PARKLAND, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott made the following statement regarding the FBI’s admission that they failed to take action after receiving information on January 5, 2018, regarding “[Nikolas] Cruz’s gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting.”
Governor Scott said, “The FBI’s failure to take action against this killer is unacceptable. The FBI has admitted that they were contacted last month by a person who called to inform them of Cruz’s ‘desire to kill people,’ and ‘the potential of him conducting a school shooting.’ Continue reading
OCALA, Fla. (Feb. 16, 2018) – The City of Ocala has implemented changes to its metered parking program downtown. These recommended modifications were made in response to feedback from citizens and downtown business owners and are intended to create more available on-street parking adjacent to, or in close proximity of, downtown businesses, according to City staff.
Adjustments to the parking program include:
- All parking meters are now programmed for an additional hour of parking, for a total of three-hours.
- Passport Parking has implemented three-hour parking for the pay-by-phone app.
- Android Pay and Apple Pay have been installed on all parking meters.
- An additional 11 free parking spaces have been created by removing meters on N Magnolia Avenue (between NE Second Street and NE Third Street) and on SW First Avenue, south of Fort King Street.
- Installation of 39 free on-street parking spaces along sections of NE First Avenue and N Magnolia Avenue.
Sing
- Date:02/16/2018 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Location:Martin Luther King Recreaion Complex
1510 NW Fourth St., Ocala, Florida 34471
A koala impresario stages a gala singing competition in order to save his theater, and the contest attracts the attention of such musically inclined animals as a harried pig mom, a teenage gorilla, a shy elephant and a punk porcupine. Rated PG. Bring your own lawn chairs and blankets. No cost. This animated movie is great for the entire family.
Feb 16,2018
This week, I met with U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and our great federal partners in Tampa to discuss strategies to combat the national opioid crisis claiming lives in Florida. We work constantly with the DOJ, FBI, DEA and our great state and local law enforcement agencies to capture and prosecute drug traffickers smuggling deadly heroin and fentanyl into our state.
My office is also aggressively investigating major manufacturers and distributors of prescription opioids, and will soon be selecting an outside counsel to advance our efforts. This national epidemic has casted its shadow on too many cities across America and far too many families have felt the devastating effect of addiction. That is why we must fight this crisis on multiple fronts. Continue reading
Feb. 16, 2018
Words cannot express the heartbreak and sorrow felt by students, teachers and parents in Parkland, Florida. This week a cowardly teenager, full of hate and bent on murder, entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and opened fire.
His actions killed 17 and wounded many more. Law enforcement and first responders arrived at the school quickly. Police escorted students to safety and arrested the shooter. I gathered my victim advocates and immediately headed to the scene.
As soon as we arrived, we began providing grief counseling to survivors. Through my Bureau of Victims Services we are also able to pay for certain funeral expenses, medical bills and provide further counseling. I will be in Broward again today with my victim advocates to provide further services. Continue reading
A dedication ceremony will be held Friday, Feb. 16 at 11 a.m. for Jim Kirk Park.
OCALA, Fla. (Feb. 14, 2018) – A dedication ceremony will be held Friday, Feb. 16 at 11 a.m. for Jim Kirk Park. The ceremony will take place at the playground located at the 2900 block of NE Ninth Street.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Jim Kirk served as a City of Ocala councilman and then later as Mayor for three terms. He owned WMOP and WFUZ radio stations where he also hosted a morning show “Country Jim.” Mr. Kirk’s legacy to Ocala’s citizens also includes purchasing what is now the Marion Theater and gifting the building to the City. He was also a driving force behind the Appleton Museum of Art. Mr. Kirk, a 60-year resident of Ocala, passed away in 2015 at the age of 88. Continue reading
Oklawaha Valley Audubon Society of Lake County is hosting a beginners class on basic birding Sunday February 25th 2 -4 pm at Trout Lake Nature center 530 East Cr 44. Eustis, Florida. Birding is the fastest growing activity in the US and Central Florida is a birding hot spot. Birding is a great activity because its inexpensive, easy, it connects people to nature and it can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it. Birding can be an individual hobby, a family activity, or a group event that can be done in your back yard, at a local wildlife refuge or an exotic international location Birding is often combined with hiking, kayaking, photography and traveling so there is something for everyone. Continue reading
(OCALA, Fla.) February 4, 2018 – Ocala Fire Rescue and the American Red Cross are joining forces once more, to Sound the Alarm about fire safety.
For a period of three days (January 28th-30th) Ocala Fire Rescue firefighters and Red Cross volunteers roamed the streets of The Villas at Spanish Oaks, mobile home park, as part of a door to door smoke detector installation canvass. Installing 144 smoke alarms in the three day period, the campaign was a huge success. Nonetheless, due to the size of the property, only a portion of the homes within the park were covered. Knowing the need that exists in the area, OFR and the Red Cross have scheduled another three day canvassing event. Continue reading
MARION COUNTY, Florida (February 4, 2018)- At approximately 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, February 4, 2018, Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) deputies were called to a residence located at 9895 SW 151st Place in the Florida Highlands in reference to a well-being check on a possibly suicidal/homicidal individual. When deputies arrived on scene, Paul Powell (DOB: 05/07/1968) made statements that made them concerned for his well-being and for the well-being of others.
Powell also made statements about being armed. In addition to this, deputies learned that Powell had an outstanding felony warrant for Domestic Battery. Powell refused to cooperate with law enforcement and would not exit his residence. The Ocala Police Department SWAT team and the MCSO Crisis Negotiations Team responded to assist and negotiators were able to establish communication with Powell. Continue reading
Feb 2, 2018
Tax season is here and so are IRS imposter scams. These crimes are devastating and result in victims facing years of financial hardships. In recognition of Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week, I launched a Twitter campaign highlighting important tips Floridians should take to prevent becoming victims of tax identity theft. I encourage everyone to educate themselves on tax-related scams.
To help prevent tax identity theft follow these steps:
- Shred all documents that contain private information before disposing of them;
- Mail returns directly from the post office;
- File tax returns as early as possible. Procrastinating may cause a greater risk of tax identity theft;
- Notify the IRS ID Theft Protection Specialized Unit at 1(800) 908-4490 if you suspect tax identity theft. Also report any identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov;
- Watch out for IRS imposters. The IRS will not initially contact you by email, text message or social media. If the IRS needs information they will ask by mail; and
- Get an IRS Identity Protection Pin at IRS.gov/getanIPPIN.
