Challengers join Marion County School Board races
By Jamie Berube jamie@ocalagazette.com
Four newcomers have filed as challengers in the 2026 Marion County School Board election, running for Districts 3, 4 and 5. The nonpartisan races will be decided in the Aug. 18, 2026, primary and Nov. 3 general
elections, with the qualifying deadline set for June 12.
These are four-year terms and board members receive an annual salary of $50,000, which equates to the salary of a starting teacher.
Incumbents Sarah James (District 5, current board chair) and Rev. Eric Cummings (District 3) are seeking re-election, while the District 4 seat remains open.
The three most recently active challengers have begun raising funds, according to the latest reports on the Marion County Supervisor of Elections website (votemarion.gov).
JEFFREY “JEFF” BREWER (DISTRICT 4)
A retired 20-year Marion County teacher who specialized in
special education, Brewer taught at Lake Weir High School, Greenway Elementary, Howard Middle School, Oakcrest Elementary, Meadowbrook Academy and the Juvenile Detention Center. A Marion County resident for more than 25 years and the owner of Jeff’s Best LLC, he has been married to his wife, Lynda, for 22 years.
See School Board races, page A9
Mental health misfires
Veteran’s arrest and treatment at jail highlight care lapses at county detention center.
By Jennifer Hunt jennifer@ocalagazette.com
On the night of Jan. 2, 2025, Zachary Altom stood outside a hotel in Ocala staring blankly, unable to respond to police questions.
The 29-year-old U.S. Army veteran had come to the Hilton Garden Inn hoping to rent a room after becoming homeless. Temperatures were expected to drop below freezing that night. Minutes later, Altom was on the ground in handcuffs, arrested after a confrontation with police.
More than a year later, Altom’s case has come to highlight the challenges faced by people with severe mental illness who enter the criminal justice system, particularly those waiting for treatment while housed in local jails.
ARREST AT OCALA HOTEL
According to police reports and body camera footage reviewed by the “Gazette,” when Ocala Police Department officers responded to a call the night of Jan. 2, 2025, about a suspicious person outside the hotel, they encountered Altom.
Body camera footage shows Altom staring blankly and appearing disoriented. Officers attempted to speak with him, but he did not respond to questions. When Altom extended his arms and moved toward an officer, the officers tackled him to the ground and placed him in a restraint device.
Altom was arrested on charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, depriving an officer of a means of protection and resisting without violence. Court records reviewed by the “Gazette” show Altom had no prior criminal history before the arrest.
The officers are shown on the body camera footage discussing whether Altom should be transported to The Vines Hospital, a psychiatric facility, or to the jail. The footage does not clearly show which officer ultimately made the
decision to take him to the Marion County Jail.
The video also shows the officers commenting on Altom being a veteran. They also noted he had been transported by EMS to a hospital the previous day and he still had medical records on his person.
INTAKE AT THE JAIL
After Altom was transported to the Marion County Jail, body camera footage from the OPD officers appears to show Marion County Sheriff’s Office detention deputies striking Altom after he was taken behind the booking area doors.
Altom was wearing a protective helmet when he arrived at the jail. The footage also shows Altom did not sustain any injuries during his interaction with the OPD officers. In his booking photo, however, there are cuts and bruising on Altom’s face.
Written jail reports reviewed by the
“Gazette” describe detention deputies using pepper spray and taking Altom to the ground. Audible strikes to a body can be heard on the body camera footage, but the reports do not mention them.
FAMILY DESCRIBES MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES
Altom’s mother, Belinda Altom, said her son began struggling mentally after his father died in 2016 while Zachary was still serving in the military. She said Zachary had relied on his father for encouragement during military exercises and while coping with anxiety.
Altom also suffered knee injuries from jumping out of helicopters during his service. After leaving the Army, he received disability benefits related to those injuries.
Plan ahead to visit Rainbow Springs State Park
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
For those who are used to just paying a small admission fee and then simply walking through the gates at Rainbow Springs State Park to enjoy some swimming, hiking, seeing the waterfalls or having a picnic, you won’t be able to do that after April 29.
Beginning that day, all visitors to Rainbow Springs State Park, including Florida State Parks annual passholders, pedestrians and cyclists, must have a reservation to enter the park’s main entrance, also known as the headsprings/ swimming entrance, at 19158 SW 81st Place Road, Dunnellon.
According to information on the Florida State Parks website, the dayuse reservation program is designed to streamline entry to the park, which will alleviate congestion and enhance the visitor experience. The only other current Florida State Parks day-use reservation program is at Wekiwa Springs State Park in Apopka. Nationally, some of the sites managed by the National Park Service require an entrance pass and visitors also may need a reservation at a few high-traffic sites.
Advanced day-use reservations for Rainbow Springs State Park can be made starting April 22. Reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance. Same-day reservations may be made until the reservation limit has been met. A separate reservation must be made for each day. The park entry fee will be collected online at the time of reservation. Annual passholders can select “Annual Passholder” as their payment option. Visitors will need their day-use reservation receipt, either digital or in print. Annual passholders will need both their day-use reservation receipt and their annual pass.
See State Park, page A4 Marion County Children’s Alliance awards Page A8
See Mental health, page A2
Recap of findings from the “Ocala Gazette”s investigation into the Marion County Jail
By Jennifer Hunt jennifer@ocalagazette.com
Over the past several years, the “Ocala Gazette” has examined reports of unusual deaths, negligent medical care and questionable use-of-force incidents at the Marion County Jail. These news stories are the result of careful examinations of public records, court filings, inmate medical records, jail incident reports and interviews
with inmates’ families and government officials.
In response to new questions about how this investigation has come about, the “Gazette” has compiled this recap to better explain the process and thoroughness of our reporting.
Rather than address the concerns raised by the news reporting, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods has been making the rounds on local radio stations and at public meetings and through his agency’s social media channels telling the public to
discount the “Gazette’’ findings.
While Woods has repeatedly and publicly denigrated the “Gazette’s” reporting, he has yet to specify any factual errors in any of the news stories or ask for any corrections. Instead, he merely derides as sensationalism the conclusions drawn from the records reviewed by the newspaper.
The sheriff and Major Charles McIntosh, who oversees the jail, have denied repeated requests for interviews to understand what changes are being made at the jail
to address concerns raised by the “Gazette.”
THE BEGINNING
The reporting began with the November 2022 death of Scott Whitley, a man diagnosed with schizophrenia who died while in custody at the jail. The District 5 Medical Examiner ruled Whitley’s death a homicide; no one, however, has been charged.
After the Marion County Sheriff’s Office denied access to records related to the incident, the “Gazette” filed suit
to obtain the public records. A judge outside Marion County later ruled the records should be released for review.
What “Gazette” reporters learned during that reporting influenced further inquiries over the last few years, which have expanded to include other deaths and medical conditions inside the jail. Here is some of what has been uncovered: The MCSO omitted or misstated critical facts and details in their reports of Whitley’s death.
See Recap , page A3
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At left, Zachary Altom’s face when he was arrested on Jan. 2, 2025, by officers with the Ocala Police Department while he appeared to be in psychosis and, at right, his booking photo after allegedly being beaten by Marion County jail detention staff within minutes of being delivered to the jail.
Record breaking event
A son of Flightline went for $10.5 million during thoroughbred sale in Ocala. Staff report
The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s spring sale of 2-year-old thoroughbreds in training, from April 14 to 17, ended with a record $10.5 million paid for a son of Flightline.
Hip number 1056, out of Lucrezia, was consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds LLC and was bought by Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.
“With one record already in their pockets after selling a record-priced filly earlier in the week, Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo helped orchestrate the biggest moment in the sales company’s history when Hip 1056 justified his paparazzi-like following by selling for an all-time OBS record of $10.5 million to agent Donato Lanni on behalf of Zedan Racing on the final day of a spring sale that set new highwater achievements across-the-board,” an OBS news release stated.
“Before a capacity crowd that overfilled the pavilion and erupted in cheers when the final bid was cemented, the Flightline colt shattered the previous record OBS price of $3 million established when Zedan Racing purchased future Grade 1 winner Brant at the 2025 March Sale. He also ranks as the second-highest priced horse to sell at any 2-year-old sale, a fitting milestone for a horse that had every major buyer in the marketplace clamoring to claim him, especially in the wake of his effortless :9 3/5 breeze during the undertack show,” the release noted.
Even before Friday’s session got underway, the April auction had already seen its share of highlights including Hip 570, a dark bay or brown filly by Jackie’s Warrior consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo that became the highest priced filly to sell at OBS when she elicited a final bid of $2.3 million from Dermot Farrington on behalf of Mrs. Fitriani Hay during the
Mental health
Continued from page A1
His mother said his mental health continued to decline and he eventually became homeless. At times, she said, he attempted to self-medicate using kratom.
Following an incident in Washington, D.C., Altom was placed under the Baker Act, law that allows involuntary mental health evaluations. Despite those interventions, maintaining consistent treatment proved difficult, his mother said.
Altom was later diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, his mother said.
At a court hearing on Altom’s Jan. 2, 2025, arrest, Judge Kissner-Kwatkosky determined he was not competent to proceed with the charges against him and he was transferred to Northeast Florida State Hospital for treatment.
During a telephone conversation with the “Gazette” on April 8, this year, while still at the state hospital, Altom said the treatment he received there had helped him stabilize.
He said he remembered going to the hotel the night of his arrest because he was homeless and was trying to get a room for the night.
His mother said he had stayed at that hotel before. Weather forecasts for that evening indicated temperatures were expected to drop below freezing.
Altom said he did not remember much about the encounter with police at the hotel. However, he said he remembered being struck while in custody at the jail.
Altom told the “Gazette” he hoped to return to some of the routines he once enjoyed.
“I just want to get back to normal things,” Altom said, including going to the gym and being able to drive a car again. After several months of treatment and medication at the state hospital, doctors determined Altom had regained competency. He was transferred back to the Marion County Jail on April 10.
MEDICATION LAPSE AFTER RETURN TO JAIL
Altom’s return to the Marion County Jail raised new concerns for his family and attorney.
His mother said that during a phone call on April 12, she could hear her son becoming confused and deteriorating without his medication. Altom’s family and attorney said he had still not received his prescribed psychiatric medications several days after returning to the jail.
The Marion County Jail contracts with the Heart of Florida Health Center, a nonprofit provider responsible for medical and mental health care for inmates. Under the jail’s medical
sale’s second session.
The 2026 OBS April Sale gross receipts of $113,823,000 from 637 head sold surpassed the previous record mark of $92,129,000 established in 2022 and the $88,496,500 generated by 638 head sold in 2025. The cumulative average of $178,686 bested last year’s record mark of $138,709 with the median of $80,000 finishing ahead of last year’s number of $65,000 and toppling the prior record figure of $70,000 set in 2024, the release noted.
Full results can be found at obssales.com
services agreement, psychotropic medications are required to be verified and administered within 72 hours of intake or return to custody.
The “Gazette” asked both the medical provider and the MCSO whether Altom received medication within the timeframe required under the contract. Neither had responded by publication.
Concerned about the risk of Altom losing mental competency again without medication, his public defender, Julia Williamson, began visiting him frequently.
BROADER PRESSURES ON JAIL
MENTAL HEALTH CARE
Statements previously presented to county officials indicated that roughly 30 inmates in Marion County were awaiting placement in state psychiatric hospitals during the most recent public update. While those inmates wait for beds to open at state facilities, they remain housed in the county jail.
The jail’s medical services agreement outlines minimum staffing levels for health care services inside the facility, including psychiatric providers, licensed mental health counselors and social workers, along with nursing staff responsible for medical and psychiatric care.
The contract requires mental health services to be available seven days a week with psychiatric providers available on call.
The agreement costs taxpayers roughly $14 million annually.
OVERSIGHT QUESTIONS
Until 2024, a registered nurse employed by the sheriff’s office monitored the jail medical provider’s compliance with the contract and Florida Model Jail Standards. That oversight position ended after the nurse’s employment with the sheriff’s office was terminated, and compliance reporting from that role ceased.
The sheriff’s office has indicated that the oversight position was discontinued.
Florida jails are required to comply with the Florida Model Jail Standards, which establish minimum requirements for inmate medical and mental health care, including medication management and treatment for inmates experiencing mental health crises.
The “Gazette” has previously reported concerns about inmate medical care inside the Marion County Jail under the Heart of Florida contract.
Disability Rights Florida has also raised concerns about medical care at the jail.
Earlier reporting documented rising taxpayer spending on inmate medical services, alongside allegations from a nurse auditor who monitored jail compliance with medical standards and reported delays in care and staffing shortages.
COURT HEARING
Altom’s public defender, Williamson, filed an emergency motion for a bond hearing after learning he had not received medication following his return from the state hospital.
Williamson has practiced law for 30 years, and said maintaining competency can be difficult for inmates with serious mental illness when medication is interrupted. She also noted that mentally ill inmates housed together sometimes have conflicts that lead to additional criminal charges.
During the April 14 hearing, State Attorney William Hodges Jr. asked the court to set additional bond of $5,000 for two charges alleging Altom battered another inmate, before he went to the state hospital while he was initially incarcerated.
Circuit Judge Barbara KissnerKwatkosky ultimately set bond at $2,000 for each of the two charges that were filed nearly 10 months after Altom’s initial incarceration.
Williamson said cases like Altom’s illustrate broader challenges in how the criminal justice system handles severe mental illness.
“Unless the public has someone in their family afflicted with mental illness, they don’t seem to care about the suffering of the mentally ill through our broken system,” Williamson said.
FAMILY HOPES FOR TREATMENT
Belinda Altom said representatives from the Honor Center, a veterans treatment facility, agreed to receive Altom to their facility and she delivered him there on April 16 .
Altom’s grandmother, with whom he lived for a time after returning from the military, died while he was incarcerated.
His mother said she believes her son needs sustained treatment and support to recover and expressed gratitude to the public defender and all the people who advocated to get Altom out of jail and into a more therapeutic setting.
