Ocala Gazette | October 8 - 14, 2021 by Magnolia Media Company

RESPONSE TIMES A 4-part series

OCTOBER 8 - OCTOBER 14, 2021

Next installment of our series takes a look at MCFR, page A6

VOLUME 2 ISSUE 15

PART ONE

Local businesses adjust to Florida’s new $10 minimum wage By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com Florida’s minimum wage increased from $8.65 an hour to $10 an hour on Sept. 30—representing the largest percentage increase in the state’s history. Accordingly, all employers are required to pay employees at least the new minimum rate of $10 an hour or $6.98 plus tips for tipped employees. It stems from a constitutional amendment to Section 24 of Article X in the Florida Constitution. In November of 2020, 61.3% of Florida voters approved Florida’s

Amendment 2 which increased the state’s minimum wage by $1 every year starting in 2022, to reach $15 an hour by Sept. 30, 2026. Florida last passed a wage amendment in 2004, when 71% of voters raised the wage to $6.15 to be indexed with inflation. By 2026, minimum wage will have increased by nearly 75% in Florida. The state’s measure continues to draw praise by supporters, who say it aligns with a need to create a living wage, and sharp opposition from critics, who counter it will damage the long-term economy. HDG Hotels was one such critic of

Amendment 2 in 2020. As the Sept. 30 deadline loomed, Lisa Lombardo, chief people and culture officer at HDG Hotels, said that the Ocala-based operator didn’t wait but implemented the increase early on instead. “We were well ahead of the deadline and doing what we could to afford the increases that meant that our tenured people needed to be making near to where the new minimum wage was,” said Lombardo. “We wanted to make sure that we continued to be fair to their tenure with us.” See The first, page A2

“The void it leaves is immeasurable, because it was one of the only gay bars around.” Daniel Easterday

Bruce Ackerman/OG

A housekeeper who did not want to be identified, is silhouetted as she makes a bed in a room at the Springhill Suites Marriott in Ocala, on Oct. 5. Hotel workers are a large part of the workforce being affected by the minimum wage being raised to $10 an hour.

Check-in with Superintendent Gullett By Matthew Cretul matthew@ocalagazette.com

Alan Youngblood/Special to the Ocala Gazette

The Copa has been a place of acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community for many years. The building has been sold and the club closed.

LAST DANCE

The Copa Nightclub shut its doors after 15 years as the only all-inclusive LGBTQ+ nightclub in Ocala

By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com

fter 15 years, the only all-inclusive LGBTQ+ nightclub in Ocala, according to OutCoast.com, officially shut its doors on Sept. 30. The Copa Nightclub located on 2330 S. Pine Ave., was one of the few businesses where the gay community of Ocala and Marion County could gather and find themselves completely welcomed and supported. “It was definitely there to support the gay community,” said Reynold Hawk, the original officer of the corporation that owned the Copa, Up and Coming Inc. “And it was a safe haven. Fifteen years ago it was not quite as acceptable in this town

to be gay. But now, thank God, the LGBTQ community can go out and go anywhere and be accepted, which is awesome.” Like many small businesses across the country, the COVID-19 pandemic affected The Copa, but that’s not the only reason Hawk wished to sell the building. “It's several reasons,” he said. “I mean it's just much more frustrating now. You can't find employees. And that's one of the main problems.” Marginalized groups often make their communities wherever they can find them. Bars and local pubs often become the venues of choice. “The traditional gay bar helps increase visibility and acceptance in a community, and is often the first

When classes started for Marion County Public Schools (MCPS) on Aug. 24, 2020, the state of Florida had just recorded its tenth straight day of reporting fewer than 5,000 COVID-19 cases a day and Diane Gullett, the new Superintendent of Schools, had only been on the job a little more than a month and a half as the county’s first appointed superintendent. Fast forward a year and, as students headed back to school on Aug. 10, 2021, the state recorded 151,000 new COVID-19 cases the week prior on Aug. 6. We sat down for an interview with Marion County Superintendent Dianne Gullett where we discussed responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping schools open, the lack of options for delivering instructions to students, the mental health challenges brought on by the pandemic, and her appreciation for the Marion County community, among other topics. During the interview, Gullett recalled the uncertainty brought about by the delta variant of COVID-19 showing up in Central Florida and causing a dramatic spike in cases. “We didn't know what the changing expectations would be from our health experts. We worked very closely with the help department and followed their advisements,” she said. One area she was encouraged by was that of all the mitigation efforts MCPS took in 2020, “We never closed a school a day last year.” Despite the difference in numbers, Gullett said the district followed the same playbook in 2021 as they did in 2020. “We approached this the same way we did last year. One day at a time, one step at a time, listening to our health care professionals to heed their advice,” she said. She lauded the district employees who were ready and willing to do whatever they needed to get underway for the school year. “I think our team has done a phenomenal job,” Gullett stressed. “We all had hoped that the pandemic would have concluded last year, certainly. It did not

See Nightclub, page A8

See Interview, page A4

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Downtown Events................... A3 Belleview ER............................ A3 Keep Sids Safe......................... A7 Sports........................................ B1 Cyrus Rug.................................C1 Calendar................................... C5

OCTOBER 8 - OCTOBER 14, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

The first of six planned raises started on Sept. 30, will reach $15 by 2026 Continued from A1 HDG Hotels always wants to make sure that it is doing right by its employees, said Lombardo, in order to stay competitive with other rates of pay within the industry. “One of our strategic priorities is to be a preferred employer in the industry and in the communities in which we have a presence,” she said. “So, if there's a new plan, new rules, we're going to be there to do all we can to make sure we're positively impacting our team members, while still being able to take care of the property, take care of our guests and, also, our shareholders.” Lombardo said that HDG Hotels didn’t just dip into some secret bucket of revenue to make this adjustment to the minimum wage hike happen. “You have to be extremely strategic and forward-thinking,” she explained. “During [the last year], in addition to the rates of pay, we evaluated our benefits program, and we were able to find a healthier benefits program that costs our team members less. So, you just have to evaluate everything. Our hope was that in finding a more affordable health insurance option for our employees, that didn’t compromise on what it provided, that their net take-home money would again increase.” HDG Hotels’ position is that a low minimum wage is generally designed for lower-skilled positions, and the company typically hires people with experience and thus, already pays a higher wage rate. “I think what people need to remember is that minimum wages are just for your folks who have no experience and are in training. It's a training wage. A lot of us who have healthy cultures and an attractive company, we're hiring people with experience, which typically means you're starting them above that entry level rate of pay.” For companies like HDG Hotels, it was more than just a step up from $8.65 to $10, said Lombardo. It also meant taking on higher costs of doing business. Its claim is that employers would have to pay higher wages and higher taxes on those wages. As a result, they claim that businesses might be forced to let go of staff they can no longer afford to keep on payroll, cut staff hours or raise the prices of their goods and services. Some industries believe that the rise of the minimum wage will lead to significant profit losses as the hospitality and tourism industries recover from the economic devastation

“I think what people need to remember is that minimum wages are just for your folks who have no experience and are in training. It's a training wage.” Lisa Lombardo Chief People and Culture Officer, HDG Hotels

caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. But Lombardo said the company wouldn’t stop and bemoan the situation. It is what it is, she said. “We’re going to focus on what we have that we can control and move on,” said Lombardo. “Our mindset has not changed. There’s just a very significant line item that we’ve had to reimagine and recalculate. We’re not going to dwell on that which we can’t control.” In contrast, no county employees required an increase, as all county employees were above the state minimum wage rate prior to Sept. 30, according to Stacie Causey, public information specialist for the Marion County Board of County Commissioners. Along with increasing the hourly minimum wage rate, the law requires employers display federal and State of Florida employment law posters where employees can easily view them.

“If I want good quality staff, I have to pay more than the other guy. To put a minimum [rate] in there doesn’t make sense. We were already trending up on rates.” Rondo Fernandez Owner of The Mojo Grill and Catering Company

Hotel workers are a large part of the workforce being affected by the minimum wage being raised to $10 an hour. TOP: Roberto Rivera unloads clean laundry into a bin in the laundry room at the Springhill Suites Marriott in Ocala on Tuesday, Oct. 5. ABOVE: Linda Maldonado finishes making a bed in a room at the Springhill Suites Marriott in Ocala. LEFT: Andy Alicea, the chief engineer, left, shows maintenance workers, Malaki Perry, center, and C.J. Radlein, right, how to finish pressurizing the line after changing a filter in the filter room for the pool at the Springhill Suites Marriott in Ocala. Photos by Bruce Ackerman/OG

Seven other states— including California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Massachusetts— have already raised their minimum wage to $15. State and federal policymakers continue to debate the details of the issue. In the meantime, business owners throughout the state are contemplating how a wage increase will affect their business plans. Rondo Fernandez, owner of The Mojo Grill and Catering Company, is afraid that a raise in minimum wage will change the service model. “If I want good quality staff,” said Fernandez, “I have to pay more than the other guy. To put a minimum [rate] in there doesn’t make sense. We were already trending up

on rates. And I think most servers, including our servers, are making pretty good money right now.” Fernandez said he wonders what the service model is going to look like after the minimum wage reaches $15 an hour. Whatever it looks like, he said, he thinks it’s going to cost jobs. The Florida Chamber of Commerce estimated job losses as high as 500,000 after Amendment 2 was passed. The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association said that the minimum wage increase would lead to 158,000 job losses in Florida. Only more time, and five $1 increases to the minimum hourly rate, can tell for sure. “We’re going to maybe

not carry as many staff,” said Fernandez of the future. “We’re trying to figure that out in the restaurant business, but there’s a fine line of having a successful ship…and crashing.” Mostly, Fernandez said he fears that the hospitality industry overall will take a hit it cannot recover from. “I think that hospitality is an artwork,” he said. “I think it’s hard to be a server. Professional serving is something that I've done almost my entire life. And I think it's a true art, I really do. I think with this model, you're going to see places that are just going to go towards automating things and serving is going to become nonexistent. I really don’t want to see that happen.”

