“A Legacy of Sacrifice” Pg A3
Medical records for Jacob Oakie confirm growing concerns for inmate medical care and use of force at Marion County Jail
By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
The death of a 39-year-old Ocala man in the Marion County Jail last year is highlighting concerns about the quality of care afforded those in the custody of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, which runs the facility. Records show that the number of deaths in custody at the jail is more than four times the national average.
Jacob Oakie died after developing pneumococcal meningitis. He was transported by EMS from the jail’s infirmary, which is run by Heart of Florida, to AdventHealth Ocala on July 26. He was immediately placed in the ICU but was removed from life support two days later “due to the severity of the illness,” according to an MCSO report.
Oakie was jailed on June 20 on a charge that he violated his probation from a November 2022 arrest for possession of methamphetamine. He was jailed after a urine test showed signs of amphetamine and methamphetamine use. MCSO jail records reflect Oakie was a nonviolent offender.
Oakie’s family expressed gratitude to the hospital staff for their efforts to save him, but they want to know why the jail medical staff waited so long to have him moved to the hospital or to give him antibiotics to fight the infection.
They also wonder why they only learned from a journalist, and not the MCSO, about the use of force by corrections officers on Oakie just two hours before he was brought to the hospital.
Oakie is among 31 people who have died while in MCSO custody over the past four years. Some of the cases have involved the use of force by corrections officers, while other inmate deaths stem from illnesses that progressed under questionable medical care. In some cases, the inmates suffered from both a lack of medical care and the use of force.
See Oakie, page A4
Salvation Army considers suspension of emergency shelter services
“Financial strain on what were once dependable funding sources and strategies” cited, in part, in proposal.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
Leadership of the Ocala Salvation Army has proposed a suspension of emergency shelter services for up to a year at their downtown Center of Hope in order to regroup because of what has been called a “budgetary break point.”
Maj. Phillip Irish of the Ocala operation proposed a temporary closure to review services and funding sources, which, according to a staff member, includes resident meals, at a meeting on May 27 of Ocala-Marion County Continuum of Care partner agencies and nonprofits that extend care to the homeless. The proposed suspension of emergency shelter services will be discussed for a final decision at a June 3 scheduled advisory board meeting.
In a video of the meeting taken by the “Gazette,” Irish can be heard referring to “dwindling funds” and
The beloved community hospital houses the only maternity unit in Marion County and has been operating for more than 125 years. Today nearly 2,500 new lives begin
each year. AdventHealth, the current steward of the beloved community institution, applies an additional element to the See DeLuca page A6
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Shown in this still from a video, Maj. Phillip Irish of the Ocala Salvation Army talks about the possibly of having to temporarily close the emergency shelter as Maj. Lynn Irish, right, looks on during the Ocala-Marion County Continuum of Care Board of Governors and General Membership Meetings in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. [Bruce Ackerman/ Ocala Gazette] 2025.
Frank and Angela DeLuca tour the AdventHealth Ocala Mother/Baby Unit on May 27 ahead of announcing a transformational $4 million gift for the expansion and renovation of the hospital’s Mother/Baby Unit. (Photo courtesy: MAVEN Photo + Film)
Jacob Oakie at a family wedding. [Supplied]
LETTER TO THE EDITOR, BY STAN HANSON
Our local elected officials are facing the most difficult budget situation I have seen in decades. The shifting of more budget responsibilities to local government by the state legislature is a part of the difficulty. However, years of living with too much “budget bloat” is also a factor.
The Marion County School Board is an organization I believe is facing the most brutal budget decisions of our several local government units. I have examined the budget cuts other Florida school districts are expecting. Comparatively, MCPS is going to be facing a much bigger challenge than most other districts.
The school board, especially the two members who have grown up in the district as employees, are going to have to make some budget cuts that are not likely to enhance
their popularity with some parents and school staff. So, what are the actions they are going to have to seriously consider: Obviously, cuts in staffing while protecting the quality of the teaching staff. Staff cuts will help but are not the answer to delivering a budget that is affordable, and taxpayers’ approved.
• The board should implement a DOGE Program, following the leadership of the County Commission, to address organizational efficiency opportunities that will result in budget reductions.
• Other than classroom teaching, nothing is exempt from being put under scrutiny for budget reduction opportunities. Any tax increases, if asked for, better have the best supporting position they have ever had in convincing taxpayers.
• Lastly, the board will need to toss out the window any approach to delivering a budget that is based on protecting friends in the district or positioning a board member for reelection. I don’t envy the job the school board has in delivering a budget. However, when they ran for office, that was a big part of the responsibility they accepted. Good luck to the school board, and all the local government entities, in this year’s budget preparation.
(Stan Hanson is a retired Vice President of Procter & Gamble, Inc. He has been a resident of Ocala for 28 years. He has served on many local boards and committees and is an avid philanthropist when it comes to education, health care, parks and libraries.)
OPINION: BILL COTTERELL: C’MON, JOHN, DO IT ‘FOR THE PEOPLE’
Attorney John Morgan would be a refreshing change if he decides to run for governor, a Capitol Columnist writes.
By Bill Cotterell Top of FormBottom of FormThe News Service of Florida
John Morgan probably won’t run for governor and his hope for a third party probably won’t work out, but the famous lawyer could do something no other candidate could do.
He’d make Florida politics fun again.
For the last half-century, we’ve had smart, competent governors who are about as interesting as your average insurance actuary. They get to the governor’s mansion after vicious primaries and general elections, so that by election day it feels like choosing your favorite Menendez brother.
More than 50 years have passed since Florida has had a chief executive who alternately amused, aggravated and horrified the Tallahassee establishment — and seemingly didn’t care which he did, on any occasion. When I moved to Tallahassee in 1969, there was Claude Roy Kirk Jr., a self-described “tree-shaking SOB.”
Kirk did mad, marvelous things that kept the Capitol press corps enthralled with skirmishes between the first Republican governor since Reconstruction, an overwhelmingly Democratic Legislature and an allDemocratic state cabinet. Kirk was contemptuous of both, referring to the cabinet as the “six dwarfs” (it was larger then) and denouncing the planned high-rise capitol as “princely and ponderous palaces for political potentates.”
Morgan might lack Kirk’s alliteration, but he has the same disdain for Tallahassee’s plutocracy. And his speaking style — F-words and all — would be a refreshing change from the plodding efficiency both parties promise every four years. Public meeting laws notwithstanding, you could charge admission to watch this guy work.
“Every time they meet, they screw us over,” Morgan said of the Legislature. “It’s sickening … politicians want to have total control so they can take care of their special interests — cable companies, the fire companies, the sugar people. They don’t want us to have a say, because they know we, the people, are dangerous. We’re dangerous when we get to vote, and they don’t want that.”
Like Kirk, Morgan was a disgruntled Democrat who’d quit the party. Neither man held any public office before running statewide and — if Morgan runs — he, like Kirk, would need a public attitude of “a pox on both your houses” toward the major parties.
State Sen. Jason Pizzo, who recently left the Democratic Party and plans a no-party run for governor, needs that same segment of disgruntled voters. If U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds has a bitterly fought GOP primary with First Lady
“The press was to serve the governed, not the governors.”
- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black in New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)
Publisher Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
Casey DeSantis and Pizzo splits the independents, the political landscape late next year might be right for Morgan.
The Democrats, to the extent they’re still a factor, seem likely to pin their dim hopes on former U.S. Rep. David Jolly, an ex-Republican known for never-Trump rhetoric on MSNBC.
Such a splintered scenario is how Kirk won in 1966. ThenGov. Haydon Burns lost a furious Democratic runoff to Miami Mayor Robert King High and the Democrats couldn’t reunite, so Kirk made history.
He oversaw big changes, mostly imposed on him by the 1968 Florida Constitution and a government reorganization. One innovation was creation of the lieutenant governor’s office, which Morgan says we don’t need. He also questions having a governor’s mansion or an agriculture commissioner.
One difference between the two men is that Morgan favors allowing marijuana use. In one of his more glaring gaffes, Kirk once called the world-famous anthropologist Margaret Mead “this dirty old lady” for endorsing pot legalization.
Their public styles are similar. Kirk said whatever he was thinking and so does Morgan. Reporters showed up at every Kirk event, not so much for the business at hand but for whatever new outrage he might cause. It would be good to see another “tree-shaker,” such as Morgan, speak seriously to voters about property insurance, health care, education, crime and so many other things that actually matter.
In a rollicking speech to the Capital Tiger Bay Club, Morgan
teased Tallahasseeans about running for governor. He said he’ll wait to see how the field develops and how issues are addressed around this time next year, as he prefers a short sprint rather than a marathon.
Morgan emphasized that both major parties are captives of their most extreme fringes, which is why he wants a new party. So, he proposed a name-the-party contest, offering a cash prize to whoever can come up with the best label. That’s a very Kirk-like thing to do.
But it probably can’t happen. Movements built around a superstar come and go, like Ross Perot’s Reform Party or Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressives, but never catch on. Independent candidates like Pizzo can make a splash but soon sink silently.
With his money and name recognition, Morgan could force other candidates to address real issues, rather than denouncing drag shows, protecting us from fluoride in drinking water and seeing who can talk toughest about illegal immigration.
In his Tiger Bay talk, Morgan gave an insight into why he probably won’t run. He’s got a great life now, wintering in Maui and doing whatever he feels like every day. He doesn’t need the headaches of dealing with difficult events, or fighting a Legislature made up of two parties that could agree only on opposing him.
Still, it sure would be fun to watch.
Bill Cotterell is a retired Capitol reporter for United Press International and the Tallahassee Democrat. He can be reached at wrcott43@aol.com
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Gov. Claude Kirk made politics fun during his one term in Tallahassee. [State Library and Archives of Florida]
‘A Legacy of Sacrifice’
Marion County remembers and honors fallen military veterans on Memorial Day.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
Danny Garcia said he was compelled to attend the Memorial Day ceremony on May 26 at the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park.
“I lived it,” said the retired U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran of the Vietnam War, who shared that he suffered post-traumatic stress disorder connected to his service and had a brush with suicide. He and his wife, Anna Garcia, a U.S. Air Force veteran, coauthored “Marines Don’t Cry,” a book documenting his journey and walk for world peace.
The ceremony on Monday was themed “A Legacy of Sacrifice” and honored “our fallen heroes” who made the ultimate sacrifice, according to the program.
Emcee Matthew Cretul opened the ceremony and the West Port High School Color Guard posted colors.Members of the North Marion High School Air Force JROTC acted as greeters for the ceremony. Israel Levett, 10, led the audience of 750 plus in the pledge of allegiance and Hannah Stuckey sang the national anthem. The Kingdom of the Sun Concert Band played many patriotic songs.
Samuel Coventry, president of the Ocali Society, Children of the American Revolution, recited “Decoration Day” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The Rev. Donald Curran, a U.S. Navy veteran, offered an invocation and benediction. The Humble Squadron provided a flyover.
The ceremony included “A Legacy of Sacrifice” keynote speech by Brian Ploetz, 2nd Vice Commander, 4th District of the Department of Florida, American
Legion, covered the history of the country’s conflicts and the sacrifice made by those who serve.
Marion County Commissioner Kathy Bryant gave accounts of the service of the two lost family members who were honored during the ceremony.
A ceremonial wreath was carried out to the center of the park, followed by six members of
two Gold Star Families who both lost loved ones in military service. Francisco “Panchie” Diaz, a native of South Bronx, New York, who was “full of heart and proud to serve his country,” enlisted in the USMC in 1967 and arrived in Vietnam in February of 1968. Diaz was killed in action on May 15, 1968, when his squad was ambushed leading the way on a jungle trail,
according to the account.
Felix Diaz, Frances DiazBonilla, Javier Santiago and Daisy Diaz, director of Marion County Veterans Services, laid the ceremonial wreath in honor of their uncle, Francisco Diaz. Jordan Diaz, 9, honored his great uncle.
“This is awesome, to hear our uncle’s story told to everyone,” Frances Diaz-Bonilla said.
The members of another family, David Lancaster and his brother, Ted Lancaster, honored their uncle, Keith Daniel Botkin, who was killed in action July 22, 1944.
Botkin enlisted in the Marine Corps on Oct. 13, 1942, during World War II, and, by January 1943 was serving in the Pacific Theater, Bryant
detailed. Botkin was wounded on Nov. 1, 1943, and returned to his unit on Jan. 2, 1944. He was then sent to the Marianas Operation/Battle of Guam and arrived in Guam on July 21, 1944, Bryant stated. Botkin was killed in action at age 20 on July 22, 1944. He was first buried in Guam and then his remains were laid to rest in Florida by his family.
Marine Corps veteran William Desmond, who served from 1956 to 1968, came out to honor the lost, and Dorothy Antonelli wore a locket with a photo in honor of her uncle, Peter Patete, who was lost in the Korean War in 1950 at age 20.
Howard Mautner, 101, a World War II Army Air Corps veteran, attended the ceremony and greeted a number of people afterward.
Photos by Bruce Ackerman
World War II veteran Howard Mautner, 100, who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, salutes as he recites the pledge of allegiance with other people during the “A Legacy of Sacrifice” Memorial Day ceremony at the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park in Ocala, Fla. on Monday, May 26, 2025.
Veterans salute as the national anthem is performed during the “A Legacy of Sacrifice” Memorial Day ceremony.
Bob Levenson, United States Marine Corps, retired, right, salutes as he places a memorial wreath for Gold Star Families.
The West Port High School Color Guard presents the colors.
Members of the Ocala Police Department fire a rifle salute during the Memorial Day ceremony.
U.S. Air Force Vietnam War veteran Arno Frost of American Legion Post 27 salutes as The Colors are retired.
Warbirds fly over at the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park on Monday, May 26.
Ronald Carignan, a United States Navy veteran who served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, sits on a bench in the shade with his caregiver, Linda Brown.
Oakie
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Nationally, about 1.40 deaths per 1,000 incarcerated people occur on average annually, according to the National Institutes of Health.
The Marion County Jail holds an average of 1,600 to 1,700 inmates at a time. Since January 2021, 31 inmates have died in custody, an annual average of 4.4 deaths per 1,000 incarcerated people.
The “Gazette” has reported on many of those cases in recent months as part of an ongoing investigation into the quality of medical care at the jail.
Records obtained by the “Gazette” reflect that the sheriff’s office knew there was a pattern of medical staff not providing timely care to inmates housed at the Marion County Jail.
Rather than address the concerns, the MCSO fired the whistleblower who created the reports tracking the problem in August 2024, approximately a month after Oakie’s death.
Ten months later, the MCSO has not replaced the whistleblower position and has stopped creating the public record report that tracks HOF’s compliance with Florida’s model jail standards.
James Slater, the attorney for Oakie’s family, obtained medical records for Oakie from the Heart of Florida Health Center and provided them to the “Gazette.”
After reviewing the documents, Marilyn Oakie, the inmate’s mother, said, “The records make me sick. They support what the doctor at the hospital told me, that he just needed antibiotics and my son would still be here.”
“No one can fathom how extremely nightmarish this is,” she continued. “It’s all I think about morning, noon and night.”
Reflecting on her son’s temperament, she said, “My son was not a loud or violent guy. He told me over the phone the last time we spoke that he was hurting very badly and couldn’t get medical help. When I didn’t hear from him after that, I was worried.”
Meningitis is a “potentially fatal” medical emergency that requires immediate care at a hospital, with risk of death within 24 hours, according to the World Health Organization.
“Even with proper diagnosis and treatment, up to 1 in 5 people who develop this condition will die. Longterm health problems occur in around 20% of people who survive pneumococcal meningitis. These problems include brain damage, deafness,
learning disabilities, paralysis,” according to Healthline. “Because this disease is so dangerous, it’s very important to go to the doctor right away if you suspect you have it.”
The following timeline of care, as reflected in the HOF medical records which substantiates a growing concerns about the level of medical care at the jail:
June 20, 2024: Oakie is incarcerated, and initial intake forms indicate he weighs 112 lbs.
June 27: Oakie fills out an inmate medical request form and says, “I’m hypoglycemic and I’m losing weight. Can I please get a food bag please, thank you.”
July 4: Heart of Florida staffers do a Health Evaluation and Assessment; Oakie now weighs 108.4 lbs. He’s approved by the nurse to work in the jail.
July 5: HOF records indicate Oakie is on weight checks for the next 30 days and direct staff to notify the kitchen that he should be on a 3,000-calorie daily diet. A diet order form is in Oakie’s medical file but jail records don’t indicate if the kitchen staff ever received the order.
July 6: A HOF record indicates staffers were processing Oakie’s inmate medical request for food.
July 7: HOF records reflect Oakie tested negative in a tuberculosis skin test.
July 18: Oakie submits another Inmate Medical Request Form that states, “Really bad ear infection, it’s hurting really bad, I need medicine now, it’s hurting horribly.”