“Ever since Zachary was a little boy he was always sort of a quiet loner and could never be categorized as violent or aggressive,” she said.
Photos of Altom’s injuries in the jail reflected a scripture tattood on his chest from John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
For Altom and his family, the hope is not only that he receives treatment, but that his experience contributes to a broader conversation about how communities respond when mental illness intersects with the criminal justice system.
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Hip 1056, a son of champion Flightline, sold for an all-time Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. record $10.5 million on the final day of the April sale. [Photo courtesy OBS]
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney provided no accountability for the jail detention officers attacked Whitley the day he died. This included hitting him with a Taser 27 times; one officer held the Taser around Whitley’s groin area while another did the same around his neck while simultaneously beating him.
Surveillance video showed detention officers waited six minutes after Whitley’s body went lifeless before calling for an ambulance.
Whitley, who was possibly undergoing a schizophrenic episode, had been held naked in a concrete cell for the week leading up to the incident. He received no medical care or medication for his condition.
FEDERAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS & SHERIFF’S DEFENSE
Our reporting identified deaths that did not appear to have been reported under the Federal Death in Custody Reporting Act, which requires states to report deaths of individuals held by law enforcement agencies.
The “Gazette” compiled its own database of deaths using jail incident reports, medical examiner records and other public documents.
We compared the database to the incustody death data for other county jails in Florida and reported that Marion County is either at the top of the list for deaths, or a close second compared to other county jails.
Woods has said that the FDLE and State Attorney William Gladson’s office have independently cleared MCSO of any criminal wrongdoing in the cases.
However, the FDLE has only investigated five of the 40 inmate deaths we’ve reported. The State Attorney’s office has not provided any independent investigative records, instead relying solely on the FDLE’s findings.
MEDICAL CARE CONCERNS
Several of the deaths examined by the “Gazette” involve questions about the quality of medical care provided inside the jail.
Heart of Florida Health Centers, a nonprofit organization, holds the contract to provide inmate medical care. The contract increased from approximately $8 million annually to about $14 million beginning in 2023.
IRS filings show the organization’s revenue increased from $28.5 million in 2021 to $45.8 million in 2023 as it expanded jail contracts in Marion and Sumter counties.
The “Gazette” reviewed jail medical records and internal reporting related to compliance with Florida Model Jail Standards.
A nurse employed by the MCSO had been responsible for monitoring whether Heart of Florida complied with the standards and contractual staffing requirements. Her reports documented instances in which the contractor did not meet those standards. In response, the MCSO fired her in 2024. No compliance reports have been produced since then.
No explanation was provided for her firing or for how this dismissal would improve conditions at the facility.
Case law related to the Eighth amendment prohibiting “cruel and unusual punishment” and the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution,, which holds that no state shall “deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws,” clearly require more
than just medical malpractice or negligence. An element that must be established is, “knowing disregard.”
In the landmark opinion “Estelle v. Gamble,” the Supreme Court concluded “deliberate indifference to serious medical needs of prisoners constitutes the ‘unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain,’ Gregg v. Georgia, supra, at 182-183, 96 S.Ct. at 2925 (joint opinion), proscribed by the Eighth Amendment. This is true whether the indifference is manifested by prison doctors in their response to the prisoner’s needs or by prison guards in intentionally denying or delaying access to medical care or intentionally interfering with the treatment once prescribed. Regardless of how evidenced, deliberate indifference to a prisoner’s serious illness or injury states a cause of action under § 1983.”
The medical compliance reporting reviewed by the “Gazette” by the nurse whistleblower while she was an employee of the MCSO tasked with monitoring medical care for inmates could arguably be considered notice to the sheriff’s office of “unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain.”
Woods’ response was to fire the whistleblower and do away with the oversight position.
Newly installed Major Charles McIntosh, who oversees the jail, wrote in an email to the “Gazette” that detention officers would ensure that inmates were receiving the medical care they required.
Inmates request medical care by submitting written medical request forms through detention staff. Florida jail standards require that such requests trigger a timeline for care.
Inmates interviewed by the “Gazette” said they sometimes had to submit multiple requests before being seen by medical staff.
The whistleblower’s internal reporting indicated that HOF was regularly not in compliance with responding to those inquiries pursuant to Florida model jail standards.
In order to verify the claims of inmates and the whistleblower, the “Gazette” looked at the financial records of the inmate commissary accounts, since inmates are charged for medication and doctor’s visits. When the “Gazette” compared the number of request forms reported by the medical provider with charges posted to inmates’ commissary accounts for medical visits and medications it further supported the discrepancies noted by the whistleblower.
The number of billed calls did not equal the number of patient visits by even half.
Additionally, we looked at the total in hospital bills paid by HOF as reported through its tax filings for inmate care and noticed it was very low. We asked the jail for emergency room statistics and noticed that HOF had dropped the number of emergency room visits after booking to less than half of what they were historically.
INDIVIDUAL CASES EXAMINED
“Gazette” reporting examined multiple deaths in custody through medical records, incident reports and other documentation. Here is a sampling:
Jacob Oakie, a 39-year-old Ocala man who died in July 2024 after developing pneumococcal meningitis. Medical records obtained by the “Gazette” raised questions about delays in treatment and the use of force by guards before he was transported to a hospital.
• Dennis DiGenova, a 73-year-old veteran who died in July 2023 after suffering a cervical spine fracture while in custody. The death was ruled a homicide, though no criminal charges were filed.
Darrell Davidson, who died in custody in October 2023 after being booked into the jail on a misdemeanor charge. Reporting compared incident reports with photographic evidence and other records obtained by the “Gazette” and found excessive use of force by detention officers. Despite his pleas for medical help, Davidson died.
• Mayra Ramirez, who died in September 2023 after repeatedly requesting medical care while incarcerated. Records show Ramirez filed numerous requests for medical help before her death. Disability Rights Florida informed her family that her death may be due to medical malpractice at the jail.
USE-OF-FORCE REPORTS
The “Gazette” also reviewed use-of-force incident reports at the jail unrelated to deaths at the jail.
Those records showed numerous injuries occurring during encounters between detention staff and inmates, particularly in booking when the arrested person was told to strip for a search. Several of the cases involved inmates whose court records indicated they had mental health concerns or competency issues.
The “Gazette” has also examined numerous use-of-force reports.
One case involved Zachary Altom, a veteran diagnosed with mental illness. MCSO records did not report that detention deputies struck him while he was being booked into the jail. Instead, the records said the guards used pepper spray on Altom and that he hit his head in the decontamination shower. However, body footage from Ocala Police Department officers who brought Altom to the jail indicated he was in a psychosis state and was nonverbal and unable to follow commands. The video contains sounds of detention officers repeatedly striking Altom.
Neither the OPD officers nor other
detention workers interceded on behalf of Altom.
Altom’s treatment raises concerns that law enforcement continues to struggle to police itself and have become indifferent to the suffering of the mentally ill.
According to its annual $14 million contract with Marion County, Heart of Florida Health Centers must provide sufficient staffing to administer health care services. This specifically includes the following mental health personnel: One full-time Behavioral Health Director, two full-time Psychiatric Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), four full-time Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) or licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs); and one part-time (0.2 FTE) psychiatrist.
If the contract is being adhered to, it calls into question why are these mental health professionals not being utilized when there is obvious and overwhelming evidence that someone entering the jail may be having a medical crisis or suffering from dementia.
DISABILITY RIGHTS FLORIDA INVESTIGATION
Disability Rights Florida, a federally designated protection and advocacy organization, has opened investigations related to jail conditions and inmate deaths. The organization has requested changes to the jail’s grievance process, which led the MCSO to install secured grievance drop boxes in housing units so inmates could submit complaints without relying on staff to distribute the forms.
It’s been nearly a year since the boxes were installed. In response to a public records request for the grievances, the MCSO has told the “Gazette” there is no data to provide. THE
CHALLENGE OF DEALING WITH THE MENTALLY ILL
Based on the conditions and limitations at the jail, the “Gazette” has questioned public officials about the decisions being made by officers and deputies to arrest someone who is clearly compromised mentally for minor offenses such as trespassing or petty theft rather than looking for another remedy.
An example of which was 29 year old Maniesa Fletcher, who was arrested for petty theft at a convenience store while she was in the midst of a mental episode. Fletcher, who had extensive medical issues including a brain implant stimulator, did not receive the medical care she needed and was found dead in her cell.
Another example we reported on last year involved Paula Ruiz-Rodriguez. Her family called MCSO to help take RuizRodriguez, who was mentally unstable, to a hospital. Body camera footage from MCSO deputies showed that about 10 minutes after arriving at the home, the deputies grabbed the woman’s hands, and she began to panic. Three deputies wrestled her to the floor of the family’s living room, and another started deploying a Taser on her, in front of her mother, Ruiz-Rodriguez’ son, sister and brother-in-law.
Her family can be heard in the background yelling prayers for RuizRodriguez .
Instead of taking her to the hospital, Ruiz-Rodriguez was arrested and charged with battery on the officers who grabbed her hands. After spending months in jail, she was found incompetent, and not likely to return to competency and released back to her family who have moved from the area following the experience.
Shown in this still image from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office bodycam video, Mariluz Mateo, the mother of Paula Diaz, pleads with the deputy to stop tasing her daughter when they were struggling to gain her
on Jan.
Bodycam Video].
Water woes
731,000-gallon leak leaves a $2,200 bill and a plea for help.
By Jamie Berube jamie@ocalagazette.com
AU.S. Navy veteran who describes himself as a “snowbird” is being billed $2,200 by Marion County Utilities for 731,000 gallons of water lost to a broken pipe at his Oak Run Community home while he was away for six weeks. Ray Gangluff detailed the incident in a letter to the editor of the “Gazette,” dated April 12, 2026.
Rather than just run Gangluff’s letter on its own, the “Gazette” team decided to ask questions of the utility in order to learn more and let readers know how to possibly avoid winding up in this situation with either MCU, which provides public water and wastewater services to more than 45,000+ customers in Marion County, or perhaps another local utility provider.
Here is Gangluff’s letter:
“I am a 79-year-old retired Navy veteran and a six-year Oak Run Community resident. While I was away from home for six weeks, a large water pipe feeding the water softener on the left side of my home came apart. The water flowed above ground into the woods behind my home. It discharged approximately 23,580 gallons of water each day. About six days after the leak began, my water meter was read and showed very excessive water usage. Four days later, Marion County Utilities responded with an automated telephone water leak message they sent to a local 352 area code telephone number. That number is owned by a person with private well water and has no connection to me. My only phone number for at least the past 10 years begins with area code 609. Two days later, a work
State Park
Continued from page A1
Visitors who have paid the entrance fee through the park’s tubing concessionaire and wish to access the headsprings/swimming area will need to present their same-day tubing receipt; entry is based on available space and is not guaranteed. For overnight visitors, camping reservations will serve as their reservation to enter the campground at 18185 SW 94th St., Dunnellon, as well as the headsprings/swimming area.
A note from Park Manager Angela Kaiser on the website is titled, “A new chapter for Rainbow Springs State Park.”
“We are excited to introduce a new reservation program for day-use visitors. Designed to make your visit more enjoyable and hassle-free, this
order was issued, sending a Marion County Utilities worker to my home. Finding no one at home, the worker allegedly hung a message on the outside handle of my unlocked front porch screen door concerning the water leak. The message has never been seen by any neighbors or by me. He obviously did not look around my yard where the flowing water above ground was extensive and visible,” Gangluff wrote.
“My 609 cell phone number and the telephone numbers of three of my neighbors are clearly posted on my front door, which is just eight feet inside the unlocked porch screen door. The water leak was allowed to continue for 28 more days after his visit. At the next water meter reading, the meter reader entered my still unlocked front porch, called my posted cell phone and finally shut my water off. A grand total of 731,000 gallons of water had been lost. I am unfairly being required to pay in excess of $2,200 for the total water loss even after all possible discounts were taken. I don’t feel I am responsible for the last 28 days of the leak. I have submitted written email appeals to management and to one of our county supervisors with no success to date. Florida Consumer Affairs has refused to investigate because the county government is involved,” he continued.
Gangluff ended his letter with a call for help.
“Please share this information with other Oak Run residents,” he wrote.
The “Gazette” reached out to Marion County Utilities (MCU) for guidance on preventive measures that other Oak Run residents in particular — as well any local resident and even snowbirds (part-
time residents) — could take to avoid similar water-leak disasters while they are away for weeks or months.
Marion County Public Relations Specialist Roger Waddell said the county’s policy in such cases, as when a customer is out of town and a pipe breaks, is governed by Ordinance No. 09-05, Section 19-179(G).
“The customers’ pipes, apparatus and equipment shall be selected, installed, used and maintained in accordance with standard practice and shall conform with the rules and regulations of the county. The county shall not be responsible for the maintenance and operation of the customers’ pipes and facilities,” Waddell stated.
Waddell continued by citing the county’s Deposit Receipt and Service Agreement.
“It is further understood and agreed that the sale of water to the customer occurs at the meter, and the utility has no responsibility relative to service or supplying water after said water passes through the meter. The customer is advised not to tamper with the meter, including turning the water service on or off, which is prohibited. Tampering with county property carries a $250 fee. The utility’s responsibility relative to gravity sewer service ceases at the customer’s property line,” Waddell said, Waddell also referenced the
program allows you to secure your day-use entry in advance, ensuring a smoother arrival with shorter wait times at the gate. By managing the flow of visitors, we can reduce congestion and provide a more
serene environment for everyone to explore, whether you are a seasoned kayaker navigating the river or a history buff uncovering stories whispered by ancient oaks,” the statement reads in part.
county’s policy on adjusting bills under Ordinance No. 09-05, Section 19-179(T).
“If a customer incurs an abnormally excessive charge for usage due to a leak, the county may review and adjust a customer’s bill on an individual basis to the third tier of the water rate structure and adjust wastewater to the customer’s average use in accordance with the policies of the county,” he stated.
