Time to prepare for hurricane season!
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 23
$2
Pg B2 JUNE 9 - JUNE 15, 2023
“They are so mad about traffic that they can’t see straight”
Patriots win Junior College World Series Championship
James Henningsen, the president of the College of Central Florida, left, and head coach Marty Smith, right, with the national championship trophy during the Patriots Homecoming Celebration for the national champions at the College of Central Florida in Ocala on Monday, June 5, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2023.
College of Central Florida beats Wabash Valley for title, gets warm welcome back home in Ocala. By Mark Pinson Special to the Ocala Gazette From top left, counterclockwise: Matthew “Guy” Minter, MCBOCC attorney; and Marion County Commissioners Carl Zalak, Craig Curry, Kathy Bryant and Michelle Stone. [Bruce Ackerman/ Ocala Gazette
Commissioners echo residents’ anger over congestion, and learn they have the power to prevent some of the road-clogging developments. By Belea T. Keeney belea@magnoliamediaco.com
I
n a surprising change in longstanding legal advice that helped open the door to development that has overwhelmed local roads, the Marion County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) recently were told they have the
authority to reject development projects under some conditions. Toward the end of a fourhour commission workshop April 24 on Marion County roads, County Attorney Matthew “Guy’’ Minter referenced an email he had sent to the board that stated not only could the board reject a development if the adjacent
road could not handle the additional traffic, but the commission actually is obligated to do so. Noting that the laws concerning development and roads “really don’t dovetail super great,’’ Minter said, “If you’ve got a project that’s going to cause the level of service (LOS) to fail … you’re not
even supposed to approve that project under the law.’’ The commissioners were quick to note this dramatic change in the legal direction they’ve been receiving for years. “Honestly, Guy,’’ Commissioner Carl Zalak said, “I thought you told us exactly the opposite the other day when See Roads, page A4
The legacy of Molly
Molly, the longtime ambassador for the Marion County Animal Abuser Registry, has been immortalized in a marble statue that was unveiled June 7 in downtown Ocala. By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
I
f all dogs go to heaven, then Molly, the longtime ambassador of the Marion County Animal Abuser Registry, who died in February, must have been smiling down on the crowd gathered in her honor on June 7 in downtown Ocala. Beneath a bright sun and with a minimal breeze, those gathered withstood the heat to celebrate the life of the beloved canine whose history of abuse helped lead to the creation of the registry, also known as Molly’s Law. They were
all there to witness the unveiling of the marble statue of Molly created by award-winning sculptor Nilda Comas. The statue sits upon a granite base designed by Alberto Comas, the artist’s brother, in front of the city of Ocala’s Citizen Service Center at 201 SE 3rd St., near the Downtown Market. The block from which the figure of Molly emerged was mined in Italy from Carrara marble, from what are known as the caves of Michelangelo. Comas, who recently was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame and whose works have been featured in solo and group See The legacy, page A5
Lilly Baron, center, pets the marble statue of Molly, that Nilda Comas sculpted during the unveiling ceremony at the Citizens Service Center in downtown Ocala on Wednesday, June 7, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2023.
T
he College of Central Florida (CF) scored nine runs in the first inning and cruised to a 13-6 victory over Wabash Valley College to win the Junior College Division I World Series Championship on June 3 in Grand Junction, Colorado. On June 5, the team received a warm welcome home back in Ocala, with a public celebration at the Patriot Café in the Bryant Student Union on the College Road campus. CF, the No. 1 seed in the 10-team, double-elimination tournament that started on May 27, overcame several injuries during the season and a stunning 14-6 loss to Weatherford College on May 29 to bounce back with four consecutive victories to claim the Patriots’ first national baseball title in school history. “I didn’t know they had that kind of heart,” CF coach Marty Smith was quoted as saying. “After getting run-ruled on Monday and to come back and do what they did is unbelievable. We handled every situation during the season, and we obviously handled tonight well.” As far as game stats go, Central Florida got rolling in the top of the first inning as designated hitter John Marant laced a double to leftcenter field to score Bradke Lohry, first baseman Juan Correa singled to right field to plate Marant, and Kainen Jorge drilled a two-run homer to right field off Wabash Valley starting pitcher Jacob Frost. An outfield error and a walk by Wabash Valley proved fatal as Cole Bullen hammered a three-run homer to right field. Correa, up for the second time in the inning, See Patriots, page A2
READ DAILY NEWS AT OCALAGAZETTE.COM
INSIDE:
Marion County Hospital District... A3 Tragedy........................................... A6 State News...................................... A7 Puzzles............................................. B4 Calendar......................................... B5
Subscribers will receive their paper through USPS on the USPS schedule. Subscription orders must be received by 5 pm on Tuesday in order to be included in the following week’s delivery. Starting at $10/month ocalagazette.com/subscribe