ranging from tarpaulins and small batteries to portable generators costing up to $750. The “freedom week” holiday, which would be held the first week of July,

would provide a salestax exemption on tickets purchased for such things as live music, athletic contests and in-theater movies. The tickets could be used for events that occur later in the year. House and Senate leaders are expected to work out a final tax package during budget talks in the coming days.

APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Bill targeting social media passes Legislature By Jim Saunders News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE – After a debate that focused on free speech and former President Donald Trump, the Florida House on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed a proposal that would crack down on social-media giants that block users from their platforms. The Republicancontrolled House voted 78-41 to approve the bill (SB 7072), which is a top legislative priority of Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Senate approved its version of the measure Monday, but the bill will have to bounce back to the Senate because the House made changes. Supporters of the bill said Wednesday it is about protecting the speech of Floridians who face being removed from social-media platforms such as Twitter

and Facebook. They also disputed Democrats’ arguments that the bill was a political reaction to Trump being blocked from Twitter and Facebook in January after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol to try to prevent certification of President Joe Biden’s election victory. “This bill is not about President Trump,” Rep. John Snyder, R-Stuart, said. “This bill is about the 22 million Floridians and their First Amendment rights.” But Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said the bill is a “political agenda feeding into a political base.” Meanwhile, Rep. Dan Daley, D-Coral Springs, argued that Trump should have been blocked from social-media platforms for lying about the November

election. “We have 9,000 more important things to work on than this bill,” Daley said. The bill, in part, would bar social-media companies from removing political candidates from the companies’ platforms. Under the House version of the bill, companies that violate the prohibition could face fines of $250,000 a day for statewide candidates and $25,000 a day for other candidates. The potential fines are one of the differences between the House and Senate versions. The Senate version would impose fines of $100,000 a day for statewide candidates and $10,000 a day for other candidates. A key part of both versions would require social-media companies to

publish standards about issues such as blocking users and apply the standards consistently. The House debate Wednesday became intense as some supporters of the bill recounted being “deplatformed” from platforms without knowing why. One of them, Rep. Ralph Massullo, R-Lecanto, said it has gotten “to the point where enough is enough with these socialmedia platforms.” House sponsor Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, pointed to a federal law that has given “immense powers” to social-media companies. “Big tech is not a free market, not even close,” he said. But Rep. Joe Geller, D-Aventura, argued that the bill is unconstitutional

and said it would involve the government imposing speech on private businesses. “It is wrong for the government to impose speech on private businesses. Don’t. Don’t do it,” Geller, an attorney, said. In a twist to the issue Wednesday, a proposed public-records exemption (SB 7074) that would go along with the crackdown bill initially did not pass the House. That proposed exemption would shield records the attorney general would collect in investigations of social-media platforms. Public records exemptions require approval from two-thirds of the House and Senate. While the House voted 78-40 to approve the exemptions bill, that was one vote short of the two-thirds margin needed. The House, however, later voted again on the measure, passing it in a 79-39 vote.

Baxley’s moment of silence bill goes to Governor By Ryan Dailey News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE – Florida public-school students might soon have a required moment of silence at the start of each day, under a measure passed by the Florida Senate and headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk. The Senate voted 32-6 to pass the bill (HB 529), which was approved by the House last month in a 94-24 vote. Under the measure, school principals would be required to direct firstperiod teachers to institute a one- to two-minute moment of silence at the beginning of each day. Lawmakers have considered similar proposals in previous years but have not passed them.

Under the bill, teachers would not be able to “make suggestions as to the nature of any reflection that a student may engage in during the moment of silence,” and students “may not interfere with other students’ participation.” The measure also would direct teachers to encourage parents to talk with students about the moment of silence and “to make suggestions as to the best use” of the time. Senate sponsor Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, said that part of the measure should alleviate concerns that teachers could influence how students use the silent time. “It remains very clear in the wording of this bill that parents and guardians are the ones responsible for a discussion with their child about what’s the

appropriate content of that time. We don’t want that responsibility on the teacher,” Baxley said. Opponents of the measure have argued that mandating a moment of silence in public schools blurs the line between church and state. “It would be a good thing if we could all take a moment of silence every day and reflect and meditate a little bit on things that are important to us. However, the framers of our Constitution were very careful to separate church and state,” said Senate Minority Leader Gary Farmer, D-Lighthouse Point. Sen. Lori Berman, D-Delray Beach, raised a concern about children who aren’t religious potentially being made uncomfortable

Sen. Dennis Baxley

by other students who choose to pray during the moment of silence. “I understand that this is a moment of silence, but I also want us all to think about what could happen in a moment of silence. Could children take out rosaries and start doing the sign of the cross and (make) other children feel uncomfortable? Could a child take out a prayer rug and start using a prayer rug?” Berman said. Other Democrats supported the bill, with

some drawing on personal experiences. Sen. Victor Torres, D-Kissimmee, said he used a moment of silence to reflect when he attended school in New York as a child. “I feel that it gives the teacher and the students a chance to reflect, and whichever religion you believe in, that’s your right,” Torres said. Baxley argued that the measure is aimed at giving school children a silent, uninterrupted moment “just to stop and reflect.” “However you use it, just ... be still and listen and reflect before you start a day’s activity. I just read a piece about where they’re proposing this in business operations – because the world’s in chaos,” Baxley said.