July 19: HOF records reflect Oakie is complaining of nasal congestion, cough and body aches. Oakie “states that his left ear is painful, and intermittently drains fluid,” and that “the left side of the jaw is swollen/painful.” Nurse Collen Rutland prescribes 400mg of ibuprofen and mucus relief, as needed. Oakie is told to follow up if his pain worsens.
July 20: Oakie is a walk-in at the jail infirmary and says the pain has worsened. Nurse Umba tells him to return if the pain worsens.
July 21: MCSO records indicate this was the last day Oakie spoke by phone to anyone outside the jail. Oakie had been calling and talking with his mother every day since his incarceration 30 days ago. His mother said Oakie was complaining that he had an earache and was trying to get help for it.
July 22: At 10 a.m., Oakie is weighed in at 103.8 lbs. and continues to complain of left ear and head pain. Nurse Sandy Gomez diagnoses Oakie with a common cold
and prescribes Tylenol and an antihistamine and sends him back to the general population.
July 22: At 4:10 p.m., Oakie is experiencing dizziness, nausea, and vomiting and he’s “sweating profusely.” He’s transported to the infirmary for nurse observation for 23 hours. His weight is 104.6 lbs.
July 22: At 7:28 p.m., Oakie ate some food and was being monitored for the same symptoms under R.N. John Little.
July 23: At 8 a.m., D. Cunningham, ARNP, ordered a blood culture, prescribed IV fluids, cold medicine, antihistamine and anti-nausea medicine and said Oakie should be in isolation.
July 23: At 8:15 a.m., records show Oakie’s temperature is at 101.8 and he is placed on a water and ice chips diet by Cunningham after he vomited.
July 23: At 9:28 a.m., records reflect an order for X-rays of Oakie’s chest and continued prescription of IV fluids, cold medicine, antihistamine and anti-nausea medicine.
July 23: At 3:59 p.m., Labcorp faxes Oakie’s bloodwork results to HOF, but nurses there continue to indicate in reports that the results are pending over the coming days.
July 23: At 4:51 p.m., records indicate X-ray results are pending and confirm Oakie is still on the same treatment plan, receiving only water and ice chips.
July 23: At 7:16 p.m., Nurse L. Tyson indicates Oakie had started dry heaving, and medical staff are still waiting for bloodwork results.
July 24: At 9:14 a.m., Cunningham reports “dark colored liquid vomit noted in red bag.” The current medical plan continues except that Cunningham asks for a hepatitis panel and blood sugar test for the next three days.
July 24: At 3:37 a.m., LPN Maria Kuntz indicates Oakie has a blood sugar reading of 153 and continues the medications for cold and nausea.
July 24: At 4:36 a.m., Kuntz enters a nearly identical note to Oakie’s chart as was entered less than an hour before.
July 24: At 8:18 p.m., R.N. A. Younes confirms the same treatment for Oakie, notes a negative COVID test, notes a blood specimen for a hepatitis panel and writes that Oakie is complaining of “dizziness with ambulation.”
July 25: At 3:52 a.m., Younes reports a blood sugar reading of 146 for Oakie and continues the same medications.
July 25: At 5:15 a.m., Younes reports Oakie is standing next to a toilet coughing and spitting
Salvation Army
Continued from page A1
“conversation with headquarters” about the difficult situation. He stated that drawdowns on reserves over several years to keep the emergency shelter open were in the range of $1 million. In the event of a temporary emergency shelter closure, extreme weather shelter availability might be changed to daytime hours only, Irish is heard stating in the video.
“In recent years we have experienced financial strain on what were once dependable funding sources and strategies. Significant reserves have been supplementing operations as we have been navigating the challenges of funding disruptions, skyrocketing expenses and critical staffing shortages,” Irish wrote in an email following the C
of C meeting. He said the sources and strategies he cited “primarily refers to results of the Christmas kettles and direct mail support.” Irish also referred in the email to funding and staff shortages and increasing expenses.
“These pressures increased rapidly over the past several months as we came out of a Christmas funding shortfall. We are now approaching a budgetary break point. Rather than closing the shelter program indefinitely, we are currently examining ‘suspending’ our shelter activities for a limited period of six to 12 months. Other services would remain intact and continue to operate out of The Center of Hope facility,” Irish wrote. “During this time, a
in the toilet and stating he vomited and asked for water. Younes tells Oakie he cannot have water and is told to return to his bed and reminded that there is a biohazard bag next to the bed in case of vomiting. “Inmate stated he didn’t want to use the red bag or get back in bed, fall risk education given verbally. Inmate not receptive, witnessed inmate drinking water from faucet,” Younes wrote of the encounter.
July 25: At 1:41 p.m., R.N. Leslie Tyson indicates bloodwork is still pending and Oakie’s temperature is at 102.9. A recheck of his temperature an hour later comes in at 100.4.
July 25: At 8:51 p.m., Younes reports Oakie’s temperature is 101.2 and staff is trying to collect a stool sample.
July 26: At 1:38 a.m., Younes reports Oakie has refused another IV and stated, “I want to go back to the pod.” The information was contained on a Refusal of Treatment Form dated 7/26/24 signed by nurses Younes and Cunningham. The line for the patient signature is blank on the form.
July 26: At 2:01 a.m., Younes indicates Oakie has removed his IV port and “continued for several hours yelling he wanted to leave the infirmary.”
July 26: At 3:30 a.m., Younes confirms a bowel movement with blood in it. Younes says inmate did not answer twice to requests for permission to place a new IV.
July 26: At 4:33 a.m., Younes reports Oakie’s blood sugar reading is 206.
July 26: At 4:37 a.m., Younes reports Oakie weighs 104.6 lbs.
July 26: At 5:43 a.m., Younes reports Oakie is “not answering questions” and that pepper spray was used on Oakie, after which he received a 15-minute shower. MCSO records also reflect Deputy N. Custodio sprayed pepper spray in Oakie’s face because Oakie would not respond to orders. Deputies L. Gordon and B. Lovino placed Oakie in hand restraints and put him in a decontamination shower for 15 minutes before he is returned to the infirmary cell.
July 26: At 7:44 a.m., for the first time, Oakie’s blood work from July 23 is referenced in HOF records by R.N. Lucille Fraser. Minutes later, Fraser writes, “Patient transported to AdventHealth hospital as per Dr. Rodriguez for altered mental status, elevated white blood count with the request to rule out sepsis.”
July 26: At 7:41 a.m., someone at the jail calls 911 for medical transport. County call records indicate multiple calls were increasing the urgency/ priority of the call.
July 26: At 8:15 a.m.,
ambulance paramedics report they have transported Oakie to AdventHealth within a minute of being notified of a sepsis alert. According to medical records of AdventHealth, Oakie went into respiratory distress in the emergency room and had to be intubated.
July 28: At 8:40 p.m., Oakie’s mother makes the difficult decision to take Oakie off the ventilator. Oakie is pronounced dead seven minutes later.
July 29: The Medical Examiner indicates to MCSO that their office could only conduct an external examination due to Oakie’s contagious illness.
In an email dated May 20, 2025 with the “Gazette” a spokesperson for the Medical Examiner’s office confirmed it did not receive HOF records for Oakie.
MCSO identified the cause of Oakie’s death as “natural causes.”
MCSO indicates there is video surveillance outside of Oakie’s cell but not inside the cell. They have refused to let the family, or the “Gazette,” view the footage.
In its death-in-custody report to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, MCSO writes, “An investigation into the incident revealed that the inmate had been receiving treatment in the infirmary for an altered mental state. A decision was made by medical staff to transport him to a local hospital by ambulance for further treatment. The inmate ultimately was removed from life support at the request of his family. The cause of death was determined to be natural, caused by Pneumococcal Meningitis.”
Neither the FDLE nor State Attorney William Gladson’s office has investigated Oakie’s death.
Despite the “Gazette” sharing the timeline of Oakie’s case with HOF and MCSO, the agencies refuse to provide any explanation for the patient’s treatment, including why he was subjected to pepper spray in the face while he was in dire medical need.
Under the $12 million annual contract between the HOF and MCSO, the cost of medical malpractice insurance is included in the rates being charged by HOF; however, MCSO says they don’t have a copy of that insurance information, and HOF has not provided it upon the request of the “Gazette.”
MCSO’s annual contract includes HOF paying for any specialty and hospital care for inmates, which could create a nexus whereby HOF has financial interests in delaying inmate care under the contract.
reassessment of specific sheltering needs and/or gaps can be conducted along with identifying appropriate and sustainable funding solutions with the community. We are looking to have this decided and a date set, if necessary, at our advisory board meeting on June 3. Emergency shelter services are vital and I am confident that The Salvation Army with the support our community can find a sustainable solution together,” he wrote in part.
Advisory board member Jim Hilty, an Ocala city councilman, said he looks forward to the board meeting to consider “funding avenues within the Salvation Army’s rules and regulations.”
According to Ocala Salvation Army Program Coordinator Scott Lyles, the facility has a total of 108 beds, 40 extreme weather night mats and capacity for 40 more mats in the dining hall.
Lyles stated that in the last year, the Center for Hope has provided shelter for 1,165 people, night lodging for 12,535 and fed 23,263. According to HUD data, most of the beds are for adult men.
“We don’t have a lot of flexibility in this community when it comes to (emergency shelter beds that are) low barrier … and (for) men,“ Irish stated at the C of C meeting.
The next largest emergency housing agencies are Interfaith Emergency Services, with 35 beds focused on families, and CASA Marion, a domestic violence shelter, with 22 beds. The Arnette House nonprofit has 12 beds for juveniles, according to HUD data.
Stacie Causey, director of Marion County Board of County Commissioners Public Relations, stated in an email that as part of the “Ocala Marion Continuum of Care, our Community Services team remains at-the-ready to support local nonprofits like the
Salvation Army’s Ocala location and the CoC’s mission to make homelessness rare, brief and nonrecurring.” According to salvationarmyusa.org/usasouthern-territory, the outreach offers an array of services including combating hunger, homelessness and hunger; utility assistance programs and recovery and job training programs for adults and more.
Irish’s normal transfer to another location within the organization is expected to occur sometime in June.
To view the video, go to ocalagazette.com/continuumof-care-board-of-governorsand-membership-meetingsmay-27-2025/
To learn more, go to ocala. salvationarmyflorida.org and marionflcoc.org/about-us/cocoverview
Renowned local farmer, cattleman dies at 89 D.A.
Lewis Jr. will be remembered for his work in growing and teaching about peanuts, and for mentoring youth involved in agriculture.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
If you are fond of the tasty green boiled peanuts you can find on shady corners all around Marion County this time of year, you can thank D.A. Lewis Jr. and his father, D.A. Lewis Sr.
The elder Lewis is credited as being one of the first farmers in Marion County to grow green “boiling” peanuts for the market and he passed his extensive knowledge on to his son, who grew up to be a renowned local farmer and cattleman, Marion County Agricultural Hall of Fame member and big proponent of the nutritional value of peanuts.
Lewis Jr., who died May 21 at the age of 89, was involved in the commercial production of peanuts, cattle, soybeans, vegetables and more. Working with the Institute of Food and Agriculture Services, he grew new varieties of peanuts and small grain seed crops. He was a board member of the Florida Peanut Producers Association and served as vice president from 1990-1995 and on the National Peanut Council from 1984-1992.
He was a director of the Marion County Farm Bureau, for which he served as president from 1982-1988. He was the treasurer for 29 years and was given the Distinguished Service Award at the state convention in 2012. He was on numerous committees, organized annual meetings and served on national councils. He also was involved for many years in the annual Ocala Bull Sale and Southeastern Youth Fair.
In 2024, the Reddick High School Reunion Committee renamed its annual scholarship the D.A. Lewis Jr. RHS Reunion Scholarship in honor of the 1954 RHS graduate.
HOME GROWN
According to materials provided by his daughter, Sally Lewis, D.A. Lewis Jr. was born to Dewey Adolf Lewis Sr. and Ethel Sally Lewis on May 1, 1936, in a wood frame house at the corner of Maricamp Road and 36th Avenue, in the community known as Montaque. The family moved to Lowell, in northwest Marion County, in 1940.
“Starting his own small farming business, D. A. Sr. focused on raising crops and shipping them north by rail car and truck. He also utilized local labor to harvest citrus in the winter season when the vegetable farming was slow. He survived and sometimes succeeded by always trying new crops to support the family’s meager existence. It was at the Meffert farm that D. A. Jr. had his first 4-H project, which was a dairy heifer named Buttercup, in 1947,” the document noted.
“D. A. Sr. was one of the first farmers in Marion County to grow green ‘boiling’ peanuts for the market. It was an easy crop to grow but had to be harvested and packed by hand. He used local labor to gather this cash crop in the summer and early fall. D. A. Jr. learned
quickly that hard work would pay off. He began working on the farm at a very early age. He wanted to go to college and worked year-round to save money for tuition and books. He worked for Myron Row, a melon broker, during the watermelon season and packed freight cars during the harvest season,” according to the materials.
Lewis Jr. joined the Future Farmers of America in high school and was president of the RHS chapter his senior year. It was during this time he learned parliamentary procedure and developed leadership skills. He also was active in sports at the school.
Lewis started attending the University of Florida in 1954, majoring in agriculture. He joined Sigma Chi fraternity and befriended Joe Chapman, who later became his business partner. He joined the Army Reserve in 1955 and received his officer’s commission in 1958. He served two years of active duty from 1959-1961, in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. From 19621967, he served in the National Guard in Ocala, was commanding officer of the armored unit and rose to the rank of captain. It also was in 1962 that he married Kay Warren, of Ocala. The couple had two children, John and Sally. Kay passed away on Jan. 29, 2019.
From 1962-1972, D.A. Lewis worked for the Farm Service Agency. He spent nights and weekends working his small cattle herd and growing cash crops. In 1972, he and Chapman acquired the 4,200-acre Sugar Hill Farm, a cattle and soybean operation in Alabama. They increased their herd of cows to more than 1,000 during the five years they ran the farm. After they sold it in 1976, they bought a 500-acre farm in Anthony, in northeast Marion County. They raised cattle and grew watermelons and vegetables, and lots of peanuts.
RECOLLECTIONS
Sally Lewis recalls that when she was 4 and 5 years old, her dad would let her go with him to the fields and to help work the cattle at leased properties and farms.
“It was always an adventure. I especially loved helping round up the cattle and driving them into the cow pens during calving season. Occasionally, he would let me go off by myself and find a stray cow that was down calving or for other reasons. It was the coolest experience,” she shared.
She said her father supported many 4-H and FFA members with their projects, bought market animals and helped several financially.
“Many young kids would keep their steers at my parents’ place and dad would mentor them along the way,” she said.
“When I went to New York City after college to work, he was not a huge supporter of me leaving Ocala. Twenty years later when I returned home to help my mom, who was diagnosed
with early onset Alzheimer’s, my daughtering journey began. My dad asked one day, ‘Why can’t you just find a nice man to settle down with?’ I told him, ‘Dad, I cannot take care of two old men at the same time, who will take care of you?’ He thought for a minute, and said, “Good point, forget I asked,’” she recalled.
She said her father had a big sweet tooth and especially loved ice cream.
“My mom was an excellent baker and always had homemade cake, pie or cookies. We also would have ice cream parties with the neighborhood. It was a big deal when the electric ice cream maker came out, but we still used the hand crank ones too. We would have 8 to 10 different flavors. Dad loved fresh peach ice cream and good old fashioned French vanilla with chocolate sauce. In later years, he would call me up and tell me Blue Bell ice cream was BOGO at Publix. I would have to hurry and pick it up before it sold out. He could polish off a gallon of ice cream in one week in his later years,” she offered.
She said he also loved going to the cattle market every Monday, even if he did not have cows to sell.
“It was social. He could talk about market trends with all his friends and have a nice southern lunch from the café,” she said.
“Dad was a storyteller; he could tell you who owned what property before and all about the history of Ocala and Marion County,” she added.
Sally said life lessons she learned from her father included, “Honesty, responsibility and commitment; remember where you came from; know your roots; give back to your community; volunteer; lead by example’ and never ask anyone to do something that you do not already know how to do.
MAKING FRIENDS
One of Lewis Jr.’s friends was Hugh Dailey, a well-known local banker, cattleman and key figure behind the nearly 70-year-old Ocala Bull Sale.
“My family grew up in Ocala and our family has been friends with D.A. Lewis’ family for over 50 years. Mr. Lewis was a great man and an outstanding farmer. From a very young age, I recall his love for farming and his support of young people. Our family lived in town and the Lewis’ allowed us
to keep 4-H steers at their farm. Back then it seemed like their home was way out in the country. Today, it is the last of the small farms left in the Deep Woods subdivision. He would drive every day to Anthony and Lowell to work at the farm (in today’s traffic that would take two hours),” Dailey wrote in an email message.
“He was a hardworking man. I remember many days when he worked seven days a week from daylight to dark. He was one of the best peanut farmers in Florida. He was also one of the biggest promoters of peanuts in the history of Florida. I will always respect his hard work ethic,” Dailey offered.