OCTOBER 8 - OCTOBER 14, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

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Ocala seeks statutory exemption for alcohol sales downtown during events By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com The Ocala City Council agreed unanimously on Tuesday, Oct. 5, to submit to the Marion County Legislative Delegation a proposed bill that would loosen restrictions for licensed establishments to sell alcohol during downtown events. The bill addresses only alcohol sales inside a specific area defined as the Downtown Ocala Event Zone. The zone runs from the downtown farmer’s market along the Osceola Trak that connects Citizens’ Circle to the rest of the downtown square area, crossing a block over the north side of Silver Springs Boulevard, with a west border along S.W. 2nd Avenue. Historically, by state law, downtown businesses have only been allowed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on their licensed premises. The law prevented event patrons from purchasing alcoholic beverages from downtown establishments and returning to an event, such as a festival with booths set up around the downtown area, for drink consumption. On the other hand, nonprofits that held events downtown were able to pull alcohol permits from the state and city for an event that authorized them to sell drinks to patrons to consume within the event space approved by the agencies. This type of event license only gave authority to the nonprofit hosting the event and left downtown businesses missing out on a revenue opportunity. Some downtown merchants have complained that events can become counter-productive to their business interests when road closures cut off street parking access to their usual customers. Under the proposed bill, licensed alcoholic beverage establishments located in the Downtown Ocala Event Zone could choose to sell alcohol during these events to patrons who could consume the beverage outside of the establishment. Each event that would qualify for this type of special alcohol sales would require obtaining approval from the city council through a public hearing in which the event organizer identifies specific event details and which licensed establishments would be selling in that event zone. Events approved by the council

Meagan Gumpert, 2019

Fine Arts for Ocala (FAFO) Fall Art Festival.

would require a police presence and all alcohol would need to be served and consumed in a special cup unique to the event. Without the statutory exemption this bill would provide, the City of Ocala has to limit events that require street closures in order to reduce the negative financial impact on downtown businesses. “The alcohol is going to be sold anyway, so this gives the downtown businesses the opportunity for their share of that revenue,” said Councilman Jaye Musleh. Musleh asked what other cities had sought this type of exemption. Assistant City Manager Pete Lee cited Celebration Point in Gainesville and the City of Leesburg as having similar measures in place for events. Councilman Ire Bethea asked Lee if the city would impose limitations

on how much alcohol could be served during events. Lee explained that the same rules preventing an establishment from serving an intoxicated person would stay in place. “The Ocala City Council’s vote last night allowed staff to bring the information forward to the Marion County Delegation. For this proposal to move forward, we must receive support from the Delegation and secure a sponsor from both the House and the Senate. Staff will formally present the proposal to the Delegation later this week,” said Ashley Dobbs, spokesperson for the city. However, even if the bill does find support with the Marion County Delegation, it would not be heard by the House and Senate until they meet again in the Spring of 2022.

AdventHealth expands emergency care into Belleview community Ocala Gazette Staff On Sept. 30, leaders at AdventHealth cut the ribbon on a new 13,000-square foot, 24-hour emergency room (ER) located at 6006 S.E. Abshier Blvd. in Belleview The 12-bed facility will be a full-service ER with the ability to transfer patients requiring an extended stay to AdventHealth Ocala for care if needed. The ER will officially open for care on Oct. 12 at 9 a.m. “As our community grows, it’s imperative that we continue to grow and expand our services. We are excited about bringing our connected network of care to families in Belleview and The Villages,” said Joe Johnson, president and CEO of AdventHealth Ocala. “With this new ER, we can provide our brand of whole person care to more families, fulfilling our promise to elevate care for everyone in the Greater Marion County community and beyond.” The $18 million facility will offer a wide array of services from board-certified emergency medicine physicians and nurses who specialize in emergency care for adults and children. Some of the services will include state of the art, on-site diagnostic imaging including x-ray, ultrasound,

Bruce Ackerman/OG

People on a tour look inside the trauma room in the new AdventHealth Belleview Emergency Room on Southeast Abshier Boulevard in Belleview.

CT scans and onsite laboratory services to provide patients with real-time results—leading to more accurate and convenient diagnosis and treatment. “AdventHealth Belleview ER will be home to some of the best doctors and nurses in emergency care,” said Dr. Michael Torres, chief medical officer of AdventHealth Ocala. “Whether you’re having chest

pain or a critical injury, we have the experts ready and waiting to care for you when you need us most.” The new emergency room is expected to provide approximately 100 jobs in Marion County. It will be AdventHealth’s second offsite emergency room in Marion County—the hospital system also operates AdventHealth TimberRidge ER in Ocala.

OCTOBER 8 - OCTOBER 14, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Interview with Gullett Continued from A1 and so there's been some as an option would different challenges this have been a benefit to “We've had quite lengthy year associated with the district. work sessions. We've been the new delta variant. “I would like to It moved much more have more support in very transparent about quickly and as we terms of allowing us what we're hearing, what opened our doors in the to have more choice fall there was quite a challenges we're facing and programs, such as the change from summer learning, for what steps we're taking. We innovative school. So, the team had our students and our to adapt very quickly to will continue to do that so families,” she said. deal with spread in the One area she has that everyone is aware of schools and absences focused on is not simply what that looks like. associated with required how the students are quarantines.” learning, but also how - Diane Gullett Gullett noted the they’re faring during district was clear the pandemic. throughout the process “I think the mental of deciding how to was in place for all 67 school health aspect is going to be proceed. districts, is no longer in place significant. We are already “We've had quite lengthy this year. It's not funded,” she seeing that there is significant work sessions. We've been very said. need. We've already increased transparent about what we're She also said that while support in that area and will hearing, what challenges we're many kids responded to inneed to continue to support facing and what steps we're person learning, there was a each child,” she said. taking. We will continue to do contingent who took to the She does see, though, that so that everyone is aware virtual option. where students who are of what that looks like,” she “For the majority of living through COVID-19 are explained. our students, being in our learning how to adjust in ways Although the sessions have traditional setting in brick previous generations might been long and sometimes and mortar is the optimal not have. draining, Gullett is grateful, way to learn. However, we did “The children who have she said, for how she has learn that we had a number of been through this pandemic been able to work alongside students that were successful are learning to be very members of the MCPS School in the synchronous online resilient,” Gullett offered. Board. program,” she stated. “They have learned to adapt to “I'm appreciative of Having teaching and challenges easier.” my board. They've been a instructional delivery options, That adaptation is also tremendous source of support according to Gullett, allows taking place for the students through this whole process,” MCPS to provide its students who opted to learn from home. she said. with the most ideal situations “We have some kids coming One change between 2020 to learn, however, “It is our back that haven't been in a and 2021 is the availability, responsibility to make sure learning environment in a year or lack thereof, of alternate that students are thriving in and a half. You go back to last methods for delivering whatever learning modalities year when they were [last] in instruction to students. they are in.” a classroom,” Gullett pointed Gullett pointed out one helpful While Gullett said the out. program available in 2020 is state was generous enough to Gullett said she looked no longer an option. work with them on potential for ways to help with that “MCPS Online, the funding issues, she also said adjustment and found one in innovative learning model that having MCPS Online available a position she created to help

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Bruce Ackerman/OG

Superintendent of Marion County Public Schools, Dr. Diane Gullett, listens during the Marion County School Board meeting in May 2021.

bridge the gap between the district and students’ homes. “Last year I added home school liaisons in every school. So, this year there is a home school liaison. That person is someone who the school staff has hired to be the liaison with families. How do we help connect them with academic gaps, how do we help connect them with community resources to help the whole family unit and help the child become a stronger student?” she explained. She also found ways to bridge the gaps between the district and community stakeholders. “We do have such a really generous community,” she noted. “We've hired a community engagement director who's helping to align and connect resources in our community that will best serve our students.”

Gullett offered praise for district employees who, she said, showed how much they cared about the schools and students. “It's really the staff to be commended for stepping up when their colleagues are out and there are fewer people carrying the load,” she offered. “They have a really stepped forward to handle that, to be very agile, and adapt throughout the whole process.” ”We haven’t let the pandemic define us,” Gullett added. “I'm most proud of the fact that in spite of all the challenges that we're facing, as is everyone else in our community, that we still take very seriously the fact that we have students in front of us every day. They don't get a chance to get this time back, so we have to maximize their learning to the fullest extent possible.”

OCTOBER 8 - OCTOBER 14, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Measuring

Photos by James Lucas/Special to the Gazette

Marion County Fire, and the variables within 1,663 square miles Editor’s note: This series will explore the response times of Ocala Fire Rescue, Ocala Police Department, Marion County Fire Rescue, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Officials will explain how their different departments 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 Despite an annual jump of almost 12,000 calls within the last five years, the call response times of Marion County Fire Rescue (MCFR) did not substantially increase. MCFR adopts the National Fire Protection Association 1720 standards, targeting response times at nine minutes in urban settings, ten minutes in suburban settings, and 14 minutes in rural settings. In fiscal year 15/16 MCFR responded to 74,722 calls in with 90th percentile times of 11 minutes seven seconds in urban settings, 11 minutes 58 seconds in suburban areas, and 14 minutes 13 seconds in rural areas. In fiscal year 16/17, MCFR responded to 79,568 calls with 90th percentile times of 11 minutes 26 seconds in urban settings, 12 minutes 12 seconds in suburban areas, and 14 minutes 23 seconds in rural areas. In fiscal year 17/18, MCFR responded to 79,570 calls with 90th percentile times of 11 minutes 23 seconds in urban settings, 11 minutes 41 seconds in suburban areas, and 14 minutes two seconds in rural areas. In fiscal year 18/19, MCFR responded to 83,063 calls with 90th percentile times of 11 minutes 25 seconds in urban settings, 11 minutes 39

seconds in suburban areas, and 13 minutes 57 seconds in rural areas. In fiscal year 19/20, MCFR responded to 86,156 calls with 90th percentile times of 11 minutes 16 seconds in urban settings, 12 minutes 18 seconds in suburban areas, and 14 minutes 12 seconds in rural areas. Marion County Fire Rescue Deputy Chief of Operations Robert Graff pointed out there are multiple ways to assess response times, and each portion of an emergency call can be evaluated, from when someone dials 9-1-1 until a unit arrives on the scene. “You can look at the time it took for the dispatch center to process the call,” he says. “You can look at the time it took them to dispatch the call, you can look at the time that it took for the crew to turn out for the call. You can look at the drive time from the fire station to the actual call itself, then you can look at overall call time. Each one of those sections has a recommended time, and you look at trying to meet that time at the 90th percentile.” Once MCFR has assessed their times according to the 90% percentile standard, they are then able to hone in on where issues affecting call times might originate, Graff said. From there, they can begin the process of looking

RESPONSE TIMES A 4-part series

PART THREE into where changes can be made. When measuring efficacy and determining if call times are acceptable and within the 90% standard, there are numerous components that need to be taken into account, according to Graff. “There's a bunch of different facets that going into it [measuring efficacy],” he says. “First off, you look at how your resources are distributed. Are your fire stations in the right place? Do they cover the territory appropriately?” Once an analysis determines the coverage is adequate, the next step is to look at the assets each station on hand. “From the coverage, you look at the concentration. Do you have enough resources inside the fire station? And then you can determine the number of resources inside a fire station and whether or not you have the concentration correct, because if you have calls operating at the same time then you can answer two calls coming in at the same time from the same station concurrently,” Graff says. The steps used to determine effectiveness, Graff noted, typically produce actionable results. “It’s actually a pretty scientific process once you sit down and look at the system as a whole, and the reasons why maybe you’re meeting

or not meeting your response time,” he says. “You can usually dial it in and say, ‘Hey, look, we didn’t have a unit available because they were busy in somebody else’s zone’, which requires additional resources when that starts happening more often.” Having units respond outside their zone sometimes is a necessity when call volumes are high, but Graff said when it occurs continually problems can arise. “When you have more than one call in a zone at a time and you only have so many resources, you have to wait for resources to come from another zone…it’s almost like a domino effect. If Station 1 is on a call and Station 2 runs

to Station 1’s zone, and then a call goes down in Station 2’s zone, now Station 3 has to come over to Station 2’s zone, and then before long everybody is in somebody else’s zone. When that does happen, you end up with getting longer response times.” Graff pointed out that the emergency call software MCFR uses is programmed to react to units being outside of their zone, so while response times might rise as a unit must respond outside its zone, the software can automatically adjust. “Our computer-aided dispatch automatically recommends the next closest unit, so it’s pretty automatic, so it’s just the drive time gets to be what you end up waiting on.”

