Ocala Gazette | OCTOBER 22-28

Fourth and final installment of our series takes a look at MCSO, page A10

OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021

VOLUME 2 ISSUE 17

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States and cities slow to spend federal rescue funds By David A. Lieb Associated Press

Meagan Gumpert/Special to the Ocala Gazette

New lobby under construction at the Reilly Art Center.

Resurgence of the

Reilly

The historic Ocala City Auditorium is, once again, experiencing a rebirth

By Susan Smiley-Height

C

reating a great work of art or music can take years of planning and execution: The four years, for example, it took Michelangelo to conceive the concept and paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, or the nearly nine years Vivaldi needed to produce “The Four Seasons” masterworks. The same is true in building arts and entertainment venues and developing programming that sustain a community over time. When it was built as a Works Progress Administration project to help alleviate unemployment from the Great Depression, Ocala’s venerable City Auditorium, started in

1936 and completed in 1940, was envisioned as a focal gathering place. The auditorium met that goal by hosting school proms and graduations, dances, New Year’s Eve bashes, concerts, and even wrestling matches. The success of the venue was, at times, hampered by its location — not close enough to downtown, some felt — and poor acoustics. Over the decades, the roof began to leak, and the grand, old building seemed to sag under the weight of declining interest. But a group of locals had a vision for a community asset that could find new life inside those greying walls. After a $3.4 million renovation of the auditorium, which honored its Art Deco roots, the Reilly Arts Center opened in 2015. The

As Congress considered a massive COVID-19 relief package earlier this year, hundreds of mayors from across the U.S. pleaded for “immediate action” on billions of dollars targeted to shore up their finances and revive their communities. Now that they’ve received it, local officials are taking their time before actually spending the windfall. As of this summer, a majority of large cities and states hadn’t spent a penny from the American Rescue Plan championed by Democrats and President Joe Biden, according to an Associated Press review of the first financial reports due under the law. States had spent just 2.5% of their initial allotment while large cities spent 8.5%, according to the AP analysis. Many state and local governments reported they were still working on plans for their share of the $350 billion, which can be spent on a wide array of programs. Though Biden signed the law in March, the Treasury Department didn’t release the money and spending guidelines until May. By then, some state legislatures already had wrapped up their budget work for the next year, leaving governors with no authority to spend the new money. Some states waited several more months to ask the federal government for their share. Cities sometimes delayed decisions while soliciting suggestions from the public. And some government officials — still trying to figure out how to spend previous rounds of federal pandemic aid — simply didn’t see an urgent need for the additional cash. “It’s a lot of money that’s been put out there. I think it’s a good sign that it hasn’t been frivolously spent,” Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said. He was president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors when more than 400 mayors signed a letter urging Congress to quickly pass Biden’s plan. The law gives states until the end of 2024 to make spending commitments and the end of 2026 to spend the money. Any money not obligated or spent by those dates must be returned to the See American, page A2

See Reilly, page A4

Ocala Cattle Legacy continues with historic bull sale By Summer Best Special to the Ocala Gazette The 66th Annual Ocala Bull Sale, held Oct. 19 at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, drew in consignors from throughout the southeast who presented professionally graded, registered bulls for sale to help continually enhance cattle herds in north central Florida and beyond. Dubbed “The Nation’s Oldest and Continuous

Graded Bull Sale,” the live auction, which began at 1 p.m., featured Angus, Ultrablack, Braford, Brahman, Brangus, Charolais, Hereford, and Santa Gertrudis bulls, ages 15-48 months. Consignors entered 111 bulls; after review, 84 were approved for sale by a committee of commercial cattlemen and University of Florida beef cattle specialist, Todd Thrift, Ph.D. This was the first year

the auction was held simultaneously with an online option, via cattleinmotion.com, which provided more opportunities for buyers to bid from distant locations. The onsite sale was run by more than 30 volunteers, primarily with ties to the Marion County Cattlemen’s Association. Any proceeds from commissions on the event were earmarked to benefit future youth judging teams and related not-for-

profit cattle programs. “The whole reason to begin this sale 66 years ago was to bring quality, purebred cattle into this area, so people (cattle ranchers large and small) in north central Florida can buy a purebred, graded bull that was raised in Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and so forth, and buyers would not have to travel so far to access genetics from a diversity of registered, graded bulls,” said Hugh

Dailey, past president of the Marion County Cattlemen’s Association, which manages the event. Prospective buyers were offered opportunities to visit with bull owners and consignors, discussing disposition, pedigrees, qualities, and other features before the sale. This year’s president of the association, and the organization’s first female president, Joy Papi, said the success and heritage

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OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Judge clears way for case over campus shutdown By Jim Saunders News Service of Florida An Alachua County circuit judge has refused to dismiss a potential class-action lawsuit that contends the University of Florida should refund fees to students who were forced to learn remotely last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Judge Monica Brasington issued a nine-page ruling Monday that cleared the way for the university to face a breach-of-contract claim. The case is one of numerous similar lawsuits filed against universities and colleges across the state. The named plaintiff, Anthony Rojas, was a UF graduate student in spring and summer 2020 who paid tuition and fees. If the case is ultimately certified as a class action, it could affect tens of thousands of students who could not take in-person classes or participate in campus activities last year as UF tried to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Attorneys for the university argued,in part, that the case should be dismissed because of sovereign immunity, a legal

concept that generally shields government agencies from lawsuits. But Brasington wrote that “when a governmental entity enters into an express, written contract that is authorized by the powers granted to it by the Legislature, it waives its sovereign immunity.” “It is the court’s finding that, at this stage of the litigation, plaintiff has adequately (pleaded) the existence of an express contract between himself and UF in which plaintiff agreed to pay fees in exchange for specific services

to be provided by UF during the spring 2020 and summer 2020 semesters, in accordance with (a section of state law), and its corresponding regulations,” Brasington wrote. The lawsuit, filed in April, seeks pro-rated refunds of such things as activity fees, transportation fees and athletics fees. It does not seek tuition refunds. In addition to the breach-of-contract claim, Rojas’ attorneys also alleged “unjust enrichment” by UF --- though Brasington dismissed that allegation. “We are not challenging the required tuition or the

ensuing diploma, but all of these other charges that were physically impossible to take advantage of during the height of the pandemic,” Adam Moskowitz, a Coral Gables attorney representing Rojas, said in a prepared statement. “Some states like Georgia already agreed to reimburse such specific funds.” In seeking dismissal of the breach-of-contract claim, attorneys for the university disputed that an “express contract” existed between UF and Rojas. In a June motion, they wrote that Rojas had provided a “hodgepodge

of documents” that did not constitute an express contract. “There is no contract between plaintiff and UF, let alone an express contract, thereby dictating dismissal of plaintiff ’s breach of contract claim based upon sovereign immunity,” the motion to dismiss said. “Plaintiff ’s request that this court accept various documents from multiple sources to arrive at an enforceable express contract does not comport with applicable law.” But Rojas’ attorneys pointed to documents such as what is known as a “financial liability agreement,” a tuition statement and a fee schedule. “UF’s main argument is that plaintiff ‘cobbles together’ various documents to allege an express contract and that this is insufficient to show a ‘meeting of the minds.’ In Florida, however, any one document, or even several documents together, may constitute an express contract so long as they show an ‘offer, acceptance and consideration,’” Rojas’ attorneys wrote in an August document.

American Rescue Plan funds disbursement Continued from A1 federal government. The Biden administration said it isn’t concerned about the early pace of the initiative. The aid to governments is intended both “to address any crisis needs” and to provide “longerterm fire power to ensure a durable and equitable recovery,” said Gene Sperling, White House American Rescue Plan coordinator. “The fact that you can spread your spending out is a feature, not a bug, of the program. It is by design,” Sperling told the AP. The Treasury Department set an aggressive reporting schedule to try to prod local planning. It required states, counties and cities with estimated populations of at least 250,000 to file reports by Aug. 31 detailing their spending as of the previous month as well as future plans. More than half the states and nearly two-thirds of the roughly 90 largest cities reported no initial spending. The governments reported future plans for about 40% of their total funds. The AP did not gather reports from counties because of the large number of them. To promote transparency, the Treasury Department also required governments to post the reports on a “prominent public-facing website,” such as their home page or a general coronavirus response site. But the AP found that many governments ignored that directive, instead tucking the documents behind numerous navigational steps. Idaho and Nebraska had not posted their reports online when contacted by the AP. Neither had some cities. Officials in Jersey City, New Jersey, required the AP to file a formal open-records request to get its report, though that shouldn’t have been necessary. City employees in Laredo, Texas, and Sacramento, California, also initially directed the AP to file open-records requests. Laredo later told the AP it had spent

nothing. Sacramento relented and eventually provided a short report stating it had spent nothing but might put its entire $112 million allocation toward replacing lost revenue and providing government services. Among states, the largest share of initial spending went toward shoring up unemployment insurance trust funds that were depleted during the pandemic. Arizona reported pouring nearly $759 million into its unemployment account, New Mexico nearly $657 million and Kentucky almost $506 million. For large cities, the most common use of the money was to replenish their diminished revenue and fund government services. San Francisco reported using its entire initial allotment of $312 million for that purpose. Those reporting no initial spending included Pittsburgh, whose mayor joined with several other Pennsylvania mayors in February on a column urging Congress to pass “crucial” aid for state and local governments.

“Congress must act, and they must act soon. Our communities cannot wait another day,” the Pennsylvania mayors wrote. Pittsburgh ultimately ended up waiting to spend the money until the Treasury guidelines were released, community members had a chance to comment and the City Council could sign off on the spending plans. In the future, the city plans to use part of its federal windfall to buy 78 electric vehicles, build technology labs at recreation centers and launch a pilot project paying 100 low-income Black women $500 a month for two years to test the merits of a guaranteed income program. The federal money also will help pay the salaries of more than 600 city employees “Even though the money hadn’t technically been expended” by the Treasury Department’s reporting timeline, “the receipt of the money was enough for us to hold off on major layoffs,” said Dan Gilman, chief of staff to Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto.

The City of Ocala approved

the following plan for ARP money on August 10th: Reimbursement for Lost Revenue Nonprofit Community Outreach Water/Sewer Force Main Project WRF # 3 Water/Sewer Force Main Project SR 464 Total

$2,072,589 $600,000 $1,250,000 $2,178,482 $6,101,071

Marion County Board of County Commissioners have tentatively approved the following plan ac-cording to an Oct. 15 email from county spokeswoman Stacie Causey: Silver Springs Shores water and sewer service Marion Oaks water service General water main extension project To be determined State Road 200/60th Avenue water service project College of Central Florida nursing facility CEP (health-related business initiatives) Broadband feasibility analysis study

$46,100,000 $10,000,000 $5,000,000 $4,000,000 $2,400,000 $2,000,000 $1,000,000 $500,000

Some officials are intentionally taking their time. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, opted not to call a special session to appropriate money from the latest federal pandemic relief act. So far, he’s publicly outlined just one proposal — $400 million for broadband. Parson’s budget director said the administration will present more ideas to lawmakers when they convene for their regular session in January. Until then, the state should have enough money left from a previous federal relief law to cover the costs of fighting the virus, budget director Dan Haug said. “We want to try to find things that are going to benefit Missouri not just next year or the year after, but 10 or 20 years down the road,” Haug said. “That takes some thought and some planning.” Republican state Rep. Doug Richey, who leads a House panel on federal stimulus spending, said he’s not convinced Missouri needs to spend all of its American Rescue Plan funds. “To the extent that we spend these dollars, we are participating in an ever-increasing federal debt or bad monetary policy,” Richey said. Missouri was one several states that waited to request its initial allotment. Five other Republicanled states — Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas — waited so long that they weren’t required to file reports by the Treasury’s Aug. 31 deadline. Tennessee wanted to make sure small cities were prepared for a 30-day clock that starts ticking for them to seek funding once the dollars arrive at the state, said Lola Potter, a spokesperson for the state Department of Finance and Administration. A South Dakota official cited similar reasoning for the delay. Financial Systems Director Colin Keeler said it’s difficult for small towns to take the steps needed to apply.