“Mr. Lewis was also a huge supporter of the Southeastern Youth Fair, 4-H and any youth programs that Florida Farm Bureau could come up with. We will miss him, but his legacy will live forever because he set such a great example for future generations to follow,” Dailey stated.
Annabelle Leitner, a noted local historian who shares a historic pioneer farm in Shiloh in northwest Marion County with her sister Nancy, recalled always calling her friend Mr. Lewis, even after he told her to call him D.A.
“Even on one of our encounters at the state office of the Florida Farm Bureau, when I was working on a graphics project for his beloved peanuts, I never ever called him anything but Mr. Lewis. I really got to know him better the years we spent together with other local farmers at the Southeastern Youth Fair. Mr. Lewis was one of my biggest supporters in the quest of preserving Northwest Marion County history, including the history of Reddick High School. All of our families were farmers and there is also a certain bond among farmers. If I was working on a project, it was not uncommon for him to call and make sure that I knew about what had happened in the area as he did not want anything left out,” she shared.
“Ironically, Mr. Lewis drew his last breath the day that the scholarship that bears his name was awarded for the first time to a graduating senior at North Marion High School. Though the awards and recognitions Mr. Lewis has received over the years will keep his memory alive, it his friends, his classmates and those who were fortunate to know him who are the ones who were rewarded,” she added.
Janice Ray, who is involved with the annual Reddick High School Reunion, called Lewis “the last of the great Terriers.”
“Bubba” Lewis, as his close friends called him, dazzled people with his football and basketball skills in high school, Ray noted.
“He was one of the best to ever play football for coach Jack Yearwood on the gridiron. He was involved in FFA with Carl Rehwinkel, his agriculture teacher, and later on created an endowed scholarship in memory of Rehwinkel. He was president of
his senior class and was voted Best Looking and Most Athletic by classmates,” she recalled.
“D.A. had a remarkable mind and was able to share many great memories and stories about his life, his family, his friends and his high school days. He always had a great story to tell, even one when some boys put the FFA chapter pigs in the school building one Halloween!” Ray shared.
“He loved the RHS reunions, which he was an integral part of. He came up with the idea of giving out yearly scholarships to NMHS seniors in memory of the faithful Terrier graduates. He maintained camaraderie with many Terrier alumni. He gave freely of his time and talents to make the reunions a success. He even brought his own feed bucket from home for the money drawings at the reunion while digging deep in his pockets to make it lucrative,” she stated.
A LASTING LEGACY
Sally Lewis said her father’s legacy is educating and supporting young people in Marion County about agriculture, especially about peanuts, how to grow them and the nutritional value of peanuts and peanut butter.
“He loved to participate each year in the Florida Ag in the Classroom and read to young second, third and fourth grade students about agriculture in Florida. His favorite school to read at was Fessenden Elementary. He connected with the rural students more than in-town schools. Many of the Fessenden students’ families worked in agriculture or had livestock. The students in the city limits thought their milk came from Publix and that peanuts grow on trees,” she said.
“He loved to engage and challenge the students to read, learn more and ask questions about farming to their own parents. Many parents would know my dad and show up to school that day with their kids to hear what stories he had to tell,” she added.
“Dad had so many friends in many walks of life. If someone would listen, he was always willing to talk about farming and livestock. He will be missed in the ag community,” John Lewis noted.
In addition to his children John and Sally, Lewis is survived by his sister Joy Row, grandchildren Makayla Elaine Lewis and John William Lewis, and companion Shirley Rollins. A celebration of life took place on May 28 at First Baptist Church of Ocala, where Lewis was a longtime member. He was laid to rest in the Millwood Cemetery in Reddick.
The family asks that those who wish to make a donation in his memory consider the Marion County 4-H Foundation, 2232 NE Jacksonville Road, Ocala, FL 34470, or the Reddick High School Reunion D A Lewis Scholarship Fund, with checks made payable to
Janice Ray or Altha Wimberly and sent to RHS Reunion, P.O. Box 413, Reddick, FL 32686.
Submitted photos
D.A. Lewis Jr., center, with Joe O’Farrell III and Tom Cothran, was honored during the Sept. 19, 2019, Marion County Farm Bureau annual meeting, barbecue dinner and cake auction.
Sally, John and D.A. Lewis Jr. at the Southeastern Youth Fair, circa 1974.
D.A. and Kay Lewis by the “kissing tree” at Silver Springs.
D.A. Lewis Sr. and D.A. Lewis Jr. with a crop of peanuts.
D.A. Lewis Jr. was a well-known grower of peanuts.
DeSantis signs animal cruelty bills, including statewide database
Marion County has long had an animal abuser database, known as ‘Molly’s Law,’ and local advocate Lilly Baron was on hand for the ceremony.
The News Service of Florida and Susan Smiley-Height Ocala Gazette
Nobody was happier to be in Loxahatchee on May 28 than Lilly Baron of Marion County. Baron has long advocated for a statewide animal abuser registry. On Wednesday, she attended a ceremony during which Gov. Ron DeSantis signed two bills focused on animal cruelty and directing the Florida Department of Law Enforcement by the start of next year to put a database on its website of people convicted of animalcruelty offenses.
Part of the measure was in response to a dog found tied to a fence along Interstate 75 during last year’s Hurricane Milton.
“How someone treats an animal speaks volumes of their character,” Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner
DeLuca
Continued from page A1
mission of patient care: treating the whole person as part of the ministry of Christ.
Dr. Doug Murphy, a longtime Marion County OB/GYN physician who had delivered thousands of babies at the facility, told the audience, “Labor and delivery is a unique place. And if you practice obstetrics as a physician or nurse practitioner midwife nurse, you realize it’s about 90% to 95% joy and 5% to 10% pure terror.”
Murphy said the “really unique environment” gives everyone in the unit an opportunity to shine.
Speaking to Frank and Angela Deluca, Murphy called their donation “a game changer.”
“We have great physicians, nurse midwives, nurses who make this team work very, but your gift is going to allow us to improve the physical part and the equipment that allow us to work at the top of our game,” he said. “There’s no substitute for when you need something and you need it right now, it’s there. It impacts, obviously, not only the life of the child but the life of the mother as well.
“But beyond the bricks and mortar sort of things,” he continued, “the thing that I think is going to be transformative is the fact that when you have a physical plant, that’s great, and the team that’s working is humming, so
said during a bill-signing ceremony at Big Dog Ranch in Loxahatchee.
Named “Trooper’s Law,” one of the bills (SB 150) will create a thirddegree felony offense of animal cruelty for people who restrain dogs outside during natural disasters. The bill is named after Trooper, a dog found by a Florida Highway Patrol trooper after being tied to a fence during the hurricane and later adopted.
The other measure, called “Dexter’s Law,” will increase aggravated animal-cruelty penalties if people intentionally torture domesticated animals. The bill (HB 255) also directs the Florida Department of Law Enforcement by the start of next year to put a database on its website of people convicted of animal-cruelty offenses. “Dexter’s Law” was proposed after a St. Petersburg man was accused of decapitating his newly adopted dog.
LOCAL DATABASE
Marion County has for some time had an animal abuser
to speak, you can attract other physicians and other nurse practitioners and other midwives because they come in and they go, ‘Wow, I want to be part of this team.’ That is going to be the legacy that lives on because of your generosity. That sort of thinking is something that I want you to understand how transformative that is for our community, and I can’t thank you enough.”
Dr. Raj Wadhawan, Chief Clinical Officer for the AdventHealth West Florida Division, praised the medical team of the hospital during the celebration, adding, “As an organization, we continue to invest in the communities that we want to serve, and we do serve in. But I also know that philanthropic partnerships bring an exceptional touch to the programs that we couldn’t otherwise do.”
The expanded and renovated maternity unit will include: Private Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) spaces, providing privacy for families and a calming environment for babies, as well as cameras in both the NICU and postbirthing room, so families can see their babies at any time.
• Wall computers in the rooms for real-time information and communication
• HALO BassiNests © in all rooms, promoting safe sleep for new parents and babies
• Leading-edge electronic fetal monitoring, supported by AI, to create even better clinical
database. It began after a dog named Molly was stabbed three times in the head and had her skull fractured with a baseball bat in early 2014. Her accused attacker, Steven Scott Fleming, served time in state prison on three counts of felony cruelty to animals.
outcomes for patients
Specialized resources and equipment in mother/ baby rooms, OB operating rooms and OB Emergency Department
• New welcome area for families
“We are blessed by serving more and more mothers and families each year. While the unit has served patients well, a new, larger, technologically advanced mother/baby unit is needed,” said Erika Skula, president and CEO of AdventHealth Ocala.
“Our vision ensures high-quality, compassionate maternal health care to improve outcomes, bridge disparities and secure access for all mothers and babies.”
This project comes as the latest data from the Florida Department of Health shows Marion County communities have a higher rate of babies born to mothers who didn’t receive prenatal care than the state’s overall average.
AdventHealth Foundation Chair Gordon Fairbanks, who was born in the facility, spoke to the long-standing legacy many feel with the institution. “As Chair of the Foundation Board, I have the privilege to see how much philanthropy touches lives through healing, hope and love. Today is proof of how powerful that connection can be,” he said.
The foundation board launched a campaign to raise $8.5 million to enhance the hospital’s Mother Baby Unit, and they had raised $5 million toward that goal explained foundation member
The county’s animal abuser registry requires that any offender convicted of an animal abuse crime be placed on in the database, which allows citizens, pet sellers and rescue organizations to verify that they are not placing an animal with an animal abuser, according to the
Rusty Branson.
Speaking of the DeLucas’, Branson said, “Their generosity sets the tone not only for this campaign but for a spirit of giving with hope that inspires us throughout Marion County and beyond. Frank and Angela, I can’t say it enough, and I can’t tell you how much I thank you for this.”
Frank DeLuca explained the considerations that were made before deciding to support the initiative.
“This is a place where people show up for one another, where they can take pride in building something better, and where generosity is not just a value, it’s a way of life,” he said. “When Erika and Amy invited us to learn about the delivering our future campaign, we took time to sincerely reflect. Angela and I are always thoughtful when deciding where to give, and the more we listened and asked questions, the more we understood just how powerful this campaign could be and how much of an impact our gift could have on families in our hometown, we created the DeLuca Family Foundation to support work that matters. We call it the DeLuca difference.
“This is not just about updating a space; it’s about creating the best possible beginning for life. It’s about giving nurses and physicians what they need to do their jobs with excellence. And it’s about showing every family who walks through the doors that they are cared for and valued,” DeLuca said.
Marion County website. Molly died in 2023, at the age 15. She had been adopted by Baron, director of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Ocala, years earlier. Baron said 11 other Florida counties have similar registries, but anyone wanting to know if someone is listed would have to look through all 11 to gain information. She has long been a proponent of having a statewide database.
“If we can get a statewide registry, then it would be a much easier process to learn if someone has been adjudicated guilty of animal cruelty,” she noted in a prior “Gazette” article.
Via text on May 28, she wrote: “It’s great to see it’s finally a reality!”
To access the registry, go to animalservices.marionfl.org/ animal-control/animal-controland-pet-laws/animal-abuserregistry
To read one of numerous articles about Molly’s life, go to ocalagazette. com/remembering-molly
Angela DeLuca echoed her husband’s sentiments.
“It means so much to be standing here today, not far from where I spent many years working at what was then Monroe Regional Medical Center. That hospital was filled with people who gave their all, day in and day out, to care for others. Even though the name on the building has changed, the heart and the care remain the sam, and today, that mission is growing in bold and beautiful ways.
“This campaign is just one example of how we continue to meet the moment and prepare for the future,” she continued.
“During my time at the hospital, I saw firsthand how meaningful it is to support people during life’s most tender and vulnerable moments. Whether it was a patient, a family member or a fellow caregiver, I came to understand that the smallest gestures can have the greatest impact, and that is why this campaign speaks to us. It honors the sacred work of caregiving, and it makes space for every family to feel seen, supported and surrounded by love.
“From the very beginning, it says to our nurses, physicians and care teams, we believe in you. It’s their passion and commitment that has inspired this moment, a special gift that will be an investment in the future of maternal care in Marion County, being a part of this effort is a deeply personal way for Frank and me to give back,” she said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 28 signed two bills focused on animal cruelty and directing the Florida Department of Law Enforcement by the start of next year to put a database on its website of people convicted of animal-cruelty offenses. [Photo by Lilly Baron/Special to the Gazette]
Hannah Harper, then 2 1/2, pets Molly during the “Molly’s Law Documentary” premiere at the Marion Theatre in Ocala on April 24, 2022. [File photo by Bruce Ackerman]
This frame grab from the “Molly’s Law Documentary” shows the wounds the canine received in a brutal attack in 2014. Her attacker later served time in prison. [File photo by Bruce Ackerman]
Alarm sounded over MCSO jail safety
“Gazette” needs community’s assistance to gather details of subpar care for prisoners.
By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
After spending significant resources in recent months investigating unusual circumstances surrounding prisoner deaths at the Marion County Jail, the “Ocala Gazette” has hit a roadblock – and we need your help to continue to perform this public safety service.
Nationally, an average of about 1.40 deaths occur annually per 1,000 people incarcerated in jails, according to the National Institutes of Health. Given that Marion County Jail holds an average of 1,600 to 1,700 inmates at a time, and 31 inmates have died since January 2021, the annual average of deaths in the jail is about 4.4 deaths per 1,000 incarcerated people per year, well above the national average. We have reason to believe more people have died or been seriously injured at the facility but were released from custody before they died. Compliance by the county with the federal Death in Custody Reporting Act, however, is voluntary, which
leaves plenty of opportunity for case details to be obscured or ignored.
We now need the help of inmates and their families to obtain information about any medical treatments they received at the jail. We also need the public at large, and especially those working in the justice system, to understand what is at risk.
We are asking Marion County residents who have been held at the Marion County jail from Jan. 1, 2023 to present who have disabilities or who have experienced serious medical treatment issues at the jail to sign authorizations allowing our journalists to review their medical records.
Access to this information has become critically important because the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, which oversees the jail, has not produced any compliance reports for Heart of Florida Health Center, which provides medical services at the jail, since August 2024.
That was when the MCSO fired R.N. Mary Coy, the medical liaison at the jail who is also a certified Florida medical jail auditor.
The “Gazette” has reviewed extensive compliance reports by Coy, who spent years sounding an alarm about medical neglect and disregard for Florida jail model standards. Coy said MCSO and HOF policies were causing unnecessary suffering for the mentally ill, the disabled, and those who were facing lifethreatening medical challenges behind bars.
“I now work with a team of practitioners, leaders that despite documentation/reports coming from inmates, security and myself, there is little to nothing done about issues of grave concern,” Coy wrote in a 2022 memo to her superiors.
“I am not allowed to function in the role that I was hired for and my voice on behalf of the inmates is no longer being heard. I have taken my concerns to the top security and medical in the jail many times. Many of the caring Heart of Florida Practitioners left but before leaving tried to make positive changes. Some of the reports I have written and things of denial of care I have read in documentation have brought me to tears many times on the job and at home. I am seen as the ‘bad guy’ for trying to help human beings receive basic humane treatment. I have read in documentation many horrific things that I have reported and outlined in detail.”
The MCSO points to annual jail audits they’ve passed without any criticism. Those audits, however, are conducted by MCSO allies chosen by MCSO from other law enforcement agencies and are not reviewed by a higher government agency.
MCSO says it now contracts with Meagan Taylor of Taylor Correctional Consulting, an entity formed in 2023 and located in North Port, Florida. According to the MCSO, since being contracted, Taylor has sent only one email this year to Major Charles McIntosh, who oversees the jail, and that was to schedule a meeting.
The “Gazette” has repeatedly asked Mcintosh for any public records that would show the MCSO is monitoring HOF compliance with Florida Model Medical Jail Standards. He has responded via email that there were no public records being created about the subject. He added that corrections deputies ensure inmates are getting necessary medical attention.
The “Gazette,” however, has records from 2021 to the present that reflect that Sheriff Billy Woods and top MCSO management were made aware repeatedly that a combination of negligent medical care and use of force was causing unwarranted inmate pain and suffering and sometimes leading to death.
We will provide the records to any attorneys who are
exploring whether to take a case representing inmates or their families in federal claims under U.S. Code § 1983 - Civil action for deprivation of rights.
HOF charges MCSO for medical malpractice insurance. Since the policy is paid for by taxpayers, the “Gazette” has asked for the policy but has not received the information.
HOF is the only medical facility in Marion County that receives federal funding, but more than half of its funding comes from managing Marion County and Sumter County jails, which are also paid by taxpayers. Additionally, the HOF has received millions of dollars in funding from the Marion County Hospital District over the past decade for the support of treating uninsured Marion County residents.
MCSO’s annual contract with HOF is more than $12 million and includes HOF paying for any specialty and hospital care for inmates. This creates a nexus whereby HOF has financial interests in delaying inmate care under the contract.
