At approximately 4:00 p.m., on January 13, 2019, Stephanie Durbin left her residence located at 43 Hemlock Trace in Ocala and has not been seen or heard from since. Her family members told MCSO deputies that Stephanie has recently made some statements that have them concerned for her well-being. She was last seen driving a 2006 blue Cadillac SUV, bearing Florida tag INEA49, and she was heading towards the Pearl Britain Plaza area (NE 35th Street). She was last seen wearing a peach color tank top and grey sweatpants. If you have any information on Stephanie’s location, please call 911 immediately.
MCSO Case #19001224 – PR #19-05
Chairman’s Report
January 4, 2019
By Steve Hayes, Chairman and President – Americans for Fair Taxation
THE ELITE SEEK A REWARD FOR THEIR FAILURES
Most people in America still believe in the basic principle that to get more of something you should reward it. We know that if children find that they can get what they want by screaming and throwing a tantrum every time someone says no, they will use screaming and tantrums as a way of addressing anything they don’t like.
If an employee who is habitually late, makes many errors and is more interested in looking at social media than working is given the same raise as other employees who are on-time, work hard and concentrate on their job—the company will be sending a message to the hard-working employee that they can get the same pay but are actually somehow stupid for working diligently.
In a more basic example, we want to stop people stealing and we have laws. Unfortunately, we are seeing that for most of us, if we are caught stealing then we are prosecuted. However, if we are part of the Elite then it becomes, as Bill Clinton famously said, “It depends on what the definition of “Is” is”.
MARION COUNTY, Florida (January 18, 2019) – On Tuesday, January 15, 2019, Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Major Crimes detectives arrested and charged 16-year old Luis Ortega (DOB: 09/19/2002) with First Degree Premeditated Murder for the homicide of 18-year old Brandon Hammett (DOB: 04/27/2000). Hammett was shot and killed by Ortega during an attempted robbery on October 26, 2018.
On Friday, October 26th, at approximately 6:30 p.m., multiple MCSO deputies and Ocala Police Department officers responded to the area of 3200th block of SW 43rd Court in reference to a shooting. When units arrived on scene, they found Hammett in a vehicle suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to the hospital, where he later passed away from his injuries.
MCSO Major Crimes detectives conducted a thorough investigation and discovered that Dalton Purvis (DOB: 06/10/1999), felt that he had been cut short on the last batch of marijuana Hammett sold him. Purvis gathered Denver Sutter (DOB: 11/22/1999) and Carlos Flores-Renteria (DOB: 01/29/2002) together and developed a plan with them to rob Hammett. Purvis also asked if Flores-Renteria could invite Ortega to come along, because he knew Ortega had a gun. Purvis, Sutter and Flores-Renteria told detectives that they intended on Ortega’s presence to serve for security and intimidation purposes. Continue reading
The recent tragic accident on I-75 caused the blood supply to be depleted even more than it was. During the holidays, the need for blood goes up, but the donation go down. People are too busy or traveling or having family come in. Then add the accident and it puts LifeSouth in a critical need for O+ and especially O-. O Negative is the universal donor where everyone can receive O Neg. Please give the gift of life and donate blood. Check our website for more information and bloodmobile locations at www.lifesouth.org, or check on Facebook. Our Ocala Center is located at 1607 E. Silver Springs Blvd. 352-622-3544 and is open every day.
Q-“What is Brexit?
Q-“Who cares anyway?”
The ‘UK’ (United Kingdom) wants to leave Europe. They have ‘Great Britain’, the ‘United Kingdom’, the ‘British Isles’, ‘Britain’, England, Ireland, Scotland & Wales. It’s one big mess over there.
Combine ‘Britain’ and ‘Exit’ and you get ‘BREXIT”. A while back it was Greece’ and ‘GREXIT’. England voted about 53%. Wales 52% to leave. But both Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay in.
The ruling British elite oppose Brexit and are behind all the controversy we see in the media. But ordinary people want to be free of European unelected dictators. It’s ‘States Rights’ European Style.
But previous ‘Exit’ votes across Europe have either been ignored or revised into total ineffectiveness. Fox News quoted, “It’s a long, dishonest tradition. They made the Danes vote again, they made the Irish vote twice, and the French and the Dutch they just ignored,” “Europe does not take no for an answer,” they said. Continue reading
The symbols for change and opportunity are the same symbol in Japanese (or so I’ve been told).
As we are returning for legislative committee weeks, that certainly rings true with new Florida Senate and House leaders. Many new legislators, new governor, new lieutenant governor, new cabinet members, new Secretary of State, new department heads, staff members, and new committee assignments with new looks at familiar issues and some new issues before us. Now is a great time to reach out to elected leaders with your concerns for the approaching 2019 Legislative Session.
