
The Dandelion Project’s Picking up the Pieces Annual Overdose Awareness Event will be held Aug. 30 at the Compassion United Methodist Church in Ocala, where the 501 (c)(3) nonprofit’s banner will be on display.

From back-to-school milestones to public safety warnings, Marion County residents were engaged with a wide range of headlines this week. Here’s a look at the 10 most-read stories on 352 Today between August 9 and August 15.

The Marion County Sexual Assault Center provides critical services to those who’ve experienced sexual violence.

The Florida Department of Transportation is advancing another section of the Coast-to-Coast Trail, with work planned along State Road 50 from Villa City Road to north of American Legion Road. Residents can learn more at an in-person open house on Wednesday, August 27, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Mascotte Civic Center or explore the project online at cflroads.com starting the same day.

Get ready to cheer for a cause! The “Purple Wave” Pep Rally rolls into Ocala on Aug. 27, rallying excitement and support for the upcoming Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Join the community for an afternoon of energy, inspiration, and unity as we take steps toward a world without Alzheimer’s.

A fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft crashed on South Airport Road in Inverness. Two patients were transported to the local trauma center, and another to a local hospital.

On Ocala’s southwest side, the firefighters of Liberty Station #32 are doing more than answering calls—they’re answering a community’s need for courage, care, and commitment.

Marion County Public Schools’ Food and Nutrition Department is adding two more campuses to its Afterschool Meals Program this year, bringing the total to 39 locations serving free, nutritious meals to students in Marion Afterschool Programs.

Meet Dante — a lovable 9-year-young boxer mix with endless energy, a big heart, and an obsession with tennis balls. He’s charming, clumsy, and ready to make his third adoption the one that sticks. Bonus: he’s a sponsored dog, so he’s free to adopt at the Humane Society of Marion County!

Shannon Edge-Bowen, a piercer at Diamond Tattoo and Body Piercing in Summerfield, is just as passionate about books as she is about her craft. Pictured here with one of her latest reads, Edge-Bowen recently donated more than 60 children’s books to Belleview’s Story Time with the Mayor program, helping spark a love of reading in young minds across the community.