The state representative whose district includes part of Marion County will not seek re-election when her term expires in 2026.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
Florida State Representative
Yvonne Hayes-Hinson has decided to retire after six decades of public service as an educator and politician.
Hayes-Hinson, a Democrat, currently represents part of northwest Marion County and a portion of Alachua County, including the Gainesville area, in the Florida House. Her term expires in November 2026.
“It’s time to enjoy the fruits of my labor and find a way to take care of me,” she said in a recent phone interview.
But the 77-year-old Gainesville native is not without serious concerns about the future and what she sees as political trends.
“I’m having trouble finding common ground (with some legislative colleagues),” HayesHinson said.
Hayes-Hinson said some legislators seem to “put aside their own values and points of view to acquiesce to one man” in a reference to President Donald Trump and the conservative Make America Great Again or MAGA movement.
Hayes-Hinson said some of her colleagues appear willing to put aside their own vision in pursuit of a perceived “pot of gold” but they may “want to look at the bigger picture
See Yvonne Hayes-Hinson, page A4
‘Unbridled Courage’
Ocala’s Shaun Ulrich shares her journey of working to defeat breast cancer.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, breast cancer death rates in the United States have dropped by 44% since 1989.
“That’s not a coincidence. For 40 years, Breast Cancer Awareness Month has helped raise awareness of breast cancer across the nation. It has encouraged millions to take action, resulting in increased early detection and advancements in treatment that have saved more than half a million lives,” notes the foundation website.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States, except for skin cancers. It accounts for about 30% (or one in three) of all new female cancers each year, according to the American Cancer Society.
Shaun Ulrich of Ocala, who will turn 48 on Oct. 21, is currently working through treatment for metastatic breast cancer, as did her mother, who succumbed to the disease in 2019. An aunt on her mother’s side had breast cancer almost 30 years ago. She had lumpectomy, radiation and hormone therapy for five years and has been cancer free since then. She’s now 85.
As part of her journey Ulrich created the Unbridled Courage Facebook page.
“Unbridled Courage was born when I received my diagnosis, when it felt like everything was ending and I wondered how to move forward with a stage IV cancer diagnosis hanging over me. But as I began to take one step, one day at a time, I realized life isn’t over. It’s just different,” she said.
“This space is for anyone walking a path touched by cancer — patient, caregiver, family or friend — where they can find support or provide support to others. It’s not just about treatments and scans, but about living: the small joys, the everyday wins and the messy, beautiful moments that make life full,” she noted.
“My love of horses is woven into this journey. They've always taught me resilience, determination, trust and the power of presence. That spirit of strength is at the heart of Unbridled Courage. Through stories, support, resources and real conversations, this space is here to remind us that there’s still light, love and See Unbridled Courage, page A9
Conservationist extraordinaire
Guy Marwick has helped save thousands of acres of
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
Guy Marwick is quick to downplay his significant contributions to endeavors that have aided people and animals around the globe, including preserving precious lands from development locally and internationally.
But, on Oct. 11, during a celebration at the Silver River Museum inside Silver Springs State Park, which acknowledged Marwick’s retirement from the Felburn Foundation board, a number of people were equally as quick to recall many of his notable success stories, which
from development and the lives of numerous animals.
includes founding the museum and serving as its first executive director.
The Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center is a program of Marion County Public Schools and more than 10,000 students visit the campus each year. Scott Mitchell is the coordinator of the center, which also is open to the public. Mitchell welcomed event attendees to the celebration.
Among those on hand to congratulate Marwick were representatives of environmental organizations including the Florida Department of
See Guy Marwick, page A8
Guy and Pat Marwick. Photo by Michael Warren
Shaun Ulrich spends a moment with her horse Spinner. [Photo by Tommy Cuevas]
Rep. Yvonne Hayes Hinson, left, poses for a photo with Mary Sue Rich, during the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Mary Sue Rich Community Center At Reed Place in Ocala on Jan. 10, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]
COMMUNITY NEWS: STUDENT GOES TO CARNEGIE HALL, CAREGIVER EVENT, STUDY ABROAD TRIPS AND TEACHER AWARD
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
NOMA STUDENT TO PERFORM AT CARNEGIE HALL
NOMA Recording Academy has announced that one of its Selected Student Artists in Residency has been chosen for the High School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall, which will take place Feb. 5-9, 2026, in New York City.
The residency program offers advanced students experience in professional music production, performance and recording artistry. Participants collaborate with Grammy-level producers, learn the business of music and create professional-quality recordings. After six months of immersive training, Avani Chitumalla recorded her audition song with NOMA producers, engineers and vocal coaches. Her audition earned her the coveted invitation to perform, the news release noted.
“This is exactly why NOMA exists — to discover, develop and launch the next generation of creative talent,” said Robert “BigBert” Smith, founder and executive director of NOMA Recording Academy, in the release. “Through our Artist in Residency Program, students gain not only technical excellence but the confidence and professionalism to perform on stages like Carnegie Hall. We’re incredibly proud of Avani’s talent and accomplishment.”
“The Honors Performance Series is an artist performance series at Carnegie Hall for talented high school musicians, which includes a performance opportunity, masterclasses with conductors and
FAMILY CAREGIVERS EVENT SET FOR NOV. 8
Rizing Starz Inc., Elder Options and Quad Nurse, LLC., will host a Family Caregivers Appreciation Celebration on the Ocala downtown square from 9 to 11 a.m. on Nov. 8.
The goal is to showcase local caregiver support services, wellness resources and community advocates to foster community support and raise awareness for family caregivers. The event will include coffee and treats by TLC Coffee Enterprise, free mini massages to the first registered caregivers, door prizes and more.
Elder Options offers information, resources and assistance. (agingresources.org)
Quad Nurse is a state-licensed nurse registry serving 16 counties. (quadnurse.com)
Rizing Starz Inc. supports family caregivers through advocacy, resources and community engagement. (rizingstarzinc.com)
a cultural experience in New York City. You must audition or be nominated. Over 700 students all over the world apply. The selected students perform in a large ensemble alongside talented peers. The program offers a chance to perform in a world-class venue and work with acclaimed conductors and professors. We’ve been preparing Avani,” shared NOMA Records Chief Marketing Officer Xochi Smith, via email.
CF TO OFFER STUDY ABROAD TRIPS
The College of Central Florida will host two study abroad trips in 2026. A trip to Costa Rica, from March 15-20, will focus on service learning. The second trip will be to Austria, May 5-12, with experiences centered around music heritage.
The Costa Rica trip includes a turtle conservation service project, Caribbean cooking lessons, a Cahuita National Park walking tour, visits to a Bribri indigenous community and Playa Negra Black Sand Beach, and local dance and calypso demonstrations. The Austria trip includes a visit to Mozart’s birthplace, concerts and museums, and walking tours of Vienna and Salzburg.
Study abroad trips include accommodations, ground transportation, guides, ground emergency support, travelers’ health insurance and liability insurance, tips and gratuities, and some meals. Applications are open and being enrolled as a CF student is not required. For more information, go to cf.edu/studyabroad or email Jean Scheppers at scheppj@cf.edu.
TEACHER HONORED
HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital, with the Public Education Foundation of Marion County, have announced that Rebecca Koloszy of Hammett Bowen Jr. Elementary School is the first recipient of the Thank a Teacher award for the 2025-26 school year.
The nomination for Koloszy, an inclusion teacher at the school, noted, “Thank you for fighting for those that can’t.” She was recognized during an event at the school on Sept. 29, the news release noted.
Students, families and staff members of Marion County Public Schools are encouraged to submit nominations that share stories about the positive impact teachers have had on them and their school. To learn more, go to pefmc.org/thank-a-teacher
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From left: Angela Ponder, principal, Hammett Bowen Jr. Elementary School; Meghan Magamoll, executive director, PEFMC; Alan Keesee, CEO, HCA Florida Ocala Hospital; Stephanie Hill-Palmer, PEFMC board; Erin Buss, PEFMC board; Rebecca Koloszy, Thank a Teacher recipient; Danielle Brewer, MCPS interim superintendent; Allison Campbell, school board member; Lori Conrad, school board chair; Julie Shealy PEFMC board; Melissa Conner; and Renae Robinson, PEFMC board. [Submitted photo]
Avani Chitumalla [Submitted photo]
Stepping out in support
The annual Wear Your Wings 5K event raises awareness about domestic violence and funds to help victims.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@maganoliamediaco.com
The skies were still dark the morning of Oct. 11 when a crowd of participants, many clad in purple, spilled onto the campus of the College of Central Florida for the annual Wear Your Wings 5K Fun Run/Walk.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The color purple has long been associated with the cause.
The annual local event is organized by the Marion County Children’s Alliance’s Family Violence Prevention Workgroup to raise awareness about domestic violence and funds to help local victims.
According to workgroup coordinator Monica Bryant, there were about 120 registered runners. The overall female winner was Lauren Godwin and the overall male winner was Daniel Winters Jr. Medals were awarded to first, second and third place winners in each age group.
“Proceeds will be used to continue providing emergency resources and services to victims and survivors of domestic violence in our community,” Bryant said.
“We encourage anyone in an abusive relationship to call our 24-hour local domestic violence hotline at (352) 722-2272. If they are outside of Marion County, they can call (800) 500-1119. To get involved with the Family Violence Prevention Workgroup, call us at (352) 4385990,” Bryant added.
To find the complete race statistics, go to https:// runsignup.com/race/ results/181756
Photos by Bruce Ackerman / Ocala Gazette
Kathy Watts, Annette Maheu, Juventina Ochoa and Ann Stanton with her dog, Skeeter, 3.
Marty Smith, Madison Thurman and Karla Brantley Wilson, left to right, pose together during the Wear Your Wings 5K Fun Run/Walk at the College of Central Florida in Ocala on Oct. 11, 2025
Tammy Beck and Frenchie Bisiaux.
Valerie Mitchell and Monica Bryant.
Tammy Beck, Heaven Colon, Annette Maheu and Lena Hopkins.
Nova Luby, Kitzia Fernandez and Rhoda Grice.
Serenity Young, 10, left, and Melissa Young.
Yvonne Hayes-Hinson
Continued from page A1
before they acquiesce.”
She said some younger legislators “may not know the history of the Civil Rights Movement” and how persons of color struggled in the past. She said that as a person of color, she faced many challenges in life, including attending the University of Florida, where she completed her bachelor's and master's degrees in special education in 1972.
The KKK used to be the threat to persons of color but now, Hayes-Hinson Indicated, the threat may come from mainstream America.
“It's time for young people to rise up and create the community they want to raise their families in,” she stated. “There may have been racial division decades ago, but neighbors (of all colors) cared for each other. There were shared values and shared community.”
She said some of the Trump Administration’s actions amount to “pressure, retribution and racism.”
Hayes-Hinson feels the administration’s methods are sometimes heavy-handed.
“(Trump’s methods) mimics the mob. He certainly speaks their language,” she said.
Hayes-Hinson reacted to recent news reports that Republican State Rep. Kevin Steele filed a bill proposing each public state university and college name a roadway in honor of political activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in Utah on Sept. 10. The bill proposes that Stadium Road on the UF campus should be renamed Charlie Kirk Road. Hayes-Hinson said in spite of her personal outlook on the road renaming, she was elected to represent all of her constituents regardless of their views, and would prefer the matter be “decided by the people.”
When asked about her proudest moment in public service, she pointed to her time with the public school system in Dade County while she lived in Miami from 1978 to 2003. She said
while she served as principal at Robert Russa Moton Elementary School in Perrine, “We transformed a school in a low-income, drug-infested community into a school of excellence sought after by students from all income areas and cultures within a 50-mile radius.”
“Photography students photographed drug dealings adjacent to the campus in a journalism project, which led to law enforcement involvement by former prosecutor Janet Reno, who became a member of our school advisory team,” she stated.
After Hayes-Hinson’s current term expires, she said she plans to “to be a grandma, travel and do some gardening,” around her Gainesville home.
She’ll “try” to resist involvement in community affairs, she added.
To learn more, go to housedocs. myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/ Representatives/custom/ details.aspx?MemberId= 4768&LegislativeTermId=91
Teen subject of AMBER Alert to face charges
The 17-year-old boy faked his own kidnapping and shot himself in the leg, authorities said.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
Caden Speight, the 17-year-old whose disappearance in southwest Marion County on Sept. 25 triggered an AMBER Alert and launched an extensive multi-agency ground and air search, was arrested on Oct.14 for faking his own kidnapping, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the arrest affidavit, Caden was arrested and charged by major crimes detectives with presenting false evidence, shooting into a conveyance (truck), making a false report of a crime and possession of a firearm by a minor. Two offenses are felonies. He was transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice.
The case involving the kidnapping hoax winds back to the afternoon of Sept. 25 when the teen texted a message to his family that he had been taken from the 12000 block of Southwest County Road 484 by four men in a white van and had been shot in the leg during the abduction.
“I need help… being shot at,” the text message read in part, according to the affidavit.
On Sept. 25, investigators found a bullet hole in the windshield of the truck Caden was driving, which was registered to his father, blood stains and other indications of a possible abduction. Following a check with his family, an AMBER Alert was issued and a search was started.
Caden is home schooled and dualenrolled with the College of Central Florida. He normally takes an agricultural class at the CF Vintage Farm Campus on Southeast 3rd Avenue on Thursdays and travels west on CR 484 to his Citrus Springs home. In a phone contact with his
family shortly before the alleged abduction, he told his family he was headed home.
The teen was eventually found and detained by police in the Williston area, where he tried to sell a bicycle to an employee at an auto parts store.
During the investigation, MCSO Cpl. Jason Williams reviewed a record of Caden’s travels before and after the time of the alleged abduction from a Life 360 App, which his family used to follow his whereabouts. MCSO Intel provided data from the app to the investigator.