Waddell added that for any water usage over 20,000 gallons, the county adjusts from $5.61 a thousand gallons to $2.80 per thousand gallons.
Waddell explained how Gangluff’s bill was adjusted.
“Accordingly, MCU adjusted his bills: 12/22/25 we adjusted -$2,125.20; 01/02/26 adjusted -$103.32; 01/14/26 adjusted -$191.24. The adjustments include three months of sewer due to the customer not being home,” Waddell said.
Waddell clarified the protocol for when a worker is dispatched to read the meter and cannot get hold of the resident.
“MCU’s process begins when abnormal high use is detected in exception reports for monthly meter reads. Those reports are reviewed, and then automated calls are made for customers to contact the office. More recently, we have added
“This commitment to enhancing the visitor experience goes hand-inhand with our mission to preserve the natural resources we all cherish. These administrative improvements allow our team to focus even more effectively on treating invasive plants, conducting prescribed burns and meticulously maintaining our backcountry trails. We thank you for embracing these new processes as we work together to create a sustainable environment for all,” it continues.
Prospective visitors can set up an account at reserve. floridastateparks.org
To make a day-use reservation for Rainbow Springs State Park, go to reserve.floridastateparks.org/ Web/#!park/54
To learn more, go to floridastateparks.org/parks-andtrails/rainbow-springs-state-park or call (352) 465-8555.
Marion County Braver Angels Alliance
We envision an America where courageous citizenship is the honored norm, renewing civic culture and building trust across political differences. We’re taking a stand against toxic politics. Braver Angels is leading the nation’s largest cross-partisan, volunteer-led movement to bridge the partisan divide and strengthen our democratic republic. For more information go to BraverAngels.org or email us at boswald@braverangels.org or gharrell@braverangels.org
text and email to that notification attempt. If the use is more than 20,000 gallons above normal, we also issue a work order to have a technician visit the home, reread the meter to see if the high use is continuing, or reflects a leak. If the high use is continuous, the technician will attempt to contact the customer at the residence and if no one is home, they will leave a door hanger message for the customer to contact the office. Many customers will react and fix the problem on their own, and we may not hear back from them. Others may not contact us until they get the higher bill and then we work with them to adjust the bill amount according to the county ordinance and/or make a payment plan to spread the cost over time,” Waddell said.
“At the end of the day, it is the customer’s responsibility to manage plumbing and equipment on their side of the meter, since the utility’s infrastructure ends at the meter,” he continued.
Waddell’s advice to homeowners while they are out of town is to ensure they can be reached.
“Make sure MCU has good contact information for you. Get electronic billing so you can see your bill and water use ASAP. Have a friend check on your home while you are away and/or shut off your water at the house valve until you return. Perform good maintenance and always keep an eye out for damaged irrigation, toilets running, or other leaks that can happen inside or outside your home. Additionally, MCU offers a seasonal meter turn-off option for a $25 fee,” he said.
Under county policy, the utility’s responsibility ends at the meter, so any leak on the homeowner’s side is the customer’s responsibility to detect and repair. The county does not shut off water automatically for absent customers; it relies on monthly meter reads, exception reports, automated calls, texts, emails and door hangers when high usage is flagged. Bill adjustments for leaks are available on a case-by-case basis, but the county maintains the homeowner must manage plumbing after the meter.
Ray Gangluff talks on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, about how a pipe connected to his water softener burst last year at his home in Ocala’s Oak Run Community when he was out of town for six weeks and 731,000 gallons of water leaked out. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
The main spring is shown at Rainbow Springs State Park in Dunnellon
“Ocala Gazette” Q&A with candidates for County Commission
This is the fourth week in a nine-week project to ask questions of and hear responses from those seeking office. Staff report
There are three candidates running for the District 2 County Commission seat (Matthew Cretul, Mike Crimi and Brien Weidemiller) and six for the District 4 seat (Randall Alvord, Jeff Bairstow, Clint Barkley, Anthony Barriner-Massa, Wanda Wimberly Lasher and Sherri Meadows).
The “Gazette” will email a different question each week to all of the candidates, for a total of nine questions over nine weeks. The candidates are given a week to respond in writing and we do not edit their answers. The answers from those who chose to participate are presented below in the order in which they were received.
QUESTION FOUR:
Public trust in local government often depends on transparency and access to information. What changes, if any, would you support to improve transparency, public participation or access to county records and decision-making processes?t
I support a more open, user-friendly county government. That means posting agenda materials earlier, providing plain-language summaries of major issues and making public records easier to search online. I also support livestreaming and archiving meetings, stronger public notice and more chances for citizens to speak before major decisions are made. I would push for budget and project dashboards so taxpayers can track spending and progress in real time. Transparency builds trust and citizens should never feel shut out of their own government.
—Jeff Bairstow ***
Public trust in local government is built through transparency, accessibility and consistent communication with the people we serve. Citizens should feel respected, seen and heard by their County Commissioners. Too
Throughout my leadership experience, I have made it a priority to be inclusive and accessible. I have created opportunities for additional citizen input through advisory groups and encouraged participation by making meetings more accessible — including inviting residents to watch and engage through live online meetings when they cannot attend in person. As a commissioner, I will continue that approach.
First, we should make county information easier to access by improving the usability of our website and ensuring that agendas and supporting materials are posted clearly and in a timely manner. Residents should not have to search through a maze for information that affects their community.
Second, I support expanding opportunities for public input before major decisions are made, including workshops, community meetings and better notice of proposed developments so residents have a meaningful voice early in the process.
Third, we should strengthen online access to meetings and records, including livestreaming, archived video and clear summaries so citizens can stay informed even if they cannot attend in person.
Transparency is not just about providing information — it’s about building trust. When citizens feel heard and informed, we make better decisions together about the community we call home.
—Sherri Meadows ***
Transparency isn’t optional in local government it’s the foundation of public trust. I believe every resident should be able to easily see what their government is doing, how decisions are made and where their tax dollars are going. I would push for real-time online access to county records, budgets and contracts not buried in complicated systems, but simple and searchable. I also support livestreaming and archiving all public meetings, with clear summaries so working families can stay informed without spending hours digging.
Public participation matters. I want to expand opportunities for citizens to speak, give input early in the process not after decisions are
At the end of the day, this is your government. You shouldn’t have to fight to see it.
—Mike Crimi
***
There is a process to request and access information currently in place. I am not a reporter so by no means do I request as much as you and your news organization does. Marion County staff does a pretty good job publishing agendas, televising meetings, workshops and pending ordinances so the public has access. Any access to pending litigation requests certainly has a level of scrutiny and security to protect those involved so they are not tried in public by the “keyboard warriors.” The 2026-2027 budget process is just getting underway and that is one area where, as a citizen, I would like to see more effort put into reaching more citizens either through a quick link on the Marion County home page or something similar.
The only defense I can give to the recently passed HB399 that strips away even more home rule is that if a developer is turned down the county/municipality must give detailed reasoning why. A welcome addition that I would highly encourage and support doing, is having the commission state why and on what basis new development is approved by. Would be interesting to see a checklist of things like infrastructure capacity, availability of fire and sheriff services, school availability all established before that developers agreement comes into reality. That is where the real transparency is.
—Randall Alvord ***
One thing we could do is public voting instead of just a board vote to get an idea on the direction the people want to go in. We could let the county attorneys review proposals before they go to a public vote. Also, public officials should be required to explain why they voted a certain way.
—Anthony Barriner-Massa ***
The public should be informed about the decision-making process of their elected leaders. There cannot be trust and confidence
information. It is totally underutilized in government. Leaders should be pushing information out instead of citizens pulling information from them. This can be easily remedied by sharing information with the public on a weekly basis. It would also promote involvement for those citizens who cannot make the meetings.
—Brien Weidemiller ***
I wholeheartedly believe that an informed, engaged citizenry is the best kind of citizenry. Our governmental system is designed to allow citizens to have a voice in the decisionmaking process in multiple ways, such as public comment sections during meetings, workshops or public hearings. This is the standard that Marion County should uphold.
While the system is designed to facilitate public participation, it doesn’t always feel that way, which leads to a disconnected population, and that’s not ideal at all. Marion County operates programs such as Citizens’ Academy to help the public understand the government’s structure and makeup. It’s a fantastic opportunity, and I believe more residents should take advantage of it. The county also puts on a “State of the County” each year, allowing the BCC chair to relay what’s going on locally.
These are great programs, but I believe Marion County can do more listening. Events such as town halls meet citizens where they are. I would institute a town hall circuit that meets at different times and locations around the county, ensuring ALL residents have access to their elected officials and can make their voices heard. Can’t attend in person? There’s a virtual option!
Florida is widely known for having some of the most transparent public record laws in the country. State entities, including counties, are required to follow Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, aka the “Sunshine Laws”, or they risk lawsuits for not complying with the regulations. We need to make sure our county stays in compliance.
—Matthew Cretul
These candidates did not reply by the
Bentornato named 2025 Florida-bred Horse of the Year
The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association made the announcement during a gala in Ocala on April 20. Staff report
Bentornato is the 2025 Florida-bred Horse of the Year in a vote by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association board of directors. The honor was announced at the FTBOA awards gala held the evening of April 20 at the Circle Square Cultural Center in Ocala.
Bentornato won the $1.84 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Grade 1) on Nov. 1, 2025, becoming the sixth Florida-bred winner of the race, with Eillo in 1984, Precisionist (1985), Smile (1986), Cherokee Run (1994) and Big Drama (2010). He is the 30th Florida-bred winner of a Breeders’ Cup race. He also won the Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes (Listed) in September of 2025, earning $1,190,350 in his two starts and was an Eclipse Award finalist in the Champion Male Sprinter division, according to a news release from the FTBOA.
Bred by Susan and Charles Chu’s Tanma Corporation, Bentornato finished 2025 with career earnings of more than $2.3 million for owners Leon King Stable Corporation and Julia C. and Michael Iavarone. The Iavarones purchased 25% for $1 million at the Keeneland Championship Sale at Del Mar a few days before the Breeders’ Cup. Bentornato is by Bridlewood Farm stallion Valiant Minister out of the Put It Back mare Her Special Way, the release noted.
Other honorees at the event
were:
2025 FTBOA Breeder of the Year, presented for the seventh time to Charlote Weber’s Live Oak Stud, which also was honored in 2006, 2007, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021. In 2025, Weber’s homebreds earned $2,889,679 from 386 starts with 65 wins, 52 seconds and 68 thirds.
Weber’s Live Oak Plantation was also Florida’s Leading Owner in 2025, topping the Florida-bred earnings list with $3,120,3521 from 259 starts with 45 wins, 50 seconds and 36 thirds. Live Oak Plantation also garnered the title in 2011, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2024.
• For a record sixth consecutive year, Khozan is Florida Stallion of Year with progeny earnings of $6,303,290. He earned the
titles in 2020 ($3,521,813), 2021 ($3,671,794), 2022 ($4,513,950), 2023 ($6,292,158) and 2024 ($5,679,578). Khozan was represented in 2025 by the winners of seven stakes and his leading earner with $203,120 was Dear Dad.
Jasper Robusto, Hurricane Nelson, Khozalite and Shaq Diesel were among his stakes winners in 2025. He is property of Al Shaqab Racing and Stonehedge LLC. Khozan stood the 2025 season at Ocala Stud.
Leinster was the state’s leading freshman sire and leading juvenile sire in 2025 with progeny earnings of $832,731 from nine winners and 22 starters. His leading money earner was multiple stakes winner and Group 2-placed Lennilu, who banked $216,489
on the year. Leinster was also represented by stakes-placed runners Monster, Squire and Bronze Bullet. Leinster stood at Pleasant Acres Stallions in 2025.
• Other Florida-bred champions recognized were Champion 2-Year-Old Male Camigol, Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Ground Support, Champion 3-Year-Old Male Macho Music, Champion 3-Year-Old Filly G W’s Girl, Champion Older Female and Champion Female Sprinter R Disaster, Champion Turf Male Reef Runner and Champion Turf Female Queen Maxima.
• Her Special Way, the dam of Bentornato, is the 2025 Florida Broodmare of the Year. She is owned by Michael Sucher’s Champion Equine.
The 2025 Joseph M. O’Farrell Memorial Award, presented by the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company, went to Stuart Morris and Keiber Rengifo’s Golden Rock Thoroughbreds. Morris consigned Bentornato to the 2022 OBS October Yearling Sale. Golden Rock Thoroughbreds consigned him to the 2023 OBS March Sale. Ashley and Vincent Mirarchi’s Rivermont Farm in Ocala was presented the 2025 Needles Award, recognizing an accomplished small breeder. Among their star homebreds in 2025 were Jasper Robusto, a multiple stakes winner in Japan. Rivermont-bred runners accounted for $805,410 in earnings last year. To learn more, go to ftboa.com
John D. Couriel to serve as chief justice
Florida Supreme Court members unanimous in election.
Staff report
The Florida Supreme Court unanimously elected John D. Couriel as Florida’s next chief justice. He will begin his twoyear term July 1.
Couriel was appointed to the court in 2020 by Governor Ron DeSantis. He will succeed Chief Justice Carlos G. Muñiz, who will remain on the court after completing his second term as chief justice on June 30, the news release noted.
“I am grateful to my colleagues for their trust,” Couriel said in the release, “and am indebted to the previous chief justices with whom I’ve served. I will do my best to serve the people of Florida as they so ably have.”
Couriel, 48, is the 90th justice of the Florida Supreme Court. He will be the state’s 58th chief justice.
The seven members of the Florida Supreme Court elect a chief justice to serve a two-year term beginning July 1 in even-numbered years. For many years, procedural rules dictated a preference for the longest-serving justice on the court who had not been chief justice to be selected, a description Couriel fits. The rules now call for selection “based on managerial, administrative and leadership abilities, without regard to seniority only,” according to the news release.
Florida’s chief justice serves as the administrative officer of the judicial branch and of the Supreme Court. Authority and powers of the chief justice include the responsibility to serve as the primary spokesperson for the judicial branch about policies of statewide import, including the management, operation, legislative agenda and budget priorities of the state’s courts.