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OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

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Editorial

COMMENTARY

“First” Lady of Ocala Editor’s Note: Sadie Fitzpatrick uses this space to explore the character and quirks that make Ocala uniquely wonderful and occasionally irksome

integrate schools in Marion County, one of the first Black female athletes at the University of Florida, one of the youngest female athletes at UF. It was the Prince Sadie Fitzpatrick noise that explained, Columnist Cherrietta “Growing up, Prince will always I didn’t really realize I remember. was the ‘first’ of anything. As she stepped on to My family mostly kept me the field at Ben Hill Griffin sheltered and unaware of Stadium at the University everything going on in the of Florida on a re-cent world. I just knew I was humid September evening, expected to go to school the sound of the crowd and do well.” swelled into a steady roar. The stands thundered with 90,000 pairs of feet stomping along to the marching band’s anthems. This year to honor 50 years of women’s athletics at UF, Prince was asked to serve as an hon-orary “Ms. Two Bits,” an honor bestowed upon Gator graduates who have made an indelible impact on the university. Prince, clad in the pale yellow t-shirt emblazoned with a blue and orange striped necktie that was the signature outfit of the original “Mr. Two Bits,” led the rowdy crowd of football As one of the first Black fanatics in the iconic “Two students to integrate bits! Four bits! Six bits! A Osceola Middle School dollar! All for the Gators, in the late 1960s, Prince stand up and holler!” cheer. faced prejudice and racism. “I have done a lot in She chooses not to “focus my life, and it’s just so on the uglies,” preferring cool that I got to do that. to move for-ward and not I never even dreamed I dwell on the past. would be on that field being At the tender age of recognized. My face hurt 16, Prince arrived on from smiling so big,” Prince UF’s campus in the fall said. of 1971 on an academic Prince has made history scholarship. She was just since an early age. one of 343 Black students Her life has been enrolled there. comprised of firsts—one of “I knew there weren’t the first Black students to a lot of people who looked

like me there. I had been given this opportuni-ty, and I was going to work hard,” she said. In the fall of 1973, Prince joined the inaugural women’s track and field team. She ran track in high school and thought it would be a good way to meet people and belong to a group. At the time, there were no scholarships for women’s track and field, so Prince raced for only one season. After graduating from UF at 19, Prince moved to Miami and worked as a news reporter. She later joined the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as a military photojournalist and broadcaster for ABCN in Puerto Rico. During this time, she also worked on obtaining her master’s degree in business administration. Prince believes in using your individual talents to constantly reinvent yourself. “I’ve had many jobs and I loved them all. They all allowed me to utilize my strengths and work on my weaknesses,” she said. In addition to her time in the Marine Corps, Prince has been a college professor, the owner and operator of a daycare center, the founder of a marketing firm and the founder of a transportation business that transports veterans to and from local VA clinics. Her favorite job is the one she currently holds as director of IMPACT, an entrepreneurship initiative of the Ocala Metro Chamber and Economic Partnership (CEP). In this position, Prince channels her

entrepreneurial spirit by helping burgeoning entrepreneurs in underserved areas such as Silver Springs Shores, West Ocala and Marion Oaks access re-sources that will lead them to business success. These resources include “a Certified Diverse Small Business Enterprise program, multilanguage training events, and a supplier matching program,” according to the CEP website. “I was not always aware of the resources that could be provided to me growing up. With my job, I help connect the dots for people,” Prince explained. She noted that these areas are underserved because the resources are sometimes misallo-cated and the citizens of these communities do not know what resources can be provided to them. Prince explained, “It’s my goal to diversify economic inclusion and raise up these entrepreneurs. They don’t know what they don’t know, so it’s my job to connect them to the resources they need to be successful.” To date, the program has impacted more than 400 entrepreneurs from all four corners of Mari-on County. While Prince has completed most of the items on her bucket list, she still hopes to learn to deep sea dive and one day climb a mountain. And while those pursuits have already been achieved by others, there’s no doubt she’ll somehow find a path to become the “first” to do it a different way.

For 66 years, Ocala/Marion County has worked to enhance, promote, and continue as a leader in the beef industry. Continued from page A1 of the event is thanks to all the volunteers who help promote, set up, administrate, and orchestrate throughout the year and during the sale. “It’s all about the good gentlemen and volunteers that make this all come together,” Papi said. “I just like to stay on the ranch most of the time, if you want to know the truth,” she continued. “We have so many good volunteers, consignors, everyone. There’s a lot of paperwork, the catalogue, the panel work, volunteers setting up panels, arriving as early as Saturday evening, as we checked everyone in. It’s just a great group for great causes.” Bull sale prices finalized with a range from $1,500-$6,000 each for the 84 approved bulls, with an average of $3,022, according to David Stephens, also a past president of the Marion Cattlemen’s Association. The overall gross from the auction was $253,900. “It was a good sale,” Stephens said. “Community support is always so strong here in Ocala and Marion County, and even our consignors, new and old, from out-of-state always step up and champion things like the cake auction when they are here. We look forward to the 2022 sale and continuing the tradition.”

The long-established cake sale Stephens noted was hosted by the Marion Cattlewomen’s Association, which featured homemade cakes and pies easily exceeding the $100 mark each on the auction arena floor. Proceeds were earmarked to benefit scholarship programs. For more information on next year’s Ocala Bull Sale, the Marion County Cattlemen’s Association, and its efforts to promote beef, land management, and environmental stewardship, resources are available at ocalabullsale.com and at facebook. com/marioncountycattlemens.

Bruce Ackerman/OG

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OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Reilly expansion progress Continued from A1 center is named for Robert Reilly, a patron of the arts who donated $700,000 toward the renovation in memory of his late wife, Bonnie. The Reilly is the home of the Ocala Symphony Orchestra (OSO), and over the past six years, has offered a wide range of performances and programs. And now, a $4 million expansion of the center at 500 NE 9th St. is doubling the size of its footprint, and the organization’s leadership team soon will roll out new endeavors, such as a Community Music Conservatory, to engage an even broader demographic.

Sneak Peek On Thursday, Oct. 21, past presidents and current board members, Bill Nassal and Jim Schneider, hosted an event called “A Special Invitation to Expand the Future of the Arts in Ocala” inside the newly added spaces at the Reilly. While attendees saw a great deal of completed work, which includes a new black box theater, studios, classrooms, and main entryway, there is more to be done leading up to the season’s opening weekend on Nov. 20 and 21. “We are in the final stages. Now, it’s just all the finish work inside,” said OSO Music Director and Conductor, Matthew Wardell. “The last to get finished will be the lobby.” He said the new main lobby will offer a soaring vista of glass and steel, accented by cherry-colored wood. The main wall is the concrete exterior of the original building. “I love this kind of design where you have these harsh surfaces juxtaposed with all these glass chandeliers; it’s a really grand-feeling lobby,” Wardell said. “Especially with that glass, with the sunlight coming in, the trees, that view right out onto our outside area,” added Reilly Executive Director, Pamela Calero Wardell, “And we will have a patio with a half wall so people can go outside with a glass of champagne (“or a Bud Light,” her husband added with a laugh). We want people to feel good about chatting beforehand and taking their time really taking in the space.” Wardell said the new lobby is about 4 ½ times the size of the current lobby and that the two will be connected by double doors. Work behind the scenes to enhance the guest experience has included tapping into the expertise of Adam Volpe, director of operations for the Marion Theatre, which is run by the Reilly Arts Center. “He has a background in hospitality, mixology, and food and beverage, so as we are hiring our new hospitality team, he is putting them through a four-day training program. That will focus on how we are preparing drinks, pouring wine, presenting. He’s working to make sure it’s top notch,” Calero Wardell said. “We expect an elevation in our hospitality from the moment you get your ticket from our new box office — and you’re not coming inside to a sixfoot folding table; we have a proper box office outside.” Among the changes will be a new drink menu “that’s really well thought out,” Wardell said. “We also wanted efficiency and speed.” A bonus of the new construction is a catering kitchen that can be used inhouse or rented for special events. “We have a jazz series that’s going to start in December in the black box theater, so we’re looking at being able to provide tapas and things like that,” Calero Wardell said. “That’s one thing we were lacking when we wanted to rent the space out before.” Just as the Dinkins Construction team is eager to complete their work and show off the end result, the members of the OSO are avidly awaiting their return to the stage. “We feel good,” Wardell said. “The UF Symphony recently had their first concert of the season, and it was awesome to see a live audience in Gainesville; they were really receptive. As we’ve done some things here in Ocala over the last few months, people have seemed really ready to go and the musicians are

really ready to play too.” Margaret Dixon, a longtime principal with the OSO, echoed that sentiment: “It’s great to be back, interacting with the musicians. Everyone is happy making music again.”

Broadening the Scope Dixon, who has served as the Reilly’s personnel manager and librarian, has taken on the role of director of education and community outreach for the center’s new school of music, the Community Music Conservatory, a gift of the David & Lisa Midgett Foundation. Dixon and Wardell said they are refining their vision for the programming and are dedicated to a mission of inclusion. “We’re going to have a pretty wide range of programming,” Wardell offered. “Our mission is to offer diverse classes that are going to attract a lot of different types of students. It’s not just 100 kids learning to play the oboe—nothing against the oboe.” To which Dixon added, “Oboe lessons only cater to a small demographic versus the classes we are looking at, which are broader and accessible to people who have never played music, people who don’t have instruments, people who just want to do it for fun. We’re looking at classes to get people engaged, and maybe later on, reaching out to very specific things like oboe lessons because we will need those at some point.” “We want to create a connection between people and music, and sometimes, that starts out by classes with buckets and boom sticks,” Wardell continued. “I was really happy during a board meeting a couple of weeks ago and I was telling them about some of the plans Margaret had and things we were looking at. Our board is really good at keeping us realistic about what we can achieve, but also challenging us, so I expected questions about ‘How are you going to pay for this?’ and the first question I got was, ‘How can we do this so more kids can do it?’ We’re beginning to work on structuring some of the programs in the way schools have free or reduced lunch and things like that, so programs are available to all kids. Obviously, we won’t be able to do that for every slot, but we think we can find a way to do it for a lot of the openings in classes. We’re really excited about that, and it’s going to be a central mission.” “I feel a very important part of what we’re doing is to make sure that music lessons don’t become a classist thing, like you can only take music lessons if your family makes X amount of dollars,” Dixon said. “I think it’s really important that we try to make sure we’re not isolating anyone or creating this divide because music really is for everybody.” Among the offerings being considered is the Music Together program that introduces music and concepts to kids at a very early age. “It’s not just the child doing music, but the whole family coming together, and you create this bonding experience,” Dixon shared. “It incorporates a rhythm component, so for older kids, it’s getting into drums and full body movement. It has a component for children to interact with senior citizens, and there’s a music therapy component. It’s a really cool program.” Additional offerings may include specific classes, such as for guitar or horns, taught by members of the OSO. The David & Lisa Midgett Foundation, founded by the longtime Ocala couple, is focused on the arts and education. Lisa Midgett said their gift of $300,000 for the music conservatory is in memory of their mothers. “The detailed vision presented by the Reilly team made this a very compelling project, as it fulfills both aspects of our mission,” she outlined. “Both of our mothers were singers, and David’s mother was an educator as well. Our homes were filled with music. I feel that if my mother had access to affordable vocal lessons — a mission of the conservatory — who knows where her music would have taken her. For David’s mom,

music and education were two of her passions. She would be thrilled with the mission of bringing music education to all.” “We love any initiative that makes art accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay,” Midgett continued. “A child’s involvement in the arts is important to all of us, as statistics have shown that a student who participates in the arts outperforms their peers from 14 percent to 20 percent in English, math, and social studies. For the next generation of leaders, the arts are a necessary part of their education.” Dixon said the goal is for the music school to be self-sufficient, to which Wardell added, “I think we have a community that will support a program like that. So many of our sponsors say, ‘We love what you’re doing, we’re going to support it, and, by the way, do you have any programs that specifically target children around this age, or children at risk, or adults in this category, or music therapy?’ It’s the jigsaw piece to this puzzle hole I didn’t realize we had, or that I could fill, and it all kind of fits. And when you’re doing the right thing, things find a way to work.” “When we opened the Reilly in 2015, we knew it was going to grow but we didn’t know it was going to be this serious,” said Calero Wardell. “I remember in our early board meetings I was with Bob Reilly, and he wanted to see something that brought together seniors and youth, and we’re finally to a point where things like that are visions that are starting to be realized.”

How to Help The capital campaign for the Reilly expansion was off to a rousing start before the pandemic, and, despite the subsequent challenges, the leadership vowed to keep moving forward. In some ways, that was a blessing; for example, in procuring the bulk of the materials needed before supply and logistics issues surfaced around the world. As the brick-and-mortar phase comes to a close, there still are many ways to support the campaign and help usher the center into a new era. Among those are naming opportunities, ranging from $150,000 to $500,000. “There’s the new theater and new lobby, and even the main stage theater,” Wardell said. “Like most performing arts centers, each theater has its own name. The Dr. Phillips has the Walt Disney Theater, for example.” “We’re looking for significant donations to name, but we’re also really looking for people to do investment opportunities with our education program,” Calero Wardell added. “We are seeking 25 gifts of $10,000 and above to further support the brick-and-mortar and enshrine programming for the first five years.” There also are membership opportunities ranging from $5,000 to

$15,000, which include special access and other perks. Calero Wardell encourages people to plan to attend the season opening event and “check out our website because we are booking new shows every week. We’re working with the associate professor of jazz studies at UF to put on a six-month series. We’re trying to offer a little bit of everything. And hopefully when people buy a ticket, they donate a little bit on top — every $10 helps.”

Treasured Resource Reilly board member Nassal clearly understands the potential of entertainment venues. His business, Companies of Nassal, designs, fabricates, and installs specialty construction for theme parks, aquariums, zoos, and museums such as the Harry Potter attractions in the US and Japan, the Tampa Bay Bucs Pirate Ship, and Universal’s Volcano Bay water attraction. He was one of the first people to envision how the old City Auditorium could gain new life. “Chester Weber sat on a committee to decide the future of the old auditorium. He knew I was on the symphony board and the symphony needed a permanent home,” Nassal recalled. “We toured the auditorium, and, with the help of Frank Hennessey, negotiated a minimal lease if we were able to raise the (initial) $2,500,000 renovation cost. We raised the funds. Matt Wardell and I partnered as representatives for the symphony during the construction phase.” Fast forward to the current construction project. “The new expansion more than doubles the size of the Reilly. We expanded the lobby and concession area, a major addition of restroom facilities, a state-of-the-art black box theater, and a music school. Ocala will be proud,” Nassal stated. When asked his thoughts about the continued success of this treasured community resource, Nassal responded: “The treasured community resource is Matt and Pam Wardell. I have worked with numerous conductors and artistic directors, and they all have similar traits: little attention to budgets or staff management. Matt gets deeply involved in all budget issues. Pam has excellent staff management skills. Look what they have done — the Reilly is out of years of debt, the $2,500,000 initial renovation is paid off, and they took over the management of the Marion Theatre, and it now makes money. I see a fine future for the Reilly venues.” For more information, visit www. reillyartscenter.com. To learn about naming opportunities, contact Pamela Calero Wardell at (352) 351-1606, ext. 102, or pamela@reillyartscenter. com.