The app indicated Caden made visits to Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods prior to the alleged abduction and reportedly had taken cash from his safe at home. The app indicated he went to his CF class and then again visited the two stores. The app later puts him at the scene of the alleged abduction near Southwest 128th Avenue and CR 484.
An eyewitness noticed Caden stopped at the location but stated he appeared to be “alone and he did not appear to be in trouble.”
A check of the surveillance video of a nearby church on CR 484 did not reveal any evidence of a white van, which a text from Caden to his family stated contained four armed men who pursued him.
The arrest affidavit details evidence that indicated Caden purchased items including a bicycle, tent and sleeping bag.
Based upon the investigation, MCSO has stated it is probable that the teen used a mixture of blood and faked the shooting and that the gun shot was “self-inflicted.”
Caden said the handgun in his possession in Williston, which he said he had been shot with, belonged to his father.
After the teen was located in Williston, he “continued the ruse” and was interviewed by MCSO detectives at UF Health Shands on Sept.26.
A family member “advised (a detective) a couple of months ago the suspect stated he wanted to run away,” according to the MCSO affidavit.
Rep. Yvonne Hayes Hinson speaks during the Marion County Delegation at the Klein Conference Center at the College of Central Florida in Ocala on Jan. 6, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]
State faces 'Alcatraz' records lawsuit
By Jim Saunders The News Service of Florida
In the latest legal salvo over the immigrant detention center
dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” an environmental group on Oct. 14 filed a lawsuit alleging that state officials have improperly withheld public records, including documents about Florida’s efforts to get federal money for the facility.
Friends of the Everglades filed the lawsuit in Leon County circuit court against the state Division of Emergency Management, which has played a key role in developing and operating the controversial center.
Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a federal lawsuit this summer alleging that state and federal officials violated the National Environmental Policy Act, a federal law that requires evaluating potential environmental impacts before projects can move forward. That case, which was joined by the Miccosukee Tribe, is pending at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The federal court case has involved questions about funding for the Everglades detention center, which is surrounded by Big Cypress National Preserve. The state has argued that Florida — not the federal government — built the detention center and operates it, putting it outside the requirements of the federal environmental law.
But the public records lawsuit cited news reports early this month that the Trump administration has awarded a $608 million grant to Florida for the state’s efforts to detain people in the country illegally.
The lawsuit said Friends of the Everglades had earlier requested records from the state about funding for the facility but did not
receive the information. After the media reports about the federal grant, Friends of the Everglades made another request on Oct. 2.
The Division of Emergency Management acknowledged that the state had submitted a grant application to the federal Emergency Management Agency in August but did not provide the application and funding documents, according to the lawsuit.
“FDEM (the Florida Division of Emergency Management) unlawfully refused to permit inspection or copying of the requested public records within a reasonable time,” the lawsuit said.
“Despite acknowledging receipt of plaintiff 's requests and indicating that documents were being released on a rolling basis, FDEM has failed to produce the requested documents related to applications for federal funding or grants for
immigration detention centers.”
The lawsuit asks a judge to issue an order requiring the state to release requested documents and a declaration that the Division of Emergency Management violated Florida’s public records law.
The detention center, which is part of state Republican efforts to help carry out President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, began accepting people in July.
Siding with Friends of the Everglades, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Miccosukee Tribe on the environmental issue, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams in August issued an order telling the state to stop bringing in detainees and to wind down operations. But a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last month put Williams’ order on hold and allowed the state to continue using the detention center.
STATE NEWS BRIEFS: THE NEWS
LAWMAKER WANTS TEACHERS TO TAKE OATH
Florida teachers would have to take an oath to the nation and the state under a proposal filed Oct. 13 by Rep. Tom Fabricio, R-Miami Lakes.
The measure (HB 147) would be required for public school teachers, similar to oaths taken by lawyers, doctors and public officials, according to a news release from Fabricio. The bill is filed for consideration during the legislative session that will start Jan. 13.
The bill would require teachers to take an oath that says: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, protect and defend the Constitution and Government of the United States and the Constitution and Government of the State of Florida; that I am duly qualified for employment as a classroom teacher in this state; that I will well and faithfully perform the duties of a classroom teacher in a professional, independent, objective and nonpartisan manner; that I will uphold the highest standards of academic integrity and professional ethics; that I will foster a respectful learning environment for all students, which promotes critical thinking, civic responsibility and lifelong learning; and that I will serve as a positive role model in both conduct and character, so help me God.”
HIGHER LIABILITY LIMITS SOUGHT
After a similar proposal died this spring in the Senate, a House Republican on Oct. 10 renewed a push to pass a bill that would lead to cities, counties and other government agencies paying more in lawsuits over people getting injured.
Rep. Fiona McFarland, R-Sarasota, filed a bill (HB 145) that would revamp the state’s sovereign immunity laws, which help shield government agencies from costly lawsuits.
Under a law passed in 2010, government agencies’ liability in such cases is capped at $200,000 for payments to a single person and $300,000 if multiple people are involved in an incident, though the caps can be exceeded if lawmakers pass a special type of measure known as a “claim” bill.
Under McFarland’s proposal, those limits would go to $500,000 and $1 million for injuries that occur on or after Oct. 1, 2026, and $600,000 and $1.2 million for injuries that occur on or after Oct. 1, 2031.
The bill could lead to higher costs for government agencies, but McFarland has long argued that changes are needed to sovereign immunity laws to help victims get justice for injuries. The House voted 103-11 to pass the similar bill during the 2025 legislative session, but the Senate did not take up the issue. McFarland’s new bill will be considered during the 2026 session, which will start in January.
President Donald Trump tours the interior of the immigrant detention center nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz.” [Photo from Wikipedia]
Firefighters’ union, county continue discussions
Representatives are working to clarify details for a 2026/27 contract.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
Marion County negotiators and Professional Firefighters of Marion County union representatives met on Oct.13 as talks continue to iron out details for a fiscal year 2026/27 contract.
Meetings in August and September between the county and firefighters’ union focused on a possible change to a schedule with built-in time off known as a Kelly Day schedule. The proposed scheduling could reduce average weekly work hours, for example, from 56 hours to 48 while maintaining pay rates and benefits to keep and retain skilled firefighters and medics.
Florida House Bill 929 was discussed in a previous meeting. The bill calls for hazardous chemical free gear for firefighters, monitoring of mental health and 42-hour work weeks.
The Oct. 13 meeting saw the county negotiators, led by Amanda Tart, respond to the union’s Kelly Day proposal.
“Today (Oct.13) the county’s management team… responded to the union’s proposal, submitted on
Aug. 12, which included a Kelly Day schedule for all fire-based employees and a 24/72-hour workweek for EMS-based employees,” Tart wrote in an email. “The county expressed willingness to consider implementing a Kelly Day schedule for fire employees, contingent upon concessions related to incentive hours, holiday hours and a personal day. With the implementation of a Kelly Day, all fire employees would gain an additional 17 days off per year.”
A county spokesperson stated in an email after the meeting that “implementing the Kelly Day schedule for fire personnel would require about 135 additional firefighters, at a cost of about $13 million more
each year and bring MCFR to a 48-hour work week.”
The spokesperson stated that $9.6 million of the $13 million would be paid through fire assessment and the balance of $3.4 million would come from the county’s general fund.
Tart stated the county’s proposal for EMS employees.
“Regarding EMS employees, the county proposed no change to the current schedule but offered an increase of $1 per hour. This proposal also includes the same concessions related to incentive hours, holiday hours and a personal day,” Tart wrote.
“EMS employees have operated under a Kelly Day schedule since 2018,” Tart said.
Union local IAFF 3169
President Rolin Boyd and Second Vice President Joe Romani, both at the Oct.13 meeting, noted they have been studying scheduling at other Florida fire departments.
A map displayed by the union representatives indicated many Florida counties — about 29, including Marion — are “pursuing healthier work schedules” and four have been added since the August meeting.
The union representatives listened and will likely respond to the county’s proposals at the next meeting scheduled for Oct. 27.
“We have a lot to talk about,” Boyd said at the close of the Oct. 13 meeting.
CRIMES TARGETED
AHouse Democrat on Oct. 10 filed a proposal that would increase penalties for crimes based on political ideology.
Rep. Debra Tendrich, D-Lake Worth, filed the bill (HB 143) for consideration during the 2026 legislative session, which will start in January.
Under current law, penalties are increased if crimes are based on a list of factors such as race, ethnicity and religion. The bill would add political ideology to the list.
As examples, first-degree misdemeanor crimes committed based on political ideology would be upgraded to third-degree felonies and thirddegree felonies based on ideology would be upgraded to second-degree felonies.
DEAL TO SHIELD RURAL MADISON LAND
Florida will spend $4.1 million to help prevent development on more than 2,200 acres of agricultural land in Madison County, the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced on Oct. 10. The deal involves purchasing a conservation easement on 2,292 acres used by the Kip Whaley Ranch for cattle and timber. Conservation easements allow agricultural operations to continue while preventing development. The deal is part of the state’s Rural Family Lands Protection Program.
Ocala approves new roll-off compactor waste ordinance
Five locations in the downtown area have been identified as initial installation sites.
By Jamie Berube jamie@ocalagazette.com
Anew city ordinance will introduce roll-off compactors to Ocala’s municipal solid waste collection system, designed to nearly double the time between collection at some sites.
The ordinance, passed by the Ocala City Council on Oct. 7, defines a “roll-off compactor” as a large, heavy-duty waste container with an integrated hydraulic ram designed to crush and reduce waste volume, allowing more trash to fit before pickup. It extends the maximum waste accumulation period to 14 days for sites using compactors, doubling the previous seven-day limit, with exceptions for severe weather, acts of God or official holidays that interrupt the collection cycle.
For apartment buildings, condominiums and other multifamily residences serviced by compactors, rates will be established by council resolution, offering flexibility beyond the fixed rates for dumpster-based services.
This change stems from a Dec. 3, 2024, council directive to staff to develop and implement roll-off compactor services, supported by the acquisition of necessary trucks, containers and equipment. Over the following months, staff developed protocols to enable the city to provide this service, necessitating updates to the ordinances to ensure proper regulation.
According to the ordinance, the council cites the amendments as essential for protecting the health, safety and welfare of Ocala’s citizens, aligning with the city’s best interests. The ordinance directs staff to take all necessary steps for implementation and authorizes the codifier to integrate it into the code of ordinances, with provisions for minor corrections or public hearing modifications.
Greg Davis, public information officer for the city of Ocala, provided further details on the rollout.
“Five locations within the downtown area have been identified as initial installation sites for the new compactors. These units will be placed on city-owned property. Additionally, multi-family complexes and businesses will have the option to receive waste service through either a roll-off compactor or a traditional dumpster, depending on their specific needs,” Davis said.
Regarding rate determination, Davis noted, “A consultant is currently conducting a comprehensive rate study to establish fair and sustainable pricing for this service. The study’s findings will be presented to the city council for review and adoption later this year.”
On public education, Davis said information will be provided to the affected customers.
Addressing health and safety measures, Davis added, “To maintain health and safety standards, all compactors will be serviced at least once every two weeks in accordance with the ordinance requirements.”
New roll-off compactor. [Photo courtesy city of Ocala]
A Marion County Fire Rescue firefighter works as a raging fire consumes the Tizwhiz Feed and Hay facility in Reddick on Aug. 12, 2025. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]
FDOT slates public hearing Information will be presented about five-year work program.
The Florida Department of Transportation’s District Five Office will hold a public hearing from Oct. 20-24 to present the Tentative Five-Year Work Program for fiscal years 2026/2027 through 2030/2031 and provide interested persons the opportunity to express their views.
The tentative work program includes proposed transportation projects for the nine counties that form FDOT District Five: Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia. Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise projects are also included.
The program identifies when and where funds are needed for improvements across all modes of transportation, including roadways, bicycles, pedestrians, freight, trails, transit, aviation, seaports and spaceports.
The department is offering multiple ways for the community to participate and all participants, regardless of platform, will receive the same information.
A virtual option may be accessed at fdot.gov/wpph/district5; an in-person event will be from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 21 at 719 S. Woodland Blvd., DeLand. People also can schedule a meeting at the district office by contacting the project manager, Katherine Alexander-Corbin by email to D5-wpph@dot.state.fl.us or by phone at (386) 943-5168.
TWO MEN DIE IN
SEPARATE HEADON COLLISIONS ON SAME DAY
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
A40-year-old Belleview man died and three people were injured, one critically, as the result of a head-on crash in southeast Marion County early Saturday , Oct. 11, the Florida Highway Patrol has reported.
An FHP press release indicated the two vehicle crash occurred around 2:40 a.m. on County Road 42 just west of Southeast 160th Avenue Road.
The press release stated that a pickup truck driven by a 29-yearold Altoona woman was traveling east on CR 42 when it “crossed the centerline” and struck a sedan headon that was traveling west on the same road.
The driver of the sedan was fatally injured and a passenger in the sedan, whose age and gender were not provided, was critically injured, according to the press release.
The pickup driver and a passenger, a 22-year-old Clermont man, were both seriously injured, the press release stated.
All occupants of both vehicles were wearing seat belts, according to the press release.
That same night, a 70-year-old
Ocala man died and four people were injured in what the Florida Highway Patrol has called an “offset” head-on collision in southwest Marion County.
According to an FHP press release the two-vehicle crash occurred on Southwest 49th Avenue around 11:10 p.m. A sedan driven by the deceased victim was traveling north on Southwest 49th Avenue near Southwest 117th Street when a sedan driven south on the same roadway by a 35-year-old Ocala man “crossed the center lane into the northbound travel lane causing an offset head-on collision.”