Before he joined the court, Couriel was a partner at Kobre & Kim LLP, where he litigated cross-border matters. As an Assistant United States Attorney
for the Southern District of Florida, he prosecuted international money laundering, public integrity crimes, healthcare fraud and human trafficking offenses. He practiced at Davis Polk in New York for five years. He began his career as a law clerk for Judge John D. Bates at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the news release stated.
Couriel, a Miami native, is married to Rebecca L. Toonkel, M.D., Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. They have two children, the news release offered. He earned his bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard College. He earned his law degree from Harvard Law School. His parents emigrated from Cuba in the 1960s.
Florida-bred Bentornato and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. won the $1.84 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 1, 2025. [Photo by Benoit Photography/via FTBOA]
Charlotte Weber, the owner of Live Oak Stud and Live Oak Plantation, poses for a photo during the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association Hall of Fame reception in Ocala on Oct. 24, 2025. On April 20, 2026, she was named the 2025 FTBOA Breeder of the Year for the seventh time. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]
Justice John D. Couriel [Photo courtesy Florida Supreme Court Public Information Office]
Mandatory burn ban
Marion County issues mandate as neighboring counties experience wildfires demonstrating rapid, aggressive growth.
Staff report
The Marion County Board of County Commissioners issued a countywide mandatory burn ban on April 20.
“This action reflects increasingly hazardous environmental conditions of relatively low humidity and a forecast of high, sustained winds over the next seven to 10 days. The current Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is 529, with recent values ranging from a low of 394 to a high of 637, reflecting significantly dry conditions throughout the region. In addition, neighboring counties are experiencing active wildfires demonstrating rapid and aggressive fire growth,” the news release noted.
Weather forecasts include red flag conditions in Marion County, driven by relatively low humidity and sustained high winds, elevating the risk of wildfire ignition and spread. Projections for the next seven to 10 days show continued strong winds and minimal rainfall, which are expected to worsen these conditions. County officials determined the burn ban is necessary to protect the health, safety and property of residents, according to the release.
Under the burn ban, all outdoor burning is prohibited, with the following exceptions:
• Outdoor cookers and grills may be used provided they are attended at all times by a responsible adult while in operation.
Commercial land clearing operations may proceed only
after inspection, review, and approval by the Florida Forest Service or Marion County Fire Rescue on a case-bycase basis. Adequate fire suppression personnel and equipment must be present on site, and final authorization must be granted by the Florida Forest Service. Public fireworks displays are permitted when conducted in accordance with approved special use and fireworks permits and when adequate fire suppression personnel and equipment are on site pursuant to Marion County fireworks and special use permits.
• Marion County Fire Rescue urges residents to take the following precautions during this period of heightened fire risk:
• Postpone outdoor burning activities until the burn ban is lifted.
Dispose of yard debris at one of Marion County’s 18 recycling centers as a safe alternative to
backyard burning. For locations and information, call 352-6718465.
• Report arson or suspicious activity immediately to law enforcement.
• Do not discard cigarette butts from vehicles.
• Use caution when operating lawn mowers or other equipment that could produce sparks.
Call 911 immediately if you see a fire or a large column of smoke.
The Marion County MultiAgency Wildland Task Force formed shortly before the unprecedented 1998 wildfire season. Over the last decade, firefighters and other public safety professionals from local city, county, state and federal agencies have met on a routine basis to discuss wildfire conditions, call load, manpower capabilities, wildfire tactics and public education campaigns, the release stated. The task force will meet frequently and keep citizens informed about any changes in wildfire conditions.
Smoke from a wildfire lingers in a wooded area near structures on Southeast Malauka Loop where a 126-acre fire raced through the dry conditions north and east of Weirsdale on Feb. 7, 2026. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]
MCCA Spring Soiree
The annual fundraiser also honored two organizations and a youth program participant.
Staff report
The Marion County Children’s Alliance 2026 Spring Soiree took place April 17 at Midtown Station near downtown Ocala.
The spring fundraiser featured food from Midtown vendors, music by Peaches & Karim, a bouquet bar to make your own flower arrangement and a silent auction consisting of painted flower pots, Lego flower bouquets and other art designed and created by the students mentored through the Alliance’s SKIP (Supporting Kids Involving Parents) program.
From 2001, when the alliance was founded, until he retired from the agency in 2018, Dr. Mike Jordan served as its executive director. On Friday, the soiree culminated with the Dr. Mike Jordan Award of Excellence and the Dr. Mike Jordan Vision Award, as well as the Youth of the Year Award.
Current MCCA Executive Director Beth McCall provided the following information about the honorees:
YOUTH OF THE YEAR AWARDISABELLA FIPPS
Isabella was honored for academic achievement, behavior, attendance, consistency with meeting with a mentor and positive feedback from faculty and staff.
DR. MIKE JORDAN AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - SMA HEALTHCARE
Through a comprehensive continuum of behavioral health and substance use services, this organization has strengthened crisis response, expanded residential treatment capacity and removed barriers to care for some of the community’s most vulnerable youth and families. In Fiscal Year 2024–2025, they provided treatment services to 17,343 individuals in Marion and Citrus counties. Additionally, 313 individuals were served through prevention programs,
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION IN RE: ESTATE OF LAURLIN P. BEDWELL, Deceased. FILE NO.: 2026-CP-702 NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of LAURLIN P. BEDWELL, deceased, whose date of death was February 6, 2026; is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division; File Number 2026-CP-702; the address of which is 110 N.W. 1st Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34475. The name and address of the Personal Representative and the Personal Representative’s attorney are set
reflecting their commitment to early intervention and long-term family stability. SMA offers crisis services at the Ocala campus so children experiencing acute behavioral health crises receive immediate stabilization in a therapeutic setting rather than entering the juvenile justice or emergency room systems. SMA works in partnership with law enforcement, local government, fire rescue and community stakeholders to create coordinated crisis
IN THE COUNTY COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA ETHAN'S GLEN HOME OWNERS'ASSOCIATION, INC., A FLORIDA NON-PROFIT CORPORATION, Plaintiff VS. ESTATE OF MAUREEN GOODRICH, DECEASED; ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN HEIRS, BENEFICIARIES, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, SPOUSES, AND ALL OTHERS WHO MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST IN THE ESTATE OF MAUREEN GOODRICH; ESTATE OF ROBERT L. ANDREWS, JR., DECEASED, ANY AND ALL UNKNOWNHEIRS, BENEFICIARIES, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, SPOUSES, AND ALL OTHERS WHO MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST IN THE ESTATE OF ROBERT L. ANDREWS, JR.; UNKNOWN TRUSTEE OF THE DOUGLAS G. ANDREWS TRUST CREATED UNDER THE ARTICLE FIFTH OF THE ANITA V. ANDREWS DECLARATION OF TRUST DATED JANUARY 19, 2006, Defendants. NOTICE OF ACTION CASE NO.: 2026-CC-0798
To the following Defendants: Unknown Trustee of the Douglas G. Andrews Trust Created Under the Article Fifth of the Anita V. Andrews Declaration of Trust dated January 19, 2006 Unknown Address YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that an action has been commenced to foreclose a mortgage lien on the following real
and
response pathways that prioritize treatment over incarceration. Their collaborative approach reduces barriers, diverts children and families from deeper system involvement and promotes recovery-centered outcomes. This past year marked a milestone with the opening of a new Women’s Residential Program, adding more than 45 beds, including for pregnant women who can remain in treatment during their pregnancy and keep their babies with them in
IN THE COUNTY COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA ETHAN'S GLEN HOME OWNERS'ASSOCIATION, INC., A FLORIDA NON-PROFIT CORPORATION, Plaintiff, VS. ESTATE OF MAUREEN GOODRICH, DECEASED; ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN HEIRS, BENEFICIARIES, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, SPOUSES, AND ALL OTHERS WHO MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST IN THE ESTATE OF MAUREEN GOODRICH; ESTATE OF ROBERT L. ANDREWS, JR., DECEASED, ANY AND ALL UNKNOWNHEIRS, BENEFICIARIES, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, SPOUSES, AND ALL OTHERS WHO MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST IN THE ESTATE OF ROBERT L. ANDREWS, JR.; UNKNOWN TRUSTEE OF THE DOUGLAS G. ANDREWS TRUST CREATED UNDER THE ARTICLE FIFTH OF THE ANITA V. ANDREWS DECLARATION OF TRUST DATED JANUARY 19, 2006, Defendants. NOTICE OF ACTION CASE NO.: 2026-CC-0798
To the following Defendants: Estate of Robert L. Andrews, Jr. 400 NW 80th Ave., Ocala, FL 34482 YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that an action has been commenced to foreclose a mortgage lien on the following real property, lying and being situated in Marion County, Florida, more particularly described as follows: The West 8.33 feet of Lot 7 and all of Lot 8 of Block D, ETHAN'S GLEN, as per plat thereof recorded in Plat Book W, Pages 25 and 26, Public Records of Marion County, Florida. This action has been has been filed against you. You are required to serve a copy of your written defenses to this action, if any, on Caleb V. Smith, counsel for Plaintiff, whose address is 445 NE 8th Ave. Ocala, Florida 34470 WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM 1ST DATE OF PUBLICATION. The original must be filed with the clerk of this court either before service on Plaintiff's attorney or immediately thereafter; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint filed herein. Dated this 13th day of April, 2026.
treatment for up to one year. In a non-judgmental compassionate way this organization is strengthening families and reducing generational cycles of trauma and substance use.
DR. MIKE JORDAN VISION AWARD - BETTER TOGETHER
The organization is dedicated to providing comprehensive wraparound services to families facing crises. When parents encounter challenges such as
\IN THE COUNTY COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA ETHAN'S GLEN HOME OWNERS'ASSOCIATION, INC., A FLORIDA NON-PROFIT CORPORATION, Plaintiff VS. ESTATE OF MAUREEN GOODRICH, DECEASED; ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN HEIRS, BENEFICIARIES, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, SPOUSES, AND ALL OTHERS WHO MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST IN THE ESTATE OF MAUREEN GOODRICH; ESTATE OF ROBERT L. ANDREWS, JR., DECEASED, ANY AND ALL UNKNOWNHEIRS, BENEFICIARIES, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, SPOUSES, AND ALL OTHERS WHO MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST IN THE ESTATE OF ROBERT L. ANDREWS, JR.; UNKNOWN TRUSTEE OF THE DOUGLAS G. ANDREWS TRUST CREATED UNDER THE ARTICLE FIFTH OF THE ANITA V. ANDREWS DECLARATION OF TRUST DATED JANUARY 19, 2006, Defendants. NOTICE OF ACTION CASE NO.: 2026-CC-0798 To the following Defendants: Estate of Maureen Goodrich 3919 NE 22nd St., Ocala, FL 34470 YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that an action has been commenced to foreclose a mortgage lien on the following real property, lying and being situated in Marion County, Florida, more
homelessness, job loss, medical emergencies or other hardships, this group mobilizes a volunteer-powered safety net designed to prevent trauma and avoid the need for foster care. This organization works tirelessly to fill gaps so families do not end up broken or lost. By offering crucial support during times of crisis, they help families maintain stability and stay out of foster care.
To learn more about the alliance, go to mcchildrensalliance.org
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA ROBERT ALBERS, TRUSTEE OF THE BOB ALBERS TRUST DATED JANUARY 7, 2005, AS AMENDED AND RESTATED APRIL 21, 2021, Plaintiff, V. DAVID A. HALL, ELLIS MEEKER CRISSON, JAMES H. VASSILEV, and ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER, AND AGAINST DAVID A. HALL, WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES OR CLAIMANTS, Defendants. CASE NO.: 2025-CA-1617
AMENDED NOTICE OF ACTION
To the following Defendant: Unknown Parties claiming by, through, under and Against David A. Hall Last known address: 1401 Lake Groves Road North, Lake Placid, FL 33852 Current address: Unknown YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that a lawsuit has been filed against you regarding the following described Real Property: Commencing at the Southwest corner of Section 2, according to the plat of
Lego creations in the silent auction.
The Dr. Mike Jordan Vision Award for Better Together was accepted by Cassidy Vaughn, left, and Lashara Lofton, right, from MCCA Executive Director Beth McCall, center.
Dr. Mike Jordan Award of Excellence for SMA Healthcare was accepted by Robin Lanier, left, and Mandy McSherry, right, with MCCA Executive Director Beth McCall, center.
George Kirkland, Marion County Commissioner Craig and Carol Curry.
Marion Cultural Alliance Executive Director Jaye Baillie, with Matt and Julia Clay.
Dr. Srisha Rao, Heather James and Dr. Tina Chandra.
Youth of the Year Award winner Isabella Fipps, with Kelley Martin, MCCA’s SKIP Project Director.
Ocala Mayor Ben and Danielle Marciano.
Photos by Dave Schlenker
Government advisory board vacancies
By serving on a local board, your experience and knowledge can influence governmental decisions and help you, fellow citizens and local government. Staff report
Here are the vacancies for various boards in the cities of Marion County and the county itself.
CITY OF BELLEVIEW:
The city link is: belleviewfl. org/151/Boards-Committees
The application document is: belleviewfl.org/DocumentCenter/ View/39/City-Board-ApplicationPDF?bidId=
Planning & Zoning Board
Description: The board acts as an advisory panel to the commission for planning and zoning issues. They also hear and decide variance and special exception requests. The board is subject to the Sunshine Regulations and must file financial disclosure forms upon appointment and annually thereafter. Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 5:30 pm. One vacancy. For more information, visit belleviewfl. org/175/planning-zoning-board
CITY OF DUNNELLON:
The city link is: dunnellon.org/ government/boards-commissions
Planning Commission
Description: The commission has an administrative review function whereby it reviews all changes to the City’s Comprehensive Plan, by amendment, evaluation, addition and appraisal for consistency with the existing plan and reviews all land-related/zoning ordinances to determine consistency to the plan. The commission holds quasijudicial hearings with regards to land planning/zoning cases, site plan reviews, variances, special exceptions, and review/appeal of administrative orders, and forwards its findings/recommendations to the City Council. Meetings are the second Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m. To learn more, go to dunnellon.org/government/boardscommissions/planning-commission
CITY OF OCALA:
The link is: ocalafl.gov/
School Board races
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The couple has four children, seven grandchildren and one adopted adult son.