A5

OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Citrus Industry Seeks to Maintain Funding, Eyes Research By Jim Turner Florida News Service Despite a predicted drop in citrus production across Florida, orange juice sales are tracking up and the industry wants lawmakers to maintain current amounts of state marketing and research funding next fiscal year. Meanwhile, efforts to combat citrus greening disease, which for nearly two decades has devastated groves, could soon lead to a new University of Florida-backed variety of citrus on the market. Michael Rogers, director and professor at the University of Florida IFAS Citrus Research & Education Center, said among new varieties that are more tolerant to citrus greening --- technically called huanglongbing, or HLB --- is a “Gator Bites” brand. The bites look similar to the California clementines commonly known by the brand names cuties or halos. However, Rogers said the Florida variety has a sweeter taste without an increase in sugar content. “This makes the cuties and halos taste like cardboard, in my opinion,” Rogers told members of the Senate Agriculture Commission. “It's an easy peeler. Seedless. It doesn't get your hands messy. Tastes very sweet and it's HLB tolerant. So, this is going to be our first opportunity in Florida for growers to diversify a little bit if they've not been planting fresh fruit.” While citrus greening has been a leading cause in the decline of the industry, Florida growers have

House Panel Eyes Health Care Worker Shortages Florida News Service A staffing crisis currently plaguing hospitals, nursing homes and community health centers likely has no short-term solution, a panel of industry leaders told state lawmakers Tuesday. Florida Hospital Association President and CEO Mary Mayhew told the House Health & Human Services Committee that eliminating burdensome paperwork and “anything that is detracting from the care at the bedside” could help make health-care jobs more appealing to future generations of workers. “One of the things that we’ve been blessed by in health care is that generally there’s significant interest among middle-school students, highschool students, to pursue healthcare careers and for many to become nurses,” Mayhew said Tuesday. “And we want that to remain a fulfilling and rewarding career. So we have to constantly re-examine how care is delivered, how it is managed, how it is overseen.” Steven Bennett, workforce development manager for the Florida Association of Community Health Centers, described the current hiring situation as a “seller’s market” in which healthcare providers are competing for employees. “Part of the challenge that I think we’re going to see over the next five years is a bit of a PR challenge about building a career in health care,” Bennett said. “It’s a little bit like 20 years ago in manufacturing, when we looked at manufacturing jobs as dirty jobs. Well, if you went to a manufacturing plant, you would see it was very clean, right? It wasn’t accurate.”

struggled for years against residential and commercial development, foreign imports and changing drinking habits. Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast a nearly 11 percent drop in orange production and a 7.3 percent reduction in grapefruit production during the 2021-2022 growing season from last year. Harvest totals would be among the smallest since the 1940s. Rogers said he’s “optimistic” about the future of the state’s citrus industry, which in 2005 faced predictions that it wouldn’t survive the next 10 years because of devastation from citrus greening. In the fight against diseases, the university is using gene editing techniques to develop grapefruit plants resistant to citrus canker. Also, it has wrapped up a study on

a growth hormone, gibberellic acid, that has shown signs of reversing signs of stress suffered by trees with citrus greening, Rogers said. Noting the research efforts, Florida Citrus Commission Executive Director Shannon Shepp, after addressing members of the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee on Wednesday, said the agency has requested $17 million in “base” funding for next fiscal year, the same as in the current year. “There are folks still reinvesting in citrus and planting in citrus because they have seen the technology and the nutritional info that we've been able to garner over these last few years,” Shepp told the House panel. In her presentation, Shepp said money is being used to continue a marketing campaign that started

just before the COVID-19 pandemic, promoting the health aspects of orange juice as “The Original Wellness Drink.” “Our goal is to increase consumer demand and purchase of Florida citrus products, predominantly Florida orange juice,” Shepp said. “We are a $6.7 billion economic driver that supports 33,000 jobs, directly and indirectly.” The marketing campaign was designed, in part, to counter concerns by health advocates of sugar content in citrus. Orange juice sales increased as people stayed at home in the early stages of the pandemic. And recently, there has been another increase in orange juice sales, Shepp said. “We are gradually gaining some of that momentum that was created in the COVID spike,” Shepp said.

Ocala Health to participate in “Crush the Crisis” Gazette Staff On Oct. 19, Ocala Health announced that it will host its 2nd annual opioid take back event to raise awareness about the dangers of opioid misuse and proper disposal of medications on Saturday, Oct. 23. Called “Crush the Crisis,” the event aligns with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and invites community members to safely and anonymously dispose of unused or expired prescription medications. “Opioid addiction is a national health crisis, and it is imperative that

we get unused pain medications out of homes where they can more easily end up in the wrong hands,” said Dr. Eric Schuck, chief medical officer of Ocala Health. Law enforcement officers from Marion County Sheriff ’s District Office will be collecting tablets, capsules and patches of Hydrocodone (Norco, Lortab, Vicodin); Oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet); Tramadol (Ultram); Codeine; Fentanyal (Duragesic); Morphine; Hydromorphone (dilaudid) and Oxymorphone (Opana). All medications are accepted, however needles, syringes, lancets,

inhalers or liquids will not be accepted. COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place at the event, including masking and social distancing. “Crush the Crisis” event medication drop-off locations include three separate Marion County Sheriff ’s District Office locations: 8230 S.E. 165th Mulberry Lane; 9048 S.W. State Rd. 200; and 3260 S.E. 80th Street. For more information, visit www. hcahealthcare.com/campaigns/crushthe-crisis or call toll free at (833) 582-1970.

Hackin’ it for Hospice golf fundraiser a big success Gazette Staff Hospice of Marion County (HMC) announced on Oct. 18 that its Hackin’ it for Hospice golf fundraiser raised more than $71K. The event was held at the Country Club of Ocala on Oct. 2, after twice

being delayed due to COVID-19. “I am honored and truly grateful for the support of our mission that we receive from our community,” said Rick Bourne, CEO of HMC. Align Life hosted the event. Jenkins Auto Group was the premiere sponsor.

Other sponsors include Advent Health, Reedy Medical, Sunshine State Golf Carts, Ford Lincoln of Ocala, Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services, Hold Insurance, “Ocala’s Good Life” magazine and United American Recycling Services, LLC.

SunTran upgraded its bus routes on Oct. 18 Gazette Staff Since first announcing its plans on Oct. 14, SunTran has officially applied its Route Redesign Study, implementing its upgrades on Oct. 18. The Ocala City Council approved the study in August of 2021. Based on public input, demographic needs and travel requests, SunTran has redesigned the seven bus routes allowing for a more streamlined process that will reduce ride time by approximately 50%. “We listened to the feedback provided by the riders who utilize our services daily,” said Steven Neal, SunTran transit manager. “We have expanded routes to allow residents

better access to critical resources such as the new Veterans Clinic on SR 200, The Centers, Marion County Health Department and the Grey Hound Bus Station.” Upgrades to the routes include expanded services, bus stops located on both sides of the road, easy onboarding for passengers with accessibility limitations and new digital veils on the outside of the bus to automatically change with route information. Future improvements will include more bus shelters and benches at bus stops. In addition to route changes a newly updated bus tracker has been implemented for riders.

While multiple upgrades have been introduced, bus fares remain unchanged and the Downtown Transfer Station is still the central hub for the seven routes that operate Monday through Saturday, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. For up-to-date information and to follow bus routes in real-time, passengers are encouraged to utilize the live bus tracker available online at www.SunTran.org.

A6

OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

State News State poised to revamp civic education By Ryan Dailey Florida News Service The State Board of Education on Wednesday will consider adopting a proposal aimed at reshaping the way civic education is taught in public schools, culminating an effort set in motion by lawmakers this spring. Making changes that inject patriotism into the curriculum was a priority of top Republican lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis during the legislative session that ended April 30. DeSantis signed a measure (HB 5) into law in June that called for giving Florida students an “understanding of the civic-minded expectations, developed by the State Board of Education,

of an upright and desirable citizenry that recognizes and accepts responsibility for preserving and defending the blessings of liberty inherited from prior generations and secured by the United States Constitution.” A proposed rule that the state board will consider Wednesday, in part, deals with directing the state Department of Education to require students to understand America’s founding documents, something DeSantis touted when he signed the measure. “Understanding the Bill of Rights, understanding other key amendments to the Constitution, understanding the differences between (the) federal and state Constitution,” DeSantis said

during a bill-signing event. “There’s all these different things that I think are fundamental.” The proposed rule, which would update curriculum for kindergarten through 12th grade, also involves instilling patriotic values in schoolchildren. For instance, the proposed rule lays out several characteristics of what would make students an “upright and desirable” citizen. The proposal says that such a citizen should display “civic virtue and self-government that promotes the success of the United States constitutional republic through personal responsibility, civility, and respect in political, social, and religious discourse and

totalitarianism, conflict with the principles of freedom and democracy essential to preserving the United States constitutional republic.” The law that triggered the proposed rule also directed the Department of Education to create a video library that includes first-person accounts of “victims of other nations’ governing philosophies” with the goal of comparing those philosophies to that of the U.S. The proposal being weighed Wednesday looks to build on curriculum standards for civics, government and other subject areas adopted by the state board in July.

lawful civic engagement.” The proposed rule also says a desirable citizen respects “the military, elected officials, civic leaders, public servants, and all those who have defended the blessings of liberty in pursuit of the common good, even at personal risk.” A separate part of the proposal says upright citizens appreciate “the price paid by previous generations to secure the blessings of liberty and why it is the responsibility of current and future generations to preserve it.” If the proposal is adopted by the state board, filled with DeSantis appointees, Florida students also will be taught that that “political ideologies, such as communism and

DeSantis calls for special session on mandates By Florida News Service Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday called for a special legislative session next month to push back against White House attempts to require workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. DeSantis said that while he and Attorney General Ashley Moody build a case to legally contest any federal mandates, the state can’t wait until the 2022 legislative session, which begins in January, to “strengthen” state laws. “We want to make sure that individuals in Florida have their livelihoods and their jobs protected,” DeSantis said during an appearance in Clearwater while backed by people holding signs saying, “Freedom has a home here” and “Don’t tread on Florida.” House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, sent a memo to members advising them of the pending

special session. “At this time, we have not received the dates or details regarding any proposed call,” Sprowls wrote. “We are in communication with the governor’s office and our partners in the Senate, and we will share details with you as they emerge.” Lawmakers are scheduled to be in Tallahassee for committee meetings the weeks of Nov. 1, Nov. 15 and Nov. 29. Democrats immediately blasted DeSantis’ announcement. “This is a purely selfserving political ploy by the governor, once again pulling out all the stops to appease --and encourage --- extremist positions that fly in the face of science and public health instead of protecting our children, our communities, and our economy,” Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, a Democrat running for governor next year, said in a prepared statement.

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A7

OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

State News DeSantis touts Florida ports amid supply chain delays By Jim Turner Florida News Service With the White House saying incremental progress has been made in alleviating the bottleneck in the global supply chain, Gov. Ron DeSantis took another swipe Tuesday at the Biden administration as he pitched using Florida ports for cargo ships logjammed in California. “We’re here. We have capacity,” DeSantis said of Florida’s 15 ports and related transportation infrastructure during an appearance at Jacksonville’s JAXPORT. DeSantis, who has made a hallmark of challenging the White House on a variety of issues, highlighted state spending on roads, ports, rail infrastructure and workforce training during Tuesday’s appearance, along with touting incentives packages offered by state ports to try to entice shipping companies to reroute operations. “We have to make sure people can go Christmas shopping as normal. We have to make sure that all the necessities are there,” DeSantis said. “And if it’s because ships are sitting off the coast somewhere else, and they can be rerouted here, and we can get all those shelves stocked, then we want to be a part of that solution.”

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki pointed to progress in dealing with the supply chain issues. She cited further partnerships between labor and port leaders, noting the Union Pacific Railroad is joining the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in going to 24-hour operations, while the amount of cargo sitting on docks for 13 days or longer has been cut in half. “The president is satisfied that progress continues to be made,” Psaki told reporters. “And one of the reasons that there has been so much traffic in a lot of these ports is because there are more goods that are being ordered by people across the country, people have more money, expendable resources, their wages are up, more people are working than they were a year ago. And port to port it’s different, but statistically, some of these ports have 20 percent, 30 percent increased volume as a result of that.” The supply-chain problems have spurred heavy political debate, with Republicans criticizing the Biden administration’s handling of the issue --including DeSantis and others raising the specter of the problems affecting Christmas shopping. Experts offer a variety of causes for the slowdown in the supply chain, including

Port of Tampa Bay

companies being unable to rehire at a pace that matches the increased demand for goods as people emerge from COVID-19 lockdowns; a lack of skilled port workers, truck drivers and rail operators; and logistics capacity problems at U.S. ports that were evident before the pandemic. Still, experts don’t expect the backlog to end any time soon, which could limit onshelf shopping options and further increase prices. And while a shift from West Coast ports to Florida would involve a multitude of logistics, including

freight time and costs to pass through the Panama Canal, DeSantis said it was a solution to the problems. “Our seaports are used to operating around the clock, they’re used to moving cargo for American families, farmers and businesses,” DeSantis said. “And we think that this is a great solution given our capacity for some of the problems you see in other parts of the country.” DeSantis’ was joined in the appearance by state Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin Thibault and port officials. The Florida Ports

Council on Oct. 6 also encouraged shipping firms to consider the state’s ports. “We want your business,” Port Tampa Bay CEO Paul Anderson said. “Reroute your thinking. Reroute your cargo to come to Florida. We stand ready to offer you incentives that will make it ideal and cost savings, so that these men and women in our ports can move your cargo to get to consumers, so Gov. DeSantis can late-shop and still get what he needs.”

