Issuu

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021

RESPONSE TIMES

OPD is the focus of Part 2 of our series,

A 4-part series

VOLUME 2 ISSUE 14

page A5

PART ONE

City's costs near $700,000 in homeless lawsuit By Carlos Medina carlos@ocalagazette.com

Carson Goetz, 6, of Oxford, gets some help feeding Shelly, an Asian Elephant, from Laura Parker, left, as Patricia Zerbini, right, looks on at Two Tails Ranch in Williston. Bruce Ackerman/OG

Two sides of the tale Area elephant facility at center of debate over animal exhibition

a sanctuary, animal rescue or forMost reviews on the travel booking and review website TripAdvisor rate the facility as "excellent" or "very good." Many are generous with their praise. "This was an experience of a lifetime," one traveler gushed. "We got to not only learn about elephants but got to have an 'extreme encounter' with them. This included quality time bathing, riding and taking photos with them." But the attraction feel of See Two Tails, page A6

See Case, page A2

Amelia Thompson, 2, of Slidell, LA, rides Shelly, an Asian Elephant, with her mother, Hilary. Bruce Ackerman/OG

For more than a decade, Wear Gloves Inc. has been trying to help those in need get back on their feet and rejoin the community. Wear Gloves has launched organization: the Dignity Center, in the Garden are three of its earliest. On Oct. 1, Wear Gloves will open

Subscribers will receive their paper through USPS on the USPS schedule.

Wear Gloves' Dignity House to offer counseling services By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com

costs and bring the case to an end. Patrick Gilligan, city attorney, said he felt the amount awarded was still too high but noted it was probably the best they could do. “We can appeal it. I don’t recommend that. I don’t see us prevailing on appeal,” he said.

its latest initiative, Dignity House. The house, located on 98 N.E. 9th St., will feature a drop-in center and counseling services. director for the Dignity House, said clients are already showing up. "People have just started coming was getting out, so we were like, 'Okay, let's do it.' We've opened early—the need is that great." Dignity House operates as a safe space and drop-in center for See Goal, page A3

Janice Prothro, a peer volunteer who is a recovered client, left, gets a hug from Brandy Forman-Kraft, the director of the Dignity House. Bruce Ackerman/OG

Starting at $10/month ocalagazette.com/subscribe

t the end of a quiet, unpaved road in Williston is Two Tails Ranch, home to a menagerie of exotic animals, including seven adult elephants. But beyond its physical location, it also sits at the crossroads of the past, present and future. The ranch is at the center of an ongoing debate over animal welfare and what constitutes exploitation and abuse. Patricia Zerbini, the CEO of Two Tails Ranch Inc. and All About Elephants Inc., recently held her annual Elephant Appreciation Day event. Two visits to the facility

by Ocala Gazette journalists prompted questions about the nature of the facility By Any Other Name There's confusion surrounding the precise

the U.S. Middle District of Florida. But in his order on Aug. 31, U.S. District Judge James Moody reduced that amount to $392,129.58. That does not include the more than $270,000 the city incurred in its costs and attorney’s fees. On Sept. 16, the Ocala City Council unanimously agreed to pay

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By Nick Steele Special to the Ocala Gazette

Ocala must pay nearly $400,000 in fees and costs to attorneys who brought a case against the city’s open lodging ordinance in September 2019. But the damage could have been worse had the court not cut the amount by nearly half. The ACLU of Florida and Southern Legal Counsel (SLC) claimed they accrued more than $1.16 million in fees and costs. They were seeking more than $780,000 in reimbursement,

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Case challenged public sleeping arrests Continued from A1 However, Gilligan then explained why he advised the In 2009, six homeless case against the city of the city’s ordinance against of Appeals for the Ninth that the ordinance violated the Eight Amendment

According to Gilligan, he sided with the belief that the “A lot of people, myself

However, that gamble An unidentified homeless man sleeps in a parking lot in this 2020 file photo. [Bruce Ackerman/OG]

declined to hear an appeal on

ordinance, which allowed police to arrest homeless

someway it gets to one of

was to stop people from need of a trial, that arresting

for appeal violated the 14th

room at area homeless

Gilligan said the changes to the ordinance did not stop police from enforcing the intent of the law, which

changed the ordinance to

“It really isn’t that big

Schools watch and wait for fallout of new rule By Matthew Cretul matthew@ocalagazette.com "For me personally, I do be implemented well

district had the plan ready to

information showing

coming from the state level days and not show symptoms the decision to parents,

"I do right now very "And I certainly which the emergency order

is doing the right thing by have information that says

Dr. Diane Gullett, the Superintendent of Marion County Public Schools, left, talks with Nancy Thrower, the board chair, right, during a meeting at the Marion County Public School Board. Bruce Ackerman/OG

"It's all that layered

to be face to face in school as

board, pediatricians locally,

referenced was the recent

this new emergency order and the implementation of it,

locally and all parents generally want what's best academic development, a developmental and a psychological standpoint, we

grace and compassion to each other and trying not intentionally in any way to

mirror what's happening in to be on the top of everyone's

all is that everybody wants

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

“The press was to serve the governed, not the governors.” - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black in New York Times Co. v. United States (1971) Publisher Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@magnoliamediaco.com

Carlos Medina, Managing Editor carlos@ocalagazette.com Christopher Smith, Creative Director christopher@ocalagazette.com

City adopts nearly $900 million budget By Carlos Medina carlos@ocalagazette.com The Ocala City Council on Sept. 28 adopted the nearly $900 million rates the same. The council voted 4-0 to adopt

Bruce Ackerman, Photography Editor bruce@ocalagazette.com Matthew Cretul, Senior Reporter matthew@ocalagazette.com James Blevins, Reporter james@ocalagazette.com Sadie Fitzpatrick, Columnist sadie@ocalagazette.com Lisa McGinnes, Editor lisa@magnoliamediaco.com

$817,129,466.

year, compared to more than $33.3 million last year. The ad valorem tax rate remains unchanged since 2016. The owner value of $100,000 can expect to pay $662 in city tax. addition of 13 sworn and nonsworn employees at the Ocala Police Department. the general fund portion of the

The city also voted 4-0 to keep the millage rate the same on home While the rates will stay at 6.6177, the city estimates tax

than $128 million up from $118.4 million approved last year. The general fund includes revenue from ad valorem taxes, utility service

than $1.9 million due to increased property values. Expected revenues

This year, the city will fund department at 100%, according to director. Typically, salaries are percent to account for vacancies. The move would allow the department to “overhire” for positions, Haslam said. than $42.7 in capital improvement projects. The 50 projects include $11.1 million for two phases of the continued southwest to northwest 44th Avenue program. The plan is to connect Maricamp Road to County Interstate-75. There is also more than $9.1 million in water treatment projects.

Susan Smiley-Height, Editor susan@magnoliamediaco.com

Graphic Designer Brooke Pace brooke@magnoliamediaco.com Director of Sales and Marketing Andrew Hinkle andrew@magnoliamediaco.com Account Executives Evelyn Anderson evelyn@m gnoliamediaco.com Sarah Belyeu sarah@magnoliamediaco.com Ralph Grandizio ralph@magnoliamediaco.com Lee Kerr lee@magnoliamediaco.com Jane Lyons jane@magnoliamediaco.com Distribution Inquiries info@ocalagazette.com

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Brandy Forman-Kraft, left, the director of the Dignity House, talks with Tad Varuolo, Janice Prothro and Marie Nichol, left to right, who are all peer volunteers, as they paint a mural as part of their art therapy at the Wear Gloves Dignity House. Bruce Akerman/OG

Goal is to create safe space for healing Continued from A1 those in the community who need a sanctuary. Support services such as counseling, case management and art therapy. Art therapy groups,

• Upcoming events: Are you community event that is open organization hosting the event as description of the event, along with registration information or other important instructions. • News tips: Include whatever information you consider relevant.

Executive Director

mental health issue, we're all recovering and need to

"But they're on payroll [here]," she added. "We

are few." The organization's mission is essentially to help the workers in Marion

help clients step outside of

Wear Gloves with her

decisions. We partner with

themselves. "The goal here is to create a space that feels safe enough for someone, even if they're still living in a somewhat precarious or

to help the distressed of Marion County—a mission, she said, that has only gotten harder in the wake of COVID-19. "A lot of our clients are

counseling services that will help them understand what to do once you have money in your pocket and what not to do."

"Many of them are just the working poor having a

organization accomplishment community service, athletics or other area of endeavor. Attach a photo of the individual or group

it's very hard to feel part of a community if you're struggling with things in your mind or trying to deal with your emotions," said

will outsource work to us. And then we process the work here." The Dignity Center employs workers, many of whom haven't had an actual paycheck for a long time,

"And the other piece of that is," she continued, "it takes time to feel safe enough to start sharing your words with someone."

supporting their families

counseling at Dignity House is to help people not feel trapped or isolated in their lives. Once a person feels good

a lot of the work that Wear Gloves does is workforce readiness training. "We train our clients in

has a sense of purpose, she said, only then can they community.

And the need has greatly increased during this pandemic time."

"The way we do that is we partner with manufacturers around Marion County who

100 clients a week, said She said while the clients were getting paychecks, they still needed additional support. "That's why we decided we really needed to invest in the Dignity House," she explained. Dignity House has two is the drop-in center and The upstairs will serve as "We're all recovering from something," said it's from an addiction or a

us joy and peace." Wear Gloves' name comes from Matthew 9:37, which says: "The harvest is

get to work in their lives and on their lives. "They're really good on this sort of healthy interdependence," said Gloves. "And that's the whole idea, with doing things with dignity. It's not one person sort of someone else. It's mutual. And we all have needs, and Currently, Wear Gloves always looking for more, those interested in teaching art. For information, visit weargloves.org/ or call Wear Gloves at (352) 7270239.

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Editorial Speaking of the mayoral race…

[David Vallejo]

A crossed line.

By Ocala Gazette Editorial Board

healthy democracy requires citizens willing to step up

choice.

and voters to make their

council and the mayoral seat. In the end, 25% percent of registered voters showed up to play the most recent highwater mark of 15% turnout in 2009. But a healthy democracy also requires participants to play by rules Judge Charles W. Pickering pointed out, “a healthy democracy requires a decent society; it requires that we are honorable, generous, tolerant and respectful.” This election, however, some were neither honorable, tolerant nor respectful. There was an undercurrent of ugly innuendo and outright racism aimed at Manal Fakhoury, a candidate for mayor. As a community and a country,

both conscious and unconscious.

