HORSE COUNTRY
By TomL
Marion County is “Horse Country”! I was always pushing for the people of Marion County to recognize the Cattlemen’s Association. After all it’s the cattle industry that is suffering now! I remember a great horse farm on hwy 40 on the way to Ocala from Dunnellon. “Ocala Stud Farm” I think was the name. In Ocala, FL, the area is famous for its numerous horse farms, with many families like the O’Farrell Family it’s is generational, the father and his son and his son’s son. The family bringing Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds from Texas in the 1960s It seems that the limestone-rich soil was ideal for bone development, establishing Ocala as the “Horse Capital of the World,”!
Horse Country one horse at a time. My wife and I lived in south Florida and we had a horse and pastured it in Davie Fl which was South Florida’s Horse country. The price of land was out of our reach so we decided to move and find land that we could afford. We won d up in Dunnellon Florida. We bought 20 acres and bought 20 more, at one time we had 55 acres and we decided we did not need that much for the Horse, a riding mule that someone gave us and a Shetland pony and Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs we were raising. We sold 15 acres. But you see if we did not have a horse we may have never moved, so Marion County grew into the name Horse Country a long time ago probably in about 1950’s. Now to put the icing on the cake now we have the World Equestrian Center. It is growing to one of the biggest industries in our Country. Everything you can think of for horse showing and riding competition. Stall and horse care and elaborate hotels to stay in. With the best restaurants, entertainment and large meeting room bringing large numbers of visitor for industrial shows. Continue reading
U.S. taxpayers know that the FAIRtax eliminates the income tax/payroll tax and replaces it with a national retail sales tax. However, many don’t fully comprehend the enormous positive impact the FAIRtax will have on the economy – especially in terms of attracting foreign investment to the United States.
The Tax Justice Network estimates that $21 trillion to $32 trillion in financial assets are sitting offshore in tax havens (estimates can vary due to the secrecy that pervades the tax haven system). They also estimate that $427 billion in tax revenue is lost every year because money is sitting in these offshore accounts.
The Tax Justice Network explains how this is commonly done: one of the most common ways people hide their wealth in tax havens is by setting up a legal vehicle (like a corporation or trust) to hold their wealth or assets without disclosing information about their identity or about wealth or assets held by the legal vehicle. These secretive structures serve as a curtain or firewall between the owner and their wealth, obscuring the owner’s identity and helping them hide the true value of their wealth and, ultimately, pay less tax than they should. Continue reading
OCALA, Fla. (January 15, 2026) – The Reilly Arts Center welcomes a variety of national and local artists for performances of rock, jazz, classical and more. Unless otherwise indicated, events are held at the Reilly Arts Center located at 500 NE 9th St. Ocala, FL 34470. Tickets can be purchased at reillyartscenter.com or by contacting the Reilly Arts Center box office at (352) 351-1606. Box office hours are 10 AM – 2 PM, Tuesday through Friday. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Reilly Arts Center during box office hours.
As the Reilly Arts Center celebrates its 10th anniversary, we’re proud to continue our Celebration Series! A special lineup featuring performances from six nationally acclaimed artists and bands – leading up to our 10th birthday party on February 28, 2026. This series leads our community into a milestone year, honoring a decade of growth, creativity, and unforgettable performances at the Reilly. The Celebration Series is sponsored by Angie Lewis State Farm.
Yellow Brick Road – A Tribute to Elton John Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 7:30 PM | AdventHealth Mainstage
Tickets from $23
Experience an unforgettable evening as Brann, the incredible Elton John tribute artist, takes the stage with his talented five-piece band! From his spot-on vocals and piano playing to the iconic costumes and signature glasses, Brann brings Elton’s music to life, performing hit after hit. Sing along to ‘Rocket Man’ and ‘Your Song,’ sway to ‘Candle in the Wind,’ and dance to ‘Crocodile Rock’ in a high-energy show that captures the magic of the Piano Man himself! Continue reading
Dear Editor
When we allowed the Chinese to buy Tyson Meat plants I knew it was just a matter of time and they would try to Hurt us. They are closing Nebraska and calling back meat from Texas, driving beef prices up. Cattle numbers have dropped to a 70 year low. Trump will have to rebuild the ranching industry doing something to increase the size of the herds and the size of the cattle. Then build more processing plants. There is one in Gainesville called Grandma’s meat processing plant. I have talked to them and they sound like they know what they are doing. One of the things some Processing houses don’t take into effect is when the animal is stressed from the trip to the processing plant their adrenaline is peaking they need to calm down before processing. Grass fed beef is bad about that, I talk to a lady that sold Grass fed beef. She had to credit several people because of the stress when they were processed, NOT GOOD! Aging beef can ruin the meat if the fat goes bad way before there beef is effected, so they have to watch that, if they get behind it could ruin the rest of the meat. Continue reading
Fundraising Gala
The College of Central Florida Foundation will host its annual Night at the Farm fundraising gala on Saturday, March 7, 2026, from 6-8:30 p.m. at the CF Vintage Barn, 4020 … Continue reading “CF Foundation invites community to Night at the Farm fundraising gala”
AdventHealth cuts ribbon on new freestanding emergency department meant to bring faster, expert emergency care to Ocala
Access to emergency care is about to get easier for families in Ocala. AdventHealth leaders, local government officials and community members joined together to officially cut the ribbon on the new AdventHealth Heathbrook ER, designed to provide quick, compassionate care when every second counts.