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A8

OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Taddeo Tosses Hat into Race for Governor By Dara Kam Florida News Service State Sen. Annette Taddeo jumped into the Democratic primary race for governor on Monday, saying she is the candidate who can excite voters in her party’s bid to oust Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis next year. Taddeo’s entrance into the contest sets up a crowded and potentially awkward Democratic primary battle with U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. Crist, a Republicanturned-independent-turned Democrat, tapped Taddeo as his lieutenant-governor running mate in his losing effort to recapture the governor’s office in 2014. Crist was defeated by former Gov. Rick Scott, who is now a U.S. senator. “I have tremendous respect for Charlie. I love Charlie, and I know he has a huge heart. But this race is not about Charlie or about me. This race is about the future for Floridians and who is going to be the best person to create the coalition and create the excitement from the ground up, for us to win in Florida,” Taddeo told reporters after filing paperwork for the race Monday morning in Tallahassee. In a prepared statement, Crist praised Taddeo, a former chairwoman of the Miami-Dade County Democratic Party. “I know and respect Annette Taddeo. We share a common goal of moving Florida forward and away from the negative and divisive politics damaging our state today under the failed leadership of Gov. DeSantis,” he said. “We, like most Floridians, know we can and must do better. Time and time again, Annette has stood up for her community, and that’s why I asked her to be my lieutenant governor in 2014. Annette will bring spirit, heart and important perspective to this race.” Taddeo, who grew up in Colombia, joined the Florida Senate in a 2017

special election to replace a disgraced Republican lawmaker who was forced to resign following a profanitylaced and racially tinged outburst at a private club near the Capitol. Taddeo was outgunned financially by her opponent, former Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, who had the backing of GOP Senate leaders. At the time, Democrats viewed the 2017 special election and Taddeo’s win as a litmus test for thenPresident Donald Trump and his policies. But DeSantis, Trump’s close ally, edged out Democratic challenger Andrew Gillum in the 2018 gubernatorial race, and Democrats lost a number of legislative and congressional seats in 2020. Taddeo, however, said she believes she has what it takes to galvanize Hispanic voters and appeal to progressives, as Democrats struggle to regain a foothold in Florida, where Trump defeated President Joe Biden by three percentage points last year. “I am a lifelong Democrat and somebody who has never stood down to our democratic values, always has been willing to stand up no matter how tough the fight is. That is what we need,” she said. When she and her family lived in Colombia, Taddeo’s father, who was a pilot in World War II and the Korean War, was kidnapped by revolutionary guerillas. The family relocated to Miami, where Taddeo eventually established a successful business that offers translations in more than 200 languages. A campaign video released Monday detailed her father’s kidnapping as well as other adversities Taddeo has overcome, such as being born with a cleft lip. “I was bullied, made fun of and told that I would never be normal. After enduring 19 surgeries just so I could smile, I learned early on how much it means to have access to affordable health care,” she said in the video. The video also pointed to Taddeo’s come-from-behind victory in the 2017 legislative

race, which made her the first Latina Democrat elected to the Senate. “When party bosses told me not to run, I beat the odds and made history,” she said in the video. Speaking to reporters on a brisk morning near the Capitol, Taddeo said she intends to share her story with Floridians “to excite the base and really create the momentum that is needed” to win. She said grassroots activists throughout the state urged her to enter the race, telling her “we need a candidate that can excite us, and that can, you know, really get us to the finish line, not just in the primary, but in the general” election. “I know people all across the state are disgusted about what is happening, all because it is more important to be popular with voters in Iowa than being a governor who actually governs for all Floridians,” Taddeo said, referring to widespread speculation that DeSantis plans to run for president in 2024. “This governor is currently behaving more like the people we cry foul against, the Maduros in Venezuela. Those are the places where you take the funding away. Those are the places where you threaten to remove people from their duly elected offices by the people.” Fried, Florida’s only statewide elected Democrat,said she welcomed Taddeo to the race. “I got into this race because Florida needs new leaders accountable solely to the people of Florida, not to the special interests who have controlled Tallahassee for decades,” Fried, a former medical marijuana lobbyist, said in a statement, adding that she is “confident our team and our vision of something new for Florida will win this primary and general election.” The Republican Governors Association issued a statement Monday that took aim at the Democratic field.

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“Florida Democrats in the gubernatorial primary were already … a disaster, and adding a third candidate to the mix will surely make things even worse for them,” Joanna Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the GOP group, said. “Annette Taddeo, Nikki Fried, and Charlie Crist are in a race to the left to shore up the Democratic base. As Florida Democrats continue to fight with each other, they’re making the case all on their own how out of touch they are with a majority of Floridians. Taddeo acknowledged that Democrats face challenges running against

DeSantis, who has amassed a $58 million campaign war chest as he holds fundraisers throughout the nation. “Look, there is no question that there’s a lot of money that the governor is collecting, but we all know that doesn’t decide elections. People do,” she said. “You know the past history, just as close as this last election, clearly shows that the underdogs, the people that nobody expected on both parties and both sides, actually came on top. So those who ignore that are ignoring history.”

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A9

OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Marion County Public Schools COVID numbers drop once again

Marion County, a leader in COVID deaths

By Matthew Cretul matthew@ocalagazette.com MCPS recorded 41 total new cases for the week of Oct. 9 – Oct. 15, as 34 students and seven employees were confirmed COVID-19 positive by the Florida Department of Health in Marion County. The figures, released Monday afternoon, are down slightly from the 49 cases reported on Oct. 11, and 86 cases reported on Oct. 1. Quarantine numbers were down as well, with MCPS reporting 123 students and employees were quarantined due to direct contact with someone testing positive for COVID-19. The quarantines included 121 students and only two district employees. Parents continue to opt their children out of facial coverings, however. MCPS reported 9,578 students, or 22%, have an opt-out form on file which allows them to not wear a facial covering. The Marion County School Board has previously indicated that it may revisit the masking policy if COVID numbers remain below 99.9 cases per 100,000 and the positivity rate for new cases remains below 10% for two weeks, which is in line with the CDC FLDOH recommendations. The county positivity rate was 5.6% and cases per 100,000 was at 84.0 last week.

By Matthew Cretul matthew@ocalagazette.com The State of Florida and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) failed to properly coordinate for over three months during the summer, resulting in the number of deaths as a result of COVID-19 not being reported to the public, according to a Tampa Bay Times article. Florida ended its public daily reporting of COVID-related statistics, including deaths broken down by county, on June 4. However, the state still reported daily numbers of infections, vaccinations, and deaths, among other statistics to the CDC, and expected the general public to access them via the CDC’s website.

accessible), there were 694 deaths in the county, which ranks Marion 6 out of the 67 Florida counties for most COVID deaths per 100,000 since June 5 with 186.3 deaths per 100,000 residents. Additionally, Marion County has reported 1,690 total deaths due to COVID since the pandemic began. No other county in the top ten has over 1,000 with the next closest being St. Lucie County with 979 total deaths. Further, of the top ten counties, Marion has the third highest total COVID deaths per 100,000. The county reported 453.7 deaths per 100,000 residents, behind Citrus County (500.9 per 100,000) and St. Lucie County (523.5). The state will release its next round of COVID numbers on Friday,

While Florida reported their data to the CDC, the CDC did not adjust their reporting aggregation process to account for the state’s change from daily reports to weekly, and as a result, Florida’s data, including daily COVID deaths, did not show up for over 100 days. Both the state and the CDC blame each other for the mix-up, with the CDC saying Florida stopped reporting the numbers, and the state countering that it had been submitting the data all along, just in a different format. Regardless of whose fault it was, Florida’s COVID death statistics are once again easily available to the public, and the data as it relates to Marion County is less than stellar. According to data from June 5 on (when it was no longer easily

Marion’s COVID numbers continue downward trend Schools are expected to release their next round of COVID-related data on Monday, Oct. 18. The Marion County School Board has previously indicated that it may revisit the masking policy if COVID numbers remain below 99.9 cases per 100,000 and the positivity rate for new cases remains below 10% for two weeks, which is in line with the CDC FLDOH recommendations. According to an Oct. 15 press release, The Florida Department of Health – Marion County has ended testing at both the Southeastern Livestock Pavillion as well as at the Florida Horse Park. They have partnered with Covid Test Florida and First Baptist Church in Ocala to offer free and paid testing options at the church.

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Marion County’s COVID numbers continue to decline. The county registered 313 new cases, according to figures released by the Florida Department of Health Friday evening, down from 427 cases the previous week. The county positivity rate and cases per 100,000 fell as well. The positivity rate dropped from 6.9% to 5.6% and the cases per 100,000 went from 114.6 to 84.0. The state as a whole recorded 19,519 new cases of COVID-19 during the week of Oct 8 to Oct 14, its lowest number of new weekly cases in more than four months. Vaccination rates dropped to their lowest levels in three months as well, however, as the state

recorded administering 243,220 doses. Overall county hospitalization numbers remained steady from last week, but the percentage of COVID patients in the ICU fell slightly. Health and Human Services data shows 88% of all inpatient beds in the county occupied, the same percentage as last week, with COVID-19 patients making up 10% of the inpatient population, down from 12% reported last week. Additionally, HHS data shows 90% of all ICU beds are occupied, and COVID-19 patients make up 10% of those in the ICU. Last week’s numbers also showed 90% of all ICU beds occupied, but COVID-19 patients made up 27% of those in the ICU. Marion County Public

RA

By Matthew Cretul matthew@ocalagazette.com

ED IL ITED FAC

The Villages 352.259.2200 Ocala 352.732.0277 Timber Ridge 352.861.2400 Inverness 352.726.3400 Lecanto 352.527.0106 RBOI.com

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OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

MCSO response times for covering Marion 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 The Marion County Sheriff ’s Office (MCSO) is the county-level law enforcement agency tasked with serving the unincorporated areas of Marion County. MCSO prioritizes the 911 calls it receives into five different categories with priority-one calls being the highest and five being the lowest, according to Sgt. Paul Bloom, the Director of the Public Information Office for the Marion County Sheriff ’s Office. “So, we have calls that are prioritized one through five. Priority five is, somebody called me one time because there was a rooster walking through their front yard. They called 911 for that, and this person was legitimately scared of a rooster. It’s a legitimate fear, but we’re obviously not coming [with] lights and sirens,” Bloom said. Lights and sirens are reserved for priority-one calls, said Bloom, and those are the calls that require the fastest response. “We like to be there within the first five minutes, if at all possible,” Bloom states. But he pointed out that, sometimes, considerations, such as the physical size of MCSO’s coverage area, factor greatly into their response times. “There’s times many of our deputies in a single shift may put two or three hundred miles on their car just covering calls and patrolling their zone,” he said. “Understanding that some zones, like when you look at our northwest district or even our northeast district, are very, very large. Our northeast district is almost 200 square miles, and we have a few deputies who are trying to cover that area. We may have just left a call in Salt Springs, and now, they’ve got to be all the way up to Orange Springs, so it’s a lot of distance we’re covering.” (The distance between Salt Springs and Orange Springs is approximately 20 miles.) According to figures provided by MCSO, their average response time

RESPONSE TIMES A 4-part series

PART FOUR to priority-one calls in fiscal year 15/16 was 8 minutes and 12 seconds. In fiscal year 16/17, it was 8 minutes and 13 seconds. In fiscal year 17/18, it was 8 minutes, 9 seconds. In fiscal year 18/19, it was 8 minutes, 51 seconds, and in fiscal year 19/20, it was 9 minutes, 2 seconds. It’s not just the distance that factors into higher response times, but also variables such as population density, Bloom offered. “It [Marion County] is a 1,600 square-mile county that we cover. It’s very large and getting more and more populated. And anyone who’s lived here for a time knows there’s certain areas that are a concentrated population. Out the [SR] 200

corridor, or even down south towards The Villages, those areas are a little more densely populated than, say, something in the northeast or even far northwest. So, we do take all that into account.” While running lights and sirens through the rural parts of the county is one thing, it’s another in the heavily populated areas, says Bloom. “We don’t want to run lights and sirens through traffic unless we just have to because it’s very dangerous to drive through traffic like that,” he says. “People say, ‘Oh, you can just get from here to there. No problem.’ It’s easier to go without the sirens and lights sometimes because when you turn on lights and sirens, a lot of times drivers don’t know what to do. And they’re right in your way, and it sometimes feels like it’s taking longer to get where I’m trying to go.” According to Bloom, fortunately, priority-one calls are only a small percentage of the calls they receive. “The majority of our calls in any given day are going to be everything except the priority ones.” In fiscal year 15/16, MCSO responded to 232,502 total calls, 5,524 (or .0237 percent) of which were priority one. In fiscal year