Any attorneys, employees of MCSO or HOF, inmates or next of kin willing to share information or receive more information may contact the Gazette at 352-7320073 and by email to jennifer@ ocalagazette.com.
Ocala City Council approves $5.95 million radio contract for OPD
The
decision cited the company’s superior local support and system compatibility over a lower bidder.
By Jamie Berube jamie@ocalagazette.com
The Ocala City Council on May 20 greenlit a $5.95 million, fiveyear Motorola radio contract for the Ocala Police Department, citing the company’s superior local support and system compatibility over lower bidder L3Harris, which came in at $3.2 million.
L3Harris, represented by Communications International, called on the council to defer the decision due to alleged inaccuracies in the city’s request for an exception to bidding rules, but the council moved forward with the approval in a unanimous vote.
The city’s procurement policy allows bypassing competitive bidding for critical police equipment when justified.
OPD’s Director of Information Technology Joshua Sasso justified the decision, citing Motorola’s local service center for rapid repairs and seamless compatibility with Ocala’s 911 and SmartMapping systems.
OPD Public Information Officer Jeffrey Walczak said the agency carefully selects communication equipment like Motorola radios to ensure emergency teams can respond quickly and effectively to keep the community safe.
“We follow strict procurement guidelines to secure reliable, high-quality equipment, ensuring every dollar spent enhances public safety. Our priority is choosing tools that help us respond faster and protect the community better,” Walczak said.
OPD’s exception request, presented by Sasso, highlighted several key elements of Motorola’s proposal. Motorola operates a service center in Ocala, supported by Tri-Co, ensuring rapid response times.
L3Harris, according to Sasso, relies on technicians from Brooksville, at least an hour away.
Sasso also pointed out that Motorola’s devices integrate seamlessly with OPD’s existing Motorola P25 system and Vesta 911 mapping system and include GPS functionality and an Advanced Programming Interface Kit for integration with the Fusus platform, supporting OPD’s SmartMapping application. L3Harris’s devices require an additional “BeOn” package for GPS and LTE Pushto-Talk, with integration into Fusus only recently confirmed as feasible.
Motorola’s SmartConnect feature enables automatic transitions between LTE and LMR networks, unlike L3Harris’s “BeOn,” which requires manual switching. Motorola’s pricing is secured under the National Association of State Procurement Officials contract No. 00318 and the State of Florida contract, with pricing valid until May 30, 2025, while L3Harris’s proposal lacks a clear pricing source.
At the council meeting, Meghan Mercer, representing Communications International and L3Harris, raised concerns about the procurement process and said the company was not given a fair chance to present their proposal, which offered savings of $2.74 million compared to Motorola’s quote.
“I respectfully ask that you defer the action on this item to allow time to direct a meeting between city leadership and our team. We were not given the opportunity to present or discuss our solution with city leadership, which I believe is critical, given what’s at stake both financially and operationally,” she said.
Mercer said the city’s procurement form contains inaccuracies about L3Harris’s
bid. The company sought a meeting with city leaders to correct inaccuracies and discuss their solution, emphasizing financial responsibility and effective public safety services for Ocala’s taxpayers and first responders.
“Our goal is to support the city of Ocala in providing financially responsible, forwardlooking public safety services. Again, we ask for the item to be deferred so we can ensure the city is making the most informed decision possible on behalf of the taxpayers and first responders alike,” she continued.
Daphne Robinson, Director of Procurement and Contracting for the city of Ocala, defended the Motorola contract. She explained that cooperative purchasing through agencies like NASPO ensures the best value for Ocala as outlined in the procurement policy
“Best value … comes from a product or solution that provides the optimal combination of cost, quality, delivery and sustainability,” she said. “OPD outlined a number of operational advantages from utilizing Motorola. They claim to have met with the other agency. It was my determination that the advantages that were outlined in the exception request properly stated the operational advantages that they would face as well as disadvantages if they went with the other product.
“The exception request form has been in use since 2022 to the extent that there is an item placed on an agenda where an exception has been granted to allow that procurement to move forward. That exception request has been attached every single time. This is the first time, however, since I’ve been here, that a vendor with a differentiating opinion has appeared to question the information that appeared on the exception request itself,” she said.
“We allow for the departments to provide procurement with their justification. I look at it with a fresh set of eyes. I incorporate the services of the buyer that is assigned to that department. I talked directly to Mr. Sasso before I made my decision.
We went through a battery of conversations about the pros, cons and differences. Once he explained what was at risk, I made the decision that the operational advantages outweigh the cost. It’s my understanding that the CFO was involved in this conversation as well. With regard to the finances, this is a five-year rollout. It’s not all in one fell swoop. Things will be brought in and taken out in a cycle to minimize the impact on the budget,” she continued.
Sasso elaborated on the analysis that went into the decision.
“We started this process over 18 months ago,” he noted. “We’ve been with Motorola for over 20 years. We get supported locally by the vendor, Tri-Co, who is several miles away with staff that work in Ocala. When we looked around, we saw that we wanted to take a look at L3Harris and see what they offer, just to make sure that the offerings for options, for LTE coverage, things like that, are similar between the vendors.
“What we found was, while the equipment is similar, there are a few standout areas that present concerns in the realm of public safety. Number one, their closest location is Brooksville. So, with us having to purchase a third-party equipment and integrate it into our existing Motorola infrastructure, they’re at least an hour away if there was a problem, not to mention however long it takes for the technician to be contacted and brought in to actually get the repair completed,” Sasso continued.
Sasso emphasized that Motorola’s interoperability with neighboring counties’ Motorola systems and proven reliability outweigh the cost difference, as mixing vendors risks functionality issues and accountability during system failures.
He also highlighted a costsaving strategy: Ocala’s current radios, nearing the state’s eightyear lifespan limit, will be rotated to non-emergency departments, extending their use and avoiding new purchases.
He stressed the importance of a single vendor for critical radio
systems.
“In my experience, for over 20 years in IT, there is one thing that is really in the realm of public safety that you don’t want to have multiple vendors for, which is the radio. The radio is the lifeline of the officers, the firefighters and our linemen,” Sasso said.
Mayor Ben Marciano questioned the nearly $3 million price difference between the bids, asking if other vendors were considered. Sasso said only Motorola and L3Harris were viable in Florida.
City Council President Kristen Dreyer supported OPD’s approach to look beyond just the price tag.
“I met with a lot of city departments who said, ‘We’re asking for these things through procurement. We’re giving them a very specific list of our needs, and they’re just basically giving the bid to the lowest bidder, but it doesn’t really meet our needs.’ And so, I appreciate that you’re willing to work with the departments and say, ‘Hey, it’s a lot more expensive than the next one,’” she said.
“But you know better what meets your needs than what sometimes the bottom line is,” Dreyer continued. “It’s not always about who the cheapest one is; it’s who fits the role the best. And so, because I’ve been on the other side of the complaint of they’re not giving us what we need and it winds up costing us in the long run because now we have to double what we order. I think it’s just better to just do the right thing right out of the gate.”
The approved purchase exceeds $50,000 and will be tracked under a new Munis Contract through 2026.
Residents can review the procurement details, including Motorola’s final proposal and L3Harris’s sample quotes, on the city’s website at ocalafl.gov, where additional information about council meetings is available. For further details, contact the Ocala Police Department at (352) 230-7717 or the city of Ocala’s Community Development Services by calling (352) 629-2489.
Commissioners vote to raise, reinstate impact fees, defying developer lawsuit threats
By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
The Marion County Board of Commissioners voted on May 23 to raise impact fees and reinstate others starting Oct. 1 to offset the rising costs of transportation improvements and fire services brought on by new residential and business development.
After hours of discussion, the commissioners decided to reinstate fire/EMS fees at 100% of the calculated rate without any public comments against it.
However, the question of increasing impact fees for roads brought hours of debate, including threats of lawsuits from local developers.
The commissioners decided to assess transportation impact fees at 70% and increase them over three years until they equal 100% of the calculated rate recommended by consultants, Bensch. The developers had urged the board to start at 50% and increase from there.
Impact fees are one-time assessments only on new construction and are paid when a certificate of occupancy is obtained- the exception under this ordinance will be government agencies and private schools.
Revenue from impact fee and sales tax cannot be used for operations costs, which means the funds can only be used to address a portion of the costs incurred to grow infrastructure. Personnel costs to meet growth needs must be funded elsewhere. Marion County voters in November approved raising the sales tax.
Commissioner Matt McClain opposed the level of the road impact fees, calling it a mistake and accusing the commissioners of setting rates higher than what the county needs. He added that the fees will hurt first-time home buyers and raise property values, thus raising property taxes.
“This only helps the big developers and big builders and hurts the local small builders because they’re able to shuffle around these costs more,” he said. “So, this all together is not good the way that we’re doing it. So, I’m a no vote.”
McClain told commissioners that he’d talked with his father, former Commissioner Stan McClain, about the issue, his father said the county’s list of road projects was backed up even when he was on the board.
Now a state senator, Stan McClain represents Marion County and previously served as a commissioner for Marion County for 12 years. He reports the bulk of his personal income through the years has come from the legislative work he’s done for the Marion County Builder’s Association and home building. In his financial disclosures, David Tillman, the association’s current president, is identified as McClain’s largest client
Two commercial impact fee categories brought increased debate over standalone car washes and fast food restaurants. The commissioners decided to revisit the fee schedule for those two categories in another public meeting after considering specialized data.
Despite the fee schedule, which centers around the type of business it is, the commissioners indicated
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES (NEW CONSTRUCTION ONLY)
that developers could do their own traffic studies in support of projects that would not generate as much traffic as the category generally predicts. Additionally, state laws make it difficult for them to raise impact fees once they were implemented, but the commission retains the authority to reduce them if the economy worsened or of they collect more revenue than needed.
In 2015, the commission significantly cut back impact fees in response to economic downturns. This made Marion County less expensive to build in than most growing counties in the state and fueled its growth, particularly by out-oftown builders.
Despite the 10-year reprieve, the local building community and the local Chamber of Economic Partnership (CEP) objected to the impact fee increase, recommending that the commission implement fees at 50% of what the consultants recommended and raise them incrementally over four years.
Public comment
Micanopy resident Bruce Atkinson told the commission, “I support immediately increasing the impact fees to the 100% recommended rate to help get us out of our infrastructure deficit.”
“Voters are not afraid of paying their fair share,” he said.
“Madam Chair, as you noted, voters supported the penny sales tax for another 20 years. They also voted to approve additional taxes for public
school capital improvements, and we are all paying increased property taxes directly or indirectly. It’s time developers pay their share as well.”
Atkinson, along with other speakers, urged the commission “to reject any request from a developer or business for a tax subsidy, tax relief or grant, because that is just shifting that tax burden to every other voter in Marion County.”
Tom Fisher, a former city of Ocala councilman who currently volunteers on the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission, described the current road infrastructure as at “crisis levels, and we got a deficit here and we need you to get all you can.”
“I think growth needs to pay for itself. We’re subsidizing growth in two ways, higher taxes and lower quality of life. I’m supporting this [impact fees] and I wish you do whatever you can [to assess impact fees],” he said.
Ken Ausley of Ausley Construction told the commission he thought people may be confused about who actually pays the impact fee.
“I don’t know if people understand how this works,” he said. “Builders don’t pay impact fees. Builders pass impact fees on to end users. I’ve been building for 20-something years in this community. I’ve never paid a single dime of impact fees. It goes directly to the end user.”
Ausley argued impact fees are a “tax for normal citizens who want to buy houses
a greater need than was anticipated raising impact fees, even after offsetting the impact fees with revenue generated from the higher sales tax.
“I’m not saying there shouldn’t be an increase. There should have been an increase probably five years ago that we should have looked at,” Tillman said. “But at this point in time, we’re struggling with such a large increase.”
Tillman alluded to political forces in the state capital that may be in play.
“You said Tallahassee is volatile. Tallahassee is volatile because decisions like this get made, and then they write legislation to try to restrict it, to keep people from implementing such large increases that can be a detriment to a community,” Tillman added.
Some of the attorneys pointed to recent legislative intent to hold commissioners back from increasing them in the manner they were proposing. The attorney for On Top of the World stated that unless the commission agreed to fund at 50% the calculated rate, they would face opposition in court and be the first “test case” under the new legislation.
Jimmy Gooding, an attorney who represents many developers, warned the commission that they could “get in trouble” if they did not heed the warnings of developers to discount the rates recommended by the consultant.
Ocala City Manager Peter Lee expressed concerns that the impact fees would hurt the affordability of housing and stall development that the city wants to fill in the urban boundary.
and buy hamburgers and go through car washes. I agree they need to go higher, but I think funding them at the 100% [calculated rate] doesn’t make sense when your study says somewhere between 72% and 84% would fund needs. I think we should be more at the 50% [calculated rate] level.”
Other developers like On Top of the World had their attorneys threaten lawsuits if the impact fees are implemented at more than the 50% calculated rate.
David Tillman, one of the largest developers and president of the Marion County Builders Association, told the commission that he supported raising impact fees but not as high as the consultants recommended, due to concerns about the affordability of housing and an additional $5,000 pricing buyers out of the market.
Tillman also claimed that the building industry funded campaigns to help pass the 20year sales tax because county administration estimated, based on a 2023 study, that the impact fees would increase by around $300.
“Our industry gave money to advertising to help try to get it passed,” he said. “It got passed and now we are looking at thousands of dollars in increases in impact fees. That’s not fair to us.”
Pursuant to state statutes, the commission had to do a new study using localized data within a year of assessing impact fees, which showed
Lee encouraged the commissioners to implement the fees at 50% and raise them over time. Technically, the city needs to be a partner in collecting these fees when for development within the city boundaries and Lee hinted that if the city and county can’t agree on an interlocal agreement that it may become difficult.
Bernie Little, founder of Horse Farms Forever, told the Gazette, “Growth can be good for a community if it is well-planned and fairly and concurrently pays for its impact on schools, public infrastructure and community services through sales taxes, impact fees and property taxes. That has not been the case in Marion County for the past decade. Our county commissioners, by a super majority vote, made the right decision when they used factual data to adjust impact fees to more fairly reflect costs of growth.”
Brigette Smith, chairperson for the Republican Executive Committee, supported the commission’s decision. “It feels like this was a win for the people,” she said.
In a social media post following the hearing, Commission Chair Kathy Bryant responded to a constituent praising the boards actions, “I know it was a long arduous process and we appreciate all the citizen participation as we went through it. As all who were in attendance learned, per state statute, there are many conditions we have to meet and follow when it comes to impact fees. Setting our community up for long term success is paramount and I believe the steps taken today do just that.”
Fire damages semis at nonprofit
His Compassion did not lose any food and continued to supply other pantries in the area.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
Volunteers with His Compassion, Inc. didn’t miss a beat in getting food to food pantries, churches or holding their weekly drive-thru distribution after a recent fire destroyed two semitrailers and damaged another at the outreach’s campus north of Ocala.
The May 16 fire was in a central parking lot adjacent to the organization’s main food warehouse and refrigerated rooms. Some furniture and other hard goods in the two trailers were destroyed, according to volunteers. Officials at His Compassion did not report any food inventory lost and said they have no information about the cause of the fire.
A report provided by Marion County Fire Rescue indicates a call came in about the fire at 4:48 p.m. and multiple MCFR units responded to the incident, which lasted five hours.
His Compassion moved its weekly Tuesday drive-thru food distribution to Thursday, May 22. The organization’s website notes that the faith-based outreach nonprofit located on Jacksonville Road about a mile north of County Road 326 distributed “over 21 million pounds of food and other items” in seven counties in 2022. The weekly drive-thru food distribution typically sees about 250 vehicles visit the location for boxes of food.
His Compassion Warehouse Manager Robbie Johnson oversees the handling of
incoming and outgoing materials. Johnson said some furniture was destroyed in the semi-trailer and “debris (was) everywhere.”
About 60 volunteers, such as office manager Nellie Silvestro, an 11-year veteran, form the backbone of His Compassion, most starting very early in the morning to supply pantries at roughly 200 nonprofits and churches in Marion County and six surrounding counties, an outreach official said. Silvestro estimated the outreach handled an average of about 1.9 million pounds a month last year and has increased the amount to about 2.5 million pounds average monthly in 2025.
“Cars/families served in 2024, 160 to 200, to date 2025, we increased to 185 to 250. The need grows on, and the blessings continue to flow,” Silvestro wrote in a text.
“What a joy it is to volunteer at His Compassion food bank. The giving comes from the heart. Nothing can light up your
life, put a smile on your face or warm your heart than the ‘Thank you’ that comes from the one in need,” she wrote.
His Compassion donor sources include the Southeastern Food Bank, Freedom Tour, Convoy of Hope, Feed the Children, Blooming Brands, KeHe and 49 other suppliers, according to an outreach official. Farm Share, a not-forprofit with facilities statewide, distributes food to multiple nonprofits in the Ocala area, including His Compassion.