OCTOBER 8 - OCTOBER 14, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE Measuring, continued from A6 When it comes to breaking down and analyzing call response times, Graff said MCFR is constantly evaluating itself and looking for ways to improve. “We have response time targets, and those apply across all shifts. We measure them daily and by zone and by station. So, we have a bunch of different metrics so we can look at it by zone, we can look at it by shift, we can look at it by unit. We have all those different methods so that we can identify who’s responding, where their responding, and how fast it's taking them to get there.” In addition to breaking the times down by shift, zone and station, Graff noted the times are also categorized by location type as well. “We use an urban, a suburban, and a rural time target for our response times. And then you take those targets and look and see how well you’re meeting the targets. And then you can determine if you're not meeting your targets, do you need to add another fire truck, do you need to add another fire rescue ambulance, do you need to add another fire station, so you can kind of dial in what you need to add to your system,” he says.

This differs from Ocala Fire Rescue, which follows another national standardNFPA 1710. The difference between the two national standards when it comes to measuring response times is standard 1720 breaks response times in categories of urban, suburban, and rural. Adding resources is one avenue departments such as MCFR can use to make improvements to their system, but Graff cautioned this step has its considerations. “And of course, anything you add to the system has a cost associated with it. So, when you go to the board [Board of County Commissioners] and you say ‘hey look, our response times are failing in XYZ, we need to add this resource and it’s going to cost this amount of money’, and then the board can make a decision on whether that addition is warranted or not and if there are funds to fund it.” Finding the balance between ensuring Marion County has adequate emergency response coverage and not breaking the bank is something Graff pointed out must be factored in. “It’s not fiscally responsible or even capable, I think, to have a unit available every

single minute of every single day.” COVID-19 brought Below are Marion County Fire Rescue’s response time in its own set of issues to minutes:seconds for 90% of high priority calls (lights/sirens) Marion County, and per fiscal year: much like everyone else, MCFR was not immune. Graff This could be a battalion chief, a rescue vehicle, ambulance, etc. described how the virus affected call FISCAL YEARS 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 volume and their Total calls 74,722 79,568 79,570 83,063 86,156 responses. Urban* 11:07 11:36 11:23 11:25 11:16 “So originally when Suburban* 11:58 12:12 11:41 11:39 12:18 COVID first came out, Rural* 14:13 14:23 14:02 13:57 14:12 we saw a decrease in calls we ran and the number of transports. And it stayed low for a City of Ocala 11:09 12:03 11:48 12:08 12:02 little while.” Urban* 11:07 11:38 11:25 11:25 12:22 The low call volume Suburban* 12:02 12:13 11:42 11:39 14:19 was only temporary, Graff said. Rural* 14:13 14:22 14:03 14:00 16:35 “And then it *Urban, suburban and rural excludes incidents within the City of Ocala. came back, and we Source: Marion County Fire Rescue Christopher Smith/OG are above where we were before COVID came in. We’ve had a “We are seeing an brought with it, Graff said significant increase in increase in the number of the increase in call volume the number of calls that we’re calls, and we are seeing has been manageable, and running. And so, when you an increase in the amount local hospitals have worked add more calls and don't add of calls at the same time. with MCFR to get patients more resources you run into And that has a direct transferred over. a concurrency problem,” he correlation with the ability “Our bed delays haven’t says. of our resources to answer been so bad. They’re And while MCFR has those calls and meet those creeping up a little bit right responded to the increase time targets that we have now, but for the most part, in calls, Graff said they established for urban, the hospitals have done a are aware how the higher suburban and rural.” really good job of getting our volume of calls will impact Despite the intensified patients off of the stretcher the time it takes to respond workload COVID has and into a room.” to them.

MCFR response to high-priority calls

THE FIRST UNIT ON THE SCENE

THE FIRST AMBULANCE ON THE SCENE

Instagram and teens: How to keep your kids safe By Barbara Ortutay and Amanda Seitz Associated Press For many parents, revelations this week from whistleblower Frances Haugen showing internal Facebook studies of the harms of Instagram for teenagers only intensified concerns about the popular photo sharing app. "The patterns that children establish as teenagers stay with them for the rest of their lives," Haugen said in Senate testimony Tuesday. "The kids who are bullied on Instagram, the bullying follows them home. It follows them into their bedrooms. The last thing they see before they go to bed at night is someone being cruel to them," Haugen said. "Kids are learning that their own friends, people who they care about, are cruel to them." So, what can you do to protect your kids? Experts say open lines of communication, age limits and if necessary, activity monitoring are some of the steps parents can take to help kids navigate the dangers of social media while still allowing them to chat with peers on their own terms. Is 17 the new 13? Ever wonder why 13 is the age kids can be on Instagram and other social media apps? It's because of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act that went into effect in 2000 — before today's teenagers were even born (and when Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was just a teen himself, for that matter). The goal was to protect kids' online privacy by requiring websites and online services to disclose clear privacy policies and get parents' consent before gathering personal information on their kids, among other things. To comply, social media companies have generally banned kids under 13 from signing up for their services, although it's been widely documented that kids sign up anyway, either with or without

their parents' permission. But times have changed, and online privacy is no longer the only concern when it comes to kids being online. There's bullying, harassment, and, as Facebook's own research has shown, the risk of developing eating disorders, suicidal thoughts or worse. In her testimony, Haugen suggested raising the age limit to 16 or even 18. There has been a push among some parents, educators and tech experts to wait to give children phones — and access to social media — until they are older, such as the "Wait Until 8th" pledge that has parents sign a pledge not to give their kids a smartphone until the 8th grade. But neither social media companies nor the government have done anything concrete to increase the age limit. "There is not necessarily a magical age," said Christine Elgersma, a social media expert at the nonprofit Common Sense Media. But, she added, "13 is probably not the best age for kids to get on social media." It's still complicated. There's no reliable way to verify a person's age when they sign up for apps and online services. And the apps popular with teens today were created for adults first. Companies have added some safeguards over the years, Elgersma noted, but these are piecemeal changes, not fundamental rethinks of the services. "Developers need to start building apps with kids in mind," she said. And no, she doesn't mean Instagram Kids, the project Facebook paused last week amid a widespread backlash. "We can't trust a company that didn't start with kids' best interests in mind," she said. Facebook says it's added a host of safeguards and features to improve teens' well-being on Instagram over the years, such as mentalhealth support for people who search for common hashtags associated with eating disorders or self-harm. The

company also tested hiding "like" counts, "which means when you post something, if you're a young person, you don't have to worry about how many people are going to like your post and whether people will see that," said Monika Bickert, Facebook's head of global policy management. But Facebook's own researchers found that hiding like counts did not help make teenagers feel better. Talk, talk, talk Start early, earlier than you think. Elgersma suggests that parents go through their own social media feeds with their children before they are old enough to be online and have open discussions on what they see. How would your child handle a situation where a friend of a friend asks them to send a photo? Or if they see an article that makes them so angry they just want to share it right away? For older kids, approach them with curiosity and interest. "If teens are giving you the grunts or the single word answers, sometimes asking about what their friends are doing or just not asking direct questions like 'what are you doing on Instagram?' but 'hey, I heard this influencer is really popular,'" she suggested. "And even if your kid rolled their eyes it could be a window." Don't say things like "turn that thing off " when your kid has been scrolling for a long time, says Jean Rogers, the director of Fairplay, a nonprofit that advocates for kids to spend less time on digital devices. "That's not respectful," Rogers said. "It doesn't respect that they have a whole life and a whole world in that device." Instead, Rogers suggests asking them questions about what they do on their phone, and see what your child is willing to share. Kids are also likely to respond to parents and educators "pulling back the curtains" on social media and the sometimes insidious tools companies use to keep people

online and engaged, Elgersma said. Watch a documentary like " The Social Dilemma " that explores algorithms, dark patterns and dopamine feedback cycles of social media. Or read up with them how Facebook and TikTok make money. "Kids love to be in the know about these things, and it will give them a sense of power," she said. Vicky Lacksonen, a 53-year-old mother in Mount Vernon, Ohio, says she just tries to talk with her son. She knows the passcodes to her son's phone and sometimes nudges him to put his phone down if he's been on it for a while. But as long as her 14-year-old keeps his grades up and is doing activities he enjoys, like soccer, she mostly lets him have privacy on his smartphone and apps like Instagram. "You don't really know what they're looking at," Lacksonen said. "Just having those conversations and talking to them is huge part ... and don't be afraid to ask questions." Setting limits Rogers says most parents have success with taking their kids' phones overnight to limit their scrolling. Occasionally kids might try to sneak the phone back, but it's a strategy that tends to work because kids

need a break from the screen. "They need to an excuse with their peers to not be on their phone at night," Rogers said. "They can blame their parents." Parents may need their own limits on phone use. Rogers said it's helpful to explain what you are doing when you do have a phone in hand around your child so they understand you are not aimlessly scrolling through sites like Instagram. Tell your child that you're checking work email, looking up a recipe for dinner or paying a bill so they understand you're not on there just for fun. Then tell them when you plan to put the phone down. You can't do it alone Parents should also realize that it's not a fair fight. Social media apps like Instagram are designed to be addictive, says Roxana Marachi, a professor of education at San Jose State University who studies data harms. Without new laws that regulate how tech companies use our data and algorithms to push users toward harmful content, there is only so much parents can do, Marachi said. "The companies are not interested in children's well-being, they're interested in eyes on the screen and maximizing the number of clicks." Marachi said. "Period."

Drew Angerer/Pool via AP)

Former Facebook employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen testifies during a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Oct. 5.