16/17, they received 245,871 total calls, 4,866 (or .0197 percent) of which were priority one. In fiscal year 17/18, there were 240,925 total calls to MCSO, 5,472 (or .0227 percent) of which were priority one. In fiscal year 18/19, MCSO responded to 217,167 total calls, 6,307 (or .0290 percent) of which were priority one. Finally, in fiscal year 19/20, they responded to 225,944 total calls, 7,582 (or .0335 percent) of which were priority one. COVID-19 brought its own set of stressors, from lockdowns and stayat-home orders to business closings and job losses. Bloom said there was a noticeable shift in certain types of calls once COVID hit. “For us, what we saw last year was our domestic violence calls rose about 37 or 38 percent. That’s already a big call for us, and many times, those are priority-one calls if both parties are still there on a property at the house together, so we want to get there as fast as we can.” Additionally, Bloom said MCSO also had to adjust when deputies would contract COVID and need to miss work. He said those times required healthy deputies to work overtime to cover shifts, and even though it was more work at times, all

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OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

shifts got covered. According to Bloom, MCSO has the county broken down into 11 distinct districts, and MCSO leadership regularly convenes with district brass to monitor the response times and make modifications as needed. “They sit down once a month and look at all these things. Each district has its own district commander. All the district managers meet, and they sit with the sheriff and the chief, and they look at what they’ve got going on crime-wise and response times. [They also look at] the volume of calls and they say, ‘Hey, do we need to have more deputies patrolling this zone now? […] There’s less over here, we need more here,’ so they do that, and they make those adjustments.” While all the agencies profiled in the response time series have similarities, such as call type priorities and metrics for response time measurement, each agency has its own set of considerations. While Ocala Police Department (OPD) responds to traffic accidents within city limits, Bloom pointed out MCSO does not respond to automobile accidents in the unincorporated areas of the county. Instead, Florida Highway Patrol responds, and MCSO will help with directing traffic, etc., if it is needed for the larger or more difficult accidents. Like OPD though, Bloom said MCSO utilizes online reporting for certain types of calls. “That came out a year and a half ago…a lot of it is ‘hey, somebody backed into my mailbox,’ and so [we looked at online reporting] as a way to alleviate some of [the call volume dispatchers deal with]. Every one of those is looked at that day. We look at it and go, ‘Call this person and answer their question or solve their problem, and

then, something needs to be further investigated.’ [It has] has helped us a lot.” Bloom also mentioned for lower-priority calls, MCSO tries to handle what it can over the phone. “Somebody has a question, ‘Hey, how do I get a restraining order? How do I do this?’ And maybe something will be solved by phone, if we can we do that, because that speeds up their response time versus going out to the home.” MCSO, also much like OPD and other law enforcement agencies, has a lengthy hiring process, according to Bloom, which can lead to delays in getting new hires ready for service. “The hiring process is not really quick either because we do a very thorough background check. And so, once we get them hired on

that day, and we’ve already done a month’s worth of background checking, polygraphs, all medical and psychological evaluations, and we give them a start date, it’s almost a year before they’re on the road, able to take a 911 call.” Getting new deputies on the road is vital, Bloom says, because not only is Marion County geographically challenging to cover, but its population is growing fairly rapidly. “It’s [the size of the county has] always presented a challenge, and we try to adjust to it, obviously. The only way to adjust to that is we add more deputies, as we try to keep up with the flow of the growth coming in. This county is expected to be a major county here, just within a couple of years population wise, so we have

to stay focused on that.” Until MCSO can grow their numbers, Bloom notes they will keep using whatever means they can to respond to all the calls they receive as quickly as they can. “You know, if you have a county that has one and a half deputies per 1,000 citizens, that’s pretty good. If we have one per 1,000, it’s not as good, but that’s maybe an average, and we’re probably just below that. So, the way we account for it is, you try to work more efficiently using the tools that are available to us. We have a helicopter that we use… we also use the tools that we have in technology. We’ve reached out to our public by way of social media over the last few years, and that’s really saved a lot of footsteps for detectives that were

having to go door-to-door and asking questions…but then yes, this is a growing county, and we have no choice but to add deputies, and that’s the goal of every agency in the state right now is adding deputies.” While the population keeps growing, Bloom says the citizens of Marion County are constantly showing MCSO deputies how much they care. “When somebody comes up and says, ‘Hey man, we appreciate you,’ just knowing that appreciation is there, that kind of keeps you motivated a little bit more and brings it back down to your focus on the big picture: [This] is why we got in this job in the first place, to help and just to enjoy the job, so [Marion County] is a good county to live and work in.”

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People, Places & Things

OCTOBER planting By Virginia McLoughlin Camellia Circle Pioneer Garden Club

C Clean up, plant and prepare for cooler months

an you feel it? That lovely crisp chill is in the air. Yes, fall is here and now it’s time to get your garden ready for winter! It’s a beautiful time of year to work outside; the humidity of summer is gone and there are fewer bugs to drive you crazy while you’re working. The gardening season is upon us; the temperatures will go down and the garden will flourish. This is the time to think about your spring planting too. It’s time to plan, prepare and plant. Start seeds for transplants, plant cool season vegetables, bulbs, and fall and winter flowers. Fresh vegetables and herbs will soon grace your table, and fall annuals will bring color to your garden. A little work now will put your garden in top shape for growing in the spring. Garden clean-up is the first thing on the agenda. Remove any dead vegetables, plants, and spent annuals and add them to your compost pile. Cut back your perennials that have turned yellow or brown. If they still have green growth, it’s best to leave them alone until spring, then cut back the dead stems. Remove any diseased leaves and plants. This is very important because if left in the garden the bacteria and spores can spread to other plants and cause

problems next season. Do not put them in your compost pile. Burn them if non-toxic or bag them up and take them to your landfill. Remove any extra fallen leaves from garden beds and add new mulch. (Too many leaves can retain water that could lead to root rot in your perennials and also attract pests.) Now is also the time to plant crops that will grow and produce throughout the winter months. Some options are beans, squash, tomatoes, onions, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, spinach, and turnips. Put a few in the ground or in a container; either method will work for many vegetables. Herbs are a good crop to plant now. Most of the common herbs can be grown sea-sonally in Florida for home use, and planted from seeds or plants. Some examples include parsley, cilantro, chives, garlic, sage, dill, oregano, and fennel. Herbs are perfect for container gardening or can be used as a border planting as part of a flower garden. If they re-ceive enough sunlight, a few herbs can even be grown indoors. Put a little color in your garden to brighten up where you cleaned out dead summer foliage and mulch. Turning over your soil in the fall helps to loosen it so you can easily remove weed roots. Any that you miss are exposed to the frost of winter. This weakens and often kills the weeds completely.

Special to the Ocala Gazette

Bring your herbs inside with a creative Fairy Garden. Ginny MCloughlin crested this with Rosemary and thyme.

While you’re preparing the soil for your vegetable garden, throw in a hand full of daffodil bulbs or other spring bulbs to bring a little spring happiness to a visually empty spot. Also, at this time of the year, you can plant foxglove, petunia, Shasta daisy, and pansy, which are all cool-weather annuals. As you’re loosening the soil, mix in the old foliage, grass clippings and any leaves to use as compost. They add nutrients to the soil. Then re-work the beds and mulch what you will leave bare over the winter. Also think about those small trees you may have just planted by wrapping the trunks and stake them. Strong fall winds can blow them back and forth, See ????????????????, page B2

Ocala Preserve Veterans Organization to host annual golf benefit

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he Ocala Preserve Veterans Organization—TOPVETS—will hold its Third Annual “Tee It Up for the Troops” golf benefit at the Ocala Preserve Golf Course at 4021 N.W. 53rd Ave. on Nov. 9. According to the event’s press release, the event will honor U.S. military service and those injured in the defense of liberty. The shotgun tee-off is scheduled for 9 a.m. with a patriotic opening ceremony at 8:30 a.m. The North Marion High School Air Force Junior ROTC honor guard will present the U.S. and military service flags. “This event provides the opportunity to express your gratitude and

appreciation for the sacrifices made by the brave men and women of the Armed Services, past and present,” noted Bill Leigher, who is chairing the event with fellow Ocala Preserve resident Brenda Clarke. “We are pleased to partner with our Homeowners’ Association, as well as the Club Specialists International team who manages both the community golf courses and the Salted Brick restaurant,” he added. This is the single charity event held by TOPVETS at Ocala Preserve during the year. Event registration and breakfast will start at 8 a.m. Contact Leigher at bill.leigher@ gmail.com for more details and to obtain

“This event provides the opportunity to express your gratitude and appreciation for the sacrifices made by the brave men and women of the Armed Services, past and present.” Bill Leigher, Co-Event Chair, Third Annual “Tee It Up for the Troops” Golf Benefit

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OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Sarah

Colin

McGinley 18, FOREST H.S.

McLaughlin

Got her academic start at Madison Street Academy and Osceola Middle School. She plans to pursue chemistry as a career studying at the MIT. Her parents are James McKinley and Brian and Lara Kuhn of Ocala.

18, VANGUARD H.S. Spent his younger years at Ward-Highlands Elementary and Howard Middle School. He has aspirations to become a high school history teacher in Marion County. He is the son of Jock and Jaime McLaughlin of Ocala.

National Merit

semifinalists attend Casiel

Marion County schools

Smith

Less than 1% of U.S.

17, West Port H.S.

high school students

Previously attended Madison Street Academy and Howard Middle School. Casiel plans to earn his degree in psychology and is the son of Scott and Ruth Smith of Anthony.

qualify as semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship in 2022 and five of them are seniors attending

Diego

Carrascosa 18, VANGUARD H.S. He previously attended Madison Street Academy and Osceola Middle School and hopes to study physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for his career. Luis and Guisela Carrascosa of Ocala are his parents

three Marion County public high schools — Vanguard, Forest and West Port. The students will learn if they advance to the next round as finalists in February. The 66th annual National Merit Scholarship Program will award $30 million in college scholarships to more than 7,500 students. The program, now in its 66th year, has allocated $1.6 billion in scholarships since it started in 1955.

The program requires a semifinalist to have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, submit a written essay and earn SAT or ACT scores confirming the student’s performance on the qualifying test. Of the 1.6 million students eligible nationwide, only around 16,000 are selected as semifinalists.

Visit nationalmerit.org for more information.

Rushi Patel

17, VANGUARD H.S. Attended Emerald Shores, Greenway and Dr. NH Jones Elementary Schools, along with Howard Middle School. He plans to pursue medicine to become a doctor and is the son of Deepa Patel of Ocala.

Fall gardening Continued from B1 they may suffer breaking off at their roots, which can happen if they’re not established. When tying to a stake, don’t use rough wire around the trees. Instead, run the wire through a section of garden hose so the wire doesn’t cut into the tree bark. Now that the garden season has come to an end, it’s also time to put away all the tools you’ve been using during the year, including any temporary trellises, netting,

tomato cages and any equipment that could be tripped on. Care for your equipment. Hose off any dirt and coat metal parts with vegetable oil so they don’t rust. Rub linseed oil on wooden tool handles so they don’t dry out and crack. Perform maintenance on any power equipment. Drain gas to keep it from gumming up parts over the winter. Check spark plugs and air filters to make sure they’re clean. Next, look to the garden shed or tool closet. If yours looks anything like mine, tools and supplies that

were taken out and hastily put back need to be reorganized. Get rid of un-used insecticides and fungicides; they lose strength after being open. Watch out for wasp nests that may have been built under the eaves over the summer. Take in potted plants that won’t stand up to the low temperatures of our winter. Hose them off thoroughly to clean them up and make sure they’re free of critters that would love to be brought into your home. Gardening is a life-affirming

activity. Working with family is both an exercise in cooperation and an exercise for the body. Fresh veggies and flowers bring a smile and a promise of good things to come. Fall isn’t the time to be the lazy grasshopper nor the busy ant who works himself into a frenzy trying to get ready for winter. Try to find a happy medium so that you and your garden can work together, and you can enjoy the process and the results.

