Pictured from left to right are Assistant Fire Chiefs Anthony Ortiz and Michael Alsup, Fire Chief Shane Alexander, and Firefighters Rasheed Steward and Isabel Truman.
(OCALA, Fla.) Sept. 21, 2018 – Ocala Fire Rescue welcomed two firefighters to the department during a pinning ceremony held at City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave., Friday, Sept. 21.
Undergoing a demanding hiring process and a two week training period, Firefighters Rasheed Steward and Isabel Truman successfully completed the City of Ocala fire department’s candidate testing process. In celebration, a pinning ceremony was held. With family members and uniformed personnel as witnesses Firefighters Steward and Truman recited the oath cementing their commitment to serving this community, making their employment official.
The ceremony was preceded by a presentation of two Heart Saver awards. The awards were presented on behalf of the American Heart Association to Ocala Police Department Officers Shelby O’Grady and Josh Warner for their life saving actions during an emergency on Interstate 75, Tuesday, Sept. 4. Captain Brandi DuCoeur was also recognized for her recent promotion from Fire Equipment Operator to Captain/Inspector.
For more information, please contact Ocala Fire Rescue at 352-629-8306.
Tickets to The fall Johnny Mello Show & Dance are now on sale. If you like Doo Wop, Country & Rock N Roll, you’ll love this show. You’ll enjoy seven different singers live on stage, a special 10-gift basket raffle, a 50/50 cash drawing, line and regular dancing, lots of door prizes and much more.
It’s a fundraiser with net proceeds benefiting Have A Heart For Companion Animals, Inc., as they continue their animal welfare education efforts. They are a 501 c-3 not for profit organization.
The show is being staged at the Lady Lake American Legion Hall in Lady Lake (466 & Rolling Acres Road). (Door open at 5:30 p.m. on Friday 10/26/2018.) Showtime: 6-9. Continue reading
The Marion County Genealogical Society will meet Thursday October 18, 2018 at 2 PM at the Marion County Public Library located at 2720 E. Silver Springs Blvd. in Ocala. A brief business meeting will be followed by the October program. For further information, contact Joel Swanson at (352)897-0840 or president@mcgsocala.org.
5th Annual Critter Trail 5K Run/Walk Fundraiser @ Silver Springs State Park. All funds are used in the park to help protect and enhance our beautiful natural resource.
https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/SilverSprings/CritterTrail5k
By Senator Dennis Baxley
Friends, some very serious questions will be answered by you this November and never have the prospects for Florida’s future been in more stark contrast as we are looking at two very different visions in the Governor’s race. Ron DeSantis (R) represents a solid free enterprise, strong Florida and strong America plan, based on close alignment with our President’s worldview. It is a path of protecting core American values of faith, family, freedom and opportunity. This path has led to unprecedented economic stability, job growth, low unemployment, government financial stability (Florida is currently #1), lowest violent crime rate in 47 years, and significant investments in making capital welcome. In polarizing contrast, the Tallahassee Mayor Gillum is a far left socialist democrat who is openly proposing higher taxes, more central control of government, and is closely aligned with George Soros and his post-America globalist worldview. Meanwhile, no one is seriously addressing the Mayor’s corruption concerns, mismanaged storm recovery, and high crime rate (highest in the State of Florida) that is plaguing the City of Tallahassee under Gillum’s regime. Continue reading
One of the goals and primary focuses of the CEP from its inception has been to raise the wage level in our community. From our initial 5-year strategic plan (Moving Forward), one of the three BIG goals has been to not only attract new jobs but jobs which pay an average wage which is 15% higher than the county average. We evaluate every project we are working against this measure and we ask local government to only incent those businesses and jobs which will meet this standard.
The Census Bureau and various other economic entities provide a variety of ways for us to track this growth. The primary metric we use is the Average Weekly Wage as reported in the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Today, the average wage which is required for us to incent a project is over $42,000/year. This is a 27% increase over the initial target wage. Our AVW has grown nearly 9% in the last two years which is nearly triple the state average. Continue reading
By TomL
I guess the question today is Resist or Results? The American people are smarter than some would like us to think. The working people shopping a Walmart or spending money are what make our economy work. More and more of them are getting the idea that they need to vote. The working person was suppressed for eight years and now they are beginning to understand.
In the past, minorities have been promised a better way of life without contributing anything. That does not work. Look at all the people trying to flee other countries that have Socialism. Again it will only work for a little while. The rich move their money to another country where they don’t have to support people who don’t want to work.
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All can I say is, to the working man and woman, please pay your taxes – 12 million undocumented residents are depending on you! Continue reading
by A.J.(Tony) Powell
Who said “Restricting immigration is offensive, and contrary to American values”? Most media outlets label anyone who disagrees with them a ‘xenophobic’.
So, just because I disagree with you, I have a ‘phobia?’
Fact is that the law says “An alien is inadmissible if they are “likely to become a public charge”.
Doesn’t that mean that it’s ‘legal’ to stop the current invasion of the United States? Of course the argument is not new. It was way back in 1790 that James Madison said something like, “Legal immigration is intended to ‘increase the population’, but only if they add to the strength and wealth of America”. He said, “America should welcome the immigrant who can assimilate, but exclude the immigrant who doesn’t ‘fit in”
The (Legal) population of the United States of America includes just about every color and culture found anywhere in the world. So any ‘legal’ immigrant can ‘fit in’ if they have the determination to become acceptably ‘Americanized’. Continue reading
The term “Multi-modal” is commonly used to describe shared use paths since it accommodates multiple forms of transit.
Multi-modal or Shared Use Paths are paved, off-street travel ways designed to serve nonmotorized travelers. Across our community, golf carts and bicyclists are typically the most common users of shared-use paths. However, shared-use paths are frequently also used by pedestrians, roller skaters, skateboarders, wheelchair users, and users of many other modes except automotive.
Diamonds painted on the road indicate a restricted lane, which means only vehicles meeting certain criteria may use the lane. This is usually further indicated by a sign with the same diamond on it, displayed overhead of the lane or at the side of the road, or painted on the lane, which describes the restriction.
Local government agencies are frequently asked who is allowed to use the Multi-modal paths.
Within the Town of Lady Lake, Avenida Central, Del Mar Drive, Rio Grand Avenue and Chula Vista Avenue all have side lanes with the diamond painted on them. These are designated as PED or pedestrian lanes. It is a common misunderstanding that these lanes are dedicated for golf carts use only. These are considered “Shared Use” lanes since pedestrians, bicycles, and golf carts may utilize them. Continue reading
Print newspapers and their decline.In the US one of the largest print publications, with 13.2 million circulation, has been able to move only 750,000 to using digital format. Actually the same is true in the top three. AARP is the largest and Costco Connection is one of the top three.
A print newspaper is tangible, people can sit at the breakfast table with a cup of coffee and read the paper and any national poll will tell you that. Most full size tabloid newspapers are at least six times bigger than a smart phone and easier to manipulate. On a full size screen it is something else. I read our papers before we release it and it is easy to read on a full size computer screen and easy to go to the next page or back up.