The southbound vehicle driver was critically injured. Passengers in the sedan, a 22-year-old Fort Lauderdale man and 18-year-old man whose residence was not identified, were both seriously injured, the press release stated.
A passenger in the northbound sedan, a 31-year-old Ocala man, was critically injured.
Both drivers and all occupants were wearing seat belts, according to the release.
According to the FHP Crash Dashboard at flhsmv.gov, from Jan. 1 to Oct. 4 there have been 55 traffic fatalities in Marion County, preliminary information indicates.
By Arthur Miller
October 30 – November 16, 2025
Motorists drive on I-75. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]
Guy Marwick
Continued from page A1
Environmental Protection, Florida State Parks, Ellie Schiller Homossassa Springs Wildlife State Park, University of Florida/ Florida Museum of Natural History, Florida Springs Institute, Coastal Plains Institute, Florida Greenways and Trails, Alachua Conservation Trust, Conservation Florida, Silver Springs Sandhill Project, Horse Farms Forever, Putnam Land Conservancy, The Conservation Fund, Columbia Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, North Florida Land Trust, Big Waters Land Trust, Horse Protection Association of Florida and the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation.
“This more than I deserve. I’m shocked and pleasantly surprised. It’s nice to see so many friends and people we have worked with over the years. It’s really over the top,” Marwick said as he surveyed the large number of attendees, which included his wife, Pat, and other family members.
When asked about some of his more notable successes through the Felburn Foundation, Marwick started with, “When we helped to buy Three Sisters Springs at Crystal River and the Indian Lakes State Forest.”
“I like land acquisition. I think when we get land preserved and protected, we really do that for the long run. Sometimes the projects you do are really nice and really good, but the things that happen in perpetuity, that’s what is really wonderful,” he said.
One of those projects “in perpetuity” was known as the Avatar project, which ended with the state purchasing a local 4,400-acre plus property in November 2006 that is now the Indian Lakes State Forest in northeast Marion County.
“What people don’t realize is that started here with one phone call to the vice president of Avatar,” Marwick said, pointing to a wall of the museum. “I said, ‘Would you ever consider selling it?’ He said, “We’re getting ready to put the roads in. We’re vested for 10,000 houses. But I know it’s beautiful; it would make a wonderful park.’ And I said, “So would you take an offer from the state?’ He said, ‘Well we’re a business, we’re always open.’ I said, ‘So I take that as a yes.’ And I hung up and called Jim McFarland, and I said, ‘Jim, put together a proposal.’ And the proposal flew and four years later the state spent $76 million and
bought it.”
“The purchase of the 4,471 acres north of the park along County Line 35, which also includes Indian Lake, is a financial partnership between DEP, The Nature Conservancy and Marion County,” noted an “Ocala Star-Banner” article in 2006. “Under the agreement, DEP will pay about two thirds of the $76 million, The Nature Conservancy will pay about one-third of the bill and Marion County will kick in $2.5 million. Next year, the state will buy out The Nature Conservancy’s share, turning the property into public land.”
The Three Sisters Springs Center manages land access to Three Sisters Springs, a unit of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, and the springs themselves are one of the only places in the world where people can swim with manatees, which flock there in cold weather.
“So many of these projects have just made me feel good that I have been able to be part of it. And people have helped… all the people in this room have helped. In different ways, they are all doing the same thing,” Marwick added. “You don’t do anything by yourself. You have to have like-minded people to help get through hurdles. And look at this room full of really good people.”
Julie Hendrix is executive administrator for the Felburn Foundation, which is based in Ocala.
“Tonight is a night to celebrate Guy Marwick, the man who has led us to where we are now in conservation and all the efforts we have supported, and we will be continuing his mission — and our mission — at the Felburn Foundation,” she said.
“Our newest director is Guy ‘Harley’ Means, joining Kemp Floyd and Larry White, and we are moving forward as we were before. We are hoping to continue the good work that we are able to help organizations like the many that are here tonight representing their causes,” Hendrix added.
“Harley Means, who is the Florida State Geologist and Director of the Florida Geological Survey, is who I chose to take my director spot. He’s really a good person and it’s just exciting for the continuity. And Scott Mitchell is doing such a great job with the museum, so it just keeps moving on,” Marwick noted.
“The museum is part of the
Marion County Public Schools system and it’s a very unique and successful partnership, along with the Florida Park Service. Guy started the museum in 1991. He began in 1987, but it opened in 1991,” Mitchell told those gathered.
‘LIKE A SPRING’
Felburn Foundation board member Larry White gave a keynote speech filled with interesting information and delivered in a syrupy southern drawl, with lots of witty bon mots.
“We are here to celebrate and honor Guy Marwick for 16 years on the board and as executive director of the Felburn Foundation but first let me put your minds at ease. The Felburn Foundation is a grant making private foundation. As such, we do not solicit contributions, so that means you won’t be asked to make any donations, at least not by us. I don’t know, however, what any characters in this crowd might ask of you,” White said in his opening remarks.
White then remarked that Mitchell had given an excellent account of the Felburn Foundation in a 2022 edition of “Ocala Style” magazine, the “Gazette’s” sister publication.
In that column, Mitchell noted that, “The Felburn Foundation is a small charitable nonprofit with a big impact. Although the foundation is not widely known, you’ve likely benefited from a project they have supported at some point in your travels.”
J. Phil Felburn was a successful businessman and philanthropist who believed in the preservation of natural resources and saw education as the key to meeting this goal. He established the foundation in 1978. Management was later passed to his daughter Ellie Schiller, who actively funded many projects until her passing in 2009. Guy Marwick assumed the role of executive director. He works with Larry White, Kemp Floyd and Julie Hendrix. The team manages investments with the skill of a surgeon and does amazing things with the interest, Mitchell wrote.
“The foundation operates on three basic beliefs: acquire, protect and perpetually maintain areas of natural significance; provide educational facilities and research funds in nature related fields; and create an interest in
the public toward the protection of sensitive and endangered natural areas,” he noted.
White told the crowd that one of the best things he ever did for the foundation was to put in place a mechanism for the board members to name their own successors.
“And one of the best things Ellie Schiller did was to name Guy Marwick to take her place,” White stated. “For decades before that, Guy had been an environmental activist, a science teacher and an accomplished collector of historic and prehistoric artifacts. He instantly brought to the foundation a wealth of scientific and natural history knowledge, environmental expertise and practical and administrative skills. For the Felburn Foundation, it was a jackpot when Guy joined us.”
White outlined that Phil Felburn had conserved property by acquiring it, which included waterfalls in North and South Carolina, springs in Kentucky, a cave in Georgia and 600 acres of undeveloped marshlands west of Yankeetown, accessible only by water.
“It quickly became clear that Guy Marwick is hands on. By boat, he personally posted no trespassing signs on the islands and engaged Florida Wildlife folks to keep an eye on things out there. He sought the necessary safety signage at the waterfall in South Carolina, which gets a lot of public use, and personally cleared invasive plants from those Kentucky springs, chest deep in the water, looking to astonished onlookers like some bizarre swamp creature,” White offered.
“He is tireless, and he follows up. Whether gathering information for a grant application or following up to make sure recipients do what they say they will do or monitoring the foundation’s investments, Guy doesn’t just come in and then leave things to chance, he follows up. And Guy is a relationship builder,” White added.
“The Felburn Foundation has helped land trusts, local, national and international small and large, through the purchase and protection of land. We have extensively supported the preservation of Florida’s springs, restoration of long-leaf
pine forests, archaeological digs in Florida and South Carolina,” White explained. “The foundation has supported the protection, rehabilitation and rescue of manatees, Florida panthers and black bears, whooping cranes, sandhill cranes, whales off the coast of Norway, elephants, rhinos and bonobos in Africa, Bengal tigers in Asia, snow leopards in Tibet, trumpeter swans, condors, striped newts and endangered turtles, as well as abandoned, neglected or abused horses, big cats and chimpanzees. And there’s been a lot more. And Guy Marwick has been at the heart of it all. Tireless. Steadfast. Committed. Dedicated.”
White said the Felburn Foundation has made grants totaling “in the neighborhood of $30 million.”
“And it has kind of been our test for success, that we can be proud of many of the things which we have helped make happen, which many of you have made happen,” White said, waving his hand around the room.
“Not long ago, I heard something from the book of Isaiah had me thinking of Guy: The Lord is urging his people to end injustice, oppression and malice, and provide for the needy. If you do those things, you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail,” White continued. “Springs have been Guy’s passion nearly all his life, and, in the process, I think he has taken on something of the character of springs or maybe he identifies with springs as reflecting his own values. Either way, like springs, Guy is steady, constant, ongoing, persistent, unfailing.”
White then called Floyd, Means and Hendrix to the podium to present a plaque to Marwick.
“I don’t know what to say. Thank you all for being here. It’s been a pleasure,” Marwick told the crowd.
NEXT UP?
As for what Marwick might be doing with his spare time now, maintaining physical fitness may be at the top of the list. After all, he recently set a new strict curl weightlifting world record at 91 pounds in the 80+ age category.
“The contest was in Tampa and the event I entered and won was a strict curl competition. Three judges make sure your back maintains contact with the wall. The contest was put on by the Raw Power Lifting Federation,” Marwick explained in a text message, adding that he has been lifting weights “off and on since college.”
To learn more about the Felburn Foundation, email Hendrix at the_felburn_foundation@yahoo. com or call
(352) 368-6686.
Photos by Michael Warren Special to the Gazette
Silver River Museum Coordinator Scott Mitchell, Public Education Foundation of Marion County Executive Director Meghan Magamoll, Lou Archibald, former Marion County Public Schools superintendent Ralph “Skip” Archibald, MCPS board chair Lori Conrad and MCPS interim superintendent Danielle Brewer.
John Dunn, an Ocala-based freelance, writer, journalist and author and Margaret Spontak, president of the Great Florida Riverway Trust.
Former Felburn Foundation executive director and board member Guy Marwick, second from left, is congratulated by current board members Larry White and Kemp Floyd Jr., executive administrator Julie Hendrix and board member Guy “Harley” Means during a retirement celebration on Oct. 11.
Jaye Baillie, executive director of the Marion Cultural Alliance, and Nikki Upton, with Marion County Public Schools and the Silver River Museum.
Guy “Harley” and Tammy Means.
Guy Marwick took the helm of Silver Springs State Park’s wheelchair-accessible glass-bottom boat on Oct. 11 during an outing with Felburn Foundation board members. The foundation helped fund the vessel.
Unbridled Courage
Continued from page A1
laughter ahead. It’s about finding hope beyond the diagnosis and showing that courage, once unbridled, has no limits,” she shared.
To learn more, the “Gazette” did an email Q&A with Ulrich.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY, HOBBIES, ETC.
I was born in Virginia and lived in Tennessee and Sarasota before coming to Ocala in 2005 when my parents, Dave and Sue Layman, moved here.
I graduated from Jacksonville University with a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems and am currently a senior software engineer with Included Health, which is based in San Francisco. Included Health combines virtual and in-person care with expert insurance navigation, comprehensive support and AIpowered technology.
I love my job and the company I work for. I could never be a doctor because I can’t deal with the sight of blood, but the work that I do allows me to work on the periphery of the medical field, supporting our providers and clinicians who aid our members through their own medical journeys. It is a rare thing for me to not be inspired to start my workday.
I am married to Tommy Cuevas. We’ve been married for 2 ½ years, together for about 10. I’ve got two kids from a previous marriage. McKenna Ulrich, 14, is a freshman at West Port. She is in the MCCA magnet program, focused on music, playing clarinet in marching and concert band, and in choir. Logan Ulrich, 17, is a junior at West Port. He is involved in FFA, joining the horse evaluation team this year, and rides and shows Arabian horses. We’ve got three rescue dogs, two bunnies, a hamster and a horse.
My hobbies include riding horses, reading and cooking — something that has been renewed as I focus on nutrition with my diagnosis, and I occasionally pull out my sketch books to do a little drawing. There was a time in high school when I thought I would go to art school. I wish I had the musical talent that my daughter has. She got that from my mom.
My Dad, Dave Layman, and my stepmom, Jo Layman, live here in town.
My mom, Sue, passed away in 2019 from metastatic breast cancer. My parents were married for almost 50 years when she passed.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR HEALTH JOURNEY.
In January of this year, I decided to get back on top of my routine care after skipping a year of appointments. Through my company’s virtual primary care service, I got referrals for labs, a well-woman visit and a
screening mammogram. The first two were normal. My March mammogram, however, showed microcalcifications in my right breast. Radiology Associates of Ocala moved quickly. Additional imaging was followed by a biopsy, which confirmed invasive ductal carcinoma, ER/PR-positive and HER2-negative.
Life tries to balance things out. Within a week of my diagnosis, I received a promotion at work. I’m incredibly proud to work for a Silicon Valley-based tech company, especially providing the services we provide. So, when I received my promotion, it felt like life was reminding me that even in the middle of hard news, there are still moments to celebrate and be grateful for.
On April 22, I had a bilateral mastectomy with Dr. Georgios Rossidis (HCA Florida Ocala Surgical Group) and Dr. James Rogers (Ocala Plastic Surgery) began reconstruction the same day. Pathology showed clear margins and one positive sentinel lymph node. At that point I was considered Stage IIA.
When I met with my medical oncologist, Dr. Vipul Patel, at Florida Cancer Specialists, a PET/CT was ordered to guide the next steps. I expected to be discussing adjuvant therapy; instead, the scan revealed bone involvement (spine, ribs, sternum, femurs), shifting the diagnosis to metastatic breast cancer, Stage IV.