“We shipped 49,259 pounds of food to His Compassion in April 2025,” said Nick Rodriguez, market director for Farm Share. Rodriguez indicated amounts shipped this year have been consistent with last year. He said Farm Share works directly with the farming industry and hasn’t experienced cuts that may have occurred with some governmental programs.
Wings of Faith Fellowship
at 5066 SE 64th Ave. Road in Silver Springs Shores operates a food pantry on Wednesdays in “partnership” with His Compassion. According to the church secretary, food distribution has greatly increased, and possibly doubled, since last year, A large increase in need has been seen by Karla Greenway, CEO of Interfaith Emergency Services. IES maintains the Dr. Reuben Brawner Food Warehouse in downtown Ocala capable of handling 240,000 pounds of perishable and non-perishable foods and a nearby Engagement Center that offers a wide array of services to the homeless. Greenway stated in an email that the need for help in 2025 is at the highest level she has seen. She said 1,725 individuals have been served this year by the Engagement Center and 394 new cases of homeless people have been entered into the Homeless Information Management System.
“In the 14 years I’ve been at Interfaith, I have never seen this many individuals experiencing homelessness, nor have I seen the range in ages, from toddlers to people in their 80’s,” Greenway wrote. “Between our pantry and our two satellite pantries in Dunnellon and Marion Oaks, we are assisting 1,700 households every month with grocery assistance.”
Jason Halstead, executive director of Brother Keeper, an outreach of Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, provided 2025 year to date figures that indicate 2,081 people have been served by the outreach in 961 emergency assistance cases.
The outreach gave 695 people food and personal items, furniture, utilities and prescription medicine. Help was provided by 363 volunteers who donated 5,806 hours. Student and community service volunteers also contributed. Halstead said the figures are “roughly the same” as last year. He said the Brothers Keeper Soup Kitchen, operated by Sister Concepta Najjemba of BTCC, serves an average of 150 meals daily and has served 16,994 meals to date this year.
Cars regularly fill the driveway and often wind back out to the roadway at the entrance to the City of Refuge Church at 9495 SE Maricamp Road in Silver Springs Shores. His Compassion delivers to the City of Refuge on Thursdays for its weekly drivethru food distribution.
“We’re feeding 200 plus families,” the Rev. Ruth Thomas said in a text.
Photos by Andy Fillmore
This image shows the fire damaged semi-trailers at His Compassion Food Bank north of Ocala.
Other semi-trailers parked nearby were not damaged.
Public Notice
By Lauren Morrish lauren@ocalagazette.com
ABudget cost commotion
fter the 2025-26 Marion County Public Schools’ Central Office Staffing Plan was proposed during a May 22 work session, members of the Marion County School Board hesitated at the $99 million estimated budget, even after 18 positions were cut.
During the session, Interim Superintendent Danielle Brewer said she has led the effort to restructure staff by adhering to the district’s strategic plan and accounting for a revenue reduction.
Executive Director of Human Resources Wantanisha Morant read those “high-level” central office changes aloud for the board. The 18 decreased positions were conducted in the academic services, operations department, and superintendent’s office.
Morant said a chief financial officer was added for succession planning, effective until Aug. 31, to address key gaps in the district that were and will be posed by position shifts and retirement. She said the plan will revert to using the feeder pattern model, utilizing three area superintendents instead of four principal supervisors.
Senior executive directors and executive directors will have five administrative positions decreased, including acceleration, innovation and elementary curriculum, high school and secondary curriculum, student pathways, business services and K12 support.
Morant said the emergency management coordinator was
removed from Safe Schools, and a crisis response coordinator was added to public relations. A planning manager and student discipline director were also added to the operations team and the student discipline department.
Eleven Positive Approach to Student Success, or PASS, teachers, and a behavior technician were removed from the central office plan and placed on the Marion Technical Institute alternative learning school staffing plan.
Morant said educational diagnosticians and attendant specialist positions will be cut through attrition, a gradual reduction of staff. The last noted position shift mentioned was adding a contract manager and a purchasing specialist to work on projects solely in the facilities department.
As of now, the estimated total cost with fringe benefits included is $99 million for 2025-26, while the 2024-25 plan had a total cost of $90 million after the budget was balanced.
Morant said that $84 million will come from general funds and the remaining expenses will be supported by grants. She said this is an $8.2 million increase from the 2024-25 approved budget.
Board member Sarah James said the “math isn’t mathing” and questioned how a $9 million increase would be budgeted after 18 fewer positions.
Chief Financial Officer Theresa Boston-Ellis explained that when units or staff are added throughout the year, they are not considered in the Central Office Staffing Plan but contribute to the overall cost. She
said the board approved 54 units during the year so, when budgeted, they were counted as new units and not the position shifts that are shown in the plan.
“When you’re asking for the costs, we are using what was budgeted,” Boston-Ellis said. “That is our point of reference, so this is what you approved. I don’t think it is feasible to chase every time there is an adjustment to the budget to redo what the budget cost is at that time.”
James said she was trying to understand the costs so she could defend what was listed on the plan because she believes every change is necessary.
“I’m trying to make it look not as bad if I’m being honest,” James told Boston-Ellis. “Like this looks really, it looks bad.”
Board member Allison Campbell interjected to further explain the increased cost to James. She said the board approves the budgets in September and in a meeting on Nov. 12, 2024, it consented to increase the Central Office Staffing Plan plus one.
“That happens multiple times throughout the budget year, so that’s how we get from a budgeted amount to the amount we are talking about today,” Campbell said. “And whereas it looks like we’re cutting 18 positions, the actual cost is greater than that because of all that we added throughout the year and that’s what makes the discrepancy and the difference.”
James responded that she finds it hard to believe the board would add $9 million in positions in eight months, from September up to now.
Boston-Ellis said the budget still needs to be balanced and
faces constant changes as units are unfunded in advance to prepare for staff cuts and personnel leaving positions. With back-and-forth comments between board members, the staffing plan budget discussion will be tabled
until a June 5 work session.
“When you attach a person to the position, it becomes emotional,” Campbell said. “We have to have very hard conversations. Do we really need these many positions in Marion County Public Schools?”
Members of the Board
Honorable Craig Curry Board of County Commissioners, District No. 1
Honorable Matthew McClain Board of County Commissioners, District No. 3
Honorable Nancy Thrower School Board, District No. 4
Citizen Member Gwendolyn Dawson Business owner with in the school district
Citizen Member Lee Black Homestead property owner
The Value Adjustment Board (VAB) meets each year to hear petitions and make decisions relating to property tax assessments, exemptions, classifications, and tax deferrals. deferrals.
Summary of Year’s Actions
People, Places and Things Alumni celebrate historic Black schools
Graduates of Hardrock and Booker T. Washington High Schools recall a fire, classes in alternate locations, rebuilding and moving through integration.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
Eighty-nine-year-old
Nyle C. Churchwell Sr.
was one of the honored guests at the 2025 Hardrock, Booker T. Washington, Dunnellon High School reunion held in Dunnellon over Memorial Day weekend.
The reunion weekend included a fashion show on May 23 and a day of fellowship, line dancing and lunch at the Wall-Rives American Legion Post 58 on May 24, with a blacktie dinner that evening at the Marion Oaks Community Center.
The long running reunion cerebrates the history and heritage of two local historically Black schools, Hardrock and Booker T. Washington. The gathering also includes many Dunnellon High School alumni who completed high school at DHS after integration opened formerly all-white schools to Black students in 1968, according to an extensive history written by a reunion organizer, Dorothy Sherese Dennard, DHS Class of 1987.
The Hardrock School dates back to 1890, when several black men formed a grade one to six school and named it Hardrock after the phosphate mining industry in the Dunnellon area. Willis Alexander Jr. served as principal in the late 1930s and his work with the Marion County School Board resulted in it becoming a senior high school. The first graduating class was in 1940.
The school expanded its number of grade levels over the years, offering eight grades before a fire in the 1948-1949 school year destroyed the building. After the fire, “Classes were held in buildings owned by Alice Bell Simmons until a new school building was completed. The school was rebuilt on a new site and was renamed Booker T. Washington High School. It opened in 1950,” according to the history provided by Dennard.
Churchwell, who attended the segregated Hardrock School, was likely the senior member of the 2025 reunion, with a 1953 graduation year from BTW.
Churchwell said Hardrock burned when he was in the fourth grade and he feels the fire was possibly set by arsonists. He said that after the fire, the community opened
up for students to attend classes in “churches, dance halls and the Masonic Lodge.”
“Segregation was a way of life,” Churchwell said.
After he graduated from BTW, Churchwell joined the U.S. Air Force and served as a radio operator. He attended Morehouse College in Atlantaand Prairie View A&M University in Houstonand earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. He worked with the U.S. Postal Service for 55 years in the Houston area. He was accompanied at the reunion by his daughter, Jacquelyne Churchwell, a native of Houston.
Jacqueline Doby, at the midday event on Saturday, was one of the educators who taught at Booker T. Washington High School in the mid-1960s. She later taught at WardHighlands Elementary in Ocala.
“These are our roots; where it all began,” Doby said about the people and schools celebrated at the reunion.
Leo Thomas ,84, Booker T. Washington Class of 1959, was clearly enjoying meeting and reminiscing with longtime friends at the reunion. He was class valedictorian. He said students at the schoollearned their lessons or
teachers would “tell your parents.” He said he “enjoyed” his school years. He went on to earn his associate’s degree from the then-named Central Florida Community College, now the College of Central Florida, and worked as a heavy equipment operator.
A number of reunion attendees at Saturday’s earlier event attended Booker T. Washington High School but finished school at Dunnellon High School during integration in the late 1960s.
“This is our heritage and learned values. Our teachers were like parents,” said Carla Williams, one of the organizers of the reunion.
Williams attended BTW and completed high school at DHS in 1974. She now lives in Tampa and serves as director of community engagement with Hillsborough County Public Transportation.
Jerome Brown, a reunion organizer, attended BTW and completed high school at DHS in 1972. He is a retired Marion County Public Schools educator and principal who served at schools including Dunnellon Elementary.
Varice McIntyre-Smith, DHS class of 1971, attended Booker T. Washington until 1968, when she began studies at DHS.
“It is important to remember the good and bad times. Both sides had problems adjusting to integration,” McIntyre-Smith said.
Among the attendees were Wayne
Hunter, BTW and DHS alumnus; Deloris Gunter-Anderson DHS Class of 1969; Ronnie Brown DHS Class of 1974; and BTW alumnus David Branton.Derrick Terrell led the reunion attendees in several line dancing sessions and Reginald Walker was DJ “Mr. Grove” for the reunion.
Darry Brownattended BTW for 10 years and graduated from DHS in 1969. He is a veteran of 30 years’ service in the U.S. Army and a Vietnam War veteran who was wounded and receivedthe Purple Heart medal.
Aaron Edwards, a U.S.Army veteran and Bronze Star recipient who served in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, graduated from DHS in the 1980s.
Anita Williams graduated DHS in 1973 then earned her associate degree at CFCC. She worked for 37 1/2 years at CareerSource in Ocala. She said her mother went to BTW in the 1950s.
Al Washington went to BTW for 10 years and then to DHS in 1968, where he graduated in 1969. He said most of the former segregated school students changed over to DHS in 1968 but some students had left for DHS earlier, perhaps around 1965. He said the Black students going to DHS “didn’t have a lot of problems” and looking back at the integration era he had learned “people are the same.”
Washington served in the U.S. Navy and his aircraft carrier was stationed off the coast of Vietnam during the Vietnam War. He had a career with Florida Power and now serves as pastor of Mount Olive AME church in Dunnellon.
Washington called the Dunnellon area “his place in the sun.” Deborah and Horace Blanford were accompanied at the reunion by Horace’s sister, Joann Young, a 1966 graduate of BTW. Horace graduated from theschool in 1963 and later retired from Merita Bread; Deborahgraduated from DHS in 1969 and later retired from AdventHealth. The couple, married 48 years, have a son who is a minister with the Salvation Army. Horacecalled Nov. 22, 1963, when Pres. John F. Kennedy was assassinated, was “the worst day” in school.
Dennard’s history provided more insight into BTW, such as, “Booker T. Washington saw many accomplishments, such as the football and basketball teams earning many wins, championships and trophies; school clubs and organizations of first-class status; and teachers, parents, families and friends helping make the school what it was.”
Principal Vernon Simpson told the 1962 graduating class, in part “it is my hope that among you will be some who will be the ‘first’ to discover or bring about some desirable changes” to society.
Organizer Bobby “Cookie” Scarlett attended Booker T. Washington School for grades one through eight and then relocated to Fort Lauderdale and graduated from Dillard High School. She was employed by Florida Power and Light.
Scarlett said sales of a colorful historic 2025 reunion program will go toward student scholarships. The reunion is about “who we are,” Scarlett said.
To
Photos by Bruce Ackerman
Nyle C. Churchwell, 89, who graduated from Booker T. Washington School, a segregated Black school in Dunnellon, in 1953, talks during the “Old School Reunion.” [Submitted photo]
Anita Williams, left, who graduated from Dunnellon High School in 1973, gets some pointers on how to line dance from Derrick Terrell, center, as his wife, Kim, right, dances.
Cynthia and Douglas Joyner, bottom, reminisce with Barbara Lawrence, back left, who attended Booker T. Washington High School and graduated from Community High School in Ocala in 1969, and Darry Brown, Dunnellon High School Class of 1969, back right.
Anita Williams, left, who graduated from Dunnellon High School in 1973, talks with Alicia Coleman and her son, Rey, 2.
Jerome Brown, the reunion chairman, left, who graduated from Dunnellon High School in 1972, talks with Dorothy ShereseWhiteDennard, right, who graduated from Dunnelllon High School in 1989, at American Legion Post 58 in Dunnellon, Fla. on Saturday, May 24, 2025. Former students from the once segregated Hardrock and Booker T. Washington Schools joined with graduates from DHS, from which many of them graduated after integration in 1968.
Varice McIntyre-Smith, who graduated from Dunnellon High School in 1971, gets a hug from Jerome Brown, DHS Class of 1972.
‘Surreal and memorable’
Galared-carpet event at the Marion Theatre provides early screening of ‘Backstreet’ season two.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
In early 2023, the first two episodes of the “Backstreet” television series premiered at the Marion Theatre in downtown Ocala. On the evening of May 24, the theatre was the scene of a red-carpet event and private screening of the seven episodes of season two.
A few years ago, while working on a Christian rap music video, that executive producer Tekulve Jackson wondered if he could be working on something more meaningful. He said he felt inspired by his hometown of Citra and wanted to tell stories about the struggles of people in north Marion County and Ocala, where he now lives, so he created the storyline for “Backstreet.”
“Saturday’s private screening was a powerful reminder of how far ‘Backstreet’ has come since 2016—from a small idea to a collaboration involving over 60 talented people. Season two reflects years of hard work: developing a content creation team, scripting seven episodes, casting, location scouting, interviewing and filming alongside fellow cinematographers Christin Hayes (executive producer), Governor Jamal Mosley (producer)and longtime friend and partner Regas Woods (producer),” Jackson wrote in an email after the gala event.
“I also handle editing, sound engineering and color grading, with Will Thomas, while my wife and executive producer Theresia Jackson manages scheduling, crew coordination and marketing. Together, we oversee pre- and post-production. Recently, our distributor shared that ‘Backstreet’ ranks in the top 85th percentile, meaning only 15% of all content they distribute to Tubi are doing better than ‘Backstreet Season 1’, making all our effort worthwhile,” Jackson explained.
“Backstreet” follows multiple intertwined storylines, all connected through the main character, Quinton Jacobs, or Q, played by Jackson.He said it has been an emotional journey and “we’re proud to showcase local talent while telling meaningful stories about shifting alliances, unexpected twists and redemption.”
“We want everyone to know you don’t have to leave your hometown to chase big dreams. ‘Backstreet’ is built on community. Many of our cast members had no experience but showed up, learned and delivered something amazing. Watching them sit beside their families at the red-carpet pre-screening— proud and emotional—was unforgettable. There are no limits based on age, race or experience. We worked closely with the cast, directed them, and they are phenomenal in this season,” Jackson continued. “The theater event, with nearly 250 attendees, videographers and press coverage, was incredible. But the most exciting part was seeing the cast sitting with their families, witnessing the results of their hard work. This experience is surreal and memorable.
“Backstreet” Season 2 will be released this summer. You can see Season 1 on Amazon Prime Video and Tubi.
For more information, including casting calls, go to backstreet. live
To read a prior “Ocala Gazette” article about “Backstreet,” go to ocalagazette.com/screen-dream/
Photos by Bruce Ackerman
The Jackson family, from left, Tekaylah, 3, Tayshaun, 15, Tekayen, 18, Tekiyah, 19, Tekelvin, 17, Theresia and Tekulve Jackson, pose on the red carpet during a screening of seven episodes of “Backstreet” Season 2 at the Marion Theatre in Ocala on May 24.