Sadly, some of the rhetoric used against Fakhoury showed we still have a way to go. Some voted against Fakhoury, who is Muslim and of Palestinian descent, because they disagreed with her to be mayor. But some sank to calling her a “terrorist” because of her race and religion. Some pointed to her work to nationally support other Muslim Americans as proof of their fear. They materials with twisted or downright false pretext. They pointed to campaign donations to Muslim candidates who were among more progressive Democrats as proof that Fakhoury was part of some underground conspiracy to undermine our democracy - all the while ignoring her past contributions to very conservative candidates. How do you discern whether it was bigotry and not just the natural human nature to trust people who look and think more like we do than

start with where the focus is. Is it the action, or the individual participating the response should be uniform across the board, regardless of who performs may be an internal bias at work. had made more political contributions to Democrats (think Andrew Cuomo, Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, and even Joe Biden) than he had to Republicans. He explained it was part of doing business, and the issue died there. It seemed for Fakhoury all her campaign contributions to very conservative candidates were disregarded, and rather she was cast as an outsider by some looking to create a narrative that she was part of Ocala. There were also claims she was ungodly because she was Muslim. Fakhoury, a resident of Ocala for at least 30 years had no criminal record, is a philanthropist who many have worked beside supporting good causes, a business owner, wife, mother

of three who successfully raised her children in going to the same schools our children went to. She was accused of being ungodly because she was of she lived her life. This type of messaging crossed a line that this newspaper and we believe our society repudiates Americans. History tells stories of communities made up of either Christians, Jews, Muslims - each being guilty of grave community sins. No religion can rightfully claim the white hat for moral governance. our constitution not only protects the right to religious beliefs and practicesbut it also prevents the government from creating or favoring a religion. For those of you reading this editorial a century from now, Fakhoury did not retaliate by attacking back. Her reaction reminds us of how many minorities have had treated as equals. By the time you read this, we hope you have learned from our mistakes.

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OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Officer Mason Demary of the Ocala Police Department drives his patrol vehicle with the emergency lights turned on on Southwest 3rd Street near the Ocala Police Department in Ocala, Fla. on Wednesday, Spt. 29, 2021. Bruce Ackerman/OG

OPD: Measured in minutes Editor’s note: This series will explore the response times of Ocala Fire Rescue, Ocala Police Department, Marion County Fire Rescue,

track, analyze, and use response times as a tool to measure the success of their departments. Additionally, response times from each department will be examined. By Matthew Cretul matthew@ocalagazette.com The Ocala Police Department's goal is to get to every high-priority 911 call in less than three minutes. It's a goal they have met 74% of the time so far this year. Last year, OPD hit the goal 77% of the time and 75% of the time in 2019. "We like to get on scene within three minutes, so it's three minutes or less is what our objective is," said Major Steve Cuppy with the OPD Community Policing Bureau. But the percentages weren't always that high. In 2018, just 45% of highpriority calls were under the three-minute mark. That's when OPD changed what was considered a high-priority call, referred to as a priority-one call. OPD breaks its 911 calls down into three categories: Priority one is the highest urgency, priority two is not as urgent and priority three calls is the least critical. "Things have changed. I know in the summer of 2018, there was a change in what we determined to be a priorityone call…we had a lot of things, more things than what we should have had listed as a priority one call." The changes included separating reports of active crimes and crimes which

RESPONSE TIMES A 4-part series

PART TWO occurred at an earlier time. For example, if a burglary is occurring as the 911 call comes in, that is a priority-one call. If the burglary happened the evening before it is a priority-two call. Those changes in 2018 caused the percentages of calls OPD responded to in under three minutes to increase dramatically. The average response time to a priority-one call went from an average of eight minutes, 12 seconds in 2016, to an average of three minutes, 18 seconds in 2020. have nationally prescribed standards for response times, no similar standard exists for law enforcement. Still, they use the priority system to measure their performance. "The easiest way to understand it is a priority-one call would be any time we're having to drive to something with lights and sirens. A priority two call is obviously less priority, as it does not

require lights and sirens. It could be, as an example, you come home to discover your house was broken into. Priority three calls are the lowest level…they're more a civil matter," Cuppy said. While the department scrutinizes its priority-one calls the closest, the goal is to improve response times across the board. "Chief (Mike) Balken does emphasize the importance of priority two calls as well, but priority one calls are clearly Another change helped lower total response time as well. "One of the things we added in later summer 2019 was online reporting. We've had it for a while, but we greatly expanded the types of calls that we could send," Cuppy said. Online reporting for lower priority calls has allowed priority calls. "So clearly, when we've been able to expand the role of online reporting," said Cuppy, "it has freed up some of our which I think is another thing that's kind of had an impact." However, Cuppy pointed out that the decision to add the digital option does take away from the element of personal service. "Chief Balken has struggled with online reporting because one thing that we're clearly giving up is customer service, in a sense. You know for the longest while we operated under the guise of 'you call, we come.'" Cuppy said OPD sees their heaviest call volume starting around 3 p.m., and it runs until about 8 or 9 p.m. The department runs four

at 11 a.m. and runs to 11 p.m.

works from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Cuppy said the two middle than the other two but are designed to support the 7-to-7

Officer Mason Demary of the Ocala Police Department looks up a call on his laptop in his patrol vehicle. Bruce Ackerman/OG

OPD divides the city into the East and West divisions, with Pine Avenue serving as a rough dividing line. Within each division, there are seven zones, and

Brianna Fryer, a dispatcher, works in the communications center at the Ocala Police Department on Wednesday, Sept. 29. Bruce Ackerman/OG

sometimes, Cuppy said, to calls in other zones, which may increase response times slightly. "We do try to keep people within their districts. Sometimes if they're just overloaded too heavily in one from the other district may come over to the other zone, but essentially people stay within their districts. They just don't stay within their zones., Cuppy said. OPD, much like other law enforcement organizations, face personnel challenges. "Presently, we do have going on right now," Cuppy said. While the department only advertises seven vacancies, Cuppy noted new hires don't start work immediately. There is internal training that can take weeks and even months to complete. "We do have people that are in various stages of the hiring process that are ready still dealing with the same challenges that I think, I think…agencies across the country are dealing with," said Cuppy. OPD is working on ways to "One thing we're actively looking at now to improve quality and service this is hiring more non-sworn personnel to do that function. We can expand that program greatly, which will to emergency calls or to do more proactive policing in the community to try to prevent crime," Cuppy said.

Non-sworn personnel are used in situations such as "You're constantly just looking for ways to become thing that we respond to as

Department is we respond to

Cuppy said. "That's the one On average, we're responding to somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 crashes a month, within the city." OPD is constantly seeking The department holds biweekly meetings to focus on any trends or developments that stick out. "Every two weeks we come together as an organization, and we review what has happened in the last two weeks…even maybe what's occurred the two weeks prior to that and looking at the crimes and then developing objectives to try to address either an ongoing trend or an ongoing problem, or what are we going to do next to prevent the next type of problem that's coming," he said. Cuppy said response times are just one part of making sure OPD meets the community's needs. "We've been very blessed here in Marion County where we have tremendous community support, tremendous support from the city in what we're trying to accomplish what we're trying to get done. And it in it for us it really matters what kind of service we're trying to provide everybody," he said.

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Two Tails Ranch defends using elephants for profit

Ring tailed Lemurs are shown in an enclosure. Bruce Ackerman/OG

Continued from A1 Two Tails also prompts negative sentiments and experiences. "This place does not rescue elephants. She purchased them all, according to another review. A third stated, "I visited this facility today with a friend and bells. This is not a genuine rescue or animal welfare organization. Do your research before you visit." But it's not only visitors who have a rescue. Various media outlets have described it as such. When asked if the facility was a rescue, Zerbini quickly countered with a question of her own. "No. Why should any elephant in the United States need to be rescued?" and admits she's not everyone's cup of tea. "I tell it like it is," she said. "It's probably a little bit too harsh for some people." She calls Two Tails a privately owned elephant facility. Zerbini believes when a business like hers is not called a circus or zoo, "Then [people think] it's a rescue. Where the confusion comes in for people is they think of them as wild animals. They're not," she said. "All the elephants we have in

Tyler Sigby of Olympia, WA gets down on one knee as he proposes to his girlfriend, Rachel Taft, after the couple washed Marie, an Asian elephant.

this country came over here when they were this high," she continued, gesturing to the height of a baby elephant. "They (elephants) don't know where they came from. They just know that people have been taking care of them for the last 60, 70 years. I use the Chihuahua dog for example because everybody can relate. Chihuahua dogs come from the Mexican deserts. Let's just go gather everybody's pet Chihuahua and go turn it loose in the Mexican desert and see how it all turns out." Zerbini believes elephant rescues and sanctuaries are "built by the animal rights groups, and they're basically targeting private owners, people who don't have a lot of money," and "stealing their elephants to put in their sanctuaries." If she feels threatened, it's because her family has been working with captive exotic animals for nine generations and operates Tarzan Zerbini Circus. The circus travels to various states to stage their show. Visitors may also not realize that some of the elephants who live at Two Tails also perform in the family's circus. Aside from performing with Tarzan Zerbini, several of the elephants at Two Tails are also routinely rented out for circuses, weddings, parties, parades and other events. They perform various tricks, sometimes dressed in elaborate costumes. "It's good money for us," Zerbini explained. "We do Indian weddings.

Bruce Ackerman/OG

We do circuses. We do fairs. We do parades."

View to a Thrill She shares a story of an incident made at a local circus where animal rights protesters, who she deems "terrorists," were present. "Yeah, I'll go out there and make extra money for the ranch. I'll leave here in the morning, do two shows over there and come back at night," she explains. "The following week, this lady came up here, and she was standing here feeding the elephant. She goes, 'Oh, we went to the circus last week, and it was so sad. They all were so mistreated.' And I was like, where was that? She said Orlando at such and such. I said, well, this elephant here…how does she look in comparison? Happier? 'So much,' she said. Well, this is the same elephant you saw over there. And she was like, 'You're kidding.' I said this is exactly the same elephant that I took over there." Zerbini doesn't feel the woman's negative impression of the elephant while at the circus was due to the animal doing tricks among all the pomp and circumstance of a theatrical show. Instead, she feels it was the protestors who put a negative connotation on the performance. "I tell people all the time, the longest living, healthiest animals I have ever gotten in here to board have

been circus elephants. When I've been overseas, the healthiest, best-looking elephants I've seen are in work camps. You can't just take any elephant to be a circus elephant or a ride. It takes a certain elephant to go into an arena with 10,000 people and lights and that trainer and that animal has to be like this because you're setting the mode for it. If that elephant doesn't trust you 110%, it's not going to do any… it's not going to go into that building full of people screaming and yelling and lights and music and live bands and spotlights running around, you know?" People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) disagrees and has advocated against circuses for years, including Two Tails and Tarzan Zerbini Circus. "Two Tails is nothing more than a roadside zoo that exploits elephants used in the circus. Elephants don't do tricks or give rides because they want to. They do them because they have been chained and beaten behind the scenes, and they are afraid of being punished if they don't," explains Rachel Mathews, director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement for the PETA Foundation. "The public is calling for an end to this abuse. That is why Ringling Bros. is closed. There are only two roadside zoos in America that still use elephants for rides, and one of them is Two Tails Ranch. Three of the elephants at Two Tails are still used in the circus: Marie, Patty, and Shell or Shelly." PETA has successfully challenged the issuance of Endangered Species Act permits to circuses, including Tarzan Zerbini. "No U.S. circus has been allowed to tour internationally with elephants, tigers, or other protected animals in half a decade."