An ordained minister since 2005, Brewer co-founded New Life Christian Center in New Hartford, Connecticut. In Marion County, he has served on three nonprofit boards, twice as president, and has volunteered as a tutor with The Rock Program and as part of “Dads on Duty” at Lake Weir High School. Campaign finances show that, as of the Q1 2026 report, Brewer raised $1,803 in monetary contributions in the first quarter of 2026, after raising nothing in Q4 2025, and spent $672.21.
EARL “BUDDY” WYCKOFF (DISTRICT 4)
A 30-year Marion County resident and veteran high-school math teacher with 38 years in the classroom, Wyckoff holds an Associate of Arts in computer science from the Community College of Baltimore County, a Bachelor of Science in business administration-management from Towson University and Florida DOE certifications in math for grades 5-9 and 6-12 and for gifted education. According to Wyckoff, he has served 25 years as an adult leader with the Boy Scouts of America, 15 years in youth ministry with AWANA and 10 years with 4-H in Marion County. A graduate of the Marion County Citizens Academy and Leadership Corps IV with MCPS, Wyckoff describes himself as
government/city-departments-a-h/ city-clerk/boards-and-commissions
The City Council appoints individuals to serve on more than 20 boards, advisory committees and commissions. These volunteers are from all over Ocala and their experience, knowledge and expertise help influence decisions affecting the city by providing advice and feedback to leaders and council. Each board has its own page and application link. Many boards have specific requirements, such as living within the city limits, being a qualified city voter or owning real property within city limits. The requirements, if any, are detailed for each board on its page. To learn more, email clerk@ ocalafl.gov or call (352) 629-8266.
Affordable Housing Advisory Committee
Description: The committee is established to recommend monetary and non-monetary incentives for the local housing assistance plan in accordance with F.S. § 420.9076.
Vacancies: 1
Brownfields Advisory Committee
Description: The purpose of the committee is to promote and receive public comment on the identification, rehabilitation and redevelopment of identified Brownfield sites. The committee shall provide guidance in areas such as land use, employment opportunities, development proposals, community safety and environmental justice. The committee consists of 11 members appointed by the Ocala City Council from boards, committees and organizations primarily representing West Ocala.
Vacancies: 5
East Ocala Redevelopment
Subarea Advisory Committee
Description: The committee is an advisory board to the CRA Agency and City Council for the area defined as the East Ocala Redevelopment Subarea.
Vacancies: 1
Historic Preservation Advisory Board
Description: The board oversees
a Christian, husband, father of three and grandfather of two. His platform focuses on “Helping Students to Succeed” through a forward-thinking five-year strategic plan, responsible taxation for infrastructure, transparent communication and greater public input. Campaign finances reflect that as of the Q1 2026 report, Wyckoff has raised $650 in monetary contributions and spent $369.75.
DONALD MICHAEL “DONNY” BARBER (DISTRICT 5, CHALLENGING INCUMBENT SARAH JAMES)
A lifelong Marion County resident raised in Ocklawaha and a graduate of Ocala Christian Academy, Barber currently serves as city manager for the city of Archer. He chairs the Marion County Board of Adjustments and the Citra Community Center/ Citra Improvement Society. He previously worked in public administration roles with the town of Williston and Putnam County.
the historic resources of the city and advises City Council and departments on matters relating to these resources, as well as manages Certificates of Appropriateness for properties within the Tuscawilla Park and Ocala Historic Districts. Attend informational or educational meetings, workshops and conferences; advise on development of goals, objectives and policies for historic preservation; advise city departments on matters relating to historic resources in the City; advise individuals on preservation of historic structures; educate public on economic benefits of same; and submit annual report to SHPO covering annual activities.
Vacancies: 1, for an architect
Municipal Code Enforcement Board
Description: The Code Enforcement Division enforces codes that pertain to zoning laws, nuisance abatement, contracting and permitting requirements of the city and state, occupational licenses, sign codes, alcohol location permits and many other local ordinances and state statutes. The board hears cases relating to code violations. Empowered to levy fines and place liens on property if violation not corrected.
Vacancies: 2
North Magnolia Redevelopment Advisory Committee
Description: The committee shall advise the Community Redevelopment Agency on redevelopment efforts of the established subarea pursuant to Chapter 163, Part III, Florida Statutes.
Membership qualifications: The committee shall consist of seven members appointed by the CRA Agency and City Council from property owners and organizations representing the North Magnolia CRA area.
Vacancies: 1
Recreation Commission
Description: The commission advises City Council on matters relating to parks and recreation
Barber and his wife, Hannah, have five children between the ages of 1 and 7, one of whom attends Sparr Elementary, a school that has been discussed for possible closure. That personal connection, he said, helped prompt his run. On his campaign website, Barber stresses safer schools, responsible finances, improved student performance and leadership that puts students, teachers and families first.
Campaign finances reflect that as of the Q1 2026 report, Barber has raised $450 in Q4 2025 and $2,079.37 in Q1 2026, for a total of $2,529.37 across both quarters, while spending $322.17 overall.
DANIEL LANE MAKARA (DISTRICT 3, CHALLENGING INCUMBENT ERIC CUMMINGS)
Makara has reported no campaign contributions or expenditures to date, according to filings with the Marion County Supervisor of Elections. As of publication, Makara had not
and the use of public facilities for recreational programs and shall act as liaison with the board of county commissioners and the county school board regarding availability and use of county and school facilities. A majority of the members shall be citizens of the city.
Vacancies: 1
West Ocala Redevelopment Advisory Committee
Description: The committee is appointed as an advisory board to the Community Redevelopment Agency for the area defined as the West Ocala Redevelopment Subarea.
Vacancies: 1
MARION COUNTY
An application can be downloaded at marionfl.org/mycommissioners/advisory-boards and can be printed or saved as a PDF. Email completed forms to commissionadmin@marionfl.org. Applications can also be obtained at the Marion County Board of County Commissioners’ Office at 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala, or by calling (352) 438-2323.
Board of Adjustment
Responsibilities: Review and make decisions under the Marion County Land Development Code regarding citizen requests for variances or special exceptions. Hear and decide appeals concerning interpretations of the Land Development Code by the Zoning Department Manager. No member of the board shall hold any other public position or office in any municipality or county government in Marion County. Qualifications/restrictions: Shall be residents of the county and registered voters.
Vacancies: 1
Code Enforcement
Responsibilities: Must be Marion County residents with experience in zoning and building control, preferably in fields such as architecture, engineering, general contracting or subcontracting. They have the authority to adopt hearing rules; subpoena violators, witnesses
confirmed whether he will stay in the race after indicating to the “Gazette” that he would likely withdraw, but did not indicate why.
All four challengers have filed as nonpartisan (NP) candidates and are listed as Active-Filed on the Marion County Supervisor of Elections site. Incumbent James first ran for the Marion County School Board District 5 seat in 2022, emphasizing her background as a parent and education professional. She holds advanced degrees in education, including a doctorate in educational leadership, and has worked as a teacher and school administrator in Marion County Public Schools. In her service priorities, she has focused on recruiting and retaining qualified staff, strengthening student-centered budgeting, planning for district growth and expanding vocational and career education opportunities for students. She currently serves as board chair following her election in 2022. According to filings with the Marion County Supervisor of Elections, James has reported $31,200 in monetary contributions,
and documents; take testimony under oath; and issue legally binding orders to resolve violations and impose fines per county ordinance. Members are required to e-file Form 1 (Statement of Financial Interests) with the Florida Commission on Ethics.
Vacancies: 2
Land Development Regulation Commission
Responsibilities: Members should have knowledge in planning, environmental science, agriculture and the development industry and be capable of evaluating and recommending specific regulatory standards and criteria, reviewing and advising the County Commission on the adoption and amendment of the Land Development Code and Zoning Code, and preparing an annual report with recommended amendments to these codes. Alternate members attend meetings when regular members are unavailable and may serve in their absence.
Qualifications/restrictions: Shall be residents of Marion County.
Vacancies: 2 alternates
Marion County Historical Commission
Responsibilities: Must have interest or background in the history, cultural heritage, development and institutions of Marion County, as well as a commitment to preserving and commemorating that legacy. Members are responsible for collecting, organizing, recording and preserving historical materials and data, including books, maps, manuscripts, family histories, census records and other relevant documents and artifacts.
Vacancies: 1
Pine Run MSTU Advisory Council
Responsibilities: Make recommendations to the county commission pertaining to the MSTU budget, activities, goals and objectives; and other issues as directed by the county commission. Must be residents of Pine Run MSTU.
Vacancies: 1
$0.00 in in-kind contributions and $670.00 in expenditures in the current election cycle.
Cummings has been in office since 2018, with subsequent re-election to a term running through 2026. He participates in district governance and oversight alongside other board members. Public information on his tenure reflects involvement in school board decisions and district policy work during a period focused on student performance recovery, school operations and broader governance challenges affecting Marion County schools. According to filings with the Marion County Supervisor of Elections, Cummings has reported $190 in monetary contributions, $500 in in-kind contributions and $0.00 in expenditures in the current election cycle.
Voters can review the most current candidate list, financial disclosures, district maps and contact information at votemarion. gov under “Filed Candidates” and “Financial Reports & Profiles.”
Donald Michael “Donny” Barber Daniel Lane Makara
Earl “Buddy” Wyckoff Jeffrey Brewer
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People, Places and Things
Horse Fever gallops on
In honor of the beloved public art project, its first artist created a special Tribute 25 statue to be raffled off by the Marion Cultural Alliance.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
ou can see them
Y“galloping,” “noshing” or just “posing” peacefully all around Marion County. They are the Horse Fever equine statues that have been creatively born from talented area artists.
The Horse Fever public art project has not only captured the hearts of people for a quarter of a century, it also launched the formation of the Marion Cultural Alliance (MCA), which over its 25 years has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to local artists and organizations.
Horse Fever, with co-chairs Laurie Zink and Paula King behind the project, launched in 2000, followed by Horse Fever “herds” in Motion in 2005, Horse Fever II in 2010 and Horse Fever 2020.
For the last time, members of the public have a chance to become an “owner” of a Horse Fever special edition equine statue named Tribute 25, created by internationally known equine artist Sharon Crute.
“As we celebrate 25 years of the Marion Cultural Alliance, we’re inviting the community to be part of a legacy that began with Horse Fever and continues to shape our community today. The Tribute 25 Raffle is more than a chance to win — it’s a chance to invest in the future of the arts in Ocala/Marion County,” MCA officials noted, adding that one charity will be selected to receive 12% of the proceeds.
“To me, Tribute 25 is a gift to the community,” Zink said in a phone conversation on April 22. “He could have gone to auction and done well in terms of the amount of the sale, but we wanted to give the community a chance to be involved. Doing the raffle was important to me in two aspects — getting the community reinvolved and giving back to charity, which is in homage to the very beginning.”
ALL ABOUT THE ARTIST
A feature article about Crute, written by JoAnn Guidry, appeared in the February 2023 issue of the “Gazette’s” former sister publication, “Ocala Style.” These two excerpts reveal some of the reasons Crute has attained such a stellar reputation for painting equines. (Read the entire article at ocalastyle.com/ capturing-the-thoroughbredspirit/) Art and racehorses
While she doesn’t remember a time she wasn’t drawing and painting, Crute does recall with clarity her early introductions to thoroughbred racing.
“I grew up in rural Rhode Island, where the biggest thing to happen every year was the state fair. And there would be horse races there in a more casual setting than a racetrack,” she shared. “I was 4 years old when my father put me up on his shoulders so I could see the races. That was the first time I saw horses racing.”
Crute’s father and older brother were avid horse racing fans, going to races in Rhode Island almost every Saturday during the meet.
“I’d always plead with my father to take me to the races and one Saturday he actually
said yes,” Crute recalled. “But the problem was that I was only 12 and you had to be 16 to get into the grandstand. My father told me to just tell the guy at the admission booth that I was 16. Don’t think that man believed me, but he let me in and that was all that mattered to me.”
In a life-changing moment that day, Crute’s father later took her down from the grandstand to stand close to the starting gates for a race.
“It was so exciting to see those racehorses so close. And when the gates opened, I was overwhelmed by the sounds and flashing colors as the horses raced past us,” she recounted. “It was in that moment that I became hooked on racehorses. And not long after that, I started painting them.”
Intent on being a racehorse trainer, Crute once again lied about her age and at 15 got a summer job at the racetrack.
“My first job was as a hot walker,” she said. “On the racetrack, hot walkers walk horses after their morning gallops or races around the barn shedrow to cool them down. I thought it was the best job in the world.”
After graduating high school, Crute attended the Swain School of Design in New Bedford, Massachusetts. She graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, majoring in painting.
“In the summers, I would still work on the racetrack backside and had moved up to becoming a groom,” she noted. “Once I graduated, I continued to work on the racetrack while also pursuing my art career.”
And, as fate would have it, a racetrack connection led Crute to her future husband, Michael Bray, who was the son of a perennial leading trainer on the Northeast racing circuit.
“A longtime friend of mine had previously worked for Michael’s father. I was visiting her in Miramar, Florida, at the same time Michael and his parents owned a house in nearby Lakeland,” she shared. “My friend invited me along to visit them and Michael was there. We hit it off immediately.”
Fittingly enough, the two were married by a racetrack chaplain in his office between races at Miramar-based Calder Racecourse in 1980.
On the move
The couple moved to California in the mid-1980s, being active on both the Northern and Southern racing circuits of that state. When not on the backside, Crute continued with her artwork and had other jobs.
