Dear Friends,
Let me begin by telling you that it is truly an honor and privilege to be serving you in the Florida Senate. The people in my district, in hometown America, are salt-of-the-earth, hardworking people who love liberty and freedom. It is such a pleasure to sit in your Senate seat and advocate for those principles you hold dear.
Despite you may (or may not) hear from the liberal media about our work in Tallahassee, your Senator, along with great leadership in the Florida Senate, accomplished much for the citizens of the State of Florida. Even though many major news outlets wish to paint a bleaker picture, there have been many advocacy groups and organizations from across the State of Florida that have chosen to celebrate our success from the past few months and offer recognition on our behalf.
This past year, your Senator was recognized by the Space Coast Public Service Awards & Hall of Fame with the Distinguished Merit Award. The purpose of this is to celebrate the value and virtue of the highest standards of public service and commends those professionals who have performed with exceptional skill, technical expertise, commitment, and innovation while demonstrating sustainable results. A special thank you to Sheriff Wayne Ivey of Brevard County for this recognition.
We just received word a few days ago that your Senator has received another “A” grade from the Florida Chamber of Commerce. It was pleasure to partner with the Florida Chamber on number of different policy areas that would help to lower the cost of living and cost of doing business on families and job creators, while also preparing for future growth and protecting Florida’s constitution.
Also, the Foundation for Florida’s Future selected your Senator to the 2019 Report Card Honor Roll, and was given the highest grade possible. The Foundation advances policies that challenge the status quo – policies and tirelessly advocates for every Florida child to have access to a quality education that prepares them for lifelong success. The Foundations Honor Roll recognizes those policymakers who took bold action to pass student-centered legislation during the 2019 legislative session.
Finally, your Senator received the Outstanding Legislator Award from the Association of Florida Community Developers (AFCD) for our commitment to providing an effective, efficient, and responsible planning and policy framework that will support economic development while protecting Florida’s many natural assets. The AFCD exists to provide a leadership role in the creation of quality community development and the formulation of a responsible approach to the planning and development of Florida’s future.
Thank you for partnering with me in this fight to preserve faith, family, freedom, opportunity, and life itself. As always, if this office can be of any assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Dennis Baxley
By Kevin Sheilley
I went Over the Edge! While many have tried to push me over the edge through the years, it was the arts that sent me. To be more precise, it was the Marion Cultural Alliance and their recent fundraiser, Over the Edge – Taking the Arts to New Heights, which saw me and approximately 60 other volunteers help to raise nearly $70,000 by rappelling off of the new 7-story SpringHill Suites hotel. When my mom saw the Facebook post where I was soliciting funds for the event, she called. She was very concerned that “you are going to die.” I assured her that I was planning on “Staying Alive” and thus rappelled in my favorite 70’s disco attire! (Note—while fun, rappelling in Florida in a polyester suit is not recommended).
Why would CEO of the Chamber & Economic Partnership join the Mayor, County Commission Chair, County Administrator, and others in raising funds for the community’s central arts funding organization? It is a fair question and one that is hopefully addressed in this column. Continue reading
The oldest computer can be traced back to Adam and Eve. Surprise! It was an Apple. It had extremely limited memory. Just one byte. Then everything crashed.
Sanders, Harris, Booker and Warren are pushing the Democratic party off the cliff and re-Identifying the Party. I was a lifelong Democrat coming from my Family upbringing. This very thing they are doing now is what help me make up my mind this was not the party for me. Obama started the move to the left. Moving to a different party was a traumatic move because of family. A few of my family have opened their eyes, others have not. It is their choice, I don’t mind, they are still family. I have many friends who have different views.
Believe it or not? A KGB defector Yuri Bezmenovs warned America about brain washing in the schools and colleges. One of the other things they are being taught is to use the word “racist”.
American values are under attack. If you push too hard something has to give or break. I hope it is not our form of government. Respect the people in office and vote with your heart and brain. Continue reading
Lady Lake Chamber Business to Business Expo was a great success, with over 50 venders exhibited. It is an expo not open to the public but to the businesses that participate.