Because my cancer is fueled by estrogen, my treatment plan focuses on “turning off the faucet” of hormones: monthly injections to induce menopause, a daily hormone blocker medication to block estrogen production and a daily medication to slow cancer cell division. To protect my bones, I receive regular infusions, and I completed 10 sessions of targeted radiation to my femurs for pain prevention and structural support. The goal is to treat it as a chronic condition, shutting down the cancer cells with the targeted hormone therapy, and monitoring and pivoting treatment if progression is detected.
Since then, I’ve had monthly labs and will have follow-up scans every three to four months to track response. Day-to-day, I’m focusing on a Mediterraneanstyle diet; regular movement by spending a lot of time in the Peloton app focusing on spin classes, strength training, yoga and meditation; and living well while treatment keeps the disease
in check.
WHO HAS HELPED YOU MOST ALONG THE WAY?
An unexpected part of my cancer journey is how deeply my company and our care team became part of the story.
It started with the virtual primary care program my employer provides. That’s how I got the referral for the mammogram that ultimately detected my cancer. When it came time to choose a surgeon, I used our company’s provider referral service, which matched me with Dr. Rossidis, who performed my mastectomy with great skill and compassion. The system that our care team uses to provide support to our members who use the referrals service was actually something I had been a tech lead on to revamp, leading up a small team of engineers. We had wrapped the work up on it only a few months before.
When there were delays in my biopsy referrals, I leaned on our Care Team leadership, who stepped in to ensure Radiology Associates of Ocala received everything they needed in time.
I also used our company’s Expert Medical Opinion service, submitting my diagnosis and records to leading specialists. I received second opinions from both a radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist, which reassured me that my treatment plan was sound.
In addition, our Cancer Specialty Care program gave me access to oncology nurses who answered questions, pharmacists who guided me through medications and nutritionists who specialize in supporting cancer patients. And when billing issues arose, the claims advocacy service was there to help resolve them.
These resources didn’t just support me logistically; they gave me peace of mind. Having a care team behind me made a daunting diagnosis feel less overwhelming and I’m grateful my professional world offered such personal support when I needed it most.
And my family. I don’t know what I would do without them.
Tommy has been incredible throughout this journey, not just in the big moments, but in the small, everyday ways he shows up. His support, patience and love remind me daily that courage doesn’t have to be carried alone
My dad has already walked
Resources and support
According to the Florida Department of Health in Marion County, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women in Florida. The agency urges routine screenings and selfexams.
DOH-Marion provides access to free or low-cost breast cancer screenings to women who are uninsured or underinsured, have a low income and meet eligibility requirements. To see if you qualify, call (352) 629-0137 or visit floridahealth.gov/diseasesand-conditions/cancer/breastcancer/bccedp.html The local nonprofit Michelle-
O-Gram was established following the death of Michelle Blauser Standridge, 36, to breast cancer. The organization can help facilitate mammograms. Learn more at michelleogram.com
Another local nonprofit Hot Girls Against Breast Cancer, Inc., started by Lindsey Ardmore, also offers support and information. The organization has produced the 2026 Firemen’s Calendar “in support of our mission to un-gate screenings and mammograms for women under 40 years old.” “This calendar features the work of local photographer,
Becca McKinney Photo, and local firemen from agencies in North Central Florida. As a breast cancer survivor and young mother, I believe that every woman has the right to screening access no matter her age, race or demographic. Please support our mission and enjoy the view all year long!”
To learn more and order a calendar, at $20 each, go to bronzeocala.com/hot-girlscalendar
For more information, visit cancer.org/cancer/types/breastcancer.html
this journey twice before with my mom. He knows how hard it is to face cancer and how helpless it can feel when you can’t take it away. Early in my diagnosis, he told me one thing he could do was pray for me every day. True to his word, every evening I get a text message from him with a prayer. It’s become a daily reminder of his love, faith and steady presence in my life.
Jo has such a caring way of being present for me. Whether she’s sharing recipes or checking in, her thoughtfulness reminds me that I’m loved and supported. It means more than words can capture.
Vashti Nugent, my oncology nurse navigator through HCA health. I experienced her incredible care when she was at Ocala Plastic Surgery, and I had a procedure done. At my first appointment with Dr. Rossidis, I didn’t know she would be my navigator, so when she walked through the door, I cried happy tears. She is such a light in this world and an inspiration for anyone going through a cancer diagnosis.
My friends, who have offered a listening ear when I needed to talk and encouraged me when I needed a reminder of my own strength.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHERS?
Please don’t wait, don’t put it off. Get your mammograms and your checkups. I had no symptoms and no lump, but cancer was still there. If I’d gone by how I felt, I might have skipped that appointment and that decision could have cost me precious time.
Go live an amazing life. Don’t sit back and wait for “someday.” Do the things that bring you joy now, love your people fully and live the life that’s in front of you. I wish it didn’t take cancer to help me reprioritize my life but I’m grateful every day for the clarity it’s given me about what really matters.
WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE?
Family is at the heart of what matters to me, but it’s more than that. It’s about courage, community, and finding joy in the everyday. For me, that looks like cheering for my daughter in the marching band, celebrating my son as he shows his horse or
sharing a meal with the people I love.
I’ve been blessed with an incredible circle of support, my husband, my dad and my stepmom among them, who remind me daily that love and strength take many forms. Alongside them, my faith is also an important part of my life. It’s not something I talk about often, but it quietly grounds me and helps me find balance, peace and hope in each new day.
Together, these things remind me that purpose isn’t only found in the big milestones, but in the ordinary, meaningful moments we live side by side.
“As with her mom, Shaun was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her mom was cancer free for six years and the cancer returned in her brain and her lungs. We lost her mom in 2019, only five months after her cancer returned,” Dave Layman shared.
“While Shaun's initial diagnosis was scary and life changing, she has approached this journey just like her mom, with strength and courage and a stubborn attitude that wills her to defeat the cancer,” Layman continued.
“Much like her mother, who would encourage those who were on this same cancer journey, Shaun's Unbridled Courage Facebook posts are a mirror of her mom's encouragement to help others,” he added. “Shaun is a testament and example of her mother’s courage and defiance to not let this diagnosis defeat her. She is her mother’s daughter, and I could not be any prouder of the woman she has become. Just like her mom, it's not just about her but all women who fight this battle with cancer. Quitting is not an option.”
Find the Unbridled Courage page at fb.com/profile. php?id=61579286250670
Shaun Ulrich and her daughter McKenna Ulrich compare hair at their home in Ocala on July 1, 2025. [Photo by Tommy Cuevas]
Shaun Ulrich helps her son Logan Ulrich after he won the blue ribbon on their horse Spinner at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala on Dec. 1, 2024. [Photo by Tommy Cuevas]
Tommy Cuevas and Shaun Ulrich [Submitted photo]
Shaun Ulrich rides her horse Spinner at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala on April 11, 2025. [Photo by Tommy Cuevas
This is the cover of the Hot Girls Against Breast Cancer, Inc. calendar. Proceeds from sales of the calendar will benefit screenings and mammograms for women 40 and younger. [Submitted photo]
70th annual bull sale deemed great success
The Marion County Cattlemen’s Association event is the oldest continuous graded sale in the nation.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
he 70th annual Ocala
TGraded Bull Sale on Oct. 14 at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion drew more than a dozen consignors from near and far. It is the oldest continuous graded bull sale in the nation.
Local businessman and cattleman Hugh Dailey, who has been involved in the sale for more than 40 years, said this year’s event was “a great bull sale.”
“This was the 70th year anniversary and we shattered all previous records. The volunteers from the Marion County Cattlemen’s Association worked very hard to make the sale a great success. Many local bull buyers remarked about the high quality of the bulls this year. The improved genetics will enable local ranchers to raise higher quality calves,” Dailey said on Wednesday.
“The 2025 Ocala Bull Sale sold 56 bulls. With sales totaling $410,450 and an average sale price of $7,329. Our sale toppers were two Angus bulls from Barnett Angus Ranches in Washington, Georgia, bringing over $15,000 each,” said Caitlin Justesen, livestock agent, UF/ IFAS Extension, Marion County.
“This year’s sale was extraordinary in both the quality of bulls sold and prices received for each lot. The Marion County Cattlemen’s Association is grateful to the bull consignors for bringing superior stock to the sale. These bulls will drive genetic improvement and the overall performance of beef cattle herds around the southeast for years to come,” she added.
The event also included a cake auction by the Marion County Cattlewomen’s Association, with the proceeds going to student scholarships.
To learn more, go to ocalabullsale.com and fb.com/ marioncountycattlemens
Bulls are shown in their enclosures.
Hugh Dailey, left, talks with Quin Johnson.
A Braford bull looks out of its enclosure.
Lila Peebles, 9, left, and Payton Teuton, 13, parade cakes around that were up for auction.
Auctioneer Chad "Cracker" Johnson looks for a higher bid.
Bulls are auctioned off during the 70th annual Ocala Bull Sale.
A bull is auctioned off in the sales ring.
Bid taker Derek Beaty accepts a higher bid on a bull as it is auctioned off.
Garrett Peebles leads a bull in the sales ring as it is auctioned off during the 70th annual Ocala Bull Sale at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion in Ocala on Oct. 14, 2025. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
Garrett Peebles leads a bull in the sales ring.
People watch as bulls are auctioned off.
Photos by Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette
Boyd backed to become Senate president
By Jim Turner
The News Service of Florida
Jim Boyd, a veteran lawmaker who heads an insurance and investment firm in Bradenton, was formally selected on Oct. 14 by Senate Republicans to become the next Senate president.
Boyd, who is the Senate majority leader, will succeed President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, after the November 2026 elections. House Republicans last week formally selected Rep. Sam Garrison, R-Fleming Island, to succeed House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, after next year’s elections.
During a ceremony in the Senate chamber, Boyd did not detail priorities but spoke of a need to “defend the taxpayer” and to “protect the rights of parents and strengthen our schools,” while saying lawmakers have to handle the challenge of growth’s effects on infrastructure, schools and health care.
“My vision is a Florida where
decade — but believes Florida should help “those that need the help the most.” Boyd also said lawmakers need to look at state expenses, similar to the ongoing efforts by the state to scrutinize local government spending.
every person has the chance to prosper. A Florida where families feel safe in their neighborhoods, where parents know their voices matter and where every child can pursue an education that prepares them for the future,” Boyd said.
Boyd has played a key role in recent years in legislation to bolster the property insurance market. Addressing reporters after Tuesday’s ceremony, Boyd said insurance changes he’s sponsored are “starting to work.”
He said he doesn’t support expanding Medicaid eligibility — an issue Republican leaders have repeatedly rejected over the past
“We fortunately have been blessed with good revenue and good finances as a state,” Boyd said. “But we always have to pay attention to our expenditures. And coming upon a budget forecast that we're facing for the next several years, I think it's even more incumbent upon us. So yes, … we should be looking at ways to lean up government, right size it, if you will.”
State economists last month forecast a $3.8 billion surplus for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. But without altering current levels of spending, shortfalls are anticipated of $1.5 billion and $6.6 billion in subsequent years.
In formally nominating Boyd on Tuesday, Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, described him as professional, serious and lighthearted.
“He embodies what Calvin Coolidge, a former Senate president himself said, when he said, ‘It takes a great man to be a good listener, an ability to listen, a diligent legislator and a good friend.’ Those are all the traits we need in a Senate president and Jim Boyd embodies every one of them,” Burgess said.
Sen. Jay Trumbull, R-Panama City, added that Boyd is a fan of the viral internet Bishop Bullwinkle song, “Hell to da Naw Naw Naw,” which Trumbull described as, “When faced with nonsense, with distraction, with political games that waste time, Jim's answer is simple, ‘Nope. Not here, not now.’”
Senate Republicans were able to choose the president because of their majority in the chamber and Boyd long ago wrapped up support for the job. Boyd, 68, served in the House from 2010 to 2018, before getting elected to the Senate in 2020.
Albritton praised Boyd, saying, “Your encouragement has helped sustain me and your wisdom has helped inform me.”
The 2025 legislative session included a series of clashes between the Senate and House and Gov. Ron DeSantis on issues and the budget, resulting in the session ending more than a month late.
Among the biggest pieces of legislation that Boyd has sponsored was a 2021 law that was aimed, in part, at curbing lawsuits against property insurers. Boyd and other backers of the measure pointed to problems with litigation costs and questionable, if not fraudulent, claims for such things as roof damage.
Boyd has also advanced legislation targeting drug trafficking involving fentanyl and other opioids. He represents Senate District 20, which covers parts of Hillsborough and Manatee counties.
Politics has long played a role in the Boyd family. Hugh Boyd, his grandfather, was in the state House at the start of World War II. His uncle Wilbur Boyd, who founded Boyd Insurance & Investments in 1974, was a legislator from 1959 to 1972.
Garrison gets nod as next House Speaker
By Jim Turner The News Service of Florida
House Republicans on Oct. 9 formally designated Rep. Sam Garrison to succeed House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, after the 2026 elections.
During a designation ceremony in the House chamber, Garrison, a Fleming Island attorney, didn’t provide specifics about legislation he would pursue as speaker, one of the most-powerful positions in the state. He called Florida the “envy of the nation,” while warning against complacency among Republicans who hold a supermajority in the House.
“Our challenge ain’t the Democrats, it’s us,” Garrison, 49, told House Republicans.
“Our communities sent us here. They sent you here. And they sent us here for a reason. It is to be their voice. To bring our collective experiences to bear in addressing the challenges, and seizing the opportunities, we face as a state,” he said.
Garrison, who spent a decade as an assistant state attorney in the 4th Judicial Circuit in Northeast Florida, also warned against using time in Tallahassee for “political
performance art.”
While Garrison was formally designated Thursday, he had long ago collected enough support to become speaker. Republicans are able to choose the next speaker because of their majority in the House, where they hold 85 of the 120 seats.
