The American Association of Women (AAUW) Ocala Branch will meet at the Marion County Public Library, 2720 East Silver Springs Boulevard, Ocala, at 1:00 p.m. in Conference Room B, for their regular monthly meeting.

The speaker for this meeting will be Emmett Coyne.  He will speak on Black History. Coyne has a Master’s Degree in African-American Studies from Boston University.  He taught African-American Studies at St. Mary’s University, Baltimore and the University of Maryland.

All are welcome to attend this meeting and learn about Black History and the AAUW organization.  For further information please call 352-237-4889.

Who’s Eligible: MCA Artist Members

Title of Exhibit: Ocala’s Backroads: Bike, Hike and Walk

Description of Exhibit: This exhibit is in conjunction with our annual fundraiser, Ride for the Arts Gran Fondo. Please submit works of art that interpret our theme accordingly. All accepted pieces for this exhibit must have been completed in the past two years; please do not bring in anything that has been exhibited prior in Marion County. Please see requirement list below, as changes have been made. Continue reading →

Due to construction for the Watula Avenue Roadway Improvement Project, Phase 1, portions of Watula Avenue will be closed beginning Monday, Feb. 5 and are expected to re-open in early April 2018.

OCALA, Fla. (Jan. 24, 2018) – Due to construction for the Watula Avenue Roadway Improvement Project, Phase 1, portions of Watula Avenue will be closed beginning Monday, Feb. 5 and are expected to re-open in early April 2018. According to the City Engineer’s Office, this project will reduce flooding in the downtown area.

Beginning Monday, Feb. 5, Watula Avenue will be closed from Silver Springs Boulevard north to NE Second Street. Beginning in mid-February, SE Watula Avenue will be closed from E Silver Springs Boulevard to SE Broadway Street. Continue reading →

MARION COUNTY, Florida (January 23, 2018) – Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Major Crimes detectives arrested Nathail Eugene Harrington (DOB: 02/22/1971), aka “Scooter,” after he shot a 58-year old man during a confrontation on the evening of Saturday, January 20, 2018. The victim was shot in the chest by Harrington, and has since been treated and released from a local hospital.

During the investigation, detectives found that the victim drove to a residence located at the 17700th block of NW 66th Terrace in Reddick in an effort to drop off a family member at the incident location. At that time, Harrington approached the victim and threatened to shoot him. Continue reading →

Effective Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, the City of Ocala’s One-Stop Permit Center is now offering its contractor customers the ability to apply for permits, submit plans for review and pay fees directly online.

Post Date:01/17/2018 3:48 PM

OCALA, Fla. (Jan. 17, 2018) – Effective Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, the City of Ocala’s One-Stop Permit Center is now offering its contractor customers the ability to apply for permits, submit plans for review and pay fees directly online.

“With 24/7 access to the City of Ocala Growth Management Services web portal, contractors can now apply for permits, pay fees and schedule inspections from the comfort of their home, office or car,” said Patricia Hitchcock, Planning and Zoning Manager, City of Ocala Growth Management Department. “We are excited to move toward a paperless development review and permit process. By offering online permitting, we are now adding more efficient and convenient services for our customers.” Continue reading →

Effective Monday, Feb. 5, the City of Ocala Building Department will implement new hours of operation.

Post Date:01/17/2018 10:25 AM

OCALA, Fla. (Jan. 17, 2018) – Effective Monday, Feb. 5, the City of Ocala Building Department will implement new hours of operation. The City Building Department, located at 201 SE Third St., second floor, will be open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The current hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“The change in our operating hours will allow the City’s Permitting and Licensing staff time to hold departmental trainings and meetings, allowing them to keep up with current best practices and better serve our customers,” said Matt Leibfried, Chief Code Official, City of Ocala.

For more information, please contact Matt Leibfried, Chief Code Official, at building@ocalafl.org or 352-629-8421.

As part of its series of community conversations, the Racial Harmony and Cultural Awareness Task Force will host “An Evening with Meklit: Music, Arts, and Cultural Activism” Friday, Feb. 16 from 7 to 9 p.m. at IHMC located at 15 SE Osceola Ave.

Post Date:01/12/2018 2:47 PM

OCALA, Fla. (Jan. 12, 2018) – As part of its series of community conversations, the Racial Harmony and Cultural Awareness Task Force will host “An Evening with Meklit: Music, Arts, and Cultural Activism” Friday, Feb. 16 from 7 to 9 p.m. at IHMC located at 15 SE Osceola Ave. In this impact-oriented community conversation, TED Senior Fellow lecturer, Meklit, will discuss social issues and her philosophy of cultural activism.

According to her website, music and arts has a potential to address some of the most pressing social issues of our time, and there is an ever-growing interest in creative projects that do just that. Meklit believes that cultural activism should be a recognized path in music, and has spent the last few years both formally and informally coaching many artists in this path as well as developing projects that address social issues. She highlights how this approach allowed her career dexterity, collaboration with a multitude of institutional partners, community connectedness, and expanded audiences. This workshop presents a select set of case studies in cultural activism from several continents. Continue reading →