When we talk about the local economy and what drives it, there are a few industries which immediately come to mind. We are the Horse Capital of the World® and know that equine plays a big part of the local economy. Others may think about how our community has become a major logistics center for the state and all of the new big box distribution centers which have been built near the interstate. Some may go to Ocala’s long-time role as a major manufacturing center, home to companies like Lockheed Martin, REV Fire – EONE, Pella, Cardinal Glass, etc. However, the sector that employs the most people and some of the highest wages is healthcare.
Regional Healthcare Center
It might be easy for one to overlook the size and scale of the local healthcare industry. While one may look at Gainesville and see the significance of the industry there because of the near omnipresence of the University and UF Health, our market is different. Here we have three different yet significant healthcare providers who all have made and are making substantial investments. When combined these three providers are the backbone of arguably our largest economic driver. Continue reading
OCALA, Fla. Symphony Under the Lights presented by Jenkins Auto Group with support from the City of Ocala and Florida Express Waste & Recycling returns to Tuscawilla Park next month on Friday, December 6, 2024.
Entering its 21st year, this annual free concert will see the Ocala Symphony and members of the Ocala Youth Symphony come together to perform Christmas classics and celebrate the season!
“The musicians and I look forward to this annual tradition – now in its 21st year. Between our performance with the Ocala Youth Symphony, the fun holiday atmosphere with so many community members in attendance, the beautifully lit atmosphere of Tuscawilla Park, and a surprise or two, we can’t wait to give this gift to Ocala / Marion County!” – Matthew Wardell, Music Director and Conductor of the Ocala Symphony Orchestra.
Gather your family, friends, and neighbors for an evening of music under the stars! Bring your blankets and chairs and enjoy this free community concert under the oaks of Tuscawilla Park. Continue reading
FIRST Adopt the FAIRTax Plan where we pay tax when we buy anything that’s new. Incorporate tariff plan to FairTax. Not needing income tax! The states will collect it the revenue for the Government..
NO sales tax on anything used! That is double taxation! Auto’s, boats, campers, etc! (Savings for the tax payers).
FIRE the Department of Education and hire a Constitutional Board of Director in each state to monitor its own education bylaws and it’s local history as it happened in that state with new laws voted on by the parents and legal representatives. The parent must be the Guiding light! ANYONE caught burning or degrading our American Flag gets mandatory six months working for the State Road department in the state they degraded the Flag! Otherwise hard jail time!
Please join the Friends of the Ocala Library, in conjunction with Florida Humanities, on Saturday, January 11, at 11 am, Classroom C of the Main Branch Library, for author and chef Dalia Colón. Ms. Colon will be speaking on Florida as a premier source of year-round fruits and vegetables, and why Florida is credited as the birthplace of fusion cuisine. She will also be selling copies of her new book. The event and parking are free, handicapped accessible.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida is making 300 new bonus awards to Law Enforcement Officers and has reached a milestone of 6,400 bonuses awarded to new law enforcement recruits through the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program. The latest 300 bonuses were awarded to officers serving in counties impacted by Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton. This first-of-its-kind initiative, launched in 2022, is part of Florida’s strongest-in-the-nation support for law enforcement and constitutes a one-time, $5,000 bonus—after taxes—to newly employed officers in the state.
“Florida welcomes law enforcement officers from across the country to a state where they will be recognized and appreciated,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Additionally, Florida celebrates the law enforcement profession and encourages people to join the force. Law enforcement officers make enormous personal sacrifices for the communities they serve, and they deserve higher pay and more support.” Continue reading
Caption: Looking out of the window on the east side of my house at the Loury Farm, I saw this spectacular sunrise. The John Deere tractor just was sitting there enjoying it!, so was I!
In our troubled world look what we have. If you look real close you will see a small tractor in a big world, that is a full size tractor but looks small next this sun Rise. This sun rise was early November above our horse pasture. We are concern John Deere going to Mexico, our family love John Deere but might have to change brands. Right now my son has a escalator, Skid Steer, 4 WD tractor, bull dozer and Dodge trucks etc. Buy American, Stay American!
Staff Writers
Tariffs was used by President Trump to help raise money and keep expenses down. Donald Trump uses them to get United States business’s from moving to China or Mexico. When a USA business moves to Mexico or other countries they can access the Chinese Market, Mexican Market and build their products with cheap labor and cheap materials. Inferrer steel, metals, plastics and then sell it to the USA citizens taking the U.S. factory out. Where is their Patriotism, their Honor, their loyalty to the USA? I guess we are just wanting to buy something cheap. Don’t forget cheap is not made well! Another consideration, the chance of disease could be a way of spread a new virus. Let use American products! They are our enemy!
Mexico is part of the problem. A lot of product and other things come from or through Mexico, Medical drugs are cheaper there than here. Our produce is not do good on the trip from Mexico and the country’s south. Again remember they are our enemy! Continue reading
By TomL
Gender Change
Education is important but the Department of Education has set out to separate the children from their parent rights with all this WOKE thinking. The transgender issue has gotten out of hand. We need to pass some laws that stop changing a child’s gender till they are grown and make their own decision and use their own money. The studies are showing the change is more dramatic than they thought. Some are committing suicide others want to change back and can’t creating terrible mental anguish for the rest of their lives, because someone talked them into it or let them do it when they were minors. Very few teachers like what is requested of them. Some have changed careers, or are trying to or get into a better teaching atmosphere.
Education
Michelle Obama & Barack Obama said every student should go to college! That is not a reachable goal. Michelle started a program called Reaching the “North Star”.
It’s over reaching and leaving students behind. Even if a student is good in reading they can’t always retain what they learned a year ago. The other thing that left some students behind was algebra. I was sitting in the bleachers at a baseball game. We were waiting for the game to start and were talking in the stands. A pilot was sitting behind and we were discussing our sons. I said one thing that discourages students is algebra & trigonometry. Continue reading
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Cammack joined Rep. Vern Buchanan and 52 House colleagues in a letter demanding answers and accountability from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following stunning revelations that an agency supervisor instructed staff to avoid providing storm assistance to homes displaying campaign signs for President-elect Trump.
According to reports from sources inside FEMA, at least 20 homes with pro-Trump campaign signs or flags were bypassed by relief workers from late October through November, as a result of guidance from a FEMA supervisor directing workers to avoid these homes. The supervisor alleged that this practice of political discrimination was “not isolated” to Florida, but also extended to the Carolinas. She even stated that “senior leadership will lie to you and tell you that they don’t know” while FEMA continues to deny assistance to storm victims across the country.
“Americans deserve better. In this country, we protect all our citizens, regardless of political affiliation. We urge FEMA to take swift and decisive action to address this issue, hold those responsible fully accountable and restore public trust in its ability to serve every American in need,” said the lawmakers in the letter. Continue reading
GAINESVILLE, FL — On Saturday, Rep. Kat Cammack hosted House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-01) to survey damage from the recent hurricanes and their impacts on the agricultural sector. Congressmen Austin Scott (GA-08), Darren Soto (FL-09), and Doug LaMalfa (CA-01) also joined for the visits in Florida before moving to Congressman Scott’s district in Georgia later in the afternoon.
In Florida, the Members toured Shenandoah Dairy in Live Oak, held a roundtable with producers at the Suwannee County Farm Bureau, viewed a timber track with the Florida Forestry Association, and viewed infrastructure damage at Adams Farm in Jasper. The Members then traveled to Jennings, Florida to meet with fruit and vegetable producers impacted by the hurricanes. According to a preliminary estimate by Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Hurricane Milton caused $1.5B to $2.5B in damages to Florida’s crops and agricultural infrastructure.