“While we were in California, I was a contract mural artist for
SeaWorld,” she said. “I had a stint as a racing official and was in charge of program production for the California Authority of Racing Fairs.”
In 1989, the couple relocated to Ocala, Michael’s hometown.
“I loved Ocala right away. If you’re a horse person, how can you not love Ocala?” Crute noted. “My first job in Ocala was parttime in production with ‘The Florida Horse’ magazine. Of course, I continued with my artwork.”
Crute began to make a name for herself with her signature large, 48-inch by 60-inch, racingscenes paintings. She was then selected to design the prototype life-size fiberglass horse for the initial Horse Fever Community Art Project in 2001. Crute also designed and painted Cultural Champ, a foal-sized fiberglass horse, which was the project’s ambassador to spread awareness and support. She painted Champ, which is adorned with the brightly painted silks of Ocala’s prominent thoroughbred breeders and owners. Champ still stands today at the front of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association headquarters in Ocala. Crute’s World Champ, part of the 10th anniversary Horse Fever project, stands in Ocala’s downtown square.
“It was truly an honor for me to be involved with the Horse Fever projects,” she said. “It’s nice to see the horses still all around Ocala.”
TRIBUTE 25— ‘TRANSITION’
In her artist’s statement on the MCA website, Crute explained her thought process in creating the two-sided design for Tribute 25.
“With the theme of ‘transition,’ I wanted to represent the Horse Fever artwork literally by portraying the equine subject as the design. Depictions of narrative and symbols illustrate the creation of the Marion
Cultural Alliance and the first
‘fever’ project of 25 years ago as a bold idea. Their ensuing efforts would strengthen the presence of various artistic genres, creating new ones and transitioning into the thriving art community Ocala is today,” she wrote.
“My artwork begins with a nightscape: a full moon on top of the horse’s rump. The left side portrays four riderless horses. The horse below the moon hesitates in the dark, unsure of making an initial move and looking back over its shoulder for reassurance. The second horse stands alert, curiously attentive but cautious. The third horse bravely steps out and is inspired to follow the fourth horse as that horse rears up in joy and fearlessness. The light progresses throughout the horses from darkness into a sunrise of brilliant light,” Crute noted.
“The right side of the horse pictures a selection of four genres of horsemanship in Marion County. A thoroughbred walks to the track in the dark, representing speed and survival. The Western horse is a partnership in a working relationship. The dressage horse is about refinement and discipline transitioning into beauty and the fourth, a jumper, is fearlessness and successful,” she noted.
“Nestled in the dark hind legs are four nocturnal critters indigenous to Marion County — a raccoon, a skunk, an armadillo and a rat snake — who represents the transition from the year of the snake to the year of the horse,” Crute wrote.
“As an equine artist living in horse country, it felt only natural to draw my inspiration from the horse. In Tribute 25, I wanted to explore the idea of transition — the quiet, powerful shifts from uncertainty to confidence that both horses and people experience,” Crute shared via an email message on April 21.
MAKING HIS ROUNDS
While Tribute 25 can often be seen at the alliance’s headquarters, the Brick City Center for the Arts at 23 SW Broadway St., in downtown Ocala, the artwork also “travels” around the area to appear at various events, such as Divertimentos
& Dressage Ocala at GoldMark Farm, Live Oak International and the recent Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners Association banquet. He will be at the Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County’s Inspire Gala on May 1 at the Circle Square Cultural Center and then at the Brick for most of May.
“As Tribute 25 travels throughout the county, he continues to delight audiences — many calling him a fitting tribute to the legacy of Horse Fever. Ticket buyers are already imagining him in their yard — or even donating him to a park or school if they win. It only takes one ticket, and the excitement is real,” said MCA Executive Director Jaye Baillie in an email message on April 21.
On Wednesday, Zink added that “it’s fun going and having him at events. People have a good time talking about putting him by their pool, or front yard or donating him. They are just super excited.”
JOIN THE FUN
The suggested Tribute 25 raffle ticket donation is $75 each or you can secure five and get an additional one free. Each ticket purchase will receive a complimentary six-month subscription to the “Ocala Gazette,” valued at $72, for new subscribers only.
“Each ticket also gives you the opportunity to nominate your favorite arts, cultural, heritage, history, science or equine nonprofit. The organization with the most nominations will receive 12% of the proceeds, extending the impact of this project and honoring Horse Fever’s legacy of charitable giving through public art,” Baillie added.
Tickets may be obtained at the Brick City Center for the Arts during regular gallery hours, which are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Saturday. (Delete, or by mailing a request to 23 SW Broadway St., Ocala, FL 34471.
The live raffle drawing for Tribute 25 will take place at 6 p.m. on Dec. 4, at the Brick.
To learn more and get raffle tickets, go to mcaocala.org/ horse-fever-raffle
Artist Sharon Crute at work on the Tribute 25 equine statue. [Photo courtesy of the artist]
Sharon Crute paints on the head of Tribute 25. [Photo courtesy of the artist]
Artist Sharon Crute, with the initial Horse Fever co-chairs Laurie Zink and Paula King, attended the 25 Years of Creativity: Horse Fever Artists Now reception at the Brick City Center for the Arts in Ocala on Jan. 9, 2026. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]
Horse Fever horse Tribute 25, by artist Sharon Crute, with the left side portraying four riderless horses, was on display at the Divertimentos & Dressage Ocala at GoldMark Farm on Jan. 29, 2026. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]
After 9,000 years, rice has reached its thermal limit
A new study combines data from multiple scientific disciplines to predict the possible future for rice — or lack thereof — in a rapidly warming world.
By Jerald Pinson Florida Museum of Natural History
Rice has historically been a heat-loving plant. In fact, the wild ancestor of cultivated rice once grew primarily on the sweltering, rain-swept Malay and Indochina peninsulas as well as the islands of Southeast Asia. It wasn’t until Earth’s climate warmed after the last ice age that wild rice substantially spread into central China and South Asia, where it was domesticated by humans in two events that arguably rank among the most important in the history of our species.
Rice fueled many of the earliest civilizations and remains a virtually indispensable source of food in the modern world. Today, half of all humans get 20% of their calories from rice and more than 1 billion people are reliant on the production and distribution of rice for their livelihoods.
That might be about to change. Scientists warn that over the next 50 years, global warming caused by the emission of greenhouse gases will accelerate to a pace that is 5,000 times faster than rice, and many other crop species, have ever had to contend with at any time during their evolutionary history.
Left to its own devices, even rice — with its proclivity for heat — would almost certainly be unable to keep up. With the help of humans, who carefully breed and genetically engineer new varieties, it’s possible rice will be able to cope. But, said Nicolas Gauthier, curator of artificial intelligence at the Florida Museum of Natural History in nearby Gainesville, the best-case scenario is not something anyone’s looking forward to.
“These changes are going to be disruptive and the process of adaptation doesn’t come for free. It has to be done with intention and might not be pleasant,” he said.
Gauthier is the lead author of a new study that combines data from multiple scientific disciplines to predict the possible future for rice — or lack thereof — in a rapidly warming world. The prognosis is grim.
“Regions in the south, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, are the ones that are going to be most heavily impacted and the process of adapting is going to leave a lot of people out of the loop. Those who depend on rice for their subsistence today aren’t necessarily the ones who are going to be able to access
the new genetic varieties that are developed,” Gauthier noted.
The threat to food security posed by global warming is multifaceted and in the case of rice involves a long history of adaptation in the opposite thermal direction toward cooler climates.
Rice was initially domesticated in the Yangtze River basin in central China between 7,000 and 9,000 years ago, when balmy temperatures and frequent rain made it possible for humans to develop agricultural societies around the world. Trade networks connected these societies like hyphae and early rice cultivars were among the many goods that streamed along them.
Based on archaeological evidence, rice farms in China expanded to the north and east along the course of the Huang He River and westward into interior China beginning roughly 5,000 years ago and continuing for a millennium. Then, about 4,200 years ago, a period of abrupt cooling and drought struck much of Eurasia, causing several civilizations, including the Akkadian Empire and the Egyptian Old Kingdom, to wane.
Rice farmers in China adapted by cultivating new varieties of rice that could tolerate colder temperatures. The existence of these new varieties eventually allowed rice production to spread to regions with more temperate climates, such as Korea and Japan.
In contrast, transitioning from cold to hot climates can involve more than just a plant expediting its developmental timeline.
“You don’t see that kind of flexibility on the hot end because at some point, the plant will physically stop working,” Gauthier said.
By way of analogy, if you were to move into a house north of the Arctic Circle, you might compensate for the longer winters by staying inside for a greater portion of the year and staying outdoors as long as possible during the 20-hour days of summer. But if you move to a place where summers get too hot, you might suffer from heat stroke. Spending the summer indoors might be an option for you, but rice gets all its nutrition from being out in the sun and doesn’t have that luxury.
Gauthier wanted to know the upper temperature threshold beyond which modern rice varieties are unable to extend. Working with colleagues from New York University and the University of Washington, Gauthier combined archaeological and botanical records, including satellite imagery,
agricultural records and herbarium data, to figure out where rice was grown historically and where it grows now.
This resulted in a map to which they could add current, historical and future climate projections. Using this, they determined that rice today is grown almost entirely in areas with a mean annual temperature of less than 82° degrees Fahrenheit and an average monthly maximum of less than 104 F. This aligns well with data from other studies that demonstrate rice begins showing signs of heat stress at anything above 91 F.
With this baseline in hand, the authors used artifacts from 803 archaeological sites to trace the historical movement of rice and determine how that coincided with past temperatures. The results indicate that at no point during its 9,000 years of cultivation has rice ever been grown in a region with a mean annual temperature of more than 82 F. There were a few archaeological sites in northern India and Pakistan in which the average monthly maximum temperature exceeded 104 F, but given the arid climate of these regions, the authors note that long-distance trade may be a more
plausible explanation for how rice ended up at those locations rather than it having been grown there.
Thus, 104 F seems to be the cutoff, and anything with an annual average above 82 F is pushing it.
Finally, the authors projected future global temperatures using climate models to see where rice might have a chance of growing over the next century. By 2070, the results suggest that almost the entire southern distribution of rice, from India through Malaysia, will have mean annual temperatures of more than 82 F. A maximum monthly average temperature of more than 104 F during the hottest months of the year is expected for most of India, as well as parts of China and the Middle East.
India became the world’s top rice-producing country, a title previously held by China, after growing nearly 150 million metric tons of rice grain. Were anything to suddenly and negatively affect India’s ability to grow rice, ensuing mass starvation is a very real possibility.
Under business-as-usual models of climate change, in which countries are collectively unable to significantly reduce the emission of fossil fuels, rice growers and
consumers have about 50 years to prepare for the worst. Much of that preparation and adaptation will probably involve growing tropical varieties of rice in what are today more temperate regions and growing temperate varieties at higher latitudes than they are currently able to grow. But even if this averts famine, Gauthier warned, the process will still be unutterably difficult and its effects distributed unequally.
“On an aggregate scale, it could be that pound for pound all the rice that won’t be able to grow in Southeast Asia could be grown in China instead, but that doesn’t change the impact on the people in Southeast Asia who can’t just start growing a new crop from scratch,” Gauthier said.
Co-authors of the study are Ornob Alam and Michael Purugganan of New York University and Jade d’Alpoim Guedes of the University of Washington. The authors published their study in the journal “Communications Earth & Environment.” Study funding was provided in part by the Zegar Family Foundation.
To learn more, go to floridamuseum.ufl.edu
PORTRAITURE WORKSHOP
In this three-hour workshop led by Lisa Russo, teens will learn to capture likeness, including proportions, placement and how to define facial features while adding their own artistic touches. All materials are provided.
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Half of all humans get 20% of their calories from rice. [Illustration from ‘MedizinalPflanzen’ (1883-1914) by Hermann Köhler/ via Florida Museum of Natural History]
Regional temperatures are expected to rise beyond the current threshold of rice over the next few decades. Each row corresponds to the results of a separate climate model. [Image by Gauthier et al, CC BY/via Florida Museum of Natural History]
A photograph of terraced rice fields in Yunnan, China. [Photo by Jialiang Gao, CC BY-SA/via Florida Museum of Natural History]
North Marion High School’s ‘true team’
Boys’ varsity basketball squad thrives under head coach Tim Yarn, who was named FACA 4A District 7 Coach of the Year.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
Ask the members of the2025/2026 North Marion High School Colts varsity boys’ championship basketball team who the top player is and they will all point to each other.
That’s the sort of quiet, no brag, all-for-one, one-for-all spirit that head coach Tim Yarn has instilled in his student athletes.
It also may be among the reasons why the 2025/26 season saw the Florida Athletic Coaches Association 4A District 7 Coach of the Year honor bestowed on Yarn and Player of the Year kudos going to team member Lamont Sweeting. Yarn has been similarly honored three times previously.
Key words Yarn uses to describe the 2025/26 team are “humility” and “trust.”
He said he also asks his players if individual statistics or letters for team “W” and “L,” or wins and losses, are more important.
“What’s more important, numbers or letters when it comes to basketball? Our strength is in our togetherness,” Yarn said. “The members of this team are willing to sacrifice individual accolades for the betterment of the team. This is a true team.”
With perhaps one or two exceptions, Yarn has known all of his student athletes and their families throughout their high school careers.
According to maxpreps.com, the overall team statistic for points per game during the current season was 54.1. The NMHS team is ranked 49th in Florida and fourth in Division 4A.
The team racked up, according to school officials, the best win/loss season record in NMHS history, with 22 wins and four losses. The team won the county tournament and clinched the 2026 Florida State High School Athletic Association 2026 4A District 5 championships and a post regular season trip to the Regional Finals.
The Colts suffered a 47-44 loss to Gainesville Eastside at the Regional Finals, although NMHS had beaten Eastside three times in earlier meetings. The Feb. 21 loss to Eastside in the Regional Finals kept the Colts basketball team from the state finals but the season’s accomplishments and life lessons remain.