OCTOBER 8 - OCTOBER 14, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Nightclub shut its doors after 15 years Continued from A1 place someone experiences LGBTQ culture and community,” explained Mary Emily O’Hara, rapid response manager of GLAAD, a national media monitoring organization accelerating acceptance for the LGBTQ community by tackling tough issues and provoking dialogue that leads to cultural change. “Bars and venues have an important history in the LGBTQ community, as safe and welcoming gathering spaces that are easily identified by locals and tourists alike,” they explained further, acknowledging that many bars closed during the pandemic. “Even as mainstream culture becomes more inclusive and accepting. It's still vital that we support and maintain LGBTQ spaces, especially when census data shows the community has been disproportionately impacted by financial strain during the pandemic." GLAAD doesn’t know the current number of LGBTQ+ bars that have closed during the pandemic, but according to stories in the “Daily Beast” and “Marketplace,” Yelp counted 59 gay bars that closed during 2020 alone. According to PR Coordinator at Yelp Eric Hernandez, who responded via email, updated closure data for 2021 is not yet available. While Marion County has become more accepting of same sex couples, it is still difficult for many in the LGBTQ+ community to connect with one another. “There's nothing around,” said Ron Decker, owner of Proper Tease Salon. “I’m not

saying that there's prejudice going on but I've been here for 30 years and I've been gay the whole time and it's not the friendliest city.” Decker would sometimes visit The Copa over the years but not often. He clarified that the nightclub wasn’t geared for everybody in the LGBTQ+ community. Besides the bar and light fare, The Copa had a pool table for those so inclined and frequently hosted drag shows on Friday and Saturday nights. Daniel Easterday, who lives in Ocala, said that The Copa was the first gay club he ever went to after turning 18. As far as he is concerned nightclub did help the gay community in Marion County find a place to go and have fun. “When I was growing up,” said Easterday, “I always wanted to find a safe place to be myself—and I always chose The Copa. It was my safe space in the early part of my gay adult life.” Easterday said he would go to The Copa at least a few times a month with friends to watch all the drag shows. “I think it will be missed by most of us in the community,” he added. “The void it leaves is immeasurable, because it was one of the only gay bars around. It has great memories for those who went there.” Some in the gay community would like to see bars like The Copa flourish, but like anything else, there has to be consistent demand that allows for the success of such a venue.

Alan Youngblood/Special to the Ocala Gazette

The Copa has been a place of acceptance for LGBT community in Ocala for many years. The building has been sold and club closed.

“The main reason it’s sad to see The Copa close is because it represents a ‘safe space’ for the community to gather and connect, especially younger members of the community,” says one local gay man who requested not to be named. “Those who make up the LGBTQ community are a diverse group of individuals who come from all walks of life

and have varying tastes and ways of socializing. “Most of the community members I know have their own small social circles and don’t necessarily seek out LGBTQ-specific places,” he added. “They socialize at many of the same bars and restaurants that are popular with straight patrons, because they feel comfortable there or because

it’s a great place.” Now, the community has lost the one outlet—if not exactly tailored for everybody in the LGBTQ+ community—that Ocala had to offer. Putting it in a more personal frame, Decker offered, “As a gay male, finding somebody to love in this town is harder than finding a cocktail for sure.”

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Alan Youngblood/Special to the Ocala Gazette

Anti abortion protester Annie Marie Delgado demonstrates against abortion rights protestors at the intersection of South Pine and Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala.

EXPLAINER: The Texas abortion law's swift impact, and future By Paul J. Weber and Jessica Gresko Associted Press A federal judge on Wednesday ordered Texas to suspend a new law banning most abortions, which had already put a strain on clinics and patients in the month since it took effect. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman, an appointee of President Barack Obama, granted the Biden administration a temporary hold on the law. But that doesn't mean abortion services in Texas will instantly resume, because doctors still fear that they could be sued without a more permanent legal decision. In the wording of the new law, abortions in Texas are prohibited once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, usually around six weeks and before some women know they're pregnant. Enforcement is left up to private citizens who are deputized to file civil lawsuits against abortion providers, as well as others who help a woman obtain an abortion in Texas. Supporters of the law known as Senate Bill 8 were preparing for a ruling that favors the Justice Department's challenge but believe the measure — the strictest abortion law in the nation — will ultimately be upheld. Texas officials swiftly told the court Wednesday of their intention to seek a reversal. Here are some questions and answers about what's next and the impact so far: What has been the impact? Abortion providers say the ramifications have been punishing and "exactly what we feared." More than 100 pages of court filings in September offered the most comprehensive glimpse at how the near-total ban on abortion in Texas has played out. Physicians and executives at Texas' nearly two dozen abortion clinics described turning away hundreds of patients, and

some who showed up for appointments could not proceed because cardiac activity had been detected. One Planned Parenthood location in Houston normally performed about two dozen abortions daily, but in the 10 days after the law took effect, the clinic had done a total of 52. Clinics in nearby states, meanwhile, say they are struggling to meet surging demand and care for their own residents is being delayed to accommodate women making long trips from Texas. At a Planned Parenthood clinic in Oklahoma City, at one point more than 60% of the 219 appointments over the following next two weeks were for women from Texas. Doctors say recent patients from Texas have included rape victims, as SB8 makes no exceptions in cases of rape or incest. Most Texas abortion providers say they are complying with SB8. One San Antonio doctor who became the first to publicly reveal he performed an abortion in defiance of the new law, was sued Sept. 20, but not by abortion opponents. Former attorneys in Illinois and Arkansas say they sued the doctor in hopes of getting a judge to invalidate the law.

that postponed surgeries "not immediately medically necessary." But providers were reporting staffing issues and worried some clinics would permanently shutter. A decade ago, Texas had more than 40 abortion clinics, but more than half of them closed for good during a protracted legal battle over a 2013 law that was ultimately overturned by the Supreme Court. Amy Hagstrom Miller, president of Whole Woman's Health, said some of the 17 physicians at her four clinics were ready to resume normal abortion services if the law was put on hold. Preparations began last week when some doctors gave patients found to have cardiac activity information to comply with another restriction — requiring a 24hour waiting period before an abortion — so that they would be ready to be called back. But the majority of her physicians, Hagstrom Miller said, remain wary and fear lawsuits absent a permanent court ruling. Clinic staff are also worried. "Of course, we understand that," she said.

What happens next? The Biden administration filed its lawsuit in early September and then asked for the temporary restraining order to put SB8 on hold while the lawsuit proceeds. Texas Right to Life, the state's largest anti-abortion group and a driver of the new law, has cheered the fact that it has stopped abortions every day that it has been in effect. Pitman's ruling to grant a temporary hold doesn't decide the constitutionality of the law, though whether the administration's lawsuit — which calls it "clearly unconstitutional" — was likely to succeed is a factor in putting the law on hold. Texas could quickly file paperwork officially asking the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reinstate the law. That New Orleansbased appeals court, which oversees Texas, is a conservative-leaning panel with a track record of staying lower-court rulings from Austin. The law has already made one trip to the Supreme Court. The justices voted 5-4 not to intervene to prevent it from taking effect, but they

said further challenges were possible. With the Biden administration's challenge underway, the law could return to the justices quickly. How are other states responding? After Texas' law went into effect Republican lawmakers in at least half a dozen states said they would consider introducing bills using the Texas law as a model, hoping it provides a pathway to enacting the kind of abortion crackdown they have sought for years. Those states include Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Mississippi, North Dakota and South Dakota. Meanwhile, two dozen state attorneys general, all Democrats, submitted a brief in the Biden administration's lawsuit saying a substantial reduction of abortion access in one state would result in health care systems being burdened elsewhere. They asked Pitman to block enforcement of the law. The City Council in Portland, Oregon, briefly considered a boycott of Texas businesses because of the new law but instead decided to set aside $200,000 to fund reproductive care.

What was the landscape in texas before? More than 55,000 abortions were performed last year in Texas, which already had some of the nation's strictest abortion laws, including a ban after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Since the judge sided with clinics, how soon could they reopen? It could be done quickly, abortion providers say, but how soon is likely to depend on several factors. Abortion providers in Texas have experience when it comes to abruptly ramping up operations again. In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, abortions in Texas were all but banned for weeks under orders by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott

Alan Youngblood/Special to the Ocala Gazette

Abortion rights protesters hold signs in demonstration near Downtown Ocala.

OCTOBER 8 - OCTOBER 14, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Sports St. John Saints pull off the comeback win By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com

Cyndi Chambers/Correspondent

Vanguard's Ruby Owen (34) at the net against Belleview's Kahleah Lancaster (7) and Hope Willis (8), on Tuesday, Sept. 28 at Belleview High School. The Knights beat the Rattlers in straight sets 25-19, 23, and 14.

Vanguard beats Rattlers in three straight sets By Kassidy Hil Special to the Ocala Gazette

The play that ultimately won the game Friday night for the St. John Lutheran Saints 8-man football team was a design outside run, according to all-purpose running back Landon Pindell. It just happened to turn into an all-or-nothing scramble that won the game. With 2:13 left on the clock in the fourth quarter and his team down by four points, Pindell scrambled the ball in from just outside the red zone and along the edge of the field for the game-deciding score. The Saints would go on to earn a comeback win 24-20 over visiting district rival the Eastland Christian Hurricanes on homecoming night at Brick City Adventure Park on Oct. 1. The win brings the Saints’ overall record to 2-2 and 2-1 in their district. The Hurricanes (0-4, 0-3) have yet to win a game in 2021. On the game-winning play, Pindell admitted to almost failing to keep his feet inbounds while dashing for the end zone. “[I] just barely did it,” said the junior of keeping inbounds. “It was one of those toe jambs, you know? What can you do? It was for the win. You do everything you can. It was a big team win tonight.” Coming out of the first quarter, the game was tied 8-8 after St. John scored first and Eastland Christian answered about four minutes later. Both teams converted on their respective two-point conversations. Eastland would score again at 4:20 of the second quarter, but couldn't convert on its two-point conversion, keeping the score within reach at 14-8. On their last possession before halftime and with 42 seconds on the clock, the Saints would compose a drive that would nearly result in some points. But two straight penalties for illegal procedure, a Grant Phillips sack, and one final bad snap put a collective nail in the drive’s coffin. St. John remained down by six points at halftime. In the third quarter, the Hurricanes would score yet again, widening their lead to 12 points after missing See Call , page B2

Cyndi Chambers/Correspondent

Vanguard's Emma Ehmann (9) on the pass in the match against Belleview.

t was an all Marion County face-off 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 first district game win overall for Vanguard and the first district loss for Belleview. The first set was a back-and-forth affair. A few selfinflicted mistakes on both sides, complemented by fiery offense, kept the set close. At the 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 take the first set. Vanguard took the lead in the second set, thanks largely to Ruby Owen’s flaming kills. Twice Belleview looked to strike back early, and twice Owen delivered See Rattlers, page B4

Alan Youngblood/Special to the Ocala Gazette

Eastland Christian’s #12 Michael Ramsey gets grabbed as St. John Lutheran takes on Eastland Christian on Oct. 1 in Ocala.

GAME OF THE WEEK

North Marion at Dunnellon By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com Friday night’s game of the week is the tale of the two 3-2 teams. North Marion travels to Dunnellon on Oct. 8 for a non-district matchup to see which prep football squad can keep its record firmly above .500. The Tigers are currently riding a threegame winning streak coming into tonight’s game, while the Colts won last Friday on the road against Eastside. Their first win since Sept. 10. Dunnellon struggled early with its 2021 schedule, dropping its first two games to Buchholz (35-0) and Vanguard (13-6) on Aug. 27 and Sept. 10, respectively. But the Tigers would come roaring back against Crystal River on Sept. 17, defeating the Pirates 34-0. They extended their winning streak with a home win against Forest (20-0) on Sept. 24 and a narrow victory last week on the road against Madison County (28-26) on Oct. 1.

Bruce Ackerman/OG

Dunnellon's Brody Luckey (5) outruns Forest defenders during a football game at Dunnellon High School in Dunnellon.