Transgender athlete bill passes, heads to DeSantis By Dara Kam News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE – With Democrats decrying the “eleventh-hour” move, the Florida House and Senate on Wednesday revived and passed a controversial plan that would ban transgender female athletes from competing on high-school girls’ and college women’s sports teams. The House tucked the transgender athlete proposal into an education measure and sent the revamped bill to the Senate. The Senate signed off on the proposal in a 23-16 vote late Wednesday, with one Republican – Gayle Harrell of Stuart – crossing party lines to join Democrats in opposition to the bill. Under the measure on its way to Gov. Ron DeSantis, female students’ eligibility for sports teams would be based on their “biological sex” on birth certificates issued “at or near the time of the student’s birth.” A stand-alone Senate bill aimed at preventing transgender athletes from competing on girls’ and women’s teams stalled last week. But the issue re-emerged Wednesday as an amendment to the education bill (SB 1028) and quickly passed. The transgender athlete

issue has sparked some of the most-fierce debates of the 2021 legislative session, with critics arguing that a ban would target youths who are already at risk for suicide, ostracizing and bullying. Sen. Victor Torres, D-Orlando, said he has a transgender granddaughter who has faced numerous obstacles as she matured. He urged his colleagues to oppose the proposed ban Wednesday. “We don’t need to destroy the lives of those children and their futures. If they want to play, let them play,” he said. “We don’t need this. We thought it was dead. But obviously, some don’t care. And we have to care.” But Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Kelli Stargel, a Lakeland Republican who sponsored the stand-alone bill that stalled, defended the plan Wednesday, saying it is “common knowledge” that men are stronger than women. “It’s not meant to be hurtful. It’s not meant to be discriminating. It’s not meant to attack any group,” Stargel said. “This is not about that. This is about sports and having competitive advantage and having the ability to compete.” Rep, Kaylee Tuck, a Lake

Placid Republican who had sponsored a stand-alone House bill on the issue, offered the amendment Wednesday. The action came with just two days left in the 2021 legislative session.

“We don’t need to destroy the lives of those children and their futures. If they want to play, let them play.” -Sen. Victor Torres, D-Orlando

Stargel’s previous proposal included an exception for “persons who transition from male to female” if they meet certain conditions, such as specified testosterone levels. But she said Wednesday that such an approach was too complicated. “We decided to go with the most simplistic, which is to say that women play on women’s sports and men are playing on men’s sports. I know it’s unfortunate for the number of students who are transgender, but we’re doing this so that women have the opportunity to participate, to get scholarships, to excel

with other women of like strength and capability,” she explained. The proposal drew immediate pushback from LGBTQ advocates. “Republican leadership is hellbent on harming transgender youth and kicking kids off of their soccer teams – and they’ve resorted to making backroom deals to resurrect and pass this bigoted bill in the final hours of legislative session,” Gina Duncan, director of transgender equality for the non-profit organization Equality Florida, said in a statement Wednesday evening. The bill also includes a provision that would allow “any student who is deprived of an athletic opportunity or suffers any direct or indirect harm” as a result of a violation of the transgender athlete ban to have a private cause of action “for injunctive relief, damages, and any other relief available under law” against a school or public postsecondary institution. Florida is among several states where Republican lawmakers have considered similar legislation. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed a similar bill into law on Wednesday. Critics of a ban argued that, if enacted, Florida could lose out on lucrative collegiate championship

games. The National Collegiate Athletic Association, the main governing body for college sports, released a statement this month about its affiliation with states considering legislation about transgender studentathlete participation. “When determining where championships are held, NCAA policy directs that only locations where hosts can commit to providing an environment that is safe, healthy and free of discrimination should be selected,” the statement said in part. Tuck’s original proposal would have based eligibility on a student’s “biological sex” – a disputed term that refers to the sex assigned at birth – and included a dispute process to challenge a student’s eligibility. Tuck noted Wednesday that the birth certificate is part of a “pre-eligibility” check conducted by the Florida High School Athletic Association. “There is no longer a dispute process (in the amendment). So, the birth certificate is already required in the pre-eligibility check to the FHSAA so there’s not going to be the ability for another student to challenge the biological sex,” she said, calling her amendment a “compromise.”

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APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

OBS sells record $74 million worth of thoroughbreds By Carlos Medina carlos@ocalagazette.com This year’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales spring auction of 2-year-old thoroughbreds ended with a record sales total of nearly $74 million during the four-day event. The record comes after a challenging 2020 season hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 auction registered total sales of more than $57.7 million.

[Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

Almost 100 more horses sold this year, 723 compared to 634 in 2020. The average price was also up to $102,224, compared with $91,033 a year ago. The median price per horse was $50,000, identical to last year. The percentage of horses that did not sell fell to 13.2%, compared to 18.5% last year. Two horses sold for seven-figures during the sale. A colt by stallion Quality Road, consigned by Ocala’s de Meric Sales, sold for $1.5 million on Wednesday to Speedway Stables to lead the first two days of the four-day sale. The auction’s second-

highest selling horse also sold on Wednesday. A filly by the stallion Arrogate sold for $1 million to Katsumi Yoshida, who bought the horse through an online bid. Marion County-based Mayberry Farm consigned the filly. The Ocala sales company introduced online bidding last year in the face of the COVD-19 pandemic. The option allowed buyer to purchase horses without having to travel to the sales pavilion. Yoshida’s purchases was the most expensive horse to sell via the internet. On Tuesday, during the first day of spring sale, a son of Gun Runner, consigned by Eisaman Equine, sold for $850,000. On Friday, a son of stallion Into Mischief consigned by de Meric Sales sold for $875,000. The colt went to Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Whitehorse Stables. The next scheduled OBS auction is the June sale, set for June 9-1.