Randy Garcia, Samuel Ortiz, Alicia Quetant, Blue Feliu, Julio Larrieux and Selina Brooks, pose during the May 24 screening of “Backstreet” Season 2.
Regas Woods, left, and Tyler Williamson, right, were on hand for the screening.
Steve Sikora (Michael Wilder), Donovan Newby (Benny), Tekulve Jackson (Q) and Sean Roberts (Derek), pose outside the Marion Theatre.
Brenda Chambliss plays Mrs. Wilson and Pastor Will Chambliss plays the part of Mr. Wilson in “Backstreet.”
The Woods family, from left, includes Trenton, 12, Tameka, L.J., 17, and Regas Woods (“Backstreet” producer), shown outside at Marion Theatre.
Nevaeh Scott, 10, Kimberly James, Deloris Dennison, Gloria Jackson, who plays the Church Mother, and Brenda Chambliss, who plays Mrs. Wilson, strike a pose.
Anthony Dennison, who plays Levi Johnson; Dedra Richardson, who plays Detective Gunner’s wife; and Jacob Richardson, who plays Detective Mark Gunner, pose on the red carpet.
Eugene Turner, left, and Deloris Dennison, right, take a turn on the red carpet.
Living history exhibit and experience
A SAR event on June 14 and 15 will include actors portraying George and Martha Washington.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
Did you ever wonder about George Washington’s living quarters at Valley Forge during the 1777-78 winter encampment of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War?
Well, on June 14 and 15, during a Sons of the American Revolution George Washington Military Tent Educational Experience at the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park, you will be able to see an exact replica of his cot and small dining table.
The event also will include mannequins clothed in Revolutionary War uniforms and live re-enactments by Bill and Cara Elder, who will portray George and Martha Washington.
The exhibit/experience will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. The Elder’s will appear as the Washingtons at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on both days. At 3 p.m. each day, visitors can learn the 13 folds of the American Flag.
According to David Hitchcock, immediate past resident of the Withlacoochee Chapter SAR, who is assisting the Ocala Chapter of the SAR in producing the event, Bill and Cara Elder are both retired educators. She also is a first-person Martha Washington interpreter for the Daughters of The American Revolution.
“We have plans to travel throughout Florida,” Hitchcock
said of the exhibit. “We are an educational outreach program. We would love to bring our program to school campuses around the state
The park is located at 2601 E. Fort King St., Ocala. The exhibit/experience is free to attend. Donations will be welcomed.
To learn more about the two local SAR chapters, go to fb.com/OcalaSAR and withsar.org
For information about Washington at Valley Forge, go to nps.gov/vafo/learn/historyculture/ valley-forge-history-and-significance.htm
Submitted photos
MAYO CLINIC
Coping with menopause: Can hormone therapy help?
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’ve just started going through menopause. The hot flashes and night sweats are so uncomfortable and keep me up at night. I’ve heard about hormone therapy — could that be an option for me? Are there any risks?
ANSWER: Navigating menopause and its symptoms can be exhausting. To give you more information about hormone therapy, we must start with menopause. Menopause marks the end of your menstrual cycle and is diagnosed after 12 months without a menstrual period. The average age at which menopause begins in the U.S. is 51, but it can begin in your 40s. In the months or years leading up to menopause, women may experience:
• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Trouble sleeping
• Chills
• Irritability or mood changes
• Weight gain
• Irregular periods
• Hair thinning
• Dry skin
Hormone therapy can help manage a lot of these symptoms. Hormone therapy is medication containing hormones that your body stops producing during menopause. Hormone therapy is a safe option for the average healthy woman. Keep in mind, though, it is not for everybody.
There are many different options available for treatment. In general, transdermal therapies (therapies applied directly to the skin) are considered among the safest ways to administer hormone therapy. For example, there are patches that can be worn on the lower abdomen or buttock, gels can be applied to the inner thigh and sprays which go on the forearm. There are also oral routes you can take. Because of all the options we have nowadays, we usually are able to find an option that meets the average woman’s specific needs.
After starting hormone therapy, many women experience complete or near complete resolution of hot
flashes. If not, we aim to reduce them significantly enough to improve quality of life and help women regain a sense of normalcy. Hormone therapy may help many of the other symptoms women experience related to menopause such as mood changes, trouble sleeping, brain fog, skin changes and hair loss, to name a few. While these are common symptoms associated with menopause, we do not want to miss any more serious or underlying issues. So, it is best to talk to your doctor and ensure that any other potential contributing factors or underlying medical conditions are addressed. Hormone therapy has also been proven to prevent bone loss and reduce fractures in women postmenopause. If hormone therapy is not the right fit for you, there are several non-hormonal therapies that can be considered. Cognitive behavioral therapy and hypnosis have also been shown to ease menopausal symptoms. It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle while undergoing hormone therapy. This includes staying physically active, not smoking, managing stress, eating a nutritious diet and maintaining a healthy weight. It is also important to keep up with all routine health screenings like mammograms, colonoscopies, bone density studies and routine physicals. There are a lot of questions about the safety of hormone therapy — “Does it cause breast cancer? Will it increase my risk for dementia, heart attack and stroke?” For the average healthy woman who is close to the menopause transition and younger than the age of 60, hormone therapy is typically a very safe option. Many of the risks associated with hormone therapy can be lessened by starting hormone therapy at the right time (within 10 years of menopause and before age 60), using transdermal therapy and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Talk to your healthcare team or a women’s health specialist if you are considering hormone therapy and aren’t sure if it’s right for you.
— Taryn Smith, M.D., Women’s Health, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida
Mannequins at the event will be clothed in Revolutionary War uniforms.
This exact replica of George Washington’s quarters at Valley Forge will be on display at the event.
Bill and Cara Elder will portray George and Martha Washington at a Sons of the American Revolution event in Ocala on June 14 and 15.
Frank Lloyd Wright expert to speak in Ocala
Author and historian Wayne Wood will be part of the CF Appleton Museum of Art’s June 7 Free First Saturday events. Staff report
The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, invites the community for an art-filled day on June 7 during Free First Saturday, featuring a special presentation on Frank Lloyd Wright.
The Appleton is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. Admission will be free on June 7, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and visitors can explore the permanent collection, special exhibitions and do hands-on activities in the Artspace. At 2 p.m., author and historian Wayne Wood will present “Frank Lloyd Wright and His Influence on Florida Architecture.”
Wood’s program will give the audience an in-depth understanding of Wright’s influence on Florida’s
architectural history. Widely regarded as one of the foremost chroniclers of Northeast Florida history, Wood has
been called the “undisputed godfather of preservation in Jacksonville.”
An author, historian and artist,
he founded Riverside Avondale Preservation and Riverside Arts Market. He has published 15 books about Northeast Florida, according to the news release.
The Dancing Empanada food truck will be on site and CAMPUS USA and the Humane Society of Marion County will offer information at partner tables. This Free First Saturday is supported in part by CAMPUS USA Credit Union, the Marion Cultural Alliance and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Special exhibitions that may be seen during Free First Saturday include “What If Eye: Fifty Years of Exploration with Ummarid ‘Tony’ Eitharong,” sponsored by Fine Arts for Ocala (FAFO), as well as “Strength and Resilience: Works by Carmen Rojas Ginés and Naomi Shanti.” This will be the last weekend to see “Framing Tokyo: Joel Bustamante’s Architectural Photography,” on view in the museum’s Balcony Gallery for Florida Artists.
To learn more, go to appletonmuseum.org
Artists will speak on June 1 at 8th Ave. Gallery
The ‘CEL’ exhibit offers cyanograph phenakistoscopes, which are moving images.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
Chelsea Cantrell will discuss cyanograph phenakistoscopes during an exhibit closing talk at 6 p.m. Sunday, June 1, at the 8th Ave. Gallery in Ocala. Her current exhibit there is “CEL.”
“The art talk is a presentation given by myself, Aaron Karlson and Kate Cormia. We are sharing our process, how our work combines and the unique bridge between traditional process and digital mediums today,” Cantrell noted in an email.
According to materials provided by Cantrell, “persistence of vision is the phenomenon in which the eye briefly retains an image after it disappears,
allowing sequential stills to blend into the illusion of motion.”
“This principle powers the phenakistoscope, one of the earliest animation devices, invented in 1832. It featured a spinning disc with sequential images viewed through slits, creating animated loops when reflected in a mirror.
“The cyanotype, developed in the 1840s, is one of the earliest photographic printing processes, known for its distinctive blue tone and use in architectural blueprints.
“By combining the motion phenakistoscopes with the archival quality of cyanotype, cyanographs bring historic media into the present. Now, using a smartphone camera at 12 frames per second, viewers can
experience these animations in real time – no mirrors required.”
The works in the exhibit include “Pollination,” “Lunar Phases of Funny Faces,” “Afternoon Swim,” “Florida Mandible” and “Vokesimurex Cabritii.” Cantrell noted that “Kate Cormia’s project is a short film, titled ‘Echoes,’ set up in the gallery with our work.”
The gallery is located at 1531 NE 8th Ave., Ocala.
To learn more about Cantrell, see a previous “Gazette” feature article at ocalagazette.com/ something-new-under-the-sun/ For information about the gallery, go to fb. com/8thavegallery
Photos courtesy College of Central Florida
Frank Lloyd Wright has influenced Florida’s architectural history.
Wayne Wood
“Vokesimurex Cabritii” [Photo courtesy Chelsea Cantrell]
On the road again
Tom Hockett
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
Tom Hockett started riding minibikes around the age of 3, then progressed to dirt bikes and street motorcycles. He has since ridden motorcycles in 27 countries to date.
“Being on two wheels has long been a part of my life,” said Hockett, who is 58. “When I was stationed overseas in the military, I bought a bike and traveled all over Europe.”
On June 1, Hockett will leave his home in Citra to embark on another two-wheel epic adventure, but this time he’s riding to support three charities that are close to his heart. He will be piloting his CFMoto IBEX 450, with his Jack Russell terrier Skippy along for the ride in a special harness, on the River Styx 450 Challenge.
“Originally my goal was three months and 10,000 miles, but that’s not going to be possible. It will probably be four-plus months, and 14,000 miles would not surprise me or close to it, if not more,” he said.
Hockett’s background includes service in the military and law enforcement, breeding and training canines, owning a trucking business and being a Mason. Ergo, his desire to raise funds for organizations related to those causes.
His endeavor will support:
• Voices of Change Animal League (VOCAL) – An Ocala-based nonprofit dedicated to solving the homeless pet crisis through shelter, low-cost veterinary services, food programs and youth advocacy initiatives. vocalforpets.org
• Hidden Battles Foundation – A Massachusetts-based organization supporting military, veterans, law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, dispatch and nursing professionals. Through activity-driven treatment and counseling, they focus on mental health and PTSD recovery. hiddenbattlesfoundation.org
• Shriner’s Children’s Hospital – A worldrenowned institution providing specialized pediatric care for conditions such as orthopedic issues, spinal cord injuries, burns and cleft lip and palate—regardless of a
family’s ability to pay. shrinerschildrens.org
“In choosing a charity, everyone knows a veteran, placement, fireman, first responder. Everyone has children or animals or knows someone who does, and I couldn’t make up my mind which one of the three, so I decided why not do the first trifecta I’ve never seen anybody do, a three in one,” he further explained of his chosen charities.
He and Skippy will visit parks and landmarks across the United States on the River Styx 450 Challenge, so named for Hockett’s deep love of mythology.
“I want to run mostly all backroads and see the things that nobody sees from the interstate. I will definitely hit many national parks, such as Yellowstone, Glacier National Park and Sequoia National Park, as well things that are popular in our country, you know, sightseeing places,” he shared.
He will not have a support crew and does not have sponsors.
“This is all on my own. I’ve been planning this for about 11 months so I can just go. The majority of it will be camping. There are groups of bikers that help other bikers by hosting them to make it affordable and I’m sure there’ll be some campgrounds. If I get a hotel, it will be from lack of options. I have no itinerary. I’m just going by the seat of my pants,” he noted.
Hockett has a YouTube
channel that will host weekly videos and shorts; a patreon link will offer daily updates. Those who wish to help him with fuel expenses, flat tires and such, can visit paypal.com/paypalme/ RiverStyxOutdoors68?locale. x=en_US
As for why he decided on this course of action, Hockett said, “A lot of people talk about doing things for the betterment of life, but you rarely see them do it. Like the old cliché says, to get something you’ve never had you have to be willing to do something you’ve never done. So, if not me, then who? Life’s too short and I’m too old not to.”
Follow Hockett’s journey and find links to make donations to each charity at youtube. com/@r.s.outdoors
Tom Hockett and Skippy will set off June 1 on the River Styx 450 Challenge to support three charities.
Skippy has a special harness for riding with Tom Hockett on his CFMoto IBEX 450.
Tom Hockett has ridden motorcycles nearly all his life.
This QR code will take you to the River Styx 450 Challenge site, with links to the chosen charities.
Submitted photos
Government
JUNE 2, 9, 16, 23 AND 30
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.
JUNE 3 AND 10
Marion County Board of County Commissioners
McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala
9am
The commission meets in the morning of 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 available at ocala.legistar.com/calendar.aspx
Belleview City Commission
Belleview City Hall, 5343 SE Abshier Blvd., Belleview 6pm
Meets the first and third Tuesday of the month. Agendas, minutes and video available at belleviewfl.org/200/agendas-minutes
JUNE 10 AND 24
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
JUNE 11
Dunnellon City Council
Dunnellon City Hall, 20750 River Dr.
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
JUNE 19 AND JULY 17
Marion County Public Schools hiring events
College of Central Florida Klein Conference Center, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala Times vary
These in-person hiring fairs will offer employment opportunities for instructional and other school-based positions throughout Marion County Public Schools: June 19 (3 to 5 pm) and July 17 (3 to 5 pm). May and June events are for instructional positions only; the July event features positions across the board. Registration is open at marionschools.net
JUNE 1
The Barbergators Chorus and Quartets
Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
2pm ACT 4 presents the return of The Barbergators Chorus and Quartets, featuring The Times of Our Lives Quartet, live in concert. The chorus has been entertaining in the Gainesville area since 1973 and at Ocala Civic Theatre since 2019. They sing classic barbershop and dabble in doo-wop, gospel and pop. This performance is a fundraising project of ACT 4 – Ocala Civic Theatre, Inc. All profits will be donated to the Save the Civic Now campaign. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for ages 18 and younger, on sale at ocalacivictheatre.com. You also can purchase tickets through the OCT box office in person or over the phone at (352) 236-2274, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
JUNE 4 – JULY 25
Community Arts
MAY 31
Raney’s Road to Wishes truck show
Raney’s Chrome Shop, 3030 W Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
9am-6pm
The event has a goal of raising $80,000 to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The main attraction will be custom-built show trucks and there also will be emergency vehicles like SWAT trucks, firetrucks, motorcycles and more. The winner of a best-of-the-best award will be given a spot in Raney’s calendar for 2026. A number of cash prizes will be awarded. It is free to attend. Learn more at raneystruckparts.com/road-to-wishes and raneys.online/wish
JUNE 13
Hoops and Badges Basketball Showdown
Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place, 1821 NW 21st St., Ocala 10am
In this fifth annual basketball showdown, personnel with the Ocala Police Department will team up with youth players to compete against on the court. The event is free to attend. For more information, call Community Liaison Tara Woods at (352) 369-7182.
JUNE 14
Juneteenth Celebration Dinner and Dance Fundraiser
Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place, 1821 NW 21st Ave., Ocala
6 to 10pm
R.A.M.A.L. Educational and Social Services, Inc., invites the community to its fifth annual event. Juneteenth commemorates the historical celebration marking the end of slavery in the United States. In 1865, approximately 250,000 slaves were informed of their freedom and emancipated in Texas. Artist and art educator Charles Eady is the guest speaker. The event will include entertainment, spoken word poetry, raffles and a live art auction. Proceeds will enable R.A.M.A.L. to continue tutoring and improving student’s academic performance, providing scholarships to adult college students and offering financial literacy workshops aimed at creating opportunities for homeownership and generational wealth. Tickets are $65 per person, through Eventbrite. Learn more at ramalservices.org
Don Philpott lecture
Marion County Sheriff’s Office Substation, 3260 SE 80th St., Ocala 10am The Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway will present free lectures by the award-winning writer, journalist and environmental advocate. The topics and dates are The History of Wekiwa Springs and Rock Springs Run, May 10; and Florida’s Incredible Wildlife, June 14. For details, call (352) 671-8560.
