Recently, I’ve noticed so many people stating their version of the origin, the meaning, the intent and the effect of the Con-stitution of the United States of America.
For example, one starts, “Let me clarify what the ‘experiment’ (of the U.S Constitution) is”. He the stated, “When this na-tion was founded, foreign nations were ruled by kings, tsars, autocrats. Even England still had a monarchy, in its queen”.
(Question – At that time, wasn’t there a ‘King’ of England?)
The writer continued, “Our country was founded as a democracy where our leaders were elected by the people.”
(Question-Is the USA a ‘democracy’ or a Representative, Democratic Republic?)
Then, he claims, “Our laws were enacted by elected representatives of the people, to benefit the people fairly and justly.”
(Q-Are these assertions based on a study these ‘elected representatives?’ Continue reading
Dear Friends,
This column will be the second in a series that we plan to write, providing an overview of the 2022 Legislative Session. Last month, we brought some information to you regarding Florida’s budget and what the Legislature did with your money. This month, we will highlight two education policy bills that we passed this year
HB 1557, Parental Rights in Education by Senator Baxley and Representative Harding. By now, many of you are familiar with this bill as it received national attention and is part of broader conversation regarding parental rights going all the way back to last year. Given the slanderous moniker “Don’t Say Gay Bill” by left wing media outlets, this bill expands on the Parental Rights bill passed in 2021. Let us be clear, this bill says nothing about not being able to say “gay” in schools. We are not prohibiting casual conversations. What we are saying is that children in K-3 schools do not need to be indoctrinated with gender theory instructional material and their parents left in the dark about it. HB 1557 will empower parents and families by prohibiting school districts from adopting policies that require employees to withhold information from a parent regarding their child, unless necessary to protect the child when the school suspects abuse or neglect. Continue reading
At the CEP’s Annual Luncheon on 2 February, the new 5-year Strategic Plan, Forward Momentum, was unveiled to a crowd of nearly 1,100 business leaders. The plan had been developed over eight months in 2021 and involved consultations with a number of experts and economists.
The plan is a continuation of its two successors (Moving Forward and Moving Forward – Phase II) but also broadens the engagement of the CEP in a few key areas. All of the plans 19 goals are aligned with the CEP’s mission “to be the catalyst for a prosperous community.” The following are highlights of a few of the goals. The complete can be found at OcalaCEP.com/the-CEP/strategic-plan/
Business Advocacy – the top goal in Business Advocacy is the Renewal of the Local Option Sales Tax. This 1% tax was first approved by voters in 2016 and then overwhelmingly renewed in 2020. The tax is the best way to fund important and needed transportation and first responder needs. The revenues can only be spent on capital needs and approximately 1/3 of the revenue is collected by tourists and commuters who are using our roads and depending on our first responders but not otherwise contributing to their support. Continue reading
I’m being busted by several readers in the papers to the south, the Villages Spectator and the Lady Lake Magazine about getting information off the internet and are questioning the validity. Here is one example of a story I got off the internet two years ago that now has validity. It seems that Hunter Biden’s laptop is slowly being confirmed. The New York Post released Hunter Biden’s Laptop to the FBI in October 2020. What do you think the election result’s would have been if that was pick by the news as actual true information. Now the New Times has verified some of the email sent by that Laptop. It was a blazoned separation of information by several higher ups.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was ask about the Laptop story she responded Hunter Biden does not work for the White House, the US Government and she is not obligated to answer questions about the story. She is telling reporters to ask the Department of Justice about the Laptop. Looking back during the election when ask about the story she said it was dissimulation of fake news by the Russians to influence the outcome of the election. The Laptop in many area referred to the “Big Guy” getting his cut of the loot. The Laptop shows about influence peddling. The Laptop also mentions Family Business dealings with Russia, China, Ukraine and more. Continue reading
Most every Tuesday the Farmers Market is set up at the Lady Lake Chamber Log Cabin Park. They sell a little bit of everything. Jellies Jams, soaps, candles, large selection of produce, Assortment of products, hand made goods, sometimes they have cars or trucks on display, plants and trees for sale, services, sea food, American Made Solar System’s and many other items and services.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the US Forest Service, is currently searching for a 39-year-old man in the Alexander Springs area of Altoona after the man reportedly became separated from his group yesterday afternoon. The man and two others were apparently canoeing in the area yes-terday when the canoe overturned. According to the parties involved, two of the men were able to get back in the canoe; however, the missing man was unable to. The men reported that he then swam back to the shore and yelled to them that he would walk back and meet up with them.
The sheriff’s Marine Patrol Unit, helicopter, K-9 deputies, mounted posse, and other resources have been searching diligently for the man, but as of this writing, he hasn’t been located.