Senate Republicans next week are scheduled to formally designate Bradenton Republican Jim Boyd to become the next Senate president. Boyd, the current Senate majority leader, will replace President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, after the 2026 elections.
Garrison told reporters after
Thursday’s designation the big issue is to “keep our economic engine humming.”
Perez has drawn attention for sometimes publicly clashing with Gov. Ron DeSantis on issues and presided over a budget standoff with the Senate that led to the 2025 legislative session ending more than a month late.
Asked if he will follow Perez’ example in pushing ideas, Garrison replied that “there's always going to be creative tension across the rotunda (with the Senate) and with the executive.”
“It is not a bad thing for the House and the Senate to have
State could face food stamp tab
SNAP benefits are currently funded by the government but that could change in 2027.
By Jim Turner The News Service of Florida
As an increasing number of Florida food stamp recipients will have to meet work requirements to remain eligible, the state faces a potential hefty bill from the federal government for the program.
Currently, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits — commonly known as food stamps — distributed by the state are fully funded by the federal government.
But under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” signed this summer by President Donald Trump, that could change on Oct. 1, 2027, when states could be required to contribute money based on payment error rates.
Bridget Royster, assistant secretary for the Florida’s Department of Children and Families’ Economic Self Sufficiency Program, said the agency is working to reduce its payment error rate, which reached 12.6 percent in the 2023-2024 federal fiscal year.
“The department is identifying operational process improvements, policy enhancements and technology solutions to ensure we continue to drive quality,” Royster told the House Human Services Subcommittee on Oct. 8. “I’m proud to say we’re moving in the right direction and actively working towards achieving a payment error rate of less than 6 percent.”
In the past fiscal year, DCF oversaw the distribution of $6.8 billion in federal food assistance to 2.3 million households, according to the agency.
States with error rates below 6 percent would continue to be fully covered by the federal government, under the new law. Those with rates between 6 percent and 7.99 percent would be required to contribute 5 percent of the costs. If demand for SNAP remained unchanged from the past fiscal year, an error rate within that range could result in a $340 million share from Florida for the program. And Florida’s share would increase based on higher error rates.
State payments would reach 15 percent if the error rate tops 10 percent.
The error rate isn’t based on fraud but overpayments and underpayments. Benefits are calculated based on household sizes and net monthly incomes, which can change and might not be immediately reported.
Royster said the state had allowed individuals to self-attest wages, rent and utility costs, but now requires recipients to document housing costs and utility charges.
The state’s error rate was 8.1 percent in the 2022-2023 federal fiscal year and hasn’t been below 6 percent since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Florida’s error rate for the past federal fiscal year is currently calculated at 15.13 percent, but that isn’t based on the full year.
Royster pointed to a series of hurricanes as a contributing factor to the growth in the error rates the past few years.
Meanwhile, 181,217 Floridians receiving federal food stamps were moved under work-requirement
disagreements,” Garrison said. “I think it's a good thing. Ultimately, the end product is what matters.”
He also said the legislative process is designed to “be messy.”
“It's designed to have debate. And the speaker (Perez) is not afraid of that. I'm not afraid of that. The governor's certainly not afraid of that. The Senate’s not afraid of that,” Garrison said.
“We're going to wrestle with these sorts of things. At the end of the day, we're going to have a balanced budget that reflects the priorities of Florida.”
Garrison, who is chairman of the Rules & Ethics Committee, has helped shepherd high-profile legislation, such as a 2024 measure intended to prevent homeless people from sleeping on public property, including at public buildings and in public rights of way. In part, the law made it easier for residents and business owners to file lawsuits against local governments that allow people to sleep or camp on public property.
Rep. Demi Busatta, R-Coral Gables, described Garrison as “a man of his word, and in the face of adversity, he will never compromise who he is and what this chamber stands for.”
During the ceremony, Garrison
presented House Republicans with copies of the Federalist Papers that included leather-bound bookmarks made from chairs that until last year had been used in the House for a quarter-century.
“As designation gifts go, it is not the fanciest, but it is intentional and I hope it proves as meaningful to you, as it has to me,” Garrison said.
Garrison will be the first speaker from Clay County since Republican John Thrasher, who led the House during the 1999 and 2000 legislative sessions. Thrasher, who went on to serve as president of Florida State University, died in May at age 81.
“The last conversation I had with Speaker Thrasher was in March of this year at opening day (of the legislative session),” Garrison said. “Standing beside my desk amidst the noise and the crowd, he told me he had one more opening day in him, and how proud he was of what that day would mean for me, for my family and for Clay County.”
Garrison also noted how the leadership time will go quickly, pointing to Rep. Jennifer Canady, a Lakeland Republican who is slated to become House speaker after the 2028 elections.
rules with the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
Royster said the number is up from 16,452 in 2023.
“This is an estimate based on the guidance the department has received from our federal partners,” Royster said. “And this number could change based upon further clarification as requirements are applied.”
In 2024, Florida lawmakers expanded the ages for ablebodied adults without children or other qualifiers to meet work requirements for SNAP benefits if
they were between the ages of 18 and 59. The age range had been 18 to 54.
The law signed by Trump on July 1 increased the upper age to 64 and removed exemptions from the work requirement for homeless people, veterans and former foster youths under age 24.
Another 9,753 people in Florida from other countries who are listed as asylees, refugees, victims of trafficking and parolees were also made ineligible for SNAP under the federal law, according to department data.
[Image courtesy US Department of Agriculture]
Rep. Sam Garrison, R-Fleming Island, was formally designated Thursday to become the next House speaker. [Photo by Tom Urban]
Sen. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, was formally designated Oct. 14 to become Senate president after the 2026 elections. [Colin Hackley/file]
People, Places and Things ‘Art, music and energy’
The Ocala Arts Festival returns to the downtown area Oct.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
On Oct. 25 and 26, the streets all around downtown Ocala will again be filled with amazing works of art, live entertainment, yummy eats and drinks, and thousands of attendees.
The annual Ocala Arts Festival, organized by Fine Arts For Ocala, is a beloved tradition that draws artists and visitors from near and far. This year’s co-chairs are Ryan Neumann and Teddy Sykes. The judges are Sara Garzón, Robin Perry Dana and Catherine Bergmann.
According to FAFO’s administrative coordinator, Amy Casaletto, the works of 149 artists will be on display.
The featured artist is Ummarid “Tony” Eitharong, who recently had an exhibition at the Appleton Museum of Art.
According to his website, Eitharong “began his artistic journey with meticulous photorealistic pencil drawings, capturing the essence of his subjects with precision. Over time, his creative vision expanded, leading him to explore the vibrant possibilities of mixed media. Today, Tony is celebrated for his innovative acrylic abstract art on watercolor paper, a medium that allows him to express complex emotions and ideas through bold colors and fluid shapes. His work, a testament to his self-taught mastery, is cherished in both public and private collections across the globe.”
Eitharong’s vibrant works are large, ranging from 3-foot by 5-foot to 6-foot by 8-foot.
When reached by phone on Tuesday, Eitharong said he will be bringing more than 20 pieces of art to the Ocala show.
His longtime collaborator and partner, Mary Anne James, noted that his bright and bold works are “based on color theory.”
“And he just got a commission from the Orlando International Airport to do three large pieces for the new C terminal,” she said.
David Reutter is the registrar at the Appleton Museum of Art and a member of the FAFO board of directors.
“Every year, Fine Arts For Ocala chooses an artist to feature on posters, billboards and press.
25 and 26.
Ummarid “Tony” Eitharong was an obvious choice as someone who has been a participant and frequent award-winner at our show for decades. Also, this year Tony had a 50-year retrospective at the Appleton Museum of Art, which was sponsored by Fine Arts For Ocala. His recent paintings, explosive abstract arrangements of color, convey the vibrant and diverse attitude we strive for at the festival,” Reutter said.
Eitharong has donated a 3-foot by 3-foot painting from his “Patchwork” series to be raffled off during the festival, with the proceeds to benefit a local school arts program.
“This was completely Tony’s idea, and he wanted a way to give back to the Ocala community that has supported him over the years.
The painting will be at the FAFO info booth throughout the festival weekend, with the drawing happening at the end of the weekend. At Tony’s suggestion, 100% of the funds raised will go to a Marion County school elementary art program. We have not yet determined which school will receive the money or how
many schools will benefit. This will be determined by how much we raise (how many schools we can award) and the school will be determined randomly,” Reutter explained.
James said that Eitharong’s “purpose in life is to make people happy.”
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away,” he said.
In addition to the fine art on display, “the festival will again showcase artwork from elementary, middle and high school students as part of our youth artist exhibits, highlighting the incredible talent developing right here in our community,” Casaletto said.
“We’re also proud to continue our Emerging Artist Award, which recognizes and supports up-and-coming artists who are taking the next step in their creative careers. These features are a vital part of FAFO’s mission to promote the fine arts and encourage artists of all ages and experience levels,” she said.
The festival will showcase a lineup of student performance
groups at Citizens’ Circle both days, plus live local entertainment on the downtown square featuring Cheyla, Becky Baby Band, Rachel Zirkle and Feverdreams. More than a dozen food/beverage trucks will offer a wide variety of options.
If you’ve been in the downtown area lately, you may have noted construction of a new hotel and a second city parking garage.
“Fortunately, the current construction won’t affect the event zone or activities for the festival. However, it may impact parking and general traffic flow downtown, as the closures will increase detours in the area. We’re already looking forward to next year — as once construction is complete, we plan to extend the festival footprint to connect both parking garages and the new hotel,” Casaletto shared.
“The board of Fine Arts For Ocala is thrilled to bring the 58th annual Ocala Arts Festival to downtown Ocala,” said FAFO President Emily Andrews. “We love that the Ocala Arts Festival not only showcases amazing artists but also supports our downtown
businesses. With the opencontainer policy in place again this year, guests 21+ years old may enjoy a beverage from a local bar or restaurant as they experience all the art, music and energy that make this weekend so special. We hope you join us for one of Ocala’s premier art events of the year.”
“It’s important that FAFO continue this tradition because it brings our community together through the shared experience of art, creativity and culture. The Ocala Arts Festival has become a cherished part of our city’s identity — celebrating artists, inspiring students, supporting local businesses and enriching the quality of life for everyone who attends,” Casaletto offered.
“By continuing this tradition, FAFO not only honors its long history of promoting the fine arts but also ensures that future generations have opportunities to engage with and appreciate the arts in meaningful ways.”
For all the details, including information about the raffle for the Eitharong painting, go to fafo.org
A smaller rendition of “Patchwork” by Ummarid “Tony” Eitharong will be raffled off during the Ocala Arts Festival with proceeds to benefit a school arts program. [Photo courtesy of the artist]
“Scarlet Symphony,” by Ummarid “Tony” Eitharong, is one of three pieces going into the C Terminal at the Orlando International Airport. [Photo courtesy of the artist]
William Kidd of St. Petersburg sits in his booth with his colorful clay artworks during the Ocala Arts Festival in downtown Ocala on Oct. 27, 2024. This year’s event will take place Oct. 25 and 26. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]
The art of kwè
The artist behind the inaugural Healing Arts Gallery exhibit describes her paintings as the “art of resilience.”
By Margo Wilson margo@ocalagazette.com
Within a 10-month period, starting in December 2015, acrylic abstract artist Roseprimevere Jacques lost both her sister and her father to cancer. In fact, her father died on what would have been her sister’s birthday, Oct. 3, 2016. Toward the end of his life, he had assembled the brushes and other items he would need to start painting. But he never got a chance to pursue this new creative outlet.
Roseprimevere, who prefers to be known by her first name, was stricken with grief by the two deaths. Her sister had breast cancer and fought “like a warrior,” she said. Her father had pancreatic cancer and just a few months to live after he was diagnosed. But he taught her how to live with joy and with art — and artfully.
Somehow, she felt that by picking up her father’s brushes and seeing what she could do with paint, she might find a way to push through her sorrow to the hope, love and joy her sister and father expressed throughout their lives.
The process was a kind of rebirth for Roseprimevere. She enrolled in a Master of Social Work program in 2017 and, at the same time, explored painting. Several years later, as she focused more on her art, she dropped her last name, focusing on the floral radiance of her given name — which translates from French as “Rose primrose.”
An exhibit of her exuberant paintings, called “Color Me Courageous: Glimpses of a Healing Journey Through Art Expressions,” through which she found self-healing and new life, is the inaugural exhibit at the new Healing Arts Gallery at Arts in Health Ocala Metro. The exhibit will be up through March 31, 2026, and can be seen by appointment. The gallery is at AIHOM office at 507 NE 8th Road, Ocala.
AIHOM MISSION
AIHOM is a nonprofit that takes visual art, music and other arts to the community, and especially to people facing mental and/or physical challenges. During its four years of existence, the organization has worked with 20 nonprofits, said Executive Director Patricia Tomlinson. This year, the organization is working with about 10 organizations, such as the Arc of Marion County and the Eighth Avenue Adult Activity Center. Through AIHOM, 12 artist practitioners share their art with those attending programs at the nonprofit sites. Arts in Health also collects data to better understand how the arts affect the body and mind.
Lisa Irwin founded the nonprofit, but it was Tomlinson, the former curator of exhibitions at the Appleton Museum of Art,
who advocated to the board that Arts in Health Ocala Metro have its own healing arts gallery.
The gallery will “have inspiring artwork that defines our mission and will help regional artists to display their healing work. It’s a win-win,” Tomlinson said.
AIHOM’s mission is to support mental and physical health through the arts. Those artists whose work “was created or inspired” by that mission will be chosen to exhibit at the gallery, Tomlinson said.
She said she really understood how art can change lives after she attended a symposium in Tampa and learned about a program for the military that integrates art and healing.