MARKET SNAPSHOT | 2021 Showcase Trends January New

Active

Pending

Sold

0 91 23 0

March

75 92 45 75

TOTAL NEW LISTINGS Marion County 84.9% Showcase 15.1%

Information obtained from the Ocala/Marion County MLS and Showcase Properties of Central Florida: 1/14/2021 - 3/31/21

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APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Wardell resigns city council seat By Carlos Medina carlos@ocalagazette.com Matt Wardell posted his letter of resignation from the Ocala City Council late Friday afternoon. Wardell was not immediately available to confirm the post Friday evening, however, Robert Batsel, the city’s attorney, confirmed he had received a copy of the letter. In the letter, Wardell states his resignation is effective on Aug. 18. “In addition to spending time with a host of community causes that Pamela and I care deeply about, the Reilly Arts Center and Ocala Symphony Orchestra’s growth, the added management of the Marion Theatre, and entering my final year of doctoral school at the University of Florida all culminate this fall,” according to the letter. With the resignation, the mayor can call for a special election to fill the seat. The city is scheduled to hold a regular election on Sept. 21 and there is time to place the District 4 seat on the ballot. Candidates interested in running to finish the remainder of Wardell’s term would have to qualify with the Marion County Supervisor of Elections before July 16. Wardell, who was first elected to the post in 2015, was unopposed in 2019. The seat would normally be up for

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election in 2023. Wardell is the CEO and artistic director of the Reilly and is the music director and conductor of the symphony. In July, the City Council, agreed to a one-year lease with the Reilly to operate the historic Marion Theatre in downtown Ocala. Wardell abstained from voting because of his connection with the organization. The previous operators of the theatre had asked for an early release from the lease due to the lack of new films being released and theater restrictions due to COVID-19. Under the Reilly management, the Marion Theatre hosts classic movie showings and other live events. “Ocala is an incredibly blessed city with natural resources, innovative thinkers, and generous, communityminded residents. It is a gem that should be admired and held up to the light, not afraid of the occasional polish and refinement. Like all communities, Ocala has challenges ahead and I look forward to supporting the current and future city councils and staffs as they vigorously meet those challenges,” the resignation letter continues. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our community on the council for the past six years and I am grateful for the men and women who work tirelessly to make and keep Ocala / Marion County special.”

With the demand for COVID-19 vaccinations waning the Florida Department of Health in Marion County is shifting their strategy for distributing shots. On May 28, the county’s centralized vaccination site at the Paddock Mall will close and the DOH will start offering vaccinations at several pop-up sites across the community, as well as at local businesses. As of Thursday, the county had given more than 131,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines. That amounts to roughly 44% of county’s population over the age of 18, according to population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Vaccines are available to those 18 and older and to those 16 and 17 with parental permission. Officially, 36% of the estimated 365,000 people in the county have received at least one dose of the vaccine. “We have held specific outreach vaccination events in underserved parts of our county previously. We are now beginning to work with additional agencies and locations to help get more who live or work in our community vaccinated,” said Mark Lander, local DOH administrator. Marion County reported 30,615 cumulative cases of COVID-19 through April 27, the most recent number available. The daily positivity rate in Marion was 5.92% on April 27, according to state records. “Our cases are [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] trending younger now

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as more of our older residents have received their COVID-19 vaccinations,” Lander said. “We are seeing an increase in new cases of COVID-19, however, from where we were in March. This means it continues to be important that more residents take precautions and get vaccinated to help reduce the number of new infections that we see locally.” Businesses that want to hold a vaccination event for employees or social service agencies interested in holding a pop-up clinic can call 352-644-2627 to schedule. Individuals also can continue to sign up for a COVID-19 vaccine appointment by registering online at Marion. FloridaHealth.gov (or register directly at www.tinyurl.com/MarionCOVIDvax). Residents without online access can call 352-644-2590. The county also continues to offer homebound vaccinations. A vaccination team will come to a person home to provide a vaccine. To register for a homebound visit, email homeboundvaccine@em.myflorida.com or call 866-779-6121.

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APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Sports Belleview Rattlers seek fourth consecutive district title By Ainslie Lee ainslie@ocalagazette.com

Rattlers’ defense issued a three up, three down first inning, Belleview elleview’s first two seniors Kylah hits of the ball game Gardner and Jaela helped the Rattlers Haynes helped overwhelm the Lake the Rattlers Weir Hurricanes early, ignite a seven-run something the Rattlers have opening inning, struggled to do against the which set the tone Hurricanes, historically. for Belleview’s The Belleview dugout empties to celebrate with Jaela Haynes (1) as she hits a home run. The Belleview Rattlers defeated the Lake “Actually, against Lake routing of Lake Weir Hurricanes. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] Weir, we tend to start Weir 15-0 in a slow,” Belleview head coach three-inning off triple to centerfield for Rattlers’ ace, but also what shortened 2020 season). Gary Greer said. “We were district semifinal on Belleview’s first hit of the drew the attention of Bethel The North Marion Colts hoping for a good first Tuesday night. contest. College, where Reimsnyder made their way into the inning. And we definitely Gardner, who signed Then Haynes, who will will play next season. district title game after had that.” her letter of intent with play for Stetson University In the three-inning rundefeating the Vanguard After senior pitcher Edward Waters College next year, launched a rule victory, Reimsnyder Knights 13-3 in five innings Lauren Reimsnyder and the in December, sent a leadtwo-run home run to dead saw the minimum at the on Tuesday night in center to scratch across the plate, keeping her pitch Belleview. opening pair of runs. count under 30. North Marion freshman Lake Weir junior pitcher The senior pitched a Ainsley Grubbs notched Makenna Marr would see perfect three-inning bout, a two-hit performance 13 at-bats in the lengthy allowing no hits, no free from the plate on Tuesday, first inning, where she and bases and striking out driving in three runs for the the Hurricanes gave up six three. Colts. Sophomore Alexis hits — five of which went “Lauren is getting Riley contributed three for extra bases — and four sharper,” Greer said. “She’s RBIs of her own in the win. walks. definitely proved she’s the The last time the Colts Gardner’s second at-bat best pitcher in our county. (9-14) saw the Rattlers, of the first inning resulted She has the most wins in Belleview ran off with a in a base-clearing, threeour county. And she has a 15-0 victory. RBI triple that blew the team that plays behind her.” “Belleview’s always got game wide open 7-0. Tuesday night’s shutout a target,” Greer said. “I’m The Rattlers continued was the seventh of the sure they’ll find motivation to play small ball in the season for the Rattlers, who to play us. North Marion second and third innings, improved to 18-7 on the always comes ready to play scratching across three and year. us.” five runs, respectively. Belleview will host Following the loss to Meanwhile, in the circle, North Marion on Thursday North Marion, Vanguard Reimsnyder proved why night as the Rattlers seek finished its season 1-15, she not only earned the their fourth consecutive while Lake Weir finished its Belleview’s Jordan McLaughlin (7) slides under the tag of Lake Weir catcher distinction of being the district title (excluding the 2021 campaign 1-14. Jessica Hallford (22) to score. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