Several players met recently to reflect on the season, and one player described a type of “tough love” coaching.
Senior Matt Dial, 18, who also is the school’s varsity football quarterback, played forward on the basketball team and had 60% in field goals, the maxpreps boys’ basketball site indicates.
Dial said coach Yarn’s guidance helped him keep “focus” and “maintain goals.”
Dial has earned a scholarship to Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi. He is considering a career in the field of radiology.
Lamont Sweeting, 17, a junior averaged 6.5 rebounds per game, according to maxpreps. He said he is looking at a career in cybersecurity.
J.D. Jackson, 18, a senior, played point guard. Maxpreps states that he had three assists per game.
Jackson said he looked forward to being coached by Yarn, who has played the same position, going into the season.
Team members expressed that Yarn motivated them to do their best.
Edward Law, 17, played point guard. He is ranked in the top 12 in 4A District 5 for 1 stat, according to maxpreps.com. The website indicates Law had 4.3 rebounds per game.
Yarn said players Tekelvin Jackson and Justice Phillips were members of the record setting team and that Andree
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT N AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA IN RE: ESTATE OF ANGELINE JEANETTE WALKER, DECEASED. CASE NO.: 2025-CP-2672 NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of Angeline Jeanette Walker, deceased, whose date of death was July 30, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is, 110 NW 1st Ave., Ocala, Florida 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. The personal representative or curator has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in sections 732.216-732.228, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under section 732.2211. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The first date of publication of this notice
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA IN RE: ESTATE OF SHARON KAY MCCREADY, CASE NO. 2026-CP-0877
DECEASED, NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Sharon Kay McCready, deceased, whose date of death was November 11, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is, 110 NW 1st Ave., Ocala, Florida 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. The personal representative or curator has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in sections 732.216-732.228,
Thomas and Danny Smith served as assistant coaches.
Curtis Langston, Darnell Goodman, Daryl Johnson, Angel Guerra, Kaleb White, Jorge Navarro and Adrian Cook are also on the 2025/26 NMHS varsity boys basketball team roster, according to maxpreps.
Yarn is a Marion County native and 1999 NMHS graduate and former basketball and football player at the school. He was a twotime All-State point guard in basketball and twice was recognized as an All-State football defensive back. He went on to play football at the University of South Carolina under coach Lou Holtz. Yarn has been coaching at NMHS for about 18 years.
Janice Ray, of the north Marion County area, has known Yarn for at least 40 years and has followed his career.
Ray wrote in an email that she would like to recognize Yarn and his “feisty players” on
COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA IN RE: THE ESTATE OF THOMAS PATRICK SUHALLA, Deceased. CASE NO.: 2024-CP-1420 NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Thomas Patrick Suhalla, deceased, whose date of death was April 6, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is, 110 NW 1st Ave., Ocala, Florida 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. The personal representative or curator has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in sections 732.216-732.228, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under section 732.2211. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The first date of publication of this notice is April 24, 2026. Attorney for Personal Representative, Daniel
the 2026 NMHS boys varsity basketball team, saying they have done “what no other team in NM history has done.” She also noted his fourtime Coach of the Year honor.
“Yarn is not just a coach to his players, but a father figure who cares about them and helps them along the way with his love and faith. I have an article from the newspaper in 1999 where he was Player of the Year in Marion County and now he has earned Coach of the Year,” Ray wrote in part.
NMHS Principal James “Matt” Johnson said Yarn “made it happen” this season with coaching motivation and said the team put in “hard work and intensity.”
“I’m very proud of these student athletes,” Johnson said.
To see the school’s full athletics calendar, go to nmh.marionschools.net/student_services/ athletics/athletics_calendar
IN THE COUNTY COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA ETHAN'S GLEN HOME OWNERS'ASSOCIATION, INC., A FLORIDA NON-PROFIT CORPORATION, Plaintiff VS. ESTATE OF MAUREEN GOODRICH, DECEASED; ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN HEIRS, BENEFICIARIES, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, SPOUSES, AND ALL OTHERS WHO MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST IN THE ESTATE OF MAUREEN GOODRICH; ESTATE OF ROBERT L. ANDREWS, JR., DECEASED, ANY AND ALL UNKNOWNHEIRS, BENEFICIARIES, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, SPOUSES, AND ALL OTHERS WHO MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST IN THE ESTATE OF ROBERT L. ANDREWS, JR.; UNKNOWN TRUSTEE OF THE DOUGLAS G. ANDREWS TRUST CREATED UNDER THE ARTICLE FIFTH OF THE ANITA V. ANDREWS DECLARATION OF TRUST DATED JANUARY 19, 2006, Defendants. NOTICE OF ACTION CASE NO.: 2026-CC-0798
To the following Defendants: Any and all unknown parties claiming by, through, under, and against Maureen Goodrich, whether said unknown parties may claim an interest as heirs, beneficiaries, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees, spouses, and all other who may claim in interest in the Estate of Maureen Goodrich Unknown Address YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that an action has been commenced to foreclose a mortgage lien on the following real property, lying and being situated in Marion County, Florida, more particularly described as follows: The West 8.33 feet of Lot 7 and all of Lot 8 of Block
Members of the 2025/26 North Marion High School Varsity Boys Basketball Team are pictured on April 16, 2026, in the school gym with Coach Tim Yarn in center and, from left, Lamont Sweeting, J.D. Jackson, Edward Law and Matt Dial. [Photo by Andy Fillmore/Ocala Gazette]
North Marion High School Varsity Boys Basketball Coach Tim Yarn speaks with Matt Dial, Edward Law, Lamont Sweeting and J.D. Jackson in the gym on April 16, 2026. [Photo by Andy Fillmore/Ocala Gazette]
The North Marion High School Varsity Boys Basketball team. [Photo courtesy coach Tim Yarn]
LIBRA September
October
SCORPIO
October
November
GEMINI
LEO
SAGITTARIUS
November 23 -December 21 Sagittarius, good news or good timing show up just when you need it. It might provide the inspiration needed to start a project you’re excited about.
CAPRICORN
December 22-
January 20 Family life is going very smoothly right now, Capricorn. Stability will prevail in the days ahead. Embrace the peaceful atmosphere and encourage others to follow suit.
AQUARIUS
January 21-February 18 Share your perspective with
VIRGO
Walk in My Shoes passes through Ocala
The annual Lauren’s Kids event brings ‘awareness, education, hope and healing to communities across the state.’
Staff report
On April 16, Lauren’s Kids made its way through Ocala as the 15th stop in its 11th annual Walk in My Shoes.
The event, in honor of National Sexual Assault Awareness Month and National Child Abuse Prevention Month, was led by former Florida State Senator, founder and CEO of Lauren’s Kids and child sexual abuse survivor, Lauren Book. Book was joined by representatives from Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection, the Marion County Sexual Assault Center Inc. (MCSA), Haven and “inspirational supporters,” according to an event recap press release.
May 1 near the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2026.
“The statewide 1,500-mile trek brought participants from all over in the fight to prevent child sexual abuse and to help survivors heal,” the release noted.
This year’s walk started on March 31 in Key West and will end May 1 near the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee. The walk in Ocala started at the Publix Supermarket at Grand Oaks Town Center, where attendees could walk the 4-mile route to MCSA. Thereafter, walkers could stop or continue the final 4-mile route to Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection.
In addition, sexual abuse survivors had the opportunity to participate in The Voices
by Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette
Project — a storytelling initiative designed to amplify and preserve survivors’ voices in their own words. Throughout April, a mobile recording unit will continue to travel with the walk to capture anonymous audio recordings from survivors before daily walks. Recordings will become part of a growing digital archive focused on awareness, education and survivor empowerment, the news release stated. The Voices Project submissions also may be made by going to voices@laurenskids.org
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA CIVIL DIVISION Case No. 26-CA-729 Judge Robert W. Hodges INTEREST HOLDINGS INC, Plaintiff, v. FLORENCE WEIERSHAUSEN, ARTHUR D. HERNDON, PHILIP A. HERNDON, EUGENE MEDLEY, SHERIDAN A. DULANEY, JANE H. FUTCH, WILLIAM DOYLE, EVELYN DOYLE, ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN HEIRS, LIVING OR DECEASED. /
AMENDED NOTICE OF ACTION
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that an action to quiet title to the following properties in Marion County, Florida:
The real propert ies are commonly known and is legally described as: Parcel #: 5069-394-000 & Parcel #: 1744-003-023
Lawsuit has been filed against you in Marion County Court, ROAN HILLS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION INC. v. JASON WALLACE and HOLLY BREANNE WALLACE, and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, on or before 30 days after the first publication of this Notice of Action, on Rabin Parker Gurley, P.A., Plaintiff's Attorney, whose address is 2653 McCormick Drive, Clearwater, Florida 33759, and file the Electronically Filed Marion Case # 26CC000035AX 03/25/2026 01:45:58 PM 10585-018 original with this Court either before service on Plaintiff's attorney or immediately thereafter; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint. This notice shall be published once each week for two consecutive weeks in The Ocala
Legal 1: Section 21, Township 17, Range 35. Big Tree Campsites, Lots 394, 395 and 411, Section D, unrecorded Subdivision, Official Records 473, Page 589, Public Records, Marion County, Florida.
Legal 2: TRACK 23, BLOCK 3, 4TH ADDITION, LAKE TROPICANA RANCHETTES, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK H, PAGE 79C, OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA.
1. FLORENCE WEIERSHAUSEN4409 GAINES RANCH LOOP, APT 251, AUSTIN, TX 78735
2. ARTHUR D. HERNDON - 1137 N WOODROW AVE, WICHITA, KS 67203
3. PHILIP A. HERNDON - 8964 BIG OAK DR, MURFREESBORO, TN 37129
4. EUGENE MEDLEY - 202 WESTOVER LN, MARTINSVILLE, VA 24112
5. SHERIDAN A. DULANEY - 1710 STAGE COACH RD, SEWANEE, TN 37375
6. JANE H. FUTCH – 721 SINCLAIR CIR, BRENTWOOD, TN 37027
7. WILLIAM DOYLE -1229 SHARON ACRES RD, FOREST HILL, MD 21050
8. EVELYN DOYLE - 1229 SHARON ACRES RD, FOREST HILL, MD 21050
9. ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN HEIRSUnknown Address
has been filed against you and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to Cheyenne Whitfield located at 407 E Palm Ave, Tampa Florida 33602, and file the original with the clerk of this court either before service on the Plaintiff or immediately thereafter on 5/26/26, otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint or petition.
DATED on 4/9/26
FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA
DWAYNE MASS CASE No: 2024-CA001084
Plaintiff, vs. MICHAEL J. EDWARDS and TRACIE EDWARDS, Husband and Wife, KRISTEN L. MILLER, and GREGORY C. HARRELL, Marion County Clerk of Court
Defendants.
/ NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to the Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated April 8, 2026 and entered in Case No. 2024-CA-1084, Dwayne Mass v. Michael J. Edwards and Tracie Edwards, husband and wife, Kristen Miller, and Gregory C. Harrell, Marion County Clerk of Court, of the Circuit Court of the Fifth Judicial Circuit in and for Marion County, Florida, wherein the Clerk of the Court, Gregory C. Harrell, will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash at www.marion.realforeclose.com at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 8, 2026, the following property set forth in said Final Judgment of Foreclosure, to wit:
The North 1/2 of Lot 17 and all of Lot 18, Block D, ROOSEVELT VILLAGE UNIT “1”, as per Plat thereof recorded in Plat Book F, Page(s) 19 and 20, Public Records of Marion County, Florida
Any person or entity claiming an interest in the surplus, if any, resulting from the Foreclosure Sale, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens, must file a claim on the same with the Clerk of the Court before the Clerk reports the surplus as unclaimed.
BOWEN & SCHROTH, P.A.
Attorneys for Plaintiff 600 Jennings Avenue Eustis, Florida 32726 E-mail Address: hadrid@bowenschroth. com E-mail Address: kdillinger@bowenschroth. com Telephone (352) 589-1414
/s/ Halie M. Adrid
HALIE ADRID Florida Bar No. 1050238
To be published in the Ocala Gazette.
NOTICE TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact the ADA Coordinator at the Office of the Trial Court Administrator, Marion County Judicial Center, 110 NW 1st Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34475, Telephone (352) 401-6710 , at least 7 days prior to your scheduled court appearance, or immediately upon receiving this notification if the time before the scheduled appearance is less than 7 days; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call 711.
CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION
FLORIDA Case No. 26-CC-000035 ROAN HILLS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. Plaintiff, VS. JASON WALLACE, and HOLLY BREANNE WALLACE, Defendants. TO:JASON WALLACE CIVIL DIVISION NOTICE OF ACTION YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action to enforce and foreclosure a lien on the following property in Marion County, Florida: Lot 133, CALESA TOWNSHIP ROAN HILLS PHASE 2, a subdivision according to the plat thereof recorded in Plat Book 14, Page 184, of the Public Records of Marion County, Florida. PARCEL ID NO.: 3546-200-133 ("Property") Property Address: 6428 Southwest 72nd Terrace, Ocala, FL 34476
A Lawsuit has been filed against you in Marion County Court, ROAN HILLS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION INC. v. JASON WALLACE and HOLLY BREANNE WALLACE, and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, on or before 30 days after the first publication of this Notice of Action, on Rabin Parker Gurley, P.A., Plaintiff's Attorney, whose address is 2653 McCormick Drive, Clearwater, Florida 33759, and file the Electronically Filed Marion Case # 26CC000035AX 03/25/2026 01:45:58 PM 10585-018 original with this Court either before service on Plaintiff's attorney or immediately thereafter; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint. This notice shall be published once each week for two consecutive weeks in The Ocala Gazette. WITNESS my hand and the seal of this Court on this 8TH day of APRIL 2026.
If you are a person with a disability who needs an accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact the Public Information Department, Marion County Government Center, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala, FL 34471, Phone (352) 401-6710 (voice), 352-438-2300 (voice) 711 for the hearing impaired. Contact should be initiated at least seven days before the scheduled court appearance, or immediately upon receiving this notification if the time before the scheduled appearance is less than seven days.