“I was instantly smitten,” she said, adding that she learned how art “can make profound mental and physical differences.”
AIHOM recently learned it will receive National Endowment for the Arts funding for an “Art for Veterans” program it will provide with the Ocala Vet Center.
Tomlinson said also has observed that when nonverbal children are involved in art, they will start communicating by pointing and other measures to make their desires known. Similarly, music can reach people who may seem otherwise unreachable, she said. The effect that art can have on people is “almost miraculous,” she said.
Roseprimevere’s work was chosen to launch the gallery because she is “very open and honest that she started painting to deal with her grief,” Tomlinson said. “She’s perfectly clear that her mental health benefited by painting.”
ARTISTIC JOURNEY
Born in Gonaives, Haiti, Roseprimevere was able to stay
in the U.S. after she married a U.S. citizen. It was while she was working at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Florida, that she started taking her art more seriously.
The Hollywood hospital sponsored an art contest for staff and a friend encouraged Roseprimevere to enter. Eleven staff members submitted works and hers won third place. This was the first time she had ever done anything like this.
When asked if she thinks her father was speaking to her through her art and perhaps still does, she can’t talk at first.
Later, she tells how, when others would ask her, “How are you?” she would hide her feelings.
She said her painting has helped her learn to speak more in the moment and say something like, “Thank you for asking,” and then go on to explain that sometimes she’s doing well and sometimes, not as well.
When someone’s grieving a deep loss, the person doesn’t really ever get over it. The person’s sorrow can become “complicated grief,” and it can be overwhelming, Roseprimevere said.
After her sister, Guervara, and father, Richet, died, “No words were coming out,” she said.
Through painting, she was able to start expressing herself. And music helped, too.
She said songs, like Nico and Vinz’s “Am I Wrong?” helped “give me the courage to turn around.”
She said she would like it if her art had a similar effect on those who see it.
Her paintings are both abstract and vivid. The abstract patterns allow her “room for expression
for myself and for people to see themselves,” she said.
As for the vibrant colors, she smiles and says, as if there’s no need for further explanation, “I’m Caribbean.”
In recent years, Roseprimevere was a traveling medical social worker at hospitals at Yale and Stanford universities and at Penn State’s Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. While she was at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, she exhibited her art at a popular Pan Asian restaurant and persuaded the restaurant to provide an art gallery wall, displaying the work of local artists.
After a while, Roseprimevere missed Florida and moved to Ocala, where she worked for AdventHealth.
Eventually, she decided she needed to devote herself full time to her art and art-related activities.
All along, she had encouraged others to express themselves through their art. Now it was her time to follow her own advice.
“I wrestled with it,” she said. “I decided I needed to practice what I preach. I decided ... to see where it (art) would take me.”
She said two days after making her decision, she heard about the opportunity with Arts in Health Ocala Metro. She also is a resident artist at the Magnolia Art Xchange, or MAX.
THE ART OF KWÈ
She calls her paintings the “art of resilience.” In her native Creole, what she’s creating is “the art of kwè,” she said. She translates “kwè” as “belief.”
She has a packet of three laminated stickers that she sells. You could put them on
your refrigerator or mirror or on the inside of your door as inspiration.
They say, “Color Me Strong,” “Color Me Brave” and “Color Me Courageous.”
Those working through grief are strong, brave and courageous, Roseprimevere said.
If she’s able to, she said she’d like to take her art around the United States, not to mention that she sees it having a “global” focus. No matter where her art takes her, she said she’d like to help people with their grief.
Yes, she’s an artist, but she said she’ll also always be a social worker.
She’s a member and past board member of the International Association for Social Work With Groups and does workshops combining art and grief support. She said she has discussed doing a support group for artists through MAX and would like to offer group and individual support work here.
At least for now, she said she’s viewing Ocala as her home base.
“It’s the first place I’ve decided to grow roots,” she said. “Ocala is stuck with me.”
Roseprimevere can be reached through her Facebook page at “Abstract Paintings by Art of Kwe,” on Instagram at artofkwe or Roseprimevere, and by email at info@artofkwe.com.
Arts in Health Ocala Metro can be reached through its website, aihocala.org. To make an appointment to view the Roseprimevere exhibit, email info@aihocala.org.
“Unbroken Song”
“Gentle Fire”
Artwork by Roseprimevere.
“Brave Bloom”
Roseprimevere describes her artwork “Lumiere.”
“Rise Again”
The artist known as Roseprimevere poses with some of her artwork on display in her Color Me Courageous exhibit at the Arts In Health Ocala Metro gallery on Northeast 8th Road in Ocala on Oct. 7, 2025.
Photos by Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette
Boo-tiful Halloween craft ideas
Staff report
Halloween is a highlight of fall, as children and even adults anxiously await Oct. 31. Similar to the holiday season, people often decorate their homes for Halloween and even do so well in advance of late October to maximize the amount of time they get to enjoy the trinkets and other items.
Many people enjoy getting hands-on for Halloween. It’s possible to craft decorations, personalized treats and festive costumes. Consider these ideas for Halloween craft projects.
3D Pumpkins - Carving pumpkins is a popular Halloween tradition. But there are many people who feel the job
is too messy. Instead, a fun way to add personality to pumpkins comes by way of some hot glue and paint. Use a hot glue gun to create a pattern on the outside of the pumpkin. It can be designs, a jack-o-lantern face or just about anything. Once dry and hardened, use craft paint to go over the entire pumpkin. The raised design will be evident and add dimension. Spooktacular Wreath - Adorn the front door with something creative. It can be utterly frightening or something more festive. Start with a premade spring greenery wreath or a wreath frame that you cover with your own greenery. Purchase a round, unfinished wooden sign panel and paint with black chalkboard paint. Add your own
message with chalk or chalk paint. “Keep Away” or “Enter at Your Own Risk” are great Halloween phrases to consider. Attach the sign in the middle of the wreath. You also can add some embellishments to the wreath, including black moss and floral stems and leaves. A glittery black and green ribbon or bow is the finishing touch before hanging.
Boo Treasure Box - Purchase a wooden treasure chest or box from a hobby store. Paint it all black or your favorite Halloween colors. Then add additional designs like spider webs, bats or pumpkins. Fill the box with treats or small toys. Kids can have fun picking out their treasures.
Halloween Gnomes - Gnomes
have been popular for years, and they keep turning up in different iterations. You can craft your own gnomes for Halloween with a few supplies. Start with a 9-inch-tall foam cone. Cut the bottom off the toe part of a solidcolored ankle sock just past the heel and pull it up so it covers the lower few inches of the cone. Add some hot glue to secure, draw a beard shape on the back of the faux fur and cut it out. Attach the beard to the lower part of the cone over the sock. Use a crew length patterned sock to create a hat for the gnome and glue to the top part of the cone. Glue on a large wood bead for the nose. Decorate the gnome any way you’d like, such as adding felt patches to the sock hat.
Free diabetes classes offered
Staff report
The Active Marion Project, an initiative of the Marion County Hospital District, is hosting a free, eight-week diabetes self-management series on Thursdays from Oct. 21 through Dec. 9. The classes are open to all individuals age 18 and older who are prediabetic or diabetic, and for those who support someone with diabetes.
All participants will engage in the Diabetes Education Empowerment Program (DEEP), an eightweek curriculum designed to enhance diabetes selfcare. Throughout the course attendees will gain knowledge and skills to better manage their diabetes, including guidance on improving eating habits, increasing physical activity, monitoring their body numbers, and preventing complications associated with diabetes, according to the news release.
AdventHealth will provide free biometric screenings, including glucose and cholesterol checks, to help participants track their health progress.
The classes will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Marion County Hospital District office at 2547 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. No insurance is required.
Space is limited. To register, call (352) 619-4306 or email amp@marionchdt.org
Homeownership session and weatherization day offered
Staff report
Those who want to learn about the programs offered by Habitat for Humanity and ways to improve energy efficiency in their home can receive information at these two upcoming free events.
HOMEOWNERSHIP SESSION
Habitat for Humanity of Marion County will offer a homeownership session on Oct. 23 at the Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place, at 1824 NW 21 Ave., Ocala.
The free event is geared toward individuals and families seeking safe, decent, affordable housing, first-time homebuyers, those who have not owned a home in the last three years and anyone who wants to learn how Habitat’s affordable homeownership program works, according to the information provided.
Attendees can receive information about basic eligibility (credit, residency, income guidelines, need for housing), what “sweat equity” means and how family’s partner with Habitat, along with the application timeline and required
documents and homebuyer education and support services.
The session will run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and light refreshments will be provided.
To register to secure a seat, call (352) 361-4663.
WEATHERIZATION DAY
The Central Florida Community Action Agency, Inc., will present a weatherization event on Oct. 30. It will be hosted by Upper Room Ministries, at 3575 NE 15th St., Ocala.
The weatherization program can
make homes safer and more comfortable. Weatherization improvements can also make buildings more energy efficient to help lower utility bills. While supplies last, $50 gas gift cards will be available to attendees who meet income eligibility requirements based on poverty guidelines, the provided materials stated.
The event, which will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will include a chance to register to win a generator and free food.
To learn more, go to cfcaa.org/ weatherization
[Stock image]
Get into the spooky spirit this Halloween
Staff report
Come Oct. 31, there is extra mischief in the air and who knows what might be lurking around those dim corners?
Halloween is a time when the line between having fun and being scared is easily blurred. While trick-or-treating and attending parties are ways to enjoy the final day of October, there also are plenty of other ways to make Halloween more fun.
• Read some scary stories. There’s something to be said about reading scary stories or poems on Halloween. Readers’ imaginations take over as they envision scary characters and scenarios.
Edgar Allen Poe, author of many notably macabre works, is a popular read on Halloween.
• Go pumpkin picking. Most people already make pumpkin picking an annual treat. Don’t overlook mishappen pumpkins that can be carved into spooky jack-o-lanterns. Also, enhance Halloween decor with pitted and warty gourds that lend that scary appeal.
• Have a costume theme. Everyone in the household can get in on the fun by planning costumes to fit a theme. For example, everyone can dress like the Addams family.
• Host a Halloween book club. Those who love to read can ensure the October gathering of a book club is one that features a discussion of a scary book. Those looking for a scare can explore horror authors like Stephen King, Anne Rice, Dean Koontz, Clive Barker, Shirley Jackson and Tananarive Due.
• Host an outdoor movie. Projectors can now be hooked up to smartphones and tablets, so it’s easier than ever to watch movies outside. Simply project a device onto a screen, white fence or even a bedsheet. Since it gets dark somewhat early in October, the movie doesn’t have to start very late. Depending on the audience, choose a movie that is very scary or only mildly so if children will be viewing.
• Make creepy crafts. Children can get a kick out of crafting Halloween decorations.
• Create a haunted house. Instead of going elsewhere to get chills and thrills, transform your house or yard into a spooktacular vision and invite neighbors to explore.
SERIOUSLY SIMPLE
Drape a piece of muslin over a beverage bottle and spray it with laundry starch. Let it sit and the muslin will stiffen when it dries. Paint on black circles for eyes and hang your “ghost” from a string.
• Whip up Halloween treats. Candied apples, extra-rich brownies and mini hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls to look like mummies are just some of the ways to create a scary Halloween feast.
Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins a seasonal favorite
Muffins are often served as a breakfast time treat, but I like them any time of day or evening.
Slightly moist and crumbly, muffins are my kind of comfort food.
These spiced pumpkin muffins are rich, golden orange nuggets of pumpkin goodness. The pumpkin pie spice reminds us of harvest time. These spiced gems are further enhanced with buttermilk and chocolate chips. Choose either semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips, depending on your preference.
These quick, bread-style muffins use baking powder and baking soda to leaven rather than yeast. And while I like these muffins best the day they are baked, they also freeze beautifully so you can have them at a moment’s notice. Just remember to defrost them. You can reheat them in a 350-degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes. These would be great to serve at a holiday brunch.
TASTY TIPS
Do not overmix, or you will have dense, short, heavy muffins. Make sure to spray the muffin tins with baking spray.
Freeze any remaining muffins in plastic lock-top bags. Defrost and warm slightly before serving.
PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE MUFFINS
Makes 12 large muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups semi or bittersweet chocolate chips
1Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare a 12-muffin tin by greasing each muffin tin cup well with baking spray. Fill with 12 cupcake liners, if desired.
2Combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl or on a sheet of parchment paper. Reserve.
3In a large mixing bowl blend the oil and both sugars with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add the eggs, pumpkin and buttermilk and blend on low speed until just blended.
4Add the dry ingredients to the mixture on low speed, mixing until just blended. DO NOT OVER MIX. Add the chocolate chips and mix just enough to combine.
5Divide the mixture evenly into the muffin cups (I use an ice cream scooper) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes and then turn the muffins out onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
FREE FIRST
• Organize a Halloween treat exchange. Similar to a Christmas Secret Santa, participants put together a wrapped gift of homemade or store-bought foods and exchange with others.
SATURDAY
+
BY SWING THEORY
Saturday, November 1
Enjoy free admission from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. as part of Free First Saturday! Explore the galleries and Artspace, and don’t miss live performances by the seven-piece swing band Swing Theory in the auditorium at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Seating is limited to 250 guests per show on a first-come, first-served basis. Food trucks will also be on-site throughout the day. Scan the QR code for details.
You can eat this treat right away or freeze for another day. (Diane Rossen Worthington/TCA).
Porto: Portugal's surprising 'Second City'
I'm really into “second cities” these days. For generations, Industrial Age powerhouses in Europe turned into what we would call “the rust belt,” while their elegant “first city” counterparts enjoyed the luster of the Information Age. But over the last decade or so, the rust has become a trendy accessory, and industrial ruins have turned bohemian chic.