Forest basketball’s Spencer Ashley steps down By Ainslie Lee ainslie@ocalagazette.com Forest High School’s boys’ basketball coach Spencer Ashley, who took the Wildcats to this year’s Florida high school final four championships, resigned on April 23 so he could spend more time with his family, he said. “I’ve been thinking about it for quite some time,” Ashley said. Ashley led the Wildcats to a final four appearance in Lakeland, a feat not done in nearly 50 years. The Bartow Yellow Jackets, who went on to win the Class 6A state title, ended the Wildcats’ season on March 4 behind a convincing 63-24 win in the state semifinal. “I knew what it took to get to Lakeland, and I know what it’s going to take, as a coach, to get over that hump and get that ring,” Ashley said. “And I knew I didn’t have it in me... I just want to be at home with my girls and my newborn in July.” Ashley is the father of a two-year-old daughter,

Savannah, and his wife is expecting a son, Nathaniel Roy. He felt he would have to focus too much time during the summer to keep the team sharp, leaving little for his family. With much of the team returning, Forest is expected to have a strong season. Only one of the 12 players graduates this year. Some questioned why Ashley didn’t stay on for another championship run. “I want whoever gets this job, I want them to be successful right away,” Ashley said. “I wanted them to be set up for success. Because I’m going to be their biggest fan.” When Ashley took over the program in 2017, he inherited a squad with an 11-10 record. In his first season, he helped the Wildcats improve to 17-10. Ashley leaves the program with a career record of 73-34. His team was the first to hear about his decision during a Thursday meeting. “Just getting the words out was difficult,” Ashley said. “Those kids

are amazing, and they understood it.” Ashley’s impact on the program extends beyond wins and losses. He spearheaded the remodeling of the locker room and helped bring new uniforms to the program. He gives the school’s administration the credit for allowing him to mold the program. “There is no bad blood between me and Forest,” Ashley said. “I have nothing but love for the administration at Forest High School and the athletic director, Donnie Tucker.” Tucker did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The school did send a written statement about the resignation. “Forest High School has had to say goodbye to an exceptional coach. Coach Spencer Ashley has stepped down from his head basketball coaching position for personal reasons. Coach Ashley will certainly be missed at FHS,” according to the statement. “His players and his FHS athletic family have a lot of respect

Spencer Ashley with his daughter Savannah, 2, after a basketball game in this February file photo. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

for him and will certainly miss him. Although we are sad that this day has come, we wish him and his family nothing but the best in the future.” Ashley did not give a hint about his next step. He did say he would finish out the school year at Forest,

where he teaches physical education and health. Beyond that, he did not elaborate. “This is just me wanting to take a step back. My family sacrifices so much during the season. It’s just time for me to take a step back and be a dad,” he said.

APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

People, Places & Things A love that endures By Emily Papa Correspondent Joe and Audrey Kuzma have been married for 31 years, and despite Audrey suffering memory loss and sometimes not recognizing Joe, he refuses to let their love fade. At the end of 2020, Joe moved Audrey to Paddock Ridge, an assisted living community in Ocala, after she wandered away from home and got lost on several occasions. It was a blow for Joe, but he does all he can to make his wife happy. “She’s been at Paddock Ridge for six months, and I visit her every day. We sing songs, go for rides, go to dinner and get ice cream. We like to sit outside and sing. Audrey’s favorite song is ‘Can’t Take My Eyes off You’ by Frankie Valli. She really likes tuxedo cake, so I bring her a piece of that often,” he said. They first met in Wethersfield, Connecticut, more than 30 years ago. Audrey was a real estate agent and sold Joe a home. Though Audrey was married at the time and Joe had a girlfriend, he was immediately struck by her class and grace. The two couples went to dinner together to celebrate the home sale. “While we were at dinner, a strong feeling came over me that her husband was going to pass away and I was going to marry Audrey,” Joe recalled. “I didn’t really believe in marriage at the time, so I remember being surprised at that feeling. It sounds strange, but I kept a picture of Audrey from the paper by my bed. I even got my real estate license because of her. There was always just something about her.” The two didn’t see each other again until two years later when Audrey showed up at an auto garage Joe owned. When he asked about her husband, she broke into tears. He had died. Still, it wasn’t until sometime later, when Audrey invited Joe on a river cruise, that they fell in love. “Audrey won a cruise up and down the Connecticut River for Labor Day weekend. We did not know each other very well, but her coworker insisted that she invite me. I was nervous,” he said. “I remember hearing music upstairs, and she wanted to go. It was a wedding, and we were not invited, but Audrey insisted that we check it out. She loved the music, so I asked her to dance. I fell in love with her on that cruise. Just six months later, in 1990, we were married,” he said. The newlyweds lived in Connecticut for a few years, but Joe developed breathing issues, and they moved to Ocala for the climate. “Audrey never wanted to move, so I told her to try it for two years, and if she did not like it, we would move back. Within two years, she could have run for mayor and won; she knew everybody. She was very well-liked,” he said. Audrey developed macular degeneration. She continued to lose her sight and hearing over the years and now sees and hears very little. Compounded with her memory loss, it is hard for Joe to get through to her sometimes. But he never stops trying. “A question I am often asked is how do we keep love going? I have a big picture of Audrey near my computer. Every night, I sing at least

Joe Kuzma hugs his wife, Audrey, as they sit in a family visiting area at Paddock Ridge Assisted Living and Memory Care. Joe, 74, and Audrey, 86, have been married for 31 years and Audrey was a successful real estate agent in Ocala. Now, Audrey is in memory care at Paddock Ridge and her husband comes to visit with her every day. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

A billboard recently put up by Joe Kuzma asking for prayers for his wife.

