VOLUME 5 ISSUE 24
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JUNE 14 - JUNE 20, 2024
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School board debates next steps after investigation into high school construction bid By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
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he Marion County School Board is debating sending the findings of an investigation to the governor for further review and potential
Arrest made in Feb. 20 crash that left Ocala couple dead
disciplinary action after the findings showed undue influence and policy violations during the process of choosing a construction manager for the new high school project. After allegations of tampering with the procurement process made against
School Board Member Sarah James and members of Ausley Construction were confirmed to be true, the school board asked a consultant to recommend options for proceeding with awarding the bid for the high school. Given that the investigation found misconduct, including
Two bears trapped in Ocala The juvenile bears, which were rummaging around residential neighborhoods, have been released into the Ocala National Forest. By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
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By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
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local 17-year-old male has been arrested in connection with a Feb. 20 crash that claimed the lives of an Ocala couple— Spencer Holden, 30, and his wife, Samantha, 35—according to the Ocala Police Department. The teen, whose identity is not being published by the “Gazette” because he is a minor, was arrested Tuesday on two counts each of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide and three counts of DUI property damage, according to an OPD press release. The injured teen’s blood-alcohol level was reportedly .188, more than twice the level at which a person is legally considered intoxicated, when it was tested upon his arrival at the hospital, according to OPD. The delay in the teen’s arrest was attributed to “obtaining search warrants and working with FDLE (the Florida Department of Law Enforcement) to process and analyze evidence, (which) takes time,” according to a OPD spokesperson. According to a media release, when OPD officers arrived on the scene of the 8:30 p.m. crash in the 1300 block of Southeast 36th Avenue, “The couple’s car was fully engulfed in flames, which Ocala Fire Rescue extinguished. The man was ejected from the vehicle, while the woman was trapped inside. Both were declared deceased at the scene.” OFR station 2 was less than a mile away from the accident. However, public records reflect a delay in OFR being dispatched 3 minutes and 28 seconds after the location had been identified. The OFR engine containing water to fight the fiery crash did not arrive on the scene until 7 minutes and 44 seconds after the crash site was identified. Marion County Fire Rescue ambulance was dispatched at least one minute before OFR was, and their ambulance was first on the scene. The couple had already been declared deceased; however, MCFR See Crash, page A4
threats made by James and by Ausley Construction toward school district employees, the board has the option of sending the findings to Gov. Ron DeSantis for further review, as the board has done for misconduct allegations in the past. See Investigation, page A3
[Supplied]
Left: This still from a video security camera was captured by Chris and Wendy Davy and shows a Florida Black Bear going into a bait tank in their backyard at their home on Southeast 16th Street in Ocala on Monday, June 10, 2024. [Courtesy Chris and Wendy Davy] 2024.
wo juvenile bears were recently trapped in a residential neighborhood close to the duck pond on Southeast 17th Street by members of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Bear Management Program and relocated to the Ocala National Forest. The two cases of capture and relocate came during a recent rash of bear sightings and encounters around Ocala. Publix glazed donuts and cherry turnovers were used as bait in at least one of the FWC trappings. Jeffrey Walczak, public information officer with the Ocala Police Department, stated in a June 10 email that OPD had received 11,911 calls in the last two weeks about bear sightings, although OPD “rarely” gets 911 calls regarding bears and that typically bear calls go to FWC. Kristen Turner, public information director for the FWC Northeast Region, confirmed in an email that the first bear, See Bears, page A2
West Central Girl Scouts earn Gold Awards
Two Marion County girls were among the 28 honorees.
From left, Girl Scouts of West Central Florida Board President Cami Gibertini, Emilie Kameryn Knowles [Photo courtesy Youmans and GSWCF Chief Executive Officer Mary Pat King, are shown during the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida] recent Gold Award Ceremony. [Photo courtesy Girl Scouts of West Central Florida]
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
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wo Marion County girls were honored, along with 26 other young women, during the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida’s annual Gold Award Ceremony on June 8.
Emilie Youmans and Kameryn Knowles, both 2024 graduates of West Port High School, were recognized for projects that will help create a significant and sustainable positive change in their community. The Gold Award is the highest achievement a Girl Scout can earn. Gold Award Girl Scouts address the root
cause of a problem, plan and implement innovative solutions to drive change and lead a team of people to success, noted the news release. Provided materials noted that Kameryn’s “Beat the Heat” project aimed to combat sudden heat-related illnesses, such as heat stroke, which is the third most common cause of death in student athletes. After witnessing the severity of heat-related illnesses firsthand, she developed Keep Cool Kits that contained items such as instant ice packs, hydration drink mixes, water and sunscreen to provide tools to manage heat-related emergencies. She created a website that housed all project materials, including a video presentation, a Keep Cool Kit item checklist, a downloadable PDF brochure and information about heat-related illnesses and ways to prevent them. Emilie’s “Using Your Senses: A Therapeutic Trail” project advocated for autistic children and young adults as she partnered with the Marion Therapeutic Riding Association to create a sensory trail for students, the materials stated. Engaging children with autism in sensory activities See Gold, page A2
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Plane Crashes................................ A4 Letter Carriers Rally.................... A5 State News...................................... A8 Camp Kiwanis............................... B3 Calendar......................................... B5
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