Curtain Up America more than 200 years ago as part of traveling shows known as menageries, consisting of captive exotic animals trained to perform tricks to entertain eager audiences. According to The New York Times, "When the Philadelphia Zoo, curators bought an elephant from a traveling circus and chained it to a tree, delighting children and adults who had never seen such an animal up close." The shows eventually reached a

Patricia Zerbini of Two Tails Ranch, right, guides Shelly, an Asian Elephant, as Secrina Holloway of Fairfield, CT, takes a ride with her daughter. Bruce Ackerman/OG

Barnum & Bailey circuses merged and began billing themselves as the "Greatest Show on Earth." Over the years, documented cases of abuse and substandard living conditions changed how circuses and zoos operated. Pressure from animal rights advocates and legal actions contributed to many zoos closing their elephant exhibits. Even Ringling Bros. decided to retire their trademark elephants in 2016. The once-iconic attraction shuttered the business the following year, acknowledging that declining attendance combined with high operating costs and changing public tastes contributed to the decision.

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE Controversial training techniques, such as using bullhooks (also called guides) to train elephants at circuses and zoos, have long been an issue with animal rights groups. "When you go out to Two Tails Ranch, you will see the trainer, who is directly with the elephant, will have a long rod in their hand. The rod usually has a pointy end with a Mathews explains. "That's a bullhook. Anybody who sees that wouldn't normally think anything of it unless they have been trained to fear it. That's what happens with elephants. Elephants are taught to fear the bullhook. They are beaten and poked and jabbed with it until eventually, all they need to do is see that in the trainer's hand and they know to obey." The bullhook has been used for hundreds of years to punish elephants and make them comply during training. It is used on the sensitive areas of young elephants, including behind the ears where the skin is paper-thin. It's also used around the eyes, on the feet, on the trunk and around the mouth. The use of a bullhook is said to psychologically and emotionally harm elephants. Visitors to Two Tails have complained about the use of bullhooks, but Zerbini is still using hook in her hand, although recent videos from a tour showed her using it with the point side directed near an elephant. In 2019, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), a nonadvancement of zoos and aquariums in conservation, education, science and recreation, updated its elephant standards to phase out the use of bullhooks. The AZA has been the primary accrediting body for zoos and aquariums for more than 40 years. U.S. agencies such as OSHA and the USDA consider AZA standards as the "national" standard, and they refer to AZA standards when evaluating based standards examine the zoo or aquarium's entire operation, including animal welfare, veterinary care, conservation, education, guest services, physical facilities and safety. Two Tails is accredited by the Zoological Association of America

Bruce Ackerman/OG

During a recent tour, the group assembled under a pavilion where Zerbini talked about the elephants general information. Two or three elephants, in separate paddocks, were visible from the pavilion. The elephants mostly swayed back and forth in place. The information beliefs, personal insights and experiences and occasionally veered into political commentary. For instance, Zerbini stated to 10 years. It's a claim she's been making for years. Zerbini generally cites experts as her source. Asian and African elephants are critically threatened and could face extinction. However, organizations that track elephant populations or to 10-year timeline. Zerbini is no fan of some animal welfare organizations. A sign near the ticket window reads, "If you care and love animals…Do not support:" and lists the Humane Society of The United States, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), among others. Some organizations are vocal critics and have issued negative

Bert, a tortoise, looks out of his house. Bruce Ackerman/OG

based, accrediting organization dedicated to responsible wildlife management, conservation and education. The ZAA has received criticism for what some call a "more relaxed approach" and

reports on Two Tails Ranch and Tarzan Zerbini Circus. Although the ranch is expansive, visitors are limited to a small area directly accessible from where Zerbini directs participants to park.

care. ZAA's policies on elephant care, in particular, have proven controversial. ZAA allows for free contact as opposed to AZA's standard of protected contact, where a sturdy barrier separates handlers and elephants at all times. The Humane Society of the United States has stated, "A number of ZAA-accredited facilities are nothing more than privately-run menageries that breed and sell exotic animals, furthering the pet trade and contributing to the

an elephant named Luke paint for the crowd. The elephant took a loaded paintbrush from Zerbini and made brushstrokes on blank paper on an easel. Zerbini herself will tell you, elephants have poor eyesight, and their eyes are on the side of their heads, so they have better peripheral vision. They are also color blind. Guests, however, were delighted by the display. Luke's paintings are for sale.

possessing dangerous wild animals."

Show and Tell Around 2009, Zerbini began appointment to the public. The group tours can be as large as 100 people. In addition to the seven elephants, the facility is also home to a camel, a zebra, an ostrich, a family of ringtailed lemurs and a few other animals.

Up Close and Personal Elephants and other exotic animals captivate us because they the natural world, and humans have an understandable desire to connect with them. to satisfy most levels of connection, including an up-close photo op, a hand-feeding experience and elephant

rides. At $200 per person, an extreme encounter allows visitors to bathe an elephant, pet and interact with that elephant, and take more photos/ Some use the extreme encounter get engaged. The elephant can even participants. "Wildlife tourism isn't new, but social media is setting the industry ablaze, turning encounters with exotic animals into photo-driven bucket-list toppers," "National Geographic's" behind wildlife tourism" investigation concluded. "The wildlife tourism industry caters to people's love of birth to death. The industry's economy depends largely on people believing that the animals they're paying to watch or ride or feed are having fun too." Zerbini admits the elephants don't enjoy the encounters. "They don't like people touching them," she said. "They don't like to be rubbed on and pet, but that's what people want to do; that's what they really want...It doesn't mean anything to them. They don't comprehend petting." She said elephants don't like their trunk or ears touched, even though many photos and videos posted from visits to the ranch show participants doing just that. "It's their nose. They smell with it. People just want to grab it all the time." she said, adding touching an elephant's trunk, its ears or tail is a sign of aggression. "It's not a good thing," she said. That said, in a video uploaded to YouTube by Mariah Milano, a detailing a typical extreme encounter, Milano boasts, "Today what I'm going to do is… I'm going to ride an elephant, pet an elephant, kiss an elephant, feed an elephant. I'm going to give an elephant a bath. Are you ready? I'm so excited!" The video shows her sitting on Luke's leg as he bows down in a circus pose. It also features Luke painting and performing tricks. In the video, Milano feeds, rides and washes another elephant named Patty. "I'm about to go kiss Patty again. Mwah!" Milano says in the video, accompanied by an air kiss and a hair at Two Tails are ones that visitors lifelong dream," Jen Rose Smith reported in CNN's The wild world of America's private zoos. "But according to some activists and scientists, those interactions with exotic species are a threat to animal rights, public safety and even global health."

Health and Safety Deaths, attacks and health risks involving the Two Tails elephants have been documented. The incidents have occurred both on the ranch and as part of circus appearances. At one time, Two Tails leased parts of the ranch to Ringling Bros. to house some of their elephants, as well as their breeding center. Among the incidents on the ranch was the death of world-famous elephant trainer Axel Gautier, who was stomped to death in May 1993 while visiting the Ringling Bros. breeding operation. In 2005,

elephants from Tarzan Zerbini fatally trampled their primary trainer, Pierre Spenle, as he loaded them into a truck for transport. In 2013, Diane Bedard, a guest of Zerbini, sustained lifethreatening injuries when an elephant grabbed her through the bars of his enclosure. Bedard was not part of a tour. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service cited and safe barriers between the animals and visitors. According to an incident report dated Sept. 18, 2013, the incident was not reported to the police or the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission by Zerbini. PETA reported the incident weeks When Zerbini's colleague Colin Fraser, who was at the ranch at the time of the attack, was questioned about the incident, Fraser said it went unreported because "they were afraid of bad publicity." Over the years, there have been multiple documented cases of tuberculosis (TB) in elephants at both the leased Ringling Bros. area and among the Two Tails elephants, notably Luke, who has tested positive repeatedly. TB is a potentially fatal infectious disease that is transmitted between species and also from animals to humans. According to a 2021 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "Tuberculosis (TB), caused by the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a recognized disease in humanmanaged and wild Asian elephants and African elephants." TB can lie undetected in elephants and people. Healthy-looking elephants can be infected. Testing captive elephants in the U.S. for tuberculosis has not been required since 2015. According to National Geographic, an estimated 5% to 6% of the nearly 400 elephants in U.S. zoos and circuses carry TB. "As the coronavirus has heightened public awareness about disease transmission between animals and humans, some experts are warning about the risks of tuberculosis in captive U.S. elephants," the publication reported in 2020. "Although COVID-19 preoccupies us today, 1.5 million people died of tuberculosis globally in 2018, according to the World Health Organization. That makes it the leading infectious cause of death." TB can be spread through direct contact, including petting, feeding or touching animals, but airborne transmission is also possible.

A Mammoth Endeavor Zebrini supports hunting elephants on game farms in their natural habitats and breeding elephants at facilities like Two Tails. But since the goal is not to replenish the wild herds, critics wonder if the goal isn't to protect a controversial form of entertainment currently under harsh criticism. Meanwhile, facilities like Two Tails operate legally and don't lack clientele. Two Tails will continue to face challenges justifying their right to provide the public an opportunity to interact with an endangered animal up close instead of providing a sanctuary setting where the humans can observe from a respectful distance.

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Hospital District passes $15 million budget, switches portfolio manager By Carlos Medina carlos@ocalagazette.com The Marion County Hospital District will spend nearly $15 million on various community healthcare projects in the next year. The amount is a more than 75% increase over what the

is allocated to the services provided at Beacon Point. Ocala's comprehensive substance abuse treatment campus was established in various services to those

On Monday, the district's board of trustees approved

The facility recently announced a new 30-day rehabilitation treatment facility. The hospital district

$14.98 million, an increase of nearly $6.5 million over the

to third-party providers which provide the services.

starts on Oct. 1.

Lifestream Behavioral and

expenditure is $2.3 million toward the construction of the Mary Sue Rich Community Center. The estimated $10.3 million community center is to the Ocala City Council. She served for 24 years before The hospital district committed the money in 2020 and will cover about 20% of the cost. The city of Ocala center will feature indoor

Point. Heart of Florida Health Center plans to open a pharmacy on the campus. Heart of Florida will also receive another nearly $1.2 million for a diabetes and primary care mobile unit, a pediatric dental specialist and money for a federal match

More than $6 million

million for trustee-approved

Alan Youngblood/Special to OG

The trustees chose

companies did. By comparison, Berman

The hospital district funds responsible for $89.3 million of the district's portfolio at

FreeDOM Clinic, Interfaith others. Nearly $1.2 million is

center, public library, senior activities and multi-purpose rooms for children. Other amenities include an outdoor

The Marion County Hospital district’s Beacon Pointis shown.