10 songs to her. It reaffirms how beautiful she is, both physically and internally. She may not be there, but I’m singing to her,” he said. He’s also asking for prayers. Joe has put up six billboards around Ocala. All read: “Be still and know that I am God. Please pray the Lord will heal my lovely wife, Audrey Kuzma.” The billboards include a photo of Audrey. “I want to have people pray for her if they can. If someone can help her, I think that is amazing. It’s in God’s hands,” he said. Meanwhile, he will keep his daily visits and will continue to sing to the love of his life.

The Kuzmas pose with family photos on Wednesday. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

The Kuzmas are shown in this undated photo. [Submitted]

APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Creative’s Corner

Denny Machette Pizarro demonstrates how she uses a torch to make jewelry. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

Denny Machette Pizarro poses with some of the jewelry she makes at her home. Machette Pizarro has been making jewelry for 19 years and sells her jewelry under the name D. Machette Jewelry. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

Sparking Joy Jewelry maker plays with fire to craft unique creations She purchases them individually whenever she’s captivated by the pink and purple bands of a laguna agate or intrigued by the multicolored hues of ocean jasper. When inspiration Denny Machette Pizarro sketches a design for a piece jewelry. [Bruce Ackerstrikes, she sketches her man/Ocala Gazette] ideas, sometimes 15 or 20 times, before she’s satisfied always something new to a jewelers’ saw to cut designs with the design. learn, and she takes online in copper. Creating a setting for classes taught by instructors “I am a teacher at heart,” the stone usually includes from as far away as Malaysia. Pizarro said, adding that she playing with fire. Here in Ocala, Pizarro is a retired speech pathologist Some of her favorite enjoys the chance to share who worked for many years techniques include fusing her craft with others. She with special education or melding metals together will start a monthly series students. with the heat of a torch and beginning on May 15 at the “I loved working with flame painting copper to Brick City Center for the kids – to see that spark elicit shades of blue, red or Arts. She will teach a coldwhen they get it or to see green. connected jewelry-making them master something,” With the ancient Korean class showing how to make she said. “I love to see that technique of Keum Boo, items using metal, glass in students of all kinds. If I Pizarro bonds 24 karat and beads without a torch. can teach somebody what gold to fine silver to create The techniques will focus makes me happy and see intricate patterns. Part of on wrapping, riveting and that it makes them happy, Thissaid, is a is theme puzzle with the subject stated below. Find the listed words in the grid. (They may the fun, she there’s drilling, as well as the use of it’s everything.” run in any direction but always in a straight line. Some letters are used more than once.) Ring each word as you find it and when you have completed the puzzle, there will be 14 letters left over. They spell out the alternative theme of the puzzle.

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Denny Machette Pizarro has always loved jewelry – she especially enjoys wearing big statement necklaces, dangling earrings, chunky bracelets and bold rings. When she took her first jewelry-making class some 20 years ago, she discovered that wielding a torch, using a burnisher and working with the precision tools to create something beautiful was the perfect way to use her artistic talent. “It’s been a passion,” Pizarro said. “I was always artistic – drawing… watercolors… I had a pottery phase.” Once she found

metalsmithing, however, that became her obsession. Creating jewelry, she said, is her therapy. “When I was working, this was what I did to get sane,” she said with a laugh. Since retiring to Florida five years ago, she’s had more time to spend in her studio, a meticulously organized spare bedroom in her home. While she relies on her Etsy shop to sell most of her D Machette Jewelry designs, she also participates in First Friday Art Walks in downtown Ocala. Many of her one-of-akind pieces begin with a gemstone selected from her “rock stash” – shallow drawers, each lined with dozens of stones in every shape, size and color.

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APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Then....and Now

The First National Bank of Ocala is shown in this 1889 photo at the corner of what is now Magnolia Avenue and Broadway Street in downtown. Several men are visible in the windows of the third floor of the building. The bank was authorized to print national currency. Between 1886 and 1895, the bank printed $43,320 worth of $5 dollar notes. The notes featured the photo of President James Garfield, who was assassinated in 1881. The bank failed in 1899 and its president, E.W. Agnew, was sentenced to five years in prison for misuse of funds, according to archives from the late Marion County historian David Cook. [State Archives of Florida] The historic First National Bank building, also known as the Agnew building, is shown on April 27. The building is currently home to The Lodge Brick City Craft Pub & Eatery. At some point, the building lost the triangle at the top of its façade. Despite the failure of the First National Bank, another bank, the Commercial Bank and Trust Company, quickly took over the space, retaining much of the furnishings, according to Cook. That bank stayed there until 1955 when it moved to a different location. Since then, the building has housed several business over the decades, including a Starbucks just before the Lodge and a Fat Tuesday bar in the late 1990s. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

Book focuses on uplifting stories of life, family and community By Leah A. Taylor Correspondent Amy Mangan hopes her new book, “Accent Pieces” helps readers make sense of life, love and friendship, all while sharing a few decorating tips. The self-described novice decorator, who loves nesting at home, put together a collection of essays and columns detailing the experiences that form the patchwork of life. Mangan promises that there is a bit of everything in her collection of uplifting and inspirational writings, including plenty of call-outs to Ocala landmarks and traditions. In the book’s opening essay, she references her preference as a teenager for decorating and redecorating her bedroom instead of cruising Silver Springs Boulevard. For readers of a certain age, the reference evokes memories of a time when driving up and