Summer Kids Film Series
Marion Theatre, 50 S Magnolia Ave., Ocala Times vary Movies will be screened every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 10am, 11am, 12:30pm and 1:30pm each day. The series is sponsored by Ocala Electric Utility and Panzer Medicine. Tickets are $5 for adults and children. A summer snack pack is included for children 12 and under. Guests are encouraged to bring new or gently used books, particularly for children from birth to age 5, to support the Early Learning Coalition. To learn more and get tickets, go to reillyartscenter.com/summer-kids-film-series
JUNE 6 (RESCHEDULED DATE)
Symphony Under the Stars Ocala Golf Club, 3130 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala Gates open 3pm, music begins 5pm, fireworks 8:45pm The beloved Mother’s Day tradition, organized by Fine Arts For Ocala, or FAFO, was rescheduled from May 11 to June 6 due to inclement weather. The event will feature Becky Baby, the Ocala Symphony Orchestra and fireworks. Food, water, soft drinks, beer and wine, chairs, tables, blankets and flashlights are welcomed, but many of those items will be available for purchase from vendors. Do not bring tents, big umbrellas or pets. Adult tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the gate. Those ages 17 and younger are admitted at no charge. A VIP ticket option, at $95, includes VIP parking, dinner in the Ocala Golf Club clubhouse, one free drink ticket and a cash bar or BYOB, reserved Adirondack chair seating, enhanced audio and private restrooms. Pre-paid parking is $15 per car. Adirondack chairs may be rented for $10 per chair. Advance tickets are available at: Your Heart’s Desire, 1915 E Silver Springs Blvd.; the Ocala Golf Club; and Red Fern Pet Lodge, 1509 NE 22nd Ave., all in Ocala. To learn more, visit fafo.org/symphony-1
JUNE
13
Hear Us Roar II
Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
6-8:30pm
Join The Arc Marion and Arts in Health Ocala Metro for a fundraiser supporting creative programs for adults with intellectual disabilities, empowering self-expression, confidence and wellness through the arts. Live music featuring The Arc clients and AIHOM music practitioners Becky Hudson (aka Becky Baby), David Reinwald and Brandon Dull. An art sale will feature original works by The Arc clients, created in workshops led by AIHOM artist practitioner Christopher Hershberger. VIP Experience includes early wine, hors d’oeuvres and early access to artwork. VIP tickets are $50; general admission is $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Learn more at fb.com/ aihocala
All About Joel: A Tribute to Billy Joel
Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala
7:30pm David Clark brings his acclaimed tribute show to the stage. With uncanny piano playing, spot-on vocals and the charisma of the Piano Man himself, this Long Island native delivers a performance full of energy, storytelling, and nostalgia. Learn more at reillyartscenter.com
Sit Down for Stand-Up
Marion Theatre, 50 S Magnolia Ave., Ocala
7:30pm You won’t want to miss this hilarious stand-up comedy event featuring Zac Townsend, Forrest Beers and Gina Micciche. Learn more at mariontheatre.org
JUNE 14
Daniel Bennett Group
Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala
7:30pm Hailed as one of the most original voices in modern music, New York saxophonist Daniel Bennett blends jazz, folk and minimalism into a sound that’s quirky and captivating. Joined by dynamic drummer/ keyboardist Koko Bermejo and electric bassist Jeff Dingler, this award-winning trio delivers high-energy performances filled with inventive compositions and unexpected twists. Don’t miss the chance to experience their 10th studio album “Mr. Bennett’s Mind” live. See the details at reillyartscenter.com
THROUGH JUNE 19
‘The Pastel Odyssey’ exhibit College of Central Florida Webber Gallery, 3001 S.W. College Road, Ocala
10am-4pm, Monday-Thursday More than 40 works showcasing pastel as a fine art medium will be on view in “The Pastel Odyssey,” an exhibition by the Pastel Society of Central Florida. The community is invited to an opening reception at 4pm on May 29. Admission is free. For more information, visit cf.edu/webber or call (352) 854-2322, ext. 1664.
People watch fireworks during the Symphony Under The Stars at the Ocala Golf Club on May 12, 2024. This year’s event was rescheduled to June 6 due to inclement weather on the original date. [File image by Bruce Ackerman]
The Daniel Bennett Group will perform June 14 at the Reilly Arts Center. [Submitted photo]
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.
BUILD AND PROGRAM ROBOTS!
IHMC’s 2025 Summer Robotics Camp will offer students the opportunity to learn about computer programming and robotics. Campers will further develop their teamwork skills, confidence in problem solving, and creativity. They will hear short presentations about state-of-the-art research at IHMC and have the opportunity to eat lunch with an IHMC research scientist in a small group. In both sessions, we will work with Lego Mindstorms robots. In the second session, campers will also get some exposure to the Python programming language.
SESSIONS
1
2
Ocala Session 1: Rising 8th Graders
June 23–26, 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Ocala Session 2: Rising 9th and 10th Graders
July 7–10, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
DETAILS
Each session costs $225. Students should select one camp session (only) based on grade level. Space is limited to 20 participants per session. Financial assistance may be available for qualified candidates. Acceptance is on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to students who haven’t attended in prior years.
Please register via EventBrite at ihmc.us/robotics-camp
Phone: 352-387-3050
E-mail: uschwuttke@ihmc.org
Mail and Camp Location: IHMC Robotics Camp, 15 SE Osceola Ave., Ocala, FL 34471
Website: www.ihmc.us/robotics-camp
The administration of the estate of Emma F. Ford, deceased, whose date of death was March 6, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 110 NW 1st Ave., Ocala, FL 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 ON OR BEFORE 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.
The personal representative 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 ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.
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 date of first publication of this notice is Attorney for Personal Representative:
/s/Stephen C.L. Chong
Stephen C. L. Chong
Attorney Florida Bar Number: 350109
Brennan Manna & Diamond, PL 255 South Orange Ave. Suite 700 Orlando, FL 32801
Telephone: (407) 392-0318
E-Mail: scchong@bmdpl.com
Secondary E-Mail: jamasink@bmdllc.com
Personal Representative: Daniel W. Ford
Daniel W. Ford (May 5, 2025 19:45 GMT+1) Daniel W. Ford 8614 Willow Kane Court Orlando, Florida 32835
Notice of Rule Development
NAME OF AGENCY: The School Board of Marion County, Florida
RULE TITLE: 2025-2026 Code of Student Conduct
RULE NO: Board Policy 5500
SUMMARY: Two work sessions are scheduled for June 19, 2025 and July 17, 2025 (if needed) for the purpose to review the 2025-2026 Code of Student Conduct, which will reflect changes in legislation in order to comply with F.S. 1006.07.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COST: Upon approval, the document will be posted on the District’s website and has minimal direct costs. Any person who wishes to provide information regarding the statement of estimated regulatory costs or to provide a proposal for a lower-cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of notice.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: Section 1006.07 Fla. Stats. (2024)
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1006.07 F.S. District school board duties relating to student discipline and school safety.
A WORK SESSION WILL BE HELD:
TIME: 9:00 A.M.
PLACE: School Board Administration Office, 1614 E. Fort King Street, Ocala, FL 34471
DATE: Thursday, June 19, 2025, and July 17, 2025 (if needed)
A copy of the proposed Code of Student Conduct may be obtained by writing to: Student Pathways, Marion County Public Schools, PO Box 670, Ocala, FL 34478
Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 2020 SW 57th Ave, Ocala, FL 34474 on June 10, 2025, at 12:00pm. Aaliyah Dykes - Tv, mattress, box spring, bags, pictures, clothes, fan. Diana Nagy- Books, electronics, clothes, totes, wheeled cart, pictures, bags. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
NOTICE OF SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
Notice is hereby given that the School Board of Marion County, Florida, will meet on June 10, 2025, at 5:30 p.m., at the School Board Administration Office, 1614 E. Ft. King Street, Ocala, Florida, 34471. An agenda will be published seven days prior to the meeting. The agenda may be obtained at the Administration Office between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The agenda is also available from a link on the District’s
NOTICE OF SALE UNDER F.S. CHAPTER 45.031 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 5TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.:25CA000014AX MORTGAGE X, LLC, GENEVA CAPITAL GROUP, LLC, a Florida limited liability company, MICHAEL S. STEINER, Trustee of the DAVID STEINER IRREVOCABLE TRUST, VS. ELISE CELAMY
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION File No. 25CP001215AX IN RE: ESTATE OF NANCY L. STEINBRECHER
a/k/a NANCY LORRAINE STEINBRECHER
Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Nancy L. Steinbrecher, deceased, whose date of death was August 16, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 110 NW 1st Avenue #1, Ocala, Florida 34471. 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 ON OR BEFORE 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 the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
The personal representative 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 ss. 732.216-732.228, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. 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 date of first publication of this notice is May 23, 2025.
Attorney for Personal Representative : Karen L. Kayes E-mail Addresses: kkayes@wnj.com
Florida Bar No. 0039993 Warner Norcross + Judd LLP 700 Terrace Point Road, Suite 350 Muskegon, Michigan 49440 Telephone: (231) 727-2600
Personal Representative: Timothy J. Steinbrecher 19957 Herringbone Drive Macomb Township, MI 48044
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA. CASE NO: 2025-CP-936 IN RE: THE ESTATE OF DAVID J. FUELLING
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No. 25CP-1143
IN RE: ESTATE OF WALTER B. SCHNEIDER, JR. Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Walter B. Schneider, Jr., deceased, whose date of death was February 16, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 110 NW 1st Avenue, 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 ON OR BEFORE 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.
The personal representative 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 ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. 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 date of first publication of this notice is May 23, 2025
Attorney for Personal Representative:
/s/ Charlotte C. Stone
Charlotte C. Stone, Esq. Florida Bar Number: 21297 Stone Law Group, P.L. 123 US Hwy 27 North Sebring, Florida 33870
Telephone: (863) 402-5424
Fax: (863) 402-5425
E-Mail: charlotte@stonelawgroupfl.com
Secondary E-Mail: tami@ stonelawgroupfl.com
Personal representative: /s/ Nancy Schnieder 13031 SE Hwy 301 Belleview, FL 34420
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO. 25CP000255AX
IN RE: ESTATE OF ARTHUR CHARLES SNYDER Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Arthur Charles Snyder, deceased, whose date of death was October 22, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Marion County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is PO Box 1030, Ocala, FL 34478. 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 ON OR BEFORE 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. The personal representative 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 ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. 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 date of first publication of this notice is May 23, 2025.
/s/ Wendy A. Mara Wendy A. Mara, Esq.
Attorney for Personal Representative
Florida Bar Number: 0069872
Mara Law. P.A.
555 West Granada Blvd., Ste.D-10 Ormond Beach, Florida 32174
Telephone: (386) 672-8081
Fax: (386) 265-5995
E-Mail: wamara@maralawpa.com Secondary E-Mail: paralegalm@ maralawpa.com
/s/ Richele K. Weller Richele K. Weller Personal Representative 85 Woodside Drive Palm Coast, Florida 32164
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File NO. 25CP001225AX IN RE: ESTATE OF
EDWINA CHATBURN HARRISON, ALSO KNOWN AS EDWINA SCANLON HARRISON Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of EDWINA CHATBURN HARRISON, also known as EDWINA SCANLON HARRISON, deceased, whose date of death was March 15, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for MARION County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 110 NW 1st Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative
The
Attorney for Personal Representative: MATTHEW M. JONES
Attorney Florida Bar Number: 11244 500 N. Westshore Blvd Suite 920 Tampa, FL 33609 Telephone: (813) 856-5625 Fax: (813) 575-0255
E-Mail: matthew@mmjoneslaw.com
Secondary E-Mail: kelly@mmjoneslaw. com
such purpose, may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence on which the appeal is to be based.
"The
You must file an answer to the Petition and other relief with the Court and provide a copy to the Petitioner's attorney: Whitney Hobson, 310 W Central Ste. 212, Wichita, KS 67202; on or before the hearing date on July 17, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. or the Court will enter judgment against you on said Petition."
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of The Toasted Flamingo, with a physical and mailing address at 322 SE 31st Ave, Ocala, FL 34471, in Marion County, intends to register the said name with the Division of Corporations of the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida, pursuant to section 865.09 of Florida Statutes. The party interested in said business enterprise: Calculated Fit, LLC.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS The name of the decedent, the designation of the court in which the administration of this estate is pending, and the file number are indicated above. The address of the court is 110 N.W. 1st Avenue, Ocala, FL 34475. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are indicated below. If you have been served with a copy of this notice and you have any claim or demand against the decedent’s estate, even if that claim is unmatured, contingent or unliquidated, you must file your claim with the court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF A DATE THAT IS 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER YOU RECEIVE A COPY OF THIS NOTICE. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons who have claims or demands against the decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with the court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. EVEN IF A CLAIM IS NOT BARRED BY THE LIMITATIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE, ALL CLAIMS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN FILED WILL BE BARRED TWO YEARS AFTER DECEDENT’S DEATH. The date of death of the decedent is: December 2, 2024. The date of first publication of this Notice is May 23, 2025. 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 F.S., applies, or may apply unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under section 732.2211, F.S. Attorney for Personal Representative: JOSHUA L. MOSES Richard & Moses, LLC Florida Bar No. 119304 808 E Fort King Street Ocala, FL 34471 (352) 369-1300
JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No. 2025-CP-1163 IN RE: ESTATE OF MARTIN W. KELLER
Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of, deceased, whose date of death was January 8, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for MARION County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 110 N.W. 1st Avenue, #1, Ocala, Florida 34471. 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 ON OR BEFORE 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 the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. 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 date of first publication of this notice is May 23, 2025.
Personal Representative: EVAN R. KELLER
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA IN RE: ESTATE OF DONALD CHRISTOPHER HIZER, a/k/a DONALD C. HIZER, DECEASED. CASE NO.: 2025-CP-1002
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Donald Christopher Hizer a/k/a Donald C. Hizer, deceased, whose date of death was January 25, 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 name and address of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below.
Personal Representative: SHANE J. SCANLON 3160 SW 139th Avenue Davie, Florida 33330
NOTICE IS GIVEN that, in accordance with the Final Judgment entered on April 25, 2025 in the above-styled cause, I will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash at www.marion.realforeclose.com on JUNE 26, 2025 at 11:00 AM, the following described property: Lot 8, Block C, Raven Glen - Unit 1, according to the plat thereof as recorded in Plat Book 7, Page 1, Public Records of Marion County, Florida a/k/a 2724 N.E 26th Street, Ocala, Florida 33470 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 same with the Clerk of Court within 60 days after the foreclosure sale. IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA IN RE:
Attorney for Personal Representative: SHANTA MATTHEWS, Attorney
Florida Bar Number: 69935
814 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Suite D OCALA, FL 34470
Telephone: (352) 421-8722
Fax: (352) 306-3759
E-Mail: shanta@smatthewslaw.com
Secondary: lori@smatthewslaw.com
Primary Email: Josh@RMProbate.com
Personal Representative: MARYLOU FUELLING a/k/a MARY LOUISE FUELLING 9 Milton Street Hicksville, NY 11801
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 May 30, 2025. Attorney for Personal Representative, Caleb V. Smith, Esquire The Florida Legal Advocacy Group, P.A. 445 NE 8th
Gasoline
Broom Hilda
Ono approved as next UF president
By Jim Turner
The News Service of Florida
While facing opposition from some conservatives because of past statements on issues such as diversity, equity and inclusion, former University of Michigan
President Santa Ono was selected May 27 to become president of the University of Florida.
The UF Board of Trustees unanimously approved hiring Ono as the school’s 14th president, succeeding former President Ben Sasse, who resigned last summer.
“I believe he is fully aligned with Florida’s values and vision for higher education,” said board Vice Chairman Rahul Patel, who headed a presidential search committee that advanced Ono as the sole finalist for the job.
The state university system’s Board of Governors must still approve the appointment.
Saying he’s focused on leading a university that “unites people around shared values, merit, freedom of thought and excellence,” Ono told the board he’s inspired by the school’s research in artificial intelligence, agriculture, space and cardiovascular science. He said he “shares” Florida’s vision for higher education as a move away from “ideological bias” and an “activist-driven culture.”
“The goal is not to replace one orthodoxy with another. It
is to restore balance, to protect the pursuit of truth and create a university environment where all students can thrive,” Ono said. “Florida is showing the nation that it’s possible to elevate academic excellence without ideological indoctrination. That’s the work I want to lead.”
Most of the trustees’ questions Tuesday focused on issues such as diversity, equity and inclusion, campus protests, faculty recruitment and pay and rankings.
Ono, who had a $1.3 milliona-year contract at the University of Michigan, has drawn scrutiny over that school’s decision to end diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, efforts, its removal of a proPalestinian protest encampment and his lack of response to cuts from the Trump administration.
But some prominent conservatives raised concerns about Ono’s selection.
Before Tuesday’s meeting, Christopher Rufo, a senior fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute and an appointee of Gov. Ron DeSantis to the New College of Florida Board of Trustees, called for the presidential search to be restarted as Ono previously supported DEI programs and other issues anathema to many people on the right.
