Ocala Gazette

The Ocala Gazette is a weekly publication that is released every Friday and offers daily news updates online. Our goal is to keep our audience informed and inspired by covering the events, topics, and narratives that define Ocala, all while maintaining a commitment to accuracy, fairness, and enthusiasm.

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Home rule, open spaces and community planning hang in the balance this legislative session

1 week ago | ocalagazette.com | Jennifer Hunt Murty

After a host of bills were filed during this session of the Florida Legislature that would erode local control of development across the state and open hundreds of thousands of agricultural acres to developers without local approval, advocates for preserving communities’ rights to choose how they grow are pushing back against legislators, citing a host of reasons these changes would have negative results, ranging from quality of life concerns to potential impacts on national defense.
Foundation head says ‘mistakes’ made

1 week ago | ocalagazette.com | Dara Kam |Caroline Brauchler

TALLAHASSEE — The chairman of a foundation tied to Hope Florida — First Lady Casey DeSantis’ signature welfare-assistance program — said under oath Tuesday that “mistakes were made” with the foundation’s record-keeping, as a skirmish over the group’s finances continued to escalate. Joshua Hay, chairman of the Hope Florida Foundation Inc., appeared before the House […] To access this entire article, you must Become an Ocala Gazette Member or . Already a member?
Ocala Main Street’s Heart of the Park scheduled to open July 4

1 week ago | ocalagazette.com | Caroline Brauchler

The revitalization of Tuscawilla Park is underway, with the Heart of the Park scheduled to open with a bang this July. Heart of the Park, an upcoming community hub that is transforming the former American Legion building at Tuscawilla Park, is scheduled for a soft opening for sponsors and stakeholders on July 4.
Dunnellon resident dies in house fire

1 week ago | ocalagazette.com | Caroline Brauchler

A house fire in Dunnellon claimed the life of one man in the early morning hours of April 15, according to Marion County Fire Rescue. MCFR was dispatched at 12:51 a.m. to a house on West McKinney Avenue with three occupants. Crews arrived on scene at 12:55 a.m., where the single-story house was engulfed in flames. Two of the occupants were able to escape, while the third was trapped inside.
Senate tax cut proposal expands

1 week ago | ocalagazette.com | Jim Turner |Caroline Brauchler

TALLAHASSEE — The Senate on Monday released a ratcheted-up package of proposed tax cuts, as it prepares for negotiations with the House, which has pitched a $5.43 billion measure that includes reducing the state’s sales-tax rate. The Senate Finance and Tax Committee is scheduled Tuesday to take up the Senate bill (SPB 7034), which would reduce revenue by $1.83 billion next fiscal year.
Traditional school enrollment to decrease

1 week ago | ocalagazette.com | Caroline Brauchler

Posted April 15, 2025 | Florida News Service Enrollment in Florida’s traditional public schools is expected to decrease in the coming years while voucher programs expand, according to a new report from state economists. The report, compiled by the state Education Estimating Conference, said enrollment in traditional public schools is projected to go from 2,805,298 in the 2025-2026 fiscal year to 2,742,162 in the 2029-2030 fiscal year.
Judge backs more manatee protections

1 week ago | ocalagazette.com | Jim Saunders |Caroline Brauchler

TALLAHASSEE — Pointing to ongoing threats to manatees, a U.S. district judge Friday said the state has violated the federal Endangered Species Act in its regulation of wastewater discharges into the Indian River Lagoon. Orlando-based Judge Carlos Mendoza issued a 21-page decision that sided with the environmental group Bear Warriors United, which argued discharges into the waterway along the East Coast led to the demise of seagrass and, as a result, deaths and other harm to manatees.
Farmland Preservation Festival - Celebrating Marion’s beauty

1 week ago | ocalagazette.com | Susan Smiley-Height

From numerous vendors offering lush green plants to those representing such entities as Horse Farms Forever and the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway, the annual Farmland Preservation Festival was all about what makes Marion County a beautiful place to live. The event, which took place at the Stirrups ‘n Strides Therapeutic Riding Center at […] To access this entire article, you must Become an Ocala Gazette Member or . Already a member?
House seeks records on agency spending

1 week ago | ocalagazette.com | Caroline Brauchler

TALLAHASSEE — Amid an escalating feud between Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled House, the chamber’s budget chairman on Friday sent letters to six state agencies seeking a broad array of documents as part of a probe into government spending.
House, DeSantis administration clash on donation

1 week ago | ocalagazette.com | Caroline Brauchler

TALLAHASSEE — A major Medicaid managed-care plan last year made a $10 million donation to a direct-support organization tied to a signature program of Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis as part of a $67 million settlement with the state Agency for Health Care Administration. Details about the donation emerged Wednesday during a combative House Health Care Budget Subcommittee meeting as Chairman Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, clashed with members of Gov.