down the Boulevard on the weekends was the epitome of the teenage social scene. “Accent Pieces” is her second book in three years. Mangan collaborated with a local team and admitted it helped that the stories were already written and expertly edited. Her editors helped select her articles from various magazines like Southern Living, Better Homes & Gardens and newspaper sources. Then, graphic designer Steve Codraro, who Mangan affectionately calls “her library,” assembled the pieces into the book. In the end, Mangan put together an homage to all the things she loves—home, family, community, Ocala, home decorating, humor and laughter, and everything in between. “The best kind of decorating is tied to sentiment and love,” Mangan said. Items like her father’s boots, standing tall in her home office, or the two

pieces of art from a trip to Mount Dora with her mother are the accents of life that make her story. Her favorite accent piece is a collection of photos (of all the special people in her life) that hangs on the wall between her kitchen and master bedroom. Mangan calls it her “wall of love,” which she sees every morning and evening and reminders her of who truly matters. Some of those who truly matter are listed in the book’s dedication: Her husband, Mike, and children, Griffin and Gillian, who she coins as the “best piece of my life,” and her sisters, Julie and Cindy, whose support is as important as their love for The Hungry Bear. The venerable Ocala burger joint is a big part of her life. The drive-thru establishment pops up often in her writings, including starring roles in two essays and freestanding mentions in others.

“This town has the biggest heart,” Mangan said. Within the collection, she focuses on the value of things wellloved both in her home and in the community. Mangan wants to strike a balance with the essays so readers get a glimpse into her world, but also to inspire reflection on their accent pieces. “I really wanted it to be just a very comforting piece of work,” she said. “Accent Pieces” will be available on June 17 in hardcover and paperback. Online preorders can be made through Black Rose Writing, Barnes & Noble, Amazon and Books-AMillion. The book will also be available locally, including at Agapanthus on Broadway, Gallery on Magnolia, Your Heart’s Desire and Ivy on the Square Boutique.

Agapanthus’ owner, Paula King, said she looks forward to readings Mangan’s book. “I feel myself nodding my head in agreement already. Amy is a talented and accomplished writer, and I love the idea that this book is a collection of her essays,” King said. “Her observations about life as a working mom and about creating a home in her hometown are going to be something to curl up with on a summer’s day.” For information, visit AmyMangan.com.

APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Job is family affair for new Grace school head By Lisa McGinnes Ocala Gazette After 16 years as an educator and administrator, Ocala native Thomas Gerds’ career is bringing him home—to the school his own two children attend. Grace Christian School recently announced that beginning June 1, Gerds will take over as head of school for its private preschool, elementary and middle school. “It really was a family decision,” said Gerds, who has been the principal at Umatilla High School in Lake County for the past three years. “It was a blessing and an opportunity for us. Both of my two kids go to Grace Christian. So, over the course of the

last couple of years where they’ve gone to school there, it’s really become an extension of our family.” Both he and his wife Laura grew up in Ocala, said Gerds, who graduated from Forest High School and the University of Florida. “Mr. Gerds is a man who has great talents in the area of education and has a great desire to work with parents and students to see them excel. That’s one of the reasons why we look forward to bringing him on,” said the Rev. Tom Carson, assisting priest at Christ the King Anglican Church and chair of the Grace Christian School board. “We looked at his strengths in the area of curriculum and development of teachers and administration and felt that

he was someone who could give us guidance moving into the future,” said Carson. The school is currently raising funds to build a new building. “Having a strong leader will help us to move in that direction as we continue to emphasize the academics and the faith aspect of our school,” he said. For Gerds, the decision to accept a position at his own children’s school was an easy one. “From a family perspective, it was really a no-brainer to join in and be a part of the Grace family on a day-to-day basis professionally,” he said. “Grace is such a wonderful place. We’re kind of living by example and putting our whole family’s investment into the school.”

From left to right, Laura, Rylen, Thomas and McKenli Gerds. [Submitted]

Honorable Mentions Ocala Community Credit Union promotions The Ocala Community Credit Union announced the promotion of two employees recently. Mayra Lorenzo is will now work as a bookkeeper after serving as a senior teller at the credit union’s Marion Oaks Branch. Mayra began her career with OCCU in 2018 as a teller. Cynthia O’Connor is takes over as senior teller at the Marion Oaks branch after serving as a teller, O’Connor joined the credit union in 2013 as a part-time receptionist.

Marquelase Silverman

Spectrum of Creativity winners

Belleview High senior wins four-year scholarship

The winners of the ‘SPECTRUM OF CREATIVITY’ Student and Emerging Artist awards were announced on April 21. The reception was hosted by the City of Ocala Recreation and Parks, Cultural Arts and Sciences Division, in partnership with Magnolia Art Xchange (MAX). The awards have been presented annually since 2016 to local student and emerging artists.

When Valeria Alfonzo Molina wrote her essay about James Weldon Johnson earlier this year, she never dreamed it would win her a prepaid four-year college scholarship. The Belleview High School senior entered the annual Black History Month essay contest sponsored in part by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation. She got word of her prize this week. In her essay, Alfonzo Molina wrote about Johnson, a Florida-born educator, poet, novelist, journalist, anthologist, diplomat, lyricist, lawyer and civil rights activist. Black History Month is celebrated each year in Florida during February, and this year’s contest theme was “Community Champions – Celebrating the Contributions of African Americans in Florida’s Communities.” It’s not the first time a Belleview High student has won the contest. Seven years Valeria Alfonzo Molina ago, Javan Latson won the top prize.