& Nutrition in Schools In addition to nearly $900,000 to pay for hospital district operations, the

responsible for $88.5 million year and increased their portion to $101.5 million.

an outside operator. portfolio had a value of more than $313 million. But the hospital district, unhappy with the one of their three portfolio

end of July. But the company

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OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Marion COVID-19 cases drop by a third By Matthew Cretul matthew@ocalagazette.com COVID-19 numbers in Marion County dropped once again, with the county seeing almost a third fewer new cases from the previous week. According to the latest numbers released on Sept. 24, the county registered 1,038 new cases between Sept. 17-23. That dropped from 1,543 cases the previous week, according to the Florida Department of Health data. The county positivity rate and cases per 100,000 dropped as well. According to reports, the positivity rate fell from 17.9% to 13.3%, and cases per 100,000 went from 414.3 to 278.7. Marion County Public Schools’ COVID numbers also continued to drop. MCPS recorded 157 total new cases for the week of Sept. 18 – Sept. 24, as 143 students and 14 employees the Florida Department of Health in 256 cases reported on Sept. 20 and 367 cases reported on Sep. 13. The 157 cases are the lowest on record since the district reported 139 cases during Aug 10-13, which was the opening week of school. Quarantine numbers were also down, with 582 students and employees quarantined due to direct contact with someone testing positive for COVID-19. The quarantines included 573 students and only nine district employees. Additionally, the 582 quarantines of school and the second consecutive week where there were less than 1,000 in quarantine. The dropping school district numbers follow the downward trends of the county and state as a whole. Parents continue to opt their children out of facial coverings, however. MCPS reported 9,424 students, or 22%, have an opt-out

Parker Jackson, 3, learns about planets with his mother, Kayla Deckman, in the Create Scientists class where the Astronaut Academy exhibit is on display at the City of Ocala Discovery Center. [Bruce Ackerman/OG]

forego facemasks. Governor Ron DeSantis revised a rule last week on when children exposed to COVID-19 can return to school. The revision gives sole authority to parents to determine when their children return. Previously, the child must be

New COVID-19 cases down

a negative PCR test. Or they could long as they are asymptomatic. The timeline for children returning

June 25:

the onset of symptoms or a positive test and no fever for 24 hours before returning. The drop in Marion County and school cases mirrors the overall drop

3,228

3,000

Marion County 2,500 new COVID-19 2,000 cases dropped by a third from the 1,500 week before.

virus also changed. They may return once asymptomatic with a negative test, with written permission from a physician or advanced registered

Aug. 27:

New cases 3,500 per week

Sept. 24:

1,038

1,000

500 0

JUNE JULY

AUGUST

Source: Florida Department of Health

nth 3 Mo

and a half months. Vaccination rates dropped to their lowest levels in two and a half months, however, as the state recorded administering 273,756 doses.

te!

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Christopher Smith/OG

across the state. The state recorded 56,325 new cases of COVID-19 during the week of Sept. 17 to Sept. 23, its lowest number of new weekly cases in more than two

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OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Hundreds more homes proposed for Marion By Carlos Medina carlos@ocalagazette.com A plethora of proposed residential developments County Planning and Zoning Commission agenda on Residents packed the county commission auditorium, and the meeting as dozens spoke against controversial proposals included: • A plan for 122

representing the applicant, said the plan would include establishing a homeowner's

• A 320-unit apartment complex of County Road 484

votes are not binding and serve as a recommendation Commission, which approves or denies proposed zoning

First up was the duplex plan, which included 35 acres near the 6600 block of Southeast 92nd Loop, Eagle Resources LLC, asked for a zoning change from single-family residential to for 61 duplex buildings that would sell to individual

would include up to 222

"We feel like that should assist in the concerns in terms of occupancy by people that

belonging to Coba Homes Corporation and would

Daniel Blanchard, president of the proposed developer – Southern Impression Development of Jacksonville – said they plan to build a high-quality

areas are surrounded by several subdivisions, including

"It's going to be a good-

• 385 homes in Southwest Ocala near State

Drone shots of land planned for development in SW Marion County. [Alan Youngblood/Special to OG]

It's something that we can all be proud of, and we think will Dennis Durkin, who lives near the proposed duplex "Our dream was to build and invest in high-end thing is rental property, and it's going to take our dream and destroy the dream," he

Up next were plans to build up to 385 homes in the middle of an already burgeoning residential 103rd Street Road east of opponents from adjoining neighborhoods, some 55-plus communities, concerned the unrestricted neighborhoods would disturb their

recommended the

and destroy heavily forested

plan was not compatible with the established use of surrounding properties, including dozens of single-

separate requests for land but located just a few hundred

Glenn, Oakcrest Estates, Emerald Point, Sandy Pines But residents came out in proposed sizes of the lots are smaller than those of the "Smaller lots, smaller homes, lower prices," said neighborhood that sits between the two tracts of

As for the size of the lots, Gooding said it was a matter communities, in part because of cost of construction and land, are headed to smaller

be almost half a mile west of commission chairman, said the two areas were always designated for development, as is much of the area near the past 30 years has changed going to continue to grow and grow and grow until there will be no more vacant land there

Lord, Danny Gaekwad and Jerry Lourenco voted in favor Behar, Andy Bonner and

the neighborhood, but deadends at either side would eventually connect the two

opposition was a 320-unit apartment complex on County Road 484 near

"We're going to go from that to having 220 houses on one side and 180 houses on the other and them wanting

was zoned for commercial development, but owner

But Jimmy Gooding, the attorney representing both the applicants, said connecting the roads to neighboring subdivisions is required by the county's

roads," said Gooding, adding that many of the neighborhoods already

extending Southwest 20th Avenue Road west and creating two access points to CR 484 instead of the current

the plan to include the apartment complex on a Another part of the property running along CR 484 would remain commercial, including an unnamed to a more extensive proposed development of an 800-plusunit residential development

Additionally, the county will require the developer to complete nearly a mile of new road to the development's

residents of SummerGlen, who object to the apartments and the larger planned community that would sit north of it on the dead-end

road would connect portions of Southwest 100th Street,

However, the plan was presented as a way to improve

"Everything we are doing is either a transportation improvement or a transportation reduction," engineer for both the apartment complex project and the larger residential But not everyone was convinced adding more residential and commercial "It's already a nightmare for SummerGlen residents who live on a dead-end 20th Avenue Road trying to get out of there…So how on Earth can adding (these projects) solve the existing Saltzman, a SummerGlen road extension combined with the planned expansion of the I-75 interchange at CR 484 million in improvements from near Southwest 20th Avenue Road, through the I-75 interchange, and to County

5-1 in favor of the proposed revision to include the Behar voted to deny the head to the commission, and environmental studies

Stonehedge Farm South owner Gilbert Campbell dies at 91 By Summer Best Special to the Ocala Gazette

longtime thoroughbred breeder and Ocala farm

Campbell and his wife,

horses closely throughout

and has been successful at Campbell was a past president of the Florida

500-acre Stonehedge Farm South near Williston in the

In 1997, 2013 and 2016, Stonehedge Farm South was named Florida Breeder of

recognized thoroughbred operation, whose runners

about 150 horses between its breeding and training operations, and the farm

"He was quite a guy," said Farm South's manager, who has worked for Campbell for would come down to the farm, and he would get so up and get these horses out there!'"

In 2002, Campbell was elected to the Northeast

Campbell was a builder by trade, constructing more than 1,500 houses, 3,000 apartments, and multiple commercial projects, including a hotel and

the top 100 programs in

Campbell

Campbell's model homes

Stonehedgea races most of its

met Campbell in 1978 while a groom at the then-Lasater

Department's exhibit in

Brent and Crystal Fernung, owners of Journeyman Stud in Ocala, are co-owners with Campbell on Florida's leading sire,

"He was quite

Fernung, also a past

National Exhibition to showcase American was named New England

the same, whether you are the janitor or royalty, and was a groom, he treated me

every race and followed their

Builders Association and a lifetime director and former vice president of the National

an original co-owner of professional hockey team in He was a past president

"I was blessed to be befriended by Gil and to Florida years ago," said

"Gil had so much life and passion for our thoroughbred industry and was not afraid to let his thoughts and opinions be known in his was a larger-than-life human in every way and was a huge player on the Florida and

Survivors include

A11

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

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OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Sports Tigers blank Wildcats 20-0 By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com The Dunnellon Tigers dominated both sides of the football Friday night against the visiting Forest Wildcats, to post a convincing 20-0 win at Ned Love Field. Dunnellon’s overall record moves to 2-2, while Forest settles for a 1-3 record. Head Coach Price Harris was

happy to see his Tigers adjusting to new challenges. The Tigers have won their second game in

proud of what they’re doing.”

River Pirates on Sept. 17. “We’re growing and getting better each and every week,” said Harris. “We’ve got a lot of very talented guys who are starting to get some experience now. I get frustrated, but to see new guys making plays is huge, and I’m

amount of momentum and

Tigers would block a Wildcat

second quarter. keeper, Dunnellon quarterback See Dunnellon, page B2

Dunnellon's Brody Luckey (5) outruns Forest defenders. Bruce Ackerman/OG

Knights beat Rattlers in straight sets By Kassidy Hill Special to the Ocala Gazette on Sept 21, as the Belleview Rattlers girls volleyball team (8-6, 2-1) fell to the Vanguard Knights (6-10, 1-0) in three straight sets. It was the Keiron Williams (11) eludes defenders during practice at Ocala Christian Academy Sept. 27. The Crusaders are having a remarkable season so far with a record of 6-0. [Bruce Ackerman/OG]

ROOM TO GROW

Ocala Christian Academy 6-0 after move to 8-man football By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com

ince deciding to drop from an 11-man football team to an 8-player squad in late May, the Ocala Christian Academy Crusaders 2009. The Crusaders have also outscored their opponents 296-40 in 2021. OCA Athletic Director Allison Forsyth-Abney said moving to 8-man football was something the private school considered for years. "We really felt that it was best for us," she said. "Because our numbers

were starting to dwindle." Many high schools opt for 8-man football teams due to smaller enrollment. "We wanted to keep the football

See Crusaders, page B3

midway point, the score was even at 14-all. Then Knights star Emma Ehmann increased the lead to 16-14 with a strike from the back row, and from there, Vanguard went out to a 17-14 lead. But the home team Rattlers tied it back up at 18. But a 7-1 run by Vanguard helped them Vanguard took the lead in the second set, thanks largely to Ruby

coach Jim Pierce. "We struggled for a number of years with 11-man football. We just haven't had the numbers to support it." At one point, OCA had 13 total bigger schools with 38 or more players on their rosters. OCA players had to play every down on both sides

for Belleview.

Head coach Jim Pierce talks with his players during practice at Ocala Christian Academy on Sept. 28. [Bruce Ackerman/OG]

looked to strike back early, and twice Owen delivered a strike of her own to keep her Knights ahead by two. Belleview’s Hope Willis answered, though, keeping her team in the set at 10-all. The Knights increased their lead by as much as eight, but just See Both, page B2

GAME OF THE WEEK

Pasco at Vanguard By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com

quarterback Fred Gaskin has been the standout for the Knights

The Vanguard Knights bring their undefeated 4-0 record into Friday’s game against the winless Pasco Pirates. With a win on Friday, Vanguard can set the stage for another deep

Gaskin should get starting duties against the Pirates on Friday. Top targets for Gaskin include wide receivers Tyrell Randall, Elijah Hopkins and Dallen Ponder. Each player caught touchdown passes in Vanguard’s win over North Marion on Sept. 24. The Records: The Knights have dispatched Gainesville (30-8) on Aug. 27, West Port (21-0) on Sept. 3, Dunnellon (13-6) on Sept. 10 and North Marion (36-19) on Sept. 24. A game scheduled on Sept. 17 against Carol City was canceled due to COVID-19. The Pirates previously dropped games to Nature Coast Tech (42-0) on Sept. 3, Hernando (35-0) on Sept. 10, Springstead (24-0) on Sept. 17 and Zephyrhills Christian Academy (55-0) on Sept. 24.

penalties have been an issue for the Knights, especially during their Sept. 24 victory over North Marion. Vanguard racked up 25 yellow according to MaxPreps.com The Pirates, meanwhile, have games. But the Dade City team

Vanguard's Joshua Rembert (6) and Dallen Ponder (25) celebrate during a game against Dunnellon on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/OG]

Knights will face this year. If the Knights can clean up their penalties, it could be an excellent chance for them remain undefeated at the mid-point in the season and 1-0 in District 6A-5. Vanguard sophomore

for 7:30 p.m.