Let me try to explain how it works. Say you have eight rows of exhibitors. Four of the rows go to the other four rows to listen to their information. In a couple of minutes a bell rings and you move on to the next business. That continues until every business person in the first four rows sees everyone in the second four rows. At this point half of the people have seen half of the businesses. You then do the same thing in reverse.
There were plenty of volunteers helping. Most were Lady Lake Chamber Ambassadors. The pictures you see are compliments of Village Spectator & Lady Lake Magazine.
The event is held every year. Watch for the announcement in this paper next year.
Disclaimer: We tried to put the name of the business with the picture. There were a few we could not ID. For that we apologize!
Sue Kelley has left the Lady Lake Chamber. When she accepted the job as executive Director she had a different vision of where the Chamber needed to go. She took it there. It has grown by leaps and bounds. The Chamber has had as many as 100 business representatives for a lunch meeting…not bad.
When I ask Sue about doing an article announcing her leaving she said NO! So she is not going to be happy with me but I have to say she will be missed by many.
As I understand she is going back to Grand Oaks and to do their marketing. They have a Grand Place there and she will share it with everyone she meets. Sue is internet savvy and will add that to her box of tools.
Sue cares about people. They will see that and they will listen to her! Good Luck Sue.
Now you see, that did not hurt.
TomL
Dennis McGee left presenting an award to Tom Loury (TomL Publishing)
The following is a presentation speech given by Sue Kelley executive Director.
“We all know Tom as that guy who takes our pictures each month at this lunch. But did you know:
Tom Loury is the owner of the TOML Publishing LLC and produces the award winning newspapers The Lady Lake Magazine, Village Spectator, Ocala DownTown and Seniors Voice of Ocala each month.
And that Tom posts at least one picture of a chamber event on his front page each month, helping to build brand awareness for our chamber?
And that Tom has been a member in good standing with the Lady Lake Chamber since 2004? Continue reading
By TomL
Several months ago I wrote a story about a School Bus Driver that was charged wrongfully. She was charged with Child Abuse, was arrested, lost her job of 30 years, was humiliated and her picture was on the internet in Marion County prison attire. Here is how it went down.
Two male teachers come out the school with a student, one hand under each arm and put him on the handicap bus. The aide asked him to get into his seat. He refused but finally did. The aide was trying to get him buckled in because the bus can’t move until he is buckled in. He punched the aide in the face and grabbed the seatbelt buckle next to him and hit the aide in the head with it.
The bus driver seeing this went back and held his hands down so that the aide could buckle him in. The school charged the driver with child abuse? Continue reading
By TomL
Famous people I have met. A Veteran came to a meeting I was attending some years ago. I listened to this veteran’s story. He was being escorted around by other veterans helping him tell his story. According to his report, he was the last person alive that raised the flag on Iwo Jima and he felt obligated to tell the true story. He started: It was a day of a lot of dying. His fellow soldiers were falling all around him. After and during the battle a small group of solders put up the flag to show the ships and other solders that they had taken that part of the island. A high ranking military officer was watching with a pair of binoculars from a ship that was just off shore. He was struck by the sight of the flag raising. So after the battle he decided it would make a great photo op to send back home to USA. So he contacted his photographer to meet him on shore. Continue reading
Picture is Walt left & Eric, right of Walt’s Brakes and More. They are family owned and have operated since 1965. They have three generations working the business with ten employees, twenty bays, three diesel techs. Walt’s Brakes and More had started out as a brake shop in Miami, Florida. Walt senior designed brakes systems for school buses and semis. They would later expand to Ocala where they call home today.
They have a motorhome division under roof for repairing and storage. Drop by and see Walt. He will welcome you. Walt’s favorite words are “Bring it in”. That is what he has always said to me. They do a good job and he has always been fair.
PALS Auto Repair hosted a Networking event for the Ocala Business Leaders, some customers and friends. They gave a tour of their shop. There was entertainment, games, door prizes, great food and drink. The Ocala Business Leaders is a business networking group that has been inviting business people to breakfast on Wednesday morning for many years. They share information weekly. The club and the breakfast invitation is for open categories. One business per category. For more info call 804-1223.