A prime example is Porto – the hub of Portugal’s north and the country's second city.
Just three hours from Lisbon by train, it’s fiercely proud of what distinguishes it from the Portuguese capital as it ages happily along the Douro River –alongside most of the world’s port wine.
Spared by the 1755 earthquake that toppled Lisbon, Porto is charmingly well preserved. Block for block, it may be even more full of gritty, Old World charm than Lisbon. Houses with red-tiled roofs tumble down the hills to the riverbank, prickly church towers break the skyline, mosaic-patterned stones line streets, and flat-bottomed boats called "rabelos" ply the lazy river.
The city comes with a steady sea breeze and a seagull soundtrack. Being on the ocean,
Porto has weather that's always changing. You’re likely to get sun and rain at the same time –causing the locals to exclaim, “A widow’s going to remarry.”
Porto offers two highimpact sightseeing thrills: the postcard-perfect ambience of the riverfront Ribeira district and the opportunity to learn more about – and taste – port wine that ages just across the river in Vila Nova de Gaia. (Aficionados of port – or of dramatic scenery – can use Porto as a springboard for visiting the nearby Douro Valley, where grapes grow on steep stone terraces.) Porto also features sumptuous Baroque churches and civic buildings, a bustling real-world market hall, atmospheric lanes of gloriously tiled houses, a variety of good restaurants, appealing boutiques, and quirky but worthwhile museums.
The Ribeira (literally “riverbank”) district is the most colorful and touristy quarter. Strolling the Ribeira Embankment, while popping in and out of shops that line the way, is Porto’s best lazy-afternoon activity. Be sure to duck into the back streets, where time-worn faces and once-dazzling facades age together gracefully as if inspired by all that Port wine.
Downtown Porto is compact but steep, making distances seem longer. Foot-weary travelers take the well-promoted “Six Bridges” cruises that float up and down the Douro River, offering a fine orientation and glimpses of all of Porto’s bridges, including the majestic steel Ponte Dona Maria Pia, designed by Gustav Eiffel — architect of Paris' famous landmark. For wine connoisseurs, touring a port-wine "lodge" –where the wine ages for years – and sampling the product is an experience not to be missed. Port is a medium-sweet wine, usually taken as a digestif after dinner. For some, port is an acquired taste – but it's one worth cultivating. As I always say, “Any port in a storm...” In the district of Vila Nova de Gaia there are 18 lodges open for touring and tasting. At any lodge, the procedure is about the same; travelers simply show up and ask for a tour. Sandeman, the most high-profile company, is sort of
MAYO CLINIC
the Budweiser of port – a good first stop for novices. While the wine-cellar experience can be unforgettable, consider splurging for a convivial, romantic, and port-centric gourmet dinner at one of several fine port tasting rooms in downtown Porto. I’ve long liked Prova, a lounge-y little wine bar where sommelier Diego lavishes guests with nicely paired plates to go along with his fine wines and port. In addition to tasting wine, consider taking a food tour in Porto. They’re timed for an early lunch or dinner, last three or four hours, come with a mile of walking, and include four to eight stops. The tours are pricey, but if you think of them as a meal as well as a tour, they make the splurge easier to swallow. Porto natives are known as "tripeiros" (tripe-eaters), compared to Lisboans who’ve been dubbed “cabbage-eaters,” and you may encounter tripe stew on your food tour. Along
with this local specialty, a favorite sandwich is the "francesinha," which is like a Portuguese French dip with a tomato-based sauce. Picnic sandwiches and scenic perches – for people-watching, views, or both – are easy to come by in lively Porto.
The town's two most famous foods – tripe stew and a quadruple-decker, saucedrenched, gut-bomb of a sandwich – say it all: This place is unpretentious. Locals claim they’re working too hard to worry about being pretty. As an oftrepeated saying about Portuguese cities goes, “Coimbra studies, Braga prays, Lisbon parties...and Porto works.”
Portugal's second city is ever-changing, often chaotic, and worth a visit now more than ever. Whether you’re enjoying Ribeira’s riverfront promenade, cruising the Douro, or sampling port in this port town, Porto gives you a delightful taste of authentic Portuguese culture.
My mom has Alzheimer’s. What does that mean for me?
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am part of what I hear called the Sandwich Generation. I have kids living at home and an aging parent in ill health. My mom is 83 and in an assisted living facility with physical and cognitive problems. She has been diagnosed with mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. It makes me sad for my mom and also concerned for myself. Whenever I can’t remember something, I think I’m getting dementia too. I’m only 47. Is this how it starts? Does my family history mean I will have Alzheimer’s? Is it too late for me to avoid what feels inevitable?
ANSWER: With a busy family and feeling anxiety over your mother’s diagnosis, this can be a stressful time. It can be helpful to arm yourself with more information about Alzheimer’s disease, a complex process that begins in the brain years before symptoms develop. Some of the earliest symptoms may be short-term memory difficulties. People may ask repeated questions or forget recent events or conversations.
However, Alzheimer’s disease can result in a variety of neurologic symptoms, and different conditions also can affect memory. And it’s important to know that not all forgetfulness is Alzheimer’s. In fact, other causes of cognitive symptoms may be preventable or even reversible.
Most patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease first show symptoms in their 60s and 70s, but the age of symptom onset can vary widely across patients with this diagnosis. It’s always a good idea to discuss any concerns directly with your doctors.
As with other common medical conditions, most cases of Alzheimer’s disease likely do not develop due to any one single cause in isolation. Increasing age is the strongest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, but genetics and lifestyle also influence risk and protection against disease.
Through research, we know about some but not all of the risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. While having a family history of the disease does
increase one’s personal risk to a degree, it is important to remember that less than 1% of Alzheimer’s cases are determined by genes that cause the disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
These genetic cases typically are diagnosed when a person is extremely young, roughly 30 to 50 years old, when cognitive symptoms, such as memory loss, develop. Having multiple firstdegree relatives – your parents, siblings or children – affected by the genetic mutation also is a risk factor.
Those mutations typically are found in three genes related to processing of amyloid, a protein that clumps into sticky plaques in the brain, representing an early marker of the disease process. There are other genes (such as the APOE gene) that influence risk of Alzheimer’s disease but which do not solely determine whether someone gets the disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is highly individualized, meaning there is not a one-size-fits-all barometer of how it proceeds for a given person.
The general expectation is that the disease causes gradual worsening of memory and other cognitive functioning over time. However, all patients are different, having a range of symptoms and rates of progression. Past trajectory on an individualized basis is generally the best guide for future trajectory, meaning if the disease has progressed slowly, it likely will continue that way for the near future. If it has progressed rapidly, that likely will continue.
One takeaway message for all of us is that many daily activities and habits promote the health of the brain no matter our individual risk for Alzheimer’s disease. These habits include:
Staying mentally and socially active. Try to learn new things or reinvigorate old interests that are enjoyable and engaging. This might include going to social events, reading, dancing, playing games, creating art, playing an instrument or other activities.
Exercising regularly. That can mean walking, swimming or other aerobic activity to increase your heart rate. Aim to exercise at least 150 minutes a week. That
could be five times a week for 30 minutes each or three times a week for 50 minutes each.
Getting regular, high-quality sleep. Sleep is thought to clear abnormal proteins in the brain and consolidate memories. Aim for seven to eight consecutive hours of sleep a night rather than fragmented sleep of short increments.
Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. The Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower Alzheimer’s disease risk. That’s a diet rich in vegetables, fruits and lean protein, particularly protein sources containing omega-3 fatty acids.
Managing other medical conditions. That includes vascular risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
As you handle your family’s care needs – your children’s and your mother’s – do make sure to also take care of your own physical and mental health. Friends and family and community resources can offer support to help patients and families manage Alzheimer’s disease.
In Porto, fl at-bottom boats called “rabelos” are a frequent sight along the Douro River. (Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli, Rick Steves’ Europe)
SOCIAL SCENE:
Inaugural gala
The Civic celebrated its 75th birthday with a swell soiree.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
The Ocala Civic Theatre, also known as The Civic, has been providing top-notch entertainment for 75 years.
On Oct. 9, a crowd of more than 100 dedicated supporters and patrons celebrated that birthday milestone during the Set the Stage Inaugural Gala at the venue.
“Hosted by The Civic’s board of directors, the evening began in the theatre lobby with champagne, hors d’oeuvres and light jazz by pianist Daniel Tenbusch. Guests bid on prizes including travel, wine, restaurant, entertainment and spa packages during the silent auction in Studio B,” noted Melody Murphy, the director of marketing and public relations, via email.
“Following a cocktail hour, guests moved to tables on the chandelier-lit stage for dinner, music and tributes to The Civic’s impact on the community. Catered by The Fiery Chef, the menu included a choice of filet mignon or snapper primavera, with a fall salad, parmesan potatoes, truffled asparagus, and a lemon-basil tartelette,” Murphy shared.
Speakers during the gala included Ben and Danielle Marciano, mayor and first lady of Ocala; Greg Thompson, Civic executive and artistic director; Jackie Eastman, president of the Civic board of directors; Dani Moreno-Fuentes, Civic education coordinator; Alexis Medina, Civic development coordinator; Kiah Manning, gala chair and member of the Civic board of directors; and Kyleigh Wilkinson, Civic performer and student with The Academy at Ocala Civic Theatre, Murphy noted.
Vocalists were Civic performers Jalis Redmond, Christian Gonzales, La’Nya Solomon, Caleb Spivey and Hunter Freilich, who sang a selection of Broadway music under the direction of resident music director Justin Davis, with accompaniment by Daniel Tenbusch.
As well as a celebration, the event also was a fundraiser as part of the Save the Civic campaign.
To learn more go to ocalacivictheatre.com
Melissa and Scott Nadenik pose for a photo during the Set the Stage Inaugural Gala at The Civic on East Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala on Oct. 9, 2025.
La’Nya Solomon, Christian Gonzales, Jalis Redmond and Kyleigh Wilkinson.
LuAnne Warren and Valerie Dailey.
Crystal Fernung, Diane Paglia and Margaret Spontak.
Kiah Manning and Justin Davis.
Melody Murphy and Patti McQueen.
Paulette Milhorn, Jim Hilty and Diane Palmer.
Scott Cross, Buff Moring and Randy Godbold.
Photos by Bruce Ackerman / Ocala Gazette
Norman Reid, Susan Reid, Kathy Sparks and Tom Sparks.
Greg Thompson, the Producing Artistic Director of OCT, poses with Danielle Marciano and her husband, Ocala Mayor Ben Marciano.
Ginny Riley, Greg Doss, Benjamin Burnette and John Anderson Jr.
Dunnellon tops North Marion Tigers earn district win over Colts.
By Mark Pinson Special to the Ocala Gazette
Dunnellon junior tailback
Tony Tanner rushed for 174 yards and scored three touchdowns, and the Tigers’ defense forced five turnovers in a dominating 28-6 win over North Marion Oct. 10.
The Class 3A-District 5 victory evened Dunnellon’s record at 4-4 overall and 1-1 in district play.
“It was a good win,” said firstyear Tigers coach JB Bynum.
“We wanted to be 1-0 this week and get back to 500 overall and in the district. We played complimentary football tonight. Our defense forced turnovers and the offense turned them into points. We were good in all three phases. We ran the ball well and when Tony is rolling it makes us so much more dynamic and harder to defend. He demands so much attention that it gives other kids a chance to make big plays.”
The loss dropped North Marion to 2-6; 0-2 on the season.
The Colts opened the game with an impressive drive as senior quarterback Matthew Dial connected with several receivers on short passes to move the ball to the Dunnellon 30-yard line. The drive stalled when Dial, who completed 11 of 18 passes for 62 yards, was sacked by junior Ayden Cox on fourth down.
Both defenses dominated on this rainy night until midway through the second quarter when North Marion fumbled and Dunnellon’s Frederick Mathis recovered the ball at the Colts’ 22. Tanner swept around left end and raced into the end zone untouched. The extra point by Jayliana Lopez-Neumann gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead.
North Marion picked up a couple of first downs on its ensuing possession, but Dial was intercepted to end the threat.
Dunnellon opened the second half with a methodical 12-play, 70yard drive featuring the powerful running of Tanner, who ripped off chunks of yardage against the Colts
defense. Tanner capped the drive with a 12-yard scoring scamper.
The point after made it 14-0 with 5:07 left in the third period.
North Marion struggled to find any kind of consistency against a swarming and aggressive Dunnellon defense.
The Tigers forced a Colts punt and marched 57 yards in nine plays with Tanner blasting his way into the end zone from 2-yards out. The extra point gave Dunnellon a commanding 21-0 lead early in the fourth period.
North Marion crossed midfield but the Tigers, who had six sacks on the night, tackled Dial in the backfield to end the drive. Dunnellon sealed the game with another touchdown as junior running back Kameron Wheeler broke through the North Marion defense for a 21-yard scoring run. The extra point made it 28-0 with 8:57 left in the game.
North Marion showed a lot of resolve by marching down the field as Dial showed his elusiveness by scrambling away from pressure and picking up several first downs. Dial was banged up on a hard tackle and junior Isaac Smith came in to replace him. Smith completed four of eight passes and found junior wide receiver Damir Williams for a 12-yard touchdown pass. The point after was no good to leave the Colts trailing by a score of 28-6 with 2:27 remaining to play. That’s the way the game ended.
This kind of win gives Dunnellon a lot of confidence heading into its next game against Hawthorne.
“This win is a testament to the hard work the boys have been putting in,” said coach Bynum, who played running back and graduated from Dunnellon in 2002. “This is the second time this season that we’ve won backto-back games and I like what I see from this team. We know Hawthorne is a good team and coming in hungry, so we need to have a good week of practice and be ready to play.”