OTHER AREA FOOTBALL GAMES Sept. 30-Oct. 1 SEPT. 30 North Marion (2-2) at Eastside 7 p.m.

OCT. 1 Eastland Christian at St. John Lutheran (1-2) 7 p.m. West Port (0-5) at Lake Brantley 7 p.m. Belleview (4-1) at Springstead 7:30 p.m. Trinity Catholic (2-2) at Wildwood 7 p.m. Dunnellon (2-2) at Madison County 7:30 p.m. Forest (1-3) at Chiles 7 p.m. Lake Weir (1-3) at Crystal River 7 p.m. Ocala Christian Academy (6-0) at Oasis Christian 7 p.m.

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

REPORT

Ex-Florida coach Newbauer abused players, assistants By Mark Long AP Sports Writer

threw basketballs at players and belittled everyone around him.

GAINESVILLE — Former Florida women's basketball coach Cam Newbauer verbally abused players,

Florida was Newbauer in March 2017, responded in a statement. But Stricklin failed to explain why he kept Newbauer following the allegations or decided to give him a contract extension in February. "At times during Coach Newbauer's tenure, there Newbauer were concerns brought to our attention," Stricklin said. "Each time, additional information was sought, and these concerns were addressed directly with Cam as we required corrective actions and outlined clear expectations of behavior moving forward. "Additionally, the UAA provided enhanced administrative oversight and presence within the program and sought anonymous feedback directly from student-athletes and

creating a toxic environment according to a report by The Independent Florida Alligator. The Alligator, a student-run university, spoke to several former players and some of their parents before detailing the alleged abuse Monday. Newbauer "resigned" in mid-July for "personal reasons," a stunning move that came six contract extension. His departure Lavender Briggs entered the transfer portal. athletic director Scott Stricklin named Kelly Rae Finley interim head coach for the 2021-22 season. Stricklin plans to hire a permanent replacement following the season. But the Alligator's reporting raised questions about how Stricklin, associate athletic director Lynda Tealer and even Finley reacted – or failed to take action – to Newbauer's repeated violations of University Athletic Association policy. Former players said Newbauer made racist remarks,

the required improvements, and following discussions with Coach Newbauer, he made the decision to resign." Newbauer, a 43-year-old Indiana native, went 46-71 overall and 15-47 in Southeastern Conference play, including three three-win seasons in four years at Florida.

Dunnellon wins second straight Continued from B1

Trent Townsend again kept it himself to punch it through the defensive line from the threeyard line for the touchdown. Missing the two-point conversion, the Tigers led the game at the 9:19-mark of the second quarter, 6-0. Forest would drive the possession, but the Dunnellon the Wildcats in the red zone until they turned the ball over on downs. Thanks to a stout defense, Dunnellon would carry its sixForest quarterback Nathan Gibboney would throw an interception to Dunnellon’s Arrieon High at the 10:58-mark of the third quarter. Just more than a minute later, LJ Fitzpatrick would take the add score the Tigers’ second touchdown. Brody Luckey punched in the two-point conversion to make it 14-0. Dunnellon would nab another errant Gibboney pass before

the end of the third quarter, and Fitzpatrick would score another turnover to make it 20-0. The Wildcats would try to put points on the bord late in the fourth quarter, but Dunnellon’s defensive front once again stopped them near the 20-yard line, forcing Forest to turn the ball over on downs. Dunnellon was able to milk the clock and earn the shutout. Harris said every Friday night is a chance to improve. “I’m just proud of them,” he said. “It’s hard to win. To get ‘W’s is a hard thing and for these guys

HURRICANES SWAMPED

B0VE: Lake Weir's Ishmael Hamilton (6) gets past Belleview's Brandon Frietag (58) in first half action during the match-up in the “War for the Oar”. RIGHT: Belleview's quarterback Ernest Flythe (2) is brought down by Lake Weir’s Jearld Smith (11), Jamauri Jackson (55), and Robert McKinley (17). BELOW: Lake Weir's cornerback Dwayne Reid (12) gets some yards before being brought down by Belleview's King Hubbert (14). The Rattlers beat the Hurricanes 69-6 Photos by Cyndi Chambers/Correspondent

so many guys inexperienced—it’s huge and I’m really proud of them.” The Tigers face a big road test on Oct. 1 as they face Madison County at 7:30 p.m. “It’s always a good thing to take a road trip early in the year,” said Harris. “Especially when you on. To go and do that in the season and play a quality opponent like Madison is something we always like to do. And they’re a great program to play.”

Belleview shows bright spots in home loss as it looked like they would run away with it, the Rattlers patiently clawed their way back. Belleview’s Kahleah Lancaster sent a tip over and the Rattlers could taste a tied it back at 22, Vanguard took a delivered a blazing strike to make it 25-23, and the Knights took set two. Belleview’s Lancaster kept things from getting out of hand too early in the third set, cutting into Vanguard’s lead and making it 10-6. The Knights extended the lead to

14-7 before the Rattlers mounted a small comeback, but Vanguard was just too strong. A strong stretch from Vanguard’s Taylor Cady helped we’ve really been tested in a couple of weeks, and you know we didn’t rise to the challenge,” said Rattlers head coach Lindsay Seek. “But we’ll get better…We’re learning to mesh with each other because there are, a lot of them are new. We don’t have a lot of returning players. It’s like a whole new team.” The Knights are also dealing with

changes as Madison Jacobs, who stepped in at setter, found a dose of “We’re facing a new challenge, girls playing the rotation that they’re not used to, and they’re doing an amazing job,” said Vanguard head coach Luis Perez. “It tells you where we are as a team and what’s gonna happen later on. We have a hard schedule, and that’s gonna just get us better to get for the State series. So, we’re just getting there, step by step, one day at a time, one set at a time, one point at a time.”

Vanguard's Ruby Owen (34) at the net against Belleview's Kahleah Lancaster (7) and Hope Willis (8). The Knights beat the Rattlers in straight sets 25-19, 23, and 14. [Cyndi Chambers/ Correspondent]

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Crusaders plan eventual return to 11-man football Continued from B1 of the football for the entire game. "It's really hard to compete," said Pierce. "Even if we had a pretty good team, we'd get tired in the second half and ultimately lose the game, no matter if we were "And no one wants to play on a team that isn't winning," he added. "How many kids want to play on a team that get their brains beat out on Friday night and still loses by 40? So, we moved to 8-man football to help give our program the best opportunity for success." And success is what they have had. On Aug. 20, the Crusaders opened the season with a close win over Riverside Christian, 28-26. From there, they would roll over Four Corners (60-0) on Aug. 27; All Saints' Academy (22-8) on Sept. 3; Real Life Christian Academy (54-6) on Sept. 10; Foundation Christian Academy (70-0) on Sept. 17; and Four Corners again (62-0) on Sept. 24. The Crusaders competing in the Gulf Division of the Sunshine Conference—which includes 24 teams. "We're playing schools the size that we are now," said Pierce. "Maybe bigger in some cases." is narrower at 40 yards, instead of 53-yards wide. While some of the smaller teams choose to play on an OCA, play on the standard "There's really not much and 11-man football]," said and less defenders, but there's keeps you on your toes." Pierce said his priority is to build a team on character and then branches out to the

"That's the most important thing to us," explained Pierce. "The way we play and the way we behave. Football is just an extension of who we are as individuals." Dropping to 8-man came playing the 11-man version. But it wasn't the only change made.

middle school developmental league, which Pierce said the private school started last year. The middle school levels provide the varsity high school football team with the feeder system it hasn't had for many years. "We were getting kids coming out in ninth grade that had never really played football before," said ForsythAbney. The athletic director further believes that the Crusaders' recent success on more interest in the school in general. "This could be something that could lead to other students in the county that have been sitting on a public school roster, and they may be a team of 60 kids looking at OCA and thinking, 'I'd rather go play football somewhere else,'" she said. "And we're seeing people in our stands that we haven't seen in years," she added, "which has been nice because they're coming to watch us. That's what we want." Ultimately, OCA would like team again, but it doesn't see that change happening anytime soon. "Our goal, in time, is to reach a point where we're able to have the enrollment to produce and maintain an 11-man football team," said Pierce. "We would love to go

TOP: Daniel Young pulls in a pass during a drill. ABOVE: Keiron Williams pulls in a pass in front of Skyler Forella. LEFT: Assistant Coach Daniel Young works with players during practice. The Crusaders are having a remarkable season so far with a record of 6-0. They next face Oasis Christian on the road on Oct. 1. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Photos by Bruce Ackerman/OG

back, but our numbers have got to be up there." Pierce credited his team's approach and attitude to playing 8-man football in 2021 to why the squad is successful. He also believes that his Crusaders team is games might indicate. "I'd say we're at about

60%. That's scary for me as a coach to even say that," he said. With that said, Pierce is fully aware that on any given Friday, his Crusaders could do the one thing they haven't done yet in 2021, and that's lose. "We're capable of getting beat, just like anybody else,"

said Pierce. "And we don't take that for granted. I won't let them take it for granted. But this team has not gotten close to its potential. It still has room to grow." OCA is next scheduled to face Oasis Christian on the road on Oct. 1. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

Trinity Catholic rolls past Vanguard By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com Vanguard had its moments against visiting Trinity Catholic on Sept. 23, but ultimately it couldn’t withstand the barrage of points coming from the defending girls' volleyball state champs. The Celtics (12-2) cruised to the win in three straight sets—(25-13, 2514, 25-17). Reavis said Vanguard is always a challenge—even if the Knights were down a key player in a critical position. “They gave us their best,” said

Reavis of Vanguard (4-10). “All without their setter, who’s one of the best setters in Central Florida.” Junior setter Sophie Reed sat out the game with an injury. Fellow junior Maddie Jacobs took her place. kills. Vanguard head coach Luis Perez his squad. “We only practiced this new rotation yesterday,” said Perez. “We previous rotation]. And we played that rotation for 16 matches…and then they played pretty well. They fought all the way through.” The two teams exchanged points Catholic would ride Kiana LaBorde’s service to score eight straight points, pulling away from the Knights. Trinity Catholic’s Elayna Johnson take set one 25-13. LaBorde had a total of 14 kills in the match, one block and one serving ace. Vanguard opened set two with two straight points, but Trinity Catholic

TOP: Trinity Catholic's Camden Crews (15) makes a dig against Vanguard during a volleyball match at Vanguard High School. Trinity Catholic won the match 3 sets to 0. ABOVE: Trinity Catholic's Emily Hirst (9) and Rose Gravel (2) jump to block a spike from Vanguard's Emma Ehmann (9) [Bruce Ackerman/OG]

own with Camden Crews at the service line. Crews would record two of her six serving aces during the series. The Knights kept it close, but with the score 19-13 against, the Celtics

scored six straight behind Cayleigh Pelletier's serve. Pelletier scored an ace during the rally, which allowed the Celtics to win the second set 25-14. Vanguard again kept it close early in the third set. But with the score at 9-6, Trinity Catholic found its legs and started to move closer to victory. But Vanguard wouldn’t go quietly. With Adyla Kerley serving, the 19-14, late in the third set. However, Trinity Catholic would take the following three points, putting itself back in control, 22-14. The two squads would battle back and forth until the Celtics wrapped it up 25-17 to win the match. Key players for Vanguard included Ronya Hamed, who had two key blocks in a row during the second set. Emma Ehmann had 12 kills. Ruby Trinity Catholic’s Amelia Fitzpatrick led the Celtics with nine kills. Teammate Aariana GravelHoltzclaw had three blocks. Reavis said he’s starting to see his 2020 Class 3A defending state groove. “We’re playing hard out there. We’re doing really good things. We’re trying to get to a point in the season where we’re able to maintain a really strong level of play, and that’s something that we take a lot of pride in,” said Reavis.