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OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Creative’s Corner

Into the Wood A local woodcarver expresses creativity through the historic craft of carving

Bruce Ackerman/OG

Tom Kinney, a woodcarver, works on one of his 50 limited edition butternut wood carvings of The Last Supper at the Eighth Avenue Adult Activity Center in Ocala on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021

By Beth Whitehead Special to the Gazette

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om Kinney beamed as his five-year-old granddaughter cut dinosaurs into the bars of ivory soap. His eyes followed her little fingers in delight as they grasped the wood tools he had made for her and as her mind shut out the world around her except for the soap shavings falling between her chubby fingers. Kinney is a master woodcarver. Rightfully so, he’s been carving for 30 years. Ever since he grew up among the walnuts and maples of Southern New York in the small village of Dansville, Kinney has lovaed the woods. His father and grandfather both worked with wood, fashioning furniture in their spare time. Kinney didn’t start carving, however, until he began working for the University at Alba-ny. As the Director of Professional Development for Rockefeller College, Kinney trav-eled constantly and continued to travel when he retired from the University and began to work in procuring education for healthcare workers. During the long hours of travel, Kinney would carve. “Some of that time I was traveling 20 days a month,” Kinney said. “I’d be in five or six cities in a week, so I was able to pick up wood in different places.” “The ones I use the most,” Kinney said, “would probably be basswood…it’s generally

considered a hardwood, but it has really tight grain, so it holds detail and carves really good.” nother wood he prefers is mahogany because of its deep red color. “I have about six hundred different species of wood in my wood storages,” he said. Still a traveler and also a member of the International Wood Collectors’ Society, Kinney has collected Afri-can woods, South American woods, you name it. Kinney derives the greatest satisfaction from delivering exactly what customers envi-sion on the wood of their choice. He recently completed some elephant statuettes that he carved out of Purple Heart wood—naturally purple wood—for organizations raising awareness for breast cancer. Kinney designs bowls, pens, any kind of animal sculpture, busts, wall panels, and even seam rippers. He spends anywhere from one to six hours a day in his studio. The size of a one-car garage, the studio holds the four to five projects he’s always working on, along with the equipment and power tools. Many of his works are commissioned but he retains that privilege to simply create for creation’s sake. This is what he loves. “To me, it’s the creative process,” Kinney said. “For example,” he said, “I got a piece of wood from someone up in the Shenandoah Valley in

A

Virginia and when I looked at it I said, “Gee, this might become a seal or maybe a prairie dog.” So, he put it on the shelf. Six months later he walked by and, “it said, I’m a prairie dog! And so I made a prairie dog out of it.” For Kinney, woodcarving is an art but also a nod to the past. “To me it’s a connection back to the history of wood and carving and working with it,” he said. The very woods he works with, the 1890s redwood stumps from California and the 350-yearold cy-press logs from the Ocklawaha River, are catalogues of history. But Kinney’s eyes are not just for the past. The eyes of a tradesman examine his next piece, but the eyes of a grandfather gaze on the soap shards in his granddaughter’s hand. It’s those moments. The moments hearing her ask if she can carve two more soaps for her family. “Those are precious,” he said. Visit rainbowspringsart. com/tom-kinney.html to see images of Kinney’s work. ABOVE: A bear carved in walnut by Tom Kinney is shown sitting in a cedar log at the Eighth Avenue Adult Activity Center in Ocala. LEFT: Tom Kinney poses with his butternut wood carving of a Grist Mill in Dansville, N.Y. circa 1846. BELOW: Kinney’s 50 limited edition butternut wood carving of The Last Supper. Photos by Bruce Ackerman/OG

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Ocala, it’s time to bone up on your Florida Factoids

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.

Hi, I’m

Bob Hauck

and may I ask you a question? Actually, ten questions, in the new Ocala Gazette feature called Florida Factoids. I dream up ten fascinating questions of local or statewide flavor on a timely topic — all stuff you know in current events, Florida history, arts and entertainment, even sports.

WORD FIND

Get them right and you’re ready to spring your newfound This is a theme puzzle with the subject stated below. Find the listed words in the grid. (They may smarts on someone close to you, maybe your spouse, yourrun 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 brother, even a teacher. over. They spell out the alternative theme of the puzzle. The topic for today has dominated much of the media this month. It’s all about Disney World at age 50. Answers are on page B7.

Making news

Florida

Solution: 20 Letters

FACTOIDS

© 2021 Australian Word Games Dist. by Creators Syndicate Inc.

1.What Gateway Arch city was considered a slam dunk to get Disney World before Orlando was chosen in the 1960s? A.Minneapolis B.New Orleans C.St. Louis D.Memphis 2.Although he was born in Chicago, Walt Disney’s grandparents had

roots in a Lake County community whose name evokes a colorful fabric pattern. It is: A.Houndstooth B.Paisley C.Gingham D.Chintz

4.What was the admission price for children under 12 when Disney opened in October 1971? A.$1.00 B.$5.00 C.$10.00 D.$29.95

5.The two original resorts at the Magic Kingdom were the Contemporary Hotel and the: A.Hawaiian B.Grand Floridian C.Coronado Springs D.Polynesian 6.Which one of these is a no-no never allowed at Disney World? A.Tank tops B.Selfie sticks C.Smoking D.Swearing

Finance Fire Fonts Gigs Guilty Hall Headline Hook Houses Item Laws

Op-ed Prime Publicity Quote Radio Rush Sell Sport Style Trial Truth

737 3rd Street • Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310-337-7003 • info@creators.com

8.Opened in 1998 and 500 acres in size, it is the largest of Disney’s

four theme parks. It is: A.Frontierland B.Animal Kingdom C.Pirates of the Caribbean D.Hollywood Studios

9.In 1997, Disney opened its “Wide World of Sports” complex in partnership with: A.ABC B.CBS C.NBC D.ESPN 10.This iconic Disney character appeared as the brand name on Florida orange juice from Florida from 1940 to 1998. It is: A.Mickey Mouse B.Donald Duck C.Daisy Duck D.Cinderella

Answers are on page B7

Contact Bob Hauck: bob@ocalagazette.com

Copy Court Crash Crew Death Enus Escape Extra Felony Fighting Films

Creators Syndicate

7.In 1987, Super Bowl quarterback Phil Simms, playing for the ________, became the first pro athlete to say on TV he was “going to Disney World!” A.Tampa Bay Bucs B.New York Giants C.Miami Dolphins D.Dallas Cowboys

Next quiz Nov. 5: We celebrate Veterans’ Day

Accident Anger Arson Arts Bands Care Check Classifieds Clues Competitions Concise

tion: We need a good-news story

3.On November 15, 1965, our state’s 35th governor announced to great fanfare that “the ‘World’ would be coming to Orlando.” That governor was: A.Jeb Bush B.Lawton Chiles C.Bob Graham D.Haydon Burns

Date: 10/8/

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OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

LOCAL CALENDAR EVENTS OCT. 31

Family Fall Fest

1111 NE 17th Road, Ocala 5-8pm The free family fun event provides safe trick-or-treating and vendors to providing candy. Call (352) 233-2122 for details.

OCT. 22-24

Local Champions Tour Horses & Howls Show

11411 NW 170th St, Reddick 12-9pm An equine trick-or-treat bash. Visit localchampionstour.org.

OCT. 22

Timberline Farm Fall Festival & Pumpkin Patch

3200 SE 115th St, Belleview Fri: 4–8pm; Sat: 10am-7pm Sun: 12–7pm The 12th annual fest featues pony rides, music, a pumpkin patch, hay rides and other country crafts, foods and amusements. timberlinefarm.net.

OCT. 23

Paddock Mall Halloween Run

3100 SW College Road, Ocala 7am-noon Along with 5K Run and Kids Fun Run Dash, music, raffles, costume kits and more will be featured. runsignup.com/race/fl/ocala/paddockmallrun

OCT. 23, 30-31

Boo Boo’s Halloween Bash

Kirby Family Farms, 19650 NE 30th St., Williston 10am-2pm Children ages 10 and younger, along with their families, can have fun riding a train on a historic railroad, carousel, games, and a variety of activities and entertainment will be featured. kirbyfarm.com.

OCT. 23

THROUGH OCT. 23 NamaSitStay Yoga

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.

THROUGH OCT. 24

The Championship Show

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.

THROUGH OCT. 30 Amazing Arthropods

3100 SW College Road, Ocala 5-8pm Mall merchants hand out candy to costumed trick-or-treaters. (352) 237-1223.

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.

OCT. 23

THROUGH OCT. 30

Paddock Mall Candy Crawl

Grotesque Grind House Horror Night

The Ocala Marion Theatre, 50 S Magnolia Ave. 9:45 pm Toxic Avenger at 8pm and Night of the Demons at 9:45pm. Host Dark Mark entertains. Tickets $10. Visit reillyartscenter.com for details.

OCT. 23

KnightScream Scary-Oke & Beach Party

KnightSounds, 138 Juniper Loop Circle, Ocala 5pm Inside, sing to “scary-oke,” play Asteroids, table top games and gorge on lots of food. Bring your bathing suit for night swimming or play table tennis, mini golf. Halloween-themed imagery, lighting effects including strobe lighting, and sound effects will be featured. RSVP at facebook.com/knightsoundsrocks,

OCT. 23

Morgan’s Music Junction

6981 SE 147th St., Summerfield 7-10pm Dress up and rock out to the MMJ Band. morgansmusicjunction.com

THROUGH OCT. 24 The Pickin’ Patch

11000 Rolling Hills Road, Dunnellon Fri: 3-7pm; Sat: 10am-7pm; Sun 12-7pm Enjoy a corn maze, hay fort with slides, hay maze and live bluegrass music $5 per person; free for ages 3 and younger. ocalamarion.com/events/the-pickinpatch1

OCT. 28

Intro to Ghost Hunting

NOMA Gallery, 939 N Magnolia Ave., Ocala 6-8 p.m. Join Diane Cahal at NOMA Gallery for a night of learning the basics to seek out the supernatural ethically “and with mad respect.” $10 per person. Visit nomaocala.com for details.

OCT. 29

Oktoberfest Halloween Party

Country Club of Ocala, 6823 SE 12th Circle, Ocala 5-9pm Oktoberfest-themed food, cocktails and live music by Bill Knarr. Dress in your spooky best and get a complimentary drink from the bar. $22.50. RSVP by contacting the club before Oct. 26: (352) 237-6644.

THROUGH OCT. 29

Cocktails & Classics: Beetlejuice

The Ocala Marion Theatre, 50 S Magnolia Ave. The Tim Burton 1988 horror-comedy classic returns, starring Michael Keaton as a human-pest control demon. Visit reillyartscenter.com.

THROUGH OCT. 30

A Nightmare on Pine Street | Haunted Trail

Wayne’s World of Paintball, 4841 S Pine Ave., Ocala 8 pm-12am Get your fright on with five acres of haunted attractions. A Nightmare on Pine Street haunted trail is $10 per adult and $5 per child ages 12 and up. Waynesworld.com. Recurs Fridays and Saturday evenings.

OCT. 30

Belleview Trunk-or-Treat

5053 SE Abshier Road, Belleview 5-8pm The free family fun event provides safe trick-or-treating and vendors to providing candy. Call (352) 233-2122 for details.

National Golden Retriever Show

World Equestrian Center. 1390 NW 80th Ave. Golden retrievers from across the country take over the WEC, presented by Mid-Florida Golden Retriever Club of America. Goldens perform hunt tests, field and agility trials Oct. 22-30. Oct. 30, is the Best of Breed show followed by two dog parades. For event schedule, visit 2021.grcanational.com/schedule/

OCT. 22

Free Drive-In Movie Night Ocala Drive-In, 4850 S. Pine Ave.

Films include “Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Hocus Pocus” on screen one; “Space Jam” and “Jungle Cruise” on screen two. Free Sno-cones, interactive displays, swag bag, and vendor booths also featured. Gates open at 5 p.m.; shows start at dusk. Email ccasa@mcchildrensalliance.org.

OCT. 22

Marion County Friday Market

McPherson Government Campus Field, 601 SE 25th Ave. 9am-2:30pm Shop locally fresh fruits and veggies, cinnamon buns, jerky, freeze dried treats, olive oils and seafood.

OCT. 22

Family Story Time

10:30am Forest Public Library, 905 S Highway 314A, Ocklawaha.

OCT. 22

Evening of Hope

Showcase Properties of Florida, 5780 SW 20th St., Ocala 4:30-7pm Attend a festively casual soiree to commemorate the new Horse Fever installation of Hope, painted by artist Paul Ware, and hobnob with civic-minded locals. Proceeds go to the Ocala Royal Dames for Cancer Research. fb.com/ocalaroyaldames.

OCT. 23

Ocala Downtown Market

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.

OCT. 23

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.

B6

community continued from B5 OCT. 23

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.

OCT. 24

Tracie Edwards Fundraiser AMF Galaxy East, 3225 SE Maricamp Road, Ocala

Miss bowling, or are you already at it? Knock down some pins for a good cause: a fundraiser to help uninsured Ms. Edwards pay for medical treatment for stage 4 colon cancer. Check-in is at noon, and games start at 1pm. To contribute to gofundme.com/f/help-tracie-edwards-beat-stage-4-colon-cancer

OCT. 26

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

OCT. 27

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.

OCT. 27

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

OCT. 27

Forest Readers Book Club

Forest Public Library, 905 S County Highway 314A, Ocklawaha 2:30pm Readers Choice: Bring in a book to discuss. Call (352) 438-2540 to register.

OCT. 27

Fun in the Park with Coach Gerard

Marion Oaks Community Cente -MSTU, 294 Marion Oaks Lane 6:30-8pm Yank the kids from their phones and video games and bring them to the Marion Oaks Community Center Complex Park to enjoy camaraderie and outdoor fun. Coach Gerard organizes fun from oversize yard games, flag football, wiffleball and more.

OCT. 28

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.

OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

OCT. 23

Painting Demonstration

12-3pm Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 W. Broadway St., Ocala Alfredo Zagaceta and Mauro Reategui, artists in the exhibition “Nature in Balance: Exploring Flora & Fauna of Florida & South America,” discuss their brushstrokes and palette choices.

OCT. 25

Watercolor Painting

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

OCT. 25

Painting Open in 2-D Traditional Media

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. Visit rainbowspringsart.com for more information.

OCT. 25 Pastels

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.

OCT. 25

Coffee, Cake & Community

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.

OCT. 26

Spoken Word Ocala - Halloween Edition Marion Cultural Alliance, 8409 SW 80th St., Ocala 7 p.m. Hear spooky, macabre and just plain scary-human condition prose and verse performed by diverse scribes and artists. Ages 20 and older. Bring own beverage or food from downtown businesses.