RABIN PARKER GURLEY, P.A. 2653 McCormick Drive Clearwater, Florida 33759
Telephone: (727)475-5535 Counsel for Plaintiff For Electronic Service: Pleadings@RPGLaw.com
Copies Furnished to: Rabin Parker Gurley, P.A. 2653 McCormick Drive Clearwater, Florida 33759
Jason & Holly Wallace 6428 Southwest 72nd Terrace Ocala, FL 34476
BY:Gregory C. Harrell, Clerk of Court
CLERK OF COURT AND COMPTROLL
NBill → DEPUTY CLERK
MARION C COUNTY FLORIDA
H.BIBB 10585-018
AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO. 25CA002172AX RAINBOW SPRINGS PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., a Florida non-profit Corporation, Plaintiff, VS. UNKNOWN HEIRS, BENEFICIERIES, DEVISEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES AND ALL OTHERS WHO MAY CLAIM INTEREST IN THE ESTATE OF EDWARD J. DESMAREST, DECEASED, et al, Defendant(s). NOTICE OF SALE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 45 (To be published in The Ocala Gazette) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated April 10, 2026, entered in Case No. 25CA002172AX in the Circuit Court in and for Marion County, Florida wherein RAINBOW SPRINGS PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., is Plaintiff, and UNKNOWN HEIRS, BENEFICIERIES, DEVISEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES AND ALL OTHERS WHO MAY CLAIM INTEREST IN THE ESTATE OF EDWARD J. DESMAREST, et al, is the Defendant, I will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash online on: MAY 26, 2026 at www.marion.realforeclose. com the Clerk's website for online auctions at 11:00 AM ET in accordance with section 45.031, Florida Statutes, the following described real property as set forth in the Final Judgment, to wit: LOT 41, BLOCK 161, RAINBOW SPRINGS COUNTRY CLUB ESTATES, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF,
Lauren Book, founder and CEO of Lauren’s Kids Foundation and a former Florida State Senator, talks to people during the Lauren’s Kids Walk in my Shoes in Ocala on April 16, 2026. In honor of National Sexual Assault Awareness Month and National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the walk started March 31 in Key West and will end
People pose for a group picture during the Walk in my Shoes in Ocala.
Alison Vazquez of the Marion County Sexual Assault Center, left, speaks as Lauren Book, the founder and CEO of Lauren’s Kids Foundation raises her arms.
People walk together as they leave the Publix parking lot at Grand Oaks Town Center during the Lauren’s Kids Walk in my Shoes in Ocala.
Photos
Government
APRIL 27; MAY 4, 11, 18, 25
Marion County Development Review Office of County Engineer, 412 SE 25th Ave., Building 1, Ocala
9am
The committee meets each Monday to review and vote on waiver requests to the Land Development Code, major site plans and subdivision plans. See marion.fl.legistar.com/ calendar.aspx for agenda and minutes.
MAY 5 AND 19
Marion County Board of County Commissioners
McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala
9am
The commission meets the first and third Tuesday of the month. Agendas, minutes and video are available at marionfl.legistar.com/ calendar.aspx
Ocala City Council
Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave., Ocala
4pm
The council meets each first and third Tuesday of the month. Agendas and minutes are
Arts
MAY 1
available at ocala.legistar.com/calendar.aspx
Belleview City Commission Belleview City Hall, 5343 SE Abshier Blvd., Belleview
6pm The commission meets the first and third Tuesday of the month. Agendas, minutes and video available at belleviewfl.org/200/ agendas-minutes
APRIL 28; MAY 12, 26
Marion County School Board 1614 E Fort King St., Ocala
5:30pm The board meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. Agendas and minutes are available at go.boarddocs.com/fl/marion/ board.nsf/public
MAY 13
Dunnellon City Council
Dunnellon City Hall, 20750 River Dr., Dunnellon
5:30pm
The council generally meets the second Wednesday of the month. Agendas, minutes and video are available at dunnellon.granicus. com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=1
Block pARTy opening and awards reception
Brick City Cetner for the Arts, 23 SW Broadway St., Ocala
5-7pm Marion Cultural Alliance’s signature Block pARTy returns with the theme Small Works. Big Impact. From May 1–21, explore a vibrant collection of 12x12” artworks created by artists from across our community and beyond. On May 21, there will be a VIP drawing event, with art, tapas, live music and libations. Get tickets at mcaocala.org
Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives
Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala
7:30pm The country music legend takes the stage with his long-time band for an unforgettable night of musicianship and innovation. Blending decades of artistry with fresh instrumental sounds, their latest work delivers a dynamic mix of surf guitar, California rhythms and soulful steel. Get tickets at reillyartscenter.com
Spring Sunset Songs Series Citizens’ Circle, 151 SE Osceola Ave., Ocala
6:30pm The city of Ocala invites the community to enjoy live music in conjunction with First Friday Art Walk. Feverdreams is an Ocala-based indie heartland rock band blending atmospheric soundscapes, raw emotion and cinematic storytelling. Admission is free and guests are encouraged to bring chairs. For more information, contact the City of Ocala’s Recreation and Parks Department at (352) 401-6980 or visit ocalafl.gov/sunsetsongsseries
Reilly Noir: Ryan Devlin Quartet
NOMA Black Box at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala
7:30pm Join rising saxophonist Ryan Devlin for an evening of modern jazz and improvisation. With a rich musical background and world-class training, his performance blends technical mastery with soulful artistry. Learn more at reillyartscenter.com
MAY 2
Free First Saturday Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
10am-5pm Explore the permanent collection, special exhibitions and enjoy family-friendly artmaking activities in the Artspace. At 11 a.m. in the courtyard, the Fort King Middle School marching band will perform. At 2 p.m., see a screening of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” K-Dog Red Hots food truck will be on-site, along with CAMPUS USA Credit Union and LifeSouth Community Blood Centers. Learn more at appletonmuseum.org
MAY 3
Music Box 4: Arnold Irchai and Dale Fedele
Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St. Ocala
3pm Join Ocala Symphony Orchestra musicians and special guests for an afternoon of chamber music filled with lyricism, character and virtuosity. Featuring bassoonist Arnold Irchai, clarinetist Dale Fedele and pianist Alan Clark, this program brings expressive and dynamic works to life in a close, up-close setting. Learn more at reillyartscenter.com
10,000 Maniacs: 45th Anniversary Concert
Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala
7:30pm Join the alternative rock band for a night of poetic lyrics, lush melodies and fan-favorite hits. Celebrate the enduring legacy and evolving sound of one of America’s most influential bands. Learn more at reillyartscenter.com
MAY 9
Dueling Pianos
Reilly Arts Center, NOMA Black Box, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala
6pm Grab a seat at a café table and enjoy cocktails and an evening of fun with friends. Performing singalong classics of soft rock and pop. Get tickets at reillyartscenter.com
Dueling Pianos Uncensored
Reilly Arts Center, NOMA Black Box, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala
9pm Unleash your wild side on the dance floor as pianists engage in hilarious and unpredictable musical mash-ups while cocktail servers dish up your favorite drinks. High-energy, adults-only atmosphere. Learn more at reillyartscenter.com
THROUGH SEPT. 13
My Country, ’Tis of Thee: Celebrating American Art and Design Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
Hours vary Drawn from the permanent collection, the exhibition
Community
APRIL 24
NAACP Freedom Fund and Awards Banquet
Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place, 1821 NW 21st Ave, Ocala
6pm Florida Senator LaVon Bracy Davis will deliver the keynote address during the NAACP 5114 Marion County Branch’s annual event. The banquet celebrates local leaders, recognizes outstanding community contributions and raising funds to support advocacy, youth initiatives and civil rights programs. For tickets, call (352) 351-4567 or (352) 286-5946, email marioncountyflnaacp@gmail.com or secure through Zelle at marioncountyflnaacp@gmail. com or CashApp at $naacpmarioncountyfl
APRIL 25
Financial empowerment event
Central Christian Church, 3010 NE 14th St., Ocala
10am-2pm Connect with financial institutions, apply action steps to own a home, protect assets with life insurance, leave a financial legacy, develop a will or trust. Vendors, giveaways, food. Free to attend. To learn more, call (352)875-4237 or go to ramalservices.org
Garden & Detox Experience
Laly Acres Nursery, 8384 SW 38th Ave., Ocala
11am-pm
This event is focused on encouraging people to plant fruit trees, build vegetable beds and grow food. It will include a class covering food forests, permaculture design and microgreens, including how to grow fresh food on your countertop with no soil in as little as seven days. RSVP is a must. Text “garden” to 352-537-8473.
Kimberly’s Center’s 5K Race/Walk Against Child Abuse
Ina A. Colen Academy, 5080 SW 66th Court Road, Ocala 8am This event is focused on raising funds to support programs and services for children in Marion County suffering from the trauma of abuse and neglect. Get details and regiser at kimberlys5krace.itsyourrace. com/event.aspx?id=15593
APRIL 25; JUNE 6, 20
Veterans’ benefits briefing events
Locations below 10am-noon
The sessions are April 25, Sankofa Public Library, 1821 NW 21st Avenue, Ocala; June 6, Belleview Public Library, 13145 SE County Highway 484, Belleview; June 20, Silver Springs Shores Community Center, 590 Silver Road, Ocala. Marion County Veterans Services offers help to identify eligibility and assist with the application process for benefits such as disability compensation, pension, appeals, widow’s pension, death pension, dependency and indemnity compensation, education, home loans and healthcare assistance. For more information, call (352) 671-8422 or visit marioncountyfl.org/veteransservices
APRIL 29
Sip, Savor & Support MainStreet Community Bank, 112 N Magnolia Ave., Ocala 5:30-9pm This is a Lotus Project for the Marion County Sexual Assault Center. The street party will include a happy hour, dancing in the street, food and beverages, live and silent auctions. It’s Denim Day, so denim attire is suggested. Learn more at marionsexualassaultcenter.org
MAY 1
Inspire Gala
Circle Square Cultural Center, 8395 SW 80th St., Ocala 5:30pm The Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County will honor members of the community for outstanding efforts to create change and leave a lasting impact. The categories include: Youth Philanthropist of The Year, Emerging Nonprofit, Nonprofit Board Member of The Year, Nonprofit of The Year, Corporate Partner of The Year, The Unsung Hero, Frank Martin Hennessey Award and Luminary Award – Estate Planning Council of Marion County. The event includes a cocktail hour and dinner. To learn more and for tickets, go to ocalafoundation.org/inspire-gala
MAY 2
Kentucky Derby Pub Crawl
Locations below 2-6pm
This event promises fun, fashion and philanthropy. Participating locations include Bank Street Patio Bar, Say Taco, Mutiny, Ivy on the Square, Mellow Mushroom, O’Malley’s Alley, District Bar & Kitchen and The Black Sheep on Broadway. Participants begin at Bank Street and finish at The Black Sheep for Derby race viewing. Tickets are $50 and 20% of proceeds benefit the Marion County Literacy Council. Guests are encouraged to wear Derby hats and stylish attire. Learn more by calling (352) 812-3811.
MAY
4-JUNE 29
Diabetes Self-Management Classes Silver Springs Community Center, 590 Silver Road, Ocala 1-3pm
The Marion County Hospital District offers the free, eightweek series for those ages 18 and older who are prediabetic or diabetic or support someone with diabetes. The Diabetes Education Empowerment Program includes guidance on improving eating habits, increasing physical activity, monitoring body numbers and preventing complications associated with diabetes. AdventHealth will provide free biometric screenings as well as weekly produce. To register, call (352) 619-4303 or email amp@mchdt.org.
MAY 8
CF commencement ceremonies
World Equestrian Center, Expo Center 1, 1750 N.W. 80th Ave., Ocala. 10am and 2pm
The first ceremony will recognize graduates receiving baccalaureate degrees, associate in science degrees, and certificates. The second ceremony will celebrate graduates receiving associate in arts degrees. For ease of access, attendees are advised to use the second entrance on State Road 40 west. Tomyka Pinckney, a teacher education student, will be the student speaker at the morning ceremony. Ashley Brace, an associate in arts graduate, will be the student speaker at the afternoon ceremony. For more information, visit cf.edu/graduation.
MAY
16
Rolling for the Rock Program Car Show & Vendor Fair
The Arc of Marion, 2800 SE Maricamp Road, Ocala 9am-3pm
This event will benefit local middle and high school students through The Rock program, which stocks supplies at schools. It will include food trucks, a plant sale, a kid’s zone, music and more. Admission is free for spectators, but donations of food, hygiene products and school supplies are appreciated. To learn more or register a vehicle, email execdirector@therockprogram.org
MAY
21; JUNE 18
Ocala/Marion County Braver Angels Alliance
Ocala-Headquarters Public Library, 2720 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
5:15pm
Braver Angels is a national organization with a mission to strengthen democracy through civil discourse. The upcoming meetings will reflect on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, with interactive discussions about why the declaration is important today and how it shapes our American identity. To learn more, go to braverangels.org or email Buddy Oswald at dhoswald@ gmail.com
JUNE
6
Juneteenth Celebration Dinner/Dance Fundraiser
Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place, 1821 NW 21st Ave., Ocala
6-10pm
R.A.M.A.L. Educational and Social Services, Inc., Inc., a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization presents the event, which will include dinner, live entertainment, a DJ, dancing, silent and live auctions, raffles and more. Proceeds will support community projects, scholarships for at-risk and nontraditional college students, tutoring and mentoring. Get tickets through eventbrite.com, Cash App $RAMALServices, Zelle (352) 875-4237 or ramalservices.org
range of
across time periods, subjects, media and functions. It also explores the
wonders, including those of Marion County, has played as a source of inspiration for artists. For details, go to appletonmuseum.org
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.
Crossword
Jumble
Sudoku
Gasoline Alley
Broom Hilda
Middletons
Animal Crackers