In contrast to Dunnellon, the Colts stampeded into the 2021 season, winning their first two games with ease. North Marion ran through Forest (36-8) on Aug. 27 and West Port (24-0) on

Sept. 10. It wasn’t until the Colts hosted Vero Beach that they met their match. The Indians corralled the Colts’ stampede with a 40-15 win on Sept. 17. Visiting Vanguard would do the same to the Colts on Sept. 24. The Knights beat North Marion 36-19 on its own field. Last week, the Colts clobbered Eastside, 43-13, to finally earn their third ‘W’ this season. Coming into tonight’s game, Dunnellon has a stout defense—shutting out two of its last three opponents—and a seasoned quarterback in senior Trent Townsend, who is as much a threat on the ground as he is in the air. The Colts have a young but very talented quarterback in sophomore AJ Cussins, who can also be counted on to make big plays with his feet. Both teams are fresh off wins and looking to extend those wins into longer winning streaks—but only one team can be successful on Friday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

OTHER AREA FOOTBALL GAMES Oct. 8

Williston at Belleview (5-1) 7 p.m. Bishop Verot at Trinity Catholic (3-2) 7 p.m. St. John Lutheran (2-2) at Merritt Island Christian 7 p.m. Leesburg at Forest (1-4) 7 p.m. Vanguard (4-0) at Jefferson 7:30 p.m. Bye Week West Port (0-6) and Lake Weir (1-4)

OCTOBER 8 - OCTOBER 14, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Alan Youngblood/Special to the Ocala Gazette

St. John Lutheran Gene Hill (9) makes yards as St. John Lutheran takes on Eastland Christian in Brick City Park on Oct.1 in Ocala.

CALL IT A COMEBACK

Continued from B1

the two-point conversion for the second straight time. It was now 20-8 in favor of Eastland. But the Saints would finally answer late in the third quarter. With 35 seconds before a field flip, Phillips found Pindell for the passing touchdown. Phillips ran the ball in for a successful two-point conversion, bringing the Saints within four points, 20-16, at the start of the final quarter. In its first drive of the fourth, St. John nearly took its first lead since the first quarter while deep in the Hurricanes red zone. But after possessing the

ball for over four minutes, the Saints couldn’t score, and would ultimately turn the ball over on downs. Eastland punted its next possession, leaving it all up to St. John to win the game with 2:50 left on the clock. After Pindell’s gamewinning touchdown at 2:13, Phillips would pass the ball to Andrew Powers for the twopoint conversion, putting the Saints up by four. On Eastland’s ensuing possession, Junior Gene Hill would sack its quarterback on fourth and long with 1:32 remaining in the game, forcing the Hurricanes to turn over on downs. The Saints would run the clock out from there via the

victory formation, taking the homecoming win 24-20. St. John Lutheran head coach Kreighton Rahn said after the game that his team didn’t play without making a few significant mistakes Friday night. They just made fewer of them and that was the difference in the ball game. “Coming in we knew that [Eastland Christian] was winless,” said Rahn, “but we also knew that we only had one win. So, we knew we were going to have to play hard, and we did. But [Eastland] gave us quite a fight.” Next up for the Saints is a non-district road game against Merritt Island Christian on Oct. 8. It is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m.

HOMECOMING

A QUEEN

AND HER COURT

RIGHT: Homecoming queen, Braelyn Engle, takes a victory lap in bright yellow late model Corvette as St. John Lutheran takes on Eastland Christian in Brick City Park, on Oct. 1 in Ocala. BELOW RIGHT: The homecoming court gets ready to take the field. BELOW: Chris Speer escorts his daughter, Saylor, onto the field during the homecoming presentation. Photos by Alan Youngblood Special to the Ocala Gazette

Alan Youngblood/Special to the Ocala Gazette

Eastland Christian’s #20 Jonathan Green gets grabbed as as St. John Lutheran takes on Eastland Christian in Brick City Park on Oct. 1.

OCTOBER 8 - OCTOBER 14, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

SCORE BOARD Football Scores

Selected Marion County High School

Sept. 30

SPORTS RESULTS

North Marion 43 Eastside 13 Oct. 1 Eastland Christian St. John Lutheran

20 24

West Port Lake Brantley

14 21

SEPT. 28-OCT. 5

North Marion 0 Forest 2

Dunnellon 28 Madison County 26

(8-25, 13-25)

Forest 14 Chiles 45 Lake Weir Crystal River

0 50

Ocala Christian Academy Oasis Christian

62 8

Cancelled Games Pasco at Vanguard, ccd.

Girls’ volleyball scores and stats from Sept. 28-Oct. 5

Sept. 28 Dunnellon 0 Lake Weir 3 Sept. 29 The Villages Charter St. John Lutheran

1 3

(23-25, 25-22, 23-25, 19-25) St. John’s Sophia Ochoa had 17 kills. Rylee Palmateer had 9 kills, four serving aces and 24 digs.

Sept. 30 Belleview 0 Trinity Catholic 3 (7-25, 9-25, 4-25) Lake Weir 3 Wildwood 1 (21-25, 25-4, 25-8, 25-11) Lake Weir senior Rachelle Hix was the MVP of the night, according to head coach Jenna Duplessis. Hix served more than 22 times and had more than eight aces. She also had 13 assists for the night and three kills. Senior Brianna Smith also had a great night with 13 serves and four aces. She had 23 digs in the back row. Senior Morgan Gittenger had 22 digs and seven kills. Senior Kianna Hamilton had seven serving aces, 20 digs and five kills. Oct. 4 Meadowbrook Academy Ocala Christian Academy

3 0

(25-17, 25-11, 25-21)

Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country

(18-25, 13-25, 18-25)

Weeki Wachee Invitational Oct. 2 (Hernando Beach, FL.)

Boys Varsity Team Results

Trinity Catholi 3 Forest 1

(Nature Coast Tech won with 47 points out of 10 scoring teams)

Girls Varsity 5K Individual Top-50 Results (Ella McKee of Sickles won in 21:14.33) 9th Place, Skylar Moore

0 3

Dunnellon, 9th Place (213 points)

Trinity Catholic (23:28.53)

Girls Varsity Team Results

Trinity Catholic (23:46.78)

0 3

(George M. Steinbrenner HS won with 28 points out of four scoring teams)

19th Place, Ava Crews Trinity Catholic (25:10.06)

(12-25, 14-25, 15-25) St. John’s Palmateer had 12 kills, two serving aces, two blocked shots and 10 digs. Ashley Downs had 10 digs as well. Ochoa had 11 kills, one serving ace and 9 digs. The Villages Charter West Port

44th Place, Garrett Hinckley Dunnellon (21:45.01)

Trinity Catholic (23:02.30)

(10-25, 13-25, 20-25) P.K. Yonge St. John Lutheran

32nd Place, James Carter Dunnellon (20:24.27)

Trinity Catholic, 4th Place (101 points)

(25-16, 23-25, 25-20, 25-16) Ocala Christian Academy Aucilla Christian

25th Place, Justin Bianculli Trinity Catholic (20:07.96)

46th Place, Carlos Gomez Trinity Catholic (21:57.68)

Oct. 5 Lake Weir 0 Belleview 3 Lake Weir’s Hamilton led the team in kills, blocks and aces, according to Duplessis. Gittenger had 12 hit attempts, five kills and one block. Smith led the Hurricanes with 48 digs. Hamilton had 40 digs.

7th Place, Andrew Petrella Trinity Catholic (18:01.12)

45th Place, James Williams Trinity Catholic (21:55.80)

Belleview 41 Springstead 21 Trinity Catholic 23 Wildwood 8

6th Place, Cedric McFadden Trinity Catholic (17:56.30)

3 0

10th Place, Kieley Bateman 12th Place, Kaelee Smith

Trinity Catholic, 2nd Place (41 points)

Boys Varsity 5K Individual Top-50 Results (William Poe of Zephyrhills won in 16:42.68)

18th Place, Peyton Brennan Trinity Catholic (24:54.72)

25th Place, Ansley Smith Trinity Catholic (26:02.46) 42nd Place, Allison Robb Dunnellon (30:29.45) Results were gathered from Maxpreps.com and Flrunners.com. Compiled by James Blevins/OG

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Celtics make short work of Rattlers By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com It was business as usual for Trinity Catholic, last year’s Class 3A state champion, as they dispatched visiting Belleview during Wednesday night’s girls’ varsity volleyball game. It took the dominant Celtics just more than an hour to win in three straight sets, 25-7, 25-9, 25-4, bringing their overall record to 14-2 on the season and dropping the Rattlers to 8-7. Host Trinity Catholic also celebrated senior night before the game. Senior Celtics Olivia Grantham, Cayleigh Pelletier and Camden Crews were all honored, along with Rattlers seniors Kyla Zisa and Haley Wooten. Grantham would make her presence felt early in the first set. She would serve the ball seven times to open the match, notching three aces and helping her Celtic team take a quick 7-1 lead. Amelia Fitzpatrick would serve later in the first set with her Celtic team up 16-6. She would record four aces on nine serves, setting up Trinity Catholic’s first set win of 25-7. Fitzpatrick finished the game with a total of six kills and three blocked shots. In set two, Belleview fought back. The Rattlers would keep it as close as 5-4 at one point before the Celtics took over. Behind Kiana Laborde’s service, Trinity Catholic would gain four straight points off a Delany Baker kill, a Belleview error, and two consecutive Fitzpatrick blocked shots. Belleview would battle

Photos by Bruce Ackerman/OG

Above: Trinity Catholic's Emily Hirst (9) and Rose Gravel (2) jump to block a spike from Belleview's Kahleah Lancaster (7) during a volleyball match at Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala on Sept. 29. Right: Belleview's Emma Kaylor (11) and Hope Willis (8) jump to block a Trinity Catholic spike during the match.

back, coming within five points, but Trinity Catholic’s Crews would take over service and the rest of the set. Crews, along with Grantham, would tag team service for the Celtics, racking up six points and three points, respectively, giving up only two points to the Rattlers. Trinity Catholic took set two 25-9. Set three was the Grantham show. Behind her service, the Celtics gained 14 straight points—six of those were Grantham aces. The Rattlers would finally

earn a point off a Grantham service fault, but by then, the Celtics were too far ahead, winning the final set 25-4. Laborde led Trinity Catholic with 12 kills. Teammate Elayna Johnson had five kills, and one blocked shot. Baker had five kills. Zisa had two kills for the Rattlers. Trinity Catholic will next travel to face inter-county rival Forest for the first time this season on Oct. 5. Belleview will host Lake Weir on Oct. 5 as well. Both matches are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

Rattlers lose to Knights 25-19 Continued from B1

Cyndi Chambers/Correspondent

Belleview's Kendall Swearingen (2) dives for the ball in the match against Vanguard, on Sept. 28.

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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 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 the net to cut the deficit to three, and the Rattlers could taste a comeback. After three out balls tied it back at 22, Vanguard took a timeout. After the timeout, Ehmann delivered a blazing strike to make it 25-23, and the Knights took set two.

