The 4th Annual Ocala Film Derby brings Marion County student filmmakers together for five days of workshops, downtown production and career connections before their original short films premiere on the big screen at the Marion Theatre, where awards and a record-setting scholarship total will be revealed.
Marion County School Board member Nancy Thrower says the board will vote Tuesday on consolidating Wyomina Park Elementary with Oakcrest, the plan delayed in August after parents packed the meeting.
Commissioner Craig Curry told residents Tuesday that the county has already reached population levels once projected for 2030 and that a total moratorium would recreate Great Recession job losses instead of catching roads up.
More than 100 local nonprofit organizations will benefit from the annual two-day fundraising campaign.
Marion County approved a 12-month moratorium on large commercial data centers of 50 megawatts or more after a 4-1 vote over smaller-plant exemptions
Businessman Clay Albright told the Ocala City Council that an “embedded cancerous culture” in code enforcement has frightened business owners and that some fear retribution, while Councilman Jim Hilty voted ‘no’ on Lee’s contract and other members said the division needs fixing but Lee should stay.
The Ocala City Council approved a 6.6177 millage rate, an $18.2 million fire assessment, and raises for City Manager Peter Lee, City Attorney William Sexton, and Police Chief Michael Balken.
Existing shops are grandfathered, though one speaker said some convenience stores “carry just products of hedonism” and should not get the same exemption.
The 33-hour online donation drive supporting Marion County nonprofits launches Tuesday morning.
Internal City Auditor Vincent Lovino found that a skipped EFT verification let a scammer take a city vendor payment, that a former manager’s misleading statements delayed the official response, and that insurance cut the city’s loss to $27,799.81.