Ocala City Council members cited the store’s proximity to a daycare and existing alcohol outlets nearby as reasons for rejecting the application from Mikael 25 Inc.
Residents, a nearby church, and supporters of Fessenden Elementary School urged the board to uphold its June denial, citing odor, groundwater, and environmental concerns that they said had not changed.
Marion County commissioners scheduled the first public hearing on a proposed billboard setback exception for Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026.
County commissioners overrode a staff recommendation and approved the vacation of SE 136th Court near Lake Weir while preserving access for canal maintenance.
Players compete for the year’s largest trophy as the Ocala Polo Club hosts the Julie Braswell Cup on Oct. 24 at Florida Horse Park.
Organizers of the new Ocala zoo and aquarium say a late-2028 debut depends on finding a site, securing financing, and completing permits, with the project still in its earliest planning stages.
Two weeks before Halloween, a guided walk through historic Ocala revealed the stories, houses, and lingering presences that never fully left the horse capital.
Background on both candidates and the biggest gaps in their platforms on healthcare, housing, immigration, and the role of government.
The Ocala business owner says the property has been for sale for 1.5 years and that recent Facebook rumors of closing could hurt his business.
Lady Lake Commissioner Treva Roberts says she left the Oct. 6 meeting after a speaker called homosexuality a mental illness, following more than a year of public comments from First Baptist Church of Lady Lake.