OCT. 29

Dark Arts Spectacle

Magnolia Art Xchange, 531 NE First Ave., Ocala 7pm The Magnolia Art Xchange transforms into a Temple of Art featuring the works of Ryan Neumann, Andrew James Raymond and Teddy Sykes. Visit MAX’s Facebook page for details and updates.

OCT. 30

Nature in Balance: Exploring Flora & Fauna of Florida & South America 3pm

Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 W. Broadway St., Ocala Curated by Scott Olsen, who gives a talk at 3pm, the exhibit features the photography of James Valentine and artworks from students of Peruvian artist Pablo Amaringo. Presented in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Quest Foundation, the exhibition launches the book “A Grand Unification of the Sciences, Arts and Consciousness” by Scott Olsen. mcaocala.org.

THROUGH OCT. 28 Greater Than 17

College of Central Florida, 3001 SW College Road 10am-4pm See works of more than 150 artists influenced by the techniques of British painter and printmaker Stanley William Hayter. (352) 854-2322.

OCT. 26

THROUGH OCT. 31 Paper Thin

City Hall Council Chambers, 110 SE Watula Ave. 3:30 pm Meeting held to discuss incentives and hear public comments. Call (352) 6298404 for more information.

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.

OCT. 27

THROUGH JAN. 10

Ocala Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Meeting

East Ocala Community Redevelopment (CRA)

Office of the County Engineer, 412 SE 25th Ave. 4pm Discussion of CRA grant and budget updates. Call (352) 629-8404 for more information. Call (352) 629-8404 for more information.

Art Remembers

Barbara Gaskin Washington Adult Activity Center, 210 NW 12 Ave. Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm Hospice of Marion County partners with the Appleton Museum of Art to display works highlighting healing modalities of art in bereavement programs; hospiceofmarion.com.

THROUGH JAN. 22

Lisa Russo | European Elegance

Recreation and Parks Administration Bldg., 828 NE Eighth Ave. Lisa Russo studied under a traditional oil painter to learn the techniques and methods from the 1600s. Fun fact: She also holds a U.S. patent for a convertible canvas that creates 3D effects. ocalafl.org.

THROUGH OCT. 24 OCT. 23-24

FAFO’s Ocala Arts Festival

Downtown Ocala 10am-5pm Attended by some 25,000 art lovers, the Fine Arts For Ocala’s juried event features 160 artists’ original works. Live local entertainment on stages at the Downtown Gazebo stage and Citizens’ Circle. Food trucks, vendors and children’s activities and art offer fun for the whole family. fafo.org *See map at bottom of events.

OCT. 23

Ocala Pride Festival 2021

Tuscawilla Park, 829 NE Sanchez Ave. Celebrate LGBTQ equality, love and tolerance. Call (352) 436-2462 for details.

Highlights from the Equine Collection

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd. Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday noon-5pm This exhibit of works from the permanent collection highlights more than 60 pieces which relay Arthur I. Appleton’s love of horses. Visit appletonmuseum. orgfor more information.

THROUGH OCT. 28

Greater than 17

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.

B7

OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

arts

THROUGH APRIL 24

continued from B6

Heart of the Horse

THROUGH NOV. 17

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd. Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 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.

A Breeze Through Fertile Gardens

Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd. Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm 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.

THROUGH JAN. 2

Alison Saar: Works from the Permanent Collection Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd. Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm 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.

CALENDAR

entertainment OCT. 22 BankT

OCT. 23 The Mudds

Hilton Garden Inn Ocala Downtown 120 E Silver Springs Blvd, Ocala

OCT. 22 Friday Nite Live with the OBO Band Orange Blossom Opry Weirsdale

7pm

OCT. 22 Houston Keen

Eaton’s Beach Sandbar & Grill Weirsdale

5pm

La Cuisine

The Charlie Horse

6-10pm

6:30pm

OCT. 23 Soul Sacrifice | Santana Tribute

OCT. 28 Jammin’ @ The Junction

Ocala

8pm

OCT. 22-23 Comedian Brian Aldridge

The Lodge Brick City Craft Pub & Eatery Ocala

8pm

OCT. 27 Trivia Night

Orange Blossom Opry

16439 SE 138th Terrace, Weirsdale

7pm

OCT. 23 Torn

OCT. 24 Mike & Band

Ocala

8139 SW 90th Terrace Road

The Charlie Horse

The Club at Candler Hills

6-10pm

5-8pm

Ocala

Morgan’s Music Junction7

7 pm

OCT. 29 Humans in Disguise The Charlie Horse Ocala

7 pm

PUMPKIN

PATCH WORK

ABOVE LEFT: Stephanie Edwards and her son, Easton Davis, 9, search for pumpkins in a field at The Pickin’ Patch Pumpkin Patch on Rolling Hills Road in Dunnellon on Friday, Oct. 15, 2021. ABOVE RIGHT: Alyvia Fields, 4, shows off

one of the pumpkins that she picked out at The Pickin’ Patch Pumpkin Patch on Rolling Hills Road in Dunnellon. TOP: Children are silhouetted as they play on hay bales at The Pickin’ Patch Pumpkin Patch.

The Pickin’ Patch is open through Oct. 24 and their hours are: Friday, Oct. 22 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 23 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday, Oct. 24 from noon to 7 p.m. Photos by Bruce Ackerman/OG

FLORIDA FACTOID Answers

1-C St. Louis, 2-B Paisley, 3-D Haydon Burns, 4-A $1.00, 5-D Polynesian, 6-B Selfie sticks, 7-B New York Giants, 8-B Animal Kingdom, 9-D ESPN, 10-B Donald Duck

NEXT QUIZ November 5: We celebrate Veterans’ Day. Contact Bob: bobhauck@ocala.com

B8

OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

3D mammos in 30 minutes.

$30

screening mammos

Schedule your mammogram today. AdventHealth is making it easy with 3D, $30 mammograms in September and October. Most exams are just 30 minutes or less, so take advantage of our online scheduling, convenient locations near you and advanced cancer-detecting technology.

813-579-3158 ScheduleYourMammoToday.com

New ER Now Open

Emergency expertise that revolves around you. We’ve expanded our emergency care for the residents of Belleview and beyond with the opening of our brand-new emergency room. Our new ER features:

24/7 ER care

State-of-the-art equipment and technology

12 private treatment rooms

Board certified physicians and specialty trained staff

6006 SE Abshier Blvd, Belleview, FL 34420

Learn more at BelleviewER.com In case of a life-threatening emergency, call 911.

Belleview ER A hospital department of AdventHealth Ocala

AHO-705

* This emergency department is part of AdventHealth Ocala and this is not an urgent care center. Its services and care are billed at hospital emergency department rates.

AHO-705 OG half pg_ED 10x10.125.indd 1

9/30/21 2:25 PM

B9

OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Sports FSU’s Milton among nominees for Comeback Player of Year By Ralph D. Russo AP College Football Writer Florida State quarterback McKenzie Milton and Clemson receiver Justyn Ross, both of whom faced potentially career-threatening injuries, are among the nominees for college football’s Comeback Player of the Year award. Milton was one of the latest nominees announced this week for the 4-year-old award presented

by the Mayo Clinic that honors a player who recovered from a serious injury to play college football at a high level again. Twelve of the eventual 30 nominees already have been announced, including Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, Notre Dame quarterback Jack Coan, Appalachian State receiver Corey Sutton and Baylor linebacker Terrel Bernard. Winners from FBS and

lower levels of college football will be chosen by AP college football poll voters and college sports information directors and announced in December. The winners will be recognized at the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1 in Glendale, Arizona. Past major college football winners include Kent State receiver Antwan Dixon (2018), Oregon See Comeback, page B11

AP FILE PHOTO

Florida State quarterback McKenzie Milton (10) plays during the second half of an NCAA football game against Notre Dame in Tallahassee in this Sept. 5, 2021, file photo.

Forest fends off district rival Leon 26-16 By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com

Bruce Ackerman/OG

Vanguard’s Maddie Jacobs (4) and Taylor Cady (12) jump to block a spike from Citrus’ Cameron Seidenstucker (6) during a semifinal district volleyball match at Vanguard High School in Ocala, on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021.

KNIGHTS ADVANCE

Vanguard volleyball advances to 5A-5 District Final

The Forest Wildcats successfully held off the Leon Lions on homecoming night at Mikey Kelly Stadium, winning the prep football game 26-16 on Oct. 15. The win is the second in a row for the Wildcats—after defeating Leesburg on Oct. 8—bringing their regular season record to 3-4 overall. The Lions drop to 1-5. Forest is now 1-1 in District 7A-2, having previously lost to Chiles on Oct. 1. Sharing the same district, Leon (0-2) has yet to win a district game in 2021. Head coach Robin Williams was jubilant after the game with the effort his Forest team put out on the field. “We made some mistakes,” he admitted, “but overall we played really well. Especially on defense.” After a scoreless first quarter, the Wildcats finally found the end zone seven minutes into the second frame. Quarterback Steve Curry (14-for-22 in the air with one interception) pounded the ball through the Lion defensive line on third and goal, scoring on the keeper play at 5:57. Three minutes later, the Wildcats would See Wildcats, page B11

By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com

T Bruce Ackerman/OG

Vanguard’s Sophie Reed (28) battles at the net with two Citrus players during a semifinal district volleyball match at Vanguard High School in Ocala. on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021.

he No.1 seed Vanguard Knights girls’ volleyball team defeated a scrappy No. 4 seed Citrus Hurricanes Tuesday night in a 5A-5 District Semifinal match at Vanguard High School. The defending district champion Knights beat the ‘Canes in three-straight sets on Oct. 19—2512, 25-8 and 26-16—advancing to the tournament championship game for the second year in a row. “The whole season this is what you’re getting ready for: games like this,” said Vanguard head coach Luis Perez. “And they did an amazing job. [Citrus] was competitive. They fought us all the way.” See Vanguard, page B1

Bruce Ackerman/OG

Forest players run through a banner held by cheerleaders before their game against Leon during a football game at Forest High School in Ocala on Friday, Oct. 15, 2021

GAME OF THE WEEK

Menendez @ North Marion By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com

Bruce Ackerman/OG

North Marion’s Caleb Rollerson (11) battles for extra yardage as two Dunnellon players try to stop him during a football game at Dunnellon High School on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021.

North Marion is currently undefeated in District 5A-4 play with a perfect 2-0 record in 2021. Hosting district rival Menendez on Oct. 22, the Colts will have a chance to better their district and overall record (4-3) before the upcoming Class 5A regional tournament, where they could possibly face the Falcons once again in the second or third week of November. On Sept. 30, North Marion clobbered district opponent Eastside to the tune of 43-13. And last Friday, the Colts dispatched another district opponent, Palatka, in similar fashion, 42-15. Menendez also beat Eastside (41-7) on Sept. 17, but lost to district behemoth Clay, 21-16, on Oct. 15. Clay is 5-2 overall and 3-0 in District 5A-4. The Blue Devils represent one of the greater challenges to North Marion’s postseason ambitions. The Colts play Clay on Oct. 29, but that’s a week away. For now, North Marion must first make a meal out of the visiting Falcons tonight before worrying overmuch about the potential

boogeyman in the district next week. In non-district games, the Colts beat Forest (36-8) on Aug. 27 and West Port (24-0) on Sept. 10. They lost games against Vero Beach (40-15) on Sept. 17, Vanguard (36-15) on Sept. 24 and Dunnellon (12-9) on Oct. 8. The Falcons won their season opener on Aug. 27 against Matanzas, 29-0, but dropped the next two non-district games—St. Augustine (44-0) and Ridgeview (17-14) on Sept. 3 and 10, respectively. Menendez lost to non-district opponents Ponte Vedra (17-0) on Sept. 24 and beat Parker (15-14) in double overtime on Oct. 8. If North Marion wishes to extend its winning streak it started last week to two games, it must first outrun, out pass and outlast a desperate Falcons team tonight at Stan Toole Memorial Stadium. The postseason beckons—as it seemingly beckons a lot of football teams in late October— but first things first: Menendez vs. North Marion. Only one team can win and hear the postseason’s clarion call a little louder with victory. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

OTHER AREA FOOTBALL GAMES Oct. 22 Academy at the Lakes at St. John Lutheran (2-4) 7 p.m. Evans at West Port (0-7) 7 p.m. Belleview (7-1) at Vanguard (7-0) 7:30 p.m. Dunnellon (5-2) at Leesburg 7 p.m. Forest (3-4) at Hawthorne 7:30 p.m. Lake Weir (1-5) at Citrus 7 p.m. Ocala Christian Academy (9-0) at World of Knowledge 7 p.m. Bye Week Trinity Catholic (4-2)

B10

OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Saints best Crusaders St. John Lutheran cruises through First Baptist in opening round of district tournament By James Blevins james@ocalagazette.com It was smooth sailing for the St. John Lutheran Saints girls’ volleyball team as they took care of the visiting First Baptist Christian Academy Crusaders in three-straight sets, winning their District 2A-9 quarterfinal match 3-0 on Oct. 18. The No. 1 seed Saints, who are hosting the district tournament, defeated the No. 8 seed Crusaders 252, 25-6, 25-7, taking less than an hour to move on to the next round. Head coach Brad Ewers said that he really likes the depth of his Saints’ team, adding that such depth has contributed mightily to St. John going 16-5 overall in 2021. “We’ve got 15 players and they can all really play,” said Ewers after the game. “Our goal is always to move forward, so we’ll see how we do as we move forward through the tournament.” He admitted to not seeing many of the district opponents his team will ultimately face moving forward during the regular season. The Saints have only previously played First Baptist and First Academy earlier this year, winning both matches. Ewers said he trusts his team to handle whatever is thrown at them. “We’re prepared to play. We’ll take a look at each future opponent, see what it is and go from there,” he added. Freshman Ashley Downs opened the first set from the service line, scoring five straight aces for the Saints. It would be 9-0 in favor of St.