This year’s winners are: High School Category • First Place: Saturdays, Marquelase Silverman • Second Place: As Long As We Can Runaway, Breanna Corley • Third Place: Memories, Alexis Cheney One to Five Years Active Experience Category: • First Place: Memory, Emily Lane Ferguson • Second Place: Beyond Beyond, Kyle Corley • Third Place: Speculumest Stagnum, Jordin Wagoner Six to Ten Years Active Experience Category: • First Place: Spirit of the Rose, Dan McCarthy • Second Place: Passion, Pain, and Demon Slayin’, Ryan Andrew Neuman • Third Place: Cotton Candy Sunset, Ali Graves Best in Show: • Muse, Jae’da Samuel-McKnight

Community foundation additions The Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County added two new staff members recently. Thomas Harrington is the new director of grant services, and Jim Hillebrandt is the director of donor services. Harrington works to connect the community with grants and other resources. Harrington earned the Sunshine Certificate in Nonprofit Management through the Florida Association of Nonprofits and has taught certification workshops for nonprofit professionals. Hillebrandt meets and interacts with potential and current fund holders within the Community Foundation. He helps businesses and individuals establish and grow philanthropic activities. Before joining the Foundation, Hillebrandt was the president and CEO of Heico Wire Group for 17 years before retiring in 2018. He was also the former director of operations for ClosetMaid in Ocala.

Thomas Harrington

Jim Hillebrandt

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APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Community

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Discovery Center, 701 NE Sanchez Ave. 10am-4pm The new exhibit offers opportunities to discover the awesome science of magnetism and how it is used in everyday life as well as cutting-edge experiments. Open Tuesday-Saturday. Visit mydiscoverycenter.org for more information. The Villages Polo Club, 703 N Buena Vista Blvd, The Villages 3pm Fridays, 1pm Sundays Watch competitive matches from the club’s elevated two-level stadium with optional tailgating. Visit thevillagespoloclub.com for tickets and more information.

5/1

Marion Oaks Community Center, 294 Marion Oaks Lane 9am-12pm Fresh vegetables, artisan food products and handmade crafts. McPherson Government Complex, 601 SE 25th Ave. 9am-2pm Shop locally fresh fruits and veggies, cinnamon buns, jerky, freeze dried treats, olive oils and seafood.

Race Against Child Abuse

Marion Technical Institute, 1614 E Fort King St. 8am The 9th annual 5k to benefit Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection also includes a kids’ 1-mile fun run. Visit fb.com/ kimberlyscenter for more information.

Power Plant Business Incubator, 405 SE Osceola Ave. 9:30-10:30am Two local startups present their business idea to an audience of community entrepreneurs. Email ryan@ocalacep.com for more information.

Ocala Downtown Market, 310 SE Third St. 1-6pm Shop a selection of produce, meat, natural and handmade products and food trucks. ocaladowntownmarket.com

Freedom Public Library, 5870 SW 95th Street 2:30pm Join a discussion of Carl Hiassen’s “Hoot.” Call (352) 438-2580 to register.

Ocala Public Library, 2720 E Silver Springs Blvd. 4:30pm Adults are invited to craft a stamped tea towel. Call (352) 6718551 to register.

Spanish Springs Town Square, 1120 Main St., The Villages 5-9pm This event will feature live music by Latin Ambition Band and Mariachi Nacional de Mexico and food and market vendors. Visit thevillagesentertainment.com for more information.

Circle Square Commons, 8405 SW 80th St. 9am-1pm Locally grown seasonal produce, baked goods, plants and more. Visit circlesquarecommons.com/farmersmarket for more information.

Arts

Now -5/1

Then and Now

Now -5/2

Crimes of the Heart

Visual Arts Student Exhibition

Ocala Cars & Coffee

Now -5/7

People

Fun at the Park

Now -6/21

5/3

Monday Morning Book Club

Now The Audience -6/25

5/4

Tuesday Talks

5/4

Star Wars Day: May the Fourth Be With You

5/1

Ocala Downtown Market

5/1

Brownwood Farmers Market

5/1

Festivals of Speed

5/2 5/2

Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 SW Broadway St. Tuesday-Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday 11am-4pm A collective show featuring works by Ocala Art Group members. Opening reception March 5, 5–6pm; exhibit open Tuesday-Saturday through May 1. Visit mcaocala.org for more information.

Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd. 2 & 7:30pm Three sisters reunite amid scandal at their Mississippi childhood home in this 1970s Southern Gothic dramedy. Visit ocalacivictheatre.com for show times and tickets.

310 SE Third St. 9am-2pm A variety of vendors offer local fruits and vegetables, meats and seafood, fresh pasta, honey, arts and crafts, rain or shine. Visit ocaladowntownmarket.com for more information.

2726 Brownwood Blvd., Wildwood 9am-1pm More than 70 vendors offer fresh produce and crafts. Visit thevillagesentertainment.com for more information.

World Equestrian Center, 1390 NW 80th Ave. 10am-4pm View a display of exotic, classic and muscle cars and enjoy the festivities at this world-class motorsports gathering. Visit festivalsofspeed.com for more information.

War Horse Harley-Davidson, 5331 N U.S. Highway 441 7:30-11:30am A free family friendly event featuring cars, trucks, motorcycles, coffee and live music. Visit warhorseharley.com for more information.

Sholom Park, 7110 SW 80th Ave. 1-4pm This music and art festival will feature live music, more than 15 artisans and food trucks. Visit sholompark.org for tickets and more information.

Fort McCoy Public Library, 14660 NE County Road 315, Fort McCoy 10:30am Join a discussion of Daniel Brown’s “Boys in the Boat.” Call (352) 438-2560 to register.

Ocala/Marion County Chamber & Economic Partnership, 310 SE Third St. 8:15am Dunkin’ franchisee Paul Paquette will present “Leadership, Passion and People Led Focus.” Email andrea@ocalacep.com to register

Marion Theatre, 50 S Magnolia Ave. 5pm Enjoy Star Wars themed cocktails while the Cantina Band plays music from the films. Participate in costume and trivia contests. “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” begins at 6:30pm. Visit mariontheatre.org for more information.

CF Webber Gallery, 3001 SW College Road 10am-4pm A variety of artworks created by College of Central Florida visual arts students will be on display Monday-Friday. Visit cf.edu for more information.

Barbara Gaskin Washington Adult Activity Center, 210 NW 12th Ave. 9am-4pm This new exhibit of works by artist Shirley S. Wulff celebrates her memories, feelings and thoughts about collaborations with others. Visit ocalafl.org/culturalarts for more information.