North Marion’s quarterback Matt Dial (5) is stopped by Dunnellon defenders.
North Marion’s quarterback Matt Dial (5) is stopped by Dunnellon’s Kaiden Robinson-Vickers (7).
Dunnellon’s Tony Tanner (0) picks his way past North Marion defenders.
Dunnellon’s quarterback Dylan Curry (3) eludes North Marion defenders for a large gain.
Dunnellon’s LJ Woods (2) tries for a touchdown pass in the end zone ahead of North Marion’s Latrel Griffin (29).
Dunnellon’s Iterrean Mitchell (15) leaps in the air to make the catch away from North Marion defenders, but then couldn’t hold on, during a football game at North Marion High School in Citra on Oct. 10, 2025.
Dunnellon’s Iterrean Mitchell (15) looks for a touchdown pass ahead of North Marion’s Travis Pete (2).
Dunnellon’s quarterback Dylan Curry (3) pushes ahead for extra yardage as heavy rain falls.
North Marion’s quarterback Matt Dial (5) is stopped by Dunnellon’s Courtlyn Mack (14) and Tony Tanner (0).
Photos by Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette
Dunnellon’s Kameron Wheeler (6) pushes off on North Marion’s Jamel Kearse (0).
Government
OCT. 20 AND 27
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.
OCT. 21
Marion County Board of County Commissioners
McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala
9am
The commission meets the first and third Tuesday of the month. Agendas, minutes and video are available at marionfl.legistar.com/ calendar.aspx
Ocala City Council
Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave., Ocala
4pm
The council meets each first and third Tuesday of the month. Agendas and minutes are available at ocala.legistar.com/calendar.aspx
Belleview City Commission
Belleview City Hall, 5343 SE Abshier Blvd., Belleview
6pm
The commission meets the first and third Tuesday of the month. Agendas, minutes and video available at belleviewfl.org/200/ agendas-minutes
Community Arts
OCT. 18
Phantoms in the Fort Fort King National Historic Landmark, 3925 E. Fort King St., Ocala
5 -10pm The city of Ocala Recreation and Parks Department, in partnership with the Marion County Library System, will host the free event. It will include hands-on archaeology demonstrations, games, exhibits, food trucks and music by The Sandy Back Porch Band. From 7 to 9 p.m., Marion County Library storytellers will share spooky tales. Attendees are encouraged to bring canned food donations to support local food pantries. Seating is limited, so bring chairs or blankets. Parking will be available at the Kline Lot on NE 41stAvenue, with digital signage along E. Fort King Street to assist with directions. Learn more at fortkingocala.com
The event, presented by the Marine Corp League Marion Detachment #0601, will benefit Veterans Helping Veterans USA, Marine Corp League Marion Detachment Mission of Young Marines and the Interfaith Emergency Services foodbank. For more information, call Earl Allison at (269) 625-5314 or Randy Weber at (352) 239-1069 or visit vhvusa.org/mcl-golf
OCT. 19
Trivia Night
Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
6-8pm
Sponsored by Ovation! for Ocala Civic Theatre and led by emcee Philip Leppert, in partnership with Imagine Entertainment, the questions are mostly general knowledge and theater. Tables of four for groups; single players will be assigned to teams. Cash bar, hot dogs for sale, prizes, silent auction and raffles. Get tickets at ocalacivictheatre.com
The Humane Society of Marion County event will include trunk-or-treating, food, games, costume contests and more. To register, go to app.giveffect.com/campaigns/38436-7thannual-howl-o-ween
OCT. 23
Women Empowering Women: Retire Smart Country Club of Ocala, 6823 SE 12th Circle, Ocala
6:30-7:45pm
This will be an evening of light bites, meaningful conversation and empowering insights designed to help women build a secure, confident retirement. Whether you’re pre-retirement or already retired, learn smart strategies for saving on taxes, creating lifelong income and protecting your legacy through estate planning. Get tickets at eventbrite.com/e/green-teaand-conversations-lets-talk-about-selfcompassion-tickets-430231462887
MULTIPLE DATES
MCPS town hall meetings
Locations below
5:45pm
Marion County Public Schools Interim
Superintendent Dr. Danielle Brewer will host town hall gatherings, which are open to all. Nov. 13 – North Marion Middle School, 2085 W. CR 329, Citra Dec. 18 – Dunnellon Middle School, 21005 Chestnut St., Dunnellon
Anyone with questions can call (352) 671-7555.
OCT. 28
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
NOV. 12
Dunnellon City Council
Dunnellon City Hall, 20750 River Dr., Dunnellon
5:30pm
The council generally meets the second Wednesday of the month. Agendas, minutes and video are available at dunnellon.granicus. com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=1
OCT. 18-19
Ocala Symphony Orchestra ‘Nights in the Garden of Spain’ Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala
7:30pm Saturday; 3pm Sunday
The OSO’s 50th anniversary season opens with a concert inspired by the spirit of Spain, with acclaimed pianist José María Inglés. Enjoy the U.S. premiere of María de Pablos’ “Castilla” and selections from Bizet’s “Carmen” and more. Get details at reillyartscenter.com
OCT. 23-26
“Almost All About Eva” Online performances
Unboxed Productions will present the historically accurate play about a woman who carved a unique life for herself despite hardship. The cast includes actors from around the county and Eva Lewis’ great-great-granddaughter has the lead role. The play airs online at 7 p.m. Oct. 23 and 24 and 4 p.m. Oct. 25 and 26. To register to view the play, go to unboxedproductions.org
“Beware the House on Haunted Hill” College of Central Florida, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala
7:30pm Oct. 23-25; 3pm Oct. 26
CF theatre students invite the community to “come to the party … stay if you dare.” The show is a clever parody of the 1959 film, filled with twists, turns and a few special surprises. The set and costume designs evoke the spirit of old Hollywood camp, creating a look and atmosphere that will make audiences feel like they’re right in the movies. Learn more at cf.universitytickets.com
OCT. 25
Reilly Noir Series: UF Jazz Faculty with Special Guests
NOMA Black Box, Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala
7:30pm
Jazz trumpeter and EVI virtuoso Scott Wilson is director of Jazz Studies at the University of Florida. With a global career spanning Universal Studios Japan, Tokyo Disney Sea and stages shared with legends like Stevie Wonder and Wycliffe Gordon, Wilson brings world-class talent and energy to every performance. Learn more at reillyartscenter. com
OCT.
26
College of Central Florida Frontier Expo Ewers Century Center, 3001 S.W. College Road, Ocala
5:30pm Guest speaker Rachel Ludwig, vice president of talent development for the future of work at the Florida Chamber of Commerce, will talk about workforce trends and high-demand careers. Attendees can participate in handson breakout sessions that will allow them to assemble a personal computer, get started with coding and safeguard their digital life. Attendees can network with employers in tech, government and business sectors and connect with CF admissions staff and advisors. To register, go to cf.edu/frontierexpo
OCT. 24
Tales from Six Gun Territory Headquarters-Ocala Public Library, 2720 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
3pm Saddle up for a Wild West ride with librarian Taylor Benson. Explore the history of the famous attraction and meet the cowpokes who made it happen. To learn more, call (352) 671-8551.
OCT. 25
Books, Balls and Blocks Developmental Screening
Early Learning Coalition of Marion County, 2300 SW 17th Road, Ocala
10am-noon
The free event is for families with children from birth to 5 years old. While children play, parents/guardians can complete an Ages and Stages Questionnaire to screen children for developmental delays. Help Me Grow care coordinators will provide families with information on community resources, events and programs to support children’s healthy development. For more information, call 352369-2315 or visit elc-marion.org.
Interfaith Emergency Services
Fashion Show
Midtown Station, 235 NE Watula Ave., Ocala
1-3pm See celebrity models wearing fashions from the IES thrift store, along with pop-up shopping, door prizes and more. Get details at iesmarion.org
Día de los Muertos 5K
Baseline Trailhead Park, 4255 SE 58th St., Ocala
8am
The third annual event is organized by the Marion County Gator Club in partnership with Milestone Race Authority to raise scholarship funds for Marion County students headed to the University of Florida. Event participants are encouraged to wear costumes. To register, go to diadelosmuertos5kocala.itsyourrace.com
UniverseAbility Pageant and Miss Worldwide International 1985 Laurel Manor Drive, The Villages 5-9pm Organized by the nonprofit Champions for Champions, the event is a fundraiser for local programming. Get tickets at zeffy.com/ en-US/ticketing/champions-for-championsuniverseability-pageant-and-miss-worldwideinternational-fashion-for-a-cause
Ballet Magnificat!’s “The Call”
Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala
6pm
Sunday, October 26, 2025 at 6:00 PM
| AdventHealth Mainstage Inspired by the humble life of Elisabeth Elliot, The Call is a ballet that shares the goodness of God through life’s joys and challenges. Watch Ms. Elliot’s memories unfold as she answers the call to write a book recounting how she and her fellow missionaries worked to bring the good news of the Gospel to a hostile tribe in Ecuador. As her life takes unexpected turns, she is forced to find her hope in the only thing that remains. Get details at reillyartscenter.com
THROUGH OCT. 31
“Nocturne: A Show of Good Spirits exhibit opens
The Brick Gallery, 23 SW Broadway St. Ocala
The Marion Cultural Alliance invites the community to view its newest exhibit. Admission is free. “Nocturne” will be on display through Oct. 31. For gallery hours, visit mcaocala.org
THROUGH OCT. 31
“The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers” Florida Thoroughbred Owners’ and Breeders’, 801 SW 60th Ave., Ocala
8:30am-4:30pm weekdays
The Keeneland Library launched the exhibit, which follows the lives and contributions of Black horsemen and women and includes interpretive panels, photographs, artwork, artifacts and video interviews. To learn more, go to keeneland.com/ keeneland-library/heart-turf-racings-black-pioneers and ftboa.com
NOV. 8-9
Ocali Country Days
Silver River Museum, 1445 NE 58th Ave., Ocala 9am-4 pm
Visitors experience Florida of yesteryear with living history exhibits highlighting life during the 1800s. Pioneer cabins, old-time skills demonstrations, sugar cane syrup making, a blacksmith shop, woodfired pottery kiln, live music vendors, food, crafts and more. This project is supported in part by the Marion Cultural Alliance. Admission $10 per person (children 5 and under free). The museum is inside Silver Springs State Park. To learn more, call (352) 236-5401 and go to silverrivermuseum.com
THROUGH DEC. 12
“Elements in Abstract” exhibition SouthState Bank Second Floor Gallery, 1632 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala Bank hours
Curated by Kayla Moffatt, resident artist at The MAX Ocala, the exhibition brings together 10 Florida artists—photographers, painters, fabric artists and illustrators—each interpreting the elemental forces of earth, water, air and fire through abstraction. To learn more, call (352) 480-0725.
THROUGH JAN. 18
“The Human Pulse: Photographs by John Elliott” Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala The exhibit features 42 black-and-white prints from the Ocala-based photographer’s ongoing series, “The Human Pulse,” shaped by his life and travels across 32 countries. Learn more at appletonmuseum.org
THROUGH FEB. 22
“Under the Cover of Knowledge: Betty Ford-Smith’s Pinecone Quilts” Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala Ford-Smith’s quilts are striking, contemporary interpretations of the traditional pinecone quilt, a form rooted in African American quilting practices dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. To learn more, go to appletonmuseum.org
OCT. 27
Grave Tales
Reddick Public Library, 15150 NW Gainesville Road, Reddick
10:30am
The “Talking History” series continues with noted area historian Annabelle Leitner discussing northwest Marion County cemeteries and some of their “secrets.” Free to attend. To learn more, call (352) 438-2566.
OCT. 30
Legends Strike Back at Bowl2Build
Bowlero Lanes, 1818 SW 17th St., Ocala
5:30-8:30pm Cosplayers are invited to bowl to raise money for Habitat for Humanity of Marion County. Those who sign up early may be entered to win a prize. Go to ognitoforms.com/ HabitatForHumanityOfMarionCounty2/_ Bowl2BuildCosplay
OCT. 31
Trunk or Treat
Rainbow Springs Art in Dunnellon, 20826 Walnut St, Dunnellon 6-7pm
The gallery joins with the city of Dunnellon to present the event, including a costume parade for kids and pets. Pets should be leashed. To hand out treats, sign up in advance by contacting the gallery at (352) 7634048 or emailing rsacoop2016@gmail.com.
NOV. 1
Oak Run Craft Fair
6951 SW 115th St., Ocala 9am-1pm Featuring handcrafted goods by talented 55+ residents, this event offers a curated shopping experience perfect for holiday gifting. Enjoy food from Lucky’s Kitchen, enter to win raffles and a 50/50 and take advantage of the golf cart valet service. Visitors will receive a Passport to guide their journey through the fair. Gates will be open for easy access, with full security monitoring. To learn more, email oakrunambassadors@gmail.com NOV. 6
Dementia Caregiver Conference
CF Klein Conference Center, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala 10am-2pm Join Elder Options for its annual Dementia Caregiver Conference. The free event will feature great presentations, community resources, caregiver networking and lunch. Register at agingresources. org/event/conference-ocala NOV. 8
Family Caregivers Celebration
Ocala downtown square 9-11am Rizing Starz Inc., Elder Options and Quad Nurse, LLC., host the event. The goal is to showcase local caregiver support services, wellness resources and community advocates to foster community support and raise awareness for family caregivers. The event will include coffee and treats by TLC Coffee Enterprise, free mini massages to the first registered caregivers, door prizes and more. Learn more at rizingstarzinc.com
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.
ANSWERS FOR PAGE B9
Answers: Being a ram and smashing horns so often was becoming a — PAIN IN THE BUTT