It has been very refreshing and informative to be at home with “the people” since election season to hear how these public policies touch the ground and where the rubber meets the road. It has been inspiring to visit with so many people meeting the challenges and confronting realities as they engage to make our state the best place to visit, work, play, build a business, raise a family, gain education, and enjoy retirement. Despite our challenges, North Central Florida is a great place to do life—because of each of you. Thank you for doing your part. Remember, it’s your government!
Onward and upward,
Dennis Baxley
Florida State Senate – District 12.
As part of the CEP’s mission to be the catalyst for a prosperous community, the organization partners closely with local governments (as well as state and Federal) to ensure that we are creating and maintaining a business climate which encourages growth and prosperity. A recent example of this can be found in the issue of revisions to the County’s Comprehensive Plan.
Over the last several months, the Marion County Board of County Commissioners held workshops and public hearings on potential revisions to the Comp Plan. Among the groups who were active in participating in this process were supporters of our area’s equine industry as well as builders, developers, environmentalists, and others. Two of the clear desires of both the participants and the Commission was to strengthen our Farmland Preservation Area (FPA) and to incorporate language into the plan regarding the development of future transportation corridors especially in the FPA.
The FPA encompasses an area in northwest Marion County which is home to many of our iconic horse farms. While the FPA has existed for a number of years, it really did not have the structure to do as its name suggests—preserve farms. The CEP has been a proponent for quite a while of strengthening the FPA. Supporting the basics of the finalized language was an easy step. Continue reading
Tallahassee, Fla – Today, the Florida Cabinet unanimously approved Governor DeSantis’ appointment of State Representative Danny Burgess to serve as the Executive Director of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
“I thank my fellow members of the Florida Cabinet for approving Danny to lead the Department of Veterans’ Affairs,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “His unwavering commitment to our nation and support for our veterans during his time in the legislature make him the right man for the job and I could not be more excited to see what all he accomplishes for our veteran community in this new role going forward.”
Danny Burgess is a Captain and Judge Advocate in the United States Army Reserve. He was elected to represent eastern Pasco County in the Florida House of Representatives in 2014, and was subsequently re-elected in 2016 and 2018. Prior to joining the Florida House of Representatives, Burgess served on the Zephyrhills City Council and as Mayor of Zephyrhills. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of South Florida and his Juris Doctorate from the Barry University School of Law.
Tom Davis from Blood South Blood Bank said “The accident claiming all those lives on I-75 recently wiped out their supply of blood.” “Please give blood!”
I see Marco Rubio was in town visiting. Not my favorite Politician. Ask me why? tloury@att.net
Dunnellon Fl., Lake Tropicana: There is still a cloud over a report of a missing husband and wife and of human remains being found at deadline. They found the car and the relative driving the car in Omaha! Marion County MCSO is going to pick him up with a warrant. There are a lot of unanswered questions. We will report on our websites when we get press releases.
Lady Lake Florida: a battle between the residents and the Town Manager is going on over the Chief of Police allegedly being forced out. The statement being given for his reason for quitting is to take on new challenges. The Town Manager sent that same statement to me when I ask why the Chief quit. I have made the statement that I think “It is an insult to my intelligence to make that statement!” Also part of the statement from Town Manager was that he did a good job! I suspect he did not leave for those reasons. The Chief will not go on record with any statement. Hmmmm! I suspect he did not want his reputation to be toxic, because he does need to find another job. The truth is coming out, but probably too late to save the chief’s job. They might fit the same mold! Maybe Lady Lake needs to look at what they did there. Continue reading
MARION COUNTY, Florida [January 25, 2019] – Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Major Crimes detectives have arrested Demetrius Antonio Wright (DOB: 11/05/1999) and Calvin Denard Epps (DOB: 10/01/1998) for the “drive- by style” shooting and murder of June Hugo (DOB: 07/31/2000), which occurred on Thursday, October 11, 2018.
On October 11th, MCSO deputies responded to the Circle K gas station located at 5986 W Highway 40 in reference to a report of a male subject being shot. Upon arrival, deputies found Hugo in the back seat of a vehicle suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. It was discovered that the shooting occurred in the area of the Ocala Ridge neighborhood, near the intersection of NW 6th Place and NW 58th Avenue, and the victim was driven to the gas station immediately after the shooting. During their thorough investigation, detectives developed Epps and Wright a
s the prime suspects in the case. Electronic data confirmed that both suspects were in the immediate area where and when the crime occurred. Additionally, witnesses came forward and told detectives that Epps was driving the car while Wright (Epps’ passenger) shot at the car Hugo was in. Continue reading
