VOLUME 7 ISSUE 19
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Earthfest: Celebrating Arbor Day Page B1 May 1-7 2026
Rural rules revised
Wrestling with WEC
Horse farm owner sues to halt approved massive sports complex, citing 2016 settlement.
New law shifts oversight of farmland development away from local authorities. By Jennifer Hunt jennifer@ocalagazette.com
By Jennifer Hunt jennifer@ocalagazette.com
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harlotte C. Weber, owner of the 4,300-acre Live Oak Stud thoroughbred horse farm, filed multiple legal actions on April 17 against Marion County and Golden Ocala Equestrian Land, LLC, seeking to block the
development of the World Equestrian Center (WEC) Sports Complex. The lawsuits follow a unanimous March 18 vote by the Marion County Board of County Commissioners to approve comprehensive plan amendments, rezoning and a development agreement for the project. See WEC, page A6
Charlotte Weber is the owner of Live Oak Stud and Live Oak Plantation. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]
“Children of Eden” brings heart, hope and forgiveness Uplifting musical explores relationships, letting go and new beginnings in The Civic’s season finale.
File photo. Sen. Stan McClain speaks during the Marion County Legislative Delegation at the Klein Conference Center at the College of Cenral Florida in Ocala, Fla. on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.
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new measure aimed at expediting the development of certain agricultural lands is now law, marking a significant shift in how local governments can manage growth and development. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 686, sponsored by State Sen. Stan McClain, on April 20. The legislation passed the Florida House of Representatives with support from local representatives Richard Gentry, Ryan Chamberlin, and J.J. Grow, while Yvonne Hayes Hinson did not cast a vote. The law fundamentally rewrites Florida’s development review process for properties classified as “agricultural enclaves.” These properties are specifically defined as unincorporated, undeveloped parcels in counties with a population of 1.75 million or less that meet the following criteria as of Jan. 1, 2025: • Owned by a single person or entity and in continuous use for bona fide agricultural purposes for at least five years.
Sebastian Lombardo as Father, center, Kiara Feliciano as Eve, bottom, and Janik Buranosky as Adam, rehearse a scene from “Children of Eden” as cast members look on at the Ocala Civic Theatre on April 28, 2026. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2026.
By Jamie Berube jamie@ocalagazette.com
See Rules, page A5
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iara Feliciano gets to live an entire lifetime on stage, from Eve’s first breath in the garden of Eden, to Mama Noah watching the world renew after the flood.
“It’s not every day you get to play a character on stage from their first breath to their last. That alone is rewarding to know someone that fully,” Feliciano said. The expansive dual role has allowed her to trace Eve’s full emotional arc, from wide-eyed curiosity and rebellious discovery to the deep love, loss and hard-won wisdom of motherhood. That
journey of creation, loss and new beginnings is what “Children of Eden” is all about. The Ocala Civic Theatre, or The Civic, will close its landmark 75th season with Stephen Schwartz’s uplifting musical “Children of Eden,” which will run April 30 - May 17. See Children of Eden, page A4
Needing help could be ‘one tiny mishap away’ Local letter carrier says last year’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive temporarily helped co-workers. By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
Karla Greenway, CEO of Interfaith Emergency Services, holds a sign she made to thank letter carries for collecting donated food from their routes during the National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger food drive at Interfaith Emergency Services in Ocala on May 10, 2025. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]
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aura Klingelsmith has been with the US Postal Service for 28 years and has been involved with the National Association of Letter Carriers’ annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive for all but a couple of those years.
As a local organizer, she does a lot of behind the scenes work to ensure that each year’s drive has a chance of succeeding. And it’s a good thing, as last year, some of her own co-workers had to avail themselves of the food that had been collected and given to Interfaith Emergency Services, which operates a food pantry.
“You never know when it’s going to be you or someone you love who is need of this. Last year, there was a mishap with pay and several of our own carriers — who had just finished the drive — ended up having to go to the food bank themselves. Thankfully, it was there and we had just done the drive. The carriers then were able to give back when
everything got straightened out,” Klingelsmith shared. Interfaith Emergency Services is a leading nonprofit agency in the county. It provides a wide range of services for individuals and families looking for food, clothing, shelter, housing, medication and other basic human needs. See Help , page A6
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NAACP banquet........................... A4 School board cap........................... A6 Symphony Under the Stars........ A7 Real estate reports........................ B2 Calendar......................................... B6
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