Team

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 them take the final set 25-14. “I think it’s the first time that 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 desperately needed confidence. “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.”

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People, Places & Things

PULL THE RUG

Master of Light By Susan Smiley-Height

Ocala Gazette

Bruce Ackerman/OG

Bahram Assary poses for a photo at Cyrus Rug Gallery. Assary is a 3rd generation carpet dealer who specializes in selling all styles of carpets. He has been selling carpets at Cyrus Rug Gallery for more than 40 years and has decided to close his store for retirement.

Downtown staple closing By Rosemarie Dowell

Special to Ocala Gazette

ahram Assary grew up learning the ancient art form of Persian rug making from his parents and for nearly four decades he’s shared his love for the craft with residents of Marion County through his well-known rug store. Now, Assary is retiring and will close his Cyrus Rug Gallery, Inc., a fixture on Ocala’s historic downtown square for 37 years, by the end of the year. “It is bittersweet; I’m still kind of torn about it,” said Assary, 70. “But I’d like to close before Christmas.” Assary, a native of Iran, in late 2019 announced plans to retire but, soon after, the COVID pandemic interfered with his plans to liquidate and he decided to delay the store closure until things improved. “I see that people aren’t as afraid to go out as they were last year,” he said. “Now, I have a short window

of time to close.” Assary owns the building at 20 E. Broadway Street and said he’s already leased it to a new undisclosed tenant. He has to vacate the premises by Jan. 1. The father of three, including a son who helps run the Ocala showroom, said he has roughly 2,000 Persian and Oriental rugs of varying sizes that he hopes to sell during liquidation over the next two months. The store even boasts two Civil War era rugs; one in excellent condition that he’s selling for more than $100,000 and another one that has some issues but is still serviceable. It is priced at $2,500. “I’ve always had a great selection of rugs for my buyers,” said Assary, who co-owned 17 other stores with his brother across the United States at one time. “I always had a huge inventory of odd-sized rugs too, including large palace rugs.” “I was never concerned about what sold and what didn’t,” he added. “I just wanted to make sure I had what customers wanted or needed.” The art of rug weaving dates back several thousand years, and Assary said most rug-making families, like his, pass their skills and craftmanship down from one generation to the next. His family had a workshop in back of their home when he was growing up. “It is art form, but it’s also complicated and difficult to do,” he said. “I was born into it and learned it as a child and it became my passion.” Rug makers rarely write instructions down, preferring to keep their knowledge and know-how within their family circle, and they never disclose trade secrets to competitors, Bruce Ackerman/OG

The outside of Cyrus Rug Gallery is shown on the Ocala Downtown Square.

See Ending, page C2

On the weekend of Oct. 23 and 24, as more than 150 artists set up displays around the downtown area for Fine Arts For Ocala’s (FAFO) Ocala Arts Festival, the quite large and very impressive works of Richard Currier are sure to draw attention. Currier, a longtime participant in the event, is this year’s featured artist. He lives in Micco, on Florida’s Space Coast, where he built his own home and studio near the coastline. Inspired by nature, his recent “ocean” works include “Rising Tide” and “Far Horizon.” His website also showcases his landscapes, with “Twilight” and “Wetland,” and in figurative pieces such as “What God Wants” and “Levitate.” Many of those canvases span up to 6-feet by 7-feet. Currier also is noted for his still life works. He currently is represented by galleries in Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Fernandina Beach and New Orleans. His works have been exhibited throughout the United States and may be found in museums and collections here and abroad. According to Maggie Weakley, FAFO’s administrative coordinator, Currier was selected as the featured artist for the 2020 festival, which was canceled because of the pandemic. “Richard Currier has been a part of FAFO's Ocala Arts Festival for over 10 years. He continuously wins awards during our festival and we can understand why he is FAFO's featured artist this year,” Weakley said. “His work is captivating on all levels. If you are fortunate enough to stand in front of one of his bigger-than-life paintings, you will encounter the dramatic imagery that he contrasts using color, shape and depth. Richard is a master of capturing light. His recent paintings are of renditions of water; they are powerful, mysterious and rich with color and texture.” To learn more about the artist, we did this Q&A with Currier. When did you begin creating art? “As far back as I can remember. There never was a time I was without drawing and painting supplies. My parents kept me supplied; a great babysitter I suppose. In high school I was in the art rooms or the gym. It was just very natural for me.” What were the next steps? “I chose Ringling School of Art because it was close and my teacher was an alumnus and encouraged me to go. From there, my course was set after See FAFO, page C2

A tribute to St. Francis and our beloved animals By Julie Garisto

Ocala Gazette

“Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures,” recited priests and preachers around the world last weekend in commemoration of Blessing of the Animals Day, Oct. 4. At St. George Anglican Church, the tradition held in honor of St. Francis of Assisi has endured for three decades with parishioners escorting dogs and cats as well as rodents, birds and even a fishbowl. On Oct. 2, Bishop Arthur Rushlow of St. George Anglican Church continued the beloved ritual, gently splashing holy water and laying hands in prayer while administering the annual blessing to some 50 pets, including dogs, cats and two guinea pigs during the mild and breezy early fall morning. Coos from woodpeckers and owls could be heard as if in an outdoor choir. The English Countryside-like setting provided the perfect backdrop for the event held in honor of St. Francis of Assisi’s feast day. Among the furbaby parents, Michelle Wood has brought her labradoodle, Willa, each year See All blessed, page C2

Bruce Ackerman/OG

Left: Cleo, a 10-year-old long-haired chihuahua owned by Judy Dunlap is sprinkled with Holy Water. Above: Father Art Rushlow, left, greets Pippin, a one-year-old Parti Poodle owned by Jerry Baker, right, during the Blessing of the Animals.

OCTOBER 8 - OCTOBER 14, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

FAFO festivities

One of Richard Currier's oil paintings.

Continued from C1 being in such a creative environment with so many other talented students all wanting the same thing as I. There was no moving ahead with a traditional life. There was no playbook on how to proceed. This was before the internet age and cellphones, so my path was less defined and there were fewer outlets to promote yourself. You had

to invent as you go, so to speak.” What inspires you? “There are some things that stand out to you and, at different times in your life, speak louder than others, so subject matter is something that evolves over time. “Focusing on any one thing never really occurred, since there is so much to

head and following the path. Sometimes you let the subject determine how it wants to be portrayed, whether it's an atmospheric landscape or a more hyperrealistic face or still life. “Still life paintings are a great way of grounding yourself in what is in front of you, directly observing and interpreting, a very intimate way of painting IF YOU GO and has its own FAFO’s Ocala Arts aesthetic. Festival “Landscapes 10am-5pm, Saturday are always and Sunday, Oct. 23 and painted from 24 a recollection Downtown Ocala of what I Features emerging have seen and artists, student art remember how and performances, space felt at entertainment and food the time. The vendors. 'selective eye' Free admission remembers fafo.org and the process of painting records the image on the canvas. I try to paint the space between the elements of the landscape rather than the 'things' in Submitted the landscape. “Figurative paintings, primarily self-portraits, are a way to communicate absorb when you are young. through the confrontation I read a quote by an author of the gaze or lack thereof. who said 'Write what you With many of my selfknow’ and that stuck with portraits, the eyes are me to ‘paint what you know,’ obscured and gaze through so my life in Florida and heavy shadows. They are the variety of environments a way of confronting the to choose from had a great viewer as if asking an influence. unanswerable question.” “I focused on different things at different times, Why such large canvases? but that is just listening to “I enjoy painting as large what is going on in your as the subject allows and is

Ending a career on top Continued from C1 said Assary, a third-generation rug-maker. “There’s not a lot of written material on how to make a rug,” he said. “Families don’t pass secrets of the trade to other families.” Assary said his store is unique in that each rug for sale is a curated, one-of-a-kind original made by skilled artisans in India, China and Turkey. The rugs are handmade using natural vegetable dyes. “We provided materials, the dyes and the colors and everything the weavers needed to make the rugs,” he said. “We paid them to make the rugs, but we also shared profits with them.” “We’re the only company that I know of that has done that,” said Assary. Sadly, rug weaving as a cottage industry is fading fast, with large manufacturers taking over the business. Assary will also be the last in his family to follow the tradition, since none of his three children are interested in learning the craft. “An average 9x12 rug can sell for several thousand dollars but can take up to 18 months to complete,” he said. “There’s a different mind-set these days; no one wants to spend that long making a rug.” “We’re also turning into a throw-away society,” said Assary, who immigrated to the U.S. 50 years ago. “Things aren’t made to last anymore.” Closing his business after such a long successful career is bittersweet for Assary, but he said the time is right. “I want to go out while I’m on top,” he said. “I have a good name: I’m respected and known for selling top quality rugs.” Besides the art of rug making, Assary has another passion – the City of Ocala. When Assary first visited the city in the early 1980s, he was immediately smitten. “The minute I drove to Ocala, I fell in love with it,” he said. “I still feel the same way, it hasn’t changed.” Looking back on the early days of his business, Assary said downtown was always empty, with few shoppers. Cyrus’ first location was next door to the current store on Broadway Street. “When I came here, it was a ghost town; nobody wanted to be downtown,” he said. “But it was the cheapest place I could afford.” “Now, it’s the opposite,” said Assary. “People will fight over a parking spot.”

Bruce Ackerman/OG

Ernest Escobar, left, and Sasan Assary, right, unfold different styles of Persian carpets.

dictated by the need at the time. Paintings have ranged from one-foot square to 28 feet long.” How do you achieve such detail? “I work on a painting without regard to how long it may take, a few days to several months, and sometimes repaint later after one is 'finished.' The painting tells me when is complete and there is no point in forcing it if it's not ready; it's done when it's done.” What will you bring to Ocala? “I will bring the most recent landscapes, ocean and selfportraits I have and that I can fit in my 10x10 foot space.” Your advice for an aspiring artist? “Art is a lifestyle and not an occupation, it chooses you. If you are an artist, you will be one regardless of outside influences and you must find your own way. “The most important thing is having something to say that resonates with others. Art needs an audience and is incomplete without one. “Too often success is defined by your ability to sell your work. I have been able to make my living as an artist but that has not always been the case, and I would have continued to paint regardless.” To learn more, visit richardcurrierart.com

All blessed in God's eyes Continued from C1 since she adopted her 11 years ago. According to church staffer Kathie Rushlow, Willa had a serious condition that led to the loss of fur all over her body. Wood brought Willa to a University of Florida veterinarian and to the St. George animal blessing, and Willa recovered. “I’d like to think that the blessing had something to do with her recovery,” Mrs. Rushlow said with Submitted a smile. Michelle Wood's labradoodle, Willa. This year, Willa received special treatment -- she had just recovered from ACL surgery and received her blessing from the Wood family car. The exact year of the first blessing event is unknown. Father Bill Bates attributed it to the old hunting parties of England when owners had dogs blessed before going out into the woods. The popular origin story traces back to St. Francis of Assisi, around eight centuries ago (circa 1181). According to lore, it was Francis who first introduced the idea that human beings are only one of the myriad creations of God and “all are blessed in God's eyes." Widely considered the most popular Catholic saint in the world, St. Francis preached to the birds; blessed fish that had been caught and released them back into the water. Other accounts say that he communicated with wolves and that he once arbitrated an agreement between a wolf and a village’s terrified citizens. He also used real animals when he created the first live nativity scene. Because of these stories passed on through the centuries, St. Francis has come to be known as the patron saint of animals and the environment. “May St. Francis remind us of our serious obligation to respect and watch over animals with care, in light of that greater and higher fraternity that exists within the human family,” wrote Pope John Paul II in 1990.