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Ocala Champions

Joe Donnelly chips out of a bunker on the 9th hole during the final round.

Bo Williams Ocala City Amateur Championship Golf tournament

Left: Ty O'Shields, who was the winner of the regular flight, putts on the second green. Above: Richard Francis hits his ball from the second tee.

Above: Drew Ditty watches the flight of his ball. Right: Justin Grant chips his ball onto the first green.

Photos by Bruce Akerman/ OG

– James Blevins

“A Higher Standard”

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Mike Murphy, who was the winner of the senior flight, watches the flight of his ball from the 8th tee.

he Bo Williams Ocala City Amateur Championship golf tournament at the Ocala Golf Club on Sept. 25 and 26 included regular, senior (55-plus) and super senior (65-plus) divisions. Ty O’ Shields won the regular flight on Sunday with a combined two-round total of 135 strokes. He hit a 65 over 18 holes on the first day and a 70 in the final round. Mike Murphy won the senior flight with a score of 140 over the two-day tournament, hitting 72 on Saturday and 68 on Sunday. Tom Keedy won the super senior flight with a two-round score of 144 (72-72). Behind O’ Shields in the regular flight was Matt Giovannelli in second place with 137 combined strokes (67-70), followed by Martin Musgrave in third place with 138 (70-68). Richard Weber placed second behind Murphy in the senior flight with a 141 (71-70). Todd Mudge was third with 141 strokes (69-72). In the super senior flight, Andy Padova finished in second place behind Keedy. He shot a two-round 145 (73-72). Berger Warner shot a 146 (74-72) for third.

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OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

SCORE BOARD Football Scores Sept. 24 Forest Dunnellon

0 20

Four Corners Charter Ocala Christian Academy

0 62

Belleview Lake Weir

71 6

Vanguard North Marion

36 19

West Port Hawthorne

20 52

Trinity Catholic Calvary Christian

28 21

Selected Marion County High School

SPORTS RESULTS SEPT. 24-28

Lake Weir Eastside

0 3

Football Scores Sept. 25

Sept. 27

St. John Lutheran 22 Real Life Christian 18 (Minneola Athletic Complex)

West Port Vanguard (14-25, 11-25, 17-25)

Girls’ volleyball scores and stats from Sept. 22-Sept. 28

Vanguard’s Ehmann had 16 kills, three serving aces, one blocked shot and 10 digs. Aria Eisel led the Knights with 13 digs.

Sept. 22 Vanguard Santa Fe (9-25, 13-25, 21-25)

0 3

3 0

St. John Lutheran Trinity Catholic (6-25, 9-25, 19-25)

0 3

St. John’s Kreitenstein led the Saints with five kills. Ashley Downs and Rylee Palmateer both led the team with seven digs a piece.

Trinity Catholic’s Laborde had 14 kills, one serving ace, one blocked shot and 11 digs. Fitzpatrick had nine kills and four digs. Yates once again led the Celtics with 16 digs. Peniel Baptist Academy Ocala Christian Academy (25-19, 25-19, 25-14)

3 0

North Marion Dunnellon

3 0

St. John Lutheran Meadowbrook Academy (25-18, 25-14, 25-9)

3 0

St. John’s Samantha Kreitenstein had 12 kills, seven serving aces and eight digs. Rylee Palmateer had 10 kills, two serving aces and 12 digs. Sara Reese led the Saints with 13 digs. Leon Forest (25-21, 17-25, 27-25, 25-20)

0 3

Sept. 28

Sept. 23 Trinity Catholic Vanguard (25-13, 25-14, 25-17)

Lake Weir The Villages Charter

0 3

3 1

Vanguard Belleview (25-18, 25-23, 25-14)

3 0|

Forest 2 Lake Highland Prep 3 (25-22, 25-21, 20-25, 16-25, 12-15)

12th Place, Nathan Canterberry North Marion (17:35.35)

Belleview, 4th Place (91 points)

13th Place, Cody Canterberry North Marion (17:35.42)

North Marion, 5th Place (117 points)

16th Place, Ryan Elfring Forest (17:50.89)

West Port, 7th Place (170 points)

18th Place, Brian Frias Belleview (18:00.33)

Forest, 8th Place (218 points)

22nd Place, Andrew Bec Trinity Catholic (18:34.58)

Dunnellon, 10th Place (234 points)

28th Place, James Carter Dunnellon (19:16.39)

Girls Varsity Team Results

29th Place, Torie Fairley Trinity Catholic (19:39.18)

(P.K. Yonge won with 78 points out of 10 scoring teams) West Port, 2nd Place (79 points) Trinity Catholic, 6th Place (139 points) Forest, 7th Place (162 points) Belleview, 8th Place (163 points)

Boys Varsity 5K Individual Top-50 Results

1 3

Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country

3rd Place, Byiza Ntozo North Marion (16:51.03) 5th Place, Mark Willis Belleview (17:03.04)

Trinity Catholic 9th Annual Invitational Sept. 25 (Ocala, FL.)

6th Place, Cedric McFadden Trinity Catholic (17:10.53)

Boys Varsity Team Results (The Villages won with 80 points out of 13 scoring teams)

11th Place, Andrew Petrella Trinity Catholic (17:22.65)

(Llia Byron of The Villages won in 20:36.48) 3rd Place, Mia White West Port (20:47.59) 6th Place, Natalie Nelson West Port (21:24.82) 7th Place, Skylar Moore Trinity Catholic (22:12.32) 9th Place, Christina Seecharan Belleview (22:16.31) 12th Place, Jordan Mclean Forest (22:29.34) 16th Place, Kiley Summerlin, Belleview (22:39.45) 18th Place, Emma Bowman Forest (22:44.05)

32nd Place, Jon Rosa Lake Weir (19:48.82) 34th Place, Raphael Piccola West Port (19:57.49) 35th Place, Caleb Lombardo West Port (20:00.25) 37th Place, Shaun Morris Belleview (20:06.00)

Luis Cruzado Belleview (16:11.30)

Forest’s Emma Truluck led the Wildcats with 19 kills. North Marion Citrus (6-25, 24-26, 25-23, 20-25)

Trinity Catholic, 3rd Place (89 points)

Girls Varsity 5K Individual Top50 Results

38th Place, Colby Jones West Port (20:07.96) 40th Place, Edwin Jett Green Trinity Catholic (20:15.90) 41st Place, Carlos Gomez Trinity Catholic (20:22.06) 42nd Place, Brooks Ferguson North Marion (20:30.00) 43rd Place, Bryce Blalock West Port (20:30.48) 46th Place, Julian Mendez Trinity Catholic (20:42.33) 49th Place, Michael Bundrick Dunnellon (20:48.96)

23rd Place, Anna Fosen West Port (23:18.15) 25th Place, Hillevi Richardson West Port (23:20.28) 26th Place, Kaelee Smith Trinity Catholic (23:27.22) 28th Place, Mia LeRoux West Port (23:30.03) 35th Place, Kieley Bateman Trinity Catholic (23:49.94) 41st Place, Quiriat Dubon North Marion (24:25.66) 42nd Place, Peyton Brennan Trinity Catholic (24:55.30) 43rd Place, Ruth Taddeo Belleview (25:02.79) 44th Place, Ava Crews Trinity Catholic (25:03.06) 45th Place, Ansley Smith Trinity Catholic (25:09.88) 46th Place, Taylor Woodham St. John Lutheran (25:11.49) 47th Place, Anna Wilson Forest (25:12.48) 49th Place, Kaitlyn Roth West Port (25:53.57) Results were gathered from Maxpreps.com and Flrunners.com. Compiled by James Blevins

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The Diva

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OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

People, Places & Things

Baskerville A Sherlock Holmes Mystery

Appreciate your fall wildflowers By Jennifer Odom Special to the Ocala Gazette Fall has arrived with its clear high skies. Temps have cooled, if only by a few degrees, and the air is crisper and more breathable in the mornings. Neighbors will soon be burning leaves, and football games are back. New Floridians, accustomed to the beautiful and dramatic seasonal changes back home might bemoan the lack of change down here. Truth is, evidence of fall can already be detected among the roadside plants. Jump in the car and let’s see what the natives see. Take a casual ride in the country. If you’re fortunate enough to live in a natural area,

The Insomniac Theatre's production of Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery at the Reilly Arts Center runs from Thursday, Sept. 30 to Saturday, Oct. 2 with show times at 7:30 p.m. Saturday's performance also includes a matinee at 3 p.m. [Bruce Ackerman/OG] Above: Jon Seufert as Watson, Stephen Bratcher as Inspector Lestrade and Alan J. Hickey as Sherlock Holmes, left to right. Left: Stephen Bratcher as Inspector Lestrade, left, and Holly Sherwood as Miss Stapleton, right. Bottom: Alan J. Hickey as Sherlock Holmes, center, rehearses a scene with Sydney Rafferty, left, and Holly Sherwood, right.

treasures. One of my favorites is the ordinary broomsedge, or Andropogon virginicus. At this time of year this two-foot-high grass appears randomly in small clumps along the roadside, especially in sandy or infertile areas. Its tall seed stalks are sleek and green with occasional in fall arrangements. Broomsedge can also be harvested for dyes and medicinal uses. When I was in elementary school (our school was bordered by wild areas and fence lines) the boys would shoot the spear-like seeds at the girls and send them running. Showy crotalaria, Crotalaria spectabilis, is another favorite of mine, with its bright yellow feet tall. As kids we loved to squeeze the green seed pods, or “poppers.” When shaken, the dried pods made a nice noise too, hence the other name rattlebox. I hope you scope out some patches of Crotalaria this fall, but whether green or dried, Crotalaria and especially its seeds are toxic to all livestock. Because of this, when I was little, my sister, in hopes of getting a horse, took it of this weed. She eventually got her horse, but that’s another story. Another roadside bloomer is lantana. Found just about everywhere along the road, lantana, or Lantana strigocamara can reach up to six feet tall and is covered with one-inch clusters of mixed gold, pink and red blooms. This mintyscented plant and its berries, which resemble blackberries, are toxic. It is also an invasive, so avoid digging it up to take home. purchase the endangered Lantana depressa See Florida Fall, page C2