“Ono rose through the ranks not because of a reputation for reform, but for reliably toeing the ideological line that has defined the status quo in academia for the past decade,” Rufo wrote in
an editorial. “He has expressed support for seemingly every left-wing fad, from ‘systemic racism’ and ‘climate justice’ to DEI and affirmative action. He puts ‘he/him’ gender pronouns in his Instagram profile and gladly recites ‘land acknowledgements,’ which promote the idea that Europeans are illegitimate occupiers of ‘unceded’ native territory.”
Others who signaled opposition to Ono’s selection included U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., Congressman Byron Donalds, a Naples Republican who is running for governor in 2026 and Congressman Greg Steube, a Sarasota Republican.
Ono responded to the concerns in his opening remarks Tuesday.
“We have all seen what happens when universities are handed over to political activists and grievance entrepreneurs,” Ono said. “America needs leaders grounded in scholarship, not ideology.”
Ono defended his efforts to combat anti-Semitism at the University of Michigan and vowed that DEI programs won’t return to the University of Florida. DeSantis has made a high-profile issue of driving DEI programs off campuses.
“I fully support the reform signed into law by Gov. DeSantis and the steps already taken by this board, the Board of Governors and this institution,” Ono said.
Ono said his thoughts on DEI started to evolve before applying for the Florida job, as he witnessed how good intentions “began to stifle open dialogue in the classrooms, cafeterias and in the residence halls.”
He called anti-Semitism “uniquely virulent and a persistent threat, especially on college campuses over the past year and a half.”
“It too often hides behind the language of political critique,” Ono said. “But its effect is unmistakable, intimidation, isolation and fear for Jewish students and faculty, and that is unacceptable. That said, I reject all forms of religious discrimination or any form of discrimination.”
Ono also said universities have a responsibility to counter threats from China, Russia and Iran and other adversaries “working systematically to undermine free societies, including our own.”
Ono served as University of Michigan president from 2022 until early this month, after the UF search committee announced that he was the only finalist for the Gainesville job. Sasse, a former U.S. senator from Nebraska, abruptly stepped down after less than two years leading UF.
Kent Fuchs, a former UF president, has served as interim president.
A molecular immunologist, Ono also has served as president and vice chancellor of the
GOP to help defend initiatives law
By Jim Saunders The News Service of Florida
Afederal judge on May 28 approved a request by the Republican Party of Florida to help defend a new law that places additional restrictions on the state’s ballotinitiative process.
The party on May 27 filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit that challenges the constitutionality of the law, which was passed by the Republicancontrolled Legislature on May 2 and quickly signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The law is one in a series of steps that Republican leaders have taken to make it harder to pass constitutional amendments — and came after fierce fights in 2024 about ballot proposals on recreational marijuana and abortion. Supporters of the law’s restrictions have contended that they are needed to prevent
Teen
fraud, particularly in the petitiongathering process for initiatives.
“The court’s resolution of the important questions here will have significant implications for RPOF (the Republican Party of Florida) — and its members, candidates, voters, and resources — as RPOF continues its work to ensure that Florida’s citizen initiative process is lawful and free from fraud,” lawyers for the party wrote in a legal memo Tuesday supporting the request to intervene.
Florida Decides Healthcare, a political committee seeking to pass a constitutional amendment to expand Medicaid coverage, filed the lawsuit May 4 in U.S. district court in Tallahassee. The lawsuit named as defendants Secretary of State Cord Byrd, Attorney General James Uthmeier, county supervisors of elections and state attorneys.
Smart & Safe Florida, a political committee making a renewed attempt to pass
a recreational marijuana amendment in 2026, and FloridaRighttoCleanWater. org, which wants to pass an amendment about water quality, have intervened to support the legal challenge.
The law, for example, shortens from 30 to 10 days the length of time to submit signed petitions to supervisors of elections. In addition, it includes hefty fines for petitions that are filed late and makes it a felony for petition gatherers to retain voters’ personal information on petitions or make changes to completed petitions. Groups accused of “substantial irregularities” in the petition process could face racketeering charges.
The plaintiffs last week asked Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker for a preliminary injunction to block parts of the law. Among other things, they argued restrictions in the law unconstitutionally “chill” political speech.
Walker had not ruled on the preliminary injunction request as of Wednesday morning. He issued a three-page order, however, that granted the Republican Party’s request to intervene.
In the request, party lawyers cited the GOP’s opposition to past ballot initiatives, including the 2024 proposals to allow recreational marijuana use and to put abortion rights in the state constitution. DeSantis spearheaded opposition to those proposals, which fell short of receiving the required 60 percent voter approval to pass.
The intervention request also indicated the party would oppose efforts to pass proposed amendments on Medicaid expansion and water issues.
“RPOF and many of its members have opposed the initiatives pushed by plaintiff (Florida Decides Healthcare) and intervenor-plaintiffs on a policy basis, as they conflict
University of British Columbia, president of the University of Cincinnati and senior vice provost at Emory University.
Ono pointed to goals at UF of such things as bolstering research, the school’s endowment, its national rankings and athletic programs.
The only speaker to address the trustees on Tuesday, Michael Okun, the director of the university’s Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases and a member of the presidential search committee, said committee members looked for a person who was respected within and outside academia and who could speak with students, faculty, donors and lawmakers.
“He’s deeply committed, and he brings with him a track record of excellence in research, teaching and engagement at every level,” Okun said of Ono.
Okun added that “our elected leaders are going to love working with this guy.”
with the values and policies that Republican voters want in Florida’s Constitution,” the party’s legal memo said. “The RPOF’s interest in this case goes beyond just the policy initiatives of plaintiff and intervenor-plaintiffs in this case. Even individual Republican voters and candidates who may support (and vote in favor of) plaintiff and intervenorplaintiffs’ constitutional policy initiatives, still have an interest in ensuring that the state’s election integrity laws relating to Florida’s citizens’ initiative process are upheld and the process for gaining access to Florida’s ballot is one that is free from fraud or abuse.”
The legal memo also alleged that Democrats use such proposals to drive voter turnout.
“RPOF has interests — its own and those of its members — in how Florida’s citizen initiative process is structured and how it is used by third party groups and the Democratic Party in an attempt to negatively influence the election of Republicans throughout the state,” the GOP’s lawyers argued.
charged with having firearm on school property
The gun had a “partially loaded magazine with 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition” but no round in the chamber, according to the arrest affidavit.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
A17-year-old Belleview High School junior was arrested at the school on May 20 and charged with possession of a firearm on school property and possession of a firearm by minor, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
According to an MCSO arrest affidavit, the school resource officer, MCSO Deputy Daniel Luiken, on May 20, “became aware” of an allegation that a student had a gun in his car while in the school parking lot.
The deputy and a school official spoke with a student who alleged the juvenile defendant was sitting in his car after school dismissal on May 19 and pulled out a black and tan “probably a 9 (mm) or a Glock” handgun, which the juvenile defendant allegedly said was real, from under the passenger seat while “hanging out” with
other students.
Some friends of the juvenile defendant told law enforcement they saw nothing “mentioned” or “shown” (at the juvenile defendant’s car) that would not be allowed on campus.”
A student alleged the juvenile defendant unloaded the firearm and another student was said to have been “spinning” the gun “like a cowboy,” the affidavit stated.
When the school official and officer began to investigate the incident on May 20, the allegation of the incident the day before could not be collaborated and the juvenile defendant was marked as “absent,” according to the affidavit. Neither the car he regularly drives to school nor the car he drove that day, which belonged to a relative, could be located, the affidavit indicated.
About an hour later, the juvenile defendant was found, and the officer and a school official spoke with him. He denied the alleged firearm incident
and was “cooperative” about a search of the borrowed car, which yielded no contraband, the affidavit stated.
Around 2:15 p.m. on May 20, another student indicated the juvenile defendant was heard saying in class that law enforcement had searched his car but he had already “wrapped the gun in a black t-shirt and threw it in the woods behind the car,” the affidavit stated.
MCSO Cpl. Corey Stone responded to the school parking lot and found the juvenile defendant’s car parked near a patch of woods between the high school and Belleview Middle School. He noted a foot path going into the woods, where he soon located a black and tan handgun wrapped in a black t-shirt about 10 feet into the woods, according to the affidavit.
In the affidavit Luiken described finding “a black t-shirt with a race car theme emblem (and) the firearm is an Arex Delta L Gen 2 with a serial number and had a
flashlight attachment under the barrel.”
The officer noted “there was a partially loaded magazine with 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition” but no round in the chamber, the affidavit stated.
According to MCSO public information officer Lt. Paul Bloom, Luiken arrested the teen. According to the affidavit, after he was read his rights, the juvenile defendant “spontaneously uttered” that he “did bring the firearm to school but it was not his” and added he had the “firearm in his car yesterday after school was dismissed” but that he “had not purchased it from anyone.”
The juvenile defendant was then transported to the Marion County Jail, the affidavit indicates.
According to the Florida Department of Education School Environmental Safety Incident Report at fldoe.org, for the 2023-2024 school year, Marion County Public Schools districtwide reported 42 incidents related to “weapons possession,” involving eight arrests. The data also indicates that statewide, for 2023-2024, there were 1,496 incidents related to weapons possession, involving 279 arrests.
Santa Ono [Photo courtesy University of Michigan]
Government advisory board vacancies
Consider having your voice heard in local government by helping out on a volunteer board.
Staff report
By serving on a local board, your experience and knowledge can influence governmental decisions and help you, your fellow citizens and local government. It gives you an inside look at the governmental systems and lets you participate more closely in your community. These are the current vacancies for cities in Marion County and the county itself.
CITY OF DUNNELLON:
The city’s general link is here: dunnellon.org/ government/boardscommissions
Historic Preservation Board
1 vacancy for second alternate member term
Description: The purpose of the Historic Preservation Board is to promote and preserve educational, cultural and economic welfare of the public. The board has established uniform procedures to preserve the city’s historic resources by enhancing public participation and involvement in the preservation and protection of such resources, including buildings, structures, monuments and other historic resources. In keeping with its purpose, the board has developed the Application for Historic Preservation Grant Facade Renovations. Interested person(s) should complete the application and submit to the Community Development Department for submission to the board.
Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 5:30 pm. For more information, visit dunnellon.org/government/ boards-commissions/historicpreservation-board
Planning Commission
1 vacancy for regular member (term ends Jan 11, 2028); 2 vacancies for alternate members (terms ending Jan 9, 2026 and July 12, 2026); 1 vacancy for staff liaison
Description: The Planning 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 Comprehensive Plan and reviews all landrelated/zoning ordinances to determine consistency to the Comprehensive 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 held the second Tuesday of each month at 5:30 pm. dunnellon.org/government/ boards-commissions/planningcommission
CITY OF OCALA:
The city’s general link is here: ocalafl.gov/government/citydepartments-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 city leaders and council.
If you have questions, contact clerk@ocalafl.gov or call the Office of the City Clerk at (352) 629-8266. The main page is ocalafl.gov/government/ city-departments-a-h/cityclerk/boards-and-commissions and each board has its own page and application link.
All are welcome to submit an application for consideration to a board or commission.
Many boards have specific requirements, such as living within the city limits, being a qualified city voter or owning real property within the city limits. These requirements, if any, are detailed for each board on its page.
Board of Adjustment
Description: The Board of Adjustment considers applications for zoning variances and special exception considerations for business and residential construction projects within the Ocala city limits. Hear and decide appeals where it is alleged there is error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the building official in the enforcement of the zoning code (chapter 122), authorize special exceptions as provided in the zoning code authorize variances as provided in the zoning code.
Vacancies: 2 current vacancies, terms run March 1, 2028 and 2029.
Size: 7 Members
Term Length: 4 years
Term Limit: n/a
Brownfields Advisory Committee
Description: The purpose of the advisory 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: 3 current vacancies, terms running through March 1, 2028 and 2029.
Size: 9 Members
Term Length: 4 years
Term Limit: n/a
Downtown 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. The committee shall consist of seven members appointed by the CRA Agency and City Council from property owners and organizations representing downtown Ocala.
Vacancies: 2 vacancies for terms ending Mar 1, 2027 and 2029.
Size: multiple members
Term Length: 4 years
Term Limit: n/a
East Ocala Redevelopment Subarea Advisory Committee
Description: This committee is appointed as an advisory board to the CRA Agency and City Council for the area defined as the East Ocala Redevelopment Subarea and shall advise them on redevelopment efforts of the established subarea pursuant to Chapter 163, Part III, Florida Statutes.
Vacancies: 1 vacancy for term ending Mar 1, 2029.
Size: multiple members
Term Length: 4 years
Term Limit: n/a
Historic Preservation Advisory Board
Description: The Ocala Historic Preservation Advisory Board oversees the historic resources of the city and advises City Council and city departments on matters relating to these resources, as well as manages Certificates of Appropriateness for properties located within the Tuscawilla Park and Ocala Historic Districts. Make recommendations to city council for matters relating to historic resources in the city changes to designated resources; attend pertinent 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 current vacancy for an architect
Size: 9 Members
Term Length: 3 years
Term Limit: n/a
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 of Ocala and the State of Florida, occupational licenses, sign codes, alcohol location permits and many other local ordinances and state statutes. The board hears cases relating to code violations, presented
by City Code Enforcement Officers. Empowered to levy fines and place liens on property if violation is not corrected.
Vacancies: 2 current vacancies for alternate members
Size: 7 Members
Term Length: 3 years
Term Limit: n/a
Police Officers’ Retirement System Board of Trustees
Description: The board is responsible the administration and operation of the retirement plan for city of Ocala police officers.
Vacancies: 3 citizen terms expired, through August 6, 2025
Size: 7 Members
Term Length: 2 years
Term Limit: n/a
West Ocala Redevelopment
Advisory Committee
Description : The committee shall advise the CRA Agency and City Council on redevelopment efforts of the established subarea. The committee is appointed as an advisory board to the CRA for the area defined as the West Ocala Redevelopment Subarea and shall advise the CRA on redevelopment efforts of the established subarea pursuant to Chapter 163, Part III, Florida Statutes. Meets at least two times per year.
Vacancies: 1 current vacancy for term ending March 1, 2029
Size: 9 members
Term Length: 4 years
Term Limit: n/a
MARION COUNTY
These are volunteer positions and have specific qualifications and criteria depending on the board’s focus. The county commission appoints members in regular BOCC meetings.
An online application can be downloaded here: marionfl. org/my-commissioners/ advisory-boards and can be printed or saved as a PDF. Email completed forms to commissionadmin@marionfl. org upon completion.
Applications also may be obtained at the Marion County Board of County Commissioners’ Office at 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala or by calling (352) 438-2323.
Code Enforcement
1 full member, 2 alternate members – Terms expire February 2026 and April 2028
Qualifications/restrictions: Members shall be residents of Marion County.
Responsibilities : Members should have experience or interest in zoning and building control, and shall, whenever possible, be in the field of architecture, engineering, general contracting or subcontracting. Members shall have the power to adopt rules for the conduct of its hearings; subpoena alleged violators and witnesses to hearings; subpoena records, surveys, plats and other documentary evidence; take testimony under oath; issue orders having the force and effect of law, commanding whatever steps are necessary to bring a violation into compliance and establish and levy fines pursuant to county ordinance. Members are required to e-file Form 1 (Statement of Financial
Interest) with the Florida Commission on Ethics.
Marion County Hospital District Board of Trustees
1 full member physician, 1 full member non-physician – Terms expire June 2029
Qualifications/restrictions: Members shall be residents of Marion County.
Responsibilities : Oversee the operations and assets of the Marion County Hospital District. Applicants act in the capacity of trustees and must be qualified electors residing in Marion County for more than one (1) year prior to their appointment. * Physician applicants must be licensed to practice medicine in the State of Florida, must have medical staff privileges at AdventHealth, represent different medical specialties and may not, during their term, serve any other hospital as a director/trustee or hold a management role with such hospital.
Pine Run MSTU Advisory Council
2 full members – Terms expire June 2028
Qualifications/restrictions: Applicants must be residents of Pine Run MSTU.
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.
Planning & Zoning Commission
1 alternate member – Term expires September 2025
Qualifications/restrictions: Members must reside in Marion County and cannot be county employees
Responsibilities : Employees of other government entities may serve if they are not elected officials, department heads or higher, or in positions that set policy for their employer. Members conduct public hearings on proposed rezonings and make recommendations to the County Commission on adopting or amending the Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Code, and Land Development Code.
Rainbow Lakes Estates MSD Advisory Council
1 full member – Term expires May 2027
Qualifications/restrictions: Applicants must be registered electors residing within the Rainbow Lakes Estates Municipal Service District.
Responsibilities: Participate in the preparation of annual budget request; review and comment on programs, activities, goals and objectives and make recommendations on these and other issues as directed by the Board of County Commissioners.
Tourist Development Council
1 full member – Term expires February 2026
Responsibilities: Make recommendations to the County Commission on the effective use of tourist development tax revenues. Applicants must be registered Marion County voters with an interest in tourism development and/or be owners or operators of lodging subject to the tourist development tax.
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