OCTOBER 8 - OCTOBER 14, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Creative’s Corner

Submitted

Drake Arnold works on one of his murals, Electromagnetism, in Downtown Ocala. Arnold created an app where you can view his murals in 3D.

Drake Arnold’s life in 3D Artist Drake Arnold obliterates the boundaries of the biological and digital worlds as an augmented reality installation artist, painter and Citra-based homesteader. By Julie Garisto

Ocala Gazette

Drake Arnold lives to propagate. From cultivating papayas to digitizing fractals ad infinitum, he defies stereotypes and doesn’t see the creative process in terms of either/or. From bits of fruit to bits and bytes, it’s all part of one multidimensional mix. Resembling an aerosolcan slinger from an alternate universe, where the world is a happier more sustainable place, Arnold jokes that he’s gone “full-blown hippie” as he meanders through his gardens with spray paint cans strapped to a belt and an oversize straw hat with a slightly wilted daisy on the band. He lives with life partner and artist Rae Grand and their 2-year-old daughter, Lila, in the ultra-serene Black Sink Prairie. Their home and studio compound

can be found under a sprawling tree canopy, surrounded by fruit and vegetable crops. On approaching the Arnold-Grand property, Horus, a friendly HuskyMalamute mixed breed canine, does a quick security check. To the left, a yellow triangular sign reads “Gator crossing” and, just behind it, an easygoing pet hog named George loiters in his own spacious pen. Graywater from an outdoor shower feeds banana plants and the family bathes there with juice from the shampoo ginger plants close by. Arnold, 35, sips a Citra Pale Ale made by Cigar City Brewing -- a beverage that symbolizes hometowns of his past and present as he studied digital art at the University of Tampa. He has designed murals and commissioned installations for the City of Ocala, the Marion Cultural Alliance (MCA) Marion Cultural

Currently on Exhibition "Augmented Reality & Fractal Animations" with Drake Arnold Through Oct. 22 at the Leesburg Center for the Arts 429 W Magnolia St, Leesburg, FL 34748 http://www.leesburgarts.com/

File photo

Drake Arnold works on a painting during First Friday Art Walk.

Arts Center, the Mote Marine Aquarium and in r cities across Florida and the U.S. He has worked as a motion graphics designer for Fortune 500 companies and crafted installations for the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival and other festivals, touring the country in a school bus converted into a makeshift RV. Working in both traditional and digital media, Arnold uses acrylic and aerosol when painting on canvas or wall surfaces. His digital projects include creating animations and interactive design work with projection mapping, 3D printing and virtual reality. Words like “psychedelic,” “natural” and “surreal” have been used to describe his works, which also comprise the classical and precise figurative work of a trained artist. Some of Arnold’s more recent creations are currently on display in tandem with an exhibit by his partner Grand at the Leesburg Center for the Arts through Oct. 22. In summer 2020, Arnold created the “Life Cycle” mural in the courtyard at the MCA’s Brick City Center for the Arts at 23 SW Broadway Street, inspired by the aforementioned homestead he started with his family last year. Just before that, he painted the city-commissioned “Electromagnetism,” featuring electro-chemistry pioneer Michael Faraday at 201 SE Third St. To get the full, immersive experience of viewing his murals and painting, Arnold created an app called Fractal Spirit to view them in 3D. Fractal Spirit is also a collective of visual artists, designers and creators. Arnold received a 3D printer through a public grant and an additional 3D printer through donations. After he received the second

printer, he donated the first one to the Marion County Public Library System. “Whenever I can, I use my art and my position to try to give back to the community,” Arnold says of the printer donation and his volunteer work on the “Life Cycle” mural. Though he enjoys the seclusion of his homestead, Arnold says he has “mad love” for the Ocala art community, even if he’s not out and about very often. He says local artists like Justin Alsedeck, with whom he worked recently on a private commission, and cohorts at the Magnolia Arts Exchange, hold a place in his heart. These days, he’s working on paintings and installations inside his home studio and ongoing permaculture projects outside. Art projects with daughter Lila also take up some of his time. “We love to sit around and draw together,” Arnold says with a smile. “She's so smart and just so full of life and energy and stuff, and sings her ABCs.” Family has been a stabilizing force for Arnold

-- his current family and the family he was born into. His parents, brother and sister live in Ocala, and his older brother first inspired him to take up art. A multi-venue multimedia project in California also is in the works, but Arnold can’t divulge details until the project gets the official stamp. In his home studio, a prismatic, hexagonal work is taking shape, influenced by crosscultural religions. “I wanted, in all honestly, to create a piece that speaks to the unity of all religions and all philosophies, which all say that love is the answer, really,” he shares. Of his current break from social media, “I’m trying to just keep it going until the end of the year and take a full year off of posting,” he says. “In the meantime, I'm just out in the dirt, propagating trees and plants and trying to build an edible food forest.” Learn more about Drake Arnold and his work at https://fractal-spirit.com/.

Submitted

Lifecycle, located at MCA's Brick City Center for the Arts.

OCTOBER 8 - OCTOBER 14, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Seeking Shade If not for shade trees, there wouldn’t be any summer backyard barbecues. No relaxing in a hammock with a good book, enjoying a cold glass of lemonade under a cool, leafy canopy. “On a hot summer day, there can be at least a 10-degree difference from sun to shade,” says David Holmes, the county director for the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Marion County. “And shade trees can also reduce home cooling costs.” According to the U.S. Department of Energy, trees can shade the ground and pavement around a home, reducing heat radiation and cooling the air before it reaches your home’s walls and windows. A single shade tree can save a homeowner up to 20 percent on energy costs. Additionally, shade trees improve air quality, reduce storm runoff, contribute to a smaller carbon footprint and beautify our neighborhoods. What To Plant The go-to shade trees are deciduous trees, which shed all or most of their leaves each year and include oaks, birches, elms and sweetgums. In Ocala/Marion County, the iconic live oak is the most recognizable deciduous tree. “The problem with live oaks is that they are generally too large for residential properties,” Holmes explains. “They can grow to 60 feet tall and 60 feet wide and their large root system can create issues for power lines, drain fields, driveways, foundations and sidewalks. Live oaks need lots of room, so they’re best for large lots only.” Even if a live oak won’t work for your yard, there are other good options. “The swamp chestnut oak is a good alternative for an average residential lot. In time, these trees do grow up to 70 feet tall, but have a canopy spread of only 40 feet,” says Holmes. “I planted one from a seedling 15 years ago and it’s about 20 feet tall now. They have a lifespan of 130-150 years.” Holmes also recommends the Shumard oak and the nuttal oak for large residential lots. For a smaller lot, Holmes notes that “the medium-sized trees like the dahoon holly or overcup oak might be good ones to consider.” When, Where And How To Plant “Trees can be planted any time, but spring is preferable because trees are coming out of dormancy and you have better control of the watering schedule,” says Holmes. “By the time summer temperatures arrive in late May, trees should be well on their way to being established. And about the time you are getting really tired of watering the tree, the summer rains arrive.” As with all things, location is important for tree planting. “Choose the location for planting a tree carefully. You want to plant keeping in mind how big the mature tree will be. Plant away from drain fields, sidewalks, driveways, foundations and roofs,” Holmes cautions. “It’s not a bad idea to call your local utility company before planting to avoid overhead and underground power lines.” When it comes to the biggest shade tree problems he addresses, Holmes doesn’t hesitate. “Trees are often planted too

deep,” he says. “Planting a tree too deep robs it of oxygen. UF/ IFAS recommends planting trees in a hole that is twice as wide as the root ball and slightly shallower, about an inch above the surrounding soil.” And then there’s the root ball. “People don’t break apart the root ball before planting,” he explains. “Roots of trees raised in round pots tend to circle. If the root ball isn’t broken apart, this circling will continue in the ground.” Holmes notes that making these planting mistakes will lead to “a tree that grows for maybe four or five years then doesn’t seem to get any bigger. Finally the top branches begin to thin out for lack of oxygen. Roots need oxygen to thrive and 70 percent of all roots are in the top 18-24 inches This is a theme puzzle with the subject stated below. Find the listed words in the grid. (They may of soil.”

WORD FIND

run in any direction but always in a straight line. Some letters are used more than once.) Ring each word as you find it and when you have completed the puzzle, there will be 20 letters left Watering And Beyond Once a shade tree has been over. They spell out the alternative theme of the puzzle. planted properly in the right location, the next most important thing is watering. “At planting, form a shallow Solution: 20 Letters moat about 3 feet out from the trunk in all directions, about 8 inches deep,” says Holmes. “Using a garden hose, fill the moat with water until it reaches the brim. Repeat every day for two weeks. At the beginning of the third week, water every other day for the next three weeks, then two times a week three and four days apart for an additional six weeks. Then once a week until the tree is established.” After our summer rains end, Holmes recommends “watering a new tree once a week during the dry months of October and November while trees are still entering dormancy.” As the tree grows, UF/IFAS recommends that all young oaks be pruned routinely for the first 15-20 years. This will develop a healthy branch structure and maintain one dominant trunk for strength and stability. Ready to plant your own Op-ed Finance Accident Copy shade trees? The sooner you do, Prime Fire Anger Court the sooner you can hang up that Publicity Fonts Arson Crash hammock.

Making news

Special to Ocala Gazette

Arts Bands Care Check Classifieds Clues Competitions Concise

Crew Death Enus Escape Extra Felony Fighting Films

Gigs Guilty Hall Headline Hook Houses Item Laws

Quote Radio Rush Sell Sport Style Trial Truth

on: We need a good-news story

By JoAnn Guidry

Sudoku is played on a grid of 9 x 9 spaces. Within the rows and columns are 9 “squares” (made up of 3 x 3 spaces). Each row, column and square (9 spaces each) needs to be filled out with the numbers 1-9, without repeating any numbers within the same row, column or square.

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Date: 10/8

OCTOBER 8 - OCTOBER 14, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Community

Now-The Championship Show 10/24

World Equestrian Center, 1390 NW 80th Ave. All day This equestrian event, offering a $2 million purse, will feature competitions including Western pleasure, barrel racing, cutting, hunter, reining, ranch and youth classes. Visit wec.net for more information.

10/8

Marion Oaks Farmers Market

10/8

Marion County Friday Market

10/8

Film Noir

10/8 -10

Timberline Farm Fall Festival

Marion Oaks Community Center, 294 Marion Oaks Lane 9am-noon Fresh vegetables, artisan food products and handmade crafts.