Meant to Last Local couple celebrates 50 years of marriage with a vow renewal celebration in honor of the health struggles they have endured together By Beth Whitehead Special to the Ocala Gazette

50 faithful, though some painful, years. Thanks to Wish Upon a Wedding and the generosity of local vendors, Belinda and her husband Michael renewed their vows last month at a beautiful and entirely donated ceremony. and vow renewals for couples who have faced serious illnesses or life altering circumstances. The couples receive a celebration completely donated by the local vendors in their community. When Belinda saw the email saying they had been chosen, the exhilaration that Wish Upon a Wedding had granted them a vow renewal. “That was a fun morning,” Belinda said. “I had to wake Mike up and drag him out here to show him.” resulting in hallucinations, memory loss, and loss of certain movement control, and Michael has had to have a feeding tube inserted into his stomach due to the See Enduring love, page C2

[Katelyn Virginia Photography]

At 9 a.m. the morning of August 29, Belinda Atherton arrived at the hair salon. The hairdresser was instructed to primp those brown and gray waves into a

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Enduring love “She’s always been there for me no matter

“Belinda’s still the same person I fell in love with. I’m just blessed, I don’t know what to say.” -Michael Atherton

her and help her to help me.” Renewing their vows was to Belinda and Michael almost a sacred thing. When they gave their vows that day back in 1971 at the tender ages of 17 and 19, it wasn’t just to each other — couple exchanged vows for the second time, with 50 years of life behind them — 50 years of Dear.” Then they took pictures and danced. And danced and danced and danced. “That’s my favorite thing to do at weddings,” grandchildren that were there — the boys — and Penny Baird from Blessed Magnolia Event Planning who planned the Atherton’s vow renewal rejoiced at the opportunity to help in the sweet celebration. “They were just in awe of each other,” she that they could look at each other and know almost what the other was thinking.” With 50 years comes knowing the person you married, but with it also comes a sense of “You are standing there for the other person no matter what,” Belinda said, “because that’s When Belinda and Michael said “Until death do us part” in 1971, they meant it, and despite the intense health struggles both have endured, they have been at each other’s side through it all.

All photos courtesy of Katelyn Virginia Photography

know what to say.”

Florida Fall Flower Frenzy at your native plant store instead. By adopting and cultivating the native you’ll help rebuild its numbers. Lantana strigocamara is still food for many wild critters, especially bees and admire its beauty. Yellow goldenrod, or Solidago, is also prevalent this season. Who hasn’t heard of Thomas Edison’s search for a native source of latex using goldenrod? These grow to three feet high. The pointy-topped blooms are a rich haven for bees and other pollinators. Since the pollen is sticky and heavy and does not blow far from the plant, goldenrod is no longer deemed the serious allergen problem it once was. further research. Have you noticed the horsemint, or Monarda puntata clustered at the base of fenceposts? Known also as bee-balm or wild mint, its showy bracts grow in clusters of pale pink, purple, or cream, and the surrounding greenery. Tiny, hard-tois related to thyme, basil, rosemary and oregano, and Native Americans used it to treat colds, skin problems, fevers and headaches. Spanish needle, or Bidens alba with its yellow center and white petals is by far

its needle-like seeds cling to socks and pants, and most consider it a pest. But did you know this plant is edible and

From top: Callicarpa americana, Lantana strigocamara, Bidens alba

explore more. beautyberry or Callicarpa americana for last with its long arching branches and purple berry clusters arranged like shish kabobs among the leaves. Look for this beauty is on display now. Once you see this spectacle you will not forget it.

out this week from the plant in my back any wild plant, do your own research. Make sure you have the right bush. One can be sensitive or allergic to the berries or leaves. is its leaves can be crushed and rubbed some with water and made a green juice. cautious regarding potential allergies. What a rich abundance. Now, along with our natives, new Floridians can catch beauty and resources that surround us. Just think, by identifying these few plants you will have learned at least seven new things today. Enjoy your explorations. hearthandvine.com/beautyberry-jelly/ Jennifer Odom is an avid gardener and an Ocala-based author. Her latest novel “Girl with a Black Soul” was recently released. For information visit jenniferodom.com

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Preschoolers gifted handmade quilts by local sewing group By Katrina Cabansay Special to the Ocala Gazette Reddick-Collier Pre-K teacher Nicole Lambert didn’t expect much when she noticed the large bags waiting in her classroom. The principal told her a few weeks prior that a local group called the Sewing Bees wanted to make quilts for her class, and seeing no harm in the idea, she accepted. Shock overtook her as she untied the blue ribbons sealing in the handmade treasures. “When I opened the bag and saw all these quilts, I took some of them out and couldn’t believe it. It looked priceless, like something you’d have designed,” Lambert said. She sat in awe as the handmade her, each one distinct yet equally laden with love. Motifs of everything from Mouse turned up during her unpacking, and she even discovered small pillows and bags in the mix, also handmade. “I just kept thinking, ‘There’s more, there’s more, there’s one for every child,’” Lambert said. “This group … I think of them all the time. The hours, the conversations they must’ve been having, all the love they put into this.” group, the Sewing Bees have volunteered long time. Established during the ‘80s, the group has spent decades making handmade quilts for children in need, typically creating small pillows and carrying bags to go with them. All its members are residents of On Top of the World, and they regularly donate to several organizations such as Head Start and the Marion County Children’s Alliance, giving around 500 to 600 quilts

annually across the Marion County area. Sewing Bees Vice President Marsha Schneer said the group’s main goal is to make kids happy. “We’re paying it forward,” Schneer said. “We have no grandkids that are young enough to sew for, but we still like to sew. In Lambert’s Pre-K classroom, the quilts excited the 4- and 5-year-olds. They picked their own quilts, and Lambert used the pillows and carrying bags to put together reading bags for the class. Each bag contained a quilt, pillow and bag created by the Sewing Bees as well as a children’s book and resources for parents on fostering a love of reading in their kids. The quilts also gave Lambert, who has been at Reddick-Collier for 17 years, the chance to teach her students about the impact of random intentional kindness. “When I asked them how it made them feel, an overwhelming response was ‘special,’” Lambert said. “And I said, ‘How good does that feel? Wouldn’t it be nice to make everyone feel special?’” One parent, Kaela Hernandez, said her son Caiden rushed to lay down with it once he brought his quilt home. It’s “Every night he needs his blanket,” Hernandez said. “It’s so special to him.” The class is already working on their own “quilt” to give back to the Sewing Bees. While their patchwork is made of paper and pictures, Lambert said she hopes it makes the group feel as appreciated as their quilts made her students feel. “It can change your whole perspective, and it’s inspired me to keep that in mind,” Lambert said. “When you’re going through life, always think how you have to make someone else feel special.”

Above: Omar Oropeza, Jr., 4, rests on his space-themed quilt crafted by the Sewing Bees. Above right: a thank you note that Caiden's mother wrote to the Sewing Bees group. She says that the blanket is now a constant in his life. Right: Jordyn Richardson, 5, holds up her multicolor quilt crafted by the Sewing Bees. Her quilt features colored tiles and fishpatterned fabric. [Submitted]

Experience matters T

he Robert Boissoneault Oncology Institute has been accredited AGAIN by the American College of Radiology! What does this mean for you, your family, and your friends as patients?

national board, primarily composed of leading academic medical institutions, whose focus is to objectively identify optimum medical care. One of the board’s responsibilities thoroughly evaluates radiation treatment delivered within comprehensive cancer centers. Technical sophistication as well as treatment accuracy are demanding, with very few achieving ACR standards. On The Villages campus, the Robert O N O NC TI O A Boissoneault Oncology Institute stands as the I D ONLY radiation cancer facility so recognized... continually for 25 years! PA R T N E R S I N Q UA L I T Y Why on earth would you or a loved one accept less than this level of excellence? You C I R deserve cancer care subjected to rigorous E IL T

AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR R A D I AT I O N O N CO LO G Y

DI TED FAC

just solid endorsement from a most credible source. Your life...and those you love...depend upon it.

Patient-centered radiation oncology close to home The Villages 352.259.2200 / Ocala 352.732.0277 / Lecanto 352.527.0106 Inverness 352.726.3400 / Timber Ridge 352.861.2400 / RBOI.com Like us on Facebook

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

‘Belly Rub Recipes’ benefit shelter pets By Rosemarie Dowell Special to the Ocala Gazette A new fundraising the Humane Society of Marion County (HSMC) has a lot of doggone delicious recipes and purr-fectly sweet stories from previous adopters about their beloved pet. The 150-page book, "Belly Rub Recipes,” is the brainchild of Amanda Thurber, HSMC director of humane education, who took the idea of a fundraising cookbook and put a tailspin on it. “It’s more than just a typical cookbook,” said Thurber, a native of Philadelphia who created and designed using the graphic design platform Canva. Phillips Graphics of Ocala handled the printing. “I thought it would be cool if we could get previous adopters to submit recipes and write a story about their pet too.” “Besides great recipes, there’s also a lot of heartwarming stories of love in it,” she said. “They will make you laugh, cry and give you overall joy knowing how much these rescued pets are loved by their families.” Thurber, who’s been at HSMC for six years, started the project last November amid a slowdown in outreach programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it didn’t willing to contribute to the book. “It was amazing,” she said. “So many people were willing to participate; they wanted to share their story with others.” Quite a few of the entries were from people the Humane Society hadn’t spoken to in a couple said Thurber. Addie Clow was one of them. The retired teacher adopted her shelter in 2012, when he was just a few months old and part of a litter. She said Oakley picked her. “He walked over to me with his tail down in a submissive way and looked at me, and that was all it took,” said Clow. “Those eyes just melted my heart.” Since taking him home, the Ocala resident said Oakley, who now weighs 100 pounds, has given her nothing but joy. You can read Clow and Oakley’s story, and see her recipe for guacamole, on page 93 of “Belly Rub Recipes.” “He’s part of my family; I can’t imagine not having him,” said Clow. “I call him My Little Pony because he’s so big and tall.” Sept. 1, and features traditional and vegan recipes. Each entry features a picture of the contributor’s rescued pet along

with their favorite recipe on the opposite page. The Humane Society will celebrate the book’s release with a party from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2 at Kimberden Farm. The event will include a the book. Animals will be available for adoption and the book will be on sale. Katrina Roberts, the author of the children’s book “How We Met our Mommy,” who’s also a sensation on Dodo, a YouTube channel for animal lovers, will be a special guest at the event, said Thurber. “She adopted her two dogs, Kairo and Willow, from us and the book is about them,” said Thurber. Monies raised from the sale of the cookbook will go towards humane education programs and activities through its mobile education unit, The Magic Bark Bus, said Thurber. donations over the past year due to the pandemic,” she said. “Sales of the cookbook will help us fund our programs.” The organization also has two other upcoming fundraisers. Its 3rd Annual Trunk or Treat will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion and will feature games, costume contests and more. “The decorated trunks are always amazing and the kids always have so much fun,” said Thurber. Also, a dinner and magic/ comedy show, featuring the 2018 Florida Magician of the Year, Todd Bogue, will take place Nov. 13 at the Ocala Moose Lodge. Meanwhile, Thurber said she hopes the book adequately conveys the vital role the Humane Society plays in matching up animals with their fur-ever homes each year. “There’s a lot of love behind what we do,” she said. For more information about the Humane Society of Marion County, visit thehsmc.org.

