VOLUME 7 ISSUE 10
2nd annual Children’s Charity Classic
$3
Page B1
February 27 - March 5, 2026
Newt Perry honored on Brewer appointed Walk of Fame in Ocala superintendent It’s official of MCPS
By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
Danielle Brewer has been named superintendent of Marion County Public Schools. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]
D
uring their regular meeting on Feb. 24, members of the Marion County School Board unanimously voted 5-0 to appoint Danielle Brewer as the district’s superintendent. The decision formally drops the “interim” title Brewer has held since she abruptly stepped into the leadership role last April. As the newly appointed head of Marion County Public Schools, the largest employer in Marion County, Brewer officially begins her contracted tenure on Feb. 25, 2026. The board approved an amended employment contract that secures her position through June 30, 2028. According to school board attorney Jeremy Powers, this specific end date was requested by Brewer to align her contract with the district’s fiscal year and school calendar, ensuring that future contract discussions avoid the busy state assessment window. Initially, her interim contract was set to run until late April, but the board agreed to the immediate Feb. 25 start date following contract negotiations. Following the vote, Brewer expressed her gratitude, stating, “I truly appreciate the school board’s confidence in my leadership and look forward to continuing our work.” See MCPS page A3
Delee Perry, right, helps unveil the Walk of Fame plaque for her father, Newt Perry, as Jessica Fieldhouse, left, and Adam Sines, second from left, of Ocala Main Street, look on with other people during a ceremony in front of the Marion Theatre in Ocala on Feb. 24, 2026. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
The renowned swimmer also was known for his work with motion pictures and for creating the Weeki Wachee attraction.
By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
A
fter a frigid morning warmed up nicely under blue skies and a bright sun, the dedication for Newton A. “Newt” Perry’s bronze plaque on the Walk of Fame in front of the historic Marion Theatre went off swimmingly. And front and center for the ceremony, slide show, film screening and plaque, or “star” unveiling, was Delee Perry, Newt’s daughter, and other family members, including her daughter Tasha Perry Singleton and granddaughter Gracee Singleton, who traveled to Ocala from Kentucky for the occasion. The event was organized under the auspices of the nonprofit Ocala Main Street organization. Executive Director Jessica Fieldhouse and volunteer Adam Sines played a key role in helping organize the drive to fund the bronze plaque and to put the ceremony together. Many local luminaries were in attendance, including renowned cinematographer Mark Emery, who has been honored with a plaque on the Walk of Fame, and a few of his fellow
members of the Silver Springs Professional Dive Team, which is led by Joe Wallace. Several members of the Marion County Historical Commission were on hand, including educator and journalist Cynthia Wilson Graham, local historian Judy Hill Delk and Courtland Richards, who also is a board member of Ocala Main Street. Newt was a graduate of Ocala High School, as was his daughter as well as Richards, who recalled taking scuba diving lessons from Newt in the early 1960s. Richards, who has a lengthy career as a professional videographer and photographer, has been doing a living history video project and has done extensive interviews with Delee. “I started the living history video project in 2024 and the first person I contacted was Delee Perry because I knew her from high school and I knew both of her parents. She mentioned to me, ‘Did you know my Dad won an Academy Award? In fact, two Academy Awards,’” Richards noted. “He worked with some Hollywood producers, and they named him technical director for two of their short films. They
were Grantland Rice pictures. When they needed underwater stuff, they would come to Newt. When she told me about the awards, I immediately started trying to figure out how to get him a plaque on the Walk of Fame. I ran into a dead end and then Adam Sines was able to get in touch with Delee and move forward with it,” Richards explained. Delee was the driving force behind raising the more than $4,000 to purchase the plaque, according to Sines. Newt is renowned for his swimming and other aquatic activities, working on motion pictures and for creating the Weeki Wachee mermaid attraction, which remains one of Florida’s most beloved tourist destinations. He was born in 1908 in southern Georgia. After his family moved to the Tampa area, lifeguards taught him to be an even better swimmer than he already was. When he and his family moved to Ocala in 1922, he was enthralled with Silver Springs and would walk six miles nearly every day to swim there. See Newt Perry, page A8
Ocala prepares for population growth with Vision 2050 plan The community-driven blueprint aims to shape growth, connectivity and vibrant neighborhoods through mid-century.
By Jamie Berube jamie@ocalagazette.com
T
he Ocala City Council reviewed the draft Vision 2050 document during a recent session, outlining strategies to guide the city’s growth, development and quality of life over the next quarter century as its population increases. Ocala’s Planning Director
Aubrey Hale led the Feb. 10 presentation, highlighting the scale of expected change. “One of the things that you can also look at is our population. For our population projections for 2050, it indicates that our population will grow by nearly 31% by the year 2050. That’s based on our current 2024 population estimates, which means our city residents within our city limits would be almost
about 92,000,” she said. The draft plan serves as an update and refinement to the community-driven Ocala 2035 Vision, which was launched in April 2010 amid the economic downturn and produced the statement: “Ocala is a great place to live, play and prosper.” The council took no formal action at the work session. The draft Vision 2050 document and related materials are available on
the city’s website. Residents can review the full plan and provide feedback as the city moves toward formal adoption. Hale emphasized the strong foundation from the earlier effort. “Another key element of the 2035 was its communitydriven process. A lot of outreach happened, and there was even one that happened on the square. See Population growth, page A2
Ocala Planning Dynamic QR code. [Courtesy city of Ocala]
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Black history.................................. A3 Silver River Knap-in.................... A4 Dunnellon water tests.................. A5 MCFR contracts............................ A6 Calendar......................................... B6
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