McPherson Government Complex, 601 SE 25th Ave. 9am-2pm Shop locally fresh fruits and veggies, cinnamon buns, jerky, freeze dried treats, olive oils and seafood.

Dunnellon Public Library, 20351 Robinson Road, Dunnellon 1pm Adults and kids under 13 accompanied by an adult are invited to view “Strangers on a Train.” Call (352) 438-2520 to register.

Timberline Farm, 3200 SE 115th St., Belleview 4-8pm Friday, 10-8pm Saturday, 12-8pm Sunday Fall family fun will include pumpkin patch, music, hay rides and slide, pony rides, kids’ games, craft and food vendors, antiques and country store. A portion of the proceeds will benefit St. Theresa’s Soup Kitchen and Marion County Juvenile Detention Center. Call (352) 454-4113 for information.

10/8

Public Art Gathering

10/9

Community Hero Therapeutic Field Day

10/9

Ocala Downtown Market

10/9

NamaSitStay Yoga

10/9

Features, Nature, Wildlife and Conservation

E. D. Croskey Recreation Center, 1510 NW Fourth St. 6-7pm The City of Ocala Cultural Arts and Sciences Division, along with Fine Arts for Ocala, the Racial Harmony and Cultural Awareness task force and the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Commission will gather public input for a new mural at the center. Call (352) 629-8447 for more information.

10/11

Let’s Talk Books Club

10/11

Monday Matinee

Reddick Public Library, 15150 NW Gainesville Road, Reddick 2:30pm Join a discussion of Carl Hiaasen’s “Hoot.” Call (352) 438-2566 to register.

Ocala Public Library, 2720 E. Silver Springs Blvd. 2pm Adults and kids under 13 accompanied by an adult are invited to view “Chaos Walking.” Call (352) 671-8551 to register.

10/12 Novels at Night Book Club

Virtual 2:30pm Join Ocala Public Library’s discussion of Lucy Foley’s “The Guest List.” Call (352) 671-8551 to register.

10/12 The Shores Market

Silver Springs Shores Community Center, 590 Silver Road 5-7pm This indoor farmers market includes farm fresh goods, artisan food products and arts and crafts vendors. fb.com/ theshoresmarket

10/13 1 Million Cups Ocala

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

10/13 Forest Readers Book Club

Forest Public Library, 905 S County Highway 314A, Ocklawaha 2:30pm Join a discussion of Stephen King’s “The Institute.” Call (352) 438-2540 to register.

Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Complex, 1510 NW Fourth St. 9-11am Individuals of all abilities are invited to be paired with a community hero to play games and enjoy lunch. Parents or guardians must be present and are invited to volunteer. Visit ocalafl.org/recpark for registration.

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

Tuscawilla Park, 829 NE Sanchez Ave. 10-11am Bring your furry friend and yoga mat and do gentle stretches with the K9 Fit Club. Visit fb.com/ocalarecpark for more information.

Ocala Public Library, 2720 E Silver Springs Blvd. 10:30am Learn about our fine feathered friends from the experts at the Marion County Audubon Society. Call (352) 671-8551 to register.

10/13 Wednesday Midday Market

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

10/14 Farmers Market

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

Arts Now-The Game of Life 10/18

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 context. Visit ocalafl.org/culturalarts for more information.

Now- Highlights from the Equine Collection 10/24

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 more than 60 pieces which relay Arthur I. Appleton’s love of horses. Visit appletonmuseum.org for more information.

10/9

Brick City Carnival

10/11

Diabetes Self-Management Class

Brick City Adventure Park, 1211 SE 22nd Road 5-8pm Families are invited to enjoy safe trick or treating, costume contests, live entertainment, face painting and games. Call (352) 671-8560 for more information.

Belleview Public Library, 13145 SE County Highway 484, Belleview 10am-12pm The Florida Department of Health Marion County will help individuals learn about daily habits to control diabetes, monitoring blood sugar, meal planning, physical activity, medical care and more. The free class will be held Mondays through Oct. 25. Call (352) 438-2500 to register, or call (352) 644-2624 for more information about the class.

Now- Greater than 17 10/28

College of Central Florida Webber Gallery, 3001 SW College Road 10am-4pm Monday-Thursday This exhibition, from the collection of CF Associate Professor Tyrus Clutter, features works by more than 150 artists who were influenced by the techniques of British painter and printmaker Stanley William Hayter, who had a profound impact on 20th-century art and attracted well-known artists at his Atelier 17 workshop in Paris. For details, visit cf.edu or call (352) 854-2322, ext. 1664.

Now- A Breeze Through Fertile Gardens 11/17

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 are inspired by the four elements: earth, air, fire and water. Visit appletonmuseum.org for more information.

OCTOBER 8 - OCTOBER 14, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Now- Alison Saar: Works from the Permanent Collection 1/2/22

10/11

Painting Open in 2-D Traditional Media

10/9- Amazing Arthropods 12/30

10/11

Pastel

10/94/24

Heart of the Horse

10/12 Appleton Book Club

10/9

Second Saturday Art Studio

10/14 Coffee, Cake & Community

10/9

Classics and Cocktails

10/9

Not Fade Away: Rock ‘n’ Roll Reignited

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.

Discovery Center, 701 NE Sanchez Ave. Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm This new bug-centric exhibit gives kids of all ages the chance to learn about a variety of insects and includes a live bug zoo that is home to a Malaysian forest scorpion and a goliath bird-eating tarantula. The hands-on activities include puzzles, games and dress up. Visit mydiscoverycenter.org for more information.

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.

Virtual 7pm Join an online discussion of “Women in Art: 50 Fearless Creatives Who Inspired the World” by Rachel Ignotofsky. Visit appletonmuseum.org for more information.

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd. Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 12-5pm The beauty and complexity of horses is revealed through 40 black-and-white photographs by Juliet van Otteren in the Appleton Museum’s new exhibit. Visit appletonmuseum.org for more information.

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 fb.com/nomagalleryocala for more information.

Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 SW Broadway St. 12-3pm Artists of all levels and ages are invited to bring their own projects and create in a serene studio session in the gallery and courtyard. Visit fb.com/mcaocala for more information.

10/14 Paper Thin -31

Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd. 2 & 7:30pm This world premiere play tells the story of a determined Southern woman whose family kept their Mississippi farm afloat through hard times and Hurricane Katrina. So why is she up on the roof with a bottle of whiskey? Visit ocalacivictheatre.com for tickets and more information.

Marion Theatre, 50 S Magnolia Ave. 2pm This month’s classic film is “Psycho” and the cocktail is Norma(n)’s Sour. Visit mariontheatre.org for details.

Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St. 7:30pm This young group is taking the country by storm with their amped-up renditions of classic hit songs from early rock ‘n’ roll legends including Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Roy Orbison and many others. Visit reillyartscenter.com for tickets.

10/10 Applaud the Arts

Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd. 12-2:30pm The 14th annual celebration of community arts leaders by Marion Cultural Alliance will be a champagne brunch at the theatre’s new outdoor stage. Guests can enjoy live music by Ocala Symphony Orchestra principal harpist Tasha Robinson, food by local restaurants and the comedy and tragedy masks decorated by local artists. Visit fb.com/mcaocala.com for details.

10/11

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.

Government

10/8

Marion County Dog Classification Board

10/11

Marion County Development Review Committee

Growth Services training room, 2710 E Silver Springs Blvd. 2pm Call (352) 671-8700 for more information.

Office of the County Engineer, 412 SE 25th Ave. 9am The DRC votes on waiver requests, drainage/site plans, subdivision master plans, preliminary plats, improvement plans and final plats. Call (352) 671-8686 for more information.

County Development Review Committee Staff 10/14 Marion Meeting

Watercolor Painting

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.

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

ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR 8

5pm John Mazz

Morevino

6:30pm Gilly & the Girl

7pm Mark Zauss & the Z Street Band On Top of the World Town Square

The Crazy Cucumber

La Cuisine

7pm The Big Bad

8pm Warren McCullough The Corkscrew

8pm Comedian Luke Touma

Bonkerz Comedy Club

6pm John Johnson Shuckin’ Shack

7pm Get the Funk On Top of the World Town Square

8pm Noah Hunton The Corkscrew

8pm Dueling Pianos The Lodge

SPOOKY SEASON

AT THE MARION Showing October 2021

JOIN US THIS MONTH FOR MOVIES, SPECIAL EVENTS AND MORE! For showtimes, tickets and information on renting the theatre please visit MarionTheatre.org

OCTOBER SPECIAL EVENTS Dark Mark's Grind House • FAFO Open House Weekend • Classics and Cocktails • Saturday Mornings for Kids OCTOBER AT THE MARION IS SPONSORED BY:

(352) 820-3049 | To view the full lineup and purchase tickets visit MarionTheatre.org | 50 S Magnolia Avenue

OCTOBER 8 - OCTOBER 14, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Start your engines Third annual Cops and Cars Show raises $4,400 for United Way By James Blevins

james@ocalagazette.com The Ocala Police Department hosted its third annual Cops and Cars Show on Oct. 2. The event took place at OPD headquarters at 402 S. Pine Ave. and benefitted the United Way of Marion County. It featured dozens of classic cars on full display, as well as classic police and emergency vehicles. The department’s MRAP SWAT vehicle was also on display. “We’d like to thank all of the car show participants and sponsors for making our Cops & Cars event a huge success.” said OPD Public Information Officer Jeff Walczak. “The car show could not have been possible without them.” According to the Walczak, 139 cars attended the show. The event was able to raise $4,400 for United Way of Marion County.

Bruce Ackerman/OG

Top: Jim Ellison, left, and John Willour of Ocala look under the hood of a 1963 Chevrolet Impala owned by Gerald Dockter. Middle: Car show judges Don Zenn, left, and Derek Cummings, right, judge a 1963 871 supercharged 1963 Plymouth Belvedere with a 440 cubic inch motor owned by John Newhall. Far right: Owen Griffis of Ocala, 10, and his sister, Sarah, 6, are shown through the hood scoop opening as they look at the engine in a 1980 Pontiac Trans Am 6.6 owned by Brett Preston.

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TICKETS ON SALE NOW! Order tickets at CSCulturalCenter.com | 8395 SW 80th Street, Ocala, FL 34481 | (352) 854-3670 ALL SHOWS BEGIN AT 7 PM & DOORS OPEN AT 6 PM (EXCEPT AS NOTED) | GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE Schedule and prices subject to change without notice. Reduced ticket prices for residents of On Top of the World Communities and Stone Creek apply to Circle Square Cultural Center produced shows only. (Resident ID required when purchasing at box office.) Ticket prices do not include sales tax. Refreshments available for purchase at events. To arrange for handicap seats, call or visit the ticket office. According to CDC guidelines, wearing a mask indoors is recommended. *Free tickets not available online. Tickets must be picked up at the Circle Square Cultural Center box office during normal business hours. Limit two per household. **Online tickets subject to a convenience fee. All ticket sales final.

Answers for pages C4

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

#14184 - 10/21