Marion Graduation Rate Continues Climbing
Marion County’s high school graduation rate continues climbing and is now at 85%, a four-year high. The graduation rate is based on a cohort, defined as a group of students on the same schedule to graduate together.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics revised their job numbers downward by 911,000.
That’s not a typo.
911,000 jobs that everyone thought existed… never existed.
The largest revision in 25 years.
Now ask yourself: How does that happen?
Here’s what Louis Navellier believes:
AI is already replacing workers faster than the government can track.
Companies report “hiring” when they’re actually deploying AI to do work that used to require humans.
The jobs show up in the data… until they don’t. Continue reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, First Lady Casey DeSantis joined Fox and Friends Weekend to discuss the results of infant formula testing as part of the Healthy Florida First Initiative.
Through independent testing, conducted by certified laboratories, the Florida Department of Health collected 24 infant formulas across 7 brands, purchased from multiple locations, both online and in stores, and tested them for arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and pesticides.
“Today, I joined Fox and Friends Weekend to discuss the Healthy Florida First initiative,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis. “In light of the Florida Department of Health’s findings of toxins in infant formula, Florida is leading the charge to do independent testing of our food supply to help ensure it’s not tainted with harmful chemicals. We are asking other states to join forces to utilize their assets to test products. Our goal is to hold companies accountable through testing and to provide transparency to the consumer. Ultimately, we would like products to be tested before they hit the market, which unfortunately, for various reasons, is not happening. We cannot allow food companies to prioritize profits over the health and well-being of the people, even if it’s inadvertent. With support from our federal MAHA partners, now is the time to drive change—and as a cancer survivor and mother, I pray this can hopefully contribute to making Florida, and ultimately America, healthier.” Continue reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— Today, Governor Ron DeSantis celebrated Florida’s continued investment in high quality nursing programs with more than $485 million awarded through the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) and the Prepping Institutions, Programs, Employers, and Learners through Incentives for Nursing Education (PIPELINE) programs since their inception in 2022. LINE and PIPELINE funding strengthen nursing programs across Florida by providing scholarships to students, supporting the recruitment of additional faculty, funding the purchase of equipment and enhancing simulation centers.
Governor DeSantis also awarded over $20 million in LINE funding, $14.5 million to state colleges and private postsecondary institutions and $6 million to state universities. More than $85 million has been awarded through the LINE program, with $61.5 million to state colleges and private postsecondary institutions, and $24 million to State University System (SUS) institutions. In addition, the PIPELINE program has awarded $400 million, with $240 million to state colleges and school districts, and $160 million to SUS institutions. Continue reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier today announced a major escalation in the Office of Statewide Prosecution’s ongoing election fraud investigation, including the opening of 46 new criminal investigations and the issuance of four criminal subpoenas seeking records from Smart & Safe Florida and its contractors and subcontractors.
“Recently obtained documents show that Smart & Safe Florida knew about dozens of fraudsters turning in over 21,000 petitions and failed to inform law enforcement,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Florida’s Constitution is not for sale, and we will not allow a mega marijuana corporation to hijack our state’s governing document.”
The Office of Statewide Prosecution (OSP) reviewed records showing that approximately 50 petition circulators associated with Smart & Safe Florida were registered and actively collecting petitions on behalf of the organization supporting 25-01, Adult Personal Use of Marijuana. Those circulators submitted more than 21,600 petitions; of those, over 14,500 raised significant concerns, including mismatched signatures or other indicia of fraud, and were as a result invalidated by election officials. However, more concerning, approximately 7,100 petitions submitted by these fraudsters were verified as valid by Florida Supervisors of Elections. Continue reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier led a coalition of Attorneys General from Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, North Dakota, and South Dakota in issuing a warning letter to climate activist group Ceres over concerns that its coordinated actions violate State and Federal antitrust and consumer protection laws.
“Ceres—a ringleader of the “climate cartel”—is open about its notorious goals to achieve net-zero carbon emissions,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “The assault on American families and businesses through what Ceres calls a “Global World War” to achieve net zero must stop. Failure to do so will result in a multi-state barrage of anti-trust enforcement.”
The letter outlines concerns that Ceres has acted as a central coordinator for efforts designed to pressure financial institutions and corporations to steer capital away from certain investments. Ceres coordinates these efforts to pressure corporations by engaging with their stakeholders and shareholders. In one instance, Ceres went as far as participating in a plan to replace the entire board of ExxonMobil to send a message to other corporations of what could happen to them if they do not cooperate. Continue reading
