VOLUME 5 ISSUE 43
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OCTOBER 25 - OCTOBER 31, 2024
EDITORIAL
A vote for the school half-cent sales tax is a vote for the future By Ocala Editorial Board
N
o one likes to pay higher taxes, but sometimes the sacrifice of the public is for the betterment of our most
vulnerable community members: our children. On Nov. 5, the Marion County School District asks voters to agree to a halfcent increase to the sales tax to fund new schools and other construction needs.
For many years, growth in Marion County has exploded virtually unchecked. New neighborhoods have been built, and community leaders and businesses have encouraged people to move here and call this
place their home. Now, because little has been done to prepare for this invited population increase, our public schools are bursting at the seams. Many of them are over capacity in quickly deteriorating facilities.
A LEGEND BEHIND THE (UNDERWATER) LENS Jordan Klein Sr., noted for his pioneering efforts in developing underwater camera housings for motion pictures and underwater cinematography, dies at age 98. By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
I
f you’ve held your breath while watching MI6 agent James Bond wrestle SPECTRE bad guys underwater in the hit movie “Thunderball,” cheered for nice guy Tom Hanks and mermaid Daryl Hannah to be together in “Splash,” wanted to get into a swimming pool filled with alien pods in “Cocoon” or enjoyed the antics of bottlenose dolphin “Flipper” and his pals Sandy and Bud, then you know the work of Jordan Klein Sr. The long-time Marion County resident earned numerous awards and accolades for his many engineering and technological inventions, particularly in underwater cinematography. In 2001, he was honored with an Academy Award for Best Technical Achievement for his pioneering efforts in developing underwater camera housings for motion pictures. In 2019, he was honored by the Ocala Film Foundation and the city of Ocala with a Walk of Fame plaque, which is embedded in the sidewalk outside the historic Marion Theatre. See Passing, page A9
Rich Adamovic and Jordan Klein Sr. [Photo taken from the Facebook page for Jordan Klein Sr.]
Right: Jordan Klein Sr. [Photo taken from the Facebook page for Jordan Klein Sr.]
Night of Hope The annual events commemorates the loss of victims and honors the resilience of domestic violence survivors. By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
“S
ee something, say something” and follow up with actionable support for those who need out of domestic violence. That was the message hundreds in attendance heard on Oct. 21, at the Night of Hope hosted by the Family Violence Prevention Workgroup. The workgroup consists of representatives from social services, nonprofit and for-profit agencies, businesses and community members. Its mission is to end family violence in Marion County. The group organizes activities that increase public awareness through education, training and collaboration. The need is great locally, as Marion County has one of the highest incidents of domestic violence in the state of Florida. Monica Bryant is the Family Violence Prevention Coordinator for the Marion County Children’s Alliance. The workgroup, which she leads, provides emergency support to people fleeing from domestic violence. She told the audience
Monica Bryant, center, speaks as Valerie Mitchell, left, and Lena Hopkins, right, look on during the “Night Of Hope - Honoring Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence” event at the College of Central Florida Klein Conference Center in Ocala on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.
that due to the lack of affordable housing, there are very few options for some families who are forced to leave their homes. Some must live in tents or their cars,
Bryant told the crowd. “It’s sad, but it’s true.” The annual event, now in its 17th year under Bryant, historically honored each See Night, page A5
The district lacks the funds to fix them under stringent state laws that tie local leaders’ hands with classroom size limits and what pots of money can be used to fund operating expenses and See Editorial, page A2
Marion County Mental Health Court This specialized judicial program provides an alternative for vulnerable offenders to get back on track. By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
C
rime isn’t always black and white. Think of the age-old parable of a man imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his starving family. Now, imagine you are someone, or you know of someone, with a severe mental illness who falls down the wrong path, with the cards now stacked against them, who can’t get the support they rightfully need for their condition. Before you judge, imagine how quickly your life could turn in the wrong direction even with just one bad choice. There is a part of our judicial system in Marion County that works overtime to ensure that such citizens get the treatment they deserve. In the Marion County Mental Health Court program under Judge Tommy Thompson, mentally ill offenders who have fallen into crime have the opportunity to work through a treatment and advisory program rather than go through traditional court proceedings and spend unneeded time in jail with the general population. Thompson treats each participant of the program who stands in court before him with compassion and patience, referring to them by their first names—and not just a case number. “My personal wish for everybody that’s in this program is that we get you in the program, we get you through, and you learn some things about yourself See Mental, page A7
File photo: Judge Tommy Thompson speaks during a recognition ceremony held to thank Judge James McCune for initiating the Mental Health Court and the Veterans Treatment Court in the jury assembly room at the Marion County Judicial Center in Ocala on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.
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TEDxOcala..................................... A4 Government Advisory Board Openings... A6 Puzzles............................................. B4 Calendar......................................... B5 Sports.............................................. B6
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