Ocala Recreation and Parks Administration, 828 NE Eighth Ave. 9am-5pm A new exhibit featuring the paintings of Ocala-based Emmeline Basulto, artistically known as Embot, reflect herself in representational and abstract forms. Her works are also on display at the Eighth Avenue Adult Activity Center at 830 NE Eighth Avenue. Both locations are open Monday-Friday. Visit ocalafl.org/culturalarts for more information.

Now Luminous Worlds -6/27

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd. Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 12pm-5pm An exhibition featuring the large abstract canvases of Kristin Herzog, a Naples, Florida-based artist and former civil engineering draftsman. Visit appletonmuseum.org for more information.

Now -7/7

Spectrum of Creativity

Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave. 9am-5pm This student and emerging artist competition features the work of high school students and artists with less than 10 years’ experience. Visit ocalafl.org/culturalarts for more information.

APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

4/30

5/1

5/2

5/5

5/6

Levitt AMP Concert Series

Webb Field, 1510 NW Fourth St. 7pm The free outdoor concert series features Tiempo Libre Bohemia supported by Trio Rosal. Visit ocalafl.org/levittamp for more information.

5/3

Marion County Development Review Committee

5/3

Marion County Board of Adjustment Variances

5/3

Hills of Ocala Recreation Advisory Council

5/4

City of Ocala Investment Committee

5/4

Marion County Board of Commissioners

5/4

Marion County Public Hearing

5/4

Marion County Public Hearing

5/4

City of Ocala Audit Committee

5/4

Ocala City Council

5/4

Belleview City Commission

5/5

Dunnellon City Council Workshop

5/6

Marion County Development Review Committee Staff Meeting

Free First Saturday

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd. 10am-5pm Enjoy free admission to the museum’s permanent and special exhibits and outdoor sculpture walk. Visit appletonmuseum. org for more information.

Sunday in the Park

Ocala/Marion County Veterans Memorial Park, 2601 SE Fort King St. 3pm Kingdom of the Sun Concert Band will play selections including favorites from “The Music Man” and “Phantom of the Opera.” Attendees should bring chairs or blankets to this free concert. Visit kingdomofthesunband.org for more information.

Beyond the Basics of Watercolor

Rainbow Springs Art, 20804 W Pennsylvania Ave., Dunnellon 12:30-3pm A fun class for beginner and intermediate painters to learn new techniques from instructor Susan Donohoe. Visit rainbowspringsart.com for more information.

The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra Opera Gala

The Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center, 1051 Main St, The Villages 3 & 7pm The Magic Moment of Opera concert will feature three guest singers. Visit thesharon.com for tickets and more information.

Pencil Drawing Class

Government

Rainbow Springs Art, 20804 W Pennsylvania Ave., Dunnellon 1-3pm Learn line building, basic strokes, value, composition and perspective from instructor Jan Obrebski. Visit rainbowspringsart.com for more information.

Office of the County Engineer, 412 SE 25th Ave. 9am The DRC votes on waiver requests, drainage/site plans, subdivision master plans, preliminary plats, improvement plans and final plats. Call (352) 671-8686 for more information. Growth Services Training Room, 2710 E. Silver Springs Blvd. 2pm Call (352) 438-2600 for more information. Hills of Ocala Clubhouse, 10475 SW 136th Terrace, Dunnellon 6pm Call (352) 438-2828 for more information. Citizen Service Center Conference Room, 201 SE Third St. 9am Individuals may also attend online at https://zoom. us/j/567161037. Call (352) 629-8401 for more information. McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave. 9am Call (352) 438-2323 for more information. McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave. 10am Public hearings to consider a resolution adopting the local mitigation strategy five-year plan 2020 update and the creation of the Kingsland Country Estates/Whispering Pines/Forest Glenn municipal services benefit unit. Call (352) 438-2300 for more information. McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave. 2pm A workshop regarding the Southeastern regional public water plant feasibility study. Call (352) 307-6000 for more information.

City Hall Council Chambers, 110 SE Watula Ave. 4:30pm Individuals may also attend online at https://zoom. us/j/446885807. Call (352) 629-8401 for more information. City Hall Council Chambers, 110 SE Watula Ave. 5pm Individuals may also attend online at https://zoom. us/446885807. Call (352) 629-8401 for more information. City Hall Commission Room, 5343 SE Abshier Blvd., Belleview 6pm Call (352) 245-7021 for more information. Dunnellon City Hall, 20750 River Drive, Dunnellon 5:30pm Call (352) 465-8500 for more information.

Office of the County Engineer, 412 SE 25th Ave. 8:30am Applicants may discuss proposed or current projects with county review staff prior to meeting formally with the Development Review Committee. Call (352) 671-8686 for more information.

ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR 30

5pm Charity Cox

Eaton’s Beach

6pm Conrad Marcum

7pm Humans in Disguise Off-Duty Tavern

5/1

10:30am Becky Sinn

5/2

Ocala Downtown Market

Infinite Ale Works

8pm J. Lilley

5/1

2pm Jeff Jarrett Eaton’s Beach

5/2

7pm Charity Cox Horse & Hounds

The Corkscrew

5/1

7pm Becky Sinn

5/1

Orange Blossom Opry

Locos Grill & Pub

7pm Bobby Randall

Gator Joe’s Beach Bar & Grill

7pm The Music of Brooks and Dunn Orange Blossom Opry

5/2

7:30am Jeff Jarrett

5/5

1pm Charity Cox The Crazy Cucumber

7pm Gilly & the Girl Infinite Ale Works

War Horse Harley-Davidson

5/2

3pm The Big Bad

11am Jeff Jarrett Tijuana Flats

5/6

7pm Orange Blossom Showcase Orange Blossom Opry

Answers for pages B2,B3

Ocala Gazette publishes fond remembrances of your loved one Visit ocalagazette.com to submit an obituary

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