John before First Baptist earned its first point off an Emily Ferrero fault. St. John would roll after that with another nine-straight points, eventually taking the first set 25-2 behind the service of Rylee Palmateer, Laney Reese and Logan Wilemon, who had one, three and two aces, respectively. The Crusaders would fight back in the second set, grabbing the first point and keeping things close, 6-3, till Giselle Baluyot took over service. The sophomore Saint helped her team gain the advantage with an ace after two-straight kills by Isabel Freeman. Before First Baptist knew what hit them, St. John began to separate, extending its lead 12-4. Freshman Payton Nazzari would serve for seven straight points later in the second set, earning one ace and leading her Saints team to the second frame win, 25-6. Junior Saylor Spears would go on a 13-point tear to open the third set, putting St. John up 13-0 before First Baptist finally got on the board. From there, it would be a tagteam combination of Angely Antonio, Giselle Baluyot, Downs, Ferrero, Freeman and Nazzari from behind the service line, inching the Saints ever closer to the third set’s final tally of 25-7—and a St. John first-round victory. Key offensive players for the Saints were Freeman, who had six kills; Sophia Ochoa (five kills); Giselle Baluyot (five kills); and Isabelle Baluyot (five kills and one blocked shot).

ABOVE: St. John Lutheran’s Samantha Kreitenstein (1) spikes the ball past First Baptist Christian Academy’s AnaBella Varol (6) during a volleyball match at St. John Lutheran School in Ocala on Monday, Oct. 18, 2021. LEFT: St. John Lutheran’s Saylor Spears (10) digs the ball against First Baptist Christian Academy. BELOW: Saints’ players on the bench hold up one finger on the last point of the match as they defeat the Crusaders. Photos by Bruce Ackerman/OG

Vanguard advances to district final Continues from page B9 Both teams battled during the first set. Just when one team thought it had a handle on the other, the team behind in points would find a way to climb back into the contest. Tied at seven points apiece, Vanguard’s Ruby Owen helped give her Knights team a threepoint lead from the service line (two aces), only for Citrus’ Taylor Waller to answer on the next possession with two points from her service line (she helped force two Vanguard errors), making it 10-9. Not until Sophie Reed took over service did the Knights seem to take over the first set. Reed went on a five-point service streak, stretching Vanguard’s lead to eight points. From there it was Sarah Beville’s ball, finishing the set in the Knights’ favor, 25-12. Set two was something of a mirror image of the first: both teams trading points early. Then Vanguard’s Maddie Jacobs had her say. From the service line, Jacobs (three aces during the series) quickly helped put her team up 13-5 in short order. Teammates Owen, Taylor Cody, Reed and Beville, respectively, would trade turns at the service line for the rest of the set, putting Vanguard firmly in control, finishing the frame 25-8. Vanguard would blaze out of the gates of the third set as well, going up 7-3 early. But Citrus would find its groove and counter. Behind Hailey Bescher’s service, the ‘Canes climbed back

ABOVE: Vanguard’s Christina Light (5) blocks a shot from Citrus during a semifinal district volleyball match. BELOW: Vanguard’s Aria Eisel (10) digs the ball against Citrus as Sophie Reed (28) backs her up during a semifinal district volleyball match Photos by Bruce Ackerman/OG

ABOVE: Vanguard players celebrate a winning point on Citrus during a semifinal district volleyball match at Vanguard High School in Ocala on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021.

into the set, tying things up at eight points. Vanguard would pull slightly ahead, 13-11, before Owen would once again help to take the set out of the ‘Canes’ reach. Owen would lead her team on a seven-point service streak, giving the Knights the 21-12 advantage they needed to punch their ticket to the final. Bescher and company would cut into Vanguard’s lead a bit before the final buzzer, but ultimately couldn’t make up the difference and force a fourth set. The Knights finished the final frame 25-16.

Vanguard will now face the No. 2 Lecanto Panthers in the 5A-5 District Final on Thursday, Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. Perez’s Knights haven’t seen Lecanto all season, except to watch them defeat No. 3 Belleview earlier on Tuesday, 3-1. “[Lecanto] is going to put up a fight, just like they did today against Belleview,” said Perez. “That’s what you’re here for. If you win here, you keep on going towards state. This is what counts. You’ve got to give it all.”

at Vanguard High School in Ocala

a,

B11

OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 28, 2021 | OCALA GAZETTE

Comeback players of the year Continued from page B9 State quarterback Jake Luton (2019) and Colorado running back Jarek Broussard (2020). Ross missed all of last season after having surgery to correct a congenital fusion in his spine. The senior returned this year and is leading the Tigers in catches with 23 and touchdowns with three. Milton’s return has been nothing short of miraculous. He was a Heisman Trophy contender for UCF in 2018, when he suffered an injury to his right leg the day after Thanksgiving against rival South Florida. Doctors were concerned the injury was so severe it

could cost Milton his leg. Surgery saved the leg and Milton was told his longterm goal should be to walk normally without pain. He was determined to play football again, even if doctors believed the chances to be remote at best. Milton spent two seasons rehabbing and working with teammates at UCF before deciding to transfer this year to Florida State. He began the season as the No. 2 quarterback for the Seminoles but was thrust into action late in the season opener against Notre Dame game when Jordan Travis had his helmet knocked off. Milton helped Florida

State rally from behind to force overtime before Notre Dame won. “Nobody has ever come back from an injury like this,” Milton said after that game. “It’s the answer of prayer. Thousands of people praying for me. Coaches believing in me. I’m not here without all the prayers and people believing in me.” The Seminoles have struggled at 1-4, but Milton has played in four games, throwing for 548 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. “The opportunity to be out there is amazing,” Milton told reporters last month. “I’m grateful for it.”

AP FILE PHOTO

Clemson wide receiver Justyn Ross (8) plays during the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Ohio State in Glendale, Ariz., in this Dec. 28, 2019, file photo.

Wildcats held off Leon Lions

Continued from B9

score again on their next possession— another quarterback keeper. Curry carried the ball from roughly the 40-yard line for the rush touchdown at 1:43 of the second quarter. Not done yet, on Forest’s next possession, with less than 10 seconds on the clock, Curry would hit Isaiah Troop in stride for a 60-yard touchdown pass as time ran out on the half. Missing the extra point, Forest still held a commanding lead of 20-0 at the break The first half ’s success had cost the Wildcats some key players, according to Williams. Due to several injuries, Forest had to juggle its lineups coming into the second half. “We kind of hobbled into halftime,” said Williams. “Two or three different kids with ice on different parts of their bodies: we just had a couple things go all wrong right at the end of the second quarter. So, we had to rearrange a few things.” As Forest adjusted, Leon exploded

Bruce Ackerman/OG

Forest’s Isaiah Utegg (20) picks his way past Leon defenders for a large gain during a football game at Forest High School in Ocala,on Friday, Oct. 15, 2021.

offensively. It took the Lions just short of seven minutes of the third quarter to cut Forest’s lead in half. s Leon’s quarterback Ikezha Freeman (9-for-26, one interception) passed to teammate Centel Deshazier for the fourth-and-goal touchdown at 7:04 of the third quarter, making it 20-7 after the extra point.

On the first play of Forest’s next possession, Curry would throw an interception to Leon’s Kamari Jones, which the Lions would immediately turn into more points. Placekicker Jack Brooks kicked a 20-yard field goal to make it 20-10 at 5:02. But Forest made its adjustments and answered Leon’s quick 10 points

with another six of its own on the following possession. Forest’s Jamarrien Burt would go 80 yards with a Curry handoff to the house. After missing another extra point, the Wildcats now led 26-10 with 3:42 left in the third quarter. Leon would score another touchdown at 3:08 of the fourth quarter—a Freeman 30-yard rush play—but fail to convert on the twopoint conversion, leaving the score 26-16 as time ran out on the game. Williams said afterwards that Burt’s touchdown might have been the game-changing play for the Wildcats Friday night, helping to put Forest’s lead out of reach. “It changed the momentum of our game that’s for sure,” said Williams of Burt’s touchdown. “Because [Leon] had all the momentum coming off those two scores. But we were able to adjust and show some guts and put the fire out. At this point in the year, you love to see that.” Next up for Forest is a road game against non-district opponent Hawthorne tonight. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

SCORE BOARD

Football Scores Oct. 15 Leon16 Forest26

Dunnellon4 Lake Weir0 Pasco6 Belleview58 North Marion4 Palatka15 Ocala Christian Academy62 Rhodora J. Donahue Catholic22 Lake Mary Prep34 St. John Lutheran30 West Port0 Apopka44 Lecanto6 Vanguard40 Bye Week Trinity Catholic

Girls’ volleyball scores, Oct. 13-14

Selected Marion County High School

SPORTS RESULTS OCT. 13-16

Tampa Prep0 Trinity Catholic3 (19-25, 19-25, 24-26)

BOYS VARSITY 5K INDIVIDUAL TOP-50 RESULTS

Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country

1st Place, Eduardo Diaz West Port (15:58.54) 2nd Place, Clayton Knight Vanguard (16:03.48) 4th Place, Luis Cruzado Belleview (16:22.45) 5th Place, Joshua Moore Vanguard (16:24.61) 6th Place, Tristan Pank Vanguard (16:33.81) 9th Place, Diego Carrascosa Vanguard (16:51.84) 10th Place, Mark Willis Belleview (17:09.34) 11th Place, Cedric McFadden Trinity Catholic (17:16.15) 12th Place, Justin Capilli Vanguard (17:19.59) 13th Place, Ryan Elfring Forest (17:24.84) 17th Place, Kartik Koti Vanguard (17:32.67) 19th Place, Andrew Petrella Trinity Catholic (17:39.08) 20th Place, Matt Lammens Vanguard (17:40.74) 22nd Place, Brian Frias Belleview (17:52.98)

Wildwood Invitational Oct. 16

(Wildwood, FL.)

Oct. 13

BOYS VARSITY RESULTS

North Marion0 Belleview3 (13-25, 23-25, 26-28) Dunnellon0 Forest3 (5-25, 6-25, 10-25) Vanguard0 Venice3 (12-25, 18-25, 20-25)

Vanguard, 1st Place

Oct. 14

Belleview3 Leesburg0 (25-9, 25-18, 25-15) Forest0 Venice3 (12-25, 25-27, 19-25) West Port3 Lake Weir0 North Marion3 Palatka0 (25-23, 25-17, 25-15)

(34 points) Belleview, 3rd Place (114 points) Trinity Catholic, 6th Place (143 points) West Port, 7th Place (184 points) Forest, 11th Place (291 points)

GIRLS VARSITY RESULTS Vanguard, 1st Place (29 points) St. John Lutheran, 3rd Place (115 points) Trinity Catholic, 4th Place (121 points) Forest, 8th Place (158 points)

34th Place, Justin Bianculli Trinity Catholic (19:17.40) 35th Place, Shaun Morris Belleview (19:26.92) 40th Place, Andrew Beck Trinity Catholic (19:38.93) 41st Place, Raphael Piccola West Port (19:39.50) 43rd Place, Caleb Lombardo West Port (19:41.44) 45th Place, James Williams Trinity Catholic (19:45.65) 48th Place, Kenneth Rosa-Cruzado Belleview (19:47.95) 50th Place, Nolan Ferris St. John Lutheran (19:51.34)

GIRLS VARSITY 5K INDIVIDUAL TOP-50 RESULTS Lily Henne of Lake Minneola won in 18:44.49 2nd Place, Pippa Worden Vanguard (19:16.09) 5th Place, Rhema Taylor Vanguard (20:29.83) 6th Place, Brooklyn Fratello Vanguard (20:36.27) 10th Place, Samantha Hansen Vanguard (21:11.98) 13th Place, Christina Seecharan Belleview (21:57.77)

14th Place, Audrey Taylor Vanguard (21:59.62) 15th Place, Kiley Summerlin Belleview (22:03.81) 16th Place, Abigail Taylor Vanguard (22:08.25) 18th Place, Kaelee Smith Trinity Catholic (22:21.47) 20th Place, Aliya Hallick St. John Lutheran (22:38.39) 21st Place, Jordan Mclean Forest (22:40.26) 22nd Place, Reese Beaser St. John Lutheran (22:44.08) 23rd Place, Lauren Murphy St. John Lutheran (22:44.44) 25th Place, Brianna Carey West Port (22:52.82) 26th Place, Kieley Bateman Trinity Catholic (22:54.45) 28th Place, Emma Reese St. John Lutheran (23:01.11) 30th Place, Emma Bowman Forest (23:18.65) 32nd Place, Skylar Moore Trinity Catholic (23:21.51) 33rd Place, Mia LeRoux West Port (23:22.94) 35th Place, Anna Fosen West Port (23:30.85) 38th Place, Kailyn Roth West Port (23:54.63) 39th Place, Michelle Houldsworth Forest (23:55.06) 41st Place, Peyton Brennan Trinity Catholic (24:06.42) 43rd Place, Ava Crews Trinity Catholic (24:25.67) 45th Place, Zoe Zinnie Trinity Catholic (24:27.27 Results were gathered from Maxpreps. com and Flrunners.com Compiled by James Blevins

B12

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