Further details will be released as they become available.
www.lcso.org
The Byrne Brothers
- Date: 05/13/2022 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Location: Webb Field at Martin Luther King Recreation Complex, 1510 NW Fourth St.
Ocala, Florida 34475
The Byrne Brothers (Celtic)
The City of Ocala in partnership with Marion Cultural Alliance present the 2022 Levitt AMP Ocala Music Series! This series returns Fridays, April 22 through July 1 (excluding May 27), 7 to 9 p.m. at Webb Field at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Complex (1510 NW Fourth Street).
Join us for 10 FREE concerts and 10 non-profit intermission activities, as well as food trucks, non-profit vendors, and artisan vendors. Stay tuned for the 2022 lineup release!
For more information, visit www.ocalafl.org/levittamp
HEADLINING ARTIST: The Byrne Brothers
The Byrne Brothers are a traditional Irish family band from Donegal, moved to Florida in 2018 after receiving their US permanent residency for their “Extraordinary ability in the arts” and have been taking America by storm ever since!
The Byrne Brothers are Luca 15 on Button Accordion, Finn 13 on Banjo, Dempsey 10 on Bodhrán and Tin Whistle with Tommy the dad on Guitar, Uilleann Pipes, Fiddle and Bagpipes and Julie the mammy on sound.
The boys are all County Champions several times on their instruments, Ulster Champion Irish Dancers and the youngest ever Cast Member Entertainers of Walt Disney World Florida after 12 months playing at the famous Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant in Disney Springs.
OPENING ARTIST: Scott Jackson
A dentist, musician, family man and Navy veteran, Scott Jackson has carved out an enviable life playing well with others, but this decade has set the award-winning singer-songwriter on a solo course.
Indigenous
- Date: 05/06/2022 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Location: Webb Field at Martin Luther King Recreation Complex, 1510 NW Fourth St.
Ocala, Florida 34475
The City of Ocala in partnership with Marion Cultural Alliance present the 2022 Levitt AMP Ocala Music Series! This series returns Fridays, April 22 through July 1 (excluding May 27), 7 to 9 p.m. at Webb Field at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Complex (1510 NW Fourth Street).
Join us for 10 FREE concerts and 10 non-profit intermission activities, as well as food trucks, non-profit vendors, and artisan vendors. Stay tuned for the 2022 lineup release!
For more information, visit www.ocalafl.org/levittamp
HEADLINING ARTIST: Indigenous
The Native American blues-rock group Indigenous consists of three brothers, Mato Nanji (vocals and guitar), Pte (bass), and Horse (percussion), and their sister, Wanbdi (drums, vocals). The Nakota Nation members grew up on South Dakota’s Yankton Indian Reservation and were inspired by their father, Greg Zephier, who had been a musician in the ’60s and ’70s and later became a spokesperson for Native American rights. The group released its 1998 debut album, Things We Do, on Pachyderm Records; the video for the title track was directed by Chris Eyre, who also directed the award-winning Native American film Smoke Signals. The group released the Blues This Morning EP and Live at Pachyderm Studios in 1999, while winning acclaim from critics and artists like Bonnie Raitt, the Indigo Girls, and Jackson Browne. The Circle followed in 2000. The band has continued to create music and tour ever since.
OPENING ARTIST: Sheba the Mississippi Queen
It is an unfortunate reality that not all kids can afford to participate in paid recreation programs and summer camps. At the City of Ocala, we endeavor to ensure that every child has an opportunity to participate. You can help us continue to make constructive play time a reality for underprivileged children by making a donation to the Let them PLAY! Scholarship Fund.
Donate online or mail a check to Let them PLAY! Scholarship Fund, 828 NE Eighth Ave., Ocala, Florida 34470.
Thank you in advance for your investment in Ocala’s children.
On April 7, detectives with the Lake County sheriff’s Criminal Intelligence Unit executed a search warrant at the residence of 7448 Harbor View Drive in Leesburg regarding suspected child pornography being contained on the premises. Detectives located multiple electronic and digital media storage devices that were collected as evidence. On-scene forensic analysis was conducted on some of the devices, which revealed numerous images of the sexual performance of children ranging from infants to teenagers.
The suspect in this case, Keith Alan Wilkins (D.O.B. of 9/03/1960), was taken into custody and charged initially with 11 counts of possession of images depicting the sexual performance by a child and possession or promotion of certain images of child pornography. Further forensic review of the evidence collected from the home is being conducted, which will likely result in additional charges.
Wilkins has been employed as a facilities maintenance supervisor responsible for inspecting maintenance work conducted at daycare facilities throughout the state.
Wilkins was transported to the Lake County Detention Center and was booked in with a $55,000 bond.
