Senator Dennis Baxley spoke to Ocala Business Leaders. Mr Baxley has run in 15 races and lost two. He stated that he had learned most from his losses. He believes failure is a part of success.

Mr Baxley believes strong families make a strong Florida. He is committed to his own family. He and his wife, Ginette, have been married for 43 years. They are the proud parents and grandparents of five children and 7 grandchildren.

Mr Baxley believes in the power of free enterprise to grow our economy and provide opportunity for both businesses and employees. While supporting job training and other truly helpful programs, he will work to keep government out of the way as much as possible so that innovation can flourish. He stated that people need encouragement and we shouldn’t be is hard on ourselves.

Guest Natalie McComb spoke to the group about the United Way Reading Pals Program. This is an opportunity for you or your business to partner with a local Elementary school and promote childhood literacy. Children can read to learn until they learn to read! Please call the United Way’s Literacy Manager to sign up as a ReadingPal Volunteer today! 352-732-9696 x 212 Just image the impact that you can make on the life of a child.

The Vines Hospital recently announced the opening of a new wing in their Hospital. The new addition will be for service women and veterans. Picture are some of the staff along the CEO of Vines Hospital. The program is called the Meadows H.O.P.E. Program, Healing, Overcome, Persevere, Empower. They are providing inpatient and residential care for active-duty servicewomen and veterans. Their mission is to give women tools needed to recover from trauma and addiction. Continue reading →

(OCALA, Fla.) August 16, 2017 – A motor vehicle accident reported at 6:26 AM, on the south-bound lanes of I-75, left one passenger trapped.

Ocala Fire Rescue was dispatched to an area between mile markers 352 and 354, where a collision between a pick-up truck and a semi was reported. Upon arrival, firefighters found a crew cab pick-up truck, upright, with severe front-end damage, rendering the passenger trapped. With the assistance of extrication tools, firefighters removed the patient. Once freed from the vehicle, the patient was trauma alerted to the hospital.   Continue reading →

The Marion County Genealogical Society will meet Thursday September 21, 2017 at 2 PM at the Marion County Public Library located at 2720 E. Silver Springs Blvd. in Ocala.  A brief business meeting will be followed by the September program, “DNA Before You Test” by Drew Smith.

Monday, Aug. 14, construction will begin to replace Lift Station #36 located at 1965 SW 30th Court. As a result of this construction, a section of the eastern lane of SW 30th Court will be closed at the site of Lift Station #36.

Post Date:08/10/2017 5:08 PM

OCALA, Fla. (Aug. 10, 2017) – Monday, Aug. 14, construction will begin to replace Lift Station #36 located at 1965 SW 30th Court. As a result of this construction, a section of the eastern lane of SW 30th Court will be closed at the site of Lift Station #36.

All necessary devices will be in place to redirect traffic. Construction will not occur during any city-recognized holidays and will be limited to weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. During this time, travelers may experience odors, noise, dust, and heavy equipment within the project area.

This project is expected to be completed by the end of November 2017.

For more information, please contact the City Engineer’s Office, Capital Projects Division at 352-629-8419.

Marion County, Florida (August 9, 2017) – On Wednesday, August 9th, Marion County

Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Major Crimes detectives arrested Charles James Willoughby (DOB: 08/14/1984) and charged him with 2nd Degree Murder. On July 6th, 2017, detectives responded to 10450 SW 45th Avenue Ocala, Florida, to investigate a suspicious death. At that location, detectives discovered the body of victim, Mohammad Barak (DOB: 05/08/1976), who had been shot to death.

After further investigation, it was discovered that two safes had been stolen from the home. After reviewing security video taken from outside the victim’s home, detectives could see Charles Willoughby placing the stolen safes into his vehicle during the time that the murder took place. Further evidence from inside the home helped detectives determine that Charles Willoughby had murdered the victim. Continue reading →

Barb Rudelic of  The Florida FAIRtax Education Association, has lost a strong dedicated supporter, David O’Dwyer. For 11 years David used  his global corporate experience to grow support for the FAIRtax. He used his energy, wit and intellect to create and give presentations emphasizing the export/import value of the FAIRtax bill. We are saddened by David’s passing and are grateful that he has made a positive contribution for the FAIRtax movement.

For Cherry Baker and Crystal Jewell-Maksou of Angel Maids, providing professional cleaning services for area clients is not only their business, it is their calling.

“In 2015, Cherry and I felt that the Lord was compelling us to begin a cleaning ministry on His foundation in Ocala. We both came from St. Augustine originally and had known many of the same people there. But we had never met until years later, when God had called each of us to come to Ocala. We knew then that He had a plan for us that was much bigger than our minds could grasp,” said co-founder Crystal of the company’s beginnings.

Along with a lifelong desire to help others, both Cherry and Crystal have had years of experience in both residential and commercial cleaning, and clients commend their expertise, attention to detail, and integrity.

They provide standard services such as high-performance vacuuming and top-to-bottom cleaning, including those hard-to-reach places and even light fixtures that are so often missed. However, Angel Maids will also skillfully clean windows, ceiling fans, and all types of flooring—wood, ceramic tile, and more. Continue reading →

Publishers Note: My name is Tom Loury Publisher of Ocala DownTown newspaper, Seniors Voice of Ocala, Village Spectator and Lady Lake Magazine. The situation we are writing about is a long time problem. Walter Krumm Jr. a personal a friend ask me to attend a committee meeting Don Browning was organizing. The committee was mostly made up of Ocala Ft King Lions Club members: Jack Mattheus, Walters Krumm Jr, Bob Cole, Ron White and of course Don Browning and myself.

We went and toured the area and it was clear to see there was a problem. It is a problem created by road engineering from a long time ago and added to by some citizens. For instance there is a big retention pond hundreds of feet away, but someone has fenced a piece of property with no county easement allowed. In other words the fence is 3 inches from the pavement. At the base of any fence is grass growth and build up which is pushing the water in the direct of this lady’s house and yard. Not far from this is the said retention pond and where the water is supposed to go, but someone has piled a mound of dirt so water cannot go in. This looks intentional! A bit further down, there is a make shift patch someone dug, a small relief drainage, which is apparently is not working. Continue reading →