CF’s production of “Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic”
OCTOBER 18 - OCTOBER 24, 2024
VOLUME 5 ISSUE 42
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2024 ELECTION
6 important questions for voters in November From abortion and recreational marijuana to partisan school board races and the right to hunt and fish, this year’s amendments could impact Floridians’ lives in numerous ways. By Judy Johnson, Esq. Special to the Ocala Gazette
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lorida voters will be asked a series of questions on the Nov. 5 ballot ranging from hot-button issues such as abortion rights and whether to allow recreational marijuana use to lesser-known matters like whether the right to hunt and fish should be enshrined in the state Constitution. Much of the public’s attention this election season has focused on Amendments 3 and 4, dealing with the state’s six-week restriction on abortions and the proposal to expand the current access to medical marijuana to allow adults to possess pot for personal use. There are other significant matters to be decided, however. Many voters find themselves looking at their ballots in the voting booth or at their kitchen tables and reading amendment questions for the first time, often See Amendments, page A2
Artist Jordan Shapot, right, talks with Angi Grabbe in his booth at the FAFO Ocala Arts Festival in downtown Ocala on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022. [Title art added by Amy Crescenzo]
The Ocala Arts Festival on Oct. 26 and 27 will bring more than 140 artists to town and the featured artist is Ocala’s own Jordan Shapot. By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
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t’s almost time for one of Ocala and Marion County’s best loved traditions, the Ocala Arts Festival. The event will take place Oct. 26 and 27 and will span numerous city blocks all around the downtown square. It is organized by the nonprofit Fine Arts For Ocala, or FAFO. While the event will feature more than 140 artists from around the nation, in over 16 different media, the community can take pride because this year’s featured artist is
one of our own: Jordan Shapot. “I’m truly honored to be selected as this year’s featured artist,” Shapot said. “It feels special to be recognized among so many talented individuals. This will be my fourth year exhibiting at the Ocala Arts Festival, which has become one of my favorite events of the year. It’s a humbling experience, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent Ocala.” The artist, owner of Shapot Art Studio and Gallery in Ocala, is an alumnus of the Savannah College of Art and Design. He notes on his website that he focuses on
making bold and emotionally driven art. “While my work continues to be heavily influenced by color and light, it has become more expressive over time, moving further away from realism. I’m intrigued by the idea of using my art to create atmospheres that invite the viewer to engage more deeply, encouraging them to become part of the visual conversation,” he explained. Shapot said he plans to display between 20 and 30 pieces of artwork at this year’s festival. “I’ve been hard at work on some new See Arts, page A3
“Fate, Goblins and the Mothership” The Ocala Symphony Orchestra opens its 49th season with works by three diverse composers. By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
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embers of the Ocala Symphony Orchestra invite you to join them for a “thrilling interstellar journey combining electronica with the orchestra” as they open their 49th season with Mason Bates’ “Mothership.” During the “Fate, Goblins and the Mothership” concerts on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 19 and 20, attendees also will hear Dvořák’s “Water Goblin,” which weaves a tale of love, tragedy and a supernatural world beneath the waves while guests follow the story via supertitles above the orchestra. Tchaikovsky’s powerful, fate filled “Symphony No. 4” will round out the performance. The OSO is under the baton of maestro Matthew Wardell. “This concert features three very differently constructed works that explore everything from dropping into an alien techno dance party and a Czech fairy tale to the concept of fate itself. In some ways though, all three pieces deal with abduction—either by a UFO, a mysterious water goblin or by our own destiny—and the different stories those experiences create. I’m really excited to go on a journey with our audience through these three incredible pieces,” Wardell said. “For me, the Tchaikovsky symphony is very meaningful, especially at this time. It was written when he was trying to find happiness See OSO’s, page A4
Maestro Matthew Wardell leads the Ocala Symphony Orchestra. The OSO will open its 49th season on Oct. 19 and 20 with “Fate, Goblins and the Mothership.” [Photo courtesy Reilly Arts Center]
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Ira Holmes Naming Ceremony.. A4 FEMA Assistance......................... A7 Marion County’s New Animal Shelter. A9 Bird of the Week............................ B4 Calendar......................................... B5
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