If You Go The book release party will be Noon-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2 at Kimberden Farm, 5400 NW recipes from the book. Animals will be available for adoption and the book will be on sale. The Trunk or Treat event will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, 2232 NE Jacksonville Road. The cost is $5 per person; kids 12 and under are free. The dinner and magic/comedy show will be 5 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Ocala Moose Lodge, 10035 U.S. Highway 441, Belleview. Tickets for the event are $20 each and will include a chicken dinner. A kid’s meal will also be available.

Sudoku is played on a grid of 9 x 9 spaces. Within the rows and columns are 9 “squares” (made up of 3 x 3 spaces). Each row, column and square repeating any numbers within the same row, column or square.

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Community

Now-The Championship Show 10/24

10/2

UniversAbility Pageant

10/3

Ocala Cars & Coffee

10/4

Diabetes Self-Management Class

10/4

Monday Morning Books & Coffee

Monday Matinee

10/1

Customer Appreciation Day

10/4

10/1 -3

10/5

Tuesday Talks

Oktoberfest

10/5

As the Page Turns Book Club

10/5

COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic

10/5

COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic

10/5

The Shores Market

World Equestrian Center, 1390 NW 80th Ave. All day

10/1, 4-8

COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic

10/1

Marion Oaks Farmers Market

Department of Health Marion County, 1801 SE 32nd Ave.

Marion County Friday Market

10/1 -3

Timberline Farm Fall Festival

10/2

War Horse Harley-Davidson, 5331 N U.S. Highway 441

Marion Oaks Community Center, 294 Marion Oaks Lane

10/1

10/2

One Health Center, 1714 SW 17th Ave.

Belleview Public Library, 13145 SE County Highway 484, Belleview

McPherson Government Complex, 601 SE 25th Ave.

Timberline Farm, 3200 SE 115th St., Belleview

Ocala Electric Utility, 151 SE Osceola Ave.

World Equestrian Center, 1390 NW 80th Ave.

Master Gardeners Fall Plant Sale

Fort McCoy Public Library, 14660 NE County Highway 315, Fort McCoy

Ocala Public Library, 2720 E Silver Springs Blvd.

Ocala Metro Chamber & Economic Partnership, 310 SE Third St.

Freedom Public Library, 5870 SW 95th St.

UF/IFAS Extension Marion County, 2232 NE Jacksonville Road

Horizon Academy at Marion Oaks, 365 Marion Oaks Drive

Cops & Cars

Ocala Police Department, 402 S Pine Ave. Dunnellon Middle School, 21005 Chestnut St., Dunnellon

10/2 -3

Sunshine State Open Pleasure Show

10/2

Ocala Downtown Market

10/6

1 Million Cups Ocala

10/2

NamaSitStay Yoga

10/6

Shop Talk

10/2

Cookbook Release Party

10/6

Genealogy Help Center

10/6

Wednesday Midday Market

10/7

Farmers Market

10/2

Florida Horse Park

310 SE Third St.

Tuscawilla Park, 829 NE Sanchez Ave.

Silver Springs Shores Community Center, 590 Silver Road

Power Plant Business Incubator, 405 SE Osceola Ave.

College of Central Florida Ewers Century Center, 3001 SW College Road

Kimberden Farms

Ocala Public Library, 2720 E Silver Springs Blvd.

Hispanic Senior Wellness Fair

Citizens’ Circle, 151 SE Osceola Ave.

Family Pizza Party

Fort King National Historic Landmark, 3925 E Fort King St.

Ocala Downtown Market, 310 SE Third St.

Circle Square Commons, 8405 SW 80th St.

10/7

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Amelia Earhart: The Sky’s the Limit

Master the Possibilities Live Oak Hall, 8415 SW 80th St., Suite 2 10:30am-12pm

10/3

Let’s Paint Pumpkins

10/4

Watercolor Painting

10/4

Painting Open in 2-D Traditional Media

10/4

Pastel

10/4

Meet the Artist

10/7

Art Talk

10/7

Coffee, Cake & Community

10/7

Soapmaking Class

Visit masterthepossibilities.org for registration and more information.

10/7

Soundtrack of Your Life

Southeastern Livestock Pavilion An evening of live music with dueling pianos Felix And Fingers 291-5143 for tickets and more information.

Now

-10/18

Now

-10/24

Arts The Game of Life

Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave. Monday-Friday 8am-5pm This new exhibit features works by Jacksonville-based illustrator and painter Elena Øhlander, who explores identity, gender issues, individuality and pop culture with a Japanese

Highlights from the Equine Collection

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd. Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday noon-5pm This exhibit of works from the permanent collection highlights horses. Visit appletonmuseum.org for more information.

Now -11/7

A Breeze Through Fertile Gardens

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd. Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday noon-5pm This collection of paintings and drawings by Andrew M. Grant Visit appletonmuseum.org for more information.

Now -1/2/ 2022

Alison Saar: Works from the Permanent Collection

10/1

Works

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd. Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday noon-5pm This exhibit of printed works curated from the Appleton’s collection showcases Alison Saar, an internationally acclaimed artist who incorporates spiritual and political themes. Visit appletonmuseum.org for more information.

Ocala Recreation and Parks Administration, 828 NE Eighth Ave. 9am-5pm Last day to see the art exhibit showcasing the works of Aliye Cullu, a painter and graphic designer who specializes in plein more information.

10/1

10/128

10/4

Greater than 17

10/130

Nature in the Balance

10/1

First Friday Art Walk

Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 SW Broadway St. 10am-5pm Tuesday-Friday, 11am-4pm Saturdays Marion Cultural Alliance’s new exhibition is an immersion in

Stroll artist displays and enjoy free hands-on family art the season. Nino Casteneda will perform live at the gazebo and musicians including My Uncle’s Friend and The Allens will play throughout downtown. In inclement weather the event

10/12

Baskerville

10/2

Free First Saturday

Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St. 7:30pm Insomniac Theatre Company opens their season of live

La Cuisine French Restaurant, 48 SW First Ave. 5-7pm Featured artist Irene Salley’s oil landscape paintings of north central Florida are part of the new Gallery 118 @ La Cuisine concept. The event will include live music, wine and appetizers and reservations are limited. Call (352) 300-0585.

College of Central Florida Webber Gallery, 3001 SW College Road 12:30-1:30pm

NOMA Gallery, 939 N Magnolia Ave. 1-4pm Need a new space for inspiration? Bring your current project and enjoy some together time with other creatives. Visit

The Juniper General Store, 6998 U.S. Highway 27 7-9pm

Government Marion County Development Review Committee 9am

Marion County Board of Adjustment Variances

10/5

Marion County Board of Commissioners

10/5

Marion County Public Hearing

10/5

Ocala City Council

fauna of Florida and South America. The opening reception will be October 1 from 5-7pm. Visit mcaocala.org for more information.

Ocala Downtown Square

Rainbow Springs Art, 20804 W Pennsylvania Ave., Dunnellon 1-3pm Beginner through advanced students are invited to join a though course in pastels. Classes continue every Monday through November 8. Visit rainbowspringsart.com for more information.

10/4

impact on 20th-century art and attracted well-known artists at 1 from 5-7pm. For details, visit cf.edu or call (352) 854-2322,

Rainbow Springs Art, 20804 W Pennsylvania Ave., Dunnellon 1-3pm Students are invited to bring their own painting projects in acrylics, oils, watercolors or pastels. Classes continue every Monday through November 8. Visit rainbowspringsart.com for more information.

subdivision master plans, preliminary plats, improvement plans

College of Central Florida Webber Gallery, 3001 SW College Road 10am-4pm Monday-Thursday Tyrus Clutter, features works by more than 150 artists who

Rainbow Springs Art, 20804 W Pennsylvania Ave., Dunnellon 10am-12pm Instructor Michelle Curry will lead beginner through advanced participants to expand their creativity and skills. Classes continue every Monday through November 8. Visit rainbowspringsart.com for more information.

through the process of soapmaking, choosing fragrances and

ART-CALA

Barbara Gaskin Washington Adult Activity Center, 210 NW 12th Ave. 9am-4pm Last day to see artworks from Art Army Ocala, created by participants at the First Friday Art Walks during 2020-2021.

Gallery B Ocala, 405 E Silver Springs Blvd. 2-4:30pm Local artist and Gallery B co-owner Julie Shealy will lead a class for a limited number of students, no experience necessary. Email jshealyart@gmail.com to register or get more information.

Growth Services Training Room, 2710 E. Silver Springs Blvd. 2pm

McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave. 9am Call (352) 438-2323 for more information.

McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave. 2pm

Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave. and virtual 5pm information.

10/5

Belleview City Commission

City Hall Commission Room, 5343 SE Abshier Blvd., Belleview Call (352) 245-7021 for more information.

10/6

Dunnellon City Council Workshop

10/7

Marion County Development Review Committee Staff Meeting

Dunnellon City Hall, 20750 River Drive, Dunnellon 5:30pm

reillyartscenter.com for tickets.

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 and create hands-on art in the Artspace. Visit appletonmuseum.org for more information.

8:30am Applicants may discuss proposed or current projects with more information.

10/2

Classics and Cocktails

Marion Theatre, 50 S Magnolia Ave. 5pm Norma(n)’s Sour. Visit mariontheatre.org for details.

10/7

Ocala Municipal Arts Commission

Magnolia Art Xchange, 531 NE First Ave. 4pm

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR 1

10:30am Brandon Dull Ocala Downtown Market

World Equestrian Center Yellow Pony

Shuckin’ Shack

6pm Michelle Ingrham

6pm Brandon Dull

7pm Miranda Madison

7pm

6pm Tim McCaig World Equestrian Center Yellow Pony

8pm Becca

10:30am Miranda Madison

6:30pm World Equestrian Center Yellow Pony

The Corkscrew

6pm Brandon Dull Bank Street Patio Bar

Orange Blossom Opry

7pm Shadow Ridge Band

7pm

11am Terrace on the Square

On Top of the World Town Square

The Corkscrew

Locos Grill & Pub

7pm

6pm Shuckin’ Shack

Horse & Hounds

6pm

La Cuisine

6pm Grass Campers

6:30pm Becky Sinn

6pm Ocala Downtown Square

Bank Street Patio Bar

7pm Orange Blossom Showcase Orange Blossom Opry

Then....and Now

Above: The statue of Chief Osceola is one of the iconic features of Silver Springs. The statue is seen in a 1965 photo when the site was home to the attraction that drew people worldwide to ride the glassbottom boats. [Florida State Archives]

Right: Julia Woodward, the CEO of the Florida State Parks Foundation, looks at the statue of Chief Osceola in August. The statue shows its patina from almost 60 years in the Florida elements. The area is now the Silver Springs State Park, and while many of the attractions are gone, the statue and the glass-bottom boats remain. [Bruce Ackerman/OG]

Answers for pages C4

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

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